# 41 Close-up (71/365)

Tulpaner, tulpaner, tulpaner. Vissa är vackrare än andra – den bukett jag fick för två dagar sedan var osedvanligt vacker.

Tulips, tulips, tulips. Some are more beautiful than others – the ones I got the day before yesterday was remarkably beautiful.

# 55 Döskalle – Skull (70/365)

Denna döskalle och ett antal likadana till plus skulderblad och revben, m.m. togs hem från dotterns volontärtid på Nya Zeeland. Hon jobbade på ett naturvårdsprogram där.

Possum är ett djur som inte naturligt förekommer på NZ, utan har kommit dit med oss människor. Resultatet är det vanliga i alla sådana fall – förödande. Det inplanterade djuret utrotar en del av de inhemska djuren. Eftersom NZ har så många speciella djur, till exempel den icke flygande kiwin, så behövs det inte mycket för en katastrofal utveckling för det endemiska beståndet.

This skull is from a possum in New Zealand. My daughter worked there as a volunteer on a nature preservation program, and brought home several of these, along with ribs and vertebraes and…other skeletons.

Possums are not well liked in NZ as they were brought there by humans who didn’t know better. Many endemic species are in danger or even extinct because of our stupidity.

# 229 Porlar – Ripple (69/365)

Bäcken porlar härligt när isen smälter. Här kunde man sitta i timmar och låta ljudet sippra genom hela kroppen.

A rippling brook is soothing to all humans. When the ice is open the sound is music to the soul.

 

Eget tema 1: Säcka – Sagging (68/365)

Det här lilla huset kör jag förbi ibland – undrar hur långt ner det kan säcka innan det faller samman?

This little house has been a sagging sight for several years – I wonder how much longer before it will fall apart totally.

Travel Theme: Details

Details are important. Even if you don’t see them – it is they who make up our world…

Fore more details from Ailsa’s, click here.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Scale

New Zealand’s great glaciers, Franz Josef and Fox make their visitors feel exceptionally small. The Franz Josef (Ka Roimata o Hinehukatere in Māori) is a 12 km (7.5 mi) long  glacier located  on the West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island. Together with the Fox Glacier 20 km (12 mi) to the south, it is unique in descending from the Southern Alps to less than 300 metres (980 ft) above sea level, amidst the greenery and lushness of a temperate rainforest.

Walking up to the glaciers was very easily done, and we were greatly rewarded. I have walked glaciers in several countries in Europe – but these two are the most remarkable ones of all. Imagine the rainforest coming down almost to the floor of the glacier, and you could touch them both from the path!

The photos show the scale very clearly, but the feeling of walking there is impossible to convey…you have to be there yourself.

For more of Scale, click here.

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: My favourite things verse three

For Cee this week – some of my favourite things

Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes, Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes, Silver white winters that melt into springs, These are a few of my favorite things.

# 217 Orörd – Untouched (67/365)

En sällsynt dag idag – en dag av sol. En promenad under lunchen gick till sjön. Orörd snö täcker fortfarande den tunna isen.

An unusual day today – a day of sun. A walk to the lake during my lunch break showed a still untouched cover of snow on the thin ice.

# 9 Backspegeln – The rear view mirror (66/365)

På väg hem ikväll var det ovanligt ljust och klart. Även i backspegeln.

On my way home tonight the light was clear and bright. Even in the rear mirror.