This week, Tina is our host, and she challenges us to show an interpretation of SOFT.
” Is it something as simple as a puppy’s fur, or as personal as your favorite quilt or sweater? Maybe it’s the soft light of dawn or the whisper of a soft breeze through the trees. Let us know in your response what SOFT means to you.”
Tina’s beautiful series of animals leaves us with a soft whisper from nature – and she inspired me to contribute with some softness from northern Sweden and Norway, where I spent some days last week.
In the header, a lovely little bridge by the road in Lofoten. I stopped to take a photo, but, as I was parking the car, the fog had smoothly settled between the mountains – and totally changed the scenery. Now the landscape was swept in a soft, cool blanket, and my photo created a totally different, but maybe more interesting feeling.
The other shots are from Lapland, Sweden, where we were welcomed back by the softest carpet of white cotton-grass and common cotton-grass.
In Northern Europe, for hundreds of years cotton-grass was used as a substitute in the production of paper, candle-wicks, and wound-dressings. And used as filling, they made the softest of pillows.
Do you have cotton-grass in your country as well? Do you know what it was used for in the old days – or maybe still is?
For more information on how to participate in the Lens-Artists photo challenge, click here. And – be sure to tune in for Patti’s challenge next week on Pilotfish!
Leya 
We don’t have cotton grass here at all, but then our flora is totally different to most other countries so it is not that surprising. Whay did surprise me was that it was so beautiful and definitely the epitome of ‘soft.’
Amanda – they are extremely soft! In early June they are in flower where I live as well.
Lovely images Ann-Christine. I see the cotton grass as lovely perks after hiking on mountains in Norway.
Aren’t they lovely – yes? We have them all over the hemisphere!
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Amazing Pictures.
Hi! I never heard of that type of grass. It is perfect for Tina’s theme. 😊😊
Thank you, Patti. A very useful grass as well.
I thought the opening shot was beautiful, Ann Christine, but I’m smitten with the cotton shots too. 🙂 🙂
Ah, I’m glad you liked the bridge too – there are indeed different kinds of softness!
Beautiful!
Thank you, Sue!
😊😊
That cotton grass looks so soft! We get bog cotton here but your cotton grass seems much denser.
True, the polar species are thick and round – very dense.
I don’t know if cotton grass is like what we call cotton in the US, which also grows on grass or bushes–I forget what the details are since I seldom see it. It’s good if it is used for practical things that avoid waste of trees.
Agree about practical things – but I believe it is not what you call cotton in the US.
No, it is probably something else.
Beautiful choices this week Ann-Christine. Cotton was a staple here in the southern US but the new, high-tech fabrics have pretty much killed the industry, as did (thankfully) abolishing slavery.
Yes, real cotton has a sad history. Fortunately this is a wild flower/grass, with a story mostly concerning poor people in the countryside. I am glad you liked the choices.
I have hiked extensively in South Africa and never seen it but that doesn’t mean it isn’t found here. Cotton does grow here though, thanks for introducing me to the grass Leya
Maybe it is a colder climate plant, like here. We don’t have that much down south, but further up north.
I don’t know if we have cotton grass here or not, but it’s lovely and, from what you shared, useful as well. All your photos convey a beautiful sense of softness.
janet
Thank you, Janet. I love this grass blowing in the wind.
Beautiful images for the challenge Ann-Christine, I love the softness of the cotton grass especially. It grows here too, in the National Park and on the moorlands. It has been used for wound dressings and stuffing pillows 🙂💖 xxx
I am glad it has been used before at least. Now I guess here it is only – beautiful!
Intriguing that you caught the hardness of the bridge in a moment of softness. The cotton grass looks lovely. Is it still used?
In fact I think it might be. I read that at least in Finland, they use it mixed with other natural fibers in yarn and textiles. The fibers enhance the warming effect and they absorb humidity, and more – they are also antibacterial.
Sounds sound!
Excellent.
That cotton grass does look so soft, well chosen for today’s theme
Thank you, Pauline – I really love this grass. And we don’t have the white species down where I live.