Lens-Artists Challenge #123 – Found in the Neighborhood

/ Leya

We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us. – E. M. Forster

We are all trapped in our Covid19 bubbles – and at least here in Europe we are facing tough restrictions again. This gives us a chance to rediscover our surroundings – indoors and outdoors. And, it also means a chance to develop our photography and think outside the ordinary box. We have had some months to practice already…

Neighborhood – this might just mean taking a photo from the kitchen or office window, but, macro possibilities are obvious as well – a tiny neighbourhood with many new surprises.

Here are some suggestions to get you on track for Found in the Neighborhood: What makes this place (thing, person, pet…) what it is? How can I look at the everyday from a new perspective? Try organizing a creative stilleben you have never seen before! Details might reveal new worlds, or maybe you just noticed a new or redecorated house nearby?

Last week I decided to go a few minutes northwest and visit Gumlösa church, a church I haven’t visited since I was 10 years old. It is too close to home I guess… but so worthy of rediscovery!

According to old documents, the church was consecrated 26th of October 1192 by Archbishop Absalon in Lund. At the consecration was also Eirik Ivarsson, Archbishop of Norway, and bishop Stenar of Växjö. Many relics were preserved here, among others: a hair from the Virgin Mary and a piece of the Holy Cross.

The church was also constructed for defense. In the late Middle Ages they built the upper part of the tower and the stepped gables.

Gumlösa church is the oldest dated brick building in Scandinavia. It went down in a fire in 1904, where only the massive walls and vaults survived, together with the little Crucifix in the third image. But the church was soon restored to its former glory.

While walking along the aisle, notice the white sheets of paper on the chairs – the text says: ”This chair is for the Holy Spirit”. A subtle way of helping us to take better care of each other.


We do not remember days, we remember moments. – Cesare Pavese

After the church visit, we slowly walked back home through the last colours of autumn. For many years I had a venerable old friend, a beech tree, standing in my own forest, but unfortunately, my friend is now withered and gone. To my great surprise, this day I found a new friend – another old giant! So close to my home, but on a path I had never walked before. I stopped for a while to listen, and to feel grateful for finding him.

We met some more curious friends on the road – Belted Galloway cattle from Scotland. They have no horns and wear a ”double” coat. Very friendly. Do you know their nickname?


There is so much to discover, if only you open your mind and all your senses. Follow that road, follow your curiosity – even if you cannot go far away from home right now. There might still be lovely surprises around the corner… I hope you will go find them.

Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less. – Marie Curie

A big thank you to Ana for her timely challenge, ”The Sun will com out Tomorrow”, and to all of you for your sunny and uplifting responses!

Have you seen these:

Andy’s early morning rays at Aekshots

Yan gives us birds flying into the sun in From Hiding to Blogging

Sarah, of Travel With Me, shares sunrises and sunsets from all over the world

Dianne of Rambling Ranger gives us a glorious glimpse of Alaska

Linda of Grammy Writes leads us to Castle Rock

Before I go – take care and stay well – next week Amy will be your host – see you then!

230 reaktioner på ”Lens-Artists Challenge #123 – Found in the Neighborhood”

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  27. Love all those tree photos A-C, the colours are fabulous and the composition is excellent. My favourite has to be the one with the Belted Galloway cattle, we have them here in Cornwall too, but I first saw them in Scotland. Apparently they have very thick coats and are hardy so can stay outside in very cold weather. Here they need waterproof coats! I think one of their nicknames is ‘Panda Cow’

    My post will be up tomorrow. I had to go looking for something a little different as I have posted so many photos this year of my close neighbourhood. I did come across an interesting fact on my search which I think you will like.
    Jude xx

    Svara

    • Jude, thank you – so glad you like the trees! Somehow I believe you portray best what you love – and I love trees and flowers. So maybe there is much love behind it too. But the camera is not my usual Nikon, it is a Fuji XT20.
      Now I am extremely curious about what you have found in your neighbourhood!

      Svara

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  36. Excellent challenge. I learned a new word, ”stilleben,” and I love that idea to create something that would not have been there without our arranging it. I have only done a little of that in my photographic adventure. We have changed neighborhoods, as I’ve talked about ad nauseum, and today I did a short walk in my new neighborhood which I will try to post tomorrow – late, I know! As usual, the Lens Artists inspire us to greater photographic feats. 🙂 Thanks Leya, for sharing your belted galloway. They are adorable. Your neighborhood church, amazing. In my neighborhoods, of course, we have no man-made buildings left standing from the 1100s and it astounds me to see any building that old. Thanks for sharing this beautiful challenge. 🙂

    Svara

    • Marsha – I hear you enjoyed the choice for the challenge! Looking forward to seeing your post – from a new neighbor hood as well. And you are not late…this challenge is forever ;-D

      Svara

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  50. You are so lucky to live in such a picturesque neighborhood, Ann-Christine! The church is quite different from the ones we usually see, being built with bricks. It gives it quite a homely feel. And as always, everything beautifully captured.

    Svara

    • Thank you, glad you came along, Sue! I agree the red bricks make the church look warm and homely. But it is very high. I had a day of childhood memories.

      Svara

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  59. It’s so interesting how we sometimes don’t visit the places nearest to us! I’m so glad you took us to the church. It’s gorgeous. The architecture is so solid and built to endure for centuries. Of course your cattle were a big favorite of mine. Interesting coloration. I have never seen this breed around here. You are getting wonderful responses to this challenge, AC. This is a wonderful opportunity to share a bit of our world. I’ll be thinking of you as I take my morning walk! I hope you get some time in the sun today.
    https://pilotfishblog.com/2020/11/14/lens-artists-photo-challenge-123-found-in-the-neighborhood/

    Svara

    • So glad you enjoyed my outing! – and I hope the challenge is an opportunity to show new findings too! Sorry to say, but no sun here these days – only mist and drizzle, and grey. Hope your morning walk is better!

      Svara

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    • So glad you enjoyed the old church, and yes, it is really old and still in use. Autumn is a lovely moth here with crisp air in October. November is mostly misty and rainy, which makes the colours go away.

      Svara

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  80. Given the current state of the world and the resurgence of Covid-19, it is in everyone’s best interest to stay close to home when possible. Though we have been doing some traveling, we have avoided crowded locations, visited sites in the great outdoors, and generally followed the recommended safety protocols. Looks like it will be a long, lonely holiday season. Take care and stay safe, my friend.

    Svara

    • True, John. We have roamed the outdoors trying to avoid company – and it went well so far. I was happy to visit places not seen for many years, and paths I had never walked before. But Christmas will not be like Christmas, that is a fact. You also take care and stay safe, John. I will continue walking despite the darkness.

      Svara

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    • I am sure you will show us just how lovely it is! I remember you walking the gravel road looking at flowers…somewhere in the beginning of Covid. Looking forward to seeing your take on!

      Svara

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  107. Ann-Christine, I fear I am with you. The church is very special but the nature you’ve shared on your walk is extraordinary. For me, that would be the church! I love that you found a new ”friend” and of course I love the belted galloways (of which we do know the nickname😊of course), but most of all I love the glorious autumn leaves that escorted you home. Wonderful post and challenge.

    Svara

    • Thank you, Tina. It is great to see a childhood building you remember so well – but on the other hand not…As a child you often see things as very high or big, and that was the case with this one. Surprisingly I still found it very high and big!
      So glad to have walked new paths with you, Tina! And, Nature and the forest is my church, has always been. I find peace and harmony there, like nowhere else. But we both belong to nature, don’t we.

      Svara

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  115. Such a beautiful find. I fee like I’m running out of things to find close by, especially with cold weather at our doors. But with new restrictions here as well, I guess we have to keep trying in order not to lose our minds.

    Svara

    • Thank you. And yes – this challenge surely might mean some mind stretching creativity. We have had some practice and I know what you mean…as you say, we have to try and try again now . Hope you will join in if you can!

      Svara

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  119. Thank you so much for the tour of the Gumlösa church, AC! The brick building is magnificent.
    Enjoy the last colours of autumn, all are beautifully captured, the last image is my favorite. Marie Curie’s quote is inspiring!

    Svara

    • Thank you so much, Liz! It was great coming back here again after all those years. And my church is mostly the forest – but so like the inside of this church as well.

      Svara

    • I like these cows, they look so friendly and calm. And my neighborhood (a week later) is grey by now. These were the last colours of the year. But we have great forests everywhere. Your neighborhood has many colourful birds instead, Brian. And many of them stay the whole year?

      Svara

      • So you have colours throughout! And we have no colours for about four months. In March there might be some flowers like wood anemones and the blue hepatica. Much longed for! This is why my house contains about 150 indoor plants that I take care of every day. Who can live without living colours? I can’t. ♥

      • It is hard to live without colour. Yes it’s either is hot or cold, wet or dry and jumble those up to get my weather. So Summer droughts or floods, hot days cool nights. Winter is mostly dry and cold at night with around the 20C’s during the day and getting into the minuses some nights -1 to coldest has been -10. Always green

  122. Your neighborhood looks stunning! I’m sure you’ve enjoyed ”rediscovering” it. And what IS the nickname for the Galloway cows from Scotland? Thanks for the shout-out, by the way!!

    Svara

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  125. Beautiful images Ann Christine, especially the church. What a nice structure to have so close to your home. And thanks for the theme. My dog and I walk the neighborhood 2 miles each day, and sometimes I have to take my camera back to shoot flowers and mushrooms. I’ll do my post as soon as we return from our walk. Thanks again.

    Svara

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  130. I have been doing walks in my area for the last few years and I have definitely discovered stuff that I didn’t know about beforehand. This is definitely a good topic!

    Svara

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