Författare: Leya

Lens Artists Photo Challenge #91 – Simplicity

/ Leya / 76 kommentarer

And I learned what is obvious to a child. That life is simply a collection of little lives, each lived one day at a time. That each day should be spent finding beauty in flowers and poetry and talking to animals. That a day spent with dreaming and sunsets and refreshing breezes cannot be bettered. But most of all, I learned that life is about sitting on benches next to ancient creeks with my hand on her knee and sometimes, on good days, for falling in love.
― Nicholas Sparks 

There is no greatness where there is not simplicity, goodness, and truth.
― Leo Tolstoy,

Like all magnificent things, it’s very simple.
― Natalie Babbitt

The older I get, the more I desire simplicity. – Andy Mineo

If you will stay close to nature, to its simplicity, to the small things hardly noticeable, those things can unexpectedly become great and immeasurable.
― Rainer Maria Rilke

We have lost contact with reality, the simplicity of life. – Paulo Coelho

 

Patti’s challenge is to show what Simplicity means to you. Visit her blog and get inspired!

”As the coronavirus pandemic spreads and intensifies, many of us around the world are spending a lot of time at home, following governmental regulations to shelter in place.” … ” For me, this time also highlights the value of simplicity.” And I agree, in simplicity lies a great amount of love and harmony. Maybe we now are starting to resume contact with reality, and simplicity of life. Our planet and everything living is in great need of it. Let us stay in contact – always.

I think my images speak for themselves, but the opener…what is it? It is the soft edge of a rose petal – from a vase with ten roses standing on my table right now. I love them. Flowers, I must have flowers. Always.

Thank you, Tina, for the beautiful Distance theme! And, we’re delighted to announce that next week’s challenge will be led by our next guest host–John Steiner of Journeys with Johnbo.  Welcome, John!  Please stop by and visit John’s site next Saturday at noon.

Here’s our schedule for the rest of April:

As always, stay well, stay safe, and keep creating!

 

 

 

 

Thursday Thoughts – Dogs I Met in Tbilisi

/ Leya / 30 kommentarer

Dogs are a big part of my life – and cats too, when I grew up in Sweden. In Tbilisi there were so many cats and dogs – of which I have already featured some here. (Click the links) However, I have many more photos from lovely meetings with friendly dogs and cats. These galleries might give you a hint…of just how many dog citizens there are in Tbilisi.

This big guy was the first one I met, and he was relaxing just on the edge of some steps down to a tunnel under the road. I immediately noticed how well muscled he was and how impressive the thickness of his coat.

I had already learned that they are all vaccinated and friendly. The yellow ear button confirmed this fact.

And yes, the dogs were everywhere…sleeping in the middle of the road or path as well. This one was lying here.

Sleeping styles of different difficulty…

…and everywhere and anywhere. Preferences differed. For the heat, for the cooling down, for the view…I never asked – just guessed.

Some liked to play and some raised a bunch of puppies. Some were just thirsty !

I just loved the Georgian people and their concern for the animals. All dogs were not just vaccinated, but they also had their own lunch bar in Rike Park. At the end of Peace Bridge, you could leave your bottle in this bar and dog food would drizzle down.

A Happy Land for stray dogs – at least during the warmer seasons. We should all be that kind and caring. Clearly the citizens loved their animal friends. Harmony ruled.

And by the way…the dog in the header was the only one on a leash.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #90 – Distance

/ Leya / 79 kommentarer

For many years, I have been moved by the blue at the far edge of what can be seen, that color of horizons, of remote mountain ranges, of anything far away. The color of that distance is the color of an emotion, the color of solitude and of desire, the color of there seen from here, the color of where you are not. And the color of where you can never go.
― Rebecca Solnit

Tina’s choice of Distance for this week, gives room for many interpretations. Some images from the Sahara desert illustrates my first thoughts. And the poor scarab has an endless distance to crawl…

I think sometimes you need distance to reflect. – Lynn Nottage

Some extra time on your own these days gives new possibilities for this. Hiking or writing a diary might help keeping your thoughts together. And outdoors you can easily keep the distance.

Hobbiton, NZ

Fantasy is usually considered an escape, but it’s also a way to deal with weighty real-world issues from a safe distance and in a context where you usually have some kind of power that you don’t have in real life. – Noelle Stevenson

Maybe a chance to re-read old favorites – or new acquaintances!

Keeping social distance is what we all do these days – a necessity. Essential to stay healthy and save lives. These cats know how – an image from Madrid, often used, because I love it.

Finally some photos from last weekend, when the sun decided to throw some golden rays our way. Families together, couples sitting alone drinking coffee, enjoying the lovely outdoors. And so did we, Milo and Totti.

In Sweden we are still allowed to go out, and the forest and open landscapes are there for us to savour. Every country has its own rules in this Covid-19 crisis, but I hope many of you still have the possibility to go out. – But, we also don’t know for how long. A garden or a balcony is also great for some fresh air. I am convinced we all use different media to stay in contact with friends, and personally I find Zoom a perfect alternative as well. Thank you for being out there in the blogosphere.


Nothing makes the earth seem so spacious as to have friends at a distance; they make the latitudes and longitudes. – Henry David Thoreau

 

Be sure to link to Tina’s original post, and to use the Lens-Artists TAG. And remember –

Stay safe, keep the distance – but stay in contact!