Animals

Favourite Images of 2025

/ Leya / 36 kommentarer

I hope you all had some Happy Holidays and are now ready for posting your favourites of 2025! As has become our custom, we are asking our followers to select their favorite images of the last year – whether they’ve been included in previous posts or not. This week, no single host will present the challenge. The entire team will share the challenge topic.

Here are mine – difficult to choose, and, of course I could have chosen other ones. But, with some for the beauty, some for the fun, some for the surprise and some for Love – I hope you will find something for yourself too!

This picture is my absolute favourite of the year – an endemic chaffinch sitting in a young girl’s hand in the forest in Madeira. A moment of peace and total connection with Nature. It fills my heart with gratefulness just looking at it.

I think I wrote in another post, that this year I didn’t do much photography – because I have started painting again. That is why one of my paintings is here in the gallery too.

Spring is the starter of Life – and everything…also my joy in photography. But it must be Spring at home, in Sweden.

In June we returned to Madeira, our hiking paradise for many years in the 70’s and 80’s. It was a joy to come back to the lush and beautiful nature there, but in the city so much had changed that I hardly recognized it. Despite the changes of time though, the country feeling remains – suddenly close-up cows in the middle of the road. Loved it!

Back home to Autumn, Winter and bird feeding in the moonlight. I do love my sweet sheep meetings every day on my dog walks – Milo believes they are his cousins.

Finally, a trip to the ice festival in Midieval Poznan, Poland. This is Restaurant Ratuszova with its amazing paintings in the cellar vaults.

We thank all of our followers for continued support and look forward to seeing the images you choose as YOUR favorites of 2025. Please remember to link your post to any or all of the Lens-Artists team members. Also, remember to use the Lens-Artists Tag to help us find you.

We offer our best wishes for a New Year filled with peace, happiness, love and friendship. Anne will lead us next week on her lovely Slow Shutter Speed blog. Until then, stay safe, be kind and and find joy in the simple things.

Thursday Thoughts – Autumn Meetings

/ Leya / 15 kommentarer

The sheep are still out –

and the geese are gathering.

Robins are roaming my garden, the forests and parks. I hear their clicking sound where ever I walk. It is very comforting to have them around.

Many fields are still green – today we have 14 degrees C. Normally it should have been around 5.

Strange times, strange climate, strange world. I do not recognize it anymore. I cling to the beauty still there.

Lens-Artists Challenge # 371-Street Details

/ Leya / 44 kommentarer

This week, Ritva wants us to reveal the often-hidden, magical world, of the details we never take the time to notice anymore. I knew I didn’t have that many small details – but some bigger ones…

A surprising detail on a church in Spain…

More of Spain – Toledo if I remember it right! He really frightened me…

I did not see the cat at first, but loved it as it blended in perfectly among the stones in the wall.

What station is this in London? Of course it had to be London! Love British humour.

Sitting under a parasol somewhere in the world – this little visitor decided to pause on top. I could follow him jumping around – a bird trampoline!

New Zealand street – of course! They are very aware of environmental issues, trying their best to convey important messages to us all.

Turn Right…in Lodz.

Loved this gate – somewhere in the Mediterranian. The vine was a perfect match.

An old hand painted gem seen in Switzerland.

Somewhere in Madeira on a seaside road.

Thank you for this great challenge, Ritva! Last week, Sofia took us around the world on a journey to ancient sites, as she explored the details of architectural marvels and let us all join in the fun.

Next week is Tina’s turn to host, please go and visit her lovely blog Saturday 1st November. Hope you will join us again. Until then, keep smiling and stay positive.

Important; link your post to Ritva’s original post and Remember to tag Lens-Artists so we can all easily find you.

If you’d like to know more about the Lens-Artists Challenge, please click here.

Thursday Thoughts – Levada do Norte

/ Leya / 20 kommentarer

A levada is an irrigation channel or aqueduct specific to the Portuguese Atlantic region of Madeira. In the 16th century the Portuguese started building levadas to carry water to the agricultural regions in the south. Over 2,170 km (1,350 mi) of levadas were built and later provided a network of walking paths.

Due to the dangerously mountainous landscape, building levadas was often tasked to criminals and convicts from continental Portugal. Today levadas supply water and also provide hydro-electric power.

These are some scenes from a lovely levada along the south coast of Madeira. We walked this city border levada first, and later in the week returned to our favourite mountain levada. They are totally different. Ready? Let’s go!

We jumped off the local bus at Estreito de Camara de Lobos. The walk starts in a vineyard. We were grateful for the shadow!

The whole walk presented splendid views over the landscapes and the ocean.

Every now and then we met a local farmer on the path.

And – curious little friends peeping out for a closer look at us.

This is a very mountainous landscape, and the levada was sometimes redirected to another path because of overhanging cliffs and stones.

Workers in the heat of the day, a singing levada, fruits and berries among the flowers. And…lizards en masse!

Paths can provide easy and relaxing walks through the countryside, while others are narrow, crumbling ledges where a slip could result in injury or death. We walked the most dangerous ones in the 1980’s – today we would not take the risk.

Children played with the water of course – this little guy had built a boat for the levada – and as we passed him, we found his shoes too.

Animals are kept in little sheds – palheiros – I feel so sorry for them. Living in the mountains means not many places for grazing, and they could also slip and fall. I was so happy to find this beautiful goat in a massive field of lush grass! But, look closely at his horns – they are tied together.