Macro Monday
Arkitektur
LAPC #239 – Finding Peace
Learning to distance yourself from all the negativity is one of the greatest lessons to achieve inner peace.
― Roy T. Bennett
Tina is our host this week, and she wants to know how we find peace in this busy world. For me, it’s a struggle, but in short, I need alone time and to immerse myself in Nature, Beauty and Art.
A combination of architecture – old and new – and books, is just perfect. It is enough for me to enter a library – any library… But, an exquisite one, like the Long Room in Trinity College, Dublin, is unforgettable. There is an atmosphere around all these books, the authors’ aura peacefully descending on you.
Art – especially otherworldly and fantastic art, like this of Yasec Yerka, expands my mind and thoughts. Yerka’s Surrealistic art is inspired by old masters like Hieronymus Bosch and Pieter Bruegel. I often sit in my armchair and wander through his books, resting in peaceful wonder.
On earth there is no heaven, but there are pieces of it.
– Jules Renard
Looking at beauty in the world is the first step of purifying the mind.
– Amit Ray
Lose yourself in nature and find peace.
– Ralph Waldo Emerson
Time spent amongst trees is never time wasted.
– Katrina Mayer
Wander often. Wonder always – Anonymous
Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees.
—John Muir
Thank you for all your inspiring images and words on Alone time! I enjoyed every piece of them, and I think we also got to know each other a bit more. This week Tina is taking last week’s theme a bit further – hopefully we will get many ideas on how to find peace in this busy world. Please visit Tina for more inspiration, and don’t forget to use the Lens-Artist’s tag when you link to her original post.
Next week it is John’s turn to lead, make sure to visit his site for more about the challenge.
Thursday Thoughts – Weekend Spa
We went to Mosseberg spa resort for a couple of days. A charming area, and we had some snow too. Relaxing.
This resort was built around the middle of the 19th century, and still has those typical villas of those days. Some of the old houses are now private and not possible to visit. They still have their ”Carpenter’s joy” and built in tile stoves.
This is the main building, where we rented a beautiful room. Walking through the house we found several doors with famous people’s names on them. They had all lived here in periods of their lives. Our neighbours were the author Albert Engström and the next door had Madame Kollontaj’s name on it. She once was a Soviet ambassador, pacifist and feminist.
Mosseberg is a beautiful resort in any season, and I would love to see the park in Spring too.
LAPC – Looking Back
Architecture should speak of its time and place, but yearn for timelessness
– Frank Gehry
This challenge from Sofia is about time, how things evolve. I have chosen architecture in the city of Tblisi, Georgia. A city I loved from start to finish, because of …everything! Its architecture ranges from caves to supermodern buildings. They have it all. I loved its gentle and smiling people, the delicious food and wine.
Starting out of the city centre, we visited habitable caves where people lived until just recently.
When walking out of the oldest area and down to the city center, we saw more of tiles and bricks, modern and old techniques. The Orbeliani Sulphur Baths are spectacular buildings from the beginning of the city’s history in the 5th century.
In the middle the most famous of the baths in oriental style.
In some places the juxtapositions were too painful. Many people wanted to preserve something of the old style, and the restorations were fairly well done. But we found buildings made of wood, bricks, tiles and finally glass, together.
The ornamented and typical old style was broken into rounded corners and reflecting glass panels. When we asked people about their ”new” city, not many of them were positive to the changes. They only wanted clean water and electricity.
As you could see in the overall picture of Tblisi, there were some buildings that looked extremely odd – the Concert Hall (not in use…) and the Peace Bridge (in the upper left corner ).
Any architectural work that does not express serenity is an error
– Luis Barragán
Peace bridge in night light. Somehow changes are often taken to the extreme, and to me, it seems old and new seldom manage to coexist beautifully.
Alexandr, our guide, saw it as his mission to photograph old Tblisi for future generations to see and for older generations to reminisce about their younger days. And because he loved his city. He walked the streets of the old city every day, and the tearing down of the elaborately built houses, balconies and staircases made him sad. He told us he was going to donate all his photos to the city museum when he was unable to work anymore.
Beauty perishes in life, but is immortal in art
– Leonardo da Vinci
Sofia picked Art representations to show the passing of time. Now it is up to you to choose where you want to go when you look back in time. Maybe you will want to focus on the evolution of transport, or want to show things that have seen better days… or things that have become obsolete. We’re excited to see where and when you’ll take us. Remember to link to Sofia’s original post and tag Lens-Artists so we can all find you.
A special thank you to John and everyone that took part in last week’s challenge. There were many amazing images from 2022 and promises of a great 2023. Next week Anne will be our host. Please visit her wonderful site for inspiration.
LAPC# 231 – Favourites of 2022
Our first host this new year is John, challenging us to show our favourites of 2022. I don’t know how you choose your favourites, but my choices bring me smiles and warm feelings. So, they are for the greater part memories for my heart.
My absolute favourite 2022 is –
Myra! New in the family and always a sunshine. ♥
At the beginning of last year we went to Lundsbrunn and found some beautiful ruins on the way. Their colours and structures fascinated me. And the concept of pictures in pictures.
Every spring I go to the beech forest to find the first little blue anemonies (hepatica) – daringly facing the first rays of sun. Many times the snow has not yet left the ground.
Pasque flowers are among my absolute favourites, and they are beautiful in every stage of transition. The annual walk by the sea at Kivik and the west coast of Skåne is a treat every spring.
You who follow me know, that flowers are my passion, but also the little inhabitants that fly among them, insects and birds. Nothing beats an early morning walk in the forest or in the fields…or in my garden. At the beginning of the day when everything is served fresh and dewy, birds are singing in a seemingly flawless world .
For some years now, there has not been much traveling – for obvious reasons. When we finally could use our tickets to Porto, it was a strange, but familiar feeling to sit in a plane again. We are more often going by train now – to spare the environment.
Porto was the treat we had been told it would be. And it was very invigorating to meet another foreign city, its culture and people.
For the greater part of 2022 we stayed at home. There was much to do with the glass house, growing vegetables, fruits and flowers. I was also lucky to have a couple of Hummingbird Hawkmoths as rare guests in my garden! As they do not really belong here, I felt a bit sad for them – they would not make it through the winter months.
Mushrooms are delightful company on my walks, and I am appreciating them more every year. This soft little one was accompanied by an even tinier friend at its base. It made me smile.
I hope some smiles came your way as well, looking at my images – ♥
We are looking forward to seeing your favorite images from 2022! Be sure to link your post to John’s original post and use the Lens-Artists tag to help us find your response. Next week, Sofia hosts the challenge. For more information on joining the challenge each week, check here.
Thank you for staying with us through 2022, and hopefully this will be a Happy and Healthy New Year, 2023!
Wordless Wednesday
LAPC #220 – One Subject Three Ways
This weeks challenge is hosted by Patti, who once again wants us to think photographically – One subject three ways.
I am just back from Porto, and I have to post from the amazing Livraria Lello – ”The Most Beautiful Bookstore in the World”… and a bit more than three images it had to be. How do you portray a staircase like this? Hope you don’t mind, Patti! I stayed for an hour and a half to work this shot…
There were so many people in queue to come inside, that we had to try three times to find a queue that didn’t stretch all over Old Town Porto.
And I really don’t know how many books were sold or borrowed or… most people were there for the same reason as we were there – for the love of the architecture and for photographing.
My photos are all crowded, but there was no chance of shooting without people getting in the way…
…taking turns posing or just standing in awe. But for a second or two, suddenly there were only two people in the staircase!
This is my favourite perspective and the lady looking upwards shows there is more to see up there – a beautifully painted glass ceiling for example. But that will be for another post, this one was all about the spectacular staircase!
Patti says: ”This week, we invite you to “work the shot.” Post 3 photos of the same subject–from your archives or from a recent outing. Vary your distance from the subject, try different perspectives, zoom out for the big picture, or zoom in on the details. It’s up to you. You can even experiment with processing the photos differently–in black and white or color, cropping, or trying different filters or effects.”
As usual, be sure to include a link to the original post and use the Lens-Artists tag so we can find you in the Reader.
A special thanks to Tina for hosting last week’s challenge for photo treasures. Your photos were so varied and inspiring–as always!
I, Ann-Christine, will host next challenge, LAPC #221, so be sure to visit Leya, next Saturday at noon to get all the details. We hope you will join us!
Until then, stay safe, inspired and kind.
LAPC #217 – Opposites
This week Tina has put together some interesting opposites. Please visit her beautiful blog and get inspired! Once you have started, it is difficult to stop… ”just think about it, they’re everywhere!”
Our mind is capable of passing beyond the dividing line we have drawn for it. Beyond the pairs of opposites of which the world consists, other, new insights begin.
– Hermann Hesse
Soft – Hard
Morning – Evening in the Sahara desert
Old and dilapidated ( but warm and ornamented…) – Modern (cold and straight)
Cold and hot climate
In the header – opposites in the same image with day and night in one – midnight sun! Above – two in one as well – hot springs in cold ice and snow.
Special thanks to Sofia for last week’s Urban Environments challenge. It was great fun seeing
the many urban examples you all shared! ”This week we invite you to show us some opposites – big and tall, round and square, new and old….”
Remember to link your response to Tina’s original, and to use the Lens-Artists Tag to help us find you. We look forward to seeing what you come up with. Finally, we’re excited to announce that next week’s Guest Host will be Donna of Wind Kisses so be sure to check out her wonderful site. Until then, as always please stay safe and be kind.
LAPC #216 – Urban Environments
You know, I don’t really understand a suburban environment. I want to be out in the woods, I want to be where it’s wild, I want to wake up and hear birds, I want to walk outside and see a gaggle of turkeys bouncing across my lawn – I want to be someplace like that – or I want to be right in the middle of an urban environment. – Karen Allen
This week Sofia asks us about urban environments – I used to love visiting big cities now and then, for a week or two. But, due to covid, the last three years we have stayed at home. I must admit I miss those adventures…
I will tell you something of why I liked visiting the cities chosen.
But you can find anything in Rome…
A gallery of the kind of urban environments that I love the most. Narrow alleyways and old buildings. But as Sofia says, new architecture can also be interesting. Like Bilbao in the header and Århus in Denmark.
Finally, my nearest big city, Malmoe – the photo taken from a plane flying in from somewhere in the world. Santiago Calatrava’s Turning Torso shining in the evening sun.
”This week’s challenge is about how you view any urban environments you came across, either by visiting as a tourist or the place you live in or commute to every day. What makes that city or town special and how do you capture it.” Please link to Sofia’s marvelous original post and tag with Lens-Artists so we can easily find you.
Last week John emphasized the way of transport to your destination. An inspirational challenge where the different interpretations were varied and interesting.
Next week is Tina’s turn to host, please have a look at her wonderful site and join us if you can.
For more information on how Lens-Artists Challenge work, please click here.
Wordless Wednesday
Leya 