We visited yet another castle on our tour to old friends some weeks ago. Läckö Castle, once voted the most beautiful Castle in Sweden.
I must confess I did not find it as interesting as Tjolöholm, but of course the looks of Läckö is maybe more of a castle with a princess waiting inside.
First we had a lecture in the King’s Hall, about the history of the castle, and then we were left to read ourselves and walk the tour on our own. There was not much of the original furniture left, but I did find a Narnia cupboard …
In the 17th century Sweden was a country of great power, so many of the paintings were from famous battles. Not my kind of art.
I found the floors to be an absolute dream though. They were laid like no other floors I have seen, and in fact this type of fitting the boards is called Läckö after the name of the castle.
There was a lovely walled garden too, and more of Miss Willmott’s Ghost (Thank you, Jude), a plant I have already ordered for my own garden next season. I just love this extravagant flower, and the story of the lady Willmott too – secretly dropping seeds of this flower in other people’s gardens…
The last picture shows a piece from the treasury at Läckö – the decorative vases used for single flowers in those days.
Tjolöholm Castle is in many respects a fairytale castle. The castle was built 1898-1904 by James Fredrik and Blanche Dickson. In fact it was Blanche who finished it, as her husband died shortly after the plans were ready.
The young architect, Lars Israel Wahlman, combined the Tudor style with modernities from the turn of the century such as showers with circularly flowing water, electricity, central heating, and a vaccuum cleaner (so big and heavy that it had to be drawn by horses). The intention was to create a home that was both comfortable and dignified.
Parts of the castle were being renovated when we visited, which of course made it more difficult to take decent photos.
Some of the most impressive ideas and rooms were the bathrooms with the special showers. All ordered from Liberty in London – the worksmen as well!
I also loved the fashion exhibition, grand royal 19th century, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert depicted from majestic festivities to the family’s private sphere. The Dickson family had moved from England and bought Tjolöholm to build a new home. The style is Arts and Crafts, and the whole interior is intact. A very unusual thing – rather fantastic. The furniture, tapestery and almost everything indoors was bought from Liberty in London – a company that still exists.
The lady’s riding costume certainly makes for the side saddle…
Rooms I really loved seeing were the children’s rooms and the flower arranging room.
Then…rooms with very special things in them or special thoughts guiding their interior decoration.
I especially want you to look at the green carpet room. The entrance to the room was meant to lead the eye along the (very) green broadloom (?) and through the window, out in the green of the garden. To create a feeling of wholeness – indoors and outdoors nature. The player piano or pianola in the last picture, is one of the last existing, working pianolas. The many boxes on top of it contains pieces of music for the instrument. The lady, one of the guides, offered to play the pianola for us. It worked perfectly well!
There is much more to be seen in this charming Tudor castle, so I suggest you visit yourself someday.
There will be one more post from me on the Castle – and the beautiful castle garden. Hope you enjoyed a piece of the cake – I enjoyed your coming along with me!
Patti invites us this week, for a different challenge. ”…pick a color and select several photos that feature that color. Start with a photo of a big subject in that color (for example, a wall) and move all the way down to a small subject in that same color (for example, an earring).” She reminds us of size constancy and the importance of easily recognizable objects for comparing. You will see some of this in my images, but in some there are no perfect objects for comparing.
So, should I go for my favourite – green, or…no, I think I will choose white! And I will tweak it my way.
I could make it easy for me and choose a B&W image – surely there will be much of white in it…
But, I don’t think that is what was expected of me. Instead I will chose a fluffy arctic white cotton grass.
The flower itself is not big, but together they make a massive impression.
And another massive explosion – of tiny water violets – makes for an almost whimsical White view… So, many small dots will finally conjure up that big wall.
Anyhow, let’s leave the wall for now, and go to the white skies over the old whaling station,
and lichen in spots. To me, white is still the dominating impression. But, are the houses Hobbit size under that big sky and can you hold the stone in the palm of your hand?
In this picture, white is no longer the main colour impression – but, the church is still a Big building…
Ribwort Plantain is a resident of my garden since long, and as a child I used to lie down in the grass, dreaming it was a star with plenty of planets swirling around it. Or a satellite sailing in the wind, the little white dots fluttering and flying in their own universe. I still love this plant, it always puts a smile on my face.
So, how is the relationship between large and small…how do we interpret what the concept says compared with the impression through our eyes? I do know one thing, that great walls are not only built of big bricks…but also of tiny and seemingly inconspicuous things. And That, is good to know.
Thank you, Patti, for a thought provoking, fun and diffferent challenge! Don’t forget to visit Patti and her inspiring site – and we hope to see you there under the Lens-Artists tag.
Special thanks also to Dianne Millard for hosting theLet’s Get Wildchallenge last week. Her love of nature is passionate, as well as her photography. We were all entranced by your “wild” and wonderful photos.
Next week I will be hosting, at Leya’s, in LAPC #152. Until then, have a wonderful creative week and please stay safe.
A lovely day, feeling soft spring air – and welcome to visit Frank at Beach Walk Reflections, where you can breathe even more fresh air. Right now Tina is walking there, and tomorrow, Thursday, I will be there too. Quietly walking.
In one sentence, I’d describe myself as indescribable. But, I wouldn’t end it with a period. I’d end it with three dots. – Jason Schwartzman
My intension with this challenge, Spots and Dots, is … that you should have fun with it! But, also recognize and enjoy the different interpretations, meanings and importance of these two little words. Spots and Dots. Because even if they are small…they can make a big difference. In the written language for example.
Louis Braille created the code of raised dots for reading and writing that bears his name and brings literacy, independence, and productivity to the blind. – Bob Ney
It is said people with brilliant minds are eccentric, and 92-year-old Yayoi Kusama is no exception — she is obsessed with dots. Her dots may appear boring, but she has this incredible ability to create enchanting artwork of many variations with just the dots. I visited one of her exhibitions in Copenhagen some years ago – and totally fell in love with her art.
What about spots then? We all have spots, weak spots, blind spots etc. Here I spotted two quotes that I like – and use:
A leopard does not change his spots, or change his feeling that spots are rather a credit. – Ivy Compton-Burnett
Do not look at stars as bright spots only. Try to take in the vastness of the universe. – Maria Mitchell
Talking about favourite spots, one of them is my own garden. Found with Forget-me-not spots in the header. And, another favourite spot is Copenhagen with its many attractions. Not least the exhibitions. Only an hour and a half away from my home – but at the moment inaccessible. How I miss the regular summer visit with my friends!
Finally, about connecting dots for an important whole – listen to Ban Ki-moon:
Saving our planet, lifting people out of poverty, advancing economic growth… these are one and the same fight. We must connect the dots between climate change, water scarcity, energy shortages, global health, food security and women’s empowerment. Solutions to one problem must be solutions for all.
Thank you Amy, for last week’s beautiful challenge – Gardens. And thank you all for your lush, soothing and spectacular posts! There were many places to note down for a possible future visit. Hope to see you in this week’s challenge as well – very open for creativity! Don’t forget to link to my original post, and the Lens-Artists tag. Also, stay tuned for next week, when Tina will be your host. Take care and be nice.
An Alphabet challenge! This week Patti invites us to share images that feature a subject on the letter A. We can also include signs and graffiti with the letter A. For an added challenge, Patti suggests capturing an image that illustrates a concept with the letter A, such as alone, abstract, or afraid.
I have chosen Art, Arch, Architecture and Abstract.
The Rila Monastery in Bulgaria had me enchanted for many hours – and every time I look at the photos from that day…I remember the surprise that hit me when we entered the courtyard. Silence, and unbelievable beauty in the elaborately handpainted arches.
When it comes to impressive new artwork, one of my greatest favorites are The Kelpies in Scotland. We visited in 2014 when they were just put in place. The Kelpies are 30-metre-high horse-head sculptures depicting kelpies (shape-shifting water spirits), located near Falkirk, standing next to a new extension to the Forth and Clyde Canal. The Kelpies were designed by sculptor Andy Scott as a monument to horse-powered heritage across Scotland.
Abstraction indicates ”a departure from reality in depiction of imagery in art”. This departure from accurate representation can be slight, partial, or complete. Many abstract sceneries are absolutely natural…while others are manmade. A frosty car mirror in the header and an autumnal lake with reflected leaves above.David Hockney – ”Me draw on iPad”, Louisiana, Denmark.
Thank you for all your inspirational entries for Tina’s challenge last week! A beautiful highlighting of the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi.
We are looking forward to seeing your new choices – please include a link to Patti’s original post and use the Lens-Artists tag so that everyone can find your post in the WP Reader. We hope you will join the fun!
Finally, stay tuned for Amy’s challenge next week – and until then, stay safe and well.
I really believe there are things nobody would see if I didn’t photograph them. — Diane Arbus
This week Tina is our host, and she says: …”we hope you’ll share a subject that is near and dear to you, that you find interesting, or challenging, or perhaps that shows us something new or unique to you.” Please visit her page, marvel at her artistry and get inspired by the art of Wabi-Sabi!
I am not interested in shooting new things – I am interested to see things new. – Ernst Haas
Personaly, I have chosen nature’s beauty combined with different processing of the images. A creative pastime that has become even more interesting in days of seclusion this year. But, let’s start with my capital city – Stockholm. (I do visit cities too…) Said to be one of the most beautiful capitals in the world – much because it is a city on water.
All photographs are accurate. None of them is the truth. — Richard Avedon
Earlier this year (pre-pandemic…), a grey day, just like today, I had some hours between trains in Stockholm. I walked past Stockholm City Hall, sailing in the air – a double exposure processed with an oil painting filter.
Frosty leaves on the forest floor – with a touch of oil painting.
In seeking truth you have to get both sides of a story. – Walter Cronkite
My visit to Ifö art center some weeks ago also presented some splendid natural artworks. This beautiful window was covered in colourful Boston ivy (?) (oil painting filter) – but its real beauty wasn’t revealed until we went inside, looking out of the backlit window.
The memory has as many moods as the temper, and shifts its scenery like a diorama. ― George Eliot
This gallery shows the same window, processed with different filters. From left to right: colour pencil, water colour, oil pastel, pencil, abstract.
Only photograph what you love. – Tim Walker
My final image is the window seen through my eyes, lens and oil painting filter. It represents my heart’s own memory of this moment in time. Our memory works like this – reality through filters like personality, feelings, mood and situation. In the header – double exposed roses processed with an oil pastel filter.
So, this week it’s all up to you – choose your subject and share whatever it is about it that you find interesting. We are looking forward to seeing your interpretations.
Thank you for treating us to your creativity on Amy’s Now and Then Challenge!
SPECIAL NOTE: For those who wish to have advance notice on our themes, next week Patti will treat us with an Alphabet Challenge – Subjects That Begin With The Letter A.
Leya 
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