Forest

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: Time to Relax

/ Leya / 33 kommentarer

This week’s host for the photo challenge is Amy : ”Show us your favorite ‘time to relax’ activity, place, or moment.  It can be in any season, month, week, or day. :)”

 

Relax is  something we all try to do – and need to do. Sometimes they are hard to get by, those moments…but sooner or later you will learn what works for just you.

I find it very relaxing to walk along the paths of graveyards – especially really old ones. Père Lachaise in Paris, Highgate cemetery in London and the old Jewish burial places in Poland are my favorites.

At home, this place is an unmistakable relaxing spot – with or without Totti!

Summertime, I love to walk out here in the evenings to enjoy the sunset.

My flowers, pot plants, orchids – all of them need their daily attendance. They give me a very relaxing hour every morning.

No shop can compete with bookshops for my attention as well as relaxation. Libraries also offer instant harmony.

But lastly – my infallible remedy against stress and pro relaxation of mind and body – is a walk in the lush green of the forest.

If you missed Amy’s challenge for this week, click here.  For more information on how to participate in the Lens-Artists photo challenge, click here. And last but not least, remember to tune in to Tina of Travelsandtrifles next week for our next photo challenge!

 

 

CFFC: Columns and Vertical Line(s)

/ Leya / 18 kommentarer

Columns and Vertical Line(s) for this Tuesday – natural ones and man made.

The header – my forest

Riga, outdoor museum

Copenhagen, old reserves with installation

Morocco, construction area

 

 

Thursday Thoughts – Mindful Moments

/ Leya / 12 kommentarer

If you know me…you know that the forest is my home. These days are wild orchid days, and when the forest opens up to the light and the stillness of the wetlands and its inhabitants…I will be there for short mindful moments before sunset.

Walking slowly, not to disturb anyone or anything, I follow the boardwalk between nodding armies of  cotton grass or bog cotton.

The orchids here are mostly Dactylorhiza with subspecies – marsh orchids. Listera ovata in the middle, lowest row.

Listera ovata

In the setting sun, the rays shine enigmatic life to everything growing. The tiny purple marshlocks glow and the grasses throw flames of greens your way.

Detta bildspel kräver JavaScript.

I rest in the middle of everything – feeling blessed

Late Light Walk

/ Leya / 31 kommentarer

Early mornings and late evenings – Oh, the Spring light! Wishing you a lovely weekend.

Hiking Joy – Kivik and Stenshuvud

/ Leya / 8 kommentarer

That day, in the beginning of May, hiking at Kivik and Stenshuvud – Looking at the pictures, I just have to bring you there again!

Stenshuvud is a hill ( 97 m (318 ft) high and faces the Baltic Sea) in the southeastern corner of Sweden, close to the little village of Kivik. Since 1986, it is one of the National parks of Sweden, covering an area of about 3.9 km2 (1.5 sq mi).

 

Most of the area is covered with broadleaf forest, especially European hornbeam.

The sun was lavishing its hot yellow waves this day (27 C is hot in Sweden…), and Totti and I decided to hike close to the sea – hoping for a breeze.

Unfortunately there was nothing of the kind…

The park also contains heaths, meadows and swamps, and because of the mild climate and varied habitats, many different animal and plant species can be encountered here. If you are lucky, you can meet rare animals as the hazel doormouse, the Eurasian golden oriole or the European tree frog.  But, except for the usual birds and some other dogs, we only met this little green friend.

 

Since the surrounding landscape is relatively flat, the hill can be seen from a great distance and has traditionally been used as a landmark for seafarers.

According to local folklore, the hill got its name (”Sten’s head”) from a giant living here in a cave.

Back in the forest again, several orchids dotted the wood anemone fields.

And some blue eyes on fragile stems.

The forest and trees are indeed enchanted…

…but so are the orchards. Kivik is famous for its apples and all of their refined juices.

Stenshuvud 7 maj 2018 107-2

Hope you enjoyed the hike as much as Totti and I did – after all, a refreshing bath is not bad before returning to the starting point.

Thursday Thoughts – Taktshang Goemba or Tiger’s Nest

/ Leya / 18 kommentarer

Guru Padmasambhava, popularly known as Guru Rinpoche, visited and sanctified Bhutan in the 8th century when evil spirits abounded and harmed people.

Legend has it that Guru Rinpoche flew to this site on a tigress’ back to subdue a local demon. Thereafter, he meditated here for more than three months. Taktshang Goemba or Tiger’s Nest Monastery is one of Bhutan’s most sacred religious sites. It hangs on a cliff 3120 meters above the Paro Valley. Every Bhutanese should visit once during their lifetime.

 

This was our last day in Bhutan, and maybe the one I will keep as the greatest gem

Let there be no sound, no words too many…

 

“Happiness will never come to those who fail to appreciate what they already have”

Buddha 

Family is of greatest importance to the Bhutanese people

Magical forests too…

…Pristine in the fresh air of the Himalayas

Meeting so many lovely friends on my three hours’ journey

Taktshang Goemba

Turning back again, walking alone – but then again, not

“There is no path to Happiness. Happiness is the path.”

Buddha

 

WPC: Place in the World

/ Leya / 34 kommentarer

My Place

”All cities — especially the big ones — have a way of reminding you of your place in the world.” I like that – but I go to Nature for that feeling. The difference is – Nature is not man made, at least it is less man made…

 

 

My place in the world is wherever my family is…and My place is in the great outdoors……where I can feel my own true size – which is that of an ant…

…my total insignificance – and yet, the importance

 

of acting to preserve our Nature, our National Parks,

the animals’ habitats – our heritage…

 

in order to return it with love and pride to our children –

I hope we will not have destroyed all of its magic,

 

its inspiration or its serenity.

I intend to keep loving Nature, my place in the world; trying my best not to leave anything but footprints, and take nothing but photos.

My hope is for the world to realize that we need each other – Man and Nature, Nature and Man. And that in fact, the end of Nature is the end of Man.

 

 

CFFC: Any kind of camera or photographer

/ Leya / 13 kommentarer

For Cee – photographers!

Yesterday’s meeting with the non-profit association of biologists where I live, was held outdoors – a glorious spring evening. On walking back to the cars, I caught a lovely lady photographing in the silent light. She is using a cellphone – which is, I guess, the most popular way of photographing these days.

We were also lucky enough to see a demonstration of a drone taking off and landing – and taking photos of us all. I loved the intensity of the demonstration, just the faces of those (the men…) watching, so I just had to take a shot at it…and when I came home, I noticed there was another photographer sneaking up on my left! I was not aware of him during those seconds. A photo to be thrown away? No, I think it was rather funny – I will keep it. Another funny thing is that these men are all very good photographers, and  Thomas, the demonstrator of the drone, is a renowned bird photographer.