LAPC#222 – Mountains are Calling

25 oktober, 202222 oktober, 2022 / Leya / 48 kommentarer

Amy is our host this week, and she hopes we will share our joy and pleasure of visiting/climbing mountains. I know many of us are mountain lovers, so we are looking forward to seeing your responses! Be sure to link to Amy’s original post and use the Lens-Artists tag.

In the mountains, there you feel free.

– T. S. Eliot

Let’s start close to home, in Scandinavia, with green summer mountains…

…blue glaciers and

mocca coloured, volcanic Iceland. They are calling to me with their special light and fresh air.

The Canary Islands offer more than beaches, we usually hike the mountain areas. Pico de las Nieves in the faraway clouds, and the pinnacle in the middle is called Roque del Fraile (monk)

On top of the world is the Himalayas, an impressive mountain range. Here seen from northern Bhutan.

More from the Himalayas, now seen from the Tibetan Plateau, where we went by train to Lhasa.

A holy lake in Tibet. The landscape is vast and it took some time for my son to walk down to the water. Lower mountains here, but still impressive. The clouds seemed to hang right above us, almost touchable, and the contrasts were bright in the thin air. This is about 3000-4000 meters above sea level.

The mountain meadows of Switzerland are a haven of summer flowers in July. I think this image shows the essense of this week’s challenge – “The mountains are calling and I must go.” – John Muir

Hiking mountains is so much more than the spectacular views – it is meeting other hikers, photographing flowers, animals, and different landscapes.

*Chasing angels or fleeing demons, go to the mountains.*

― Jeffrey Rasley

Many of us seek the mountains to be alone. To shut out the world and just BE. Silence is rare in this world.

Go where you feel most alive.

– Unknown

So, mountains are calling me because of their beauty, for peace of mind and soul…for moving my body at a pace that suits me, for spending time in the glory of nature. And for photography.

I will finish with other ways of loving mountains… bungyjumping, kiteflying, skiing, rafting, aso…today there are endless activities to try in the mountains if hiking is not your thing. In New Zealand you can get it all.

I cannot thank you enough for last week’s explosion in flowers! You sent us just what I had hoped for – an abundance of glorious flowers! For once, you could indulge in lovely flower images without regret (!), and many of you pointed out the impossibility in chosing favourites – because we love them all! ♥

Next week, John will host LAPC #223. Be sure to visit his site for loads of inspiration. Until then, stay safe and be kind.

Thursday Thoughts – Hiking Stenshuvud

26 maj, 202226 maj, 2022 / Leya / 47 kommentarer

A spring hike is never wrong. Here I am sending some highlights from one of the most beautiful protected areas in Skåne, where I live. It is known for its biodiversity and its many pasqueflowers. My Silent Sunday was photographed there too.

The area is 300 hectares large, and consists of forest, meadows, marshland, beaches and sea.

In May it is of course a dream to walk here, but Autumn too is very beautiful. We usually visit twice a year. Milo loves it.

The paths are mostly easily walked, but maybe not for everyone.

The marshland is fascinating and can not be reached all days of the year. Spring is often OK, if the rains are moderate.

Orchids are frequent, as are all spring flowers – gently nodding to you from both sides of the path.

About three hours later, we are back at the gate. This part of the hike goes through an area with foreign trees brought here from all over the world.

So, hope you enjoyed the tour, thank you for walking with me! These few images hopefully show some of the National Park’s great diversity.

Wordless Wednesday

10 november, 202110 november, 2021 / Leya / 21 kommentarer

Thursday Thoughts

4 november, 2021 / Leya / 45 kommentarer

I had two wonderful hikes last week – one of them was my usual morning walk turned into a dreamy, yet colourful walk in the fog – and the other one an afternoon walk in a sunny haze. The first one posted on Lens-Artists, the other one here today.

I have always wanted to follow paths and roads to see where they lead to…don’t you too? This day I did. The forest road looked very inviting – and I decided today was the day to find out where it led to.

I knew I had a couple of hours to myself before sunset, but already at 3 pm it would have been too dark to find my way in the forest.

No Milo on this walk – otherwise he would have loved the many interesting stops I made. But the road did not lead to where I had expected…

It finally led down to the lake, where we use to swim in the summer. Now I wished the sun would stay until I got there – it would have been a nice finish to the day.

And I was lucky – a beautiful day came to a beautiful end. Thank you for walking with me again!

Lens-Artists Challenge #163 – Keep Walking

31 augusti, 202130 augusti, 2021 / Leya / 90 kommentarer

Amy says: ”This week, our theme is “Keep Walking”. Let’s share our walking and/or hiking experience.” I have always been a walker, and hopefully I will keep walking – just like the two elderly gentlemen in Segovia. I walk to see and feel – to come close to everything living on our planet. I walk to think and contemplate. Why do you walk?

Why not start with a pair of beloved shoes – my young son’s batman shoes… Shoes are very important to keep you walking. For longer hikes, I mostly wear hiking boots, but my other family members prefer ordinary walking shoes.

Our children are used to extensive walking. As soon as they could wear more solid shoes, at the age of three or four something, they walked with us in the forest and on our vacation trips. The Swedish mountains in the first image, then Madeira and the Azores – all favourite hiking areas. The first time they walked the levadas in Madeira, they were three and four years old. The Ribeiro Frio-Portela route is the most popular one with us. We visited Madeira five times, and that hike was always a must. My mother liked it too. In this photo she had just turned 75.

The Azores are constantly on our list – one day we would love to go back for more hiking. The last photo is from Norway, also a favourite hiking area. I am on my way to Svartisen glacier.

We were fortunate enough to visit Bhutan in 2018, and walked the famous path to the Tiger’s Nest. A strenuous five-hour-hike, but worth every step.

Pilgrims from the whole world walk this path and we met many wonderful, smiling people. This family offered me small treats to make me feel less tired. (The dog got one too – everything living is to be cared for.) I learned that the elderly lady was 75 years old, but she just swept past me like a wind and soon disappeared with light steps… while I kept struggling in the thin air.

Finally – a walk I still dream of for the future – if there is one. The walk to Santiago de Compostela. The way of St James. A walk through the whole of Spain, for many a way to find out more about themselves, and how they want to live their Life. In 2016 we drove parts of the Camino, and walked small parts of it. Talked to people and found ever so many different reasons for making this pilgrimage. I guess today we can find even more reasons to walk the Camino…

Many thanks to Tina for “It’s all about the light” last week. She gave a series of comparisons about the power of light, and through your beautiful thoughts and images, we have learned even more about the importance of light.

This week, we invite you to share your walking adventures and photos on trails, streets, gardens, neighborhoods… Remember to link your post to Amy’s original, and to use the Lens-Artists Tag to help us find you.

We’re excited to announce that LAPC #164 will be hosted by Sofia Alves on September 4^th. Her theme is “Looking Up/Down”. Be sure to visit Sofia’s site.

Thursday Thoughts – Summer Dreaming

8 juli, 2021 / Leya / 34 kommentarer

Nature at its utmost splendour – is Now in Sweden

So – grab your bike

And enjoy your ride!

Happy summer!

Thursday Thoughts – Morning and Evening Light

1 juli, 20211 juli, 2021 / Leya / 33 kommentarer

We all know the difference…but how to put it in words?

There is a difference between showing and telling. Every writer knows …and so do photographers. In order to tell a good story you need to practice showing too.

Can you tell me what I have shown you? Light – mornings or evenings?

Thursday Thoughts – Late Evening Walk

27 maj, 202126 maj, 2021 / Leya / 44 kommentarer

After a really cold and wet spell, we’ve had som glorious evenings. I’d love to have you with me for a late Spring walk.

The light is magical in the forest now, so soft, showing off the details as well as the whole picture.

It seems never is the light perfect for photography 24 hours a day – but, right now it is.

The marshes are alive again, but it is still too cold for the mosquitos. I know the swallows are here – but do they find any food? And all the other migrating birds – how are they managing this cold and wet spring?

The scent of the Bird cherry envelops the forest in an almost tangible golden dream…

…where the nightingale throws his spellbinding tunes as the sun is slowly setting.

The numerous marsh- marigolds shine in the darker areas…

…and in the last sunlit meadow, buckbean stand like candles along the path.

Time to return home before it gets too cold – thank you for letting me borrow some of your delightful company!

Wordless Wednesday

12 maj, 202111 maj, 2021 / Leya / 12 kommentarer

Thursday Thoughts – Hiking Gedaryggen

6 maj, 2021 / Leya / 40 kommentarer

We went with a hiking group last weekend. We always walk alone otherwise, but were invited by a friend to join in. 20 people in the big forest. All vaccinated except me. A great day.

Normally, the beeches would have been green by the first of May – but this year has been very cold so far. Today the Maiden Fall and the Maiden Stone were the two main attractions – besides walking in the forest of course.

Do you see the eaten cones on the stump? Never in my life I have seen this many! We saw one every 5th meter. The forest must be a complete mice den…but, we did not spot a single mouse scuttling around.