Landscape

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #135 – A Glimpse into Your World

/ Leya / 89 kommentarer

Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy. – Anne Frank

This week, we welcome Sheetal as our special guest host, with the theme A Glimpse into your world. ”Show us the things you love that makes your world spin or things about your world that make you delirious with joy.” Sheetal tells an interesting story of music and travel – and of The Beatles!

Many things in life fill me with joy, but few things make me ”delirious” anymore. I guess that comes with age…but I always strive to keep my eyes and mind fresh and open. My most enchanted moments are always with Nature and all its living creatures, with Flowers and Light. Together they make my world complete and whole. I must live close to nature and just like Monet, “I must have flowers, always, and always.” And Light. With these few images from my Nordic home, I want to show some of the moments when I felt totally immersed in the beauty and wonder of our planet.

Secret gardens
16000 cranes arriving at Hornborgasjön, early morning, 3 am

One of the strange things about living in the world is that it is only now and then one is quite sure one is going to live forever and ever and ever. One knows it sometimes when one gets up at the tender solemn dawn-time and goes out and stands out and throws one’s head far back and looks up and up and watches the pale sky slowly changing and flushing and marvelous unknown things happening until the East almost makes one cry out and one’s heart stands still at the strange unchanging majesty of the rising of the sun–which has been happening every morning for thousands and thousands and thousands of years. One knows it then for a moment or so. ― Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden

Nordic Light – Sweden

Nature is so powerful, so strong. Capturing its essence is not easy – your work becomes a dance with light and the weather. It takes you to a place within yourself. – Annie Leibovitz

Nordic Light – Norway

Give light, and the darkness will disappear of itself. – Desiderius Erasmus

Nordic Light – Denmark

I really just want to be warm yellow light that pours over everyone I love. – Conor Oberst

Nordic Light – Iceland

By almost any measure, Iceland is one of the world’s most unique lands. – Roger K. Sandness

And the Nordic Light – is purely Natural.

Remember: Always walk in the light. And if you feel like you’re not walking in it, go find it. Love the light. – Roberta Flack

Thank you for last week’s fun challenge from Tina – and thank you All for showing us more useful tricks to enhance forgettable pictures! Very creative. As always, please remember to link your responses to Sheetal’s original post, and to use the Lens-artists tag to help us find you. Until next week, stay warm, well – and even a bit delirious with joy? We are looking forward to seeing what makes Your world spin!


Thursday Thoughts – Younger Days II

/ Leya / 53 kommentarer

I was born and raised in a tiny village, consisting of about 15 houses situated on a ridge above the school house. Here I spent every day of my first 12 years, climbing and running, strolling and roaming the farm land, meadows and forests. I had a happy childhood.

This is the gate I climbed every day – or, this might be a newer one, but it still looks the same to me… There are huge stones in the meadow above, and we used to bring buns and milk to feast on when we had finished climbing and settled on top of the highest one. To us they were mountains – but in reality, boulders from the ice age, left here when the ice moved away.

In this house lived the grandmother of my best friend at school, and her grandson (my friend’s elder brother). A small farm I loved to walk up to every day. My own grandmother’s house was just 5 minutes down the road.
Maybe you remember I posted before on this barn, the cats and a duck behind the yellow door. My childhood friend’s brother still lives here, but the farm animals are not that many anymore. He always keeps his ”Grålle” tractor (Ferguson) in excellent shape.
They used to have sheep, pigs, geese, hens, rabbits, cats and dogs. There’s only two sheep left, a duck and … loads of cats. Being a farmer is a tough life, so it has got to be a ”living your dream” scenario. It takes All of you to manage and make it thrive.
But the two sheep seemed happy in their golden meadow, and the farmer – well, he was just like I remembered him from younger days. I will return a sunny day in spring so we can climb some stones again. That would be just great.

Thursday Thoughts – Younger Days

/ Leya / 36 kommentarer

Walking, walking…One of the last colourful days, I decided to walk along an old road I used to walk in my younger days – in the 1980’s. I had a friend living at the end of the road, and I believe she still is.

One of the old farms was in ruins due to a fire some years ago. The remains looks beautiful still.
Spindle and old fences – and of course a red farmhouse. Sweden is renowned for its red houses with white gables.

Even bird houses have them…
And Milo loved the stone fences – of course. He gets a nice treat when he is climbing up on top of something. Spoilt young man…
So, Milo and I have a lot in common… many stones climbed and so many fences defied – this was a big part of being a child in a rural landscape. No playing indoors – always outdoors in the fresh air.
No matter how much we tried – we still couldn’t conjure up the sleepy sun this day – but memories of childhood days danced like autumn leaves in the air. Golden and light as feathers. Today my grandfather was born, 117 years ago.

Thursday Thoughts – Hovdala Again

/ Leya / 29 kommentarer

Hovdala is mentioned for the first time in 1130, but the presently visible castle complex began to be constructed during the early 16th century. The date 1511 can be read on one of the façades. In those days, Scania (Skåne) was a part of Denmark.

A renovation of the castle was initiated in 1993. In 2004, renovation project was awarded the Europa Nostra award for ”sensitive and intelligent restoration work.”

The castle was besieged twice by Swedish troops during the Kalmar War. But, Hovdala castle withstood both sieges.

The beautiful Orangerie was built in the 18th century – now often used for weddings, but still a harbour for plants during winter time.
The castle belonged to the Ehrenborg family until 1944, when it was expropriated by the Swedish state. The last owners were however allowed to stay in the castle and did not move out until 1981. The grounds are frequently used for walking, hiking, bird watching and jousting.
The freshwater pearl mussel is a precious inhabitant in the waters of Hovdala.

Follow the road up in the forest behind the castle, and you will arrive at the Library Ruin – on which I have often posted. An unfinished octagon built by the owner of the castle – what a beautiful idea – to have a library in the forest! So, I will leave you there…for now.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: #106 – Autumn

/ Leya / 86 kommentarer

Autumn used to be my favourite season when I was young. As I grow older, I am happy to experience the beauty of each season.

Patti’s challenge this week is Autumn – and never has it been more difficult for me to choose images…my autumn tributes counts in the thousands. I will let my choices speak for themselves. As usual, click to enlarge.

I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.

– L. M. Montgomery

Hovdala och Hammarmölledamm 199_copy

When the autumn meets the tranquillity, there you can see the King of the Sceneries!
― Mehmet Murat ildan 

Autumn carries more gold in its pocket than all the other seasons.
― Jim Bishop

Happiness is to get lost in an autumn forest, and not to be found is even a greater happiness!
― Mehmet Murat ildan 

When everything looks like a magical oil painting, you know you are in Autumn!
― Mehmet Murat ildan 

Autumn is the mellower season, and what we lose in flowers we more than gain in fruits.

–  Samuel Butler 

Bockeboda november 2018 064-2

Every season has its own art and the art of autumn is to bewitch the people!

― Mehmet Murat ildan

As the season changes, we learn to adapt.
― Lailah Gifty Akita

 

A special thanks to Tina for hosting last week’s Spring challenge. And thank you all for sharing your spring poetry with us – hope and joy transmitted over the world!

Finally – Stay safe and well – hope to see many of your autumn memories! Next week it is my (Leya’s) turn to be your host – for Winter. Looking forward to seeing you then.

 

 

 

 

Thursday Thoughts – And I do Love Cows!

/ Leya / 39 kommentarer

Hiking in spring always means meetings with cattle.

And they are always very curious…especially when dogs are around.  In the opener a gang that followed us through their meadow and almost over the fence…

Old farmsteads with apple trees and cherry trees – what could be more beautiful?

Only the cows!

Thursday Thoughts – Hiking, but not 2020

/ Leya / 36 kommentarer

For so many years we have hiked this beautiful national park during April…

…but not this year. We used to go the whole family, and all our dogs have made it to the top of the mountain at least a dozen times each. We follow the water for about an hour,

then the track turns around the bend and for a while we walk the footbridges.

I searched my archives to find some memories from years gone by,

and here is something of the early spring loveliness as we struggle up the tough slopes.

On the plateau, old trees have come to rest, and younger ones softly lean over the precipice. We stop to admire before the long walk down to the pond where we started.

I miss this hike, but this is 2020, the year of corona and covid-19.

I will be back though – I promise…maybe next spring.

 

 

 

Thursday Thoughts – Thankfulness

/ Leya / 33 kommentarer

Camera and binoculars packed – an Easter walk one of these beautiful mornings. The stillness in the air promised some lovely hours in my favorite place.

The old sallow stands waiting for its summer guests again – a different spring for us this year, but not so for the birds. Nature is still out there for us whenever we return.

The giant beech with sweet wood anemones at its feet. A joy that they managed to survive the freezing cold nights we have had for weeks. Down to 8 degrees below zero.

Glorious blackthorn in the sun! They grow everywhere here in the meadows, and I always walk up to the top fields to see them basking in the open air. They Are Sunshine.

Today the farmer was out too – his growling tractor the only sound disturbing the merry flute tones of thrushes, chaffinches and robins.

In April I always walk to the wetlands looking for the first marsh-marigolds. In 2018 many of them were lost because of the heavy drought. This year another blow came from the numerous wild boars. But I found a couple of them. When I was a child I tried to pick some for my grandmother, but alas, I soon learned they drop their petals immediately put in a vase. Grandma’ just smiled, saying they only love the outdoors.

I am so deeply grateful to be allowed to walk in the forest this spring too. I know that this year not all of us have this possibility – but there Will be more opportunities for us to go. We just have to be patient. Mother Nature will open her arms when we arrive.

Stay safe, stay well and stay in contact with each other.