Lens-Artists Challenge #65 – Pick a Place and Catch its Spirit

30 september, 201924 februari, 2020 / Leya / 52 kommentarer

Last week Amy challenged us to share images of the countryside and/or a small town. This week Tina is hosting, and she is ”…asking you to look a bit farther afield. Each of us at some point has visited a place that holds special memories. It may have been a small town, a big city, or even better, an entire country. We’d like you to capture the spirit of a place that is vivid in your memory. What was it that drew you in and why did it capture YOUR heart?”

I guess many of you already know where my heart lies – Iceland. I have been returning to this country again and again, for more than 30 years now. There is no end to the fascination. This is my attempt to find out Why.

The vast, open landscapes

The mountains and glaciers

The fresh air

The volcanoes and geology

The flora

And maybe most of all – the Light

– morning

– evening

– and night

There is so much more of Iceland to love – horses, waterfalls, lava landscapes, hot springs… and beautiful Reykjavik with Hallgrímskirkja of course.

Hopefully you are all inspired by now – Patti, Tina, Amy and I are looking forward to seeing your special places!

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #64 – Countryside – That is Where I Belong

22 september, 201924 februari, 2020 / Leya / 81 kommentarer

To me, Magical goes well with Countryside – I am a country girl. Even if I love to visit big cities, I know where I belong. This week, Amy is our host, and as I often post about my own countryside, you will get some pieces of Icelandic countryside instead. Iceland is a bit more harsh and rough, and we remember – once Iceland was only for the tough guys.

I consider it the best part of an education to have been born and brought up in the country. – Amos Bronson Alcott

The country is lyric, the town dramatic. When mingled, they make the perfect musical drama. – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

I long for the countryside. That’s where I get my calm and tranquility – from being able to come and find a spot of green. – Emilia Clarke

I really feel that my body craves to be in the mountains or by the ocean or in the countryside. – Miranda Kerr

I lived in solitude in the country and noticed how the monotony of a quiet life stimulates the creative mind. – Albert Einstein

The country life is to be preferred, for there we see the works of God, but in cities little else but the works of men. And the one makes a better subject for contemplation than the other. – William Penn

Thank you for all your Magical posts last week – they made every day into pure Magic!

Thursday Thoughts – Hidden Hot Spring

12 september, 2019 / Leya / 25 kommentarer

Hunting hot springs in Autumn would have been great – but left them in Iceland. In Sweden it is getting colder now, and there is no more bathing in the sea…so, back to Iceland memories!

We had read about a very little hot pool, hidden in Landbrotalaug not far from the volcano Eldborg on the south coast of the Snaefellsnes peninsula. We decided to go for it.

The weather was splendid and the beautiful white cottongrass grew here abundantly…

Just when we thought we were lost, the hot water tap finally revealed the place.

With Snaefellsnes in the fond, we spotted the little pool – right out in the wild landscape. Two tents and a couple of people were there already. The bath can only take 1-2 persons at a time, so, Patience – and you will be greatly rewarded!

Wish I were there again!

Tuesday Photo Challenge – Fall

3 september, 20193 september, 2019 / Leya / 29 kommentarer

Tuesday Photo Challenge – Fall

For Frank this week – my pick is an iconic mountain in Iceland, Kirkjufell. At Kirkjufellfossar we were greeted with rain, but still a neverending stream of tourists who wanted their own copy of this spectacular place. Somehow I am rather happy with the rain falling, and with the ”fallen” icon. Of course I knew I would never get one of those magical shots of this mountain and the ”Church Falls” – I just wanted my own copy, like any other tourist.

I hope you enjoy the Falls too – at least they look totally different from all the glamorous magazines I have seen!

Thursday’s Special: Pick a Word in August – 4

23 augusti, 201923 februari, 2020 / Leya / 16 kommentarer

For Paula this month – my favorite prompt!

Ursine – hope Milo counts…

Earthward – Morocko mountains in the header and Bhutan dogs seen from our window.

Coeval

Connubial

Adorned

Friendly Friday Photo Challenge – Remote

19 augusti, 2019 / Leya / 32 kommentarer

I just had to join in the Friday Photo fun again, Amanda – Remote – my favorite place to be! But this Light house was the most remote one I have ever been to. I knew there was to stand an orange light house on the westernmost point of the Snaefellsnes peninsula, and talked my husband into driving there. I almost came to regret it – we drove for hours in the black lava fields on a Very Bumpy gravel road.

The Lighthouse was visible from afar, but we seemed never to get there…but finally!

This photography challenge is posted every Friday by

Amanda from Something to Ponder About, and

Snow from The Snow Melts Somewhere.

Thursday Thoughts – Icelandic Waters

8 augusti, 201923 februari, 2020 / Leya / 25 kommentarer

Lava, volcanic activity, water and horses. Four words that to me describe Iceland best. In colours, this means a country of mainly black, blue and green.

Let’s take a look at some of my favorite waters. Hopefully they will give you a sense of the significant shades of this island – seen through My eyes.

Blue Lagoon

Water – Blue Lagoon. – Green, I would say…This hot water pool is a must when you visit Iceland. Its water and white clay work healing effects on your skin.

South coast

Water landscape, South coast – maybe the Iceland I find most intriguing of all. The land I see when I read about the hero Gunnar, in Njáls Saga.

Seljalandsfoss

Seljalandsfoss, South coast. Many years ago, on our first visit, I fell in love with this waterfall – the most beautiful of them all. It is still my favorite.

Krýsuvík

Krýsuvík hot springs area, southern Iceland. Do not immerse any part of your body in this water – after some minutes it might not belong to you anymore…

The serenity of this land is exceptional. Yet we know how violent nature can treat it. But, maybe that knowledge is part of the infatuation – because I, and so many others, will return here again, and again.

This is the land of old Sagas and the strong Vikings. Rough, wild and untamed – but the Iceland of today, offers the fresh air and freedom you have been longing for…feeling the wind in your face and your mind open up to the elements.

Thursday Thoughts – Heimaey, Vestmannaeyar

1 augusti, 20191 augusti, 2019 / Leya / 24 kommentarer

Some Thursdays ago, my post took us off for Vestmannaeyar – and now we have arrived!

The harbour of Heimaey was the only thing that changed for the positive after the eruption of Eldfell. It was walled in and became more protected against the sea. Click the link above to read the story in my first post.

Ships coming in – this is still a lively harbour.

There are birds everywhere on the spectacular cliffs. Gulls, puffins…

Common redshank showing us what happened here all those years ago

Eldfell

…common redshanks, golden plovers… The path towards Eldfell took us past signs showing the eruption and the remains or memories of buried houses.

Can you find the golden plover?

Life returning

So many different colours

Somewhere out there is Surtsey, the new island that was created from the eruption

We reached the peak easily, and were met with stunning views.

The rain had stopped and the mist lifted, displaying the many colours in all their glory. We even got a warming ray of sun as we admired the sea and the harbour from above.

To sum up, much had changed since our last visit in 1979. The lava and ashes were now filled with flowers and rich bird life, and Eldfell could no longer give us fried or boiled eggs directly from the ground. Life is returning.

Interested in visiting? Click here to read more.

Lens – Artists Photo Challenge #56 – Seascapes and/or Lakeshore

27 juli, 201923 februari, 2020 / Leya / 46 kommentarer

The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.

– Jacques Yves Cousteau, Oceanographer

Amy shows some amazing seascapes from her cruisings, and challenges us to post our own memorable moments from seascapes and lakeshores. My images are from my Icelandic journey this July.

First I would like to thank you for sharing your dreams with us last week – amazing! Now some of my seascapes might continue in that dreamy perspective…but it certainly takes some time to wake up from a dreamy era!

Having visited Iceland several times before, we soon realised how lucky we were with the weather. So lucky, that Icelanders we met could not but smile and congratulate. – They told us that their own criteria for ”Good Weather” is No Wind.

My opening image was shot from the peak of Eldfell at Heimaey in Vestmannaeyar, looking out to the North Atlantic. Hiking the volcano is fairly easy and takes less than an hour. And you are rewarded with breathtakingly beautiful views – if the mist lifts, and this time it did.

All the other seascapes are from Snæfellsnes peninsula, West Iceland. The name of the sea or fjord added. And, there is no colour enhancing – this is true Icelandic blue!

Arnarstapi, Faxaflói

Lóndrangar, Faxaflói

Stykkishólmur, Breiðafjörður

Hvammsfjörður

Hvalfjörður

Hvalfjörður, and yes, this is the pier where the whaling ships unloaded – and still unloads the captured whales. In 1981 we were here to see it with our own eyes. A 50 ton whale was taken care of in less than three hours. I cried all the way. The only comfort was that every piece of it came to use – nothing was thrown away. Many skilled Japanese worked here in those days. We know that they still catch whales in Iceland, and this station was used last year. I was not happy to learn this. But, it seems there is some trouble with Japan, so, no whaling in 2019. Hopefully Icelandic whaling will come to an end, because they no longer depend on it for a living.

The sea lives in every one of us – Wyland

Welcome to join in – we are looking forward to seeing you!