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
Thursday’s Special: Pick a Word in August – 4
Landscape
Friendly Friday Photo Challenge – Remote
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
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
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
The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.
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
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!
Tuesday Photo Challenge – Hill
For Frank this week – I tried to squeeze in this prompt even if I am not at home (really)…
This farm had a spectacular setting up on a hill, and fleeting dark clouds on the mountains behind it.
Wordless Wednesday
Macro Monday – Fiery Flowers
Abundant in Vestmannaeyar and the lava landscape –
Hieracium – fox-and-cubs, orange hawk bit, devil’s paintbrush, grim-the-collier…
…setting fire to the slopes!
Thursday Thoughts – Going Vestmannaeyar
Vestmannaeyjar came to international attention in 1973 with the eruption of Eldfell volcano, which destroyed many buildings and forced a months-long evacuation of the entire population to mainland Iceland.
Approximately one fifth of the town was destroyed before the lava flow was halted by application of 6.8 billion litres of cold sea water.
About 1500 people decided not to come back to the islands.
In 1979 We visited Heimaey, in the archipelago south of Iceland mainland, which is the only inhabited island here, and home to Eldfell. You could still boil an egg in the lava ashes, and putting down a finger would make your skin peeling off.
Our plan was to revisit now, 40 years later, to see in what ways the island had changed.
The photos show the views from the ferry takeoff and in the header, you can spot the whole range of the archipelago islands in the distance.
Thursday Thoughts – Revival
The weather is very warm and inviting for bicycle rides these last days of June. So my daughter and I decided to spend some time with the old Flora in hand. When the children were younger, we always did every summer, so today meant sweet memories.
We brought water as well, and biked for some hours, just enjoying each others’ company in the lovely summer fields. And wow, how much one forgets about flower names…
I used to be very good at their names… We also fell in love with this little, quite lovely, mushroom – looking like it was planted right there by someone, on the road.
And, to our greatest joy, we met some Highland Cattle. My absolute favorites.
Somehow they always look so relaxed, and I love their colours. I am not really comfortable having to cross a meadow where they are grazing though – they are said to be rather grumpy.
A lovely day –
Leya 
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