This week John asks us to show our Go-To Places – where you go or what you do to help lift those spirits when you are feeling low? So, here are some places close to my heart that helps me rest and reload.
People who wonder if the glass is half empty or full miss the point. The glass is refillable!
The forest fills my heart and soul with everything I need.
Every season it brings harmony and helps me shut out the troubles of the world.
My dog(s) are a constant source of happiness and energy. They are my best companions, and they never fail in their efforts to make me smile.
My garden is right at my doorstep…and its inhabitants, big or small, are a joy to follow in their daily life. Every morning and evening I walk slowly through the garden to see who’s in, what’s growing and what or who needs me.
Right now, I need to fill the drinking places for birds and hedgehogs twice a day – it is very dry in Skane, and in the whole country.
Summertime, the old cottage lifts me up to manage life when it is too warm outside and I think too much. Early mornings and late evenings bring solace and time for contemplation.
Last week, Anne brought us the “Abandoned” challenge – and we got loads of wonderful responses. Many of us do love abandoned things to photograph! Next week, Sofia will be our host. Be sure to follow her here so you don’t miss her post, which will go live next Saturday at noon Eastern time. If you’d like to join in with your own challenge responses, but aren’t sure how to get started, check here.
This week Ritva invites us to a very interesting challenge – Shoot from Above. Not my ordinary way of shooting, but certainly outside the box!
My first thought for a fitting image was a photo taken in a restaurant in Amsterdam, where the restrooms were in the cellar. On my way down I could not avoid noticing the unusual tiling. Rather spectacular… to my eyes at least!
Then a gallery from my garden and glass house. The shells are from New Zealand, then you find what is left of my favourite flower pot, one of last summer’s flower bowls, and one rusty, decorative ball. Lastly a collection of my daughter’s tinfoil balls ( I get one now and then…) in a glass box.
I love these flowers – or their foliage. The swirling shapes look their best from above. And in the header/opener is a collection of Legotechnic figures put in a box by my granddaughter.
Resilience was last week’s theme and your posts to Anne’s wonderful challenge really showed its importance in our lives. A massive thank you to you all. This week, Ritva presents us with this incredibly interesting theme, and I enjoyed seeing things from above again, although that is not an ordinary winter game. Ritva’s post is beautiful, and it will inspire you to join in. Remember to link back to her original post and to tag Lens-Artists.
Next week it is Egídio’s turn to lead so please make sure to visit his colourful site Saturday 25th January to find out more. Until then, be good and take care.
Anne is urging us to try ICM – and I agree with her – it is great fun once you give it a go!
In 2016, Sue of Wordsvisual taught me how to do when she was here in Sweden. I immediately fell in love – the results are close to impressionistic. I have had some fun with it maybe once a year – but now, I really wanted to give it a fair try. (What wouldn’t I do for Anne?) Please visit her beautiful site to find some great inspiration!
As I am closing down my garden and glass house for the winter – I took my inspiration from there. The colours are still alive and here are my results from a couple of hours’ joy!
No laundry – but vines! I let them climb there because I love them flaming, and the two following pictures are also from those lines.
In the left one I drew the camera sideways and down, trying to catch the colours in the clothes pins while they went towards the ground. The right one was made by making u-formes with the camera to get the feeling of yarn hanging out to dry.
These two pictures are from the open place under the trellis. I still have some trees standing there, but tomorrow they are moving inside. The left one is a Plumbago and the camera was moved upwards. The right one is the Ginkgo tree and some different leaves on the ground, and camera was moved downwards.
These two are from the last of my Asters. You can guess how I moved the camera. The diagonal lines on the left side are from straws leaning over the flowerbed.
This last pair is from my fiery Yellow Ginger Lily – the last flower standing, and to the right is the soft Acacia buds waiting to bloom in January.
I was so inspired by Anne’s trellis ICM, that I had to try catching the last grapes out there. I thought the thrush had eaten them all, but here they are!
I took all photos in evening light and at low shutter speed. Mostly 8.
I had a lot of fun preparing for this post, and I hope you do too. My biggest smile and thank you to Anne, who made me take this up again! Please share your thoughts and images. I took hundreds of photos, and it doesn’t have to be flowers…so count on it that you will have to throw away 90% of what you produce.
We all had a great time last week as Sofia had us looking back. I enjoyed experiencing all your thoughts and memories. When you share your post for this challenge, please link back to Anne’s original post and use the Lens-Artist tag. In the meantime have fun learning and experimenting with ICM.
Egidio has for this week chosen our destination: Fun! In fact I just returned from one of those – namely fantastic gardens. Please go to his beautiful site for more inspiration.
He asks ”What is your fun destination? What are some fun things you do? Some prefer seeing action and crowds, such as sporting events or concerts. Others prefer quiet moments with a book in hand.” I guess my answer could be: Travel and quiet moments alone. Those two can be opposites, but maybe not always…With a camera in hand, I can lose myself in photographing and shut out the world. I do need them both to feel good.
I love watching my dogs having fun – what could be better than that? And, when the children were small, we had entertainment all day from the whole family.
This is an old favourite photo of Mille and Totti, my first lagottos. They brought so much warmth, laughter, tears and joy. Talking about destination Fun! I still miss them, both had their own charming peculiarities, just like children have.
A great joy has always been hiking beautiful landscapes, especially in the delicateness of Spring and the colours of October. I am always excited to head out there for new adventures. Open landscapes and forests – they let my heart and soul breathe and my spirit soar.
Nothing beats the art of Mother Nature – but much fun is to be had at museums and exhibitions as well. I don’t have to go far away for interesting art…there is a great exhibition site just 10 kilometers away.
Being a teacher for many years, I have a natural interest in young people, their education and upbringing. I still have some students that stay in contact with me. In fact yesterday one of my students had his dissertation and is today a professor in mathematics. He contacted me, so I could follow it on zoom.
Many of our castles have jousting games with knights and horses. During my last years before retirement, I had a student who now is so skilled he won the Swedish championship several times in these games.
I often go to the nearest castle, Hovdala, that hosts these games – not just to see my old students but also to see the youngsters having fun. This sweet young man with shining eyes……might one day grow into a handsome and chevaleresque knight!
My most frequented destination is my garden – and it is always fun to see things grow, be it children or plants. Right now the grapes are ripening and soon the glass house will leave its last cucumbers and tomatoes, chili, paprika and physalis for letting my Mediterranean plants glow. I am immensely grateful for being able to enjoy the beauty and scent of acacia, jasmin, bottlebrush and camellias – despite our cold climate.
Travel, yes, that has been my way since I was 16. Destinations chosen because of architectural marvels in beautiful cities like Prague…
…for natural wonders as Catedrales in Spain
…for hiking among the glaciers in Greenland,
Iceland and Norway … and the majestic mountains of middle Europe.
But also for the opportunity to meet people of different origin and with different customs.
Back home again, there is another spot I always return to – for continuing the fun – my computer. All those photos have to be taken care of. Blogging, writing messages, making cards for birthdays, Christmas and other festivities.
To sum up my fun destinations, they are: hiking in gorgeous nature at home or abroad, visiting cities with great art and architecture, spending time with my family, working and enjoying my garden – and photographing it all. Finally – it is fun to upload and try to make the best out of my photos at the computer…
We look forward to seeing your responses and having us all share in the fun. Don’t forget to use the “lens-artists” hashtag when responding to Egidio, so we can easily find it in the Reader. Egidio is happy to say that pingbacks are finally working on his site too.
Last week, Ritva had us working on common objects. The response was terrific, and your posts were great. Creativity shines!
Tina will host a new challenge next Saturday at noon EDT in the USA. Stay tuned. Please see this page to learn more about the Lens-Artists Challenge and its history.
Leya 
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