Wordless Wednesday
Nature
LAPC #230 – Last Chance
Tina is our host this week, with the theme Last Chance. This means we’re given the opportunity to include images (on any and all subjects) created in 2022, but not previously published.
A brilliant idea – let them shine!
You could say that all of life is a series of last chances.
– Cynthia Voigt
Everybody wants to shine a little bit, even a wallflower.
– Phyllis Smith
Look, I want to love this world…
…as though it’s the last chance I’m ever going to get
to be alive
and know it.
– Mary Oliver
There is one, and only one solution, and we have almost no time to try it. We must turn all our resources to repairing the natural world, and train all our young people to help. They want to; we need to give them this last chance to create forests, soils, clean waters, clean energies, secure communities, stable regions, and to know how to do it from hands-on experience.
– Bill Mollison
In vīnō vēritās, in aquā sānitās
Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so.
– Douglas Adams
Ask me to show you poetry in motion and I will show you a horse.
– Unknown
All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost.
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring
Thank you for your interesting and inspiring responses to my last week’s challenge, Perfect Patterns. I think we all opened our eyes just a little bit more to find a world filled with patterns! Now I’m looking forward to seeing your Last Chance photos, please link back to Tina’s original post and tag Lens-Artists. Tina’s challenge this week is a great opportunity to go back to this year’s photos and give some of them a new chance to shine.
We’ll be off for the Holidays and will be back 7th January with John at the wheel. We are immensely pleased to announce that Donna Holland from Wind Kisses will be joining us then as a new team member. Donna has been a loyal follower of our challenge, has previously Guest-Hosted, and consistently delivers thoughtful and beautifully illustrated posts. Be sure to follow her at her site, windkisses.com.
We wish you all a Happy, Healthy New Year!
Wordless Wednesday
LAPC #229 – Perfect Patterns
Of course there is no such thing as a ”perfect” pattern…but it could be perfect in Your eyes, perfect for camouflage or perfect for its purpose…or simply radiating ”perfect”! This week we challenge you to find perfect patterns and it would be great if you wanted to tell us why you think they are perfect.
For me, the first thing that comes to mind is the natural world. Seemingly perfect, and more often than not – pleasing to the eye.
In nature, nothing is perfect and everything is perfect. Trees can be contorted, bent in weird ways, and they’re still beautiful.
– Alice Walker
A giant lotus at Kew Gardens, and DNA strands –
The more perfect a thing is, the more susceptible to good and bad treatment it is.
– Dante Alighieri
I went to Copenhagen in search for more patterns, and found Musselmalet Ribbed, the first tableware decor of Royal Copenhagen. It was designed in 1770, and today, centuries later, it is one of the most famous and coveted porcelain decorations in the world. Every piece is still painted by hand. So,…they cannot be perfect…or?
We often think that a perfect pattern should be symmetrical…but does it really have to be? These are licorice bottles.
Many more patterns would be almost perfect, if humans did not mess with them. I never walk on newly fallen snow – if I am not forced to do so… but I have to feed the birds!
A room in one of the wineries of Porto. Surely designed to look perfect – but as it showed up in my computer – I realised it is not. The lines are asymmetrical, but somehow we don’t notice that at first. What can we learn from this?
To understand is to perceive patterns.
– Isaiah Berlin
Why do I believe there are perfect patterns in this shopping window? I liked the white trunks spreading out just like the photo model’s hair, and the dots of snow and her blouse are corresponding. The scale of colours too suggests a Nordic/Scandinavian thought from the decorator. I guess it’s the harmony of different patterns that makes this window perfect in my eyes.
Back to nature again – a young eagle owl being released in freedom – as you can see, the feathers are not completely perfect – but,
I think every single imperfection adds to your beauty. I’d rather be imperfect than perfect.
– Sonam Kapoor
To sit in the shade on a fine day and look upon verdure is the most perfect refreshment.
– Jane Austen
Did you know that if you destroy a spider’s web too many times, it will not be spun as meticulously perfect anymore?
For my knitted caps, I make up ”perfect” patterns according to what I know about the person who is going to wear them. Most of these were my children’s, but the sheep cap with mittens I made this autumn (Christmas gift) for my little granddaughter.
Finally – nothing is completely perfect – at least never when a human is involved. But, let your own eyes and feelings decide what is perfect for you!!
Many thanks to Patti for last week’s Diagonals – your creative and thoughtful posts really made us think, and maybe even revise our approach to photography.
Now we’re looking forward to seeing what patterns you will find! Be sure to include a link to my original post and to use the Lens-Artists tag so we can easily find you in the Reader. If you’re new to the challenge and want to join us, click here.
Next week, it’s Tina’s turn to be our host, so be sure to visit her inspirational site for LAPC #230. Have a great week ahead and hope to see you soon!
Wordless Wednesday
Lens-Artists Challenge #227 – Home Sweet Home
This Earth is our only home. Together, we must protect and cherish it.
– Ban Ki-moon
Tina is our host this week, and she asks us:
”If a foreigner were to spend a week or a month traveling your home country with you, where would you take them? What sights would you tell them to be sure to see? Where have you found some of your own favorite images? What is it you truly love about where you live, or places you’ve seen in your home country?
This might be the most challenging challenge of all…because I love so many things about my home country. But I will try…starting in the Southern part of Sweden, where I live. Sweden is a very ”long” country, 1 600 kilometers from north to south and 500 kilometers from east to west. This means that it can be winter in the north while it is still late summer in the south.
Spring and apple trees – a must see. Orchards and farmland is the sign of southern Sweden, because we have the best soil in the country. I grew up in an orchard, so this is true home for me.
I would want to show some of our famous parks and gardens, where Ronneby Brunn was voted the most beautiful park in Sweden.
From south to north, we have 30 National parks and 5 342 protected areas/nature reserves. I have visited several of them, and old trees, mostly oaks, are often in my lens.
The ache for home lives in all of us, the safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned.
– Maya Angelou
Those nature gems are indeed worth visiting – and I can bring Milo along too.
Läckö Castle, 13th century. One of the most popular ”fairy tale” castles in Sweden.
Castles, castles – we have many of them in Sweden and many in Skåne, where I live. There are often different activites around them, medieval jousting, games and markets. Hovdala Castle is situated 15 kilometers from my home. It might be ”my home castle”, as I go there about once a month for hiking or other activities.
Our capital, Stockholm, is of course a must if you want to see Sweden. Founded in the 12th century and called the ”Venice of Scandinavia” because it was built on many small islands.
Kosta Boda glass hotel might be needed after this extensive traveling…here I want to show off our famous glass (Orrefors and Kosta Boda), and the hotel and spa is filled with glass art. The bar and chairs are all in blue glass!
Home is the nicest word there is.
– Laura Ingalls Wilder
Hornborgasjön is a gathering place for migrating cranes – and for birders of course. This is an unforgettable experience in April every year. Some 20000 cranes are eating, dancing, mating. The sound is incredible…as is the very sight of them!
Where thou art, that is home.
– Emily Dickinson
Graveyards from the Viking Age has a certain mood around them. The concept of time inevitably hits you. They can be found everywhere in Sweden. This one – a kilometer from my home.
We have to visit Tännforsen, one of our amazing nature reserves that treats us to spectacular beauty any time of the year.
Jokkmokk’s market has a tradition of gathering people for 400 years in a row (not the same people of course…) – this is a place for trade and racing reindeer. Warm clothes are recommended – sometimes the temperature drops to minus 40 C.
No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow.
– Lin Yutang
Jukkasjärvi Icehotel, the first one in the world, is of course an experience even if you don’t stay the night…They do have famous food too, and every room is specially made with different ice sculptures.
Hiking up north to see the Linnaea borealis, Carolus Linnaeus’ favourite flower.
There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort.
-Jane Austen
And so, ending our trip at the very north and Lapland, we will return home.
What about a refreshing Forest bath now? Quite an exhausting tour it was, but I hope my guests are happy with their tour!
Home is where the heart is.
– Pliny the Elder
Sincere thanks for your patience as I went through some of my favorite places here in Sweden. Now we’re looking forward to seeing your own favorites! Please remember to link to Tina’s original post and to use the Lens-Artists Tag to help us find you.
Thanks also to Jude for Guest Hosting last week’s Textures Challenge. Both her challenge and your responses were original and beautifully photographed. Thank you for joining in the fun! Our next challenge, Diagonals, will be hosted by Patti on her Pilotfish blog so be sure to check in next Saturday at noon EST. Until then, please stay safe and be kind.
Thursday Thoughts – Mushrooms I have met…
I think this was the last walk of colours – two days ago the first snow arrived. Grey November has taken over our days, so I will post some golden autumn memories while there were still leaves on the trees.
As you can see, there were not many colours this year, but still some gold. And sun! Now we have almost forgotten the feel of sunlight. These are some of the shortest days of the year.
The hidden gems are there if you look for them, and I have grown more and more a mushroom lover. But almost only for photography…I am too afraid of picking something poisonous.
This is a tiny gallery from my walk. I find mushrooms intriguing. One day they are not there – the next day they have just popped out of the ground. A little rain will bring them out.
So many textures again… multiple shapes in tiny landscapes. The low sun is making miracles in the dark of the forest floor. New worlds unfolding.
And a cat musing in the grass – not happy to be disturbed by Milo…
He was happier though – a ”friend” to chase! The story does not tell of the outcome…but we can guess…
LAPC# 226 – Textures
Jude of Cornwall in colours is our guest host this week, and she has decided on Textures – an interesting choice! Please visit her impressive site for more inspiration.
There are so many textures in this world…I cannot imagine how many. I have chosen some of my favourites from the natural world. Randomly or no special order.
Winter has arrived today, and we have got some snow too. On the east coast and in the south east they got about 30-50 cm in one day. This icy pattern was found on my glass house.
I like the smooth water and the many coloured round stones right under the surface. Often it is opposites or interesting juxtapositions that bring out the interest.
Or, sometimes it’s just enough to view things from both sides.
Manmade and rusty – but it goes so well together with the round, ”soft” green shapes.
More round shapes, now together with spiky ones…
Some of my absolute favourites are the hydrangeas – all seasons.
Trunks fascinates me, and some trees more than others. Birches have so much character…even as fallen and dead.
Somehow this looks like a big smile!
Last year’s heavy snow took its toll in the forest…many branches lost on this one, but the tree lives on!
Finally, a gallery with some different textures found in my garden and out hiking.
We are very much looking forward to seeing the different textures you can find in your world. Please link to Jude’s original post and use the Lens-Artists tag.
Sincere thanks to Anne Sandler for a marvellous challenge last week. Your Wildlife Close to Home took us around the globe and showed us the wonderful variety of wildlife in and around your area. Next Saturday, Tina will be our host for LAPC #227, so be sure to visit her amazing site Travels and Trifles for inspiration and details. Until then, stay safe and be kind.
Macro Monday – Baby Mushroom
Wordless Wednesday
Leya 
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