Lens Artists Challenge #172 – A Day of My Week

You can walk in a dream while you are awake: Just walk in the misty morning of a forest!
― Mehmet Murat ildan

A day of my week – Amy hit my lucky last week, that offered some lovely opportunities for photography. All these are from one of my morning walks with Milo.

I like the muted sounds, the shroud of grey, and the silence that comes with fog.– Om Malik

This was a soft, foggy morning – emitting a soothing quietness to the world. I could faintly hear the robins and some finches going about their morning business.

With the light slowly seeping through the trees, I felt a gratefulness filling me – that I was alive, that I was allowed to walk in here this morning.

In the quietness, even Milo could feel the joy of little things, the delicate wonders surrounding us. He doesn’t mind my stopping for photographing anymore – he’s a big boy now.

After a couple of hours, our stomachs told us we maybe should return for some breakfast…and by then the sun was breaking through. Maybe this meant ending some of the magic, but also, the beginning of a new kind of magic…

I am glad you found the time to walk with me this morning. Thank you. Needless to say, I have many more images in store…and you might see some more later on.

We hope you will join us with pieces of a day of your week, traveling or at home! Be sure to include a link to Amy’s original post and please use the Lens-Artists tag.

Finally, many warm and happy thanks for your Weird and Wonderful entries last week! I had so many laughs and smiles at your images and stories. Being a bit weird is sometimes just what we need…

Next week, Tina will be hosting the theme ”Interesting Architecture”. Be sure to visit her at Travels and Trifles. Until then – stay well and safe.

Thursday Thoughts – Along the road and around the bend…

One single day of sunshine…

…and I knew I had to follow the colours…

…along the road.

Thursday Thoughts – Sallow, a Keystone Species

The old sallow (salix) standing in our summer garden is slowly ageing – and decaying. They seldom reach 100 years, but this one is even older. These trees are very important for the biodiversity, as almost 200 species of butterflies are dependent on it for feeding their larvae. And, so are many other insects too, like bees and bumblebees – in spring they can find food there during the first harsh months of the new year. Salix trees are also home for birds, mushrooms, lichen and mosses.

When we arrived in Spring 2019, our old man was still in one piece, standing in a pink field of sea thrift – but in autumn the same year, the middle part of him had fallen down.

This year we had to take down another of the oldest and longest arms from the trunk as it would not have made it through the winter.

But, as you can see, he is still standing there…overlooking the sea. And there is a new little one shooting up from the trunk of his old master. We hope he too will be a survivor when the old man is gone.

Lens-Artists Challenge #169 – The Ordinary

As you get older, you want less from the world; you just want to experience it. Any barriers to feeling emotions get dismantled. And ordinary things become beautifully poetic. – Richard Linklater

Our theme this week is The Ordinary, hosted by I. J. Khanewala. There are many places, moments, things, etc. that we would say are ”ordinary”. But, we humans often use this word or concept differently. I find it interesting how easily ordinary things can become remarkable…In my examples, light is often the difference, and the combination of colours and an open mind. I guess many of us who photograph, write or paint – or are involved in similar activities, recognize the feeling and can easily appreciate the beauty of our ordinary surroundings.

Two days ago, we went to our summer house to close it down for the winter. It was an extremely foggy day, and I was walking Milo (our dog) back to continue packing. Unexpectedly, as from nowhere, the sun shone through the dull hedge on my right hand side, revealing the intense beauty of backlit leaves.
In my own garden, the mist and cold continued when we picked the last grapes, where some of them had ventured up on the roof. While climbing down with my basket full of grapes, I admired the red autumn vines clinging to the walls, windows and ladder.

Then, on my way up to the house again, my eyes followed the adventurous vine climbing along the laundry line. I believe I have one of the most intriguing and beautiful laundry lines in the neighbourhood… an ordinary Monday.

We hope you will join us this week for the interesting Photo Challenge #169: The Ordinary.  Please include a link to the original post from our guest host of Don’t Hold Your Breath, and use the Lens-Artists tag so we can all find you in the Reader.

A sincere thank you to all who responded to last week’s “Seen Better Days” challenge. It clearly shows that most photographers love to focus on the beauty lingering in old, worn or dilapidated places and things. Finally, we hope you’ll join us next week when Patti brings us challenge # 170. Until then, please stay safe and be kind.