Lens-Artists Challenge #167 – Colours of Autumn

29 september, 202129 september, 2021 / Leya / 88 kommentarer

This week Amy urges us to find autumn colours. I am enjoying all of yours, but here we are still waiting for them. In Lapland and northern Sweden the colours already have arrived.

The signs are here though – leaves falling – only a few so far, but we see them on the forest paths.

Milo is of course my fellow traveller every day, but right now he thinks the rains are too heavy. He’s got a massive coat and gets all soaked.

Mushrooms are popping up – big and small. And I love especially the very tiny ones. Many different species, and many of each this year due to the rains.

In fact, most of the autumn colours are to be found in my own garden – until October, when the ”real thing” starts. This scenery is from my kitchen window. I love my bright Helenium.

I was surprised to learn that a number of these species are called **sneezeweed**, based on the former use of their dried leaves in making snuff! It was inhaled to cause sneezing that would supposedly rid the body of evil spirits. This year my Heleniums have grown taller than ever – much taller than me. I would say they are about 2 metres – 50cm taller than usual!

I also learned that this genus is named for Helen of Troy, daughter of Zeus and Leda. And – now I know why I have so many peacock butterflies in my garden – the larvae of peacock eat Helenium leaves. Well, that’s one of the greatest things with life – you always learn something new.

Is not this a true autumn day? Just the still melancholy that I love—that makes life and nature harmonize. – George Eliot

But, soon the mist will envelop colourful mornings and evenings. A soft, beautiful, forgiving blanket handed out from Mother Nature.

I loved your artificial lights last week – so many inspiring posts! And some of you didn’t think you would find any photos…but you did! In Sweden we have a saying that goes like: ”He who searches, he will find”. We hope you will join us this week too and show us the colors of autumn through your lens. Be sure to link to Amy’s post and to use the Lens-artists Tag to help us find you.

Next week, Tina will lead the LAPC theme with a “Seen Better Days” challenge: Featuring things that are run-down, dilapidated etc. Please visit her beautiful site at Travels and Trifles.

Until next time – stay well and be kind – and enjoy your autumn colours and the crisp days to come.

Macro Monday – Shaping up

13 september, 202112 september, 2021 / Leya / 35 kommentarer

An early, chilly and dewy morning, I met this little bee.

He was frozen in his position and had to wait for the sun to dry him up.

I visited every second minute until he was back doing his business. – Hey, thanks for keeping an eye on me!

Wordless Wednesday

18 augusti, 202118 augusti, 2021 / Leya / 11 kommentarer

Thursday Thoughts – The Castle Garden, and…

5 augusti, 20214 augusti, 2021 / Leya / 45 kommentarer

Back at Tjolöholm this Thursday again – for some more treasures. Surely you would want to visit with me again?

Before a walk in the garden, a short overview of the unusual and impressive lamps in the castle. All ordered by the lady of the house, Blanche, and all from Osler in London. My favourite is the first one, looking like underwear laundry…

The garden had the same Swedish architect as the house – but I guess Blanche had her say about things as well –

The Tudor style and the plants worked so well in harmony with the stone colours – everything was a treat.

Plants in every corner, colours and textures – how I envied the people who got the opportunity to work here.

Of course there must always be roses, always…

…and little children rambling on their own.

And, finally – I give you: The vacuumcleaner!

Thursday Thoughts – A Swedish Tudor Castle

29 juli, 2021 / Leya / 34 kommentarer

Tjolöholm Castle is in many respects a fairytale castle. The castle was built 1898-1904 by James Fredrik and Blanche Dickson. In fact it was Blanche who finished it, as her husband died shortly after the plans were ready.

The young architect, Lars Israel Wahlman, combined the Tudor style with modernities from the turn of the century such as showers with circularly flowing water, electricity, central heating, and a vaccuum cleaner (so big and heavy that it had to be drawn by horses). The intention was to create a home that was both comfortable and dignified.

Parts of the castle were being renovated when we visited, which of course made it more difficult to take decent photos.

Some of the most impressive ideas and rooms were the bathrooms with the special showers. All ordered from Liberty in London – the worksmen as well!

I also loved the fashion exhibition, grand royal 19th century, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert depicted from majestic festivities to the family’s private sphere. The Dickson family had moved from England and bought Tjolöholm to build a new home. The style is Arts and Crafts, and the whole interior is intact. A very unusual thing – rather fantastic. The furniture, tapestery and almost everything indoors was bought from Liberty in London – a company that still exists.

The lady’s riding costume certainly makes for the side saddle…

Rooms I really loved seeing were the children’s rooms and the flower arranging room.

Then…rooms with very special things in them or special thoughts guiding their interior decoration.

I especially want you to look at the green carpet room. The entrance to the room was meant to lead the eye along the (very) green broadloom (?) and through the window, out in the green of the garden. To create a feeling of wholeness – indoors and outdoors nature. The player piano or pianola in the last picture, is one of the last existing, working pianolas. The many boxes on top of it contains pieces of music for the instrument. The lady, one of the guides, offered to play the pianola for us. It worked perfectly well!

There is much more to be seen in this charming Tudor castle, so I suggest you visit yourself someday.

There will be one more post from me on the Castle – and the beautiful castle garden. Hope you enjoyed a piece of the cake – I enjoyed your coming along with me!

Thursday Thoughts – Sleep Tight in a B&B

22 juli, 202122 juli, 2021 / Leya / 47 kommentarer

We went for a three day trip to dear friends, and had to stay the first night at a B&B.

We stayed in a grand old house, where the upper apartment with four rooms had been converted into a B&B. Our lovely hostess told us she had finally left her career in Stockholm and started a B&B – an old dream of hers. Originally thought for Spain or Italy, but they had settled for the southern part of Sweden instead. (At least it was in the south…she laughed.)

The house was finally ready in 2019 – then came the pandemic. As so many other small businesses they have had a hard time now – so it felt good we had chosen their place. We will certainly recommend it to our friends.

From here, we visited two famous Swedish castles. Maybe I will post on them later.

Wordless Wednesday – Life in Colour, Blue

7 juli, 20216 juli, 2021 / Leya / 14 kommentarer

For Jude – Life in Colour

Wordless Wednesday

30 juni, 2021 / Leya / 20 kommentarer

Lens Artists Challenge #154 – One Photo Two Ways

30 juni, 202130 juni, 2021 / Leya / 63 kommentarer

Every truth has two sides; it is as well to look at both, before we commit ourselves to either. – Aesop

This week Tina challenges us to try One Photo Two Ways. When I was biking the other morning, I noticed the different looks of the barley field while I was passing by. One single field showed me many faces.

When the sun was hiding in the clouds, the field did not speak to me.

But when the sun came shining through – I smiled, and the whole field smiled back at me.

The beauty of a single straw is always enchanting.

I also set the focus on the swaying heads…

and then on the stems below. But it is the same field and the same barley we see.

Finally, another view opens when you play with selective colours

Thank you all for last week’s great inspiration, It Is a wonderful world we are living in! Now It’s up to you to choose your own approach, including the use of editing tools. We look forward to seeing the results – please link them to Tina’s original post and use the Lens-Artists Tag to help us find you in the WP Reader.

An important announcement. We are excited to announce a special event for the month of July. Several of our previous Guest Hosts have agreed to lead the Lens-Artists challenge. We’re sharing their themes in advance and hope you’ll join us and them in the coming weeks. They include:

July 3 John Steiner of Journeys With Johnbo will present “On the Water”

July 10 Anne Sandler of Slow Shutter Speed will present “Black and White”

July 17 Rusha Sams of Oh The Places We See will present “Getting Away”

July 24 Beth Smith of Wandering Dawgs will present “Along Back Country Roads”

July 31 Ana Campo of Anvica’s Gallery will present “Postcards”

Please be sure to check out their always-interesting and beautiful blogs, and join us in supporting them as they lead us each Saturday in the coming month. Until then, please remember to stay safe and be kind.

Thursday Thoughts – Ronneby Brunn

24 juni, 202124 juni, 2021 / Leya / 43 kommentarer

Midsummer is here, and we are leaving for the celebration – to stay at our summer house for the weekend. But, on the road…as always, a walk in Ronneby Brunnspark. A must every summer, every week.