”Tina asks us to choose 5 images or fewer,” should have been 10 or fewer… I was on the road/ship for some weeks, and now, having seen so many glorious posts from you, I feel I should also post some oldies and goodies – I did not realize I could do that. (Risking you would tire of them, because I have posted them several times before.) So, here are some old, true favourites for you!
I went to an art exhibition some years ago – and this window, with vines growing outside, ended up being my favourite work of art that day. Ethereal, glowing and living lace. The grid makes it even more special. I still remember the amazing feeling seeing the window from inside the building. A favourite ever since.
A lovely winter morning many years ago, at the local lake. The graceful swans floated by in the morning fog, standing out in the thin, cold rays of sun. It makes for an almost otherworldly feeling.
Iceland – I could have chosen so many of my images from this paradise. But, a late winter evening on the beach, brought this golden shine with diamond crested waves. There were diamonds in the black sand as well. (We had snow, but who could imagine that?) The combination made the very special feeling.
One of my all time favourites, maybe the greatest? The Fluela Pass in Switzerland. We drove there two times that day. In the morning, it was nothing, just an ordinary pass – but returning to our hotel that evening, the reflections were stunning. Also the people in the image makes for understanding the shere size of it, giving it perspective.
Finally – at home, a road often travelled with my dog. One warm summer evening, many years ago, the light was soft and yellow, there was no wind and the gravel road looked like a dream. The stretch of the road, curves and structures were enhanced by the light and shadows. I have never seen the road like this since then.
Thank you again, Tina, for a wonderful challenge – hopefully it is OK to do another post!
I am back, happy, terribly jetlagged and tired, but sending views from Alaskan waters, the Inner Passage.
We had very varied skies and waters, and beautiful views whenever and wherever we went. Much rain, but with the right gear – no problem. And as we come from Sweden, we were prepared.
Silent and deep blue early mornings – clouds hovering over the white mountain tops. I cannot say how much I loved those mornings.
I had expected more birds, but my last sail was in warmer waters in the Galapagos Islands. Here the colours shifted several times a day – every shade of blue and green.
Seals and sealions were frequent, sometimes waving at us, making me smile every time.
Snowcapped mountains are always favourites, even in rain.
We decided not to take any whale tour, much because we have seen them several times in Iceland, so close and even touching the boats. In the Alaskan seas we saw these impressive creatures every day anyway – orcas and humpbacks. Not that close to the ship though, but they were two or three together every time.
Sunsets and sunrises – we were lucky enough to get one of each – that we could see.
It was an adventure with new sights every day and then some great land excursions too. I brought my father’s jacket and left it there with a note inside. He always wanted to go to Alaska and Canada – his best friend from his youth emigrated to Canada, and they kept calling each other till the end. But my father never got to Canada – or Alaska – though. So, I left a piece of ”him”, together with his story. It felt good. I hope he knew.
Tina asks us to choose 5 images or fewer, and tell us what is special about them. I have chosen five favourites, and different reasons to why.
The first one is macro of a Toad Lily from my garden – a very spectacular little flower that seemingly mimics an orchid. On a sunny morning last week, she was a glorious sight.
The second image is maybe more ordinary, but it is the first rose I have grown and planted from a cutting of my favourite rose, and it is flowering already in its second year. In the very early morning light it stood out through the gate grid. As always, Light means everything.
My third choice is a dry pond in Sofia, Bulgaria. I was immediately caught by its colours, textures and patterns, and the work going on above it added to the special feeling of depth. It might even look more interesting without water!
In Bulgaria, 2017, we visited the most beautiful monastery I have ever seen. Stuck between the mountains and hidden behind colourful doors, a dream was waiting…. The feeling when we walked through that entrance was amazing. We all gasped, and I think I took several hundred photos inside. This is just the first thing we met…
The whole monastery was covered in paintings, every vault and every wall. Unforgettable. And – almost impossible to photograph. This was a try to show both mountains. vaults and paintings.
Thank you to Egidio for last weeks wonderful theme, and for all your beautiful posts!
So, now we are looking forward to seeing your chosen images – and why they are special to you. Don’t forget to tag with Lens-Artists, and link to Tina’s original post.
We welcome Egídio of Through Brazilian Eyes as our guest host this week! He challenges us to show how we recharge our batteries when we need more energy.
As long as I can remember, walking, hiking with family to beautiful places has been my medicine.
One of the best ways to recharge is by simply being in the presence of art. No thoughts, no critiques. Just full-on absorption mode. ― Dean Francis Alfar
– Listening to the sounds of nature
– maybe alone in the forest
– or with Milo (and all of my dogs…)
Soft, clear light is a magical recharger, walking along the shore, listening to the waves.
Not to talk about the levada hikes in Madeira, they are the ultimate rechargers. Enjoying the fantastic views, the heavenly scent and listening to the rippling water – the stillness. Your senses filled to the brim. But unfortunately Madeira is not that close to home…
At home I go to my secret garden to easily recharge my batteries. Just walking, pruning, planting – or sitting in a comfortable chair watching everything grow. To follow the birds nesting and the seasons glow fills my heart.
Another way of recharging is photography, playing with my photos in different software, making double exposures or looking at macro worlds. Then, like a tree in spring, I will feel elevated, lifting my eyes again, towards a new day with new promises.
Many thanks to Donna for last week’s wonderful Time challenge. We truly enjoyed your many different interpretations, and hope you’ll join us for this week’s challenge too. Please remember to link to Egídio’s original post, and to use the Lens-Artists Tag for our Reader section. Finally, Tina will lead us next week, so, be sure to check her out next Saturday at noon, EST.
Donna has chosen Time as her theme. And Time can indeed be looked upon in many ways. We humans invented Time. Wikipedia explains it, in short, like this:
Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future.
Sometimes I think about how much my husband’s grandmother and my own grandmother had seen and experienced during their lifetime. Born at the end of the 19th century and died in the 1990’s. How did they cope with such gigantic changes during their lifespan? WWI, WWII, cars, TV, video, digital worlds, walking on the moon…Well, we do. We have to. We are made to. AI next.
The only reason for time is so that everything doesn’t happen at once.
– Albert Einstein
The enigma of Time. My grandmother spent her whole life in the little village where I was born. She read poetry and worked the land. She loved John Lennon and Michael Jackson. At the same time her eldest son hosted the Swedish pavillion at the 1962 World’s Fair in Seattle. He moved back to Sweden after 17 years, but he never even mentioned his working days or time over there. (When I asked, grandmother took out a photo of my uncle together with Robert Kennedy at the fair. A frozen piece of time.) Born and raised in a poor family, he knew you should never boast about what you had achieved. Today…..I feel it is very different. Time changes…and in many ways not for the better.
The older I get, the more I find the concept of Time strange. That I am living in it, cannot stop it and cannot go back to relive it. ( Maybe you too loved those movies about time travel. I remember Back to the Future for example. And the Time Lord, Doctor Who.) Maybe the worst thing is that feeling of not being able to take good enough care of the time we are given…That is the trap we all are stuck in. One possible reason for this could be that most of us see time linear; some people, in other civilizations, see it circular. If we could do that too, I believe the trap might dissolve.
In my first image, a Bhutanese woman is working the soil in the same way that my grandmother did as a young girl, about 100 years ago.
100 years later, the land is worked with modern machines into even furrows and the potatoes are set with exact precision on top.
Time –
They say Time is the most precious gift. As I am ageing,I am beginning to understand just how precious.
In pictures, my Time gallery over 20 years, are from life with my beloved Lagottos. Mille was born 2002, a wild one, then along came Totti in 2008 – quite the opposite to Mille. Calm, laid back – a bon vivant. We had so much fun together.
You know – opposites can go well together. My husband and I are opposites – and over the years we have learned to live well with each other. It takes time, but you have to give it that time too.
I lost Mille in 2014 and Totti in 2021. Milo arrived in 2018, and it took more than six months for Totti to even look at him…but they too, eventually, became the best friends. Milo is the sweetest dog I have ever had, and I have had six dogs all in all between 1970 and 2023. They have shared my precious time and made every day more positive and fun.
Now this post was a lot of rambling through Time – hope it still held together and you did not tire of my time travels!
Thank you to Anne for her inspiration with Black & White/Monochrome last week. Wonderful responses! Next week we are proud to have Egídio of Through Brazilian Eyes as our guest host and we are set to Recharge. Please check his stunning photography and post for more info.
I want to send a huge thank you to Donna, for such an interesting theme and for the inspirational post she presented to us. I’m more than curious where all your replies will take us. Remember to visit Donna’s beautiful post and link back to it. The Lens-Artists tag will help us find you.
Finally, I will be on the road for some weeks, start Monday, with less wifi than usual – but I will check you out as soon as I can! Until then – stay well and be kind.
Yesterday’s the past, tomorrow’s the future, but today is a gift. That’s why it’s called the present.
Leya 
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