Wonders and peculiarities

Thursday Thoughts – Willi, the Muskox

/ Leya / 10 kommentarer

In 1964, 17 muskox calves were transferred from east Greenland to west Greenland via Copenhagen zoo. One of them was Willi.

Willi got used to people at the zoo, and came to like people more than his fellow muskoxes. One day he decided to stay at the airport, and he became very popular with everyone there – except for the pilots of course.

They tried to scare him away from the airpost, but one American soldier had to be sent to hospital and the airport fire engine got some heavy dents on the car.

Dogs were brought in from Denmark, but they were too scared of the huge animal. Finally an American cowboy from the US Army caught Willi with lasso and transported him to Lake Ferguson, 5km away.

He is still there, at Lake Ferguson – but in stone. Unfortunately his ending was sad, because he returned to the airport, and there he attacked a transit passenger and her little child. By that incident, he signed his own death sentence.

He will be forever remembered though, as a much loved citizen. A country- and western singer, Al Perry, even wrote a ballad about him.

Thursday Thoughts – Lost in Arctic Sahara

/ Leya / 11 kommentarer

In 1968, 8th December, three American Lockhead jetplanes flew from Goose bay in Canada heading for Keflavik, Iceland. They were hit by bad weather over Greenland and tried to make an emergency landing at Kangerlussuaq. In those days, there were no roads whatsoever in Greenland, and this area is still called ”Arctic Sahara”.

This ”highway”, or ”Autostrada” as the Greenlanders call it, was built partly during WWII and partly 1995. The river is in low water prone to sandstorms that disturb GPS signals. Tall masts have been built to help out.

Anyway, no road existed where the three planes were lost and finally ran out of fuel. The whole crew of four people, managed to jump out before the planes crashed in no man’s land. In winter the temperatures can fall to -40 degrees C. And this was in December.

Luckily all four of them were saved by helicopters before freezing to death.

The remains of one of the planes were still spread out along the Autostrada, and our bus stopped for us to have a look. There was a sign warning people not to take any souvenirs – but showing respect for the pilots and the remains of the jets. But, there wasn’t much left to see, I guess there were souvenirs brought to many homes as the road made the area accessible.

The driver told us there were many stories about this accident, and he told us one of them – one that he believed was really true:

Since the Autostrada was built, family and relatives of the pilots started visiting the place. Story has it that when the daughter of one of the pilots and her husband was on their way to the site, her father (the pilot) asked them to look in the glovebox for his wallet. And – they found it.

Lens Artists Challenge #367 – Everyone Should See This

/ Leya / 37 kommentarer

We welcome Joanne Mason (Joanne Mason Photography) as our guest host this week! Her challenge is this – and I think it will give us all some ideas of what to go for or to relish stories and pictures from others.

Everyone should see this…can mean many different things. I have chosen places I have visited and realised their beauty, importance and significance to the world. If you are tired of seeing them again – I am sorry. But, Everyone should see this…

A glimpse of the Himalayas

and Tibet, the Pothala palace.

Bhutan – the only carbon dioxide negative country in the world. A role model all others have failed to follow.

The beauty of its Landscapes, temples, people and festivities.

Their rare wildlife and how they continue successfully to preserve it.

This is the Takin, Bhutan’s national animal. A massive 180 kilo animal, related to sheep.

The Galapagos Islands. As a child I thought of it as Paradise, because animals here are not afraid of people. And it Is a paradise for its animals, who do not need to fear us humans.

This bird was a true wonder for me to see live. And I struggled for hours to get a clear picture from the ship. Hundreds of pictures discarded to get two great shots of Elliot’s Storm Petrel. This bird can run on the water, and even stand still to pick a fish!

I was also lucky to catch a couple of Iguanas climbing up the giant cactuses to eat the most juicy bits of them.

Finally, I wish everyone could stay some days, weeks, months or years…in the rainforest. This is the Amazon. Just to get an idea of the biodiversity and life at its best. To learn from the indigenous people and their wisdom of nature. The sound of the jungle may be intense, but I have never slept better anywhere in the world.

Joanne wants us to share photographs of places/people/things that you find uniquely inspiring – or photographs themselves that you are proud of – Simply stated, photographs everyone should see.

Last week’s challenge was hosted by Tina who asked us to reflect on urban and rural scenes in City Mouse/Country Mouse. Next week, it will be John’s turn to challenge us. Watch for his post at his Journey’s With Johnbo.

Lens-Artists Challenge #350 – Zooming

/ Leya / 34 kommentarer

Your challenge this week is to take your camera and zoom lens out for some zooming. Anne is our guide in this fun challenge which takes some practice…

My offerings were not made this week, as I have been extremely busy with many birthday parties and also my daughter’s wedding. Our last guests will be leaving in a couple of days – so much joy and fun, but also looking forward to return to my ordinary life.

The bird bath sits among the flowers, and made a lovely start. I was glad there were no birds harmed in the swirling scene!

I tried to keep only one flower in the middle… Many tries on this one!

It was easier with multiple flowers. They turned the picture into a waterfall.

Another one-flower-focus.

This Agapanthus I was quite happy with – after thirty or more takes.

Why not a tomato?

”My photographs are a celebration of life, fun and the beautiful. They are a world that doesn’t exist. A fantasy.”

– Ryan McGinley

Thank you to Tina for her challenge: “The First Thing I Thought Of.” It’s amazing how a picture can have several different interpretations!

So,
have fun, try something new, get creative and yes, enjoy exploring new techniques and ideas. You never know what can happen! We hope you’ll join us this week, making sure to visit and link to Anne’s challenge here, and to use the Lens-Artists tag to help us find you.

Finally, we hope you’ll join us again next week when Ritva leads us once again. Until then as always please stay safe, be kind, and enjoy the adventure.

Tursday Thoughts – A Time for Love

/ Leya / 30 kommentarer

I had been waiting for this moment…

My granddaughter is to experience the same as I did as a child and as both my children did.

To follow the developing of a frog from start to finish. A Nature’s wonder – so clear to the eye. Last week we went to the pond to take some eggs home, and when the little frogs are fully fledged – with all four legs – we will return them to where they came from.

According to me, one of the best things to let a child experience. Patience and wonder.