Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #31: Landscapes

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The challenge from Amy this week is Landscapes. And I must agree with her, searching the archives for landscapes I have traveled through brought back many fond memories. I also got reminded of my love for two English painters, namely John Constable and William Turner. Constable a naturalistic painter and Turner a Romantic – they merge into the kind of art I love the most. So, let me start with a photographic painting from the winter where I live in the southern part of Sweden. And then, some different Swedish landscapes.

”The landscape you grow up in speaks to you in a way that nowhere else does.”

Molly Parker

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If we go abroad, the landscapes of course change for every country. Here are some of my favorites, starting with the Alps of Switzerland.

Endless, lonely beaches in Latvia

…and in Iceland. More Icelandic landscapes are here and here. More? Here and here!

Early morning dunes in Morocco – so different from the warm yellows of the evening sun!

This view from a kapok tree in the Amazon basin is one of my loveliest memories ever

The unforgettable, strange landscapes of the Galapagos Islands. The impressive, 5-40 ft, endemic Opuntia cactus is common, but

– every island is different…

Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers of New Zealand display extremely impressive landscapes

Back in Europe again, and the lush, rural landscapes of Bastán, Spain

A spectacular landscape hidden somewhere in the Pyrenees, Spain

And finally, China, along the Yangtze river…

… and the vast landscape of the Tibetan Plateau – shot through a train window. We traveled on the highest built railroad in the world, and the only train running on the permafrost.

 

Thank you, Amy, for this opportunity to revisit some favorite landscapes! I quote Charles Lindbergh: ”Life is like a landscape. You live in the midst of it but can describe it only from the vantage point of distance.”

Thank you for visiting, and welcome to join in the challenge! Also, be sure to tune in for Tina’s challenge next week, February 9!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friendly Friday Photo Challenge – Revisited

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Amanda asks us to revisit this Friendly Friday, and I have chosen Iceland. We have visited several times, and never tire of this magical saga country. This summer we are going back again, to the western part of Iceland, and to revisit Vestmannaeyar.

Seljalandsfoss 2006 – in the header, 2016 and winter.

Gullfoss winter 2016 and summer 2006.

And the mesmerizing lava fields, 2006, just have to have it again!

Thank you, Amanda, for a chance to remember and revisit!

 

 

Thursday Thoughts – Fryksås Winters…

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Suddenly I remembered all those years we every winter went to Fryksås in Dalarna,  and stayed at the Fäbodvall in a typical old cottage from the 19th century – or older. When I look up Fäbod in English, it says shieling/sheeling – small huts were farmers used to spend their summers in the mountain pastures, looking after their cattle.

We used to go skiing in the hills and the dogs had great fun. The children were not that old, so they went skiing with us, but also used the hills for other ways of sliding down on the snow…

And I miss those days. No TV or radio, no electric lights – only the sun and candle light. The long evenings after skiing and playing in the snow, we played card games or board games, and read books together. The beds for the children were still like in the old days, called skåpsängar – in English box-beds or closed beds.

We all loved it. We kept going there until 2010. And do you know – the children  never missed their electric gadgets, and neither did my husband or I.

Tuesday Photo Challenge – Rose

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Tuesday Photo Challenge – Rose

The rose has got an advantage over many flowers…it looks good even when it is fading.

 

And I love them in any colour. But orange might be my favorite. For Dutch Goes the Photo.

 

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #30 – Unexpected

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Unexpected – unexpected what? Now, that is up to you!

Did something totally unexpected happen today? Did you meet someone unexpected at the grocery store, or did you find something in an unexpected place …or, maybe You are up to something unexpected?

My post hopefully will contain something you would not expect from me!

Our son is a good photographer and a graphic designer – I borrowed his fish-eye lens for a couple of days… just for fun, and the opportunity to illustrate how it is to live in My bubble. Because I do live in some kind of bubble, where I try to create a positive life surrounding me and my family. I find it rather necessary in this world!

Hope you will enjoy a glimpse into my own transparent bubble – and then – I am looking forward to seeing Your interpretation of Unexpected!

When I am not traveling or hiking, much of my time is spent at home. Among everything else, I try to take care of my husband, my old parents and my two dogs.

My house is not that big – but… bigger than a Hobbiton house anyway!

It contains mostly flowers – many of them orchids – and memories…

…from travels, my children and my own childhood

Let’s step into my everyday life…

 

…where I spend most of my time!

In the kitchen I spend a lot of time
Doing the traditional chores
the boring ones as well…

A soft place where to rest quietly – maybe listening to music – is necessary. And there has to be much light.

My working area is indeed something for Marie Kondo…but they say a tidy and empty place reveals how you look inside too…

My space for work, fun, correspondence – and memories…

…this is the crew on our Galapagos ship – still smiling at me!

But soon it is time for a dog walk again! (At least three times a day, so I don’t have to worry about fitness training…) I wonder who is the happiest creature about that?

I hope you enjoyed these bubbles – at least I had great fun!

 

Have you seen these from Patti’s Challenge ”Cityscapes”? Thank you for joining in with so many amazing entries – I had difficulties in picking out just a few!

Laura at poetrypix gives us a London feeling

Click this, TAPG – a marvelous view of Tokyo

Bulldog, Moody winds from Chicago