Thursday Thoughts – Over the Pool

This hot May and half of June finally ended today. Chilly winds and some raindrops.

 

 

So…I will have a break for a couple of days…back after the weekend. See you then!

 

 

 

 

CFFC: Columns and Vertical Line(s)

Columns and Vertical Line(s) for this Tuesday – natural ones and man made.

The header – my forest

Riga, outdoor museum

Copenhagen, old reserves with installation

Morocco, construction area

 

 

There’s Something About Summer…

My childhood days come back to me – I clearly see them, remember them…and the taste of Summer…

Lying in the grass in my grandmother’s garden, looking up at the blue sky

…or down at the tiny Veronicas hiding beside me in the slender grass – ”Cat’s eyes” – in Sweden we call them ”Grandmother’s Glasses”

Sometimes strolling into the deeper forest or marshes to unfold their secrets…

…and often playing with my beloved animals and pets

How innocent everything was. I was. And I truly believed in a gentle world in harmony.

 

 

Botanizing Again – BioBlitz

June 9 we had the annual  BioBlitz, according to Wikipedia: ”… an intense period of biological surveying in an attempt to record all the living species within a designated area. Groups of scientists, naturalists and volunteers conduct an intensive field study over a continuous time period (e.g., usually 24 hours). There is a public component to many BioBlitzes, with the goal of getting the public interested in biodiversity.

In the header, the most spectacular find according to me: the Buff-tip, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buff-tip, an extraordinary moth looking exactly like a twig when resting. Very exciting this day out with the group again!

We met this sunny morning – tolerably hot before noon – with loaded cameras and water bottles. Our leaders always on the alert – and all the others learning and marveling at their profound knowledge. There are really no questions they cannot answer. Invited specialists were also here, but the poor mushroom man did not have much to do. The dry spring and summer hasn’t left many detectable species.

Recording. After giving their consent to use forests and farmland, the land owners were also invited to join us this day. They were very helpful in showing special habitats.

Once again – this nature’s wonder! The end of an interesting day – I guess we all returned home with happy hearts and a package of new knowledge.

Before Sunset

Just before sunset, they walk out in the open – the forest animals. This hot and dry May and beginning of June – I am glad to follow their example…

Driving to the forest I pass many fields, and all of them are being heavily irrigated… We all want new potatoes this summer of course! Soon watering will be restricted – in many parts of Sweden it already is.

Most summer flowers come and go fast. When I visited here a week ago – the flora was totally different.

Being a wild animal is never easy, not even in the summer. I do hope there will be rain soon – all brooks and puddles are dried out.

Two hours’ walk, then time to return. Birds are still singing, but I guess in a couple of weeks the forest will be more quiet as feeding the little ones now comes first.

On driving back, this gentleman was sitting in the field, just keeping an eye on me. I stopped the car to see his ears move around – they are quite lovely – his ears.

Behind me, about the first clouds seen in a month, are elegantly sailing over the fields.

And the farmers are still working – or their machines are – to give us food on the table.

Thursday Thoughts – Mindful Moments

If you know me…you know that the forest is my home. These days are wild orchid days, and when the forest opens up to the light and the stillness of the wetlands and its inhabitants…I will be there for short mindful moments before sunset.

Walking slowly, not to disturb anyone or anything, I follow the boardwalk between nodding armies of  cotton grass or bog cotton.

The orchids here are mostly Dactylorhiza with subspecies – marsh orchids. Listera ovata in the middle, lowest row.

In the setting sun, the rays shine enigmatic life to everything growing. The tiny purple marshlocks glow and the grasses throw flames of greens your way.

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I rest in the middle of everything – feeling blessed

Thursday’s Special – Pick a Word in June -y3

For the lovely Paula at Lost in Translation – a new word lesson! This time, I had to look up pullulating and victuals. Thank you for the useful knowledge. Interpreted my way.

Pictures from Sweden, Switzerland, New Zealand, Poland and Britain.

 

Nascent

 

 

Maternal

 

 

Pullulating

 

Victuals

 

Reflective – in the header another interpretation…