Lens-Artists Challenge #316 – Destination: Fun

/ Leya / 47 kommentarer

Egidio has for this week chosen our destination: Fun! In fact I just returned from one of those – namely fantastic gardens. Please go to his beautiful site for more inspiration.

He asks ”What is your fun destination? What are some fun things you do? Some prefer seeing action and crowds, such as sporting events or concerts. Others prefer quiet moments with a book in hand.” I guess my answer could be: Travel and quiet moments alone. Those two can be opposites, but maybe not always…With a camera in hand, I can lose myself in photographing and shut out the world. I do need them both to feel good.

I love watching my dogs having fun – what could be better than that? And, when the children were small, we had entertainment all day from the whole family.

This is an old favourite photo of Mille and Totti, my first lagottos. They brought so much warmth, laughter, tears and joy. Talking about destination Fun! I still miss them, both had their own charming peculiarities, just like children have.

A great joy has always been hiking beautiful landscapes, especially in the delicateness of Spring and the colours of October. I am always excited to head out there for new adventures. Open landscapes and forests – they let my heart and soul breathe and my spirit soar.

Nothing beats the art of Mother Nature – but much fun is to be had at museums and exhibitions as well. I don’t have to go far away for interesting art…there is a great exhibition site just 10 kilometers away.

Being a teacher for many years, I have a natural interest in young people, their education and upbringing. I still have some students that stay in contact with me. In fact yesterday one of my students had his dissertation and is today a professor in mathematics. He contacted me, so I could follow it on zoom.

Many of our castles have jousting games with knights and horses. During my last years before retirement, I had a student who now is so skilled he won the Swedish championship several times in these games.

I often go to the nearest castle, Hovdala, that hosts these games – not just to see my old students but also to see the youngsters having fun. This sweet young man with shining eyes……might one day grow into a handsome and chevaleresque knight!

My most frequented destination is my garden – and it is always fun to see things grow, be it children or plants. Right now the grapes are ripening and soon the glass house will leave its last cucumbers and tomatoes, chili, paprika and physalis for letting my Mediterranean plants glow. I am immensely grateful for being able to enjoy the beauty and scent of acacia, jasmin, bottlebrush and camellias – despite our cold climate.

Travel, yes, that has been my way since I was 16. Destinations chosen because of architectural marvels in beautiful cities like Prague…

…for natural wonders as Catedrales in Spain

…for hiking among the glaciers in Greenland,

Iceland and Norway … and the majestic mountains of middle Europe.

But also for the opportunity to meet people of different origin and with different customs.

Back home again, there is another spot I always return to – for continuing the fun – my computer. All those photos have to be taken care of. Blogging, writing messages, making cards for birthdays, Christmas and other festivities.

To sum up my fun destinations, they are: hiking in gorgeous nature at home or abroad, visiting cities with great art and architecture, spending time with my family, working and enjoying my garden – and photographing it all. Finally – it is fun to upload and try to make the best out of my photos at the computer…

We look forward to seeing your responses and having us all share in the fun. Don’t forget to use the “lens-artists” hashtag when responding to Egidio, so we can easily find it in the Reader. Egidio is happy to say that pingbacks are finally working on his site too.

Last week, Ritva had us working on common objects. The response was terrific, and your posts were great. Creativity shines!

Tina will host a new challenge next Saturday at noon EDT in the USA. Stay tuned. Please see this page to learn more about the Lens-Artists Challenge and its history.

Thursday Thoughts – Arundel Castle

/ Leya / 26 kommentarer

Arundel Castle was built in the 11th Century by Roger de Montgomery. With its pinnacles and towers, it looks more or less out of a fairy tale. In many ways it was a different castle than the first three we visited. I want to take you to some of its most interesting features.

Arundel Castle is perhaps most famous for its Stumpery – a garden made out of old tree stumps and ferns. I immediately fell in love with it, and got some ideas for my own garden too. (Where I already have some fallen trees with planted climbers.)

Another wonderful scenery was the wild flower garden, which reminded me of our wild flower fields up north, close to the mountains. I wish I could have a garden like that!

If you look closely, you can even find a young moor hen with its extremely big feet and toes. It was busy pruning itself and staring down into the water. They are such funny creatures, and this one seemed not at all afraid of people.

I think I will save some pictures from the gardens as well as inside the castle for another post. Hopefully you enjoyed the tour – thank you for walking with me!

Lens – Artists Challenge #315 – Common Objects

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Ritva is our host this week, and common objects are in focus – making them shine. Please visit Ritvas amazing site with some brilliant inspiration!

I will start in Japan – with Shinkansen and

some ordinary umbrella stands. The Japanese can give anything mundane a fascinating glow, so, no credit to my photography…

Next gallery was made from my home, indoors photos. I have used close-ups, fisheye lens, high key pictures and B&W.

Let’s go out in the garden to enjoy the little things! Clothes pegs in the evening light as well as caught by the vine, the top of my empty watering can, a spider’s web against the greenery, a tomato plant, a tiny orchid in the dark…and a Solomon’s Seal.

Many thanks to Anne for her brilliant hosting of last week’s Shorelines challenge. The beautiful shorelines washed away all our troubles and wrinkled foreheads! I hope you will join us next week too, when Egídio will be our guide. Until then, take care and enjoy life!

Thursday Thoughts – More from Great Dixter

/ Leya / 27 kommentarer

As this was my favourite house and garden on the tour, I will post some more from both the garden and indoors. The interior was very special, and the windows amazingly beautiful.

On entering the house, the light from the many windows and the open architectural solution made for an immediate love. In the header you can see the second floor and some more modern architecture.

I loved the seemingly wild and random, unorganized looks of the garden – even if I knew there is a design behind it. For more facts, please visit Jude again!

The nursery is a must see in every garden – and maybe buy a little something…which I of course did! Thank you for walking with me – hope to see you in my next garden walk too.