Architecture

Lens-Artists Challenge #173 – Interesting Architecture

/ Leya / 98 kommentarer

Tina’s challenge this week is all about interesting architecture. As I guessed you would all have fantastic examples of modern buildings, I decided to focus on the birds and the bees…and only a little about human buildings. The opener shows weavers’ nests in the Amazon, Ecuador.

I am always impressed by magnificent woodpiles – and my grandfather was an excellent builder of these. But, while they often are set behind houses or hidden in a barn in Sweden, I found this special display in Switzerland. Elegantly leaning against the house and beautifully framing the window. One of a kind.

To me, one of the most interesting Nordic building is Hállgrimskirkja in Reykjavik, Island. It looks almost like a spaceship icicle with smaller icicles attached to it. Everytime I visit Iceland – it is a must see again.

In Sweden we only have one skyscraper – Turning Torso by the famous architect Calatrava. I never liked it – despite it being beautifully built, it doesn’t fit in among the older buildings in Malmoe. I believe storks have better ideas about how and where to build a high rise building…Modern too – electrified!

Magpies often build high as well, and their nests are very intricate. They are durable, domed structures made of sticks and twigs and contain an interior mud cup and lining. Every nest has got two entrances – one close to the top and one from the side or under – and it can reach more than 1 meter in height. Not the nest to the far right though, that is a small but sturdy bird’s nest found during a winter walk.

The three middle pictures show the enormous European hornet’s nest we had in our summer house last summer. A fantastic and elaborate construction. Finally, my last image is from Bhutan and a monestary covered in bees’ ”pouches”. As the Buddhist monks care for everything living, they were happy to have the bees and their nests hanging there.

We thank you for your beautiful responses to last week’s “A Day in My Week” challenge – what a terrific variety of amazing days you shared with us!

We hope you’ll join us this week with some interesting architecture from around the corner or around the world. Be sure to use the Lens-Artists tag to appear in our reader, and to link to Tina’s original post.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #116 – Symmetry

/ Leya / 85 kommentarer

Patti is our host this week, and we are asked to think about symmetry. As she explains in her instructive and beautiful post, symmetry is, and have always been, pleasing to the human eye.

The header, as well as most of these images, are from Spain. Art and architecture here has its origin from many cultures including the Moorish. A fantastic blend.

A warm Barcelona night – we stumbled upon a motorcycle gathering
More Spain – Gaudí of course! A small church or chapel, not that well known.
Nature then? I cannot have a post without being natural in some way… Bilateral symmetry, (in biology) – ”a basic body plan in which the left and right sides of the organism can be divided into approximate mirror images of each other along the midline.”
Back in Spain again – A silent monastery walk
Cervantes looking down at his heroes, Don Quixote och Sancho Panza
Finishing off with one of my favorite floors – a wooden floor found in Copenhagen – man-made. Diagonal symmetry? Or I just made that up maybe… but, symmetry can also exist in many ways in the same object, work of art or image. I like the combinatory possibilities.

Thanks to all of you in our creative community for your support, enthusiasm, and creativity.  Let’s keep inspiring each other !  Next challenge, LAPC #117 will be hosted by Amy instead of me, October 3, 2020, so don’t forget to stop by her site and join the fun.

Until then, I wish you all a wonderful, creative week – and stay safe.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #99 – Old and New

/ Leya / 50 kommentarer

Old and new make the warp and woof of every moment. There is no thread that is not a twist of these two strands.

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

First of all I would like to thank you for all your gloriously delicate colours from last week – so creative and so interesting – and so many!

This week, Amy is challenging us to look for “Old and New”, and now we’re looking forward to your interpretation.

In the opener, Hovdala Castle, Sweden, a place to remember the old and celebrate in new ways. But Old and New can be the contrast of architecture, fashion, collections, treasures… in one photo or multiple photos. Please visit Amy for beautiful views and inspiration!

I have consulted the archives, and these all represent moments where I really was stricken by the perspective of Old and New.

Tbilisi, Georgia – is a very old city that is being totally rebuilt. Sometimes the combinations are not that great, but old and new is always very striking.

Everywhere in Europe, you will find Old and New together.

Some combinations hurt more than others – This beautiful old building was combined with a new hotel – Umeå, Sweden.

Tbilisi again – the old fortress looking down on the new city.

In fact, when I think of old and new – two cities come to mind directly – and here they are. And, there is a reason to why one of them is called ”The Eternal City”…

I hope you will enjoy the challenge, and we are looking forward to interesting posts!

Stay tuned for Tina’s (Travels and Trifles) LAPC #100 on June 6th.

 

Lens Artists Photo Challenge #91 – Simplicity

/ Leya / 76 kommentarer

And I learned what is obvious to a child. That life is simply a collection of little lives, each lived one day at a time. That each day should be spent finding beauty in flowers and poetry and talking to animals. That a day spent with dreaming and sunsets and refreshing breezes cannot be bettered. But most of all, I learned that life is about sitting on benches next to ancient creeks with my hand on her knee and sometimes, on good days, for falling in love.
― Nicholas Sparks 

There is no greatness where there is not simplicity, goodness, and truth.
― Leo Tolstoy,

Like all magnificent things, it’s very simple.
― Natalie Babbitt

The older I get, the more I desire simplicity. – Andy Mineo

If you will stay close to nature, to its simplicity, to the small things hardly noticeable, those things can unexpectedly become great and immeasurable.
― Rainer Maria Rilke

We have lost contact with reality, the simplicity of life. – Paulo Coelho

 

Patti’s challenge is to show what Simplicity means to you. Visit her blog and get inspired!

”As the coronavirus pandemic spreads and intensifies, many of us around the world are spending a lot of time at home, following governmental regulations to shelter in place.” … ” For me, this time also highlights the value of simplicity.” And I agree, in simplicity lies a great amount of love and harmony. Maybe we now are starting to resume contact with reality, and simplicity of life. Our planet and everything living is in great need of it. Let us stay in contact – always.

I think my images speak for themselves, but the opener…what is it? It is the soft edge of a rose petal – from a vase with ten roses standing on my table right now. I love them. Flowers, I must have flowers. Always.

Thank you, Tina, for the beautiful Distance theme! And, we’re delighted to announce that next week’s challenge will be led by our next guest host–John Steiner of Journeys with Johnbo.  Welcome, John!  Please stop by and visit John’s site next Saturday at noon.

Here’s our schedule for the rest of April:

As always, stay well, stay safe, and keep creating!

 

 

 

 

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #87 – Reflections

/ Leya / 68 kommentarer

We welcome another guest blogger this week, Miriam of The Showers of Blessings.  She suggests we find reflections to share.

Believe it or not, but I found myself in some of mine…even though I never do selfies.

Reflect upon your present blessings — of which every man has many — not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.
― Charles Dickens

Today, International Women’s Day, we might just change his quote a bit…and put in woman and women too.

Can you remember who you were, before the world told you who you should be?

― Charles Bukowski

Did you ever wonder if the person in the puddle is real, and you’re just a reflection of him?

― Bill Watterson 

Bewilderment increases in the presence of the mirrors.
― Tarjei Vesaas,

When do I see a photograph, when a reflection?
― Philip K. Dick,

A lake is a landscape’s most beautiful and expressive feature. It is Earth’s eye; looking into which the beholder measures the depth of his own nature.
― Henry David Thoreau,

 

These images were made in Iceland, Stettin, Copenhagen, Bilbao, Norway and Switzerland. As usual, click to enlarge.

For the rest of March, we will follow the usual schedule – and stay tuned for next Saturday when the host is me, Leya!

 

Thursday Thoughts – Glimpses of Modern Tbilisi

/ Leya / 22 kommentarer

More of Tbilisi, Georgia – there is, of course, a modern part of it as well…even if that was not the main reason for my visit!

Strolling the busy streets, I looked through the windows of different restaurants and shops – and saw this fantastic wallpaper, with lamps in an oval shape.

The overall photo sits last in this gallery – there you will find the first three of these architectural wonders – more facts in the pictures.

A would be Concert hall – empty interior, all the money spent on the exterior. See the header!
Peace Bridge – or ”Always ultra”, beacause of its likeness to a sanitary towel…see the overall, last photo in this gallery.

This passage was filled with murals and graffiti – too narrow to get a good shot though…

Out in the street again

I just had to go back for a closer look at the wallpaper – fascinating history become art? Anyway – I just loved it. It covered the whole interior, quite a large room. I would love to have a piece of it framed on my wall. So many different faces – Please click to enlarge – and you get the feeling!

 

Thursday Thoughts – A Cheering Up Gallery

/ Leya / 18 kommentarer

For One single day this”winter”, we had a frosty delight (yesterday’s post) – all the others are grey. Here’s to cheer myself up – and you too I hope! From Croatia with love.

And the goat? He was the biggest goat I have ever seen, I would guess a mix with Alpine breed. Weight at least 75-100 kilos. Glad he was on the other side of that fence…

Cheers!

 

 

 

Thursday Thoughts – Pur Pur

/ Leya / 35 kommentarer

This is Pur Pur, another magical restaurant In Tbilisi, Georgia.

A bit hard to find though – in the middle of this big construction site called – Tbilisi. Luckily there were some signs on the way…

…so, finally we found Pur Pur, in the old town area. Resting close to a peaceful park –

– leaning against another house, it was one of the last houses still standing. Just open the door, walk slowly up the stairs, enter the room, and you will be enveloped in its warm, rich and creative atmosphere!

Their food is delicious, and so is the Georgian wine. We got the blue table by the window, where we had our farewell dinner, saying goodbye to a very special country, a very special city and a very special people.

If you ever find Pur Pur while roaming the world – (it might not be found in the same house by then…) I do recommend you to drop in – and not only for the food and the wine. You will leave a richer person than you first arrived here.