Iceland

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #64 – Countryside – That is Where I Belong

/ Leya / 81 kommentarer

To me, Magical goes well with Countryside – I am a country girl. Even if I love to visit big cities, I know where I belong. This week, Amy is our host, and as I often post about my own countryside, you will get some pieces of Icelandic countryside instead. Iceland is a bit more harsh and rough, and we remember – once Iceland was only for the tough guys.

I consider it the best part of an education to have been born and brought up in the country. – Amos Bronson Alcott

The country is lyric, the town dramatic. When mingled, they make the perfect musical drama. – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

I long for the countryside. That’s where I get my calm and tranquility – from being able to come and find a spot of green. – Emilia Clarke

I really feel that my body craves to be in the mountains or by the ocean or in the countryside. – Miranda Kerr

I lived in solitude in the country and noticed how the monotony of a quiet life stimulates the creative mind. – Albert Einstein

The country life is to be preferred, for there we see the works of God, but in cities little else but the works of men. And the one makes a better subject for contemplation than the other. – William Penn

Thank you for all your Magical posts last week – they made every day into pure Magic!

 

 

Thursday Thoughts – Centre of the Earth

/ Leya / 32 kommentarer

In Jules Verne’s  A Journey to the Center of the Earth, Stapi is the last stop on the route the protagonists take before they climb Snæfellsjökull and enter the interior of the planet through a tunnel in the crater.

We didn’t intend to try any of these possibilities, but to hike along the coast line of the peninsula from Arnarstapi  to Hellnar.

We encountered (I think you could say that…) spectacular landscapes this morning – the likes of nothing I had seen before.

Steep cliffs and birds, birds, birds…on this ca 4 km hike.

Amazing colours everywhere, almost no fellow hikers, sun, blue skies and no wind. Who could ask for more?

Island 2019 1069-Redigera

The further we went, the more the landscape opened up and the magnificent coastline became visible – with all its small rocks and islets –

– a spectacular archipelago.

Struggling through some rugged lava formations, I suddenly spotted three killer whales, orcas,  in the blue waters ahead of us. I only got one shot working…then they were gone. But wow, how happy I was! I had never seen them live, in their natural habitat.

Gatklettur Arch

Gatklettur Arch – after some searching, we finally found it on our way back to Arnarstapi.

And the soft evening light kissed the earth. I sat down among the flowers, and listened to the strong feeling of Love for this Country, the stillness in the air, the beauty of this place. I watched the young girl, lying there, contemplating – and wondered if she too had seen the orcas…. To me, they were the icing on the cake this Icelandic summer’s day.

We returned to the two villages, Arnarstapi and Hellnar, the next day – just to savour their beauty once more before heading north… There just might be another post.

 

 

 

 

 

Friendly Friday – Blue

/ Leya / 17 kommentarer

Amanda ask us for a portrait of Blue. Blue is not my favorite colour to wear, but in Nature it is Green and Blue for me. And the image had to come from Iceland this summer.

 

The ‘Friendly Friday Photo Challenge’ is launched every second Friday here at:

Something to Ponder About, and every other Friday at: The Snow Melts Somewhere.

Thursday Thoughts – Hidden Hot Spring

/ Leya / 25 kommentarer

Hunting hot springs in Autumn would have been great – but left them in Iceland. In Sweden it is getting colder now, and there is no more bathing in the sea…so, back to Iceland memories!

We had read about a very little hot pool, hidden in Landbrotalaug not far from the volcano Eldborg on the south coast of the Snaefellsnes peninsula. We decided to go for it.

The weather was splendid and the beautiful white cottongrass grew here abundantly…

Just when we thought we were lost, the hot water tap finally revealed the place.

With Snaefellsnes in the fond, we spotted the little pool – right out in the wild landscape. Two tents and a couple of people were there already. The bath can only take 1-2 persons at a time, so, Patience – and you will be greatly rewarded!

Wish I were there again!

Tuesday Photo Challenge – Fall

/ Leya / 29 kommentarer

Tuesday Photo Challenge – Fall

For Frank this week – my pick is an iconic mountain in Iceland, Kirkjufell. At Kirkjufellfossar we were greeted with rain, but still a neverending stream of tourists who wanted their own copy of this spectacular place. Somehow I am rather happy with the rain falling, and with the ”fallen” icon. Of course I knew I would never get one of those magical shots of this mountain and the ”Church Falls” – I just wanted my own copy, like any other tourist.

I hope you enjoy the Falls too – at least they look totally different from all the glamorous magazines I have seen!

Lens-Artists Challenge #61 – Precious Pets

/ Leya / 65 kommentarer

In the header, Mille (no longer with us) and Totti – dearly loved by my mother too. She still walks with me and the dogs every day. My last three dogs have all been of the breed Lagotto Romagnolo.

This week Tina is our host, and she has chosen a theme very accurate for many of us – Precious Pets. I have had many pets in my life, but I will post only my favorite choices. Otherwise I would fill your week!

If having a soul means being able to feel love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals are

better off than a lot of humans – James Herriot

In Homer’s Odyssey (c. 8th century BC), upon Odysseus’ return after 20 years, his beloved dog Argos is the only individual to recognize him.

 

Milo

Pets are humanizing. They remind us we have an obligation and responsibility to preserve and nurture and care for all life – James Cromwell

A lovely young man and his dog, Westmannaeyar, Iceland

”Man’s best friend” is a common phrase about domestic dogs, referring to their millennia-long history of close relations, loyalty, and companionship with humans. The first recorded use of a related phrase is by Frederick the Great of Prussia, 18th century.

 

Outside of a dog, a book is a man’s best friend. Inside of a dog it’s too dark to read – Groucho Marx

Old Mr Marx might have a good point though…not everyone can have a dog…but there are alternatives!

Since I left home, more than 40 years ago, I have always had dogs, but when I grew up, we had cats. All of them were lost too soon, either run over by a car or just disappeared in the forest. The sorrow of losing them, and the fact that I wanted a companion on my walks, made me go for dogs instead. The two cats below both live in Heimaey, Vestmannaeyar. I believe their breed is Norwegian Forest cat.

Cats choose us; we don’t own them —Kristin Cast

Cats have it all – admiration, an endless sleep, and company only when they want it – Rod McKuen

A horse is a thing of beauty… none will tire of looking at him as long as he displays himself in his splendor – Xenophon

As a teenager, I was a horse addict and spent much time at the stable. Nowadays I only ride horses when we visit Iceland.

The Icelandic is a ”five-gaited” breed, known for its sure-footedness and ability to cross rough terrain.

The first additional gait is a four-beat lateral ambling gait known as the tölt. The breed also performs a pace called a skeið, flugskeið or ”flying pace”. It is used in pacing races, and is fast and smooth, with some horses able to reach up to 30 miles per hour (48 km/h)

The Icelandic horse comes in a wide variety of colours as well, and the Icelandic language includes more than 100 names for various colours and colour patterns of their horses. I find them all very beautiful……but the combination in the last photo is My favorite.

Thank you for all your inspiring Frames last week!  –  and thank you, Amy, for all the fun with this challenge!

 

Thursday Thoughts – Iceland, Life on Earth and at Sea

/ Leya / 34 kommentarer

Djupalónsandur beach lets you meet sea, rocks and the remains of the British trawler Epine – that went down off the coast in 1948.

And of course there are enigmatic lava formations. You get a glimpse of snowcapped Snaefellsjökull  volcano through the holes.

Once this bay was home to one of the most prolific fishing villages on the Snæfellsnes peninsula. Today this area is uninhabited.

Except for the old rusty debris from Epine, four lifting stones still lie on the sands of Djúpalónssandur, in olden days used by fishermen to test their strength. Today tourists and children roam the beach to look at the rusty pieces, and many of them test their  abilities – and possibilities – of getting hired as seamen…

This was quite a special walk where many thoughts were coming and going… The harsh lives of seafarers and society changing fast. And, will there be any fish in the sea for our children?

Friendly Friday Photo Challenge – Remote

/ Leya / 32 kommentarer

I just had to join in the Friday Photo fun again, Amanda – Remote – my favorite place to be! But this Light house was the most remote one I have ever been to. I knew there was to stand an orange light house on the westernmost point of the Snaefellsnes peninsula, and talked my husband into driving there. I almost came to regret it – we drove for hours in the black lava fields on a Very Bumpy gravel road.

The Lighthouse was visible from afar, but we seemed never to get there…but finally!

This photography challenge is posted every Friday by

Amanda from Something to Ponder About, and

Snow from The Snow Melts Somewhere.