Macro Monday – Orchids Rule
Keukenhof
Thursday Thoughts – Flower Power
Flower power was a slogan during the late 1960s and early 1970s as a symbol of passive resistance and non-violence. It started as an opposition movement to the Vietnam War. Originally, the expression was coined by the American Beat poet Allen Ginsberg in 1965 as a means to transform war protests into peaceful affirmative spectacles. Hippies dressed in clothes with embroidered flowers and vibrant colors, wearing flowers in their hair.
Who, my age, didn’t love the musical Hair?
As you can see, the theme of this year’s Keukenhof flower festival was Flower Power.
And Flower Power there was – in abundance. The pictures in this post all come from only one of all the exhibition halls…
Tulips, orchids, roses, hyacinths, anthuriums – cars and clothes!
As you can guess…I could have stayed here forever. After an hour or two, my poor husband found a chair somewhere…But, admitted that this was a glorious feast to the eye. To see the whole exhibition area, or most of it, we spent the whole day. Unforgettable.
Wordless Wednesday
Macro Monday
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #42 – Creativity
Creativity is the use of imagination or original ideas to create something new or somehow valuable – inventiveness. The created item may be an idea, a scientific theory, or even a joke; or a physical object, maybe a new invention, a literary work – or a painting. Being creative is a very valuable asset today – and has always been. That is, when creativity is used in a positive way.
I believe for many of us, being creative is a way to relax from our ordinary jobs (of course your job is creative in its own way too) and also to develop our minds as well as the use of our hands.
Snapshot of my son’s desk – (he is a graphic designer, and the wall quote is by Einstein)
Maybe the creative space most used today is at the computer in our own room? Or maybe not? This week’s challenge is all about Creativity – hobbies, crafts, creative spaces at home or places you have visited – show us your creative post…unlimited!
Last week I was fortunate enough to visit Keukenhof in the Netherlands, and the annual Flower Parade (Bloemencorso in Dutch). This is a glorious feast brimming with beautiful colors and delicious flowers. Twenty huge floats and thirty lavishly decorated cars follow a 42 kilometer route from Noordwijk to Haarlem.
Millions of flowers and the creative work of hundreds of volunteers make this most amazing flower parade possible. And, hundreds of thousands of visitors from Holland and abroad are drawn to the colorful flower spectacle every year. Let’s have a look at something of the brilliant Dutch creativity!
Some floats were so big, that they were divided into two – like this one.
The impressive Phoenix
When we visited Keukenhof in the 90’s we missed out on the parade, so this year, we decided to go to Noordwijk early in the morning to see the flower creations from up close.
It was a very cold morning, with temperatures below zero – So, to save the flowers, all floats and cars had to stay inside before the parade started.
This float was the winning equipage – But there were also very modern themes – creativity unlimited!
And how about driving your car from an Easter egg?
Thank you for joining in the fun, and while we are looking forward to seeing your creativity flow – we wish you all
Happy Easter Holidays !
Thank you, Patti for your simply Delicious challenge last week!
Thursday Thoughts – Easter Flowers
Happy Easter!
From Keukenhof and The Netherlands
Wordless Wednesday
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #41 – Delicious
This week Patti has chosen to challenge us with Delicious, which means having a very pleasant taste or smell, or it can be used to describe a situation or activity that gives you great pleasure.
Few tasty things give me more pleasure than the first semla/fastlagsbulle of the year! These were temptingly standing in a window in Umeå some months ago. I can tell you they did not stand there for long…
Last week I was in The Netherlands, at Keukenhof, for the the biggest flower show in the world. Holland, or The Netherlands, is the magical land of tulips and hyacinths.
The gardens and fields were filled with the most delicious scent, colours and shapes. I was in a state of euforia for 7 hours – the visit was a total dream. I had not been to this flower show since somewhere in the 90’s.
Interested in joining the Lens-Artists Photo Challenge? I guess you too have some delicious experiences to show us! For instructions and more information click here.
Leya 