Thursday Thoughts – Spring Hikes are…

8 juni, 20237 juni, 2023 / Leya / 14 kommentarer

Sheer Happiness!

This hike we do every spring or summer – and it is always a treat. It takes about three, four hours, walking among old and strange trees planted here from all over the world … and it is close to the sea.

This place is home to numerous orchids (a meadow of them in the header) and Pasque flowers – just as beautiful when they are over!

The last flower blooming could also be the last hideaway for a little bug…

This hike is a perfect outing for schoolchildren – but, today we had to step away from the path for several hundreds of kids. Smiling and cheery ones though.

Blindworm or slowworm – I see them quite often. In fact this is a lizard, but legless. This guy was a beauty, about 30 cm long, slim and well fed.

Driving home on old roads to enjoy the flat and open views of the southern part of Skane. A good day we had. And the light lasts far into the night.

Wordless Wednesday

29 september, 202128 september, 2021 / Leya / 9 kommentarer

Thursday Thoughts – The English Garden in Kivik

23 september, 202121 september, 2021 / Leya / 47 kommentarer

I learned there was an English Garden in Kivik, about 100 kilometers from here…and I just had to go.

Late in the season, but to savour the last beauties…

Very tempted to sit down here, but we were eager to see the 3000m2 – a small but lovely garden.

One of my favourites, the Rudbeckia in all its autumn glory.

Who can resist this?

Thursday Thoughts – A Pasque flower Walk in May

14 maj, 202016 maj, 2020 / Leya / 71 kommentarer

This spring is like no other spring – in so many ways. The nights are freezing cold, and many flowers and trees do not grow very much. They even say we might not have new potatoes for Midsummer (a Must…).

I nearly missed out on the Pasque flowers, and arrived just in time to see them in flower – and faded – at the same time.

The sandy meadows stretch widely in the sun, just by the sea. We seldom go to the sea, so this was a fun opportunity for the dogs. As Milo is only two years old, he still acts like it was the first time. Jumping and bathing like crazy.

Pasque flowers have a special charm. True beauties when in flower – and another kind of delicate beauty when faded. Few flowers are bestowed this gift.

Only about ten centimeters high, they crave a crawl to show their faces.

Leaving the sea and heading to the top of the hills. You can see the Pasque flowers’ home meadow down on your right.

The forest path down again, treats you to orchids as well as other plants and flowers striving in the chilly wind.

After a couple of hours’ sunny walk in the company of our dogs, Totti wanted me to stop photographing and just MOVE ON.

That thought in his little curly head, is nicely demonstrated like this…by not following my husband any more. He just had to let him stay put and wait for me. Any dog owners who recognize this…?

Hiking Joy – Kivik and Stenshuvud

18 maj, 201818 maj, 2018 / Leya / 8 kommentarer

That day, in the beginning of May, hiking at Kivik and Stenshuvud – Looking at the pictures, I just have to bring you there again!

Stenshuvud is a hill ( 97 m (318 ft) high and faces the Baltic Sea) in the southeastern corner of Sweden, close to the little village of Kivik. Since 1986, it is one of the National parks of Sweden, covering an area of about 3.9 km² (1.5 sq mi).

Most of the area is covered with broadleaf forest, especially European hornbeam.

The sun was lavishing its hot yellow waves this day (27 C is hot in Sweden…), and Totti and I decided to hike close to the sea – hoping for a breeze.

Unfortunately there was nothing of the kind…

The park also contains heaths, meadows and swamps, and because of the mild climate and varied habitats, many different animal and plant species can be encountered here. If you are lucky, you can meet rare animals as the hazel doormouse, the Eurasian golden oriole or the European tree frog. But, except for the usual birds and some other dogs, we only met this little green friend.

Since the surrounding landscape is relatively flat, the hill can be seen from a great distance and has traditionally been used as a landmark for seafarers.