Travel theme: Bark

Travel theme: Bark

Imagine a lady dog barking at my best friend…and he doesn’t say a word against her. Does not answer. Just keeps playing along in the wild game…Maybe Totti is a bit like the giant flower terrier in Bilbao – a cool beauty.

Travel theme: Turquoise

Travel theme: Turquoise

Those mountain lakes in Switzerland – they are my first thought when it comes to soft  turquoise! Fresh and clear mountain water

Happy Anniversary to Lagottocattleya – Leya!

6-årstroféSo, I have an Anniversary to celebrate! I started this blog 6 years ago today. All in Swedish from the beginning. Thank you all in the blogging community who decided to tag along…and many of you are still there! I am very, very grateful to have ”met” you, and  this summer I will have the opportunity to meet another English lady – in the real world – so looking forward to seeing you, Sue!

In my first post, the photo is from Norway, and the text says that a new planet had been found, ”Very important”, the scientists said… But what then…? Then… we would have a new planet to destroy, new life to kill…Again. Nothing in the history of mankind can convince me that we really have learned from previous mistakes. Nothing would make me happier than if someone could convince me that we have…learned…and will not repeat the same story.

Bilradion släpper ut ljudkombinationer som tränger in i mitt påväghemkörningsmedvetande. En ny planet är funnen. Igen. Den här gången är den i storlek med Vår Jord. ”Betydelsefullt”.  ”Viktigt”. Säger man där borta i USA. Men den är för nära sin stjärna, den nya planeten – och således alldeles för het. Ytterst vill man finna liv – naturligtvis. Och sen? Om vi finner liv?  Vi har en ny värld att förstöra, nytt liv att döda, nytt. Om igen. Ingenting hos mänskligheten i mänsklighetens historia kan övertyga mig om att vi skulle ha lärt oss av gamla misstag. Lycklig skulle jag bli – om Du kunde övertyga mig om motsatsen.

Travel theme: Quiet

Travel theme: Quiet

My good life depends on how much quietness and contemplation I can find time for. Ailsa’s theme this week – and every week… – breathes of Life.

My choice today is also for a belated Happy Birthday to you, Ailsa, and wishes for a Happy New Year! Thank you for hosting the Travel theme – always a great joy to read and participate when I can.

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Feel the quiet prescence of this lovely young sealion, standing on the warm beach – just in front of me – with her eyes closed…living in, and enjoying,  the moment. No fears, Mindfulness, the sealion way.

Thursday Thoughts – Ama la Vida!

Ecuador Ama la Vida – and they do. And they make us, all visitors, do. And we love them, the Ecuadorians and their astonishing country and nature.

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I came back a couple of days ago, but in my heart I am still there – and I will never leave. On my first day in Sweden I immediately caught a severe cold, but still had to go to work. Yesterday was my last working day before Christmas.

So, where to begin, trying to explain that my childhood dream has come true? That this journey was the greatest adventure of my life? But we all have different dreams…

As a 7-year-old girl I first borrowed a book about the remote Galapagos Islands, and learned there was a place on earth where animals and humans lived in peace with each other. The animals were not afraid of humans, and you could sit right next to them and  we could talk to each other as true friends. The little girl marvelled and nourrished a dream in her heart, that someday and somehow she would travel to these enchanted islands…

After this day she devoured everything about the Galapagos Islands…and later, on TV, she listened to David Attenborough and …her heart and mind was set. About then, she also decided to one day walk in the jungle, listening to all the sounds in the dark night, in the REAL jungle, the Amazonas. I do not think she realized the possibility of these two dreams once coming true within the same country, within the same year and the same month.

To a little girl who loved animals more than people, and who, in fact, in many ways still prefers animals to people – such a journey was the ultimate dream.

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On this fantastic journey, I met some astonishing people as well…people I never will forget. They enriched my life and will hopefully continue to do so. The artist Jane Tomlinson and her photographing husband Moth Clark are two extraordinary gifted people. Their deep feelings for, and knowledge of, the natural world are genuine and vibrant. Moth’s photos are outstanding and Jane’s paintings as vibrant as life itself.

I received the permission from Jane herself to use one of her paintings in this post. I love starlings, so this was a natural choice. Now I am looking forward to seeing more of Moth’s photos from the Galapagos Islands and some lovely paintings by Jane. Ama la Vida – easily done when you see Jane’s artwork! The art of Jane Tomlinson.

Thank you so much for visiting, and waiting – I will be posting more when I am recovered!

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Ann-Christine