Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #95 – All Wet

3 maj, 2020 / Leya / 65 kommentarer

Tina’s challenge this week is a wet one. See her fantastic bear shots at Travels and Trifles!

My first thought for All Wet, was of Galapagos and its many water living animals. So, two of them are playing in the opener.

These are some of my favorite ”wets” – all from the archives.

A wet forest in Sweden

A hot hot day (42 degrees C) in Bilbao, Spain

A disappearing building in Barcelona

Autumn rain in my garden

I like girls who like the countryside, put on walking boots and can bend with the wind a bit. If you’re going to live with me, you need to be able to embrace the countryside and wet dogs.

– Jay Kay

And I will end this short, wet story with my favorite dog, my first lagotto romagnolo – the legendary Mille. Why ”legendary”? Well, for eleven summers in a row, he was standing, running or walking in the sea, at our summer house, from early morning until late evening. Chasing bubbles. This was his kingdom. (From the beginning these dogs were water dogs in Romagna, Italy, but the area was drained and the dogs were taught to dig for truffles instead.) Every man and woman in our little village knew him, every tourist, every child patted him and played with him.

We lost Mille in 2014, but people out there still (2019) remember him, and tell their own memories of him. My children planned to make a statue to sit on ”his” beach, so he would forever be watching the sea. But that dream was not realized. I have had many dogs and cats in my life – but nothing and no one compares to him. Also, he was always All Wet.

Thank you for last week’s peeks at Amy’s At home – a challenged I think more than I enjoyed very much. Hope to see you next week again, for Patti’s Challenge #96.

Mother Earth Day

22 april, 2020 / Leya / 21 kommentarer

The true miracle is not walking on water or walking in air, but simply walking on this earth – Thich Nhat Hanh

Thursday Thoughts – Thankfulness

16 april, 202015 april, 2020 / Leya / 33 kommentarer

Camera and binoculars packed – an Easter walk one of these beautiful mornings. The stillness in the air promised some lovely hours in my favorite place.

The old sallow stands waiting for its summer guests again – a different spring for us this year, but not so for the birds. Nature is still out there for us whenever we return.

The giant beech with sweet wood anemones at its feet. A joy that they managed to survive the freezing cold nights we have had for weeks. Down to 8 degrees below zero.

Glorious blackthorn in the sun! They grow everywhere here in the meadows, and I always walk up to the top fields to see them basking in the open air. They Are Sunshine.

Today the farmer was out too – his growling tractor the only sound disturbing the merry flute tones of thrushes, chaffinches and robins.

In April I always walk to the wetlands looking for the first marsh-marigolds. In 2018 many of them were lost because of the heavy drought. This year another blow came from the numerous wild boars. But I found a couple of them. When I was a child I tried to pick some for my grandmother, but alas, I soon learned they drop their petals immediately put in a vase. Grandma’ just smiled, saying they only love the outdoors.

I am so deeply grateful to be allowed to walk in the forest this spring too. I know that this year not all of us have this possibility – but there Will be more opportunities for us to go. We just have to be patient. Mother Nature will open her arms when we arrive.

Stay safe, stay well and stay in contact with each other.

Wordless Wednesday

15 april, 202013 april, 2020 / Leya / 11 kommentarer

Lens Artists Photo Challenge #91 – Simplicity

5 april, 20205 april, 2020 / 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:

April 11: # 92 John Steiner of Journeys with Johnbo.
April 18: # 93 Ann Christine of Leya
April 25: # 94: Amy of The World is a Book

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

Tuesday Photo Challenge – Slope

15 november, 201913 november, 2019 / Leya / 7 kommentarer

Tuesday Photo Challenge – Slope

For Frank this week – slopes from Sweden and Spain.

Spanish Sunflower slopes and Swedish Cattle grazing

Tuesday Photo Challenge – Steep

6 november, 2019 / Leya / 25 kommentarer

Tuesday Photo Challenge – Steep

Lens-Artists Challenge #68 – Layered

20 oktober, 201920 februari, 2020 / Leya / 61 kommentarer

Amy is our host this week, and she suggests we look for layers. Have a look at her inspiring post from Plitvice, Croatia!

Here are some layers from my favorite world of mountains, rocks and stones. In the header – the Pancakes of New Zealand, South Island.

Ireland, Giants’ Causeway.

The Hellnar cave.

And last, Iceland, south west part, Snæfellsnes peninsula – the cave at Hellnar. Look closely, and you will find a mink looking for young gulls nesting, or some eggs for dinner.

Hope to see you joining in the fun!

Thursday Thoughts – Before and After

3 oktober, 201920 februari, 2020 / Leya / 63 kommentarer

This Autumn my daily forest walk ended. Not the walk itself, but everything around me – was not anymore. So, while drying my tears, I decided to find some of all the lovely images from here over the years – and photograph from the same spots today. Not easily done, but I finally gave it a try. This forest and I have a long story together, more than 40 years. I am very grateful for all of these photos. Today I just wanted to give you a touch of how I feel about it. A piece of my life and soul is gone.

Before

After

Before

After

Before

After

Before

After

Before

After

In loving Memory…

Friendly Friday – Blue

13 september, 201913 september, 2019 / 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.