Blommor

Thursday Thoughts – In My Windows

/ Leya / 41 kommentarer

As the garden is waiting out in the cold…let’s make a short walk in some of my windows! Most plants are starting to enjoy life as the light is returning.

One of my many begonias – originally got from a friend at school some 50 years ago. The funny thing is that my old friend last week got a new cutting from mine, as she had lost hers many years ago. The circle is complete!
Phalaenopsis are in flower a couple of times a year, and right now there are quite many of them simultaneously.
Many of my flowers are ”stolen” from friends and relatives, restaurants and hotels. This yellow cactus I brought home from a ski resort in Dalarna – a twig from the mother plant is all you need. Yellow is unusual, we mostly see red or white – possibly pink too.
This is a 19th century species of geranium, L´ Elégante. A bit difficult to handle, as it is hanging and thus easily broken. But elegant it is.
A purple mini Phalaenopsis – lightening up my window. This was mother’s favourite colour.

Medinilla magnifica – the second time I have managed to make it flower again – very happy if the buds will open up instead of falling off…

Finally Alocasia – not a favourite really, but very special…I like the back of the leaf more …

Thank you for the short visit in my windows, towards summer I hope to give you a tour outdoors and in the glass house. Until then – I must of course send you my Russian begonia – my pride. About 2×1.5 meters today.

Thursday Thoughts – In My Windows – Vårvinter

/ Leya / 40 kommentarer

A short visit in my windows – because now the sun is shining in! Spring is knocking on the door, and this time of the year we call ”vårvinter”, a word for the season in between – between winter and spring. The name translated would be ”spring winter” in English. If you have another/the proper word for it, please tell me!

Windows – my glass house still wears its roses with pride, but in my home spring is exploding in every corner and every colour…

We are grateful to see the light coming back, lifting us up from the darkest season. Fortunately, I love all seasons and would not be without any of them! My favourite is spring, with Life returning. The cranes are calling, and the tits and finches are fighting already…Yesterday a flock of skylarks were sighted in the fields south of my home. Welcome!

Lens-Artists Challenge #130 It’s a Small World

/ Leya / 55 kommentarer

”This week’s challenge is to take your camera for a walk around your yard or home and shoot some close-up or macro shots. Too cold, too wet, too busy? Feel free to choose some images from your archives.”

This week Anne Sandler of Slow Shutter Speed is our guest host, and we are introduced to similarities and differences between, micro, macro and close-up. Personally I love close-ups from nature, and macros since I bought a new macro lens two years ago. These days there are plenty of opportunities for hunting the little things in our world. My garden is always a gem – and the asters give me my favourite close-ups.

Without water drops, there can be no oceans; without steps, there can be no stairs; without little things, there can be no big things
― Mehmet Murat ildan

Find gratitude in the little things and your well of gratitude will never run dry.
― Antonia Montoya

Seed pods are also favourites of mine. Every autumn I go looking for them – often they display soft, strong colours and a variety of interesting textures.

These images are all from the archives, except a funny hovercraft Rex Begonia – found last week, not hibernating as I thought!

During winter time, I sometimes get roses from kind people…(my husband that is, or visiting friends). The latter not possible right now though… I love roses, they give you infinite possibilities for photography too – even when withered and decayed.

Thanks again to Anne for hosting our challenge this week. Be sure to visit and link to her beautiful original post here. Many thanks for the beautiful images shared in response to Tina’s 2020 Favourites challenge – many of us realized there were more happy moments than expected last year! 

We hope you’ll join us next week as Patti once again leads our challenge. Until then, remember to stay safe and warm – and be kind.