The butterflies above are from my archive and I believe they were all photographed in Borneo’s rainforest some years ago. Maybe someone out there knows what kind of butterflies these are?
Yesterday I saw this tiny dragonfly here in Malta but the beauty flew away too fast.
Without my macro lens this time but at least I got a fairly good close up.
Sunshine’s Macro Monday
Borneo Rainforest, Malaysia.
“There are some four million different kind of animals and plants in the world.
Four million different solutions to the problems of staying alive” – Sir David Attenborough –
“Let us develop respect for all living thing. Let us try to replace violence and intolerance with understanding and compassion. And love” – Jane Goodall –
“Ever since we arrived on this planet as a species, we’ve cut them down, dug them up, burnt them and poisoned them. Today we’re doing so on a greater scale than ever.”
– Sir David Attenborough –
“If we [humans] disappeared overnight, the world would probably be better off.”
– Sir David Attenborough –
Most of these photographs are archive images from my travels on Borneo while some are taken here in Malta.
Dags för Skyltsöndag igen och eftersom jag nyligen varit i Spanien kommer de flesta därifrån. Enjoy!
Gatuskyltarna är ofta vackra. På Calle La Granja bodde vi en vecka i den lilla charmiga staden Salobrena.
Vi bodde i den gamla delen där gränderna är som labyrinter och gatorna branta. Bestämde mig för att gå upp till toppen där Castillo De Salobreña ligger. Bilden till höger såg jag på en husvägg och gick dit pilen pekade. Fast jag gick förstås vilse…
Till slut nådde jag toppen och jag vet, det här är ingen skylt och inte heller någon ruin men utsikten var fin.
Nu förflyttar vi oss till Gamla stan i Almuñécar som också ligger utmed Costa Tropical.
Här har någon dekorerat sin fasad och enligt skylten fått någon slags utmärkelse.
Menu del Día är ofta lika svårlästa som här. Speciellt om man inte behärskar spanska.
Ögonen fastnar istället på dekorationen till vänster.
Medelhavet med den milslånga stranden har ganska grov sand till skillnad mot Malta där vi mest har klippor. Här och var syns dessa ashtrays, en väldigt bra idé för att hålla stranden ren.
Tillbaka i Salobreña men utanför Gamla stan. Här syns fasaden till ett av många hus som jag tror är semesterbostäder. Tycket dekorationen är riktigt snygg och kan nog även ses som en skylt.
Tillbaka hemma på Malta där det snart finns fler lyftkranar än träd. Vad pilen fyller för funktion har jag ingen aning om men jag vet iallafall en som har en förkärlek för lyftkranar så den bilden får avsluta veckans skörd.
Vem som vill kan vara med och skylta på söndagar, BP håller i trådarna.
Small details on a wall with at least more than one rectangle.
Franks weekly Photo Challenge – Rectangles
Stairway to heaven…
Sometimes we may need to just relax and contemplate before making any decisions, which way…
Today we only have 10 degrees, rainy and strong winds, which means it feels even colder here on the island. Just searching for some light, this Wordless Wednesday.
By the way, I have a new site where I participate in a Swedish photo challenge.
You are more than welcome to visit my maltanita.blog
Sometimes, it may be a challenge, to capture unknown people with the camera…
…while they are unaware that they are actually being photographed by another unknown person.
A Splash of Color from Malta’s typical fishing boats…
A Floral Color Splash…
A Splash of Joy…
Click this link and find more Splash on Kate’s Friday Photo Fun.
The realistic lifesized painted-bronze work by J. Seward Johnson Jr. depicts a man about 30 years old carrying a boy, about 4-years old on his shoulders. The boy has taken the man’s hat and is about to put it on himself as the man’s left arm reaches for the hat and his right hand grips the boy by the right ankle. Behind the work is a mural of a carousel, leaving the impression that the pair are at a fair or carnival.
Santa Barbara, California, United States.
“As times goes on, you’ll understand…
What lasts, lasts;…
What doesn’t, doesn’t…
Time solves most things…
And what time can’t solve, you have to solve yourself”
Quote by – Haruki Murakami –
…but only in my dreams. And that’s enough for me, as long as I am surrounded by colors.
“Imagination is more important than knowledge”
– Albert Einstein –
During the Second World War the Ta Qali National Park was used as an airfield. Today the park is very popular with Maltese people and a busy place on Saturday afternoons when many families gather for picnics.
There are many wild cats in the park and Fanny loves to chase them, luckily she never manage to catch any. They run too fast or climb on a tree. But when they lie down or humps, she’s scared of them.
Dogs are allowed to run freely in the late afternoons but must be kept on leash all other times. 
This image with the green grass was taken after the rain, compared to the one above which was taken before. Within a few months, the grass will be so high that Funny is not visible. Then we play hide and seek.
My lovely stubborn and curious Basenji 💕
It’s hard to believe that this creature will transform into a colorful moth. I’ve never seen such a big caterpillar. It’s about 15 cm/6 inches. Could be an Elephant Hawk-moth, Deilephila elpenor but I’m not sure.
Now, that caterpillar was not yet colorful so here’s some sunshine from Ta Qali…
…where the grass was wet with dew.
A spider’s web along with dew create a nice pattern.
Nature is an amazing world to explore and we must all do what we can to preserve it. 
“We are in danger of destroying ourselves by our greed and stupidity. We cannot remain looking inwards at ourselves on a small and increasingly polluted and overcrowded planet.”
—Stephen Hawking
Food for thought can be that earth is home to millions of species, but just one dominates it.
Wish you all a lovely weekend!
“If the bee disappears from the surface of the earth,
man would have no more than four years to live.”
—Albert Einstein
I’ve been to Sweden for a few days and the weather felt a bit gray and cold compared to Malta’s mild climate. 
On the first day I went for a walk in the surroundings of Älvsjö, a suburb of Stockholm, in search of colors.
Autumn colors.
The final countdown…
“And all at once summer collapsed into fall”
– Oscar Wilde –
A cute little house where birds can eat some seeds. I also saw lots of Snowberries, snöbär.
“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower”.
-Albert Camus-
A breakwater outside Malta’s majestic Grand Harbour which is one of the most spectacular ports in the world.
It is possible to take a walk along the Mediterranean Sea when you are in Malta’s capital Valletta.
But some parts could be a bit difficult to access… 
…and so it was when we hiked in Majjistral park. My brave Basenji Fanny and my dear stubborn husband try to find the way to the stairs leading up to the plateau. Which we never found because there was no staircase.
Another breakwater outside Malta’s Grand Harbour in Valletta. 
St Elmo Breakwater Footbridge.
Which way would you choose.
It may not look so comfortable but when I saw this man I felt that he had fun. Seeing the fun in an uncomfortable situation shows that the man has an open mind who enjoys his comfort.
Some may feel the comfort of a cold beer after a hard day’s work while others choose a light lunch.
There are so many types of comfort, that can be friendship or being alone.
And most important, to be grateful for having the feeling of comfort, which we can’t take for granted.
Both images above are from a suburb outside Stockholm in Sweden. I myself prefer the one with the blue sky. Although both images give an exciting impression of the difference between seasons in the northern Europe.
A farmhouse in Gozo, Malta.
Maltese residential buildings.
This was how it looked when I grew up outside Stockholm and this is how it still looks in many suburbs.
I’m really not used to converting images to black and white so this is a really fun and exciting challenge. 
I could not resist put in a little bit of color in each image, but it’s so tiny that it’s barely noticeable, or…
…perhaps too much noticeable. Anyway, this is my post to this week’s fun black and white photo challenge. Click the link below to see more b/w images.
Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge: Any kind of tables and chairs
Surely it’s surprising to discover what amazing bird species there are around the world. This one looks unique.
When I saw this “sculpture” at a distance in Siracusa, Sicily, I was absolutely sure it was real. 
Until I came close and my dog began to nose around his feet. Then he couldn’t sit still any longer without laughing and he began to talk. I’ve seen many kinds of these players before but nobody as real like this one.
A really fun and unexpected surprise.
Shooting with the macro lens often gives unexpected surprises.
It may be surprising to look at a fly with its amazing faceted eyes…
…or to see a hairy butterfly.
A few weeks ago there was no greenery at all in Ta Qali National Park. After the summer heat it was very dry. Then the rainy season began and nature woke up again. 
Although it’s October and the winter season awaits, it feels almost like spring is here. Fanny can merrily run around in the high grass again, surrounded by yellow flowers.
In Malta you will not find colorful autumn leaves, but cones may also have autumn colors.
I haven’t seen these beautiful flowers since last spring.
This is Malta in October.
In January it becomes colder before the real spring begins in February when the almond tree blossoms.
A pretty pleasant winter awaits.
Everyday life in different parts of our world. Above you see a family at the market in Kota Kinabalu in Borneo, Malaysia and then a woman selling Pancake Crepes along Patong Beach in Phuket, Thailand.
All of these pictures are from my archive and memories from different trips. The images speak for themselves but you may be able to guess where they were taken. A few clues, three are from Malta one from Singapore, one from Sicily and the rest from Borneo, Stockholm and California. Click on an image to enlarge.
Macro photography is always fun and I guess this is a hornet, Vespa crabro, or Bålgeting as we say in Swedish. I see many of them now among our hibiscus on the terrace. Sadly, with fewer plants the butterflies are gone.
The plant blooms but the leaves are more yellow than green. Perhaps more care and nutrition are needed. 
Finally, there are lots of spiders to find in Ta Qali National Park, this one is about two inches. More to come…
Here we are on the way along the Mediterranean Sea where the sculpture “White Shadow”stands. A marble cut-out of human figures walking together. Designed by Maltese Architect Richard England in Sliema 2002.
On the way by car to the countryside.
…where we meet these happy riders.
Suddenly the road ends. Which way I chose then I’ll let you know in a later post, without high heels.
This is my second post for Son of a Beach’s Which Way Photo Challenge
In Ta Qali National Park, there aren’t only lots of different kinds of plants, trees, birds, insects and picnic areas.
There are also many stairs, leading to nowhere, except from where you came.
Posted for Son of a Beach’s Which Way Photo Challenge
I just couldn’t resist buying these roses, for no special reason at all. Three pink and two white. It doesn’t show but they are twice as big as usual and they still last after five days. I love the soft colors, I love pink…
It’s told that pink is not just a color, it’s an attitude. Either you love it or hate it, but there must also be something in between depending on the shades and where the color is seen. Who doesn’t like flamingos… 
…lovely thoughts.
Creating an illusion with simple means has been used by artists for a long time and the varieties are many. Here the artist has used plant parts for his composition. The flowers become a woman’s face and the leaves form the impression of a bird. These motifs are found in many variants. Here I’ve photographed two paintings and edited them to get a white background. Wish you all an enjoyable weekend! Love from Malta 💕 🐕
The original artist of the woman face is Octavio Ocampo and the painting is called “Mouth Of Flower”.
The original artist of the bird is Oleg Shuplyak, an amazing surreal optical illusion painter.
In this weeks photo challenge, Frank like us to share some insights into “Our World”.
How we see it or something that can catch your eyes or someone else’s eyes.
The colors of these traditional fishing boats are usually painted in bright colors while the bow has a pair of eyes. These Luzzus have existed since ancient times and is often considered as a symbol of Malta.
I can’t imagine living in a world without being surrounded by colors.
Imagine if Our World only could be seen in different shades of grey. 
Colors are part of our lives and we need to add more bright and vivid colors into Our World. 
These boats represent few colors but colors are everywhere. Look around, it will make our existence more joyous, fulfilled and full of positive adventures. Let’s paint Our World in a variety of colors. 
Tuesday Photo Challenge – Our World
“If you’re feeling blue, try painting yourself a different color”
–Hanna Cheatem-
“Every drop in the ocean counts”
-Yoko Ono-
“The worst kind of sad is not being able to explain why“
“Color is to the eye what music is to the ear”
Insects, flowers and pollen. A fantastic combination for reproduction, created by nature.
“If we were to wipe out insects alone on this planet, the rest of life and humanity with it would mostly disappear from land. Within a few months”
-E.O. Wilson-
Can you see her? For me this is pure joy. To see when Fanny with great delight runs freely on the rocks. She loves to run and she loves to run fast. This is a huge area along the Mediterranean, near Marsalforn in Gozo.
Here you also find the Salt pans. The production of sea salt has a long tradition in Gozo and the Salt pans found near Marsalforn are still used today. Click on the link and read more if you are interested.
The salt is stored in caves carved into the coastal rock and I see a happy face!
It’s amazing how nature has been shaped through the years! Some rocks looks more like soft sand dunes.
Obviously, this is not the place to visit in search of plant or insects…
…but you can run, you can bike and if you’re brave, take a dip in the sea from the high cliffs.
Notice the ladder and don’t forget to click on an image to enlarge.
With love from Anita & Fanny, my beloved Basenji! 💕
No autumn feelings so far here in Malta.
We have some flowers left on our roof terrace and have planted new ones on the lower one.
We are in the middle of September and it’s still warm but yet, not too hot. In the Mediterranean it’s 27 degrees.
No rain has fallen and what you see is not water from the sky.
No, I’ve no feelings of autumn, yet…
Remember in November the lovely September!
Try to remember the kind of September
When life was slow and oh, so mellow.
When grass was green and grain was yellow.
When you were a tender and callow fellow.
Try to remember, and if you remember,
Then follow…
Try to remember when life was so tender
That no one wept except the willow.
That dreams were kept beside your pillow.
That love was an ember about to billow.
Try to remember, and if you remember,
Then follow…
Deep in December, it’s nice to remember,
Although you know the snow will follow.
Without a hurt the heart is hollow.
The fire of September that made us mellow.
Deep in December, our hearts should remember
And follow…
– American original text: Harvey Schmidt 1960 –
Slightly shortened.
Yes, I’ve been away, again. This time I went to my hometown in Sweden for a few days. I had lots of ideas what to do and what to see, but in three days I didn’t make much of it. I met my three sisters and I met a blog friend that I never met before. Thank you Annette 💕we had much to talk about and time flew too fast.
The images above has nothing to do with the text except that they are two of very few I took during my visit in Stockholm and the fact that these are not to be found in Malta. What you see are two chimneys, lines, signs, a blue sky, colors and angles. No remarkable about that, all depending on how you look at the pictures.
I’ve been away for a while, away from it all, again. This time we went to Gozo, Malta’s sister island which is completely different from the main island. Gozo is known as a tranquil haven for a tempo and scene change.
This little island has its own special charm. It’s greener, more rural and with life’s rhythms dictated by the seasons, fishing and agriculture. I love this little island in the middle of the Mediterranean. 
These images may represent tranquility and life’s rhythm, at the sunset of Dwejra.
I’d like to thank Ben Humberman at WordPress.com who once again highlighted my blog in the Reader under Discover. Thank You so much Ben and thanks to all of my new and old followers!!
You are my inspiration. ❤
Lovely butterflies! I’ve not seen so many of them this summer. I used to capture a lot among our plants on our roof terrace, which is now gone. These are from Sicily while those in the circles were taken in Malta.
Thank you! I’ll will reply and I’ll visit your site, as soon as I catch up with my time. You are all precious!! Take care out there. Love from Malta 💕
That’s all from Malta this Wednesday in mid August 2018.
Some snapshots from Ortigia in Siracusa & Taormina located on the island of Sicily in Italy north of Malta.
We went to Sicily for a week, to get away from it all. Here we rented a villa, Villa Cristina, located in a rural area, but not too far from Siracusa. Simple yet cozy accommodation. The garden was huge and there were orange and olive trees, banana plants, grapes, tomatoes, chili peppers, herbs and much more. I love basil!
Sweet tomatoes! I can eat Cherry tomatoes like candies!
These bananas were not edible but the flowering herb was both decorative and exotic.
Did you know that banana plants are the world’s largest herb!
Above you see some images from the garden where we could pick and eat whatever we liked. 
There’s more to find in the garden and we did some trips with our car to a few towns and secluded beaches. More to come from Sicily in Italy!
It was a long time since I felt as relaxed as during our stay in Sicily. Away from it all, away from the outside world. Perhaps something we all need from time to time, completely without any internet access.
That’s all for now. No more posts until I have enough time to comment and to visit my valuable followers. Take care out there!
