Tag: Colors

Luzzu – Malta

Published on by Anita16 Comments

It’s been a while now since I showed some of the colorful boats which are so typical for Malta, the luzzu’s.

A luzzu is a traditional fishing boat and often considered as a symbol of Malta.
They are usually painted in bright colours while the bow often has a pair of eyes.

“The Eye of Horus”
These eyes are a symbol of protection and good health and are believed to protect the fishermen from any harm while they are out at sea.

Pre-Moving Checklist:
Most of our winter clothes are now packed in boxes to be stored in the container and shipped to Cyprus.
Who knows for how long….?

Fifteen days left…

Flower of The Day

Published on by Anita15 Comments

Greater Snapdragon.

Cee’s Photo Challenge Flower of The Day

Pre-Moving Checklist:
Has found out what requirements apply to bring our dogs into Cyprus from Malta.
Passport / Rabies vaccination date / Microchip Number etc.

Sixteen days left…

A Rose is a Rose is a…

Published on by Anita15 Comments

Someone has planted roses along the path where I usually walk with my dogs here in Rabat. Every time i walk by the flowers have changed, sometimes there are no flowers at all but there are always new buds coming up.

  • “A single rose can be my garden…
    a single friend, my world.”
    – Leo Buscaglia
  • “I don’t know whether nice people tend to grow roses
    or growing roses makes people nice”
    -Roland A Browne

  • “My life is part humor, part roses, part thorns”
    – Bret Michaels
  • “Just remember, during the winter, far beneath the bitter snow,
    that there’s a seed that with the sun’s love
    in the spring becomes a rose.”
    – Bette Midler

The meaning of “A rose is a rose is a rose” is often attributed to the notion that when all is said and done, a thing is what it is.

“A woman is like a tea bag – you can’t tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water.”
– Eleanor Roosevelt

“If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.”
― Mark Twain

Cee’s Photo Challenge Flower of The Day

Green & Blue

Published on by Anita34 Comments

A lush green Malta just before the summer drought takes over while the sky and sea remain equally blue all year round. Will this be my last summer in Malta? After twenty yrs on this tiny island in the Mediterranean, it’s time to move on.

  • Blue scarlet pimpernel flowers.
  • Ghajn Tuffieha, Riviera Bay
  • Blooms from December to May.
  • Wild Borage…
  • Greenery, a blue sea and the blue sky.
    Enjoy it while you can!
  • Its leaves, flowers and stalks are edible
    and taste a little like cucumber.

The one way ticket to Cyprus is booked, we have rented a house by the sea in Neo Chorio, a serene, secluded small Cypriot coastal village. We have no idea what it’s like to live in Cyprus, an exciting challenge awaits.

The countdown has begun, only.………………………………………… days left!!

“If life was easy where would all the adventures be”?

Flower of The Day

Published on by Anita12 Comments

With reference to yesterday’s green plant and the question, “What are you looking at?”. It wasn’t as simple as I thought but it’s certainly a kind of onion-plant. Onion is a vegetable cultivated species of the genus Allium, Allium is Latin for Garlic.

But the Allium family includes more than just onions so I had to seach by image of the flower. It took me some time to find out that it’s a garlic flower while Mr. Ohh.. was the only one who guessed garlic, without even having seen the flower!

Thanks for giving me a clue Mr. Ohh..!

In my next post I’ll show you some images of what is considered to be one of Malta’s most beautiful flowers.
The question is whether it’s edible or not..?

Cee’s Photo Challenge Flower of The Day

Miġra l-Ferħa

Published on by Anita22 Comments

Last weekend we went to Miġra l-Ferħa which is just a few kilometers from Rabat where we live. As you can see in the image above, the cliffs are high and plunge vertically down to the sea while people and cars look like miniatures.

  • There are plenty of paths to walk along the high cliffs,
    where you can walk for hours.
  • A plant is a plant, there are plenty of these
    but I’v no idea what it is.
    The color fits well into the slightly pale surroundings.
  • Felicia, on the edge.
  • They may not understand how close they are,
    but I trust them and I know them. Otherwise,
    I would never leave Felicia or Fanny without a leash up here.
  • It’s a quite barren area but I saw at least a few colorful flowers
  • Sky and sea merge on the horizon, the Mediterranean is calm,
    the boats are few, it’s a bit hazy and it feels very harmonious.
  • Felicia senses the smell of something.
  • Wonder who came up with the idea to build a window here!

Miġra l-Ferħa, Malta – May 2021

Different Views

Published on by Anita18 Comments

Next to Rabat, where we just moved, is Mdina. The ancient city dates back 4,000 years, is older than Valletta and was the capital of Malta from antiquity to the Middle Ages. Mdina is today also referred to as the ‘Silent City’.

This view was taken just a few steps from where we live.
From a distance you can see where we used to live, in Sliema, closer to the sea but far from the countryside.

From Fanny’s and Felica’s point of view, they are much better off here.
And so am I…

Rabat, Malta 23 April 2021.

Yellow Mellow

Published on by Anita24 Comments

  • “How lovely yellow is! It stands for the sun.”
    – Vincent Van Gogh
  • English name(s):
    Crown Daisy, Garland, Chop Suey Greens
  • Indigenous.
    Present on the Maltese islands before man.
  • “Silence isn’t golden. It’s yellow”
    – Zell Miller
  • Species name: Glebionis coroniaria  
  • “Some painters transform the sun into a yellow spot,
    others transform a yellow spot into the sun.”
    – Pablo Picasso
  • “Yellow usually means it’s not that serious.”
    – Bobby Unser

Above are some trifling knowledge, a couple of quotes and some flowers from yesterday’s walk with my doggies. I chose the yellow ones, there are plenty of them now. Don’t forget to click on an image to enlarge.

Cee’s Photo Challenge Flower of The Day

By the way, we’ve moved from Sliema to Rabat! Nature around the corner, the dogs can run freely and it feels great! Here we’ll live temporarily, finally on our way to “who knows where” to our new home in Cyprus. Meanwhile, now that the first move is complete, I’ll get more time for the blog and to visit you and others out there, in this amazing bloggosphere.

Morning walk in Rabat
Malta 19 April 2020

Gladiolus – Wild plants of Malta

Published on by Anita25 Comments

This is one of many colorful wild flowers that can be seen here on the island right now.

The beautiful gladioli are sometimes called the sword lily because of the sword-shaped leaves of the plants in this genus but the most widely-used English common name for these plants is simply gladiolus.

This lovely flower appear between March and May and is quite common throughout the Maltese countryside.

Feel free to click on an image in the collage and it becomes even more colorful.

Malta March 2021

Cee’s Photo Challenge Flower of The Day

Almond trees, Flowers & Nuts

Published on by Anita24 Comments

Species name: Prunus dulcis

Maltese name: Siġra tal-Lewż

English name: Almond

Status for Malta:
Non-native species, but introduced in Malta before 1492 when Columbus discovered the New World.

Flowering Time: Dec-Feb.
But they are still in bloom here in Malta, even though we are in the middle of March.

Cee’s Photo Challenge Flower of The Day

Tulips – Flower of The Day

Published on by Anita31 Comments

I bought a bouquet of tulips, in two different colors, three pink and four red. That was then, now they have begun to fade. But my images do not wither, they remain as long as I choose to keep them, I can keep them alive.

“You’re only here for a short visit. Don’t hurry, don’t worry. And be sure to smell the flowers along the way.”
– Walter Hagen

“I’d rather wear flowers in my hair, than diamonds around my neck.”
– Unknown

Cee’s Photo Challenge Flower of The Day

Basenji & Great Dane – Play with me!

Published on by Anita28 Comments

Felicia met a new friend in Ta Qali the other day, his name is Logan..

Logan is a three-year-old sixty-kilo Great Dane while Felicia is a four-month-old seven-kilo Basenj.
Felicia was a little hesitant at first and so was Logan.

But soon she becomes braver and wants to play!

  • At first, Logan was a bit reserved.
  • Oops!
  • Felicia’s mother Fanny watches
  • Not the best picture but it shows who is chasing whom.
  • It seemed like they both had a lot of fun.
  • Let’s take another round!!
  • Full speed!!

And they played!!!

💚“The size doesn’t matter, all about the size of the heart’s matter.” 💚
― Mohammed Tariq

Pembroke Part 2

Published on by Anita44 Comments

Here are some more pictures from Pembroke Heritage Trail.
This time I show you some plants and a cute little lizard that I guess is a kind of chameleon.

These are some of the plants that are now found in the Pembroke area.

  • This is the same lizard as seen above.
    This is the same lizard as seen above.
  • A cute little creature!
    A cute little creature!
  • Typically, my macro lens was at home but I think my small Panasonic Lumix did an excellent job.
    Typically, my macro lens was at home but I think my small Panasonic Lumix did an excellent job.
Click on an image to enlarge.

Pembroke, Malta, November 2020

By the way…

This is the puppy that we are going to keep, she’s absolutely gorgeous❣️ The only thing I’ve not found out yet is her name. I’ve thought of too many and I feel confused. Honey is too close to Fanny but maybe Sapphire or Lady or Felicia. What do you think?

Pembroke Heritage Trail

Published on by Anita38 Comments

Mom often takes me to Pembroke, which is closer to where we live than Ta’ Qali Park.
It’s a large barren natural area along the Mediterranean Sea. If you look closely you’ll see me in the image above.

Freedom and Joy!

The weather is still more than great here on the island. 20-23 degrees and no wind even though we are already in November. I have no idea from where the water comes in the images above, it hasn’t rained for a while now.

  • Our way up to the tower means good Exercise!
    Our way up to the tower means good Exercise!
  • Now we are very close.
    Now we are very close.
  • For those who are interested to read some history.
    For those who are interested to read some history.
  • It's a great view from here!
    It’s a great view from here!

Feel free to click on an image to enlarge.

Back so sea level. Work is in progress, though not right now!
There are more to find in this area and in my next post I will show some plants and a cute little creature I meet recently. So, more to come…

❤️ In the meantime, here you can see my beautiful litter of puppies, already six weeks old❤️

Ta’ Qali in October

Published on by Anita23 Comments

Här är några bilder från Ta’ Qali Nature Park dit jag åker med Fanny nästan varje dag nu när hon sakta men säkert börjar vänja sig vid att vara ifrån valparna under längre stunder.

Höstfärger.

Färgstarkt och vitt, två av en mångfald av de blommor som växer här just nu.

Ett av många små hus med dess invånare som bor i parken.

Valparna är nu drygt fyra veckor gamla och stunderna i parken blir inte så mycket längre än en timme.
Sen vill Fanny hem för att se över sina småttingar. Hon är en helt fantastisk mamma.

  • Så fort hon kommer in i valparnas rum samlas de runt henne. För att dia mjölk och för att busa.
    Så fort hon kommer in i valparnas rum samlas de runt henne. För att dia mjölk och för att busa.
  • Matdags
    Matdags

På promenad…

Published on by Anita30 Comments

Tänkte att jag skulle visa några bilder från området där jag bor, där jag ofta går mina promenader utmed havet tillsammans med Fanny. Här har vi gått otaliga gånger och det är inte alltid som vädret är så här fint.

Man kan gå hela sträckan på cirka tre km utmed havet från Tigne i Sliema till Spinola Bay i St. Julian’s men vi går sällan hela vägen utan vänder efter en halvtimme, speciellt nu när Fanny har valpar som väntar därhemma.

Går vi inte på klipporna så går vi på den breda strandpromenaden, här sedd ur Fanny’s perpektiv.

Den här skylten har sett sina bättre dagar och är knappast bildskön
men då jag ser den så ofta när jag är på väg hem får den också vara med.

  • Idag har det gått 18 dagar sen valparna föddes.
  • Fanny tar det med ro
  • Hon är en fantastisk mamma, inte alltid så lätt när sex hungriga valpar skriker efter mat.

Avslutningsvis några bilder på vovvarna. Valparna har precis öppnat sina ögon och snart är det slut med att bara äta och sova. Nu är det lugnet före stormen då de strax ska ut på upptäcksfärd med allt vad det innebär. Ska bli jättekul och snart kan vi också ana var och ens unika utstrålning och karisma.

Vill passa på att tacka Anki som varit behjälplig när jag skulle försöka lära mig den nya blockredigeraren. Tack vare henne lyckades jag bland annat att få in den vita texen i bilderna och göra dem klickbara.
Haha.. det tog faktiskt flera timmar att skapa vad ni ser här ovanför.

Sun Flower

Published on by Anita23 Comments

 “Sunflowers end up facing the sun, but they go through a lot of dirt to find their way there.”
― J.R. Rim.

“Wherever life plants you, bloom with grace.”
– Old French Proverb.“...and are we not all just wilting flowers in a crowded garden
waiting for someone who will appreciate the beauty of our petals
While it still exists”
– G.M

Sunset

Published on by Anita26 Comments

“Every sunset is also a sunrise. It all depends on where you stand.”
– Karl Schmidt

“Nature is painting for us, day after day, pictures of infinite beauty if only we have the eyes to see them.”
– John Ruskin“Life does not come with instructions on how to live,
but it does come with trees, sunsets, smiles and laughter,
so enjoy your day.”
– Debbie Shapiro

Greenery

Published on by Anita39 Comments

“Green is a label for a certain attitude to life, a certain kind of respect
that one might have for the very source of things that we take for granted.”
– Annie LennoxVespa crabro, a Hornet attracted by some green leafs on our Hibiscus.

“Greenery is the best scenery”
– Arti Sharma“For in the true nature of things, if we rightly consider,
every green tree is far more glorious than if it were made of gold and silver.”
–Martin Luther

The lines seen in the last image are the human impact on nature, but it’s usually worse than that.
It’s a sad fact that more than half of Earth’s rainforests have already been destroyed.
The photo was taken in Sarawak, last year, where there’s still plenty of greenery.

Flowers, Quotes & Thoughts

Published on by Anita42 Comments

“To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.”
– Audrey Hepburn”
“Great photography is about depth of feeling, not depth of field.”
— Peter Adams
“When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs.
When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence.”
— Ansel Adams“I don’t trust words. I trust pictures.”
— Gilles Peress

That I like quotes is obviously no secret. I often use them when I myself cannot find the words. I don’t want to be anonymous but my blog isn’t intended as a diary, although I sometimes create posts about my everyday life. Still, publishing pictures without a single word reveals a certain personality of the person who took them.
Cee’s Photo Challenge Flower of The Day

Mimosa or What?

Published on by Anita26 Comments

It’s getting hot here in Malta now and most flowers fades away and thus all its colors, except this one.

The mimosa trees bloomed here in Malta in April and these really look like mimosa but…

…I really can’t recognize their long sharp thorns.Whatever it is, they give a lovely splash of color in nature, but you have to watch out for the razor-sharp thorns.

Cee’s Photo Challenge Flower of The Day

Trees, Wood & Thoughts

Published on by Anita19 Comments

The tree on the top is from San Anton Gardens in Attard while the one above was taken when I was walking with Fanny in Victoria Lines And yes, if you look closely you can see my dog sniffing on the ground.

Cones are an important part of many trees.

Figs on the fig tree are soon ready to be picked.
It will take a while but in a few years, an almond tree will grow here.
Here someone planted a tree in Ta Qali in 2007.

Here you can see Figs on fig tree, a tree planted in 2007 and an indication of an upcoming almond tree.
Click on an image to enlarge.I love trees and the wood from which you can create so much. In Sweden, wooden houses are common but here in Malta it seems like they have not realized how useful the material actually is.
But as seen here, we are well on our way.

Susan’s Trees on Tuesdays 

Cropping & Mixed Thoughts

Published on by Anita16 Comments

We all know that sometimes cropping is a must when you want to highlight the main subject of your image.

Not cropped at all
Cropped to just over half
Very cropped

Other images may look better if not cropped too much or not at all if it reveals a poorer image quality.
Feel free to click on an image above to enlarge and compare them to each other.This one couldn’t be cropped because I was so close but in this case there was no need to crop either. I’ve too many images in my archive that easily could have been thrown away but for some reason they are still there. Some images evoke memories even though they can be seen as meaningless to others. Note to self; crop when you think it improves, throw away when you are not happy and sort out your archive when you have time. Enjoy life, and never give up! The key to learning more about the noble art of photography is curiosity and a sense of joy in what you create.

Me and my dog

Published on by Anita23 Comments

In this post I show some images from my recent walks with my dog in various Nature parks here in Malta. Thanks to Fanny, I’ve discovered amazing sceneries on this tiny island in the Mediterranean.

The greenery, the narrow paths and the deep slopes of Victoria Lines.The barren landscape along the sea in Pembroke.The steep clay slopes in Ghajn Tuffieha.Together we have made adventurous climbs in Il-Majjistral Nature Park.

Besides Fanny, I also photograph the variety of wild plants and insects found in our nature, more of that will come in a later post. And don’t worry, Fanny is visible also in the first image, but you have to look closely.

Colorful Joy

Published on by Anita21 Comments

Here are a few images from this weekend’s Colorful Carnival in Valletta.

The participants wore amazing creations and colorful costumes.It was a lovely atmosphere filled with fun and joy in the city of Valletta.
More to come…

Friday Photo Fun – Splash

Published on by Anita36 Comments

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.

Color Your World 2018 / 2

Published on by Anita21 Comments

Piggy Pink.Bitter sweet.Razzle Dazzle Rose.ColorYourWorld!
…and for those who might wonder from where the colorful mannequins in my last post came from. Surprise!! A window display at Capo Crudo’s restaurant at Triq Il-Lanċa in Valletta, close to the ferry to/from Sliema.

Nature’s diversity

Published on by Anita35 Comments

Above is part of where I walk with Fanny every morning. The rocks along the Mediterranean stretch from Sliema Pitch to Balluta Bay. It takes more or less an hour and a half back and forth if we walk pretty fast, including stops when we meet other dogs..I love the scenery and Fanny jumps with joy along the rocks.

In the weekends we take the car to Ta Qali National Park where nature is completely different. This is a large recreation area with walkways and a wide range of plants and trees as well as animal species.

We are not far from the rocks near home but we are in a completely different scenery.

Here we find lots of greenery and beautiful plants, many of which I’ve never seen. This is part of nature’s diversity on this small island in the Mediterranean Sea.

Wildflowers…

Published on by Anita27 Comments

Some of the year’s first wild flowers and plants I found in Ta ‘Qali National Park.
Malta January 2018.

Fanny, really enjoy being in nature among the green grass and all white flowers. Still we can´t have her loose but with an eight meter long leash she can run quite freely. At least when she´s wise enough to run in a circle. Next Friday we will take her to school to learn more about behavior, obedience and much more…

WPC – Pedestrian

Published on by Anita26 Comments

The Golden Anniversary Pedestrian Bridge Project at the Kuching Waterfront
is almost completed.

It lights up in different colors at night, is very curvy, which makes it much longer to walk from one end to the other and the pillars are shaped like a Hornbill. Kuching is located in Sarawak and is called “Land of the Hornbills”. I really do looking forward to be a pedestrian on that bridge when it´s completed.

WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge / Pedestrian Theme by Krista Stevens