Something went wrong with one of these images, or maybe not…
“The eye sees all, but the mind shows us what we want to see”
– William Shakespeare
, but the mind
Tag: Colours
Greenery
“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 Lennox
Vespa 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.
Anything to Do with Boats
This week’s CFFC topic is “Anything to do with boats” and since I’ve been to Marsaxlokk recently I show some pictures from this small, traditional fishing village located in the South Eastern Region of Malta.
For the sake of the colors and for Horus’ eye which is said to protect the fishermen when they are at sea.
“We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.”
– Martin Luther King, Jr.
“There are a lot of mysterious things about boats, such as why anyone would get on one voluntarily.”
–P. J. O’Rourke
“The sea is the same as it has been since before men ever went on it in boats.”
– Ernest Hemingway.
Flowers, Quotes & Thoughts
“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
It’s true, the last image is not a flower but for me Fanny is constantly blooming and fills my life with joy.
White Beauty
“White has it all, its beauty is absolute, it’s the perfect harmony”
– Coco Chanel
“For those colours you which to be beautiful, always first prepare a pure white ground”
-Leonardo da Vinci
“If peace of mind considered as pure as white colour then I know why it’s my favorite color”
– Rubeena Khan.
“Let the beauty of what you love be what you do”
– Rumi
Mimosa or What?
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.
Trees, Wood & Thoughts
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.
Marsaxlokk
Last Sunday we went to the small and picturesque fishing village of Marsaxlokk.
The village is famous for its Sunday fish market and its many decorative painted boats.
The traditional Maltese fishing boat, luzzu, is usually painted in bright colors, while the bow has a pair of eyes. The eyes are referred to as the Eye of Horus or of Osiris and said to protect the fishermen while at sea.
If you are hungry and like seafood, this is the place to go. Here you’ll find a selection of the finest fish restaurants on the island. Or just sit down and relax with a cold drink after a peaceful stroll in the area.
It’s well worth spending a few hours in this colorful charming village. More to come…
Marsaxlokk, Malta 21 June 2020
Flowers of The Day
When I look at above images, I realize that they would probably fit better in a theme called “Today’s insect”.
So here I show some wildflowers that are found here in Malta, without any visible insect.
Finally, Fanny, in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by a stunningly flourishing scenery.
Susan’s Flower on Fridays
Cee’s Photo Challenge Flower of The Day
Spiny Caper – Wildflowers in Malta
I have shown this flower before, its very common here in Malta and I like it a lot because it’s so special.
The plant is actually a bush and each flower lasts only for one day and one night which means you can see a lot of flowers in different stages on the same plant. The flowers bloom from April to mid July. 
Spiny Caper or Kappar tax-xewk as it’s called in Maltese, grows abundantly here in our Mediterranean climate and even in arid deserts. For me it is a beauty at all stages and it has a lovely scent.
I have many favorites when it comes to flowers here in Malta and this is undoubtedly one of them.
And yes, the flower buds, capers, can be used as a taste in different dishes and sauces.
Click on an image if you like to see them enlarged.
Susan’s Flower on Fridays (a day late)
Cee’s Photo Challenge Flower of The Day
Dragonflies
Often when I’m lucky enough to find a dragonfly that doesn’t fly, I have noticed that they put their wings forward towards the head, as if they were trying to protect themselves, or maybe they sleep.
Regardless, it is an amazing insect that is usually seen flying by very quickly. Some are really big and shine in different shades of color. Maybe, I’ll succeed to capture at least one of them this summer. Never give up!
Hide and Seek with a Bumblebee
Don’t ask me why but I really love bumblebees and there are many to be found now among the flowers.
Bumblebees are not as aggressive. Males cannot sting, and females only do so when they feel threatened.
Bumblebees are excellent pollinators, they are in fact much more efficient pollinators than honeybees
But they are not always so easy to capture as they usually hide half of themselves deep into a flower.
Thanks for not hiding. Sometimes you’re lucky!
Cropping & Mixed Thoughts
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.
The Year’s first..
This is the year’s first dragonfly that I managed to capture with my camera a couple of days ago.
It sat on the stick only for a few seconds before it flew away and disappeared. Bye, bye..
I also managed to photograph a few butterflies. This is quite common but rarely sits still.
Could it be an Green-veined White butterfly? It has green eyes.
This is a colorful beauty and surely it gives you a sense of joy that at least now and then succeed in capture these unique little insects that are such an important part of our nature.
Tired of running very fast in search of rabbits in Majjstral Park.
Always waiting for me while I shoot.
Fanny is always my companion. She’s the best, she’s curious, awake and very funny. We have a heat wave here on the island, almost 30 degrees so now we are heading to Il-Majjistral Park where we can take a dip in the sea. Take care! ❤
Hidden In a Shell
“It seems to me that the Natural World is the greatest source of Excitement; …
…the greatest source of Natural Beauty;…
…the greatest source of Intellectual Interest. 
It is the greatest source of so much in life that makes life worth living”
– Sir David Attenborough –
Flower of the Day
Me and my dog
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.
Just a Small Difference
There’s only a slight difference between these two pictures.
I prefer the last one. The flower itself is very small.
“Small Differences can lead to Big Changes.”
Life is good…
Life goes on as usual, I can still go out while my husband since three weeks now has to stay indoors. I go to the supermarket when needed and I take long walks with Fanny twice a day, otherwise I stay home as advised. 
I’m grateful to have my beloved dog as a companion when walking in nature.
Now in the spring you will find different flowers everywhere and thus a variety of colors while bees are looking for nectar.
This flower is as small as my thumb nail.
Despite prevailing circumstances, life is good…
Joy in Today’s Reality
These pictures are from the Carnival that went on in Valletta at the end of February.
My images of this cheerful young lady may not be photographically perfect
but as long as they can spread some joy into your heart I do not care about the quality. 
That was then, when our daily lives went on as normal while we, as we always are, were unaware of our future. Today, the world looks different. Malta is a small island with less than half a million inhabitants.
So far there are 350 confirmed cases and two deaths…
I believe in the future and I know that hope is stronger than fear.
❤ Take care!! ❤
Flower on Fridays
The Course of Nature
No more No less
Malta Carnival 2020 – Part 2
Here are some more images from last weekend’s Colorful Carnival in Valletta.
Same same but… A smile makes it all!
Feel free to click on an image to enlarge. 
Hope you enjoyed these amazing creations made by enthusiasts as much as I did since…
…more to come!
Colorful Joy
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…
Flowers on Fridays
“Love is our true destiny. We don’t find the meaning of life by ourselves alone – we find it with another”
– Thomas Merton –
Susan’s Flowers on Fridays
Cee’s Photo Challenge Flower of the day
The Chair…
Today’s Close-Up
Flower of The Day
The tree..
Same tree as in my last post, but instead of grey, now in different color shades.
Tulips
“The invariable mark of wisdom is to see the miraculous in the common”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson –
Today’s Flower
Flower of The Day
The Lost Keys
Flower(s) of The Day
Feeling Blue.
Red for Love – Red for Fire.
Snow White
Yellow Solar heat.
Pink – Passion.
Wherever life plants you…
Susan’s Flowers on Fridays
Cee’s Photo Challenge.
Kuching Street Art
Kuching is a colorful place and the city is becoming a popular haven for street art.
Thanks to local arts festivals and even corporate sponsorships, more and more of the town’s blank walls are gradually being taken over by vivid murals. 
Many of the works portray scenes from local life… 
…whether it be human or wildlife. 
Paintings of orangutans are a common sight throughout the city. This one is small…
…while this one covers an entire wall facade.
Lens-Artists Challenge – Favorite Photos of 2019
Artistic.
For the last Lens-Artists Photo Challenge of 2019, we will show some of our favorite photos that we have taken during the year that are close to end.
Creative.
It’s always difficult to pick favorites but I like the way Patti divided her favorites into different categories, so I did the same, or almost the same.
Fun.
Here’s the proof, a smile says it all and means a lot. A smile is the shortest distance between two people.
Artwork created by nature.
A favorite image does not always mean that it must be perfect from a photographic point of view.
Pictures can convey feelings, evoke memories or special moments.
The true reality.
This orangutan lives in Borneo’s rainforests and belongs to a species threatened with extinction.
Our valuable nature.
We must take care of our nature and its inhabitants which all have an impact on the survival of the earth.
“Cherish the natural world because you’re part of it and depend on it”
-David Attenborough –
Lens-Artists Challenge #76 – Favorite Photos of 2019
Masjid India Kuching
The newly built one and only floating Mosque in Kuching is located on the banks of the Sarawak River, close to the newly built Harmony bridge whose shape symbolizes the balance of cultures living together in harmony.
“Harmony among our different religious traditions is essential for world peace”
–Dalai Lama –
This is the Old State Mosque, built in 1968 to replace an original wooden one built in 1852.
Its gilded cupolas make it one of the city’s most striking landmarks, particularly at sunset.
Memories from Kuching, Sarawak, Borneo Malaysia.
December 2019
Flowers on Fridays
This time I choose to show three different types of flowers but with similar shades of color.
The flower on top I believe is an anthurium, also called flamingo flower.
The one above is a type of orchid but there are about 28,000 different species so I have no idea about its name.
Plumeria flowers. 
Susan’s Flowers on Fridays
Cee’s Photo Challenge.
Flower of The Day
“Look deep into nature and then you will understand everything better”
– Albert Einstein –
“It you truly love nature you will find beauty everywhere”
– Vincent Van Gogh 
“Time spent in nature heals your body, mind & spirit”
– Katrina Mayer –
Sarawak Orchid Garden, Kuching – December 2019.
