“Come with me,
where Dreams are Born,
and Days are Never planned”
– Peter Pan
Chrysochou Bay, Polis, Paphos, Cyprus
20 August 2021
Tag: Fanny
Bye Bye Malta
Bye Bye Malta – Hello Cyprus!
We’ve arrived, we’ve been here for exactly a week now and it feels great! We rent a house by the sea in Latchi and we’ll stay here for at least three months while exploring the area around the Paphos district.
In Malta I found the power of flowers and colors. 
My brave beloved basenji dog Fanny gave birth
to six puppies in September last year.
This is what the buses looked like when we moved
to Malta in 2000. Today, they are a tourist attraction.
All photos in this post are from my archive. Every single picture I’ve taken during my years on the small island in the Mediterranean will be unvaluable memories from a time I’ve now left behind.
Bye Bye Valletta, the capital of Malta and a World Heritage site.
The island of Filfla, a small islet in the most southerly point of the Maltese Archipelago. Symbolically, it could be Malta seen from Cyprus, where the Paphos district is only slightly larger than the island we just left.
A new chapter in life has just begun…
Basenji
🤍 Today, my beloved Fanny turns four years old.🤍
Pre-Moving Checklist:
Today I have gone through all the papers, forms, insurance, declarations etc…
I need to decide what to store in the container and what to take in our suitcases when we fly…
Twelve days left…
Some Recently Taken Images…
… and some quotes that are not related to the images, or maybe they are in one way or another.
“The purpose of our lives is to be happy.”
— Dalai Lama
“There are no mistakes, only opportunities.”
— Tina Fey
“The secret of happiness, you see is not found in seeking more, but in developing the capacity to enjoy less.”
– Socrates
“Life would be tragic if it weren’t funny.”
— Stephen Hawking
My dogs and I usually have a lot of fun together. For me a picture doesn’t have to be perfect as long as you captured a valuable moment that otherwise would be forever gone.
Malta 09 May 2021
Different Views
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.
Basenji Malta – Fanny & Felicia
This post is dedicated to my lovely dogs Fanny and Felicia. They bring so much joy and have completely changed my life and daily routines. Fanny came to us as a puppy in November 2017, Felicia, her daughter, was born September 27, 2020.
💚 Mother and daughter, soon to be the same size 💚
Unforgettable memories, that was then, 25th October 2020. Six adorable basenji puppies, Cinnamon, Paco, Luna, Milo, Felicia and Gin. Five moved to new homes when they were eight weeks old and they are all very well taken care of!
Fanny, just a week before she gave birth to six puppies 
Felicia, only six weeks old 
Today almost six months since she was born. 
To run free in the green grass is pure happiness 
Fanny with her daughters Felicia and Cinnamon. 
Playing togehter 
Fanny 
Curious, alert and always on the go…
Malta 19 March 2021
Flower & Color of The Day – Mimosa
Swallowtail – The Queen’s Butterfly
I’m happy that this year’s first butterfly that I managed to capture was this special species,”The Queen’s Butterfly”. The dry blade of grass may be seen as a disturbing detail, but I decided to leave it instead of wasting time editing.
I was lucky to capture another one of these rare beauties. I read that the Swallowtail is Malta’s only endemic butterfly and its scientific name is Papilio machaon melitensis where melitensis shows that it is a Maltese species.
This species of butterfly, the Red Admiral is on the wing all year round and is relatively common here on the island. Regardless of being rare or common, it’s the same joy every time I manage to get a butterfly in front of the lens.
It doesn’t take much to feel joy in our everyday life.
Positive thinking!
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Letter S
Silhouette by the Sea
Sun & Sky
Solitude
Smart Small & Satisfied Dogs
Spectacular Steep Scenery
Seaweeds on the Shore
Simplicity
Silence & Serenity
Splendid Surroundings
Għajn Tuffieħa, Riviera Bay,
Malta February 2021
Marsaxlokk – Part 1
Last Sunday we visited the small and picturesque fishing village of Marsaxlokk which is the largest fishing harbour of Malta and has been so since antiquity. Here, among many other things, you’ll find the colorful and traditional luzzu’z.
The luzzu is a sturdy carvel-built boat with a double-ended hull brightly painted in shades of yellow, red, green and blue. The bow is often pointed with a pair of eyes, “Eye of Osiris”, said to protect the fishermen while at sea.
There’s much more than just the colorful boats to discover in this village, especially on Sundays.
More to come…
Happiness & Joy!
That was yesterday, when we celebrated Christmas Eve at home.
Today, we went to Ta Qali Nature Park.
A blue sky with few clouds, green grass and plenty of wildflowers. It felt like spring in the air.
While Fanny could run without a leash as usual, little Felicia jumped happily and curiously around in the green grass in her eight-meter-long leash. Within a very few days she will be three months old. Time flies…
Malta 25 December 2020
På promenad…
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.
Puppy News
Today it has been six days since Fanny gave birth to her puppies.
They are adorable, so small and fragile.
It’s a very exciting time that has begun…
Make Life Beautiful
“A good life is a collection of happy moments”
-Denis Waitley
“Don’t cry over the past, it’s gone. Don’t stress about the future, it hasn’t arrived.
Live in the present and make it beautiful”
– Unknown
Cee’s Photo Challenge Flower of The Day
And for those who may be curious about Fanny’s pregnancy.
Fanny is always curious about what’s in the bag when dad comes home from the store.
She is curious about everything.
She gave birth to six puppies last Sunday night.
Everyone’s fine, more to come…🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕
Hello!
Hello from Malta. This is what it looks like where I am, or rather where I was this morning.
Mum took me to the sea, only a short distance from where we live. I’m used to run every morning but not now.
It’s 30 degrees but with a nice breez.
It feels relaxing to just lie here and watch.
I can swim but will probably have to wait until next summer.
Since I’m pregnant and due very soon I prefer to just sit on the rocks, relax and look around.
My mom goes swimming almost every day. No, she’s not sailing, she swims but there are no photos of her in the sea so this image is good enough as it shows that she only swims when the water is calm.
And I know she always thinks of me when she’s not at home. 
I honestly believe she can think of nothing but me right now, and of the puppies I will soon give birth to.
And she has no idea how many there will be🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕
So if she’s not visiting your site very often right now, you know why.
Maltese wall lizard
Ta’ Qali, Trees, A Lizard, Resin & Fanny
Some images from yesterday’s visit to Ta Qali. Many of the trees have recently been pruned. I was fooled by the orange spot that from a distance looked like a flower and I even saw some faces. 
In this fenced area I’ve been walking with Fanny since she was a puppy. Among Olive trees, Mediterranean Cypress and Ancient Carob trees. When the rain comes, the grass turns green and is then covered with flowers.
Sticky resin is now visible on many of the trees.
But how’s Fanny? 
Now that she is close to the seventh week of her pregnancy her behavior has changed. She’s not as playful as before, a bit melancholic and the walks are getting shorter and shorter while running is out of the question. 
Here she seeks shade under our car while I try to ventilate away the heat and turn on air conditioning before it’s time to go back home, a ride of about 20 minutes. Home to eat and then go to sleep. I love her so much ❤ ❤
Fertilized Joy
After four long weeks of waiting, it’s finally confirmed that my beloved basenji dog Fanny is expecting puppies. In the picture above she is only five months old, in July this year she turned three years old.
Her mother in Sweden is called Drömma which means Dreaming. 
Dogs are pregnant for about 63 days or nine weeks. Today it has been 37 days since the first mating.
Although there is now a lot to prepare, plan and think of, I feel pure joy that I would love to share.
Where am I?
Looks like an exciting place, let’s go down and take a look.
Like a moonscape in the middle of nowhere.
Where am I?
I really enjoy to run freely along the cliffs, although it looks more like I jump on soft dunes.
It may not be easy to see me at first glance but look closely and you will find me.
Now you probably think I’m curious about that cave but I actually need some shade, it’s very hot.
Here I am, at Xwejni Salt Pans on Malta’s sister island Gozo, and yes, I’m in this picture too.
These salt pans have been in this region since Phoenician and Roman times,
and the tradition actually continues to be used even today.
Click here and you will learn more about salt harvesting in Gozo, it’s quite interesting. Many people probably think of salt as simply that white granular seasoning found in saltshakers on virtually every dining table.
But it’s far more than that..
No, I’m not in this picture but you can see a black dot far away, it’s the car that took me here.
It feels like a long walk back in the heat, but it was well worth the experience.
🐕
More to come from my short vacation in Gozo.
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.
Welcome to The Forest
Welcome to the one and only forest. There are very few forests here in Malta but one that I often visit is il-Miżieb. It takes about 20 minutes by car via the coast road and of course, Fanny always comes along
The woodland was planted in the early 1970’s and stretches for some two km between Xemxija and Manikata. Here you will find Aleppo pines and a generous sprinkling of the slower growing carob and olive trees.
There are plenty of walkways and narrow paths to choose from and the scenery often changes. Fanny and I usually try to explore new trails and there is no risk of getting lost as we are on a high ridge.
Blue markings like these arrows are often seen but I have no idea where we would end up if we followed them. 
But, when we see this magical being, we know that we are close to where we started.
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
Comfort
Can this way of relaxing really be comfortable?
Yes, and here’s the proof, Fanny often sleeps like this after a long walk, lying on our shoes.
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! ❤
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.
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…
A trip to Għajn Tuffieħa
Għajn Tuffieħa / Riviera Bay is located on the north-west coast of Malta. Here you’ll find clay slopes and high cliffs on either side of the bay, red sand, crystal clear water and lots of narrow footpaths to hike on.
Here I go with Fanny as it’s one of the few places where she can run freely. Ta Qali Park which is closer and where we normally go is completely closed and on the rocks along the sea at home dogs must be leashed.
This man has chosen a clever way to keep the social distance imposed by the authorities.
The scenery here is barren but offers several beautiful views. 
Singita Miracle Beach – Mgarr Għajn Tuffieħa – Malta / April 2020
Black & White Photography – 9
This is the ninth time I join Susie’s fun photo black and white challenge.
In the past I have mostly photographed people, this time I choose pets, dogs and cats.
“When I look into the eyes of an animal I don’t see an animal I see a living being, I see a friend, I feel a soul”
– Anthony Douglas Williams –
“ If cats could talk they wouldn’t”
– Nan Porter –
“Dogs eat – Cats dine”
– Ann Taylor –
“Having a dog or a cat will open your heart. Reading a book will open your mind.
Having both a pet and a book… absolute heaven.
– Mark Rubenstein –
“You can keep a dog but it is the Cat how keeps People because Cats find Humans useful domestic Animals”
– George Mikes –
“Look at animals kindly, and they will see. Talk to animals gently, and they will listen”
– AD Williams – 
“All animals are born with innocence, curiosity and love”
– Anthony Douglas Williams –
Below are the images also in color for those who like to compare. And as always when it comes to quotes, we mustn’t take them too seriously, although some may be worth considering.
Black & White Photography – 6
The above pictures are from the square along Sarawak River in Kuching. Every afternoon, both young and old can be seen playing with each other, many of them blowing soap bubbles, just for fun.
This skilled lady I saw in Valletta here in Malta the other day. Guess why she’s looking down.
Concentration! She really knew how to handle her little puppet on a string.
Back to the square in Kuching. This little girl seems to be looking for someone.
Finally, Fanny and I at home yesterday evening. Fanny did not like to wear a Santa hat, I can understand that. It’s much more fun to try to bite it into small pieces and so she did. It was cheap and it was Christmas Eve.
As usual, I also show my pictures in color. This time, I prefer to see all these images in color, except one. Guess which one..
Back..
…back to my daily life here in Malta after a couple of weeks in Sarawak, Malaysia. Today’s images are from yesterday’s visit to Ta Qali Park. Nature has changed, in some way, it feels more subdued. 
It’s winter now, not so many colorful flowers, besides the yellow ones that bloom all year round.
These special plants are now seen growing in abundance among the green grass in the park.
They are small and resembles a kind of pitcher plant.
I really like being in Sarawak, I wouldn’t mind living there year around. It’s a very special part of the world. But I know it doesn’t work to take my dog to the other side of the earth.
It feels good to be with Fanny again…
The Power of Flowers & Color
It feels like my last post was a bit too depressing so I decided to add some happy color in a new post instead. My colorful bougainvillea is still blooming on our terrace…
…and the color splash that is barely visible in the top image is the color of Fanny’s new coat.
If dogs could smile she would do it and if dogs could talk she would tell that she is a happy one.
Spring is in the air
Yesterday we went to Ta Qali Park. Usually we never go there on the weekends when the summer is over because there are too many people and you can’t have your dog without leash. But we were all alone.
I haven’t been here for a while and was really surprised. It felt like spring even though we are in November! This beauty has a very special expression, perhaps it was also surprised that it felt like spring in the air.
The sky was blue, the grass was green and there were lots of small yellow flowers.
Fanny was more than happy to run around in the greenery without a leash. 
At first I didn’t notice that there were two butterflies on the leaf! 
A spider with its catch of the day.
I saw lots of different kinds of butterflies, dragonflies and other kinds of insects. But as usual, they are very active and difficult to capture with the camera. I’m glad I got this one.
Ta’ Qali National Park, Malta
It’s Raining
Today the weather is so bad here on the island that not even my dog wants to go out.
It’s raining and getting dark outside already at five o’clock.
Bad weather doesn’t mean you can’t shoot. But in case you aren’t in the mood for that, it can be fun to look through all the pictures stored in your huge archive and try to pick only ONE, just for fun! 
There are so many different ways to stay positive when a day feels gray.
Like thinking about old bright and happy memories, and not to forget…
Pomegranates and Prickly Pears
We spent another Sunday among pomegranates and prickly pears in Majjistral Nature Park. This time I had brought gloves so I could pick some of the prickly fruits. They taste pretty good, not too sweet.
The pomegranate kernels are not sweet at all but taste good mixed with yogurt and some honey.
I found a small nest full of life…
…and a butterfly. There were plenty of them but I only managed to capture this one.
Fanny was with us, as always. Here she rests after running around in the amazing surroundings of the park.
And here she waits patiently between the rocks as we make our way up the last hill on the way up to the plateau where we have parked our car. The weather was fine, 25 degrees and another day of life is gone.
20 October 2019 Il-Majjistral Nature & History Park
Note to self…
“Life is too important to be taken seriously”
– Oscar Wild –
Autumn Feeling
Last Sunday we went to Il-Majjistral Nature Park here in Malta. We haven’t been here since last spring and it is always exciting to see how our nature changes, depending on the seasons. Now autumn is here.
This is nothing to be found in the spring.
These thistles have completely changed colors. Once purple, now turned into soft autumn colors.
Our nature is absolutely amazing! This picture speaks for itself. 
As always, Fanny was with us. She loves to run freely in the large nature park with all steep slopes. She has seen wild rabbits here, now sniffing and looking for them. Luckily she never catches any, they are too fast.
Orchids
Dog life
My lovely Fanny! Here she completely ignores me while looking for something exciting to play with.
She loves to play hide and seek in the hight grass.
Exhausted after running very fast. She needs to run a lot to feel happy and satisfied, like all hunting dogs.
Although she turns two in July she still acts like a puppy.
She knows that chewing on a slipper is totally forbidden!
Looks like Fanny whispers a secret in the other dog’s ear and then sniffs where there is nothing to find.
Do not disturb me when I play with my best friend Kimbo. We are both of the same breed originally bred in Africa. We are very intelligent and tough dogs and are often nicknamed the “barkless dog”. Guess why…? 
…because we belong to the very few breeds in the whole world that do not bark.
Other basenji may yodel or howl when they are excited but I’m very quiet.
Besides that I’m also playful, cuddly and I needs a lot of love, which I also give back.
💖💖💖💖💖
Same blue sky…
As soon as we fly back to Spain, Fanny will come along.
The Mediterranean Sea has the same blue and clear water here as there.
It’s low season for tourists in April, same here as there.
Andalusia with its mile-long coastal strip and its warm climate while snow-covered mountains in the Sierra Nevada are seen behind. Not at all the same here as there.
Back in Malta, back to my longed-for Fanny and back to the fantastic world of bloggers. I’ve been in Andalusia, Spain, a lovely place. Same blue sky here as there but in other ways, so totally different.
White houses everywhere and many narrow alleys to find in the small town of Frigiliana.
A menu in both Spanish and English is perfect if you can’t speak Spanish and I don’t, yet.
I love the atmosphere…
…and I love the colors!!
Hide & Seek
Don’t ask me why, but I prefer the last image, where she’s almost invisible.
My beloved Basenji Fanny, she loves to play hide-and-seek in the grass.
Spring is in the air…
Back home and back to my usual routines here in Malta.
Last Saturday we spent the whole day in Majjistral National Park.
It’s not often that I see mushrooms growing here in Malta, but here is one.
Snart blommar Mimosan / Soon the mimosa blooms.
The nature, the plants, everything are so different from what you find in the rainforest in Sarawak, Borneo. Very soon the mimosa blooms as seen in one of the image above.
The very best about coming home is to be close to Fanny again. Away is good but home is best.
