Tag: Photography

Autumn colors…

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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-

In a World of Colors

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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

Selmun Bay

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Last weekend we went to Selmun Bay after we heard that there should be a nice dog-friendly sandy beach. Getting there was quite challenging, this is NOT a one way road! Fortunately, we didn’t meet any cars.Here we are! Looks nice and very dry up here, but we have to climb down a steep slope to reach the beach.

We soon realize that the water and the sandy beach is black! Black and full of seaweed! And where the water is clear it’s very rocky and slippery which makes it difficult to walk, especially when holding Fanny in my arms.But we manage to take a quick dip and a few meters from the shore the bottom consists of soft sand.Back from the water and Fanny has decided that it’s enough for today. No more swimming, now I just want to relax and observe what others are doing on the beach and in that black muddy water.

Fanny is obviously not the only one who prefers to stay on dry land.

All pictures in this post were taken with my digital camera Panasonic Lumix TZ100 that I rarely use for the reason that I still haven’t learned how to use it. I used only P-mode but I’m pleased with the quality and will try to use it more. The weight is only 300 gram compared to my Canon 1,5 kilo.

Beetle

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This little cute beetle stayed on the flower for quite some time so I had time enough to photograph at least one of all insects I’ve tried to capture recently, without success.When I take my camera with me I always have to choose between my macro or zoom lens depending on where and what I plan to photograph. I chose “wrong” lens this time but the pictures became pretty good anyway.I was going to add at the end, “…as long as you do not enlarge them” but my mind said no. We all try to do as good as we can and must be proud of our efforts to learn, give and share. Gratitude is a valuable gift.

Seventh Heaven On the 7th Floor

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It was on our roof terrace I took my first macro images.A few years ago we bought seeds in an attempt to grow rhubarb. But it didn’t succeed.

Spiders! Click on an image to enlarge.

It’s early in the spring and my dear man is cleaning while I take a selfie in the window of our office.

I’m not sure how many different kinds of flowers we have had but these are some of them.

One of my husband’s many fun experiments. Can you really fry an egg in the sun? Obviously!!Our terrace as it once looked and below, what it looks like right now. Yes, added some color. Our office, my dear husbands atelier and our dining room that we use every summer are gone after twelve years. Of our flowers and plants there are only a very few left and so are the butterflies and other insects. Looking at the stars in the sky and the moon that shine but this is not my Seventh heaven anymore. Fanny, Yeah, come on!!! Rock ‘n’ roll!!!

All images in this post have I taken on our roof terrace over the years gone by…
…apart from the last one.

Let’s Have a Drink

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 Cisk Lager Beer has been brewed in Malta with all natural ingredients since 1928 and was awarded top prize in the International Lager Category at the 1995 Australian Beer Awards. I rarely drink beer myself.

Cocktails of different kinds are common in summer, with or without alcohol. When it’s Happy hour you get two for one. Mojito, my favorite at the top consists of club soda, rum, syrup, lime juice, mint and lots of ice. Very refreshing!!Italian wine is very good and these bottles are from Sicily.Malta may not be renowned like its larger Mediterranean neighbours for wine production, but northern European markets are just beginning to discover the secret of Maltese wines.  Grapes grown in Malta’s hot and humid climate ripen much quicker than their counterparts further north. I always buy the local or Italian wine.Water……the most common and healthiest drink during the day!!

White Beauty

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“The ugly Duckling”, (Den fula ankungen) is a fairy tale from 1853 written by H.C. Andersen and it’s about a young duck bird that is teased for its ugliness, but then grows up to a beautiful white swan.  The story is a fable, where animals represent humans. A handsome look or a beautiful face is of great importance to many people. It really doesn’t matter how we look from the outside since real beauty is the light that shines from our soul. This Swan is unaware of its beauty which makes it even more beautiful.

WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge – Liquid

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This week’s photo challenge is about keeping things fluid.

Let the imagination flow…Barefoot in soft sand and crystal clear blue water.Reflections in the sea from the sky and a boat.WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge / Liquid

Floating in the blue…

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How blue can it really be up there in the sky?Can blue be just for fun?

Compare the blue color in the sky with the sea.And you’ll find same blue color but in fifty shades of…
No sense with this post, just to keep my blog floating.

Happy Macro Friday!

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If all insects on Earth disappeared, within 50 years all life on Earth would end.If all human beings disappeared from the Earth, within 50 years all forms of life would flourish. Quote by Jonas Salk

WPC – Smile

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This week, Ben invites us to point our camera at something or someone that puts a smile on our face.
Happy people jumping of joy a cold day in January here in Malta. Keep smiling, regardless of image quality. “There are hundreds of languages in the world, but a smile speaks them all”

A child’s spontaneous drawing, natural colors from flowers and even the strict but yet colorful stained glass found in many churches. “A smile is the universal welcome”An unexpected smile during last weekend’s walking in Majjistral National Park.

💖If you meet someone without a smile, give one of yours💖 

WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge / Smile

Sunset & Memories

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Honestly, I’m not so fond of images showing sunsets, maybe I’ve seen too many.But i like straight lines, colors and silhouettes.  And I like to look back in my archive to find memories. Here you see how the Azure Window once looked before it collapsed in stormy weather on 8 March 2017. A major tourist attractions, a 28-metre-tall natural arch on the island of Gozo in Malta, was suddenly gone forever. A place from where I have many memories.

Another memory I found in my archive. These are from 2011, three of my very first pictures before my interest in photography began. The images are real bad but the scene so perfect. There´s no need to look closely, but today they mean a lot to me as they remind me of the time when I began to explore the beauty of the photography.

WordPress weekly Photo Challenge / Rise/Set /  Photo Challenge by Frank / Dutch Goes the Photo’s Memories

Weekend in Greenery

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Some pictures from Malta in early March.

I have a little too much around me right now but tomorrow I’ll take the time to visit You!
You are my inspiration, take care out there!

CYW – 18-24 February

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21. Outrageous Orange.
I love this one painted by my husband. Colorful in thoughtful simplicity.18. Forest Green.
Some greenery from Ta Qali park here in Malta19. Pacific Blue.
Fisherman at the clear Mediterranean waters of the Mediterranean Sea.These are the week’s colors in Jennifer’s Color Your World Challenge.

WPC – Tour Guide

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This week, Krista asks us to share images of where we live. What do we love about where we live?
Malta is an island in the Mediterranean Sea located south of Italy. It´s one of the smallest countries in the world with an estimated population of 422,000. It´s a popular tourist destination with its warm climate and architectural and historical monuments. Malta has some of the oldest free-standing structures in the world and the capital Valletta is designated as the Capital of Culture 2018!
Love the wonderful nature, especially in spring with all wildflowers and a stunning greenery all over the island. Not to be found during the hot summer months.Who doesn’t love the typical Maltese balconies, painted in different colors…

… and where in Europe can you buy fresh sweet strawberries even in winter.
The local wine is very tasteful as well as many other local produces.Then we have the colorful fishing boats known as Maltese luzzu. There are much much more I would like to share, but I think I have to stop here and consider a part two…

WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge  / Tour Guide

Nature’s diversity

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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.

WPC – Beloved

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Besides my beloved husband, I have a wonderful beloved Basenji puppy.
Fanny doesn’t mind taking part in the week’s theme, but only partially.

WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge  / Beloved

Why Malta – This is my Malta part 4

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Yesterday we went to the countryside as we often do during the weekends. Chapels like these are often seen along the country roads, while all the small villages and towns have their magnificent churches in the center.Some flowers I found in Ta Qali National Park while Fanny ran around and explored the lush surroundings.

For me, this flower is unique. They are quite small and you don’t notice the colors if you’re not really close. There are lots of these rare flowers that bloom now here in Malta.  In my next post, I’ll show almond trees that already blooming on the island.

Beautiful black Swans

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Last Sunday we went to St. Anton Gardens in Attard where the annual Citrus Festival took place. But Fanny didn’t enjoy it that much, too many people, so much noise and I was too busy managing my camera. So we just walked around the park where there weren’t so many people for about an hour before we left. But we were lucky, instead of citrus in quantities and lots of different varieties we found these two beautiful black Swans swimming around so peacefully. I’ve never seen black Swans before!

So graceful and with a distinctive beauty in its movement, style and shape. I’ll visit them again soon.

WPC – Weathered

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This week is about the effect of time and the elements. Above you see Malta’s typical honey yellow limestone. The terrain of Malta is characterized by limestone plateaus that change constantly in shape due to climate and time. The limestone is still common as building materials and the effect of that is clearly visible below.

A weathered old forgotten store surrounded by walls made of limestone.

Influenced by time, sun, wind, rain and salty water from the Mediterranean Sea.A weathered old sign-board.

WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge  / Weathered Theme by Krista

Wildflowers…

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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…

Sunday pics from Italy!

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I love Italy and from Malta to Sicily it only takes 90 minutes by ferry. You can take a day trip or stay over the weekend. We went to Taormina, a city with a lovely Italian atmosphere, wonderful food and so nice people. And the best part is that you can take your little puppy with you…

 Click on an image to enlarge.

Growth gives more fruit and vegetables.
We use leftovers as decorations. There was a wedding that took place here high above the clouds.

WPC – Growth

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Growth in nature provides nutrition to fruits and vegetables. We use leftovers as decorations.
There was a wedding that took place here high above the clouds. No greenery without growth. Growth among clouds and mountains high above Kota Kinabalu town. Growth puts people at work who provide food for themselves and the people.
At the market in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Borneo, Malaysia

Sabah, also known as “Land of the Wind”, which comes from the author of Agnes Keith’s first book in 1939.     A kind of growth, in the history…

WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge / Growth

Power of flowers and colors

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Isn’t it amazing that the flowers I gave to my husband in June are still blooming. Flowers with power.

Some flowers from our terrace, January 2018.Hibiscus close-up.Finally, some sweet strawberries I bought from a farmer. Yes, they are grown even in the winter here in Malta. Thanks for all new year’s greetings! Let’s take some power from our flowers and create joy of all colors!!

 

I wouldn’t mind living in this old house in St Julians.
Street name in Maltese.

Malta pics

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Yesterday, when I went for my daily walk, I thought, why don´t take some pictures of my daily surrounding. This is just a very small part of all the impressions I encounter and probably it will be a part two.There are many churches along the way. Powerful, big and beautiful from the outside but I rarely visit them.A typical Maltese balcony from an odd angle and the typical blue sky.It´s getting dark around five. This is “Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish Church”, Balluta, Saint Julian’s.Now I´m only minutes from home. The sculpture “White Shadows” is an intriguing play of light and shadows. Made by Richard England and situated along Sliema promenade.

These are now blooming in December but I do not know the name.
A bud among hundreds of others growing in Independence Garden here in Sliema.

Floral soft colors

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Because of the sun, the colors feel soft and warm, soon they are gone. Some greenery left. My last wild flower this year. Now we are waiting for the spring to come.

WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge – 2017 Favorites

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To celebrate the end of the year, this week we share the most meaningful photo we’ve taken in 2017.

This little Proboscis baby monkey I saw very close to Sarawak River and Kuching City. A place where you rarely meet them.
This little Proboscis baby monkey I saw very close to Sarawak River and Kuching City. A place where you rarely meet them.

Wild Proboscis are only found in Borneo and Indonesia. With a threatening extinction it´s amazing to get the chance to meet this unique species in their natural environment. Moments I`ll never forget.A favorite picture I took in Permai Rainforest in Sarawak, Borneo, Malaysia in April 2017.

Last but not least. After four years of waiting, I finally got my beloved four-legged little puppy home to Malta. A long-awaited new family member, an amazing dog that will bring a lot of joy for many years to come.

WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge / 2017 Favorites – Theme by Ben Huberman