It’s Cold

The weather has been cold and clear lately, – perfect for the growing of ice crystals.  The pictures below are a small part of the result of two ten minute photo safaris in our garden area, – one yesterday, and one today.  Choosing which pictures to show out of the two hundred or so, took much longer than shooting them.

The crystals have grown quite big, – they are almost like small plants with leaf rosettes, and they are everywhere on grassy areas.

On the tree stump, a bit higher off the ground, they are not quite so big.

The small heather plants are nearly covered by ice crystal “plants”.

They tend to “grow” in clumps.

As happened with the star crystals last week, I am reluctant to step on any of these wonders.

But it is impossible to move without doing so.

When stepping on to the grass, you can hear a faint sound, as if millions of miniature glasses fall and break.

… or like you are wading through heaps of tiny, tiny glass shards.

Below are some more photos, – I couldn’t stop myself  …  

On some of the photos I have tweaked the contrast quite a bit to better show off the fabulous patterns.

The last photo below, I also turned to gray scale. Some of the crystals are very, very thin and transparent.

I hope all of you in the northern hemisphere are enjoying the winter time.

Eldrid

Falling Stars

The weather has been very good lately, – what snow there was around Christmas rained away, and this last week the weather has been cold and clear, with no snow on the ground.

As we drove home early this afternoon, the skies were gray, and we noticed a few tiny white specs falling through the air.

Walking from the garage to the house, I suddenly stopped short, exclaiming: There are stars on the ground!

I immediately put my bag down and got my camera out.

Please don’t step on any of them before I have taken some photos, I asked my husband.

Then I had to laugh at the impossibility of my own request; -  the stars were everywhere, and we could not move without stepping on several at a time.

There was more than enough both to photograph and to walk on.

They were all over the wooden steps…

… and on the grass…

… and on the cold stones.

We do not often see snow crystals like this here, – most often the snow comes down in big flurries, – not tiny stars like these.

We were lucky to spot them when we did. A few minutes later it was raining.

Just a few tiny drops, however, – and then we got a little bit more snow. But not stars this time.

Does walking on stars mean good luck?

I hope so.

Eldrid

Autumn by the Roadside

Both the calendar, the colours, the temperature, and the shorter days tell us that summer is definitely over, and autumn has arrived.

The strawberries we feasted on this summer are finished, but the plants are still a feast for the eyes each time I walk past.

Last week we had some very nice weather, so I brought my camera along as I went for a walk.

At this time of year, we are almost sure to have frost during the night as soon as the skies are clear.

It usually melts when the sun comes out, – at least in places where there are no shadows.

I like the look of the frosty-edged leaves.

It gives each leaf a definition we do not usually see.

These are almost like bird feathers.

The grass in this roadside ditch would not normally catch my eye. But on this day the frost is about to melt when I am passing, and the sun makes everything glitter and shine.

At the top, the ice has turned to water, but further down it is still partly ice.

Looks like something is growing inside the drops, but it is just the reflection of the grass below.

The three photos above are all details picked from the photo below:

Moving the camera closer into the ditch, it reveals treasure upon treasure.

Strings of pearls everywhere.

Further along, there are more interesting plants, like this moss….

.. and a mushroom in permanent shadow, where the ice has not melted since the first frosty night.

More glittering grass….

… and frosted ferns.

Inevitably, we got some more rain, and the beauties above are almost all gone.

This week I have been admiring the birch tree outside the window by my sewing space. Each day the leaves have turned a little more yellow.

We will probably have to cut it down soon, as, when it sowed itself many years ago,  it decided to grow too close to the house.

I kind of like the light filtering through the leaves, but I would not want it to come in through the windows on a stormy day.

Eldrid

Spring Report

Every year I take photos and post a report on the progress of spring on or around May 1st. This year we were travelling on May 1st, so the photos on that exact day shows the spring progress on Iceland, which varied a lot even within quite short distances.

The photo above was taken at Jökulsàrlon, a lagoon created by a retracting glacier. Icebergs break off the glacier and float round and round in the lagoon till they melt, as the opening is too narrow for them to float out into the ocean. They are quite a sight.

A few miles from the iceberg lagoon, we stopped to look at this old church, – the last one to be built in the old Icelandic manner with turf covered walls and roof. The dandelions were blooming on the roof, sheep and lambs were out and about nearby, so this was infinitely more spring like than the icebergs.

This primrose was blooming on one of the turfed walls of the olde houses in the photo below.

And this low bush similar to pussy willows was also in bloom:

I am not sure what the correct name of this bush would be.

As for the home scene, I will have to make do with before and after photos this year.

The two photos above were taken on April 26th before we left.

And here are the after photos of the same views….

… taken on May 6th.

We seem to have moved backwards into winter instead of forward to spring.

Eldrid

A Portrait

When taking a walk in the nearby area, there is a good chance of meeting up with some  interesting personalities.

When they see I am wielding my camera, some of them can get quite pushy. It is a good thing there is a fence between us.

“Hey you! Yes, you with the camera! I would like to have my portrait taken, please!”

“Is this good, do you think?”

“Maybe we should try the left profile too?”

“Lift my chin, you said? Like this?”

“I think I’ll go for this one. Would look nice in my passport.”

Eldrid

Short Fairy Tale

The Three” Billy Sheep” are reinforcing their strength before they are tackling the bridge.

Here they are resting on the other side of the bridge. The troll is nowhere to be seen, so has probably gone down stream.

Eldrid

A Sunday Trip

…. to this place was a vey nice experience.

This is Hakallegarden,  – a small farm at a 20 minute drive, a ferry ride, and another 60 minute drive, from home.

So, what is special about this farm, which I do not find on the next-door farms at home?

One thing is the variety of animals, – and many of them not penned up, but were ambling back and forth in the yard, mixing with children and grown ups as the most natural thing in the world, – no skittishness at all.

Only the sheep kept their distance, – or maybe they just liked the grass on the other side of the fence….

.. and this one just lazed under a tree, ignoring the fact that a very, very tired “Irene” was doing her level best to drench all and sundry with her showers of rain during the day.

This is also one of very few farms where they raise alpacas, and also sell alpaca wool and yarn for knitting.

The farm is open to the public at weekends, and the children love to come here to ride on horseback or in the tractor wagon, to feed the animals, to cuddle the kittens, and everything else you can do on a small farm.

After theese cuties had had their fill of hay, they walked around the corner, – very slowly, so there was no problem in following them.

Then they disappeared into the lower part of the barn, – and a very special barn it is.

This is almost like a sitting room; – brightly coloured, paintings on the walls, lovely lamp shades, and a bird in a cage on top of the chest of drawers. If animals are the least bit like people, I think they would like it very much in here.

The upstairs part of the barn has been converted to a small shop, with lots of colourful mugs, cups, plates and bowls, and clothes made from alpaca and silk.

There are also tables and chairs so you can sit down and enjoy a cup of coffee or tea, and freshly made “svele” or waffles, hot from the iron. While enjoying the coffee (or tea), you have time to look around and see if there is anything you fancy. I admit to fancying some cups and a mug from Pip Studio, – can’t help it, I’m afraid, – they were too cute to not come home with me.

Outside in the yard there are all kinds of stuff placed along the walls all around. I am still pondering what exactly makes the difference between junk and art, but I am not sure there is an answer.

Here it was definitely artsy, and every small detail added to the atmoshere.

I especially liked the pink bed looking out over the sea and islands below the farm.

The day after we were there, we heard on the news that the owners had received a special prize for the way they are running the farm and taking care of the landscape.

I hope this means they will not have to close their doors anytime soon.

Eldrid

Spring Status Report

Last year I posted my first May 1st report on the progress of spring.

Spring was very cold and rainy then, – even snowy, – so there was not much greenery to be seen when May arrived.

This spring seemed to be progressing along the same lines for a while, but the last week’s fine weather has boosted everything big time.

Suddenly the woods were all green almost from one day till the next. My narcissuses in the photo above have all come out during the last two days.

This morning the ones in the shadiest corner had not come out yet.

However, this evening, just after sundown, I took the photo above, and they are nearly all out here as well. With this kind of weather, they will all be finished in a week, I think.

I’ll just have to enjoy them while they last.

The earliest rhododendron bush will soon open up completely.

The tulips by the south wall have been blooming for a few days already. In the photo they look like they are a red and yellow mix due to the direct sunshine, but in reality they are only red.

I love the way the narcissuses brighten up the garden even when it is nearly dark.

So in conclusion, this year spring has behaved itself much better than it did last year, – so far at least. The last week has been excellent, – even better than most of last year’s summer. 

Eldrid

Promises

This time of year there are blogs all over which are filled with crocuses and other lovely signs of coming spring. When we still have snow and cold weather, they make me a little envious.

However, crocuses have finally appeared in our garden too, and each time I walk past and see them, they are a personal promise that spring is on its way, at last.

The photos were taken a few days ago when there was no sun, so they had not opened up yet. Yesterday was a very fine day, however, so when I arrived home in the evening after a trip to visit family, most of them were in full bloom. It was a lovely sight, but sadly, it was too dark by then to get any good pictures.

While I was browsing around the garden taking the photos above, I also came across this collection of shells nested in a hollow in one of the tree stumps left from the trees we chopped down a couple of years ago.

They are the tangible memories of last summer’s visit from the grandkids, and a successful foray on the nearest beach on a fine August day.

The boys enjoyed themselves immensely. . . . .

. . . . collecting lots of small treasures to carry home…..

. . . .  to play with in the sand.

Then some of them ended up on the tree stump as well, where they have spent all winter underneath the snow and frost.

Their lovely blue gradated colours caught my eye;  – they are as decorative as the crocuses, in their own way. . .

. . . and hold as many promises too.

Spring is a lovely time.

Eldrid

Spring?

Today is spring equinox, and in some places we see signs of springlike activities, like snowdrops popping their heads out of the ground. But in other places, it may take some time yet before spring arrives.

Last year I posted some winter photos which were taken at our daughter’s place. I also took the photo above of the same playground that was posted here, but from a slightly different angle. Also, snow like this was to be expected in January.

A few days ago we visited again, and I took the photos below. It is the same playground, although you can hardly tell because of the snow.

The structure sticking out of the snow is the top of the swings.

You can just glimpse the top wire of the fence in the path our grandson made when crawling through the snow.

It snowed when we were there, and it has snowed since.

The ground has been covered since October, so everyone is weary of snow, although the children are having fun from time to time.

- I’ll better pop  out and check if spring is on its way yet.

- Naaaah, doesn’t look like it.

- I think spring needs some help.

- WE WANT SPRING NOW!  WE WANT SPRING NOW!

 

- Let’s go and do something else while we are waiting.

 

Today it is raining, so there is hope.

Eldrid