Haiku: Glint

seals sunning themselves on a sand bar

the glint
of a decommissioned rig
– spring ocean

© Xenia Tran

The Asahi Shimbun, 19 May 2023

a bank of shingle and the rolling waves of the firth beyond

We are taking a short break on this blog and will be back on Wednesday 7th June.

You can still find us active on our sister blog tomorrow and Monday.

Wishing you all a wonderful Wednesday and a peaceful two weeks,

with love from Xenia xxx

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

Weekend Sky #101

Lens-Artists Weekly Photo Challenge #250: Skyscapes or Cloudscapes

CMMC: May Alphabet – Any Word with an i (rig, shingle)

Haiku: Eastern Light

red poppies in a garden overlooking the sea

eastern light
how time slips by
since your passing

© Xenia Tran

haikuKATHA Issue 10, August 2022

fisherman's cottages above the rocks at sunrise

With warm thanks to Kala Ramesh, who encouraged me to write a new haiku to go with the header image, and create a haiga.

Wishing you all a blessed Wednesday and a peaceful rest of the week,

with love from Xenia xxx

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

Weekly Prompts Wednesday Challenge: Clouds

Silent Sunday: A Weekend Break

fishermen's cottages above rocky outcrops at dusk
fishermen's cottages above rocky outcrops at dusk

This will be my last Silent Sunday post for the year while I take a break to rest and recharge at weekends.

It has been a great pleasure participating in this weekly challenge for more than four years, where we let the images speak for themselves.

As from 1st August 2022, I will only be posting here on Wednesdays, whilst I continue to post on Mondays and Thursdays on our sister blog, Whippet Wisdom.

Thank you for all your fun shares, comments and visits on Sundays, it has been a true delight.

Wishing you all a blessed Sunday and a peaceful new week,

with love from Xenia xxx

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

Silent Sunday

Thursday’s Special: Pick a Word in July 2022 (Cove, Texture, Window)

Haiku: Salmon Sky

rocks and rockpools on the beach at sunrise

salmon sky –
poppies lean the past
into the half light

© Xenia Tran

poppies and wildflowers in the foreground at sunrise over the sea

Wishing you all a wonderful Wednesday,

with love from Xenia xxx

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

Jez Braithwaite’s Water Water Everywhere #131

CFFC: Landscapes or Waterscapes

Rag Tag Daily Prompt: Half Light

Haiku: Riding the Waves

a lone surfer riding a wave at first light

first light
a surfer tries his luck
on the waves

© Xenia Tran

a lone surfer riding a wave at first light
a lone surfer riding a wave at first light

Wishing you all a wonderful Wednesday,

with love from Xenia xxx

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

Jez Braithwaite’s Water Water Everywhere #130

Rag Tag Daily Prompt: Achievement

Haiku: A Helping Hand

blown off-course
the coastguard gathers
at the boat slip

© Xenia Tran

The Asahi Shimbun, 4 June 2021

I wrote this haiku in honour of the volunteers from the RNLI who will go out in all weathers to rescue people from our seas, lakes, rivers and floods.

If you want to find out more about what they do, are interested in volunteering or wish to support them in other ways please visit their website here.

Wishing you all safe harbour,

with love from Xenia xxx

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

Rag Tag Daily Prompt: Question

Thursday’s Special: Pick a Word – Flow, Tidal

CFFC: Blue

Tanka: New Year’s Day

part of a large driftwood tree on the beach covered in frost

winter moon
her frost flowers
crystallise
ancestral blessings
from this year to the next

© Xenia Tran

close up of part of a large driftwood tree covered in frost

Wishing you all a blessed, happy and healthy New Year!

With love from Xenia xxx

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

Camera: Canon Powershot SX60 HS, Settings: f/5.6 – 1/200 s – ISO 100, f/5.6 – 1/80 s – ISO 160 and f/5.6 – 1/125 s – ISO 320.

Carpe Diem #1842: End of Year

Frank J Tassone’s Weekly Haikai Challenge #171: New Year’s Day

Tanka Thursday: Year

Wordless Wednesday: Celtic Sea

a lensball in the surf, mirroring the sea and sky in reverse
a lensball in the surf, mirroring the sea and sky in reverse

We are taking a short blogging break for the holidays and will be back on Wednesday 30 December.

Wishing you a peaceful week ahead and Happy Holidays to those of you who celebrate,

with love from Xenia xxx

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

Wordless Wednesday

Jez Braithwaite’s Water Water Everywhere #56

Rag Tag Daily Prompt: Glitter

Wordless Wednesday: Feeding from the Surf

seagulls feeding in the surf
seagulls feeding in the surf

Wishing you all a wonderful Wednesday,

with love from Xenia xxx

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

Camera: Panasonic Lumix FZ200, Settings: f/3.5 – 1/1250 s – ISO 100 and f/3.5 – 1/1600 s – ISO 100.

Wordless Wednesday

Jez Braithwaite’s Water Water Everywhere #54

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Water

Wordless Wednesday: Basking Beauty

a basking shark in the Moray Firth with a paddle boarder
a basking shark swimming in the Moray Firth with mist and low cloud

We were treated to a rare visit by basking sharks yesterday who came to feed on the plankton in the Moray Firth before starting their long migration to warmer climes.

They were swimming and feeding close to paddle boarders, kayaks and sailing boats and the people aboard featured in many of my photographs as a result.

If you recognise yourself in the image above or the slideshow below please get in touch through the contact form and I’ll be happy to send you a copy of the photograph.

  • paddle boarders and basking shark
  • paddle boarders and basking shark
  • a basking shark with a man in a paddle boat
  • a woman on a paddle board and a man in a paddle boat watching a feeding basking shark
  • people on paddle boards, in paddle boats and kayaks watching a feeding basking shark
  • a man on a paddle board beside a sailing boat watching a feeding basking shark

We were watching from the shore and it was lovely to see these gentle giants.

Wishing you all a wonderful Wednesday,

with love from Xenia xxx

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

Camera: Canon Powershot SX60 HS.

Wordless Wednesday

Jez Braithwaite’s Water Water Everywhere #45

Rag Tag Daily Prompt: Zephyr