quiet moments in nature
Ann-Christine invites us to take photographs from different angles and this sweet female goosander was looking at me from different angles too.
Wishing you all a beautiful Sunday from the river bank,
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 200 and f/6.3 – 1/250 s – ISO 200.
Lens-Artists Weekly Photo Challenge #59: Angles
Your Daily Word Prompt: Review
In case you missed them, Karina shared two beautiful photographs of a Common Blue butterfly in Ireland and Dwight shared images of some wonderful flowers, bees and a variety of butterflies in North Carolina.
It is lovely to see that they, like us here in the Highlands, are seeing more butterflies this year than last year.
Wishing you all a wonderful Wednesday,
with love from Xenia xxx
Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.
Camera: Panasonic Lumix FZ200, Settings: f/4 – 1/1000 s – ISO 100, f/4 – 1/640 s – ISO 100 and f/4 – 1/500 s – ISO 100.
Cee’s Flower of the Day
Your Daily Word Prompt: Sublimity
Little Assynt
With a lot of rain forecast and only a light breeze, we’re braving the elements for a walk along the all-abilities path at Leitir Easaidh. The path is solid and even, free from slippery tree roots and stones that can be treacherous in wet weather.
Several lochans sparkle among the heather and golden flowers of bog asphodel on brighter days. Loch Leitir Easaidh is the first one we come to, with a wooden fishing jetty and an adapted small boat, suitable for people with limited mobility.
On the other side of the jetty is a shelter, built with natural stone and local wood. It has a grass and heather roof and blends in beautifully with the natural environment. We pause here for a mug of tea during a heavy downpour. It’s a comfortable and soothing place to stay for a while. In nature and sheltered by nature.
Beside the jetty and shelter is a small wooden building with a composting toilet. The building is wind- and solar-powered and has a grass roof for insulation. When we reach Loch na h-Innse Fraoich, we find a similar building, shelter, jetty and adapted small boat there for the visitor’s convenience.
The views beyond the gorse-covered hills across the water are obscured by cloud today, making it feel as if we’re walking in a small world of our own. A short, steep path on the left leads directly to a viewpoint. The other path takes you there via a slightly longer, more gentle route.
The peaks and cliffs of Quinag are hidden above the clouds. It’s possible to continue deeper into this estate via a link path, which joins the Loch an t-Sabhail path. If the weather and visibility had improved, we would have been happy to combine these two walks.
Despite the rain and poor visibility we enjoyed our walk here. It was very peaceful and the few walkers we met seemed to think we were on to a good thing too.
The Leitir Eiseadh paths are excellent and suitable for people of all abilities, including wheelchair users.
Wishing you all a happy Monday and a wonderful new week,
with love from Xenia xxx
Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.
The Little Assynt Estate is owned and managed for the community of Assynt by the Culag Community Woodland Trust.
Jo’s Monday Walk
Rag Tag Daily Prompt: Breeze
Your Daily Word Prompt: Sustain
Dutch Goes the Photo Tuesday Photo Challenge: Trail
Ardvreck Castle
We are delighted to see that these images inspired a beautiful poem by fellow blogger Carol L Hatfield at In Other Words, entitled Castle Ardvreck. Please go check it out.
With love from Xenia xxx
Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.
Camera: Panasonic Lumix FZ200, Settings: f/3.2 – 1/500 s – ISO 100, f/4 – 1/250 s – ISO 100 and f/4 – 1/640 s – ISO 160.
Dutch Goes the Photo Tuesday Photo Challenge: Tower
Rag Tag Daily Prompt: Island
Your Daily Word Prompt: Wherever
Raven’s Rock Gorge
With love from Xenia xxx
Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.
Camera: Panasonic Lumix FZ200, Settings: f/3.2 – 1/250 s – ISO 100 and f/3.2 – 1/400 s – ISO 100.
XinfuMama’s Pull up a Seat Challenge 2019 Week 20
Your Daily Word Prompt: Nostalgic
history lives near
in waters this clear
old songs
when ravens nest here
pine martens and deer
belong
fresh bluebells appear
this time every year
wild salmon who steer
the gorges this sheer
are strong
in silence we hear
our hearts leap and cheer
along
in waters this clear
history lives near
© Xenia Tran
Grace at dVerse Poets invites us to write a Lai or a Lai Nouveau and I have opted for the Lai Nouveau at my first attempt.
A Lai is a French poetry form consisting of a five-syllable couplet followed by a two-syllable line. The number of lines in each stanza is fixed at nine and the couplets must rhyme with each other, as must the two-syllable lines. The number of stanzas is not fixed and each stanza has its own rhyme pattern. The stanza’s rhyme pattern is: a a b a a b a a b.
A Lai Nouveau is considered to be slightly more challenging than the Lai. It has an eight-line stanza and is similar in idea to the Villanelle. In the Lai Nouveau the first two lines are the refrain and are used as the last lines of the subsequent verses with the last verse including the refrain lines in reverse order. The stanza rhyme patterns are: A1 A2 b a a b a a and a a b a a b A2 A1.
You can read my second contribution Seashore Anew on our sister blog Whippet Wisdom.
The Lai and Lai Nouveau prompt stays open for another three weeks.
With love from Xenia xxx
Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr
Settings: f/4 – 1/200 s – ISO 160, f/6.5 – 1/160 s – ISO 200 and f/5.6 – 1/500 s – ISO 200.
dVerse Poets Poetry Form: Lai and Lai Nouveau
Your Daily Word Prompt: Negotiation
