Tag Archives: Lens artist

Silent Sunday

History

What do we learn from history? Often I think we learn very little.

Poppy

What will our children say when they look back at the history of our generation? My last post on climate change generated a number of comments on climate change – and it got me wondering, will our children ask why we did not do more? Here in Ireland, as in many countries throughout the world, young people, following the example set by Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg, have been going out on strike and having marches demanding government action on climate change. I was stuck by some of the words on their placards;

“I am sure the dinosaurs thought they had time too.”

“If you don’t act like adults, we will.”

“To do good, you actually have to do something!”

I think the young people are right. What ever happens it is going to affect them more than us. Even if the scientist have got it all wrong (which personally I don’t think they have), any changes we make now to improve the current state of the world can only be positive. Here are just a couple of examples:

Using less energy helps us save money
More renewable energy helps reduce pollution
Walking and cycling reduces traffic jams and improves air quality
Eating more locally grown food is good for our local economy
Eating more vegetables is good for our health

What have we got to loose?

I would recommend Greta Thunberg’s TED talk for anyone who is interested.

Abandoned cottage, West of Ireland

Nature’s architecture

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The Burren is a well known area in County Clare in the West of Ireland famed for it’s limestone pavement / karst landscape. Less well know is this area on the Mayo / Galway border known by the locals as the little Burren, and officially as the Gortnandarragh Limestone Pavement Spacial Area of Conservation. Here limestone pavement occurs close to the surface with little or minimal soil cover. The limestone wears away through natural processes of being weathered and dissolved by rainwater. Little holes and cracks form and in these plants grow – often unusual ones. Nature’s architecture at it’s best.

Limestone pavement

Appreciation of nature

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From early childhood I have felt a connection with Nature. I am in my comfort zone when I am surrounded by Nature’s amazing greenery…..

Mayo

Or the blue / greens of the ocean.

Achill Island

In my garden, I get a deep sense of pride and joy when the things I grow can, in turn, provide food for our beautiful bumblebees (and hoverflies)…

Bumblebee drone sharing Allium

.. Or butterflies.

Orange tip on chives

And when our unique Irish hares visit, it is an extra special day.

Hare

My wish is to stay always like this, living quietly in a corner of nature. Claude Monet

Inspired by this week’s Lens-Artist Photo Challenge – Nature

West of Ireland Landscapes

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Landscapes here in the west of Ireland can be dominated by grey, particularly in the winter months.

Lough Nafooey

But the clouds can break to reveal those extra browns and greens.

West Mayo

And if you are lucky the sun will break through, and the clouds will play shadows with the ground.

West Mayo

And if you are near water you will get those amazing cloud reflections, as lake water doubles up as sky.

Water lilies on lake

Unexpected

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It is always nice when a photograph turns out not as one expected. I like the way the flower emerges from the green below. I wouldn’t expect to find celendine flowering till late February. But here it is already showing it’s yellow head at the end of January.

Unexpected celendine

It is an exceptionally early spring here and flowers are already emerging. And despite the fact that a cold week is forecast, much of the winter has been very mild.