I would like to encourage my blogging friends to join the Lens-Artist Weekly photo challenge. It is the hard work of 4 enthusiastic (and esteemed) photo bloggers. You can read more about these ladies and how to go about this challenge by clicking on the link above.
In the context of my interpretation of this weeks theme being Wonder, I will admit that I became a bit fired up when WordPress decided to discontinue the Weekly photo challenge. But the reality is that AUTOMATTIC is a business and it is their right to channel resources somewhere else, but not informing the WordPress photo community of an eminent closure, say at least a month ahead, left me a bit cold. Fortunately we can now warm up to a new photo challenge.
I was fortunate to join 4 of my male friends, for a “DA MAN” weekend – I got that term from Tina Scnell one of the moderators of this challenge, after I informed her of a technical glitch regarding a post. All of us are married thus it was done with our wives’ blessing (they allowed us to go that is). I will certainly write about our adventures in a separate post, but these photos were taken during that weekend. On the Saturday morning I got up while the others were still sleeping at “Krabgat”, a cottage on a friend’s farm who invited us there. All the photos where taken on this farm close to the town Riviersonderend in South Africa – winter in the Southern hemisphere.
I took photos of Krabgat cottage before in more dramatic weather and wasn’t really inspired and a bit down even wondering if I should be here. I strolled about 300m to take photos of bee-hives but when I got there was greeted with beautiful, contrasting and even ironic scenes.
Underneath is a disposed wheel of a farm tractor bearing the Firestone brand. Small crystals of ice were clinging to the letters and the Fire could not melt it. I bent down and was astonished to smell vanilla while I heard :
Ice ice baby, Too cold, Ice ice baby, Too cold too cold !
Was the fire being frozen or a case of ic(e)ing on the fire. Surely it couldn’t be someone with a hairstyle very different to mine telling the singer Vanilla Ice “you’re fired” – no can’t be, that would add petrol to the fire…
⇓But what inspired me most was the ice crystals clinging to all the leaves, be it grass or plants. These leaves, only a few centimeters in diameter, had small thorns protruding from the leaves and the crystals formed on each of them.
⇓When I look at the “work of art” knit together underneath, I can’t help but think of Psalm 139. I am sure if a human artist sculpted something like this it would receive great critical acclaim.
For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful Psalm 139:13-15
⇑These leaves were smooth, with less erratic edges, and the ice crystals framed it beautifully. Here two leaves combine to show me (and you) their heart shaped love, telling me something which humans may forget at times. The sun’s rays are reaching onto one of the leaves and will soon succeed in melting the crystals. As a small child I believed that toys became alive at night; well the ice crystals become alive at night. I do not think that living toys would give me greater pleasure than focusing on these plants and crystals. The early bird gets so much more than the early worm. Capturing these images transformed my mood and day without me even realizing it⇑
⇓The last rays of the sun was unsuccessfully trying to cling to the earth. Soon it would be gone and the shy ice crystals would come out and play. I need not wonder where the crystals were as I knew their secret and was ready to join in their game.
Well Abrie, you pulled out all of the stops for our first challenge. I love your subject at both ends of the day, and the ice crystals are amazing. And only someone who is indeed “da man” would have seen that little heart. Well done my friend!!
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Thanks Tina really appreciate your words and your regular across continental interaction. I hope a lot of people join the lens-artists
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WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Speechless
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Dankie Hannelie bly om jou hier te sien
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Ek hou van die detail in jou beskrywing
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Ek het dit in detail beleef 🙂
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Dis duidelik
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Sob pragtig Abie – die foto’s, maar veral die boodskap.
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So !
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Baie dankie Seegogga hierdie was werklik ‘n belewenis, ‘n bonus te midde van ons manne naweek.
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Kan dink jy was in jou eie wonderwêreld vasgevang. Dankie vir die vroeë uitstappie (terwyl ek definitief nog geslaap het.) Dankie ook vir die Woord!!!
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Plesier Kameel dit was ‘n besonderse inderdaad ‘n besonderse uitstappie en God se natuur het met my gepraat.
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Die fotos en die storie is on fire
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Baie dankie Positief. Ek was regtig bly om die yskristalle te vind, bevoorreg om te weet waar hulle wegkruipertjieplek is.
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Great pictures
Kind regards,
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Velen dank Rob.
It was really amazing to take these photos (a few of many) amidst the crispness of the cold.
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These are simply beautiful – thank you for sharing!
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Thank you for reading Anne
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Dankie dat jy hierdie met ons deel,Abrie. Dis powerful.
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Dankie Una. God se skepping het met my gepraat en dit was inderdaad powerful
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En dankie tog Hy openbaar Homself op soveel verskillende maniere aan ons!
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In hierdie tye van “‘vreemde” denke bly die openbaring van die kruisiging en opstanding van die die Here Jesus Christus via die Bybel steeds die grootste openbaring. Maar die Here spreek bepaald deur die skepping ook
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Beautiful read and photos – filled with wonder!
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Thank you Leya and thank you for your collaboration with the others to make this challenge a reality
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Such great captures.
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Thank you Rupali, good to see you also joined
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All lovely. The first cottage capture is beautiful in its simplicity. Love the closeup of the ice crystals. Then, the finale of the sunset behind the cottage. Wow! Thanks for sharing such awesome beauty.
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Thanks Irene. I used the photo of the cottage as my Whats app profile pick and my sister contacted me as she would like to make a painting of it
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Yes! It would make a beautiful painting.
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This is my first glimpse of your photos/site and all I can say is “Wow!” Gorgeous images and post. Needless to say, I’m delighted that you joined our challenge and contributed these inspiring moments of wonder. 🙂 🙂
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Thank you Patti and for making it possible
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Fantastiese blog en foto’s,Abrie!Daardie plaashuis,die kristalle…laat my woordeloos..
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Dankie Dina, gaan nog blog wat die “manne” gedoen het met o.a. ‘n Raka, Persiese en Steentydperk konneksie.
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Sien uit daarna!
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Hi Abrie, Thank you so much for the encouraging words of Lens Artists. A great pleasure of having you.
This is a beautiful set of photos. I love all your photos. The last one is breathtaking!
Thank you for sharing your adventure! 🙂
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Pleasure Amy. I like this type of challenge, some bloggers have lots of challenges and than I can’t make up my mind which one to take part in and personally I prefer to do 1 photo challenge a week
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Baie mooi foto’s en woorde.
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Dankie Liza
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Wow, Abrie, you took us on your trip in a capsule. I can’t quite imagine the I have photos of ice crystal next to my thermometer says 110 degrees F. Yes, we have a heart wave here but is leaving. I love the quiet morning of the cottage, taking a walk when the air is cool. Your photos of the crystals on the leaves cool me off here. And I love the sunset behind the cottage. Sunset always evokes emotions. 🙂
I appreciate all the photos (a few among many more). 🙂
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😀 Thanks Miriam. Abrie air conditioning to your service
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Yes, we need it. Thank you so much. Abrie!
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Verwonderlik mooi!
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Dankie tannie wonder Frannie
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It is nice meeting you and visiting your blog. It seems you have an eye for the various manifestations of light.
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HI Brenda thanks for the insightful remark. I have not specifically thought about it in that way, but yes I do have an understanding for the impact of especially natural light on a subject
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I liked the light on the barn….and also the ice crystals….because right now it’s close to 100F here in southern USA. But I’m on the lake so it’s OK…not looking forward to when we have ice here. Don’t want our summer to go too fast! Thanks for hooking us up to the photo challenge four bloggers!
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Thanks Dawn, glad I can link you and cool you off, it remains interesting to me that Americans (apart from scarce usage of the letter u 🙂 ), refers to Fahrenheit
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A wonderful celebration of nature’s patterns and textures, Abrie. Love your close-ups and your landscapes of the cottage at each end of the day are marvelous. Great post.
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Thank you very much Jane and it is wonderful having blogging friends just about at each end of the world
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I love the pictures with the ice framing the plants — like Winter meets Spring. I also enjoyed your thoughts about what you were seeing; it was like walking with a friend and savoring the wonder all around.
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Thanks MNL for joining my walk. I will try and take you on other walks as well.
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The pictures of the leaves and and sunset are just breathtaking. Especially I was wondered by the photos of something (a plant may be), which reminds a net. This looks like a masterpiece, actually it is – masterpiece which nature creates every day.
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Hi Lidiia, I am glad you are commenting about that specific photo, (the first person to comment about it in fact). Yes it is a type of plant and I also think is a masterpiece. Good to hear a voice from Croatia (especially yours 🙂 )
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Wow Abrie!! Magnificent. 🙂
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Thank you ally
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My pleasure Abrie…you deserve the applause.
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Ek kan maar net ook sê: wowwwww
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Dankie Dromer
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Excellent pictures.
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Thank you
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Wow, fantastiese fotos!
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Baie dankie, Linda
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That’s a fabulous start to the new challenge, Abrie. Absolutely gorgeous photos and a lovely read. All the best! 🙂
Wishing you a wonderful Sunday,
The Fab Four of Cley
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Missed this comment Dina, thank you very much – my fondest greeting to the fairies
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That last shot is simply amazing. Wow!
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Thank you Irene. The last shot is actually at the start of the actual hike to be seen in part 2
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Looking forward to part 2.
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Beautiful photography!
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Thank you Tatiana, glad you found your way to travel to my blog 🙂
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The two “plaas opstal” photos are stunning! 😉
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Dankie mnr Vosse ek het jou iewers langs die pad verloor. Dankie vir die inloer. Sal binnekort draai maak in Ireland (helaas slegs via blog)
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Die gebloggery… mense kom… mense gaan! Goed dat jy weer hier ‘n draai gooi, dankie! 😉
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