Nimavenl - Nicole's Random Ramblings

This week's Photo Challenge used photos taken on the same day and at the same location as last week's Photo Challenge photos. In a way, they're more of the same - photos of nature taken around the Noord Holland area in The Netherlands. Moss on a branch #01 Moss on a branch #02 Moss on a branch #03 A Touch of Red Fold Me Up Branches and Leaves It's A Fluffy World Flower Thistles on the Water Delicate in White

I have a confession to make. I didn't take many photos this week. Well, a few of the sunset and a few of some trees, but really - I didn't think that they were nice enough to share or even to edit profusely and then share. I've been busy reading books and honestly, reading has been so much fun that taking my camera out wasn't high on my list of things to do. Even looking through older photos to find some to share seemed like too much time away from my books. Seeing I decided on weekly photo challenges, I feel a little bad about not actually taking any photos, yet reading has been so much fun that I don't feel guilty or bad about not taking my camera out. So, instead of sharing more photos and works of art that aren't actually mine (yet still very awesome, cool, amazing, share-worthy and all that), this week I'm posting several older photos. Because, yes, I did look through some of my older photos after deciding that posting no photos at all would be worse ...

For this week's Photo Challenge I will be focusing on Trees. I like taking photos of nature and the natural world, flowers and trees , however (with regards to trees,) I tend to focus on branches as I still struggle a little when it comes to taking photos of entire trees that I actually like and want to share. After taking two (very similar!) photos of a tree that I actually liked (gasp!) and wanted to share with others, I decided that Trees would make a good Photo Challenge topic! When I started thinking about doing weekly Photo Challenges, one of the reasons was that I wanted to become a better photographer by challenging myself. As 'trees' is certainly a topic I want to work on, Trees it is! Here are the first two photos (of the same tree) - the ones I actually liked enough to want to share! More to follow soon! Trees #1a Trees #1b Update: I have no idea how, but I managed to hurt my ankle this weekend which made walking all over town to take photos...

A sea of green, leaves, sunshine, water and a bit of a blurry background. Not sure which of these two photos I prefer, which is why I'm sharing them both! I like adding quotes to my posts, quotes that mean something to me, that speak to me. Today, I looked for a quote about nature or about water, about green leaves and plants and the beauty of nature. I found many quotes I loved, however the one that stayed with me is the one I'm sharing. Somehow, it fits with my mood today. I found it at the Sustainable Baby Steps website. "For 200 years we've been conquering Nature. Now we're beating it to death."  - Tom McMillan Beauty of Nature #01 Beauty of Nature #02

Just a photo of a gorgeous-looking tree branch with some pink flowers. Nature is simply beautiful. Tree branch with pink flowers | Nimavenl

I took this photo of white flowers / white buds on a tree branch a few days ago. It was a warm and sunny day, the sky was a gorgeous blue and there was just enough wind to provide a pleasant breeze. A perfect day to stare up at the trees and the sky, to enjoy the beauty right there and all around me. I walk past this tree almost daily however rarely stop to actually look up at the beauty above. How much beauty and how many happy moments have I missed, walking past without looking up? White flowers can have different meanings depending on country, culture and context - purity and innocence, perfection, or death and mourning. A quick online search for the symbolism of white flowers tells me they are "Often associated with innocence, humility, and reverence" ( Teleflora ) as well as purity, honesty and perfection ( Flower Shopping ). Today all those meanings feel appropriate. As The Netherlands remembers those who died in World War Two , I am drawn to the diary of a young girl...

Some days I need to force myself to leave my camera at home...  Seeing the world through a lens is a great experience However seeing the world with my own eyes is even better! Still... Being able to share the beauty with others is amazing too! Blossoming Spring Colours | Nimavenl

I think that I shall never see A poem lovely as a tree. A tree whose hungry mouth is prest Against the earth's sweet flowing breast; A tree that looks at God all day And lifts her leafy arms to pray; A tree that may in Summer wear A nest of robins in her hair; Upon whose bosom snow has lain; Who intimately lives with rain. Poems are made by fools like me, But only God can make a tree.   ~ Joyce Kilmer, 'Trees' (1914) Beautiful Branch | Nimavenl

Walking through town yesterday I came across this stunning tree and couldn't resist taking a photo! A Tree in the City | Nimavenl

Tree Branch, Blue Sky | Nimavenl Here's another two photos from last weekend's Photo Walk. Well really, it's two versions of the same photo - the original and the edited version. This is the third time this week I'm sharing photos of tree branches and I'm as happy with this photo (or should that be 'these photos'?) as with the other two. On the 3rd, I shared two photos, as today an original and an edited version . Two days ago (on the 4th) I only shared a single photo - I liked the edited version a little better than the (slightly more boring feeling) original, to be honest.   Am very much looking forward to another Photo Walk this weekend, just not in the same location! Am hoping to capture some urban scenes and landscapes this weekend as well as photos of nature - I love living in a city with buildings that are hundreds of years old and am looking forward to spending some more time enjoying those buildings and learning about their history! Tree ...