Nimavenl - Nicole's Random Ramblings

This week's Photo Challenge photos are here! When posting about this week's Photo Challenge in my earlier post on Friday , I wrote about possible topics. I really should make it a habit to decide on topics earlier in the week, that would probably make these Challenges a lot easier! "While "Summer" would probably be the most logical topic for this week's Challenge, I'm considering other options as well. Options such as Rain, Sunshine, Heat Wave and Ice Cream. Although "Ice Cream" would probably be too expensive seeing I'd have to buy all the ice cream before being able to take photos of it! As you can see from this post's title, I decided on Sunshine as the topic for this week. Mostly because today's sunset was simply stunning, although not all of the photos were taken today. Either way - Enjoy this week's Challenge photos! Sunshine on the Water Sunshine through the Tree Sun shining on the Tree Sunny sky...

Biking home two days ago, I couldn't help myself and simply had to stop to take a photo of the setting sun, shining up from behind a cloud. That evening I saw two photos on Facebook that showed the same sky, photos that were taken over twenty kilometres away from where I took this photo. It made me wonder how many people saw (and loved!) this beautiful sunset. How many looked up in wonder, how many smiled, how many stopped, even if only for a minute,to gaze up in amazement? How many stopped worrying, stressing or running around and just spent a moment adoring nature and the beauty on display in the sky above? Shining Sunset Sky | Nimavenl

Today's Random Act of Wildness: Reading a book in the sunshine.  Not very wild, nor all that random. Still, I enjoyed myself and was happy to feel the warmth of the sun shining down on me. I'm reading (well, re-reading) Seize the Fire by Michael A. Martin, the second book in the Star Trek: Typhon Pact series. Not a book about nature or animals, although it does include an interesting alien race called the Gorn who have claws and scales. Perhaps tomorrow I'll hug that tree , although the forecast says it's supposed to rain, so splashing through puddles might be lots more fun!

The Tunnel of Change | Nimavenl This photo of a wall, some grass and a few trees was taken coming out of a tunnel. It's a tunnel I walk or bike through several times a week, a tunnel that always makes me smile as coming out of it (on either side) provides one with an amazing view of the world. On one side is a very Dutch polderscape - water, a bridge, a mill and a beautiful view of nature. On the other side is city life - a train station, buses and cars, flats and houses and people rushing around living their lives. For me, going through this tunnel signifies change, which is probably why the setting inspired me to write the following words: It may be dark, you may be going through a tunnel or a valley. Your life may be changing in ways you can't imagine and never thought possible. Whatever you're going through, whatever's happening in your life, whatever changes you're facing - Remember to stop every once in a while, to smile and cherish the journey life is t...

When I arrived in Auckland (New Zealand) as a fresh-faced and innocent 18-year old over a decade ago, I was determined to do everything my way, which means I checked into a backpacker hostel. There was a woman at the desk who welcomed me to the hostel and to the country. I don't remember her exact words, however as people do, we talked briefly. About New Zealand, about my flight, about the facilities at the hostel, about the weather... Yes, I'm very happy to be here...   My flight was fine, thanks...   Yes, I've been here before...   No, I don't need a map, I know the city... What I do remember is that she mentioned that Auckland weather was like four seasons in one day. Seeing I'd lived in Auckland before (and was raised by a Kiwi!), I readily agreed and thought she'd come up with a very clever way to describe Auckland's weather. The words sounded familiar too... What I found out later was that the woman at the hostel didn't come up with those words on...

Grijze lucht... Af en toe wat zonneschijn door het wolkendek heen... Ben benieuwd of we nog iets te zien krijgen! Zo ja, dan moet het er, volgens de website hemel.waarnemen.com ongeveer uitzien zoals op dit plaatje. Fingers crossed !

Around Alkmaar 01 A photo posted by Nicole M. Verhaaf (@nimavenl) on Jul 22, 2012 at 2:38pm PDT