A LIVING LANDSCAPE

| gaiainaction

Looking for signs of life whether in the past or in the now. This is what currently interests me in my photography. I’ve always been shy of taking photos of people, I have felt that it would be too intrusive, and because of my interest in nature I mostly take photos of plants, landscape or insects. This I enjoy. But recently it has come to my attention that I am always searching for signs of human habitation or activity, signs that the land has been worked, of structures having been used by humans; bridges, stone walls, gate posts, ruins, ancient pathways, old churches or houses or other structures. All these are interesting and give pleasure, not only from trying to find out more about them locally, from the internet or from books, but also from the sheer beauty of them.

My attention has been drawn by my friends and followers that you like to see this variety too in my blogs, and I find this very helpful and realise that by blogging and interaction with my other blogger friends I get to know myself better, and I define what I really want to record. I am grateful to everyone.

And so yes also on this walk last Saturday I did come across a broken old iron gate, rusty and fallen down, it has had its use in the past of that I am sure. And then I saw an iron gate post which is quite an unusual find around this area and I wonder how long it has been supporting this newish galvanised gate. Was this always a gatepost? Or did it start its life as something different on a farm in the area?

It is always lovely to see acres of crops, stretches of land that change colour according to the seasons and to what is grown on them, also fields or meadows sometimes with cattle. There is something so soothing and reassuring about a pastural landscape, I think that it goes very deep in a person, to see the land being used and crops being grown, it gives a deep feeling of safety and that all is still well with our earth despite all the environmental problems.

And then I spotted a red ribbon in this tree and it reminded me of an old tradition, not only in Ireland as I have seen it in South India too. People tie ribbons usually on hawthorn trees as a gift for spirits or fairies and as a symbol of a prayer or a wish granted, usually someone with an illness or unhappiness. This is done mainly during May around the feast of Bealtaine. I was quite surprised to spot this ribbon and it does add to the interest.

But here are also some of the wild flowers along my path, as always such a delight.

  • Field Scabious
  • flower of bramble
  • Sheep’s bit ?
  • Ferns in the distance
  • Silverweed
  • Meadowsweet
  • Rose-Bay willow herb
  • Hogweed
  • Some type of sorrel

It has been another glorious day today after a real thunderstorm yesterday with a heavy rain shower, but it is this rain that makes the countryside in Ireland so green, lush and beautiful. We very seldom get thunder here usually only one clap and done, but this one took half an hour with brilliant skies and fantastic lightning and afterwards when the sky cleared and the rain stopped all was still, and then a blackbird started to sing!

29 thoughts on “A LIVING LANDSCAPE”

  4. The artefacts on which you have focussed all have stories to tell. Once I plucked up courage to include people in my pictures I have been impressed by how many strangers are happy to be photographed. If they are not I happily delete the images.

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    1. I have always admired that trait in you, Derrick. I am still with Agnes about feeling intrusive. I have only just recently begun to include my family! I just assume it’s my introverted self, because I do believe most people would react as you say.

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      2. Hi Jodie, I also think that people these days are much more used to either taking selfies or getting photos taken by cellphones so Derrick made a good point indeed that people’s reaction might surprise us. Worth a try 🙂

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    2. Yes I can believe that Derrick, thank you for your feedback, much appreciated. I experienced what you say in India, people and especially young people were eager to get into a photo. But it seems to be different in the West, though I guess that I have not actually tried it much here.

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  6. You echo my thoughts about photography for I too prefer not to take photographs of people – also feeling it might be intrusive. So it is that my interest in photographing both natural and in man-made artefacts has grown until I feel the more I look, the more I see – and the stories that need telling mount up.

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    1. Yes Anne and that is interesting too, all these artefacts leave behind stories and it is fun trying to work them out and doing a little research and it is amazing what you come across. In fact it almost becomes an obsession, a pleasant one!

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    1. Hi dear Emma, thank you for your comment. I have always loved hogweeds and I am not afraid of them, love to look at them and include them in photos, in fact they are fascinating plants and they grow so large and tall. But I do know about the allergy that many people have and that it can burn your skin so I don’t pick them.

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  8. That gatepost is amazing, with the gate lashed on with a rope. The post is so ornate, it does make you wonder what it used to be. So interesting about the ribbon in a hawthorn tree. We had a song in the 70’s called “Tie a Yellow Ribbon ‘Round the Old Oak Tree” about a homecoming. And people still do that when people are coming home from war, of which there seems to be so many these days. Sigh.

    Your words and your photos are lovely, dear Agnes. So glad you are well. Hugs.

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    1. Thank you Jodie for your kind and interesting words. I remember that song too, fascinating isn’t it how humans will always invent something to either show their happiness or their sorrow…flowers or ribbons, going right into the distant past. Interesting. Thanks and I hope that you are well too Jodie xxx

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  10. Love your gorgeous photos, they are so perfectly framed and unique. Thank you for sharing them as some of us may never get to go to Ireland, and the pictures give us a glimpse of what we may never see.

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    1. Thank you Geri and thanks for following my blog too. I am delighted to hear that you enjoy my blog especially those posts about Ireland. I hope to do many more on this beautiful country. Maybe one day you might make it to here. Kind regards.

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