The blue and green waters of Slovenia, with a dip into North Italy 💙
The colours, the clarity, the power and the serenity of this area is overwhelmingly stunning. This was my second visit to the Slovenia and it did not disappoint. Obsessed.
We begun our day with the most incredible views in warm sunshine for a picnic breakfast, followed by some meditation. It was unbelievable to get Lake Jasna mostly to ourselves. We followed this with a walk and sit at Zelenci national park, watching the fish in the sparkling blue water. Next we drove across the border to Italy where we had a chilly but picturesque stop off at Lago del Predil.. some snow around there in places, but driving the mountain roads, with constant wow views was a treat. Then we entered back to the heat and beauty of a waterfall stop off (can’t remember name!) where we sat for ages peering into the deep jewel like pool, butterflies and bees buzzing around us. Finally we travelled onto the blue waters of the Soca river and valley. In places the force of the water through the narrow gorges was frighteningly awesome.. I fell over here and had a little cry, not because of the fall, I actually don’t know why? Perhaps hormones? A long day full of joy (and tears), with lots of little stops and memorable moments appreciating nature.
Heavenly ✨
From golden hour to blue hour for Beltane eve ✨ featuring @astrid__ivy gorgeous wild garlic scones and the big flower moon rising 🌝
I totally didn’t take any pics and videos and the evening was cut short by a family situation (all ok) so I feel that I need to mark the start of the most beautiful month of May a little more. But work beckons now for two days. This week has been a lot with expensive van maintenance (Lil Betz is back home now) lots of driving and pressured photoshoots. I’m certainly not energised for a long shift today, but needs must. I’m looking forward to Sunday and Monday for some more nature immersion before a shoot in London and an outdoor branding shoot 🧡
The following week I am back to Malting Farm for a shoot and stay, so if anyone would be interested in hanging out and being in some pictures for me, give me a shout 🙏🏻
A balmy April evening at Lake Bled,
Slovenia 🤎
My travels are not ‘photography’ trips, so I don’t spend ages composing shots and really considering the finished images, but I do love to snap while I’m away and look back on great memories. Slovenia definitely has a piece of my heart ♥️
I kept noticing the glistening waxy new growth leaves on the ivy in my garden this morning. I was journalling, something I’ve committed to each morning, alongside some yoga and a lymphatic flow. This may sound like a ‘get me’ boast, but it’s really not because every day this week I’ve started my mornings well, yet the day slides into a chaotic mindset, which then becomes overwhelm and a languishing. I know it shall pass as this has been my life since I was 11, driven by hormones.. you’d think I would be used to it by now, but I’m still not.
A little bit late for Earth Day, but here’s some pretty pictures I took of the plot, my little sanctuary and piece of earth I am blessed to be the guardian of 🌍
The Mother Tree is beginning to bloom.. the land she
gently guards is full of life, putting on a vibrant green and purple show. The sweet scent of native bluebells fills the air, a nightingale melodically shouts ‘I am here’ and the ferns have unfurled to breathe the warmth in 💛
The woodlands are alive ✨
Slovenia 💙 the land of mountains, emerald lakes, blue rivers, waterfalls, forests and bears..
It was my second visit, I just love this country 💙 We also travelled into Northern Italy for a morning and drove the autobahn in Austria. The whole area is absolutely stunning.
We stayed by Lake Bled and enjoyed our usual mix of nature, peace, silliness, laughs, singing and dancing. Many more memorable moments made 💙
Puzzlewood is a mystical temperate rainforest in the heart of the Forest of Dean.. you’ll find rocky scowles covered in moss, lichen and ferns, with meandering pathways and magical staircases 🌿🤎
Isn’t it sad that we have destroyed much of our ancient rainforests here in the UK and we are still eating vast amounts of meat that contribute to almost 50% of deforestation worldwide each year (not including forests cleared to grow feed for said animals). I don’t think we’ll ever wake up to the damage we are doing. When there’s people on allotments using peat compost from the rare and ancient bogs in Ireland because they want a bigger yield, I don’t think there’s a chance in hell well change anything in my lifetime!
Anyway, this was a lovely visit 🫣😂
The Octopus Tree.
Chantry Park. Ipswich.
I believe this Cedar of Lebanon to be around 180-200 years old (don’t quote me on that). I expect it was planted at the time when there were many improvements made to the house and gardens here in the Italiante style. There had been a chantry on this land since 1509, owned by Thomas Wolsey’s uncle, but then along came reformation and the suppression of the Ipswich priories. The house and garden saw many owners and many changes until it was given to the people in 1928.
I have been feeling an urge to get back to visit this incredible tree, of which my images do it no justice.. in fact, it’s incredibly difficult to shoot, even more so at midday on a windy, sunny, cloudy, rainy, hailstone day! I am very much releasing my need to post aesthetically pleasing images onto my grid. Please send your well wishes. Seriously though, it felt important to post this, as I’ve had a bit of a funny week, the details I’ll leave out. But I needed to be with a being that could hold me however I showed up and trees always generously open themselves up to us. They don’t care if you’re sad or angry and even though this tree should feel dominant with its far reaching limbs, it actually feels to be very unassuming and quiet. It’s sat in this space for many years, not shouting ‘hey look at me’ but rather gently inviting you in to its embrace.. and it was just what I needed.
I am feeling more and more of a draw to be with and shoot difficult trees. A good reminder that nature is not here to serve us humans. And a lesson for me to post more of what feels important.
