Traveling Crete #2

On the mountain roads we on more than one occasion ran into these goats with bells on their necks letting us know they were there. So this post is dedicated to the goats we saw 🙂

A Cretan mountain goats with a bell around its neck standing alone mountainside.

Shepherding is one of the oldest proffesion in Crete. Bells for sheep and goats were used all over Greece and Crete of course. 

The bells were the pride of the shepherd and they were used to monitor the sheeps and goats. The quality of each bell as well as their combination was very important so that the flock will sound harmonious.

Goat by the side of the road.

The Cretan bells are hammered bells with thin sheet metal and consequently have a low weight. In addition, they are plated with bronze and bronze which protects them from seawater. 

The sounds of sheep-bells allow sheperds to know whether an animal is grazing, drinking water, or trying to get away from something or even to locate animals that have been lost.

a small sample of the sound of the bells
Goat and a bell

All traditional hand-made sheep bells sound different.  These goats below we saw at Anatolikos Selinos.

This is going to be the one of many posts, so sorry 🙂 beforehand for the nearly same named posts.

Traveling Crete #1

After our trip as well as having back up issues, which are now solved, I got a summer flu. Not happy about it, it certainly has me tired.

I still am now aiming to get some pictures published. I will try to cover as much as I can, in the end I did not take all that many photos as I would usually take, but still I was able to capture some beautiful places and things. The flowers bloomed as it was early summer, the hills and trees were still green. I had not many expectations beforehand so I was nicely surprised of what this island had to offer.

Mountain views from Mousoura.

The first picture above is from Mousoura area, at least that is what came as the location in my mobile photos, I took shot with my camera and also with the mobile so I would have the locations to remember. The village in these photos, if I remember correctly, is mountain village Lakkoi surrounded by the beautiful mountains of that area

Greece, Crete, mountain village Lakkoi

This is going to be the one of many posts, so sorry 🙂 beforehand for the nearly same named posts.

Traveling Crete

I am back from my short vacation in Crete. I have some issues with ma back-up storage. So I have not been able save or even go through all my photos. I was rather good, I only pressed the shutter 701 times during the trip on my camera and some on my mobile 🙂

The week went by fast, we rented a car for three days so we got to see more than the beaches and tourist areas. I am going to post here one shot that I really like. It was on top of a hill in corner of the road leading up to the mountains.

Coffee break under the tree

This is going to be the first of many posts, so sorry 🙂 beforehand for the nearly same named posts.

Holiday

I am currently on my vacation here are few shots from my trip, but I will come back to this topic when I get back home. Oh by the way I am in Crete 😊

May 16th, Sunday

It was windy, the sky was gray with the sun coming out only for a moment every now and then. I loved the contrast between the green leaves and branches against the dark sky.

Birch tree branches

St. Michael’s Church

Yesterday while in last minute I was looking for a architecture find to post for 52 frames I also very quickly took photos of the church, I was planning to post shot of the library alone but ended up using a shot of both. I only had 20 minutes to take photos so I did not have awful lot of time to think about angels. Well I did capture the early spring green on the trees and as the leaves are still so small you can actually see the church too.

Kirkkonummi’s medieval stone church is located in the center of Kirkkonummi. The exact time when the church was built is not known, but the work apparently began in the 15th century. A wooden church must have previously stood on the site. Kirkkonummi’s church is named after St. Michael’s Church, after the archangel Michael.

St. Michael’s Church, after the archangel Michael.

Originally, Kyrkslätt’s church was very small. In addition to stone, brick was used as a material. In the 18th century, the church began to be expanded, and in the middle of the 19th century it was rebuilt into a cruciform church, the shape the church still has. The church’s belfry was built in 1824.

Bell tower

After the Continuation War, the Soviet Union claimed the Porkala area as a base, and Kyrkslätt’s church stood on the lease area. During the Porkala parenthesis 1944–56, the church was used i.a. as an officers’ club and warehouse. After the Soviet era, the church was in poor condition.

Headstone of Olga

Immediately after the area was returned to Finland, the church began to be repaired under the leadership of Olof Hansson. Then the interior of the church was completely renewed in the 1950s style.

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Spring

It is finally here 😊spring! The beautiful new green is pushing through. The birch trees look lovely with light green leaves the grass is fresh green, small flowers are emerging from the soil. I feel myself coming alive. Today is sunny and warm, i am embracing this yearly miracle. T cleaned the dust from the camera, I am ready once again to capture the beauty of this season.

My hands are itching to get started

Easter Sunday

Let the photos show our Easter 🐣 activities. It was sunny but rather cool, but we had coffee

at Löyly outdoor deck enjoying the ✨ sea.

We enjoyed Late lunch at Sea Horse , a restaurant serving traditional food since 1932

Same, continues

I have not done much, so only thing I’ve really taken photos of is my flowers. They are beautiful so why not. Tinka enjoyed them too.

A touch of spring

We are having a beautiful day with temperatures on the plus side and you can hear snow melting, but do we still have lots of it to melt.

3 pm

My husband was doing his best to give the spring help by making creeks so that snow and ice would melt quicker

Details

As I was taking minimalist photos, I took these of some costume jewelry, I don’t know if these really are minimalist, but I like them enough to post them.

Memory lane- Oregon #4

At first I will take you to the Oregon coast line, unfortunately I do not recall what beach or location other than coastline, at the time I did not write them down, for me it is enough that they are beautiful locations and loved the views. These are from 2013, might not look the same anymore

This is the second last post from this location, but it was such a great spot so obviously I have tons of photos. You can see the Heceta Head Lighthousee in these

Heceta Head Lighthouse

Heceta Head Lighthouse from further away

I would love to travel see new beautiful places, but I cannot due to the pandemic, so I am on a memory lane trip to some of places I have been. Hope you will join me on the scenic tour of lovely places.

Heceta Head Lighthouse
Heceta Lighthouse Bed & Breakfast

Check this out

Ritva Sillanmäki Photography's avatarART BY RITVA

My work is also available at

The NO MIDDLEMAN ART GALLERY is designed to connect art seekers and collectors with artists DIRECTLY. The gallery is not a mall, but instead a collection of remarkable works of art that bring together artists and potential buyers.

Following Edge of Humanity Magazine‘s footsteps of publishing unparalleled content from artists and photographers worldwide, the NO MIDDLEMAN ART GALLERY is on a mission to provide it’s viewers art that is unique and diverse.

Wall rose

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52 Frames Week 1 – Selfie: Sick and tired

I got it, my hubby got it and my son too. I did this for a challenge but it is appropriate for saying, I will not be all that active in next few days

Memory lane- Oregon #3

At first I will take you to the Oregon coast line, unfortunately I do not recall what beach or location other than coastline, at the time I did not write them down, for me it is enough that they are beautiful locations and loved the views. These are from 2013, might not look the same anymore

This is the second last post from this location, but it was such a great spot so obviously I have tons of photos. You can see the Cape Arago Lighthouse in these

This is the second last post from this location, but it was such a great spot so obviously I have tons of photos. this is the

Driftwood

I would love to travel see new beautiful places, but I cannot due to the pandemic, so I am on a memory lane trip to some of places I have been. Hope you will join me on the scenic tour of lovely places.

Cape Arago Lighthouse
Lighthouse on Oregon coast

Memory lane- Oregon #2

At first I will take you to the Oregon coast line, unfortunately I do not recall what beach or location other than coastline, at the time I did not write them down, for me it is enough that they are beautiful locations and loved the views. These are from 2013, might not look the same anymore

Beach

I would love to travel see new beautiful places, but I cannot due to the pandemic, so I am on a memory lane trip to some of places I have been. Hope you will join me on the scenic tour of lovely places.

by the sea

What winter looks like

At night before I closed the blinds it looked like this, so pretty

Night time
Snow covered oak tree

Memory lane- Oregon

I am sitting at my desk watching the snow fall and dreaming of sunshine and warm weather.

So, I was going through my archives, again, for photos that I haven’t really edited. So I edited them. I have lot’s of photos that I have not taken that need a closer look. Some need to have the horizon straightened, maybe add little contrast and light. So I have done that. Touch here and there.

Oregon coast

I am so restless, I would love to travel see new beautiful places, but I cannot due to the pandemic, so I am on a memory lane trip to some of places I have been. Hope you will join me on the scenic tour of lovely places.

Rocks at the beach

At first I will take you to the Oregon coast line, unfortunately I do not recall what beach or location other than coastline, at the time I did not write them down, for me it is enough that they are beautiful locations and loved the views. These are as far as 2013. we were visiting my sister in Canada, she lived near the US boarder so we decided to take a trip to see Seattle and Oregon while we were so close.

Independence Day

That’s it, Independence Day here Finland is cold and dark, but candles are traditionally placed in the window, mine are in front of the blue waves

Ink Oil Paintings

Ritva Sillanmäki Photography's avatarART BY RITVA

As I have tried to stay away from the computer and monitor, due to the light being so bright for my eye at the moment, eye saving mode makes it so yellow that there is no point playing with my photos.

My very first attempt at oil ink painting

I have been trying to learn a new technique – oil ink painting. Abstract Art. It is so much fun, but harder than I thought. I tend to put too much color in them, I do like colors 🙂 . Well I have only tried 5 papers, so it is to say that I hardly have any experience. Simplicity it the the key here too, which I have not yet learned.

Here are some of my attempts 🙂 for your enjoyment or not. I am still sharing!

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How to survive November 2021 Day 10

I did find something green in the end, I found a bowl of green lollipops that was an answer to my silent wish.

Magic of green

Green at my art blog 🙂

Ritva Sillanmäki Photography's avatarART BY RITVA

Magical green woods

just a dapple

Green is the theme of the month on my photography blogRitva Sillanmäki Photography so I tried to create art in greens here too. Hope you enjoy it.

This one started quite simple, then I had an urge to try to take it a bit more into dapple like feel.

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How to survive November 2021 Day 4

Pear, so sweet and shapely and like me, Bottom heavy 🙂 It is green, I am not.

Shopping carts

Our favorite month, November! This year we’ll get rid of gray by painting the month in green. Lepis from Parallel lines has hosted this challenge for years, I have been part of it for several years too, feel free to join us 🙂

Pear!

Open your world to a green November and enjoy your creativity. How you do it is free as long as it’s green!

How to survive November 2021 Day 3

Surprise, I went to the grocery store 😀🛒only to find green everywhere

Shopping carts

Our favorite month, November! This year we’ll get rid of gray by painting the month in green. Lepis from Parallel lines has hosted this challenge for years, I have been part of it for several years too, feel free to join us 🙂

I saw green 🍀🍃☘️🍃

Open your world to a green November and enjoy your creativity. How you do it is free as long as it’s green!

How to survive November 2021 Day 2

Our favorite month, November! This year we’ll get rid of gray by painting the month in green. Lepis from Parallel lines has hosted this challenge for years, I have been part of it for several years too, feel free to join us 🙂

Open your world to a green November and enjoy your creativity. How you do it is free as long as it’s green!