Merry Christmas from Florida

Warm wishes from the beach here in Florida for a wonderful holiday and happy new year!

Driftwood Tree at Sebastian Beach

Iceland: Magical Snaefellsnes Peninsula

Mount Stapafell (Home of Elves). Rocky Point on Top is called Fellskross – a Viking Sign of Holy Powers

Svodufoss Waterfall

Icelandic Sheep in Meadow

Northern Coast of Snaefellsnes Peninsula

Seagulls on Cliff Overlooking Ocean

Arnarstapi Cliff Nesting Birds

Black-Legged Kittiwake Eggshell Dropped on Land

Ondverdarnes Lighthouse at Western Tip of Snaefellsnes Peninsula

Striking Skardsvik Golden Sand Beach in Black Volcanic Landscape

Snaefellsjokull Volcano and Orange Sky at Midnight in June

Snaefellsjokull with Dramatic Clouds

Iceland’s Snaefellsnes Peninsula is an enchanting place.  We find more places to go every time we visit.  The birds – the sky – the coast – and the ever-present Snaefellsjokull volcano make for a magical place.

In the Sjominjasafn Maritime Museum we saw a display with a beautiful quote by Halldor Laxness, World Light:

“Where the glacier meets the sky, the land ceases to be earthly, and the earth becomes one with the heavens; no sorrows live there anymore, and therefore joy is not necessary; beauty alone reigns there, beyond all demands”.

 

Iceland: Incredibly Scenic Churches

Hofskirkja in Fairy Tale-like Setting (1 of 6 historic turf churches remaining in Iceland)

Magical Hofskirkja in Back

Hofskirkja in Front

Hofskirkja Burial Mounds

Hofskirkja Cross

Vik i Myrdal (Vikurkirkja or Vik Church) and Purple Lupines in June

Colorful Hvalneskirkja (Stone Church)

Olafsvikurkirkja (Olafsvik Church Hofsos) Shaped Like a Ship near a Fishing Village

Olafsvikurkirkja Bell Tower (triangle theme reflects holy trinity)

Budakirkja (Budir Black Church) by Volcanic Cinder Cone

Ingjadlsholskirkja (Independent Church) at End of Lonely Country Lane

The churches in Iceland are incredibly scenic and beautiful.  They often sit on a hill overlooking the ocean.  You can feel the history of the place as you stand in some of these remote locations.  “Kirkja” means church in Icelandic.  An excellent article about Icelandic churches is at:  https://guidetoiceland.is/best-of-iceland/churches-in-iceland  Previous blog posts about Icelandic churches are at:  https://naturetime.wordpress.com/?s=iceland+church

Return to Beautiful Iceland!

Puffin Statue near Skogafoss

Skogafoss Waterfall

Fjadrargljufur Canyon

Seljalandsfoss Waterfall

Svartifoss Waterfall with Rainbow

Mount Kirkjufell with Cotton Grass

Heath Orchid

Icelandic Horse Portrait

Icelandic Horse Family

Arnarstapi Lava Cliff

Midnight Sunset

In June we visited Iceland again (our third trip) – the photography opportunities are that good!  The weather was great, and the sights were amazing!  Some of our favorite photos are included with this post (click to enlarge).

Spectacular Dawn Rocket Launch!

Long Exposure of Rocket Trail Illuminated by Sunlight Below Horizon

Close-up of Rocket Plume

Rocket Trail “Space Art” as Seen from our Backyard Pond in Palm Bay, Florida

We watched a stunning rocket launch yesterday at dawn here on the Space Coast of Florida!  An Atlas V rocket blasted off at 6:13 am and successfully placed a communications satellite into orbit.  Sunlight from below the horizon lit up the rocket’s exhaust plume and ice particles formed from it at high altitudes.   The resulting effect was spectacular space art in the sky – WOW!

Spectacular Night Blooming Cactus Flowers!

Cactus Flowers Surround Palm Trunk

Cactus Flower Trio

Side View of Night Blooming Cactus Flower

Close-up of Night Blooming Cactus Flower

So Many Cactus Flowers

Cactus Climbed Palm Tree (raccoon on lower right)

Our night blooming cactus put on the best show ever on Sunday night – over 60 huge flowers were in bloom!  This snake vine cactus (Selenicereus pteranthus – Princess of the Night) is only 7 years old and grew from a tiny cutting.  Moths pollinate the flowers.  What a spectacular sight!  (click any image to enlarge)

UCSC Arboretum: Unusual Flowers

Female Anna’s Hummingbird at Bridal Heath

Pink Poker Grevillea

Clusters of White Eucalyptus Flowers

Common Pagoda

Grevillea Robyn Gordon

Rose Coneflower

Bishop Tutu Protea

Allens Hummingbird on Protea Bud

The diversity of plants at the University of California Santa Cruz Arboretum is amazing!  There are unusual flower shapes that you could never imagine.  The hummingbirds are especially abundant too – it is a photographer’s playground.  It is well worth a visit.  More info is at:  https://www.santacruz.org/a-stroll-through-the-arboretum/