AlexaZari

Peach coloured hollyhocks against a brick wall

An Indonesian sarong woven in Ikat technique and dyed in indigo. Ikat is a resist dyeing technique by means of binding either the warp or the weft fibres prior to dyeing - or both, in which case it is called 'double ikat'. The patterns achieved with this technique are characteristically 'out of focus'. Ikat weaving is widespread in West Africa, South America and South East Asia.

Pastel painting of colourful punting boats in Oxford, UK.

I saw this quaint little house on stilts in a garden in the Somerset village of Curry Rivel, UK

Partial view of a rusty thresher (Nikon Coolpix p510)

Partial view of a big thatched cottage in a Somerset village, England

A window on Piazza Navona in central Rome, Italy, with the allegory of the South-American river Rio de la Plata which is part of Bernini's 'Four Rivers Fountain'. (The Rio de la Plata is sitting on a pile of coins, a symbol of the riches America could offer to Europe (the word plata means "silver" in Spanish). Also, the Rio de la Plata looks scared by a snake, showing rich men's fear that their money could be stolen.) (Nikon Coolpix P510)

A windowed turret of a villa on the shore of Lake Thun from which one has a beautiful view across the lake to the little town of Spiez with the Alps behind it.

Lilypads in a pond in a soft afternoon light (Nikon Coolpix P510)

Close up of my most faithful garden visitor

Two monks heading towards the main temple of Labrang monastery for the daily assembly. Labrang monastery (Gansu Province, China) houses approx. 1800 monks; walking around its vast and fascinating complex of temples, retreats and living quarters one encounters monks at every corner.

Two white dahlias with pink cores

Two bridges over the Landwehrkanal near Kreuzberg in Berlin, Germany

three physalis fruits against a dark brown background (Nikon Coolpix P510)

A cuddly duck on a bed of lily foliage

Pastel painting of a sandy beach of the Scilly Islands, Cornwall, UK

A handmade doll with wild red hair and big dreamy eyes

I saw this adorable little kitten in Beijing, China - and would have loved to bring it back with me to England. But...

Tree branches with white blossoms against a blue sky

Two yellow daisies with a background of white dahlias (selective colouring)

These three leeks won first prize in last week-end's Taunton Flower Show. They were ... uncannily enormous; I wonder if they are edible at all. (Nikon Coolpix P510)

In certain areas in the Alps, big boulders have to be held together in wire nets to prevent landslides.

Detail of an old swimming pool with a rusty ladder (Nikon Coolpix P510)

Detail of the corner of a white house, seen in Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic.

Spotted this colorful scene while walking through the streets of Cadiz in Spain. Nikon D5200; lens: AF-S Nikkor 17-55mm

Close-up of bluebells and their green leaves

Close-up of a green Somerset apple on a branch, UK

Nikon D5200; lens: AF-S NIkkor 18-55mm The small Church of St Andrew, in the little Somerset hamlet of Lilstock has just two rows of pews and features a 14th-century chancel arch which is the only remaining portion of the earlier church demolished in 1881 when the present structure was erected. The church was restored around 1993 but only holds one service a year. The most recent baptism in the church was in 1881 and the most recent wedding was in 1834!

The 'Nereid' by artist David Nathan. It stands on Kingsway in Cardiff, Wales, UK. Someone has put a sock on her right foot, a detail I only discovered at home when I viewed my pictures. That should teach me to look more closely at things! Nikon D5200; lens: A-S Nikkor 17-55mm

Drying Up

Detail of a tiled roof with two windows, seen in Prague, Czech Republic. (Nikon Coolpix P510)

A light purple cosmos flower seen from behind

A Victorian building in front of a modern highrise, seen in Cardiff, Wales, UK

This is the ship one takes to cruise lake Geneva and exploring French and Swiss shores.

Metal ladder leading up to the old watertank belonging to the vintage railway line of West Somerset Railway (UK), against a dark rainy sky (Nikon Coolpix P510)

The famous Golden Hill of Shaftesbury in Dorset, England, with views across the Blackmore Vale. (Nikon Coolpix P510)