This week’s DP challenge is Look Up.
I have always found it delightful to look up while strolling the old UNESCO sites in the Baltic.
I like all the sites I have been, including Riga, Tallinn, Vilnius etc.
Everywhere I walk, if I look up, there is a good chance that I see flowers or something interesting.
Here are two examples; both interesting and delightful – beautiful red flowers on the walls!
Please enjoy🙂
It was a bit silly of me trying to walk under the sun for some exercise today when the temperature was hoovering around 33 degrees Celsius.
My walk was interrupted several times when I encountered these trees in blossom.
I can’t help taking out my camera to photograph these Flame of the Forest trees as they are the best I saw in years.
These trees were planted near to the Tai Po town area.
With a smart phone in hand and the fierce sun from above, I took photo of these trees.
The climate change has brought a lot of rain here in the last couple of months. This, I surmise, is the reason for all these blossoms.
A bright side of climate change?
Here are two pictures taken from my home – they show the same tree but at different season.
They belong to the family of Delonix Regia; but commonly called Flame of the Forest locally, although I believe they have different names in different geographies.
The one taken in Winter is striking – it is all bare with branches only; dripping to the ground.
The other one with flowers is taken today. I believe it will have more flowers in two weeks’ time.
In any case, there is a striking contrast!
This is the season for the blooming of the Flame of The Forest.
This morning, I have a delightful walk along the seaside promenade garden in Tai Po, Hong Kong.
My walk took me past this Flame of Forest tree. There are many around in the area while I was driving there.
These photos are captured with my smartphone; so please don’t expect them to be of very high quality.
I have always like these trees in full bloom.
In Winter, they shed all the leaves and the trees become bare.
This time of the year, they are just like a flame , on tops of the trees.
Understand that’s how they got the name – people looking from afar thought the trees are on fire.
What a beautiful fire!
Woke up this morning, I was wondering whether I should be making my morning hike as there were some thunder storms during the night.
The treks will be soggy and maybe even slippery.
We have the wettest April in 60 years and I have not been able to hike for worrying that the paths are too slippery.
The sun has come out and I decided to take a chance.
Half an hour into the walk, I noticed these white flowers fallen on the trek; they are still fresh and not trampled over. They look like a painting.
Continuing on, I was somewhat surprised by what I saw.
A little red crab was blocking my way. I was quite puzzled as I have never seen them before at this hillside location.
OK, the crab maybe 20 meters away from a mountain stream. I gather these crabs are amphibious. He was looking quite angry at me with his little bright eyes.
Then continuing on, deeper into the forest was this tree which still has some red maple leaves at this time of the year.
All I had was a smartphone. The tree is a bit out of focus, but never mind, I know my readers will forgive me with the somewhat blur picture.
Then I stumbled on some fungi or mushrooms on a tree stump. I know some of them are poisonous.
Towards the end of my hike, I found another tree stump.
It looks rather abstract, with some fungi attaching to it.
I was thinking of the theme for this week’s Photo Challenge – Abstract – does it look abstract.
I wish I had taken a proper camera with me.
Anyway, please enjoy the pictures – as much as I have enjoyed my early morning walk.
I am blessed to live near to mother nature when many others have to live in the concrete jungle.
From my home, I can see and sense the changing of the seasons.
Trees turning from fresh green to dark green, then take on colors before finally shedding them.
Some of them remains bare for a long time while waiting for the arrival of Spring.
Spring is a delightful time when the various flowers start to bloom.
They come in all colors. The common flower nearby is the Bauhinia Variegata.
There are so many flowers nearby which I couldn’t name them; but who cares.
Here are some photos I have taken recently while I was doing my daily walk.
Please enjoy!
I am thinking of another visit to Hokkaido, Japan.
It is a place I don’t mind visiting and re-visiting.
It looks so much like Europe!
Again, the picture was taken with my first generation of electronic compact camera.
