Summer bugs!

Summer time, bugs' time. Bugs, bugs everywhere, in all shapes and forms, crawlers and flyers alike, Nature's little living ephemeral jewels, battling the colours of seasonal wildflowers with the most diverse tints, tones and patterns of their own. Summer's fun and beautiful.

Garretstown Woods, Cork, Ireland

2020, June

Mullinhassig Woods and Poulanassig Waterfall

A small water stream, with it's occasional moods, breached the landscape into a deep ravine. In this valley, a forest is kept safeguarded from the elements. Not so much from man... Mullinhassig Woods and the humble but attractive Poulanassig Waterfall were a nice find quite close to Cork.

By the way, some say a mermaid, in the form of a salmon, lives somewhere in this waterfall's pool. Couldn't find it…

Aghavrin, Cork, Ireland

2020, June

His favorite spot

Along the entire Bandon River, that's his favourite spot. Here one can observe time flowing with the waters, the river shaping its banks, finding ways around harder geologies, carving a winding valley throughout the ages. Here, there's no rush to things. The bird does not force itself upon the river, the bird does not pursue the hunt, the bird calmly waits for the catch, and opportunity layed right beneath him, a fisher at its highest mastery. And this was the closest I ever got to him.

Bandon, County Cork, Ireland

2020, May

Daffodils, a lot of them

A local field was massively planted with daffodils, meant to be harvested for spring time festivities. These were canceled, the daffodils were not... And here they stand, proud in their numbers, yet fragile in each stem, rendering their humble admiration to the glorious Sun. At night, even in the dark, I can notice them. If the wind favors, their perfume floods the surroundings and the entire town (it's really a lot of daffodils!). They are a festival by themselves!

Bandon, County Cork, Ireland
2020, April

Fighting darkness

The Sun bursting its way through a forest, fighting shade and filling darkness with its light and warmth. One can find so many analogies to life itself in such a dramatic display.

Gougane Barra, Ballingeary, County Cork, Ireland
2019, October

Slug life
Or just one of those miniwonderfull things that you discover while walking in a forest.

Gougane Barra, Ballingeary, County Cork, Ireland
2019, October

Be different!

Be different! It makes you much more interesting. In a forest essentially composed of very tall spruces and other evergreen species, a smaller deciduous tree stands out, gloriously reflecting sunlight from its autumn dressed leaves.

Gougane Barra, Ballingeary, County Cork, Ireland
2019, October

Tributary to a great river

Many great rivers start just like this, A small rain fed stream flowing down and jumping around a rough hill side. This is one of the many tributaries that build up to become River Lee still at its source, deep down in Gougane Barra glacier valley.

Gougane Barra, Ballingeary, County Cork, Ireland
2019, October

Blessed by the Sun

No wonder that, in the 6th century, a monk decided that this would be a great location for a monastery. St. Finbarr, however, that to expel a certain giant snake from the local grounds first... A closer perspective I took before the valley panorama I previously posted. At this moment sunrise had just emerged, yet the Irish winds were still asleep, leaving the lake undisturbed.

Gougane Barra, Ballingeary, County Cork, Ireland
2019, October

Light over darkness

I could see it, feel it, and experience it, moving in and across the landscape, downwards into the chilled, undisturbed lake. Slowly, determined, resolved to overwhelm shadows and fight off all its demons. Sunlight gradually creeped in, casting its blessing and warmth upon darkness and all those who inhabit the glaciar valley and the forest within. An astronomical blessing.

Gougane Barra, Ballingeary, County Cork, Ireland
2019, October