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As I wrote in my former blog, it’s like paradise here.....the combination ‘laissez faire’ nature, the architectural style of houses in small villages, the good wine and cheese makes that it feels like home when I’m walking around.....the only exception is the French language. Yesterday I discovered I field full of Green-veined orchids (Anacamptis morio) and in-between a few of the little and rare Early Spider Orchid (Ophrys Sphegodes) were growing. Near the field full of orchids, in the woods I discovered something else.....something ‘urban’ from long time ago that needed to be explored...... As you can see, it’s a car but can you solve the puzzle and let me know which car brand it is? I give you a lead, it’s a French brand!  For more 'urban' photography, please visit my chapter Rust In Peace.
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Yesterday, I arrived in my ‘beloved’ France and I was (and still am) overwhelmed by the accommodation (it’s on a hill with a spectacular view) and the beautiful nature around the accommodation......at least 100 orchids are flowering (3 or 4 species), Tassel Hyacinths are growing everywhere and while I found the first butterflies two male deer’s were ‘barking’ within 50 metres...... After a cold night with freezing temperatures and a clear sky, I walked into fairytale land this morning. On the other hill Belves is situated but due to the fog only a part of the church was visible and it seemed like it was floating.  Belves - Canon 7D; tripod, remote release, 350 mm, ND Grad Filter, 1/100s, at F9 and ISO100  Canon 7D; tripod, remote release, 180 mm, 1/6s, at F11 and ISO100 Yesterday evening I found two resting butterflies, a Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) and a Weaver’s Fritillary (Boloria dia), both very common butterflies but I was happy with them.
After I photographed the Weaver’s Fritillary this morning I suddenly noticed a white spot in the distance near the shrubs……a Wood White (Leptidea sinapis) on one of the many orchids. Unfortunately the orchid was growing too close to the shrubs and as I wanted to make a photo with backlight I‘m full of scratches now and my rain jacket is no longer waterproof......it's the first time that I'm not happy with my 180 mm lens. It feels like I have arrived in paradise....so I'm looking forward what the next two weeks will bring! After a long day and a lot of traffic jams on my way home, I needed a break so I visited the Cuckoo Flower area this evening and I was very very happy that I found two resting Orange-tips. As the area is surrounded by woods, it's impossible to combine the butterfly with a deep red sun but with my beanbag I tried to catch a bit of the red sky.  Canon 7D; beanbag, angle finder, remote release, reflector, 180 mm, 1/400s at F5 and ISO125 On my way to work it often happens that I see a beautiful nature setting without having a camera and/or lenses in the car. Last Thursday I saw some deer’s in the middle of a field and the conditions were perfect: a red sunrise with a lot of fog. The deer’s were silhouettes in the red fog and I was a bit disappointed that I had no camera with me! Yesterday morning fog and a sunrise was forecasted so I went up early and yes, the deer’s were there again but this time, unfortunately at the end of the field. The distance was about 800/900 metres, too far for a decent deer photo although I’m happy with the result. After the deer’s went into the forest (again somebody with dogs was walking around) and I was busy packing my stuff, a deer was keeping an eye on me at 20 metre distance.......  Canon 7D; tripod; remote release; 350 mm + 1.4 converter, ND Grad filter, 1/20s at F5.6 and ISO250 First, I read the sad story about Vargtass, a young wolf who was shot to pieces by Norwegian hunters/authorities followed by a cruel story about wolf hunting practices in the US. Wolfs are deer hunters and it is a big shame that they are not protected world wide! An other sad story is the Canadian seal slaughtering. 12 days ago the hunting season started and in only 9 days 43.182 young seals have been killed yet.....43.182!!!!! UNBELIEVABLE, that this is still happening in our civilized world! Like most of the wolfs, the seals die a brutal death. Sometimes I ‘m wondering if all the cruelty to animals will ever end but I believe that with HOPE anything is possible. A few days ago I gave a lecture about photography for children. I planned the lecture months ago with the intention to photograph subjects in nature.....unfortunately it was raining so I changed my plans and took the children to my home and tried to teach them something about photography. Unfortunately the group was too zappy and after 15 minutes I let it go......they photographed and moved almost everything at my home and I was glad that I had a very cooperative ‘assistant’.......my cat Grabou:  This picture is taken by one of the children and it was heart-warming seeing how sweet children reacts to (my) animals......they gave me HOPE!
Last Sunday, after I returned from the black Cartierheide, it became a beautiful day with a lot of sunshine, the first butterfly (Brimstone) of 2013 and a little red bug. Very often, the little things in life are precious.......like this ladybird on a flower.  Canon 7D; beanbag, angle finder, remote release, 180 mm, soft flash, 1/200s at F6.3 and ISO100 Enjoy the little things in life and one day you will realize they were the big things. Last Tuesday, early in the evening, I heard and saw a lot of fire-engines so immediately I knew that it must be a bush fire. It wasn’t the first fire as a few days earlier a big area of 25 hectare near the ‘Achselse Kluis’ got lost. From the website of the fire brigade I learned that 18 big fire-engines went to the ‘Cartierheide’, a well-known area which I visit regular. I was afraid that a lot of nature would have been gone. This morning, for the first time this year, my alarm clock went off early. Walking to the area and smelling the fire, two grumbling squirrels passed my path and it felt so good to be out that early and alone!  The burnt area measures 4 hectare and I was relieved seeing that the area of the Smooth Snake was not hit. Walking through the black part, I noticed that the rabbit-holes were used after the fire. As I was that early I was hopeful to make some sunrise pictures but again, and I think that is my destiny, the sun did rise on the ‘wrong’ side. Although I was using two filters (ND Grad) to see more colour in the air......it did not work out as I wanted.....or I’m too stupid!  When I was busy in my favourite low ‘getting dirty’ position I saw something moving in the corner of my eye. A rabbit was sitting in the black part and enjoying the sun; I changed my lens quickly and when I saw the rabbit in my viewer it ran away very quickly.......so I turned around and saw somebody with two big dogs......thank you Sir! In the meantime it was 8 o’clock and after the two dogs a lot of bike-riders and other people were entering the area.....time for me to go home.  4 hectares of heath have been gone but this is not the end but the beginning.......the beginning of something else!
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Jibt dir dit Leben mal een Buff, denn weene keene Träne. Lach Dir'n Ast und setz Dir druff und baumle mit de Beene.
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