Colchicum bivonae

801_7647 [Colchicum bivonae]

302_1967_Colchicum bivonae]

Colchicum bivonae is an autumn-flowering plant

that blooms from early September to mid-November

in mountainous regions (300-1300 m) of Italy, the Balkans and Greece

(but not in Crete or the Cyclades islands).

 

It becomes 10-15 cm tall

and produces beautiful, purplish-pink flowers

which grow single or in clusters of up to 6-7

with their leaves developing later in Spring.

Their long tepals (50-60 mm) are arranged in the form of a cup

and offer a beautiful sight.

 

Beautiful flower but also highly poisonous

due to the toxic chemical colchicine

that exists in all parts of the plant:

the leaves, the flower and especially in the bulb.

 Still, one of my favorites!

 

 

Sternbergia lutea

300_7091 [Sternbergia lutea]

 

301_3732 [Sternbergia lutea]

301_3652 [Sternbergia lutea]

 

Sternbergia lutea is a crocus-like, perennial, bulbous flower

endemic to the Mediterranean countries.

In Greece,

it is widespread in stony and dry locations, in scrub-lands, and in forest clearings,

usually at low altitudes.

It blooms from September to November

and may reach a height of 25cm.

Due to its beautiful golden-yellow flowers,

it is often used as an ornamental plant in gardens, and even in pots.

In the wild they grow solitary or in clusters.

 

The pictures were taken at the foot of Mt. Hymittos.

 

 

 

“Pareja” at the Colosseum

302_1201 [Deredia]

This image shows Pareja (Couple), a piece of work

by the Costa Rican master sculptor Jorge Jiménez Deredia.

It was displayed as part of an open-air exhibition of Deredia’s work

near the Colosseum in Rome in 2009.

 

Cast in polished bronze with a dark patina finish and featuring smooth, ovoid forms,

the piece captivated my attention.

The more I looked at the two faces, the more captivated I became.

It is hard to explain why, even today.

 

Much later,

I read that the artist had created these intertwined, serene figures

to symbolize serenity, unity, love and human interconnection.

 

I am sharing these images

in case anyone may have missed this exhibition of monumental works.

 

 

 

302_1201 [Deredia]

 a trimmed section of the image

 directing your eye straight to the two faces

 

 

 

302_1326 [Deredia]

 

an extra image from the same exhibition

highlighting Deredia’s artistic style.

 

 

Colchicum sfikasianum

804_1013 [Colchicum sfikasianum]

 

802_6942 [Colchicum sficasianum]

 

Colchicum sfikasianum is a perennial autumn flower,

endemic to Greece

in S. Peloponnese, Mt. Hymittos in Attica and in some Ionic islands.

It grows in sunny stony and rocky places

mainly at heights of up to 500 m.

When it is in bloom, it has no leaves. They appear in spring.

Its flowering, together with the Cyclamen,

signifies the beginning

of the new flower-shooting season for us wild flower photographers!

 

A note of caution!

All parts of the plant are poisonous, as is the case with all colchicums!

 

 

Two sides of the same "coin"

 

801_1309 [Kolokotronis]

While walking along Stadiou Street in central Athens,

I found myself standing beside this statue

and decided to photograph it.

The low angle of the sunlight and the strong contrast

turned the rider into a striking silhouette.

At first, I was pleased with the result,

but when I later looked at the image on the computer screen,

something about the rider's head looked odd.

I wondered why.

 

 

801_1309 [Kolokotronis]

 Curious to solve the mystery,

I processed the image to bring out some of the details

hidden in the shadows.

 

The rider's helmet emerged,

explaining the unusual shape of the silhouette,

and his identity became immediately clear

— at least to any Greek viewer.

 

The newly revealed details of the horse were an additional bonus.

 

For my non-Greek readers:

the rider is Theodoros Kolokotronis (1770–1843),

the Commander-in-Chief of the Greek forces

during the War of Independence of 1821 against Ottoman rule.

The statue stands in front of the Old Parliament building in Athens.

 

 

Lilium chalcedonicum

302_0801 [Lilium chalcedonicum]

 

A Lilium chalcedonicum in the process of flowering.

A new marvel is being born! Compare with the image below!

 

 This impressive, perennial wild flower is endemic to Greece

and to south Albania.

 

In Greece,

it grows in cool, relatively shady habitats at elevations of 500–700 m

on Mounts Olympus, Pindos, Taygetos, and Parnon,

as well as on several islands in the western Aegean Sea.

It grows to 90 cm tall

and from June to late August,

it produces 1–6 spectacular red flower heads, each about 5 cm across.

 

As a rare species,

it is protected under Presidential Decree 67/81,

which prohibits collection of specific rare flowers from the wild

for decorative purposes.

 

 

301_2920 [Lilium chalcedonicum]

 A spectacular and unusual flower head

with its characteristic curved petals that grow upwards

while the flower head is always turned downwards!

 

 

A street lamp and something else!

_MG_4579 [street lamp]
 

A beautiful old-style three-head street lamp.

 

In spite of its beauty, though,

what attracted my attention first was not the lamp itself

but a bottle hanging from it!

Now when, how, why, or by whom the bottle was placed there,

is up to anyone’s imagination to find out.

And certainly, you are free to try yours!

 

The picture was taken in a cosmopolitan European city.

 

 

 

Black and white in a color Photograph

 

DSCN1614 [B&W in a color photo]

 

I have to admit that

although I enjoy looking at quality B&W photographs,

I never take B&W photos.

However,

while I was strolling in a hotel garden in Acapulco some years ago,

I took the above picture

in which I unintentionally combined B&W with color photography!

 

Can you see what I mean?

🙂🙂🙂

 

Confession:

Personally, I found out only when I saw the picture

on the computer screen!

Ononis spinosa

301_3359 [Ononis spinosa]

 

Ononis spinosa (known as ‘Spiny Rest-harrow’ in English)

is a widespread, perennial, flowering plant

found mainly in southern temperate areas of Europe.

It is an erect shrub that hardly ever reaches 60 cm in height.

 

What attracted my attention to this plant in the field

was the shape of the flower

and its long woody spines (see red arrow above)

which can easily prick or scratch you if you touch them.

 

Contrary to its frightening spikes,

the flower is a delight to look at from close.

It consists of a large, upright, rounded petal

and two, small, lateral ones (Similar to flowers of pea-family plants).

The latter ones enclose a tiny, boat-like, structure

containing the plant’s reproductive organs.

The species is hermaphrodite: it has both male and female organs

and is pollinated usually by bees.

 

 

301_3360 [Ononis spinosa]

 In Greece,

this shrub is found in dry bushy places,

such as roadsides, rocky grounds and waste places.

It produces flowers that vary in color from pink to violet.

They are 1-2 cm long, and bloom in summer at heights up to 1900 meters.

 

The picture was taken on Mt. Hortiatis.

 

 

Papaver rhoeas

IMG_7529 [Papaver rhoeas]

Every spring, the bright red flowers of Papaver rhoeas,

or “The common poppy” as it is widely known,

bring color to fields, roadsides, and open ground across much of Europe.

It is one of the continent's most widespread wildflowers.

In Greece,

its vivid flowers are a familiar sight especially at low elevations.

Although the common poppy still thrives in many places,

it has become less abundant in cultivated fields

because it is often treated as a weed

and controlled with herbicides.

Even so,

its brilliant flowers continue to be

one of the most memorable signs of spring and early summer.

 

 

 

801_9353 [Papaver rhoeas]

 

This annual plant grows up to 60 cm tall,

blooms from March to June

and produces a vibrant poppy flower of 50–60 mm across.

 

 

 

301_9533 [Papaver rhoeas]

Despite its predominant red color,

the poppy bloom may appear in various shades of red.

 

 

 

IMG_0085 [Papaver rhoeas]

 

Each bloom has four silky red petals

which often have a black patch at the base.

 

 

 

IMG_7550 [Papaver rhoeas]

 The black patch is sometimes edged with white. 

 

 

801_4362 [Papaver rhoeas]

After flowering,

the blossom develops a spherical seed capsule

with eight to thirteen stigmatic rays.

 

 

 

Pancratium maritimum

IMG_8675 [Pancratium maritimum]

 

Pancratium maritimum,

commonly known as the Sand Lily or Sand Daffodil,

is one of the most attractive flowering plants of the Mediterranean region.

It thrives in coastal sand dunes along the Mediterranean coastline

and blooms from July to October.

 

 

 

IMG_8707 [Pancratium maritimum]

 

These plants usually grow in clumps

and can reach a height of about 50 cm.

Unlike most flowering plants,

their leaves are green during winter

but wither and dry up as the flowers begin to appear.

 

303_6801 [Pancratium maritimum]

The flowers are large, pure white, trumpet-shaped,

and remarkably beautiful;

a fact that maks them one of the most striking sights

on Mediterranean beaches.

 

 

IMG_8706 [Pancratium maritimum]

 

The plant produces three-sided fruit capsules

that release large, lightweight black seeds.

If carried into the nearby seawater,

the seeds float and are dispersed by sea currents,

allowing the species to colonize other sandy coastal habitats.

 

 

A monumental gate

FBHB 5640 [Monumental gate]

This monumental gate marks the entrance to the Roman Agora in Athens.

 

It was built in 11 BC through donations

from the Roman leaders Julius Caesar and Augustus,

whose names are inscribed on the stone block above the columns.

 

The entire structure was constructed from gray marble,

the same type of marble used to build the Parthenon.

 

Remarkably,

the gate has remained in exceptionally good condition

for more than 2,000 years,

despite being built without any connecting materials

between the marble blocks.

 

This is the view from the west.

 

 

 

803_9129 [Monumental gate]

 The same gate viewed from the east at sunset.

 

Please click on the images to see them in higher resolution.

Thanks.

 

If any one of you has missed my older post

of a detailed video presentation of the Roman Agora (13 min),

please click HERE.

 

 

Tulipa hageri

801_3873 [Tulipa hageri]

 

Tulipa hageri is a short (15-30 cm tall) perennial plant

found in the Balkan region.

 

 In Greece,

it thrives in damp meadows and on stony, grassy slopes of the central mainland.

It is noted for its vibrant red, cup-shaped flowers,

which are usually solitary and measure 30–50 mm across.

They typically bloom from March to May.

 

Despite being a hardy species,

Tulipa hageri is becoming increasingly rare in some areas,

while it still flourishes abundantly in others.

 

Here follow some pictures

showing Tulipa hageri at various stages of development.

 

All pictures were taken on Mt. Parnitha, in Attica.

 

 

801_3877 [Tulipa hageri]

 A hageri bud at an early stage. It will soon turn red.

[See next picture]

 

 

IMG_0056 [Tulipa hageri]

IMG_0235 [Tulipa hageri]

The flower in full bloom.

 

 

304_1749 [Tulipa hageri]

The flower retains its cup-shape, even when it is in full bloom.

It seldom opens fully.

  

 

304_1759 [Tulipa hageri]

 

 

Ictineo II

MG_4252 [Ictineo II]

 

The Ictineo II was a pioneering submarine built in 1862

by the Catalan inventor Narcís Monturiol i Estarriol (1819–1885).

 

Constructed from olive wood with oak reinforcements,

the vessel was 14 meters long, 2 meters wide, and 3 meters high,

capable of diving to depths of around 27 meters.

Remarkably,

it was the world's first submarine powered by a combustion engine.

 

The full-scale replica shown in this photo was built in 1992

and placed on public display at the Harbor of Barcelona.

 

Back in 2006,

every passing tourist seemed to raise their camera

to capture a picture of it—and I was no exception!

 

By the way,

Barcelona: Visit once, remember forever.

 

 

Paeonia mascula hellenica

301_9143 [Paeonia mascula hellenica]

 

Paeonia mascula hellenica is one of the three mascula subspecies

that grow in various parts of Greece.

It is a perennial that can reach a height of 80 cm,

grows in colonies,

and has striking white (or sometimes red) flowers that are 10–13 cm across.

It grows between 400 and 1300 meters above sea level

in rocky meadows and wooded clearings.

It is a highly rare plant

which has been used in medicine since ancient times.

Today,

it is used for ornamentation as well.

Sadly, the flowers have an overcollection problem.

 

 

301_9146 [Paeonia mascula hellenica]

 

 

301_9117 [Paeonia mascula hellenica]

 

The dominant white form of the flower …
 

 

 

301_9131 [Paeonia mascula hellenica]

 

301_9166 [Paeonia mascula hellenica]

 … and the rare, red form

 

The flowers stay in bloom for only two to three weeks

in the blooming season of late March to early May.

 

  

A petrified forest

[petrified forest 1]

 

A few days ago,

as I was mentally searching the Greek islands in the Aegean

for a summer vacation spot for my family this year,

my thoughts drifted back to a past trip to Lesvos.

Most of my memories of this island have faded;

yet, one thing remains unforgettable:

the striking petrified forest

that covers a large portion of the western part of the island

where more than 150 fossilized logs have been unearthed over the years.

My next idea was to show you some of these ancient wonders.

They were formed a staggering 17 to 20 million years ago

by a series of volcanic eruptions!!!

Take a look.

 

 

[petrified forest 2]

 

[petrified forest 3]

 

 

The people in the following images are not part of the tree logs! 😊😊😊

They were positioned there purely for scale,

allowing the viewer to better estimate the size of the tree logs.

 

 

 

[petrified forest 4]

[petrified Forest 5]

[petrified porest 6

[petrified forest 7]

This is a log of an obviously very tall tree.

Yet, I was reading in the papers that additional, even longer, tree logs have been found.

One of them is 19,5 m long

and is complete with its roots, branches and leaves!!!

 

All pictures above were reproduced from old analog copies.