Nature • Animals • Beauty
I keep saying March this year was windy and grey yet looking back it was sunny! Sunny and cold! The second half was grey and cold making it a long grey cold month. All month long it was windy making the light on sunny days so clear and so bright.
Spring was saying hello with goslings in Parc de la Ciutadella. It was cuteness overload as I thing 4 geese families had chicks.
The second half of February I used my mobile camera more than my camera. I’m not sure why. Maybe my camera was buried in my bag, maybe I didn’t want to seem like tourist.
Maybe I didn’t think the shot was worth my camera. I do that a lot only to later regret why I didn’t take it with my camera. My phone is just easier. Sometimes I can’t be bothered to get out my camera. Behind every photo however is a story. Be it basic as a reminder to go somewhere, a reference for later out shopping, evidence, the light, the scenery you wanted to capture forever. Even though most of the second half of February’s photos are from my mobile which in my eyes I can tell straight away they’re not as good, they have tales to tell.
There are parts of Barcelona even now and then I re explore only to be reminded why I don’t go there very often. Maremàgnum Centro Comercial is one of them. A mall in Port Vell, that’s always had a weird vibe to it. Sadly this time when I went about 1/3 of the shops had closed down. I have always though liked walking around wharf side. One of my favourite views of Barcelona is the row of buildings along Passeig de Colom looking from the port.
Every year the boating lake in Parc de la Ciutadella gets drained for maintenance. Last year someone released goldfish in the lake. You could see them flashing orange feeding the ducks. The seagulls as the boating lake drained, were going crazy fighting mid air for fish. I think more goldfish died out of shock being dropped multiple times than being eaten. Some the gulls, black headed gulls I think were amazing divers. They jumped a little in the air to dive head first into the water only for the larger gulls to steal the fish.
Continue reading “February 2022. The Long Short Month. The Second Half”I think there’s a British Seagull on holiday in Barcelona at the moment.
Que? For about 2 weeks occasionally I’ve heard a different sounding seagull. I’m used to hearing and seeing yellow legged gulls who sound like they’re laughing at you. This gull sounds like the UK, or rather beaches in the UK. That’s the first thing I noticed when I visited my parents last year back in the UK, the beach didn’t sound right. The gulls had a different voice. Maybe I’m imagining it, made they got swept here with the storms in March, maybe they’re just exploring for a while.
I’ve also seen more of a type of plover, I think ringed plover (I swear not I’m a bird geek! I just like to know the names of birds like I do animals!) at a spot where I run too. There was 1 and now there’s 4. I’ve never seen them before here so was curious. Same way that I’m not a bird geek, I got a bird ID book as I kept seeing different coloured gulls from the balcony last year. Turns, out they’re teenage gulls 🤦♀️.
Anyway, back in July last year baby fish clouds were still around and I was getting more comfortable being in the water. The visibility wasn’t so good most day. I was getting a little frustrated that I could never focus the camera on what I was shooting and that most of the shoots were grainy. Nat, you’re in the water and the water’s moving! Photography works differently in the water to on land. I still didn’t want to use flash to disturb the fish or to attract larger scarier fish!
On good vis days I had fun watching tiny fish who only kept the the bottom not bothered by the drama higher up in the water column.
Continue reading “Under The Mediterranean Sea: Late July 2021”Happy Easter!
Just when I thought I could put my winter coat away for a few seasons I was back in this week for a day. It’s now all washed and clean for next winter, however I messed up washing it. Something said, no washing machine. I ignored that voice. All the polyester filling has bunched up into clumps in the puffer coat. I know there’s no saving it. I liked that coat! Fingers crossed I can find one I like for next winter. Always listen to your gut, that inner voice!
Anyways, Weekend Friday Favourites, things that have made me smile or caught my eye.
I found about about acupuncture facials last year via 6BabeBeauty on Instagram. I know we all age, our facial bones change shape as we age and to be honest I don’t think anybody lies aging, but I think most like to look good for their age.
Facial acupuncture is a facial where the needles are placed are specific locations on the face to boost collagen, reduce appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, lift the skin and tonify deeper facial muscles (amongst other benefits) for about 20-25 minutes. I go to Aisha Acupuncture in Barcelona. She’s a great acupuncturist who also works with crystals. In addition to needles she uses a LED light mask that covers your face like a dome, followed by a sheet mask with a mircocurrent, finishing off with facial cupping. Ideally you should book about 8-12 appointments close together once a year, followed by an appointment every 3-4 weeks. I had the set of 8 and now go every month. It doesn’t hurt unless super stressed it does a bit initially when the needles are applied, but it doesn’t hurt. Sometimes I sleep, other times chat, cry or feel like I’m going inside my body in waves. That’s the only way to explain it. I sometimes when I’m drifting in and out of sleep, I feel like I’m going out my body. To feel the opposite, a sinking inside the acupuncture/massage table is alien to me. The first time this happened I saw a very scary kaleidoscope old face. Don’t let that put you off! It’s just my experience!
I know nothing will lift my outer lids without intervention of a lift, the effect afterwards is like a younger version of me! Cheeks back to volume, puppet lines gone. I can see when the 4 weeks is up, those lines and sunken cheeks back, however not as bad as the idea is over time to gradually lift and restore collagen. If you want a more natural way of delaying ageing, rather than fillers, botox etc try facial acupuncture!
Cat Graffiti
I started watching out of curiosity Derry Girls on Netflix and have been giggling the whole way through the series. Set in Northern Ireland in the mid 90’s it follows a group of friends attending an all girl catholic school and the crazy mishaps they get into each episode dealing with teenage life. Erin the main character family’s is just as crazy with their own mishap ways. If language isn’t your thing don’t watch it, but it just adds to the craziness of it. The fashion is great too (I’m old, I can remember the style but wasn’t cool enough to wear it!) and James, bless him, the English guy who attends the girls school as he’s English.
Continue reading “Weekend Friday Favourites 17.4.22”Happy Friday! Spring’s finally here!
Winter returned earlier this week which was weird as the light didn’t match the temperature. Yesterday it was around 21C when Monday it was around 10C. I hoping I can finally put away my winter coat for a few seasons. It’s nice to be in lighter weight colours and layers.
Last week was a slow week for favourites hence no Weekend Friday Favourites. This week I have enough to share things that have made me smile or caught my eye recently!
More Goslings!
This week I saw 2 more geese families! A family of 3 goslings and a family of 2 goslings! That makes a total of 7 baby geese in the park as I’ve seen another family recently with 1 chick. Sadly the family of 5 chicks lost 4. I swear nearly everyone that sees them cries out in awe!
Jasmine
Almost over night some of the many Jasmine bushes in the parks and along the beaches flowered! Jasmine is one of my favourite flower scents along with lilac. I smelt them before I saw them as the flowers seem smaller this this year. The scent is heavenly!
Karina More Facial Cupping Challenge
I recently reviewed Karina More’s Face Building Marathon that I’ve been doing for over a year and shared her newly released book to accompany the course. In May she’s releasing her 2nd course on facial cupping. For now the course is whatever price you wish to pay. From May onwards it’ll be a fixed price to be confirmed. Facial cupping can help amongst many things, reduce edema and body fat, detox, improve blood circulation, revive capillaries and recover collagen fibres. To be honest she had me at boosting collagen so I’m all signed up and have my cups ready.
Kristina Earnest #KE30for30 Challenge
Continue reading “Weekend Friday Favourites”
natjtan 