Nature at her best

Oops! I’m a day behind on my A-Z Challenge post for the letter N! I had intended to write it yesterday – honest! As it turns out, I ran out of time. I went to visit one of my dearest friends yesterday morning for breakfast. Arriving at 9am, the idea was breakfast with her and her three children and a bit of house hunting …. fast forward and next thing I know I’m only just arriving back home at 10pm. Long breakfast!

Anyway, moving right along. Instead of doing one of my usual travel snapshots I thought I’d do a more general post highlighting the beauty of nature, from a photographic perspective (similar to my post on Journeys). But first …what is nature?

nature

noun

• the phenomena of the physical world collectively, including plants, animals, the landscape, and other features and products of the earth, as opposed to humans or human creations.

• the basic or inherent features, character, or qualities of something.

I love the outdoors. And I don’t just mean getting outside and doing things, I mean I like looking at nature. I’m probably not alone in saying that I love sunsets – that dazzlingly stunning light show we are treated to each evening, it just leaves you feeling a sense of awe. Sunrises are often just as beautiful but I’m not a “morning person” so I don’t see as many of those as I’d like! I also have a real fascination with trees, I know … I’m a little odd perhaps 🙂 But ever since I was a child I’ve been drawn to them – their size and shape, their twisted bark and unique shapes … like a fingerprint. And there’s something so appealing to me of the “lone tree” – I find them beautiful. So, I’m going to share a few of my favourite photos of nature … in all her magnificent glory. Well … almost all, I’ve left animal photos out as there’s plenty of those in my posts on Kruger, Etosha and Chobe if you’d like to check them out!

TREES:

Ta Prohm, Cambodia

A lone Quiver tree

Petrified camel thorn trees in Deadvlei

Solitaire, Namibia …

PLANTS:

ROCKS & OCEAN:

SUNSETS (I have so many sunset shots … I think I’ll need to do a post just on them alone lol):

OTHER:

A tiny crab has dug himself a home 🙂

Fish River Canyon

Blood moon (2015)

So, tell me … are you a nature-lover as well? Is there any particular part of nature that you feel yourself drawn too? Are you more at home near the water or desert or woodland? Are you a sunrise or sunset fan? Would you rather oceans or rivers? Vast forests or lone trees? Is there a particular animal you would love to see in their natural element?

 

This post is part of my contribution to the A-Z Challenge for April 2016

Click here for a list and links to all my challenge posts!