El Torcal de Antequera is a nature reserve in the Sierra del Torcal mountain range in Andalusia, Spain. We went for a day out there while in Spain and was certainly not disappointed. The geology was great, being a karstic landscape made of limestone and the views spectacular. You are so high up you actually looked out over the clouds.
It was incredible to see and is impressive.
(c) K Wicks
Despite my overwhelming and sometimes irrational fear of sharks as a child (thanks Jaws), I am fascinated by them, current and past. I guess I thought if I learnt about them then I would be less fearful. I am not less fearful at all, they are fantastic killing machines when that is their purpose, so I determined I should be fearful. If I am in the sea of course.
I did continue to watch the other Jaws films, deep blue sea and of course The Meg. I drew the line at watching The Shallows though, just the synopsis increased my heart rate to uncomfortable. My imagination was enough there, didn’t need to see it (thanks Hyperphantasia!). I am in awe though of the idea and reality of the Megalodon, the sheer size of it and to think it was potentially as abundant as other sharks are today. It really is a monster of the past, vastly scaled down for our time in the sharks we have today, but luckily we are left with the teeth as a reminder of what used to lurk in the deep.
I have two different Megalodon teeth in my fossil collection which are two smaller ones.
(c) K Wicks
Beautiful and bright flowers, reminds me of my birthday being in the Spring so I always get excited when I see them. My grandparents used to have a meadow nearby which in the spring was covered in daffodils and summer covered in bluebells so they represent happy times. I can definitely see my love of nature started very young.
(c) K Wicks
One of the most amazing things about living in Spain for me, were all the mantises. Even though we weren’t near much foliage for the first year, I managed to buy a plant from the garden center which had not one baby mantis in it, but two! You can read about that little episode here – Bobby M the wild pet Mantis
But once we moved inland a bit and into the mountains, they were in abundance. I think I photographed about 3 or 4 different types and colouring, so will do a post for each as they are such awesome creatures and deserve a post each.
This one walked right through the garden one day, taking his time. They are very curious mostly.
They let me get up quite close and their photoshoots, which is lucky for me because I get so excited I usually scare things away.
They really are an epic display of nature.
(c) K Wicks
Just some colourful bright products in case anyone needs some brightness in their life, or if you’re looking for a gift idea. I will share a few different ones in case you like different colour combos. All MKW design patterns are created from my macro nature photography. Available as clothes, homeware, accessories and more.
To view my whole shop – https://www.redbubble.com/people/Darling2425/shop
(c) K Wicks
For a bit of bright on a dull day.
(c) K Wicks
The mid morning clouds were a bit strange yesterday over the hills, streaky and diagonal. Not often do I see that.
(c) K Wicks
Only two months into being in Spain, I saw my first mantis. Out walking with the camera after a storm, it was just sitting there on a low wall, I couldn’t believe it. I really didn’t expect it to be so randomly there so was elated. My first photo of a mantis, which was followed by many more and will be appearing in upcoming posts 🙂
(c) K Wicks
The second day of December started with a dark and moody sunrise…
(c) K Wicks
It’s funny when you get a dog, you think at first there are her things and there are your things, then you realise everything sort of becomes her things. It doesn’t help that since the lockdowns started occuring, all her toys and treats have arrived by post, so of course any post that arrives now is cause for extra excitement and she thinks is for her.
My excitement comes from seeing my photography as products (simple things and all that). This one is an Autumn shot from a few years ago of a frosty leaf and one I was keen to see what it looked like in real life on products (I have over 1200 designs and there are 90 products for each, so I know I am never going to get to see them all). But when the soft comfy colourful blanket arrived, it didn’t take long for it to become Maya’s. I now have various cushions, coasters, blankets around my house and about five bags in use! So much brightness and nature definitely keeps me going through the dark cold winter months. A bit of the outside, but inside. Some of the frosty leaf products below and links to them in case anyone else needs some brightness in their life.
(c) K Wicks
MKW Publishing 