Lens-Artists Challenge – Rock Your World

I love this kind of challenges, where you can take it and run with it in any direction. It’s fun, especially if you let your imagination fly. Yet, I’m quite grounded this week for I’m taking this literally. There’s a reason for it, as always. For a few years now, I’ve started picking up rocks from everywhere we go. I wish I labelled them but, as it stands, my collection of rocks covers from Japan to Spain, and I have no idea which one is which.

Recently I also reverted to my passion of fossil hunting and having been dragging the fam anywhere I can go with that purpose. Our latest adventure was just a few weeks ago.

So, we’ll start with one find from that hunt, the treasures hidden in a bit of shale. The more we hammered it the more it revealed, and I have this feeling that there’s so much still there. This is not gold but the fossil of a Bryozoan, aquatic invertebrate animal.

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Some treasures are in plain sight, if you have a thing for history. This massive boulder was on a beach in the south of Scotland. It looked like it had been dragged by a glacier, millions of years ago. I like that story, real or not; it seems to fit with its character.

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 Others stay in place and let the water rush through them, taking one bit at a time, with care.

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Rocks have, too, this ability to inspire. For me, either by their colours, textures or the stories they tell, like these from my collection.

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More creative minds work them, mould them into other shapes and give them other meanings. The Elgin Marbles are unforgettable.

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As was this humbler creation, spotted by chance on a beach near Edinburgh.

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I like when rocks are used in a specific way to create a harmonious space with nature. The different textures and colours make this carefully manicured sozu at Kanazawa.

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Real rock, man-made, or even both, they bring peace into our gardens in the shape of lovely water features. They transform everything.

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I could have gone full nerd here, but I can see it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, so I’ll stop while I’m hopefully still ahead! A massive thank you to Donna for this challenge. Please visit her exquisite post and join us. Remember to link back to Donna’s original post and to tag Lens-Artists so we can find you.

Last week John was our host with a challenge that showed me the way to look beyond the editing I’m so used to do. I shall try to be bolder and that is all thanks to you.

Next week is Ritva’s turn to host, so check her wonderful site Saturday 20^th April for more information.

If you want to know more about the Lens-Artists Challenge, please click here.

Posted for Donna’s Lens-Artists Challenge