It’s often been said that ‘I think too much’ or ‘overthink’ and to a certain point, I agree! At such times a quote might come to mind, to appeal directly to my subconscious and lead my inner self onto a positive path! The increasing popularity of quotations seems to confirm that many others are seeking out inspirational sayings and taking the thoughtful words to heart.
Combined with beautiful images the two elements become a real tonic for the soul!
Please enjoy these final four quotes coupled with photos taken by myself. May the sage sayings and beautiful pictures give a boost to your spirit.
The small boat here is heading out across the archipelago on the west coast of Gothenburg at sunset. In all twenty islands are inhabited here with many more smaller uninhabited islands among them.
It is mesmerising to walk through a fully grown wheat field here at home in the South East of England, caressing the top of the stalks, the sharp leaves lightly scratching my bare legs. Ever since seeing ‘Gladiator’ however, the emotions of such a walk have become slightly tainted and tempered with tragedy and bloodshed following the haunting beginning of the film.
Cressing Temple in Essex is the site of the two astonishing barns on land which was given to the Knights Templar in 1137. They are the oldest and finest 13th-century barns in the country. The Tudor Garden at Cressing Temple is a haven whatever the season, the tranquillity of its symmetrical and balanced design and planting a delight. It hosts a large collection of plants that were typical for the 1600s.
My final photo is a celebration of autumn colours from one of the 18,000+ trees at the National Arboretum of Westonbirt. To read more about this amazing place and see many more photos please click here. One cannot help but think of John Muir and his incredible words inspired by nature!
I hope you’ve enjoyed this short series of posts and thank you for following along with the posts. By now I will just have returned from my break in Sweden and I look forward to catching up with your posts as well as your thoughts on the series. I would especially love to hear one (or more!) of your favourite quotation(s)!
Annika Perry 
Your pictures and description of those pictures makes me want to visit where you live. You blog page is so inviting and I found the words and quotes encouraging. I will come back again to visit you.
Thank you so much and glad you enjoyed this post and my blog too! 🙏The photos are both from England, where I live and also from my breaks in Sweden. Quotes have a way of quickly inspiring one, giving us a lift and a joy to share with these pictures. Welcome back!😀
NICE 💚🧡♥️
Greetings and blessings from 🇪🇸💯
Thank you!😀🙏
impressive picture and ventures, like the quotes … I tend to post my own quotes on pics … but none as dramatic as yours!
Kate, thank you so much and wonderful that you enjoyed my quotes and pictures! I’ve only started doing this since blogging and especially for the calendars! They make special and unique presents!
aha yes I used to make calendars from mine also but have resorted to making them selfishly, to please me )
Welcome back from what I’m sure was a rejuvenating Sweden get-away. The quotes are fabulous and that first one – wow – I try to remember to do that prayer every day. Your photos with the quotes are spectacular. I’ve very bad at remembering quotes, but I think I take them into my heart and use them up when needed. ❤
Pam, thank you so much for your wonderful comment and the welcome back! 🙏 It’s great to be home and I’m trying to keep hold of the serenity of my time away! The first quote is terrific and I think reminds us to truly absorb with our whole being, sometimes one tries too hard to feel something and then wonder why it just doesn’t feel right. Haha! I’m the same with quotations, not great at remembering them and ‘scribbling’ them down for later … and hopefully taking some to heart at the same time. Hugs xx ❤️
Hugs galore. 🙂 xo
I love the Mary Oliver quote in the last post – it reminds us of the wonder of being alive even despite all the bad things going on in the world. Thanks for keeping us inspired, I hope you enjoyed your holiday!
Andrea, her quotes speak the truth with such clarity and this one is profound- we should remember her words every day! If I find myself down because of a situation or events I recall her wisdom to put my life into perspective once again! So glad you enjoyed the post and thank you, it was a wonderful and rejuvenating break!
Beautiful! 😍
Thank you so much, Layla! 😀🙏
What beautiful quotes and mesmerizing shots so yummy, Annika! I so agree with you! Nature always delivers much more than we could ever guess or hope for. Blessings and lots of love to you, my friend💕💕🌸
Cindy, how true! Nature just keeps giving us these gifts and teaching us to really see and feel! I felt this more than ever during my long sojourn in Sweden! Thank you for your lovely comment! hugs xx ❤️
It’s sooo true and what a lovely experience for you. That is just wonderful. You’re always welcome, always💓🙏🏼💓
2nd comment – Thank you for this wonderful series!
Aww … bless! Thank you so much for reading, Resa! Xx
xx
Thank you, Annika!
These are quite inspiring. I love wheat fields, grew up in the prairies. Good thing I haven’t seen Gladiator.
In all my naivety: “All we are saying, is give peace a chance!” – John Lennon
Resa, not naive at all rather heartfelt words that will resound with most of us! Why is it so difficult for peace to settle upon the Earth! A beautiful quote and thank you so much for sharing here.
Haha! Yes, the film has rather coloured my emotions of wheat fields. Gladiator is very violent and gory and rather a film I had not watched – apart from the superb music!
Hope you’ve had a very special weekend, Resa. Xx
Hope your weekend was special too!
🌹🌟❦
I love all four of your quotes here Annika, coupled with your beautiful photos. Gratitude is undoubtedly one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves and I must admit I start everyday by thinking of at least three things I’m grateful for. And I always finish my days writing in my gratitude journal. So I guess I’m an over thinker too! Love this post. ❤️
Miriam, that is overthinking in the best possible way! 😀 What a great routine with your gratitude journal twice a day and I imagine it powerfully reinforces the positive aspect of each day and a boon to your spirit. I journal every day and try to add some gratitude thoughts as well! Lovely that you enjoyed my post and thank you so much for your thoughtful comment. Xx 💕
Welcome home, Annika! I’ve enjoyed your posts combining photos and quotes. I always loved quotes and am influenced by many. I agree with Salvador Dali. The artists are inspired, even though they don’t intend to inspire others but their inspiration often comes through.
Thank you so much, Miriam and it is lovely to be home! Today is the first day I feel I’ve properly landed – an afternoon gardening helped me find myself again! 😀 Yeah, it’s great you enjoy quotes as well and this series was perfect for you! The Dali quote was one I dithered about including but glad you mention it as I did feel it was important to point out this dual role of artists, even if being inspiring is not the first reason for the art! Hope you’ve had a very special long weekend, my friend! Xx ❤️
Quotes helped me through different stages of my life and inspired me in many ways, Annika. They are the pearls and diamonds from people’s wisdom. We have a quiet long weekend because my daughter’s family takes advantage of the warm weather and goes to the beach. This is the last long weekend before my daughter starts a full-time job tomorrow. She took a break when my younger granddaughter was born at the beginning of Covid and then returned to work part-time. Now that the grandkids are bigger, she’s ready to work full-time.
Miriam, time has flown and I remember when you wrote about your grandchildren when they were babies! 😀 Wishing a good return to work for your daughter – not always easy.
I love your descriptions of quotations as ‘pearls and diamonds from people’s wisdom’ – just so! xx
That’s how I feel about Quots, Annika! 🙂
She is working for payroll and pursuing HR. She was one class short of getting the certificate when COVID started. She is in the process of completing it and getting into the networking.
stunning shots, nice to meet you Annika 🙂
And likewise, Kate! 😀 so glad you enjoyed the photos!
they really are my style … except the first one from Sweden … only seen that kind of magic in NZ when I didn’t have my camera with me 🙂
You are my first genuine real WP follow in more than a year, much appreciated!
Happy to meet your here and look forward to reading your posts! 😀
Annika, I’ve loved reading your quotes and seeing your beautiful photos. You’ve also taught me about new places, which is super cool! It’s not necessarily a quote; if it is, I don’t know who said it, but the words have been vital to me and helped me make changes these past few years. I’ve got no problem saying no and speaking up for myself now, and I don’t care if someone disagrees with how I live my life. I’m free, and I can do whatever I want. For too long, I let the voices of others dictate the direction of my life, but not anymore. 🙂 The words are :
‘Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.’
It’s such a simple statement but a necessary one.
Welcome home, my friend! ❤️
Tanya, it’s wonderful to read your comment and thank you so much for sharing a quote / words that have meant so much to you these years! What an empowering statement and I agree, so simple but yet so critical -obvious when you read it and take in the deep meaning. You’ve gone through so much and I am glad that you have found the path for yourself – your strength and joy in life shines through. Not saying there are not difficult times but you are free to be yourself and make your choices. Kudos to you, my dear friend!
Oh, I think you would love Scandinavia and maybe it will feature on your travels one day. The peace and tranquility of the landscape is sublime yet so much culture, dining out and friendliness.
Thank you for your special comment and it gives me joy that you enjoyed my series of posts. Hugs xx 💕
Hi Annika, a lovely and interesting post.
Robbie, thank you and I’m glad you enjoyed my post! 😀❤️
Lovely!
Thank you! 🙏 Glad you enjoyed my post! 😀
Hey Annika, great quotes. I love when people bring up the fact that gratefulness is one of the best prayers we can utter. I think there was a study done which says that thankfulness and anxiety work in the same part of the brain. Hence when we are grateful, we cannot be anxious, and vice versa. Great post. Hope you have an amazing day!
Georgios, it’s great you enjoyed the quotes, I can’t seem to stop collecting them! 😀 I know people who keep a gratitude journal and that it seems to help a lot! I journal everyday and note my blessings in that along with many other observations. I think the more we give ourselves positive reinforcement and see the magic around us that can’t fail to lift one’s spirits! Thank you for your comment and yes, I’m having a lovely day! Wish the same for you. 😀
Annika this post is so amazing commentary and these photos. Anita
Anita, thank you so much and glad you think so! 🙏 I’ve enjoyed compiling the series and sharing here! 😀
Hi Annika,
This is a lovely post with beautiful photos and inspiring quotes. The John Muir quote resonates because of my love of nature. Welcome home, and now you probably need a break from your holiday! 💖🥰
Haha! 😀 Lauren, coming home can be a bit like that … a rush to catch up on so much one needs a break again! 😀 All fine though and still waiting for my soul to land! John Muir’s reflections on nature teaches us to enjoy and respect it on even a deeper level. Thank you so much for your lovely comment. Xx 💕
Really enjoyed the quotes and images, Annika. Each of these quotes are meaningful. I really like the Helen Keller one. Some things can’t be seen or explained no matter how hard we try…they just have to be felt. Lovely to hear that you have a fully grown wheat field. It must be a lovely sight and feeling walking through them, part of the joys of warmer weather and summer. It is autumn here at the moment and leaves our here have turned yellow. Nature has a way of making us stop, think and appreciate what we hve around us, and I think that is part of what of what the last quote alludes to. Hope you had a wonderful break in Sweden. Wishing you well, Annika 😊❤
Mabel, thank you so much for your wonderful and thoughtful reflections. The Helen Keller quote is one that has always stayed with me, when I am trying hard to explain something, an emotion, I remind myself to pause, that it must be felt by the heart. It’s almost liberating to realise this! Oh yes, we have lots of fields around the village and I love walking through them, not so fun for my husband and son who suffer badly from hay fever though. Your Autumn sounds colourful and I almost sense a quiet as the season slowly eases into winter. Thank you, I had a beautiful and rejuvenating time in Sweden and heading back later in summer again! Wishing you well too and look forward to heading over to your blog. Hugs xx ❤️
I am sorry to hear your husband and son suffer from hayfever. I also get hayfever, and walking through blooming fields might not be as glorious as it sounds 😄 Enjoy your upcoming trip to Sweden again. Sounds like a great summer for you, Annika. Hugs ❤️
Annika I always welcome your valuable posts. They are so inspiring. Your post is delightful. Thanks a lot 🙏🙏
Kamal, that’s wonderful to hear and thank you so much! 🙏😀 Your posts always leave me uplifted and thoughtful – inspiring us all!
You are always welcome dear Annika. Much appreciated. Have a wonderful weekend 💕😊❤️
The John Muir quotation speaks to my soul! Hope your trip to Sweden was lovely and refreshing. 🙂
Esther, I totally agree! John Muir is great at reminding us about the wonder and richness of the nature around us.Thank you, I’ve had a wonderful relaxing break in Sweden, returning re-energised and calm! Hope you are keeping well. xx
Wonderful to hear that you had a wonderful time in Sweden!! Take care and hope you have a blessed start to the summer.
There is always something new to see in nature, even the same old paths we take everyday.
Yes, lovely combination of your photos and special quotes. Hope all good on your to Sweden.
Thank you so much, Georgina and it’s great you enjoyed this combination! I was thinking of you and your posts about birds as we saw so many this holiday! It was one of those perfect breaks away and feel re-charged!
Glad you can feel rejuvenated.
Welcome back dear friend. Even away you have been entertaining and lifted us. The last post with quotes accompanying your excellent photos really has me smiling. I love them all but for me Eckhardt Tolle and John Muir . So simple and deeply true. The pictures all speak but the first one with the boat setting out against the horizon gives such feeling of freedom and peace.
welcome back Annika and gradually settle down again. Hugs, Miriam 🤗⭐️
Dear Miriam, warmest thanks for your welcoming and thoughtful comment. Im happy you enjoyed the series of posts and it’s been a joy to share some of the calendar quotes & photos. I’ve to find that many quotes, which appear simple sometimes hold the deepest and most profound of meanings. The two you mention here are especially gifted at reaching into our souls! Oh, the first image is striking I agree and I too would love to be on that boat savouring that ‘feeling of freedom and peace’.
The settling back is going a bit slow as my spirit is taking its time in catching up with my body! I’ll get there though! 😀😀
hugs xx ❤️
Thank you Annika, dear. How well I know that feeling of the spirit catching up with the body. You are still there and yet not.
they will soon find each other.
miriam
💕
Dearest Annika! You are the artist that always inspires. With your short series of posts, you’ve inspired me to stay connected with the blogging community, instead of taking a blogging hiatus, as I explore beauty during my summer travels. Thank you and welcome back! ❤
Bless! Khaya, your comment means so much to me, thank you! 💕🙏 I love that it’s given you a nudge to keep blogging during your travels and wish you a great, exciting, relaxing time! xx
Welcome home. Beautiful photos with some lovely quotes. Hugs, C
Cheryl, thank you so much! 🙏 It was fun to share some of my calendar photos and write about them a bit.
They are beautiful photos and quotes. It is nice that I can trust these quotes.
There are a lot of popular quotes by George Washington, Benjamin Franklin as well as Albert Einstein, which are fake. They are being promoted by people with agendas.
Thomas, I had no idea there were so many fake quotes about – that is plain sad! I appreciate you mentioning this and I will be more wary in the future and double-check any I am unsure about.
So glad you you enjoyed my posts, photos and quotes! 😀
I agree it is sad, but if you pay attention you can guess when it is fake. If the quote is political in nature and it is George Washington or Benjamin Franklin you can bet it is fake. If the quote or text needs to look accurate or to have an aura of intelligence and it is assigned to Albert Einstein it is likely fake. Then check with snopes. A lot of people just make up self serving quotes and assign them to someone famous to add credence. I recently read a conversation assigned to young Albert Einstein and it was being passed around all over Facebook. I think almost everyone saw it and I suspected it being fake. I checked snopes and it was fake. My friends did not like that I pointed out that it was fake.
Thomas, thank you for sharing about snopes and I’ve noted down about this for future reference. I can’t fathom why people would be upset about being told it was a fake quote, unless they didn’t want to be shown up as falling for it. Even so I’d much rather know!
Yes unfortunately many people want to believe what ever fits their narrative and are very dismissive of contrary information.
These are all wonderful! Just the tonic I needed at the end of a long day of thinking too much!
Liz, I’m loving that my post can help bring you some tranquility at the end of busy day with your mind probably in overdrive! Wishing you well and look forward to catching up with your posts.
😊
That first photo is extraordinary, Annika. Love the rosy light on the water. You are back from Sweden at a time when many of my Scandinavian friends are returning home for those long days of summer. Hope all is well in your world.
Jo, it was hard to leave as the weather has been amazing these last few weeks and I can well see why your Scandinavian friends are returning now! 😀 We will be heading back later in the the summer too – back home for some months. Thank you, all is very well with some exciting upcoming family events! Wishing you well, Jo! Xx ❤️
Your photos are stunning, Annika. Thank you for sharing them with the inspiring quotes.
Lori, wow! I’m glad you like the photos so much, I love taking pictures and enjoy sharing them here; even more so with the quotes!
As you may already have figured out from my blog, I also enjoy photography. That’s why I enjoyed seeing your wonderful photos.
Lori, your photos are stunning and inspiring – always a joy to see them on your blog!
Thank you. 😊💗
I love all these inspirational quotes, Annika, and the photos are stunning!
Awww … that’s wonderful and thank you so much, Jan! 🙏❤️
Just beautiful, Annika.🩷🌸I really like how you linked the pictures and prose together. Just lovely.
Thank you so much, Kymber! I wasn’t sure how the posts would quite work until I started compiling them and the interlinking prose came naturally. So glad you enjoyed it. Xx ❤️
So much beauty here, Annika. 🙂
Betsy,it is great you think so and it’s been wonderful to share some here. Hope you are keeping well. Xx
Beautiful quotes and photos. What a wonderful way to start my day!
Donna, bless you for your lovely comment and glad my post was part of a bright start of your day! Hope it continued to be a great day! Xx
Great quotes. I hope you enjoyed your break.
Esther, it’s only through blogging that I really started to collect quotes once again and I love sharing some here in this way! Thank you, I’ve had an incredible time … I think my soul is trying to catch up with my body! 😀
Lovely quotes and photos Annika. I particularly like the John Muir and Helen Keller quotes.
Brad, there is indeed such profound wisdom in their words; absolute truths that we often fail to realise or experience. Thank you for reading and your thoughts. 🙏
Yes, there is lots of wisdom out there. The challenge, for me, has been to integrate and live it.
Brad, I can relate to that emotion and for a while I used to get a bit down by some quotes as they always seem to mention what can feel like an unattainable sentiment. However, nowadays if one can lift my spirits even just for a while that gives me a boost! Wishing you well.
Kudos Annika. That’s a good way to treat them.
Your words, photographs and quotes are truly a gift. Thank you, Annika.
Carol, your comment means so much to me – thank you so much! 🙏❤️
I think WP lost my comment so I’ll try again! I like all the quotes, but Eckhart’s struck me. I have trouble praying for … stuff … because I trust He has it figured out, what’s best, so ‘thank you’ is an excellent prayer.
Jacqui, thank you for your comment and for your perseverance in posting one – I checked spam and nothing there either!
Eckhart’s words can seem simple yet are profound – a ‘thank you’ is indeed an excellent prayer and glad you can relate to this.
Wonderful quotes and pictures. One of my favourite quotes is “Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.” by Maya Angelou
Thank you so much, Darlene! 🙏 Oh, I love this quote and goes straight into the heart of one’s life! I’m saving this right away! xx
I thought you would like it. xo
Your quotes and photos are expertly paired, Annika. Lovely post. I’m amazed at the long history of some of these places. We have nothing of that vintage in Canada – at least, not in recorded history.
Anneli, we are lucky to have so much history all around us – and probably take it for granted at times! 😀Thank you so much for your lovely comment and about the pairing of the quotes and photos – I enjoy matching them up!
Beautiful quotes and photos, Annika. I enjoyed them while you were away. And welcome home. ❤ ❤
Diana, so glad you enjoyed the series of posts and thank you, it is lovely to be home! The garden has gone wild so looking forward to nurturing it! xx 💕
LOL. I can imagine! Enjoy the time in your garden and listen to a book while you trim and weed. 🙂
I’ve not been converted to audio books yet so enjoyed listening to the many birds! We found the lawn and started to rediscover some bushes under the grass! Xx
LOL Hahaha. That is so funny. Thanks for the laugh.
Thank you for this beautiful series of posts, Annika. I can’t pick a favourite quote, but I admire your collection!
Awww … Jennifer, I am the same whenever trying to think of a favourite book, song or anything – just impossible to choose one. It’s great you enjoyed the series of posts – thank you so much! xx
Annika – I do so enjoy it when your posts appear in my Reader. Welcome back to your second home. I like to think your days back home in Sweden were filled sharing authentic fika with those you love and care about!
I especially like the Helen Keller quote and your red fall foliage photo.
Laura, your beautiful message warms my heart – thank you so much! 🙏❤️ I’m smiling at the notion of two homes and it feels just so – at the moment my soul is still in Sweden, I think, as we only came back last night! Oh, you are so right about the fika – lots of such moments with lovely family and friends. Far too many cakes but special times!😀 The Helen Keller quote is incredible, I agree and so glad you liked the autumn foliage photo especially – luckily a few months until the return of that season! Hope you are keeping well. xx💕
Thank you very much for this series capturing the interplay among photos, quotes and your own commentary. I’m very partial to Muir and feel that more respect for and involvement with nature would go a long way to solving human issues and problems. Cheers.
Lynette, it was fun creating this series of ‘collage’ posts with the different elements to it! Before I’ve featured Swedish calendars and the history of the images when away for extended periods and this year I finally dared to share some of my own images … and the rest of the posts wrote themselves!😀 I must admit I’d never heard of Muir before I started blogging – his innate wisdom has much to teach us and touches me deeply.
A beautiful post. I like the quotes, inspiring without being cloying. And your photograph to go with are perfection. You have a gift for making ideas reverberate off the page.
Wow! Ally, warmest thanks for your wonderful and thoughtful comment! I am humbled and so happy you enjoyed the balance within my post. I hope if I am ever close to being cloying someone would tell me sharpish! 😀 Wishing you well and thanks again. xx 💕
Thank you 🙂
Ashen, a joy to share! Hope you’re keeping well! xx❤️
This was such a beautiful post! I write many uplifting quotations in my planner and in my journals. I often write the quotations in my planner way ahead of when I will get to that month. That way, a happy surprise is there when I get to that day and open the book. I love that you have put these awesome photos with the quotes. It brings the words to life in an empowering way. It is said that just looking at a picture of flowers lifts a person’s spirits. How much more so, with a special quote!
Linda, bless you for your wonderful and in-depth comment! 🙏 I love your idea of noting down quotations ahead of time in your planner and there they are, all ready to give you joy in the future! You’ve inspired me to try something similar! 😀 It means a lot to me that you find a sense of empowerment of the words through my presentation here and your last two sentences are truly touching. Thank you so much! Xx ❤️
Wishing you a beautiful weekend! Thank you again for this inspiring post…it is appreciated!!! 🙂
Wonderful quotes combined with your commentary and pictures, Annika! We all need to slow down and contemplate (without overthinking). I hope you had a good trip and look forward to more posts from you! 🧡🧡🧡
Barbara, thank you so much! 🙏It was fun to compile the posts all those weeks ago – and I have truly switched off this break. Returning home yesterday is lovely but a bit of a shock – mustn’t forget to keep it slow! 😀 I look forward to catching up with your posts! xx❤️
I am currently in Norway which is near your home country. I have lots of posts fodder.
That’s fantastic and I look forward to reading all about it! Have a great rest of the holiday! Xx
BTW. Just want to say many thanks for the recommendation of The Seawoman’s Gift – it was brilliant and one I’m now recommending to family & friends!
I’m delighted to know that, Annika 💝
Fine essay. There’s an endless amount of subjects to contemplate on our planet.
Neil, istn’t that the truth?! And what a blessing! It’s great you enjoyed my essay – thank you! 😀
Your post is delightful. I like quotations, but I have a tendency to forget them.
Thank you so much, Anne! 🙏 I’m exactly the same, often meaning to remember quotes but quickly forgetting them. Now I try to note them down – on paper, my mobile or anything that comes to hand! I have numerous ‘quotation’ files on my computer as well.
Hello Annika. I’ve enjoyed your series of post combining quotations, well written prose and beautiful photographs. In addition to the good reading, we’ve gained knowledge of places we were unfamiliar with. Wonderful.
Ernie, your lovely comment has made my day! 😀 It is great that you’ve my series of posts and all the elements within them – thank you so much! 🙏