I have seriously had Spring fever lately and to celebrate the first day of Spring we went for a hike to Grebengrad. Grebengrad was one of two major fortresses in this area around 1200 AD. Hungaria Counts lived here and soon moved the settlement to a nearby valley which is now Novi Marof. The walls of Grebengrad are still somewhat standing and it's a great hike up to this historical landmark.
I am a bit of a flower nerd and I'm constantly on the lookout for these little beauties. I was interested to see what would be in bloom this early in Spring and I wasn't disappointed.
Look at these sweet little wild strawberries.
I was so surprised to see this little beauty growing in the forest. I love the way the Ciclama flower grows upside-down and check out those spotted leaves, lovely!
I think the two above are in the Lupinus (Blue Bonnet family for us Lone Star ladies) or some type of Salvia. Love the colors.
Not sure about these little sunny buds but they were growing out of the rocks.
These little Galanthus of Visibabe as they're called here are some of the first flowers to make an appearance in Spring. I super-love them!
I'm not sure what these are but I'm thinking that they are in the Hellebore family. Love the variation between the periwinkle and green.
Fnally this is a rare Hannahborealous.
Loved the exposed roots of this amazing tree along the trail, amazing!
Zoi was so happy to find this little natural spring on top of the mountain and she drank so much she had to make several pit stops on the way down!
We loved the blue doors of this old house. The oldest walls were actually stick covered in mud and hay.
Some of the walls of Grebengrad. Amazing to think we were actually standing in a fortress from 1200 AD where people actually lived.
The one downside to living in Europe is that it spoils you for history. When we're Stateside and touring old 100 year old settlements it's hard to get to excited when we we're used to much older history here in Europe.
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My last photo for today is me and my baby! I love seeing Europe and experiencing life with this man. Blessed doesn't describe it!
What did you do to celebrate the first day of Spring??
I love how this once grande structure, (the home of Counts!) is now dawrfed by pretty flowers and a girl with her dog. Says something about what lasts and what doesn't.
ReplyDeleteLooks like quite a hike Tori!! The flowers are beautiful. It is interesting to see wild life from other parts of the world.
ReplyDeleteI'm jealous..in a good way. Up here in interior Alaska, we are still under about a foot of snow.
ReplyDeleteHis natural beauty and a spring walk ....ahh! Loved the comment above, too!
ReplyDeleteI thought those little yellow flowers were dandelions. I even exclaimed, "Dandelions," to my girls who were looking with me. Then I read what you wrote. Maybe they aren't! Lol
ReplyDeleteFirst, thank you for sharing all this color popping out of the brown! :) The grass is beginning to green up around here. I had to work yesterday but today (22nd) I have gotten out and played in the garden a bit, hug some clothes on the line. It's been wonderful!
ReplyDeleteI love visiting places that have deep history! so cool!
Oh Tori, what a beautiful hike! Your photos made me feel like I was right there with you....only I didn't have to work very hard to see the beauty :) Thanks for sharing with us. Hugs!
ReplyDeleteAwesome! I love when you do the hikes or go on adventures cuz the photos are great! I like the flowers but love the roots and rocks! I get that from my grandma. She collected rocks to put in & around her flower beds and also root wads or drift wood were added here and there. I think roots make the neatest pics ---especially in black and white photos. I like old buildings too for photos and old foundations. Oh the history!
ReplyDeleteYou founds so many beautiful things on your hike!
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my blog. Hope your week is great!
you look amazing Tori!
ReplyDeleteHannahborealous. Love it:) We went hiking on the first Sunday of spring and admired the beautiful wildflowers too. LOVE the history and flowers!
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Aimee
Looks like a fabulous place to visit and hike at! So neat! The flowers you found in periwinkle and green look remarkably similar to some we have here (But only in periwinkle and white, I think). Enjoyed the photos!
ReplyDeleteHello Tori, your first day of spring and enjoying God's beauty looked to be quite lovely. I always find it amazing when the sweetest flowers are growing practically in rocks, and yet I can work so hard in my own garden and things struggle to grow.
ReplyDeleteYou have done beautiful history there, thank you for sharing it with us.
You and your hubby look wonderful!
Have a blessed week end.
Joy to you!
Debbie