A Jorō near-miss! It was a foggy morning, so I almost didn't notice an expansive web and its spinster on the trail ahead. I was just able to duck at the last moment.

Seminary Wood

Decatur (Legacy Park), Georgia, USA.

12 November 2022.

***************

▶"Trichonephila clavata —also known as the Jorō spider (ジョロウグモ)— is a member of the Trichonephila genus. The spider can be found throughout Japan (except Hokkaidō), Korea, Taiwan, and China. The spider is also an introduced species in North America —first spotted, in 2013, in northeast Georgia and northwest / upstate South Carolina. It is believed that the species will become naturalized over much of the eastern seaboard of the United States due to its relative resistance to cold.

Although the spider is not aggressive, it will bite to protect itself. The bite is considered painful, but not life-threatening."

— Wikipedia.

***************

▶ Photographer's note.

Thank you to Flickr-er Stanze for identifying the lovely lady. (See the comments section below.)

***************

▶ Photo and story by Yours For Good Fermentables.com.

▶ For a larger image, type 'L' (without the quotation marks).

— Follow on Facebook: YoursForGoodFermentables.

— Follow on Instagram: @tcizauskas.

— Follow on Vero: @cizauskas.

▶ Camera: Olympus OM-D E-M10 II.

— Flash, on-camera: 1/2.5

— Edit: Photoshop Elements 15, Nik Collection.

▶ Commercial use requires explicit permission, as per Creative Commons.

Old friends sticking together while sauntering in Montenegro.

Not being able to sleep doesn't mean your life is in shambles....it just means you are a true prince or princess. My way of looking on the "bright side"!

My rendition of "The Princess and the Pea". A big thank you to Phillip for willing to be squished for a bit.

I like GWGUs for some reason. It was fun being able to increase contrast a lot too; the bird is just that pale!

They created a temporary home for the emergency services to being able to renovate their current operation base.

I wasn't able to visit Leo Mol's sculpture of Moses as there was a wedding taking place in that part of the park. I was acle to capture the wedding waiting to go into the park

Don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without explicit permission.

© All rights reserved

It's amazing to be able to see the Milky Way with my bare eyes... to be able to capture its beauty in a shot is a bless.

Hope you enjoy it!

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→ #MilkyWay #sunrise #landscape #Stars #stunning

Not able to get out and about much lately, so like other flickr friends, I'm digging back in the archives. I thought this photo might be nice to post since spring is just around the corner.

I wasn't able to catch this little guy in flight. That little patch of red you see on the wing in these shots is nothing compared to how he looked in flight. And he sang the sweetest song. Gorgeous!

This is the fifth shot of a sequence showing a mid air food pass by a pair of Peregrines , This is part of their pair bonding ritual in the run up to mating and egg laying and I was fortunate enough to be able to capture it with my camera.

Golden Bay, South Island, New Zealand.

♥♥ Anglais ♥♥

Hello my darlings, the beautiful days are coming and we will be able to go on sometimes wild outings with beautiful outfits, look at Amui spoiling us with a very pretty little dress, available in 10 colors.

She is available for Maitreya Lara/Petite - Reborn - Legacy Perky/ perky petite - Kupra/Kups - Prima petite/busty - Belleza Freya - Slink Hourglass

To have this pretty little outfit, follow the route of my Blog or my Fb which will give you more information --------->

Facebook: www.facebook.com/leyakine.resident.5

Blog: lemondeleyakine.blogspot.com/

♥♥ Francais ♥♥

Coucou mes chéries, les beaux jours arrivent et on va pouvoir faire des sorties parfois sauvage avec de belle tenue, regardez Amui nous gate avec une très jolie petite robe, déclinée en 10 couleurs.

Elle est disponible pour Maitreya Lara/Petite - Reborn - Legacy Perky/ perky petite - Kupra/Kups - Prima petite/busty - Belleza Freya - Slink Hourglass

Pour avoir cette jolie petite tenue, suivez la route de mon Blog ou mon Fb qui vous donnera plus d'informations --------->

Fb: www.facebook.com/leyakine.resident.5

Blog: lemondedeleyakine.blogspot.com/

Frogs are able to camouflage themselves to match their surroundings, although their camouflage attempts aren't as rapid as those of chameleons. This is one of our backyard pond green frogs, attempting to match the colors of the plants and rocks in the pond. She was fairly well hidden, I had to look very closely to find her. This is a hard crop. Backyard photography.

"ANYBODY HERE YET?"

One bird that I've been able to count on at the swamp for at least the past decade is the Great Egret. This year, we have a mated pair (see post two weeks ago), and this one, at the time lonely guy was scouting on the banks of the lagoon. It just seemed like such a pretty scene when I came around the trail. I didn't disturb him, and he allowed several shots.

This was where the first damselflies and two species of dragons emerged this year, but it's a tough place to get into. Just forward and to the left of the heron is a marshy area that borders on quick sand, more like quick mud...but I got some of my better Meadowhawks and Bluets there.

The Great Blue Heron should arrive shortly and in full breeding plumage. I will almost certainly find him just around the other side of the lagoon fishing IN the reeds like this... (below)

Then the Black-crowned Night Herons which will mate and bring up the young though I've never gotten any but the juveniles and adults. Never have found a nest.

And, if you ever go back in my comments, THIS is the lagoon that that blankety-blank Belted Kingfisher gives me fits.

Earlier today, I was able to spend some time with the camera around Lawrence, and the prize of the day was catching the UP 1943 on the point of this eastbound oil train at Midland. This is the OXPSJ-05, an eastbound oil tank train that runs between Wash, UT and St James, LA. It came off of the KP at Menoken, then proceeded east to KC on the Kansas Sub.

Buddha inside the Tha Gyar Hit Phaya Temple. It is one of the smaller pagodas but it is possible to climb to higher levels through small tunnel stairways and able to walk around the outside of pagoda through narrow walkways. This temple provides wide views of the surrounding temples. Parts of the pagoda and it’s walkways is falling apart. It is located on Bagan-Nyaung-U Rd north of Old Bagan Myanmar. There are several neighboring temples named Lawka Chanthar Phaya and Tha Gyar Pone Phaya.

Not been able to get out of late, so here's one from the archives.

It seems like the Color-Solagon enlarging lenses are almost completely unknown, even among people very familiar with a wide range of enlarging lenses.

Thanks to a couple of helpful people here, as well as the wonderful help of the FOMU - Fotomuseum Antwerpen and its library, I was able to confirm that the Color-Solagon features a 6 elements in 4 groups plasmat design (similar to most of the Componon-S lenses from Schneider Kreuznach), but the only real source I‘ve seen is on the "Color Solagon II 60 mm", which was apparently sold with some of the Varioscop 35/44 enlargers! I wasn‘t able to find a single document on the 70, 80 or 90 mm variants unfortunately, but I‘d guess they were made for a different purpose - either for one of Agfa’s Minilab or some industrial application.

I was able to find some of the Color-Solagon lenses, but unfortunately most of them are in pretty bad shape with either haze, fungus or some mechanical damage, so it‘s impossible to judge the quality in their original state.

The "Color-Solagon DII 90 mm F 4.5" shown here is not mentioned anywhere on the internet as far as I could find at least... I think it might be very similar to the 80 mm variant though.

If you know more about it, or someone who could, I‘d really appreciate any help!

Shot with a Schneider Kreuznach "M-Claron 60 mm F 5.6" lens on a Canon EOS R5.

••On a side note••

Scotch and I arrived in Los Angeles after 10 day 4,000+ mile journey a year ago late on a Christmas Eve and it was around this time on Christmas morning that I was able to start exporting my memory cards and the 8,000 or so photos from the roadtrip onto my computer. Because of the frantic nature of the trip and pretty extreme weather, i didn't really review anything on the drive and I was finally able see all the shots I took on my memorable, amazing trip for the first time. I made my brother sit and watch too rationalizing how after 10 very full days in a car with a dog, he could spare a few minutes of a boring slideshow like recap of the trip. It's really hard to believe it's been a year now in Los Angeles and I'm so thankful to be here now and still have Scotch around. This trip put him over 100,000 miles cumulatively on car rides which seems like a ton to me but for a dog who loved it so much, it was time well spent together. As I've noted quite frequently during my time here, this has been a really challenging year for him as he's aged a lot and has dealt with a lot of health issues. He was done to his last weekend in november when last minute throats surgery gave him a reprieve of shorts. Despite a few infections, he said healing well and I hope 2017 is a really happy year for for him. It's been a wild ride so far. For both of us.

This is another shot from a location I only visited once in 2016 and haven't posted yet. Back when I shot this in April, the majority of my trips were either to Malibu Pier or Venice, with a few visits to a handful of other places scattered in. I didn't know the area too well even after 4 months and when the cloudy winter skies because less frequent and were replaced mainly by hazy cloudless spring days, I didn't want to jeopardize rare good conditions on a place I didn't know at all. Fortunately since (and despite my frequent trips and posts from Venice) I have gotten accustomed to the area and have a much more substantial list of locations to choose from depending on the conditions.

I was focused back on areas around Malibu at this point after a series of lousy days at Venice but with the pier area closed for renovations, I began driving further down the Pacific Coast Highway in search of non crowded/interesting vantages for sunsets. This was around the time I started driving all the way to Point Mugu in Ventura County and along the way, I'd usually detour off the PCH to see if any of the 5 or 6 parking spaces at Point Dume were open. I have yet to find a spot and typically there's a row of idling cars waiting for people to leave. If you pass with Point Dume on the left and hook around towards the ocean before getting back on the highway, you run into Malibu Beach which has a single restaurant and is lined on both sides with free parking. Here, I've never had an issue finding a place to stop and with light starting to fade, I unpacked my car here and wandered a bit down the shoreline towards the mountains.

There was a heavy colorful cloud cover out to sea and with the mountains so close (and extended right out of frame), there were plenty of times where the clouds and rolling fog met and it was pretty amazing to see. It was the first time out here I've seen thick fog by the ocean and it almost didn't look real. The beach wasn't very crowded which was fine because at the time, I was still mostly focused on very long exposures and prefered a completely clean view in front of me. I also was still not real comfortable shooting with anyone watching me. I didn't get here early enough to explore more and I wish I hadn't shot so many long exposures with this view. It would've been nice to get some crisper images of the incoming water but that didn't really happen. Further, this was the only direction that was interesting, since the color faded further to the left and there were no mountains as a backdrop so I took no photos directly out to sea of the horizon which is something I do quite often now.

Sometimes when I shoot long exposures with people in the frame, I try hard to wait out the release of the shutter as long as those subjects are still, releasing it as soon as I sense movement. On quicker shutter shots, I do something similar where I wait until the last possible moment before the surf washes under my low tripod to take the shot. While the sky and sunset turned out to be pretty remarkable, I was more amazed by the motionless couple standing in the middle of the beach for well over a minute--and yes, that is a couple not a single person like I originally thought.

This visit is an example of one of the places I've gone where I wouldn't mind a do-over. I knew about 16 months ago when my obsession with long exposure began that there would be days I'd look back on and regret not taking a more varied approach to my shooting. Further, my understanding of photography is much different now and having seen some conditions here I have yet to find anywhere else, I missed chances at some very memorable shots. Until my shooting gets a bit more on track, I doubt long exposure will dominate a shoot like it used to unless it's specifically a trip for long exposure, like to Hollywood Bowl Overlook. With winter here and lifeguard stations mostly empty, this might be a great spot to bring Scotch at some point for a relaxing night on the beach. The drive isn't quick but it's one he still enjoys and being able to park 5ft from the sand makes it even easier. He's getting closer to being as healthy and active as I can hope for at this point in his life and from his recovery from throat surgery and there's plenty of places I still want to take him to see :)

WHEN & WHERE

Malibu Beach

Malibu, California

April 10th, 2016

SETTINGS

Canon T4i

EF-S 18-135mm IS STM

@18mm

ISO 100

f/16

72 seconds

ND1000 + CPL

I was never able to get out west to see the Milwaukee Road electrified territory back in the early 1970's. However, scenes like this remind me of those I've seen from out that way. We are looking west on the Chicago, South Shore & South Bend interurban at Zeigler, Indiana which is about 12 houses and the crossing of the Water Level and South Shore.

I'm not agonizing over the past, but sure would have been nice to be out here in the late 1970's to catch a Little Joe traversing these tracks. I could have been, just never did. Either way, it's still nice to think about what I could have seen and in my over-active mind, I'm seeing exactly want I missed out on! It's perfect in my mind.

Photo by Dale A. DeVene Jr.

In the previous post I showed how close I was able to work with this bull. I found this old slide from that day showing how I gradually worked in so close.

If I hadn't been working with this bull for years.

This never would have been possible.

But, we had formed a bond.

That only comes after many, many hours and even years of gradually getting the animal to understand that you mean it no harm and that it can trust you.

I ended up straddling his front leg to get the previous shot.

I had spent probably close to an hour getting there.

Talking to him. Moving very slowly. Even laying my hand on his side.

Then after taking some shots, I quietly and slowly backed away.

I thanked him for letting me share this moment with him

He was still laying there chewing his cud when I left.

It was amazing.

A moment I will always cherish.

To be able to see and experience this hawk up close was a thrill. To think that this art of Falconry goes back to the days of the Egyptians makes it even better. Can't wait to see them again.

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Sorry Friends today i m a little busy and Don't able to visit your Stream , Sorry :'( and No new Image i have to Upload so i just post my Art work Again which i post in Pro Account Contest.

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After only being able to watch the Geeps switch on our first day in town we were fortunate enough to talk to a friendly crew member who told us they would make a rare run on Friday. We decided to stick around another day. Upon waking up we initially though we might have made a poor decision as the weather was foggy with a slight drizzle. The rain quickly stopped and the fog slowly burned off. By the time they departed things had improved immensely. And although backlit at the Cherry Creek crossing the train didn't look half bad.

Nature and life always find its way. Are we humans able to destroy it completely? I think not. We are able to destroy ourself, no doubt about that, but we selfishly consider our end as the end of everything. Life come and go all the time, that's just natural. We seem to be the first lifeform capable of staying, although still doing everything for not to...

For the last 4 years, we've heard aggressive chants of "Make America Great Again." Meanwhile, those who are not white, male, able bodied, cis,or hetero no that they live in a different America. The chants have always been quite realistically "America Was Never Great." How could one experience of a place be so different from another? It is the responsibility of the people in power to listen to others about their experience if we will ever truly heal from our past history of white supremacy and make this county worth living in and celebrating for everyone.

Langston Hughes wrote a poem that echoed this sentiment so many years ago: What the most striking element of this poem besides the powerful imagery and the challenging sentiment is that the poem still accurately reflects that distance and inequality in the American experience after so many years. And isn't America good enough, big enough, beautiful enough to share with everyone? Can we ever truly achieve greatness when it is only saved for a very few? Ask these questions of yourself then ask these questions of your leaders.

Let America Be America Again

Langston Hughes - 1902-1967

Let America be America again.

Let it be the dream it used to be.

Let it be the pioneer on the plain

Seeking a home where he himself is free.

(America never was America to me.)

Let America be the dream the dreamers dreamed—

Let it be that great strong land of love

Where never kings connive nor tyrants scheme

That any man be crushed by one above.

(It never was America to me.)

O, let my land be a land where Liberty

Is crowned with no false patriotic wreath,

But opportunity is real, and life is free,

Equality is in the air we breathe.

(There's never been equality for me,

Nor freedom in this "homeland of the free.")

Say, who are you that mumbles in the dark?

And who are you that draws your veil across the stars?

I am the poor white, fooled and pushed apart,

I am the Negro bearing slavery's scars.

I am the red man driven from the land,

I am the immigrant clutching the hope I seek—

And finding only the same old stupid plan

Of dog eat dog, of mighty crush the weak.

I am the young man, full of strength and hope,

Tangled in that ancient endless chain

Of profit, power, gain, of grab the land!

Of grab the gold! Of grab the ways of satisfying need!

Of work the men! Of take the pay!

Of owning everything for one's own greed!

I am the farmer, bondsman to the soil.

I am the worker sold to the machine.

I am the Negro, servant to you all.

I am the people, humble, hungry, mean—

Hungry yet today despite the dream.

Beaten yet today—O, Pioneers!

I am the man who never got ahead,

The poorest worker bartered through the years.

Yet I'm the one who dreamt our basic dream

In the Old World while still a serf of kings,

Who dreamt a dream so strong, so brave, so true,

That even yet its mighty daring sings

In every brick and stone, in every furrow turned

That's made America the land it has become.

O, I'm the man who sailed those early seas

In search of what I meant to be my home—

For I'm the one who left dark Ireland's shore,

And Poland's plain, and England's grassy lea,

And torn from Black Africa's strand I came

To build a "homeland of the free."

The free?

Who said the free? Not me?

Surely not me? The millions on relief today?

The millions shot down when we strike?

The millions who have nothing for our pay?

For all the dreams we've dreamed

And all the songs we've sung

And all the hopes we've held

And all the flags we've hung,

The millions who have nothing for our pay—

Except the dream that's almost dead today.

O, let America be America again—

The land that never has been yet—

And yet must be—the land where every man is free.

The land that's mine—the poor man's, Indian's, Negro's, ME—

Who made America,

Whose sweat and blood, whose faith and pain,

Whose hand at the foundry, whose plow in the rain,

Must bring back our mighty dream again.

Sure, call me any ugly name you choose—

The steel of freedom does not stain.

From those who live like leeches on the people's lives,

We must take back our land again,

America!

O, yes,

I say it plain,

America never was America to me,

And yet I swear this oath—

America will be!

Out of the rack and ruin of our gangster death,

The rape and rot of graft, and stealth, and lies,

We, the people, must redeem

The land, the mines, the plants, the rivers.

The mountains and the endless plain—

All, all the stretch of these great green states—

And make America again!

poets.org/poem/let-america-be-america-again

This scene may look calm and tranquil but it was anything but. I was exhausted and barely able to stand after being awake for about 18 hours straight. I spotted this tiny head in the distance....what seemed like miles away in the open tundra. So I began walking out there around 1:30am.

Let me tell you, it is not easy walking through the tundra (looks dry on top but wet on the bottom and your feet sink in) what is really a short distance becomes a long arduous one especially when you have a camera and tripod and don't want to break an ankle.

Well when I got out there I began to be eaten alive by mosquitoes that seemed to have been starving to death. There was a Whimbrel and a Long-tailed Jaeger out there, tons of Lapland Longspurs singing their heads off. This grouse that was making the most hilarious sounds (if you haven't heard what they sound like click here www.youtube.com/watch?v=snhDClOBh_I). I honestly can't help laughing when I hear them. He was being dive-bombed by a Parasitic and Long-tailed Jaeger... I was screaming out in agony from the little vipers. I left one of the buggers in the photo for nostalgia. I could not see out of my bug net and hat to take a bloody picture. So I ended up having to lift up the net to get the camera to my eye and the only part of my body not bitten got covered in bites from my neck up. The Jaegers were now no longer bugging the grouse. He was shaking his head off trying to rid himself of the same fate as I. I felt sorry for him at least I had a net.... not that it did me any good when I wanted to take a photo. The Repellent with Deet I sprayed only seemed to attract them. I'm still amazed these killer mosquitoes can bite through gortex! Well I had to retreat and got bitten all the way back to the car. I itched for about 2 weeks after getting back from Nome. Good times... would I do it again? For sure, it was worth it. However, next time, I'm wearing a full body bug suit, no matter how crazy I look. :)

The Willow Ptarmigan is the most numerous of the Ptarmigan species and is the state bird of Alaska.

Hey guys! Long time no see ;-)

I was pretty busy and really had no time to keep in touch with you in flickr. I hope to be able to visit more often...

Thank you everyone so much for sharing your quality photos which is a great way to see and keep in touch with the world from home. Also for your kind comments and favours which are much valued.

I am not able to take on any more members to follow or to post to groups. I prefer not to receive invites to groups.

July 29, 2012 - Kearney Nebraska US

2012 was a dry summer and the storm season was few & far between. Last recorded rainfall for us was back in early June. Working constantly I had that Sunday evening off and was able to get out to get a few snaps of this oncoming storm.

Finally received some much needed moisture. Strong thunderstorms had formed out in western Nebraska & were dying as they were entering southwest Buffalo county here in South Central Nebraska.

No warnings on this storm but she was producing some exceptional views of the core. Incredible cloud to cloud and cloud to ground lightning strikes pummeled the earth . This storm cell was proceeding to the northeast from the southwest. It crested right on the northern outskirts of the city. Couldn't have asked for better light & storm. Many photographic gems in this set!

*** Please NOTE and RESPECT the Copyright ***

Copyright 2012

Dale Kaminski @ NebraskaSC Photography

All Rights Reserved

This image may not be copied, reproduced, published or distributed in any medium without the expressed written permission of the copyright holder.

#ForeverChasing

#NebraskaSC

Pic of my LHD Lotus Elise 111R.

Made maybe 1 or 2 months ago. At the moment I'm not able to organize photosessions with my car because when I start to drive it to move to the location...I'm in love with driving it and the result is: adios photosession!!!

Light info:

1 vivitar camera right

1 vivitar camera left

1 vivitar over my head

C&C are welcome

Dan

This crab was the second I saw on the last night dive. The first was caught up in a discarded fishing net. Luckily my buddy had a net cutter with her and was able to free it and put it away from the net.

Explored July 3, 2024

I was able to adapt one of my oldest lenses to my Canon cameras, the Agfa Agnar 85mm F4.5. The lens gives low contrast and a tint color to all images. I wish you all a great 4th of July!!

(Spanish: Pude con exito adaptar uno de mis lentes antiguos a mis camaras Canon. Nada menos que el Agfa Agnar 85mm F4.5. Me gusta los resultados de bajo contraste y color adicinal, similar a las fotos antiguas. Les deseo un feliz 4 de Julio.

Old Digital Camera: Canon 5D mkII (2008)

Vintage Analog Lens: Agfa Agnar 85mm f4.5 (1950)

Add contrast and grain with: Google Nik Color Efex Pro 4.

Location: Lake Monroe, Riverfront park, Sanford, Florida.

(Press "L" or "Z" or Click on the image for a large view).

Image ID: _MG_8166 copy-bord

Email: photobysamuel@gmail.com

My Flickr Albums

Thank for your visits and comments

Quand le guide est aussi herueux que le touriste qui l'emploie, par le fait de pouvoir partager des moments aussi fous que de trouver une Pescatoria coelestis in situ avec 11 fleurs ouvertes durant un tour de 6 jours d'observation d'orchidées et de nature que je viens de guider dans le département du Valle del Cauca, Colombie.

When the guide is as happy as the tourist who employs him, for being able to share crazy moments such as finding a Pescatoria coelestis with 11 opened flowers during a 6 days orchids and nature observation tour I just guided in Valle del Cauca department, Colombia.

Cuando el guía es tan feliz como el turista que lo contrata, por poder compartir momentos tan locos como hallar una Pescatoria coelestis con 11 flores abiertas durante un tour de 6 días de observación de orquídeas y naturaleza que acabo de guiar en el departamento del Valle del Cauca, Colombia.

I am away for a short while ... sorry I have not been able to visit you... chat soon :-))

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“A flower sprouting from the cracks in a wall is life creeping up everywhere.”

Giuseppe Tobia

“Un fiore che spunta dalle crepe di un muro è la vita che si arrampica ovunque.”

Giuseppe Tobia

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click to activate the icon of slideshow: the small triangle inscribed in the small rectangle, at the top right, in the photostream;

or…. Press the “L” button to zoom in the image;

clicca sulla piccola icona per attivare lo slideshow: sulla facciata principale del photostream, in alto a destra c'è un piccolo rettangolo (rappresenta il monitor) con dentro un piccolo triangolo nero;

oppure…. premi il tasto “L” per ingrandire l'immagine;

Qi Bo's photos on Fluidr

Qi Bo's photos on Flickriver

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www.fotografidigitali.it/gallery/2726/opere-italiane-segn...

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The late Pope Francis left us a memorable phrase, referring to the tragic events of our current history, he said "build bridges, not walls", and almost paraphrasing Pope Francis, here in Sicily we tear down walls, let me explain... there is a traditional religious festival, during which the wall of a house, always the same wall, is torn down, to then be built again in anticipation of the celebration that will be held in the new year. But it is not so much the wall itself, even more characteristic is the way in which this wall is broken down: it is struck over and over again with the arms of the float, those used by the bearers to hold the float, on which sits the statue of Saint James, an incredible tradition whose origins are not unanimous. Many, many years ago, I was perhaps 20 years old, walking with a few friends one evening along Corso Umberto in Taormina, I learned from one of them about this incredible tradition. I remember it as if it were yesterday. He said, “In Sicily, there is a celebration in which, during the procession, the float with the Saint, loaded with provola (cheeses), is used like a battering ram to break down the wall of a house, which is then rebuilt (the battering ram, a medieval assault weapon, used to break down gates and castle walls).” This year, I was able to witness (and photograph) this very particular and unique tradition, which is celebrated every year on July 26th in the town of Capizzi (Messina), a celebration that commemorates the transfer of the relics of Saint James from his sanctuary. As mentioned, the most characteristic moment of the celebration is the "rite of miracles": the float with Saint James on it is violently hurled against the wall of a house adjacent to the church of Sant'Antonio, and each impact against this wall is interpreted as "a miracle of Saint James". The number of blows needed to overcome the wall is interpreted sometimes positively (if the blows are even), sometimes negatively (if the blows are odd). The "Miracles of St. James" do not have a certain origin, some think it could originate in ancient times from the destruction of a small pagan temple, or a synagogue, someone else instead traces this tradition as a form of revenge of the inhabitants of Capizzi (Capitini), this because the relics of the Saint were stolen from Capizzi to be kept in the city of Messina, by the Spanish nobleman Sancho de Heredia, in obedience in 1435 towards Alfonso V of Aragon, nicknamed "the Magnanimous" (he was king of Aragon, Valencia, Sardinia, Majorca, Sicily, titular king of Jerusalem, Corsica and Hungary, he was count of Barcelona and of the Catalan counties, and from 1442 he would also become king of Naples), therefore the demolition of the wall would be a form of revenge towards what was perhaps the house of the nobleman Sancho de Heredia, finally someone else traces this tradition to a legendary event, which recalls the defeat of a handful of Saracens, who They had barricaded themselves in that place. Currently in Capizzi, in the Sanctuary of San Giacomo Maggiore, the oldest relic of Saint James the Apostle in Sicily is housed: a finger of the saint. Another characteristic aspect of the festival is the presence of numerous provola cheeses placed on the roof of the float. These are offered by the population to Saint James. The presence of these typical cheeses is indicative of the type of economy in Capizzi, primarily linked to agriculture and livestock farming, with significant dairy and pork production, particularly that of the Nebrodi black pig, with typical cheeses such as provola capitina and maiorchino. Some residents told me that sometimes the donations of provola cheeses, even large ones, become so abundant that the float ends up becoming exceptionally heavy, severely testing the bearers' ability to support all that weight.

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Il compianto papa Francesco ci ha lasciato una memorabile frase, in riferimento alle tragiche vicende della nostra attuale storia, ha detto “costruite ponti, non muri”, e quasi parafrasando Papa Francesco, qui da noi in Sicilia i muri li abbattiamo, mi spiego meglio ….c’è una festa tradizionale religiosa, durante la quale il muro di una casa, sempre lo stesso muro, viene abbattuto, per poi venire costruito in attesa della festa che si terrà il nuovo anno, ma non è tanto il muro in se, ancor più caratteristico è il modo in cui questo muro viene sfondato: esso viene colpito più, e più volte con i bracci del fercolo, quelli che servono ai portatori per reggere la vara, sul quale siede la statua di San Giacomo, una incredibile tradizione sulle cui origini non c’è unanimità di pensiero. Io tanti, tanti anni fa, forse avevo 20 anni, passeggiando con pochi amici di sera sul Corso Umberto di Taormina, venni a sapere da uno di questi, di questa tradizione che ha dell’incredibile, lo ricordo come fosse ieri, disse “in Sicilia c’è una festa nella quale durante la processione, la vara con il Santo, carica di provole (formaggi) viene utilizzata come fosse un’ariete per sfondare il muro di una casa, che poi verrà ricostruito (l’ariete, arma medioevale d’assalto, utilizzata per sfondare portoni e muri dei castelli),”. Quest’anno, ho potuto assistere (e fotografare) questa tradizione così particolare ed unica, che si celebra ogni anno il 26 luglio nel paese di Capizzi (Messina), festa che commemora il trasferimento delle reliquie di San Giacomo dal suo Santuario, e, come anticipato, il momento più caratteristico della festa è il “rito dei miracoli”, la vara con sopra San Giacomo viene violentemente scagliata contro il muro di una una casa adiacente la chiesa di Sant'Antonio, ed ogni urto contro questo muro viene inteso come “un miracolo di San Giacomo”, il numero dei colpi necessari per avere la meglio sul muro viene interpretato ora in maniera positiva (se i colpi sono pari), ora in maniera negativa (se i colpi sono dispari). I “Miracoli di San Giacomo” non hanno una origine certa, qualcuno pensa possa originare anticamente dalla distruzione di un piccolo tempio pagano, od una sinagoga, qualcun altro invece fa risalire questa tradizione come una forma di rivalsa degli abitanti di Capizzi (Capitini), questo perché le reliquie del Santo furono sottratte a Capizzi per essere custodite nella città di Messina, da parte del nobile spagnolo Sancho de Heredia, in obbedienza nel 1435 verso Alfonso V d'Aragona, soprannominato "il Magnanimo" (era re di Aragona, Valencia, Sardegna, Maiorca, Sicilia, re titolare di Gerusalemme, Corsica e Ungheria, era conte di Barcellona e delle contee catalane, e dal 1442 sarebbe diventato anche re di Napoli), quindi l’abbattimento del muro sarebbe una forma di vendetta verso quella forse era la casa del nobile Sancho de Heredia, infine qualcun altro fa risalire questa tradizione ad un evento leggendario, che ricorda la sconfitta di un manipolo di saraceni, che si erano asserragliati in quel luogo. Attualmente a Capizzi, nel Santuario di San Giacomo Maggiore, si trova la più antica reliquia di San Giacomo Apostolo Maggiore che abbiamo in Sicilia, si tratta di un dito del Santo. Un altro aspetto caratteristico della festa, è la presenza di numerose provole messe sul tetto della vara, queste sono offerte dalla popolazione a San Giacomo, la presenza di questi tipici formaggi è indicativa del tipo di economia che c’è a Capizzi, principalmente legata all'agricoltura e alla pastorizia, con una importante produzione casearia e di carne suina, in particolare quella del maiale nero dei Nebrodi, con formaggi tipici, come la provola capitina e il maiorchino. Mi dicevano alcuni abitanti che a volte la donazione delle provole, anche di grosse dimensioni, diviene così abbondante, che la vara finisce con acquisire un peso eccezionale, mettendo a dura prova la capacità di reggere tutto quel peso da parte dei portatori.

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Not been able to get out with the camera at all for the past couple of weeks so here's one from my holiday in Norfolk last month. It is a single exposure with a slight amount of ICM rendering the figures as translucent.

Kirk: How is he, Bones? Were Spock and Sulu able to reach him in time to save him?

Bones: 'E's passed on! This Security Guard is no more! He has ceased to be! 'E's expired and gone to meet 'is maker! 'E's a stiff! Bereft of life, 'e rests in peace! If you hadn't put 'im on a display base 'e'd be pushing up the daisies! 'Is metabolic processes are now 'istory! 'E's off the twig! 'E's kicked the bucket, 'e's shuffled off 'is mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin' choir invisibile!! THIS IS AN EX-SECURITY GUARD!

Kirk: Uh...yeah, ok-what the HELL was all that just now?

Bones: Sorry, Jim. I'm just trying to spice up the old repitoire a bit, do you have any idea how tired I am of just saying " He's dead, Jim?" all the time?

Jim: With the mortality rate aboard our ship, I can imagine!But...what was that? It seemed...somehow familiar...

Bones: Lifted it from the ship's library computer,mid 20th century British comedy, Monty Cobra or somesuch....

Kirk: Ah yes! Monty Python! The " dead parrot sketch " I believe, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Parrot classic! Good choice!

Bones: So you think It's a good routine to use from now on?

Kirk: No, you butchered it, never do it again in my presence- Cleese and Palin are flipping in their graves as we speak.You call THAT a British accent?

Bones: Do you really think it was THAT bad, Jim?

Kirk: No Bones...it was worse, far worse than you can...possibly imagine!Ah well, looks like we have to find a new planet to barbeque on. I'll have Scotty launch some marker buoys to declare this world as "too dangerous to party down on" immediately.Bummer.

Take a look backward, go ahead. You may be amazed at how clear the picture is. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to see so clearly into the future? I am sure there are things that I COULD have done differently, or maybe WOULD have done with a different attitude, or most certainly many times there were things that I just SHOULD have done, period. When we reflect on our lives, I think that most of us would do things differently with those we hold close to our heart. Both of my parents have passed on, but there are oh so many times that I would like to see them just one more time, to touch their hand, to tell them I love and appreciate them. Even though I did that quite often when they were still alive. I also recall the times that my young son would ask me to go fishing, and I might respond with something like: "maybe later, or some other time." Of course there were plenty of times when I would say "go get your pole," and he'd be off in a flash, but If I could recall those times, most certainly we would have went fishin' every time he asked, and believe me he asked quite often. So it would be pointless to live a life of regret, wishing that we had done things differently.

Back in the eighties the pop-rock group MIKE AND THE MECHANICS put a song on the charts for a few weeks entitled "The Living Years." www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZrN7kSVvoY Part of the lyrics said ♫Say it loud, say it clear, you can listen as well as you hear. It's too late when we die to admit we don't see eye to eye.♫ The writer of the song was looking back over his life and wishing that he would have had a closer relationship with his recently deceased father. He even went on to write later in the verse: ♫ I wasnt there that morning when my father passed away, I didnt get to tell him all the things I had to say, I think I caught his spirit later that same year, I'm sure I heard his echo in my babys new born tears, I just wish I could have told him in the living years.♫ So when you begin to reflect, don't let your past blur your vision, but let it improve your visual acuity of the future. My wife and I recently put our house on the market, placed all of our belongings in storage, left our friends and family and not only left town, or the state of Tennesse or even the country for that matter, we switched continents for cryin' out loud. We are now pastor/directors at the SHAPE International Christian Center for our armed forces in St. Denis, Belgium, and lovin' every minute of it. This is really a decision that I will not look on in the future and wish I had done things differently.

I know that some think that these birds recognize me but has been almost two months since I last visited and the birds are quite skittish and the Green Herons never wanted to just settle in and forage, so I was never able to get close to them. This one was perched on a branch overhanging the bayou, but eventually just flew away. Photo captured on Horsepen Bayou.

A7R00651uls

Swallows are able to produce many different calls or songs, which are used to express excitement, to communicate with others of the same species, during courtship, or as an alarm when a predator is in the area. The songs of males are related to the body condition of the bird and are presumably used by females to judge the physical condition and suitability for mating of males. Begging calls are used by the young when soliciting food from their parents. The typical song of swallows is a simple, sometimes musical twittering.

Was able to see this guy and on dry land.

“Know thyself deathless and able to know all things, all arts, sciences, the way of every life. Become higher than the highest height and lower than the lowest depth. Amass in thyself all senses of animals, fire, water, dryness and moistness. Think of thyself in all places at the same time, earth, sea, sky, not yet born, in the womb, young, old, dead, and in the after death state.”

― Muata Ashby, Ancient Egyptian Proverbs

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

new photos soon hopefully! i'm taking two photography classes where we'll be able to work with models and studios, and i'm super excited.

I was able to visit Page, AZ and Lower Antelope Canyon after a business trip in Las Vegas. I arranged for two 2hr photography tours so I could get the morning and afternoon light. All I can say is that this place is magical! It was on my "Bucket List" and I just might have to go back again. I'll be posting some more images over the next few days and I hope you enjoy viewing them as much as I enjoyed taking them.

Thank you for visiting my Photostream and for your faves and comments.

Some information on Lower Antelope Canyon...

Antelope Canyon is the most-visited and most-photographed slot canyon in the American Southwest. It is located on Navajo land near Page, Arizona. Antelope Canyon includes two separate, photogenic slot canyon sections, referred to individually as Upper Antelope Canyon and Lower Antelope Canyon. The light beams that appear at different spots in the canyon during mid day are the highlight of Upper Antelope, while the rock formations are the focus of Lower Antelope.

The number of visitors has increased significantly in recent years. It is still well worth visiting and can provide for some striking images, but photographing amongst the crowd has become a stressful experience even if the Navajo guides do a good job with crowd control if you are in one of the "Photographer Tours".

The Navajo name for Upper Antelope Canyon is Tsé bighánílíní, which means "the place where water runs through rocks." Lower Antelope Canyon is Hazdistazí, or "spiral rock arches."

Antelope Canyon was formed by erosion of Navajo Sandstone, primarily due to flash flooding and secondarily due to other sub-aerial processes. Rainwater, especially during monsoon season, runs into the extensive basin above the slot canyon sections, picking up speed and sand as it rushes into the narrow passageways. Over time the passageways are eroded away, making the corridors deeper and smoothing hard edges in such a way as to form characteristic 'flowing' shapes in the rock.

Was able to catch this beauty as he flew by my position, with many more, when I first started doing the birds I thought they were one of the most beautiful of all Florida wading birds, and feel the same way today.