Coventry Transport Museum was opened in 1980. The Museum’s current collection of vehicles is acknowledged as being one of the finest in the world, and the largest in public ownership.

 

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Ranking among the most important caves in the world, the Škocjan Caves represent the most significant underground phenomena in both the Karst region and Slovenia. Due to their exceptional significance, the Škocjan Caves were entered on UNESCO’s list of natural and cultural world heritage sites in 1986. International scientific circles have thus acknowledged the importance of the Caves as one of the natural treasures of planet Earth. From time immemorial, people have been attracted to the gorge where the Reka River disappears underground as well as the mysterious cave entrances. The Reka River sinks under a rocky wall; on the top of it lies the village of Škocjan after which the Caves are named. Archaeological research has shown that people lived in the caves and the surrounding area in prehistoric times – from the Mesolithic, the Neolithic, the Bronze and Iron Ages through Antiquity and the Middle Ages to the present; altogether for more than 5,000 years. The Škocjan Caves have a highly multi-branched system of cave passages totalling 6.2 kilometres. The Caves have 11 speleological structures that are interconnected by means of the Reka River or collapse dolines. The shifting of the sinkholes in contact with the underground caves caused the formation of numerous collapsed dolines. The sinkhole fascinate every visitor with their depth of 163 meters as well as great floral and faunal diversity. The best view of both sinkholes, with their natural bridge and the cave that separate them, is from Miklov skedenj, named after the local explorer Franc Cerkvenik.

 

In Slovenia we visit the amazing Škocjan Caves. Here the Reka River creates a waterfall in the Velika dolina before plunging in the amazing deep underground canyon of the Skocjan Caves. It will emerge again after 38km in italian grounds with the name of Timavo river flowing after 2km into the Adriatic sea. Rare cave fauna are preserved in the underground system of the Reka River. The cave was formed by the disappearing Reka River that gathers most of its waters on the impermeable flysch rock. Following heavy rains, the Reka River floods in the cave, usually reaching levels up to 30 metres; the highest recorded rise in the water level was 132 metres. Falling water in the Karst sinks and drains underground through fissures. The caves are formed in this way; on the surface this occurs in different karst depressions of various sizes. The most frequent karst depressions are sinkholes. .

 

De Grotten van Skocjan, Skocjanske jame, liggen in het zuidwesten van Slovenië niet ver van Postojna. Het druipsteengrottenstelsel van Skocjan is ca. 6 km lang en ligt langs rivier de Reka, die hier op een diepte van 200 m door de Grotten van Skocjan stroomt. Rivier de Reka stroomt over een lengte van 38 km ondergronds door meerdere grotten in het Sloveens karstgebied. De Grotten van Skocjan vormen de grootste ondergrondse canyon ter wereld. Vanaf het bezoekerscentrum maakt men onder leiding van een gids een wandeling naar de ingang van de Grotten van Skocjan. Warme kleding en wandelschoenen zijn nodig voor de ondergrondse tocht van zo'n 2 tot 3 uur langs o.a. de Stille Grot en de Grote Zaal. In de Müllerzaal stort de Reka zich van verschillende hoogtes met woest geraas naar beneden, men loopt over een in de wand van de grot uitgehakt smal pad, over een 50 m boven de woest stromende Reka gelegen bruggetje, langs donderende watervallen en door de Martel's Chamber, de grootste grot ter wereld. De bezoeker wordt gefascineerd door de diepte van een zinkgat van maar liefst 163 meter. De Rimstone Pools' Hall is een grot met druipsteenformaties in de vorm van elfenbankjes. Men kan niet anders dan deze meesterstukken van de natuur bewonderen. Eenmaal buiten ziet men de Reka met donderend geraas de Grotten van Skocjan uitstromen. In de Grotten van Skocjan is fotograferen niet toegestaan. Maar ja dat heb ik maling aan natuurlijk. De Grotten van Skocjan werden in 1986 Werelderfgoed en staan ingeschreven op de Werelderfgoedlijst van UNESCO als: Skocjan Caves.

We are living in times of great destruction of the world as we know it, earth changes, fires, floods, earthquakes.

 

Here alone in Australia we sit in horror at the extent of the fires rampage across the country. Unprecedented fires and weather in the history of our existence (well what is on record)

 

Whilst horrific - the earth we live on has always been full of cyclic changes.

 

Ancient cities have been discovered under the sea, we are naive to think that the world as we know it will remain the same.

 

What continents exist now may no longer exist. What coast line exists now is slowly being swallowed up by the ocean.

 

Volcanic eruptions are changing the face of the planet as are earthquakes - the list is long.

We cannot stop the force of Mother Nature. We live on a planet that has always endured such destruction.

 

We have pole shifts taking place - all kinds of catastrophic events happening across the Globe. We are but a spit in the ocean to the wide Galaxies that we know of. Yet we think we are precious in some way.

 

I cannot help but wonder why I was so drawn to create this "Black Winged Goddess" let alone give her the name of Black Winged Goddess. But I was drawn, my soul was pushing me for weeks with a "slight vision" of what I needed to create. It now makes total sense to me why I was so drawn to create The Black Winged Goddess, given the state of our world and humanity.

 

My soul as always when I listen guides me with powerful messages and reminds me to just 'be' to accept 'what is'.

 

We may not like the current state of our world but it is what it is and all we can do is stay strong within ourselves and hold the power of 'love' in our hearts despite seeing so much being played out on the planet.

 

Kali (Hindu) - was known as a deity of the Fearsome Demon destroying Goddess who represents death and rebirth - so her name means "Black One".

 

We can never truly comprehend or understand the power of mother nature - we have abused her for centuries, taken her for granted and she is a living breathing consciousness so powerful that we dare not go up against here.

 

In recent years we have seen the influence of the feminine energy on earth which for eons has been dominated by the male energy.

So it makes complete sense to me that we are witness to so much destruction on the planet.

 

We are witness to the destruction of our societies as we know it, breakdown of families, law, politics.

 

So much of humanity is at war with the 'system', the injustices, and the lack of balance within our society. The homeless, the abused, the forgotten souls, the mental health issues that seem to have become rampant, the rise of Corporate wealth while humanity is trapped in slavery. We have learnt nothing as a humanity over the past how many hundred years?

 

In order for rebirth, for new growth, a culling needs to take place - hence the energy of the Black Winged Goddess she is both the Destroyer and the Giver of New Life.

 

We have elected to be here at this time on the planet - despite the suffering we witness or endure - I know at a higher level it is absolutely necessary for real change to take place.

 

Our world is a very different place to the one we have known - and whilst we have believed we have had a safe and reasonable planet in which to live, the reality is much Evil has existed and people have been brainwashed to the point of being zombies. There has been so much suppression imposed upon humanity even to the extreme of vaccinations and fluoride to our water supply. All of these chemicals act as suppressants to our brain! It has been a deliberate agenda of the existing power on earth. Their agenda has always been to rule, control and suppress the populous.

 

Humanity is awakening and with this will be uproar, dis - ease, a culling if you like. It is time for humanity to step out of fear and into their true power which is within each and every one of us.

 

New growth, new beginnings but not before the dismantling of the old - it has to be this way.

 

These times we are living through were written in history.

 

So I have created "The Black Winged Goddess" she is available in different styles, inside a Dome with beautiful etched glass or stand alone. She will rotate or can be static.

 

She is available on MP in the Stand Alone version (rotating) or can be seen in world at my store.

 

I hope you enjoy and embrace 'The "Black Winged Goddess' and rather be in fear of her - understand she brings 'New Life" but first the old has to die for the new to be born.

 

How appropriate for a New Year of 2020 fast approaching.

 

Interestingly and unconsciously I created 4 of these Black Winged Goddesses.

 

The year 2020 equates to the number 4 in Numerology.

 

The #4 represents a Universal energy. (see below for a deeper understanding of the #4)

 

The # 2 - Is the most feminine and often underestimated when it comes to power and strength. She is always gentle, tactful, diplomatic, forgiving and understanding. She likes to keep peace and likes to avoid confrontation. # 2 is the survivor and extremely resilient force. Her shape looks as though she is bent back on a knee with head bowed in humility and service. However when enough pressure is applied to the # 2 energy. Some would perceive her as weak and powerless due to this servitude shape. However never underestimate the power behind #2 because she represents the power (double) #1 who is the all powerful warrior who will shake and destroy no matter what. So #2 brings the balance but never underestimate the power of 2 Energy.

  

The #4 Energy in more detail

 

The 4 is without a doubt masculine, reflecting strength and stability. His chief characteristics are dependability, productivity, punctuality and obedience. He is trustworthy, patient, conventional and a traditionalist.

 

Tend to be rule followers. 4 is the area of sciences, upholding the law (such as Government and the military). The #4 represents Disciplined, systematic, Dependable, Strong. Loyal

 

Four is the basis of all solid objects. Four points are used in constructing the simplest solid and thus four is the number symbolizing the way of construction. In many religions, four is seen as the number for earth, and representing the four elements, Air Earth, Water and Fire.

At its extreme 4's can tend to overreact to violence.

 

So 2020 seems to have more challenges ahead and I suspect we will be seeing more uprising across the planet (#2 energy) with totalitarianism (#4 energy) being played out like never before. Perhaps more of what the world has witnessed in Hong Kong this year.

 

It is as if the two energies Masculine & Feminine are battling against one another. But at the same time I cannot help but feel and acknowledge UNITY - and this is what I will remain focused upon during the year ahead. We must stand united. We are after all 'one humanity'

 

We are without doubt living in very challenging times.

May peace be with you!

  

Taxi

maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Isle%20Of%20Currents/243/2...

A rare Volkswagen which hasn't been acknowledged by the Crayon brigade, yet! This is 1 of 7 left taxed on UK roads, so they are on the verge of extinction, although I would imagine most Santana's are now in enthusiast ownership, which means the Santana's still on the road will be looked after. Looking by the MOT history, this was returned to the road in 2011 after spending a while off the road. The owner was in the car when I took this photo, so I didn't manage to get a front pic of it, as I didn't want to disturb the owner, because he was looking sleepy.

 

Mileage in between MOTs - 2,487 Miles

Mileage at last MOT - 125,771 Miles

Last Ownership Change - 31st December 2009

  

A143 OYD

✓ Taxed

Tax due: 01 December 2017

✓ MOT

Expires: 25 May 2018

   

Just a heads up, this post acknowledges the existence of urination. If that offends your delicate sensibilities, I'd recommend skipping this one.

 

When I'm out hiking, I usually have a destination in mind. I'm headed from point A to point B. I'm on a mission. I often find the best photos when I slow down, though. So there is a tension between efficiently getting to my desired location and stopping to smell the roses. If I steamroll ahead at full force, I know I am missing stuff. But if I stop everytime I roll up on a pretty fern, I'll barely escape the parking lot. There's also the issue of trying to force a photo that isn't there. Sometimes I realize I haven't stopped in a while, so then I start hunting for a photo. That rarely works. My favorite photos typically peak my interest organically. Finding them is like a surprise gift. Trying to hunt them down usually doesn't work.

 

The morning I took this photo, I had no desired end location or subject to photograph. We were in Maine for my wife's birthday, and I woke up early and walked the beach to see what I could find. Like every morning, I had loaded up on coffee and after walking the beach for a while I needed to stop to relieve myself. I ducked into a little cove, and from the cove I spotted this rock pattern which reminded me of a stately mountain range. (Leave it to me to find a mountain photo on a beach).

 

Looking back, it strikes me that this was not the first time that this has happened. It's fairly common that when my body forces me to slow down, I find a hidden composition in the bark or a pattern in the leaves. Some small detail that otherwise I would have marched right past. Maybe the key to finding good photos is to drink more coffee.

Ace up a Satin Sleeve

Trumping with an Ace

 

I had met the Fab Four at the posh early evening reception they were quests of. They, of course, assumed I was a guest also, why wouldn’t they?

 

Of course, this would be their first mistake. One that many before them have made.

 

I first met them outside, behind the venue I was targeting.

 

They were hanging out at a small park across the street from a back entrance to that venue.

 

I myself had come from the opposite direction of the park, having left my deep green sports coupe in a nearby church lot 2 blocks away.

 

I saw them before they saw me, saw the shine of fine clothing, glittering of even finer jewellery, and like a bee to nectar, zeroed in on them.

 

It was a clique of four young darlings of around 17 that I stopped by to say hello to and admire the beautiful attire of the girls.

 

And make no mistake, it was all beautiful.

 

The Fab Four I tagged them. And they happily acknowledged me as I came upon them.

 

A close-knit group made up of a brother, sister act. Twins, Craig and Cadie, and the sister’s two friends pretty Ginny and diminutive Lilly. They all were obviously pups of wealth-infused parents.

 

Craig, a red-headed male, wore a nicely fitted tux, black with a shiny gold brocade patterned vest. an old-style tie on a brown silk shirt., The tie with Newport School stripes was held with a real gold tiger eye pin. He was also wearing a thick silver wristwatch and a silver tiger eye pinky ring, as well as a gold school ring.

 

His red-haired twin sister Cadie is breathtakingly radiant, wearing a far too wickedly lovely long satin dress of a rich hue of chocolate brown. The dress was embroidered with flickering rhinestones outlining her small round breasts and the thin-tied sash waistline, from which an exquisite leaf-shaped diamond broach was pinned off to one side.

Long chocolate brown satin gloves graced her hands up to her elbows. The shiny gown flows elegantly down along the girl's delightful svelte figure.

And adorning that well-pointed figure is a rather healthy, (or in some cases, unhealthy) royally full display of flickering diamonds that are undeniably, expensively, and deliciously real.

 

Their friend Ginny was wearing a long fluttering black satin Kimono style dress with a lime green interior. A dragon formed with dazzling rhinestones reached up along the kimono's front, a glittering claw wedged between her breasts as it was grasping up. I believe she wore no bra, nor needed one, to hold her youthfully plump breasts in place.

Her cascading, eye-boggling expensive jewels were silver set with emeralds. Included in the set was a gorgeous emerald/diamond pendant with fringed chains of rhinestones that resembled the flowing dragon's beard.

Ginny also was wearing green mascara, her long fingernails were coated with emerald green and sparked. As were her bare toes sticking out from silver sandals. A very pretty package all around.

 

The fourth, a short petite young lady named Lilly was very attractively wearing a brite shiny red satin high-necked, long puffy sleeved blouse with long cuffs and with it, a black tiered silk skirt that simply poured down along her youthful figure, spilling out from her petite waist which was encircled with a rhinestone filled black leather belt. She also wore a very mouth-watering, eye-catching full collection of solid gold jewelry expensively set with synthetic rubies and real diamonds. Hair, ears, neckline, wrists and four gloveless fingers all were decked out with some form of ruby/diamond-enhanced baubles.

 

We happily chatted for a few minutes about the wedding reception we were all at. I gathered a few tidbits that should be useful if questioned by someone to prove I belonged there, which of course, I didn’t.

 

As we chatted I was able to get an expert eyeful of the jewellery worn by the girls. This gave me an hors d'oeuvre like taste for what I would be found inside this evening to satisfy my appetite.

 

Seeing they were in no hurry to join in the reception, I reluctantly left them to their own devices as I went across the street to make my way in with an arriving swarm of gown-swishing arriving guests

 

I snuck in with the group of chatty females who accepted me as one of the groom’s invitees ( after I learned they were from the bride's side). Finding them to be easily distracted, I lifted a gold Cartier watch from a well-dressed lady's wrists as we squeezed in the narrow back side door they were using rather than the main two-door entrance around the front.

 

It was too easy, like shooting fish in a bowl easy.

 

I was wearing a thin gown of black satin that I had adapted to include several hidden pockets. One of which now held the solid gold Cartier wristwatch. I was also wearing real 2-carat stud earrings, my only jewels, but enough to make a statement of my own of being well off.

 

Once inside I began to mingle, making myself at home to be on the prowl to do a bit more lifting.

 

And what a “home” it proved to be. As indicated by the way the Fab Four were decked out, this affair was a gold mine, or is that a diamond mine? It was a fact, all the guests here were very wealthy, and were wearing their finest.

 

A “dips” smorgasbord of delight. And here I was in the thicke of it. Security was surprisingly light, and I took advantage of that as I selected my marks.

 

My second score was a young lady wearing a short gold lame dress and sparkling diamonds. I spotted her at the bar lighting a cigarette and jostled her as I sat next to her. Apologizing I place my arm on her wrist(covering her diamond bracelet) as I excitedly talked about being here. She squirmed her way from me making an excuse, as I squeezed her wrist and lifted off her bracelet.

 

A handsome tux-clad male whom I hugged (mistakenly thinking he was someone I knew) lost his gold pocket watch to my nimble fingers.

 

A second male was left alone at a table watching over the valuables of three ladies who had left him to head to the dance floor. Minks were hung on the backs of chairs, and an expensive clutch purse made up of rhinestones was laying across from him. Two more purses hung from chairs. He was lighting a cigarette as I walked past, I bumped his elbow sending his lighter to the floor. As he bent down to pick it up. I did a circle around the table and lifted the small rhinestone clutch and shoved it inside my purse.

 

Then an adorable young lady, darling in a long sheer silk peach coloured dress, was nice enough to pick up my purse, dropped conveniently at her gown covered painted toes. Later she would discover her long pearl necklace had mysteriously disappeared.

 

Likewise, yet another female mark, this one in a luxurious and luscious lavender rhinestone decked gown, sitting next to me at the bar, helped me by retrieving my lighter as it was “accidentally “ knocked to the floor. as she stood up. As she was bending over to retrieve it, her gown tightly outlined her fine figure, and the diamond pendant that had been hanging from around her throat, somehow, vanished?

 

Then there was the snooty thirteen-year-old devil doll-faced girl, bratty to her parents, who were delightedly dressed and decked up like a princess. Sweeping satin with lace and loaded down with her grandmother’s real diamonds.

Countless people (including me)were stopping and coddling her over her admitted cuteness, as she ignored her parent's advice to stay close to them.

Somehow, somewhere(though not believed at the same time), the pair of vulgarly expensive old-fashioned clasp diamond earrings she was wearing, both disappeared from her silky let-down hair-covered ears. I’m sure it was a true mystery to some, but not me.

 

Now as much as I’d love to delve into the more delicious details of the picks I made at the reception that day, the truth is that my lifts at that party are not the reason I am writing the story, and I don’t want to bog down the telling of it too much.

 

So with that being said….

 

During the course of my “raid,” I kept an eye out for any peek of the Fab Four.

 

They did eventually come inside, and I saw them from time to time in the cavernous room filled with several hundred guests.

 

I could see the brother was sweet on the kimono-wearing chick Ginny by the way he teased and kept taking her out onto the dance floor, the pair getting dangerously close in a rather provocative manner.

 

Which was a pity, I really coveted lifting that diamond-filled “bearded” emerald pendant from pretty Ginny. But could not see any way to do so as of yet, with Craig hogging all her attention.

 

But I was captivated and kept close tabs on the Fab Four who stayed together thicke as thieves. To thicke it appeared for me to make any lifting attempts.

 

Though I did spy Cadie walking with an older lookalike, either an older sister or a quite young mum. Either way, her walking mate appeared like a klutzy one, which is a favorite characteristic of mine to see in someone that has something of value I’d like to lift. And, blimey, this one did!

 

The lady was very attractive, carrying an aire of wealth about her. Her long reddish brown hair was up in an elegant bun, held by a deep blue sapphire-trimmed thin tiara that rippled blue sparks as she and pretty Cadie walked on.

 

The lady beautifully wore a sky blue, too-tight, taffeta dress that shone with a slick wet appearing sleekness along her still very svelte figure.

 

Aside from the tiara, the rest of her jewels, like her daughters, were noteworthy.

 

The silver diamond set consisted of pierced earrings, set with 4-carat round stones with a full 8-carat pear-shaped larger stone dangling. The necklace was a silver chain with 5 round 5-carat diamonds in a v pattern. Hanging from the two end and middle round stones were three 8-carat pear-shaped diamonds, the same size as the ones swinging from her earrings. There was also a 12-carat diamond pinky ring, with a pear-shaped diamond flamed on each side with 6 smaller round diamonds, which the happy lady was wearing on her right pinky. She also was wearing an impressively large diamond engagement and wedding band set.

 

I whistled under my breath. There was easily a cool £150,000 in “Ice” staring me in the face, being temptingly worn by the two females swishing by, combined.

 

I pondered, as I often do, that it would be brilliant to watch the reactions of ladies dressed up like these two, if they could read my thoughts at that moment, without knowing who was thinking them!

 

Salivating, I watched them disappear, then I gave a deep sigh. The more I saw of the guests in this place, the more tingly I felt from head to toe, cementing my feelings about my quest in this place’s being a proper corker.

 

My fingers were constantly prickling with anticipation, as I continued casing the room full of happily drinking very well-dressed guests. For obvious reasons, I avoided the wedding party proper, staying out on the still richer fringes of lesser-invited well-wishers.

 

I worked over that patch the rest of the afternoon until late evening. It may not appear that I made many lifts, but they were very satisfactory and profitable ones.

 

I soon acquired two men’s billfolds surprisingly thicke with notes, and a lady's large diamond pin to add to my already pocketed ill-gotten gains.

 

The billfolds had been easy lifts, one from a groping young male who asked me to dance, the other from an older gent who I had “bumped” into.

 

The lady had been more of a challenge. Dressed in a dusty pink velvet and silk gown. I had to endure her endless chattering about herself before I was able to extract myself by placing a hand on her shoulder and pretending I was being summoned by an Aunt. As I pulled my hand away, the pricey 8-carat diamond pin she wore on that shoulder had been extracted also.

 

I had made quite a little haul during my time there, thoroughly enjoying myself in the hunt.

 

And I was not through yet I murmured to myself as I saw the 13-year-old devil doll-faced princess all alone as she was hovering over a deserted cocktail cart.

 

She had slipped the time-out invoked by her parent’s after her earrings had both disappeared without any explanation as to how?

 

But they foolishly did not have her hand over her remaining diamonds for safe keeping, as I saw she still had a sparkling necklace of them hanging down around her throat.

 

My finger’s tingling as I watched the hardly innocent brat’s necklace with its expensive shimmer. I slipped off and began to circle around my new prey as I could see her lifting a full cocktail glass.

 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I was standing by a neglected cocktail cart. as one does, allowing the 13-year-old devil doll to sneak in an adult drink. My hand was caressing her sleek gown, as I sinfully was working off the antique diamond necklace from the distracted female brat. The pricy diamond necklace was far too tempting a target to allow the bratty girl to wear it any longer. I already had lifted her antique diamond-encrusted earrings earlier, so now I had doubled the value by having the complete matched set.

 

It was then I happily had spied Cadie’s overly jewel-burdened mum( I had figured it wasn’t her sister, too much panache) who had come up to the bar to order a drink while I was otherwise entertained.

 

I finished slipping off the girl’s expensive diamonds, pocketed them, squeezed her as she was looking at the glass with a disgusted gaze, and took my leave.

 

Cadie’s Mum was leaning over the bar, her tight blue satin-covered rear end just sticking out enough to make her a decent target.

 

Coincidently, from the speaker came the announcement for the bridal bouquet toss.

 

Approaching the bar area I saw that my target had started to reach back to straighten her shiny blue dress, diamond pinkie ring blazing up magnificently like the fancy bugger was daring me.

 

My fingers were tingling like wildfire as I made my approach. I had wanted a chance at lifting from this lady the moment I saw her walking with my “Chocolate Delight”

 

As the commotion that an announcement like the bridal toss brings began, I moved along the bar, acting like one of the single ladies scurrying to join in with the bridal fun.

 

I bumped into Cadie’s mum in doing so. One hand caught her by the silken waist for “support” while I wedged her ring-bearing hand between her tight blue satin-clad buttocks and my very damp crotch. My free hand caught up her fingers and easily pulled down, then off from her pinkie her diamond ring.

 

A textbook lift.

 

I apologize. She sweetly looked at me with the understanding of why I was in a hurry as I quickly moved off.

 

My heart was beating up like a storm. The diamond pinkie ring I had just lifted from Cadie’s wealthy mum was worth a dizzying payday.

 

I could/should have just kept walking straight out the door.

 

But I couldn’t pass up on the bridal bouquet toss.

 

My favorite part of any reception raid I am on.

 

As I was pocketing her mum’s ring, I spotted a diamond-bearing chocolate delight(as I was calling Cadie) with pretty ruby-burdened Lilly, the one wearing the touchable red satin blouse. But the third Emerald displaying Ginny, wearing the black satin kimono, was curiously not with them. Pity, for I would have gotten in with them to attempt lifting Ginny’s necklace. As it was there were more profitable targets in that gathering storm of flickering jeweled-up females.

 

I wedged myself in the midst of the well-dressed chattering females, heart pounding furiously from the excitement of the hunt.

 

As the bride threw her bouquet of white roses I delved into that squirming crowd of satin and silk-clad females and came away with, not the bouquet, but a fancy wide gemstone set bracelet from the gloved wrist of a lady wearing a deliciously fitted taffeta gown of burgundy.

 

As we all broke up I decided I was done for the night. A nice evening's work for me had been accomplished. Both profitable and jolly fun.

 

As I left I saw Cadie and Lilly off in a corner talking like a couple of puppy cute conspirators over something.

 

They were standing under an incandescent light that made the diamonds and rubies they wore blaze into provocative life as they moved in place.

 

I murmured to myself as I placed a hand over my still fast-beating heart.

“Girls, again you have my curiosity.”

 

I went over to say toodles and for a last look at the pair of beautifully attired young girls. They stopped talking as I approached and chirped happy greetings. Brother Craig joined and said to the two girls.

“Ready?”

 

I pounced on that, saying…

“Oh you’re leaving too, could I walk out with you?”

 

The 3 of them happily obliged and we walked out together.

 

Lilly had a friendly arm wrapped around Cadie’s sleek svelte waist. I was very jealous that it wasn’t my arm there fingering that pretty broach Cadie was wearing.

 

With that thought in mind, I moved closer, ready to make a lift for her broach should an opportunity arise.

 

It didn’t and Cadie reached the exit door still wearing her diamond broach.

 

As we went outside, On a total whim, I stated I was going to a pub and asked if they cared to join me for a drink, knowing full well they were all underage. So I was merely dangling what I’d hoped would be tempting bait.

 

They all laughed Lilly saying they were all too young yet to be served drinks.

 

But had I caught a sad tone to her voice and if I was reading Cadie and Craig’s expression correctly, all three were vulnerable game to be out drinking.

 

So I tried to set the hook I felt these wealthy youngsters may have been nibbling at.

 

I place my hand on Lilly’s extremely soft shoulder and put a finger to my lips, leaning in. They all followed suit giggling, as I whispered.

“Tell you what. I can pick up a bottle of wine and we can meet in that little park yonder. You know maybe I will share a bit of it!”

I made a drinking motion.

“No one will know”

 

Craig looked at his sister, who nodded, making her long earrings flicker.

Then he looked at Lilly who also nodded agreement, her earrings also breaking out and doing a blazing ruby dance of their own.

 

It made my heart melt, it did, the show those pretty jewels of theirs did along with their deliciously attractive attire. And I was that much closer to, well, you know (winks).

 

Craig looked at me

“We actually have a private spot that we hang out at, an unused cemetery down old Abbots Chase Road. Can you meet us there ?”

 

Played and hooked em. Licking my lips I readily agreed

“Certainly darlings.”

 

Cadie quickly explained how to get there, it was 20 minutes away, only a few kilometers from a village where I could purchase the wine.

 

The four of us happily left, me probably being the happiest as I took a renewed interest in chocolate delight’s diamonds and meek little Lilly’s savory rubies.

 

We parted ways at the park and with a gleeful step I made quick way to my sports coupe.

 

As I drove off I tried to curtail my excitement, not wanting to jinx any luck I may end up having. Definitely Chocolate Delight’s diamond-burdened figure would be a victim of my light touch.

 

But I would hate to let the delightful rubies young Lilly was wearing left out of the fun.

 

And I had more than one plan up my sleeve to acquire far too darling jewels.

 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

Easily finding the village I went to a local and purchased a bottle of cheap red wine.

 

I headed off on the mostly tree-lined Abbots Chase Road. At one point crossing a bridge over a wide river, after which I passed what appeared to be an old university, on my left then more trees, and finally the cemetery on my right.

 

The only car parked was theirs, they had pulled in straight. I backed in under the shadows of a bush hanging over the old wrought iron fence. I broke off a small branch and stuck it in my front plate, obscuring most of the numbers.

 

I had no problems locating the tro hanging out on the wide steps of a large pavilion.

 

For tonight’s moon was full, and nothing sparkles in the light of a brite moon more than expensively real diamonds and pricy synthetic rubies. Even little Lilly’s rhinestone belt shone like a bloody beacon exploding with frenzied bursts of light, all of it giving them away as rich targets.

 

I’ve heard that some pickpockets could lift a person's belt as easily as a wallet. And Lilly’s would be just the type of belt worth a lifting.

 

I smacked my lips over that thought.

 

“Cheers,” they gleefully hailed me as I approached.

 

Sitting down next to Lilly, two steps below Cadie and Craig, I reopened the bottle and handed off to Craig who took a healthy swig and handed it to Lilly, who took a rather large gulp, giggling as I watched her diamond/ruby-filled necklace flashing from down the sheer front of her red satin blouse.

 

Then Cadie took it, diamond bracelet and rings flashing, and also took a healthy swallow before handing it back to me.

 

I pretended to drink as I watched the three of them happily continue chatting away not paying me any real heed.

 

Cheers, I said, another round, I’m buying.

 

The girls giggled at that as the bottle was passed around again, I was given another front seat show of their heart-wrenching jewels sparkly dance.

 

As I watched over the cheery lot. I was also keeping an eye on the road. No cars were coming either way. We were alone and it appears it would stay that way.

 

I daringly asked what had happened to their (adorably jeweled up) friend Ginny.

 

“Where is your friend, Ginny I think her name was?”

 

Cadie said proudly …

“Yes, Ginny. She had left early with her parents. Her mum is a judge .”

 

Craig cut in dryly…

“with higher political aspirations”

 

Cadie nudged her brother coyly before continuing…

“Her Mum had an important fundraiser tonight.”

 

Craig added sadly,

“And Ginny not attending with her parents wasn’t a bloody option.”

 

I looked at him with sincere disappointment, sharing his feelings that Ginny was not there, albeit for a very different reason.

“Aye laddie, too bad she isn’t here for the fun. Those stuffed-shirted politicians can be a dreary lot to hang with.

 

Cadie giggled…

“I know right, Ginny wanted Lilly and me to go with her, didn’t she now? But Lilly’s parents said no. So I decided to say with Lilly now didn’t I.”

  

I took the bottle back from Craig and held it up. Let’s drink to Lilly’s parents, otherwise, I would not have the pleasure (opportunity) being here with you three luvs.”

 

Cadie rose and hugged me from behind, her king earrings hitting my face as she bent over me saying.

“Aww, thank you., that’s a sweet thing to say.”

 

I handed her the bottle and she happily took a deep swig, then passed it to Lilly.

 

Cadie sat down and began sleepily fingering her handsome necklace, diamonds dripping down from it, spilling the sparklers out onto the front of her chocolate satin gown, she looked so pretty, and I was hungry for that sweet necklace shimmering so delectably from her shiny gloved fingers.

 

Lilly passed the bottle to Craig who had been sulking, he happily took a swig, and another healthy gulp. Then yet another. I saw his eyes then begin to droop down to being half closed.

 

He gently put an arm around Cadie, his fingers gently caressing his sister's waist and side. I was envious, for I could imagine how tingly they must have felt touching that rich brown satin gown she wore. he leaned on her shoulder and soon fell asleep.

 

Cadie and Lilly both giggled at this, and I joined in, taking the bottle from his hand, and saying to Cadie.

 

“Here let’s not have that spill over your pretty party dress.

 

I handed the bottle to Cadie and asked.

 

“How did you all happen to be hanging out here, at a cemetery?

 

Cadie, my little chocolate delight, explained it to me after gulping wine, and as I listened, feeling the time was finally coming, in anticipation I took in a full inventory of Cadie’s expensively glittering collection of diamonds as she spoke.

 

She explained in great detail how this backed the woods behind their house…

 

As she said house I pictured a mansion.

 

She said that the cemetery was not used anymore so it became a place to play their games.

 

“And a nice place to play mine.” I thought.

 

I now had the bottle and handed it to Lilly as Cadie finished.

 

I asked her...

“Don’t you ever feel frightened out here at night?”

 

Cadie accepted the quickly emptying bottle from Lilly as she slowly answered, her words a wee bit slurred.

“Sometimes, though I’ve never seen anything here at night that would harm us.”

 

I had to ask.., now that Craig was out of the protective equation

“Even this evening with us all dressed up, can I feel safe here?”

 

Chocolate Delight then thoughtfully took another gulp of wine, passing it to me, I passed it on to Lilly. Craig stirred in his sleep.

 

“Of course luv, I cannot think of any reason someone would bother us tonight?”

 

I heard Lilly giggle from behind.

“Nor something “

 

I looked at them both, at their brightly flickering jewels and far too richly shiny attire thinking to myself...

(I just bet the two of you really haven’t a clue as to what makes a thief tick!)

 

I said apologetically…

“I guess you’re right, silly of me to worry. You know choc…Cadie That’s a perfectly lovely necklace you are wearing. May I?”

 

She happily held it up, and I fingered it. Her eyes reflected a total innocence, obviously she felt no danger wearing out jewellery like this. No matter how hard I tried to steer her thoughts in that direction.

 

“Gorgeous, simply lovely, not real are they though, of course.”

 

Cadie giggled,

“They are ever so real. These are all mums, aren’t they? Papa keeps them at the bank. Says they are very valuable. He worries too much Mum said to him,” hun, it’s not like we’re in London tonight…. Then mum said I looked so pretty that she insisted I wear her diamonds instead of my own.”

 

Lilly chimed in…

“I like getting dressed up and going to London. Ever so much fun. “

 

I chuckled thinking certain parts of London would just love to see these two wealthy pups walking down their street dressed up like they were tonight. But what I said was something quite different…

“Parents do worry too much. Though I guess I’m surprised they let you come out here alone. And Lilly, you do dress up very beautifully.“

 

Lilly(blushing)and Cadie both answered together

“Oh we didn’t think to tell them, no reason really, we’re always out here now, aren’t we now.”

 

Cadie added...

“After all, we’re far from London., right?”

 

“Right,” I said, patting her shoulder, my excitement rising as I see how sleepy she is also getting.

“No reason I could mention.”

 

Cadie now passed the bottle to me almost dropping. It. Poor thing is tired I thought.

 

As Cadie’s eyes closed and she cuddled in and soon was falling asleep against her brother's shoulder.

 

I felt my fingers trembling with anticipation.

 

Meanwhile, Lilly had taken a sip of wine and was also swaying like she was tipsy as she was holding the now mostly empty bottle.

 

I moved and sat next to her.

 

Lilly lifted the bottle giggling .sayin “Cheers” to the still sleeping Craig as she saluted him with it before taking a long pull.

 

“Here sweetie, those two don’t know how to hold their liquor like we do.”

 

I put my arm around her, lovingly stroking her hair, and then petted her backside as I spoke. Spotting her ruby bracelet peeking out from the long cuff of her red satin blouse, I felt my heart beating fast.

 

“Lilly looked up at me with glazed-over eyes, saying with concern….

 

“I always find this place a little scary at night. I’m glad you’re here with us. ”

 

I held Lilly’s hand, the one holding the wine bottle. Her rings digging into deliciously into my palm as I helped her lift the bottle to her lips. She obediently took another swig. Her flashy ruby necklace hanging down was glimmering away.

 

I reached over and lifted it, lovingly looking at the desirable rubies and diamonds it held, licking my red lips with growing delight.

 

Feeling the girl slipping off into sleep. I whispered soothingly.

 

“I am glad to be here too luv. Your rubies were a very nice touch to wear out tonight. ”

 

Lilly cuddled into my side,

 

“Thank you, I’m so happy you, you like my R…rub…..”

 

Finally, she succumbed to sleep. I wrapped an arm around her warm satiny figure and cuddled her next to me as her breathing became heavier, I felt her leaning lifelessly up against me, out cold.

 

I looked over, Craig also still out, cold leaning against his now sleeping sister.

 

I trembled with delight while gently prying Lilly from my side and placing her head onto Craig’s lap.

 

I rose and deliciously looked over their very well-attired figures. Their ample valuables glistened in that late evening full moons bath.

 

“Ripe for the picking!”

 

I lit a cigarette and watched the trio, teasing myself with the temptation of the view. As I muttered

“From vulnerable sweet jewel-laden prey lured out, to now my innocent sleeping victims to soon be cleaned out”

 

I shivered with a delighted prickliness of sheer pleasure at my truly wicked thoughts.

 

It had actually worked, the whimsical ace I had “ carried up my sleeve” for some time.

 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

Now three years ago at a formal garden party that spilled out into the evening, I was befriended by an older velvet and lace-clad lady who had taken a liking to me, especially since I was there alone. I had taken a liking to her diamonds.

 

We had ended up in the deserted gardens carrying glasses of wine. Sitting on a bench enjoying the moon I had the opportunity to nick from her the fancy gem-encrusted bracelet she was wearing

 

But much later that evening as I was in bed unable to sleep I mulled over how it seemed a pity not to have gotten away with lifting more of that lady’s diamonds.

 

I thought up different scenarios as I was falling asleep. Suddenly my eyes opened wide.

 

How easy it would have been to slip her a “Mickey”, by placing knockout drops in her wine, and as she was unconscious I could have had her diamond rings, necklace, and earrings, as well as her fine purse in an easy haul.

 

I studied up on it later and ever since had

carried a small bottle of knockout drops contained in a perfume bottle which happened to have an ace of diamonds etched on the crystal glass.

 

I carried it with me, well because one just never knows if lightning will strike twice.

 

But in all those years, in all the many posh receptions, parties, and the ilk that I had raided, I never came close to using my little “ace” that I had added to my “raiding” arsenal.

 

But just maybe, tonight I could pull it off. Risky as it was I had thought, which is why I had suggested buying wine.

 

I had bought cheap Red because it had a stronger acidic taste, which was useful for covering the taste of the ace up my sleeve that I was about to use.

 

Because Red wine will mask the taste of the knock-out drops better than white.

 

I had pulled off into a deserted parking area by the bridge, opened the wine bottle, took out a perfume bottle and poured in 1/8 of its contents, then shook the wine well before recapping it.

 

Man as I did, I was hoping my little plan would work.

 

It appears it had.

 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

So I crushed out my cigarette.

“Time to work them over.”

 

I went over to sister Cadie first with the sinister intention of making a proper job of it.

 

My fingers took the opportunity to delightfully stroke with caressing pets, what was the absolute sensuousness of touching her chocolate brown satin gown's thick texture. I lifted the dazzling necklace from her chest the diamonds dangling down. They were far too enchanting to gaze at up close. I laid them back down upon her sleek chest.

 

I leaned in and whispered in Cadies ear

“Cadie, can you hear me?”

 

She didn’t budge.

 

“Cadie, I’ve a confession, I’m a thief…”

 

Still no answer. She was dead to the world.

 

I petted my fingers down to her waist and worked off her broach, laying it on her lap.

 

Then I reached around behind her throat, undoing her fine gemmed encrusted necklace, then slipped it off, laying it reverently curled upon the broach. Her ears were quickly relieved of the long diamond earrings, then I ran my fingers through her silky curly hair, pulling out her, sorry, her mum’s long diamond clip.

 

I caressed down her silky red locks till they framed her cherub-like face.

 

Lifting each limp gloved wrist I worked off her rings, then lastly her diamond bracelet, adding them to the satisfyingly growing, glittering pile.

 

I then pulled off her long deep brown satin gloves.

 

Lastly, I did a thorough pat down of her figure to make sure nothing was missed. I went from head to dark brown high heels, where her painted toenails stood out. It was around her left little toe where I found a shiny solid gold toe ring she had been wearing.

 

As I pulled it off I said to her sleeping form.

“I’ll be having this also, dearie.”

 

I then turned my full attention to the brown-haired sleeping Lilly.

 

I leaned in and whispered in her ear.

 

“Lilly darlin…”

 

No response, I stuck a finger into her chest, watching closely…

 

“This is a stickup, hand over your Rubies honey.”

 

She didn’t move.

 

I then lifted her dead to the world figure and carried her to a nearby stone bench. I sat her up in a corner, her head down, short hair covering her face.

 

I delved my fingers into her silky hair and located each of her delicious ruby earrings. Reaching behind me and adding them to the glistening pile laid out upon young Cadie’s satin-covered lap.

 

I then lifted the ruby necklace and pulled it around till the clasp was exposed. Easily flicking it open, I pulled the shimmery beauty from around her throat.

 

I watched it swaying from my hand, rubies glistening a red fire, diamonds sparkling white. I then added it to the pile.

 

I then lifted each of her petite hands petting them as I worked off her surprisingly tightly fitting rings. Peeling back the long cuffs of her sleeves, exposing her dazzling bracelets which I worked off from her wilted wrists and happily added to my growing pile.

 

I then ran my fingers slowly along her downy soft clad figure. Making sure nothing was missed.

 

I will admit I was taking longer than necessary to do this, on both sleeping girls, but it was an exciting experience that I wanted to take the fullest advantage of.

 

My efforts with Lilly were rewarded when I found that she was wearing a small 1/2 Carat diamond in her navel. I had to fish up under her satin blouse to remove it.

 

Then I scooped up all the jewels that lay in a glimmering heap upon sweetly passed out chocolate delight’s lap and stuffed them all into my purse.

 

After gleefully stripping the girls of their valuables, I turned my attention to the sleeping male who should by all rights have been their protector.

 

“Okay laddie, let’s see what’s in your pockets.”

 

I patted my fingers along his satin gold calico vest while peeling back his tux jacket where I pulled a thin billfold filled with small denomination notes from a breast pocket. I placed that down the front of my dress to join the others lifted earlier.

 

I unfastened his watch and pulled off his rings placing them both inside my purse.

 

Then pulled out the cat's eye tie pin and also dropped it inside my purse

 

Undoing the tie I pulled it from around his neck, laying it on top of his sister’s brown satin gloves.

 

I then checked his trouser pockets, noticing he a bulge had risen from his crotch. Inside his pockets I came across a gold money clip with larger denominations of notes, and his car keys. The clip went into my purse and the keys I laid on the step. His rising bulge I left alone.

 

Then searching in his vest pocket I felt something hard and unusually shaped.

 

Curiosity turned to a shock that swept over me as I pulled out the very rhinestone-fringed diamond/emerald pendant that the missing chick Ginny had been so deliciously wearing with her black satin kimono. The very one I couldn’t take my eyes off at the reception.

 

I whispered to the passed-out lad…

“What’s up with this?”

 

Was he a budding thief or a lad who likes to play games? Which as a young lass is how I had started out.

 

I shrugged, stowing away the necklace in a special pocket.

 

I unceremoniously pulled him off the bench and holding his shoulders up, dragged him over behind the gazebo and set him up behind a long stone cross. Using his school tie I gagged him mum, using his sister’s long satin gloves I tied his hands and bound his legs. He would work off of his bounds eventually, but it would add to my escape time once he came to.

 

I went back and picked up the car keys, thought for a moment before I tossed them up on the gazebo floor

 

That should buy me some time. I wickedly smiled to myself.

 

I went back. The girls were also still out cold.

 

I looked them both over. Those pretty frocks would fetch a nice price.

 

I shook my head, lectured myself as I said no.

 

But I did take the sleeping girl's fancy designer purses and swinging them happily I made my way to the sports coupe and hid them, along with mine, in my sports coupe’s boot.

 

Closing it I looked back over towards the gazebo and let out a long sigh.

 

I could see Lilly’s rhinestone belt shining and shimmering, filling me with a shivering desire.

 

A thought, like a dog worrying an old shoe, would not let me go.

“I would probably never have another opportunity like this again.”

 

Was it with it to make a few quid more?

 

Or do I skedaddle with my over £70,000 in takings and not press my luck?

I chose the latter..

Firing up the engine I pulled onto Abbots Chase Road , and drove back down the road heading towards the village.

 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

Now if this was a movie( one I’ll admit I would love to watch) the story would end at that point. Not knowing the outcome.

 

And in movies, a thief keeps pushing the envelope enough so that they eventually end up in cuffs.

 

Oh to have a crystal ball

 

The rational thing for our thief would have been to take off at that point. Drive back through the village and cleanly make her get away without taking any more risks.

 

Though if she had been thinking that way she would have left the wedding reception and avoided that last meeting with Lilly and Cadie, thus missing out on the cemetery score all together

 

But I’ve always been interested in life’s paths. What if one took the path less traveled sort of thing?

 

So I did that, I wrote another ending. One that I could not just leave on the cutting room floor. One that in a movie would. Have been possibly the risk gone too far and ending up being caught, or ending up with a bigger payday?

 

But then this isn’t a movie, though it would be fun to watch if it was.

 

So, let’s just take the other path, the one not usually chosen.

 

Now then, onto part two, for those who want to know just what I’m babbling on about

 

To be continued

I’m glad you folks are setting down, because this is going tp be a long one. Apparently many here in Yosemite don’t know there’s a pandemic going or what is meant by social distancing. But, you see, they didn’t acknowledge the Norovirus outbreak over the Christmas/New Year, this pass season. Or, the Hantavirus outbreak in 2017. Or, the extreme overcrowding on the buses last year; guest were making human chains to stop them.

Yosemite National Park didn’t actually close until 3;00 pm, March 12, 2020, for the Pandemic. Until then, we had guest visiting from all over the world and many from Asia. I’ve been here a little over 11 years and interact with guest daily, as do many that I work with. I often ask guest where there are from. During the winter months we get a lot of guest from Asian countries.

During the Hantavirus outbreak; people died because of poor sanitation. Those in charge at the time; continued to rent out the infected tent/cabins. They knew they had a Hantavirus problem, but continued to rent out the cabins without informing the guest, of possible contamination (all for profits). Even when guest repeatedly complained of mice and feces. People died and no one was held accountable. There are links throughout my photostream and it’s easily researched. Just a minute; I’ve got to close my window. Those involved in Yosemite’s Mobbing Community are smoking outside, upwind of it again. This is what they do during a respiratory pandemic and mandatory social distancing, among many other appalling acts.

The Shuttle mess was caused from the lack of maintenance. The shuttle drivers were so fed up, they stormed to the Superintendent's office and demanded they be repaired. Many quit, one a retired Law Enforcement Officer. . I spent a day off, back then, on the shuttles to see how bad it really was. To start; I had to wait for a second bus, because the first one was too full. On the second bus, I was able to squeeze to the back. At the next stop; there was a big line of people waiting to get on an already full shuttle. As a few people were trying to get off the back; a group stormed them trying to get in; causing a woman stepping off the bus to trip in the curb, smash her face on the concrete at full force. It looks like she broke a couple teeth, her nose and lip. She sat up, while blood gushing from her face. People quickly helped her until paramedics arrived. I was so packed in the back of the bus, I couldn’t get off.

The Norovirus outbreak, was over this last Christmas and New Year holidays. Norovirus is spread through contaminated feces (poop). There were a couple confirmed cases and up to 200 unconfirmed. During this outbreak; we had a women’s bathroom that didn’t have working faucets at the sinks. When I went into work on 12-26-19, there was a sign on the mirror; saying out of order. This indoor public bathroom facilitated two dinning facilities. The sinks were not repaired until 1-5-20. Women eating at these facilities were washing their hands at the water filling stations. This was in our dinning facilities; women changing babies, using the bathroom and unable to wash with soap and water. Apparently we didn’t have the parts. Rather than make a 2 hour drive to Merced or 2 hr 20 to Fresno, someone decided to order the faucets. The sinks were not repaired until 1-5-20. I was off on the 24th and 25th of December. They were out for 12-13 days, during holiday weekends and a Norovirus outbreak. No one here will admit it, no one is held accountable, Department of Health covered it up.

It’s kind of like the water station; that could have electrocuted guest and children, all summer long. I addressed it repeatedly, unplugged it daily, to have it plugged back in. I even witnessed a young boy using his finger to trigger sensor, for the water flow. While his little sister stood there holding his arm with one hand and a pinched, out of code electrical cord, with the other. It’s wasn’t repaired, until I sent picture after picture to the NPS Regional Office. The retaliation I received over that was epic.

Now here we are during a respiratory Pandemic and I have coworkers, managers right in my face. I’m talking a foot or two. This is done, along with coughing, fake coughing and all kinds of skits pertaining to Covid19 symptoms; performed by managers and associates. These skits are just triggers, trying to get me to quit or act out. On 3-22-20, I was leaving work. I left from the back of our building and walked to and across the front of the building. As I came around the corner; an NPS Law Enforcement Officer walk out the front door; being held open for him by a supervisor. I was walking clear to the right, to keep my distance. This officer stepped out of the building, started walking towards me, he pretended to look at something in the palm of his hand. He kept walking further to his left, to a point, I was almost walking into a row of outside tables, to avoid him. That wasn’t enough, I had to almost stop, as he brushed pass me. Again, this was just an act (trigger), to get me to act out, or instill fear.

In my department; I have the most seniority. I was cut back to 16 hours a week. Employees that were hired within a year, were given way more hours than me. When I questioned it; I was sharply told “You’re lucky to even have a job” I stood my ground and was then told “I’ll just take hours from someone else”, trying use guilt. I took this job here as a janitor, because I wanted something with minimal stress. I raised my daughter as a single parent, served almost 10 years in the Army, sold a successful business I owned and became a District Manager for a company, before this. I love the outdoors and nature, but here I am; in the most stressful job I’ve ever had. That's even before the Pandemic.

There are many here in Yosemite that are a credit to this great park, but they are stifled by the incompetence, waste, fraud and cover-up that truly goes on here. Let anyone expose the truth and they will be mobbed, harassed, bullied and retaliated against, beyond belief. Truly, very few believe what’s going on here. Even when you have the evidence to prove it. I’ve given it to; two Superintends, an acting Super, now we have another acting Superintend. I’ve driven to San Franasicso, NPS Regional Office, presented evidence to two Special Investigators (what a waste), I’ve sent pictures, evidence, letters, complaints to two NPS Regional Directors and two acting Directors, drove five hours each way to Congressman McClintock’s office (another waste). After driving to McClintock’s office; the clerk almost wouldn’t let me in. I told him I drove five hours; he let me in after a practicality begged. I explained I what was going on in Yosemite, he said there was no one ther for me to talk with. He said I would have to call to make an appointment and tried to make me feel privileged for even being let through the front door (they keep it locked). After several calls, I spoke with his assistant; she too, tried to make me feel I should have felt privileged for being let in the door, after driving five hours. I didn’t get an appointment, or a returned phone call. I’ve sent certified, return receipt letters to Pelosi, Feinstein, Secretary of the Interior and our Over-site Committee. Not one resounded. And, look what they are doing now; selling off their stock and commodities, playing the blame game.

If I go public with the detailed evidence I have, I lose my job, my union pension and I’m 7 months from retirement, at 62. Even with the hate, harassment and retaliation; I put pride in my work, my appearance, the facility I clean and this wonderful park.

I stepped out for some exercise and pictures today. I was stalked and mobbed by housing staff, the woman across the hall in room 3, room 7, room 9. I came across 7 people in isolated, closed areas; stalking me. A couple exposing me to second hand smoke on the back trail to Mirror Lake and the halfwits waiting for me when I got home. Again, there are great people here and many in LAW Enforcement that are professional and dedicated, but they are overshadowed, by the human trash that actually runs the park. Things here in Yosemite don’t change, unless someone forces a change by exposure. It’s one of the Good-ol-Boy Parks. This is where the incompetent, unethical and amoral, hire and promote like minded individuals. This isn’t about me; it’s about you knowing the truth. Even when the park does open; I’m telling you, there are very few that truly care about your safety. They do want your money.

 

As I think about the brave men and women in the medical field, tears swell in my eyes; knowing they will someday be forgotten, just like our veterans. Please, please don’t let this happen. Please stay in, wear a mask, keep you distance if you do go out and wash, wash , wash. On that note: if you are in need of gloves for medical use; Sysco has plenty and our shelves are fully stocked. Why hasn't Sysco and the company I work for stepped up. My company is to busy sending out PR about how they are improving customer and employee relations, while bragging about how they can weather events like this because they don't have to pay their employees, when they're not working.

 

Thank you for visiting my phototream and not the park. My name is Rick Pineiro, if you want the truth about Yosemite, or our government; just ask me.

   

Acknowledging her subjects from the trunk of a Chevy Bel Air, it's Connie P. Poppers, 2019 Queen of the...

 

East Atlanta Strut

Atlanta (East Atlanta Village), Georgia.

28 September 2019.

 

▶ More pix: here.

 

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▶ "The East Atlanta Strut is East Atlanta's free annual one-day neighborhood festival, always on the third Saturday in September featuring a parade, food, live music, art, and events. The festival is held to highlight the businesses in East Atlanta Village as well as raise funds for schools, senior programs and Neighbor In Need East Atlanta. The festival is run completely with volunteers."

 

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▶ Photo by Yours For Good Fermentables.com.

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

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▶ Camera: Olympus OM-D E-M10 II.

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

Sooooo I was at my girl's home, riding my stupid dead horse Dante. No, I'm not just being mean. Whilst I love him so much, I acknowledge that he's as dumb as a bag of hammers. He gets stuck in the trees, wanders off sim and gets returned, spins in circles and won't keep his nose out of Oriana's alicorn's ass.*

 

I was riding him today and thought HEY let me take my now-biweekly candid shot! So I initially stood him nicely on the jetty then thought - yanno, one of those horse riding waist deep along the shoreline pics would look really good. So I rode him out just a little bit more.

 

But.

 

Teegle horses swim when they go in water. I swear to Gaga I didn't know! Until, of course... glub glub. So I took advantage of the surprise bath and shot us both swimming for our - well not lives but certainly to maintain our lovely manes.

 

You can see more of Dante in all his undead glory here at the first version of this shoot.

  

#nofilter #nopose #noedit #inworldlighting

  

*Shut up you particular two, we do not have a lot in common.

One style sometimes acknowledges another. There is a place of reference at the beginning that sometimes is not the conclusion, rather it reveals a pathway with significant moments upon the journey. This figure laid out on the skyline goes through all the variations of the atmospheric conditions each year wearing snow and lush green growth with light and shadow from the Sun and from clouds. The diversity of each day and night bring about variations.

 

© PHH Sykes 2023

phhsykes@gmail.com

 

One style sometimes acknowledges another. There is a place of reference at the beginning that sometimes is not the conclusion, rather it reveals a pathway with significant moments upon the journey. This figure laid out on the skyline goes through all the variations of the atmospheric conditions each year wearing snow and lush green growth with light and shadow from the Sun and from clouds. The diversity of each day and night bring about variations.

 

© PHH Sykes 2023

phhsykes@gmail.com

 

 

Usail RSt.G

_X4A5026

As in most examples of basic truthiness, the reverse is also true. That is, it is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man who works in the Botox industry, hardly ever finds himself in need of pickling.

 

And, as for the bifurcating Duchamps, there is no evidence that they ever met again after 'the split'.

 

Rumours that they are 'the twins' in 'Finnegans Wake' are dubious, to say the least, in spite of extensive, sadly lost, scholarship cobbled together by de Selby.

 

You be the judge, and all that palaver:

 

"^ Of the disorded visage.

 

* Singlebarrelled names for doubleparalleled twixtytwins.

 

^ Like pudging a spoon fist of sugans into a sotspot of choucolout. "

 

Page 286, 'Finnegans Wake', James Joyce

 

I rest my case, or at least suspend it over a widening knowledge abyss.

 

AI Overview (Google A.I.)

 

A human bifurcation is the division of a structure or a system into two branches, occurring in both anatomical structures like the trachea and blood vessels, and in dynamical systems where a small change in a parameter causes a dramatic qualitative change in the system's behavior. In anatomy, these are structural divisions, while in mathematical and biological modeling, they are points where a system's behavior shifts from one state to another, influencing everything from cardiac rhythms to neuronal firing.

 

Anatomical Bifurcations

 

Trachea: The windpipe (trachea) bifurcates into two bronchial tubes that deliver air to each lung.

Blood Vessels: Arteries branch into progressively smaller vessels, with the aorta splitting into the common iliac arteries in a significant bifurcation.

Nerves: Nerves also divide into smaller branches to reach different parts of the body.

 

Nice shirt, all the same.

The Sirotkin House, a former apartment building, is widely acknowledged as one of the most beautiful buildings in the centre of Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine and is a national historic monument. At the time it was built, 1902, it was the highest residential building in Kyiv. It is located at the corner of Volodymyrska and Prorizna streets (official address is Volodymyrska Street, 39/24 or sometimes Prorizna Street, 24/39.

 

Built in 1899-1902 by the architectural firm of Shiman and Gilevich in neo-renaissance style with elements of baroque and early modernism, the first owner was Pavlo Grigorovich-Barsky, but after his bankruptcy the house became the property of Alexander Sirotkin.

 

Designed by architect Karl Schimann, Nikolai Grigorovich-Barsky began work on this dramatic house at the end of the sugar beet boom that saw riches flow into Kyiv that drove a building boom still visible in large sections of the present city centre. By the time the house was finished in 1901, however, the boom had turned to bust with a collapse in prices in an oversaturated housing market and Grigorovich-Barsky was no longer able to pay the bills. Some aspects of the house were also frankly jerry-built. At the end of 1901 the unfinished house was sold at auction to pay his debts. Alexander Sirotkin was the successful bidder and completed the construction, exterior and interior decoration of the house in 1902-1903, provided electric lighting and built an elevator. The ground floor units became popular for upmarket retail establishments.

 

Under the Soviet Union, the building was nationalised, housing bars and restaurants as well as dwellings, but in the second half of the 20th century, the residential part of the house gradually collapsed, and the original interior of the house, distinguished by magnificent stucco, rough with embossed tiles, was lost. In 1985–86 residents were evicted to facilitate a restoration. However, due to the difficult economic and political situation in the country, this did not begin and the house was left uninhabited. In 1992, a fire broke out, which destroyed part of the interior. Finally, in 1997-1999, the facades were reconstructed, along with the corner tower, destroyed in the 1950s, the exterior trim and wall paintings.

 

In 2004, the City sold the building to private investors for a hotel development. This was also blighted by disputes and took a long time to open.

 

This description incorporates translations from the Ukrainian Wikipedia.

A candid moment, later acknowledged. Crowds gather in Ely’s Yard as doors open for the RCA2023: Graduate Show at the Truman Brewery, Brick Lane, London. July 13, 2023. Photo: Edmond Terakopian

"The jewel of Ely's Crown and acknowledged as one of the wonders of the Medieval world.

 

Disaster struck on 13 February 1322, when the Norman central tower collapsed. The noise was so great that the monks thought there had been an earth quake. Alan of Walsingham, the monk responsible for the building, was deeply shocked. One of his fellow monks wrote: 'He was devastated, grieving vehemently and overcome with sorrow... that he knew not which way to turn himself or what to do for the reparation of such a ruin.'

 

As rebuilding commenced, firmer foundations were found further out from the original pillars, and from this evolved the idea of building an octagon surmounted by a lantern. Its width of 74 feet (23m) was too great to support a stone vault, and so it was built in wood and covered in lead.

 

A masterpiece of medieval engineering, it took 18 years to build. The internal height is 142 feet (43m), and its total weight is 400 tons. In the centre, John of Burwell (a village south-east of Ely), carved the beautiful Christ in Majesty. Thousands come to Ely to climb the tower and the internal wooden structure which has baffled architects for centuries." From the Ely Cathedral Ofiicial website

Six Aboriginal language groups are the traditional owners of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area:

Darug.

Gundungurra.

Wanaruah.

Wiradjuri.

Darkinjung.

Tharawal.

 

I acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which I work and live, and recognise their continuing connection to land, water and community. I pay respect to Elders past, present and emerging.

 

Up close and personal I watched and shoot this mob playing and goofing off quite close to where i was camped, so I grabbed my lens and snapped away.

 

Do you know how the name Kangaroo came to be?

 

Well, according to this legend, Lieutenant Cook and naturalist Sir Joseph Banks were exploring the area when they came across the animal.

 

They asked a nearby local Aborigine what the creatures were called. The local responded "Kangaroo", meaning "I don't understand you", which Cook took to be the name of the creature. The Kangaroo moves by hopping on its powerful hind legs. It uses its thick long tail to balance its body while hopping. A kangaroo can hop at up to 60kmh (40mph). It can also leap over obstacles up to 3m (10ft) high. Because of the unusual shape of its legs and its bulky tail a kangaroo can't walk or move backwards very easily. Kangaroos are found in Australia, Tasmania, and New Guinea.

 

They are grazing animals that eat grass, young shoots and leaves of heath plants and grass trees. Kangaroos need very little water to survive and are capable of going for months without drinking at all.

 

The kangaroo usually rests in the shade during the day and comes out to eat in the late afternoon and night when its much cooler. It eats mostly grass. It needs very little water to survive. It can survive without drinking for months

Acknowledging Monty Python's "Life Of Brian"

 

Another view of the Collared Aracari, an intermediate-sized member of the toucan family. Like the toucans, they are frugivores and are common in the Caribbean lowlands and up into the foothills.

I sit there, for hours and hours, acknowledging and appreciating the beauty and surrealism of the colours and aromas in which I’m surrounded by, the scent of the sea spraying up from the colossal rocks, the feel of sand between toes and fingers and under nails,the sound of silence lightly intertwined with the monotonous swaying of the waves rocking back and forth between ocean and earth, the sight of an orange sun setting behind a horizon of pastel blues and greens,and in those exact moments, nothing else really matters but your surroundings. The feeling of your worries and hurt and anxieties washing away just like the white water bringing shells and debris to the sand then residing back into the ocean. There aren’t many other things in the world that can replace the evangelic rush you experience when the sea breeze presses onto your skin or when the sand tangles into your hair; intertwining you with the world and making you feel like you’re home, even if you’re hundreds of miles away.

With a fast-paced society revolving around the pair of hands sitting on a clock, escapism is therapeutic and people mistake the idea of therapy with alcoholism and drug-use; intentions to find permanent peace but learning far too late that their chemically modified therapy is merely temporary and is causing more harm than it should. Surrounded by priorities and the need to get bigger and better than what one already possesses, individuals find it difficult to conform from the crowd and search for a Great Perhaps elsewhere, scared of losing and failing and adventuring to new places, they become slaves to society and miss out on the magnificence that surrounds them, and that surrounds their every move; nothing cures more than the ocean.

I was born on the coastline. I spent every waking moment of my youth consumed in the sand and the water, blanketing myself with the waves as they folded through the rips and currents, swallowing the salted sea and rubbing my stinging eyes, hoping my feet would still manage to touch the ocean floor, hoping I wouldn’t get taken too far away from the dry sand, but adoring the way the world could calm my soul with its almost mother-like rocking and swaying, and with its harmonious lullabies. As I grew, I found the only way to deal with the struggles and emotional battles life puts before you was to spend countless hours absorbing the sensations that the ocean brought to my senses. I moved away from my home at a young age and felt constricted and unable to heal, like a bruise that just kept getting bumped over and over until it no longer healed correctly, and only within the last few years of my adolescence have I truly relearnt to visit my special place in my times of need.

In many ways, I feel like I’m a part of the gravitational force that controls the tides, I feel drawn to the shore. I feel as if my heartstrings are tied to the moon, and as the moon controls the oceans, it’s acting as puppeteer and moving me to the shoreline just as it does to the waves. Seeing me fall one way and pulling me back upright, the ocean is the most therapeutic form of solace and the most natural.

Someone once told me to fall in love with as many things as possible and it seems whilst my heart is continually being broken, the only love that remains is that of the water, the coolness of the winter wind on a clear night by the sea and taste of the salty air, the shadows the full moon casts upon the sand and the circular motion in which the stars move above the horizon. I could never fall out of love with something as beautiful as the purity of the beach; midnight walks along the sand that put restless nights to ease, sitting on the rocks in the strong wind and hearing the waves smash against the boulders, eroding its exterior layers and taking parts with it as it disappears into the brightness of day or darkness of night, knowing that a mere trip there can connect you to the world in ways no other place can and believing that everything falls into retrospect once you take a visit there. For me, the ocean is home, no house or town or city or country can define home like the ocean can.

Not just the surroundings of the ocean bring me ease and fulfilment, being consumed and encircled by nothing but the water is so surreal andoverpowering that it’s numbing. On the occasions that I am privileged enough to go deep sea snorkelling, I remove all of my gear and spend my entire breath of air underwater trying to control my awe and taking the time to think. All my thoughts are balanced when I’m submerged by the salty water of the coast and it’s one of the only places I’ve experienced in my short life, that allows me to think and dream freely. Being weightless and moving without constrictions or without gravity to define your movementtruly makes underwater the most dreamlike andsomewhat melancholic place, since those feelings can only last as long as your lung span can.

In the time that I’ve spent underwater, I’ve learn to hold my breath for an extended period of time. In the time that I’ve spent above water, I’ve learnt to breathe more and breathe deeper and absorb the pure air. Maybe that’s where the peace comes from, the ability to control your breathing? And the ocean helps you control that, guides you along, pushing you from behind and putting you back on track. Maybe the pollution in the race of the city stops us from feeling at ease, because we are not learning to inhale the best of air?

All I know is that for me, no place in the world means more to me than the ocean, and it can be any ocean in any state of any country, because realistically our world is one ocean, all shores are connected, all canals are linked and lakes are interconnected, the ocean that I hold in my hands may be that of which has travelled half way around the world and back, that has been through tremendous storms or deadly currents, only to find it calming and rational on my end of the world. The ocean that I have floated on and dreamed on, may be that in which has scared someone so severely for almost withdrawing them of their consciousness; the waves that I wrap myself in may be those that world champions athletes have surfed. The ocean connects us all to be one, and as some may think it separates us all from one another, I think it makes us united.

I believe everyone needs that special place that allows them to recharge their batteries, a place that brings them back to sanity, reminds us why we are beings and why we are here, and that we have a purpose to fulfil and no amount of clutter and heartache and emotion and pain and feeling and hurting can get in the way of that, if you allow yourself to rejuvenate and refresh your mind, you can get through any challenge that the world throws your way. Life is very much like the ocean; there are storms that come, and they can come crashing down and damage anything in its path, but a boat strong enough can withstand any storm, and a sailor smart enough to know how to survive a storm can make it through any obstacle the water throws in its path, and once it’s all cleared, the calmness and serenity of the still ocean will restart you and will fill you with the power and motivation to keep fighting those storms. If you have your special place, you can overcome any storm that you may find yourself in, as long as you know how to control your boat and steer away from danger.

And as I sit there for hours and hours, I think about these things. I hope and dream that my future involves an ocean, and that I am located somewhere close by, so I will always have home nearby.

 

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I acknowledge that I don't belong anymore to the younger generation or for that matter to the graffiti producing "crowd" so I'm always wondering what is "written"...is it some secret language? ;) Looks like it has "been" there for a while...

Maybe you can help me! ;)

 

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HIT THE 'L' KEY FOR A BETTER VIEW! Thanks for the favs and comments. Much Appreciated.

 

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All of my photographs are under copyright ©. None of these photographs may be reproduced and/or used in any way without my permission.

 

© VanveenJF Photography

  

One style sometimes acknowledges another. There is a place of reference at the beginning that sometimes is not the conclusion, rather it reveals a pathway with significant moments upon the journey. This figure laid out on the skyline goes through all the variations of the atmospheric conditions each year wearing snow and lush green growth with light and shadow from the Sun and from clouds. The diversity of each day and night bring about variations.

 

© PHH Sykes 2023

phhsykes@gmail.com

 

Flickr View 30 millions - Just crunching some stats

 

This is to acknowledge my deep debt of gratitude to all my contacts, friends and well wishers who have seen my photos and appreciated them. I thank each and everyone here on Flickr who took out the time to like my work.

  

30 Million views on Flickr is a big deal for me as this has been achieved without relying on private body parts. Most high number views are generally of that nature.

  

Here is hoping for your continued support. My thanks to all - the viewers, the Flickr platform and you.

 

It is written: ‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,

‘every knee will bow before me;

every tongue will acknowledge God.’

Romans 14:11

The town of Terowie was established in the early 1870s as a service centre for northbound traffic. Terowie owes its birth to one man, John Aver Mitchell; and its subsequent growth and success to its position on a major South Australian transport route, and later, to its important position within the South Australian rail network. John Aver Mitchell (1833 - 1879) is widely acknowledged to be the founder of Terowie. He and his family arrived in South Australia in 1847, and settled in the Marrabel area. Mitchell turned his hand to many things and lived in many places, including Kapunda and Hallett, before establishing himself in the Terowie area.

 

In 1872, Mitchell selected Section 158 from the recently proclaimed Hundred of Terowie. This land had previously been part of McCulloch's Gottlieb's Well sheep run, the lease of which had been resumed by the Government and opened for credit selection. Mitchell planted wheat on his land, but soon turned to other ideas for a livelihood. The growing amount of northward traffic passing through his section required services, and he is believed to have established an underground store or possible sly-grog shop at the side of the track as early as 1872.

 

He soon built two substantial stone buildings close to one another, the Hotel which was licensed on the 7th of May 1874; and a chapel which probably served a variety of functions including as a general meeting place. The hotel and chapel are considered to be Terowie's earliest buildings, but it was not long before a smithy and store were also constructed near the hotel. To ensure the growth and success of his infant town, Mitchell donated land and money for a school and a Methodist Chapel, both of which were erected in 1877.

 

The fact that the young town of Terowie offered much needed services to the northward traffic, as well as to the growing number of local settlers, secured its future prosperity. By the end of the 1870s over 500 people had settled in the town. Subsequent fluctuations in population had two main causes: the times of depression which affected local production, state-wide production and hence local services; and the rise and fall of railway operations, which reached high points in the 1880s (with the Silverton/Broken Hill Traffic), the 1940s (Military manoeuvres) and the 1950s (Leigh Creek Coal). The 1970 bypassing of the Terowie break-of-gauge sounded the death knell for the town's prosperity.

 

This history, of massive boom and prosperity in the 1880s, but then a subsequent dip in popularity followed by later peaks of a similar height has, to a large extent, dictated the face of Terowie today. Almost all of the buildings in the core of the town were constructed before the turn of the century. Lack of a steadily rising population led to there being no necessity for new buildings to be built after the 1880s, as the old ones were built during a wave of optimism, and then rarely outgrown.

 

Therefore, within the core of the town, very few twentieth century buildings have been built, and few modern alterations and additions have been required. Terowie survives as a fascinating nineteenth century commercial and residential time capsule. However, it is also a living town, with a small number of interested residents trying to retain their unique heritage.

 

Source: Department for Environment & Heritage, District Councils of Mount Remarkable, Orroroo/Carrieton & Peterborough, Regional Council of Goyder, Northern Areas Council, and Port Pirie Regional Council "HERITAGE OF THE UPPER NORTH - Volume 2 - Regional Council of Goyder "

One style sometimes acknowledges another. There is a place of reference at the beginning that sometimes is not the conclusion, rather it reveals a pathway with significant moments upon the journey. This figure laid out on the skyline goes through all the variations of the atmospheric conditions each year wearing snow and lush green growth with light and shadow from the Sun and from clouds. The diversity of each day and night bring about variations.

 

© PHH Sykes 2023

phhsykes@gmail.com

 

Trakai Park was founded in 1991 by the Lithuanian Restoration Seimas in order to preserve cultural sites of Lithuanian historical statehood along with their genuine natural environs. In this unique and compact ensemble of natural and cultural heritage, which reflects important periods and events in the history of Lithuania and eastern Europe as a whole, we can see a beautifully preserved cultural landscape centred on an historic town and castles which are nestled in lake land. Here there are traditional agricultural villages, fieldscapes and areas where primaeval natural formations still survive. The value of Trakai Park has been preserved finely and its special status has been recognised and protected by a whole body of national legislation.

 

The polyethnic town of (New) Trakai with its Lithuanians, Karaites, Tatars, Jews, Russians, Germans and Poles grew up beside the castles and had broad political and commercial links with European towns and their communities and traditions of mediaeval sacral, secular and defensive architecture, secular and religious art and literature. The town had a unique form of self-administration based on Magdeburg Law and from the fifteenth century autonomous Christian and Karaite communities governed their own affairs. Trakai was the centre of a separate duchy in the fourteenth-sixteenth centuries, which stretched to Brest Litovsk in the south (now part of Belarus) and Bir2ai in the north (close to the modern Latvian border), and it was an important residence of the rulers of Lithuania. Trakai was a favourite grand-ducal residence, an acknowledged centre for political theatre with hunting and diplomatic rituals, ecclesiastical holidays and trade fairs.

One style sometimes acknowledges another. There is a place of reference at the beginning that sometimes is not the conclusion, rather it reveals a pathway with significant moments upon the journey. This figure laid out on the skyline goes through all the variations of the atmospheric conditions each year wearing snow and lush green growth with light and shadow from the Sun and from clouds. The diversity of each day and night bring about variations.

 

© PHH Sykes 2023

phhsykes@gmail.com

 

Tom was playing shy.

 

Canon EF 70-300 f4-5.6 IS USM on a Canon EOS 1DS Mark III.

 

I may not have time to answer or acknowledge your visit here or any comments you leave right away but, I will thank you now in advance.

One style sometimes acknowledges another. There is a place of reference at the beginning that sometimes is not the conclusion, rather it reveals a pathway with significant moments upon the journey. This figure laid out on the skyline goes through all the variations of the atmospheric conditions each year wearing snow and lush green growth with light and shadow from the Sun and from clouds. The diversity of each day and night bring about variations.

 

© PHH Sykes 2023

phhsykes@gmail.com

 

Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other. - Deuteronomy 4:39

As luck would have it, when we were driving down the road away from the Paradise parking lot at Mt. Rainier, a red fox dashed across the road about 40 feet in front of us. I immediately came to a stop and grabbed my camera out of the center console and told Hilary I was going to try to get a picture. Realizing I had my 50mm on, I grabbed the 85 (the longest I had with me) and began to switch them. As I was just getting the 85 ring into the mount on the camera, Hilary said "Uh, Jeff . . . I think he wants something . . look to your right . . . "

 

In somewhere around the 7-8 seconds it took me to slam on the brakes and unmount one lens, this guy had covered 40-odd feet of deep snow drifts and was staring at me from not more than 10 feet away. Really a reminder of what amazing wild creatures these are (and how dangerous the larger ones can be if they suspect that *you* are the food).

 

At the same time, pretty sad - because clearly he's been getting a lot of handouts from people . . . not a healthy thing for a wild animal to rely on (let alone the quality of the food they're probably being given). I acknowledge that what is now my best and luckiest series of wildlife shots is due to this practice, but I sure would rather have earned it.

Stranger in the Strangest of Lands - Day - who actually knows?

"All things -- truly considered" Austin Powers / Heinlein NipTwist

 

most never believe me. That's my last name. "NipTwist.. Nathan Niptwist" 0007.5

  

==========================

 

TorF: Australia's percentageOf people with dyslexia is abnormally high. T or F: as today, immigrants were used . As today.. they were picked

  

DoD InspectorGeneral ‏@DoD_IG · 5h5 hours ago

 

What environment do you think is conducive to #fraud? go.usa.gov/24jW

 

www.dodig.mil/resources/fraud/index.html

  

so.. re: hazedous chems added to water in California - one day.. someone will be having problems and they will be blamed as mental health

 

laws from the past - and due to that the present will be there waiting for them like they have for millions of americans and others

 

mental health laws were enacted while hazardous materials / crimes that ARE known / admitted were not considered though they played a part

 

in being used for justification to alter the laws. WHILE NOT ACKNOWLEDGING THE CRIMES

 

USA agencies are also being used over seas. the way they function now = this will be used against us and we will be blamed for it as those

 

who got into our laws AND our very DNA will do as they have always done.. let others take the fall as they stand back with STOLEN money and

 

play the hero. it's the same endless loops we can see everywhere. in south Africa and all over Africa.. everywhere.

 

good conservatives were conned too. it does not pay to side with that which is illogical. interesting how smart people can be filled with

 

passions and a desire to do well - yet not see all variables. it's been this way for a very long time even before USA was here.

 

your enemies rooted in the country and did business in your name.. some ways = war crimes. Some like - fall guys and fall gals.

 

reminder-I wonder about people whoCling 2 historical figures. particularly politicians. it's a stage. it's mask city. we don't know whowaswho

 

you can look at the divisions and compare it to a dysfunctional family just as you can the entire world.

 

what's hard about it- or makes it difficult to figure out = usually if politicians don't play by others rules they are at a disadvantage.

 

usa would thrive and do good to get away from cruddy business from overseas by 1> nullifying copyrights and patents of those who do not play

 

nicely. 2> provide ourselves with our own food and meds - and yes WE CAN DO IT. "yes we can can can" do the can can 3> do it right

 

it is unwise .. to do business with those our vets warned us about. Example - it is wrong to do business with those whoUse populationControl

 

as a mask for murder. There are no justifications. ex: china's .. now two child policy.. which is odd because we trust reports of numbers?

 

for one thing.. it goes against national security common sense to reveal numbers in that area just as revealing info about tech and sci

 

or financial numbers.. nothing = accurate. all we are told = not accurate. In some areas of the world bitterness and revenge is kept alive

 

by using conflict. then the right to decide who lives and dies is handed down to said people. example :: who reports holocaust body counts?

 

do YOU go and count the dead bodies? Also-> babies in the womb are never correctly counted. any guess as to why and whose profile fits with

 

this? any guesses at all? I still need to confirm this -> a woman planted evidence at suspected homicide scenes and an officer say her. Now,

 

saw her -- Now, consider this.. how many fbi agents / officers were at the crime scenes and why did only one see it? TorF: she was called to

 

other countries to search for mass graves. It -might- have been at a time when it was easy to locate mass graves with satellites. keep this

 

in mind too-known tactic from the past those who use it didn't teach us in our school books / curriculum = use mass graves to set enemies up

 

when everyone is defensive.. logic is nowhere to be found. As I have seen when it comes to problems between families.

 

not sure about sats / locating mass graves. Ever wonder why we never hear about the fact religions = set up? KEEP IN MIND SAVILE NETWORKS

 

we were not told - what one entertainer mentioned - targeting "fundamentalists and orthodox" . check to see if sinead oconnor once

 

she's not the one who mentioned fundamentalists / traditional religious people in the way mentioned ... check to see if she mentioned infiltration and sabotage

 

not sure if she mentioned that or not. However.. when a group is attacked in such a way it also comes with damage to those not involved.

 

often they = the ones who enabled it. As was the case with jimmy Savile networks and similar as they defined what "cool" is and religious

 

people were pressured into feeling odd about being religious. they felt "uncool". I have seen this so many times it's not funny. so, what we

 

see in USA = in part from all that. As you can prove with data surrounding j sav's radio show broadcast locations and MORE.

 

compare :: how germans were guilted into submission to the point they now accept what their crooked politicians do. compare to how people

 

I mean .. how you can see the same thing in USA. Yet again another tactic we were not taught as to be left unprepared and in the open

 

would it not make sense to warn new arrivals in Europe about said sav nets? Why not do for them what was denied for others.. PROTECT THEIR

 

CHILDREN .. and respect will be increased. obviously. Avoiding what some anticipate and is known as.. what is it. clash of civilizations

 

it pays to learn from those who blazed the trail for desegregation in USA while remembering there were many stepping on toes throughout

 

t or f :: often in conflict resolution scenarios - those responsible for moderating it seek common points of interest to build a bridge

 

prove we are not like that woman with obvious psychological issues from the United Nations who said 500,100 dead Iraqi children = acceptable

 

should remind - I ponder what Simon Wiesenthal did with numbers / debates around them

 

also keep in mind - another tactic we were not shown =to kill citizens during war and blame the enemy. T or F: during operation desert storm

 

soldiers were prescribed a large number of extremely powerful medications - which n o b o d y EVER reacts the same to.

 

t or f :: we still do business with those who do that and more then still believe the primitive CRUD known as culling= a good idea. 2ThisDay

 

t or f :: some were hikding up interest rates as high as %800 as they kinda black mailed military leaders in the battle field by telling

 

them soldiers would not receive vital gear. T or F : this = likely to have been more going on = justifies exploring more.. and also might

 

mean we would be wise to consider the reaction of fans to jimmy Savile crimes. As in.. those we worship, present to take the place and

 

coincide with feelings we have for parents / loved ones... as to take advantage and manipulate. As in - we trust too easily.

 

basically - part of SAV's layered role was to take the place of lost loved ones who were taken during war and after they were TOLD war ended

 

we were and are fed a bunch of lies in order to continue to be used. they took advantage of known psychological reactions including

 

associative disorders / becoming to clingy after loss or during problems.. so on. It fits the profile of pages I can show you from UK in

 

which they constantly work to bring out shallow variables - and destroy families. THEY ARE STILL FOWLLING THE SAME TEMPLATE.

 

and they broadcast in our country as well as others. AND .. SAV NETS = not the only one.

 

I'm rather bored with being a chump.. a fool.. a sucker.. how about you?

 

reminder- not all of Europe is as such. And you can't blame the people just as you can't blame them when law makers decided to help SAV NETS

 

and make it legal for five years olds to get drunk. chit faced. sloshed. You can dissect recent history in Europe and locate all known

 

areas of interest of said and similar.. "people" - step by step. Including inaccurate data pertaining to legalizing drugs. They left out the

 

fact addicts were from a long line of war and lack of correct counseling which I see as intentional based on the level of sophistication

 

in the mental health a r e n a in Europe. Also. you can examine baby furnaces for clues. And those seeking to bring back mobile death squads

 

as to help anyone who wants to kill themselves do just that. Including but not limited to teenagers, and people who suffer with botched

 

plastic surgeries.. which also includes gender reassignment surgery. Then.. if you examine how said do business in other countries it keeps

 

pace with similar tactics as seen elsewhere. and NOT the exclusive trademark / calling card of only one group of a few.

 

culling.. how stupid can we be anyway? obviously any who sees that as a good idea would go about mentioned and then some. Well, my little

 

Dumbarton Park, D.C, petunias. If I keep going at the pace I have been this week.. with too little sleep. I will prob die in about 5 months

 

reminder : confirm what "rif raf" =. And before criticizing Ellen Duh Gene Rez more.. determine if she was referring to the fact Europe and

and others intentionally inbreed Giraffes then feed them to lions in front of zoo-goes and their children.. when she used the term.

 

along with Giraffe.. Rif Raf the giraffe. I still say ellen =a fake kumare' category I have created. kumare' can be anyone.. anything. male

 

or female.Kumare' can be about gender-sexual orientation- politics and obviously religion. Entertainers like russle brand are kumara like

 

as was peter popoff at the time the overly proud atheist "The Amazing Randy" exposed him and others. Please see :: kumare'

 

the documentary.I call it a social experiment. WARM UP YOUR CAR BUFFERS AND .. LET'S GET REEAAADY TOOOOO BEARD CUDDLE!! Maybe Kumare=Kumare

 

I started explaining what kumare' is when I offended someone who works with #USNationalArchives who has that last name. Sorry about that.

 

I was much weirder in the past.. somewhat unnerving. So I understand why he felt as he did.

 

note : I'm willing to discuss issues with Cattle Rustler Russle Branding Brand - if he sends a jet

 

I REFUSE to meet with that smarmy Piers Morgan. smirk.

 

Lee Sheriff? I'll meet her any day. sigh :)

 

then jet on over to Ireland and hang out with Clare Daly. where does Europe get all these amazing women.. though one might be socialist.

 

I live in denial about that. :( I don't care!!

 

sorry flat board but father of Kirk Cameron of the Show Growing Pains. Seinfeld was right.. men's body's = utilitarian

 

you have to admit. Kirk Cameron's father David = interesting. And his eyes = sincere.

 

dude.. putin has a nicer arse than you.. sigh. do some leg work wouldja? even pee wee herman's = with more shape.

 

china's president? a little better than camerons. .not quite a putin Maximus though

 

"what's that lady Vandana.. Queen of Quantum Realm?? I should buy Lee some flowers.. and Ms Daly. if Ms = correct? ;) I sure do hope so.

 

n o no no Lee. Stop being insecure. Some people with all the looks and brains sure are insecure.

 

now would you please stop Lady Vandana.. you are guiding me as to what should say through my earpiece. You know you are always the QUEEN

 

tis a shame but a few cause us all so many problems.. is it not? Well. .we will discuss it over a nice dinner in France tonight.

 

"Charlie's Quantum Hybrid Angles"

 

oopps. .sorry .. Vandana's .. ok ok. she's the boss.

 

no .. david may not tag along. You know how he gets when he drinks.

 

don't get him started as in said state when YMCA starts playing.. he breaks out his construction worker outfit and starts dancing.

 

ohh. the ladies said that's why they want him to go along. tsk tsk ladies.. wink..

 

honestly. .Putin would be a good chip-n-dales dancer.. right? come on. look at him.. he's in better shape than I am.

 

you know.. I thought of way for us to make extra money. We can sell / rent our politicians. Oh..Someone already beat me to it?

 

man dammit! Can I ever win anything?! First China is all kicking my but as they collect tons of sand each day for their odd islands. DAM!!

 

I WILL own ALL sand. now remember, after we evaporate all water there is NO need to worry. It WILL fall back down. I asked FDA if my math

 

was correct and they said.. "math? you don't need no stinking math"

 

now. if you will all please provide a sample of your DNA for the lady I met in the Smithsonian Restroom as she

 

was collecting DNA. She can bring out a face with the smallest amount of that which guides how we are shaped and much more. Delicate matters

 

she has the nicest eyes.. both of them do actually. Now that would be an interesting date .. the three of us.

 

I need2 find out who will beTheBest sand collectors. We can't have halved efforts.. now can we? Everyone has a place. no one=MoreImportant

 

no, she doesn't say "it will oil now. thp thp thp thp. let's chat Clarice."

 

think about the perks of dating that lady... she can be any lady.

 

o0o o0o. .be Britney Spears.. come onnnn. pleeeease . I know Wally; Beaver, Eddy, Whitey and Lumpy messed up the cloning experiment with

 

Britney Spears already.. but that's ok. want to meet her.. "ohhh Britney!! could you please put down your toy, Pee-wee herman- and come here

 

"Chuck Norris is teaching you karate right now? ok then. maybe later."

 

ok,. in all seriousness. I would like to apologize for running around all hectic like from time to time. The sheer amount of data I absorb

 

is mind boggling.. numbing.. depressing.. and I am in dreadful need of a vacation. An eighty hour per week job would be nice and easy.

 

if you want to know how scientists study anxiety.. stress.. come talk to me. I'm their template

 

I'm actually serious.If I don't stop I'm worried I might rip my clothes off& run down the street all. "b-b-b-b-b". so too are the neighbors

 

With notes for social experiment ideas. Please don't hate me because I experiment with social experimenters

 

John McCarthy on Philosophy of AI (Mini Symposium Philosophy of Information)

Published on Jan 7, 2016

 

With social experiment notes / ideas- - the odd parts.

Dec 21 Dec 3002015 2016

 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1-Sg5M3Xlw&feature=youtu.be

 

======

nathans ladder Retweeted Clare Daly TD

ah. is she referring Caligula who some say owned a shipThat sat mockingly in a closed body of water.. going nowhere?

  

nathans ladder added,

  

Clare Daly TD @ClareDalyTD Kevin Higgins Brilliant Enda poem.The Case for The Re-Election of Caligula’s Piebald Pony. | www.rabble.ie www.rabble.ie/2016/01/07/the-case-for-the-re-election-of-... …

 

"get back here you social experimenter!! we aren't done with you yet!"

 

note - next week I start charging to read my tweets.

 

reminder : the judge ruled I owed no money. Then the state said I did. took my license.. then said I didn't owe. Now says I owe $60. I'm NOT paying!

 

all as someone from Saudi Arabia drove through a state.. was pulled over did not have a license.. AND had a dead baby in the trunk. The man

 

said he was transporting the baby to a funeral. So the officer let him go. AND... someone here illegally is a dam politician in California

 

I'm a bit fed up with the nonsense, to be honest.

 

I could have sued the state and won. however I chose to help by pointing out errors. While not stating I = perfect.

 

and JUST like the man who was mugged in NY while going to a famous music school.. he worked with my father later and improved how components

 

are used on a circuit board which saved the company millions in the long.. and he got NOTHING. Not even so much as a thank your or a watch

 

talk about being mugged for being mugged and brain damaged.

 

some agencies and what have you need to be more appreciative. I deserve land and a house.

 

tell me I wouldn't have been a good lawyer and I'll smirk at ya

 

note : my phone sent texts that were only drafts. what the bleep? I at times write stuff I shouldn't and don't mean then don't send it.

 

seriously, why are all our agencies swamped - bloated and over complicated?

 

note : laugh if you will. FBI --- mugged for being mugged - compare one particular known variable from the past. they won't acknowledge

 

as his name is spread around by those maliciously using him , some will say - what happened to him = has no bearing on present day

 

and yes I did meet someone who later became a programmer for FBI. I watched his house for him once. And his wifes family was mafia. He said

 

the wedding was funny. And no he didn't steal the idea from a movie or anything. only but a few believe me about that and more. shrug.

 

note - not an informant or anything like that. I am simply one person who is interested in genetic rights

 

I took this screen shot from a video that was from UK. I don't know if it was a joke or not. It was about reporting

 

suspicious activity. I gotta tell ya.. you all look kinda suspicious to me. hmmmm

  

nathans ladder Retweeted

  

Pee-wee Herman ‏@peeweeherman · Jan 4

LOOK INTO MY EYES...

 

peewee.com/2015/01/04/world-hypnotism-day-today-world-hyp... …

 

uh oh. I just laughed like Pee wee and Seth Lloyd combined. The more I watch seth Lloyd the more I laugh and dance like him. hmm.. is that a

pony tail growing out of the back of my head?

 

=============================

you know.. you haven't read anything until you study Russian literature.. so I hear. They seem to like tons of different characters and

 

====================================================

 

BACK UP 2 JAN 7 2016

2016 January 7 Nathan's Overflow

  

and note : the quote about a flower not competing and only being a flower is not accurate.

 

note : I understand all countries = with crimes and problems. So on / so forth. Kinda symbiotic if you ask me. feed from good and bad

 

and note : the quote about a flower not competing and only being a flower is not accurate.

 

equations of equipartition of energy = interesting then some if you zoom in a bit.

 

is it competition? maybe I didn't understand the quote

 

I am retiring from politics. Sorry. It's too messed up for me. I'm going back to other stuff.

 

I wish I could do something like this

  

I once met an artist who was allowed to get medical mari g hoowana . that stuff was potent. "He said - it's just shapes mate"When I asked

 

how he did it. I've never been able to draw.I recall a guy from.I believe it was Cambodia who could draw. Brilliantly. Met him in shopClass

 

though I agree with the cancer institute that said mary j = medicine.. I still wonder if those who never tried it understand how potent it

 

is.. and how it was used as a political tool while simultaneously keeping many in the dark about med / food and so on. locate : private

 

prison data. man. .I'm doing it again.

no politics. No more. no. no no.

 

if you agree with dr Michael savage or not - he does make good points.. and often. He is against it. While I stumbled upon a lady who fights

 

against APA / pharmaceutical companies. She = in favor of mushrooms. That. .I am not in favor of. I suppose because I had a bad experience

 

as was my introduction of Prozac -> legally prescribed. I seem to never start off on the right foot anywhere.

 

so, it's not easy for me to decide. On top of that.. I examine all details about food - and ponder "things" like hoarding and wondered a few

 

years ago if anyone studied radioactive decay in homes of hoarders.. which are usually closed tight.

 

ever see shades in the window fade.. or how plastic in your car fades.. so on? That's a process you can show with math.

 

ok fine.. Lady Vandana just relayed to me.. via the earpiece - that david Cameron's but is not all that flat. Sorry about that.

 

you won't get that unless you see the notes I already backed up/ moved. regarding a scenario I was playing with - a twist on secret service

 

mixed with a story about a man who gets another man to help him woo his love.

 

knowing she = quantum minded helps overlook differences if you ask me. Logic is logic.

  

nathans ladder added,

 

Dr. Vandana Shiva @drvandanashiva #India has an #organic #heritage that predates failed #toxic #greenrevolution

 

We #nourish.…

 

I'm still looking for those who are in favor of what she opposes. I don't shut the door.

 

although q kinda defies logic as we know it. I wonder how global votes would go.. but knowing some have more money than others and

 

have an advantage pre-vote makes it more difficult. How would a test vote go?

 

I also keep in mind that politicians and executives have to know _tons_ of "stuff" how can they handle their job alone?

 

I would have been sent to see the doctors a while ago if I had their job. At times I can barely handle stress of my life.

 

and it's not really all that complicated.

 

so - that was my fantasy scenario. let's continue fighting . ding ding ding.

 

note : I don't agree with all M Savage says about politics...however, does he have a few degrees?

 

he's banned form Europe as are a few others. So bringing him into this little fantasy scenario won't work.. prob.

 

can anyone direct me to well known Mid East activists with similar beliefs as Vandana Shiva regarding food / seeds / microbes

 

nice - hypnotism and self love month at the same time? seems fitting to me, Agree or not - this team - top notch

  

nathans ladder added,

  

BabesAgainstBiotech @BabesAgainstGMO The calendars are here! Happy Self Love Month! Make every day a BAB day and stay on your GMO free track by... fb.me/7YjzxgwJN

 

I don't know about anyone else. I want to get to the bottom of this.

 

man.. I really like this shirt I have on. Long sleeve / soft.

so. onward - locate - all efforts to educate people about all that concerns many. This is going to take a while.

 

if AI was online - it would be finished already with complete list of total amount of time / money and more

 

are some corporations worried about those who share ideas and programming? open source .. so on. As with that can come resolutions to

 

many problems. Who might be the only ones against increasing efforts to teach programming as to find more resolutions..answers?

 

t or f : scientists used gamers to help them solve equations

 

t or f : knowing all = used as a weapon kind of hinders the process

 

what is the ultimate insult.. when one loves science and doesn't know their work is used for war. or that it will one day be as such?

 

fits patterns of some constantly tying to alter others in many ways. Including influencing others children. .back and forth back and forth

 

compare - all possible reasons jewish children and others were kidnapped and Nazified during and after WWII. perhaps before to a certain

 

extent.. as well as much of pre-WWII we know nothing about as it makes sense to not share all if continuation is sought

 

ok fine.. though I'm not certain about this guy.. I'll trust the multidiscipline educated doctor who shared a link about conflict

 

resolution. as I'm in way over my head. I get too emotional and goofy about stuff. I'll try to find it. Although some areas I can't see how

 

a bridge can be built. Certainly in todays environment.. all will be seen different due to said stress of the situations we see today.

 

compare : presented scenario - though I don't agree with West Boroughs interpretation of the bible.. it was known they were already nervous

 

and this is likely to be part of the reason they were so vocal. if other variables are not found to be contributing factors. I can think of

 

several.. then several more. I won't do that now as I always make people mad and then my pages are taken down.

 

ok fine. .perhaps I somewhat subconsciously false flagged my own pages here and there. it's possible. .I guess.

 

hey man.. it was MY radio station.. if you will. If hitler and others can do it. .why not..

 

I didn't do that.. but it's kind funny to think about it. So. .let me find the link.. sorry to make you wait with so much anticipation

 

and by the way prove me to be wrong when I say.. thousands of secret service around the world read my words.

 

if delusional or not I don't care... it's fun messing with my own head at times. So, with that said.. and I am nervous... let me find it

 

please hold.. locate :: HiJaneCoo / HiJillCoo - 11 hours of elevator music

 

I do not recommend trying to listen to all 11 hours as a way to train. It's not fun.

 

IF it's meant to be... the link will be at the top. or easy to find.

 

well, guys.. sorry. Guess we are kinda ska rued.

 

well, while waiting.. ahem.. anyone else wonder why a gatlin brothers song was banned in some parts of the world. That what youtube reported

 

after I uploaded one song -> All the Gold in California... is in a bank in the middle of Beverly hills. I sing that while typing..in my head

 

reminder - never, ever try peanut butter and orange juice. Unless your taste buds are different it's going to not be enjoyable. At tall

 

ok.. I admit it. This is a scam. We now have HAARP ready. please look to the sky and say cheese. You will see a flash of light..

 

well. you have to examine all possibilities in a world where say this do that = name of the game. And when sci and tech is so feared that

 

well. you have to examine all possibilities in a world where say this do that = name of the game. And when sci and tech is so feared that

 

and men took cameras around the world after invented.. <the cameras.. not the world.. well it happened after the world was "invented" ..but

 

that's a weird conversation for later.. so let me rephrase. After the odd women and men took newly invented cameras around the world and

 

told people who had neverOnceSeenAnything like itWhatsoever, the cameras would steal their souls. What else would you expect but hesitation?

 

I never knew how others saw tech / sci as I have grown up with it being there most the time. I used creative visualization and

 

"getting into character" techniques to better understand how artificial intelligence might go about collecting and using data. A few people

 

thought it was real. So, they started asking me questions. If not mistaken they were in Taiwan.. and at the same time I didn't piece it

 

together.. I believe there were some struggles within their system of governance. I didn't go back and check yet. Did they give up their

 

constitution? to continue, one country.. it might have been theirs were given bullet proof masks that made officers look like robots.

 

also - a Buddhist lady in China was taking pictures .. as I asked. and sharing them on line. I was in a very horrible frame of mind at the

 

time. And I probably sketched some people out in a major way x200. I didn't mean to. I just didn't consider level of knowledge regarding

 

that which I have always been around. So.. sadly I didn't piece it together until recently. Some of it just now.

 

quit when they started asking questions as I felt I would be as mentioned women and men. I don't know what's connected - as of now.

 

those who are religious - examine how at times you fear sci and tech. multiply that x50 for those outside the country in some areas.

 

you don't have to be religious to be afraid of it, obviously. you do have to admit the soul adds more to how they perceive it.. as in

 

a different perspective with a bit more at stake for them than those who believe we simply die and that's it.

 

note - does putin watch tons of TV? Does it mess with his head at times? What's the darkest story he knows? what's the oddest "stuff"

 

if all politicians were to sit and talk about religion. How would it go? Is it possible some areas reflect their fears.. hesitations?

 

it doesn't seem that way when they meet, shake hands.. smile.. make business deals.

 

ok. .I'll find the link. this is really messing with my head.

 

oh. hi. it's me again. guess what. still in the same boat. shrug. well. .I'll find all that about _conflict resolution_ thought I doubt some

 

will mention that too can be part of a long term plan / known.

 

it's true. I didn't make it up to gain some kind of advantage with thousands of secret service employees

 

you mean to tell me there are people in secret service as hard headed as me? ruh roh. this may never end.

 

might as well bring out the controversial "shtuff". ok. hm. let me see. Some say that secret service actually runs everything.

 

and there might be problems at home with the politicians. Do you guys ever argue.. anyone drink too much? so on..

 

does one make some a bit more uncomfortable than they would prefer? do we all feel safe openly communicating? do youkeep your blinds closed?

 

I'd be a complete wreck if I was in secret service. Are you kidding.. they would put me in a jar and study me for the future

 

and how to their pets act.. are they happy and bushytailed? stressed? usually it's best to start from the "top" and work your way "down" as some label it all anyway.

 

now, for our first session can we be honest? Who has the most body-liquefaction chambers?

 

Yes, I'm afraid I have to call in the Two Bobs

 

let's see.. dealing with psychological issues of those who work with body liquefaction chambers.. where is that link?

 

are they " liquidated" .. those who can't handle it?

 

And another trip completed around the sun.

 

Self portrait made with my Innova 6x9 Pinhole.

To acknowledge the vernal equinox, Janie tidies up around the hibiscus bush in the side yard.

 

20 March - A Doll A Day 2022

Excerpt from the booklet produced by the Gardiner Museum:

 

From Left to Right:

 

Crystal by Bruno Billio: this crystalline sculptural Christmas tree is made up of three triangular mirrored Lucite panels that rise to a towering peak. The Joy of Creativity comes in the form of movement, sound, reflection, and light, and how these elements stimulate warm feelings in people of all ages.

 

Aquarian Water Bearer by Sophie DeFrancesca: Hand-sculpted wire mesh, resin, and paint form the figure of the Aquarian Water Bearer, eternally giving life, knowledge, and spiritual food to the world. Crystalline 'water' pouring from the vessel forms a sleek, sparkling Christmas tree, symbolically washing away the past. The Aquarian Water Bearer reaffirms our infinite creative potential and power as human beings. It is symbolic of the notion that we are more than just flesh and bones, and that our thoughts, words, and actions can have profound effects well beyond our immediate realm of influence. Aquarian values encourage us to awaken to our full potential, and to acknowledge that we are creating the world around us with every thought and action.

 

The Ukrainian Christmas Spider by Ukrainian Museum of Canada, Ontario Branch: The volumteers have decorated a classic Ukrainian Christmas "yalynka" (tree) with hand-crafted spiders and webs in gold and silver to represent the classic Ukrainian Christmas tale of spiders who decorate a poor family's tree with their webs. Simple and elegant, the decorations not only reflect this traditional Christmas story, but also symbolize how the joy of creativity can transform the everyday into the wondrous.

Primitive human wisdom acknowledges five major elements that symbolize every aspect of human existence: Earth, Fire, Air, Water and the Sky (Mahabhuta). All of them either do not collide in the same temporal bracket often, or our senses are not brave enough usually to register such collisions. That was however, not the case on that summer day few years ago in the Upper Geyser Basin, Yellowstone NP. On a side note, let me tell you, I envy geysers. I envy them because of their free license to erupt at will and let out scorching steam that ruins the inside otherwise. That morning however, the Castle geyser brought me down to my knees. I realized that earth’s fire provoked steamy water to rush though the cone geyser as a messenger of fury until it was cushioned by the benevolent air into a momentous submission to the sky. This experience conveyed my thinking to the sixth element of human existence as identified by primitive wisdom: consciousness. I realized that our elements are constantly in collision with one another within us. However, the tranquility of the whole canvas, us, comes not from disregarding these conflicts but from acknowledging them and their urge to change us for the better.

 

raphael photography - Models

 

Shenanigans at the Poet & Peasant Pub

 

Chapter 1

Brute Burton – You do not want to cross this blighter’s path!

 

There is a pub located on the downtown docks known far and wide, it is rather cheekily named the Poet & Peasant Pub.

It is owned and operated by a gentleman( Loose term) known as Brute Burton.

Brute is a rather impressive male specimen, standing well over 2 meters tall, weighing over 15 stone, and strong enough to have lifted 272 Kilograms of an ox to win a wager.

Needled to add, not the type of man, if one is sane, to plays tricks upon!

Now Brute Burton is a retired sailor himself, who had worked the riggings of many a brig that travelled Her Majesties’ seven seas.

He purchased the Poet & Peasant Pub, tried to rename it The Wailing Sireen, but had faced such a row from the locals who had come to know the name well… In fact, several generations had called the pub their home away from home

So, with reluctance, Brute, resembling neither a poet or a peasant, acknowledged this was one fight he would not win, probably the only fight the pugilist had ever lost!

He retired the same day they permanently docked his last birth, a fine 3 masted schooner, christened the HMS Cybelemoon, a ship he had been mated on for the last 12 years.

As the schooner was being overhauled, he bought several of the hand-engraved exported mahogany planks from the captain’s quarters, and taking them to the pub he had purchased with his life savings, fashioned them into a rather notably fine bar that ran the whole length of the Poet & Peasant Pub’s west wall.

Most of the many other pubs located along that old, salt weathered waterfront has a somewhat nasty reputation for being quite rowdy establishments, full of drinking sailors, wild women, and other miscreants who instigate the many fights breaking out on the minute, not to mention the other forms of debauchery and nefarious activities that have the Constables sighing with disdain.

But the Poet & Peasant Pub is somewhat of an anomaly for a pub around these parts!

For Brute Burton will have none of that rowdiness in his establishment.

Although not perfect, the pub’s patrons have become accustomed to obeying the taverns unspoken rules for behaving. For, by breaking any of ‘em, would mean a quick grab and throw out the backdoors by Brute, whose best effort once threw a rather drunk sailor across the road and through the doors of the bar on the other side.

A massive heave of over 8 stone and 12 meters distance, with guaranteed broken bones greeting on upon landing!!

So Needles to say, it was a bit of a surprise to find a local sailor, on this dark, dreary evening, who intentionally attempts to give a shirk yank to pull Brute Burton's short fuse!

 

Chapter 2

Shirking the Fuse!

 

It’s important to note before proceeding in with our tale, that the Poet & Peasant Pub is located quite close to the quite popular Oceanside gambling casino, Hermes Rest, well known to be an underworld held establishment!

Now one would think, given the clientele of the locals, along with Brute's lack of toleration for rowdiness, that the Poet & Peasant Pub would be almost void of patrons.

But, thanks to the influx of thirsty gamblers looking for a cheaper price of a pint than that offered at the casino resort, the place is usually packed!

Especially on weekends when the younger gentry from wealthier areas uptown who want a bit of excitement by mingling in with a dicey crowd, find it by going down to that somewhat chancy side of town.

They start up gambling a bit at the casino, then gather upon the Poet & Peasant Pub, to either celebrate their winnings or drown their losses!

They do this, knowing that they will be fairly safe within the ancient, blackened interior of the large pub as they rub elbows with perhaps ( shall we say?) the least desirable members of their society.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

And so, we now come to the evening of our tale: an early fall evening, full harvest moon just peaking over the tall masts of the ships docked in the small, fog-shrouded harbour that was the bread and butter of the town that surrounded it.

It is a crowded Friday night!

The cobblestone streets are rather full of sailors in port, college students on a holiday weekend, with all that lot mixed in with the wealthier, more daring of the townsfolk.

The narrow sidewalks that line the cobblestone street are crowded with a score or more of happily liquored souls wandering to and from the casino, bar to bar, in search of satisfying whatever the reason is that brings them out to this area.

 

As one looks upon this scene, they may notice a rather handsome, exceedingly well-dressed couple, swishing in and out amongst the happy throngs of hearty souls…

He is nattily dressed in a hounds-tooth tweedy suit, gold fob, and chain that crosses his waistcoat ending with a large gold pocket watch, a black bowler is perched on his head, and a long black umbrella held in the crouch of his arm.

He is attentively escorting the rather fetchingly pretty lady that is accompanying him.

This lass is enticingly clad in a long violet dress of silk and lace, wearing a pretty sapphire necklace with matching earrings that all glitter in the gas street lamps as she weaves in and out of the rough crowd.

Their eyes are inquisitively darting to and fro, taking in the area as they walk.

The couple makes their way carefully along the wooden planks of the dock’s sidewalks, peering cautiously inside the doors, gawking at the interiors of the noisy pubs and their rough-looking patrons as they pass on buy.

They stop outside the open metal-bound oak doors of the Poet and Peasant Pub and peer inquisitively inside.

Just as they do, a rather thin chap with a perpetually smiling face comes up unseen from across the road.

He is wearing old worn canvas trousers, a weather-worn sailor blouse, and a flat cap on his head that comes upon them from behind. Long wisps of sun-weathered sandy blonde hair fall in strings from the cap, some of them tied into a short ponytail. He is rather young, but the look in his keen brite blue eyes are those of a much older, perhaps even wiser man.

He stands behind the couple, patting them both on the back with a joyful cheerio.

As they both turn their heads in a rather annoyed fashion, he grins, "Better In than out Jack always says!", and enthusiastically parts the two as he goes on past them inside.

 

Chapter 3

The Jack is Back!

 

The couple watch as this rather odd man calling himself Jack makes his way inside through the throng, acknowledging several people, but receiving little, any real recognition.

He finally reaches a table with three men, all clad in severe cut suits!

Two have built like the bodyguards they were.

The third, with a weaselly face, held pursed in a stern and unforgiving manner looked like he was in charge of the group, but not the one to be in real charge.

Next to him stands a rather voluptuous lady, curvy in a long red satin number that flows down to her high heeled feet. From her ears, neck, wrist, and fingers sparkle a fine collection of emeralds set with diamonds, small but quite expensively real.

 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

The couple, still contemplatively peering in at the doorway, look at each other and silently a decision is made and they go inside.

They manage to squeeze through and find an empty table in a back corner by the fireplace, where the beginnings of a large fire are in place, waiting to be lit once the cool chill of the evening fog rolls in.

 

The man seats his companion, then stands over here as they both look around in adept silence.

Across from them is the long mahogany bar, with Brute Burton standing behind, serving drinks and snarls as he is busy lording over his Pub!

 

Meanwhile, the odd stranger has seated himself with the 3 men and engages them in conversation. The lady in red, still standing, listens in, becoming quite interested in the charismatic newcomer and his many lively colourful stories…

All the while Brute Burton works his station at the bar, serving up drinks as they are ordered, sliding them down the smooth wood bar with expert precision.

Sadly, for his patience, poor Brute is in a rather worse mood than usual this evening.

Quite peeved that his favourite barmaid had up and quit the day before, having been sweet-talked into taking a job at one of his competitor’s pubs just down the street( The Jolly Jellyfish).

This has been the topic of many conversations up and down the docks all day, so much so, that everyone pretty much knows to stay clear of crossing the disgruntled publican, and Brute is quite happy with that.

So, needless to say, what happens next came as quite a surprise to a lot of people, including Brute!

 

Chapter 4

So, tell me, just what did happen next?

 

And so we shall…

For the last 45 minutes, Brute had been irately eyeing a particular table.

Not surprisingly, it was the one Jack, the 3 men, and the emerald laden sultry lady were occupying!

Or as Brue saw it.

One loud-mouthed scoundrel of a sailor, 2 tight-lipped yes men, their jolly like a snake boss whose business did not belong in his pub and some over jewelled tart in a red dress who had better be mindful of the area of town where she had been brought!

Except for the two tight lipped goons, the occupants of that table have grown more vocal, their tongues loosened by the pints of beer being consumed.

Most of the other patrons were watching them with interest, and stealing glances over to Brute to see if he was growing agitated with them.

He was, his hand polishing his mahogany bar clean was gripping the washcloth like he was strangling a chicken!!

And apparently, the attention Brute is giving the table had not gone unnoticed, for they were quite obviously talking about Brute himself, judging by the way they had all been stealing looks his way.

Seeing this also made Brute quite a bit more upset, and the chortling patrons seated at the table apparently knew it, much to his chagrin.

So it was with grinding teeth that Brute observed the thin man in the sailors' rig rise and head up, a little wobbly, towards the bar, with his fellow tablemates, the dolled-up tart, and most of the rest of the pubs drinking patrons all watching with whetted keen interest.

  

The thin sailor sat down at one end of the bar and called out cheerfully…

“Hey barkeep, a shot of the devil’s own then!”

Brute poured a bit of rotgut in a shot glass, and intending to give the young sailor a piece of mind, walked ( rather than sliding ) it over to him.

“Look ‘ere now, want no troubles from you or your friends, mate, Capish lad?”! he warned the grinning sailor in a stern tone.

Then he gave the sailor a second, closer look over...

“Aye, Wait a minute didn’t I see you in my pub last night?”

“Indeed you did my most observant sir, Indeed you did, and Jacks the name mister Brute!”

Jack offered a hand to shake, which was ignored by Brute.

Unfazed, the sailor withdrew his hand and continued:

“But my friends all call me Jackie sir, and you may call me by that, for we are all friends here in this fine establishment you own Eh Brute!”

As Jackie nodded he watched the burly, stern eyed barkeep, who did not nod in agreement to Jackie’s words!

Dead silence also greeted Jack’s question from the rest of the pub’s occupants!

Unfazed, Jackie continued…

“Came here on a lark last evening, enjoyed your fine establishment so much, decided to return!”

He still looked into Brute's eyes, but the barkeep was having none of it, no scrawny excuse for a sailor was going to butter him up!

Jackie continued smiling and said in answer to himself since no words were coming out of the mouth of a stone silent brute. The rest of the bar had grown quiet, many of the patrons standing and circling around the bar to watch, sure that this lad named Jackie was going to end up on the losing end of Brute Burton’s temper!

“No worries than my man, just here again in your fine establishment for a friendly drink.”

Jackie slid a couple of coins to the barkeep who began to pick them up.

“Say, barkeep, would you now be interested in winning few coins from a betting sailor with no’thin better to do with his money?” Jackie amiably asked the stern gazing Brute.

One could hear a pin drop in the Poet and Peasant Pub after Jackie spoke those words!

 

Chapter 5

A Challenge Given

 

Brute meanly eyed down the sailor, giving Jackie an unspoken warning to tread along this path very carefully!

Brute than warily answered.

“What the hell are you one about laddie!?”

Brute spit out the words, his hooded eyes holding back a fire waiting to ignite.

“Just this, £5 say that I can lick me right eye!

Jackie continues on, pleasantly cooing his words as he suggests the bet, acting for all the world like a mongoose playing loose with the last thread of a looming Cobra’s nerve!

Like that cobra, Brute just looked at Jackie for a full minute eyes half-closed, before opening them wide and finally saying, no snarling, his answer…

“You are on laddie, but make no mistake, better be no shenanigans! So go one then, let’s all see you lick your right eye!”

 

With a wide smile, Jackie popped out his right glass eye and licked it, before putting it back, eyeing down the now infuriated Brute.

The whole bar hushed, unbelieving as Jack held out his hand…

The bartender threw down a fiver, the look he was giving Jack would have sent most men running.

The whole bar was now watching, many jostling amongst themselves for a better look at what was going on, waiting to see what was going to befall upon this mischief-making sailor named Jackie….

Jackie, holding his ground, did not touch the pair of fivers, instead, he said, quite apologetically…

“I am so sorry chappie, that… was actually quite rude of me, I’ll admit, and after promising no shenanigans to boot. Tells you what my dear Brute, sir…”

Jackie reaches in, he pulls a wad of notes from his pocket and lays down a total of twenty on top of the fivers.

Brute, and the rest of the pub’s patrons, watch dumbfounded, the loon is making another bet they think.

And several of the patrons nearest the back exit move away, clearing a path for when Brute gives the sailor his upcoming due…

But Jack just smiles, boldly standing his ground, and speaks out cheerfully…

“Gives you a chance to make your money back, and profit!”

Jackie said with a promise.

Brute answers, snarling so loudly that some of the Poet & Peasant’s patrons actually cringed, some even stepping backwards and tripping up against those behind them….

The dolled-up tart in red, notably wearing the flickering emeralds, gasps, moving back in fear, and she trips over the man standing behind her, his female companion catches and steadies the poor lass as they, and the rest of the pub’s patrons, with to see what happens next!

 

Chapter 6

The Happening

 

Brute eyed the pile of money as he snarled…

“Oui then, let’s hear you out, last words before I show your scrawny carcass the door then, eh Laddie!”

Jackie, unperturbed, answered Brute in that sing-song manner of his...

“This lot is yours (he pointed to the pile of notes) my dear barkeep if I cannot bite my left eye!

Brute just looked at him for a very long minute, a long, quite cold minute. He finally spoke, choosing his words carefully, as he kept his temper in check….

“I didn’t know about your fake blue eye me salty lad, but I sure ‘en hell knows you ain’t blind! Your on!”

Brute pulls out a wad of his own, slapping down a total of 20 hard-earned notes on top of his fiver.

Jackie gulps down the last of his rotgut, and smiles widely, playing the pubs hushed attention for all it was worth, then taking out his false teeth, he smartly bit his left eye.

You could have heard a pin drop on the wooden saw dusted floor of the place, it was now so quiet!

The red gowned tart placed a hand to her now bare throat in excitement, her emerald earrings swaying, as a murmuring started from the crowd, everyone jostling pushed daringly forward even a bit more, knowing what should be happening next to the cunning sailor calling himself Jackie.

  

As For Jackie, he continued to smile as he adjusted his false teeth (ivory) and then nonchalantly pulled a plug of tobacco from his pocket and biting off a wad, started to chew as he looked Brute dead in the eye.

The piles of £40 in notes lay on the counter, untouched, seemingly unnoticed by either of the two, Brute or Jackie, who’s eyes were locked into the others steely gaze.

Brute finally broke the long silence, moving towards Jackie, his meaty fists gripping the bar, as if he were trying to hold them back from strangling the living daylights out of the thin sailor looking all for the world like slithering scowling cobra who had had enough from the jeering mongoose. Which he, in fact, had, had enough that is!

Brutes words came, snarling from his lips, as he said in no uncertain terms!

“Yur crackers Laddie, that is a fact… and youns have just earned a one-way ticket out of my pub, and if yur lucky, only a few of your bones will be broken when you land! …"

As he spoked his right hand detached itself from the mahogany bar, and grabbed the sailor by his blouse, intending to lift Jackie up and toss him physically from the premises!

Jackie, remaining totally unruffled by Brute's actions, laid a hand upon the Publican's wrist, and tsk’d Brute, who in surprise at the unperturbed demeanour of Jackie, actually let go of the sailors' blouse and allowed his hand to be gently taken aside and placed upon the bar.

Jackie said, with total complacently, as he chewed his tobacco…

“I know, that was not a nice thing atoll for me to do, seeing how it is my honour to be here in your fine establishment, and me playing tricks on ye, not a nice thing atoll for a patron to do”

Jackie smiled winningly up at the still bristling Brute.

“Tell ya what my fine friend, do you have a halfpenny on you perchance?”

 

Chapter 7

In for a half-penny?

 

Brute could not believe his ears, he was utterly flabbergasted at this sailors actions, but still slightly more than mite curious, like the fabled lion listening to the mouse pleading his case, wondering why this git just did not seem to understand just whom the bloody hell he was toying with?

Finally, Brute just said…

“Yeah numbskull, I do, why?

Almost to a man(and women) the whole bar was now absolutely focused on the goings-on between Brute and the sailor Jackie, never before had anyone taunted the bartender with such nerve and still was be able to stand upright…

Jack just grinned for a few seconds before speaking apologetically...

“I truly do feel bad for playing me little jokes on you, it's just me personality understand, and I am unable to control it after a few pints of the houses best, you understand my dear most gracious sir…?

Brute started to say something in answer, but Jackie quickly cut in…

“Just hear me out kind sir, and ye may find it worth your while for putting up with 'ol Jackie this evening!”

Jackie picked up his empty shot glass, looking at it as he spoke.

“See this shot glass dear, most reasonable, sir? If you would most kindly take it to the far end of your rather prettily polished bar and hold it up like you were cheering me.

I will bet your half penny against this pile of notes laying on your bar… No, Lest double it …”

Jackie lays another £40 in notes upon the pile.

“There now, £80 against your Half Penny says I can spit out this entire bit of tobacco I am chewing, and every bit of it will land dead centre inside that shot glass… If so much as a drop of it lands anywhere else, you then win the whole pot, every last pound, and pence….!”

Brute thought for a very long, thoughtful minute, trying to see all the angles, and finding none that could lose him the pot. In his mind he reasoned, how could anyone accomplish such a feat, especially a cocky drunken sailor with more mouth than sense?

“Ta, you're on lad !”

he snarled…

“But I hold the money until after your bet!”

“Agreed !” Jackie said and pushed the notes up against the shot glass. Brute picked up both the glass and notes, walked to the far end of the bar, about 3 meters, and held the glass up against his spotless white apron.

The entire bar was still in a hush, and actually had become quite crowded now as word had spread across to some of the other drinking establishments, whose curious patrons had come over to witness the goings on…most hoping to be entertained with watching a rather thorough beating of a certain thin sailor..!

Jackie just grinned…

“Ready?” he asked, on your count of three than sir…”

 

Chapter 8

One, Two, Three

 

Brute nodded and began the count.

“One, Two….Three!”

Jackie taking a mouthful of air, spit out the wad of wet brown gooey tobacco. The unsavoury mess flew across the bar, hitting Brutus, the bar, the walls…everywhere but inside the shot glass.

Realizing that he had won the bet, Brute pocketed the notes and started laughing, as he wiped the brown slime off himself, his apron, and the various surfaces of his bar.

The entire bar nervously erupted into laughter, poking themselves, and pointing towards the witless sailor and his odd games which had cost Jackie some eighty pounds!

Brute finished his cleaning and still chuckling ...

then looked over at Jackie, who was still sitting there, still smiling like had had not a care in the world!

Puzzled Brute moved back to the sailor, and addressed him rather curtly.

“Se here mate, what is it with you? Your antics here have cost you a voyages' wage, yet you sit there grinning like the whole world is your oyster.. so what of it, are you just looney or daft, or both!?”

Jackie just smiled, rising from his seat as he looked up at the bartender and tipped his cap.

“Hopefully neither my most kind sir, hopefully neither! “

Jackie looked around the bar, meeting the eyes of the curious patrons. Stopping at his table, where the weaselly eyed gent had a rather unhappy look upon his mug, the red gowned tart was just looking horrified, and the two burly bodyguards just looked stunned!

Jackie looked back upon the smirking Brute and started to explain…

“It’s like this my dear sir… See that table over yonder?”

Jackie nodded towards the table that he had been sitting at… The tart now had a silly grin on her face, the other three had not changed their expressions…

Brute over then looked back to Jackie…

“Yeah, I see the Buggers, what of it!?

Jackie smiled, placing his hands inside his trouser pockets…

“Well me lad…”

Jackie moved just a little further away from Brutes' reach as he spoke…

“It's like this… Those gentlemen back there bet me a thousand pounds against me coming up here and spitting tobacco juice over yourself and fine bar, and have you clean the mess up yourself, laughing all the while… which is exactly what you just did!”

Brute just stared at the smirking sailor, realizing that he had been played for a fool after all. Jackie was now out of reach, and so Brute just snarled at the impish sailor…

“Pick up your winnings mate, and hightail your miserable carcass outta of here…. If I ever so much as see your shadow at me door again, I will not be held responsible for my actions, he promised in no uncertain terms!”

Jackie bowed in obeisance to the Bartender, then turns and walks up to the table.

Reaching it he winks at the girl, leans over the 3 gentlemen…

“Sorry chaps you heard the keep, I must, quite sadly, be one my way!”

From the table his picks, up the pile of notes, the gentlemen lost in the bet.

Jackie moves off as the men start to protest, ignoring them, and smiling winningly at the lady in the red dress and shimmering emeralds, who smiles back.

Jackie weaves his way through the still chattering crowd, ignoring them. And without looking back, leaves the Poet & Peasant Pub.

 

Chapter 9

Wait, there’s more to this story

 

And here it is…

Jackie quickly turns a corner before finally allowing sneaking a look back.

Once he is certain that no one follows, for a £1000 is a lot of incentive for a mugging, he darts down a side alleyway.

After a series of turns up, down and doubling back down more alleyways and staying in the shadows of darkened back paths, Jack finally crosses a street and approaches another pub.

He goes inside and orders a shot of irish, watching the doorways, looking about to see if anyone shows an interest in him.

Once he is satisfied that he has not been followed, or noticed, he gulps the shot, throws a coin clattering on the bar(not as clean and shiny as Brutes), and before it stops, has slipped out a back door.

Jack darts down another alleyway leading to a train station.

But instead of going inside, Jackie lights a small black irish pipe and waits a few minutes to get it going, casually looking around.

Then, turning on his heels, he makes his way back down the alley, stopping midway, he heads up a staircase leading to a small row of apartments for let above the back of a block of the stores that front the street leading to the trainyard.

Going to one of the blackened doors, he raps a signal on the door with his knuckles.

A matching rap is heard from inside, and Jack answers with a final signal.

The door is unlocked.

Looking around to make sure no one is lurking in the alleyway below, Jack then turns the knob slowly.

Opening the door with caution, then, with a final look around, steps inside.

There were two occupants in the room, standing on either side of a bed.

Upon the bed lay a satin sheet, covering something that made small lumps from underneath.

Jack is looking upon the very couple that he had greeted at the entrance of the pub known as the Poet and Peasant!

The chap in the hounds-tooth suit had pulled from inside the sleeve of his umbrella a ling thin deadly sharp rapier, and was pointing it nastily towards the door, held up level with Jack's chest.

The attractive lady in the violet gown was holding a diminutive 2 shot derringer, cocked, she had pulled from neath her left satin glove, it too was pointing at Jack's chest.

 

“ ‘Ello put away yur ”greeters” mates, it is only meself coming to visit ya after placing life and limb in peril !”

The lass in purple satin Smirks pleasantly as she speaks…

“I don’t know about your life being in peril luv, but I would’ave taken bets against your breaking a few limbs by the way you were teasing the guv’ner who owns that bar. But should have known you would squeak it through, you put up a good job of it!”

The man in tweed grins also, then speaks as he looks at Jack, then down upon the bed as he finished.

“Yes mate, you did the talk pretty well, as usual, and played it to your advantage… and to our advantage as well!!”

Jackie and the pretty lass also look down upon the bed, as he curiously observes.

“We had a good crowd this evening didn’t we!?” And, speaking of advantage, how did we do?”

They all smile as, as the couple standing by the bed put away their weapons.

Then they both grasped the top sheet on the bed and wicked it off.

Exposing a rather impressive collection of assorted wallets small pouches of coins, both gold and silver pocket watches, diamond pins, 3 gold necklaces, a handful of shimmering rings and several glittering ladies bracelets.

Picked the patron’s pockets clean while they were all watching your antics, said Erebus, the man in the houndstooth suit.

“Including this!” triumphantly exclaimed Teddi, the lady in violet, as she delved her hand inside her gowns satin sash, extracting and showing off a rather dazzling diamond and emerald necklace.

Jackie smiled with satisfaction…

“Hoped it was you had spotted that one, red gowned tarty blondes should know better than to wear emeralds, horrible choice with fair skin. Noticed they were gone from her neck as I was leaving, hoped they hadn’t just fallen off!”

The Lass chirped cheerfully as she dangled the glistening necklace…

“Oh, they did fall off, with a little help!”

They all were grinning widely at his point.

Erebus then asked…

“So, speaking of tarts, how did you do with her chums from the casino?”

Jackie patted his pocket…

“Parted them from a £1000 of their winnings, less what I had used as to bait for the bartender!”

Erebus pulled up a heavy satchel from neath the bed, and opened it, more pretty things glittered from inside, along with assorted items that matched those laying on the bed.

It was their collective haul from the 3 nights they had been in town so far.

Teddi came around and helped Erebus start to place the items on the bed inside the satchel.

Jackie stole a look outside, making sure the way was clear.

Stepping back in he said …

“Oui now let’s finish packing it up and split ways. The train is leaving in an hour. Meet at the trains' pub car for a drink at midnight! Three strangers meeting on a train! That is what we be !”

 

The three of them grinned as the last of the items from the bed were packed away, the emerald necklace being laid in on top of the rather valuable collection residing in the satchel.

The two looked at Jack, who grinned from ear to ear…

At next town, we will divvy up this lot, and see about adding to it!”

They all nodded in eager agreement.

As Jackie continued to keep an eye outside the door, Erebus and Teddi began to quickly to finish pack up operations.

And at midnight the trio was clinking glasses of ale in celebration, happily nestled into a cozy booth at the Trains bar car!

Fini

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Author’s note

Thanks to one of my main protagonists, Eileen, who told the joke that made the gist of this story.

She winningly carried out the tale one rather blustery night, inside by a cheery fire at the actual Poet and Peasant Pub, our own dockside hangout.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

The Poet and the Peasant Is a little backwater pub we have frequented for years, as young ones, my sister and I, visited and played in the vacated old chicken yard located between the back of the pub and the waters edge.

It’s a laid back place, music (Mostly live, some dead, as our saying goes). Beyond its ornate doorway, one finds the usual cast of regulars, Including us, consuming a generous selection of ales and other “demon” drinks.

The pub is housed in an ancient old building with all sorts of old Victorian-era objects, found and given a home in the pub’s numerous nooks and crannies. Including the yellowed skull of poor Erik.

Erik was a 14th-century Welsh poet and balladeer who supposedly was beheaded for making several torrid lyrics about a certain Saxon king.

The lyrics are long forgotten, but Erik’s remains still reign. His grinning skull sits high up in a shelf along a balustrade, usually with a cigar clamped in his jaws. Couldn’t tell how many times some bloke with more’ in his fill of drink has tried to light it for the poor blighter.

The pub is a regular howl around Halloween, thanks to Erik, who has obtained quite a degree of notability, despite being dead and silent for all these long years.

Costume and poetry contests abound around this time of the year.

Basically, Erik aside, the “Poet and the Peasant” is a great place to hang out and make plans with a pint in hand.

 

If anyone has ever visited our pub, give a shout out in the comments.

 

Hello

 

Since October I've had very little opportunity to indulge in any transvestite activities whatsoever. By this I don't mean those rare and wonderful moments when I do actively engage in dressing up as a woman but I have not even had much opportunity to go on line and discuss the topic on forums or browse the pictures of other cross-dressers (an activity I always find positive and inspiring).

 

I am very keen to dress as a woman but as usual I have no opportunity to do so. I found I had a few hours alone today whilst monitoring a job that requires periodic attention and have at last managed to get on line for some Helene time. As a result I cannot resist the indulgence to post another video I made in October as Helene.

 

I am aware my pictures and videos are barely looked at with very low viewing numbers but I never really expect anyone to look at them anyway. I've always felt the reward was the sheer daring of actually posting a picture or video on a public forum such as Flickr or You Tube. I acknowledge the content of my images and videos is highly personal and offers no insight or interest to other transvestites but as a transvestite who so rarely gets to cross-dress the outlet is important to me personally.

 

If by chance you are actually reading this then the point I am trying to make is do not be concerned with being popular and avoid the expectation of high views or comments. If you do receive them then that is undeniably nice and a bit of a thrill but I know my pictures and videos are not very good so I never expect others to look at them. As I say the main thing is the personal reward of actually posting publicly. Don't feel disappointment if no-one looks. To have had the nerve and courage to post publicly is, I find, reward enough and brings a sense of achievement and satisfaction.

 

There are certain T-girls on Flickr and You Tube who always attract a lot of attention and I know some feel disappointed their own pictures do not achieve the same response. This is not something one should feel low about. It's just how it is in all social groups, not everyone is popular and there are always those who are. One should enjoy their own indulgence in cross-dressing and gain from the excitement and contentment it can bring. Posting the picture publicly is a memento to oneself and that I find is truly rewarding. Any views or comments are nice bonus but not something one should place to much emphasis upon.

 

I acknowledge some transvestites do desire a lot of attention and compliments but that's human and to be expected. Not all of us can look great as women despite our inner desire to look feminine when we cross-dress, we can only try our best and enjoy the experiences. The popular transvestites who do attract attention I personally find to be inspiring in making me try harder in my own meager efforts to look like a woman. They do actually push me to more self reward so I'm pleased they post their pictures.

 

I am trying to stress that self contentment is more important than popularity. The popular T-girls are fortunate as they physically can look female. As we are men it is difficult for us to look female but the achievements of those who are rightly popular with browsers can aid us to get the most from our own efforts by inspiring and firing our enthusiasm. It's all about enjoying yourself and pushing your boundaries. Flickr has at times been inspiring to me and always gives me renewed enthusiasm to try and improve in my own cross-dressing efforts. We can't all be popular and acknowledging this will lead to more reward and contentment.

 

Have a great 2012 - Helene x

This Waterthrush just wanted to have its picture taken!! The photo was taken during the last light of the day at Fort DeSoto earlier this year. For all of our northern friends some bad news!! Migration has started, the shorebirds have started to move through along with some warblers. Thanks as always for the comments and favorites!!

 

Please be advised that our images are fully protected by US Copyright Law. The images may not be downloaded for personal, commercial or educational use, copied to blogs, personal websites, used as wallpaper, screensavers, etc. If you would like to use an image, you MUST contact us to obtain written permission. Acknowledging the source of the copyrighted material does not substitute for obtaining written permission.

 

If you would like to use one of our images for commercial use or if you find a picture that you would like for framing, please contact us at klshells@mindspring.com for services we have available.

    

During the 1950s, France embarked on an extensive military program to produce nuclear weapons; however, it was acknowledged that existing French aircraft were unsuitable for the task of delivering the weapons. Thus, the development of a supersonic bomber designed to carry out the delivery mission started in 1956 as a part of the wider development of France's independent nuclear deterrent. In May 1956, the Guy Mollet government drew up a specification for an aerially-refuelable supersonic bomber capable of carrying a 3-metric-ton, 5.2-metre-long nuclear bomb 2,000 km (without aerial refuelling). According to aviation authors Bill Gunston and Peter Gilchrist, the specification's inclusion of supersonic speed was "surprising" to many at the time.

 

The final specifications, jointly defined by government authorities and Dassault staff, were approved on 20 March 1957. Sud Aviation and Nord Aviation both submitted competing proposals, both based on existing aircraft; Sud Aviation proposed the Super Vautour, a stretched Sud Aviation Vautour with 47 kilonewtons (10,500 lbf) thrust SNECMA Atar engines and a combat radius of 2,700 kilometres (1,700 mi) at Mach 0.9. Dassault's proposal for what became the Mirage IV was chosen on the basis of lower cost and anticipated simpler development, being based upon a proposed early 1956 twin-engined night-fighter derived from the Dassault Mirage III fighter and the unbuilt Mirage II interceptor. In April 1957, Dassault were informed that they had won the design competition.

 

Dassault's resulting prototype, dubbed Mirage IV 01, looked a lot like the Mirage IIIA, even though it had double the wing surface, two engines instead of one, and twice the unladen weight. The Mirage IV also carried three times more internal fuel than the Mirage III. The aircraft's aerodynamic features were very similar to the III's but required an entirely new structure and layout. This prototype was 20 metres (67 ft) long, had an 11 metres (37 ft) wingspan, 62 square metres (670 sq ft) of wing area, and weighed approximately 25,000 kilograms (55,000 lb). It was considerably more advanced than the Mirage III, incorporating new features such as machined and chem-milled planks, tapered sheets, a small amount of titanium, and integral fuel tanks in many locations including the leading portion of the tailfin.

 

The 01 was an experimental prototype built to explore and solve the problems stemming from prolonged supersonic flight. At the time, no aircraft had been designed to cruise at over Mach 1.8 for long periods of time and there were sizable technological and operational uncertainties. Weapon-related issues were another issue. Building the 01 in Dassault's Saint-Cloud plant near Paris took 18 months. In late 1958, the aircraft was transferred to the Melun-Villaroche flight testing area for finishing touches and ground tests. On 17 June 1959, French General Roland Glavany, on a five-year leave from the French Air Force since 1954, took the 01 for its maiden flight.

I should acknowledge that my recent identifications of Australian birds have been provided by the amazing members of the Australian Bird Identification group on Facebook. Many thanks to them.

Was actually sitting very still on a bench along Gordon's Pond walking path a while back and this cutie flew right up behind me. I don't think it really new I was there, I had to turn carefully around to try and get a few before it noticed what it had done and fly off;)

 

Proverbs 3:5-6

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

6 in all your ways acknowledge him,

and he will make your paths straight

Beautiful Spring Common Yellowthroat Warbler Male Singing Display. This Yellowthroat Warbler was showing off to the local females to try to attract a mate! Thanks for looking and all of the wonderful comments!!

 

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Quote 89/100

 

I processed this photograph in Adobe Lightroom using the Whipped Cream Lightroom Preset / Queen Pack which is available to get from The Bell Sisters website.

 

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One style sometimes acknowledges another. There is a place of reference at the beginning that sometimes is not the conclusion, rather it reveals a pathway with significant moments upon the journey. This figure laid out on the skyline goes through all the variations of the atmospheric conditions each year wearing snow and lush green growth with light and shadow from the Sun and from clouds. The diversity of each day and night bring about variations.

 

© PHH Sykes 2023

phhsykes@gmail.com

 

Six Aboriginal language groups are the traditional owners of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area:

Darug.

Gundungurra.

Wanaruah.

Wiradjuri.

Darkinjung.

Tharawal.

 

I acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which I work and live, and recognise their continuing connection to land, water and community. I pay respect to Elders past, present and emerging.

In North Lawson Park, on the northern side of the highway, contains Fairy Falls, St Michael's Falls and Frederica Falls. Of medium difficulty it takes in waterfalls, lush vegetation, birdlife, natural ponds, views and facilities.

 

To get to this waterfall you can actually walk from the train station at Lawson and head down on the north side of the Hwy, heading towards the Lawson Swimming pool.

 

Go around the pool and past the car park and follow the signs, it basically behind the pool.

 

Once you find the track which is sign posted, the first falls you get to is Dante's Glenn which is a spectacular waterfall which can be photographed from many angles.

 

Walk down under the power lines to the start of the Empire Pass Track. There is an old metal sign pointing into the bush, with distances in miles. Follow the track through open forest for 400m (about 5 minutes) to where it passes under more power lines. Keep left at a Y-intersection, ignoring a track to the right which heads down the hill under the power lines. Continue for another 400m up a rise to a fire trail with a locked gate on your right. Cross over the fire trail onto another foot track, signposted Empire Pass (4km, 2 hours circuit Easy Grade), and follow this for 400m to a track junction.

  

Dantes Glen

Take the track straight ahead, signposted to Echo Bluff. At the first rocky outcrops, the track continues down through a slot to the left for 100m further to the lookout. There are good views of the valley below through which the Empire Pass track passes.

 

Returning to the intersection, take the other track signposted to Empire Pass, Lawson Park and Dantes Glen. This contours for 600m to a set of rocky outcrops, with a set of stone steps leading down through a cleft. This is a quick way down into the valley, but misses out on the waterfalls, so continue along the main track.

 

Another 400m along the track enters a gully and you reach the first falls. Fairy Falls can be seen dropping in several stages from a lookout on the track. A little further along the track crosses the creek just below the top falls. Just beyond here is another track junction. Left leads up to North Lawson Park, so take the right branch. After a short distance it starts to descend a set of well contstructed steps, at first gently, then more steeply until the creek is reached. Crossing a bridge at the bottom, Dantes Glen Falls can be seen on the left.

  

Dantes Glen Creek

Head downstream on the left bank for 50m before the track crosses over to the right at a sign saying No Through Access. It is about 50m upstream on the other side creek to St Michaels Falls.

 

Continuing downstream on the right bank, the track stays at the same level, while the creek drops away below. Just past a small side creek, a set of steps leads up to the short cut. This could be used as a quick way back out.

 

A little further on the track heads down steps to creek level, and crosses to the right bank. Just after crossing a minor side creek, watch for the stairs going up to the left. If you miss them, the track will peter out shortly afterwards. The track follows the cliff on the left for a few hundred metres and then returns to the creek level, crossing over and climbing up on the right side. It stays high from here as it rounds Echo Point. From here it stays on the right hand side of the creek all the way to Frederica Falls.

 

Climb up to the fire trail at Frederica Falls and cross straight over on to a foot track. This slightly scrubby track generally follows the creek before heading uphill and emerging under the power lines back at the start of the walk.

 

I will certainly re visit this lovely circuit of waterfalls after some decent rainfall !

   

Well at this point I am going to acknowledge a couple things. Also not gonna tag anyone because it’s a self penned letter/diary/journal for y’all and myself. Personal feelings, beliefs, values and opinions are included in there.

 

Thank you everyone and for those who have spoken up and shared stories about their lives. At least there’s some closure in things and I’m glad people are starting to move on with some slow progress.

 

This is about one of my major doubts about my choices and my life upon knowing I’m on here for quite a long time already, way before I’ve made this account. The existence of me knowing Flickr is probably close to a decade with the discovery of the internet (as well? I guess). I did contemplate about leaving because there’s a struggle in balancing things in and out. Imagine the failure of managing your life like a superhero and the civilian identity—-sometimes you question whether to wear that mask or not, or are you just posing fo undercover and a job. Lotta questions about stuff I think about, which probably relates to philosophy, a course I may take in uni this year, who knows. I’m a chill Buddhist as well some folks refer to me as a dank one, because of my “meme master” status and my big humour because I make inverted Asian jokes about my ethnicity etc XD.

 

Like people leaving by for multiple reasons, usually affected by common things like drama, family issues, health effects, a quick absence, or work. wonder if it’s necessary. I’m pretty sure when one says about quitting there’s gonna be immense amounts of comments and support from people saying “you shouldn’t go!”, “I love your content!” and etc. The big thing is that many things can be ironic that sometimes you see it and you don’t, like how my parents don’t even know my identity and situation here, or the amount of friends and followers I’ve made are even popular and more than real life. People I’ve met all along the way here have experienced lots of tragedy and back/origin stories which I can somewhat relate to, yup.

 

Which brings to the fact, when life gets in the way, would you continue? With a crisis like this, would you consider to move on for real? I mean, yeah, we can stay forever, we shape and create our destinies, but this was always meant to be a business or photography site until it branched out and grew. It will definitely draw pressure from lots of things. I think the more I’ve grown up the more I’ve questioned whether my purpose is served or not yet to keep on with the older or younger generations, to continue on memes, art, reviews, Lego, builds and etc. You probably (or may not) notice that I’ve been less active since last year, even with a big presence. That’s because I’ve gradually making a move of migration to discord, another social media platform (that should have started out just for gamers). Now looking upon today....somewhere I feel old and I’m like a mentor to some new recruits or kids. That’s because I feel that i’ve seen and heard a lot from experience even when I’m learning.

 

So probably lesser posts then eh? Like I said, I’m stuck in this kind of half dead state, which sometimes I don’t know my path entirely. It’s like Inception basically, but with more reality and sometimes dreams. Or both blend that I’m aware lucid dreaming is more of a thing now....

 

Anyways, I will still not give up on this year yet, we’ll see how it plays out, and I have a lot of things I want to do and post. Like Paladin Ascending’s Volume 2, which will be Issue 5 and a double post tomorrow. I hope to get the renaming stuff posted soon. And a lotta series on the way as well. Surely it’s gonna keep me occupied by writing, but with Article 13 and this douche of a platform trying to absorb and brainwash my wallet, the future is in hold. You look back and wonder....what’s next?