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This photograph was taken after sunset at Upper Seletar Reservoir. Clouds of various sizes at different elevations were colourfully illuminated. The associated colourful reflections provide additional interests to the landscape at dusk.
Best wishes for a wonderful weekend.
Trees in winter
With the arrival of winter, and often at the end of autumn, a new problem arises with trees. This specific "winter" problem is associated with the accumulation of wet snow and the formation of frost on the branches and trunks of trees. "Freezing rains" - phenomena occur under certain combinations of weather conditions: sleet, wind, fog, sudden changes in temperature with a "transition through 0 degrees". Such a significant load on the branches and trunks of trees can lead to emergency situations:
1. Breaking off and collapse of large branches. Typical for poplar, aspen, willow, linden, oak. To a lesser extent for pines and elms.
2. Breaking the forks of co-dominant trunks. Most often found in the above tree species with V-shaped forks. Less typical for U-shaped forks of birch and spruce.
3. Bending under the weight of snow and ice, with possible breaking of the trunks of inclined trees.
I found the trees without obvious problems :)
Here's one from a few months ago on Inis Mor Island. I didn't get a chance to post it but I think it's too nice to hide away in the archives. I'm not sure what breed these are but certainly not the connemara you usually associate with the island. It started raining so I didn't hang around as I was on a bike and needed to get back before it became heavy.
The Long-eared Owl is associated with coniferous woodland and tall scrubby habitats during the breeding season, favouring sites where dense nesting cover is located close to open areas that are used for hunting. Although widely distributed across Britain and Ireland, the Long-eared Owl remains a scarce breeding species and one that is easy to overlook. The species appears to be more abundant in Ireland than it is within Britain, perhaps because of reduced competition Tawny Owl, which is absent from Ireland.
This is a medium-sized owl, slightly smaller and slimmer in appearance than a Tawny Owl. The main confusion species is Short-eared Owl and BTO has produced a useful video on how to identify the two species – this is available here.
When perched, or when the Long-eared Owl’s ear tufts are visible, the species can be readily separated from Short-eared Owl. At other times, eye colour is useful: those of Long-eared Owl are yellow-orange, while in Short-eared Owl they are yellow. The general appearance of the upperside of the wing in Short-eared Owl is of sharp contrast between the dark wing tip and the extensive pale panel that sits between this and the darker ‘carpel’ patch. In Long-eared this panel is more richly-coloured and less obvious.
Thanks for viewing my photos and for any favourites and comments, it’s much appreciated 👍
it seems very likely that St Anthony's Chapel was closely associated with Holyrood Abbey, which stood just a few hundred yards away to the north-west. The two were linked by a well-made stone track (now heavily worn) with prominent kerbstones that can in places still be seen, and about three quarters of the way along this track up to the chapel is the spring and carved stone bowl known as St Anthony's Well.
It's tempting to think of St Anthony's Chapel as an outlying chapel for Holyrood Abbey, perhaps constructed as a means of getting pilgrims out from under the feet of the monks in the abbey. It has also been suggested that the chapel served as a sort of religious beacon, designed to be clearly visible to sea-borne pilgrims coming to Holyrood Abbey as they sailed up the River Forth.
As for dating, there are references to a grant paid for repairs to St Anthony's Chapel by the Pope in 1426, suggesting the building could date back into the 1300s or beyond. Details of its demise are equally unclear, but presumably, like Holyrood Abbey itself, St Anthony's Chapel fell into disuse and disrepair after the Reformation in 1560.
Today, all that remains of the chapel are parts of the north wall plus remnants of another building a little to the south-west, which has sometimes been called a hermitage but was probably just a store room. The remaining chapel wall shows signs of vaulting, and it is thought that when complete the building would have comprised a small three-bay chapel, with a three-storey tower at its west end. This odd shape, almost as tall as it was long, supports the idea that the chapel was designed as much to ensure distant visibility as to accommodate worshippers.
Dún Aonghasa (Unofficial anglicised version Dun Aengus) is the best-known of several prehistoric hill forts on the Aran Islands of County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It lies on Inis Mór, at the edge of a 100-metre-high (330 ft) cliff.
A popular tourist attraction, Dún Aonghasa is an important archaeological site.
History
It is not known exactly when Dún Aonghasa was built, though it is now thought that most of the structures date from the Bronze Age and Iron Age. T. F. O'Rahilly surmised in what is known as O'Rahilly's historical model that it was built in the 2nd century BC by the Builg following the Laginian conquest of Connacht.Excavations at the site indicate that the first construction goes back to 1100 BC, when rubble was piled against large upright stones to form the first enclosure. Around 500 BC, the triple wall defenses were probably constructed along the fort's western side.
The 19th-century artist George Petrie called "Dún Aonghasa" "the most magnificent barbaric monument in Europe". Its name, meaning "Fort of Aonghas", may refer to the pre-Christian god of the same name described in Irish mythology, or the mythical king, Aonghus mac Úmhór. It has thus traditionally been associated with the Fir Bolg.
Form and function
The fort consists of a series of four concentric walls of dry stone construction, built on a high cliff some one hundred metres above the sea. At the time of its construction sea levels were considerably lower and a recent Radio Telefis Eireann documentary estimates that originally it was 1000 metres from the sea. Surviving stonework is four metres wide at some points. The original shape was presumably oval or D-shaped but parts of the cliff and fort have since collapsed into the sea. Outside the third ring of walls lies a defensive system of stone slabs, known as a cheval de frise, planted in an upright position in the ground and still largely well-preserved. These ruins also feature a huge rectangular stone slab, the function of which is unknown. Impressively large among prehistoric ruins, the outermost wall of Dún Aonghasa encloses an area of approximately 6 hectares (14 acres).
Today
The walls of Dún Aonghasa have been rebuilt to a height of 6m and have wall walks, chambers, and flights of stairs. The restoration is easily distinguished from the original construction by the use of mortar.[citation needed]
There is a small museum illustrating the history of the fort and its possible functions. Also in the vicinity is a Neolithic tomb and a small heritage park featuring examples of a traditional thatched cottage and an illegal poteen distillery.
Associated with large, rocky riverine systems, a boldly-marked river bird with long yellow beard-like pointed wattles, remarkably aggressive, with a loud, fast and repeated peep peep peep.
Seen in Zambia, such a joy to watch.
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THANK YOU for your visit, friendship, and any comments.
Keep safe and well, God bless
.......................Tomx
ASSOCIATED typically with heathland sites, a small short-tailed lark, with a wonderful yodeling song. This was part of the support act for Colin the Cuckoo.
Seen at Thursley Common, and have not seen one since.
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THANK YOU for your visit and friendship, keep safe and well.
God bless you ...........Tomx
I associate Goldenrod with the brilliant colour it has to attract pollinators, and with the year round contribution it makes to living creatures in the ecosystem. I used to think it was a source of seasonal allergies, but in fact its pollen is not wind borne - only bees, butterflies and birds can move it around.
I liked the clean look I got at the Honey Bee’s ‘mouth parts’, and the front legs that have dedicated bristles for cleaning the proboscis. The prominent mandibles, used for chewing and eating things, are displaced by the mandible but visible at its base, on either side of the proboscis. The front of the face is a bit dusty, but the compound eyes are unobstructed.
After what feels like days and days of overcast skies, I thought some bright summery colours and activity might be a tonic.
It is a lot like life.... full of contrast... full of symmetry, patterns that we easily recognize and (sometimes) associate with beauty (sorry Picasso :-))…
The geranium flower symbolizes happiness, good health, good wishes, and friendship. They are associated with positive emotions, with the exception of the Victorian symbolism of stupidity or foolishness. This old symbolism has basically fallen to the wayside as this cheery flower is typically considered a harbinger of happy thoughts and emotions.
Monument Valley has been featured in many forms of media since the 1930s. Director John Ford used the location for a number of his best-known films, and thus, in the words of critic Keith Phipps, "its 13 square kilometers have defined what decades of moviegoers think of when they imagine the American West." Between 1945 and 1967, the southern extent of the Monument Upwarp was mined for uranium, which occurs in scattered areas of the Shinarump Conglomerate; vanadium and copper are associated with uranium in some deposits.
Bis zum Ende des Zweiten Weltkrieges gehörte das Dorf Konau hinter dem Elbdeich zum Landkreis Lüneburg, nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg erfolgte wegen der fehlenden Brücke über die Elbe mit entsprechend zu erwartenden Versorgungsschwierigkeiten aus praktischen Gründen im Juli 1945 eine Übergabe an die sowjetische Besatzungszone und daraus folgend die spätere Zugehörigkeit Konaus zur DDR. Durch die Lage im so genannten Schutzstreifen der DDR-Grenze blieb die für die Siedlungsgeschichte an der Elbe typische Marschhufenbebauung im Ort bis heute erhalten. Nach der deutschen Wiedervereinigung wechselte Konau wieder nach Niedersachsen in den Landkreis Lüneburg zurück.
Until the end of the Second World War, the village of Konau, located behind the Elbe dyke, belonged to the Lüneburg district. After the Second World War, due to the lack of a bridge over the Elbe and the associated supply difficulties, it was handed over to the Soviet occupation zone in July 1945 for practical reasons, and Konau subsequently became part of the GDR. Due to its location in the so-called protective strip of the GDR border, the village has retained the typical building style for the history of settlement on the Elbe to this day. After German reunification, Konau returned to Lower Saxony in the Lüneburg district.
© All rights reserved Ian C Brightman Please do not use this image on websites, blogs or any other media without my explicit written permission.
Kaziranga National Park
State Of Assam
India
The wild water buffalo (Bubalus arnee), also called Asian buffalo, Asiatic buffalo and wild buffalo, is a large bovine native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. It has been listed as Endangered in the IUCN Red List since 1986, as the remaining population totals less than 3,400. A population decline of at least 50% over the last three generations (24–30 years) is projected to continue. 3,100 live in India, mostly in Assam. The wild water buffalo is the most likely ancestor of the domestic water buffalo.
The wild water buffalo occurs in India, Nepal, Bhutan, Thailand, and Cambodia, with an unconfirmed population in Myanmar. It is associated with wet grasslands, swamps, flood plains and densely vegetated river valleys. Tigers, mugger crocodiles and Asian black bears feed on adult wild water buffaloes.
In India, it is largely restricted to in and around Kaziranga, Manas and Dibru-Saikhowa National Parks, Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary and Bura Chapori Wildlife Sanctuary and in a few scattered pockets in Assam.
Wild water buffaloes are both diurnal and nocturnal. They are probably grazers by preference, feeding mainly on graminoids when available. They also eat other herbs, fruits, and bark, as well as browsing on trees and shrubs. They also feed on crops, including rice, sugarcane, and jute, sometimes causing considerable damage. – Wikipedia
A shot of one of the boats at Hastings surrounded by all the associated fishing clutter.
You do not have the right to copy, reproduce or download my images without my specific permission, doing so is a direct breach of my copyright.
In various regions of Asia—especially Korea, Japan, and parts of Southeast Asia—cats with short, curled tails have been a familiar sight in both urban and rural landscapes for centuries. These distinctive tails, often twisted like a spiral or loop, are the result of a natural genetic mutation that has persisted in local populations, particularly in isolated or inbred groups. In Korea, these cats are not an officially recognized breed, but they are common as both stray and domestic animals, and are often viewed fondly by locals.
The cat shown here—a calico female with a short, curled tail—is a beautiful example of this trait (although it is not clearly visible in the image). We found her at the harbor, keeping a vigilant eye on everything around her, full of curiosity and poise. After the photos were taken, she stayed close to us, gently asking for affection—clearly a lady of the port, confident and at ease in her domain. Her tricolor coat, typical of female calicos, adds symbolic value: in many Asian cultures, this pattern is associated with good luck and protection of the home.
Dongam Fishing Port Breakwater Lighthouse, Gijang-eup, Gijang-gun, Busan, South Korea
Many thanks for the visits, faves and comments. Cheers
Brown Falcon
Falco berigora
Description: Brown Falcons are small to medium-sized raptors (birds of prey). The female is larger than the male. The Brown Falcon has a range of plumage colours, from very dark brown to light brown above and off-white below. Generally, the upperparts are dark brown and the underparts are pale buff or cream. The sides of the head are brown with a characteristic tear-stripe below the eye. Birds from the tropical north are very dark, with a paler face and undertail, while those from central Australia are paler all over. Younger birds resemble dark adults, but have less obvious barring on the tail, and a buff-yellow colour on the face, throat and nape of the neck.
Similar species: Paler birds may often be confused with a related raptor (bird of prey), the Nankeen Kestrel, F. cenchroides, which is quite a bit smaller and has a more rufous crown. Dark Brown Falcons may be mistaken for slightly larger Black Falcon, F. subniger. The Black Falcon has longer legs and lacks barring on the tail. The Black Falcon also appears sleeker in shape and movements.
Distribution: The Brown Falcon ranges throughout Australia, and north to New Guinea.
Habitat: The Brown Falcon is found in all but the densest forests and is locally common throughout its range. The preferred habitat is open grassland and agricultural areas, with scattered trees or structures such as telegraph poles which it uses for perching. Around outback towns, the birds become quite tame and will allow quite close approach. Birds may stay within the same areas throughout the year or may move around locally in response to changes in conditions. Paler birds are usually associated with inland areas, but all the colour varieties are fairly scattered throughout the range.
Feeding: Brown Falcons are usually seen alone, searching for food from an exposed perch. When prey is sighted, the bird swoops down and grasps it in its claws (talons), killing the prey with a bite to the spine. The powerful bill has specialised 'tomial' teeth and matching notches for this purpose. Less often the species will hunt by hovering or gliding over the ground, often at great heights. Brown Falcons feed on small mammals, insects, reptiles and, less often, small birds.
Breeding: The nest used by the Brown Falcon is normally an old nest from another hawk species, but the species may build its own stick nest in a tree. Occasionally birds nest in open tree hollows. Both sexes share the incubation of the eggs, and both care for the young, although the female performs the bulk of these duties, while the male supplies most of the food.
Calls: Normally silent at rest, but gives some cackling and screeching notes when in flight.
Minimum Size: 41cm
Maximum Size: 51cm
Average size: 46cm
Average weight: 530g
Breeding season: June to November in the south; November to April in the north.
Clutch Size: 2 to 6 (usually 3)
Incubation: 30 days
Nestling Period: 45 days
(Source: www.birdsinbackyards.net; and Pizzey & Night, The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia)
© Chris Burns 2025
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All rights reserved.
This image may not be copied, reproduced, distributed, republished, downloaded, displayed, posted or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic, mechanical, photocopying and recording without my written consent.
The purpose of Arches National Park is to protect extraordinary examples of geologic features including arches, natural bridges, windows, spires, and balanced rocks, as well as other features of geologic, historic, and scientific interest, and to provide opportunities to experience these resources and their associated values in their majestic natural settings.
© All rights reserved Ian C Brightman Please do not use this image on websites, blogs or any other media without my explicit written permission.
Edzná is a Maya archaeological site in the north of the Mexican state of Campeche.
The most remarkable building at the site is the main temple located at the plaza. Built on a platform 40 m high, it provides a wide overview of the surroundings. Another significant building located in the plaza is a ball court. Two parallel structures make up the ball court. The top rooms of the ball court were possibly used to store images of the gods associated with the events, along with items needed for the games.
Edzná was already inhabited in 400 BC, and it was abandoned c. 1500 AD. During the time of occupation, a government was set up whose power was legitimized by the relationship between governors and the deities. In the Late Classic period Edzná was part of the Calakmul polity. Edzná may have been inhabited as early as 600 BC but it took until 200 AD before it developed into a major city. The word Edzná comes from "House of the Itzaes". The architectural style of this site shows signs of the Puuc style, even though it is far from the Puuc Hills sites. The decline and eventual abandonment of Edzná remains a mystery today.
Edzná was discovered in 1907. The first organised excavations started in 1958. In 1986, coordinating agencies began to employ Guatemalan refugees in the excavation, restoration and maintenance at Edzná.
The comet or marine betta (Calloplesiops altivelis) is a species of reef-associated tropical marine fish in the family Plesiopidae.
The comet is native in the Indo-Pacific Ocean and the Red Sea, commonly found between 3 and 50 m deep.
Adults are usually found near reefs, and in caves and crevices along drop-offs. The comet is nocturnal by nature, and will hide under ledges and in holes by day. During night time, it leaves its hiding place and swims along the reef searching for food.
Comets are predators, feeding on crustaceans and small fish. They catch their prey by approaching it swimming sideways and then waiting for the prey to try to escape.
Comets possess an eye-like shape which is actually the dorsal fin. When in danger, this fish will poke its head into a hole and expose its tail end, which mimics the head of the moray eel.
The dark brown to black comet can reach a maximum length of 20 cm. The white spots are found on its body, head and fins, except for the median and pelvic fins which have small blue spots.
De oogvlekrifwachter of kortweg rifwachter (Calloplesiops altivelis) is een tropische zeevis uit de familie Plesiopidae.
De oogvlekrifwachter leeft in de Indische Oceaan en de Rode Zee in de buurt van rotsige riffen, holen en spleten, meestal tussen 3 en 50 meter diepte. Overdag houdt de oogvlekrifwachter zich schuil en 's-nachts zwemt de vis langs het rif op zoek naar voedsel. Het is een roofvis die vanuit een schuilplaats zijn prooi vaak zijwaarts besluipt. Het voedsel bestaat vooral uit schaaldieren en kleine vissen.
Komt de oogvlekrifwachter zelf in gevaar dan steekt de vis zijn kop tussen de stenen of duikt met z'n hoofd in het zand en laat dan alleen z'n staart en rugvin zien. Achterop de rugvin zit een grote oogvlek waarmee de kop van een murene wordt geïmiteerd en eventuele rovers worden gefopt.
De donker bruine tot zwarte oogvlekrifwachters bereiken een lengte van maximaal circa 20 centimeter. Honderden witte vlekjes bedekken het lichaam, het hoofd en de vinnen.
De opname van deze onder zee-aquariumhouders populaire vis is in een privé-aquarium gemaakt.
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All rights reserved. Copyright © Martien Uiterweerd (Foto Martien). All my images are protected under international authors copyright laws and may not be downloaded, reproduced, copied, transmitted or manipulated without my written explicit permission.
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The constellation of Cassiopeia, the Milky Way and the Andromeda galaxy sink westward into the upper Tamar lake. The Milky way is usually associated with the summer night sky but although fainter it is still beautiful during the winter. My first attempt at this kind of shot. Canon 40D. Sigma 8-16mm lens. Small, home made tracking equatorial mount.
Of course I associate this photo with music. And because I'm standing here right now, the song I chose can only come from Berlin. It was a formative time for the city and for me my most exciting. Right next to me used to be the entrance to the hottest club in the world, the TRESOR! Hey, and since Berlin also developed musically, we now listen to Moderat "Reminder"! instead of the techno of that time.
moderat — reminder ♫
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EOSR | RF35mm f/1.8 IS STM
Exposure: ƒ/4.0 | 1/1000s ISO 100
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This image is subject to full copyright © Please do not use my images on websites, blogs, or in other media without express written permission. F̶̅G̅. 2022 © all rights reserved
The music room at St.Fagan's Castle,Cardiff, built in the 19th Century. The image shows the harp, the traditional instrument associated with Wales.
ERF 'LV' model 66GX six-wheeler flatbed lorry NBB609L seen in Slinfold, Sussex at a Boxing Day vehicle gathering.
A series of 5 photographs to feature shapes and curves found at the Museum. Details here:
www.ticklebear4u.com/2014/04/shapes-curves-107365-days-40...
:)
The Forth Bridge is a cantilever railway bridge across the Firth of Forth in the east of Scotland, 9 miles (14 kilometres) west of Edinburgh City Centre. It is considered an iconic structure and a symbol of Scotland (having been voted Scotland's greatest man-made wonder in 2016), and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was designed by the English engineers Sir John Fowler and Sir Benjamin Baker. It is sometimes referred to as the Forth Rail Bridge to distinguish it from the Forth Road Bridge, though this has never been its official name.
Construction of the bridge began in 1882 and it was opened on 4 March 1890 by the Duke of Rothesay, the future Edward VII. The bridge spans the Forth between the villages of South Queensferry and North Queensferry and has a total length of 8,094 feet (2,467 m). When it opened it had the longest single cantilever bridge span in the world, until 1919 when the Quebec Bridge in Canada was completed. It continues to be the world's second-longest single cantilever span, with a span of 1,709 feet (521 m).
The bridge and its associated railway infrastructure are owned by Network Rail.
Photo is a scan of an Ektachrome transparency. It's of Maira-ira Beach (aka, The Blue Lagoon) on the north coast of Luzon, Philippines. When I was there it was isolated and pristine. There was only one house in the area. The area now has several beach resorts and associated development.
Austrian Butterflies - Schmetterlinge Österreichs
This is the sixth species in a series of alpine butterfly photos taken in the Tyrol region of western Austria.
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Woodland Ringlet [Erebia medusa]
Classification: LEPIDOPTERA > Papilionoidea (butterflies)
> Nymphalidae > Satyrinae (Browns) > Satyrini
Local common name: Rundaugen-Mohrenfalter
Following on from yesterday's post and the associated comments regarding the number of ringlet species that can be seen across Europe, here is a photo of an individual that I believe can only be the Woodland Ringlet. I say that because the forewings are normally double-spotted, rather than having a single large eye-spot, but having looked closely at all the other candidates, Erebia medusa is the most likely. It is very similar to the Bright-eyed Ringlet [Erebia oeme], but can be distinguished by the buff-coloured underside of the antennal tips.
The Woodland Ringlet is found across central Europe, favouring grassy meadows amongst woodland or forests with an altitude as low as 500m up to alpine levels.
Crows are among the most intelligent of birds. Experiments indicate that American crows can count to three or four, are good at solving puzzles, have good memories, employ a diverse and behaviorally complex range of vocalizations, and quickly learn to associate various noises and symbols with food. One report describes an American crow that dropped palm nuts onto a residential street, then waited for passing automobiles to crack them. Crows are keen and wary birds. Consider the number of crows that scavenge along highways; how many have you seen hit by autos? Crows can mimic sounds made by other birds and animals and have been taught to mimic the human voice. The myth that splitting the tongue allows a crow to talk better, however, is not true and is needlessly cruel.
Crows often post a sentinel while feeding. Although studies indicate that the sentinel may be part of a family group, unrelated crows and other birds in the area likely benefit from the sentinel’s presence.
The American crow is one of America’s best-known birds. Males and females are outwardly alike. Their large size (17 to 21 inches [43 to 53 cm] long), completely coal-black plumage, and familiar “caw caw” sound make them easy to identify. They are fairly common in areas near people, and tales of their wit and intelligence have been noted in many stories.
Three other crows occur in the continental United States, the fish crow (Corvus ossifragus), the northwestern crow (Corvus caurinus), and the Mexican crow (Corvus imparatus). Fish crows are primarily inhabitants of the eastern and southeastern coastal United States, but their range extends into the eastern edges of Oklahoma and Texas. Fish crows are somewhat smaller than American crows, but in the field they appear much alike. They can be distinguished, however, by their calls — the fish crow call is a short, nasal “ca,” “car,” or “ca-ha.” Northwestern crows, as their name implies, occur in the northwest along the coastal strip from Washington to Alaska. They are most often seen foraging along beaches. Northwestern crows are smaller than American crows, but in Washington state these two species may hybridize. Mexican crows occur in south Texas (Brownsville area) primarily during fall and winter and are fairly small for crows. Their voice is a low froglike “gurr” or “croak” or, in some areas, a higher-pitched “creow.”
This may be a Fish Crow. He or she is not as big as most of the crows I see. It was cawing up a storm and the caw sounded more of a deep almost bass sound to it. Found it along Joe Overstreet Road, Osceola County, Florida.
The historically preserved half-timbered cemetery church from the second half of the 16th century and its surrounding area have undergone extensive renovations in the past five years. Thanks to these changes, the complex has transformed into a pleasant oasis in the middle of the city, radiating the charm of history, comfort and interesting discovery. Additionally, there is plenty of entertainment and experiences for the whole family.
Visitors can explore a lapidarium with historical stone and wooden artifacts (crosses, tombstones, parts of portals, and sculptures) as well as partially restored original architecture (floors, roofs, galleries, benches, and more) inside the church. The church can be visited during May and June only on weekends, from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. During the summer holidays, it will be open every day except Monday.
The historic structure is surrounded on all sides by a newly revitalized park with rich shrub and herb plantings, providing visitors a pleasant retreat amid a flood of flowers and scents. Nectar-producing plants also offer food for pollinators and, consequently for their predators, such as songbirds. Trees felled during the renovations have been repurposed as beetle habitats, creating a habitat for beneficial insects associated with decaying wood.
Part of the park, freely accessible every day except Monday from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, includes a new nature trail with accurately rendered models of the most common local insect species and interesting information about them. The trail connects the church area with its immediate surroundings, creating a larger complex that, in addition to educational stops, offers entertainment, social, spiritual and cultural-aesthetic experiences.
Image taken at evening light.
Works for the abbey and church were started in the 10th century over a pre-existing oratory associated with St. Colombanus. In 1477 the whole complex was damaged by a fire and rebuilt from around 1490 by Bernardino Zaccagni until 1519. The design was done by Antonio da Correggio.
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Giovanni_Evangelista,_Parma
Zion National Park is an American national park located in southwestern Utah near the city of Springdale. A prominent feature of the 229-square-mile (590 km2) park is Zion Canyon, which is 15 miles (24 km) long and up to 2,640 ft (800 m) deep. The canyon walls are reddish and tan-colored Navajo Sandstone eroded by the North Fork of the Virgin River. The lowest point in the park is 3,666 ft (1,117 m) at Coalpits Wash and the highest peak is 8,726 ft (2,660 m) at Horse Ranch Mountain. Located at the junction of the Colorado Plateau, Great Basin, and Mojave Desert regions, the park has a unique geography and a variety of life zones that allow for unusual plant and animal diversity. Numerous plant species as well as 289 species of birds, 75 mammals (including 19 species of bat), and 32 reptiles inhabit the park's four life zones: desert, riparian, woodland, and coniferous forest. Zion National Park includes mountains, canyons, buttes, mesas, monoliths, rivers, slot canyons, and natural arches. Human habitation of the area started about 8,000 years ago with small family groups of Native Americans, one of which was the semi-nomadic Basketmaker Anasazi (c. 300). Subsequently, the Virgin Anasazi culture (c. 500) and the Parowan Fremont group developed as the Basketmakers settled in permanent communities. Both groups moved away by 1300 and were replaced by the Parrusits and several other Southern Paiute subtribes. Mormons came into the area in 1858 and settled there in the early 1860s. In 1909, President William Howard Taft named the area Mukuntuweap National Monument in order to protect the canyon. In 1918, the acting director of the newly created National Park Service, Horace Albright, drafted a proposal to enlarge the existing monument and change the park's name to Zion National Monument, Zion being a term used by the Mormons. According to historian Hal Rothman: "The name change played to a prevalent bias of the time. Many believed that Spanish and Indian names would deter visitors who, if they could not pronounce the name of a place, might not bother to visit it. The new name, Zion, had greater appeal to an ethnocentric audience." On November 20, 1919, Congress redesignated the monument as Zion National Park, and the act was signed by President Woodrow Wilson. The Kolob section was proclaimed a separate Zion National Monument in 1937, but was incorporated into the national park in 1956. The geology of the Zion and Kolob canyons area includes nine formations that together represent 150 million years of mostly Mesozoic-aged sedimentation. At various periods in that time warm, shallow seas, streams, ponds and lakes, vast deserts, and dry near-shore environments covered the area. Uplift associated with the creation of the Colorado Plateau lifted the region 10,000 feet (3,000 m) starting 13 million years ago. The park is located in southwestern Utah in Washington, Iron and Kane counties. Geomorphically, it is located on the Markagunt and Kolob plateaus, at the intersection of three North American geographic provinces: the Colorado Plateau, the Great Basin, and the Mojave Desert. The northern part of the park is known as the Kolob Canyons section and is accessible from Interstate 15, exit 40. The 8,726-foot (2,660 m) summit of Horse Ranch Mountain is the highest point in the park; the lowest point is the 3,666-foot (1,117 m) elevation of Coal Pits Wash, creating a relief of about 5,100 feet (1,600 m). Streams in the area take rectangular paths because they follow jointing planes in the rocks. The stream gradient of the Virgin River, whose North Fork flows through Zion Canyon in the park, ranges from 50 to 80 feet per mile (9.5 to 15.2 m/km) (0.9–1.5%)—one of the steepest stream gradients in North America. The road into Zion Canyon is 6 miles (9.7 km) long, ending at the Temple of Sinawava, which is named for the coyote god of the Paiute Indians. The canyon becomes more narrow near the Temple and a hiking trail continues to the mouth of The Narrows, a gorge only 20 feet (6 m) wide and up to 2,000 feet (610 m) tall. The Zion Canyon road is served by a free shuttle bus from early April to late October and by private vehicles the other months of the year. Other roads in Zion are open to private vehicles year-round. The east side of the park is served by Zion-Mount Carmel Highway (SR-9), which passes through the Zion–Mount Carmel Tunnel and ends at Mount Carmel. On the east side of the park, notable park features include Checkerboard Mesa and the East Temple. The Kolob Terrace area, northwest of Zion Canyon, features a slot canyon called The Subway, and a panoramic view of the entire area from Lava Point. The Kolob Canyons section, further to the northwest near Cedar City, features one of the world's longest natural arches, Kolob Arch. Other notable geographic features of the park include the Virgin River Narrows, Emerald Pools, Angels Landing, The Great White Throne, and Court of the Patriarchs. Spring weather is unpredictable, with stormy, wet days being common, mixed with occasional warm, sunny weather. Precipitation is normally heaviest in March. Spring wildflowers bloom from April through June, peaking in May. Fall days are usually clear and mild; nights are often cool. Summer days are hot (95 to 110 °F; 35 to 43 °C), but overnight lows are usually comfortable (65 to 70 °F; 18 to 21 °C). Afternoon thunderstorms are common from mid-July through mid-September. Storms may produce waterfalls as well as flash floods. Autumn tree-color displays begin in September in the high country; in Zion Canyon, autumn colors usually peak in late October. Winter in Zion Canyon is fairly mild. Winter storms bring rain or light snow to Zion Canyon and heavier snow to the higher elevations. Clear days may become quite warm, reaching 60 °F (16 °C); nights are often 20 to 40 °F (−7 to 4 °C). Winter storms can last several days and make roads icy. Zion roads are plowed, except the Kolob Terrace Road which is closed when covered with snow. Winter driving conditions last from November through March. Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zion_National_Park
Der Trajans Kiosk gehört zum Tempelkomplex von Philae in Ägypten. Der Kiosk wurde während der Herrschaft von Kaiser Trajan (um 100 n. Chr.) errichtet und diente höchstwahrscheinlich als Säulenhalle oder als Eingangsbereich zum Isis-Tempel. Seine prachtvolle Ausstattung vereint römische Baukunst mit ägyptischen Einflüssen.
Die Architektur des Trajan Kiosk besteht aus vier Reihen von sechs monolithischen Granitsäulen, die ein Dach tragen. Diese Säulen sind mit kunstvollen Reliefs verziert, die Szenen aus dem Leben und den Taten von Kaiser Trajan darstellen, wie etwa Opferszenen oder kaiserliche Darstellungen.
Die Funktion des Trajans Kiosk ist nicht ganz eindeutig: Einerseits könnte er als Portal oder Eingangshalle für die Pilger gedient haben, die den Tempelkomplex besuchten, andererseits könnte er auch für Zeremonien im Zusammenhang mit Isis-Kult genutzt worden sein, möglicherweise für Prozessionen oder rituelle Handlungen, die Teil der Verehrung der Göttin waren.
Darüber hinaus könnte der Trajan Kiosk auch eine symbolische Bedeutung gehabt haben und die Verbindung zwischen dem römischen Kaiserreich und dem ägyptischen Isis-Kult darstellte.
Übrigens war der Brehms-Tierleben-Brehm auch mal hier und hat sein Graffiti unrühmlicherweise im Innenhof des Kiosk für alle Zeiten hinterlassen.
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The Trajan's Kiosk, located within the Philae Temple Complex in Egypt, dates back to the reign of Emperor Trajan around 100 AD. This magnificent structure likely served as a colonnaded hall or entrance area to the Temple of Isis, blending Roman architectural styles with Egyptian influences.
Featuring four rows of six monolithic granite columns supporting a roof, the Trajan's Kiosk is adorned with intricate reliefs depicting scenes from Emperor Trajan's life and deeds, including sacrificial rites and imperial representations.
Its multifaceted function likely encompassed serving as a portal or entrance hall for pilgrims visiting the temple complex, as well as hosting ceremonies associated with the worship of Isis, possibly including processions and ritual observances.
Moreover, the Trajan's Kiosk may have held symbolic significance, potentially representing the connection between the Roman Empire and the Egyptian cult of Isis, highlighting the interplay of cultures and beliefs during that period.
For travelers exploring the Philae Temple Complex, the Trajan's Kiosk stands as a testament to ancient craftsmanship and the fusion of Roman and Egyptian traditions, offering insights into the religious and cultural practices of antiquity.
Dilmun is associated with ancient sites on the islands of Bahrain in the Persian Gulf, the Cradle of Civilization.
Dilmun (sometimes transliterated Telmun) is associated with ancient sites on the islands of Bahrain in the Persian Gulf. Because of its location along the sea trade routes linking Mesopotamia with the Indus Valley Civilization, Dilmun developed in the Bronze Age, from ca. 3000 BC, into one of the greatest entrepots of trade of the ancient world.
There is both literary and archaeological evidence for the trade between Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley (probably correctly identified with the land called Meluhha in Akkadian). Impressions of clay seals from the Indus Valley city of Harappa were evidently used to seal bundles of merchandise, as clay seal impressions with cord or sack marks on the reverse side testify.
A number of these Indus Valley seals have turned up at Ur and other Mesopotamian sites. "Persian Gulf" types of circular stamped rather than rolled seals, known from Dilmun, that appear at Lothal in Gujarat, India, and Faylahkah, as well as in Mesopotamia, are convincing corroboration of the long-distance sea trade. What the commerce consisted of is less sure: timber and precious woods, ivory, lapis lazuli, gold, and luxury goods such as carnelian and glazed stone beads, pearls from the Persian Gulf, shell and bone inlays, were among the goods sent to Mesopotamia in exchange for silver, tin, woolen textiles, olive oil and grains. Copper ingots, certainly, bitumen, which occurred naturally in Mesopotamia, may have been exchanged for cotton textiles and domestic fowl, major products of the Indus region that are not native to Mesopotamia - all these have been instanced.
Mesopotamian trade documents, lists of goods, and official inscriptions mentioning Meluhha supplement Harappan seals and archaeological finds. Literary references to Meluhhan trade date from the Akkadian, the Third Dynasty of Ur, and Isin - Larsa Periods (ca. 2350 - 1800 BC), but the trade probably started in the Early Dynastic Period (ca. 2600 BC). Some Meluhhan vessels may have sailed directly to Mesopotamian ports, but by the Isin - Larsa Period, Dilmun monopolized the trade. By the subsequent Old Babylonian period, trade between the two cultures evidently had ceased entirely.
The Bahrain National Museum assesses that its "Golden Age" lasted ca. 2200 - 1600 BC. Its decline dates from the time the Indus Valley civilization suddenly and mysteriously collapsed, in the middle of the 2nd millennium BC. This would of course have stripped Dilmun of its importance as a trading center between Mesopotamia and India. The decay of the great sea trade with the east may have affected the power shift northwards observed in Mesopotamia itself.
Evidence about Neolithic human cultures in Dilmun comes from flint tools and weapons. From later periods, cuneiform tablets, cylinder seals, pottery and even correspondence between rulers throw light on Dilmun. Written records mentioning the archipelago exist in Sumerian, Akkadian, Persian, Greek, and Latin sources.
Dilmun, sometimes described as "the place where the sun rises" and "the Land of the Living" is the scene of a Sumerian creation myth and the place where the deified Sumerian hero of the flood, Ziusudra (Utnapishtim), was taken by the gods to live for ever.
There is mention of Dilmun as a vassal of Assyria in the 8th century BC and by about 600 BC, it had been fully incorporated into the Neo-Babylonian Empire. Dilmun then falls into deep eclipse marked by the decline of the copper trade, so long controlled by Dilmun, and the switch to a less important role in the new trade of frankincense and spices. The discovery of an impressive palace at the Ras al Qalah site in Bahrain is promising to increase knowledge of this late period.
Otherwise, there is virtually no information until the passage of Nearchus, the admiral in charge of Alexander the Great's fleet on the return from the Indus Valley. Nearchus kept to the Iranian coast of the Gulf, however, and cannot have stopped at Dilmun. Nearchus established a colony on the island of Falaika off the coast of Kuwait in the late 4th century BC, and explored the Gulf perhaps least as far south as Dilmun/Bahrain.
From the time of Nearchus until the coming of Islam in the 7th century AD Dilmun/Bahrain was known by its Greek name of Tylos. The political history for this period is little known, but Tylos was at one point part of the Seleucid Empire, and of Characene and perhaps part of the Parthian Empire. Shapur II annexed it, together with eastern Arabia, into the Persian Sassanian empire in the 4th century.
Unlike Egyptian and Mesopotamian tablets and cylinders, the Dilmun legacy has been discovered on circular seals. The primitive forms of images carved on the seal indicate they were used as charms or talisman. Carved on wood, soapstone shells or metal, these images clearly define a complex society. Temples in the center of the agrarian village, towns, city-states, religious, and economic cultural life. All facets of the emergence of an evolutionary society are reflected in the inscriptions about the seals.
Impressions found on pottery and property is a probable usage of the seals. Burying them with the dead was probably to avoid misuse. Tiny fragments found impressed, suggest identifying property. Clearly there was an intrinsic value; each seal tells a story, has an identity.
Seals depict Enki, God of wisdom and sweet water. Gilgamesh as a massive and heroic figure, the 'Bull of heaven' hat. Ladies of the mountains 'Inanas' servants wearing her triangle signs depicting space for her power. 'Nana' is the moon god who was also named 'sin'. Symbol was the bull of heaven head. Inana, goddess of immortality.
From the dreams of Gilgamesh, to the philosophy of life. Seals depicting a harmonious life with nature and god are painted here in the colors and form I hope you enjoy. The colors naturally excite and stimulate, often sexually. Indisputably the ancient myths of immortality and resurrection influenced Dilmun beliefs and are abundantly supported in the seal designs, represented by gods of the sun and moon.
The Mesopotamian texts described Tilmun as situated at the 'mouth' of two bodies of water. The Sinai peninsula, shaped as an inverted triangle indeed begins where the Red Sea separates into two arms - the gulf of Suez on the west, and the Gulf of Elat (Gulf of Aqaba) on the east.
The texts spoke of mountainous Tilmun. The Sinai peninsula is indeed made up of a high mountainous southern part, a mountainous central plateau, and a northern plain (surrounded by mountains), which levels off via sandy hills to the Mediterranean coastline. Sargon of Akkad claimed that he reached as 'washed his weapons' in the Mediterranean; 'the sea lands' - the lands along the Mediterranean coast - 'three times I encircled; Tilmun my hand captured'. Sargon II, king of Assyria in the eighth century BC, asserted that he had conquered the area stretching 'from Bit-Yahkin on the shore of the salt Sea as far as the border of Tilmun'. The name 'Salt Sea' has survived to this day as a Hebrew name for the Dead Sea - another confirmation that Tilmun lay in proximity to the Dead Sea.
The cradle of civilization is sometimes referenced by the name Dilmun, or Tilmun. Here, it was said, the god Ea and his wife were placed to institute 'a sinless age of complete happiness'.
Here too animals lived in peace and harmony, man had no rival and the god Enlil `in one tongue gave praise'. It is also described as a pure, clean and `bright' `abode of the immortals' where death, disease and sorrow are unknown and some mortals have been given `life like a god', words reminiscent of the Airyana Vaejah, the realm of the immortals in Iranian myth and legend, and the Eden of Hebraic tradition
Although Dilmun is equated by most scholars with the island of Bahrain in the Persian Gulf, there is evidence to suggest that a much earlier mythical Dilmun was located in a mountainous region beyond the plains of Sumer.
But where exactly was it located Mesopotamian inscriptions do not say; however, the Zoroastrian Bundahishn text and the Christian records of Arbela in Iraqi Kurdistan both refer to a location named Dilamƒn as having existed around the head waters of the Tigris, south-west of Lake Van - the very area in which the biblical Eden is said to have been located.
Furthermore, Ea (the Akkadian Enki) was said to have presided over the concourse of Mesopotamia's two greatest rivers - the Tigris and Euphrates - which are shown in depictions as flowing from each of his shoulders.
This would have undoubtedly have meant that the head-waters, or sources, of these rivers would have been looked upon as sacred to Ea by the cultures of Mesopotamia's Fertile Crescent.
- Zecharia Sitchin The Stairway to Heaven
Dilmun was allegedly a magical land, the birthplace of the gods and the place where the arts of civilization where said first to have been transmitted to men. It was the subject of many legends told by the Sumerians, the people of southern Iraq; it was famed as a land where death and disease were unknown and men and animals lived at peace together.
It was the home of the Sumerian king who was the origin of the myth of Noah, the immortal survivor of the Great Flood, a story retold in the Qu'ran and the Bible.
The first great hero of world literature, Gilgamesh the king of Uruk, journeyed to Dilmun in search of the secret of eternal youth.
He found it deep in the waters of the Persian Gulf, off Bahrain, but lost it when the flower which restored the youth of those who sought it, was stolen by a snake, lurking in a pool as Gilgamesh returned to his kingdom; this is the reason why the snake sloughs his skin.
Symbolism - All is Myth and Metaphor in our reality
* water: flow of consciousness - creation
* restore to youth: move out of the physical body and return to higher frequency forms of sound, light, and color
* snake: DNA - the human bio-genetic experiment in time and emotion
* kingdom - Leo - Lion - King - Omega - closure
Dilmun was also the center of the most important trade routes of the third and second millennia BC. The most important commodity was copper for which Dilmun was famous and the dates for which Bahrain was always celebrated, from ancient times until the present day.
Because Dilmun was so sacred a land, there were many temples built there, the impressive remains of which can be seen today. The largest and most splendid temple surviving in Western Asia is at Barbar on Bahrain's northern shore.
The most famous of all Bahrain's rich archaeological heritage are the 200,000 grave mounds which are a feature of the landscape in the northern half of the island and which, by their size and quality of construction, show how prosperous Bahrain must have been in ancient times.
Dilmun continued to be the most important center of trade in the Gulf region throughout its history.
After the Sumerians, the Babylonians, Assyrians, even the Greeks, settled on the islands, because of their strategic importance in the movement of merchandise, north and south, east and west, by sea and by the land routes to which the seas gave access.
The records of their diplomatic relations with the kings of Dilmun, some of whose names are known from the records, testify to the importance of the islands throughout antiquity.
All left evidence of their presence, preserved today in the Bahrain National Museum and in the immense archaeological sites in which Bahrain is particularly rich.
Bahrain is an open-air treasure house of the past, a unique heritage from the earliest times when men first began to keep records of their hopes, fears and achievements.
It is the contemporary of ancient Egypt with Sumer and the peoples who succeeded them, of the great cities of the Indus Valley.
Source: www.crystalinks.com/dilmun.html
There were more Hit & Miss Antique Engines at this show than I've ever seen. I didn't photograph even half of them.
September 14, 2019
Ozarks Steam Engine Association Show
Republic, Missouri
Black Kite
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Not a bird that we generally associate with rolling over in a stoop to hunt.
This was one of several that were playing games It must have decided to drop in on its friend below.
Viaggio di trasferimento da Ngorongoro a Serengeti.
Gnu striato (Connochaetes taurinus).
Lo gnu striato è un erbivoro, che si nutre principalmente di erbe corte.
Forma branchi che si muovono in aggregazioni sciolte, dove branchi più piccoli si uniscono per formare delle mandrie più grandi non associate tra di loro, specialmente durante la stagione delle migrazioni.
La stagione degli amori inizia alla fine della stagione delle piogge, ed ogni femmina partorisce un solo vitello dopo un periodo gestazionale di circa 8,5 mesi.
Il vitello rimane con la madre per i primi 8 mesi, dopodiché si unisce a una mandria di giovani.
L'habitat preferito degli gnu striati sono le pianure d'erba corta al confine con le savane di acacia ricoperte di cespugli, nell'Africa meridionale e orientale, prosperando principalmente in aree che non sono né troppo umide né troppo aride.
Ogni anno, almeno tre popolazioni africane di gnu striato prendono parte ad una grande migrazione che copre lunghe distanze, programmata in modo da coincidere con l'andamento annuale delle precipitazioni e della crescita dell'erba nelle pianure d'erba corta del suolo vulcanico dove possono trovare i cibo ricco di sostanze nutritive necessario per l'allattamento e la crescita dei vitelli.
Transfer journey from Ngorongoro to Serengeti.
Blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus).
The blue wildebeest is a herbivore, feeding mainly on short grasses.
It forms herds that move in loose aggregations, where smaller herds join together to form larger, unassociated herds, especially during the migration season.
The mating season begins at the end of the rainy season, and each female gives birth to a single calf after a gestation period of about 8.5 months.
The calf stays with its mother for the first 8 months, after which it joins a herd of young.
The blue wildebeest's preferred habitat is the short-grass plains bordering scrub-covered acacia savannahs in southern and eastern Africa, thriving mainly in areas that are neither too wet nor too dry.
Each year, at least three African populations of blue wildebeest take part in a great, long-distance migration, timed to coincide with the annual patterns of rainfall and grass growth across the short-grass plains of volcanic soil where they can find the nutrient-rich food they need to nurse and raise their calves.
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Owls have been associated with wisdom, knowledge, and prophecy for thousands of years. However, they are also associated with bad luck, death, and other negative omens. Here are some old lore myths about owls:
Bad luck
Some say that hearing an owl hoot three times will bring bad luck.
Death
In the Middle East, owls are associated with destruction, ruin, and death, and are believed to represent the souls of people who have died unavenged.
And it goes on and on about how bad the owls are WELL! I call BS! That old Owl who licked that tootsie pop and failed to get to the center was not evil just lacking self-control.