NGC 2359, Sharpless 2-298 or Thor's Helmet, is an emission nebula situated in the constellation of Canis Major. The central star is the Wolf-Rayet star WR7, an extremely hot star thought to be in a brief pre-supernova stage of evolution. It is similar in nature to the Bubble Nebula but interactions with a nearby large molecular cloud are thought to have contributed to the more complex shape. It lies around 11,960 distant.

Image made up from subs collected using 2 different setups. My 150mm Esprit/QHY294M and TSAPO130Q/QHY294C.

NEQ6 PRO

TSAPO130Q @F/5

QHY294C Gain 2900 -20C

STC Duo Narrowband filter

EQ6-R-PRO

150mm Esprit

QHY294M Gain 2900 -20C

Astronomik 6nm Ha and OIII narrowband filters

Acquisition time 10hrs

Processed using Pixinsight and Photoshop 6.

This is my first time contributing to the "Macro Mondays" group. This week's theme is "Plastic". This is a photo of the little plastic nib that comes on the tip of a new pen. :)

The unmanned Amtrak Depot in Red Wing MN

The construction of this building began in 1904 following an agreement in which the city of Red Wing provided trackage concessions and the railroad agreed to construct this depot and donate money toward construction of Levee Park. This building was designed by the railroad company architect, J.M. Nettenstrom, in a style influenced by the neoclassical revival of the 1893 Chicago Columbian Exposition." The building is a contributing property to the Red Wing Mall Historic District, which is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Australasian Gannet, Morus serrator

≠=====================≠

Photography for the fun of it.

Sometimes the motif is more than just the subject as light, mood and form each contribute their own element to the moment.

Telling NASA's Tales With Hollywood's Tools

Space Center Uses Pixar's Palette To Artfully Explain Scientific Data

By Michael S. Rosenwald

Washington Post Staff Writer

Monday, August 21, 2006; D01

[We are lucky to be working with world class data visualizers and animators. This article in the Washington Post is one of the best print stories I've seen on the folks who are on the front lines of translating our science and making it accessible to our many audiences.]

www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/20/...

Every once in a while when a new movie with mind-blowing special effects or oh-my-gosh-it-looked-so-real animation opens, a nondescript office at NASA Goddard Space Center in Greenbelt will mysteriously empty of employees during matinee hours.

Before an investigation is launched into the whereabouts of these workers -- particularly, say, around last year's opening of "Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith" -- understand that they are not blowing off work. The absentee employees are animators, NASA staffers and contractors who use the same software Pixar Animation Studios uses to tell stories about talking cars to instead tell stories about the Earth. They just want to see what their counterparts in Hollywood have been up to.

There is the occasional did-you-see-that elbow nudge, but in their case it's about craft, not cinematic delight, said Horace Mitchell, project manager at the space center's scientific visualization studio. Mitchell is a NASA employee, but the studio is staffed primarily by animators working for Global Science & Technology Inc., a government contractor in Greenbelt. The company uses the Hollywood software, including Pixar's RenderMan and Autodesk Inc.'s Maya, to translate complicated data into animated movies that illustrate what is happening in and around Earth. The videos often end up on the evening news.

The crucial difference in NASA's use of the software is that Hollywood uses it to spin inspiring, happy-ending stories about love and courage and friendship and hope, while the animators in Greenbelt are often telling stories about bad things happening in the atmosphere, such as last year's hurricane season. In their chilling short film "27 Storms: Arlene to Zeta," set to Vincenzo Bellini's eerie music, viewers can watch the ocean heat up, helping fuel one storm after another -- thanks to the same Pixar software used in the upcoming version of "Charlotte's Web."

NASA oceanographer Gene Carl Feldman frequently collaborates with the Global Science studio. He studies the ocean from space.

"Visualization is that link between the flood of data coming down from space and the ability of the human mind to interpret it," Feldman said. "That's the crux of the story. Better than most other groups in the world, they are able to take this fire hose of data coming down and turn it into images -- visual animation -- that then allows the general public to see this data in ways their brains can interpret and study."

The Hollywoodization of NASA data is in part the result of Pixar's success in creating real-life worlds from fantasy stories. People have come to expect that even the most fantastical of ideas -- a talking, curmudgeonly Mr. Potato Head -- can look and feel exceedingly real. "They don't expect to see crudity," Mitchell said. "They expect to see sophistication because they see it everywhere. In order for us to tell the story, we have to be sophisticated about telling stories and we have to use sophisticated technology to tell them."

Pixar was spun off from George Lucas's film company, and its early days were spent selling animation software and hardware -- a way to pay the bills until computer technology caught up with the firm's vision of making the incredibly life-like films that it produces today.

Today, anyone can purchase versions of RenderMan online, for $995 to $3,500.

Global Science, a private company that employs about 250 people, is definitely not a movie studio. It was founded in 1991 by Chieh-san Cheng, a former employee of an aerospace and technology company with advanced degrees in technical management and meteorology. Global Science provides services in applied science and research, geospatial standards, engineering services, and information technology. The firm's contract with NASA is a small part of its business, contributing about $650,000 a year to about $45 million in revenue.

Global Science and Pixar know about each other, but interaction between the staffs is generally limited to animation conferences and trade shows. But the Global Science staff does feel a strong bond with Pixar, particularly when watching one of its movies.

Jim Williams, a Global Science animator, said, "I'll go into it thinking I'm going to look at the technical stuff and then I'll get completely sucked into the story."

This happened during Pixar's recent hit, "Cars."

"I'm watching it, I'm totally into the story, and they get to the end and they go into that stadium, and there's tens of thousands of cars in there and I drop out of the story and think, 'Wow, that must have been a pain in the butt to get that right.' And then I'm back into the story," he said.

The difference between the storylines is that Pixar is trying to get laughing cars right and Global Science is trying to get the atmosphere right. The way in which Global Science uses RenderMan is not easy. Here's one way of looking at it: This article has been typed on a word processor. The computer received the data -- in this case, they looked like letters -- and displayed them on a screen. The lines were long, containing dozens of words. Those words needed to appear in the newspaper, and to do that a graphic designer used another program to render and squeeze the words into narrow columns of newsprint, with black type, a font, and italics , and so forth so the words appear in the paper as they do now. That's essentially what RenderMan does for data -- whether it be information about Buzz Lightyear's appearance or atmospheric models of hurricanes. RenderMan is the mechanism by which data are translated. Another program, Maya, acts as the word processor.

Global Science translates scientific data this way. Recently, one of its animators sat behind a computer monitor in a dark room with an image that could have appeared as a backdrop in a Van Gogh painting. But it was a depiction of aerosols moving across the atmosphere, a way of illustrating air quality. Yellow represented dust, the green was sulfates produced by humans, the blue was sea salt. Altogether, it was sort of beautiful but apparently not good news for the atmosphere.

Like their Hollywood counterparts, the Global Science animators typically refer to their finished products as releases, but the scripts are composed of data and the script writers are some of the world's most brilliant scientists. The creative process generally works like this: A scientist or a public affairs officer will ask the animators to illustrate a concept or data set. It can be as simple as ocean temperatures or as complicated as a collection of satellite images. A discussion with the scientific team and public affairs officer ensues over the best way to illustrate the data, and the animators get to work.

Feldman, the NASA oceanographer, studies oceans from space because, as he said: "Oceans are really, really, really big and they change very, very quickly. You can't track that from a ship. What a satellite sees in a minute would take a ship a decade." Feldman is particularly interested in the relationship between the changing environment and ocean life, which he pursues by studying the first level of life in the ocean, or microscopic plants, through ocean color.

The only problem is that satellites collect a very large amount of complicated data. The visualization studio helps him make sense of it. Feldman has made animations of what happened to the ocean during the transition between El Niño and La Niña -- "it was the biggest phytoplankton bloom in the world ever observed," he said. He has animated Lake Michigan's microscopic plant blooms and a dust storm the size of Spain that blew across the ocean in the past few years. He has animated autumn in Boston, which roughly translates into, as he put it, "how life follows the sun."

If Cheng, chief executive of Global Science, has his way, NASA scientists wouldn't be the only people relying on his firm's handling of Hollywood software to explain complicated subjects. Cheng would like to use the software to better explain the human body to doctors. He said the company is finalizing plans for a medical-imaging division and is exploring the possibility of a partnership with Maryland universities.

"What we could do is use movie techniques to give the doctor and medical staff more dynamic and accurate images to make a diagnosis," he said.

© 2006 The Washington Post Company

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Enjoying the leftovers....

Grey squirrel

Scientific name: Sciurus carolinensis

The grey squirrel was introduced into the UK in the 1800s. It provides an easy encounter with wildlife for many people, but can be damaging to woodlands and has contributed to the decline of the red squirrel.

Lewes racecourse closed in 1964 and these days is used as a training course. It was open for 250 years before closure and its death knell proved to be a couple of bad summers weather-wise.

Unfortunately, Lewes Racecourse suffered from having no running water, no mains electricity or gas and was not connected to the town’s drainage system. Without doubt these shortcomings contributed to the demise of the course. In 1964 a statement was issued by the Horserace Betting Levy Board to the effect that they were withdrawing funding for Lewes with immediate effect.

The most famous reference to the racecourse is the gangland fight that happened in 1936 and was immortalised in the novel Brighton Rock.

The grey squirrel was introduced into the UK in the 1800's. It provides an easy encounter with wildlife for many people, but can be damaging to woodlands and has contributed to the decline of the red squirrel.

One of our most familiar mammals, the grey squirrel can be found in woods, gardens and parks across town and country, and often proves to be very tame. It is a frequent visitor to gardens with bird tables and feeders, becoming a pest for many bird-lovers. Grey squirrels feast on hazelnuts by cracking the shell in half. You may also find pine cones that have been nibbled, leaving what looks like an apple core behind. They will cache their food in autumn if it is abundant. Grey squirrels make a rough nest, called a 'drey' out of twigs, leaves and strips of bark in the fork of a branch, high up in the tree canopy. Females may have two litters of three to four young a year. The average lifespan of a grey squirrel 2 to 5 years

Grey squirrel's have a silver-grey coat, with a brownish face and feet, and pale underside. It has a characteristically bushy tail. It is easily distinguished from the red squirrel by its larger size, grey fur, and smaller ears without tufts.

The conservation status of the grey squirrel is classified as an invasive non-native species.

Length: 9.5 to 11.25 in. (24 to 28.5 cm)

Tail: 7.7 to 9.5 in. (19.5 to 24 cm)

Weight: 14 to 22.9 oz. (400 to 650 g)

The doll is named Ling and is made by a company called Karito--there are 6 dolls of different ethnic heritages who come with passports and a book that has a story and journal which creates a personality for each individual doll. Ling is Chinese--I've already gotten another doll for Genevieve, Pita from Mexico. Karito has its own website for kids where they can play games (they win points which allows them to contribute to humanitarian projects they'd like to help), read and post blogs & messages, learn about other countries, get their own online passport which gets stamped when games are played, and are encouraged to try to "save the world" by helping others--another important feature is that the children can pick one of four designated charities and donate 3% of the doll's price.

Photos of the Pita from Mexico doll:

www.flickr.com/photos/sewoodhull/4518156074/in/photostream/

The Karito Kid website is:

karitokids.com/start.php

Explore #15 on April 19, 2021

A view of the southwest corner of N. Main St. (left) and W. Washington streets (right) in downtown Bloomington. The W. Washington St. side of this view shows the south side of the square across from the Old McLean County Courthouse, now the McLean County Museum of History.

On the corner is the six-story Livingston Building. Completed in 1903 at a cost of $36,000, it is the first steel frame construction building in Illinois outside of Chicago. Designed by Bloomington-based architect George Miller, the Livingston Building is an example of Chicago School architectural style. The design incorporates many elements which would later be connected to what is now called the Sullivanesque Style, after Louis Sullivan.

The Livingston building was home to the Livingston and Sons department store for its first eleven years, until the store relocated to the four-story building seen in the center of the block in 1914. Walgreen Drug Store and numerous legal and insurance business occupied the buildings between 1927 and 1969. Outside of the businesses which have called the Livingston home, the building was also well known for its roof garden in the early 1900s - a site for many dances and other musical performances.

Seen to the west (right) of the Livingston Building in the 100 block of W. Washington St. are:

▪ Phoenix Block, 1857, 106-108 W. Washington St.

▪ Livingston's Department Store, 1914, 110-114 W. Washington St.

▪ Dr. Crothers Building, 1858, 116 W. Washington St.

▪ Dewenters Building, 1856, 118 W. Washington St.

The seven-story building on the southwest corner of W. Washington and N. Center streets is the Peoples Bank building, completed in 1909.

All of the buildings mentioned are contributing architectural properties in the Bloomington Central Business District listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1985. The district includes roughly twelve square blocks of the city and encompasses 140 buildings, 118 of which are contributing buildings to the district's historic character.

Bloomington is the seat of McLean County. It is adjacent to Normal, and is the more populous of the two principal municipalities of the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area. Bloomington is home to State Farm Insurance, Country Financial and Beer Nuts. Illinois Wesleyan University is located here, while the neighboring city of Normal is home to Illinois State University and Heartland Community College. Bloomington is 135 miles (217 km) southwest of Chicago, and 162 miles (261 km) northeast of St. Louis. The estimated population of Bloomington in 2019 was 77,330, with a metro population of 191,067.

Amsterdam, capital of the Netherlands, has more than one hundred kilometers of canals, about 90 islands and 1,500 bridges. The three main canals, Herengracht, Prinsengracht, and Keizersgracht, dug in the 17th century during the Dutch Golden Age, form concentric belts around the city, known as the Grachtengordel. Alongside the main canals are 1550 monumental buildings. The 17th-century canal ring area, including the Prinsengracht, Keizersgracht, Herengracht and Jordaan, were placed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2010, contributing to Amsterdam's fame as the "Venice of the North"

A closer look at the C. U. Williams & Son Building located on the south side of the 200 block of E. Washington St. in downtown Bloomington. Completed in 1911, the four-story building was constructed as an automobile showroom, garage and lodge hall. Of particular note are the large second-story showroom windows designed to display twice as many cars from the street.

According to the McLean County Museum of History, C. U. Williams and his son Walter sold the latest models from early automakers, including E-M-F, Chalmers, Moon, Stearns, Studebaker, Willys-Overland and Woods (the latter known for its electric cars). "The manufacturers that we are representing are all old and well-established houses - there cars are long past the experimental stage," was a C. U. Williams & Son promise.

The McLean County Museum of History article on C. U. Williams goes on to say that Williams & Son offered not only sales and maintenance, but auto painting, "livery" service (car rentals by the hour or day), storage (when home garages were few) and even a place to charge battery-powered cars.

In later years an office equipment company by the name of Paxtons occupied the building. The building is now the home of the legal offices of Wylder Corwin Kelly LLP, trial lawyers specializing in medical malpractice.

The C. U. Williams & Son Building, along with the Castle Theatre next to it and also owned by Williams, were designed by architect A. T. Simmons. Simmons designed the Lafayette Apartments posted earlier in this series, but is probably best known for his more than 71 Carnegie libraries in Illinois and a dozen other states, along with numerous courthouses, schools, churches and other public buildings. Simmons also designed most of the houses in the Cedar Crest Historic District of Normal, Illinois, the other half of the twin municipalities of Bloomington and Normal.

Both the C. U. Williams & Son Building and the Castle Theatre next door are contributing architectural properties in the Bloomington Central Business District listed in 1985 on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The district includes roughly twelve square blocks of the city and encompasses 140 buildings, 118 of which are contributing buildings to the district's historic character.

Bloomington is the seat of McLean County. It is adjacent to Normal, and is the more populous of the two principal municipalities of the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area. Bloomington is home to State Farm Insurance, Country Financial and Beer Nuts. Illinois Wesleyan University is located here, while the neighboring city of Normal is home to Illinois State University and Heartland Community College. Bloomington is 135 miles (217 km) southwest of Chicago, and 162 miles (261 km) northeast of St. Louis. The estimated population of Bloomington in 2019 was 77,330, with a metro population of 191,067.

Gratitude to the following to this creation: the Creator for it all. John Tyson for the sculpture, Ismael Paranto the crown of thorns, NASA pic of Earth. All via Unsplash. Bleeding heart via Open Clipart-Vectors via Pixabay. Stars via Alien Sky. Imagination/creation via Tman and the his/herstory of this planet which contributed to this vision at this time in history and herstory too.)

SN/NC: Strongylodon macrobotrys, Fabaceae Family

Strongylodon macrobotrys, commonly known as the jade vine, emerald vine, or turquoise jade vine, is a leguminous vine endemic to the Philippines. It is a popular ornamental plant known for its cascading clusters of vibrant turquoise or greenish-blue claw-shaped flowers. Cultivating jade vine requires a tropical environment, making it a popular choice in botanical gardens and conservatories. The plant's striking appearance and limited distribution contribute to its allure among plant enthusiasts worldwide. Absolutely gorgeous!

Strongylodon macrobotrys, comumente conhecida como trepadeira-jade, videira-esmeralda ou jade-turquesa, é uma trepadeira leguminosa endêmica das Filipinas. É uma planta ornamental popular, conhecida por seus cachos em cascata de flores vibrantes em forma de garra, nas cores turquesa ou verde-azulada. O cultivo da trepadeira-jade requer um ambiente tropical, o que a torna uma escolha popular em jardins botânicos e estufas. A aparência marcante da planta e sua distribuição limitada contribuem para seu fascínio entre entusiastas de plantas worldwide. Simplesmente deslumbrante!

Strongylodon macrobotrys, comúnmente conocida como parra de jade, enredadera esmeralda o jade turquesa, es una enredadera leguminosa endémica de Filipinas. Es una planta ornamental popular, conocida por sus racimos en cascada de flores vibrantes en forma de garra, de color turquesa o verde azulado. Su cultivo requiere un ambiente tropical, por lo que es una elección popular en jardines botánicos e invernaderos. La apariencia llamativa de la planta y su distribución limitada contribuyen a su encanto entre los entusiastas de las plantas de todo el mundo. ¡Absolutamente impresionante!

Strongylodon macrobotrys, communément appelée liane de jade, liane émeraude ou jade turquoise, est une liane légumineuse endémique des Philippines. C'est une plante ornementale populaire, connue pour ses grappes en cascade de fleurs vibrantes en forme de griffe, de couleur turquoise ou bleu-vert. Sa culture nécessite un environnement tropical, ce qui en fait un choix populaire dans les jardins botaniques et les conservatoires. L'apparence frappante de la plante et sa distribution limitée contribuent à son attrait auprès des passionnés de plantes du monde entier. Absolument magnifique !

Strongylodon macrobotrys, comunemente nota come vite di giada, vite smeraldo o giada turchese, è una pianta rampicante leguminosa endemica delle Filippine. È una popolare pianta ornamentale, conosciuta per i suoi grappoli a cascata di vibranti fiori artigliati di colore turchese o verde-azzurro. La sua coltivazione richiede un ambiente tropicale, il che la rende una scelta popolare negli orti botanici e nelle serre. L'aspetto straordinario della pianta e la sua distribuzione limitata contribuiscono al suo fascino tra gli appassionati di piante di tutto il mondo. Assolutamente splendida!

Strongylodon macrobotrys, allgemein bekannt als Jaderanke, Smaragdranke oder Türkis-Jaderanke, ist eine leguminose Rankenpflanze, die auf den Philippinen endemisch ist. Sie ist eine beliebte Zierpflanze, die für ihre herabfallenden Trauben von lebhaften, krallenförmigen Blüten in Türkis oder Grünlich-Blau bekannt ist. Der Anbau der Jaderanke erfordert ein tropisches Klima, was sie zu einer beliebten Wahl in botanischen Gärten und Gewächshäusern macht. Das auffällige Erscheinungsbild der Pflanze und ihre begrenzte Verbreitung tragen zu ihrer Anziehungskraft bei Pflanzenliebhabern weltweit bei. Ganz wunderbar!

Strongylodon macrobotrys, algemeen bekend als de jaderank, smaragdrank of turkoois jaderank, is een peulvormige klimplant die endemisch is in de Filipijnen. Het is een populaire sierplant, bekend om zijn cascades van levendige, klauwvormige bloemen in turkoois of groenachtig blauw. De teelt van de jaderank vereist een tropische omgeving, waardoor het een populaire keuze is in botanische tuinen en kassen. Het opvallende uiterlijk van de plant en de beperkte verspreiding dragen bij aan haar aantrekkingskracht onder plantenliefhebbers wereldwijd. Echt prachtig!

ストロンギロドン・マクロボトリスは、一般にジェードバイン（翡翠葛）、エメラルドバイン、またはターコイズジェードバインとして知られ、フィリピン固有のマメ科のつる植物です。ターコイズまたは青緑色の鮮やかな爪形の花が滝のように連なる房で知られる人気の観賞植物です。栽培には熱帯環境が必要なため、植物園や温室でよく見られます。その印象的な外観と限られた分布が、世界中の植物愛好家の間で人気を集めています。実に見事です！

翡翠葛（Strongylodon macrobotrys），俗称碧玉藤、绿玉藤或绿松石碧玉藤，是菲律宾特有的一种豆科藤本植物。它是一种受欢迎的观赏植物，以其层叠的花序和 vibrant 的绿松石或蓝绿色爪形花朵而闻名。栽培碧玉藤需要热带环境，因此它是植物园和温室的热门选择。其引人注目的外观和有限的分布范围使其受到全球植物爱好者的追捧。真是太美了！

سترونجيلودون ماكروبوتريس، المعروفة باسم نبات اليشم، أو المتسلقة الزمردية، أو اليشم الفيروزي، هي نبتة متسلقة من البقوليات مستوطنة في الفلبين. إنها نبتة زينة مشهورة، معروفة بعناقيدها المتتالية من الأزهار الفيروزية أو المزرقة المخضرة المنقارية الشكل. زراعة نبات اليشم تتطلب بيئة استوائية، مما يجعله خيارًا شائعًا في الحدائق النباتية والمحميات. المظهر المذهل للنبتة وتوزيعها المحدود يساهم في جاذبيتها لدى عشاق النباتات حول العالم. رائعة حقًا!

If you've ever seen the 1989 classic Field of Dreams, you've seen this corner and parts of north and south Main St. before. Galena, which is identified as Chisholm, Minnesota in the movie, is where Ray Kinsella, played by Kevin Costner, and Terrence Mann, played by James Earl Jones, go to look for "Doc" Moonlight Graham, played by Burt Lancaster.

Upon arriving in Chisholm, Ray and Terrence visit the local newspaper office and learn that Doc Graham died in 1972. Later that evening, a confused Ray goes for a walk on this street and discovers that he has somehow been transported back to the year 1972. He then sees an older man with an umbrella walking toward the corner shown in this photo. Ray catches up and calls out "Doctor Graham," who turns around. Ray asks "Doc" if he is "Moonlight" Graham. Graham responds that no one has called him "Moonlight" in fifty years. Ray then asks if he can join him on his walk to talk about what happened when Moonlight got to the majors and played only one inning of one game.

Ostensibly about baseball, the emotional, magical Field of Dreams became more than just a movie for many people following its release in 1989 to both critical and popular acclaim. Based on W. P. Kinsella's book Shoeless Joe, Field of Dreams is a story of faith, forgiveness, and redemption. I highly recommend both the movie and soundtrack by the late James Horner.

Back to the image. This photo provides a view of the west side of the 100 block of S. Main St. in downtown Galena. On the corner is the Newhall Building (where the scene just described takes place), a two-part commercial block in Greek Revival style that was constructed in 1843. Nearly every building in this view is a contributing property in the Galena Historic District, which encompasses a remarkable 85 percent of the City of Galena and includes more than 800 properties. The Galena Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1969, with modifications in 2013.

Galena is the seat of Jo Daviess County. This is the un-glaciated area of northwestern Illinois. The rolling hills, history and abundant 19th century architecture draws visitors from throughout the country. The estimated population of Galena in 2019 was 3,158.

1937 CORD 812 Supercharged Sportsman Coupe

The new Cord 810’s front-wheel drive was a decided improvement over previous systems, replacing double universal joints with constant-velocity units that enabled independent transverse springing, an industry first. So too were the Lycoming 288 CI V-8 engine and Bendix preselector gearbox. Fitted with a 2-barrel carburetor, aluminum heads, intake and pistons, and rated at 125 HP in naturally aspirated form, the Lycoming V-8’s output leapt to 170 HP with supercharging.

With a new “812” designation, the 1937 Cord offered a new optional Schwitzer-Cummins centrifugal supercharger giving up to 6 PSI boost and increasing peak output to upwards of 190 HP and 272 lb-ft of torque, figures that contributed to a series of Bonneville records set by racer Ab Jenkins in 1937, including a 24-hour average speed of 101.72 MPH that stood for 16 years.

Source: MECUM AUCTIONS

........... Getting to the "out-takes" at this point.

Cobh, County Cork Ireland, Summer 2023

Cobh, formerly known as Queenstown, is on the south coast of County Cork, Ireland and it is one of the major Irish ports. It was the departure point for 2.5 million of Irish people who emigrated to North America between 1848 and 1950. On 11 April 1912, Cobh was famously the final port of call for the RMS Titanic. Another tragically-notable ship to be associated with the town, is the RMS Lusitania that was sunk by a German U-boat off the Old Head of Kinsale contributing to the American entry into World War I. On a high point in the town stands St Colman's Cathedral, one of the tallest buildings in Ireland. Cobh's houses have been generally very colourful.

LENS TEST: OM ZUIKO Auto-Zoom 1:4 f = 75-150mm

Maple tree and temple.

Kamishakujii, Tokyo, Japan. © Michele marcolin, 2022. K1ii + Photodiox OM > PK + OM Zuiko Auto-Zoom 75-150mm f4.

Still testing out this old OM lens, of which I read a good review some times ago, after stumbling upon a series of very beautiful images taken with it, which did not give the feeling of being the product of a ’70-’80 lens at all. I've found by chance a mint copy for peanuts at the used camera store I frequently visit in the neighborhood to kill time (and with it, my these-days-always-too-few bucks) and only after I realized we had one in our collection...! Doh~!

Anyway... I love OM lenses because (beside being a log time Oly user) they belong to a time when Olympus used to do things very well and with pride. And while they can not equate modern HD lenses for digital, almost all of them are top notch and still delivers quality images with a special character. The only regret is that they can’t be used directly on Pentax FF bodies, unless you change their mount with a Leitax one, with some slight modification: flange distance is almost identical, therefore too thin to accept a standard adapter ring. So you need one with extra refocusing glass inside, which unfortunately tend to bring a loss of quality, brightness, colors when you less expect it (none to be seen in these images, though).

You can find a good description of the lens here:

www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/olympuso...

Despite its age and its pioneering status (the first Oly zoom) it is reasonably sharp, with a good color bouquet (greens and red are vivid and with a slight yellow component). The quick blur transition when you move away from the center is, I think, to be attributed to the extra glass of the adapter, which also contribute unwanted flares in frontal strong light, and a bit of iridescent glare at the edges of back-lit outlines.

The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19S, a Soviet supersonic jet fighter, played a pivotal role during the Cold War. Introduced in the 1950s, it featured a top speed of approximately 1,450 mph, armed with three 30mm cannons and air-to-air missiles. Its agility and swept-wing design contributed to its prominence in various air forces worldwide.

Karasawa

涸沢

Another fun of Karasawa is the colorful tent village. My tent also contributes to the illumination.

涸沢のもう一つの楽しみがカラフルなテント村。微力ながら自分のテントもライトアップに貢献してます。

Matsumoto city, Nagano pref, Japan

EagleKnight was inspired by above to start a group we hope you will contribute much to at

www.flickr.com/groups/867852@N23/pool/

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Find tonight's Featured Artists at

www.flickr.com/photos/kweav/

www.flickr.com/photos/skezix/

www.flickr.com/photos/happyjuristar4allseason

www.flickr.com/photos/danivargas/

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Below I found at

www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/w/william_faulkner.html

William Faulkner, American Novelist Quotes

Birth Day: Sept. 25, 1897; Death Day: July 6, 1962

The best job that was ever offered to me was to become a landlord in a brothel. In my opinion it's the perfect milieu for an artist to work in.

The end of wisdom is to dream high enough to lose the dream in the seeking of it.

The last sound on the worthless earth will be two human beings trying to launch a homemade spaceship and already quarreling about where they are going next.

The man who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.

The past is not dead. In fact, it's not even past.

We have to start teaching ourselves not to be afraid.

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Saturday, August 23, 2008

Feastday of St. Rose of Lima, virgin

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Rose_of_Lima

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

Ezekiel 43:1-7ab

Psalm 85:9ab and 10, 11-12, 13-14

Matthew 23:1-12

St. Therese of the Child Jesus taught us that it is in the way we perform and encounter the little things in life, our day to day duties, that we demonstrate our love of Christ.

Today the Church celebrates the feast of St. Rose of Lima, a Third Order Dominican. The Divine Office describes simply that "she led a virtuous life at home and made great progress in a life of penance and contemplation, dying on August 24, 1617."

Though at times we experience great upheavals in our lives, most of our days and nights are routine, filled with the obligations of caring for families through our work, prayer and community service. It is within these confines that each of us is called to sainthood. It is here that Christ is with us. Let us be open to looking for Him here with our love.

St. Rose of Lima, pray for us.

- Joan of Jesus, OCDS | email: jmurphy@utica.edu

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If you need a laugh...

THREE WOMEN, TWO YOUNGER, AND ONE SENIOR CITIZEN WERE SITTING NAKED IN A SAUNA.

SUDDENLY THERE WAS A BEEPING SOUND. THE YOUNG WOMAN PRESSED HER FOREARM AND THE BEEP STOPPED.THE OTHERS LOOKED AT HER QUESTIONINGLY. ''THAT WAS MY PAGER,' SHE SAID. 'I HAVE A MICROCHIP UNDER THE SKIN OF MY ARM.'

A FEW MINUTES LATER, A PHONE RANG. THE SECOND YOUNG WOMAN LIFTED HER PALM TO HER EAR. WHEN SHE FINISHED,SHE EXPLAINED, 'THAT WAS MY MOBILE PHONE, I HAVE A MICROCHIP IN MY HAND.'

THE OLDER WOMAN FELT VERY LOW-TECH. NOT TO BE OUT DONE, SHE DECIDED SHE HAD TO DO SOMETHING JUST AS IMPRESSIVE.

SHE STEPPED OUT OF THE SAUNA AND WENT TO THE BATHROOM...SHE RETURNED WITH A PIECE OF TOILET PAPER HANGING FROM HER REAR END.

THE OTHERS RAISED THEIR EYEBROWS AND STARED AT HER.

THE OLDER WOMAN FINALLY SAID:

'WELL, WILL YOU LOOK AT THAT.....I'M GETTING A FAX!!'

EXPLORE # 489, # 496 on Sunday, August 24, 2008

3671

REFORD GARDENS | LES JARDINS DE METIS

Coucher de soleil, Sainte-Flavie.

Visit : www.refordgardens.com/

Photo taken close to REFORD GARDENS. (Sainte-Flavie)

Mrs Elsie Reford loved those beautiful sunsets.

Reference: Elsie's Paradise, The Reford Gardens, Alexander Reford, 2004, ISBN 2-7619-1921-1, That book is a must for Reford Gardens lovers!

''I shall always, all my life, want to come back to those sunsets.'' Elsie Reford, July 20, 1913. (page 25)

" It is just after 8 o'clock and I am sitting in front of my big window with the gorgeous panorama of a glorious afterglow from a perfect sunset. There is every hue of blue on the water of 'the Blue Lagoon' while Pointe-aux-Cenelles is bathed in pink and crimson and the dark hills of the north shore seem no further than two or three miles distant. I don't think in the whole world at this moment there could be anything more beautiful." Elsie Reford, June 2, 1931. (page 81)

''One thing I can do that no one else can is to pass the love that I feel for this place and this woman''. -Alexander Reford

Visit : www.refordgardens.com/

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From Wikipedia:

Elsie Stephen Meighen - born January 22, 1872, Perth, Ontario - and Robert Wilson Reford - born in 1867, Montreal - got married on June 12, 1894.

Elsie Reford was a pioneer of Canadian horticulture, creating one of the largest private gardens in Canada on her estate, Estevan Lodge in eastern Québec. Located in Grand-Métis on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River, her gardens have been open to the public since 1962 and operate under the name Les Jardins de Métis and Reford Gardens.

Born January 22, 1872 at Perth, Ontario, Elsie Reford was the eldest of three children born to Robert Meighen and Elsie Stephen. Coming from modest backgrounds themselves, Elsie’s parents ensured that their children received a good education. After being educated in Montreal, she was sent to finishing school in Dresden and Paris, returning to Montreal fluent in both German and French, and ready to take her place in society.

She married Robert Wilson Reford on June 12, 1894. She gave birth to two sons, Bruce in 1895 and Eric in 1900. Robert and Elsie Reford were, by many accounts, an ideal couple. In 1902, they built a house on Drummond Street in Montreal. They both loved the outdoors and they spend several weeks a year in a log cabin they built at Lac Caribou, south of Rimouski. In the autumn they hunted for caribou, deer, and ducks. They returned in winter to ski and snowshoe. Elsie Reford also liked to ride. She had learned as a girl and spent many hours riding on the slopes of Mount Royal. And of course, there was salmon-fishing – a sport at which she excelled.

In her day, she was known for her civic, social, and political activism. She was engaged in philanthropic activities, particularly for the Montreal Maternity Hospital and she was also the moving force behind the creation of the Women’s Canadian Club of Montreal, the first women club in Canada. She believed it important that the women become involved in debates over the great issues of the day, « something beyond the local gossip of the hour ». Her acquaintance with Lord Grey, the Governor-General of Canada from 1904 to 1911, led to her involvement in organizing, in 1908, Québec City’s tercentennial celebrations. The event was one of many to which she devoted herself in building bridges with French-Canadian community.

During the First World War, she joined her two sons in England and did volunteer work at the War Office, translating documents from German into English. After the war, she was active in the Victorian Order of Nurses, the Montreal Council of Social Agencies, and the National Association of Conservative Women.

In 1925 at the age of 53 years, Elsie Reford was operated for appendicitis and during her convalescence, her doctor counselled against fishing, fearing that she did not have the strength to return to the river.”Why not take up gardening?” he said, thinking this a more suitable pastime for a convalescent woman of a certain age. That is why she began laying out the gardens and supervising their construction. The gardens would take ten years to build, and would extend over more than twenty acres.

Elsie Reford had to overcome many difficulties in bringing her garden to life. First among them were the allergies that sometimes left her bedridden for days on end. The second obstacle was the property itself. Estevan was first and foremost a fishing lodge. The site was chosen because of its proximity to a salmon river and its dramatic views – not for the quality of the soil.

To counter-act nature’s deficiencies, she created soil for each of the plants she had selected, bringing peat and sand from nearby farms. This exchange was fortuitous to the local farmers, suffering through the Great Depression. Then, as now, the gardens provided much-needed work to an area with high unemployment. Elsie Reford’s genius as a gardener was born of the knowledge she developed of the needs of plants. Over the course of her long life, she became an expert plantsman. By the end of her life, Elsie Reford was able to counsel other gardeners, writing in the journals of the Royal Horticultural Society and the North American Lily Society. Elsie Reford was not a landscape architect and had no training of any kind as a garden designer. While she collected and appreciated art, she claimed no talents as an artist.

Elsie Stephen Reford died at her Drummond Street home on November 8, 1967 in her ninety-sixth year.

In 1995, the Reford Gardens ("Jardins de Métis") in Grand-Métis were designated a National Historic Site of Canada, as being an excellent Canadian example of the English-inspired garden.(Wikipedia)

Visit : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elsie_Reford

LES JARDINS DE MÉTIS

Créés par Elsie Reford de 1926 à 1958, ces jardins témoignent de façon remarquable de l’art paysager à l’anglaise. Disposés dans un cadre naturel, un ensemble de jardins exhibent fleurs vivaces, arbres et arbustes. Le jardin des pommetiers, les rocailles et l’Allée royale évoquent l’œuvre de cette dame passionnée d’horticulture. Agrémenté d’un ruisseau et de sentiers sinueux, ce site jouit d’un microclimat favorable à la croissance d’espèces uniques au Canada. Les pavots bleus et les lis, privilégiés par Mme Reford, y fleurissent toujours et contribuent , avec d’autres plantes exotiques et indigènes, à l’harmonie de ces lieux.

Created by Elsie Reford between 1926 and 1958, these gardens are an inspired example of the English art of the garden. Woven into a natural setting, a series of gardens display perennials, trees and shrubs. A crab-apple orchard, a rock garden, and the Long Walk are also the legacy of this dedicated horticulturist. A microclimate favours the growth of species found nowhere else in Canada, while the stream and winding paths add to the charm. Elsie Reford’s beloved blue poppies and lilies still bloom and contribute, with other exotic and indigenous plants, to the harmony of the site.

Commission des lieux et monuments historiques du Canada

Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada.

Gouvernement du Canada – Government of Canada

© Copyright

This photo and all those in my Photostream are protected by copyright. No one may reproduce, copy, transmit or manipulate them without my written permission.

Honfleur is a commune in the Calvados department in Normandy en.normandie-tourisme.fr/normandy-tourism-109-2.html in northwestern France. It is located on the southern bank of the estuary of the Seine across from le Havre and very close to the exit of the Pont de Normandie. Its inhabitants are called Honfleurais. It is especially known for its old, beautiful picturesque port, characterized by its houses with slate-covered frontages, painted many times by artists, including in particular Gustave Courbet, Eugène Boudin, Claude Monet and Johan Jongkind, forming the école de Honfleur (Honfleur school) which contributed to the appearance of the Impressionist movement. The Sainte-Catherine church, which has a bell tower separate from the principal building, is the largest church made out of wood in France. The first written record of Honfleur is a reference by Richard III, Duke of Normandy, in 1027. By the middle of the 12th century, the city represented a significant transit point for goods from Rouen to England. Located on the estuary of one of the principal rivers of France with a safe harbour and relatively rich hinterland, Honfleur profited from its strategic position from the start of the Hundred Years' War. The town's defences were strengthened by Charles V in order to protect the estuary of the Seine from attacks from the English. This was supported by the nearby port of Harfleur. However, Honfleur was taken and occupied by the English in 1357 and from 1419 to 1450. When under French control, raiding parties often set out from the port to ransack the English coasts, including partially destroying the town of Sandwich, in Kent, England, in the 1450s. At the end of the Hundred Years' War, Honfleur benefited from the boom in maritime trade until the end of the 18th century. Trade was disturbed during the wars of religion in the 16th century. The port saw the departure of a number of explorers, in particular in 1503 of Binot Paulmierde Gonneville to the coasts of Brazil. In 1506, local man Jean Denis departed for Newfoundland island and the mouth of the Saint Lawrence. An expedition in 1608, organised by Samuel de Champlain, founded the city of Quebec in modern day Canada. After 1608, Honfleur thrived on trade with Canada, the West Indies, the African coasts and the Azores. As a result, the town became one of the five principal ports for the slave trade in France. During this time the rapid growth of the town saw the demolition of its fortifications on the orders of Colbert. The wars of the French revolution and the First Empire, and in particular the continental blockade, caused the ruin of Honfleur. It only partially recovered during the 19th century with the trading of wood from northern Europe. Trade was however limited by the silting up of the entrance to the port and development of the modern port at Le Havre. The port however still functions today. On August 25, 1944, Honfleur was liberated together by the British army - 19th Platoon of the 12th Devon's, 6th Air Landing Brigade, the Belgian army (Brigade Piron) on 25 August 1944.[1] and the Canadian army without any combat. en.normandie-tourisme.fr/articles/honfleur-278-2.html

Junipers (in this case, Juniperus osteosperma), are famously good desert-survivors. They're also notorious contortionists, which may contribute to their long-lived success. They produce berries much enjoyed by the local fauna.

Photographed at Goosenecks Overlook, Capitol Reef National Park

I'm aware I haven't been contributing very much to Flickr World recently. Sorry about that. I've got an overwhelming collection of RAW images from the last few weeks, so much so that I haven't really known where to start. And then the weather has been rather good. August has often been a bit of a disappointment in Cornwall in recent years, but this summer it's not been too bad. Not another 1976 you understand (and that date in itself tells you how rare a fantastic summer is in the UK), but there have been enough sunny afternoons where the garden loungers have proved to be too much of a temptation.

And finally there's work. I'm a finance manager in a further education college, which usually kills the conversation, although it kills my brain cells just as quickly. The cumulative effect of 20 years of non stop reporting deadlines in the same job is starting to take its toll on this tired and weary soul as the new academic year starts, and in recent weeks it's been a struggle to look at the contents of my SD card, let alone go out and take more photos. But at least, as I keep reminding myself, this is my last year at work, and in 12 months I'll be free to roam the land on Tuesday afternoons, or at any other random time that grabs me, with my camera bag and a flask of coffee. I will also do the first thing that all self respecting colleagues who leave the world of education do, and book a September holiday. Very possibly for the whole of September. At the moment I feel like a boxer who's just stepped into the ring for the final round.

So it was good to catch up with Lee yesterday and head for the familiar "go to" location 12 miles down the road on the first weekend after the end of the main holiday season. High tide coincided with sunset and I had an idea in mind, although the light wasn't playing ball over Godrevy Lighthouse, the ever obvious focal point in these parts. We scratched our heads and looked at the always ignored lifeguard hut and the grasses in the foreground. Then I decided upon a competing focal point, namely myself and set the 10 second timer before charging into the scene in the direction of the cliff edge, where you find me gazing enigmatically in the direction of St Ives. Not an evening for classic photos, but a lovely evening to be out in a place that never ceases to inspire.

So bear with me folks, as I cling on to the annual box of delights we call the autumn term. I'm still here - I just need to catch up on sleep a lot. It's always great to hear from you and see your pictures and read your stories. It's been another beautiful weekend, and I'm glad to have managed to post a photo of it here. Have a good week all.

I'd like to thank everyone who contributed ideas for the title of this image, the kind comments and simply the shere response to the image.

I eventually settled for 'queenbeeamy's' suggestion as I felt it encompassed everything i wanted to express and could not word properly.

I think the title/ quote applies to all of us and like the baby elephant walking the dangerous tightrope, we will manage to overcome with the necessary courage, determination and most of all Love! Whatever we do carries risk, there will be spectators and looming threats and yet there will be a helping hand(s), support, guidance and the promise of light. We need to follow that light...

Thank you Amy - Please mail me your postal address so that i can send you this image on canvas...!! :))

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be blessed

Please don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit written permission. © All rights reserved

I contributed to half this project-surprise surprise!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Done completely for the art of photography ;p

Even if today's man finds himself immersed in the most beautiful nature, he remains a passive spectator, submitting to modernity and contributing to its destruction.

Cover Feature: Peridot by Apollo

by Divos Titanium

Photographs by Verandi Diavolo

Issue Release Date: Sunday, January 20, 2025

www.attentionsl.com

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Hello Friends,

We are pleased to announce we are LIVE with our Winter issue! With contributions from our amazing team of writers and photographers – Bolto Lightning, Dagon Harrison, Daniel Salvetore, Divos Titanium, Elaine Lectar, Kere Delcon, Morgaine Blackrain, Mya Audebarn, Nonge Koolhaas, P E D R O, Rafael Sinavva, Sererika Capra, and Verandi Diavolo.

All have contributed their gorgeous work to make this a plethora of eye candy and information.

This Winter issue is produced with Bellisima Benelli at the reins as Editor-and-Chief, backed up by Nonge Koolhaas.

Thank you so much to everyone involved with making this an amazing issue, and to all our advertisers for their support.

Love always!

Excerpt from canarylanding.com/:

Canary Landing is poised to be one of Toronto’s most liveable communities.

Exceptionally placed in the award-winning Canary District, Canary Landing is a stone’s throw from the city’s downtown core and surrounded by natural and built wonders.

Consisting of residential rentals, retail and animated public spaces, Canary Landing is a mixed-use development within Canary District, contributing further to the revitalization of Toronto’s Downtown East.

Canary Landing’s Maple House, Birch House, Cherry House and Oak House are operated by Tricon Residential, one of Canada’s leading real estate companies. Recognized for delivering an unparalleled, award-winning resident experience, Tricon is reimagining rental living in this vibrant neighbourhood, and creating a truly exceptional place to call home.

Birch House is the second phase of the award-winning Canary Landing community offering a vibrant urban lifestyle combined with convenient access to nature. Community-centric and resort-quality amenities, and living spaces with outstanding features make Birch House your landing spot for a life less ordinary.

Complementing its significant rental housing offering, Canary Landing will also include 35,000 square feet of retail.

Walkable to unique neighbourhoods like Distillery District, Corktown and Riverside, Canary Landing offers access to an abundance of local attractions, including indie restaurants, bars, distilleries and cafes, boutique shops, seasonal markets, and more.

Canary Landing is brought to life by an acclaimed architecture and design team, including Danish firms Cobe and Henning Larsen, and Canadian firms architectsAlliance, BDP Quadrangle and DesignAgency.

Excerpt from www.instagram.com/reel/DGRHS4nJpN_/:

Right outside Birch House stands “In Equilibrium”—a striking art installation that balances delicately between stability and fragility. With its massive mirror disk, bent columns, and thousands of stainless steel cables, this piece invites you to pause, reflect, and imagine.

Excerpt from www.waterfrontoronto.ca/news/monumental-new-indigenous-pe...:

•Ludovic Boney’s In Equilibrium is now installed within the walkway of Anishnawbe Health Toronto’s new purpose built health centre on Cherry Street.

•The work is part of Waterfront Toronto's vision for the West Don Lands.

•It's a monumental installation that celebrates the importance of Indigenous placemaking and placekeeping and the layers of Indigenous presence, past, present and future in Toronto.

•In Equilibrium is a dynamic new addition to this growing neighbourhood, and will attract residents and visitors alike.

If you walk along Cherry Street at Mill Street you might just encounter a massive white structure. This is Ludovic Boney’s permanent public art installation, In Equilibrium, part of Waterfront Toronto's public art master plan for the West Don Lands.

In Equilibrium stands nearly 28 feet high and acts as a gateway into the soon to open Indigenous Hub on Cherry Street – one of the first mixed-use, purpose-built Indigenous Hubs in the country and the first in Ontario. The installation creates an instantly recognizable landmark for this important new facility, while celebrating the importance of Indigenous placemaking and placekeeping and the layers of Indigenous presence, past, present and future in Toronto.

One of the finest General's and 18th President whom served his country with honor, class and respect. Grants Tomb was built by money contributed by the citizens, and corporate tycoons of the time. Completed in Apr 1897 and built in the Eclectic Neoclassical style, monument is adorned by Doric columns on the lower level and a circular cupola above.

Upon his Interment in August 8, 1885 to his temporary tomb, there were 300k at tomb side, and 1.5 to 2 million people lined the streets of his funeral procession, what a site to be seen.

Let the woke loons try to remove this historic place, not. Semper Fi. Ooh-Rah...

contributed to istar

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try something new

i think i'd better make more effort on this style

NEW SERIES: The great Escape

Check it out on my page..

www.enricoessl.com/gallery/the-great-escape

Best regards friends..Enrico

The last 2 years of the pandemic, I have often thought about the feeling of make the great escape.

To visualise this was, of course, also the aim of my photographic work, which has contributed greatly to helping us all cope with these difficult times.

Despite all the adversities and restrictions of the pandemic,

I was always motivated to enter the urban space.

In the same way, I wanted to escape into solitude, to stake out my spaces, just for me.

It was not necessarily empty streets and people hidden under masks that I wanted to photograph, but people and scenes that speak for themselves and for this crazy time.

Tamarisks are plants that are frequently found in coastal environments and that tolerate saltiness and sandy soils well. Insalty ones, and contribute to the consolidation of dunes and protection from the winds. Their ability to resist saltiness and sandy soils make them ideal plants for life near the sea.

Therefore, when we talk about "tamarisks queens of the sea", we are probably referring to their importance as plants that dominate the coastal landscape, thanks to their adaptability to this type of environment

As seen in Tinny Feet 5th edition "Summer Loving"... Viv was SO happy to contribute :))

It's my favourite time of year on Flickr again: Roid Week! Go to the pool right now and check it out - there's some fantastic work there, and it's not too late to contribute, it'll be running all week!

This Polaroid was shot for a book on London's Lost Rivers, written by Tom Bolton, to be published in September by Strange Attractor Press. It was shot along the course of the River Tyburn - right by Buckingham Palace!

Der Azaleen- und Rhododendronpark Kromlau ist ein ca. 200 ha großer Landschaftspark im Ortsteil Kromlau der Gemeinde Gablenz im Landkreis Görlitz. Er gilt als die größte Rhododendren-Freilandanlage in Deutschland und ist bei freiem Eintritt immer geöffnet. 1842 erwarb der Großgrundbesitzer Friedrich Hermann Rötschke das Gut Kromlau. Ab 1844, mit den ersten Anpflanzungen einheimischer und fremdländischer Gehölze in diesem Gut, stellte Rötschke fast die Hälfte seines Besitzes zur Gestaltung des Parks zur Verfügung. Es wurden Basaltsteine mit Ochsenkarren aus verschiedenen Steinbrüchen der Sächsischen Schweiz und Böhmen herbeigeholt. Aus den sechskantigen Basaltstelen entstanden Höhlen, Grotten und Pyramiden, der Richterstuhl, die Orgel, Himmel und Hölle, im Wasser und zu Lande. 1875 tauschte Friedrich Herrmann Rötschke sein Rittergut gegen Bauplätze in Wilmersdorf bei Berlin ein. Das Kromlauer Schloss hatte von hier an sieben Besitzer in vierzehn Jahren. 1889 erwarb Graf von und zu Egloffstein-Arklitten das Rittergut und beauftragte ab 1893 den Gartenbauinspektor Georg Eichler mit der Parkpflege. Dieser begann neben den bisherigen Baum- und Strauchgewächsen in größerem Umfang Rhododendren und Freiland-Azaleen anzupflanzen. Sie sollten zu einem harmonisch abgerundeten Erscheinungsbild der Parkanlage beitragen. Außerdem legten die Gartengestalter in den Moorsenken eigens zum Verkauf bestimmte Blumenzüchtungen an, die einen einträglichen Nebenverdienst erbrachten und der Entwicklung des Parks zugutekamen.

Nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg wurde der Kromlauer Park aufgrund der Bodenreform in Volkseigentum überführt und 1948 zum Naturschutzgebiet erklärt. Erst ab 1966 begannen die zielgerichtete Pflege und Rekonstruktion des Parks. Heute ist die Gemeinde Gablenz Eigentümer des Kromlauer Parkes.

Zu den interessantesten Bauwerken im Kromlauer Park zählen das Kromlauer Schloss und die von 1863 bis 1882 aus Basalt- und Feldsteinen errichtete Rakotzbrücke (Rakotz = Sorbisch für Krebs, denn Kromlau liegt im Siedlungsgebiet der Sorben), die im Volksmund auch Teufelsbrücke genannt wird. Mit einer Spannweite von 35 m quert sie den Rakotzsee, kann jedoch nicht betreten werden. Ihr Halbkreis spiegelt sich im See und bildet so optisch einen vollständigen Kreis. Die im See angeordneten Basaltsäulen werden „Orgel“ genannt. Eine Reihe von Wanderwegen erschließt den Park und die weiteren Sehenswürdigkeiten.

de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azaleen-_und_Rhododendronpark_Kromlau

Kromlau Azalea and Rhododendron Park is a landscaped park covering around 200 hectares in the village of Kromlau, part of of the municipality of Gablenz in the district of Görlitz in east Saxony. It is considered the largest open-air rhododendron park in Germany and is always open with free admission. The large landowner Friedrich Hermann Rötschke acquired the Kromlau estate in 1842. From 1844, with the first plantings of native and non-native trees and shrubs on the estate, Rötschke allocated almost half of his property to the creation of the park. Basalt stones were brought in with ox carts from various quarries in Saxon Switzerland and Bohemia. Caves, grottos and pyramids, the Judge's Seat, the Organ, Heaven and Hell, in water and on land, were created from the hexagonal basalt steles. In 1875, Friedrich Herrmann Rötschke exchanged his estate for building plots in Wilmersdorf near Berlin. From then on, Kromlau Castle had seven owners in fourteen years. In 1889, Count von und zu Egloffstein-Arklitten acquired the manor and from 1893 commissioned the horticultural inspector Georg Eichler to maintain the park. He began planting rhododendrons and azaleas on a large scale alongside the existing trees and shrubs. They were to contribute to the harmonious appearance of the park. In addition, the garden designers planted flower cultivars in the bog depressions specifically for sale, which generated a lucrative side income and benefited the development of the park.

After the Second World War, the Kromlau Park was transferred to public ownership as a result of the land reform and declared a nature reserve in 1948. It was not until 1966 that targeted maintenance and reconstruction of the park began. Today, the municipality of Gablenz is the owner of Kromlau Park.

The most interesting buildings in Kromlau Park include Kromlau Manor and the Rakotz Bridge (Rakotz = Sorbian for crab - Kromlau is part of the settlement area of the recognised slavic minority of the Sorbs), which was built between 1863 and 1882 from basalt and fieldstone and is also known locally as the Devil's Bridge. With a span of 35 metres, it crosses Lake Rakotz, but can not be walked on. Its semi-circle is reflected in the lake and thus visually forms a complete circle. The basalt columns arranged in the lake are called ‘organs’. A series of hiking trails provide access to the park and the other sights.

de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azaleen-_und_Rhododendronpark_Kroml...

Million Dollar Staircase

The New York State Capitol is the capitol building of the U.S. state of New York. Housing the New York State Legislature, it is located in the state capital city Albany as part of the Empire State Plaza on State Street in Capitol Park. The building, completed in 1899 at a cost of $25 million (worth approximately half a billion current dollars), was the most expensive government building of its time.[citation needed] It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971, then included as a contributing property when the Lafayette Park Historic District was listed in 1978. The following year it was declared a National Historic Landmark

The garden at Sissinghurst Castle in the Weald of Kent, in England at Sissinghurst village, is owned and maintained by the National Trust. It is among the most famous gardens in England and is grade I listed.

Sissinghurst's garden was created in the 1930s by Vita Sackville-West, poet and gardening writer, and her husband Harold Nicolson, author and diplomat. Sackville-West was a writer on the fringes of the Bloomsbury Group who found her greatest popularity in the weekly columns she contributed as gardening correspondent of The Observer, which incidentally—for she never touted it—made her own garden famous. The garden itself is designed as a series of 'rooms', each with a different character of colour and/or theme, the walls being high clipped hedges and many pink brick walls. The rooms and 'doors' are so arranged that, as one enjoys the beauty in a given room, one suddenly discovers a new vista into another part of the garden, making a walk a series of discoveries that keeps leading one into yet another area of the garden. Nicolson spent his efforts coming up with interesting new interconnections, while Sackville-West focused on making the flowers in the interior of each room exciting.

For Sackville-West, Sissinghurst and its garden rooms came to be a poignant and romantic substitute for Knole, reputedly the largest house in Britain, which as the only child of Lionel, the 3rd Lord Sackville she would have inherited had she been a male, but which had passed to her cousin as the male heir.

The site is ancient; "hurst" is the Saxon term for an enclosed wood. A manor house with a three-armed moat was built here in the Middle Ages. In 1305, King Edward I spent a night here. It was long thought that in 1490 Thomas Baker, a man from Cranbrook, purchased Sissinghurst, although there is no evidence for it. What is certain is that the house was given a new brick gatehouse in the 1530s by Sir John Baker, one of Henry VIII's Privy Councillors, and greatly enlarged in the 1560s by his son Sir Richard Baker, when it became the centre of a 700-acre (2.8 km2) deer park. In August 1573 Queen Elizabeth I spent three nights at Sissinghurst.

After the collapse of the Baker family in the late 17th century, the building had many uses: as a prisoner-of-war camp during the Seven Years' War; as the workhouse for the Cranbrook Union; after which it became homes for farm labourers.

Sackville-West and Nicolson found Sissinghurst in 1930 after concern that their property Long Barn, near Sevenoaks, Kent, was close to development over which they had no control. Although Sissinghurst was derelict, they purchased the ruins and the farm around it and began constructing the garden we know today. The layout by Nicolson and planting by Sackville-West were both strongly influenced by the gardens of Gertrude Jekyll and Edwin Lutyens; by the earlier Cothay Manor in Somerset, laid out by Nicolson's friend Reginald Cooper, and described by one garden writer as the "Sissinghurst of the West Country"; and by Hidcote Manor Garden, designed and owned by Lawrence Johnston, which Sackville-West helped to preserve. Sissinghurst was first opened to the public in 1938.

The National Trust took over the whole of Sissinghurst, its garden, farm and buildings, in 1967. The garden epitomises the English garden of the mid-20th century. It is now very popular and can be crowded in peak holiday periods. In 2009, BBC Four broadcast an eight-part television documentary series called Sissinghurst, describing the house and garden and the attempts by Adam Nicolson and his wife Sarah Raven, who are 'Resident Donors', to restore a form of traditional Wealden agriculture to the Castle Farm. Their plan is to use the land to grow ingredients for lunches in the Sissinghurst restaurant. A fuller version of the story can be found in Nicolson's book, Sissinghurst: An Unfinished History (2008).

For further information please visit en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sissinghurst_Castle_Garden and www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sissinghurst-castle-garden

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In Japan a tōrō is a traditional lantern made of stone, wood, or metal. In Japan, tōrō were originally used only in Buddhist temples, where they lined and illuminated paths. Lit lanterns were then considered an offering to Buddha.

The Garden sits nestled in the West Hills of Portland, Oregon overlooking the city and providing a tranquil, urban oasis for locals and travelers alike. Designed in 1963, it encompasses 12 acres with eight separate garden styles, and includes an authentic Japanese Tea House, meandering streams, intimate walkways, and a spectacular view of Mt. Hood. This is a place to discard worldly thoughts and concerns and see oneself as a small but integral part of the universe.

Born out of a hope that the experience of peace can contribute to a long lasting peace. Born out of a belief in the power of cultural exchange. Born out of a belief in the excellence of craft, evidence in the Garden itself and the activities that come from it. Born out of a realization that all of these things are made more real and possible if we honor our connection to nature.

(japanesegarden.org/about-portland-japanese-garden/)

Owning the same car for this long also contributes to de-growth.

These two vehicles are part of a quirky art installation of over 40 trucks, cars and buses planted in the desert dirt outside of Goldfield, Nevada.

Some descriptions of the place call it the "International Car Forest of the Last Church." It was the vision of Mark Rippie and artist Chad Sorg. Rippie owned the land and invited Sorg to assist in realizing his dream in 2011.

Sorg lived on the property for about a year painting the vehicles which Rippie planted in the ground. Other artists were also invited to contribute. Sorg and Rippie had a falling out in 2013 and Rippie ordered Sorg off the property. Sorg returned to Las Vegas where he continues to practice his art.

Rippie went to prison for two years on federal firearms charges in late 2013 for purchasing firearms after falsely attesting he had NOT been committed to a mental institution. He had spent time in a mental health facility and had numerous run ins with law enforcement which culminated in his federal prison stay.

Currently Rippie, age 70, lives in Pahrump, Nevada. The future of the car forest is unknown. When we visited, it appeared the place was first and foremost an ATV playground. The painted rusting vehicles remain enigmatic.

The Ontario County Courthouse is located in Canandaigua, New York, United States. The United States v. Susan B. Anthony trial took place in this courthouse in 1873. It is a contributing property to the Canandaigua Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.

Eastern gray squirrel- The grey squirrel was introduced into the UK in the 1800s. It provides an easy encounter with wildlife for many people, but can be damaging to woodlands and has contributed to the decline of the red squirrel.

The original purpose of this image was to contribute to FlickrFriday’s theme of the week (in November 2020) on "#remote". This theme was appropriate to illustrate the situation of "lockdown" with all its consequences of physical, sensory and social isolation.

L’objectif initial de cette image était de contribuer au thème de la semaine de FlickrFriday sur «#isolé ». Cette thématique était intéressante pour illustrer la situation de « confinement » avec toutes ses conséquences d’isolement physique, sensoriel et social.

Contributing to the potent, ethereal magic present was this happy coincidence.

Possibly a slightly jarring composition, the picture still had to be taken for obvious reasons.

The utter contrast to mundane daily life that these experiences gift to the onlooker cannot be stressed sufficiently. The usual melancholy kicked in as I gazed in wonder at my situation: the impossibility of 'bottling it all up' & taking some of it home proving to amplify an already raised state of emotion.

A pottery works was first established on this site in 1891 and occupied a year later by John Henry Weatherby who had left the partnership of Whittaker, Edge & Co to establish his own business. In 1892 the works had four kilns and one in the process of erection; by 1900 there were eight bottle kilns. In 1906 a large entrance range was built to the works with three stories and twenty three bays. From 1925 to 1961 there were five bottle ovens in constant use but these were replaced by electric kilns and four were taken down following the Clean Air Act of 1956. One of the coal-fired kilns was retained, having last been fired in 1965 and in 1989 this was awarded a Grade II listing together with the rest of the site. Weatherby's first made domestic ware such as basins and ewers, later moving into tableware and giftware. After WW2 they also produced novelty items such as 'chuckleheads' (cups and saucers shaped like animals), 'beasties' (dinosaurs), commemorative pieces, dwarf figurines and tableware often decorated with 1960s favourite images such as Gonks and Daleks. J.H.Weatherby was a prolific manufacturer producing thousands of patterns ranging from whiteware, collectables and dinnerware through to souvenirs and Fortnum & Mason pudding bowls. In the 1970's the company launched a range of hotelware which eventually contributed to its downfall, mainly from competition from home and abroad. In April 2000 the Chairman of the Board Christopher Weatherby, great-great grandson of founder John Henry Weatherby, announced the winding up of the company. At its height J.H.Weatherby Ltd. employed 200 people but the figure was down to 50 by the 1990's and stood at 10 at the time of closure. As a footnote to this picture, it might be a surprise to those who are unfamiliar with local custom and practice in The Potteries to see a Grade II listed building which has been vacant for such a short period in such an advanced state of dereliction. Perhaps I should explain its common for all such historic buildings to 'self-combust' soon after becoming redundant; it gives the crackheads something to do, the fire-bobbies love a shout, it entertains the spectators and no-one seems to care. 'RoidWeek Spring 2023 Day 4. Taken with a 1976 Polaroid SX-70 Land Camera Alpha 1 on Polaroid (TIP) film