"If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly, our whole life would change."

(Gautama Budda)

Ox-eye (Ochsensauge, Buphthalmum salicifolium).

"and not a very convincing one at that!"

"What about the other one, that currently appears to be approaching us at a higher velocity than I should prefer?"

I can see clearly now the rain is gone

I can see all obstacles in my way

Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind

It's gonna be a bright bright bright bright

sunshiny day

sunshiny day

~ I can see clearly now – Jimmy Cliff

Wish you all a colorful sunshiny weekend !!! ♥ :)

Clearly this cactus wren has been into some fruit based on that purple around his beak. From the color probably prickly pear cactus fruit. He's rather puffed up after having just preened. The cactus wren is Arizona's state bird, in case you care.

"The power conduit clearly runs through that wall."

One of the waterfalls along Wyming Brook. Its been around seven years since I've walked this route by the brook and was astonished by how its changed in that time. Many trees have been cut down or have fallen and the path has clearly suffered alot of erosion in parts.

“If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly our whole life would change.” – Buddha

This Eared Grebe clearly shows the feature after which it is known in North America, while also showing the black neck that gives its common name in Europe. This image is from the well-known birdwatching spot of Frank Lake in southern Alberta, Canada.

I was recently blessed to spend an hour or so watching a pair of ospreys working feverously on their nest high up in a Ft. Pickens Florida pine tree. I was impressed by how the female would maliciously weave the pine branches while the male gathered. On at least two occasions, the males’ selections were rejected for quality control issues. The disappointment could be clearly seen in his eyes…it was the same look I give the Mrs. when I return to the grocery cart with bananas that are in the “wrong stage of ripeness” and are rejected by the female. The nest was in its earlier stages, not any wider that the female’s length.

At one point, I noticed the male returning empty taloned. The female immediately ducked her head, bracing for impact as instead of landing on an adjacent branch as he had so many times before, this time was it was the middle of her back. She knew his intensions while he was pretty far back…I’m guessing this is not part of the mating process as she should be well underway with egg development (normally 13.4 weeks from mating to first egg), so hopefully it is normal osprey behavior and not retaliation for stick rejection! Maybe it was to better compact the base construction of the nest…I truly have no idea.

He walked around on her back with talon tips beneath her feathers, wings fully retracted and seemingly proud…as if participating in some type of sick Edward Scissorhands exfoliating pregnancy back rub. I suppose it could be the equivalent to our hug…

I truly love the “why” aspect of nature.

It is 3am and I need some sleep. I hope your weekend is blessed!

John

(now)

"I can see clearly now, the rain is gone,

I can see all obstacles in my way

Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind

It’s gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)

Sun-Shiny day."

....................................................................................................

Jimmy Cliff - I can see clearly now

youtu.be/xzGV9Bl6CGg

I can see clearly now, the rain is gone,

I can see all obstacles in my way

Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind

It’s gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)

Sun-Shiny day.

I think I can make it now, the pain is gone

All of the bad feelings have disappeared

Here is the rainbow I’ve been praying for

It’s gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)

Sun-Shiny day.

Look all around, there’s nothin?but blue skies

Look straight ahead, nothin?but blue skies

I can see clearly now, the rain is gone,

I can see all obstacles in my way

Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind

It’s gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)

Sun-Shiny day.

Clearly undergoing molting

This shot was taken with the same old Leica lens that I used for the shot of St Paul's Cathedral that I posted a few days back. It's a 90mm lens but when I adapt it to use on my Olympus Micro 4/3s camera, with it's crop sensor, it effectively becomes a 180mm lens. Using a telephoto lens that long will inevitably introduce a lot of compression into an image and you see that phenomenon very clearly here. The chimney tower on the right, which stands on top of the Tate Modern museum, is approximately 250 meters away. Meanwhile the slightly taller Shard building on the left is approximately 1100 meters away (distances measured in Google maps). The Shard is 306 meters high, the Tate chimney tower is 99 meters high.

Playing in Topaz again; clearly been a stressful week....Well, not stressful as such; more... unsettled. (Getting ready for the kids to go back and all that). But it means I have been devoting far too much time to experimenting.

This experiment is a merge of two different impressionistic effects. The background has a more visible brush stroke, while the subject has a softer stroke to retain more detail and realism.

The rose does have a name, I'm pretty certain, and I'll add when I find it, as it truly was a glorious colour. It was found in the rose garden at Wisley, not my garden. I'm not keen on roses as they always strike me as almost more trouble than they're worth so I only have one very small (rather sad looking) specimen. But if Wisley's garden centre stocks this example, then I might have to invest and give them more of a chance.

Clearly, news travels fast in Pigeon World. Reliable bird feeders are few and far between, but here, they are topped up daily, so the first few customers have obviously told their friends.

... the rain has gone"

www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrHxhQPOO2c

An idea I had for another challenge ... but thought it might work in B+W 😊

Happy Donnerstagsmonochrom !

B/W Tinted and Mono Here

Everyday Things : Here

My Lines & Curves: Here

Still Life Compositions: Here

Clearly doesn't like the snow!

Chicago Botanic Garden in the rainy fog

芝加哥植物园雾中

Clearly a close knit family. They are aware of my presence, moving away slowly, but I am just far enough back and just still enough to avoid flushing them. Northern Bobwhites on Old Port Isabel Road in Cameron County, Texas.

Backyard Daylily - focus stacked from 5 images

The impressive 4000 - 5000-year-old Gors Fawr Stone Circle in the Preseli Hills (Pembrokeshire Coast National Park), Wales, UK. Some of the stones used in Stone Henge were quarried nearby in this clearly important Neolithic / Early Bronze age landscape.

Clearly this little kingfisher doesn’t like rules 😂

This guy was just relaxing at a Melbourne, Australia park. I just took the opportunity to practice my portrait skills ;-)

Clearly human beings were designed to rest at appropriate times. Yet increasingly we are moving into a 24-hour society. Some of us work, eat, drink, dance and others SHOP around the clock.

Once in a while we all need to come to a complete halt—to totally stop what we are doing, take time to rest and reflect, and take stock of our lives.

This shot is taken after closing time at a shopping mall....a time well chosen to admire the beauty and architecture of the outside.

Ambience Mall , Gurgaon.

....when you can see clearly, new opportunities appear ....

I found this secret place last Weekend on my walk ;-) I have to return here very soon ....but at time, the heavy snow prepares problems ....it is difficult to walk this path in deep snow ....

~ because of the heavy snow, I have bad Internet connection ~ so I wish you a lovely evening, good night, sweet dreams and hope to see you tomorrow ~

many thanks for all your kind comments, invitings and awards, I´m happy about ;-)

I've seen otters try (and fail) attempting to catch ducks and ducklings but this is the first time I've seen one take a live bird as prey

I hadn't even seen the moorhen on the far side of the river but the otter clearly had - it dived and sped underwater before surfacing directly under the defenceless moorhen

Very clearly a rift in the space time continuum. Evidenced by an example of rotating the picture (go ahead, tilt your head, see the rotation). You'll note that, indeed, the picture seems to be fine at nearly any rotation. An obvious sign of a fissure in the space-time continuum.

And if you peer real close, you can see spaceships and stagecoaches dueling it out deep in the bright white heart of the door.

My best look ever at a Hummingbird Clearwing moth. Perched quietly for a couple of minutes.

iNaturalist link www.inaturalist.org/observations/177664455

Jenny Pansing photos

Bird of Paradise

Clearly not minding the sign

© Leanne Boulton, All Rights Reserved

Street photography from a small town in England. Captured in April 2017 while on my way to visit my father in hospital during the last weeks of his life.

This man clearly wears his political affiliations on his chest. "Don't let Europe Rule Britannia", "Bollocks to Europe" and "English and Proud" pin badges leave no room for ambiguity.

So if Russia plays the long game, wants to destabilise western democracies and sow division, would it want Brexit? Follow the threads, follow the names, follow the money. The evidence is out there and although not conclusively proven, if you dig deep enough into the root of so many of our modern ills - Russian money is at the heart of it. Is a Brexit voter an unknowing Russian asset?

I know some of you hate me getting political in my comments but there is so much evidence that the west has been well and truly played by Russia that it would be remiss to ignore it. This has been going on for years.

The evidence is out there. Follow the threads. Follow the names. Follow the money.

Clearly of wattle & daub origins, the porch of St Giles Church in the village of Newington, South Oxfordshire, appears to need some care and attention. The church dates back to the 12th century, with additions in the 13th and 14th centuries. Although the sheep were already gorging on the lush grass around the gravestones, they still came up to me in the hope of extra food.

Clearly up to no good!

On Dacio:

Hat/Jeans - Ascend

Tank - Legal Insanity

Mask - Cargo

Head - Catwa

Body - Signature

Face/Body Appliers - Stray Dog

Tattoo - Prodigy Ink

Watch/Bracelet/Ears - Mandala

Clearly, nature is in second place... Every photographer knows the frustration of seeing a beautiful view with ugly utility lines in the way. But, when life hands you lemons, you make lemonade, and when life hands you utility poles, I guess you take a picture of a utility pole.

clearly El and I couldn't get enough of the sexiest coat rack ever!

fun.. as always <3

Her fabulous version

When I found this life size crystal camera, I just had to have it. The detail is wonderful.

clearly this fences gate hasn't been closed in some time.... HFF

clearly a favourite of some animals

Brian is clearly enjoying some morning yoga in the sunshine out in the garden, exploring the tiny new leaves that are emerging from my hydrangea bush - a new source of food perhaps?

For Macro Mondays theme 'B&W'. I really enjoyed this theme, with the challenge of setting up the shot knowing it would be in monochrome rather than converting it as an afterthought. The calm air and low morning sun gave an excellent opportunity for back light to show off the translucence of Brian's body which glows nicely in the monochrome conversion. Although I tend to prefer my macros in colour, perhaps I should try and think in monochrome more often.

No snails were harmed in the making of this photograph.

Clearly, some of my friends shop at the same stores.

4 Likes on Instagram

This clearly is a species of forget-me-nots. However, since they tend to look very similar, I have not been able to identify which. (Possibly Myosotis sylvatica, which is the species most cultivars seem to be based on)

The genus has quite a few species, the majority of which are either native to western Eurasia or New Zealand. Other species are know from, for example, different parts of the Americas. Additionally, Myosotis have been cultivated in many parts of the world and have since escaped cultivation.

The genus is know in many parts as a symbol of caring, remembrance and leaving of loved ones. There appears to be a whole plethora of sad fables, songs, poems and stories about one person going to pick the flower for a loved one, dying from a mishap while picking it and parting with the requesting not to be forgotten. In one such story, it is a mother being bitten by a snake while picking a flower for her beloved daughter. In another a knight in, rather heavy, armour who is picking one for his lover, falling into a lake and drowning.

Clearly an archive shot from 2019 but one that I wanted to play with a bit. This was taken in Bonita Springs Florida under a footbridge at sunrise.

It was the start of the rainy season in Costa Rica so this was a welcome clear view of the summit of Arenal volcano, which is often covered in cloud. The volcano is active and violently erupted in 1968, killing 87 people and destroying farmland, property and crops. It is considered a young volcano at approx 7,500 years and is 1,633m high. (5,358 feet)