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September's LFF weekend was a bit different from usual. The evening was tinged with sadness and loss as we had a memorial for Janie Marie Swann, the amazing organiser of LFF who sadly passed away in July.
But it wa also a hugely social night meeting loads of people, friends old and new.
And I did a thing - I made my karaoke debut! It was nerve-wracking but I loved it! After a bit of a shaky start I loved every second!
Hotel selfies.
Warm greetings to all my good contacts...thanks for all your kind comments over the years !
It's our turn to host a New Year's party this evening...(and our friends will help with some of the food and nonsense.)... looking forward to the event...and to the coming year, with thanks to all of you for showing me so much from so many parts of the world...and your artistry with the camera...teaching us all...good ways to see, and bettter ways to live...
Peace for all...the biggest hope.......
Thank you again ....wishing you a healthy and happy year ahead !
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to everyone who celebrates this special day today!
What a mess Flickr was last night! I had difficulty adding titles to my uploaded images, comments didn't save and, after I had added a description to each of the 20 photos, the descriptions all disappeared. When I opened Flickr this morning, there was still no sign of them. Then, suddenly, they re-appeared.
My photos taken at the National Butterfly Centre, Mission, South Texas, have now come to an end, so you can sigh a huge sigh of relief : ) After that, I have just a few photos taken at another place that we called in at later in the afternoon. Unfortunately, we only had an hour there before closing time, but how glad we were that we found this place. The highlight there was watching 25 Yellow-crowned Night-Herons coming in to roost for the night in the trees, right where we were standing! What a great sight this was, and we were lucky enough to have a good, close view of these gorgeous birds. We also saw some Purple Martins and their circular, hanging nest "gourds".
On Day 6 of our birding holiday in South Texas, 24 March 2019, we left our hotel in Kingsville, South Texas, and started our drive to Mission, where we would be staying at La Quinta Inn & Suites for three nights. On the first stretch of our drive, we were lucky enough to see several bird species, including a Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Hooded Oriole, Red-tailed Hawk, Crested Caracara, Harris's Hawk, Pyrrhuloxia male (looks similar to a Cardinal) and a spectacular Scissor-tailed Flycatcher. I'm not sure if this stretch is called Hawk Alley.
We had a long drive further south towards Mission, with only a couple of drive-by photos taken en route (of a strangely shaped building that turned out to be a deserted seed storage building). Eventually, we reached our next planned stop, the National Butterfly Centre. This was a great place, my favourite part of it being the bird feeding station, where we saw all sorts of species and reasonably close. Despite the name of the place, we only saw a few butterflies while we were there. May have been the weather or, more likely, the fact that I was having so much fun at the bird feeding station. We also got to see Spike, a giant African Spurred Tortoise. All the nature/wildlife parks that we visited in South Texas had beautiful visitor centres and usually bird feeding stations. And there are so many of these parks - so impressive!
nationalbutterflycenter.org/nbc-multi-media/in-the-news/1...
"Ten years ago, the North American Butterfly Association broke ground for what has now become the largest native plant botanical garden in the United States. This 100-acre preserve is home to Spike (who thinks he is a butterfly) and the greatest volume and variety of wild, free-flying butterflies in the nation. In fact, USA Today calls the National Butterfly Center, in Mission, Texas, 'the butterfly capitol of the USA'." From the Butterfly Centre's website.
The Centre is facing huge challenges, as a result of the "Border Wall". The following information is from the Centre's website.
www.nationalbutterflycenter.org/about-nbc/maps-directions...
"No permission was requested to enter the property or begin cutting down trees. The center was not notified of any roadwork, nor given the opportunity to review, negotiate or deny the workplan. Same goes for the core sampling of soils on the property, and the surveying and staking of a “clear zone” that will bulldoze 200,000 square feet of habitat for protected species like the Texas Tortoise and Texas Indigo, not to mention about 400 species of birds. The federal government had decided it will do as it pleases with our property, swiftly and secretly, in spite of our property rights and right to due process under the law."
"What the Border Wall will do here:
1) Eradicate an enormous amount of native habitat, including host plants for butterflies, breeding and feeding areas for wildlife, and lands set aside for conservation of endangered and threatened species-- including avian species that migrate N/S through this area or over-winter, here, in the tip of the Central US Flyway.
2) Create devastating flooding to all property up to 2 miles behind the wall, on the banks of the mighty Rio Grande River, here.
3) Reduce viable range land for wildlife foraging and mating. This will result in greater competition for resources and a smaller gene pool for healthy species reproduction. Genetic "bottlenecks" can exacerbate blight and disease.
IN ADDITION:
4) Not all birds can fly over the wall, nor will all butterfly species. For example, the Ferruginous Pygmy Owl, found on the southern border from Texas to Arizona, only flies about 6 ft in the air. It cannot overcome a 30 ft vertical wall of concrete and steel.
5) Nocturnal and crepuscular wildlife, which rely on sunset and sunrise cues to regulate vital activity, will be negatively affected by night time flood lighting of the "control zone" the DHS CBP will establish along the wall and new secondary drag roads. The expansion of these areas to vehicular traffic will increase wildlife roadkill.
6) Animals trapped north of the wall will face similar competition for resources, cut off from native habitat in the conservation corridor and from water in the Rio Grande River and adjacent resacas. HUMANS, here, will also be cut off from our only source of fresh water, in this irrigated desert.
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The first Friday of the month usually means a weekend in Leeds and March was no different. One of the best nights out in ages!
Hotel room selfies.
#341: As of 2/4/26, of my 4100+ pics, this is listed as #341 in most # of comments.
#598: As of 3/19/26, of my 4100+ pics, this is listed as #598 in most # of faves.
#1318: As of 3/20/26, of my 4100+ pics, this is listed as #1318 in most # of views.
VIDEO is at youtube.com/shorts/NVwVPkDNYNE
Yay, I've got something NEW for Flickr and YouTube, this again from 2024.
As described a little more in an Update posted 11/30/24 in my Flickr profile (at flickr.com/people/99244229@N04/), last year I had my first opportunity since before the pandemic to be fully en femme and made up for some public outings. I'm continuing to roll out pics from this 1st such day, August 12, 2024, when I modeled a couple ensembles never before pictured. It was so great to finally re-engage myself as Grace again!
As usual, I really enjoy coordinating attractive/sexy/cute outfits, and this one features:
* an Orsuncer "ombre platinum blonde" 26"-long wavy wig with bangs and black roots, from amazon;
* Jessica Simpson nude-patent "Halie" ultra-high-heel slingback peeptoe platform pumps, from Macys (an old purchase, but I'd never taken pics in them til now);
* an Olivia & Martin tan/black zigzag-patterned stretchy midi skirt, from Burlington;
* an August Silk "ash blond" tan/black lace-accented/trimmed button-down blouse, from Burlington;
* a beige cami top worn under the blouse;
* a tan 2"-wide waist belt;
* Berkshire nude ultra-sheer pantyhose;
* a tan neck scarf;
* a tan handbag matched to the color of the high heels;
* Kiss imPRESS press-on french-tip fingernails, from Walmart;
* gold necklaces, bracelets, watch, rings & hoop earrings.
This particular pic is a snapshot from a video taken at home. The full video (2024-08-12-video1) is posted on my YouTube channel at youtube.com/shorts/NVwVPkDNYNE. Please check it out and comment/fave here (and/or there) if you like what you see.
More about this and other 2017-24 pics has been written up in my profile or "About" page here on Flickr. It details some choices made for these 2017-24 pics.
Let me know your thoughts... :-)
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I bought a small disco ball and a couple of LED torches for my living room - wow, the effect is amazing, it totally transforms the room!
81 Likes on Instagram
8 Comments on Instagram:
l_cernuda27: @gviolante69 Magnifico claroscuro. Encuadre perfecto.
gviolante69: Gracias @l_cernuda27
monchelagunes: Es notorio la pureza de las líneas
speckledmoon: 😍😍😍
gviolante69: Thanks @endless.noir
gviolante69: Gracias @monchelagunes
european26: Awesome light!
gviolante69: Thanks @european26
Comments always appreciated, as long as you keep it clean - I love to hear your feedback! xx
Blimey, it seems I went a bit camera-mad on this particular evening! And old favourite but a goody, this French Connection bandage dress was one I used to wear almost as often as my signature pink dress!
Please comment below if you have any feedback -- thank you :-)
Shot with:
Leica M6
Noctilux 50mm f1 E58 @f2
Kodak Portra 400
Developed by Snapfish and processed in Aperture
Follow me here: twitter.com/#!/mjscarduzio
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Same dress, different evening. I took a lot more pictures this night, it seems!
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They are coming around fast now! Time for another visit the the gender clinic in Leeds, for my second voice coaching session, and also for another consultation with my lead professional, to make sure things are all going well. Which they are, I'm very happy to report.
Waiting for my voice coaching session.
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Had a really lovely weekend with two lovely friends over to Hull for a weekend visit.
We did a long slow wander around town during the afternoon, taking in a few of the notable spots (yes, Hull has a couple!) then out on Saturday night for a few drinks.
At Hull Minster.
Comment Box ..CLOSED..
but will be returning faves "Share + Look"
All best wish happy and take care 2021
Aber Lin
Feb/19/2021
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It was so good to be back in Lincoln for a weekend after missing it last year. We love Lincoln, it's such a beautiful city.
Sunday morning and it was time to head back home after a fantastic weekend.
Stunning views of the cathedral that morning.
Comments off.
Catching up. Supposed to be at day 250 or something, so checking the archives if there are some I want to add.
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First try out of this dark blue Boohoo dress and I like it. Lots of pictures from this set - and a couple of video clips too!
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A selective focus of a flower spray on one of the verbena plants in our garden, with other sprays forming the bokeh background.
This is part of an autumn floral series, showing some of the colours and plants in our garden in September.
Taken with my Canon EOS 7D Mark II and Canon Telephoto Zoom 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM EF Lens and framed in Photoshop.
Better viewed in light box - click on the image or press 'L' on your keyboard.
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My good friend Sarah had the chance to come to Hull for a night and had not been before.
I took her for a little drive around - I took her to see the Humber Bridge (at night) and we had a little wander around the town centre, then went for a couple of drinks at The Star.
It's usually Leeds where I see Sarah so it was a really nice chance to show her around my home town. We did a couple of hours tour round the old town the next day too.
Swaledale, Yorkshire
I hardly ever dabble in B&W photography so I will appreciate any comments or critique.
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I had a visit from my friend Fiona, who had never been out dressed in the daytime before, so it was a big moment.
She was such a natural though, she wasn't fazed at all and took it all in her stride. We had a wander round Hull town centre, shopping, seeing some of the sights and a drink in a pub in the old town. It was a lovely afternoon!
In Queens Gardens in the city centre. Queens Gardens is where the Pride Parade will have the party next month - really looking forward to that!
Fiona was also taking a selfie on her phone, lol!
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Seems I had a very twitchy shutter button finger this night back in January - I took loads of photos!
Trying out a new (to me) long sleeved velvet dress, quite a classy looking dress, if I do say so myself!
Not entirely sure about it. It shows off my figue in a very flattering way, which I love, but I'm not totally sold on the neckline.