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Wiki - Meganebashi (眼鏡橋) or Spectacles Bridge, over the Nakashima River (中島川) was built in Nagasaki in 1634 by the Japanese monk Mokusu of Kofukuji Temple. It is said to be the oldest stone arch bridge in Japan and has been designated as an Important Cultural Property. It received the nickname "Spectacles Bridge" because its two arches and their reflection in the water create the image of a pair of spectacles. On July 23, 1982, a disastrous deluge washed away six of the ten stone bridges over the Nakashima River. Meganebashi was badly damaged but fortunately almost all the original stones were retrieved and the bridge was restored to its original appearance.
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around 50 years ago you would be seeing trains going past this spot,then the disastrous decision to destroy the infrastructure of the British railway system was put into Operation.
A tree-climbing nut burier… Scampering Grey Squirrels are a familiar sight, but sadly these American imports have had a disastrous impact on the native Red Squirrel. The species has spread rapidly and is now common across the UK, with the exception of north and western Scotland and some islands. There are an estimated 2.7 million in the UK.
La creazione della Cascata risale al 271 a.C., è una formidabile opera d'ingegneria romana che servì a favorire il deflusso delle acque del Velino, responsabili di frequenti e disastrose inondazioni e della trasformazione di vaste estensioni di terra in malsane paludi.
Tra le più alte d'Europa, si sviluppa su un dislivello complessivo di 165 m, suddiviso in tre salti, inserita in un grande parco naturale. Il nome deriva dai sali di carbonato di calcio presenti sulle rocce che sono simili a marmo bianco.
© Wikipedia
The creation of the waterfall dates back to 271 BC, is a formidable work of Roman engineering that served to encourage the outflow of the waters of the Velino, responsible for frequent and disastrous floods and the transformation of vast expanses of land into unhealthy swamps.
Among the highest in Europe, it develops on a total height difference of 165 m, divided into three jumps, inserted in a large natural park. The name derives from the calcium carbonate salts present on the rocks which are similar to white marble.
© Wikipedia
“Confederate veteran and capitalist Henry A. Landes (1844-1919) had this house built in 1887-88. Designed by prominent architects George E. Dickey of Houston and D. A. Helmich, the house reportedly provided refuge to some 200 people during the disastrous 1900 hurricane. John P. McDonough, owner of a dry docks and ironworks business, purchased the property in 1911. Acquired by the Dominican Sisters in 1954, it housed a fine arts center for a number of years. The eclectic Victorian structure features Romanesque style accents in its fine ornamental terra cotta, brick and ironwork, and its exuberant parapet and towers.”
“Recorded Texas Historic Landmark – 1973”
Location: intersection of Avenue E and 16th Street, Galveston, Texas
Fire has posed a serious threat to the Library on several occasions in its history. The most disastrous blaze was in Montréal in 1849, when a Loyalist mob protesting the Rebellion Losses Bill burned down the Legislature and destroyed all but 200 of the 12,000 books.
Even though Elise and I love the countryside, we were having a grass is greener moment and impulsively packed up our suitcases and determined we were going to skedaddle and run away from home! "Are you sure we should go?" asked Elise. "There are dogs and horses and all the things we love here!" "Well, I think we can take the dogs with us.” I said, still trying to sound confident about our plan. Elise was already a step ahead. "What about the horses?" This was all quickly starting to seem like a disastrous idea. "We're traveling light!” I replied.
And that was it. As soon as our adventure began, it ended. Home is where your heart is. And our hearts definitely don't know how to travel lightly!
Thank you, beautiful Elise, for being a ray of happy light and always an inspiration through your kindness, your remarkably generous spirit and your gift for making everyone you know feel completely at ease. ♥
Happy new week, everyone! xo
The ‘Saint Elizabeth Flood’ occurred in 1421. This disastrous flood led to the disappearance of 17 villages. An inland sea stretching from northwest of Dordrecht to southeast of Geertruidenberg was created.
Immediately after the disaster, land fell dry again. The flow of water carried sand and clay, which sank to the bottom. The inland sea became shallower and shallower. Eventually, patches of land emerged from the water at ebb tide and rushes started growing on them. These plants flourish with their roots in the water. People planted extra rushes so they could harvest them. The Biesbosch derives its name from this plant; it means “a forest of rushes”. More land appeared; the roots were less frequently in water, and the rushes were unable to flourish so well. Reeds were able to withstand this condition better and supplanted the rushes, giving rise to vast reed beds. Subsequently, willows started to grow and people used the branches to make furniture and other products. Willows grow better when they get less water, so the people built dikes to prevent the willows being inundated at flood tide. A piece of land with planted willows is called a griend.
The ‘Saint Elizabeth Flood’ occurred in 1421. This disastrous flood led to the disappearance of 17 villages. An inland sea stretching from northwest of Dordrecht to southeast of Geertruidenberg was created.
Immediately after the disaster, land fell dry again. The flow of water carried sand and clay, which sank to the bottom. The inland sea became shallower and shallower. Eventually, patches of land emerged from the water at ebb tide and rushes started growing on them. These plants flourish with their roots in the water. People planted extra rushes so they could harvest them. The Biesbosch derives its name from this plant; it means “a forest of rushes”. More land appeared; the roots were less frequently in water, and the rushes were unable to flourish so well. Reeds were able to withstand this condition better and supplanted the rushes, giving rise to vast reed beds. Subsequently, willows started to grow and people used the branches to make furniture and other products. Willows grow better when they get less water, so the people built dikes to prevent the willows being inundated at flood tide. A piece of land with planted willows is called a griend.
Much of the Biesbosch is covered by water and is therefore lush with sedges and reed beds. A common plant is the marsh marigold, which blooms in the spring. This member of the buttercup family has adapted to the tidal movements. In the willow forests you can find many plants such as stinging nettles, orange balsam, yellow iris, cow parsley, hogweed, enchanter’s nightshade and amaranths growing luxuriantly. The Himalayan Balsam provides a real jungle-like atmosphere. Its pink flowers have a characteristic sweet fragrance.
Disastrous Strikes (Grèves Désastreuses)
Global Pandemic V
Secret Garden, Dreamscapes Series
Stop Down Your Aperture For Better Optic
Whatever lenses you are using, avoid using the largest or smallest aperture! Always stop down at least 2 F-stops for better photo quality. For example, a Fast lens with a maximum aperture F2.8, use F5.6 or F8. This area is the best optical quality of a lens.
Note: All rights reserved on my Flickr related contents
This picturesque little village was originally situated on an island. Floods were regular and often disastrous. To protect their belongings and themselves from the water, the inhabitants created artificial dwelling hills on which they build their houses. As fishery became the main economic activity, the population grew rapidly. When the Afsluitdijk was finished in 1932, and the Zuiderzee became the fresh water IJsselmeer with no access to the sea, fishery activities came to an end. When the dike between Marken and the mainland was closed in 1957, Marken wasn't even a real island anymore. Nevertheless, the village still has the looks and feel of a fishermen's town and an island. For over a century, it has drawn in visitors who wanted a glance at its traditional costumes and picturesque houses.
The San Antonio River Walk (also known as Paseo del Río) is a network of walkways along the banks of the San Antonio River, one story beneath the streets of Downtown San Antonio, Texas, USA. Today, the River Walk is a successful special-case pedestrian street. It winds and loops under bridges as two parallel sidewalks lined with restaurants and shops, connecting the major tourist draws from the Alamo to Rivercenter Mall, to the Arneson River Theatre, to Marriage Island, to La Villita, to HemisFair Park, to the Tower Life Building, to the San Antonio Museum of Art, and the Pearl Brewery. During the annual springtime Fiesta San Antonio, the River Parade features flowery floats that float down the river. In September 1921, a disastrous flood along the San Antonio River took 50 lives. Plans were then developed for flood control of the river and this is how the River Walk came to be. (Wikipedia)
From a mixture of commercial logging and the disastrous consequences of Storm Arwen -seen in the stripped & snapped trees on the right of the shot. A sad sight in many ways, but the aroma was gorgeous!
100x 2022 - Northumberland - 24/100
The Biesbosch National Park is a nature conservation area and the largest fresh water tidal zone in Europe. This means, for example, that you will find many streams and willow swamps there. With tall, luxuriant willow forests, the area looks just like a jungle! Below you can read more about the fresh water tidal zone, the flora and fauna, and how the area came to exist.
The ‘Saint Elizabeth Flood’ occurred in 1421. This disastrous flood led to the disappearance of 17 villages. An inland sea stretching from northwest of Dordrecht to southeast of Geertruidenberg was created.
Immediately after the disaster, land fell dry again. The flow of water carried sand and clay, which sank to the bottom. The inland sea became shallower and shallower. Eventually, patches of land emerged from the water at ebb tide and rushes started growing on them. These plants flourish with their roots in the water. People planted extra rushes so they could harvest them. The Biesbosch derives its name from this plant; it means “a forest of rushes”. More land appeared; the roots were less frequently in water, and the rushes were unable to flourish so well. Reeds were able to withstand this condition better and supplanted the rushes, giving rise to vast reed beds. Subsequently, willows started to grow and people used the branches to make furniture and other products. Willows grow better when they get less water, so the people built dikes to prevent the willows being inundated at flood tide. A piece of land with planted willows is called a griend.
Nous avons eu quelques chutes de neige en janvier, heureusement car la pluie qui tombe depuis le jour de ma photo rend nos paysages tristes et gris.
Nous sommes déjà dans le 2ème mois de cette année qui s'annonce aussi calamiteuse que la précédente à cause de ce vilain virus !
Prenez bien soin de vous mes Amis et restez en bonne santé.
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We had some snowfall in January, luckily because the rain that has been falling since the day of my photo makes our landscapes sad and gray.
We are already in the 2nd month of this year which promises to be as disastrous as the previous one because of this nasty virus!
Take good care of yourselves my Friends and stay in good health.
Thank you for your kind comments and invitations.
The River Walk, in San Antonio, Texas is a major tourist attraction. It didn't catch on right at first. The river flooded and one year 50 people died from the flood waters. Also, it was a rough area of town, in fact, it was off limits to military personal. What turned it around? Major hotels started building along the river. Than can the restaurants, than the tourist. Here's more if you're interested:
In September 1921, a disastrous flood along the San Antonio River took 50 lives.[1] Plans were then developed for flood control of the river. Among the plans was to build an upstream dam (Olmos Dam) and bypass a prominent bend of the river in the Downtown area (between present day Houston Street and Villita Parkway), then to pave over the bend, and create a storm sewer.
Through the following decades the network has been improved and extended. The first major extension of the Riverwalk was constructed by the joint venture of two general contractors Darragh & Lyda Inc. and H. A. Lott Inc. to Tower of the Americas as part of HemisFair '68. The expansion extended the Riverwalk beyond its natural banks at the horseshoe bend to the new convention center and theater by excavating much of the block bordered by Commerce, Bowie, Market and Alamo Streets. That was also the year the Hilton Palacio del Rio was built, the first of many downtown hotels that leverage their slice of urban "riverfront." A subsequent major expansion opened in 1988 that extended a branch from the 1968 extension to create a lagoon at the new Rivercenter Mall and the Marriott Rivercenter Hotel.
Expansion plans are planned for areas of the river north and south of Downtown. As chain restaurants and establishments have begun to flourish, now taking up about a third of commercial space, talk has begun at City Hall about limiting their existence on the River Walk and keeping a distinctively local flair. On May 30, 2009 the city opened the $72 million Museum Reach.[2] The Museum Reach features local attractions such as the San Antonio Museum of Art and The Pearl Brewery, which has become one of the most popular areas for locals.[3][4]
Two years later, in May 2011, the River Walk was extended by several miles to extend from Downtown to Mission Espada which is on the city's south side. This addition (named the "Mission Reach") is notable for its emphasis on ecological controls and improvements, as well as trail improvements to support both hiking and biking.[5] The Mission Reach has paddling trails[6] and biking trails which allow tourists to experience the UNESCO World Heritage Missions.
“Sometimes a year has been so disastrous and so terrible that entering a new year will automatically mean entering a wonderful year!”
Mehmet Murat ildan
Sincere thanks to all of you, my dear friends, for your wonderful friendship and highly appreciated support during 2022.
Wish you all and your loved ones a very Joyful, Prosperous, and Safe New Year.
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“Sometimes a year has been so disastrous and so terrible that entering a new year will automatically mean entering a wonderful year!”
Mehmet Murat ildan
Sincere thanks to all of you, my dear friends, for your wonderful friendship and highly appreciated support during 2021.
Wish you all and your loved ones a very Joyful, Prosperous, and Safe New Year.
DSCN8017-002
An alternative title is 'burnt by ignorance'. For some reason, idiots think it is a good idea to build a barbecue under trees...often with disastrous results, another top cause of forest fires here is dropped litter, loads of it in this location, out of shot. Most people just bag it and go home...some don't even bag it. Many take no responsibility, their mother's will clean up after them
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I cannot be online much this week but will catch up with your posts on Thursday 👍👍👍👍
When the little great Horned Owlets are small the mother stays close by to guard the nest . One of the predators they are guard against is the Red shouldered hawk who can fly in in a flash and grab one of the little owlets. Life is constantly a battle for survival and one can not let down their guard for a second or it could be disastrous !!!
Have a great Monday !!!
The Biesbosch forms the estuary of two great European rivers, the Meuse and the Rhine. The rivers flow into the sea via the nature conservation area. Due to its location, the Biesbosch is affected by the tides. This means that the water level varies. At flood tide, the seawater holds back the water from the rivers, and the water level is then at its highest. At ebb tide, the river water flows freely to the sea, so that the water level reaches its lowest point. The difference between the highest at lowest water levels in the Biesbosch used to be two metres. Since the Delta Works were constructed, the tidal variation is only 20 centimetres in the Brabantse Biesbosch and 70 centimetres in the Hollandse Biesbosch.
The ‘Saint Elizabeth Flood’ occurred in 1421. This disastrous flood led to the disappearance of 17 villages. An inland sea stretching from northwest of Dordrecht to southeast of Geertruidenberg was created.
Immediately after the disaster, land fell dry again. The flow of water carried sand and clay, which sank to the bottom. The inland sea became shallower and shallower. Eventually, patches of land emerged from the water at ebb tide and rushes started growing on them. These plants flourish with their roots in the water. People planted extra rushes so they could harvest them. The Biesbosch derives its name from this plant; it means “a forest of rushes”. More land appeared; the roots were less frequently in water, and the rushes were unable to flourish so well. Reeds were able to withstand this condition better and supplanted the rushes, giving rise to vast reed beds. Subsequently, willows started to grow and people used the branches to make furniture and other products. Willows grow better when they get less water, so the people built dikes to prevent the willows being inundated at flood tide. A piece of land with planted willows is called a griend.
*Working Towards a Better World
A very, very sad day!! How can we destroy our planet? Tears and more tears at such a disastrous decision!
Thank you for your kind visit. Have a wonderful and beautiful day! ❤️ ❤️ ❤️
"Paris Streets 442, Before the Fire." Notre-Dame de Paris, the landmark medieval cathedral, as it looked before the disastrous fire that engulfed its roof. Before the fire was extinguished, the intricate maze of medieval beams supporting the roof fell to the cathedral floor and the spire collapsed.
It's a shot that was taken a few years ago somewhere in Vermont; it may have been Middlebury, though I'm not really sure. In any case, I hope that this shop avoided the disastrous Vermont floods that have been recently in the news.
A single Pano-Sabotage shot taken on June 12, 2015 in Times Square, New York, overlaid with the same shot only expanded in size and moved off-centre to create a kind of "structural shimmering". This method harkens back to my student days when I would deliberately print layers off-register when doing silkscreens to achieve a slightly disorienting 'vibrating' effect.
Number 3 in a series of "End Game" images that deal with the notion that we've gone too far in our relationship with the planet. In nature there are usually disastrous results for any species that overpopulates and destroys its own environment. Why would we be different ?
This final image created May 17, 2018.
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© Richard S Warner ( Visionheart ) - 2015, 2018. All Rights Reserved. This image is not for use in any form without explicit, express, written permission.
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Well, I'm now finally back home, and shivering, after a wonderful stay in Southern Spain. I've just uploaded all my images and after a 6 hour drive up from Folkestone, I thought I would just edit one shot from a fabulous sunrise walk around the City of Arts and Sciences Park in Valencia.
I took 5 days over the drive back and took in some sightseeing. Here, we stayed in a hotel right by the Park in Valencia and I managed a sunset and sunrise shoot before travelling on to Pamplona. I have visited this fascinating Park before and you just have to admire the stunning architecture of the Arts and Sciences Buildings designed by Santiago Calatrava and Felix Candela.
They started this project in 1996 on the site of the river bed of the Turia, which runs through the City. The River was actually completely dug out and rerouted after a disastrous flood in 1957 and this area was then redeveloped. The first building was completed in 1998 and that is L'Hemisferic which is the "armadillo" shaped structure in the left centre here, which is meant to represent an "eye". It is actually an IMax Cinema, Planetarium and Laserium. Behind it is the Museum of Sciences, the Assut de L'Or Bridge and the L'Agora, with the side profile of the L'Umbracle running along the right of this image.
I have to say I was blessed with some fabulous skies throughout my stay down in Spain and this morning was no exception. I got a wide variety of colours and textures as the sun rose in the West over the Port area. Any way I'm saving hundreds of shots for less tired eyes after my 4 am start today, more to follow in the coming weeks!
The sun sets on the far horizon, leaving the timbers of the wreck of the "Abana" to see another night of decay.
The "Abana" was shipwrecked here in violent storm in December 1894. She was flying under a Norwegian flag sailing from Liverpool to Savannah in the USA. A large 1,257 ton wooden Barque, she had her sails and rigging ripped to shreds in the storm and her crew made for the shore by what they thought was a lighthouse. Sadly that was Blackpool Tower and the consequences were disastrous for the ship although all 17 crew and the ships dog survived.
The ‘Saint Elizabeth Flood’ occurred in 1421. This disastrous flood led to the disappearance of 17 villages. An inland sea stretching from northwest of Dordrecht to southeast of Geertruidenberg was created.
Immediately after the disaster, land fell dry again. The flow of water carried sand and clay, which sank to the bottom. The inland sea became shallower and shallower. Eventually, patches of land emerged from the water at ebb tide and rushes started growing on them. These plants flourish with their roots in the water. People planted extra rushes so they could harvest them. The Biesbosch derives its name from this plant; it means “a forest of rushes”. More land appeared; the roots were less frequently in water, and the rushes were unable to flourish so well. Reeds were able to withstand this condition better and supplanted the rushes, giving rise to vast reed beds. Subsequently, willows started to grow and people used the branches to make furniture and other products. Willows grow better when they get less water, so the people built dikes to prevent the willows being inundated at flood tide. A piece of land with planted willows is called a griend.
My thoughts go to all people who were affected by the disastrous floods.
Mayschoß, Ahr valley, Germany
Thank you for your visits and comments. They are much appreciated.
Late summer view on Delft.
On the left you can see details of the 1660 Kruithuis (gunpowder magazine), built after the 1654 disastrous gunpowder explosion in the city's center. On the horizon is the 1246 Oude Kerk (Old Church). The cranes are handling sand and gravel.
Wikipedia in Dutch:
The ‘Saint Elizabeth Flood’ occurred in 1421. This disastrous flood led to the disappearance of 17 villages. An inland sea stretching from northwest of Dordrecht to southeast of Geertruidenberg was created.
Immediately after the disaster, land fell dry again. The flow of water carried sand and clay, which sank to the bottom. The inland sea became shallower and shallower. Eventually, patches of land emerged from the water at ebb tide and rushes started growing on them. These plants flourish with their roots in the water. People planted extra rushes so they could harvest them. The Biesbosch derives its name from this plant; it means “a forest of rushes”. More land appeared; the roots were less frequently in water, and the rushes were unable to flourish so well. Reeds were able to withstand this condition better and supplanted the rushes, giving rise to vast reed beds. Subsequently, willows started to grow and people used the branches to make furniture and other products. Willows grow better when they get less water, so the people built dikes to prevent the willows being inundated at flood tide. A piece of land with planted willows is called a griend.
This mill, situated beside the River Derwent (at one time was served by the former Derby Canal) in Derby's Historic Cathedral Quarter, is reputedly the first purpose built factory in England. Originally it was twice as large, half of the building was destroyed in a disastrous fire, quite common in Mills of the time. More recently it has served as the home of the Industrial Museum, since its recent refurbishment, it is now known as the Museum of Making, and part of the Derby Museums Group. It is also part of the Derwent Valley Mills Heritage Trail, and well worth a visit if you are in the area.
I had quite a wonderful time shooting with a miniature camera. However due to the degraded nature of the film the results were all disastrous.
After sitting for decades wound tightly in a 126 canister the guide arrows bled through the gelatin film. What is interesting is they appear red 😮 on B&W film....
I would not be the one to explain this phenomenon and would direct such analog technicalities to the professionals; RandyRamshackle --AnalogBob --Experiments in Dreaming ....
Camera: Snapshooter 1971 plastic miniature.
Film: 126 B&W ASA 125
expired: Oktober 1972 Germany
Amsterdam
The tower was originally part of the Regulierspoort, one of the main gates in Amsterdam's medieval city wall. The gate, built in the years 1480, consisted of two towers and a guard house.
After the gate went up in flames in a 1618 fire, only the guard house and part of the western tower remained standing. The tower was then rebuilt in Amsterdam Renaissance style in 1620,[1] with an eight-sided top half and elegant open spire designed by Hendrick de Keyser,[1] featuring a clockwork with four clockfaces and a carillon of bells.
The name of the tower refers to the fact that the guard house on side of it was used to mint coins in the 17th Century. In the Rampjaar ("disastrous year") of 1672, when both England and France declared war on the Dutch Republic and French troops occupied much of the country, silver and gold could no longer be safely transported to Dordrecht and Enkhuizen (where coins were normally minted), so the guard house of the Munttoren was temporarily used to mint coin.
info Wikipedia
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This young hyper active Tern wanted feeding and with all the noise and flapping aound was determined to let everything within half a mile know about it!
I've been trying some shallow depth shots to try and photograph birds in a different way. Spot focus the head., leaving the rest of the birds in varying degrees of soft focus. I freely admit you can get some disastrous results (check my recycle bin) and the image is a lot more abstract than the traditional 'all pin sharp' method
But I kinda like the effect., it conveys motion and action in a 'still' frame. Not to everyone's taste I know., but it's fun to have fun with the camera
Snowy Egrets are beautiful birds with their brilliant white, fluffy plumage and bright yellow feet and facial markings. This one had its mouth open the whole time I was near it, and I wondered if there was something wrong with it that made it unable to close its beak. Egrets hunt by stabbing their prey, so that could be disastrous for this bird. Hopefully it was just reacting to me and showing a bit of alarm over my presence. View large and you can see its skinny tongue!
The impressive Emperor Dragonfly (Anax imperator) is rather appropriately named, for its bulky stature places it firmly in top spot as the largest British Dragonfly. Its naming seems doubly appropriate when witnessing the imperial nature with which this feisty insect goes about its business. It really is big, with the largest individuals topping out at over 8cm, a figure that gives it a legitimate claim for the title of 'UK's largest insect.' The wingspan is even longer, though its lightweight frame denies it top prize in the weight category, bested by some terrestrial insects. Not only are they big, they're fast and have magnificent stamina. This may see them reaching speeds of over 20mph, flying higher and further than the majority of other species and patrolling their territories almost endlessly. The Emperor belongs to a family of medium-large dragonflies, Aeshnidae, loosely known as the 'Hawkers', who all hunt and pursue prey in flight. Both sexes are particularly distinctive, displaying an apple-green thorax and long black line running the length of the abdomen, which is blue in the male, green in the female.
Though the mighty Emperor is large, it would have been dwarfed by some of its ancient ancestors, who prowled the oxygen-rich Carboniferous skies 300 million years ago. By the end of the Permian, around 250 million years back, some of today's familiar taxonomic dragonfly families were already beginning to be formed. This extraordinary lineage marks the dragonflies (Anisoptera) as perhaps the most remarkable winged wonders on the planet. Their evolution has enabled sensational feats of aerial agility, huge flight muscles within the thorax directly connected to their beating wings. As the thorax is quite simply a powerhouse of locomotion, the interior of the exoskeleton is heavily strengthened to withstand the huge forces generated. It's a rather wonderful morphological feature as each wing is carefully controlled by a separate muscle. This results in exquisite flight control, an ability to twist the wings on both upstroke and downstroke providing immediate lift and flawless control. The power generated creates vortexes of 'unsteady airflow' which sound disastrous, but may in fact pave the way for the development of future aircraft. Their mastery of the air has already inspired advances in drone technology and space exploration.
The male Emperor has a supremely territorial nature. He won't just chase away intruders, he'll viciously clash with other Dragonflies in bouts of aerial supremacy. The rasping sounds of their chitinous wings colliding may travel a surprising distance and now is a marvellous time to start observing these titanic battles, typically over larger well-vegetated waterbodies. When not on 'fighter patrol' the Emperor will be chasing down a variety of insects, using its well-positioned legs to catch and hold them up to its mandibles whilst it feasts. It'll rarely alight, though a taste for large butterflies and even other dragonflies means it may have little choice but to stop and eat on occasion. Though an adult Emperor may live for a couple of months or more, it'll spend around ten times longer living underwater as an aggressive predatory larvae. These are as voracious as the adults and will gorge on anything smaller than themselves, including tadpoles and small fish, caught using well-developed eyesight, powerful jaws and an incredible form of underwater 'jet propulsion.' As they spend such a significant time living aquatically, the ongoing conservation of our waterways is key to their continued success. The creation of new wetland habitat, cleaning-up of rivers and warming climate have all contributed to the northward march of the Emperor as it continues to colonise new areas.
Macro Mondays: Music
Okay, let's see. Re-reading of the rules: check. Dimensions: check (I don't have a picture with a ruler, but I did measure before taking the photo). Tags: check. Actual working musical instruments: check (well, sort of; I didn't try to play because it would have been disastrous, but my mum did play it at some point). I hope I haven't forgotten anything (again) this time.
Actually, the cavernous entrance to a showroom of Burano lace in Venice not far from Piazza San Marco. Burano has had a long tradition of needle-lace making. The art died out in the early 19th century but was revived in 1872, with noble patronage, to provide relief for the islanders after a disastrous winter for the fishing industry. Burano lace is highly coveted in Europe. 45.435, 12.341
Three weeks ago I attended a wedding at Lake Tahoe. The skies were smoky, but the water was beautiful. Today the entire area is threatened by yet another disastrous wildfire.
The Biesbosch forms the estuary of two great European rivers, the Meuse and the Rhine. The rivers flow into the sea via the nature conservation area. Due to its location, the Biesbosch is affected by the tides. This means that the water level varies. At flood tide, the seawater holds back the water from the rivers, and the water level is then at its highest. At ebb tide, the river water flows freely to the sea, so that the water level reaches its lowest point. The difference between the highest at lowest water levels in the Biesbosch used to be two metres. Since the Delta Works were constructed, the tidal variation is only 20 centimetres in the Brabantse Biesbosch and 70 centimetres in the Hollandse Biesbosch. Click here for more information about the Delta Works. The water in the Biesbosch is completely fresh. Such fresh water tidal zones are quite rare.
Much of the Biesbosch is covered by water and is therefore lush with sedges and reed beds. A common plant is the marsh marigold, which blooms in the spring. This member of the buttercup family has adapted to the tidal movements. In the willow forests you can find many plants such as stinging nettles, orange balsam, yellow iris, cow parsley, hogweed, enchanter’s nightshade and amaranths growing luxuriantly. The Himalayan Balsam provides a real jungle-like atmosphere. Its pink flowers have a characteristic sweet fragrance.
The various moist and wet parts of the Biesbosch are host to many unusual plants and animals, such as diverse species of water, reed and meadow birds. Kingfishers and bluethroats are important nesting birds. You can also come across great and little egrets nearly everywhere. The abundant plant growth provides for a rich population of insects, with unusual beetles, dragonflies, crickets, moths and butterflies. The beaver is the figurehead of the Biesbosch. About 300 beavers live in over 100 lodges in the area. Beavers are herbivores and their preferred diet consists of tree bast, twigs and willows. The signs of their gnawing are visible throughout the area. The Biesbosch is also home to deer and foxes. Thanks to the increase in small mammals, the numerous geese, and the excellent fish stocks, more birds of prey, such as the osprey and white-tailed eagle have arrived in this area and also breed here.
The ‘Saint Elizabeth Flood’ occurred in 1421. This disastrous flood led to the disappearance of 17 villages. An inland sea stretching from northwest of Dordrecht to southeast of Geertruidenberg was created.
Immediately after the disaster, land fell dry again. The flow of water carried sand and clay, which sank to the bottom. The inland sea became shallower and shallower. Eventually, patches of land emerged from the water at ebb tide and rushes started growing on them. These plants flourish with their roots in the water. People planted extra rushes so they could harvest them. The Biesbosch derives its name from this plant; it means “a forest of rushes”. More land appeared; the roots were less frequently in water, and the rushes were unable to flourish so well. Reeds were able to withstand this condition better and supplanted the rushes, giving rise to vast reed beds. Subsequently, willows started to grow and people used the branches to make furniture and other products. Willows grow better when they get less water, so the people built dikes to prevent the willows being inundated at flood tide.
Circo Massimo, Rome
"This is the Circus that so impressed Dionysius of Halicarnassus, who described it in 7 BC as "one of the most beautiful and admirable structures in Rome" (III.68), measuring approximately 2,037 feet in length and 387 feet in width, and seating 150,000 (contemporary calculations suggest a width of 459 feet). Surrounding the track was the euripus, ten feet wide and ten feet deep, to protect spectators from the wild animals that were exhibited there before the construction of the Colosseum. Outside, says Dionysius, "there are entrances and ascents for the spectators at every shop, so that the countless thousands of people may enter and depart without inconvenience." Inhabited by cooks, astrologers, and prostitutes, it was in this arcade of wooden shops (tabernae) that the disastrous fire of AD 64 broke out during the reign of Nero (Tacitus, Annals, XV). Pliny the Elder considered the Circus to be one of the great buildings in the world, able to seat 250,000 persons (XXXVI.102), which must have included those who were able to view the arena from the slopes of the Aventine and Palatine hills." penelope.uchicago.edu/~grout/encyclopaedia_romana/circusm...
Paseando Por Albi cuya localidad ya he descrito varias veces en fotos anteriores, decidí entrar en la catedral. Un edificio enorme con una altura increíble.
Por mas que abrí mi objetivo al máximo, 17mm. y con un enorme ISO 10.000 pues yo siempre voy sin trípode, conseguí una imagen mas o menos regular en la pantalla de la cámara.
Pero al subirla al ordenador me di cuenta que era una fotografía inservible , con una distorsión de las columnas muy grande y un ruido debido al ISO tan alto, tan grande que hacía imposible su edición y ni siquiera me lo propuse. Pero lo que ocurre es que soy muy testarudo y me propuse intentar algo decente con esta foto desastrosa.
Y poco a poco, limpiando el ruido, arreglando la distorsión, potenciando los colores y el detalle, enfadándome conmigo mismo cuando no me salía y luego de muchos días de reposo y edición, aunque no haya quedado perfecta, si lo suficiente para subirla a Flickr.
Es muy posible y hasta normal, que si no hubiera explicado esto, parecería una foto normal que sale a la primera, pero nada mas lejos de esto.
Es uno de mis retos en la fotografía. Conseguir algo decente de una foto mala.
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Walking through Albi whose location I have already described several times in previous photos, I decided to enter the cathedral. A huge building with an incredible height.
As much as I opened my photographic lens to the maximum, 17mm. and with a huge ISO 10,000 because I always go without a tripod, I got a more or less regular image on the camera screen.
But when uploading it to the computer I realized that it was a useless photograph, with a distortion of the columns very large and a noise due to the ISO so high, so large that it was impossible to edit and did not even set it. But what happens is that I am very stubborn and I set out to try something decent with this disastrous photo.
And little by little, cleaning the noise, fixing the distortion, enhancing the colors and the detail, getting angry with myself when I did not leave and after many days of rest and editing, although it was not perfect, but enough to upload it to Flickr.
And little by little, cleaning the noise, fixing the distortion, enhancing the colors and the detail, getting angry with myself when I did not leave and after many days of rest and editing, although it is not perfect, but enough to upload it to Flickr.
It is very possible and even normal, that if I had not explained this, it would seem like a normal photo that comes out at the first, but nothing is further from this.
It is one of my challenges in photography. Get something decent from a bad photo.
Easterbear has arrived with chocolate eggs for the bears and their mums and dads
EASTER BEAR:
85...86...87.............I miss an egg.
It must be 88
Count again, maybe I did it wrong.
84...85....86...87...........
This is disastrous.
I don't have a chocolate egg for Mummy Marian.
Hmmm...I can cut an egg in half.
John D'Arcy (1785–1839), founder of Clifden, had this house constructed for himself and his family even while he was busy building up the town. The Castle dates from around 1818 and served as the main dwelling of the large D'Arcy family for the next decades. The land surrounding it was among the first drained and reclaimed in the Clifden area by D'Arcy. In 1839, John D'Arcy died and his oldest son, Hyacinth, inherited the estate. However, Hyacinth (1806?–1874) was not as adept as his father at running the family properties and at dealing with his tenants. More disastrously, in 1845 the famine struck. Hunger, starvation and fever incapacitated large numbers of people as the potato crop failed. In desperation, many emigrated. As a consequence, rent income of the D'Arcy's plunged. On 21 September 1846, Hyacinth D'Arcy's tenants gathered en masse on his front lawn, begging for work or food. In the end, the D'Arcy estate went bankrupt and Clifden was one of several D'Arcy properties put up for sale on 18 November 1850.
During the Covid lockdown in the UK I found a beach that was very quiet in the early evenings during the week. I was so pleased to be able to walk by the sea and to feel safe doing so. I found this fence when walking the coastal path above the beach and taking a wrong turn. The fence was unambiguous about sending me back. I’ve had too many disastrous encounters with barbed wire in the past to risk close contact. The flowers were very pretty in the evening light and I took a few photographs before I retraced my steps.