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Csikszentmihalyi (1991) describes engaged reading as a state of total absorption and completely focused motivation. It is a single-minded immersion and represents perhaps the ultimate in harnessing the emotions in the service of performing and learning.
A shaft of sunlight put to good use in one of my local coffee shop.
Sometimes described as Tudor, this beautiful Grade I-listed gatehouse at Lanhydrock actually dates from 1651, two years after King Charles I was executed. The gatehouse was originally attached to the main house, which had an east range and forecourt walls. Those were demolished in about 1780, leaving the gatehouse free-standing. In 1857, the gatehouse was again attached to the house by the low garden walls, designed by George Gilbert Scott.
Lanhydrock House stands in extensive grounds above the River Fowey almost midway between Bodmin and Lostwithiel. It has been owned and managed by the National Trust since 1953. Much of the present house dates back to late Victorian times when it was rebuilt after a major fire, but some sections date from the 17th century.
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The Australian magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen) is a medium-sized black and white passerine bird native to Australia and southern New Guinea. Although once considered to be three separate species, it is now considered to be one, with nine recognised subspecies. A member of the Artamidae, the Australian magpie is placed in its own genus and is most closely related to the black butcherbird (Melloria quoyi). Currawongs have yellow eyes, whereas Magpies have red-brown eyes and Butcherbirds have very dark brown, almost black eyes. It is not, however, closely related to the European magpie, which is a corvid. The adult Australian magpie is a fairly robust bird ranging from 37 to 43 cm in length, with distinctive black and white plumage, gold brown eyes and a solid wedge-shaped bluish-white and black bill. The male and female are similar in appearance, and can be distinguished by differences in back markings. The male has pure white feathers on the back of the head and the female has white blending to grey feathers on the back of the head. With its long legs, the Australian magpie walks rather than waddles or hops and spends much time on the ground. Described as one of Australia's most accomplished songbirds, the Australian magpie has an array of complex vocalisations. It is omnivorous, with the bulk of its varied diet made up of invertebrates. It is generally sedentary and territorial throughout its range. Common and widespread, it has adapted well to human habitation and is a familiar bird of parks, gardens and farmland in Australia and New Guinea. This species is commonly fed by households around the country, but in spring (and occasionally in autumn) a small minority of breeding magpies (almost always males) become aggressive and swoop and attack those who approach their nests.
Noisy miner is a bird in the honeyeater family, and endemic to Australia. It is grey, with a black head, orange-yellow beak and feet, a distinctive yellow patch behind the eye and white tips on the tail feathers. It's a vocal species with a large range of songs, calls, scoldings and alarms, and almost constant vocalisations. They are gregarious and territorial; they forage, bathe, roost, breed and defend territory communally. R_3181
Driving in Vermont on Friday, the radio was full of the recent oval office news. They were describing a shouting match in which from what I could tell only one side was shouting (therefore, not a match) and the other side was merely correcting the lies, misinformation and irrelevancies hurled at them.
I couldn’t help but think of the lyrics of a Dylan song that has often come to my mind in the past 4 weeks. Here are just a couple of verses.
Now, he’s hell-bent for destruction, he’s afraid and confused
And his brain has been mismanaged with great skill
All he believes are his eyes
And his eyes, they just tell him lies
Now he worships at an altar of a stagnant pool
And when he sees his reflection, he’s fulfilled
Oh, man is opposed to fair play
He wants it all and he wants it his way
Now, there’s a woman on my block
She just sit there as the night grows still
She say who gonna take away his license to kill?
There was an excellent performance of this song by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers at “Bobfest” in 1992: www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QDq-fUrpI8
Christ is described at Chora as "Land of the Living"
[Χώρα των ζώντων]
music:
Medieval Byzantine Nativity chant (Kathismata of Christmas).
Title: "Μυστήριο ξένον" (Wondrous Mystery)
Service: Matins of Nativity
Performers: Greek Byzantine Choir
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photo:
inner narthex dome with Genealogy of Christ
from the Cycle of Christ's Infancy and Ministry
Church of the Holy Saviour in Chora, Istanbul
www.columbia.edu/cu/wallach/exhibitions/Byzantium/html/bu...
Chora Museum, Chora Monastery (Contantinople)
Μονή της Χώρας, Μουσείο Χώρας, Κωνσταντινούπολη
Kariye Müzesi, Kariye Camii, Kariye Kilisesi, Istanbul
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chora_Church
www.columbia.edu/cu/wallach/exhibitions/Byzantium/
www.byzantium1200.com/chora.html
www.sacred-destinations.com/turkey/istanbul-st-savior-in-...
www.doaks.org/library-archives/icfa/moving-image-collecti...
Yesterday I described the day in late November when winter hit us, for real, no fooling around. After photographing the Prairie Falcon, I drove deeper into Grasslands Park, until I saw what was coming. It reminded me of an alien amorphous blob out of some 1950s science fiction "B" movie. At that point, I decided it would be wise to turn around.
Driving home - about 90 minutes, no traffic - I was amazed at how quickly the snow accumulated. Road surfaces were good, but visibility was terrible. And then, coming into sleepy little Val Marie, I saw this... and had to stop for a shot.
The thickly falling snow transformed everything. With background details now blocked, I saw this fence and old shed as I'd never seen them before - and I have lived here for more than 15 years. There was an austere beauty everywhere I looked. A world transformed. Welcome to winter!
Photographed in Val Marie, Saskatchewan (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission © 2025 James R. Page - all rights reserved.
"Some books describe the process of metamorphosis as one in which the larva "turns to liquid" and is then completely reorganized into an adult. Nothing could be farther from the truth. As described in the larval development section, many of the adult features begin forming in the larva. However, an immobile pupa stage is required when the larval and adult forms are as different as they are in monarchs. The most dramatic changes that occur in the pupa are the growth of the wings and the development of flight muscles. These things could not occur in an active larva."
from Univ. of Minnesota Monarch Lab, monarchlab.org/biology-and-research/biology-and-natural-h...
Monarch_cat-0725-sc02
Ludlow was described by the poet Sir John Betjeman as "probably the loveliest town in England". The delightful small market town is 28 miles south of Shrewsbury and is near the confluence of the rivers Corve and Teme. The oldest part is the medieval walled town, founded in the late 11th century after the Norman conquest of England. It is centred on a small hill which lies on the eastern bank of a bend of the River Teme. Atop this hill is Ludlow Castle and the parish church, St Laurence's, the largest in the county. From there the streets slope downward to the River Teme, and northward (as here) toward the River Corve. The town is in a sheltered spot beneath Mortimer Forest and the Clee Hills, which are clearly visible from the town. Ludlow has nearly 500 listed buildings, which include some fine examples of medieval and Tudor-style half-timbered buildings. According to British Listed Buildings, the Grade II-listed Bull Hotel on the left has an 18th century front to what is probably a 16th century core.
Older Self Portrait.
_____________________
How do I describe these feelings that I've been feeling these past couple of days?
...Like I am drowning.
Overwhelmed. Drowning in sorrows, worries, emotions & pain.
I'm not 100% sure how to make the pain stop.. It's ripping my heart apart.
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-First, I missed 2 calls from my Aunt on messenger. Then later on this past Saturday evening I got a message from her.. it said, "In hospital with congestive heart failure, been here for 5 days, already, loveyas".
Haven't really spoken to her much since, I believe that she is unable to type. She hasn't called back.. I wish she would. & I have no way to contact her. Then I'm getting more news.. that she's doing worse. And, my heart and mind is racing.. I'm so so worried.. and praying so hard. I just want her to be okay.. I'm praying so hard. Please, I'm begging you all - please say prayers for my Aunt Diane.. (God Mother).. She means so much to me.. And I can't stand that she's going thru this and she's so alone. I'm sure Jack is with her, (I HOPE) - Jack is her other half. But I know that with covid-19, is hospitals, sometimes you cannot have visitors.. So I'm just praying that she's not alone. I'm trying to get her to reach back out to me on messenger.. She's rarely on and when she is.. She's silent. I've heard a couple of things here and there thru family members.. but we're all trying to figure out what's going on. Please just say a prayer or two tonight.. and tomorrow for my Aunt. She's so IMPORTANT TO ME.
-THEN, A couple of days ago, a friend of mine in recovery died. I found out yesterday. When I read a post about it on Facebook, I gasped/yelled so loud in the passenger seat of the car that I scared Juan (my fiancé who was driving) so bad. He was upset that I scared him so bad, but it was unintentional. When he heard what happened, he stopped being upset with me. (I probably almost caused an accident, to be honest.) But, as the shock of everything wears off.. I'm on and off crying. Not to mention the fact that I had a disagreement on Facebook because of a photo I posted of her, in my post. I took the photo down, and apologized. But long story short, I was upset.. and I blocked the person who was a mutual friend & messaged me yelling. I don't even want to get into it.. but that was an upsetting thing last night. It's over, but she remains blocked. I'm sure that we are just both hurting in our own ways, but there's no reason to make things worse by arguing or starting drama.. so I'm just not talking to anyone about it. And I'm done dwelling on it.
We're all very upset about it.. She had quite a few years clean and she was doing VERY WELL. She looked so great.. and she was the kind of person that you look at in recovery and you're so proud of.. and look up to! Not to mention the fact that this girl was such a BEAUTIFUL SOUL.
If you took the time to read what people had to say about her, you would see that there wasn't one bad thing anyone could ever think up. They all said the same things...
- She was so happy/positive/loving and bubbly.
-She never had one bad thing to say about anything and never EVER passed judgement on ANYONE!
-She always went out of her way to listen to everyone's worries.. and make sure that EVERYONE (including strangers) always felt super comfortable, important and happy.
-She was one of those people that everyone just loved to be around.. A smiling face, always.. that you'll always see and never forget - when you hear her name.
-A ball of radiance that was always able to make even the saddest person SMILE & always was there to comfort and give love and a shoulder to everyone she met.
-Jamie was a true walking angel on earth.
..So I guess GOD really needed another amazing angel to stand beside him in the kingdom of heaven.
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All of this was so unexpected and heartbreaking for everyone who has ever even so much as met this girl.
I met her in jail (4 months), rehab (6 months) & halfway house (3 months) = 13 months we lived together.. and transitioned thru the system together. She was someone who always made me feel comfortable during this long and scary process.
I remember when I walked into rehab in Atlantic City, New Jersey.. I was happy to be out of jail.. and nervous at the same time.. Worried and had anxiety.. I didn't think that I knew anyone there.. but I knew that Jamie was there somewhere.. and I kept looking for her. I was in the back room eating a hotdog that an aid brought over from the cafeteria to the house.. and I was sitting in the back living area while they checked me in and looked thru my items.. And all of the women of the house (about 28 women) all came walking into the back room where I was to wait for their cigarettes.. it was after lunch & time for a cigarette break. I really really wanted a cigarette & Juan hadn't yet dropped off my stuff so I didn't have my own cigarettes there yet. Then I heard Jamie's super friendly voice holler to me, "JESS!!" She came running and hugged me. She introduced me to everyone and handed me a cigarette - knowing I just came in and didn't have any yet.
She was always giving people cigarettes there, which is crazy because you only get 5 a day.. 4 packs a month I think it was.. and you really can't afford to give them out.. (they put limits on everything including what you could have dropped off, etc) So anyway, I remember the counslers coming to her and listerally telling her that because she was SO NICE & always giving away her cigarettes.. that she wasn't allowed anymore to give them out. They had to put a stop to it.. because she wouldn't tell someone no.. and she was giving out like 6 per cigarette break.. or more. That's 5 for her a day.. and usually OVER 1 PACK TO OTHER PEOPLE a day.. So the people in charge put a stop to it. Because she was so nice.
& It wasn't that she couldn't say no, she just wouldn't.
People didn't even have to ask, she offered.
She was like that with everything. & Anything.
She always went out of her way to make people laugh and smile.
I have memories of us laughing so hard some of us peed ourselves.. and the thought of those memories that I WON'T get into, make me giggle sooo bad.
I also remember her laying on my bedroom floor and my roommates ironing her hair ( we didn't have straighteners). And talking into the evening..
& Now all I have are a BUNCH of fantastic memories that just make my heart smile.. every time I think about them .. So, I'm not going to think about her and cry.. I'm going to think about her and smile. She wouldn't want us to dwell and cry.. She'd want us all to smile.
RIP Jamie. My beautiful friend/angel on earth/& ANGEL IN HEAVEN NOW.
Please feel free to give me some critique and feedback: Describe the image in terms of your general feeling or impression. Tell me what you like or dislike about the photograph, and why. That could help me a big deal doing better in the future. THANKS!
Leon described the Pep vendosa effect and I had a go with 12 photos all taken more or less from the same spot - I think there is room for improvement ! I think the tree needs more space around it as it seems too crowded and the proper way is to take the tree from all sides. All taken with my iphone as I went out without a card in my camera doh!
IMG_2463 pepvendosa 1400 wborder
Vintage Buster Brown Mary Janes made for a stylish young lady, these vintage shoes were found in North Carolina and may bring back memories for some of you, if not you missed a lot.
Wiki: "Buster Brown was a comic strip character created in 1902 by Richard F. Outcault. Adopted as the mascot of the Brown Shoe Company in 1904, Buster Brown, his sweetheart Mary Jane, and his dog Tige, an American Pit Bull Terrier, were well-known to the American public in the early 20th century. The character's name was also used to describe a popular style of suit for young boys, the Buster Brown suit, that echoed his own outfit"
Described as having all the aesthetic beauty of a suitcase, the Lightning was the Spitfire of its generation and what it lacked in the latters poise and purebred design, it more than made up for in being one of the best all-weather interceptors of all time.
2020 is hard to describe. Perhaps the less said about it the better. It was certainly not the way we anticipated it would turn out this time last year. If we take a golfing metaphor, we've gone from aiming at the flag to landing in the water. After taking a penalty shot (lock downs?), we find ourselves stuck in the sand trap. Will next year see us on the green? We can't be sure.
The best we can do is wish each other well, work together to assist where we can and hope that in the end all will be well. At least that gives us some promise of a better 2021. I'll wish you a Happy New Year tomorrow. For the moment we can reflect on where we find ourselves.
The history of this car was described on a paper that was displayed:
After being owned first by the state, then from 1985-1989 driving as a taxi in Ostrava, it was sold to a private person when the Soviet Union fell. In 1990 it was bought by the current owner, in bad condition. He restored it, modernized it into a 613-3 version (with plastic bumpers) and painted it in this colour. It hasn't seen winter roads since then, but has been used a lot. In 2017 it was painted again.
@Classic car meeting Veteráni v Hobbyparku in Bohumín, CZ.
The Ajanta Caves are 30 rock-cut Buddhist cave monuments dating from the second century BCE to about 480 CE in Aurangabad district (a.k.a. Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar district) of Maharashtra state in India. Ajanta Caves are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Universally regarded as masterpieces of Buddhist religious art, the caves include paintings and rock-cut sculptures described as among the finest surviving examples of ancient Indian art, particularly expressive paintings that present.
Haddon Hall is an English country house on the River Wye near Bakewell, Derbyshire, a former seat of the Dukes of Rutland. In form a medieval manor house, it has been described as the most complete and most interesting house of its period. The origins of the hall are from the late 11th century, with additions at various stages between the 13th and the 17th centuries, latterly in the Elizabethan style.
As an amateur photographer, whose photographic skills have been described by an eminent friend and photographer as ‘sure as the earth is flat, the man can take an awesome image’, I am not always sure what to shoot. Do I go for that iconic spot or shoot something that hasn’t yet set the internet on fire? Like the rest of you outstanding landscape photographers, do I wait for that amazing light or keep shooting in the current bland light cursing all the while in Kodak chrome color? Do I pay attention to rules of photography and expectations of the human mind like a trained artist or do I shoot that Hilly Billy wind blowing over nothing? You see, it is never clear to me, what my role as a photographer exactly is.
But that is not the whole truth. I may not always know what to shoot, but I know what not to miss. Sometimes, certain moments in certain places emit a resonance that shiver my emotions and move me. These snippets of time and space are not always iconic, may not always have the best light or photographic contours, but they leave me speechless and strikingly alive. The Mono Lake dead bush, the dead dream atop the Watson Lake, the Grand Canyon Redwall lime-stone set ablaze by the setting sun, the moon shining through the smoky Yosemite tunnel, or, the milky way caressing Mt. Lassen in utter darkness... these are good examples of such extraordinary resonances. They are like eye-contacts with beautiful strangers that somehow drum up the heartbeat while lasting past that critical fourth second.
And then, there are eye contacts with glamorous eyes where it takes a few second to see past the initial bedazzlement and spot their turbulent and covert pain. The above place – hidden next to a beautiful wash in the Valley of Fire State Park – is one such siren that allured me in with its mind-numbing colors, lines and beauty. After a steep climb, I had a very narrow ledge to shoot this eye-candy from. While doing so, I noticed how this beautiful arch, which is in ruins, was bleeding for ages as pink sand and was resting all its hope on a weak pillar that was almost ready to give up. In contrary to above mentioned places, this place did not leave me speechless and alive. Resonating in a different channel, it instead left me numb and bereft of emotions … just as I feel when I must carry the unbearable within while wearing a lie-smile on the outside.
PS: This shot defies color-depth 'rules' of photography quite arrogantly. Guess what, it's one of those days today when defying something is all I feel like doing. (insert lie-smile) :-]
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Chrysiptera starcki, commonly known as Starck's demoiselle, is a species of damselfish in the family Pomacentridae. It is native to the western Pacific Ocean, where it has been reported from the Ryukyu Islands and Taiwan to Australia, New Caledonia, and Tonga. It was originally described in 1973 as Abudefduf starcki. Starck's demoiselle is blue with a yellow stripe down its back. It grows up to 7 cm in length.
The fish lives around reefs, often in deeper, outer areas, up to 60 metres deep. It lives in crevices in rocky areas. It pairs up to breed and the male guards and tends the eggs. In the wild, Starck's demoiselle will eat plankton (both zooplankton and phytoplankton).
This is a highly desired fish for a saltwater aquarium. Shallow waters are best for the fish. It can be very colorful if fed the correct diet. The minimum aquarium size is 76 L (20 gal). The tank should be decorated with rocks or gravel and should have many hiding places for the fish. It is not a very aggressive fish, but as it gets bigger it may harass smaller, more passive fish. Two of them together in a tank will fight, however. They are very easy to keep in captivity. They will eat many different types of foods in captivity. R_25891
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Water dragonposing in the Sherwood Aboretum.
The genus Physignathus was described by George Cuvier (1769-1832) in 1829 based on the type specimen of the genus; the Green Water Dragon, Physignathus cocincinus of south-east Asia. The name Physignathus translates to "puff-cheek" and refers to the bulging appearance of the throat and lower jaw. Physignathus comprises two recognised species; Physignathus lesueurii and Physignathus concincinus. The specific name lesueurii honours the French naturalist Charles-Alexandre Lesueur (1778-1846) who collected this species on the Baudin expedition of 1800.
Water Dragons are found in eastern Australia as well as southern New Guinea. The Eastern subspecies, Physignathus lesueurii lesueurii, occurs along the east coast of Australia from Cooktown in the north down to the New South Wales south coast (approximately at Kangaroo Valley) where it is replaced with the Gippsland subspecies Physignathus lesueurii howittii, which is distributed as far south and into the Gippsland region of eastern Victoria. There are also at least one anthropologically introduced feral population found in the Mount Lofty Ranges near Adelaide in South Australia. The habitats available to this species differ greatly over its distribution, from tropical rainforest in the north to alpine streams in the south. Water Dragons are completely insectivorous as juveniles, however as they grow they become more omnivorous with vegetable matter gradually making up to almost half of the diet. In the wild Water Dragons have been observed ground feeding on insects such as ants as well as foraging amongst the branches of trees for arboreal invertebrates like cicadas. (Source: Australian Museum)
© Chris Burns 2015
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All rights reserved.
This image may not be copied, reproduced, distributed, republished, downloaded, displayed, posted or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic, mechanical, photocopying and recording without my written consent.
“THE WET” AND “THE DRY” IN THE NORTHERN AUSTRALIAN TROPICS
The Northern Tropics of Australia in the Darwin region are described as having only 2 seasons – the “wet season” (or simply “The Wet”)(broadly November to April) and the “dry season” (or simply “The Dry”) (May to October). There is no local designation of Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter, although it should be noted that some ancient local indigenous calendars describe up to 8 seasons, categorised by not only weather but also flowering and fruiting of edible plants, appearance of migratory animals as food sources, river heights, etc.
While Europeans settled Darwin in the 1860s, indigenous Australians have occupied the area for at least 40,000 years.
In broad terms, the main differences between the Wet and the Dry relate to humidity levels, prevailing wind direction, and (as the names imply) rain, or the absence of rain.
Darwin has no frost, no snow and no hail.
Darwin is also largely flat and unelevated, with few locations exceeding 30 metres above sea level.
Darwin is located 12 degrees south of the equator, in the middle of the cyclone belt.
THE WET – NOVEMBER TO APRIL
During the Wet, temperatures range from a minimum of 27 – 28C overnight (sometimes not dropping below 30C) and 34 – 36C during the day. Humidity levels are in the range of 75 – 95%.
The prevailing monsoon wind direction is from the North West (i.e. from the Timor Sea), except during the frequent storms, which normally come from the South East.
Cyclones (the local name for a typhoon or hurricane) also form during the Wet as part of monsoon trough activity. The wind from a cyclone can come from any direction, depending on the relationship between the cyclone’s eye and the observer’s position.
Rainfall during the Wet approaches 2,000 mm; with the record for a 6 month Wet season period being 3,000 mm. It should be noted that due to quite obvious climatic changes these totals have not been reached in recent years and this may herald a permanent change to the local climate.
In January 2021 Darwin had 750 mm of rain, about average.
Sea temperature during the Wet is around 32C.
THE DRY – MAY TO OCTOBER
During the Dry, temperatures range from a typical minimum of 20 - 21C overnight (on rare occasions dropping to 16C) and 30 -31C during the day. Humidity levels are in the range of 10 - 30%.
The prevailing wind direction is from the South East (i.e. from the direction of the Great Australian Desert); with an occasional light North West sea breeze rising in the late afternoon.
There is virtually no rain between April and October.
Because of the absence of rain, a high bushfire danger exists throughout the area during the Dry, with the highest risk occurring in August and September, before the next Wet season storms occur. During these months, the humidity is very low and the South East winds are at their strongest – up to 30 knots (around 55 km/hr).
Bushfire smoke blows out to sea and causes spectacular sunset effects.
Described as distortion of Central Park in New York (on an immensely larger scale), screwedCITY Central Desert resonates as corrupted heart within the foul arena of this merciless urban turmoil. Countless dark secrets of screwedCITY organized crime have been buried and lost in Central Desert, but every victim is given one final chance for deliverance – there's a good cell phone signal coverage throughout the Desert, so mobsters never fail to drop poor wretched souls with fully functional cell phones. Apart from them, nobody else ever dares to venture that far into the Desert.
Anyway, the irony's on the house – now you may begin to feel desEARTHED...
We had this vulture described as being a Heartburn Vulture. This has caused a problem as I have found no reference whatsoever to a vulture by this named. Perhaps it is a local name or perhaps I struggled with the accent of our guide. However, from what I a`have been able to green on line it is a White-Backed Vulture.
Vultures are struggling at the moment with a declining population right across their African population ranges. One of the big issues is that locals who have taken to controlling the population of larger carnivores that stray onto their land have used poison in the carcass of animals. This has the effect of killing the Hyenas or other large mammals but also it has killed vultures that ingest the poison. Man's expansion for more farming land in sub Saharan Africa is significantly effecting the local wildlife. These White-Backed Vultures and the similar Ruppell's Vultures that coexist with one and other in the area are both now registered as being Critically Endangered.
The lowland nyala or simply nyala is a spiral-horned antelope native to southern Africa. It is a species of the family Bovidae and genus Tragelaphus, previously placed in genus Nyala. It was first described in 1849 by George French Angas. The body length is 135–195 cm (53–77 in), and it weighs 55–140 kg (121–309 lb). The coat is maroon or rufous brown in females and juveniles, but grows a dark brown or slate grey, often tinged with blue, in adult males. Females and young males have ten or more white stripes on their sides. Only males have horns, 60–83 cm (24–33 in) long and yellow-tipped. It exhibits the highest sexual dimorphism among the spiral-horned antelopes. It is not to be confused with the endangered mountain nyala living in the Bale region of Ethiopia.
The nyala is mainly active in the early morning and the late afternoon. It generally browses during the day if temperatures are 20–30 °C (68–86 °F) and during the night in the rainy season. As a herbivore, the nyala feeds upon foliage, fruits and grasses, and requires sufficient fresh water. A shy animal, it prefers water holes rather than open spaces. The nyala does not show signs of territoriality, and individuals' areas can overlap. They are very cautious creatures. They live in single-sex or mixed family groups of up to 10 individuals, but old males live alone. They inhabit thickets within dense and dry savanna woodlands. The main predators of the nyala are lion, leopard and African wild dog, while baboons and raptorial birds prey on juveniles. Mating peaks during spring and autumn. Males and females are sexually mature at 18 and 11–12 months of age respectively, though they are socially immature until five years old. After a gestational period of seven months, a single calf is born.
The nyala's range includes Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Eswatini, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. It has been introduced to Botswana and Namibia, and reintroduced to Eswatini, where it had been extinct since the 1950s. Its population is stable, and it has been listed as of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The principal threats to the species are poaching and habitat loss resulting from human settlement. The males are highly prized as game animals in Africa.
It is hard to describe the impressions. They come from bathing in azure water additionally toned by the sunset reflecting from a massive cream colored cliff hanging above you.
Julianne Waldock who described this species last year measured the holotype as just shy of 8 mm (without spinnerets) which would make this by far the largest peacock spider species and this was one of the reasons I was so keen on finding and photographing this spider. There is a phenomenon called "island gigantism" meaning that the size of an animal isolated on an island often increases dramatically in comparison to their mainland relative. Therefore it would not be unexpected to find a larger than usual Maratus on Middle Island. I asked one of my individuals to hop onto a ruler, looks to me like under 5 mm. Three mm difference does not sound like much but it is huge if you consider the resulting increase in mass, in other words a spider close to 8 mm long would look massive by comparison. Picture this, If its tail end was in the same position as shown above its eyes would be at the right margin of the picture ! All other individuals I found on Middle Island are of similar size, and if that size is typical of the species it makes Maratus caeruleus not the island giant I was hoping to find, and only slightly larger than its mainland relative Maratus avibus. However, I am not disappointed, beautiful animal.
For more info about this species look into the description to the album, and have a look at the other pictures of this species. And if you are not familiar with peacock spiders yet,,watch my videos on YouTube, channel Peacockspiderman www.youtube.com/user/Peacockspiderman Or check out other peacock spiders in my growing collection www.flickr.com/photos/59431731@N05/collections/7215762742...
You may also like the babies, in fact I am sure you will www.flickr.com/photos/59431731@N05/collections/7215764000...
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Another round of lith prints described here... remorseblog.blogspot.com/2022/02/fen-drayton-fog-lith-pri...
"Belas Knap is a neolithic chambered long barrow, situated on Cleeve Hill, near Cheltenham and Winchcombe, in Gloucestershire, England. It is a scheduled ancient monument in the care of English Heritage but managed by Gloucestershire County Council. "Belas" is possibly derived from the Latin word bellus, 'beautiful', which could describe the hill or its view. "Knap" is derived from the Old English for the top, crest, or summit of a hill.
It is a type of monument known as the Cotswold Severn Cairn, all of which have a similar trapezoid shape, and are found scattered along the River Severn. Belas Knap is described in the English Heritage designation listing statement as an "outstanding example representing a group of long barrows commonly referred to as the Cotswold-Severn group"." - From Wikipedia
So after recent forays into what can very tenuously be described as 'artsy' and here you can substitute your own alternative descriptions, possibly using the consonants s, h, t, interspersed with a couple of vowels. I thought I'd get back to more solid ground.
I say solid ground however this was taken during the Beast from the east weekend and 40mph winds made the beach feel anything but solid. I think 1.3 seconds of firmly grasping the stick friend (no, please, that's the tripod) was the longest exposure I was going to make!
Recent uploads have touched on references to Alice falling down rabbit holes, red pills, blue pills and the use of mushrooms, and I don't mean in risotto, heaven forbid, on my stream!
So, anyway I thought we'd give this track an outing. Probably one of the most iconic songs of the psychedelic early 60's, not that I actually witnessed it, I'll have you know.
Grace Slicks voice is just wonderful!
Although he is often described as the first and most influential post-modern artist, the unparalleled scope and diversity of Robert Rauschenberg’s work defies categorization. The acclaimed painter, sculptor, photographer, printmaker and performer was pioneering figure in contemporary art, employing an unusually wide range of mediums, techniques, and subject matter in his practice. Rauchenberg established his unique visual vocabulary early on and soon became known for his use of unexpected techniques and materials. His complex compositions and use of three-dimensional collage blurred the line between painting and sculpture.
“THE WET” AND “THE DRY” IN THE NORTHERN AUSTRALIAN TROPICS
The Northern Tropics of Australia in the Darwin region are described as having only 2 seasons – the “wet season” (or simply “The Wet”)(broadly November to April) and the “dry season” (or simply “The Dry”) (May to October). There is no local designation of Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter, although it should be noted that some ancient local indigenous calendars describe up to 8 seasons, categorised by not only weather but also flowering and fruiting of edible plants, appearance of migratory animals as food sources, river heights, etc.
While Europeans settled Darwin in the 1860s, indigenous Australians have occupied the area for at between 40,000 and 60,000 years.
In broad terms, the main differences between the Wet and the Dry relate to humidity levels, prevailing wind direction, and (as the names imply) rain, or the absence of rain.
Darwin has no frost, no snow and no hail.
Darwin is also largely flat and unelevated, with few locations exceeding 30 metres above sea level.
Darwin is located 12 degrees south of the equator, in the middle of the cyclone belt.
THE WET – NOVEMBER TO APRIL
During the Wet, temperatures range from a minimum of 27 – 28C overnight (sometimes not dropping below 30C) and 34 – 36C during the day. Humidity levels are in the range of 75 – 95%.
The prevailing monsoon wind direction is from the North West (i.e. from the Timor Sea), except during the frequent storms, which normally come from the South East.
Cyclones (the local name for a typhoon or hurricane) also form during the Wet as part of monsoon trough activity. The wind from a cyclone can come from any direction, depending on the relationship between the cyclone’s eye and the observer’s position.
Rainfall during the Wet approaches 2,000 mm; with the record for a 6 month Wet season period being 3,000 mm. It should be noted that due to quite obvious climatic changes these totals have not been reached in recent years and this may herald a permanent change to the local climate.
In January 2022 Darwin had 750 mm of rain, about average.
Sea temperature during the Wet is around 32C.
THE DRY – MAY TO OCTOBER
During the Dry, temperatures range from a typical minimum of 20 - 21C overnight (on rare occasions dropping to 16C) and 30 -31C during the day. Humidity levels are in the range of 10 - 30%.
The prevailing wind direction is from the South East (i.e. from the direction of the Great Australian Desert); with an occasional light North West sea breeze rising in the late afternoon.
There is virtually no rain between April and October.
Because of the absence of rain, a high bushfire danger exists throughout the area during the Dry, with the highest risk occurring in August and September, before the next Wet season storms occur. During these months, the humidity is very low and the South East winds are at their strongest – up to 30 knots (around 55 km/hr).
Bushfire smoke blows out to sea and causes spectacular sunset effects.
Hotel Arctic: Panorama-Terrasse
Hotel Arctic: panoramic terrace
Ilulissat liegt an der Westküste Grönlands und zählt etwa 5.000 Einwohner. Der Name „Ilulissat“ bedeutet auf Grönländisch „Eisberge“, was perfekt zur Umgebung passt: Direkt vor der Stadt treiben gewaltige Eismassen durch die Diskobucht, die vom Jakobshavn Isbræ, einem der aktivsten Gletscher der Welt, stammen. Diese Eislandschaft ist nicht nur visuell beeindruckend, sondern auch UNESCO-Weltnaturerbe, da sie einzigartige Einblicke in die Dynamik des Klimasystems bietet.
Ilulissat is located on the west coast of Greenland and has a population of around 5,000. The name “Ilulissat” means “icebergs” in Greenlandic, which perfectly describes the surroundings: directly in front of the town, enormous ice masses drift through Disko Bay, originating from Jakobshavn Isbræ, one of the most active glaciers in the world. This ice landscape is not only visually impressive, but also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as it offers unique insights into the dynamics of the climate system.
It was November, 2014...
So much to say, so many good things to wish for you all, but most of all, peace and harmony to you and your families. During these days of celebration and cheer, I usually stop and think about this special celebration, and how people show the best that they have inside, unique smiles on everybody's faces, and something else that I can't describe...
Another new year is around the corner, and I can't help to go back and think about the events that took place in it. Some of them brought smiles to my face, but so many others left me really concern...
We can make a better world for future generations to enjoy and leave in peace. Every little thing counts. Remember the ants? They are so small, and yet they can accomplish some much together!
Love and happiness to ONE and ALL!
Martha.
"So this is Christmas
And what have you done
Another year over
And a new one just begun
And so this is Christmas
I hope you have fun
The near and the dear ones
The old and the young..."
( John Lennon )
This adolescent moose has been handing around our neighborhood for a couple of weeks. With the deep snow with a layer of embedded ice is limiting their movement.
I've been told the word "moose" comes from the Algonquin Language that means "Twig Eater". in this shot he's chowing down on twigs.
I always describe the moose here as Clydesdales on stilts. When they are on a road like this you get a sense of how long their legs are.
It looks like a young bull to me.
Determination, inspiration and COLD doesn't even begin to describe how wonderful today was. Surprisingly, I was honestly kind of worried that I wasn't on my game during this shoot. We were both so cold taking breaks every 5 minutes to jump back into the car. I took a lot less photos than I usually do because I only wanted to do a few specific things per outfit. We ended up getting some absolutely fantastic photos as an outcome! This lady is so dedicated. Not only did she bare with being in the very cold temperatures, she also came all the way from Indiana and drove 2.5 hours to do so! Always so honored when people do that. Kourtney and I already have a million other ideas up our sleeves and I cannot wait to collaborate with her again when it is WARM!
5d mark ii + 50mm 1.4
I always have a hard time describing the color of Ripley's coat - it's not orange, it's not rust, it's not brown . . . today I figured out the best way to describe it is "like the colors of fall."
Also an update - I am not done with my renovation yet, but what is left might have to wait until spring since the weather is not cooperating. I also started a new job a few weeks ago since the company I had been with for 12 years was being sold. It has been a very busy and stressful time, but hopefully the worst of it is now over and I can get back to doing more of what I love - taking photos!
Isabelline describes a fawn colouration and appears in the names of two birds on the British List; Isabelline Shrike and Isabelline Wheatear. I remember reading years ago that the name came from Archduchess Isabella, daughter of Philip II of Spain who vowed not to change her linen until Ostend was taken, but this lasted three years (1601-4) and the colour of her unwashed linen became fashionable. However, this link has been proved wrong as an inventory of Queen Elizabeth I describes a gown of isabella colour in 1600, so the word pre-dates the siege of Ostend. The most likely origin is Queen Isabel I of Castile and Spain (reigned 1474-1504) who also apparently vowed not to change her undergarments until Spain was freed from the Moors, which happened in 1492.
Isabelline Wheatear breeds in grassy steppe habitat from eastern Greece through Turkey, Ukraine right across the Russian steppes as far as Inner Mongolia and NE China. They winter in Pakistan, the Arabian peninsula and NE Africa. There have been about thirty records in Britain, usually juveniles in autumn. Both sexes look like a robust, upright juvenile Wheatear but with a broader black tail band, shown beautifully here by this displaying bird. I photographed this singing male on breeding territory in Turkey where its sandy plumage blended in well with the habitat.
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攝影曾經被描述為用光來做畫。
Photography was once described as painting with light.
- Anonymous
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● Non-HDR-processed / Non-GND-filtered
● Black Card Technique 黑卡作品
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✖ A NOTE TO SOME ADMINS ✖
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Please don't bother to invite me to post and share my works in your group if you insist on asking an invited guest to award or comment, for I consider it impolite and rude and even insulting. I am not being unreasonable and a bad sport; it's always unacceptably unpleasant to be banned from a group or rejected to join a group after HAVING been invited to join a group for being accused of not having followed the group rules, especially when you are invited to share your works.
When I spontaneously post any images in any groups, I always follow group rules to comment or award, because it is out of my own will to post and I know its my obligation to go by the book. So when asked to be a guest to share my photos, I think I deserve something better than a ban in return.
If I had to describe what the climate was like in the Great Lakes Region, I would use these two shots from Whitewater.
On January 29th southern Wisconsin was hit with frigid temps and a stiff wind. Daytime air temperatures in the area reached a high of 6 degrees with gusts up to 25 MPH (so you can imagine what the windchill was like). Local news stations recommended people stay indoors. But with two good trains running in the area, that wasn't gonna happen from me.
Due to the low temperatures, the entire railroad was slammed with a cold weather restriction which meant that track speeds were knocked down to 10 MPH. So while this move left Waukesha with the sun a little too far east, the turtle-like pace gave more than enough time for the sun to swing further west.
So here I was, almost six months to the date, standing on the Highway 12 overpass, shooting another T004R restricted to 10 MPH with the air temps nearly 100 degrees colder than in the other photo. Now if that doesn't sum up the climate around here, then I don't know what does.
Coming up beyond belief
On this coronary thief
More than just a white motif
More chaotic, no relief
I'll describe the way I feel
Weeping wounds that never heal
Can the savior be for real
Or are you just my seventh seal?
No hesitation, no delay
You come on just like special K
Just like I swallowed half my stash
I never ever want to crash
No hesitation, no delay
You come on just like special K
Now you're back with dope demand
I'm on sinking sand
Gravity
No escaping gravity
Gravity
No escaping... not for free
I fall down... hit the ground
Make a heavy sound
Every time you seem to come around
I'll describe the way I feel
You're my new Achilles heel
Can this savior be for real
Or are you just my seventh seal?
No hesitation, no delay
You come on just like special K
Just like I swallowed half my stash
I never ever want to crash
No hesitation, no delay
You come on just like special K
Now you're back with dope demand
I'm on sinking sand
Gravity
No escaping gravity
Gravity
No escaping... not for free
I fall down... hit the ground
Make a heavy sound
Every time you seem to come around
No escaping gravity
Rock Choir is described as being the United Kingdom's original, and the world's largest, contemporary choir. ... Rock Choir offers teenagers and adults the chance to sing contemporary songs without the need to audition, read music or have any previous singing experience.
Rock Choir is described as being the United Kingdom's original, and the world's largest, contemporary choir. It holds three Guinness World Records – 'biggest hit act in the UK', 'largest musical act to release an album and 'largest song and dance routine held at multiple locations'. Rock Choir offers teenagers and adults the chance to sing contemporary songs without the need to audition, read music or have any previous singing experience. In November 2017 it had more than 25,000 members rehearsing in 400 locations throughout the UK. In August 2011, Coutts Woman Magazine described Rock Choir as "a community singing phenomenon that is sweeping the country," and "one of Britain's biggest brands.
Street performance Taunton, Somerset, England. December 2021.
(synthetic raffia) --- --- Ed Rossbach (Chicago, 1914 – Berkeley, California, October 7, 2002) was an American fiber artist. His career began with ceramics and weaving in the 1940s, but evolved over the next decade into basket making, as he experimented playfully with traditional techniques and nontraditional materials such as plastic and newspaper.
Rossbach explored the possibilities of fiber as a material, both on an off the loom. He was strongly influenced by ethnic textiles, including basketry, and often combined ethnic techniques with contemporary materials such as plastic and newspaper. His explorations of three-dimensional forms and basketry as an art form challenged the accepted boundaries of what could be done with craft materials and led to him being considered the "father of contemporary baskets". He has been described as "transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary". (Wikipedia)
I have described the outside of the castle, but not the inside, so here goes! The keep had (but no longer has) a vaulted cellar with an external door, the only internal communication to and from which, must have been a trap-door in the ceiling. Above this was a room that Tranter describes as a sleeping room for the garrison, above which again was the laird's apartment on the 3rd floor, reached by the outside stair. From the laird's apartment, a narrow mural stair led down to the barrack room and another led up to the battlements - an inconvenient arrangement every time the guard changed during the night!
Both this room and the room below it were divided by an internal loft, which was probably used as a sleeping platform.
The parapet wall is unusual because it appears to be almost impossible to see over it! There are two crenels (the 'windows' in a battlement) on the east side (which faces the courtyard), one on the north side, and none on the sides shown here - the west and south sides. I don't know exactly how high the parapet wall is, but based on where the drainage holes at its base are, it would appear to be at least head height. The two crenels on the east side are high enough to have lintels over them.
During the Industrial Revolution, the heavy industry that mined the coal and used it in foundries and steel mills also turned the air and buildings black. This added to the notion of the Black Country.
In 1862, Elihu Burritt, the American consul in Birmingham, described the region as "black by day and red by night", with the red coming from glowing furnaces. This inspired the use of black and red on the Black Country flag, whose design also reflects the local industries making chains and glassware.
The anchors and chains for the Titanic were manufactured at Netherton in the Black Country.
Font: Birmingham Mail