After the reunion, they were in no condition to drive.

Featuring lots of cool stuff from 8f8. Thanks iBi for being one of the best designers on SL.

Also: Kunsteiner Beer!

Sh 2-155 (also designated Caldwell 9, Sharpless 155 or S155, or LBN529) is a diffuse nebula in the constellation Cepheus, within a larger nebula complex containing emission, reflection, and dark nebulosity. It is widely known as the Cave Nebula, though that name was applied earlier to Ced 201, a different nebula in Cepheus. Sh 2-155 is an ionized H II region with ongoing star formation activity, at an estimated distance of 725 parsecs (2400 light-years) from Earth.

Sh 2-155 was first noted as a galactic emission nebula in 1959 in the extended second edition of the Sharpless catalogue, being a part of the much larger Cep OB3 Association. Although Sh 2-155 is relatively faint for amateur observation, some of its structure may be seen visually through a moderately sized telescope under dark skies. (Wikipedia)

__________________________________________________

Mount: SkyWatcher HEQ5 Pro

Guiding: ZWO ASI 120MM Mini USB 2.0 Mono Camera - Orion 50mm Guide Scope

Filter: Astronomik CLS CCD EOS APS-C Clip-Filter

Camera: Canon EOS 70D (full spectrum modified)

Askar 80 PHQ F7.5 Quadruplet Astrograph Telescope

Focal length: 600mm

Astronomik CLS CCD Clip Filter

ISO 800 - f7.5

8 hours total Integration

Single frame: 180 sec

Darks: 20 frames

Flats: 20 frames

Bios: 20 frames

DarkFlats: 20 frames

Bortle 5/6

Lunar: 100% on 4 hours data

Apps: N.I.N.A. > PHD2 > ASCOM > EQMOD

PixInsight > Photoshop >

RC Astro: StarXTerminator > NoiseXTerminator > BlurXTerminator >

Excerpt from www.stcatharines.ca/en/building-and-renovating/resources/...:

343 Merritt Street

Former Merritton Town Hall

Constructed in 1879 by James MacDonald, the former Town Hall building has undergone many changes and served a variety of purposes and activities. The building was designed by William B. Allan and constructed using local sandstone on the exterior. At various times, it has housed a community centre, mechanics institute, library, post office, school board offices, fire and police station and the municipal offices of Merritton until amalgamation in 1960. The building itself is a rectangular structure made of local sandstone and is described as Victorian architecture. It has many interesting design features such as contrasting quoins, a stinger belt course, and radiating arch voussoirs over the windows and doors. The most distinct feature, a projecting bell tower, comprises a great amount of detail stone work and an interesting shape roof. The hip roof is trimmed with a boxed cornice with a frieze and brackets. The front double doors have a fan transom and are inset in the centre of the bell tower.

Chichén Itzá

ancient city, Mexico

Chichén ItzáChichén Itzá, Yucatán, Mexico, designated a World Heritage site in 1988.

Chichén Itzá, ruined ancient Maya city occupying an area of 4 square miles (10 square km) in south-central Yucatán state, Mexico. It is thought to have been a religious, military, political, and commercial center that at its peak would have been home to 35,000 people. The site first saw settlers in 550, probably drawn there because of the easy access to water in the region via caves and sinkholes in limestone formations, known as cenotes.

Chichén Itzá is one of the new Seven Wonders of the World.

Chichén Itzá is located some 90 miles (150 km) east-northeast of Uxmal and 75 miles (120 km) east-southeast of the modern city of Mérida. The only source of water in the arid region around the site is from the cenotes. Two big cenotes on the site made it a suitable place for the city and gave it its name, from chi (“mouths”), chen (“wells”), and Itzá, the name of the Maya tribe that settled there. Chichén Itzá was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1988.

Chichén Itzá: El CaracolEl Caracol (“The Snail”), an observatory at Chichén Itzá, Yucatán, Mexico.

Chichén was founded about the 6th century ce, presumably by Maya peoples of the Yucatán Peninsula who had occupied the region since the Pre-Classic, or Formative, Period (1500 bce–300 ce). The principal early buildings are in an architectural style known as Puuc, which shows a number of divergences from the styles of the southern lowlands. These earliest structures are to the south of the Main Plaza and include the Akabtzib (“House of the Dark Writing”), the Chichanchob (“Red House”), the Iglesia (“Church”), the Casa de las Monjas (“Nunnery”), and the observatory El Caracol (“The Snail”). There is evidence that, in the 10th century, after the collapse of the Maya cities of the southern lowlands, Chichén was invaded by foreigners, probably Maya speakers who had been strongly influenced by—and perhaps were under the direction of—the Toltec of central Mexico. These invaders may have been the Itzá for whom the site is named; some authorities, however, believe the Itzá arrived 200 to 300 years later.

In any event, the invaders were responsible for the construction of such major buildings as El Castillo (“The Castle”), a pyramid that rises 79 feet (24 meters) above the Main Plaza. El Castillo has four sides, each with 91 stairs and facing a cardinal direction; including the step on the top platform, these combine for a total of 365 steps—the number of days in the solar year. During the spring and autumnal equinoxes, shadows cast by the setting sun give the appearance of a snake undulating down the stairways. A carving of a plumed serpent at the top of the pyramid is symbolic of Quetzalcóatl (known to the Maya as Kukulcán), one of the major deities of the ancient Mesoamerican pantheon. Excavations within the nine-platform pyramid revealed another, earlier structure containing a red jaguar throne studded with jade.

Senate Concurrent Resolution No.3 of the 1927 legislative session designated the mockingbird as the State Bird of Florida. Not only a Florida favorite, it is the State Bird of Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas.

Mockingbirds are known for their ability to imitate sounds that they hear. In fact, in addition to their uncanny ability to replicate the songs of other birds, they can make sounds similar to a cat’s meow, a dog’s bark, a frog’s chirping and even a human’s vocals.

It has been said that they can even mimic some mechanical noises such as a fence gate squeaking. Throughout their life, they continue to acquire new sounds. They are avid singers and may continue well into the night with their varying sounds.

The mockingbird flourishes in developed, suburban areas, because of its fondness of mowed lawns. It also thrives in land developed for agriculture, as fruit is a favorite part of the mockingbird diet.

Mockingbirds are natural pest controllers, consuming large quantities of beetles, ants, wasps, and grasshoppers. By eating a variety of berries and other fruits, they also assist plants by dispersing seeds. And their beautiful singing is an invaluable accompaniment to suburban life in South Florida.

Mockingbirds are extremely territorial and become defensive against potential predators. If you or your child or pet approaches a nest, either knowingly or otherwise, the mockingbird will defend its nest by swooping and chasing the intruder. No known harm has resulted in attacks from mockingbirds. This behavior is temporary and will only continue for as long as there are hatchlings in the nest (about two weeks). It is best to avoid the nesting area during this short period. As a songbird it is protected by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and cannot be physically harmed, nor can the habitat be molested in any way.

I found this one along Joe Overstreet Road in Osceola County, Florida.

Excerpt from discoverbelleville.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/COB-Heri...:

6 Willard Street (designated 1985):

Built 1849; single storied with a central doorway and one large window on each side. The facade features stone lintels, bush hammered with a chiseled margin, over the door and windows. The window sills are also bush hammered. Below the hipped roof is a dentil-like row of rowlocks, alternately projecting and flush with the brick walls. Wooden brackets under the eaves have been removed and are in storage for replacement at an appropriate time. The off-centre stone kitchen at the rear was probably built at the same time as the brick portion. It features a cooking fireplace at the west end. Walls and ceiling of this wing are wood panelling with a chair rail.

Excerpt from www.milton.ca/en/business-and-development/resources/Appen...:

82 Charles Street: The single two-storey Flemish brick house was built in 1855 and is complemented with three bays, above ground basement, upper level door, balcony and quoins. This house was built for Dr. Clarkson Freeman, M.D. who had become Coroner for Halton County in 1857 and was elected Mayor of the Town of Milton (1870 to 1872). The T.C. Livingstone map of 1858 indicates only a one storey structure, the second storey being added later. The architectural and historical merits and unique porch design of the residence adds a significant presence at the intersection of Sarah and Charles Street in the core of Milton's older residential area. Noteworthy are the low hip roof with centre gable , a combination of flat windows with brick voussoirs, plain stone lug sills, shaped lintels, keystones, moulded wood doorway with brick voussoir and an open porch and wood railing with decorative carvings, piers and stone stairs and painted floral trim.

Key Largo is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Monroe County, Florida, United States, located on the island of Key Largo in the upper Florida Keys. The population was 12,447 at the 2020 census, up from 10,433 in 2010. The name comes from the Spanish Cayo Largo, or "long key". It is both the first island and town of the Florida Keys to be reached from the Overseas Highway to Key West. It was also the location of one of the stations of the Overseas Railroad.

Key Largo is located at 25°6′24″N 80°25′48″W (25.106637, -80.429917). It shares the island of Key Largo with Tavernier to the southwest and North Key Largo to the northeast. U.S. Route 1, the Overseas Highway, runs the length of the community, leading north 57 miles (92 km) to Miami and southwest 97 miles (156 km) to Key West.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 15.2 square miles (39 km2), of which 12.0 square miles (31 km2) are land and 3.2 square miles (8.3 km2), or 20.96%, are water.

Key Largo is the location of the first undersea park in the United States, established in 1963, and called the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park (located at Mile Marker 102). The park is primarily offshore and stretches 3 miles (5 km) into the Atlantic Ocean and is 25 miles (40 km) long. Adjacent to this is the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary covering 178 square nautical miles. Both areas were designed to protect marine life, including the extensive coral reefs in the area.

Credit for the data above is given to the following website:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Key_Largo,_Florida

© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.

revisited

Helpers in a rare appearance at the rear of a train.

The first SD45 that began MRL's fleet of these Loco types.

351 came to the railroad in a group of eight former Burlington Northern 45's from Helm Leasing in 1989. The only one rebuilt in and designated as an SD45M in 1991.

The ACe's sent the majority of their kind to the deadline after 2005.

6-13-10

There is a lot of new about this old place. This photo of a massive bridge was taken on my first trip to the New River Gorge National River, which is now designated as a new national park. The New River Gorge National Park and Preserve in West Virginia has already been announced in the media as our newest park but I think it will officially operate under the banner of one in the first few weeks of 2021.

Remember that Covid stimulus bill that passed into law at the end of December 2020? The massive legislation had tucked into it a provision that made the New River Gorge into a national park and preserve.

(This was posted Jan. 11, 2021.)

Airports these days have designated areas to regather one’s belongings and wits after security check-ins. Such areas also exist in nature, but on a grander and primal scale. Rishabh and I were at such a recombobulation area the other month, where deep time is trapped in delicate fibers of life on Isle Royale islands.

Isle Royale is a remote archipelago of 400+ islands surrounded by cold waters of Lake Superior. Indigenous Ojibwe refer to Isle Royale as Minong, ‘the good place’. Minong punctuates the otherwise endless lake as parallel chains of fringing, fingerlike promontories (islands). The bedrock, made of thick layers of flood basalt from old lava flows and sedimentary rocks, is tiled southeast, scooping as a syncline to form the Lake Superior basin. The jutting end of the basin (fold), that sticks out of water as islands of Isle Royale, was clawed and sculped by icy gnawing of four glacier periods, the recent one being only 12,000 years ago. Today, most of the island landmass is verdant with hardy plants. But the shorelines, which hold little water due to their inclination, are rocky and bare. As if, the land bares itself on these shores to be caressed eternally by lapping waves of the motherly lake.

On this day, we came across the above view during our hike back from the Scoville Point on the Stoll Memorial Trail. The legion of clouds was scattered that late afternoon as if it lacked leadership to form organized battlelines. The sun made its way through cracks in this porous army and set up theatrical lightning for an aboriginal play to unveil. We took our seats. Unlike their oceanic counterparts, waves of Lake Superior were unrushed and attended the rocks tenderly. These rocks have been forever in melee with elements; broiled in summers and frost-bitten in atrocious northerly winters. At first glance, these battled-hardened rocks appeared heavily amygdaloidal (rock cavities filled with different minerals to form dotted patterns). A patient inspection however, revealed them as homestead for an ancient pioneer couple, the lichen.

There were lichens of many colors that painted these shores in multi-chrome. Lichens are colorful beings after all. The alga in the lichen is the sorcerer alchemist who converts air and light into sugar, whereas the fungus dissolves rocks to nourish the partnership with essential salts and minerals. Interdependence. Scientist have noted that the algae and fungi do not engage each other in laboratories when conditions are of abundance. But when resources become limiting and food becomes scarce, they rely on each other, enter a primordial partnership, and behave as a single entity, the lichen. To live on, interdependence supersedes independence. I leaned in close. These inclined rocks cannot hold rainwater, but they hold life. Frail actors of fragile life here dissolve in each other and create a sum that is bigger than the parts. Recombobulation!

It was time to head back. The only restaurant here served dinner until 7:00pm and we were an hour away. Gathering my gear and thoughts, I smiled. Until the glaciers come again in an inevitable future ice age, the order of things outside and within felt harmoniously reoriented here in Minong, the recombobulation place.

Trying to capture a flitting and darting Zebra Longwing Butterfly with a handheld long lens can be very challenging and frustrating. My shooting ratio (attrition rate) for this "chase" is 20:1. Arggggh! :(

The Zebra Longwing, Heliconius charitonia (Linnaeus), was designated the state butterfly of Florida in 1996.

.

CSXT Framingham based local L004 has been on duty more than three hours and is just now starting north. They are technically still inside the Framingham Yard limits as they trundle northbound on the Fitchburg Branch at about MP QBU35.6. The entirety of the branch is designated as Other Than Main Track with this local operating at Restricted Speed but not exceeding 10 MPH the whole way making for an agonizingly long round trip.

The two ex Chessie GP40-2s are crossing the short deck girder bridge over the Foss Reservoir/Sudbury River with a big train of more than 30 cars. Have you ever driven the Mass Pike in the Framingham area and looked over your shoulder to the south and seen a grafitti covered bridge and wondered what train crosses it? Well now you know, because the eastbound lanes of I90 are just 100 or so ft to the left of the train. a

This trackage dates from 1855 when the Agricultural Branch Railroad opened between Framingham and Northborough. In July 1866, the railroad opened a 14-mile extension to a connection with the Fitchburg and Worcester Railroad at Pratts Junction in Sterling. The next dozen years were rather convoluted as many small independent lines began to congeal into larger systems and by 1879 the route was part of the Old Colony Railroad, then ultimately came into the fold of the New York, New Haven, & Hartford in 1893.

This line, like its sister route to Lowell, was one of only three incursions of the NH north of the defacto "Mason Dixon Line" of New England Railroading into what otherwise was the exclusive domain of the Boston and Maine. For virtually a century, with few exceptions, the NH ruled CT and RI and everything in MA south of New York Central's Boston & Albany subsidiary which ran in a virtual straight line between its namesake cities bifurcating New England.

Today this 30 mile route meandering northwest is the last CSXT owned branchline in Massachusetts, with all the rest of any length that they still operate having been sold to MassDOT. The branch seems to have a solid future thanks to the addition of a busy new demolition debris customer near the end of the line in Leominster a few years ago supplementing stalwarts like Ken's Foods, Nucor, and Bestway Lumber.

Framingham, Massachusetts

Monday May 12, 2025

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Patrick%27s_Chapel,_Heysham

St Patrick's Chapel is a ruined building that stands on a headland above St Peter's Church, in Heysham, Lancashire, England (grid reference SD409616). It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade I listed building,[1] and is a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

Description

The ruin dates from the 8th or 9th century, and is built of sandstone rubble.[1] The plan is a plain slightly tapering rectangle measuring 27 feet 6 inches (8 m) by 9 feet (3 m).[3] Consolidation work was carried out in 1903 using stone tiles. Most of the south wall, the east gable wall, and the east part of the north wall are still present. The south wall contains a doorway with long-and-short jambs and an arch with concentric grooves.[1] Near the chapel is a group of six rock-cut tombs and a separate group of two rock-cut tombs. Each group is listed at Grade I, and each tomb has an associated socket probably intended for a timber cross.[4][5]

Archaeology

In 1977 an excavation took place in and to the south of the chapel, which dated the site to the late 6th or early 7th century. The buried skeletons uncovered were dated as no earlier than the 10th century. A further excavation took place in April 1993 on land below the stone coffins. No human bones were found but more than 1,200 artefacts were recovered, which showed that the site had been occupied about 12,000 years ago.

Pokfulam Country Park and the Pokfulam Reservoir

Designated in 1979, the Pokfulam Country Park is a 270-hectare sylvan sanctuary encompassing the Pokfulam Reservoir. The reservoir, completed in 1863, is the oldest water storage facility on Hong Kong Island. This picturesque country park is set in the foothills of Victoria Peak. In the valley, Stage 1 of the Hong Kong Trail begins its scenic route along Harlech Road. There is a spectacular view of Victoria Harbour. On weekends and holidays, the circular hill path that trails along Lugard Road and Harlech Road is a favourite hike for Peak visitors. From here, you can walk down to the verdant Pokfulam valley, where lush woodlands and placid water to keep you cool even on the hottest day.

Strolling along the wooded path, you are greeted by beautiful landscape of hills and waters, with views across Island South, the Pokfulam Reservoir and surrounding forests. Pokfulam Country Park is very popular with morning walkers. At dawn when the air is fresh, people come here to jog, walk, exercise or simply to see familiar faces. To nearby residents, this green haven is a cherished back garden.

薄 扶 林 郊 野 公 園 , 薄 扶 林 水 塘

薄 扶 林 郊 野 公 園 在 一 九 七 九 年 成 立 ， 面 積 達 二 百 七 十 公 頃 ， 由 環 繞 薄 扶 林 水 塘 的 土 地 組 成 。 該 水 塘 於 一 八 六 三 年 建 成 ， 為 港 島 首 個 落 成 的 水 塘 。 公 園 環 抱 太 平 山 ， 景 色 怡 人 ， 同 時 為 港 島 徑 第 一 段 的 起 點 ， 沿 夏 力 道 而 行 ， 維 港 景 色 盡 收 眼 底 ， 因 此 每 逢 假 日 ， 盧 吉 道 及 夏 力 道 的 環 山 小 徑 ， 前 來 山 頂 遊 覽 的 人 士 絡 繹 不 絕 ； 從 山 頂 小 徑 走 到 綠 油 油 的 薄 扶 林 谷 ， 更 可 觀 賞 風 光 明 媚 的 薄 扶 林 水 塘 。

在 港 島 南 區 ， 薄 扶 林 水 塘 與 翠 綠 林 蔭 ， 相 映 成 湖 光 山 色 的 優 美 景 致 ， 悠 然 漫 步 ， 別 有 一 番 風 味 。 不 少 晨 運 人 士 ， 每 天 大 清 早 均 到 公 園 呼 吸 新 鮮 空 氣 ， 或 緩 步 慢 跑 ， 或 舒 展 筋 骨 ， 或 閒 談 ， 各 適 其 適 。 因 此 ， 薄 扶 林 郊 野 公 園 可 說 是 區 內 許 多 市 民 心 目 中 的 後 花 園 。

Please view in large size^^

The Niagara River is an Important Bird Area for many migratory and overwintering water birds and gulls thanks to the open water.

The former Toronto Power Generating Station in the distance, was built in 1906, to supply power to?... if you guessed Toronto you would be correct! It is closed now, since 1974, but is designated as a national historical site.

Excerpt from dictionaryofarchitectsincanada.org/node/1775:

PROUDFOOT, William (1851-1925) was active as a builder and an architect, and one of the first in the Muskoka region of central Ontario to design and construct buildings to his own plans. Born in London Township, near London, Ont. In 1851, he moved to Huntsville after 1870, then relocated to Rochester, N.Y. where he learned the building trade by working for his uncle John Hunt. He then returned to Huntsville after 1882 and began work as a builder, contractor and lumber dealer. By 1890 he had begun to style himself as a master builder and architect, offering to prepare plans and to construct a variety of buildings including residences, schools, churches, hotels and commercial buildings. The latter were often executed in plain Romanesque Revival style, but his elaborate plans for residences were prepared in the fashionable Queen Anne or Eastlake style, and his skill as a carpenter and builder was carried through to the interiors where his curved wooden staircases are a recognizable and significant element. Proudfoot also served local government as a councillor for the Village of Huntsville, and later as a school board trustee. Proudfoot died at Huntsville on 19 September 1925.

The aqueduct was designated part of the Segovia World Heritage site in 1985.

El acueducto fue designado parte del sitio del Patrimonio Mundial de Segovia en 1985.

Segovia (Comunidad autónoma de Castilla y León). Spain

es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acueducto_de_Segovia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aqueduct_of_Segovia

The property was designated a heritage site by the City of Stratford in 1987 for its association with Annie Macpherson, founder of the Match Box Makers mission for impoverished children in 1866. Born in Scotland, Macpherson was appalled by the conditions in which children in London were living. An estimated 100,000 children were sent abroad in the hope they would have a better life.

Mam Tor is a 517 m (1,696 ft) hill near Castleton in the High Peak of Derbyshire, England. Its name means "mother hill", so called because frequent landslips on its eastern face have resulted in a multitude of "mini-hills" beneath it. These landslips, which are caused by unstable lower layers of shale, also give the hill its alternative name of Shivering Mountain. In 1979, the continual battle to maintain the A625 road (Sheffield to Chapel en le Frith) on the crumbling eastern side of the hill was lost when the road officially closed as a through-route, with the Fox House to Castleton section of the road being re-designated as the A6187.

The hill is crowned by a late Bronze Age and early Iron Age univallate hill fort, and two Bronze Age bowl barrows. At the base of the Tor and nearby are four show caves: Blue John Cavern, Speedwell Cavern, Peak Cavern and Treak Cliff Cavern where lead, Blue John, fluorspar and other minerals were once mined.

Looking from Ranier, Minnesota into Fort Frances, Ontario, a stack track crosses the famed cantilever bridge over the Rainy River at the top of the CN Rainy Subdivision. The train is a moment from passing the international boundary, and you can see a small sign on the bridge deck that designates the exact spot. The wind is blowing like crazy today with occasional whitecaps on the water. Snow is about to start flying, too, making for some typical yet wacky weather.

The bridge is a historic structure spanning Rainy River and built in 1908. The structure lifts similar to the motion of a rocking chair adding to the uniqueness of the bridge. It played a key role in bootlegging activity during Prohibition. The nearby Cantilever Distillery & Hotel acts as a tribute to the local history and the role of the bridge in American history.

First used as a campus museum.

The Nott Memorial is an elaborate 16-sided stone-masonry building which serves as both architectural and physical centerpiece of Union College in Schenectady, New York. Dedicated to Eliphalet Nott, president of Union for a remarkable sixty-two years (1804–1866), the 110-foot (34 m) high by 89-foot (27 m) wide structure is a National Historic Landmark.

Officially designated Nott Memorial Hall but referred to by generations of students and faculty simply as "The Nott" or "The Nipple" (sometimes "The Nipple of Knowledge"), the building's centrality and initial design trace back to Josef Ramee's 1813 conception of the school grounds, the first planned college campus in the United States.

The Memorial was designed by Edward Tuckerman Potter, architect of area churches and homes, alumnus of the college, and grandson of President Nott. Construction began in 1858 and was completed in 1879. The result is one of very few 16-sided buildings in the world.

For nearly a century the Nott was mostly open inside. In 1961 the college moved its bookstore into the basement and configured the first two floors into theater in the round. The upper floors were eventually closed off and fell into disrepair.

In 1993 the college began a complete renovation of the Nott, restoring it to its original design. The award-winning project was undertaken by noted Boston based architecture firm Finegold Alexander + Associates Inc and carried out by A.J. Martini, Inc., contractors.[3] The bookstore and theater were moved to other locations on the campus, and in 1995 the Nott reopened on the celebration of Union's 200th anniversary.

... for Canada Geese? lol

Designated one of Oregon's 7 Wonders, the place has become very popular; by 8:00AM hundred[s] of rock climbers stream in. I try to be there before they arrive!!!!

Excerpt from niagaragreenbelt.com:

Helen Gibson House

Local quarryman and builder, W.F. Gibson, built the first two cement block homes in Grimsby at 14 and 16 Robinson Street South in 1912. In 1921, Mr. Gibson completely rebuilt 14 Robinson Street South.

The building was reconstructed in the classical Georgian style with its long sharply pitched roof, internal chimney, symmetrical facade and centre hall layout. Plaster and stucco were then applied to the cement block. Both of these homes remain as private residences.

Excerpt from miyajima.or.jp/english/spot/spot_other.html:

Designated as a National Important Cultural Property on August 29, 1910

Hokoku Shrine is dedicated to the warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi (one of the three unifiers of Japan in the 16th century) and his loyal aid Kato Kiyomasa. The reason for building this structure is clearly stated in a letter by Ankokuji Ekei, head monk of Ankokuji Temple. In 1587, Ekei asked Daiganji Temple, the temple in charge of construction and repair work in Miyajima including Itsukushima Shrine, to build a Buddhist library in which the chanting of Senbu-kyo sutras could be held every month. As there is no board ceiling or outer gate, it is believed that the construction of the building was not completed.

Originally, Amida Buddha and two subordinate Buddhist saints, Anan and Kasho-sonja, were enshrined in the Buddhist altar until the early Meiji era. Since that time, however, the altar has been used in Shinto rituals.

The building is called Senjokaku (Hall of One Thousand Tatami Mats), reflecting its standing as the largest structure on Miyajima Island. The shrine was a popular landmark in Miyajima where many people came to relax and cool themselves and to buy popular souvenirs such as tooth picks, and a variety of legends and traditions have been created here.

The fact that this structure, unique among the buildings belonging to Itsukushima Shrine, is unpainted and that its exact date of founding is recorded makes it a valuable gauge of the passage of time. The traces of weathering on its pillars and floor boards can be used to determine the approximate age of any other wooden structure on Miyajima.

A piece of wood used as a measuring device in the reconstruction work of the O-Torii in 1873 hangs on a pillar under the floor of the south part of the shrine. Countless votive picture tablets that had been hanging on the walls of Itsukushima Shrine buildings until the mid Meiji era decorate the walls inside the hall.

The shrine did not yet exist at the time of the Battle of Itsukushima in 1555 when the Mori clan defeated the Sue clan to unify the Chugoku region. The headquarters of the Sue clan was located on this hill, which was then called To-no-oka (Pagoda Hill). Starting in the Meiji era, the hill was developed through the establishment of stone steps, among other additions.

Excerpt from www.japan-experience.com/all-about-japan/miyajima/temples...:

Its bare appearance may not intrigue you at first. Only unfinished walls and a hundred pillars. Although the building is pretty, there is something missing. But once inside, look up: the gigantic ceiling is covered with a mosaic of paintings whose subjects are as varied as the styles and periods of implementation. Medieval battles, Buddhist representations, landscapes and animals in a modern style, the eye does not know where to turn.

While waiting at the bank a woman drove up next to me got out of her car and entered the bank. I noticed her dog got out of the back and entered the driver seat.

To me it looked like the dog was ready to take the wheel.

4th of December is designated as the World Cheetah Day to raise awareness on the plight of these amazing members of the Cat family.

They are mother natures precision, high-performance machine, designed to do one job and do it with incredible skill and effectiveness. It can accelerate faster than a Ferrari, tearing up the ground from 0-75 mph in just 3 seconds, and comes with a self-grown paint-job that would make the fanciest muscle car blush with envy. That’s right, we’re talking about the Cheetah, and International Cheetah Day celebrates these incredible animals while raising awareness about their threat of extinction.

The cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) is a large cat of the subfamily Felinae that occurs in North, Southern and East Africa. It inhabits a variety of mostly arid habitats like dry forests, scrub forests, and savannahs. The species is IUCN Red Listed as Vulnerable, as it suffered a substantial decline in its historic range in the 20th century due to habitat loss, poaching for the illegal pet trade, and conflict with humans.

This beautiful Neema and her cubs, was captured during a photography safari on a late evening game drive in the Maasai Mara Game Reserve, Kenya.

Soul pretender

Klamath is an unincorporated, rural, census-designated place (CDP) in Del Norte County, California, situated on US Route 101 inland from the mouth of the Klamath River. The original "town" center was destroyed by the 1964 Flood. Considered a 100-year flood, it was the worst flood in recorded history on nearly every major stream and river in coastal Northern California.

Excerpt from discoverbelleville.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/COB-Heri...:

173 William Street (designated 1985):

Built 1851, this brick building is two storeys and has a hipped roof. The facade of the house oriented west, is divided into three bays. On the first floor there is a centred entrance under a trellis verandah and is flanked on each side by one sash window with 2/3 panes and segmental brick arches. On the second floor there are three windows with the same characteristics, except the middle window is set in a square stepped-in arcade-type. On the facade, marks of an old verandah are still visible. The house has a simple wood cor- nice supported by wood brackets. The existence of a simple wood frieze can still be seen. In the backyard there is a carriage house with a gable roof. The carriage house is constructed of brick, and is

one and a half storeys high. It has two large round-head entrances.

Acadia National Park is designated as a dark sky preserve. Still there was quite a bit of sky glow in the area of Bar Harbor (far right) with Blue Hill and Ellsworth in the distance in this westward looking view. While the Milky Way is a prominent part of this image, I was excited to catch a glimpse of the Andromeda Galaxy (top-center).

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View the entire - New England 2009 set

View the entire Low Light Photography Set

View my - Most Interesting according to Flickr

NGC 2264 designates The Cone Nebula and the Christmas Tree Cluster. Two other objects are also within this designation but not officially included, The Snowflake Cluster and the Fox Fur Nebula. All of the objects are located in the constellation of Monoceros and are around 2,300 light years distant.

Image constructed using both Broadband and Narrowband subs.

HEQ5 PRO

WO71GT with dedicated adjustable reducer/corrector

QHY183C Gain21 for narrowband Gain16 for broadband.

STC Duo narrowband filter

STC multispectra filter

12 x 900sec Duo narrowband

60 x 300sec multispectra

Acquisition time 8hrs

Processed using Pixinsight and Photoshop 6.

Excerpt from discoverbelleville.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/COB-Heri...:

Seldon/Asselstine House, 20-24 Victoria Ave. (designated 1985):

20 Victoria: Built 1836, building has a cut limestone facade with a balanced arrangement of window and door openings with straight heads of brick voussoirs. Rubble stone side walls rise to parapets at the roof, supported by carved stone corbels. Later Victorian owners added a decorative verandah, now gone, and simple brackets with finials, under the eaves. Some early shutter hooks remain.

Interior has the original brick and stone fireplace.

Excerpt from brucecounty.maps.arcgis.com/apps/Shortlist/index.html?app...:

854 Princes Street: Built in 1858, 1.5 storey house was originally built in the Gothic Revival Style with steeply pitched rood with front centered gable. Point arc front upper window with raised brick surround, wooden soffit and fascia, arched windows, front entrance doorways (inside porch), side porch with forward protruding entrance and wooden ship lap cladded summer kitchen at rear of house.

Designation By-law 1989-042, on April 20, 1989

Freshly plowed field on a cloudy day. The photo was taken at the beginning of the spring season in the Dutch province of North Brabant.

The Overdiepse Polder is an elongated polder located between the Bergsche Maas and the Oude Maasje in the river clay area. In the context of the Room for the River project, the area has been designated as a water storage facility at high water levels in the river. The original farms have been demolished and replaced by new ones built on mounds.

Pas ingezaaide akker op een bewolkte dag aan het begin van de lente. De foto is gemaakt bij de Overdiepse Polder in Noord-Brabant.

De Overdiepse Polder is een langgerekte polder die zich tussen de Bergsche Maas en het Oude Maasje bevindt in het rivierkleigebied. In het kader van het project Ruimte voor de Rivier is het gebied aangewezen als waterberging bij hoge waterstanden in de rivier. De oorspronkelijke boerderijen zijn gesloopt en vervangen door nieuwe bedrijven gebouwd op terpen.

© All of my photos are unconditional copyrighted unless explicitly stated otherwise. Therefore it is legally forbidden to use my pictures on websites, in commercial and/or editorial prints or in other media without my explicit permission.

Some of my photos are sold at reasonable prices through various stock photo agencies.

For example look here for my images on Adobe Stock:

stock.adobe.com/bg/contributor/202653768/ruud-morijn?load...

Fan Tan Alley (番攤里) is an alley in Victoria, British Columbia's Chinatown. It runs south from Fisgard Avenue to Pandora Avenue in the block between Government Street and Store Street. Named after the Chinese gambling game Fan-Tan, the alley was originally a gambling district with restaurants, shops, and opium dens. Today it is a tourist destination with many small shops including a barber shop, art gallery, Chinese cafe, apartments and offices. It is the narrowest street in Canada. At its narrowest point it is only 0.9 metres (35 in) wide. It was designated as a heritage property by the local government in 2001. Wikipedia (Flickr geotag did not work)

Excerpt from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Itsukushima_Shrine:

Itsukushima Shrine (厳島神社, Itsukushima-jinja) is a Shinto shrine on the island of Itsukushima (popularly known as Miyajima), best known for its "floating" torii. It is in the city of Hatsukaichi, in Hiroshima Prefecture in Japan, accessible from the mainland by ferry at Miyajimaguchi Station. The shrine complex is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Japanese government has designated several buildings and possessions as National Treasures.

The Itsukushima shrine is one of Japan's most popular tourist attractions. It is most famous for its dramatic gate, or torii on the outskirts of the shrine, the sacred peaks of Mount Misen, extensive forests, and its ocean view. The shrine complex itself consists of two main buildings: the Honsha shrine and the Sessha Marodo-jinja, as well as 17 other different buildings and structures that help to distinguish it.

Excerpt from itsukushimajinja.jp/en/route.html:

East Corridor: The corridors are 3.9 meters wide and about 270 meteres long. The distance between the pillars is about 2.4 meters. There are eight floorboards between the pillars and small spaces between the floorboards.

Excerpt from www.nikkostation.com/shinkyo-bridge/:

Nikko’s Shinkyo Bridge is a sacred river crossing which officially belongs to nearby Futarasan Jinja Shrine. One of Nikko’s best-known sightseeing spots, the elegant arc of this bridge crosses the Daiya-gawa River and its vermilion and black lacquer contrasts beautifully with the natural scenery about it.

The name “Shinkyo” or 神橋 simply means “sacred bridge” and the bridge is considered to be one of Japan’s three most beautiful bridges along with the Kintaikyo Bridge in Yamaguchi Prefecture and the Saruhashi Bridge in Yamanashi Prefecture. The bridge, which is 28 meters long, 7.4 meters wide, and stands 10.6 meters above the river, is both a nationally designated Important Cultural Property and a UNESCO designated World Heritage Site.

The Shinkyo Bridge’s current design dates back to 1636, but there was a bridge in the same location for a long time previous to that. In 1902 the bridge was washed away by floods, but it was rebuilt in 1904 according to the 1636 design. The Shinkyo Bridge’s true origins are mysterious, but there is a legend about it.

In 766 a priest named Shodo Shonin was traveling in the area with his followers when he came to the edge of the rapidly flowing Daiya-gawa River and was unable to cross it. The priest got down on his knees to pray and a gigantic god called Jinja-Daisho appeared on the opposite bank with two big snakes, one red and one blue, wrapped about his arm. The god threw the snakes across the river and they were transformed into a rainbow-colored bridge with sedge grass growing on its top. Shodo Shonin and his followers were able to safely cross this miraculous bridge after which both the bridge and the god disappeared. According to the legend a bridge has been built and maintained here since that time. After crossing the rainbow bridge Shodo Shonin went on to found Rinnoji Temple, Futarasan Jinja Shrine, and Chuzenji Temple. Nikko grew up around these sacred sites and so Shodo Shonin is regarded as Nikko’s founder. The legend of Shodo Shoin’s bridge is why the Shinkyo Bridge is also known as Yamasuge-no-Hebi-bashi which means “Snake Bridge of Mountain Sedge”.

The most popular (and busiest) time to view the Shinkyo Bridge is in late October and the first half of November when it is surrounded by colorful autumn foliage.

Excerpt from www.centralelgin.org/en/recreation-and-culture/Heritage/H...:

Hiram B. Smith House

46211 Sparta Line, Sparta

The H. B. Smith (Martyn) house was completed in 1865. The house is a three bay Georgian style building with a centre hall and balanced rooms on either side. It features a centre door with three paned sidelights and a five paned Roman arched transom light above. The walls are three layers of strawberry handmade brick thick with a 6 layer pattern, 5 layers with the sides facing outward and one with the ends facing outward. The windows are 6 over 6 paned with Roman arches above in brick. The details are of the Regency period with the original door recessed. It has stayed with the family to this day.

The Cactus Wren is the State Bird of Arizona, and was designated as such in 1931. It's range is throughout the Southwest to California and into Central Mexico. Perfectly adapted to desert life, it does not need to drink water, obtaining all the fluid it needs from eating a diet of insects, seeds, and fruits. It builds large nests that it uses year round in Cholla, Prickly Pear, and Saguaro Cactus. They pair bond for life, aggressively defend their territory, destroying other birds nests and eggs and chase potential predators away. The oldest Cactus Wren banded in California and re-captured in the same state, was a male, 8 years, I month. The Cactus Wren is also the largest of the North American wren species.

"Cactus Wren populations declined by about 1.6% per year between 1966 and 2015, resulting in a cumulative decline of 55% over that period, according to the North American Breeding Bird Survey. Partners in Flight estimates the global breeding population at 7 million, with 43% in the U.S. and 57% in Mexico. The species rates a 12 out of 20 on the Continental Concern Score, and is a U.S.-Canada Stewardship species. Cactus Wren is not on the 2016 State of North America's Birds' Watch List. Urban and agricultural expansion threaten Cactus Wren habitat especially when cacti and desert shrubs are lost altogether." *See references below.

www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Cactus_Wren

tucsonaudubon.org/go-birding/arizonas-audacious-state-bir...

statesymbolsusa.org/symbol/arizona/state-bird/cactus-wren

Dryly designated as "Mound A," it's the largest among several at the Etowah Indian Mounds in North Georgia.

I didn't spend long exploring the grounds as it was cold and windy when I visited (especially at the top). There's so much rich indigenous history here to take in. I only saw one couple there, so I picked a great time to visit, photographically.

Panoramic stitched from several JPGs, using the Ilford Pan F Plus 50 film simulation from Fuji X Weekly.

Excerpt from www.stcatharines.ca/en/building-and-renovating/resources/...:

1590 St. Paul Street West

Former McCarthy’s Tavern

The building was constructed in two stages; the (original) stone part at the rear was built first in approximately 1812. In 1830 a clapboard frame was added to the front of the house. There are a number of design elements that suggest the section closest to the road, including the main façade, was built in the Georgian Vernacular Style. This irregularly shaped, two storey building has two wings added on the south side, a kitchen and a garage, each constructed of clapboard walls. The medium gabled roof of the front section is trimmed with a boxed cornice, with a sloping soffit and frieze. The main floor windows are plainly trimmed and feature a square bay window on the west side. The double hung windows are 12 over 12 (panes), typical of the Georgian style. The door is located in the centre of the main façade and is flat with moulded trim, a shelf and is not emblazed into the building. It also has side panels and a flush transom with a lantern set in the centre. The door itself is single eight-panel with a moulded rail, raised panel and no glazing. This residential building is well maintained and a good example of Georgian Style architecture. There are few surviving former taverns/inns from this era.

Designated smoking area, City Hall, Milpitas, California.

Fisher Island is a census-designated place of metropolitan Miami, Florida, located on a barrier island of the same name. As of the 2010 census, Fisher Island had the highest per capita income of any place in the United States. The CDP had only 226 households and a total population of 132 persons.

Named for automotive parts pioneer and beach real estate developer Carl G. Fisher, who once owned it, Fisher Island is three miles offshore of mainland South Florida. No road or causeway connects to the island, which is accessible by private boat or ferry. Once a one-family island home of the Vanderbilts, and later several other millionaires, it was sold for development in the 1960s. The property sat vacant for well over 15 years before development was begun for very limited and restrictive multi-family use.

Excerpt from discoverbelleville.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/COB-Heri...:

Bellevue Terrace, 10 Patterson Street (designated 1980):

Built in 1876 by local clothier Isaac Graham, an ancestor of the present Graham families of Belleville. Many fine features include the sculptural quoins, the window hoods, the eave brackets and scroll design of the frieze, the elaborately detailed porches, portions of the exterior done in cement (introduced into construction in the 1870’s), and the interiors of heavy plaster, with many cornices still remaining. Black and white Italian marble fireplaces. Considered one of Belleville’s most impressive buildings.