View allAll Photos Tagged Destructive
A beautiful caterpillar but it can be quite destructive and poisonous!
The gypsy moth caterpillar has been reported to produce a poison ivy like rash when some people come into contact with the hairs of the larvae (caterpillar) stage. The contact can be direct or even indirect, if the small hairs are carried by the wind and onto the skin or clothing of a person.
It is not a native species. Gypsy moths were accidentally introduced in 1869 when they were brought to the U.S. in the hope that they could breed with silkworms to create a hardier variety of silkworm and develop a silk industry in the US. Didn't work. But some escaped and they are now well established.
Name: Voodoom
Secret Identity: Jeram Umbaru
Powers/Abilities: Voodoo, Destructive Magic, Poison
Backstory: After illegal deforestation decimated the land around the village of Tiklan, the village's shaman and healer, Jeram Umbaru, swore vengeance against the members of the group he believed to be responsible. That had led him to Bricklyn city, where he intended to set wrongs right. It didn't take him long to deem the entire city guilty for one groups actions, and since then the elusive witchdoctor has preyed upon the citizens of the city with voodoo, poisons, and everything else in his arsenal.
Recently, authorities have finally managed to locate and detain Jeram, but it is unknown how long they can keep him.
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Take a moment and just breathe \\ Rural West Coast British Columbia
Pitt Polder Ecological Reserve was established to preserve a fragment of the rapidly disappearing Fraser Valley boglands.
Ecological reserves protect special natural ecosystems, and support research and education. They are not intended for outdoor recreation. However, this ecological reserve is open to the public for non-destructive activities like hiking, nature observation and photography.
Reference BCPARKS.CA
Coast BC Mountain Ranges
Pitt Polder
Canada
Thank-you for all the overwhelming support and many friendships.
Happy Clicks,
~Christie
** Best experienced in full screen
'Why be a copy, when you were born an original'
July 5, 2018 - Kearney Nebraska US
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The month of July in Nebraska is mostly just outflow storms from about mid June on. Meaning extremely strong outflow winds in front of this storm. Destructive that evening with winds over 60+ mph.
Once the storm base moved closer I was able to get some incredible cloud to ground strikes that would make for some of the best lighting captures of 2018. Like clock work I expected a late night storm with some phenomenal definition.
Beautiful crystal blue lightning illuminated the night as the arcus (shelf cloud) approached from the due west. Severe warnings were in place & right in my direction. Got to my location, set up the gear and went to town... Nothing but Crystal Blue Thunderstorm Eye Candy!!!
*** Please NOTE and RESPECT the Copyright ***
Copyright 2018
Dale Kaminski @ NebraskaSC Photography
All Rights Reserved
This image may not be copied, reproduced, published or distributed in any medium without the expressed written permission of the copyright holder.
#ForeverChasing
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Visit my Photostream Archive (On Flickr) of Severe Weather
Large Willow tree on a trail in Darlington Provincial park , Martin’s photographs , Courtice , Ontario , Canada , July 14. 2022
American Larch trees with beautiful small cones
Tamarack trees with beautiful small cones
Cones
Blooming Dogwood
flowering white dead nettles
Looking down at the front end of my bicycle
Bicycle
Four days after the destructive storm of 21 May 2022
old apple trees with beautiful blossoms
old orchard on the waterfront trail of Lake Ontario
blue sky in Squires beach
July 2022
Blossoms
Flowering trees
apple trees with blossoms
old orchard on the waterfront trail
Old orchard
Trees with blossoms
tall grasses
the large stone block walls
system to keep the Carp from entering Duffins marsh and creek system
viewed from the bridge across the marsh in Squires beach
Having a nice walk with granny in the woods
Family
Sunset
Shrubs
Oak tree
Trees with blossoms
Trees
Stones
Reflections
Reflection
Dogwood
Duffins trail
blue sky
cloud cover
yellow Tamarack tree
Tamarack tree
Tamarac
American Larch tree
Beautiful Nettles and it’s flowers
Nettles
Waterfront trail on Lake Ontario
Waterfront trail of Lake Ontario
Autumn
Shadows
Reflections
Large mushroom
Bird houses
Autumn
Duffins creek
Discovery bay
closeup photograph
Martin’s photographs
Ajax
Ontario
Canada
Duffins creek
Favourites
IPhone XR
Mushroom
Large Mushroom
wildflowers
Trout lilies
Lake Ontario
Mouth of Duffins creek marsh
white Deadnetles
River
Dogwood
Woods
Granny
Favourites
White Trilliums
Duffins marsh
Duffins trail
Ferns
Trilliums
Large tree
Pholiota populnea
- destructive pholiota
- pholiote destructrice
- Pappel-Schüppling
- wollige bundelzwam
Location: Voornes Duin, The Netherlands.
Date taken: 9 November 2025.
De Grote Kerk or the "Big Church", was built in Brabantic style gothic between the 14th and 15th century, but much reconstructed after the destructive city fire of 1457. The church was designed by Everaert Spoorwater, a Brabantic Flemish who was born in Brussels and who designed or partook in the construction of numerous gothic buildings in Brabant, Zeeland, and Holland. It is distinguished by its large size, its stone vaulting, and its skewed tower which was never finished.
The houses in front of the church here are 17th to 18th century "beguinage" houses for single women of the time.
Dordrecht is the oldest city of the region of Holland (not the country). It was in the Middle Ages the largest, most developed and the most powerful city of Holland, due to its strategic location on a river delta crossroad on the Rhine-Meuse near the North Sea (and England), Flanders (to the south, connected by rivers), and Cologne and the Rhineland. It taxed traffic on the river and forced merchants to stop in Dordrecht and present their wares at its markets due to staple rights. By the 1500s Dordrecht became surpassed by booming Amsterdam, Haarlem, Leiden en Middelbrug, but it maintained its commercial wealth, political importance and ancienity during the Dutch Golden Age and afterwards. Today it is a mid-sized Dutch city in the Randstad, a highly urbanised region in the Holland region.
They are numerous in farmlands throughout New South Wales and Queensland, and have become so common in some areas that they have become something of a pest, and can be destructive to the trees in which they perch, by chewing the bark off smaller twigs.
We've had a series of hugely destructive storms in the past few weeks, with record rains, record snowfall, record cold (I think...) and winds well into the hurricane-force zone (up to 170 kmh). A lot of places have been devastated. Thousands of trees have fallen onto roads and power lines and houses and whatnot... including a lot of big ones here and there around our neighbourhood.
So I was kind of scared when Echo and I took a trip to my favourite park yesterday. I wasn't sure what we'd see in terms of storm damage. Turns out... nothing. Not a thing. Even the dead trees stayed intact. And this is in a park that abuts the ocean, and would've got the wind full force.
I did see a sort of flattened area, and went over to investigate. Turns out it was the scene of a fire... from a summertime lightning strike. I took some shots but couldn't come anywhere near to capturing how it felt... that burnt-out wild place... with charred tree trunks suddenly stark... their companion shrubs and grasses gone.
I did, however, find a gun. Which... believe me... was quite the eerily compelling experience... given that yesterday was one of those days that feels like permanent twilight... and Echo and I were all alone... and there was just such a sinister "vibe" in that fire stricken area. I was pretty sure the gun was fake but it was sooo heavy...
I took it home and managed to read the writing on its side. I Googled it and, sure enough, it's a toy pistol, likely made some time in the 1960s or 70s... and... even though it's a replica... considered (in some jurisdictions) an illegal weapon.
It looks like it's been buried for a long time. The barrel and working parts are stuffed full of muddy dirt and teeny tiny crawly things and whoknows whatelse, accumulated through the years. One of its side pieces is melted... presumably from the fire, which seems to have been a precursor to the gun's unearthing.
I'm not sure why I like derelict things but I gotta say... this gun is pretty cool. Mike checked it out and said, "Photo prop." Ooooooh yeah. You bet it is.
From ancient times to the present, philosophers have repeatedly emphasized the importance of living a frugal or minimalist life. The ancient Greek philosopher Diogenes said, “True wealth is not in increasing possessions, but in reducing one’s needs.” Mahatma Gandhi pointed to the destructive side of human greed, stating, “The Earth has enough for everyone’s needs, but not enough for everyone’s greed.” From the Buddha to Karl Marx, across the passage of time, many have expressed similar ideas. This minimalist concept in philosophy has greatly influenced the photographer, and its mark is clearly visible in his vision and framing.
The absence of color or the use of minimal composition in framing reflects the photographer’s inclination toward a minimalist approach. The fog, wrapped like a thick winter blanket, creates a serene atmosphere. In this calm and pure dramatic setting, human presence becomes secondary. Before nature, even humanity’s vast achievements become insignificant. That is why the photographer has kept humans and their architectural achievements in the background, framing the scene in a minimalist style. Here, nature is the primary subject—not humans or their constructions.
According to nihilism, or the philosophy of pessimism, human life does not has inherent purpose. Evolutionary theory has shown that humans are an unintended outcome of nature’s evolutionary process. Yet human beings, regarded as the finest of creations, continue to exploit all their knowledge and effort into seeking meaning in life. They establish ever-greater architectural structures upon the heart of nature. In proving their superiority, they seem to challenge nature itself. Viewing nature as an adversary, humanity gradually distances itself further and further from it.
Here it is once again.
Another continuation of "Entrance." The destructive force human beings made to nature has led to this, the death of trees and all that lives with it.
This series has definitely led me to this space where I just don't want to stop creating. I created things I've never made before, and those new things opened my eyes that I am actually capable.
I do like to try something new, and there were so many new things I've experienced since the idea of this picture came out. I had this crazy idea to made the costume myself. The first thing that I needed to know was that I am not a fashion designer, nor a sewer. But I decided to try anyway, because there's nothing wrong with trying.
We got up at 3 a.m and drove to the location, hoping the weather wouldn't be a trouble. This time I brought a generator I borrowed from a friend, and it was nothing light. We moved the generator into the deep of the woods, and the ground was boggy. If only there was a smaller generator to start the smoke machine, things would not be heavier. However, I was happy that I worked with things I already had (or the ones I could just borrow). The next thing that happened was that I got home dirty, and my body stiff.
But the most important thing is realising that this combination of making something new, the exhaustion of moving a heavy generator, and by doing it my best, has finally turned into an image I am truly proud of, and all the effort paid off.
Model: Natasha Sinsoe
Assistant: Farah Korompot
Facebook Page and Instagram.
Built for the 2nd Blitz'ard flash MOC contest, "Best battle scene" category.
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It was that time of the year once again...
The famous Elken warrior R.N.R.* Rudolph, who led the Great Reindeer Revolution that overthrew the malicious regime of the reigning Santa Claus, was gathering his elves and santas to go on his annual destructive rampage across the Urtican Planes.
Throughout the year Rudolph makes a list of the Urticans, categorizing them according to their behavior: the nice Urticans will become a bacon-wrapped turkey** and the naughty ones a lump of coal. In the head...
Unfortunately, due to a computational error*** the threshold for being nice has been set way too high, so practically all Urticans are being classified as naughty.
So beware Urticans, Rudolph is on his way and his sack is full of coal!
Hit Urticans with lumps of co-al.
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la!
'Tis the season to be jolly.
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la!
____________________________________________
As for the sleigh: ironically enough, the lead Santa of the sleigh was chosen to be the rebellious S-ain't-a Claus, who has been dishonorably discharged after the great fiasco of 2015, where he forgot to show up on his only working day of the year due to a heated darts game with his buddies in the local pub. He has been charged with the horrendous crime of "Bros before Ho-ho-hos" and he pleaded guilty.
Just like R.N.R. Rudolph, he also has a red nose, but in his case it is not genetical, but a result of his excessive consume of mulled wine.
____________________________________________
*: no, not Rock'N'Roll Rudolph, more like the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
**: © Gary
***: the Elken are not great in arithmetic calculations because they can't write the numbers down and, unlike human with a total of 20 fingers and toes, only have two hooves on each foot
Two days before the total destruction from the damaging storm of May 21 this old apple tree with blossoms still in tact in the old orchard on the waterfront trail of lake Ontario in Squires beach , Martin’s photographs , Ajax , Ontario , Canada , May 19. 2022
Four days after the destructive storm of 21 May 2022 that destroyed life and did damage to buildings and nature it wrecked this beautiful old apple tree with blossoms in the old orchard on the waterfront trail of lake Ontario with a blue sky in Squires beach , Martin’s photographs , Ajax , Ontario , Canada , May 24. 2022
Looking down at the front end of my bicycle
Bicycle
Four days after the destructive storm of 21 May 2022
old apple trees with beautiful blossoms
old orchard on the waterfront trail of Lake Ontario
blue sky in Squires beach
May 2022
Blossoms
Flowering trees
apple trees with blossoms
old orchard on the waterfront trail
Old orchard
Trees with blossoms
vista with colourful trees ,
bulrushes
tall grasses
the large stone block walls
system to keep the Carp from entering Duffins marsh and creek system
viewed from the bridge across the marsh in Squires beach
Having a nice walk with granny in the woods
Family
Sunset
May 2022
Shrubs
Oak tree
Trees
Stones
Reflections
Reflection
Dogwood
Orange yellow Tamarack tree
Duffins trail
blue sky
cloud cover
yellow Tamarack tree
Tamarack tree
Tamarac
American Larch tree
Beautiful Nettles and it’s flowers
Nettles
Waterfront trail on Lake Ontario
Waterfront trail of Lake Ontario
Black eye Susan’s
Colourful bird houses
Autumn
Shadows
Reflections
Garter snake
Large mushroom
Bird houses
Autumn
Duffins creek
Discovery bay
cropped photograph
closeup photograph
Martin’s photographs
Ajax
Ontario
Canada
Duffins creek
Favourites
IPhone XR
Mushroom
Large Mushroom
wildflowers
Trout lilies
Lake Ontario
Mouth of Duffins creek marsh
white Deadnetles
River
Dogwood
Woods
in explore
Favourites
White Trilliums
Duffins marsh
Duffins trail
Ferns
Trilliums
Large tree
Oscar Munoz
Exhibition « Narcisii in progress »
« Narcissi in process » is a set of self-portraits printed in charcoal pigment on water in shallow vitrines lined with paper; the water slowly evaporates during the course of the exhibition, eventually allowing the pigment to settle onto the paper in a slightly altered version of the original portrait image—the variability inherent to the process makes the resulting image in each vitrine unique.
Biographies is a video installation of portrait images taken from newspaper obituaries. Muñoz created these video portraits by printing pigment onto water in a sink and filming the disintegration of the image as the water drains; the video also shows the process in reverse so that the portrait continually dissipates and reconstitutes.
Description of Óscar Muñoz' practice
Over the past three decades, Óscar Muñoz has developed a remarkable body of work that explores the relationship between image and memory. His work defies characterization by medium, blurring the boundaries between photography, printmaking, drawing, installation, video and sculpture. Although he has abandoned traditional formats, he cleverly utilizes specific technical and conceptual aspects of printmaking-occasionally incorporating self-destructive elements to purposely challenge the consistency of reproduction that is synonymous with printing. The expressive power of his work is as grounded in the intrinsic qualities of the materials he employs as in the poetic associations they embody.
Through his innovative processes, such as printing charcoal pigment on water, or using human breath to reveal discretely printed portraits onto seemingly blank mirrors, Muñoz creates unstable images that oscillate between presence and absence. He uses images from newspaper obituaries that include victims of the drug trafficking and political conflicts in Colombia where he lives and works. He is fascinated by photographic images as the primary documentation of a person’s physical existence in a culture overwhelmed by the vulnerability of life: the person’s image, imprinted on film (or captured in digital code), leaves an indexical trace of their being. Muñoz manipulates the photographic images in order to question the meaning of identity and to reflect the process of recollection and fading memory, alluding to the transitory nature of human existence, memory and history. The viewer witnesses the dissolution of an image as a manifestation of the person’s disappearance or death. Highly regarded as one of the most important visual artists working in Colombia today, Muñoz has captivated audiences around the world with the universal subject that underlies all of his work-the commonality of loss and remembrance.
All was gray and rainy. The peaks and valleys were hidden in soupy clouds and a chill wind swept up from below blowing in more clouds and rain. With only half an hour before sunset I was starting to lose hope for any break in the nebulous haze, and as day's end drew nearer the chances of that happening became slimmer. I decided to head back down the windy mountain road and head home, but as I descended a pink glow began seeping through the thick cloud ceiling. I sped up hoping to find a spot clear of haze, and then all at once the sky opened and the view before me was stunning.
lpfw.org/forest-service-to-expedite-logging-and-habitat-c...
The Forest Service recently announced plans to selectively log old-growth forest and chaparral across 755 acres deep in the Ventura County backcountry. The agency quietly released the proposal in late May amid a pandemic, economic crisis, and period of civil unrest, offering the public a single 30-day period to submit comments. Officials indicated that they hope to use a loophole to approve the project without an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement.
The project would allow the logging of centuries-old trees, up to five feet in diameter, and the clearance of rare old-growth chaparral along six miles of the prominent ridge known as Pine Mountain stretching from Highway 33 to Reyes Peak. The area is a popular recreation destination beloved by hikers and climbers.
Despite the project’s massive scale, the Forest Service intends to use two controversial loopholes to bypass requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to conduct a detailed study of potential impacts to the area’s unique ecosystems. These loopholes would also limit the public’s ability to voice their concerns while eliminating the official objection process that helps reduce the potential for litigation.
“Once again, the Trump administration has shown its willingness and desire to avoid conducting the level of environmental review needed to ensure that places like Pine Mountain are protected from damaging and unnecessary projects such as this one,” said Los Padres ForestWatch conservation director Bryant Baker. “To make matters worse, the Forest Service’s use of loopholes for this project has diminished the public’s ability to participate in the decision-making process—and they made their announcement at a time when citizens are focused on the COVID-19 crisis and fighting racial injustice.”
The ridge is home to some of the most diverse and unique habitats in the Los Padres National Forest. Pine Mountain hosts the greatest diversity of coniferous tree species in Ventura County, which occur next to large expanses of rare old-growth chaparral. Altogether, the ridge is home to over 400 species of native plants, including dozens that are rare or sensitive. As a biodiversity hotspot, the area is also home to several species of wildlife that depend on the mountain’s unique ecosystems. Mountain lions, black bears, bobcats, and numerous species of birds and small mammals can be found in and around the project area.
The agency has not confirmed whether this project will involve the selling of cut trees, but the Forest Service often uses agreements known as “stewardship contracts” for similar projects that allow private logging companies to profit from the timber harvest in exchange for services. Regardless, the agency has stated that trees and chaparral will be removed using mechanical equipment which can cause significant damage to soil, water, and plants that are not being targeted.
“The Trump administration is trying to hand over our southern California national forests to the logging industry, at taxpayer expense,” said Dr. Chad Hanson, forest ecologist with the John Muir Project, based in Big Bear City, California. “This destructive logging proposal would degrade wildlife habitat and make climate change worse, and would increase threats to human communities from wildland fire; we need Congress to protect our National Forests from logging once and for all,” he added.
The Forest Service has proposed the project under the guise of community protection from wildfire despite countless scientific studies that demonstrate that remote vegetation treatments, such as the Pine Mountain project, are ineffective against the fires that cause the majority of damage to communities each year. Pine Mountain is several miles away from any community, and the agency itself admits that the project will not help mitigate fire spread under extreme weather conditions. In fact, the Forest Service’s own assessment of existing and potential vegetation removal projects in the Los Padres National Forest ranks the one on Pine Mountain as only 118 out 163 in terms of priority for community protection and other factors.
In 2017 and 2018, just six fires out of 16,600 throughout California caused nearly 90% of the total damage to communities. All six fires burned under conditions that render vegetation removal projects, such as the one proposed on Pine Mountain, useless for suppression purposes. Moreover, vegetation clearance projects can increase wildfire risk by removing fire-resistant trees, increasing heating and drying of the forest floor, and spreading non-native invasive grasses and weeds that ignite more easily and spread wildfire more quickly.
Scientists and conservation organizations have long advocated that funding should be directed instead to creating defensible space directly next to homes, retrofitting and building structures with fire-safe materials, and reducing development in the wildland-urban interface.
“The Los Padres National Forest administration has a record of not only ignoring the science,” Richard Halsey, director of the California Chaparral Institute, said, “but also of violating agreements to collaborate with scientists and community members to manage the public’s land. Los Padres officials are well aware that the science does not support this project to clear fragile habitat far from communities at risk. This project is about obtaining taxpayer dollars to support the agency, not protecting citizens from fire.”
Over 30% of the project is within two proposed additions to the Sespe Wilderness approved by the House of Representatives with the passage of the Central Coast Heritage Protection Act earlier this year. The legislation would designate an area along part of the western portion of the ridge and an area that includes Reyes Peak. The bill is currently awaiting a vote in the Senate.
The proposal comes at a time when the Trump administration is attempting massive rollbacks of regulations under NEPA and similar laws. Earlier this month, the president issued an executive order that would waive requirements under these bedrock environmental laws for a wide variety of projects on federal lands. The Forest Service has also been directed to ramp up vegetation removal projects across the country, especially those that involve timber harvesting. Last year, Los Padres National Forest approved two commercial logging projects near Mt. Pinos under loopholes that similarly allowed the agency to avoid conducting the level of environmental review that is normal for such projects.
The public comment period is open until June 30 and may be the only chance the public has to weigh in with concerns about the Pine Mountain project. To submit a comment online or learn more about the project, visit p2a.co/IASAFIf
Four days after the destructive storm of 21 May 2022 that destroyed life and did damage to buildings and nature it wrecked this beautiful old apple tree with blossoms in the old orchard on the waterfront trail of lake Ontario with a blue sky in Squires beach , Martin’s photographs , Ajax , Ontario , Canada , May 24. 2022
Looking down at the front end of my bicycle
Bicycle
Four days after the destructive storm of 21 May 2022
old apple trees with beautiful blossoms
old orchard on the waterfront trail of Lake Ontario
blue sky in Squires beach
May 2022
Blossoms
Flowering trees
apple trees with blossoms
old orchard on the waterfront trail
Old orchard
Trees with blossoms
vista with colourful trees ,
bulrushes
tall grasses
the large stone block walls
system to keep the Carp from entering Duffins marsh and creek system
viewed from the bridge across the marsh in Squires beach
Having a nice walk with granny in the woods
Family
Sunset
May 2022
Shrubs
Oak tree
Trees
Stones
Reflections
Reflection
Dogwood
Orange yellow Tamarack tree
Duffins trail
blue sky
cloud cover
yellow Tamarack tree
Tamarack tree
Tamarac
American Larch tree
Beautiful Nettles and it’s flowers
Nettles
Waterfront trail on Lake Ontario
Waterfront trail of Lake Ontario
Black eye Susan’s
Colourful bird houses
Autumn
Shadows
Reflections
Garter snake
Large mushroom
Bird houses
Autumn
Duffins creek
Discovery bay
cropped photograph
closeup photograph
Martin’s photographs
Ajax
Ontario
Canada
Duffins creek
Favourites
IPhone XR
Mushroom
Large Mushroom
wildflowers
Trout lilies
Lake Ontario
Mouth of Duffins creek marsh
white Deadnetles
River
Dogwood
Woods
Granny
Favourites
White Trilliums
Duffins marsh
Duffins trail
Ferns
Trilliums
Large tree
The smaller male munches away while his female partner behind him does the same - together they will consume the flesh of the leaf, leaving the vascular system intact, while taking breaks to engage in reproductive activity.
The invasive and destructive creatures are thought to have entered the US early in the twentieth century, and Canada shortly before World War Two. They have spread west and are in most States and Ontario and Quebec. The grubs feed on grass roots, and the beetles themselves will eat leaves and fruits of most commercial fruit trees, as well as numerous other plants and trees.
Like many other invasive and destructive creatures they are quite beautiful to observe with a detached eye.
They are not well-established here, but they are certainly a presence - especially near the Ottawa River.
I just returned from a 2-week trip to the Big Island of Hawaii with so many new favorite
photos that it will take a while to sort them out! So here is one from Yesterday morning to get started. A very destructive new lava flow has inspired park officials to aggressively keep people many hundreds of meters from lava flows, so I got no lava pictures... just so you know. No HDR.
Free wallpaper for over 100 of my images in 6 different screen sizes is now available!
See the 1200 pixel version!
www.flickr.com/photos/patrick-smith-photography/486052295...
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Settings etc.:
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Canon 5D Mark II
Canon 17-40L @29
1/4-second exposure @F9
LEE soft ND grad (100x150mm - 4x6in) 0.9 + 0.9
Lee foundation kit filter holder with Lee 77mm adapter ring
No polarizer.
ISO 100
RAW file processed with Capture One by Phase One
TIFF file processed with Photoshop
Small Slik Sprint mini II tripod
Manfrotto pistol-grip ball head
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The Story
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I just returned to San Francisco last night and it seems impossible that I saw this view just yesterday morning my time just 3 hours before my flight. I could not resist one more pre-dawn hike into this scenic valley.
The Big Island has a wide variety of climate zones and geological regions. Lava flows create lots of new land and those areas are rough and new. Areas like this valley are on the older side where the volcanos are extinct and the land is being sculpted into fantastic forms. The almost 14,000-foot (4200m) Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea volcanoes create rain forest upwind and barren deserts downwind. And they can exist just 4 miles apart! The beaches vary from black sand, to white, golden, red and even green. It is a photographer's paradise, but it is big and you have to do your research to find the best spots.
To get here, you must get up well before sunrise (it is not a sunset beach), drive to the tourist pullout and hike down a 400-foot trail in the dark to get here in time for sunrise. It is not a difficult hike but it is slippery and one mistake and your day is ruined! Also, this is a great place to spend the day, far away from civilization. I'll write more about this valley in future uploads.
The map shows the exact location.
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Other stuff
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My pictures are featured on the front page of the newly redesigned
The state Gov. of California website. Have a look! It is Flash with my pics cut into layers for a 3-d slideshow. If you are into building apps, the State has opened up lots of data to the public, so check it out!
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Resources:
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Google Earth
Simply the best way to scout out locations that there is. You can see sun angles and pre-visualize light under lots of different conditions. Sometimes you can actually pre-compose your shots! This has saved me many thousands of vertical feet of climbing by avoiding spots with blocked views etc.
Satellite imagery (choose 'National' for a local US region or use your fave website)
www.wrh.noaa.gov/satellite/?wfo=mtr
Tide charting and preditions: (chose your area in US, other countries have similar websites)
tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/tide_predictions.shtml?gid=235
Wave Heights (I choose 'North Pacific from Global')
polar.ncep.noaa.gov/waves/main_int.html
Or Here:
www.opc.ncep.noaa.gov/shtml/RP1bw.gif
Photos of every inch of the California coastline from a small plane. Excellent for close in detailed views.
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I took this shot in Oct 2023 while visiting NYC. It is a planthopper, an invasive sap-feeding insect from Asia. It has spread invasively to South Korea (2006), Japan (2009), and in 2014, the species was discovered in the eastern United States.
It is believed that L.delicatula entered these countries via egg masses that were laid on exported goods. Currently, these countries have implemented pest control efforts which have sought to limit population growth and spread, due to the threat this species poses to global agricultural industries.
Reeve's Muntjac / muntiacus reevesi. Minsmere, Suffolk. 12/02/15.
From the archives and made earlier this year.
Muntjac are never popular garden visitors for those that value their flower beds and shrubs. They can be very destructive in their quest for food.
However, I always feel privileged to find them.
I love to observe them out in the woods and find their anatomical build hilarious! Their legs look too short and they are decidedly rotund (fat)..... but completely endearing.
If you can dismiss the two little 'devil horns' and the goofy, fang-like canines, you are left looking at a stunning face with beautiful liquid brown eyes.
Four days after the destructive storm of 21 May 2022 that destroyed life and did damage to buildings and nature it wrecked this beautiful old apple tree with blossoms in the old orchard on the waterfront trail of lake Ontario with a blue sky in Squires beach , Martin’s photographs , Ajax , Ontario , Canada , May 24. 2022
Looking down at the front end of my bicycle
Bicycle
Four days after the destructive storm of 21 May 2022
old apple trees with beautiful blossoms
old orchard on the waterfront trail of Lake Ontario
blue sky in Squires beach
May 2022
Blossoms
Flowering trees
apple trees with blossoms
old orchard on the waterfront trail
Old orchard
Trees with blossoms
vista with colourful trees ,
bulrushes
tall grasses
the large stone block walls
system to keep the Carp from entering Duffins marsh and creek system
viewed from the bridge across the marsh in Squires beach
Having a nice walk with granny in the woods
Family
Sunset
May 2022
Shrubs
Oak tree
Trees
Stones
Reflections
Reflection
Dogwood
Orange yellow Tamarack tree
Duffins trail
blue sky
cloud cover
yellow Tamarack tree
Tamarack tree
Tamarac
American Larch tree
Beautiful Nettles and it’s flowers
Nettles
Waterfront trail on Lake Ontario
Waterfront trail of Lake Ontario
Black eye Susan’s
Colourful bird houses
Autumn
Shadows
Reflections
Garter snake
Large mushroom
Bird houses
Autumn
Duffins creek
Discovery bay
cropped photograph
closeup photograph
Martin’s photographs
Ajax
Ontario
Canada
Duffins creek
Favourites
IPhone XR
Mushroom
Large Mushroom
wildflowers
Trout lilies
Lake Ontario
Mouth of Duffins creek marsh
white Deadnetles
River
Dogwood
Woods
Granny
Favourites
White Trilliums
Duffins marsh
Duffins trail
Ferns
Trilliums
Large tree
Four days after the devastating storm of 21 May 2022 that killed 11 people and did a lot of damage to buildings and nature it wrecked this beautiful old apple tree with blossoms in the old orchard on the waterfront trail of lake Ontario with a blue sky in Squires beach , Martin’s photographs , Ajax , Ontario , Canada , May 24. 2022
Our anti-hero regains control of the situation and gets a good haggle on with Sneaky Pete at the old Jesus is Lord Garage and Salvage.
Last evening while she was feeling destructive Flit blew up part of the vault and started tunnelling through the floor of the old bank. There she revealed an entrance to the now flooded sewer systems under what used to be main street.
At the pass there was an abandoned Schpam truck that had run off the roads into the ditch, the poor sap that was driving was still in there too - she'll dig him out later. Using what explosives she had left in her pack she managed to blow the doors off and claim more than half of the contents inside.
As we all know (or do now) Sneaky Pete has a mighty hankering for canned meat stuffs and was more than happy to exchange 2 AKs for 50 cans a pop.
--
CREDITS
7mad;Ravens FEMALE The Messenger_End is Coming
AKu x2
Blueberry - Tank Top - Maitreya - Black
*Bolson / Tattoo - Hort (*Appliers* Maitreya, Slink)
[CX] Sawblade Axe Belt
[Deadwool] Patmos boots - black - (fem) - S
[flit ink] Carved Up // Face Tattoo
GizzA - Josie Pants [Suede - Dark] Size XS
.ID. Light Sensitive/Bloodshot - Ice
[INK] Hair___SPRSTOME ::White
INVICTUS barbed wire / Arame farpado - Mesh - left hand
[LAB737] Hermes Headset R
Maitreya Mesh Body - HUD V3.3 Lara
Maitreya Mesh Body - Lara V3.3
[MANDALA] Stretched ears Omimi Tunnel (Hole_size_5)
[NeurolaB Inc.] EV3 ANDROID HAND/ARM
[NikotiN] Cigarette-Bills (50) *gacha item
.random.Matter. - Taint Septum - Gold
Remarkable Oblivion - Sandstorm - WarTorn - Opened
Slink Avatar Enhancement Hands V2.3 - L - Point
[SWaGGa] ApocMoto Bracer (Left)
[The Forge] Apocalyse Harness, Female
[The Forge] Overkill Bat. Wood (Sheath)
[The Forge] Tyre Pauldron, L
LOCATION
The Dump
maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Excalibur%20Serendipity/17...
While in St Catharines, Ontario yesterday, we were travelling South on Bunting Road and passed a boarded-up warehouse. What I noticed was the orange door on the big bay as well as the small pump station with its green pump and the blue barrel. And, as luck would have it , some nice dark clouds to add a bit of interest to the sky. All-in-all an interesting combination of colours repeating patterns and textures. So I informed The Boss I was pulling over to get a few shots and this is one of the results. - JW
Date Taken: 2022-04-26
(c) Copyright 2021 JW Vraets
Tech Details:
Taken using a hand-held Nikon D800 fitted with an AF-S Nikkor 24-120mm VR 1:4.0 lense set to 24mm, ISO100, Daylight WB, Matrix metering, Aperture Priority Mode, f/6.3, 1/250 sec with an EV-0.33 exposure bias. PP in free Open Source RAWTherapee from Nikon RAW/NEF source file: set final image size to be 9000px wide, apply Tone mapping at default levels, apply Dynamic Range Compression at default levels, use Shadows/Highlights to recover detail in the shaded area under the roof, slightly boost Contrast and Chromaticity, set White Balance by sampling a white area of the danger sign on the pump, slightly boost Vibrance, sharpen (edges only), save. PP in free Open Source GIMP: create a non-destructive dodge/burn layer and use it to brighten the area under the eaves of the roof, crop a little off the right (and bottom) to get rid of a minor intrusion into the frame in the top right of the original composition, sharpen, save, scale image to 6000 px wide, sharpen, save, add fine black-and-white frame, add bar and text on left, save, scale image to 3000 px wide for posting online, sharpen very slightly, save.
Adorable Piper has gone from being a precious 1 1/2 lb. teensy stray kitten (rescued after being stuck in a pipe for a few days) to an obese 15 pounder with a penchant for destroying furniture. "This is why we can't have nice things" I tell the animals.
Ailanthus Webworm Moth, an introduced species that is a pollinator and not destructive, but its food plant, the Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus) is very invasive and grows throughout the US. Tree of Heaven is the tree that is featured in the novel "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith. There are many of these moths this summer, one even landed on me! I have several photos to post!
Another fan of the Joe Pye Weed!!
Have a beautiful last of summer day everyone!!
I am on facebook and 500px
So destructive, A pair of cabbage butterflies and their larvae ate most of my baby broccoli and kale.
TEXTURAS / JENDRIX56
Jendrix en la web
500 PX / JENDRIX56 PHOTOGRAPHY
PORTAFOLIO photo.medvekoma.net/Photos/24523071@N02
My Dark side in DEPHORMOGRAPHY
PRESENTACION
On this day in 1889, one of the most destructive men in history, Adolf Hitler, was born. He is shown here as he would have looked during his service in the Kaiser’s army during WW1. Wounded and temporarily blinded by a gas attack in October 1918, Hitler sat out the rest of the war in a hospital bed, and was shocked to hear of Germany’s defeat a month later. Like many German nationalists, he believed Germany had been betrayed by non-patriots, marxists and Jews. The rest of his life would be committed to restoring Germany to its former glory, establishing its dominance over the world, no matter the cost in human life or liberty. And costly it was.
Qoyllur Rit'i and the Ice Gods of the Andes by Daniel Arrhakis (2026)
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Qoyllur Rit'i and the Ice Gods of the Andes
The Qoyllur Rit'i festival and the myths of the ice gods reveal how, in the Andes, nature and spirituality are deeply intertwined. Ice, mountains, and the sacred structure both the material survival and the religious vision of Andean communities.
Qoyllur Rit'i: The Festival of the Snow Star
The Qoyllur Rit'i festival, celebrated between the end of May and the beginning of June in the Cusco region of Peru, annually gathers around 30,000 pilgrims in the Sinakara Valley. Participants face an enormous physical challenge as they climb the mountain to the sanctuary, located at an altitude of 4,800 meters. This three-day journey to the glacier of the sacred Ausangate mountain, marked by thin air and sub-zero temperatures, uniquely combines Christian faith and Andean devotion to the mountain spirits (apus).
Mythical Origin and Cultural Fusion
According to Catholic tradition, the festival dates back to the encounter between the boy Mariano Mayta and a mysterious boy named Manuel, who disappeared leaving behind an image of the crucified Christ on a rock. For the Andean peoples, this episode overlapped with an older cult linked to the Pleiades and the agricultural cycle.
The Guardians of the Ice: The Ukukus
The Ukukus, or "bear-men," are the ritual guardians of the festival and act as mediators between humans and the spirits of the mountains.
Night Ascent: In extreme cold, the Ukukus climb the glacier to perform rituals and greet the Apus.
Ecological Change: They used to carry blocks of ice considered healing, but this practice was abandoned due to the retreat of the glaciers and the need to protect the sacred ice.
Myths and Legends of the Andean Ice Gods
In Andean tradition, snow-capped peaks were seen as powerful deities, and ice symbolized protection, authority, and natural balance. 1. The Tragedy of Ausangate and Salkantay
Ausangate and Salkantay are presented as great Apus who left to save their people from a drought. Salkantay's amorous separation came to symbolically explain his eternal snows and avalanches.
2. Pariacaca, God of Ice Storms
Pariacaca, god of snowy peaks and storms, was born from five falcon eggs and defeated a fire god with rain, hail, and glaciers, symbolizing the supremacy of ice over destructive forces.
3. Glaciers as Judges of Reciprocity
Another myth states that glaciers respond to human behavior: when the principle of Ayni is broken, the Apus remove snow, dry up springs, or cause avalanches to restore balance.
The Huarochirí Manuscript and Francisco de Ávila
The Huarochirí Manuscript, collected in Quechua in the 17th century by Francisco de Ávila, preserves some of the most important myths of the central Andes.
Although he fought against indigenous religions, Francisco de Ávila ended up unintentionally preserving fundamental traditions of Andean mythology.
Combating Indigenous Religions
Extirpation: He promoted a campaign to eliminate indigenous cults.
Unintentional Preservation: This action allowed him to record myths and beliefs that are now essential sources about the Andes.
Therefore, the manuscript is today a central source for understanding the religious and symbolic thought of the Andes.
In it, mountains and huacas regulate water, climate, and human morality. Among the most striking accounts are the following:
1. Huatyacuri and the Pride of the Rich Man
Huatyacuri, a humble demigod and son of Pariacaca, overcomes Tamtañamca's arrogance by discovering the cause of his illness and curing him. The myth teaches that true wisdom is born from humility and connection with the sacred, not from wealth.
2. Cuniraya Huiracocha and Cahuillaca's Flight
Cuniraya Huiracocha, a deity disguised as a beggar, impregnates Cahuillaca without her knowledge. When she discovers the truth, she flees with her son to the sea, where both are transformed into rock, symbolizing the connection between the Andean glaciers and the ocean.
3. The Five-Day Flood and the Prophetic Llama
In the flood myth, a prophetic llama warns a man that the ocean will destroy the world. He takes refuge high in the mountains and survives, reinforcing the idea of the mountain as a place of protection and renewal of life.
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Qoyllur Rit’i e os deuses do gelo nos Andes
O festival de Qoyllur Rit’i e os mitos dos deuses do gelo revelam como, nos Andes, natureza e espiritualidade estão profundamente ligadas. O gelo, as montanhas e o sagrado estruturam tanto a sobrevivência material como a visão religiosa das comunidades andinas.
Qoyllur Rit’i: o Festival da Estrela de Neve
O festival de Qoyllur Rit’i, celebrado entre o final de maio e o início de junho na região de Cusco, no Peru, reúne anualmente cerca de 30.000 peregrinos no vale Sinakara. Os participantes enfrentam um desafio de enorme resistência física ao subir a montanha até ao santuário, situado a 4.800 metros de altitude. Esta jornada de três dias até ao glaciar da montanha sagrada Ausangate, marcada por ar rarefeito e temperaturas negativas, combina de forma única a fé cristã e a devoção andina aos espíritos das montanhas (apus).
Origem mítica e fusão cultural
Segundo a tradição católica, o festival remonta ao encontro entre o menino Mariano Mayta e um rapaz misterioso chamado Manuel, que desapareceu deixando numa rocha a imagem de Cristo crucificado. Para os povos andinos, este episódio sobrepôs-se a um culto mais antigo ligado às Plêiades e ao ciclo agrícola.
Os guardiões do gelo: os Ukukus
Os Ukukus, ou “homens-urso”, são os guardiões rituais do festival e atuam como mediadores entre os humanos e os espíritos das montanhas.
Ascensão noturna: sob frio extremo, os Ukukus sobem ao glaciar para realizar rituais e saudar os Apus.
Mudança ecológica: antes levavam blocos de gelo considerados curativos, mas essa prática foi abandonada devido ao recuo dos glaciares e à necessidade de proteger o gelo sagrado.
Mitos e lendas dos deuses do gelo andinos
Na tradição andina, os picos nevados eram vistos como divindades poderosas, e o gelo simbolizava proteção, autoridade e equilíbrio natural.
1. A tragédia de Ausangate e Salkantay
Ausangate e Salkantay são apresentados como grandes Apus que partiram para salvar o seu povo de uma seca. A separação amorosa de Salkantay passou a explicar simbolicamente as suas neves eternas e avalanches.
2. Pariacaca, deus das tempestades de gelo
Pariacaca, deus dos picos nevados e das tempestades, nasceu de cinco ovos de falcão e derrotou um deus do fogo com chuvas, granizo e glaciares, simbolizando a supremacia do gelo sobre forças destrutivas.
3. Os glaciares como juízes da reciprocidade
Outro mito afirma que os glaciares respondem ao comportamento humano: quando o princípio do Ayni é quebrado, os Apus retiram neve, secam fontes ou provocam avalanches para restaurar o equilíbrio.
O Manuscrito de Huarochirí e Francisco de Ávila
O Manuscrito de Huarochirí, recolhido em quéchua no século XVII por Francisco de Ávila, preserva alguns dos mais importantes mitos dos Andes centrais.
Embora tenha combatido as religiões indígenas, Francisco de Ávila acabou por preservar, de forma involuntária, tradições fundamentais da mitologia andina.
Combate às religiões indígenas
Extirpação: promoveu uma campanha para eliminar cultos indígenas.
Preservação involuntária: essa ação permitiu registar mitos e crenças que hoje são fontes essenciais sobre os Andes.
Por isso, o manuscrito é hoje uma fonte central para compreender o pensamento religioso e simbólico dos Andes.
Nele, as montanhas e as huacas regulam a água, o clima e a moralidade humana. Entre os relatos mais marcantes estão os seguintes:
1. Huatyacuri e o orgulho do homem rico
Huatyacuri, semideus humilde e filho de Pariacaca, vence a arrogância de Tamtañamca ao descobrir a causa da sua doença e curá-lo. O mito ensina que a verdadeira sabedoria nasce da humildade e da ligação ao sagrado, não da riqueza.
2. Cuniraya Huiracocha e a fuga de Cahuillaca
Cuniraya Huiracocha, divindade que se disfarçava de mendigo, fecunda Cahuillaca sem que ela o saiba. Quando descobre a verdade, ela foge com o filho até ao mar, onde ambos se transformam em rocha, simbolizando a ligação entre os glaciares andinos e o oceano.
3. O dilúvio de cinco dias e a llama profética
No mito do dilúvio, uma llama profética avisa um homem de que o oceano destruirá o mundo. Ele refugia-se no alto de uma montanha e sobrevive, reforçando a ideia da montanha como lugar de proteção e renovação da vida.
This dainty little wild iris grows along the shores of wetlands or other swampy spots. Whether wild or cultivated, iris are mostly immune to being eaten by mammals like those destructive deer because they contain toxic chemicals in their foliage and rootstock.
Transmission of Biological Visualisation (ANTBV)
Artist: Russell Anderson
Medium: Bronze and Stainless steel
Date: 2011
Above the southern parkland and located on Redcliffe Parade is Russell Anderson’s artwork entitled Apparatus for Non-Destructive Transmission of Biological Visualisation. The work is an interactive sculptural device presented as a popular street-side amusement.
Russell, a longtime Redcliffe local, has created a fictional nautical legend of what was once a real 19th century explorer vessel, shipwrecked in Moreton Bay. This device, salvaged from the wreck, contains the captive essence of a sea creature. Viewers are invited to turn a handle, generating power to view the sea-creature essence contained within and its projected image.
This sculpture tells the story of an imagined local history. ANTBV acts as a fictional appliance or device that evokes the past by using design elements from another era. As the only remaining invention of a fictional, early nineteenth century naturalist, this device is an interactive sculpture that explores local fauna on a whimsical level.
The major fires burning in Northern California's wine country continue to burn relentlessly, forcing additional mass evacuations. The Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) instrument on NASA's Terra satellite acquired this image the morning of Oct. 12, 2017. The fires have consumed hundreds of thousands of acres, resulting in significant loss of life, injuries and heavy property losses. The city of Santa Rosa is in the upper left corner; Napa is in the upper right; and Sonoma is in the center. In the image, vegetation is depicted in red and smoke is blue-gray. Active fires and hotspots, detected on ASTER's thermal infrared channels, are in yellow. The background colors have been subdued to make the yellow hotspots more apparent. The image covers an area of 35 by 57 miles (57 by 91 kilometers) and is located near 38.3 degrees north, 122.5 degrees west.
Image credit: NASA/METI/AIST/Japan Space Systems, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team
Four days after the destructive storm of 21 May 2022 that destroyed life and did damage to buildings and nature it wrecked this beautiful old willow tree on Duffins creek with a blue sky in Discovery bay , Martin’s photographs , Ajax , Ontario , Canada , May 24. 2022
Looking down at the front end of my bicycle
Bicycle
Four days after the destructive storm of 21 May 2022
old apple trees with beautiful blossoms
old orchard on the waterfront trail of Lake Ontario
blue sky in Squires beach
May 2022
Blossoms
Flowering trees
apple trees with blossoms
old orchard on the waterfront trail
Old orchard
Trees with blossoms
vista with colourful trees ,
bulrushes
tall grasses
the large stone block walls
system to keep the Carp from entering Duffins marsh and creek system
viewed from the bridge across the marsh in Squires beach
Having a nice walk with granny in the woods
Family
Sunset
May 2022
Shrubs
Oak tree
Trees
Stones
Reflections
Reflection
Dogwood
Orange yellow Tamarack tree
Duffins trail
blue sky
cloud cover
yellow Tamarack tree
Tamarack tree
Tamarac
American Larch tree
Beautiful Nettles and it’s flowers
Nettles
Waterfront trail on Lake Ontario
Waterfront trail of Lake Ontario
Black eye Susan’s
Colourful bird houses
Autumn
Shadows
Reflections
Garter snake
Large mushroom
Bird houses
Autumn
Duffins creek
Discovery bay
cropped photograph
closeup photograph
Martin’s photographs
Ajax
Ontario
Canada
Duffins creek
Favourites
IPhone XR
Mushroom
Large Mushroom
wildflowers
Trout lilies
Lake Ontario
Mouth of Duffins creek marsh
white Deadnetles
River
Dogwood
Woods
Granny
Favourites
White Trilliums
Duffins marsh
Duffins trail
Ferns
Trilliums
Large tree