In the new church at Lepsa Monastery, Vrancea County, Romania, see the photo of the church below.

The monastery has a wooden church (Assumption of the Virgin Mary, "Adormirea Maicii Domnului" in Romanian) erected on the site of a church dating from the end of the 18th century (1780). The wooden church houses an old icon from 1584, received from Jerusalem, together with the icon of Saint Nicholas, which escaped unharmed from the fire of 1929 and which, being considered a miracle worker, always has a burning candle.

The Lepșa Monastery was founded in 1774, when a disciple of Saint Basil from Poiana Mărului was building a hermitage. In 1952, Lepșa became a monastery of nuns. In 1960, the nuns were expelled and the monastery was abolished. The communists turned it into a forestry warehouse, then into a stable and finally into a school camp. Abandoned during the communist era, the monastery will be re-established in 1990.

ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biserica_de_lemn_din_Mănăstirea_L...

Üstí nad Labem_Labe_Elbe_Větruše_Czechia

Ústí nad Labem (Czech pronunciation: [ˈuːsciː ˈnad labɛm] (About this soundlisten)), formerly known by its German name Aussig,[1] is the 7th-most populous city of the Czech Republic. It is the capital of its eponymous region and district. Ústí is situated in a mountainous district at the confluence of the Bílina and Elbe rivers. It is a major industrial center and, besides being an active river port, is an important railway junction.

Ústí nad Labem was mentioned as a trading centre as early as 993.[2] In the second half of the 13th century, King Otakar II of Bohemia invited German settlers into the country and granted them a German form of municipal incorporation, thereby founding the city proper.[2] In 1423, as King of Bohemia, Sigismund pledged the town to Elector Frederick I of Meißen, who occupied it with a Saxon garrison.[2] It was besieged by the Hussites in 1426: a German army of 70 000 was sent to its relief but the 25 000 besiegers defeated them amid great slaughter on 16 June; the next day, they stormed and razed the town.[2] It was left derelict for three years before rebuilding began in 1429.[2]

Ústí was again burned down in 1583 and was sacked by the Swedes in 1639 amid the Thirty Years' War.[1] It also suffered grievously during the Seven Years' War and was near the 1813 Battle of Kulm between France and the alliance of Austria, Prussia, and Russia during the Napoleonic Wars.[2] As late as 1830, its population was only 1400.[2]

As part of the Kingdom of Bohemia, it was eventually incorporated into Austria and heavily industrialized over the 19th century. After the Compromise of 1867, it headed the Aussig District, one of Austrian Bohemia's 94 District Commissions (Bezirkshauptmannschaften).[3] In the 1870s, with only 11 000 people, it was a major producer of woolen goods, linen, paper, ships, and chemicals and carried on a large trade in grain, fruit, mineral water, lumber, and coal.[1] By 1900, large-scale immigration had boosted the population to nearly 40 000, mostly German,[2] and added glassworking and stone to its trades.[2] The local river port became the busiest in the entire Austro-Hungarian Empire, surpassing even the seaport in Trieste.[citation needed]

The factories of Aussig—as it was then known—were an early center of the National Socialism ("Nazi") movement. The German Workers' Party in Austria (Deutsche Arbeiterpartei in Österreich) was founded on 15 November 1903 and later gave rise to the Sudeten German Party and Austrian National Socialism. Their books continued to be printed in Ústí even after the formation of Czechoslovakia in 1918. During the 1930 census, Ústí nad Labem was home to 43 793 residents: 32 878 considered German, 8 735 Czech or Slovak, 222 Jews, 16 Russians, and 11 Hungarians.[4] Ústí was ceded to Nazi Germany with the rest of the Sudetenland in October 1938 under the terms of the Munich Agreement. On New Year's Eve of that year, the Nazis burnt down the local synagogue; a meat factory was later raised in its place. The Jewish community in Ústí nad Labem was mostly exterminated over the course of World War II amid the Holocaust. In April 1945, the city was severely bombed by the Allies.[which?]

Under the terms of the Potsdam Conference and the Beneš decrees, the city was restored to Czechoslovakia and most of its German population expelled after Germany's defeat in World War II. In May 1948, the Communist government passed a new constitution declaring a people's republic. Communism continued until the 1989 fall of the Berlin Wall set off a series of events which are now known as the Velvet Revolution. Today, Ústí nad Labem is a major industrial city of the Czech Republic with substantial chemical, metallurgical, textile, food, and machine tool industries.

Inside the church known as the Church of the Jesuits (that is what it said at the entrance of the church), but that is actually called the Church of the Circumcision of Our Lord. It is also known as the Church of the University (and the Master and doctoral graduation ceremonies are held at this church).

As the name suggests, it was founded by the Jesuits in 1593. This is not really the original building, but one built in the Baroque style after a nearby explosion at a gunpowder factory severely damaged the building. That was in 1634, and work was carried out for much of the 17th century.

In 1768 the Jesuits were expelled from Malta and had to leave the church behind, and the Knights Hospitaller, who had control over Malta at the time, took over.

ⓒRebecca Bugge, All Rights Reserved

Do not use without permission.

Cesky Krumlov is a beautiful Czech town dating back to the 13th Century and located around a horseshoe bend in the Vltava River. In 1302 the house and castle were owned by the House of Rosenberg. Most of the architecture of the old town and castle dates back to between the 14th and 17th centuries. It was originally part of Czechoslovakia and between 1938 and 1945 it was annexed by Nazi Germany as part of the Sudetenland. The town’s German speaking population was expelled after WWII. During the Soviet occupation (after WWII) much of this beautiful town fell into disrepair, but since the Velvet Revolution in 1989 much of the town had been restored to its former glory.

This guy was tucked way back in a pine tree, and could only be viewed through a small opening. I cropped this heavily to cut out all the branches. He had just coughed up a pellet, and then seemed to look over at me as if to say, "Did you capture that"? I did. It is not pretty, but amazing how this little guy can expel such a large pellet.

Um, do you mind? Some privacy please !

A Pied Avocet gives me the evil eye after I catch it in the act of “answering nature’s call” (quite literally I suppose !).

Unlike mammals, which expel #1 and #2 separately, birds eliminate both waste products simultaneously.

From a philosophical (and scatalogical, too) point-of-view, does this mean that birds do a #3 (the sum) or a #1.5 (the mean)? :)

Thank you for your interest, views, faves, comments and awards ! This image was captured in Hong Kong 香港. (Best viewed on a larger screen.)

© This Image is under full copyright Rick C. Graham. © All rights reserved Rick C. Graham. © This image is subject to international copyright laws and may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, transferred or manipulated without the express written permission of Rick C. Graham.

The Stolpersteine ​​(Stumbling Stones) project is an initiative of the German artist Gunter Demnig (Berlin, 1947). He places memorials in front of the homes of people who were expelled, deported, murdered or driven to suicide by the Nazis. "A man is not forgotten until his name is forgotten," he quotes the Talmud.

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Het project Stolpersteine (Struikelstenen) is een initiatief van de Duitse kunstenaar Gunter Demnig (Berlijn, 1947). Hij brengt gedenktekens aan vóór de huizen van mensen die door de nazi's werden verdreven, gedeporteerd, vermoord of tot zelfmoord gedreven . 'Een mens is pas vergeten, wanneer zijn naam is vergeten,' citeert hij de Talmud.

Many are the birds found in the Atlantic Forest, and my series is only a little sample because despite of the destruction, the Atlantic forest has more than 200,200 km² covering the coast of Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina.

There are many colorful and beautiful birds that I never saw, only by photos. Even in the Itatiaia National Park many species are found in the upper areas, far away from the human beings.

Along the coast I know there are hotels specialized in birds viewers.

Hope someday I can visit one of these hotels and photographed another birds.

All that I presented to you were birds who are attracted to the hotel I visited by the good care the owner has with the birds, offering a lot of fresh food (mainly tropical fruits) twice a day.

Here we present now two big birds and its habits.

Dusk-legged Guan (Penelope obscura) Jacuguaçú or simply Jacu (in portuguese).

Southern species of large size, measuring 68 to 75 centimeters and weighing 1,000 to 1,200 grams

Very dark green-bronze color; mantle, neck and chest finely striated with white; blackened legs. The male has a red iris, unlike the female. Big and noisy species, notable for the strange and strong noise it makes with its wings while flying.

Although it inhabits forests, it goes down in the open field to feed itself. It is predominantly frugivorous, and in this highly specialized, although it also feeds on leaves, shoots, grains and insects. Among the fruits of native trees, this species of bird is very attracted to Araçá fruits, and defecates the seeds intact. *

It presents a sign of excitement that is characterized by opening and closing the tail impetuously. He has the habit of shaking his head. In the evening, before perching, he becomes very restless, apparently anxiety to find a good place to sleep. Lives in groups of 6 to 10 birds.

* This species usually causes problems for coffee growers because it ingests the best and most ripe beans.

Following an example of the so-called most expensive coffee in the world made from the stools of the Civet, some producers dedicated themselves to the production of Café do Jacu.

Kopi Luwak, as it is called the most expensive coffee in the world, is produced from coffee beans extracted from the feces of a species of wild Opossum from the Sumatra region, which, like the Jacu, was once considered a pest for producers in the region.

But everything changed when producers realized that the animal's digestion expelled the whole grain and gave coffee exceptional characteristics. That way, it is possible to prepare it normally and obtain a coffee unlike any other.

When realized that the same thing happened with the digestion of Jacu, a farmer in Espírito Santo decided to adapt the production process to his reality. Thus Jacu's coffee was born.

By far the most dramatic of the river deltas, the orange and white colours were a veritable feast for the eyes. I literally felt like a kid in a candy shop and just couldn’t stop taking photos. The colours and patterns immediately evoked thoughts of dragons expelling fire!

“All paradises are there to be expelled from.” - - Amanda Craig

Better viewed large. Thank you.

A community of Augustinian canons built a priory here, known as Anglesea or Anglesey Priory, some time during the reign of Henry I (i.e., between 1100 and 1135), and acquired extra land from the nearby village of Bottisham in 1279. The canons were expelled in 1535 during the Dissolution of the Monasteries.

The former priory was acquired around 1600 by Thomas Hobson, who converted it to a country house for his son-in-law, Thomas Parker, retaining a few arches from the original priory. At that time the building's name was changed to "Anglesey Abbey", which sounded grander than the original "Anglesey Priory".

We visited this unique landscape with mud volcanoes in Buzau Mts., Romania. Here are some more details about this place:

"The Berca Mud Volcanoes are a geological and botanical reservation located in the Berca commune in the Buzău County in Romania. Its most spectacular feature is the mud volcanoes, small volcano-shaped structures typically a few meters high caused by the eruption of mud and natural gases.

As the gases erupt from 3000 meters-deep towards the surface, through the underground layers of clay and water, they push up underground salty water and mud, so that they overflow through the mouths of the volcanoes, while the gas emerges as bubbles. The mud dries off at the surface, creating a relatively solid conical structure, resembling a real volcano. The mud expelled by them is cold, as it comes from inside the Earth's continental crust layers, and not from the mantle.

The reservation is unique in Romania. The mud volcanoes create a strange lunar landscape, due to the absence of vegetation around the cones. Vegetation is scarce because the soil is very salty, an environmental condition in which few plants can survive." (Wikipedia)

Quedlinburg is a town situated just north of the Harz mountains, in the district of Harz in the west of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. In 1994, the castle, church and old town were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Quedlinburg has a population of more than 24,000. The town was the capital of the district of Quedlinburg until 2007, when the district was dissolved. Several locations in the town are designated stops along a scenic holiday route, the Romanesque Road.

The town of Quedlinburg is known to have existed since at least the early 9th century, when there was a settlement known as Gross Orden on the eastern bank of the River Bode. It was first mentioned as a town in 922 as part of a donation by King Henry the Fowler (Heinrich der Vogler). The records of this donation were held by the abbey of Corvey.

According to legend, Henry had been offered the German crown at Quedlinburg in 919 by Franconian nobles, giving rise to the town being called the "cradle of the German Reich".[2]:85

After Henry's death in 936, his widow Saint Matilda founded a religious community for women (Frauenstift) on the castle hill, where daughters of the higher nobility were educated. The main task of this collegiate foundation, Quedlinburg Abbey, was to pray for the memory of King Henry and the rulers who came after him. The Annals of Quedlinburg were also compiled there. The first abbess was Matilda, a granddaughter of King Henry and St. Matilda.

The Quedlinburg castle complex, founded by King Henry I and built up by Emperor Otto I in 936, was an imperial Pfalz of the Saxon emperors. The Pfalz, including the male convent, was in the valley, where today the Roman Catholic Church of St. Wiperti is situated, while the women's convent was located on the castle hill.

In 973, shortly before the death of Emperor Otto I, a Reichstag (Imperial Convention) was held at the imperial court in which Mieszko, duke of Polans, and Boleslav, duke of Bohemia, as well as numerous other nobles from as far away as Byzantium and Bulgaria, gathered to pay homage to the emperor. On the occasion, Otto the Great introduced his new daughter-in-law Theophanu, a Byzantine princess whose marriage to Otto II brought hope for recognition and continued peace between the rulers of the Eastern and Western empires.

In 994, Otto III granted the right of market, tax, and coining, and established the first market place to the north of the castle hill.

The town became a member of the Hanseatic League in 1426. Quedlinburg Abbey frequently disputed the independence of the town, which sought the aid of the Bishopric of Halberstadt. In 1477, Abbess Hedwig, aided by her brothers Ernest and Albert, broke the resistance of the town and expelled the bishop's forces. Quedlinburg was forced to leave the Hanseatic League and was subsequently protected by the Electorate of Saxony. Both town and abbey converted to Lutheranism in 1539 during the Protestant Reformation.

In 1697, Elector Frederick Augustus I of Saxony sold his rights to Quedlinburg to Elector Frederick III of Brandenburg for 240,000 thalers. Quedlinburg Abbey contested Brandenburg-Prussia's claims throughout the 18th century, however. The abbey was secularized in 1802 during the German Mediatisation, and Quedlinburg passed to the Kingdom of Prussia as part of the Principality of Quedlinburg. Part of the Napoleonic Kingdom of Westphalia from 1807–13, it was included within the new Prussian Province of Saxony in 1815. In all this time, ladies ruled Quedlinburg as abbesses without "taking the veil"; they were free to marry. The last of these ladies was a Swedish princess, an early fighter for women's rights, Sofia Albertina.

During the Nazi regime, the memory of Henry I became a sort of cult, as Heinrich Himmler saw himself as the reincarnation of the "most German of all German" rulers. The collegiate church and castle were to be turned into a shrine for Nazi Germany. The Nazi Party tried to create a new religion. The cathedral was closed from 1938 and during the war. The local crematory was kept busy burning the victims of the Langenstein-Zwieberge concentration camp. Georg Ay was local party chief from 1931 until the end of the war. Liberation in 1945 brought back the Protestant bishop and the church bells, and the Nazi-style eagle was taken down from the tower.

During the last months of World War II, the United States military had occupied Quedlinburg. In the 1980s, upon the death of one of the US military men, the theft of medieval art from Quedlinburg came to light.

Quedlinburg was administered within Bezirk Halle while part of the Communist East Germany from 1949 to 1990. It became part of the state of Saxony-Anhalt upon German reunification in 1990.

During Quedlinburg's Communist era, restoration specialists from Poland were called in during the 1980s to carry out repairs on the old architecture. Today, Quedlinburg is a center of restoration of Fachwerk houses.

/Wikipedia/

"I hope you're pleased with yourselves. We could all have been killed — or worse, expelled. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to bed." ― Hermione Granger

John Williams - Hedwig's Theme (Harry Potter)

Video

Head: LeL Evo X

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Wand: Nishi: Wand, Luna

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Teleport

Abelharuco a regurgitar uma "Pellet"

European Bee-eater expelling a pellet

"I hope you're pleased with yourselves. We could all have been killed — or worse, expelled. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to bed." ― Hermione Granger

Harry Potter Theme Song

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Books: Junk Food - Book Pile (Light)

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BG: The Library, 4th floor.

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Castillo de Oystermouth / Swansea / Gales / Reino unido

El primer castillo fue fundado por William de Londres del Castillo de Ogmore poco después de 1106 tras la captura de Gower por los normandos. En 1116 el gales Deheubarth retomó la península de Gower y obligó a William a huir de su castillo, que fue puesto en la antorcha. El castillo fue reconstruido poco después, pero fue destruido probablemente de nuevo en 1137, cuando Gower fue una vez más recuperada por los príncipes de Deheubarth. La familia de Londres finalmente se extinguió en 1215, cuando Gower fue nuevamente tomada por los galeses bajo la dirección de Llywelyn el Grande. En 1220 los galeses fueron expulsados de la península y el gobierno de Enrique III de Inglaterra devolvió la baronía de Gower a John de Braose tanto que reconstruyó el castillo de Swansea y Oystermouth.

Oystermouth castle / swansea / wales / United kingdom

The early castle[edit]

The first castle was founded by William de Londres of Ogmore Castle soon after 1106 following the capture of Gower by the Normans. In 1116 the Welsh of Deheubarth retook the Gower Peninsula and forced William to flee his castle which was put to the torch. The castle was rebuilt soon afterwards, but was probably destroyed again in 1137 when Gower was once more retaken by the princes of Deheubarth. The Londres or London family finally died out in 1215 when Gower was again taken by the Welsh under the leadership of Llywelyn the Great. In 1220 the Welsh were expelled from the peninsula and the government of Henry III of England returned the barony of Gower to John de Braose who rebuilt both Swansea Castle and Oystermouth.

Birds Nest fungi cups with seeds ready to go. When it rains, the seeds are expelled from the cups when they are hit with a drop of water.

The Western Schism, aka the Great Divide, was a split within the Catholic Church lasting from 9/1378 to 11/1417. The problem was the following: there was a pope in Rome and another one in Avignon, France, and both claimed they were the true pope. Instead of trying rock, paper and scissors, they insisted on being mad at each other while causing more bad vibes in Europe . The Council of Pisa decided that they were both heretical, and elected another pope, Alexander. There was a later council, called the council of Constance, that expelled the “antipope “ (French) and kept the one in the Vatican. So, as the bad pope could not build another Sistine Chapel, he had this palace built. Impressive. Now you can understand why the EU needs to hold meeting after meeting before they get anywhere

Inside the church known as the Church of the Jesuits (that is what it said at the entrance of the church), but that is actually called the Church of the Circumcision of Our Lord. It is also known as the Church of the University (and the Master and doctoral graduation ceremonies are held at this church).

As the name suggests, it was founded by the Jesuits in 1593. This is not really the original building, but one built in the Baroque style after a nearby explosion at a nearby gunpowder factory severely damaged the building. That was in 1634, and work was carried out for much of the 17th century.

In 1768 the Jesuits was expelled from Malta and had to leave the church behind, and the Knights Hospitaller, who had control over Malta at the time, took over.

The state of the ceiling makes you think this church hasn't been properly looked after, but the interior (and exterior) was actually restored in the years around 2000.

ⓒRebecca Bugge, All Rights Reserved

Do not use without permission.

Night City, 2077, in a time where corporate rule, power struggles and impotent government have been the norm for over forty years.

The streets are filled with crime, drug lords, black market body modifications, cyberware and addictions to braindances.

A town that Detective Ivo has been attempting to protect with a high degree of success. He was so successful at his craft that the corporate giant Arasaka had the government expel him from the city ....

Click here to read his story

Credits

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Drune Babalon

An angel is a supernatural spiritual being who is God's servant, according to various religions.

Abrahamic religions often depict angels as benevolent celestial intermediaries between God (or Heaven) and humanity. Other roles include protectors and guides for humans, and servants of God. Abrahamic religions describe angelic hierarchies, which vary by sect and religion. Some angels have specific names (such as Gabriel or Michael) or titles (such as seraph or archangel). Those expelled from Heaven are called fallen angels, distinct from the heavenly host.

Angels in art are usually shaped like humans of extraordinary beauty. They are often identified in Christian artwork with bird wings, halos, and divine light.

Etymology for exegetes :

Borrowed from Ge'ez መልአክ (mälʾäk, “messenger; angel”), the plural of which is መላእክት (mälaʾəkt), itself a calque of Aramaic מַלְאֲכָא‎ / ܡܠܐܟܐ‎ (malʾăḵā, “angel, messenger”) and Hebrew מַלְאָךְ‎ (malʾā́ḵ, “angel, messenger”), closer in Tigrinya መልኣኽ (mälʾax), Amharic መልኣክ (mälʾak), መላክ (mälak) of which the plural is መላእክት (mälaʾəkt). Compare the root ل ء ك‎ (l-ʾ-k) and لَأَكَ‎ (laʾaka), أَلْأَكَ‎ (ʾalʾaka, “to send as a messenger”), which was regularly used as the normal word for “to send” in Ge'ez ለአከ (läʾäkä) as well as in Ugaritic (lỉk), (lảk) for which the normal Arabic word is أَرْسَلَ‎ (ʾarsala) upon which one has formed رَسُول‎ (rasūl, “messenger; apostle; angel”), with the same pattern native Ge'ez ልኡክ (ləʾuk, “messenger; apostle; cantor”).

Cherub (plural cherubs or cherubim or cherubims, follows the Hebrew grammar rule of creating plurals by adding the suffix -im.) (biblical) A winged creature attending God, described by Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite (c. 5th–6th century) as the second highest order of angels, ranked above thrones and below seraphim; similar to a lamassu in the pre-exilic texts of the Hebrew Bible, more humanoid in later texts.

An artistic depiction of such a being, typically in the form of a winged child or a child's head with wings but no body. Synonyms: amoretto, cupid, putto

(figuratively) A person, especially a child, seen as being particularly angelic or innocent. Synonyms: angel, innocent

Seraph (plural seraphs or seraphim or seraphims)

(biblical) A six-winged angel; the highest choir or order of angels in Christian angelology, ranked above cherubim, and below God. They are the 5th highest order of angels in Jewish angelology. A detailed description can be found at the beginning of Isaiah chapter 6.

Aramaic is a Semitic language that originated among the Arameans in the ancient region of Syria. Over three thousand years, Aramaic served as a language of public life and administration of ancient kingdoms and empires and also as a language of divine worship and religious study. It subsequently branched into several Neo-Aramaic languages that are still spoken in modern times.

The Aramaic language belongs to the Northwest group of the Semitic language family, which also includes the Canaanite languages, such as Hebrew, Edomite, Moabite, and Phoenician, as well as Amorite and Ugaritic. Aramaic languages are written in the Aramaic alphabet, a descendant of the Phoenician alphabet, and the most prominent alphabet variant is the Syriac alphabet. The Aramaic alphabet also became a base for the creation and adaptation of specific writing systems in some other Semitic languages, such as the Hebrew alphabet and the Arabic alphabet.

The Aramaic languages are now considered endangered, since several dialects are used mainly by the older generations. However, researchers are working to record and analyze all of the remaining dialects of Neo-Aramaic languages before they are extinguished as spoken languages. Early Aramaic inscriptions date from 10th century BC, placing it among the earliest languages to be written down. Source Wikipedia.

Angels in classical music

Víkingur Ólafsson Bach Concerto in D Minor, BWV 974 Adagio

www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2gVYB5oZ7o

Yiruma - River Flows in You - Mozart "Music of Angels"

www.youtube.com/watch?v=7maJOI3QMu0

Happy Holidays to you and family!

TD : 1/200 f/5.6 ISO 3200 @200mm Pentax-M lens on hybrid Alpha 6000 - ICM blur.

Water lilies in the Nanchi (南池) pond of Gyo'en.

It was originally an Edo residence of the I'i family that had supported the Tokugawa shogunate since its beginning. The pond was probably the central part of the Japanese garden attached to the residence.

I'i Naosuke (井伊直弼) was the Chief Minister (大老) responsible for the signing of trade and commerce treaties with Western countries in 1858 and onwards, which led to his assassination by a group of Samurai who advocated Son'nou Jou'i (尊皇攘夷 Revere the Emperor, expel the barbarians) in 1860.

It is ironic in that his former residence is now part of Meiji Jinguu that once was a magnet for Shintou-based nativism.

His signings of the treaties, on the other hand, drastically increased the export of Japanese products including arts, which eventually inspired many Western artists in the late 19th century. It is called Japonisme.

El Monestir de Santa Maria de Pedralbes és un conjunt monumental d'estil gòtic declarat bé cultural d'interès nacional.[1] El monestir, que dóna nom al barri de Pedralbes de Barcelona, pertany a l'orde de les clarisses i des del mes de març del 2012 és un centre patrimonial adscrit a l'Institut de Cultura de Barcelona. El 2019 va tenir 83.552 visitants.[2]

Història

Edat antiga

En intervencions arqueològiques que, entre 1989 i 1991, van fer-se al recinte del Monestir i en àrees adjacent, es van documentar un assentament de l'època romana i una ocupació de l'edat mitjana però anterior a la construcció del monestir. Al jardí de les Corts i al carrer de Montevideo es van descobrir estructures que s'ajusten a les característiques de les dependències d'una vil·la romana destinades a l'explotació agropecuària (la pars rustica) del període altimperial i se'n va documentar algun mur. Els sondeigs fets a l'interior de l'antic dormitori de les monges van revelar l'existència de diverses sitges. La interpretació de les restes suggereix que el conjunt hauria funcionat com una zona d'elaboració i emmagatzematge d'algun producte agrícola. La presència d'algunes cubetes i un lacus o bassa pavimentat amb opus signinum, que es va trobar en l'excavació, indica que hi devia haver una premsa d'oli o de raïm[3][4]

Edat mitjana

El monestir va ser fundat pel rei Jaume el Just i per la seva esposa Elisenda de Montcada el 1327, amb la intenció que servís de lloc de retir per a la reina en el moment d'enviudar, que es preveia proper per l'edat i la salut del rei.[5]

Al gener de 1326 la reina Elisenda comprà a Elisenda, vídua d'Arnau de Sarrià, i al seu fill Bernat el mas Pedralbes, situat al peu de la muntanya de Sant Pere Mártir i a l'oest de la ciutat. Al febrer obtingué del papa Joan XXII la facultat per fundar el monestir de clarisses que volia, amb la condició que arribés a dotze el nombre de religioses i que la sustentació fos segura, es dir, d'acord amb la reforma de la regla de santa Clara aprovada per Urbá IV.[6][7]

El monestir es va inaugurar amb una missa solemne el 3 de maig de 1327.[8] Albergava una comunitat de monges clarisses, formada en la seva major part per filles de nobles. La reina va posar especial interès en aquest monestir, al qual va dotar de diversos privilegis. Gràcies a un d'aquests privilegis, el monestir quedava sota la protecció directa de la ciutat, a través del Consell de Cent, que es comprometia a defensar-lo en cas de perill.[6]

La mateixa Elisenda de Montcada va fer construir un palau annex al qual es va traslladar pels volts de febrer de 1328, després de la mort del seu marit, el mes de novembre de 1327.[9] Elisenda va residir al palau del monestir fins al moment de la seva mort, el 1364. Malgrat que la mateixa reina va ordenar al seu testament que l'edifici fos derruït després de la seva defunció, l'any 1972 Maria Assumpta Escudero i Ribot va considerar que havia descobert les restes del Palau dins del mateix monestir de Pedralbes al costat del dormitori de les monges, si bé d'altres investigadors han proposat hipòtesis alternatives sobre la situació del palau, més obert a l'exterior.[5] Des del 1329 hi va haver al monestir una petita comunitat de frares franciscans (inicialment sis) per cuidar-se de l'espiritualitat de les monges; aquests frares s'allotjaven a l'edifici conegut com el conventet.[10]

Edat moderna

El 1466, després de la mort del Príncep de Viana durant la Guerra Civil catalana (1462-1472), les monges es van veure obligades a deixar el monestir, trencant així la clausura, i es van recollir al monestir de Sant Joan de Jerusalem i, ja el 1468, al Palau de la Vescomtessa i a unes cases del carrer Santa Anna de la seva propietat. Durant aquesta guerra el monestir es va convertir en el quarter general dels partidaris de Joan II i és on es va produir la capitulació de Pedralbes el 24 d'octubre de 1472.[9]

Més endavant, durant la Guerra dels Segadors de 1640, les monges van ser exclaustrades de nou i es van allotjar a la residència del marquès d'Aitona, on van haver de restar durant tres anys. En virtut de l'acord establert per Elisenda de Montcada amb la ciutat, les religioses van ser escortades fins a la seva destinació per soldats armats. La mare abadessa tancava el seguici, acompanyada pel segon conseller de la ciutat. Després d'aquesta llarga estança el monestir va començar a acusar una lenta decadència al llarg del segle xvii, en part per la mala gestió d'algunes abadesses, en part per les circumstàncies socioeconòmiques i polítiques del moment, que van agreujar fets com la pèrdua del municipi de Sarrià, l'obligatorietat de pagar impostos a l'Ajuntament, la Guerra de Successió, etc.[9]

El 30 de juliol de 1835, després de la crema de convents produïda a Barcelona, les monges van rebre l'ordre d'exclaustració i el 23 d'agost es va dissoldre la comunitat i es van tapiar les entrades de l'església i el monestir,[9] restant les monges disperses durant tres anys.[11] Tot i això, el monestir no fou afectat per la desamortització, cosa que ha contribuït a la seva bona conservació en comparació amb altres elements del patrimoni eclesiàstic del país.[5

The Monastery of Pedralbes is a Gothic monastery in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It is now a museum, housing permanent exhibitions on its own art and legacy as well as third-party special exhibitions from time to time. The Chapel of St. Michael was restored and re-opened in 2018.

Etymology

The name of the site in the 14th century was Petras Albas (in the accusative), Latin for "white stones". The original name devolved into the current one.

History

The monastery was founded by King James II of Aragon for his wife Elisenda de Montcada in 1326. It housed a community of Poor Clares, mostly members of noble families. The queen gave the monastery a series of privileges, including the direct protection of the city of Barcelona, through the Consell de Cent ("Council of the Hundred"), who had the task to defend it in case of danger. Elisenda also built a palace annexed to the monastery, where she lived after her husband's death in 1327. She died there in 1367. The remains of the palace were discovered in the 1970s.

During the Reapers' War of the 1640s and '50s, the nuns were expelled, but later returned. Some still reside in the complex, which was declared a national monument in 1991.

Structure

Originally, the monastery (built in white stone, pedres albes in Catalan, hence its name) was defended by a line of walls, of which today only two towers and one gate remain.

The church has a single nave, with rib vaults and a polygonal apse, and houses a Gothic retablo by Jaume Huguet. The façade is characterized by a large rose window.The cloister has three floors, and a length of 40 meters, with a central garden of orange trees and palms. It is formed by wide arches on columns, whose capitals are decorated with the emblems of the Kings of Aragon and the House of Montcada. The sepulchre of Queen Elisenda, in alabaster stone, is located in one of the cloister's wings.

Also notable is the Chapel of St. Michael, housing several fresco paintings by Ferrer Bassa. Dating to 1346, they show the influence of the Italian painter Giotto.

In the 1990s, the former dormitory housed a permanent exhibition of works from the Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection, with works by Italian Trecento painters, and later works by artists including Rubens, Canaletto, Tintoretto, Velázquez and Fra Angelico (Virgin of Humility, one of his masterpieces). Now these are in the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya in Barcelona, or the main Madrid home of the collection.

Guimarães is a city in northwestern Portugal. In the 9th century, Vímara Peres was able to expel the Moors and founded a fortified town under his own name Vimaranis (of Vimar) which later became Guimaranis, present day Guimarães. The city is often referred to as the "birthplace of the Portuguese nationality" and also was the birthplace of Afonso I of Portugal, the first Portuguese king.

See where this picture was taken. [?]

Many thanks for your visits, faves and comments. Cheers.

Short-beaked Echidna

Scientific Name: Tachyglossus aculeatus

The Short-beaked Echidna is the only species of echidna in Australia.

Identification: The Short-beaked Echidna is easily recognised by its sharp spines, short legs and long snout.

Size range: 40-55 cm

Similar Species: Long-beaked Echidna (Zaglossus bruijni), is from New Guinea

Distribution: The Short-beaked Echidna is found throughout Australia, including Tasmania. Although it is found all over Australia, it is not as common in Sydney as it once was.

Habitat: The Short-beaked Echidna lives in forests and woodlands, heath, grasslands and arid environments.

Seasonality: Winter isn't a good time to see an echidna as many enter torpor during the colder months. Dropping their body temperatures below 10 degrees celsius and breathing just once every three minutes, they greatly reduce their metabolic rate. Every few weeks their temperature slowly rises to normal as they stir to eliminate waste, and perhaps have a drink, before returning to torpor. As the warmer weather returns, so does the echidna's food supply and the sleepy monotremes fully awaken to set about replenishing their fat stores.

Feeding and Diet: Using its pointed snout and sharp claws, the Short-beaked Echidna breaks into ant and termite nests and catches its prey by flicking its long sticky tongue in and out. It also catches a lot of dirt in the process and this is expelled in the droppings.

Life cycle: Like the Platypus, the Short-beaked Echidna is an egg-laying mammal or monotreme and lays one egg at a time. The eggs hatch after about 10 days and the young, emerge blind and hairless. Clinging to hairs inside the mother's pouch, the young echidna suckles for two or three months. Once it develops spines and becomes too prickly, the mother removes it from her pouch and builds a burrow for it. It continues to suckle for the next six months.

Predators, Parasites and Diseases: The Short-beaked Echidna has few natural enemies, but it may be killed by cars, dogs, foxes and occasionally goannas, and cats may take the young.

(Source: australianmuseum.net.au/short-beaked-echidna)

© Chris Burns 2019

__________________________________________

All rights reserved.

This image may not be copied, reproduced, distributed, republished, downloaded, displayed, posted or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic, mechanical, photocopying and recording without my written consent.

INDONESIEN, Bali - Luwak-Schleichkatze,

Der hauskatzengroße Baumbewohner ist vorwiegend nachtaktiv. Neben den Früchten der Kaffeepflanze ernährt er sich von anderen Früchten, gelegentlich von Kleinstsäugern und -reptilien, Eiern....

The luak, that's a small catlike animal, gorges after dark on the most ripe, the best of our crop. It digests the fruit and expels the beans, which our farm people collect, wash, and roast, a real delicacy. Something about the natural fermentation that occurs in the luak's stomach seems to make the difference. For Javanese, this is the best of all coffees—our Kopi luak.

Schon mal was von „Katzenkaffee“ gehört? Nein? Aber sicherlich schon mal was von richtig teurem Kaffee, der nicht unbedingt auf herkömmlichem Weg gewonnen wird, sondern erst auf etwas dunkleren Pfaden seinen Weg ans Tageslicht findet? Kopi Luwak heißt der teuerste Kaffee der Welt, und bevor er weiterverarbeitet werden kann, muss er erst von einer Schleichkatze – dem wieselähnlichen und namensgebenden Luwak – gegessen, verdaut und wieder ausgeschieden werden. Das mag vielleicht im ersten Moment ziemlich unappetitlich klingen, sorgt aber für einen unverwechselbaren Geschmack, den Kaffeekenner auf der ganzen Welt zu schätzen wissen.

Tétouan is famed for its fine craftsmanship and musical delicacy and has been part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in the area of Crafts and Folk Art since 2017. Its cultural heritage is the product of the interaction between different cultural influences throughout centuries. It is mainly characterized by its Andalusian style and way of living but both Berber, Jewish and Colonial Spanish influences are present too.

The streets are fairly wide and straight, and many of the houses belonging to aristocratic families, descendants of those expelled from Al-Andalus by the Spanish Reconquista, possess marble fountains and have groves planted with orange trees. Within the houses and riads the ceilings are often exquisitely carved and painted in Hispano-Moresque designs, such as are found in the Alhambra of Granada, and the tile-work for which Tetuan is known may be seen on floors, pillars and dados. The city has seven gates which were closed at night up until early 20th century. Many Sufi Zawiyas are scattered inside the walled old city.

Marijan Mirt's "Five organic perils" sculpture located in front of the Maribor Synagogue in Slovenia. This contemporary piece serves as a reminder of the site's history and the victims of the Holocaust, complementing the solemn atmosphere of the synagogue itself

Maribor Synagog is the only preserved medieval synagogue in Slovenia and is protected as a cultural and historical monument of national importance. Today, it serves as a venue for cultural events, exhibitions, and research into Jewish heritage.

The synagogue was constructed in the 13th century, but the Jewish community was expelled in 1497. It was later used as a church before being converted into its current cultural role

We visited this unique landscape with mud volcanoes in Buzau Mts., Romania. Here are some more details about this place:

"The Berca Mud Volcanoes are a geological and botanical reservation located in the Berca commune in the Buzău County in Romania. Its most spectacular feature is the mud volcanoes, small volcano-shaped structures typically a few meters high caused by the eruption of mud and natural gases, see below.

As the gases erupt from 3000 meters-deep towards the surface, through the underground layers of clay and water, they push up underground salty water and mud, so that they overflow through the mouths of the volcanoes, while the gas emerges as bubbles. The mud dries off at the surface, creating a relatively solid conical structure, resembling a real volcano. The mud expelled by them is cold, as it comes from inside the Earth's continental crust layers, and not from the mantle.

The reservation is unique in Romania. The mud volcanoes create a strange lunar landscape, due to the absence of vegetation around the cones. Vegetation is scarce because the soil is very salty, an environmental condition in which few plants can survive." (Wikipedia)

This was taken shortly before sunset at the Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon in Iceland. It’s a close-up of a small iceberg floating just offshore which was created by the melting glaciers in the distance. The blues are created by snow falling on the ice and getting compressed. Air gets expelled and the existing ice crystals expand to create the deep colour. The black tones are a result of fall out from volcanic eruptions. It was an incredibly peaceful scene with barely a sound (P8230830)

THANKS FOR YOUR VISIT AND FAVES

ON THE REACTIONS I WILL TRY TO RESPOND BACK

Kleine aardappelbovist

De eigenheimers van het bos, onopvallend met hun lichte geschubde aardappelschil. Toch maar geen puree maken van deze bovisten, want ze zijn giftig. Als je er per ongeluk op een rijpe aardappelbovist trapt, ploft de zwam een bruine wolk sporen uit. De voortplanting is dan geregeld.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Small potato bovist

The unique creatures of the forest, inconspicuous with their light, scaly potato skin. Don't make puree from these bovists, because they are poisonous. If you accidentally step on a ripe potato pod, the fungus will expel a brown cloud of spores. Reproduction is then arranged.

Tétouan is famed for its fine craftsmanship and musical delicacy and has been part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in the area of Crafts and Folk Art since 2017. Its cultural heritage is the product of the interaction between different cultural influences throughout centuries. It is mainly characterized by its Andalusian style and way of living but both Berber, Jewish and Colonial Spanish influences are present too.

The streets are fairly wide and straight, and many of the houses belonging to aristocratic families, descendants of those expelled from Al-Andalus by the Spanish Reconquista, possess marble fountains and have groves planted with orange trees. Within the houses and riads the ceilings are often exquisitely carved and painted in Hispano-Moresque designs, such as are found in the Alhambra of Granada, and the tile-work for which Tetuan is known may be seen on floors, pillars and dados. The city has seven gates which were closed at night up until early 20th century. Many Sufi Zawiyas are scattered inside the walled old city.

Normally, Brown Thrashers have extremely long tailfeathers...

but this 'bob tailed' Thrasher has been telling no tales as it spends the days around Janice's yard...It's not uncommon for birds to lose their tail feathers in confrontations with predators, and a bodily reaction known as 'fright molt' will expel the feathers all at once, aiding their escape!

Imagine the chagrin of the predator (likely a cat) that pounced on this plump looking prey and wound up with only tail feathers in its claws! Hopefully this guy will grow his tail feathers back in four to six weeks!

Have a great, safe weekend, everyone...and shake a tailfeather if you feel inclined to...LOL

Eastern Tailed-blue -male- (Cupido comyntas) Charles County, Maryland

The droplet you see at the end of his abdomen is extra moisture he imbibed while getting necessary minerals during puddling.

Large swallowtails will forcefully expel jets of fluid during puddling while certain species of skippers will reimbibe their own fluids to extract as many minerals as possible.

Lo Strokkur è un geyser situato nell’area geotermica di Haukadalur, in Islanda, vicino al fiume Hvítá. È uno dei geyser più attivi del paese, eruttando ogni 6-10 minuti. Le sue eruzioni possono raggiungere altezze di 15-20 metri, ma occasionalmente possono arrivare fino a 40 metri. Questo fenomeno naturale è alimentato dall’acqua sotterranea che viene riscaldata dal magma sottostante, creando un’imponente colonna di acqua calda e vapore che viene espulsa in aria.

Strokkur is a geyser located in the Haukadalur geothermal area in Iceland, near the Hvítá River. It is one of the most active geysers in the country, erupting every 6-10 minutes. Its eruptions can reach heights of 15-20 meters, but occasionally can go up to 40 meters. This natural phenomenon is powered by underground water heated by the underlying magma, creating an impressive column of hot water and steam that is expelled into the air.

Icelands "Strokkur Geyser" is one of the most persistent geysers in the world and lies in the Haukadalur valley at the base of Laugarfjall hill.

The small geothermal area in which the geyser lies is one of the major tourist attractions in Iceland.

Eruptions usually occur with intervals of between 5-10 minutes and involve a single burst reaching a height of up to 30 meters. Prior to eruptions, the pool is full and gently pulsates up and down. The eruption commences when a pulse of steam rising from below pushes the water in the pool upwards forming a large dome (or bubble) of water through which the steam bursts and expels much of the water in the pool skywards.

Happy Holidays.

Thank you for your comments,

Gemma

INDONESIEN, Bali - Lumak-Schleichkatze,

Der hauskatzengroße Baumbewohner ist vorwiegend nachtaktiv. Neben den Früchten der Kaffeepflanze ernährt er sich von anderen Früchten, gelegentlich von Kleinstsäugern und -reptilien, Eiern....

Schon mal was von „Katzenkaffee“ gehört? Nein? Aber sicherlich schon mal was von richtig teurem Kaffee, der nicht unbedingt auf herkömmlichem Weg gewonnen wird, sondern erst auf etwas dunkleren Pfaden seinen Weg ans Tageslicht findet? Kopi Luwak heißt der teuerste Kaffee der Welt, und bevor er weiterverarbeitet werden kann, muss er erst von einer Schleichkatze – dem wieselähnlichen und namensgebenden Luwak – gegessen, verdaut und wieder ausgeschieden werden. Das mag vielleicht im ersten Moment ziemlich unappetitlich klingen, sorgt aber für einen unverwechselbaren Geschmack, den Kaffeekenner auf der ganzen Welt zu schätzen wissen.

The luak, that's a small catlike animal, gorges after dark on the most ripe, the best of our crop. It digests the fruit and expels the beans, which our farm people collect, wash, and roast, a real delicacy. Something about the natural fermentation that occurs in the luak's stomach seems to make the difference. For Javanese, this is the best of all coffees—our Kopi luak.

The braziers have been burning through the night to keep the frost at bay. But now No70013 'Oliver Cromwell' has built up enough boiler pressure so the driver opens the drain cocks to expel the excess water from the cylinders before moving off,

With all the travel excitement, the owlet series was waiting ...here are the babies a few days before fledging. the first two images are of an owlet expelling a pellet (Note- when a bird imitates a cat coughing a hair ball, keep shooting!) they were photographed by many over the spring and were delightful to watch. All the images in order in the Album. Hit "L" than "Z" twice for a high res view

Archidendron lucyi is a small tree species in the legume family (Fabaceae). The native range extends from North Eastern Australia, Eastern Malesiahe Solomon Islands. A. lucyi grows in the understory of lowland rainforest.

As with other members of the genus, A. lucyi produces large pinnate leaves. The species is cauliflorous, producing flowers directly from the trunk. The white filaments are 3–5 cm long and form the showiest part of the flowers. The flowers are followed by highly conspicuous red or orange seed pods, which split open when ripe to reveal blue to black seeds.

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Miami FL

www.susanfordcollins.com

Eldhraun is an icelandic place-name that means «lava desert». It designates an extensive plain in southern Iceland that was covered by the lava expelled during the eruption of the Laki volcano in 1783. At present, the Laki stream is covered by a thick layer of moss that has colonized it, giving rise to one of the most beautiful and surprising landscapes in Iceland.

Eldhraun es un topónimo islandés que significa «desierto de lava». Con él se designa a una extensa llanura en el sur de Islandia que quedó cubierta por la lava expulsada durante la erupción del volcán Laki en 1783. En la actualidad la colada del Laki se halla cubierta por una gruesa capa de musgo que la ha colonizado, dando lugar a uno de los más bellos y sorprendentes paisajes de Islandia.

ma la notte che fai di solito?

di solito dormo.

ma quanto dormi?

il giusto quanto basta.

e quanto basta?

mah a seconda della notte.

e se la notte e' lunga e troppo buia?

allora cerco di dormire il piu' possibile.

e ci riesci?

non tanto....azi sono spesso svegliato da incubi.

e come superi la fase dell'incubo?

di solito bevo, mi stordisco per bene e faccio passare la notte.

e al mattino come ti risvegli?

con un boeing nella testa, ma comunque poi passa.

e se passa perche' lo fai?

per essere certo che l'incubo passi in fretta ma so che non e' così, pero' aiuta.

e cosa servirebbe per farlo passare prima?

mangiare meno pesante e soprattutto con commensali piu' gradevoli ma al momento non ne vedo in giro.

allora cambia tavolo.

non posso ci sono affezionato a questo tavolo....e poi se cambio gielo lascio tutto per loro...e non mi piace mica l'idea, finerebbero per mangiarsi tutto.

a ecco, allora cosa fai?

diceva un grande....."adda' passa' a nuttata..." e speriamo passi presto...

qualcosa...something?

Modica is a city and comune of 54,456 inhabitants in the Province of Ragusa, Sicily, southern Italy. The city is situated in the Hyblaean Mountains.

Modica has neolithic origins and it represents the historical capital of the area which today almost corresponds to the Province of Ragusa. Until the 19th century it was the capital of a County that exercised such a wide political, economical and cultural influence to be counted among the most powerful feuds of the Mezzogiorno.

Rebuilt following the devastating earthquake of 1693, its architecture has been recognised as providing outstanding testimony to the exuberant genius and final flowering of Baroque art in Europe and, along with other towns in the Val di Noto, is part of UNESCO Heritage Sites in Italy.

According to Thucydides, the city was founded in 1360 BC or 1031 BC and was inhabited by the Sicels in the 7th century BC. It was probably a dependency of Syracuse. Modica was occupied by the Romans after the battle of the Egadi islands against the Carthaginians in the Punic Wars 241 BC, together with Syracuse and all of Sicily. Modica became one of the thirty-five decuman ("spontaneously submitted") cities of the island and was oppressed by the praetor Verres. It became an independent municipium, and apparently a place of some consequence. The city is also mentioned among the inland towns of the island both by Pliny and Ptolemy; and though its name is not found in the Itineraries, it is again mentioned by the Geographer of Ravenna. Silius Italicus also includes it in his list of Sicilian cities, and immediately associates it with Netum (now Noto Antica), with which it was clearly in the same neighborhood. The southeast of Sicily and Modica (according to the German historian L. Hertling) was rapidly Christianized, as the diocese of Syracuse boasts an apostolic foundation by St. Paul in 61 AD. In 535, the Byzantine general Belisarius expelled the Ostrogoths and established for Justinian I the government of the East-Roman Empire (also known as the Byzantine Empire) and the already Greek-speaking population fixed their culture until the Latinization of the Normans in the 11th century.

In 845, Modica was captured by the Arabs during the Muslim conquest of Sicily. They referred to the city as Mudiqah. The year after its capture, the Arabs fortified its citadels and it subsequently prospered under their rule. In 1091 the conquest of Modica and the entire Val di Noto ended the long lasting war of the Normans, led by Roger of Hauteville, against the Arabs.

In 1296, Modica became the capital of an important county, which under the Chiaramonte family became a flourishing semi-independent state controlling the whole southern third of the island, with the right of a mint of its own and other privileges (see County of Modica).

On Assumption day 15 August 1474, Christians wreaked brutal havoc on the Jewish dwellers of the Cartellone area of Modica, the so-called "Strage dell'Assunta" (massacre of the assumption). This episode was the first and most horrible antisemitic massacre of Sicilian Israelites. During the evening a number of Christians (fomented by fanatic Catholic preachers inspired by the inquisitorial repression) slaughtered about 360 innocents causing a total and fierce devastation in La Giudecca. The incitement that echoed through the streets was: "Hurrah for Mary! Death to the Jews!" (Viva Maria! Morte ai Giudei!).

Later, the earthquake of 1693 destroyed the entire Val di Noto, and to a slightly lesser extent in Modica. Annexed to Italy in 1860, Modica remained district capital until 1926, when it was included in the province of Ragusa.

Ciudad situada en la Isla de Terceira con aproximadamente 10.000 habitantes.Le fué otorgado el nombre de Sempre leal Cidade, despues de haber expulsado a las fuerzas Castellanas.

Town located in the Island of Terceira with approximately 10.000 inhabitants. It was given the name of Sempre leal Cidade, after to have expelled to the Castellana forces.

The common name of this species of fungus that typically appears as a round piece of black coal-lik ball attached to a dying or dead tree trunks and branches is King Alfred’s cakes. This name originates from legend that King Alfred (who ruled in 9th century) was mistaken for a soldier by a peasant woman in the house were he was seeking a refuge after the battle. She asked him to look after cakes baking on the fire but he fell asleep…, well, another name for these fungi are coal fungi. Whether this story is true or not difficult to say because it was first told 100 years after the King lived, but the name sticks to the fungus forever.

The scientific name of this common and widespread saprotrophic fungus is Daldinia concentrica. The genus Daldinia is named in honour of Agostino Daldini, a Swiss clergyman and botanist. The specific epithet ‘concentrica’ is self-explanatory if you look at the image above showing concentric rings of the fungal body. This is where black spores are matured and then driven up to the surface and expelled outside through tiny openings. The concentric rings are thought to reflect seasonal growth like tree rings - so it is likely to be about 12 years old. Majority of trees were planted here in 2000. This fungus, when dry, can be used as tinder to light fires, hence another name the tinder bracket.

This specimen was neatly sliced in half by a chainsaw I think when this ash tree trunk was fell down and cleared of branches; a cut through the branch seen on the left. Massive clearance is taken place in this Community Woodland as part of removal ash trees infected with dieback fungus, as well as general maintenance. Primrose Hill Community woodland. Bath, BANES, England, UK

When I photograph the brown bears, I'm always fascinating by certain things that perhaps some take for granted ... such as shaking off, snorkeling, pads and claws, and dripping faces. This image is of a brown bear as it fishes for salmon by essentially snorkeling on the surface of the water, head down, looking for salmon. However, this is the moment which precedes the actual head emerging and full of water drips moment. Bubbles! When they lift their head they expel bubbles from their nose, much like we would do. So fun to see, but sometimes challenging to capture. LOL. OK, some may think that's a bit weird to aspire to capture, but I love it. Takes me back to my early days in swim class, LOL. What's your favorite things that brown bears do?

Happy Tuesday!

© Debbie Tubridy Photography

Meigetsu'in's white sand garden is developed on a narrow strip of flat land along a stream that flows out of the surrounding mountains. I suppose the white sand part is intended to secure the view of the garden's near vertical green backdrop.

The mound in the lower right is a charcoal kiln.

Meigetsu'in was founded in circa 1380 by Uesugi Norikata (上杉憲方 1335-1394), who was then Kantou Kanrei (関東管領 regent in charge of Kantou region that includes present-day Tokyo), as a sub-temple (塔頭) of now abolished Zenkouji temple (禅興寺) founded by Houjou Tokimune in the 1270s.

Kamakura Shogunate collapsed in 1333 by the uprising of Emperor Godaigo (後醍醐天皇 1288 - 1339). The emperor's rule, however, lasted only two and half years as Ashikaga Taka'uji (足利尊氏 1305-1358), a Samurai from eastern Japan once collaborated with the emperor's uprising, expelled him out of Kyoto.

Taka'uji was awarded with the shogun title in 1336 by a new puppet emperor and started ruling Japan from a palace in Muromachi in Kyoto. It was called Muromachi Shogunate (室町幕府 1336 - 1573).

The shogunate in Kyoto dispatched an local ruler titled Kamakura Kubou (鎌倉公方) chosen from the Ashikaga clan tasked to rule eastern Japan. The shogunate also dispatched a regent titled Kantou Kanrei (関東管領) to Kamakura from the Uesugi clan tasked to assist (and supervise) Kantou Kubou.

The two became more and more independent from Kyoto. Kamakura Kubou moved to Koga (古河) in Ibaraki prefecture, and Kantou Kanrei moved to Naoetsu (直江津) in Niigata prefecture on the Japan Sea coast. Consequently, Kamakura went into decline in the 15th century.

"The Little Dumbbell Nebula (M76), also known as Messier 76, NGC 650/651, or the Barbell Nebula, is a small planetary nebula located in the constellation Perseus. It is named for its resemblance to the larger and more famous Dumbbell Nebula (M27), though the Little Dumbbell is much fainter and smaller in size. It represents the final stages of stellar evolution for a star much like our Sun, and its glowing gas offers a glimpse into the eventual fate of many stars in the universe. It also showcases the complex and asymmetric structures that planetary nebulae can form due to factors like stellar rotation, magnetic fields, and interactions with surrounding material.

M76 is located in the northern constellation Perseus, making it visible primarily to observers in the Northern Hemisphere.

It is approximately 2,500–3,400 light-years away from Earth, though the exact distance remains a subject of debate due to uncertainties in measuring distances to planetary nebulae.

The central star of M76, a white dwarf, is what remains after the star has shed its outer layers. It has a surface temperature of around 60,000 K, and it is this intense heat that ionizes the surrounding gas, causing the nebula to glow.

This star will eventually cool and fade over time, leaving behind a dense remnant core.

The Little Dumbbell Nebula is a late stage in the life cycle of a low- to intermediate-mass star. After the star exhausted the nuclear fuel in its core, it expelled its outer layers into space, forming the nebula.

Planetary nebulae like M76 are short-lived in astronomical terms, typically lasting only 10,000 to 20,000 years before the gas disperses into the interstellar medium, leaving behind just the cooling white dwarf."

Askar 120APO: 840mm f/7

ZWO ASI533MM Mono Camera at -10C

Guided on ZWO AM5

9xHa, 15xOiii, 7xSii @10m

Processed with PixInsight, Ps