View allAll Photos Tagged FERTILE

Spring is a fertile time as the mountains explode with the pink and white of cherry blossoms. All sorts of herbs sprout anew as well, full medicinal potency. Many tinctures, unguents, and powders require these herbs, and this is the perfect time for Dr. Hisato and his energetic companion, Jun, to head up the mountainside to gather ingredients. While there are still a few paths high in the mountains, they are very old and rarely used which in many cases makes them all the more beautiful. As delightful as the ride can be, Hisato must still keep an eye on Jun to make sure he doesn’t drag his cart off a cliff chasing after a spring peeper for a snack.

 

For more information about the build process, head on over to www.brickfanatics.com/lego-dinosaurs-savage-lands-the-doc...!

Craggy hillside gives way first to forest, then to fertile lowland

Spring is a fertile time as the mountains explode with the pink and white of cherry blossoms. All sorts of herbs sprout anew as well, full medicinal potency. Many tinctures, unguents, and powders require these herbs, and this is the perfect time for Dr. Hisato and his energetic companion, Jun, to head up the mountainside to gather ingredients. While there are still a few paths high in the mountains, they are very old and rarely used which in many cases makes them all the more beautiful. As delightful as the ride can be, Hisato must still keep an eye on Jun to make sure he doesn’t drag his cart off a cliff chasing after a spring peeper for a snack.

 

For more information about the build process, head on over to www.brickfanatics.com/lego-dinosaurs-savage-lands-the-doc...!

paleae: fertile disc florets that terminate in spines

 

Discover outstanding Echinaceas for your own garden: www.swallowtailgardenseeds.com/perennials/echinacea.html

 

From your friendly Swallowtail Garden Seeds catalog photographer. We hope you will enjoy our collection of botanical photographs as much as we do.

 

#beekind #beefriendly #macroflower #macrobee #pollinator #pollination #echinacea #echinaceapurpurea #macro #bee

Part of my 'Duffus Castle through the seasons' project.

 

601314487fe3c.site123.me/

 

The castle is situated on the Laich of Moray, a fertile plain that was once the swampy foreshore of Spynie Loch. This was originally a more defensive position than it appears today, long after the loch was drained.

 

The motte is a huge man-made mound, with steep sides and a wide ditch separating it from the bailey. The whole site is enclosed by a water-filled ditch, which is more a mark of its boundary than it is a serious defensive measure.

Duffus Castle was built by a Flemish man named Freskin, who came to Scotland in the first half of the 1100s. After an uprising by the ‘men of Moray’ against David I in 1130, the king sent Freskin north as a representative of royal authority.

 

He was given the estate of Duffus, and here he built an earthwork-and-timber castle. Freskin’s son William adopted the title of ‘de Moravia’ – of Moray. By 1200, the family had become the most influential noble family in northern Scotland, giving rise to the earls of Sutherland and Clan Murray.

In about 1270, the castle passed to Sir Reginald Cheyne the Elder, Lord of Inverugie. He probably built the square stone keep on top of the motte, and the curtain wall encircling the bailey. In 1305, the invading King Edward I of England gave him a grant of 200 oaks from the royal forests of Darnaway and Longmorn, which were probably used for the castle’s floors and roofs.

   

View of a fertile area next to the Duero River from a viewing point in the town of Andaluz, province of Soria, Spain.

 

In the background, the imposing silhouette of the Gormaz castle can be seen on the horizon, which stands on a strategic plateau from which many kilometres around can be seen.

 

In this case, according to Google Maps, the direct distance from the Andaluz viewing point to this castle is 18km (11.2 miles).

 

CON EL CASTILLO DE GORMAZ EN EL HORIZONTE, 2024

 

Vista de una zona fértil junto al río Duero desde un mirador en la localidad de Andaluz, provincia de Soria, España.

 

Al fondo se ve en el horizonte la imponente silueta del castillo de Gormaz que se erige en una meseta estratégica desde la que se dominan muchos kilómetros a la redonda.

 

En este caso, según Google Maps la distancia directa desde el mirador de Andaluz hasta este castillo es de 18km (11.2 miles).

Wellington is a fertile agricultural hub in the Western Cape, known especially for its wine estates, fruit orchards, and livestock farms. The region benefits from moderate winter rainfall (around 400–450 mm annually) and access to water from the Bergriver, allowing year-round cultivation. Farms like Abendruhe grow stone fruit and pomegranates, while others focus on viticulture, producing award-winning wines. The area’s Bo-vlei Valley is particularly prized for its soil and climate, ideal for high-value crops.

 

The mountain range to the east of Wellington is the Hawequas Mountains, part of the Cape Fold Belt. These rugged peaks offer dramatic scenery and are popular for hiking, biking, and nature retreats

Looking South over Bleasdale from one of the highest points in the Bowland Fells.

Part of my 'Duffus Castle through the seasons' project.

 

The castle is situated on the Laich of Moray, a fertile plain that was once the swampy foreshore of Spynie Loch. This was originally a more defensive position than it appears today, long after the loch was drained.

 

The motte is a huge man-made mound, with steep sides and a wide ditch separating it from the bailey. The whole site is enclosed by a water-filled ditch, which is more a mark of its boundary than it is a serious defensive measure.

Duffus Castle was built by a Flemish man named Freskin, who came to Scotland in the first half of the 1100s. After an uprising by the ‘men of Moray’ against David I in 1130, the king sent Freskin north as a representative of royal authority.

 

He was given the estate of Duffus, and here he built an earthwork-and-timber castle. Freskin’s son William adopted the title of ‘de Moravia’ – of Moray. By 1200, the family had become the most influential noble family in northern Scotland, giving rise to the earls of Sutherland and Clan Murray.

In about 1270, the castle passed to Sir Reginald Cheyne the Elder, Lord of Inverugie. He probably built the square stone keep on top of the motte, and the curtain wall encircling the bailey. In 1305, the invading King Edward I of England gave him a grant of 200 oaks from the royal forests of Darnaway and Longmorn, which were probably used for the castle’s floors and roofs.

 

By 1350, the castle had passed to a younger son of the Earl of Sutherland through marriage. It may have been then that the keep was abandoned, possibly because it was beginning to slip down the mound, and a new residence established at the north of the bailey.

 

Viscount Dundee, leader of the first Jacobite Rising, dined in the castle as a guest of James, Lord Duffus in 1689, prior to his victory against King William II’s government forces at Killiecrankie. Soon after, Lord Duffus moved to the nearby Duffus House. The castle quickly fell into decay.

the fertile hills and prairies of the palouse region, a major agricultural area in the states of Idaho and Washington, USA

Part of my 'Duffus Castle through the seasons' project.

 

The castle is situated on the Laich of Moray, a fertile plain that was once the swampy foreshore of Spynie Loch. This was originally a more defensive position than it appears today, long after the loch was drained.

 

The motte is a huge man-made mound, with steep sides and a wide ditch separating it from the bailey. The whole site is enclosed by a water-filled ditch, which is more a mark of its boundary than it is a serious defensive measure.

Duffus Castle was built by a Flemish man named Freskin, who came to Scotland in the first half of the 1100s. After an uprising by the ‘men of Moray’ against David I in 1130, the king sent Freskin north as a representative of royal authority.

 

He was given the estate of Duffus, and here he built an earthwork-and-timber castle. Freskin’s son William adopted the title of ‘de Moravia’ – of Moray. By 1200, the family had become the most influential noble family in northern Scotland, giving rise to the earls of Sutherland and Clan Murray.

In about 1270, the castle passed to Sir Reginald Cheyne the Elder, Lord of Inverugie. He probably built the square stone keep on top of the motte, and the curtain wall encircling the bailey. In 1305, the invading King Edward I of England gave him a grant of 200 oaks from the royal forests of Darnaway and Longmorn, which were probably used for the castle’s floors and roofs.

 

By 1350, the castle had passed to a younger son of the Earl of Sutherland through marriage. It may have been then that the keep was abandoned, possibly because it was beginning to slip down the mound, and a new residence established at the north of the bailey.

 

Viscount Dundee, leader of the first Jacobite Rising, dined in the castle as a guest of James, Lord Duffus in 1689, prior to his victory against King William II’s government forces at Killiecrankie. Soon after, Lord Duffus moved to the nearby Duffus House. The castle quickly fell into decay.

 

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Mississippi Delta Sunrise

Trip home 2016

Locton Estate, Old Ford, Tower Hamlets. The tower block in the background is Elton House

Today's real estate buyers are always looking for vistas, long views on or from their property. But for hundreds of years of settlement in North America, what was highly coveted was fertile bottom land, where crops would grow, where water was prevalent, and where transportation was easiest.

 

In the Beaverhead region of SW Montana.

Volubilis is a partly excavated Berber and Roman city in Morocco situated near the city of Meknes, and commonly considered as the ancient capital of the kingdom of Mauretania. Built in a fertile agricultural area, it developed from the 3rd century BC onward as a Berber, then proto-Carthaginian, settlement before being the capital of the kingdom of Mauretania. It grew rapidly under Roman rule from the 1st century AD onward and expanded to cover about 42 hectares (100 acres) with a 2.6 km (1.6 mi) circuit of walls. The city gained a number of major public buildings in the 2nd century, including a basilica, temple and triumphal arch. Its prosperity, which was derived principally from olive growing, prompted the construction of many fine town-houses with large mosaic floors.

 

The city fell to local tribes around 285 and was never retaken by Rome because of its remoteness and indefensibility on the south-western border of the Roman Empire. It continued to be inhabited for at least another 700 years, first as a Latinised Christian community, then as an early Islamic settlement. In the late 8th century it became the seat of Idris ibn Abdallah, the founder of the Idrisid dynasty and the state of Morocco. By the 11th century Volubilis had been abandoned after the seat of power was relocated to Fes. Much of the local population was transferred to the new town of Moulay Idriss Zerhoun, about 5 km (3.1 mi) from Volubilis.

 

The ruins remained substantially intact until they were devastated by an earthquake in the mid-18th century and subsequently looted by Moroccan rulers seeking stone for building Meknes. It was not until the latter part of the 19th century that the site was definitively identified as that of the ancient city of Volubilis. During and after the period of French rule over Morocco, about half of the site was excavated, revealing many fine mosaics, and some of the more prominent public buildings and high-status houses were restored or reconstructed. Today it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, listed for being "an exceptionally well preserved example of a large Roman colonial town on the fringes of the Empire

Volubilis is a partly excavated Berber and Roman city in Morocco situated near the city of Meknes, and commonly considered as the ancient capital of the kingdom of Mauretania. Built in a fertile agricultural area, it developed from the 3rd century BC onward as a Berber, then proto-Carthaginian, settlement before being the capital of the kingdom of Mauretania. It grew rapidly under Roman rule from the 1st century AD onward and expanded to cover about 42 hectares (100 acres) with a 2.6 km (1.6 mi) circuit of walls. The city gained a number of major public buildings in the 2nd century, including a basilica, temple and triumphal arch. Its prosperity, which was derived principally from olive growing, prompted the construction of many fine town-houses with large mosaic floors.

 

The city fell to local tribes around 285 and was never retaken by Rome because of its remoteness and indefensibility on the south-western border of the Roman Empire. It continued to be inhabited for at least another 700 years, first as a Latinised Christian community, then as an early Islamic settlement. In the late 8th century it became the seat of Idris ibn Abdallah, the founder of the Idrisid dynasty and the state of Morocco. By the 11th century Volubilis had been abandoned after the seat of power was relocated to Fes. Much of the local population was transferred to the new town of Moulay Idriss Zerhoun, about 5 km (3.1 mi) from Volubilis.

 

The ruins remained substantially intact until they were devastated by an earthquake in the mid-18th century and subsequently looted by Moroccan rulers seeking stone for building Meknes. It was not until the latter part of the 19th century that the site was definitively identified as that of the ancient city of Volubilis. During and after the period of French rule over Morocco, about half of the site was excavated, revealing many fine mosaics, and some of the more prominent public buildings and high-status houses were restored or reconstructed. Today it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, listed for being "an exceptionally well preserved example of a large Roman colonial town on the fringes of the Empire

Volcanic soils In Kisoro, hiking from Lake Kayumbu to Kisoro town, during the third day of our "Three Upland Lakes" hike.

An ancient seat

The castle is situated on the Laich of Moray, a fertile plain that was once the swampy foreshore of Spynie Loch. This was originally a more defensive position than it appears today, long after the loch was drained.

 

The motte is a huge man-made mound, with steep sides and a wide ditch separating it from the bailey. The whole site is enclosed by a water-filled ditch, which is more a mark of its boundary than it is a serious defensive measure.

 

The ancestral seat of the earls of Moray

Duffus Castle was built by a Flemish man named Freskin, who came to Scotland in the first half of the 1100s. After an uprising by the ‘men of Moray’ against David I in 1130, the king sent Freskin north as a representative of royal authority.

 

He was given the estate of Duffus, and here he built an earthwork-and-timber castle. Freskin’s son William adopted the title of ‘de Moravia’ – of Moray. By 1200, the family had become the most influential noble family in northern Scotland, giving rise to the earls of Sutherland and Clan Murray.

 

A new stronghold

In about 1270, the castle passed to Sir Reginald Cheyne the Elder, Lord of Inverugie. He probably built the square stone keep on top of the motte, and the curtain wall encircling the bailey. In 1305, the invading King Edward I of England gave him a grant of 200 oaks from the royal forests of Darnaway and Longmorn, which were probably used for the castle’s floors and roofs.

 

By 1350, the castle had passed to a younger son of the Earl of Sutherland through marriage. It may have been then that the keep was abandoned, possibly because it was beginning to slip down the mound, and a new residence established at the north of the bailey.

 

Viscount Dundee, leader of the first Jacobite Rising, dined in the castle as a guest of James, Lord Duffus in 1689, prior to his victory against King William II’s government forces at Killiecrankie. Soon after, Lord Duffus moved to the nearby Duffus House. The castle quickly fell into decay.

An ancient seat

The castle is situated on the Laich of Moray, a fertile plain that was once the swampy foreshore of Spynie Loch. This was originally a more defensive position than it appears today, long after the loch was drained.

 

The motte is a huge man-made mound, with steep sides and a wide ditch separating it from the bailey. The whole site is enclosed by a water-filled ditch, which is more a mark of its boundary than it is a serious defensive measure.

 

The ancestral seat of the earls of Moray

Duffus Castle was built by a Flemish man named Freskin, who came to Scotland in the first half of the 1100s. After an uprising by the ‘men of Moray’ against David I in 1130, the king sent Freskin north as a representative of royal authority.

 

He was given the estate of Duffus, and here he built an earthwork-and-timber castle. Freskin’s son William adopted the title of ‘de Moravia’ – of Moray. By 1200, the family had become the most influential noble family in northern Scotland, giving rise to the earls of Sutherland and Clan Murray.

 

A new stronghold

In about 1270, the castle passed to Sir Reginald Cheyne the Elder, Lord of Inverugie. He probably built the square stone keep on top of the motte, and the curtain wall encircling the bailey. In 1305, the invading King Edward I of England gave him a grant of 200 oaks from the royal forests of Darnaway and Longmorn, which were probably used for the castle’s floors and roofs.

 

By 1350, the castle had passed to a younger son of the Earl of Sutherland through marriage. It may have been then that the keep was abandoned, possibly because it was beginning to slip down the mound, and a new residence established at the north of the bailey.

 

Viscount Dundee, leader of the first Jacobite Rising, dined in the castle as a guest of James, Lord Duffus in 1689, prior to his victory against King William II’s government forces at Killiecrankie. Soon after, Lord Duffus moved to the nearby Duffus House. The castle quickly fell into decay.

As the Conestoga River approaches its confluence with the Grand River, its floodplain widens dramatically. In fact, the river is a classic 'underfit' stream, a result of its origins at the end of the last Ice Age. As is typical of alluvial plains, the soils deposited here are rich and productive.

A band of early morning fog traces the ever-changing course of the river in this 155 degree panorama.

FUJIFILM X100F, 23mm, f5.6, 1/2400, ISO 200

 

27.05.17, 12:17:26 | Nebřich, CZE

The Green-Wood Cemetery catacombs art installation by Janine Antoni.

Thanks to all who comment or favorite; it is always appreciated!

 

I captured this photo at a vineyard near Bristol, VA, showcasing the peaceful beauty of the winter landscape. The calm water perfectly reflected the sky and the rows of dormant grapevines, creating a serene scene. In the distance stands a solitary old cedar tree, likely an Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana), a species native to the area. These trees can live for several hundred years, and judging by their size and robust form, this one could be pretty old, possibly over a century.

 

Like many vineyards in the region, the Nicewonder vineyard benefits from fertile soil and a favorable climate, yielding high-quality grapes for local wineries. Visiting during the off-season allowed me to admire the vineyard's quiet beauty without the hustle and bustle of harvest time.

 

Thank you for viewing! If you enjoy this photo, please remember to favorite it and follow for more! Share your own vineyard experiences below!

 

Another aspect of autumn.

Normally the term “going to seed” has a negative connotation, meaning to decline, go downhill, age out, etc., but with peonies, I mean it in the nicest possible way.

I think peony seed pods are absolutely charming, giving the spring bloomers a whole other season of interest.

At summer’s end, when they split open to reveal their shiny blue and red seeds, wow!

Very impressive!

Not all of them do tough!

I especially like the open seed pods of the woodland peony (Paeonia obovata), with shiny blue to blue-black fertile seeds and brilliant red infertile ones.

 

Have a wonderful day and thanks for your visit, so very much appreciated, Magda, (*_*)

 

For more: www.indigo2photography.com

Please do not use this image on websites, blogs or any other media without my explicit permission. © All rights reserved

 

The castle is situated on the Laich of Moray, a fertile plain that was once the swampy foreshore of Spynie Loch. This was originally a more defensive position than it appears today, long after the loch was drained.

 

The motte is a huge man-made mound, with steep sides and a wide ditch separating it from the bailey. The whole site is enclosed by a water-filled ditch, which is more a mark of its boundary than it is a serious defensive measure.

Duffus Castle was built by a Flemish man named Freskin, who came to Scotland in the first half of the 1100s. After an uprising by the ‘men of Moray’ against David I in 1130, the king sent Freskin north as a representative of royal authority.

 

He was given the estate of Duffus, and here he built an earthwork-and-timber castle. Freskin’s son William adopted the title of ‘de Moravia’ – of Moray. By 1200, the family had become the most influential noble family in northern Scotland, giving rise to the earls of Sutherland and Clan Murray.

In about 1270, the castle passed to Sir Reginald Cheyne the Elder, Lord of Inverugie. He probably built the square stone keep on top of the motte, and the curtain wall encircling the bailey. In 1305, the invading King Edward I of England gave him a grant of 200 oaks from the royal forests of Darnaway and Longmorn, which were probably used for the castle’s floors and roofs.

 

By 1350, the castle had passed to a younger son of the Earl of Sutherland through marriage. It may have been then that the keep was abandoned, possibly because it was beginning to slip down the mound, and a new residence established at the north of the bailey.

 

Viscount Dundee, leader of the first Jacobite Rising, dined in the castle as a guest of James, Lord Duffus in 1689, prior to his victory against King William II’s government forces at Killiecrankie. Soon after, Lord Duffus moved to the nearby Duffus House. The castle quickly fell into decay.

 

Der 147 Km lange Fluss Iller entsteht aus dem Zusammenfluss von Breitach, Stillach und Trettach bei Oberstdorf im Allgäu in Deutschland und mündet bei Ulm in die Donau.

 

The 147 km long River Iller originates from the confluence of Breitach, Stillach and Trettach near Oberstdorf in the Allgäu in Germany and flows into the Danube at Ulm.

 

La rivière Iller, longue de 147 km, est née du confluent de Breitach, Stillach et Trettach à Oberstdorf dans l'Allgäu en Allemagne et se jette dans le Danube près d'Ulm.

 

Oberschwaben in Süddeutschland ... Äcker und sattgrüne Wiesen wechseln mit Wäldern und fruchtbaren Obstgärten, da und dort blitzt ein Weiher oder ein kleiner See, Hügel reiht sich sanft an Hügel. Dazwischen schmucke Dörfer und kleine Städte eingestreut, Burgen und Schlösser, Klöster und Kapellen und die fernen Alpen, bei Föhn zum Greifen nahe.

 

Upper Swabia in southern Germany ... fields and lush green meadows alternate with forests and fertile orchards, here and there flashes a pond or a small lake, hill joins hill gently. In between, pretty villages and small towns interspersed, castles, monasteries and chapels and the distant Alps, with hair dryer at your fingertips.

 

Souabe supérieure dans le sud de l'Allemagne ... Les champs et les prairies verdoyantes alternent avec les forêts et les vergers fertiles, çà et là un étang ou un petit lac flamboie, les collines tapissent doucement les collines. Entre les villages soignés et les petites villes entrecoupées, les châteaux et les palais, les monastères et les chapelles et les Alpes lointaines, près de Föhn à portée de main.

 

The translation from German to English with ImTranslator

Traduction de l'allemand en français avec ImTranslator

   

Gyantsé རྒྱལ་རྩེ། county

 

The fertile valley of the Nyang chu River, which is the principal tributary of the Yarlung Tsangpo ཡར་ཀླུངས་གཙང་པོ་ or Brahmaputra in Tsang, The valley is divided into upper and lower reaches; Upper Nyang, corresponding to present-day Gyantse county, and Lower Nyang to Panam county. Upper Nyang therefore extends from the watershed of the Khari La pass as far as the town of Gyantse, and includes the peripheral valleys formed by the tributaries Nyeru Tsangpo, Lu chu, and Narong Dung chu. The county capital is at Gyantse, a strategic intersection of great historic importance. Area: 3.595 sq km. www.footprinttravelguides.com/c/2848/tibet/&Action=pr...

Another view and perspective of the Oregon State Capitol building in Salem. The engraved figures on the right side of this image, represents the early pioneers that walked the Oregon trail. There final destination was the fertile Willamette Valley. Salem is located in that valley.

 

(Please View Large)

An ancient seat

The castle is situated on the Laich of Moray, a fertile plain that was once the swampy foreshore of Spynie Loch. This was originally a more defensive position than it appears today, long after the loch was drained.

 

The motte is a huge man-made mound, with steep sides and a wide ditch separating it from the bailey. The whole site is enclosed by a water-filled ditch, which is more a mark of its boundary than it is a serious defensive measure.

 

The ancestral seat of the earls of Moray

Duffus Castle was built by a Flemish man named Freskin, who came to Scotland in the first half of the 1100s. After an uprising by the ‘men of Moray’ against David I in 1130, the king sent Freskin north as a representative of royal authority.

 

He was given the estate of Duffus, and here he built an earthwork-and-timber castle. Freskin’s son William adopted the title of ‘de Moravia’ – of Moray. By 1200, the family had become the most influential noble family in northern Scotland, giving rise to the earls of Sutherland and Clan Murray.

 

A new stronghold

In about 1270, the castle passed to Sir Reginald Cheyne the Elder, Lord of Inverugie. He probably built the square stone keep on top of the motte, and the curtain wall encircling the bailey. In 1305, the invading King Edward I of England gave him a grant of 200 oaks from the royal forests of Darnaway and Longmorn, which were probably used for the castle’s floors and roofs.

 

By 1350, the castle had passed to a younger son of the Earl of Sutherland through marriage. It may have been then that the keep was abandoned, possibly because it was beginning to slip down the mound, and a new residence established at the north of the bailey.

 

Viscount Dundee, leader of the first Jacobite Rising, dined in the castle as a guest of James, Lord Duffus in 1689, prior to his victory against King William II’s government forces at Killiecrankie. Soon after, Lord Duffus moved to the nearby Duffus House. The castle quickly fell into decay.

 

If you want to see how I made this (and how you can too!), visit my HDR Tutorial. I hope it gives you some new tricks!

 

As I was leaving a network of jagged roads through some mountains at the end of a fjord, I emerged out into this Icelandic fertile crescent of sorts. There were tiny farms all over the countryside and they looked very nice while the sun was setting, so I grabbed this shot to remember it!

 

from my daily photo blog at www.stuckincustoms.com

 

The more fertile part of Pahranagat Valley is a narrow ribbon of green) like an oasis in the vast Nevada desert. The southern half of the valley including two lakes, Upper Pahranagat Lake and Lower Pahranagat Lake, is home to the Pahranagat Valley National Wildlife Refuge. In the late 1850s, the area was a haven for outlaws who pastured hundreds of head of stolen cattle and horses on its meadows.

India, Kerala or Kēraḷam, Backwaters.

…”Fifty Shades of Green”,

Kerala’s rich, fertile unique backwaters, South India.

 

A network of interconnected five large lakes linked by canals, both manmade, fed by 38 rivers & brackish lagoons extending nearly half the length of Kerala state. A labyrinthine system formed by almost 1.000 km of waterways lying parallel to the Arabian Sea coast, known as the “Malabar Coast”.

The backwaters have an exceptional ecosystem; freshwater from the rivers meets the seawater from the Arabian Sea, formed by the action of waves & shore currents creating low barrier islands across the mouths of the many rivers flowing down from the Western Ghats range.

A Thannermukkom Salt Water Barrier, preventing salt water from the sea is entering the deep inside, keeping the fresh water intact. Such fresh water is extensively used for irrigation purposes.

Numerous unique aquatic species including mudskippers, crabs, frogs, water birds such as kingfishers, darters, terns, darters & cormorants, animals like otters & turtles live in the backwaters area. Palm trees, pandanus bushes & other leafy plants grow alongside the backwaters, providing a green shade to the surrounding landscape.

 

📌….The unique backwaters are a network of interconnected five large lakes linked by canals, both manmade, fed by 38 rivers & brackish lagoons extending nearly half the length of Kerala state. A labyrinthine system formed by almost 1.000 km of waterways lying parallel to the Arabian Sea coast, known as the “Malabar Coast”.

 

The backwaters have an exceptional ecosystem; freshwater from the rivers meets the seawater from the Arabian Sea, formed by the action of waves & shore currents creating low barrier islands across the mouths of the many rivers flowing down from the Western Ghats range.

 

In the middle of this landscape there are a number of towns & cities, which serve as the starting & end points of backwater cruises. The backwaters are one of the noticeable tourist attractions in Kerala.

 

👉 One World one Dream,

🙏...Danke, Xièxie 谢谢, Thanks, Gracias, Merci, Grazie, Obrigado, Arigatô, Dhanyavad, Chokrane to you & over

17 million visits in my photostream with countless motivating comments

In our minds, black fertile land is the wealth of the earth, and the land after the snow is covered in white dress. Praise you, earth, your spacious mind, inclusive of war and catastrophe, nurtured humanity, and made us see holiness and beauty.

  

Snow refers to forms of ice crystals that precipitate from the atmosphere (usually from clouds) and undergo changes on the Earth's surface. It pertains to frozen crystalline water throughout its life cycle, starting when, under suitable conditions, the ice crystals form in the atmosphere, increase to millimeter size, precipitate and accumulate on surfaces, then metamorphose in place, and ultimately melt, slide or sublimate away. Snowstorms organize and develop by feeding on sources of atmospheric moisture and cold air. Snowflakes nucleate around particles in the atmosphere by attracting supercooled water droplets, which freeze in hexagonal-shaped crystals. Snowflakes take on a variety of shapes, basic among these are platelets, needles, columns and rime. As snow accumulates into a snowpack, it may blow into drifts. Over time, accumulated snow metamorphoses, by sintering, sublimation and freeze-thaw. Where the climate is cold enough for year-to-year accumulation, a glacier may form. Otherwise, snow typically melts seasonally, causing runoff into streams and rivers and recharging groundwater.

 

Major snow-prone areas include the polar regions, the upper half of the Northern Hemisphere and mountainous regions worldwide with sufficient moisture and cold temperatures. In the Southern Hemisphere, snow is confined primarily to mountainous areas, apart from Antarctica.

 

Snow affects such human activities as transportation: creating the need for keeping roadways, wings, and windows clear; agriculture: providing water to crops and safeguarding livestock; sports such as skiing, snowboarding, and snowmachine travel; and warfare. Snow affects ecosystems, as well, by providing an insulating layer during winter under which plants and animals are able to survive the cold.

 

from Wikipedia

Hope Springs Eternal

 

An angel'âs loving hand directs a rainbow of hope towards a fertile and beautiful earth, and like a bulb in spring life bursts forth â another gem in the vast garden of the universe.

he castle is situated on the Laich of Moray, a fertile plain that was once the swampy foreshore of Spynie Loch. This was originally a more defensive position than it appears today, long after the loch was drained.

 

The motte is a huge man-made mound, with steep sides and a wide ditch separating it from the bailey. The whole site is enclosed by a water-filled ditch, which is more a mark of its boundary than it is a serious defensive measure.

Duffus Castle was built by a Flemish man named Freskin, who came to Scotland in the first half of the 1100s. After an uprising by the ‘men of Moray’ against David I in 1130, the king sent Freskin north as a representative of royal authority.

 

He was given the estate of Duffus, and here he built an earthwork-and-timber castle. Freskin’s son William adopted the title of ‘de Moravia’ – of Moray. By 1200, the family had become the most influential noble family in northern Scotland, giving rise to the earls of Sutherland and Clan Murray.

In about 1270, the castle passed to Sir Reginald Cheyne the Elder, Lord of Inverugie. He probably built the square stone keep on top of the motte, and the curtain wall encircling the bailey. In 1305, the invading King Edward I of England gave him a grant of 200 oaks from the royal forests of Darnaway and Longmorn, which were probably used for the castle’s floors and roofs.

 

By 1350, the castle had passed to a younger son of the Earl of Sutherland through marriage. It may have been then that the keep was abandoned, possibly because it was beginning to slip down the mound, and a new residence established at the north of the bailey.

 

Viscount Dundee, leader of the first Jacobite Rising, dined in the castle as a guest of James, Lord Duffus in 1689, prior to his victory against King William II’s government forces at Killiecrankie. Soon after, Lord Duffus moved to the nearby Duffus House. The castle quickly fell into decay.

 

he castle is situated on the Laich of Moray, a fertile plain that was once the swampy foreshore of Spynie Loch. This was originally a more defensive position than it appears today, long after the loch was drained.

 

The motte is a huge man-made mound, with steep sides and a wide ditch separating it from the bailey. The whole site is enclosed by a water-filled ditch, which is more a mark of its boundary than it is a serious defensive measure.

Duffus Castle was built by a Flemish man named Freskin, who came to Scotland in the first half of the 1100s. After an uprising by the ‘men of Moray’ against David I in 1130, the king sent Freskin north as a representative of royal authority.

 

He was given the estate of Duffus, and here he built an earthwork-and-timber castle. Freskin’s son William adopted the title of ‘de Moravia’ – of Moray. By 1200, the family had become the most influential noble family in northern Scotland, giving rise to the earls of Sutherland and Clan Murray.

In about 1270, the castle passed to Sir Reginald Cheyne the Elder, Lord of Inverugie. He probably built the square stone keep on top of the motte, and the curtain wall encircling the bailey. In 1305, the invading King Edward I of England gave him a grant of 200 oaks from the royal forests of Darnaway and Longmorn, which were probably used for the castle’s floors and roofs.

 

By 1350, the castle had passed to a younger son of the Earl of Sutherland through marriage. It may have been then that the keep was abandoned, possibly because it was beginning to slip down the mound, and a new residence established at the north of the bailey.

 

Viscount Dundee, leader of the first Jacobite Rising, dined in the castle as a guest of James, Lord Duffus in 1689, prior to his victory against King William II’s government forces at Killiecrankie. Soon after, Lord Duffus moved to the nearby Duffus House. The castle quickly fell into decay.

 

Scarlet Caterpilarclub fungus; Growing out of soil and through the mosses such a bright colour you can’t really miss these, this is the fertile head of the fungus it is parasitic on a caterpillar or moth larvae that is buried – I didn’t dig it up to find out which!

India, Kerala or Kēraḷam, Backwaters.

Kerala’s from civilization almost untouched rich in fish, fertile unique backwaters.

 

Water Buffalos;

The water buffalo is a large, up to 3m long & heavy, strong cattle. The head is long, narrow, with small ears & set low on the body. The horns are horizontal & sickle-shaped backwards, these can reach a span of two meters, the horns of the female are significantly narrower & shorter than the males. The water buffalo stands on long, strong legs with wide hooves, the claws are spread wide, so the water buffalo don't sink into their swampy habitat.

📍… The wild water buffalo is listed as an endangered species, estimated about only 1000 water buffalos are still living in Asia.

 

Grasses, herbs & aquatic plants are the main part of his diet, but also leaves & small branches, he feeds exclusively vegetarian.

If the herd lives near humans, the water buffalo will also eat cultivated grain. Water buffalos are ruminants; searching for food, wild water buffalos they usually go in small groups split off from the main group, only looking for food in the evening hours.

 

👉….At 7 to 8%, buffalo milk contains almost twice as much fat as cow's milk. It is used to make the real mozzarella cheese in Italy, the "Mozzarella di Bufala campana", while the delicious “Burrata” is mainly made from cow's milk & rarely from water buffalo milk.

 

All European domestic water buffalos descend from the Asian wild water buffalo. Their domestication probably began 3000 years BC. in China, Pakistan & Iraq. In the 6th century they reached Europe via Bulgaria & Greece.

Today the European water buffalo is mainly found in Italy, Bulgaria, Romania & Hungary.

 

📌…Kerala’s unique backwaters in South India, is a network of interconnected five large lakes linked by canals, both manmade, fed by 38 rivers & brackish lagoons extending nearly half the length of Kerala state. A labyrinthine system formed by almost 1.000 km of waterways lying parallel to the Arabian Sea coast, known as the “Malabar Coast”.

The backwaters have an exceptional ecosystem; freshwater from the rivers meets the seawater from the Arabian Sea, formed by the action of waves & shore currents creating low barrier islands across the mouths of the many rivers flowing down from the Western Ghats range.

A Thannermukkom Salt Water Barrier, preventing salt water from the sea is entering the deep inside, keeping the fresh water intact. Such fresh water is extensively used for irrigation purposes.

Numerous unique aquatic species including mudskippers, crabs, frogs, water birds such as kingfishers, darters, terns, darters & cormorants, animals like otters & turtles live in the backwaters area. Palm trees, pandanus bushes & other leafy plants grow alongside the backwaters, providing a green shade to the surrounding landscape.

 

In the middle of this landscape there are a number of towns & cities, which serve as the starting & end points of backwater cruises. The backwaters are one of the noticeable tourist attractions in Kerala.

 

👉 One World one Dream,

🙏...Danke, Xièxie 谢谢, Thanks, Gracias, Merci, Grazie, Obrigado, Arigatô, Dhanyavad, Chokrane to you & over

17 million visits in my photostream with countless motivating comments

 

The castle is situated on the Laich of Moray, a fertile plain that was once the swampy foreshore of Spynie Loch. This was originally a more defensive position than it appears today, long after the loch was drained.

 

The motte is a huge man-made mound, with steep sides and a wide ditch separating it from the bailey. The whole site is enclosed by a water-filled ditch, which is more a mark of its boundary than it is a serious defensive measure.

Duffus Castle was built by a Flemish man named Freskin, who came to Scotland in the first half of the 1100s. After an uprising by the ‘men of Moray’ against David I in 1130, the king sent Freskin north as a representative of royal authority.

 

He was given the estate of Duffus, and here he built an earthwork-and-timber castle. Freskin’s son William adopted the title of ‘de Moravia’ – of Moray. By 1200, the family had become the most influential noble family in northern Scotland, giving rise to the earls of Sutherland and Clan Murray.

In about 1270, the castle passed to Sir Reginald Cheyne the Elder, Lord of Inverugie. He probably built the square stone keep on top of the motte, and the curtain wall encircling the bailey. In 1305, the invading King Edward I of England gave him a grant of 200 oaks from the royal forests of Darnaway and Longmorn, which were probably used for the castle’s floors and roofs.

 

By 1350, the castle had passed to a younger son of the Earl of Sutherland through marriage. It may have been then that the keep was abandoned, possibly because it was beginning to slip down the mound, and a new residence established at the north of the bailey.

 

Viscount Dundee, leader of the first Jacobite Rising, dined in the castle as a guest of James, Lord Duffus in 1689, prior to his victory against King William II’s government forces at Killiecrankie. Soon after, Lord Duffus moved to the nearby Duffus House. The castle quickly fell into decay.

 

India, Kerala or Kēraḷam, Backwaters.

Kerala’s rich, fertile unique backwaters, South India, a network of interconnected five large lakes linked by canals, both manmade, fed by 38 rivers & brackish lagoons extending nearly half the length of Kerala state. A labyrinthine system formed by almost 1.000 km of waterways lying parallel to the Arabian Sea coast, known as the “Malabar Coast”.

The backwaters have an exceptional ecosystem; freshwater from the rivers meets the seawater from the Arabian Sea, formed by the action of waves & shore currents creating low barrier islands across the mouths of the many rivers flowing down from the Western Ghats range.

A Thannermukkom Salt Water Barrier, preventing salt water from the sea is entering the deep inside, keeping the fresh water intact. Such fresh water is extensively used for irrigation purposes.

Numerous unique aquatic species including mudskippers, crabs, frogs, water birds such as kingfishers, darters, terns, darters & cormorants, animals like otters & turtles live in the backwaters area. Palm trees, pandanus bushes & other leafy plants grow alongside the backwaters, providing a green shade to the surrounding landscape.

 

📌….The unique backwaters are a network of interconnected five large lakes linked by canals, both manmade, fed by 38 rivers & brackish lagoons extending nearly half the length of Kerala state. A labyrinthine system formed by almost 1.000 km of waterways lying parallel to the Arabian Sea coast, known as the “Malabar Coast”.

 

The backwaters have an exceptional ecosystem; freshwater from the rivers meets the seawater from the Arabian Sea, formed by the action of waves & shore currents creating low barrier islands across the mouths of the many rivers flowing down from the Western Ghats range.

 

In the middle of this landscape there are a number of towns & cities, which serve as the starting & end points of backwater cruises. The backwaters are one of the noticeable tourist attractions in Kerala.

 

👉 One World one Dream,

🙏...Danke, Xièxie 谢谢, Thanks, Gracias, Merci, Grazie, Obrigado, Arigatô, Dhanyavad, Chokrane to you & over

17 million visits in my photostream with countless motivating comments

Elstar ist eine aromatische und saftige, fein-säuerliche Apfelsorte mit weiß-gelblichem Fruchtfleisch.

Der Baum steht in Oberschwaben in Süddeutschland ... Äcker und sattgrüne Wiesen wechseln mit Wäldern und fruchtbaren Obstgärten, da und dort blitzt ein Weiher oder ein kleiner See, Hügel reiht sich sanft an Hügel. Dazwischen schmucke Dörfer und kleine Städte eingestreut, Burgen und Schlösser, Klöster und Kapellen und die fernen Alpen, bei Föhn zum Greifen nahe.

 

Upper Swabia in southern Germany ... fields and lush green meadows alternate with forests and fertile orchards, here and there flashes a pond or a small lake, hill joins hill gently. In between, pretty villages and small towns interspersed, castles, monasteries and chapels and the distant Alps, with hair dryer at your fingertips.

 

Souabe supérieure dans le sud de l'Allemagne ... Les champs et les prairies verdoyantes alternent avec les forêts et les vergers fertiles, çà et là un étang ou un petit lac flamboie, les collines tapissent doucement les collines. Entre les villages soignés et les petites villes entrecoupées, les châteaux et les palais, les monastères et les chapelles et les Alpes lointaines, près de Föhn à portée de main.

 

The translation from German to English with ImTranslator

Traduction de l'allemand en français avec ImTranslator

  

The castle is situated on the Laich of Moray, a fertile plain that was once the swampy foreshore of Spynie Loch. This was originally a more defensive position than it appears today, long after the loch was drained.

 

The motte is a huge man-made mound, with steep sides and a wide ditch separating it from the bailey. The whole site is enclosed by a water-filled ditch, which is more a mark of its boundary than it is a serious defensive measure.

Duffus Castle was built by a Flemish man named Freskin, who came to Scotland in the first half of the 1100s. After an uprising by the ‘men of Moray’ against David I in 1130, the king sent Freskin north as a representative of royal authority.

 

He was given the estate of Duffus, and here he built an earthwork-and-timber castle. Freskin’s son William adopted the title of ‘de Moravia’ – of Moray. By 1200, the family had become the most influential noble family in northern Scotland, giving rise to the earls of Sutherland and Clan Murray.

In about 1270, the castle passed to Sir Reginald Cheyne the Elder, Lord of Inverugie. He probably built the square stone keep on top of the motte, and the curtain wall encircling the bailey. In 1305, the invading King Edward I of England gave him a grant of 200 oaks from the royal forests of Darnaway and Longmorn, which were probably used for the castle’s floors and roofs.

 

By 1350, the castle had passed to a younger son of the Earl of Sutherland through marriage. It may have been then that the keep was abandoned, possibly because it was beginning to slip down the mound, and a new residence established at the north of the bailey.

 

Viscount Dundee, leader of the first Jacobite Rising, dined in the castle as a guest of James, Lord Duffus in 1689, prior to his victory against King William II’s government forces at Killiecrankie. Soon after, Lord Duffus moved to the nearby Duffus House. The castle quickly fell into decay.

 

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