View allAll Photos Tagged Freezing-Temperatures
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Remember my last post.....well spring's really nowhere in sight here in Chicagoland it turns out. Dangerous cold entering the Chicago area today with a chance to break a record low high tomorrow....wind chills could make it feel like minus 60! Seriously, this is very bad and extremely dangerous. Let's keep our thoughts and prayers with those that have to work outside in any way.
My first attempt at a snowflake macro, far far from perfect but I hope to improve it in future.
I reversed my 18-70mm lens and brought loose snow inside my house. Took about 150 shots to realize that no matter how fast I work to focus on my primitive setup, the snowflakes always melt before I get any decent shot. That meant I have to go outside into the freezing temperature, with my tripod, light source, tweezers for collecting them and so on. You would think that among the millions of snowflakes at least one would be occasionally focused. Not so simple. I saw lots of hexagonal symmetry but nothing undamaged and focused. The best I got is this and now I am waiting for a day when the weather cooperates with bigger snowflakes that are easier to catch and position:
But ahead of his debut, several voices have questioned the decision to keep him alive after he was rejected by his mother, a 20-year-old former performing bear from East Germany.
Both Knut and his twin were left exposed to freezing temperatures shortly after they were born in December. Knut's brother died, at which point the zoo intervened to save the surviving cub.
"One should have had the courage to let the bear die then," said Wolfram Graf-Rudolf, head of the Aachen Zoo, cited by the Sueddeutsche newspaper.
The zookeeper, who has watched the hand-rearing of two animals, said Knut will find life intolerable once bars inevitably come between him and his carer.
"Each time his keeper leaves him, and he can't follow, he will die a little."
Frank Albrecht, an animal rights campaigner, had started the debate in the mass-circulation Bild newspaper by declaring the zoo was violating animal protection legislation by keeping him alive.
"If truth be told, the zoo should have killed the baby bear."
PHOTO TAKEN FROM : www.tagesspiegel.de/fototouren/tour/index.asp?Tour=995
A workers camp at Oymyakon, Russia.
Winter temperatures in Oymyakon, average minus 55°C to minus 65°C. Even with the freezing temperatures the workers are still able to keep warm with just a simple tent and the heat from the fire wood being burned.
The remote village with population 500 people in the corner of SIBERIA is generally considered the coldest village on Earth.
The camellia blossoms are still coming despite freezing temperatures early in their season. The plant is on the edge of the property where my wife and I reside.
Bradgate Park in Leicestershire, where on Tuesday we seemed to have several seasons in one day...a mixture of bright sunshine, freezing temperatures, hail and snow flurries. But this is April in the UK so you can't expect much else!
Like to see the pictures as LARGE as your screen? Just click on this Slideshow : www.flickr.com/photos/reurinkjan/sets/72157624932250006/s...
Mato is an high altitude town(4,300 m) ,where snow is not uncommon in summertime. The open air market has an interesting selection of nomadic produce and Golok-style clothing. The town itself is small, but its bus station and market are important for the locals. It is the capital of Mato county.
www.footprinttravelguides.com/c/2848/tibet/&Action=pr...
Amdo (northeast Tibet) has huge rolling grasslands giving way to high mountain ranges and is home to many nomads. While Amdo is not as high as Changtang, winter is still long and cold. With an average elevation of over 3400m and sitting in the most northern region of Tibet, winter can come early. Freezing temperatures are common by mid-Septemeber. Amdo also gets more snow than most regions of Tibet. If you have ever seen a picture of Tibetan nomads in snow, chances are it was taken in Amdo. Winter temperatures can easily get to -20C (-4F) and the high areas of Golok Tibet Autonomous Prefecture can get to -30C. Summers are short, but pleasant in Amdo with temperatures getting up to 24C (75F) by mid-July (nights are still cold though).
kekexili.typepad.com/life_on_the_tibetan_plate/2007/01/ti...
This moth is as tough as old boots for sitting on the village shop wall for the past two weeks despite the wind, rain and freezing temperatures. I wonder if he will still be there next week when an arctic blast is expected straight from the Ural Mountains of Russia?
Chicago, IL
November 18th, 2014
All photos © Joshua Mellin per the guidelines listed under "Owner settings" to the right.
Last of the Lake Superior fast ice- -about 100 km north of Sault Ste. Marie- -Kilometer 1148, Ontario Highway 17.
The pressure is about 4-5 meters thick as of April 1.
Fast ice is an extensive unbroken sheet of ice that is “fastened” to the shoreline or shoals; the ice forms from freezing temperatures (air and water), waves, drift ice, and snowfall.
This sheltered bay, on eastern Lake Superior, is part part of the Mamainse Point Formation: an area of the Midcontinent Rift System characterized by Precambrian (Mesoproterozic) volcanic activity over a billion years ago.
Last of the Lake Superior fast ice- -about 100 km north of Sault Ste. Marie- -Kilometer 1148, Ontario Highway 17.
This pressure is about 2-3 meters thick as of April 1.
Eight second exposure with a 10 stop Hoya ProND1000 neutral density filter.
Fast ice is an extensive unbroken sheet of ice that is “fastened” to the shoreline or shoals; the ice forms from freezing temperatures (air and water), waves, drift ice, and snowfall.
This sheltered bay, on eastern Lake Superior, is part part of the Mamainse Point Formation: an area of the Midcontinent Rift System characterized by Precambrian (Mesoproterozic) volcanic activity over a billion years ago.
I did a couple of great hikes in the Mournes while on my Xmas holidays in Ireland. This panorama was taken an early morning I went up Slieve Binnian. This is Ben Crom reservoir with the summits of Ben Crom to the left and Slieve Bernagh to the right. I loved the contrasts provided by the shadows, the reflections on the water, the warm morning sunlight, the snow capped mountains and the blue sky. It really paid off getting up early despite the freezing temperatures.
Durante mis vacaciones de navidad en Irlanda hice un par de paseos magníficos en las montañas de Mourne. Este panorama del embalse de Ben Crom lo tomé durante uno de ellos. A la izquierda se observan las cimas de Ben Crom y a la derecha la de Slieve Bernagh. Me encantó la diversidad de contrastes que ofrecían las zonas de sombra, los reflejos en el agua, la luz cálida del sol de la mañana, las cimas nevadas y el cielo azul. Merció la pena el madrugón a pesar del frío intenso.
Sometimes we're caught off guard by the rapid change in temperature and/or conditions. This red maple leaf is not alone, sending out the 'O' in S.O.S as its buffeted by the wind just as temperatures plunged rapidly to trap it in an icy mix.
After the wonderful night of seeing the Northern Lights from a peak above Chena Hot Springs, I'd hoped to get lucky the next night down lower in the valley. With our group's bus scheduled to leave by 4 am, it was a smaller window of opportunity to work with. And with our plans for a big drive the next day, I knew I had to get some sleep - somehow. So with heavy eyes (from the night before) and a lack of activity in the skies at about 11:30, I gave up for the night. As it turned out, Murphy's Law kicked in and the skies came to life shortly thereafter.
As soon as I stepped foot outside at about 3 am, I knew something was up. I could see the green arcs of light reaching across the entire sky - even through the bit of light pollution in the bottom of the valley. I knew this was my last and possibly best chance to catch a few of the comps I'd seen from walking around the area. But no... even with the skies aglow, it was time to leave.
As you'd expect, there was lots of pressure to be on the bus when it was ready... to make sure all my luggage was on board... to help make sure my wife was ready... to make sure the gear I needed on the bus was ready... to check out of the resort/hotel... and to not hold up the group (again). But I still had a few minutes to spare... so rather than sit there waiting on the bus, I grabbed my camera, tripod, & remote and took off running out into the frozen steamy darkness.
I didn't care that the temperatures were probably at least 25 F below zero... I didn't care that everywhere around the area was really icy... I didn't care that the bus was getting ready to take off without me... I figured I had all of about 8 minutes and I wasn't going to spend it waiting on the bus!! I'm sure some people thought I was crazy... my wife (on the other hand) already knew it.
Before I'd even come to Chena Hot Springs, I had dreams of shooting the Aurora with some water that would give me a glowing reflection. But with the freezing temperatures of winter, I figured that probably wasn't realistic. But when I arrived, I took quick notice of the fact that the hot springs made for some great exceptions. Some of the bigger pools had too much steam to work well, but I found this stream had some real potential. So I kept it in mind for if the skies really lit up.
And on this frantic morning of running around under the magical lights, I remember getting to this spot first and cheering out loud when I captured this scene and saw it in my lcd screen. I really like the natural feel of the other images, but this one seemed to have a character all on it's own. With the goldpanning sign and the green glow reflecting off everything from the snow to the running stream, I was happy with this capture as my favorite from whole the trip. I'd actually scored a cool aurora reflection shot!! Woohoo!! That sure beat waiting on the bus! :-)
This 8 second long-exposure was taken in the final minutes of our visit to Chena Hot Springs near Fairbanks, Alaska.
Too exhausted to write much (sorry) so this might be a bit staccato.
1) Congratulations to whoever it was that went up Clougha in crampons right from the car park. I'm impressed!
2) The grouse were flocking together today. I saw a couple of hundred in one group. Never seen that before.
3) Hi to the couple having an argument on the way up! I was sat behind the wall when you started. Highlights include "why do you always have to argue?" (Sounds like me) and "it is interesting, but as time passes we have to do more and more things your way!" They were holding hands further up the path, so it was alright in the end!
4) It has been very cold recently and I wanted to persist in trying to get ice stuck to ice after trying lots of times before. I had made things with sheet ice and snow but not icicles so far this season. These icicles are stuck to the biggest one I found which is underneath the snow. I got these icicles from the same place that I made this almost exactly a year ago. What was interesting was the biggest one (the one used as the base) grew in the same place and seemed to be the same size as the largest one I found there last year.
5) This was a lot more taxing than it looks. The sculpture itself wasn't too hard but the place where the icicles were was up a hill along a steep slope and I could only carry three icicles at once or they would break. And the place where I positioned it was up yet another hill. So I did trip after trip up and down hills carrying icicles, camera and so on.
6) My water bottle froze and I am very thirsty!
7) It might have been a good idea to take some food.
8) It isn't always a good idea to finish the sculpture early and then wait several hours for the sunset to photograph it. Inactivity and freezing temperatures are not a good mix. It was proper cold! So cold I couldn't grip the focussing ring on my lenses. And hot aches really, really hurt!
9) It was a beautiful day and the snow, blue skies and views across to the mountains were sensational.
10) Well every list is normally 10 long (or one hundred but I am not writing that much) but as my brain is about to cave in and I need to cook dinner now I'll say goodbye!
11) Oh and hello to the chap who took a picture on his phone. Hope you had a nice walk.
12) Isn't there something I am supposed to be doing?
13) What is this land art stuff all about anyway?
14) Anyone fancy a beer?
15) Low blood sugar schmo blood sugar
16) Does anyone want to cook me something?
17) Oh and I found a perfectly formed ice arch with a little icicle in the middle. It froze along a bit of grass hence the arch but I destroyed it trying to get it out before I could get a picture.
18) Can anyone hear an echo?
19) Wasn't there something I was supposed to doing?
JFK Tower.
Spotting session at the TWA Hotel in JFK. Feb 14 2020. Cold winter day but with beautiful light. I couldn't feel my feet after a couple of hours of being outside taking pictures during freezing temperatures.
This is one of my five handmade ceramic bird baths that I moved into winter storage today in anticipation of freezing temperatures later this week.
Where else would anyone go for their honeymoon than a scientific research station above 3400 meters (11,000 feet) in the Swiss Alps in February?!? For part of our honeymoon, we went to Interlaken, Switzerland for a few days. The 2nd day we were there, we decided to go up to Jungfraujoch, the highest train station in Europe, and the home of the Sphinx Observatory and scientific station. This is Mönch (4107m) in the middle of Eiger - Mönch - Jungfrau. The station also offers views of the mountains Jungfrau, Mönch, and many others.
That day, we were told that it was total white-out, and shouldn't waste our time and money going up there; but we decided to go anyway. As you can see, we got very lucky.
Until we arrived, the station had indeed been experiencing total whiteout from snow and fog. When we got there, the fog and clouds began to break up to reveal the mountains all around us. It was AWESOME! We hardly noticed the below freezing temperatures and 40-70 kph (25-50 mph) winds. :D
This morning, despite the freezing cold of -4 degrees, the sun radiated a surprisingly refreshing warmth. I had the opportunity to capture the rich colors that emerge when the sun graces us with its presence. I chose to experiment with my heavy and old style. FX lens, Nikon 80-200 f2.8, Instead of the Nikon 500mm f5.6 PF, I explored the natural habitat of Charnwood Water, which I visited last week.
My photo targets were gray squirrels, which are accustomed to the presence of humans and my favorite bird species, the Robin. I had to get quite close before pressing the shutter, compensating for the disadvantage of the 200mm focal length. Despite the freezing conditions, I occasionally took off my gloves, aiming to press the shutter in different environments with changing bokeh - background.
Winter, with its freezing temperatures, has special appeal for wildlife photography for three important reasons. First, many species are at their best; resident birds are showing off their vibrant plumage and mammals are donning their thick winter coats.
"I captured some of these moments with my camera this morning, and I hope you enjoy watching these images as much as I did while shooting them."
Best viewed in lightbox - please click on the image or press L.
Do robins puff themselves up?
Male robins will always attack any intruder into their space, occasionally – though fortunately not often – fighting to the death. Both sexes of robins have red breasts and both puff out their chests as a sign of aggression.
Here are some fun facts about Robins, the nations favourite garden bird.
Robins are very territorial and you'll usually only see 2 together when they're mating.
In fact, they're so territorial that they often fight to the death defending their area.
They are very loyal to their food sources. The Robin you see in your garden is most likely the same one each time.
Young Robins do not have red breasts. They are brown and lightly speckled, only growing their red feathers after their first moult.
Its nearly impossible to tell apart the male and female Robin by sight.
They are ground feeding, insectivorous birds; mostly feeding on worms and insects found in freshly turned soil (as well as fruit).
Females often eat the shells of their hatched young for an extra boost of calcium.
Robins (both male and female) have such driven parental instincts that they have been found to feed the chicks of other species.
They used to be members of the Thrush family alongside Blackbirds, Redwings, Fieldfare, Mistle and Song Thrushes, however, they're now classified as as Old World Flycatcher.
Although they may look the same, each Robin has a completely unique red breast pattern.
I hope you enjoy my photos as much as I enjoyed taking them.
Thank you so much for visiting my feed, commenting, adding to your favorites or just browsing.
I appreciate it very much, wish you good luck and good light.
© All rights belong to R.Ertuğ. Please do not use this image without my express written permission. If you want to buy or use it, contact me via Flickr mail. Your comments and criticism are highly appreciated.
Lens - handheld. The aperture is f4.5 - f8 and is full length. All my images were converted from RAW to JPEG.
Thanks for stopping by and looking :)
This is the area of industrial land just south of the Greenway and the Olympic Park. It always seemed a bit of an eyesore right there alongside the spectacular architecture and landscaping - but on this night, with a light scattering of snow and freezing temperatures, it was looking nothing short of spectacular.
Camping in Idaho in October means having to roll out of your sleeping bag in freezing temperatures, don your winter clothes, and get a fire going. At that point, hot cowboy coffee is needed. You know the coffee is strong enough when it can float a horseshoe.
My first sighting of the Hermit Thrush this spring. Scientific name: Catharus guttatus
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The hermit thrush is a medium-sized North American thrush. It is not very closely related to the other North American migrant species of Catharus, but rather to the Mexican russet nightingale-thrush. The specific name guttatus is Latin for "spotted".
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🌳 See also www.instagram.com/clixofnature🐦
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Hermit thrush migrates toward the south during the autumn to avoid lack of food and freezing temperatures during the winter.
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Hermit thrush is best known by beautiful, flute-like songs that it produces. Song starts with long whistle that subsequently changes into series of musical phrases of different pitches. Unlike the songs of other birds, songs of hermit thrush have harmony.
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Pair of hermit thrushes exchanges greeting song when they meet near the nest. Female often sings while she rearranges the eggs in the nest.
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Main predators of hermit thrushes are cats, foxes, chipmunks, squirrels, skunks, snakes and owls.
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Mating season of hermit thrushes takes place during the summer.(source:www.softschools.com)
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This curious look - tells us that breakfast is definitely expected due to the freezing cold weather.
"This morning, despite the freezing cold of -4 degrees, the sun radiated a surprisingly refreshing warmth. I had the opportunity to capture the rich colors that emerge when the sun graces us with its presence. I chose to experiment with my heavy and old style. FX lens, Nikon 80-200 f2.8, Instead of the Nikon 500mm f5.6 PF, I explored the natural habitat of Charnwood Water, which I visited last week.
My photo targets were gray squirrels, which are accustomed to the presence of humans and my favorite bird species, the Robin. I had to get quite close before pressing the shutter, compensating for the disadvantage of the 200mm focal length. Despite the freezing conditions, I occasionally took off my gloves, aiming to press the shutter in different environments with changing bokeh - background.
Winter, with its freezing temperatures, has special appeal for wildlife photography for three important reasons. First, many species are at their best; resident birds are showing off their vibrant plumage and mammals are donning their thick winter coats.
"I captured some of these moments with my camera this morning, and I hope you enjoy watching these images as much as I did while shooting them."
Best viewed in lightbox - please click on the image or press L.
More than 200 species of squirrels live worldwide, including tree, ground and flying squirrel species. Eastern gray squirrels forage for nuts, seeds, buds, and flowers of trees. Like other tree squirrels, the eastern gray squirrel plays an important role in what is known as seed dispersal. As winter approaches, squirrels carry their food and bury it in various places, but sometimes they forget exactly where they buried it. This helps the environment because buried seeds and nuts germinate and grow the following spring. Female eastern gray squirrels can begin having babies as early as five and a half months old. Females can give birth to offspring twice a year, each usually consisting of two to four cubs. They collect leaves and twigs and build nests high in trees to house their young or use tree cavities as shelter.
Newborn eastern gray squirrels have no fur when they are born and cannot see. They usually weigh as little as half an ounce (14 grams). They leave the nest at about ten to twelve weeks of age and are fully grown in about nine months.
Eastern gray squirrels have an excellent sense of smell and use it to locate hidden food. They can also get information about squirrels by smelling them.
They communicate with each other by making sounds and body movements such as wagging their tails. When predators such as red foxes and red-tailed hawks are nearby, eastern gray squirrels will make warning calls to alert other squirrels.
I hope you enjoy my photos as much as I enjoyed taking them.
Thank you so much for visiting my feed, commenting, adding to your favorites or just browsing.
I appreciate it very much, wish you good luck and good light.
© All rights belong to R.Ertuğ. Please do not use this image without my express written permission. If you want to buy or use it, contact me via Flickr mail. Your comments and criticism are highly appreciated.
Lens - handheld. The aperture is f4.5 - f8 and is full length. All my images were converted from RAW to JPEG.
Thanks for stopping by and looking :)
Blue Ridge Parkway
Begun during the administration of U.S. president Franklin D. Roosevelt, the project was originally called the "Appalachian Scenic Highway." Most construction was carried out by private contractors under federal contracts under an authorization by Harold L. Ickes in his role as federal public works administrator. Work began on September 11, 1935 near Cumberland Knob in North Carolina; construction in Virginia began the following February. On June 30, 1936, Congress formally authorized the project as the " Blue Ridge Parkway" and placed it under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service. Some work was carried out by various New Deal public works agencies. The Works Progress Administration did some roadway construction. Crews from the Emergency Relief Administration carried out landscape work and development of parkway recreation areas. Personnel from four Civilian Conservation Corps camps worked on roadside cleanup, roadside plantings, grading slopes and improving adjacent fields and forest lands. During World War II, the CCC crews were replaced by conscientious objectors in the Civilian Public Service program.
Construction of the parkway took over fifty-two years to complete, the last stretch (near the Linn Cove Viaduct) being laid around Grandfather Mountain in 1987. Twenty-seven tunnels were constructed through the rock -- one in Virginia and 26 in North Carolina. Sections of the Parkway near the tunnels are often closed in winter. (Due to dripping groundwater from above, freezing temperatures, and the lack of sunshine, ice often accumulates inside these areas even when the surrounding areas are above freezing.) The highest point on the parkway (south of Waynesville, near Mount Pisgah in North Carolina) is 6047 feet (according to the 2005 Parkway map) on Richland Balsam Mountain at Milepost 431, and is often closed from November to April due to inclement weather such as snow, fog, and even freezing fog from low clouds. The parkway is carried across streams, railways ravines and cross roads by 168 bridges and six viaducts.
The parkway runs from the southern terminus of Shenandoah National Park's Skyline Drive in Virginia at Rockfish Gap to U.S. 441 at Oconaluftee in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Cherokee, North Carolina. There is no fee for using the parkway, however commercial vehicles are prohibited without approval from the Park Service Headquarters, near Asheville, North Carolina. The roadway is not maintained in the winter, and sections which pass over especially high elevations and through tunnels are often impassable and therefore closed from late fall through early spring. Weather is extremely variable in the mountains, so conditions and closures often change rapidly. The speed limit is never higher than 45 mph (70 km/h) and lower in some sections.
The parkway uses short side roads to connect to other highways, and there are no direct interchanges with interstate highways, making it possible to enjoy wildlife and other scenery without stopping for cross-traffic. Mileposts along the parkway start at zero at the northeast end in Virginia and count to 469 at the southern end in North Carolina. The mileposts can be found on the west side of the road. Major towns and cities along the way include Waynesboro, Roanoke, and Galax in Virginia; and in North Carolina, Boone and Asheville, where it runs across the property of the Biltmore Estate. The Blue Ridge Music Center (also part of the park) is located in Galax, and Mount Mitchell (the highest point in eastern North America) is only accessible via a state road from the parkway at milepost 355.4.
Source: www.romanticasheville.com/BlueRidgeParkway_history.htm
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A "field of crystal" at Shawangunk Grasslands. Every tree, every blade of grass was encased in a layer of ice. Melting snow followed by overnight freezing temperatures created this incredible sight.
With the freezing temperatures and strong winds outside, it is very nice to remember the summer and especially the amazing week I spent in Corsica back in August.
This is a footpath on the white cliffs of Bonifacio, leading to the fortified old quarter a little after the sunset.
Nikon D800 + Nikkor 16-35mm f/4 AF-S VR
LEE 0.9 ND hard edge grad
19mm | f/9 | ISO100 | 13s
The Haleakalā silversword, Argyroxiphium sandwicense subsp. macrocephalum, has numerous sword-like succulent leaves covered with silver hairs. Silversword plants in general grow on volcanic cinder, a dry, rocky substrate that is subject to freezing temperatures and high winds. The skin and hairs are strong enough to resist the wind and freezing temperature of this altitude and protect the plant from dehydration and the sun.
The plant's base of leaves, arranged in a spherical formation at ground level of the plant, dominates for the majority of the plant's life—which may be greater than 50 years. The leaves are arranged so that they and the hairs of the leaves can raise the temperature of the shoot-tip leaves up to 20 °C (36 °F), thereby having adapted to the extreme high-altitude temperatures by focusing the sunlight to converge at this point and warm the plant.
The other subspecies, Argyroxiphium sandwicense subsp. sandwicense (Mauna Kea silversword), is found on Mauna Kea. They differ primarily in the inflorescence shape—broader in the Haleakalā plants (less than 4 times as long as wide), and narrower on Mauna Kea (4.3-8.6 times as long as wide). The Haleakalā subspecies also generally has more ray florets, 11-42 versus 5-20 for Mauna Kea
Cox apples in the West of Switzerland were not affected by the cold. While in the East of Austria freezing temperatures drive the farmers crazy.
We've had rain and freezing temperatures the last few days - which has resulted in everything being coated in glare ice. Beautiful and dangerous.
Snowfall some days ago and below freezing temperatures in this part of Ireland have brought some serious icy conditions, specially at higher altitudes. I went for another morning walk and was glad to have my little Lumix LX100 which save me from having to spend too much time getting my Canon dslr out of my rucksack every time I spotted something of interest.
Meyer-Optik Görlitz 1Q Orestegon 2,8/29 at f/8. Depressing the aperture control button at near freezing temperatures is no fun! Wide open you can keep your hands in your pockets.
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We had quite a thick fog and with the freezing temperatures some very nice hoarfrost formed on pretty much everything. Fortunately I was up a little earlier than usual to go out a get some shots before work.
Visible from Oxfordshire after a night of heavy fog and freezing temperatures.
Photos taken with a Canon 1100D with 18-55mm lens
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How beautiful you are - Peter Blegvad
Anemone – a Spring show
medicine, poison, pollen and melodrama
Courageous of bloom, anemone often endures wind and freezing temperatures of the early spring
Many are simply poisonous, and most possess toxicity in large doses.
The Metamorphoses of Ovid tells that the plant was created by the goddess Venus when she sprinkled nectar on the blood of her dead lover Adonis.
Another story involves the nymph Anemone, beloved of Zephyr, who was transformed into a flower by the jealous Flora. Zephyr was the gentle wind of the west, father of the spring wildflowers, and aptly involved with the likes of anemone.
Euromaidan (Ukrainian: ??????????, Yevromaidan, literally "Eurosquare") is a wave of demonstrations and civil unrest in Ukraine, which began on the night of 21 November 2013 with public protests demanding closer European integration and culminated in a coup d'etat of the reigning Ukrainian government. The scope of the protests expanded, with many calls for the resignation of President Viktor Yanukovych and his government. Many protesters joined because of the violent dispersal of protesters on 30 November and "a will to change life in Ukraine". By 25 January 2014, the protests had been fueled by the perception of "widespread government corruption", "abuse of power", and "violation of human rights in Ukraine".
The demonstrations began on the night of 21 November 2013, when protests erupted in the capital, Kiev, after the Ukrainian government suspended preparations for signing an Association Agreement and a Free Trade Agreement with the European Union, in order to seek closer economic relations with Russia. Prime Minister Mykola Azarov had asked for 20 Billion Euros (US$27) billion in loans and aid. The EU and Russia both offered Ukraine the possibility of substantial loans. Russia also offered Ukraine cheaper gas prices. On 24 November 2013, first clashes between protesters and police began. Protesters strived to break cordon. Police used tear gas and batons, protesters also used tear gas and some fire crackers (according to the police, protesters were the first to use them). After a few days of demonstrations an increasing number of university students joined the protests. The Euromaidan has been repeatedly characterised as an event of major political symbolism for the European Union itself, particularly as
"the largest ever pro-European rally in history".
The protests are ongoing despite heavy police presence, regularly sub-freezing temperatures, and snow. Escalating violence from government forces in the early morning of 30 November caused the level of protests to rise, with 400,000–800,000 protesters demonstrating in Kiev on the weekends of 1 December and 8 December. In the weeks since, protest attendance has fluctuated from 50,000 to 200,000 during organised rallies. Violent riots took place 1 December and 19 January through 25 in response to police brutality and government repression. Since 23 January several Western Ukrainian Oblast (province) Governor buildings and regional councils have been occupied in a revolt by Euromaidan activists. In the Russophone cities of Zaporizhzhya, Sumy, and Dnipropetrovsk, protesters also tried to take over their local government building, and have been met with considerable force from both police and government supporters.
According to journalist Lecia Bushak writing in the 18 February 2014 issue of Newsweek magazine, EuroMaidan has grown into something far bigger than just an angry response to the fallen-through EU deal. It's now about ousting Yanukovych and his corrupt government; guiding Ukraine away from its 200-year-long, deeply intertwined and painful relationship with Russia; and standing up for basic human rights to protest, speak and think freely and to act peacefully without the threat of punishment.
A turning point came in late-February, when enough members of the president's party fled or defected to lose their majority in the parliament leaving the opposition large enough to form the necessary quorum. This allowed parliament to pass a series of laws that removed police from Kiev, canceled anti-protest operations, restored the 2004 constitution, freed political detainees, and allegedly impeached the president. Yanukovych then fled to Ukraine's second largest city of Kharkiv, refusing to recognise the parliament's decisions. The parliament has assigned early elections for May 2014.
A 35 man (plus guides) trip to the Ukraine exploring Chernobyl, the village, Duga 3, Pripyat and Kiev including Maidan (Independence Square) and observing the peaceful protests underway.
Some new faces, some old, made new friends and generally we were in our elements.
Rhetorical question but did we have a blast? You bet!
Amazing group, top guys. Till the next time!
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Sleeping under the stars at Llano de Ucanca
Cleverly, I planned a romantic wild camping night under the Milky Way during our annual long-distance hike, taking advantage of Tenerife's Llano de Ucanca as the perfect backdrop while we trekked a week along the GR-131.
However, the night proved one of the toughest I’ve endured, battling a cold, a slight fever, and lava dust inflamed sinuses in freezing temperatures near Pico del Teide. Despite the discomfort, I couldn’t miss the chance to capture the Milky Way core rising above our sleeping bags. Using whatever gear I had on hand, including a coffee pack as an improvised tripod, I managed to take a few memorable photos, preserving the memory of an insane trip.
Its December 4th 1976 as 24082 & 24087 pass Torside with an eastbound railtour.
As luck would have it the west side of the Pennines was socked in with fog and freezing temperatures whilst the eastern slopes were sunny and clear!
At least the Torside box signalman took pity on us and invited us into the warmth of the signalbox whilst awaiting arrival of the railtour.
Worth the freezing temperature and blowing sand on the beach to find this Snowy Owl sitting on the dunes just after sunrise
Well, Rob, you once more pulled me out of my comfort zone, and this time I mean literally! Standing outside in cold, below freezing temperatures and the dark is NOT my favorite thing! I decided to try to get a picture of the full moon on February 3rd, as it’s not yet something I’ve successfully done. It was a beautiful, sunny day but of course it clouded up at sunset. So I went out and took a bunch of shots in my backyard anyway. (See comments) This is my first serious attempt at nighttime photography so I did a lot of experimenting with ISO and shutter speed. When I was in my pajamas and almost ready for bed, I looked out and the moon was out from behind the clouds! So I bundled up, grabbed my equipment and headed back outside to try again. So I took this in my pajamas and stayed up way past my bedtime. I’m either dedicated or crazy, haven’t figure out which. :-)
This is SOOC except for the crop.
52 Weeks of 2015 - Week 6 - Theme: Nocturnal - Category: Technique
115 Pictures in 2015 - Theme No. 113 - Natural Framing
White Bluebonnet
The white bluebonnet you saw is the result of a mutation in one of the genes responsible for producing the blue pigment of the flower. There are color variations other than white that show up occasionally (e.g., pink) but neither the white flower nor any of the other variants are true breeding. In other words, if they are sitting in a field with mostly normal bluebonnets, the pollen that the white ones receive will most likely be from the normal bluebonnets. This pollen will mask the mutation in the next generation so that they will have blue flowers instead of white. Some white ones will still surface every so often since blue flowers can carry (but masks) the mutant gene that causes white flowers. To produce white flowers, an egg with the white mutant gene must be fertilized by pollen which also has the mutant gene. If you want a population of all white bluebonnets, the white parent flowers have to be fertilized only by pollen that carries the mutation.
Dr. Jerry Parsons of Texas A&M, by carefully selecting and breeding color variants, produced a red bluebonnet and a Texas Aggie maroon bluebonnet. You can read about how he accomplished this in The Color-ization of the State Flower.
Wildseed Farms in Fredricksburg has the maroon, Alamo Fire, but Mr. Smarty Plants hasn't found a source for the white bluebonnet.
You can find "How to Grow Bluebonnets" in our how to articles with information about collecting, treating and planting bluebonnet seeds.
The rains have been beneficial for a good crop of bluebonnet seeds and the below freezing temperatures were short-lived, or non-existent, in most of the bluebonnets' range so shouldn't affect their seed production for next year's crop.
Source: www.wildflower.org/expert/show.php?id=1158
Bluebonnets
Lupinus texensis
Lupinus texensis Hook.
Texas Bluebonnet, Bluebonnet, Texas Lupine, Buffalo Clover, Wolf Flower
Fabaceae (Pea Family)
USDA Symbol: LUTE
USDA Native Status: L48 (N)
Source: www.wildflower.org/gallery/species.php?id_plant=LUTE
Bluebonnets have been loved since man first trod the vast prairies of Texas. Indians wove fascinating folk tales around them. The early-day Spanish priests gathered the seeds and grew them around their missions. This practice gave rise to the myth that the padres had brought the plant from Spain, but this cannot be true since the two predominant species of bluebonnets are found growing naturally only in Texas and at no other location in the world.
As historian Jack Maguire so aptly wrote, "It's not only the state flower but also a kind of floral trademark almost as well known to outsiders as cowboy boots and the Stetson hat." He goes on to affirm that "The bluebonnet is to Texas what the shamrock is to Ireland, the cherry blossom to Japan, the lily to France, the rose to England and the tulip to Holland."
The ballad of our singing governor, the late W. Lee O'Daniel, goes, "you may be on the plains or the mountains or down where the sea breezes blow, but bluebonnets are one of the prime factors that make the state the most beautiful land that we know.
Source: Aggie Horticulture
Texas lupine has larger, more sharply pointed leaves and more numerous flower heads than similar lupines. Light-green, velvety, palmately compound leaves (usually five leaflets) are born from branching, 6-18 in. stems. These stems are topped by clusters of up to 50 fragrant, blue, pea-like flowers. The tip of the cluster is conspicuously white.
This is the species often planted by highway departments and garden clubs and is one of the six Lupinus species which are the state flower of Texas.
Source: Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Drove over to Sheffield (avoiding the Peak District moors because of freezing temperatures and ungritted narrow lanes). Went to see the Everly Pregnant Brothers Christmas show and had lunch in Fagan's with my youngest niece. Even though she lives less than 100 yards away from the iconic pub, she'd never been in until today.
In the depths of winter at well below freezing temperatures Mermaids can be found in the ice filled caves taking a break from the rough seas. Model - Alexandria Holley in Cordova, Alaska.
Made using a GoPro Hero 4 with use of DT night-writer and LED lenser.
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Overwintering Ladybugs
Redwood Regional Park
Oakland, CA
01-17-12
Every winter here in the San Francisco Bay Area, in Oakland California, ladybugs overwinter at the Redwood Regional Park. This was my first time seeing them in person and it was an amazing sight! I have never seen so many ladybugs at one time! This was a very cold day, so they weren't moving around very much. There was still ice in the grass at the beginning of the trail that had not melted yet from the freezing temperature from the night before even though it was late afternoon. The dried thistle was covered with them! They looked like red berries and brought life back to this dried up thistle. This photo shows only some of them that I saw this day, but there were thousands more too! I took several photos of them, because I was so in awe of them.
Redwood Regional park is one of the East Bay Regional parks. It is just one of the many beautiful parks in the San Francisco Bay area that the public has access to. I hope that seeing this photo encourages the viewer to support and protect all of the beautiful local, regional, state and national parks, open spaces, preserves, museums, etc. that we are all fortunate enough to have available to us to enjoy, including the Academy.
(If anyone reads this and wants to see more photos of them, I have a set of 20 photos that I created on my Flickr photostream as well.)