It's nearly one year ago to the day that I drove my car up a narrow, winding road about 20 minutes southeast of Jeju City. It was an uncharacteristically cold April morning, spring having yet to make it's appearance on the island.

I parked my car and struggled to the entrance of the Jeju April 3rd Peace Memorial Hall, relentless winds and freezing temperatures battering me along the way. It reminded me how perfectly the weather conditions matched this somber day.

Once inside, I made my way to a massive room where a large crowd of people had already formed. I scanned the room and my eyes were immediately drawn to the endless rows of names inscribed along its back wall. Flowers and offerings of fruit lay below the names, all of it lit by flickering candles. People had begun to pray.

This marked my introduction to a ceremony commemorating the 64 years since the Jeju Massacre, or "4.3", broke out on Jeju Island on April 3rd, 1948. One of the deadliest conflicts in Korean history, it continued for 6 bloody years, during which time an estimated 30,000 Jeju residents died at the hands of South Korean forces as punishment for perceived sympathy towards communism and the newly formed North Korea.

The conflict came to an end in 1954 but the pain and suffering caused by the loss of loved ones did not. How could something like this happen? For decades after any discussion of the massacre was censored with the threat of torture or imprisonment for those who chose to speak out.

The passage of time has healed some wounds. Since the 1990's the South Korean government has made a series of apologies and, in 2006, then President Roh Moo-Hyun officially apologized to the people of Jeju. But, apologies will never bring back those who lost their lives in the uprising.

With these thoughts in my mind, I slowly worked my way through the crowd and began to focus my attention on an elderly couple desperately trying to find the name of somebody lost in those attacks so many years ago. The pain of their loss clearly etched on their faces, they methodically scanned the names on the wall row by painstaking row.

I followed them for nearly 30 minutes until, finally, the husband's eyes showed a spark of recognition and his arm shot up into the air, his finger shaking as it pointed at a name on the wall. I saw a brief flicker of satisfaction, even triumph, on the elderly couples' faces that, after so many years, at least they could pay their respects to a fallen loved one.

It was at this moment I took a photo, my best of the day and one that would win at prize in the 2012 Jeju Sasam Photo Contest. When I look at that photo today I'm reminded of magnitude of the loss this terrible event had on so many families on Jeju Island and I pray that nothing like this will ever happen again.

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Please view my stream LARGE on black:

DMac 5D Mark II's photos on Flickriver

It's nearly one year ago to the day that I drove my car up a narrow, winding road about 20 minutes southeast of Jeju City. It was an uncharacteristically cold April morning, spring having yet to make it's appearance on the island.

I parked my car and struggled to the entrance of the Jeju April 3rd Peace Memorial Hall, relentless winds and freezing temperatures battering me along the way. It reminded me how perfectly the weather conditions matched this somber day.

Once inside, I made my way to a massive room where a large crowd of people had already formed. I scanned the room and my eyes were immediately drawn to the endless rows of names inscribed along its back wall. Flowers and offerings of fruit lay below the names, all of it lit by flickering candles. People had begun to pray.

This marked my introduction to a ceremony commemorating the 64 years since the Jeju Massacre, or "4.3", broke out on Jeju Island on April 3rd, 1948. One of the deadliest conflicts in Korean history, it continued for 6 bloody years, during which time an estimated 30,000 Jeju residents died at the hands of South Korean forces as punishment for perceived sympathy towards communism and the newly formed North Korea.

The conflict came to an end in 1954 but the pain and suffering caused by the loss of loved ones did not. How could something like this happen? For decades after any discussion of the massacre was censored with the threat of torture or imprisonment for those who chose to speak out.

The passage of time has healed some wounds. Since the 1990's the South Korean government has made a series of apologies and, in 2006, then President Roh Moo-Hyun officially apologized to the people of Jeju. But, apologies will never bring back those who lost their lives in the uprising.

With these thoughts in my mind, I slowly worked my way through the crowd and began to focus my attention on an elderly couple desperately trying to find the name of somebody lost in those attacks so many years ago. The pain of their loss clearly etched on their faces, they methodically scanned the names on the wall row by painstaking row.

I followed them for nearly 30 minutes until, finally, the husband's eyes showed a spark of recognition and his arm shot up into the air, his finger shaking as it pointed at a name on the wall. I saw a brief flicker of satisfaction, even triumph, on the elderly couples' faces that, after so many years, at least they could pay their respects to a fallen loved one.

It was at this moment I took a photo, my best of the day and one that would win at prize in the 2012 Jeju Sasam Photo Contest. When I look at that photo today I'm reminded of magnitude of the loss this terrible event had on so many families on Jeju Island and I pray that nothing like this will ever happen again.

Facebook

Twitter

Please view my stream LARGE on black:

DMac 5D Mark II's photos on Flickriver

It's nearly one year ago to the day that I drove my car up a narrow, winding road about 20 minutes southeast of Jeju City. It was an uncharacteristically cold April morning, spring having yet to make it's appearance on the island.

I parked my car and struggled to the entrance of the Jeju April 3rd Peace Memorial Hall, relentless winds and freezing temperatures battering me along the way. It reminded me how perfectly the weather conditions matched this somber day.

Once inside, I made my way to a massive room where a large crowd of people had already formed. I scanned the room and my eyes were immediately drawn to the endless rows of names inscribed along its back wall. Flowers and offerings of fruit lay below the names, all of it lit by flickering candles. People had begun to pray.

This marked my introduction to a ceremony commemorating the 64 years since the Jeju Massacre, or "4.3", broke out on Jeju Island on April 3rd, 1948. One of the deadliest conflicts in Korean history, it continued for 6 bloody years, during which time an estimated 30,000 Jeju residents died at the hands of South Korean forces as punishment for perceived sympathy towards communism and the newly formed North Korea.

The conflict came to an end in 1954 but the pain and suffering caused by the loss of loved ones did not. How could something like this happen? For decades after any discussion of the massacre was censored with the threat of torture or imprisonment for those who chose to speak out.

The passage of time has healed some wounds. Since the 1990's the South Korean government has made a series of apologies and, in 2006, then President Roh Moo-Hyun officially apologized to the people of Jeju. But, apologies will never bring back those who lost their lives in the uprising.

With these thoughts in my mind, I slowly worked my way through the crowd and began to focus my attention on an elderly couple desperately trying to find the name of somebody lost in those attacks so many years ago. The pain of their loss clearly etched on their faces, they methodically scanned the names on the wall row by painstaking row.

I followed them for nearly 30 minutes until, finally, the husband's eyes showed a spark of recognition and his arm shot up into the air, his finger shaking as it pointed at a name on the wall. I saw a brief flicker of satisfaction, even triumph, on the elderly couples' faces that, after so many years, at least they could pay their respects to a fallen loved one.

It was at this moment I took a photo, my best of the day and one that would win at prize in the 2012 Jeju Sasam Photo Contest. When I look at that photo today I'm reminded of magnitude of the loss this terrible event had on so many families on Jeju Island and I pray that nothing like this will ever happen again.

Facebook

Twitter

Please view my stream LARGE on black:

DMac 5D Mark II's photos on Flickriver

These two pictures are especially for Meru. The ice just keeps growing. It now reaches from the roof to the ground,(or at least into the snowbanks). Absolutely freezing temperatures today too. Something like -34C. Too cold for this old gal.

Winter has hit Lebanon full force with its freezing temperatures, bone-chilling wind and snow. Refugee camp residents across Lebanon face the harsh conditions with little heat or proper clothing. Palestinian families fled their homes in Syria, leaving everything behind except a few articles of clothing and a pair or two of summer shoes.

ANERA Delivers Kits to 1,300 Refugee Families in Beddawi Camp

ANERA has partnered with Najdeh Association to respond with a winter kit distribution to 1,300 families in northern Lebanon’s Beddawi Camp. Each kit consists of blankets, children’s clothes, an insulating straw mat and an emergency light unit. Families also receive assistance in properly managing winter illnesses. Funding for the kits came from UMCOR (The United Methodist Committee on Relief) and Johnson & Johnson,

“The kit had lots of good, helpful, high-quality items and, with the several hours of power cuts, the lanterns fill a huge gap,” says Hana Al Einen, head of Najdeh Association in the camp.

Naseer from Syria, a father of three, also expressed his appreciation for the emergency lights. “Our neighbors are living in a basement and their children are studying by candle light,” says Nasser. “Many kids drop out of school because they can’t study at night, so the lanterns are essential.”

ANERA’s winterization program targets families with special needs

“Palestinians with special needs in Beddawi camp are usually the most marginalized and forgotten group when there are humanitarian crises,” says Ahmad Daoud, emergency officer at CBRA, local partner of ANERA. “In this distribution, we focused on 300 families who live with special needs and could really use a little extra help this winter.”

Fidaa Al Arid brought her seven-year-old daughter Maria to help pick up the winter kit. Maria suffers from cerebral palsy, making it difficult to walk. The mother of six explains that Maria needs assistance around the clock.“ I am very happy to have this kit and glad for the lighting as well as the winter clothes for my daughter.”

“We are hearing great feedback about the emergency lights…”

CBRA workers say the distribution is running smoothly. After checking their names on a list, families pick up their kit and leave with a package of warm winter items and a smile on their faces. “People are very satisfied with their kits. We are hearing great feedback about the emergency lights because lighting is a tremendous issue during winter when the days are shorter and electrical outages are more common,” adds Ahmad. “This is a particular problem for people with visual impairments, because they are at risk of hurting themselves. So the extra light is a safety feature for them.”

Husband and wife pick up a blanket and emergency light.

The Najdeh Association distributed winter kits to 1,000 Palestinian families from Syria seeking refuge in Lebanon’s Beddawi camp.

ANERA Delivers 4,000 Blankets to Refugee Families in Nahr El Bared and Burj El Barajneh

In nearby Nahr El Bared camp and in Burj El Barajneh camp outside Beirut, ANERA has distributed 4,000 blankets, thanks to the generosity of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) Charities that wanted to provide winterization support to Palestinian refugee families. The two camps host thousands of Palestinian families who fled the war in Syria, which has been raging for four years.

LDS Charities has partnered with ANERA in Lebanon for the past three years. Werner Gysler, country manager of LDS Charities in Lebanon, welcomed the opportunity to help. “We have been very satisfied working with ANERA so when they called us to contribute to the winterization program, we were anxious to help.”

Everest Watch Online check out here : hd.videost.website/?v=2719848

Actor : Jason Clarke, Ang Phula Sherpa, Thomas M. Wright, Martin Henderson

Plot : On the morning of May 10, 1996, climbers from two commercial expeditions start their final ascent toward the summit of Mount Everest, the highest point on Earth. With little warning, a violent storm strikes the mountain, engulfing the adventurers in one of the fiercest blizzards ever encountered by man. Challenged by the harshest conditions imaginable, the teams must endure blistering winds and freezing temperatures in an epic battle to survive against nearly impossible odds.

After nearly two straight weeks of sub-freezing temperatures, the Chicago River looked gorgeous as ever.

Twitter: @ChiPhotoGuy Facebook: NUPhotography Instagram: Nick_Ulivieri Chicago photography blog

It's nearly one year ago to the day that I drove my car up a narrow, winding road about 20 minutes southeast of Jeju City. It was an uncharacteristically cold April morning, spring having yet to make it's appearance on the island.

I parked my car and struggled to the entrance of the Jeju April 3rd Peace Memorial Hall, relentless winds and freezing temperatures battering me along the way. It reminded me how perfectly the weather conditions matched this somber day.

Once inside, I made my way to a massive room where a large crowd of people had already formed. I scanned the room and my eyes were immediately drawn to the endless rows of names inscribed along its back wall. Flowers and offerings of fruit lay below the names, all of it lit by flickering candles. People had begun to pray.

This marked my introduction to a ceremony commemorating the 64 years since the Jeju Massacre, or "4.3", broke out on Jeju Island on April 3rd, 1948. One of the deadliest conflicts in Korean history, it continued for 6 bloody years, during which time an estimated 30,000 Jeju residents died at the hands of South Korean forces as punishment for perceived sympathy towards communism and the newly formed North Korea.

The conflict came to an end in 1954 but the pain and suffering caused by the loss of loved ones did not. How could something like this happen? For decades after any discussion of the massacre was censored with the threat of torture or imprisonment for those who chose to speak out.

The passage of time has healed some wounds. Since the 1990's the South Korean government has made a series of apologies and, in 2006, then President Roh Moo-Hyun officially apologized to the people of Jeju. But, apologies will never bring back those who lost their lives in the uprising.

With these thoughts in my mind, I slowly worked my way through the crowd and began to focus my attention on an elderly couple desperately trying to find the name of somebody lost in those attacks so many years ago. The pain of their loss clearly etched on their faces, they methodically scanned the names on the wall row by painstaking row.

I followed them for nearly 30 minutes until, finally, the husband's eyes showed a spark of recognition and his arm shot up into the air, his finger shaking as it pointed at a name on the wall. I saw a brief flicker of satisfaction, even triumph, on the elderly couples' faces that, after so many years, at least they could pay their respects to a fallen loved one.

It was at this moment I took a photo, my best of the day and one that would win at prize in the 2012 Jeju Sasam Photo Contest. When I look at that photo today I'm reminded of magnitude of the loss this terrible event had on so many families on Jeju Island and I pray that nothing like this will ever happen again.

Facebook

Twitter

Please view my stream LARGE on black:

DMac 5D Mark II's photos on Flickriver

The storm blew over yesterday with a beautiful sunset, about 10 inches of snow, many roads closed and freezing temperatures. Here are a few more shots from yesterday of one of the resident hummingbirds at one of the 2 feeders I have out. This morning, I put out unfrozen sugarwater and they all have showed up again. It's really cold and these are some tough hummingbirds!!!

www.galevinephotos.wordpress.com

www.blurb.com/photos/galevine

Let's see if I shot what I think I shot... Nope. Darn it. I thought I had the "Garnet star", but that red star is HP 106583. Oh well.

I was just experimenting; it was windy as heck out there, which you can tell by looking at the full size and looking at the bright white star -- you can see the random pattern made as the tripod assembly shook during the 50-second exposure.

What is interesting about this photo (and some others I didn't bother to upload), however, is that although taken at ƒ/4, upon close examination, I see that it is (a) still sharp, and (b) doesn't exhibit the blue/purple-ringed CA that I see wide open at ƒ/2.8. This means I can either shoot faster, or use a lower ISO (less noise!), or acquire objects that are dimmer; it's a full stop gain.

These are significant benefits. Getting the Astrotrac to stay on target for more than three minutes is tough; the polar scope that they supply with the unit is anything but easy to use, and for that matter, not easy to figure out in the first place. That is, when it isn't falling right off the unit (because it has really weak magnets that hold it on.) It's also very difficult for me, at least, to see through, because between my glasses, the exceedingly awkward angle the thing is mounted at, and the optical effects of the scope itself, most stars that are not centered become invisible, which again makes it very difficult to align the scope -- you really need to be able to see more than just Polaris, because Polaris, sadly, is not exactly at the pole, it's about a degree off.

Well, the bottom line is that alignment is non-trivial. It took me four days to even figure out what I was supposed to be doing (which really isn't described adequately in the manual) and then with each setup, it has to be done over and over again if you want your images to come out well. And as for using the Astrotrac for more than three minutes... well, I think you'd have to be able to see what's in the polar scope a lot better than I can, that's all. I did manage to get one well-aligned five minute shot out of it, mostly by accident. Consider that I have extremely clear and dark skies to work with... I can't imagine trying to make all this work near a city...

You know, the polar scope has a focus adjustment... I wonder if it extends enough to compensate for my awful vision. If so, I could get a lot closer to it, use a bare eyeball instead of having my glasses in the way. I'll have to try that next time out. That might make quite a bit of difference, if it works.

Which won't be all that soon -- camera is going away for H-alpha IR modification so it can see nebular structures better (this is a wavelength they radiate strongly in, but which, at the moment, the camera is pretty blind to because of the stock IR filtering.)

I'm going to miss my camera. Sniff. [drops single tear]

Anyway, as I was saying, faster really brings the benefits. The Astrotrac will stay on target better, because instead of three minutes, I can shoot in one and a half, which means that to get nine shots (good for a 3:1 reduction in noise) it will take 13:30 instead of 27 minutes; in the winter cold, this is not only more pleasant, but the camera will like it better. The battery performs worse in deep cold and it's also harder on the shutter mechanism. Remember, it gets -40º here now and then, and it's quite common to see -20ºƒ. The air is still and wonderfully clear, but man... you get chilly!

In the fall and spring, I'll definitely use that extra stop to drop the ISO; less noise means better pictures, and the camera and battery performance are fine in above freezing temperatures.

All in all, a good learning experience this time out.

Winter has hit Lebanon full force with its freezing temperatures, bone-chilling wind and snow. Refugee camp residents across Lebanon face the harsh conditions with little heat or proper clothing. Palestinian families fled their homes in Syria, leaving everything behind except a few articles of clothing and a pair or two of summer shoes.

ANERA Delivers Kits to 1,300 Refugee Families in Beddawi Camp

ANERA has partnered with Najdeh Association to respond with a winter kit distribution to 1,300 families in northern Lebanon’s Beddawi Camp. Each kit consists of blankets, children’s clothes, an insulating straw mat and an emergency light unit. Families also receive assistance in properly managing winter illnesses. Funding for the kits came from UMCOR (The United Methodist Committee on Relief) and Johnson & Johnson,

“The kit had lots of good, helpful, high-quality items and, with the several hours of power cuts, the lanterns fill a huge gap,” says Hana Al Einen, head of Najdeh Association in the camp.

Naseer from Syria, a father of three, also expressed his appreciation for the emergency lights. “Our neighbors are living in a basement and their children are studying by candle light,” says Nasser. “Many kids drop out of school because they can’t study at night, so the lanterns are essential.”

ANERA’s winterization program targets families with special needs

“Palestinians with special needs in Beddawi camp are usually the most marginalized and forgotten group when there are humanitarian crises,” says Ahmad Daoud, emergency officer at CBRA, local partner of ANERA. “In this distribution, we focused on 300 families who live with special needs and could really use a little extra help this winter.”

Fidaa Al Arid brought her seven-year-old daughter Maria to help pick up the winter kit. Maria suffers from cerebral palsy, making it difficult to walk. The mother of six explains that Maria needs assistance around the clock.“ I am very happy to have this kit and glad for the lighting as well as the winter clothes for my daughter.”

“We are hearing great feedback about the emergency lights…”

CBRA workers say the distribution is running smoothly. After checking their names on a list, families pick up their kit and leave with a package of warm winter items and a smile on their faces. “People are very satisfied with their kits. We are hearing great feedback about the emergency lights because lighting is a tremendous issue during winter when the days are shorter and electrical outages are more common,” adds Ahmad. “This is a particular problem for people with visual impairments, because they are at risk of hurting themselves. So the extra light is a safety feature for them.”

Husband and wife pick up a blanket and emergency light.

The Najdeh Association distributed winter kits to 1,000 Palestinian families from Syria seeking refuge in Lebanon’s Beddawi camp.

ANERA Delivers 4,000 Blankets to Refugee Families in Nahr El Bared and Burj El Barajneh

In nearby Nahr El Bared camp and in Burj El Barajneh camp outside Beirut, ANERA has distributed 4,000 blankets, thanks to the generosity of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) Charities that wanted to provide winterization support to Palestinian refugee families. The two camps host thousands of Palestinian families who fled the war in Syria, which has been raging for four years.

LDS Charities has partnered with ANERA in Lebanon for the past three years. Werner Gysler, country manager of LDS Charities in Lebanon, welcomed the opportunity to help. “We have been very satisfied working with ANERA so when they called us to contribute to the winterization program, we were anxious to help.”

With winter approaching, Caritas is working to help Syrian refugees with protection against freezing temperatures. Caritas Lebanon is working on the winterization project to weather proof 800 tents in the Bekaa. Credit: Cordaid/Caritas Lebanon

Winter has hit Lebanon full force with its freezing temperatures, bone-chilling wind and snow. Refugee camp residents across Lebanon face the harsh conditions with little heat or proper clothing. Palestinian families fled their homes in Syria, leaving everything behind except a few articles of clothing and a pair or two of summer shoes.

ANERA Delivers Kits to 1,300 Refugee Families in Beddawi Camp

ANERA has partnered with Najdeh Association to respond with a winter kit distribution to 1,300 families in northern Lebanon’s Beddawi Camp. Each kit consists of blankets, children’s clothes, an insulating straw mat and an emergency light unit. Families also receive assistance in properly managing winter illnesses. Funding for the kits came from UMCOR (The United Methodist Committee on Relief) and Johnson & Johnson,

“The kit had lots of good, helpful, high-quality items and, with the several hours of power cuts, the lanterns fill a huge gap,” says Hana Al Einen, head of Najdeh Association in the camp.

Naseer from Syria, a father of three, also expressed his appreciation for the emergency lights. “Our neighbors are living in a basement and their children are studying by candle light,” says Nasser. “Many kids drop out of school because they can’t study at night, so the lanterns are essential.”

ANERA’s winterization program targets families with special needs

“Palestinians with special needs in Beddawi camp are usually the most marginalized and forgotten group when there are humanitarian crises,” says Ahmad Daoud, emergency officer at CBRA, local partner of ANERA. “In this distribution, we focused on 300 families who live with special needs and could really use a little extra help this winter.”

Fidaa Al Arid brought her seven-year-old daughter Maria to help pick up the winter kit. Maria suffers from cerebral palsy, making it difficult to walk. The mother of six explains that Maria needs assistance around the clock.“ I am very happy to have this kit and glad for the lighting as well as the winter clothes for my daughter.”

“We are hearing great feedback about the emergency lights…”

CBRA workers say the distribution is running smoothly. After checking their names on a list, families pick up their kit and leave with a package of warm winter items and a smile on their faces. “People are very satisfied with their kits. We are hearing great feedback about the emergency lights because lighting is a tremendous issue during winter when the days are shorter and electrical outages are more common,” adds Ahmad. “This is a particular problem for people with visual impairments, because they are at risk of hurting themselves. So the extra light is a safety feature for them.”

Husband and wife pick up a blanket and emergency light.

The Najdeh Association distributed winter kits to 1,000 Palestinian families from Syria seeking refuge in Lebanon’s Beddawi camp.

ANERA Delivers 4,000 Blankets to Refugee Families in Nahr El Bared and Burj El Barajneh

In nearby Nahr El Bared camp and in Burj El Barajneh camp outside Beirut, ANERA has distributed 4,000 blankets, thanks to the generosity of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) Charities that wanted to provide winterization support to Palestinian refugee families. The two camps host thousands of Palestinian families who fled the war in Syria, which has been raging for four years.

LDS Charities has partnered with ANERA in Lebanon for the past three years. Werner Gysler, country manager of LDS Charities in Lebanon, welcomed the opportunity to help. “We have been very satisfied working with ANERA so when they called us to contribute to the winterization program, we were anxious to help.”

LONGBOARD Marketing created the AT&T U-verse ESPN Digital Living Room event during Super Bowl week in Dallas/Ft. Worth. Along with player appearances from Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson, 3x Super Bowl Champ Roger Craig, and former All-Pro Christian Okoye, the Brand Ambassadors and crew demonstrated U-verse services and the family of ESPN networks including ESPN 3D, ESPN3.com, and more! Despite freezing temperatures and snow, LONGBOARD Marketing managed to keep the Digital Living Room flowing throughout the week and reach the Super Bowl fans who braved the elements!

Playing in freezing temperatures

The joys of four-wheeling in winter

It's nearly one year ago to the day that I drove my car up a narrow, winding road about 20 minutes southeast of Jeju City. It was an uncharacteristically cold April morning, spring having yet to make it's appearance on the island.

I parked my car and struggled to the entrance of the Jeju April 3rd Peace Memorial Hall, relentless winds and freezing temperatures battering me along the way. It reminded me how perfectly the weather conditions matched this somber day.

Once inside, I made my way to a massive room where a large crowd of people had already formed. I scanned the room and my eyes were immediately drawn to the endless rows of names inscribed along its back wall. Flowers and offerings of fruit lay below the names, all of it lit by flickering candles. People had begun to pray.

This marked my introduction to a ceremony commemorating the 64 years since the Jeju Massacre, or "4.3", broke out on Jeju Island on April 3rd, 1948. One of the deadliest conflicts in Korean history, it continued for 6 bloody years, during which time an estimated 30,000 Jeju residents died at the hands of South Korean forces as punishment for perceived sympathy towards communism and the newly formed North Korea.

The conflict came to an end in 1954 but the pain and suffering caused by the loss of loved ones did not. How could something like this happen? For decades after any discussion of the massacre was censored with the threat of torture or imprisonment for those who chose to speak out.

The passage of time has healed some wounds. Since the 1990's the South Korean government has made a series of apologies and, in 2006, then President Roh Moo-Hyun officially apologized to the people of Jeju. But, apologies will never bring back those who lost their lives in the uprising.

With these thoughts in my mind, I slowly worked my way through the crowd and began to focus my attention on an elderly couple desperately trying to find the name of somebody lost in those attacks so many years ago. The pain of their loss clearly etched on their faces, they methodically scanned the names on the wall row by painstaking row.

I followed them for nearly 30 minutes until, finally, the husband's eyes showed a spark of recognition and his arm shot up into the air, his finger shaking as it pointed at a name on the wall. I saw a brief flicker of satisfaction, even triumph, on the elderly couples' faces that, after so many years, at least they could pay their respects to a fallen loved one.

It was at this moment I took a photo, my best of the day and one that would win at prize in the 2012 Jeju Sasam Photo Contest. When I look at that photo today I'm reminded of magnitude of the loss this terrible event had on so many families on Jeju Island and I pray that nothing like this will ever happen again.

Facebook

Twitter

Please view my stream LARGE on black:

DMac 5D Mark II's photos on Flickriver

Winter has hit Lebanon full force with its freezing temperatures, bone-chilling wind and snow. Refugee camp residents across Lebanon face the harsh conditions with little heat or proper clothing. Palestinian families fled their homes in Syria, leaving everything behind except a few articles of clothing and a pair or two of summer shoes.

ANERA Delivers Kits to 1,300 Refugee Families in Beddawi Camp

ANERA has partnered with Najdeh Association to respond with a winter kit distribution to 1,300 families in northern Lebanon’s Beddawi Camp. Each kit consists of blankets, children’s clothes, an insulating straw mat and an emergency light unit. Families also receive assistance in properly managing winter illnesses. Funding for the kits came from UMCOR (The United Methodist Committee on Relief) and Johnson & Johnson,

“The kit had lots of good, helpful, high-quality items and, with the several hours of power cuts, the lanterns fill a huge gap,” says Hana Al Einen, head of Najdeh Association in the camp.

Naseer from Syria, a father of three, also expressed his appreciation for the emergency lights. “Our neighbors are living in a basement and their children are studying by candle light,” says Nasser. “Many kids drop out of school because they can’t study at night, so the lanterns are essential.”

ANERA’s winterization program targets families with special needs

“Palestinians with special needs in Beddawi camp are usually the most marginalized and forgotten group when there are humanitarian crises,” says Ahmad Daoud, emergency officer at CBRA, local partner of ANERA. “In this distribution, we focused on 300 families who live with special needs and could really use a little extra help this winter.”

Fidaa Al Arid brought her seven-year-old daughter Maria to help pick up the winter kit. Maria suffers from cerebral palsy, making it difficult to walk. The mother of six explains that Maria needs assistance around the clock.“ I am very happy to have this kit and glad for the lighting as well as the winter clothes for my daughter.”

“We are hearing great feedback about the emergency lights…”

CBRA workers say the distribution is running smoothly. After checking their names on a list, families pick up their kit and leave with a package of warm winter items and a smile on their faces. “People are very satisfied with their kits. We are hearing great feedback about the emergency lights because lighting is a tremendous issue during winter when the days are shorter and electrical outages are more common,” adds Ahmad. “This is a particular problem for people with visual impairments, because they are at risk of hurting themselves. So the extra light is a safety feature for them.”

Husband and wife pick up a blanket and emergency light.

The Najdeh Association distributed winter kits to 1,000 Palestinian families from Syria seeking refuge in Lebanon’s Beddawi camp.

ANERA Delivers 4,000 Blankets to Refugee Families in Nahr El Bared and Burj El Barajneh

In nearby Nahr El Bared camp and in Burj El Barajneh camp outside Beirut, ANERA has distributed 4,000 blankets, thanks to the generosity of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) Charities that wanted to provide winterization support to Palestinian refugee families. The two camps host thousands of Palestinian families who fled the war in Syria, which has been raging for four years.

LDS Charities has partnered with ANERA in Lebanon for the past three years. Werner Gysler, country manager of LDS Charities in Lebanon, welcomed the opportunity to help. “We have been very satisfied working with ANERA so when they called us to contribute to the winterization program, we were anxious to help.”

Winter has hit Lebanon full force with its freezing temperatures, bone-chilling wind and snow. Refugee camp residents across Lebanon face the harsh conditions with little heat or proper clothing. Palestinian families fled their homes in Syria, leaving everything behind except a few articles of clothing and a pair or two of summer shoes.

ANERA Delivers Kits to 1,300 Refugee Families in Beddawi Camp

ANERA has partnered with Najdeh Association to respond with a winter kit distribution to 1,300 families in northern Lebanon’s Beddawi Camp. Each kit consists of blankets, children’s clothes, an insulating straw mat and an emergency light unit. Families also receive assistance in properly managing winter illnesses. Funding for the kits came from UMCOR (The United Methodist Committee on Relief) and Johnson & Johnson,

“The kit had lots of good, helpful, high-quality items and, with the several hours of power cuts, the lanterns fill a huge gap,” says Hana Al Einen, head of Najdeh Association in the camp.

Naseer from Syria, a father of three, also expressed his appreciation for the emergency lights. “Our neighbors are living in a basement and their children are studying by candle light,” says Nasser. “Many kids drop out of school because they can’t study at night, so the lanterns are essential.”

ANERA’s winterization program targets families with special needs

“Palestinians with special needs in Beddawi camp are usually the most marginalized and forgotten group when there are humanitarian crises,” says Ahmad Daoud, emergency officer at CBRA, local partner of ANERA. “In this distribution, we focused on 300 families who live with special needs and could really use a little extra help this winter.”

Fidaa Al Arid brought her seven-year-old daughter Maria to help pick up the winter kit. Maria suffers from cerebral palsy, making it difficult to walk. The mother of six explains that Maria needs assistance around the clock.“ I am very happy to have this kit and glad for the lighting as well as the winter clothes for my daughter.”

“We are hearing great feedback about the emergency lights…”

CBRA workers say the distribution is running smoothly. After checking their names on a list, families pick up their kit and leave with a package of warm winter items and a smile on their faces. “People are very satisfied with their kits. We are hearing great feedback about the emergency lights because lighting is a tremendous issue during winter when the days are shorter and electrical outages are more common,” adds Ahmad. “This is a particular problem for people with visual impairments, because they are at risk of hurting themselves. So the extra light is a safety feature for them.”

Husband and wife pick up a blanket and emergency light.

The Najdeh Association distributed winter kits to 1,000 Palestinian families from Syria seeking refuge in Lebanon’s Beddawi camp.

ANERA Delivers 4,000 Blankets to Refugee Families in Nahr El Bared and Burj El Barajneh

In nearby Nahr El Bared camp and in Burj El Barajneh camp outside Beirut, ANERA has distributed 4,000 blankets, thanks to the generosity of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) Charities that wanted to provide winterization support to Palestinian refugee families. The two camps host thousands of Palestinian families who fled the war in Syria, which has been raging for four years.

LDS Charities has partnered with ANERA in Lebanon for the past three years. Werner Gysler, country manager of LDS Charities in Lebanon, welcomed the opportunity to help. “We have been very satisfied working with ANERA so when they called us to contribute to the winterization program, we were anxious to help.”

It's nearly one year ago to the day that I drove my car up a narrow, winding road about 20 minutes southeast of Jeju City. It was an uncharacteristically cold April morning, spring having yet to make it's appearance on the island.

I parked my car and struggled to the entrance of the Jeju April 3rd Peace Memorial Hall, relentless winds and freezing temperatures battering me along the way. It reminded me how perfectly the weather conditions matched this somber day.

Once inside, I made my way to a massive room where a large crowd of people had already formed. I scanned the room and my eyes were immediately drawn to the endless rows of names inscribed along its back wall. Flowers and offerings of fruit lay below the names, all of it lit by flickering candles. People had begun to pray.

This marked my introduction to a ceremony commemorating the 64 years since the Jeju Massacre, or "4.3", broke out on Jeju Island on April 3rd, 1948. One of the deadliest conflicts in Korean history, it continued for 6 bloody years, during which time an estimated 30,000 Jeju residents died at the hands of South Korean forces as punishment for perceived sympathy towards communism and the newly formed North Korea.

The conflict came to an end in 1954 but the pain and suffering caused by the loss of loved ones did not. How could something like this happen? For decades after any discussion of the massacre was censored with the threat of torture or imprisonment for those who chose to speak out.

The passage of time has healed some wounds. Since the 1990's the South Korean government has made a series of apologies and, in 2006, then President Roh Moo-Hyun officially apologized to the people of Jeju. But, apologies will never bring back those who lost their lives in the uprising.

With these thoughts in my mind, I slowly worked my way through the crowd and began to focus my attention on an elderly couple desperately trying to find the name of somebody lost in those attacks so many years ago. The pain of their loss clearly etched on their faces, they methodically scanned the names on the wall row by painstaking row.

I followed them for nearly 30 minutes until, finally, the husband's eyes showed a spark of recognition and his arm shot up into the air, his finger shaking as it pointed at a name on the wall. I saw a brief flicker of satisfaction, even triumph, on the elderly couples' faces that, after so many years, at least they could pay their respects to a fallen loved one.

It was at this moment I took a photo, my best of the day and one that would win at prize in the 2012 Jeju Sasam Photo Contest. When I look at that photo today I'm reminded of magnitude of the loss this terrible event had on so many families on Jeju Island and I pray that nothing like this will ever happen again.

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Please view my stream LARGE on black:

DMac 5D Mark II's photos on Flickriver

It's nearly one year ago to the day that I drove my car up a narrow, winding road about 20 minutes southeast of Jeju City. It was an uncharacteristically cold April morning, spring having yet to make it's appearance on the island.

I parked my car and struggled to the entrance of the Jeju April 3rd Peace Memorial Hall, relentless winds and freezing temperatures battering me along the way. It reminded me how perfectly the weather conditions matched this somber day.

Once inside, I made my way to a massive room where a large crowd of people had already formed. I scanned the room and my eyes were immediately drawn to the endless rows of names inscribed along its back wall. Flowers and offerings of fruit lay below the names, all of it lit by flickering candles. People had begun to pray.

This marked my introduction to a ceremony commemorating the 64 years since the Jeju Massacre, or "4.3", broke out on Jeju Island on April 3rd, 1948. One of the deadliest conflicts in Korean history, it continued for 6 bloody years, during which time an estimated 30,000 Jeju residents died at the hands of South Korean forces as punishment for perceived sympathy towards communism and the newly formed North Korea.

The conflict came to an end in 1954 but the pain and suffering caused by the loss of loved ones did not. How could something like this happen? For decades after any discussion of the massacre was censored with the threat of torture or imprisonment for those who chose to speak out.

The passage of time has healed some wounds. Since the 1990's the South Korean government has made a series of apologies and, in 2006, then President Roh Moo-Hyun officially apologized to the people of Jeju. But, apologies will never bring back those who lost their lives in the uprising.

With these thoughts in my mind, I slowly worked my way through the crowd and began to focus my attention on an elderly couple desperately trying to find the name of somebody lost in those attacks so many years ago. The pain of their loss clearly etched on their faces, they methodically scanned the names on the wall row by painstaking row.

I followed them for nearly 30 minutes until, finally, the husband's eyes showed a spark of recognition and his arm shot up into the air, his finger shaking as it pointed at a name on the wall. I saw a brief flicker of satisfaction, even triumph, on the elderly couples' faces that, after so many years, at least they could pay their respects to a fallen loved one.

It was at this moment I took a photo, my best of the day and one that would win at prize in the 2012 Jeju Sasam Photo Contest. When I look at that photo today I'm reminded of magnitude of the loss this terrible event had on so many families on Jeju Island and I pray that nothing like this will ever happen again.

Facebook

Twitter

Please view my stream LARGE on black:

DMac 5D Mark II's photos on Flickriver

The life of a Glacier Lily (Erythronium) begins below ground with its long (33-55mm), slender, deeply planted, corm, or in ordinary gardening parlance, its bulb. Out of this springs stems and two lance-shaped (lanceolate) green to greenish-gray long leaves (up to 25 cm) connected to the stem at ground level (basal leaves botanically speaking). From each corm will grow one to five separate stems 15-40 cm long, and from each of these as many as six nodding yellow flowers will emerge, although just one is common.

Where Erythronium likes to reside offers clues about how it lives and prospers. In the Colorado Rockies, Erythronium can be found between 6,500 and 11,000 feet elevation and prefers cool, wet locations with fertile soils. It especially favors wet meadows and slopes that abut streams, lakes, or seeps, and is most common in snow shoots and late lying snow banks. This impatient flower doesn't wait until snowmelt is done but will pop up through the snow itself. Among mountain wildflowers it is one of the first to appear (late May or early June), and in doing so it gains the special advantages of a monopoly on pollinators and access to sunshine, moisture, and nutrients. By showing up early, this species has few worries about competition for resources--light, soil, nutrients, water, and pollinators.

The early arrival strategy brings along with it a serious risk from early snow melt. Over the 33-year period ending in 2008, because of climate change the snowmelt date advanced by an average of 4.14 days per decade. At the same time the mean summer temperature increased by 0.38°C per decade. Despite warmer temperatures, average summer precipitation hasn't changed much, but the first, peak, and last flowering dates for Erythronium advanced an average of 3.2 days per decade. Even before the snow is entirely gone, Erythronium flowers pop up to get an early start, but arriving early carries with it the danger of exposure to night frosts that commonly occur early in the spring, even when daytime temperatures are well above freezing. Flowers arriving at the party early may be stuck out in the freezing cold at night, against which plant parts may lack defenses. Fruit production for Erythronium has been found to be lower in years when late frosts occur. In many wildflower species, more frost means fewer healthy flowers for flower-lusting bees and hummingbirds to do the work of moving pollen from one flower to another completing the reproductive cycle. For Erythronium, however, earlier snow melts doesn't seem to have hurt overall flower abundance even though fruits are sometimes damaged by frost. It's early blooming propensity could well have caused it to genetically adapt to cold night temperatures. Because of its early spring appearance, Erythronium is important as food when little else is available for mule deers arriving from their wintering grounds and for pollinators such as early arriving queen bumble bees and migratory humming birds. Conceivably, if Erythronium moves its blooming peak forward enough, animals dependent on the species for food could arrive too late for a full meal. Changes in the presence of one species can spill over to others in an ecologically interconnected world.

Early snowmelt in mountain settings is so important for wildflowers in general that we should be fully aware of its causes. The steady buildup of human-produced greenhouse gases such as CO2 in the earth's atmosphere has caused global temperature averages to advance in recent years according to the predominance of of scientific opinion. Scientists also acknowledge that climate warming will be felt more extensively than average at higher elevations and latitudes around the world. This means earlier snowmelt and higher summer temperatures in the subalpine Rocky Mountains to the detriment of climate sensitive wildflowers. The irony is that a cold-adapted, early blooming species such as Erythronium may actually be able to handle climate change because of its resilience to night frost exposure that increases as snow melt, daytime temperatures, and and peak flower blooms advance more quickly than incidence of night frosts recedes. Those species that bloom a bit later, such as the Aspen sunflower (Hellianthella quinquenervis), are less likely to be pre-adapted to night frosts and more likely to suffer significant damage to their plant parts from freezing temperatures.

On each Erythronium stem, all the flowers together are referred to as the inflorescence, and each individual is a perfect flower possessing both male and female parts and is capable of self-pollination. In short, a perfect flower is a sexual cross dresser that can make itself pregnant, a hermaphrodite, a beneficial strategy if pollinators are scarce, which could well be the case for an early bloomer whose fruits periodically suffer frost damage. Erythronium has perfection but not completeness with tepals for flower parts but not both petals and sepals. Tepals mean a lack of distinction between petals and sepals.

In a comparative plant survey that repeats survey locations in 2014 for a study completed in 1952, the mean elevation of E. grandiflorum was found to have decreased 138 meters. On the surface this seems unusual. Plant species move up in elevation normally in a period of climate warming to track their optimal temperature range. However, a warmer and drier climate can decrease moisture availability at higher, more opens sites, causing some species to shift downward in elevation to more moist habitats.

Younger sis has performed in a parade this past month, with temps at 32 Degrees F in the a.m.

© jaarockin

Migrating with Kazakh nomads. Day 4 - Bayan Ölgii (Mongolia)

3 nights berlin, 7 shop shutter, freezing temperatures, hot music, loads of people and kermit as the appetiser

the entire story behind the enigmatic and Londons most prolific artist who inspired the crowd:

UR SO PORNO BABY! if u want it

Mr. Fahrenheit: Die wahre Geschichte

276 pages

as book and e-book

on Amazon

ISBN 978-1981790906

At the February, 2015 Upstate Cars & Coffee in Greenville, South Carolina. A great turnout of cars despite freezing temperatures and nasty cold wind.

Winter has hit Lebanon full force with its freezing temperatures, bone-chilling wind and snow. Refugee camp residents across Lebanon face the harsh conditions with little heat or proper clothing. Palestinian families fled their homes in Syria, leaving everything behind except a few articles of clothing and a pair or two of summer shoes.

ANERA Delivers Kits to 1,300 Refugee Families in Beddawi Camp

ANERA has partnered with Najdeh Association to respond with a winter kit distribution to 1,300 families in northern Lebanon’s Beddawi Camp. Each kit consists of blankets, children’s clothes, an insulating straw mat and an emergency light unit. Families also receive assistance in properly managing winter illnesses. Funding for the kits came from UMCOR (The United Methodist Committee on Relief) and Johnson & Johnson,

“The kit had lots of good, helpful, high-quality items and, with the several hours of power cuts, the lanterns fill a huge gap,” says Hana Al Einen, head of Najdeh Association in the camp.

Naseer from Syria, a father of three, also expressed his appreciation for the emergency lights. “Our neighbors are living in a basement and their children are studying by candle light,” says Nasser. “Many kids drop out of school because they can’t study at night, so the lanterns are essential.”

ANERA’s winterization program targets families with special needs

“Palestinians with special needs in Beddawi camp are usually the most marginalized and forgotten group when there are humanitarian crises,” says Ahmad Daoud, emergency officer at CBRA, local partner of ANERA. “In this distribution, we focused on 300 families who live with special needs and could really use a little extra help this winter.”

Fidaa Al Arid brought her seven-year-old daughter Maria to help pick up the winter kit. Maria suffers from cerebral palsy, making it difficult to walk. The mother of six explains that Maria needs assistance around the clock.“ I am very happy to have this kit and glad for the lighting as well as the winter clothes for my daughter.”

“We are hearing great feedback about the emergency lights…”

CBRA workers say the distribution is running smoothly. After checking their names on a list, families pick up their kit and leave with a package of warm winter items and a smile on their faces. “People are very satisfied with their kits. We are hearing great feedback about the emergency lights because lighting is a tremendous issue during winter when the days are shorter and electrical outages are more common,” adds Ahmad. “This is a particular problem for people with visual impairments, because they are at risk of hurting themselves. So the extra light is a safety feature for them.”

Husband and wife pick up a blanket and emergency light.

The Najdeh Association distributed winter kits to 1,000 Palestinian families from Syria seeking refuge in Lebanon’s Beddawi camp.

ANERA Delivers 4,000 Blankets to Refugee Families in Nahr El Bared and Burj El Barajneh

In nearby Nahr El Bared camp and in Burj El Barajneh camp outside Beirut, ANERA has distributed 4,000 blankets, thanks to the generosity of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) Charities that wanted to provide winterization support to Palestinian refugee families. The two camps host thousands of Palestinian families who fled the war in Syria, which has been raging for four years.

LDS Charities has partnered with ANERA in Lebanon for the past three years. Werner Gysler, country manager of LDS Charities in Lebanon, welcomed the opportunity to help. “We have been very satisfied working with ANERA so when they called us to contribute to the winterization program, we were anxious to help.”

Winter has hit Lebanon full force with its freezing temperatures, bone-chilling wind and snow. Refugee camp residents across Lebanon face the harsh conditions with little heat or proper clothing. Palestinian families fled their homes in Syria, leaving everything behind except a few articles of clothing and a pair or two of summer shoes.

ANERA Delivers Kits to 1,300 Refugee Families in Beddawi Camp

ANERA has partnered with Najdeh Association to respond with a winter kit distribution to 1,300 families in northern Lebanon’s Beddawi Camp. Each kit consists of blankets, children’s clothes, an insulating straw mat and an emergency light unit. Families also receive assistance in properly managing winter illnesses. Funding for the kits came from UMCOR (The United Methodist Committee on Relief) and Johnson & Johnson,

“The kit had lots of good, helpful, high-quality items and, with the several hours of power cuts, the lanterns fill a huge gap,” says Hana Al Einen, head of Najdeh Association in the camp.

Naseer from Syria, a father of three, also expressed his appreciation for the emergency lights. “Our neighbors are living in a basement and their children are studying by candle light,” says Nasser. “Many kids drop out of school because they can’t study at night, so the lanterns are essential.”

ANERA’s winterization program targets families with special needs

“Palestinians with special needs in Beddawi camp are usually the most marginalized and forgotten group when there are humanitarian crises,” says Ahmad Daoud, emergency officer at CBRA, local partner of ANERA. “In this distribution, we focused on 300 families who live with special needs and could really use a little extra help this winter.”

Fidaa Al Arid brought her seven-year-old daughter Maria to help pick up the winter kit. Maria suffers from cerebral palsy, making it difficult to walk. The mother of six explains that Maria needs assistance around the clock.“ I am very happy to have this kit and glad for the lighting as well as the winter clothes for my daughter.”

“We are hearing great feedback about the emergency lights…”

CBRA workers say the distribution is running smoothly. After checking their names on a list, families pick up their kit and leave with a package of warm winter items and a smile on their faces. “People are very satisfied with their kits. We are hearing great feedback about the emergency lights because lighting is a tremendous issue during winter when the days are shorter and electrical outages are more common,” adds Ahmad. “This is a particular problem for people with visual impairments, because they are at risk of hurting themselves. So the extra light is a safety feature for them.”

Husband and wife pick up a blanket and emergency light.

The Najdeh Association distributed winter kits to 1,000 Palestinian families from Syria seeking refuge in Lebanon’s Beddawi camp.

ANERA Delivers 4,000 Blankets to Refugee Families in Nahr El Bared and Burj El Barajneh

In nearby Nahr El Bared camp and in Burj El Barajneh camp outside Beirut, ANERA has distributed 4,000 blankets, thanks to the generosity of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) Charities that wanted to provide winterization support to Palestinian refugee families. The two camps host thousands of Palestinian families who fled the war in Syria, which has been raging for four years.

LDS Charities has partnered with ANERA in Lebanon for the past three years. Werner Gysler, country manager of LDS Charities in Lebanon, welcomed the opportunity to help. “We have been very satisfied working with ANERA so when they called us to contribute to the winterization program, we were anxious to help.”

Winter has hit Lebanon full force with its freezing temperatures, bone-chilling wind and snow. Refugee camp residents across Lebanon face the harsh conditions with little heat or proper clothing. Palestinian families fled their homes in Syria, leaving everything behind except a few articles of clothing and a pair or two of summer shoes.

ANERA Delivers Kits to 1,300 Refugee Families in Beddawi Camp

ANERA has partnered with Najdeh Association to respond with a winter kit distribution to 1,300 families in northern Lebanon’s Beddawi Camp. Each kit consists of blankets, children’s clothes, an insulating straw mat and an emergency light unit. Families also receive assistance in properly managing winter illnesses. Funding for the kits came from UMCOR (The United Methodist Committee on Relief) and Johnson & Johnson,

“The kit had lots of good, helpful, high-quality items and, with the several hours of power cuts, the lanterns fill a huge gap,” says Hana Al Einen, head of Najdeh Association in the camp.

Naseer from Syria, a father of three, also expressed his appreciation for the emergency lights. “Our neighbors are living in a basement and their children are studying by candle light,” says Nasser. “Many kids drop out of school because they can’t study at night, so the lanterns are essential.”

ANERA’s winterization program targets families with special needs

“Palestinians with special needs in Beddawi camp are usually the most marginalized and forgotten group when there are humanitarian crises,” says Ahmad Daoud, emergency officer at CBRA, local partner of ANERA. “In this distribution, we focused on 300 families who live with special needs and could really use a little extra help this winter.”

Fidaa Al Arid brought her seven-year-old daughter Maria to help pick up the winter kit. Maria suffers from cerebral palsy, making it difficult to walk. The mother of six explains that Maria needs assistance around the clock.“ I am very happy to have this kit and glad for the lighting as well as the winter clothes for my daughter.”

“We are hearing great feedback about the emergency lights…”

CBRA workers say the distribution is running smoothly. After checking their names on a list, families pick up their kit and leave with a package of warm winter items and a smile on their faces. “People are very satisfied with their kits. We are hearing great feedback about the emergency lights because lighting is a tremendous issue during winter when the days are shorter and electrical outages are more common,” adds Ahmad. “This is a particular problem for people with visual impairments, because they are at risk of hurting themselves. So the extra light is a safety feature for them.”

Husband and wife pick up a blanket and emergency light.

The Najdeh Association distributed winter kits to 1,000 Palestinian families from Syria seeking refuge in Lebanon’s Beddawi camp.

ANERA Delivers 4,000 Blankets to Refugee Families in Nahr El Bared and Burj El Barajneh

In nearby Nahr El Bared camp and in Burj El Barajneh camp outside Beirut, ANERA has distributed 4,000 blankets, thanks to the generosity of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) Charities that wanted to provide winterization support to Palestinian refugee families. The two camps host thousands of Palestinian families who fled the war in Syria, which has been raging for four years.

LDS Charities has partnered with ANERA in Lebanon for the past three years. Werner Gysler, country manager of LDS Charities in Lebanon, welcomed the opportunity to help. “We have been very satisfied working with ANERA so when they called us to contribute to the winterization program, we were anxious to help.”

Winter has hit Lebanon full force with its freezing temperatures, bone-chilling wind and snow. Refugee camp residents across Lebanon face the harsh conditions with little heat or proper clothing. Palestinian families fled their homes in Syria, leaving everything behind except a few articles of clothing and a pair or two of summer shoes.

ANERA Delivers Kits to 1,300 Refugee Families in Beddawi Camp

ANERA has partnered with Najdeh Association to respond with a winter kit distribution to 1,300 families in northern Lebanon’s Beddawi Camp. Each kit consists of blankets, children’s clothes, an insulating straw mat and an emergency light unit. Families also receive assistance in properly managing winter illnesses. Funding for the kits came from UMCOR (The United Methodist Committee on Relief) and Johnson & Johnson,

“The kit had lots of good, helpful, high-quality items and, with the several hours of power cuts, the lanterns fill a huge gap,” says Hana Al Einen, head of Najdeh Association in the camp.

Naseer from Syria, a father of three, also expressed his appreciation for the emergency lights. “Our neighbors are living in a basement and their children are studying by candle light,” says Nasser. “Many kids drop out of school because they can’t study at night, so the lanterns are essential.”

ANERA’s winterization program targets families with special needs

“Palestinians with special needs in Beddawi camp are usually the most marginalized and forgotten group when there are humanitarian crises,” says Ahmad Daoud, emergency officer at CBRA, local partner of ANERA. “In this distribution, we focused on 300 families who live with special needs and could really use a little extra help this winter.”

Fidaa Al Arid brought her seven-year-old daughter Maria to help pick up the winter kit. Maria suffers from cerebral palsy, making it difficult to walk. The mother of six explains that Maria needs assistance around the clock.“ I am very happy to have this kit and glad for the lighting as well as the winter clothes for my daughter.”

“We are hearing great feedback about the emergency lights…”

CBRA workers say the distribution is running smoothly. After checking their names on a list, families pick up their kit and leave with a package of warm winter items and a smile on their faces. “People are very satisfied with their kits. We are hearing great feedback about the emergency lights because lighting is a tremendous issue during winter when the days are shorter and electrical outages are more common,” adds Ahmad. “This is a particular problem for people with visual impairments, because they are at risk of hurting themselves. So the extra light is a safety feature for them.”

Husband and wife pick up a blanket and emergency light.

The Najdeh Association distributed winter kits to 1,000 Palestinian families from Syria seeking refuge in Lebanon’s Beddawi camp.

ANERA Delivers 4,000 Blankets to Refugee Families in Nahr El Bared and Burj El Barajneh

In nearby Nahr El Bared camp and in Burj El Barajneh camp outside Beirut, ANERA has distributed 4,000 blankets, thanks to the generosity of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) Charities that wanted to provide winterization support to Palestinian refugee families. The two camps host thousands of Palestinian families who fled the war in Syria, which has been raging for four years.

LDS Charities has partnered with ANERA in Lebanon for the past three years. Werner Gysler, country manager of LDS Charities in Lebanon, welcomed the opportunity to help. “We have been very satisfied working with ANERA so when they called us to contribute to the winterization program, we were anxious to help.”

Winter has hit Lebanon full force with its freezing temperatures, bone-chilling wind and snow. Refugee camp residents across Lebanon face the harsh conditions with little heat or proper clothing. Palestinian families fled their homes in Syria, leaving everything behind except a few articles of clothing and a pair or two of summer shoes.

ANERA Delivers Kits to 1,300 Refugee Families in Beddawi Camp

ANERA has partnered with Najdeh Association to respond with a winter kit distribution to 1,300 families in northern Lebanon’s Beddawi Camp. Each kit consists of blankets, children’s clothes, an insulating straw mat and an emergency light unit. Families also receive assistance in properly managing winter illnesses. Funding for the kits came from UMCOR (The United Methodist Committee on Relief) and Johnson & Johnson,

“The kit had lots of good, helpful, high-quality items and, with the several hours of power cuts, the lanterns fill a huge gap,” says Hana Al Einen, head of Najdeh Association in the camp.

Naseer from Syria, a father of three, also expressed his appreciation for the emergency lights. “Our neighbors are living in a basement and their children are studying by candle light,” says Nasser. “Many kids drop out of school because they can’t study at night, so the lanterns are essential.”

ANERA’s winterization program targets families with special needs

“Palestinians with special needs in Beddawi camp are usually the most marginalized and forgotten group when there are humanitarian crises,” says Ahmad Daoud, emergency officer at CBRA, local partner of ANERA. “In this distribution, we focused on 300 families who live with special needs and could really use a little extra help this winter.”

Fidaa Al Arid brought her seven-year-old daughter Maria to help pick up the winter kit. Maria suffers from cerebral palsy, making it difficult to walk. The mother of six explains that Maria needs assistance around the clock.“ I am very happy to have this kit and glad for the lighting as well as the winter clothes for my daughter.”

“We are hearing great feedback about the emergency lights…”

CBRA workers say the distribution is running smoothly. After checking their names on a list, families pick up their kit and leave with a package of warm winter items and a smile on their faces. “People are very satisfied with their kits. We are hearing great feedback about the emergency lights because lighting is a tremendous issue during winter when the days are shorter and electrical outages are more common,” adds Ahmad. “This is a particular problem for people with visual impairments, because they are at risk of hurting themselves. So the extra light is a safety feature for them.”

Husband and wife pick up a blanket and emergency light.

The Najdeh Association distributed winter kits to 1,000 Palestinian families from Syria seeking refuge in Lebanon’s Beddawi camp.

ANERA Delivers 4,000 Blankets to Refugee Families in Nahr El Bared and Burj El Barajneh

In nearby Nahr El Bared camp and in Burj El Barajneh camp outside Beirut, ANERA has distributed 4,000 blankets, thanks to the generosity of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) Charities that wanted to provide winterization support to Palestinian refugee families. The two camps host thousands of Palestinian families who fled the war in Syria, which has been raging for four years.

LDS Charities has partnered with ANERA in Lebanon for the past three years. Werner Gysler, country manager of LDS Charities in Lebanon, welcomed the opportunity to help. “We have been very satisfied working with ANERA so when they called us to contribute to the winterization program, we were anxious to help.”

Main photo was taken in the winter in freezing temperature - keen golfers on the course, Inset photo was taken from the same place in June when the Old Course was being prepared for the "Open".

Early morning, and below freezing temperatures down at Thea park.

Winter has hit Lebanon full force with its freezing temperatures, bone-chilling wind and snow. Refugee camp residents across Lebanon face the harsh conditions with little heat or proper clothing. Palestinian families fled their homes in Syria, leaving everything behind except a few articles of clothing and a pair or two of summer shoes.

ANERA Delivers Kits to 1,300 Refugee Families in Beddawi Camp

ANERA has partnered with Najdeh Association to respond with a winter kit distribution to 1,300 families in northern Lebanon’s Beddawi Camp. Each kit consists of blankets, children’s clothes, an insulating straw mat and an emergency light unit. Families also receive assistance in properly managing winter illnesses. Funding for the kits came from UMCOR (The United Methodist Committee on Relief) and Johnson & Johnson,

“The kit had lots of good, helpful, high-quality items and, with the several hours of power cuts, the lanterns fill a huge gap,” says Hana Al Einen, head of Najdeh Association in the camp.

Naseer from Syria, a father of three, also expressed his appreciation for the emergency lights. “Our neighbors are living in a basement and their children are studying by candle light,” says Nasser. “Many kids drop out of school because they can’t study at night, so the lanterns are essential.”

ANERA’s winterization program targets families with special needs

“Palestinians with special needs in Beddawi camp are usually the most marginalized and forgotten group when there are humanitarian crises,” says Ahmad Daoud, emergency officer at CBRA, local partner of ANERA. “In this distribution, we focused on 300 families who live with special needs and could really use a little extra help this winter.”

Fidaa Al Arid brought her seven-year-old daughter Maria to help pick up the winter kit. Maria suffers from cerebral palsy, making it difficult to walk. The mother of six explains that Maria needs assistance around the clock.“ I am very happy to have this kit and glad for the lighting as well as the winter clothes for my daughter.”

“We are hearing great feedback about the emergency lights…”

CBRA workers say the distribution is running smoothly. After checking their names on a list, families pick up their kit and leave with a package of warm winter items and a smile on their faces. “People are very satisfied with their kits. We are hearing great feedback about the emergency lights because lighting is a tremendous issue during winter when the days are shorter and electrical outages are more common,” adds Ahmad. “This is a particular problem for people with visual impairments, because they are at risk of hurting themselves. So the extra light is a safety feature for them.”

Husband and wife pick up a blanket and emergency light.

The Najdeh Association distributed winter kits to 1,000 Palestinian families from Syria seeking refuge in Lebanon’s Beddawi camp.

ANERA Delivers 4,000 Blankets to Refugee Families in Nahr El Bared and Burj El Barajneh

In nearby Nahr El Bared camp and in Burj El Barajneh camp outside Beirut, ANERA has distributed 4,000 blankets, thanks to the generosity of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) Charities that wanted to provide winterization support to Palestinian refugee families. The two camps host thousands of Palestinian families who fled the war in Syria, which has been raging for four years.

LDS Charities has partnered with ANERA in Lebanon for the past three years. Werner Gysler, country manager of LDS Charities in Lebanon, welcomed the opportunity to help. “We have been very satisfied working with ANERA so when they called us to contribute to the winterization program, we were anxious to help.”

On the 18th of Feb, I got to photograph a really cool concept put together by my friend Emmy - also known as Fairy Porch Queen Cosplay. She made a horror themed tooth fairy. We shot this in Hertfordshire in the freezing temperatures, and pulled off some really great images.

Thank you to Alex for assisting with the smokes and reflectors.

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Freezing temperatures and high winds coated all the Spartina alterniflora down by the VIMS beach in ice.

At the February, 2015 Upstate Cars & Coffee in Greenville, South Carolina. A great turnout of cars despite freezing temperatures and nasty cold wind.

Winter has hit Lebanon full force with its freezing temperatures, bone-chilling wind and snow. Refugee camp residents across Lebanon face the harsh conditions with little heat or proper clothing. Palestinian families fled their homes in Syria, leaving everything behind except a few articles of clothing and a pair or two of summer shoes.

ANERA Delivers Kits to 1,300 Refugee Families in Beddawi Camp

ANERA has partnered with Najdeh Association to respond with a winter kit distribution to 1,300 families in northern Lebanon’s Beddawi Camp. Each kit consists of blankets, children’s clothes, an insulating straw mat and an emergency light unit. Families also receive assistance in properly managing winter illnesses. Funding for the kits came from UMCOR (The United Methodist Committee on Relief) and Johnson & Johnson,

“The kit had lots of good, helpful, high-quality items and, with the several hours of power cuts, the lanterns fill a huge gap,” says Hana Al Einen, head of Najdeh Association in the camp.

Naseer from Syria, a father of three, also expressed his appreciation for the emergency lights. “Our neighbors are living in a basement and their children are studying by candle light,” says Nasser. “Many kids drop out of school because they can’t study at night, so the lanterns are essential.”

ANERA’s winterization program targets families with special needs

“Palestinians with special needs in Beddawi camp are usually the most marginalized and forgotten group when there are humanitarian crises,” says Ahmad Daoud, emergency officer at CBRA, local partner of ANERA. “In this distribution, we focused on 300 families who live with special needs and could really use a little extra help this winter.”

Fidaa Al Arid brought her seven-year-old daughter Maria to help pick up the winter kit. Maria suffers from cerebral palsy, making it difficult to walk. The mother of six explains that Maria needs assistance around the clock.“ I am very happy to have this kit and glad for the lighting as well as the winter clothes for my daughter.”

“We are hearing great feedback about the emergency lights…”

CBRA workers say the distribution is running smoothly. After checking their names on a list, families pick up their kit and leave with a package of warm winter items and a smile on their faces. “People are very satisfied with their kits. We are hearing great feedback about the emergency lights because lighting is a tremendous issue during winter when the days are shorter and electrical outages are more common,” adds Ahmad. “This is a particular problem for people with visual impairments, because they are at risk of hurting themselves. So the extra light is a safety feature for them.”

Husband and wife pick up a blanket and emergency light.

The Najdeh Association distributed winter kits to 1,000 Palestinian families from Syria seeking refuge in Lebanon’s Beddawi camp.

ANERA Delivers 4,000 Blankets to Refugee Families in Nahr El Bared and Burj El Barajneh

In nearby Nahr El Bared camp and in Burj El Barajneh camp outside Beirut, ANERA has distributed 4,000 blankets, thanks to the generosity of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) Charities that wanted to provide winterization support to Palestinian refugee families. The two camps host thousands of Palestinian families who fled the war in Syria, which has been raging for four years.

LDS Charities has partnered with ANERA in Lebanon for the past three years. Werner Gysler, country manager of LDS Charities in Lebanon, welcomed the opportunity to help. “We have been very satisfied working with ANERA so when they called us to contribute to the winterization program, we were anxious to help.”

Migrating with Kazakh nomads. Day 5 - Bayan Ölgii (Mongolia)

It's nearly one year ago to the day that I drove my car up a narrow, winding road about 20 minutes southeast of Jeju City. It was an uncharacteristically cold April morning, spring having yet to make it's appearance on the island.

I parked my car and struggled to the entrance of the Jeju April 3rd Peace Memorial Hall, relentless winds and freezing temperatures battering me along the way. It reminded me how perfectly the weather conditions matched this somber day.

Once inside, I made my way to a massive room where a large crowd of people had already formed. I scanned the room and my eyes were immediately drawn to the endless rows of names inscribed along its back wall. Flowers and offerings of fruit lay below the names, all of it lit by flickering candles. People had begun to pray.

This marked my introduction to a ceremony commemorating the 64 years since the Jeju Massacre, or "4.3", broke out on Jeju Island on April 3rd, 1948. One of the deadliest conflicts in Korean history, it continued for 6 bloody years, during which time an estimated 30,000 Jeju residents died at the hands of South Korean forces as punishment for perceived sympathy towards communism and the newly formed North Korea.

The conflict came to an end in 1954 but the pain and suffering caused by the loss of loved ones did not. How could something like this happen? For decades after any discussion of the massacre was censored with the threat of torture or imprisonment for those who chose to speak out.

The passage of time has healed some wounds. Since the 1990's the South Korean government has made a series of apologies and, in 2006, then President Roh Moo-Hyun officially apologized to the people of Jeju. But, apologies will never bring back those who lost their lives in the uprising.

With these thoughts in my mind, I slowly worked my way through the crowd and began to focus my attention on an elderly couple desperately trying to find the name of somebody lost in those attacks so many years ago. The pain of their loss clearly etched on their faces, they methodically scanned the names on the wall row by painstaking row.

I followed them for nearly 30 minutes until, finally, the husband's eyes showed a spark of recognition and his arm shot up into the air, his finger shaking as it pointed at a name on the wall. I saw a brief flicker of satisfaction, even triumph, on the elderly couples' faces that, after so many years, at least they could pay their respects to a fallen loved one.

It was at this moment I took a photo, my best of the day and one that would win at prize in the 2012 Jeju Sasam Photo Contest. When I look at that photo today I'm reminded of magnitude of the loss this terrible event had on so many families on Jeju Island and I pray that nothing like this will ever happen again.

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How I spend my weekends

Freezing temperatures that raise every hair on your body, howling winds determined to shake you down and blow your tent away, falling snow that are like tiny icy delights pinging your body everywhere and the thin air of 10000ft (~3000m) - thats how I spend my weekends.

It started out as a normal day - mild temperatures, bluebird skies with patches of fluffy clouds with the morning sunshine warming you up. As we proceeded on with the backpack, first came the wind - howling through the trees and rustling even the tiniest of the needle leaves. As we climbing up a bit more, the blue skies disappeared, replaced by a ominous layer of grey clouds that hung around the top of the Minarets. With one mile to go, I started noticing tiny flakes of white falling on me - it was snowing.

I should have turned back right away, but seeing other backpackers around, we hobbled along and reached the lakes. I started scouting around for something that would be shaded from the wind and I thought I found a good location where I pitched up the tent. Alas, it wasn't to be so. The howling winds an hour later confirmed my worst fears.

The night was pretty bad, with sleep constantly interruped by the violently shaking tent. Thankfully, I had pitched it down tightly and it stayed put. The morning found me with a lot of snow all around. It would snow for about 15 minutes, stop for a few and then snow again - that small interval was all we had for brushing, cooking and packing up the tent.

Thankfully, after heading down a mile, the snow all but disappeared.

This shot was from the only bit of sunlight that fell on the minarets disappearing into the clouds. Exposed for the light on the minarets; I later applied a gradient mask in post-processing to bring out the foreground (tent).

Ansel Adams Wilderness

CA USA

Winter has hit Lebanon full force with its freezing temperatures, bone-chilling wind and snow. Refugee camp residents across Lebanon face the harsh conditions with little heat or proper clothing. Palestinian families fled their homes in Syria, leaving everything behind except a few articles of clothing and a pair or two of summer shoes.

ANERA Delivers Kits to 1,300 Refugee Families in Beddawi Camp

ANERA has partnered with Najdeh Association to respond with a winter kit distribution to 1,300 families in northern Lebanon’s Beddawi Camp. Each kit consists of blankets, children’s clothes, an insulating straw mat and an emergency light unit. Families also receive assistance in properly managing winter illnesses. Funding for the kits came from UMCOR (The United Methodist Committee on Relief) and Johnson & Johnson,

“The kit had lots of good, helpful, high-quality items and, with the several hours of power cuts, the lanterns fill a huge gap,” says Hana Al Einen, head of Najdeh Association in the camp.

Naseer from Syria, a father of three, also expressed his appreciation for the emergency lights. “Our neighbors are living in a basement and their children are studying by candle light,” says Nasser. “Many kids drop out of school because they can’t study at night, so the lanterns are essential.”

ANERA’s winterization program targets families with special needs

“Palestinians with special needs in Beddawi camp are usually the most marginalized and forgotten group when there are humanitarian crises,” says Ahmad Daoud, emergency officer at CBRA, local partner of ANERA. “In this distribution, we focused on 300 families who live with special needs and could really use a little extra help this winter.”

Fidaa Al Arid brought her seven-year-old daughter Maria to help pick up the winter kit. Maria suffers from cerebral palsy, making it difficult to walk. The mother of six explains that Maria needs assistance around the clock.“ I am very happy to have this kit and glad for the lighting as well as the winter clothes for my daughter.”

“We are hearing great feedback about the emergency lights…”

CBRA workers say the distribution is running smoothly. After checking their names on a list, families pick up their kit and leave with a package of warm winter items and a smile on their faces. “People are very satisfied with their kits. We are hearing great feedback about the emergency lights because lighting is a tremendous issue during winter when the days are shorter and electrical outages are more common,” adds Ahmad. “This is a particular problem for people with visual impairments, because they are at risk of hurting themselves. So the extra light is a safety feature for them.”

Husband and wife pick up a blanket and emergency light.

The Najdeh Association distributed winter kits to 1,000 Palestinian families from Syria seeking refuge in Lebanon’s Beddawi camp.

ANERA Delivers 4,000 Blankets to Refugee Families in Nahr El Bared and Burj El Barajneh

In nearby Nahr El Bared camp and in Burj El Barajneh camp outside Beirut, ANERA has distributed 4,000 blankets, thanks to the generosity of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) Charities that wanted to provide winterization support to Palestinian refugee families. The two camps host thousands of Palestinian families who fled the war in Syria, which has been raging for four years.

LDS Charities has partnered with ANERA in Lebanon for the past three years. Werner Gysler, country manager of LDS Charities in Lebanon, welcomed the opportunity to help. “We have been very satisfied working with ANERA so when they called us to contribute to the winterization program, we were anxious to help.”

Winter has hit Lebanon full force with its freezing temperatures, bone-chilling wind and snow. Refugee camp residents across Lebanon face the harsh conditions with little heat or proper clothing. Palestinian families fled their homes in Syria, leaving everything behind except a few articles of clothing and a pair or two of summer shoes.

ANERA Delivers Kits to 1,300 Refugee Families in Beddawi Camp

ANERA has partnered with Najdeh Association to respond with a winter kit distribution to 1,300 families in northern Lebanon’s Beddawi Camp. Each kit consists of blankets, children’s clothes, an insulating straw mat and an emergency light unit. Families also receive assistance in properly managing winter illnesses. Funding for the kits came from UMCOR (The United Methodist Committee on Relief) and Johnson & Johnson,

“The kit had lots of good, helpful, high-quality items and, with the several hours of power cuts, the lanterns fill a huge gap,” says Hana Al Einen, head of Najdeh Association in the camp.

Naseer from Syria, a father of three, also expressed his appreciation for the emergency lights. “Our neighbors are living in a basement and their children are studying by candle light,” says Nasser. “Many kids drop out of school because they can’t study at night, so the lanterns are essential.”

ANERA’s winterization program targets families with special needs

“Palestinians with special needs in Beddawi camp are usually the most marginalized and forgotten group when there are humanitarian crises,” says Ahmad Daoud, emergency officer at CBRA, local partner of ANERA. “In this distribution, we focused on 300 families who live with special needs and could really use a little extra help this winter.”

Fidaa Al Arid brought her seven-year-old daughter Maria to help pick up the winter kit. Maria suffers from cerebral palsy, making it difficult to walk. The mother of six explains that Maria needs assistance around the clock.“ I am very happy to have this kit and glad for the lighting as well as the winter clothes for my daughter.”

“We are hearing great feedback about the emergency lights…”

CBRA workers say the distribution is running smoothly. After checking their names on a list, families pick up their kit and leave with a package of warm winter items and a smile on their faces. “People are very satisfied with their kits. We are hearing great feedback about the emergency lights because lighting is a tremendous issue during winter when the days are shorter and electrical outages are more common,” adds Ahmad. “This is a particular problem for people with visual impairments, because they are at risk of hurting themselves. So the extra light is a safety feature for them.”

Husband and wife pick up a blanket and emergency light.

The Najdeh Association distributed winter kits to 1,000 Palestinian families from Syria seeking refuge in Lebanon’s Beddawi camp.

ANERA Delivers 4,000 Blankets to Refugee Families in Nahr El Bared and Burj El Barajneh

In nearby Nahr El Bared camp and in Burj El Barajneh camp outside Beirut, ANERA has distributed 4,000 blankets, thanks to the generosity of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) Charities that wanted to provide winterization support to Palestinian refugee families. The two camps host thousands of Palestinian families who fled the war in Syria, which has been raging for four years.

LDS Charities has partnered with ANERA in Lebanon for the past three years. Werner Gysler, country manager of LDS Charities in Lebanon, welcomed the opportunity to help. “We have been very satisfied working with ANERA so when they called us to contribute to the winterization program, we were anxious to help.”

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

Winter has hit Lebanon full force with its freezing temperatures, bone-chilling wind and snow. Refugee camp residents across Lebanon face the harsh conditions with little heat or proper clothing. Palestinian families fled their homes in Syria, leaving everything behind except a few articles of clothing and a pair or two of summer shoes.

ANERA Delivers Kits to 1,300 Refugee Families in Beddawi Camp

ANERA has partnered with Najdeh Association to respond with a winter kit distribution to 1,300 families in northern Lebanon’s Beddawi Camp. Each kit consists of blankets, children’s clothes, an insulating straw mat and an emergency light unit. Families also receive assistance in properly managing winter illnesses. Funding for the kits came from UMCOR (The United Methodist Committee on Relief) and Johnson & Johnson,

“The kit had lots of good, helpful, high-quality items and, with the several hours of power cuts, the lanterns fill a huge gap,” says Hana Al Einen, head of Najdeh Association in the camp.

Naseer from Syria, a father of three, also expressed his appreciation for the emergency lights. “Our neighbors are living in a basement and their children are studying by candle light,” says Nasser. “Many kids drop out of school because they can’t study at night, so the lanterns are essential.”

ANERA’s winterization program targets families with special needs

“Palestinians with special needs in Beddawi camp are usually the most marginalized and forgotten group when there are humanitarian crises,” says Ahmad Daoud, emergency officer at CBRA, local partner of ANERA. “In this distribution, we focused on 300 families who live with special needs and could really use a little extra help this winter.”

Fidaa Al Arid brought her seven-year-old daughter Maria to help pick up the winter kit. Maria suffers from cerebral palsy, making it difficult to walk. The mother of six explains that Maria needs assistance around the clock.“ I am very happy to have this kit and glad for the lighting as well as the winter clothes for my daughter.”

“We are hearing great feedback about the emergency lights…”

CBRA workers say the distribution is running smoothly. After checking their names on a list, families pick up their kit and leave with a package of warm winter items and a smile on their faces. “People are very satisfied with their kits. We are hearing great feedback about the emergency lights because lighting is a tremendous issue during winter when the days are shorter and electrical outages are more common,” adds Ahmad. “This is a particular problem for people with visual impairments, because they are at risk of hurting themselves. So the extra light is a safety feature for them.”

Husband and wife pick up a blanket and emergency light.

The Najdeh Association distributed winter kits to 1,000 Palestinian families from Syria seeking refuge in Lebanon’s Beddawi camp.

ANERA Delivers 4,000 Blankets to Refugee Families in Nahr El Bared and Burj El Barajneh

In nearby Nahr El Bared camp and in Burj El Barajneh camp outside Beirut, ANERA has distributed 4,000 blankets, thanks to the generosity of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) Charities that wanted to provide winterization support to Palestinian refugee families. The two camps host thousands of Palestinian families who fled the war in Syria, which has been raging for four years.

LDS Charities has partnered with ANERA in Lebanon for the past three years. Werner Gysler, country manager of LDS Charities in Lebanon, welcomed the opportunity to help. “We have been very satisfied working with ANERA so when they called us to contribute to the winterization program, we were anxious to help.”

Winter has hit Lebanon full force with its freezing temperatures, bone-chilling wind and snow. Refugee camp residents across Lebanon face the harsh conditions with little heat or proper clothing. Palestinian families fled their homes in Syria, leaving everything behind except a few articles of clothing and a pair or two of summer shoes.

ANERA Delivers Kits to 1,300 Refugee Families in Beddawi Camp

ANERA has partnered with Najdeh Association to respond with a winter kit distribution to 1,300 families in northern Lebanon’s Beddawi Camp. Each kit consists of blankets, children’s clothes, an insulating straw mat and an emergency light unit. Families also receive assistance in properly managing winter illnesses. Funding for the kits came from UMCOR (The United Methodist Committee on Relief) and Johnson & Johnson,

“The kit had lots of good, helpful, high-quality items and, with the several hours of power cuts, the lanterns fill a huge gap,” says Hana Al Einen, head of Najdeh Association in the camp.

Naseer from Syria, a father of three, also expressed his appreciation for the emergency lights. “Our neighbors are living in a basement and their children are studying by candle light,” says Nasser. “Many kids drop out of school because they can’t study at night, so the lanterns are essential.”

ANERA’s winterization program targets families with special needs

“Palestinians with special needs in Beddawi camp are usually the most marginalized and forgotten group when there are humanitarian crises,” says Ahmad Daoud, emergency officer at CBRA, local partner of ANERA. “In this distribution, we focused on 300 families who live with special needs and could really use a little extra help this winter.”

Fidaa Al Arid brought her seven-year-old daughter Maria to help pick up the winter kit. Maria suffers from cerebral palsy, making it difficult to walk. The mother of six explains that Maria needs assistance around the clock.“ I am very happy to have this kit and glad for the lighting as well as the winter clothes for my daughter.”

“We are hearing great feedback about the emergency lights…”

CBRA workers say the distribution is running smoothly. After checking their names on a list, families pick up their kit and leave with a package of warm winter items and a smile on their faces. “People are very satisfied with their kits. We are hearing great feedback about the emergency lights because lighting is a tremendous issue during winter when the days are shorter and electrical outages are more common,” adds Ahmad. “This is a particular problem for people with visual impairments, because they are at risk of hurting themselves. So the extra light is a safety feature for them.”

Husband and wife pick up a blanket and emergency light.

The Najdeh Association distributed winter kits to 1,000 Palestinian families from Syria seeking refuge in Lebanon’s Beddawi camp.

ANERA Delivers 4,000 Blankets to Refugee Families in Nahr El Bared and Burj El Barajneh

In nearby Nahr El Bared camp and in Burj El Barajneh camp outside Beirut, ANERA has distributed 4,000 blankets, thanks to the generosity of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) Charities that wanted to provide winterization support to Palestinian refugee families. The two camps host thousands of Palestinian families who fled the war in Syria, which has been raging for four years.

LDS Charities has partnered with ANERA in Lebanon for the past three years. Werner Gysler, country manager of LDS Charities in Lebanon, welcomed the opportunity to help. “We have been very satisfied working with ANERA so when they called us to contribute to the winterization program, we were anxious to help.”

Fall is in full (though brief) force in Mississippi.

We'll hit near to freezing temperatures tonite. In anticipation of the cold, I made a tasty hot breakfast of sweetened oatmeal. Yum.

A dedicated Meteorological frame, able to withstand freezing temperatures.

MFZ Stats:

1 Defense System - smoke grenade

2 Spot Systems - featuring the AWDDR (All Weather Dual Doppler Radar... or just "Otter")

Plus Bonus Movement

Alpine Awesomeness // Near Gosau, Austria #igersGosau #igersAustria Busy road tripping and exploring in Europe and the Alps by car with buddy Burbs and brother Chaz. We have been winding our way through picture perfect winter on the continent since the New Year began... On New Years Day we left London, England and flew into snowy Brno, Czech Republic. On the 2nd we stayed in Prague, Czech Republic and picked up a car the following morning before driving to Passau, Germany. After staying with younger bro Will in Germany we drove on to Gosau in Austria. Yesterday we explored Austria, then went back through Germany on our way back down into Austria to Innsbruck. Today we left Austria for Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany, back in to Austria, then in to Liechtenstein before entering Switzerland and reaching Interlakken where we are now. I had an extremely rough start in Prague with a major throwback to fearful feelings from Paris, but all everywhere else has been magnificently beautiful and awe-inspiring; and is definitely helping me push through the bad moments. There is so much to love here - the scenery, mountains, valleys, rivers, snow, slush, castles, colours, architecture, culture, food, foreigners, winding roads, freezing temperatures, snowballs, icicles, the freshest of air, perfect pines, luscious lakes, and well, all the hidden gems and superb surprises we come across each day. Not sure about tomorrow's plans yet as we are making it up as we go, and after a big driving day we opted for sleep first. We'll be discovering Switzerland further, and who knows, may even pop in to France or Italy. I'm so keen to be here in Switzerland again though. We arrived as darkness surrounded, but even the silhouetted mountains and night time reflections were incredible, so I can't wait to see it again in the day. These areas are mind blowing to wake up to when you don't really know what it looks like. So six countries over six days. Nice way to start the New Year... ;) via Instagram ift.tt/1JuQNtl