View allAll Photos Tagged Generosity
After receiving a generous amount of money for Christmas and saving money throughout the year, I'm trying to decide what BM kit(s) to get next. Here is my current want list in order from my top want to least and their price.
1. Used "Old" Light Grey Tiger I $330 dollars with shipping.
2. M10 Wolverine 30% off at $192.50 with free shipping.
3. Dodge WC-64 KD $125 with free shipping.
4. Stug III Ausf. F $195.00 with free shipping.
Depending on what I purchase, I could maybe afford two kits. (For example, the WC-64 and the Wolverine.) My current collection of tanks is one Chaffee, one Sherman, one Hellcat, and one Panther.
I would really appreciate any input from you guys on these kits and any others you recommend!
JPGroove has very generously donated two Dals to be used as prizes for Dalicious the Dal photo contest hosted by the Dolly Market forum. For details on the contest please check out this blog post - pullipsandjunk.com/2014/08/21/the-return-of-dalicious-dal...
First prize will get first choice of Dals, second prize will get the other Dal.
Letter on reverse generously translated by xiphophilos, dated 23.2.1917 the author writes to his parents in Fürstentum Lübeck. Photogr. Friedr. Grosschopff, Insterburg.
Well armed and equipped infantrymen somewhere on the Russian Front, February 1917. These fellows are armed with the Gew 98 mit Grabenmagazin, a regular Gew 98 fitted with a 20-round magazine.
The first order for these trench magazines was for 200,000 units, which was placed in October 1915. In February 1916 another 300,000 were ordered, however production was discontinued in October 1917.
To mark the end of crew operations (driver and conductor) at Catford garage, the powers that be very generously let this preserved RT and RM2046 out on a variety of routes for the final few days. RM2046 and RT1702 were both used in service on Route 75 (9th), 47 (10th), 185 (11th), 54 (12th) and the 36B on the 13th March - the final day of crew operations.
RT1702 (KYY 529) makes a fine sight here - posing for my camera on the way back to South London :)
Location forgotten - anyone???
RT1702 was looking quite immaculate considering its 40+ years on the road! Interestingly, the bus was allocated to Catford (TL) garage from 1966 to its withdrawal in 1972. It was also one of the buses that took part in a pre-Festival of Britain tour of Europe.
RT1702 (KYY 529) 4/50
new, body 3675: Park Royal 3RT8
upper window surrounds repainted cream, fitted with GB plate
7/50 embarked on SS Embio from Hull for visit to Europe
8/50 Tour of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg, West Germany, France
10/50 return to UK
1/51 AV into normal service (Mortlake)
*/51 P used on Circular Tour of London during Festival of Britain
1953 J used on 134
1957 GM (Victoria)
5/58 GM to Aldenham overhaul
5/58 GM from o/h, unlicensed, still body 3675
8/58 GM relicensed
8/59 SW transfer into store..
8/59 AP ..change store, ..and out (Seven Kings)
8/59 used on 169A
60-1 AP
7/62 AP to Aldenham overhaul
7/62 AP from o/h, unlicensed
10/62 RD transfer (Hornchurch)
63-5 RD
8/66 RD to Aldenham overhaul
8/66 TL from o/h, unlicensed (Catford), still body 3675
9/66 TL relicensed
67-8 TL
11/69 TL to Aldenham repaint, and return
1970 TL
7/71 TL into store, and out again
7/72 BX into store (Bexleyheath)
8/72 bought by R.Denton, Orpington
preserved by RT1702 Preservation Society
And more on Route 47 here: www.londonbuses.co.uk/_routes/current/047.html
As an aside, Catford garage (TL) was one of the original garages operated by Thomas Tilling:
TL - Tilling Lewisham, TC - Tilling Croydon, TB - Tilling Bromley survived into London Transport days.
Catford garage was opened on 11th May 1914 and was not very old when requisitioned for the war effort. It did not re-open until 1920 when Thomas Tilling's Lewisham operation moved there due to space constraints at his other garage.
Thomas Tilling gained an agreement in 1923 to double the size of Catford and in addition the roof has been raised twice, first in 1930 to enable double deck buses to use the garage and again in 1948 to accommodate AEC Regent III RTs. The garage was modernised again in 1970.
Taken with a Nikon F-501 SLR and 75-200mm zoom lens [Scanned from an original Kodachrome slide with no digital restoration]
You can see a random selection of my bus photographs here on Flickriver: www.flickriver.com/photos/southallroutemaster/random/
I placed ads in FreeCycle asking for clippings for succulents. I'm starting a succulent garden - Look at how generous these two people were with me. This guy's yard is full of beautiful plants and has been lovingly decorated (I'll post pix) 0- feel free to tag and leave me any kind of advice that you have :-)
For our anniversary, my wife and I took a Navajo-led trip into some back country in the Navajo Nation on the Colorado Plateau. It was just us and our guides.
We drove and toured in a 4 wheel drive truck for about 4 hours on an old 1940’s uranium mining road to get to our campsite. It’s generous to call it a road. Most of the way there was no road at all, having washed away decades ago. Our Navajo guide, Shaye Holiday, scrambled us up steep boulders, slid us down stomach-churning sand dunes, crept along harrowing ledges, slid through bright red mud and scaled bony sandstone staircases. At times he had to get out of the truck and scout the path to see if we could even make it, since it had stormed here two days prior; often I was convinced we wouldn’t make it but we always did. At one point we all got out and did a little road building by piling rocks into crevices that were too deep for the truck. It would have been a scary trip, but it was clear that Shaye knew what he was doing and where he was going. Ok, it was still a little scary. During the drive we talked about Navajo culture and our personal lives and fell into an easy camaraderie. The conversation was thoughtful and interesting.
Eventually we arrived at this rocky ledge near the top of the mesa, overlooking the entire Monument Valley. Shaye built a fire, set up a couple of chairs, pitched a tent for Steph and me and one for himself and his wife Nizhoni and proceeded to grill a scrumptious dinner of steak, beans, corn, squash, and bread. Shaye and Nizhoni did everything they could to make sure we were happy and comfortable and they succeeded. Both of them are respectful, kind, and relaxed. Everything we needed, aside from a toothbrush, clothing, and flashlights, was provided.
A few years ago, Shaye’s dad built this fire pit and brought a table up here, but that’s all there is. This is nowhere…There’s no bathroom… you have to make do. The litter box in this picture is where you wash your hands. There is absolutely no one else and nothing else on this mesa. Yet, since it overlooks Monument Valley, there is a cell signal here (though there isn’t for most of the drive up).
We watched the sun set, ate dinner with Shaye and Nizhoni, and went to sleep. While sleeping, I left my camera out on the edge of the mesa with the shutter open for about 900 thirty second exposures to capture some star trails. You can leave your gear out in the open, out of view, yards away, while you sleep.
The next morning we toured some more, hiking a slot canyon where there was no trail and no other foot traffic to a triple sandstone arch, and saw some ancient cliff dwellings. To visit any of these places, you have to be a Navajo, or be with a Navajo guide. The Navajo Nation forbids travel alone by outsiders except in a very limited area around the monuments on the valley floor. From what we could tell, the Navajo don’t really visit them much either, because they are so remote.
Shaye and Nizhoni brought us back to our vehicle about 24 hours after starting. We bought them lunch and talked about them coming to visit us in California. I hope they do.
It was an amazing experience, highly recommended. If you’re interested, here’s the webpage to get started:
www.monumentvalleysafari.com/hunts-mesa
You want the 18 hour overnight tour. It’s longer than 18 hours because the road has changed since the website was made. Don’t bother with the day trip… it’s not much cheaper and it’s way too much off roading for a single day. The people at Monument Valley Safari are very flexible so if you want something different and it’s possible, they will do it for you.
Although I've tried similar types of shots from Ramsgreave & Wilpshire Station several times before, this is the first time that I've thought about attempting a 'head-on' shot to see how it works. This is the second of two quick shots in succession, examination of the first one revealed that unfortunately, my camera hadn't quite focussed properly. With a generous helping of heat haze which adds to the atmosphere, Colas Rail 70816 is about to crest the summit with the 6C89 09:20 Mountsorrel Sidings to Carlisle New Yard ballast working. Taken on 2nd July 2021.
As you probably know, 2021 represents a significant milestone in the history of the Phoenix Railway-Photographic Circle with the celebration of our 50th anniversary by publishing a book to showcase some of the members' work, past and present, from 1971 to the present day.
The book contains 14 chapters and 144 pages of photographs depicting the work o9f over 50 accomplished railway photographers, with many differing styles and approaches. It takes an alternative view on photographing the railway scene over the last 50 years.
The book, called '50 Years of Phoenix' is available to buy now. Click on the link below to order your copy:
www.mortonsbooks.co.uk/product/view/productCode/15554
For an alternative angle on railway photography, why not take time to check out the Phoenix website:
for The Endless Book
"Nada lhe posso dar que já não exista em você mesmo. Não posso abrir-lhe outro mundo de imagens, além daquele que há em sua própria alma. Nada lhe posso dar a não ser a oportunidade, o impulso, a chave. Eu o ajudarei a tornar visÃvel o seu próprio mundo, e isso é tudo."
(H.H.)
God is so generous that He gives us grace that we do not deserve, love that we cannot comprehend, and mercy that we cannot resist.
Note on reverse generously translated by Nettenscheider.
„Im Sturmanzug als Truppführer. Von links Vizefeldwebel Kiefer, rechts Vizefeldwebel Ebert (?)“
“These moments of nocturnal prowling leave an indelible impression. Eyes and ears are tensed to the maximum, the rustling approach of strange feet in the tall grass in an unutterably menacing thing. Your breath comes in shallow bursts; you have to force yourself to stifle any panting or wheezing. There is a little mechanical click as the safety-catch of your pistol is taken off; the sound cuts straight through your nerves. Your teeth are grinding on the fuse-pin of the hand-grenade. The encounter will be short and murderous. You tremble with two contradictory impulses: the heightened awareness of the huntsmen, and the terror of the quarry. You are a world to yourself, saturated with the appalling aura of the savage landscape."
- Ernst Jünger, Storm of Steel
Letter on reverse generously translated by xiphophils; authored in France on 17.7.1915 and addressed to the sender's brother, Fritz Thiele in Stuttgart-Cannstatt. Einheitsstempel: Festung-Eisenbahn-Bau-Kompagnie Nr.5. Postage cancelled the following day (Feld-Poststation 4 - Der 6. Armee).
"France, 17 July 1915
Dear brother,
I have received your letter with joy, but have to let you know that our dear father has now died as well on June 18 at 3 p.m. Here I also send you an old photo from Antwerp. I have written to Gustav today as well. Otherwise everything is still fine.
Best regards to you and your bride,
Heinrich"
Men of Festung-Eisenbahn-Bau-Kompagnie Nr.5 in South Antwerp. Most of these fellows are armed with Gew 88 rifles fitted with Model 1865/71 Pionierfaschinenmesser bayonets. Notice the fellow in the centre of the group appears to have sharpened his bayonet; an uncommon practice as bayonets were purposely designed to have a dull edge.
Generosity comes in all shapes and sizes. Yesterday, 30 July 2016, six of us from Calgary had the honour of meeting a 92-year-old gentleman who has lived most of his long life on a huge area (380 hectares, 939 acres) of beautiful land near Hanna, Alberta. Though Gottlob Schmidt (known as Schmitty) has now moved into town (Hanna), he is not far from his beloved land and still loves to spend a lot of time there. My friends and I understand why. This untouched land is not only beautiful to the eye, with its undulating hills with small, scattered pockets of woodland, but it also hides all sorts of natural treasures, including the wildlife that enjoys this native grassland. There are so few areas of native grassland left in Alberta, so each one is very precious. Schmitty told us that he has never seen his land looking so green! Perhaps not too surprising, as we have had so much rain recently, often accompanied by thunderstorms. In fact, the rain started on our return journey to Calgary and I was driving from our meeting place back to my house in torrential rain.
This is where the word 'generosity' comes in. Two years ago, Schmitty donated all his land to Alberta Parks, along with certain strict regulations (listed below) on how the land was to be maintained. He was very warmly recognized for his extreme generosity. The Park is known as Antelope Hill Provincial Park and, when Schmitty is no longer able to visit and enjoy his old, family homestead, the Park will be opened to the public. For now, it remains his own, private property.
The highlight for us yesterday was meeting Schmitty himself. I can only hope that I might be lucky enough to be in half his shape if I ever reached that age! It was an absolute delight to spend a little time with this man with the big heart when we first arrived and again later in the day, when it was time for us to head back to Calgary. We also got to meet Schmitty's good neighbours, Donna and Ken.
www.albertaparks.ca/media/5788002/antelope-hill-pp-fact-s...
calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/you-can-thank-this-man-...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIVVBdkoUVY&feature=youtu.be
My friends (specialists in mosses, lichens and liverworts and other things) and I, were given permission to spend the day there, to list all our findings. Our time was spent climbing one main hill and walking part way around it, calling in at several of the small areas of woodland. One of the highlights for me yesterday was seeing a patch of Amanita Muscaria (Fly Agaric) mushrooms. They were at various stages - for me, the earlier stage is the most exciting, when the mushroom has a round cap, speckled with white flecks. It is quite rare that we come across one of these, and it is so exciting and such a treat when we do! They are so beautiful and amazing. Of course, it's just a "fungi nut" talking, ha. The previous shot posted today is a telemacro shot, so the fungus was much smaller in reality. They are so attractive but also poisonous!
"A large conspicuous mushroom, Amanita muscaria is generally common and numerous where it grows, and is often found in groups with basidiocarps in all stages of development. Fly agaric fruiting bodies emerge from the soil looking like a white egg, covered in the white warty material of the universal veil... Amanita muscaria poisoning occurs in either young children or people ingesting it to have a hallucinogenic experience... A fatal dose has been calculated at an amount of 15 caps. Deaths from this fungus A. muscaria have been reported in historical journal articles and newspaper reports. However, with modern medical treatment a fatal outcome because of the poison of this mushroom would be extremely rare."
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amanita_muscaria
Various plants were good to see, too, including about four Prairie Crocuses that were still in bloom. I hadn't seen Skeletonweed for a long time, but there were quite a few small clusters of it. A new plant to me was a tall one with white flowers, that I still need to identify properly. The occasional gorgeous wild Rose made a bright splash of colour.
After a few hours of exploration, the only things that we were so happy and relieved to leave behind were the mosquitoes! Never had I seen so many of them - the air was filled with these tiny, blood-sucking insects that followed us every step of the way!
Thanks so much, Heide, for driving Sandy and myself all the way out there - about a two and three-quarter hour drive. Much of the distance was on the same roads that I had driven last week with my daughter, but this was the first time I had ever been as far as Hanna and just beyond. Hanna now has a Tim Horton's, opened around three months ago : ) Thanks, Heide, too, for trying to find the old railway roundhouse - unfortunate that there was too much construction in the area, so one can't get to the roundhouse. And thank you so much, Peter, for arranging and organizing this wonderful trip! Most importantly of all, our thanks to Schmitty, who so kindly allowed us to share the special land that he has called home for so many decades. Our thanks for allowing us to spend the day there and, even more importantly, thank you for your great gift to all Albertans, with your incredibly generous donation of Antelope Hill Provincial Park.
Letter generously translated by xiphophilos; penned sometime around 8.1.1916 and addressed to a Frau Froni Lindenmeyer in Fürth (near Nürnberg). Einheitsstempel: Dragoner-Regiment „Königin Olga“ 1. W. Nr. 25. 4. Eskadron. Postage cancelled 8.1.1916 in Bruxelles (Belgien).
A marvellous quality studio portrait of a cavalryman from a not-so-common formation, Dragoner-Regiment „Königin Olga“ (1. Württembergisches) Nr. 25. Of note is the just as uncommon, Ersatz bayonet (EB) 56 affixed to his Karabiner 98 AZ. These bayonets had a heavy steel hilt with five diagonal cut grooves on each side, with an overall length of 44.3cm.
The single most generous financial donor to the St. Louis Gender Foundation (StLGF) recently asked that I have dinner with her to discuss the future of the organization. The pandemic related decline in member participation as well as likely leadership changes were of concern to her.
We had a good discussion about the current organizational issues facing the St. Louis Gender Foundation (StLGF). Despite the challenging lighting conditions in the restaurant, I decided to capture this quick selfie at the dining table.
Letter generously translated by xiphophilos, penned in Baboeuf, on 16.2.15 and addressed to Fräulein Elisabeth Rademacher in Ostende near Herdecke (Westfalen), the author optimistically advises the war will soon be over because "the Russian is soon going to be done".
An interesting photo in that these fellows are still wearing their field-grey Kollers, which according to many sources were abolished in 1913 and replaced with the M1907/10 pattern tunics.
Generous serving of fresh pirarucu with shrimp in Brazil nut cream at Casa do Saulo, Santarém, voted best restaurant in northern Brazil.
diariodofb.com/2019/06/11/casa-do-saulo-e-eleito-novament...
Divided reverse. Letter generously translated by xiphophilos, authored on 15.10.1917 and addressed to A. Schultze
Schneidermeister (master tailor) in Berlin. Postage cancelled a day later (K.u.K. Etappenpostamt 198). Photogr. Hegedűs Utóda, Szentes.
A pair of Hungarian infanrtymen from an as yet unidentified formation, pose for a memento photograph in Szentes in south-eastern Hungary.
More commonly seen in our respective collections are the "FJI" stamped cockades, which were worn by Austrian troops. The "IFJ" that we see here, identify these fellows as Hungarians. Both stood for Franz Josef I.
Letter generously translated by xiphophilos; penned in Zeithain on the 27.9.1914 and addressed to Familie Benedix in Leipzig. Postage cancelled Zeithain-Ãœbungsplatz the same day. Photogr. Frank, Chemnitz.
Nine Soldaten hailing from 1. Kompanie, Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 244 photographed in Chemnitz just two months after Germany invaded Belgium.
By War's end, the regiment would lose 50 officers and approximately 1,200 NCOs and enlisted men.
Amtrak Generous Electric P32 #59 has a Missouri River Runner train on approach to the Jefferson City station on 07-11-2015. The old Missouri Pacific shops were in the trees on the left.
Housing development on an old brick quarry in the south eastern suburbs of Melbourne.
Thanks everyone for your support, generous comments and visits.
Divided reverse. Letter generously translated by xiphophilos; penned in Spandau on 19.10.1914 and addressed to Frau
Witwe Waschilzki in Berlin, the author notes he is still in Spandau and provides his mailing address. Postage cancelled in Spandau the same day.
Letter generously translated by xiphophilos; penned 20.7.1916 by Christian Bidlingmaier and addressed to his family in Plochingen, Württemberg. Einheitsstempel: Kavallerie Eskadron Nr. 8. 8. Ersatz-Division. Postage cancelled 2 days later (K.D. Feldpostation Nr. 105).
A weather balloon is prepared for flight by its ground crew sometime around mid-1916. By 1915 the value of meteorology had been recognised from the operation of Zeppelins and the deployment of poison gas.
From September 1914 to October 1916, the 8. Ersatz-Division was positioned in the region between the Meuse and Moselle Rivers, especially in an area known as the Priest's Forest (German: Priesterwald).
Letter generously translated by Nettenscheider; penned in Kaiserslautern on 31.3.1915, the author wishes his brother and family happy Easter holidays. Photogr. Fritz Hartmann, Kaiserslautern.
A wounded Bavarian Infanterist is joined by four Saxon Soldaten in the studio of Fritz Hartmann in Kaiserslautern (Bavarian province until 1918 ). Our wounded friend appears to have recently been awarded the Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse and the Militär-Verdienstkreuz.
______________________________________________
Militär-Verdienstkreuz was Bavaria's primary decoration for bravery and military merit for enlisted soldiers.
Thanks to the generosity of a friend, and because of the sad death of a mutual one, I've been in receipt of a small collection of slides from the late '70s. Amongst them, following this afternoon's scanning activities, I came across this one of a York Pullman Roe bodied AEC Swift. I remember having a go at photographing this bus myself in the same era, but my own result wasn't nearly so successful ... in fact it was rubbish! So, thanks to Bob, here's the attractive machine (TDN 387H?) wearing its classic maroon, cream and yellow livery some time in 1978. The cigarette advert on the notice hoarding is also a thing of the past here in the UK.
Letter on reverse generously translated by xiphophlis.
"Laon, Sept. 1, 1917,
Dear Josef and Emma,
Here I want to send you another sign of life and at the same time a photo on which I am doing guard duty. The guy in the back is a Frenchman. So far we are doing quite well, which I hope of you too, and thank God I am also still healthy.
Best regards,
Alfred."
Representatives from at least three different formations outside a magazine of the "K.V.A." - I'm not quite sure what formation the acronym represents at this stage.
The beer signs on the door of the magazine suggest there might be more than just ordnance inside.
Luray Caverns, originally called Luray Cave, is a cave just west of Luray, Virginia, United States, which has drawn many visitors since its discovery in 1878. The cavern system is generously adorned with speleothems such as columns, mud flows, stalactites, stalagmites, flowstone, and mirrored pools. The caverns are perhaps best known for the Great Stalacpipe Organ, a lithophone made from solenoid-fired strikers that tap stalactites of various sizes to produce tones similar to those of xylophones, tuning forks, or bells.
Note on reverse generously translated by Kaïopai°, which indicates that these are French casualties from the December 1914 fighting near St Laurent (-Blangy).
"A dead man already eaten by rats".
Despite the gruesome scene, this photograph has been regularly appearing on online auction sites for as long as I can remember. It must have been one of the first mass-produced post-battle images of the war. On the reverse of another identical card, the men are identified as being from Kgl. Bayerisches Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 1 and the location "bei Arras" which is about 4 km east of St Laurent-Blangy.
VISITORS FROM WESTERN AUSTRALIA FOR AUSTRALIAN BLYTHE FEST - Laurinda Trio, Stacey Tara Trio and Helen 2T Margarett...
Sculpture en neige prenant un bain de soleil à l'occasion du Carnaval de Québec 2011.
Avouons, c'est ma préférée :-)
Generosity comes in all shapes and sizes. Two days ago, on 30 July 2016, six of us from Calgary had the honour of meeting a 92-year-old gentleman who has lived most of his long life on a huge area (380 hectares, 939 acres) of beautiful land near Hanna, Alberta. Though Gottlob Schmidt (known as Schmitty) has now moved into town (Hanna), he is not far from his beloved land and still loves to spend a lot of time there. My friends and I understand why. This untouched land is not only beautiful to the eye, with its undulating hills with small, scattered pockets of woodland, but it also hides all sorts of natural treasures, including the wildlife that enjoys this native grassland. There are so few areas of native grassland left in Alberta, so each one is very precious. Schmitty told us that he has never seen his land looking so green! Perhaps not too surprising, as we have had so much rain recently, often accompanied by thunderstorms. In fact, the rain started on our return journey to Calgary and I was driving from our meeting place back to my house in torrential rain. I found a good scattering of small hailstones covering my lawn, too.
This is where the word 'generosity' comes in. Two years ago, Schmitty donated all his land to Alberta Parks, along with certain strict regulations (listed at a link below) on how the land was to be maintained. He was very warmly recognized for his extreme generosity. The Park is known as Antelope Hill Provincial Park and, when Schmitty is no longer able to visit and enjoy his old, family homestead, the Park will be opened to the public. For now, it remains his own, private property.
The highlight for us was meeting Schmitty himself. I can only hope that I might be lucky enough to be in half his shape if I ever reached that age! It was an absolute delight to spend a little time with this man with the big heart when we first arrived and again later in the day, when it was time for us to head back to Calgary. We also got to meet Schmitty's good neighbours, Donna and Ken.
www.albertaparks.ca/media/5788002/antelope-hill-pp-fact-s...
calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/you-can-thank-this-man-...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIVVBdkoUVY&feature=youtu.be
My friends (specialists in mosses, lichens and liverworts and other things) and I, were given permission to spend the day there, to list all our findings. Our time was spent climbing one main hill and walking part way around it, calling in at several of the small areas of woodland.
One of the highlights for me yesterday was seeing a patch of Amanita Muscaria (Fly Agaric) mushrooms. They were at various stages - for me, the earlier stage is the most exciting, when the mushroom has a round 'ball' cap, speckled with white flecks. It is quite rare that we come across one of these, and it is so exciting and such a treat when we do! They are so beautiful and amazing. Of course, it's just a "fungi nut" talking, ha. They are so attractive but also poisonous!
"A large conspicuous mushroom, Amanita muscaria is generally common and numerous where it grows, and is often found in groups with basidiocarps in all stages of development. Fly agaric fruiting bodies emerge from the soil looking like a white egg, covered in the white warty material of the universal veil... Amanita muscaria poisoning occurs in either young children or people ingesting it to have a hallucinogenic experience... A fatal dose has been calculated at an amount of 15 caps. Deaths from this fungus A. muscaria have been reported in historical journal articles and newspaper reports. However, with modern medical treatment a fatal outcome because of the poison of this mushroom would be extremely rare."
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amanita_muscaria
Various plants were good to see, too, including about four Prairie Crocuses that were still in bloom. I hadn't seen Skeletonweed for a long time, but there were quite a few small clusters of it. A new plant to me was a tall one with white flowers, that I still need to identify properly. The occasional gorgeous wild Rose made a bright splash of colour.
Of course, for me, any visit to a ranch would not be complete without wandering by any old barn/shed/cabin. I liked the texture of the old, weathered walls, and the old, glass doorknob on one of the sheds, seen in the next image.
On our return walk back to the cars, I suddenly spotted this huge, green caterpillar on the trail. I hadn't seen one of these for many years. I think it's some kind of Sphinx Moth caterpillar, but I was none the wiser after a quick Google search last night - need to try again. The horn is at the tail end, and the head end was trying to burrow into the soil. Thanks to Bostjan Dvorak for the ID - a pupating Sphinx vashti caterpillar.
After a few hours of exploration, the only things that we were so happy and relieved to leave behind were the mosquitoes! Never had I seen so many of them - the air was filled with these tiny, blood-sucking insects that followed us every step of the way!
Thanks so much, Heide, for driving Sandy and myself all the way out there - about a two and three-quarter hour drive. Much of the distance was on the same roads that I had driven last week with my daughter, but this was the first time I had ever been as far as Hanna and just beyond. Hanna now has a Tim Horton's, opened around three months ago : ) Thanks, Heide, too, for trying to find the old railway roundhouse - unfortunate that there was too much construction in the area, so one can't get to the roundhouse. And thank you so much, Peter, for arranging and organizing this wonderful trip! Most importantly of all, our thanks to Schmitty, who so kindly allowed us to share the special land that he has called home for so many decades. Our thanks for allowing us to spend the day there and, even more importantly, thank you for your great gift to all Albertans, with your incredibly generous donation of Antelope Hill Provincial Park.
Santa was generous this year and brought me a new Canon 24mm pancake lens which allow me to do some macro shot. Here is the first try. I won't plan to perform macro but testing new think is always good. I will be back soon in my Chinese street playground with my new lens for some cool stuff to come.