View allAll Photos Tagged Grounding
In this photograph for the group "Smile on Saturday" I wanted to capture a vibrant and delicate arrangement of various flower petals and small daisies scattered across a white plate. The plate rests on a warm-toned wooden surface, providing a natural and grounding backdrop to the colourful display.
I wanted the composition to be quite artistic, with the petals and flowers seemingly placed intentionally to create a visually appealing mix of shapes and colours. There are deep magenta petals, bright white daisies with yellow centres, delicate purple and blue blossoms, and hints of orange. The way they are scattered gives a sense of natural beauty, as if they've gently fallen onto the plate.
To the left of the plate, a small cluster of daisies with their stems still attached lies on the wooden surface, suggesting they might be the source of the scattered blooms. The overall impression I aimed to give is freshness, fragility, and the simple beauty of nature's details. It almost feels like a still life capturing a fleeting moment of floral abundance. served up on a plate.
Anyone unable to find joy in the beauty and purity of flowers and nature is missing out on something precious in life.
I have felt a deep connection to nature since childhood. For me, it is a place of peace, clarity, and strength - a sanctuary where I can recharge when daily life and the people around me demand too much energy. Amidst nature, I find my way back to myself.
For a time, however, I had little time for this - and eventually, I even lost the eye for it. My professional development filled my days to such an extent that nature receded further and further into the background. It was only when I slowly found my way back to it that I realized how much I had missed that connection and how draining it had been to go without it for so long.
Today, I know: I would never want to be without that connection again.
Nature offers us something easily lost in the hustle and bustle of daily life: grounding, tranquility, and a clear perspective on what truly matters. It helps us reconnect with ourselves and make decisions from a place of inner balance.
That is why I wholeheartedly encourage everyone to spend as much time as possible in nature. Go outside, observe your surroundings, and take time for the little things. A blossom, a scent, the light filtering through the trees - sometimes, the strength we need lies in precisely these moments.
For those who regularly connect with nature find not only peace but often a way back to themselves.
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Wer sich nicht an der Schönheit und Reinheit von Blumen und Natur erfreuen kann, dem entgeht etwas Kostbares im Leben.
Seit meiner Kindheit bin ich tief mit der Natur verbunden. Sie ist für mich ein Ort der Ruhe, der Klarheit und der Kraft – ein Rückzugsort, an dem ich auftanken kann, wenn der Alltag und die Menschen um mich herum zu viel Energie fordern. Inmitten der Natur finde ich zurück zu mir selbst.
Eine Zeit lang jedoch hatte ich dafür kaum noch Zeit – und irgendwann auch nicht mehr den Blick dafür. Durch meine berufliche Weiterbildung war mein Alltag so ausgefüllt, dass die Natur immer weiter in den Hintergrund rückte. Erst als ich später langsam wieder zu ihr zurückfand, wurde mir bewusst, wie sehr mir diese Verbindung gefehlt hatte und wie kräftezehrend es gewesen war, so lange auf sie zu verzichten.
Heute weiß ich: Diese Zeit möchte ich nie wieder missen.
Die Natur schenkt uns etwas, das im hektischen Alltag leicht verloren geht: Erdung, Ruhe und einen klaren Blick auf das Wesentliche. Sie hilft uns, wieder bei uns anzukommen und Entscheidungen aus einer inneren Balance heraus zu treffen.
Deshalb kann ich jedem nur ans Herz legen, so viel Zeit wie möglich in der Natur zu verbringen. Geht hinaus, schaut hin, nehmt euch Zeit für die kleinen Dinge. Eine Blüte, ein Duft, das Licht zwischen den Bäumen – manchmal liegt genau darin die Kraft, die wir brauchen.
Denn wer sich regelmäßig mit der Natur verbindet, findet nicht nur Ruhe, sondern oft auch ein Stück zu sich selbst zurück.
In a world where AI feeds our desire for instant gratification as soon as we have a thought or need, it is grounding and humbling to walk in a place that is impervious to the wishes of man. Created by time and the most natural of elements, water and earth, a beauty emerges that is wondrous in its impossibility. Man's interference is not welcome or wanted here. Here patience is respected. The Navajo understood the sacredness of this space, knowing that there are things larger and greater than themselves.
Ancient Stone, Endless Sky
The Milky Way stretches across the night above a deep gorge in Parc national des Hautes-Gorges-de-la-Rivière-Malbaie, Québec. Steep cliffs and a narrow valley, combined with minimal light pollution, create a rare vantage to witness the galaxy with extraordinary clarity.
Under just 2% moon illumination and a pristine Bortle 2 sky, billions of distant stars and dense star clouds appear vividly, their faint light traveling across the cosmos before reaching this remote northern wilderness. The ancient stone cliffs stand silent below, grounding the vast expanse above, while the Milky Way flows like a luminous river through the dark sky.
Here, the meeting of timeless geology and celestial wonder reminds us how small we are, yet intimately connected to the universe.
📍Parc national des Hautes-Gorges-de-la-Rivière-Malbaie — Québec, Canada linktr.ee/ThomasKatona
Petra is a name with a long history and great popularity in the world. The name Petra comes from Greek and means "rock". It was often used in ancient times as a nickname for women who were strong and independent.
The name Petra comes from Greek and means "rock". Therefore, stones that are associated with strength, steadfastness and grounding fit well with the name Petra.
Tell me, where does your name come from?
The row of four small cottages on Llanddwyn Island was built for the pilots who helped boats navigate into the ports along the Menai Strait. This narrow channel dividing Anglesey from the Welsh mainland posed a threat of grounding on sand banks to the boats calling mainly at the ports of Caernarfon, Y Felinheli and Bangor to collect the fine roofing slate produced in the hills of North Wales. As well as guiding commercial shipping, the pilots crewed the Llanddwyn lifeboat until its wathdrawal from service in 1903.
Europe, Netherlands, Zuid Limburg, Maastricht, Plateau van Caestert, Sint Pietersberg, ENCI lime stone quarry - clinker factory (uncut)
The calcination oven of the former Portland cement and clinker factory of the ENCI quarry is shown here, together with its giant smokestack on the right.
Clinker, semi-finished cement, was produced by “heating limestone (calcium carbonate) with small quantities of other materials (such as clay) to 1450 °C in a kiln, in a process known as calcination”. Cement, the finished product, “is made by grounding the clinker with a small amount of gypsum into a powder to make 'Ordinary Portland Cement', the most commonly used type of cement (often referred to as OPC). Portland cement is a basic ingredient of concrete, mortar and most non-speciality grout. Portland cement may be grey or white."
The quarry, kiln and factory were, by the way, closed in 2018 and are slated for demolition. After that the quarry and demolished part of the industrial complex will be redeveloped as a park. A small part of the quarry is already accessible via a spectacular access stairway, which was created in 2019.
This is number 19 of the Maastricht album and 245 of Urban frontiers.
The sun sinks behind a curtain of clouds, its molten light spilling across the horizon like liquid gold. The sky glows in gradients of amber and flame, each streak of color melting into the next. Below, the water mirrors the drama deep blue fading into bronze, rippling softly as if reluctant to let the day go.
Silhouetted palms and distant towers punctuate the skyline, grounding the scene in quiet familiarity while the heavens perform their nightly spectacle. This image captures the tension between stillness and intensity the world holding its breath as light gives way to shadow.
My latest photography is now available for purchase at crsimages.pixels.com/, featuring prints, framed art, and more from my curated collections.
© Leanne Boulton, All Rights Reserved
Street photography from Glasgow, Scotland.
Waking up and smelling the coffee is a good 'grounding' moment of the day. Wishing you all a wonderful weekend ahead my Flickr friends. Take care and take photos.
In music, an ostinato is a motif that persists through repetition within a single voice. Here, that voice is continuity.
The landscape is reduced to its most rhythmic elements: the white silence of snow and the dark punctuation of a moving line. The birds are no longer read as individuals, but as notes—spaced by cadence rather than intent.
Emerging from fog and dissolving back into white, the procession suggests a movement without beginning or resolution. It functions as a visual drone: steady, grounding, and unresolved, anchoring the stillness of the winter field.
UNFOLDED / Cozy Socks 2.0 @mainstore
CHAI. Grounding - @mainstore
Chef Hill. Sweet Cocoa - Available @manhoodevent
-ODIREN- Tyler Hoodie - Available @alphaevent
[Rezz Room] American Bully XXL Puppy Small Animesh (Companion) @mainstore
[Rezz Room] Shar-Pei Puppy Small Animesh (Companion) @mainstore
Europe, Netherlands, Zuid Limburg, Maastricht, Plateau van Caestert, Sint Pietersberg, ENCI lime stone quarry - clinker factory (slightly cut from L, B &T)
The former cement and clinker factory of the ENCI quarry is shown here, together with its giant smokestack on the left.
Clinker, semi-finished cement, was produced by “heating limestone (calcium carbonate) with small quantities of other materials (such as clay) to 1450 °C in a kiln, in a process known as calcination”. Cement, the finished product, “is made by grounding the clinker with a small amount of gypsum into a powder to make 'Ordinary Portland Cement', the most commonly used type of cement (often referred to as OPC). Portland cement is a basic ingredient of concrete, mortar and most non-speciality grout. Portland cement may be grey or white.
The quarry, kiln and factory were closed in 2018 and are slated for demolition. After that the quarry and demolished part of the industrial complex will be redeveloped as a park. A small part of the quarry is already accessible via a spectacular access stairway, which was created in 2019.
This is number 8 of the new ENCI album, 20 of t Maastricht and 246 of Urban frontiers.
Resilience is born by grounding yourself in your own loveliness, hitting notes you thought were way out of your range
[Gregory Boyle]
Europe, Netherlands, Zuid Limburg, Maastricht, Plateau van Caestert, Sint Pietersberg, ENCI clinker factory, Figee crane (sligthly cut)
Shown here is the Maas edge of ENCI marl (lime stone) quarry and clinker (semi- finished cement) factory. The cement was shipped from here.
About clinker: Clinker, semi-finished cement, was produced by “heating limestone (calcium carbonate) with small quantities of other materials (such as clay) to 1450 °C in a kiln, in a process known as calcination”. Cement, the finished product, “is made by grounding the clinker with a small amount of gypsum and other additives into a powder to make 'Ordinary Portland Cement', the most commonly used type of cement (often referred to as OPC).
Portland cement is a basic ingredient of concrete, mortar and most non-speciality grout. Portland cement cany be grey or white.
The quarry, kiln and factory were closed in 2018 and are slated for demolition. After that the quarry and demolished part of the industrial complex will be redeveloped as a park. A small part of the quarry is already accessible via a spectacular access stairway, which was created in 2019.
The reason why the ENCI ceded its operations in Zuid Limburg had to do with environmental problems: the dehydration of the Jeker valley by pumping large amounts of groundwater from the quarry, the Pietersberg was too radically eaten away and also because of the stench and the dust of the factory. Its fuel consisted for a part of waste of the meat industry (grounded bones, cartilage and dried blood) and to the clinker, sludge from sewage treatment plants and material from household waste processing was added.
The end of quarrying and clinker production resulted from the decades-long struggle of residents and environmental campaigners against ENCI. Although ENCI's excavation permit expired on 31 December 2009, it was renewed for the last time and only until 2018.
This is number 10 of the ENCI album and 49 of Maastricht.
For decades Augustine searched for God where God cannot be found—outside himself in conquest, career, and ambition. Only when God casts him into sleep (Gen 2:21) does something immensely creative happen. Augustine awakes in God and beholds what only the inner eye can behold: the traces of God as luminous vastness. As we journey toward the God who causes us to seek, may we discover our own grounding silence and awake in God who has found us from all eternity.
-An Ocean of Light Contemplation, Transformation, and Liberation, Martin Laird, O.S.A.
in the ocean curing all bad moods. I believe in the waves wiping away worries. I believe in seashells bringing good luck. I believe in toes in the sand grounding my soul.” – Unknown
Beautiful morning at the beach!
Processed with VSCO with kc25 preset
Being aware of the magic of colors is quite important
We tend to use the colors we need for the mood we are in
This red will boost you and give you power, so if you need to do stuff, wear this color or have a glimpse at this image during your day
Magic happens
You don't even have to believe it
And in addition it will give you a grounding to Mother Nature
Lol
There is always something else too, isn't there
If you are wearing black, then you might need a time out for yourself, being invisible
It works too
Happy Crazy Tuesday!
Looking West from the Blue Ridge Parkway
This overlook is all about the rock. It takes up nearly half the frame — a massive slab jutting into the shot, its surface warmed by afternoon sun while a diagonal ridgeline pulls the eye back toward the valley beyond, where a thin ribbon of road (or river, depending on the light and your imagination) traces its way through the trees.
There's something grounding about a foreground this dominant. Most of these Parkway overlooks give you sky and distance in equal measure, but here the rock itself becomes the subject, and the layered mountains beyond feel almost secondary — a reward for anyone willing to look past what's right in front of them.
The Blue Ridge Parkway crosses some of the oldest mountains in the world — the Appalachians are estimated to be over 480 million years old, worn down over hundreds of millions of years from peaks that likely once rivaled the Rockies or the Himalayas. Rocks like this one have been sitting exposed to that same wind and weather for longer than most rock formations on Earth have existed at all.
The brown bears message
Find your center in the wild.
Stand firm on your path.
you have the power to overcome
anything in your way.
The guardian of strength, courage, and spiritual grounding. The bear embodies the power of introspection and deep inner healing. In Native American culture, the bear is a symbol of protection and wisdom, teaching us to stand strong in our truth. The bear encourages us to embrace solitude, trust our instincts and emerge stronger after periods of reflection.
A breathtaking ultra-photorealistic fantasy wildlife photograph of a majestic mature brown bear standing upon a moss-covered stone outcrop within the Endless Waterfall Forest Kingdom, surrounded by colossal cascading waterfalls descending from towering emerald cliffs into crystal-clear pools that disappear into an ancient enchanted forest. The bear displays anatomically perfect proportions with a powerful muscular physique, broad chest, brown realistic fur, natural facial markings, alert ears, intelligent dark eyes, rendered with extraordinary photographic realism and razor-sharp micro-detail. Immense ancient trees draped in emerald moss, hanging vines, giant ferns, flowering woodland plants and weathered stone ruins create an impossible yet completely believable fantasy ecosystem. Storm clouds gather overhead while brilliant shafts of golden sunlight break through dramatic gaps, producing spectacular volumetric light beams, mist rainbows, drifting spray, atmospheric haze and realistic water droplets. Every leaf, feather, rock and droplet exhibits natural micro-texture, physically accurate lighting, realistic reflections, HDR dynamic range, authentic atmospheric scattering, premium medium-format camera optics, ultra-sharp focus, true optical depth of field, IMAX-quality realism, National Geographic wildlife photography combined with epic fantasy cinematography. Dramatic scale, emotional atmosphere, impossible yet entirely believable, pure high-end fantasy photograph, absolutely no illustration, no painting, no cartoon, no CGI appearance, no concept art styling, no digital art aesthetic, no stylization, no text, no watermark.
Created with ChatGPT
There’s something so grounding about architecture that has watched the centuries pass. From the weathered stone of the towers to the calm waters of the pond, this view is a masterclass in elegance and history. ✨
Walking through these grounds feels like stepping into the pages of a classic novel. If these walls could talk, imagine the stories they’d tell. Perfect afternoon for a stroll and a little daydreaming. 📖🌿
#StonyhurstCollege #Lancashire #VisitEngland #ArchitecturePhotography #StatelyHome #HeritageSite #BritishArchitecture #TravelUK #DarkAcademia
Home | February 2024
As I journey back home, I always glance across to my left at one of my favourite little vistas and think how lucky I am to see this everyday. I am always alone and feel it is quite a grounding experience.
During the month of February my travels will often bring me past as the sun is setting, which happen to make the scene even more special...
When luminous mind swells with such ripeness that it breaks open, there emerges from it the very flower of awareness itself. The flower of awareness “perceives” only the grounding union of all creation in such a way that the particularity of every form of life—all creation—is distinct to the extent that we are all one in the breathing depths of God.
-An Ocean of Light Contemplation, Transformation, and Liberation, Martin Laird, O.S.A.
Karsha Gompa clings to the mountain like a natural extension of the cliffside. These structures were built in high, inaccessible reaches for both protection and perspective. Historically, the elevation provided a defensive advantage, but spiritually, it offers an unobstructed view of the impermanence of the world below. From this height, the monks watch the seasons shift across the valley, grounding their daily rituals in the vast, unchanging rhythms of the earth.
The Gantocks are a small group of rocks lying off Dunoon in the Firth of Clyde. A 44 feet (13 metres) tall navigation beacon was constructed on the rocks in 1886 after several ships ran aground.
Despite the beacon, vessels continue to collide with the rocks.
The MV Akka was lost after grounding on the Gantocks on 9 April 1956. The PS Waverley grounded on 15 July 1977, with 715 passengers on board.
On the horizon are three islands: Little Cumbrae, Arran and Bute (left to right).
________________________
Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.
(Ezekiel 18:30)
Мы добрались до конечной точки нашего маршрута и как только мы сядем обратно в машины, начнется долгий путь домой. От этой мысли было немного грустно, несмотря на все те снимки и эмоции что мы получили. Моросил мелкий дождь, поэтому я просто решил прогулять и осмотреться.
Ветер завывал, словно далекий, забытый голос, неся с собой прохладные капли дождя, пока я неподвижно стоял на краю обрыва. Внизу бескрайнее бирюзовое озеро морщилось рябью, а вокруг бесконечно тянулись горы, чьи зубчатые вершины были окутаны туманом. Ботинки, покрытые толстым слоем пыли, на которой капли дождя оставляли забавные кратеры, вдавливались в сырую траву, приземляя меня в реальности, хотя мысли распутывались как нити, пойманные ветром, и уносились далеко за горизонт, растворяясь в небытие.
Пока ветер проносился мимо, дергая за одежду, дергая за волосы, я удивлялся тому, как перед глазами разворачивалась искусно созданная картина природы — полотно столь обширное и сложное, что ни один объектив никогда не мог полностью уловить его суть. На мгновение я позволил себе представить, что смогу осознать этот замысел. И когда я закрыл и снова открыл глаза, горы были все еще там, неизменные, безразличные к моему присутствию. Они стояли тысячелетиями, выдерживая штормы и смену времен года, и они будут продолжать стоять там еще долго после того, как я уйду. Горы были просто отражением, зеркалом, поднесенным к оголенной душе. Необъятность ландшафта отражала необъятность внутреннего мира любого из нас. Была своего рода свобода в том, чтобы стоять одному, не ограничиваясь ожиданиями других, свободно противостоять глубинам своей собственной души.
Отступив от края, земля под ногами снова стала твердой и реальной. Ветер продолжал завывать, но теперь он стал спутником и помощником, разогнав часть облаков и дав закатному свету спуститься на землю. Так вышло, что, остановившись просто посмотреть, я потерялся не только в красоте передо мной, но и в тихом одиночестве, что меня окружало. Теперь же я спешил запечатлеть фрагменты мимолетного зрелища, прекрасно понимая, что ни одна фотография не сможет по-настоящему передать эмоции, связанные с этим приключением.
We reached the final point of our route, and as soon as we get back into the cars, the long journey home will begin. The thought of this made me a little sad, despite all the photos and emotions we experienced. It was drizzling lightly, so I decided to take a walk and look around.
The wind howled like a distant, forgotten voice, carrying cool droplets of rain as I stood motionless on the edge of the cliff. Below stretched an endless turquoise lake, its surface rippling with tiny waves, while all around, mountains unfolded endlessly, their jagged peaks shrouded in mist. My boots, covered in a thick layer of dust speckled with amusing craters made by raindrops, pressed into the damp grass, grounding me in reality even as my thoughts unraveled like threads caught by the wind and drifted far beyond the horizon, dissolving into oblivion.
As the wind rushed past, tugging at my clothes and hair, I marveled at the intricately crafted masterpiece of nature unfolding before my eyes—a canvas so vast and complex that no lens could ever fully capture its essence. For a moment, I allowed myself to imagine understanding this grand design. And when I closed my eyes and opened them again, the mountains were still there, unchanged, indifferent to my presence. They had stood for millennia, enduring storms and the changing seasons, and they would continue to stand long after I was gone. The mountains were simply a reflection, a mirror held up to the bare soul. The vastness of the landscape mirrored the vastness of our inner worlds. There was a certain kind of freedom in standing alone, unbound by the expectations of others, free to confront the depths of one's own soul.
Stepping back from the edge, the ground beneath my feet felt solid and real once more. The wind continued to howl, but now it was a companion and ally, scattering some of the clouds and allowing the golden light of the setting sun to spill onto the earth. In stopping just to gaze, I had become lost not only in the beauty before me but also in the quiet solitude surrounding me. Now, I hurried to capture fragments of the fleeting spectacle, fully aware that no photograph could truly convey the emotions tied to this adventure.
This ecclesiastical edifice backed on to my old primary school, St Mary’s (now demolished).
Teaching was carried out by the Sisters of (very little) Mercy.
However, they gave me a solid grounding in English and history…arithmetic, meh, not so much, as when I arrived at secondary school I found out that what they called ‘taking away’ was really ‘subtraction’, ‘sharing’ was ‘division’ and that there was something called ‘quadratic equations’…which explains why my maths is dire…and don’t get me started on calculus.
Anyways, here’s the wonderous church designed by Augustus Pugin.
Fuji XT5 : Viltrox 13mm f1.4 : Velvia
LouChara Night Before Christmas Dresser
LouChara Night Before Christmas Rug
LouChara Night Before Christmas Chair
Trompe Loeil - Holiday 2024 Booktree
Trompe Loeil - Holiday 2024 Stocking Holder – Tree
Trompe Loeil - Holiday 2024 Stocking Holder - Deer
Trompe Loeil - Holiday 2022 Rustic Town Display
CHAI. Remembrance Set
CHAI. Remembrance Wreath
CHAI. Stillness Broken Pots
CHAI. Stillness Vase
CHAI. Grounding Table Nutmeg
DaD "Christmas Vintage Ornaments linked Tree"
DaD "Hallway Coat Rack"
DaD "Les Memoires Log Basket w blanket"
[Merak] - Douceur de Noel
[Merak] - Macaron Noel Tree
[Merak] - Pancake Breakfast w Fruit
[Merak] - Pancake Breakfast w Chocolate
Outside:
:FANATIK: Rorbuer Building 01
:FANATIK: Rorbuer Building 02
:FANATIK: Rorbuer Building 03
:FANATIK: Rorbuer Building 04
:FANATIK: Rorbuer Docks Street Lamp
:FANATIK: Rorbuer Docks_Stairs
:FANATIK: Rorbuer Docks Rail
DRD - Holiday Hijinks - Jolly Direction Post
The last months have been a bit challenging personally, and I honestly didn’t realize how much I needed mornings like these until I was standing out on the coast again.
Quiet spring light, smooth granite shaped by water, and the feeling of slowly reconnecting with both nature and creativity.
Thid first image from recent outings around the Oslofjord reflect a familiar theme in my work, flow, shapes, texture, and the small details carved over time. But this trip felt different somehow. More meaningful. More calming.
Creating again after a difficult period felt both grounding and fulfilling, and I’m looking forward to sharing more from these spring mornings in the weeks ahead.
The Mig 15 and the American F-86 look very much alike but are wildly different in design, one of which being that the American fighter did not have a diverter in the nose of the aircraft, just a gaping maw sucking air into the hungry turbine in the rear of the jet. What's that? Why yes, someone was sucked into one of these, one Airman Third Class Fred E. Higinbotham was attempting to plug in the grounding cable somewhere near the nose wheel of a running plane when his hat was sucked off his head and into the intake. By instinct, he reached for the cap and quickly followed it in. Conflicting stories say that the airman was able to arrest himself six inches from disaster until the pilot shut down the engine, the investigators claim that the cable wrapped itself around his legs and held him just short. Either way, Airman Higinbotham was back to work the next day, which would have been On May 15, 1956.
Lost in the vibrant hues of the Himalayan spring, standing amidst a sea of azalea rhododendrons. 🌸✨ The beauty of nature feels like a quiet embrace, grounding me in the moment. #Rhododendron #HimalayanBliss
Rhododendron Flower –
Scientific Name: Rhododendron arboreum (most common Himalayan variety)
Local Names:
India (Darjeeling, Sikkim, Nepal): Lali Gurans (Nepali)
Color: Typically deep red, but can also be pink, white, or purple
Blooming Season:Spring (March to May)
Habitat:Grows at high altitudes (1,500–3,600 meters)
Cultural Significance
Medicinal Uses:
Flowers are used in traditional medicine for inflammation, diarrhea, and headaches.
Culinary Uses:
Petals are sometimes used to make local juices, chutneys, and pickles (like buransh juice).
Cultural Symbolism:
Official state flower of Sikkim and Himachal Pradesh (India)
Also National flower of Nepal!
Looking back up Glen Etive to Glencoe on a wet day with very low cloudbase. Based on today's evidence this is the first single tracked road (the Skyfall Road) that most tourists encounter. I often find it quite amusing meeting them as they try to work out what to do: many not having done any research before coming to Scotland. I bet most drive wearing white trainers too.
You get convoys of people in car clubs of various types: Porsche, McLaren, Bentley, BMW M Series, etc, dashing down the road in totally unsuitable cars, grounding their sumps on the humps and dips, and trying to pass Breedon 18 wheel tipper trucks loaded with stone, without getting a scrape or fall off the road. And Mohos....mobile homes, and VW camper vans with those pop up roofs, which get stuck popped up.
The Glen Etive road is a dead end. And on a day like today there is not much to see apart from waterfalls, and nothing to do at the end either. By all means enjoy the first few miles, then give it up as a waste of time. None of your passengers will appreciate you pressing on to the end. And Skyfall Lodge isn't down this road. The real one is about 5 hours away.
An uncomplicated but elegant rock balance sculpture created today at one of my favourite sites.
I now live further away even though it's the same county and I have to drive here instead of walking.
Today has been hot and sunny again but these fields are high and exposed and today was no exception for the challenge of trying to finely balance rocks in windy conditions. In fact, I'd fired three shots before the wind took it down (which I also captured.)
All very grounding though.
The title is a line from 'The Dharma Bums' by Jack Kerouac.
The secret to controlling your humans' minds is to have proper grounding. Note Jasper's hind foot firmly grounded. And one fore paw extended slightly over the edge of his Ottoman Empire. This acts as a super mind-controlling antenna system. We succumb every time.
This strike occurred within a half mile. The Whale's Mouth structure preceding the intensifying thunderstorm signaled that this storm cell was going to be significant. By golden and blue hours, the storm developed into a severe system over western Nebraska where the lightning was continuous: www.flickr.com/photos/cloud_spirit/55481066485.
Note how it appears the lightning was angled towards me as it left the base of the cloud.
The advantage of taking SloMo movies verses long exposures is that with SloMo, one can reject a blow out highlight frame caused the the grounding of a lightning discharge whereas a long exposure will definitely be blown out. Besides, day light lightning details cannot be captured with a long exposure.
Picture of the day
Aground off Gibraltar's Eastern anchorage 8th October 2022.
On 29th August the OS 35 collided with the gas tanker Adam LNG off Gibraltar and suffered underwater damage. She was deliberately grounded here in shallow water to avoid sinking or breaking up in deeper water. Dutch salvage company Koole Contractors are now in charge of removing her cargo of 33,632 tons of steel bars. They are hoping to salvage the ship in two sections on to large barges for recycling.
A black and white photograph captures the raw power of ocean waves crashing onto a pebbled shore. The turbulent water and rising mist evoke stormy conditions, while the wet sand in the foreground adds texture and grounding to the scene. The overcast sky enhances the dramatic atmosphere, highlighting nature’s force and the stark contrast between dark sea and foaming surf.
My latest photography is now available for purchase at crsimages.pixels.com/, featuring prints, framed art, and more from my curated collections.
I like to look up to the sky through a treetop. You realize how huge the tree is, how small you are and how far is the sky. It grounds you. It helps to keep you down. We're just humans, we're not big. Only our actions can be as big as a tree and get as far as the sky. We're staying on the ground being small, that's the reality.
This digital watercolor captures the vibrant architectural tapestry of a bustling square in Ghent, Belgium, emphasizing a harmonious blend of traditional Flemish façades. The composition is structured around a striking vertical alignment of historical buildings featuring classic stepped gables, intricate fenestration, and prominent corner turrets, rendered in an earthy palette of warm ochres, deep reds, and slate grays. The artistic medium softens the structural edges while preserving the precise geometry of the urban landscape, allowing the viewer to appreciate the distinct variations in height and design that define the city's historic core.
In the foreground and midground, the immediate environment showcases an active outdoor hospitality culture framed by vibrant, meticulously trimmed green hedges that partition the public square into intimate dining enclosures. Dark, retracted umbrellas and shaded canopy areas cover the outdoor terraces where patrons are seated, engaging in the relaxed social atmosphere typical of Belgian squares. A solitary pedestrian walking across the open paved expanse adds a vital element of human scale and motion, grounding the artistic rendering in the dynamic reality of daily urban life.
As a prime urban tourism destination in East Flanders, Ghent seamlessly integrates its well-preserved historical environment with a thriving culinary scene, precisely as observable in this lively terrace setting. Visitors drawn to these historic squares frequently indulge in renowned regional specialties, including Gentse stoverij—a rich beef stew slow-cooked with local dark ale and served with traditional Belgian frites—and the classic Waterzooi, a delicate stew native to the city. This vibrant café culture is further elevated by the city's robust tradition of artisanal brewing and iconic local confections such as raspberry-flavored Cuberdons, making squares like this central to both the cultural exploration and gastronomic appreciation of the region.
RX_04029_20240529_Gent
Every stone, every beam, every shimmering ripple in this place…built by hand, guided by heart.
For this scene, I used a selection of pieces from :Fanatik Architecture: that never fail to inspire:
- St. KILDA – the foundation of solitude.
- WATERFALL – carving its way through silence.
- AZORES and LAGOON – for the lush harmony of untouched nature.
- ROCK BOULDERS – grounding the story in realism.
- And DRAMATIK LANDSCAPE WINDLIGHTS – because light shapes emotion.
A little world emerged here—rooted, wild, and a bit melancholic.
Thanks to Fanatik for the tools to make that feeling tangible.
See it live on Pususaari
♥ Submitted for the #fanatikcontest – because creation is always a bit of a love story.
-Lu Carrillo
Europe, Netherlands, Zuid Limburg, Maastricht, Plateau van Caestert, Sint Pietersberg, ENCI lime stone quarry - clinker & cement factory, Clinker storage facility (uncut)
Back to the Maastricht travelogue.
The monster on display here is a machine that stores clinker by means of its big & rotating conveyor belts. It was built by Koch (RHM) and is a part of the former Portland cement and clinker factory of the ENCI quarry.
It's shown here in its now decommissioned state. Once clinker (klinker) and portland were produced here. Clinker is semi-finished cement produced by “heating limestone (calcium carbonate) with small quantities of other materials (such as clay) to 1450 °C in a kiln, in a process known as calcination”. Cement, the finished product, “is made by grounding the clinker with a small amount of gypsum into a powder to make 'Ordinary Portland Cement', the most commonly used type of cement (often referred to as OPC). Portland cement is a basic ingredient of concrete, mortar and most non-speciality grout. Portland cement may be grey or white.
The quarry, kiln and factory were by the way the closed in 2018 and are slated for demolition. After that the quarry and demolished part of the industrial complex will be redeveloped as a park. A small part of the quarry is already accessible via a spectacular access stairway. It was created in 2019.
This is number 18 of the Maastricht album and 244 of Urban frontiers.
The severe weather [Atmospheric River] that struck Vancouver, British Columbia last weekend took out all rail service to the busy Port of Vancouver, shutting a key supply chain node for containerized cargo for the Canadian market.
[The sorm] also tore loose [an empty wood chip] barge in English Bay, briefly prompting concerns of a bridge strike, eventually [running] aground at Sunset Beach, just a short distance from the Burrard Street Bridge in Vancouver's stylish West End district.[...].
The barge has become something of a local fixture - a relatively harmless, pollution-free and (to some) charming addition to the waterfront. [...].
[...] At the time of the grounding, the tide was at a high of nearly 15 feet above MLLW [Mean Lower Low Water]. Sunday's high tide will be the next opportunity for a refloat attempt [...].
Transport Canada is monitoring the grounding situation.
Published Nov 18, 2021 2:39 pm by the Maritime Executive
This CG discharge choose 3 paths. I excluded the grounding discharge because it was too brilliant. This was actually taken from 3 frames of a 240 fps clip using a Mission 1 Pro GoPro camera. I feel it is a must to use slow motion during the day for lightning captures. The hindsight feature on GoPro cameras is a great time saver.
This bolt was about 1 mile away.
Adrienne paused, eyes closing as the world lurched strangely around her. Everything felt… out of sync. Every motion dragged, as though time itself had thickened into syrup.
Then she remembered the Vey’thira’s warning— the Horocyclians had tampered with the Core.
She lifted her hand. Even that simple movement crawled through the air, delayed, distorted.
And the strange men— they made no sense. Why were they here? How had they reached this place?
“Do not wait.” The voice struck through her mind like a bell. Wisps of color drifted around her, swirling in agitation.
“Who are those men?”
Adrienne whispered.
“They seek to do harm. Haste. The pull guides you.”
She steadied herself, grounding her breath, feeling the invisible tug— a direction, a calling— and then pushed forward as fast as her slowing body allowed.
Exhaustion gnawed at her. Each step felt like wading through deep water, heavy and resistant. But the pull grew stronger. She was close.
Ahead, an astonishing sight emerged: an intensely bright, sparkling energy field veiling a colossal structure, lightning crawling endlessly around its surface. As she approached, her hair lifted straight from her scalp, charged by the storm of power.
The pull became a force— not guiding now but dragging her toward it.
"Enter. Haste. Haste!"
The voices pressed urgently.
Adrienne stepped into the open, took one last look at the men. That one step seemed to take forever. Time had almost stopped. She closed her eyes and stepped into the energy field.
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You can view Quantum Fold episodes in order from the beginning in the album titled, "Quantum Fold":
www.flickr.com/photos/199076397@N02/albums/72177720326169...
You can view Quantum Fold II episodes in order from the beginning in the album titled, "Quantum Fold II":
www.flickr.com/photos/199076397@N02/albums/72177720331313...
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