View allAll Photos Tagged INTENTION
Small fry beware! Green Heron stalking a fish or frog. Seen through brush, which is a fairly typical view of these...
It was not really my intention to take photos to print or expose. I just went for a spin to test my new camera and lens in somewhat more complicated conditions than usual. And I did not go very far.
This is Llinars del Valles as seen from the roundabout before entering the city. As is logical and normal, it is absolutely forbidden to stop without a serious reason.
After a couple of laps to the roundabout to check that there was no danger for me or the others, I decided to make this photo that I had wanted to do for many years but I had never dared to stop the car in the middle of the circulation.
I went fast, just stop, go down, shoot and go whistling because it was not my intention to disturb anyone. But it was my picture pending.
Llinars is no architectural wonder. Perhaps with daylight what most stands out is the Montseny massif in the background. And that is what I tried to reflect in this image, although with the blue hour and its peaks with very little snow are not the most auspicious time.
The edition has not been easy, because with an iso so high, the amount of grain marring the image much, but at the end, has not been bad.
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En realidad no era mi intención hacer fotos para imprimir o exponer. Simplemente salí a dar una vuelta para probar mi nueva camara y objetivo en condiciones algo más complicadas de lo habitual. Y no fui muy lejos.
Esto es Llinars del Valles visto desde la rotonda que hay antes de entrara a la ciudad. Como es logico y normal, está absolutamente prohibido parar sin un motivo grave.
Después de dar un par de vueltas a la rotonda para comprobar que no habia ningún peligro ni para mi, ni para los demás, me decidí a hacer esta foto que llevo muchos años queriendo hacerla pero nunca me habia atrevido a parar el coche en medio de la circulación.
Fui rápido, apenas parar, bajar, disparar y salir pitando pues no era mi intención molestar a nadie. Pero era mi foto pendiente.
Llinars no es ninguna maravilla arquitectónica. Quizá con luz diurna lo que mas resalta es el macizo del Montseny al fondo. Y eso es lo que traté de reflejar en esta imagen, aunque con la hora azul y sus cumbres con muy poca nieve no sean el momento mas propicio.
La edición no ha sido facil, pues con un iso tan alto, la cantidad de grano afeaba mucho la imagen, pero al final, no ha quedado mal.
My original intention was to make a komekuburo, a Japanese-style drawstring bag with tabs along the top for the drawstring, to use when I need to carry my lunch. After I'd pieced and quilted my sides, I realized the darn thing was going to be ridiculously large for a lunch bag. Also, the top of a komkuburo doesn't completely close, so I hastened over to Ayumi's lunch bag tutorial for a save:
ayumills.blogspot.com/2010/08/tutorial-lunch-bag.html
Using her super easy to follow directions, I added a band around the top and a drawstring cover, and now I love it! It's weird and quirky, but so fun!
It's 9" (22.5 cm) on a side and 10.25 (26 cm) tall.
Another pic from our town's tiny park... It used to be a private garden, attached to the old rectory but now, it's open to the public. Well, the sign says it's a public space but Flynn doesn't believe WE count as The Public - he thinks it's his park, which I inexplicably allow strangers to occasionally wander about in! He is less than impressed when other people & dogs appear & have the audacity to stroll along "his" paths & worse: sit on the benches! Luckily, this time of year, it's often pretty empty here - except for a few fat wood pigeons which call the place home & which Flynn has grudgingly agreed are permitted to remain, so long as they don't make too much noise... He's such a grumpy old man!
Haha, I'll always remember one of Flynn's "grumpy old man" incidents... We were waiting for a friend who was arriving by train. It started raining, so we ducked into the small platform shelter. Soon, a guy in his late teens joined us. The three of us were the only ones present in the entire station. Near complete stillness & silence descended, even the rainfall was soft. Minutes passed. An announcement sounded: the train was delayed. The guy pulled his phone out & began playing music at high volume through the speakers - meaning it had that awful, tinny sound. I sighed to myself but had no intention of saying anything. Suddenly, from beside me there came a low, loud, pointed growl. It was over before I could react. Flynn barely twitched his ear, didn't even fully look at the man but the meaning of his grumble was very clear: "turn that racket off, boy!". Out the corner of my eye, I saw the poor chap go still, before hurriedly digging through his bag & extracting headphones! Quiet returned. Flynn went right back to staring calmly out into the rain, like nothing had happened. I was torn between embarrassment at my dog growling at a stranger (blatantly telling them to shut up!) & wanting to fall about laughing at the effectiveness of Flynn's communication. I was SO relieved when the train appeared & we could flee - I suspect I wasn't the only one!
My intention was to sneak as close as possible to her to get a clear shot. Then she popped out from behind the tree and had her eye right on me, and I thought, "OOPS! I've been spotted!"
Our Lady of Sorrows Church is a Roman Catholic church was built 1783-1785, rebuilt 1859-1860 (according to other data 1856-1859). Pseudo-Romanesque style as a three-bay building with cylindrical vaults, covered with a gabled tin roof. When Emperor Joseph II of the Holy Roman Empire visited Riga in 1780, he saw a tiny-sized Catholic chapel and its poor facilities, and in a conversation with Catherine II of Russia he promised to defend and support in every way the Catholic intention to build a new stone church in Riga. Such permission was soon granted. In addition, the Emperor, together with his mother Maria Theresa, donated to the building of the church. It was the first Catholic church in Livonia after the Reformation and was dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows, symbolising the oppressed Catholicism in the region.
“I fancy having a go at the Armed Knight.”
Lloyd wasn’t declaring his intention to engage a fourteenth century nobleman in hand to hand combat as far as I could tell. Besides which I don’t think there are many of those left in these parts anymore; not since the chippy in St Just began closing its doors on a Saturday evening at any rate. He must have meant the sea stack at Land’s End, the one that’s so often overlooked in favour of the Enys Dodnan sea arch and Longships Lighthouse. Despite coming here plenty of times over the years, I’d only very rarely - just once as far as I could tell - made it the centre of attention, all too often making a beeline for exactly the same spot and shooting the same scene over and over. Of course it’s a great scene, never the same twice in my experience, but maybe I had been getting a little too single minded.
The Armed Knight suggestion seemed like a very good one to me. We’d been toying with the idea of Botallack, but the tide wasn’t quite where we wanted it to be, and perhaps we’d try that one later in the week instead. So with renewed purpose and the sense that I’d be shooting something different at Land’s End this time, I climbed into the car and headed west. I’m always glad for an excuse to head towards the Edge of Eternity, where you can stand at the edge of the cliffs and gaze towards the west. Just two thousand two hundred miles of ocean between here and Newfoundland after the Isles of Scilly. They’re very often visible from here, but not on this delightfully moody afternoon.
It wasn’t a day for changing lenses, and although the Armed Knight was going to be the main attraction, I had rapidly rearranged the inserts in the camera bag to include the telephoto lens, which I’d mounted separately on the crop body, for the odd rapid burst in the direction of Longships Lighthouse. But that’s another story - one that ran parallel to this adventure. So while the second set up lay close at hand, this camera sat on the tripod, often sheltering under a shower cap, waiting for the light to do something exciting. Lloyd and I were meeting for the first time since his previous visit to Cornwall a year earlier, and we planted our tripods a dozen yards apart, catching up in between shots, often losing entire sentences to the testing conditions around us. In strong winds it would be a bit of a challenge to capture the fury of the ocean, but if you don’t try, you don’t give yourself a chance of success. It also helps if you stand on the windward side of the camera and park yourself in the lee of a rocky outcrop, I so often find. Those granite fortresses at the edges of the land here not only make for compositional tools, they also act as shelters from the elements on days like this.
Things were going well. The parallel story was developing in those moments when the sun shone across the sea onto the lighthouse and its attendant cluster of rocks, and from time to time a glow would appear at the horizon, separated by drifts of driving rain to the south. It was the sort of day I enjoy most in these elemental corners of the landscape - ever changing, full of grimy mood, at times furious. The sort of day one might imagine JMW Turner in his oilskins, two hundred years earlier, dabbing spots of light onto his canvas against the murky dark inks of the ocean as the winds whipped around his easel.
While Lloyd stayed in the position we’d occupied for ninety minutes or more, I decided I might try another composition, and it was one that delivered my favourite moments of the day. The sea had by now taken on a shade of green that had to be seen to be believed, and the polariser intensified the colours throughout the scene. Those dabs of soft orange light continued to play at the edge of the sea, and from this much lower position I felt closer to everything. The weather was now coming straight at me, rather than from the side, and I knew that as I took this image it would be among the last moments before the payoff came in the form of an almighty bristling shower coming straight towards us.
Ten minutes later, we were back at the car park, shaking the rainwater from our clothes and camera bags. It had been an excellent reunion shoot. You know it’s been a good shoot when you’re soaked. And when you come away with two entirely different shots that tick your boxes, you’re always going to go home with a big wet grin from ear to ear. Even if the local chippy is closed.
I had every intention of going out to capture shots from the snowfall we are getting but it is snowing so hard that driving is actually a scary event. This park is just down the road from where I live and when got (only) this far, I decided not to venture much further. We have had over 8 inches, probably more like 10 now and the streets are terribly slick. My traction control kicked in more times in this little trip than its ever kicked in since I got my car 3 years ago......lol. I am not afraid to drive in snow, but there is a limit. I decided to be realistic about a photo shoot outdoors today and head back home. At least I got this shot. When the snow stops and they can catch up on plowing the roads, i will head back out. For the record, this is my 1st shot with the new lens :-)
My intention was to prepare many times longest exposures, but clouds interfered the session soon.
The comet was drifting toward southwest in galaxy-rich area in Cancer. Tails, small dust coma, and bluish green ion coma were beautiful.
Sun Distance: 1.614au
Earth Distance: 0.636au
equipment: AstroPhysics 130GTX "Granturismo," Field Flattener at f/6.7 focal length 873mm, 22.1mm Spacer, EOS Adapter, Kipon EOS-EOS R adapter, and Canon EOS R-SP4II, modified by Seo-san on Vixen AXD Equatorial Mount, auto guided at a star nearby with Fujinon 1:2.8/75mm C-Mount Lens, Pentax x2 Extender, ZWO ASI 120MM-mini, GPUSB, and PHD2 Guiding with comet tracking on
exposure: 1 time x 900 seconds, 4 x 240 sec, and 4 x 60 seconds at ISO 3,200 and f/6.7
First exposure started at 16:30:42 January 29, 2022 UTC.
site: 1,466m above sea level at lat. 35 48 26 North and long. 138 39 24 East near Kotogawa dam in Yamanashi. 山梨県牧丘柳平
SQM-L was up to 21.28 at the night. Ambient temperature was around -8 degrees Celsius or 17 degrees Fahrenheit. Wind was mild and silent.
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Funny how the weather can throw a spanner in the cogs!
Today, I went out with the intention of shooting the Second Severn Crossing from a different angle. However, when I arrived at the location, I could not even see the crossing due to the mist!
Not wishing to waste my time, I set about attempting a shot that I had seen previously on Flickr.
Here is my version and I also thought it would look better as a black and white!
Thanks for looking and feel free to leave a comment, good or bad.
A sunny Saturday morning and decision made to head over to the delights of the WCML.....intention - to hopefully capture a lovely 86 on passenger duty, something I hadn't had the pleasure of for quite some time.
Things didn't start well, a check on RTT before leaving home revealed a late departure from Euston. Oh well I thought, gives me time to check out the location and catch some freight workings....but had Les failed??..... Arrival at the my intended A51 location, it revealed the delights of RTT were still accessible on my phone....great! A quick check and the intended tour was 110 late......oh dear!
After spending an hour alongside the A51 (and a few freights, Pendos and Voyagers later) . I decided to head to pastures new to capture the 86. There was a freight due soon, the intended victim, a Dollands Moor to Ditton Foundry freight. Before I left, RTT showed I had enough time.... When I rucked up.....no internet...totally blind...oh the joy....we've all been there so many times....
Drove to the intended location, parked up, and decided naahh, so I scrubbed that location and decided to head back a little way along the road I had just driven..... although I first had to run back to the car, which I think raised suspicion with a local, who proceeded to hang around and watch my movements for a while (sir I hope I provided entertainment??). Anyway, weekly exercise over, car found, started up, and driven...but arrival at this (final) location coincided with the passing of the aforementioned freight!!...damn!! Not to worry the main reason for heading over to rural South Staffs was the 86.
But.....no internet, much hanging around.....wondering.....where is it? Is it still running? Many test shots on Pendos and Voyagers later....it appeared, unannounced, Duff hauled. After spending a good 45 minutes poised and ready for action, and shot testing on Pendo after Pendo, one final test shot proved to be my downfall. I was reviewing the shot and checking that my limbs still moved as the Duff appeared......I was not ready, not poised at the critical moment. Oh well!!!...note to self, get fitter and learn to stay poised for longer.....stop chimping at test shots!
Bellamour Lane, Rugely, Staffordshire. A Virgin Class 390 Pendolino speeds north with 1F13 0907 London Euston to Liverpool Lime Street.
For alternative railway photography, follow the link:
www.phoenix-rpc.co.uk/index.html to the Phoenix Railway Photographic Circle.
My intention was going to Bow Lake but after seeing such colors, I had to stop, also realizing that I was late for Bow Lake. It turned out that Bow Lake was cloudy that early morning so stopping here was a blessing.
Found this camera sitting on an antique store shelf for 5 bucks. Couldn't pass that up. It's a sturdy but not stellar US-made direct view 35mm camera made around 1950. Oddly enough, the lens is removable but no other lenses were produced for this model (I can be wrong on this). I once heard that the lens came off with the intention that amateur shooters could use the 50mm optic in a darkroom with an enlarger to spare the cost of buying an additional 50mm lens. Kind of a dual-use cost-saver. Again, I could be wrong on this.
The Lowry, Salford Quays
Another planned visit to Salford Quays today with the intention of trying some long exposures with a big stopper didn’t quite go to plan... dull featureless grey skies, head on drizzle no matter which way I pointed the lens and no inspiration to boot!
But there’s always the Lowry Theatre to pop into for a mooch and a coffee. Hadn’t been in since the refurbishment work on the bar and restaurant started and was surprised to see it fully completed and reopened. What a transformation...
Relaunched as Pier 8 Bar and Restaurant the £3M redevelopment by The Lowry - together with Manchester architects Leach Rhodes Walker and interior designer Koncept have upped the standard for dining in the Quays area.
Gone are the vivid colours and industrial steelwork and aluminium cladding of the Lowry to be replaced by textured materials and high end fittings.
Just to continue with my abstract theme, here are a few images from the new Pier 8.
My intention was to build a mountain of chocolate chips (used in baking) but the little chips kept falling off. I glued the base layer to some paper and managed to build a mountain of sorts with white chips to represent the snow covered peak.
I composed this photo tilted in camera with the intention of displaying it like this (rotated out of bounds), but I don't know how to do that. I have GraphicConverter, which I hardly ever use, and I imagine I could probably do it with that, but instead of putting myself through all the trouble of learning how to do that, I just asked some Flickr friends for help. Thanks to CJ, Froot Smoothie, who rotated this for me and even gave it a pretty drop shadow!
Paramore - Misery Business
VERSE ONE:
I'm in the business of misery let's take it from the
top
She's gotta body like an hour glass that's ticking
like a clock
it's just a matter of time before we all run out
but when I thought he was mine she caught him by the
mouth
(PT.2):
I waited eight long months she finally set him free
I told him I couldn't lie he was the only one for me
two weeks and we had caught on fire
she's got it out for me but i wear the biggest smile
CHORUS:
No, I never meant to brag... but i got him where i
want him now.
Oh it was never my intention to brag... to steal it
all away from you now
But God does it feel so good cause I got him where I
want him now
if you could then you know you would
cause God it just feels so...
It's just feels so good.
VERSE TWO:
Second chances they don't ever matter, people never
change
Once a whore you're nothing more and you know that
will never change
and about forgiveness, we're both supposed to have
exchanged.
sorry honey but i passed it up, now look this way
(PT. 2):
Well, there's a million other girls that do it just
like you
looking as innocent as possible to get to who they
want and what they like
it's easy if you do it right
well i refuse, i refuse, i refuse.
CHORUS:
No, I never meant to brag... but i got him where i
want him now.
Oh it was never my intention to brag... to steal it
all away from you now
But God does it feel so good to take it all away from
you now
if you could then you know you would
cause God it just feels so...
It's just feels so good.
BRIDGE:
I watched his wildest dreams come true
Not one of them involving you
Just watch my wildest dreams come true
Not one of them involving...
My intention on this day was to capture the sun shining on some trees against a background of a dark sky, the contrast between these two sources of light is stunning but as I began to set up for the shot it started to rain and I was perfectly positioned to capture this fantastic rainbow. This was shot using my trusty Sigma EX 10-20mm DC HSM lens. Please enjoy the view and feel free to comment if you wish.
Our intention this particular morning was to get out at first light to find some Pronghorn Antelopes. So we started our route just before 6 a.m. We stopped and didn't expect to see this couple right next to the road on Marble Hot Springs rd. They never flew off and just paced back and forth. I've never had much luck getting close shots of them until this trip. This shot was taken around 6:20 a.m. the light was to die for!
This is something of a happy accident. Not at all my intention, but rather something I stumbled into that also feels a bit like a dream where you're running.
Every once in a while I have another look at older series on my hard disks with the intention to throw things away. But I never do as I always end up being carried away by those happy memories. Going through the pictures of the South Africa trip, I realized that I haven't posted many shots of that trip yet. So I hope you don't mind that I flip around the globe a bit.
Seeing this Yellow-Billed Hornbill swallowing tiny insects with that giant bill of his was somehow funny. One would think that a beak like that was designed for something bigger than that!!
Live with intention.
Walk to the edge.
Listen hard.
Practice wellness.
Play with abandon.
Laugh.
Choose with no regret.
Appreciate your friends.
Continue to learn.
Do what you love.
Live as if this is all there is.
Mary Anne Radmacher
Texture with thanks to JoesSistah and Temari09
www.flickr.com/photos/34053291@N05/5225038022/in/album-72...
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Use without permission is illegal.
...can you tell I was a little bit bored last night...lol
Bridgette Guerzon Mills | Intention, encaustic mixed media including salvaged textiles, 10x 6 inches
blog: guerzonmills.com/blog/
With the intention of promoting his hometown, young Luxembourg artist Alain Welter has created several monumental frescoes in Kahler (or Koler in Luxembourgish).
To earn his illustrator's diploma, Alain launched the "Make Koler Kooler" art project in 2017 as part of his final thesis. He prepared documentation to obtain grants and the approval of the municipality and local residents. "They were reluctant at first. However, after seeing the first creations with their own eyes, I gained their trust," Alain tells us. Working with other local artists, the graffiti artist transformed the facades of houses and barns into vibrantly colored works of art. Designed according to the wishes and specific needs of the residents of each building, the murals tell the story of Kahler.
“Howdy Farm,” the first artwork created as part of this project, was drawn on the wall of a barn, as it represents traditional values and an essential feature of the village, such as the farm and its rural animals that are an integral part of the Kahler landscape.
Alain was inspired in particular by the village's coat of arms to design the crows on the "Koler Hollywood Sign" installed in the middle of the field on Rue de Garnich. "In Kahler, cinema is particularly popular, hence my idea of creating the wooden installation of the five letters of my locality as a nod to Hollywood.
www.flickr.com/photos/145400672@N02/54663756113/in/photos...
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Avec l’intention de valoriser son lieu natal, le jeune artiste luxembourgeois Alain Welter a réalisé plusieurs fresques monumentales à Kahler (ou bien Koler en luxembourgeois).
Afin d’acquérir le diplôme d’illustrateur, Alain a lancé en 2017 le projet artistique « Make Koler Kooler » dans le cadre de son mémoire de fin d’études. Il a préparé une documentation pour obtenir des subventions ainsi que l’accord de la commune et des riverains. « Ces derniers étaient réticents au début. Cependant, après avoir vu de leurs yeux les premières créations, j’ai gagné leur confiance », nous confie Alain. En collaboration avec d’autres artistes locaux, le graffeur a transformé les façades des maisons et des granges en œuvres d’art aux couleurs éclatantes. Conçues suivant les désirs et les particularités des habitants de chaque immeuble, les murales racontent l’histoire de Kahler.
« Howdy Farm », la première œuvre d’art créée dans le cadre de ce projet a été dessinée sur le mur d’une grange, car elle représente les valeurs traditionnelles et une caractéristique essentielle du village, telles que la ferme et ses animaux ruraux qui font partie intégrante du paysage de Kahler.
Alain s’est inspiré notamment des armoiries du village pour dessiner les corbeaux du « Koler Hollywood Sign » installé au milieu du champ sur la rue de Garnich. « À Kahler, le cinéma est particulièrement apprécié, d’où mon idée de créer l’installation en bois des cinq lettres de ma localité pour faire un clin d’œil à Hollywood.
www.flickr.com/photos/145400672@N02/54663756113/in/photos...
Source: janette.lu/viree-insolite-au-luxembourg-a-la-decouverte-d...
The intention had been to go to the Churnet Vally Gala, but a delay meant a last minute change of plan - so we headed for the much closer East Lancs Railway instead. For the first train of the day (Black Five 45212) glorious light prevailed at Burrs - but when the engine came into view it was tender first!
The Panthéon (Latin: Pantheon,[1] from Greek Πάνθειον meaning "Every god") is a building in the Latin Quarter in Paris. It was originally built as a church dedicated to St. Genevieve and to house the reliquary châsse containing her relics but, after many changes, now functions as a secular mausoleum containing the remains of distinguished French citizens. It is an early example of neoclassicism, with a façade modeled on the Pantheon in Rome, surmounted by a dome that owes some of its character to Bramante's "Tempietto". Located in the 5th arrondissement on the Montagne Sainte-Geneviève, the Panthéon looks out over all of Paris. Designer Jacques-Germain Soufflot had the intention of combining the lightness and brightness of the gothic cathedral with classical principles, but its role as a mausoleum required the great Gothic windows to be blocked. Nevertheless, it is one of the most important architectural achievements of its time and the first great neoclassical monument.
Questa foto è stata scattata con una Canon 5D mark II + Canon 24 1.4 II
About this garden
It was not my intention to start a garden here at all. Initially, I just thought a couple plants would complement my art display nicely. I manufacture and sell wire-art figurines along this stretch for years. See Instagram (god_of_wire).
However, the amount of interest generated by the few plants I had at the time, caused me to bring more. This in turn sparked more interest, and things pleasantly spiralled. I had at the same time endeavoured to clear this then unused spot of tonnes of smelly, unsightly garbage and debris. The result of the accumulation of river swash deposits, and many years of neglect. It had been an absolute eyesore.
I embarked on a massive clean up; obtaining tools like shovel, rake, handsaw, large boxes, bin bags, gloves, facemasks and disinfectant. My attempts to contact the local Hammersmith authority for help had been unsuccessful. I am thankful for the group of litter pickers who come once or twice monthly to remove plastic and other environmental waste from the shoreline. But the brunt of the work however, fell squarely on my shoulders and so too the added expense. The cost of plants, pots, compost, seeds, laundry etc. It was tough going in the beginning, and I will concede, I had had no clear plan in mind, 'Bloomtide' kind of evolved mystically and the pieces of the jigsaw came together.
This garden in now in its second year and I, like so many am truly thrilled at a truly marvellous outcome. There is still lots to do as I aim to take it to another level. No one knows what the future will bring, but I'm positive that things will continue to be bright, even through cold dark days. I relish the link I have with nature, the connection with the community, and the fact that I now have a focus. The overwhelming moral support from residents and visitors who appreciate my efforts, is proof I am going in the right direction.
To be very honest, I know very little about flowers and the likes, and for most of my life thought that only women or specialists could establish flower gardens. I am learning as I go along, but realize what plants need most is good earth, water and consistent love and care. I closely monitor the development in each specimen, so too the effects of the weather, and influence of different soil types. It was out of sheer necessity that I started using the Thames River muck, or alluvial material as soil, which in most cases works remarkably well.
Otherwise, the Thames River water is the only reliable source available. I welcome rain whenever it happens. I just wish that more persons would experience the benefits of a relationship with nature as I have. It is highly therapeutic, and creates a unique bond between the plant and carer, who is empowered with the responsibility of the its' wellbeing and survival. In turn, this individual benefits from the energy and blessings that nature is sending his way.
I sometimes like to have music playing in the background, or total silence in the early morn. I now employ creative stimuli to enhance the aesthetic appeal of the overall production. This garden is influenced by and relies to a great extend on the tide, hence the name 'Bloomtide'.
A question perpetually asked by passers-by is how high does the water come?
Actually this fluctuates, and depends on tidal influences, the effects of heavenly bodies like the sun the moon and stars, the seasons, the equinox, the time of day, etc, sometimes I am standing knee high in water. I have become creative in my terracing to scale down the effect. Hightide, varies from day to day. Some days there are two, some days none. And in drought I have to work even harder to draw water to wet the plants. 'Bloomtide' is so far proving a success story. A garden oasis and therapeutic space within West London's dense urban metropolis. I think it exemplifies the positive influence an individual can have on an entire community.
Anyone who wants to share tips on gardening or resources can feel free to contact me directly. Heaven knows what can be accomplished with a little more help, or how much further far we can go. The contribution I'm presently receiving from the public is helping in a big way. I'd say 'Bloomtide' is truly a community garden sustained by the community with potential to even further impact on wider society.
Many thanks for your help and I welcome you to play an even bigger part of this initiative.
Thank you kindly
seth el shaddai
Tel: 07424828793
Email: safesociety@hotmail.com Instagram: safesociety_gardens
I had no intention or doing any shooting this particular morning. I had to drop off my truck for some routine service so instead of sitting around I took a stroll around downtown and then had breakfast. But after breakfast it was so lovely out I figured I'd grab a few shots.
After my mediocre zoom pan results with Amtrak 2163 I went to look for CSXT but they hadn't arrived from Middleboro and I didn't want to wait so returned to the platform for two more trains since the light and sky were so nice. I took two nice simple conventional shots and then called it a day. Amtrak Boston to Washington regional train 173 scoots down Main 1 approaching MP 197 on Amtrak's New Haven Line with the standard ACS64 leading eight ageless Amfleets.
Obscured by the trees and catenary poles in the right center background, beyond the signal for BORO interlocking, stands the old wooden tower that was known as SS165 in NH days. Allegedly constructed in 1898, it was relocated here when the NH undertook their massive grade separation project through town and built their two new stations between 1903 and 1906. This tower also holds the distinction of being the last in service on the corridor in MA, not closing down until 1993. Amazingly it survives three decades later despite regular reports of its imminent demise.
Looking over the scene on the left side is the brick Second Congregational Church that was constructed on Park Street in 1904. The congregation dates from 1748 and is a daughter church of the First Congregational Church in the old town section of North Attleborough. This is actually the third structure in which congregants have gathered. Originally located in a meeting house on what is now the common, Second Congregational had a stately white clapboard building built in 1825 which was removed in the early 1950s to make way for the addition of a new Fellowship Hall and education rooms. The clock in the tower of this third building was owned originally by the city but now belongs to the church and seems to be keeping perfect time.
Attleboro, Massachusetts
Monday August 12, 2024
Later, around 4:00 pm, it has just started RAINING!!! Thank goodness! Hopefully, it will rain and rain, so that it will help with fighting the wildfires. Less importantly, it might just be enough to start a few mushrooms growing. Unfortunately, this is a long weekend (Civic holiday on Monday), so many people will have outdoor plans. Well, we had about 30 minutes of rain, that's all.
I will quickly add that this photo of a little Burrowing Owl was taken in captivity and not in the wild. I'm not sure if this is the female who is a foster mother to several babies who were brought into the Alberta Birds of Prey Centre. Only once have I ever seen Burrowing Owls in the wild, way down in south-eastern Alberta. What a thrill that was - many birders never get such a chance, so I know I'm very lucky. I have added a previously posted photo of a wild one in a comment box below.
""As a result of its ENDANGERED Species status in 1995, it has the focus of a variety of conservation efforts. Operation Burrowing Owl and other projects involving habitat preservation with landowners have been created. Populations are monitored by Fish and Wildlife departments. They have been reintroduced into the British Columbia interior, where it was extirpated. Outlook would improve if larger areas of habitat were preserved and harmful pesticides were banned in all areas of their range. Numbers could increase if an increased tolerance to burrowing mammals develops (i.e. badgers) – provides homes for the Burrowing Owl. Outlook: perilous." From burrowingowl.com.
burrowingowl.com/visit/index.php
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burrowing_Owl
This summer, we have had practically no 'normal' summer days. They have been either too hot thanks to our endless heatwave, or too smoky thanks to all the wildfires in British Columbia and Alberta. The weather forecast for two days ago looked good; sunshine all day, with rain forecast on several of the coming days. I decided to finally do a drive all the way down south to near Lethbridge, so that I could again visit the Alberta Birds of Prey Centre in Coaldale. Last year, I did this drive for the very first time on my own and I wanted to make sure I didn't lose my courage to do it again. During the 511 kms that I drove, I had to ask for help with directions twice - both times in the same small hamlet! It was a hot day, with a temperature of 31C when I was at the Centre.
The forecast was for sun all day, but there was no mention of the smoke haze that completely blocked out the mountains and pretty much the foothills, too. Very quickly, I was almost tempted to turn around and come home, but I had noticed rain in the forecast for some coming days. I reckoned I would still be able to photograph the fairly close birds at the Centre, which worked out fine.
Amazingly, I managed to make myself get up early that morning, 3 August 2017, and set off just before 8:30 am. My intention was to drive straight to Coaldale without stopping anywhere en route. Not an easy thing for me to do, as I much prefer driving slowly along the backroads rather than the less interesting highways. However, I knew it would take me a few hours to get there and I wanted to have as much time as possible down there. On the way home, I drove one dusty, gravel road, but saw nothing but a couple of Horned Larks perched on fence posts. A couple of old barns (that I had seen before) and a few scenic shots, were more or less all I took.
Twelve hours later, I finally arrived home, at 8:30 pm, totally tired out, and my car was just about out of gas. For the first time in the year that I have had this vehicle, the gas level warning light came on. Also, it surprises me that the oil change light has never come on, as I have done 8,500 km in just under 12 months. I was given free oil changes for the life of the car, but was told that I can't get them done until the light comes on, on the dashboard. Think I'd better contact the dealership and ask about this. Almost a year sounds far too long to not have an oil change.
On Friday I had no intention of getting in any photography as the day was devoted to a bike ride with my dad. We met in Connecticut to do a rail trail that was new to us and bike 32 miles round trip on the Hop River Trail from Willimantic to Bolton Notch and return along the old Hartford, Providence and Fishkill Route a one time secondary New Haven mainline that felt the weight of its last train in September of 1970. If you're a cyclist and into ghost foaming I highly recommend it as the trail has many worthwhile relics to explore along the way including tons of telegraph poles, many original bridges, a cool stone arch, deep cuts, old whistle posts and more!
Anyway, upon return in the mid afternoon I noticed that New England Central Railroad 608 hadn't returned home from Palmer yet. Since a friend had told me that 3857 was in the lead I decided to to look for them. Alas I missed them by seconds at the South Coventry depot so doubled back for some shots of them in Willimantic. Looking down off the Columbia Road bridge, they are seen here working the big Willimantic Waste facility adjacent their small office at about MP 29.5 on the Palmer Sub, the former Central Vermont mainline.
NECR 3857 (EMD GP38AC blt. Apr. 1971 as Gulf, Mobile and Ohio 730) in the lead is the last original blue and gold unit in service on the property dating from the road's 1995 startup. She is trailed by NECR 3040 (GMDD GP40-2LW blt. Sep. 1974 as CN 9495) in Rail America colors and NECR 417 (EMD GP40-2 blt. Oct. 1972 as FEC 417) in battered Florida East Coast blue.
Village of Willimantic
Windham, Connecticut
Friday October 28, 2022
My intention on 4 October 2017 had been to drive some of the back roads a bit further north of where I have been two or three times before, almost as far as Olds. However, after finding myself on a couple of muddy, slushy, potholed country roads caused by our recent snow storm, I decided not to risk driving on any others. I ended up stopping and photographing two of my absolute favourite barns that I had seen a couple of times before, and was happy to see again. I first discovered the old barn in this photo - or is it a homestead? - on 28 October 2014. Good to see that it is being taken care of, with its new roof.
My final stopping point towards the end of a day of driving N and NW of the city, was at the site where the McDougall Memorial United Church had once stood. On 22 May 2017, this beautiful, historic church was burned to the ground by an arsonist. Such a very sad loss! It was a sad sight to see the burnt outer walls, knowing that that was all that was left of this special little church that was almost as old as Canada itself. I loved this little country church, especially the long, photogenic fence line leading up to it from the parking lot. The church was built in Carpenter's Gothic style of architecture. A sign had the following words on it:
"The historic church at the end of this pathway was constructed in 1875. At that time, native people were still hunting bison on the prairies. The young nation of Canada was only eight years old; the Canadian Pacific Railway still nine years in the future. And this church would become the heart of a thriving community, Morleyville, and for a time the largest settlement in what would be southern Alberta.
The story of this church is really the story of Rev. George McDougall who moved to western Canada with his family in 1862 to minister to the fur traders and native people. In 1873, the McDougalls established the first mission in the region and built this church. In doing so, they wrote an important chapter of Alberta's settlement history".
After George McDougall's tragic death in a snowstorm, his body was brought back to the church at Morleyville and laid to rest.
www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=8788
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morley,_Alberta
An enjoyable day out - a barn day, not a birding/wildlife day. I think the only birds I noticed were the usual Ravens. Seeing that snow was once again in our forecast in a few more days, I wanted to get this drive done while the weather was still decent.
Today, 2 March 2018, the temperature this morning is -10C (windchill -15C) and we are having another snowstorm. Snow is in the forecast for the rest of the day. Definitely a day to stay off the roads, but unfortunately I have a doctor's appointment.