I’m fascinated by woodland, and captivated by good woodland photography, of the later I struggle to achieve what some master. When I walk around a woodland I like to be alone and to improve the likelihood of that if possible I get off the beaten track. There has to be an element of freshness and discovery to lift my heart if I’m ever going to find a composition, otherwise I look and don’t see, they just become tree’s. I’m still at the early stage of deciphering woodland interconnections, I still look for the single characteristic tree, but sometimes I find role play within a pair or a group. Here not to far from a little side track into the wood I find this ash tree with a long low lying branch reaching the clearing with its nearest neighbour a hawthorn seemingly twisting to avoid a confrontation. The mist is thick but it there’s obviously a clear sky above as the light is beating through it, conditions that add magic. My next problem is, now I’ve found this tree will I ever find it again or was it never there at all?

It would be rude not take an image or two when in the area, as tunnels go it's one of the best

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Isn't photography wonderful..... One minute you can be photographing the 7m diameter revolving 'Gaia' art installation in Southwark Cathedral and then about an hour later you can be in Hyde Park having a 'time for images' shoot with a model......

More info and touring dates (for Gaia, not Deidre Rose....) here : my-earth.org/tour-dates/

P.S. More Deidre Rose photos to come but I thought it probably best to mix things up a bit.

From the website, "Gaia is a touring artwork by UK artist Luke Jerram. Measuring seven metres in diameter and created from 120dpi detailed NASA imagery of the Earth’s surface* the artwork provides the opportunity to see our planet, floating in three dimensions.

The installation aims to create a sense of the Overview Effect, which was first described by author Frank White in 1987. Common features of the experience for astronauts are a feeling of awe for the planet, a profound understanding of the interconnection of all life, and a renewed sense of responsibility for taking care of the environment.

The artwork also acts as a mirror to major events in society. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the artwork may provide the viewer with a new perspective of our place on the planet; a sense that societies of the Earth are all interconnected and that we have a responsibility toward one another. After the lockdown, there has been a renewed respect for nature."

© D.Godliman

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A photo of the 7m diameter revolving 'Gaia' art installation in the nave of Southwark Cathedral.

I saw it earlier in the year in Oxford but unfortunately despite making a special trip to see it on it's last day I got there only to realise I didn't have a battery in my camera....... Luckily I knew the installation toured so I'd hoped to catch it again at some point. Currently there's two of these installed in Grimsby and Leeds and if it's going to be in your area it's definitely worth a visit with your (battery filled) camera.

More info and touring dates for Gaia here : my-earth.org/tour-dates/

From the website, "Gaia is a touring artwork by UK artist Luke Jerram. Measuring seven metres in diameter and created from 120dpi detailed NASA imagery of the Earth’s surface* the artwork provides the opportunity to see our planet, floating in three dimensions.

The installation aims to create a sense of the Overview Effect, which was first described by author Frank White in 1987. Common features of the experience for astronauts are a feeling of awe for the planet, a profound understanding of the interconnection of all life, and a renewed sense of responsibility for taking care of the environment.

The artwork also acts as a mirror to major events in society. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the artwork may provide the viewer with a new perspective of our place on the planet; a sense that societies of the Earth are all interconnected and that we have a responsibility toward one another. After the lockdown, there has been a renewed respect for nature."

© D.Godliman

КОНСТАНТИН ЮОН - Зима. Мостик. Лигачево

☆

Location: Penza Regional Art Gallery named Konstantin Savitsky, Penza, Russia.

Sources: goskatalog.ru/portal/#/collections?id=24270702

penza.gallery/news/onlajn-vystavka-obrazy-zimy/

I had such a working method: to put the canvas on nature, and then continue to work at home in anticipation of a new, suitable moment in nature. I always knew by the clock at what moment the lighting I needed would come, and I would come an hour before that moment, and when that moment came, I would put down my brush and only observe the interconnection of all parts of the picture, its essence.

Konstantin Yuon

Rus: У меня был такой рабочий метод: выносить на натуру холст, а потом дома продолжать работать в ожидании нового, подходящего момента в природе. Я по часам всегда знал, в какой момент придет нужное мне солнечное освещение, и приходил за час до этого момента, а когда этот момент наступал, я клал кисть и лишь наблюдал взаимосвязь всех частей картины, ее существо.

Константин Юон

The garden at Sissinghurst Castle in the Weald of Kent, in England at Sissinghurst village, is owned and maintained by the National Trust. It is among the most famous gardens in England and is grade I listed.

Sissinghurst's garden was created in the 1930s by Vita Sackville-West, poet and gardening writer, and her husband Harold Nicolson, author and diplomat. Sackville-West was a writer on the fringes of the Bloomsbury Group who found her greatest popularity in the weekly columns she contributed as gardening correspondent of The Observer, which incidentally—for she never touted it—made her own garden famous. The garden itself is designed as a series of 'rooms', each with a different character of colour and/or theme, the walls being high clipped hedges and many pink brick walls. The rooms and 'doors' are so arranged that, as one enjoys the beauty in a given room, one suddenly discovers a new vista into another part of the garden, making a walk a series of discoveries that keeps leading one into yet another area of the garden. Nicolson spent his efforts coming up with interesting new interconnections, while Sackville-West focused on making the flowers in the interior of each room exciting.

For Sackville-West, Sissinghurst and its garden rooms came to be a poignant and romantic substitute for Knole, reputedly the largest house in Britain, which as the only child of Lionel, the 3rd Lord Sackville she would have inherited had she been a male, but which had passed to her cousin as the male heir.

The site is ancient; "hurst" is the Saxon term for an enclosed wood. A manor house with a three-armed moat was built here in the Middle Ages. In 1305, King Edward I spent a night here. It was long thought that in 1490 Thomas Baker, a man from Cranbrook, purchased Sissinghurst, although there is no evidence for it. What is certain is that the house was given a new brick gatehouse in the 1530s by Sir John Baker, one of Henry VIII's Privy Councillors, and greatly enlarged in the 1560s by his son Sir Richard Baker, when it became the centre of a 700-acre (2.8 km2) deer park. In August 1573 Queen Elizabeth I spent three nights at Sissinghurst.

After the collapse of the Baker family in the late 17th century, the building had many uses: as a prisoner-of-war camp during the Seven Years' War; as the workhouse for the Cranbrook Union; after which it became homes for farm labourers.

Sackville-West and Nicolson found Sissinghurst in 1930 after concern that their property Long Barn, near Sevenoaks, Kent, was close to development over which they had no control. Although Sissinghurst was derelict, they purchased the ruins and the farm around it and began constructing the garden we know today. The layout by Nicolson and planting by Sackville-West were both strongly influenced by the gardens of Gertrude Jekyll and Edwin Lutyens; by the earlier Cothay Manor in Somerset, laid out by Nicolson's friend Reginald Cooper, and described by one garden writer as the "Sissinghurst of the West Country"; and by Hidcote Manor Garden, designed and owned by Lawrence Johnston, which Sackville-West helped to preserve. Sissinghurst was first opened to the public in 1938.

The National Trust took over the whole of Sissinghurst, its garden, farm and buildings, in 1967. The garden epitomises the English garden of the mid-20th century. It is now very popular and can be crowded in peak holiday periods. In 2009, BBC Four broadcast an eight-part television documentary series called Sissinghurst, describing the house and garden and the attempts by Adam Nicolson and his wife Sarah Raven, who are 'Resident Donors', to restore a form of traditional Wealden agriculture to the Castle Farm. Their plan is to use the land to grow ingredients for lunches in the Sissinghurst restaurant. A fuller version of the story can be found in Nicolson's book, Sissinghurst: An Unfinished History (2008).

For further information please visit en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sissinghurst_Castle_Garden and www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sissinghurst-castle-garden

The garden at Sissinghurst Castle in the Weald of Kent, in England at Sissinghurst village, is owned and maintained by the National Trust. It is among the most famous gardens in England and is grade I listed.

Sissinghurst's garden was created in the 1930s by Vita Sackville-West, poet and gardening writer, and her husband Harold Nicolson, author and diplomat. Sackville-West was a writer on the fringes of the Bloomsbury Group who found her greatest popularity in the weekly columns she contributed as gardening correspondent of The Observer, which incidentally—for she never touted it—made her own garden famous. The garden itself is designed as a series of 'rooms', each with a different character of colour and/or theme, the walls being high clipped hedges and many pink brick walls. The rooms and 'doors' are so arranged that, as one enjoys the beauty in a given room, one suddenly discovers a new vista into another part of the garden, making a walk a series of discoveries that keeps leading one into yet another area of the garden. Nicolson spent his efforts coming up with interesting new interconnections, while Sackville-West focused on making the flowers in the interior of each room exciting.

For Sackville-West, Sissinghurst and its garden rooms came to be a poignant and romantic substitute for Knole, reputedly the largest house in Britain, which as the only child of Lionel, the 3rd Lord Sackville she would have inherited had she been a male, but which had passed to her cousin as the male heir.

The site is ancient; "hurst" is the Saxon term for an enclosed wood. A manor house with a three-armed moat was built here in the Middle Ages. In 1305, King Edward I spent a night here. It was long thought that in 1490 Thomas Baker, a man from Cranbrook, purchased Sissinghurst, although there is no evidence for it. What is certain is that the house was given a new brick gatehouse in the 1530s by Sir John Baker, one of Henry VIII's Privy Councillors, and greatly enlarged in the 1560s by his son Sir Richard Baker, when it became the centre of a 700-acre (2.8 km2) deer park. In August 1573 Queen Elizabeth I spent three nights at Sissinghurst.

After the collapse of the Baker family in the late 17th century, the building had many uses: as a prisoner-of-war camp during the Seven Years' War; as the workhouse for the Cranbrook Union; after which it became homes for farm labourers.

Sackville-West and Nicolson found Sissinghurst in 1930 after concern that their property Long Barn, near Sevenoaks, Kent, was close to development over which they had no control. Although Sissinghurst was derelict, they purchased the ruins and the farm around it and began constructing the garden we know today. The layout by Nicolson and planting by Sackville-West were both strongly influenced by the gardens of Gertrude Jekyll and Edwin Lutyens; by the earlier Cothay Manor in Somerset, laid out by Nicolson's friend Reginald Cooper, and described by one garden writer as the "Sissinghurst of the West Country"; and by Hidcote Manor Garden, designed and owned by Lawrence Johnston, which Sackville-West helped to preserve. Sissinghurst was first opened to the public in 1938.

The National Trust took over the whole of Sissinghurst, its garden, farm and buildings, in 1967. The garden epitomises the English garden of the mid-20th century. It is now very popular and can be crowded in peak holiday periods. In 2009, BBC Four broadcast an eight-part television documentary series called Sissinghurst, describing the house and garden and the attempts by Adam Nicolson and his wife Sarah Raven, who are 'Resident Donors', to restore a form of traditional Wealden agriculture to the Castle Farm. Their plan is to use the land to grow ingredients for lunches in the Sissinghurst restaurant. A fuller version of the story can be found in Nicolson's book, Sissinghurst: An Unfinished History (2008).

For further information please visit en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sissinghurst_Castle_Garden and www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sissinghurst-castle-garden

The garden at Sissinghurst Castle in the Weald of Kent, in England at Sissinghurst village, is owned and maintained by the National Trust. It is among the most famous gardens in England and is grade I listed. This photograph looks out from the garden to the surrounding countryside.

Sissinghurst's garden was created in the 1930s by Vita Sackville-West, poet and gardening writer, and her husband Harold Nicolson, author and diplomat. Sackville-West was a writer on the fringes of the Bloomsbury Group who found her greatest popularity in the weekly columns she contributed as gardening correspondent of The Observer, which incidentally—for she never touted it—made her own garden famous. The garden itself is designed as a series of 'rooms', each with a different character of colour and/or theme, the walls being high clipped hedges and many pink brick walls. The rooms and 'doors' are so arranged that, as one enjoys the beauty in a given room, one suddenly discovers a new vista into another part of the garden, making a walk a series of discoveries that keeps leading one into yet another area of the garden. Nicolson spent his efforts coming up with interesting new interconnections, while Sackville-West focused on making the flowers in the interior of each room exciting.

For Sackville-West, Sissinghurst and its garden rooms came to be a poignant and romantic substitute for Knole, reputedly the largest house in Britain, which as the only child of Lionel, the 3rd Lord Sackville she would have inherited had she been a male, but which had passed to her cousin as the male heir.

The site is ancient; "hurst" is the Saxon term for an enclosed wood. A manor house with a three-armed moat was built here in the Middle Ages. In 1305, King Edward I spent a night here. It was long thought that in 1490 Thomas Baker, a man from Cranbrook, purchased Sissinghurst, although there is no evidence for it. What is certain is that the house was given a new brick gatehouse in the 1530s by Sir John Baker, one of Henry VIII's Privy Councillors, and greatly enlarged in the 1560s by his son Sir Richard Baker, when it became the centre of a 700-acre (2.8 km2) deer park. In August 1573 Queen Elizabeth I spent three nights at Sissinghurst.

After the collapse of the Baker family in the late 17th century, the building had many uses: as a prisoner-of-war camp during the Seven Years' War; as the workhouse for the Cranbrook Union; after which it became homes for farm labourers.

Sackville-West and Nicolson found Sissinghurst in 1930 after concern that their property Long Barn, near Sevenoaks, Kent, was close to development over which they had no control. Although Sissinghurst was derelict, they purchased the ruins and the farm around it and began constructing the garden we know today. The layout by Nicolson and planting by Sackville-West were both strongly influenced by the gardens of Gertrude Jekyll and Edwin Lutyens; by the earlier Cothay Manor in Somerset, laid out by Nicolson's friend Reginald Cooper, and described by one garden writer as the "Sissinghurst of the West Country"; and by Hidcote Manor Garden, designed and owned by Lawrence Johnston, which Sackville-West helped to preserve. Sissinghurst was first opened to the public in 1938.

The National Trust took over the whole of Sissinghurst, its garden, farm and buildings, in 1967. The garden epitomises the English garden of the mid-20th century. It is now very popular and can be crowded in peak holiday periods. In 2009, BBC Four broadcast an eight-part television documentary series called Sissinghurst, describing the house and garden and the attempts by Adam Nicolson and his wife Sarah Raven, who are 'Resident Donors', to restore a form of traditional Wealden agriculture to the Castle Farm. Their plan is to use the land to grow ingredients for lunches in the Sissinghurst restaurant. A fuller version of the story can be found in Nicolson's book, Sissinghurst: An Unfinished History (2008).

For further information please visit en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sissinghurst_Castle_Garden and www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sissinghurst-castle-garden

National Air and Space museum.

Washington DC.

One World Connected tells the story of how taking to the skies and stars fostered two momentous changes in everyday life: the ease in making connections across vast distances and a new perspective of Earth as humanity’s home. Featuring an array of satellites and other tools that have increased human connection, the exhibition asks visitors to consider how global interconnection touches their lives and to imagine how advances in technology might impact our near-future.

Enrico David (Italian, b. 1966) has distinguished himself as one of today’s most original artists, fashioning a universe of imagery that revolves around the human figure and its many states of being. Rendering the body as fragile, vulnerable, grotesque, tortured, and ecstatic, he uses a wide range of media, including sculpture, painting, installation, and works on paper, to achieve an encyclopedic yet extremely personal account of the human form.

The subtitle of the exhibition, Gradations of Slow Release, comes from a sculpture of the same name but also characterizes the circular process of this artist’s work, in which imagery and ideas slowly morph and evolve over time, guided by shared themes that find different but related forms. References to interiority, multiplicity, privacy, introspection, and disembodiment course through his works, which sometimes feel extremely contemporary in their expression and, at other times, appear archaic or timeless. The exhibition traces David’s works made over the past 20 years, revealing the interconnections in his body of work in an attempt to build an empathic relationship between the viewer and the objects he has created.

David lives and works in London and has exhibited around the world, including at Tate Modern and the Venice Biennale.

The view from the front of the castle...

The garden at Sissinghurst Castle in the Weald of Kent, in England at Sissinghurst village, is owned and maintained by the National Trust. It is among the most famous gardens in England and is grade I listed.

Sissinghurst's garden was created in the 1930s by Vita Sackville-West, poet and gardening writer, and her husband Harold Nicolson, author and diplomat. Sackville-West was a writer on the fringes of the Bloomsbury Group who found her greatest popularity in the weekly columns she contributed as gardening correspondent of The Observer, which incidentally—for she never touted it—made her own garden famous. The garden itself is designed as a series of 'rooms', each with a different character of colour and/or theme, the walls being high clipped hedges and many pink brick walls. The rooms and 'doors' are so arranged that, as one enjoys the beauty in a given room, one suddenly discovers a new vista into another part of the garden, making a walk a series of discoveries that keeps leading one into yet another area of the garden. Nicolson spent his efforts coming up with interesting new interconnections, while Sackville-West focused on making the flowers in the interior of each room exciting.

For Sackville-West, Sissinghurst and its garden rooms came to be a poignant and romantic substitute for Knole, reputedly the largest house in Britain, which as the only child of Lionel, the 3rd Lord Sackville she would have inherited had she been a male, but which had passed to her cousin as the male heir.

The site is ancient; "hurst" is the Saxon term for an enclosed wood. A manor house with a three-armed moat was built here in the Middle Ages. In 1305, King Edward I spent a night here. It was long thought that in 1490 Thomas Baker, a man from Cranbrook, purchased Sissinghurst, although there is no evidence for it. What is certain is that the house was given a new brick gatehouse in the 1530s by Sir John Baker, one of Henry VIII's Privy Councillors, and greatly enlarged in the 1560s by his son Sir Richard Baker, when it became the centre of a 700-acre (2.8 km2) deer park. In August 1573 Queen Elizabeth I spent three nights at Sissinghurst.

After the collapse of the Baker family in the late 17th century, the building had many uses: as a prisoner-of-war camp during the Seven Years' War; as the workhouse for the Cranbrook Union; after which it became homes for farm labourers.

Sackville-West and Nicolson found Sissinghurst in 1930 after concern that their property Long Barn, near Sevenoaks, Kent, was close to development over which they had no control. Although Sissinghurst was derelict, they purchased the ruins and the farm around it and began constructing the garden we know today. The layout by Nicolson and planting by Sackville-West were both strongly influenced by the gardens of Gertrude Jekyll and Edwin Lutyens; by the earlier Cothay Manor in Somerset, laid out by Nicolson's friend Reginald Cooper, and described by one garden writer as the "Sissinghurst of the West Country"; and by Hidcote Manor Garden, designed and owned by Lawrence Johnston, which Sackville-West helped to preserve. Sissinghurst was first opened to the public in 1938.

The National Trust took over the whole of Sissinghurst, its garden, farm and buildings, in 1967. The garden epitomises the English garden of the mid-20th century. It is now very popular and can be crowded in peak holiday periods. In 2009, BBC Four broadcast an eight-part television documentary series called Sissinghurst, describing the house and garden and the attempts by Adam Nicolson and his wife Sarah Raven, who are 'Resident Donors', to restore a form of traditional Wealden agriculture to the Castle Farm. Their plan is to use the land to grow ingredients for lunches in the Sissinghurst restaurant. A fuller version of the story can be found in Nicolson's book, Sissinghurst: An Unfinished History (2008).

For further information please visit en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sissinghurst_Castle_Garden and www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sissinghurst-castle-garden

View on cars on a crossroad

To view more of my images, of Sissinghurst Castle & Gardensl, please click "here" !

I would be most grateful if you would refrain from inserting images, and/or group invites; thank you!

Vita Sackville-West, the poet and writer, began the transforming Sissinghurst Castle in the 1930s with her diplomat and author husband, Harold Nicolson. Harold's architectural planning of the garden rooms, and the colourful, abundant planting in the gardens by Vita, reflect the romance and intimacy of her poems and writings. Sissinghurst Castle was the backdrop for a diverse history; from the astonishing time as a prison in the 1700s, to being a home to the women’s land army. It was also a family home to some fascinating people who lived here or came to stay. Today you can take in the ruined architecture of the extensive original buildings, vast panoramic views from the top of the Tower, the current working farm and the 450-acre wider estate along with Vita and Harold's gardens. Now we're well into our new season there are lots of events for you to enjoy. The National Trust took over the whole of Sissinghurst, its garden, farm and buildings, in 1967. The garden epitomises the English garden of the mid-20th century. It is now very popular and can be crowded in peak holiday periods. In 2009, BBC Four broadcast an eight-part television documentary series called Sissinghurst, describing the house and garden and the attempts by Adam Nicolson and his wife Sarah Raven, who are 'Resident Donors', to restore a form of traditional Wealden agriculture to the Castle Farm. Their plan is to use the land to grow ingredients for lunches in the Sissinghurst restaurant. A fuller version of the story can be found in Nicolson's book, Sissinghurst: An Unfinished History (2008). The garden at Sissinghurst Castle in the Weald of Kent, in England at Sissinghurst village, is owned and maintained by the National Trust. It is among the most famous gardens in England. Sissinghurst's garden was created in the 1930s by Vita Sackville-West, poet and gardening writer, and her husband Harold Nicolson, author and diplomat. Sackville-West was a writer on the fringes of the Bloomsbury Group who found her greatest popularity in the weekly columns she contributed as gardening correspondent of The Observer, which incidentally—for she never touted it—made her own garden famous. The garden itself is designed as a series of 'rooms', each with a different character of colour and/or theme, the walls being high clipped hedges and many pink brick walls. The rooms and 'doors' are so arranged that, as one enjoys the beauty in a given room, one suddenly discovers a new vista into another part of the garden, making a walk a series of discoveries that keeps leading one into yet another area of the garden. Nicolson spent his efforts coming up with interesting new interconnections, while Sackville-West focused on making the flowers in the interior of each room exciting. For Sackville-West, Sissinghurst and its garden rooms came to be a poignant and romantic substitute for Knole, reputedly the largest house in Britain, which as the only child of Lionel, the 3rd Lord Sackville she would have inherited had she been a male, but which had passed to her cousin as the male heir. The site is ancient— "hurst" is the Saxon term for an enclosed wood. A manor house with a three-armed moat was built here in the Middle Ages. In 1305, King Edward I spent a night here. In 1490, Thomas Baker purchased Sissinghurst. The house was given a new brick gatehouse in the 1530s by Sir John Baker, one of Henry VIII's Privy Councillors, and greatly enlarged in the 1560s by his son Sir Richard Baker, when it became the centre of a 700-acre (2.8 km2) deer park. In 1573, Queen Elizabeth I spent three nights at Sissinghurst. Rose arbour in Sissinghurst's White Garden room, which set a fashion for 'white gardens' After the collapse of the Baker family in the late 17th century, the building had many uses: as a prisoner-of-war camp during the Seven Years' War; as the workhouse for the Cranbrook Union; after which it became homes for farm labourers. Sackville-West and Nicolson found Sissinghurst in 1930 after concern that their property Long Barn, near Sevenoaks, Kent, was close to development over which they had no control. Although Sissinghurst was derelict, they purchased the ruins and the farm around it and began constructing the garden we know today. The layout by Nicolson and planting by Sackville-West were both strongly influenced by the gardens of Gertrude Jekyll and Edwin Lutyens; by the earlier Cothay Manor in Somerset, laid out by Nicolson's friend Reginald Cooper, and described by one garden writer as the "Sissinghurst of the West Country"; and by Hidcote Manor Garden, designed and owned by Lawrence Johnston, which Sackville-West helped to preserve. Sissinghurst was first opened to the public in 1938.

An oast, oast house or hop kiln is a building designed for kilning hops as part of the brewing process. They can be found in most hop-growing areas and are often good examples of vernacular architecture. Many redundant oasts have been converted into houses

The garden at Sissinghurst Castle in the Weald of Kent, in England at Sissinghurst village, is owned and maintained by the National Trust. It is among the most famous gardens in England and is grade I listed.

Sissinghurst's garden was created in the 1930s by Vita Sackville-West, poet and gardening writer, and her husband Harold Nicolson, author and diplomat. Sackville-West was a writer on the fringes of the Bloomsbury Group who found her greatest popularity in the weekly columns she contributed as gardening correspondent of The Observer, which incidentally—for she never touted it—made her own garden famous. The garden itself is designed as a series of 'rooms', each with a different character of colour and/or theme, the walls being high clipped hedges and many pink brick walls. The rooms and 'doors' are so arranged that, as one enjoys the beauty in a given room, one suddenly discovers a new vista into another part of the garden, making a walk a series of discoveries that keeps leading one into yet another area of the garden. Nicolson spent his efforts coming up with interesting new interconnections, while Sackville-West focused on making the flowers in the interior of each room exciting.

For Sackville-West, Sissinghurst and its garden rooms came to be a poignant and romantic substitute for Knole, reputedly the largest house in Britain, which as the only child of Lionel, the 3rd Lord Sackville she would have inherited had she been a male, but which had passed to her cousin as the male heir.

The site is ancient; "hurst" is the Saxon term for an enclosed wood. A manor house with a three-armed moat was built here in the Middle Ages. In 1305, King Edward I spent a night here. It was long thought that in 1490 Thomas Baker, a man from Cranbrook, purchased Sissinghurst, although there is no evidence for it. What is certain is that the house was given a new brick gatehouse in the 1530s by Sir John Baker, one of Henry VIII's Privy Councillors, and greatly enlarged in the 1560s by his son Sir Richard Baker, when it became the centre of a 700-acre (2.8 km2) deer park. In August 1573 Queen Elizabeth I spent three nights at Sissinghurst.

After the collapse of the Baker family in the late 17th century, the building had many uses: as a prisoner-of-war camp during the Seven Years' War; as the workhouse for the Cranbrook Union; after which it became homes for farm labourers.

Sackville-West and Nicolson found Sissinghurst in 1930 after concern that their property Long Barn, near Sevenoaks, Kent, was close to development over which they had no control. Although Sissinghurst was derelict, they purchased the ruins and the farm around it and began constructing the garden we know today. The layout by Nicolson and planting by Sackville-West were both strongly influenced by the gardens of Gertrude Jekyll and Edwin Lutyens; by the earlier Cothay Manor in Somerset, laid out by Nicolson's friend Reginald Cooper, and described by one garden writer as the "Sissinghurst of the West Country"; and by Hidcote Manor Garden, designed and owned by Lawrence Johnston, which Sackville-West helped to preserve. Sissinghurst was first opened to the public in 1938.

The National Trust took over the whole of Sissinghurst, its garden, farm and buildings, in 1967. The garden epitomises the English garden of the mid-20th century. It is now very popular and can be crowded in peak holiday periods. In 2009, BBC Four broadcast an eight-part television documentary series called Sissinghurst, describing the house and garden and the attempts by Adam Nicolson and his wife Sarah Raven, who are 'Resident Donors', to restore a form of traditional Wealden agriculture to the Castle Farm. Their plan is to use the land to grow ingredients for lunches in the Sissinghurst restaurant. A fuller version of the story can be found in Nicolson's book, Sissinghurst: An Unfinished History (2008).

For further information please visit en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sissinghurst_Castle_Garden and www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sissinghurst-castle-garden

Behold, new commercial prefab at Abiss has been released! Awailable at our MP store and in-world (with a 10% discount).

Building facts:

100% seamlessly tillable several buildings next to each other in any horizontal direction

Curved mesh structures and circular staircase that are difficult to create with reasonable prim count

Easy to rezz

Retail store or Gallery type prefab

Footprint: 30x36 m (shop interior square shape - 30x30, 3 additional meters for facade)

Land Impact:

Main building 250

Side building with storefront 187

Standard tillable building 162

Inside the package:

Main building with storefront

Side building with storefront but without door/entrance

Tillable building for rear and sides

interconnection object to join rooms

Feel free to check it in-world at our demo location.

Ion Prophecies - Etheyon - Universal Knowledge by Daniel Arrhakis (2017)

With the music : Epic Emotional | Liquid Cinema - Aeterna | Epic Music VN

youtu.be/KxEV-m8fpno

The Guardian of Knowledge, the illumination of darkness through universal wisdom. A Conscious Future of Knowledge and Interconnections of Worlds.

Unity, Happiness and Peace as a result of a Universal culture that is passed from Generation to Generation in a symbiosis between peoples in which the Common Goal is the Evolution for an Omniscient Universal Spirit shared by all.

The garden at Sissinghurst Castle in the Weald of Kent, in England at Sissinghurst village, is owned and maintained by the National Trust. It is among the most famous gardens in England and is grade I listed.

Sissinghurst's garden was created in the 1930s by Vita Sackville-West, poet and gardening writer, and her husband Harold Nicolson, author and diplomat. Sackville-West was a writer on the fringes of the Bloomsbury Group who found her greatest popularity in the weekly columns she contributed as gardening correspondent of The Observer, which incidentally—for she never touted it—made her own garden famous. The garden itself is designed as a series of 'rooms', each with a different character of colour and/or theme, the walls being high clipped hedges and many pink brick walls. The rooms and 'doors' are so arranged that, as one enjoys the beauty in a given room, one suddenly discovers a new vista into another part of the garden, making a walk a series of discoveries that keeps leading one into yet another area of the garden. Nicolson spent his efforts coming up with interesting new interconnections, while Sackville-West focused on making the flowers in the interior of each room exciting.

For Sackville-West, Sissinghurst and its garden rooms came to be a poignant and romantic substitute for Knole, reputedly the largest house in Britain, which as the only child of Lionel, the 3rd Lord Sackville she would have inherited had she been a male, but which had passed to her cousin as the male heir.

The site is ancient; "hurst" is the Saxon term for an enclosed wood. A manor house with a three-armed moat was built here in the Middle Ages. In 1305, King Edward I spent a night here. It was long thought that in 1490 Thomas Baker, a man from Cranbrook, purchased Sissinghurst, although there is no evidence for it. What is certain is that the house was given a new brick gatehouse in the 1530s by Sir John Baker, one of Henry VIII's Privy Councillors, and greatly enlarged in the 1560s by his son Sir Richard Baker, when it became the centre of a 700-acre (2.8 km2) deer park. In August 1573 Queen Elizabeth I spent three nights at Sissinghurst.

After the collapse of the Baker family in the late 17th century, the building had many uses: as a prisoner-of-war camp during the Seven Years' War; as the workhouse for the Cranbrook Union; after which it became homes for farm labourers.

Sackville-West and Nicolson found Sissinghurst in 1930 after concern that their property Long Barn, near Sevenoaks, Kent, was close to development over which they had no control. Although Sissinghurst was derelict, they purchased the ruins and the farm around it and began constructing the garden we know today. The layout by Nicolson and planting by Sackville-West were both strongly influenced by the gardens of Gertrude Jekyll and Edwin Lutyens; by the earlier Cothay Manor in Somerset, laid out by Nicolson's friend Reginald Cooper, and described by one garden writer as the "Sissinghurst of the West Country"; and by Hidcote Manor Garden, designed and owned by Lawrence Johnston, which Sackville-West helped to preserve. Sissinghurst was first opened to the public in 1938.

The National Trust took over the whole of Sissinghurst, its garden, farm and buildings, in 1967. The garden epitomises the English garden of the mid-20th century. It is now very popular and can be crowded in peak holiday periods. In 2009, BBC Four broadcast an eight-part television documentary series called Sissinghurst, describing the house and garden and the attempts by Adam Nicolson and his wife Sarah Raven, who are 'Resident Donors', to restore a form of traditional Wealden agriculture to the Castle Farm. Their plan is to use the land to grow ingredients for lunches in the Sissinghurst restaurant. A fuller version of the story can be found in Nicolson's book, Sissinghurst: An Unfinished History (2008).

For further information please visit en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sissinghurst_Castle_Garden and www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sissinghurst-castle-garden

The artwork is called GOAVVE-GEABBIL by MÁRET ÁNNE SARA

The following information is quoted directly from the Tate Modern website: "Máret Ánne Sara is a Sámi artist from a reindeer herding family in Sápmi. Her multisensory installation Goavve-Geabbil responds to the history of Tate Modern’s site — a former oil and coal power station — inviting us to view energy not as a resource to be exploited, but as a sacred life-force rooted in ancestral knowledge and interconnection.

Reindeer herding is a cornerstone of Sámi culture, shaping the relationship between people, lands and animals. It recognises the interdependence and intrinsic value of all living beings. Sara combines hides, bones and wood derived from reindeer herding practices with industrial materials, sound and scent, to reflect on the destruction of ecosystems, and the erosion of Sámi culture due to mining and energy developments in Sápmi.

Goavve-Geabbil stands as a living monument, with Sara calling on us to remember that ‘nature is not an endless resource to exploit. If we expect to receive from it, to sustain life for all beings, we must also ensure its health and ability to regenerate’. Through this work Sara upholds Sámi science and philosophy as progressive, powerful and vital to shaping the future of our shared world.

Goavve-Geabbil marks the tenth in a series of commissions in partnership with Hyundai Motor, transforming the Turbine Hall over the last decade."

Enrico David (Italian, b. 1966) has distinguished himself as one of today’s most original artists, fashioning a universe of imagery that revolves around the human figure and its many states of being. Rendering the body as fragile, vulnerable, grotesque, tortured, and ecstatic, he uses a wide range of media, including sculpture, painting, installation, and works on paper, to achieve an encyclopedic yet extremely personal account of the human form.

The subtitle of the exhibition, Gradations of Slow Release, comes from a sculpture of the same name but also characterizes the circular process of this artist’s work, in which imagery and ideas slowly morph and evolve over time, guided by shared themes that find different but related forms. References to interiority, multiplicity, privacy, introspection, and disembodiment course through his works, which sometimes feel extremely contemporary in their expression and, at other times, appear archaic or timeless. The exhibition traces David’s works made over the past 20 years, revealing the interconnections in his body of work in an attempt to build an empathic relationship between the viewer and the objects he has created.

David lives and works in London and has exhibited around the world, including at Tate Modern and the Venice Biennale.

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A photo of the 7m diameter revolving 'Gaia' art installation in Southwark Cathedral.

I didn't have long to take photos but given how everyone seemed to be taking the same symmetrical shot with their phones I wanted to get a few 'different' shots. I'd say this falls into that category and if you're not familiar with the installation you would assue it's a Photoshop creation.

I saw Gaia earlier in the year in Oxford but unfortunately despite making a special trip to see it on it's last day I got there only to realise I didn't have a battery in my camera....... Luckily I knew the installation toured so I'd hoped to catch it again at some point. Currently there's two of these installed in Grimsby and Leeds and if it's going to be in your area it's definitely worth a visit with your (battery filled) camera.

More info and touring dates for Gaia here : my-earth.org/tour-dates/

From the website, "Gaia is a touring artwork by UK artist Luke Jerram. Measuring seven metres in diameter and created from 120dpi detailed NASA imagery of the Earth’s surface* the artwork provides the opportunity to see our planet, floating in three dimensions.

The installation aims to create a sense of the Overview Effect, which was first described by author Frank White in 1987. Common features of the experience for astronauts are a feeling of awe for the planet, a profound understanding of the interconnection of all life, and a renewed sense of responsibility for taking care of the environment.

The artwork also acts as a mirror to major events in society. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the artwork may provide the viewer with a new perspective of our place on the planet; a sense that societies of the Earth are all interconnected and that we have a responsibility toward one another. After the lockdown, there has been a renewed respect for nature."

© D.Godliman

These colourful chickens were on sale at the plant and gift shot.

The garden at Sissinghurst Castle in the Weald of Kent, in England at Sissinghurst village, is owned and maintained by the National Trust. It is among the most famous gardens in England and is grade I listed. This photograph looks out from the garden to the surrounding countryside.

Sissinghurst's garden was created in the 1930s by Vita Sackville-West, poet and gardening writer, and her husband Harold Nicolson, author and diplomat. Sackville-West was a writer on the fringes of the Bloomsbury Group who found her greatest popularity in the weekly columns she contributed as gardening correspondent of The Observer, which incidentally—for she never touted it—made her own garden famous. The garden itself is designed as a series of 'rooms', each with a different character of colour and/or theme, the walls being high clipped hedges and many pink brick walls. The rooms and 'doors' are so arranged that, as one enjoys the beauty in a given room, one suddenly discovers a new vista into another part of the garden, making a walk a series of discoveries that keeps leading one into yet another area of the garden. Nicolson spent his efforts coming up with interesting new interconnections, while Sackville-West focused on making the flowers in the interior of each room exciting.

For Sackville-West, Sissinghurst and its garden rooms came to be a poignant and romantic substitute for Knole, reputedly the largest house in Britain, which as the only child of Lionel, the 3rd Lord Sackville she would have inherited had she been a male, but which had passed to her cousin as the male heir.

The site is ancient; "hurst" is the Saxon term for an enclosed wood. A manor house with a three-armed moat was built here in the Middle Ages. In 1305, King Edward I spent a night here. It was long thought that in 1490 Thomas Baker, a man from Cranbrook, purchased Sissinghurst, although there is no evidence for it. What is certain is that the house was given a new brick gatehouse in the 1530s by Sir John Baker, one of Henry VIII's Privy Councillors, and greatly enlarged in the 1560s by his son Sir Richard Baker, when it became the centre of a 700-acre (2.8 km2) deer park. In August 1573 Queen Elizabeth I spent three nights at Sissinghurst.

After the collapse of the Baker family in the late 17th century, the building had many uses: as a prisoner-of-war camp during the Seven Years' War; as the workhouse for the Cranbrook Union; after which it became homes for farm labourers.

Sackville-West and Nicolson found Sissinghurst in 1930 after concern that their property Long Barn, near Sevenoaks, Kent, was close to development over which they had no control. Although Sissinghurst was derelict, they purchased the ruins and the farm around it and began constructing the garden we know today. The layout by Nicolson and planting by Sackville-West were both strongly influenced by the gardens of Gertrude Jekyll and Edwin Lutyens; by the earlier Cothay Manor in Somerset, laid out by Nicolson's friend Reginald Cooper, and described by one garden writer as the "Sissinghurst of the West Country"; and by Hidcote Manor Garden, designed and owned by Lawrence Johnston, which Sackville-West helped to preserve. Sissinghurst was first opened to the public in 1938.

The National Trust took over the whole of Sissinghurst, its garden, farm and buildings, in 1967. The garden epitomises the English garden of the mid-20th century. It is now very popular and can be crowded in peak holiday periods. In 2009, BBC Four broadcast an eight-part television documentary series called Sissinghurst, describing the house and garden and the attempts by Adam Nicolson and his wife Sarah Raven, who are 'Resident Donors', to restore a form of traditional Wealden agriculture to the Castle Farm. Their plan is to use the land to grow ingredients for lunches in the Sissinghurst restaurant. A fuller version of the story can be found in Nicolson's book, Sissinghurst: An Unfinished History (2008).

For further information please visit en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sissinghurst_Castle_Garden and www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sissinghurst-castle-garden

The slightest change creates time. Everything begins with the interconnection. One origin for all existences.

Enrico David (Italian, b. 1966) has distinguished himself as one of today’s most original artists, fashioning a universe of imagery that revolves around the human figure and its many states of being. Rendering the body as fragile, vulnerable, grotesque, tortured, and ecstatic, he uses a wide range of media, including sculpture, painting, installation, and works on paper, to achieve an encyclopedic yet extremely personal account of the human form.

The subtitle of the exhibition, Gradations of Slow Release, comes from a sculpture of the same name but also characterizes the circular process of this artist’s work, in which imagery and ideas slowly morph and evolve over time, guided by shared themes that find different but related forms. References to interiority, multiplicity, privacy, introspection, and disembodiment course through his works, which sometimes feel extremely contemporary in their expression and, at other times, appear archaic or timeless. The exhibition traces David’s works made over the past 20 years, revealing the interconnections in his body of work in an attempt to build an empathic relationship between the viewer and the objects he has created.

David lives and works in London and has exhibited around the world, including at Tate Modern and the Venice Biennale.

The garden at Sissinghurst Castle in the Weald of Kent, in England at Sissinghurst village, is owned and maintained by the National Trust. It is among the most famous gardens in England and is grade I listed.

Sissinghurst's garden was created in the 1930s by Vita Sackville-West, poet and gardening writer, and her husband Harold Nicolson, author and diplomat. Sackville-West was a writer on the fringes of the Bloomsbury Group who found her greatest popularity in the weekly columns she contributed as gardening correspondent of The Observer, which incidentally—for she never touted it—made her own garden famous. The garden itself is designed as a series of 'rooms', each with a different character of colour and/or theme, the walls being high clipped hedges and many pink brick walls. The rooms and 'doors' are so arranged that, as one enjoys the beauty in a given room, one suddenly discovers a new vista into another part of the garden, making a walk a series of discoveries that keeps leading one into yet another area of the garden. Nicolson spent his efforts coming up with interesting new interconnections, while Sackville-West focused on making the flowers in the interior of each room exciting.

For Sackville-West, Sissinghurst and its garden rooms came to be a poignant and romantic substitute for Knole, reputedly the largest house in Britain, which as the only child of Lionel, the 3rd Lord Sackville she would have inherited had she been a male, but which had passed to her cousin as the male heir.

The site is ancient; "hurst" is the Saxon term for an enclosed wood. A manor house with a three-armed moat was built here in the Middle Ages. In 1305, King Edward I spent a night here. It was long thought that in 1490 Thomas Baker, a man from Cranbrook, purchased Sissinghurst, although there is no evidence for it. What is certain is that the house was given a new brick gatehouse in the 1530s by Sir John Baker, one of Henry VIII's Privy Councillors, and greatly enlarged in the 1560s by his son Sir Richard Baker, when it became the centre of a 700-acre (2.8 km2) deer park. In August 1573 Queen Elizabeth I spent three nights at Sissinghurst.

After the collapse of the Baker family in the late 17th century, the building had many uses: as a prisoner-of-war camp during the Seven Years' War; as the workhouse for the Cranbrook Union; after which it became homes for farm labourers.

Sackville-West and Nicolson found Sissinghurst in 1930 after concern that their property Long Barn, near Sevenoaks, Kent, was close to development over which they had no control. Although Sissinghurst was derelict, they purchased the ruins and the farm around it and began constructing the garden we know today. The layout by Nicolson and planting by Sackville-West were both strongly influenced by the gardens of Gertrude Jekyll and Edwin Lutyens; by the earlier Cothay Manor in Somerset, laid out by Nicolson's friend Reginald Cooper, and described by one garden writer as the "Sissinghurst of the West Country"; and by Hidcote Manor Garden, designed and owned by Lawrence Johnston, which Sackville-West helped to preserve. Sissinghurst was first opened to the public in 1938.

The National Trust took over the whole of Sissinghurst, its garden, farm and buildings, in 1967. The garden epitomises the English garden of the mid-20th century. It is now very popular and can be crowded in peak holiday periods. In 2009, BBC Four broadcast an eight-part television documentary series called Sissinghurst, describing the house and garden and the attempts by Adam Nicolson and his wife Sarah Raven, who are 'Resident Donors', to restore a form of traditional Wealden agriculture to the Castle Farm. Their plan is to use the land to grow ingredients for lunches in the Sissinghurst restaurant. A fuller version of the story can be found in Nicolson's book, Sissinghurst: An Unfinished History (2008).

For further information please visit en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sissinghurst_Castle_Garden and www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sissinghurst-castle-garden

captured about the mosque (faith) and the abdandoned bridge (closer to mosque) and the new bright bridge which was connected to the mosque but still facing long winding route.

O percurso pedestre PR5 “Pela Arriba Fóssil”, em Esposende, revela uma paisagem singular onde a geologia granítica domina. As rochas, esculpidas ao longo de milhares de anos por processos de meteorização diferencial, exibem cavidades características — pias e alvéolos de meteorização — formadas pela acumulação de água em pequenas depressões da superfície e pela dissolução química dos minerais. A "arriba fóssil", antiga falésia costeira, agora afastada do mar, proporciona vistas panorâmicas sobre a planície litoral e o Atlântico, testemunhando a evolução da linha de costa durante o Quaternário. A ação do vento, a colonização por líquenes e as variações térmicas intensificam a modelação das rochas, criando geoformas únicas. Ao fundo, a malha urbana de Esposende funde-se com o oceano, ilustrando a interligação entre o património geológico e a presença humana nesta região costeira, tornando o percurso uma oportunidade para apreciar a biodiversidade e compreender a história geológica do litoral norte de Portugal.

The PR5 “Pela Arriba Fóssil” walking trail in Esposende reveals a unique landscape dominated by granite geology. The rocks, sculpted over thousands of years by differential weathering processes, display characteristic cavities—weathering basins and alveoli—formed by the accumulation of water in small surface depressions and the chemical dissolution of minerals. The “arriba fóssil,” an ancient coastal cliff now removed from the sea, offers panoramic views of the coastal plain and the Atlantic, bearing witness to the evolution of the coastline during the Quaternary period. Wind action, colonization by lichens, and thermal variations intensify the modeling of the rocks, creating unique geoforms. In the background, the urban fabric of Esposende merges with the ocean, illustrating the interconnection between geological heritage and human presence in this coastal region, making the route an opportunity to appreciate biodiversity and understand the geological history of Portugal's northern coast.

Captured at Hosahalli Metro Station, this photo reflects the seamless blend of modern infrastructure with Bengaluru’s dynamic spirit. Located on the Purple Line of Namma Metro, Hosahalli is one of the prominent elevated stations, known for its clean architectural design, efficient connectivity, and role in easing daily commutes. The lighting, signage, and ambient crowd in the image showcase the pulse of an ever-evolving urban life.

Hosahalli station became operational in November 2015, as part of the first fully functional metro corridor in the city. The Purple Line, running east-west from Baiyappanahalli to Challaghatta, holds the distinction of being Bengaluru’s first operational metro line, laying the foundation for a much-needed urban rail network in the tech capital of India. Strategically placed, Hosahalli serves both residential and commercial commuters, improving accessibility to surrounding neighborhoods like Vijayanagar and Magadi Road.

The Purple Line has not only reduced the city’s infamous traffic congestion but also redefined how people experience Bengaluru. With efficient travel times, eco-friendly transport options, and expanding interconnections, stations like Hosahalli have become more than transit points—they are symbols of the city’s commitment to sustainable urban development. This photograph is a tribute to that progress, capturing a fleeting yet meaningful moment in a space where thousands of journeys intersect daily.

press 'L' to embiggen in the dark

yesterday i had to teach till 10pm. when i finally got home, i still wanted to busy myself with photography but had done no shooting all day, so i started digging deep into my archive of RAWs -- and thankfully i'm an image packrat and almost never delete a capture.

that was a painful experience -- how awful the images are! i started shooting regularly in china, but not only did i know next to nothing, i had no idea what i didn't know. i'm thankful that i started, and i can see i've improved, so i guess i shouldn't feel so bad, but really, so few frames are salvageable!

then this morning, i saw a wonderful video by lisa greenfield, called the future of the brain, that immediately flew and embedded itself into my blog, all about the mind, the brain and how its structure defines us. i knew most of this information already, but the video presented things in a comprehensive manner and i enjoyed it thoroughly. together with the improvement of my skills that i perceived last night, it gave me a very deep insight into the nature of our existence, the plasticity of minds, and why we should substitute anger with compassion for others who don't think like we do.

the structure of beijing's bird nest kind of reminded me of interconnections, thus the title from the corresponding word in greek.

Nikon F2AS

Fujicolor 200

Na Praça da República, em Cabeceiras de Basto, evidenciam-se edifícios do século XIX e XX, cujas fachadas inteiramente revestidas a azulejo refletem uma tradição arquitetónica portuguesa. Os azulejos, principalmente em padrões geométricos de azul e branco, não somente conferem uma estética única, mas também protegem as construções da humidade do clima atlântico. Este estilo é associado aos "brasileiros de torna-viagem", emigrantes que, ao regressar, desejavam exibir a sua prosperidade. As varandas em ferro forjado e portas em madeira complementam essa estética típica. O azulejo, além de ser um marcador identitário da região norte de Portugal, foi também tema de exposições como «Azulejos da nossa Praça», que destacaram a importância deste património. A Praça da República, com o Mosteiro de S. Miguel de Refojos, é um dos principais pontos de interesse do centro histórico, funcionando como um espaço público vital para a comunidade local e refletindo a interligação entre a história e a vida contemporânea.

In Praça da República, in Cabeceiras de Basto, there are buildings from the 19th and 20th centuries, whose facades are entirely covered with tiles, reflecting a Portuguese architectural tradition. The tiles, mainly in blue and white geometric patterns, not only give the buildings a unique aesthetic, but also protect them from the humidity of the Atlantic climate. This style is associated with the “brasileiros de torna-viagem,” emigrants who, upon their return, wanted to show off their prosperity. Wrought iron balconies and wooden doors complement this typical aesthetic. Tiles, in addition to being a hallmark of northern Portugal, have also been the subject of exhibitions such as “Azulejos da nossa Praça” (Tiles of our Square), which highlighted the importance of this heritage. Praça da República, with the Monastery of S. Miguel de Refojos, is one of the main points of interest in the historic center, serving as a vital public space for the local community and reflecting the interconnection between history and contemporary life.

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Ever wondered where planets come from.........

A flipped photo of the 7m diameter revolving 'Gaia' art installation in the nave of Southwark Cathedral.

I saw it earlier in the year in Oxford but unfortunately despite making a special trip to see it on it's last day I got there only to realise I didn't have a battery in my camera....... Luckily I knew the installation toured so I'd hoped to catch it again at some point. Currently there's two of these installed in Grimsby and Leeds and if it's going to be in your area it's definitely worth a visit with your (battery filled) camera.

Click here for more 'flipped' shots : www.flickr.com/photos/darrellg/albums/72157627889661743

More info and touring dates for Gaia here : my-earth.org/tour-dates/

From the website, "Gaia is a touring artwork by UK artist Luke Jerram. Measuring seven metres in diameter and created from 120dpi detailed NASA imagery of the Earth’s surface* the artwork provides the opportunity to see our planet, floating in three dimensions.

The installation aims to create a sense of the Overview Effect, which was first described by author Frank White in 1987. Common features of the experience for astronauts are a feeling of awe for the planet, a profound understanding of the interconnection of all life, and a renewed sense of responsibility for taking care of the environment.

The artwork also acts as a mirror to major events in society. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the artwork may provide the viewer with a new perspective of our place on the planet; a sense that societies of the Earth are all interconnected and that we have a responsibility toward one another. After the lockdown, there has been a renewed respect for nature."

© D.Godliman

Floating Earth, Luke Jerram - Winter Lights, Canary Wharf London.

From the offical brochure:

Jerram’s spectacular Floating Earth installation aims to evoke

similar emotions in the viewer to that of an astronaut viewing Earth from space. Coined the ‘Overview Effect’ by Frank White in 1987, common features of this experience include a feeling of awe for the planet, a profound understanding of the interconnection of all life, and a renewed sense of responsibility for taking care of the.environment. Floating Earth also prompts the difficult discussions we all need to have about what we, as individuals and as a wider society, must do to avoid runaway climate change.

The garden at Sissinghurst Castle in the Weald of Kent, in England at Sissinghurst village, is owned and maintained by the National Trust. It is among the most famous gardens in England and is grade I listed.

Sissinghurst's garden was created in the 1930s by Vita Sackville-West, poet and gardening writer, and her husband Harold Nicolson, author and diplomat. Sackville-West was a writer on the fringes of the Bloomsbury Group who found her greatest popularity in the weekly columns she contributed as gardening correspondent of The Observer, which incidentally—for she never touted it—made her own garden famous. The garden itself is designed as a series of 'rooms', each with a different character of colour and/or theme, the walls being high clipped hedges and many pink brick walls. The rooms and 'doors' are so arranged that, as one enjoys the beauty in a given room, one suddenly discovers a new vista into another part of the garden, making a walk a series of discoveries that keeps leading one into yet another area of the garden. Nicolson spent his efforts coming up with interesting new interconnections, while Sackville-West focused on making the flowers in the interior of each room exciting.

For Sackville-West, Sissinghurst and its garden rooms came to be a poignant and romantic substitute for Knole, reputedly the largest house in Britain, which as the only child of Lionel, the 3rd Lord Sackville she would have inherited had she been a male, but which had passed to her cousin as the male heir.

The site is ancient; "hurst" is the Saxon term for an enclosed wood. A manor house with a three-armed moat was built here in the Middle Ages. In 1305, King Edward I spent a night here. It was long thought that in 1490 Thomas Baker, a man from Cranbrook, purchased Sissinghurst, although there is no evidence for it. What is certain is that the house was given a new brick gatehouse in the 1530s by Sir John Baker, one of Henry VIII's Privy Councillors, and greatly enlarged in the 1560s by his son Sir Richard Baker, when it became the centre of a 700-acre (2.8 km2) deer park. In August 1573 Queen Elizabeth I spent three nights at Sissinghurst.

After the collapse of the Baker family in the late 17th century, the building had many uses: as a prisoner-of-war camp during the Seven Years' War; as the workhouse for the Cranbrook Union; after which it became homes for farm labourers.

Sackville-West and Nicolson found Sissinghurst in 1930 after concern that their property Long Barn, near Sevenoaks, Kent, was close to development over which they had no control. Although Sissinghurst was derelict, they purchased the ruins and the farm around it and began constructing the garden we know today. The layout by Nicolson and planting by Sackville-West were both strongly influenced by the gardens of Gertrude Jekyll and Edwin Lutyens; by the earlier Cothay Manor in Somerset, laid out by Nicolson's friend Reginald Cooper, and described by one garden writer as the "Sissinghurst of the West Country"; and by Hidcote Manor Garden, designed and owned by Lawrence Johnston, which Sackville-West helped to preserve. Sissinghurst was first opened to the public in 1938.

The National Trust took over the whole of Sissinghurst, its garden, farm and buildings, in 1967. The garden epitomises the English garden of the mid-20th century. It is now very popular and can be crowded in peak holiday periods. In 2009, BBC Four broadcast an eight-part television documentary series called Sissinghurst, describing the house and garden and the attempts by Adam Nicolson and his wife Sarah Raven, who are 'Resident Donors', to restore a form of traditional Wealden agriculture to the Castle Farm. Their plan is to use the land to grow ingredients for lunches in the Sissinghurst restaurant. A fuller version of the story can be found in Nicolson's book, Sissinghurst: An Unfinished History (2008).

For further information please visit en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sissinghurst_Castle_Garden and www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sissinghurst-castle-garden

Created with fd's Flickr Toys

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A night time photo of the 7m diameter 'Floating Earth'' art installation as seen at the Canary Wharf Winter Lights Festival. I saw it last Autumn installed in Southwark Cathedral so seeing it floating on one of the docks made for an interesting contrast, not least as whilst it was tethered it was still bouncing about a bit like a beachball in a swimming pool.

More info and touring dates for Gaia here : my-earth.org/tour-dates/

From the website, "Gaia is a touring artwork by UK artist Luke Jerram. Measuring seven metres in diameter and created from 120dpi detailed NASA imagery of the Earth’s surface* the artwork provides the opportunity to see our planet, floating in three dimensions.

The installation aims to create a sense of the Overview Effect, which was first described by author Frank White in 1987. Common features of the experience for astronauts are a feeling of awe for the planet, a profound understanding of the interconnection of all life, and a renewed sense of responsibility for taking care of the environment.

The artwork also acts as a mirror to major events in society. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the artwork may provide the viewer with a new perspective of our place on the planet; a sense that societies of the Earth are all interconnected and that we have a responsibility toward one another. After the lockdown, there has been a renewed respect for nature."

© D.Godliman

The unique building perched on the corner of Sissinghurst’s moat was built in 1969 by Nigel Nicolson and his brother Benedict as a memorial to their father, Harold Nicolson. Following recent conservation work to address damp - and other issues - the building has emerged from underneath impressive and creative scaffolding to welcome visitors once more.

The Gazebo was Nigel Nicolson's private summer office – but it was also an office admired by the thousands of visitors to Sissinghurst’s garden. They remember him sitting at his desk with the door open, giving bread to children so that they could feed the birds on the moat. Today visitors stumble upon the Gazebo, discovering the desk at which Nigel wrote his most famous work, Portrait of a Marriage (1973), and taking in the view which inspired him.

This small and quiet building was designed by the architect Francis Pym and Nigel noted during construction that it was exactly the same dimensions as the Apollo 11 lunar module, which had captivated the world in the same year. It is the desk which forms the focal point of the room and images of it cluttered with working papers, books, and a distinctive typewriter have provided inspiration in its presentation. Above the desk unfolds an extraordinary view over the Weald of Kent, which had been Nigel’s favourite since childhood. As a result the Gazebo is private and without windows on the garden side but completely open onto the view across the moat.

The Gazebo contained a working library and its shelves were - and are - overflowing with books. An entire shelf was devoted to Jane Austen, which must have been assembled as Nigel worked on another book, The World of Jane Austen (1991). Books also included works on the history and archaeology of Kent, together with a number on Ordnance Survey maps, in which Nigel was particularly interested. Where possible we have purchased and replaced books in exactly the same edition as those that Nigel owned and visitors are now able to explore these shelves.

The project to conserve and open the Gazebo has captured the imagination of the entire team at Sissinghurst. It is a space which will continue grow and develop over time – in the organic way a writing room does and should. Books will continue to be found and added by the property team and memories will be collected and shared.

One of the most moving of these is captured in a letter from Nigel to a visitor to his Gazebo in 2002 as he notes that “an open door means open to everybody, and I was very happy to welcome you and your family. Come again.”

For more information please visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sissinghurst-castle-garden/featu...

The garden at Sissinghurst Castle in the Weald of Kent, in England at Sissinghurst village, is owned and maintained by the National Trust. It is among the most famous gardens in England and is grade I listed.

Sissinghurst's garden was created in the 1930s by Vita Sackville-West, poet and gardening writer, and her husband Harold Nicolson, author and diplomat. Sackville-West was a writer on the fringes of the Bloomsbury Group who found her greatest popularity in the weekly columns she contributed as gardening correspondent of The Observer, which incidentally—for she never touted it—made her own garden famous. The garden itself is designed as a series of 'rooms', each with a different character of colour and/or theme, the walls being high clipped hedges and many pink brick walls. The rooms and 'doors' are so arranged that, as one enjoys the beauty in a given room, one suddenly discovers a new vista into another part of the garden, making a walk a series of discoveries that keeps leading one into yet another area of the garden. Nicolson spent his efforts coming up with interesting new interconnections, while Sackville-West focused on making the flowers in the interior of each room exciting.

For Sackville-West, Sissinghurst and its garden rooms came to be a poignant and romantic substitute for Knole, reputedly the largest house in Britain, which as the only child of Lionel, the 3rd Lord Sackville she would have inherited had she been a male, but which had passed to her cousin as the male heir.

The site is ancient; "hurst" is the Saxon term for an enclosed wood. A manor house with a three-armed moat was built here in the Middle Ages. In 1305, King Edward I spent a night here. It was long thought that in 1490 Thomas Baker, a man from Cranbrook, purchased Sissinghurst, although there is no evidence for it. What is certain is that the house was given a new brick gatehouse in the 1530s by Sir John Baker, one of Henry VIII's Privy Councillors, and greatly enlarged in the 1560s by his son Sir Richard Baker, when it became the centre of a 700-acre (2.8 km2) deer park. In August 1573 Queen Elizabeth I spent three nights at Sissinghurst.

After the collapse of the Baker family in the late 17th century, the building had many uses: as a prisoner-of-war camp during the Seven Years' War; as the workhouse for the Cranbrook Union; after which it became homes for farm labourers.

Sackville-West and Nicolson found Sissinghurst in 1930 after concern that their property Long Barn, near Sevenoaks, Kent, was close to development over which they had no control. Although Sissinghurst was derelict, they purchased the ruins and the farm around it and began constructing the garden we know today. The layout by Nicolson and planting by Sackville-West were both strongly influenced by the gardens of Gertrude Jekyll and Edwin Lutyens; by the earlier Cothay Manor in Somerset, laid out by Nicolson's friend Reginald Cooper, and described by one garden writer as the "Sissinghurst of the West Country"; and by Hidcote Manor Garden, designed and owned by Lawrence Johnston, which Sackville-West helped to preserve. Sissinghurst was first opened to the public in 1938.

The National Trust took over the whole of Sissinghurst, its garden, farm and buildings, in 1967. The garden epitomises the English garden of the mid-20th century. It is now very popular and can be crowded in peak holiday periods. In 2009, BBC Four broadcast an eight-part television documentary series called Sissinghurst, describing the house and garden and the attempts by Adam Nicolson and his wife Sarah Raven, who are 'Resident Donors', to restore a form of traditional Wealden agriculture to the Castle Farm. Their plan is to use the land to grow ingredients for lunches in the Sissinghurst restaurant. A fuller version of the story can be found in Nicolson's book, Sissinghurst: An Unfinished History (2008).

For further information please visit en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sissinghurst_Castle_Garden and www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sissinghurst-castle-garden

The garden at Sissinghurst Castle in the Weald of Kent, in England at Sissinghurst village, is owned and maintained by the National Trust. It is among the most famous gardens in England and is grade I listed.

Sissinghurst's garden was created in the 1930s by Vita Sackville-West, poet and gardening writer, and her husband Harold Nicolson, author and diplomat. Sackville-West was a writer on the fringes of the Bloomsbury Group who found her greatest popularity in the weekly columns she contributed as gardening correspondent of The Observer, which incidentally—for she never touted it—made her own garden famous. The garden itself is designed as a series of 'rooms', each with a different character of colour and/or theme, the walls being high clipped hedges and many pink brick walls. The rooms and 'doors' are so arranged that, as one enjoys the beauty in a given room, one suddenly discovers a new vista into another part of the garden, making a walk a series of discoveries that keeps leading one into yet another area of the garden. Nicolson spent his efforts coming up with interesting new interconnections, while Sackville-West focused on making the flowers in the interior of each room exciting.

For Sackville-West, Sissinghurst and its garden rooms came to be a poignant and romantic substitute for Knole, reputedly the largest house in Britain, which as the only child of Lionel, the 3rd Lord Sackville she would have inherited had she been a male, but which had passed to her cousin as the male heir.

The site is ancient; "hurst" is the Saxon term for an enclosed wood. A manor house with a three-armed moat was built here in the Middle Ages. In 1305, King Edward I spent a night here. It was long thought that in 1490 Thomas Baker, a man from Cranbrook, purchased Sissinghurst, although there is no evidence for it. What is certain is that the house was given a new brick gatehouse in the 1530s by Sir John Baker, one of Henry VIII's Privy Councillors, and greatly enlarged in the 1560s by his son Sir Richard Baker, when it became the centre of a 700-acre (2.8 km2) deer park. In August 1573 Queen Elizabeth I spent three nights at Sissinghurst.

After the collapse of the Baker family in the late 17th century, the building had many uses: as a prisoner-of-war camp during the Seven Years' War; as the workhouse for the Cranbrook Union; after which it became homes for farm labourers.

Sackville-West and Nicolson found Sissinghurst in 1930 after concern that their property Long Barn, near Sevenoaks, Kent, was close to development over which they had no control. Although Sissinghurst was derelict, they purchased the ruins and the farm around it and began constructing the garden we know today. The layout by Nicolson and planting by Sackville-West were both strongly influenced by the gardens of Gertrude Jekyll and Edwin Lutyens; by the earlier Cothay Manor in Somerset, laid out by Nicolson's friend Reginald Cooper, and described by one garden writer as the "Sissinghurst of the West Country"; and by Hidcote Manor Garden, designed and owned by Lawrence Johnston, which Sackville-West helped to preserve. Sissinghurst was first opened to the public in 1938.

The National Trust took over the whole of Sissinghurst, its garden, farm and buildings, in 1967. The garden epitomises the English garden of the mid-20th century. It is now very popular and can be crowded in peak holiday periods. In 2009, BBC Four broadcast an eight-part television documentary series called Sissinghurst, describing the house and garden and the attempts by Adam Nicolson and his wife Sarah Raven, who are 'Resident Donors', to restore a form of traditional Wealden agriculture to the Castle Farm. Their plan is to use the land to grow ingredients for lunches in the Sissinghurst restaurant. A fuller version of the story can be found in Nicolson's book, Sissinghurst: An Unfinished History (2008).

For further information please visit en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sissinghurst_Castle_Garden and www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sissinghurst-castle-garden

The unique building perched on the corner of Sissinghurst’s moat was built in 1969 by Nigel Nicolson and his brother Benedict as a memorial to their father, Harold Nicolson. Following recent conservation work to address damp - and other issues - the building has emerged from underneath impressive and creative scaffolding to welcome visitors once more.

The Gazebo was Nigel Nicolson's private summer office – but it was also an office admired by the thousands of visitors to Sissinghurst’s garden. They remember him sitting at his desk with the door open, giving bread to children so that they could feed the birds on the moat. Today visitors stumble upon the Gazebo, discovering the desk at which Nigel wrote his most famous work, Portrait of a Marriage (1973), and taking in the view which inspired him.

This small and quiet building was designed by the architect Francis Pym and Nigel noted during construction that it was exactly the same dimensions as the Apollo 11 lunar module, which had captivated the world in the same year. It is the desk which forms the focal point of the room and images of it cluttered with working papers, books, and a distinctive typewriter have provided inspiration in its presentation. Above the desk unfolds an extraordinary view over the Weald of Kent, which had been Nigel’s favourite since childhood. As a result the Gazebo is private and without windows on the garden side but completely open onto the view across the moat.

The Gazebo contained a working library and its shelves were - and are - overflowing with books. An entire shelf was devoted to Jane Austen, which must have been assembled as Nigel worked on another book, The World of Jane Austen (1991). Books also included works on the history and archaeology of Kent, together with a number on Ordnance Survey maps, in which Nigel was particularly interested. Where possible we have purchased and replaced books in exactly the same edition as those that Nigel owned and visitors are now able to explore these shelves.

The project to conserve and open the Gazebo has captured the imagination of the entire team at Sissinghurst. It is a space which will continue grow and develop over time – in the organic way a writing room does and should. Books will continue to be found and added by the property team and memories will be collected and shared.

One of the most moving of these is captured in a letter from Nigel to a visitor to his Gazebo in 2002 as he notes that “an open door means open to everybody, and I was very happy to welcome you and your family. Come again.”

For more information please visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sissinghurst-castle-garden/featu...

The garden at Sissinghurst Castle in the Weald of Kent, in England at Sissinghurst village, is owned and maintained by the National Trust. It is among the most famous gardens in England and is grade I listed.

Sissinghurst's garden was created in the 1930s by Vita Sackville-West, poet and gardening writer, and her husband Harold Nicolson, author and diplomat. Sackville-West was a writer on the fringes of the Bloomsbury Group who found her greatest popularity in the weekly columns she contributed as gardening correspondent of The Observer, which incidentally—for she never touted it—made her own garden famous. The garden itself is designed as a series of 'rooms', each with a different character of colour and/or theme, the walls being high clipped hedges and many pink brick walls. The rooms and 'doors' are so arranged that, as one enjoys the beauty in a given room, one suddenly discovers a new vista into another part of the garden, making a walk a series of discoveries that keeps leading one into yet another area of the garden. Nicolson spent his efforts coming up with interesting new interconnections, while Sackville-West focused on making the flowers in the interior of each room exciting.

For Sackville-West, Sissinghurst and its garden rooms came to be a poignant and romantic substitute for Knole, reputedly the largest house in Britain, which as the only child of Lionel, the 3rd Lord Sackville she would have inherited had she been a male, but which had passed to her cousin as the male heir.

The site is ancient; "hurst" is the Saxon term for an enclosed wood. A manor house with a three-armed moat was built here in the Middle Ages. In 1305, King Edward I spent a night here. It was long thought that in 1490 Thomas Baker, a man from Cranbrook, purchased Sissinghurst, although there is no evidence for it. What is certain is that the house was given a new brick gatehouse in the 1530s by Sir John Baker, one of Henry VIII's Privy Councillors, and greatly enlarged in the 1560s by his son Sir Richard Baker, when it became the centre of a 700-acre (2.8 km2) deer park. In August 1573 Queen Elizabeth I spent three nights at Sissinghurst.

After the collapse of the Baker family in the late 17th century, the building had many uses: as a prisoner-of-war camp during the Seven Years' War; as the workhouse for the Cranbrook Union; after which it became homes for farm labourers.

Sackville-West and Nicolson found Sissinghurst in 1930 after concern that their property Long Barn, near Sevenoaks, Kent, was close to development over which they had no control. Although Sissinghurst was derelict, they purchased the ruins and the farm around it and began constructing the garden we know today. The layout by Nicolson and planting by Sackville-West were both strongly influenced by the gardens of Gertrude Jekyll and Edwin Lutyens; by the earlier Cothay Manor in Somerset, laid out by Nicolson's friend Reginald Cooper, and described by one garden writer as the "Sissinghurst of the West Country"; and by Hidcote Manor Garden, designed and owned by Lawrence Johnston, which Sackville-West helped to preserve. Sissinghurst was first opened to the public in 1938.

The National Trust took over the whole of Sissinghurst, its garden, farm and buildings, in 1967. The garden epitomises the English garden of the mid-20th century. It is now very popular and can be crowded in peak holiday periods. In 2009, BBC Four broadcast an eight-part television documentary series called Sissinghurst, describing the house and garden and the attempts by Adam Nicolson and his wife Sarah Raven, who are 'Resident Donors', to restore a form of traditional Wealden agriculture to the Castle Farm. Their plan is to use the land to grow ingredients for lunches in the Sissinghurst restaurant. A fuller version of the story can be found in Nicolson's book, Sissinghurst: An Unfinished History (2008).

For further information please visit en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sissinghurst_Castle_Garden and www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sissinghurst-castle-garden

A capture of a marvellous Turkish-style restaurant in the fascinating, ethnically diverse and historically rich suburb of Fordsburg, in Johannesburg. Historically a once Jewish and Indian suburb, it has a large and dense, culturally diverse, population, with among other things a notable Moslem presence. It boasts a vibrant, riveting, 'street life' with a plurality of eating options and a wonderful interconnection between residential and commercial buildings. Bazaars, barber shops, auto-repair facilities exist side-by-side. This particular restaurant and coffee shop is housed in an old, decommissioned, locomotive and carriage!http://www.inyourpocket.com/johannesburg/Fordsburg-Delights_73374f and en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fordsburg

My Website : Twitter : Facebook : Instagram : Photocrowd

A night time photo of the 7m diameter 'Floating Earth'' art installation as seen at the Canary Wharf Winter Lights Festival. I saw it last Autumn installed in Southwark Cathedral so seeing it floating on one of the docks made for an interesting contrast, not least as whilst it was tethered it was still bouncing about a bit like a beachball in a swimming pool.

More info and touring dates for Gaia here : my-earth.org/tour-dates/

From the website, "Gaia is a touring artwork by UK artist Luke Jerram. Measuring seven metres in diameter and created from 120dpi detailed NASA imagery of the Earth’s surface* the artwork provides the opportunity to see our planet, floating in three dimensions.

The installation aims to create a sense of the Overview Effect, which was first described by author Frank White in 1987. Common features of the experience for astronauts are a feeling of awe for the planet, a profound understanding of the interconnection of all life, and a renewed sense of responsibility for taking care of the environment.

The artwork also acts as a mirror to major events in society. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the artwork may provide the viewer with a new perspective of our place on the planet; a sense that societies of the Earth are all interconnected and that we have a responsibility toward one another. After the lockdown, there has been a renewed respect for nature."

© D.Godliman

EXPLORED@FLICKR

Oil on Canvas

www.FAIZAKHAN.com

ONE INTEGRAL WHOLE

I'm the whole humanity,

I breathe through every chest!

We never build anything without having an image of the future. We have to imagine the future, but at the same time be guided by real premises related to the imagined picture. We have to take examples from nature, its globality and integrality, and build our future society according to them.

The entire complex of problems that has risen before humanity indicates the need to solve these problems conjointly. Today there is not a single problem that is local. Nature is pushing us to become aware of our total interdependence. The globalization that is being revealed is forcing us to suppress our national and regional interests, and to prefer the solution of the global, common problems first.

The need for integration for the sake of all humanity requires a constant dialogue among representatives of every country on an equal basis. In a single organism, all of the parts are equal. Every side presents the problems it deems necessary to solve and the importance of every problem is weighed conjointly, like in a family that discusses which problem should be solved first and in what order the others should be solved. Only by accepting the fact of the global interconnection as a primary condition will we develop the right approach to solving problems.

Otherwise, we will involuntarily slide down to war, which is a refusal to have a dialogue. These aren’t necessarily “hot” or even “cold” wars, but an unnoticeable, centralized, informational influence on people’s consciousness in a specific country with the aim of distorting their picture of the world, their traditional concepts and values. The sensation of this informational weapon’s effect can range from emotional discomfort and insecurity, to a disturbance of the basic infrastructure.

Of course, in any case, whether we develop along a good scenario or a bad one, we will still reach an integrally interconnected society because it is the goal of nature’s development. Humanity’s aspiration to unity is a natural expression of a living system. But this natural process cannot be accelerated artificially. It has to happen consciously and voluntarily because otherwise it will turn into a project that is forcefully executed by the authorities.

Excerpt from www.mississauga.ca/arts-and-culture/arts/public-art/tempo...:

Where the Land Meets the City: Stories of Land, Water and Community

This six-banner series brings together the heart of Mississauga—its land, water, and people. Inspired by the Credit River, Lake Ontario, local parks, and the oldest oak tree in the city, each banner celebrates how nature and community live side by side.

The artwork blends bold colors and meaningful symbols to tell stories of family, belonging, and connection. You’ll see references to local plant life, sacred animals, and the deep teachings carried by the land. The turtle, for example, reminds us of balance and creation, while the oak stands tall as a symbol of strength and time.

These banners are meant to brighten the streets with more than just colour—they’re here to share a sense of unity, invite reflection, and remind us that we’re all part of something bigger. Whether you’re walking by or taking a moment to pause, these pieces invite you into the story of Mississauga—rooted, growing, and full of life.

Excerpt from www.mississauga.ca/arts-and-culture/arts/public-art/tempo...:

Mighty Oak: the Legacy of Strength and Renewal

Inspired by the oldest tree in Mississauga, this artwork honours the enduring presence of the land and those who came before us. The great oak stands tall, its branches reaching toward the stars—our ancestors—who watch over us and guide us with ancestral wisdom. The oak symbolizes strength, endurance, and the sacred knowledge carried through generations.

Scattered throughout the sky are acorns, which represent nourishment, renewal, and the potential for new life. They remind us that even the smallest seeds can grow into something mighty when rooted in care and community.

At the base of the oak is a turtle, or mikinaak, carrying the tree on its back. The turtle represents Turtle Island, the land we walk on. It embodies wisdom, longevity, and the deep harmony of the natural world. Within the shell of the turtle, life flourishes—a reminder that our history, our stories, and our responsibilities are all held within the land.

This piece invites residents of Mississauga to see the land not just as city space, but as sacred ground—rich with memory, life, and spirit.

Rooted in Family and Guided by the Land

This is a tribute to the strength of family, community, and the sacred relationships we hold with the land. At the center are two deer—waawaashkeshiwag—spiritual beings that represent gentleness, kinship, and protection. Standing face-to-face, they embody the balance and love shared between caregivers, forming a strong foundation for future generations.

A rich turquoise sky stretches behind them, evoking the clarity of early morning—a time of renewal, reflection, and hope. This sky speaks to the spiritual realm, the breath of life, and the space where ancestors guide and watch over us.

Floral forms arch protectively above the deer like a lodge, honouring the sacred medicines and teachings rooted in land and culture. The rising sun, held between them, represents the warmth of the Creator and the life energy shared by all living beings.

Beneath the deer, a tree of life stretches both upward and down into the soil. Nestled in the green hills rest two fawns—the children—protected by the land and nourished by ancestral roots that reach into nibi (water), the first medicine.

It is to speak to the enduring love that holds families together and the sacred interconnection with aki (the land). It reminds us that through love, land, and legacy, we continue to grow and thrive.

Surf ‘n Turf, Slurp ‘n Burp; Outback Steakhouse Connection To My Life ‘n Home(s)/Land - IMRAN™

Even my food experiences amaze me with their interconnections in the stories of my life. Here’s one example of the intricate coincidences.

I love many kinds of exotic foods and what I call CCCCCC (complex culinary creation calories carriers consumption). However, sometimes I just crave one of my favorite combinations you see here. Surf ‘n Turf,… tender filet mignon and juicy lobster tail, with mashed potatoes and sautéed mushrooms.

It’s nothing fancy, but I’ve always appreciated Outback Steakhouse for its consistency, decent food, good service, and reasonable prices. Ironically the chain was established in USA at a very interesting moment.

It was started in 1988. That was right between my Christmas 1987 America tourism trip return to Pakistan, and my January 1989 move to attend Columbia Business School to start my American life.

I first discovered OBSH exactly 20 years ago. I was driving the East Coast Florida coastline along US A1A, looking for my first “second home” in America on the Atlantic Ocean. Somewhere along the road I asked where I could get dinner. Someone pointed me to Outback. I loved it. I even ate at several other locations during that one month driving home search.

I had chosen condo 37D at The Tiara on Singer Island to be my home and went to the nearby one regularly. I later sold my condo for a profit. I fortunately left it just before hurricane damage basically closed the building for many years.

Exactly 10 years after that Florida living experience, I was blessed to search for my second “second home”. I drove every mile of coastline of the whole state of Florida this time. That included the Florida panhandle and west/Gulf coast. I kept looking until I made Apollo Beach, on Tampa Bay, my home. Ironically my blessed fantasy home, as I call it, was completed in 1989 - the year America became my homeland.

Also ironically, the first Outback Steakhouse reportedly had opened in Tampa, Florida. That is the major city area my home is in, and that is also where I had this meal at.

Small world, big appetite, mate! Time to slurp ‘n burp after the always delicious surf ‘n turf.

© 2023 IMRAN™

#IMRAN #autobiography #LifeStory #business #history #restaurant #FoodChain #steak #lobster #SurfNTurf #OutbackSteakhouse #Tampa #ApolloBeach #Florida #humor #wordplay #coincidence #RealEstate #CCCCCC #bokeh #travel #travelogue

Enrico David (Italian, b. 1966) has distinguished himself as one of today’s most original artists, fashioning a universe of imagery that revolves around the human figure and its many states of being. Rendering the body as fragile, vulnerable, grotesque, tortured, and ecstatic, he uses a wide range of media, including sculpture, painting, installation, and works on paper, to achieve an encyclopedic yet extremely personal account of the human form.

The subtitle of the exhibition, Gradations of Slow Release, comes from a sculpture of the same name but also characterizes the circular process of this artist’s work, in which imagery and ideas slowly morph and evolve over time, guided by shared themes that find different but related forms. References to interiority, multiplicity, privacy, introspection, and disembodiment course through his works, which sometimes feel extremely contemporary in their expression and, at other times, appear archaic or timeless. The exhibition traces David’s works made over the past 20 years, revealing the interconnections in his body of work in an attempt to build an empathic relationship between the viewer and the objects he has created.

David lives and works in London and has exhibited around the world, including at Tate Modern and the Venice Biennale.