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Mellerstain House an exquisite Robert Adam stately home in the Scottish Borders
Rome wasn't built in a day, and the same can certainly be said of Mellerstain. Begun in 1725 and finally completed in 1778, this grand stately home has a fascinating history, and is of unique architectural interest as the result of a fruitful collaboration of successive generations of the Baillie and Adam families, as patrons and architects.
my client had already purchased the sectional before she called me in. She was unhappy with the look and was about to get rid of it and start again. I like a challenge so I decided to keep it and make the room as big and sexy as the new sectional. wallpaper, a new rug, custom toss cushions, sexy new armchair and tables have upped the interest. We have a large arc lamp coming and something for the wall but the room really pops now. :)
I decided that a little human interest may be good in my original 'tube [cold edition]' (and also tube) so I jumped back to earlier in my work flow and re-introduced someone :)
here are a couple of cool photos by Nick Biswell that were inspired by my original photo:
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© Jon Downs 2014 All Rights Reserved
The Mesquite Flats Sand Dunes are at the northern end of the valley floor and are nearly surrounded by mountains on all sides. Due to their easy access from the road and the overall proximity of Death Valley to Hollywood, these dunes have been used to film sand dune scenes for several movies including films in the Star Wars series. The largest dune is called Star Dune and is relatively stable and stationary because it is at a point where the various winds that shape the dunes converge. The depth of the sand at its crest is 130–140 feet (40–43 m) but this is small compared to other dunes in the area that have sand depths of up to 600–700 feet (180–210 m) deep.
The primary source of the dune sands is probably the Cottonwood Mountains which lie to the north and northwest. The tiny grains of quartz and feldspar that form the sinuous sculptures that make up this dune field began as much larger pieces of solid rock.
In between many of the dunes are stands of creosote bush and some mesquite on the sand and on dried mud, which used to cover this part of the valley before the dunes intruded (mesquite was the dominant plant here before the sand dunes but creosote does much better in the sand dune conditions)
A fleeting moment captured at first light at Lackford Lake.
Relatively local to home, it is a diverse and varied habitat which I very much enjoy to visit.
Snuck out early awhile back to get a couple shots as smoke filled the air from the terrible fires in California which makes for some great shots but wish the fires were not the cause. The California fires put out a lot of smoke and destroyed towns and ranches causing many people to leave their homes and for those our heart goes out. A local news team was out getting ready to do a live report when this shot was taken, thanked them later for adding interest to the photo. My wife is doing very well and a hearty Thank You to all the well-wishers. Am still very busy and will work on getting caught up as time permits.
'Mr and Mrs Sawbill' A pair of beautiful Red-breasted Mergansers, (Female left / Male right) foraging at the edge of Loch Scridain on The Isle of Mull, Argyll and Bute, Scotland.
Many thanks for visiting my Flickr pages ...Your visits, interest, comments and kindness to 'fave' my photos is very much appreciated, Steve.
Red-breasted Merganser Notes and information:
These handsome diving ducks belong to the sawbill family, so called because of their long, serrated bills, used for catching fish. Their diet of fish such as salmon and trout has brought them into conflict with game fishermen. At home on both fresh- and saltwater, red-breasted mergansers are most commonly seen around the UK's coastline in winter. They are gregarious, forming flocks of several hundred in the autumn.
What they eat: Fish.
Measurements:
Length:52-58cm
Wingspan:70-86cm
Weight:900-1,350g
Population:
UK breeding:2,800 pairs
UK wintering:9,000 birds
Identifying features:
This bird species has different identifying features depending on sex/age/season.
Similar birds:
Goosander
Where and when to see them
The UK breeding population of Red-breasted Mergansers are concentrated in the north-west of Scotland, England, Wales and in parts of N Ireland. RSPB reserves with red-breasted mergansers in winter include Morecambe Bay, Lancs; Langstone Harbour, Hants; Exe Estuary, Devon; Arne, Dorset; Snettisham and Titchwell Marsh, Norfolk; Lough Foyle, Co Londonderry; Belfast Lough, Co Antrim; Culbin Sands, Highland; Udale Bay, Highland. RSPB Notes.
This Great Horned Owl completely ignored me, looking in every direction except for where I stood - so no piercing stare into the camera.
At one point he seemed to spot something of interest in the distance. Clearly I had been dismissed.
Seen at Dauset Trails Nature Center. The animals here are all rescued and rehabilitated
never forget the general interest
the most adaptable being
strong
prudential
considerate
stiff
tight
soundly
determined
dynamic
visionary
focussed
important to cut always a fine figure ?
or to be succesful
acknowledged, accepted, renowned ?
be human ...
act according to conscience !
;-)
ƒ/6.3
15.0 mm
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200
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I took a walk back to a spot near the den to drop some ham scraps off for the fox.
I didn't see any sign of them and I made my deposit.
Then I made a quick scan, and sure enough the male was spying on me from a nearby tangle of vines.
He should thank me for helping him with his job!
While the female is in the den nursing the kits, it's up to him to keep her fed!
The Campo di Rialto was the main market place in Venice. A few seller dot the pavement, conspicuously messy in contrast with the orderly storefronts that line the square and continue over the famous bridge of the Rialto at right. Canaletto subtly altered the perspective, creating a broader panorama that could be seen from our viewpoint; he also “tidied-up” the façade of the church, in reality far from symmetric. His goal was an idealized view of a prosperous and busy city, with the small figures meant to engage our interest.
IMG_3551 SOOC
For maximum effect, click the image, to go into the Lightbox, to view at the largest size; or, perhaps, by clicking the expansion arrows at top right of the page for a Full Screen view.
Don't use or reproduce this image on Websites/Blog or any other media without my explicit permission.
© All Rights Reserved - Jim Goodyear 2017.
Yesterday was a much-needed mental health day for this kid as I desperately desired watching another Ohio River sunrise, followed by several hours of playing in the mud in search of ancient Indian artifacts.
As often happens, several potential obstacles presented themselves making me wonder if I should just stay home. Just as I was setting my alarm for the next morning’s adventure, a dense fog warning posted on my phone. The next morning, I awoke a full hour (4am) before my alarm was set to go off…making me question if I would have the energy needed to walk for miles in the mud. Not to mention…I’m pretty sure that our bed has never felt better!
Putting all that aside, I was on the road in time to be launching the boat an hour away at daybreak. With no other cars on the road, my music blaring and coffee in hand put all of life’s concerns aside…nothing clears my head more than going on an adventure! All was right with the world…
And then, on a fogless stretch of the highway, not 5 minutes from home, she appeared! An adult female whitetail deer decided to trot out right in front of me. With reflexes I had assumed were long gone, I swerved into oncoming traffic, releasing my coffee cup mid-air to grab the wheel with both hands as I attempted to put my car and now severely swaying trailing boat back in our lane. The deer was missed by both my car and boat by inches, my paper coffee cup with lid on landed right in my lap and remarkably only spilled a few large drops.
The blessing of this encounter was that I now had my heart in my throat…and there was no way that I could possibly fall asleep anytime on the next hours’ drive.
The launching ramp was reached without any further ado and my much-anticipated sunrise was completely obscured by the heavy fog. However, my spirits were rejuvenated instantly as I just enjoyed the blessing of being there, having another day and the anticipation of what might be both found and seen as adventure awaits!
The river was still out of its normal banks by some 6-7 feet and was full of drift…the banks…pretty muddy with only 7-8 artifacts retained, all broken but still cherished. The main blessing of the day quickly became this young lady (presumed based on my limited eagle knowledge base) who seemed to have as much interest in me and what I was doing as I had in her.
The problem with juvenile eagles is that you often disturb them, placing them in flight when you have no desire to. Without the white heads, they easily blend perfectly in the shadows of the trees canopy…no doubt part of God’s plan.
This young lady flew ahead once disturbed, then veered out over the river. I assumed she was heading for Kentucky so I just went on my way back to the ramp to conclude my day. I glanced back to see her change direction again, now heading right back at me. I slammed my boat into neutral, grabbed my camera and waited some 20 seconds or so before lifting my lens to start capturing her in flight…waiting is the hard part as experience has taught me that eagles will often drastically change direction once you point anything at them. Giving her time to close the gap was a gamble that paid off as she came directly overhead, maybe 80-100 feet off the water, granting this shot.
As I trailered the boat and sent a text to the Mrs. letting her know that I was safely off the water, an understanding of, an appreciation for the gift I had been given filled my head and heart with the joy that only another successful day of adventure can do. Getting the shot of my eagle fly by from a rocking 16’ flat-bottom aluminum boat is simply a bonus!
Adventure before dementia!
Location: Árbæjarsafn, Reykjavik.
The Arbaer Open Air Museum, or in icelandic: Árbæjarsafn, consists of more than 20 old buildings originating mostly from the centre of Reykjavik. Around the middle of the 20th century interest arose to preserve (to icelandic understandings) old buildings. The centre of Reykjavik around the turn of the 19th century was mainly made up of wooden houses being in a rather different state of maintainance. Also turf houses were still a quite normal sight in Reykjavik. Along with the increasing construction of buildings of more durable material the wooden buildings got into danger to disappear slowly out of the centre of the city. Actually the maintainance of wooden buildings is still a problem in Reykjavik where quite a few house owners do not care about the condition of their old wooden house. In the Arbaer Open Air Museum houses will be found that are of historical and artistic relevance. Through the preservation of the old houses memories will be kept alive with the older days and may prevent that the ties with the past get lost. The Arbaer Open Air Museum was opened in 1957 and gives the icelandic population as well as foreigh visitors a good idea of the architecture and way of life and living conditions in earlier days in Reykjavik.
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'Alert young lady'. A beautiful juvenile female Bearded Tit or Bearded Reedling as they are often called, perched here in the wind swept reeds. Lincolnshire, UK.
Many thanks for visiting my Flickr pages...Your visits, interest, comments and kindness to 'fave' my photos is very much appreciated, Steve
Bearded Tit or Bearded Reedling Notes:-
The bearded reedling is a small, sexually dimorphic reed-bed passerine bird. It is frequently known as the bearded tit, due to some similarities to the long-tailed tit, or the bearded parrotbill. It is the only species in the family Panuridae. Wikipedia
Scientific name: Panurus biarmicus
1. Not a bearded tit
Despite its name, the bearded tit is neither bearded nor a tit! It actually has a moustachioed-look to its plumage and for a while it was considered a member of the parrotbill family, but now it is thought to be more closely related to larks.
2. Reed bed inhabitant
Bearded tits are the only British songbird to stay in reed beds all year round. Originally they were limited by the availability of reed beds in Britain, but thanks to newly created or expanded reed beds, they are now more widespread and can be found in parts of eastern and southern England, Morecambe Bay in northwest England and around the Tay estuary in Scotland.
3. Occasional movements
Although bearded tits are not well known for migration, there is some movement in the autumn through local dispersal. On occasion, there is also an influx of continental birds from mainland Europe. They are more gregarious outside of the breeding season, and therefore tend to be easier to see.
4. Breeding behaviour
There are only around 630 breeding pairs of bearded tits found in Britain, most likely due to the fact that they are limited by habitat. They build their nests low down in the reeds, often on piles of dead reed stems. They will use specially designed nest boxes, which were created to bypass their susceptibility to flooding. They are prolific breeders that can have up to four broods a year, with four to eight eggs per brood!
Bearded Tit/Bearded Reedling - Panurus biarmicus
© Allan Drewitt/BTO
5. Alterations
Bearded tits survive in the reedbeds all year round by changing their diet from insects during the spring and summer, to seeds in the autumn and winter. They cope with this by altering their gut morphology, and by eating large amounts of grit particles that help to grind down the tough seed fibres.
6. Vulnerability
Due to their range restriction, bearded tit populations can be vulnerable to particularly harsh winters, flooding and saltwater inundation into reedbeds. As a result local extinctions can occur. For example, in the cold winter of 1947 the East Anglian population decreased to just four or five pairs in Suffolk and a lone male in Norfolk. It is thought that the snow cover prevented them from accessing the seeds they needed to survive.
7. ‘Moustachioed tits’
Bearded tits are sandy brown with long tails, yellow bills and eyes. The males have grey heads with a conspicuous black ‘moustache’ that flanks the throat. Females are duller and lack the moustache. They have a distinctive ‘ping’ call when they fly, which you will usually hear before you see them.
Discover Wildlife Notes.
The lake, set in the narrow valley between tall peaks, has preserved virtually intact the natural environment previously classified "area of remarkable environmental interest" by the authorities of the Lombardy region, subsequently promoted to park and as such subject to protection. The lake banks alternate thick reeds - an ideal breeding area for the wide variety of fish and a bird haven.
Last time I saw these guys it was 3 weeks ago. They are growing fast!
And they looooove the camera...
Photographer unknown, scanned from original slide. Shared for historic interest. Will remove from Flickr on request.
I had forgotten about this photograph I took back in the spring. It is a stunning male Pied Flycatcher in full breeding plumage. In springtime males sing and display to attract a female but the females hold out as long as possible for very good reason. This is because females build the nest and incubate the eggs, but while they are preoccupied the male will sometimes go off and find a second or even third mate. But the male does catch insects to help rear the chicks, but if his attentions are divided the success rate is lower. Just say a female can rear three chicks with the exclusive help of a male, but only two chicks if a male divides his labours between two nests. But this would mean a male could rear four chicks from two nests but only three from a single nest. So it is in the male's interest to have a second nest. But it is not in the female's interest to share him as she will rear fewer chicks. This is why the female holds out as long as possible, as the longer she makes him wait, the more likely it is that other females will be paired up, so she will have his sole attention. A true battle of the sexes.
Not finding as many raptor in sierra valley that I was hoping for, when we did find this Prairie Falcon on the road to Frenchman's lake, it was exciting and more than I had hoped for as my only other shot of this species was at quite a distance! I normally don't like pole shots but I really liked the 'added interest' of the elements in this pole...hope you do too!...:) PS...since there were no trees I was happy to get this!
Early mornings along the east coast. The Avocet is a black & white wader with a long up-turned beak. Best known thanks to the RSPB, (incorporated in their emblem), it's a Schedule 1 species. Numbers have increased significantly over the past twenty years from near decimation & it's a conservation success story.
Britain's only desert habitat.
National Nature Reserve (NNR).
Special Protection Area (SPA).
Special Area of Conservation (SAC).
Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
Roundhouse keepers cottages (Built 1792).
LR3196
Photo by Helen
Nikon P300
This immature male kindly posed for me at Blithfield Reservoir today. This is the first time I have had the pleasure of the company of one of these eye-catching damselflies, one of only 2 we spotted in the locality (the other was fully coloured up and high in the tree tops).
Blithfield Reservoir, in South Staffordshire, is named for the river which sources it - the River Blithe. It is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Description in English and Dutch:
I already uploaded photos of the Westduinpark in The Hague near Scheveningen. Wednesday I was in the same park, but then the part near Kijkduin. This is photo number 7 in the new series. It is an impressive dune area that runs approximately from Scheveningen harbor to Kijkduin.There are Scottish Highlanders in the protected nature reserve to control the vegetation and there is really a lot to see in terms of flora and fauna. It is a combination of dunes, open sand area and forest. It is very special there because dunes and forests alternate and sometimes merge into one another. On warm sunny days, a lot of women walk barefoot on the sandy areas, to experience the ultimate feeling of freedom.There are hiking trails as well as cycle paths and horse riding trails in the very interesting park. A lot of people are really impressed by the vegetation, bunkers from the Second World War, steep dune hills and the impressive viewpoints. The view at those points of the beach and the sea and on the other side the buildings of the city is truly phenomenal. Come there once and experience a invisible blanket of oasis and peace. You will imagine yourself in a kind of paradise where worries and problems do not exist and where the war of thoughts in everyone's head disappears like snow in the sun for a moment in time, because freedom is in each of us.
Nederlands
Eerder heb ik al foto's geüpload van het Westduinpark in Den Haag bij Scheveningen. Woensdag was ik in hetzelfde park, maar dan in het gedeelte bij Kijkduin. Dit is foto 6 van de nieuwe reeks van het Westduinpark. Er zijn hier ook Schotse Hooglanders in het beschermde natuurgebied aanwezig om de vegetatie in balans te houden. Buiten de vriendelijke hooglanders is er nog veel meer moois te beleven qua flora en fauna. Het park is een combinatie van duinen, open zandgebied en bos. Het is daar heel bijzonder, omdat duinen en bos elkaar afwisselen en soms in elkaar overlopen. Op warme zonnige dagen lopen veel vrouwen blootsvoets op de zanderige gebieden om het ultieme gevoel van vrijheid te ervaren. In het parkgebied zijn zowel wandelpaden als fietspaden als ruiterpaden aanwezig.Veel mensen die er voor het eerst komen zijn echt onder de indruk van de vegetatie, de overblijfselen van de bunkers uit de Tweede Wereldoorlog, de steile duinheuvels en de indrukwekkende uitzichtpunten. Op zo’n uitzichtpunt kun je vanaf de sfeervolle bankjes heerlijk genieten van het uitzicht op de gebouwen van de stad of aan de andere kant van het strand en de zee. Als je een keer in de buurt bent dan raad ik zeker aan om dit geweldige gebied te bezoeken. Een oase van rust en vrede zal als een onzichtbare deken over je heen vallen waarna je jezelf daar dan echt in een soort van paradijs waant. Op die magische Haagse plek zullen de negatieve gedachten in je hoofd daarom als sneeuw voor de zon verdwijnen.
One of a set of four, the best free gifts (buy three packet soups, get a soup bowl free) I think I've ever had, courtesy of Vitana and acquired at the Albert supermarket in Nové Město nad Metují, c. 2003.
The inscription reads: The Visitors' Law: A neighbour will come round just as there's food on the table.