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The fans!
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*Emily Burk OMSIV*
*Midwestern University- Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine*
*Clerkship Coordinator, National Board, **Student Osteopathic Medical
Association*
*Cottonwood Regional Liaison, **Class Council 2012*
*
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*Save a life. Adopt a pet from a homeless shelter. You are their only
hope. **http://www.humanesociety.org/ **www.petfinder.com*
A blog post that includes these photos lives here: likeafishinwater.com/2013/03/06/joyful-minowa-shotengai-i...
My company: www.thirdplacemedia.com - Content and communications strategy develoment focusing on transit, walkability,
placemaking and environment
My blog: likeafishinwater.com
A few more from Friday night's fireworks display at Ricardo. As I was quite close to the display, I shot mostly with a wide lens (8mm fisheye) and chose to include the crowd - to show that the event was well attended.
SOMA recruiting at Club Week
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*Emily Burk OMSIV*
*Midwestern University- Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine*
*Clerkship Coordinator, National Board, **Student Osteopathic Medical
Association*
*Cottonwood Regional Liaison, **Class Council 2012*
*
*
*Save a life. Adopt a pet from a homeless shelter. You are their only
hope. **http://www.humanesociety.org/ **www.petfinder.com*
Andreas Nodl's auction basket. Includes a signed game-worn jersey, signed Hurricanes hat, Transformers DVD set, silver iPod Nano with iTunes gift card, Massage Envy gift card, signed bottles of Stag Leap and Chappellet wine, and Milka chocolates.
February 26, 2012. Carolina Hurricanes Kids 'N Community Foundation Casino Night, RBC Center, Raleigh, NC.
© Jamie Kellner 2012. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce or reuse in any manner without express permission.
"Cedar Grove Cemetery is a historic cemetery located at New Bern, Craven County, North Carolina. It was established in 1800, and is encircled by a magnificent paneled coquina wall built in 1853 and broken by a towering triple-arch entrance. It includes family plots, some of which are enclosed by cast iron fencing. Located in the cemetery is the Confederate memorial. The cemetery was owned by Christ Episcopal Church until 1853, when it was transferred to the town of New Bern.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.
New Bern, formerly called Newbern, is a city in Craven County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 29,524, which had risen to an estimated 29,994 as of 2019. It is the county seat of Craven County and the principal city of the New Bern Metropolitan Statistical Area.
It is located at the confluence of the Neuse and the Trent rivers, near the North Carolina coast. It lies 112 miles (180 km) east of Raleigh, 80 miles (130 km) north of Wilmington, and 162 miles (261 km) south of Norfolk. New Bern is the birthplace of Pepsi.
New Bern was founded in October 1710 by the Palatines and Swiss under the leadership of Christoph von Graffenried. The new colonists named their settlement after Bern, the Swiss region from which many of the colonists and their patron had emigrated. The flag and arms of the American city are virtually identical to those of the Swiss canton. The English connection with Switzerland had been established by some Marian exiles who sought refuge in Protestant parts of Switzerland. There were also marriages between the House of Stuart and notable people in the history of Calvinism. The colonists later discovered they had started their settlement on the site of a former Tuscarora village named Chattoka. This caused conflicts with the Tuscaroras who were in the area.
New Bern is the second-oldest European settled colonial town in North Carolina, after Bath. It served as the capital of North Carolina from 1770 to 1792. After the American Revolution (1775–1783), New Bern became wealthy and quickly developed a rich cultural life. At one time New Bern was called "the Athens of the South," renowned for its Masonic Temple and Athens Theater. These are both still very active today.
New Bern has four historic districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places; their numerous contributing buildings include residences, stores and churches dating back to the early eighteenth century. Within walking distance of the waterfront are more than 164 homes and buildings listed on the National Register. Also nearby are several bed and breakfasts, hotels, restaurants, banks, antiques stores and specialty shops. The historic districts contain many of the city's 2,000 crape myrtles—its official flower—and developed gardens. New Bern has two "Local Historic Districts", a municipal zoning overlay that affords legal protection to the exteriors of New Bern's historic structures." - info from Wikipedia.
The fall of 2022 I did my 3rd major cycling tour. I began my adventure in Montreal, Canada and finished in Savannah, GA. This tour took me through the oldest parts of Quebec and the 13 original US states. During this adventure I cycled 7,126 km over the course of 2.5 months and took more than 68,000 photos. As with my previous tours, a major focus was to photograph historic architecture.
Now on Instagram.
Distribution of Solar LED Lanterns to The Best Performing Students of Rukhsana Foundation Welfare School.
Dated: Thursday March 03, 2016
Location: Model Town Lahore.
Project: Pehli Kiran
Motivation plays an important role in the grooming of students. Motivation energizes, directs and sustains behavior of the students. Simultaneously motivation involves goals & activities that develop key skills in the students to set up goals and plan actions to achieve them. As a mean of encouragement, Mr. Pervaiz Lodhie founder and president of “ LEDtronics Inc.” and “Shaan Technologies Private Limited” visited the “Rukhsana Foundation Welfare School on March 3, 2016 and distributed Solar Powered Lanterns to 18 best performing students in 3 categories i.e.
Best performance in studies
Best attendance and
Best class participation
Aim of this activity is to motivate students to perform better as well as to create a positive competition among the student to achieve better results. During the event Solar lanterns were distributed only to the selected students. Later Pervaiz Lodhie offered the same lanterns to 30 teachers and staff members as a token of appreciation for running one of the best elementary schools in the town.
Mrs. Rukhsana Mushtaq Tahirkheli, Chairperson of Rukhsana Foundation started this elementary school in January 2008 for the underprivileged children whose families could not afford to educate them. Besides education all school supplies and facilities are provided to students free of cost. Many of these children collect garbage in order to supplement their parents’ income, and one of our goals is to provide them with basic skills and crafts that can qualify them to work and earn money in a safe and healthy way.The school not only provides a basic, elementary level of education to the children, but also teaches them basic social skills and manners so that they get prepared to compete in the real world. These skills include general personal hygiene, prevention of basic illnesses and Moral Sciences. Essential medical check-ups and vaccination is also provided to all students, free of charge.
The Lower Trout Lake Bathhouse Complex and Contact Station includes five Mid-Century Modern resources, located on
two separate land parcels, in the same section of the Bald Mountain Recreation Area in Orion Township. The Lower Trout Lake Bathhouse Complex and Contact Station was designed in the mid-1960s by internationally renowned Michigan
architect Gunnar Birkerts. The larger of the two parcels of land contains a bathhouse complex of four closely spaced circular buildings – Men’s and Women’s Bathhouses, a Concession Stand, and a Pump House – all grouped within a large
circular pad of concrete pavement set back from the beach at Lower Trout Lake. The nomination also includes a small round Contact Station or “control booth” located about 4,600 feet away on the entrance road into this southern section of
the Bald Mountain Recreation Area. The buildings are closely related by their circular forms, concrete construction, and,
before vandals stripped them, copper roofs.
The Lower Trout Lake Bathhouse Complex and Contact Station is significant under criteria A and C. It is a set of Park
Service Modern buildings inspired by the nationwide Mission 66 program. The buildings were designed by world renowned architect Gunnar Birkerts who is known for his high-style modern structures. The Lower Trout Lake Bathhouse Complex and Contact Station’s structures are examples of two complimentary forms of mid-century modern design; one, a style of park building known as Park Service Modern, made popular by the National Park Service and the Mission 66 program architects; the other, the distinctive architectural style produced by Gunnar Birkerts at the time, during the beginning of the busiest point in his career. The buildings are less than fifty years old, yet because of their unique design, association with a
nation-wide program, and were designed by a master architect; they are eligible for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places at the National level.
The Lower Trout Lake Bathhouse Complex and
Contact Station was listed in the National Register of HIstoric Places on September 3, 2013.
Save on this Product! Shutter Kit brings you a great 11 piece camera accessories bundle set for the Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 or Mini 8 Instant Camera. From our super cute Hot bag to our 10 piece hanging frame set we help you get the most use and fun out of your Fujifilm Instant Camera. All of the Shutter Kit products...
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Hot and sunny for today's Brighton Pride Parade. I caught some of the characters as they prepared to leave from Hove Lawns
Necropolis in Orlyonok Park.
Includes a mass grave (1919-1942) and three separate burials (1941-1942). The mass grave was created on the cadet parade ground in September 1919, where 50 Red Army soldiers who died in battles with the White Guard formations of the Volunteer Army from September 8 to 13, 1919, were buried.
The Great Patriotic War (Russian: Вели́кая Оте́чественная война́, romanized: Velikaja Otečestvennaja vojna) is a term used in Russia and some other former republics of the Soviet Union to describe the conflict fought during the period from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945 along the many fronts of the Eastern Front of World War II, primarily between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany. For some legal purposes, this period may be extended to 11 May 1945 to include the end of the Prague offensive.
History
The term Patriotic War refers to the Russian resistance to the French invasion of Russia under Napoleon I, which became known as the Patriotic War of 1812. In Russian, the term отечественная война originally referred to a war on one's own territory (otechestvo means "the fatherland"), as opposed to a campaign abroad (заграничная война), and later was reinterpreted as a war for the fatherland, i.e. a defensive war for one's homeland. Sometimes the Patriotic War of 1812 was also referred to as the Great Patriotic War (Великая отечественная война); the phrase first appeared in 1844 and became popular on the eve of the centenary of the Patriotic War of 1812.
After 1914, the phrase was applied to World War I. It was the name of a special war-time appendix to the magazine Theater and Life (Театр и жизнь) in Saint Petersburg, and referred to the Eastern Front of World War I, where Russia fought against the German Empire and the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The phrases Second Patriotic War (Вторая отечественная война) and Great World Patriotic War (Великая всемирная отечественная война) were also used during World War I in Russia.
The term Great Patriotic War re-appeared in the official newspaper of the CPSU, Pravda, on 23 June 1941, just a day after Germany invaded the Soviet Union. It was found in the title of "The Great Patriotic War of the Soviet People" (Velikaya Otechestvennaya Voyna Sovetskogo Naroda), a long article by Yemelyan Yaroslavsky, a member of Pravda editors' collegium. The phrase was intended to motivate the population to defend the Soviet fatherland and to expel the invader, and a reference to the Patriotic War of 1812 was seen as a great morale booster. During the Soviet period, historians engaged in huge distortions to make history fit with Communist ideology, with Marshal Mikhail Kutuzov and Prince Pyotr Bagration transformed into peasant generals, Alexander I alternatively ignored or vilified, and the war becoming a massive "People's War" fought by the ordinary people of Russia with almost no involvement on the part of the government. The invasion by Germany was called the Great Patriotic War by the Soviet government to evoke comparisons with the victory by Tsar Alexander I over Napoleon's invading army.
The term Отечественная война (Patriotic War or Fatherland War) was officially recognized by establishment of the Order of the Patriotic War on 20 May 1942, awarded for heroic deeds.
The term is not generally used outside the former Soviet Union, and the closest term is the Eastern Front of World War II (1941–1945). Neither term covers the initial phase of World War II in Eastern Europe, during which the USSR, then still in a non-aggression pact with Germany, invaded eastern Poland (1939), the Baltic states (1940), Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina (1940) and Finland (1939–1940). The term also does not cover the Soviet–Japanese War (1945) nor the Battles of Khalkhin Gol (1939).
In Russia and some other post-Soviet countries, the term is given great significance; it is accepted as a representation of the most important part of World War II. Until 2014, Uzbekistan was the only nation in the Commonwealth of Independent States that had not recognized the term, referring to it as World War II on the state holiday - the Day of Remembrance and Honour.
A Text, in english, from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
Black Swan, photographed in Brasília's Zoo, Brazil.
The Black Swan (Cygnus atratus) is a large waterbird which breeds mainly in the southeast and southwest regions of Australia.
Taxonomy:
Black swans were first seen by Europeans in 1697, when Willem de Vlamingh's expedition explored the Swan River, Western Australia.
The black swan was described scientifically by English naturalist John Latham in 1790. It was formerly placed into a monotypic genus, Chenopis.
The common name ‘Swan’ is a gender neutral term, but ‘cob’ for a male and ‘pen’ for a female are also used, as is ‘cygnet’ for the young. Collective nouns include a ‘bank’ (on the ground) and a ‘wedge’ (in flight). Black Swans can be found singly, or in loose companies numbering into the hundreds or even thousands.
Description:
Black Swans are primarily black feathered birds, with white flight feathers. The bill is bright red, with a pale bar and tip; and legs and feet are greyish-black. Cobs (males) are slightly larger than pens (females), with a longer and straighter bill. Cygnets (immature birds) are a greyish-brown with pale-edged feathers.
A mature Black Swan measures between 110 and 142 cm (43-56 in) in length and weighs 3.7–9 kg (8.1-20 lbs). Its wing span is between 1.6 and 2 metres (5.3-6.5 ft). The neck is long (relatively the longest neck among the swans) and curved in an "S".
The Black Swan utters a musical and far reaching bugle-like sound, called either on the water or in flight, as well as a range of softer crooning notes. It can also whistle, especially when disturbed while breeding and nesting.
The Black Swan is unlike any other Australian bird, although in poor light and at long range it may be confused with a Magpie Goose in flight. However, the black swan can be distinguished by its much longer neck and slower wing beat.
Distribution:
The species has a large range, with figures between one to ten million km² given as the extent of occurrence. The current global population is estimated to be up to 500,000 individuals. No threat of extinction, or significant decline in population has been identified with this numerous and widespread bird.
The Black Swan is common in the wetlands of south western and eastern Australia and adjacent coastal islands. In the south west the range ecompasses an area between North West Cape, Cape Leeuwin and Eucla; while in the east it covers are large region bounded by the Atherton Tableland, the Eyre Peninsula and Tasmania, with the Murray Darling Basin supporting very large populations of black swans. It is uncommon in central and northern Australia.
The Black Swan’s preferred habitat extends across fresh, brackish and salt water lakes, swamps and rivers with underwater and emergent vegetation for food and nesting materials. Permanent wetlands are preferred, including ornamental lakes, but black swans can also be found in flooded pastures and tidal mudflats, and occasionally on the open sea near islands or the shore.
Black Swans were once thought to be sedentary, but the species is now known to be highly nomadic. There is no set migratory pattern, but rather opportunistic responses to either rainfall or drought. In high rainfall years, emigration occurs from the south west and south east into the interior, with a reverse immigration to these heartlands in drier years. When rain does fall in the arid central regions, black swans will migrate to these areas to nest and raise their young. However, should dry conditions return before the young have been raised, the adult birds will abandon the nests and their eggs or cygnets and return to wetter areas.
Black Swans, like many other water fowl, lose all their flight feathers at once when they moult after breeding, and they are unable to fly for about a month. During this time they will usually settle on large, open waters for safety.
Introduced populations
Before the arrival of the Māori in New Zealand, a sub-species of the Black Swan known as the New Zealand Swan had developed in the islands, but was apparently hunted to extinction. In 1864, the Australian Black Swan was introduced to New Zealand as an ornamental waterfowl, and populations are now common on larger coastal or inland lakes, especially Rotorua Lakes, Lake Wairarapa and Lake Ellesmere, and the Chatham Islands.[6] Black Swans have also naturally flown to New Zealand, leading some people to consider them a native rather than exotic species, although the present population appears to be largely descended from deliberate introductions.
The Black Swan is also very popular as an ornamental waterbird in Western Europe, especially Britain, and escapes are commonly reported. As yet the population in Britain is not considered to be self-sustaining and so the species is not afforded admission to the official British List, but the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust have recorded a maximum of nine breeding pairs in the UK in 2001, with an estimate of 43 feral birds in 2003/04 (though that is undoubtedly an under-estimate given the level of monitoring undertaken).
A colony of Black Swans in Dawlish, Devon has become so well associated with the town that the bird has been the town's emblem for forty years.
Behaviour:
When swimming, black swans hold their necks arched or erect, and often carry their feathers or wings raised in an aggressive display. In flight, a wedge of black swans will form as a line or a V, with the individual birds flying strongly with undulating long necks, making whistling sounds with their wings and baying, bugling or trumpeting calls.
Nesting:
Generally, black swans nest in the wetter winter months (February to September), occasionally in large colonies. A typical clutch contains 4 to 8 greenish-white eggs that are incubated for about 35–40 days. After hatching, the cygnets are tended by the parents for about 6 months until fledging, and may ride on their parent's back for longer trips into deeper water.
A Black Swan nest is essentially a large heap or mound of reeds, grasses and weeds between 1 and 1.5 metres (3-4½ feet) in diameter and up to 1 metre high, in shallow water or on islands. A nest is reused every year, restored or rebuilt as needed. Both parents share the care of the nest. Like other swans, the black swan is largely monogamous, pairing for life (about 6% divorce rate). Recent studies have shown that around a third of all broods exhibit extra-pair paternity.
Sexuality:
An estimated one-quarter of all black swans pairings are homosexual and they steal nests, or form temporary threesomes with females to obtain eggs, driving away the female after she lays the eggs. Several swan species exhibit lifelong homosocial behaviours, and the same phenomenon can also be found in a number of other water-birds, notably geese and flamingos, where it serves as a flexible life strategy.
In swans, the pair is the central social unit. The birds reinforce the unit with frequent preening and sex. When one dies the other will usually live out the remainder of its life alone, which is also the norm for male-female couples. The pair builds nests, raise cygnets and defends the territory. Two cobs, being bigger and stronger than a cob (male) and a pen, (female) can hold down a larger territory, and provide their cygnets with more to eat.
Such same-sex pairs represent a major fitness bonus to a pen, and pens without partners will seek out these couples, have sex with one or other of the cobs and lay eggs in their nest. She is then chased off, not being a part of the pair, and the cobs raise the cygnets themselves. Having access to more food the brood have up to ten times the survival rate of a brood with a heterosexual swan couple. From an evolutionary point of view, this is a very rewarding strategy for the cobs as well.
This situation only holds true as long as a nest and/or a territory is in short supply. The two males will have a fitness loss in that they (1) have no guarantee they are the actual fathers of the cygnets (not being bonded with the female) and (2) will have to split reproduction between them.
A same-sex lifestyle will be advantageous in some situations, but not in others. However, having a partner is a requisite for building a nest and keeping a territory, and an opposite-sex partner may not always be available when forming pairs. Thus, the ability to form a male pair is a normal part of the black swan’s social behaviour and an example of a flexible life strategy in the species.
Conservation:
The Black Swan is protected under the Australian National Parks and Wildlife Act, 1974. It is evaluated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Australian culture:
Main article: Black Swan emblems and popular culture
The Black Swan was a literary or artistic image, even before the discovery of Cygnus atratus. Cultural reference has been based on symbolic contrast and as a distinctive motif.
The Black Swan's role in Australian heraldry and culture extends to the first founding of the colonies in the eighteenth century. It has often been equated with antipodean identity, the contrast to the white swan of the northern hemisphere indicating 'Australianess'. The Black Swan is featured on the flag, and is both the state and bird emblem, of Western Australia; it also appears in the Coat of Arms and other iconography of the state's institutions.
Fotografado no Zoológico de Brasília, Brasil.
Um texto, em português, da Wikipédia:
O Cisne-negro (Cygnus atratus) é uma ave aquática australiana . É a ave oficial do estado da Austrália Ocidental.
Pertence à família Anatidae, a que pertencem os patos, gansos, e cisnes.
Podem-se encontrar em todos os estados da Austrália. O animal adulto pode pesar até 9 kg. Ao contrário de muitas outras aves aquáticas, os cisnes negros não têm hábitos migratórios. Passam a sua vida no local onde nasceram.
Nidificam em grandes aterros que constroem, no meio de lagos poucos profundos. Os ninhos são utilizados de ano para ano, reparando-se e reconstruindo-se quando necessário. O ninho está tanto ao cuidado do macho quanto ao cuidado da fêmea. Quando as crias já estão aptas para nadar, com a sua plumagem definitiva, é comum ver famílias inteiras em busca de alimento nos lagos.
Os cisnes são aves aquáticas da sub-família Anserinae, que inclui também os gansos. No seu conjunto formam o género Cygnus, sendo caracterizados pelo longo pescoço e por patas curtas. A sua distribuição geográfica é diversificada, sendo os cisnes do hemisfério norte brancos, enquanto que os do hemisfério sul apresentam plumagem por vezes colorida. Os cisnes formam casais monogâmicos e constroem ninhos onde chocam entre 3 a 8 ovos. Se a nidificação falha, é comum os membros do casal procurarem outro parceiro.
Espécies
Cygnus atratus (Latham, 1790) - Cisne-negro
Cygnus melanocorypha (Molina, 1782) - Cisne-de-pescoço-preto
Cygnus olor (Gmelin, 1789) - Cisne-branco
Cygnus buccinator Richardson, 1831 - Cisne-trombeteiro
Cygnus columbianus (Ord, 1815) - Cisne-pequeno
Cygnus bewickii Yarrel, 1830 - Cisne-de-bewick
Cygnus cygnus (Linnaeus, 1758) - Cisne-bravo
Cisnes na Cultura:
O Patinho Feio, um conto de Hans Christian Andersen
O Lago dos Cisnes, um bailado
Cisne Negro Companhia de Dança (Brasil)
Os cisnes aparecem na face nacional das Moedas de euro finlandesas
Cygnus é o nome de uma constelação.
For your convenience, Exile from Venus, by E. Hoffmann Price, may also be downloaded as a single pdf file from the following link:
cthulhuwho1.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/exile-from-venus-...
Aside from Barnes and Nobels, MYSTIC by R.E is now available on TEENSPICK.COM as a pdf!
Mystic
Includes detailed, full, and accurate:
ASTROLOGY
DREAM DICTIONARY
TAROT CARD MEANINGS
TAROT SPREADS
SUPERSTITIONS
SPELLS (how to create spells)
FENG SHUI
COFFEE FORTUNE TELLING
NUMEROLOGY
FACE READING
And more
Horoscope, Astrology, Tarot, Magic, Ebook, Astro, Zodiac,
This is a photograph from the Forest Marathon festival 2013 which was held in the beautiful Coillte forest of Portumna in Co. Galway, Ireland on Saturday 15th June 2013. The event includes a 10k, a full marathon, a half marathon and two ultra-running events - a 50k and 100k race. The races started at 08:00 with the 100KM, the 50KM at 10:00, and subsequent races at two hour intervals onwards. All events started and finished within the forest with the exception of the half marathon and marathon which started outside of the forest. All events see participants complete 5KM loops of the forest which start and end at the car-park/amenity end of the forest. There is an official Refreshment/Handling Zones at this point on the loop.
The event was organised by international coach Sebastien Locteau from SportsIreland.ie and his fantastic team of volunteers from Galway and beyond. Congratulations to Seb on organising a very professionally run event and an event which is growing bigger and more prestigious with each passing year. There was an incredible atmosphere amongst the runners, the spectators, and the organisers. Hats off to everyone involved.
The marathon, 50KM, and 100KM events are sanctioned by Athletics Ireland and AIMS (the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races). The event has also achieved IAU (International Association of Ultrarunners) Bronze Label status for 2013.
Electronic timing was provided by RedTagTiming: www.redtagtiming.com/
Energy Bars, Gels, Drinks etc were provided by Fuel4Sport: www.fuel4sport.ie/
This is a set of photographs taken at various points on the 5KM loop in the Forest and contains photographs of competitors from all of the events except the 10KM race.
Viewing this on a smartphone device?
If you are viewing this Flickr set on a smartphone and you want to see the larger version(s) of this photograph then: scroll down to the bottom of this description under the photograph and click the "View info about this photo..." link. You will be brought to a new page and you should click the link "View All Sizes".
Overall Race Summary
Participants: Approximately 600 people took part across all of the events which were staged: 10km, half marathon, marathon, 50km, and 100KM.
Weather: The weather was unfortunately not what a summer's day in June should be like - there was rain, some breeze, but mild temperatures.
Course: This is a fast flat course depending on your event. The course is left handed around the Forest and roughly looks like a figure of 8 in terms of routing.
Location Map: Start/finish area on Google StreetView [goo.gl/maps/WWTgD] are inside the parklands and trails
Refreshments: There are no specific refreshments but the race organizers provide very adequate supplies for all participants.
Some Useful Links
Official Race Event Website: www.forestmarathon.com/
The Boards.ie Athletics Forum Thread for the 2013 Event: www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056874371
A GPS Garmin Trace of the Course Profile (from the 50KM event) connect.garmin.com/activity/189495781
Our Flickr Photographs from the 2012 Events: www.flickr.com/photos/peterm7/sets/72157630146344494/
Our Flickr Photographs from the 2011 Events: www.flickr.com/photos/peterm7/sets/72157626865466587/
Title Sponsors Sports Ireland Website: sites.google.com/a/sportsireland.ie/welcome-sports-irelan...
A VIDEO of the Course: www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=2FLxE...
Google StreetView of the Entrance to Portuma Forest: goo.gl/maps/MX62O
Wikipedia: Read about Portumna and Portumna Forest Park: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portumna#Portumna_Forest_Park
Coilte Ourdoors Website: www.coillteoutdoors.ie/?id=53&rec_site=115
Portumna Forest on EveryTrails: www.everytrail.com/guide/portumna-forest-park-woodland-tr...
More about the IAU Bronze Label: www.iau-ultramarathon.org/index.asp?menucode=h07&tmp=...
How can I get a full resolution copy of these photographs?
All of the photographs here on this Flickr set have a visible watermark embedded in them. All of the photographs posted here on this Flickr set are available offline, free, at no cost, at full image resolution WITHOUT watermark. We take these photographs as a hobby and as a contribution to the running community in Ireland. Our only "cost" is our request that if you are using these images: (1) on social media sites such as Facebook, Tumblr, Pinterest, Twitter,LinkedIn, Google+, etc or (2) other websites, web multimedia, commercial/promotional material that you provide a link back to our Flickr page to attribute us. This also extends the use of these images for Facebook profile pictures. In these cases please make a separate wall or blog post with a link to our Flickr page. If you do not know how this should be done for Facebook or other social media please email us and we will be happy to help suggest how to link to us.
Please email petermooney78 AT gmail DOT com with the links to the photographs you would like to obtain a full resolution copy of. We also ask race organisers, media, etc to ask for permission before use of our images for flyers, posters, etc. We reserve the right to refuse a request.
In summary please remember - all we ask is for you to link back to our Flickr set or Flickr pages. Taking the photographs and preparing them for online posting does take a significant effort. We are not posting photographs to Flickr for commercial reasons. If you really like what we do please spread the link around your social media, send us an email, leave a comment beside the photographs, send us a Flickr email, etc.
If you would like to contribute something for your photograph(s)?
Many people offer payment for our photographs. As stated above we do not charge for these photographs. We take these photographs as our contribution to the running community in Ireland. If you feel that the photograph(s) you request are good enough that you would consider paying for their purchase from other photographic providers we would suggest that you can provide a donation to any of the great charities in Ireland who do work for Cancer Care or Cancer Research in Ireland.
I ran in the race - but my photograph doesn't appear here in your Flickr set! What gives?
As mentioned above we take these photographs as a hobby and as a voluntary contribution to the running community in Ireland. Very often we have actually ran in the same race and then switched to photographer mode after we finished the race. Consequently, we feel that we have no obligations to capture a photograph of every participant in the race. However, we do try our very best to capture as many participants as possible. But this is sometimes not possible for a variety of reasons:
►You were hidden behind another participant as you passed our camera
►Weather or lighting conditions meant that we had some photographs with blurry content which we did not upload to our Flickr set
►There were too many people - some races attract thousands of participants and as amateur photographs we cannot hope to capture photographs of everyone
►We simply missed you - sorry about that - we did our best!
You can email us petermooney78 AT gmail DOT com to enquire if we have a photograph of you which didn't make the final Flickr selection for the race. But we cannot promise that there will be photograph there. As alternatives we advise you to contact the race organisers to enquire if there were (1) other photographs taking photographs at the race event or if (2) there were professional commercial sports photographers taking photographs which might have some photographs of you available for purchase. You might find some links for further information above.
Don't like your photograph here?
That's OK! We understand!
If, for any reason, you are not happy or comfortable with your picture appearing here in this photoset on Flickr then please email us at petermooney78 AT gmail DOT com and we will remove it as soon as possible. We give careful consideration to each photograph before uploading.
I want to tell people about these great photographs!
Great! Thank you! The best link to spread the word around is probably www.flickr.com/peterm7/sets
"From curated gardens to native Piedmont forest, no other place in Atlanta captures the variety of landscapes that have shaped our city’s history."
www.atlantahistorycenter.com/buildings-and-grounds/goizue...
Goizueta Gardens is a 33-acre landscape encompassing nine distinct gardens—including preserved woodland, diverse plant collections, and heritage-breed animals.
Olguita’s Garden: - This ornamental garden is in bloom throughout the year, with a rich tapestry of flowering and foliage plants selected for color, fragrance, texture, and an English garden aesthetic. The garden spans the entire rear façade of the Atlanta History Museum, encompassing an amphitheater for seating. Double borders lead to Neel Reid-designed columns, encircling a reflective water feature. This garden celebrates the life of Goizueta Gardens honoree Olga “Olguita” C. de Goizueta.
Smith Farm Gardens: - Explore a variety of heirloom plants, flowers, and animal breeds at Smith Farm. The landscape represents Smith Farm in its early era, with historic varieties of crops in the fields, the enslaved people’s garden, the kitchen garden, and a swept yard by the house planted with heirloom flowers such as love-lies-bleeding (Amaranthus sp.) and rose campion (Lychnis coronaria). Surrounding the farm’s outbuildings are naturalistic, native plantings. Heritage-breed sheep, goats, chickens, and turkeys are representative of the types of livestock found on this type of farm.
Smith Farm tells the story of Georgia farm life and enslavement at Atlanta’s oldest surviving farmhouse. The farm accurately represents a working slaveholding farm of the Atlanta area in the 1860s with historic buildings moved here for preservation. The landscape represents Smith Farm in its early era, with historic varieties of crops in the fields, the enslaved people’s garden, the kitchen garden, and a swept yard by the house planted with heirloom flowers such as love-lies-bleeding (Amaranthus sp.) and rose campion (Lychnis coronaria). Surrounding the farm’s outbuildings are naturalistic, native plantings. Heritage-breed sheep, goats, chickens, and turkeys are representative of the types of livestock found on this type of farm.
Entrance Gardens - The Entrance Gardens and 60-foot Tree Table are the newest additions to our campus and span eight acres, welcoming guests all year long.
Inspired by the New Perennial Movement and a desire to create a sustainable urban landscape, this series of unique garden spaces feature sweeping perennial beds and pollinator-attracting plants. Special care has been taken to incorporate and emphasize native plants.
The New Perennial Movement, an evolution of the Dutch Wave and the New American Garden, inspired the Entrance Gardens’ design. Unique amongst the more traditional Atlanta styles including classic boxwood and mixed border aesthetics, this style of garden is meant to emulate the American prairie. Well known examples of the New Perennial Movement in the U.S. include New York City’s High Line and the Lurie Garden in Chicago’s Millennium Park.
The style is typified by a natural, sweeping color story created by the interwoven placements of mass perennial plantings, with emphasis on grasses. As the gardens grow over the next few years, there will be no bare ground to be seen, creating a seamless landscape. Unlike our usual American habit of tidying up gardens, the Entrance Gardens will not be universally cut back in fall. Instead, plants will be left standing all winter as they would in the wild—encouraging moisture retention in the soil, preventing erosion, and providing habitat for wildlife.
The plant selection and management of this style of garden is rooted in responsible stewardship of the environment. The plants selected do not require extra fertilization or other chemical inputs because they are carefully matched to the variety of soil and light conditions presented in these gardens.
Over half of the 10,000 plants that have been placed in the Entrance Gardens so far are native to Georgia, including uncommon species that deserve wider recognition and use in gardens. Goizueta Gardens staff researched plants that support high numbers of pollinators to be used in large quantities. The result is a garden buzzing with pollinators—which also means it will attract birds who eat insects and rely on insect larvae for their young.
.....
The new, multiple-use Skills Development Center here was opened to the public following a ribbon-cutting ceremony held Sept. 7, 2012 in front of the facility. The multipurpose facility includes an Auto Skills Center, Arts and Crafts Center, Military Clothing Sales and Army Supply Center in one complex.
About the United States Army Garrison Japan:
The United States Army Garrison Japan and its 16 supported installation sites are located in the island of Honshu and Okinawa in Japan. The USAG Japan mission is to support the Headquarters, U.S. Army Japan / I Corps (fwd) to ensure mission readiness and the quality of life of the Army community in a sustainable, transforming joint and combined environment.
The USAG-J area of responsibility spans 1,500 miles from north to south of Japan. Camp Zama, home for both HQ USARJ and USAG-J is located approximately 25 miles southwest of Tokyo in the cities of Zama and Sagamihara in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. The Camp Zama base cluster includes Sagamihara Housing Area and Sagami General Depot.
Akasaka Press Center is located in the center of Tokyo. The Akizuki/Kure area near Hiroshima is an ammunition depot. Yokohama North Dock is a port facility in the city of Yokohama, a major commerce port and a popular shopping area. USAG Torii Station is located 980 miles southwest of Camp Zama on the island of Okinawa.
We are the Army's home in Japan and the "Garrison of Choice" for Soldiers, Civilians and their Family members. We are committed in becoming the leader in the U.S. Army Installation Management Command by providing world-class installation services.
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To learn more about USAG Japan, please visit:
Official Website - www.usagj.jp.pac.army.mil
Facebook - www.facebook.com/usagj
Flickr - www.flickr.com/usagj
YouTube - www.youtube.com/usagjapan
Vimeo - www.vimeo.com/usagj
Twitter - www.twitter.com/usagjapan
Slideshare - www.slideshare.net/usagjapan
USARJ This Week on YouTube - www.youtube.com/usarjthisweek
White washed houses and splashes of colour were one of the prominent features in Capleira, Las Alpujarras. Spain
Sea Shanties and Christmas carols from the Wellington Wailers in the Duke of Wellington pub, Shoreham. The place was packed, including a few Ricardo colleagues sampling "Black Light" a beer created by a local group and brewed at Upper Beeding. The pub has an extensive ale selection.
The white wagtail (Motacilla alba) is a small passerine bird in the wagtail family Motacillidae, which also includes the pipits and longclaws. This species breeds in much of Europe and Asia and parts of north Africa. It is resident in the mildest parts of its range, but otherwise migrates to Africa. It has a toehold in Alaska as a scarce breeder. In the British Isles the darker sub-species the pied wagtail (M. a. yarrellii) predominates.
The white wagtail is an insectivorous bird of open country, often near habitation and water. It prefers bare areas for feeding, where it can see and pursue its prey. In urban areas it has adapted to foraging on paved areas such as car parks. It nests in crevices in stone walls and similar natural and man-made structures.
The white wagtail is the national bird of Latvia
Taxonomy and systematics
Breeding ranges of the major races
The white wagtail was one of the many species originally described by Linnaeus in his 18th-century work, Systema Naturae, and it still bears its original name of Motacilla alba.[3] The Latin genus name originally meant "little mover", but certain medieval writers thought it meant "wag-tail", giving rise to a new Latin word cilla for "tail".[4] The specific epithet alba is Latin for "white".
Within the wagtail genus Motacilla, the white wagtail's closest relatives appear to be other black-and-white wagtails such as the Japanese wagtail, Motacilla grandis, and the white-browed wagtail, Motacilla madaraspatensis (and possibly the Mekong wagtail, Motacilla samveasnae, the phylogenetic position of which is mysterious), with which it appears to form a superspecies. However, mtDNA cytochrome b and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 sequence data suggests that the white wagtail is itself polyphyletic or paraphyletic (i.e. the species is not itself a single coherent grouping).[5] Other phylogenetic studies using mtDNA still suggest that there is considerable gene flow within the races and the resulting closeness makes Motacilla alba a single species.[6] Some studies have suggested the existence of only two groups : the alboides group, with M. a. alboides, M. a. leucopsis and M. a. personata; and the alba group, with M. a. alba, M. a. yarrellii, M. a. baicalensis, M. a. ocularis, M. a. lugens, and M. a. subpersonata.[7]
Description
An adult with a juvenile in Kazakhstan
The white wagtail is a slender bird, 16.5–19 cm (6½–7½ in) in length (East Asian subspecies are longer, measuring up to 21 cm (8¼ in), with the characteristic long, constantly wagging tail of its genus. Its average weight is 25 g (0.88 oz) and the maximum lifespan in the wild is c. 12 years.[8] The nominate subspecies Motacilla alba alba is basically grey above and white below, with a white face, black cap and black throat.
There are a number of other subspecies, some of which may have arisen because of partial geographical isolation, such as the resident British form, the pied wagtail M. a. yarrellii, which now also breeds in adjacent areas of the neighbouring European mainland. The pied wagtail, named for naturalist William Yarrell, exchanges the grey colour of the nominate form with black (or very dark grey in females), but is otherwise identical in its behaviour. Other subspecies, the validity of some of which is questionable, differ in the colour of the wings, back, and head, or other features. Some races show sexual dimorphism during the breeding season. As many as six subspecies may be present in the wintering ground in India or Southeast Asia and here they can be difficult to distinguish.[9][10][11][12] Phylogenetic studies using mtDNA suggest that some morphological features have evolved more than once, including the back and chin colour. Breeding M. a. yarrellii look much like the nominate race except for the black back, and M. a. alboides of the Himalayas differs from the Central Asian M. a. personata only by its black back. M. a. personata has been recorded breeding in the Siddar Valley of Kashmir of the Western Himalayas.[13] It has also been noted that both back and chin change colour during the pre-basic moult; all black-throated subspecies develop white chins and throats in winter and some black-backed birds are grey-backed in winter.[6][9]
The call of the white wagtail is a sharp chisick, slightly softer than the version given by the pied wagtail. The song is a pleasant twittering, more regular in White than Pied, but with little territorial significance, since the male uses a series of contact calls to attract the female.[14]
Subspecies
Nine or eleven subspecies are currently recognised. Information on the plumage differences and distribution of the subspecies of the white wagtail is shown below.[15]
Subspecies Range Notes Image
M. a. alba Europe from the Iberian Peninsula to Ural Mountains, Turkey, the Levant, Iceland, the Faroe Islands and Greenland's east coast. Some migrate to the south of Europe and Africa down as far as Kenya and Malawi Nominate subspecies Motacilla alba alba.JPG
M. a. yarrellii Great Britain and Ireland, birds in the northern part of the range winter in Spain and North Africa, those further south are resident.[16] Pied wagtail. Has a much blacker back than the nominate race, black of throat continues on side of neck Pied (white) wagtail (Motacilla alba yarrellii).JPG
M. a. dukhunensis West Siberian Plain – east Caspian Sea (part of Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan), winters in the Middle East and India. Sometimes included in alba.[16] Indian pied wagtail. The upperparts of this subspecies are paler and more blue-grey than nominate, and has it has a continuous unbroken white panel on wing coverts.
M. a. persica North central and western Iran. Intermediate between M. a. dukhunensis and M. a. personata. Often included in alba; appears to be hybrid or intergrade population.[16] MotacillaAlbaPersica.jpg
M. a. subpersonata Non-migratory resident of Morocco Moroccan wagtail. It has more black on the head than the nominate, and resembles a grey-backed, white-throated African pied wagtail[16] Moroccan Wagtail.jpg
M. a. personata Hindu Kush, Tian Shan, Altay Mountains (northern Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Xinjiang) Masked wagtail. All-black head with a white face mask White wagtail - Male (Non-breeding- personata race) at Hodal- I IMG 9164.jpg
M. a. alboides Himalayas and surrounding area This subspecies has a black back and a lot of black around the head, a white wing panel and white edges on the secondaries and tertials.
M. a. baicalensis Russia in Lake Baikal area, Mongolia, Inner Mongolia Resembles M. a. leucopsis but grey back and less white on head and wing.
M. a. ocularis Siberia, Far Eastern (Russia, eastwards from Central Siberian Plateau) expanding into West Alaska
M. a. lugens Russia Far East (Primorsky Krai, Khabarovsk Krai), Kamchatka Peninsula, Kuril Islands, Sakhalin, Japan (Hokkaidō, Honshū) Black-backed wagtail or kamchatka/Japanese pied wagtail, similar to M. a. yarrellii, but has a black eyestripe and white remiges; might have a claim to constitute a distinct species. Hakusekirei 06f5184cav.jpg
M. a. leucopsis China, Korean Peninsula, Taiwan, Japan (Ryukyu Islands, Kyūshū), expanding into Japan (Honshū), Southeast Asia, India, and Oceania Amur wagtail[17][18][19] White Wagtail- (Non-breeding- leucopsis race) at Kolkata I1 IMG 5597.jpg
Distribution and habitat
Worldwide distribution of the white wagtail. Yellow denotes summer range, green year round range, blue winter range.
This species breeds throughout Eurasia up to latitudes 75°N, only being absent in the Arctic from areas where the July isotherm is less than 4 °C. It also breeds in the mountains of Morocco and western Alaska. It occupies a wide range of habitats, but is absent from deserts.[14]
White wagtail is resident in the milder parts of its range such as western Europe and the Mediterranean, but migratory in much of the rest of its range. Northern European breeders winter around the Mediterranean and in tropical and subtropical Africa,[20] and Asiatic birds move to the Middle East, India,[16] and SouthEast Asia.[21] Birds from the North American population also winter in tropical Asia.[22]
Behaviour and ecology
The most conspicuous habit of this species is a near-constant tail wagging, a trait that has given the species, and indeed the genus, its common name. In spite of the ubiquity of this behaviour, the reasons for it are poorly understood. It has been suggested that it may flush prey, or signal submissiveness to other wagtails. A recent study has suggested instead that it is a signal of vigilance to potential predators.[23]
Diet and feeding
The exact composition of the diet of white wagtails varies by location, but terrestrial and aquatic insects and other small invertebrates form the major part of the diet. These range from beetles, dragonflies, small snails, spiders, worms, crustaceans, to maggots found in carcasses and, most importantly, flies in the order Diptera.[16] Small fish fry have also been recorded in the diet. The white wagtail is somewhat unusual in the parts of its range where it is non-migratory as it is an insectivorous bird that continues to feed on insects during the winter (most other insectivorous birds in temperate climates migrate or switch to more vegetable matter).[24]
Breeding
Eggs, Collection Museum Wiesbaden, Germany
Juvenile M. a. alba in northern Norway, showing the grey face and chest
White wagtails are monogamous and defend breeding territories.[16] The breeding season for most is from April to August, with the season starting later further north. Both sexes are responsible for building the nest, with the male responsible for initiating the nest building and the female for finishing the process. For second broods in the subspecies personata the female alone builds the nest,which is a rough cup assembled from twigs, grass, leaves and other plant matter, as the male is still provisioning the young.[25] It is lined with soft materials, including animal hair. The nest is set into a crevice or hole; traditionally in a bank next to a river or ditch, but the species has also adapted to nesting in walls, bridges and buildings. One nest was found in the skull of a walrus. They species will nest in association with other animals, particularly where available the dams of beavers and also inside the nests of golden eagles.[25] Around three to eight eggs are laid, with the usual number being four to six. Its eggs are cream-coloured, often with a faint bluish-green or turquoise tint, and heavily spotted with reddish brown; they measure, on average, 21×15 mm (0.83×0.59 inches).[26] Both parents incubate the eggs, although the female generally does so for longer and incubates at night. The eggs begin to hatch after 12 days (sometimes as late as 16 days). Both parents feed the chicks until they fledge at around 14 days, and the chicks are fed for another week after fledging.
Though it is known to be a host species for the common cuckoo, the white wagtail typically deserts its nest if it has been parasitised. Scientists theorise that this occurs because the wagtail is too small to push the intruding egg out of the nest, and too short-billed to destroy the egg by puncturing it.[27]
Status
This species has a large range, with an estimated extent of more than 10 million km2 (3.8 million sq mi). The population size is unknown, but it is believed to be large, as the species is described as "common" in at least parts of its range. Population trends have not been quantified, but the species is not believed to approach the thresholds for the population decline criterion of the IUCN Red List (i.e. declining more than 30% in ten years or three generations). For these reasons, the species is evaluated to be of least concern.[1] The population in Europe appears to be stable.[20] The species has adapted well to human changes to the environment and has exploited human changes such as man-made structures that are used for nesting sites and increased open areas that are used for foraging.[16] In a number of cities, notably Dublin, large flocks gather in winter to roost.
This is a photograph from the Forest Marathon festival 2013 which was held in the beautiful Coillte forest of Portumna in Co. Galway, Ireland on Saturday 15th June 2013. The event includes a 10k, a full marathon, a half marathon and two ultra-running events - a 50k and 100k race. The races started at 08:00 with the 100KM, the 50KM at 10:00, and subsequent races at two hour intervals onwards. All events started and finished within the forest with the exception of the half marathon and marathon which started outside of the forest. All events see participants complete 5KM loops of the forest which start and end at the car-park/amenity end of the forest. There is an official Refreshment/Handling Zones at this point on the loop.
The event was organised by international coach Sebastien Locteau from SportsIreland.ie and his fantastic team of volunteers from Galway and beyond. Congratulations to Seb on organising a very professionally run event and an event which is growing bigger and more prestigious with each passing year. There was an incredible atmosphere amongst the runners, the spectators, and the organisers. Hats off to everyone involved.
The marathon, 50KM, and 100KM events are sanctioned by Athletics Ireland and AIMS (the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races). The event has also achieved IAU (International Association of Ultrarunners) Bronze Label status for 2013.
Electronic timing was provided by RedTagTiming: www.redtagtiming.com/
Energy Bars, Gels, Drinks etc were provided by Fuel4Sport: www.fuel4sport.ie/
This is a set of photographs taken at various points on the 5KM loop in the Forest and contains photographs of competitors from all of the events except the 10KM race.
Viewing this on a smartphone device?
If you are viewing this Flickr set on a smartphone and you want to see the larger version(s) of this photograph then: scroll down to the bottom of this description under the photograph and click the "View info about this photo..." link. You will be brought to a new page and you should click the link "View All Sizes".
Overall Race Summary
Participants: Approximately 600 people took part across all of the events which were staged: 10km, half marathon, marathon, 50km, and 100KM.
Weather: The weather was unfortunately not what a summer's day in June should be like - there was rain, some breeze, but mild temperatures.
Course: This is a fast flat course depending on your event. The course is left handed around the Forest and roughly looks like a figure of 8 in terms of routing.
Location Map: Start/finish area on Google StreetView [goo.gl/maps/WWTgD] are inside the parklands and trails
Refreshments: There are no specific refreshments but the race organizers provide very adequate supplies for all participants.
Some Useful Links
Official Race Event Website: www.forestmarathon.com/
The Boards.ie Athletics Forum Thread for the 2013 Event: www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056874371
A GPS Garmin Trace of the Course Profile (from the 50KM event) connect.garmin.com/activity/189495781
Our Flickr Photographs from the 2012 Events: www.flickr.com/photos/peterm7/sets/72157630146344494/
Our Flickr Photographs from the 2011 Events: www.flickr.com/photos/peterm7/sets/72157626865466587/
Title Sponsors Sports Ireland Website: sites.google.com/a/sportsireland.ie/welcome-sports-irelan...
A VIDEO of the Course: www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=2FLxE...
Google StreetView of the Entrance to Portuma Forest: goo.gl/maps/MX62O
Wikipedia: Read about Portumna and Portumna Forest Park: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portumna#Portumna_Forest_Park
Coilte Ourdoors Website: www.coillteoutdoors.ie/?id=53&rec_site=115
Portumna Forest on EveryTrails: www.everytrail.com/guide/portumna-forest-park-woodland-tr...
More about the IAU Bronze Label: www.iau-ultramarathon.org/index.asp?menucode=h07&tmp=...
How can I get a full resolution copy of these photographs?
All of the photographs here on this Flickr set have a visible watermark embedded in them. All of the photographs posted here on this Flickr set are available offline, free, at no cost, at full image resolution WITHOUT watermark. We take these photographs as a hobby and as a contribution to the running community in Ireland. Our only "cost" is our request that if you are using these images: (1) on social media sites such as Facebook, Tumblr, Pinterest, Twitter,LinkedIn, Google+, etc or (2) other websites, web multimedia, commercial/promotional material that you provide a link back to our Flickr page to attribute us. This also extends the use of these images for Facebook profile pictures. In these cases please make a separate wall or blog post with a link to our Flickr page. If you do not know how this should be done for Facebook or other social media please email us and we will be happy to help suggest how to link to us.
Please email petermooney78 AT gmail DOT com with the links to the photographs you would like to obtain a full resolution copy of. We also ask race organisers, media, etc to ask for permission before use of our images for flyers, posters, etc. We reserve the right to refuse a request.
In summary please remember - all we ask is for you to link back to our Flickr set or Flickr pages. Taking the photographs and preparing them for online posting does take a significant effort. We are not posting photographs to Flickr for commercial reasons. If you really like what we do please spread the link around your social media, send us an email, leave a comment beside the photographs, send us a Flickr email, etc.
If you would like to contribute something for your photograph(s)?
Many people offer payment for our photographs. As stated above we do not charge for these photographs. We take these photographs as our contribution to the running community in Ireland. If you feel that the photograph(s) you request are good enough that you would consider paying for their purchase from other photographic providers we would suggest that you can provide a donation to any of the great charities in Ireland who do work for Cancer Care or Cancer Research in Ireland.
I ran in the race - but my photograph doesn't appear here in your Flickr set! What gives?
As mentioned above we take these photographs as a hobby and as a voluntary contribution to the running community in Ireland. Very often we have actually ran in the same race and then switched to photographer mode after we finished the race. Consequently, we feel that we have no obligations to capture a photograph of every participant in the race. However, we do try our very best to capture as many participants as possible. But this is sometimes not possible for a variety of reasons:
►You were hidden behind another participant as you passed our camera
►Weather or lighting conditions meant that we had some photographs with blurry content which we did not upload to our Flickr set
►There were too many people - some races attract thousands of participants and as amateur photographs we cannot hope to capture photographs of everyone
►We simply missed you - sorry about that - we did our best!
You can email us petermooney78 AT gmail DOT com to enquire if we have a photograph of you which didn't make the final Flickr selection for the race. But we cannot promise that there will be photograph there. As alternatives we advise you to contact the race organisers to enquire if there were (1) other photographs taking photographs at the race event or if (2) there were professional commercial sports photographers taking photographs which might have some photographs of you available for purchase. You might find some links for further information above.
Don't like your photograph here?
That's OK! We understand!
If, for any reason, you are not happy or comfortable with your picture appearing here in this photoset on Flickr then please email us at petermooney78 AT gmail DOT com and we will remove it as soon as possible. We give careful consideration to each photograph before uploading.
I want to tell people about these great photographs!
Great! Thank you! The best link to spread the word around is probably www.flickr.com/peterm7/sets
This special Capsule Collection offer includes a perfectly matched set of a black jacket, a white blouse, a black skirt and a black dress (LBD = little black dress). The black fashions are all made from a slightly shiny beautiful cotton mix and the blouse was sewn from a white cotton. I just love this set and hope people will like it, too : ). It’s perfect for mixing it with other fashions or to build a great office lady outfit for your dolls!
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Dear flickr friends,
As promised last time during the “Bright” collection release, my next collection offers you the utmost essential fashion pieces for your dolls :)!
The Capsule Collection includes three specially created sets, named “Elegant”, “Basic” and “Casual” that incorporate designs fitted for all outfit situations.
I hope you’ll like this collection as much as my others!
Sending you much love,
Nina*
As Taggart would say :-) A humorous addition to the white markings made by the council to highlight defects on the Adur Ferry Bridge
A blog post that includes these photos lives here: likeafishinwater.com/2016/03/19/pilgrimage-to-kamakura-an...
My company: www.thirdplacemedia.com - Research, content development and communications strategy focused on transit, walkability, placemaking and environment issues
My blog: likeafishinwater.com
Practice for the St Mary's Trophy at the Goodwood Revival. An Alfa GTA leads this group through Magwick.
Kew Gardens is the world's largest collection of living plants. Founded in 1840 from the exotic garden at Kew Park in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, UK, its living collections include more than 30,000 different kinds of plants, while the herbarium, which is one of the largest in the world, has over seven million preserved plant specimens. The library contains more than 750,000 volumes, and the illustrations collection contains more than 175,000 prints and drawings of plants. It is one of London's top tourist attractions. In 2003, the gardens were put on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.
Kew Gardens, together with the botanic gardens at Wakehurst Place in Sussex, are managed by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (brand name Kew), an internationally important botanical research and education institution that employs 750 staff, and is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
The Kew site, which has been dated as formally starting in 1759, though can be traced back to the exotic garden at Kew Park, formed by Lord Capel John of Tewkesbury, consists of 121 hectares (300 acres) of gardens and botanical glasshouses, four Grade I listed buildings and 36 Grade II listed structures, all set in an internationally significant landscape.
Kew Gardens has its own police force, Kew Constabulary, which has been in operation since 1847.
History
Kew, the area in which Kew Gardens are situated, consists mainly of the gardens themselves and a small surrounding community. Royal residences in the area which would later influence the layout and construction of the gardens began in 1299 when Edward I moved his court to a manor house in neighbouring Richmond (then called Sheen). That manor house was later abandoned; however, Henry V built Sheen Palace in 1501, which, under the name Richmond Palace, became a permanent royal residence for Henry VII. Around the start of the 16th century courtiers attending Richmond Palace settled in Kew and built large houses. Early royal residences at Kew included Mary Tudor's house, which was in existence by 1522 when a driveway was built to connect it to the palace at Richmond. Around 1600, the land that would become the gardens was known as Kew Field, a large field strip farmed by one of the new private estates.
The exotic garden at Kew Park, formed by Lord Capel John of Tewkesbury, was enlarged and extended by Augusta, Dowager Princess of Wales, the widow of Frederick, Prince of Wales. The origins of Kew Gardens can be traced to the merging of the royal estates of Richmond and Kew in 1772. William Chambers built several garden structures, including the lofty Chinese pagoda built in 1761 which still remains. George III enriched the gardens, aided by William Aiton and Sir Joseph Banks. The old Kew Park (by then renamed the White House), was demolished in 1802. The "Dutch House" adjoining was purchased by George III in 1781 as a nursery for the royal children. It is a plain brick structure now known as Kew Palace.
Some early plants came from the walled garden established by William Coys at Stubbers in North Ockendon. The collections grew somewhat haphazardly until the appointment of the first collector, Francis Masson, in 1771. Capability Brown, who became England's most renowned landscape architect, applied for the position of master gardener at Kew, and was rejected.
In 1840 the gardens were adopted as a national botanical garden, in large part due to the efforts of the Royal Horticultural Society and its president William Cavendish. Under Kew's director, William Hooker, the gardens were increased to 30 hectares (75 acres) and the pleasure grounds, or arboretum, extended to 109 hectares (270 acres), and later to its present size of 121 hectares (300 acres). The first curator was John Smith.
The Palm House was built by architect Decimus Burton and iron-maker Richard Turner between 1844 and 1848, and was the first large-scale structural use of wrought iron. It is considered " the world's most important surviving Victorian glass and iron structure." The structure's panes of glass are all hand-blown. The Temperate House, which is twice as large as the Palm House, followed later in the 19th century. It is now the largest Victorian glasshouse in existence. Kew was the location of the successful effort in the 19th century to propagate rubber trees for cultivation outside South America.
In February 1913, the Tea House was burned down by suffragettes Olive Wharry and Lilian Lenton during a series of arson attacks in London.[19] Kew Gardens lost hundreds of trees in the Great Storm of 1987. From 1959 to 2007 Kew Gardens had the tallest flagpole in Britain. Made from a single Douglas-fir from Canada, it was given to mark both the centenary of the Canadian Province of British Columbia and the bicentenary of Kew Gardens. The flagpole was removed after damage by weather and woodpeckers.
In July 2003, the gardens were put on the list of World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.
Features
Treetop walkway
A new treetop walkway opened in 2008. This walkway is 18 metres (59 ft) high and 200 metres (660 ft) long and takes visitors into the tree canopy of a woodland glade. Visitors can ascend and descend by stairs or by a lift. The floor of the walkway is made from perforated metal and flexes as it is walked upon. The entire structure sways in the wind.
Sackler Crossing
The Sackler Crossing bridge, made of granite and bronze, opened in May 2006. Designed by Buro Happold and John Pawson, it crosses the lake and is named in honour of philanthropists Dr Mortimer and Theresa Sackler.
The minimalist-styled bridge is designed as a sweeping double curve of black granite. The sides of the bridge are formed of bronze posts that give the impression, from certain angles, of forming a solid wall whereas from others, and to those on the bridge, they are clearly individual entities that allow a view of the water beyond.
The bridge forms part of a path designed to encourage visitors to visit more of the gardens than had hitherto been popular and connects the two art galleries, via the Temperate and Evolution Houses and the woodland glade, to the Minka House and the Bamboo Garden.
The crossing won a special award from the Royal Institute of British Architects in 2008.
Vehicular tour
Kew Explorer is a service that takes a circular route around the gardens, provided by two 72-seater road trains that are fuelled by Calor Gas to minimise pollution. A commentary is provided by the driver and there are several stops.
Compost heap
Kew has one of the largest compost heaps in Europe, made from green and woody waste from the gardens and the manure from the stables of the Household Cavalry. The compost is mainly used in the gardens, but on occasion has been auctioned as part of a fundraising event for the gardens.
The compost heap is in an area of the gardens not accessible to the public, but a viewing platform, made of wood which had been illegally traded but seized by Customs officers in HMRC, has been erected to allow visitors to observe the heap as it goes through its cycle.
Guided walks
Free tours of the gardens are conducted daily by trained volunteers.
Plant houses
Alpine House
A narrow semicircular building of glass and steel latticework stands at the right, set amid an area of worked rock with a line of deciduous trees in the rear left, under a blue sky filled with large puffy white clouds. In front of it, curving slightly away to the left, is a wooden platform with benches on it and a thin metal guardrail in front of a low wet area with bright red flowers
In March 2006, the Davies Alpine House opened, the third version of an alpine house since 1887. Although only 16 metres (52 ft) long the apex of the roof arch extends to a height of 10 metres (33 ft) in order to allow the natural airflow of a building of this shape to aid in the all-important ventilation required for the type of plants to be housed.
The new house features a set of automatically operated blinds that prevent it overheating when the sun is too hot for the plants together with a system that blows a continuous stream of cool air over the plants. The main design aim of the house is to allow maximum light transmission. To this end the glass is of a special low iron type that allows 90 per cent of the ultraviolet light in sunlight to pass. It is attached by high tension steel cables so that no light is obstructed by traditional glazing bars.
To conserve energy the cooling air is not refrigerated but is cooled by being passed through a labyrinth of pipes buried under the house at a depth where the temperature remains suitable all year round. The house is designed so that the maximum temperature should not exceed 20 °C (68 °F).
Kew's collection of Alpine plants (defined as those that grow above the tree-line in their locale – ground level at the poles rising to over 2,000 metres (6,562 feet)), extends to over 7000. As the Alpine House can only house around 200 at a time the ones on show are regularly rotated.
The Nash Conservatory
Originally designed for Buckingham Palace, this was moved to Kew in 1836 by King William IV. With an abundance of natural light, the building is used various exhibitions, weddings, and private events. It is also now used to exhibit the winners of the photography competition.
Kew Orangery
The Orangery was designed by Sir William Chambers, and was completed in 1761. It measures 28 by 10 metres (92 by 33 ft). It was found to be too dark for its intended purpose of growing citrus plants and they were moved out in 1841. After many changes of use, it is currently used as a restaurant.
The Palm House and Parterre
The Palm House (1844–1848) was the result of cooperation between architect Decimus Burton and iron founder Richard Turner,[28] and continues upon the glass house design principles developed by John Claudius Loudon[29][30] and Joseph Paxton. A space frame of wrought iron arches, held together by horizontal tubular structures containing long prestressed cables,[30][31] supports glass panes which were originally[28] tinted green with copper oxide to reduce the significant heating effect. The 19m high central nave is surrounded by a walkway at 9m height, allowing visitors a closer look upon the palm tree crowns. In front of the Palm House on the east side are the Queen's Beasts, ten statues of animals bearing shields. They are Portland stone replicas of originals done by James Woodford and were placed here in 1958.[32]
Princess of Wales Conservatory
Kew's third major conservatory, the Princess of Wales Conservatory, designed by architect Gordon Wilson, was opened in 1987 by Diana, Princess of Wales in commemoration of her predecessor Augusta's associations with Kew. In 1989 the conservatory received the Europa Nostra award for conservation.[34] The conservatory houses ten computer-controlled micro-climatic zones, with the bulk of the greenhouse volume composed of Dry Tropics and Wet Tropics plants. Significant numbers of orchids, water lilies, cacti, lithops, carnivorous plants and bromeliads are housed in the various zones. The cactus collection also extends outside the conservatory where some hardier species can be found.
The conservatory has an area of 4499 square metres. As it is designed to minimise the amount of energy taken to run it, the cooler zones are grouped around the outside and the more tropical zones are in the central area where heat is conserved. The glass roof extends down to the ground, giving the conservatory a distinctive appearance and helping to maximise the use of the sun's energy.
During the construction of the conservatory a time capsule was buried. It contains the seeds of basic crops and endangered plant species and key publications on conservation.
Rhizotron
The Rhizotron
A rhizotron opened at the same time as the "treetop walkway", giving visitors the opportunity to investigate what happens beneath the ground where trees grow. The rhizotron is essentially a single gallery containing a set of large bronze abstract castings which contain LCD screens that carry repeating loops of information about the life of trees.
Temperate House
Inside the Temperate House
The Temperate House, currently closed for restoration, is a greenhouse that has twice the floor area of the Palm House and is the world's largest surviving Victorian glass structure. When in use it contained plants and trees from all the temperate regions of the world. It was commissioned in 1859 and designed by architect Decimus Burton and ironfounder Richard Turner. Covering 4880 square metres, it rises to a height of 19 metres. Intended to accommodate Kew's expanding collection of hardy and temperate plants, it took 40 years to construct, during which time costs soared. The building was restored during 2014 - 15 by Donald Insall Associates, based on their conservation management plan.
There is a viewing gallery in the central section from which visitors were able to look down on that part of the collection.
Waterlily House
The Waterlily House is the hottest and most humid of the houses at Kew and contains a large pond with varieties of water lily, surrounded by a display of economically important heat-loving plants. It closes during the winter months.
It was built to house the Victoria amazonica, the largest of the Nymphaeaceae family of water lilies. This plant was originally transported to Kew in phials of clean water and arrived in February 1849, after several prior attempts to transport seeds and roots had failed. Although various other members of the Nymphaeaceae family grew well, the house did not suit the Victoria, purportedly because of a poor ventilation system, and this specimen was moved to another, smaller, house.
The ironwork for this project was provided by Richard Turner and the initial construction was completed in 1852. The heat for the house was initially obtained by running a flue from the nearby Palm House but it was later equipped with its own boiler.
Ornamental buildings
The Pagoda
In the south-east corner of Kew Gardens stands the Great Pagoda (by Sir William Chambers), erected in 1762, from a design in imitation of the Chinese Ta. The lowest of the ten octagonal storeys is 15 m (49 ft) in diameter. From the base to the highest point is 50 m (164 ft).
Each storey finishes with a projecting roof, after the Chinese manner, originally covered with ceramic tiles and adorned with large dragons; a story is still propagated that they were made of gold and were reputedly sold by George IV to settle his debts. In fact the dragons were made of wood painted gold, and simply rotted away with the ravages of time. The walls of the building are composed of brick. The staircase, 253 steps, is in the centre of the building. The Pagoda was closed to the public for many years, but was reopened for the summer months of 2006 and is now open permanently. During the Second World War holes were cut in each floor to allow for drop-testing of model bombs.
The Japanese Gateway (Chokushi-Mon)
Built for the Japan-British Exhibition (1910) and moved to Kew in 1911, the Chokushi-Mon ("Imperial Envoy's Gateway") is a four-fifths scale replica of the karamon (gateway) of the Nishi Hongan-ji temple in Kyoto. It lies about 140 m west of the Pagoda and is surrounded by a reconstruction of a traditional Japanese garden.
The Minka House
Following the Japan 2001 festival, Kew acquired a Japanese wooden house called a minka. It was originally erected in around 1900 in a suburb of Okazaki. Japanese craftsmen reassembled the framework and British builders who had worked on the Globe Theatre added the mud wall panels.
Work on the house started on 7 May 2001 and, when the framework was completed on 21 May, a Japanese ceremony was held to mark what was considered an auspicious occasion. Work on the building of the house was completed in November 2001 but the internal artefacts were not all in place until 2006.
The Minka house is located within the bamboo collection in the west central part of the gardens.
Queen Charlotte's Cottage
Within the conservation area is a cottage that was given to Queen Charlotte as a wedding present on her marriage to George III. It has been restored by Historic Royal Palaces and is separately administered by them.
It is open to the public on weekends and bank holidays during the summer.
Kew Palace
Kew Palace is the smallest of the British royal palaces. It was built by Samuel Fortrey, a Dutch merchant in around 1631. It was later purchased by George III. The construction method is known as Flemish bond and involves laying the bricks with long and short sides alternating. This and the gabled front give the construction a Dutch appearance.
To the rear of the building is the "Queen's Garden" which includes a collection of plants believed to have medicinal qualities. Only plants that were extant in England by the 17th century are grown in the garden.
The building underwent significant restoration, with leading conservation architects Donald Insall Associates, before being reopened to the public in 2006.
It is administered separately from Kew Gardens, by Historic Royal Palaces.
In front of the palace is a sundial, which was given to Kew Gardens in 1959 to commemorate a royal visit. It was sculpted by Martin Holden and is based on an earlier sculpture by Thomas Tompion, a celebrated 17th century clockmaker.
Galleries and Museums
The Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanic Art
The Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanic Art opened in April 2008, and holds paintings from Kew's and Dr Shirley Sherwood's collections, many of which had never been displayed to the public before. It features paintings by artists such as Georg D. Ehret, the Bauer brothers, Pierre-Joseph Redouté and Walter Hood Fitch. The paintings and drawings are cycled on a six-monthly basis. The gallery is linked to the Marianne North Gallery (see above).
Near the Palm House is a building known as "Museum No. 1" (even though it is the only museum on the site), which was designed by Decimus Burton and opened in 1857. Housing Kew's economic botany collections including tools, ornaments, clothing, food and medicines, its aim was to illustrate human dependence on plants. The building was refurbished in 1998. The upper two floors are now an education centre and the ground floor houses the "Plants+People" exhibition which highlights the variety of plants and the ways that people use them.
Admission to the galleries and museum is free after paying admission to the gardens. The International Garden Photographer of the Year Exhibition is an annual event with an indoor display of entries during the summer months.
The Marianne North Gallery of Botanic Art
The Marianne North Gallery was built in the 1880s to house the paintings of Marianne North, an MP's daughter who travelled alone to North and South America, South Africa and many parts of Asia, at a time when women rarely did so, to paint plants. The gallery has 832 of her paintings. The paintings were left to Kew by the artist and a condition of the bequest is that the layout of the paintings in the gallery may not be altered.
The gallery had suffered considerable structural degradation since its creation and during a period from 2008 to 2009 major restoration and refurbishment took place, with works lead by with leading conservation architects Donald Insall Associates. During the time the gallery was closed the opportunity was also taken to restore the paintings to their original condition. The gallery reopened in October 2009.
The gallery originally opened in 1882 and is the only permanent exhibition in Great Britain dedicated to the work of one woman.
Plant collections
The plant collections include the Aquatic Garden, which is near the Jodrell laboratory. The Aquatic Garden, which celebrated its centenary in 2009, provides conditions for aquatic and marginal plants. The large central pool holds a selection of summer-flowering water lilies and the corner pools contain plants such as reed mace, bulrushes, phragmites and smaller floating aquatic species.
The Arboretum, which covers over half of the total area of the site, contains over 14,000 trees of many thousands of varieties. The Bonsai Collection is housed in a dedicated greenhouse near the Jodrell laboratory. The Cacti Collection is housed in and around the Princess of Wales Conservatory. The Carnivorous Plant collection is housed in the Princess of Wales Conservatory. The Grass Garden was created on its current site in the early 1980s to display ornamental and economic grasses; it was redesigned and replanted between 1994 and 1997. It is currently undergoing a further redesign and planting. Over 580 species of grasses are displayed.
The Herbaceous Grounds (Order Beds) were devised in the late 1860s by Sir Joseph Hooker, then director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, so that botany students could learn to recognise plants and experience at first hand the diversity of the plant kingdom. The collection is organised into family groups. Its name arose because plant families were known as natural orders in the 19th century. Over the main path is a rose pergola built in 1959 to mark the bicentennial of the Gardens. It supports climber and rambling roses selected for the length and profusion of flowering.
The Orchid Collection is housed in two climate zones within the Princess of Wales Conservatory. To maintain an interesting display the plants are changed regularly so that those on view are generally flowering. The Rock Garden, originally built of limestone in 1882, is now constructed of Sussex sandstone from West Hoathly, Sussex. The rock garden is divided into six geographic regions: Europe, Mediterranean and Africa, Australia and New Zealand, Asia, North America, and South America. There are currently 2,480 different "accessions" growing in the garden.
The Rose Garden, based upon original designs by William Nesfield, is behind the Palm House, and was replanted between 2009 and 2010 using the original design from 1848. It is intended as an ornamental display rather than a collection of a particularly large number of varieties. Other collections and specialist areas include the rhododendron dell, the azalea garden, the bamboo garden, the juniper collection, the berberis dell, the lilac garden, the magnolia collection, and the fern collection.
The Palm House and lake to Victoria Gate
The world's smallest water-lily, Nymphaea thermarum, was saved from extinction when it was grown from seed at Kew, in 2009.
Herbarium
The Kew herbarium is one of the largest in the world with approximately 7 million specimens used primarily for taxonomic study. The herbarium is rich in types for all regions of the world, especially the tropics.
Library and archives
The library and archives at Kew are one of the world's largest botanical collections, with over half a million items, including books, botanical illustrations, photographs, letters and manuscripts, periodicals, and maps. The Jodrell Library has been merged with the Economic Botany and Mycology Libraries and all are now housed in the Jodrell Laboratory.
Forensic horticulture
Kew provides advice and guidance to police forces around the world where plant material may provide important clues or evidence in cases. In one famous case the forensic science department at Kew were able to ascertain that the contents of the stomach of a headless corpse found in the river Thames contained a highly toxic African bean.
Economic Botany
The Sustainable Uses of Plants group (formerly the Centre for Economic Botany), focus on the uses of plants in the United Kingdom and the world's arid and semi-arid zones. The Centre is also responsible for curation of the Economic Botany Collection, which contains more than 90,000 botanical raw materials and ethnographic artefacts, some of which are on display in the Plants + People exhibit in Museum No. 1. The Centre is now located in the Jodrell Laboratory.
Jodrell Laboratory
The original Jodrell laboratory, named after Mr T. J. Phillips Jodrell who funded it, was established in 1877 and consisted of four research rooms and an office. Originally research was conducted into plant physiology but this was gradually superseded by botanical research. In 1934 an artists' studio and photographic darkroom were added, highlighting the importance of botanical illustration. In 1965, following increasing overcrowding, a new building was constructed and research expanded into seed collection for plant conservation. The biochemistry section also expanded to facilitate research into secondary compounds that could be derived from plants for medicinal purposes. In 1994 the centre was expanded again, tripling in size, and a decade later it was further expanded by the addition of the Wolfson Wing.
Kew Constabulary
Main article: Kew Constabulary
The gardens have their own police force, Kew Constabulary, which has been in operation since 1847. Formerly known as the Royal Botanic Gardens Constabulary, it is a small, specialised constabulary of two sergeants and 12 officers, who patrol the grounds in a green painted electric buggy. The Kew Constables are attested under section 3 of the Parks Regulation Act 1872, which gives them the same powers as the Metropolitan Police within the land belonging to the gardens.
Media
A number of films, documentaries and short videos have been made about Kew Gardens.
They include:
a short colour film World Garden by cinematographer Geoffrey Unsworth in 1942
three series of A Year at Kew (2007), filmed for BBC television and released on DVD
Cruickshank on Kew: The Garden That Changed the World, a 2009 BBC documentary, presented by Dan Cruickshank, exploring the history of the relationship between Kew Gardens and the British Empire
David Attenborough's 2012 Kingdom of Plants 3D
a 2003 episode of the Channel 4 TV series Time Team, presented by Tony Robinson, that searched for the remains of George III's palace
a 2004 episode of the BBC Four series Art of the Garden which looked at the building of the Great Palm House in the 1840s.
"Kew on a Plate", a TV programme showing the kinds of produce grown at Kew Gardens and how they can be prepared in a kitchen.
In 1921 Virginia Woolf published her short story "Kew Gardens", which gives brief descriptions of four groups of people as they pass by a flowerbed.
Access and transport
Elizabeth Gate
Kew Gardens is accessible by a number of gates. Currently, there are four gates into Kew Gardens that are open to the public: the Elizabeth Gate, which is situated at the west end of Kew Green, and was originally called the Main Gate before being renamed in 2012 to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II; the Brentford Gate, which faces the River Thames; the Victoria Gate (named after Queen Victoria), situated in Kew Road, which is also the location of the Visitors' Centre; and the Lion Gate, also situated in Kew Road.
Other gates that are not open to the public include Unicorn Gate, Cumberland Gate and Jodrell Gate (all in Kew Road) and Isleworth Gate (facing the Thames).
Victoria Gate
Kew Gardens station, a London Underground and National Rail station opened in 1869 and served by both the District line and the London Overground services on the North London Line, is the nearest train station to the gardens – only 400 metres (1,300 ft) along Lichfield Road from the Victoria Gate entrance. Built by the London and South Western Railway, the Historic England listed building is one of the few remaining original 19th-century stations on the North London Line, and the only station on the London Underground with a pub on the platform (though the platform entrance is now closed off). Kew Bridge station, on the other side of the Thames, 800 metres from the Elizabeth Gate entrance via Kew Bridge, is served by South West Trains from Clapham Junction and Waterloo.
London Buses route 65, between Ealing Broadway and Kingston, stops near the Lion Gate and Victoria Gate entrances; route 391, between Fulham and Richmond, stops near Kew Gardens station; while routes 237 and 267 stop at Kew Bridge station.
London River Services operate from Westminster during the summer, stopping at Kew Pier, 500 metres (1,600 ft) from Elizabeth Gate. Cycle racks are located just inside the Victoria Gate, Elizabeth Gate and Brentford Gate entrances. There is a 300-space car park outside Brentford Gate, reached via Ferry Lane, as well as some free, though restricted, on-street parking on Kew Road.
This is an annual event at the 8th Army War Memorial on Yongsan Garrison.
This set includes the preparation and the two ceremonies held on Veterans Day this year.
The Presidential Wreath Ceremony made it a truly amazing day. Always a special day when your Commander in Chief visits.
VFW Post 8180 and the USFK Community Relations team always put on a great event.
The Eleventh Month, the Eleventh Day and usually at the Eleventh Hour each year.
From the official program;
Veterans Day is an opportunity to publicly commemorate the contributions of living veterans. Armistice Day officially received its name in America in 1926 through a congressional resolution. It became a national holiday 12 years later by similar congressional action.
If W.W.II had been "the war to end all wars" Nov. 11 might still be called Armistice Day. Realizing that peace was equally preserved by veterans of W.W.II and Korea, Congress decided to make the day an occasion to honor all those who have served America. In 1954 President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a bill proclaiming Nov. 11 as Veterans Day.
A law passed in 1968 changed the national commemoration of Veterans Day to the fourth Monday in October. It soon became apparent, however, that Nov. 11 was a date of historic significance to many Americans. Therefore, in 1978 Congress returned the observation to its traditional date.
I include this in my photo stream not because it's nice (it's not), but, instead, to show how far Fly Geyser is from the road (highway 34). This was taken with a Canon PowerShot SX50 at "50X" zoom (roughly equivalent to 1200mm), yet it's still not very clear, as you can see. The distance is only part of the problem. It's also frequently obscured by steam (obviously!) and is likely quite a small feature (my guess: 10-15ft high, max). Long story short: since Fly Geyser is on private property and is quite far from the road, probably better to obtain permission to access the property (which I haven't figured out how to do yet, but will update if/when I find out!).