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🌙 Nite Shift Team: "Terrace Therapy Sessions After Yoda's 🐆Concert" If I had the chance to measure the decibels of a cat's midnight meow, I'm sure my Yoda would break records. After hours of this "concert," when the final meow finally faded away, the silence became deafening. I tossed and turned in bed, sleep had eluded me, my brain was still like a little orchestra conductor, every note was the same as the sound coming from Yoda's mouth.
I gave up as dawn broke. At least I've given up on trying to sleep. I got up. My feet instinctively moved toward the terrace. It was still cool outside, the air hadn't fully warmed up yet, and there was a dew-like dampness left over from the nite. With half-closed eyes, I silently walked toward the living room. All I wanted was a little peace and quiet. I only noticed the tiny, cream-colored sheep figure I was carrying with me later; it must have fallen off the edge of the bed.
The wooden floor of the terrace shimmered in the first light of morning. I put on my favorite slippers; the soft ones with fluffy lining that make every step comfortable. It was as if they understood my fatigue. I was sitting. I stretched my legs toward the low table at the edge of the terrace. My eyes closed, but my mind was wide open.
Scenery... The darkness of the nite had disappeared, and the city skyline was emerging from behind a light veil of mist. The leaves on the trees rustled softly in the wind, whispering gently. The shadows of the neighboring houses stretched out, just like my sleepless nite. And those slippers... I looked at them. Then to myself. It was as if we looked at each other. "Ah, we're finally sitting down," he seemed to say, while I was thinking, "Look how far things have come..."
The terrace session turned into therapy right at that moment. Yoda's concert inevitably pushed me to this moment, this peace. As the first rays of the sun hit my face, I smiled slightly at the golden lines streaming from my eyes. Perhaps every meow had a purpose, perhaps such "therapy" was hidden at the end of every sleepless nite. Who knows?
For a moment, I looked at the little sleeping sheep figure. He was resting peacefully. I sighed. At least one of us was resting a bit.
Perhaps there are other members of this "Night Shift Team" in the same mood as me, who knows?
www.nytimes.com/2011/11/27/books/review/thinking-fast-and...
I’m reading an excellent book at the moment by the Nobel Memorial Prize winner in Economics, Daniel Kahnman - Thinking Fast and Slow.
The central thesis of the book is an investigation into the disunion between two modes of thought; fast, instinctive and emotional and slower, more deliberative, and more logical.
By researching various heuristics and biases, choices and rationality it is easy to learn why people place too much confidence in human judgement.
Interestingly, photography (to me) appears to sit within the comfortable intersection of learnt intuition and good judgement. Ultimately it can be defined as a skill and something that can be practiced and improved.
So with that said, here is a shot that I have been waiting for some time to find. That classic curving path through some colourful autumn trees. The only problem – my path is rather straight☺
There were countless paths like this one littered throughout the small towns I spent my days driving through in Canada and I am fairly sure I found a few others so maybe that perfect one is still in the bag. We’ll see..
View large and, as always, thanks for looking!
Scene from Pedernales Falls State Park in Johnson City, Texas. I like the dreamy look that a 10-stop filter produces on landscape shots with moving water and clouds. Here, I used a mini-tripod to get this particular perspective. I accidentally dropped the tripod in the water, instinctively reached out for it, stepping into the water filled with slippery rocks, and nearly slipped and smashed my camera. Fortunately, the tripod got caught in some swirling water behind a rock and I was able to retrieve it. At least my instinctive lunging towards the dropped equipment happened at the edge of water rather than at the edge of a cliff!
50 years later... I found myself standing on almost the same exact spot that I took my first ever photograph having taken another, though a little different to the original, from all those years ago.
10 years ago I embarked on a 365 project not knowing quite where it would take me. It turned out to be an incredible journey of personal discovery (and rediscovery), with sometimes the most unexpected results and outcomes. One of those moments was when I was in Edinburgh and unplanned, I found myself crossing North Bridge at dusk.
Seeing Edinburgh's skyline and castle silhouetted against the evening sky was an opportunity too good to miss. As soon as the shutter released I instantly recalled the first visit I had made as a young boy to the capital with my parents back in the spring of 1975. Crossing North Bridge at dusk then, I had also found the scene too irresistible to pass by and pleaded with my mother to hand over the 35mm rangefinder. Thankfully, although reluctantly and with reservation, she obliged and I 'snapped' my very first image looking across Waverley Station at Edinburgh Castle and Old Town on what was a clear spring evening. It was at that point that my love for photography was kindled; that very first moment is etched in my subconscious such that 40 years later I should instinctively find myself on the exact same spot, capturing the same dusk scene during my 365 project 10 years ago.
So on a recent visit I again found myself on North Bridge at dusk re-enacting my very first photograph. Though on this occasion, not in springtime, but just before Christmas with the markets, rides and lightshows in full flow and with the lights of Waverley illuminating the splendid glass roof of the station below. A festive twist to my original and also re-enactment 10 years ago, but nevertheless a pleasant reminder of the start of my photographic journey all those years ago.
So here it is - 50 years later...
Happy Christmas everyone!
A thumbnail of the original 365 project image (40 years later...) can be found in the first comment below.
Two ducks glide through a shallow body of water, surrounded by tall green grasses and reeds. Their brown and tan plumage reflects clearly in the calm surface, creating a serene moment of symmetry and motion. The scene captures the quiet rhythm of nature and the ducks’ instinctive companionship as they move in unison.
My latest photography is now available for purchase at crsimages.pixels.com/, featuring prints, framed art, and more from my curated collections.
When you look at the rocks in this photo, do you think they were placed there by design, or did a series of random natural processes lead to them arriving at their final size, shape and position?
I'm guessing that you recognise a degree of uniformity and obvious intention in their placement. You instinctively know that these rocks could never have arranged themselves in such a way through purely random events. And you'd be right - these rocks form the face of the dam at a local reservoir. They were placed there quite deliberately, to prevent the dam from being eroded by the waves generated on windy days.
So, let me ask: if you can see intent and design in something as simple as a pile of rocks, isn't it reasonable to see design behind the infinitely more complex moss and grasses growing on and between those rocks?
As in every other living thing, each cell in the moss and grass contains the DNA for the entire organism. In his book, the Selfish Gene, Richard Dawkins says of DNA:
This DNA can be regarded as a set of instructions for how to make a body, written in the A, T, C, G, alphabet of the nucleotides. It is as though, in every room of a gigantic building, there was a book-case containing the architect's plans for the entire building.
Dawkins denies that there is a God, yet admits that all living cells contain information (instructions), and even likens it to architect's plans.
If it is self-evident that a building has a builder, how much more obvious is it that all of creation must have a Creator?
Dawkins appears to recognise the unavoidable truth of intelligent design, yet still says there is no God. But the Bible says:
For the invisible things of Him [God] from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.
(Romans 1:20-22)
On a beach, taken by a poetic and why not even romantic spell and placing a shell to our ear, it is almost instinctive to perceive the sound of the sea where the murmur of the waves becomes music and then a dance that stimulates our imagination...
Sur une plage, pris d'un charme poétique et pourquoi pas même romantique et en posant un coquillage sur notre oreille, il est presque instinctif de percevoir le son de la mer où le murmure des vagues devient musique puis danse qui stimule notre imagination.
Masai Mara National Reserve
Kenya
East Africa
Hyenas give birth in a communal den, however there is no communal care for the pups. Not even the fathers take a role in caring for the pups. Liter sizes in Hyenas are very small, consisting of 1-4 pups. Hyena pups are born with their eyes open and teeth!!
Hyenas live in clans. A clan, which is separated into packs, can contain up to 80 individuals!! Although Hyenas are also considered cooperative hunters, they are competitive in nature and will fight within the clan for food or dominance.
Female dominance within groups: The core of the clan is comprised of related females forming a hierarchy. In fact the instinctive desire for dominance is so strong in Hyenas that newborn pups will fight immediately after birth to gain dominance and the right to food. It is estimated that 1 in 4 hyena pups die within the first month due to sibling fighting.
Hyenas are significantly more aggressive than African Wild Dogs. Hyenas have even been known to confront lions: not for food, but to fight. Hyenas are closely related to mongooses and cats. – Wikipedia
Outgrowing their nest, these youngsters ( Day 37 ) move around in the nest quite a bit.
Those nests are incredible - held together with spider web materials the nest expands as the chicks grow.
The camouflage is instinctively perfect --- nests tend to be lighter on the side facing the sun and darker for the side in shade. They are built up and heavier on the front end facing the wind ( HIGHLY important here in the windy Lompoc Valley with winds blowing 10 to 20 MPH pretty constantly in the spring).
Another image from the series made last year!
The chance to witness this unique moment of feeding the Jurenile Common Cuckoo by a couple of Dunnocks !
The gray cuckoo is a strictly insectivorous bird, which feeds mainly on earthworms and caterpillars.
The gray cuckoo being a migratory bird, in winter it leaves towards the south of Africa or South-East Asia.
The female cuckoo spots a nest in which eggs have already been laid and will swallow one to replace it with her egg. Thus, the deceived mother will brood in place of the cuckoo female! When it is born, the young cuckoo will instinctively throw the other eggs out of the nest! This way, the young cuckoo will have all the food it needs to grow!
La chance d"assister à ce moment unique de nourrissage du Coucou gris jurénile par un couple d 'Accenteurs !
Le coucou gris est un oiseau strictement insectivore, qui se nourrit principalement de vers de terre, lombrics et de chenilles.
Le coucou gris étant un oiseau migrateur, en hiver il part vers le sud de l’Afrique ou en Asie du sud-est.
La femelle coucou repère un nid dans lequel des oeufs ont déjà été pondus et va en gober un pour le remplacer par le sien.Ainsi le mère abusée va couver à la place de la femelle coucou !A sa naissance ,d'instinct le jeune coucou va jeter les autres oeufs hors du nid !Ainsi le jeune coucou aura toute la nourriture nécessaire pour grandir !
Explore 62 🌟 March 13, 2024
They’ll grow up with what the psychologists used to call an ‘instinctive’ hatred of books and flowers. Reflexes unalterably conditioned. They’ll be safe from books and botany all their lives.
- Aldous Huxley, Brave New World
The water of the river Geul, contaminated wirh heavy metals, enters the Netherlands from Belgium near the borders of the village of Epen.
Because the zinc flora is legally protected it is strictly forbidden to mow the grass mechanically.
Scottish Highlanders are used to graze the meadows because they instinctively avoid the zinc flora.
This is part of an art museum. The photo was taken by chance. As I looked down the spiral staircase, I overheard a stranger—someone I didn’t know—saying they wanted to dance in this space. I instinctively raised my camera and took the shot.
A funny thing happened on the way to photograph The Mittens in Monument Valley.
As Karen and i were setting up our cameras to take sunrise photos from this location i was thinking all we need now is for a bird to land on this tree. As i was fiddling around fine-tuning my composition and exposure, sure enough, a pair of ravens landed on this tree. I was shocked. Things like that don't happen to us - it happens to the legions of other photographers who are quite talented at bird photography (many of whom i follow and admire here in Flickr). Well, this is my result. As it so happens i had my camera still set on multiple exposure from the night before. I instinctively tripped the shutter and captured one series of images, which combined into this image. Then they were gone, as quickly as they arrived.
What's the saying? Luck happens to those who are prepared?
Pretty much explains my half-assed technique. Such is life ;-)
New life in Hawrelak Park
This little one is part of a family of nine I saw today. The mother and siblings were very close by. I didn't get a family shot I liked, so decided to post this single duckling. This is the first brood here and there will be many family photo ops to come.
The Common Goldeneye nests in natural cavities in trees, the abandoned holes of Pileated Woodpeckers, and nest boxes. I have found them in abandoned Magpie nests and holes in sandy banks overlooking water.
The average clutch is 7-12 , but larger clutches of up to 30 can occur if two females use the same cavity.
The hatchlings stay in the nest for only one day. They climb up the cavity with the help of sharp curved nails, jump to the ground and are led to the water by the female, and instinctively dive and feed themselves immediately. (Atlas of Breeding Birds of Alberta)
The females are very protective of their ducklings for the first few days keeping them close in a tight group and driving away any other waterfowl that gets too close to the brood.The precocious and independent nature of these ducklings makes them disperse earlier than the other duck species in the park.
It is common to see very young looking Common Goldeneye ducklings seemingly abandoned, but they can take care of themselves at a much younger age than other ducks and can dive in a flash when danger is near.
William Hawrelak Park. Edmonton, Alberta.
Member of the Flickr Bird Brigade
Activists for birds and wildlife
Whenever I’m swamped by a wave I’ve always instinctively with one hand on the tripod taken the photo. It can be very disorientating when the wave whooshes round the calfs and the balance goes with the wave as the stones and pebbles rollback to the sea, but it can be the moment of most drama and if you’ve managed to stop any camera movement the better image.
I loved watching these Reddish Egrets do their unique hunting dance...
Reddish Egrets have a very unique hunting/fishing style...They run through the shallows with head tilted to one side, suddenly changing directions or leaping sideways. Then they will stand still momentarily and spread their wings to create shade which attracts small fish that instinctively seek shelter in this shaded area...
“Do you have more detailed maps? Maybe topographical maps of the area?”, asked Adrienne.
“This is the only current map I have." Kayla looked up as she rolled up the map.
“I have an idea. If we get on Google Earth it’s very detailed. We could zoom in and look at this entire area for any hint of where their underground complex might be located. Do you have internet here?
Kayla looked puzzled. Google Earth? There’s no internet here.
Yeah, it’s a detailed map program but we need a computer and the internet to use it. If we jump back to my place I have a laptop computer. Then we go someplace where they have free internet.
Kayla grimaced. Going back to your place could be very risky. It would have to be quick. They will be watching.
“Let me see your VDD.”
Adrienne handed over the device, watching as Kayla made a few rapid adjustments.
“There.” Kayla held it up. “I’ve programmed this location for emergencies. If things go south, press this button—it’ll bring you back here. Our safe place. Our timeline.” She returned the VDD, and Adrienne tucked it into her pocket.
Kayla reached inside her jacket, producing a large knife. Adrienne instinctively stepped back.
“This is just in case. Always jump from danger. Fighting is a last resort.” Kayla slid the knife back into its sheath.
Kayla looked at Adrienne. Do you think you can jump to your place, or shall I pull you?
Adrienne smiled, “I got this”.
Kayla smiled, “Just use your mind, concentrate on the destination and I will meet you at your place”.
Adrienne replied, “If I don’t show up pull me to you.”
They jumped.
Adrienne hit the ground hard, stumbling as reality lurched back into focus. Her breath came ragged. Her heartbeat drummed in her ears. The static charge from the jump crackled around her.
“Not bad,” Kayla murmured, pulling Adrienne up. “You stuck the landing—mostly.”
Adrienne barely had a chance to register their surroundings before the dread kicked in. They were in her bedroom or what was left of it.
The entire place was wrecked. Furniture smashed. Shattered glass. Torn fabric. Her belongings strewn across the floor.
They quickly combed through the mess until they located Adrienne’s laptop, still in its leather bag and undamaged.
Adrienne swallowed. “What happened here?”
Kayla’s gaze flicked over the damage. “They were either looking for something or went into a rage because we escaped.”
Adrienne spotted the pistol from her nightstand among the debris on the floor and grabbed it.
We need to go right now, my senses tell me they are near. I feel it too responded Adrienne.
Then—movement.
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You can view Quantum Fold episodes in order from the beginning in her album titled, Quantum Fold:
www.flickr.com/photos/199076397@N02/albums/72177720326169...
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This is an A.I. image generated using my SL avi.
I hope my pictures make you smile ♥
If you like what you see, please toss me a fav and follow me. I love seeing your comments. They make my day and keep me motivated!
I love my followers. You guys totally ROCK! ♥♥
And if you're taking time to read this you are SO awesome!!! Thank you!!!! ♥♥♥
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"I don't have any regrets, because I think life is like a creek. It kind of meanders along, and you instinctively do the things you are meant to do. There's no great plan..."
-- Sissy Spacek (American actress and singer with accolades including an Academy Award, three Golden Globe Awards, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and nominations for four British Academy Film Awards, three Primetime Emmy Awards, and a Grammy Award)
This photo was taken in 2013 during my previous Project 365…please visit my album for this “REMASTERED” Project 365 as I revisit each day of 2013 for additional photos to share!!
Three bracketed photos were taken with a handheld Nikon D5200 and combined with Photomatix Pro to create this HDR image. Additional adjustments were made in Photoshop CS6.
"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." ~Jeremiah 29:11
The best way to view my photostream is through Flickriver with the following link: www.flickriver.com/photos/photojourney57/
🎵 H. P. LOVECRAFT - The Shadow over Innsmouth
We met no one on the road, but presently began to pass deserted farms in varying stages of ruin. Then I noticed a few inhabited houses with rags stuffed in the broken windows and shells and dead fish lying about the littered yards. Once or twice I saw listless-looking people working in barren gardens or digging clams on the fishy-smelling beach below, and groups of dirty, simian-visaged children playing around weed-grown doorsteps. Somehow these people seemed more disquieting than the dismal buildings, for almost every one had certain peculiarities of face and motions which I instinctively disliked without being able to define or comprehend them. For a second I thought this typical physique suggested some picture I had seen, perhaps in a book, under circumstances of particular horror or melancholy; but this pseudo-recollection passed very quickly.
The Shadow Over Innsmouth
by
H.P. Lovecraft
"Wildness we might consider as the root of the authentic spontaneities of any being. It is that wellspring of creativity whence comes the instinctive activities that enable all living beings to obtain their food, to find shelter, to bring forth their young: to sing and dance and fly through the air and swim through the depths of the sea. This is the same inner tendency that evokes the insight of the poet, the skill of the artist and the power of the shaman."
Thomas Berry
Created for Let's Go YELLOW !! GLOW March 2017: www.flickr.com/groups/challenges_community_group/discuss/...
Using my photos and also this image by Shenandoah National Park from Virginia - Bobcat, CC BY 2.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=45093321
Thanks to everyone for your kind comments, awards and faves! I always tell myself that I will go through and thank each individual on each image but I never seem to have enough time. So please know that all of you are very much appreciated!!!
Meanwhile:
(Episode 2/8: Adrienne had been captured by the reptilians and Kayla jumped back in time to get her. But in this past time she was already there--- causing there to be two Kaylas. In the chaos of escape, future-Kayla jumped forward in time with Adrienne, while present-Kayla jumped to a different time.)
~~~~
Kayla was exhausted. Days blurred behind her—each one a failed attempt to locate the mission timeline. She had been shocked when her double appeared and quickly jumped away with Adrienne just as the reptilians broke into the apartment.
Despite her surprise she managed to jump safely away, but her VDD not only sent her to an unknown location and time, it did not record the time stamp for where she jumped from. A glitch, maybe. Or interference—two identical VDDs—hers and the other Kayla’s—might have scrambled the quantum imprint. Everything else seemed intact, but she was lost not knowing what timeline she was in.
She jumped to the pub where she’d first contacted Adrienne. It stood where it should, but everything was off. The furnishings were wrong. A different atmosphere. The place even had a different name.
She stepped back outside, recalibrated her VDD and jumped again. She repeated this multiple times, each time something was off.
She jumped again. Finally, this timeline held promise.
The pub looked familiar. Smelled familiar. The same stale beer and scorched grease hung in the air. But was this before or after her original meeting with Adrienne?
Then danger pricked at her skin. That instinctive warning. Behind the bar—Steve. the same shape shifting reptilian that had chased her and Adrienne.
She didn’t wait. Another jump—Adrienne’s apartment.
It was chaos. Furniture overturned. Papers scattered. Glass glittering across the floor. Everything shattered. When she was there before the place wasn’t wrecked. She exhaled. This must be after they escaped. The timeline aligned.
Kayla scanned the room. They must have been looking for something but had gone into a rage to inflict this damage.
There had been a fight. Green blood from one of the creatures soaked the carpet.
Again, that warning. She froze. Across the street, a black SUV. A man in a black suit had just stepped out and was walking quickly toward the apartment. At the same instant there was a noise somewhere in the apartment.
They were still tracking Adrienne. Still watching.
Time to move on.
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You can view Quantum Fold episodes in order from the beginning in her album titled, Quantum Fold:
www.flickr.com/photos/199076397@N02/albums/72177720326169...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is an A.I. image generated using my SL avi.
I hope my pictures make you smile ♥
If you like what you see, please toss me a fav and follow me. I love seeing your comments. They make my day and keep me motivated!
I love my followers. You guys totally ROCK! ♥♥
And if you're taking time to read this you are SO awesome!!! Thank you!!!! ♥♥♥
Here's a link to my other Flickr photos/ images:
Explored February 6 - #90. Thanks everyone :-)
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It seems wrong that out of this bird,
Black, bold, a suggestion of dark
Places about it, there yet should come
Such rich music, as though the notes'
Ore were changed to a rare metal
At one touch of that bright bill.
A slow singer, but loading each phrase
With history's overtones, love, joy
And grief learned by his dark tribe
In other orchards and passed on
Instinctively as they are now,
But fresh always with new tears.
- R.S. Thomas
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Textures by lepiaf & ArtByChrysti
In the previous Flickr post, these Snow Buntings (Plectrophenax nivalis) were calmly sitting "row on row" along the barbed wire fence but it is instinctive for them to take to flight quickly as they have just done. This is only a small portion of what was circling around my vehicle. They were along the fence line, on the road ahead of our vehicle and in the trees tacross the road from the fence line. This happened over a number of minutes on a gravel road south of Beaverhill Lake east of Tofield, Alberta, Canada.
More images to follow in future posts.
15 April, 2024.
Slide # GWB_20240415_7380.CR2
Use of this image on websites, blogs or other media without explicit permission is not permitted.
© Gerard W. Beyersbergen - All Rights Reserved Worldwide In Perpetuity - No Unauthorized Use.
I visited the Desert Botanical Garden for the Fall Exhibit of Majestic Mariposas
www.tempetourism.com/events/majestic-mariposas-at-desert-...
dbg.org/events/majestic-mariposas-6/2025-11-16/
Step into a world of enchantment and beauty this fall at our Cohn Family Butterfly Pavilion. Witness more than 1,000 Southwestern butterflies, including the stunning monarch. Don’t forget to capture a moment in front of our stunning butterfly mural, and delve deeper into the fascinating lifecycle of these beautiful creatures. Relax and let the world of pollinators around you come alive.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarch_butterfly
The monarch butterfly or simply monarch (Danaus plexippus) is a milkweed butterfly (subfamily Danainae) in the family Nymphalidae.[6] Other common names, depending on region, include milkweed, common tiger, wanderer, and black-veined brown.[7] It is among the most familiar of North American butterflies and an iconic pollinator,[8] although it is not an especially effective pollinator of milkweeds.[9] Its wings feature an easily recognizable black, orange, and white pattern, with a wingspan of 8.9–10.2 cm (3.5–4.0 in).[10] A Müllerian mimic, the viceroy butterfly, is similar in color and pattern, but is markedly smaller and has an extra black stripe across each hindwing.
The eastern North American monarch population is notable for its annual southward late-summer/autumn instinctive migration from the northern and central United States and southern Canada to Florida and Mexico.[6] During the fall migration, monarchs cover thousands of miles, with a corresponding multigenerational return north in spring. The western North American population of monarchs west of the Rocky Mountains often migrates to sites in southern California, but have been found in overwintering Mexican sites, as well.[11][12] Non-migratory populations are found further south in the Americas, and in parts of Europe, Oceania, and Southeast Asia.
Conservation status
The number of monarchs overwintering in Mexico has shown a long-term downward trend. Since 1995, coverage numbers have been as high as 18 hectares (44 acres) during the winter of 1996–1997, but on average about 6 hectares (15 acres). Coverage declined to its lowest point to date (0.67 hectares (1.66 acres)) during the winter of 2013–2014, but rebounded to 4.01 hectares (10 acres) in 2015–2016. The average population of monarchs in 2016 was estimated at 200 million. Historically, on average there are 300 million monarchs. The 2016 increase was attributed to favorable breeding conditions in the summer of 2015. However, coverage declined by 27% to 2.91 hectares (7.19 acres) during the winter of 2016–2017. Some believe this was because of a storm that had occurred during March 2016 in the monarchs' previous overwintering season.[201] However, this seems unlikely since most current research shows that the overwintering colony sizes do not predict the size of the next summer breeding population.[202]
On July 20, 2022, the International Union for Conservation of Nature added the migratory monarch butterfly (the subspecies common in North America) to its red list as an endangered species.[203] However, a petition in 2023 resulted in its status being changed to "vulnerable".[2]
Desert Botanical Garden has an incredible collection of plants and cacti arranged in a beautiful park setting.
Think the desert is all dirt and tumbleweeds? Think again. Desert Botanical Garden is home to thousands of species of cactus, trees and flowers from all around the world spread across 55 acres in Phoenix, Arizona.
Desert Botanical Garden
Desert Botanical Garden 2025
🌸 S P O N S O R S 🌸
OMY
✔️Pose: OMY "Tempo" Couples Dance HUD
The world could keep moving, but for them, nothing else existed in this moment. Their steps aligned instinctively, guided by the music, by a rhythm only they could hear.
Each movement was an answer to the other, a silent conversation where bodies spoke louder than words. A touch, a breath held, a gaze that said it all. They weren’t just dancing to the music,they were dancing with each other.
A timeless moment. A perfect harmony.💃✨
Ultima-thule... The oddity of familiarity is always surprising, unexpected and refreshing. Post-Covid and its legacy of caution and increasingly pervasive, new technologies, rendered a different perspective of a familiar place, more salient and evocative.
Instinctively, nature has become a catalyst for healing, on personal, public and global levels. Further-emphasized by green policies and research, nature now has a relevance that it didn't have previously.
Of course, nature opposes our reliance on new-technologies; an overt manifestation of our inherent condition. The dance of dappled shadows across dimly, sunlit canopies and landscapes seemed redolent of the pandemic and our ensuing freedom.
I'm sure we will be retracing our Pre-Covid steps and expanding our physical and emotional reach for years to come...
Ok there is a story here...
We've all seen puppies, kittens playing with imaginary non visible stuff to us . Rolling aroung contorting barking, or stealthily spring onto absolutely nothing. No doubt honing skills for instinctive survival.... Now here is the rest of the story, As Paul Harvey used to say.
This guy as God as my witness was hopping onto a rock, then jumping into mid air all the while flapping its wings seemingly "playing" hunting imaginary prey. Then off he would go and repeat the antics again where ever he happen to feel the urge I guess. I was LOL all the while!! I have only witnessed one other time that a bird actually a newly fledged Coopers Hawk as this guy is new to his world engaged in obvious play. The Hawk was playing with a nest mate on the ground. This guy did not have a nest mate but was content just making up stuff, just like our kittens and puppies. I can't begin to tell you how much fun it was just to set and watch all this unfold.
I saved this story for this post as the last post of this guy showcased his "EYELASHES" in the comment section...remember?
It seems to be an almost universal response shared among humans and animals alike:
Setting foot upon a beach will tend to unleash the unbridled spirit of play!
I’ve often wondered what it is exactly that elicits this reaction. There are grasslands with wide open spaces. There are sparkling lakes. There are rushing rivers. There are windy mountains. And while these places may be much loved, they don’t typically cause average humans to run and giggle like children.
Could it be that we instinctively experience a sense of homecoming? A recognition of the mother of all life on Earth?
Masai Mara National Reserve
Kenya
East Africa
Two hyena pups about to enter their communal den.
Hyenas give birth in a communal den, however there is no communal care for the pups. Not even the fathers take a role in caring for the pups. Liter sizes in Hyenas are very small, consisting of 1-4 pups. Hyena pups are born with their eyes open and teeth!!
Hyenas live in clans. A clan, which is separated into packs, can contain up to 80 individuals!! Although Hyenas are also considered cooperative hunters, they are competitive in nature and will fight within the clan for food or dominance.
Female dominance within groups: The core of the clan is comprised of related females forming a hierarchy. In fact the instinctive desire for dominance is so strong in Hyenas that newborn pups will fight immediately after birth to gain dominance and right to food. It is estimated that 1 in 4 hyena pups die within the first month due to sibling fighting.
Hyenas are significantly more aggressive than African Wild Dogs. Hyenas have even been known to confront lions: not for food, but to fight. Hyenas are closer related to mongooses and cats. – Wikipedia
Two common terns, fresh from fending off a gang of black-headed gulls, soar in perfect unison through a clear blue sky. The front bird carries a silver fish in its bright red bill—likely bound for their chick—while the second flies just behind and below, guarding its partner in classic echelon formation. Photographed from below at just the right moment in their turn, this image captures not only the symmetry of their flight, but the essence of teamwork and instinctive trust between mates in motion.
Kayla yanked Adrienne behind a dumpster a few yards from the door, pressing her back against the cold metal as she scanned the alley. It was the same narrow passage they’d jumped to upon arriving at the restaurant.
“What was that about?” Adrienne murmured, her voice slightly unsteady. “I was just starting to feel the wine.”
Kayla held up a finger to her lips, a quiet shhh escaping her.
Just then, the side door flew open, and two men stepped into the alley. Their eyes swept up and down the dimly lit corridor.
“They’re not out here. Check the restroom, search the place!” one ordered.
A second voice murmured, “They may have jumped.”
The man in the gray suit slipped back inside, but the one in black remained, his gaze fixed on the shadows.
Kayla and Adrienne were on high alert. He was one of them. Without hesitation, they shifted between dimensions, peering at him through the haze of the veil.
“I saw our waiter speaking to the man in gray,” Kayla whispered. “They were watching us. I knew something was off.”
Adrienne frowned. “How did the waiter know who we were?”
“He’s human, so I’m not sure. But if the reptiles in this timeline have started mixing their DNA with humans, it’s possible he was controlled—maybe even able to sense us. If that’s the case, we didn’t detect him at all. That’s what worries me.”
The man in the black suit prowled the alley, nostrils flaring.
Then, in a deep, guttural voice thick with mucus, he snarled, “I smell you. You are here.”
In a blink, his form twisted, shifting into something monstrous. Scales rippled across his skin, his mouth stretching wide to reveal rows of jagged teeth dripping with spittle. A primal scream erupted from his throat, reverberating through the alley. He slashed the air with his talons ripping long claw marks in the steel dumpster.
Adrienne stiffened in horror. Even with the dimensional barrier protecting them, he felt terrifyingly close. She fought to suppress her own scream.
Kayla had seen this transformation before. She knew the effect it would have on Adrienne and instinctively wrapped her arm around her.
Then, as suddenly as he had changed, the reptile snapped back to his human disguise and vanished inside.
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You can view Quantum Fold episodes in order from the beginning in her album titled, Quantum Fold:
www.flickr.com/photos/199076397@N02/albums/72177720326169...
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Links: Rasputin wurde 22. Dezember 2003 im Zoo Leipzig geboren und lebte seit dem 19. April 2005 bis zu seinem Tod am 24. Februar 2016 im Allwetterzoo Münster. Traurige Berühmtheit erlangte Rasputin am 19. September 2013 als er einen Tierpfleger auf der Außenanlage mit einem Genickbiss tötete. Der Pfleger hatte vergessen, eine Sicherheitsschleuse zwischen Innen- und Außenanlage zu schließen. Laut Zoodirektor Jörg Adler traf den Tiger keine Schuld, da es sich um eine instinktive und natürliche Reaktion auf den „Eindringling“ gehandelt habe.
Rechts: Nely wurde im Juni 2005 im tschechischen Zoo Dvur Kralove geboren und ist seit März 2007 im Allwetterzoo Münster zu Hause.
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Left: Rasputin was born December 22, 2003 in Leipzig Zoo and lived since April 19, 2005 until his death on February 24, 2016 in the All Weather Zoo Münster. Rasputin gained fame on 19 September 2013 when he killed a zoo keeper on the grounds with a neck bite. The caretaker had forgotten to close a security lock between indoor and outdoor facilities. According to zoo director Jörg Adler, the tiger was not to blame because it was an instinctive and natural reaction to the "intruder".
Right: Nely was born in the Czech zoo Dvur Kralove in June 2005 and has been at home in the All Weather Zoo Münster since March 2007.
The fattiest parts of salmon contain the most calories and bears know this instinctively. So, when the fish are abundant, they prefer to eat the brain and eggs, which contain the highest levels of fat, and discard the rest. This is called high-grading. The discarded bodies add nutrients to the aquatic and forest ecosystems. When salmon are not abundant or are harder to catch, the bears will not be as selective and will eat most of the fish.
03/03/2022 www.allenfotowild.com
Masai Mara National Reserve
Kenya
East Africa
A hyena mother with her three cubs was right out in the open as we were traveling along one of the roads.
Hyenas give birth in a communal den, however there is no communal care for the pups. Not even the fathers take a role in caring for the pups. Liter sizes in Hyenas are very small, consisting of 1-4 pups. Hyena pups are born with their eyes open and teeth!!
Hyenas live in clans. A clan, which is separated into packs, can contain up to 80 individuals!! Although Hyenas are also considered cooperative hunters, they are competitive in nature and will fight within the clan for food or dominance.
Female dominance within groups: The core of the clan is comprised of related females forming a hierarchy. In fact the instinctive desire for dominance is so strong in Hyenas that newborn pups will fight immediately after birth to gain dominance and right to food. It is estimated that 1 in 4 hyena pups die within the first month due to sibling fighting.
Hyenas are significantly more aggressive than African Wild Dogs. Hyenas have even been known to confront lions: not for food, but to fight. Hyenas are closer related to mongooses and cats.- Wikipedia
A persistent pattern of extremely warm and dry weather has suddenly given way frequent downpours. Rain seems to materialize out of nowhere and without warning. Air temperature drops ten or more degrees in just minutes, only to rebound once the storms move on. This morning brought another round of storms. Unlike the stealthy ones of the past few days, the arrival of this completes was heralded by ominously dark skies that actually caused the streetlights to illuminate. Thunder rumbled seemingly for miles creating the 'bowling alley' effect where the sound emanates from one point of the compass clear across to the opposite. Lightning split the sky open several times, impossibly bright even in daylight. I winced instinctively timely several times in response to the intense flashes of light. The storm churned north of the village for some time, creating stunning visuals but without precipitation. These are the moments I live for, experiencing the wrath of Mother Nature but at a reasonable safe distance. Finally I began to get peppered with ice cold droplets of rain. Not a soft summer rain that you don't mind being in. This was hard rain, stinging to the touch. Rain like this serves as a warning of what's ahead and I've learned to heed it. This forlorn pair of figurines, a Madonna and Virgin Mary, stand lonely vigil over a grave about to get blasted. You can almost sense the resignation of the distant figure: 'oh not again.' The head had broken off of the other figure, but had been reattached (as if no one would notice). Even the gash across the neck could not quell the look of defiance; unbowed even by the intensity of the impending storm.
Ah the wonderful tradition of raking and burning of the fallen leaves of Autumn. – No matter where I travel, each time that I approach the drifting smoke of a burn pile I instinctively roll down the window just enough to let in a bit of that sweet fragrance to fill up my senses. – Kimmell, Indiana – November 2017 ~~ A Jeff Hampton Photograph ©
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Full credits after story
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Hehh-hehh-hehh-hehh… HHhhhehhh…
Evil laughter echoes through the trees of the forest as an unfortunate traveler wanders down a narrow path, trying to cross it.
His car had broken down, and his phone had no signal, leaving him no choice but to make his way on foot to the next town.
As he quickens his pace, the laughter grows louder and more sinister.
He tries to look away, but through the branches of a bush he sees them.
Glowing white eyes dazzle him.
Sharp, long teeth peek out from a wide smile drawn across the hyena’s face.
Fear grips the traveler, and he breaks into a desperate run.
A futile attempt that only makes the laughter intensify.
The hyenas could get him anytime they wanted, but that wasn’t fun enough.
Like children toying with their prey, they delight in watching him struggle to escape.
They feed on the fear their victims develop while being chased.
The traveler’s heart pounds like a drum in his chest.
Branches whip against his face and arms as he runs blindly through the dense underbrush.
The sinister laughter follows him, bouncing off the trees like a dark melody.
Suddenly, a low growl rumbles behind him. He dares a glance over his shoulder. Two glowing eyes lock onto his, closer than before. The hyenas are closing in, their jaws snapping with hunger.
He tries with all his remaining stamina to run faster, but exhaustion begins to weigh him down.
His foot catches on a root. He stumbles, crashing to the forest floor.
The laughter erupts into a chorus of cruel delight.
As the pack surrounds him, the traveler closes his eyes and covers himself—an instinctive reflex seeking protection.
He feels the hyenas slowly getting closer and closer.
At that moment, he realizes all he has done was in vain; there is only one thing he can do.
He prays for a miracle.
Nothing else can save him after all.
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🌐 Primfeed
🌐 BlueSky
🇬🇧 This is the moment when the balloon truly begins to breathe. Bent backs, raised arms, eyes fixed upward as the canvas slowly fills and gains weight, volume, presence. What fascinates me here is the mix of generations and postures: boys, men, jackets, sweaters, hands gripping fabric with the same instinctive care. No one gives orders, yet everyone knows what to do.
I wanted to capture that fragile balance between effort and trust — the instant when the balloon is still earthbound, but already asking to become sky.
🇮🇹 Questo è l’istante in cui il pallone comincia davvero a respirare. Schiene piegate, braccia sollevate, sguardi rivolti verso l’alto mentre la tela prende aria, peso, forma. Quello che mi affascina è il miscuglio di età e di gesti: ragazzi e uomini, giacche e maglioni, mani che afferrano la stoffa con la stessa attenzione istintiva. Nessuno comanda, eppure tutti sanno cosa fare.
Ho voluto fermare questo equilibrio delicato tra fatica e fiducia — il momento in cui il pallone è ancora legato alla terra, ma sta già chiedendo il cielo.
Treweryn Farm Trail, Lower Gwynedd Township, Pennsylvania
I think this was a lucky catch. This young Heron was not sure what to do with the dragonfly it had instinctively caught as it flew by.
Masai Mara National Reserve
Kenya
East Africa
Two hyena pups near their communal den.
Hyenas give birth in a communal den, however there is no communal care for the pups. Not even the fathers take a role in caring for the pups. Liter sizes in Hyenas are very small, consisting of 1-4 pups. Hyena pups are born with their eyes open and teeth!!
Hyenas live in clans. A clan, which is separated into packs, can contain up to 80 individuals!! Although Hyenas are also considered cooperative hunters, they are competitive in nature and will fight within the clan for food or dominance.
Female dominance within groups: The core of the clan is comprised of related females forming a hierarchy. In fact the instinctive desire for dominance is so strong in Hyenas that newborn pups will fight immediately after birth to gain dominance and right to food. It is estimated that 1 in 4 hyena pups die within the first month due to sibling fighting.
Hyenas are significantly more aggressive than African Wild Dogs. Hyenas have even been known to confront lions: not for food, but to fight. Hyenas are closely related to mongooses and cats. – Wikipedia
Artist - Eamon Ore-Giron "People's Instinctive Travels Homage To The Tribe" installed at Grand Central Madison
Venezia, Ca' Sagredo.
"Support", Lorenzo Quinn.
Biennale 2017.
..."Le mani sono strumenti che possono tanto distruggere il mondo quanto salvarlo, e trasmettono un istintivo sentimento di nobiltà e grandezza in grado anche di generare inquietudine, poiché il gesto generoso di sostenere l'edificio ne evidenzia la fragilità".
... "Hands are instruments that can destroy the world so much as to save it, and transmit an instinctive sentiment of nobility and greatness that can also cause anxiety, as the generous gesture to support the building highlights fragility."
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the lines appear and eventually deepen. Cycles of iris and snap dragons. The roses and lilac. That day her family went about their business as if she were already gone and had become a distant memory bobbing in a sea of radio chatter and random thoughts about what was needed from the store. A sack of beans – a pound of nails – another bucket of tar. Her youngest sister stared from a distance. too young to fully understand but instinctively knowing what was expected of her and that this was not her battle yet. Mother never stopped moving – never spoke - a bitter sharp bone in her throat and you could hear the father pounding at his forge out back.
a last look to home - as deep shadows slid to dusk - white hearts on a string
“destiny” - who other than the gods can really know? You and I clutch to hope and fear and can only speak our version of what has past