View allAll Photos Tagged Optimistic
since I stood in the glow of the York & Son Garage neon with my boots on the pavement of US 6, once the longest highway in the nation.
The road's been rougher since then, harder than I could have imagined - long lonely stretches, with scary turns and steep drop offs, gray days and stormy nights that seemed endless. It's taken me to places I never thought I'd see . . . and didn't want to visit.
But that road finally came back out at Ladora. Brought me back to remember the girl, the poem, the dreams of so long ago. It could be, that on a cool July evening in Iowa, the effects of old roadside garage neon along an empty highway might be more intoxicating than a field of poppies - I don't know. But I do know that, standing there, I could hear those sweet optimistic voices singing:
You're out of the woods,
You're out of the dark,
You're out of the night.
Step into the sun
Step into the light.
Keep straight ahead for the most glorious place
On the face of the earth or the sky.
Hold onto your breath,
Hold onto your heart,
Hold onto your hope.
March up to the gate and bid it open . . .
: ) The original shot is below in the comments.
I try to be an optimistic realist…seeing what could be possible but realizing it will usually take real work and effort to get there.
So here I am back out and about…nothing too amazing… but I’m doing it again.
The day was mostly uneventful as Becky's days go. Most stores still have their dressing rooms closed here, so I didn’t find much fun in just touring the racks, as these days I like to see how something is going to look on, before I buy it.
It has been rather warm, so long outdoors activity was also a bit limited. I could have gone to the city, but I was looking to end my day up in the Walnut Creek area and meet up with my friends from the DVGs for dinner and socializing.
But it was nice to be back out and I got a nice boost from a long time friend who, after talking with me for a few minutes, stopped mid-sentence and, Said “You look really good today”…”not that you don’t look good usually but you look very nice, your make up….”
When she was done…just a short set of comments, I stopped her. “Thank you” I said. “It’s not that I need a lot of complements, but today that hit very deeply, as I’ve been struggling to feel like I’m getting back on track again, so thank you very much.” And we continued chatting about some other thing unrelated to TG things.
I didn’t take her comment to mean I looked gorgeous or anything like that, but just that I looked very put together, comfortable and natural and I was back being the nice, friendly, calm and confidence woman she had come to know over the last decade or so. (Just for the record, she was in male mode, but joined us anyways.)
So, I think I’m back…a little older and heavier than before the COVID pandemic hit, but I’m back. I look forward to getting to spend some more femme time soon. It might be a little bit, because I have lots of things vying for my time right now. Family, friends and more that all got set aside for a bit last year.
Anyways you all be well and I hope things will be opening up for you all soon as well.
On a side note: We are now at 82% of folks over 12 vaccinated in my county. Something I quite happy with, but things have really slowed down here, which means we still have nearly 1 in 5 people who have bought into the stupid and self-destructive COVID hoax movement that still exists here. By this point we could have had nearly everyone over 12 vaccinated and the pandemic would be gone here, but because of these stupid and ignorant folks, we are still being held back from really getting back to normal.
The really irritating thing is these are mostly the same people who didn’t want to help stop the spread when COVID was raging last year and they will cause additional unfortunate death and grief, for really no reason at all. Its free, its available, it works amazing well and there is little risk or side effects.
Another sign of the truly insane times we are currently living in.
Be well, Hugs, Becky
Close-up natural-light street portrait (outdoor half-length portrait, full-face view) of Eddie, an elderly eccentric American expat from Okinawa, expressing his optimistic See-the-Positive alternative to the classical and negative See-No-Evil of the proverbial principle of Three Wise Monkeys (photo shoot: image no. 2 of 3);
Yul’s Place, Mérida, Yucatán, México.
2020-02b Facial Expressions 2022 (06a) Eddie: Hear the Positive.
2020-02b Facial Expressions 2022 (06b) Eddie: See the Positive.
2020-02b Facial Expressions 2022 (06c) Eddie: Speak the Positive.
More context:
Post-processing Street Portraits (photo blog),
Adding Context to Street Portraits (photo blog).
Evidently, my light estimation was a bit optimistic when taking this photo. And: using a step-up ring on a wide angle lens is not always a good idea (if you're not crazy about vignetting).
Still a somewhat spooky-cool shot, I think.
Yashica-J5, Super Yashinon R 35mm f2.8, Ilford Delta 100 Prof.
Developed with Ilfosol 3 (1+14).
Around sunset, a couple days ago.
We moved to our new apartment this month and this was a nice way to celebrate the photographic possibilities from this 15th floor point-of-view. We didn't have any serious storm that day, despite the alert in the morning... Spot the rainbow.
Stitched pano from about 23 photos, taken at around 30 mm. In hindsight, I should have just used a wider lens. I had another layer of photos for the clouds above the frame but didn't account for how fast the wind was moving them and how quickly they were changing. That was a nightmare to stitch in post and in the end I just had to give up on that top strip of clouds, which in my opinion was the most dramatic :(
This is very optimistic picture, right?))
To be frank, I have nothing good to tell as well.
I’ve just got results of the latest check-up and they are not bad, no, they are simply awful. I’m still in kind of shock. Though it wasn’t unexpected thing, I didn’t think everything would be so bad, really :(
I should be hospitalized but I don’t want to. I’ve got a choice yet (in case I’m not getting worse). I don’t want to go there because I will have to give up everything. Yeah, I will have a right to breathe and look at the window. That’s all. On the other side, classes start on Monday and if I won’t be able to study well because I will have to spend a lot of time in the hospital anyway, so… ugh. I hate making decisions, I simply can’t do it right! Workaholics should never make such decisions! Never!
I’m not sure what I’m going to do with pictures… I stop all my projects for a while cause I look like a ghost (wait, I can start “Zombie” series or something like this LOL. No, kidding) but vacation finally ends, my lovely models come back to the city and I may shoot some of them.
Photography is such a drug! Well, you know it very well if you’re reading this. :D
Actually I don’t know why I’m writing this and what I’m looking for here... I guess I do it because there are friends who seem to care.
Yeah friends, shit happens.
~*~*~*~
Ok, some positive here.
I would like to thank miss'anna for her lovely testimonial! And I (careless, careless creature!) say my veeery late thank you to shawnisabelle and Dylan Murphy as well. Your kind words made my day. When I hear (read) something like this, I really want to live. And breathe. And create.
Thank you!
L
IN ENGLISH BELOW THE LINE
El fusell alemany de la I Guerra Mundial, el Mauser Gewehr 98 (no comfondre amb el Kar98k de la II Guerra Mundial, més petit), tenia un molt optimista mira graduada des de 400 fins a 2000 metres. Com si haguessis de encertar a algú a dos quilometres!
www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=WkBrh1euWg0
El Museu del Exercit Nacional o Muzeum Armii Krajowej, a Cracovia, mostra la organització d'una resistencia armada durant la Segona Guerra Mundial contra la conquesta alemana del 1939, però també contra els sovietics tant a partir de 1939 (al·liats amb els nazis) com a partir de 1944. El més interessant és la colecció d'armes d'infanteria de l'època, sobretot les improvissades.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armia_Krajowa_Museum_in_Krak%C3%B3w
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The German World War I rifle, the Mauser Gewehr 98 (not to be confused with the smaller World War II Kar98k), had a very optimistic "tobogan" like rear sign graduated from 400 to 2000 meters. As if you had to hit someone two kilometers away!
www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=WkBrh1euWg0
The National Army Museum or Muzeum Armii Krajowej, in Krakow, shows the organization of an armed resistance during the Second World War against the German occupation of 1939, but also against the Soviets both from 1939 (allied with the Nazis ) as from 1944. Most interesting is the collection of infantry weapons of the time, especially the improvised ones.
Builders' hoarding optimistically showing the finished building. I assume it will take so long to complete, by then we will be back in the EU.
Despite a very optimistic weather forecast, yesterday ended up rather overcast. Still an opportunity for fresh air without too much fresh rainwater.
Lomo Lubitel 166 Universal and T-22 75mm f/4.5, Ilford HP5 Plus in Rodinal 1+50 for 14 min @ 20°C and digitalized using kit zoom and extension tubes.
Thank you everyone for your visits, faves and comments, they are always appreciated :)
So far, not looking too good here... but we remain optimistic, I go to bed, thinking: TOMORROW morning will be beautiful...
Life is what YOU make it, even in tougher/rougher times.
I wish you ALL a marvellous Summer!
NEW!!! A NEW TREAT HERE, a second choice of some of my images:
Lead and enjoy a good life, do and say things that enrich... and do not forget to tell the people close to you, how much you love them!
With love to you and thank you for ALL your faves and comments, M, (* _ *)
IT IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN (BY LAW!!!) TO USE ANY OF MY image or TEXT on websites, blogs or any other media without my explicit permission. © All rights reserved
WHAT PART of DO NOT USE is it that you DO NOT UNDERSTAND?
I find my images on numerous blogs and websites EVERY DAY, without my permission!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why not view the set as a slide-show?
Also I often upload more than one image at the same time, I see a tendency to only view the last uploaded...
Sometimes when the times are at their darkest point, the brightest pictures come to light.
November last year wasn't my finest time. But even when I know I wasn't happy and everything was sort of crumbling down I feel optimistic when I look at my past self here. There isn't sadness in my eyes, and somehow, that tiny little stupid thing makes me feel so strong.
A couple days after my first trip to the desert, another optimistically-romantic and even-younger dude wanted to take me to see some small dunes (the dunes-only shots turned out unphotographable with my crappy film). Small, because the big ones are touristy, and also the small ones were near his village. A very weird evening motorbike ride into the desert to drink terrible whiskey on the dunes, watch the sunset, and get eyeballed suspiciously by his family.
Maybe better in color, while the guy was wearing my turban from Mali that happened to match his t-shirt.
Graffiti that used to be at the entrance to the Royal Victoria Park, Bath. Taken from the first ever B&W film that I learnt to process myself (many years ago.....)
Hope you are looking towards the new week in an optimistic mood! It'll be (another) busy week for me; I hope I will be able to "steal" some flickr-time! ;-)
(Some yellow plants I picked out of a withered flower bouquet; see on black)
During the early optimistic days of SSI UK ownership, GB Railfreight-operated Di8 class diesel-electric loco No. '820' draws a loaded torpedo wagon away from the Redcar Blast Furnace in October 2012. The 'Di8' class was previously used for freight traffic by the Norwegian railway company CargoNet. Twenty locos were constructed in 1996-97 at the Maschinenbau Kiel (MaK) plant in Kiel when it was part of 'Siemens Schienenfahrzeugtechnik' and GB Railfreight acquired ten for the Redcar contract. SSI UK went into liquidation during October 2015, resulting in 1,700 job losses at the plant alone.
© Gordon Edgar - All rights reserved. Please do not use my images without my explicit permission
optimistic about gods
and I do believe in good
but as autumn gets closer
it gets hard to keep the mood
- Frosted July -
I saw her as I was arriving on campus. She was engaged in a friendly chat with a friend outside the coffee shop and I was struck by her friendly face and her energy as well as by her tight curls. Not wanting to interrupt their conversation, I proceeded to lock up my bicycle and set up my camera. Fortunately, the busy scene of students moving to and fro kept me from looking like a predator until the two said their goodbyes. She moved on briskly so I had to hustle to catch up and introduce myself and my project. She listened with interest and said she would be glad to participate. I checked that I wasn’t going to make her late for class and she laughed. “My next class is in six hours!” Now that’s what I call an awkward schedule gap. I promised not to use up the entire six hours and said we would only need about five or ten minutes. She laughed again and said “Fine.” Meet Tienna.
I had to check twice on her name because over the din of construction equipment on Gould St. I thought she said “Sienna.” As to the origin of her unique name, she said “My parents said they just liked the sound of it” and I agreed that it was a great name choice.
After explaining the project more fully and giving her my contact card, Tienna warned me that she is not very photogenic. I asked her to let me be the judge of that. I suggested photographing her a couple of steps away with the coffee shop patio behind her and took a few photos once she set down her backpack and removed her earphone. She asked about expression and I said I would take a few photos so any natural expression she was comfortable with would be fine. There was a mix of smiles and relaxed expressions.
After a few photos I suggested we step around the corner to chat because the backhoe was drowning us out. Tienna is 20 and was born and raised in a city on the northwest fringes of Toronto. Her father is Jamaican and her mother came from Newfoundland on the Atlantic coast. Tienna is studying Professional Communications and will soon add in Business Essentials. When I asked what her goal was she smiled and said “To be a CEO.” I applauded her ambitiousness. “Sure, why not go for the top?” I replied.
Tienna told me she left home young at age 16 and went through an awkward period of combining work and study. The study suffered in her efforts to make ends meet and she wound up with a rather fragmented high school transcript. She did, however, settle and find her way and patched up her transcript with some extra courses and here she is in university. Her advice to her younger self was to keep her schoolwork foremost. Her interests include reading and sports (soccer and basketball).
Tienna struck me as full of energy with a positive, outgoing personality. It is always a pleasure to meet young people who are so optimistic and preparing to be the leaders of tomorrow. When I asked if she had a message or piece of advice to share with the project she said “I always make an effort to establish eye contact with people wherever I go and smile at them. Not everyone understands and some probably think I’m strange, but I feel it makes the world more friendly.” I couldn’t agree more. I told her that this project has a similar aim – to make the world a friendlier place by creating positive interactions between strangers. Tienna seemed to understand perfectly, and agreed.
Thank you Tienna for participating in my project. You are my 857th submission to The Human Family Group on Flickr. I wish you success and happiness.
You can view more street portraits and stories by visiting The Human Family.
Death Valley National Park during one of our workshops last month. I'm cautiously optimistic about our chances of a good wildflower bloom next year, as El Nino arrives.
Perhaps a little optimistic, but at least it's forecast that it's going to warm up over the weekend! Have a good one!
A little about our stay at Hotel Chocolat, for those who're interested...
For anyone who's familiar with the brand of chocolate "Hotel Chocolat" this is the hotel, restaurant and plantation where it all begins. We were lucky enough to meet co-owner Peter Harris on our stay, a fascinating guy who started the business as a mail order chocolate company and has worked to create something virtually unique. I've not met many true entrepeneurs before, but what I found most interesting is that I got no sense that he'd built this for the money. It seemed much more about creating something very special, realising a dream if you like. It seemed clear that the workers here are getting a good deal. The plantation works to promote agriculture and to help farmers set up their own crops, with a clear focus on education and providing a fair return on the cocoa! If ever you're lucky enough to visit St Lucia, I cannot recommend this place enough. It makes you see your chocolate in a whole new light, and I doubt you'll ever grumble again at paying a couple of pounds for quality bar of dark chocolate once you've seen the work that's gone into it!
I had read about the new RSPB reserve opening and decided to take a look. It opened on the 25th of May. When we arrived there were only 2-3 cars. The visitor centre overlooked a lake, stunningly bleak view but with no birds to be seen. No birds and no people yet the RSPB staff and volunteers appeared were so cheery and optimistic. Once out onto the reserve and onto the hilltop you get a beautiful view of the reserve and hear the sound of Skylarks, Meadow Pipits, Blackcaps and Whitethroats. When you descend you see the birds and also hear them. I would recommend it as a place to visit. I was very impressed!
www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/s/staidans/
St Aidan's is a perfect place to get close to nature and relax, unwind or exercise in a stress-free environment. Just outside Leeds on the banks of the River Aire, it's a big new space to walk, run, cycle, or ride your horse and enjoy the wildlife that surrounds you.
It has a wide range of wild plants and animals, and is home to thousands of birds, brown hares, roe deer, wild flowers and insects - all living in a stunning landscape of vast reedbeds, grassland, woodland, lakes, ponds and islands.
With a variety of circular paths of varying lengths and large areas of open grassland, St Aidan’s is a great place for families to enjoy the outdoors, share a picnic and play together.
Over 7.5 miles (12 km) of footpaths, bridleways and cycle routes connect the surrounding communities, with links to national footpath and cycle networks. St Aidan's is a fantastic place for locals wishing to explore the wider countryside or as a destination for people who love nature.
Opening times
St Aidan's is an open access site. Opening times apply to the visitor centre and car park. From March-October they're open from 9.30 am to 5 pm. From September-February it's 9.30 am to 4 pm. They're closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
Entrance charges
Entry to the site is free but donations to help us continue our work are welcome. There is a car park charge of £2.50 per car for RSPB non-members. RSPB members and disabled badge holders park for free.
Information for dog owners
Dogs are allowed on the reserve as long as they are kept on a lead in the appropriate designated zones. There are some less sensitive areas within St Aidan's where dogs are allowed off the lead. Please check with staff before letting dogs off the lead.
Star species
Our star species are some of the most interesting birds you may see on your visit to the reserve.
Bittern
Bitterns are brown, secretive herons, camouflaged to hide amongst reeds. Visit in spring to hear male bitterns 'booming' or summer to watch the parents making feeding flights.
Great crested grebe
Watch the amazing courtship ritual of great crested grebes on the open water in spring. You may see pairs performing their 'weed dance' when they present one another with weed and patter across the surface of the water together.
Little owl
You may be lucky enough to find one of these compact owls perched in a tree or on a fencepost. They become very active at dusk and you may hear their shrill calls.
Marsh harrier
Look for marsh harriers gliding over the reedbed with their wings held upwards in a shallow 'v'. In spring, pairs perform their breathtaking 'skydancing' displays high in the sky.
Skylark
Spring visits will be enriched by the beautiful song of skylarks. They rise up into the air from the grassland until they are barely visible and only their song can be heard
www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/s/staidans/seasonal_highli...
Seasonal highlights
Each season brings a different experience at our nature reserves. In spring, the air is filled with birdsong as they compete to establish territories and attract a mate. In summer, look out for young birds making their first venture into the outside world. Autumn brings large movements of migrating birds - some heading south to a warmer climate, others seeking refuge in the UK from the cold Arctic winter. In winter, look out for large flocks of birds gathering to feed, or flying at dusk to form large roosts to keep warm.
Spring
Look out for marsh harriers displaying over the reedbeds, great crested grebes performing their elaborate courtship dances and returning swallows skimming low over the water and grasslands as they collect insects. Listen out for skylarks filling the air with their song, the deep booming of male bitterns, male snipe 'drumming' as they vibrate their tail feathers to attract females and lapwings calling as they perform their aerobatic displays. Enjoy the fusion of colour as wildflowers burst into bloom and a host of brightly-coloured butterflies and dragonflies take to the wing. Spring is also a great time to see kestrels. You can often see several hovering around the site at the same time as they hunt for voles in the grassland. Kestrels have also been seen nesting in the huge dragline.
Summer
Watch overhead for herons and little egrets dropping into the reeds to feed, female bitterns flying low over the reedbeds as they seek out food for their chicks or marsh harriers passing food to each other in flight. Keep an eye on the open water for lines of young ducklings paddling along behind their parents or young great crested grebes riding around on their parents' backs and admire the abundant lilypads on the lakes. Stoats, weasels and water voles are often seen at this time of year as are basking butterflies and dragonflies hawking the waters edge. Thousands of black-headed gulls set up a colony at this time of the year filling the air with their calls. Summer is the best time to spot the elusive black necked grebe as it will have its fluffy youngsters in tow. Avocets also nest at this time of year. St Aidan’s is a good place to spot this iconic bird that is the logo of the RSPB.
Autumn
Autumn sees the arrival of migrant birds, such as black-tailed godwits, ruffs and green sandpipers. Local birdwatchers will also spot a few rarities such as spoonbills and pectoral sandpipers. Huge flocks of lapwings arrive to spend winter with us and can be seen around pool edges and on grassland. Short-eared owls hunt over the reedbeds and our winter wildfowl begin to arrive. Look out for flashes of blue as kingfishers flit up and down the river.
Winter
Waders and wildfowl such as lapwings, curlews, wigeons, teals, shovelers and goldeneyes gather in big numbers, roosting and feeding across the grasslands and pools. Water rails can be spotted feeding on frozen pools, or you can listen out for their strange, pig-like squealing! The elusive bittern is also drawn out into the open at times. One of the most awesome spectacles in winter is seeing massive flocks of roosting birds panic and fly into the air as peregrines hunt over the site. Look and listen out for overwintering stonechats. Their calls sound like two pebbles being knocked together!
Facilities
Facilities
•Visitor centre
•Car park : There's a car park charge of £2.50 per car for RSPB non-members. RSPB members and disabled badge holders park for free. We have cycle parking and a height restriction of 2.7 m (8' 10'') for vehicles.
•Toilets
•Disabled toilets
•Baby-changing facilities
•Picnic area
•Group bookings accepted
•Guided walks available
•Good for walking
•Pushchair friendly
Nature trails
Bowers Bimble: Starting from the car park, this 0.9-mile (1.5 km) flat trail takes you on a short walk around Bowers Lake then through grassland and wild flower meadows. Great for a relaxing stroll (20-30 minutes).
Lowther Loop: For a walk through shady woodland glades and along the banks of the River Aire, venture onto this 1.3 mile (2 km) flat trail. In wet winter months, it’s a welly boot walk (60 minutes).
Hillside Hike: For stunning landscapes and panoramic views of the nature park and surrounding areas, t ake a hike onto the hillside. This trail is 1.3 miles (2 km) with some steep hills and inclines, which wind through the trees and grassland (40-60 minutes).
Reedbed Ramble: To explore the magic of the whispering reedbeds, take a walk on this 1.7-mile (2.8 km) flat route that runs around the edges of the reedbeds and loops back to the main entrance (40-45 minutes).
As the new custodians of St Aidan's, we are aiming to improve the accessibility of our paths as soon as we can. Please contact us for updates on footpath and bridleway conditions.
Refreshments available
•Hot drinks
•Cold drinks
•Snacks
•Confectionery
By train
The nearest train stations are Woodlesford (3.2 miles), Castleford (3.2 miles) and Garforth (4.3 miles). If you're going to be walking or cycling from the station to St Aidan's, choose Woodlesford station. Turn left out of the station then left onto the main road. When you get to the bridge over the Aire and Calder navigation, cross it, then turn right and walk along the riverbank until you reach St Aidan's. If you're going to take a taxi from the station to St Aidan's, head towards Castleford station as it's easier to get a taxi there.
By bus
The nearest bus stop is just outside the entrance to St Aidan’s, on Astley Lane. The Number 167 Leeds to Castleford bus stops here and is run by Arriva Yorkshire.
By road
Reach us from junction 46 of the M1. Follow the A63, signposted Selby and Garforth. At the roundabout, take the fourth left for Wakefield A642, Swillington and Oulton. Follow the A642 for 1.5 miles then turn left on to Astley Lane. St Aidan's is 1.8 miles on the right.
From Castleford, follow the A656 (Barnsdale Road) north out of the town centre for 1.4 miles. Turn left onto Station Road towards Allerton Bywater and travel 1.2 miles. Turn left onto the Leeds Road (next to the yellow corner shop). St Aidan’s is 0.5 miles along the road on the left.
Other ways to get to the reserve
It's easy to get to St Aidan's by bike. The site is bordered on its south-east edge by the Trans-Pennine Trail central section (Route 67). This runs north all the way to Leeds city centre, and south to join the main east-west route near our Old Moor nature reserve at Barnsley. There is also a local cycle route called the Linesway Greenway (Route 697) that runs between Garforth and Allerton Bywater with a spur at the Allerton Bywater end that links into the site. St Aidan's is also bordered by the Leeds Country Way. Maps of this route can be found on the Leeds City Council website. There are also many other local footpaths and bridleways that link into the site from the surrounding towns and villages.
I came across this beauty on a walkabout near Capitola, CA. Copyright: Sweezey Pictures - Ken Sweezey.
Maybe not.What are your alternative sources of protein then? Not meat, or even fish, but something like soy or beans or even eggs?If you are a vegetarian or vegan, this is a daily concern. And even if you are not, it’s good to eat something different once in a while, right?But some people don’t have this luxury, and in the not too distant future, you might not either.Do you know how many people are on the planet right now, and what that number will look like in 2060? According to a recent article in the Guardian:The world’s population stands at a little over 7bn; by 2060 this will have risen to perhaps 9.5bn, and that is a fairly optimistic scenario.So that is a lot of people, and growing by the minute. However, let’s take a deeper look at the need for protein which is one of the biggest issues we will have to face in the future.As the population of the world also gets richer, so too does the demand for meat. And the same article from the Guardian claims that meat demand will more than double by 2050. But why is this such a problem?Producing beef, chicken and other similar meats is extremely inefficient and produces a lot of problems at the same time. Here are some of the statistics that make Western style meat farming such a wasteful and harmful idea:Meat production causes 5% of global CO2 emissions, 40% of methane emissions, 40% of various nitrogen oxides (FAO.org).Growing beef uses four times the food to produce the same amount of meat (compared to insects) (The-Scientist.com).Growing beef uses four times the food to produce the same amount of meat (compared to insects) (The-Scientist.com).Animal protein requires 100 times more water than protein from grain (TheConversation.com)/li>So as you can clearly see, the production of meat is not an ideal way to use our resources to produce protein. Especially when we are looking at double the consumption in the not too distant future.What Are The Existing Protein Alternative Sources.In 2015 we have a wide range of protein alternatives, many of which you have probably never heard of. Let’s take a look at all of the alternatives, including those you already know.Common Protein Alternatives.In 2015 we have a wide range of protein alternatives, many of which you have probably never heard of. Let’s take a look at all of the alternatives, including those you already know..Common Protein Alternatives.When you are thinking about protein, all of the following probably come to mind:Red Meat (Beef, Pork, Lamb. etc)White Meat (Chicken, Turkey etc)Fish (Salmon, Tuna, Sea Fish etc) Eggs How about eating insects for protein then?Red Meat (Beef, Pork, Lamb. etc)White Meat (Chicken, Turkey etc) Fish (Salmon, Tuna, Sea Fish etc) Eggs.Milk Products (Yogurt, Cheese etc.)
Beans (Lentils, Kidney Beans, Black-eyed Peas, Chick Peas etc) Nuts and Seeds Soya Products (such as Tofu) .As the consumption of protein is not a new problem, there are already some interesting options which Forbes wrote an great piece on last year:Forbes wrote an great piece on last year:
Seaweed Pea protein based products Soylent (Liquid food)
Chirps (Cricket Chips) And then there are the more fringe ideas such as laboratory or “fake” meats which have not yet become viable alternatives.How are insects being used in the western world as protein alternatives right now? Let’s take a look at how some people are eating insects for protein.
4ento.com/2015/01/26/insects-as-a-protein-alternative/
In praise of slowness to change our habits polluter.When Ann Parkes decided to swap the elegant shops of Bond Street for the earthy delights of a snail farm in France, her friends thought she was mad.Ten years later, Mrs Parkes, a former general manager of the jewellers Mapin and Webb, is a fully-fledged heliculturist – and the only Briton in France to farm snails professionally."Never in a million years did I think I'd be doing this," she said. "Everyone told me we were crazy to even think about it."I had no interest in snails whatsoever. I'd eaten them many times, but hadn't envisaged rearing them."With her husband Mike, 64, who also worked in the jewellery business in London, Mrs Parkes farms up to 150,000 snails a year on the meadow behind their Provencal farmhouse, which they turned into a boutique hotel.Related ArticlesAsian hornets could invade Britain 25 Feb 2011The French shell out for organic snails 06 Aug 2007Slow route to riches 31 Jan 2005Your dinner's on the wall 28 Oct 2006The couple manage the entire operation themselves: putting the three-day old snails in the park in May, feeding and watering them over the summer, and then picking them in September. "Everything is done by hand, and it is very labour-intensive," she said.But now Mrs Parkes is retiring and selling the business, and France risks losing its one and only British snail farmer.The hotel, nine miles from Avignon, is set in four acres of landscaped gardens and is on the market for €2.45 million (£2.1m)."Running the hotel and farm has been very enjoyable. It'd be wonderful if other Britons wanted to follow the path I've carved," said Mrs Parkes.The sales particulars for the property, Les Carmes, lists its seven suites, inner courtyard for al fresco dining and its swimming pool in glowing terms before adding - almost as an afterthought - "and a working snail farm."The new owner of the property does not have to take over the business, but Mrs Parkes said they would be very welcome to do so.Yet the thought of an Englishwoman taking up such a quintessentially Gallic profession did, initially, leave a bitter taste among her French fellow farmers."It's bizarre that an English person took up snail farming," said Alphonse De Meis, a snail farmer in the nearby Provencal town of Saint-Rémy. "They British don't have a natural affinity for snails."But eventually outrage turned to acceptance. "When they first found out that a Briton was farming snails, they were absolutely shocked," said Mrs Parkes, 58. "Especially as it was a woman. They couldn't believe it, and were horrified."At the markets, several people were very taken aback, and asked why on earth I'd done it. They couldn't imagine a British person studying snail reproduction."Gérard Dupont, the president of French Culinary Academy, said that it had been "brave" of Mrs Parkes to enter the trade."England is not a country that automatically understands heliculture," he said. "But what matters to French consumers is quality, and it is good she has made the effort."The Parkes farm "Gros Gris" snails – the same species as garden snails, but slightly larger. After being harvested the snails are taken to a nearby state-licensed laboratory to be kept for a few days without food, to cleanse them internally, and dried out before being killed and frozen, for use in the kitchen."We serve our snails with garlic butter, with an aperitif," she said. "American guests love them, and so do the Belgians. The British often say they've never tried snails, but then always seem to come back for more."The Parkes' son James, 29, runs the kitchen, and his signature dish is snail ravioli. "Keith Floyd came to do a programme and he said it was the best snail ravioli he had ever tasted," said Mrs Parkes.They sell their surplus snails in the markets of nearby towns such as L'Isle Sur La Sorgue, where trestle tables laden with olives, brightly-coloured vegetables and local cheeses display the finest in Provencal produce. Twelve of the Parkes' finest snails will retail to French gastronomes and adventurous tourists for around €5 (£4.30) and make a popular starter served in a garlicky butter with crusty bread.French consumers eat an estimated 35,000 ton of snails a year, according to the French snail producers' union. But only around 1,500 tons of those are produced in France, with the rest imported from eastern Europe, where they are picked in the wild.There are only 200 professional snail farmers in France and to qualify as one of them, Mrs Parkes spent three months studying snails' reproductive cycles, the grains on which to feed them, and how to set up an electrically-fenced enclosure.The couple had never imagined acquiring such intimate knowledge of a snail's anatomy when they decided to move to France and renovate the crumbling Provencal farmhouse as a small hotel. But they discovered to their dismay that, in order to qualify for a business permit, they had to use the land to farm."A huge black cloud descended on our dream," Mrs Parkes said. "We didn't know what to do. But then I found out about snail farming. And so I signed up for the course."Christophe Simoncelli, who runs the snail producing school in the Alpine town of Chambéry where Mrs Parkes studied, said: "I was really surprised when she turned up to our classes. But maybe the British are finally losing their gastronomic inhibitions.
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/8320336/...
Phew! Insects AREN'T the future of food: Crickets may be nutritious, but they're not a green alternative to meat, researchers claim.
www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3043876/Phew-Inse...
I can well imagine that the thought of cooking and eating snails may seem a forkful too far for some people, but snails have a long and illustrious gastronomic history. The Romans were very fond of them, and introduced snail farming all over their empire. Ever since, the snail has been a regular part of the diet of many European countries, including this one. The main varieties of snail for eating are the Burgundy, otherwise known as the vineyard or Roman snail (Helix pomatia linne), and the petit gris (H. aspera), which is smaller than the Burgundy but regarded as slightly finer for eating.Not only are snails delicious to eat - and you'll never know if you like them until you've tried - but they have a fascinating sex life, too. All snails are male until they mate, which is when something pretty strange happens. Below one eye, each snail has a type of penis that emerges during mating. This links up with the corresponding organ of the mating partner, and remains joined for up to 10 hours while the two politely exchange semen. One or other of the snails will then be inseminated, and will set off to lay several hundred eggs. Snail caviar, as the eggs are known, were quite fashionable in gastronomic restaurants in the 1980s, but to tell the truth they do not have much flavour. They look a little like grains of tapioca, and "pop" in the mouth, a characteristic that won't appeal to everyone.Anyway, assuming that the eggs don't end up in the mouth of some discerning gastronome, each will hatch into a snail, which will form its shell as it grows. When they are about six months old, they are ready for the pot. Of course, many people (some of whom will never even have tried one) are quick to dismiss the snail as being not much different from a bit of rubber, cooking wise, but properly prepared they are really pretty tasty. You can buy them in tins, ready prepared, though I recommend getting them through L'Escargot Anglais (01432 760218). Tony Vaughan, who runs it, retired as a photographer for the SAS to breed snails for the table. And that is an even bigger career change than mine from credit controller to chef.
www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2003/nov/08/foodanddrink...
Instead of worrying about what you cannot control, shift your energy to what you can create.
"Roy T. Bennett",
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SRG getting the shot in attire that can only indicate he's optimistic about the Vikings chances this coming football season. (Actually I think he's more of a Packers fan).
Anyway, it's Amtrak #4, the Southwest Chief, rolling up on the semaphores at the west siding switch at Levy, NM at 4:30pm with Wagon Mound in the background.
SRG & I waited a good 30 minutes for #4 here and thought that maybe he got past us. Nope, he was just encountering signal problems causing him to stop and proceed.Imagine that, signal problems with the "new" searchlight signals that replaced the semaphores!