La Raya is the line dividing the regions of Cusco and Puno in Peru. At 4335 metres above sea level, La Raya provides beautiful views of the Andes

From green to brown to red, the cycle goes on every year. This tree, one among several, provides this street with colour and character.

In 1911, the Old Elbe Tunnel was built to provide a more direct route for dock workers over to the southern banks of the Elbe river from the Landungsbrücken piers in St. Pauli. A technical innovation at the time of its construction, the tunnel became a tourist attraction when the 'new' Elbtunnel and several bridges were built in the 1970s. Now pedestrians and bicyclists wishing to cross below the river can ride a free lift into the deep, and cars can use hydraulically driven cages for a small fee.

Explore the southern banks

The green dome at the Landungsbrücken points towards the 426 metres long underpass. The tunnel is used by city-dwellers to explore the remote corners of the port area or to get to Wilhelmsburg or Altes Land. The observation platform south of the river is also held in high regard among tourists and locals alike for its magnificent panoramic views of the city.

A historic site

Modern tunnels can’t compare to the Alter Elbtunnel, which has been a preserved historic site since 2003. The lamps symmetrically lining the arched tunnel walls create an otherworldly yet cosy atmosphere 24 metres below the river’s surface. The Alter Elbtunnel’s Art-Deco beauty, combined with the unique reliefs lining the bricked walls, make this attraction particularly popular with photographers.

Source www.hamburg.com

This species provides an example of sex role reversal with the females being more brightly coloured than the males. Females will also choose a male and then defend him against other females and when the chicks have arrived, the female scarpers and the male raises them on his own.

Thank you for taking a look at my images

Tumbling boulders provide a rock boundary for the waters of Burbage Brook; an incredibly scenic feature of Sheffield’s Padley Gorge and the Longsaw Estate; Hathersage, Peak District.

NB: It would be a crime as a photographer to visit this place without a camera of any description.

Created using: Topaz Labs, and Topaz Studio

The game provides a Kalah board and a number of seeds or counters. The board has 6 small pits, called houses, on each side; and a big pit, called an end zone, at each end. The object of the game is to capture more seeds than one's opponent.

provide us with memories. Broken as they may become; they endow hope by freeing us to embrace... gratitude.

- Katherine Walsh

South Hadley, MA

Textures added by:

Cary Larrabee - www.flickr.com/photos/c_larrabee/12162062053/

Brenda Starr (Clarke) - www.flickr.com/photos/brenda-starr/5084316081/in/set-7215...

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The lake in the heart of the hiking, running and mountainbiking mountain area Corviglia can be used as an oasis of relaxation or as a running track for the individual altitude training.

The lake of Lej Alv above Marguns captures and stores the water that flows down the mountain and the Val Schlattain during the snow melt. In winter the lake is used as a reservoir for the artificial snow on the mountainside; in summer it provides a wonderful excursion destination for runners, mountain bikers and hikers. You can reach the lake via the mountain station of the Marguns gondola or the mountain station at the Corviglia funicular. Given the altitude, swimming in the lake is an option for hard-core bathers only; but its shores do provide a delightful relaxed setting for a picnic lunch as you take in the views of the Engadin mountains and savour the crisp mountain air.

The Eastern Meadowlark provides a bright splash of color on Florida's open grassy fields and prairies. Scan fence posts, low bushes or power lines for the adult bird with its yellow throat, breast and belly, and black "V" across the chest. Or listen for the sweet, melodious song: a plaintive, clear, descending whistle.

The eastern meadowlark breeds throughout eastern and central North America and in Mexico and parts of Central America and the Caribbean. This year-round Florida resident is not a lark, as its name suggests, but is in the same family as blackbirds and orioles. In size and shape, a perched meadowlark resembles a starling, but it is quail-like in its explosive take-off from the ground. Insects make up the bulk of the meadowlark's diet, but grass and weed seeds are also consumed.

I found this one perched on a fence post greeting the day just after Sunrise along Joe Overstreet Road in Osceola County, Florida.

Click below to hear Eastern Meadowlark!

www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/201...

Little Egret - Egretta garzetta

The little egret (Egretta garzetta) is a species of small heron in the family Ardeidae. The genus name comes from the Provençal French Aigrette, egret a diminutive of Aigron, heron. The species epithet garzetta is from the Italian name for this bird, garzetta or sgarzetta.

It is a white bird with a slender black beak, long black legs and, in the western race, yellow feet. As an aquatic bird, it feeds in shallow water and on land, consuming a variety of small creatures. It breeds colonially, often with other species of water birds, making a platform nest of sticks in a tree, bush or reed bed. A clutch of bluish-green eggs is laid and incubated by both parents. The young fledge at about six weeks of age.

Its breeding distribution is in wetlands in warm temperate to tropical parts of Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. A successful colonist, its range has gradually expanded north, with stable and self-sustaining populations now present in the United Kingdom.

It first appeared in the UK in significant numbers in 1989 and first bred in Dorset in 1996

In warmer locations, most birds are permanent residents; northern populations, including many European birds, migrate to Africa and southern Asia to over-winter there. The birds may also wander north in late summer after the breeding season, and their tendency to disperse may have assisted in the recent expansion of the bird's range. At one time common in Western Europe, it was hunted extensively in the 19th century to provide plumes for the decoration of hats and became locally extinct in northwestern Europe and scarce in the south. Around 1950, conservation laws were introduced in southern Europe to protect the species and their numbers began to increase. By the beginning of the 21st century the bird was breeding again in France, the Netherlands, Ireland and Britain. It has also begun to colonise the New World; it was first seen in Barbados in 1954 and first bred there in 1994. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed the bird's global conservation status as being of least concern..

– the better to provide an alibi for all the despair we are going to feel anyway.

Albert Camus

Topaz Studio

Texture with thanks to Alan- sunsetsailor

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Please, don't fave and run, you will get yourself blocked.

clustered bellflower - Campanula glomerata

Challenge 117 - NATURE'S GIFTS (2020 Art) - 5th place winner!

www.flickr.com/groups/1336746@N23/discuss/721577148493689...

This area is my favorite on the west coast of Norway, since it provides opportunities for many beautiful landscapes. The light, and not least the weather, by the sea is changing rapidly. When the storms come, the waves can reach 100 feets high by the old lighthouse that you can glimpse far out on the horizon. Here many ships have lost their way. But not in beautiful moments like this...

Wishing you a great summer, my friends!

Visite mi favorito en la costa oeste de Noruega. Brinda oportunidades para muchos paisajes hermosos. La luz, y no menos importante el clima, junto al mar está cambiando rápidamente. Cuando llegan las tormentas, las olas pueden alcanzar los 30 metros de altura junto al viejo faro que se puede vislumbrar en el horizonte. Aquí muchos barcos se han perdido. Pero no en momentos hermosos como este. Haz realidad tu sueño ...

¡Disfruta tu verano, amigo!

Visitez mon préféré sur la côte ouest de la Norvège. Il offre des opportunités pour de nombreux paysages magnifiques. La lumière, et surtout le temps, au bord de la mer change rapidement. Lorsque les tempêtes arrivent, les vagues peuvent atteindre 100 pieds de haut près du vieux phare que l'on aperçoit au loin à l'horizon. Ici, de nombreux navires se sont égarés. Mais pas dans de beaux moments comme celui-ci. Réalisez votre rêve...

Profite bien de ton été, mon ami !

The rising and setting sun provides a warm glow to the skies and clouds; however, the opposite horizon is often over looked. As earths shadow recedes during sunrise (or advances at sunset), a band of soft pink pastels forms above it - know as the Belt of Venus.

Above, the Fort Lauderdale, FL skyline was imaged about 10mins before sunrise.

DSC_2162_APc2_66r95q.jpg (crop - resolution 66%)

Smuggler Cove and the shape it provides, inspires many images. It was evident early on that the clouds were going to deliver, so I made sure to get out to catch them. This time, the better shot was going to come from the cliff in the area rather than from the waters edge.

I made sure to visualize the photo prior and set up my tripod at the right spot. The clouds certainly delivered and their reflections were also terrific. Albeit unexpected, the absolute stillness of the ocean added to the final image.

www.photographycoach.ca/

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The Riffelsee lake trail provides scenic views of the highest mountains in the Alps, a lake surrounded by majestic mountains, unspoiled Alpine nature.

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Panorama of the Pennine Alps and Riffelsee lake, Valais, Switzerland. View from a height of 2815 m.

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See my new photos in the My Travels album:

Bedruthan Steps provides one of my favourite views on the north coast of Cornwall. This stretch of coast lies between Newquay to the south and Trevose Head to the north and features a number of headlands and sea stacks with numerous caves at the base of the cliffs. At low tide there are gorgeous golden sandy beaches revealed but at high tide when there is a strong wind blowing, the sea can be spectacular.

The people there behind the falls help provide some scale to this location and waterfall there in Oregon.

Walking in fog often provides a visual representation of my thought process. My brain constantly brings different topics into view, but in the process lets others slide into the periphery. Most of the time they are all still there, competing for my attention, but all in varying degrees. In fog I respond to the overall loss of clarity, but also the nuance that is created by relative distance. It's this layering effect I find most appealing as more distant objects eventually recede into nothingness...exactly the same as my mind reacts.

Walking outdoors this morning felt otherworldly. I love seeing familiar places rendered as ones I'm visiting for the very first time. A rich dichotomy as the serenity of fog is ripped apart by this visceral reaction. In these moments I invariably come up with camera angles that never would have occurred to me in normal circumstances.

Ich melde mich für ein paar Tage ab. Tolle Motive erwarten mich und euch, wenn ich dann wieder zurück bin. Bis bald!

I'm signing off for a few days. Great motifs await me and you when I get back. See you!

The setting sun provides a golden glow over this mountain range.

Those tracks are not mine; I walked out to the water and came across the tracks and liked how it worked with the view.

The Great Salt Lake - GPS is not the exact spot of the shot.

No comments today – just enjoy :-)

Misery Bay is the only operating provincial park on Manitoulin Island. It provides access to scenic Lake Huron Coastline, spectacular views, or an opportunity for a little dip if you like cold water.

© all rights reserved by Mala Gosia. Please do not use this image on websites, blogs or any other media without my explicit written permission.

This black and white photograph was taken this morning before sunrise at Lower Seletar Reservoir, with the Heritage Bridge providing locational reference. There cloud formations appear to converge into the far distance, and mirror-like reflections in the Reservoir provide interesting contrast to the Bridge.

To provide a transparent coffin so as to be visible even if a posture of loved one is put in the coffin.

The Arcade　

FORGET / anc.Ltd

{anc} forget. Swallow [sunyellow] 5Li

{anc} forget. Swallow [maronnbrown] 5Li

{anc} forget. Swallow [mistgray] 5Li

{anc} forget. Swallow [leafgreen] 5Li

{anc} forget. wing leaf [blue]

{anc} forget. wing leaf [gray]

{anc} forget. wing leaf B [clear]1L

{anc} forget. wing leaf/pose [pink] 2Li

{anc} forget. wing leaf A [yellow]

ANC main store

{anc} cirque de reverie .2/ blanc / tent 41Li [W22/D18/H8] RARE

{anc} snow ground (mesh snow/round) silver 1L

The decisive battle starts on June 1!

thearcadesl.com/shopping-guides/June-2016/

ANC main store

maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Rigi/43/101/3799

model：bisou

location:Home

Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's needs, but not every man's greed.

Mahatma Gandhi

The world says: "You have needs -- satisfy them. You have as much right as the rich and the mighty. Don't hesitate to satisfy your needs; indeed, expand your needs and demand more." This is the worldly doctrine of today. And they believe that this is freedom. The result for the rich is isolation and suicide, for the poor, envy and murder.

Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov

He who is not contented with what he has, would not be contented with what he would like to have.

Socrates

When morality comes up against profit, it is seldom that profit loses.

Shirley Chisholm

Thank you for your kind visit. Have a wonderful and beautiful day! ❤️❤️❤️

Bedruthan became a popular destination when Newquay developed as a holiday resort more than 100 years ago. Victorians visiting in their carriages found it a convenient attraction, and the local farmer responded to this interest by providing stalls for the horses on payment of a toll.

The dramatic views rarely fail to provide a breathtaking experience. The geology of the cliffs and stacks themselves is intriguing and it's easy to visit without realising that there's a history of mining in the area dating back to the 19th century.

Carnewas was a hive of industrial activity in the 19th century although not much is known of the mining that took place there. It is supposed that miners tunnelled into the cliffs from the beach in search of iron, copper and lead. Mining stopped many years ago, but the buildings are a reminder of this industry. The National Trust shop was once the count house or mine office and the café was also converted from mine buildings.

Nanyuki

Kenya

East Africa

This monkey was photographed at The Mount Kenya Game Ranch animal orphanage founded by William Holden located near Nanyuki, Kenya.

The animal orphanage at the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy is a unique facility to give orphaned, injured, neglected, abused or frightened wild animals a second chance. The orphanage provides shelter and professional care with the goal to release these creatures back into the wild where they belong.

Sykes' monkey (Cercopithecus albogularis), also known as the white-throated monkey or Samango monkey, is an Old World monkey found between Ethiopia and South Africa, including south and east Democratic Republic of Congo. It is named after English naturalist Colonel William Henry Sykes (1790-1872), and has been considered conspecific with the blue monkey (which in turn has included the golden and silver monkey), but has a large white patch on the throat and upper chest, and a grizzled (not blackish) cap. - Wikipedia

Following the Awatere River provides many different terrain and mountain views.

ENG: The Hörner gondola lift provides access from the Bolsterlang valley to the Weiherkopf peak at an altitude of 1665 meters and the Bolsterlanger Horn peak at an altitude of 1588 meters.

At an altitude of 1540 meters, the cable car ends between the two peaks and from here the very steep path then leads towards Weiherkopf. In the sloping terrain is then the launch site for the paragliders with a fantastic view - in good weather - over the Allgäu Alps in Germany to Tyrol in Austria.

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GER: Die Gondelbahn „Hörnerbahn“ erschließt vom Bolsterlang Tal aus den Weiherkopf Gipfel in 1665 Meter Höhe sowie den Bolsterlanger Horn Gipfel in 1588 Meter Höhe.

In 1540 Meter Höhe endet die Seilbahn zwischen den beiden Gipfeln und von hier aus geht dann der sehr steile Weg Richtung Weiherkopf. Im Hanggelände ist dann der Startplatz für die Gleitschirme mit einem fantastischen Blick - bei guter Wetter - über die Allgäuer Alpen in Deutschland bis hin nach Tirol in Österreich.

Beauty berries provide a treat for the birds and other wildlife around. The berries begin to turn purple in August and continue to ripen until devoured or through April, whichever comes first.

The bushes are deciduous but the berries remain. The bushes benefit from a heavy trim in the spring after the berries are gone or mostly gone. It helps them branch and grow more berries the following season.

People often make jam out of the berries. Although I am not sure why, they don't have a lot of flavor. I added some to a salad once and it was pretty but again, not much flavor so I believe beauty berries are best left as a food source for wildlife.

Have a splendid day and happy snapping :)

CREDITS - BLOG

The All American Park in Quincy, Illinois provides this beautiful view of the Bay Bridge (on the left) and the Quincy Memorial Bridge (Highway 24, on the right). Large barges headed up the Mississippi River frequently pass beneath the bridges.

Quincy is a beautiful river city. According to Wikipedia, "In the fall of 2010, [it] was listed as eighth in the top fifteen small cities to raise a family in the United States by Forbes magazine for its commute times, high school graduation rate, median household income, home ownership rate and cost of living. Forbes compared 126 cities with a population under 100,000 and ranked them on these five quality-of-life measures."

I also found this to be of interest, "During the winter of 1838-1839, five thousand members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Mormons, on their way west, were driven from their homes in Missouri and arrived in Quincy. Though vastly outnumbered by the new arrivals, the residents of Quincy provided them food and shelter. Joseph Smith then led his followers 40 miles (64 km) up river to Nauvoo, Illinois. The kindness extended by the people of Quincy continues to be remembered by Mormons. In 2002, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir gave a benefit concert in Quincy, with the proceeds donated to the city as an expression of gratitude."

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© Stephen L. Frazier - All Rights Reserved.

All material in my photo stream may NOT be reproduced, copied, edited, published, transmitted or uploaded in any way without my permission. My photos are Copyrighted "Stephen L. Frazier" and All Rights Reserved.

The only tree we have that actually provides us with fruit is this Victoria plum which grows in a sheltered corner of the garden. Every year we anxiously watch as the lovely white blossoms unfurl, and pray that there will not be a frost harsh enough to kill the flowers. If that happens there will be no fruit come September! This year we have had constant frosts, but so far the flowers have survived! So we have fingers crossed for a plum harvest once again!

Happy Bokeh Wednesday!

My Bokeh set: Here

my Plum blossom set: Here

Spring through the lens: Here

This is a panoramic scene of the Fishing Boat Harbour in Fremantle taken after sunrise. Fishing boats of different sizes are lined up, with associated interesting reflections on the water surface. The Harbour has been built since 1919 to provide an anchorage for fishing vessels in Western Australia. The Harbour today is a very busy working port, and is home to over a dozen restaurants, many serving traditional and tasty fish and chips.

Short brake from Costa Rica.. family gathering in Florida provide another opportunity to get shots of this rarity. Dense morning fog overcome with with dehaze in Lightroom. Airboat tour.

From Wiki:

Nests and forages year-round in freshwater wetlands of southern Florida, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. Locally endangered species in the Florida Everglades, with a population of less than 400 breeding pairs. Research has demonstrated that water-level control in the Everglades is depleting the population of apple snails. However, this species is not generally threatened over its extensive range. it might be locally increasing in numbers, such as in Central America.

This is a gregarious bird of freshwater wetlands, forming large winter roosts. Its diet consists almost exclusively of apple snails, (especially the species Pomacea paludosa in Florida, and species of the genus Marisa). Snail kites have been observed eating other prey items in Florida, including crayfish in the genus Procambarus, crabs in the genus Dilocarcinus, black crappie, small turtles and rodents. It is believed that snail kites turn to these alternatives only when apple snails become scarce, such as during drought, but further study is needed. On 14 May 2007, a birdwatcher photographed a snail kite feeding at a red swamp crayfish farm in Clarendon County, South Carolina.

The presence of the large introduced Pomacea maculata in Florida has led the snail kites in North America to develop larger bodies and beaks to better eat the snail, a case of rapid evolution.[17] These non-native snails provide a better food source over the smaller native snails and has had a positive effect on their population

Brambles and scrub provide good habitat for Dunnock which usually feed on the ground. The Dunnock was once misleadingly known as the Hedge Sparrow. For a long time it was thought to be related to the Wren. New research places them within a large group consisting of sparrows, finches and pippits.

Tunnel View provides one of the most famous views of Yosemite Valley. From here you can see El Capitan and Bridalveil Fall rising from Yosemite Valley, with Half Dome in the background. This viewpoint is at the east end of the Wawona Tunnel along the Wawona Road (Highway 41).

Grebe chicks enjoy very special treatment captured in this photograph, it has always amazed me how diligently wildlife cared and provides for their off spring.

You can also see grebe feet, which don't have the webbing common in ducks, grebe legs are located at the very back of body which makes them very clumsy on land.

These boats provide a ferry service across the Looe River to East Looe when there is sufficient water. It saves a walk down to the bridge and back again on the other side. West Looe and East Looe were once separate towns, but became united at the end of the 19th century. East Looe is by far the largest of the two and was once an important port for the export of tin and copper ore from the mines on Bodmin Moor, as well as farm and other produce. Some of the former warehouses can be seen on the other side of the river. The arrival of the railway and the end of the mining industry led to Looe's decline as a port and it became a popular seaside resort.

The Schachten of the Bavarian Forest are similar to the alpine pastures of the Alps tree-free forest meadows. These free areas were used by the shepherds as overnight accommodation and for breaks. Individual trees were kept on the meadows to provide shady resting places for the animals. These single standing trees have been able to grow unhindered and are often already ancient and shaped by wind and weather. These clearings are especially fascinating because they are the only open spaces in the vast forest area. In the northern part of the Bavarian Forest they are usually named"meadows", while in the area between the mountains "Großer Falkenstein" and "Großer Rachel" they are called "Schachten".

Text adapted from Wikipedia

Rathaus underground station in Cologne, Germany

A pleasing contrast of midnight blue and silvery gleam

When completed, the new north–south suburban railway line in Cologne will have eight stops. While the last stretch of the line is scheduled to come into operation in 2016, Rathaus station has already proven itself fit for everyday operation. Located directly beneath the historic market, Rathaus underground station provides quick and convenient access to the centre of Cologne's historic Altstadt (old town) district, which was previously only accessible by bus.

The station, covering almost 3,000 m², lies 16 metres below ground. Its design is characterised by a fresh contrast of midnight blue and silver. A large proportion of the wall area is velvety-smooth blue, while the ceilings and certain sections of the walls are a shiny silver. The walls and ceilings are clad in hot-dip galvanised and powdercoated steel sheet modules, which are perforated in the ceiling area so that they also absorb sound.

Above the entrances, main traffic areas and footpaths throughout the station, WE-EF DOC240 recessed exterior downlights ensure excellent visibility and safety as well as aid orientation. The luminaires had to be integrated into various building situations – either installed in circular sections of the expanded metal ceilings or combined with an installation tube and mounted directly on the concrete ceilings. The DOC240 downlights in the underground station have proven to be versatile, not just in terms of the installation and mounting options, but also in relation to lighting techniques.

While the stairways and escalators are illuminated from a relatively high position, the height between floors in the main traffic areas is rather low. With different light sources in varying wattages – in this case HIT and CFL lamps, and two symmetric light distributions [M] medium and [EE] very narrow beam – the WE-EF luminaires provide exactly the right amount of light for the unique spaces.

All DOC240 downlights used in this project are fitted with vibration protection in order to extend their service life. Luminaires mounted at especially high installation positions are equipped with a device to lower the luminaire to facilitate ease of maintenance.

Architects:

Lighting Designer:Lichtdesign Ingenieurgesellschaft m.b.H., Prof. Heinrich Kramer, Cologne

Barbondale provides one of the western entrances to the Yorkshire Dales National Park and runs from the Lune Valley near Kirkby Lonsdale along to Dentdale. It is one of the Dales that is also in the county of Cumbria following the boundary re-organisation in 1974. A stream known as Barbon Beck flows south-west through the dale to join the River Lune. Barbondale is possibly one of the least well-known of the Yorkshire Dales, though it is one of my favourites. There is just the one settlement, the village of Barbon at the western entrance to the dale. This is a mile or so out of shot to the left. The surrounding fells rise to over 2,200 feet above sea level. Because of the nature of the countryside, sheep farming predominates and there are several small farmsteads dotted along the dale. The woods on the left of the picture are part of Barbon Manor Estate.

These boats provide trips for holidaymakers when the tide is right. West Looe and East Looe were once separate towns divided by the Looe River, but became united at the end of the 19th century. East Looe (on the left) is by far the largest of the two and was once an important port for the export of tin and copper ore from the mines on Bodmin Moor, as well as farm and other produce. Some of the former warehouses can be seen on the other side of the river.

Sacha

Autumn colors always provide beautiful pictures! Sacha is a very musical girl. She took lessons from me for a while and every time we were together I was amazed how musical and creative she could be. She got the ukulele from grandpa and grandma and she is of course very happy with it.

I reached out to her mother to ask if she would like to help me build my portfolio. She responded very nicely and we immediately set a date. I knew her family a little bit and I knew they were warm people, so I assumed it would be a lot of fun. We met at their home, after a delicious espresso and biscuits we went straight to the woods. Here we took a lot of photos, everyone was so nice and that is certainly reflected in the photos. Thank you Lizz for your trust in me.

Beaches provide a sensory stimulation for the dogs. The texture of sand feels different under their paws, which can be exciting and fun for them. Plus plenty of new smells that pique a dog's curiosity.

The mouth of the harbour provides access to the Solent. It is best known as the home of the Royal Navy, HMNB Portsmouth. Because of its strategic location on the south coast of England, protected by the natural defence of the Isle of Wight, it has since the Middle Ages been the home to England's (and later Britain's) navy. The narrow entrance, and the forts surrounding it gave it a considerable advantage of being virtually impregnable to attack from the sea. Before the fortifications were built the French burned Portsmouth in 1338. During the civil war parliamentary forces were able to carry out a successful cutting-out expedition within the harbour and capture the six-gunned Henrietta Marie.

Nature comes sometimes and provides a soft mask of white. Masks can cover a multitude of things and for many reasons. This same photo I believe is a nice capture of Nature and her splendor. A cold day creeps in and we get a quick surprise of snow cover. At times it’s not what we planned for. The Creator doesn’t seek our permission or approval when it’s decided that the weather forecast is about to change our daily pace. We slow down our activities and maybe even alter our plans accordingly. One thing for sure is that we can’t change the weather so why not enjoy it. One method I use is to capture by photograph a segment of Nature at her best. She invites us with the wonder as to what lies “Beneath The Mask” Thanks for viewing my work,

Union Pacific local job LPG04 provides a much needed reprieve from the monotonous parade of wide-nose GEs at Nelson as its crew heads for home after a day of servicing customers. The train is passing the junction with the Peoria Sub where trains can diverge off the double main from either direction and head south to Peoria on what used to be the Chicago & Northwestern's SI Line.

When this photo was taken in November of 2020, the tiny spec on the map of Nelson, Illinois still offered an incredible amount of railroading character to the interested photographer. One could spend an entire day shooting trains passing the steam era coaling tower and various C&NW searchlight signals that were packed into this very short section of Union Pacific's Geneva Sub. The Railside Bar and Grill, while not located directly next to the railroad, was a great place to grab a bite to eat during a lull in traffic.

Sadly this past week, operations commenced to dismantle the concrete coaling tower which only lasted a few years longer than the signals.

Ferromex's Automotriz Mexico-Piedras Negras surprisingly is doing track speed as it climbs the Distrito Viborillas grade.

A pair of nice looking Zebra painted AC4400CW's provide power for the Autorack train fully loaded with brand new Ford and Audi SUV's heading for the US market.

Ali provides the centre point for this wonderfully stereotypical "spooky hospital" shot.

I think everyone who goes here has to get atleast one of these.