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Old friends will recognize one of my favorite "theme" topics (see the SET to the right)--this falls on Sugar River which is truly a well kept secret. Even on the sunniest weekend summer day there will be only one or 2 groups of people enjoying the view and the misty air; most often I'm there alone when I shoot. I went out to do a test of the new 80-400mm and had a terrible time :) Mist on the lens (forgot the lens hood), more water coming over the falls than I've ever seen, so the water blur effect was anything but subtle. Also, I didn't dare cross over the stream, which had turned into a rushing torrent that seemed a foot or 2 higher than I've seen--covering most of the stepping stones I usually use. No way the new lens was going to be trusted to my footing under those conditions. And the best shots are from the other side !! I also found out that the default setting for the remote timer on the D90 can really work against a tripod shooter in adverse conditions. It kept timing out on me while I played with shutter speeds and zoom settings, and wiping the lens, requiring enough resets that I was forced to read the manual (later) to find which menu item holds the longer settings. Oh my. Anyhow, this one looked OK after all the bother, so here you are.
bee on cranesbill in my garden
Explore 2021-06-28 😃
Not only on Mondays the blue flowers like cranesbill, sage and of course the lavender are always well occupied with wild bees and bumblebees. They really dig blue flowers 😉 Happy new week everybody 😄☀️
Bees prefer to approach the colors blue and yellow. They cannot recognize the color red as such - because bees are red-blind. When bees leave their hive to scout the surrounding area for rich sources of foraging they only see the red flowers as a dark spot. A poppy blossom field that is red-covered for us is completely black from the bee's point of view. However, they can detect ultraviolet light very well because they orient themselves to the position of the sun when flying. The flowering plants use these abilities of the bees for themselves and have pigments that reflect the ultraviolet light of the sun.
Olympus E-M1 Mark II + Olympus 60mm F2.8 Macro
Thanks to everyone who stopped by to watch or leave a comment or award :)
All my photos are © All Rights Reserved. The pictures are for viewing, not to be downloaded and shared on any other site or for personal use without my explicit permission. And definitely do not post ads in my photos!!! Thank you! :)
- Nature in Focus 38A/ 104P
- Living Jewels of Nature 17, Precious Living Jewels of Nature 13, Members Choice 16
- Nature's Carousel 11, Nature's Golden Carousel 11, Nature's Platinum Carousel 12
- The New Masterclass 4 + special invite 😉 Masterclass Exhibition 7, Masterclass Elite 5
- Colors of the Heart 14
An activity recognized internationally by the adventurers of the world. Ideal for climbing unexplored lands where you will contemplate nature from another perspective in the heights.
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After a 90 meters (295 ft) long Tibetan bridge, I found myself on a small path where the only way out is a vertical wall to climb. This was the third activity: the 90 meters (295 ft) ferrata track. Small metal stairs attached to the rocks allow me to ascend without major problem. Every certain section I had to change the safety harnesses on the steel cable, also called the "lifeline", to which the climber is attached all the time. The height ensures my nerves, calm.
Instantly recognizable cockatoo, the Galah is familiar throughout most of the continent. The individual in focus is a female, while the male is perched behind her on this farm gate.
You might recognize this croix from a previous post and you might actually prefer that composition, but I think this one deserved to be shown as well because, to me, it shows the way the croix de chemin are just part of the rural landscape.
Chaudière-Appalaches (Beauce), Québec, Canada.
This image is one in a series of croix de chemin (roadside crosses). There are between 2,500 and 3,000 croix de chemin scattered all over rural Québec, the historic centre of North American Catholicism. Croix de chemin are large (15 to 20 feet tall) and were “erected to fulfill a vow, to sacralize the land, or to ward off calamities” (Kaell, “Marking Memory”, p. 135). Croix de chemin are most often made of wood and are decorated with iconography of the Passion. There are three main types: (1) the simple croix de chemin which may have some decorative elements at the end or centre, (2) the croix de chemin featuring instruments of the Passion which are decorated with a lance, nails, hammer, whip, ladder, crown of thorns, and/or rooster and (3) the calvaire, which depicts the crucifixion scene.
I wrote a blog post about my December 2022 photographic trip to the rural areas of Chaudière-Appalaches (Beauce) and Bas-Saint-Laurent, south and east of Québec City. If you'd like to see some behind the scene shots, video and read some stories about how I shot these images, take a look.
If you'd like to see the rest of the images from this trip, take a look at my Québec album and if you'd like to see the series within the series - the croix de chemin - there's an album for croix, as well.
Naples Botanical Gardens
Southwest Florida
USA
A different mockingbird from the previous image photographed from below.
The northern mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) is the only mockingbird commonly found in North America. This bird is mainly a permanent resident, but northern birds may move south during harsh weather.
This species has rarely been observed in Europe. The northern mockingbird is known for its mimicking ability, as reflected by the meaning of its scientific name, "many-tongued mimic".
The northern mockingbird has gray to brown upper feathers and a paler belly. Its tail and wings have white patches which are visible in flight.
The northern mockingbird is an omnivore. It eats both insects and fruits. It is often found in open areas and forest edges but forages in grassy land.
The northern mockingbird breeds in southeastern Canada, the United States, northern Mexico, the Bahamas, the Cayman Islands and the Greater Antilles. It is replaced further south by its closest living relative, the tropical mockingbird. The Socorro mockingbird, an endangered species, is also closely related, contrary to previous opinion.
The northern mockingbird is listed as of Least Concern according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
The northern mockingbird is known for its intelligence. A 2009 study showed that the bird was able to recognize individual humans, particularly noting those who had previously been intruders or threats. Birds recognize their breeding spots and return to areas in which they had greatest success in previous years. Urban birds are more likely to demonstrate this behavior.
Finally, the mockingbird is influential in United States culture, being the state bird of five states, appearing in book titles, songs and lullabies, and making other appearances in popular culture. – Wikipedia
Mature bull (male) elk are recognizable by their very large set of antlers, colloquially called a "rack." A lot of biological energy goes into creating those antlers, which are shed late each winter and immediately start to re-grow in time to achieve maximum impressiveness (to cow - female - elk) and function (to warn competition for those cows) in time for September breeding season, known as "rut." During rut the bulls barely eat but they burn a ton of calories herding the cows around and threatening and sometimes coming to fisticuffs with other bulls. This individual was saving a lot of winter energy by walking down the plowed road but as I crept up to him in my car he ultimately decided to deal with traversing the deep snow along the side of the road instead of allowing me to pass him.
Note two things: 1. he's very thin, he most likely had a very rowdy rut in September and was not able to regain much weight afterwards, and 2. I suspect at some point he slept on his right side and his hair stuck to the ice and he lost a lot of it when he stood up.
Hope he makes it through winter in spite of a very poor start to the lean season.
Excerpt from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ying_Lung_Wai:
Ying Lung Wai (Chinese: 英龍圍) is a walled village in the Yuen Long Kau Hui area of Yuen Long District, Hong Kong.
Ying Lung Wai is a recognized village under the New Territories Small House Policy.
Ying Lung Wai was established by a branch of the Tang Clan of Kam Tin, who had set up the nearby villages of Sai Pin Wai and Nam Pin Wai, but later moved to the area to establish the village due to feng shui reasons.
At the time of the 1911 census, the population of Ying Lung Wai was 94. The number of males was 38.
Ying Lung Wai is part of the Tung Tau alliance (東頭約) or "Joint Meeting Group of Seven Villages", together with Nam Pin Wai, Tung Tau Tsuen, Choi Uk Tsuen, Shan Pui Tsuen, Wong Uk Tsuen and Tai Wai Tsuen. The Yi Shing Temple in Wong Uk Tsuen is an alliance temple of the Tung Tau Alliance.
One of the most recognized landmarks in Zion National Park, Court of the Patriarchs reach into the Utah sky. These three photogenic peaks bear the biblical names of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Towering above Birch Creek Canyon almost 2000 feet, the Court of the Patriarchs represents nearly a full layer of Navajo Sandstone. This exposed sandstone is one of nine Zion rock layers that together span 150 million years of sediment deposits. The Patriarch cliffs represent one of the thickest layers of sediment, making up some of the tallest cliffs in the world. Occasional flash floods in the Virgin River increase water volume by 100 times and bring down tons of loose rock and sand, scouring out new side canyons and re-channeling the river. Here in Zion Canyon this magnificent scenery is always experiencing change, but its subtleties are seldom recognized in such an immense canyon.
Recognizable species due to completely black legs and the reddish-brown pterostigma, lighter in the females. The adults are found from June to October and are more abundant in August. We find them in environments rich in aquatic vegetation from the plain to over 1000 meters of altitude. Dragonflies represent one of the most famous bioindicators of the state of health of the environment in which they live as they are individuals particularly sensitive to different forms of pollution and carry out their larval development in water.
SOURCE: Odonata.it, Piemonteparchi.it
Po Valley - Piedmont/taly
“pain and love have no borders,
even if we raise walls not to see the pain
and we put boundaries to not recognize love.”
(Enzo Bianchi)
“il dolore e l'amore non hanno frontiere,
anche se noi alziamo muri per non vedere il dolore
e mettiamo confini per non riconoscere l'amore.”
(Enzo Bianchi)
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click to activate the icon of slideshow: the small triangle inscribed in the small rectangle, at the top right, in the photostream;
or…. press L to enlarge;
clicca sulla piccola icona per attivare lo slideshow: sulla facciata principale del photostream, in alto a destra c'è un piccolo rettangolo (rappresenta il monitor) con dentro un piccolo triangolo nero;
oppure…. premi L per ingrandire l'immagine;
www.worldphoto.org/sony-world-photography-awards/winners-...
www.fotografidigitali.it/gallery/2726/opere-italiane-segn...
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All the photos I present were taken in the town of Taormina (Sicily);
I made photos related to "street photography";
I made portraits of people I did not know, this certainly thanks to their sympathy and availability, I thank them very much;
I tried to capture the essence of minimal photographic stories, collected walking down the street ... in search of fleeting moments ...
For some photographs I used a particular photographic technique at the time of shooting, which in addition to capturing the surrounding space, also "inserted" a temporal dimension, with photos characterized by being moved because the exposure times were deliberately lengthened, they are confused -focused-imprecise-undecided ... the Anglo-Saxon term that encloses this photographic genre with a single word is "blur", these images were thus created during the shooting phase, and not as an effect created subsequently, in retrospect, in the post-production.
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Tutte le foto che presento sono state realizzate nella cittadina di Taormina (Sicilia);
ho realizzato foto riconducibili alla “street photography”;
ho realizzato dei ritratti di persone che non conoscevo, questo certamente grazie alla loro simpatia e disponibilità, li ringrazio davvero molto;
ho cercato di cogliere al volo l’essenza di storie fotografiche minime, raccolte camminando per la strada ... alla ricerca di attimi fugaci s-fuggenti ...
Ho utilizzato per alcune fotografie una tecnica fotografica particolare al momento dello scatto, che oltre a catturare lo spazio circostante, ha "inserito" anche una dimensione temporale, con foto caratterizzate dall’essere mosse poiché volutamente sono stati allungati i tempi di esposizione, sono confuse-sfocate-imprecise-indecise...il termine anglosassone che racchiude con una sola parola questo genere fotografico è "blur", queste immagini sono state così realizzate in fase di scatto, e non come un effetto creato successivamente, a posteriori, in fase di post-produzione.
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Some you might recognize this shot on from Open House New York's website or materials. This was my entry from the their first photo contest which won in the people category. it is in the 6th Avenue Library which gave us tours all the way to the top tower. Hopefully they try and do that again cause it was a fun tour, but people had to be careful cause there is no handrails going up part of the way.
Recognized internationally as one of the finest general art museums in the United States, the Nelson-Atkins currently maintains collections of more than 33,500 works of art.
Ikaria is one of the most recognizable sculptures by Igor Mitoraj. Its original replica was placed in the Paris district of La Défense, next to the most famous works of sculpture artists from around the world. The three-meter version of Ikaria, created in 1996, currently presented in the courtyard of the Pod Blachą Palace, comes from a private collection. The birthplace of the monumental figure is the Italian foundry of Pietrasanta in Tuscany. Until now, the figure was in the mBank's art collection, and then acquired by a private owner, was deposited for a temporary exhibition, related to the jubilee of the reconstruction of the Royal Castle in Warsaw.
The artist's work was inspired by the world of Greek and Roman mythology, and Ikaria is a clear reference to the myth of Daedalus and Icarus. Ascent as well as fall. Winged Ikaria reminds us of the eternal human drive to fulfillment and development, to rise to the heights of his abilities. It depicts a winged woman, proud in her majesty. Ready until it can take to the air. Both the inspiration and the obstacle in this flight may seem to be the male face, which we see in several places: in the hole cut on one of the wings, on the side and in the womb of the woman. A male hand prevents a female from flying into the skies.
The Lions are a pair of pointed peaks (West Lion - 1,646 m (5,400 ft);[1] East Lion - 1,606 m (5,269 ft))[2] along the North Shore Mountains in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. They can be seen from much of the Greater Vancouver area, as far as Robert Burnaby Park in East Burnaby, south to parts of Surrey, and from the west on the Howe Sound Islands and the Sunshine Coast. Along with the Lions Gate Bridge named in their honour, these twin summits have become one of the most recognizable Vancouver landmarks. The city's BC Lions CFL football team is also named in their honour. Lions Gate Entertainment which was founded in Vancouver in July, 1997 is also named for the peaks. Wikipedia
Ceci est une galerie personnelle. Si vous vous reconnaissez sur une photo et que vous ne désirez pas que celle-ci reste publiée, faites le moi savoir et elle sera retirée.
This is a personal gallery. If you recognize yourself in a picture of this gallery and if you don’t want it to be published, let me know and the picture will be removed.
Recognizing our shared humanity and our biological nature as beings whose happiness is dependent on others, we learn to open our hearts, and in so doing we gain a sense of purpose and a sense of connection with those around us. Dalai Lama
i always recognize the forces that will shape my life. i let them do their work. sometimes they tear through my life like a hurricane.
sometimes they simply shift the ground under me, so that i stand on different earth, and something or someone has been swallowed up.
i steady myself, in the earthquake. i lie down, and let the hurricane pass over me. i never fight.
afterwards i look around me, and i say, 'ah, so this at least is left for me. and that dear person has also survived.'
i quietly inscribe on the stone tablet of my heart the name which has gone forever. the inscription is a thing of agony.
then i start on my way again.
josephine hart damage
Feel like I waited forever for you to arrive
You look too long
Perhaps you lost your drive
You were touched by too many hands
Why'd you get soft?
I don't understand
I can barely recognize you
You let his love paralyze you
You know death should inspire you
You let his love paralyze you
You followed their flags
Now you're flapping in the rain
You took the main drag
Denying the coarse terrain
You were once a firebrand
How'd you burn out?
I don't understand
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hijra_(South_Asia)
Hijra (for translations, see [n 1]) is a term used in South Asia – particularly in India and Pakistan – to refer to trans women (male-to-female transgender individuals).[1][2] In different areas of Pakistan and India, transgender people are also known as Aravani, Aruvani or Jagappa.[3]
In Pakistan and Bangladesh, the hijras are officially recognized as third gender by the government,[4][5] being neither completely male nor female. In India also, transgender people have been given the status of third gender and are protected as per the law despite the social ostracism. The term more commonly advocated by social workers and transgender community members themselves is khwaja sira (Urdu: خواجہ سرا) and can identify the individual as a transsexual person, transgender person (khusras), cross-dresser (zenanas) or eunuch (narnbans).[6][7]
Hijras have a recorded history in the Indian subcontinent from antiquity onwards as suggested by the Kama Sutra period. This history features a number of well-known roles within subcontinental cultures, part gender-liminal, part spiritual and part survival.
In South Asia, many hijras live in well-defined and organised all-hijra communities, led by a guru.[8][9] These communities have sustained themselves over generations by "adopting" boys who are in abject poverty, rejected by, or flee, their family of origin.[10] Many work as sex workers for survival.[11]
The word "hijra" is an Urdu word derived from the Semitic Arabic root hjr in its sense of "leaving one's tribe,"[12] and has been borrowed into Hindi. The Indian usage has traditionally been translated into English as "eunuch" or "hermaphrodite," where "the irregularity of the male genitalia is central to the definition."[13] However, in general hijras are born with typically male physiology, only a few having been born with intersex variations.[14] Some Hijras undergo an initiation rite into the hijra community called nirwaan, which refers to the removal of the penis, scrotum and testicles.[11]
Since the late 20th century, some hijra activists and Western non-government organizations (NGOs) have lobbied for official recognition of the hijra as a kind of "third sex" or "third gender," as neither man nor woman.[15] Hijras have successfully gained this recognition in Bangladesh and are eligible for priority in education.[16] In India, the Supreme Court in April 2014 recognised hijra and transgender people as a 'third gender' in law.[17][18][19]
Nepal, Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh have all legally recognized the existence of a third gender, including on passports and other official documents.
Terminology
The Urdu and Hindi word hijra may alternately be romanized as hijira, hijda, hijada, hijara, hijrah and is pronounced [ˈɦɪdʒɽaː]. This term is generally considered derogatory in Urdu and the word Khwaja Sara is used instead. Another such term is khasuaa (खसुआ) or khusaraa (खुसरा). In Bengali hijra is called হিজড়া, hijra, hijla, hijre, hizra, or hizre.
A number of terms across the culturally and linguistically diverse Indian subcontinent represent similar sex or gender categories. While these are rough synonyms, they may be better understood as separate identities due to regional cultural differences. In Odia, a hijra is referred to as hinjida, hinjda or napunsaka, in Telugu, as napunsakudu (నపుంసకుడు), kojja (కొజ్జ) or maada (మాడ), in Tamil Nadu, Thiru nangai (mister woman), Ali, aravanni, aravani, or aruvani, in Punjabi, khusra and jankha, in Sindhi khadra, in Gujarati, pavaiyaa (પાવૈયા).
In North India, the goddess Bahuchara Mata is worshipped by Pavaiyaa (પાવૈયા). In South India, the goddess Renuka is believed to have the power to change one's sex. Male devotees in female clothing are known as Jogappa. They perform similar roles to hijra, such as dancing and singing at birth ceremonies and weddings.[21]
The word kothi (or koti) is common across India, similar to the Kathoey of Thailand, although kothis are often distinguished from hijras. Kothis are regarded as feminine men or boys who take a feminine role in sex with men, but do not live in the kind of intentional communities that hijras usually live in. Additionally, not all kothis have undergone initiation rites or the body modification steps to become a hijra.[22] Local equivalents include durani (Kolkata), menaka (Cochin),[23] meti (Nepal), and zenana (Pakistan).
Hijra used to be translated in English as "eunuch" or "hermaphrodite,"[13] although LGBT historians or human rights activists have sought to include them as being transgender.[24] In a series of meetings convened between October 2013 and Jan 2014 by the transgender experts committee of India's Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, hijra and other trans activists asked that the term "eunuch" be discontinued from usage in government documents, as it is not a term with which the communities identify.
Gender and sexuality
These identities have no exact match in the modern Western taxonomy of gender and sexual orientation,[24] and challenge Western ideas of sex and gender.[11]
In India, some Hijras do not define themselves by specific sexual orientation, but rather by renouncing sexuality altogether. Sexual energy is transformed into sacred powers. However, these notions can come in conflict with the practical, which is that hijras are often employed as prostitutes.[25] Furthermore, in India a feminine male who takes a "receptive" role in sex with a man will often identify as a kothi (or the local equivalent term). While kothis are usually distinguished from hijras as a separate gender identity, they often dress as women and act in a feminine manner in public spaces, even using feminine language to refer to themselves and each other. The usual partners of hijras and kothis are men who consider themselves heterosexual as they are the ones who penetrate.[26] These male partners are often married, and any relationships or sex with "kothis" or hijras are usually kept secret from the community at large. Some hijras may form relationships with men and even marry,[27] although their marriage is not usually recognized by law or religion. Hijras and kothis often have a name for these masculine sexual or romantic partners; for example, panthi in Bangladesh, giriya in Delhi or sridhar in Cochin.[23]
Social status and economic circumstances
Most hijras live at the margins of society with very low status; the very word "hijra" is sometimes used in a derogatory manner. The Indian lawyer and author Rajesh Talwar has written a book highlighting the human rights abuses suffered by the community titled 'The Third Sex and Human Rights.'[28] Few employment opportunities are available to hijras. Many get their income from extortion (forced payment by disrupting work/life using demonstrations and interference), performing at ceremonies (toli), begging (dheengna), or sex work ('raarha')—an occupation of eunuchs also recorded in premodern times. Violence against hijras, especially hijra sex workers, is often brutal, and occurs in public spaces, police stations, prisons, and their homes.[29] As with transgender people in most of the world, they face extreme discrimination in health, housing, education, employment, immigration, law, and any bureaucracy that is unable to place them into male or female gender categories.[30]
In 2008, HIV prevalence was 27.6% amongst hijra sex workers in Larkana.[6] The general prevalence of HIV among the adult Pakistani population is estimated at 0.1%.[31]
In October 2013, Pakistani Christians and Muslims (Shia and Sunni) put pressure on the landlords of Imamia Colony to evict any transgender residents. "Generally in Pakistan, Khwaja Sira are not under threat. But they are in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province because of a 'new Islam' under way", I.A. Rehman, the director of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.[32]
In a study of Bangladeshi hijras, participants reported not being allowed to seek healthcare at the private chambers of doctors, and experiencing abuse if they go to government hospitals.[33]
Beginning in 2006, hijras were engaged to accompany Patna city revenue officials to collect unpaid taxes, receiving a 4-percent commission.[34]
Since India's Supreme Court re-criminalized homosexual sex on 13 December 2013, there has been a sharp increase in the physical, psychological and sexual violence against the transgender community by the Indian Police Service, nor are they investigating even when sexual assault against them is reported.[35]
On 15 April 2014, in National Legal Services Authority v. Union of India, the Supreme Court of India ruled that transgender people should be treated as a third category of gender or as a socially and economically "backward" class entitled to proportional access and representation in education and jobs.[36]
Language
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The hijra community due to its peculiar place in sub-continental society which entailed marginalisation yet royal privileges developed a secret language known as Hijra Farsi. The language has a sentence structure loosely based on Urdu and a unique vocabulary of at least a thousand words. Beyond the Urdu-Hindi speaking areas of subcontinent the vocabulary is still used by the hijra community within their own native languages.
In South Asian politics
In 2013, transgender people in Pakistan were given their first opportunity to stand for election.[37] Sanam Fakir, a 32-year-old hijra, ran as an independent candidate for Sukkur, Pakistan's general election in May.[38]
The governments of both India (1994)[39] and Pakistan (2009)[40] have recognized hijras as a "third sex", thus granting them the basic civil rights of every citizen. In India, hijras now have the option to identify as a eunuch ("E") on passports and on certain government documents. They are not, however, fully accommodated; in order to vote, for example, citizens must identify as either male or female. There is also further discrimination from the government. In the 2009 general election, India's election committee denied three hijras candidature unless they identified themselves as either male or female.
In April 2014, Justice KS Radhakrishnan declared transgender to be the third gender in Indian law, in a case brought by the National Legal Services Authority (Nalsa) against Union of India and others.[17][18][19] The ruling said:[41]
Seldom, our society realises or cares to realise the trauma, agony and pain which the members of Transgender community undergo, nor appreciates the innate feelings of the members of the Transgender community, especially of those whose mind and body disown their biological sex. Our society often ridicules and abuses the Transgender community and in public places like railway stations, bus stands, schools, workplaces, malls, theatres, hospitals, they are sidelined and treated as untouchables, forgetting the fact that the moral failure lies in the society's unwillingness to contain or embrace different gender identities and expressions, a mindset which we have to change.
Justice Radhakrishnan said that transgender people should be treated consistently with other minorities under the law, enabling them to access jobs, healthcare and education.[42] He framed the issue as one of human rights, saying that, "These TGs, even though insignificant in numbers, are still human beings and therefore they have every right to enjoy their human rights", concluding by declaring that:[41]
Hijras, Eunuchs, apart from binary gender, be treated as "third gender" for the purpose of safeguarding their rights under Part III of our Constitution and the laws made by the Parliament and the State Legislature.
Transgender persons' right to decide their self-identified gender is also upheld and the Centre and State Governments are directed to grant legal recognition of their gender identity such as male, female or as third gender.
A bill supported by all political parties was tabled in Indian parliament to ensure transgender people get benefits akin reserved communities like SC/STs and is taking steps to see that they get enrollment in schools and jobs in government besides protection from sexual harassment.[43]
History
The ancient Kama Sutra mentions the performance of fellatio by feminine people of a third sex (tritiya prakriti).[44] This passage has been variously interpreted as referring to men who desired other men, so-called eunuchs ("those disguised as males, and those that are disguised as females"[45]), male and female trans people ("the male takes on the appearance of a female and the female takes on the appearance of the male"),[46] or two kinds of biological males, one dressed as a woman, the other as a man.[47]
During the era of the British Raj, authorities attempted to eradicate hijras, whom they saw as "a breach of public decency."[48] Anti-hijra laws were repealed; but a law outlawing castration, a central part of the hijra community, was left intact, though rarely enforced. Also during British rule in India they were placed under the Criminal Tribes Act 1871 and labelled a "criminal tribe," hence subjected to compulsory registration, strict monitoring and stigmatized for a long time; after independence however they were denotified in 1952, though the centuries-old stigma continues.[49]
In religion
The Indian transgender hijras or Aravanis ritually marry the Hindu god Aravan and then mourn his ritual death (seen) in an 18-day festival in Koovagam, India.
Many practice a form of syncretism that draws on multiple religions; seeing themselves to be neither men nor women, hijras practice rituals for both men and women.
Hijras belong to a special caste. They are usually devotees of the mother goddess Bahuchara Mata, Lord Shiva, or both.
Hijras and Bahuchara Mata
Bahuchara Mata is a Hindu goddess with two unrelated stories both associated with transgender behavior. One story is that she appeared in the avatar of a princess who castrated her husband because he would run in the woods and act like a woman rather than have sex with her. Another story is that a man tried to rape her, so she cursed him with impotence. When the man begged her forgiveness to have the curse removed, she relented only after he agreed to run in the woods and act like a woman. The primary temple to this goddess is located in Gujarat[50] and it is a place of pilgrimage for hijras, who see Bahucahara Mata as a patroness.
Hijras and Lord Shiva
One of the forms of Lord Shiva is a merging with Parvati where together they are Ardhanari, a god that is half Shiva and Half Parvati. Ardhanari has special significance as a patron of hijras, who identify with the gender ambiguity.[50]
Hijras in the Ramayana
In some versions of the Ramayana,[51] when Rama leaves Ayodhya for his 14-year exile, a crowd of his subjects follow him into the forest because of their devotion to him. Soon Rama notices this, and gathers them to tell them not to mourn, and that all the "men and women" of his kingdom should return to their places in Ayodhya. Rama then leaves and has adventures for 14 years. When he returns to Ayodhya, he finds that the hijras, being neither men nor women, have not moved from the place where he gave his speech. Impressed with their devotion, Rama grants hijras the boon to confer blessings on people during auspicious inaugural occasions like childbirth and weddings. This boon is the origin of badhai in which hijras sing, dance, and give blessings.[
Hijras in the Mahabharata
Mahabharata includes an episode in which Arjun, a hero of the epic, is sent into an exile. There he assumes an identity of a eunuch-transvestite and performs rituals during weddings and childbirths that are now performed by hijras.[53]
In the Mahabharata, before the Kurukshetra War, Iravan offers his lifeblood to goddess Kali to ensure the victory of the Pandavas, and Kali agrees to grant him power. On the night before the battle, Iravan expresses a desire to get married before he dies. No woman was willing to marry a man doomed to die in a few hours, so Arjuna as Brihinala marries him. In South India, hijras claim Iravan as their progenitor and call themselves "aravanis."[52]
"Sangam literature use ' word 'Pedi' to refer to people born with Intersex condition, it also refers to antharlinga hijras and various Hijra, The Aravan cult in Koovagam village of Tamil Nadu is a folk tradition of the transwomen, where the members enact the legend during an annual three-day festival. "This is completely different from the sakibeki cult of West Bengal, where transwomen don't have to undergo sex change surgery or shave off their facial hair. They dress as women still retaining their masculine features and sing in praise of Lord Krishna,". "Whereas, since the Tamil society is more conservative and hetero-normative, transwomen completely change themselves as women. In the ancient times, even religion has its own way of accepting these fringe communities." The Bachura Devi worship in Gujarat and Jogappa cult of Karanataka are the other examples.the kinds of dialects and languages spoken by these community in different parts of the country and the socio-cultural impact on the lingo. 'Hijra Farsi' is the transgender dialect, a mix of Urdu, Hindi and Persian spoken in the northern belt of India, Pakistan and Afghanistan and 'Kothi Baashai' is spoken by the transgender community in Karnataka, Andhra, Orissa and parts of Tamil Nadu. "They even have sign languages and typical mannerisms to communicate. The peculiar clap is one such"
—Gopi Shankar Madurai, National Queer Conference 2013[54][55]
Each year in Tamil Nadu, during April and May, hijras celebrate an eighteen-day religious festival. The aravani temple is located in the village Koovagam in the Ulundurpet taluk in Villupuram district, and is devoted to the deity Koothandavar, who is identified with Aravan. During the festival, the aravanis reenact a story of the wedding of Lord Krishna and Lord Aravan, followed by Aravan's subsequent sacrifice. They then mourn Aravan's death through ritualistic dances and by breaking their bangles. An annual beauty pageant is also held, as well as various health and HIV or AIDS seminars. Hijras from all over the country travel to this festival. A personal experience of the hijras in this festival is shown in the BBC Three documentary India's Ladyboys and also in the National Geographic Channel television series Taboo.
Hijras in Islam
There is evidence that Indian hijras identifying as Muslim also incorporate aspects of Hinduism. Still, despite this syncretism, Reddy (2005) notes that a hijra does not practice Islam differently from other Muslims and argues that their syncretism does not make them any less Muslim. Reddy (2003) also documents an example of how this syncretism manifests: in Hyderabad, India a group of Muslim converts were circumcised, something seen as the quintessential marker of male Muslim identity.[clarification needed]
In films and literature
Bangladesh
The film Common Gender (2012) relates the story of the Bangladesh hijra and their struggle for survival.
India
Hijras have been portrayed on screen in Indian cinema since its inception, historically as comic relief. A notable turning point occurred in 1974 when real hijras appeared during a song-and-dance sequence in Kunwaara Baap ("The Unmarried Father"). There are also hijras in the Hindi movie Amar Akbar Anthony (1977) who accompany one of the heroes, Akbar (Rishi Kapoor), in a song entitled "Tayyab Ali Pyar Ka Dushman" ("Tayyab Ali, the Enemy of Love"). One of the first sympathetic hijra portrayals was in Mani Ratnam's Bombay (1995). 1997's Tamanna[56] starred male actor Paresh Rawal in a central role as "Tiku", a hijra who raises a young orphan. Pooja Bhatt produced and also starred in the movie, with her father Mahesh Bhatt co-writing and directing. Deepa Mehta's Water features the hijra character "Gulabi" (played by Raghubir Yadav), who has taken to introducing the downtrodden, outcast widows of Varanasi to prostitution. Not surprisingly, perhaps, the film generated much controversy. There is a brief appearance of hijras in the 2004 Gurinder Chadha film Bride & Prejudice, singing to a bride-to-be in the marketplace. There's also a loose reference, in the guise of "Rocky" ("Rokini") in Deepha Mehta's Bollywood/Hollywood.
The 1997 Hindi film Darmiyaan: In Between directed & co-written by Kalpana Lajmi is based on the subject of Hijra, wherein a fictitious story of an actress bearing a son that turns out to be neuter.
In the 2000 Tamil film Appu directed by Vasanth, a remake of the Hindi film Sadak, the antagonist is a brothel-owning hijra played by Prakash Raj. (In Sadak, the brothel-owning character was played by Sadashiv Amrapurkar under the name "Maharani".)
In 2005, a fiction feature film titled Shabnam Mausi was made on the life of a eunuch politician Shabnam Mausi. It was directed by Yogesh Bharadwaj and the title role played by Ashutosh Rana.
Jogwa, a 2009 Marathi film, depicts the story of a man forced to be hijra under certain circumstances. The movie has received several accolades.[57]
In Soorma Bhopali, Jagdeep encounters a troupe of hijra on his arrival in Bombay. The leader of this pack is also played by Jagdeep himself.
In Anil Kapoor's Nayak, Johnny Lever, who plays the role of the hero's assistant, gets beaten up by hijras, when he is caught calling them "hijra" (he is in habit of calling almost everyone who bothers him by this pejorative and no one cares much, except this once ironically, as the addressees are literally what he is calling them.)
One of the main characters in Khushwant Singh's novel Delhi, Bhagmati is a hijra. She makes a living as a semi-prostitute and is wanted in the diplomatic circles of the city.
Vijay TV's Ippadikku Rose, a Tamil show conducted by postgraduate educated transgender woman Rose is a very successfully running program that discusses various issues faced by youth in Tamil Nadu, where she also gives her own experiences.
In addition to numerous other themes, the 2008 movie Welcome to Sajjanpur by Shyam Benegal explores the role of hijras in Indian society.
In the Malayalam movie Ardhanaari, released on 23 November 2012, director Santhosh Sowparnika tries to depict the life of a transgender person. Manoj K Jayan, Thilakan, Sukumari and Maniyanpilla Raju perform leading roles.
In August, 2015, a music video featuring 7 hijras dressed in outfits or uniforms of various professions and singing the National Anthem of India created by a YouTube channel Yathartha Pictures went viral for being the first National Anthem video sung by hijras in India.[58][59] The hijras featured in the video were brought together by the Humsafar Trust, a Mumbai-based NGO which promotes LGBT rights.[60][61]
Tamil
Vaadamalli by novelist Su.Samuthiram is the first Tamil novel about Aravaani community in Tamil Nadu, published in 1994. Later transgender activist A. Revathi became first Hijra to write about transgender issues and gender politics in Tamil, her works have been translated in more than 8 languages and acting as a primary resources on Gender Studies in Asia. Her book is part of research project for more than 100 universities. She is the author of Unarvum Uruvamum (Feelings of the Entire Body); is the first of its kind in English from a member of the hijra community.[62][63][64] She also acted,directed several stage plays on Gender and Sexuality issues in Tamil and Kannada."The Truth about Me: A Hijra Life Story" by Transgender A.Revathi[65] is part of the syllabus for Final Year students of The American College in Madurai. Later Naan Saravanan Alla" (2007) and Vidya's "I am Vidya" (2008) became first transwoman autobiography.[66][67]
Pakistan
The 1992 film Immaculate Conception[68] by Jamil Dehlavi is based upon the culture-clash between a western Jewish couple seeking fertility at a Karachi shrine known to be blessed by a Sufi fakir called 'Gulab Shah' and the group of Pakistani eunuchs who guard it.
Murad (which means desire; the English title was Eunuch's Motherhood), was an award winning biographical Telefilm drama made by Evergreen Media Europe for Pakistan's television channel Indus TV that aired in 2003. The cast had the country's top male television actors playing "hijras": Sohail Asghar, Nabeel, Qazi Wajid, Kamran Jilani. It was directed by Kamran Qureshi, written by Zafar Mairaj and produced by Iram Qureshi. It won both Best TeleFilm and Best Director awards at 2003 Indus Telefilm Festival.[69][70] The story revolves around "Saima", a trans woman, who adopts a helpless child "Murad" and her relationship with him against the backdrop of her struggling throughout her life and her "desire" for her son. She has sent him away to live at a hostel so she can earn a living as a dancer, after her son gets cross with her, due to teasing (verbal and sexual) they face while dancing. This was the first time that influential male actors came out to support "hijra" rights during interviews; noting that in Pakistani English at that time eunuch was the term to describe a transgender person, and "khwaja sara" (also khwaja sira) had not yet replaced what is now considered a derogatory term due to decades of heckling and name calling, "hijra".[71][72]
In 2004, Kamran Qureshi directed a trans drama, Moorat ("effigy," however, the English title was Eunuch's Wedding. It was produced by famous actor and producer Humayun Saeed and Abdullah Kadwani with more than a dozen star-studded cast members for a 33-episode series.[73][74] It was nominated for Best Drama Serial, Abid Ali for Best Actor, and Maria Wasti for Best Actress at the Lux Style Awards 2005.[69][75] The show was credited for making people understand the pain and abuse that khwaja sara (hijra) constantly endure when people make fun of the way they look or dress without knowing them or how they were naturally born this way. The story involves a young lady who is arranged to marry. It turns out her husband is transgender. The story unfolds trans community and their deprived and isolated world. It portrays eloquently how they, too, are not far away from the human emotions and feelings and their world not much different from the heterosexual community. Even though they are in plain sight, they are tthey are taboo subjects and are not taken seriously. This makes them suffer endlessly in silence wrapped in slurs. The 33-episode series therefore touches on transgender abuse, women abuse, poverty, immorality of arranged marriages, and child abuse.[76]
Bol (Urdu: بول meaning Speak), is a 2011 Urdu-language social drama Pakistani film. It concerns a patriarch, Hakim, who is a misogynist, a domestic abuser, a bigot, and a zealot who forces religion on his family. They face financial difficulties due to Hakim wanting a son. He rejects his transgender daughter, Saifi, as he wanted an heir and she identifies as a girl. Saifi is deeply loved by the rest of her family. As she grows up, men want to take advantage of her and she does not understand at first. However, her oldest sister intervenes and teaches Saifi about what kind of touching is inappropriate. As Saifi grows older, she is not allowed to leave the house. She finds her sister's dresses compelling and tries them on, revealing her gender identity. A neighbour played by famous South Asian singer Atif Aslam, who is in love with one of the sisters, gets Saifi a job at a place where they paint trucks, with the blessing of Saifi's sisters and mother. Saifi dresses like a boy; however, other boys sense her lack of self-esteem and eventually gang-rape her. She is saved when another transgender person, played by Almas Bobby (a transgender actor), finds her and takes her home. Hakim overhears Saifi telling her mother and Zainab what happened. When everybody is asleep, Hakim locks the room and suffocates his child for luring the men for the "shame" he would have to bear if the story got out.[77] It received several positive reviews from critics and went on to win the Best Hindi film award in IRDS Film awards 2011 by Institute for Research and Documentation in Social Sciences (IRDS).[78]
Outside South Asia
The novel Bombay Ice by Leslie Forbes features an important subplot involving the main character's investigation of the deaths of several hijra sex-workers.
The novel City of Djinns by William Dalrymple also features a chapter on hijras.
The novel A Son of the Circus by John Irving features a plot-line involving hijras.
In the graphic novel Habibi by Craig Thompson, the protagonist, Zam, is adopted by a group of hijras.
In the 2009 Brazilian soap opera Caminho das Índias (Portuguese: "The way to India"), hijras are shown in some occasions, especially at weddings and other ceremonies where they are paid for their blessing.
In the TV comedy Outsourced (2011), a hijra is hired by Charlie as a stripper for Rajiv's "bachelor party", much to Rajiv's utter horror.
A short film, under the direction of Jim Roberts, is being made by Rock Star Productions in which the protagonist is portrayed as a hijra. This film is set to be released on 1 May.[year needed][citation needed]
Kamran Ahmed Mirza is a popular gender performance artist in Oregon, United States.
Documentaries
Jareena, Portrait of a Hijda (1990)
Ladyboys (1992)
Bombay Eunuch (2001)
The Hijras: India's Third Gender (2001)
India's Ladyboys (2003)
Between the Lines: India's Third Gender (2005)
Middle Sexes (HBO documentary includes segment on modern Hijda) (2005)
Shabnam Mausi (2005)
The Hijras of India (BBC radio documentary)
Kiss the Moon (2009)
Call me Salma (2009)
Mohammed to Maya also titled Rites of Passage (2012)
SN/NC: Eugenia Pyriformis, Myrataceae Family
A hidden gem of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, the Uvaia is a vibrant, golden-yellow fruit from the Myrtaceae family. It is immediately recognizable by its distinctive pear-like shape and thin, delicate skin that encases an incredibly aromatic, juicy pulp. The flavor is a captivating blend of sharp, refreshing acidity with subtle tropical notes, often described as a more perfumed version of a lemon. While too acidic to be widely eaten fresh, it is transformed into exquisite jellies, tangy sauces, and revitalizing juices. This sun-kissed fruit not only offers a unique taste of South American biodiversity but also paints a beautiful picture of nature's simple elegance.
Uma joia rara da Mata Atlântica brasileira, a Uvaia é um fruto vibrante, amarelo-dourado, da família Myrtaceae. É reconhecível instantaneamente por seu formato distintivo de pêra e pele fina e delicada, que envolve uma polpa incrivelmente aromática e suculenta. O sabor é uma combinação cativante de acidez intensa e refrescante com sutis notas tropicais, frequentemente descrito como uma versão mais perfumada do limão. Embora seja muito ácida para ser amplamente consumida ao natural, é transformada em geleias requintadas, molhos picantes e sucos revigorantes. Esta fruta banhada pelo sol não só oferece um sabor único da biodiversidade sul-americana, como também pinta um belo retrato da simples elegância da natureza.
Una joya oculta del Bosque Atlántico brasileño, la Uvaia es una fruta vibrante, de color amarillo dorado, perteneciente a la familia Myrtaceae. Es reconocible al instante por su distintiva forma de pera y su piel fina y delicada que recubre una pulpa increíblemente aromática y jugosa. Su sabor es una cautivadora mezcla de acidez aguda y refrescante con sutiles notas tropicales, a menudo descrita como una versión más perfumada del limón. Aunque es demasiado ácida para consumirse fresca de manera generalizada, se transforma en exquisitas jaleas, salsas ácidas y jugos revitalizantes. Esta fruta bañada por el sol no solo ofrece un sabor único de la biodiversidad sudamericana, sino que también pinta una bella imagen de la sencilla elegancia de la naturaleza.
Un gioiello nascosto della Foresta Atlantica brasiliana, l'Uvaia è un frutto vibrante, giallo-dorato, della famiglia delle Myrtaceae. È riconoscibile immediatamente per la sua forma distintiva a pera e la buccia sottile e delicata che racchiude una polpa incredibilmente aromatica e succosa. Il sapore è un'affascinante miscela di acidità intensa e rinfrescante con sottili note tropicali, spesso descritto come una versione più profumata del limone. Sebbene sia troppo acida per essere consumata ampiamente fresca, viene trasformata in squisite gelatine, salse piccanti e succhi rivitalizzanti. Questo frutto baciato dal sole non solo offre un gusto unico della biodiversità sudamericana, ma dipinge anche un bellissimo quadro della semplice eleganza della natura.
Un joyau caché de la forêt atlantique brésilienne, l'Uvaia est un fruit vibrant, jaune doré, de la famille des Myrtacées. Il est immédiatement reconnaissable à sa forme distinctive de poire et à sa peau fine et délicate qui renferme une pulpe incroyablement aromatique et juteuse. Sa saveur est un mélange captivant d'acidité vive et rafraîchissante avec de subtiles notes tropicales, souvent décrite comme une version plus parfumée du citron. Bien que trop acide pour être largement consommé frais, il est transformé en de exquises gelées, sauces tangibles et jus revigorants. Ce fruit baigné de soleil offre non seulement un goût unique de la biodiversité sud-américaine, mais il peint aussi un beau tableau de la simplicité élégante de la nature.
Een verborgen juweel van het Braziliaanse Atlantische Woud, de Uvaia is een levendige, goudgele vrucht uit de Myrtaceae-familie. Hij is direct herkenbaar aan zijn onderscheidende peervorm en dunne, delicate schil die een ongelooflijk aromatisch, sappig vruchtvlees omhult. De smaak is een boeiende mix van scherpe, verfrissende zuurgraad met subtiele tropische tonen, vaak omschreven als een meer geparfumeerde versie van een citroen. Hoewel hij te zuur is om veel vers gegeten te worden, wordt hij omgetoverd tot verfijnde gelei, tangy sauzen en verfrissende sappen. Deze door de zon gekuste vrucht biedt niet alleen een unieke smaak van de Zuid-Amerikaanse biodiversiteit, maar schildert ook een mooi beeld van de eenvoudige elegantie van de natuur.
Ein verstecktes Juwel des brasilianischen Atlantischen Regenwaldes, die Uvaia, ist eine lebhafte, goldgelbe Frucht aus der Familie der Myrtaceae. Sie ist sofort an ihrer unverwechselbaren birnenähnlichen Form und der dünnen, zarten Schale zu erkennen, die ein unglaublich aromatisches, saftiges Fruchtfleisch umhüllt. Der Geschmack ist eine fesselnde Mischung aus scharfer, erfrischender Säure mit subtilen tropischen Noten, oft beschrieben als eine duftigere Version einer Zitrone. Obwohl sie zu sauer ist, um häufig frisch verzehrt zu werden, wird sie zu exquisiten Gelees, würzigen Saucen und belebenden Säften verarbeitet. Diese von der Sonne verwöhnte Frucht bietet nicht nur einen einzigartigen Geschmack der südamerikanischen Artenvielfalt, sondern malt auch ein schönes Bild von der schlichten Eleganz der Natur.
ウヴァイアは、ブラジルの大西洋岸森林に眠る隠れた宝石であり、ミルトス科に属する鮮やかな黄金色の果物です。特徴的な洋ナシ形と、驚くほど芳香豊かでジューシーな果肉を包む薄く繊細な皮ですぐにそれとわかります。その風味は、さわやかな鋭い酸味と微妙なトロピカルなニュアンスが見事に調和しており、しばしば「より香り高いレモン」と表現されます。生食には酸味が強すぎるため、高級なゼリー、ピリッとしたソース、活力を与えるジュースへと姿を変えます。太陽の恵みを受けたこの果実は、南アメリカの生物多様性のユニークな味を提供するだけでなく、自然のシンプルな優雅さの美しい絵を描き出します。
ثمرة اليوفايا جوهرة خفية من غابة الأطلسي البرازيلية، هي فاكهة نابضة بالحياة، صفراء ذهبية، تنتمي إلى عائلة الآسيات. ويمكن التعرف عليها فوراً بشكلها المميز الشبيه بالكمثرى وقشرتها الرقيقة والناعمة التي تغلف لُباً عطرياً للغاية وغضناً. يمتزج طعمها بشكل آسر بين حموضة منعشة حادة ونغمات استوائية خفية، وغالباً ما يوصف بأنه نسخة أكثر عطراً من الليمون. على الرغم من أنها حامضة جداً لتؤكل طازجة على نطاق واسع، إلا أنها تتحول إلى مربيات رفيعة، وصوص حامض، وعصائر منعشة. هذه الفاكهة المُقَبَّلة بأشعة الشمس لا تقدم فقط مذاقاً فريداً للتنوع البيولوجي في أمريكا الجنوبية، بل ترسم أيضاً صورة جميلة لأناقة الطبيعة البسيطة.
乌瓦亚果是巴西大西洋森林的一颗隐秘珍宝，这种生机勃勃的金黄色果实来自桃金娘科。它独具特色的梨形外观和薄嫩表皮令人过目不忘，包裹着香气浓郁、多汁的果肉。其风味迷人，融合了清新锐利的酸度与微妙的热带气息，常被形容为"更具香氛感的柠檬"。虽然因过于酸涩而鲜少直接鲜食，但它常被制成精致的果冻、开胃的酱汁和提神的果汁。这枚沐浴阳光的果实，不仅让人们尝到南美生物多样性的独特滋味，也勾勒出一幅自然简约之美的生动画面。
Everyone recognizes the sunken church tower of Graun, but there is also a new church tower that watches over the newly built village on a higher site
The most recognizable landscape of sandstone buttes of Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park.
The landscape overwhelms, not just by its beauty but also by its size.
Monument Valley is a Navajo Nation tribal park, straddling the border of northeastern Arizona and southeastern Utah of the Colorado Plateau. It preserves the Navajo way of life and some of the most striking landscapes of sandstone buttes, mesas and spires in the entire Southwest. The area is entirely within the Navajo Indian Reservation near the small Indian town of Goulding, established in 1923 as a trading post.
Thank you for your comments,
Gemma
Copyright ©Maria Gemma June, 2015
... i can recognize yours even in the middle of the croudy street, even if that was into my headphones (Foo Fighters - The Pretender)
took in: Somewhere else BKLYN
As easily recognized, this is a small section of the amazing Bryce NP landscape. The light was nice, and instead of going for a wider view, I had chosen to pick this smaller, more "intimate" section so I could show neat rock formations and more detail.
A single exposure, Sony A7R, 200mm, 1/15-sec exposure, f/9, ISO 50, B+W CPL.
[ EXPLORE Feb 22~ #39]
The structure links the city of San Francisco, on the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula, to Marin County. It is one of the most internationally recognized symbols of San Francisco, California, and of the United States.
~~~
La structure relie la ville de San Francisco, de la pointe nord de la péninsule de San Francisco, à Marin County. C'est l'un des symboles les plus reconnus au niveau international de San Francisco, de la Californie et des États-Unis.
Hello everybody! You might not recognize me, but long ago I actually used to post often! Where have the times gone? Work, school, and travel - and I'm happy to report all are going quite well. I had the opportunity to visit my old haunt in Houston and hook up with flickrite and fello MMA fan Nick Sanford to shoot a bit (and suck down a margarita or two).
Whenever I travel I make a point of using google earth to scout potential locations for going shooting. Once I saw some of the wreckage in Galveston Bay (southeast of Houston) from 2008's Hurricane Ike, I knew it was a place I needed to spend a lot of time. Note, I marked the location on the map - anyone visiting Houston anytime soon should make the 45 minute-ish drive to the Bay . . . the water isn't pleasant, but the stark remains of the hurricane are a photographer's dream.
This is the former 18th Street Pier, a public fishing pier with a nice seafood cookery at its base. About half of the pier has been rebuilt and I shot this 118 second exposure off the end of said rebuilt portion . . amid waves and stomping fisherman shaking the dock. I was surprised that even one of these shots turned out relatively sharp, but luck and timing were with me on this morning. Probably one of my favorite pictures of the year.
I recognize that I'm damaged
I sympathize that you are too
I wanna breathe without feeling so self-conscious
But it's hard when the world's staring at you
77/365
.
I recognized you when snow was melting ....
_______
On explore Feb 1, 2015 #144
Thank you all so so much !
_______
Pigeons Recognize Human Faces. If you shoo a pigeon, that bird is likely to remember you and know to stay out of your way the next time you cross paths, according to a new study. Researchers found that wild, untrained pigeons can recognize individual people's faces and are not fooled by a change of clothes.
One of the most recognized landmarks in Zion National Park, Court of the Patriarchs reach into the Utah sky. These three photogenic peaks bear the biblical names of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Towering above Birch Creek Canyon almost 2000 feet, the Court of the Patriarchs represents nearly a full layer of Navajo Sandstone. This exposed sandstone is one of nine Zion rock layers that together span 150 million years of sediment deposits. The Patriarch cliffs represent one of the thickest layers of sediment, making up some of the tallest cliffs in the world. Occasional flash floods in the Virgin River increase water volume by 100 times and bring down tons of loose rock and sand, scouring out new side canyons and re-channeling the river. Here in Zion Canyon this magnificent scenery is always experiencing change, but its subtleties are seldom recognized in such an immense canyon.
Gyeong-dong Oriental Medicine Market, Seoul is one of the most sought after destinations when you are looking for something on oriental medicine. There are more than one thousand pharmaceutical stores, oriental health clinics and herbal drugstores that are recognized for oriental medicines. These shops and stores sell various Asian medicines, ginseng, spices, herbs and roots. There are many shopkeepers and merchants who grow the items on their own. More than 70% of the herbal medicines of Korea are traded for in Gyeongdong Herbal Medicine Market.
US Army Photo by Edward N. Johnson
The images are cleared for release and are considered in the public domain. Request credit be given the US Army and individual photographer.
To learn more about living and working for the U.S. Army in Korea visit us online at: imcom.korea.army.mil
Gyeong-dong Oriental Medicine Market, Seoul is one of the most sought after destinations when you are looking for something on oriental medicine. There are more than one thousand pharmaceutical stores, oriental health clinics and herbal drugstores that are recognized for oriental medicines. These shops and stores sell various Asian medicines, ginseng, spices, herbs and roots. There are many shopkeepers and merchants who grow the items on their own. More than 70% of the herbal medicines of Korea are traded for in Gyeongdong Herbal Medicine Market.
US Army Photo by Edward N. Johnson
The images are cleared for release and are considered in the public domain. Request credit be given the US Army and individual photographer.
To learn more about living and working for the U.S. Army in Korea visit us online at: imcom.korea.army.mil
Bear Rocks are a widely recognized symbol of West Virginia wilderness and among the most frequently photographed places in the state. They are a well-known landmark on the eastern edge of the plateau that includes the Dolly Sods Wilderness. They sit in a high-elevation heathland punctuated with wind-carved sandstone outcrops and is home to more than a dozen rare plant and animal species. Situated on the crest of the Allegheny Front, Bear Rocks afford vistas over the South Branch Potomac River. Visibility can extend eastward to the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia.
The Bear Rocks Preserve is a 477-acre (1.93 km2) tract that is owned and preserved by The Nature Conservancy. Bear Rocks' natural heathlands and open grass balds were originally recorded in 1746 by a survey party that included Peter Jefferson, father of Thomas Jefferson.
Bear Rocks is a remarkably scenic, windswept summit atop one of West Virginia's highest mountains. It is perched on a ridge of sandstone cliffs and is a rock outcropping on the Allegheny Front with a 2,000 to 3,000-foot (600 to 1,000 m) drop below that forms the Eastern Continental Divide. To the east, looking out over the South Branch of the Potomac River, which drains into the Atlantic Ocean via the Chesapeake Bay, there are breathtaking 35-mile (56 km) views where seven mountain ridges are visible on a clear day extending into Virginia. On the clearest days you can see Hawksbill Mountain and Stony Man, the highest peaks in Shenandoah National Park. To the west, water drains into Dolly Sods towards Red Creek, which eventually flows to the Gulf of Mexico via the Dry Fork River, Black Fork, Cheat, Mongahela, Ohio and Mississippi River. Farther north along the ridge of the Front are two more salients, Stack Rocks and Haystack Rocks. - Wikipedia
I recognize this golden-mantled ground squirrel from last year by the unique markings around his mouth. He has manage to survive the year. He didn't go into hibernation until November last year which is very late. Most of the others are already in. It looks like he will be last to go in this year as well. His internal clock/calendar must be set differently.
Recognizable image in black & white because it was a rainy day. Although at the moment of this capture it didn't rain for awhile.
really! i honestly pour my heart and soul into photography but barely anyone recognizes this. i mean i've been taking pictures since i was 13, so for 5 years now and every year i get noticeably better. but there are people on flickr who have been taking pictures for a year, and theyre pictures by public opinion are not better/much better than mine yet they have thousands of hits and comments and all of that. i juts dont understand. i spend so much time, effort, money, everything, on photography yet no one sees that. it really breaks my heart. i have tried everything, posting pictures places, commenting people, and all that happens is nothing, THAT or someone steals my pictures, and yet when they steal my pictures then my pictures get hits and comments like crazy, just not on my flickr. why?
anyways this is monnette we went hiking around my house, this was taken yesterday on my canon ae-1.
i dont know what to do anymore. i have like 20 pictures waiting to be put up, but i want more feedback before i put those up.
i dont know. i guess thats just life and life isnt fair, right?
have a good weekend guys.
This week I posted also a topview shot of a similar immature fungus 'Chondrostereum purpureum' and after a few days I went back to see how it was developing, but it was gone already.
Luckily there were other immature ones. I choose this one to follow. I must say that I like this beginning appearance very much. ;-)
After a few days this one looks like this.
"Silver leaf is a fungal disease of trees caused by the fungus plant pathogen Chondrostereum purpureum. It attacks most species of the rose family Rosaceae, particularly the genus Prunus. The disease is progressive and often fatal. The common name is taken from the progressive silvering of leaves on affected branches. It is spread by airborne spores landing on freshly exposed sapwood. For this reason cherries and plums are pruned in summer, when spores are least likely to be present and when disease is visible. Silver Leaf can also happen on poming fruits like apples and pears. Plums are especially vulnerable.
In the past the name Stereum purpureum Pers. was widely used for this fungus, but according to modern taxonomy it is only distantly related to Stereum, actually belonging to order Agaricales whereas Stereum is in order Russulales.
After starting as just a crust on the wood, the fruiting structure develops undulating intergrowing brackets up to about 3 cm broad, which have a tough rubbery texture. The edges and fertile lower surfaces show a fairly vivid violet colour while the fungus is growing, and the upper surfaces have a grey aspect (sometimes with zonation) and are covered with whitish hairs. After a week or two the fructification dries out, becomes brittle, and turns a drab brown or beige. Infected wood can be recognized because it is stained a darker tint.
The spores are rounded cylinders approximately 5-8 µm x 3-4 µm in size. The hyphal structure is monomitic with clamp connections.
It is often found on old stumps and dead wood, but can also be a serious parasite of living trees. As well as plum trees it attacks many other broad-leafed species (other Prunus, apple, pear, willow, poplar, maple, hornbeam, plane, oak, elm, lilac, and many others).Occasionally it also infects conifers (fir, spruce, Thuja, ...).Geographically it is roughly speaking just as widespread as its hosts - it is common in woods, orchards and tree plantations in temperate climates.
Chondrostereum purpureum is commercially available as a method of combatting forest "weed" trees such as red alder, aspens and other species.The fungus is applied directly to the weed trees in a nutrient paste which can be stored and handled conveniently. According to a report of the Canadian Pest Management Agency, the use of this control method will only have a limited impact on non-target trees since the fungal spores are ubiquitous anyway and healthy trees are resistant to attack." - WiKi
"De paarse korstzwam (Chondrostereum purpureum), purperkorstzwam of loodglansschimmel is een paddenstoel uit de familie Cyphellaceae. De soort lijkt op een elfenbankje, maar is paars en aan de rand wit gekleurd. De randen zijn golvend en wit donzig behaard. De onderzijde is glad, donkerbruin of bruin-violet tot bruin. De paddenstoel wordt carpophores genoemd en wordt in de herfst gevormd bij een hoge relatieve luchtvochtigheid met veel regen, mist of dauw en een temperatuur van 10 °C. Hieruit ontstaan de basidiosporen, die bij infectie via wonden loodglans veroorzaken. Zo genoemd omdat de bladeren een loodachtige kleur krijgen als de schimmel de boom heeft aangetast.
De purperkorstzwam wordt gevonden als saprofyt op dood hout van allerlei loofbomen en als parasiet op levende bomen en struiken uit de rozenfamilie. Het veroorzaakt op vruchtbomen loodglansziekte, onder andere bij de pruim en kers. De purperkorstzwam komt het gehele jaar voor en is een algemene verschijning.
Het vruchtlichaam heeft een doorsnede van 2-4 cm, is dun en leerachtig. De korsten hebben een opstaande rand. De bovenkant is voorzien van groeven, is viltig en licht grijsachtig geelbruin. De onderkant is lila tot purperkleurig. Later wordt de onderkant meer bruinachtig. Bij een korst zit het hymenium aan de bovenzijde en is aan de violette kleur te herkennen.
De paarse korstzwam wordt gebruikt voor de bestrijding van de Amerikaanse vogelkers. Op de afgezaagde stobben worden de sporen van de schimmel gesmeerd en zodra de schimmel de wortels bereikt heeft gaat de boom dood." - WiKi
Recognizing the need for security, Odge ventured into Hweg Shul to the local droid merchant. Though there were many astro-mechs to choose from, an extra set of eyes is what Odge needed, so a protocol droid was what appealed to Odge.
With only a few to choose from, Odge conversed with a TC unit who seemed rather alert and much less uppity than a 3PO-series droid. TC-33 agreed to come to the A-wing build and assist.
Pick your sauce! National Spaghetti Day on January 4 recognizes that long, thin cylindrical pasta of Italian and Sicilian origin. Usually made from semolina flour, this pasta has been a worldwide favorite for ages and loved by millions.
There are a variety of different pasta dishes that are based on spaghetti from spaghetti ala Carbonara or garlic and oil to spaghetti with tomato sauce, meat sauce, bolognese, Alfredo sauce, clam sauce or other sauces. Spaghetti dishes are traditionally served topped with grated hard cheeses such as Pecorino Romano, Parmesan and Grana Padano.
The word spaghetti is plural for the Italian word spaghetto, which is a diminutive of spago, meaning “thin string” or “twine.”
American restaurants offered Spaghetti around the end of the 19th century as Spaghetti Italienne (which is believed to have consisted of noodles cooked past al dente and a mild tomato sauce flavored with easily found spices and vegetables such as cloves, bay leaves and garlic). Decades later, oregano and basil were added to many recipes.
There is significant debate on the origin of spaghetti. However, we do know that pasta has been consumed for many, many years.
Sung to the tune of “On Top of Old Smoky,” the fun children’s song, “On Top of Spaghetti” was written and originally sung by folk singer Tom Glazer with the Do-Re-Mi Children’s Chorus in 1963.
“On top of spaghetti,
All covered with cheese,
I lost my poor meatball,
When somebody sneezed.
It rolled off the table,
And on to the floor,
And then my poor meatball,
Rolled out of the door.”