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The Keukenhof Tulip Park of Holland, “my” Keukenhof, represents for me in Spring, what “my” Château De La Hulpe represents in Autumn : a GLORIOUS and massive Nature Beauty!! Why “massive”: because the Spring in my garden for example, appears in steps –first the tiny white campanulas, then the adorable Crocuses, then the golden Narcissi, then the bright red Tulips, then Cherry Trees, etc!! Whereas in Keukenhof, my heart stops beating the moment I enter: the WHOLE of the Glory of Springtime is springing all around me!!!! Simultaneously!!! All spring Nature is IN there!! From tiny plants like Anemones, to Cherry Trees, Rhododendrons, Lilacs!! There are even all sort of Begonias, Hydrangeas and Lilies beautifully growing in the three huge glasshouses… And human words are not enough descriptive for the utmost Beauty created in there by THE Artist and His human talented …..collaborators!!
*** My Keukenhof photos that you will be seeing from now on are from previous years .. You will see the new ones by the end of April.
Three vehicles representing three great Japanese anime films/series. The Swordfish II from Cowboy Bebop (by Chris Hoffman), the Alakuneda Think Tank from Ghost in the Shell (by myself), and Kaneda's Bike from Akira (by Hachiroku24). The Alakuneda Think Tank has since been upgraded to a more accurate version.
If you look closely at stained glass, you can see all sorts of themes: religion, flowers, art, music and even fruit. When considering the theme of fruit, in ecclesiastical stained glass, a bunch of grapes may signify the sacrament of Holy Communion. Grapes and vines can also represent the church itself. Pomegranates have diverse cultural-religious significance, as a symbol of life and fertility owing to their many seeds but also as a symbol of power (imperial orb), blood and death. Pomegranates already symbolised fertility, beauty and eternal life, in Greek and Persian mythology. The apple of course is the forbidden fruit in the Book of Genesis that Adam and Eve ate from the forbidden tree in the Garden of Eden. With Art Nouveau being the predominant architectural and design influence between 1880 and the start of the Great war in 1914, there was a great interest in portraying both stylised flowers and fruit in stained glass.
This year the FFF+ Group have decided to have a weekly challenge called “Snap Happy”. A different theme chosen by a member of the group each week, and the image is to be posted on the Monday of the week.
This week the theme, “fruit” was chosen by Gary, Gazman_AU.
I thought a collage of some of the examples of fruit themed windows I have photographed in Churches and private houses over the years might be suitable.
Top row far left, second and third from left: Detail of the King David window of St John’s Church of England, Heidelberg, designed and manufactured by William Montgomery.
Top row right: Detail of the Suffer the Little Children window of Holy Trinity Church of England, Balaclava, attributed to I. A. Gibbs and Howard, London.
Middle row left: Detail of a dressing room window of “The Gables”, Malvern, painter and manufacturer unknown.
Middle row second from left: Detail of a shop window, corner Brunswick and Bell Streets, Collingwood, painter and manufacturer unknown.
Middle row third from left: Detail of a window from the former Sassafras Methodist Church, Sassafras, manufactured by Brooks Robinson and Company.
Middle row second from right: Detail of the “Lay of the Last Minstrel” window, “Warwilla” (formerly “Redholme”), St Kilda Road, painted and manufactured by William Montgomery.
Middle row right: Detail of the King David window of St John’s Church of England, Heidelberg, designed and manufactured by William Montgomery.
Bottom row far left: Detail of an entrance hall window of “The Gables”, Malvern, painter and manufacturer unknown.
Bottom row second from left: Detail of the Virgin Mary window of St Ambrose’s Catholic Church, Brunswick, manufactured by Brooks Robinson and Company.
Bottom row third from left: Detail of a dining room window of “The Gables”, Malvern, painter and manufacturer unknown.
Bottom row second from right: Detail of the “Lay of the Last Minstrel” window, “Warwilla” (formerly “Redholme”), St Kilda Road, painted and manufactured by William Montgomery.
Bottom row far left: Detail of an entrance hall window of “The Gables”, Malvern, painter and manufacturer unknown.
Built to the specifications of architect George Reilly Cox, Saint John\'s Church of England in Burgundy Street Heidelberg, is a fine example of simple Early English Gothic architecture. The building was completed by April 1851. Comprising of a gabled nave, without aisles, a narthex below the west tower and a sanctuary and vestry at the east end, Saint John\'s Church of England is simple, unpretentious and elegant in its design. The nave and chancel are constructed of handmade bricks laid on a bluestone rubble plinth. The church features lancet windows in Early English Gothic style. It has a square tower surmounted by four pinnacles and crenulations. The roof is slated and contains small gable vents, and the roof drains to galvanised steel quad section eaves gutters. The gable parapets are fitted with galvanised sheet steel cappings. The formal opening of Saint John\'s Church of England took place on the 26th of October 1861. The church was dedicated by Bishop Perry the first Bishop of Melbourne on the 30th of September 1861 and named the Church of Saint John the Evangelist. The roof was completely replaced around 1856 with slate after the original shingles had deteriorated. The interior was plastered and the exterior brickwork was covered with cement. Another renovation took place in 1965 at the cost of $56,000.00. The vestry, choir room, chapel and new entrance porch were added at the original back of the church. Interestingly, the congregation today no longer use the 1965 entrance and have reverted to the original entrance. The choir room now serves as a Sunday school for the children of the congregation, whilst the newer chapel is not generally used at all.
William Montgomery (1850 - 1927) was an artist who specialised in stained glass painting and design. He was born in England in 1850, and studied at the School of Art in Newcastle-on-Tyne. In his final year William was awarded one of only three National Art Scholarships that year to study at South Kensington School of Art (now the Royal College of Art). He was employed by the leading London stained glass firm, Clayton and Bell, before joining Franz Mayer and Company in Munich, Germany. Over the next seven years he not only designed windows he also trained others in the English style of glass painting. William arrived in Melbourne, Australia, in 1886 during the Boom Period provided by the Gold Rush. Melbourne was at the time one of the wealthiest cities in the world, and was in the throes of a building boom. He quickly set up his studio at 164 Flinders Street in the heart of Melbourne, bringing with him the latest in European style and design and achieving instant success amongst wealthy patrons. He worked equally for Catholic and Protestant denominations, his windows being found in many churches as well as in mansions, houses and other commercial buildings around the city. This extended to the country beyond as his reputation grew. A painter as well as stained glass window designer William was a founding member of the Victorian Art Society in Albert Street, Eastern Hill. William became President of its Council in 1912, a position he held until 1916. He was a trustee of the National Gallery of Victoria. His commissions included; stained glass windows at Christ Church, Hawthorn: St. John\'s, Heidelberg, St. Ignatius\', Richmond: Christ Church, St Kilda: Geelong Grammar School: the Bathurst Cathedral and private houses "Tay Creggan", Hawthorn (now Strathcona Baptist Girls Grammar), and "Earlsbrae Hall", Essendon (now Lowther Hall Anglican Grammar School). The success of William Montgomery made Melbourne the leading centre of stained glass in the Southern Hemisphere. William Montgomery died in 1927.
The first Church of England built on the triangular site in Balaclava bordered by Brighton Road and Dickens Street was opened by Bishop Perry on January 29, 1871. It was a timber building accommodating about three hundred people. It stood where the Parish Hall now stands. Its designer was the architect Francis Maloney White (1819-1888) who lived nearby in William Street. In 1882 the architects Reed and Barnes, soon to become Reed, Henderson and Smart, were commissioned to design a new church. The first service took place on December 6, 1883. Due to the Parish\'s efforts to reduce the large debt that had been incurred in the construction of the church and the vicarage, the building of the spire was delayed. Regrettably this was never to be built. However, it gives Holy Trinity the feeling of an English country parish church.
The firm of I. A. Gibbs and Howard was established in England in the 1870s. Isaac Alexander Gibbs (1849 - 1899) was the youngest son of Isaac Alexander Gibbs (senior) and brother of the stained glass artists Alexander and Charles Alexander Gibbs. His partnership with William Wallace Howard (born 1856) was established before 1879 in London. The firm continued after the death of Gibbs under Howard until about 1915.
Built in 1902 for local property developer Lawrence Alfred Birchnell and his wife Annie, “The Gables” is considered to be one of the most prominent houses in the Gascoigne Estate. The house was designed by Melbourne architect firm Ussher and Kemp in what was the prevailing style of the time, Queen Anne, which is also known as Federation style (named so after Australian Federation in 1901). Ussher and Kemp were renowned for their beautiful and complex Queen Anne houses and they designed at least six other houses in Finch Street alone. “The Gables” remained a private residence for many years. When Lawrence Birchnell sold it, the house was converted into a rooming house. It remained so throughout the tumultuous 1920s until 1930 when it was sold again. The new owners converted “The Gables” into a reception hall for hire for private functions. The first wedding reception was a breakfast held in the formal dining room in 1930, followed by dancing to Melbourne’s first jukebox in the upstairs rooms. Notorious Melbourne gangster Joseph Theodore Leslie “Squizzy” Taylor was reputed to have thrown a twenty-first birthday party for his girlfriend of the day in the main ballroom (what had originally been the house\'s billiards room). “The Gables” became very famous for its grand birthday parties throughout the 1930s and 1940s. With its easy proximity to the Caulfield Race Course, “The Gables” ran an underground speakeasy and gambling room upstairs and sold beer from the back door during Melbourne’s restrictive era of alcohol not sold after six o\'clock at night. Throughout its history, “The Gables” has been a Melbourne icon, celebrating generation after generation of Melbourne’s wedding receptions, parties and balls. Lovingly restored, the atmosphere and charm of “The Gables” have been retained for the future generations.
The former Sassafras Methodist Church, perched on the upper side of the hill, overlooking the Sassafras township had its foundation stone laid on the 18th of October 1902. A plaque records: Sassafra Church - the original of - this block was laid - by - Mrs D Stones - on October 18th 1902 - John Storrie. A Gothic Carpenter church, it is made of wood and is of simple design with simple stained glass windows. The church ceased in the 1970s and was eventually sold. For many years it was “Brother John’s”, a restaurant and wedding venue. Today it is “Dine Divine” a café that specialises in light luncheons and Devonshire cream teas, the latter being quite delicious.
Surrounded by modern office and apartment blocks the grand red brick mansion “Warwillah”, built on the corner of Beatrice Street and St Kilda Road, is one of the few remaining examples of a time Melbourne’s St Kilda Road was still a grand boulevard of elegant residences. In March 1875 the government announced that the land on the western side of St Kilda Road would be alienated from parkland and that the land would be sold for residential purposes. Following the subdivision, a gentleman of means named Rudolph D. Benjamin purchased the land on which he planned to build an elegant residence as befitting his station. Designed by well known Melbourne architect John Beswicke, “Redholme” was a sixteen-roomed brick mansion built on Mr. Benjamin’s block in 1896 by the builder James Downie. Although not in the Benjamin family, “Redholme” survived the death taxes that came after the Great War and the Great Depression of 1929. It was still a privately owned home in its entirety in 1939 when it was owned by Mr. and Mrs. C. J. Reddish. Sadly, after the Second World War, “Redholme” changed ownership, usage and even name. From the early 1950s, the red brick building became the “Warwilla Guest House”. The name “Warwilla” is what the house has been known as ever since. “Warwilla” is an unusual mansion as it is an early example of a transition from Modern Gothic to Queen Anne design. The red brick tuckpointed facade is asymmetrical with picturesque massing, but the larger half-timbered gable and cantilevered banked window on the south side is balanced by the octagonal corner tower and ‘candle snuffer’ roof on the north. The Modern Gothic is suggested by the depressed pointed arches to main openings, and engaged colonettes at the porch entrance, whilst the half-timbered gable, octagonal tower with ‘candle snuffer’ roof and Art Nouveau stained glass windows are very much stylistic elements of Queen Anne architecture. These elements were to remain popular for at least another decade. The tall banded brick chimneys (done in the style of Henry Kemp) dominate the terracotta tile roof, as do the decorative finials which include a dragon.
In 1869 the foundation stone was laid for Saint Ambrose\'s Church at 287 Sydney Road, Brunswick. The land for the church was donated by Mr. Michael Dawson, a resident of the neighbourhood. In 1873 the church was completed at a cost of £6,000.00. Parishioners Sebastian Danielli and his wife Harriet Bagatti, who had arrived in Brunswick in 1859 after being married in Milan the previous year, suggested the name Saint Ambrose\'s as the name for the church because St Ambrose was a much loved bishop in Milan in the 4th Century. All their children were born in Brunswick and baptised at Saint Ambrose’s. In 1888 Brunswick was proclaimed a town and it had a population of 14,792. In 1890, Saint Ambrose\'s became a parish in its own right, being made independent from the Coburg parish. With the need for a larger church, the present church was extended in 1899 when the transepts, with the sanctuary and the two chapels, the porch and the baptistry were added. The memorial stone was laid near the door of the northern transepts on 19 February, 1899. The parish church building is of a late Gothic style and is one of the finer churches of Melbourne, built in bluestone, with a timber supported ceiling, a 19th century organ and high quality stained glass windows.
Brooks, Robinson and Company first opened their doors on Elizabeth Street in Melbourne in 1854 as importers of window and table glass and also specialised in interior decorating supplies. Once established the company moved into glazing and were commonly contracted to do shopfronts around inner Melbourne. In the 1880s they commenced producing stained glass on a small scale. Their first big opportunity occurred in the 1890s when they were engaged to install Melbourne\'s St Paul\'s Cathedral\'s stained-glass windows. Their notoriety grew and as a result their stained glass studio flourished, particularly after the closure of their main competitor, Ferguson and Urie. They dominated the stained glass market in Melbourne in the early 20th Century, and many Australian glass artists of worked in their studio. Their work may be found in the Princess Theatre on Melbourne\'s Spring Street, in St John\'s Church in Toorak, and throughout churches in Melbourne. Brooks, Robinson and Company was taken over by Email Pty Ltd in 1963, and as a result they closed their stained glass studio.
"The architect represents neither a Dionysian nor an Apollinian state: here it is the great act of will, the will that moves mountains, the rapture of the great will which aspires to art. The mightiest men have always inspired architects; the architect has always been under the spell of power. In his buildings, pride, the victory over gravity, and the will to power strive to become visible; architecture is a species of the rhetoric of power in forms, now persuading, even flattering, now simply commanding. The highest feeling of power and sureness finds expression in that which possesses grand style."
- Friedrich Nietzsche
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This shot was taken in Fengdu Ghost City that is a large complex of shrines, temples and monasteries dedicated to the afterlife located on the Ming mountain, in Fengdu County, Chongqing municipality, China.
The city consists of buildings, structures, dioramas, and statues that are related to Diyu, the concept of the underworld and hell (or Naraka) in Chinese mythology and Buddhism. It is modeled to resemble Youdu, the capital of Diyu.
Read more - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fengdu_Ghost_City
Author's Note: The contents of this chapter include very sensitive subject matter and may be triggering to some individuals. Scenes of abuse of various forms are represented as not only for storytelling, but to raise awareness of what this behavior looks like. Abusive behavior in this story includes, but is not limited to: physical abuse, mental abuse, verbal abuse, gaslighting, manipulation, intentional triggering of another's PTSD, and trauma. In no way are these scenes intended to purposely trigger or harm anyone.
...
"...Vincent, it's me! Open the door! I need to talk to you now!"
After such an exciting (though socially exhausting) day, hearing Damien's persistent tone on the other side of the door caused him to tense as if he'd been doused with cold water. This was not how he would have liked to end his day! He really didn't want to deal with Damien right now, but he couldn't pretend he wasn't home anymore. He'd hoped Damien would have let him know before coming over. Vincent already felt a stress-headache coming on. He put the safety back on his pistol and gave a soft sigh. He could do this.
But as Vincent reached for the lock so he could let Damien in, the door was knocked on again! Vincent stared at the door and scowled. Well, that was rude of him, he thought sourly. He was sorely tempted to leave Damien out there even longer but then Damien called through the door again, "Come on, Vincent! Don't leave me out here like this. I thought you said you wanted to talk this out!"
Inhaling sharply through his nose, Vincent grit his teeth. Damien didn't need to make such a loud commotion for the whole building to hear! Deciding just to get this over with he let out some tension as he exhaled. Then he reached for the door, unlocked it, and pulled the door open to stare stoically up at his best friend of six years with his pistol resting at his side defenselessly.
Damien stared back at him with a look Vincent had seen many times; just never directed at him. In his interrogation mode, Damien's brows furrowed deeply and eyes darkened a certain way that could send chills down the spine of almost anyone who received it. His arms were folded over his chest and, in Vincent's opinion, he looked more impatient than he'd ever seen him. Vincent, however, was not like most people, and he maintained his stoic exterior. But oh, he was offended! Who the Hell did Damien think he was?! He opened his mouth to put Damien in his place but Damien cut in just a tiny bit faster.
"Are you alone?" Damien demanded quietly. Vincent blinked at him with just a hint of surprise at this question. He barely had a chance to utter, "Yes?" before Damien nodded and brushed past him to enter the flat. He grunted, "Good. We have much to discuss and I don't want any interruptions this time."
"What is the meaning of this?" Vincent asked incredulously as he pushed the door closed with a groan. "I was expecting you to let me know when you were coming over first. You always let me know first." And when he turned to look at Damien, he found Damien standing nearly an arm's length away and glowering at him.
"Well, I was expecting a bit more loyalty from YOU!"
"Loyalty?!"
"Yes! Why should I do what you want me to do when you won't do what 'I' want? All I wanted to do was to talk this out....just you and me. And all anyone else can do is put their nose in where it doesn't belong."
"It had nothing to do with Aiden!"
But at the mention of their engineer's name, Damien's nostrils flared and he spat out, "See how quickly you think of 'him?' You are proving my point. No, Vincent, it has EVERYTHING to do with YOU!" He pointed his finger right at Vincent's chest and accused, "You are throwing me to the side like a discarded, rotted apple core on the side of the road for the rats! I didn't even mention anyone in particular and already your mind went to him! Aiden this! Aiden that! Why does he even matter anyway?" Damien pressed his hands to his own chest and his expression implored Vincent to see his side as he pleaded, "Don't you care about me at all, Vincent?"
Fleetingly, Vincent was amazed that Damien had the courage to behave and speak to him like this when Vincent was armed. Despite his calm exterior, he was growing more confused and upset at Damien's onslaught of unexpected feelings. However, it was as Aiden was brought up that it shifted into anger. Vincent was done. He was going to put him in his place once and for all! But damn it all Damien asked him if he cared about him at all and Vincent felt like the wind had been knocked out of him! He felt as if he couldn't focus on what he was upset about anymore as he grappled with the unexpected, emotional question.
Of course he cared about Damien! Damien was like a brother to him! He loved him as much despite their current situation. It was what made it hurt so much worse as each second of this whole interaction passed. Had....he been unfair to Damien somehow? He did want to work things out! After all, he'd gone to Damien's temporary residence as Damien had told him before many times to do if he ever needed anything. Unlike Vincent, Damien didn't care if anyone simply dropped in. Damien's sister had insisted once before that it was fine if he stopped in anytime. Honestly, he'd wondered if Damien had nudged her into it but he was grateful to be able to see his friend all the same.
"Of course, I care about you," Vincent relented as his stoic expression faded and a small, sad frown pulled at his lips. Was that how Damien felt about him? About their friendship? "That's not fair, Damien. How can you even say that after everything we've been through?"
"I can say the same about you," Damien responded with just a touch of edge in his voice as he reached out with his metallic arm and pressed his mechanical hand to the door behind Vincent and leaned in slightly; almost a touch dangerously. It made Vincent tense involuntarily as he stared back up at him. However, Damien's voice softened and he sounded and looked hurt.
"I just wanted to talk. And you sent me away."
"I-I just..."
"You just what, Vincent?"
Vincent shrank back slightly against the door and gazed up at his best friend before sighing. Finally he replied, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you feel like you don't matter." At his words, Damien's aggression dissipated as he smiled more. "I knew you would understand. I forgive you," Damien responded as his hand slid to squeeze Vincent's shoulder before resting there. Vincent glanced at his hand then gave a small nod before turning and brushing past Damien to head towards the veranda to get some air. As he walked past a bookshelf, he set down his gun then proceeded to run his hands through his hair. Bloody Hell...
Damien let his hand fall to his side as he turned slowly in place to visually follow Vincent's figure as he made to step outside. His eyes narrowed before he began to follow him out. Was something else wrong?
Out on the veranda, Vincent inhaled slowly and deeply through his nostrils before slowly exhaling as he glanced up at the evening sky. While he didn't mean to make Damien feel like he didn't matter, Damien's behavior as of late was....not okay. He really needed to talk to him about it. He needed to get to the bottom of it once and for all. Vincent could hear Damien following him out onto the veranda behind him. This was his chance to talk it out....just the two of them.
"Look... Damien..." Vincent turned to face Damien and he spoke sincerely as he tried to reason and understand. "I don't know what's been going on lately. I don't like this contention going on between us. I want you to talk to me. Tell me what's going on."
"There's nothing to talk about. You already apologized."
"Yes but that's not what I'm talking about."
"Then what ARE you talking about?"
"The contention going on between us lately; 'before' just the day before. Surely, you've felt it too?"
"Contention?"
"Yes. That's what I said."
"I don't know what you mean."
Damien looked genuinely confused! Vincent just couldn't understand why Damien didn't see what he was talking about. If he was being honest with himself, he had only noticed it during the last few weeks. Prior to that, they'd gotten on well enough and had always been able to work things out. It only seemed to be getting worse....and for some reason it felt like it was only around Aiden. He couldn't quite figure it out. Surely, that couldn't be it, he thought. Surely, Damien would tell him if he had a problem with Aiden! Up until the day before yesterday, the two seemed to have worked out whatever problem they had. But apparently they hadn't and something still seemed off between them even the other day. But...hadn't it always? Vincent had not forgotten what Bernadette had told him about Damien and Aiden's quarrel while he was still abed with high fever. He trusted she would never lie to him; especially about something like that. Therefore, he had taken her word that they had worked it. After all, Aiden hadn't come to him about Damien's misconduct. Was there not as big of a problem as he believed it was? Or was it just worse under the surface?
"Well," Vincent cleared his throat and began calmly, "that aside, I wanted to talk to you about something else. Just...I want to have a heart to heart, okay? Two days ago-"
"But you-"
"Don't interrupt me. Please let me finish."
Damien scowled but he closed his mouth and folded his arms over his chest defensively. However he did keep his mouth closed as he quirked his brow at Vincent and waited for whatever he was going to tell him. Opposite him, Vincent stared up at him calmly and waited for him. Once he saw Damien was actually going to listen he continued.
"Two days ago when you and I were speaking, some of the things you said to me were out of line." Vincent watched Damien's jaw tighten as his jaw clenched. Vincent felt a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach but tried to explain how he felt anyway. "You really hurt my feelings; especially when you accused me of being too intoxicated." And, sure enough, he'd barely had a chance to utter the last word of his sentence before Damien cut in defensively, "Well YOU hurt MY feelings!"
"I know, and I already apologized. But I still want to talk about what you-"
"You know I can't help what I say when I get angry!"
"Damien, don't you see?! THIS is what I'm talking about! We never argue like this!"
"You are just mad that I called you out on it!" He took a step closer and poked Vincent's chest which caused him to gasp in surprise! "It's not MY fault you like to overindulge in alcohol and herbs! Damn it, Vincent! You know what? Sometimes it's hard to tell if it's 'you' I'm talking to, or your addictions!"
Vincent's face fell, and for the second time this week he very nearly broke down completely. He bit his lower lip and gave a small nod before turning and facing away from Damien. He defensively folded his arms over his chest as his shoulders sank depressingly. That had hurt. It had hurt a lot. Was that really how Damien felt?
Damien sighed. He ran his hands over his face then peeked at Vincent through his fingers. Vincent still wasn't looking at him. He was just...standing there dejectedly and hurt. Frowning slightly, Damien stepped closer and placed his hand on Vincent's shoulder. At his touch, however, Vincent turned away more; clearly not wanting to be touched.
"What do you want me to say, Vincent? I'm sorry, okay?"
After several seconds of no response, Damien huffed and leaned around him and peered at the side of his face. Still nothing. In fact, Vincent turned his head away from him even more! 'Damn it all!' Damien thought. He groaned softly and leaned his forearms against the railing and leaned against it. He hung his head down slightly before glancing back at Vincent.
"Come on. You know I didn't mean that," he tried again, his voice softening. This time he sounded more sincere. "I really am sorry, Vincent. You know sometimes I say things I don't mean. Don't let this silly misunderstanding ruin what we have." At this, Vincent took a deep breath and slowly let it out before turning to glance over his shoulder at Damien, his gaze lifting towards his face but unable to meet his eyes.
"Is that what you really think of me?"
"I just said I didn't. Look, why don't we just start over and put all this behind us? We agree there have been misunderstandings and things done and said that we don't mean."
Vincent licked his lips as he considered that. Maybe Damien was right and it would be best to put it behind them and move on from it. While things had never escalated this much, they had done the same thing in the past once they reached an understanding. It always seemed to work out and they were fine again. Though, this time Aiden was a third party in this. Would things be okay with Aiden too?
"What about Aiden?"
"He will be fine! And if he can't work this out with me, it's not a big deal. He can leave just like the others did and go back to that little garage you plucked him out of." Damien gave a noncommittal shrug then confidently slid his arm around Vincent's shoulders and drew him to his side with an encouraging grin. Much to his delight he watched as Vincent lifted his gaze to finally look at him and gave a small smile and replied, "I suppose you're right."
"Of course I am!" Damien tightened his arm around Vincent's shoulders and jostled him gently with a chuckle. "You and me against the world, right?"
Vincent smiled a bit more and nodded. "Yeah, you and me against the world." Damien grinned and looked up at the sky and continued to ramble on about how he couldn't wait to get back up into the air. Beside him, Vincent's gaze lowered and he looked down at the railing. He could feel his mood sinking more and more. He couldn't help feeling like he hadn't really had a chance to get out what he wanted to say. It felt unfinished on Vincent's end but they HAD agreed it was a misunderstanding and to just move on from it. He decided to push it down and just...tuck it away. Perhaps things would just get better after all; just like Damien was saying. However, there was still something he couldn't seem to shake.
While he had voiced his agreement, the idea of Aiden leaving because he couldn't work things out with Damien made him feel even worse; somehow even worse than this unfinished business with Damien. Aiden was NOT like the handful of others who had departed from Leon's Claw. Aiden was special...important. He didn't want to see him go!
"...and in a few weeks your ribs will be healed! Guh...I'm so bored. I can't wait to get back in the air again," Damien was saying beside him. He appeared not to notice Vincent's quick-sinking depression. Perhaps it was better that way, Vincent figured. He really didn't want to upset Damien even more tonight. He was tired and growing more and more exhausted. Honestly, he just wanted to be done. He wanted to be alone. More than anything, he just wanted to escape. However, Vincent noticed Damien didn't seem ready to leave anytime soon. He'd have to do something about that.
"You're right!" Vincent replied with a small smirk, nudging Damien gently with his elbow as an idea had suddenly come to him. All he had to do was play along to keep Damien in a good enough mood. "Just a few more weeks. You're worried about being bored right? So why don't you keep yourself entertained by going to your family's gathering?" Damien opened his mouth and was about to interrupt but Vincent turned in Damien's arm and quickly added, "I know you want to stay here with me but all I'm going to be doing is sitting around. Boring. I'm boring."
"Are you trying to get rid of me?"
"I am pointing out the benefits if you go...such as the amazing food you KNOW will be there and you can share all your new adventures with everyone. It's been a long while since you've been there. You know everyone loves to hear when you tell a story! It would be fun!"
Damien gave a smug smirk and shrug as Vincent stroked his ego. He was right: everyone DID enjoy a good story and Damien had plenty to share now. The younger generations of his family all seemed to look up to him. It never failed to boost his ego.
"Honestly," Vincent continued, "you won't miss a thing. I intend to spend the next few weeks with my nose in a book."
"You'd rather choose a book over my company? How nice."
"Hmph! I keep telling you I'm not nice!"
Damien laughed and lifted his arm off of Vincent's shoulder so he could turn and face him properly as he leaned against the railing. Vincent turned fully to face him and gave him a small, amused smirk. "There are no plans except to sit and rest. Honest. No more adventures for me for a while. I am going to be resting. Bernadette's orders. Go with your sister. Go enjoy your vacation away and just have fun! You deserve it! You'll be back in three weeks from now, yes? By then my ribs should be good enough to go sailing! You and I can go together and then you can tell me all about your trip. It will give us both something to look forward to!"
"Fine," Damien finally agreed with a small chuckle. "I suppose you're right." He chuckled before he reached over his head and stretched and felt his back pop where he needed it and let himself drift off with thoughts of going to his family reunion after all.
"Good! It's decided!" Vincent agreed before Damien could change his mind. He had to fight to actually sigh with relief. While he truly did enjoy Damien's friendship, right now he really needed time away from him. It was best just to let him be happy and just...get past this for now. Maybe one day they could actually talk this out like he wanted to. He also figured that this time apart might be just what Damien and Aiden needed as well.
"Well since I'm here why don't we have dinner at The Fat Lady's? We can celebrate getting past all this messy business!" Damien was saying, but already Vincent felt his stomach lurch at the idea; especially at the mention of the tavern where Thorn and Micah had accused him of gambling. He smiled weakly and shook his head. "I appreciate the offer, but I think I will need to postpone. Why don't we celebrate tomorrow instead?"
"How come?"
"How come? Because I am not ready to go out tonight. I have a headache brewing, my ribs are aching, and I was not prepared for company let alone ready to go out in public tonight." Vincent pleaded exhaustedly. He just wanted to be left alone! And indeed, Damien finally began to see how tired Vincent looked. He did look a bit pale, didn't he? His brow furrowed in concern and asked, "Vincent, why didn't you say so? I could have just come back another time!"
Vincent fought back the knee-jerk reaction of angrily calling Damien a rather creative, colorful name. Instead, he sighed and just snorted at the irony of the situation and went to head back inside. Damien could have started with that when he first arrived! he thought.
Finally Vincent managed in a convincing voice as he paused at the door: "It's fine. Don't worry about it. Come on. I'll see you out."
NEXT PART:
www.flickr.com/photos/153660805@N05/52966552948/in/datepo...
To read the rest of the story, here's the album link:
www.flickr.com/photos/153660805@N05/albums/72157717075565127
***Please note this is a BOY LOVE (BL/yaoi/gay) series. It is a slow burn and rated PG13!***
Special thank you to my husband Vin (Be My Mannequin? Pose Store) for collaborating with me on this series and co-starring as The Captain!
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It is said that seeing a lotus in your dream, represents growth, love, purity, beauty and expansion of the soul.
Lotus comes from the Greek word "lotos" and the Sanskrit name is padma, it is an ancient and universal symbol.
"It is the flower sacred to nature and her Gods, and represents the abstract and the Concrete Universes, standing as the emblem of the productive powers of both spiritual and physical nature.
It was held sacred from the remotest antiquity by the Aryan Hindus, the Egyptians, and the Buddhists after them; revered in China and Japan, and adopted as a Christian emblem by the Greek and Latin Churches, who made of it a messenger as the Christians do now, who replace it with the water lily.
It had, and still has, its mystic meaning which is identical with every nation on the earth" (SD 1:379 - Theosophy Dictionary on Lotus).
A few days ago I saw this pond on the left of the road, somewhere, in the Indian state of Bihar as we were driving from Varanasi to Bodh Gaya.
It was early in the morning at sunrise and it was still very foggy, there were many lotusses waiting for the sun and their reflection on the muddy waters was providing a dreamy kind of atmosphere.
I thought then that showing this image upside down would emphasize the effect...
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Carcassonne représente l’archétype de la cité médiévale telle qu’on l’imagine à travers le monde. Inscrite au Patrimoine mondial par l’UNESCO en 1997.
Grands sites Occitanie
Monument historique
Eléments protégés : Les fortifications : classement par liste de 1862 - Les deux parcelles de terrain, lieux-dits Talus de la Barbacane et Porte d'Aude (cad. E 99, 1868) : classement par arrêté du 22 décembre 1926 - Les parcelles dénommées Champ Rigal Cadène et Grand Champ Sabatier Jalabert, à l'exclusion d'une zone délimitée sur le plan annexé à l'arrêté (cad. 1633, 1129 P) : classement par arrêté du 15 janvier 1942 - Le terrain compris entre la Cité et le grand séminaire (cad. E5 1755) : classement par arrêté du 28 mai 1942 - Le terrain dit Champ du Tournoi, situé en bordure du chemin de la Cité de Carcassonne à Sainte-Croix (cad. E 109 à 112, 138) : classement par arrêté du 11 juillet 1942
Historique : Cité médiévale fortifiée dotée d'un système défensif important, très restaurée au 19e siècle par Viollet-le-Duc. Une portion des murailles remonte au 5e siècle, sans doute suite au passage des Wisigoths. Le château date des 11e et 12e siècles. La porte Narbonnaise et toute la partie méridionale de l'enceinte intérieure, ainsi que le couronnement des tours, ont été construits au 13e siècle, après que le dernier vicomte de Carcassonne eut abandonné en 1247 ses droits seigneuriaux à Saint-Louis. L'enceinte extérieure paraît être peu postérieure à ces dernières constructions.
Périodes de construction : 5e siècle, 11e siècle, 12e siècle
Architecte ou maître d'oeuvre : Viollet-le-Duc Eugène (architecte)
Neri di Bicci (Florence, 1418/1420 - Florence, 1492) - Detached fresco, representing St. John Gulberto and saints Valleombrosiani (1455) - Basilica of Santa Trinita, Florence
Affresco staccato proveniente dal chiostro del soppresso convento vallombrosano di S. Pancrazio in via della Spada. Nel chiostro l'opera era rimasta nascosta da una vetrata, insidiata dalla polvere e dall'umidità delle emanazioni del tabacco depositato quando il locale era adibito a manifattura. Su richiesta di P. Nocioni di S. Trinita la Soprintendenza ha concesso lo stacco del grande affresco che, dopo un restauro diretto da U. Baldini, è stato collocato nei primi mesi del 1973, in occasione del IX centenario della morte del Santo fondatore dei vallombrosani, entro la cappella Compagni. L'autore, Neri di Bicci, nelle sue "Ricordanze" del 1 marzo 1455 descrive minuziosamente l'opera che considera come la più importante della sua produzione e si dice d'accordo col committente, l'abate di S. Pancrazio don Benedetto Toschi, per il compenso (lire 159). In effetti l'opera, relativamente alle altre del pittore, è concepita in modo grandioso, ispirandosi ad architetture brunelleschiane anche se rese più superficiali con l'aggiunta di una decorazione esuberante. Nell'affresco il committente è raffigurato in ginocchio in basso a sinistra. Il pittore è l'ultimo rappresentante di una famiglia fiorentina di artisti, subentra al padre Bicci di Lorenzo nella conduzione della bottega verso il 1455. Pur mostrandosi aggiornato alle novità rinascimentali, nella sua produzione estremamente uniforme attraverso gli anni, resta legato ad un gusto ritardatario, caro alla committenza meno colta per cui lavorava.
Detached fresco from the cloister of the suppressed Vallombrosian convent of S. Pancrazio in Via della Spada. In the cloister the work had been hidden by a glass door, undermined by the dust and the humidity of the emanations of the tobacco deposited when the room was used as a manufacture. On request of P. Nocioni of S. Trinita the Superintendence has granted the detachment of the great fresco that, after a restoration directed by U. Baldini, has been placed in the first months of 1973, in occasion of the IX centenary of the death of the Saint founder of the vallombrosani, inside the chapel Compagni. The author, Neri di Bicci, in his "Ricordanze" (recollections) of March 1st 1455, describes in detail the work that he considers the most important of his production and he agrees with the client, the abbot of S. Pancrazio don Benedetto Toschi, for the compensation (159 lire). In effects the work, relatively to the others of the painter, is conceived in grandiose way, inspired to Brunelleschi's architectures even if made more superficial with the addition of an exuberant decoration. In the fresco the client is depicted kneeling in the lower left corner. The painter is the last representative of a Florentine family of artists, takes over from his father Bicci di Lorenzo in the management of the workshop around 1455. Although showing up to date with the innovations of the Renaissance, in its production extremely uniform through the years, remains tied to a late taste, dear to less cultured customers for whom he worked
"Ce tableau constitue une des premières représentations du prolétariat urbain. Si les paysans (Des glaneuses de Millet) ou les ouvriers des campagnes (Casseurs de pierres de Courbet) ont souvent été montrés, les ouvriers de la ville ont très rarement fait l'objet de tableaux. Contrairement à Courbet ou Millet, Caillebotte, bourgeois aisé, n'introduit aucun discours social, moralisateur ou politique dans son oeuvre. L'étude documentaire (gestes, outils, accessoires) le place parmi les réalistes les plus chevronnés.
Caillebotte a suivi une formation académique auprès de Bonnat, et la perspective accentuée par l'effet de plongée et l'alignement des lames de parquet est conforme à la tradition. L'artiste a dessiné une à une toutes les parties de son tableau, avant de les reporter au carreau sur la toile. Le torse nu des raboteurs est celui de héros antiques. Mais loin de s'enfermer dans ces exercices académiques, Caillebotte en exploite la rigueur afin d'explorer l'univers contemporain de manière inédite.
Présenté au Salon de 1875, le tableau est refusé par le Jury, sans doute choqué par ce réalisme cru (certains critiques ont parlé de "sujet vulgaire"). Le jeune peintre décide alors de se joindre aux impressionnistes et présente son tableau à la seconde exposition du groupe en 1876 où Degas expose ses premières Repasseuses. Les critiques sont impressionnés par cette grande page moderne, Zola notamment qui condamne cependant cette "peinture bourgeoise à force d'exactitude"." Notice du Musée d'Orsay
"we represent ourselves everywhere, and find out representation everywhere. We are the protagonists of our stories, the perfect heros, the justs, the savvy. Outside of us this story is nothing, it's an object of no particular value, a transient soon forgot to be replaced by other transients." (J. Breger, "about looking" pg. 51).
I think this passage is right for this photo. the windows in the background represents the others looking at us one is looking into them. Our story is written as a mere transparent line that will pass unnoticed, or vaguely recognized.
I looked at the original and it was dull. Is it too retouched?
This wooden box represents a typically Egyptian shrine or naos with its tapering walls.
The naos is covered with a flat lid guarded by a figurine of a mummified falcon, whose head is equipped with a hole in which was, most probably, fixed the feather headdress - a characteristic depiction of Sokar, patron god of the Memphite necropolis, who is often shown in this position on the roof of the tomb of Osiris. Thus, the shrine is associated with the famous Osireion.
Wood
Provenance Gamhoud, Beni Sueif
Roman era, 1st to 2nd cent. AD
BAAM 618
Antiquities Museum of Bibliotheca Alexandrina
A ‘Mass’ demonstration by ‘The Extinction Rebellion’ group taking place along Deansgate, Manchester, UK.
Joe public are up in arms with the police and the local council as they allowed the 4 day demonstration to take place along Deansgate, the main route through the City centre; chosen by the demonstrators as they say it is the most polluted street in the City. In defence of the police they maintained that allowing the closure of the road would result in less trouble and fewer arrests; I don’t know if there were any. This young lady was the sole person on view, representing the City of Hull, in their encampment; she looked extremely cold. Looking in the other direction, (behind me), the scene wasn’t much better; in other words not a great turnout. This had nothing like the impact the demonstration had in London a few weeks back. The weather wasn’t great but I still think the turnout would have been poor.
The Ion Mystic Forms - Geometric Symbolism Part II - The Symbolic Duality Of The Circle by Daniel Arrhakis (2022)
The circle represents limitless things, among them eternity, unity, God, sanctity, infinity, and wholeness.
Unity – In some cultures, when people want to come together and support one another, they form a circle.
Monotheism (God) – Several cultures view the circle as a symbol of the existence of the one and only God they subscribe to. For instance, Christians refer to God as the alpha and omega, which means the beginning and the end. In this case, God is seen as a complete circle. In Islam, Monotheism is represented by a circle with God at the center.
Infinity – The circle is a representation of infinity because it has no end. It symbolizes universal energy and the continuity of the soul. The ancient Egyptians chose the ring worn on the finger as a way to symbolize the eternal union between a couple, a practice we still carry on to this day.
Sanctity – This symbolic meaning is seen in Judeo-Christianity, where deities and people considered holy are presented with haloes around the heads.
Heavens – This meaning comes from Chinese symbology, which uses the circle as a representation of heaven.
Containment – With the aspect of protection also comes containment. A circle is a representation of keeping contained what is inside. A good example of this is a ring; whether it is a wedding ring, religious or cultic, the ring stands for a pledge of fidelity.
With the powerful symbolism associated with the circle, it’s no wonder there exist numerous symbols and artifacts resembling circles and shapes. Some of these symbols include: The Enso, The Ouroboros, The Flower Of Life, The Mandela, The Yin And Yang, etc.
In the Mystical World of Ion The Circle and or the Sphere have a symbolic duality: Creation and Destruction.
The circle is often symbolized in the Mystic World of Ion by the shell of a nautilus and represents infinity, eternity, the notion of God as a universal spirit, the beginning and end of timeless cycles that renew themselves in infinite realities, the circle of generations, the light that illuminates the darkness, the universal knowledge of all things unattainable and immeasurable.
The prevailing scientific theory on the origins of the universe posits that everything began with a Big Bang.
In the moment after, a vast array of fundamental particles such as neutrons, electrons and protons were swimming around in a dark, invisible primordial soup.
In the beginning there was no light. ”The free electrons would have caused light (photons) to scatter the way sunlight scatters from the water droplets in clouds,” according to NASA. But over thousands of years, as the temperature cooled, the free electrons joined nuclei and created neutral atoms. This process eventually allowed light to shine through about 380,000 years after the Big Bang.
In other words, in the beginning, everything was dark for a long, long time. Then there was light, this sounds pretty similar to what’s written in the Bible !
All of existence started with an explosion from one point that is continually multiplying, according to Jewish mysticism.
we can see a strong relationship between the contemporary Big Bang theory and the Kabbalistic notion that the universe burst forth from a single point, which in mystical terms is the limitless light of the divine, or Infinite, known as the “Ein Sof" (“no end”).
So the divine, or god, is just another word for infinity.
The notion of darkness containing light described in mysticism also illuminates black holes, places in space where gravity’s pull is so strong that even light can’t escape. As NASA explains, the gravity in a black hole has such a forceful pull because matter is compressed into a tiny space.
Scientists believe that when the universe began, small black holes also formed. We can’t see black holes with the naked eye, but we know they exist because of the effect they exert on the stars orbiting near them. Black holes bend light toward them.
In Kabbalah, a hole is called “rah,” meaning “evil” in Hebrew. Holes are portals from the domain of good to that of evil that suck up matter, energy, and knowledge from the universe.
In some cosmological models that black holes could be wormholes—portals to parallel universes, which is similar to the kabbalistic concept of holes as an entryway to “the other side.”
The Mystical World of Ion has cosmological or universal pantheistic vision, God or the Universal Spirit is present in all things, whether animate or inanimate.
In this view God is not the absolute creator but a universal spirituality that can be found throughout the cosmos, in every physical and chemical manifestation, in every element of nature and is everywhere, for he is the whole, universal and infinite. So he is creation itself.
In Ion's Mystical World Conception the notion of the Devil does not exist, he is a creation of man to try to justify his own misfortunes.
However, there is the notion of Primordial Chaos, the Infinite Void as well as Absolute Darkness often materialized in ignorance as a powerful force against organization, knowledge and light.
If God has an infinite and universal dimension, then so does absolute darkness, having been by this order of ideas earlier, older and omnipotent to a certain point - at least until the Light appears!
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As Formas Místicas de Ion - Simbolismo Geométrico Parte II - A Dualidade Simbólica do Círculo por Daniel Arrhakis (2022)
O círculo representa coisas ilimitadas, entre elas eternidade, unidade, Deus, santidade, infinidade e totalidade.
Unidade – Em algumas culturas, quando as pessoas querem se unir e se apoiar umas às outras, elas formam um círculo.
Monoteísmo (Deus) – Várias culturas veem o círculo como um símbolo da existência do único Deus que elas subscrevem. Por exemplo, os cristãos se referem a Deus como o alfa e o ômega, que significa o começo e o fim. Neste caso, Deus é visto como um círculo completo. No Islão, o monoteísmo é representado por um círculo com Deus no centro.
Infinito – O círculo é uma representação do infinito porque não tem fim. Simboliza a energia universal e a continuidade da alma. Os antigos egípcios escolheram o anel usado no dedo como forma de simbolizar a união eterna entre um casal, prática que continuamos até hoje.
Santidade – Este significado simbólico é visto no judaísmo-cristianismo, onde divindades e pessoas consideradas sagradas são apresentadas com auréolas em redor da cabeça.
Céus – Esse significado vem da simbologia chinesa, que usa o círculo como representação do céu.
Contenção – Com o aspeto de proteção também vem a contenção. Um círculo é uma representação de manter contido o que está dentro. Um bom exemplo disso é um anel; seja um anel de casamento, religioso ou cultual, o anel representa uma promessa de fidelidade mas também de proteção e segurança.
Com o poderoso simbolismo associado ao círculo, não é de admirar que existam inúmeros símbolos e artefactos semelhantes a círculos e formas. Alguns desses símbolos incluem: O Enso( Ensō (円相) é uma palavra japonesa que significa “círculo” e é um conceito fortemente associado com o Zen Budismo), O Ouroboros (um símbolo místico que representa o conceito da eternidade, através da figura de uma serpente ou dragão que morde a própria cauda), A Flor da Vida, A Mandala, O Yin E Yang, etc.
No Mundo Místico de Íon O Círculo e ou a Esfera têm uma dualidade simbólica: Criação e Destruição.
O círculo é muitas vezes também simbolizado no Mundo Místico de Ion pela concha de um náutilo e representa o infinito, a eternidade, a noção de Deus como um espírito universal, o início e o fim de ciclos intemporais que se renovam em realidades infinitas, o círculo das gerações , a luz que ilumina as trevas, o conhecimento universal de todas as coisas inatingíveis e imensuráveis.
A teoria científica predominante sobre as origens do universo postula que tudo começou com um Big Bang.
No momento seguinte, uma vasta gama de partículas fundamentais, como neutrões, eletrões e protões, nadavam em uma sopa primordial escura e invisível.
No início não havia luz. “Os eletrões livres teriam causado a dispersão da luz (fotões) da mesma forma que a luz solar se espalha nas gotículas de água nas nuvens”, segundo a NASA. Mas ao longo de milhares de anos, à medida que a temperatura esfriou, os eletrões livres juntaram-se aos núcleos e criaram átomos neutros. Esse processo acabou permitindo que a luz brilhasse cerca de 380.000 anos após o Big Bang.
Em outras palavras, no começo, tudo era escuridão por muito, muito tempo. Então houve luz, isso soa-nos bem parecido com o que está escrito na Bíblia!
Toda a existência começou com uma explosão de um ponto que se foi multiplicando continuamente, de acordo com o misticismo judaico.
Podemos ver uma forte relação entre a teoria contemporânea do Big Bang e a noção cabalística de que o universo irrompeu de um único ponto, que em termos místicos é a luz ilimitada do divino, ou Infinito, conhecido como “Ein Sof” (“ sem fim”).
Assim, o divino, ou Deus, é apenas outra palavra para infinito.
A noção de escuridão contendo luz descrita no misticismo, também ilumina buracos negros, lugares no espaço onde a força da gravidade é tão forte que nem a luz pode escapar. Como a NASA explica, a gravidade num buraco negro tem uma força muito forte porque a matéria é comprimida num espaço minúsculo.
Os cientistas acreditam que quando o universo começou, pequenos buracos negros também se formaram. Não podemos ver buracos negros a olho nu, mas sabemos que eles existem por causa do efeito que exercem nas estrelas que orbitam perto deles. Buracos negros desviam a luz em direção a eles.
Na Cabala, um buraco é chamado de “rah”, que significa “mal” em hebraico. Buracos são portais do domínio do bem ao do mal que sugam matéria, energia e conhecimento do universo.
Em alguns modelos cosmológicos, os buracos negros podem ser buracos de minhoca (wormholes) – portais para universos paralelos, o que é semelhante ao conceito cabalístico de buracos como uma porta de entrada para “o outro lado”.
O Mundo Místico de Ion tem uma visão cosmológica ou panteísta universal, Deus ou o Espírito Universal está presente em todas as coisas, sejam animadas ou inanimadas.
Nessa visão, Deus não é o criador absoluto, mas uma espiritualidade universal que pode ser encontrada em todo o cosmos, em cada manifestação física e química, em cada elemento da natureza e está em toda parte, pois ele é o todo, universal e infinito. Então ele é a própria criação.
Na Conceção do Mundo Místico de Íon a noção do Diabo não existe, ele é uma criação do homem para tentar justificar seus próprios infortúnios.
No entanto, existe a noção de Caos Primordial, o Vazio Infinito, bem como a Escuridão Absoluta, muitas vezes materializada na ignorância como uma força poderosa contra a organização, o conhecimento e a luz.
Se Deus tem uma dimensão infinita e universal, então a escuridão absoluta também tem, o que pela ordem das ideias explicadas anteriormente, é assim mais antiga e omnipotente até certo ponto - pelo menos até que a Luz apareceu!
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Background landscape made with AI Art Generator Using NightCafe Studio's Online and light textures made with Amberlight 2.
Elements from stock images and images of mine.
Myanmar represents a complete departure from any destination I've ever photographed before. It is a cultural destination, and traveling around the country with two local photographers for nearly three weeks, we were fully immersed.
Low-light portrait of praying novice monk, Maing Thauk, Lake Inle, Shan State, Myanmar.
This is a copyrighted image with all rights reserved. Please don't use this image on websites, blogs, facebook, or other media without my explicit permission. I will stop posting again if these images turn up in places I did not allow them to. See profile page for information on prints and licensing.
Bản quyền hình ảnh. Không sử dụng mà không được phép.
Авторское изображение. Не используйте без разрешения.
受版权保护的图像。未经许可，请勿使用。
© Tom Schwabel, All rights reserved
Description: Planetary Nebulae represent the late evolutionary stage of low to intermediate mass stars. As these stars reach the final stage of their existence they enter the AGB (asymptotic giant branch) phase. As early AGB stars they begin to lose mass through dense but slow winds. This phase is followed by more profound mass lose through tenuous fast winds or superwind phase. The dynamic interaction between fast and slow winds ultimately forms the complex shell structure of Planetary Nebulae.
M97, more popularly known as the "Owl Nebula" is an older planetary nebula (PN) with a circular morphology and a bland inner structure. It is one of about 1600 planetary nebulae discovered in the Milky Way. The Milky Way has an estimated population of about 10,000 planetary nebulae. The low number is due to the brief time they exist, less than 50,000 years. M97 is at a fairly advanced stage as the superwind from the central star has long since ceased. M97 has a triple shell structure consisting of a round double shell comprising the main optical nebula and a faint bow-shaped outer shell which is very faint. The outer halo formed from material ejected thousands of years ago during the dying stars red giant phase. It continues to interact with the surrounding interstellar medium as the PN moves through space. The central star is a hot dead cinder of about 0.6 solar masses which produces abundant radiation from its 110,000 degree surface temperature.
Astronomers have had increasing success at building three dimensional models of planetary nebulae from two dimensional data. The models are based however on three assumptions: 1) material in the nebula moves exclusively in radial directions 2) each shell is ejected at different time epochs 3) each shell is composed of sub-shells that expand with velocities proportional to their distance from the center. The double shell of the main nebula is about 1.3 light years in diameter and has an expansion velocity of 40 kilometers/second. The inner shell is slightly elongated and the outer shell is round. The outer halo is bow shaped and has no measurable expansion velocity.
There are two distinguishing features of the Owl Nebula. The first is the presence of a central bipolar cavity excavated by the superwind of the central star. The second peculiar feature is the lack of a bright rim. The superwind that carved out the central cavity has since ceased allowing nebula material to backfill the cavity and smear out any bright rim that previously existed. The higher density of the material along the rim of the cavity is responsible for producing the forehead and beak of the owl. The bipolar cavity forms the characteristic eyes of the owl.
A reasonable conjecture regarding the evolutionary history of M97 begins in the early ABG phase of the dying star. The first event was the early slow wind which plowed into the interstellar medium forming the outer halo. During later stages of the ABG phase high mass loss occurred in the superwind phase which formed the main body of the planetary nebula. (Text: www.robgendlerastropics.com/M97text.html)
This picture was photographed March 17-18 2013 in Khlepcha observatory, Ukraine.
Equipment: reflector S&D 254 mm. f/4.7
Mount WhiteSwan-180, camera QSI-583wsg, Tevevue Paracorr-2. Off-axis guidecamera Orion SSAG.
LRGB filter set Baader Planetarium.
L=20*600 sec., bin.1 RGB: 10*450-600 sec. each channel, bin.2 Total 7.5 hours.
Processed Pixinsight 1.7 and Photoshop CS5.
© 2014 SCOTT A WOODWARD photography
Mandarin Ducks represent a life-time couple, unlike many other species of ducks. They are regarded as a symbol of conjugal affection and fidelity.
Unlike other species of ducks, Mandarin drakes reunite with the ducks they mated, along with their offsprings after the eggs have hatched and even share scout duties in watching the ducklings closely. However, even with both parents securing the ducklings, most of them do not survive to adulthood.
Represento a minha tristeza, em que me despeço do que já foi este comboio. Hoje, dia 25 de Outubro de 2016, marca o fim definitivo dos comboios de transporte de cimento até à Estação do Pocinho, a última Estação da Linha do Douro.
Nesta foto, a 1962 reboca o último material vazio que estava no entreposto de cimento do Pocinho com destino a Gaia.
Cats represent the Egyptian goddess Bastet. The goddess was thought to offer protection against contagious diseases and evil spirits. She was also thought as supporting family, music, love, joy and dance. Bastet was also the wife of Anubis, the embalming god (the âsecond in chargeâ in the underworld after Osiris).
Nowadays the world is flooded by news of an infection spreading fast throughout. No matter how deadly the real risk of this disease may be, the entire globe gets surrounded and paralyzed with fear, fear of death that is. Will this massive-scale fear suffocate our economy, our democracy, our human rights and, eventually, us all…?! People seem to have already stopped smiling, stopped falling in love, stopped being happy, therefore, stopped maintaining a strong and healthy immune system (depression is known to lower oneâs immune defenses).
This shot attempts to create an abstract impression in order to remind the viewer that there is still Hope (represented by a symbol of protection) for mankind and for our constitutional rights, even in the current turmoil and imbroglio of Fear spinning or propagated around our world. The feral cat was shot on Meteora, Greece; the Meteora rock formations are geologically unique and listed in UNESCO world heritage sites.
May the Light be with us all!
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest_of_Bowland
The Forest of Bowland, also known as the Bowland Fells, is an area of barren gritstone fells, deep valleys and peat moorland, mostly in north-east Lancashire, England. A small part lies in North Yorkshire, and much of the area was historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire. It has been designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) since 1964, and is used for grouse shooting, walking and cycling, though it is relatively unfrequented by tourists. One of the best known features of the area is Pendle Hill, which is separated from the main part of the Forest of Bowland AONB by the Ribble Valley.
13% of the AONB is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest for its important areas of heather moorland and blanket bog. The area is nationally and internationally important for its upland bird populations – the hen harrier is the symbol of the AONB. There are over 500 listed buildings and 18 scheduled monuments within the AONB.
The name 'forest' is used in its traditional sense of 'a royal hunting ground', and much of the land still belongs to the British Crown as part of the Duchy of Lancaster. In the past wild boar, deer, wolves, wild cats and game roamed the forest.
Heather moorland on Clougha, in the north west of the Forest of Bowland, looking towards the Yorkshire three peaks
Bowland remains as the northwestern remainder of the ancient wilderness that once stretched over a huge part of England, encompassing the Forest of Bowland, Sherwood Forest (Nottinghamshire), the New Forest (Hampshire) and Savernake Forest (Wiltshire). While the Trough of Bowland (the valley and high pass connecting the Wyre (at Marshaw) and Langden Brook and dividing the upland core of Bowland into two main blocks) represents the area, to many, on account of its popularity, it is in fact only a small part of the wider Forest of Bowland area.
The hills on the western side of the Forest of Bowland attract walkers from Lancaster and the surrounding area. Overlooking Lancaster is Clougha Pike, the western-most hill. The hills form a large horseshoe shape with its open end facing west. Clockwise from Lancaster the hills are Clougha Pike (413 m), Grit Fell (468 m), Ward's Stone (561 m), Wolfhole Crag (527 m), White Hill (544 m), Whins Brow (476 m), Totridge (496 m), Parlick (432 m), Fair Snape Fell (510 m), Bleasdale Moor (429 m), and Hawthornthwaite fell (478 m).
The area is home to the geographic centre of Great Britain which is close to the Whitendale Hanging Stones, around 4 miles (6.4 km) north of Dunsop Bridge.
The Forest of Bowland is home to an annual challenge event: The Bowland Challenge where teams of walkers navigate around a series of grid references over a ten hour period. Proceeds of the event go to support Bowland Pennine Mountain Rescue Team.
At the western base of Ryan Mountain lie adobe ruins representing early turn of the century life in Joshua Tree National Park. What remains there today is the footprint left behind by the Ryan family, who came to Joshua Tree in the 1890’s to manage and eventually acquire the Lost Horse Mine, the most successful mine in the area.
The six-room house was built as an adobe residence in 1896 with later wood frame additions. It was destroyed by fire August 12, 1978.
I have used small LEDs to light up the interior and light painted the exterior and the Joshua tree in the background.
Technical Details:
Body : Canon EOS 6D
Lens : Rokinon 14mm @ f2.8
Aperture : f 4.0
ISO : 6400
Exposure: 26 secs
Tripod : Manfrotto Pan/Tilt
You can order prints on 500px.
The Ruginoasa Hole represents a particular erosion phenomenon. It is a huge ravine dug up into the crest of the summit that closes to the South the Seaca valley, encompassing over 100 m in depth and 600 m in diameter. All over its surface, a very active erosion process brought to daylight the quartz strata, whose redish-violet colour gives the area a special appearance, like an open wound in the mountain, seen from great distances.
Sharp edges, like razors, converge to its centre where a small valley forms. This is the origin of the Seaca valley, which transforms into a canyon almost impossible to surpass due to its waterfalls.
Statue representing the signing of the Pakistani Instrument of Surrender at the Mujibnagar Memorial Monument and Complex.
Place : Meherpur , Khulna , Bangladesh.
Représentation artistique de la nuée ardente s'abattant sur la ville de Saint Pierre lors de l'éruption de 1902.
Toile de moustiquaire et filets de pêche
I never got a chance to photograph any of the BN trains on the Cuba Sub. before the merger took place so this was a nice sight for 2015. Glad it still had the BN herald on the nose.
BNSF 3135 leads the 816 local west on the BNSF Cuba Sub. as it over powers the nine cars in tow. Currently approaching the crossing near Mp. 32 just east of Pacific, Mo., for the past few months this shot was rough or impossible due to a wrecked coal hopper which blocked most of this scene. Thankfully it was cut up about 3 weeks ago, now to just get rid of that pile of ballast and the left over coal from that hopper......
Units in consist: BNSF 3135, 2837, & 2019.
❆ Osservare tutto questo è un dono, innAMÒRarsene una ricchezza!
❆ observing Nature is a rare gift. for sure, falling in Love with it is a treasure worth even more!
❆ Avoir le don d’observer la Nature est un immense cadeau.
En tomber amoureux représente une richesse encore bien plus grande!
❆
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1) preoccupiamoci della Natura, il nostro futuro dipende da
essa!
1) let's take good care of Nature, because our future depends
on it!
1) préoccupons-nous de la Nature, notre avenir en dépend!
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❆
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2) prendetevi del tempo per Sognare, ogni immagine racconta una lunga storia...
2) take some time to dream, every image tells a long story...
2) prenez le temps de Rêver, car chaque image raconte une
longue histoire...
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3) ho cercato in ogni passo ciò che più desideravo!
3 ) at each step I search what I most desire!
3) À chaque pas que je fais, je cherche ce que je souhaite le plus trouver!
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in vendita - on sale - à vendre - zum
Verkauf
la Natura che si fa Poesia - scattare foto sembrava quasi diminuire tempo all'esigenza, alla necessità e alla passione di ammirare ciò che mi circondava!
esultanza di Bellezza e Serenità, un tripudio di perfezione e pienezza.
non avrei voluto essere altrove
Magica Terra, sei il simbolo della perfezione, sei il mio canto della Vita, sei il mio buongiorno di ogni di, non ho contato i miei passi sul tuo suolo poiché infinite sono le tue bellezze.
Mia terra, amare è assai poco, tu sei beneficiare di tutte le creature, tu sei una madre eccellente.
ci sono giorni che la senti dentro la Natura...
Le Montagne vivono solo dell' amore dell' uomo.
Dove le abitazioni, poi gli Alberi, poi l erba sono esaurite, nasce il regno sterile, selvaggio, minerale.
Tuttavia, nella sua estrema povertà, nella sua nudità, dispensa una ricchezza che non ha prezzo: la felicità che si scopre negli occhi di chi la frequenta.
Testi e Immagini di Troise Carmine - Washi - si prega di non copiare (qualcuno l ha già fatto più volte che squallido) e di non riprodurre salvo esplicita autorizzazione del sottoscritto!
Dietro ogni scatto ci sono sempre fatiche e attese!
Zaino carico e pesante (quasi sempre) e, quando trasporti la Fotocamera con obiettivo, la Sera avverti un dolore al collo...
Ma le Passioni, è noto, comportano sempre sacrifici!
In Natura non esistono malintesi esistono solo in ciò che l'uomo chiama ragione!
ProteggiAMO tutto questo!
PreoccupiAMOci della Natura il nostro futuro dipende da essa!
Osservare tutto questo è un dono, innAMÒRarsene una ricchezza!
Observing Nature is a rare gift, for sure, falling in love with it is a treasure worth even more!
Avoir le don d’observer la Nature est un immense cadeau. En tomber amoureux représente une richesse encore bien plus grande!
Follow me:
su JuzaPhoto
www.juzaphoto.com/me.php?p=5040&pg=allphotos&srt=...
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Prendetevi del tempo per Sognare, ogni scatto racconta una lunga storia...
Washi
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Meravigliosa Natura!
Privilèges de Montagne...
InnAMÒRati della NATURA anche tu!
Il mio tempo in Montagna!
La Vallée d'Aoste à ma guise - La Valle d'Aosta a modo mio - Aosta Valley in my own way
Vivre en Montagne, au quotidien, pour satisfaire la Curiosité de la Photographie de la Nature...
Valle d'Aosta - Vallée d'Aoste
(Une Montagne d'émotions...)
Clickalps Photography - Troise Carmine - Washi
I miei Video amatoriali su:
www.youtube.com/user/Washi59/videos
www.linkedin.com/in/troisecarminewashi?trk=nav_responsive...
e
Fotocamera:
Canon EOS R5
Obiettivi:
Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 L IS USM
Canon RF 100mm F2.8L Macro IS USM
Accessori:
Treppiede Manfrotto 190 X Prob
Testa Manfrotto a sfera compact nera con attacco rapido 496RC2 con frizione
Piastra a sgancio rapido 200PL
Telecomando infrarossi Canon RC-6
Telecomando Rollei Schermo LCD e Retroilluminazione
Zaino serie Mountain 50 lt - F Stop Tilopa v3 Aloe (Verde drab) - peso 1,9 Kg
Dimensioni LxAxP - 35,6 x 59,7 x se 30,5 cm
INaturalist:
The bridge over the River Avon is the famous Pulteney Bridge - one of the three shop-lined bridges left in the world (Ponte Vecchio and Rialto are the other two) - completed in 1774.
The building on the left is the old Empire Hotel. The architecture of the roof is supposed to represent the three classes of people: a castle on the right corner for upper class; a house for the middle classes and a cottage for the lower classes. However one critic described it as a, ‘monstrosity and an unbelievable piece of pompous architecture’. It's now an apartment building.
This F-4C represents aircraft 64-0829 in service with the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing at Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base, and flown by Colonel Robin Olds during Operation BOLO on 2 January 1967. This mission was a response to the heavy losses sustained to USAF bombers during the ROLLING THUNDER air campaign of 1966. In response, USAF F-4Cs deceived the North Vietnamese Air Force into believing they were actually lumbering F-105 bombers by flying the same routes and carrying the same jamming pods. The Phantoms successfully surprised the adversary, and shot down seven MiG-21 FISHBED fighters in twelve minutes. Col Olds' plan was a complete success, and during the fight he and his backseater, 1st Lt Charles Clifton, shot down a single MiG-21 with an AIM-9 Sidewinder. The losses sustained by the Vietnamese MiGs caused both their pilots and their Soviet backers to re-evaluate tactics and deployment of the MiG-21s for the remainder of the war. Operation BOLO was one of the most successfully planned and executed operations of the Vietnam War, and remains one of the most celebrated engagements in USAF history.
La imaginación de un niño es infinita, para ellos no hay nada imposible en ese mundo mágico y pueden realizar grandes hazañas con solo su imaginación. Sus fantasías pueden los arboles crecen tan altos que sus copas acarician el cielo y ellos pueden trepar a través de ellos sin problemas hasta llegar a la punta y pintar y crear nubes con un solo pincel.
En esta fotografía quería representar eso, la poderosa imaginación de un niño que no tiene limites ni barreras, y pueden hacer cosas increíbles solo con su mente.
Utilice tres fotografías: la niña, la rama de alamanda y las nubes para realizar el montaje en Photoshop usando las herramientas de borrador, selección rápida y tapón de clonar, además de utilizar saturación y equilibrio de color.
April 28, 2011.
No time to take anything good
Thank goodness tomorrow is Friday because I don't think I could endure school for much longer.
This shot represents, at most, 5% of the original image. I knew the Nikon D7100 was a pretty remarkable camera, but to be able to pluck such a tiny piece out of this image (see the original in 1st comment below), with the ISO set at 800, and still end up with a usable image is, to me, a bit beyond remarkable. I was around when we were shooting Kodachrome 25 and thought Kodachrome 64 was a pretty fast transparency film, and when any print film over ISO 400 produced pretty grainy images; so maybe I have a greater appreciation for the technological advances in photography than some of the newer entrants into the game. It sure is a great time to be into photography, and I'm mighty glad I'm still around to enjoy it.
"Ces peintures représentant une vision naïve et décalée de la vie parisienne tel que se l'imagine le touriste lambda" a expliqué le jeune réunionnais Jace .....Pour ma part, je ne suis pas fan.
J'aurais aimé que les panneaux deviennent un lieu d'exposition libre. Cette exposition éphémère sera remplacée cet automne par "des panneaux vitrés", a précisé Bruno Julliard, premier adjoint au maire de Paris.
Et pour celles et ceux qui voudraient avoir une meilleur vision sur le compte PRO de Flickr :
www.macg.co/logiciels/2015/07/yahoo-relance-flickr-pro-av...
The iconographic type known as the 'goddess with uplifted arms' may have originated in Crete and found its way to Cyprus at the end of the Late Bronze Age (12th-11th centuries BCE). All said to have been found in the same tomb, these figures may represent either a divinity - the Great Goddess of Cyprus later assimilated with Phoenician Astarte and Greek - or else elite worshippers or priestesses (perhaps in the Sanctuary of Palaepaphos near where they were found).
Wheel-made tubular bodies, with applied breasts and arms (heads missing on two); made of buff clay decorated with black and red paint: parallel bands on the lower body probably representing drapery, the top end of a maniple-like sash is just visible on each; armlets and bracelets along both arms are shown as parallel bands of paint; a loose chain or string hangs between the breasts, at the end of which are several pendants, probably seals (very worn); surface is very worn and the lower part of the body of the front one is restored with plaster.
Cypro-Archaic I, 700 BCE-600 BCE, Cyprus.
British Museum, London (1899,1229.1-3)
Elementals represent an evolution divergent from that of humans. They are the metaphysical forces behind nature which assist earth’s ecology to function better. Their realms are harmonized into the earth but are not composed of the gross matter that constitutes humans. Because of the different vibrations of their composition, nature spirits can sometimes be seen by humans whose ajna, or third-eye chakra has been enhanced through recitations of specific prayers or mantras. Such mantras increase the harmony of consciousness and telepathy. Elementals are the archetypal spiritual intelligence behind all species. Contact with the plant kingdom is in fact contact with a more universal being.
also:
www.elephantjournal.com/2020/12/some-notes-on-nature-spir...
The 12 metres (39 ft) main figure on the front of the memorial represents the archangel Michael, considered the "War god of Germans".
Monument to the Battle of the Nations - the structure has two floors, where on the first one is a crypt that is adorned by eight large statues of fallen warriors, each one next to smaller statues called the Guardians of the Dead, while on the second floor is the Hall of Fame that features four statues representing the four legendary historic qualities ascribed to the German people, those being bravery, faith, sacrifice, and fertility.
Visitors were walking on the level where allow them to view the outside scenery.
church floor covered with straw to represent manger - Serbian Christmas tradition
Храм Рождества Христовог у Пироту, Србија
Nativity Orthodox church, Pirot, Serbia
All images and photography © Tanjica Perovic
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Killing two birds with one stone, here, as this shot is primarily for the Macro Mondays challenge on the subject of 'Stripes', but also manages to (sort of) fulfil the 101 Pictures subject 71. Represent a TV programme
Painted to represent a Viscount of British European Airways with the original name Sir John Franklin, Whiskey Foxtrot was the second production aircraft and was delivered to British European Airways in 1953. The last operator was Cambrian Airways and she was retired in 1971 and placed on display at Liverpool Airport with the Viscount Preservation Trust. She was transferred to the Duxford Aviation Society and moved to Duxford by road in 1976.
This photo was taken by a Kowa Super 66 medium format film camera and Kowa 1:4.5/110 lens with a Zenza Bronica 67mm SY48•2C(Y2) filter using Kodak 400 TRI-X film, the negative scanned by an Epson Perfection V600 and digitally rendered using Photoshop.
An abstract photo, without representing anything identifiable, can communicate a feeling to the viewer. If I am being honest, I don't know if my abstract photos achieve that goal. Typically, my intent in making the photo is to memorialize and share something cool I found out in nature. Maybe it's a weakness in my work, that I don't start out intending to convey a larger message. Maybe it doesn't matter. Maybe in the digital age, communicating excitement about the natural world is the message itself. It's a big topic and I will leave it for another day.
Rather, today I want to talk about another aspect of abstract nature photography: the detective game. When I see an abstract photo, one of the first things that comes to mind is "what is it?" Is the subject really big, like braided rivers photographed from a plane? Or really tiny, like a marco image of lichen on a rock? Could it be upside down? I think we all do this. It's one of the fun parts of looking at an abstract photo and it can be really satisfying when you solve the puzzle.
It's like breaking a code. The difficulty for the photographer is making a puzzle that is solvable, but not so obvious that it isn't challenging. I remember listening to a podcast where a photographer described all images as falling on a spectrum between obvious and cryptic. After that, I looked at my own photos and placed them on that spectrum. I determined that I like photos that are cryptic, but ultimately decipherable with some effort. I'm not sure there's a golden rule of how long it should take, but if it takes you 5 or 10 seconds to figure it out, I think that's pretty good.
I made this photo here the day I hiked Black Mountain and Blueberry Mountain. I did them as two separate hikes, but the trailheads are so close together they pair very nicely. I call the combo a "Black and Blue". Maybe someone already came up with that. Everyone has walked past a scene like this. It's a photo of direct sunlight dancing on the surface of a little stream. It's a 1/30 second exposure, which allows the twinkling light on the surface enough time to travel and leave a trail. I dropped the black point and darkened the shadow to eliminate any distraction below the surface water. Not sure if it conveys a larger feeling, but I liked it and felt compelled to make an image.
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I was definitely inspired by the work of T.J. Thorne and James Rodewald when I made this image; I wouldn't have even looked for a photo like this had I not seen their work. Also, the podcast I reference is an episode of the F-Stop Collaborate and Listen podcast with guest Michael Rubin.