Getting Better All the Time
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What better time than December to say Thank You to all the bloggers who choose to make their blog photos at Frogmore and have done so for 3 years!! See all the Rewards details here ---> www.flickr.com/groups/frogmore/discuss/72157721915496301?new
Winging their way over the colorful lake, these two geese fly in perfect sync and symmetry.
Golden hour often rewards photographers with lovely colors and reflections, as seen here :)
Enlarge for a more immersive view...
This quiet spot along Oregon Creek is not so easy to get to. You have to grapple down a steep hillside making sure not to drop your camera equipment along the way. But the rewards are many especially during the autumn months. Here, the creek flows smooth just before descending into a rocky cascade. This peaceful spot is definitely on my list of favorite "quiet places." Did I mention that getting back up was even tougher than going down.
Yuba County CA
One of the rewards of getting up in the middle of the night shooting a city is being able to scout a perfect location that will have a subject and composition for the sunrise using one of the many available phone tools for determining in which direction and when the sun will rise.
Captured here in the early light is the Castello di Trani or Castello Svevo the defensive fortress built by the Swabian Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II who dotted the Adriatic and Mediterranean coastline with defensive fortresses to protect his Sicilian empire, today it is a small museum and event location as well as the subject of many photo’s.
The castle is a design you would find in the Holy land as a Crusader fortress and itself was based on Roman castrum designs, the courtyard clock tower was added in a 19th century conversion to a prison which remained its function until the 1970’s when it was taken over to be used as a museum.
I took this on Sept 18, 2016 with my D750 and Nikon 24-85 f3.5-4.5 Lens at 52mm 1/25 sec f/9 ISO 200 processed in LR, PS +Lumenzia, Topaz , and DXO
Disclaimer: My style is a study of romantic realism as well as a work in progress
Echeveria flowers take different forms, this type would fit in the shepherd's crook style due to the distinctive shape.
I have 2 with yellow flowers,
This one was from 3 years ago taken with my Nikon D80, Nikkor f/1.4 50mm lens.
www.flickr.com/photos/komotini49/13056425735/in/photolist...
Tulips in my garden still waiting for warmth to open. Not my ideal POV but my better half has been busy digging up our back lawn, putting fresh soil from another part of the garden, rolling it out ready to reseed it so I daren’t even kneel on that.....yet...
I had been driving all day and was tired so drove past the turn off to the Trestle Bridge because I couldn't be bothered. I metaphorically kicked myself up the butt, turned around and got the camera out.
This bumble bee is just hanging on with its legs while its proboscis is outstretched but not inserted into a flower at the Botanical Gardens. The bumble bees can't climb into this particular flower to get their sugary rewards, so they've figured out that they can simple plumb the nectar from the side of these flowers, through the petals. However, I'm not sure what exactly this bee is doing ;)
Taken 30 July 2021 at Alaska Botanical Gardens, Anchorage, Alaska.
Western Columbine, Wild Sky Wilderness, Washington
Some hikes roll smoothly along to their intended grand destination, and others serve as a gentle reminder that beauty can be still be found when things don't go according to plan. Yesterday's hike was one of the latter :-)
With an intended destination of a lovely waterfall plunging into an even lovelier pool below, I set out on a damp and drizzly morning for the Quartz Creek trail in the Wild Sky Wilderness (a wilderness area I have wanted to hike just because the name!) Progress toward the trailhead came to an abrupt halt however, at a large washout on the forest road that would have required a serious off-roading vehicle to pass. It was early enough in that day that I could convince myself adding five miles of forest road hiking to make an 11 mile roundtrip instead of six, would be perfectly fine (!!), since the extra five miles would probably go pretty quickly.
So I laced up my boots and headed up the road, which turned out to be a wonderful (uphill) walk along the beautiful Skykomish River as it noisily roared and plunged through rocks and off towering cliffs. There were many wildflowers along the way, including my first Columbine sightings of the year, some purple penstemon clinging to a rocky cliff, and several patches of bleeding hearts in a shade of deep purple I had not seen before. It was also wonderfully quiet since there were no vehicles beyond the washout and very few other hikers.
I finally reached the actual trailhead and after a short detour down a different trail to take some photos from a bridge that crosses the river at a dramatic viewpoint, I was on my way to my original destination. Or so I thought! As I made made my way up the first part of the trail I noticed an occasional patch of snow off to the side, which was not too alarming or unusual as those often linger in shaded areas well into summer and recent trail reports from nearby hikes had put the snow level at least 1000-1500 feet above the elevation I was hiking. But then those seemingly innocuous patches started to become more frequent until suddenly the entire trail was covered in knee deep snow!
At that point for the sake of safety I decided to turn around given the snow conditions, steep slope of the hillside, number of fallen trees along the trail that required maneuvering over and around, and being on a trail I was unfamiliar with. So I headed back down the trail and road, and hiking in the reverse direction was treated to intermittent views of the Central Cascade peaks as they emerged from the clouds and fog, only to disappear again minutes later.
Someday I will return to hike to that waterfall, but on a day when little went as planned, it was still a hike filled with beautiful sights and sounds of nature, and for that I am very grateful.
3088 2020 03 26
view from Hwy 62 between Lawton & Cache (Oklahoma)
Note: Brightness edit in Flickr Photo Editor
Isotta Fraschini quickly established a reputation for innovation and high-quality craftsmanship. Its legacy is often attributed to its eight-cylinder luxury cars built during the 1920s, but it was many years earlier that the company forged its reputation for motor racing. Leading the charge in the engineering department was Giustino Cattaneo who developed the Tipo I Corsa in 1907, which competed at the Coppa Florio that year and emerged victoriously. A year later, in modified form, it won the Targa Florio. Following these victories, Isotta Fraschini designed a high-performance, lightweight, road-going car called the Tipo FE Voiturette. Several high-horsepower models followed and were particularly popular with U.S.-based enthusiasts.
The United States market was important to Isotta Fraschini and they made considerable efforts to promote their cars, most often through racing endeavors. In 1908, placed second in the Vanderbilt Cup, and were victorious in several other events including the Briarcliff Trophy, Savannah Trophy, and the Lowell Cup. In preparation for the Indianapolis 500, Isotta Fraschini Motor Co. of New York commissioned the Tipo IM. Six examples were built in the spring of 1913, wearing designs inspired by the KM and TM models.
The Isotta Fraschini Tipo IM was powered by an aircraft-inspired overhead cam, a 16-valve engine with a revised bore and stroke ratio, and a displacement size of 7,238 cubic centimeters. Its 7.2-liter displacement allowed it to comply with the limit set for American racing events. The 135 horsepower produced at 2,350 RPM was sent to the rear wheels via a four-speed manual gearbox. Another advanced feature was the four-wheel braking system. The suspension was comprised of a solid front and a live rear axle with semi-elliptical leaf springs all around.
As production was winding down, production was delayed due to a strike at the factory. Despite the setbacks, the factory was able to fulfill its American contracts. The cars were sent to Le Havre, France, and loaded onto the Lusitania on April 29th. They arrived in New York on May 24th and were sent to Indianapolis by express train, just in time to participate in qualifying sessions.
The 1913 Indianapolis 500 was the third year of the event, and it was the substantial monetary rewards that attracted U.S. and European factory-backed teams. The Isotta Fraschini team had the most modern and sophisticated machinery that they were capable of producing, and the lineup of drivers was equally impressive, consisting of Targa Florio winner Vincenzo Trucco, American racer 'Terrible' Teddy Tetzlaff, and two-time Vanderbilt Cup winner Harry Grant. Ray Gilhooley was hired as the relief driver, and he was lent a Tipo KM, which he drove prior to the start of the race in exhibition laps.
In the end, it was the lack of preparation and fine-tuning that proved to be the Achilles Heel of the Tipo IM's effort, having been prepared during the midst of the labor strike. The demise of all three cars was attributed to minor mechanical issues, with Grant leaving on Lap 14 due to a split gas tank. Trucco had the same issue but his car held up to Lap 39 before he bowed out of the race. Tetzlaff's carried the torch for Isotta Fraschini through lap 118 when a broken drive chain ended his day.
The car driven by Tetzlaff returned to Indianapolis 500 a year later and was entrusted to Ray Gilhooley. On Lap 41, the Isotta suffered a tire blowout in Turn 3, which ensnared the drive chain. The car spun wildly and ejected the driver and riding mechanic in the process, eventually coming to a stop on tires in the infield.
In many ways, these were the end and pinnacle of an era, and at the same time gave a glimpse into the future. The chain drive system was archaic and the front wheel brakes were thoroughly modern. Had they not succumbed to mechanical issues, it would have been interesting how history would have recorded their accomplishments at Indy.
by Daniel Vaughan - Jun 2021
Racing image above attributed to Conceptcarz
BTW, this car sold for 2.6 million dollars in 2019! You might say that was the ultimate win! :)
A nice reward for taking the dogs out for a walk. We arrived just in time at our turn around point for a gorgeous sunset.
I've just returned home from a weekend away with some golfing buddies, staying in the Dorset coastal town of Swanage, a lovely place. I shared a room with a friend of mine and as often happens in these situations, after a hearty dinner and a few too many drinks, the room will all too often reverberate with the sound of the snoring golfer. I'm sure I'm as guilty as the next person when it comes to snoring but in this instance my friend managed to nod off before me (damn!) and the chainsaw duly started. I then could not sleep a wink and tossed and turned and covered my ears with a pillow, to no avail, I could not sleep. So at 5:30am I decided to grab my camera and go down to Swanage harbour to get a few sunrise shots. Sunrise was not til 6:22 AM and I had a bit of time to kill so I decided to set the camera on a rock to steady it and shoot a couple of long exposures, this being the first shot of the morning.
As it turned out there was no glorious sunrise to photograph. The dawn light revealed a dull low hanging cloud cover that didn't lift until later in the morning. In the end, despite being out and shooting for more than an hour I came away with very little that was worth keeping. But as any photographer will tell you, just to be out with a camera always makes it worthwhile. (At least that's what I keep telling myself!)
Opening August 1st! A new event called The Gacha Garden. It runs a bit differently than typical gachas, so please check their website for information on how it all works. www.thegachagarden.com/
The Old Americana items will be 100lin per play. 11 commons, 3 rares, and one Seed of inspiration.
maps.secondlife.com/secondlife//126/224/21
The Gacha Garden offers a simple but wonderful new twist to playing Gachas. Our event rewards our players for just playing! Here is how it works!
Players make pulls on their favorite machines just as they normally would.
Every time a player does 20 pulls on a single machine they receive a special gift called a “Seed of Inspiration” along with the 20 gachas they would normally win.
The Seeds of Inspiration cannot be won by chance. They aren’t won at all. Instead they are a gift given by our Creators to those that play their machine at least 20 times.
For example if you play Junbug’s machine 20 times you will receive 20 gachas plus 1 Seed of Inspiration item. If you play that same machine 40 times you will receive 40 gachas plus 2 Seeds of Inspiration and so on and so forth.
The Seeds of Inspiration are no copy/ yes transfer just like a regular gacha so you are free to keep, trade or sell them as you’d like.
After the event ends The Seeds of Inspiration are retired and will never be made available again.
♥ To find the universal elements enough; to find the air and the water exhilarating; to be refreshed by a morning walk or an evening saunter... to be thrilled by the stars at night; to be elated over a bird's nest or a wildflower in spring - these are some of the rewards of the simple life.♥
Determination is a human character trait whereby we become intent on achieving a goal. This form of resolve can be either positive or negative. However, what I want to write about is the positive side of determination. The side that makes us think of a firmness of purpose, and the resolve to be willing to do whatever it takes to get to where it is we want to be. The determination that sees us overcoming any obstacles. Now, what I talk about is not some revolutionary change that you want to bring about - to me, that is a different kind of determination - instead, I speak about determination on a personal level. A willpower to be a better person than the one you were yesterday. To overcome any personal falls and pull ourselves back up. To not stop doing what it is we love just because others think it worthless. To ignore the negative little voice inside our heads telling us we can't do that, don't even attempt that, you might as well quit now, don't even try, just give up. To feel fear and to see the risks and then to have the determination to close our eyes to them so that in the end we can reap the rewards. The determination that sees us never giving up on life.
"Our greatest glory is not in never falling but in rising every time we fall." - Confucius
Copyright © 2014 Amy Morris. All Rights Reserved.
Blair outfit bought mostly with 400L$ Rewards giveaway at Vision. Picture taken at Angel Manor, The Rose Theater
"What do we look for as reward?
Some little sounds, and scents, and scenes
A small hand darting strawberry-ward
A woman's aprons full of greens.
The sense that we have brought to birth
Out of the cold and heavy soil,
The blessed fruits and flowers of earth
Is large reward for our toil."
- Ruth Pitter
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Thanks to all for 13,000.000+ views and kind comments ... !
Please don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission. © All rights reserved
Yoho National Park, Canada
The overlook at the Opabin Prospect, looking out over Lake O’Hara and Mary Lake, is one of the best hike-rewards I’ve ever seen.
Thanks for looking! I appreciate all your comments and faves!
Here is another photo from the Tops of 2018 folder that I'm just now adding to FB. This is the caption I wrote at the time:
After getting the photos in this post:
facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1996662910633820&id...
After getting those shots the whole gang of Doug Boudrow, John Kittredge, Tyler Varnum, Vincent Colombo, and whoever else I'm missing moved down to the Ludlow area to shoot the foliage train from Chester coming up the hill. We did the same, but then made the risky decision to chase east a bit cause there was one shot I really wanted with the last Green Mountain painted geep on the rear.
We weren't sure if we could get it and then still double back west before the 263/slurry freight started down hill.
Well, as you can see, we did.
This shot posted a while ago if you missed it: flic.kr/p/2i5muQ4
But if we hadn't and missed the shot of 263 round the curve at Okemo in perfect storm light I think Doug would have lost it!
This is the shot I took the risk for. Green Mountain GP9 804 rides the rear of the 10 AM foliage train heading back east downgrade on the former Rutland mainline to Bellows Falls. The old Rutland bridge over the Black River in the village of Proctorsville just east of Depot St is so cool to frame a train in with its build date cut out in the top of the truss frame.
Cavendish, Vermont
Saturday October 20, 2018
At sunset a regal dairy barn sits empty like a king without a kingdom. After retirement, many people look back on years of travel and sacrifice for their career and regard their hard work for a company only as a reminder of family loss.
One from last winter, a rewarding visit to Langley Park.
Processed in Lightroom and NIK Collection Silver EFEX Pro 2.
Image info:- Nikon D750 with Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 @ f/6.3, ISO 400, shutter 1/1250th focal length 24mm. Hoar frost in the trees along with mist made for a chilly December morning.
“To find the universal elements enough; to find the air and the water exhilarating; to be refreshed by a morning walk or an evening saunter... to be thrilled by the stars at night; to be elated over a bird's nest or a wildflower in spring — these are some of the rewards of the simple life.”
― John Burroughs, Leaf and Tendril
I was thrilled to find this young lady and her family going old school. Pre-station wagon…pre-minivan travel around the old log home.
A good mommy caries all her babies on her back!
And no, I did not kill it!
Taken at Patoka Lake SP, Indiana.
After 75km of hiking during a 5 days Trek, it could have been easy to miss sunrise. But battling my tiredness was rewarded with this amazing morning glow!
And this morning… I was rewarded for all of my hard work in getting this wreath up. I woke up to a light coating of snow…. the icing on the cake !!! I stopped on my way to work to snap a quick cell phone shot before the snow melts. I wait every year for this! My heart is happy! ❤️❄️❤️
Opens June 1st and runs through the month
My Bears will be 25L per play. I have 15 Commons, 2 Rares, and 1 Reward.
There will be two identical Sims to shop from and two identical homestead sims to cam shop from.
Rewards are new, please see the announcement for details thearcadesl.com/announcing-player-rewards/
Red Grouse / lagopus lagopus. Grinton Moor, North Yorkshire, 04/09/22.
'SWEET DREAMS.'
My sweet dreams were certainly made of this ... sight!
I was so pleased to come across a confiding male Red Grouse sleeping on top of a heather bank. The rain had stopped, the light had improved considerably and he wasn't concerned as I drew the car slowly to a halt. His reaction was a couple of squints, just to check things out. I delayed photographing immediately, allowing him to settle fully and get used to my presence. I'm more than happy with the rewards of this tactic.
BEST VIEWED LARGE.
" A Break Between Takes...(see the photo' shoot below)..."
" I Found That This Grey Squirrel Would Climb a Tree ? Situated On A Small Island In' Fairy Glen ', Sefton Park and Would Leap Across The Glen Stream ( Spooking All The Faries In The Process) To a Large Conifer Tree On The Main, Park Land...It Would Then Scurry Down The Trunk Of The Conifer To Collect Some Of The ' Monkey Nuts ' (Peanuts) That I Distribute In That Area For The Surrounding Squirrels (About a Dozen) To Eat / Collect..."
" Sciurus carolinensis, Common Name Eastern Gray Squirrel or Grey Squirrel depending on region, is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus...It is native to Eastern North America, where it is the most prodigious and ecologically essential natural forest regenerator....The eastern grey squirrel in Europe is regarded as an invasive species..."
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All Of My Photographic Images Are Subject To Copyright ! Each Of My Photographs Remain My Intellectual Property ! All Rights Are Reserved And As Such, Do Not Use, Modify, Copy, Edit, Distribute Or Publish Any Of My Photographs ! If You Wish To Use Any Of My Photographs For Any Reproductive Purposes, Or Other Uses, My Written Permission Is Specifically Required, Contact Me Via Flickr Mail !
There is a long story to this photo so I hope you are sitting comfortably with a cup of tea or something a bit stronger :-)
The fields behind our house have been bought by a new farmer who intends to grow just salad stuffs but as he wanted to get them planted quickly he planted wheat in all but a few. The land is transected by a road and the fields on the far side are more picturesque as they are gently undulating. As the wheat ripened this year I hoped to get a good shot of them reaping in these fields with the north downs in the background. I walked Brac over there every day as the time approached but on a day when I walked in the morning, they managed to cut all of that side in the afternoon! They must have had several machines going at once to get it done. Anyway, there were still the fields on my side of the road and as our house backs right onto them I would be sure to hear if any reaping was going on.
The weather turned bad from that point on. Barely a day went by without some amount of rain or if not it was damp. No reaping could take place until the crop dried out or it would rot. As the weeks went by a black mould started to appear on the husks so something had to happen soon. Finally we had a dry day followed by another but it was not until that night that the combines moved in. I laid in bed listening to them working through the night.
The forecast was for more rain in the morning. When I woke up it was raining and had been for some time. I took Brac over the fields and was relieved to see that there were still two fields they had not managed to get done. I was still in with a chance.
Ok, so back to walking Brac over the fields every day with camera in hand only now, as the fields left were the least interesting photographically, I was only taking my little sony P&S camera as I didn't feel it was worth the effort of carrying my very heavy D300. Another week went by and nothing happened. Then, one day I went out with my Sony in my pocket and as I entered the fields I could see the dust rising in the distance. They were reaping. At last I could get some shots. I walked over to the field they were working on and got my camera ready only to discover I had left the memory stick in my PC! AAAAH! That's it, it's just not meant to be. I finished Brac's walk in disgust.
When I got in I thought about it some more. that was likely to be my last best chance of getting such a shot as from now on they will only be growing onions and lettuce over there. I had to go back. I grabbed my D300 and headed out knowing that they were 2/3rds finished when I saw them last.
Brac couldn't believe his luck; two walks straight after each-other!
As I headed out in a hurry now a neighbour who's wife had not been well for some time was in his garden. I knew it would be rude of me to just pass by so I had to stop and ask after her. It was a longer conversation than I really wanted but what could I do?
Finally I head off into the fields. By the time I got to where the combine was there was only a few strips of wheat left to reap. No matter, it would be enough. The tractor was parked at the end of the rows and the combine was going to it to unload the grain into its trailer as the field was quite small so no need for them to work in formation. I positioned myself at the other end of a row and waited for the combine to come towards me. As it approached I started snapping moving around for a different angle. I than saw the combine extend its arm and to my express delight the tractor pulled up along side. They decided to transfer the grain in formation and I'm sure it was for my benefit. To make matters even better the sun decided to poke it face out for those few minutes too. When they got to the end of the row the combine driver gave me a wave as he turned to go back.
If I had remembered to check the memory stick in my Sony I'd never have got these shots. I guess it was meant to be after all.