View allAll Photos Tagged STRENGTHS
Never confuse my desire for peace with a lack of resolve. Restraint is not weakness, nor is mercy a lack of strength. I choose peace because I know the weight of violence, the scars it leaves, and the cost it demands. But threaten those I love, and you will find my will unshakable, my defense unwavering. The same hands that offer comfort can strike with precision, and the heart that seeks harmony can burn with righteous fury. My patience is boundless, but my protection is absolute: a force immovable, unyielding, fierce.
Successfully riding through wind and waves takes a great amount of skill and strength, but the reward must be, I can only assume, very thrilling!
Pistol River Wave Bash 2014
..came across a beautiful, very large apple tree on a walk in the park a little while ago in the midst of winter. I was stuck by how many apples were still holding on! The tree was quite loaded with just a few on the ground! Natures way of providing for the little birds & animals, I thought ..:))
This ocean is fierce in a way I've never known. I grew up along the Atlantic where the waters were forever 85 degrees and still manageable on their roughest days. This ocean, this painfully cold and intimidating force, I've watched from a distance over the past 7 years with minimal physical interaction. Even on the hottest summer days I haven't been able to find the strength to let her take me from the shore. Instead, I let the salt from the air linger for days on my lips and in my hair, the familiar necessity of every coastal endeavor.
Otter Rock, Oregon. February, 2021.
Polaroid 600 with the Polaroid Now.
“Sometimes the strength within you is not a big fiery flame for all to see, it is just a tiny spark that whispers softly ‘You got this, keep going.’” ~Unknown In honor of all those I know and love and any and everyone else who suffer from this disease and in hopes of cure.
Horses are powerful creatures that have lived in a symbiotic relationship with humans for millennia. It is no surprise that we still measure the force of a vehicle in horse power.
ongoing construction
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Saw this pic posted in this site
The rotating beacon of the Heceta Head Lighthouse, Oregon coast. Built in 1892, it is considered by many to be the most beautiful lighthouse on the western U.S. coast. It’s beam has a range of 21 nautical miles (39 km; 24 mi).
BTW, those two large “stars” near the horizon are Venus and Jupiter — a very close alignment or conjunction (July 3 @ 11:30pm). Venus is the brighter of the two (because it is much closer to the Sun and the Earth), even though it is much smaller than Jupiter.
Image # 2,000 — this image is my 2,000th post on Flickr :)
Exposure TIP: When I posted this yesterday on Instagram, one person asked, “Composite shot to get the light beams like that, Royce, or you have some magic trick?” My answer: All eight beams are there. They rotate together. The shutter speed time determines the width of the beams - too short and the beams are very narrow (not as graphic). Too long and they all connect and blend together (3 to 4 seconds worked best for this lighthouse). F-stop and ISO determine the strength or brightness of the beams.
I did make one underexposure (1 sec, f/2.8, ISO 200) of the lighthouse in order to get some detail in the glass panels. I then copied and pasted just that area onto the final image (via Photoshop layers @ 30% opacity). Without this composite addition, there would be no detail in that very bright area of the lighthouse.
Khwai Concession | Botswana
Love how strong and muscular this lioness is. Every pound is muscle and tells you, that you have a real predator in front of you.
Her pride took down an elephant the night before and I imagine, that she had a good portion in the hunt.
Hidden away in a stand of trees, a forsaken barn sits in the setting sun with only silent remembrances of its former strengths. Questions to an older person often reveal surprising facts about a life well lived.
For my friend NatuurfotoRien/Rien in Holland, who loves corvids.
I had this odd notion that when I retire I would carve a totem pole, and so over the years, I learned more and more about northwest coast art, culture, and carving. One of the pieces I studied was this - a huge cedar sculpture carved by the great sculptor, Bill Reid, to whom the telling of this ancient story is credited.
Bill Reid was a Haida indian (Haida is their word for “human”). The Haida tribe lives in the Queen Charlotte Islands off the coast of northern Canada (below Alaska), in a special place they call Haida Gwaii. Bill is widely credited for reviving the arts of the northwest coast - he was an amazing sculptor. I am disappointed I will never meet him.
The northwest coast tribes have many gods - all animals. Raven is the Haida equivalent of “fox”. Tricky, playful, smart, inquisitive - these are all qualities of Raven, whose play and trickery created the stars in the sky, the sun, the ocean and man.
The man-size (literally) sculpture is inside the University of British Columbia museum in Vancouver, Canada. When it was installed, Bill had the children of Haida Gwaii come to the installation - each with bottles of sand from the beach at Haida Gwaii, so Raven, could be installed in his native soil.
Here is his telling of their genesis myth - one of the most sacred stories in Haida culture:
The Story of the Raven Creating Man by Bill Reid
The great flood which had covered the earth for so long had receded, and even the thin strip of sand now called Rose Spit, stretching north from Naikun village lay dry. The Raven had flown there to gorge himself on the delicacies left by the receding water, so for once he wasn't hungry. But his other appetites - lust, curiosity and the unquenchable itch to meddle and provoke things, to play tricks on the world and its creatures - these remained unsatisfied.
He had recently stolen the light from the old man who kept it hidden in a box in his house in the middle of the darkness, and had scattered it throughout the sky. The new light spattered the night with stars and waxed and wane in the shape of the moon. And it dazzled the day with a single bright shining which lit up the long beach that curved from the spit beneath Raven's feet westward as far as Tao Hill. Pretty as it was, it looked lifeless and so to the Raven quite boring. He gave a great sigh, crossed his wings behind his back and walked along the sand, his shiny head cocked, his sharp eyes and ears alert for any unusual sight or sound. Then taking to the air, he called petulantly out to the empty sky. To his delight, he heard an answering cry - or to describe it more closely, a muffled squeak.
At first he saw nothing, but as he scanned the beach again, a white flash caught his eye, and when he landed he found at his feet, buried in the sand, a gigantic clamshell. When he looked more closely still, he saw that the shell was full of little creatures cowering in terror of his enormous shadow.
Well, here was something to break the monotony of his day. But nothing was going to happen as long as the tiny things stayed in the shell, and they certainly weren't coming out in their present terrified state. So the Raven leaned his great head close to the shell, and with the smooth trickster's tongue that had got him into and out of so many misadventures during his troubled and troublesome existence, he coaxed and cajoled and coerced the little creatures to come out and play in his wonderful, shiny new world. As you know the Raven speaks in two voices, one harsh and strident, and the other, which he used now, a seductive bell-like croon which seems to come from the depths of the sea, or out of the cave where the winds are born. It is an irresistible sound, one of the loveliest sounds in the world. So it wasn't long before one and then another of the little shell-dwellers timidly emerged. Some of them immediately scurried back when they saw the immensity of the sea and the sky, and the overwhelming blackness of the Raven. But eventually curiosity overcame caution and all of them had crept or scrambled out. Very strange creatures they were: two-legged like the Raven, but there the resemblance ended. They had no glossy feathers, no thrusting beak. Their skin was pale, and they were naked except for the long black hair on their round, flat-featured heads. Instead of strong wings, they had thin stick-like appendages that waved, and fluttered constantly. They were the original Haidas, the first humans.
For a long time the Raven amused himself with his new playthings, watching them as they explored their much expanded-world. Sometimes they helped one another in their new discoveries. Just as often, they squabbled over some novelty they found on the beach. And the Raven taught them some clever tricks, at which they proved remarkably adept. But the Raven's attention span was brief, and he grew tired of his small companions. For one thing, they were all males. He had looked up and down the beach for female creatures, hoping to make the game more interesting, but females were nowhere to be found. He was about to shove the now tired, demanding and quite annoying little creatures back into their shell and forget about them when suddenly - as happens so often with the Raven - he had an idea.
He picked up the men, and in spite of their struggles and cries of fright he put them on his broad back, where they hid themselves among his feathers. Then the Raven spread his wings and flew to North Island. the tide was low, and the rocks, as he had expected, were covered with those large but soft-lipped molluscs known as red chitons. The Raven shook himself gently, and the men slid down his back to the sand. The he flew to the rock and with his strong beak pried a chiton from its surface.
Now, if any of you have ever examined the underside of a chiton, you may begin to understand what the Raven had in his libidinous, devious mind. He threw back his head and flung the chiton at the nearest of the men. His aim was as unerring as only a great magician's can be, and the chiton found its mark in the delicate groin of the startled, shell-born creature. There the chiton attached itself firmly. Then as sudden as spray hitting the rocks from a breaking wave, a shower of chitons broke over the wide-eyed humans, as each of the open-mouthed shellfish flew inexorably to its target.
Nothing quite like this had ever happened to the men. They had never dreamed of such a thing during their long stay in the clamshell. They were astounded, embarrassed, confused by a rush of new emotions and sensations. They shuffled and squirmed, uncertain whether it was pleasure or pain they were experiencing. They threw themselves down on the beach, where a great storm seemed to break over them, followed just as suddenly by a profound calm. One by one the chitons dropped off. The men staggered to their feet and headed slowly down the beach, followed by the raucous laughter of the Raven, echoing all the way to the great island to the north which we now call Prince of Wales.
That first troop of male humans soon disappeared behind the nearest headland, passing out of the games of the Raven and the story of humankind. Whether they found their way back to the shell, or lived out their lives elsewhere, or perished in the strange environment in which they found themselves, nobody remembers, and perhaps nobody cares. They had played their roles and gone their way.
Meanwhile the chitons had made their way back to the rock, where they attached themselves as before. But they too had been changed. As high tide followed low and the great storms of winter gave way to the softer rains and warm sun of spring, the chitons grew and grew, many times larger than their kind had ever been before. Their jointed shells seemed about to fly apart from the enormous pressure within them. And one day a huge wave swept over the rock, tore them from their footholds and carried them back to the beach. As the water receded and the warm sun dried the sand, a great stirring began among the chitons. From each emerged a brown skinned, black-haired human. This time there were both males and females among them, and the Raven could begin his greatest game: the one that still goes on.
They were no timid shell-dwellers these, but children of the wild coast, born between the sea and land, challenging the strength of the stormy North Pacific and wresting from it rich livelihood. Their descendants built on its beaches the strong, beautiful homes of the Haidas and embellished them with the powerful heraldic carvings that told of the legendary beginnings of great families, all the heros and heroines and the gallant beasts and monsters who shaped their world and their destinies. For many generations they grew and flourished, built and created, fought and destroyed, living according to the changing seasons and the unchanging rituals of their rich and complex lives.
It's nearly over now. Most of the villages are abandoned, and those which have not entirely vanished lie in ruins. The people who remain are changed. The sea has lost much of its richness, and great areas of land itself lie in waste. Perhaps it's time the Raven started looking for another clamshell.
The Sawtooths endure, their reflection yielding to water—strength becoming softness. That we might be rooted within, yet meet the world with kindness.
© 2025 Chris Ross Photography. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, display, or transmission of this image, in whole or in part, by any means, is strictly prohibited without prior written permission. Protected under international copyright laws. DMCA enforced.
My Blog for links to mainstores and events
rachelswallows.blogspot.com/2022/12/inner-strength.html
SIBILLA
WHYNOT SOLARA SKIN @ THE MAINSTORE
3 beautiful high definition skin tones (Candy Tone Shown) for evox.
Shown here on the muscle pack BOM mesh addon also from Sibilla
with the UP Breast Addon from Inithium @ THE MAINSTORE
small
ERIKA HARNESS @ THE FETISH FAIR
Top & Bottom with Nipple Covers. (all parts can be toggled on or off on the *States HUD*
Fatpack Texture HUD. Sizes: Kupra, Kupra UP, Lara, Legacy, Perky, Petite, Reborn.
KIRA'S SHAPES AND POSES
FEMALE POSE SET 127 @ THE MAINSTORE
Pack of 3 poses with Mirrored Versions
Thank you for your time today, I had a wonderful time chatting & capturing our pics. Again this is a lovely pose exuding tenderness in your personality. Love you, my dear friend.
“The quality of strength lined with tenderness is an unbeatable combination.
― Maya Angelou
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be removed, and Though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof.
There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of tabernacles of the most High.
God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.
The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted.
The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.
Come, behold the works of the Lord, what desolations he hath made in the earth.
He maketh wars to cease unto the ends of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in fire.
Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge.
Psalm 46 KJV
Thank you to Graham Dennis for reminding me of this psalm ... a favorite of mine since childhood. ♥
There are two Disney Store Limited Edition Brave items that were first noticed on the US Disney Store website on May 14, 2012, but were not part of the new arrivals group. In fact, when they were first noticed (by browsing on keyword 'brave') they were both already sold out. By next day, they were already not searchable by keyword (but the pages were still viewable via a direct link or product code). I wonder whether these were actually for sale at some earlier date, or are merely placeholders for a future release.
The items and web links to them are as follows:
Limited Edition Brave Nesting Dolls ($49.50 US)
www.disneystore.com/figurines-big-figures-collectibles-pi...
Limited Edition Brave Princess Merida Figure ($79.50 US)
www.disneystore.com/disney-store-official-site-for-disney...
Item Descriptions from the Disney Store Website:
Limited Edition Brave Nesting Dolls
Item No. 6447044612436P
Our Price: $49.50
Sold Out
Hatch a plan for high adventure while exploring the secrets within our Brave nesting dolls. Traditional matryoshka dolls follow a theme as inner layers are revealed. This handcrafted set celebrates the spirit of Pixar's first original fairy tale.
Product Details
•5 nesting dolls featuring the cast of Brave
•Handcrafted
•Created under the supervision of Pixar artists
•Wood
•8'' H - 3 1/2'' H
•Imported
•Limited Edition of 2500
•Certificate of Authenticity
Limited Edition Brave Princess Merida Figure
Item No. 6447048302435P
Our Price: $79.50
Sold Out
Join a fantastic journey into imagination with our bold and brilliant Princess Merida figure inspired by Disney/Pixar's Brave. Sculpted under the guidance of Pixar artists, this large collectible statue expresses heroic strength and determination.
Product Details
•Large Merida figure
•Intricate sculpturing
•Hand painted detailing
•Marbled paint effect on base
•Plussed with wire bowstring
•Resin
•14'' H x 12'' W x 13'' D
•Imported
•Limited Edition of 2500
•Certificate of Authenticity
Strengths Of Madness.
Beber psiquiatría locura implícita tropezar la indignación científica histeria contradicciones de incredulidad formular conflictos riendo payaso,
psychanalyse arrogance troubles littéraires profonds suppositions tordues protestant poète signes supérieurs indifférent aliéné abattre des murs de prison,
etichettati libertini crudeli matti pazzi opere ipocrisie campane sillogismi grossi demoni di demoni demoni allucinazioni termini incuriositi esorcismi,
marzenia wyganiające okresy walczące wizje mieszane opowieści wysublimowane wyrażenia nastrojowe rozmyślne ideologia wyjątkowość wspomnienia,
απογοητευτικές εξηγήσεις αναμειγνύοντας τους γιατρούς ευγλωττιστές προειδοποιητικά σημεία συγγραφέας ενοχλητικές εξουσίες συζητώντας τις επαναστατικές γλώσσες,
脳の交渉時代をマスターすること疑わしい同情混乱した破壊的な恐れ懐疑的な嫉妬心理的な戦術水疱構築活発な画家権内の権威.
Steve.D.Hammond.
Industrial strength 'Flat White Coffee' at the very rustic Beanmeister Cafe, in Salisbury Road, Castle Hill. Coffee from 'Black Drum' roasters. Awesome.
The furniture is sourced from old factories and warehouses. Watch out for nails.
Hard-hitting top-of-the-line coffee from a seriously wicked cafe in the north-west of Sydney.
My Samsung Galaxy S20+ mobile phone camera