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South of Punta Gorda, the Fort Myers Division mainline track condition is significantly improved, allowing for trains to reach speeds of up to 40 mph ‘till Bayshore; since the SGLR’s ‘Murder Mystery Dinner Train’ operates on this stretch of track, it must be kept maintained at a higher standard to allow safe operation of the passenger service, which includes the use of 135 lbs rail and, in some sections, steel ties. The DeSoto Turn’s are permitted to operate at maximum authorized speed as well, making chases on this stretch a challenge.
As for our subject, the Seminole Gulf Railway’s Thursday-edition southbound DeSoto Turn could finally break out of the 10 mph speed restriction that had been holding them back for hours and start pushing 40 mph, the maximum authorized speed for freight trains. Passing by Best Aggregate Carriers, a frequently served SGLR customer, just south of MP AX943 at 10:38, the two ex-LMX B39-8E’s and their 41 car train continue their southbound journey at speed. 15 miles farther down the line at Bayshore, the DeSoto Turn would stop to serve customers at an industrial park before ending their run at Hanson Yard.
Dating back to 1903, the then-named Fort Myers Extension was constructed by the Atlantic Coast Line in an effort to extend the former-Florida Southern Railway’s Charlotte Harbor Division south to Tico and Fort Myers, with the first train arriving at the namesake city on May 10th, 1904. Freight traffic has always been present throughout the lines history and changes in ownership between the ACL, SCL, SBD, CSX and SGLR [starting in 1987]. Although the frequency of said services fluctuated, it still proved to be a vital link connecting southwestern Florida to the Lakeland and Tampa rail hubs, with the Seminole Gulf diligently maintaining rail customers in the greater Fort Myers area allowing for scenes like this to still exist.
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Tropical Gulf Acres, FL
SGLR Fort Myers Division
Date: 08/10/2022 | 10:38
ID: SGLR DeSoto Turn
Type: Local
Direction: Southbound
Car Count: 41
1. SGLR B39-8E #595
2. SGLR B39-8E #593
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© Vicente Alonso 2022
The sky went from 0-60 in seconds. I was photographing the other direction when Andy shouted "Di look behind you" I turned round and this was in front of me. In my haste to change my settings I knocked my focus ring. So unfortunately it's out of focus. I don't care, this was a magnificent moment in my life. I stopped taking photos and give Andy a kiss. Moments sometimes live in our hearts and minds forever. They will not be blurry, vivid electric moments. For these, I am truly grateful. Oh yeah, I had also forgot my glasses, which didn't help
The Blanding's Turtle is listed as threatened species in Ontario. The most significant threats to the Blanding's Turtle are loss or fragmenting of habitat, motor vehicles, and raccoons and foxes that prey on eggs. Illegal collection for the pet trade is also a serious threat.
Blanding's Turtles are slow breeders - they don't start to lay eggs until they are in their teens or twenties - so adult deaths of breeding age adults can have major impacts on the species.
The pheasant (Phasianus colchicus; plural pheasants or pheasants) is a species of bird in the order Galliformes. As with other pheasants, the rooster stands out with its colorful plumage and its significantly longer tail feathers. Hens show a brownish camouflage coloring. The call of the rooster is a loud, characteristic and often sequenced gö-göck.
The natural range of the pheasant extends from the Black Sea through the dry areas of Central Asia to East Asia. While the numerous Central Asian distribution islands are largely isolated from one another, the East Asian populations in China, Korea and Siberia inhabit a large contiguous area where numerous other subspecies live, some of which mix with one another at the borders of their distribution areas. The Japanese colorful pheasant is also assigned to this species by some authors.
The pheasant was naturalized in Europe, the USA and other parts of the world primarily for hunting purposes, but a stable population can usually only be maintained in the long term through conservation measures and releases. In southern Europe, the species was probably introduced during antiquity as an ornamental bird and for its tasty meat and was kept both wild and in captivity. The Romans probably spread it to Central and Western Europe. Since the early Middle Ages, pheasants have been kept in isolated cases at princely courts and monasteries, and wild stocks or one in large pheasantries have been known since the late Middle Ages or the early modern period.[1] However, many parts of Europe – such as Northern Europe – were not settled until the 19th century. Today the majority of the European stock can be found in Germany, France, Great Britain, Denmark, Hungary and Romania. The birds living here are mostly hybrids of different subspecies, mainly of the torquatus type, whose males show a white neck ring and a gray rump, and the colchicus type, which lacks the neck ring and has red-brown rump plumage.
The pheasant inhabits semi-open landscapes, light forests with undergrowth or wetlands with reeds, which offer good cover and open areas for foraging. In Europe it is often found in the cultural landscape. It feeds mostly on plant food such as seeds and berries, but also likes insects and other small animals. The neozoon pheasant devours large numbers of the neozoon potato beetle, which otherwise eat the leaves of the potato plants as larvae. During the breeding season, a rooster usually lives with one or two hens. The pheasant usually overwinters in the breeding areas. Sometimes in winter it evades over short distances to habitats that offer more cover or food.
Der Fasan (Phasianus colchicus; Plural Fasane oder Fasanen) ist eine Vogelart aus der Ordnung der Hühnervögel. Wie bei anderen Fasanenartigen fällt der Hahn durch sein farbenprächtiges Gefieder und seine deutlich längeren Schwanzfedern auf. Hennen zeigen eine bräunliche Tarnfärbung. Der Ruf des Hahns ist ein lautes, charakteristisches und oft gereihtes gö-göck.
Das natürliche Verbreitungsgebiet des Fasans reicht vom Schwarzen Meer über die Trockengebiete Mittelasiens bis in den Osten Asiens. Während die zahlreichen zentralasiatischen Verbreitungsinseln größtenteils voneinander isoliert sind, besiedeln die ostasiatischen Populationen in China, Korea und Sibirien ein großes zusammenhängendes Areal, wo zahlreiche weitere Unterarten leben, die sich teils an den Grenzen ihrer Verbreitungsgebiete untereinander mischen. Von einigen Autoren wird auch der japanische Buntfasan dieser Art zugeordnet.
Vor allem zu Jagdzwecken wurde der Fasan in Europa, den USA und anderen Teilen der Welt eingebürgert, ein stabiler Bestand kann sich aber auf Dauer meist nur durch Hegemaßnahmen und Aussetzungen halten. In Südeuropa wurde die Art vermutlich schon während der Antike als Ziervogel und wegen ihres wohlschmeckenden Fleisches eingeführt und sowohl wild als auch in Gefangenschaft gehalten. Die Römer sorgten wahrscheinlich für eine Verbreitung in Mittel- und Westeuropa. Seit dem frühen Mittelalter ist die Fasanenhaltung vereinzelt an Fürstenhöfen und Klöstern belegt, und seit dem ausgehenden Mittelalter oder der frühen Neuzeit ist ein freilebender Bestand oder ein solcher in großen Fasanerien bekannt.[1] Viele Teile Europas – wie beispielsweise Nordeuropa – wurden aber auch erst im 19. Jahrhundert besiedelt. Heute ist der Großteil des europäischen Bestands in den Ländern Deutschland, Frankreich, Großbritannien, Dänemark, Ungarn und Rumänien zu finden. Die hier lebenden Vögel sind meist Mischformen verschiedener Unterarten, hauptsächlich des torquatus-Typs, dessen Hähne einen weißen Halsring und einen grauen Bürzel zeigen, und des colchicus-Typs, dem der Halsring fehlt und der rotbraunes Bürzelgefieder hat.
Der Fasan besiedelt halboffene Landschaften, lichte Wälder mit Unterwuchs oder schilfbestandene Feuchtgebiete, die ihm gute Deckung und offene Flächen zur Nahrungssuche bieten. In Europa findet man ihn häufig in der Kulturlandschaft. Er ernährt sich zumeist von pflanzlicher Nahrung wie Sämereien und Beeren, gerne auch von Insekten und anderen Kleintieren. So vertilgt das Neozoon Fasan große Mengen des Neozoons Kartoffelkäfer, die sonst als Larven die Blätter der Kartoffelpflanzen kahlfressen. Ein Hahn lebt zur Brutzeit meist mit ein bis zwei Hennen zusammen. Der Fasan überwintert zumeist in den Brutgebieten. Bisweilen weicht er im Winter über kurze Strecken in mehr Deckung oder Nahrung bietende Lebensräume aus.
(Wikipedia)
The Garland County Courthouse is a brick, Renaissance-inspired structure that is both architecturally and historically significant. The courthouse is four stories tall and five bays in width and is one of the largest and finest Neo-Classical Revival structures in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Hot Springs is the county seat of Garland County and, at the time of the completion of the courthouse in 1905, the city was one of the nation's premier health resorts. County government, headquartered in the county courthouse, forms the basis of representative democratic republic in Arkansas. The Garland County Courthouse has served as the seat for county government in Garland County for over a century; the building is a significant visual reminder of the political history of the county.
The Garland County Courthouse is a rectangular structure with central bays projecting from both its north entrance and south elevations. Two relatively small and compatible additions, that date from 1930 and 1977, join the courthouse on its south and west elevations. The building was severely damaged by a fire in 1913. Both its roof and interior were reconstructed after the fire. The courthouse retains the integrity of its 1905 and 1913 construction periods because few alterations have been performed on the building since the fire. The windows of the third story are capped with arched hood molds, which are broken by keystones. The second story windows are pedimented and feature ancones. The brick of the first floor is laid in a pattern that produces a rusticated effect. And, among the noteworthy features of the courthouse is a domed lantern which centers the roof and which is sustained by paired Ionic columns. Balustrades are located at the eastern and western extremities of the roof. The cornice is a full entablature and each corner of the building is articulated by pediments that are supported by two-story Ionic pilasters.
In 1976 the Arkansas State Review Committee reviewed survey information which was prepared by the staff of the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program on all of the surviving county courthouses in the state. After reviewing the survey information, the State Review Committee rated the architectural significance of each courthouse. The results were that they rated the Garland County Courthouse as being among the most significant of Arkansas' remaining historic courthouses. Therefore, on December 6, 1979, this historic courthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places by the National Park Service. All of the information above (and more) were found on the original documents submitted for listing consideration and can be viewed here:
catalog.archives.gov/id/26142214
Three bracketed photos were taken with a handheld Nikon D7200 and combined with Photomatix Pro to create this HDR image. Additional adjustments were made in Photoshop CS6.
"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." ~Jeremiah 29:11
The best way to view my photostream is through Flickriver with the following link: www.flickriver.com/photos/photojourney57/
The Georgia State Capitol is an architecturally and historically significant building in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. The building has been named a National Historic Landmark which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. As the primary office building of Georgia's government, the capitol houses the offices of the governor, lieutenant governor, and secretary of state on the second floor, chambers in which the General Assembly, consisting of the Georgia State Senate and Georgia House of Representatives, meets annually from January to April. The fourth floor houses visitors' galleries overlooking the legislative chambers and a museum located near the rotunda in which a statue of Miss Freedom caps the dome.
Namtso is one of the three holy lakes in Tibet and significant for Tibetan Buddhists. Kora is a Tibetan word that means "circumambulation" or "revolution". Kora is both a type of pilgrimage and a type of meditative practice in the Tibetan Buddhism. Thus, Namtso Kora means pilgrimage walk around the Lake Namtso.
Namtso literally means heavenly lake in Tibetan language. Located around 240km northwest of Lhasa, capital of Tibet, it takes four hours’ driving from Lhasa. Extending 70 km from east to west and 30 km from south to north, the lake covers an area of 1,920 sq km and has an altitude of 4748 m above sea level. It is biggest lake in Tibet and the second biggest salt lake in China as well as one of the highest lakes in the world. The water in the lake is crystally clear and blue. The blue sky joins the surface of the lake in the distance, creating an integrated, scenic vista.
In every Tibetan year of sheep, thousands of Tibetan Buddhism believers will come here to worship this sacred lake. As a rule, they will walk clockwise along the Namtso Lake in order to receive the blessing of the gods.
There are several fine Tibet treks around the lake. The shortest one is roughly 4 kilometers and takes less than one hour. It starts from the accommodation area to a hermit’s cave hidden behind a large spinter of rock. The kora continues to a rocky promontory of cairns and prayer flags. At the promontory, pilgrims undertake a ritural washing in the lake. And then the trail continues past several caves and a prostration point where there are two rock towers looking like two hands. Pilgrims squeeze into the deep slices of the nearby cliff face as a means of sin detection or drink water dripping from cave roofs, even swallow holy dirt.
2021 represents a significant milestone in the history of the Phoenix Railway-Photographic Circle with the celebration of our 50th anniversary by publishing a book to showcase some of the members work, past and present, from 1971 to the present day. The book contains 14 chapters and 144 pages of photographs depicting the work of over 50 accomplished railway photographers with many differing styles and approaches. It takes an alternative view on photographing the railway scene over the past 50 years. The book, called 50 Years of Phoenix will be published on 14th May 2021 with pre-orders now being taken – click on this link to order your copy: www.mortonsbooks.co.uk/product/view/productCode/15554
Why not take a look at the PRPC web site at www.phoenix-rpc.co.uk/index.html.
High Road to Taos
San Francisco de Asís Mission Church is a historic and architecturally significant church on the main plaza of Ranchos de Taos, New Mexico. Built between 1772 and 1816 when New Mexico was part of the Vice-Royalty of New Spain, it is one of the finest extant examples of a Spanish Colonial New Mexico mission church, and is a popular subject for photographers. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1970.
San Francisco de Asís is located about 4 miles (6.4 km) south of Taos, New Mexico, at the center of the main plaza in the unincorporated community of Ranchos de Taos on the south side of New Mexico State Road 68. It is a large adobe structure, about 120 feet (37 m) in length, with a cruciform plan. An adobe wall extends from the back of the church and one of the transepts to form an enclosed rectangular area on the building's south side. Adobe buttresses project from several portions of the main walls, including architecturally distinctive beehive-curved buttresses at the ends of the transepts. The roof is formed out of adobe laid on planking supported by timber vigas, set in distinctive doubly corbelled mounts. The vigas are also more closely spaced than is typically found in other examples of Spanish colonial architecture. The entrance is flanked by a pair of bell towers.
The mission at Ranchos de Taos was established in the early 18th century. Construction on this church began around 1772 and was completed in 1815 by Franciscan Fathers; its patron is Saint Francis of Assisi. It was the center of the fortified plaza, which provided for protection against Comanche attacks. The church has undergone several instances of restoration, including in 1967, when all of the ceiling vigas and doors were replaced with reproductions. The community and parishioners gather annually to replaster the church.
The church has inspired some of the greatest number of depictions of any building in the United States. It was the subject of several paintings by Georgia O'Keeffe,[9][10] and photographs by Ansel Adams, Paul Strand and Ned Scott. Georgia O'Keeffe described it as "one of the most beautiful buildings left in the United States by the early Spaniards."
The Taos Chamber of Commerce states that the building is "one of the most photographed and painted churches in the world".
The church was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1970. It is also designated as a World Heritage church.
(Wikipedia)
The 56-mile (90 km) High Road to Taos is a scenic, winding road through the Sangre de Cristo Mountains between Santa Fe and Taos. (The "Low Road" runs through the valleys along the Rio Grande). It winds through high desert, mountains, forests, small farms, and tiny Spanish Land Grant villages and Pueblo Indian villages. Scattered along the way are the galleries and studios of traditional artisans and artists drawn by the natural beauty. It has been recognized by the state of New Mexico as an official Scenic Byway.
Talpa is an ancient site; pit houses and pueblos were built here from 1100 to 1300. It was settled by Spanish colonists in the early 18th century, about the same time as Taos. Talpa, which means "knob", may refer to a formation in one of Talpa's little canyons.
(Wikipedia)
Die spanische Missionskirche San Francisco de Asis in der Ortschaft Ranchos de Taos nahe der Stadt Taos im US-Bundesstaat New Mexico gilt als die bedeutendste Adobekirche im Süden der heutigen USA. Bis auf wenige Ausnahmen wurden die meisten Kirchenbauten dieser Art im 19. und 20. Jahrhundert niedergerissen und durch steinerne Neubauten ersetzt.
Die Kirche befindet sich auf der St. Francis Plaza der etwa 2.500 Einwohner zählenden und etwa 7 km südlich der Stadt Taos gelegenen Ortschaft Ranchos de Taos im US-Bundesstaat New Mexico. Wie bei Bettelordenskirchen häufiger anzutreffen, ist die Kirche nicht geostet – die Apsis ist nach Nordwesten orientiert; der Eingang befindet sich folglich im Südosten des Bauwerks.
Die – wie die meisten Kirchen des Franziskanerordens – dem Gründer der Ordensgemeinschaft, dem hl. Franz von Assisi (um 1181–1226), geweihte Kirche wurde von den mit der Indianermission beauftragten Ordensbrüdern und indianischen Arbeitern in der Nähe einer bereits seit 1742 nachgewiesenen spanischen Siedlung in der Zeit von 1772 bis 1815 erbaut. Bei einer derart langen Bauzeit ist davon auszugehen, dass wohl zunächst nur ein kleinerer Vorgängerbau errichtet wurde, der in späterer Zeit abgerissen oder zum Teil in die neue Kirche integriert wurde. Im Mexikanisch-amerikanischen Krieg von 1846 bis 1848 und durch den anschließenden Vertrag von Guadalupe Hidalgo gelangte das Gebiet unter US-amerikanische Kontrolle, doch blieb die Region nicht von Indianerüberfällen verschont, was sich im wehrhaften Gesamtbild der Kirche widerspiegelt.
Für den Bau der einschiffigen, aber mit einem Querhaus versehenen Kirche wurden ausschließlich Lehmziegel verwendet; die Außen- und Innenwände sind durch Lehmputz geschützt und geglättet; der Außenputz der etwa 1,70 m dicken Mauern wird jedes Jahr erneuert. Fassade, Querhaus und Apsis der Kirche sind durch massive schräge und zum Teil abgerundete Stützmauern stabilisiert, die dem Bau insgesamt einen wehrhaften Charakter verleihen. Die Fassade schließt mit zwei gedrungen wirkenden Glockentürmchen ab.
Die horizontal verlegten Holzbalken des Flachdachs durchstoßen die Außenwände des Langhauses, so dass die Balkenkopfenden im Äußeren sichtbar sind. Darüber befand sich eine Schicht aus Schilf und Stroh, die mit einer leicht angeschrägten Lehmschicht abgedeckt war; von dort wurden die meist spärlichen, nach einem Gewitter aber auch manchmal enormen Regenwassermengen über einfache Wasserspeier nach außen abgeleitet.
Von großer architekturgeschichtlicher Bedeutung ist die kubisch-abstrakte, dekor- und fensterlose Gestaltung der Apsis und des Querhauses, die in ihrer Art einmalig ist. Architekten wie Frank Gehry und andere haben sich von ihr anregen und beeinflussen lassen und auch die abstrakte Malerin Georgia O’Keeffe war von ihr beeindruckt.
Das in früherer Zeit von einem mittigen hölzernen Stützpfeiler stabilisierte etwa 7,80 m breite Kircheninnere ist einschiffig und äußerst schmucklos; es wird von zwei großen Außenwandfenstern belichtet, die möglicherweise eine spätere Zutat sind. Zwei weitgehend unbeschnitzte hölzerne Altarretabel befinden sich in der Apsis und im nordwestlichen Querhaus; ihre farbige Bemalung ist in hohem Maße von indianischem Geschmacksempfinden beeinflusst.
(Wikipedia)
An enclosure castle is a defended residence or stronghold, built mainly of stone, in which the principal or sole defence comprises the walls and towers bounding the site. Some form of keep may have stood within the enclosure but this was not significant in defensive terms and served mainly to provide accommodation. Larger sites might have more than one line of walling and there are normally mural towers and gatehouses. Outside the walls a ditch, either waterfilled or dry, crossed by bridges may be found. The first enclosure castles were constructed at the time of the Norman Conquest. However, they developed considerably in form during the 12th century when defensive experience gained during the Crusades was applied to their design. The majority of examples were constructed in the 13th century although a few were built as late as the 14th century. Some represent reconstructions of earlier medieval earthwork castles of the motte and bailey type, although others were new creations. They provided strongly defended residences for the king or leading families and occur in both urban and rural situations. Enclosure castles are widely dispersed throughout England, with a slight concentration in Kent and Sussex supporting a vulnerable coast, and a strong concentration along the Welsh border where some of the best examples were built under Edward I. They are rare nationally with only 126 recorded examples. Considerable diversity of form is exhibited with no two examples being exactly alike. With other castle types, they are major medieval monument types which, belonging to the highest levels of society, frequently acted as major administrative centres and formed the foci for developing settlement patterns. Castles generally provide an emotive and evocative link to the past and can provide a valuable educational resource, both with respect to medieval warfare and defence and with respect to wider aspects of medieval society. All examples retaining significant remains of medieval date are considered to be nationally important.
Leybourne Castle survives comparatively well despite the later construction of a house within the defences. Large areas of the ward and surrounding moat have remained undisturbed and contain both archaeological remains and environmental evidence. These will provide an insight into the construction of the castle as well as the economy and way of life of the inhabitants of a 13th century enclosure castle.
Details
The monument includes an enclosure castle situated on a gentle east facing slope in an area of Greensand. The castle has ruined upstanding remains of medieval masonry dating from about 1300, surrounded by a partially infilled circular moat.
The enclosed central area of the castle measures c.48m in diameter and contains the remains of the enclosing wall, which constituted the castle's main defence, with the gateway entrance on the north east side. The gatehouse is formed by two drum towers which survive to the first floor level. These incorporate a number of features including arrow-loops, external portcullis grooves and a water chute above the entrance way. Within the eastern tower is a well. On the south eastern edge of the enclosed area are the remains of a mural tower which survives up to c.7m high and appears to be contemporary with the gatehouse.
On the west side of the interior inside the enclosing wall is a rectangular building 11m north-south by 6m east-west, thought to be a chapel. Although the building may incorporate some of the earlier construction of the castle, it is believed to relate to the private house which was built within the castle ruins during the 16th century.
Surrounding the central area is a moat, visible to the north, west and south as an earthwork up to 15m wide and 1m deep. To the east the moat has become infilled and is no longer visible from ground level, surviving as a buried feature. An entrance causeway crosses the moat to the north east.
There is little documentary evidence which records the earliest history of Leybourne Castle but it has been suggested that the castle was originally Norman, dating to the 11th or 12th century. The majority of the upstanding masonry, however, dates to the early 14th century and the gateway was built during the reign of Edward III.
The 16th century house, erected in the ruins of the castle, remained until 1930 when the present house was built along the eastern line of the castle wall.
Leybourne Castle ruins are Listed Grade II*, but are nevertheless included in the scheduling except where incorporated into the modern house.
Excluded from the scheduling are the modern inhabited house, fences, fence posts and gates, although the ground beneath all these features is included.
Significant crop to show detail. Photographed at the Yakima Area Arboretum.
Best viewed large.
IMG_5906
Cape Otway, Great Ocean Road - Australia.
Info about Australia's most significant lighthouse.
View Larger to grab a scone, jam & cream
Taken inside the cafe at Cape Otway after our tour.
Nikon D300, Nikkor 18-200 VR @20mm, f/11, 1/8s, ISO 400, +1.67EV Exposure compensation, Hoya circular Polariser filter, hand held.
This Spitfire dates from 1945 and made its first post-restoration flight in April 2023. It is seen here given its first public display.
The Mk IX Spitfire was the most numerous version produced, being a rather hasty upgrade of the current Mk V model when it was found that the Mk V was outperformed in most important respects by the latest Luftwaffe fighters, especially the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 . The Mk VII and Mk VIII Spitfires were already in development but were significant upgrades that would take longer to reach production, so the Mk IX (essentially a Mk V with a better engine and 4 blade propeller) was rushed into service, where it proved to be significantly superior to the Mk V.
He walked to us!! He walked head-on after a heavy rain spell in a full summer. Completely drenched he walked reluctantly straight to us.
P-243 is a ferocious and pretty heavy male! This is one of the largest males currently being sighted in Indian national parks!
Poaching was of significant concern as the park lost almost all its tigers in 2009 due to the menace. WWF-India supported the Madhya Pradesh state government and the forest department in the translocation of two female tigers to the tiger reserve in 2009. Fast-forward 2023, Panna now has more than 80 tigers and this tiger is a living proof of success of reintroduction of tigers and sustained efforts of staff of Indian Forest Services!
Situated in the Vindhyan mountain range in the northern part of Madhya Pradesh, Panna Tiger Reserve is spread over the Panna and Chhatarpur districts. The terrain here consists of extensive plateaus and gorges. This reserve contains the last remaining tiger habitat of North Madhya Pradesh.
#wildlifephotography #nature #naturephotography #incredibleindia #nikon #travel #wildlife #india #photooftheday #birdphotography #natgeo #naturelovers #madhyapradesh #photography #forests #forest #landscape #canon #animal #animals #khajuraho #tiger #indianafricanwildlife #safari #india_gram #adventure #400mm #z9 #tigersofindia #natgeoyourshot
While their significant others work on finishing prep for the meal, Alys and Emrys, of course, goof off at the table. Nostalgia of times back at Hogwarts hit hard while wearing their old school jackets.
♦ Event Blog ♦
Items found at Wizarding Faire July 29th - August 12th
Credits:
Worn:
Sukker - Tonks Jacket
Table:
Mura Home - Wizarding Feast
.Moon.Phase - Pumpkin Juice Bottles
Random Matter - Stem and Spruce Hanging Plants
Many significant aspects distinguish the history of Pisticci, starting from the presence of several necropolis that testify to the presence of the first settlements in the territory in the tenth century BC, by the Enotri, while, later, the area of the Ionian coast is colonized by the Greeks.
In Pisticci between the 5th and 4th centuries BC the Painter of Pisticci works, considered the first to have adopted red-figure painting in the colonies of Magna Graecia for the decoration of the vases. Today many of his works are kept at the British Museum in London.
Babia Góra National Park, Lesser Poland, Poland
CAUTION! SIGNIFICANTLY THREATENED BY CLIMATE CHANGE!
Me and my wife decided that a trip to Babia Góra National Park will be a good idea for a beautiful May Sunday. I took my camera with me just in case. I wanted to photograph Water or Meadow Pipits during courtship display but I was hoping for something else... Two years ago I had a chance to photograph juvenile Eurasian Dotterel on a peak of this mountain during autumn migration. Dotterels probably bred on Babia Góra peak in a distant past but now they are extirpated in Poland for more than a century. Single individuals show up every few years in suitable habitat but only during migration.
I invite you to check my album page where I prepared sections with photos from specific locations.
After a day of significant rainfall yesterday, todays glorious follow up was such a treat. Anytime we see sun and warm temperatures after heavy downpours, the clouds and fog generated by the evaporating moisture are capable of creating very dramatic views, such as this one we witnessed rounding a corner in the Squamish valley.
Explore #344 November 5, 2018
The Burnett-Garfield house is particularly significant to Southborough’s history going back several generations. The house itself was built in 1849, with locally quarried stone and meticulous attention to detail in the Second Empire style. Joseph Burnett, who built the home, was a descendant of one of the town’s first settlers. In addition to building Deerfoot Farm, which was the town’s largest employer for years, Burnett was a successful chemist and entrepreneur.
His nationally known company, Burnett’s Extracts, created and sold the first commercially produced liquid vanilla extract. Burnett’s legacy lives on in Southborough, as he founded the St. Mark’s School and St. Marks Episcopal Church, helped to establish the Fay School, and was the principal benefactor of Southborough Town Hall and Library.
Angkor Wat ("Capital Temple") is a temple complex in Cambodia and the largest religious monument in the world measuring 162.6 hectares. It was originally constructed in early 12th century by King Suryavarman II as a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Vishnu for the Khmer Empire and gradually transforming into a Buddhist temple towards the end of the 12th century. As the best-preserved temple at the site, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious center since its foundation. The temple is at the top of the high classical style of Khmer architecture. It has become a symbol of Cambodia (national flag) and it is the country's prime attraction for visitors.
Angkor Wat combines two basic plans of Khmer temple architecture: the temple-mountain and the later galleried temple. It is designed to represent Mount Meru. Within the moat is the outer wall 3.6 kilometers long and there are three rectangular galleries, each raised above the next. At the center of the temple stands a quincunx of towers. Unlike most Angkorian temples, Angkor Wat is oriented to the west; scholars are divided as to the significance of this. The temple is admired for the grandeur and harmony of the architecture, its extensive bas-reliefs, and for the numerous devatas (deity) adorning its walls.
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait (i /kuːˈweɪt/; Arabic: دولة الكويت, Dawlat al-Kuwayt) is a sovereign Arab nation situated in the northeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south, and Iraq to the north. It lies on the northwestern shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the Arabic "akwat", the plural of "kout", meaning fortress built near water.[5] The emirate covers an area of 17,820 square kilometres (6,880 sq mi) and has a population of about 2.7 million.[6]
Historically, Kuwait’s history is significantly tied in with Iraq’s history, from the days of Mesopotamia until the Neo Babylon Empire. The region was the site of Characene, a major Parthian port for trade between India and Mesopotamia. The Bani Utbah tribe were the first permanent Arab settlers in the region and laid the foundation of the modern emirate. By the 19th century, Kuwait came under the influence of the Ottoman Empire, and after World War I, it emerged as an independent sheikhdom under the protection of the British Empire. Kuwait's large oil fields were discovered in the late 1930s.
After Kuwait gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1961, the nation's oil industry saw unprecedented economic growth. In 1990, Kuwait was invaded and annexed by neighboring Iraq. The seven month-long Iraqi occupation came to an end after a direct military intervention by United States-led forces. Nearly 773 Kuwaiti oil wells were set ablaze by the retreating Iraqi army resulting in a major environmental and economic catastrophe.[7] Kuwait's infrastructure was badly damaged during the war and had to be rebuilt.[8]
Kuwait is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of government, with Kuwait City serving as the country's political and economic capital. The country has the world's fifth largest oil reserves[9] and petroleum products now account for nearly 95% of export revenues, and 80% of government income.[10] Kuwait is the eleventh richest country in the world per capita and has the highest human development index (HDI) in the Arab world.[11] Kuwait is classified as a high income economy by the World Bank and is designated as a major non-NATO ally of the United States.[12]
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Camera: Nikon D3X
Lens: Nikon 16-35mm f/4 G ED VR
Focal Length: 16mm
Aperture: f/10.0
Shutter Speed : 0.125 sec (1/8)
ISO: 50
Exposure: Manual
Group: Macro Mondays
Theme: Magnetic
One of my wife's refrigerator magnets. This one is particularly significant as her maiden name is "Batman" (truly).
HMM!
DSC_7795
Township Dalesice. It is nothing significant. Hence the film but a very important Czech cinematography. Postřižiny. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutting_It_Short
The film is based on a template significant Czech writer Bohumil Hrabal. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bohumil_Hrabal. In the film, everything happens around the brewery.
In the film, played by the former ambassador of Czechoslovakia in Austria Magda Vašáryová. One of nude scenes: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUIufJv2cjs
The brewery operates a limited amount of supplies beer to prestigious restaurants.
Městys Dalešice. Není ničím významný. Odtud pochází ale velice významný film české kinematografie. Postřižiny. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutting_It_Short
Film je natočen podle předlohy slavného českého spisovatele Bohumila Hrabala. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bohumil_Hrabal . Ve filmu se vše odehrává kolem pivovaru.
Ve filmu hrála i bývalá velvyslankyně Československa v Rakousku Magda Vašáryová. Jedna z nahých scén: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUIufJv2cjs
Pivovar funguje a v omezeném množství dodává pivo do prestižních restaurací.
LINCOLN CATHEDRAL UNVEILED A SIGNIFICANT NEW SCULPTURE AS PART OF A MAJOR RE-ORDERING PROCESS DESIGNED TO DEEPEN THE EXPERIENCE OF PILGRIMS AND VISITORS.
The 7ft tall stone sculpture of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in whose name the historic Cathedral is dedicated, is one of the largest works commissioned by the Dean and Chapter since The Reformation. It was dedicated by the Bishop of Lincoln, the Rt Revd Christopher Lowson, during Solemn Evensong on Saturday May 31, the Feast of the Visitation.
This work is part of the re-ordering process that has been undertaken by the Cathedral to draw both pilgrim and visitor into a deeper awareness of the life and work of the Cathedral and the ministry it exercises. The commission was undertaken by the renowned liturgical artist Aidan Hart who has works in more than 20 countries of the world, including within many cathedrals and monasteries. Mr Hart, from Shrewsbury Shropshire, has been a professional icon painter and carver for over 25 years. He is an ordained Reader of the Greek Orthodox Church in Britain. His aim, in accordance with the Byzantine icon tradition, is to make liturgical art that manifests the world transfigured in Christ.
It has taken him over three years to complete from original concept. He has continued to work on it inside the Cathedral over the past week, adding colour to the stone in a process called polychroming, using traditional egg tempera with natural earth and stone pigments
The Sculpture of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Lincoln
Weighing 1.5 tonnes, the sculpture has been carved, largely by hand, from an original three-tonne block of limestone donated by Great Ponton Quarry in Lincolnshire. Measuring 1.97 metres high (6ft 4ins) and set upon a 20cm high plinth, bringing it to a height of around 7ft, the sculpture depicts the Virgin seated with Christ surrounded by a vesica, representing his divinity. The drapery is strongly influenced by Romanesque carving found elsewhere in the Cathedral.
After some significant rain events I am starting to look for mushrooms again. Cryptomarasmius rhopalostylidis is an endemic fungus found exclusively on dead fronds of New Zealand's only native palm, the nīkau (Rhopalostylis sapida). The caps in the photo have a diameter of about 1-5mm (0.05- 0.2 in) but they can be up to 1cm (0.4in). The gills or lamellae are described as well developed and distant. The new genus Cryptomarasmius covers some species formerly placed in Marasmius. The name is alluding to the historical placement within Marasmius as well as the often hidden, minute fruit bodies they produce. Lit with an LED panel and focus stacked from 30 images processed in Zerene Stacker. Camera OMD 5, Zuiko 60mm macro lens with NiSi closeup lens. Sorry, EXIF data lost with focus stacking.
Altiplano Leste - Brasilia, DF, Brazil.
Known in Brazil as "pica-pau-do-campo".
Though it frequently can be seen in trees or bushes, it is among the very few woodpeckers that spends a significant portion of its life on the ground. It breeds in holes in trees, termite mounds or earth banks.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Piciformes
Family: Picidae
Subfamily: Picinae
Tribe: Picini
Genus: Colaptes Vigors, 1825
Species: C. campestris (Vieillot, 1818)
Species: C. c. campestris (Vieillot, 1818)
Trinomial name: Colaptes campestris campestris
Triunfo Canyon
Approximately 3 months after containment of the Woolsey fire
The colors here are very odd but depict a land in transition. The green grass is growing on the hillside over the charred land. The foreground trees are standing but are severely damaged. It's too early to tell if these will recover. The significant rain we've been having has resulted in the bright yellowish green vegetation and algae that is growing in the flat areas of the canyon.
I took a Night Photography class sponsored by Desert Botanical Garden and taught by Ryan Parra - a photography professor at Mesa Community College and Arizona State University. I learned a lot and practiced a lot. I really feel that I had improved significantly by the end of the class. One big problem with classes like this is keeping other photographers out of the frame.
This HYBYCOZO sculpture is titled Pyrite Field. It greets visitors in the Ottosen Entry Garden. Any correction will be appreciated.
dbg.org/events/light-bloom/2024-10-12/
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFelgzzzQqg
LIGHT BLOOM by HYBYCOZO is a limited-time exhibit where nature and light converge. This mesmerizing display invites you to explore the Garden transformed by stunning geometric light installations that illuminate the beauty of the desert landscape in a new way. As the sun sets, LIGHT BLOOM comes to life, casting intricate shadows and vibrant hues across the Garden. Wander the trails and let the enchanting installations transport you to a magical realm where the natural world meets the abstract.
HYBYCOZO is the collaborative studio of artists Serge Beaulieu and Yelena Filipchuk. Based in Los Angeles, their work consists of larger than life geometric sculptures, often with pattern and texture that draw on inspirations from mathematics, science, and natural phenomena. Typically illuminated, the work celebrates the inherent beauty of form and pattern and represents their ongoing journey in exploring the myriad dimensions of geometry. HYBYCOZO is short for the Hyperspace Bypass Construction Zone, a nod to their favorite novel (The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy) and was the title of their first installation in 2014. They continue to create under this name. In the novel earth was being destroyed to make way for a bypass. It lead Serge and Yelena to ask what it means to make art at a time where the earth’s hospitable time in the universe may be limited.
dbg.org/meet-the-artists-behind-light-bloom/
Q: Walk us through your creative process?
A: The focus of our creative process is to explore the intricate interplay between geometry, light, space and to inspire contemplation, wonder and a sense of place among our audiences. Geometry and pattern-making serve as the backbone of our creative expression. It is the framework through which we navigate the complexities of form, proportion and spatial relationships. Patterns, both simple and complex, have a profound impact on our perception and understanding of the world. They possess the ability to evoke a sense of order, balance and aesthetic pleasure. Pattern making and geometry offer us a means of storytelling and communication. These patterns serve as conduits for deeper exploration, provoking introspection and contemplation to uncover the underlying symbols embedded within the human psyche.
Q: What inspired the concept of LIGHT BLOOM?
A: Just as many cactus and desert plants have evolved to produce night-blooming flowers, adapting to their environment and thriving in darkness, our sculptures come alive after sunset, blossoming with light and transforming the night into a glowing landscape of art and geometry.
Desert Botanical Garden has an incredible collection of plants and cacti arranged in a beautiful park setting.
"Think the desert is all dirt and tumbleweeds? Think again. Desert Botanical Garden is home to thousands of species of cactus, trees and flowers from all around the world spread across 55 acres in Phoenix, Arizona."
Desert Botanical Garden
DBG HYBYCOZO Light Bloom
"Many things that seemed important yesterday or tomorrow will become significant dust in the filter of memory. (...) But the smile ah, that resist the wiles of all time."
-
"Muita coisa que ontem parecia importante ou significativa amanhã virará pó no filtro da memória. Mas o sorriso (...) ah, esse resistirá a todas as ciladas do tempo."
Excerpt from wellingtoncityheritage.org.nz:
Built in 1910, this three storey Edwardian Baroque edifice has significant architectural value for its lively and decorative Beaux Arts façade and is one of the most distinctive buildings in the Cuba Street Heritage Area.
This building has historic value for its association with the Barber family, who operated their dye business from this site for over 70 years, and also for its designer, notable Wellington architect William Crichton. This building also has a long history of use as a physical culture and dance studio, has been home to Footnote Dance since the 1980s.
This distinctive building is part of a significant group of Edwardian commercial buildings on Cuba Street which make significant contribution to the Cuba Street Heritage Area.
The building façade has had relatively few intrusive modern alterations and retains substantial areas of original building fabric.
The Barber’s Building is a three storey Edwardian Commercial building and the lively, decorative Edwardian Baroque /Beaux Arts façade is one of the finest and most elaborate in the Cuba Street Heritage Area.
The original ground floor shop fronts and rusticated columns have unfortunately been replaced in a mish-mash of styles and finishes, but the façade above verandah level is substantially unaltered. The façade here is carefully articulated and the windows and ornamentation are deeply modelled. The unique pair of top storey lunette windows high-light the symmetrical composition of its façade and make a singular contribution to the character of the street. The square-headed and segmentally-arched windows on the upper floors are also prominently moulded and recessed. The façade is notable for the combination of rendered brick ornamentation, and for the polychromatic bands of rendered and plain facing brick, and three of these elaborate polychromatic pilasters tie the central window elements together. Although the polychromatic effect has been altered at the base of the pilasters where the brick and render has been over-painted. The building is capped by an arched pediment, with a heavily-decorated cornice below, and stucco festoons. This intriguing façade makes a strong positive contribution to the lively Edwardian character of the Cuba Street precinct.
The building is comprised of two separate retail units on the ground floor, and dance/ ballet studios on the floors above. The interior retains significant areas of original building fabric particularly in the stairwell which features a fine timber stair, skirting, panelled doors (including ironmongery) and the t&g timber wall linings.
How hard is it?
to lose something
So important, so significant, so treasured
How hard is it?
To move on, I mean.
I had one of those significant birthdays last Friday where you add a zero onto the end of it. I admit in the lead up to it was feeling stressed about the number. It kind of feels officially old. I can't use the- you are only as old as you feel because I feel so old at the moment but I can use the "its better than the alternative"!
My answer was to go away for the weekend to Phillip Island with the family and the two dogs and go for walks along the beach and eat lots of good food. The salty air cleared away the cobwebs of my mind and freed up some laughter. You can't not laugh when you have two goofy dogs running riot in the sand, drinking salty water and doing zoomies around and around till they drop with exhaustion.
The basilica was founded by Vratislaus I of Bohemia in 920 and substantially enlarged in 973. One of Prague's most significant Romanesque monuments, this is the city's second oldest church. Standing on Jiřské náměstí, the church is dominated by its two white stone steeples, which reach a height of 41 m.
Beijing, capital.
Significant cultural heritage: Traditional residential areas with Hutongs, Tian'anmen Square ("Gate of Heavenly Peace" Square).
Declared by UNESCO World Heritage Forbidden City, New + Old Summer Palace + various temples, such as the Temple of Heaven, the Temple of Lama + the Temple of Confucius.
Tay Creggan. Tay Creggan is architecturally significant as one of the finest examples in Victoria of the Victorian Queen Anne Revival style, incorporating many Elizabethan-period features, and as one of most picturesque houses built in Victoria in the late nineteenth century. It is significant as one of the finest works of the prominent Melbourne architect Guyon Purchas, whose late nineteenth and early twentieth century houses exemplify the Arts and Crafts approach to the 'total work of art'.
Page, Arizona, USA
A slot canyon is a narrow canyon, formed by the wear of water rushing through rock. A slot canyon is significantly deeper than it is wide. Some slot canyons can measure less than 1 metre (3 ft) across at the top but drop more than 30 metres (100 ft) to the floor of the canyon.
The Adler Planetarium, the first institution of its type in the Western Hemisphere, opened to the public in May 1930. With its neighbors, the Field Museum and the Shedd Aquarium, it forms a significant cultural complex that enriches its visitors' knowledge of the sky, the earth, and water. A connection that is further enhanced by the spectacular lakefront setting of the complex on Lake Michigan which evokes each of these components. The Adler Planetarium and Astronomical Museum was given to the people of Chicago in 1930 by Max Adler, a retired senior officer of Sears, Roebuck & Company who had been deeply involved in philanthropic activities for many years. In addition to funding the building and the planetarium project, Adler purchased and donated to the city an extensive collection of antique scientific instruments for display in the planetarium. At the time of the planetarium's dedication in 1930, Adler explained his reasons for building it. He hoped to further the progress of science and to enable people to "observe the action of the heavenly bodies as heretofore only astronomers could do." He also felt that if people realized the enormity of the universe and the smallness of their part in it, they would be humbled and come to see the interdependence of all mankind, and thus the futility of force as a means of solving problems. The use of the planetarium would "emphasize that all mankind, rich and poor, powerful and weak, as well as all nations here and abroad constitute part of one universe."
On February 27, 1987, the Adler Planetarium was added to the National Register of Historic Places and to the list of National Historic Landmarks. More information about the planetarium can be found on the original documents submitted to the NRHP for listing consideration or their website on the links below:
npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/AssetDetail/024f5dd7-04d9-4b04-b05...
Three bracketed photos were taken with a handheld Nikon D5200 and combined with Photomatix Pro to create this HDR image. Additional adjustments were made in Photoshop CS6.
"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." ~Jeremiah 29:11
The best way to view my photostream is through Flickriver with the following link: www.flickriver.com/photos/photojourney57/
Providence Canyon State Outdoor Recreation Area is a 1,003-acre (405.90 ha) Georgia state park located in Stewart County in southwest Georgia, United States. The park contains Providence Canyon, which is sometimes called Georgia's "Little Grand Canyon". It is considered one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Georgia. It is also home to the very rare plumleaf azalea.
One of the quirkier attractions of the state park is an abandoned homestead including nearly a dozen rusty, 1950s-era cars and trucks. Due to the environmental damage that removing the vehicles would cause, park officials have decided to leave them alone.
Providence Canyon is not actually a purely natural feature: many of the massive gullies — the deepest of which is more than 150 feet (46 m) — are the result of erosion due to poor farming practices in the 19th century.
This story of the origin of the canyons has been commonplace since the 1940s, but the formations in the canyons are at least partially natural. Although there were probably a few early arrivals before 1825, the first heavy influx of settlers in Stewart County only came after the Treaty of Indian Springs (1825), by which the Creek Indians were forced to cede all their lands east of the Chattahoochee River. Evidence of the existence of the canyons at this time includes their mention in a deed by James S. Lunsford to William Tatam from 1836.
The park lies on marine sediments, usually loam or clay, with small areas of sand. Loamy sand topsoils overlie subsoils of sandy clay loam, sandy clay, or clay in most of the uneroded sections. Nankin, Cowarts, Mobila, and Orangeburg are the most prominent soil series. The canyons have significant exposure to clay, over which water often seeps. Water is mobile in this well-drained area.
Credit for the data above is given to the following website:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Providence_Canyon_State_Park
© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.
A significant part of my early academic research was on Gandhi. Today I was delighted and moved to spend time at Mani Bhavan, the place where he lived and worked in Bombay for critical years. His call for satyagraha against the 1919 Rowlatt Act, which I’ve written and published about, came from this room. This place, mundane and humble, holds huge importance for Indian history and has been visited by people like Martin Luther King, Jr, and Barak and Michelle Obama.
Just mucking about...
Significantly more interesting if you click the pic to view on black.
[Explore #230]
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Please don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media
without my explicit permission.
© All rights reserved
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The Florida State Capitol in Tallahassee, Florida, is an architecturally and historically significant building listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Capitol is at the intersection of Apalachee Parkway and South Monroe Street in downtown Tallahassee, Florida.
The Historic Capitol, sometimes called "The Old Capitol," built in 1845, was threatened with demolition in the late 1970s when the new capitol building was built. Having been restored to its 1902-version in 1982, the Historic Capitol is directly behind the new Capitol building. Its restored space includes the Governor's Suite, Supreme Court, House of Representatives and Senate chambers, rotunda, and halls. Its adapted space contains a museum exhibiting the state's political history, the Florida Historic Capitol Museum, which is managed by the Florida Legislature. On April 18, 2012, the AIA's Florida Chapter placed the Historic Capitol Building (Restoration) on its list of Florida Architecture: 100 Years. 100 Places.
The New Tower houses executive and legislative offices and the chambers of the Florida Legislature (consisting of the Florida Senate and Florida House of Representatives).
The buildings are universally, though informally, known as the Old Capitol and the New Capitol; the former is sometimes called the Historic Capitol, or also, confusingly, the Florida State Capitol. The latter was its official name prior to the construction of the New Capitol in 1977 and was so called by the National Park Service even after the New Capitol was operating. Its legal name today, however, is the Florida Historic Capitol Museum. The New Capitol, as a whole, does not have a legal name. When it was planned, the Capitol Complex (which is a legal name) was going to consist of the House and Senate chambers, and the twenty-two-story office building.
Credit for the data above is given to the following website:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_State_Capitol#Architecture_...
© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.
The Downtown East St. Louis Historic District was determined to be locally significant for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) under Criterion A for Commerce & Criterion C for Architecture. The district is the last remaining contiguous group of cultural resources related to the twentieth century economic growth of East St. Louis, Illinois. In the first three decades of the twentieth century, two cities were growing rapidly on the banks of the Mississippi River below its confluence with the Missouri. While the fame & fortune of St. Louis was already well assured, its neighbor across the river, East St. Louis, was an insurgent urban force. The emergence was staggering: in 1900, East St. Louis had a mere 29,734 residents, but by 1930 that number was 74,397. Between 1900 and 1928, downtown East St. Louis was remade from a modest city center into a central business district built on a scale anticipating future growth. The core of downtown East St. Louis gave rise to buildings of as much architectural refinement as contemporary buildings in St. Louis, but with a distinctly local mark. East St. Louis’ embrace of urban modernity would be shaped by local designers like Albert B. Frankel and J.W. Kennedy, St. Louis’ Mauran, Russell & Garden and William B. Ittner, and Kansas City’s Boller Brothers. The remaining architecture of downtown East St. Louis shows signs of open experimentation, like the Murphy Building’s bakery brick façade, the Ainad Temple’s boldly Moorish style, and the Sullivanesque ornamentation of the Spivey Building, alongside many examples of traditional one & two-part commercial blocks. By 1930, downtown East St. Louis could boast a modern air-conditioned movie palace seating over 1,700; a hotel capable of hosting statewide conventions; a skyscraper employing the design tenets of the progressive Prairie School; well-designed banks; office buildings of all sizes & styles; and department stores & other retailers. In 1960, with a peak population of over 82,000 residents, East St. Louis publicly was named the “All America City” but the city nearly immediately began a precipitous decline. The period of significance for the NRHP begins in 1900, when the oldest building likely was built, through 1960, when the decline of the District became evident.
The Grossman Building (seen in the photograph above), built in 1928 with a Renaissance Revival style of architecture, occupies about half a city block at the southeast corner of Missouri & Collinsville Ave. It is a two-story glazed terra cotta building with intricate terra cotta ornamentation and a flat roof. The main corner of the building is a three-story tower with a chamfered first-floor supported by a square column located at the intersection of Missouri & Collinsville Ave. The two side elevations of this tower are identical: the second floor has one unglazed window opening with a tall decorative terra cotta lintel and is topped by a small dripstone; the third floor has three unglazed arched window apertures with deep slanted sills; and on top of the tower is an elaborate cornice composed of 'S' curves and coats of arms. Small spherical finials top the corners of the tower. The elevations on either side of this corner entry bay both have seven bays on the first floor that are defined by cast terra cotta piers & lintels and nine window openings on the second floor.
The Downtown East St. Louis Historic District was added to the NRHP on September 17, 2014. All the information above was borrowed from the original documents submitted to for listing consideration and can be found here:
npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/84aa7a4b-9371-491b-b0fd-f...
Three bracketed photos were taken with a handheld Nikon D7200 and combined with Photomatix Pro to create this HDR image. Additional adjustments were made in Photoshop CS6.
"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." ~Jeremiah 29:11
The best way to view my photostream is through Flickriver with the following link: www.flickriver.com/photos/photojourney57/
You may notice that this green iguana is not in fact green! She came to The Living Rainforest after being a pet for a number of years. It is common in the pet trade to selectively breed individuals with more desirable traits, and artificially create different colour morphs. This can cause issues within the captive population of the species, as it often involves in-breeding.
The green iguana (Iguana iguana), also known as the American iguana or the common green iguana, is a large, arboreal, mostly herbivorous species of lizard of the genus Iguana. Usually, this animal is simply called the iguana. The green iguana ranges over a large geographic area; it is native from southern Brazil and Paraguay as far north as Mexico, and has been introduced from South America to Puerto Rico and is very common throughout the island, where it is colloquially known as gallina de palo ("bamboo chicken" or "chicken of the tree") and considered an invasive species; in the United States, feral populations also exist in South Florida (including the Florida Keys), Hawaii, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. Green iguanas have also successfully colonised the island of Anguilla, arriving on the island in 1995 after rafting across the Caribbean from Guadeloupe, where they were introduced.
A herbivore, it has adapted significantly with regard to locomotion and osmoregulation (the maintenance of constant osmotic pressure in the fluids of an organism by the control of water and salt concentrations) as a result of its diet. It grows to 1.5 m in length from head to tail, although a few specimens have grown more than 2 m with bodyweights upward of 9.1 kg.
This animal is a resident of The Living Rainforest which is an indoor greenhouse tropical rainforest that is located in Hampstead Norreys in Berkshire, England. It is an ecological centre, educational centre and visitor attraction consisting of three glasshouses, operated and run by the Trust for Sustainable Living. The glasshouses are named Amazonica, Lowlands and Small Islands respectively.
The Living Rainforest has been accredited by the Council for Learning Outside of the Classroom and awarded the LOtC Quality Badge. Each year around 25,000 children visit the Living Rainforest as part of their school's curriculum. It is open 7-days a week from 09:30 to 16:00.
The quintessential classic 1950s, B.R. designed, really useful engines pose at the 2022 DRS open day at Crewe Gresty Bridge (photobombed by an 88).
There are many reasons why visitors flocked to this event at Gresty Bridge on 16 July 2022, but one of them must surely be that it may have been the last opportunity to view the DRS heritage fleet in significant numbers. The offer of a lease back scheme may mean that DRS will still have access to some of these magnificent machines and hopefully Kingmoor can produce a line up like this in 2024.
I do know that sound travels significantly slower than light and that converting 'reality' to digital and back also takes significant time. However, we were lulled into complacency hearing a 'live stream' countdown to launch.
We saw smoke and the Starship was in the sky before the 'live' countdown was finished or the sound arrived. I'm very grateful for the friend that suggested ear plugs for the sound. Even from the SPI Birding Center, the view was spectacular.
We had seen TV images of the Queen Isabella Causeway to South Padre Island bumper to bumper during previous launches. We decided to keep our driving to a mininum and watch the launch from the SPI Birding Center. The view from several miles away was still quite remarkable.
SpaceX is currently petitioning the FAA to allow increasing the number of South Texas launches from 5 to 25 a year. The noise certainly disturbed all the wildlife but they seemed to return to their 'normal' activities fairly quickly afterwards, the traffic not so much. The causeway was bumper to bumper as we watched from our new favorite Italian restaurant.