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The Spectacled Tyrant is a standout bird that looks nothing like its plain cousins in the north. While the males are flashy, the females are much more subtle. The male is all black with a bright yellow ring around the eye and a silvery-white beak. When he flies, he reveals hidden white wings. The female looks like a different species entirely. She is mostly brown and streaky with rusty colors on her wings, making her harder to spot. These birds are world-class travelers. Every year, those living in Chile fly across the high Andes mountains to spend the winter in Argentina or Bolivia. This is a common species in the "pampas" of Brasil. Picture taken at Rio Grande do Sul.
Wishing you all a Peaceful Friday!
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Member of Nature’s Spirit
Good Stewards of Nature
Capped by green-and-gold domes, La Compañía de Jesús is Quito’s most ornate church and a standout among the baroque splendors of the Old Town.
Free guided tours in English or Spanish highlight the church’s unique features, including its Moorish elements, perfect symmetry (right down to the trompe l’oeil staircase at the rear), symbolic elements (bright-red walls are a reminder of Christ’s blood) and its syncretism (Ecuadorian plants and indigenous faces are hidden along the pillars).
Construction on this marvelously gilded Jesuit church began in 1605 but wasn't completed for another 160 years; the main altarpiece alone took 20 years (former president Gabriel García Moreno is buried here). The made-in-the-USA organ is circa 1889. Check out the chiaroscuro-style series of paintings called the 16 Prophets by Nicolás Javier de Goríbar and the large canvas Hell and Final Judgement from 1879 – it's still a mystery what happened to the original, painted by Hermano Hernando de la Cruz in 1620. Quiteños proudly call it the most beautiful church in the country, and it’s easy to see why.
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Over the 160 years of its construction, the architects of La Compañía incorporated elements of four architectural styles, although the Baroque is the most prominent. Mudejar (Moorish) influence is seen in the geometrical figures on the pillars; the Churrigueresque characterizes much of the ornate decoration, especially in the interior walls; finally the Neoclassical style adorns the Chapel of Saint Mariana de Jesús (in early years a winery).
The floorplan of La Compañía makes a Latin Cross, with central, northern and southern arms; it has the conventional nave, transept, crossing, presbytery, antechamber to the sacristy, sacristy, and chapel. The central nave is topped by a 26-meter high barrel vault constructed of pumice and brick. This vault is decorated with plaster, polychrome and Mudéjar figures in gold leaf. The skyline is capped by two green and gold domes.
The carvings of La Compañía’s main façade were executed entirely of Ecuadorian andesite stone. (Begun in 1722 by Father Leonardo Deubler, work was suspended in 1725 and taken up again in 1760 by Brother Venancio Gandolfi who finished it in 1765.) According to José María Vargas: “A simple comparison of dates explains the difference in styles between the body of the Church and the façade. While the structure of the Church reveals the Renaissance influence (that of Italy brought to Quito by Brother Marcos Guerra), that of the façade reflects the dynamism of the 18th century Baroque, instigated by Bernini’s solomonic columns of the Baldachin of the Basilica of Saint Peter in Rome”. La Compañía’s columns, statues and larger details were executed in the quarry which the Jesuits had in the Hacienda de Yurac (in the nearby parish of Pintag). The rest of the material was brought from a quarry on the western slopes of El Panecillo, adjacent to the city. That façade, as it has come down to us, has more of the Italian Baroque than of the Spanish Plateresque and, with its high pilasters, a certain accent of the French Baroque.
Design elements include a near symmetrical facade, Moorish influence in the nave, and artwork by artists of the Quito School. A sarcophagus with the remains of Ecuador's patron saint, Mariana de Jesús de Paredes, is located in the base of the central altar.
The interior of La Compañía strongly resembles that of the Church of San Ignacio in Bogotá. This similarity, particularly evident in the design of the stuccos, baseboards, molding and vaults, represents an enhancement of the scheme first employed in the older Bogotá church.
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When I entered the main nave, I had to ask my guide for some time alone, before his explanations, to appreciate the stunning detail of this Baroque Jesuit church.
It's impressive.
Too bad I couldn't photograph it. I did, but no time to focus on it. I don't understand these dumb rules.
Clivia is a genus of monocot flowering plants native to southern Africa. They are from the family Amaryllidaceae, subfamily Amaryllidoideae. Common names are Natal lily or bush lily. It grows in woodland habitats in South Africa and Swaziland. It grows into large clumps and is surprisingly water wise. It is a popular plant for shady areas. While native to South Africa, they grow in many countries. Flowers are red, orange or yellow. Yellow is much harder find than the common orange. Some species of Clivia produce the alkaloid lycorine which is toxic in sufficient quantities, particularly in pets and small children. R_17988
On our lake we have quite a bit of brush which is really unremarkable. In this instance with fresh layer of beautiful snow, we have a true standout.
A wonderful sunset in the Dutch Flevopolder. I was driving around like crazy as some fields are not accessible and the light, as you know, can be gone quickly. I found this field of orange tulips which combined well with the dark blue clouds. The windmills in the background are typical for this region and I was lucky to find two distinct tulips, standing out in the foreground, lending depth to the scene. The cracked textured ground was a bonus.
Thank you so much for any favs / comments. I highly appreciate.
While waiting for the light to increase I couldn't help but notice this tree behind me. Even in the darkness you could make out its vibrant hue.
Standout from the crowd...
"If you want to succeed, you should strike out on new paths, rather than travel the worn paths of accepted success". – John D. Rockefeller
The plant is called Speedwell, which is a hardy, upright perennial known for its long slender flower spikes. They are popular in floral arrangements and gardens for adding vertical contrast.
Monsoon season is such an amazing time of the year in the southwest. When I saw the sky morphing into a rainbow of colors, I dashed out into our yard to grab a shot of my favorite saguaro cactus against the vibrant background. So blessed by the dramatic skies and amazing nature here in the Sonoran Desert. Wishing everyone a wonderful 2024, Happy New Year! If you enjoy saguaros, here's one of his neighbors: flic.kr/p/2rp7cTF .
This rose is growing in a neighbor's yard in Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California. Taken with my iPhone 14 Pro Max set to raw and macro.
Hibiscus I don't remember where I saw this, but I think it was on a neighborhood street in someone's front garden in NYC.
**Feel free to zoom in to view this**
Taken in my garden yesterday. The Black-eyed Susan was in bloom and up against a tall fern.
Filters are from Photoshop.
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We were treated to a flypast by The Red Arrows today prior to them returning to their temporary base at Southend Airport. Red 7 momentarily burned smoke before it fizzled out, no doubt having been earlier depleted during their thrilling display over Eastbourne seafront.