time of the kundalini kriyas i used to practice, all my life.

it is the greatest to have in your destiny

with each breath is the focus

of the efforts of true dharma

the focus of the truest thread

that prevails thru all worlds universes and beings

and in the mantra

sat nam

ung sung

the love slave of loves love

is undone unsung

the love good luck love

love slave of loves love

is unsung undone

from "the rial backs sifting the water line"

“A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts.” ―Washington Irving

Just a little playtime . . . trying to connect with the happier time in my life and merge my passions. I've missed you all so very much but life has been growing and changing. Pullips have led me back to my truest love of photography and I have chosen to make a career out of it, which is rewarding in unimaginable ways. If you're on Facebook, I'm there most often and would love to reconnect with you all. My name there is Paige Leigh Smock, and also my photography page is: Paige Leigh Smock Photography. Hope to see you there! ♥

49:52 Nameless, wondrous, fleeting, moments are the truest treasure.

Every sunset is nameless, wondrous and fleeting and oh so different from the night before.

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Directly picked from my backyard. Still lived and shot last July in darkness with only the light of some candles, a technique I frequently use for my Still Lives which allows me to obtain both chiaroscuro and truest colours, recalling the painting masters of antiquity.

Slight edit, no retouching, no post-processing.

Edition for sharing limited to maximum 6 groups.

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©WhiteAngel Photography. All rights reserved.

⭐ EXPLORED ⭐ 10.09.2022 : www.flickr.com/photos/white-angel/52345835042/in/explore-...

Today on Fluidr: fluidr.com/photos/white-angel/52345835042 # 346 > # 321

in-Explore: flickr.com/photos/white-angel/52345835042/in/pool-ine...

Have you ever been so busy that the periphery has to take a backseat? Oh, yeah! Yet, there are motivators that have us going after those things that seem just beyond reach. With just such an influence, I left my house in Durham at 9pm after a hectic day. Arriving at an open spot across from the Hawksbill Mountain trailhead some 3 hours later, I covered up and attempted a few hours of sleep. My plan is to waken by 4:30, but at 4:15, I’m fired up, geared up, and headed up the trail, motivated by expectations of beauty. I would not be disappointed.

Beauty, it has always seemed to me, is one of the great arguments for the existence of God. If we are all only to engage in a pitiless struggle to ensure our DNA survives (as Richard Dawkins suggests), why does beauty matter so much to so many of us?

It was the beauty contained in the Gospel (“good news”) that moved me so profoundly that I became a Christian… I was baptized 50 years ago today, Easter Sunday.

With the help of C.S. Lewis and Josh McDowell, both of whom I could relate to, as well as the Bible, I was awestruck. To summarize: God had an apparently insoluble conundrum between his justice and his love. He cannot turn a blind eye to human rebellion and failure without compromising his perfect justice. He had gone before His chosen people evidenced as a pillar of cloud by day and of light by night, directing their steps through the wilderness. Yet, while Moses was gone 40 days and nights to receive the Ten Commandments, the children of Israel fell into abject debauchery. We're not like that, are we? A good look around now shows that little has changed of the human condition over these thousands of years. A term now identifies that condition, “HPtFTU” or “the human propensity to foul things up.” For all that, God’s perfect love means he cannot remain alienated from those he has created and loves.

How could one resolve such a conflict without compromising one of these twin absolutes? By human logic, it is impossible! But, as Jesus taught his disciples, our logic is not the last word. The Gospel of Matthew records that Jesus told his disciples, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” The astonished disciples ask, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus replies: “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

God’s solution is not to sacrifice his perfect standards of either morality or love, but to maintain both by sacrificing himself. That is the heart of what Christians commemorate at Easter: that God himself intervened in human history, humiliating himself by taking the form of a helpless infant, living a life in perfect conformity with his moral law, and dying an excruciating and shameful death on the Cross.

I know that some consider this a vile doctrine, that what God allows to happen to Jesus makes him a moral monster. They fail to grasp the importance of the understanding that Jesus was fully human and fully divine. It is in that way that God himself pays the price for restoring humanity.

Or, as the Apostle John more poetically puts it: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

I love chasing beauty with the camera as much as circumstances allow. But I’ve found that the greatest beauty is moral beauty – compassion, generosity, self-sacrifice – and the most beautiful expression of it that I have found or could conceive of is what Christians celebrate at Easter in the death and resurrection of Jesus, the Christ.

One of the most beautiful and inspirational verses in all of God's word I’ve found is John 20:16 where you begin to realize the restraints to Jesus’ “divine capacity” were off in a most wonderful way… Jesus called a very bereaved Mary by her name. That's literally all there is to the verse... Jesus said, “Mary.” She thought He was the gardener, and she wasn't far off in that assessment. He did create it. That's what makes this verse so powerful; Jesus is the Word that was there from the beginning (John 1:1). He had just proved Himself through the resurrection. He was victorious over death and sin… in that moment, there was nothing in Nature over which He didn't prevail. The very Universe would snap at His command, yet He cared enough for Mary, not even a mere speck in that Universe, to reach out to her with heartfelt compassion. She had gone in search of Him, but He found her. In this, Jesus set a precedent that differentiates Christianity from all other religions… because He cares for us all no less than He did Mary. That’s why He went to the cross! God wants us to know Him. God not only allows, but also encourages such a relationship. That’s because Christianity in its truest sense isn’t a religion; it’s a relationship, plain and simple… and it's a relationship that's available to us all.

Thank God, Jesus is risen… He is risen indeed!

Sunset...the amazing colors of sky...nature is the truest beauty.

Mills Brothers,

youtu.be/yYGtbXCADWQ?si=F4W3B4ffGj9zb2Dx

When I come home at night she will be waiting

She'll be the truest doll in all this world_

photo on Explore ! Aug. 12. 2013 # 2

Vernazza, die im Nordwesten Italiens in der Region Ligurien in der Provinz La Spezia liegt. Es ist das zweitnördlichste der fünf Dörfer der Cinque Terre.

Castello di Vernazza mit der kleinen Halbinsel um das Hafenbecken.

Vernazza is a town and comune located in the province of La Spezia, Liguria, northwestern Italy. It is one of the five towns that make up the Cinque Terre region. Vernazza is the fourth town heading north, has no car traffic, and remains one of the truest "fishing villages" on the Italian Riviera. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vernazza

In Explore, www.flickr.com/explore/2023/04/17

The ibex is the pride and symbol of the Alps. He is a climbing artist like no other animal in the harsh world of the mountains. I was an eyewitness to how light-footed and elegant the ibex moves almost effortlessly even in the steepest rock faces of the Swiss Alps. A real champion in the truest sense of the word and yet the ibex seems so modest and sensitive in a way. At least I had the impression when I stood in front of him, the shy and impressive „power package“ of the Swiss mountains. Like a true king in his kingdom, which he rules with great respect, always for the benefit of all his conspecifics.

The ibex is an imposing animal when you face it in the high alpine mountains of Switzerland. I will never forget this memorable day when I was able to meet the ibexes in one of the most beautiful mountain ranges in Switzerland. At an altitude of about 2200m above sea level, we hiked along the rocks towards a high plateau, where ibexes have already been sighted. I got my camera ready and saw two horns sticking out from behind a rock in the distance. As I got closer, I saw him, the king of the Alps, enjoying the quiet morning mood togehter with his friend.

I was deeply touched but also amazed at how impressive the ibex was standing there and enjoyed the morning silence, it seemed. He didn't let me bother him at all and I was able to get closer to him step by step. My breath caught and I was simply fascinated by this unique beauty in the wild alpine landscape of Switzerland. It was the greatest wish I had for the year 2022 to see ibexes in the wild nature of the swiss alps where they definitely belong in all their glory and it came true here before my eyes in a breathtaking way.

In the Alps, the ibex lives at the height between the forest and ice border. He climbs up to heights of 3500 m. In winter, however, it stays at lower altitudes than in summer, and even in summer it often descends to alpine meadows to feed while spending the night at high altitudes.

How the "King of the Alps" returned to his throne:

The story of the ibex is a success story of a reintroduction. The «King of the Alps» was almost exterminated in the entire Alpine region by the beginning of the 19th century. Today, more than 40,000 ibexes inhabit the Alpine arc again, around 17,000 of these proud animals live in Switzerland.

The reason for the extinction of the majestic ibex was not only trophy hunting and game, but also the healing properties attributed to the horns, hair, blood and "bezoar balls". The latter are small balls of hair and plant remains in the stomach of the ibex. They were sold in pharmacies in the hope of alleviating dizziness, fainting, jaundice and melancholy. Only about a hundred animals survived. Thanks to a successful reintroduction program, the alpine ibex has now returned to its habitat.

Animals, like us, feel joy, love, fear, and suffering, but they cannot speak out. It is our duty to act as proxies and to resist those who exploit, slaughter and torture them.

- Denis de Rougemont

Swiss philosopher

The beauty of Switzerland:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWDb5MhjyoE

I’ve not been feeling like myself for a while. I sort of shut down after we started the house selling process and have felt disconnected from my truest self since February when we really started this process full force. As each week passes the gathered tension through my body and mind slowly unravels little by little. It’s allowing me to focus a bit more on taking care of myself better physically and mentally. The combined dog pile of stress and anxiety from world/domestic news, work stress, home selling/buying stress, and body dysmorphia/distance was only ever alleviated by taking photos. I am so glad that I had this outlet when everything else (drawing, sewing, and even reading regularly) felt impossible to manage. I am so grateful for photography and the ability to share it with people who might feel the same way. Anyway, I’d apologize for the number of photos of myself, but I’m not sorry and I know someday this visual diary of how I felt on this exact day is going to be so welcomed.

- Candlelit Light Painting Still Life-

Another Still life study with soft macro at candle's light, in the style of the antique painters of Middle Ages.

Shot in darkness and painted by highlighting portions of the composition moving a handheld candle.

Mini bonsai golden and red apples and two big apples.

(Natura morta alla maniera dei pittori dell'antichità).

I'd just like to add, that I don't use any filters, neither on lenses nor in post-production: it's my exigency to reach the "essence", the pure realistic & artistic effect via the sole use of my display, the footage setting preparation and shooting ability. In any case I like to experiment with natural lighting and photography until I reach something that may be interesting to me.

For the friends of my Gallery #PURENN : this is what my eyes saw in conditions of darkness +dim candleslight and I am happy I can now show the purest realistic result to you too! The magic of Nature with no special artificial effects either than the Nature itself which is the most beautiful and truest special effect :-)

Ref.DEF di Still LIFE new 021 VM

©WhiteAngel Photography. All rights reserved

Entered in WPD23Objects

Todos los derechos reservados - All rights reserved - copyright © Pilar Azaña Talán

♫♥♥♫ ♫♥♥♫

Danzar es sentir, sentir es sufrir, sufrir es amar; tú amas, sufres y sientes. ¡Tú danzas! (Isadora Duncan)

Danza es todo aquello que el ser humano es capaz de hacer musicalmente con cualquier parte de su cuerpo (Karlheinz Stockhausen)

La expresión más auténtica de un pueblo está en sus danzas y su música. Los cuerpos nunca mienten (Agnes De Mille)

------------------------------------------------------------

Dancing is feeling, feeling is to suffer, to suffer is to love, you love, suffer and feel. You dance! (Isadora Duncan)

Dance is everything that man can do musically with any part of your body (Karlheinz Stockhausen)

The truest expression of a people is its dances and its music. Bodies never lie (Agnes De Mille)

“Space has a spiritual equivalent and can heal what is divided and burdensome in us.”

~Gretel Ehrlich, The Solace of Open Spaces

Why do I travel?

There are three parts to this answer, each of which on its own could be a complete response depending on the reader's own experience.

First, I travel to find my expressions… my art. Art, in its barest form, is our soul’s response to all that churn us. Question us. Make us wonder and contemplate. Truest art – Gretel Ehrlich argued and I humbly concur – would have the same qualities as earth. They would weather harshness and time, hide their deepest message for those with the tenderest light, allow the wind to wipe out their frivolities, and be obtuse and worthless to the vain and the less experienced. From my travels, I learned another important aspect of art: it must be manifested – just as mountains stand and rivers flow – irrespective of having patrons or appreciation. It is purely an assertion of being alive, which transcends the medium of expression and is bound by no limits… a miniature replica of open spaces that kindles its genesis in the first place.

Second, I travel for my son. I have often wondered, what would I want to leave behind with Rishabh when my impermanence materializes? Not riches, nor stories… he can earn them on his own. I rather leave him with lessons that come our way during our travels. Like waterfalls, we must embrace unavoidable falls in life with grace. Like butterflies, we must explore and migrate to the unknown following our instincts. Most importantly, like Saguaros and Joshua-s, we must endure harshness and despair, because they – as Ehrlich pointed out – empty out into an unquenchable appetite for life.

Third, I travel to find solace. After losing her dearest to an incurable disease, Ehrlich – a former urbanite, found her solace in nature and wrote 'The Solace of Open Space'. Stuck to my griefs, I tend to forget that life is a continuous ceremony of seasons, where – as Ehrlich puts it – “the paradox is exquisite". New leaves of spring must fall in autumn so that emptiness may harbor hopes of another spring. In Hawai’i, I saw first-hand how the fragile land endures great loss when lava erupts from volcanoes and ruins everything in its path. Nevertheless, punctuating the devastation, I also saw life protruding tenderly in those jagged lava rocks as soft seedlings. In Ehrlich’s words, ”to be tough is to be fragile; to be tender is to be truly fierce.” Out in raw winds under the warm sun, I have come to realize that my griefs are not the end of me; instead my pains and losses are, in her words, an odd kind of fullness. To quote Ehrlich again, “True solace is finding none, which is to say, it is everywhere.”

So, I travel. As often as I can. As far and as wide as I can.

how do we see

opening music of this moment.

looking for a new place to begin

this is the only place.

you are the part of the time,

and you are finite; swirling thoughts.

you are one with the time,

and you are infinite; not insecure.

how little we know the inseparable

circling all present, non present

experience of the ocean's wave

the beautiful Adriana Oliveira says,

"Time is finite, now is eternal"

balance brings this eternity.

balance treasures the presence

by being the affectionate ocean,

by being the rhythm of the waves,

by playing your part in the now,

by being whole in gratefulness.

daily dharma - to be closer to inner touch

but not the analytical waves in the mind.

– perceiving fragments – distortion

waves-structures externally imposed

here is not a place to be entrenched,

alone in one's own point of view

interior calm governed by intent gaze

• welcoming gentleness – oceanness

subsuming into a coherent whole.

oceanness ~ a time to be so small

smallest opening to attentiveness.

a play of integration and letting go

resourcefulness in every wave

"slowing down before the rush"

gifting kindness and tenderness,

to that space – grief's tide need –

loving presence, our very essence

surrendering to the greater whole.

⁛ ❀ ⁛

Hans Zimmer - Time ☉

When I look back, at each of the choices that became the turning point of my life, I find that these were guided by the beliefs in the way I have dealt with life and work.

Time or style is a limited notion. It can be easily set aside if we realize that all we perceive is viewed through our memories and present. There are layers that must be seen together and not as fragmented issues, be they of art, architecture or life itself. It is essential that we look from a distance with eternity or timelessness.

Ar. B.V. Doshi in Paths Uncharted

Comptine D'un Autre Été

The spectacle of the sea always makes a profound impression. It is the image of that infinite that attracts thought without rest, and in which the thought goes without losing its way. --- Madame de Staël

⚡

Music of the Seas: Deep Blue; Bhaskar Chandravarkar

He was squawking away..

As I sit comfortably on his back, we embark on a blissful journey through the picturesque winter wonderland. With every step we take, my love for him grows stronger. We spend every precious moment together, cherishing the time we have until the last minute of this winter of love. He is my everything, the one I will cherish and care for forever. I vow to always give him my best, for he deserves nothing less... ❄️💕

ღ.-:**★**:-.ღ.-:**★**:-.ღ.-:**★**:-.ღ

" With him by my side, I am able to be my truest self, and for that, he is truly a blessing in my life. I am forever grateful for the love he brings into my life, his unique qualities and characteristics are what make him so special to me. I am also thankful for the way he has captured my heart with his mind, his soul and his ego, everything about him feels so perfect and right to me."

Together Forever

Miss Saphira 💞 Her Love Zeboran

ღ.-:**★**:-.ღ.-:**★**:-.ღ.-:**★**:-.ღ

A shallow artist

Is one who dips

No further than

The top film

Of a paint color

It's a person

Who looks at faces

And places judgment

Upon what he sees

A shallow artist

Never pushes his brush

To the depths of paint

Where the richness

Of color lies

Or where the value

Of the human being

Is at

Its truest form

I Could Not Love You More

Bee Gees

Now that we're alone.

No more hide and seek.

You are the highest dream to me.

And as you softly sleep

then I can tell you what it means.

Locked in my arms like lovers lie,

I will not let you slip away.

Is this the summer of them all.

Is this my night of nights

that you came to stay.

Here you are, owner of my heart,

just the way that love should be.

And there's something I must say to you,

if you promise to believe

that it's you I'm living for

and I could not love you more.

Seasons may come and seasons go

but these are the truest words I know.

Face to face, eye to eye.

This is the summer of of our lives.

One love that cannot die.

Here you are, owner of my soul,

never let you say goodbye.

And there is something I must say to you,

we leave the world outside

and you have come to me at last, we start.

Open up your heart,

let my deepest love inside.

I'm only doing what I have to do.

If you promise to believe

that I could not love you more.

Here you are (you are), owner of my heart,

just the way that love should be.

And there's something I must say to you,

we leave the world outside

and you have come to me at last (at last), we start.

Open up your heart,

let my deepest love inside (ah).

I'm only doing what I have to do.

If you promise to believe

that it's you I'm living for

that it's you I'm living for

and I could not love you more.

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Barry Gibb / Maurice Ernest Gibb / Robin Hugh Gibb

I Could Not Love You More lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc, Universal Music Publishing Group

marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/159539

~ Sebastian Faulks

"Nameless, wondrous, fleeting, moments are the truest treasure (Rabindranath Tagore)

The wind was making spiders web billow in & out like someone was jumping on a trampoline .

I wondered if he enjoyed the ride, or fretted on the repair work he might have to face.

The next morning I tried to recapture this, hoping to get spider more in focus.. but it just wasnt gonna happen

October 01, 2018

Macro Mondays Theme:Perfect Match

Subject: Lock and key

”A soulmate is someone who has locks that fit our keys, and keys to fit our locks. When we feel safe enough to open the locks, our truest selves step out and we can be completely and honestly who we are; we can be loved for who we are and not for who we're pretending to be. Each unveils the best part of the other. No matter what else goes wrong around us, with that one person we're safe in our own paradise.”

-Richard Bach

Explore #1 April 1, 2022

Harmonious Landscape

The photographer / artist stands alone on one of the three hills and is one with the nature around him. I was already there, exactly at this point. The view is amazing and if you can enjoy the peace and silence on these hills you are the happiest man on earth. What more do you need? I can't get the words of Vincent van Gogh out of my mind. That's why you can find them below. Peace be with you and all the people who find themselves in a senseless, violent war.

Spread Love not war !!!

I could imagine that Vincent would have loved to have stood on one of these three hills. I sometimes feel like him and I can empathize and understand him so well. I'm a bad follower for many of you and I don't know how much longer I'll stay with you. (Social media is not my forte. I prefer photography.) So sorry for all this. Please take care of you my dear friends. Enjoy the beauty of the coming colorful season.

"Though I am often in the depths of misery, there is still calm, pure harmony and music within me.“

- Vincent van Gogh

“It is good to love many things, for therein lies the true strength, and whosoever loves much performs much, and can accomplish much, and what is done in love is well done.”

- Vincent van Gogh

This song holds such a powerful message for those suffering from mental illness. Because these are usually the kindest, sweetest and truest among us. They are gifted, many artfully or musically and their works are an expression of the love they hold inside. Like Vincent they too struggle to live in this tough world. Please remember to be kind.

(Diana Guzman)

Don McLean – Vincent

www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxHnRfhDmrk

I miti mi piacevano. Non erano storie da adulti e non erano storie per bambini. Erano molto meglio.

(Neil Gaiman)

Anche se non si volesse credere alla verità che nascondono, è impossibile non credere alla loro incomparabile potenza simbolica. Nonostante la loro consunzione moderna, i miti restano, al pari della metafisica, un ponte gettato verso la trascendenza.

(Ernst Jünger)

Credo in ogni cosa fino a quando non si dimostra il contrario. Quindi credo nelle fate, nei miti, nei draghi. Tutto esiste, anche se è nella nostra mente.

(John Lennon)

Davanti a quella foce che viene chiamata, come dite, Colonne d’Eracle, c’era un’isola. Tale isola, poi, era più grande della Libia e dell'Asia messe insieme, e a coloro che procedevano da essa si offriva un passaggio alle altre isole, e dalle isole a tutto il continente che stava dalla parte opposta, intorno a quello che è veramente mare.

In tempi successivi, però essendosi verificati terribili terremoti e diluvi, nel corso di un giorno e di una notte, tutto il vostro esercito di colpo sprofondò sotto terra, e l’Isola di Atlantide, allo stesso modo sommersa dal mare, scomparve.

(Platone, Timeo.)

Atlantis (Ancient Greek: Ἀτλαντὶς νῆσος, "island of Atlas") is a fictional island mentioned within an allegory on the hubris of nations in Plato's works Timaeus and Critias, where it represents the antagonist naval power that besieges "Ancient Athens", the pseudo-historic embodiment of Plato's ideal state (see The Republic). In the story, Athens repels the Atlantean attack unlike any other nation of the (western) known world,[1] supposedly giving testament to the superiority of Plato's concept of a state.[2][3] The story concludes with Atlantis falling out of favor with the deities and submerging into the Atlantic Ocean

Plato's dialogues Timaeus and Critias, written in 360 BC, contain the earliest references to Atlantis.

For unknown reasons, Plato never completed Critias.

Plato introduced Atlantis in Timaeus:

For it is related in our records how once upon a time your State stayed the course of a mighty host, which, starting from a distant point in the Atlantic ocean, was insolently advancing to attack the whole of Europe, and Asia to boot.

For the ocean there was at that time navigable; for in front of the mouth which you Greeks call, as you say, 'the pillars of Heracles,' there lay an island which was larger than Libya and Asia together; and it was possible for the travelers of that time to cross from it to the other islands, and from the islands to the whole of the continent over against them which encompasses that veritable ocean. For all that we have here, lying within the mouth of which we speak, is evidently a haven having a narrow entrance; but that yonder is a real ocean, and the land surrounding it may most rightly be called, in the fullest and truest sense, a continent. Now in this island of Atlantis there existed a confederation of kings, of great and marvelous power, which held sway over all the island, and over many other islands also and parts of the continent.

A mountain pink among a sea of blurred mountain pinks... added three Florabella ll textures all in bw.

The remnants of the monsoon rains are teeming with life. I’m sure the Iron Giant would be mesmerized.

In the tapestry of life, there's a timeless wisdom that echoes through the hum of everyday moments. It's a sentiment akin to the reliability of an old pickup truck, weathered by time but steadfast in its purpose. In a world often enamored by the allure of novelty and extravagance, the enduring value lies not in the gleam of newness or the abundance of bells and whistles, but in the assurance of reliability. Like that dependable truck that has weathered storms and traveled miles, there's an inherent beauty in things or individuals that stand the test of time. In the quiet moments of need, it's the steady engine of reliability that carries us through, proving that sometimes, the truest luxury is found in the unwavering constancy of something or someone we can count on.

maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Ethereal%20City/132/186/23

Traveling up and down the coast of Cinque Terre was wonderful, especially when the stops yield locations such as Vernazza.

From Wikipedia: "Vernazza (Latin: Vulnetia) is a town and comune located in the province of La Spezia, Liguria, northwestern Italy. It is one of the five towns that make up the Cinque Terre region. Vernazza is the fourth town heading north, has no car traffic, and remains one of the truest "fishing villages" on the Italian Riviera.

Vernazza's name is derived from the Latin adjective verna meaning "native" and the aptly named indigenous wine, vernaccia ("local" or "ours"), helped give birth to the village's moniker."

Explore! Highest #192 on 03/15/2016. Thanks everyone!

Snakeshead Fritillary / fritillaria meleagris. Duffield LNR, Derbyshire. 13/04/18.

I'll miss seeing a field of these striking flowers growing wild this Spring. I had thought I'd be going to Suffolk to see a wild population, but that isn't to be with Covid 19 restrictions in place.

The flower in my image was one of a small colony growing in a nature reserve quite close to home. It was made two years ago. I think the Fritillaries were planted as wild stock when the reserve was established. Despite not 'wild' wild in the truest sense, right now this closed, boldly marked, nodding flowerhead will have to suffice!

Behold...as the midst unveiled itself and its truest colors. This Dynastic Crush surely delivered itself in the form of one's opportunity; in other words, one's self realization [on the importance] of self healing on such an infinite journey. As Brother Rich Border says, "Blow This One Up...It Looks Better In Black..."

Photo of Benjamin Lake captured via Minolta Maxxum AF Zoom 100-200mm F/4.5 "Baby Beer Can" Lens. Spokane Indian Reservation. Selkirk Mountains Range. Okanogan-Colville Xeric Valleys and Foothills section within the Northern Rockies Region. Inland Northwest. Stevens County, Washington. Late October 2022.

Exposure Time: 1/60 sec. * ISO Speed: ISO-100 * Aperture: F/16 * Bracketing: + / - 1 * Color Temperature: 4500 K * Film Emulation: Dusk - Dawn 09 ** Elevation: 2,273 feet above sea-level

Here is the backstage of this shoot! www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=oubyd...

Sebastien (model) is a finalist of Mister of Belgium Personality 2012 and his final photography assignment was to create an image which would reflect his character. He explained me that he is a dreamer but he believes that his dreams will come true, that is why we chose clouds as a main theme here.

You can vote for him here booroo.com/app/showpoll.asp?sid=jw9sg0hpb02d0ye14207&... Sebastien Ulens !

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Today's post is a third shot of the same composition from the corner of the rooftop at Tribune Tower. I took this same shot with three different lighting conditions: Daytime, Blue Hour, and now night. The photographer in me prefers the blue hour shot since it is such a small window of time where the lighting is most unique, but the Chicagoan in me can't help but prefer the below nighttime version, as I believe it is the truest representation of the city (and I mean that in a good way).

From the photoblog at www.shutterrunner.com.

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Truest Companion www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aa02YmiEg0w&list=PLmTzW86B5tu...

Photo of Mount Shuksan, elevation 9,131 feet above sea-level, captured from Picture Lake and alongside State Route 542, the Mount Baker Highway, via Minolta MD W.Rokkor-X 24mm F/2.8 Lens and the bracketing method of photography. Heather Meadows Area. Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. North Cascades Region of the Cascades Range. Whatcom County, Washington. Late July 2017.

Exposure Time: 1/25 sec. * ISO Speed: ISO-100 * Aperture: F/11 * Bracketing: +1 / -1 * Color Temperature: 9100 K * Film Plug-In: Kodak Ektar 100 Warm

" A symbol of forever affection, this rose I give to you. A reminder of my unwavering love and loyalty, always and forever true...💕🌹

May our love, like this rose, continue to bloom and flourish in our souls, every season and forevermore... 💕🌹 "

I ❤️ You

Saphira ❤️ Hansen

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Poem: Only You Deserve It All

Through all the years, it's become clear

That no one else deserves happiness with me here

I've given everything to others, it's true

But the one thing they truly want, I only save for you

Only you, my love, have the key

To unlock the true happiness inside of me

You're the only one I'll ever allow

To design your happiness with me, here and now

Because you're special, you hold a place

In my heart that no one else can replace

For me, it's only you who deserves it all

The whole world of happiness, both big and small

No one else can come as far as you

In my heart, in my soul, in all that I do

It's only you who can complete me, you see

And that's why I give my all, to make you happy

So let us build our happiness, just me and you

With no conditions, no rules to ensue

For with you, my love, I feel truly free

To give you all the happiness that you and I can be.

Only you, my love, hold the key,

To unlock my stone heart and set it free.

You're the one I'll allow, and no one else,

To take what you want, without stress or any else.

With you, my heart is open wide,

And my love for you, I'll never hide.

You have all my trust, my soul, my heart,

And together we'll never be apart.

Only you can bring me to my knees,

With your touch and your gentle breeze.

You have the power to make me whole,

And with you, I feel at home, forevermore.

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Poem: Beyond Your Dreams

Beyond your dreams, I'll give you all

My heart, my soul, my everything in whole

For you deserve my true sacrifice

To make you happy, that's my only price

My heart is loyal, my love is true

And it's all because of you

You won my heart with your rare pure heart

And that's why you have all of me, right from the start

Only you, my love, can take it all

All that you want, and more, without a stall

You're the only man I'll ever let

To have access to all, without a single fret

Beyond your dreams, I'll make it real

All that you desire, I'll make you feel

For you deserve my truest sacrifice

To see you happy, that's my only prize

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Poem: Through Every Journey

Through every journey, every thrill,

I seek to know what we can fulfill.

With others we explore and play,

To keep our love fresh every day.

Thank you, my love, for trusting me so,

For all the years we've learned and grown.

Our desires guide us on our way,

Together we'll keep our passion ablaze.

My heart swells with gratitude, so true,

For all the trust and freedom given by you.

Through my every action, you know me well,

And for that, my love, my soul does swell.

You truly know my heart and soul,

And with this trust, we've built a goal,

To stand together, through thick and thin,

Our bond unbreakable, as we begin.

So thank you, my love, for all you give,

For trusting in me, for helping me live.

I'll hold onto this trust, so tight,

And keep our love shining, forever bright.

Let this poem engrave deep in our hearts,

Our bond will be tight, unbreakable from the start.

Together forever, our love will remain,

Inscribed in our hearts, never to wane.

Always & Forever

Saphira 💞 Hansen

"A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts."

- Washington Irving

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Thanks to all for 14,000.000+ views and kind comments ... !

Please don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission.

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- the seasons shift, like truest friendship; like heron, constant, however remote -

While half-looking for images of “remote” in the last few days, this great blue heron appeared like a mirage, in a pocket of a place, poised at the edge of a pond. Remoteness in place and species. I was as still as could be for the hour I watched, which doesn't compare with the stillness of a fishing heron. Just now, a few days later, about to post, did this poem arise, by my late friend – a different form of remoteness. This whole erratic season was built for you, brother. You would’ve relished the downs and ups. Wish we could croon together over Mu into the night, on the edge.

BLACK MARSH ECLOGUE

by Sam Hamill

Although it is midsummer, the great blue heron

holds darkest winter in his hunched shoulders,

those blue-turning-gray clouds

rising over him like a storm from the Pacific.

He stands in the black marsh

more monument than bird, a wizened prophet

returned from a vanished mythology.

He watches the hearts of things

and does not move or speak. But when

at last he flies, his great wings

cover the darkening sky, and slowly,

as though praying, he lifts, almost motionless,

as he pushes the world away.

From A Dragon in the Clouds (Broken Moon Press, 1989). Copyright © 1989 by Sam Hamill. Used with the permission of Eron Hamill.

View On Black

Since it was mothers day today, I decided to post a picture of my beautiful mom and dad.

A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials, heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine, desert us when troubles thicken around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavour by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts.

- Inspirational sayings by Washington Irving

HFF! One of six photos taken on a walk in my Humber Bay Shores neighbourhood today. Best seen large by clicking on the photo.

Bright and sunny 18C today and I thoroughly enjoyed my brisk walk alone. Thanks for visiting, enjoy each day. #BeKind

We’ve all heard the saying but do we know what we’re really saying ?

The phrase, “say cheese” has become extremely popular in our society but does anyone know why ?

The most common theory, and what may be the truest, is the fact that the word “cheese” forces you to bring your teeth together in a way that opens up your lips and exposes your teeth and makes you smile.

There are many other words in the English language that cause your mouth to make the same facial expression.

Nous avons tous entendu le dicton, mais savons-nous ce que nous disons vraiment ?

L'expression «dire fromage» est devenue extrêmement populaire dans notre société, mais est-ce que quelqu'un sait pourquoi ?

La théorie la plus commune, et ce qui est peut-être le plus vrai, est le fait que le mot «fromage» vous force à rapprocher vos dents d'une manière qui ouvre vos lèvres et expose vos dents et vous fait sourire.

Il y a beaucoup d'autres mots dans la langue anglaise qui provoquent votre bouche à faire la même expression faciale.

Love Mom!

A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts. - By Washington Irving.

this morning I woke from a dream.

In the dream it’s night and i’m walking in a sort

Of undefined high prairie landscape.

And though i can’t see him, i can feel the presence of

A man that’s walking with me on my right side.

And i’m complaining to this presence that

i’m angry with god - i’m angry because god wants me

To do with my life things that i don’t want to do – I’m angry

Because god Wants me to be ways that i don’t want to be. And the presence says to me that i have it wrong, that i don’t

understand - that god only wants me to do what

i truly want to do in my truest deepest heart.

And then i’m alone and i spread my arms

And i begin to turn in circles and all the stars in the sky

Begin to revolve and move with me – and my turning creates

A great wind and as i’m turning faster and faster the stars begin

To streak and Blend together into a sky turned to light and i’m spinning

So fast that i begin to come apart and dissolve and become

A part of the Light

And then there’s a jolt and I wake up to one of my cats

Sitting on my chest wanting breakfast - and in my truest deepest heart

I want a cup of coffee and a cigarette

Behold...as the midst unveiled itself and its truest colors. This Dynastic Crush surely delivered itself in the form of one's opportunity; in other words, one's self realization [on the importance] of self healing on such an infinite journey. As Brother Rich Border says, "Blow This One Up...It Looks Better In Black..."

Photo of Benjamin Lake captured via Minolta Maxxum AF Zoom 35-70mm F/4 Lens. Spokane Indian Reservation. Selkirk Mountains Range. Okanogan-Colville Xeric Valleys and Foothills section within the Northern Rockies Region. Inland Northwest. Stevens County, Washington. Late October 2022.

Exposure Time: 1/30 sec. * ISO Speed: ISO-100 * Aperture: F/16 * Bracketing: + / - 1 * Color Temperature: 4500 K * Color Grading: Fuji Velvia 50 ** Elevation: 2,273 feet above sea-level

Photo of Mount Shasta and its satellite cone Shastina, located to the right, captured via Minolta MD Zoom Rokkor-X 75-200mm F/4.5 lens off of U.S. Highway 97. Butte Valley. Looking towards the Shasta-Cascade sub-region of the Cascades Range. North State. Siskiyou County, Northern California. "State of Jefferson." On the last day of June 2016.

Exposure Time: 1/800 sec. * ISO Speed: ISO-200 * Aperture: F/11 * Bracketing: None

some days my negative voice asserts herself: everyone takes better pictures than you, everyone writes better than you, everyone is more dedicated than you, he didn't give a fuck about you, she hates you, you let her down, why can't you be a better artist, lover, mother, friend, daughter,

and it is a serious fight for me not to wallow, to not let it hurt, to not let it touch me, to be reasonable, to keep on, to try again, to think of all the good things, the people who love me, the ones I love, the nice things about me

I won but just barely

I wonder why I think my most unflattering photos are the ones truest to myself.