Archaeology & People
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Winter has arrived...and with startling suddenness. The lake literally froze overnight with temperatures heading into the single digits, below zero forecast for early next week. In fact, wind chills are forecast for -37F /-38C. I've never understood why these two measurements ultimately even out, but a bit chilly by any calculation.
The DeKalb County Courthouse is located in the county seat of DeKalb County, Illinois, U.S.A., the city of Sycamore. The Classical Revival structure sits on a square facing Illinois Route 64 as it passes through the city. The current courthouse was constructed in 1905 amid controversy over where the courthouse and thus, ultimately, the county seat would be located.[3] The current building is the third structure to bear the name "DeKalb County Courthouse." DeKalb County's Courthouse still serves as the county's primary judicial center and is a contributing property to the Sycamore Historic District.
The Alhambra is a palace and fortress complex located in Granada, Andalusia, Spain.
It was originally constructed as a small fortress in AD 889 on the remains of Roman fortifications
and then largely ignored until its ruins were renovated and rebuilt in the mid-13th century by the Moorish
emir Mohammed ben Al-Ahmar of the Emirate of Granada, who built its current palace and walls.
It was converted into a royal palace in 1333 by Yusuf I, Sultan of Granada.
After the conclusion of the Christian Reconquista in 1492, the site became the Royal Court of Ferdinand
and Isabella (where Christopher Columbus received royal endorsement for his expedition)
and the palaces were partially altered to Renaissance tastes.
In 1526 Charles I & V commissioned a new Renaissance palace better befitting
of the Holy Roman Emperor in the revolutionary Mannerist style influenced by Humanist philosophy
in direct juxtaposition with the Nasrid Andalusian architecture, but which was ultimately never completed
due to Morisco rebellions in Granada.
Despite long neglect, willful vandalism, and some ill-judged restoration, the Alhambra endures
as an atypical example of Muslim art.
The Alhambra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the inspiration for many songs and stories.
I spotted this old wooden walkway last year in the backwaters of the lake when the vegetation was thick and impossible to access. You can imagine the same spot in full growth and see the lilies growing densely beneath the surface. I didn't even realize at the time there was access at all. Regardless, I went back and happily discovered that I could actually get there in the canoe for now. The mystery remains, however, as there is no evidence as to what purpose this structure served. It starts from nowhere on the left and then trails off into nowhere on the right, surrounded at all points by impenetrable swamp. Nevertheless, it had to serve a function at some point, now probably forever forgotten.
I struggled mightily trying to decide which version to post, the standard or watercolor, liking both almost equally, and ultimately opted for the latter primarily due to the "washed-out" effect which seemed to suit. Seen to best effect larger.
After a disappointing couple of days in Bryce Canyon, I moved on to my next location which was to be Kodachrome Basin National Park, which is located between Bryce Canyon and the Grand Staircase Escalante Region of Utah. I found a great site in the primitive campground at the back of the park, I think I like this campground better than the front campground because of the dirt road leading in to it. This prevents most RV's from attempting access and is a much more serene environment, although the front campground has free showers but they can be used by all visitors, so I seized the opportunity. :)
This is the Bryce View Campground and is named so because its view overlooks not just Kodachrome Basin but also Bryce Canyon, which can be seen here off in the distance with a spectacular sunset in progress. Wouldn't you know it, the day I leave Bryce the sky explodes over it. Bah!! I guess a fourth trip to Bryce is on the itinerary in the future. "If at first you don't succeed try try again" is what I was taught. :)
I found this tree just off of the dirt road that leads back to some of the more remote formations in the park. It sits perched atop a red stone formation and stands only waist high. I tried to get a POV and composition that portrayed this tree as much bigger and an alternate composition capitalizing on it's stunted nature. I ended up liking this one better.
I am considering this to be an FDR image "Full Dynamic Range." Not an HDR image. HDR is usually associated with software designed specifically for that purpose. The problem with these software solutions is that by the time you get something you like, they introduce strong haloing properties and unpleasant artifacts which give it a fake unnatural look. By blending exposures manually you control what aspects of each exposure will be included in your final result, leading ultimately to a "Full Dynamic Range" image. Maybe we can start differentiating the two different types of processes. Have you ever had someone ask "Is it HDR" I like being able to say "NO", then again, if they have to ask then I'm getting close to real looking FDR photos.
Thanks for taking the time to take a look at my photos, and as always, your views, comments, faves, and support are greatly appreciated!! Have a great day everybody!! :)
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Copyright 2016©Eric Gail
The word otter derives from the Old English word otor or oter. This, and cognate words in other Indo-European languages, ultimately stem from the Proto-Indo-European language root *wódr̥, which also gave rise to the English word "water".
Otters are carnivorous mammals in the subfamily Lutrinae. The 13 extant otter species are all semiaquatic, aquatic or marine, with diets based on fish and invertebrates. Lutrinae is a branch of the Mustelidae family, which also includes weasels, badgers, mink, and wolverines, among other animals.
The River Liffey (Irish: An Life) is a river in Ireland, which flows through the centre of Dublin. Its major tributaries include the River Dodder, the River Poddle and the River Camac. The river supplies much of Dublin's water and a range of recreational activities.
Ptolemy's Geography (2nd century AD) described a river, perhaps the Liffey, which he labelled Οβοκα (Oboka). Ultimately this led to the name of the River Avoca.
The Liffey was previously named An Ruirthech, meaning "fast (or strong) runner". The word Liphe (or Life) referred originally to the name of the plain through which the river ran, but eventually came to refer to the river itself. It was also known as the Anna Liffey, possibly from an anglicisation of Abhainn na Life, the Irish phrase that translates into English as "River Liffey". James Joyce embodies the river as "Anna Livia Plurabelle" in Finnegans Wake.
Daisy is a feminine given name. The flower name comes from the Old English word dægeseage, meaning "day's eye". The name Daisy is therefore ultimately derived from this source. Daisy is also a nickname for Margaret, used because Marguerite, the French version of that name, is also a French name for the oxeye daisy !!
As Thanksgiving approaches, it will be a troubled harvest this year. We can still celebrate all that is good and there is much, even though the pandemic grows and the mad king rages - may we all travel through this time of travail with kindness and faith that all will ultimately be well.
"Every tree, every growing thing as it grows, says THIS truth, you harvest what you sow."
~ Rumi
just as I frame a literal crop of the three-dimensional world. Ultimately, though, photography is as much about what is left out of the frame as it is about what the photographer chooses to keep inside the frame :-)
Daryl Oh
HBW!! Justice Matters! Indict Trump!
waterlilies, sarah p duke gardens, duke university, durham, north carolina
Captured in: North Topsail Beach, NC.
Pictured here is a view of a large (and rather threatening) cumulonimbus cloud as it loomed over North Topsail Beach, NC.
It ultimately became part of a severe thunderstorm cell, complete with heavy wind & rain, and a fair amount of cloud to ground lightning.
I managed to capture this shot before the weather turned too nasty. My intent was to snap a few shots prior to the storm, as I had no interest in being struck by lightning on the beach! :{
* * * * * * * * * *
Some notes on this image:
I decided to make some processing changes to one of my favorite shots - There's a Storm a Brewin'. I decided to scrap the original version, and start the HDR & Photoshop processing over from scratch. I wasn't sure the best way to represent the changes with regard to my photostream, but decided to create a separate post instead of just replacing the old image.
I've been trying to fine tune my processing lately.. Looking to strike a better balance between dramatic HDR features, and maintaining a somewhat more natural overall look.
The original image seemed too over processed (at least to me), and way over-sharpened. The version you see now is more in line with how I believe the image should look.
Hope you like the new version... To compare, here's a link to the original image:
* * * * * * * * * *
"There's a Storm a Brewin' (Redux)" is an HDR image constructed from 3 bracketed shots - 2 stop differential between each image.
The image was processed w/ ACR, Photomatix, and finished in Photoshop (includes the use of Topaz Labs plugins -- Adjust, Clarity, Clean, Denoise, Detail, Glow, Impression, and LensFX).
Taken in our garden last Spring.
The tulip is a perennial, bulbous plant with showy flowers in the genus Tulipa, of which around 75 wild species are currently accepted and which belongs to the family Liliaceae.
The genus's native range extends west to the Iberian Peninsula, through North Africa to Greece, the Balkans, Turkey, throughout the Levant (Syria, Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan) and Iran, North to Ukraine, southern Siberia and Mongolia, and east to the Northwest of China. The tulip's centre of diversity is in the Pamir, Hindu Kush, and Tien Shan mountains. It is a typical element of steppe and winter-rain Mediterranean vegetation. A number of species and many hybrid cultivars are grown in gardens, as potted plants, or as cut flowers.
Tulips are spring-blooming perennials that grow from bulbs. Depending on the species, tulip plants can be between 4 inches (10 cm) and 28 inches (71 cm) high. The tulip's large flowers usually bloom on scapes with leaves in a rosette at ground level and a single flowering stalk arising from amongst the leaves.Tulip stems have few leaves. Larger species tend to have multiple leaves. Plants typically have two to six leaves, some species up to 12. The tulip's leaf is strap-shaped, with a waxy coating, and the leaves are alternately arranged on the stem; these fleshy blades are often bluish green in color. Most tulips produce only one flower per stem, but a few species bear multiple flowers on their scapes (e.g. Tulipa turkestanica). The generally cup or star-shaped tulip flower has three petals and three sepals, which are often termed tepals because they are nearly identical. These six tepals are often marked on the interior surface near the bases with darker colorings. Tulip flowers come in a wide variety of colors, except pure blue (several tulips with "blue" in the name have a faint violet hue).
The flowers have six distinct, basifixed stamens with filaments shorter than the tepals. Each stigma has three distinct lobes, and the ovaries are superior, with three chambers. The tulip's seed is a capsule with a leathery covering and an ellipsoid to globe shape. Each capsule contains numerous flat, disc-shaped seeds in two rows per chamber. These light to dark brown seeds have very thin seed coats and endosperm that does not normally fill the entire seed.
Etymology
The word tulip, first mentioned in western Europe in or around 1554 and seemingly derived from the "Turkish Letters" of diplomat Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq, first appeared in English as tulipa or tulipant, entering the language by way of French: tulipe and its obsolete form tulipan or by way of Modern Latin tulīpa, from Ottoman Turkish tülbend ("muslin" or "gauze"), and may be ultimately derived from the Persian: دلبند delband ("Turban"), this name being applied because of a perceived resemblance of the shape of a tulip flower to that of a turban. This may have been due to a translation error in early times, when it was fashionable in the Ottoman Empire to wear tulips on turbans. The translator possibly confused the flower for the turban.
Tulips are called laleh (from Persian لاله, lâleh) in Persian, Turkish, Arabic, and Bulgarian. In Arabic letters, "laleh" is written with the same letters as Allah, which is why the flower became a holy symbol. It was also associated with the House of Osman, resulting in tulips being widely used in decorative motifs on tiles, mosques, fabrics, crockery, etc. in the Ottoman Empire
Cultivation
Tulip cultivars have usually several species in their direct background, but most have been derived from Tulipa suaveolens, often erroneously listed as Tulipa schrenkii. Tulipa gesneriana is in itself an early hybrid of complex origin and is probably not the same taxon as was described by Conrad Gesner in the 16th century.
Tulips are indigenous to mountainous areas with temperate climates and need a period of cool dormancy, known as vernalization. They thrive in climates with long, cool springs and dry summers. Tulip bulbs imported to warm-winter areas of are often planted in autumn to be treated as annuals.
Tulip bulbs are typically planted around late summer and fall, in well-drained soils, normally from 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20 cm) deep, depending on the type. Species tulips are normally planted deeper.
Propagation
Tulips can be propagated through bulb offsets, seeds or micropropagation. Offsets and tissue culture methods are means of asexual propagation for producing genetic clones of the parent plant, which maintains cultivar genetic integrity. Seeds are most often used to propagate species and subspecies or to create new hybrids. Many tulip species can cross-pollinate with each other, and when wild tulip populations overlap geographically with other tulip species or subspecies, they often hybridize and create mixed populations. Most commercial tulip cultivars are complex hybrids, and often sterile.
Offsets require a year or more of growth before plants are large enough to flower. Tulips grown from seeds often need five to eight years before plants are of flowering size. Commercial growers usually harvest the tulip bulbs in late summer and grade them into sizes; bulbs large enough to flower are sorted and sold, while smaller bulbs are sorted into sizes and replanted for sale in the future. The Netherlands are the world's main producer of commercial tulip plants, producing as many as 3 billion bulbs annually, the majority for export.
For further information please visit en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulip
....or in secrecy - will be brought into the light. A truth made clear either directly or indirectly in ancient scriptures across the globe.
Take the ancient Egyptian symbolic temple wall depictions of the weighing of the soul - what else is that than a visual representation of the above, and the import is clear - all that is done is known to those spiritual authorities that are so empowered.
So politicians beware, secretly doing the bidding of your shadow lurking masters on one hand whilst lying to the public on the other. And all you 'celebs' and 'philanthropist' billionaires who like to announce your 'charitable works', relax, you could have kept mum like many do - its all known, right down to the contents of your heart.
Ultimately, when the final push meets the final shove, there is no such thing as secrecy to the All Knowing Light.
That's all superstitious mumbo jumbo says modern wisdom with a cell phone glued to one hand and a mega latte to the other.......
Really?
(Rose photographed in our garden)
Another photo from my Kubota Garden of Light series. I spent some good time here looking around for compositions I liked and ultimately waiting for the blooms to all be out. The hard part was remembering to go back to compositions during the right light and bloom.
MW enjoying the shade of a big old ponciana, up above a local lake.
For the December challenge, "At Home"..
Anywhere we go, sooner or later, like a true Maremma, Woollygirl will find a high spot somewhere, and just plant herself there for a while, surveying all around her.
Wide open spaces and a good vantage point is where a live stock guardian is ultimately 'at home'.
Wishing all in the 12MonthsforDogs group, a very Happy New Year, and a Big Thank You for letting us participate, and all the kindness and friendships.
It's been a lot of fun, and we hope to continue in 2016.
Apologies, that due to health challenges, I'm still to catch up on the discussions page, to register etc.
Just read about the Dec challenge: "At Home", I hope this angle on it is ok.
sooc..
In the autumn of 79 AD, Mount Vesuvius a major stratovolcano in southern Italy, violently spewed forth a deadly cloud of super-heated tephra and gases to a height of 33 km (21 mi), ejecting molten rock, pulverized pumice and hot ash at 1.5 million tons per second, ultimately releasing 100,000 times the thermal energy of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
The remains of over 1,500 people have been found at Pompeii and Herculaneum so far, although the total death toll from the eruption remains unknown.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oPoRlBlfpA
SPECIAL THANKS to DAIKOTA WIND
for her great help in this picture !
Also the Ms. Brooklyn Dimanovic’s for sharing her cat and studio :) !
Credits : Thanks to the great Alexandria sim…
and outfits from Pucca Firecaster's Creations
discovering new possibilities becomes my greatest joy.
Jerry Uelsmann
HFF! Justice Matters! No one is above the law!
hybrid camellia, 'Shibori Egao', j c raulston arboretum, ncsu, raleigh, north carolinam
Ergebnis: Alle Bemühungen der kleinen Meise blieben letztendlich vergeblich. Trotz aller Anstrengungen ist es ihr nicht gelungen, einen Partner auf sich aufmerksam zu machen und für sich zu gewinnen.
Das Bild erweckt den Eindruck, als schaue sich mich traurig und frustriert an ...
Result: All efforts of the little tit were ultimately in vain. Despite all her efforts, she did not succeed in attracting the attention of a partner and winning her over.
The picture gives the impression of looking at me sad and frustrated ...
I haven't seen her in my garden since that day.
Thank you very much for all your visits, faves and
kind comments! Much appreciated!
Winter winning to date. My educated guess is that Spring will ultimately win the war...despite the fact that temps have been running 15-20 degrees below normal with no real end in sight.
"Our story began on a small sailboat where we lived, traveling to beautiful quaint islands to surf, fish, and save money for 9 years. We loved our life on the ocean, but we dreamed of owning a beautiful piece of land to farm and start a family. In 2009 we used our nine years worth of savings and bought our home and ranch in Hood River. It was an old horse ranch and we ultimately dreamed of turning it into a lavender farm." (from the Hope Ranch Lavender web page)
We had not previously visited this lavender farm, but we were glad we found this little, but very impressive farm. Its location yields views of both Mt. Hood and Mt. Adams. If you can't get a mountain in your lavender shot, then you aren't trying!! This is the height of the lavender experience in the Hood River Orchards. Great day trip.
I initially wanted to pay tribute to Annie Cordy who passed away yesterday, a great actress and unforgettable popular Belgian singer with crazy hats and feather boas. It just goes to show that something funny can ultimately be beautiful!
Lately I've been experimenting with the text-to-image AI Midjourney. Apart from the stupid idea of making Midjourney available in a chat forum, which gives an unspeakable interface, working with an imaging AI is frustrating enough as it is. Here, for example, I simply wanted an empty square covered in wet concrete slabs. Instead, Midjourney delivered a hall and a landscape that I didn't order. I intended to put the reflective person on the empty square and mount a beach behind it. Now I had to make a shadow instead of the reflection and could only contribute the sky (without the sea).
We photographers do not accept AI-generated images as a matter of principle. We believe they are not made by us, the way we make a photograph. We have merely commissioned an image made by an AI, just as we commission a painting from a painter. But is it different with a photograph? There, too, we have ultimately commissioned the generation of the image from a machine called a camera. Modern cameras are high-tech and already use AI-based software. I am torn whether to completely reject or partially accept AI-generated images.
This is one of several waterfalls on Buttermilk Creek as it makes its way through a deep gorge. Ultimately the creek ends at Buttermilk Falls in Ithaca, NY.
Standing still under the band of the Milky Way - the Celestial River of uncountable stars of our own Galaxy - this boat rests quietly on fine grains of sand created long ago. How long ago is exceedingly difficult to answer since the erosion of rocks and the formation of sand is an ongoing procedure.
Another interesting question is whether there are more grains of sand on all the beaches of Earth than there are stars in the whole Universe. And although one might argue that the stars probably outnumber the grains of sand, the only certain thing is that every single grain of sand and every single cell of our body, has been at some time part of a stellar interior, since all the heavy elements of the Universe have been created in the interiors of stars and have being ejected to interstellar space by exploding stars, only to be incorporated by next generation stars and ultimately into what now comprises our Solar system and our bodies. We are all made of stardust after all.
Thanks to everyone for visiting my photos, for all your faves and comments, I deeply appreciate it! Wishing you all the best! Clear skies and health to you and your families.
Technical info and some personal thoughts:
Photographing the Milky Way from that place on the beach proved problematic, since the wide angle lens at f/2.8 captured an annoyingly great amount of light pollution from the distant village, even in ten-second exposures, so I had to take many shots to find the best settings, as a balance between capturing more of the starlight and less of the light pollution. Clearly not the best place to photograph the Milky Way, but it is so relaxing to be on a beach on a clear, moonless summer night, under the canopy of stars with no people around, contemplating the mysteries of the Universe, that I could not resist it!
Date: June 28th, 2020
Location: Kassandra, Chalkidiki, Greece
Camera: CANON EOS 550D
Lens: Tokina AT-X 11-16 F2.8 Pro DX II@14mm
SKY: 10 exposures x 10 sec each, ISO 6400, f/2.8, calibrated with separate darks and stacked in Sequator for reducing the noise and light pollution
FOREGROUND: 3 exposures x 2 mins each, ISO 1600, f/5, stacked in Photoshop
Final Composite image was done in PS CC 2020.
Processing: Sequator, Adobe LR, Photoshop CC 2020.
Taken at Newhall Valley Country Park this morning, one of my favourite places for a walk with my dog who kindly waits for me while I take photos. I wait for her while she sniffs everything, so we get on fine !
This is Plants Brook (originally Ebrook, Ebrooke or East Brook, a stream in Erdington and Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, England. It's a tributary of the River Tame, whose waters ultimately flow, via the River Trent and the Humber, into the North Sea.
Thanks so much for your views, comments and faves - and just for looking -- so appreciated.
"No More Honey" | Flower Crab Spider & European Honeybee | Misumena Vatia | Apis Mellifera | Switzerland
My best photos are here: www.lacerta-bilineata.com/ticino-best-photos-of-southern-...
My latest ANIMAL VIDEO (warning, it's a bit shocking): www.youtube.com/watch?v=4T2-Xszz7FI
You find a selection of my 80 BEST PHOTOS (mostly not yet on Flickr) here: www.lacerta-bilineata.com/western-green-lizard-lacerta-bi... (the website exists in ESPAÑOL, FRANÇAIS, ITALIANO, ENGLISH, DEUTSCH)
ABOUT THIS PHOTO:
My garden may look like a peaceful green paradise to humans, but for the little creatures living in it it's a place where death may lurk behind every corner.
From time to time when I'm working in the garden or I'm just reading a book I hear a very distinct, loud buzzing that stands out as somewhat unusual among the many noises and sounds I hear during the day. By now I know what that sound is: it's the panicky, frantic buzzing of a European honeybee (Apis mellifera) that has fallen prey to a very distinguished predator: the flower crab spider (Misumena vatia).
The arachnid usually hides in flowers, patiently waiting for an unsuspecting insect; due to its ability to adapt its color to that of the flowers it hunts in it is almost invisible - and all the more deadly to its prey. This photo here is actually somewhat unusual because this crab spider didn't hunt in a flower but in the leaves of the vines that make up the roof of my veranda.
Once it had caught the bee it let itself fall into the empty space below, safely secured by two threads, to enjoy its meal undisturbed (and probably also in order not to become prey itself, namely of another predator like a lizard that might have been attracted by the victim's frantic buzzing ;-)
This scene may seem cruel to us (and I'm aware that - sadly - many people don't like spiders to begin with), but this is simply nature's way (and that bee didn't suffer long; compared to what we humans do to animals, the spider's way of killing its prey actually seems rather "humane" - even if that word sounds absurd in this context).
ABOUT THE SPECIES (from Wikipedia):
Misumena vatia is a species of crab spider with a holarctic distribution. It is called the goldenrod crab spider or flower (crab) spider, as it is commonly found hunting in goldenrot sprays and milkweed plants. They are called crab spiders because of their unique ability to walk sideways as well as forwards and backwards.
Females can grow up to 10 mm (0.39 in) while males are quite small, reaching 5 mm (0.20 in) at most. Misumena vatia may be yellow or white. This ultimately depends on the flower on which they are hunting. Younger females especially, which may hunt on a variety of flowers such as daisies and sunflowers, have a strong tendency to adapt to the color of the surrounding flower. However, the color-changing process is not instant and can require up to 25 days to complete.
They have a complex visual system, with eight eyes, that they rely on for prey capture and for their color-changing abilities. Sometimes, if Misumena vatia consume colored prey, the spider itself will take on that color.Misumena vatia feed on common insects, often consuming prey much larger than themselves. They use venom to immobilize their prey, though they are harmless to humans. They face threats due to parasites and larger insects.
For Misumena vatia, survival depends on the choice of hunting site. The spiders closely monitor multiple sites to see if others nearby are frequented by greater numbers of potential prey. Females are stationary and choose a flower to settle on while males cover great distances searching for mates. Females do not emit pheromones, rather, they leave "draglines" of silk behind them as they move, which males follow. Females live longer than males, on average. After mating, females guard their nests until the young have hatched, after which they die.
I don't want this text to get even longer, so I'll skip the info about the Eurpean honeybee (Apis Mellifera), but I encourage everyone to look it up or watch the documentary 'More Than Honey' from 2012; bees may seem a very familiar and common sight to us, but they are among the most important and fascinating creatures on the planet.
As I mentioned before, if people like these photos and are interested in other flora and fauna from my private jungle, I'll upload an insect or spider every once in a while between lizards, so let me know in the comments if you're interested in seeing more of these or if I should stick to just reptiles ;-)
As always, thank you so much for your interest and feedback, stay safe - and have a great week everyone!
Lacerta
The greatest challenges faced by waterfowl during severe winters are elevated energy demands required to maintain their internal body temperature and restricted feeding opportunities, resulting from ice and snow cover on foraging habitats. As long as they are brief, these bouts of cold weather pose little threat to waterfowl, because the birds can rapidly replenish fat reserves when warmer weather returns. However, if extremely cold temperatures persist or worsen, the birds' body mass will continue to decline, ultimately reaching a point at which fat reserves may be insufficient to sustain the birds. At this stage, waterfowl must either migrate or face starvation and eventual death.
Thanks for your visit and comments, much appreciated!
Well, and man built ever higher and higher dikes arround the island and managed to acquire a safe environent in the middle of the sea.
The ancient land from which the island was ultimately built has been locked up behind the dikes for good and is no longer recognizable as such because it has been rebuilt or serves as fertile arable land.
A very small part of the primeval landscape can be seen on the right outside the dike.
But either way the sea is waiting and always lurking to take back the land it has conquered.
With the rising sea level and help from her companion the wind, she will propably get chance if the the dikes then are no longer high enough................
From my trip to Vermont this past Saturday. Unfortunately, as I was driving north on RT-100, the weather deteriorated and ultimately turned into heavy rain for hours. Just before the weather took a turn for the worse, I was able to stop at Moss Glen Falls. It's a gorgeous location.
Yes, I know it's a funny format! I took this shot in portrait mode and as usual, I wasn't quite happy with it. Ultimately I decided to crop it and go with a format in between landscape and portrait. Thinking outside the box here.
While the Forest of Mana is frequently associated with magic of more traditional nature (e.g. elves, faeries, and various spellcasters), modernization and the accompanying technical revolutions have made a notably sweep through the woodland as well. Take the mysterious Double Agent, for example.
Read more about the Double Agent and find today's details in The Evergarden ➣ theevergarden.wordpress.com/2021/06/29/double-agent/
•─────⋅☾ ☽⋅─────•
This photo presented quite a challenge in the editing room for me due to all the light sources, but I'm ultimately quite happy with the way it turned out. I hope you enjoy it too!
I would also like to take a brief moment to express my sincere and utmost appreciation for all you lovely souls who have been tremendously supportive and kind to me on here. I'm an especially nervous writer, always doubting whether my words are worthy of your time and attention, but your positive feedback has been a shining source of encouragement and motivation, and for that, I am endlessly grateful. ♡
On a final note: I’ll probably be a lil less active on Flickr for a few days due to some First Life activities. I also realize I have gained quite a backlog with replying to your lovely comments, though I hope to catch up as much as possible before I wander off for the upcoming few days.
(...)
Courage is something earned.
It is not a gift for good deeds.
It is not a gift for conforming to demand.
It is not even a gift from saving a life.
It is something we get from the people around us.
Every day, every night.
The goods and the bads that are thrown at us are what ultimately become our courage.
That drive to spread your wings, no matter how close the sun is.
Your wings will not burn.
They are iron.
They are the weight you carry.
(...)
Cumulonimbus Wolke*
Eine massige und dichte Wolke von großer vertikaler Ausdehnung in Form eines mächtigen Berges oder hohen Turmes.
Ein Cumulonimbus entsteht aus einem Cumulus.
Die deutlich abgegrenzten, rundlichen Aufquellungen verlieren sich im oberen Teil der Wolke, die scharfen Umrisse lösen sich auf und führen zu einer faserigen, streifigen Wolkenmasse, die schliesslich in eine Ambossform (incus) münden kann.
Unterhalb der häufig finsteren Wolkenuntergrenze befinden sich oft niedrige zerfetzte Wolkenstreifen, die mit der Hauptwolke zusammengewachsen sein können.
Der Niederschlag aus dem Ambossteil fällt gelegentlich als Virga.
Cumulonimbus cloud *
A massive and dense cloud of great vertical extension in the form of a mighty mountain or high tower. A cumulonimbus arises from a cumulus.
The clearly delimited, roundish swellings are lost in the upper part of the cloud, the sharp outlines dissolve and lead to a fibrous, streaky cloud mass, which can ultimately lead to an anvil shape (incus).
Below the often dark cloud base there are often low, shredded cloud stripes that may have grown together with the main cloud.
The precipitation from the anvil section occasionally falls as Virga.
"JOY is the settled assurance that God is in control of All the details of my life. The quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to be okay and the determined choice to praise God in all things."
Kay Warren
Although parts of the skeleton of Brighton's West Pier still remain, more structural damage is happening all the time.
High winds and stormy weather cause further damage - what remains will one day ultimately fall into the sea.
I must take some more photos soon of what remains.
VIEW FROM THE HOOVER DAM
Pat Tillman was an American professional football player in the National Football League (NFL) who left his million dollar sports career and enlisted in the United States Army in May 2002 in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks. He served in Iraq and Afghanistan and ultimately died in a tragic "friendly fire" incident.
Annäherungsversuch. Aber von welcher Seite bloß?
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The snout of this creature looks really fluffy ... but is it ultimately rather scratchy, crispy, hard? Like a beard? In any case, it was buried in the snow for a long time – as I could see – and so I couldn't help but pick a few stalks and serve them :-) We didn't get much closer then.
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Die Schnute dieser Kreatur sieht ja ganz flauschig aus ... aber ist sie vielleicht letztendlich eher kratzig, knusprig, hart? So wie ein Bart? Jedenfalls wurde sie lange im Schnee vergraben – wie ich beobachten konnte – und so konnte ich es nicht lassen und habe ein paar Halme gepflückt und sie kredenzt :-) Viel näher sind wir uns dann doch nicht gekommen.
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Series »Winter's Bone«
Helena of Troy was the most beautiful woman of the known world and the indirect cause of the Trojan War. She was daughter of Zeus, either by Leda or by Nemesis, and sister of the Dioscuri.
Helen’s suitors,including Odysseus,came from all parts of Greece, and from among them she chose Menelaus, Agamemnon’s younger brother. During an absence of Menelaus, however, Helen fled to Troy with Paris, son of the Trojan king Priam, an act that ultimately led to the Trojan War. When Paris was slain,once Troy was captured again,Menelaus and Helen were reunited and returned to Sparta, where they lived happily until their deaths.
This is installment number 2 of the Billy Joel collection. It's amazing how Billy captured every day scenarios that anyone can relate to.
This song is dedicated to everyone that is being told what is best for them or that they are doing something wrong.
It's important to have strong convictions and stay true to yourself. While it's great to receive advice from others, ultimately it's up to you to make your own decisions in order to achieve true happiness. Failure to do so can lead to feelings of regret, which can be a burden to bear on your own. It's crucial to follow your dreams and pursue your passions in life, as this is the surest way to live a fulfilling and satisfying life.
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Lyrics
Got a call from an old friend we used to be real close
Said he couldn't go on the American way
Closed the shop, sold a house, bought a ticket to the west coast
Now he gives them a stand-up routine in L.A.
I don't need you to worry for me 'cause I'm alright
I don't want you to tell me it's time to come home
I don't care what you say anymore this is my life
Go ahead with your own life leave me alone
I never said you had to offer me a second chance
(I never said you had to)
I never said I was a victim of circumstance
(I never said)
I still belong (still belong)
Don't get me wrong (don't get me wrong)
You can speak your mind but not on my time
They will tell you you can't sleep alone in a strange place
Then they'll tell you you can't sleep with somebody else
Oh, but sooner or later you sleep in your own space
Either way it's okay, you wake up with yourself
I don't need you to worry for me 'cause I'm alright
I don't want you to tell me it's time to come home
I don't care what you say anymore this is my life
Go ahead with your own life leave me alone
I never said you had to offer me a second chance
(I never said you had to)
I never said I was a victim of circumstance
(Gf circumstance)
I still belong (still belong)
Don't get me wrong (don't get me wrong)
You can speak your mind but not on my time
I don't care what you say anymore this is my life
Go ahead with your own life leave me alone
During the renovation of their house, a couple from Ghent went looking for a creative and sustainable way to dress the facade. The choice of material ultimately fell on doors, inspired by the South Korean artist Choi Jeong-Hwa, who finished a building in Seoul with a thousand doors.
"Costa Allegra" on the northern berth of the Ocean Terminal in Tsim Sha Tsui. The blue-red funnel with the star belongs to "Star Pisces" on the southern berth.
"Costa Allegra" was originally built in 1969 as the container ship "Annie Johnson". After several intermediate ownership changes, Costa Crociere S.p.A. acquired the ship in August 1990. Conversion to a cruise ship was completed in November 1992.
After several years on duty with Costa, she suffered an engine room fire off the coast of Africa in February 2012, which ultimately lead to her being written off and scrapped in Aliağa, Turkey.
Shot from the China Ferry Terminal.
© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.
may yours be imbued with the seeds of wonder and hope, of life and redemption and ultimately of ..............Love
No pink today I am afraid !!
Have a wonderful day!
Life is a journey that ultimately has an end. The older I get, the more I realize this truth. On this lovely, golden fall afternoon, the Windsor Grove Cemetery was a very peaceful place to wander around thinking about that journey.
This was a surprise two-for-the-price-of-one shot which was thrilling but not expected. I was focused with the hawk on the right when the other flew into frame. The pair spent time narrowing down the area that the first hawk had zeroed in on and proceeded to search for the prey. Ultimately they came up empty handed but watching their unified effort was pretty darn interesting! I did comb the picture looking for any sign of what had garnered their interest, but came up without a clue.
"As monogamous birds, breeding pairs typically mate for life, and only change partners if one of them dies."
Thank you for your visits and inspiration!
Thoughs to you , Ennio Morricone † , Alice plays to thank you for accompanying me all my life.
2020 was complicated for everyone.
Also for photographers and musicians.
I wish you the best for 2021, it is because this one promises to be more difficult that we must have even more projects and that some ultimately succeed.
Gari
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Snowy Peaks, Vestrahorn, Hofn, Iceland
I am casting my eye back over February 2020 and an image I captured during a workshop that I ran back in Iceland.
Yesterday, I was asked by an Icelandic chap who lives in Iceland, what my favourite location in Iceland was. Vestrahorn was my reply although it's a very difficult question to ultimately answer because of the many, many amazing locations that compete for honours but Vestrahorn is such a photogenic location that delivers so much, that it has to be the winner.
Take a look at the top comment box below to see my image of the aurora over Vestrahorn. This shows you how the place looks at night with the green stuff in full force.
I cannot wait to return to Iceland. I was meant to be flying out towards the end of the month to run my tenth workshop since March 2017 but alas, it's not meant to be this year so I shall have to contend with looking forward to my autumn workshops in October. The first workshop in October is fully booked but there are limited places on my second workshop.
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Here's looking forward to a better year ahead for us all.
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This Limpkin was preparing to jump from the stump to the lake's bank at Circle B Bar Reserve (CBBR) near Lakeland, Florida. It posed just long enough . . .
It was a heavily overcast day on location and we ultimately got drenched before we could get back to our car. You can almost see the cloudy skies in this one.