Thistle is the common name of a group of flowering plants characterised by leaves with sharp prickles on the margins, mostly in the family Asteraceae. Prickles can also occur all over the plant – on the stem and on the flat parts of the leaves. These prickles are an adaptation that protects the plant from being eaten by herbivores. Typically, an involucre with a clasping shape similar to a cup or urn subtends each of a thistle's flowerheads. The comparative amount of spininess varies dramatically by species. For example, Cirsium heterophyllum has minimal spininess while Cirsium spinosissimum is the opposite. Typically, species adapted to dry environments have greater spininess. The term thistle is sometimes taken to mean precisely those plants in the tribe Cardueae (synonym: Cynareae), especially the genera Carduus, Cirsium, and Onopordum. However, plants outside this tribe are sometimes called thistles, and when this is done, "thistles" would form a polyphyletic group. A thistle is the floral emblem of Scotland and Lorraine, as well as the emblem of the Encyclopædia Britannica. Biennial thistles are particularly noteworthy for their high wildlife value, producing such things as copious floral resources for pollinators, nourishing seeds for birds like the goldfinch, foliage for butterfly larvae, and down for the lining of birds' nests. 12710

Credits

sim: Whimberly

uber: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Whimberly/181/212/26

 

Tune: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2U0Ivkn2Ds

 

Les Films du Poisson

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Films_du_Poisson

In Cooperation with:

MGM Studios

www.mgm.com/

 

Is Proud To Present

A Twain Orfan Film:

 

Say Something !

 

The Critics Have Spoken:

 

'I haven't had much time to see Twain's movies lately, .. but this one really got to me. I was with a friend of mine, trying to eat pop corn, ya know ? ..and, .. I could barely chew it .. tears were just streaming down my face. It was really an emotional experience for me... One of his best films to date I'd have to say. [Gwyneth Evergarden / New York Times / Flickr Artist ]

 

'So, Lobo and me went to see this movie and we were like, ya know, the acting of the main star, Mollie. She was like .. 'Wow'. I guess Twain's directing skills have improved quite a bit. He'll never be a musician like my Lobo is. And this windlight he uses has got to go ! But, .. yeh. Great movie ! I kept pulling Lobo's arm around me for comfort. It was sad .. and touching. Bravo Twain ! [Carisa Franizzi / Baby Girl Times / Flickr Artist ]

 

'I don't really know Twain at all. So I thought I'd check out one of his movies and, ..well, .. the

cinematography was awesome ! It just hit me in my gut ! The lead actor, Mollie, she projected such emotion ... I felt her isolation. I just wanted to get up from my theater seat and give her a hug, ya know? It was a solid movie. [Betta B. / Chicago Times / Flickr Artist ]

 

'I finally had the time to see this movie of Twain's. It is definitely moody, sad, and pulls at your heart strings. It hits all the right notes. The Production behind the movie by both Claire Danes

www.imdb.com/name/nm0000132/bio/?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm and also by Reese Witherspoons Production Company 'Hello Sunshine' en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hello_Sunshine_(company) insured the quality of the Production would be top notch !! Twain as the Director .. yes. He did seem to work with Mollie well. I can feel through out the film this constant searching for something 'more' .. the missing element. It is sad and touching. I admit .. I loved it.

[》Sιℛι《 Amblack 《 / Independent World Association / Flickr Artist ]

 

'I am on the same sim as Twain is ..I'm working near by on the MGM Studio lot. I am dressed in only a rather skimpy swimsuit. Twain comes up to me and asks me if I could help him out and be in this photo for him. Now .. I had heard that Twain is a bit of a caution. Actually .. insane ! Here I am in the middle of a photo shoot ..almost naked. I was ready to turn him down ..then he tells me. 'You'll need to put more clothes on for this movie.' .. Well? I've never had a Director tell me I'd need more clothes ! So I thought that was a good sign. So I walk off the MGM studio lot and go with Twain to this remote area. I sit down on these pillows, all comfy. Twain tells me.. 'No! No pillows ! ' Twain throws out the pillows .. ? So I'm sitting there on the bare wood. He asks me to tell him a sad story .. and I start to tell him about when I was much younger, and how I had this puppy .. how it suddenly took ill, .. and .. and .. [waves her hands in front of her face ],... sorry, .. I , ... I just can't ... go there ... Anyways, .. I just felt so sad and isolated. Alone. Twain really knew how to draw out my emotions. The funny thing is most Directors are really very talky .. talk a lot. Twain was really very quiet. It must have taken about an hour to do this one scene alone. But he seemed rather 'normal' ? I'd work with him again. The pay wasn't that great. But he seemed a good Director and he gave me a coupon that has a $35.00 Linden value at any Perkins Restaurant. He let me watch the dailies of the filming as it proceeded which no other Director had ever let me do before. Seemed like a decent fellow. So .. yeh .. I'd work with him again. What else can I say?

He dresses in a formal suit on set everyday .. that's a bit much. Other than that no complaints.

[Mollie Pop / Lead Actress / Flickr Artist ]

 

Fjallabak Nature Reserve. - Ljótipollur Lake 20210717

 

Although it is nothing else, this beautiful maar or volcanic crater bears the name ugly as a name. Ljótipollur translated means ugly puddle or ugly pond. But most craters that have lakes inside them are exceptionally scenic and photogenic. Ljótipollur is no exception with its light, vegetated slopes, and visible lava layers on the rim. The maars are usually quite deep because the water originates in the groundwater below and they have no streams entering or leaving the lake, only underground. Most often craters with small lakes have this beautiful turquoise blue color that gives the crater an added value for photographers.

 

Source: Hit Iceland.

"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." (John 3:16).

 

Probably the most quoted verse in all the Bible, but how many will heed His call? How many will turn from their sin, and trust Jesus Christ to save them? This is the most important decision you could ever make. Won't you do it today? If you should have any questions, please feel free to text me on my Flickrmail today. I would be more than happy to help you.

 

"Go sound the horn; strike up the choir; a sinner is saved--saved from the fire; no more in darkness--He's received my Son; all Heaven's rejoicing!; that's the value of one!"

  

Rose Garden

Point Defiance Park

Tacoma, Washington

071020

  

© Copyright 2025 MEA Images, Merle E. Arbeen, All Rights Reserved. If you would like a copy of this, please feel free to contact me through my FlickrMail, Facebook, or Yahoo email account. Thank you.

 

***************

This photograph has achieved the following highest awards:

 

DSLR Autofocus, Hall of Fame (10)

DSLR Autofocus, MASTER of Photography (15)

DSLR Autofocus, GRANDMASTER of Photography (7)

  

~ Bonum Lux Bulwer ~

 

🎵 Frosty ᛁᛞᚨ - Sagan Endar 🎵

 

Please know, dear Bo, that you are valued and cherished as you should be.

The former church of the "Pecos Mission of Our Lady of the Angels of Portiuncula'', above, was built in 1717 on the site of an earlier one that was razed during the Pueblo Revolt of 1680.

 

The mission had been founded in 1619 by the Franciscan Brother Pedro Zambrano Ortiz (Portiuncula being the piece of land near Assisi where St. Francis established his order). After its re-establishment, it continued to serve until Comanche raids forced the local Pecos population to abandon the area in 1838.

 

The value of the archeological remains of both the mission and the adjacent pueblo (village) eventually led to their recognition and protection by the American National Parks Service.

For my friend matiz ° o.

See her art here: www.flickr.com/photos/m2matiz/

 

As always, a big thanks to my loyal visitors especially now when I'm extremely busy and hardly on Flickr at all. Someday I'll be back........

The first increases the second.

Streets of Philadelphia.

Texture SkeletalMess

Pure event

Articulate value

Infinitive mode

 

Worth preserving for its historic value.

Blogged at - Value.

Local resident mallard ducks

"Large figure in a shelter" (Henry Moore, 1986), Parque de los pueblos de Europa, Guernica, Vizcaya, País Vasco, España.

 

La escultura Large figure in a shelter, fue creada entre los años 1985 y 1986, pocos meses antes de la muerte de Henry Moore, considerado el escultor británico más importante del siglo XX. El valor de la obra se ha visto incrementado por su tamaño, casi tres veces mayor que las esculturas consideradas como referencias más significativas de Moore, y porque sólo existen sólo dos ejemplares, cuando la edición media de las esculturas del artista británico es de siete a nueve piezas. La obra adquirida por los gobiernos central y vasco fue realizada en bronce, tiene una altura superior a los siete metros y pesa unos 20.000 kilogramos.

 

La monumental escultura se ubicará en una loma cercana a la Casa de Juntas de Gernika, a unos 30 kilómetros de Bilbao. El artista vasco Eduardo Chillida ha supervisado la elección del lugar elegido para situar la obra de Moore, ya que a pocos metros se levanta su conjunto escultórico Gure aitaren etxean, inaugurado en 1987.

 

The Large figure in a shelter sculpture was created between 1985 and 1986, a few months before the death of Henry Moore, considered the most important British sculptor of the 20th century. The value of the work has been increased by its size, almost three times larger than the sculptures considered to be the most significant references to Moore, and because there are only two copies in existence, when the average edition of the British artist's sculptures is from seven to nine pieces. The work acquired by the central and Basque governments was made of bronze, is over seven meters tall and weighs about 20,000 kilograms.

 

The monumental sculpture will be located on a hill near the Gernika Assembly House, about 30 kilometers from Bilbao. The Basque artist Eduardo Chillida has supervised the choice of the place chosen to locate Moore's work, since his Gure aitaren etxean sculpture ensemble, inaugurated in 1987, stands a few meters away.

Small church on the mountain Sveti Jure :)

 

Mountain Sveti Jure (St. George mountain) is the highest peak in the Biokovo range (1762 m) and the second highest mountain in Croatia, located about 25 km from Makarska. There is a road to the top, through national park Biokovo, the highest road in Croatia. From the top is a wonderful view of the Makarska coast and the surrounding islands. On clear days you can even see Monte Gargano in Italy, located 210 km away. At the very top there is a radio and television transmitter built in 1965 by the Zagreb Television, which is 90 meters high, and the top of the transmitter is the highest point in Croatia at 1,850 meters. On the mountain Sveti Jure, there is also a church of the same name, built in 1968, near the old church that was pulled down due to the construction of the transmitter. Once a year, on the last Saturday of July, a mass is celebrated there.

 

Biokovo is the second-highest mountain range in Croatia, located along the Dalmatian coast of the Adriatic Sea, between the rivers of Cetina and Neretva and it's 36 km long and 9.5 km wide. Biokovo was established in the Cretaceous period (65 million years ago), during the collision of the African tectonic plate with the European one. Its highest peak is Sveti Jure (Saint George), at 1762 m.a.s.l., the second highest peak in Croatia. It shows a typical karst landscape. From the sea side, Biokovo is characterized by very steep and bare limestone walls, beneath which lies a narrow coastal strip. In 1981, the area of 19,550 ha was protected as the Biokovo Nature Park thanks to the unique values of geomorphological forms, plant and animal species and natural beauty.

 

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

Kościółek na górze Sveti Jure :)

 

Sveti Jure (góra Świętego Jerzego) – szczyt o wysokości 1762 m n.p.m., w paśmie Biokovo w Górach Dynarskich. Najwyższy punkt Biokova i druga co do wysokości góra Chorwacji. Można do niego dotrzeć szlakami turystycznymi lub drogą Biokovo, najwyżej położoną drogą w Chorwacji. Ze szczytu rozciąga się wspaniały widok na wybrzeże Makarskiej oraz okoliczne wyspy. W pogodne dni można zobaczyć nawet Monte Gargano we Włoszech, oddalone o 210 km. Na samym szczycie znajduje się nadajnik radiowo-telewizyjny zbudowany w 1965 roku przez ówczesną Telewizję Zagrzeb, który ma 90 metrów wysokości, a szczyt nadajnika jest najwyższym punktem w Chorwacji o wysokości 1850 metrów. Na górze Św. Jerzego znajduje się też kościół o tej samej nazwie, wybudowany w 1968 roku, niedaleko starego kościoła, który został zburzony z powodu budowy nadajnika. Raz w roku, w ostatnią sobotę lipca, odbywa się w nim msza św.

 

Biokovo – masyw górski, położony w środkowej części wybrzeża dalmatyńskiego, o długości 36 km i szerokości 9,5 km. Największy i najwyższy masyw w Dalmacji. Biokovo powstało w kredzie (65 milionów lat temu), podczas zderzenia afrykańskiej płyty tektonicznej z europejską. Jako część Masywu Dynarskiego tworzą go przeważnie eoceńskie pokłady i mezozoiczne skały osadowe. Od strony morza Biokovo charakteryzuje się bardzo stromymi i nagimi wapiennymi ścianami, pod którymi leży wąski pas nadmorski. Najwyższym szczytem jest góra Świętego Jerzego (Sveti Jure – 1762 m n.p.m.), drugi co do wysokości szczyt Chorwacji. W 1981 roku obszar 19 550 ha został objęty ochroną jako Park Przyrodniczy Biokovo, dzięki wyjątkowym wartościom form geomorfologicznych, gatunków roślinnych i zwierzęcych oraz urodzie naturalnej.

  

"The secret of a good life is to have the right loyalties and hold them in the right scale of values."

-Norman Thomas-

 

__________________________

 

[TURN]

Anson Seabra - Trying My Best

 

youtu.be/S1i7Ws3rhEo

_______________________

 

I know you think I got it all figured out

내가 당신의 모든 걸 이해할 수 있을 거라 생각했다는 것을 알아요

 

'Cause I walk around like my head's in the clouds

나는 공상에 빠진 듯 걸어가니까

 

But I'm just a boy with his heart pouring out of his head

하지만 저는 그저 머릿속 생각들을 풀어놓는 소년인 걸요

 

I wish that you could see the pain that I've seen

내가 겪은 이 고통을 알아줬으면 해요

 

And all of the times I spent being not me

내가 아닌 모습으로 살았던 모든 시간들을

 

I hope you know that it's not always happy in my head

나의 머릿속에서 난 항상 행복하지 않다는 것을 알아줬으면 해요

 

'Cause I don't know

모르겠으니까

 

The perfect road to go down

완벽한 길이 어딘지 모르겠으니까

 

​

 

But I know

하지만 난 알아요

 

​

I'm trying my best

난 최선을 다했다는 걸

 

​

I'm trying my best to be okay

쓰러지지 않기 위해 최선을 다했다는 걸

  

I'm trying my best but every day it's so hard

난 최선을 다하고 있어요, 하지만 하루하루가 너무 힘드네요

 

​

And I'm holding my breath

난 숨을 죽일 거예요

 

​

I'm holding my breath 'til I can say

내가 말할 수 있을 때까지 숨을 죽일 거예요

 

​

 

All of the words I wanna say from my heart

내가 진심으로 하고 싶은 모든 말들

 

​

 

If you really wanted I could ley you inside

당신이 진심으로 원한다면 난 당신을 받아들일 거예요

  

It's been so long and I've got nothing left to hide

한참이 지났고 난 이제 숨길 것이 없어요

 

​

 

Would you believe me if I told you that I've got flaws

내게 결점이 있다면 믿어줄래요?

 

​

 

Now it's time to let the curtains unfold

이제 커튼을 걷어 젖히고

 

And tell all the stories that I didn't want told

내가 하기 싫었던 말들을 해야 할 때가 됐군요

  

I let it out so I unburden my soul I won't stop

난 내 속마음을 털어놓을 거예요, 멈추지 않을 거예요

 

​

 

'Cause I don't know

모르겠으니까

  

The perfect road to go down

완벽한 길이 어딘지 모르겠으니까

 

​

 

But I know

하지만 난 알아요

 

​

 

I'm trying my best

난 최선을 다했다는 걸

 

​

 

I'm trying my best to be okay

쓰러지지 않기 위해 최선을 다했다는 걸

 

​

 

I'm trying my best but every day it's so hard

난 최선을 다하고 있어요, 하지만 하루하루가 너무 힘드네요

 

​

And I'm holding my breath

난 숨을 죽이고 있어요

 

​

I'm holding my breath 'til I can say

내가 말할 수 있을 때까지 숨을 죽일 거예요

 

​

 

All of the words I wanna say from my heart

내가 진심으로 하고 싶은 모든 말들

 

​

 

I'm trying my best

난 최선을 다하고 있어요

 

​

 

I'm trying my best to be okay

쓰러지지 않기 위해 최선을 다하고 있어요

 

​

 

I'm trying my best but every day it's so hard

난 최선을 다하고 있지만 하루하루가 너무 힘드네요

 

​

 

And I'm holding my breath

난 숨을 죽이고 있어요

 

​

I'm holding my breath 'til I can say

내가 말할 수 있을 때까지 숨을 죽일 거예요

 

​

All of the words I wanna say from my heart

내가 진심으로 하고 싶은 모든 말들

.

.

.

.

.

.

 

Ria del Nervión, margen izquierda, Bilbao, Vizcaya, País Vasco, España.

 

La ría de Bilbao (también conocida como ría del Nervión o del Ibaizábal) es la desembocadura que forma el sistema de los ríos Nervión e Ibaizábal, así como sus últimos afluentes, en su llegada al mar Cantábrico, en el golfo de Vizcaya. Atraviesa Bilbao, divididiendo la ciudad en dos: a la derecha, Deusto, Uribarri, Begoña y Otxarkoaga-Txurdinaga, y a la izquierda, Basurto-Zorroza, Rekalde, Abando y Ibaiondo.

 

Pasando la jurisdicción de Bilbao, se prolonga 23 kilómetros hasta su desembocadura en el mar, entre los municipios de Santurce, Guecho y Ciérvana.

 

Antaño las márgenes izquierda y derecha del curso inferior de la ría, a las afueras de Bilbao, eran opuestas en cuanto a sus características sociales: la derecha era residencial y la izquierda, industrial y obrera. En Bilbao, la diferencia reside en que mientras la margen derecha conserva su valor histórico, la izquierda, completamente renovada, se ha convertido en el centro económico de la ciudad, con su epicentro en la Gran Vía de Don Diego López de Haro y la Plaza Moyúa. Ambas orillas han experimentado un desarrollo urbano impresionante, con interesantes lugares destinados al disfrute de locales y visitantes.

 

Margen derecha:

En el término de Bilbao se pueden observar la torre de la Catedral de Santiago y la iglesia de San Antón se erige a metros de las aguas. Más adelante se encuentra el Mercado de la Ribera, el Teatro Arriaga, el Ayuntamiento y el paseo del Campo de Volantín. El edificio de la Universidad de Deusto se levanta sobre la Avenida de las Universidades.

 

Más abajo aparecen los municipios de Erandio y Lejona, que a lo largo de los siglos XIX y XX fueron perdiendo parte de su suelo rural para alojar industrias y viviendas de obreros.

 

En Guecho, el barrio de Romo tuvo un similar carácter obrero, mientras que en los de Neguri y Las Arenas se pueden apreciar algunas fastuosas mansiones de la burguesía vasca.

 

Margen izquierda:

En la orilla izquierda, dentro del término de Bilbao se encuentran Abando, Indauchu y Zorroza.

 

La estación de Santander, los paseos de Uribitarte y Abandoibarra son recorridos por su ecológico tranvía eléctrico y llegan al inconfundible Museo Guggenheim Bilbao, símbolo de la nueva era que atraviesa la ciudad. Más adelante, el complejo centro comercial Zubiarte ofrece compras, gastronomía y salas de cine. El Palacio Euskalduna después, y más tarde lujosos hoteles como el hotel Meliá de Bilbao y parques. Por último, el Itsasmuseum Bilbao ofrece exposiciones referentes al pasado ligado al mar de la villa.

 

Más al norte se encuentran los municipios de Baracaldo, Sestao y Portugalete y, en la desembocadura, Santurce y Ciérvana.

 

The Bilbao estuary (also known as the Nervión or Ibaizábal estuary) is the mouth that forms the system of the Nervión and Ibaizábal rivers, as well as their last tributaries, as they reach the Cantabrian Sea, in the Bay of Biscay. It crosses Bilbao, dividing the city in two: on the right, Deusto, Uribarri, Begoña and Otxarkoaga-Txurdinaga, and on the left, Basurto-Zorroza, Rekalde, Abando and Ibaiondo.

 

Passing the jurisdiction of Bilbao, it extends 23 kilometers to its mouth in the sea, between the municipalities of Santurce, Guecho and Ciérvana.

 

In the past, the left and right banks of the lower course of the estuary, on the outskirts of Bilbao, were opposite in terms of their social characteristics: the right was residential and the left, industrial and working class. In Bilbao, the difference is that while the right bank preserves its historical value, the left, completely renovated, has become the economic center of the city, with its epicenter in the Gran Vía de Don Diego López de Haro and the Plaza Moyua. Both shores have experienced an impressive urban development, with interesting places for the enjoyment of locals and visitors.

 

Right margin:

In the municipality of Bilbao you can see the tower of the Cathedral of Santiago and the church of San Antón stands meters from the water. Further on is the Mercado de la Ribera, the Arriaga Theater, the Town Hall and the Campo de Volantín promenade. The University of Deusto building stands on Avenida de las Universidades.

 

Below are the municipalities of Erandio and Lejona, which throughout the 19th and 20th centuries lost part of their rural land to accommodate industries and workers' houses.

 

In Guecho, the Romo neighborhood had a similar working-class character, while in Neguri and Las Arenas you can see some lavish mansions of the Basque bourgeoisie.

 

Left margin:

On the left bank, within the municipality of Bilbao, are Abando, Indauchu and Zorroza.

 

The Santander station, the Uribitarte and Abandoibarra promenades are traveled by its ecological electric tram and arrive at the unmistakable Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, symbol of the new era that is going through the city. Further on, the complex Zubiarte shopping center offers shopping, gastronomy and movie theaters. The Euskalduna Palace later, and later luxurious hotels such as the Meliá hotel in Bilbao and parks. Finally, the Itsasmuseum Bilbao offers exhibitions referring to the past linked to the sea in the town.

 

Further north are the municipalities of Baracaldo, Sestao and Portugalete and, at the mouth, Santurce and Ciérvana.

Wandiligong is a town in north-eastern Victoria in the alpine region around 330 kilometres from Melbourne. Established in the 1850s as part of the Victorian Gold Rush, Wandiligong became a hub for many gold miners, including a large Chinese community. At its peak, the town was home to over two thousand inhabitants and boasted shops, churches, a public library, halls and even an hotel. Much has changed since those heady days of the gold rush, and the picturesque town nestled in a valley and built around the Morses Creek, is now a sleepy little town full of picturesque houses which are often let to visitors to the area. The whole town is registered with the National Trust of Australia for its historic landscape and buildings of historic value.

A shot taken almost 46 years ago to the day uploaded for historical value. And, if you're lucky enough to have the space to model Trent Station back in the 1950s / early 1960s with plentiful 9Fs, 8Fs, Duck 6s, Jubes, D1-10 Peaks, Sulzer Type 2, etc etc, then this image just might be helpful.

 

In the distant past known as Long Eaton Junction Signal Box, this structure controlled the line to Trent Junction from Attenborough / Nottingham, as well as the by now lifted line to Erewash Junction and Long Eaton station, the track bed of which is still visible curving right under the flyover-line bridge a couple of hundred yards away.

 

Long Eaton station closed in January 1967 (at which time the name was transferred to the then Sawley Junction station), and presumably the curve from just here to Erewash Junction was lifted shortly afterwards.

 

Along with so many other signal boxes in the area, its final ignominy came in 1969 with the commissioning of Trent Power Box. However, unlike many of the other redundant boxes which saw swift demolition, this one soldiered on as the Meadow Lane Crossing Shunting Frame for several more years, its role simply to open and close the crossing gates over Meadow Lane.

 

Advances in camera technology finally made it redundant when control of the crossing was passed to Trent Power Box, and the structure was demolished.

 

Trent Power Box itself was closed in 2013, after 44 years of service, and control passed to Derby Signalling Centre.

 

For local road users, delays weren't too bad when this shot was taken but, with the much more intensive contemporary timetables, train frequency has significantly increased. So, if you live on this side of the tracks, your only way out by car is over this crossing - and hearsay suggests the barriers can be down upwards of 40 minutes in every hour. Ouch :(

 

Agfa CT18

12th March 1978

 

Staying at the British Wildlife Centre but this time a Scottish Wildcat.

We were very lucky to have a special day organised by Olympus that enabled us to go inside the enclosures to get closer to the different species. My favourite is always these cats, they might look like your ordinary tabby but you definitely don't want to try and stroke one, not if you value your fingers that is. Being inside the enclosure allowed me to get down low and blur the foreground and background with an aperture of f2.8 but that direct stare made the image for me! Hope you enjoy :o)

"The value of a life does not depend on the place we occupy;

it depends on the way we occupy that place." ~ Therese of Lisieux

 

This is Lost Lake (yes, I found it) up atop Kebler Pass.

  

Thank you for viewing,

Bev

 

Kebler Pass

Colorado

USA

    

© All Rights Reserved

 

Moon and Back Photography & Graphics

  

Moon and Back Photography

                  

A person, who values ​​the beauty of nature and ambient in the world, for richer and happier than those, who did not notices this.

 

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There's something inherently sad about household objects left out for the trash man. They are like castoffs; broken or no longer cherished, and left ignominiously out on the curb. This easy chair caught my eye the other day. Part of the forlorn quality of scenes like this is the object being ripped from its normal context. I wouldn't give the chair a second look in someone's living room. But it seemed horribly out of place on the edge of the state highway that bisects the village. That, and the sedentary nature of a recliner juxtaposed against passing traffic. Wonderful visual metaphors for the life cycle of things we purchase and the passage of time (and with it life). In the eerie stillness after the truck passed I contemplated the chair and the many other personal objects scattered about the lawn behind me. There's a village-wide trash haul this weekend, and little collections such as this are springing up all around. I have to admit a weird impulse to inspect them, and yearn to pull over when driving by. I can't help but think I will find something of value (I almost never do) but also that idle curiosity about seeing the remnants of someone else's life (remember I did preface this as weird). I'll be placing some of my own items out on the curb soon. I tend to wait until the night before, perhaps to avoid having others inspect them as I did this chair. Even when it's sheer junk, I feel an odd sentimental tug about letting go of things. And that spell lasts as long as the objects remain on my tree lawn before the pickup. Much like this chair, they are in the condemned phase, but still retrievable. I can simply go back out and reclaim them. That sentiment vanishes the moment the objects are tossed onto the truck. Maybe that's why I wait until the last minute to put them out. I just can't stand that in between time.

Minolta X700 Minolta MD 28mm 1:2.8 Tri-X EcoPro 1:1 01/19/2022

Orschwiller (Bas-Rhin)

France (Alpes Maritimes)

youtu.be/P-hme85NMcc?feature=shared

© Leanne Boulton, All Rights Reserved

 

Street photography from Glasgow, Scotland.

 

Colour re-edit of a shot from July 2017. Enjoy.

Restoring intended value through an application of intended use.

 

Paper and masking tape.

Dimensions variable.

English ten pound note.

 

If you are familiar with this banknote then this image may strike you as being a little odd. You’ll know the iridescent holograms on the left, but you may not have seen the large yellow figures ‘10’ formed in the pattern at the top.

 

That’s because this image was taken in UV light. There are patches of fluorescent ink printed on the note that just look like white paper in ordinary light. The five-pound note has a 5 in the same place. I couldn’t afford a £20 note to check it out for consistency (or should that be cheque?) ;)

 

The British pound sterling is the oldest currency in the world that has been in constant circulation. It was adopted around 800AD being modelled on the currency of the French kingdom of Charles the Great (Charlemagne) which was established a few years before. Italian, Spanish and Portuguese currency had the same roots.

 

The French livre (pound) had 20 sous each of 12 deniers, like the 20 shillings and 12 pennies of sterling. Interestingly although the small denomination was called a penny its symbol was the ‘d’, just like the French denier, the Spanish Dinero and the Portuguese Dinheiro. All the names derive from the Roman denarius coin.

 

Sterling was decimalised in 1971 which caused all the prices to go up and the parking meters to stop working :) The pound now has 100 new pennies (p or pence).

 

Originally one French livre was worth a pound weight of silver (equivalent to 14.6 Troy ounces), but by 850 the pound sterling was only worth eleven and a quarter Troy ounces of silver. Looking at tonight’s spot price for silver my note should be redeemable for £1868.62 of the shiny metal… times change.

 

This image measures under 3 inches across as per the rules.

 

One thing that photographers should be aware of is that it is illegal to reproduce a digital picture of more than 50% of one side of the note without an overstamp, and the Queen’s head must not be distorted. There are the normal copyright issues as well and these can be rigorously prosecuted. See the Bank of England website for more details.

 

Thank you for taking the time to look. I hope you enjoy the image. Happy Macro Mondays :)

On the 15th December 2010, they killed-off the Harrier to save less than £1bn. This year the UK government has already spend more than £300bn fighting COVID-19. That’s more money per day on COVID-19 than the entire savings from retiring the Harrier force.

Barton Hill depot in Bristol will be the temporary home for 20901 and 20905 for the next 5 weeks whilst they undergo a repaint into Balfour Beatty livery.

The depot opened in 1840 as a locomotive depot until 1870 when it became a carriage and wagon servicing facility.

I remember it being the home of the Blue Pullman in the early 70s. It was used by RES for a little bit in the mid 90s and went into Arriva ownership in 2011.

Its great to see some locomotives from the 1960s in a depot building dating back to the 1840s.

 

Being stuck at home has its advantages for me. I can concentrate on doing more artistic editing on my photos, which I really love.

 

It's also a time when a lot of people are looking at how life is at the moment, and reflecting on the past, when life was decidedly free by comparison to the restrictions of today that have been imposed upon most of the world.

 

Doing self portraits is almost a rare thing for me nowadays compared to the past. I seldom have been able to have other people pose for me, and when they do, they are often restrained and nervous, and getting a truly expressive shot can be a challenge for portrait work. At least I know what I want, and pose accordingly.

 

Since portraiture is my first love, I had overwhelmed Flickr with selfies in the past. Now, I usually only post so that a few people here and there can see me. Some contacts who aren't really into this kind of photo, have even dropped me as a contact, which rather hurt, since I don't post these because I'm self-absorbed, but because I like the kind of work I'm doing. I have even asked my contacts in the past to send me photos to work on if they wanted something done, but only a couple have. Lately, I've been feeling stunted, because I can't do the kind of photography I love, so I've taken to colorizing old movie stills, which I also enjoy doing, but those don't seem to be anything my contacts really like much, either.

 

I've come to the conclusion that I don't care. I've commented on people's stuff, even when they were just learning and their work was pretty bad. I've tried to find something redeeming in even the most mundane posts, and I've valued people over photos. I've expected the same back, but often didn't get it. So, guess what? I've decided to do as I please! If I post 100 selfies, or 1000 animal shots, or 500 colorized movie pics, I will enjoy it, and if no one else does, they don't have to look!

 

Life's too short, you know. Now, maybe more than ever. It isn't worth worrying about. I know who my friends really are. :-)

 

All that said, the real reflecting I was doing with this pic was how much I've personally changed in the last couple of years. I don't look like this anymore. My hair is short and grey, and I hate it. I have more wrinkles, and I'm thinner. Life has been a little harder, and I miss things being more the way I was used to them being, but like everyone else, I'm learning to cope with what I have to, and finding something to keep myself going.

 

Tomorrow I have a team of people coming to my home to start my kitchen tear down. I'm praying there isn't more than 10 square feet of mold behind those cabinets, so that I won't have a mold remediation, and lose what's left of my savings. Right now, I need every penny until the world gets back to normal and I get back to work, knowing that I WILL be back at work! I'm also praying that none of these people, coming from one of the hot zones of Florida, will have the Coronavirus. They will be taking precautions, but no one knows if they have it until the symptoms appear, and that could be days. I'm trusting that all will go well, and no one will be sick.

 

Life sure has gotten strange all of a sudden! Reflecting on past things can be comforting, but it can also be depressing. I guess this is the new normal. In any case, I might not be on as much for the next couple of days, as my kitchen will be torn apart and my computer is usually set up there! I'll let you know how it goes as soon as I can! Everyone stay safe and take care!