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I was able to find a small bay that was secluded enough to allow me some long exposure shots. Out in the wind the camera moved way too much. This one was taken at the Split Rock Lighthouse state park. Used the B&W 10 stop ND filter which worked perfectly. Exposure time was 69 seconds for this one. The Cokin graduated ND filter left a strong color cast and also some banding.
Finally I am able to show you THE only one and true Enterprise. I am still a big fan of the Enterprise D but Kirks one is simply a classic!
To boldly go where no one has gone before!
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You can find me as well on Instagram under my username kevin.j.walter or my pictures via #skywalter
Special thanks to Marshal Banana for helping me out with the photo-edits (again)!
Star Trek © Paramount Pictures, a Viacom company
With 26 acres of lush tropical plants and some 1,600 animals, the Gladys Porter Zoo is a zoological and botanical park nestled in the center of Brownsville, Texas. It is known for its successes in breeding endangered species of wildlife.
Of all the zoos I have visited, I found this zoo the best as far as being able to view the animals, birds and such without having to look through wire mesh and the like. (14-01-21-3442)
test shot from my new (used) canon 5d classic! i was able to snag a near mint condition one on ebay for super cheap over christmas. i’m so excited to finally be shooting full frame! :’) i’m very emotional right now, haha. the tones & colors are so true, rich and natural sooc. i can’t wait to really get out there and work with it on a legit shoot soon. i’m gonna have to wait a bit, though. i have some new batteries in the mail (the canon ones it came with are very old and aren’t holding a charge well.) but, yeah. i am over the moon with excitement.
Able Body Sales refurbished and repainted by Amrep in 2013. this was taken before CNG tanks or signboards were attached. note the barn doors, probably the only existing natural gas truck them
new (2013) Mack LEU chassis
~Quote from the Animé, Bleach :)
FilipinaFlickrites: Birthdays
I was out with Carmi and some friends earlier, thus wasn't able to take a shot for today haha. And it's been awhile since I joined FF's themes, so here goes a piece of me. LOL
This was shot by Carmi during my birthday week and HPPT's balloon theme. I just processed the clouds with it hiiihi. Similar shots here and here. =)
Happy Wednesday everyone!
EXPLORED~ THANKS EVERYONE!!! =)
www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/s/southstackcliffs/seasona...
About South Stack Cliffs
Enjoy a close-up view onto a wonderful cliff-side nesting colony, with binoculars and telescopes provided. You'll be able to watch guillemots, razorbills and puffins all raising their young, while live television pictures give you an even closer view of the nests! Rare choughs can also be seen on the reserve.
In spring and summer, the heathland becomes a riot of colour. Look closely and you may see a basking adder, while out to sea there may be porpoises and dolphins.
Opening times
The RSPB reserve is open year round; Ellins Tower, the RSPB visitor centre, is open from Easter to September.
Entrance charges
Free, but donations to help us continue our work here are welcome.
If you are new to birdwatching...
This reserve is good for birdwatching in the summer only.
Information for families
Some interactive materials in Ellins Tower Information Centre.
Information for dog owners
Some access for dogs. Please contact the reserve office for more information
Star species
Our star species are some of the most interesting birds you may see on your visit to the reserve.
Chough
The chough is the rarest member of the crow family in the UK. They can be found feeding in fields around South Stack, probing for invertebrates with their curved, red bill.
Guillemot
Guillemots look ungainly when they shuffle around on their nesting ledges on the cliffs, but underwater their streamlined shape comes into its own and they become agile and manoeuvrable.
Peregrine
Keep an eye out for a commotion among birds on the cliffs - a peregrine may be making a fly past. They are a regular sight overhead when a pair is nesting in the area.
Puffin
Enjoy the comical antics of puffins in spring and early summer from the viewing points on the cliffs. Watch the adults returning from fishing forays at sea with sandeels hanging from their colourful beaks.
Razorbill
Very similar to guillemots, razorbills spend most of their lives at sea in the Atlantic, only coming to land to breed between March and July.
Seasonal highlights
Each season brings a different experience at our nature reserves. In spring, the air is filled with birdsong as they compete to establish territories and attract a mate. In summer, look out for young birds making their first venture into the outside world. Autumn brings large movements of migrating birds - some heading south to a warmer climate, others seeking refuge in the UK from the cold Arctic winter. In winter, look out for large flocks of birds gathering to feed, or flying at dusk to form large roosts to keep warm.
Spring
Marvel at the wildflowers including kidney vetch, thrift and scurvey grass amid the cliff top grassland and heathland. Particularly eyecatching is the spring squill, which carpets areas of heathland that have recently been burnt. Look out for stonechats and linnets perched on top of bushes and listen out for the first skylarks. As spring takes hold, watch out for choughs and ravens collecting material to build their nests and don't miss the breeding seabirds crammed onto the narrow ledges on the cliffs in front of Ellins Tower.
Summer
Ellins tower provides excellent views of the seabird city with guillemots, razorbills, puffins, fulmars and gulls. Try to spot razorbill and guillemot chicks on the narrow cliff ledges, but don't leave it too late as these seabirds will be leave for the open ocean in July. Listen for the distinctive calls of choughs. They will be active gathering food for their ever growing young. Look out for the endemic spatulate fleawort amongst the cliff top grassland where you might be lucky and see an adder basking in the sun. Search out the rare silver-studded blue butterflies amid the shorter heathland.
Autumn
The heathland will be ablaze with colour as the mauves and purples of the heather flowers mingle with yellow gorse flowers. Look out for family groups of choughs. You will probably hear them first as the newly-fledged youngsters beg noisily for food from their parents. In the tidal races just offshore, look out for feeding gannets, passing shearwaters, porpoises and dolphins.
Winter
Look out for flocks of feeding choughs. These comprise of the newly-independent first year birds along with sub-adult birds from the last couple of years. A good place to search them out is the RSPB managed farmland (from the permissive path). This land is managed to provide foraging opportunities for chough throughout the year. Listen and look out for ravens as they begin to display, a sure sign that spring is round the corner.
Facilities
Facilities
•Information centre
•Car park : RSPB car park located at SH211818, complete with three marked disabled car parking bays and cycle racks.
•Binocular hire
•Group bookings accepted
•Guided walks available
•Remote location
•Good for walking
•Pushchair friendly
Viewing points
Spectacular views of the breeding seabird colonies from Ellins Tower visitor centre (open Easter to September) with binoculars and telescopes provided.
Nature trails
The South Stack reserve is very popular with visitors for many reasons. Visitor activity is concentrated around Ellins Tower (the RSPB information centre), where the paths are maintained to a higher standard than elsewhere on the reserve. The heathland areas and their network of paths are open to the public (on foot) at all times. These paths cross a mix of coastal and heathland terrain and some pass close to cliff edges. There are no specific RSPB trails, but the route of the Ynys Gybi circular walk and the Isle of Anglesey Coastal footpath are waymarked along with the routes of the public footpaths. The nature of the terrain makes many of the paths steep and rocky, making access difficult for anyone with impaired mobility. However, a well-surfaced, high-quality 2 m wide track with benches runs from the RSPB car park (complete with three disabled parking bays) into the heathland and onto a viewpoint in front of Ellins Tower. Access to Ellins Tower is via a steep flight of stairs. The permissive path through the farmland connects the two areas of heathland. This path is open to the public (on foot) at all times (except 10 December each year). Grazing animals are present, so please take care and keep dogs under close control. Access to the Isle of Anglesey Council's 'South Stack Island and the Lighthouse' visitor attraction is via approximately 400 steps of variable rise and tread width down the cliff (not part of the RSPB reserve).
Tearoom
Fantastic News! We are delighted to announce we have just taken over the ownership of South Stack Kitchen Café. The staff and builders at South Stack have been working furiously over the last 2 weeks since being handed the keys to carry out essential work needed to open the Café with a fresh, vibrant feel and we hope to reopen by the 28 May (sooner if we can) Once open the Café will be serving a range of hot and cold drinks, light bites and snacks for your enjoyment.
Refreshments available
•Hot drinks
•Cold drinks
•Hot meals
•Cold meals
•Snacks
Accessibility
The majority of visitor activity at the RSPB South Stack nature reserve is concentrated around Ellins Tower, the RSPB information centre, and occurs during the summer months. South Stack reserve comprises a mix of coastal and heathland terrain with steep sea cliffs which support breeding seabirds.
Nature trails
The nature of the terrain makes many of the paths steep and rocky making access difficult for anyone with impaired mobility. In view of the visitor pressure, the paths in the vicinity of Ellins Tower are maintained to a higher standard than elsewhere on the reserve.
The most accessible path for people of impaired mobility runs from the RSPB car park into the heathland and onto a viewpoint in front of Ellins Tower. The track is well-surfaced and high quality (2 m wide) with benches and leads from three marked disabled car-parking bays in the RSPB car park.
Visitor centre
From Easter to September, Ellins Tower is open daily from 10 am to 5.30 pm. Access to Ellins Tower, which is a Grade 2 Listed castellated folly near to the cliff edge, is via a steep flight of stairs. Views of the dramatic seascape and some of the breeding seabird colony can be gained from the viewpoint by those who are unable to gain access to Ellins Tower.
Our work here
Our South Stack reserve on Anglesey comprises heathland, farmland and offshore stacks and caves. The RSPB is managing these habitats for the benefit of their breeding seabirds and choughs, as well as a wide variety of other fauna and flora. We are also working to provide an excellent wildlife and landscape experience for visitors.
Chough haven
The reserve is especially important for its breeding choughs, with our nine pairs representing 2% of the UK population. We are maintaining the heathland and farmland to provide suitable nesting and feeding conditions for this rare bird.
Healthy heath
The reserve’s heathland is part of the largest area of maritime heath in North Wales. Besides choughs, this important habitat supports the endemic plant spatulate fleawort, and the uncommon silver-studded blue butterfly, plus adders, common lizards and a range of other flora and fauna. Controlled burning helps us to manage this habitat for the benefit of all its wildlife.
Seabird spectacular
The sea cliffs provide nest sites for around 4,000 seabirds, including puffins, guillemots, razorbills and fulmars. Other birds to use this habitat include peregrines and ravens. We are monitoring our seabird populations and working to minimise any disturbance to the colony.
Visitor value
The scenic beauty of the reserve, together with its seabird spectacle, operational lighthouse, and many sites of geological and archaeological interest, make it very popular with visitors. Around 35,000 people visit our information centres each summer.
We are maintaining and enhancing our facilities, including our visitor centre at Ellins Tower and our network of paths. We are also providing more information to help people to get the most from their visit, while promoting the aims of the RSPB. We run seven events per year and encourage an active volunteer programme.
Community care
South Stack is a major tourist attraction on Anglesey and plays a significant part in the local economy. We will continue to advertise the site to enhance the flow of tourist income to the island and, where possible, will support local communities and business in developing the reserve.
I was able to leave work early to reach Rodeo beach just in time for some really great clouds! My friend Mike and I hiked from south Rodeo at low tide and after an hour or so shooting, getting back was quite tricky since the tide had risen considerably. I was soaked when I got back to the car, but it was SO worth it.
I am in love with my new Singh Ray 3 stop reverse grad!
Canon 5D Markll
iso 100
26mm
f/22
1/2 second
singh ray 3 stop reverse ND grad
A year and a half ago a Bugeye Sprite was left on the side of the road near my house. I was able to get a couple of photos before it vanished. Most likely it broke down the night before and the owner retrieved it later that morning.
St Andrew and St Patrick, Elveden, Suffolk
As you approach Elveden, there is Suffolk’s biggest war memorial, to those killed from the three parishes that meet at this point. It is over 30 metres high, and you used to be able to climb up the inside. Someone in the village told me that more people have been killed on the road in Elveden since the end of the War than there are names on the war memorial. I could well believe it. Until about five years ago, the busy traffic of the A11 Norwich to London road hurtled through the village past the church, slowed only to a ridiculously high 50 MPH. If something hits you at that speed, then no way on God's Earth are you going to survive. Now there's a bypass, thank goodness.
Many people will know St Andrew and St Patrick as another familiar landmark on the road, but as you are swept along in the stream of traffic you are unlikely to appreciate quite how extraordinary a building it is. For a start, it has two towers. And a cloister. And two naves, effectively. It has undergone three major building programmes in the space of thirty years, any one of which would have sufficed to transform it utterly.
If you had seen this church before the 1860s, you would have thought it nothing remarkable. A simple aisle-less, clerestory-less building, typical of, and indistinguishable from, hundreds of other East Anglian flint churches. A journey to nearby Barnham will show you what I mean.
The story of the transformation of Elveden church begins in the early 19th century, on the other side of the world. The leader of the Sikhs, Ranjit Singh, controlled a united Punjab that stretched from the Khyber Pass to the borders of Tibet. His capital was at Lahore, but more importantly it included the Sikh holy city of Amritsar. The wealth of this vast Kingdom made him a major power-player in early 19th century politics, and he was a particular thorn in the flesh of the British Imperial war machine. At this time, the Punjab had a great artistic and cultural flowering that was hardly matched anywhere in the world.
It was not to last. The British forced Ranjit Singh to the negotiating table over the disputed border with Afghanistan, and a year later, in 1839, he was dead. A power vacuum ensued, and his six year old son Duleep Singh became a pawn between rival factions. It was exactly the opportunity that the British had been waiting for, and in February 1846 they poured across the borders in their thousands. Within a month, almost half the child-Prince's Kingdom was in foreign hands. The British installed a governor, and started to harvest the fruits of their new territory's wealth.
Over the next three years, the British gradually extended their rule, putting down uprisings and turning local warlords. Given that the Sikh political structures were in disarray, this was achieved at considerable loss to the invaders - thousands of British soldiers were killed. They are hardly remembered today. British losses at the Crimea ten years later were much slighter, but perhaps the invention of photography in the meantime had given people at home a clearer picture of what was happening, and so the Crimea still remains in the British folk memory.
For much of the period of the war, Prince Duleep Singh had remained in the seclusion of his fabulous palace in Lahore. However, once the Punjab was secure, he was sent into remote internal exile.
The missionaries poured in. Bearing in mind the value that Sikh culture places upon education, perhaps it is no surprise that their influence came to bear on the young Prince, and he became a Christian. The extent to which this was forced upon him is lost to us today.
A year later, the Prince sailed for England with his mother. He was admitted to the royal court by Queen Victoria, spending time both at Windsor and, particularly, in Scotland, where he grew up. In the 1860s, the Prince and his mother were significant members of London society, but she died suddenly in 1863. He returned with her ashes to the Punjab, and there he married. His wife, Bamba Muller, was part German, part Ethiopian. As part of the British pacification of India programme, the young couple were granted the lease on a vast, derelict stately home in the depths of the Suffolk countryside. This was Elveden Hall. He would never see India again.
With some considerable energy, Duleep Singh set about transforming the fortunes of the moribund estate. Being particularly fond of hunting (as a six year old, he'd had two tutors - one for learning the court language, Persian, and the other for hunting to hawk) he developed the estate for game. The house was rebuilt in 1870.
The year before, the Prince had begun to glorify the church so that it was more in keeping with the splendour of his court. This church, dedicated to St Andrew, was what now forms the north aisle of the present church. There are many little details, but the restoration includes two major features; firstly, the remarkable roof, with its extraordinary sprung sprung wallposts set on arches suspended in the window embrasures, and, secondly, the font, which Mortlock tells us is in the Sicilian-Norman style. Supported by eight elegant columns, it is very beautiful, and the angel in particular is one of Suffolk's loveliest. You can see him in an image on the left.
Duleep Singh seems to have settled comfortably into the role of an English country gentleman. And then, something extraordinary happened. The Prince, steeped in the proud tradition of his homeland, decided to return to the Punjab to fulfill his destiny as the leader of the Sikh people. He got as far as Aden before the British arrested him, and sent him home. He then set about trying to recruit Russian support for a Sikh uprising, travelling secretly across Europe in the guise of an Irishman, Patrick Casey. In between these times of cloak and dagger espionage, he would return to Elveden to shoot grouse with the Prince of Wales, the future King Edward VII. It is a remarkable story.
Ultimately, his attempts to save his people from colonial oppression were doomed to failure. He died in Paris in 1893, the British seemingly unshakeable in their control of India. He was buried at Elveden churchyard in a simple grave.
The chancel of the 1869 church is now screened off as a chapel, accessible from the chancel of the new church, but set in it is the 1894 memorial window to Maharaja Prince Duleep Singh, the Adoration of the Magi by Kempe & Co.
And so, the Lion of the North had come to a humble end. His five children, several named after British royal princes, had left Elveden behind; they all died childless, one of them as recently as 1957. The estate reverted to the Crown, being bought by the brewing family, the Guinnesses.
Edward Cecil Guinness, first Earl Iveagh, commemorated bountifully in James Joyce's 1916 Ulysses, took the estate firmly in hand. The English agricultural depression had begun in the 1880s, and it would not be ended until the Second World War drew the greater part of English agriculture back under cultivation. It had hit the Estate hard. But Elveden was transformed, and so was the church.
Iveagh appointed William Caroe to build an entirely new church beside the old. It would be of such a scale that the old church of St Andrew would form the south aisle of the new church. The size may have reflected Iveagh's visions of grandeur, but it was also a practical arrangement, to accommodate the greatly enlarged staff of the estate. Attendance at church was compulsory; non-conformists were also expected to go, and the Guinnesses did not employ Catholics.
Between 1904 and 1906, the new structure went up. Mortlock recalls that Pevsner thought it 'Art Nouveau Gothic', which sums it up well. Lancet windows in the north side of the old church were moved across to the south side, and a wide open nave built beside it. Curiously, although this is much higher than the old and incorporates a Suffolk-style roof, Caroe resisted the temptation of a clerestory. The new church was rebenched throughout, and the woodwork is of a very high quality. The dates of the restoration can be found on bench ends up in the new chancel, and exploring all the symbolism will detain you for hours. Emblems of the nations of the British Isles also feature in the floor tiles.
The new church was dedicated to St Patrick, patron Saint of the Guinnesses' homeland. At this time, of course, Ireland was still a part of the United Kingdom, and despite the tensions and troubles of the previous century the Union was probably stronger at the opening of the 20th century than it had ever been. This was to change very rapidly. From the first shots fired at the General Post Office in April 1916, to complete independence in 1922, was just six years. Dublin, a firmly protestant city, in which the Iveaghs commemorated their dead at the Anglican cathedral of St Patrick, became the capital city of a staunchly Catholic nation. The Anglicans, the so-called Protestant Ascendancy, left in their thousands during the 1920s, depopulating the great houses, and leaving hundreds of Anglican parish churches completely bereft of congregations. Apart from a concentration in the wealthy suburbs of south Dublin, there are hardly any Anglicans left in the Republic today. But St Patrick's cathedral maintains its lonely witness to long years of British rule; the Iveagh transept includes the vast war memorial to WWI dead, and all the colours of the Irish regiments - it is said that 99% of the Union flags in the Republic are in the Guinness chapel of St Patrick's cathedral. Dublin, of course, is famous as the biggest city in Europe without a Catholic cathedral. It still has two Anglican ones.
Against this background then, we arrived at Elveden. The church is uncomfortably close to the busy road, but the sparkle of flint in the recent rain made it a thing of great beauty. The main entrance is now at the west end of the new church. The surviving 14th century tower now forms the west end of the south aisle, and we will come back to the other tower beyond it in a moment.
You step into a wide open space under a high, heavy roof laden with angels. There is a wide aisle off to the south; this is the former nave, and still has something of that quality. The whole space is suffused with gorgeously coloured light from excellent 19th and 20th century windows. These include one by Frank Brangwyn, at the west end of the new nave. Andrew and Patrick look down from a heavenly host on a mother and father entertaining their children and a host of woodland animals by reading them stories. It is quite the loveliest thing in the building.
Other windows, mostly in the south aisle, are also lovely. Hugh Easton's commemorative window for the former USAAF base at Elveden is magnificent. Either side are windows to Iveaghs - a gorgeous George killing a dragon, also by Hugh Easton, and a curious 1971 assemblage depicting images from the lives of Edward Guinness's heir and his wife, which also works rather well. The effect of all three windows together is particularly fine when seen from the new nave.
Turning ahead of you to the new chancel, there is the mighty alabaster reredos. It cost £1,200 in 1906, about a quarter of a million in today’s money. It reflects the woodwork, in depicting patron Saints and East Anglian monarchs, around a surprisingly simple Supper at Emmaus. This reredos, and the Brangwyn window, reminded me of the work at the Guinness’s other spiritual home, St Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin, which also includes a window by Frank Brangwyn commisioned by them. Everything is of the highest quality. Rarely has the cliché ‘no expense spared’ been as accurate as it is here.
Up at the front, a little brass plate reminds us that Edward VII slept through a sermon here in 1908. How different it must have seemed to him from the carefree days with his old friend the Maharajah! Still, it must have been a great occasion, full of Edwardian pomp, and the glitz that only the fabulously rich can provide. Today, the church is still splendid, but the Guinesses are no longer fabulously rich, and attendance at church is no longer compulsory for estate workers; there are far fewer of them anyway. The Church of England is in decline everywhere; and, let us be honest, particularly so in this part of Suffolk, where it seems to have retreated to a state of siege. Today, the congregation of this mighty citadel is as low as half a dozen. The revolutionary disappearance of Anglican congregations in the Iveagh's homeland is now being repeated in a slow, inexorable English way.
You wander outside, and there are more curiosities. Set in the wall are two linked hands, presumably a relic from a broken 18th century memorial. They must have been set here when the wall was moved back in the 1950s. In the south chancel wall, the bottom of an egg-cup protrudes from among the flints. This is the trademark of the architect WD Caroe. To the east of the new chancel, Duleep Singh’s gravestone is a very simple one. It is quite different in character to the church behind it. A plaque on the east end of the church remembers the centenary of his death.
Continuing around the church, you come to the surprise of a long cloister, connecting the remodelled chancel door of the old church to the new bell tower. It was built in 1922 as a memorial to the wife of the first Earl Iveagh. Caroe was the architect again, and he installed eight bells, dedicated to Mary, Gabriel, Edmund, Andrew, Patrick, Christ, God the Father, and the King. The excellent guidebook recalls that his intention was for the bells to be cast to maintain the hum and tap tones of the renowned ancient Suffolk bells of Lavenham... thus the true bell music of the old type is maintained.
This church is magnificent, obviously enough. It has everything going for it, and is a national treasure. And yet, it has hardly any congregation. So, what is to be done?
If we continue to think of rural historic churches as nothing more than outstations of the Church of England, it is hard to see how some of them will survive. This church in particular has no future in its present form as a village parish church. New roles must be found, new ways to involve local people and encourage their use. One would have thought that this would be easier here than elsewhere.
The other provoking thought was that this building summed up almost two centuries of British imperial adventure, and that we lived in a world that still suffered from the consequences. It is worth remembering where the wealth that rebuilt St Andrew and St Patrick came from.
As so often in British imperial history, interference in other peoples’ problems and the imposition of short-term solutions has left massive scars and long-cast shadows. For the Punjab, as in Ireland, there are no simple solutions. Sheer proximity has, after several centuries of cruel and exploitative involvement, finally encouraged the British government to pursue a solution in Ireland that is not entirely based on self-interest. I fear that the Punjab is too far away for the British to care very much now about what they did there then.
Update time!
Was able to work in the feedback UrbanErwin gave me into the design! The turntable is now running better and is more easyer to stop at the track you want it to.
Currently adsing the frame for the roof. That will be a major step towards the entire look and feel of the built.
I was able to attend a night shoot with the ATSF No. 5704 organized by Eric Goodman along with the folks at Class-One Model Works The numberboards, headlight and class lights were lit up for the event. Most of the people here were locals, but there were some from out of town. Though it was a very warm evening, it was definitely fun being there.
Making it's public debut on Track 27 at Kansas City's Union Station is the recently restored Bicentennial Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe Railway EMD SD45-2 No. 5704. The locomotive is on display at KCUS starting on display for six days starting on Flag Day, June 14. This also coincides with the Santa Fe Railway Historical & Modeling Society's convention being held at Overland Park, KS this same week.
Built in May of 1973 at LaGrange, IL, this was originally delievered in the standard yellow and blue "yellowbonnet" paint scheme. In January of 1976, this was one of five SD45-2's (5700-5704) that were painted at San Bernardino, CA in a special paint scheme to commemorate America's Bicentennial that same year. While wearing this scheme, these five units were found on high priority freights including the "Super C" and helped with the American Freedom Train while it ran on Santa Fe rails.
The 5704 was repainted back to the "Yellowbonnet" scheme in 1978 and rebuilt to an SD45-2u at San Bernardino in 1986, where it was renumbered to 5834. After the merger with BN in 1995, it eventually became BNSF No. 6484 in 2000, and while in storage pending retirement, it became GN No. 6484.
Eventually, it was slated for scrap, and it actually made it all the way to Memphis, TN where it was pulled from the deadline literally one day from being scrapped.
Why was it saved? Due to the efforts of a few determined people, the former ATSF No. 5704 had been donated to the Southern California Railway Museum in Perris, CA. Now that the 5704 was been repainted in its former Bicentennial paint scheme, BNSF will soon move this California where the SCRM, where many of their volunteers worked on Santa Fe's SD45-2's at the San Bernardino shops, will have this restored to operation.
Thanks to BNSF for donating the locomotive, and a big thank you to Mid-America Car, Sherwin-Williams Paint, Eagle Graphics and Class-One Model Works for all their time and effort. It was literally unbelievable to see this in person, especially after growing up seeing dozens of photos of Santa Fe's Bicentennial fleet. 6/14/22.
(One photo from each month, starting top left. You can read more about these photos and each month of my 2021 below.)
Who would have thought that the whole of 2021 as well would be filled with constant covid news, and restrictions on and off. But luckily it has been filled with lots of nice experiences after all, lots of good weather for nice nature experiences and photography, and I’m finally back at work and have participated in more activities on my spare time than I could last year. I also got a new niece, even though I haven’t been able to see her that many times.
You can read more about each month of my 2021 below if you’d like to:
1. (Top left) Winter's Gold
JANUARY: January this year was filled with really nice and cold weather, and periods of a little snow here by the coast as well. Even though we had some days with rain and heavy storms in the middle of the month, it ended up being the nicest and coldest January we've had by the coast in years.
I photographed a lovely young couple on the local beach in one of the first nice sunsets of the year, and some kittens for The Norwegian Society for Protection of Animals later on. The schools were closed due to covid in the start of the year, so I couldn’t visit work as much as I had planned on, and I could only meet my colleagues and my choir through video. Luckily, I had nature and the nice weather to enjoy.
I was still on sick leave due to problems with my feet since last year, so I didn’t join my fiance Richard on longer trips like photographing the local lighthouse on nice cold evenings as we normally do in the start of a new year. But we had some nice road trips for both sunset- and bird photography on more easily accessible places in the Jæren district. Here we met and photographed the beautiful bluethroat, snow bunting and some pine buntings for the first time, and also got photos that I had dreamed of of bullfinches and yellowhammers (Norway's Bird of the year 2021). I also spent some of the first nice and cold January mornings outside in the neighborhood- sitting down to watch and photograph the lovely little birds in the frosty surroundings.
Due to the frost, we had more birds on our feeders than normal- which was nice to watch when I was home all day. One day the rare water rail also came running by! Sadly lots of rails and woodcocks died due to lack of food in this cold period. It was also sad to see our old nice bird feeding are right outside our door and largest windows being dug away, due to a new road in the end of the month. We had to move it all to a side of the house with less view, and no easy access for getting photos without disturbing the birds.. In this same period, I joined the national Big Garden Birdwatch to count and report the birds by our feeders. They also held a photo competition, where I won the 3rd prize (a nice bird book) with a cool photo of a blue tit meeting the ornament bird on the bird bath, right before we had to move it.
From my birthday on the 11th it started snowing, which always is nice if the weather is cold for a while. And later the kids could skate on the fields and some lakes in the cold. That doesn’t happen every winter here by the coast. When we had even more snow in the end of the month, I went on some winter photography road trips both with Richard and with his mother (who also loves landscape photography).
FEBRUARY: The first day brought the largest amount of snow I’ve ever seen here by the coast since moving here. The weather stayed beautiful and really cold for a long time, so the snow didn’t disappear right away like it normally does here by the coast. Actually, we had the longest period of cold weather in our county in 12 years, and there were lots of rare nice patterned sea ice below our house to photograph.
Even though we couldn’t stay out too long both due to the cold weather and my health, we continued going on several little road trips to photograph nice winter landscapes and birds, and to escape the heavy construction work right outside our house. On one trip, we suddenly met our first beautiful kingfisher up close. I also found a way to get some really nice photos of birds in the snow during the construction breaks, both in our own garden and by a neighboring cabin.
I finally got a diagnose at this time, after nearly 8 months of aching feet, hips and lower back. I started physiotherapy again, in hope of getting better and being able to work again.
In the middle of the month, we had a rare close encounter with the stunning eagle-owl, who’s nocturnal and rarely seen or heard. It was found crashing into a pond, weak and hungry in the cold weather. After being fed with lots of dead birds and mice in a barn on our island for two weeks, we were invited to watch it going back to the wild. We also got to touch it and take some stunning close-up photos before they let it go. A great experience!
In the end of the month, spring suddenly arrived with mild weather and many flocks of migratory birds in our neighborhood, already from the 22nd (lapwings and a curlew), the 25th (oystercatchers) and the 26th (mistle thrushes and a large flock of skylarks. I also suddenly met and photographed a beautiful green woodpecker for the first time that day). My favourite days of year!
3. My Man ♥
MARCH: Continued with nice spring weather, and we finally went on the year’s first nice trip to the local lighthouse, together with Richard’s sister who is really good at posing for us in nice landscapes. But I still chose the one of Richard by “his” lighthouse for this month’s photo ツ
Then I had two fun photoshoots with an adorable one year old, one outside on the local beach wearing lots of nice warm clothes, and one inside. I went on many cosy road trips both together with Richard and with his mother to enjoy spring, nice landscapes and good lunches. I also spent much time on testing lots of good and healthy soup and dinner recipes. That’s one thing I miss having the time to plan and do when I’m busier again.
On the 22nd, my brother’s first child was born, and I got a new beautiful niece with the most adorable smiles. (Sadly, due to lockdown we didn’t meet her until she was four months old.)
On that same day, we went on a pre-Easter vacation to one of our favourite accommodations in the southern part of Norway, called Farsund Resort. We love to go there when there are few other guests there. The weather was lovely for both little hikes in the area, and for road trips to Lista for bird watching and sunset photography.
During the start of Easter my legs felt better, and we went on several nice hikes in lovely weather, along the beautiful Jæren coast and beaches. On some of them we also had some nice bird encounters, and a highlight was to photograph a beautiful shag closer than ever, while getting lots of fish and surfing the little waves.
4. (Top right) Out on a nut hunt
APRIL: Easter continued and the weather was still lovely. We went on even more hikes on the coast of Jæren and at home, and continued trying out lots of good recipes. In the end of Easter, we had some unexpected snow again.
On Easter Eve our new adorable neighbor was born, and I took his newborn photos just like I did with his big sister.
After Easter, I started working a few hours a day for the first time in eight months. Even though some days were hard physically, it was nice to be around my colleagues and pupils again. Since the weather still was nice (but cold), I cycled to and from work every day with my bird camera on my back since there are lots of bird photography spots along the way.
In the middle of the month, I replaced my Sony a9 camera with the faster and a little better a9II. I just love its focus tracking for birds! I continued enjoying spring on my spare time, going on several photography road trips and hikes together with Richard and with his mother. It was lovely getting to enjoy and photograph more and more migratory birds, spring flowers and even some beautiful little snakes posing for me in the sunshine (I’ve always dreamed of getting some cool photos of them).
We ended the month by going to a place where the adorable red squirrels are fed daily and gets pretty close. We got so many adorable photos of them in the morning sun. I’ve dreamed of getting good photos of squirrels for years. I’ve grown up having them around, but haven’t met them up close again after moving and getting more interested in photography.
5. (Middle left) Tiny Tawny Owl
MAY: Started with spotting the American duck called green-winged teal for the first time, and then making the dream of meeting and photographing tawny owls and owlets up close come true. We joined a hobby ornithologist – checking his owl boxes for eggs and reading the mothers' rings. On that same day we also got to see and photograph white storks for the first time, which are rare in Norway.
I joined the hobby ornithologist two more times this month- ringing, holding and photographing the adorable owlets (and other bird species as well). Finally I got the photos I’ve dreamed of for a long time, of owlets sitting on branches! The nice but cold spring weather continued, and I continued spending lots of time in nature on my spare time, enjoying and photographing birds, spring flowers and landscapes.
On our National Day on the 17th we stayed at home yet another year, due to the restrictions. We only drove to buy the traditional ice cream and watched the boat parade along the way. But in the evening I found it a bit sad to not wear my beloved national costume, so I got dressed and we went by boat to the local lighthouse. I love my self portrait with the national costume, flag and lighthouse in the evening light- but I still had to choose the photo of the long-awaited owlet for this month ツ
I also finally sang in a wedding after lots of cancellations and postponements, and had a fun pregnancy photoshoot in beautiful surroundings in the end of the month. On the month’s last day, summer suddenly came- and on a road trip to the mountains we had as much as 30 degrees Celsius.
JUNE: Continued with lovely warm weather, and it was great to finally be physically able to go on longer hikes together with Richard again. After being apart for a long time due to covid restrictions, we finally spent a memorable day together with my family in a park in Sandnes- the town where my sister lives, and where I used to live for many years. I’ve especially missed my adorable niece and nephew a lot during the pandemic.
In addition to spend most of my spare time enjoying and photographing birds, summer flowers and landscapes in the lovely weather, I also had some newborn- and children photography assignments. And I finally met with my dear choir in real life for the first time in a very long time, when we had a big summer party.
The last week of the month, we finally went on a long-awaited road trip vacation along the western coast of Norway. In Stryn we had lots of nice weather to enjoy our favourite landscapes. Then on Sunnmøre we had to wait through some days of gray weather before we finally could go to the bird cliffs of Runde island on our very last day, to photograph the puffins in the evening sun. It was wonderful to see these charming birds once again, and now with better and faster photo equipment than before. It was also fun that a photography friend on Facebook was there at the same time, and joined us that evening.
JULY: I didn’t spend much time on nature photography this month, except for one trip to Jæren, to photograph the colourful and rare polar shorebird called red phalarope.
Instead, I enjoyed myself with visits from my family and some friends that I hadn’t seen in a long time, who visited our island for the first time. The summer weather was great all month, and it was fun that my friends who stayed in a tent on the local beach camping really could enjoy the island at its best, and go swimming every day in the unusually calm and warm sea.
But I had several portrait photography assignments this month. Some for The Norwegian Society for Protection of Animals, I visited their local center, and had assignments for newborn photography, an adorable puppy, a horse and its owner, and for an adorable one year old on the local beach on the summer’s loveliest day. I had to end the photo session with a cooling bath together with my visiting friendsツ
After winning the daily weather photo competitions on national TV at least 32 times through the years (that only gives those seconds of fame on TV), I finally won the week’s big prize out of the seven daily photos for the first time- with a pond reflection of myself, the mountains and the midninght sun in Northern Norway. I won lovely clothes worth 5000 NOK from my favourite woolen clothing brand WoolLand. Finally- after seeing Richard winning that many timesツ
Later I traveled to my parents, to spend a week together with them, my siblings and their families. It was my first time meeting my four months old niece- an adorable princess! We enjoyed ourselves in my parents’ big garden and by the sea in their new self-built furnished boat house, and celebrated the birthdays of my niece and nephew at five and three. Since my parents love working, they traveled home together with me to help us paint our house, and to go on several beautiful hikes together in our district.
AUGUST: I enjoyed the rest of my summer vacation at home, going on hikes in the nice weather, visiting my niece and nephew, and rehearsing for- and singing on a musical concert in town. When the schools started, I started working nearly full-time of my position for the first time in nearly one year. It felt good to get closer to the pupils and colleagues again. We also started having rehearsals with my choir again. It felt great that life went more back to normal.
A hectic but fun period of lots of photography assignments started as well at this time. Luckily the weather still was good for outdoor photography. The only wedding I photographed this year (due to cancellations of the other ones), was beautiful and fun, and we found several fairytale like surroundings for their photos, as you can see in the collage. Then ¬I photographed five beautiful confirmands on very different and fun locations- in nature among autumn colours, out on the sea and by the lighthouse, on a farm, at a construction company, with tractors and heavy machinery, in a park, with dogs and in an indoor swimming pool. I also photographed one confirmand’s family, all of my colleagues for the school’s new homepage, a beautiful newborn and sibling, my neighbors’ children, a colleague’s adorable purebred kittens, and cats for the Society for Protection of Animals.
9. (Bottom left) Autumn Break ♤
SEPTEMBER: Another warm and nice month (with only a little rain in the middle of it), which is not guaranteed at all in this country- but very appreciated and good for all my outdoor photography assignments. It started with photographing yet another beautiful confirmand and his one year old little brother in a nice park, before going on a fun weekend together with my choir to the village Sauda.
Then I spent every other day during two weeks on a pain management course, in hope of better managing to work full time again and to be active on my spare time as well. Since it was in a town closer to family and friends, I had great fun visiting friends, my sister-in-law, and my sister, niece and nephew, most afternoons after the course. The photo on the collage is from one of these afternoons together with my sister-in-law when we went to lots of nice spots for autumn photography. She is a good outdoor model! It was also fun when a friend’s beautiful granddaughter wanted to be our model one afternoon as well.
Later I photographed four more confirmands- at the beach, by the large amounts of beautiful rowan berries this year, with a dog, horses, a motorcycle and an excavator. I also photographed one confirmands’ family. It’s fun that all the confirmands this autumn wanted to take their photos on so many different places!
On the 25th Norway re-opened and cancelled most of the covid restrictions. It was great to feel everything went back to normal, but as we know it turned out to be a little early for celebrating. But I got to sing more, both on my own and a concert together with my choir. I also photographed cats again for the Society for Protection of Animals, and a show for a theatre group.
10. Tonight's Show
OCTOBER: Should have started with the baptism of my youngest niece, and I really looked forward to see her for the second time, as well as my whole family being together again. But the day before we were about to go, my brother got ill which lasted for a long time, and they had to cancel. (They had to baptize her without a party in November, and we’ll celebrate together when she turns one instead.)
We also cancelled our autumn vacation to our favourite cabin in beautiful Stryn, due to bad weather- just like we did the year before. So I cross my fingers that we’ll experience Stryn during autumn next year. Instead I had lots of wedding and confirmation photos from earlier to edit at home, and had a really fun family and sibling photography assignment for a former colleague on one of the two nice days of the whole autumn break week. On the same day we went to photograph migratory birds in the sunset on Jæren as well (long-awaited!), and even had some dancing northern lights to photograph by our house for the first time this autumn when we got home. We can’t see the northern lights that often as far south as we live, so my photos and a little story came in the local newspaper. Richard and I ended the autumn break by finding a nice spot for autumn leaves photography, and then brought some food outside to enjoy the ocean and sunset. At least a nice ending to a autumn break filled with bad weather and sedentary editing.
The next weekend, I both had a fun concert together with a neighbor for an anniversary, and one together with my choir. The last weekend, I went on a hotel weekend in Stavanger town together with a good friend from my home island (Richard was kind to let me go on his birthday). Actually, we hadn’t spent a weekend together in 10 years- only shorter visits a couple of times a year. We had a great time together, with Christmas shopping, drinks, good food and girl talk ツI must really do that more often!
11. Little Friends
NOVEMBER: I spent most of my spare time inside this month, editing all the previous portrait assignments and rehearsing for six Christmas concerts in the first days of December.
We got a windy autumn weather, which sadly made lots of dead and dying seabirds, mostly guillemots, come ashore on our beaches. This use to happen every winter, also with sea ducks, but I think there were extra many this time. The guillemots are such beautiful birds and interesting to get that close to, even though the reason is sad. I’ve only seen them on a long distance on bird cliffs in their summer plumage until I moved here.
I attended two nature photography presentations this month, with great photos of birds and some animals both in Norway and abroad. It made me go straight home to look at my own photos in the archive, from both Africa and other travels, and made me really want to travel again! When the pandemic is over, I must book an exciting photography travel.
On one of the nice days this month, we filmed a music video for my choir’s new Christmas song- in a nice forest with lots of lights and lamps in the dark. On another nice day, I photographed an adorable one year old and the family dog on our local beach.
DECEMBER: The five first days started with five Christmas concerts on Jæren and in Stavanger together with my choir, and another one by myself with a pianist in the Christmas town in Egersund where I live. Busy, but so much fun! We were lucky being able to arrange all these concerts as normal. The following week we got new strict covid restrictions, that led to cancellations of many concerts (including one that I should attend in Egersund right before Christmas).
When the Christmas town opened, we got a week of moody snow. Since I walk by on my way to work, I brought my camera and tripod the first morning when it was snowing, and got some atmospheric photos all by myself in the dark among all the Christmas lights. I also took some sibling and Christmas photos of my neighbours’ kids and their cousins, family photos at the local beach on a nice and cold morning, some rabbit photography assignments for the Society for Protection of Animals, and took some Christmas photos of a dog and two cats who live together.
I was also lucky to win the big prize of the weather photo competition on national TV for the second time this year (and ever), with a self portrait by the lighthouse with a santa hat, among snow and stars. I got another 5000 NOK worth of lovely clothes from my favourite woolen clothing brand WoolLand.
Right before Christmas, our school closed again due to the covid rates, but I was at work together with one of the pupils with special needs. It will be like that in the start of the new year as well, and we’ll just have to see how everything turns out when people gather again after the holidays...
I traveled home to my parents for a nine days long Christmas vacation, together with my siblings, nieces and nephew. Finally we were together again, for the first time since summer! The weather was great, and we even got a very little layer of snow for Christmas Eve. We enjoyed ourselves playing with the kids inside, enjoying good food and taking some nice walks outside like on this month's photo. (And since it all went well in the end- we try to forget the things about my sister having to go with the ambulance for a check up, and that crazy goat who really attacked and hurt my parents on a walk, when the kids and I watched and couldn’t do much). At least the rain didn’t come until my siblings and families went back home, some days before me.
Richard and I celebrate New Year’s Eve by ourselves like we did last year, with our traditional pinnekjøtt dinner (lamb ribs, like we always do on Christmas Eve as well), a little good to drink and movies.
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Even though 2021 turned out the same as 2020 in many ways, I still have many experiences to be grateful for- both with my loved ones, in nature and by meeting all the nice people and cute animals that I’ve photographed through the year. I’m also glad that my feet and hips are better, even though I still have to opt out some activities like attending long concerts, hikes and shopping to relieve me of some pain.
But like for 2021 - we must keep the hope that 2022 will be even better for all of us, even though I guess most people like me don’t plan anything long in advance for the new year. But make sure to fill your days with small joys, both for yourself and for the people around you!
If you’d like to see more of all my portraits, nature photos, landscapes and Christmas photos from 2021, you can do so by scrolling down my page here on Flickr, or on Ranveig Marie Photography on Instagram and Facebook.
Thanks to all who wanted to read about my year, and to all my photography followers!
I hope your 2022 will be an unexpectedly good one!
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To watch and read my Highlights of 2013, take a look here.
To watch and read my Highlights of 2014, take a look here.
To watch and read my Highlights of 2015, take a look here.
To watch and read my Highlights of 2016, take a look here.
To watch and read my Highlights of 2017, take a look here.
To watch and read my Highlights of 2018, take a look here.
To watch and read my Highlights of 2019, take a look here.
To watch and read my Highlights of 2020, take a look here.
To watch and read my Highlights of 2022, take a look here.
To watch and read my Highlights of 2023, take a look here.
To watch and read my Highlights of 2024, take a look here.
To watch and read my Highlights of 2025, take a look here.
I haven't been able to build much recently for two main reasons:
A ridiculous amount of homework in preparation for a ton (10+) tests over the next month, and a recent infestation of carcinogenic mold in my room, which made me move all my LEGO stuff and lose tons of progress on things.
This was really my first dabble in LEGO steampunk, though I made a painting in the theme a while back. I didn't have a specific goal in mind when I began building, but as the build continued it just sort of became this. It actually started with the greebles on the underside, and evolved from there-- some of the other views will help explain how it all works, though I do consider this to be the best shot (it's more a vig than a ship, at least in my mind). Once I'd built the greebles, I played around in some concept sketches with ideas for a final build before deciding to try to use the preformed boat hull and make a one-man airship. From there, it evolved based on a unique blend of my own sailing experience and some thoughts about the physics of a ship so highly asymmetrical into it's current form, with the pilot hiked way out over the rail.
Backstory:
Though born to a poor family, James Lucius Charon had always dreamed of being someday able to join the vast airborne fleets. Normally restricted to those financially capable of purchasing a production airship model, pilot licenses were rarely given, and even just a minor position aboard an Arcadian naval vessel required years of higher education (discounting, of course, the conscript vessels). Desperate to reach his goal, James assembled his own compacted engine based on reverse-engineered wrecks and eventually cobbled together a functional vessel. Though perhaps in retrospect he took the concept of airship a bit too literally, his one-of-a-kind craft is remarkably capable: it has an extremely high thrust-mass ratio, high fuel efficiency, and excellent midair agility. However, due to the asymmetrical distribution of engine components, starboard turns are substantially wider in radius than those to port.
More pics here: www.flickr.com/photos/tobyhein/4548924022/
Hi!! after 3 years of not being able to gain access to this account, I finally got it back!!! :D!
I will be uploading some old/new photos over the next few days :)
I was finally able to unpack mine Trans Europ Express after 3 months and she was able to do what she does best. Reach choas and destruction and annoy other builders by braking down while looking amazing.
She was able to show off what she is capable of at the ArnhemWorld 2022 members only event helt by LLMTC .
In this foto she is waiting for pessangers at Christiaan his station.
I was able to take the Hasselblad out this evening for the first time. I had a lot of fun using this 120 film camera. Hopefully there will be some images to show you in the future. I stopped by Ocean beach for some sunset shots.
I was not able to travel to the path of totality for this year's eclipse so we watched the partial eclipse from the office parking lot. We used a pinhole viewer to watch, with a sheet of copier paper with a small hole projecting onto another piece of white paper. I'm not sure where the two "ghost" images are coming from, possibly from an uneven pinhole edge. This was taken at the peak, we only got 62% obstruction here.
What was the hardest part of this capture?
It was not the exposure. With a solid cloud cover, I was able to lock in a manual exposure for perfect results on every shot. In this case, I chose a 1/1000 shutter speed (the bird was moving a lot and quickly), an f/5.6 aperture (to isolate the bird using shallow depth of field) and ISO 160 to bring the brightest whites up to near RGB 255,255,255.
The challenge was not the tight framing of the bird. I was able to slowly belly-crawl close to the small flock of terns. So close that I only needed a 234mm focal length in front of the 7D II's APS-C sensor. I should have used a slightly wider angle still as I added a small amount of canvas on the left in post, providing additional breathing room for the wing.
The challenge was also not the low shooting position. Using the NatureScapes Skimmer Ground Pod II (www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/NatureScapes-Skimmer-...), I was able to push the camera forward as I crawled in the sand. Shooting from on the ground gave me a clean background (only sky) and the remaining land in the frame is primarily a blur of texture.
The big challenge? Timing the shutter release in conjunction with using the proper AF tactics to get this specific composition with the head included in focus. The sandwich tern cleaning process involved a wide array of moves, few of which I was able to predict and all of them fast. The head was constantly moving in what seemed like all directions and fast framing adjustment with a properly-selected AF point proved very challenging. A narrower aperture would have reduced the AF task, but the result would have been more ground in focus for a different look.
One aspect of this image that I like is the complete separation of the head from the body. Many of the preening positions did not have this attribute (and many had a completely hidden head). I also like the balance. While I don't often place my subject in the center of the frame, I felt that centered worked best in this case. The wing and tail balance the bird over the dark, eye-catching legs. The head extended to the right caused me to want the legs shifted just left of center to get what I felt was the right overall balance. My shooting position was low enough that only the legs intersected the color of the sand. The small amount of feather pulling through the bill is the bonus feature. I'll credit the 7D II's short shutter lag for enabling that timing.
This sandwich tern was on the gulf shores of Captiva Island, just north of Blind Pass. This location in southwest Florida is ideal for expanding one's bird photography portfolio.
Gear Used:
Canon EOS 7D Mark II
Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM Lens
NatureScapes Skimmer Ground Pod II
Camera and Lens Settings:
234mm f/5.6 1/1000s, ISO 160, 5622 x 3648px
Click on the image to view large. Get more camera gear and photo information at www.the-digital-picture.com/
#Canon #CanonPhotographers #Canon7DMarkII #Telephoto #Bokeh #Sand #SandwichTern #Nature #NaturePhotography #Wildlife #WildlifePhoto #WildlifePhotography #Bird #Birds #BirdPhotography #BirdPhoto #BirdsUnlimited #SeaBirds #Shorebirds #Birding #BirdWatching #USA #UnitedStates #Florida #Captiva #SanibelIsland #BlindPass #Photo #Photography
you might be able to just make out there nakedness. when ever its very low tide and the sand is exposed witch is not often cycles gather together to ride the sands. to mix it up this time they decided to go naked
its not eought that the world beard and mustache championships happened in brighton this weekend but there was a naked low tide bike ride as well. i cam joint 4th in my category of natural beard witch sounds good but thats joint with about 30 other people.
Ending our sessions we were able to see one of the most amazing sunsets ever. We were located in the Forte de Cabedelo and from there you can actually see the sun going down. Great moment and amazing capture.
Thank you all for your appreciation.
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I know it's silly but I'm so impatient to be able to see all of these great blocks together that I put them together virtually so I have something to stare at while waiting on the post.
Thank you wonderful Ima Bee'ers for making such beautiful blocks! I know this one was a challenge but I hope it was a good challenge. I can't wait to see what you all throw at me in your months!
P.S. I hope I didn't forget any blocks from the photo pool. If I did, it was purely accidental.
1. Cross block, 2. Ima Bee - February 2013, 3. Ima Bee - February 2013, 4. Ima bee. For Needlanddime., 5. Cross Block 1, 6. Cross Bee block 2, 7. Ima Bee - Feb2 - Schoenrock #1, 8. Schoenrock Cross Block #2, 9. Ima Bee - February, 10. Schoenrock cross block 1 for Leila ima bee on Flickr., 11. Schoenrock block 2 #imabee, 12. Feb - Ima Bee - Schoenrock Cross, 13. Schoenrock Cross Block 1, 14. Ima Bee - Feb2 - Schoenrock #2, 15. Schoenrock Cross 116. Not available
I finally was able to put together a group shot of all my Classic Space models built so far in the real world, all assembled in one place. This includes the following, plus around 25 mini-figures that are not shown:
- giant robot
- security jeeps (x2)
- Benny's car
- Conveyex transporter front unit
- Conveyex transporter rear unit
- Conveyex transporter middle sections (x2)
- space fighters (x2)
- space cruiser
- modular wall straight sections (x12)
- modular wall corner sections (x4)
- modular wall gate section
- ground control building
...plus two of the TLM2 Space Squad gray-scale "rover" vehicles that got left out of the frame by accident.
I have been promoting noise reduction by stacking for years, but while I was able to recommend "Starry Landscape Stacker" for MAC users, there was no easy to use Software for Windows.
This has changed lately, with the release of SEQUATOR, a very easy to use program for stacking untracked nightscapes (for noise reduction) and the best of all: It is freeware!
sites.google.com/site/sequatorglobal/home
So far, I have been using fitswork, a dedicated software for stacking tracked star images. While I learned to use it for untracked images as well, this process is painfully slow. It would therefore be immensely helpful if SEQUATOR was able to perform as beautifully as fitswork, without all the slow manual interventions needed…
Today, I was able to do my first test of SEQUATOR. To see how it performs, I did a side by side comparison with an image I already processed with fitswork.
First I had to find an untracked image sequence. I have been doing mainly tracked shots lately, but I found my Bisti Eggs image which I shot from a fixed tripod:
To get a meaningful comparison, I decided run SEQUATOR with the same preprocessed TIFFs I have used for stacking in fitswork and publish some 100% crops taken from the resulting TIFFs right out of SEQUATOR and fitswork and without further processing. SEQUATOR has several options for stacking, but I found that “Freeze Ground”, “Auto Brightness OFF” and “High Dynamic Range ON” worked best for me.
As you can see, SEQUATOR does an extremely nice job. There are no star trails and no stacking errors and I really like how the foreground and the horizon are razor sharp. Very impressive indeed!
On closer scrutiny, the SEQUATOR result has a tad more saturated colors than my fitswork resut, but selecting “High Dynamic Range ON” avoided burning the stars. The increased saturation leads to slightly increased color fringes around the brighter stars, but this would have happened with the fitswork image as well during post processing and there are techniques to reduce this effect during processing.
SEQUATOR is really easy to use and it took me less than 5 minutes to produce the result, while my normal workflow in fitswork takes about 3 hours to arrive at the same stage.
Conclusion:
I can highly recommend SEQUATOR! If I ever have to process an untracked image sequence again, I use SEQUATOR instead of my fitswork workflow.
On Windows, it is by far the easiest to use and fastest stacking software for nightscapes and produces very good results. Even beginners can immediately produce excellent results. There are no excuses anymore for noisy single shot nightsapes… ;-)
PS:
1. Of course I still highly recommend using a tracking mount to achieve “deeper” sky exposures, by using lower ISO and higher exposure times. This means that you have to shoot the foreground separately with your tracker off and merge the two exposures during post processing. For this techique SEQUATOR might not be the best software out there, but to stay fair, that is not what it was built for…
2. Here is a very nice quick tutorial for SEQUATOR. The only point where I disagree with Mike, is that for better sharpness and no burned highlights, I recommend to use HDR instead of Auto Brightness.
Rogue Disposal got three Bridgeport MSL's two Trinity and one ribbed, probably an old Able Body truck that they sold under Bridgeport. They ran those three trucks for about two years before going automated with the Heil STARR system and used the conversion kits offered by Bridgeport.
SEAS E. .....
Turkey's independence
I did not want anything else.
Therefore, we are not afraid of death.
And I myself at age 24
I am honored to present Turkey's independence.
Our only longing for the independence of Turkey in spite of being in charge. We have never not been able to ensure the independence of Turkey, despite all our efforts.
We had 50 years before the War of Independence War of Independence as a real analysis of the country's children do not always capable to. We still know very well that to make the War of Independence in Samsun Turkey Istanbul customary authorities and the courts of those who are given the death penalty. And yet we know that hundreds of the Ottoman Empire GeneraLink but a few of them participated in the War of Independence. And yet we know that at the time of the War of Independence in Istanbul, said the bandits those who hit them.
Came to power in 1950, the American imperialism. May 27, 1960 Democratic power was lost to history. The Democratic Party is gone, gone tellaklar it has not changed. I do not mean May 27, that mean later. Hammam tellaklar the same, but this time has changed. Inonu overtake America in this period reduced the breach, Demirel brought to power.
Those who have really got it, they're the ones to Mustafa Kemal
As for the movement of students, student events, 50-60 years, Turkey has not been missing. Thrown into the sea from the date of hundred students of Sultan Hamit Medical School student movements in Turkey edegelmiştir continue. Gençlerdi progressive young people who said no to fascism during the Second World War. And the young people that the war of freedom on April 28, 1960. Inonu by American imperialism, the government dropped the young progressive young people engaged in protest. Loyalty to the Constitution, we have made in meeting in. Rental of power, and police beatings of his men who ate that day rally in bizlerdik again.
As for the year 1968, universities were occupied by students. It was quite legitimate occupations and occupations, even lectern landlords could not deny the justness of any time. In July the same year, the ones demonstrating against the American fleet was killed brutally by the police Vedat Demir. Revolutionary forces and the police brutally attacked on the rental of power. 20 killed close to revolutionary. They found none of the killer. Police stations became işkencehane. No prosecutor did not fight it. Intellectual freedom and those who cover the Constitution, "His ideas and personality in the pre-Kemalist geçinirken began to see small, only beğeniyorlardı side of Mustafa Kemal." I do not accept and will never refuse to blame for sure. Other patriots will not accept it too.
Facts örtülmek requested. Those who have really got it, they're the ones to Mustafa Kemal. His principle of independence-i fully, and his ideal of independence-i only, we are continuing full Turkey.
're The ones defending the Constitution at most
Our Constitution has been suggested that we attempt to ilgaya İddianame'de enforcement. Arzetmiş all along that I, like most defenders of the Constitution in this country ones. Edenlerse clear violation of the Constitution. 're The ones who want to apply the Constitution again. And whoever is still clear that the Constitution not apply yavuz. And yet we give our people want it. Even if the prosecution of our Constitution even suggests that we attempt to ilgaya.
We are giving our War of Independence against İdddia authority. Against the Constitution of the Republic of Turkey, against the reforms and, therefore, suggests that we attempt to ilgaya our Constitution. Because it is still in the middle gezmektedir Suleyman Demirel. Yetiyorsa lawsuit might bring up the same way about Suleyman Demirel, the country's 36 million they destroy all the burden on young people alışmışlardır 20.
America during your input, and none of the country, picked up your voice
Deprive their children of being an independent country, including all of us who are you. Because America and the none of you came to Turkey during the period, picked up your voice. And the power of the Democratic Party could do for 10 years. 38 Til sound until you remove the patriotic officers and up to devirene them. And today, the prosecutors decided to put to death about this party wants. Suleyman Demirel, a violation of the Constitution and despotism, and the country been brought to America to sell audio.
And we had to fight with us against them in the squares, we kurşunlandık. And in the end were brought here voluntarily executed
Our enemy is
American imperialism and the local collaborators
As I said, this makes Turkey the old managers are required to undertake all the crimes to us. Of all the managers are required to yükletilmek blame us.
Turkey's independence and the lives we did not want anything more than put it this way. We gave existence to the people of Turkey. Traitor who claim the opposite. Memorandum of March 12 had not been successful in accusing us of the authority would have charged them the same way. This opinion is also complete. Memorandum of March 12 of the Constitution clearly not following claims and accused the parliament.
Strtaejik thoughts as we do not keep any time. Let's be clear that if we say under what circumstances. 'll Take up our thoughts to the grave. How we speak here in the shadow of barrels and butts we express our thoughts are always clear. If I like the one we mean by our Constitution ilgaya attempt, saying it clearly here that çekinmezdik. Our goal is that there is a.
Our enemies of American imperialism and its local collaborators. In other words, the bosses who collaborate with imperialism, feudal mütagallibe bezirgânlar ie, usurers. Landlords and other collaborators and all our actions are directed towards this goal. In addition, there is another goal.
Million square meters of land occupied country under the shaft accused of corrupting the integrity of
The security of our people, property rights, the principles of sovereignty, national action to disrupt the integrity of the claims of the past are. Who are those who violate the security of person. Firstly we have to determine this. We've tortured in police stations. We still have kurşunlanan squares. We've thrown in jail by order of the Ministers. However, the safety of people accused of being disturbing ediliyoruz. Described above, the security of real people in bozanlar circulate freely in the squares.
Kaldıracağımız eliminate the right of ownership is claimed. Mülkeyet Constitution itself limited the right to the benefit of society. Did not recognize the absolute right of property. Constitution of the village has not adopted a land ağasını 50. Those who oppose the principles of sovereignty of the people geçinenlerdir back.
In addition, also accused of opposing national unity. 101 grain American base in the country is ridiculous not been accused of wanting to ruin our national integrity. Million square meters of land occupied country under the corrupting our national integrity suçlanmamız ridiculous.
They want to ask 21 young people of 21 years account
Mustafa Kemal had been alive today, many şaşırırdı. The indictment was prepared in order to request a poll just beginning. Devoid of formal logic in the law. Securities and devoid of legal value. 21 young people in order to ask the criminals to account, and the frenzy of 21 years in the indictment, crafted.
See I would argue that the movement is a movement entirely constitutional. We used the initial policy, the nation's Constitution, the right to resist oppression. For this reason, have made a constitutional act. I believe it is justified Yaptıklamızın. Still carry this belief.
Turkey did not want anything else bağımsızlğından. And for this reason we have to fight against American imperialism, and collaborators. Therefore, we are not afraid of death. I think, but collaborators. And the excitement over, but they bent their dream. And I'm 24 years old, I am honored to armğan Turkey's independence. This idea of independence, we will take to the grave
DENİZLER E......
Türkiye'nin bağımsızlığından
başka bir şey istemedim.
Bundan dolayı da ölümden korkmuyoruz.
Ve ben 24 yaşındayken kendimi
Türkiye'nin bağımsızlığına armağan etmekten onur duyuyorum.
Bizlerin tek özlemi tahsil sırasında bulunmamıza rağmen Türkiye'nin bağımsızlığıdır. Biz hiçbir zaman bütün çabamıza rağmen Türkiye'nin bağımsızlığını temin edemedik.
Biz 50 sene evvel Kurtuluş Savaşı vermiş bir ülkenin çocukları olarak Kurtuluş Savaşı'nın gerçek tahlilini yapmaya her zaman için muktediriz. Biz yine çok iyi biliriz ki Türkiye Kurtuluş Savaşı'nı yapmak için Samsun'a çıkanlara İstanbul örfi idaresince ve mahkemelerince idam cezası verilmiştir. Ve yine bilmekteyiz ki, Osmanlı İmparatorluğu yüzlerce generalinden ancak birkaç tanesi Kurtuluş Savaşı'na iştirak etmiştir. Ve yine bilmekteyiz ki Kurtuluş Savaşı yapıldığı sırada İstanbul'da bulunanlar bunları yapanlara eşkıya demiştir.
1950 tarihinde Amerikan emperyalizmi iktidara geldi. Demokrat iktidar 27 Mayıs 1960'da tarihe gömüldü. Demokrat Parti gitti, bunun gitmesiyle tellaklar değişmedi. 27 Mayıs'ı kastetmiyorum, bundan sonrasını kastediyorum. Hamam aynı fakat bu defa da tellaklar değişti. Amerika bu dönemde imdada yetişip İnönü'yü düşürdü, Demirel'i iktidara getirdi.
Mustafa Kemal'e gerçekten sahip çıkanlar varsa onlar da bizleriz
Öğrenci hareketlerine gelince, Türkiye'de öğrenci olayları 50-60 senedir eksik olmamıştır. Sultan Hamit'in Tıbbiye talebelerini Sarayburnu'ndan denize attığı tarihten itibaren öğrenci hareketleri Türkiye'de devam edegelmiştir. İkinci Dünya Savaşı sırasında faşizme hayır diyen gençler ilerici gençlerdi. Ve 28 Nisan 1960 tarihinde özgürlük savaşı veren gençlerdir. Amerikan emperyalizmi tarafından İnönü hükümetten düşürüldüğünde protesto gösterisi yapan gençler ilerici gençlerdir. Anayasa'ya Bağlılık Mitingi'ni de bizler yaptık. O günün mitinginde iktidarın kiralık adamlarından ve polisinden dayak yiyen de gene bizlerdik.
1968 senesine gelince, üniversiteler öğrenciler tarafından işgal edildi. İşgalleri gayet meşru idi ve kürsü ağaları dahi bu işgallerin haklılığını hiçbir zaman inkar edemedi. Aynı yılın Temmuz ayında Amerikan Filosu'na karşı gösteri yapanlardan Vedat Demircioğlu polis tarafından hunharca öldürüldü. İktidarın kiralık kuvvetleri ve polisi hunharca devrimcilerin üzerine saldırdı. 20'ye yakın devrimci öldürüldü. Bunların hiçbirinin katili bulunamadı. Polis karakolları işkencehane haline getirildi. Hiçbir savcı buna karşı çıkmadı. Fikir özgürlüğünü ve Anayasa'yı paravan yapanlar "önceden Atatürkçü geçinirken O'nun fikir ve şahsiyetini de küçük görmeye başladılar, sadece Mustafa Kemal tarafını beğeniyorlardı." suçlamasını kesin olarak reddediyorum ve asla kabul etmiyorum. Diğer yurtseverler de bunu kabul etmez.
Gerçekler örtülmek isteniyor. Mustafa Kemal'e gerçekten sahip çıkanlar varsa onlar da bizleriz. Onun İstiklal-i tam prensibini, ve onun istiklal-i tam Türkiye idealini yalnızca biz devam ettiriyoruz.
Anayasa'yı en fazla savunan bizleriz
İddianame'de bizim Anayasa'yı cebren ilgaya teşebbüs ettiğimiz ileri sürülmektedir. Öteden beri arzetmiş olduğum gibi, bu ülkede Anayasa'yı en fazla savunanlar bizleriz. Anayasa'yı ihlal edenlerse ortadadır. Anayasa'nın uygulanmasını isteyen gene bizleriz. Anayasa'yı uygulamayan yavuz kimselerse hâlâ ortadadır. Ve yine o kişiler bizim kellemizi istemektedirler. Bile bile iddia makamı bizim Anayasa'yı ilgaya teşebbüs ettiğimizi ileri sürmektedir.
İdddia makamı bizim vermekte olduğumuz Bağımsızlık Savaşı'na karşıdır. Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Anayasası'na karşı, reformlara karşı ve bu nedenle bizim Anayasa'yı ilgaya teşebbüs ettiğimizi ileri sürmektedir. Çünkü Süleyman Demirel hâlâ ortada gezmektedir. Kudreti yetiyorsa Süleyman Demirel hakkında aynı şekilde dava açsın, onlar 36 milyonluk ülkenin bütün yükünü 20 gencin üzerine yıkmaya alışmışlardır.
Amerika sizin döneminizde ülkeye girdi ve hiçbiriniz sesinizi çıkarmadınız
Bizi bağımsız bir ülkenin çocukları olmaktan mahrum eden hepiniz dahil sizlersiniz. Çünkü Amerika sizin döneminiz sırasında Türkiye'ye girdi ve hiçbiriniz sesinizi çıkarmadınız. Ve Demokrat Parti iktidarına 10 yıl ses çıkarmadınız. Ta ki 38 yurtsever subay ses çıkarana kadar ve onları devirene kadar. Ve bugün aynı savcılar bu şahıslar hakkında da idam kararı istemektedir. Süleyman Demirel'in Anayasa'yı ihlaline ve despotizmine ve ülkeyi Amerika'ya satmasına ses çıkarılmadı.
Ve meydanlarda bunlara karşı bizler dövüşmek zorunda kaldık, bizler kurşunlandık. Ve sonunda idam isteğiyle buraya getirildik
Bizim düşmanımız
Amerikan emperyalizmi ve yerli işbirlikçileridir
Dediğim gibi Türkiye'yi bu hale getiren eski yöneticilerin bütün suçları bize yüklenmek istenmektedir. Bütün eski idarecilerin suçu bize yükletilmek istenmektedir.
Türkiye'nin bağımsızlığından başka hiçbir şey istemedik ve hayatımızı bu yola koyduk. Varlığımızı Türkiye halkına armağan ettik. Bunun aksini iddia edenler vatan hainidir. 12 Mart Muhtırası muvaffak olmasaydı bizi itham eden makam onları da aynı şekilde itham ederdi. Buna da kanaatim tamdır. 12 Mart Muhtırası Anayasa'nın uygulanmadığını iddia etmektedir ve parlamentoyu açıkça suçlamaktadır.
Biz strtaejik olarak düşüncelerimizi hiçbir zaman saklamayız. Hangi şartlar altında olursak olalım bunu açıkça söyleriz. Düşüncelerimizi mezara kadar götürürüz. Nasıl burada namluların ve dipçiklerin gölgesi altında konuşuyorsak düşüncelerimizi her zaman açıkça ifade ederiz. Bizim Anayasa'yı ilgaya teşebbüs gibi bir kastımız bulunsaydı, bunu da burada açıkça söylemekten çekinmezdik. Bizim böyle bir amacımız yoktur.
Bizim düşmanlarımız Amerikan emperyalizmi ve onun yerli işbirlikçileridir. Yani emperyalizm ile işbirliği yapan patronlar, feodal mütagallibe yani bezirgânlar, tefeciler. Toprak ağaları ve diğer işbirlikçileri ve bizim bütün eylemlerimiz bu hedefe yönelmiş bulunmaktadır. Bunun dışında başka bir hedefimiz yoktur.
Milyon metrekare vatan toprağı işgal altındayken mili bütünlüğü bozmakla suçlanıyoruz
Bizim kişi güvenliğini, mülkiyet hakkını, egemenlik ilkelerini, milli bütünlüğünü bozmak için harekete geçtiğimiz iddiaları vardır. Kişi güvenliğini ihlal edenler kimlerdir. Bunu evvela tesbit etmemiz lazım. Karakollarda işkence gören bizler olduk. Meydanlarda kurşunlanan yine bizler olduk. Bakanların emriyle hapishanelere atılan bizler olduk. Buna rağmen kişi güvenliğini bozan olmakla itham ediliyoruz. Yukarıda anlatılan asıl kişi güvenliğini bozanlar ise serbestçe meydanlarda dolaşmaktadır.
Mülkiyet hakkını ortadan kaldıracağımız iddia ediliyor. Bizatihi Anayasa mülkeyet hakkını toplum yararına kısıtlamıştır. Mutlak mülkiyet hakkı tanımamıştır. 50 köye sahip bir toprak ağasını anayasamız kabul etmemiştir. Egemenlik ilkelerine karşı çıkanlar halkın sırtından geçinenlerdir.
Ayrıca milli bütünlüğe karşı çıkmakla da suçlanıyoruz. 101 tane Amerikan üssünün bulunduğu ülkede bizim milli bütünlüğü bozmak istemekle itham edilmemiz gülünç olmaktadır. Milyon metrekare vatan toprağı işgal altındayken bizim milli bütünlüğü bozmakla suçlanmamız gülünçtür.
21 yılın hesabını 21 gençten sormak istiyorlar
Mustafa Kemal sağ olsaydı bugün çok şaşırırdı. İddianame baştan beri sırf kelle istemek maksadıyla hazırlanmıştır. Şeklen de hukuk mantığından mahrumdur. Hukuki kıymet ve değerden mahrumdur. 21 yılın hesabını 21 gençten sormak maksadıyla ve suçluların telaşı içerisinde hazırlanmış bir iddianamedir.
Ben şunu iddia ediyorum ki, hareketimiz tamamen Anayasal bir harekettir. Anayasa'nın başlangıç ilkesinde belirtilen ulusun zulme karşı direnme hakkını kullandık. Bu sebeple Anayasal bir davranışta bulunduk. Yaptıklamızın haklı olduğuna inanıyorum. Halen de bu inancı taşıyorum.
Türkiye'nin bağımsızlğından başka bir şey istemedim. Ve bu sebeple Amerikan emperyalizmine ve işbirlikçilerine karşı mücadele verdik. Bundan dolayı da ölümden korkmuyoruz. Onu ancak işbirlikçiler düşünsün. Ve ancak onlar kendi canının telaşına düşsün. Ve ben 24 yaşındayken kendimi Türkiye'nin bağımsızlığına armğan etmekten onur duyuyorum. Bu bağımsızlık düşüncesini mezara kadar götüreceğiz
November 21st, 2042
A couple of hours after getting taken away by the Court of Owls, Batman awakens in a cell at an unknown location. Before he’s able to recover from the effects of the sedatives he got hit with and regain his strength two people dressed in black clothes, wielding sharp and gold-colored weapons, enter his cell and order him to follow them. As he struggles to stand up he notices that the exoskeleton from his suit has powered down, making it much more difficult to move around at all and leaving him in no shape to stand up against them. He complies and follows the one figure as the other one takes position behind him. After walking for a short while they end up in a long hallway, with a red carpet on the floor, expensive furniture on either side of the hall and large paintings hanging from the walls. Batman takes a look at the wall decorations and notices that every single painting features a person holding a strange owl-shaped mask in front of their face. There’s a door at the end of the hallway, guarded by two people wearing the same outfit as the ones escorting him. They open the door for them, giving way to a spacious and empty courtroom. Behind the judge’s desk stands a giant wooden statue of an owl, decorated with gold accents and lit with candles around it. On the sides of the room are several giant windows, all covered with dark red curtains which prevents any natural light from entering the place. Only Helena is sitting in the room, tied to a chair at the defendant’s table.
Batman gets escorted into the room and forced to sit on the chair next to Helena as he gets restrained as well. Before he can ask his daughter if she’s okay, the gates of the courtroom swing open as a group of masked individuals march into the room. They all silently take a seat on the public benches behind the two right as the jury enters the room as well, conveniently all wearing the same owl-shaped mask too. As they all sit down at the exact same time Helena begins nervously looking around her, intimidated by the situation she is now in. A door inside the giant owl statue opens, out of which a judge appears. Batman notices the judge seems to be the same person who appeared in the Wayne Tower and ordered them to come to the Court in the first place. He takes a seat, breaks the silence by slamming his hammer on the table and demands order in the courtroom, starting their trial against Batman and Robin.
The judge starts by telling about the Court of Owls, explaining how they have been around since Gotham was established decades ago. For years they managed to rule the city from the shadows, killing anyone who found out about their existence or opposed them using a group of specifically trained assassins called the Talons. When a certain masked vigilante began running around Gotham they didn’t see him as a threat at first. Finding that having him assassinated by the Talons would be a bit excessive they instead opted to orchestrate a series of events which would lead to a deranged serial killer by the name of Zsaz escaping from Arkham. Knowing that the Batman would take it upon himself to go after him, they hoped that he wouldn’t stand a chance against the killer and get killed while fighting him. However, they found themselves astonished as Batman managed to defeat Zsaz with ease, something they had not taken into consideration. Realizing the danger of him running around Gotham they considered ordering the Talons to murder him, but changed their mind after he coincidentally started targeting several of their opponents. The Court then decided to willingly let Batman fight the criminal world of Gotham without interfering, only stepping in if he accidentally stumbled upon them or started targeting them. All the while, the Court continued to influence the city from the shadows.
Roughly 5 years later, a long series of unfortunate events led to the Dark Knight retiring. With the Batman no longer being a possible threat to the Court, they decided to start spreading out their influence more while making certain their existence was kept a secret. Over the decades, dozens of wannabe vigilantes hoping to step into the footsteps of the Dark Knight started to make their way onto the streets. As rumors of a secret underground society who are secretly controlling Gotham started leaking, many of them started to seek them out and found their way right on the doorstep of the Court. In order to preserve their secret they were forced to murder everyone who stood in their way, having to cover up the assassinations to not arouse any suspicions. After decades of doing this the Court of Owls decided they could not continue covering up the disappearances of teen vigilantes, deciding to take action by making a statement by taking down the Dark Knight. Upon discovering his identity and tracking him down using the help of a deranged Edward Nigma and a frail Hugo Strange, they began orchestrating a long plot in order to get him to put on the suit again. One of the Talons assassinated Selina and left behind evidence to make him suspect the Joker, knowing this would motivate him to return to Gotham to investigate. By using a tiny improvised explosive device hidden within the playing card they hoped to detonate it while he was holding it within Arkham. However, they did not account for Batman giving the card to Joker himself, which allowed him to survive the blast and only killed the Clown Prince of Crime along with the other Arkman inmates. After so many years, they decided enough was enough; it was time to put him on trial in front of the Court of Owls for standing in their way too much.
Batman barely has any time to process what he just heard as the crowd and jury start shouting how they think they are guilty. There’s no way they would win a case against a kangaroo court like this; their decision was already made way before the trial started. The judge slams his hammer down again, silencing the chaos as he prepares to read his verdict. Due to being found guilty of interfering with the plans of the Court of Owls, Batman and Robin get sentenced to death at the hands of the Talons right now. The judge asks if he has anything to say about his verdict, but cuts him off right as he is about to speak up. The spectators and jury start cheering and clapping as two of the Talons walk into the courtroom, each entering on opposite sides of the room. They take their positions in front and behind the two, unsheathing their golden weapons to prepare for battle. One member of the Court gets ordered to untie the Dynamic Duo in order to make the odds more fair as the rest of the crowd prepares to watch as the Batman finally gets taken down by the Court of Owls after so many years.
The Talon behind Batman strikes first and stabs him in the back, but his armor prevents the blade from piercing through his skin. He manages to reactivate his exosuit and turns around, ready to fight again as he pulls out a Batarang from his belt. His enemy strikes again, aiming for the exposed skin around his mouth instead, but Batman manages to deflect it with his own weapon. He uses the opportunity to slice the Talon in the arm, although this doesn’t phase him. Batman holds his hand in front of his face and casts a glance at the spectators, seeing they are all silently toasting for their demise with expensive drinks in their hands. His short distraction gives the Talon an opportunity to successfully hit him, but Helena deflects the attack at the last moment with her own weapon stick. He compliments her for being able to stand her ground against their opponents before continuing the battle. The Talon starts attacking more and more fiercely, slowly managing to weaken Batman’s defenses while coming closer to getting a successful strike on him. He tries his best to keep up with him, but Batman slowly starts to become weaker and weaker with every attack. Right as he is about to slash the Dark Knight in the face, the leader of the Court suddenly commands the assassins to stop attacking. Unsure of what to do, the Talons lay down their weapons for a moment as they watch what their leader’s intentions are right now. He mutters something about hearing a weird noise outside as he walks towards the window and lifts up the curtains. Batman tries to get a glimpse of the outside world to locate their hideout if they manage to get out, but he soon picks up the sound outside too; he hears the loud revving of an engine in the distance slowly coming towards them, accompanied by the sound of a car horn. The crowd gathers around the window to see what the commotion is about, but quickly runs away in terror as the Batmobile crashes through the wall at full speed.
Pieces of debris rain down everywhere as the vehicle comes to a screeching halt right in front of Batman and Robin. Chaos ensues in the room as each member of the Court desperately tries to make their escape, terrified of the imposing black vehicle which just crashed through the wall of their hideout. The door opens as the person driving the Batmobile beeps the horn, prompting them to jump inside. Batman kicks the Talon in front of him to the ground and hits the other one in the chest with several batarangs to give them a window to escape. He and Helena jump inside the Batmobile as he takes control of the steering wheel, closing the door right before the Talons can make their way inside. He puts his boot on the gas pedal and activates the rocket booster in order to make their escape from the Court. As they are driving through the streets of Gotham early in the morning, Barbara appears on one of the screens of the console, asking if they are alright. She explains that she left the Wayne Enterprises building for a short moment to check up on her case at the GCPD, but when she returned she saw the camera footage of them getting abducted. Although it was impossible for her to track them down at first since the Court of Owls covered up almost all of their tracks, Batman reactivating his high-tech suit set off a GPS signal which allowed her to pinpoint their location. With the help of a new modification to the Batmobile she was able to remotely control the armored vehicle for a while to reach the place and to help them escape.
Helena sighs of relief, tired of the confrontation they just went through when she says that they must’ve escaped the Court by now. However, right after she says this the two feel something landing on the roof of the Batmobile. Before they can react, one of the Talon’s golden weapons cuts through the armored material like butter, making an opening for himself to enter the vehicle. Batman stands up from his seat and orders Helena to drive despite her not having any driving experience yet as he deals with the Talon standing in the cramped open space in the back of the Batmobile. He makes his way towards him, feeling the cold morning air cut through his skin while he begins punching his enemy. After hitting him a couple of times the Talon catches his fist inside his hand, landing a couple of strikes on his face and damaging his cowl before Batman kicks him right in the stomach. The impact of the kick makes him land hard on the cold floor of the Batmobile, but before he can recover Batman leaps on top of him and starts pounding him in the head. He stops for a short moment to charge up his exosuit for a bigger punch, but the vehicle suddenly making a sharp turn to get outside of Gotham, makes him miss the Talon and denting the floor instead. While he recovers and tries to get another punch in, the other Talon lands on the front of the car and begins damaging the engine. Helena makes a couple more sharp turns in an effort to get him off the car but all it does is make Batman lose his balance, giving him a disadvantage in the fight. As smoke begins coming from the engine Helena loses control of the vehicle, prompting Batman to abandon the fight to prevent them from going off the road. However, he is too late; before he can do anything, the Batmobile crashes through the guardrail on the ride of the road, sending them all tumbling down a hill.
When Helena regains consciousness, she feels herself getting dragged out of the wreckage which was once the Batmobile. Pieces of wreckage are scattered everywhere as the smell of smoke fills her nose. Once she is at a safe distance away from the wreck, she is able to properly see the damage; the Batmobile is laying upside down with a fire having erupted in the engine as several important components of the car have been damaged or broken off. Suddenly, she notices one of the Talons crawling away from the wreck. His outfit has been torn and burned, with him being unable to walk because of the crash. Batman sees him too, and begins slowly walking towards him. The Talon notices this and for the first time he hears one of them speak as he begins pleading for him to put him out of his misery. Batman stays silent for a while before telling him to go back to the Court. He wants him to relay a message to them, warning that it will take much more than this to take down Batman. They tried their best to get rid of him, and they failed. If they try this again, he won't be taken by surprise like this time and warns that he will do whatever it takes to take down the entire Court by himself. The Talon begins crying out that the Court of Owls will just murder him for this fiasco, but Batman ignores him and turns around leaving him on his own. He calls Barbara to pick them up as he puts an arm around Helena, complimenting her for what she did today as the Batmobile continues to burn down behind them.
Roughly a week has passed since the incident with the Court. Despite Bruce and Barbara’s best efforts, they haven't managed to track down the Court again; upon returning to the place where he was taken to to be put on trial, he only found an empty and abandoned building with all of the furniture and decorations taken away. Barbara has taken the wreckage of the Batmobile back to the Wayne Enterprises building, developing plans to rework the vehicle into something else instead of simply rebuilding it.
During a boring evening at the Wayne Building, the regularly scheduled tv programme gets interrupted by a newsflash; A terrorist going by the name of Bane, suspected to be the person responsible for getting a majority of Gotham addicted to Venom, has attacked the Gotham Stock Exchang. In a publicly broadcasted video he revealed to have gotten his hands on a decaying neutron bomb which is set to detonate this Christmas Eve. In his video he directly challenged the Dark Knight, saying that he is only willing to stop the bomb from exploding if he manages to defeat him. Confident that he can save Gotham once more, Bruce suits up and sets out to bring down Bane. Helena offers to join to help take him down, but Batman declines as he fears not going to him alone could have severe consequences. Without being able to use the Batmobile to get around for the time being, he climbs to the top of the building and decides to make use out of his new experimental cape glider. He leaps off the structure as he spreads out his cape, which folds out in the shape of the wings of a bat allowing him to glide to the financial district.
After gliding for a while, Batman lands on top of the glass roof of the Stock Exchange building giving him a good look at the situation. Right below him he can make out the figure of Bane, surrounded by several of his goons, all guarding the neutron bomb. He uses a Batarang to cut a hole into the glass to grant him access into the building. After jumping down the hole he lands right in front of Bane, quickly alerting him of his presence. This is the first time he has gotten a good look at the terrorist; before him stands a very big and muscular man, wearing a black luchador-esque mask which conceals his face. Batman catches a glimpse of a big tank filled with Venom on his back with tubes attached to it, all injected straight into his skin and mask. His goons, all having taken some of the strength-enhancing drugs as well, point their guns at the Dark Knight but Bane tells them to lower their weapons. After telling them to step back he stretches out his arms, challenging the Dark Knight to a one-on-one fight. Batman agrees, taking off his utility belt and preparing for the fight. He laughs, his voice muffled by the mask, asking himself if he will be a match to him or if he will go down as easily as his other opponents as Batman charges towards him.
Batman strikes first, getting in several powerful blows, but it doesn’t even seem to phase his opponent. He pauses for a short moment and tries to continue the fight, but Bane catches his hand before it can hit him. Batman hears something crack when he clenches his fist, feeling that his glove has been damaged. Before he can recover, Bane grabs him with both arms and headbutts him with a lot of force. The blow almost makes him lose his balance, but his opponent grabs him by the throat before he falls to the ground and punches him right in the face several times. Batman starts to taste blood in his mouth but is unwilling to give up so easily. He releases himself from Bane’s grip and tackles him to the ground, using all his strength to kick him in the face several times. Again, his opponent is unperturbed by his attempts to fight back, simply taking the blows without flinching. As Bane doesn't fight back Batman becomes overconfident for a moment, not noticing as his arm reaches out for his leg. He grabs a hold of it and janks it towards him, making him fall to the ground again.
‘’You know, I used to admire you. Hearing all about your heroics back when I was growing up motivated me to be better than I already was. But now that I am not a bright-eyed and naive child anymore, I’m finally able to see you for what you really are; A pathetic elderly man, having to rely on some high-tech suit to even attempt to compete with me!’’
Bane raises his fists in the air, bringing them down with full force on the chest of the Dark Knight. Although his suit absorbs most of the strike to prevent his ribs from breaking upon impact, Batman still feels the pain from his attack and notices the armor on his chest having shattered.
‘’Over the years, I've dreamt of being the one who would kill the legendary Batman. However, I have recently come to the conclusion that killing you would only end your agony and silence your shame.’’
He attempts to fight back again and gathers his strength to reply to his opponent’s comments, but Bane silences him with a nasty kick in the gut before he can do so.
‘’I don't think you quite know who I am. I’m not some scarecrow or a riddler. I’m not a jester or a clown! I’m not a flightless bird nor a cryogenic scientist! And most importantly, i am not some rich guy playing dress-up!’’
Bane begins continuously stomping Batman in the face, slowly cracking open his mask more and more with each kick. By the time his cowl has been completely destroyed Batman has been knocked unconscious, having collapsed after all of the attacks.
‘’ I AM BANE! AND I WILL BREAK YOU!’’
As his goons cheer him on, Bane picks up the defeated body of the Dark Knight and raises it over his head. He slowly spins around like he’s showing a trophy to his friends, reveling as the realization that he has become the one to truly break the Bat begins to set in. Batman regains consciousness, but only just in time to feel himself getting driven down towards the ground as he collides with Bane’s knee.
With one nasty snap, he quickly finds his body in anguish as his spine has completely shattered. Bane drops him to the ground and commands his henchmen to take the bombs and go away, taking the broken mask of the Dark Knight with him as a trophy before leaving himself as well. Batman tries to move, but becomes terrified when he notices that he is unable to even move. With this one attack, Bane has paralyzed the Bat.
Quite some time passes before someone arrives to pick up the wounded Bruce. He gets taken to the Wayne Building instead of a hospital in order to preserve his secret identity, where he gets hooked up to some medical equipment to keep him alive. As the days pass by, Gotham begins to decay more and more into chaos as the threat of a neutron bomb decimating the city gets closer. Each attempt made by the police force to disarm the explosive has led to nothing, leading to many of the city’s residents deciding to get out while they still can. Despite Bruce being in no state at all to fight back against Bane, he stubbornly refuses to leave the city as he believes his back will he recovered enough before the bomb is set to go off. Along with this he also feels personally responsible for letting this happen and does not want Gotham to fall under his watch.
Less than a week is now left before the bomb is set to go off. Bane had taken his bomb to the city centre, where his henchmen are guarding him all day to prevent anyone from interfering with his plan. With no sign of his spine recovering in the slightest, Helena and Barbara are urging Bruce to leave the city with them, as they know nobody else is left to stop him. Barbara is close to converting the damaged Batmobile to an airborne vehicle and tells him it could be fit to get them out of there. However, he does not want to hear any of it and keeps insisting that he can find a solution. In an old scientific report about the Venom drug he read some time ago, he noticed it stating that taking the drug can completely heal severe wounds within moments. With his mind set on this new opportunity to save Gotham he asks Barbara to get him a sample of the substance, hoping this will put him in a position to fight back again. Despite her hesitation she agrees to do so, although she warns him that this is only a short-term solution for a permanent problem for him.
When she returns, Bruce has removed the armor from his arms and prepared a new suit to help him control himself while under the effects of the drug. Barbara reluctantly hands him a syringe filled with Venom, but before she does so she tells him that the scientific reports he read left out some important details. It's true that taking Venom can heal severe and permanent injuries in a matter of moments, but the catch is that once the drug’s effects have worn off the injuries will just return, sometimes getting even worse as a result. Bruce tells her he is more than willing to sacrifice himself if it means that he is gonna be able to save Gotham once more as he grabs the syringe out of her hand. Before any of them can react, he slams the needle into his skin and presses the plunger down allowing the substance to enter into his bloodstream. Bruce feels the effects hitting him almost instantly, and before he knows it he finds himself able to stand on his own again. While he struggles to keep himself from succumbing to the drug’s effects he puts on a new suit; an outfit plated with a gold-colored metal and with a reinforced cowl and cape. Ready for battle, he makes his way to the newly designed Batwing to take himself to the city center to face off against Bane.
----------------------
Panelists include Joumanna Bercetche, Reporter, CNBC, David Lipton, First Deputy Managing Director, IMF, Hélène Rey, Lord Bagri Professor of Economics, London Business School, Philip Lane, Governor, Central Bank of Ireland, Agustin Carstens, General Manager, Bank of International Settlements (BIS) and Gene Frieda, Executive Vice President and Global Strategist, PIMCO during the seminar Booms and Busts: Are We Better Able to Deal with Them Today? at the 2018 IMF/World Bank Spring Meetings on Saturday, April 21 in Washington, D.C. Ryan Rayburn/IMF Photo
Prague
I was fortunate to be able to visit this church immediately at the opening time. So I was alone for sometime before the hordes of tourists armed with any kind of photo taking gadgets arrived to crowd the place, make noise and, most annoying, destroy my shot standing in front of my camera field of view
Prague is a city full with numerous baroque churches, this being one of the most beautiful.
The building of Loreta, started in the early 17th century and is actually the result of numerous additions and modifications of the building surrounding a small courtyard
inside the courtyard is the "santa casa" (holy house): a small cottage copy of what is believed to be the house of Virgin Mary
Loreta hosts a large museum full of (rather interesting) pieces of religious art ( reliquary cases, candleholder, ostensories, jewels) dating back from the 17th century.
Well, everything was very rich and decorated by gold, silver, precious stones etc, that I could hardly believe they belongt to church rather than to a king
Able Seaman Arthur Thomas Wood was born 21 April 1921 at Berry in New South Wales, and joined the Royal Australian Navy in 1938 at the age of 17. After training at HMAS CEREBUS he joined HMAS SYDNEY in early 1939. When World War II was declared, SYDNEY was ordered to serve in the Mediterranean for escort duty. Wood was aboard SYDNEY when it sank the Italian cruisers ESPERO and BARTOLOMEO COLLEONI in July 1940.
These photographs and postcards depict some of the sailors, equipment and activities of HMAS SYDNEY in the months prior to the sinking of the vessel. They provide an interesting commentary of the operations and work carried out aboard HMAS SYDNEY prior to its fateful end, such as the sinking of Italian ships ESPERO and BARTOLOMEO COLLEONI in the Mediterranean.
The Australian National Maritime Museum undertakes research and accepts public comments that enhance the information we hold about images in our collection. If you can identify a person, vessel or landmark, write the details in the Comments box below.
Thank you for helping caption this important historical image.
Object number ANMS0845[013].
I was able to order my Feepl60 Chloe today! I am so excited, I made a video about it as well and I'm uploading it right away :)
For those wondering, her name is going to be Aline <3 I've gone way too crazy ordering stuff for her *-* I think I'm even more excited for her than I was for Lena! :O
(Photo credit to Fairyland, and Andreja for giving me the idea ^-^~)
Too Damn Many... everything decided to be released in the same week 😓 Let the backlog continue...
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Urban Legends # 6
Cover A
This is it! Fans demanded it and IDW Publishing listened! The entire TMNT Volume 3, reproduced for the first time ever in full four-color glory! With Splinter still missing, the Turtles try to test the limits of Donatello’s new cyborg body. But when a friend makes a mistake, will Donatello be able to take control before it’s too late?
Die Kitty Die: Heaven and Hell # 1
Kitty Ravencraft returns! The last time we saw her, her new comic book series was a huge success and she was once again the talk of the comic shops! Kitty's sleazy publisher managed to get a Hollywood film deal based on her series, but she soon found herself in danger once again! So much so, that she gets shot and killed by a mystery killer! Now, we'll see Kitty go on trial, taking a visit to Heaven and Hell... then going on a mission from God to seek out her killer! And when you see who her killer is, you will be shocked! But where will she end up? And what will happen to her killer? Find out in the wackiest, funniest Kitty story yet!
WWE # 22
Now that AJ Styles has officially joined the WWE Universe, it’s time to face his greatest challenge yet—the man known as John Cena!
Bully Wars # 3
Things get off to a rough start for Rufus as he and the other bullies head to the Bully Wars arena for the start of the games. Aiming to simply guide Rufus to victory, Spencer finds out he may be more directly involved than he originally planned.
Farmhand # 5
The first arc of the series about agriculture gone apocalyptic concludes! As Freetown descends into chaos, Zeke and Jed search the town for Andrea. But she's got problems of her own, as she is faced with the monstrous truth behind the Jedidiah Seed.
Elvira: Mistress Of The Dark # 3
Cover C: Robert Hack + Cover A: Joseph Michael Linsner
Elvira’s time travel odyssey continues as she brings the author of DRACULA face to face with his nightmarish inspiration! Stoker? I hardly know ‘er! Thrills, chills and more horrible puns like that, all in the third chapter of ELVIRA: TIMESCREAM…brought to you by David Avallone (Bettie Page) and Dave Acosta (Twelve Devils Dancing), the double-Dave team who brought you DOC SAVAGE: RING OF FIRE and TWILIGHT ZONE: THE SHADOW.
Marvel Super Hero Adventures: Captain Marvel - Mealtime Mayhem (2018) # 1
It’s Thanksgiving in New York! You know what that means… Feasts! Parades! And…BAD GUYS?! When the villainous VENOM threatens to spoil the city’s fun on Thanksgiving Day, it’s up to Spider-Man and Captain Marvel to set him straight and save the celebration! PLUS! A story from SEANAN MCGUIRE, writer of the all-new Gwen Stacy series SPIDER-GWEN: GHOST-SPIDER, starring a certain hoodie-wearing hero!
True Believers: What If the Silver Surfer Possessed the Infinity Gauntlet? # 1
Reprinting What If? (1989) # 49
Spider-Geddon (2018-) # 3 (of 5)
REVENGE OF THE SPIDER-VERSE! One SUPERIOR SPIDER is willing to do whatever it takes to defeat the Inheritors! Will Miles and his team have to stop him before he goes TOO FAR? Stand together or fall separately – isn’t that how it goes?
Vault Of Spiders (2018) # 1 (of 2)
A SPIDER-GEDDON TIE IN! Only a Spider-Army can stop the end of the Multiverse! Meet Web-Slinger, the Spider-Man from the Wild West, in an unforgettable story by CULLEN BUNN (X-MEN BLUE) and JAVIER PULIDO (SHE-HULK)! He is the Emissary from Hell, he is SUPAIDAMAN! The Spider-Man from the live-action SPIDER-MAN show that aired in Japan in the 1970s is back in comics form in an insane story by JED MACKAY (EDGE OF SPIDER-GEDDON) and SHELDON VELLA (DEADPOOL, SPIDER-VERSE). And that’s just a glimpse into the VAULT OF SPIDERS!
Typhoid Fever: X-Men (2018) # 1
TYPHOID MARY has returned to Hell’s Kitchen and taken over the neighborhood’s psychiatric hospital, overwhelming Manhattan’s most dangerous neighborhood with her unique telekinetic abilities. When mutants and humans alike get caught in the crossfire, the X-Men have no choice but to intervene… only to square off against THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN?!
Immortal Hulk (2018-) # 8
Bruce Banner is dead. His corpse has been dissected, his organs catalogued, and his inner workings are being studied by the scientists of Shadow Base. Bruce Banner is no longer a threat. That just leaves the IMMORTAL HULK...
Infinity Wars (2018) # 5 (of 6)
Introducing… Loki’s Cosmic Avengers!
Marvel Knights: 20th (2018-) # 1 (of 6)
Cover A by Geoff Shaw + Cover C By Mike Deodato Jr
In celebration of the legendary imprint founded by Marvel’s CCO Joe Quesada, a new crop of talent stands poised to tell a groundbreaking story across the Marvel Universe! In the cemetery, the blind man does not know who he is, or why he has come to this particular grave at this moment. He doesn’t know the burly police officer with the wild story who has approached him. Or the strangely intense man who sits in the rear seat of the patrol car, his eyes flashing green. But all of that is about to change.
X-Men: Black - Magneto (2018) # 1
MAGNETO IS BACK…and so is Chris Claremont! For years, Magneto has done everything he can to achieve his goals for mutant domination. But now Magneto has declared that enough is enough. So what revolutionary plan does Magneto have that will change the face of mutantkind? And will anyone be able to stop him? Will anyone want to? PLUS: Includes Part 1 of X-MEN BLACK: APOCALYPSE the back up story by Zac Thompson, Lonnie Nadler, and Geraldo Borge!
What If? X-Men (2018) # 1
Cover C 2nd Ptg Variant Neil Edwards Cover
From the publisher that gave you OLD MAN LOGAN and HOUSE OF M... The X-Men as you never imagined! Welcome to the EXE/scape, a digital wonderland of business and pleasure accessible to anyone with the social (or monetary) capital for the bio-mods needed to log in... Or you can bypass all of that by being born carrying an .EXE/gene! But circumventing the login regulations is exactly what got the likes of Charles Xavier and his .EXE/men banned and driven underground in the first place... Free-roamers u/Domino and u/Cable have taken every dirty job there is on the ‘scape, but when a simple data scrubbing job turns bad, the life of bio-mod magnate Erik Lehnsherr hangs in the balance, and with it, their very society... It's a whole new world of X-Men by Bryan Edward Hill (Detective Comics), Neil Edwards (Justice League) and Giannis Milonogiannis (Ghost in the Shell: Global Neural Network)!
Shatterstar (2018-2019) # 2 (of 5)
With a simple act of violence, Shatterstar’s life was turned upside down. Nothing makes sense anymore...except for a pair of doublebladed swords and more bloodshed. So much more BLOODSHED.
X-23 (2018-) # 6
Laura and Gabby go undercover as teacher and student to uncover a deadly secret. Will Gabby be teacher’s pet? Will Jonathan?
For much of the 20th Century nobody had been able to find a nest of Marbled Murrelet. The Audubon Society was even offering $100 reward for the finder of the first documented nest as all other nests of North American birds had been found. The mystery was finally solved in 1974 when a tree-trimmer in California's Big Basin Redwood State Park discovered a nest. It was 148 feet off the ground on a mossy branch of an old growth Douglas Fir. They only nest in old growth forests and have become a flagship species for forest conservation in North America.
Most seabirds have a similar colour pattern; light below, dark above so predators cannot see them from above against a dark sea, and fish prey cannot see them looking up through the water. Marbled Murrelets have the typical black and white pattern for most of the year but unusually become mottled brown top and bottom when they are nesting. Camouflage against the tree branches.
They are easy enough to see off America's west coast but they are fiendishly difficult to photograph as they either dive or fly away if anything approaches within 100m or so. This one was taken less than a second after it had emerged, and less than a second before it dived again. I took many pictures of splashes before I managed to get this close picture of an adult in non-breeding plumage. They are brown all over in breeding plumage but many of the birds we saw in mid May were still in their winter garb. I took the photograph in Alaska's Prince William Sound where a significant proportion of the world population breeds.
...
another photo of a Red Admiral.. Sorry for another dorky title (No, not really...)
better in light box thingy 'L'
Able Seaman Arthur Thomas Wood was born 21 April 1921 at Berry in New South Wales, and joined the Royal Australian Navy in 1938 at the age of 17. After training at HMAS CEREBUS he joined HMAS SYDNEY in early 1939. When World War II was declared, SYDNEY was ordered to serve in the Mediterranean for escort duty. Wood was aboard SYDNEY when it sank the Italian cruisers ESPERO and BARTOLOMEO COLLEONI in July 1940.
These photographs and postcards depict some of the sailors, equipment and activities of HMAS SYDNEY in the months prior to the sinking of the vessel. They provide an interesting commentary of the operations and work carried out aboard HMAS SYDNEY prior to its fateful end, such as the sinking of Italian ships ESPERO and BARTOLOMEO COLLEONI in the Mediterranean.
The Australian National Maritime Museum undertakes research and accepts public comments that enhance the information we hold about images in our collection. If you can identify a person, vessel or landmark, write the details in the Comments box below.
Thank you for helping caption this important historical image.
Object number ANMS0845[035].
The Wager..
…..
Prologue
“Sigh, Here goes it then, “he probably is still at that bar” …… I said with a slight hesitation, but with no whine in me voice ( for the record). I then promptly turned away and moved off , wading my way back inside…
……
The tale
Ten minutes later …
I finally was able to make an approach up to the long scarred oaken bar, after weaving my way amongst the countless numbers of mingling guests, all dolled up for the evening. So I guess that is why I was not quite successfully keeping my focus on the task at hand that was inadvertently before to me..
Finally reaching me destination, I Ordered an old fashion (with rye ) and sat down next to him and said pleasantly.” how is it going Mate?”
He had been studying the dance floor, but at my greeting sighed and pulled himself away to look me up an down with a rather suspicious eye.
I met his gaze squarely, still smiling, avoiding the impulse to stare at the lit cigarette dangling from his lip. Being a pipe man meself ,I was a wee bit opinioned when it came to sloppy cigarettes smokers, especially those who left the bloody things cheekily in their mouths at all times.
“Wotcher” he said, a bit snidely I thought, since I was just trying to be friendly.
“Do I know you Guv?” He quizzically added.
“ Sorry.” I admitted, “ Thought you looked like a bloke I knew up Manchester way.”
“Not from there am I , guv !” He stated rather dismissively.
I ploughed on… “Well, one can’t always be right, can one?”
“Just getting a drink” I continued,” I see yours is out, whatcha be having ?”
“Highball” he said smartly, and turned back away. For some reason I was not surprised at the blokes drink of choice.
He certainly was most interested in the goings on the ballroom dance floor! I caught the Keeps eye and indicated a refill was in order for my new found ‘mate’.
By then I had mine and I took a long, gloriously settling, sip. “That’s better” I sighed, a bit too deeply probably, but my new acquaintance, with full attention back on the ballroom dance floor, paid my comments no heed.
He hadn’t asked me name, which was fine by me, kept me from having to remember the one I would have had to ‘ave made up. Nor did I care to know this blokes name either, though I was harboring a pretty good guess that it would be a rather recognizable one, either mentopned from the telly or tomorrow’s fish and chip wrappers.
But I could see I had lost the chaps attention….
“Pretty” I said following his gaze.
“What ‘s pretty ?!” he stated sharply, not diverting his watchful eyes.
I noticed that they were a bit shifty, his eyes, like a sly, watchful fox, and that they moved with a rapid constancy. Think a young Trevor Howard with Peter Lorre’s eyes, and you have the chap to a T!
“The dancers, mate” I said, “this lot is dressed rather elegantly tonight!.”
He peeled his eyes off the dancers twirling and swishing about, and turned slowly to me, a bit scornfully , “what did you expect guv, its full dress tonight, that’s why you and I have these monkey suits on, taint it?”
“Indeed sir” , I said agreeably with what I hoped was a winningly sincere voice, though down deep, to meself, I felt this prig deserved anything but politeness. Still I carried on, trying to be friendly.
“That lass in the green is pretty” I remarked, nodding in a direction by the far corner of the floor to where a rather petite lady with black hair, prettily clad in a shiny bit of a green gown, black glasses owlishly perched on her nose, and displaying a rather nice little set of shimmering emeralds, was dancing with a bird like bloke wearin ,of all things, a scarlet red vest.
“Personally, I like the way her emerald jewelry sets off against her gown!”, I added whilst pointed her out…
He had gotten his drink, and I noticed he had half drained it in one gulp, and set it down without a kind word, like say, thank you..! He was on his way to a real bender if he kept up with that pace I thought, eyeing the two other, empty glasses, collected at his elbow on the bar top!
He had gone back to his eyeing of the ballroom’s inhabitants, I could see his eyes flitting about.
“Whasat” he finally said, “The gangly bird dancing with cock robin? Yah,I suppose so.” He snorted at his own remark.
Then looking at me for a long second, he continued on.. “Like her jewels do ya than mate?” he said not bothering to hide the snideness in his comment .. “ Meself, Guv, I notice more than a sweetie’s bloody jewels !” He again chuckled dryly at his presumed wit, I did not choose to join in..
“Occupational hazard I guess, noticing jewelery .” ,I admitted, choosing not to expound on my drinking partner’s opinion, “I own a small jewelry shoppe on the village green.” “Nothing much, but it pays one’s rent.”
That opened him up a bit….
“I guess than a gent like you would prattle on about jewels” “Is that what brings you alone here these evening?” “I aint seen you out dancing with anyone.” There was definitely insinuation behind his words, but, therin, laid a delicate path I dared not explore, lest my incipient plan blew up in my face.
I gave no reply, and after the observation was spoken, let him continue on in his dry, sniping tone that I was beginning to realize was his normal manner of speech!
“So you just want a bit of a peek at what you sell guv?” “ Me, I just like lookin at the whole bleedin package, iffin you get my drift !!”
And giving me a weaselly little grin, he nudged me with his elbow with a mirthless cackling laugh , then turned his attention raptly back onto the thronging occupants of the dance floor..
Spotting a possible opening, I delved into the breach. Sink or swim time.
“So what do you do when you are not attending these rather posh affairs?” I asked, trying to keep a wedge in our conversation. Even though the answer was pretty obvious from the blighters manner of dress, and baby smooth manicured fingers!
“Nuttin” he said through gritted teeth, never diverting his gaze to me, “Don’t hafta work like a regular Git, gets a small allowance from me father don’t I! Not much though, old parental gents are too cheap by half if you ask me, livin in the stone age where moneys concerned!!” He literally spat out the last few words.
“Shame” I sympathetically pretended to agree , “but still”, and raisin my glass, said “cheers to being able to keep a roof over one’s head.”
We both drained our glasses in salute and I ordered another round.
After we were served, my new ‘friend’ , out of the side of his mouth since his eyes were glued back on the ballroom dancers stated wryly, “You like’n them emeralds? Guv ” , and I could see his eyes were again stuck on watching the lady elegantly wearing,( in me own humble opinion), the green satin offset with her brite glittering emeralds. “A bit too mousey for my taste”, He continued, “ole 4 eyes there, still, I wouldn’t say no to admire’in what she has under that shiny dress!” And he let out another little snort at his crude witticism.
Crude apparently being a trademark of all this Bloke’s remarks!
I choose to ignore his rather rude comment, and went on, trying to remain unruffled by my new friends rather blunt outlook on the fairer sex !
“I admire any gemstones that I can sell my dear sir.” I said causally, delicately, “ but there are other things that I will also allow to command my interest.”
“ Wjats you on about then?” He asked, reluctantly taking his eyes from the dance floor and placing his attention fully back onto me, as he looked me over like he had just now noticed I was there!.
I remembered thinking, yeah ya bleedin prig, two free drinks and not a thank you in sight. Picked a winner here, I did! But when I spoke, my words and manner of speech did not betray any of me thoughts.
“Well”, I admitted rather sheepishly, “In my line of work I come across many alerts from the constabulary about ladies who have had jewels come up missing, and asked to keep an open eye out.”
He looked suspiciously at me.. “The bobbies ask YOU about it?” he questioned.
“No” I admitted, “all jewelers receive the same circulars.” “But you see, the thing that peaks my curiosity at these events is to try and catch one in action!”
“Catch one what guv ?” he asked quizzically.
“Thief !“ I announced in a ‘everyone one knows’ tone of voice’,..
“You see lad, a good many circulars describe how ladies lose a bit of their jewelry at functions like these from time to time. It is assumed that the expensive pieces just had bad clasps, but me, I am not so sure that is the case, for it appears to happen far too frequently in these parts!”
“What else would it be guv?” He asked, his sluggish curiosity, finally, peaking !
“Well” I said, leaning in to him rather conspiratorially, “ I have come to a conclusion that there is a fraction of thieves out there that are able to lift jewels being worn by ladies, like these being worn here tonight, without being caught in the act! And I attend functions like these on the off chance to see if my thesis is correct.”
“Thesis?” my rather cheeky friend asked, not getting the drift. “
I sighed inwardly, thinkin entirely to me self that we will be here all evening if I have to explain everything to this most likely privately schooled, but still uneducated Git! I decided to go easy on the verbage with him from now on !
“Theory lad, a belief that, say, our lady yonder in the green frock could possibly be parted from her emeralds by one of her dance partners, if the bloke was of the mindset to acquire them in that manner.”
“And since she wouldn’t be suspecting it, said dance partner may have an eye for her necklace, and slip the emeralds away from around her very throat without her even noticing, until he was either long gone, or the emeralds returned to her !” I explained calmly.
“ You sayin guv?” “ that that swarmy cock robin bloke dancin with that skrawny 4 eyed bird, may be after her necklace?”
“Rot!” he smirked , taking his eyes off of the couple and onto me , “nigh impossible to do such a thing!”
“Besides”, he continued on, “ If someone was that interested in her jewels, why not just follow her out and do a complete job of it !?”
“A lot more risk involved being caught doin it that way Mate, not to mention it being rather obvious that she is being robbed! No, to do it this way a thief could come away scot free with the goods without any suspicions falling upon himself.” I stated in a quite logical tone of voice.
“But, a bloke would have to be a rather quick fingered one, like a pickpocket wouldn’t he now?” He questioned, his eyes back on the dancing couple.
And have someone to practice on, I thought to meself before answering…
“Nay my good sir,” I assured, “I think it could be done by the most common of thieves, I bet even non-thieves like you or I could do it with some success!”
“Blimey mate, your still half cracked barmy for even thinking that way!”
He sneered, but I saw him take a long, speculative look at the green satin clad lady, being waltzed merrily along the dance floor, completely unawares that she and her nicely shimmering emeralds had become such a rather unscrupulous topic line of speculation!
“Ten quid lad!” I said quietly under my breath.
“Whots that then mate?” He perked up while addressing me quizzically, “Tenner for what?”
“Ten quid Says I could lift that particular lady’s pretty necklace straight away, and not be caught out in the process?”
He thought about it for one long minute, finishing his drink in the meantime. “Don’t know guv, Bobbies may frown upon that!”
I countered, trying to set the hook in deep, figuring a bit of creative lying would be in good order to ease away his concerns.
“Not if I don’t get caught lad, and that necklace is only a cheap imitation. She probably got it out of a cracker jack box ,and being chintzy, she wouldn’t be surprised at the clasp breaking away an it falling as she danced, if sayin she would happen to noticed my amateur attempt, would she now?”
I could see he was mulling something over as I spoke, as his limp cigarette was bobbing up and down still clamped in his pursed lips. It was certainly a long time coming together, this blokes imaginary skills!
He finally nodded towards the lady in green, happily being swished around the dance floor in all of her innocence bliss, her emeralds making a nice show of it, sparkling on like they were , just crying out to be noticed and admired, which they were, and perhaps soon that sparkling cry would be hushed by an admirer !
“Suppose that gangly 4 eyed bird looks gullible enough to try it out on. Probably too shy, so won’t make too much fuss when she catches you trying!” He looked at me. “ And make no mistake bloke , you will be caught… and then I wouldn’t know you from Adam ! Make it two for one guv, and you are on a bet!” He snarked..
And like that, the hook was set ! Though, blimey, I had seen carp from the ‘Myths’ finally taking bait with less subtly!!
“Capital!” I acknowledged, “I like a good challenge!”
I arose, straightening my jacket and tie, and looking at the lady wearing the green gown, I commented, half encouraging to meself, “You are on lad!” And marched myself off to the dance floor.
The current song was ending and I caught up with my quarry as she began nicely swishing her way off the dance floor.
I had observed she had been dancing with several different partners , making that note after she had first attracted my interest, and saw she was now, once again, alone.
Laying fingers gently upon a green satin clad shoulder, I gently touched her from behind. She turned and with a rather fetching demure look ,caste me a pair of questioning hazel coloured eyes. Said eyes were rather enticingly enlarged by being behind the thick lensed black glasses she was wearing.
“Care to dance?” I asked, with some earnest, after all ten quid is ten quid!
She smiled, laying upon me an aire of innocence that rather took me aback for an instance…,then said sweetly “I am a bit worn out just now sir”
My heart dropped down to my feet at that!
Seeing my disappointment, then she continued with a perked smile, placing a gloved hand to her throat and playing with the very necklace, one which decidedly, despite my earlier comments, would not have come from a crackerjack box!
“I be guess ‘in that I can’t see what harm one more dance could do, would it then ?”
She spoke with a rather soft sort of Irish brogue, that was second generation at best, but had me hooked with its lyrical lilt! “Brilliant!” I said with heartfelt meaning, and led her back to the wooden dance floor as the orchestra was getting ready to start playing again.
A slow dance started up and I took her in my arms, keeping a discreet, friendly distance between us.
We made small talk, though I avoided talking anything about jewelry. Trying to think like a thief, I was figuring in me mind that if the plan was to be carried out with success, I, and my victim, needed to stay well away off the subject of the jewels she was wearing!.
I did, however, manage to steal several discreet glances at her necklace, a pretty thing, thin gold chain, set with a single row of emeralds divided by small sparkly chips of diamonds. It had a loose lay around her neck, bouncing easily along their perch, which was just nicely above the girl’s tightly satin clad chest. By the manner in which the necklace was moving about, It should slip off rather easily, if I was to now be judge of such matters!
After a few random comments concerning the evening’s doings, I complimented her on her pretty hair.
Which it was, pretty I mean, strikingly black, falling softly down to her shoulders where its curled ends swayed with a most delighting motion, not to mention the long emerald earrings that kept peeking in and out as they swung merrily from her hair.
I removed my hand from round her waist and lifted a lock with my left hand in emphasis, taking the opened opportunity to study her necklaces clasp, and to re-set my hand upon her rather sensuous feeling back side, gently laying it nonchalantly just below her shoulder. She appeared not to notice the change.
She ate it up, giggling with pleasure, flicking her hair back, sending the pair of those lovely ,longish earrings sparkling alongside her enchanting face, the whole effect made even more lively with those eyeglass magnified, doe like wide eyes!
She was quite a vexing, most charming thing, my dance partner, and the conversation flowed easily between us. She appeared to be an absolutely sweetly trusting soul, and I, with some slight reservation, made the most of it!
My hand twas still rested upon her back, and I slowly allowed it to travel upwards, watching for any sign of skittishness from my dance partner.
But she continued on chatting away, accepting smiles from me as silent answers , which was just as well, for my mind was set on other things, and any conversation requiring me too think out an answer would have intruded on my concentration, hampering me on the way of acquiring her necklace, and winning the ten quid wager!
Her long satin gown felt like heaven under my fingertips, and I was beginning to become pleasantly mesmerized by the manner in which it fluidly swished and fluttered around us as we danced. I had been waiting for an opening, when I realized that the dance music was in its final chords..
I decided I had go for it now! So I forced out a comment about one of the blokes sitting at the bar ( far from my fellow conspirator!), her eyes sought and found the gent out, then she fetchingly giggled in agreement to my observation.
Meanwhile my fingers had deftly reached up to the end of the gold chain hanging down from her necklaces clasp.
Ever so slowly I had been pulling it down, like one would a lampshade chain, and the whole affair obligingly slithered quite willingly descended on the slick backside of the smooth surface of its’ mistresses conveniently chosen gown, soon placing the clasp in my grasping fingers.
At the same time I was watching the necklace with its flickering emeralds and diamonds, from the front, as her head had been turned towards the bar. I noticed how the necklace was moving up, smoothly slithering along the sleek material of her pretty gown, praying it would not catch and draw her attention! The sparkling little beauty behaved, and gave its’ unawares mistress no fair warning!!
We twirled around and I led her to a far corner where a group of fake trees were clustered, giving me a bit of haven from the possibility of being seen making my final move!
My earlier peek had showed me that I knew the type of her necklaces’ clasp, now wedged in my fingertips, and having worked on many like it, believed this one presented no problem.
So it twas, with surprising ease given me nervousness, the out of sight clasp nicely popped opened, leaving one end of the expensive necklace laying over her shoulder, resting like a shimmery snake in the green grass, as it laid out upon her shiny green gown.
Then, in quick fashion, timing it perfectly as the song ended, I bought her willingly into a friendly hug thanking her, whilst at the same moment whisked away her necklace from around the high neckline of her satin gown, smooth as sliding a melting ice cube across the surface of a piping hot griddle! It easily slipped off, then fell safely away and was securely stowed away into a tux pocket before we had fully broke apart.
Shamelessly I smiled into her eyes. “Thank you luv, that was rather nice of you !” I told her in all sincerity. Removing my left hand from me pocket, and delicately took her green gloved one up to shake!
She looked down at our hands for one brief second, and I eyed the quite glaringly empty spot where her rather fine necklace of emeralds and diamonds had until so very recently had been dangling. Could it really be that easy I thought curiously to meself over it , briefly wondering also what would be in a real thief’s mind at successfully reaching this point!
She looked back up and smiled winningly at me as I innocently looked into her eyes. I could a bit guiltily tell she was truly clueless as to what had just transpired. She chirped back with her rich Irish brogue…” Pleasure was all mine, to be sure, kind sir, thank ye for the quite lovely dance, but now its time for a restin of weary feet ya know.” She slipped her hand, hesitantly I thought, from mine.
And with that she turned and I watched for a rather few elongated seconds as she swished her way off, almost wishing to meself that at the last minute she would notice the necklaces’ absence.
And in me mind I imagined be given a second dance as a reward for finding her lost necklace, or perhaps something even better may come of it …!
But she didn’t notice and was gone, soon melting in with the crowd on the opposite fringe of the wooden dance floor. And all my imaginings evaporated with her…
I found me heart was pounding, and I forced meself to turn away, and head back before any undue attention was given to me, THERE standing there like a loon with the lady’s still warm necklace in me jackets’ pocket! Some thief! We hadn’t even exchanged names, which would have been a quite natural thing to do if one was trying not to appear doing anything out of the ordinary! It’s a wonder she hadn’t noticed and start to wonder… Maybe she was? And I pictured how she had played with the necklace as I had asked her to dance. Blimey, I wasn’t out of the woods yet, was I!.
I made me way quickly to my newly made mate at the bar , intending to collect me winnings.
“That was easy!” I lied as I regained my seat and took a long sip of me drink, trying to appear calm..
“Codswallop” He said unhappily, not bothering to reach for his billfold! “ Knew the twit was gullible, but not that stupid, she never cought on , did she now?”
“Apparently not.” I admitted. “ But it does prove true what I was saying earlier, and if a rank armature like me could pull it off, then just think about what a regular thief could do, rather proved me point, don’t it now!”
“Its not Cricket guv.” Was his response, and he drained his glass and set it down sharply
He singled to the Barkeep by fidgeting with his empty glass, ordering another. Just for himself, apparently buying others a drink was not in this Blokes mindset, as well as paying off his depts.!
“Bye the bye, what do you do now with her necklace guv?” He asked accusingly, looking down at his fresh drink. “Or are you one of them thieves…!?”
“Not hardly sir, I’ll turn it over to security at the door, found it just laying here on the floor don’tcha know sir…” I mimicked.
Then ,with a co-conspirator’s smile, I lied again.. “Like I said me lad, it’s a cheap bit of rhinestones! Otherwise I probably would have been too nervous to accomplish it!”
He hesitated, I could see he was stalling about something, and I rather guessed it was over paying out , on the wager he had lost, which I had hinted at!
Not surprisingly, he avoided my hint, by asking one of his own..“ You think anyone can do what you just did guv?”
“Certainly mate” I said, “Look, she hasn’t even caught on!”
We both looked over at the lady in green. She had reappeared, joining a group at the far end, and no one being actually aware of anything amiss, let alone her own innocent self! Though I had to admit that I found the necklace’s absence from around her throat quite a glaring concern… But I remained calm about it ! The longer she took to notice, the less likely she would connect its loss with our dance, I reasoned with meself, almost feeling into the part of a suave jewel thief one see’s acting out on the telly…!
Turning to my co-conspirator, I said, half to convince me self, “I tell you lad, women think their jewels are safe whilst being worn. The last thought any of em would suspect is that someone can lift their jewels off and be away..! That’s my theory on how thieves with light fingers could operate on in my humble, uneducated opinion, and manage to get away jewels for keeps, not just to win ten quid on a bet!”.
I could tell that something was churning about in my now, quite liquored, friend’s narrow mind.
He turned his eyes away from the lady in shiny green gown, .. “Okay guv, You got away with it, but would youn be willing to double your winnings that It could be done again by you, say what?”
“Tell you what lad” I said turning the heat up on the situation. “ Lets make it more interesting, raise the ante to fifty on you trying it yourself next, victim of your choosing, and I will double it if you come clean away?!”
He picked up his drink, taking thoughtful sips, still studying my face, as his mind continued churning things about… “Actually guv, 100, two to one , that how sure you are I could do it? “
I whistled softly under me breath for emphasis, ”That’s about all I have !” I replied, appearing a bit hesitant.
“Com’on Guv, a rich jeweler like yourself!” He nudged me again, and let out a snide cackle, the cigarette still dangling from a sneering lip.
“Anyting but rich mate, but you are on!” I pulled out my notecase and counted out £ 100 in a pile, letting him see the thick wad of notes remaining ! “ Yours I said, if you dare try and are successful!”
And I shook is hand, watching a rather foxy grin spread all over his weasley face ,he openly drooled over the healthy pile of pound notes, his sodden cigarette bouncing up and down quite vigorously in his pursed lips.
Not a good poker player, are ye lad I thought to meself, keeping my face in an easy grin that no way betrayed what I was thinking !
I continued on..
“Whom do you have in mind?” I asked looking around with a conspirator’s aire?”
Soon I spied a rather easy mark of a gangly young lass, admirably wearin a tawny coloured taffeta gown, her tightly worn frock appearing as slick an easy a material to slip away jewelry off of as the green gown my victim was wearing so winningly! And this lass was wearing a simple, longish string of polished pearls, fastened with an uncomplicated hook –in-eye clasp!
I nodded his attention over in her direction, drawing his eyes from the money pile! “That fetchin lass over there in brown, one with them pearls, looks to be an easy enough one, dontcha think?”
He shook his head no, “ Nah, I think that blokes ‘er husband , and he looks a rather nasty git!” As he said this, his now drooping eyes had sought out and been staring at someone else.
“There, that lass in blue near to her!” he smirked, “the one dancing with the prat in white!”
I looked over, and acted as if I had just noticed her, though it had been pretty obvious that she was the one my ‘friend’ had had his watchful eye on all evening. I had just wrote it down to a rather jealous infatuation of a stranger .
She was a diminutive lass, rather provocatively wearin a short sky brite blue dress of sleeky silk, tightly outlining her not too un eye pleasing figure.
She was also openly sporting a nice collection of diamonds!
Authentic diamonds consisting, of a rather eye catching bib like, 3 tiered blazingly rippling necklace with matching earrings and bracelet, all glittering and sparkling with priceless prickles of colourful fire as she moved about. She also was wearing a vulgarly large diamond on her pinky, but all her other fingers were bare.
I kept mum about her jewels being risky real, and I wished him good luck, whilst appearing somewhat doubtful he could pull it off.
Because, for one, mine at least obligingly had her necklace laid entirely along the collar of her gown, but this one in blue had a ruffled scooped collar, her necklace laid out above totally on the bare skin of her throat!
Granted the skin glistened with a bit of sweat, which may make it a bit more doable, but mine had been entirely resting upon her green gown, never touching her warm flesh with it’s cooler gems!
This one, I wouldn’t have picked her for a first attempt! Not even a second or third attempt. It would take a master thief ( if they actually existed) to lift away that necklace off from a girl dressed as such! And in spite of all my assurances to my drinking mate, he was no master at anything, even sober, the caddish prig..!
That money may be as good as mine, if I could pry his hands from it!!
But, in the seconds that me mind played this out, he had quickly gotten up and beelined to her, cutting in abruptly and sending her dance partner wearing the unfortunate white tux, scuttling off.
Subtly , not! I thought, bull in a china shop that one!
I watched with wonder as they danced, the smoke from his limp dangling cigarette blowing hazy smoke into her face, and she scrunched her nose unhappily each time he did so.
He made her dance close, and had wrapped one hand, snake like, up and around her bare shoulder, his lips whispering close in her ears. She looked rather like a skittish colt, but surprisingly appeared accepting of her unfortunate fate of a dance partner.
But, by Jove, despite all his cheekiness , lack of sophistication and his victims unease, the twit actually started to pull it off!
His hand travelled up along her backside until it reached flesh and gruffly trying to pry open her necklaces jeweled clasp.
I really don’t know how she never felt it.
But, apparently, she didn’t and before one could blink (or wince), he had the jeweled clasp worked opened and had pulled the glittering necklace of diamonds up and over her shoulder!
His backside was now to me, and I watched the necklace, like a shimmering waterfall, drip dangling down from his fist behind her, its glittering diamonds back-dropped nicely by the blue coloured slick material of her dress.. Surprisingly, no one else saw it in the seconds before he managed to stow it roughly away in a side jacket pocket !
I watched him turn her around in his arms until he was able to make eye contact with me, and I saw him give me quite the ‘thumbs up’ look of triumph.
He then abruptly left her ,not even botherin to finish the song even, the twit was that much in haste!
And in that haste to make it back to the money pile, pretty much plowed over the green gowned lass, whose purloined necklace was now residing in my pocket! I reached into that pocket and reassuringly felt that necklace with me fingers as I watched.
Now, so abrupt was the encounter on the dance floor, that the poor lass’s glasses were knocked off, and she stumbled against him as she bent down to retrieve them.. He pushed her unsteady figure aside, as she looked up to him for unoffered assistance, causing her to fall onto her knees. As others came to her rescue, he walked away without a backwards glance, and came over to me, smirking widely with a pouncy, self-satisfied look upon his ( rather punch able at that point ) smug face.
Pay it up lad he said with a rather churlish grin… and I uneasily picked up the thick pile of notes and handed it to him. Than pulling out my notecase, extracted another £ 100 and handed it over also.
Apparently, he had all but forgotten the tenner he owed me for my venturous efforts earlier, but I let that sleeping dog lay quiet like.
“Nicely done.” old chap I freely lied , “Don’t forget to turn it in, im sure the lady will eventually be a missing that pretty piece.”
“No worries guv, she’ll get it back in due course!” and he slapped me on the backside as he gleefully counted my £ 200 worth of pound notes, looking all the world like a crafty cat who had eaten the gilded canary!
He was so sure of imself during the whole endeavor that I suppose warning bells should have been going off like gangbusters , but I gave no outward sign, my demeanor remaining icy calm, not an easy trick I will say at that place and time!.
I Just causally rose, and shaking his greasy, sweaty palm ( the one not tightly holding me money), lied again by sayin “ Smartly played”, and in turning, Saw that the diminutive lass in blue was gone from the scene, and so also missing appeared to be my lass in green with the thick glasses.
“Pity.” , I said to meself, would have liked to have ad a final look over at her, and her fine green clad figure , lit under those dance floor lights one last time…!
So, I just continued slinking on me way, walked dispassionately off to the far side of the enormous chamber, losing me self in quick fashion back amongst the throngs of gaily dressed, well liquored, unkowin partiers!
I was meaning to leave the premises via a back exit with its patio that led into the hedges surrounding the gardens.
As I went , I passed a non-caring security type on me way.
I did not bother to shatter his bliss him by stopping to hand over a lady’s emerald necklace and taking the time trying to explain how It happened to be in my possession. So with a nod, I just walked casually by, a bloke with nothing to hide by all outward appearances. That was me..
As I went outside, I felt the fresh breeze hit me face, and I breathed it deeply in, finally feeling free of all worries.
The end
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Epilogue ( For clarity ) ….
I headed directly through the gated opening in the hedges, my final objective was reaching to the far side exit of the lengthy garden that led off to the place where my red touring auto was parked.
A bit of a walk, but amongst other things, I always liked my bit of exercise.
I made my way, slowing down a tad and admiring the flowers and rather ornate fountains that made up this hedged in, proper little English garden.
I had one at home behind the cottage, but nothing on this scale, just a brick path amongst some moss rose and lilies, with a rather ancient wrought iron bench overlooking a small stone built pond in its centre.
I found meself automatically reaching for me pipe and pouch, figuring to contemplate with a long smoke as I walked. But immediately though the better of it, time was, after all, still decidedly of the essence.
Soon after I reached my objective, an turned to look behind me, no one else was about! I breathed a sigh of relief, it really was over !
I turned and exited through the back gate,
Suddenly, I was made aware of the sound of a quick swish of something silky, and before I could turn about, a very feminine set of fingers gently grasped my arm. For the briefest parts of a second my mind pictures the young lass in sky blue.
“Ta, my love, I’m here!” a soft voice with a lilting accent whispered cheerily behind me.
I turned and looked again into those rapturing hazel eyes, prettily magnified by her heavy black glasses.
“Ta, here you are indeed !” I enthusiastically agreed, and pulled her up against me, hugging again into her sweet figure, my hands , openly this time, relishing in the splendid feel of her luxuriously soft, shimmery green satin gown, and the warm cuddling figure it encased!!
“Apparently, some turd stole me necklace !” she whispered playfully in my ear, “ ‘ere now! By chance would ya know who the jester is laddie?!”
We broke apart, and as she stood there facing me with a rather smugly coy look about her, one hand on her chest, the other playing along her gowns barren neckline. I gave her ravishing figure a quick once over before my eyes finally coming to rest once again on the empty neckline of her shiny green coloured gown.
“Indeed, I do “ I admitted, patting me tux outer pocket!
She gazed at me as I admitted my sin, a rather lusting look I knew, and melted for over oh so many times past.
Nice to know that feelings were still strong between us after a five year partnership before being married, and now a full 10 years strongly lost in a wedded bliss. And what a lovely bride she had been… and still is for all that matters….!
I think her thoughts were going on about the same lines as mine, and may have led to us being rather a bit naughty right there an then…. But!
But, shaking our heads clear, we both peeked back at the empty gardens, then we looked each other directly in the eyes, and chuckling out loud together , proclaimed in unison, “Let’s get going!”
We forthwith went to the auto, and I helped her in being seated inside our small red coloured touring convertible.
Once she had slithered down, pulled in the loose ends of her long green gown, and nestled into the warm black leather of the seat, I closed her door. I than promptly got in on the right, and fired up the engine into life , and pulled off, leaving the place agreeably, as they say in the olde movies, in our dust..
About a mile down the road I looked up in the rear mirror, no one was following, but then, really why should they?
“Luv, we may actually have gotten away with this one!” I said cheekily.
I turned to my wife and she pulled herself from deep thoughts and smiled winningly, not breaking her gaze from the curving road ahead.
Hush lad, don’t go an spoil this luck.” She tenderly chided.
Her green gloved hands, which had been clasped upon her gown’s shiny lap , opened a little and I peaked at the wild glistening of the 3 tiered bibbed necklace of quite genuine diamonds that lay nestled in her gloved palms.
Whistling, I asked…“I assume that these are from the gents tux pocket ?”
“ Quite she said, and a rather easy pick it twas !”, “ Rather a rude ‘un wasn’t he!” She added, straightening her glasses in remembrance..
“ Yes, most certaintly, the self-centered wealthy young twit ! I said, then added “Absolutely agree on that subject !!”
“It was a good plan!” I continued, “Played out just as you said it would, dearest !”
“Happy out!” My wife agreed, “ when you pointed out her diamonds, I knew that the spoiled missey’s necklace was the best take there by far of the jewels stinglingly being worn by any of the other ladies! And Bob’s me uncle if those weren’t her maters anyways!“
“ Umm I said , possibly a bit too modern a setting for her mother, maybe a filthy rich admirer behind the curtains, so to speak..?”
“Could be luv” she answered studying the brite necklace as it lay piled in her palm, “ but moer’in ah disgustingly rich one than filthy he would be at that !”
Me pretty wife went on… “But, of course the fly in the ointment, was missey’s shadowing brother watching her like a hawk from that barstool! The poor thing couldn’t enjoy herself properly, let alone wander off anywhere alone where a person like m’self could be expected to acquire a bit of them jewels in a proper fashion!!”
Yes I agreed, and she wasn’t drinking, and didn’t appear to be needin to use a powder room, I sighed, so it was all up to me!”
She looked at me, rather meekly.. “So, what better way than to have her brother take them, and obligingly deliver them to us?”
“ I know luv…” I replied … “ at first I was against the idea, especially since it placed me in the spot light!” . I gave her a brief glance…”You, after all my lovely one, are the actress in the family !”
My wife laid a hand upon my shoulder, with a gentle squeeze… “ I was knowin you could do it luv, and the gambit was well worth its outcome if successful, which so far, it has!” She said, basically apologizing for placing me in such unfamiliar waters…
“And it only cost did a mere 200 quid I added triumphantly, for we both knew what the value of those diamonds would mean to the year’s family income!” Letting her also know at the same time there were no hard feelings over anything.. For, as I was to admit to her later in the sanctity of our lovers tryst, it had been rather a fresh spot of thrilling fun!!
My wife squeezed my shoulder quite in happy fashion.. “I think we are done for the weekend my luv, perhaps we should head on towards for home now ?“
“What about the black tie tomorrow night at the regents’castle then Luv?” I asked half curious, referring to the rest of our plans for the outing. “Could do with a few gems other than diamonds to work with.?
“And I thought you still were a wanting the opportunity to play out the ‘Damsel in Distress’ routine we’ve been working on ?”
I stole over a glance as I said this, half hoping I could change her mind and be game for it.
She slipped her arm in mine and drawing her sweet self close to me murmuring, purposefully deepening her rich Irish brogue, purrngly said ..”I think we have done a rather good bit of business for this trip laddie!”
“Not often we have a big score this early! And its more’in enough laddy of mine, that we can afford to skip over the other things for now? New routines can wait, Dontcha agree wit me now m’ lad?” She ended with a hopeful beckoning sorta look , a winning weapon that most wives are quite adept at using from their wily arsenal of emotional tugs….
As me wife looked up into my eyes before continuing , I automatically smiled, never being one to resist that type of bait….
“That’s it than, I can see you agree, Darling, On Home to Badger’s Drift it is now!”
“And If you be wanint any more jewels stolen, you can continue to practice on me!” she had leaned up and over, as she whispered cheekily, her lustily breath tickling my ear as a long jeweled earring intentionally was allowed to hit me alongside a cheek.…!!!
“ OK, Let’s not press our luck on , correct me fine lass!” I stated in agreement…and , feeling a familiar tingling start down between me legs, responded by letting my foot push the accelerator, causing the purring old engine to rev it up and add a bit of speed to our journey!
I stole a glance upon the glistening gems piled up in her lap, as they rested majestically upon thier sleek bed of green. The taunting little darlings !
“Some nice dimonded set rings and earrings coming out of that lot, and that’s pure silver they’re setting in if I’m guessin right, when all has been said and done, we should find a right nice little nest egg ,my sweet!” I appraisingly observed.
“And a wee diamond bracelet for me efforts, luv?” Asked meekly the sole apple of my eye with a pleasingly euphoric grin… “ I can use it as part of the Damsel in Distress act you are so eager to get on with!” She promised eagerly to seal the deal.
I happily nodded my acquiesce.
I then heard me wife beside me exhale a long , deep breath while reaching up and pulling down the visor and glanced at herself into the mirror.
I than heard her say..” Have a watch for passer byes willa luv?”
From the corner of me eye I saw her gently lift up the diamonded necklace and fasten it around her throat, letting it dangle down whilst admiring the rather dazzling, quite eye catching results.
In a far off, wistful voice she said, “I guess I do now feel it’s a bit of a waste to have bothered being this dressed up for an evening and not stopping anywhere else?”
I felt a sudden rise as I anticipated where her thoughts may be leading upon at the moment “
“ Ya know mw love, we are going to be passing that muggy little bar on the wharf, the one we had a stop in on our last excursion, and…” She let her voice trail off, and I knew it was for me to continue.
“Care to stop in again for a final drink an our way home ?” I asked hoping I was right on the subject. “ And you can minx the natives with your finery..? Sounds like a plan me dearest!” I added, with a wholehearted voice of agreement
“Indeed sir, stop in for a bit of sup, a nip , then you can have a pull at your pipe and tell me how pretty I look!” She said all this whilst still watching the reflection of the diamonds in the newly acquired necklace screaming out their flickering brilliance in the mirror....
“A Jewel in the rough indeed you will be in there amongst the rather dicey patrons at the Poet and the Peasant Pub.” I said.
Brilliant she said, leaning into me, giving me an eyeful down the front of her rather perked features, now again tightly outlined the green satin gown as she grasped me arm!
My eyes also took in the emblazoned diamonds dripping down from her throat , my eyes winced at the brilliant fiery sparkles of the magnificent necklace! From a distance they had stood out exquisitely from around the lass in blue’s throat, but up this close they were almost too bloody dazzling !
I knew full well along what lines my wife was half fancifully conniving about deep in her desires… And wearing that squinty necklace out was at the center of them !!
I chuckled , knowing we both knew it would be a folly on, oh so many levels, to flaunt about any jewels my wife and I had managed ‘acquiring’ in such devious ways whilst out and about on our occasional jaunts we made into the publics realm for such related purposes..!”
But I decided to make sure by saying… “But you know my sweet , best not wear those diamonds…
“Righto party pooper!” she teased, “I really wasn’t planning on bragging them about….You recall why dontcha now.!”
Breaking away she slipped back into her seat, with a deep sigh of rememberance, before contemplating somberly with a shiver..
“But then, ending an evening in me pretty dress by being lured out and waylaid in a back alleyway by those thievin ruffians once in me life was enough, a second time may spoil the currant mood a bit anyhow, not to mention the loss of these pretties you worked so hard for, husband of mine!!”
Out of the corner of an eye I had watched her unhappily undo the fiery necklace and place it back into her smooth lap, and then, as she spoke, opening the cars glove case.
My wife reached in and popped open a small secret panel in the back. Pulling out a small black velvet pouch, she carefully poured the sparkling necklace inside, then placed the plump pouch back inside the hidden niche, and securely closed the secret panel. I heard her sigh unhappily as she did so….. and knew her mind was heading into a darker corner of past experiences…
“Tell you what me luv, how bouts I make a close copy in emerald rhinestone of that necklace and matching earrings, if you wish, and we can add it to your Damsel In Distress props, along with your new bracelet?”
“Oh My Good Lord Luv, would you!” she practically shrieked grasping my arm in delight. “ Then once you have ready I will show you some new ideas to the damsel routine I thought off during tonight’s adventure !!”
“Capital!” I said grinning , knowing I had made some rather nice pointers with me lass , and it was always a lark working the bugs out of our routines together!
Finally Letting go of me arm, she sighed with deep heart felt enjoyment , and nestled blithely back in the leather seat, her gown rustling its song sweetly into my ears. She turned her head smiling mischievously at me, as, reaching down beside her, she brought up her emerald necklace that I had originally held hidden in me pocket.
“These will do the trick just as well anyways. “ she said, looking into the mirror with a smirk as she put them back on in the position they had started out the day place there by me.. “ Shouldn’t have married a pickpocket luv, let it be a lesson to ya, she smirked as she adjusted and admired the effect glittering emeralds draped around her neck.
Then my wife flipped back up the vanity mirror and turned happily to face me.
“So tis agreed all around then! Stopping at the Poet and the Peasant pub for supper and a nipper, than its off home to the Drift we go !“ She exclaimed this merrily, and with that she happily pulled off from their perch, the owlish glasses she had been disguisedly wearing and carelessly flipped them into the back jump seat.
Then,reaching up into her hair , undid her matching twin emerald clips (placing them with a smirk into my now empty tux jackets pocket),and pulled off her shoulder length black wig, allowing her longish hair, the natural colour of sunset cerise, to freely cascade down from its long held ,tight bindings of a bun… The wig soon joined in with the discarded glasses.
Again exhaling a proper sigh of satisfaction, I heard her promise , while watching the road ahead, “Once home We can then have a proper dance in celebration!”
“In the garden I asked hopefully?”
“ Yes you turd, in the garden…then ! But I stay fully dressed in me gown, this time right lad!? It’ll still possibly be twilight and passing neighbors may well see me prancing about in nuthin but a slinky whisp of a slip if you had your way !”
“Not daylight forever my sweet I said with conviction, and I feel a long dance… and snifter of brandy are in order.…!”
“And a bit more practice lifting me necklace, after your rather amateurish attempt tonight You could use it!” she sweetly chided, her hand reaching up and squeezing my arm. “But no worries, with my training I will make a proper thief of you yet luv! Just think of the possibilities…. !”
I could tell her mind was going somewhere with and I just waited for it…..
She turned towards the passenger’s window, looking out at the passing countryside….
“Remember Luv, later that same frightful night, the blonde tart in the green and black with the randy boyfriend? I sweetly lifted her pretty bracelet, but I still remember how close I twas to that rather decadent pendent she was flaunting about in everyone’s mug that night. What I would have given to ave had the opportunity to take it away with us! But what if you could have ad a dance wit her, with my skills. That necklace would have been peeled off that sully miss’s shiny blouse with no bother atoll!”
“I don’t know about that, my lover, after all being a plain shoppe jeweler is quite exciting in itself, wouldn’t you agree!” I wryly retorted, teasingly…..
Than added an afterthought….
“But than again , why should you always be the one havin all the fun my lass!”
“Always the spotter and never the Grooms man probably could make one a bit of a bore “
I stole a grinning glance at her, and she turned to face me while playfully sticking out her tongue at me …. “
Words well-spoken my kind, thievin sir !” she then brightly teased, subtly poking me in the ribs, while giving me the most wicked of instigative winks!!
“We’ll have you slippin off me necklaces, bracelet , brooches and such in no time, won’t we now.!” She said britley into the mirror . She had retrieved an old camels hair brush from the autos compartment and was working on her longish red hair, bathed as it was caught the sunlight, making things ready.
I steadfastly put my eyes fully back on the road. “ I assume you don’t mean just slipping ‘em off while dancing?” I said mysteriously, not bothering at that time to explain the rather interestingly enticing paths of thoughts her statement had thrust in me imagination.”
A long ,knowingly enduring sigh, was all I received in form of an answer from my pretty lass , blissfully squirming about in the seat beside me, her long gown whispering its silken murmer!
We sped off, soon putting many miles between us and the soon to be quite surprised, rather mangy cigarette slobbering, empty pocketed blighter !
The snarky brother to the now strikingly bare necked lass in the blue silk dress , whose extravagant necklace would soon appear on a flyer announcing yet another mysterious vanishing of a ladies jewels!!! ….
Good riddance to ‘em, I said under me breath and turning off the main road, drove on down towards the harbor front.
Fini….
For now
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Always looking for fresh plots to place my characters in. If an idea comes to mind using this husband and wife team, by all means , drop a line. Or better yet, every permission given to steal them for a story and photo op of your own!
All that is asked is that any efforts be placed in our group to receive proper acknowledgements !
so this is the new deluxe body for the mutz.
the joints are so felxible the doll is able to touch her face(like the 2007 bratz bodies)(unlike most doll bodies)
sadly she doesn't have chest articulation. reason being is because i didn't turn out right lol
Able Seaman Arthur Thomas Wood was born 21 April 1921 at Berry in New South Wales, and joined the Royal Australian Navy in 1938 at the age of 17. After training at HMAS CEREBUS he joined HMAS SYDNEY in early 1939. When World War II was declared, SYDNEY was ordered to serve in the Mediterranean for escort duty. Wood was aboard SYDNEY when it sank the Italian cruisers ESPERO and BARTOLOMEO COLLEONI in July 1940.
These photographs and postcards depict some of the sailors, equipment and activities of HMAS SYDNEY in the months prior to the sinking of the vessel. They provide an interesting commentary of the operations and work carried out aboard HMAS SYDNEY prior to its fateful end, such as the sinking of Italian ships ESPERO and BARTOLOMEO COLLEONI in the Mediterranean.
The Australian National Maritime Museum undertakes research and accepts public comments that enhance the information we hold about images in our collection. If you can identify a person, vessel or landmark, write the details in the Comments box below.
Thank you for helping caption this important historical image.
Object number ANMS0845[016].
www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/s/southstackcliffs/seasona...
About South Stack Cliffs
Enjoy a close-up view onto a wonderful cliff-side nesting colony, with binoculars and telescopes provided. You'll be able to watch guillemots, razorbills and puffins all raising their young, while live television pictures give you an even closer view of the nests! Rare choughs can also be seen on the reserve.
In spring and summer, the heathland becomes a riot of colour. Look closely and you may see a basking adder, while out to sea there may be porpoises and dolphins.
Opening times
The RSPB reserve is open year round; Ellins Tower, the RSPB visitor centre, is open from Easter to September.
Entrance charges
Free, but donations to help us continue our work here are welcome.
If you are new to birdwatching...
This reserve is good for birdwatching in the summer only.
Information for families
Some interactive materials in Ellins Tower Information Centre.
Information for dog owners
Some access for dogs. Please contact the reserve office for more information
Star species
Our star species are some of the most interesting birds you may see on your visit to the reserve.
Chough
The chough is the rarest member of the crow family in the UK. They can be found feeding in fields around South Stack, probing for invertebrates with their curved, red bill.
Guillemot
Guillemots look ungainly when they shuffle around on their nesting ledges on the cliffs, but underwater their streamlined shape comes into its own and they become agile and manoeuvrable.
Peregrine
Keep an eye out for a commotion among birds on the cliffs - a peregrine may be making a fly past. They are a regular sight overhead when a pair is nesting in the area.
Puffin
Enjoy the comical antics of puffins in spring and early summer from the viewing points on the cliffs. Watch the adults returning from fishing forays at sea with sandeels hanging from their colourful beaks.
Razorbill
Very similar to guillemots, razorbills spend most of their lives at sea in the Atlantic, only coming to land to breed between March and July.
Seasonal highlights
Each season brings a different experience at our nature reserves. In spring, the air is filled with birdsong as they compete to establish territories and attract a mate. In summer, look out for young birds making their first venture into the outside world. Autumn brings large movements of migrating birds - some heading south to a warmer climate, others seeking refuge in the UK from the cold Arctic winter. In winter, look out for large flocks of birds gathering to feed, or flying at dusk to form large roosts to keep warm.
Spring
Marvel at the wildflowers including kidney vetch, thrift and scurvey grass amid the cliff top grassland and heathland. Particularly eyecatching is the spring squill, which carpets areas of heathland that have recently been burnt. Look out for stonechats and linnets perched on top of bushes and listen out for the first skylarks. As spring takes hold, watch out for choughs and ravens collecting material to build their nests and don't miss the breeding seabirds crammed onto the narrow ledges on the cliffs in front of Ellins Tower.
Summer
Ellins tower provides excellent views of the seabird city with guillemots, razorbills, puffins, fulmars and gulls. Try to spot razorbill and guillemot chicks on the narrow cliff ledges, but don't leave it too late as these seabirds will be leave for the open ocean in July. Listen for the distinctive calls of choughs. They will be active gathering food for their ever growing young. Look out for the endemic spatulate fleawort amongst the cliff top grassland where you might be lucky and see an adder basking in the sun. Search out the rare silver-studded blue butterflies amid the shorter heathland.
Autumn
The heathland will be ablaze with colour as the mauves and purples of the heather flowers mingle with yellow gorse flowers. Look out for family groups of choughs. You will probably hear them first as the newly-fledged youngsters beg noisily for food from their parents. In the tidal races just offshore, look out for feeding gannets, passing shearwaters, porpoises and dolphins.
Winter
Look out for flocks of feeding choughs. These comprise of the newly-independent first year birds along with sub-adult birds from the last couple of years. A good place to search them out is the RSPB managed farmland (from the permissive path). This land is managed to provide foraging opportunities for chough throughout the year. Listen and look out for ravens as they begin to display, a sure sign that spring is round the corner.
Facilities
Facilities
•Information centre
•Car park : RSPB car park located at SH211818, complete with three marked disabled car parking bays and cycle racks.
•Binocular hire
•Group bookings accepted
•Guided walks available
•Remote location
•Good for walking
•Pushchair friendly
Viewing points
Spectacular views of the breeding seabird colonies from Ellins Tower visitor centre (open Easter to September) with binoculars and telescopes provided.
Nature trails
The South Stack reserve is very popular with visitors for many reasons. Visitor activity is concentrated around Ellins Tower (the RSPB information centre), where the paths are maintained to a higher standard than elsewhere on the reserve. The heathland areas and their network of paths are open to the public (on foot) at all times. These paths cross a mix of coastal and heathland terrain and some pass close to cliff edges. There are no specific RSPB trails, but the route of the Ynys Gybi circular walk and the Isle of Anglesey Coastal footpath are waymarked along with the routes of the public footpaths. The nature of the terrain makes many of the paths steep and rocky, making access difficult for anyone with impaired mobility. However, a well-surfaced, high-quality 2 m wide track with benches runs from the RSPB car park (complete with three disabled parking bays) into the heathland and onto a viewpoint in front of Ellins Tower. Access to Ellins Tower is via a steep flight of stairs. The permissive path through the farmland connects the two areas of heathland. This path is open to the public (on foot) at all times (except 10 December each year). Grazing animals are present, so please take care and keep dogs under close control. Access to the Isle of Anglesey Council's 'South Stack Island and the Lighthouse' visitor attraction is via approximately 400 steps of variable rise and tread width down the cliff (not part of the RSPB reserve).
Tearoom
Fantastic News! We are delighted to announce we have just taken over the ownership of South Stack Kitchen Café. The staff and builders at South Stack have been working furiously over the last 2 weeks since being handed the keys to carry out essential work needed to open the Café with a fresh, vibrant feel and we hope to reopen by the 28 May (sooner if we can) Once open the Café will be serving a range of hot and cold drinks, light bites and snacks for your enjoyment.
Refreshments available
•Hot drinks
•Cold drinks
•Hot meals
•Cold meals
•Snacks
Accessibility
The majority of visitor activity at the RSPB South Stack nature reserve is concentrated around Ellins Tower, the RSPB information centre, and occurs during the summer months. South Stack reserve comprises a mix of coastal and heathland terrain with steep sea cliffs which support breeding seabirds.
Nature trails
The nature of the terrain makes many of the paths steep and rocky making access difficult for anyone with impaired mobility. In view of the visitor pressure, the paths in the vicinity of Ellins Tower are maintained to a higher standard than elsewhere on the reserve.
The most accessible path for people of impaired mobility runs from the RSPB car park into the heathland and onto a viewpoint in front of Ellins Tower. The track is well-surfaced and high quality (2 m wide) with benches and leads from three marked disabled car-parking bays in the RSPB car park.
Visitor centre
From Easter to September, Ellins Tower is open daily from 10 am to 5.30 pm. Access to Ellins Tower, which is a Grade 2 Listed castellated folly near to the cliff edge, is via a steep flight of stairs. Views of the dramatic seascape and some of the breeding seabird colony can be gained from the viewpoint by those who are unable to gain access to Ellins Tower.
Our work here
Our South Stack reserve on Anglesey comprises heathland, farmland and offshore stacks and caves. The RSPB is managing these habitats for the benefit of their breeding seabirds and choughs, as well as a wide variety of other fauna and flora. We are also working to provide an excellent wildlife and landscape experience for visitors.
Chough haven
The reserve is especially important for its breeding choughs, with our nine pairs representing 2% of the UK population. We are maintaining the heathland and farmland to provide suitable nesting and feeding conditions for this rare bird.
Healthy heath
The reserve’s heathland is part of the largest area of maritime heath in North Wales. Besides choughs, this important habitat supports the endemic plant spatulate fleawort, and the uncommon silver-studded blue butterfly, plus adders, common lizards and a range of other flora and fauna. Controlled burning helps us to manage this habitat for the benefit of all its wildlife.
Seabird spectacular
The sea cliffs provide nest sites for around 4,000 seabirds, including puffins, guillemots, razorbills and fulmars. Other birds to use this habitat include peregrines and ravens. We are monitoring our seabird populations and working to minimise any disturbance to the colony.
Visitor value
The scenic beauty of the reserve, together with its seabird spectacle, operational lighthouse, and many sites of geological and archaeological interest, make it very popular with visitors. Around 35,000 people visit our information centres each summer.
We are maintaining and enhancing our facilities, including our visitor centre at Ellins Tower and our network of paths. We are also providing more information to help people to get the most from their visit, while promoting the aims of the RSPB. We run seven events per year and encourage an active volunteer programme.
Community care
South Stack is a major tourist attraction on Anglesey and plays a significant part in the local economy. We will continue to advertise the site to enhance the flow of tourist income to the island and, where possible, will support local communities and business in developing the reserve.
Series of shots of this bird taking off from a branch at DuPuis WMA.We were surprised to be able to see the as many birds as we did, since there was hunting allowed that day! I've never seen the place so crowded and never felt so unsafe!
Owned by: USA Waste Services
Chassis: Peterbilt 300
Body manufacturer: Able Body Co.
Type of truck: Front Loader
Additional notes: N/A
Location of photo: Asset Auctions/Asset Nations
I was able to acquire 4 rolls of ancient Kodak film (1940s?) that were unused but also out of their packaging. I expected the edges to be a disaster and they were. A different subject would have been creepy in a good way. This is a 15 second exposure in afternoon sun. Developed in D76.
The Bodmin & Wenford Railway postponed their English Electric running day on 4th June 2016 after Class 50 No. 50042 'Triumph' had failed earlier in the week with a cooling system fault, the plan then consisted of a running day solely with Class 37 No. 37142 using the 'red' timetable - however the 50 was fixed in time for the day, and was able to power services in the afternoon, here 'Triumph' arrives at Bodmin Parkway with the 15:50 service from Bodmin General.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southend_Pier
Southend Pier is a major landmark in Southend-on-Sea. Extending 2,158 metres (1.341 mi) into the Thames Estuary, it is the longest pleasure pier in the world. Sir John Betjeman once said that "the Pier is Southend, Southend is the Pier".[1] The pier is a Grade II listed building.[2]
Creation of the Pier
In the early 19th century, Southend was growing as a seaside holiday resort. At the time, it was thought that spending time by the sea was good for one's health, and since it was close to the capital, many Londoners would come to Southend for this reason. However the coast at Southend consists of large mudflats, so the sea is never very deep even at full tide (between four and six metres), and recedes over a mile from the beach at low tide. Large boats were unable to stop at Southend near to the beach and no boats at all were able to stop at low tide. This meant that many potential visitors would travel past Southend and go to Margate, or other resorts where docking facilities were better.
In order to counter this trend local dignitaries pushed for a pier to be built. This would allow boats to reach Southend at all tides. The campaign was led by former Lord Mayor of the City of London Sir William Heygate, a resident of Southend. In 1829, Parliament passed an act giving authorisation for the construction of a pier at Southend. When Sir William brought the news back from London he was mobbed by enthusiastic crowds.[
The wooden pier
Soon after authorisation was granted in 1829, the Lord Mayor of London laid the first foundations for the pier. By June 1830 a 600-foot (180 m) wooden pier was opened, based on oak piles. However this was still too short to be usable at low tide, so by 1833 it had been extended to three times its length and by 1848 was the longest pier in Europe at 7,000 feet (2,100 m). It was sold by the original owners for £17,000 in 1846 after getting into financial difficulties.
By the 1850s the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway had reached Southend, and with it a great influx of visitors from east London. The many visitors took their toll on the wooden pier and in 1873 it was sold to the local board (the local government in place at the time).
In 1877 the board decided to replace the pier with a new iron pier. Part of the wooden structure of the old pier was used in the construction of a new mayoral chair in 1892.
The Iron Pier
Pier Pavilion in 1923. Destroyed by fire in 1959, it was replaced in 1962 by a bowling alley. This was destroyed by a fire in 1995. The area is now (2008) open decking.
The pier was designed by James Brunlees, who had built the first iron pier at Southport in 1860. Work began in 1887 and the new pier opened to the public in the summer of the same year, though it was only completed in 1889. The cost was almost £70,000. It was an immediate success, so much so that demand outstripped the capabilities of the pier and a further extension was proposed. This extension was completed in November 1897 and formally opened the following January.
In 1892 Southend became a Municipal Borough and received an unofficial coat of arms. This depicted a three-masted ship on top of a shield showing an image of the pier, the church of St Mary the Virgin, a well in Prittlewell and the emblem of Essex county. The motto was 'forti nihil difficile', 'to the brave nothing is too difficult'. This coat of arms was replaced in 1915 after Southend was given County Borough status and an image of the pier is no longer included.[3]
An upper deck was added to the pierhead in 1907, and the pier was further extended in 1927 to accommodate larger steamboats. It was formally opened on 8 July 1929 by HRH Prince George, Duke of Kent. This part of the pier was named the Prince George Extension.
On 27 June 1931 the Pier was the scene of a tragic accident. Ernest Turner fell from and was run over by one of the electric trams on the railway, and was killed instantly. Turner, who was 38, was one of a party of over 500 workers and family members on the annual works outing from Ansell's brewery in Birmingham, where he worked as a brewer's drayman. The party had arrived at the pier having travelled down the River Thames from Tower Pier in London where they had arrived earlier that day. At the inquest, which was held two days later, the jury returned a verdict of accidental death.
The Pier's centenary was celebrated on 23 July 1935, rather than 1930, as this date reflects the date the Admiralty began to include Southend Pier on their navigation charts.
HMS Leigh
During World War II, Southend Pier was taken over by the Royal Navy and was renamed (along with the surrounding area) HMS Leigh. It was closed to the public from 9th September 1939.
Its purpose in the war was twofold. Firstly it served as a mustering point for convoys. Over the course of the war 3,367 convoys, comprising 84,297 vessels departed from HMS Leigh. Secondly, it was Naval Control for the Thames Estuary. Notable in its career was the accidental sinking of the Liberty ship SS Richard Montgomery which, still containing several thousand tons of explosives, is visible from the North Kent coast and Southend beach at low tide, and continues to pose a potential threat to navigation over 60 years later.
Post-war history
In 1945 the pier reopened for visitors. Visitor numbers exceeded their pre-war levels, peaking at 5.75 million in 1949-1950.[4] In the 1950s, more attractions on the pier opened including the Dolphin Cafe, Sun Deck Theatre, the Solarium Cafe and a Hall of Mirrors.
However the success was not to last. In 1959 a fire destroyed the pavilion located at the shore end of the pier. Over 500 people were trapped on the other side of the fire and had to be rescued by boat.
The pavilion was replaced by a ten-pin bowling alley in 1962, however by then British holidaymakers were turning to package holidays abroad. The use of the pier slowly began to decline and with it the structure began to deteriorate. In 1971, after a child was injured on the pier, a survey was undertaken and over the course of the next decade repairs had to be made including much of the replacement of the pier walkway.
In 1976 a fire destroyed much of the pier head. The massive blaze was battled by fire fighters working on the pier and from boats, and even using a crop-spraying light aircraft. The following year the bowling alley was damaged in another fire, and a year after that, the railway was deemed unsafe and had to be closed.
In 1980 the council announced that the pier was to close. Protests led the council to allow the pier to remain open until a solution could be found. This happened in 1983 when the Historic Buildings Committee gave a grant to allow repairs to be made. The work commenced in 1984 and was completed eighteen months later, when Princess Anne named the two new pier trains (commissioned to replace trains scrapped in 1982) after Sir John Betjeman and Sir William Heygate. The total cost of the repair including new buildings and pier trains was £1.3 million.
However on June 20 in that year, the MV Kingsabbey crashed into the pier, severing the new pier head from the rest of the pier, destroying the boathouse used by the lifeboat service and causing major structural damage due to the destruction of iron piles and supporting girders. This left a 70-foot gap in the pier. While this was temporarily bridged to restore access, full repairs were not completed until 1989.
On June 7, 1995, the bowling alley burnt down. Fortunately, the pier museum and railway station were not severely damaged and access to the pier was reinstated three weeks later, with all the debris cleared in time for the summer of 1996.
On October 9, 2005 a fire severely damaged much of the Old Pier Head including the railway station, pub, shell shop, snack bar and ice-cream shop.
Much of the wooden planking was destroyed, but the main iron structure was largely undamaged. Heat from the fire was so intense that the Pier Railway tracks buckled and trains can now only run to within approx. 15m of the old station.
The fire was thought to have started in the pub at around 10:45pm, but due to the extreme location and the damage (several buildings collapsed into the water), the cause has not yet been formally determined, although it is being treated as an accident. No one was injured, but fire-fighters encountered difficulties extinguishing the blaze as, due to the low tide, pumps installed on the pier were rendered ineffective. The Southend lifeboat crew were deployed to transport the first firefighters to the scene.
The pier reopened to the public on 1 December for the first time since the fire.
The pierhead station was destroyed in the blaze so a replacement with two platforms has been constructed to take the pier trains as close as possible to the area where the blaze took place.Access to the pierhead and RNLI gift shop and boathouse is now available walking past the temporary toilets and onto the area of restored pier after the earlier fire. The pleasure steamers Waverley and Kingswear Castle are able to take and drop off passengers once more from the pierhead and autumn 2006 saw the tall ship Kershones visit again.
Shortly after the fire, pieces of charred pier planking have turned up for sale on eBay with the proceeds apparently going to the RNLI. Sky News has some good pictures of the damaged section, as does the BBC.
In recent years Southend Council has invested in the pier to restore it as a visitor attraction. Funding for this has been coordinated by the "S-SHAPE" (Southend Seafront, High-street And Pier Enhancements) project with funding coming from European Objective 2 funding and National Government regeneration schemes.
The pier head was extensively redeveloped in 2000 creating a new sun deck and, in partnership with the RNLI, a new lifeboat station was built. The new station is constructed in glass to give a strikingly modern style. It also houses a museum and giftshop relating to the history of the RNLI and lifeboats.
In 2003 the shoreward end of the pier was redeveloped in a similar style to the pier head. The pier bridge was raised to enable taller vehicles to pass under it (a recurring problem had been double decker buses getting stuck under the bridge) and a visitor centre/tourist information centre was built. This connected with the new Cliff Lift and redevelopment of Pier Hill that was constructed the following year.
The original wooden pier built in 1830 employed a horse tramway to convey goods and visitors to the pier head[7]. In 1890, with the construction of the iron pier, Cromptons installed an electric tramway with a single toast rack carriage and 3⁄4 miles of 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) gauge single track. By 1891 the line ran the full 1 1⁄4 miles and carriages were in use. The system expanded, until eventually, by 1930, four trains, each made up of seven carriages, were running on a double track [7].
In 1949 the rolling stock was replaced with four new trains similar in design to the London Underground stock, built by AC Cars, of Thames Ditton, in Surrey. The stock was liveried in green and cream.
In 1978 the electric railway closed, due to deterioration and the cost of repairs. It reopened in 1986 after rebuilding to 3 ft (914 mm) gauge. Two new trains were used on a simplified single track with a passing loop. Each train consists of a diesel-hydraulic locomotive at the southern end, five trailer coaches and at the northern end, a driver control unit with passenger space. One is named Sir John Betjeman, and the other Sir William Heygate. Originally liveried in all-over burgundy with a white waist-band, the two trains were repainted to a two-tone blue in 2006, retaining the white waist band. They also carry a "Southend Borough Council" logo. Each station (Shore and Pier Head) has two platforms, Pier Head having had to be resited due to the fire in late 2005.
•Southend Pier featured in the end credits of the British television series Minder. The sequence showed unscrupulous businessman Arthur Daley and his bodyguard (or "minder") walking down the pier. When they reach the end Arthur realises he has left his lighter at the far end and they proceed to walk the return journey. The comic implication is that he is too mean to pay for the train ride.
•The pier is mentioned in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy; after Ford and Arthur were thrown off a Vogon Construction ship and were picked up by the Improbability drive, on the starship Heart of Gold, Arthur remarks that it looks like they're standing "on the seafront at Southend". In the 1981 BBC TV adaptation however, neither the set used for the pier nor the view of the buildings on the shore look anything like Southend.