One day we would love to be able to take Harbie to restaurants and cafes with us, as we were able to do with Lina, but the worry is other dogs. We don't want the shame of having to leave cos Harbie has spotted another dog and decided to bark. So we thought this cafe would be a good place to start cos it's outdoors. We bought toasted sandwiches and sat down at a table at the far corner from the hut.

 

Harbie was quiet for ages and we shared our lunch and some dog treats with him, but just as we had finished an owner walked passed with her dog and it set him off.

 

We walked across part of the Common on our way home and Harbie could see dogs playing around him. With our smelly treats, he was mostly quiet, but then gave a bark at a little dog called Chewie. We were so grateful as the owners were brave enough to approach us, probably sensing their little dog would be safe. Sure enough, we were able to have a lovely chat while the dogs sniffed each other and there wasn't a woof from either of them! I asked the woman if I could video the two together to remind myself of how good it could be but unfortunately I didn't press record properly so I only have a second's worth! I am SO cross with myself!! All you can hear is her saying, "he gets so ratty!" - I think she was telling me her dog was fine with other dogs but wasn't that keen on people!

 

Oh, in the background you can see landing craft HLC 7074, which was brought to the D Day Museum in 2020.

I was able to spend some time with this pair folks and the display ritual was extraordinary to watch. Let me try to explain because there will be a few of these images, sorry for that.

This time it was the female being the aggressor and doing everything she could to entice the male to pay some attention to her but to no avail, as you will see in the coming days.

Have a great Monday, and a great week ahead, and thank you so much for stopping by, always so very much appreciated.

Was able to catch this handsome boy on golden light. Normally extremely shy and hard to photograph because they have their heads down in the water circling and feeding, but this guy was cautiously cooperative. He has odd coloring from what I normally see. I've been watching him for a few weeks, since the Dec. Audubon bird count. I believe he's going thru a late molt. No female with him and no other NS in the pond. Two days ago, I could find him. He may have moved on now.

Camera is being repaired, so I need to dive into the archive. Found this one that I took last year when it was misty, so I was able to create a very minimalistic picture. The area is called het zwarte schaar (freely translated: "the black scissors") in the Netherlands.

As always, I have to state for those new to my Best Books of 2022 that these are not all books that came out this year (most didn’t) but books that I read this year. I read about 2 hours a day after work but I still wouldn’t be able to keep with all of the books released this year that I want to. And, sometimes, books come and go like lovers or friends at different times in your life when you most need them. In any case, I tend to read a mix of fiction, non fiction (mainly memoirs), graphic fiction and I tend towards experimental fiction. If you have read any of these books and want to share your thoughts, I would love to hear them! If you have your own favorite books of the year not on the list, please let me know as I'm an avid reader and love hearing about books I may have otherwise missed.

 

Also, if you want, please follow me on Storygraph if you are interested in being part of a non-Amazon book community:

 

app.thestorygraph.com/profile/kirstiecat

  

1. Elif Shafak: The Island of Missing Trees

 

This was my 250th book of the year and I really loved how there was a beautiful narrative from the perspective of a fig tree alternating with the perspective of a teenager in modern day times and the history of her parents in 1974 in Cyprus during the war between the Turks and the Greek. This is a story about love and war in some aspects but it is also very much a story about how we underestimate trees and nature overall and all of the history they have witnessed. Though Shafak herself is Turkish, it is very clear that she is identifies first and foremost as human and is against divisions between humans and war. Also, the connections between the empathy we feel towards the fig tree and the literal screaming that the main younger character of the teenage daughter does if very visceral. Well worth the read! I have read quite a few of Shafak’s novels and this may be her best yet!

 

Why You Should Read this Book:

 

While it is important to know about history and culture, what this book does that is most unusual is help us imagine what it is like to witness these events from the perspective of nature, which is rare and imaginative. I cannot think of another book who does this as well.

 

www.npr.org/2021/11/15/1055749057/the-island-of-missing-t...

  

2. When the Angels Left the Old Country Sacha Lamb

 

Very imaginative and engaging book! This is a real treasure and you should read it, especially if you like stories about a demon, an angel, and a bunch of ghosts traveling from their small shtetl to Ellis Island. When the Angels Left the Old Country is about making things right, dybukks and rabbis, unionizers who are balsy AF and it also works in a cool love story between two fiery females. I mean, there is nothing I did not absolutely love about this book tbh.

 

Why You Should Read this Book:

 

Sacha Lamn is a new author who shows a great deal of promise. There’s a perfect combination of culture/religion of the Jewish faith mixed with magical realism and the reality of the politics that immigrants and workers faced in the early 20th century told with some very unique perspectives. As a rule, I dislike historical fiction but this was very well written, creative, and engaging.

 

www.jewishbookcouncil.org/book/when-the-angels-left-the-o...

  

3. Scattered all over the Earth by Yōko Tawada

 

Though I think I still liked Memoirs of a Polar Bear slightly better, Tawada again succeeds in creating something wildly imaginative and unlike any other book you’ve read. This book is very reflective on language, indigenous culture and humanity. I thought the ending was slightly weak but the majority of the book was fascinating and worth contemplating sentence by sentence.

 

Why You Should Read this Book:

 

This book has been described as postmodern, bizarre and creative and all three fit but this book will also cause you to be reflective in a way that expands your mind and opens up your perspective.

 

www.ndbooks.com/book/scattered-all-over-the-earth/

  

4. Crying in the Bathroom by Erika L. Sánchez

 

I was a big fan of Sánchez’s previous work, I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter and this allows for a more intimate look at the author herself and her life. It is a very honest work but also it is actually quite funny at times and always engaging. It is hard not to love this author as she reveals so much about herself.

 

Why You Should Read this Book:

 

It is very important to hear the life stories of people of other cultures. There are thankfully many books being published now that also explore what it is like to be Mexican American. What separates this one from the rest is not only Sánchez’s writing style where you feel like you are really hearing her speak but the fact that she speaks so candidly about her own biological pain as well as mental health, which is definitely not an easy thing to do. There’s a great deal of stigmatization around women speaking like this still in this day and to memoir that delves into all of these aspects of self is truly rewarding.

 

www.washingtonpost.com/books/2022/07/17/crying-in-the-bat...

  

5. Notes of a Crocodile by Qui Miaojin

 

I am not sure how well known Miaojin is known in Taipei or in Taiwan overall. Some refer to her as a national treasure but I see reference to her works as well as “cult classics” but I can definitely see this author becoming more well known had she not committed suicide when she was 26 in 1995. Notes of a Crocodile explores culture along with some very lovable and interesting humans in the late 1980s and has a perfect mix of cultural and counter-cultural elements.

 

Why You Should Read this Book:

 

This book really should be more famous and appreciated for what it is-not only an exceptional novel but a pivotal pioneer in the LGBTQ canon, which likely helped many Taiwanese teenagers in the 90s understand and embrace their own identities and see a place for themselves in the world. This book is quite ahead of its time and there’s nothing out there quite like it. I dislike the term “ground breaking” as its been fairly overused but, in this case, it fits.

  

www.nyrb.com/products/notes-of-a-crocodile?variant=306118...

  

6. Charlie Chan is Dead 2 (various, edited by Jessica Hagedorn)

 

This Asian American anthology was one I read about a decade ago so this was a re-read. Both Charlie Chan is Dead 1 and 2 are well worth reading and encompass Asian authors from all over the continent. Both are about 600 pages long which makes them together a whopping 1,200 page read but it’s especially interesting to read these stories now after having discovered so many authors from the two anthologies and seen what they have done since then (this second anthology was published in 2004). Surely, a Charlie Chan is Dead 3 would also be possible as well, especially now that a significant time has passed.

 

Why You Should Read this Book:

 

There is truly something for everyone in this anthology. It will likely teach you something about different places in Asia and different cultures even if you are also Asian as there is quite a diversity here. There is also a quite a variety of writing styles and topics. Most stories are a perfect length for sitting down and being reflective one at a time and at this length it is wholly fulfilling and comprehensive.

 

penguinrandomhousesecondaryeducation.com/book/?isbn=97801...

  

7. Louise Erdrich: The Sentence

 

Way back in the day, I tried to get into Louise Erdrich as she writes from a Native perspective and is one of the first Native authors to start garnering accolades (Thankfully, there are more Native authors that are well worth reading being published these days). In any case, I had a very difficult time getting into some of her previous books for some reason even though I think the way she addresses the history of the Native oppression and betrayal by the US Government is very important to know about. The Sentence was a really interesting book that takes place during Covid and deals with both Native identity and surviving the pandemic.

 

Why You Should Read this Book:

 

It’s downright spooky about how Erdrich writes about the power of language in this book and quite profound as well.

 

www.npr.org/2021/11/09/1052730892/louise-erdrichs-the-sen...

  

8. Read Dangerously: Azar Nafisi

 

Nafisi’s nonfiction works are all well worth reading as she has a unique perspective on many classics and this is no different. Nafisi explores both the political and oppressive history of her native Iran as well as the modern world and literature through letters to her father as she copes with the current pandemic. Nafisi covers everyone from Rushdie to Baldwin as she uses literature to cope through existence in this modern postmodern world. Perhaps, words can be a little bit of a cure to the deep state of loneliness we might find ourselves in.

 

Why You Should Read this Book:

 

More than ever, there are conservatives in America who have banned books they feel are too political (but mainly just don’t fit their conservative close minded agendas). Knowledge and acceptance of all humans seems to terrify some people in power and it has results in libraries themselves becoming politicized. In the mean time, many Americans feel they are “better” or “more civilized” than Iran when that seems even more laughable now that depending on the state, good luck living with your uterus. We must resist book bans. Literature can be dangerous and maybe it is an act of resistance to not just write but to read.

 

www.npr.org/2022/03/05/1084729628/azar-nafisis-new-book-i...

  

9. Lesser Monsters of the 21st Century: Kim Fu

 

I’ve read quite a few short story collections and this is one of the best ones I’ve ever read. Wildly imaginative and creative, Fu takes the reader places we never dreamed of. This is definitely for fans of speculative fiction and/or experimental fiction overall but I think it should have an appeal to anyone who wants to read truly original ideas, a rarity in today’s day!

 

Why You Should Read this Book:

 

Fu has a unique perspective on reality and the type of incredible sense of developing a short story in a fast amount of time and it really makes one appreciate the short fiction genre.

  

tinhouse.com/book/lesser-known-monsters-of-the-21st-century/

  

10. Chouette by Claire Oshetsky

 

Speaking of strange and also wondrous, Chouette really lives up in a full novel format. Chouette is a work of experimental fiction based somewhat on what Oshetsky went through herself as a mother. At it’s surface, it’s about a mother who gives birth to an owl. However, the depth of this is that being a mother is far more challenging than people realize and that when you are a mother to a child who is at all different, there are challenges to one’s perceptions and perceptions of others that are foisted upon you.

 

Why You Should Read this Book:

 

One thing that I found really fascinating is that this author has Autism and is the mother of a child with Autism so it’s a really unique perspective but also it’s just a wild ride in terms of a bizarre book set in a real yet surreal reality. You could literally read this book a few times a year and get something different out of it each time. It is so complex and intricate in its story telling.

  

www.theguardian.com/books/2021/nov/26/chouette-by-claire-...

  

11. Where the Children Take Us: How One Family Achieved the Unimaginable by Zain E. Asher

 

I was so inspired by this autobiography about a Nigerian family who moves to London in the 1970s and suffers a tragedy when the father is killed in a road accident when he returns to visit. His son, who grows up to be acclaimed actor Chiwetel Ejiofor, is also in the car and almost doesn’t make it. The family must then pick up the pieces and survive on a single income. Asher is the sister and marvels at the resilience of her mother working constantly and still managing to hold family book clubs and support her children with their education. She doesn’t fully understand Ejiofor’s passion for acting at first but also learns to embrace it.

 

Why You Should Read this Book:

 

This memoir is a powerful portrait of a talented and incredibly resilient family but it also speaks to the power of the human spirit and our potential to be intelligent, kind, and thoughtful people with good intentions. This is a success story as Asher herself becomes one of the first Nigerian CNN anchors and Asher’s mother even gets to meet Queen Elizabeth II. Yet, this is more than just a sort of immigrant success story but one that will put you in awe of what humans are capable of overcoming.

  

www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/zain-e-asher/where-the...

  

12. If Nietzsche Were a Narwhal: What Animal Intelligence Reveals About Human Stupidity by Justin Gregg

 

This non fiction book does an incredible job at exploring some of the arguments that people have made throughout time to distinguish us from animals and even establish or superiority. Gregg uses a great deal of examples of different species and scientific research to show how animals can be just as innovative, learn how to adapt, and experience the same sort of memories and emotions. This is both an examination of what it really means to be human and gives us a further understanding of what it means to be an animal. I would have honestly placed it even higher on the list had Gregg not ruined most of my opinion of himself on a personal level by admitting he eats meat when he goes out to restaurants with the most pitiful argument I’ve heard that the animal was already dead when he arrived without taking ownership that he’s supporting an industry that is responsible for both harm to animals and detrimental environmental effects. It’s really quite amazing to me how someone so insightful about animals could be such a flipping idiot. Anyway, I digress….this book still made it because I learned a great deal about animals that I didn’t already know and it made me ask some deeper questions as well. Also, I learned quite a bit about Nietzsche, who I didn’t realize fell prey to his nazi sister who got hold of all of his works at the end of his life while he was incapacitated.

 

Why You Should Read this Book:

 

I truly believe that most people who read this book will be in awe of some of these studies and all of the facets of different species of animals we didn’t consider before now. I also believe that the world is better when we choose to not cause pain to animals when we eat. It’s choosing kindness and it’s a great deal more sustainable if you want a future we can all continue to live in.

  

www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/justin-gregg/if-nietzs...

  

13. Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

 

I really wasn’t expecting to love this book so much. On it’s surface, it’s a creative book about video games that explore the human psyche but at it’s heart it’s really about friendships and relationships overall and has so much depth in the characters that I laughed, I cried, and I fell in love with them too.

 

Why You Should Read this Boo:

 

kZevin is such a remarkable story teller that she really pulls you into the unique human essence of her characters and makes you truly appreciate the art of writing. It is impossible not to immerse yourself i this story and relish in how telling stories makes us more human.https://gabriellezevin.com/tomorrowx3/

  

14. Before We Were Trans: A New History of Gender by Kit Heyam

 

What this nonfiction work does best is to explore how different cultures and countries have had humans who were trans (and in many cases welcomed) for centuries in a very diverse way. It also made me really consider the accuracy of, say, police reports from European and North America where humans may have been arrested for wearing opposite gender clothing and passed it off as being intoxicated. Maybe we will never know in many cases how many trans humans have existed because in closed conservative cultures, it was impossible for these humans to be who they really were and be safe while doing so.

 

Why You Should Read this Book:

 

From working with young humans, I have noticed cases where children have identified as being in the wrong body from a very early age (Kindergarten) and I will always support both trans rights and a world that accepts and respects everyone. As I stated before, we’re in a dangerous time of book banning and legislation that severely limits the rights of these humans. It is still unsafe in many areas of the world to be trans even in 2023 and that hurts my heart to know. We need to be aware of both the history of trans humans and that they need our love and protection.

  

www.nyjournalofbooks.com/book-review/we-were-trans-new

  

15. The Anomaly by Herve le Tellier

 

I admit I have a weakness for experimental fiction, especially those involving alternate timelines and anything involving different selves. This is a very well written character study about what could happen if the same with the same people lands twice and now there are copies of selves (in most cases) and there’s a gap of three months….it really toys with the idea of all of the life circumstances that can change in 90 or so days but also how people can change after this kind of turbulent storm where they thought they would crash…and then didn’t but somehow time split and selves doubled. It’s a very interesting premise for a book and so well executed that I found the whole experience of reading it rather riveting!

 

Why You Should Read this Book:

 

It’s like a well written thriller with a diverse character study built in, which is not often found.

 

www.theguardian.com/books/2022/jan/14/the-anomaly-by-herv...

  

16. O Beautiful by Jung Yun

 

I was very moved by the story of a journalist who has been living in NYC returning to her home in North Dakota, a now booming oil town, and re-encountering the rampant sexism and racism there as she comes to terms with the estrangement of her sister, her mother’s disappearance, her father’s inability to understand how being Korean or half Korean in the town is extremely difficult, disappearing women, Native exploitation and more. This is an incredibly complex book with some very interesting information based on how one can own their home but sell the rights to the land below and how it destroys them. Amidst the upside down flags of racists who feel they are under siege from immigrants and those who are Jewish, our protagonist has to get her story and get out alive…and all while she suspects that the real reason she was chosen to write was not because she grew up there but because the man who passed along the job was someone she’d had an affair with who is trying to cover up a whole slew of allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior towards students.

  

Why You Should Read this Book:

 

Yun juggles so many topics related to our modern world and what is still happening in this state that it feels daunting to me just typing the synopsis and she does it well. She creates very believable and flawed characters and a protagonist you root for all the way.

 

www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/jung-yun/o-beautiful-yun/

  

17. One Hundred Nights of Hero by Isabel Greenberg

 

This is one creative and beautiful homage to both feminism and the art of storytelling. Much like One Thousand and One Arabian Nights, a woman must tell stories in order to prevent her own demise. There are a great deal of twists and turns in both the stories and the woman’s own timeline as she tells them. The illustrations are also enthralling and in many ways the reader feels held captive too waiting to see what will happen.

 

Why You Should Read this Book:

 

It’s so wonderful to see words and illustrations work this well together. Each page is its own beautiful art and you could literally gaze at it for a very long time. The words are just so creative and engaging that there’s a blissful harmony here.

 

www.theguardian.com/books/2016/sep/09/one-hundred-nights-...

  

18. Anxious People: Fredrik Backman

 

I have a confession to make. I really can’t stand Fredrik Backman. And yet, I keep reading all his books. I have another confession to make. I cry at the end of every Fredrik Backman book. I feel kind of like he’s a puppet master and he just crafts everything so meticulously that I’m going to start sobbing by the end no matter what. This leads to me resenting Backman quite a bit even as I recommend his books to people. His books are like a calculated Jenga tower that somehow never topple. All the moving parts will end up fitting together in the end and before you know it your pages or screen is soaking wet.

 

Why You Should Read this Book:

 

There’s a part of this book about planting an apple tree even if you know that it will be destroyed the next day. The quote is: “Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.” I feel that way a great deal even when I am in a deeply despairing mood. It is hard to work towards a better future feeling like it will all be destroyed sooner or later by climate change, for example, and that by the time these kids grow up, everyone will be fighting to survive. But, I go to work anyway and I try to make a positive change every day and oh shoot now I’m getting all emotional again.

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anxious_People

  

19. The Swimmers by Julie Otsuka

 

This feels like a deeply personal book that starts with a bunch of swimmers who thrive on routine and who come together to swim in the same pool and come to know each other through these circumstances. And then, there’s a crack at the bottom of the pool. The crack is sort of like this metaphor, an earthquake in the human psyche, that causes a deep disruption to the daily lives of the swimmers, most notably to the character of Alice. The second part of this book is mainly about Alice and about her memory loss and also the painful memories she still has about the Internment Camps. This book takes you on a sort of traumatic journey in an unexpected way and one that seems super realistic and surreal at the same time.

 

Why You Should Read this Book:

 

The way that Otsuka explores a human’s deep need for routine and how the disruption in this sets off a whole chain of events that are incredibly damaging felt very relatable to me and was written in a way that was both insightful and honored what could ultimately be a relatively unexplored human downfall. This felt almost too insightful and accurate at times but was always effective.

  

www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/691356/the-swimmers-by-j...

  

20. Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson

 

It’s so wild to think that this is Wilkerson’s first novel considering how accomplished it feels. This is really about family and secrets but it is also very much about recipes and surfing too. It has quite an ambitious storyline too spanning from 1965 to present day and between the US, London, and an island in the Caribbean as well. It’s an adventure in discovering your true identity and family’s identity and also coming to terms with what you find out.

 

Why You Should Read this Book:

 

This book is quite fascinating and well written. The characters are quite lovable and you feel like you are also learning each step of the way as the protagonist learns, which I really enjoyed.

  

www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/charmaine-wilkerson/bl...

  

21. The Sea of Tranquility by Emily St John Mandel

 

If you are a fan of Station Eleven and have also read The Glass Hotel,I would recommend this book. It’s a complicated time travel whirlwind with many of the same characters and it really fits nicely as the third edition of this trilogy.

 

Why You Should Read this Book:

 

For completists, you just have to read the third part to see what happens to many of the characters you’ve grown to love. For those who already know, Mandel is a very imaginative and accomplished author and you will enjoy the journey she takes you on throughout the centuries.

  

www.theguardian.com/books/2022/apr/20/sea-of-tranquility-...

  

22. The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix

 

I wasn’t even sure I would enjoy this book. as horror overall isn’t my thing. Even so, every October around Halloween I force myself to read some scary books just because it seems like what Spookytober really needs. In any case, I did not expect too much from this book given the silly long title. It was the first Grady Hendrix book I read and I just thought it would honestly be a nice break from heavier stuff. Little did I know that this scary tale would draw me in like a story magnet. What starts as a southern US small town neighborhood book club story quickly becomes a commentary on racism and how police tend to do nothing to help victims who are Black because they only care about White people, which is quite apt. I’ve read a couple more of Hendrix’s books since then- Horrorstör and We Sold Our Souls and I didn’t like them as much…I was definitely disappointed in comparison with some the same tropes and not enough criticism of racism in the US for my tastes but this one is a gem.

 

Why You Should Read this Book:

 

There is nothing scarier that the human capacity for being unkind and even evil. This is far more terrifying than vampires but, hey, this book also has a vampire!

  

www.npr.org/2020/04/26/844358645/getting-some-blood-on-th...

  

23. The Book of Extraordinary Tragedies by Joe Meno

 

I have a real soft spot for Joe Meno. He does write in a way that flirts with the genre of experimental fiction at times but I honestly think much of the reason why I see an affinity to him is that he’s a Chicago based author whose stories feel very relatable to me somehow even when maybe they shouldn’t be. I’m not of Eastern European descent and I don’t live on the far South Side of Chicago and I’m not a musical prodigy who is losing my hearing. Nor do I have a daughter or niece who is getting into trouble at school or a brother who is stealing luggage at Midway. I don’t have various family members engaged in criminal activities and I have a much more stable life overall that literally any of the characters in this book. So, how could I possibly relate to them? The answer is…I don’t know…maybe it’s just that Joe Meno is a really good author and knows how to write believable characters, some of whom you manage to love despite all of their problems.

 

Why You Should Read this Book:

 

There is something that is so wholeheartedly captured about the day to day struggle of survival and barely making it each day. This could be seen easily as a story of a dysfunctional family but I think it’s a story of survivors too.

 

www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/joe-meno/book-of-extra...

  

24. The High Desert: Black. Punk. Nowhere by James Spooner

 

I didn’t read as many graphic novels this year as I sometimes do and I am already regretting that a little. This book is a memoir and was really fascinating to me as my high school experience was completely different even though it was around the sometime. Spooner does recollect a trip to see his father in NYC but most of this takes place in a desert town in California where he has to deal with his complicated identity of being the son of a Black father and a White mother and not quite fitting in anywhere but loving music, especially punk music. Unfortunately, there are levels of racism in punk that even I didn’t know about.

 

Why You Should Read this Book:

 

This is a really personal graphic memoir with fantastic art work that shows a unique way of telling a story through both he words and illustrations and reliving some of the trauma of being both physically, emotionally, and socially harmed just by the fact of your race. My heart was in my throat for much of this book because of what Spooner went through.

  

25. Nerd: Adventures in Fandom from This Universe to the Multiverse by Maya Phillips

 

This was a really extensive breakdown of comics, cartoons, films and shows featuring a variety of superheros and looking into the political context of this as well. Phillips also talks a little about her experience attending comicons and as a writer on the subject. I was really impressed with the expansive and ambition amount of material she covers over the years and even from different countries. The one major flaw is that Phillips writes with a sort of assumption that you are going to be familiar with every show or comic or film she is talking about (I’m not sure how that would be possible if you didn’t do this for a living) and there are plenty of spoilers without her putting in a caveat that there are spoilers ahead. So, my suggestion is read this book but if Phillips starts talking about a show you are in the middle of watching but haven’t finished, perhaps it is best to save that section for later.

 

Why You Should Read this Book:

 

Representation in all forms and formats matters and though things have gotten slightly better, we still have a long way to go and won’t get there until we consider a perspective other than the white male hetero perspective that still continues to dominate most of the reviewers and fans of these shows, films, and comics at this time. Add the idea of “expert” or “qualified” and you get an even more narrowed perspective of who is allowed to hold space in these discussions and have published opinions. In a big way, Phillips throws this notion on its head because no one in their right mind could read this book and argue that she didn’t know what she was talking about. In fact, it is mind boggling how much she does know on the subject.

 

www.publishersweekly.com/9781982165772

  

**All photos are copyrighted**

   

I was able to get some close shots of this lovely duck today.

 

Gadwall

Anas strepera

 

Member of Nature’s Spirit

Good Stewards of Nature

 

Patricia Ware Bird Photography

 

© 2016 Patricia Ware - All Rights Reserved

 

Full frame - best enlarged

As a landscape photographer, being able to keep classical office hours for working is impossible. As many of you know, to have a chance to create mood-filled image there is a need to be in the field well before dawn and long after sunset. While in the French Alps, getting the conditions and mood I wanted for the mountains and lake required being on site during the blue hour of morning and when the weather and light would be best for the opportunity. The soft early morning light, no wind, and same great ground fog was just what I was hoping for. If I had arrived later, I would have missed it all as the fog disappeared and the light was too intense to set the right mood.

Rather a distinctive hopper (luckily, or else I wouldn't have been able to ID it!).

Doucier - Jura - France

Finally I was able to return to this magnificent animal today. The first time I only saw it for 10 seconds in early morning light. Today the weather was supposed to be good but it rained the whole time we where there. Long story short... This litle critter is so you used to people that it walked up to us and passed right beside me. Leaving a mere 50 cm between us. I switch to my macro lens right away and the second time it came around I was able to make this picture. It's not even 5% cropped! It even started singing softly when it sat beside me for a couple of seconds. Thinking about this animal coming all the way from Siberia and now singing right in front of me is not to be forgotten! One of the most amazing experiences photgraphing a bird.

"The happiest man on earth would be able to use the Mirror of Erised like a normal mirror, that is, he would look into it and see himself exactly as he is." - J.K. Rowling

 

Image 6 from my Harry Potter Series :)

 

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This kite was gliding fairly low so I was able to take a pretty good shot. I'm pleased with the gorgeous blue sky too.

 

See large size

 

Redland, QLD

Finally......... was able to jump in the darkroom a get this shot of Spenser printed..

 

We shot this on the Michigan St. Bridge, South Bend IN @ dusk.

 

Shot with my cool Lubitel 2 camera.. gotta love those Russian cameras!

Able UK & Triton Knoll

"I am following Nature without being able to grasp her . . . . I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers."

Author: Claude Monet

 

...seen in the garden of my clients backyard!

 

I am away this weekend (sat to mon), in the Gulf Islands, Mayne Island.... celebrating the Canadian Stat Holiday, Victoria Day...the Queen's birthday... with no access to a computer soooooooooo see you all on Monday nite!

Embrace a sunny weekend of doing what you have joy and passion for!

African pygmy kingfisher

  

Unfortunately, I haven’t yet been able to capture the African pygmy kingfisher sharply while it’s bathing. The dive in and out of the water is so quick that I’ve yet to catch the right moment. However, as you can see, the bird has indeed touched the water – its feathers are still wet.

  

The African pygmy kingfisher is a tiny, gem-like, woodland kingfisher. Note the orange face with a purple cheek mark and the narrow, dark blue crown. Found in the understory of woodland, thickets, and some forests. Inconspicuous bird that sits motionless for long periods before darting after prey. Call is a harsh “tsik,” often given in flight.

  

Similar to Malachite Kingfisher, but smaller, has more orange on the face, and prefers upland habitats. Very similar to African Dwarf-Kingfisher, but pygmy-kingfisher has a dark crown.

  

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www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/d/dearne-oldmoor/about.aspx

  

About Old Moor

 

Situated right at the heart of the Dearne Valley, Old Moor is a wonderful place to come and watch wildlife. The skies, fields and open water are teeming with birds throughout the year.

 

In the summer the grasslands are ablaze with butterflies and orchids, and you’ll be able to see newly-hatched ducklings. In winter the reserve is an important stopping-off point for ducks, geese and swans – plus 8,000 golden plovers!

 

There are lots of events, guided walks and family activities, as well as home-cooked food in the Gannets Café and a well-stocked shop. The reserve is a great day out for young and old alike.

 

What you should know...

The paths are firm and suitable for all levels of ability, including wheelchair users, but there is one small, steep slope to negotiate.

 

Opening times

1 November - 31 January: visitor centre open 9.30 am - 4 pm. Gates open until 4.30 pm. 1 February - 31 October: visitor centre open 9.30 am - 5 pm. Gates open until 5.15 pm. 19 April - 30 September 2010: reserve open until 8pm. Normal opening hours will still apply to the visitor centre and cafe. The site is closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

 

Entrance charges

RSPB members free; adults £3; children £1.50; family ticket £6 (any number of children); concessions £2. Free access from Old Moor to Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council 'Passport to Leisure' and 'Rothercard' cardholders.

 

If you are new to birdwatching...

We run guided walks on a variety of topics all year-round. Please check our events page or call the visitor centre for details.

 

Information for families

Children can have fun on the climbing frames, swings and slide in the 'Kids Go Wild' adventure playground. There are also Wildlife Explorer backpacks available for hire. These contain bug jars, binoculars and guide books to help children get the most out of their visit.

 

Information for dog owners

No dogs allowed, except registered assistance dogs

  

Star species

Our star species are some of the most interesting birds you may see on your visit to the reserve.

  

Kingfisher

Spend time in the hides and you may be rewarded with an unforgettable kingfisher encounter. Listen for their shrill, piping calls and then watch for the flash of blue and orange.

  

Little owl

You may be lucky enough to find one of these compact owls perched in a tree or on a fencepost. They become very active at dusk and you may hear their shrill calls.

  

Lapwing

Huge numbers of lapwings gather here in winter. If a bird of prey, such as a peregrine, is in the area, they take to the air in a vast wheeling mass.

  

Golden plover

Look among the black and white of the lapwing flocks for the golden glow of these smart waders. Several thousand spend winter

  

Tree sparrow

Tree sparrows can be seen at the bird feeding garden alongside the commoner birds. Listen for their short and sharp 'tek' calls as they fly in and out.

  

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

The last of the wintering birds such as goldeneyes can still be seen in March. Listen out for the cuckoo's unmistakable call from April onwards and see the warblers returning for the summer.

  

Summer

Broods of ducklings paddle around in the shallows and the grasslands are vibrant with butterflies and orchids. Listen for snipe 'drumming' as they fly above the field pools and see dragonflies basking on the paths.

  

Autumn

Fieldfares and redwings gorge on berries to fatten up for the winter. Thousands of migrating birds use the Dearne Valley as a refuelling point on their long journeys.

  

Winter

The bird feeding garden is at its busiest at this time of year, with tree sparrows, greenfinches, goldfinches and tits on the feeders. Spectacular flocks of golden plovers and lapwings take to the air, attracting peregrines on the lookout for a meal.

  

Facilities

 

Facilities

•Visitor centre

•Information centre

•Car park : There is a free car park and cycle racks near the main courtyard.

•Toilets

•Disabled toilets

•Baby-changing facilities

•Picnic area

•Binocular hire

•Group bookings accepted

•Guided walks available

•Good for walking

•Pushchair friendly

 

Viewing points

There are six hides out on the reserve and one overlooking the bird-feeding garden. There are two viewing platforms in the pond and picnic area.

 

Nature trails

Two easy-going trails give excellent views of wildlife on the reserve. Follow the trail around the ponds and picnic area to see wildflower meadows and a variety of birds and insects, or take the trail to the hides, where you can get closer to wildlife in a variety of different habitats. Both trails are suitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs and are less than one mile in length.

 

Tearoom

Our cafe serves a range of hot and cold drinks and cake, plus hot, homemade meals and freshly-prepared sandwiches. Cooked breakfast is also served until 11.30 am. You can also get ice cream and chocolate from the visitor centre.

 

Refreshments available

•Hot drinks

•Cold drinks

•Hot meals

•Sandwiches

•Snacks

•Confectionery

 

Shop

RSPB Old Moor has a large shop, selling everything from binoculars to books, bird food to bike bits, clothing and gifts. There is also a wildlife gardening section with plants, books and equipment to get you started.

The shop stocks:

•Books

•Bird food

•Gifts

 

Educational facilities

Old Moor is a haven for nature in the heart of the Dearne Valley - a stunning area of wetlands, teeming with birds and other wildlife. With an exciting indoor classroom, education garden, bird hide, and a range of excellent education facilities, Old Moor is the ideal place to bring your class for an unforgettable experience of nature.

  

Accessibility

 

Car parking

Main car park is surfaced with well-rolled tarmac planings, those with mobility difficulties can park in the designated disabled parking bays in the lay-by adjacent to the car park.

 

Access to visitor centre

100 metres from the car park with good access into the visitor centre.

Information staff are available to help in the visitor centre.

 

Wheelchairs/powered vehicles

Wheelchairs and an electric scooter are available for free hire. Advance booking is recommended for the scooter, please contact the visitor centre for availability.

 

Toilets

Disabled toilets available on the ground floor next to the visitor centre entrance.

 

Picnic areas

Current picnic areas accessible for wheelchair users, but tables are currently not suitable for wheelchair users.

 

Shop

In the visitor centre and is accessible for wheelchair users.

 

Classroom and meeting rooms

Are now available, with good access for wheelchair users.

 

Café

A café is located on the first floor, with a lift available.

 

Access to hides

Good paths to all hides providing views over 250 acres of diverse habitat. Wheelchair accessible viewing areas available in all hides.

Benches available along the pathway to the hides.

Work is currently underway to upgrade two of the hides to improve wheelchair access.

  

How to get here

 

By bicycle (Sustrans cycle route)

The Trans Pennine Trail runs along the Southern edge of the reserve. Access to the reserve is via a bridge into the car park.

View National Cycle Map

  

By train

Wombwell (3 miles/5 km). Swinton (3 miles/5 km); regular connections to Doncaster.

 

By bus

A number of buses run from Wombwell and Swinton stations and stop near the entrance to Old Moor nature reserve. Buses also run to the reserve from Barnsley, Doncaster and Meadowhall. Please check with bus operator TravelLine on 01709 515151 for further information.

 

By road

From the M1: Leave at junction 36 and take the A61 (Barnsley). At the small roundabout, continue straight ahead on the A6195 (Doncaster) for approximately four miles. After passing the Morrison's superstore, follow the brown RSPB Old Moor signs. From the A1: Leave at junction 37 (Doncaster), follow the A635 towards Barnsley, then follow the brown RSPB Old Moor signs.

  

Cycling at Old Moor

 

The national Trans Pennine Trail (TPT) cycle route runs right past the entrance to RSPB Old Moor. Where in the summer the grasslands are ablaze with butterflies and orchids, and you’ll be able to see newly-hatched ducklings.

Cycling is the best way of viewing all the sites in the valley on gentle gradients with generally good quality paths.

Together with Natural England and The Environment Agency we're promoting a network of improved multi-user sites around the Dearne Valley linking the five RSPB Dearne Valley nature reserves - Old Moor, Wombwell Ings, Gypsy Marsh, Edderthorpe Flash and Bolton Ings.

Staff and volunteers use this flat and well-surfaced route on a regular basis, sometimes with surprising consequences. A roe deer sprang out at one member of staff proving that it's not just the reserves that are great for wildlife in this area!

 

Around 8 per cent of our visitors travel to the reserve along the TPT. It's great that they can stop off and refresh themselves with a cup of tea, or service their bike with parts from the shop.

We're trialling some health rides for people new to cycling in a partnership with Cycle Touring Club (CTC) and Ground Work Dearne Valley.

  

Farmhouse Meeting Rooms

 

Farmhouse Meeting Rooms are available for corporate and community group bookings.

The beautifully restored farmhouse building is set amid the 250-acre RSPB Old Moor reserve, South Yorkshire, providing a unique location for a corporate or community event and creating a relaxing atmosphere for any meeting.

We can provide facilities for the following;

•conferences

•meetings

•seminars

•training courses

•interviews

•telephone conferencing

There are both large and smaller rooms on offer, seating from 12 to 30 people depending upon layout.

Rooms can be arranged in boardroom, theatre style or in any other format to suit your event.

We also have a range of equipment for hire including a television and digital projector, with fitted screens in the rooms.

The Farmhouse Meeting Rooms are conveniently situated near both the M1 and A1. It is centrally located on the Dearne Valley Parkway, close to Barnsley, Rotherham, Sheffield and Doncaster. There are also good public transport links with surrounding areas.

Your booking includes free access to the nature reserve for the day as well as the visitor centre, shop and the Gannets café. The pathways lead to a number of bird watching hides for visitors wishing to catch a glimpse of wetland and garden birds. A tour of the site can be arranged as an unusual and revitalising break during a meeting.

The on-site, award-winning Gannets Café provides catering. A selection of mid-morning snacks can be served in the meeting rooms including warm Danish pastries and bacon sandwiches. Fair-trade tea, coffee and an assortment of herbal teas are served throughout the day. Various buffet lunches are available, or alternatively delegates can stroll across to the Gannets café themselves and appreciate panoramic views of the reserve from the veranda.

The Farmhouse Meeting Rooms are run with the environment in mind. A wind turbine, solar panels and a bio-fuel boiler generate power in a sustainable way. We also use as many recycled, organic and Fair Trade products as possible.

For more information, please write to the Conference Co-ordinator:

Farmhouse Meeting Rooms

RSPB Dearne Valley

Old Moor Lane, Wombwell

Barnsley

South Yorkshire

S73 0YF

Alternatively, use the details listed below.

 

Contacts

Telephone: 01226 273835

E-mail: FarmhouseMeetingRooms@rspb.org.uk

 

I was able to get out with camera on a foggy Christmas Day morning and wander around the property while Lynn and I had Fortuna out for her morning runabout.

Even in broad daylight abandoned vessels give me the willies. I was able to overcome my fear long enough to capture a few images of the ominous hulk of the ghost ship Joker in Willapa Harbor. While I was there I was sure that the slippery dock was going to send me tumbling into the dark waters by the ruined hull or that the mooring lines would coil around me like the filaments of spider web.

 

Abandoned vessels are a problem in the waterways of Washington state. Michael A. Schueler described the situation in his article 'A Sinking Feeling: The Problem of Abandoned Boats in Washington Waterways." Seattle Journal of Environmental Law Vol. 4 : Iss. 1, Article 8. Available at: digitalcommons.law.seattleu.edu/sjel/vol4/iss1/8

 

Schueler wrote:

 

In 2012, the Deep Sea, a 128-foot vessel known to be derelict, was moved to Penn Cove, Washington, and left to rot near vulnerable oyster beds.

 

After a few days, the Deep Sea caught fire and sunk, causing significant damage to local wildlife and the local economy, and costing the state millions to cleanup.

 

The Deep Sea is one of hundreds of boats that have been abandoned in Washington waters and though the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is making some progress in removing derelict and abandoned boats from Washington’s waterways, the progress is slow and cannot keep up with the need, due in no small part to the amount of abandoned boats and the Department’s budget constraints.

 

Between 2012 and 2014 there has continuously been over one

hundred boats left abandoned or derelict in Washington waters. Should any of these boats sink, these vessels all pose significant environmental risks, due to contaminants commonly found on ships, including excess fuel, lead paint, and asbestos.

 

Between January 2012 and November 2012, the state removed 23 of the 226 vessels listed on the DNR’s list of abandoned and derelict vessels. In this same time period, however, 18 vessels were added to the DNR’s list. As of publication, 153 vessels are still on the DNR’s list, including numerous ships over 100 feet in length.

 

The DNR’s Derelict Vessel Removal Program operates on a scant $750,000 budget each year.

 

Dismantling even one large vessel can cost more than the entire budget. Small fishing ships, among the cheapest of vessels to remove, can still cost between $5,000 and $10,0005 to remove, with one recently costing $7,600 in Gig Harbor.

 

Assuming each boat’s removal cost is as little as $7,600, the DNR would be able to remove less than 100 vessels a year—less than two-thirds of the currently maintained list of derelict and abandoned ships. However, many abandoned or derelict ships in Washington that are far larger than small fishing vessels and are far costlier remove. Compounding this problem further, many boats removed from the list end up back on the list for a second or third time.

 

With this budgetary limitation, the DNR will be unable to remove

the existing boats this season, or keep up with the ships added to the list this year, digging the state into a deeper hole and adding additional liability to Washington's economy and environment.

 

Many of the ships on the DNR’s list are “large vessels” containing

pollutants that can cause significant environmental damage and require significant funding to properly cleanup.

 

During a flyover of the Columbia River to look into the growing problem of abandoned and derelict vessels, then Governors Gregoire of Washington and Kitzhaber of Oregon noted approximately 40 vessels on the Columbia River between Washington and Oregon.

 

Of these vessels at least half fall into the category of large ships, “between 100 and 181 feet long.” One of these vessels, the LST-1166 is 373 feet long and would likely require “legislative action” to remove.

 

Many of these boats contain large amounts of fuel and other environmental pollutants including PCBs, copper wiring, lead paint and asbestos insulation. These pollutants can

cause significant environmental damage if released into the environment and also can cost the state millions in cleanup costs.

 

For example, the cleanup of the Crocket in 2011 cost the state nearly $24 million in removal and cleanup costs when it was broken apart.

 

Given its current budget constraints, Washington cannot endure cleanup costs similar to this, especially considering that there may be 20 or more ships that could cost this much. There will likely be more boats abandoned in the coming year as the recession continues, increasing the likelihood of further environmental damage.

 

As more and more of these ships continue to fall into derelict status and are abandoned, Washington takes a huge gamble in letting these ships sink. Each large ship left unattended could cost the state tens of millions of dollars and poses significant environmental risks to local waterways and wildlife should the vessel sink.

Not able to get out this morning, but the weather forecast offered an afternoon of full sun.

By the time we were able to get out the sky was still overcast and grey, but the weather forecast was still promising afternoon sun.

We decided to go to one of our newly found sites in Northwest Leicestershire and searched the area we have been watching, nothing was flying.

 

We didn't locate any other despite butterflies being plentiful over the previous days. I then spotted two Common Blues' on a seed head which I assumed to be ♂ and ♀ due to there size difference and their wings tightly closed. We watched and too various shots over 20 minutes until it became too windy,

I swapped bodies for the last sequence of shots

 

This is a shot taken with a Canon R8

Not able to get out on a sunny day, so just a few birds in the garden through an open window. I need to do some work on the settings with the new camera

It is now nearly two and half years since I was last able to cross-dress as a woman. During that period circumstances have prevented any opportunities to indulge myself in my desire to look female. As yet, I still have no idea when I may be able to cross-dress again. Realistically it is looking like early summer in 2023 just now. That will be three years I will have waited.

 

For me, my wife and family and need to earn an income come ahead of my own desire to dress as a woman. I see my cross-dressing as a luxury indulgence. I do feel overwhelming urges to appear as a woman but I had to keep them at bay. However, the old expression of ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder’ is proving to be true!

 

I have continued to make plans for the next opportunity to spend time as my female self. I’ve been planning pretty much since my last cross-dressing session back in March 2020. My plans have changed and evolved over this long period and I am quietly excited about the day I can finally indulge in them. I have noted changes in how I feel about my desire to present myself asa a female, more acceptance and confidence about it and what I want from the experience. To this end I have refocused on achieving this. My ambition, indeed my dream, is to pass completely as a woman. I love the challenge and I am motivated to do my best to carry this off convincingly. As cross-dressers, we all have our own reasons for doing it, for me, passing as a real woman is what I try to achieve.

 

I think I now have a better feel for the kind of female clothing, wig styles, shoes and make-up that works for me based on my physicality and mental approach. I feel I now know what time of women I can become. Needless to say, this does not really involve the usual preferences favoured by cross-dressers. I am seeking real world female rather than male cross-dresser. This has caused me to refine the clothing styles I intend to wear.

 

Over the last two years I’ve been refreshing my female wardrobe to reflect this. I have purchased a few new dresses and shoes in line with my aim of passing myself off as a woman. I am still hooked on the more feminine styles, ultimately I am still a cross-dresser! I’ve been observing women and how they present themselves and zoned in on the female style I feel I could, with practice, maybe portray convincingly. I am feeling super excited about this, and I’m eager to give it a go.

 

I think the secret of looking real as a man pretending to be a woman, is to be aware of the styles and colours that actually work nit just wearing stuff that excites you or fulfils the fantasy we all have. I should declare, there are some clothing styles I still love to wear and will always do so but not for my real world female look. I still love wearing short dresses and I intend to enjoy the delight of wearing them. My liking for them is not going away. I am a man dressing up as a woman and it does excite me, it’s always a huge thrill to do so and the cross-dressing also fulfils on an emotional level as part of me does desire to be female.

 

Over the years I have discovered that I enjoy talking openly on video about my feelings and experiences with cross-dressing as woman. One of my future plans is to record a series of videos expanding further on this. It will also be a nice opportunity to wear all of my new dresses as I can change outfit throughout the recording of the videos to add visual variety to my presentation. I have a few subjects I plan to chat about on camera though I am open to answering questions or musing on other cross-dressing related topics anyone may have a suggestion for.If you do have any ideas I would be delighted to hear from you.

 

In the past I did attempt to do interviews with other cross-dressers but my efforts never really took off. I managed a few but it seems cross-dressers are not willing to chat on camera! I find chatting to the camera when I am dressed as a woman a nice experience and I adore the freedom I feel to finally actually voice how I feel openly and out loud. I am intrigued by others that cross-dress and would genuinely love to hear from others about their own thoughts on it. I would encourage you to try making a view videos chatting to the camera. Even if you never post them I find it is the actual moment of recording them whilst en femme that I enjoy. I can’t wait to wear my new dresses and shoes in the future, I am enjoying the anticipation and hope it can happen within the next twelve months.

 

Although this isn't the first time I've been able to photograph an Australasian Shoveler, there haven't been very many other occasions!

 

The Shoveler's colouring is similar to a female Mallard and also to the Grey Teal in the previous photo. However, this bird's bill sort of makes it somewhat distinctive, and the colouring on this bird's head is also quite different to that of the Grey Teal...

 

This is not the greatest photo I've ever taken, but the chance to capture an Australasian Shoveler's portrait is somewhat rare these days, so I'll 'run' with this guy - even though he was swimming rather quickly away from the Hide I was in, and even though it's a bit of a drab shot with uncharacteristically murky brown water!

 

And for those of you who'd like to read something more in-depth about this bird, have a look at:

nzbirdsonline.org.nz/species/australasian-shoveler

  

Thanks, Everyone, for visiting my Site, and thanks especially for taking the time and trouble to leave a Comment; it's always nice to hear from you...!

 

(Left (or Right!) click the Mouse to view Large; click again to return to normal).

 

Another shot from my recent journey through Euskadi, the only sunset shot I was able to capture during the trip. This was taken at Playa de Azkorri that I had seen in one of Javier Alonso’s recent videos and a recommendation from fellow photographer Richard Toribio.

 

The first day I visited this spot, the sky was completely clear, with no clouds. On the second day, the weather flipped, and the entire beach was shrouded in fog, with a flat flat, gray sky.

 

But persistence paid off on the third day, as we were rewarded with a sky that burst into flames during sunset. It was a spectacular display of color and texture that truly made the wait worthwhile.

 

I’ll definitely be returning to this location. There’s so much to explore with the interplay between the waves crashing over the rocks and the small cascades of water they leave behind.

 

Hopefully, I’ll catch another sky like that one next time!

 

benching benchers benching

This image is better viewed: LARGE

 

Benched in Southern California

10/2008

The fabulous light lasted for over half an hour so I was able to move about the St Ives area. Walking from Pedn Olva down to the harbour looking over towards Smeaton Pier and Lighthouse. The seagulls took flight being disturbed with the arrival of a car a local boat owner who proceeded out for a morning trip.

Copyright Simon Lathlane

I was able to return here a few years later with a better camera and better light --- --- --- www.flickr.com/photos/136891509@N07/albums/72157665966302887

In The Wynwood Walls couple, I was able to discover why there are many photographers who can not answer a simple question, _What is the best lens for street photography....? Because many of them have become famous doing what is called street photography and who is best to asked the question, right...? But when you ask them a question related to which lens should be used for that need they simply get lost in not a lens, but they talk about various lenses, among them, 50mm, 35mm, the rare 45mm, 24, etc., etc. They always cover with their lenses but do not tell you that for a good photograph of the street the best is a lens of excellent quality, for example the legendary Konica Minolta that can work very well in a Sony camera. But the main thing is this, good or great editing and cropping that's all....

 

Look at the lens I use, it does not resemble any of the measures that so-called professionals use, other than that, nor is Minolta, which if that, is excellent lens.

TOKINA, SD 11-16 F2.8 (IF) DX II

 

If you want to see what I say of the so-called "CROP" this is the original photo:

www.flickr.com/photos/searchofbeauty/36843091772/in/datep...

We've had a Red-headed Woodpecker feeding in our neighborhood all afternoon. I followed it around for an hour and thankfully was able to capture some decent shots.

 

The bird spent as much time eating insects on the ground as on the bark of trees, where we normally associate woodpeckers to be.

 

This is the closest I've ever seen this bird, and I simply can't get over how utterly striking and beautiful it is!!!

So here we come, Pia Glacier is the glacier we took a zodiac boat to, and landed on the wonder of the world.

 

This was the glacier we got closest by the ship - and we landed very close to it. We were able to see and learn more about glaciers itself. For example the bluer the color is, the older the glacier is. They look blue because it lacks air within, and there are "dirty glaciers" that erode the land and get mixed up with all these sediments. Also there were many interesting plants in Patagonia that we had never seen before.

 

It was one of the first things we did in Patagonia, and while it's rather touristy, it was still adventurous, fun and cool.

 

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Last year I was able to walk out to this stand of trees, but recent heavy rains and the management of the damn has the lake at "full" this fall. Even though this photo was taken just two days ago (at the end of October), very few tree's have made the change in color. I expect by next week-end, a few more will transform from green to yellow, orange or red, as the evening weather is expected to be in the upper 30's F (around 3 C).

 

Comments and constructive feedback are always appreciated!

It might be raining a little, but being able to stand in nature and overlook some of the jagged #coastline in #AcadiaNationalPark sure helps to brighten my day! Where have you seen a coastline like this?

 

treasuresoftraveling.com/8-reasons-to-visit-acadia-nation...

 

#TreasuresOfTraveling #UnitedStates #Maine #NorthAmerica #NationalPark #WorldTravel #WorldTraveler #TravelBlogger #LiveLifeAdventurously #TravelPics #TravelPhotos #NeverStopExploring #TravelUSA #GlobeTrotter #PassportStamps #TravelTheWorld #TourThePlanet #TheGlobeWanderer #Wanderlust #DiscoverEarth #AwesomeGlobe #FantasticEarth #TravelGram #FollowMeFarAway #OptOutside #NaturalBeauty #GayTraveler #Nature

 

It is now two and half years since I was last able to crossdress and spend time in the guise of a woman. To say I miss those experiences would be an understatement. I yearn deeply to appear as a woman but no opportunities to do so have presented themselves. It’s all been down to a combination of Covid, lockdown occurring back in 2020, followed by illness, needing surgery, then, despite my best efforts to avoid it, catching Covid several times (a total pain!) and then devastating losses within the family. Not the best time of my life. My crossdressing desires well and truly took a back seat.

 

Recently though, as always happens, that desire is with me quite powerfully. I am really wanting to become my female self once more. I do not foresee an opportunity arising before the late spring of 2023 so I am needing to try and manage my desire. I am used to long periods between my cross-dressing, this is due to my circumstances, so I have methods of coping. One of my coping methods is to browse through my photos and videos taken during previous cross-dressing sessions. This does help a lot as I find myself revelling in the memories of them and recalling the sheer delight at appearing as a woman. I love to cross-dress and adore every minute of my time presenting as a female.

 

During my browsing of older pictures I came across a video I had forgotten about. I was doing one of my, admittedly, rambling unscripted musings to camera. I find when I appear as a woman I tend to chat freely to camera. I’m always so thrilled and delighted imagining I am a woman that I cannot resist chatting about it. As I’m usually alone the video camera becomes my confidante.

 

This picture is a still from the video and I was clearly loving every moment of chatting freely in make-up, wig, painted nails and wearing female clothing…it was so exciting! I’m posting it to my Flickr photo stream as a way of making me feel my female self is still alive despite being dormant. I look forward to spring next year with building enthusiasm, it’s going to be such a delight.

Photographed in Tanzania, Africa - From a safari vehicle, no cover

 

Please click twice on the image to view at the largest size

 

On a drive to our next safari camp, we were able to spend almost an hour watching a group of 20-30 hippos in a river. Most of the hippos were just side-by-side in a main group but, around the perimeter, there were almost continuous face-offs between two or three pairs of male hippos who were trying to show dominance by opening their mouths almost 180 degrees, displaying their very long teeth and pushing up against their opponent.

 

Note: In the Wikipedia text below, most people will be surprised to discover that the closest living relatives of the the Hippopotamus are cetaceans (whales, dolphins, porpoises, etc.).

 

======================

From Wikipedia: The hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius), also called the hippo, common hippopotamus or river hippopotamus, is a large, mostly herbivorous, semiaquatic mammal and ungulate native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is one of only two extant species in the family Hippopotamidae, the other being the pygmy hippopotamus (Choeropsis liberiensis or Hexaprotodon liberiensis). The name comes from the ancient Greek for "river horse" (ἱπποπόταμος).

 

After the elephant and rhinoceros, the hippopotamus is the third-largest type of land mammal and the heaviest extant artiodactyl (in the traditional, non-cladistic sense of the term, not including cetaceans). Despite their physical resemblance to pigs and other terrestrial even-toed ungulates, the closest living relatives of the Hippopotamidae are cetaceans (whales, dolphins, porpoises, etc.), from which they diverged about 55 million years ago. Hippos are recognisable by their barrel-shaped torsos, wide-opening mouths revealing large canine tusks, nearly hairless bodies, columnar legs and large size; adults average 1,500 kg (3,310 lb) for males and 1,300 kg (2,870 lb) for females. Despite its stocky shape and short legs, it is capable of running 30 km/h (19 mph) over short distances.

 

Hippos inhabit rivers, lakes, and mangrove swamps, where territorial males preside over a stretch of river and groups of five to thirty females and young hippos. During the day, they remain cool by staying in the water or mud; reproduction and birth both occur in water. They emerge at dusk to graze on grasses. While hippos rest near each other in the water, grazing is a solitary activity and hippos are not territorial on land. The hippo is among the most dangerous animals in the world due to its highly aggressive and unpredictable nature. They are threatened by habitat loss and poaching for their meat and ivory canine teeth.

 

Hippos are among the largest living land mammals, being only smaller than elephants and some rhinoceroses. Among the extant African megafauna, behind the two African elephant species, they average smaller than the white rhinoceros but are larger by body mass than the black rhinoceros and the giraffe. Hippos measure 2.90 to 5.05 m (9.5 to 16.6 ft) long, including a tail of about 35 to 56 cm (1.15 to 1.84 ft) in length and 1.30 to 1.65 m (4.3 to 5.4 ft) tall at the shoulder. Mean adult weight is around 1,500 kg (3,310 lb) and 1,300 kg (2,870 lb) for males and females respectively, very large males can reach 2,000 kg (4,410 lb) and exceptional males weighing 2,660 kg (5,860 lb), 3,200 kg (7,050 lb) and 4,500 kg (9,920 lb) (in captivity) have been reported. Male hippos appear to continue growing throughout their lives while females reach maximum weight at around age 25.

 

Hippos have barrel-shaped bodies with short legs and long muzzles.[34] Their skeletal structures are graviportal,[8]: 8  adapted to carrying their enormous weight, and their specific gravity allows them to sink and move along the bottom of a river. Hippopotamuses have small legs (relative to other megafauna) because the water in which they live reduces the weight burden. Though they are bulky animals, hippos can gallop at 30 km/h (19 mph) on land but normally trot. They are incapable of jumping but do climb up steep banks. Despite being semiaquatic and having webbed feet, an adult hippo is not a particularly good swimmer nor can it float. It is rarely found in deep water; when it is, the animal moves by porpoise-like leaps from the bottom. The eyes, ears, and nostrils of hippos are placed high on the roof of their skulls. This allows these organs to remain above the surface while the rest of the body submerges. The testes of the males descend only partially and a scrotum is not present. In addition, the penis retracts into the body when not erect. The genitals of the female hippos are unusual in that the vagina is ridged and two large diverticula protrude from the vulval vestibule. The function of these is unknown.

 

The hippo's jaw is powered by a large masseter and a well-developed digastric; the latter loops up behind the former to the hyoid. The jaw hinge is located far back enough to allow the animal to open its mouth at almost 180°. A moderate folding of the orbicularis oris muscle allows the hippo to achieve such a gape without tearing any tissue. The bite force of an adult female hippo has been measured as 8.1 kN (1,800 lbf). Hippo teeth sharpen themselves as they grind together. The lower canines and lower incisors are enlarged, especially in males, and grow continuously. The incisors can reach 40 cm (1 ft 4 in), while the canines reach up to 50 cm (1 ft 8 in). The canines and incisors are used for combat and play no role in feeding. Hippos rely on their broad horny lips to grasp and pull grasses which are then ground by the molars. The hippo is considered to be a pseudoruminant; it has a complex three-chambered stomach but does not "chew cud".

 

Unlike most other semiaquatic animals, hippos have very little hair. The skin is 6 cm (2 in) thick, providing it great protection against conspecifics and predators. By contrast, its subcutaneous fat layer is thin. The animals' upper parts are purplish-grey to blue-black, while the under parts and areas around the eyes and ears can be brownish-pink. Their skin secretes a natural sunscreen substance which is red-coloured. The secretion is sometimes referred to as "blood sweat", but is neither blood nor sweat. This secretion is initially colourless and turns red-orange within minutes, eventually becoming brown. Two distinct pigments have been identified in the secretions, one red (hipposudoric acid) and one orange (norhipposudoric acid). The two pigments are highly acidic compounds. They inhibit the growth of disease-causing bacteria, and their light absorption peaks in the ultraviolet range, creating a sunscreen effect. All hippos, even those with different diets, secrete the pigments, so it does not appear that food is the source of the pigments. Instead, the animals may synthesise the pigments from precursors such as the amino acid tyrosine. Nevertheless, this natural sunscreen cannot prevent the animal's skin from cracking if it stays out of water too long. The secretion does help regulate the body temperature of the hippo and acts as an antibiotic.

 

A hippo's lifespan is typically 40–50 years. Donna the Hippo was one of the oldest living hippos in captivity. She lived at the Mesker Park Zoo in Evansville, Indiana in the US until her death in 2012 at the age of 61. The oldest hippo recorded was called Bertha; she had lived in the Manila Zoo in the Philippines since it first opened in 1959. When she died in 2017, her age was estimated to be 65.

 

Attacks on humans

The hippo is considered to be extremely aggressive and has frequently been reported charging and attacking boats. Small boats can easily be capsized by hippos and passengers can be injured or killed by the animals or drown. In one 2014 case in Niger, a boat was capsized by a hippo and 13 people were killed. As hippos will often engage in raiding nearby crops if the opportunity arises, humans may also come in conflict with them on these occasions, with potential for fatalities on both sides.

 

Like most herbivores, hippos will consume a variety of plants if presented with them, but their diet in nature consists almost entirely of grass, with only minimal consumption of aquatic plants. Hippos are born with sterile intestines, and require bacteria obtained from their mothers' feces to digest vegetation. On occasion, hippos have been filmed eating carrion, usually near the water. There are other reports of meat-eating, and even cannibalism and predation. The stomach anatomy of a hippo is not suited to carnivory, and meat-eating is likely caused by aberrant behaviour or nutritional stress.

 

Hippo defecation creates allochthonous deposits of organic matter along the river beds. These deposits have an unclear ecological function. A 2015 study concluded that hippo dung provides nutrients from terrestrial material for fish and aquatic invertebrates, while a 2018 study found that their dung can be toxic to aquatic life in large quantities, due to absorption of dissolved oxygen in water bodies. Because of their size and their habit of taking the same paths to feed, hippos can have a significant impact on the land across which they walk, both by keeping the land clear of vegetation and depressing the ground. Over prolonged periods, hippos can divert the paths of swamps and channels.

 

Adult hippos move at speeds up to 8 km/h (5 mph) in water; typically resurfacing to breathe every three to five minutes. The young have to breathe every two to three minutes. The process of surfacing and breathing is unconscious: a hippo sleeping underwater will rise and breathe without waking up. A hippo closes its nostrils when it goes beneath the surface of the water. As with fish and turtles on a coral reef, hippos occasionally visit cleaning stations and signal, by opening their mouths wide, their readiness for being cleaned of parasites by certain species of fishes. This is an example of mutualism, in which the hippo benefits from the cleaning while the fish receive food. The hippos spend up to 16 hours a day in water as a way to stay cool.

 

Hippos coexist with a variety of large predators. Nile crocodiles, lions and spotted hyenas are known to prey on young hippos. However, due to their aggression and size, adult hippos are not usually preyed upon by other animals. Cases where large lion prides have successfully preyed on adult hippos have been reported but it is generally rare. Lions occasionally prey on adults at Gorongosa National Park and calves are sometimes taken at Virunga. Crocodiles are frequent targets of hippo aggression, probably because they often inhabit the same riparian habitats; crocodiles may be either aggressively displaced or killed by hippos. In turn, beyond cases of killing the seldom unguarded hippo calf, very large Nile crocodiles have been verified to occasionally prey on "half-grown" hippos—and based only on anecdotal evidence-possibly also adult female hippos. Aggregations of crocodiles have also been seen to dispatch still-living male hippos that have been previously injured in mating battles with other males

  

4F3A6015fFlkr

I come running into the A.R.G.U.S. base and colonel Trevor sees me:

 

Steve: "Agent Brave Bow, what happened? Were you able to take Brick down?"

 

Connor: "I took his men down but the Green Arrow interfered before I could get to Brick. He was able to give Brick a chance to escape, you think they are working together?"

 

Steve: "Green Arrow would never do that, he just doesn't like it when people get killed."

 

Connor: "How are you so sure?"

 

Steve: "I know him personally."

 

Connor: "Really?"

 

St: "Stick to the point kid! Before we can take down Brick, we can't have Green Arrow interfering all the time. I'll sent agents Unknown Soldier and Black Orchid with you to take him down. But you won't kill him! He's on our side, only now he's standing in our way, and we can't afford that now. So take him down and then go after Brick and like I said, don't kill him."

 

Connor: "Alright, I'll get Unknown Soldier and Black Orchid."

Photo by Kim McCallum

 

I loved how Kim was able to play with the blurred bridge on the background to make the subject, (me) stand out! The angle she picked and how she asked me to stand on the grid and not the walkway makes the photo even more interesting, in my opinion.

 

This old steel bridge was a great setting for photos during our second day in Harrisburg.

The oldest diesel engines in service of Thai Raiways are these UM12C's, built by General Electric in the 1960's.

 

A couple of them are used for shunting duties in Bangkok. During a pause, waiting for our train to come, I was able to catch one pulling a rake of coaches to one of the closeby yards.

 

SRT 4014, Bangkok 8.5.2015

 

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English:

If your Yahoo! ID is based in Singapore, Germany, Hong Kong or Korea you will only be able to view safe content based on your local Terms of Service so won’t be able to turn SafeSearch off.

 

In other words that means, that german users can not access photos on flickr that are not flagged "safe" ... only flowers and landscapes for germans ...Copy and upload this picture to your account - show flickr who we are!

 

Deutsch:

flickr sperrt uns aus! Und auch dich!

Seit gestern werden für deutsche Nutzer keine Bilder mehr angezeigt, die als 'moderate' oder 'restricted' markiert sind! Es gibt keine Moeglichkeit das umzustellen - das ist eine grobe Unverschämtheit und Frechheit von flickr!

 

Lade dieses Bild runter und poste es in deinem Account! Lass uns das Bild überall auf flickr verteilen und es in 'Interestingness' heben!! So geht es nicht!

Original Version: farm2.static.flickr.com/1299/543864623_7aadef1e69_o.jpg

  

Español:

Si tu Yahoo! ID está basada en Singapor, Alemania, Hong Kong o Corea sólamente verás contenido llamado seguro basándose en nuestros términos de servicio locales y no podrás deshabilitar el modo de búsqueda segura..

En otras palabras esto significa, que usuarios alemanes p.ej. ya no podrán acceder a fotos en flickr que hayan sido "flagged", es decir marcadas como no seguras y para todo público... solamente flores y paisajes para los alemanes ...

No permitiremos que ésto suceda!

Favoritiza fotos relacionadas y difunde el mensaje!

 

En català:

Si la teva ID de Yahoo està localitzada a Singapur, Alemanya, Hong Kong o Corea només podràs veure el que Flickr anomena ‘contingut segur’ (safe search) basat en les condicions de serveis locals. O sigui que no pots desconnectar el fitre famós Safe Search.

Dit d’una altra manera, això significa que els usuaris alemanys no poden accedir a les fotos de Flickr a les quals no s’ha afegit l’etiqueta (flag) de ‘segura’. Només flors i paisatges per als alemanys.

Dóna suport als usuaris! Per la llibertat d’expressió!

 

Favorititza imatges relacionades i difón el missatge!!

 

Francais:

Si votre compte Yahoo! est basé à Singapour, à Hong Kong, en Corée ou en Allemagne, vous ne pourrez voir que les photos qui n'ont pas été marquées comme ayant un contenu qui peut choquer. Toutes les autres ne vous seront pas accessibles. Vous serez donc condamnés à ne voir que des paysages et des fleurs. Il ne faut pas laisser faire ça. Envoyez cette photo sur votre compte pour montrer à Flickr que nous savons nous mobiliser contre la censure !

 

Portugues:

Se a tua conta yahoo e de Singapura, Hong Kong, Koreia e Alemanha.. vc so podera ver fotos comportadas..rs, digo censuradas.. Todas as outras nao serao acessiveis , apenas flores abelhas e anjinhos.. bem-vindos a mais um absurdo Flickr..kkkkkkk

Junte-se a nos, proteste..porque o proximo pode ser vc, seu pais, sua conta, ou o diabo a quatro...

 

繁體中文：

 

如果你的Yahoo! 帳號是註冊在新加坡、德國、香港或韓國，你將只能夠看見標記為安全的相片，基於你所在地的服務條款，你無法將安全搜尋關閉。

換句話說，新加坡、德國、香港或韓國使用者只能瀏覽標記為安全的相片…僅有花花草草及風景…

我們不會讓這發生！複製並上傳這張圖片至你的帳號 — 對Flickr展現我們異議！

 

简体中文：

 

如果你的Yahoo! 帐户是注册在新加坡、德国、香港或韩国，你将只能够看见标记为安全的相片，基于你本地的服务条款，你无法将安全搜寻关闭。

换句话说，新加坡、德国、香港或韩国使用者只能浏览标记为安全的相片… 仅有花花草草及风景…

我们不会让这发生！ 复制并上传这张图片至你的帐户 — 对Flickr展现我们异议！

 

日本語:

 

もしあなたのYahoo.IDがシンガポール、ドイツ、香港あるいは韓国である場合には、『安全』まあ平たく言って無難な写真しか観ることができないってことです。つまりドイツのFlickrerは花や風景の写真ってなくらいしか見れないって事です。そんな理不尽なことがあるなんて！どうです、皆さんもこの写真をアップロードしてアピールしましょう！

 

[Italiano]

Se il tuo ID yahoo è localizzato a Singapore, in Germania oppure ad Hong Kong o in Korea potrai vedere solo foto dal contenuto che è in accordo con il locale accordo dei termini di servizio per cui gli utenti flickr di quelle nazioni non potranno cambiare da SafeSearch on in SafeSearch off.

In altri termini, ciò significa che gli utenti tedeschi e delle altre nazioni citate non potranno accedere a foto su flickr che non siano flaggate "safe"

e quindi solo fiori e paesaggi per i tedeschi.

Copia e carica nel tuo stream quest' immagine sul tuo account - mostra a flickr chi siamo!

 

Česky:

Je-li tvé Yahoo! ID vedené pod Singapurem, Německem, Hong Kongem nebo Koreou, uvidíš jen "bezpečný obsah" opírající se o lokální Podmínky používání služby, a tudíž nebudeš moci vypnout funkci SafeSearch.

Jinými slovy, němečtí a jiní uživatelé neuvidí fotografie které nemají označení "safe".

Pro Němce - jen kytičky a krajinky!

Nechceme aby se to stalo!!!

Zkopíruj si a uploadni tento obrázek do svého streamu: ukažme Flickru, kdo jsme!

Kdo bude další...?!?!?!?!?!?!?

 

farm2.static.flickr.com/1327/545229485_9477ada58a_o.jpg

 

Weitere Infos:

www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/91085

www.flickr.com/groups/404938@N23/discuss/72157600347681500/

www.flickr.com/help/forum/en-us/42597/

www.flickr.com/groups/againstcensorship

www.spiegel.de/netzwelt/web/0,1518,488542,00.html

www.20minutos.es/noticia/249535/0/flickr/fotos/censura/

White Storks

 

I watched this pair of white storks for some time and their mating ritual was always the same, so I was able to set the distance and detail precisely and focus on the right moment to trigger the camera ...

First, the male leaves the nest and flies into the nearby forest. It collects branches for nest building. Then it flies back to the nest and is already expected and welcomed. Then it gets nagged and finally mates - always the same for more than half an hour. You could have filmed it, but since I'm more of a photographer, I decided to do a little series here.

Have fun watching these wonderful birds.

  

Ich habe dieses Weißstorchenpaar einige Zeit beobachtet und ihr Paarungsritual spielte sich immer wieder gleich ab und so konnte ich die Entfernung und den Ausschnitt präzise manuell einstellen und mich auf den richtigen Moment für die Auslösung der Kamera konzentrieren...

Zunächst verlässt das Männchen das Nest und fliegt in den nahen Wald. Es sammelt Zweige für den Nestbau. Dann fliegt es zurück ins Nest und wird schon erwartet und begrüßt. Dann wird geschnäbelt und letztendlich paaren sie sich - immer der gleiche Ablauf für mehr als eine halbe Stunde. Man hätte es sicherlich filmen können, doch da ich nun mal eher Fotograf bin, habe ich mich hier für eine kleine Serie entschieden.

Viel Spaß beim Betrachten dieser wunderbaren Vögel.

Speed Star 1.0346451 00

It has been quite a few months since I was able to cross-dress as a woman and recently the desire to once more put on my make-up, wig, dress and high heels has come to the fore. I am very keen to be female again and I hope I will find an opportunity before too long. In the meantime I am using my usual coping method of browsing through my archive of images in which I appear as a woman.

 

I do love wearing female clothing, I love the the look, the styles and he fabrics and feel more confident as a woman than I do as a man. I am somewhat obsessive about trying to retain a girlie figure as one of my favourite dress styles is a bodycon dress. I increasingly enjoy more vibrant colours when I cross-dress so when I saw this dress I simply knew I had to wear it and I thought a pair of yellow high heel stiletto court shoes would work with the outfit.

 

I had a lot of fun wearing this outfit and could not resist hamming it up a bit for the camera. I like to enjoy my time cross-dressing, and on this occasion I certainly fulfilled my need. I do rather enjoy knowing that despite life as a man I can, on occasion, set free my inner female self and spend time being her.

I was able to get out with fellow Flickr buddy Jim Teske during the great aurora event that seemed to hit the entire country.

 

We didn't see quite the show we were hoping for but it was still fun to get out and catch up on life and photography.

 

Funny how we picked a spot thinking we'd have the place to ourselves. Ahh no such luck. It was packed from 10 pm to 1 am, (at least that's when we left)

 

I hope to get a chance to visit all my Flickr friends soon that I haven't seen in several months. Hoping everyone is still doing well.

I was not able to participate in the last two Macro Monday challenges due to a major ice storm which we lost power for 12 days. If I had been able to submit I would have used this photo of my wife's and my wedding rings in ice. My backup was Buttons on Ice.

 

If you fav this photo please leave a comment as to why you like it, thanks in advance.

The Columbine blossom is a very sensuous flower. And this is the most sensual part of the bloom. We tend to 'focus' our attention on the interesting petal arrangement. This time, something just a bit different.

 

MANY THANKS to Jenny Barnes for sending me a good supply of BLUE Columbine seeds. I've never been able to photograph a glorious blue Aquilegia. Perhaps next year I'll be able to change that. Thanks Jenny, truly appreciated.

I haven't yet been able to find the ID of this tropical plant. This photo was taken on 8 September 2015. In the morning, I joined a group of friends for a three-hour stroll at Inglewood Bird Sanctuary. 38 bird species were seen, though I didn't manage to see any of the tiny, fast-moving Warblers. It was good to see 28 Wood Ducks, but they were far, far away, in an area that is still closed due to devastating flood damage. The Sanctuary had been closed for about two years for this reason and only re-opened just a part of the area last year.

 

The Calgary Zoo is very close to the Sanctuary, so after our morning walk, I decided to call in there. I hadn't been for about a year and I really missed going there. Of course, many of the garden flowers were past their prime, but I did find a few that were fit to photograph. The tropical plant in this photo was growing in the Conservatory.

 

I knew I wouldn't be able to walk far, having already been walking all morning, but I really wanted to get to the ENMAX Conservatory to see what was going on. I had been longing all summer to see the tropical butterflies and plants. The parking lot that I have always used closed for the winter shirtly after my visit and I don't like the drive back home from the north parking area, using Deerfoot Trail, so tend not to go to the Zoo all winter. Apparently, the bridge that I always use to cross the river is going to be replaced (?) so I don't know when construction will be completed or when I will be able to get to the Zoo again.

 

There was so much activity going on at the Zoo on this visit. People everywhere, carrying large animals wrapped in white, protective coverings, preparing for the upcoming ILLUMINASIA, Lantern & Garden Festival. Each animal was an individual lantern and there were so many of them. I noticed that several of the real animals in their enclosures were watching all the unaccustomed activity, which made me smile.

 

A good day, with plenty of photo opportunities, despite the overcast sky. I had been finding far fewer things to photograph, with fall on its way, so a day like this was more than welcome.

I took this photo recently, in a river near my house. I havn't been able to use flicker for a while, so now I can upload more pics!

// Accessing... \\

 

\\ Login Confirmed... //

 

// Access Granted. \\

 

\\ Accessed: Commander Redwing’s Files //

 

// LOG 63.27: Rho Cortack IV - Last Recording \\

 

My squad and I had narrowly escaped the behemoth of droid by simply running from the B3. We were able to demobilize the droid with a combination of well timed teamwork and some extra boom. Wedging a thermal detonator inside it’s left leg we stopped it from chasing us and left it laying there in the corridor, immobilized but alive.

 

After that we decide to keep going deeper, in sesrch of our real objective, the trandoshan’s supposed leader, Sask. We were told he was a petty scientist, most likely hiding away in his lab.

 

“CRZZCH...crzzch...”

 

The static of blocked comms penetrated all our helmets. Stopping to adjust a sensor on my comms helmet I was able to get a clearer signal.

 

“Redwing and company, return to the— CRRZCH... come back up. We need support, droids have reinforc—CRRZCH. The scientist is gone, he was replaced, CRZZCH three jedi dead. Return at once—“

 

The static of the comms fizzled out and left us to our own devices, each clone turned to face me. Using their posture and probably expressions under those helmets to ask me what to do next. I didn’t know at that moment, we had to return, Jester’s orders. But 3 jedi dead? Someone had to pay for that.

 

“CT-9856 and CT-7723 you’re with me, the rest of you had back to command for a status report. Relay as much data as you can to me. I want to know what’s going on out there.”

 

“If you’re not going to command, what are you doing?” Titan asked me, with a hint of weariness in his voice.

 

“I’m going to find out what killed those jedi.”

 

“Yessir” Titan snapped back and signaled for his troops to follow him. Turning and leaving the small dark corridor they were in.

 

The two clones I had selected walk forward from the retreating group cautiously and somewhat weary of my presence. They were disturbed and frightened by my choice to use them to search these wretched halls.

 

Before Titan left the corridor, I could see him speaking to a clone that had just entered the far end, Captain Pharaoh took iff his helmet along with the rest of the clones in that area and looked in my direction.

 

“Pirunir sur’haaise, tal’galar vod.” Mando’a for ‘Make their eyes water, spill blood my brother.’ Titan and Pharaoh recited in unison. Placing their helmets back on and saluting myself and the two clones.

 

“Vode’ an brothers”

 

We turned in unison, heading towards both our undecided dooms. One of us most likely meeting ours sooner.

 

We solemnly trudged through the inner workings of labs, mechanical bays, a few mine shafts before finding a more active part of the facility. Lights were fully functioning as well as doors that didn’t need slicing. An aura of dread settled over me, this was the place.

 

As we stepped through a final set of blast doors we were greeted by a massive sprawling courtyard of sorts. Barren of the normal greens and bright colors in regal courtyards, replaced by the glow and hidden beauty of dark translucent fungi. Coating the walls and the floor in an iridescent blue glow. Accompanied by draping clothes and capes. Crisscrossing across the large room. The colors were reminiscent of a street market or a backwater main drag. It was genuinely beautiful.

 

But in all this beauty there was still violence and death, abominations and horrors. Clones and jedi alike strewn across the floor, surrounded by blood and refuse. These were the jedi Jester had spoke of, but it was more than three, at least a half dozen jedi lay motionless in the courtyard. Settled between rock and plant, coated in blood and death.

 

Across the grand room was a throne, that slowly swiveled to reveal a massive, disgusting mass of gears, metal and flesh. A horror of a creature, brandishing his large claws, sharpening them with a small blade, scraping away caked blood and guts.

 

“Mhmmm, more clonessss, kill them.” The large beast’s mouth opened to reveal a ling tongue and rows of teeth, the order barely caught my attention as I was focused on the visuals of the new threat.

 

Two guards awoke from behind us, shooting one of my troopers while the other had an unreadied blaster. Turning from the behemoth I threw one of my knifes directly into the lizard’s scaly neck. While the second guard was peppered in lazer bolts by the other clone.

 

As we turned back towards the larger, disfigured trandoshan, we readied our selves. Just in time for a spear to come flying towards us, impaling CT-7723 and sending him flying back into another pile of clone bodies.

 

The large half lizard half droid rose from his throne. I drew my vibronato and readied myself. Tossing my cumbersome helmet to the floor.

 

“For Tal’akaata, blood must be spilled.” I murmured.

 

The lizard seemed ready to lecture me, as if he hadn’t deterred me enough of his company. I charged towards the beast, lunging forward with my blade and slashing the fleshy, writhing muscles of it’s leg. The lizard easily brushed my aside and threw me against the side of the room. Crashing into a shelf of weapons.

 

A blaster rifle clattered to the floor before me, picking it up, I aimed between the lizards large yellow eyes. One fully white and glazed over, most likely a failed part of his transformation.

 

“Who are you!?” I yelled at the lizard, seeking to catch my breath and waste time.

 

“I am a sssscientist, an inventor, a thinker. I am the Republic’ssss worst enemy, it’sss downfall, it’sss doom! Call me sssSask, because now I’m an unstoppable force, with the body of demon, intellect of a god and the killer instinctssss of a trandoshan, I am your Republic’ssss worst enemy.” The creature’s single eye expanded, showing how crazed he was, licking and smacking his massive jaws together, preparing for either myself or his future rampage.

 

“You on the other hand clone, you are nothing. Worthlessss trash, thrown together by the Kaminoansss to collect a profit. They don’t care who wins this war, as long as you cost creditssss, they’re in businessSss.”

 

“You know nothing lizard! The jedi value us, without us there would be no one to protect the republic.”

 

“Oh you sSsilly clone, the jedi think the sssame. Using you as weaponssss, as toolsSs, who are you clone? If not another tool for the jedi?

 

My trigger squeezed tighter on the trigger and released a volley of shots toward the lizards head, but before they found skin, a metal plate greeted them instead. The plasma diffusing just as it had on the B3.

 

As the trandoshan came closer, I could do nothing but freeze. Frozen by the pure horror the being projected, scared to move, the lizard clutched my torso, lifting me into the air.

 

As he pressed his claws into my face, puncturing my scars, he screamed out in another tormenting volley of questions.

 

“You are nothing clone! Who are you? Who do you fight for for!?”

 

As his claws dug deeper into my face I grabbed one of my vibroknifes and stabbed it into the fleshy, writhing muscles of his exposed arm. Releasing the claws tension enough that I could fall to the ground. Backing up I found my vibrojato, picking up the blade I brandished it, wiping it through my kama.

 

“I fight for Democracy, for my brothers....

 

FOR THE REPUBLIC!!!”

 

The blade left my hand and flew towards the beast’s glazed, white eye. Lodging itself deep within that murky white, which was replaced by a deep dark red. The lizard buckled and his knees fell to the floor. Careening towards my lifeless body, it crushed me and sent the blade deeper into whatever brain was left in that beast. The noise and chaos settled in the courtyard, leaving only a pile, a clone and a mutated trandoshan in it’s wake.

Finally able to get Ice-cream romper at our Toys'R'Us here... I also got these cool looking chairs at our Daiso Japan Store for $1 each. They're the perfect size for Barbies :)

Ephesians 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand, Stand! www.pilgrimtraveler.com/

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