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Lots of Cornish miners were coaxed to California Gold Country as the mining was industrialized. Unfortunately, it probably wasn't any safer here than England.
There is always one sheep in the flock which wants attention. I'm not sure if it is always the same, but I would say so. She is such a dear!
Graflex Crown Graphic with 210mm Rodenstock Sironar on Green sensitive Xray film, developed in Rodinal 1:100 for ca. 6:00 minutes. I used a 3D printed lens board. It seems to be light tight, but I'll have to see if it is really UV proof.
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Affectionately known as "Philly", located along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers about 80 miles southwest of New York City. It's the 5th most populous city in the US and without a doubt the Cheesesteak capital of the world. Mmmm Cheesesteak...
Nikon D300S | Exposure 10 sec. | Aperture f/5.6 Focal Length 42 mm | ISO100
In German known affectionately and simply as "Michel", the first Hauptkirche Sankt Michaelis (literally Head Church St. Michael) at this site was built between the late 1640s and 1660s. In 1750, that church was burnt down after a lightning strike. Construction of the second St. Michael's in the baroque style began within the same year and took 12 years. A wood tower addition was completed in 1786. In 1906, an accidental fire again completely destroyed this second St. Michael's.
Between 1906 and 1912, construction of the third St. Michael’s church took place. The old plans were used, this time utilising steel and concrete inside the remaining walls. Only the baptism font and offering box remained from 1763. This current St, Michael's suffered heavy damages during World War II, but was fully restored between 1947 and 1952.
Hauptkirche St. Michaelis is a purpose-built Protestant church, unlike many centuries-old European churches that were built and decorated as Roman Catholic but converted to Protestant during Reformation. It is considered one of the finest Hanseatic Protestant baroque churches. The spire tower is 132 m (433 feet) high and the viewing platform is open to the public (admission fee applies).
Hartlepool United Football Club, affectionately known as "Pools," is a professional football club based in Hartlepool, County Durham, England. The club was founded in 1908 as The Hartlepools United Football & Athletic Club Company Ltd. They play their home games at Victoria Park, a stadium they've called home since their inception.
Here are some key highlights of their history:
Early Years: The club's origins trace back to 1881 with the formation of West Hartlepool Amateur Football Club. In 1908, Hartlepools United was established, representing both West Hartlepool and the original settlement of Hartlepool.
Football League Entry: Hartlepools joined the Football League in 1921 and spent 37 years in the Third Division North before being placed in the Fourth Division in 1958.
Name Changes: The club was renamed Hartlepool in 1968 and later Hartlepool United in 1977.
Promotions and Challenges: Over the years, the club experienced promotions and relegations, including a notable promotion to League One in 2007. However, they faced relegation from the Football League in 2017 after 89 years.
Recent Years: Hartlepool returned to the Football League in 2021 after winning the National League play-offs but were relegated back to the National League in 2023.
Siamese cats are known to be affectionate, friendly, loyal and bold. The Blue Point Siamese is said by some to be the gentlest and most affectionate of all the Colorpoint Shorthair varieties, although certainly many fanciers of the other Siamese color varieties might dispute that characterization. Siamese have been described as precocious, gregarious, intelligent and outgoing. They are extremely friendly with people and other pets that they know and like, and they thrive on companionship and affection. They form extremely close bonds with their primary caretaker and do not like to be left alone for long periods of time. They often do better kept in household pairs or small groups, so that they can entertain each other while their owners are away. Some Siamese can have a nervous personality and most do not like sudden changes in their living environment. Siamese can be aloof toward strangers and are often skittish around newcomers to the home.
...Another behavioral trait of this breed is their tendency to thrash their tail when bored. They can be a bit demanding of attention. They are fastidiously clean and easy to care for as an indoor companion. They crave warm places and are fond of piling up with people or other animals. This is a breed of many extremes and makes a unique, wonderful companion...
:)
Esta es una imagen con © Todos los Derechos Reservados. Por favor no use esta imagen en páginas webs, blogs, facebook u otro medio sin mi explicito permiso.
This is a copyrighted image with © All Rights Reserved. Please don't use this image on websites, blogs, facebook, or other media without my explicit permission.
© All Rights Reserved.
© Todos los Derechos Reservados.
Affectionately referred to by the locals as "The City", San Francisco is my favorite American city. This image is instantly recognizable as SF with the marine layer and pyramid, without the usual iconic landmarks so frequently photographed. via 500px ift.tt/2pLkhgE
Guilford Rail System train PORU (Portland to Rumford), affectionately known as the “Rumford Job” occasionally featured some of the more interesting power on the roster. More often the “good” power was found east of Waterville. Out on summer break from college while visiting my parents in Kennebunk, knowing the Rumford Job left Rigby in the afternoon, I made the short trip up to Portland. Afternoon railfanning was always preferable at that age when it was up all night sleep all day. I lucked out with an all GE consist of two U18B’s and the recently resurrected U23B #288 that had been out of service for an extended period of time. Here they are passing the Saint Lawrence & Atlantic (ex Grand Trunk) diamond at Danville Junction. As the railfan cliché goes, even diamonds aren’t forever as the diamond at Danville was removed several years ago in favor of long cross over through the small interchange yard.
Danville Junction, Maine
June 4, 1997
The Foxy Russell is a designer breed created through the cross of the Fox Terrier and the Jack Russell breed. The Foxy Russell is recognized by the ACHC. This designer breed can also be registered through IDCR and ICA.The Foxy Russell is an intelligent breed who is alert and friendly. They learn new tasks quickly, are eager to please, and are not easily intimidated. This breed is affectionate and lively.
We affectionately call this squirrel stumpy due to its shortened tail. We always recognize it as it works its way through the trees or along the fence. Haven't seen it for a while, so nice to get a good sighting! In our yard near Beaverton, Oregon.
Affectionately, known as " la Grise" ( "The Grey " ) dropping it's stick of French Army Parachutists at Fonsorbes near Toulouse. She is the last flying model of her type left today in the world. Registration F-AZVM
The Havashu is a designer breed created through the cross of the Shih Tzu and the Havanese breed. The Havashu is recognized by the ACHC. This designer breed can also be registered through IDCR and ICA. The Havashu is loyal, affectionate and has a gentle manner. This designer breed enjoys play time and does excellent with children. They love attention & are eager for their owners approval. Havashu puppies can range in cost from $1,000 to $2,000.
The Presa Canario’s ancestry probably includes the now extinct naive and indigenous Bardino Majero crossed with imported English Mastiffs. It was developed in the Canary Islands in the 1800s as a farm utility dog. The Presa is a docile, affectionate dog. They are great family protectors and are bred to be family companions as well as guardians. They are distrustful of strangers, but should accept strangers if the owner accepts them. They should be very alert and ready to defend the owner or property if necessary. It is generally a quiet breed but has a very intimidating bark.
This is my gorgeous baby Moriarty (named after watching far too much Sherlock Holmes) sitting watching the snow fall.
He is so soppy and affectionate as well as being the most beautiful cat in the whole World, I know I'm slightly bias, but those eyes!
Moriarty is a Ragdoll. I chose the breed Ragdoll because of their laidback temperament, beautiful blue eyes and affectionate behaviour, and he definitely lives up to it.
Here's a bit of info about Ragdolls, for anyone who's interested in the breed.
Ragdolls are large, laid-back, semi longhaired cats with captivating blue eyes. The Ragdoll is a pointed breed, which means that the body is lighter in colour than the points (the face, legs, tail and ears). The Ragdoll cat is carefully bred to produce large affectionate animals in three patterns, two with white (mitted and bi-colour) and one with no white (colourpoint). The ideal Ragdoll is a well-balanced cat, with no extreme features. Neutered males will usually top the scale at 15-20 pounds; females are proportionately smaller and usually weigh between 10-15 pounds at maturity. Ragdolls are slow-maturing, reaching full coat colour at two years, and full size and weight at four.
Ragdoll cats tend to be more interested in humans than some breeds of cats. They are known to run to greet you at the door, follow you from room to room, flop on you, sleep with you, and generally choose to be where you are. Many Ragdolls have been taught to come when called and play fetch. They are gentle cats, and usually play without extending their claws. Ragdolls tend to be floor cats, not jumpers. The Ragdoll's semi long coat is plush and silky, and requires minimal grooming to keep it looking its best. They should be combed with a steel comb on a regular basis to find and remove any loose hair or tangles. Quality coats consist mainly of long, soft guard hairs. Ragdolls, just like all breeds of cats, will shed, usually with the change of seasons. The absence of the thick, dense, insulating undercoats results in reduced shedding and matting. In all, Ragdolls are well behaved, and easy to care for perfect pet for our modern, busy, lifestyles.
Ragdolls were developed in the 1960's by Ann Baker; a breeder in Riverside California. The origin of the Ragdoll breed consisted almost entirely of free-roaming cats. Ann bred Josephine, a domestic longhaired white female that was found running loose in her neighbourhood, to other cats she owned or found. The offspring of this female had unique temperament traits that were very endearing. By selecting individuals with the look, temperament and criteria she wanted for her breeding program, she created the Ragdoll breed.
An affectionate moment between mother and daughter. Head bobbing is a way to bond and communicate. It helps strengthen the bond but can also be a part of playfulness which I privileged to watch during several amazing hours.
R1, 300mm f/2.8 IS II USM, f/5.0, 1/500, ISO 6400
#2 Explore 2nd November 2025
Paris, France - July 2019: tourist couple making selfie picture at the Paris viewpoint located just down the stairs of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart (Basilique du Sacré-Cœur) in Montmartre, Paris. Paris cityscape can be seen on the background, with the church of Notre Dame de Lorette on left side.
Josie is much calmer and very happy to be home.
She coped with the car trip very well and she was not car sick.
She was happy and affectionate at home when I let her out of the carrier. She was so happy to eat and drink straight away.
She is not supposed to be on the bed. I found her there. She doesn't normally get on my bed but she is now. It's a problem, she keeps going back there.
I have to wear disposable gloves when I touch her.
Her radiation levels are 92, which are just inside safe levels the vet said. She can stay 2minutes on my lap at a time but she's not a lap cat so that's ok. I can't pick her up and put my cheek against her.
For 2 weeks I can only touch Josie with disposable gloves.
I am very happy to have her home. I will test her thyroid levels in 3-4weeks, and the vet also wants me to do another urinalysis, that is a dip stick test on her urine, to make sure there is still no glucose present just as a precaution.
Josie has been drinking a lot since being home, and this does worry me. I won't relax until I see her blood tests and urine tests. I'm hoping the drinking is her just catching up. She's been drinking a lot even late tonight. Hopefully tomorrow she will calm down.
At the moment I must dispose of her kitty litter daily bagged and using gloves. That was important. The idea is not to give myself unnecessary radiation exposure due to the fact they don't know how it might affect humans even at these lower levels.
I sincerely thank everyone for your encouraging words and understanding, for your support in any and every way, it has been very helpful to me.
The 1953 Merlo Catalunya (affectionately dubbed "The Chromedome" in America for its chrome hardtop canopy) was the sweet, beautifully written swan song of the Catalan automaker known as Merlo Motors.
Merlo failed due to a shaky Spanish economy in the 1950s and a mismanagement of the company's funds, ensuring that the Catalunya was the last model ever to roll off Merlo's production lines before it liquidated in 1956. However, the Catalunya, for the few years during which it was produced, was a great success among the Spanish elite and even became an exported product. Most notably, the Catalunya was exported to America, and did well in the American market.
Merlo is named after the last name of the founder of the company, and means "Blackbird." Catalunya is the Catalan name for Catalonia, the Spanish state in which Merlo was headquartered.
You can see the new aesthetic for which I'm going with my marque badges, which is something like a stylized photorealism, much like many carmakers use.
©2014 Christopher Elliott, All Rights Reserved
Camera: Canon 50D SLR
Converted to BW in Lightroom
Treatment in Photoshop:
Added BW Starry Night texture with hard light @ 83% opacity and a layer mask. I tried rotating the texture and moving it around. I finally compressed it without worrying about distortion so I fit most of the originally rectangular texture into the square canvass with my image.
I took this at the beach last spring. I followed these two pigeons around and took many photos of them, trying to isolate them from the rest of the group. This was the best and it never occurred to me to try it in black and white until I was looking for photos to play with for this class.
The texture might be a bit much but it adds interest and like a vignette focuses attention on the pigeons' faces.
Canines of the Shetland Sheepdog dog breed stood guard for farmers in the Shetland Islands off the coast of Scotland, keeping hungry birds and sheep out of the farmer’s garden, and they served as herding dogs as well. Today they’re excellent family companions and superstars in dog sports. Many fans of the breed affectionately refer to these pups as Shelties.
The Mini Australian Shepherd is an intelligent, loyal and affectionate dog that has been around since the late 1960s. It was originally bred in California as a smaller version of the larger Australian Shepherds that were popular out West at that time. Despite their name, Mini Aussies are not actually from Australia but have ancestors hailing from different parts of Europe such as Spain and France. These pups can be seen performing a variety of activities like agility, tracking and herding.
For those that have followed my photostream... you may very well recognize this large mule deer buck. He has become affectionately known as "Too Tall" over the last five years of photographing him as his antlers always appear to be "too tall" for his head. I managed to find him a couple of times this past weekend which was my first serious weekend of trying to find him during the rut this year. He has added some tines to his antlers but it still seems that most of it has gone into height instead of tines.
As per usual... he seems to wait until all the other bucks have battled it out and then comes in and scoops up all the does. There were two other bucks that are getting to be his size but they were still no match for him and one ended up with bloody haunches as a result of a tangle with him. I have photos of him as well and will upload a number of photos from the mule deer rut over the next little while.
To me... he is just one of the most regal animals in Waterton National Park and it will be interesting to see how long his stronghold on his turf lasts in the next few years with some large bucks moving in... one of which I am pretty sure is one of his offspring.
I have uploaded this one a little larger than most and I think he's always worth a look Large
The CS-10b, affectionately known as "Anabelle" by it's users, is the newest design by Clear Sky Weapons, in collaboration with Infinity Industries.
The weapon functions as a pump-action shotgun, but with the flick of a switch, is ready to deploy 20mm airburst rounds out to 200m. Several ammunition types are availible,
including 10 gauge shot, slug, and bean-bag, as well as 20mm airburst and tear-gas grenades. The revolutionary sighting unit couldn't be simpler to use:Flick the selector to
"Airburst", then simply line up the target, and press the green button. The range is displyed on a small led screen; Press the green button again to accept, or red to
cancel. Returning the selector to "Fire" allows the weapon to continue function as a shotgun.
Oh, and cookie if you can spot where I stitched together the 2 screencaps in paint :P
Finally, credit to Archkyrie for the rail, and Woitekz for parts and input. And of course, ca)v(isado for the original idea.
EDIT: Since no-one got it, the splice is just in front of the pump. I'll place a note.
Chapter 7
The Daring Kind
She must have been able to read the discomfort in his eyes, assuming her actions had left her lover speechless.
She appeared happy to accept that for an answer and backed away, still smiling smugly, towards the staircase.
The diamond dangling from the coronet was still flashing its Morse code-like flickers, tapping the message to him that signalled, come get me!
Happily, she tapped his cheek, then turned and disappeared back around the corner with a swish of her gown, trilled affectionately to ‘Gaston” as she did…
“A most welcome home darling Gaston!”
He then heard her say merrily from her hiding spot...
“You have till the count of 25 luv , so get a move on”.
He stood there, jaw opened wide beneath his mask, his eyes had watched as her gown had wispily whipped around the corner behind her, whilst listening as she was giggling quite excitedly to herself at her cleverness!
He just didn't know what to think.
So of course, He obediently followed her directions.
“Bloody “ell” he muttered, thinking, had he just had fallen into a cat thief’s wildest dream!
He opened the door to the green satin wrapped damsel’s bedroom, and pulling out his torch, lit its pencil-thin beam.
Wishing only now that only the real Gaston didn’t decide to show his mug and spoil all the fun!
Once Inside, the torchlight quickly found her oak jewel case on the mantel of an old stained oaken dresser.
The high case matched the dresser and drawers below it perfectly, and it appeared that it was all uniquely Chippendale!
It sat across from a matching four-poster, with a sea blue satin coverlet and matching silken sheets.
“Nice of her to point out where her jewels are kept!” He thanked the clueless girl!
He swiftly went over and began opening the many drawers of the jewellery case, or jewellery coffin as some would churlishly call it!
The thin light of his torch lit up a sinfully copious display of jewels, note quite as valuable as the ones discovered in the master bedroom, but it was a damn close race all the same!
He happily began pulling out the drawers and sliding the prettily flickering contents into an already bulging case.
Rudely discarding the empty drawers unceremoniously upon the floor.
The lady he hoped, would appreciate the dedicated “realism “that this’ Gaston’ of her’s was going to put into her play, and he was just the person to make it realistic!
He reckoned this with a rather nefarious smile spreading upon the bearded face, covered by its thin black mask.
At that precise moment, he heard the door creak slowly open….
She was coming in quietly, and soon the lady proved her mettle to be quite the actress!
He heard her gasp behind him as he continued on his work!
“ No, not my jewels, Do anything to me but don’t take my family jewels!”
He turned around to face the damsel, holding the pearl filled final drawer in his thin black-gloved hand.
She stood there with her left hand to her mouth, while her right ringed gloved fingers played with her necklace. The diamonds flickered quite as she held it up!
She then teased, delighted at his captured attention! …
“You want these, do you not Mister Burglar, I can see it in your eyes!”
Looking upon her, he tipped the drawer full of pearls into the black bag, then dropping it empty onto the pile strewn about at his feet.
Then he eagerly, purposefully, moved towards her, lustfully eyeing the pretty victim’s savoury jewels.
She shivered as if she read his mind, that he would take her jewels and flee into the night with them.
But she was not ready to have him do that, so she commanded him in a softly brisk tone…
“Not yet!”
Putting up a nicely ringed finger to indicate he should come no further!
Surprisingly to himself, for he had no real reason to listen, he obediently stopped in his tracks to await her next command.
As it turned out, he was soon very glad he had done so!
Then he eagerly, purposefully, moved towards her, lustfully eyeing the pretty victim’s savoury jewels.
She shivered as if she read his mind, that he would take her jewels and flee into the night with them.
But she was not ready to have him do that, so she commanded him in a softly brisk tone…
“Not yet!”
Putting up a nicely ringed finger to indicate he should come no further!
Surprisingly to himself, for he had no real reason to listen, he obediently stopped in his tracks to await her next command.
As it turned out, he was soon very glad he had done so!
^^^^^^^^^^^^
Chapter 8
One must be Methodical
Dropping her hand, she questioned him…
“What have you forgotten to do, my dear thief?”
He stood still, hoping she would just obligingly tell him what to do next.
She happily did so...
“My closet! Gaston your always forgetting any good burglar worth his salt checks a damsel’s closet for brooches and such left on by ladies far too lazy to remove them from one's party frocks. I swear Gaston You would make a horrible burglar in real life. You would positively starve if it were not for being directed by someone like me!”
She chortled at her wit.
He just smiled, thanking her inwardly for being ever so much a big help to her poor Darling ‘Gaston’!
He turned to his right and headed straight to the closet, curious as to what he was expected to find inside?
Opening the door, a long floor length mirror was revealed, allowing one to see into the interior of the bedroom behind him.
Including the reflection of his most helpful victim as she stood there in all her jewelled and tight-fitting emerald satin attired glory!
She keenly watching his progress with an eager interest, as he stole a look at her reflection, muttering happily to himself…
“Best get this over with quickly, then attend to the lady and her finery!”
He turned to look back inside, and was met with a designer like an assortment of colourful dresses, gowns, and other fancy attire!
A quite nice, if not downright beguiling, display of soft velvets, slinky silks, sleek satins, frilled lace, and shiny leather.
He quickly began his task at hand, letting his thinly gloved fingers feel through the wonderfully sleek fabrics for anything hard and metallic.
On one velvet number he felt something like a necklace around its top, he pulled it out, but disappointedly it was a rhinestone collared frock.
He tossed it onto the bed and resumed his search as she could be heard softly giggling behind him...
“Nope, nothing on that one, but don’t quit just yet!
He stole a glance at her from the mirror, then he turned back into working the closet.
The glance revealed that his ‘mentor’ was watching him eagerly, her whole being quivering in anticipation head down to spiky heeled foot!
He fingered a satiny white ruffled blouse, he decided he had better keep tabs on this one, still not sure what exactly her game was all on about?
He muttered to himself…
“They were her jewels after all, weren’t they? Indeed, rather valuable for mere playthings!”
There had to be something inside here!
He thought as he let drop the satin blouse and plunged his gloved hands inside again and felt around.
This time he was rewarded by feeling a slight prick of something solid and sharp.
He pulled out a luxuriously long black satin number and saw it had two ruby clips attached to its bodice.
He held it up to the mirror so she could see.
she clapped gleefully, watching him pull free the ruby clips from the evening gown and casually flipped them into his bag on the floor.
“Well done Gaston!”
He looked up at her, as the slinky black gown was indifferently added to the growing pile on her bed.
He could see by her reflection that she was excitedly eating it up.
Then she suddenly resumed back into her character of being the hapless victim.
And began to miserably plead…
“Please mister burglar don't take everything of mine! I am sure there is nothing more inside!”
He smiled, wondering how she would react when she eventually found out that indeed, she was a hapless victim of her game!?
Turning his attention once again to her closet he moved aside the hangers, revealing a set of shelves set in the back that contained a nice selection of sensible shoes, wedged pumps, glossy spiked heels and designer style purses.
One purse caught his ever-appraising eyes, a small gold clutch with what looked like (and probably was) a diamonded clasp!
He pulled it out and tossed the expensive bugger into the bag.
“Oui , Good eye Gaston! It's almost like you were a real thief.”
She gurgled this, shivering in delight, as her earrings and necklace flickered along with her figure, like uncontrollable wildfires.
He watched the enticing show from her reflection in the handy door length mirror.
Then he turned back to the closet.
For, as he was moving the dresses over to look into the shelves, his eye had caught sight of a black leather jacket with a belt studded by what must have been a thousand rhinestones.
He now pulled it out and searched its pockets, mainly to tease her a bit further, for he imagined that “Gaston” would do such a thing!
So, he was utterly surprised when his gloved fingertips felt something cold and a bit weighty in a side pocket!
He slipped it out and found he was holding a solid gold cigarette case, which he added to the ever-growing collection in his bag!
His “Mentor” trilled as he did so, exclaiming with happy surprise...
“I had wondered where that had gotten off to luv! The matching lighter should be there too!”
He reached back in, and there it was, as well as a small ivory and ebony gold ringed cigarette holder.
Both of which quickly joined their companion in the now bulging bag.
He then pulled off the shimmery belt.
Even with rhinestones, it was worth a pretty penny he reasoned.
As started to pitch it into the case, he heard the Lady helpfully exclaim in the background, a good idea she said excitedly.
“Save that for when you tie me up to take my jewels!”
Shaking his head, why not? he tossed the belt to the helpful lass’s feet…
Thinking he was quite finished with the closet as he held the leather jacket, he for no rhyme or reason, took the time to hang it back up rather than adding it to the pile on the bed.
But It was as he did so that something, a most decidedly not rhinestone something, flashed in the dim lights in the gap that had been made where the leather jacket had hung!
He eagerly reached in and pulled out a lovely long brown, silky soft, liquidly appearing gown.
Holding it up triumphantly, he looked down at the dazzling sparkles of a magnificent gem-encrusted brooch that was suspended from the gown’s wide centre waistline.
“Good show Gaston!”
She exclaimed in the background.
His eyes left the brooch and looked into the mirror at her.
She was clapping, rings and bracelets, earrings and Coronet, the whole lot, erupting into a million pinpricks of fire as she did so!
He felt his manhood rising precariously as he looked her over, feeling the effect, even from this distance, her primitively carnal arousal!
She eagerly continued, spilling her emotions into her words!
“Mon Mari, I was going to tease you later if you were to ‘ave missed that one, and I was sure you were going to!”
“Tsk!” he said to himself. wonder what the teasing part would have entailed!
At the same time his mind was picturing this, he automatically, without taking his eyes off the mirror, pulled off the brooch and nonchalantly pocketing the breathtakingly pretty jewel before throwing the scintillatingly downy soft feeling soft gown onto the shiny pile already laying strewn about the bed.
It flashed through his mind that the fancy dresses strewn about could have been the striplings from that many jewel encrusted maidens, like this one, and what a delightful haul that would have been to carry out!
Savouring those thoughts, he turned once again to focus his attention, on the rather all too helpful Miss, his eyes traveling unabashedly up and down her figure.
Time was a-wasting!
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Chapter 9
Wasting Time?
He eagerly started to move towards her...
“Almost!”
She said with a giggle, her flashily ringed finger raised again, stopping him as he had started to move towards her as she admonished him…
“Not quite yet! You forgot the most important part of burgling a lady’s chamber! “
Again, he stood staring, not quite knowing what the devil this peculiarly eager to be robbed damsel in distress was going on about now!?
But quite recent experience told him it should be to his thieving benefit to take more precious time and hear her out!
So, he stood questioningly waited to hear what the most important part was?
Which she then, quite helpfully, spelled it all out to him…
“You didn't check the lingerie drawer, Gaston! Any real burglar would have done so!”
He observed her winking at him …
“Come along Gaston l, get into your role my darling…!”
He looked at her, smirking to himself…
“Indeed, lady, I will!”
Curiously He turned and looked down upon the drawer in the stand next to her bed.
“No silly, still in the drawer beneath my now pilfered jewel case!”
She was looking down mischievously at the Drawers set in the ancient oak antique Chippendale dresser.
He turned, hesitating…
Should dear Gaston know which one it was?
He decided to just start at the top and began opening them one by one and pray he did not invoke her to start having any doubts as to his true nature!
He went over and started to pull open the top drawer.
She could be heard giggling in the background…
“Moved it on you didn’t I from the last time!? “
Her most welcomed words relived a bit of his anxiety, the gig was still not up, she still hadn’t guessed that he was the real thing, and not some love lost Beau sadly burdened with the moniker of Gaston, of all things!
“Ahh, there you go my darling!”
She said as he opened the next…
The drawer was found to contain, as promised, piles of wispy thin satin and silks, in all colours of a shimmering rainbow! Curious as to what further riches he was meant to find, he greedily swirled the expensive lingerie about, soon finding a pile of glistening silver all carefully laid out on one side.
A silver brush comb and matching mirror, all studded with jewelled handles, and a pair of silver handcuffs!
He lifted the jewelled vanity pieces...
He had once drooled over a similar set discovered in a museum's case!
“Oops, she giggled, forgot those were there, just leave ‘em luv!”
But he continued to place them into the case at his feet and was surprised when she did not protest.
Instead, she said reasonably…
“But of course, they are jewelled, just be careful with ‘em please my darling?”
Buy then he was already curiously looking inside, lifting the handcuffs…
He heard his victim give out a hoarse moan behind him!
The handcuffs and keys he lifted and threw on the satin comforter of the bed, wondering how many times she and her Gaston had put them to use?
He picked up the now quite hefty leather pouch and looked over at his smirking victim.
“Come mister thief!”
She instructed lustfully …
“Finally time to do your worst!”
“With pleasure” he murmured to himself, studying most hypnotic swaying of her long jewelled earrings…
“To all my just gratification, Madam!”
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Chapter 10
Lusting Gratification
He came over from the fancy oak dresser and finally stood before her.
The lady’s head came up to his chin, her pretty face looking up with innocence, into his.
She was smiling most provocatively, one hand still holding the clasp of her cloak, the other resting upon the shimmery brooch pinned onto the cloak over her right breast.
He, for no real reason, found himself wondering if the broach’s placement meant she was left-handed.
“Okay mister burglar, take me broach, I see your eye’ in it!”
For the first time, but not the last, he almost felt sorry for the show that poor Gaston was missing out on, but glad deep down that he, on the other hand, was not!
He reached down and pried her fingers from the brooch, and as he unpinned the precious jewel, she pushed against him so his fingers brushed against a rather perked, notably heaving breast.
Obligingly he allowed his fingers free reign to fondle her tits!
With a deep sigh, she listlessly allowed both her hands to fall to her sides as she leaned into him, her eyes turned upward gazing lustfully at him with her imploring hazel green eyes.
Huskily she murmured…
“That’s it, not too quickly now…”
He unsteadily managed to unfasten the broach, his fingers a bit encumbered by the game she was playing with her body as she leaned in against him.
Pulling it off, his fingers brushing her soft figure, he let the broach plop into the pouch at his feet…
He then reached up and undid the jewelled clasp of her long green satin cape, exposing is silvery lining… and finally revealing the playful lady’s gown as it lay in full glory down along her enticingly Horney diminutive figure!
As well as revealing her remaining ornaments, in all their exquisite glimmering glory!
Tongue-tied in awe; he watched the cape slither down from her arms.
She looked up into his face, lustful eyes sparkling with delight at his unbridled rapture at seeing her...
Though not for a second realizing quite what it was about her that had captured his total drooling interest!
“Cat ‘ave your tongue there laddie?”
She purred, her hazel eyes opening doe wide, offering no quarter as to their needful meaning.
He just let his eyes travel up and down the now fully exposed figure, quickly taking it all in.
He thought with satisfaction …
“The only thing that had more shine than those doe-like eyes were the diamonds that fell ever so dripping, ever so invitingly, from alluring points along down her scintillating figure!”
Her green satin gown was fitted to show off every delightful curve of her figure.
The bodice was not decorated by rhinestones or anything else that would have taken away one’s eyes from the jewels the wearer was sporting.
Those jewels consisted of a brooch equally as magnificent as the one he had plucked from the brown satin gown found hanging in her closet.
Besides, now could be viewed her long wide necklace dripping down to just above her visibly heaving breasts. The fine piece was set with blazing diamonds, smaller round ones surrounding a steady stream of larger egg-shaped ones that matched the one that hung from her forehead.
She smiled at his amazement.
“Gaston, you almost act as you have never seen these before!”
She scolded, while playfully lifted the necklace, letting it flow charmingly through her emerald green satin gloved fingers.
“Or are you really getting into robbing me, you naughty man!”
She let her other hand playfully pat the side of his mask.
For a second, he thought she was going to pull it up to kiss him, thus spoiling the game.
So, he quickly grabbed her by the wrists under the pretense of studying her rings and bracelets, thus successfully diverting her mind away from the thought.
“Ahh mister burglar, you want my pretties, I can tell, do you desire them more them Moi? One can imagine that you do! Quickly now, put yonder chair to use and ensure sure your victim cannot slip away whilst you wrestle the jewels from her very body!”
Liking this game more and more, he quickly fetched over the chair she was indicating.
Happy to oblige, it would make things far easier at the end he thought to himself with a dash of relief!
The chair was another sturdy Chippendale, Victorian-era straight-backed. Its' position, reflection in the closet door he had left open, would allow them both to watch from all angles. Dear Romeo ‘Gaston’ could not have planned it better!
He sat it down behind her and she started to sit.
He grabbed her by the wrists, keeping her upright. He looked into her wide-open eyes, yet she was the one smirking like the cat eyeing the canary in its cage!
“Good Lord he thought wryly. What did you get yourself into mate?”
she asked him sweetly, honey dripping with each syllable.
“What do you have in mind for your victim?”
He briskly turned her around and began to unzip her gown, feeling its slick material, quite luscious even under the thin gloves he wore.
“Good show Gaston!
she chirped in approval…
“Make your victim feel vulnerable!”
She kicked off the gown and it fell in a pile on the carpet, with the brooch on top, sparkling like a lighthouse on top of an Irish island of shimmering green. She was looking up at him, clad only in a scant mint coloured silken slip that hung delightfully tight against her now quite overly perked figure.
She stooped down giving him a purposely good view of her ‘fin arrière’, tightly outlined by her silken thin slip. She reached down and retrieved her cape, covering the cold oak back of the high-backed chair with it and slipped onto it, too fast for him to react.
“Damn! He had planned to nick that pretty cape with its expensively wrought clasp as well!”
“But he reasoned, all is fair in love, games, and theft!”
He went over and undid the satin sash of her green gown, eyeing the brooch, but not taking it...
“Not yet my pretty!”
He said to himself with promise, as he slipped the sash off.
He turned back around, again she was still smirking like the cat that had now caught the canary, though this time it looked like she had bloody thing in her mouth. He looked down at her gloved hands, the bracelets were there, but judging by her now bare fingers, it was not a canary she had sucked into her mouth.
Without letting on to her mischievous game, he went behind her and she quite helpfully placed her gloved hands behind the chair, her fingers beckoning, trying to get him to notice her missing rings. But he had other ideas for that part of her game…
And it did not involve Gaston snogging ‘er to get at em!
He employed the sash by tying her waist to the chair.
He could feel her shiver deliciously from her head to toe, squirming playfully in the chair.
Then in her throes of passion, she almost slipped off the chair, made slicker by the cape upon which she perched, sitting in an equally slippery slip, and he had to catch her and pull her back, feeling her shiver pleasurably as he held her.
Her dangling earrings were flickering like mad throughout the show, beckoning quite invitingly in his face as he was kneeling, causing him to shiver in much the same manner as her.
He then rose and going to the bed picked up the set of the handcuffs. Going back, he held her eyes steady with his, as she tried to come across as if she was imploring him not to do it, the rings hidden in her mouth preventing her to speak out!
As he approached, she kicked off both of her emerald rhinestones covered spiked heels, playfully missing him.
He smiled at her mischievously, going around and handcuffing her wrists together as she squirmed!
Then he came back around, and bent down in front of her, his hand reaching back and snatching up the rhinestone belt from her leather jacket.
He reached down, and taking an ankle in turn, strapped them both securely together!
She was not going anywhere without dragging the chair with her!
He had kept the keys on the bed, she could reach there to undo herself, but he was planning to be long gone before she would manage to accomplished that feat!
She was now ready, bound up the way she was, to be mercilessly stripped of the rest of her jewels!
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Chapter 11
The Subtle Touch
He went down behind her and she arched back in an attempt to watch what he was up to!
He looked over at their figures image in the mirror, her coronet, necklace, and earrings vividly sparkling in the reflection, like fire on a distant mountain he thought drooling with anticipation…….
He methodically decided to start with her Bracelets….
Holding her left wrist with his left hand, he let his right-hand travel up her squirming figure till he reaches her breast. Cupping it he began to with a slipping motion, massage it through her thin satiny slip.
She curled her figure against her bindings, closed her eyes, and began to whimper and moan lustily, opening her mouth just enough to keep her rings hidden inside!
As his right hand subtly pleaded her breasts, his left hand travelled down to a cuffed diamond bracelet. He began rubbing it up and down her gloved wrist in sync with his right hand, eventually worked it open and slipped it off from around her wrist, tossing it neatly into his pouch.
He repeated the performance on her right wrist as she continued moaning in total satisfaction.
If she noticed her twin bracelets were being removed in the process of having her breasts massaged, she did not appear to care.
Then, playing along with the lady’s game, he fruitlessly felt for her rings, hearing her muffled giggles above him as she squirmed.
“Mmmm,” she said, through gritted teeth not being able to open her mouth due to her rings.
He could see that what she was unable to voice, it was readable in her expression, reflected from the handy mirror!
Then he moved his hands, grasping her by the silken sides of her slip, and began to tickle her mercilessly, she started to uncontrollably giggle, then stated to sputter, finally letting loose with a gasping laugh!
This sent the three sparkling rings she had been holding inside her mouth, spinning out and plopping onto the green silk of her lap, where they slithered down between her knees!
“Dirty Play, Gaston!”
She admonished, snapping her legs closed to hide the rings, tears in her eyes as she laughed out her words…
“That wasn’t how… !
He hushed up her words by quickly plunging his gloved fingers down inside her slip, grasping and kneading her breasts in unison
Her whole being tingling with the exquisite pleasure, made her forget entirely how she had wanted him to play the game with her rings!
But he was now entirely in control of the situation, and she felt her whole figure limply wilt under his command!
He left his right hand inserted down her slip to carry on with the task, subtly extracting his left to then run fingers through her long blonde, luxurious feeling hair, pulling it back behind her head, where it hung down in a gold coloured silken mass!
Figuring if he did, she would lean right back to look up at him!
Which is exactly what she did, playing right into his trick!
Her eyes, though, were still tightly shut, as her focus went off to some erotic location, as she was reeling in the vivid pleasures of her game.
Her green satin gloved fingers tried to adjust her bonds so she could reach back out behind her, and he knew for what and responded appropriately by rising so she could reach her objective.
Then it became his turn to be the one moaning softly through gritted teeth…
He silently thought, while groaning inwardly…
“Easy on the family jewels there, missy!”
“Oh, My Darling Gaston!”
she responded, apparently, hopefully, waiting for a response.
He gave her one, though not verbally…
He leaned against the backside of the chair, getting as close to her as he could!
She began to grope quite furiously and he thought of a monkey he had seen once in the city zoo doing one such number on a banana.
He was also finding it increasingly difficult to keep his mind on the task at hand.
So, he pulled away from her grasp a little, allowing her fingers the barest of touch!
He then gently pulled back her blonde hair, and quickly started caressing her now sweating earlobes, taking advantage of where this lady’s reeling mind was otherwise occupied!
Slowly, carefully stroking up and off, he pulled out the gold hooks attached to her sparkling earrings from each pierced ear.
Freeing both of her lovely long earrings in turn and letting them drop, glimmering into his leather pouch!
He kept on caressing, deeply thrusting his right hand in and along her breasts for several minutes taking precious time with the task as to keep her mind away from what he was accomplishing from behind her trussed up back.
Meanwhile, his left hand moved up into a new position.
Her entire being was squirming, so enraptured and enthralled, that she never even felt him picking up the ends of the thin coronet: lifting oh so carefully, each end of shiny gold braided ends that were woven into her hair, and began gently lifting out each one free!
As he pulled it delicately away, she did not even miss the egg-shaped diamond as it stopped brushing against her sweat glistened brow!
Once he had freed the shimmering piece, he eagerly lifted to admire it!
She broke his trance by purring, opening her eyes as he quickly hid the jewelled coronet!
“Well, my Gaston! I can feel you desire me again, my darling! It has been quite a long time for you also!”
But though she may have felt that something growing between her captor’s legs, she had no inkling that he had been busy lifting her pricey jewelled headpiece!
Nor did she now hear it being dropped in the pouch at her foot!
So, oblivious that her earrings and coronet were gone, the bound, satin slip clad lady, quite seductively began murmuring these words as her fingers continued their gentle free play between his legs.
“You want me don’t you luv!”
She asked this seductively, wistfully as her eyes opened wide and looking up into his, catching him hovering over her, his eyes from the slits in his hood, looking down upon her.
He had stopped fondling her breasts with his right hand and placing that hand on her shoulder was looking down upon her with lust-filled eyes!
But she was entirely misreading the object of his also lustful gaze…
She again closed her eyes with a heavy sigh!
As his eyes went to what he now really wanted from her!
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Chapter 12
The Fondling Theft
He smiled as he looked down upon her throat, watching the diamond and emerald necklace moving up and down in conjunction with her heavy breathing!
For the small fortune in diamonds, dribbling nicely down as her throat was arching back in her ecstasy, was sending a rippling cascading fire of colour from its’ gemstones!
This was, for the most part, the blame for a stiffly obvious condition of his John Thomas!
“Kiss me, Gaston!”
The enraptured miss cried out yearningly at that point.
In her bliss, his victim moved open her knees ever so slightly, uncovering several small glittering objects!
The rings! He had almost forgotten all about them!
Seizing the moment, his hand had delved down, then up in between her legs!
He pried open wider her legs, finding no resistance atoll.
He then obliged her sweet fantasy
As her thoughts of being kissed vanished into the aire in a fit of convulsive ecstasy.
She screeched, her whole figure thrashing against her bindings as the intensity of sparking feeling erupted from the sensitive area he had invaded!
He reached into her lap, his fingers plunging in against her silken slip, scooping the rings inside, inserting two fingers, pushing inside a portion of her slip with the bundle of 3 rings, deep up within her vagina!
Her whole being exploded into enveloping, exquisitely painful jolts of pleasure as her long waiting orgasm took full effect.
He had ardently moved against her and he felt her fingers curling around his manhood, he pulled away quickly before she could cause him some pain from a reflecting grasp!
“Gaston,!” she screamed her eyes closed shut tight in pulsating ecstasy!
He had begun groping about inside her vagina, searching inside the slip he had pushed up for the rings that were laying somewhere there, unseen!
He soon found and scooped out each glittery ring one by one, pushing them deeply up and into her pulsating “Labia Majora”, before pulling them from the now damp silk and tossing them each neatly into his bag.
As he pulled out the last ring, along with her now wet portion of slip, she said, her voice hoarse with expectations,
“Sure you found everything mister burglar Gaston?”
He reached down and randomly pulled up her hairpiece from the top of the glistening pile in his pouch and dropped it down between her legs.
She opened her eyes, looking down
“When did that fall off?”
Forgetting her hands were bound, she had tried to feel up for her hair…
Like she had done with her rings, she firmly clamped her legs tightly over the jewel, extinguishing its flicker as it laid there shimmering brightly!
“Not part of the game, luv… I borrowed that from Lilly, silly! “
She giggles at her rhyme, light-headed from the lingering effects of her prickling arousal and orgasm!
He smirked, thinking!
Hmmm, where is this Lilly, and is she another one wondering about, wearing the good ‘ice’ this evening? But, back to the job at hand!
He bent down and tried to open her knees…
She resisted, struggling against her bindings as she tried to work her hands-free to stop him!
He hoped she was still playing her game, and not having second thoughts about it.
It could make things rather unpleasant!
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Chapter 13
Pleasant Reflections
But apparently, the gig was not up yet!
For an old memory had been invoked back to her conscious mind.
With this thought, she said lustily, her dry throat cracking her words…
“Ah yes, you are right my dear Gaston! Recreating that time in the film we were watching, when a thief lifted some jewels from those ladies at a party, after promising them he was reformed!”
“Yes Gaston, you remembered that game..!”
she said with a sultry gasp, before uttering one last word.
“Except …”
He froze not sure if he should follow-through, not wishing to upset any apple carts of fantasy she was expecting.
Then she went on….
“I should have told you that the Tiara was out of bounds, of course, you wouldn’t ‘ave known it was mine, being absent for so many years…!”
He looked down at her and saw that she was again watching him with some queries.
Was she having some doubts as to what game was being played?
he was curiously wondering?
He removed his hands from her leg!
She sighed happily!
“Thank you, you are a gentleman as well as a thief! Dear sir!”
He then reached up and lifted her necklace, fingering its beckoning lure.
She said nothing...
So apparently, this beauty was still in play!
it was time for the coupe de grace!
He eagerly contemplated as he eyed the magnificent necklace, the last and best piece of his victim's worn jewels.
He again grasped her breasts, fondling them through the silken slip with his right hand.
Whilst his left travelled up her slick backside, reaching the back of her throat, and her necklaces’ jewelled clasp!
Using two gloved fingers, he neatly popped open the clasp and watched as the two ends fell open and hung down over her shoulders.
Curious as to what reaction she would give,
She did not disappoint
She quivered and moaned, then, began choking out the words in quite in a seductive, huskily hoarse-voiced manner.
“Gaston, Mon Mari!”
Her eyes were glazed over, reflected in the mirror, wide open with crazed excitement!
Suddenly an epiphany of an idea enters his head
letting one ned of the necklace noticeably drag up and over her shoulder, he released his hold, with a cascading fiery slither, it fell inside between her heaving breasts.
His right hand still fondling those breasts, he felt the necklace and worked it past so it slipped further down, landing in her lap!
Her diamonded necklace had joined its jewelled mate, the forbidden fruit, the jewelled coronet!
He then did the job properly, feeling along with the outside first, then reaching inside and giving great attention to all of her sweet spots.
Finally reaching the bottom, he again located her clit and began to manipulate it!
“Oh good, lord !”
she exclaimed, pleasurably leaning forward as much as her bindings would allow
As he fondled and groped, going all out to give her already intensely aroused figure as much over stimulation as possible!
Said figure, which had been ratcheting impulsively during the entire performance, now shot straight rigid as his fingers began once again searching the area between her legs!
She let out a piercing squeal as he hit home several times.
And as she closed her eyes tightly with each plunge of his right hands’ fingers finding their mark contorting her figure into exquisite convulsions, he took the opportunity to reach in with his free left hand and grabbed the now unprotected jewels from her lap!
As he pulled her jewels free, she slumped back into the chair, her whole being exhausted from her ecstatic struggles!
He slipped the shimmering strings of diamonds, necklace, and coronet, down on top of their pilfered, glittering mates…
Quite a haul he thought as He looked at her body, eyes clamped shut, still grasping to control her pinnacle reached desires!
She never even noticed that her borrowed headpiece had also been scooped up along with her necklace as he had quickly, unobtrusively also taken it to be deposited inside his bag
He went over to the piled green gown laying on the floor.
Lifting it he carried it over to his victim.
Holding it up he watches as the dazzling brooch was reflected in her, now open, slightly glazed over, doe wide eyes.
He slipped off the jewel, mindlessly pocketing it with the other, as he laid the gown reverently out over her lap.
Her only reaction was to close her eyes and groan happily.
“Okay Gaston you win, she murmured huskily, now untie me!”
“This Gaston did win!
He thought smirking to himself as claimed the now weighty pouch from the floor!
He began to stroll briskly towards the bedroom door exit, preparing himself for when she would realize the truth and start her desperate pleading.
It didn’t take long he heard her exclaim from behind his back before reaching the door…
“Hey, Gaston ! Where do you think you are going, lad?!”
“I said game over, no didn’t I ?!
She must have been looking down, for she began to bleat on like an annoying lost lamb…
“And you give me back that Tiara, it is not supposed to have been part of the game!”
He spoke aloud for the first time, lecturing…
“It is more of a Coronet than a Tiara my sweet!”
The burglar boldly closed the door behind him, distinguishing any further comment from the now indignantly squealing young, distressed Damsel.
He retraced his steps out to the second-floor sitting room’s balcony.
Then made his exiting the way he had come.
Climbing from the ancient wrought iron fire stairs conveniently located down off the second-floor balcony!
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Bernardo Daddi (Borgo San Lorenzo, circa 1290 - Florence, 1348) - Triptych (1340-51) - tempera and gold on wood - Museo Poldi Pezzoli, Milan
Nel pannello centrale del trittico è raffigurata la Madonna con il Bambino assisa su un trono impreziosito da un drappo d’onore rosso, decorato da motivi floreali dorati. Gesù tiene nella sinistra una melagrana e protende la mano destra per afferrare il cardellino posato sulla sinistra di Maria: il cardellino e la melagrana sono due simboli che alludono rispettivamente alla Passione e alla Resurrezione di Cristo. In basso, ai piedi dei gradini del trono, figurano, a sinistra san Giovanni Battista, che regge con la mano sinistra un sottile crocifisso rosso ed è vestito con la tradizionale veste di pelo di cammello e con un mantello celeste; a destra un santo diacono che indossa una dalmatica rossa e tiene nella destra una foglia di palma, simbolo del martirio, e nella sinistra un libro dalla legatura di colore blu: si tratta con ogni probabilità di Lorenzo, che Bernardo Daddi è solito rappresentare con questi attributi. Più in alto, in piedi sul gradino superiore del trono, sono raffigurate quattro sante: a sinistra, Apollonia indossa una veste gialla, ha la corona in testa e tiene nella destra la tenaglia che stringe un molare – allusiva al suo martirio, durante il quale le furono asportati i denti –, mentre Lucia, con una veste blu e un mantello rosso che le copre il capo, tiene in mano una lampada accesa, attributo che richiama il suo nome (luce - Lucia). A destra compaiono due sante coronate: la prima, che indossa una veste rossa e un manto blu, con la sinistra afferra i lembi del mantello, mentre ha la mano destra chiusa a pugno e protesa in avanti. Probabilmente in origine la santa sosteneva un attributo, oggi scomparso. La quarta santa indossa una veste di colore giallo-verde e tiene nelle mani la foglia di palma e un libro: potrebbe identificarsi con Caterina d’Alessandria, una delle più rappresentate fra le sante martiri nella pittura italiana del Medioevo – sebbene non sia visibile in questo caso la ruota dentata, strumento del suo martirio che spesso la accompagna, e che permette di riconoscerla infallibilmente –, ma potrebbe anche trattarsi di Reparata, patrona di Firenze, che è solitamente raffigurata con questi attributi. Nello sportello di sinistra è dipinto in alto l’Arcangelo Gabriele con un ramo di giglio in mano, inginocchiato su un drappo rosso posato sul pavimento decorato con motivi floreali dorati, molto simili a quelli che impreziosiscono il drappo d’onore del trono della Vergine. In basso è raffigurata la Natività: sotto il tetto di un’umile capanna, che accoglie il bue e l’asino, la Vergine sta adagiando il Bambino nella mangiatoia avvolgendolo delicatamente nel velo che si è levata dalla testa. Il pannello di destra è invece decorato in alto con la Vergine annunziata, che si ritrae spaventata, la mano destra levata, per il sopraggiungere dell’angelo, ed è seduta su un cuscino appoggiato per terra; nella stanza di Maria è appeso un drappo rosso decorato con motivi floreali dorati, identico a quello su cui è inginocchiato l’angelo annunziante. Sotto l’Annunciata è raffigurata la Crocifissione, con i Dolenti, Maria e san Giovanni Evangelista ai lati della croce, lungo la quale scorre copiosamente, in due rivoli paralleli, il sangue di Gesù, che si raccoglie in una prima pozza e quindi, più in basso, in una seconda, che assume l’aspetto di un teschio rossastro deformato e inquietante, allusione alla morte di Gesù e allo stesso tempo probabile riferimento alle ossa di Adamo. Le scene narrative sono vivaci e ricche di notazioni naturalistiche come ad esempio l’atteggiamento di timidezza e di stupore della Vergine annunciata, che si ritrae all’indietro; il gesto del pastore che, abbagliato dalla luce emanata dall’angelo, si fa ombra con la mano all’altezza degli occhi; la tenerezza affettuosa con cui la Madonna depone il piccolo Gesù nella mangiatoia; il dolore e la disperazione espressi dalla Vergine e da San Giovanni Evangelista nella Crocifissione
The central panel of the triptych depicts the Madonna and Child seated on a throne embellished with a red drape of honor, decorated with gilded floral motifs. Jesus holds a pomegranate in his left hand and extends his right hand to grasp the goldfinch resting on Mary's left. The goldfinch and the pomegranate are two symbols that allude to the Passion and Resurrection of Christ respectively. Below, at the foot of the steps of the throne, there are, on the left, Saint John the Baptist, who holds a thin red crucifix in his left hand and is dressed in the traditional camel's hair robe and a blue cloak; on the right, a holy deacon wearing a red dalmatic and holding a palm leaf in his right hand, the symbol of martyrdom, and in his left hand a book with a blue binding: this is probably Lorenzo, whom Bernardo Daddi used to represent with these attributes. Higher up, standing on the top step of the throne, are four saints: on the left, Apollonia wears a yellow robe, has a crown on her head and holds in her right hand the pincer gripping a molar - an allusion to her martyrdom, during which her teeth were removed -, while Lucia, wearing a blue robe and a red cloak covering her head, holds in her hand a lighted lamp, an attribute that recalls her name (luce - Lucia). On the right are two crowned saints: the first, wearing a red robe and a blue cloak, grasps the edges of her cloak with her left hand, while her right hand is clenched into a fist and stretched forward. Probably originally the saint held an attribute, which has now disappeared. The fourth saint wears a yellow-green robe and holds a palm leaf and a book in her hands. She could be Catherine of Alexandria, one of the most represented martyr saints in Italian painting of the Middle Ages - although the cogwheel, the instrument of her martyrdom that often accompanied her and that allows her to be recognized infallibly, is not visible here - but she could also be Reparata, the patron saint of Florence, who is usually depicted with these attributes. In the left-hand flap, the Archangel Gabriel is painted at the top with a lily branch in his hand, kneeling on a red drape laid on the floor decorated with gilded floral motifs, very similar to those that embellish the drape of honor on the throne of the Virgin. The lower panel depicts the Nativity: under the roof of a humble hut, which houses the ox and the donkey, the Virgin is laying the Child in the manger, delicately wrapping him in the veil that she has taken off her head. The right panel is instead decorated at the top with the Virgin Announced, who withdraws frightened, the right hand raised, for the arrival of the angel, and is sitting on a cushion resting on the ground, in the room of Mary is hanging a red cloth decorated with floral motifs gilded, identical to that on which the announcing angel is kneeling. Under the Annunciation is the Crucifixion, with the Sorrowful, Mary and St. John the Evangelist at the sides of the cross, along which flows copiously, in two parallel streams, the blood of Jesus, which collects in a first pool and then, lower down, in a second, which takes on the appearance of a reddish skull deformed and disturbing allusion to the death of Jesus and at the same time likely reference to the bones of Adam. The narrative scenes are lively and rich in naturalistic notations such as the attitude of shyness and astonishment of the Virgin announced, who retreats backwards; the gesture of the shepherd who, dazzled by the light emanating from the angel, casts a shadow with his hand at eye level; the affectionate tenderness with which the Madonna lays the baby Jesus in the manger; the pain and despair expressed by the Virgin and St. John the Evangelist in the Crucifixion.
Affectionately called 'pinky' by enthusiasts this old GR4 (due to be scrapped August 2017 or thereabouts) is still in the sand colour of the Gulf Conflict and was here on its way through the Mach Loop at Corris Corner on its way to be one of the ground displays at RIAT 2017 (RAF Fairford).
Affectionately known at 'Pinky', the jet is due to go to RTP imminently. This was its last public appearance at RIAT 2017. -15/07/2017
The Frengle is a designer breed created through the cross of the Beagle and the French Bulldog breed. The Frengle is recognized by the ACHC. This designer breed can also be registered through IDCR and ICA. Frengles are gentle, affectionate & playful. They love to play with their families and do well with children. This designer breed is an excellent family pet.