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All flower photos have already been taken. Many times over. Why do we keep shooting them?.. Because they are nice :)
Learn to say no
Learn to say yes
Learn to say maybe
Learn to say please
Learn to say : Wait!
Learn to say thank You
Say What You really mean.
MB
The Courageous Spirit of My Favorite Bird: The Robin (Erithacus rubecula)
Known as a "braveheart" for its fearless defense of its territory against rivals much larger than itself, the Robin has a special place in my heart. My admiration for this small bird stems from observing its tenacious spirit and joyful presence. Watching it flit about, singing its cheerful song, fills me with immense joy. It's no surprise that whenever I encounter a Robin during my photography walks, I instinctively press the shutter to capture its charm.
My passion for nature photography began on a snowy day in 2008, in the icy expanse of Peterborough's Nene Park. Bundled up in my goose-down jacket, I spotted a young Robin. With a bit of birdseed left in my pocket, I forged a bond of trust with this tiny creature—a connection that lasted two years. Every visit to the park, it would greet me, eventually growing comfortable enough to take dried mealworms directly from my fingers.
This experience taught me something extraordinary: each Robin's orange breast pattern is unique, much like a fingerprint. I had the privilege of witnessing my little companion grow and mature, an unforgettable chapter in my life. When it suddenly disappeared, I sought answers and learned how brief their lives can be due to various natural factors. That knowledge only deepened my fascination and appreciation for these remarkable birds.
Yesterday, as I entered Bradgate Park, a vibrant, young Robin greeted me from the fence. Its lively demeanor and melodic song seemed to beckon me to follow, so I did. Under the golden glow of the autumn midday sun, I captured five unique shots of this delightful bird. I am thrilled to share these moments with you today.
So, here is my star of the day—this spirited Robin. I hope you enjoy its beauty as much as I do. Wishing you a wonderful weekend ahead!
I've captured some unforgettable moments with my camera, and I hope you feel the same joy viewing these images as I did while shooting them.
Thank you so much for visiting my gallery, whether you leave a comment, add it to your favorites, or simply take a moment to look around. Your support means a lot to me, and I wish you good luck and beautiful light in all your endeavors.
© All rights belong to R.Ertuğ. Please refrain from using these images without my express written permission. If you are interested in purchasing or using them, feel free to contact me via Flickr mail.
Lens - With Nikon TC 14E II - hand held or Monopod and definitely SPORT VR on. Aperture is f8 and full length. All my images have been converted from RAW to JPEG.
I started using Nikon Cross-Body Strap or Monopod on long walks. Here is my Carbon Monopod details : Gitzo GM2542 Series 2 4S Carbon Monopod - Really Right Stuff MH-01 Monopod Head with Standard Lever - Really Right Stuff LCF-11 Replacement Foot for Nikon AF-S 500mm /5.6E PF Lense -
Your comments and criticism are very valuable.
Thanks for taking the time to stop by and explore :)
Answer: Not very. You don't even need to get out of your car. Just go to a national park where they ignore people in vehicles.
Here is Cecil in 2014, with two tourist vehicles (and two more out of shot), resting in the heat of the day. Standing up occasionally, turning around, yawning, lying down again and going back to sleep. Just like cats the world over.
The real challenge is to miss a shot at this range and to have to spend the next two days trying to find a wounded lion that has gone to ground, so that you can have it killed properly, beheaded and skinned. Giving you "hard-earned" trophies as proof of your derring-do.
“You take delight not in a city's seven or seventy wonders, but in the answer it gives to a question of yours.” (Italo Calvino, Invisible Cities)
New York, Dec/2017
10.8.2011
The answer rests at the ladder's peak =)
Speaking of answers ,
Amazing when you think of someone you've never spoken to or seen for a long long while and so suddenly that someone calls you up in no more than 10 minutes !
This happened to me today =) Weird !is there an answer for that ?
After a night full of fighting crime, the caped crusader finds the highest ledge and watches over the crime ridden Gotham city.
pienw.blogspot.com/2024/05/de-haagse-school-in-een-ander-...
The Hague School in a Different Light, an exposition at the Kunstmuseum, The Hague
Two hawks were calling to each other and I was standing practically under the tree where this one was perched.
A Simple Answer
So this is Easter morning!
Waking to a gentle sunrise,
I take a breath and arise.
What does this new day mean?
Engaging in a Universal Liturgy,
Deep thoughts begin to gather within.
Shall this day banish fear!
Normal distractions pushed aside,
Sacred thoughts I elect to contemplate.
In this moment does a liturgy begin?
Hope increases and peace resides,
And I cling to a morning resurrection.
-Robert Cowlishaw
Just after the away team left, Amanda Waller stubbed her toe on the console corner. The one day she wore casual suede shoes to work to ease her aching blisters, her big toe collides head-first into sheer metal. As soon as that happened, the phone rang, and Sargent Steel’s iron voice reminded her of the upcoming meeting she had with the president. Frankly, Amanda would have preferred to stub her two twenty more times.
But at least the plan had been successful. It almost made up for the toe, the president, and the toothache that was forming in the back left of her mouth. Hopefully Wladon learned the price of his treachery, or at least died in the process, stampeded to death by his own citizens.
However, there was still one more loose end to tie.
The sound of energy crackling and faint pleading signals the return of our band. Slowly, Waller swivels in her chair to greet them.
Answer: Hope you’ve kept that cushion warm for me, oh mighty queen.
Waller arches her fingers together: Welcome back.
Before anyone says anything else, Waller stands and takes two steps toward Angelo Bend, who is at once, sniveling and smoldering. There’s an underlying anger in his person, but it’s masked with a veneer of self-pity.
Bend: I could have had it all, you understand? All!
Waller: All you would have had is an empty piece of land in the middle of nowhere.
Answer: And potential food poisoning.
Bend: Maybe that’s all I really wanted!
Answer: Food poisoning?
Bend shoots Answer a dirty look. Answer just shrugs, and makes sure Orange isn’t doing anything untowardly.
Waller: Be that as it may, Bend, you fouled up. Fouled up big time. You had a real shot at parole here. You were one mission away. I only have one question. Why?
Bend is silent for a moment. Looking down at the broad woman with a flash of mild terror in his eyes.
Bend: I just . . . he was very persuasive.
Waller sits back down: Not what I wanted to hear.
She sighs. It’s a sound of deep frustration.
Waller: I hadn’t wanted to do this. I told myself that maybe I was past this. The last few times I’ve ran this rodeo, I relied too heavily on it. From then on I decided it would just be a leash, not a punishment.
Shauzia Bhatia leans over to Answer: I believe she is ramble-ing?
Answer: Yeah she definitely is. Boss, you’re rambling.
Waller rubs her temples: I know, it’s been a long day.
By now, the reality of Bend’s situation grips him in a shower of sweat.
Waller: Ms. Bhatia, Mister Black, you both played your roles perfectly. Your sentence has been commuted to time served. I’ll have Murph and Doctor Quinzel draw up all the appropriate paperwork for your release in two days’ time.
Black: Cheers!
Bhatia: I thank you god, and I thank you too Mrs. Waller, but where will I go?
Waller: Answer here will help you get set up with a green card and get fully registered. I’ll put in a few words for you around Washington, and maybe we can find you a position somewhere.
Bhatia: I will be eternally grateful.
Waller: I appreciate it, child, but please, save it. This is a dire situation. We have to decide what to do with Bend here.
Answer: I’m surprised he hasn’t passed out.
Bend: May I please say just one thing in my defense?
Waller: Ah so you can think. Fire away. Let’s see what it is that
you’ll think will save you.
Bend: I . . . I . . .
Without another word he scrambles for his device. All at once, Answer tackles him. There’s shouting and scuffling and vicious kicking on the floor. Orange backs against the wall. Bhatia arches her fingers and lets out a blast from her hands, mentally stunning both the combatants. They lay there for a moment, stunned, until slowly, Answer peels himself off the floor, Bend’s device in hand.
Answer: I . . . uh, I’ve done some heavy shit in my day . . . that was heavier.
Bhatia: You must accept my apologies, it was a reflex, I-
Answer: No, no you did good kid, but I gotta . . . sit down.
He slumps against the wall and slides to the floor just as Bend manages to get into a sitting position himself.
Waller: And here I was thinking I might even go easy on you. Just lock you away for four months longer than you had. But then you had to go and do a damn stupid thing like that. How do you think that’s going to look? Plus did you not think, that even if you ran, I could still do this –
The realization hits Bend like lightning, As fast as he can he stands, and prepares to lunge forward and wrestle the detonator out of Waller’s hand, racing against the heating, rapid beeps in his neck. Bend sees white and feels almost like a hot tearing for just a moment, then he just stops. His now headless body falls to the floor with a resounding thud, and begins to ooze blood in a sporadic geyser.
Answer: Goddamnit . . . do you know how long it takes to
clean that shit out of keyboard keys?
Waller, frowning at the new stains on her clothes: I do actually.
She looks up to see Bhatia with her arms crossed, just staring at Bend’s body, then moves her gaze to Orange, he appears to be laughing quietly. Danton Black has mild fear in this movements, but just stands at the wall next to where Patten sits, rubbing his forehead.
Waller presses a button on the device in her ear and calls for Murph to round up the janitorial staff and head to the control room. Bring a few guards as well.
J Daniel Murphy, sitting at the main information desk, reading his newspaper, sighs absently. His kid’s sick with the flu this week, and the doctor’s afraid it’s opening the gates for pneumonia. If not for this incident, his wife and he would be visiting a marriage counselor tomorrow, but as it is, he can’t find a sitter. He calls for janitors and guards, then checks his gun, just in case.
This week has been horrible, but maybe next week will be better.
With the weekend fast approaching it ponders the question…If you could pick one road in the world to celebrate your Sunday Fun-day…Where would you be??? For me it’s a very simple answer! Lincoln Road in South Beach! Whole story via www.playeattravel.com
Enjoy the weekend!!! :-)
Question:What is a ship?.
Answer:A big boat that floats on water and is made of iron or other materials.
This photo was taken by the grandson and this simple view of life is how he see's his world.As we we grow, life gets more complicated,why is that?.
The man in photo is his grandfather,that was in the way when he took this photo?.I was in the way? Well,it looked to me,that he was pointing in the opposite direction.
Wacky Wednesday or life is normal, get with the program!
An opinion which is proving to be true,in my case,
"Life does not speed up,the people begin to slow down" Amen.
Music: Right Click and select "Open link in new tab"
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhmygUElujk
Marc Ribot - "The Big Fool"
I can see a wave approaching
And it threatens all I live for
"The ceremony of innocence
Is drowned" in Texas oil
But the big fool says keep pushing
And the big fool says keep pushing
The big fool says push on
La Jolla, San Diego, California.
Ever since I found out about this spot, I've been praying for a beautiful sunset. Today, my prayers have been answered. But I forgot to pray for there to be less photographers who took the prime spots before I arrived ;-( Just kidding. Amazing view for everyone to enjoy!
Tech Info:
Nikon D800E, Nikkor AF-S 16-35mm f/4G ED VR, Lee 0.6 GND and "Little Stopper" filters.
Post-processed in Lr 5.7 and Ps CS6.
In an instant
She knew
Every answer
To every question
Why was she given
This burden
What was she to tell
The world
What is the point
Of life
If we know
Everything
Luckily
Molly has short term
Memory loss
And so it was
The burden was lifted
Ten minutes later
The End....or shall we say
The Beginning, again!
Sometimes you just find things that can only be described as 'the best thing ever'!!
This Volkswagon Bus has been shortened enough that the front & rear wheels are just over a foot apart. In talking with the Owner, he told me that he has had this VW for 25 years and it is, other than the shortening, all original. When asked by someone else if it would pop a wheelie, the answer was "yes" with a large smile on his face. The only problem was that the wheelie's routinely tears out the rear end. He also said that he is in the finishing stages of building another one. I got some contact info but don't think he's willing to part with even the second one...
Three bracketed photos were taken with a handheld Nikon D5200 and combined with Photomatix to create this HDR image. Additional adjustments were made in Photoshop CS6.
"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." ~Jeremiah 29:11
Police patrol - No 4. of a documentary series published by L'Itinéraire, a street magazine sold by people who have a rough life. I have the priviledge to coach some writers and to take pictures to support their articles.
I actually set foot on the island. There were three weird failed attempts, but my friends wouldn't take no for an answer, even after I lost my wallet and missed my ride up there. So once it was returned to me, I took a bus and actually made it up there. Not completely without other problems, but I managed to get a few dives in, so I'd say the curse has been lifted. :)
Also - amazing food at the dive shop. yum.
The adjourning of the Great Congress of Lenfald brought with it almost as many questions as it did answers. For Abner, it also brought new orders.
Gottfried, Abner's commander, strode over as the delegates began to rise and file out of the chamber.
"Abner," he said, looking directly into his subordinate's face. "Do you know why I chose you to accompany me to such an important occurrence?"
Abner stood and addressed his captain. "I know not, sir."
"It is because I feel you are trustworthy and that you possess great patience," continued Captain Gottfried. "Am I incorrect in my judgments?"
"Nay, sir, I am worthy of your trust and I am a patient man," replied Abner, somewhat confused.
Captain Gottfried's mouth turned up in a rare mischievous smile. "Good, because we have been given the task of escorting his lordship the Grand Duke Meyrick back to Ainesford!"
Abner shook his head in disbelief. "That is just not fair, sir," he replied.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The small company departed Stonewald the following morning on horseback; Grand Duke Meyrick and his aide, Captain Gottfried, Abner, and a small detachment of rangers from the capital.
The journey was uneventful, and the riders came in view of the Ainesford gates in a few days' time. The city itself, however, was another matter.
Smoke billowed from an old warehouse just inside the perimeter wall and the shouts of men working frantically to douse the flames could be heard even outside the city. Rioters charged through the streets, hurling torches and brandishing various farm implements menacingly. Soldiers stood guard in front of key buildings, clashing occasionally with particularly bold citizens.
Grand Duke Meyrick motioned for the rangers to follow and trotted his horse ahead, leading the party towards the city center. A cry came up from a woman in the street, "Aye, look 'ere! Tis the duke, returnin' to take 'way all our 'ard-earn'd money!"
People began to shout and run after the horsemen, who now galloped towards a large building only a few hundred yards ahead. Abner recognized it as the city hall of Ainesford - an old, worn, but still beautiful building originally constructed as a symbol of the city's economic prosperity. It was surrounded by soldiers, a handful of whom rushed forward to greet their lord and take away the horses.
The group dismounted hastily and the captain of the guard ushered them inside, shutting the heavy oaken doors firmly behind them.
"This is madness," said Gottfried, pointing back towards the chaos. "Utter madness."
The din of the mob could still be heard clearly outside.
"It will subside," replied Sorley Meyrick cooly, taking a seat at the long table in the center of the hall.
"That's your answer?!" cried Gottfried, seating himself across from the duke and his aide, "Ignore the problem and wait for it to solve itself?"
The grand duke glared at the ranger captain. "Don't question me, Captain. Remember that you are a guest in my city and that I was a ranger once as well. I know how hot-headed you types are."
Gottfried rose angrily, knocking over his chair and slamming his sword on the table. "YOU have no power but that which the people grant to you!" he yelled. "And by the sound of it," he said, cupping his hand to his ear dramatically (the rioters could be heard just outside the hall), "they don't seem very supportive right now."
Now the duke rose, and his aide with him. "How DARE you!" screamed Meyrick, "How dare you question a Grand Duke- a lord- a, a, a NOBLEMAN! I will not have this kind of disrespect. I will have your head! You will pay for this- hang for this! You lily-livered, toad-licking-"
"ENOUGH!"
The room fell utterly silent and everyone turned in shock to the man who had just shouted. Abner stepped forward from the shadows into the light of the chandelier.
"What did you just say to me, boy?" growled the duke.
"I said 'enough'," replied Abner calmly. "Now I believe my commander was about to propose a resolution to this issue that you seem incapable of handling on your own." He inclined his head to Gottfried. "Pardon the interruption, sir. Please continue."
Captain Gottfried shook his head, placed his hands on his hips, and let out a hearty laugh. He looked back up at the duke and said, "Now when is the last time you met someone who could make me chuckle?"
Grand Duke Meyrick took a moment to recover, then a thin smile spread across his face as well. "Your man doesn't disappoint in the least, Gottfried. Bring him to the table, let's see what kind of ideas this young man has for solving our rioting problem."
Abner, utterly confused, walked slowly up to the table and took his chair as the other men sat.
"Our apologies for the deception, friend, but we had to know you were willing to risk your own self in these difficult times before we trusted your counsel," said the duke. "Gottfried here has spoken most highly of you- he says you are very wise."
Abner, still completely lost, stammered, "You gentlemen... know each other?"
Grand Duke Meyrick and Captain Gottfried looked at each other for a moment, then broke out into another fit of laughter.
"I'm telling you!" said Gottfried between laughs, "This fellow is hilarious!"
Seeing the bewildered expression still plastered across Abner's face, Grand Duke Meyrick said, "Abner, this is my brother-Gottfried Meyrick."
Unrestricted entry to the LoR GCX - Unrest.
She grew up with answers, provided with good intentions, but which she found faulty as she acquired to ability to contemplate them thoroughly for herself... She she left, determined to find her own path, her own choices, her own answers. What she was told was right, she ended up discarded. She was happy now with what was left. What she found on her own and made her own...
==The Gotham Royal Hotel==
Stairwell: Floor 13
A barbed tendril shot out from behind Jenna; pulling Gar off the railing, it caught him just as he reached the thirteenth floor and threw him at Franco's feet. The flamethrower fell out of Gar’s hand and rolled out of his reach. As he hit the ground, his forehead scraped against the concrete floor. Shocked, Jenna's eyes followed the tentacle back to the source, her mouth open, as the red tendril retracted into Ramsay Rosso's arm.
"In answer to your earlier question, Miss Duffy," Rosso spoke, tilting his head towards Franco. "That's how I healed him."
"Didn’t exactly stick the landing, did he?” Franco chuckled, kneeling beside Gar. “What’s the matter, Firefly? Did you leave your jetpack in your other suitcase? How very careless!" he remarked, clamping a hand on Gar’s chin.
In return, Gar headbutted him. Hard. Blood gushed out of Franco’s nose, and the mobster stumbled backwards, taking a moment to steady himself. "You’ve got a meta on the payroll?” Gar growled at him. “Afraid of a fair fight, you coward?"
“Not afraid, no,” Franco stated, wiping the blood off his face with a white handkerchief. “But I am practical. Why exert myself at all?”
Gar readied himself for a second lunge, eying his fallen flamethrower lying between Rosso’s legs.
"Ah-ah-ah. Think it through, Firefly. Whatever slight lover's tiff we're having is irrelevant. You kill me in cold blood and she'll never love you," Franco goaded him. “Oh, not that you could.”
As he rambled, Gar’s eyes locked with Jenna’s.
“Maybe not,” Gar replied, rising to his feet. “But if it frees her from you, then so be it.”
Franco’s smile faltered. “Shame.”
As Gar raised his fist, something peculiar happened. His arm stopped in mid-air, mere inches from Franco’s face. The rest of his body followed suit, as though he had been frozen in place. His thoughts, his feelings, were still his own, but now his body seemed to answer to an outside force.
“How-?” he gasped, struggling to push the word through his lips.
Rosso eyed the fresh wound on Gar’s forehead, smiling. “That’s a nasty cut, Mr Lynns. And one cut is all it takes.”
Franco grinned, as he nudged Gar’s arm out of the way, and struck his face with a right hook; payback for his broken nose. “What, you thought that hentai thing was the only weapon in Ramsay’s arsenal?” he tutted.
"Davey, stop it, don’t hurt him!” Jenna urged him. But try as she might, she found herself unable to intervene. Her eyes widened; her body was frozen in the same manner that Gar’s was. “Why-? Why can't I move?" she struggled.
Franco stepped away from Gar, and sauntered over to Jenna's side, running his hand through her strawberry blonde hair: "Cause, I don't want you to," he whispered, giving Rosso a nod of approval.
Rosso took a step towards Gar, his brown irises replaced with pitch black eyes. A deep sense of unease washed over Gar as the man's form shifted to that of his true self: Bloodwork. First, his slick black hair fell out; next, his clothing tore apart as his size expanded; Red muscle pushed its way through his skin and blue and black veins rose to the surface
"I can feel your blood pumping through your veins, from your head to your toes," Rosso spoke, a sick sense of pleasure taking hold of him. His throat pulsed as he taunted his paralyzed prey: “The possibilities are endless. I could burst an artery, cause a brain haemorrhage. I can create a blood clot. Give you a heart attack. Or, I could simply do this;"
And then, against Gar’s will, he brought his own right fist crashing against his mouth. His knees buckled, but he stayed upright. The next blow came from his left hand. Then his right again. Left. Right. Left. Right. Left. Right. With each punch, more blood shot out from Gar’s mouth. With each punch, his body shook but stayed standing. As the pattern repeated, Franco giggled with childlike glee, placing an overly familiar hand across Jenna’s back. And though she tried to close her eyes, save herself from the heartbreak, Rosso wouldn’t let her.
“Davey, stop him! Please, stop him!” Jenna pleaded, tears falling down her face.
But Franco didn’t care. For him, this was merely a lesson in loyalty, a way to punish Jenna for her ‘disobedience.’ "Oh, Firefly, man, why are you hitting yourself?" Franco snickered. "Why are you hitting yourself?"
"Davey, stop it! Stop it Davey! You’ve got me, let him go!” Jenna shrieked.
“I do have you, don’t I?” Franco’s smile became a bitter sneer and his grip on her back tightened.
“But I can hardly invite Ramsay on our honeymoon, can I? This, is the only way you’re gonna learn.”
At this, Rosso raised his fist and Gar involuntarily stepped forward. His movements were unnatural, haunting; his arms hung limp at his side like a ragdoll and his feet dragged along the ground. Gripping the railing, Gar was forced to clamber atop the bannister overlooking the stairwell. Rosso’s hand shook slightly and Gar’s whole body lurched forwards before regaining its precarious footing.
“Davey, for god's sake, I'll go with you, just stop it!" Jenna screamed.
Franco raised a hand, halting Rosso.
"No tricks?" his eyes narrowed.
Jenna swallowed. "No tricks."
Franco clapped his hands together in childlike delight. “Well, that’s alright, then!” he declared.
Disappointed, Rosso tossed Gar aside and relinquished his control over Jenna.
"Just keep him pinned there for now, Ramsay, then come find us at the rendezvous,” Franco ordered, grabbing Jenna by her arm. “I don't want him following us." Unnoticed by either of them, Jenna kicked Gar’s flamethrower over to his side, before departing with Franco. Though badly injured, Gar mustered all the strength he could to unscrew the fuel tank, and with his other hand, retrieved his lighter from inside his pants’ pocket. He had to fight through the control. For Drury’s blessing, for Jenna’s sacrifice to mean anything, he had to fight this. He stuck an old tissue in the bottleneck of the canister, and flicked the lighter.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Rosso chuckled. He could only see Gar’s hands fidgeting, not the weapon he was crafting. “My lifeblood is inside your veins. Your body, your will, is Bloodwork’s, to do with as I please.”
"That's the thing about blood…” Gar grimaced, and with every ounce of strength he had left, he pushed the lit projectile along the ground towards Rosso.
“It boils."
The canister exploded under Rosso’s feet; bathing his body in bright orange flames. Rosso screamed in agony as his red skin burst and popped. Finally, he stumbled over the ledge, falling thirteen stories and as he hit the ground, he popped like a balloon, erupting into a puddle of hot red goop. Gar didn't linger for too long. Whether Rosso reformed or not was unimportant, not when Jenna was still at that maniac’s mercy. Pursuing Franco, Gar swung open the door to the 13th floor corridor, ducking around corner and corner until he reached the passage entrance.
Gar and Franco locked eyes from the opposite ends of the hallway. Franco gave Gar a mocking salute, and then locked the passageway behind himself and Jenna. Gar limped towards the tunnel entrance, pounding his fists against the metal door until his knuckles bled, but it was no use. They were gone.
===The East End: Six Years Ago===
Johnny LaMonica exited the apartment building, blissfully unaware that he was being watched. A huge smile on his face, he clicked his heels and counted his stack of 20 dollar bills. ‘Another successful day out,’ he smirked as he propped up the collar of his leather jacket and ran a comb through his greasy black mane of hair. What happened next was a bit of a blur for LaMonica; a strand of red web bigger than any spider’s latched itself onto his jacket and propelled him upwards into the clutches of a purple and orange figure, dangling him off the fire escape.
“Christ! Look, pal, I got money!” LaMonica panicked, waving his wad of cash in his assailant’s face.
“Drug money.”
“What? Sure, if that’s what you’re into, maybe-”
“No.” The assailant slapped the money out of LaMonica’s hands. “Every week, you hit up this block and sell your skag. It stops tonight.”
“Look, I can’t just up and leave. People… They, uh, depend on me! It’s the False Facers, really, they give me the H! I only sell it, I swear!”
"I don’t care. The East End is off limits. Don't let me catch you dealing again. If I do, I'll drop you from a taller building."
"Taller wh-?"
The Black Spider let go, and LaMonica plummeted two stories, landing on his leg.
"You broke my leg, you psycho!" LaMonica whimpered, tilting his head to his stack of twenties. They had landed in the puddle right beside him.
==Gotham Royal Hotel: Lobby==
Drury sat in the center of the room, surrounded by broken glass and pine needles. Bruce had stripped Carson down to the black undersuit he wore beneath his armour, and handed him over to the GCPD officers stationed outside. He had not yet mentioned Drury’s involvement to them, well aware that Bullock would jump at the opportunity to cuff him personally.
Bruce bent down and offered Drury his hand. Their eyes made contact and a sense of acceptance washed over them both. ‘It was time.’ Drury bit his lip and accepted Bruce’s hand.
"Where's the suit?" Batman asked.
Drury paused. It took him a few seconds to realise that Bruce had meant his Moth costume. "It's in a car around back,” he mumbled. “Was gonna grab it when things got bad, but well, they really got bad."
Batman murmured understandingly, as he escorted him to the awaiting police barricade. A group of men in white hazmat suits were moving the two large cloudburst devices onto a S.T.A.R. Labs flatbed. Drury cast his eyes over to Sharpe and Mayo outside, reluctantly giving their statements to two young officers, and smiled. Sharpe was complaining that Krill’s belt had been confiscated before he had the chance to test it.
“By the way, I won that belt in a trial by combat. I thought you bozos cared about the law!”
Drury turned his head back to Bruce. "I’ll keep my end. Confess to Ra's' murder, to helping Bane, Slabside… And do my time for the GCPD raid. But that means you gotta let Gaige go, understand? You gotta let them all go."
Drury’s lip curled as Sharpe’s echoes of “Police State! Police State!” filled the air.
"Your father in-law is still part of a major criminal conspiracy. There will be an investigation."
"Yeah, and you'll do what you have to. I know. But if Sionis knows he was involved, in any of this-”
"He'll have my protection. And The Wayne Foundation will cover any medical bills."
"Good." Drury turned his head to look at Eric, standing beside Cass at the police convoy. "Go easy on him, alright? He did good. They all did, actually."
Bruce nodded. "The Outcasts will be moved to GCPD, until Jim can arrange for them to be transferred to Blackgate. The Misfits will be kept here for now. Once they can corroborate your story, they’ll be free to go,” he addressed Drury. “Provided, Chancer doesn’t make anyone else cry.”
Drury caught Bruce’s eye and laughed.
Bruce smiled softly in turn. "Are you sure about this?" he asked.
"Well, if it's easier, I suppose I could just fake my death," Drury smirked back.
Bruce's smile vanished instantly.
Drury rolled his eyes playfully. "Yeah, maybe some other time.”
As they approached the police barricade, Drury stopped. “Wait. My kids. Please, let me say goodbye."
Bruce nodded to him, and at Gordon, positioned at the other end of the roadblock. Drury reached into his back pocket and frowned.
"Sorry, do you have your phone on you? I sorta fell on mine."
==Wist Residence: Gotham Outskirts==
David Wist was dressed in a red flannel shirt, an elegant gold watch around his wrist. Sat on the porch swing, he was watching the sun rise on his homestead, sipping a beer. There was something particularly special about a Gotham sunrise. A reassurance that you had survived the night. A promise that things were going to be ok. Silly, Wist realised, but he did used to rob art galleries dressed like an earth wire. His momentary bliss was interrupted by voices inside the house. No stranger to home invaders, he jumped to his feet and ran inside, stopping in his tracks as he caught sight of the bizarre situation. Sighing, Wist put his hand to his forehead. "Margaret, hand it over.”
“Margaret!" he repeated sternly.
"I found it!" his wife snapped at him, holding aloft a silver prosthetic limb. Axel was chasing her around the room, wearing nothing but a white towel draped around his waist.
"You stole it," Wist stated, crossing his arms. Watching from the landing upstairs, Axel’s sister, Kitten, giggled shrilly. His older brother, Simon, covered his mouth with his hands, trying to stifle a laugh of his own, while his younger brother, Cammy, was laughing so heavily that green bubbles were blowing from his nose
"It was shiny, all shiny and chrome and new, it's mine!" Pye spat back.
"Christ sake... Give me the boy's arm!"
The prosthesis, flew through the air into Wist's awaiting hand.
"Not fair! Not fair!" his wife protested.
"You want something shiny? Here;" Wist opened his coat pocket and pulled out a single silver spoon. No sooner had he waved it in front of her face, had she ripped it from his grasp and ran out the room.
"I am... sorry about her," Wist apologised, handing Axel his arm back. "She's a lovely woman, really, and I do love her. But we do have our struggles..."
"S'not worth apologising over," Axel shrugged as he sat at the dining table and screwed his arm back into place. "I get it. Mom, Miranda, used to complain to Dad about her challenges, something about her nymphomania."
"Kleptomania," Wist said sternly, sitting opposite him.
"That," Axel blushed. "Earrings that went missing and so on. Dad, thought it was funny. Used to, I mean. Never was all that self aware, I suppose. He used to say to me, 'Son, there are two types of people in this world; the tricksters, and the ones getting tricked.'"
"Hence the Trickster, I imagine. Still, we don't all get to choose our gimmicks. Mags’ with her compulsions, that poor fella Karlo, Croc… Hell, I wanted to be a Clock Villain: I used to be a watchmaker, you see. But Slugsy and Tockman swooped in first, and well, the novelty wore off."
The landline phone rang, and Kitten thundered down the stairs, snatching the phone before Axel or Wist had a chance to stand up.
"Daddy!" Kitten squealed into the receiver excitedly.
Drury bowed his head. He had hoped it wouldn't be her. He always did struggle giving her bad news. "Carson and his associates are in GCPD custody. It's over, you can come home," he spoke, almost robotically, his mouth dry.
"Home? To Keystone? Or home home?" Kitten inquired. Her brothers had joined her at the phone, craning their necks so that they could overhear their father.
"If you want to go back to Keystone, that's fine, I'm sure Axel's friends can work something out. But I thought... I thought you would maybe like to come back to the manor?"
"I don't get it. They lifted your exile?" Simon stood up.
"They caught him," Axel stated.
Drury paused. "Uncle Chuck and Mr Reardon are gonna help Mr Wist move you back in. Wayne Enterprises is going to handle the finances and your Uncle Norbert is gonna help with any paperwork. But... you'll be living with Grandpa Gaige for a while."
"But I don't understand! Where will you be?" Kitten whined.
"Kitten... I did some bad things. I need to answer for them. Got to keep you safe. Grandpa Gaige-"
"We don't want Grandpa Gaige, we want you!" she protested, her voice becoming shriller still.
“I know, cupcake, I know.”
Drury moved the phone away from his ear and dropped his arm down by his side.
"They'll understand," Bruce stated.
“You don’t get it… Every missed birthday, every cancelled family dinner, the divorce, Miranda…” Drury wiped the tears from his eyes. "They shouldn't have to understand. They've been forced to their whole damn lives."
===Six Years Ago===
Johnny LaMonica finished recounting his story to his superior, a blond mobster dressed in a lilac suit. The mobster smirked, and took in a deep puff of an expensive cigar. "So, the East End has a guardian angel... I'll be damned..." he spoke, blowing white smoke into the dimly lit office. A confederate flag, hung from the rafters like a banner.
"You’ll be damned?” LaMonica hopped forwards, waving his crutches in the mobster’s face. “We’re all damned! He’s gotta go!”
The mobster swivelled his chair around, and turned to the bodyguard stood behind him, a man dressed in a set of purple and gold, high-tech armour. “You believe this shit?” he chuckled.
Lightning Bug crossed his arms, but said nothing.
“Boss-!” LaMonica protested.
“Yeah, yeah, I hear you,” The blond mobster nodded insincerely, rising from the leather chair. He walked over to the other end of the room, and lifted a loose floorboard; beneath it, was several bags of pure heroin. "You come back tonight, and you take these to your guys on the street. Spread the word; From now on, you only peddle this. Least, until our pest problem is dealt with."
He threw a sample at the dealer, who fumbled as he caught it.
"You think this guy's a junkie?"
"What, you think this guy's a good Samaritan, hitting smack dealers out of the goodness of his heart? In this neighbourhood?"
LaMonica shrugged.
"He's a junkie, alright. Just traded his needle for a mask. And if he ain't, he's sure to know someone who is. That's how we nail him."
===Gotham Royal: Floor 12===
Roman Sionis exited the elevator, a scowl on his skull-like face. He did not appreciate the time he’d spent trapped in his own elevator, nor did he appreciate the irony that it had been the Red Hood who had discovered him and Li, and he certainly didn’t appreciate the Hood’s muffled snickering, as he and Li shuffled past him. Sionis held his smartphone to his ear, in mid-conversation with Warren White.
“Nah, I don’t know who this Carlton guy is,” White explained, standing outside the hotel, dressed in a navy-blue overcoat. “Some Firebug wannabe. Had some kind of beef with Walker, I overheard him screaming his name. Oh, they got Walker too, by the way. Guess the cops didn’t take too kindly to him robbing their precinct.”
"And the Bats?" Sionis asked, throwing a cautious glance in Red Hood’s direction.
“C’mon,” White chuckled. "They got nothing on you. If they had, you'd be in that van alongside Day."
"Thanks, Warren. Send the word out to the capos:"
"The Doc? Already on it. He can't hide for long, we’ll get him. Oh, hey, if you hurry, you can catch the perp walk. Hell, give me a sec and I’ll get you a photo. It's like Abbey Road over here." White snapped his fingers excitedly as the quartet of Krill, Day, Drury and Carson were directed towards the police transport by a squad of SWAT officers.
As Carson was carted away, Paul Booker's eyes narrowed. "Who the hell was that?" he rasped as Big Sir draped a comfort blanket over his shoulders.
===Ground Floor: Lobby===
Joey Rigger climbed down the grand staircase. He had woken up in the hallway alone; Gaige had vanished, Drury and Carson had taken their fight elsewhere and Gar was probably with Jenna, sitting in a tree somewhere. His head still thumping, Joey vaguely remembered a black figure shushing him. Flannegan was already there, his elbows resting on the balcony.
"That's Drury!" he gasped. "What's he doing?"
Flannegan’s nose wrinkled, his thin face lined with disgust. "He cut a deal.”
~-~
Jenna and Franco walked down the passageway, their only light source being strips of luminous tape stuck to the floor. After about a mile of walking in absolute silence, Jenna spoke up:
"You were wrong, you know," she said softly.
"What's that, Jelly Bean?" Franco asked with faux-interest.
"I do hope he kills you."
Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water." The woman said to Him, "Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water? . . . Jesus answered and said to her, "Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life." John 4:10-14
I made this with my own photos and textures. The eye was there in the picture already for some reason, so I added the face of Jesus (as I see Him, you know), as I was making this about Him anyway. Look closely to see the "watermark". View On Black
I like this. I hope you do too. See you later. ;))
To answer the question, I chased NS-3. I was able to get ahead here, where the Hartford Line crosses the snow-melt filled CT River, I'm on the Enfield side. In 1978, both tracks on the bridge were still active. I have heard that the bridge is in tough shape now, in 2020. With only one track in use, and speed restrictions in place. I have not heard any substantial talk of future plans here, about 6 months ago, some work was done. Enfield, CT early March 1978
Hot on the heels of the first dandelion comes the first daisy of the season...
Take a peek large on black! :)
07-080
“So I spake, and anon he answered out of his pitiless heart: ‘Thou art witless, my stranger, or thou hast come from afar, who biddest me either to fear or shun the gods. For the Cyclôpes pay no heed to Zeus, lord of the aegis, nor to the blessed gods, for verily we are better men than they. Nor would I, to shun the enmity of Zeus, spare either thee or thy company, unless my spirit bade me. But tell me where thou didst stay thy well-wrought ship on thy coming? Was it perchance at the far end of the island, or hard by, that I may know?’
“So he spake tempting me, but he cheated me not, who knew full much, and I answered him again with words of guile:
“‘As for my ship, Poseidon, the shaker of the earth, brake it to pieces, for he cast it upon the rocks at the border of your country, and brought it nigh the headland, and a wind bare it thither from the sea. But I with these my men escaped from utter doom.’
“So I spake, and out of his pitiless heart he answered me not a word, but sprang up, and laid his hands upon my fellows, and clutching two together dashed them, as they had been whelps, to the earth, and the brain flowed forth upon the ground, and the earth was wet. Then cut he them up piecemeal, and made ready his supper. So he ate even as a mountain-bred lion, and ceased not, devouring entrails and flesh and bones with their marrow. And we wept and raised our hands to Zeus, beholding the cruel deeds; and we were at our wits’ end. And after the Cyclops had filled his huge maw with human flesh and the milk he drank thereafter, he lay within the cave, stretched out among his sheep.
“So I took counsel in my great heart, whether I should draw near, and pluck my sharp sword from my thigh, and stab him in the breast, where the midriff holds the liver, feeling for the place with my hand. But my second thought withheld me, for so should we too have perished even there with utter doom. For we should not have prevailed to roll away with our hands from the lofty door the heavy stone which he set there. So for that time we made moan, awaiting the bright Dawn.
“Now when early Dawn shone forth, the rosy-fingered, again he kindled the fire and milked his goodly flocks all orderly, and beneath each ewe set her lamb. Anon when he had done all his work busily, again he seized yet other two men and made ready his mid-day meal. And after the meal, lightly he moved away the great door-stone, and drave his fat flocks forth from the cave, and afterwards he set it in his place again, as one might set the lid on a quiver. Then with a loud whoop, the Cyclops turned his fat flocks towards the hills; but I was left devising evil in the deep of my heart, if in any wise I might avenge me, and Athene grant me renown. - Homer
Answer - Old Main building at Pennsylvania State University half way up the stairway to the President’s office…, yes, I confess… I got my Ph.D. here centuries ago😁 So, Try not to hold it against me… The series of frescoes, named The Land Grant Frescoes is “ …. To promote liberal and practical education …. In the several pursuits of life…”