View allAll Photos Tagged because
*More Mbili girls
*Not that you really asked, I'd just like to pretend that you did. LOL!!
Something is wrong with my camera and I'm really down, because I have all of these dressed girls that need to be photographed. Hopefully I can pick up a new one after work tomorrow and be back in business!!
This necklace was pink enough already, but I pinkified the shot even more. (Original shot in comments)
HSS! :)
p.s. Don't worry, I'm not done with the flower pictures. In fact, I have many many many more to post. Just wanted something different today.
Oh, and I'm about to head out for the day, but I will catch up with you all later. :)
Because of its pale colour I'm guessing this Mayfly must have just emerged? In my garden today, Lyme Regis
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The Castlegate in Aberdeen was chosen as the site for this beautiful Gordon Highlanders statue because this was the site of their original 1700s barracks before moving to the Bridge of Don. Castlegate Barracks was located at the end of Union Street and Castle Street, affording views over the harbour.
The Gordon Highlanders was a line infantry regiment of the British Army that existed for 113 years, from 1881 until 1994 when it was amalgamated with the Queen's Own Highlanders (Seaforth and Camerons) to form the Highlanders (Seaforth, Gordons and Cameron's.
Motto(s): Bydand
Battle honours: Relief of Ladysmith; Battle of Kandahar
March: Cock o' the North
Part of: Scottish Division
Garrison/HQ: Castlehill Barracks, Aberdeen (1881–1935); Gordon Barracks, Bridge of Don (1935–94)
Branch: British Army
Engagements: Mysore; Seringapatam; Peninsular War; South Africa 1899–1902
The regiment was formed on 1 July 1881 instigated under the Childers Reforms. The new two-battalion regiment was formed out of the 75th (Stirlingshire) Regiment of Foot - which became the 1st Battalion of the new regiment - and the 92nd (Gordon Highlanders) Regiment of Foot, which became the 2nd Battalion.
The 1st battalion fought at the Battle of Tel el-Kebirin September 1882 during the Anglo-Egyptian Warand then took part in the Nile Expedition in an attempt to relieve Major-General Charles Gordon during the Mahdist War.
The 1st Battalion then took part in the Chitral Expedition and then the Tirah Campaign: it was during operations on the North West Frontier in October 1897, during the storming of the Dargai Heights, that one of the regiment's most famous Victoria Crosses was earned. Piper George Findlater, despite being wounded in both legs, continued to play the bagpipes during the assault. Another of the heroes involved the charge of the Gordon Highlanders at Dargai Heights, was Piper John Kidd. Piper Kidd was with Piper Findlater when, half-way up the heights, both pipers were shot down. Unmindful of his injuries, Piper Kidd sat up and continued to play "The Cock o' the North" as the troops advanced up the heights.
The 2nd Battalion fought at the Battle of Elandslaagte in October 1899 and the Siege of Ladysmith in November 1899 during the Second Boer War
Meanwhile the 1st Battalion, who arrived a little later, saw action at the Battle of Magersfontein in December 1899 and was again in action at Doornkop, where they suffered severe losses, in May 1900.
First World War
British troops, believed to be the 2nd Battalion, The Gordon Highlanders (20th Brigade, British 7th Division) crossing no man's land near Mametz on 1 July 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme.
Regular Army
The 1st Battalion landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the 8th Brigade in the 3rd Division in August 1914 for service on the Western Front; they suffered heavy losses at the Battle of Le Cateau in August 1914.[7] The 2nd Battalion landed at Zeebrugge as part of the 20th Brigade in the 7th Division in October 1914 for service on the Western Front and then moved to Italy in November 1917.
Territorial Force
The 1/4th (City of Aberdeen) Battalion landed at Le Havre as part of the 8th Brigade in the 3rd Division in February 1915 for service on the Western Front
.The 1/5th (Buchan and Formartin) Battalion landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the 153rd Brigade in the 51st (Highland) Division in May 1915 for service on the Western Front. The 1/6th (Banff and Donside) Battalion landed at Le Havre as part of the 20th Brigade in the 7th Division for service on the Western Front.
The 1/7th (Deeside Highland) Battalion landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the 153rd Brigade in the 51st (Highland) Division in May 1915 for service on the Western Front.
New Armies
The 8th (Service) Battalion landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the 26th Brigade in the 9th (Scottish) Division in May 1915 for service on the Western Front.[7] The 9th (Service) Battalion and the 10th (Service) Battalion landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the 44th Brigade in the 15th (Scottish) Division in July 1915 for service on the Western Front.
The folk singer and Scottish Traveller Jimmy MacBeath served with the regiment during the war.
Second World War
British tanks supported by men of the 6th Battalion Gordon Highlanders in the Netherlands in November 1944
The 1st Battalion, Gordon Highlanders was a Regular Army battalion that served originally with the 2nd Infantry Brigade, part of the 1st Infantry Division, and was sent to France in September 1939, shortly after the declaration of war, as part of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF): it remained there until May 1940.
On 7 March 1940 the 1st Battalion exchanged with the Territorial 6th Battalion and transferred to the 153rd Infantry Brigade, part of the 51st (Highland) Division. The battalion served with the 51st Division during the Battle of France in 1940 when they were trapped and the majority of the division was forced to surrender at Saint-Valéry-en-Caux, with very few men escaping capture. The 1st Battalion was, however, reformed in the United Kingdom in August 1940 and went on to serve with the second formation of the 51st (Highland) Division (formed by redesignation of the 9th (Highland) Infantry Division throughout the rest of the Second World War, serving in North Africa at El Alamein, Tunisia, Sicily and North-western Europe, ending the war in Germany.
The 2nd Battalion was based in Malaya as part of the Singapore garrison and fought in the battle for Singapore in February 1942, surrendering along with 130,000 other British Commonwealth soldiers on 15 February. The men of this battalion suffered more casualties as Prisoners of War in Japanese captivity than they did during the fighting on Singapore Island and Malaya. The 2nd Battalion was reformed in May 1942 from personnel of the 11th Battalion and fought with the 15th (Lowland) Division, throughout North West Europe. They formed part of 227th (Highland) Brigade - the Junior brigade in the division. They were involved in the heavy fighting around Cheux and Tourville-sur-Odon in Normandy, the fight for the Netherlands and in the Battle of Uelzen in Germany near to the end of the war.
The 4th (City of Aberdeen) Battalion served as a Machine Gun Battalion in the Battle of France and was later converted to a Royal Artillery regiment on 1 November 1941, becoming the 92nd Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery, as part of the 9th Armoured Division, but saw no active service during the war.
The 5th Battalion went to France as part of the British Expeditionary Force: they were serving as part of the 153rd Brigade in the 51st Division during the Battle of France in 1940 when they were trapped and the majority of the division was forced to surrender at Saint-Valéry-en-Caux. The 5th Battalion was, however, reformed in the United Kingdom in August 1940 and went on to serve with the second formation of the 51st (Highland) Division (formed by redesignation of the 9th (Highland) Infantry Division throughout the rest of the Second World War, serving in North Africa and taking part in the Normandy landings.
The 6th (Banffshire) Battalion, a Territorial Army battalion, was transferred from the 153rd Brigade in the 51st (Highland) Division before it joined the 2nd Infantry Brigade of the 1st Infantry Division. It took part in the Dunkirk evacuation. The 6th Battalion fought through the Tunisian, North African and Italian campaigns, in both the Battle of Anzio and Operation Diadem, and later the Battle for the Gothic Line, before ending the war on garrison duty in Palestine.
The 7th (Mar and Mearns) Battalion amalgamated with the 5th Battalion, becoming the 5th/7th Battalion, Gordon Highlanders, and served with the second formation of the 51st (Highland) Division throughout the war.
The 8th (City of Aberdeen) Battalion was also converted to artillery, becoming the 100th Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery. This battalion served with the 2nd Infantry Division in the Burma Campaign.
The 9th (Donside) Battalion (originally part of the 9th (Highland) Infantry Division along with the 11th Battalion) were initially posted to the Shetland islands. Later they were amalgamated with the 5th Battalion and sent to India for training. Converted to an armoured regiment in 1942 as the 116th Regiment Royal Armoured Corps (Gordons), they continued to wear the Gordons cap badge on the black beret of the RAC.
116th RAC were sent to India and joined 267th Indian Armoured Brigade; later they served in Burma where as part of 255th Indian Tank Brigade they were involved in the dash for Rangoonand were heavily involved in the battle of Meiktila, signalling the end of Japanese hopes in Burma.
Post-War
After the war the Gordons saw active service in the Malayan Emergency, Cyprus, and Northern Ireland. The Regiment was amalgamated with The Queens' Own Highlanders (Seaforth and Camerons) on 17 September 1994 to form the Highlanders (Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons). In 1997, the Gordon Highlanders Museum opened, in the former regimental headquarters in Aberdeen.
Because I could use the VF-84 model as a template and could use most of the parts of the older model I took apart, this was a much quicker build. The differences are limited to the colour scheme, the armament and a few differences between the actual F-14A and F-14D.
Because at heart, I am a poser. This is what I do.
This is how I feel and I make no pretence nor excuse, for doing so.
Memorial Day History May 29- 2017
"I AM FREE
BECAUSE of the BRAVE"
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Qt57c7rnHM
REMEMBERING those who has died for MY FREEDOM
"SOY LIBRE"
"Debido al Valiente"
Recordando : a los que han muerto por !MI Libertad!
Para todos aquellos afortunados de estar disfrutando de un fin de semana de tres días, recuerde: Usted no se la gano!!!
Esta fiesta es cortesía de los hombres y mujeres que perdieron la vida mientras servía en el ejército de Estados Unidos.
Memorial Day se ha convertido en una institución Americana - ampliamente considerado como el comienzo del dia oficial del verano - que es fácil olvidar que ha sido un día de fiesta oficial Estado Unidenses, solamente desde 1971. Comenzó, extraoficialmente, como la decoración de Día, una primavera homenaje a las víctimas de la Guerra Civil. Por la Primera Guerra Mundial, se había convertido en un recuerdo de los difuntos de todas las guerras Estado Unidenses.
El número de Estado Unidenses que han muerto respondiendo a la llamada del deber de su país es asombroso: un estimado de 620.000 personas perdieron la vida en la Guerra Civil, cuando la población del país era una décima parte de lo que es hoy.
Algunos de nosotros se reunirán para los desfiles, ceremonias o rezos colectivos en este día. Muchos más participar en los rituales del Memorial Day que no tienen ninguna conexión real con los orígenes de la fiesta: comidas al aire libre, viajes por carretera, salidas de playa - saboreando las libertades que se lograron y conservan a un costo tan alto.
Todos dieron algo, algunos dieron todo
Todos debemos hacer una pausa para honrar su sacrificio.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rJXqij6UMUI I'AM FREE
BECAUSE of the BRAVE
REMEMBERING those who have died for MY FREEDOM
I AM FREE
Due to the Brave
Remembering: those who have died for MY Freedom
For all those fortunate to be enjoying a three-day weekend, remember: You do not earn it. This feast is courtesy of the men and women who lost their lives while serving in the United States Army.
Memorial Day has become an American institution - widely regarded as the unofficial summer kickoff of the summer - that it is easy to forget that it has been an official American holiday only since 1971. It began, unofficially, as the Day decoration, a Spring tribute to the victims of the Civil War. By World War I, it had become a memory of the deceased of all the American wars.
The number of Americans who have died responding to the call of duty in their country is staggering: an estimated 620,000 people lost their lives in the Civil War when the country's population was one-tenth of what it is today.
Some of us will gather for parades, ceremonies or collective prayers on this day. Many more participate in Memorial Day rituals that have no real connection to the origins of the party: outdoor meals, road trips, beach trips - savoring the freedoms that were achieved and kept at such a high cost.
We must all pause to honor their sacrifice.
From their website:
The Costa Nova Haystacks
Throughout the 19th century, fishermen from Ílhavo began to move to Costa Nova because the new shore line gave them easier access to sea than in São Jacinto. So, they began to build haystacks, storages and shelters for the seamen and the fishing boats of the Lagoon. The first haystacks were built with local materials and stood on top of stakes pitched on the dry sand of Costa Nova. The outside planks were horizontal and painted in bright red welcoming the sea with colour and energy. The interior space was wide and didn’t have any divisions as it was simply a storage house. As the years went by, some fishermen began to transform the haystacks and turned them into living spaces where several families would live during the summer.
I think for the vast majority of people, celebrity dolls have a novelty because of who they are based on. But for me, that was never the case--I was certainly not stereotypical fan girl when it came to the rich and famous. On the contrary, I was a doll person...and that was who I chose to dedicate my time and devotion to. Early on into my childhood, I did take notice of certain celebrity/entertainment based dolls. I ogled the Britney Spears's line when it first hit stores, and I admired the handful of Brandy dolls that also came out in the late 90s/2000s. The same could be said about Disney/animated dollies--I was eager to see what companies would come up with whenever a new movie hit stores. It confuses people sometimes, because they assume based on my vast doll collection that surely I must be a Disney super fan, or obsessed with Britney Spears or Mary-Kate and Ashley. And while there was some crossover here and there, for the most part my interest lay strictly with the dolls themselves, and I could care less about the famous person or movie they were based upon. People let you down, but dolls do not. This was no exception when it came to Mary-Kate and Ashley.
Obviously being a child of the 90s/early 2000s, I grew up with the Olsen twins. They were popular among kids at school, and I watched several movies whenever I was over a friend's house. I enjoyed the occasional film, and I found the twins to be pretty, but I never put much stock into it. Much in the same way it played out with Britney Spears, the Mary-Kate and Ashley dolls were what suddenly made me pay attention to the stars themselves. I recall the first few waves of Mary-Kate and Ashley dollies. The "1st Edition," Movie Magic, and Travel in Style gals are the ones that I most clearly remember seeing in stores. My initial thoughts were that the dolls were homely. They had super squished eyes and wide, "creepy" grins. I didn't see much of a resemblance between the dolls and the real life Olsen twins, and I was only mildly intrigued by the dolls' awesome accessories/clothes. Dad used to love making fun of these sets whenever we saw them at stores like Toys 'R' Us (I recall they were renamed "Hairy Kate and Trashley"). At eleven years old, this all changed. Mom passed away in 2002, and Dad's way of handling the situation was to take Colleen and me out on weekend shopping excursions. Friday nights revolved around going to a store like KB Toys (or occasionally Toys 'R' Us or Target), buying a doll, and getting pizza after at Papa Gino's. KB was easily my favorite store at the time--they always had great bargains, which meant I often times was allowed to get more than one thing. Colleen took a shine to KB Toys because of the out of date stock they always had--especially since she liked collecting slightly more obscure things like Skipper. So Dad tended to take us there most often, since it satisfied us the most. The fall of 2002, we spent a fair amount of time perusing different local KB stores. The one at the mall is the one I first recall seeing Winning London Mary-Kate and Ashley in. They were in the Barbie aisle, but on the opposite side of the wall, near the "clone" and random dolls. Right away, Ashley's beautiful ringlets caught my eye. I additionally took in the fact that these dolls came with two outfits, and what felt like a ton of accessories. The styling of the dolls' wardrobes felt modern and casual, something that was often lacking when it came to my Barbies (who were always dressed from head to toe in girly pink attire). With each passing trip to this KB Toys, I felt my fascination for these twins grow and deepen. It wasn't long before I was dead set on getting a pack one day.
The first Christmas without Mom, although the most difficult one of my life, was also the most memorable. That year, Dad was on his own when it came to picking out our gifts. That was Mom's specialty--she always knew how to surprise us with the perfect things. Whether it was something for our American Girls, or a random celebrity doll, like my "Oops...I Did It Again!" Britney Spears, she always managed to hit the nail on the head. Dad was not so sure of himself, and therefore he asked us to write specific lists of what it was we wanted, and where the stuff could be found. He recruited me to help with Colleen's gifts, and Colleen to assist him with mine. Mary-Kate and Ashley of course made the list that year--and I was very specific about wanting the Winning London dolls. Dad went out and did a wave of shopping, and then set up all the toys in his room on the bed, and had us each go in and make sure he had gotten the right stuff. Of course Colleen and I relayed information back to one another (although we weren't supposed to). Colleen's primary concern was whether or not Pajama Fun Skipper made the cut, and for me, I was eager to know whether or not Dad found Winning London Mary-Kate and Ashley. We were both relieved to confirm that the main things we wanted would be under the tree that Christmas. So we spent the next few weeks planning what we would do with our new goodies when they arrived that holiday.
I set aside a car, Vespas, accessories, and clothes for Mary-Kate and Ashley. I worked out how they would fit into our story lines. With each passing day, the pile of miscellaneous junk I set aside grew, as did my anticipation for the dolls to arrive. When Christmas day finally did roll around that year, I remember I gunned first and foremost for Mary-Kate and Ashley. I recognized the large rectangular box, that was propped up beside the trapezoidal Bratz packages. Needless to say, Dad was frustrated that Colleen and I knew what each wrapped box was ahead of time (but what did he expect--he asked specifically what we wanted, and obviously we knew what their packaging looked like). By the end of the morning, there were piles of wrapping paper, discarded doll boxes, and those little wire ties and elastics all over the living room carpet. Colleen and I each had a hefty load of new dolls to play with, including Barbie, Bratz, American Girl, and random stuff. The clincher to all of this was that we were supposed to go over my uncle's house that year for dinner. In years passed, Mom and Dad always hosted the Christmas get together. We managed to find ourselves in trouble nearly every prior Christmas, because we'd blow off the guests to sneak off and play with our new toys. This plan was foiled, as we would be forced to leave the comfort of our own home, and we wouldn't have access to all our new and old doll stuff. We loaded ourselves up into Dad's truck, with the broken back window covered in cardboard, and headed off to Uncle David's. The back seat of "Picky," the 1999 Chevy Silverado, was packed with several American Girl dolls, some old favorite fashion dolls, and of course the newest members of our family.
We spent that evening in the living room at Uncle David's house, spread out with all the new goods. I remember that same night, Mary-Kate and Ashley already began to fall apart. Ashley's sunglasses broke and the tie from her spare shirt fell off. Mary-Kate's coat also ripped from me simply removing it. It turned out that while the dolls looked exquisite and expensive in packaging, they were actually pretty cheaply made. I was also horrified to discover that Ashley's ringlets only covered the top of her scalp. The rest was super short hair that touched the top of her shoulders and was pin straight, with scraggly bits hanging down. But despite their flaws, I couldn't be happier, although I was quick to take note that the Xpress It! Bratz I also acquired at the same time were much more durable.
Mary-Kate and Ashley became a staple in my dolly world from that day on. They lived up to my expectations, regardless of their somewhat shoddy craftsmanship. I enjoyed them ever so much, that I even bought a few more dolls as the months passed. I found a secondhand set of Travel in Style Mary-Kate and Ashley at an indoor flea market, complete with most of their fixings. I additionally purchased Curl & Style Ashley at Wal-Mart not long later. Since I already had several fashion packs that Colleen picked out for Christmas, I had lots to play with that was specialized for Mary-Kate and Ashley. It became routine for me to scope out their section in the doll aisle at stores, and it wasn't that unusual for me to come home with something or someone from the Olsen twins doll line.
I made too many memories to recount in this one post. A few of my most notable experiences revolved around my Fashion Pajamas Ashley. It was not long later, on Colleen's 16th birthday. We had a little birthday dinner planned at our fake aunt and uncle's house (Mom's best friends), and on the way there, we stopped in as usual at "weird Wal-Mart." This Wal-Mart had a red logo instead of the traditional blue, and Colleen and I felt that it carried more "exotic" toys. Although it was Colleen's birthday, the only thing she wanted was an inexpensive Kid Kore Katie. Dad also offered to get me something, and I ended up with not only Fashion Pajamas Ashley, but also the Let's Get Stylin'! Dressing Room. Unfortunately I wasn't even able to enjoy the new toys, because I got extremely sick that afternoon, and spent the next few hours on Auntie Kim and Uncle Ray's couch. Colleen felt really sympathetic towards me--she knew I must be feeling super crappy because normally I'd be more interested in the new doll stuff. I had not even so much as attempted to open it. What I most remember about that day was how every so often, Colleen would leave the dinner table and sit down on the floor by the couch, asking me if I wanted her to open my new Ashley doll or Dressing Room playset, hoping it would make me feel better. After I recovered from whatever weird bug I had, I made up for the lost time and got hours of play/use from the Fashion Pajamas Ashley doll and the playset. Ashley's legacy didn't die there though--instead she lived on to at one point be my favorite Olsen twins doll. What makes her so special to me is actually the fact that she was one of the last dollies I enjoyed playing with before a five year hiatus. I renamed her Riley, after the Winning London character, and used her sans a Mary-Kate doll. My scenarios with her were a bit on the darker side, as I was by then a fourteen/fifteen year old, and I wanted to experiment with more "mature" content. But it was still loads of fun, and I always think fondly back to those last few months Colleen and I spent playing dolls together. We were always set up in my old bedroom in the basement, on the multicolored blue carpet, oftentimes using the Bath & Bubbles House. Colleen took a shine to my Fun Treats Barbie and Kelly set, and I was always toting around Fashion Pajamas Riley.
Even when I stopped officially playing with and buying dolls, Mary-Kate and Ashley held onto their legacy for several years. It was an easy excuse to stay connected to my childhood passion. Since they were celebrities, I felt it was "socially acceptable" to buy their calendar, clothing, makeup, and the occasional magazine which featured photographs of them. I also continued to build my movie collection, and Colleen and I often popped one in the VCR when we were bored. Much like how Hello Kitty connected me to that last clothing shopping trip at Target with Mom, Mary-Kate and Ashley were the last line I felt tying me to my childhood. By having some of their merchandise, I had not entirely let go of my true identity. Besides my American Girl Marisol, I want to say that the last dolls I ever bought as a kid were my Scents of Style Ashley and Graduation Celebrations Mary-Kate/Ashley dolls. I found them at a huge, local indoor flea market for super cheap, still sealed in their packaging. I additionally discovered two moldy Fashion Pajamas Mary-Kate and Ashley dollies at the same flea market in a box beneath a table with action figures. Even though I already had an Ashley, aka Riley, I couldn't leave Mary-Kate's sister to be devoured by mold. It's bittersweet when I reflect on these times--even though I know in hind sight that I'd later find my way back into the hobby, it does make my heart break for the self loathing teenage version of myself, knowing how much I struggled with that inner turmoil of giving up dolls because I felt I "had to."
Years later, there are still remains of my long since faded Mary-Kate and Ashley obsession floating around the house. I never got rid of the tags that came with their Wal-Mart clothes, or that 2005 calendar that once hung in my doorway. All my childhood gals and what survived of their low quality clothes/accessories still exist. There are also many new faces that weren't around before, who I've come to know and love just the same. Like for instance my shabby New York Minute set I found in 2013 at the local flea market for just $1 each. I couldn't leave the pitiful pair behind, because I remember how tormented I was about wanting the set when it was brand new, but talking myself out of buying them because I was "too mature." There was that glorious day that I found a $5 brand new pack of the Travel in Style dolls too! I finally got around to purchasing the Real Fashion For Real Girls dolls, who were dressed in clothes very similar to those worn by the twins in Winning London. I even turned to eBay to make this a reality. And who could forget my beloved Spa Day Mary-Kate--the one Dad said was super ugly, who he bought me that last birthday he was alive, when I turned 20. I look at my childhood and adulthood dolls, and they all feel much the same. Some have always been more Colleen's than mine--like my first flea market rescue Movie Magic Ashley and my "1st Edition," formerly boxed Ashley. There was once a time when Colleen played with them instead of her favorite 1987 Skipper dolls. Whenever I think of them, my thoughts can't help but turn to Colleen, and remember how much she loved them (and using their stuff on her Skippers).
For me, it's not as simple as saying that I was obsessed with the real life Mary-Kate and Ashley. It was their doll line that carried the legacy, and left a lasting impact on my life. And while I admit that sometimes I still read the occasional article about the girls to satisfy my inner fifteen year old's curiosity, it never feels the same as it did when there dolls were actively available. I mostly watch the movies now just to admire how accurate the dolls' outfit are (and to pine for the ones I still don't have in my collection). Even though I'm not obsessed to the point I once was as an early teen, I can still say that my Mary-Kate and Ashley collection brings me joy (and I still love my dolls just as much, if not more). In 2018 when we were having very costly issues with our well pump, it was watching their cheesy, low budget films that was the only thing that put a smile on our faces, and got me through all the stress. I've accepted that Mary-Kate and Ashley dolls are a thing of the past, and won't ever grace store shelves again, but that will never take away what they mean to me, or re-write the memories Colleen and I made with them.
Because I love brown. PLEASE view large! Click picture :)
Taken in Loin des Equilibres, Pasquale. Fantastic sim, and thousands of possible captures.
Had to pump up the ISO, because of poor light, but there was no doubting the excitement and drama, as Black Five 45407 thundered through our little station on a Liverpool to York Yuletide Special
Explored Dec 14th 2008 #90
The Last Express
Where did those years go, I often sigh
Since the last express cloaked in steam roared by
The smoke and stuttering noise of steam
Evokes a never ending dream
All now gone except a few remain
In preservation their only domain
Lime Street station still there proud
Quieter now, no smoking allowed
The turntable at the top of platform nine
A faded memory of days so fine
Where engines would turn for the journey home
And young boys collecting their numbers roam
The driver and fireman on the footplate await
The signal, the sign, we must not be late
Years of experience a formidable team
Shrouded now in a cloud of steam
The signal changes the whistle blows
The coal in the firebox brightly glows
The graceful movement as she pulls away
A green light showing the right of way
The passengers now in their seats sit back
Awaiting the sound of the clickity clack
They are off on their hols, away from their mates
Away from the boss and the factory gates
The seaside beckons, the excitement grows
To paddle in the sea with their lily white toes
And then suddenly, I realise
I awake from my dream and rub my eyes
I can never go back to those long gone days
Never to return to my youthful ways
When steam locomotives were my only passion
Numbers and names spoken parrot fashion
Youth and expectation were taken as read
Alas, long gone, that era is dead
A Stoddern
...because they are part of the night.
This scene is beside the ruins of Bishop Herbert de Losinga's Chapel.
Because this refuge lets you drive and park on the road that passes through the many seeded grain fields, the birds are often really close as they approach or leave these feeding sites. The photo ops of flying birds are practically continuous, and the birds offer many different flight perspectives in different lighting conditions. This flight action lasts the entire winter because the fields are progressively flattened to offer the smaller birds better access, and the birds have supplemental food (usually corn) available to them for the entire feeding season.
IMG_3082; Sandhill Crane
Another tribute to Milton, the poor mumbling and maligned outsider from the movie Office Space.
--
Purchase this image and learn more about it at the source.
Source: photos.jdhancock.com/photo/2012-08-20-080617-because-if-t...
On a recent camping trip up to Mt. Rainier with my son Owen I took a zigging detour to the left on our way back to Portland. Having driven Hwy 12 between I-5 and Mt. Rainier more times than I can count I have seen the signs marking the turnoff to Mt. St. Helens and often wondered what that drive is like. I have not visited St. Helens nearly enough (several trips to the Ape Caves, two ascents, a midnight exploration of Johnson Ridge included). So I let Owen know we were going on a bit of a detour. I guess "bit" was an understatement. It was a pretty long, windy route but a nicely forested one. I had as our goal Windy Ridge. He had never been up there and it had been well over 15 years for me since my last visit. Even four and a half decades after its eruption it is amazing to see how devastated the landscape still looks. You can see the giant scar across the valley where the mountain slid down and Spirit Lake still has its mat of logs atop its waters. Owen and I climbed the steps to the top, to pass the time I challenged him to count each step. Our initial count gave us a number of 430 which a passing ranger updated to 434 for us. Even with the sun blasting down, or maybe because of it, the feeling of the place was still awe-inspiring and a bit haunting.
This image was made with a Lomo LC-A 120 camera that I have been testing. There are things I am loving about this camera and things that I am incredibly frustrated with it, but those are for another day.
Lomo LC-A 120 / Kodak Tri-X
...because I didn't want her falling out of that tree! haha...the wind sucked all the color from our air! :D Will take more shots...the light isn't really reaching her crown here!
Thanks to Chiky of Neuart! These crowns are genius! Thank you SOOOO much, Chiky, for our crown and this gorgeous dress! Big hugs from me and La Mer!