View allAll Photos Tagged commitment,
Beautiful flowers at Reford Gardens.
CYCLOPS, 2016
Craig Chapple
Phoenix, Arizona, USA.
From the plaque:
Formerly trained as an architect at Yale University but with a deep commitment to creating art, Craig Chapple has pursued both architecture and the visual arts simultaneously throughout his career. Craig’s work is born from the synergy of these two disciplines, producing work that focuses on the overlap of the line, pattern, texture and process. He works in analog and digital practices in drawing, painting and sculpture.
Cyclops is a singular object on the landscape as well as a singular frame of the landscape. Made up of 25508-meter long tapering planks held in the shape of an inverted cone around a central opening for the user to occupy . These planks are fastened to each other at the innermost diameter and held upright by a 150 mm steal ring beam at the outer diameter.
At first approach, Cyclops is an object on the landscape, seen as a clear , platonic form. Through its transparency and porosity, however, it is an object one that is also dynamic and changing, blending with the environment.
By entering the central 1.5 m opening at the bottom of the cone, the user enters into a different relationship with the object and the landscape. By experiencing it from the inside-out, the object acts to frame the surrounding landscape and sky for the viewer in this same dynamic , temporal way by blending the man-made, platonic clarity of the frame with the organic and natural.
The viewer plays the central role of the work in rediscovering the relationship between the object, the frame and the natural landscape.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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From Wikipedia:
Elsie Stephen Meighen - born January 22, 1872, Perth, Ontario - and Robert Wilson Reford - born in 1867, Montreal - got married on June 12, 1894.
Elsie Reford was a pioneer of Canadian horticulture, creating one of the largest private gardens in Canada on her estate, Estevan Lodge in eastern Québec. Located in Grand-Métis on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River, her gardens have been open to the public since 1962 and operate under the name Les Jardins de Métis and Reford Gardens.
Born January 22, 1872 at Perth, Ontario, Elsie Reford was the eldest of three children born to Robert Meighen and Elsie Stephen. Coming from modest backgrounds themselves, Elsie’s parents ensured that their children received a good education. After being educated in Montreal, she was sent to finishing school in Dresden and Paris, returning to Montreal fluent in both German and French, and ready to take her place in society.
She married Robert Wilson Reford on June 12, 1894. She gave birth to two sons, Bruce in 1895 and Eric in 1900. Robert and Elsie Reford were, by many accounts, an ideal couple. In 1902, they built a house on Drummond Street in Montreal. They both loved the outdoors and they spend several weeks a year in a log cabin they built at Lac Caribou, south of Rimouski. In the autumn they hunted for caribou, deer, and ducks. They returned in winter to ski and snowshoe. Elsie Reford also liked to ride. She had learned as a girl and spent many hours riding on the slopes of Mount Royal. And of course, there was salmon-fishing – a sport at which she excelled.
In her day, she was known for her civic, social, and political activism. She was engaged in philanthropic activities, particularly for the Montreal Maternity Hospital and she was also the moving force behind the creation of the Women’s Canadian Club of Montreal, the first women club in Canada. She believed it important that the women become involved in debates over the great issues of the day, « something beyond the local gossip of the hour ». Her acquaintance with Lord Grey, the Governor-General of Canada from 1904 to 1911, led to her involvement in organizing, in 1908, Québec City’s tercentennial celebrations. The event was one of many to which she devoted herself in building bridges with French-Canadian community.
During the First World War, she joined her two sons in England and did volunteer work at the War Office, translating documents from German into English. After the war, she was active in the Victorian Order of Nurses, the Montreal Council of Social Agencies, and the National Association of Conservative Women.
In 1925 at the age of 53 years, Elsie Reford was operated for appendicitis and during her convalescence, her doctor counselled against fishing, fearing that she did not have the strength to return to the river.”Why not take up gardening?” he said, thinking this a more suitable pastime for a convalescent woman of a certain age. That is why she began laying out the gardens and supervising their construction. The gardens would take ten years to build, and would extend over more than twenty acres.
Elsie Reford had to overcome many difficulties in bringing her garden to life. First among them were the allergies that sometimes left her bedridden for days on end. The second obstacle was the property itself. Estevan was first and foremost a fishing lodge. The site was chosen because of its proximity to a salmon river and its dramatic views – not for the quality of the soil.
To counter-act nature’s deficiencies, she created soil for each of the plants she had selected, bringing peat and sand from nearby farms. This exchange was fortuitous to the local farmers, suffering through the Great Depression. Then, as now, the gardens provided much-needed work to an area with high unemployment. Elsie Reford’s genius as a gardener was born of the knowledge she developed of the needs of plants. Over the course of her long life, she became an expert plantsman. By the end of her life, Elsie Reford was able to counsel other gardeners, writing in the journals of the Royal Horticultural Society and the North American Lily Society. Elsie Reford was not a landscape architect and had no training of any kind as a garden designer. While she collected and appreciated art, she claimed no talents as an artist.
Elsie Stephen Reford died at her Drummond Street home on November 8, 1967 in her ninety-sixth year.
In 1995, the Reford Gardens ("Jardins de Métis") in Grand-Métis were designated a National Historic Site of Canada, as being an excellent Canadian example of the English-inspired garden.(Wikipedia)
Visit : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elsie_Reford
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Visit : www.refordgardens.com/
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LES JARDINS DE MÉTIS
Créés par Elsie Reford de 1926 à 1958, ces jardins témoignent de façon remarquable de l’art paysager à l’anglaise. Disposés dans un cadre naturel, un ensemble de jardins exhibent fleurs vivaces, arbres et arbustes. Le jardin des pommetiers, les rocailles et l’Allée royale évoquent l’œuvre de cette dame passionnée d’horticulture. Agrémenté d’un ruisseau et de sentiers sinueux, ce site jouit d’un microclimat favorable à la croissance d’espèces uniques au Canada. Les pavots bleus et les lis, privilégiés par Mme Reford, y fleurissent toujours et contribuent , avec d’autres plantes exotiques et indigènes, à l’harmonie de ces lieux.
Created by Elsie Reford between 1926 and 1958, these gardens are an inspired example of the English art of the garden. Woven into a natural setting, a series of gardens display perennials, trees and shrubs. A crab-apple orchard, a rock garden, and the Long Walk are also the legacy of this dedicated horticulturist. A microclimate favours the growth of species found nowhere else in Canada, while the stream and winding paths add to the charm. Elsie Reford’s beloved blue poppies and lilies still bloom and contribute, with other exotic and indigenous plants, to the harmony of the site.
Commission des lieux et monuments historiques du Canada
Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada.
Gouvernement du Canada – Government of Canada
© Copyright
This photo and all those in my Photostream are protected by copyright. No one may reproduce, copy, transmit or manipulate them without my written permission.
Olympus OM10/ 50mm f1.8
Fujifilm Superia 200
Evening hangout at Nasi Kandar Haji Ali. The taste of the rice with friend chicken poured with varieties of spicy kuah(soup) just made my evening. Nyum!
Sem o erótico somos como a 🌍 Terra sem ☀️ Sol ou mesmo sem a 🌙 Lua.
Without the erotic we are like the 🌍 Earth without the ☀️ Sun or even without the 🌙 Moon.
Will we be able to love without commitment?
I think it's possible, but only in black and white...
Seremos capazes de amar sem compromissos?
Acho possível, mas apenas a preto e branco...
REFORD GARDENS | LES JARDINS DE METIS
Beautiful flowers at Reford Gardens.
Visit : www.refordgardens.com/
FROM THE PLAQUE:
CYCLOPS, 2016
Craig Chapple
Phoenix, Arizona, USA.
Formerly trained as an architect at Yale University but with a deep commitment to creating art, Craig Chapple has pursued both architecture and the visual arts simultaneously throughout his career. Craig’s work is born from the synergy of these two disciplines, producing work that focuses on the overlap of the line, pattern, texture and process. He works in analog and digital practices in drawing, painting and sculpture.
Cyclops is a singular object on the landscape as well as a singular frame of the landscape. Made up of 255 8-meter long tapering planks held in the shape of an inverted cone around a central opening for the user to occupy . These planks are fastened to each other at the innermost diameter and held upright by a 150 mm steal ring beam at the outer diameter.
At first approach, Cyclops is an object on the landscape, seen as a clear , platonic form. Through its transparency and porosity, however, it is an object one that is also dynamic and changing, blending with the environment.
By entering the central 1.5 m opening at the bottom of the cone, the user enters into a different relationship with the object and the landscape. By experiencing it from the inside-out, the object acts to frame the surrounding landscape and sky for the viewer in this same dynamic , temporal way by blending the man-made, platonic clarity of the frame with the organic and natural.
The viewer plays the central role of the work in rediscovering the relationship between the object, the frame and the natural landscape.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Visit : www.refordgardens.com/
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From Wikipedia:
Elsie Stephen Meighen - born January 22, 1872, Perth, Ontario - and Robert Wilson Reford - born in 1867, Montreal - got married on June 12, 1894.
Elsie Reford was a pioneer of Canadian horticulture, creating one of the largest private gardens in Canada on her estate, Estevan Lodge in eastern Québec. Located in Grand-Métis on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River, her gardens have been open to the public since 1962 and operate under the name Les Jardins de Métis and Reford Gardens.
Born January 22, 1872 at Perth, Ontario, Elsie Reford was the eldest of three children born to Robert Meighen and Elsie Stephen. Coming from modest backgrounds themselves, Elsie’s parents ensured that their children received a good education. After being educated in Montreal, she was sent to finishing school in Dresden and Paris, returning to Montreal fluent in both German and French, and ready to take her place in society.
She married Robert Wilson Reford on June 12, 1894. She gave birth to two sons, Bruce in 1895 and Eric in 1900. Robert and Elsie Reford were, by many accounts, an ideal couple. In 1902, they built a house on Drummond Street in Montreal. They both loved the outdoors and they spend several weeks a year in a log cabin they built at Lac Caribou, south of Rimouski. In the autumn they hunted for caribou, deer, and ducks. They returned in winter to ski and snowshoe. Elsie Reford also liked to ride. She had learned as a girl and spent many hours riding on the slopes of Mount Royal. And of course, there was salmon-fishing – a sport at which she excelled.
In her day, she was known for her civic, social, and political activism. She was engaged in philanthropic activities, particularly for the Montreal Maternity Hospital and she was also the moving force behind the creation of the Women’s Canadian Club of Montreal, the first women club in Canada. She believed it important that the women become involved in debates over the great issues of the day, « something beyond the local gossip of the hour ». Her acquaintance with Lord Grey, the Governor-General of Canada from 1904 to 1911, led to her involvement in organizing, in 1908, Québec City’s tercentennial celebrations. The event was one of many to which she devoted herself in building bridges with French-Canadian community.
During the First World War, she joined her two sons in England and did volunteer work at the War Office, translating documents from German into English. After the war, she was active in the Victorian Order of Nurses, the Montreal Council of Social Agencies, and the National Association of Conservative Women.
In 1925 at the age of 53 years, Elsie Reford was operated for appendicitis and during her convalescence, her doctor counselled against fishing, fearing that she did not have the strength to return to the river.”Why not take up gardening?” he said, thinking this a more suitable pastime for a convalescent woman of a certain age. That is why she began laying out the gardens and supervising their construction. The gardens would take ten years to build, and would extend over more than twenty acres.
Elsie Reford had to overcome many difficulties in bringing her garden to life. First among them were the allergies that sometimes left her bedridden for days on end. The second obstacle was the property itself. Estevan was first and foremost a fishing lodge. The site was chosen because of its proximity to a salmon river and its dramatic views – not for the quality of the soil.
To counter-act nature’s deficiencies, she created soil for each of the plants she had selected, bringing peat and sand from nearby farms. This exchange was fortuitous to the local farmers, suffering through the Great Depression. Then, as now, the gardens provided much-needed work to an area with high unemployment. Elsie Reford’s genius as a gardener was born of the knowledge she developed of the needs of plants. Over the course of her long life, she became an expert plantsman. By the end of her life, Elsie Reford was able to counsel other gardeners, writing in the journals of the Royal Horticultural Society and the North American Lily Society. Elsie Reford was not a landscape architect and had no training of any kind as a garden designer. While she collected and appreciated art, she claimed no talents as an artist.
Elsie Stephen Reford died at her Drummond Street home on November 8, 1967 in her ninety-sixth year.
In 1995, the Reford Gardens ("Jardins de Métis") in Grand-Métis were designated a National Historic Site of Canada, as being an excellent Canadian example of the English-inspired garden.(Wikipedia)
Visit : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elsie_Reford
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LES JARDINS DE MÉTIS
Créés par Elsie Reford de 1926 à 1958, ces jardins témoignent de façon remarquable de l’art paysager à l’anglaise. Disposés dans un cadre naturel, un ensemble de jardins exhibent fleurs vivaces, arbres et arbustes. Le jardin des pommetiers, les rocailles et l’Allée royale évoquent l’œuvre de cette dame passionnée d’horticulture. Agrémenté d’un ruisseau et de sentiers sinueux, ce site jouit d’un microclimat favorable à la croissance d’espèces uniques au Canada. Les pavots bleus et les lis, privilégiés par Mme Reford, y fleurissent toujours et contribuent , avec d’autres plantes exotiques et indigènes, à l’harmonie de ces lieux.
Created by Elsie Reford between 1926 and 1958, these gardens are an inspired example of the English art of the garden. Woven into a natural setting, a series of gardens display perennials, trees and shrubs. A crab-apple orchard, a rock garden, and the Long Walk are also the legacy of this dedicated horticulturist. A microclimate favours the growth of species found nowhere else in Canada, while the stream and winding paths add to the charm. Elsie Reford’s beloved blue poppies and lilies still bloom and contribute, with other exotic and indigenous plants, to the harmony of the site.
Commission des lieux et monuments historiques du Canada
Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada.
Gouvernement du Canada – Government of Canada
© Copyright
This photo and all those in my Photostream are protected by copyright. No one may reproduce, copy, transmit or manipulate them without my written permission.
Moros d’Alqueria es una institución plenamente enraizada en la sociedad castellonense. Ha sido ese compromiso el que les ha llevado a poner en marcha distintas iniciativas en beneficio de la ciudad. Buena prueba de ello son los premios Moros d’Alqueria que desde el año 2010 reconocen y ofrecen a jóvenes estudiantes de Música y Gastronomía de Castellón, la posibilidad de formarse al más alto nivel.
Moros d'Alqueria is an institution deeply rooted in Castellón society. This commitment has led them to launch various initiatives to benefit the city. Proof of this is the Moros d'Alqueria Awards, which since 2010 have recognized and offered young music and gastronomy students from Castellón the opportunity to pursue high-level training.
Festes de La Magdalena 2025
Castelló de La Plana (Comunitat Valenciana/ Spain)
Digital image taken with a Lumix GX7 fronted with an Olympus M. Zuiko 25mm f/1.8 lens
Editing done via Photoshop Elements 12 with Topaz Labs plug ins
Found and admired during the All Corvette Car Show at Calvary Church in St. Peters, Missouri, USA
GET YOUR KNEE OFF OUR NECKS Commitment March Rally at Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool North Pathway, NW, Washington DC on Friday morning, 28 August 2020 by Elvert Barnes Photography
Visit Commitment March website at nationalactionnetwork.net/commitment-march-on-washington-dc/
Elvert Barnes 57th Anniversary of 1963 March on Washington COMMITMENT MARCH docu-project at elvertbarnes.com/57MOW2020
Dahlia photographed at the Butchart Gardens in Victoria, British Columbia -- a truly remarkable place to visit. I could have easily spent a whole day meandering the gardens and photographing, but alas, we were on a tight schedule and I could only spent a couple hours there. I hope to be able to return, someday, to this slice of heaven.
If you like this one, you may also like my Lily Pond Photo from the Butchart Gardens. Thanks for visiting my stream!
From the Butchart Gardens web site: "Fifty-five acres of wonderful floral display are open to the public, offering spectacular views from the many paths that meander through the four main gardens. In 1904, Jennie Butchart began to beautify a worked-out quarry site left behind from her husband's pioneering efforts in the manufacture of portland cement. The family's commitment to horticulture and hospitality spans 100 years, and continues to delight visitors from all over the world. From the exquisite Sunken Garden to the charming Rose Garden, the gracious traditions of the past are still maintained in one of the loveliest corners in the world."
“There are only two options regarding commitment. You’re either in or out. There is no such thing as life in-between.”
- Pat Riley
A shot taken too early for SSC of the Shell Bridge , I am standing on the public footpath from Leatherhead town starting at Bridge Street bridge and the path goes to the Thorncroft Bridge . The Shell Bridge is linking two islands in the River Mole which are private hence there is no access to the Grade 11 listed Shell Bridge . The flats seen in the distance are built where Sir Donald Campbell lived as did Bluebird for some time , ( I do remember seeing it through the garage windows many years ago ) .
DORKING & LEATHERHEAD ADVERTISER MAY 30 2014
AN ISLAND in the River Mole at Leatherhead has been named in honour of one of the town's best-known former residents, the former speed record holder Donald Campbell.
Mr Campbell's daughter Gina performed the naming ceremony beside the Shell Bridge, off Gimcrack Hill, in Saturday morning's sunshine.
John Holton, of The Priory Coach House – the new owner of the island – wanted to name it Bluebird Island in memory of the former world land and water speed record holder who at the time of his death lived at Priors Ford, also in Gimcrack Hill.
Mr Campbell was killed while attempting a new world record on Coniston Water, Cumbria, in 1967. His world-famous speedboat, Bluebird, flipped over and he perished in the water.
Gina, who now lives in Leeds, travelled to Leatherhead to visit friends and crack open a bottle of champagne at the ceremony.
She continued to live at Priors Ford with Campbell's widow, Tonia Bern-Campbell, for several years after his death.
Mr Holton was unable to attend Saturday's ceremony due to prior commitments but his son, Simon, took his place.
He said: "It's really nice because now the island has a name with an historic link. It's been an honour to meet Gina."
Gina's former partner Michael Standring, with whom she is still friends, took her in a boat to the island accompanied by Simon Holton and Marion Davies, of Byron Place, Leatherhead.
After beating a path through waist-high nettles, the party arrived at the Shell Bridge for a photo session. The party then returned to The Priory Coach House for champagne, with Gina nursing one or two nettle stings.
She pointed to the lawn at Campbell Court – the apartments that now stand on the site of her old home – and said she remembered there being a swimming pool where the grass now grows.
"I also remember there used to be a large pike in the river here," she added. "It used to look at you like a dragon."
Until the great floods of September 1968 there was a bridge from The Priory Coach House to the island, but it was destroyed by the immense torrents.
Gina said: "My father stopped us using the bridges because they were in a state of disrepair and he was worried so we were not allowed to cross them."
Gina, who was born in Warren Drive, Kingswood, in September 1946, said she was "thrilled" the island was to be named in honour of her father.
Father of two John Holton moved to the property above the River Mole in 1981 with his wife, Anne.
Three years ago he was approached by estate agent Patrick Gardner with a view to him buying the island from the Leatherhead Trust, which was being wound down.
"When we moved here, the garden was all a jungle and we couldn't even see the river," he said. "So we had little to do with the river, the Shell Bridge and the islands in the Mole.
"About two-and-a-half years ago we were approached by Patrick Gardner who was on the committee of the Leatherhead Trust.
"The Trust had been given one of the islands – and half of the Shell Bridge – as a nature reserve in 1989 by the builders, Octagon, who constructed Campbell Court on the site of Priors Ford in 1989."
The island can now only be reached by boat; the Shell Bridge links two of the islands in the Mole.
Mr Holton said: "The island is un-named, so I wanted to call it Bluebird Island, especially as this year is the 50th anniversary of Donald Campbell holding the world water and land speed records in the same year. This feat is unlikely to be repeated.
"There is no memorial to Donald Campbell anywhere in Surrey so I think it is fitting."
The Lower Mole Conservation Group has been involved in helping to maintain the nature reserve island, which Mr Holton was given at no charge "since it is a liability, rather than an asset".
So there we are , some more info on this little structure and something new learnt for myself as well .
All this talk of Islands - only one choice for Sight and Sound
Entrance Walk to GET YOUR KNEE OFF OUR NECKS Commitment March Rally at Constitution Gardens along Lincoln Memorial North Elm Walkway, NW, Washington DC on Friday morning, 28 August 2020 by Elvert Barnes Photography
Visit Commitment March website at nationalactionnetwork.net/commitment-march-on-washington-dc/
Elvert Barnes 57th Anniversary of 1963 March on Washington COMMITMENT MARCH docu-project at elvertbarnes.com/57MOW2020
This is inside a very old church in Fremont , Mission San Jose Church. I really love the flow of bokeh on the left ( the alter)
***HBW***
REFORD GARDENS | LES JARDINS DE METIS
Beautiful flowers at Reford Gardens.
Visit: www.refordgardens.com/
FROM THE PLAQUE:
CYCLOPS, 2016
Craig Chapple
Phoenix, Arizona, USA.
Formerly trained as an architect at Yale University but with a deep commitment to creating art, Craig Chapple has pursued both architecture and the visual arts simultaneously throughout his career. Craig’s work is born from the synergy of these two disciplines, producing work that focuses on the overlap of the line, pattern, texture and process. He works in analog and digital practices in drawing, painting and sculpture.
Cyclops is a singular object on the landscape as well as a singular frame of the landscape. Made up of 255 8-meter long tapering planks held in the shape of an inverted cone around a central opening for the user to occupy . These planks are fastened to each other at the innermost diameter and held upright by a 150 mm steal ring beam at the outer diameter.
At first approach, Cyclops is an object on the landscape, seen as a clear , platonic form. Through its transparency and porosity, however, it is an object one that is also dynamic and changing, blending with the environment.
By entering the central 1.5 m opening at the bottom of the cone, the user enters into a different relationship with the object and the landscape. By experiencing it from the inside-out, the object acts to frame the surrounding landscape and sky for the viewer in this same dynamic , temporal way by blending the man-made, platonic clarity of the frame with the organic and natural.
The viewer plays the central role of the work in rediscovering the relationship between the object, the frame and the natural landscape.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Visit : www.refordgardens.com/
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From Wikipedia:
Elsie Stephen Meighen - born January 22, 1872, Perth, Ontario - and Robert Wilson Reford - born in 1867, Montreal - got married on June 12, 1894.
Elsie Reford was a pioneer of Canadian horticulture, creating one of the largest private gardens in Canada on her estate, Estevan Lodge in eastern Québec. Located in Grand-Métis on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River, her gardens have been open to the public since 1962 and operate under the name Les Jardins de Métis and Reford Gardens.
Born January 22, 1872 at Perth, Ontario, Elsie Reford was the eldest of three children born to Robert Meighen and Elsie Stephen. Coming from modest backgrounds themselves, Elsie’s parents ensured that their children received a good education. After being educated in Montreal, she was sent to finishing school in Dresden and Paris, returning to Montreal fluent in both German and French, and ready to take her place in society.
She married Robert Wilson Reford on June 12, 1894. She gave birth to two sons, Bruce in 1895 and Eric in 1900. Robert and Elsie Reford were, by many accounts, an ideal couple. In 1902, they built a house on Drummond Street in Montreal. They both loved the outdoors and they spend several weeks a year in a log cabin they built at Lac Caribou, south of Rimouski. In the autumn they hunted for caribou, deer, and ducks. They returned in winter to ski and snowshoe. Elsie Reford also liked to ride. She had learned as a girl and spent many hours riding on the slopes of Mount Royal. And of course, there was salmon-fishing – a sport at which she excelled.
In her day, she was known for her civic, social, and political activism. She was engaged in philanthropic activities, particularly for the Montreal Maternity Hospital and she was also the moving force behind the creation of the Women’s Canadian Club of Montreal, the first women club in Canada. She believed it important that the women become involved in debates over the great issues of the day, « something beyond the local gossip of the hour ». Her acquaintance with Lord Grey, the Governor-General of Canada from 1904 to 1911, led to her involvement in organizing, in 1908, Québec City’s tercentennial celebrations. The event was one of many to which she devoted herself in building bridges with French-Canadian community.
During the First World War, she joined her two sons in England and did volunteer work at the War Office, translating documents from German into English. After the war, she was active in the Victorian Order of Nurses, the Montreal Council of Social Agencies, and the National Association of Conservative Women.
In 1925 at the age of 53 years, Elsie Reford was operated for appendicitis and during her convalescence, her doctor counselled against fishing, fearing that she did not have the strength to return to the river.”Why not take up gardening?” he said, thinking this a more suitable pastime for a convalescent woman of a certain age. That is why she began laying out the gardens and supervising their construction. The gardens would take ten years to build, and would extend over more than twenty acres.
Elsie Reford had to overcome many difficulties in bringing her garden to life. First among them were the allergies that sometimes left her bedridden for days on end. The second obstacle was the property itself. Estevan was first and foremost a fishing lodge. The site was chosen because of its proximity to a salmon river and its dramatic views – not for the quality of the soil.
To counter-act nature’s deficiencies, she created soil for each of the plants she had selected, bringing peat and sand from nearby farms. This exchange was fortuitous to the local farmers, suffering through the Great Depression. Then, as now, the gardens provided much-needed work to an area with high unemployment. Elsie Reford’s genius as a gardener was born of the knowledge she developed of the needs of plants. Over the course of her long life, she became an expert plantsman. By the end of her life, Elsie Reford was able to counsel other gardeners, writing in the journals of the Royal Horticultural Society and the North American Lily Society. Elsie Reford was not a landscape architect and had no training of any kind as a garden designer. While she collected and appreciated art, she claimed no talents as an artist.
Elsie Stephen Reford died at her Drummond Street home on November 8, 1967 in her ninety-sixth year.
In 1995, the Reford Gardens ("Jardins de Métis") in Grand-Métis were designated a National Historic Site of Canada, as being an excellent Canadian example of the English-inspired garden.(Wikipedia)
Visit : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elsie_Reford
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LES JARDINS DE MÉTIS
Créés par Elsie Reford de 1926 à 1958, ces jardins témoignent de façon remarquable de l’art paysager à l’anglaise. Disposés dans un cadre naturel, un ensemble de jardins exhibent fleurs vivaces, arbres et arbustes. Le jardin des pommetiers, les rocailles et l’Allée royale évoquent l’œuvre de cette dame passionnée d’horticulture. Agrémenté d’un ruisseau et de sentiers sinueux, ce site jouit d’un microclimat favorable à la croissance d’espèces uniques au Canada. Les pavots bleus et les lis, privilégiés par Mme Reford, y fleurissent toujours et contribuent , avec d’autres plantes exotiques et indigènes, à l’harmonie de ces lieux.
Created by Elsie Reford between 1926 and 1958, these gardens are an inspired example of the English art of the garden. Woven into a natural setting, a series of gardens display perennials, trees and shrubs. A crab-apple orchard, a rock garden, and the Long Walk are also the legacy of this dedicated horticulturist. A microclimate favours the growth of species found nowhere else in Canada, while the stream and winding paths add to the charm. Elsie Reford’s beloved blue poppies and lilies still bloom and contribute, with other exotic and indigenous plants, to the harmony of the site.
Commission des lieux et monuments historiques du Canada
Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada.
Gouvernement du Canada – Government of Canada
© Copyright
This photo and all those in my Photostream are protected by copyright. No one may reproduce, copy, transmit or manipulate them without my written permission.
Part of the Azabudai Hills complex in Tokyo, Japan, this building showcases a refined approach to urban architecture. Its rounded vertical panels and golden-bronze facade create a striking interplay of light and shadow, adding depth and character to the structure. The building is seamlessly integrated into its surroundings, with a tiered base that connects to the pedestrian-friendly spaces of this mixed-use development. The metallic finish contrasts beautifully with the glass-and-steel skyscrapers nearby, emphasizing material diversity within Tokyo’s skyline.
Designed as a key element of Azabudai Hills, this structure reflects the complex’s emphasis on blending aesthetics with functionality. The accessible pathways and landscaped areas surrounding the building highlight a commitment to inclusive and thoughtful urban planning. The facade’s dynamic surface evolves throughout the day, capturing the essence of Tokyo’s ever-changing light and energy. As a part of one of the city’s newest and most ambitious redevelopment projects, this building exemplifies the forward-thinking design and attention to detail that define the Azabudai Hills complex.
These are my summer commitments. 9 Sketchbooks to fill end to end.
The top four moleskines are already started and just need finishing.
The botttom five, thinner Moleskines on the left and Japanese accordions to the right are still blank.
www.arqueologiadelperu.com/in-rare-interview-colombian-re...
Bogotá, Colombia (AP) – In a landmark television interview, the rarely-seen leader of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) reaffirmed the commitment of Latin America's oldest insurgency to abandon the battlefield even while shying from a six-month deadline to sign a final peace accord.
Rodrigo Londoño said he has always considered himself an "enemy" of putting artificial dates on negotiations, fearing it could backfire against the rebels if a target is missed. But he said he eventually was persuaded to put aside those objections and join Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos in making a pledge to reach a final deal by March because he trusts the president, whom he called an "ally of peace."
"If there's political will, we can do it earlier, but six months may also be too short," Londoño said in his first interview since peace talks began in Cuba three years ago.
The interview aired Tuesday night was as significant for its very existence as for any revelations made by the normally secretive Londoño, who is better known by the alias Timochenko.
Until last week, when he shook hands with President Santos in Havana to announce a breakthrough agreement on the thorny issue of punishment for war crimes during a half-century of fighting, the veteran guerrilla commander had been something of a sphinx to Colombians. When he was seen at all, it was only in videotaped messages from the jungle battlefield dressed in military fatigues and railing against Colombia's U.S.-backed "oligarchy."
But in a speech alongside Santos and again in the interview aired Tuesday with Venezuelan-based network Telesur, Londoño tired to cast a softer image, wearing a white guayabera shirt and sporting his trademark salt-and-pepper beard neatly groomed.
In a heavily edited conversation with a leftist former Colombian senator, Piedad Cordoba, Londoño reminisced about his decision to run off with the rebels while still a teenager 40 years ago. And he spoke of a desire to one day return to the coffee-growing town where he was raised by a peasant communist father and devout Catholic mother.
Asked if he would ask the FARC's many victims for forgiveness, Londoño said tactical "errors" in the heat of battle were made on all sides, but that he had nothing to apologize for.
"Whoever asks for forgiveness it's because they regret something, and I don't regret anything," he said.
Without presenting any proof or details, he said the FARC early in the peace process had had the opportunity to assassinate Santos but desisted from carrying out an attack because the group's then-leader, alias Alfonso Cano, was against provoking more bloodshed while dialogue was underway. Cano was later killed in a military air attack.
Londoño said he is no longer dedicating energy to warfare and in the spirit of reconciliation would even meet with former President Alvaro Uribe, a harsh critic of the talks whose U.S.-backed military offensive last decade decimated the FARC's ranks.
The rebel leader also played down speculation that some of the FARC's estimated 6,500 troops would not adhere to a peace accord. Critics say many former fighters will dedicate themselves to drug trafficking and extortion, lucrative activities the group uses to fund its insurgency, instead of handing over their weapons for an uncertain future in which they'll be required to confess their abuses to special tribunals.
"I give you my full assurances, that there's not a single guerrilla, neither commander or combatant, that's in disagreement," said Londoño.
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For those that know my artworks well and my style, you would know my emotional works tend to be internally focused. The emotion I often try to capture is that of the emotions one faces him/her self. What he/she is dealing with in his/her own mind.
Being that, for me this artwork actually captures what I often feel like as I go through most days as a result of my own personal dealings with what I believe to be ADD.
I am an energizer bunny on 5 cans of red bull. My mind never shuts up and is always coming up with ideas in countless directions. The problem is I also often never say NO to running with these ideas - I simply take on another challenge and another opportunity and another business and another creative learning experiment. Many of them lead to commitments and deadlines that others expect of me when I took it on.
Its like a Juggler that has 10 balls in the air and agrees to add another. As long as they all come down at different times, I am OK. But often many come at the same time. Also, even when they come down at a good pace, they never stop coming so I struggle to just for my mind to rest.
So this artwork shows a person like me that struggles to keep his commitments from crushing him. The clouds are the opportunities that have also become commitments and stresses and obligations. I constantly need the incredible strength to keep them from falling to the ground - which to me is a failure.
HE holds up his growing burden of commitments - using all his strength to ensure then don't fall and crush him in the process.
CREDITS & RESOURCES USED:
The subject is from a SecondLife photo I took in 2012 at the Fantasy Faire exhibits. I then used my own personal clouds and blending textures to complete the art.
We have a small suburban back yard, but it still takes somewhat of a commitment to maintain it as a pleasant place to spend time. I have 8 rose bushes, a small lemon tree, vines, succulents, azaleas, camellias, lavender, lilies, hanging flower bowls, asparagus ferns, bower vines, star jasmine, 3 planter boxes with vegetables and herbs, one very tall pittosporum tree, one bird feeder and 2 hummingbird feeders. And thank goodness no lawn !
Monkey Horoscope 2016 predicts that you will have Divine help during the first five months of 2016. Prospects for development of your life are bright and you should use your capabilities and optimism to the full advantage.You should be determined to get things done, while you should be friendly with your colleagues to get their support. All obstacles to your growth will be overcome by your realistic approach in the Year of the Red Fire MonkeThe Chinese astrology 2016 predictions forecast that the period between May and August 2016 is favorable for discussing new ventures. During the month of September 2016, your intellectual faculties will not be in good shape and you will become careless while dealing with professional and legal issues. Do not try to bypass official and legal rules if you do not want to invite trouble.Between June and September 2016, the Chinese zodiac Monkeys should avoid commitments which you cannot keep up. You should concentrate on your objectives with patience and single mindedness, and should not deviate from the decided course.People who fall under the Chinese astrology sign of the Monkey are very intelligent but lack intuition.
www.sunsigns.org/monkey-horoscope-2016/
Welcome to the year of the monkey, Chinese zodiac guide. The monkey occupies the ninth spot in the Chinese Zodiac. Monkeys are known for being fun, loving, mischievousness, curious, witty, and sometimes naughty. If you give a monkey a boring object, for example, a shoe, the monkey will turn it into something creative, like a musical instrument, and invite everyone to see! Monkeys tend to be very talented, quick learners, and crafDuring the Spring and Autumn Period (770 BC to 476 BC) in ancient China, noble officials were given the title of “marquis“, which was pronounced as “hou” in Chinese. “Hou” is also the same pronunciation for the word monkey in Chinese. Therefore, the monkey was bestowed with this favorable meaning. Even today in China, pictures of monkeys can be seen pasted on walls and doors to bring good luck.People born in the year of the monkey are vivacious, sharp, flexible, and adaptableMonkeys tend to be great problem solvers, confident, outgoing and inventive. They are also very caring and will put their business aside to help others in need. They are very loyal and devoted to their friends and family They are always willing to learn new things and have excellent memory.. They love action and playing almost any sport.
www.bjchinatravel.com/year-of-the-monkey/
When the Monkey found that he was being crushed under the mountain he was greatly distressed about his Master, and cried out: “Oh, Master, you delivered me from under the mountain before, and trained me in religion; how is it that you have brought me to this pass? If you must die, why should Sha Ho-shang and Pa-chieh and the Dragon-horse also suffer?” Then his tears poured down like rain.The spirits of the mountain were astonished at hearing these words. The guardian angels of the Five Religions asked: “Whose is this mountain, and who is crushed beneath it?” The local gods replied: “The mountain is ours, but who is under it we do not know.” “If you do not know,” the angels replied, “we will tell you. It is the Great Holy One, the Equal of Heaven, who rebelled there five hundred years ago. He is now converted, and is the disciple of the Chinese ambassador. How dare you lend your mountain to the Demon for such a purpose?” The guardian angels and local gods then recited some prayers, and the mountain was removed. The Monkey sprang up, brandishing his spear, and the p. 347 spirits at once apologized, saying that they were under enforced service to the Demons.While they were speaking Sun saw a light approaching, and asked what it was. The spirits replied: “This light comes from the Demons’ magic treasures. We fear they are bringing them to catch you.” Sun then said: “Now we shall have some sport. Who is the Demon-chief’s associate?” “He is a Taoist,” they replied, “who is always occupied in preparing chemicals.” The Monkey said: “Leave me, and I will catch them myself.” He then transformed himself into a duplicate of the Taoist.The Magic Gourd;Sun went to meet the Demons, and in conversation learnt from them that they were on their way to catch the famous Monkey, and that the magic gourd and vase were for that purpose. They showed these treasures to him, and explained that the gourd, though small, could hold a thousand people. “That is nothing,” replied Sun. “I have a gourd which can contain all the heavens.” At this they marvelled greatly, and made a bargain with him, according to which he was to give them his gourd, after it had been tested as to its capacity to contain the heavens, in exchange for their precious gourd and vase. Going up to Heaven, the Monkey obtained permission to extinguish the light of the sun, moon, and stars for one hour. At noon the next day there was complete darkness, and the Demons believed Sun when he stated that he had put the whole heavens into his gourd so that there could be no light. They then handed over to the Monkey their magic gourd and vase, and in exchange he gave them his false gourd.The Demons of Blackwater River:One day the Master suddenly exclaimed: “What is that noise?” Sun replied: “You are afraid; you have forgotten the Heart Prayer, according to which we are to be indifferent to all the calls of the six senses—the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind. These are the Six Thieves. If you cannot suppress them, how do you expect to see the Great Lord?” The Master thought a while and then said: “O disciple, when shall we see the Incarnate Model (Ju Lai) face to face?”Pa-chieh said: “If we are to meet such demons as these, it will take us a thousand years to get to the West.” But Sha Ho-shang rejoined: “Both you and I are stupid; if we persevere and travel on, shoulder to shoulder, we shall reach there at last.” While thus talking, they saw before them a dark river in flood, which the horse could not cross. Seeing a small boat, the Master said: “Let us engage that boat to take us across.” While crossing the river in it, they discovered that it was a boat sent by the Demon of Blackwater River to entrap them in midstream, and the Master would have been slain had not Sun and the Western Dragon come to the rescue.
The Mythical Monkey — a Protecting GodImmortal for Suffering.They replied: “A great number have died. At one time we numbered more than two thousand. But through deaths and suicides there now remain only about five hundred. And we who remain cannot die. Ropes cannot strangle us, swords cannot cut us; if we plunge into the river we cannot sink; poison does not kill us.” Sun said: “Then you are fortunate, for you are all Immortals.” “Alas!” said they, “we are immortal only for suffering. We get poor food. We have only sand to sleep on. But in the night hours spirits appear to us and tell us not to kill ourselves, for an Arhat will come from the East to deliver us. With him there p. 355 is a disciple, the Great Holy One, the Equal of Heaven, most powerful and tender-hearted. He will put an end to these Taoists and have pity on us Buddhists.”
www.sacred-texts.com/cfu/mlc/mlc16.htm
猴 (hóu /hoh/ 'monkey') is pronounced the same as "侯" ('high official'), and the association dates back hundreds of years into feudal times.Red Monkey is on February 4, 2016. This day is not the Chinese New Year
In traditional Chinese mythology, the monkey god is almost all-pervading and all powerful. Images of the monkey (god) can be seen in many traditional settings as a talisman of protection:
The Child-Protecting Monkey on Kangs
A stone-carved monkey with a red thread on its tail is often displayed on the kangs (heated stone beds) used for babies of households in rural Shanxi, Shaanxi, and Inner Mongolia. According to ancient beliefs, the stone monkey blesses the baby with peace, and the baby will be very capable and efficient when he or she grows up.
The "Safe Journey" Monkey at Yellow River Ferry Crossings
A monkey statue was carved on top of each mooring post at each ferry crossing of Sanmenxia and Shan County. It was said the monkey statue would bless both the men and the boats with a safe journey.
The Stone Monkey for Protecting Horses
Almost every village had its own posts for tying horses to in Shanxi, Gansu, and Shaanxi provinces in ancient times, with a monkey statue carved on the top of each post. It was said that the monkey talisman would protect the horses from diseases and even death.
The imagery of the monkey as nobility often appears in ancient paintings:A monkey hanging a seal on a maple tree symbolizes getting promoted to a high position with an official seal.A monkey riding a horse symbolizes getting promoted quickly.A monkey riding on the back of another monkey symbolizes maintaining a high official standing from one generation to another.The Monkey in Chinese Culture:In China, the monkey is widely perceived as smart and powerful. People often offer sacrifices to monkeys to pray for rain and even for sons, and they have become an interesting part of Chinese culture. Chinese people love monkeys. Find out why below.The Monkey (with a big 'M') is the ninth of the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac. Many Chinese try to give birth in a year of the Monkey, as they believe that this will make their babies clever. In China saying, "Your kid is like a Monkey," is perceived as praise. More on the characteristics of the zodiac Monkey.
www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/chinese-zodiac/monkey...
I have made a point of automatically introducing myself to seat-mates at classes, lectures, etc. as part of my commitment to being more outgoing and at-ease with strangers. It has worked well and today it opened up a friendly conversation with this man who was sitting beside me in my lifelong learning class: The History of the English Language. Meet Terry.
Terry had a friendly manner and cautioned me against spilling my coffee while I was settling in and shedding my parka. A natural conversational gambit in my lifelong learning classes is “Are you taking other courses?” Terry told me he’s taking a class on drawing in addition to this course and he’s enjoying it. As we prepared for the lecture to begin, I started realizing that Terry’s carefully put-together dressy-casual appearance, warm open face, and friendly manner might make him an ideal subject for my Human Family project. When he reached for a scarf to wrap around his neck during the lecture I made up my mind. I knew he would be a great subject.
When break time arrived, I took a chance and told him about my photography project which has been such a source of pleasure and inspiration for me since I retired and told him I thought he would make an excellent subject and I’d like to photograph him in the back of the room near some windows which provided natural light. He was interested in the project and, of course, a bit surprised. I told him I realized it was an unexpected request, but such is the project that I’m usually taking people by surprise but it has been a lot of fun and I’ve been surprised that so many people are happy to participate when the see my contact card and hear what I’m doing. He smiled and joked that so many people have such poor judgment to agree. “Yes” I said. “Amazing.” “Sure” he said. “I guess I’ll do it.”
I told Terry I’d taken the liberty of doing a selfie in the back of the room near a window prior to class and was pleased with the results and announced my plan to lead him to that spot and do a few quick photos during the stretch break. Once there, I explained the concept and Terry positioned himself where I requested and we did a few photos with and without his glasses. I hated to ask him to remove his glasses because they had such a stylish look but I was concerned about reflections. I wanted his necktie to show in at least one photo and took the liberty of adjusting his scarf to let it show. I joked “I’m impressed that you still wear a tie, even in retirement. It’s a nice touch and not many people would do that.” We were briefly interrupted when a friend of my wife’s from many years ago came up to say hi and said she had just seen my name on the attendance list. We had a quick hug and agreed to meet after class to catch up on the news of the last ten years.
Returning to our seats, I learned that Terry is 71, a retired Family Doctor whose practice had been here in his home town of Toronto. There wasn’t much time to learn more about him because class resumed at that point but I experienced him as a particularly “grounded” person who had a warm, friendly manner which I am sure made him very good at his profession of caring for his patients. My thoughts drifted to imagining the things he has seen and experienced in his career. Medical doctors occupy a special place in society and are given the role of bearing witness to life’s joys and tragedies. They see lives brought into the world and they see lives leaving the world. They cure the sick and they comfort those for whom there is no cure. His must have been a stressful career, and yet I could sense that he was at ease with himself and some conversation later confirmed my impression that he feels great satisfaction in a work life well-spent.
Our conversation touched on politics and the adult learning course we are taking. I asked how his transition to retirement had gone (a frequent topic of conversation among classmates) and he said he’s enjoying it fully. “I could have continued longer and was still enjoying my work, but my plan had been to retire sometime around 69 or 70 and I was fortunate enough to be able to afford to do so. I wanted to have some time to enjoy other interests and that’s what I’m doing.” When I asked what type of interests he’s pursuing he said “Nothing too dramatic. Reading, music, travel, these courses... and family.” How nice that he, like I, can now indulge some of these interests - many of which probably had to sit on the back-burner during a busy career.
Thank you Terry, for being such a pleasant seat-mate today and for agreeing to join my photography project: The Human Family on Flickr.
This is my 168th submission to The Human Family Group on Flickr.
You can view more street portraits and stories by visiting The Human Family.
The Blackpool Tower Company was founded by London based Standard Contract & Debenture Corporation in 1890, when it bought an Aquarium on Central Promenade with the intention of building a replica Eiffel Tower on the site. John Bickerstaffe, a former Mayor of Blackpool, was asked to become Chairman of the new company and its shares went on sale in July 1891. The Standard Corporation kept 30,000 £1 shares for itself and offered £150,000 worth of shares to the public, although initially only two-thirds of these shares were taken up. This lack of interest forced the Tower Company to ask for further cash contributions from its existing shareholders, but the poor financial situation of the Standard Corporation, worsened by the falling share price, rendered it unable to pay. Bickerstaffe’s remedy for the potential collapse of the venture was to buy any shares available, until his original holding of £500 amounted to £20,000. He also released the Standard Corporation from their share commitments. When the Tower opened in 1894 its success justified the overall investment of nearly £300,000, and the Company made a £30,000 profit in 1896]
Two Lancashire architects, James Maxwell and Charles Tuke, designed the Tower and oversaw the laying of its foundation stone on 29 September 1891] By the time the Tower finally opened on 14 May 1894, both men had died. Heenan & Froude of Worcester were appointed structural engineers, supplying and constructing both the main tower, the electric lighting and the steel front pieces for the aquariums. A new system of hydraulic riveting was used, based on the technology of Fielding & Platt of Gloucester.
The total cost for the design and construction of the tower and buildings was about £290,000.[6] Five million Accrington bricks, 2,500 tonnes of iron and 93 tonnes of cast steel were used to construct the tower. Unlike the Eiffel Tower, Blackpool Tower is not free-standing. Its base is hidden by the building which houses Blackpool Tower Circus. The building occupies a total of 5,050 square metres (54,400 sq ft)] At the summit of the tower there is a flagpole.
A time capsule is buried beneath the foundation.
The designed presaged of its time. As a writer for the BBC noted: "In heavy winds the building will gently sway, what a magnificent Victorian engineering masterpiece.
When the tower opened, 3,000 customers took the first rides to the top] Tourists paid sixpence for admission, sixpence more for a ride in the lifts to the top, and a further sixpence for the circus. The first members of the public to ascend the tower had been local journalists in September 1893 using constructors' ladders. In 1897 the top of the tower caught fire, and the platform was seen on fire from up to fifty miles away.
The tower was not painted properly during the first thirty years and became corroded, leading to discussions about demolishing it. However, it was decided to rebuild it instead, and between 1921 and 1924 all the steelwork in the structure was replaced and renewed.
On 22 December 1894 Norwegian ship Abana was sailing from Liverpool to Savannah, Georgia but was caught up in a storm, and mistook the recently built Blackpool Tower for a lighthouse. Abana was first seen off North Pier, and later drifted to Little Bispham where she was wrecked, and can still be seen at low tide. The ship's bell still hangs in St Andrews Church in Cleveleys.
In 1940, during the Second World War, the crow's-nest was removed to allow the structure to be used as a Royal Air Force radar station known as RAF Tower, which proved unsuccessful.
In 1949 a post box was opened at the top of the tower.
The hydraulic lifts to the top of the tower were replaced in 1956–57 and the winding-gear replaced by electric.
The top of the tower was painted silver in 1977 as part of Queen Elizabeth's Silver Jubilee celebrations. A giant model of King Kong was placed on the side of the tower in 1984.[1] In 1985 escapologist Karl Bartoni and his bride were married suspended in a cage from the tower.
The lifts and winding gear were again replaced in 1992. The same year the tower complex was renamed Tower World and was opened by Diana, Princess of Wales.] The tower is usually painted in dark red, except for its centenary year in 1994 when it was painted gold by abseiling painters. In 1998 a "Walk of Faith" glass floor panel was opened at the top of the tower. Made up of two sheets of laminated glass, it weighs half a tonne and is two inches thick.[10] In October 2007 a laser beam installed on the tower for the duration of the annual Illuminations was criticised by astronomer Sir Patrick Moore, presenter of The Sky at Night television programme, who said, "Light pollution is a huge problem. I am not saying we should turn all the lights out, that is not practical, but there are some things which are very unnecessary. The Blackpool Tower light is certainly something I do not think we should be doing. I very much oppose it." The beam could be seen 30 miles (48 km) away; Moore called for it to be stopped. The Centre for Astrophysics at the University of Central Lancashire in Preston said the laser has added to a spiralling problem affecting astronomy.
The tower has transmitters for local FM station Radio Wave 96.5 and some non-broadcast services.
The tower continued to be owned by the Bickerstaffe family until 1964, when the Blackpool Tower Company was sold to EMI.
Since then it has been owned by Trust House Forte, First Leisure and Leisure Parcs Ltd, owned by Trevor Hemmings. In March 2010 it was announced that Blackpool Council had bought Blackpool Tower and the Merlin Entertainment Group would manage it and add various attractions including a new Dungeon attraction, and a new observation deck called Blackpool Tower Eye will operate at the top of the tower. The company will also manage the Blackpool Louis Tussauds waxwork museum to be rebranded as Madame Tussauds.[
Vlog - youtu.be/3uFen9rHAvg
Collies Ledge , Sgurr Alisdair to Sgur Mhic Coinnich
A family holiday in Skye which I was really looking forward to and the first two days were looking superb (weather wise)- how could I resist the pull of my favourite place in the whole wide world – The Black Cuillin??? With family commitments and trying not to lose any brownie points, I set the alarm at 4am, sound in the knowledge that the rest of the family wouldn’t surface till well after 9!! In fact I hoped they wouldn’t know I was gone until at least mid morning!!;) Which would then give me time to get back soon after as if I hadn’t been away at all !! (Please read last bit with a sprinkling of sarcasm ;)).
After arriving at our home for the week, I set about getting my gear ready and I was ready for the off early on the Monday morning….
4am and porridge and coffee were consumed and then a drive into the sunrise with some of the most majestic scenery in the world. To add to my delight the first thing I saw as I left the car was an otter crossing the garden , this was followed by the skies glowing pink, then orange as the sun rose before the hour hand hit 5am. I was finding it hard not to stop at every layby to take photos, but I eventually got round and down to a quiet (a rarity in the summer) Glen Brittle for about 05.30am. The Cuillin were inviting me up and I had a right good spring in my step. My original objective was a quick blast up The Great Stone Chute an back again to allow me to get back mid morning, however if things were looking good (they were!) I wanted to visit Collies Ledge again and then head up Sgurr Mhic Coinnich. The last time I had been on these peaks was on a traverse of the ridge 14 years previously and I have vivid memories of Collies Ledge which I wanted to relive today
The path up to Coire Lagan is well made and the Cuillin dominate the view, with Rum and Eigg taking second place;) Arriving in Coire Lagan the lovely lochan awaited and I stopped for a while on the slab of rock that sits on its crest and admired the views back down to the beach . However, I was only delaying the inevitable, that being the brutish ascent that was awaiting me. The Great Stone Chute is easily identified and just about takes you to the top of Sgurr Alasdair, I was expecting this ascent to be brutal, and it didn’t disappoint! Foot placements were key and I must admit the walking poles really helped (I was doubtful if they would’ve helped). After a good old slog, I eventually reached the Bealach. The sun was starting to light up Coire Lagan behind me which gave great views, but as I crested the bealach the panorama of the southern Cuillin with the mainland mountains as a back drop was spectacular! What a sight. It was around 07.30ish now and after gawking at the views I had the short scramble to the top of Sgurr Alasdair (involved a short balancey section!). It was fun though and soon I was perched on the highest point in Skye with the ridge stretching out before me ! I’d like to say I had the place to myself but before long I spotted a group of three climbers coming over from Sgurr Dubh Mor. It was amazing and I sat on the summit for about 30 minutes before moving on – the climbers I had seen hadn’t arrived by the time I left the summit but they would soon catch me up.
Descending back to the bealach and I decided that I would descend down the Great Stone Chute and traverse across the face of Sgurr Thearlaich to gain access to Collies Ledge. When we did the traverse, 14 year ago, we had come over Surr Thearaich to get to Collies Ledge but this involved some grade 3 scrambling, down the face and being on my lonesome, I decided on this slightly easier route today.
Once about a third down the Chute I found a slight path heading off north and traversing the rocky face. The poles were put away as to get to the Bealach Thearlaich involved some easy (grade 1) scrambling. I found a gully leading to the bealach and scrambled up. At this point I could hear voices very close and eventually spotted the three climbers descending Sgurr Thearaich. They were very close to me and I expected them to appear at the bealach at the same time I arrived but when arrived I couldn’t see them although I could still hear them. Next was the highlight of the hike – Collies Ledge. To ascend it from the bealach you follow the polished rock round to the right and a couple of scrambling moves up see you at the start of the airy traverse.
From this point , Collies Ledge didn’t disappoint! The airy traverse is a sheer joy. Nothing technically demanding but the exposure to your left is immense. At points I had both hands on the rock to my right with gapping drops looming below me, but saying that if you are ok with heights this is a few hundred metres to enjoy – absolutely stunning
I eventually reached the end of the traverse and soon the going was vertical again. At this point the three climbers had caught me up and I let them pass as it turned out they were doing the ridge traverse. They were moving well and at speed – hope they made it safely to the end of the ridge
Once you reach the crest of Sgurr Mhic Coinnichs ridge there is scrambling all the way to the summit. At points the exposure is almost greater than when on Collies Ledge as the drops are now on both sides. A head for heights is a definite requirement here! However I was soon on the summit and the chaps had passed and were quickly descending – heading for the Inn Pinn and Sgurr Dearg. Me on the other hand , well I was in no rush and I enjoyed another 45 minutes on this airy perch, enjoying the views and solitude. It was now about 9 am.
More filming and photos were taken and now I had to descend. I knew that more scrambling was required as I descended the same route I had just ascended. Beyond this however, more down climbing and scrambling moves are required before reaching the flat area above the An Stac Screes. After a wee bit of route finding on the descent (there are lots of ways down through the large boulders – some easier than others!) I eventually reached the flat area and sat and had a third breakfast before getting the poles out again for the scree descent.
Having done my research I knew I had to find the correct line for the descent, which wasn’t too bad as the weather was clear, I had noted this point on the way down from Sgurr Mhic Coinnich. The top of the descent is steep and loose and I was grateful for having poles, but once on the actually scree run, the going was slow but nice , his time having gravity on my side (unlike the ascent of The Great Stone Chute!
Before long and I was again in the magnificent amphitheatre of Coire Lagan. I sat down and relaxed. The helmet was replaced with my hat and I soaked in the views in the knowledge that I could just about start to relax! The path out was now the only obstacle and I headed down passing many , many people who were taking a walk on the fine, warm and sunny morning.
An hour after reaching the car (and driving past the busiest locations I’ve seen for years – Fairy Pools and Sligachan!), I eventually got home at lunchtime. A few brownie points were lost but not enough to stop another quick Cuillin blast later in the week (stay tuned!;))
for more information on stray rescue and adoption, please drop by:
"Hong Kong Dog Rescue" site
www.hongkongdogrescue.com/public/index.php
"Animals Asia Foundation"
"Commitment is what transforms a promise into reality. It is the words that speak boldly of your intentions. And the actions which speak louder than the words. It is making the time when there is none. Coming through time after time after time, year after year after year. Commitment is the stuff character is made of; the power to change the face of things. It is the daily triumph of integrity over skepticism. "
Canon 5D markII
All rights received ©2012 Mustafa Khayat Photography