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+++ DISCLAIMER +++
Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!
The A-14 program originally started in 2005 as a private venture, initiated by Northrop-Grumman together with the Elbit Group as a joint venture through Elbit’s Texas-based aircraft division M7 Aerosystems, an approved supplier to major aerospace clients. The aircraft was intended to replace the USAF’s A-10 attack aircraft as well as early F-16s in the strike role from 2010 onwards. The time slot for the project turned out to be advantageous, because at that time the USAF was contemplating to replace the simple and sturdy A-10 with the much more complex F-35, eventually even with its VTOL variant, and the highly specialized F-117 was retired, too.
The A-14 revived conceptual elements of Grumman’s stillborn A-12 stealth program for the US Navy, which had also been part of the USAF’s plans to replace the supersonic F-111 tactical bomber, but on a less ambitious and expensive level concerning technology, aiming for a more effective compromise between complexity, survivability and costs. The basic idea was an updated LTV A-7D (the A-10’s predecessor from the Vietnam War era), which had far more sophisticated sensor and navigation equipment than the rather simple but sturdy A-10, but with pragmatic stealth features and a high level of survivability in a modern frontline theatre or operations.
M7 Aerosystems started on a blank sheet, even though Northrop-Grumman’s A-12 influence was clearly visible, and to a certain degree the aircraft shared the basic layout with the F-117A. The A-14 was tailored from the start to the ground attack role, and therefore a subsonic design. Measures to reduce radar cross-section included airframe shaping such as alignment of edges, fixed-geometry serpentine inlets that prevented line-of-sight of the engine faces from any exterior view, use of radar-absorbent material (RAM), and attention to detail such as hinges and maintenance covers that could provide a radar return. The A-14 was furthermore designed to have decreased radio emissions, infrared signature and acoustic signature as well as reduced visibility to the naked eye.
The resulting airframe was surprisingly large for an attack aircraft – in fact, it rather reminded of a tactical bomber in the F-111/Su-24 class than an alternative to the A-10. The A-14 consisted of a rhomboid-shaped BWB (blended-wing-and-body) with extended wing tips and only a moderate (35°) wing sweep, cambered leading edges, a jagged trailing edge and a protruding cockpit section which extended forward of the main body.
The majority of the A-14’s structure and surface were made out of a carbon-graphite composite material that is stronger than steel, lighter than aluminum, and absorbs a significant amount of radar energy. The central fuselage bulge ended in a short tail stinger with a pair of swept, canted fins as a butterfly tail, which also shrouded the engine’s hot efflux. The fins could have been omitted, thanks to the aerodynamically unstable aircraft’s fly-by-wire steering system, and they effectively increased the A-14’s radar signature as well as its visual profile, but the gain in safety in case of FBW failure or physical damage was regarded as a worthwhile trade-off. Due to its distinctive shape and profile, the A-14 quickly received the unofficial nickname “Squatina”, after the angel shark family.
The spacious and armored cockpit offered room for the crew of two (pilot and WSO or observer for FAC duties), seated side-by-side under a generous glazing, with a very good field of view forward and to the sides. The fuselage structure was constructed around a powerful cannon, the five-barrel GAU-12/U 25 mm ‘Equalizer’ gun, which was, compared with the A-10’s large GAU-8/A, overall much lighter and more compact, but with only little less firepower. It fired a new NATO series of 25 mm ammunition at up to 4.200 RPM. The gun itself was located under the cockpit tub, slightly set off to port side, and the front wheel well was offset to starboard to compensate, similar in arrangement to the A-10 or Su-25. The gun’s ammunition drum and a closed feeding belt system were located behind the cockpit in the aircraft’s center of gravity. An in-flight refueling receptor (for the USAF’s boom system) was located in the aircraft’s spine behind the cockpit, normally hidden under a flush cover.
Due to the gun installation in the fuselage, however, no single large weapon bay to minimize radar cross section and drag through external ordnance was incorporated, since this feature would have increased airframe size and overall weight. Instead, the A-14 received four, fully enclosed compartments between the wide main landing gear wells and legs. The bays could hold single iron bombs of up to 2.000 lb caliber each, up to four 500 lb bombs or CBUs, single laser-guided GBU-14 glide bombs, AGM-154 JSOW or GBU-31/38 JDAM glide bombs, AGM-65 Maverick guided missiles or B61 Mod 11 tactical nuclear weapons, as well as the B61 Mod 12 standoff variant, under development at that time). Retractable launch racks for defensive AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles were available, too, and additional external pylons could be added, e.g. for oversize ordnance like AGM-158C Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) or AGM-158 Joint Air to Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM), or drop tanks for ferry flights. The total in- and external ordnance load was 15,000 lb (6,800 kg).
The A-14 was designed with superior maneuverability at low speeds and altitude in mind and therefore featured a large wing area, with high wing aspect ratio on the outer wing sections, and large ailerons areas. The ailerons were placed at the far ends of the wings for greater rolling moment and were split, making them decelerons, so that they could also be used as air brakes in flight and upon landing.
This wing configuration promoted short takeoffs and landings, permitting operations from primitive forward airfields near front lines. The sturdy landing gear with low-pressure tires supported these tactics, and a retractable arrester hook, hidden by a flush cover under the tail sting, made it possible to use mobile arrested-recovery systems.
The leading edge of the wing had a honeycomb structure panel construction, providing strength with minimal weight; similar panels covered the flap shrouds, elevators, rudders and sections of the fins. The skin panels were integral with the stringers and were fabricated using computer-controlled machining, reducing production time and cost, and this construction made the panels more resistant to damage. The skin was not load-bearing, so damaged skin sections could be easily replaced in the field, with makeshift materials if necessary.
Power came from a pair of F412-GE-114 non-afterburning turbofans, engines that were originally developed for the A-12, but de-navalized and lightened for the A-14. These new engines had an output of 12,000 lbf (53 kN) each and were buried in blended fairings above the wing roots, with jagged intakes and hidden ducts. Flat exhausts on the wings’ upper surface minimized both radar and IR signatures.
Thanks to the generous internal fuel capacity in the wings and the fuselage, the A-14 was able to loiter and operate under 1,000 ft (300 m) ceilings for extended periods. It typically flew at a relatively low speed of 300 knots (350 mph; 560 km/h), which made it a better platform for the ground-attack role than fast fighter-bombers, which often have difficulty targeting small, slow-moving targets or executing more than just a single attack run on a selected target.
A mock-up was presented and tested in the wind tunnel and for radar cross-section in late 2008. The A-14’s exact radar cross-section (RCS) remained classified, but in 2009 M7 Aerosystems released information indicating it had an RCS (from certain angles) of −40 dBsm, equivalent to the radar reflection of a "steel marble". With this positive outcome and the effective design, M7 Aerosystems eventually received federal funding for the production of prototypes for an official DT&E (Demonstration Testing and Evaluation) program.
Three prototypes/pre-production aircraft were built in the course of 2010 and 2011, and the first YA-14 made its maiden flight on 10 May 2011. The DT&E started immediately, and the machines (a total of three flying prototypes were completed, plus two additional airframes for static tests) were gradually outfitted with mission avionics and other equipment. This included GPS positioning, an inertial navigation system, passive sensors to detect radar usage, a small, gyroscopically stabilized turret, mounted under the nose of the aircraft, containing a FLIR boresighted with a laser spot-tracker/designator, and an experimental 3-D laser scanning LIDAR in the nose as a radiation-less alternative to a navigation and tracking radar.
Soon after the DT&E program gained momentum in 2012, the situation changed for M7 Aerosystems when the US Air Force considered the F-35B STOVL variant as its favored replacement CAS aircraft, but concluded that the aircraft could not generate a sufficient number of sorties. However, the F-35 was established as the A-14’s primary rival and remained on the USAF’s agenda. For instance, at that time the USAF proposed disbanding five A-10 squadrons in its budget request to cut its fleet of 348 A-10s by 102 to lessen cuts to multi-mission aircraft in service that could replace the specialized attack aircraft.
In August 2013, Congress and the Air Force examined various proposals for an A-10 replacement, including the A-14, F-35 and the MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle, and, despite the A-14’s better qualities in the ground attack role, the F-35 came out as the overall winner, since it was the USAF’s favorite. Despite its complexity, the F-35 was – intended as a multi-role tri-service aircraft and also with the perspective of bigger international sales than the more specialized A-14 – regarded as the more versatile and, in the long run, more cost-efficient procurement option. This sealed the A-14’s fate and the F-35A entered service with U.S. Air Force F-35A in August 2016 (after the F-35B was introduced to the U.S. Marine Corps in July 2015). At that time, the U.S. planned to buy 2,456 F-35s through 2044, which would represent the bulk of the crewed tactical airpower of the U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps for several decades.
Since the A-14’s technology was considered to be too critical to be marketed to export customers (Israel showed early interest in the aircraft, as well as South Korea), the program was cancelled in 2016.
General characteristics:
Crew: 2 (pilot, WSO)
Length: 54 ft 11 1/2 in (16.78 m)
Wingspan: 62 ft 11 1/2 in (19.22 m)
Height: 11 ft 3 3/4 in (3.45 m)
Wing area: 374.9 ft² (117.5 m²)
Empty weight: 24,959 lb (11,321 kg)
Loaded weight: 30,384 lb (13,782 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 50,000 lb (22,700 kg)
Internal fuel capacity: 11,000 lb (4,990 kg)
Powerplant:
2× General Electric Whitney F412-GE-114 non-afterburning turbofans
with 12,000 lbf (53 kN) thrust each
Performance:
Maximum speed: 630 mph (1,010 km/h, 550 kn) at 40,000 ft altitude /
Mach 0.95 at sea level
Cruise speed: 560 mph (900 km/h, 487 kn) at 40,000 ft altitude
Range: 1,089 nmi (1,253 mi, 2,017 km)
Ferry range: 1,800 nmi (2,100 mi, 3,300 km)
Service ceiling: 50,000 ft (15,200 m)
Rate of climb: 50,000 ft/min (250 m/s)
Wing loading: 133 lb/ft² (193 kg/m²)
Thrust/weight: 0.48 (full internal fuel, no stores)
Take-off run: 1,200 m (3,930 ft) at 42,000 lb (19,000 kg) over a 15 m (30 ft) obstacle
Armament:
1× General Dynamics GAU-12/U Equalizer 25 mm (0.984 in) 5-barreled rotary cannon
with 1,200 rounds (max. capacity 1,350 rounds)
4x internal weapon bays plus 4x external optional hardpoints with a total capacity of
15,000 lb (6,800 kg) and provisions to carry/deploy a wide range of ordnance
The kit and its assembly:
A major kitbashing project which I had on my idea list for a long time and its main ingredients/body donors already stashed away – but, as with many rather intimidating builds, it takes some external motivation to finally tackle the idea and bring it into hardware form. This came in August 2020 with the “Prototypes” group build at whatifmodellers.com, even though is still took some time to find the courage and mojo to start.
The original inspiration was the idea of a stealthy successor for the A-10, or a kind of more modern A-7 as an alternative to the omnipresent (and rather boring, IMHO) F-35. An early “ingredient” became the fuselage of a Zvezda Ka-58 stealth helicopter kit – I liked the edgy shape, the crocodile-like silhouette and the spacious side-by-side cockpit. Adding wings, however, was more challenging, and I remembered a 1:200 B-2A which I had turned into a light Swedish 1:72 attack stealth aircraft. Why not use another B-2 for the wings and the engines, but this time a bigger 1:144 model that would better match the quite bulbous Ka-58 fuselage? This donor became an Italeri kit.
Work started with the fuselage: the Ka-58’s engine and gearbox hump had to go first and a generous, new dorsal section had to be scratched with 1mm styrene sheet and some PSR. The cockpit and its glazing could be retained and were taken OOB. Under the nose, the Ka-58’s gun turret was omitted and a scratched front landing gear well was implanted instead.
The wings consist of the B-2 model; the lower “fuselage half” had its front end cut away, then the upper fuselage half of the Ka-58 was used as benchmark to cut the B-2’s upper wing/body part in two outer wing panels. Once these elements had been glued together, the Ka-58’s lower nose and tail section were tailored to match the B-2 parts. The B-2 engine bays were taken OOB and mounted next, so that the A-14’s basic hull was complete and the first major PSR session could start. Blending the parts into each other turned out to be a tedious process, since some 2-3 mm wide gaps had to be filled.
Once the basic BWP pack had been finished, I added the fins. These were taken from an 1:72 F-117 kit (IIRC from Italeri), which I had bought in a lot many moons ago. The fins were just adapted at their base to match the tail sting slope, and they were mounted in a 45° angle. This looks very F-117ish but was IMHO the most plausible solution.
Now that the overall length of the aircraft was defined, I could work on the final major assembly part: the wing tips. The 1:144 B-2 came with separate wing tip sections, but they proved to be much too long for the Squatina. After some trials I reduced their length by more than half, so that the B-2’s jagged wing trailing edge was kept. The result looks quite natural, even though blending the cut wing tips to the BWB turned out to be a PSR nightmare because their thickness reduces gently towards the tip – since I took out a good part of the inner section, the resulting step had to be sanded away and hidden with more PSR.
Detail work started next, including the cockpit glazing, the bomb bay (the B-2 kit comes with one of its bays open, and I kept this detail and modified the interior) and the landing gear, the latter was taken from the F-117 donor bank and fitted surprisingly well.
Some sensors were added, too, including a flat glass panel on the nose tip and a triangular IRST fairing under the nose, next to the landing gear well.
Painting and markings:
For a stealth aircraft and a prototype I wanted something subdued or murky, but not an all-black or -grey livery. I eventually settled for the rather dark paint scheme that the USAF applied to its late B-52Gs and the B-1Bs, which consists of two tones from above, FS 36081 (Dark Grey, a.k.a. Dark Gunship Grey) and 34086 (Green Drab), and underneath (FS 36081 and 36118 (Gunship Grey). The irregular pattern was adapted (in a rather liberal fashion) from the USAF’s early B-1Bs, using Humbrol 32, 108 and 125 as basic colors. The 108 turned out to be too bright, so I toned it down with an additional coat of thinned Humbrol 66. While this considerably reduced the contrast between the green and the grey, the combination looks much better and B-1B-esque.
The wings’ leading edges were painted for more contrast with a greyish black (Tar Black, Revell 09), while the landing gear, the interior of the air intakes and the open bomb bay became glossy white. The cockpit was painted in medium grey (Humbrol 140) and the clear parts received a thinned inner coating with a mix of transparent yellow and brown, simulating an anti-radar coating – even though the effect turned out to be minimal, now it looks as of the plastic parts had just yellowed from age…
After the initial livery had been finished the model received a black ink washing and some post-panel shading with slightly brightened variations of the basic tones (using Humbrol 79, 144 and 224). Decals were added next, an individual mix from various sources. The “Stars-and-Bars” come from a PrintScale A-7 sheet, most stencils come from an F-16 sheet.
After some more detail painting and a treatment with graphite on the metal areas (exhausts, gun port), the model was sealed with matt acrylic varnish (Italeri).
Batman’s next Batwing? Maybe, there’s certainly something fictional about this creation. But the “Squatina” turned out much more conclusive (and even pretty!) than I expected, even though it became a bigger aircraft than intended. And I am positively surprised how good the bodywork became – after all, lots of putty had to be used to fill all the gaps between parts that no one ever expected to be grafted together.
Everything in the universe goes by indirection. There are no straight lines.
~~ by Ralph Waldo Emerson
My photographs are my private property and are copyright © by me, John Russell (aka “Zoom Lens”) and all my rights are reserved.
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Another ridiculously tiny weed flower...these are maybe an 1/8" (mm) in diameter!
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The photographs in my set, "Weed Flower Micros," may appear to be close-ups of regular-sized flowers – they are not!
These are micro (macro) photos of tiny little flowers which bloom on ordinary weeds found in my lawn.
How tiny? The largest weed flower in the set is only, when measured across its widest part from petal tip to petal tip, 3/4" in diameter (19mm)!
Some of these miniscule flowers are so small that the entire blossom you are looking at is 1/4" in diameter (6mm)…or smaller! Again, that’s measuring from petal tip to petal tip across the widest part of the bloom!
The smallest part of a weed flower that I have managed to successfully shoot and achieve good detail in is a photo I made of a bud that measured LESS than 1/32" in diameter (0.7mm) across its widest part!
For size references I have included a photo of certain flowers and buds next to the head of an ordinary paper match, which dwarfs the blooms and buds.
It’s delightful to discover the beauty, complexity, and variety in something so small that it’s easily ignored, taken for granted, dismissed as a pest, or just downright difficult to see with the naked eye.
And it’s an even greater delight to realize that this incredible beauty has been growing wild in my lawn, year after year, right under my un-seeing eyes as I’ve repeatedly mown them down with my lawn mower, never realizing the unseen beauty that I was trampling under my feet.
I hope you enjoy viewing these as much as I do. I have a lot of fun making them for us to look at!
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See more of these incredible, tiny jewels in my set, "Weed Flower Micros:"
At Pierre Gagnaire Japan, every dish is a masterpiece, and this appetizer is no exception. Delicately presented on a rustic wooden surface, this culinary creation reflects the artistry and attention to detail that defines Pierre Gagnaire’s approach to haute cuisine. The appetizer features a crisp, wafer-thin cracker adorned with vibrant edible flowers and fresh herbs, creating a visually stunning presentation that promises an unforgettable dining experience.
The intricate design of the appetizer showcases a harmonious blend of colors and textures. The cracker provides a delicate crunch, while the edible flowers and herbs introduce a burst of fresh, aromatic flavors. Each bite is a symphony of taste, with the subtle sweetness of the flowers complementing the savory notes of the herbs. This appetizer not only tantalizes the palate but also captivates the eyes with its natural beauty.
The use of seasonal, locally-sourced ingredients ensures that every element of the dish is at the peak of its freshness. The edible flowers, carefully selected for their vibrant hues and delicate flavors, are the stars of this creation. They are meticulously placed on the cracker, along with a sprinkle of herbs that add a touch of green and an aromatic finish. This appetizer is a perfect representation of Pierre Gagnaire’s culinary philosophy, which emphasizes innovation while honoring traditional techniques.
The presentation, set against the backdrop of a wooden surface with visible tree rings, reflects the restaurant’s commitment to sustainability and respect for nature. This appetizer is more than just a dish; it is an edible work of art that engages all the senses. Diners are invited to savor the beauty and complexity of fine dining at Pierre Gagnaire Japan, where each dish is crafted with passion and precision.
I sincerely believe that most of the decisions we make, especially the important ones, are not made consciously. I'm not talking about whether you fancy carrot or fruit cake with your cup of tea, but the choices upon which the direction of your life hinges. There is so much to ponder and process that any conscious decision made is an illusion. The unconscious mind is required to process all the complexities.
During the time you try and make the decision if you continue to feel turmoil then you aren't ready to choose, your unconscious mind has not finished it's job. One day it will cease to be a decision anymore where you have to choose at all. One day you'll just know what is right, you'll feel it in your core without necessarily knowing why. I've been witness to this happening in my life at several key points on my journey.
I've not been one of life's copers, 'you're too senstive!' they'd all say. Where shyness seemed to be the culprit and being forced to confront your sensitivies the solution, I would try and retract myself away from difficult situations. Sensitive people aren't necessarily shy, indeed I can be the life and soul, what we need is space to breathe, when we feel overwhelmed, which is difficult in the midst of a non-sensitive world, so often the urge is to retreat and to hide and to build a brick wall around oneself.
In my early twenties I had my heart broken and I had never felt so shattered and bereft. It brought on the mother of all retreats, outwardly everything was normal but inside the maelstrom was devouring my soul. Contact and vulnerability was dangerous and I tensed every sinew to make sure I could not endanger myself again. Hideously damaged on the front line I ran backwards as fast as I could.
A couple of months later I took on two cats who needed a home - their names were Lottie and Gizmo - and we three became a little family, we needed no-one else but ourselves. I poured into them all my vulnerability and love and as long as it would go on forever then I'd feel safe and happy and reassured. This wasn't a healthy place to be.
More than ten years passed and the wall I had built was solid, high and impregnable and yet I wanted someone to breach the defences. But it was far too high to throw the keys over. I was stuck behind ramparts of my own design.
And then events took another turn and someone managed to scale the ramparts and find their way in (wow! this sounds proper corny! But hey it's all true so I'm just gonna have to carry on). She loves me back the same way I love her and she's my rock. Just by being there she allows me to step outside of myself and grow and mature, without her I'd still be an emotional cripple, although I still have to walk with a stick!
Despite this my feline coven remained and I had not prepared at all for their inevitable passing, I just couldn't contemplate having my heart broken again.
And then Gizmo died quite suddenly and once again I felt snapped in two. I felt she'd been snatched away from me. I felt cheated and angry and desperately hurt. I wasn't prepared then for the realities and harshness of life. it knocked me sideways and I dreaded every single day after that I would lose Lottie at any moment too.
That was six years ago but Lottie's feisty character and vitality lived on and on, never quite quelling the dread I felt but filling my life with many magical moments of comedy and companionship. What a fantastic little character she was.
But I knew the day was coming and I knew I couldn't hide from it. One day soon she would be gone.
She became ill several months ago and it was the beginning of the end but despite this I was going to ensure that her final days would be fantastic and she would have quality of life to the end. I did everything I could for her, and I suppose for me too but I also wondered whether I would be brave enough to know when her time had come.
A week ago she took a turn for the worse and I knew the day was galloping towards me. I felt like things were okay whilst I could do something, make things better, make her happy and she'd let me know that she was okay too. But now I'd run out of things I could do, I'd become helpless in the midst of inevitability and I already felt grief piled upon me.
And then I had a dream:-
I was at the bottom of a sea cliff with another rock climber. I climbed up the face to the top and then it was his turn to follow. Half way up his grip loosened and he fell off breaking the fingers on one of his hands. I lowered him on a rope to the bottom of the cliff and attempted to phone for an ambulance on my mobile phone, but I couldn't raise a signal.
I shouted down to him, "don't worry, I'll go and call for help! There's a building over there, they'll surely have a phone!"
I ran over the building and it was a large office full to the brimwith people working. I frantically went from desk to desk picking up each phone but I couldn't reach the emergency services. I was thwarted at every turn. I tried and tried and tried but it just wasn't going to happen. I could do no more for my friend, my attempts to help were now futile and the gradual realisation was upon me that it was time to give up and let it go.
When I woke up from the dream I knew what it meant, in fact I knew what it meant whilst I was dreaming it too. Lottie should not suffer more than she has to, it was time to let her go.
Today was the day I'd lose her, that day I had dreaded for six years. But I just knew it was time to say goodbye, it felt right, it felt necessary, I wasn't torn. Her spirit remained until the end and it was peaceful when she did go.
I had tried to imagine this day and the very thought of it made me sick to my stomach but now it was here an inner strength bubbled up from within me and I felt able to cope and to do the right thing. I found peace with the decision I'd made and I knew deep down it was right.
Of course I am sad and bereft but my unconscious mind had been working overtime and through all this I'd reached a point of acceptance. I wasn't to be tossed around in the hell of having my heart broken as I had before, this time I had a chance to come to terms with a little more of the realities of life, when before they would eat me alive. Without my rock looking out for my welfare I don't know how I would have come this far.
Within us all, us non-copers and the rest, an inner strength can appear when we need it. It makes subconscious decisions for us and carries us high on its shoulders exactly when we need it the most.
Perhaps we owe it to ourselves to tap into this inner force at other times too, when we aren't so painted into a corner. Building walls can be a necessary short term solution but you must dismantle them before they get too high. It's not healthy to go along otherwise. But then hindsight is a wonderful teacher, I can only hope I heed my own advice in the future.
I haven't made anything for quite a while and it was about time that I did. This is for you Lottie, I miss you but all ends are a beginning too.
And to the twonk who thought it necessary to drive his Subaru Imprezza WRX at over a ton through the lanes today. Don't worry, you can get penis enlargement surgery these days, I know I get emails about it all the time. And There's Viagra if you don't have the time.
And finally: Today's land art was brought to you by the words 'pretzel' and 'butterfly'.
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The rites of Holy Week are present in Sicily with complexity of content and symbologies due to numerous influences, very present those due to the Spanish culture, dominating the island between the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries; in the mystery of the death and resurrection of Christ, it is attended by a popular culture, referring to ancient pre-Byzantine rites that originated long before those of Mediterranean Christian culture.
These ancient rituals represent the most significant moments of the Passion of Jesus Christ, described in the Gospels, from his arrest by the Romans to the Resurrection and are part of the Holy Week celebrations, together with the normal religious functions.
The Good Friday procession at Bronte has its roots far beyond the characters received by Spanish domination, realizing itself as one of the most complex and archaic in absolute, a procession impregnated with prayer, penance and symbolism. The protagonists are the city confraternities that give a reconstruction of the Scenes of the Passion, featuring the apostles, the pious women, the Roman soldiers and Christ, and the statues of Our Lady of Sorrows, Christ the Column, Christ Crucified and Dead Christ, decorated with fresh beans, led by the faithful invoking grace in brontese dialect.
The porters of Dead Christ are in silence because Christ is dead, while the bearers of Our Lady of Sorrows intonate the songs of the adoration of the Cross of Christ.
It is a sequence of scenes that live along the winding streets of Bronte, which on Holy Friday become a great stage in which the Passion and Death of Christ is recited.
Since the morning everywhere is silent, it is not sung and does not laugh, the bells do not ring because they were "tied up" on Thursday. In a sign of sadness you can only hear the woody sound of "troccola" and drums.
The three "pious women" (with large black dresses, the face is hidden by long natural hair, grown and cared for by vote) in religious silence; there are clerics and childre veiled and dressed in white; each of them is entrusted with an object that finds precise references to the symbols of passion (a palm, chalice, cross, hammer and nails, sponge, ladder, spear, sheet of shroud, and other objects); there is Saint Michael the Archangel, who is traditionally a seven-eight-year-old child dressed in classic iconography, slowly goes along with an angel-girl who carries the "chalice of the Passion," with a cadence-step marked by the rhythm of a drum to make them a mimic with a movement that recalls that of Sicilian puppets.
The Christ is tied up and dragged by the violence of the Roman soldiers, and the Christ, curved that carries the cross helped by the little Cireneo.
The two figures of Christ are members of two families who pass the vote and devotion from father to son and carry their covered face and bare feet in the sign of penance.
All the statues, except that of the Dead Christ, are adorned with flowers and with the first fruits of the earth, especially beans and peas, as a sign of God's offering of the first fruits of this period, are carried on the shoulder of devotees: the rituals of Easter Jewish Christian period recall a symbolic pre-Christian ritual .
This is a short and long report on the procession of Bronte's Holy Friday of this year, 2017.
I riti della Settimana Santa presentano in Sicilia una complessità di contenuti e di simbologie dovute a numerosi influssi, molto presenti quelli dovuti alla cultura spagnola, dominante nell’isola tra il XVI ed il XVII secolo; nel mistero della morte e della resurrezione di Cristo, si assiste nella cultura popolare, a riferimenti risalenti da antichi riti pre-bizantini che originano da molto prima di quelli della cultura cristiana mediterranea.
Questi antichi riti rappresentano i momenti più significativi della Passione di Gesù Cristo, descritti nei Vangeli, dal suo arresto da parte dei romani alla Resurrezione e fanno parte, insieme alle normali funzioni religiose, delle celebrazioni della Settimana Santa.
La processione del Venerdì Santo a Bronte affonda le sue radici ben oltre i caratteri ricevuti dalla dominazione spagnola, realizzandosi come una delle più complesse ed arcaiche in assoluto, processione impregnata di preghiera, di penitenza e di simbolismo. Protagoniste sono le confraternite cittadine che danno vita ad una ricostruzione delle scene della Passione, con figuranti che fanno rivivere gli apostoli, le pie donne, i soldati romani ed il Cristo, insieme ad essi le statue della Madonna Addolorata, del Cristo alla Colonna, del Cristo Crocifisso e del Cristo Morto, addobbate con le fave fresche, condotte dai fedeli che invocano la grazia in dialetto brontese.
I portatori del Cristo Morto restano in silenzio perché il Cristo è morto, mentre i portatori della Madonna Addolorata intonano i canti dell’adorazione della Croce del Cristo.
E’ una sequenza di scene che prendono vita lungo le tortuose strade di Bronte, le quali durante il Venerdì santo diventano un grande palcoscenico, nelle quali si recita la Passione e la Morte del Cristo.
Già dal mattino dappertutto è silenzio, non si canta e non si ride, le campane non suonano perchè sono state «legate» il giovedì. In segno di tristezza si può ascoltare solo il suono legnoso della “troccola” e dei tamburi.
Sfilano in religioso silenzio le tre "pie donne" (con grandi abiti neri, il volto è nascosto da lunghi capelli naturali, fatti crescere e curati per voto); ci sono i chierichetti e le giovinette velate e vestite di bianco; a ciascuna di esse è affidato un oggetto che trova preciso riferimento ai simboli della passione (una palma, il calice, la croce, il martello e i chiodi, la spugna, la scala, la lancia, il lenzuolo della Sindone, ed altri oggetti); ecco san Michele Arcangelo, tradizionalmente è un bambino di sette-otto anni, vestito secondo la classica iconografia, procede lentamente insieme ad una bimba-angelo che reca il “calice della Passione”, con un cadenzato passo scandito dal ritmo di un tamburo, tale da far loro mimare una sorta di movimento che richiama quello dei pupi Siciliani.
Vengono rappresentati il Cristo legato e trascinato dalla violenza dei soldati romani, ed il Cristo, curvo che porta la croce aiutato dal piccolo cireneo.
Le due figure del Cristo sono membri di due famiglie che si tramandano il voto e la devozione da padre in figlio e portano la faccia coperta ed i piedi nudi, in segno di penitenza.
Tutte le statue, tranne quella del Cristo Morto, sono adornate con fiori e con le primizie della terra (fave e piselli soprattutto, in segno d’offerta a Dio delle primizie di questo pe¬rio¬do sono portate a spalla da centi¬naia di devoti: i rituali della Pasqua giudaico cri¬stia¬na, richiamano una ritualità simbolica precri¬stiana dove la pa-rola pasqua, dall'ebraico pesah = passaggio, è sintesi di rinno¬va¬mento, di transito da una fase di morte della natu-ra (l'inver¬no) ad una fase di vita e di risveglio (la primavera), si ha così la sovrap¬po¬sizione dei rituali reli-giosi con le cele¬brazioni arcaiche legate al risveglio della na¬tura. Si innesca una disarmonia este¬tica sulle vare fra la ricca infiorata ed poveri baccelli di fave, le quali finiscono col possedere uno o più significati sim¬bolici,
come essere portatrici di un omaggio alla divinità con fine propiziatorio che discende da motivazioni antiche, legate alla vita dei pastori che nel Brontese hanno avuto ed ancor hanno larga importanza, dalla pianura proprio nel periodo pasquale, essi ritorna¬va¬no ai pascoli montani dopo aver concluso la transu¬manza e, nella occasione, portavano alle divinità il dono di una primi¬zia costituita proprio dalle faviane. A margine di questa usanza religiosa vi è un'altra ap¬pen¬dice devozionale:a lla fine della processione i por¬ta-tori del¬le vare manifestano l'antichissima credenza ma¬gico religiosa della legge del contatto secondo la quale ciò che è stato vicino al divino diventa elemento di pro¬tezione contro ogni avversità e apportatore di be¬nes¬sere spirituale e materiale, essi allora cercano di impossessarsi dei baccelli che sono stati ap¬pe¬si alle vare.
Queso è un report breve e lungo sulla processione del Venerdi Santo di Bronte di quest’anno, 2017.
Double exposed pylon tweaked through lightroom to make it pop even harder. I actually really like this shot, it's best on black. Glad I grabbed it before going for the finale.
dear friends,,,
in this mind world of increasing complexity, i have found it is healthy at regular intervals to go back to what is simple,,, to find a resting place there and a solace.
more is not always better, especially when much of that 'more' is filled up with non-essential, distracting yet strangely consuming trivia.
when the continuity of life - that of a loved one, or your own - is suddenly called into question, there is often an equally sudden clarity that comes to the body and mind. instantly, it is clear to you what is important, what is valuable,,, and what is not. resources you had tied up in hurt feelings, accusations and justifications immediately untangle as you are drawn intensely into the present reality.
interesting to note: even if the threat subsides, or is discovered to be unfounded, that moment of clarity is just as real and striking.
so then, we can reasonably agree that such clarity is not dependent upon life-threatening circumstance, but can be called upon at any time by our choice,,,
we could call this choice a decision to simplify.
foremost, Webster defines simple as without guile, offering the synonym innocent. a beautifully keen description.
if we were to be completely honest with ourselves, we might agree that a large percentage of the suffering we both take upon ourselves and spread to those around us has roots in 'trivial', non-essential kinds of complexities. the cyclic frustrations and tiny agonies both, a product of our programmed perspectives. if we can agree to this, we might also recognize such consumption of our internal resources as a kind of guile - trading that which is precious for that which is valueless and even destructive,,,
is it possible that the worst crimes are the ones we commit against ourselves? the worst lies, the ones we tell ourselves? how can we hope to be true to others if we are not first true with ourselves?
i stood in awe today for several minutes watching a thousand thousand colors move, blend and change shape in rapid succession,,, listening to an orchestra of a thousand thousand players that never played the same combination of notes twice. no, it wasn't HDTV ; ) it was the tall tree outside my house, moving with a wind.
i looked at that undeniably gorgeous, living piece of work, and thought,,, it's been here all the while i've lived in this house,,, likely just as beautifully perfect and peaceful as it is right now. every time i was frustrated, angry, feeling sorry for myself, complaining,,, it was right here, being,,, alive.
and i laughed, spun and laughed, doing my human best to join the tree in its celebration. this is life, i thought. life is simple. as i looked up i saw also how incredible the clouds were,,, miles away, a thousand times magnificent, but moved by that same wind.
and somewhere in that turning, a decision,,,
every part of this tree is directly involved in the tree's benefit and growth. so will i resolve to ensure that every part of me is involved and contributing to my growth and aliveness,,, and those parts that are not, those i will resolve to let go of.
just as no tree would thrive whose leaves were eating away at its own branches,,, neither can we thrive by allowing the self destructive aspects of our nature to consume our health and resources.
if the beauty of humans is sometimes found in our complexities, surely there must be a balance, a careful watch to ensure those complexities don't disconnect us from the simple joy it is to be alive.
love to you my beautiful friends,,, from a heart resolved to grow as big as it can,,,
jesh *
This image of Pluto's largest moon Charon, taken by NASA's New Horizons spacecraft 10 hours before its closest approach to Pluto on July 14, 2015 from a distance of 290,000 miles (470,000 kilometers), is a recently downlinked, much higher quality version of a Charon image released on July 15. Charon, which is 750 miles (1,200 kilometers) in diameter, displays a surprisingly complex geological history, including tectonic fracturing; relatively smooth, fractured plains in the lower right; several enigmatic mountains surrounded by sunken terrain features on the right side; and heavily cratered regions in the center and upper left portion of the disk. There are also complex reflectivity patterns on Charon’s surface, including bright and dark crater rays, and the conspicuous dark north polar region at the top of the image. The smallest visible features are 2.9 miles 4.6 kilometers) in size
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Southwest Research Institute
This was a surprisingly fun spinning car roller coaster. At the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Amusement Park.
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The rites of Holy Week are present in Sicily with complexity of content and symbologies due to numerous influences, very present those due to the Spanish culture, dominating the island between the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries; in the mystery of the death and resurrection of Christ, it is attended by a popular culture, referring to ancient pre-Byzantine rites that originated long before those of Mediterranean Christian culture.
These ancient rituals represent the most significant moments of the Passion of Jesus Christ, described in the Gospels, from his arrest by the Romans to the Resurrection and are part of the Holy Week celebrations, together with the normal religious functions.
The Good Friday procession at Bronte has its roots far beyond the characters received by Spanish domination, realizing itself as one of the most complex and archaic in absolute, a procession impregnated with prayer, penance and symbolism. The protagonists are the city confraternities that give a reconstruction of the Scenes of the Passion, featuring the apostles, the pious women, the Roman soldiers and Christ, and the statues of Our Lady of Sorrows, Christ the Column, Christ Crucified and Dead Christ, decorated with fresh beans, led by the faithful invoking grace in brontese dialect.
The porters of Dead Christ are in silence because Christ is dead, while the bearers of Our Lady of Sorrows intonate the songs of the adoration of the Cross of Christ.
It is a sequence of scenes that live along the winding streets of Bronte, which on Holy Friday become a great stage in which the Passion and Death of Christ is recited.
Since the morning everywhere is silent, it is not sung and does not laugh, the bells do not ring because they were "tied up" on Thursday. In a sign of sadness you can only hear the woody sound of "troccola" and drums.
The three "pious women" (with large black dresses, the face is hidden by long natural hair, grown and cared for by vote) in religious silence; there are clerics and childre veiled and dressed in white; each of them is entrusted with an object that finds precise references to the symbols of passion (a palm, chalice, cross, hammer and nails, sponge, ladder, spear, sheet of shroud, and other objects); there is Saint Michael the Archangel, who is traditionally a seven-eight-year-old child dressed in classic iconography, slowly goes along with an angel-girl who carries the "chalice of the Passion," with a cadence-step marked by the rhythm of a drum to make them a mimic with a movement that recalls that of Sicilian puppets.
The Christ is tied up and dragged by the violence of the Roman soldiers, and the Christ, curved that carries the cross helped by the little Cireneo.
The two figures of Christ are members of two families who pass the vote and devotion from father to son and carry their covered face and bare feet in the sign of penance.
All the statues, except that of the Dead Christ, are adorned with flowers and with the first fruits of the earth, especially beans and peas, as a sign of God's offering of the first fruits of this period, are carried on the shoulder of devotees: the rituals of Easter Jewish Christian period recall a symbolic pre-Christian ritual .
This is a short and long report on the procession of Bronte's Holy Friday of this year, 2017.
I riti della Settimana Santa presentano in Sicilia una complessità di contenuti e di simbologie dovute a numerosi influssi, molto presenti quelli dovuti alla cultura spagnola, dominante nell’isola tra il XVI ed il XVII secolo; nel mistero della morte e della resurrezione di Cristo, si assiste nella cultura popolare, a riferimenti risalenti da antichi riti pre-bizantini che originano da molto prima di quelli della cultura cristiana mediterranea.
Questi antichi riti rappresentano i momenti più significativi della Passione di Gesù Cristo, descritti nei Vangeli, dal suo arresto da parte dei romani alla Resurrezione e fanno parte, insieme alle normali funzioni religiose, delle celebrazioni della Settimana Santa.
La processione del Venerdì Santo a Bronte affonda le sue radici ben oltre i caratteri ricevuti dalla dominazione spagnola, realizzandosi come una delle più complesse ed arcaiche in assoluto, processione impregnata di preghiera, di penitenza e di simbolismo. Protagoniste sono le confraternite cittadine che danno vita ad una ricostruzione delle scene della Passione, con figuranti che fanno rivivere gli apostoli, le pie donne, i soldati romani ed il Cristo, insieme ad essi le statue della Madonna Addolorata, del Cristo alla Colonna, del Cristo Crocifisso e del Cristo Morto, addobbate con le fave fresche, condotte dai fedeli che invocano la grazia in dialetto brontese.
I portatori del Cristo Morto restano in silenzio perché il Cristo è morto, mentre i portatori della Madonna Addolorata intonano i canti dell’adorazione della Croce del Cristo.
E’ una sequenza di scene che prendono vita lungo le tortuose strade di Bronte, le quali durante il Venerdì santo diventano un grande palcoscenico, nelle quali si recita la Passione e la Morte del Cristo.
Già dal mattino dappertutto è silenzio, non si canta e non si ride, le campane non suonano perchè sono state «legate» il giovedì. In segno di tristezza si può ascoltare solo il suono legnoso della “troccola” e dei tamburi.
Sfilano in religioso silenzio le tre "pie donne" (con grandi abiti neri, il volto è nascosto da lunghi capelli naturali, fatti crescere e curati per voto); ci sono i chierichetti e le giovinette velate e vestite di bianco; a ciascuna di esse è affidato un oggetto che trova preciso riferimento ai simboli della passione (una palma, il calice, la croce, il martello e i chiodi, la spugna, la scala, la lancia, il lenzuolo della Sindone, ed altri oggetti); ecco san Michele Arcangelo, tradizionalmente è un bambino di sette-otto anni, vestito secondo la classica iconografia, procede lentamente insieme ad una bimba-angelo che reca il “calice della Passione”, con un cadenzato passo scandito dal ritmo di un tamburo, tale da far loro mimare una sorta di movimento che richiama quello dei pupi Siciliani.
Vengono rappresentati il Cristo legato e trascinato dalla violenza dei soldati romani, ed il Cristo, curvo che porta la croce aiutato dal piccolo cireneo.
Le due figure del Cristo sono membri di due famiglie che si tramandano il voto e la devozione da padre in figlio e portano la faccia coperta ed i piedi nudi, in segno di penitenza.
Tutte le statue, tranne quella del Cristo Morto, sono adornate con fiori e con le primizie della terra (fave e piselli soprattutto, in segno d’offerta a Dio delle primizie di questo pe¬rio¬do sono portate a spalla da centi¬naia di devoti: i rituali della Pasqua giudaico cri¬stia¬na, richiamano una ritualità simbolica precri¬stiana dove la pa-rola pasqua, dall'ebraico pesah = passaggio, è sintesi di rinno¬va¬mento, di transito da una fase di morte della natu-ra (l'inver¬no) ad una fase di vita e di risveglio (la primavera), si ha così la sovrap¬po¬sizione dei rituali reli-giosi con le cele¬brazioni arcaiche legate al risveglio della na¬tura. Si innesca una disarmonia este¬tica sulle vare fra la ricca infiorata ed poveri baccelli di fave, le quali finiscono col possedere uno o più significati sim¬bolici,
come essere portatrici di un omaggio alla divinità con fine propiziatorio che discende da motivazioni antiche, legate alla vita dei pastori che nel Brontese hanno avuto ed ancor hanno larga importanza, dalla pianura proprio nel periodo pasquale, essi ritorna¬va¬no ai pascoli montani dopo aver concluso la transu¬manza e, nella occasione, portavano alle divinità il dono di una primi¬zia costituita proprio dalle faviane. A margine di questa usanza religiosa vi è un'altra ap¬pen¬dice devozionale:a lla fine della processione i por¬ta-tori del¬le vare manifestano l'antichissima credenza ma¬gico religiosa della legge del contatto secondo la quale ciò che è stato vicino al divino diventa elemento di pro¬tezione contro ogni avversità e apportatore di be¬nes¬sere spirituale e materiale, essi allora cercano di impossessarsi dei baccelli che sono stati ap¬pe¬si alle vare.
Queso è un report breve e lungo sulla processione del Venerdi Santo di Bronte di quest’anno, 2017.