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I've spent the last week living in a forest with my friends and family. We climbed trees, toasted marshmallows, relaxed in hot tubs and I even convinced everyone to help me with a photo shoot! I left my astronaut costume at home by accident so I decided to carry on with the space theme in my pyjamas! I'd also like to add that this image was inspired by the legend that is Gregory Crewdson and how he uses light to create a story.
– quote from Nassim Nicholas Taleb in his book, The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable.
"Before the discovery of Australia, people in the old world were convinced that all swans were white, an unassailable belief as it seemed completely confirmed by empirical evidence…It illustrates a severe limitation to our learning from observations or experience and the fragility of our knowledge. One single observation can invalidate a general statement derived from millennia of confirmatory sightings of millions of white swans. All you need is one single (and, I am told, quite ugly) black bird.”
– another quote from Nassim Nicholas Taleb from his book, The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable that explains a black swan is a surprise and generalization busting event.
control is not convinced
but the computer
has the evidence
feat. Zibska's Alavar Eyeshadow & Senn Lips - available at the Cosmetic Fair - Halloween Round
The Circus.
Built between 1754 and 1768 but Father and son John Wood and John Wood the younger.
This road, along with Queen Square and Gay Street from the air form a key shape, a masonic symbol.
The buildings themselves have many symbols related to the masonic lodge, as well as druid culture. Wood was an admirer of the druids, and was convinced Bath was a druid settlement in the past. He believed the Circus was joined to the Royal Crescent by a ley-line; their design represents the sun and the moon.
It is also believed that if you stand at a spot in the centre of the circus what you say will echo around the buildings
My two lovely Guineas! I enjoy taking pictures of these two, I'm not convinced they are as keen...
I wish I'd got the pics earlier so I could have them as Christmas cards :D
Many thanks for your visits, faves and comments. Cheers.
Wedge-tailed Eagle
Scientific Name: Aquila audax
The Wedge-tailed Eagle is Australiaâs largest bird of prey. It was once considered to be a menace by farmers, who were convinced that eagles swooped down and carried lambs off in their talons. As a result, thousands of eagles were shot and poisoned. It is now known that Wedge-tailed Eagles mostly take rabbits, and seldom eat lambs â usually the carcases of dead lambs rather than live ones. Nevertheless, in some parts of Australia, these majestic raptors are still shot and poisoned, despite being a legally protected species.
Description: The Wedge-tailed Eagle has long wings (wingspan 2.3 m), a characteristic long, wedge-shaped tail, and legs that are feathered all the way to the base of the toes. The bill is pale pink to cream, the eye brown to dark brown, and the feet off-white. Young Wedge-tailed Eagles are mid brown in colour with reddish-brown heads and wings. They become progressively blacker for at least the first ten years of their lives; adults are mostly dark blackish-brown. The only difference in plumage between the sexes is that a female adult is generally slightly paler than her mate. Females (4.2 kg - 5.3 kg) are also larger and heavier than males (3.2 kg up to 4.0 kg). Wedge-tailed Eagles are Australia's largest raptors (birds of prey).
Similar Species: Australia's second largest eagle (and second-largest raptor or bird of prey), the White-bellied Sea-Eagle, Haliaeetus leucogaster, has shorter, more rounded wings and no feathers on its lower legs. The White-bellied Sea Eagle is 75 cm - 85 cm long and has a wingspan of 1.8 m - 2.2 m.
Distribution: The Wedge-tailed Eagle is found throughout mainland Australia, Tasmania and southern New Guinea.
Habitat: The Wedge-tailed Eagle is found from sea level to alpine regions in the mountains, but prefers wooded and forested land and open country, generally avoiding rainforest and coastal heaths. Eagles can be seen perched on trees or poles or soaring overhead to altitudes of up to 2000 m. Wedge-tailed Eagles build their nest in a prominent location with a good view of the surrounding countryside. It may be built in either a live or dead tree, but usually the tallest one in the territory. In some parts of Australia, where tall trees are absent, small trees, shrubs, cliff faces or even the ground may be used. The density of active nests depends on the abundance of prey and other resources. In most years, nests are usually 2.5 km - 4 km apart. If conditions are particularly good, the distances apart may be less than 1 km because the birds require smaller areas to find sufficient food.
Feeding: Wedge-tailed Eagles eat both live prey and carrion. Their diet reflects the available prey, but the most important live items are rabbits and hares. Rabbits usually comprise about 30-70% of the diet, but may comprise up to 92%. The introduction of the calicivirus has resulted in the decline of rabbits in many parts of Australia. It is not yet known how this will affect the Wedge-tailed Eagle. Other food items include lizards, birds (weighing over 100 g) and mammals (usually weighing over 500 g). Wedge-tailed Eagles will kill lambs, but these make up only a small percentage of their total prey. Carrion is a major food source; roadkills and other carcasses are readily eaten. Many of the reports of predation on lambs result from birds scavenging already dead animals. Up to 20 birds may attend a carcass, although only two or three feed at any one time. Wedge-tailed Eagles may hunt singly, in pairs or in larger groups. Working together, a group of eagles can attack and kill animals as large as adult kangaroos. This explains the scientific name of the Wedge-tailed Eagle which means 'bold eagle'. Under ideal conditions, an eagle can lift about 50% of its body weight. Often, eagles may cache food items on a branch near the nest area.
Breeding: Wedge-tailed Eagles are monogamous and apparently mate for life. If one bird of a pair is killed, the survivor will find a new mate. Established breeding pairs are territorial and live in the one area throughout the year, defending around their nest sites from other Wedge-tailed Eagles. (They are also known on occasion to attack intruding model airplanes, hang gliders, gliders, fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters.) Surrounding the territories are large home ranges in which the birds hunt for food but do not defend. There is usually overlap between the home ranges of two or more breeding pairs and of non-breeding birds. The nest is a large structure of dead sticks, usually reused for years, often reaching considerable size. Nests 1.8 m across, 3 m deep and weighing about 400 kg are known. Nests have a shallow cup on the top, lined with fresh twigs and leaves. Sticks are added by a bird while it stands in the nest. If these sticks are dropped outside the nest, no effort is made to retrieve them. Piles of dropped sticks 1.8 m high have been recorded under the nest trees. The timing of breeding may vary from location to location and from year to year according to the local availability of food. Both parents share in the duties of nest building, incubation and feeding of the young. A clutch consists of white eggs measuring 73 mm x 59 mm with varying amounts of reddish brown spots and blotches. These are laid at intervals of two to four days. Incubation starts with the laying of the first egg. Because of the intervals between laying, the eggs do not hatch simultaneously. The first chick hatches larger than the second, which in turn is larger than the third. Survival rates of the chicks vary considerably depending on local conditions, including prey abundance and the amount of disturbance. A breeding pair usually rears only one young per clutch, although in a good year, two chicks may fledge in some nests. Because of the differences in size, the oldest and largest chick has the best chance of surviving. If food is scarce, it will kill and eat its smaller nest mates. Chicks hatch covered with a white down. For the first five weeks or so, the adults must deliver food to their mouths. After this time they are able to recognise bits of food on the floor of the nest and can feed themselves. The young acquire their first feathers during the second week after hatching. If threatened by predators, the chicks lie flat in the nest, but will defend themselves if required. The adults, in contrast, make little defence of the young. The juveniles remain with the adults for about 11 weeks after leaving the nest. Young and non-breeding birds disperse, moving to wherever conditions are suitable. Juveniles are known to have moved over 850 km in a seven to eight month period.
(Source: birdlife.org.au/bird-profile/wedge-tailed-eagle)
© Chris Burns 2025
_____________
All rights reserved.
This image may not be copied, reproduced, distributed, republished, downloaded, displayed, posted or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic, mechanical, photocopying and recording without my written consent.
I have been convinced many times that if the weather is bad and it seems that you do not need to take a camera with you ..... then you need to take it :)))) Again, FED-2 and a very severe snowstorm... Printing on the old unibrom 24x30 development in D-9 mod. It may be worth tinting in something cold or blue, but no decision has been made yet..
Bridge Of Light
Pink
Just when you think
Hope is lost
And giving up
Is all you got,
Blue turns black,
Your confidence is cracked,
There seems no turning back from here
Sometimes there isn't an obvious explanation
Why the holiest hearts can feel the strongest palpitations
That's when you can build a bridge of light,
That's what turns the wrongs all right
That's when you can't give up the fight
That's when love turns nighttime into day,
That's when loneliness goes away,
That's why you gotta be strong tonight,
Only love can build us a bridge of light
When your feet are made of stone
You're convinced that you're all alone
Look at the stars instead of the dark
You'll find your heart shines like the sun
Went up to Koolewong this morning to shoot Paddy’s Oysters shed and jetty at sunrise. Timed the trip perfectly.
Stepped out of the car, walked 10m onto the jetty, and shot this within 5 minutes.
One of the easiest shoots I’ve done in a long time.
Hope you like “Bridge Of Light”
Cheers, Mike
I'm convinced that Northern Alaska is truly heaven on Earth. Mostly untouched by man with wild animals and wild skies roaming freely without being tainted by the polluted filled humans. Truly a remarkable place.
I was already convinced that the grebes were beautiful, amazing birds, but nature never fails to amaze me, so... Our recent trip at the lake Iseo revealed us a most amazing behaviour of those birds that truly deserves to be shared and cherished. And smiled at, for a change 😁
It’s official. I’m now convinced in my old age I’m becoming more sensible, at least when it comes down to my safe being. My day started dry but by the time I’d drove up to Glen Nevis the heavy mist had changed to persistent rain. I parked at the top of Glen Nevis road and set off on the popular walk to the waterfall intending to make it up from there. I’d headed to the Glen because of nice population of Scots pines hoping I would find nice subjects for photography. This I did but as the walked to the waterfall from the carpark on the north side of the Nevis waters I saw that much of the interest was on the south. My walk on the north side had interest but petered out on reaching the waterfall and route back along the south side was only enabled by a steel rope crossing which from my observation ended with a wet sloping rock on the other side. When I say rope bridge I mean 3 ropes, that’s two hand holds and a single rope to walk along. Ten years ago I would not have hesitated and crossed, but today common sense (and age) got the better of me. I still intended to visit those trees on the south side but a 2.5 mile walk back to Paddy’s bridge was required passing my parked car on the way. Here is one of those interesting pines up on the slopes of the south side, the snow capped top in the distance is the Ben itself.
Twistleton Scar End, Ingleton
I'm not convinced by this one. Like most people we were lead to believe these ravaged windblown trees were the work of nature herself but now we are not so sure.
For on our decent we came across the remains of a pristine skeleton, picked clean to the bone by the indigenous carnivorous Swaledale sheep that use to terrorise these dales in the early 18th century. We deduced the remains to be that of a gardener, possibly Capability Grey (so named for his love of granite) - the little know brother of Capability Brown - the famous 18th century landscape gardener. So called for his creative workings of the landscape that we now know today as the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales.
He disappeared at the height of his fame, just before his younger brother got the gig to do Chatsworth. Could this be sibling rivalry or fowl play... only history and a proper forensic investigation will determine the truth, but rural budgets are tight at the moment.
I hear you ask, what makes you think these are the remains of a gardener and the unknown Capability Grey?... it was the rusty pruning shears still gripped in his skeleton hand!
... a quickly vanishing look of amazed contempt, and I am convinced that basically dogs think humans are nuts. John Steinbeck
Ask people to describe their dog & they'll often tell you how loyal & loving they are, how playful, or perhaps even how lazy... Sometimes, in an affectionate, slightly embarrassed near whisper, they'll add: "he is a really sweet dog... but he's not very clever, you know! A bit daft, to be honest!". Well, I am certain that when Flynn chats with his fellow canines about their respective hoomans, he informs them that he is fond of me but that I am quite odd & sadly, not too bright.
I grew up with cats. They were very loving & affectionate, however, we're all aware that felines have thoughts on the (lack of) intelligence of humanity & aren't afraid to let us know about it... I used to believe dogs were different & just happy to play the fool with us - until I got Flynn. Then I discovered that dogs aren't so different to cats! Flynn loves me but he has opinions - & they're not always favourable. Flynn tells it to me straight when he thinks I am doing something stupid - or, worse, asking him to do something stupid. If he's feeling generous, Flynn humours me, or offers helpful suggestions for improvement but he is also master of The Look. The "Why did my proud wolf ancestors give up their freedom, in order to throw their lot in with you weirdo furless apes?" look. His expression makes me laugh, which earns me a fiercer glare. So, I ask if he'd like a biscuit, as compensation for tolerating my idiocy & suddenly, Flynn remembers the answer to his own question: hoomans have opposable thumbs & can therefore do magic: open screw-top biscuit jars!
Here, Flynn was merely mildly disapproving of my behaviour. Like most collies, Flynn likes Order & Rules. We were approaching a designated stopping point at The Bench (Flynn's right ear is pointing at it!). Yet, for some unfathomable reason*, I had stopped at a random spot on the path, just before we reached The Bench! Unacceptable.
*I asked him to stop because this was the only patch of sunshine for photos available - the bench was in deep shadow.
Taken for the eyes challenge in 52WfDs
I am convinced that most people do not grow up. We marry and dare to have children and call that growing up. I think what we mostly do is grow old. We carry accumulation of years in our bodies and on our faces, but generally our real selves, the children inside, are innocent and shy as magnolias.
Heavy rain chills my soul to the bone, obscures my lens, and the persistence to capture a P42 drives me in the driving rain. I may not have another chance in conditions like this. I am a fool for these machines. .
.
.
I was convinced to share this shot I feel like it’s a failure and it is for those who look for sunny day shots and no shadows for me it’s an emotional journey into an experience
I am convinced that this beach log is a message post, as I saw various bears using it: rubbing, clawing, leaving scent for the next bear to come along. This is Georgina, the World's Coolest Bear. I previously uploaded a shot of her at this spot, but I think I like this one better. It can take a while for the cream to rise to the top. Sometimes years.
Photographed on the wild, bear-inhabited coast of British Columbia (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission © 2019 James R. Page - all rights reserved.
These are tiny Kermit Green Button Pom Flowers from a very special bouquet given to me by dear friends at the loss of my brother.
My brother, got me my first job. I was going to be starting my freshman year at UC Davis as a computer engineering major and he knew a supervisor at the company, Radio Shack. He persuaded his friend to hire me in the quality control department. This is something my husband and I still laugh about because of my incessant need and love for details.
Later, after I had switched colleges to the Santa Cruz Bay area, my brother found me another job. He hired me to work at the Video store he was managing. It was great working with him, and I appreciated his confidence in me. Unfortunately, it was a short stint there due to two incidents. I grew up pretty sheltered and when some ladies came in looking for Chippendale videos, I took them over to the Disney section and showed them those rascally chipmunks. They laughed and thought I was joking. I was not.
The other incident that sealed my fate and convinced me that it was a wise move getting out of computer engineering was the morning after I had worked the closing shift. My brother arrived at the store to find a completely crashed computer system. It cost him hours and hours of work re-entering data and I’m sure there was also some embarrassment with the owner of the store since it was his sister who was responsible. He never yelled at me or fired me.
Through those college years his home was always open to me and I will never forget his generosity. He had a smile that could light up any room and it will be greatly missed.
Yet another shot of Jumeirah Beach Residence, but I did not have that angle yet!
3 shots used for this digital blending, f/8 120s (water, rocks), 10s, 3s (buildings).
The good news is I convinced Jeremy Cram and Brian Kibbons to wake up early and make the 12 hour drive to Glacier in time to catch sunset. The bad news is the dense cloud layer, which was soon forecasted to turn to days on end of blue, was quickly breaking up. From the time they rolled into the parking lot at Logan Pass until we finished the short hike up to these cascades, the cloud cover went from about 50% to 20% or less. By the time the sun actually set the clouds were gone—one of the fastest cloud break ups I’ve ever seen. This was one of the first comps form that night. Most of the others are completely cloudless. Although there are a few clouds wrapping around Mt. Clements, the strong backlighting was a formidable opponent to control for and balance in post. I didn’t really think much of the RAW file until I decided to process it recently. Pretty glad I did.
"It seems to be a law of nature, inflexible and inexorable, that those who will not risk cannot win." John Paul Jones.
Several years ago, after my first spring trip to the Dolomites, I found several autumn photos that convinced me to visit this amazing place again, in order to capture with my camera the beauty of this magical season. One of those images showed the small town of Selva di Cadore from the road that goes to Colle Santa Lucia. It seemed like a simple place to photograph, but...
The trees had grown so large that they almost completely hid the town. The only option was to climb an embankment of dirt and gravel that rose next to the road. I thought I could get to the top easily, but I soon realised that each step I took was more difficult than the last, as my feet sank into the ground and the inclination increased. Half way up I thought about giving up, but I kept going up until this view opened up before me. Now it was time to take out the camera, while standing on that wall that had become almost vertical. Leaning the backpack on one of my legs, I was able to get the camera out without throwing all the gear down the hill. My legs were already shaking from the effort, but I was finally able to compose this image and put the camera back in the backpack. Going down was even worse than going up, for more safety I ended up sliding as best I could, burning the palms of my hands a little. Once I was below, covered in dust, I looked up and thought: "Whoever doesn't take risks, doesn't win."
Our YouTube Travel Video with Behind the Scenes of this picture:
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"Parece ser una ley de la naturaleza, inflexible e inexorable, que quienes no arriesgan no pueden ganar". John Paul Jones.
Hace ya varios años, después de mi primer viaje primaveral a los Dolomitas, encontré varias fotos otoñales que me convencieron de visitar este increíble lugar de nuevo, para capturar con mi cámara la belleza de esta estación tan mágica. Una de esas imágenes, mostraba el pequeño pueblo de Selva di Cadore desde la carretera que va a Colle Santa Lucia. Parecía un lugar sencillo para fotografiar, pero...
Los árboles habían crecido tanto que ocultaban casi por completo el pueblo. La única opción era subir por un terraplén de tierra y gravilla que se levantaba junto a la carretera. Pensé que podía llegar hasta arriba fácilmente, pero pronto me di cuenta que cada paso que daba era más difícil que el anterior, ya que mis pies se hundían en el terreno y la inclinación aumentaba. Ya a medio camino pensé en desistir, pero seguí subiendo hasta que se abrió esta vista ante mí. Ahora tocaba sacar la cámara, en aquella pared que se habían vuelto casi vertical. Apoyando la mochila en una de mis piernas, fui capaz de sacar la cámara sin tirar todo el equipo cuesta abajo. Mis piernas temblaban ya del esfuerzo, pero finalmente pude componer esta imagen y meter la cámara de vuelta en la mochila. Bajar fue incluso peor que subir, para más seguridad acabé deslizándome como pude, abrasando un poco las palmas de mis manos. Una vez abajo, cubierto de polvo, miré hacia arriba y pensé: "Quien no arriesga no gana".
Let's face it, shooting a sunset at Doctors Pond is rather like shooting ducks in a barrel...even with a new manual focus lens I've hired which I'm not convinced I'm focusing quite right yet.
Fog season has finally returned to San Francisco! It’s been a while and we’ve missed each other for some time, but we’re back in business. Again, my trustworthy fog ninja, Alan, convinced me to head up this morning. Initially, I was hesitant thinking the fog was too high and wanting to jump back into bed. However, Alan called me and said, “you can either head up or possibly get a great shot or you can go back to sleep and cry about missing the opportunity.” Instantly, I grabbed my gear and made my way to SF.
Alan and I headed to Marin and wanted to check conditions there first before settling on our ultimate shooting location. We first headed to Hawk Hill but we decided a higher point would be better: Slacker Hill it was. With sunrise encroaching, we huffed and puffed our way up to Slacker Hill and found a row of photographers already lined up. Though a bit late in arriving, luckily we didn’t miss too much. Just as we arrived the fog began leveling out and tips of the Golden Gate Bridge towers began exposing themselves.
I wanted to go for the smooth fog contour and thus tossed on my 10-stopper filter. Then I waited for the sunrise in hopes of it beaming the warm colors onto the fog. Just like that, the intense light came and disappeared. Low fog, until next time!
Canon 5D Mark II
EF 24-70mm f/2.8L
Singh-Ray reverse GND
I'd convinced myself that this was in Scotland! Thankfully my brother put me right. Beautiful sight, along with the valley below, well worth a visit.
I convinced myself that I would never find you,
When suddenly I saw you.
At first I thought you were a constellation.
I made a map of your stars, then I had a revelation:
You’re as beautiful as endless,
You’re the universe I’m helpless in.
An astronomer at my best
When I throw away the measurements.
- Sleeping At Last, Venus
So you think your Christmas Eve is stressful? Spare a thought for our mate Nick. While you’re wrestling with tangled fairy lights, he’s got to visit every nice child in the world, steer a sleigh pulled by reindeer with attitude, and deal with elves who’d rather test the toys than pack them. And then there’s Martha — Mrs. Claus—who’s as caring as she is relentless with her annual lecture.
“Don’t sleigh over the speed limit, Nick! Remember what happened in 2015?” “Wear your gloves this time—you’re not frostbite-proof!”
“For goodness' sake, watch out for Elon's Starlink satellites. You’re not dodging one again this year!” “You don’t need to drink every beer someone leaves out! And maybe skip a few chocolates—remember what the doctor said about your waistline? Chimneys aren’t exactly getting bigger, you know.”
“And that beard! If it catches fire in a chimney, don’t come crying to me!” “Oh, and Nick... there’s no shame in using GPS. Last year’s Paris debacle was not a good look.”
Do you have any Christmas traditions? In our house, we’re Lego nerds through and through. Every year on December 1st, we kick off our annual assembly of the four Christmas-themed Lego sets we own—each boasting over 1,000 pieces. It’s a group effort, with whoever happens to be around joining in, fueled by a glass of red wine, Spotify Christmas carols, and a spirited debate over the best way to sort the pieces. (I’m firmly in the “sort by style, not color” camp by the way)
Of course, there’s the inevitable moments “There’s no red piece that’s a double with four blocks and a slant on one side!” Yet somehow, my wife always finds it — usually in a spot I *just checked*. I’m convinced she hides them for fun.
After a week of meticulous building, we finally finish one set... only to discover an alarming number of leftover pieces. Why do I have five green tree branch when I desperately need an orange Christmas light? By that point, it doesn’t really matter though.
Then there’s our grandson. When he arrives, the intricate builds we’ve painstakingly constructed are gleefully demolished in search of *that one perfect block* he absolutely must have. That’s the best part of it all — the chaos, the laughter, the tradition. It’s not about getting it to look like the picture on the box (it never does anyway). It’s about the journey, the memories, and the fun of doing it together.
Wishing you a merry Christmas, I hope you enjoy whatever you are up to !
Early the next morning we're at Hodges, MT for another load of Powder River Coal headed east. This was one of the photos from my Canon 10D that convinced me to ditch film and go digital.
I use an older (and very good) telezoom to photograph grasses for a change. Manual focusing is a bit tedious. At that time Canon was probably - rightly - so convinced of the autofocus performance that they thought nobody used the focusing ring.
PADDY: “I am still not convinced that this pink camper van you found on the side of the road was supplied by the faeries, Scout.”
SCOUT: “Of course it’s the faeries, Paddy! They brought it for me! The faeries took pity on me because you couldn’t turn that pumpkin into a Scoutarella coach, Paddy...”
PADDY: “Well, I never actually said I had any magic, Scout.”
SCOUT: “So they magicked up this wonderful pink camper van, just for us. It was just sitting here under the tree, waiting to be driven.”
PADDY: “I’m really not convinced. I think it belongs to someone else, like some Barbies who have gone to get provisions.”
ROSIE: “But there are plenty of provisions in the refrigerator, Paddy.” *Points to refrigerator with paw.*
SCOUT: “Oh pooh, Paddy! I’m going to keep exploring!” *Walks around to the other side of the camper van.*
BOGART: “I’m sure there are no Barbies about to lay claim to this camper van, Paddy.”
ROSIE: “I agree with Bogart, Paddy.”
PADDY: *Shakes head.*
SCOUT: *Squeals with excitement.* “Paddy! Bogart! Rosie! Come! Come quickly!”
BOGART: “What is it, Scout?” *Hurries around the other side of the camper van to where Scout’s squeal comes from.*
ROSIE: “What did you find, Scout?” *Follow Bogart.*
PADDY: “What is it, Scout? Are you alright?” *Follows Bogart and Rosie.*
SCOUT: “Of course I’m alright, Paddy! Why is it that every time I squeal, you think something is wrong?”
PADDY: “Usually because something is wrong, Scout.”
SCOUT: “Oh!” *Puts paw to mouth thoughtfully.* “Well this time I am excited!”
ROSIE: “Why Scout?”
SCOUT: “Because this camper van has everything! It even has a…” *Lowers voice.* “A Lady Louisa for when we have to go…”
PADDY: “Ahem!” *Clears throat.* “Yes, we know what everybear does in the Lady Louisa, Scout.”
SCOUT: “And even better, the Lady Louisa has a pink seat!” *Lifts toilet seat.*
ROSIE: “Look there is even a roll of loo paper! How kind the faeries are to think of our every comfort: food, drink and loo paper!”
BOGART: “And there is a vanity basin too! It has taps!”
SCOUT: “Oh! And pictures on the wall! Look!” *Points to pictures of Barbies.*
PADDY: “Hhhmmm…” *Ponders seriously.*
BOGART: “Well I don’t think that is in the best of taste for the bathroom.” *Tuts and shakes head.* “A nice painting of a landscape, but not photographs! They’d be looking at you whilst you are doing your… err… your business! That’s creepy!”
PADDY: “Hhhmmm…” *Ponders more seriously.*
ROSIE: “I agree, Bogart! I don’t want to sit on the Lady Louisa and have Barbies watching me!”
PADDY: “Hhhmmm…” *Ponders more seriously still.*
SCOUT: “Don’t worry, Bogart and Rosie! We can just take them down as part of the camper van redecoration we will do to it! We need to put our paw stamp on the interiors.” *Nods seriously.* “So long as we don’t remove too much pink. I like pink. But the photographs can go.”
PADDY: “But Scout, why are there photographs hanging up in the bathroom in the first place?”
SCOUT: “What do you mean, Paddy?”
PADDY: “If what you say is right and the faeries left this camper van for us to find, why are there photographs of Barbies on the wall?”
VOICE FROM A NEARBY GARDEN: “Hey! Hey that’s my camper van! What are you bears doing in it?”
PADDY, SCOUT, BOGART and ROSIE: *All turn to where the voice comes from and sees a grumpy little girl with a red and ugly face clutching several Barbies.*
PADDY: “Oh-oh!”
LITTLE GIRL: *Gasps.* “Bear invaders!”
ROSIE: “Oh dear!” *Puts paws to mouth.*
LITTLE GIRL: “Come on Barbies! Let’s get ‘em!”
SCOUT: “Time to go, I think!”
LITTLE GIRL: *Runs towards Paddy, Scout, Bogart, Rosie and the camper van.*
PADDY: “Run!!!!!”
PADDY, SCOUT, BOGART and ROSIE: *All run as fast as their little paws will carry them, into the safety of Daddy’s arms.*
SCOUT: “I guess you were right, Paddy,” *Looks from the security of Daddy’s arms at the scowling little girl who eyes Scout with hostile eyes.* “The faeries didn’t bring the camer van for us.” *Disappointed.*
PADDY: “I told you so, Scout!” *Snuggles against daddy’s chest for further protection from the scowling little girl.*
ROSIE: “That is sooooo disappointing!” *Sad.*
BOGART: “And it was an American model too, just like me!” *Sighs.*
DADDY: “Don’t worry everybear. Let’s go home and leave the little girl and her Barbies to their camper van. We have something at home that they don’t.”
PADDY, SCOUT, BOGART and ROSIE: “What Daddy?”
DADDY: “Afternoon tea!”
PADDY, SCOUT, BOGART and ROSIE: “Afternoon tea! Hoorah! Grumbly tummies Daddy! Grumbly tummies!” *Rub tummies vigorously.*
Imagine the delight of Paddy, Scout, Bogart and Rosie when, whilst on a walk with me the other day, they came across a Barbie Dream Camper Van from 2017, left out on the footpath along with some other toys for anyone… or anybear to take! Recycling at its best… or so they thought!
My Paddington Bear came to live with me in London when I was two years old (many, many years ago). He was hand made by my Great Aunt and he has a chocolate coloured felt hat, the brim of which had to be pinned up by a safety pin to stop it getting in his eyes. The collar of his mackintosh is made of the same felt. He wears wellington boots made from the same red leather used to make the toggles on his mackintosh.
He has travelled with me across the world and he and I have had many adventures together over the years. He is a very precious member of my small family.
Scout was a gift to Paddy from my friend. He is a Fair Trade Bear hand knitted in Africa. His name comes from the shop my friend found him in: Scout House. He tells me that life was very different where he came from, and Paddy is helping introduce him to many new experiences. Scout catches on quickly, and has proven to be a cheeky, but very lovable member of our closely knit family.
Rosie is Scout's cousin, because like Scout, she is a free trade knitted bear from Africa. She was made in Kenya by one of the Kenana Knitters, Martha Wanjira. She is made from home spun and dyed wool. She was a gift to me from two very dear friends, including the one who gave Scout to Paddy.
Bogart has travelled all the way from Georgia, via Alabama as a gift to me from a friend. He has lovely Southern manners and seems to be a fun and gentle soul with an inquisitive nature.
When this swing birdfeeder was purchased, we just knew the birds would love it, and that we'd get tons of photo ops of our "backyard swingers!"
However, it seems the birds are not totally on board with our vision. Yet. Only a handful of birds seem to "like" it, kinda sorta. I've tried a variety of their favorite seed mixes, and they still just don't seem convinced - yet.
So, whenever I see a "new" bird checking out the swing, I grab a shot if the camera is handy. Which is what happened here, when this Carolina Wren flew up to check it out. But as usual, it didn't appear too impressed, as it flew off to another feeder. Grrr!
Sooner or later, they're bound to get on board, but until then, I feel my patience is going to be tried to the max. LOL!
Finally convinced I was not going to raid the nest, she settled down and posed for a terrific, low angle sunshine portrait.
Kenny convinced me to walk off the DESIGNATED pedestrian/park vistor's path, and climb onto this rock
Williamsburg Bridge between Manhattan's Lower East Side and Brooklyn's Williamsburg district.
New York City, September 2017.
I always have a weak spot for people who dare to be different and when I meet such a person I want to photograph him of her. At first he was shy but I convinced him by telling him that I admire his unique identity. For me, the expression always counts. And then he was willing to pose, in his own way. I wouldn’t want it any other way.
He was very happy with the result and so was I.
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© NGimages / Nico Geerlings Photography
I convinced my wife to spend a night at the View Resort in Monument Valley. We were on our way to Moab, Utah. This photo was taken in late May-2016.
The name of the resort is definitely appropriate. This was the view of the sunrise from our balcony! All rooms have balconies which face east towards the "Mittens." It is a relaxed and comfortable way to enjoy a glorious beginning of the day.
The hornet was sitting on my car window. The reflection in the window convinced me to pick up the camera.
2017-09-03 23-16-36 (C)
So I was convinced into making croissants today. =\
So I'll share a few of my secrets when it comes to making croissants.
To make croissant dough from scratch takes too much time so I opted for buying the (already risen) dough from a bakery goods supplier.
First I rolled out the dough and cut them into triangles. Then starting from outer most part of the triangle roll the dough towards the point.
Before you do this there's one thing that I did for a few of the croissants. Before rolling them I placed some milk chocolate chips in the center and then rolled the triangular dough making sure there is no room from the chocolate to escape!
After I was done rolling them all up, I beat 2 eggs and with a brush (which I didn't have) apply the raw egg over the rolled up croissant dough. What this does is it gives it a shine to the croissant and also crisps the outer layers making it very flaky!
Bake them accordingly and enjoy!
Their designer was convinced they were a great idea but had problems convincing shoppers to use them. Apparently, most shoppers thought that using one meant they were weak. So the designer hired attractive men and women to be seen to use them in his stores.
And so, for the first time ever in history, ever, a totally isolated use of attractive of people as opinion formers was used to sell an idea to the unwitting general public.
The last sentence may contain traces of sarcasm. What? Has there been a news story about a similar theme recently?
Hello there. Relevant comments welcome but please do NOT post any link(s). All my images are my own original work, under my copyright, with all rights reserved. You need my permission to use any image for ANY purpose.
Copyright infringement is theft.
Was convinced this was a Sawfly larvae at first but a little bit of research found they were actually a Micro Moth. The Moth, looking nothing like this pretty Caterpillar!
"convinced she can do everything she's ever dreamed of with just a little more space..."
~ story people
Two rocks deep in conversation long after the tourists have departed and the distant one is convinced they're talking about him.
The foreground rock just thinks he is a Moomin!
So, it doesn't feel like it was all that long ago that I started doing all of this. July? Something like that. Anyways, I had no idea what I was doing, but I'm pretty convinced that sucking at something is the first step to being kind of okay at something. Now, here we are, a few months later, and I still don't know what I'm doing, but there's a whole lot more of you watching me do it!
So, seriously, thank you for all of your faves and follows and kind words that get dropped to me now and again. Thanks to my lovely sponsors who enjoy what I'm doing enough to trust me with giving their stuff some creative vision. And, thank you for reading this! I hope I see a lot more of you around.
Something something, we can do it?
Credits: Check out my blog!
Many thanks for your visits, faves and comments. Cheers.
Wedge-tailed Eagle
Scientific Name: Aquila audax
The Wedge-tailed Eagle is Australia’s largest bird of prey. It was once considered to be a menace by farmers, who were convinced that eagles swooped down and carried lambs off in their talons. As a result, thousands of eagles were shot and poisoned. It is now known that Wedge-tailed Eagles mostly take rabbits, and seldom eat lambs — usually the carcases of dead lambs rather than live ones. Nevertheless, in some parts of Australia, these majestic raptors are still shot and poisoned, despite being a legally protected species.
Description: The Wedge-tailed Eagle has long wings (wingspan 2.3 m), a characteristic long, wedge-shaped tail, and legs that are feathered all the way to the base of the toes. The bill is pale pink to cream, the eye brown to dark brown, and the feet off-white. Young Wedge-tailed Eagles are mid brown in colour with reddish-brown heads and wings. They become progressively blacker for at least the first ten years of their lives; adults are mostly dark blackish-brown. The only difference in plumage between the sexes is that a female adult is generally slightly paler than her mate. Females (4.2 kg - 5.3 kg) are also larger and heavier than males (3.2 kg up to 4.0 kg). Wedge-tailed Eagles are Australia's largest raptors (birds of prey).
Similar Species: Australia's second largest eagle (and second-largest raptor or bird of prey), the White-bellied Sea-Eagle, Haliaeetus leucogaster, has shorter, more rounded wings and no feathers on its lower legs. The White-bellied Sea Eagle is 75 cm - 85 cm long and has a wingspan of 1.8 m - 2.2 m.
Distribution: The Wedge-tailed Eagle is found throughout mainland Australia, Tasmania and southern New Guinea.
Habitat: The Wedge-tailed Eagle is found from sea level to alpine regions in the mountains, but prefers wooded and forested land and open country, generally avoiding rainforest and coastal heaths. Eagles can be seen perched on trees or poles or soaring overhead to altitudes of up to 2000 m. Wedge-tailed Eagles build their nest in a prominent location with a good view of the surrounding countryside. It may be built in either a live or dead tree, but usually the tallest one in the territory. In some parts of Australia, where tall trees are absent, small trees, shrubs, cliff faces or even the ground may be used. The density of active nests depends on the abundance of prey and other resources. In most years, nests are usually 2.5 km - 4 km apart. If conditions are particularly good, the distances apart may be less than 1 km because the birds require smaller areas to find sufficient food.
Feeding: Wedge-tailed Eagles eat both live prey and carrion. Their diet reflects the available prey, but the most important live items are rabbits and hares. Rabbits usually comprise about 30-70% of the diet, but may comprise up to 92%. The introduction of the calicivirus has resulted in the decline of rabbits in many parts of Australia. It is not yet known how this will affect the Wedge-tailed Eagle. Other food items include lizards, birds (weighing over 100 g) and mammals (usually weighing over 500 g). Wedge-tailed Eagles will kill lambs, but these make up only a small percentage of their total prey. Carrion is a major food source; roadkills and other carcasses are readily eaten. Many of the reports of predation on lambs result from birds scavenging already dead animals. Up to 20 birds may attend a carcass, although only two or three feed at any one time. Wedge-tailed Eagles may hunt singly, in pairs or in larger groups. Working together, a group of eagles can attack and kill animals as large as adult kangaroos. This explains the scientific name of the Wedge-tailed Eagle which means 'bold eagle'. Under ideal conditions, an eagle can lift about 50% of its body weight. Often, eagles may cache food items on a branch near the nest area.
Breeding: Wedge-tailed Eagles are monogamous and apparently mate for life. If one bird of a pair is killed, the survivor will find a new mate. Established breeding pairs are territorial and live in the one area throughout the year, defending around their nest sites from other Wedge-tailed Eagles. (They are also known on occasion to attack intruding model airplanes, hang gliders, gliders, fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters.) Surrounding the territories are large home ranges in which the birds hunt for food but do not defend. There is usually overlap between the home ranges of two or more breeding pairs and of non-breeding birds. The nest is a large structure of dead sticks, usually reused for years, often reaching considerable size. Nests 1.8 m across, 3 m deep and weighing about 400 kg are known. Nests have a shallow cup on the top, lined with fresh twigs and leaves. Sticks are added by a bird while it stands in the nest. If these sticks are dropped outside the nest, no effort is made to retrieve them. Piles of dropped sticks 1.8 m high have been recorded under the nest trees. The timing of breeding may vary from location to location and from year to year according to the local availability of food. Both parents share in the duties of nest building, incubation and feeding of the young. A clutch consists of white eggs measuring 73 mm x 59 mm with varying amounts of reddish brown spots and blotches. These are laid at intervals of two to four days. Incubation starts with the laying of the first egg. Because of the intervals between laying, the eggs do not hatch simultaneously. The first chick hatches larger than the second, which in turn is larger than the third. Survival rates of the chicks vary considerably depending on local conditions, including prey abundance and the amount of disturbance. A breeding pair usually rears only one young per clutch, although in a good year, two chicks may fledge in some nests. Because of the differences in size, the oldest and largest chick has the best chance of surviving. If food is scarce, it will kill and eat its smaller nest mates. Chicks hatch covered with a white down. For the first five weeks or so, the adults must deliver food to their mouths. After this time they are able to recognise bits of food on the floor of the nest and can feed themselves. The young acquire their first feathers during the second week after hatching. If threatened by predators, the chicks lie flat in the nest, but will defend themselves if required. The adults, in contrast, make little defence of the young. The juveniles remain with the adults for about 11 weeks after leaving the nest. Young and non-breeding birds disperse, moving to wherever conditions are suitable. Juveniles are known to have moved over 850 km in a seven to eight month period.
(Source: birdlife.org.au/bird-profile/wedge-tailed-eagle)
© Chris Burns 2020
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This image is somewhat different from my usual style but I very much like the way it turned out. My mother-in-law convinced me to join her in taking some reflection abstracts while we were out on her boat this evening. This was taken beside one of the docks next to Mozart's Coffee House and, after a bit of tweaking in Lightroom, produces a rather appealing (to me, at least) pattern picture.
This picture featured in Flickr Explore for March 18th, 2009.