DoLLs eXtravaganZa
View allAll Photos Tagged extravagant.
Got an opportunity to escape the house today, and delight in a morning visit with Nature. Found this Hooded Merganser busy diving for breakfast. Brought a Smile.
“Hooded” is something of an understatement for this extravagantly crested little duck. Adult males are a sight to behold, with sharp black-and-white patterns set off by chestnut flanks. Females get their own distinctive elegance from their cinnamon crest.
Hooded Mergansers are fairly common on small ponds and rivers, where they dive for fish, crayfish, and other food, seizing it in their thin, serrated bills. They find their prey underwater by sight. They can actually change the refractive properties of their eyes to improve their underwater vision. In addition, they have an extra eyelid, called a “nictitating membrane,” which is transparent and helps protect the eye during swimming, like a pair of goggles.
Hooded Merganser ducklings leave their nest cavity within 24 hours of hatching. First, their mother checks the area around the nest and calls to the nestlings from ground level. From inside the nest, the little fluffballs scramble up to the entrance hole and then flutter to the ground, which may be 50 feet or more below them. In some cases, they have to walk half a mile or more with their mother to the nearest body of water.
The oldest recorded Hooded Merganser was a male and at least 14 years, 6 months old when he was shot in Mississippi in 2009. He had been banded in Minnesota in 1995.
More light from Tuesday's evening hike--
Heather was there and Elu too;
and the geese were calling...
Wild geese in the wild sky
calling from the extravagant clouds
of winter sunset.
This year my Oregon Grape cultivar 'Charity' gave me a wonderful surprise. It produced grapes, after several years with none. I had assumed that I would enjoy it for its awesome yellow candelabra flowers alone, which cheered me up each year in the depths of winter. Surprise! This year it produced beautiful but sour grapes in abundance. :)
"My extravagance is my garden - it's the first thing that I look at every morning when I wake up. It gives me so much pleasure."
~ Ina Garten
The Grote Markt ("Great Market Square") of Antwerp is a town square situated in the heart of the old city quarter. It is filled with an extravagant city hall, numerous elaborate 16th century guildhalls, many restaurants and cafés. Lying within walking distance of the Scheldt river, it hosts a Christmas market and ice rink in winter.
The City Hall (Dutch: Stadhuis of Antwerp), stands on the western side of Antwerp's Grote Markt ("Great Market Square").
Erected between 1561 and 1565 after designs made by Cornelis Floris de Vriendt and several other architects and artists, this Renaissance building incorporates both Flemish and Italian influences. The Stadhuis is listed as one of the Belfries of Belgium and France, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Hello there,
I spotted this extravagant lily on one of my neighbourhood walks. Being that it's Sliders Sunday, I pulled a bunch of sliders and added texture in Topaz Studio. Happy Sliders Sunday! HSS!
Thank you so much for taking the time to look and for leaving me a comment. I do love hearing from you! Have a wonderful day!
©Copyright - Nancy Clark - All Rights Reserved
Black Eyed Susan vine (Rudbeckia hirta) is a hallmark of prairies and meadows. It is a flower that blooms and completes its life cycle in its second year with an extravagant floral display, creating thousands of dark eyes like the ones we see here.
Yesterday's flower was on the extravagant side, so today I'm posting one that is more delicate.
Edited with effects in Topaz Studio
Please note that I will be away tomorrow.
Thank you so much for stopping by and for leaving me a comment! Have a wonderful day!
©Copyright - Nancy Clark - All Rights Reserved
The Grote Markt ("Great Market Square") of Antwerp is a town square situated in the heart of the old city quarter. It is filled with an extravagant city hall, numerous elaborate 16th century guildhalls, many restaurants and cafés. Lying within walking distance of the Scheldt river, it hosts a Christmas market and ice rink in winter.
The City Hall (Dutch: Stadhuis of Antwerp), stands on the western side of Antwerp's Grote Markt ("Great Market Square").
Erected between 1561 and 1565 after designs made by Cornelis Floris de Vriendt and several other architects and artists, this Renaissance building incorporates both Flemish and Italian influences. The Stadhuis is listed as one of the Belfries of Belgium and France, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
With the two buds at the top, this fancy lily isn't finished with its show. Spotted and photographed on a recent neighbourhood walk.
Thank you for taking the time to view this image and for leaving me a comment! Have a great day and week!
“Do not be dismayed by the brokenness of the world. All things break. And all things can be mended. Not with time, as they say, but with intention. So go. Love intentionally, extravagantly, unconditionally. The broken world waits in darkness for the light that is you.”
― L.R. Knost
Happy Easter and sliderssunday!
♥
Hello There!
From my archives: There is a local park where folks toss cracked corn out for the Wood Ducks and Mallards. It was my very lucky day to see them at fairly close range.
Thanks a million for stopping by and for leaving a comment. I do appreciate hearing from you! Have a wonderful day!
©Copyright - Nancy Clark - All Rights Reserved
The Grote Markt ("Great Market Square") of Antwerp is a town square situated in the heart of the old city quarter. It is filled with an extravagant city hall, numerous elaborate 16th century guildhalls, many restaurants and cafés. Lying within walking distance of the Scheldt river, it hosts a Christmas market and ice rink in winter.
The City Hall (Dutch: Stadhuis of Antwerp), stands on the western side of Antwerp's Grote Markt ("Great Market Square").
Erected between 1561 and 1565 after designs made by Cornelis Floris de Vriendt and several other architects and artists, this Renaissance building incorporates both Flemish and Italian influences. The Stadhuis is listed as one of the Belfries of Belgium and France, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
This is one of the most extravagant tulips that I've come across. I'm looking forward to spring to see if they come up again.
Edited with texture in Topaz Studio.
Thank you for stopping by and for leaving me a comment! Have a great day and weekend!
©Copyright - Nancy Clark - All Rights Reserved
Sintra is a delightful Portuguese town that is situated within the hills of the Serra de Sintra. Hidden within these pine covered hills are extravagant palaces, opulent mansions and the ruins of an ancient castle.
The variety of fascinating historic buildings and enthralling attractions, combine to form a fantastic destination. A visit to this wonderful place is a must
Wildflowers near Tipsoo Lake, Mount Rainier National Park, Washington
Earth Day 2022
Beyond the obvious major feature of this park, which I have posted many photos of, and those of us who live here refer to simply as "The Mountain", one of the biggest draws for visitors to the park is the wildflowers. Hundreds of species of alpine and subalpine wildflowers bloom in the summer, carpeting the meadows and hillsides with extravagant displays of color. And at the height of the lupine bloom season, it sometimes seems as though the air in the entire park is perfumed with their fragrance.
Last summer however, the Pacific Northwest was hit with an unprecedented heat wave in June, with temperatures reaching previously unfathomable highs of 110-115 degrees F (43-46 C) for multiple days in a row. This caused rapid melting of the snowpack at Mount Rainier and damaged plants that were just emerging from the ground. So the wildflower display last year was much more sparse than usual, and the lupine that normally fills the hillsides and lake basins in August was especially noticeable for its absence. It was another reminder of the consequences of climate change and the impact it has on our planet and these beautiful places. I very much hope that last year was an aberration, but I also very much worry that it was not.
Singing colors of the high plains
Captured from a moving train
Under that extravagant sky
A golden moment fleeting by
“Hooded” is something of an understatement for this extravagantly crested little duck. Adult males are a sight to behold, with sharp black-and-white patterns set off by chestnut flanks. Females get their own distinctive elegance from their cinnamon crest. Hooded Mergansers are fairly common on small ponds and rivers, where they dive for fish, crayfish, and other food, seizing it in their thin, serrated bills. They nest in tree cavities; the ducklings depart with a bold leap to the forest floor when only one day old.
The Grote Markt ("Great Market Square") of Antwerp is a town square situated in the heart of the old city quarter. It is filled with an extravagant city hall, numerous elaborate 16th century guildhalls, many restaurants and cafés. Lying within walking distance of the Scheldt river, it hosts a Christmas market and ice rink in winter.
The City Hall (Dutch: Stadhuis of Antwerp), stands on the western side of Antwerp's Grote Markt ("Great Market Square").
Erected between 1561 and 1565 after designs made by Cornelis Floris de Vriendt and several other architects and artists, this Renaissance building incorporates both Flemish and Italian influences. The Stadhuis is listed as one of the Belfries of Belgium and France, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
I found some beautiful Anemone's at our local fish hatchery's garden. Having fun playing with textures for an vintage abstract.
Anemone in Greek word in translation “the wind’s daughter" also known as the windflower.
Color purple usually symbolizes honor, royalty, beauty and status. The purple Anemone flower is definitely more extravagant and interesting. Some cultures even link the purple Anemone flower to feelings of excitement and anticipation as the petals open in the day and close at night.
© 2023 Flower Meanings
Thank you for your warm visits and comments, have a lovely day.
Nikon Macro Nano Lens f2.8 ~ f/.4.0, 60mm, 1/320, ISO 200
#Flickr21Challenge AND #vintage
Or whatever.
I like bokeh and was talking with a flickr friend about how to get extravagant bokeh, one way being to take the lens off your camera, turn it around and hold that end to the camera body and click.
I told him I'd tried that with my 18-55 mm lens and got only a big blur. He suggested it worked better with a prime lens.
I have one, so clicked on things inside, outside. In short, got a little manic about it and now have my apartment, garden and half a forest in radical bokeh not resembling at all what I clicked on.
So thanks Dan www.flickr.com/photos/damndan/.
This one's for you.
I also may have gotten the long elusive, documented proof of the many worlds theory of quantum science.
Thank you, Denny www.flickr.com/photos/bregalis for suggesting Sabine's book.
Maybe if I sent this to her she'll be more hopeful and not quit her job. ;-)
I'm sketchily on flickr. My son is here, lots going on and very busy. I hope every now and then to get on flickr a bit.
Hope all is well.
Peafowl is a common name for three species of birds in the genera Pavo and Afropavo of the family Phasianidae, the pheasants and their allies. Male peafowl are referred to as peacocks, and female peafowl as peahens. Male peafowl are known for their piercing calls and their extravagant plumage, which is especially prominent in the Asiatic species, which have an eye-spotted 'tail' or 'train' of covert feathers, which they display as part of a courtship ritual.
Despite the length and size of the covert feathers, the peacock is still capable of flight. The peafowl lives mainly on the ground in open forests or on cultivable lands where it forages for berries and grains, and also preys on snakes, lizards and small rodents. It makes loud calls, which makes it easier to detect, and are often used to indicate the presence of a predator in the forest areas. It forages on the ground in small groups and usually escapes on foot through undergrowth and avoids flying, though it flies into tall trees to roost. 12769
Now you can see why the Snowy Egret and others with similar extravagant plumage were nearly hunted to extinction to adorn ladys' hats of the time period. Fortunately they rebounded, only to face another human threat, i.e. loss of habitat.
202106010745 Canon EOS R5 RF100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM @ 500mm F7.1 1/800 sec ISO 100 -DSSP
Henley Royal Regatta was first held in 1839. It is one of those very British Summer events like Royal Ascot where it is the place to be seen and extravagant hats are everywhere.
More on the history of the event can be found here www.hrr.co.uk/history This year's Regatta is 4-8 July but I shall be watching Wimbledon - without a hat!
Thank you for taking the time to visit, comment, fave or invite. I really appreciate them all.
All photos used are my own.
All rights reserved. This photo is not authorized for use on your blogs, pin boards, websites or use in any other way.
The great egret, Ardea alba, is a tall and stately bird, graceful in flight, deliberate and stealthy when hunting. In the 1800s its brilliantly white feathers and long, extravagant plumes inspired devastating hunting, wiping out heronries in a single day and driving the species to the brink of extinction in North America. By 1886, it was estimated that 5 million great egrets had been killed for their feathers, for fashion.
While on sabbatical at the University of California at Davis, I frequented the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area to watch birds, and great egrets were always present, usually stalking prey.
Churchill se entrevistó con los déspotas orientales. Su encuentro con el rey Ibn Saud de Arabia dio lugar a dos incidentes menores. El primero fue a causa del tabaco y del alcohol, que eran tabú para el monarca musulmán, quien insistió en que el primer ministro debía probar el agua de La Meca. Churchill afirmó que fumar cigarros y beber licores fuertes formaba parte de su religión, sagrados ritos a los que se entregaba antes, durante y después de las comidas. El segundo incidente se produjo en el intercambio de regalos. Los extravagantes presentes árabes, entre los que figuraban algunas suntuosas prendas que Churchill no pudo resistir la tentación de vestir, dejaron en ridículo los exiguos regalos británicos. El primer ministro anunció que no eran más que un símbolo del verdadero regalo que le entregarían después: un Rolls-Royce. Pero su rapidez mental no sirvió de nada, porque, con el volante a la derecha, el automóvil resultaba inaceptable, ya que la etiqueta musulmana prohíbe a un soberano sentarse a la izquierda de cualquier persona, aunque sea el chófer.
(Winston Churchill, pág. 220) Piers Brendon
Extravagantes Café im Mix aus Jugendstil und chinesischer Architektur in ehemaligem Geschäftshaus von 1909.
September is dressing herself in showy dahlias and splendid marigolds and starry zinnias. October, the extravagant sister, has ordered an immense amount of the most gorgeous forest tapestry for her grand reception :-)
Oliver Wendell Holmes (1809–1894), "Autumn," The Atlantic Almanac, 1868
cercis, variegated eastern redbud, "Floating Clouds', j c raulston arboretum, ncsu, raleigh, north carolina
I've never been one to shy away from a little harmless yet extravagant over-engineering and I was in perfect form the day before I took this photo with a completely excessive amount of work anchoring my tent into the snow with oversized snow pegs and buried blocks of ice which, had given the comedians camping with me plenty to work with.
A few hours after I'd finished work on my aptly labelled 'Fort Knox' we noticed some dark clouds beginning to appear on the horizon. I was so excited but they were quickly dismissed by the others in favour of the forecast which, was still calling for a calm night...
The next morning came and I woke to an aftermath of ripped and wrangled tents from a surprise storm that had kept everyone up frantically trying to save their gear and make it through.
As it would turn out, that was the best nights sleep I'd had in a while and now I was the only one up to enjoy the beautiful sunrise ❄️💨
IG: @j.a.y_daley
Extravagantes Café im Mix aus Jugendstil und chinesischer Architektur in ehemaligem Geschäftshaus von 1909.
The Grote Markt ("Great Market Square") of Antwerp is a town square situated in the heart of the old city quarter. It is filled with an extravagant city hall, numerous elaborate 16th century guildhalls, many restaurants and cafés. Lying within walking distance of the Scheldt river, it hosts a Christmas market and ice rink in winter.
The City Hall (Dutch: Stadhuis of Antwerp), stands on the western side of Antwerp's Grote Markt ("Great Market Square").
Erected between 1561 and 1565 after designs made by Cornelis Floris de Vriendt and several other architects and artists, this Renaissance building incorporates both Flemish and Italian influences. The Stadhuis is listed as one of the Belfries of Belgium and France, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Water - the precious essence of life - especially at this watering hole that is usually dry. Found by this herd of about one hundred elk in the high plains of New Mexico where the spectacular sky meets the thankfully snow clad mountains.
Taken from the Amtrak train the Southwest Chief, I've always loved this part of the trip (yes, we were moving!). It's a still pretty wild area where we frequently see pronghorn - the fastest land animal in the Western Hemisphere. But only very rarely do we see elk, and I think this is the largest herd we've ever seen on the trip.
High res as usual, so please zoom in!
Tora, Manikganj, 2011
My Bangladesh
With all the essence colour and custom it represent an extravagant illustration of beauty
It’s a land of six amazing seasons
Its a country of all the aroma of wonderland
Lets come and unbound your soul in the valley of colour land.
Photo by Michał Banach
Website: www.magdabanach-photo.pl
Instagram: www.instagram.com/magdabanachphoto/
500px: www.500px.com/magdabanach/
Flickr: www.flickr.com/magdabanach13/
Peafowl is a common name for three bird species in the genera Pavo and Afropavo of the family Phasianidae, the pheasants and their allies. Male peafowl are referred to as peacocks, and female peafowl as peahens, though peafowl of either sex are often referred to colloquially as peacocks. Male peafowl are known for their piercing calls and their extravagant plumage, which is especially prominent in the Asiatic species, which have an eye-spotted tail or train of covert feathers, which they display as part of a courtship ritual.
Despite the length and size of the covert feathers, the peacock is still capable of flight. The peafowl lives mainly on the ground in open forests or on cultivable lands where it forages for berries and grains, and also preys on snakes, lizards and small rodents. It makes loud calls, which makes it easier to detect, and are often used to indicate the presence of a predator in the forest areas. It forages on the ground in small groups and usually escapes on foot through undergrowth and avoids flying, though it flies into tall trees to roost. A2K_567