As we left the car ferry behind, it is only a short, short but twisty, road up hill to where we were stopping for a few days.

Marc knows these cabins well as we have been on this adventure several times before. It helps him accept the change to his routine and safety of home.

As we drove, carefully along the narrow lanes, we passed Hill Top, where Beatrix Potter made home and embarked upon her environmental protection of the surrounding land. Her efforts back then is the reason the West bank of Lake Windermere is undeveloped and largely as it was. Not like the East bank that has been commercialised and developed for tourists - too much, some would say.

From her early involvement, the National Trust was founded.

As we parked up at our cabin, Marc smiled and was relieved to get out of the car and breath in the fresh air.

He saw this water feature that we overlooked and which provided a restful backdrop of gentle sound as the water poured over the small waterfall.

"Can we have one of these in our garden?" He asks me.

I have made a 'pond in a pot' before with some success, but something to emulate this waterfall, even on a small scale, will challenge me. This time next year, let me see if I have been able to create a lasting memory of this years adventure for him.

Have a lovely day and weekend everyone :-))

* This shot of Quebec city was taken from the Penthouse Suite of the Hotel 71 on Rue Saint-Pierre . I must point out however that while I was staying in the Hotel I was not housed in its fabulously expensive Penthouse . In the course of the week whilst we were guests in Hotel 71 we became friendly with the concierge who asked if we would like a look round the Penthouse. It was fascinating to see how the other half live, its bathroom was the size of an average European country and it had the most wonderful roof top garden.

It was a crisp cold morning when I took the shot and the most famous landmark in Quebec the hotel Le Chateau Frontenac stands out rather well

This is completely irrelevant but one cool touch of our room in 71 was a feature that if you got out of bed in the night as soon as your feet touched the floor a low level light below the bed illuminate the floor. Mary liked this so much she made a point of getting up several times a night, if we would have stayed any longer she could have become seriously sleep deprived.

THANKS FOR YOUR VISIT TO MY STREAM.

I WOULD BE VERY GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD NOT FAVE A PHOTO WITHOUT ALSO LEAVING A COMMENT .

The Arco de Cuchilleros, or in English, the Cuchilleros Arch, is a fascinating example of old Spanish architecture and one of the most popular entrances into the Plaza Mayor, one of Spain’s oldest and most exciting districts. Built in the 17th century in the Baroque style, the entrance serves as a connection point between the square and La Cava de San Miguel, a lively street filled with vivacious bars and delicious restaurants serving tapas and other traditional fare. As you will surely observe while visiting this area, the Arch was built to compensate for the different levels of the streets in the Plaza Mayor and La Cava de San Miguel, a feature that distinguishes it from the other eight arches.

甘くて美味しい苺でした。

お腹いっぱいになるまで食べましたが、

見たことがないほど大きかったです。

毎年のように色々な品種が開発されているのですね。

〜＊〜＊〜＊〜＊〜＊〜

これは「よつぼし」という新品種のいちごです。三重県、香川県、千葉県、九州沖縄農業研究センターが共同で開発したもので、2017年に品種登録されました。

よつぼしは「種子繁殖型品種」というのも大きな特徴です。一般的にいちごはランナーという子苗で株を増やして果実を育てますが、よつぼしは種から栽培できます。種から育てることで効率よく株を増殖でき、もし親株に病気があっても感染を防げるというメリットがあるそうです。

果物ナビより。

This is a new variety of strawberry called "Yotsuboshi". It was jointly developed by Mie Prefecture, Kagawa Prefecture, Chiba Prefecture, and the Kyushu Okinawa Agricultural Research Center, and was registered as a variety in 2017.

Yotsuboshi is also a big feature that it is a "seed breeding type". In general, strawberries are grown with seedlings called runners to increase the stock and grow fruits, but yotsuboshi can be grown from seeds. Growing from seeds has the advantage of efficiently propagating strains and preventing infection even if the parent strain has a disease.

From Fruit Navi.

〜＊〜＊〜＊〜＊〜＊〜

NikonD810と24-120mmレンズは長い間調子が良くありませんでした。

それらはついに先週からサービスセンターに入院中です。

シャッターの押す回数の限界を超えていたそうです。

今までよく頑張ってくれました。

The nikon D810 and 24-120mm lens haven't been doing well for a long time.

They are finally in the service center since last week.

Nikon D500

105.0 mm f/2.8

ƒ/9.0

105.0 mm

0.4s

ISO400

he 'Water of Life' is a sculptural water feature that presents the life changing encounter between Jesus and the woman of Samaria, as told in John's gospel, Ch4.v14, celebrating the literal and spiritual, life-giving properties of water. Chester Cathedral sept 2019

I took this picture with my Iphone 10 using the live view and converting it to a loup. I wanted to see what would happen if I uploaded it to flickr. Would it show the live view (a 1-2 second video essentially) or not. Well it didn't lol :) Now I know. It is a unique feature that you can message to other friends and it works and of course it works on my phone. Oh well now I know. Basically this picture should have shown the ice melting off the trees and falling to the ground it was very beautiful!

This is a Replica of the original victorian feature that was built in 1903.

Trompe Loeil has come out with the Modern Hensley Cottage for faMESHed this round..so many wonderful features in this home from the large open windows with shutters (open and close with the click of your mouse) , to the gorgeous rock fireplaces on both levels. If you don't have a kitchen set, never fear! There is a version that includes a kitchen, so you can just move right in and get to cooking! The upper floor has a beautiful sprawling outside deck perfect for entertaining...I decided to feature that space so you can see how beautiful and roomy it is! Pictured:

Trompe Loeil - Hensley Modern Cottage PG and Adult Versions available

faMESHed event: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/FaMESHed/226/144/1001

Trompe Loeil Mainstore: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Hyde%20Park/224/167/39

Trompe Loeil Flickr: flic.kr/ps/32Kg2u

Additional items used:

[Tia] Valarie Silverleaf Wreath

Apple Fall Hampton Outdoor Fireplace

Apple Fall Summer Parasol

Apple Fall Chester Outdoor Dining Chair

Apple Fall Design Books

Apple Fall Althea Rug - Antique Dark

Apple Fall Althea Rug - Antique Light

West Village Clinton Bed, Charcoal Quilted - Adult

hive // areca palm plant

hive // large palm plant . dark

hive // kentia palm plant

dust bunny . giant palm plant

Nutmeg. Disarray Old Jar Plant

Succulent Bowl CHEZ MOI

Pixel Mode - Under the Sun - Weathered Coffee Table

Pixel Mode - Under the Sun - Sectional - White RARE

[Rezz Room] British Shorthair Napping

~BAZAR~Berlin-painting3

dust bunny . potted cheese plant

dust bunny . potted bromeliad

dust bunny . potted jade plant

dust bunny . potted rubber tree

dust bunny . potted dragon tree

Thanks for your support always! ❤️

Swans gathering at the Wilstone Resevoir near Tring in Hertfordshire, UK. The lighting conditions made the swans blend in with the water somewhat. A feature that I have massaged a bit in processing.

In the UK we have a series of children's books where the reader is asked to find a character named Wally (or Waldo for the N.American editions) who is usually hidden somewhere in amongst what is usually a very busy scene. I will be the first to admit that I had no idea I had a Wally hidden in this image. It was only when I got it home and on my computer that I spotted him (not that difficult to be honest) but I thought it livened up this image of repeating groynes that I spotted on the beach at a British seaside town.

For those unfamiliar with what groynes are they are a coastal defence feature that controls the tidal waters flowing onto a beach to mitigate erosion. They will be mostly submerged at high tide and mostly exposed, as they are here, at low tide. In fact the distance between each of these groynes is probably 30 or 40 meters although you wouldn't know it from looking at this.

This glass and steel edifice and sculptural spirals that look like a hyper-modern gallery space or a building from a science-fiction film is, in fact, the MyZeil Shopping Mall, the work of celebrated architect Massimiliano Fuksas in Frankfurt, Germany. Its spectacular steel and glass façade, particularly the vortex, is the conspicuous feature that draws in potential shoppers and sets it apart as iconic.

Dank voor je commentaar

Danke für deinen Kommentar

Thank you for your comment

Gracias por tu comentario

Merci pour votre commentaire

Obrigado pelo seu comentário

The Lower Peirce Reservoir is Singapore's second-oldest reservoir. This photograph was taken two hours ago at dusk with slight breeze, with contrasting cloud formations and reflections.

This small reservoir has paved paths with spots for sunset views, including the pavilion that provides a nice feature that contrasts well with the vegetation around the reservoir. The clouds and cloudlets were variously illuminated by the set sun, and the cloud formations complemented the pavilion and link bridge.

Hygrocybe is a genus of gilled fungi which are called waxcaps in English. I am new to mushrooms and since taking this photo I have learned that you have to look at the spores to tell the difference between similar looking mushrooms which can occur in the same places. It could be Hyrocybe firma or H. rubrocarnosa. Hygrocybe firma has dimorphous spores, meaning spores of two different sizes, the feature that sets it apart from other similar looking species. Anyway, I was blown away by the colours of fungi I came across walking through Pureora forest.

The Lower Peirce Reservoir is Singapore's second-oldest reservoir. This photograph was taken two evenings ago at dusk with slight breeze, with captivating cloud formations and reflections.

This small reservoir has paved paths with spots for sunset views, including the pavilion that provides a nice feature that contrasts well with the vegetation around the reservoir.

If you get the light reflecting right the iris will look red, sometimes very red. I got one of those this fall but this image is more special to me so I will post it instead this time. Why is this one special? It was taken in my backyard along our water feature. He/she stayed around about 3 days. This past week including today has been good for warblers in my yard foraging in the trees above and making an occasional visit to the water feature. That is beauty berry you see in the upper left. Near that but out of this view is pokeweed with its dark purple berries. Above that is a dogwood tree with red berries. Tonight a cold wave is coming so the yard migrants probably will be pushing off. Perhaps a few more stragglers will show up this fall but our fall migration is soon coming to an end here in north Georgia. It is satisfying to know that you can add a water feature to your yard and some native plants and help some of the migrants along their journey. It is a small way to give back to some of those species.

Between energetic intervals among a group of Common Merganser males and females (such as seen in the previous image www.flickr.com/photos/luminouscompositions/52002325527/in... ), there were periods of rest and relaxation. Those times included the maintenance activity of preening, which this image of a female shows well. I particularly like how the serrated mandibles are evident in this photo, a feature that is recognized in the French common name “bec-scie,” meaning saw-bill. Those pointed projections are an adaptation to grasp the slippery fish that are their main prey, which they dive after. This bird was at Inglewood Bird Sanctuary in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

The Lower Peirce Reservoir is Singapore's second-oldest reservoir. This photograph was taken last August at dusk with slight breeze, with contrasting cloud formations and reflections.

This small reservoir has paved paths with spots for sunset and dusk views, including the pavilion that provides a nice feature that contrasts well with the vegetation around the reservoir. The clouds and cloudlets were variously illuminated by the set sun, and complemented the pavilion and link bridge.

Familiar image is just a great backdrop w/ great natural lighting characteristics. I chose my Fuji camera because its sensor is not like other digital cameras that make everything look better, The Fuji sensor does not do this and makes you work to get a good shot very much like shooting with film. Plus the camera works like an old fashion 35mm film camera when using the manual shutter. It's a feature that just sets Fuji-x cameras apart and makes them very appealing and fun to use.

Bubble Rock is a famous feature that looks like it is going to fall at any moment. It hasn't.

_

These are not trees but wooden poles of this trabucco.

A trabucco is a massive construction built from wood, which consists of a platform anchored to the rock by large logs of pine of Aleppo, jutting out into the sea, from where two (or more) long arms called antennae stretch out suspended some feet above the water and supporting a huge, narrow-meshed, net (called trabocchetto).

The morphology of the Gargano coast and of Abruzzo determined the presence of two different types of trabucco: the Garganic trabucco is usually anchored to a rocky platform, longitudinally extended to the coastline, from which the antennae depart.

The variant of Abruzzo and Molise, also called bilancia, often insists on shallower coasts and therefore is characterized by the presence of a platform, transversal to the coast, which is connected by a tight bridge made of wooden boards. A bilancia has just one winch, often electrically operating, even when the sea is perfectly calm. Abruzzo bilancia has also a net much smaller than that of Gargano trabucco, another feature that differentiates the two types is the length and number of antennae, more extensive Gargano (also double that of Abruzzo and Molise) in Termoli balances were more than two antennae, Gargano always two or more. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trabucco

_

Pentax K-5

Kepcor Auto Wide Angle MC 28mm 1:2.8

_

© 2016 stefanorugolo | All rights reserved.

This year the M1 PowerBook charging cable has a magnetic attachment. This is a wonderful feature that I am so glad to have again.

The magnetic connector is 0.5 inches or 1.25 centimeters across.

The Lower Peirce Reservoir is Singapore's second-oldest reservoir. This photograph was taken in March at dusk with slight breeze, with contrasting cloud formations and reflections.

This small reservoir has paved paths with spots for sunset views, including the pavilion that provides a nice feature that contrasts well with the vegetation around the reservoir. The clouds and cloudlets were variously illuminated by the set sun, and the captivating cloud formations contrasted with the pavilion and link bridge.

The Lower Peirce Reservoir is Singapore's second-oldest reservoir. This photograph was taken at dusk with slight breeze, with captivating cloud formations and reflections.

This small reservoir has paved paths with spots for sunset views, including the pavilion that provides a nice feature that contrasts well with the vegetation around the reservoir.

The runied windmill on the hills was constructed in the 1820s. The mill is built on the highest part of Cleadon Hills on a slight artificial mound. The building incorporates a stone reefing stage, a feature that was peculiar to windmills in the area.

The mill was severely damaged in a storm at some time during the 1870s, and then suffered the indignity of being a target for gunnery practice during the First World War. Nowadays the entrances to the mill are barred and locked, the remains of internal machinery that were visible in the mill during the 1970s are now gone, although broken fragments of a millstone remain.

A local legend relates the story of Elizabeth Gibbon, a heartbroken woman who threw herself from the top of the mill tower and whose ghost apparently haunts the ruin of the mill to this day. The windmill was operated by the Gibbon family at the time the storm took place, which lends some weight to the tale of Elizabeth's suicide.

Coventry's market is the oldest undertaking held by Coventry City Council, as it gave the city the right to hold a market for the first time in 1346.

Since then, the market has changed locations, been flattened by the luftwaffe and has been through many facelifts before becoming the centrepiece of the new-look lower precinct in 2002.

Since that early charter, Coventry's markets moved around various locations in the city centre until the market opened in its current location in 1958.

The market was the first indoor, circular market in Europe and although there have been a number of changes over the years, it retains many original features.

One feature that vanished during the market's facelift and redevelopment work was the famous roundabout.

However, it was re-opened in 2003 due to public demand and is as popular now as it ever was.

Red Spouter (Fountain Paint Pot) didn't even exist before the earthquake, but now is a very active thermal feature that has different personalities. In the spring when water levels are high, Red Spouter displays geyser-like qualities, splashing water a few feet into the air. When the water levels are lower in the summer time, the splashing stops and becomes gurgleing bubbles of mud.

I had a good run of luck this night with the color in the sky. I posted one image from the set and people seemed to really like it, so I thought I would finish up this image. This one was taken a little earlier in the evening and the perspective in much lower, making the rocks in the foreground look like mountains too. Thank you new Manfrotto which has a feature that lets you place the camera body under the apex of the tripod, so it hangs. In this shot the hot shoe was actually sitting in the water, that's how low it was.

The tradeoff here is that the reflection of the actual mountain is gone, but you get some sky reflection. The sky color was not quite as pronounced because it was earlier in the night. Let this also be the 2,000th call to Canon to add a flip out screen to the 6D Mark II because I too was laying in the water to see the darn screen!! Please Canon- articulating screen. Please.

I composed this image during a recent hike in Sunshine Meadows, in Canada's Banff National Park. It is of Rock Island Lake.

Created by the passage of an immense glacier many millions of years ago, this lake has a curious feature that has given it its name. Unlike most other glacial valleys, a significant rocky peak was left in place, spared when the glacier scoured and eroded the basin. This small peak is now the ‘island of rock’ that gives the lake its name.

This photograph is the 3rd in a series of images from Sunshine Meadows. In the coming days, I will share other images from this iconic place, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

.

Cyathe en vase

(Cyathus olla)

Cyathus est un genre de champignons de la famille des Agaricaceae

une famille dont la ressemblance à de petits nids d'oiseaux remplis d’œufs est importante. Ce sont en fait des structures de reproduction contenant des spores. Les « œufs », ou péridioles, sont fermement attachés à la surface interne de l'organe de fructification par un cordon élastique connu comme un funicule. Les 45 espèces sont largement distribués à travers le monde et certaines se retrouvent dans la plupart des pays, alors que d'autres existent seulement dans un ou deux endroits. Cyathus stercoreus est considéré comme en danger dans un certain nombre de pays européens. Certaines espèces de Cyathus ressemblent également à des tasses éclatées, car les gouttes de pluie en tombant peuvent frapper les péridioles et les éjecter hors de la tasse. Les surfaces interne et externe de cette coupe peuvent être striées longitudinalement ce qui est un exemple d'une caractéristique taxinomique qui sert traditionnellement à distinguer les espèces. Généralement considéré comme non comestibles, les Cyathus sont saprophytes, car ils obtiennent les nutriments dont ils ont besoin de la décomposition des matières organiques. Ils poussent généralement sur ​​le bois en décomposition ou des débris ligneux, sur les bouses de vache et le crottin de cheval, ou directement sur un sol riche en humus. Le cycle de vie de ce genre lui permet de se reproduire de façon sexuée, par méiose, et asexuée, par des spores. Plusieurs espèces produisent des composés bioactifs, dont certains ont des propriétés médicinales, et plusieurs enzymes de dégradation de la lignine peuvent être utiles dans la bioremédiation et l'agriculture. L'analyse phylogénétique offre de nouvelles perspectives sur les relations évolutives entre les différentes espèces de Cyathus et a jeté un doute sur la validité des systèmes de classification plus âgés qui sont basés sur des caractéristiques

Photographié devant mon tas de bois

Généralement considérés comme non comestible, mais pas dangereux,/

--------------------------------------------------------------

Cyathus is a genus of fungi in the family Agaricaceae

a family whose resemblance to small bird nests filled with eggs is important. They are actually reproductive structures containing spores. The "eggs", or peridioles, are firmly attached to the inner surface of the fruiting body by an elastic cord known as a funicle. The 45 species are widely distributed across the world and some are found in most countries, while others only exist in one or two locations. Cyathus stercoreus is considered endangered in a number of European countries. Some species of Cyathus also resemble popped cups, as falling raindrops can strike the peridioles and eject them out of the cup. The inner and outer surfaces of this cup may be longitudinally streaked which is an example of a taxonomic feature that is traditionally used to distinguish species. Generally considered inedible, Cyathus are saprophytes, as they obtain the nutrients they need from the decomposition of organic matter. They typically grow on rotting wood or woody debris, on cow dung and horse manure, or directly on humus-rich soil. The life cycle of this genus allows it to reproduce sexually, by meiosis, and asexually, by spores. Several species produce bioactive compounds, some of which have medicinal properties, and several lignin-degrading enzymes may be useful in bioremediation and agriculture. Phylogenetic analysis offers new insights into the evolutionary relationships between different Cyathus species and has cast doubt on the validity of older classification systems that are based on characteristics.

Photographed in front of my pile of wood

Generally considered inedible, but not dangerous

Ce sympathique papillon comme ses cousins de la famille des Hespéries, ont une particularité qui fait leurs charmes, à l'arrêt leurs ailes restent entre-ouvertes.

This friendly butterfly as cousins of the family Skippers have a feature that makes their charms, to stop their wings remain between-open.

This is a sparrow that doesn't mind having people around them, a feature that I really like. I also love its little rust beret!

Thank you kindly for stopping by and for leaving me a comment! have a great day and new week!

GAMBIA. WEST COAST DIVISION.

********************************************

The Yellow-billed Kite, Milvus aegyptius, is a bird of prey that is part of the Accipitridae family. It is distinguished by its entirely yellow bill, a feature that sets it apart from its close relative, the Black Kite.

seen at Scarborough, Queensland, Australia. The most perfect of Spring days, especially being able to dine so close to the boats, a feature that has just come to fruition at an adjoining seafood restaurant.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

This shot was made with OLYMPUS HIGH RESOLUTION MODE, an incredible feature that allows you take 40 (7296X5472) or 60 (9216X6912) MP photos! Ilove that! HAPPY NEW YEAR MY FRIENDS!!!

Pan Am's OCS rolls west into the interlocking at CPF363 in Athol, Massachusetts, also known as Tyters. This interlocking is one of a few that still has an equilateral switch, a feature that used to be much more common on the old B&M, but most have been replaced over the years. The light rain falling at the time of this photo will have given way to a downpour and nightfall by the time the OCS reaches East Deerfield, and yards the train.

Just a little pic taken with my compact of an attractive shocking pink garden feature that was lovingly painted by Hugh who deserves recognition for his handy work. Hugh is a private man so not giving his surname but he will know who he is...lol. He looks at my flickr page so hopefully this will please him when he sees this. Well Done Hugh...

The mourning doves love the deeper stream feature that is included in the pond. That feature is located on the opposite side of the bog. The stream that runs through the bog is not quite as deep. It's funny to me how the doves come to the yard and simply walk around where they desire to go. This dove is on his way to the stream. I believe I will name the stream Dove Creek in their honor, even though it is more of a stream.

Red Spouter (Fountain Paint Pot) didn't even exist before the earthquake, but now is a very active thermal feature that has different personalities. In the spring when water levels are high, Red Spouter displays geyser-like qualities, splashing water a few feet into the air. When the water levels are lower in the summer time, the splashing stops and becomes gurgleing bubbles of mud.

The ruined windmill on the hills was constructed in the 1820s. The mill is built on the highest part of Cleadon Hills on a slight artificial mound. The building incorporates a stone reefing stage, a feature that was unique to windmills in the area.

The mill was severely damaged in a storm at some time during the 1870s.

A local legend relates the story of Elizabeth Gibbon, a heartbroken woman who threw herself from the top of the mill tower and whose ghost apparently haunts the ruin of the mill to this day.

Another of my friend's collection of porcelain figurines.

I'm not much of a collector, tend toward less is more. But these figurines are so delicately featured that I'm constantly looking at them......and now photoing them. And they never move when having their portraits taken.

NGC 2264 indicates a bright open cluster surrounded by a large system of diffuse nebulosities, within the constellation of the Unicorn.

In fact, the first striking feature when exploring this area of the sky with binoculars is a group of about twenty blue stars, dominated by the star S Monocerotis, of magnitude between the fifth and ninth, arranged in a triangle, with the vertex pointed towards the south, a feature that in the southern hemisphere (where the top appears to be pointing upwards) makes it similar to a Christmas tree (the latter is the proper name of the cluster).

In the southern apex of the cluster, if observed with a Newtonian telescope with the aid of a filter, a nebula becomes evident, in the edge of which there is a dark patch in the shape of a cone with the tip directed towards the apex of the shaft of Christmas; this structure has made the cloud famous with the proper name of the Cone Nebula. A vast fainter nebulosity also extends to the northwest of the cluster, clearly visible in long-exposure photos.

My photo in the Weather Watcher 2013 Calendar from Old Farmer's Almanac Thank you Old Farmer's Almanac for licensing my work!

www.almanac.com/product/old-farmers-almanac-2013-weather-...

---------------

Moonrise at Mono Lake, California. I arrived at my target site on Mono Lake with minutes to spare. My DeLorme PN-20 GPS has a Sun/Moon feature that confirmed the moon rise time, but it also shows a compass with the Sun and moon on it, so I could point the sun symbol towards the setting sun and there was an arrow pointing to the approximate place on the horizon where the moon would come up. I walked a couple of hundred yards until I could line that forecasted rise spot up with the tufa limestone structures that I wanted to shoot. By the way, you can get a Java program for cell phones that support Java that will do the same thing (most phones know your approximate location info from the position of local cell towers, some provide location based services using a GPS signal).

The moon started to peek out over the hills right on time, and I adjusted my tripod position maybe 6-12 feet to place the moon where I wanted it in the scene. I started with a 70-200mm lense and gradually worked my way up to a wide angle lens as the sunset darkened and spread across the sky.

I often bracket different development settings and tools to use on early edits during postprocessing so I can close in on the best settings and techniques for a given site and lighting conditions.

For this result I left the white balance "as shot", but I think the camera saw the scene differently and the actual event was a bit less blue (at least to my mind's perception... there's truly no such thing as "reality" when it comes to white balance and color perception). The light does of course shift more towards blue as sunsets progress, so it could well be my perception or my memory that varies from the event. The people who claim to produce an accurate copy of a given moment crack me up. Accurate to an electronic device, to one person, or to which people, and under which ambient lighting conditions? I don't believe that there is any consistency in color perception from person to person (let alone from the original event to viewing a representation of it under different lighting conditions). The whole claim is a farce. Must I "go with the flow" and pretend, or is it safe to observe that the "just as it happened" emperor truly has no clothes?

You can look up times for your next full moon rise (at sunset) and set (at dawn). On June 26, 2010 in Western states we you have the bonus of a penumbral lunar eclipse as the full moon sets to the west just before sunrise. The details and links to moon time calculation resources are provided here:

www.flickr.com/groups/1397687@N20/discuss/72157624013726814/

This image was featured on Flickr's Explore, highest position: 18 on Tuesday, January 13, 2009.

My Blog: www.MyPhotoGuides.com

Just a little pic I took of Asha showing off her mane feature that was featured in the Daily Mail Sat 28th April 2018.

I couldn't wait to try out the new toy that I got today, so after programming in a few key functions I went out into the field with my first mirrorless camera, the Canon EOS R7. I will say that I was pleasantly surprised with the results. The camera has an amazing animal eye detect feature that grabs the eye of the bird or animal and locks the focus there, even on this flighty little wren. For me this camera is a keeper, especially since I don't shoot in burst mode where I'd have to worry about the buffer. I only wish it came with GPS so I could show the location of photos like I could with the old 7D Mark ll.

Constructed in 1926, this Art Deco building originally housed the Fidelity Life Insurance Company and is now the Pearlman Art Museum. This building has a relatively unique feature, that being a six story open atrium.

I would like to tell the story of how I came to get this picture. It will only be of interest to a few diehard amateur photographers who might have experienced similar frustrations and rewards from our hobby.

This summer, we have had practically no hummingbird visits to our feeders. Now and then, the feeders are visited by a single hummingbird, giving rise to the impression that we only have one in our area. This is in sharp contrast with past years when our lot has been almost constantly abuzz with Hummingbird hubbub. After a while, I noticed that “our hummingbird” was paying regular visits to a Bugloss plant growing wild very close to our front door. Evidently, it preferred the Bugloss to our feeders.

I decided that this was the perfect opportunity to try out the new auto-capture feature that Nikon recently added to the Z8 by a firmware update. I set my tripod and Z8 up about 8 or 9 feet from the Bugloss with a 300mm lens and focused on the part of the Bugloss where I thought the hummingbird was most likely to go. Just as I was about to initiate the auto-capture and was looking at the screen at the back of the camera the hummingbird flew right into the frame in perfect focus and exposure and in exactly the position in which I hoped to capture it. Before I could get my finger to the shutter release it was gone !! I could not believe my bad luck. After that, several hours, spread out over a couple of days, of having the camera in auto-capture mode produced zero results. I gave up.

The morning after deciding to suspend my auto-capture project, I was at my desk and, out the window, I observed a couple of birds engaging in some strange behaviour high on a white pine. I got my Z8 with the 160-600 mm lens and went to my front door to take some handheld pictures. The birds were too far away to get any good shots. Before I went back into the house, my attention turned wistfully to the Bugloss which had been the scene of my photographic defeat. I wondered if I was far enough from the Bugloss to focus on it with my long lens. So, I pointed my camera to it and began trying to focus on the Bugloss. The very first thing I saw through my finder when the image came into focus became the picture you see above.

The hummingbird gave me a second chance at exactly the image I had missed a couple of days earlier!!

ⓒRebecca Bugge, All Rights Reserved

Do not use without permission.

The sculpture up front is the Dying Gaul, and the couple at the window is Cupid and Psyche.

The dying Gaul is also known as 'The dying Galatian' - and before the motif was correctly identified, 'The dying Gladiator'. This Roman marble sculpture is likely a copy a Hellenistic bronze piece commissioned by Attalus I of Pergamon in the 3rd century B.C. (now lost). The exact place of discovery of this sculpture is not known - it might have been discovered in the early 17th century when Villa Ludovisi was being built, later a lot of other ancient sculptures were found in this area which covered the ancient Garden of Sallust. This piece was first officially recorded in 1623 in an inventory of the collections of the Ludovisi family. But before the middle of the 18th century it was added to the Capitoline collections where it is still a central feature. That this is a Celtic man (the Galatians were a Celtic tribe, as were the Gauls) is clearly seen on his torque (necklace) and hair-style. This was known to scholars since the mid-19th century but the older name (the dying gladiator) stuck into the 20th century.

Cupid and Psyche, a Roman marble copy from the first or second century A.D. of a Hellenistic original, was discovered on the Aventine Hill in 1749 and was given to the Capitoline Museums by Pope Benedict XIV. The story of Cupid (or Amor, or Eros) and Psyche has come down to us from Antiquity in text Metamorphoses by Apuleius (also known as The Golden Ass) - but they are known from Greek art since the 4th century B.C.

Both pieces were taken by Napoleon Bonaparte to Paris after the Treaty of Tolentino in 1787 - but they were returned after his fall from power.

The third piece is a sculpture of the goddess Flora from the Roman Imperial period - originally she is from Villa Adriana (emperor Hadrian's villa) near Tivoli, outside of Rome.

#FenceFriday

Some fence and bokeh fun for Friday. Photo taken on a recent stroll around the corner to check out my "new-old" Lumix GX9 and my rediscovered OM System 20mm F1.4 lens.

The GX9 is another new, used acquisition (this time from MPB), a camera I considered buying back in 2018 when, for rational grounds (High-Res mode, splashproof, designated HDR button, etc., all of what the GX9 doesn't have), I got the Oly EM-5 Mark II instead but, strangely, never warmed up to the latter so I traded it in for the OM1 two years ago. Of my few outings so far with the GX9 I can say that the camera was instant fun. True, the electrical viewfinder is nothing to call home about but still nice to have, and it's a cool feature that it can be folded up. And the battery life... it shares the battery with the much smaller LX100 series, so it doesn't last that long but since I now also own both LX 100s (I and, since Easter, the Mark II) and I already had a couple of extra batteries for these, it's not a big deal.

With the huge hype about (and general unavailability of) the Fuji X100V and VI, cameras like the GX9 (and even the still older GX80/85), the Ricoh GRIII, the 8-year-old Pen-F and such are being extremely hyped up as well right now. So I'm glad I got a GX9 copy "as new". I'd have loved to get a Pen-F but the "as new" prices are almost the same as the original retail price of its release year 2016, and that's insane.

As for the 20mm F1.4 lens, the 40mm equivalent is a focal length I like very much. However, at first, I also didn't warm up to that lens, either. I thought it lacked in sharpness, and my copy suffers from extreme red (!) and turquoise-green chromatic aberrations which, however, can be dealt with in post even if it takes a few more slider tweaks than your regular aberrations. But I love the bubbly bokeh and the general rendering, and now, the first walk with the GX9 confirmed that the lens's sharpness is excellent. So it will see more camera time in the future.

In case you've read to this point (and I could understand if you haven't): Wishing you HFF, and a nice weekend!

** Another post from my visit to Beaune in 2018 to see what is in my opinion one of the most beautiful secular buildings in France. The Hospices de Beaune were constructed in the mid fifteenth century. Apart from their historical interest these are truly beautiful buildings I guess the most eye catching features are the incredible tiled roofs. This is a feature that you see quite often in Burgundy .

A bit of history on the purpose of the Hospices

The Hospices de Beaune sometimes called the Hôtel-Dieu was founded on 4 August 1443, when Burgundy was ruled by Duke Philip the Good. The Hundred Years' War had recently been brought to a close by the signing of the Treaty of Arras in 1435. . Nicolas Rolin, the Duke's Chancellor, and his wife Guigone de Salins, responded by building a hospital and refuge for the poor. The majority of the population of Beaune were destitute, and the area had recently suffered an outbreak of plague. Having gained permission from Pope Eugene IV in 1441, the hospice was built and consecrated on 31 December 1452.

The building's design was probably overseen by the Flemish architect Jacques Wiscrère and it remained as a hospital until the late 1970s. There is a documentary record of a large range of Flemish and French masons, painters and glass cutters employed for its construction. The facade is today regarded as a superior example of Northern Renaissance civic architecture .The Hospices de Beaune consists of a pair of two-storied buildings arranged around a stone courtyard. The building wings are well-preserved today; they contain half-timber galleries and ornate rooftops with dormer windows. The hospital is arranged so that the wings served the office, kitchen and apothecary functions. The nuns and patients were housed nearer the chapel, towards the center of the complex.

The Hospices de Beaune received the first patient on 1 January 1452. Elderly, disabled and sick people, with orphans, women about to give birth and the destitute have all been uninterruptedly welcomed for treatment and refuge from the Middle Ages until today. This Catholic institution focused on healing both the body and spirit of its patients.

Over the centuries, the hospital radiated outwards, grouping with similar establishments in the surrounding villages of Pommard, Nolay, Meursault. Many donations - farms, property, woods, works of art and of course vineyards - were made to it, by grateful families and generous benefactors. The institution is one of the best and oldest examples of historical, philanthropic, and wine-producing heritage, and has become linked with the economic and cultural life of Burgundy.

THANKS FOR YOUR VISIT TO MY STREAM.

I WOULD BE VERY GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD NOT FAVE A PHOTO

WITHOUT ALSO LEAVING A COMMENT .

The Litomyšl Castle is an outstanding example of an arcaded Renaissance country residence, a type of structure first invented in Italy and then developed in the Czech Lands to create a mature form with special architectural value. Situated at an important communications junction on the main route between Bohemia and Moravia, in the Pardubice region, Litomyšl was a fortified centre on the hill where the castle now stands.

The work on the Renaissance building began in 1568 under the supervision of Jan Baptista Avostalis (Giovanni Battista Avostalli), who was soon joined by his brother Oldřich (Ulrico). Most of the work had been completed by 1580. The castle interior underwent alterations between 1792 and 1796, based on the designs of Jan Kryštof Habich, but he was careful to preserve the fine building’s Renaissance appearance with impressive gables.

The castle is a four-winged, three-storeyed structure with an asymmetrical disposition. The western wing is the largest, whereas the southern wing is a two-storeyed arcaded gallery, closing the second square courtyard (a feature that is unique to Litomyšl). The groin-vaulted arcading continues around the western and eastern sides of the courtyard. The south-eastern corner of the eastern wing contains the castle chapel. One of the most striking features in the interior of the castle consists in the fine neoclassical theatre from 1796-97 in the western wing. The original painted decoration of the auditorium, stage decorations and stage machinery have survived intact. The house has richly decorated interiors, basically Renaissance in form and with lavish late Baroque or neoclassical ornamentation in the form of elaborate plasterwork and wall and ceiling paintings.

The buildings associated with the castle were all built or rebuilt during the course of the modifications that the castle itself underwent over time, and this is reflected in their architectural styles. Among the ancillary buildings, the most interesting is the Brewery, the birthplace of Bedřich Smetana, one of the greatest Czech composers of all time. It lies to the south of the first courtyard. Originally constructed to complement the castle, with Renaissance sgraffito decoration, it was remodelled by the well-know

n architect František Maximilián Kaňka after the 1728 fire and received what is its present appearance. The ensemble also includes the former French formal garden with its saletta (pavilion) in the Baroque style and an 18th-century English-style park. (whc.unesco.org/en/list/901/)