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Island of Madagascar
Off The East Coast of Africa
Palmarium Reserve
The Malagasy giant chameleon or Oustalets's chameleon (Furcifer oustaleti ) is a very large species of chameleon which is endemic to Madagascar. It occurs in a wide range of habitats, even among degraded vegetation within villages, but is relatively rare in primary forest.
With a maximum total length (including tail) of 68.5 cm (27 in), F. oustaleti is considered the largest species of chameleon, but that claim is occasionally contested by the Parsons chameleon Calumma parsonii as the Parsons tends to be more heavily built but slightly shorter in length. Their diet includes invertebrates such as large insects. Prey is acquired with a long, muscular tongue. – Wikipedia
Hummingbird sage, is a species of Salvia native to a wide area of South America, including Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Argentina. It is a perennial subshrub growing 4 to 5 ft (1.2 to 1.5 m) tall, spreading into a large patch. The inflorescences are up to 25 cm (9.8 in) long with flowers in various shades of blue, including an uncommonly true blue. Salvia guaranitica is a popular ornamental plant in mild areas.
Cergy
Axe Majeur
L'Axe majeur est une œuvre monumentale située à Cergy, dans le département du Val-d'Oise, en France. L’œuvre s'inscrit dans une boucle de l'Oise, au centre de la ville nouvelle de Cergy-Pontoise. Elle est conçue par le sculpteur israélien Dani Karavan à partir de 1980. L'Axe est composé de douze stations sur une longueur de 3,2 kilomètres, incluant une tour penchée, un ensemble de douze colonnes, une passerelle, une île ou encore un rayon laser qui survole le parcours. Il débute dans le quartier auquel il a donné son nom, Axe Majeur - Horloge (anciennement Saint-Christophe) et s'achève à la limite avec Neuville-sur-Oise, après avoir survolé les étangs artificiels de Cergy-Neuville. Symbole de la ville nouvelle, il est également l'une des œuvres importantes de Dani Karavan, qui accompagne sa construction pendant plus de trente ans.
The “Axe Majeur” is a monumental artwork located in Cergy, in the Val-d'Oise department, France. The work is located in a loop of the Oise River, in the new town Cergy-Pontoise. It was designed by the Israeli sculptor Dani Karavan from 1980. The Axis is composed of twelve stations over a length of 3.2 kilometers, including a leaning tower, a set of twelve columns, a footbridge, an island or a laser beam that flies over the course. It begins in the area to which it gave its name, Axe Majeur - Clock (formerly Saint-Christophe) and ends at the limit with Neuville-sur-Oise, after flying over the artificial ponds of Cergy-Neuville. Symbol of the new city, it is also one of the important works of Dani Karavan, who accompanies its construction for more than thirty years.
Unusual, intriguing, memorable! The Cannonball tree is one of my favorite tropical trees with sea-anemone-like flowers whose sweet enticing fragrance can be enjoyed a field away. It has large hard brown fruit that clang like Cannonballs in the tropical forest at night. The flowers don't erupt on the upper branches either but on root-like branches around the base of the trunk! At night the flowers are particularly aromatic to attract swift-flying pollinators including bats. This particular Cannonball tree was collected in 1913 at Jamaica’s Hope Gardens and has flourished here at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden since it was planted in 1938.
According to textual records, Couroupita guianensis trees have been growing in India for at least 3,000 years, where it is so revered that it is often found growing at religious temples. It's possible that it is native to India as well. Part of the Lecythidaceae family, it grows up to 25m (82ft) in height.The majority of Cannonball trees that grow outside their natural environment were planted as botanical curiosities. Their large orange, scarlet and pink flowers form bunches that measure up to 3m in length. The large spherical, woody fruits, which range from 15 to 24cm in diameter, each contain up to 300 seeds.
Cannonball Tree, Ayahuma, Couroupita guianensis
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Miami, FL
Like many people I've been trying new things in the last couple of weeks including exploring the photographic opportunities in my back garden by reinstating my garden hide, attempting to attract different species and nocmigging (recording birds at night). All have been really successful, although the last one doesn't provide any photos unfortunately! Emperor moths are one species I have always wanted to photograph and so I bought a pheromone lure in the hope they would visit. The day before this one came into the garden I had been walking around some local fields and one flew right in front of me so I knew they were in the area. When this one did come into the garden I initially thought it was a butterfly but then the realisation dawned and I was able to finally get some photos of this stunning moth
An accurate astronomical observatory.
Like other platforms on the island, including the lone moai of the Ahu Huri a Urenga, the Ahu Akivi was built following a precise astronomical orientation. In this way they controlled the change of seasons and the most appropriate times for agricultural tasks.
In Akivi the axis of the platform was oriented from north to south, getting the faces of the moai look exactly at the point where the sun sets during the equinox of the austral spring (September 21st) and their backs face the sun of the dawn during the autumn equinox (March 21st).
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The best time to visit and take pictures is at sunset, which is when the setting sun illuminates the seven statues and highlights their features.
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The legend of the seven explorers:
In the recent literature on Akivi, the seven statues of the platform are related with the seven young people who were sent to explore the island before its first colonization by King Hotu Matu’a.
A legend says that Hau Maka, the priest of Hotu Matu’a had a dream in which his soul flew across the ocean when he sighted the island. Next, he sent seven explorers sailing through the sea to locate the island, study its conditions and the best area to disembark.
Although the idea that the legend was remembered in stone is attractive, it seems that it can not be true. The moai statues belong to a quite late sculptural period, after the year 1440 AD and historians consider the hypothesis that the first settlers arrived on the island towards the fifth century, so they rule out a possible relationship between both facts.
The restoration that boosted Rapa Nui:
Ahu Akivi was the first ahu to be restored after a small group of islanders, at the request of Thor Heyerdahl, erected the statue of the Ahu Ature Huki on the beach of Anakena in 1956. As a member of that Norwegian expedition was the American anthropologist William Mulloy, who from then on would devote a large part of his life to studying the mysteries of Easter Island.
The reconstruction work in Ahu Akivi began in March 1960 and continued until October of that year. William Mulloy and his Chilean colleague Gonzalo Figueroa worked with an archeologic team of 25 Rapanui people in various phases of excavation and reconstruction. This was the first serious archaeological excavation and the first complete restoration of a ceremonial site in Rapa Nui.
The works were done with hardly any material means, they only used wooden poles, stones and a pair of oxen. But with perseverance, ingenuity and effort they achieved their goal. To raise and place the first moai, they used a stone ramp and two large wooden levers. This operation took a month. However, after perfecting the technique and with the experience gained, it took less than a week to raise the seventh statue.
When the work was finished, Father Sebastian Englert himself gave the blessing at a very emotional opening ceremony. After 150 years the islanders could observe again several moai standing on an ahu.
The restoration of Ahu Akivi is considered a turning point in Rapa Nui. From that moment, other works of restoration of more platforms began. The Ahu Akivi was followed by the ahu of Hanga Kio’e, Tahai, Anakena and Tongariki. The ancient platforms regained their former glory and the small and remote Easter Island attracted the attention of other researchers and travelers. And what is more important, it unleashed a true cultural renaissance, an economic development and a renewed sense of pride in being Rapanui.
Lightroom CC got an update today, including the new feature 'Boundary Warp' for panorama photos. It really gives you that extra along the edges and in the corners. Some serious engineering behind that feature. Distortion is hardly visible.
Some facts: The ocelot, also known as the dwarf leopard, is a wild cat distributed extensively within South America including the islands of Trinidad and Margarita, Central America, and Mexico. It has been reported as far north as Texas. North of Mexico, it is found regularly only in the extreme southern part of Texas,although there are rare sightings in southern Arizona.
The ocelot is similar in appearance to a domestic cat. Its fur resembles that of a clouded leopard or jaguar and was once regarded as particularly valuable. As a result, hundreds of thousands of ocelots were once killed for their fur. The feline was classified as a vulnerable species from 1972 until 1996, and is now listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocelot
Photographed at Pousada Santa Teresa, Mato Grosso at the end of the day.
Have a wonderful Tuesday!
Thanks a lot for your visits, comments, faves, invites, etc. Very much appreciated!
©All rights reserved. Do not use without my express consent. Please contact me at thelma.gatuzzo@gmail.com if you intend to buy or use any of my images.
Let's enjoy our freedom, including the freedom to be together...
Let's enjoy our independence, as much as each other's care for each of us...
Let's enjoy to wander, and to be each other's safe harbor...
Let's enjoy spending time together, and to give to each other the time they need for their solitude...
Let's be together in our hearts, when we are apart...
Let's be inseparable!
.. including their gardens in the foreground.
.. Canon 60D
Thanks for looking in! ~ Have a great day!
Centaurium erythraea (Gentianaceae) 170 21
Centaurium erythraea is a species of flowering plant in the gentian family known by the common names common centaury and European centaury.
It is a widespread plant of Europe (including Scotland, Sweden, and Mediterranean countries) and parts of western Asia and northern Africa.
This is an erect biennial herb that reaches half a meter in height. It grows from a small basal rosette and bolts a leafy, erect stem with many branches.
The erect inflorescences emerge from the stem and grow parallel to it, sometimes tangling with the foliage. Each inflorescence may contain many flowers. The petite flower is pinkish-lavender. It flowers from June until September.
From Wikipedia.
All rights reserved. No use, reproduction or duplication including electronic is allowed without written consent.
Willow Warbler - Phylloscopus trochilus
It is a bird of open woodlands with trees and ground cover for nesting, including most importantly birch, alder, and willow habitats. The nest is usually built in close contact with the ground, often in low vegetation. Like most Old World warblers (Sylviidae), this small passerine is insectivorous. In northern Europe, it is one of the first warblers to return in the spring though is later than the closely related chiffchaff.
It is a typical leaf warbler in appearance, 11–12.5 cm long and 7–15 g weight. It is greenish brown above and off-white to yellowish below; the wings are plain greenish-brown with no wingbars. Juveniles are yellower below than adults. It is very similar to the chiffchaff, but non-singing birds can be distinguished from that species by their paler pinkish-yellow legs (dark brown to blackish in chiffchaff), longer paler bill, more elegant shape and longer primary projection (wingtip). Its song is a simple repetitive descending whistle, while the contact call is a disyllabic 'hoo-eet', distinct from the more monosyllabic 'hweet' of chiffchaffs.
Willow warblers prefer young, open, scrubby woodland with small trees, including human-altered habitats such as coppice and young plantations up to 10–20 years old. High amounts of birch, alder and willow, with good lichen amounts, and water features (e.g. streams), fields with large amounts of bracken and mosses, and patches of low bramble (for nest cover) are preferred, but it will use a wide range of other species, including young or open coniferous forests. Incorporating woodland ride edge thickets is beneficial, as is 15 metre woodland edges of varying structure and height. They prefer damp woodland areas. Thicket forming shrubs like blackthorn provide pockets of habitat. Deer browsing can degrade the required low cover.
Largo da Sé is a charming square lined with orange trees […] and dominated by the city’s impressive cathedral plus a cluster of palatial buildings, including the Bishop’s Palace.
Built on the site of an old mosque following the Reconquest in 1251, Faro’s magnificent Sé Cathedral is blessed with a bold, basilica-like interior particularly notable for its 18th-century Baroque organ and wide nave flanked by exquisite azulejo tiles. Visitors who ascend the bell tower are rewarded with the most breathtaking views of the city’s old quarter, nearby wetlands and far beyond. Google
According to researchers, a man will gaze at a woman’s lips before gravitating elsewhere over the landscape of her body. (yes, including her chest).
Lips are our body’s most exposed erogenous zone. They are packed with more than a million different nerve endings, making them one of the most sensitive parts of our body.
They are considered a sensually seductive part of our body, and highlighting them in rich glittering colors adds to their alluring qualities.
These Stunner Originals Fantastic Lips exemplify this biological phenomenon. Their sophisticated satin luminous quality draws such beautiful attention to your lips, making them irresistibly kissable. This Fantastic Collection also gives you 25 different deep shades to choose from.
For my eyeshadow, I wanted a sexy and dramatic look. That said, I selected the M&T Garage Giada EvoX eyeshadow in metallic blue with winged eyeliner. This Giada collection comes in 6 gorgeous color options.
Wearing this blue hue brings out my eyes correctly and makes them pop. I adjusted the eyeshadow color density to 60% for a demurer appearance.
Both the Stunner Originals Fantastic Lips and the M&T Garage Giada Eyeshadow are exclusively available at Swank’s "Wild Spring Event" for March 2023.
TAXI to SWANK EVENT: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Swank%20Events/177/124/25
I composed this photograph of the Alberta, Canada badlands during a recent road trip to the southeastern region of the province.
Badlands are arid terrains where sedimentary rocks have been extensively eroded by water and wind. Canyons, ravines, gullies, hoodoos and other such geological formations are common in the badlands.
Many of Alberta's badlands were initially formed as a result of rapid channel downcutting (erosion) by glacial meltwater during the retreat of the Laurentide ice sheet about 13,000 years ago.
This area is particularly known for the abundant fossils that have been found here, including those of 33 species of dinosaurs.
@petra
...across the Trocadero, where the reception took place, including lots of pigeons. They are just everywhere, aren´t they? Impressive!
San Francisco Square in the Historic Center of Quito.
From left to right, in the San Francisco building, you can see the doors of the Chapel of Cantuña, the Chapel of Villacísla, the main church, the convent and the museum.
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The Church and its chapels (La Iglesia de San Francisco), which were considered sacred places.
Together, Church and Convent encompass three hectares including 13 cloisters (six of them major), three churches, and a large courtyard. In total, about 40,000 square meters of construction. San Francisco follows the classical typology of medieval monasteries. The main Church is the guiding axis and from there the cloister galleries extend: the refectory, the chapterhouse, and winery. These define a quadrangular courtyard, with the four respective pandas, or galleries: that of the chapter room, the refectory, the converts, and the mandatum. In addition to the basic dependencies of a convent, there were areas devoted to health care, education, crafts, a garden, and even a jail (to maintain strict discipline). The kitchen and dispensery operated in the cloister of services.
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Walking from the Old Town’s narrow colonial streets into this open plaza reveals one of the finest sights in all of Ecuador: a sweeping cobblestone plaza backed by the mountainous backdrop of Volcán Pichincha, and the long, whitewashed walls and twin bell towers of Ecuador’s oldest church.
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The Public Square (Plaza de San Francisco) was a purely urban space, demarcated and connected to various public activities (teaching, market, water supply).
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Sad part of our History.
In pre-Hispanic Quito, the current lands of the Church and Convent of San Francisco were occupied by the royal palace of the Inca Huayna Cápac, before the advance of the armies commanded by the Spaniards from the south and the impossibility of defending the city the indigenous general Rumiñahui arranged the total destruction of it. In the city fire the palace was destroyed and buried under a huge amount of rubble and garbage. One of Rumiñahui's soldiers was the great-grandfather of the indigenous Cantuña, who as an eyewitness to the events had full knowledge of what was buried in the place. The construction of the church and convent of San Francisco began around 1537, just three years after the Spanish foundation of the city, with the completion of a provisional temple that was maintained until 1550, when construction of the current building began and which was completed around 1680. Although the building was officially inaugurated in 1705.
Outfits, Including Body Suit, SHoes and Jewelry: Eudora3D - Luna
Denna and Allia both wearing heads by Genus Project
Marine life, or sea life or ocean life, is the plants, animals and other organisms that live in the salt water of the sea or ocean, or the brackish water of coastal estuaries. At a fundamental level, marine life affects the nature of the planet. Marine organisms produce oxygen and sequester carbon. Shorelines are in part shaped and protected by marine life, and some marine organisms even help create new land. The term marine comes from the Latin mare, meaning sea or ocean. Most life forms evolved initially in marine habitats. By volume, oceans provide about 90 percent of the living space on the planet. The earliest vertebrates appeared in the form of fish, which live exclusively in water. Some of these evolved into amphibians which spend portions of their lives in water and portions on land. Other fish evolved into land mammals and subsequently returned to the ocean as seals, dolphins or whales. Plant forms such as kelp and algae grow in the water and are the basis for some underwater ecosystems. Plankton forms the general foundation of the ocean food chain, particularly the phytoplankton which are key primary producers. Marine invertebrates exhibit a wide range of modifications to survive in poorly oxygenated waters, including breathing tubes as in mollusc siphons. Fish have gills instead of lungs, although some species of fish, such as the lungfish, have both. Marine mammals, such as dolphins, whales, otters, and seals need to surface periodically to breathe air. There are over 200,000 documented marine species with perhaps two million marine species yet to be documented. Marine species range in size from the microscopic, including phytoplankton which can be as small as 0.02 micrometres, to huge cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises), including the blue whale – the largest known animal reaching 33 metres in length. Marine microorganisms, including protists, bacteria and viruses, constitute about 70% of the total marine biomass. 31227
The Basilica of Saint Dominic & Porto Salvo stands as a beacon of Baroque beauty in the vibrant city of Valletta, Malta. This architectural marvel is a must-visit for any traveler seeking to immerse themselves in the rich tapestry of Maltese history and culture. As you step into the basilica, you are greeted by a breathtaking interior adorned with elaborate frescoes, intricate woodwork, and stunning altarpieces that tell stories of the past. The soft glow of candlelight enhances the spiritual atmosphere, inviting visitors to pause and reflect amidst the artistic splendor.
The basilica is not just a place of worship; it serves as a cultural hub, embodying the historical significance of the Dominican Order in Malta. Here, you can delve into the history of the church and its role in the community, including its dedication to Porto Salvo, the protector of sailors. The serene ambiance makes it an ideal spot for contemplation, and the echoes of prayers and hymns resonate throughout its hallowed spaces.
Grape hyacinth. The genus Muscari originated in the Old World, including the Mediterranean basin, central and southern Europe, northern Africa, western, central and south-western Asia. It has become naturalized elsewhere, including northern Europe and the United States. They usually have one or more narrow leaves which arise from a bulb. The flowers appear in the spring.
A small, round, brownish owl that is often active by day. It has white speckles on its back and tail; white spots (not bars) on the crown and head are diagnostic. The presence of white-ringed, black blobs on the back of the head give the impression of “false eyes”. Singles and pairs are common in moist and arid wooded savanna, including near villages. It calls an accelerating series of upslurred, piping “fwooo” notes, followed by a set of downward “puuueeeww” whistles. The similar African Barred Owlet is larger; it has bars (not spots) on the head, and it lacks “false eyes”. (eBird)
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He just looks so worried, with the frown and the big sad eyes. So wonderful to see him sitting here in the open, very near to our lodge so that we had time and opportunity to admire him.
Also, it was the first and only time that we saw this lovely species.
Mole National Park, Ghana. March 2019.
Ashanti African Tours.
Explore. for my dear friend Amanecer2008
All my photos are copyrighted. Please do not use them for any purpose, including on blogs, without my express permission.
Red Deer - Cervus elaphus
The red deer (Cervus elaphus) is one of the largest deer species. The red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Asia Minor, Iran, parts of western Asia, and central Asia. It also inhabits the Atlas Mountains region between Morocco and Tunisia in northwestern Africa, being the only species of deer to inhabit Africa. Red deer have been introduced to other areas, including Australia, New Zealand, United States, Canada, Peru, Uruguay, Chile and Argentina. In many parts of the world, the meat (venison) from red deer is used as a food source.
The red deer is the fourth-largest deer species behind moose, elk and sambar deer. It is a ruminant, eating its food in two stages and having an even number of toes on each hoof, like camels, goats and cattle. European red deer have a relatively long tail compared to their Asian and North American relatives. Subtle differences in appearance are noted between the various subspecies of red deer, primarily in size and antlers, with the smallest being the Corsican red deer found on the islands of Corsica and Sardinia and the largest being the Caspian red deer (or maral) of Asia Minor and the Caucasus Region to the west of the Caspian Sea. The deer of central and western Europe vary greatly in size, with some of the largest deer found in the Carpathian Mountains in Central Europe.Western European red deer, historically, grew to large size given ample food supply (including people's crops), and descendants of introduced populations living in New Zealand and Argentina have grown quite large in both body and antler size. Large red deer stags, like the Caspian red deer or those of the Carpathian Mountains, may rival the wapiti in size. Female red deer are much smaller than their male counterparts.
The European red deer is found in southwestern Asia (Asia Minor and Caucasus regions), North Africa and Europe. The red deer is the largest non-domesticated land mammal still existing in Ireland. The Barbary stag (which resembles the western European red deer) is the only member of the deer family represented in Africa, with the population centred in the northwestern region of the continent in the Atlas Mountains. As of the mid-1990s, Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria were the only African countries known to have red deer.
In the Netherlands, a large herd (ca. 3000 animals counted in late 2012) lives in the Oostvaarders Plassen, a nature reserve. Ireland has its own unique subspecies. In France the population is thriving, having multiplied fivefold in the last half-century, increasing from 30,000 in 1970 to approximately 160,000 in 2014. The deer has particularly expanded its footprint into forests at higher altitudes than before. In the UK, indigenous populations occur in Scotland, the Lake District, and the South West of England (principally on Exmoor). Not all of these are of entirely pure bloodlines, as some of these populations have been supplemented with deliberate releases of deer from parks, such as Warnham or Woburn Abbey, in an attempt to increase antler sizes and body weights. The University of Edinburgh found that, in Scotland, there has been extensive hybridisation with the closely related sika deer.
Several other populations have originated either with "carted" deer kept for stag hunts being left out at the end of the hunt, escapes from deer farms, or deliberate releases. Carted deer were kept by stag hunts with no wild red deer in the locality and were normally recaptured after the hunt and used again; although the hunts are called "stag hunts", the Norwich Staghounds only hunted hinds (female red deer), and in 1950, at least eight hinds (some of which may have been pregnant) were known to be at large near Kimberley and West Harling; they formed the basis of a new population based in Thetford Forest in Norfolk. Further substantial red deer herds originated from escapes or deliberate releases in the New Forest, the Peak District, Suffolk, Lancashire, Brecon Beacons, and North Yorkshire, as well as many other smaller populations scattered throughout England and Wales, and they are all generally increasing in numbers and range. A census of deer populations in 2007 and again in 2011 coordinated by the British Deer Society records the red deer as having continued to expand their range in England and Wales since 2000, with expansion most notable in the Midlands and East Anglia.
Festively decorated chancel of St. Ludwig, Munich. The romanesque church was built between 1829 and 1844 and has the second largest altarpiece fresco in the world.
I captured this on a very dull day with little light inside the church but ugly haze coming in through the windows, so I had a hard time to get something reasonably usable from post-processing. To top it all off, the shadow of an inattentive photographer disturbs the scene 😄
Panorama stitched from 6 individual HDR images.
Zoom in to enjoy the beautiful details including the super-defined starbursts on the Christmas trees (thanks to my beloved Laowa lens) 😊
Wishing you a peaceful merry Christmas 🎄✨🎅
✿Amanda Pose:
Set of 5 poses including a mirror.
✿Hand Pose 01 AD
We also sell hand-only Pose.
This works with the HUD and can be combined
by changing just the hands in other poses.
Personally, it's one of the things I wanted to do after
learning Bento.
✿Nyx Eyes SP AD
Exclusive to the market is the Nyx Eyes SP color set.
Colors are more vibrant than the existing Nyx Eyes
✿Only We Love Roleplay Event
✿TAXI EVENT:http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Riverhunt/129/128/27
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This Milky Way photo was taken close to a popular beach with hundreds of visitors and cars by day and yet having an excellent night sky after the onset of astronomical twilight. The foreground was illuminated by the rotating lighthouse beam a few hundred meters away, thus providing a means of light painting of the scene.
Some of the most beautiful stories of ancient times refer to the silvery band of the Milky Way - a celestial river comprised by the light of billions of stars, that has traveled for thousands of years to reach our eyes. This majestic arc of light is more clearly visible on summer nights, when our gaze is towards the center of the Milky Way, which lies at about 25 thousand light years away - the brightest part of the band just above the tree and to left of the “Dark Horse” silhouette.
This band is bisected by obscuring clouds of interstellar dust, thus forming the “Great Galactic Rift”. The interstellar gas and dust gave birth to everything else in the Universe, including us - we are all made of stardust after all.
My deepest thanks and warmest wishes to everyone for 2025 - stay healthy and keep looking up!
Luzzus are essentially traditional Maltese fishing boats. They are typically painted in traditional bright colours including blue,
yellow, red and green. You can normally spot a rather large number of luzzus in Malta’s seaside villages.
There is quite a lot of superstition surrounding the luzzu, the most prominent of them all being the painted or engraved pair of eyes on the front of the boat. These eyes are believed to be a modern survival of an old Phoenician tradition, and are normally referred to as the Eye of Orisis, or the Eye of Horus – the Phoenicians’ god of protection from evil. They are a symbol of protection and good health, and are believed to protect the fishermen from any harm while they are out at sea.
In addition to this, luzzus are normally inherited from a person’s father and grandfather. However, although the exact colours of each luzzu vary from one another, the colours of each luzzu are normally kept exactly the same due to superstitious belief. Therefore, when the old paint is completely stripped off the boat every five years, in order for the fisherman to closely inspect his boat for anything that needs to be replaced, the boat is then re-painted in exactly the same colours that the person’s father and grandfather had used.
~Attire:
Reece Outfit, including Trenchcoat, Top, Pants, 2 Pearl Handbags (2 Holding Poses), Glasses, Pearl Necklace, Heels!
MP: marketplace.secondlife.com/.../hh-PROMO.../20528189
LM: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Chronos/135/124/22
~Hair:
DOUX - Jimena
~Accessories:
(Yummy) Safari Wood Beaded Necklace
Outfit, including body, sleeves, boots, stockings : !dM Zazel - **LAPIS**. At NextUp.
Lashes : Void - Flutter Lashes (Avalon)
Head : Lelutka - EvoX AVALON
Skin : Loa - Rue Skin ~LeL EVO X / VELOUR~ (rose kiss). In main store.
Hair : Wasabi // Tiramisu Hair. in main store.
Decor :
!dM Zazel - Circus PoseProps : Balloon Hoop, Flying Hat, Light Strings. At NextUp.
!dM Zazel - PaintedBackdrops . At NextUp.
!dM Zazel - PosterBoards . At NextUp.
Asking all of us, including myself, to try and look at things from all points of view. It is easy to assume that someone else is wrong, but takes more time to figure out why they have that opinion and is it valid. We need to take the time to discover these things before judging. And we need to be more giving and understanding.
With heartfelt and genuine thanks for your kind visit. Have a beautiful day, be well, keep your eyes open, appreciate the beauty surrounding you, enjoy creating, stay safe, and laugh often! ❤️❤️❤️
This is my entry for today’s Mosaic Montage Monday theme of “Rounded Corners”. It is a Photoshop construct made entirely by various repeating patterns of a single image of mine which itself contained some rounded corners. The original image of my old Macbook laptop is shown in the first comment.
As I have chosen a monochrome treatment, also including in my 100x monochrome project.
Pampatar (where I live) was founded around 1530, so it has very rich
history, including wars and revolutions. How many lovely ladies felt in
love across the bars of this window since then
as including our own ;-(
G. C. Lichtenberg
Climate Change Matters! Resist!
Inside Passage, Viking Alaska cruise
The Inside Passage is a coastal route for ships and boats along a network of passages which weave through the islands on the Pacific Northwest coast of the North American Fjordland. The route extends from southeastern Alaska in the United States, through western British Columbia in Canada, to northwestern Washington state in the United States. Ships using the route can avoid some of the bad weather in the open ocean and may visit some of the many isolated communities along the route. The Inside Passage is heavily travelled by cruise ships, freighters, tugs with tows, fishing craft, pleasure craft, and ships of the Alaska Marine Highway, BC Ferries, and Washington State Ferries systems. Coast Guard vessels of both Canada and the United States patrol and transit in the Passage.
Including a photo of a rose hip and not a flower is going to be controversial. But, after pollination and sufficient time this is what the flower will become.
The roses in my garden are not in flower now and I could not resist this beautifully cracked rose hip, the winter weather has taken its toll.
#LookingCloseOnFriday #Roses
Featuring: Vezzo Ink Tattoo - Feruse
Feruse - Fatpack of 3 colors (Black, Purple, Red)
3 opacities 50%/75%/100% BOM ONLY!!!
Including Bot Only, Top only, Full body. Compatible with: Lelutka EvoX, AK ADVX (AKERUKA ADVX), GA.EG BoMGenX, LOGO, CRYPTID heads. Belleza, GenX, Signature, Maitreya, Ebody Reborn + Juicy, Legacy bodies.
Available at the Fetish Fair from 09/06 until 23/06 Taxi: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Fender/128/120/22
In-world store SLurl: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Fashion%20Boulevard%20II/1...
Marketplace: marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/199278
Facebook: www.facebook.com/VezzoInkTattoo
Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/141428236@N04
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Backdrop: Synnergy// White Roses
Pose: : ::WetCat:: Flower
Wearing
Tattoo: Vezzo Ink - Feruse (details above)
Lingerie: [Eternus] - Tired
Hair: [monso] Misaki
A large falcon that is endemic to South Asia including parts of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. This is as large as a Peregine Falcon and taller than Saker Falcon, but more leaner unlike the bulky build of Saker Falcon or Peregrine Falcon. We sighted them on two days in action - they were hunting in the area and one of them was fighting with the Saker Falcon.
The 2nd day, we sighted 3 of them - most likely a family and this one is the immature one judging by the size and plumage. The adult - likely a female was teaching the bird how to hunt and they both stuck together for almost an hour or more after which they disappeared together.
This immature one tried to hunt on its own, but wasn't successful, so it landed back on this perch briefly. The fog was so thick and heavy that it was challenging to shoot. We enjoyed the experience of watching them in action though.
Many thanks in advance for your views, faves and feedback - very much appreciated.
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Many thanks to everyone for the visits, comments and favorites. Much appreciated!
Studley Royal Park including the ruins of Fountains Abbey is a designated World Heritage Site in North Yorkshire, England. The site features an 18th-century landscaped garden, some of the largest Cistercian ruins in Europe, a Jacobean mansion and a Victorian church. It was developed around the ruins of the Cistercian Fountains Abbey.
Fountains Abbey was founded in 1132 by Benedictine monks of the Cistercian order. After the dissolution of the monasteries in 1539 by Henry VIII, the Abbey buildings and land were sold by the Crown.
At the beginning of the twentieth century, during the Belle Époque, many artists had studios or worked in or around Montmartre, including Salvador Dalí, Amedeo Modigliani, Claude Monet, Piet Mondrian, Pablo Picasso, Camille Pissarro and Vincent van Gogh. Montmartre is also the setting for several hit films. This site is served by metro line 2 stations of Anvers, Pigalle and Blanche and the line 12 stations of Pigalle, Abbesses, Lamarck - Caulaincourt and Jules Joffrin.
The purpose of Arches National Park is to protect extraordinary examples of geologic features including arches, natural bridges, windows, spires, and balanced rocks, as well as other features of geologic, historic, and scientific interest, and to provide opportunities to experience these resources and their associated values in their majestic natural settings.