Warwick and Birmingham Canal, itself a section of the Grand Union Canal, near Lapworth in Warwickshire.

The Grand Union Canal was formed from the Grand Junction Canal, Warwick & Napton Canal, Warwick & Birmingham Canal and the Birmingham and Warwick Junction Canal.

Its main line starts in London and ends in Birmingham, stretching for 137 miles (220 km) with 166 locks. It has arms to places including Leicester, Slough, Aylesbury, Wendover and Northampton.

The Grand Union Canal was also the original name for part of what is now part of the Leicester Line of the modern Grand Union: this latter is now generally referred to as the Old Grand Union Canal to avoid ambiguity.

* This image I think speaks for itself its the final shot I have from my visit to the Donna Nook reserve in Lincolnshire in November 2015

The Donna Nook nature reserve is situated approximately 15 miles south of Grimsby and Cleethorpes the reserve consists of dunes, slacks and inter-tidal areas. Coastal processes, particularly sand and mud accretion, alter the natural features from year to year, and sand from the beach and offshore sandbanks is blown inland by easterly winds to form dune ridges. Deposition of material from the River Humber has resulted in mudflats and saltings. The advancing dunes have trapped areas of saltmarsh behind them, and these areas have gradually become less saline, allowing an interesting plant community to develop. Its a great place to see young seals

THANKS FOR YOUR VISITING BUT CAN I ASK YOU NOT TO FAVE AN IMAGE WITHOUT ALSO MAKING A COMMENT. MANY THANKS KEITH

Looking very sorry for itself, Millport Motors UVG Urbanstar bodied Dennis Dart N804GRV is seen here dumped at the back of the depot on West Bay Road, Millport.

The bus was originally built in 1996 as a demonstrator for UVG before passing onto Millport Motors the following year. I guess it was a very reliable machine as it was used by the operator until 2015 when it was withdrawn as a result of it not being DDA compliant.

Sadly since then, the Dart has fallen into a state of disrepair which is a shame as I don’t think there’s many of these UVG bodied examples left in existence today. Hopefully one day this one may be saved but I’d imagine it’ll cost a fortune to get it restored to its former glory.

CHEROKEE COUNTY, ALABAMA: It appears the NEW arrival is making itself known!

View Large.

Golden Orb Spider (Nephila edulis) suspends itself while effecting repairs to its web damaged by winds. Captured in my Gold Coast hinterland home garden.

One of the last flowers in a neighbour's garden, looking rather sorry for itself.

... offered of itself....

And eloquently spoke of Gods

In languages of rainbows

Perfumes

And secret silence...

~Phillip Pulfrey

Texture www.flickr.com/photos/skeletalmess/3808638566/in/set-7215...

© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Use without permission is illegal.

HPPT !

Aberdeen; Scots: Aiberdeen ; Scottish Gaelic: Obar Dheathain; Latin: Aberdonia) is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 37th most populous built-up area, with an official population estimate of 196,670 for the city of Aberdeen itself and 228,990 for the local authority area. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aberdeen Nicknames include the Granite City, the Grey City and the Silver City with the Golden Sands. During the mid-18th to mid-20th centuries, Aberdeen's buildings incorporated locally quarried grey granite, which can sparkle like silver because of its high mica content. Since the discovery of North Sea oil in the 1970s, other nicknames have been the Oil Capital of Europe or the Energy Capital of Europe.The area around Aberdeen has been settled since at least 8,000 years ago, when prehistoric villages lay around the mouths of the rivers Dee and Don. The city has a long, sandy coastline and a marine climate. Aberdeen received Royal Burgh status from David I of Scotland (1124–53), transforming the city economically. The city's two universities, the University of Aberdeen, founded in 1495, and Robert Gordon University, which was awarded university status in 1992, make Aberdeen the educational centre of the north-east of Scotland. The traditional industries of fishing, paper-making, shipbuilding, and textiles have been overtaken by the oil industry and Aberdeen's seaport. Aberdeen Heliport is one of the busiest commercial heliports in the world[7] and the seaport is the largest in the north-east of Scotland Aberdeen has won the Britain in Bloom competition a record-breaking ten times and hosts the Aberdeen International Youth Festival, a major international event which attracts up to 1000 of the most talented young performing arts companies. In 2012, Mercer named Aberdeen the 56th most liveable city in the World, as well as the fourth most liveable city in Britain. In 2012, HSBC named Aberdeen as a leading business hub and one of eight 'super cities' spearheading the UK's economy, marking it as the only city in Scotland to receive this accolade.

boskalis.com/about-us/projects/aberdeen-bay-offshore-wind...

There were zero seabird collisions with turbines during two years of monitoring Aberdeen Offshore Wind Farm, a £2.6 million research project has found.

This sowed itself in a prominant position right at the edge of our central path at the back and I have really enjoyed watching it grow and develop. especially now tthere is less colour in the garden..

Thank you everyone so much for sharing your quality photos which is a great way to see and keep in touch with the world from home. Also for your kind comments and favours which are much valued.I am not able to take on any more members to follow or to post to groups. I prefer not to receive invites to groups

photo rights reserved by Ben

The region around Mount Kazbek and Stepantsminda is home to several ancient settlements and historical sites, often linked to Georgian legends and medieval architecture. The most famous and iconic site is undoubtedly the Gergeti Trinity Church 14th century. While the church itself was never a settlement, its surroundings served as a sanctuary for local communities for centuries. Around Gergeti Trinity Church, on the slopes of Mount Kazbek, there were once several small settlements and temporary dwellings used by shepherds and monks. These played an important role in both the spiritual and everyday life of the region and were closely connected to the church. The mountain slopes surrounding the church were often used as summer pastures for Georgian shepherds, who brought their sheep and cattle to graze in the alpine meadows. They built temporary stone huts or used natural caves as shelter. These simple dwellings typically consisted of small stone shelters, often without windows. Some huts were partially built underground to retain warmth during the cold months. They were scattered along the mountain trails leading to the church and further up to the Gergeti Glacier.

During wars and invasions—such as those by the Persians, Mongols, and Ottomans—local inhabitants often sought refuge in the mountains. Some settlements were abandoned after conflicts and fell into ruin. While many of these old villages are no longer inhabited, their remains continue to be a fascinating part of the Kazbeg region’s history.

In de regio rond Mount Kazbek en Stepantsminda bevinden zich meerdere oude nederzettingen en historische locaties, vaak verbonden met Georgische legendes en middeleeuwse architectuur. De bekendste en meest iconische plek is zonder twijfel de Gergeti Trinity Church 14e eeuw. Hoewel de kerk zelf geen nederzetting was, fungeerde de omgeving lange tijd als een toevluchtsoord voor lokale gemeenschappen. Rond Gergeti Trinity Church, op de hellingen van Mount Kazbek, lagen vroeger verschillende kleine nederzettingen en tijdelijke verblijven van herders en monniken. Deze speelden een belangrijke rol in zowel het spirituele als het alledaagse leven in de regio en waren vaak nauw verbonden met de kerk. De berghellingen rondom de kerk dienden in de zomer als weidegrond voor Georgische herders, die hier hun schapen en koeien lieten grazen. Ze bouwden tijdelijke stenen hutten of maakten gebruik van natuurlijke grotten als onderdak. Deze eenvoudige onderkomens bestonden vaak uit kleine stenen schuilplaatsen, meestal zonder ramen. Sommige hutten waren gedeeltelijk ondergronds gebouwd om beter bestand te zijn tegen de kou. Ze lagen verspreid langs de bergpaden die leidden naar de kerk en verder naar de Gergeti-gletsjer. Tijdens oorlogen en invasies – zoals die van de Perzen, Mongolen en Ottomanen – zochten de bewoners vaak hun toevlucht in de bergen. Sommige nederzettingen werden na conflicten verlaten en raakten in verval. Hoewel veel van deze oude dorpen niet meer bewoond zijn, blijven hun overblijfselen een intrigerend onderdeel van de geschiedenis van de regio.

The harbor at Depoe Bay bills itself as the world's smallest navigable harbor. It's an interesting assertion and I'm not sure I entirely buy into it. I've seen too many small harbors along the Greek and Italian coasts. England too, has its share of small coves. But for now, I have no proof otherwise and have to believe their claim. So believe it, or not.

Depoe Bay OR

Another shot from the barley fields at Wells House with a Sepia tone trying out Silver Efex Pro software. The house itself is quite interesting for anyone that can make there way there.

Carefully scanning the skies and keeping a watch on a pair of females, this Red Capped Robin also took advantage when opportunity presented itself to swoop down and grab a juicy grub.

Dilmun is associated with ancient sites on the islands of Bahrain in the Persian Gulf, the Cradle of Civilization.

Dilmun (sometimes transliterated Telmun) is associated with ancient sites on the islands of Bahrain in the Persian Gulf. Because of its location along the sea trade routes linking Mesopotamia with the Indus Valley Civilization, Dilmun developed in the Bronze Age, from ca. 3000 BC, into one of the greatest entrepots of trade of the ancient world.

There is both literary and archaeological evidence for the trade between Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley (probably correctly identified with the land called Meluhha in Akkadian). Impressions of clay seals from the Indus Valley city of Harappa were evidently used to seal bundles of merchandise, as clay seal impressions with cord or sack marks on the reverse side testify.

A number of these Indus Valley seals have turned up at Ur and other Mesopotamian sites. "Persian Gulf" types of circular stamped rather than rolled seals, known from Dilmun, that appear at Lothal in Gujarat, India, and Faylahkah, as well as in Mesopotamia, are convincing corroboration of the long-distance sea trade. What the commerce consisted of is less sure: timber and precious woods, ivory, lapis lazuli, gold, and luxury goods such as carnelian and glazed stone beads, pearls from the Persian Gulf, shell and bone inlays, were among the goods sent to Mesopotamia in exchange for silver, tin, woolen textiles, olive oil and grains. Copper ingots, certainly, bitumen, which occurred naturally in Mesopotamia, may have been exchanged for cotton textiles and domestic fowl, major products of the Indus region that are not native to Mesopotamia - all these have been instanced.

Mesopotamian trade documents, lists of goods, and official inscriptions mentioning Meluhha supplement Harappan seals and archaeological finds. Literary references to Meluhhan trade date from the Akkadian, the Third Dynasty of Ur, and Isin - Larsa Periods (ca. 2350 - 1800 BC), but the trade probably started in the Early Dynastic Period (ca. 2600 BC). Some Meluhhan vessels may have sailed directly to Mesopotamian ports, but by the Isin - Larsa Period, Dilmun monopolized the trade. By the subsequent Old Babylonian period, trade between the two cultures evidently had ceased entirely.

The Bahrain National Museum assesses that its "Golden Age" lasted ca. 2200 - 1600 BC. Its decline dates from the time the Indus Valley civilization suddenly and mysteriously collapsed, in the middle of the 2nd millennium BC. This would of course have stripped Dilmun of its importance as a trading center between Mesopotamia and India. The decay of the great sea trade with the east may have affected the power shift northwards observed in Mesopotamia itself.

Evidence about Neolithic human cultures in Dilmun comes from flint tools and weapons. From later periods, cuneiform tablets, cylinder seals, pottery and even correspondence between rulers throw light on Dilmun. Written records mentioning the archipelago exist in Sumerian, Akkadian, Persian, Greek, and Latin sources.

Dilmun, sometimes described as "the place where the sun rises" and "the Land of the Living" is the scene of a Sumerian creation myth and the place where the deified Sumerian hero of the flood, Ziusudra (Utnapishtim), was taken by the gods to live for ever.

There is mention of Dilmun as a vassal of Assyria in the 8th century BC and by about 600 BC, it had been fully incorporated into the Neo-Babylonian Empire. Dilmun then falls into deep eclipse marked by the decline of the copper trade, so long controlled by Dilmun, and the switch to a less important role in the new trade of frankincense and spices. The discovery of an impressive palace at the Ras al Qalah site in Bahrain is promising to increase knowledge of this late period.

Otherwise, there is virtually no information until the passage of Nearchus, the admiral in charge of Alexander the Great's fleet on the return from the Indus Valley. Nearchus kept to the Iranian coast of the Gulf, however, and cannot have stopped at Dilmun. Nearchus established a colony on the island of Falaika off the coast of Kuwait in the late 4th century BC, and explored the Gulf perhaps least as far south as Dilmun/Bahrain.

From the time of Nearchus until the coming of Islam in the 7th century AD Dilmun/Bahrain was known by its Greek name of Tylos. The political history for this period is little known, but Tylos was at one point part of the Seleucid Empire, and of Characene and perhaps part of the Parthian Empire. Shapur II annexed it, together with eastern Arabia, into the Persian Sassanian empire in the 4th century.

Unlike Egyptian and Mesopotamian tablets and cylinders, the Dilmun legacy has been discovered on circular seals. The primitive forms of images carved on the seal indicate they were used as charms or talisman. Carved on wood, soapstone shells or metal, these images clearly define a complex society. Temples in the center of the agrarian village, towns, city-states, religious, and economic cultural life. All facets of the emergence of an evolutionary society are reflected in the inscriptions about the seals.

Impressions found on pottery and property is a probable usage of the seals. Burying them with the dead was probably to avoid misuse. Tiny fragments found impressed, suggest identifying property. Clearly there was an intrinsic value; each seal tells a story, has an identity.

Seals depict Enki, God of wisdom and sweet water. Gilgamesh as a massive and heroic figure, the 'Bull of heaven' hat. Ladies of the mountains 'Inanas' servants wearing her triangle signs depicting space for her power. 'Nana' is the moon god who was also named 'sin'. Symbol was the bull of heaven head. Inana, goddess of immortality.

From the dreams of Gilgamesh, to the philosophy of life. Seals depicting a harmonious life with nature and god are painted here in the colors and form I hope you enjoy. The colors naturally excite and stimulate, often sexually. Indisputably the ancient myths of immortality and resurrection influenced Dilmun beliefs and are abundantly supported in the seal designs, represented by gods of the sun and moon.

The Mesopotamian texts described Tilmun as situated at the 'mouth' of two bodies of water. The Sinai peninsula, shaped as an inverted triangle indeed begins where the Red Sea separates into two arms - the gulf of Suez on the west, and the Gulf of Elat (Gulf of Aqaba) on the east.

The texts spoke of mountainous Tilmun. The Sinai peninsula is indeed made up of a high mountainous southern part, a mountainous central plateau, and a northern plain (surrounded by mountains), which levels off via sandy hills to the Mediterranean coastline. Sargon of Akkad claimed that he reached as 'washed his weapons' in the Mediterranean; 'the sea lands' - the lands along the Mediterranean coast - 'three times I encircled; Tilmun my hand captured'. Sargon II, king of Assyria in the eighth century BC, asserted that he had conquered the area stretching 'from Bit-Yahkin on the shore of the salt Sea as far as the border of Tilmun'. The name 'Salt Sea' has survived to this day as a Hebrew name for the Dead Sea - another confirmation that Tilmun lay in proximity to the Dead Sea.

The cradle of civilization is sometimes referenced by the name Dilmun, or Tilmun. Here, it was said, the god Ea and his wife were placed to institute 'a sinless age of complete happiness'.

Here too animals lived in peace and harmony, man had no rival and the god Enlil `in one tongue gave praise'. It is also described as a pure, clean and `bright' `abode of the immortals' where death, disease and sorrow are unknown and some mortals have been given `life like a god', words reminiscent of the Airyana Vaejah, the realm of the immortals in Iranian myth and legend, and the Eden of Hebraic tradition

Although Dilmun is equated by most scholars with the island of Bahrain in the Persian Gulf, there is evidence to suggest that a much earlier mythical Dilmun was located in a mountainous region beyond the plains of Sumer.

But where exactly was it located Mesopotamian inscriptions do not say; however, the Zoroastrian Bundahishn text and the Christian records of Arbela in Iraqi Kurdistan both refer to a location named Dilamƒn as having existed around the head waters of the Tigris, south-west of Lake Van - the very area in which the biblical Eden is said to have been located.

Furthermore, Ea (the Akkadian Enki) was said to have presided over the concourse of Mesopotamia's two greatest rivers - the Tigris and Euphrates - which are shown in depictions as flowing from each of his shoulders.

This would have undoubtedly have meant that the head-waters, or sources, of these rivers would have been looked upon as sacred to Ea by the cultures of Mesopotamia's Fertile Crescent.

- Zecharia Sitchin The Stairway to Heaven

Dilmun was allegedly a magical land, the birthplace of the gods and the place where the arts of civilization where said first to have been transmitted to men. It was the subject of many legends told by the Sumerians, the people of southern Iraq; it was famed as a land where death and disease were unknown and men and animals lived at peace together.

It was the home of the Sumerian king who was the origin of the myth of Noah, the immortal survivor of the Great Flood, a story retold in the Qu'ran and the Bible.

The first great hero of world literature, Gilgamesh the king of Uruk, journeyed to Dilmun in search of the secret of eternal youth.

He found it deep in the waters of the Persian Gulf, off Bahrain, but lost it when the flower which restored the youth of those who sought it, was stolen by a snake, lurking in a pool as Gilgamesh returned to his kingdom; this is the reason why the snake sloughs his skin.

Symbolism - All is Myth and Metaphor in our reality

* water: flow of consciousness - creation

* restore to youth: move out of the physical body and return to higher frequency forms of sound, light, and color

* snake: DNA - the human bio-genetic experiment in time and emotion

* kingdom - Leo - Lion - King - Omega - closure

Dilmun was also the center of the most important trade routes of the third and second millennia BC. The most important commodity was copper for which Dilmun was famous and the dates for which Bahrain was always celebrated, from ancient times until the present day.

Because Dilmun was so sacred a land, there were many temples built there, the impressive remains of which can be seen today. The largest and most splendid temple surviving in Western Asia is at Barbar on Bahrain's northern shore.

The most famous of all Bahrain's rich archaeological heritage are the 200,000 grave mounds which are a feature of the landscape in the northern half of the island and which, by their size and quality of construction, show how prosperous Bahrain must have been in ancient times.

Dilmun continued to be the most important center of trade in the Gulf region throughout its history.

After the Sumerians, the Babylonians, Assyrians, even the Greeks, settled on the islands, because of their strategic importance in the movement of merchandise, north and south, east and west, by sea and by the land routes to which the seas gave access.

The records of their diplomatic relations with the kings of Dilmun, some of whose names are known from the records, testify to the importance of the islands throughout antiquity.

All left evidence of their presence, preserved today in the Bahrain National Museum and in the immense archaeological sites in which Bahrain is particularly rich.

Bahrain is an open-air treasure house of the past, a unique heritage from the earliest times when men first began to keep records of their hopes, fears and achievements.

It is the contemporary of ancient Egypt with Sumer and the peoples who succeeded them, of the great cities of the Indus Valley.

Source: www.crystalinks.com/dilmun.html

Something New Pose used:

Waiting Sucks

By Sedonajane Silverpath

The pose itself has the avatar sitting on a travel bag. The tilt of the head caught my heart. Beautiful pose I will use again and again.

Im Hintergrund sieht man den Roten Turm und das nach ihm benannte Einkaufszentrum Galerie Roter Turm, das 2000 eröffnet wurde. Der Rote Turm ist das Wahrzeichen der Stadt Chemnitz und deren ältestes erhaltenes Bauwerk. Er wurde gegen Ende des 12. Jahrhunderts errichtet und diente zunächst als Bergfried, um die umliegenden Siedlungen zu schützen, später war er der Sitz des Stadtvogtes. Vermutlich war der Turm schon um 1230 in die Chemnitzer Stadtbefestigungsanlage eingebunden. Der Name des Turms wird auf die dominante rote Farbe des verwendeten Baumaterials zurückgeführt. Der Hauptkörper des Bauwerkes wurde aus überwiegend rotfarbigen Varietäten des Chemnitzer Porphyrtuffs errichtet.

Zum Ende des 15. Jahrhunderts erhielt er das aufgesetzte Backstein-Geschoss, das mit roten Dachziegeln eingedeckt war. Der Turm selbst war bis Mitte des 19. Jahrhunderts verputzt und vermutlich weiß angestrichen.Bis etwa 1900 wurden der Turm und dessen Anbau als Gefängnis genutzt. Diese Funktion rettete den Roten Turm im frühen 19. Jahrhundert vor dem Abriss, als die Chemnitzer Stadtbefestigungsanlagen abgetragen wurden.Bei einem der Luftangriffe auf Chemnitz am Ende des Zweiten Weltkriegs brannte der Turm aus. Zwischen 1957 und 1959 wurde er wieder aufgebaut.

de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roter_Turm_(Chemnitz)

In the background, you can see the Red Tower and the shopping centre named after it, Galerie Roter Turm, which opened in 2000. The Red Tower is the landmark of the city of Chemnitz and its oldest preserved building. It was built towards the end of the 12th century and initially served as a keep to protect the surrounding settlements; later, it was the seat of the city bailiff. The tower was probably already integrated into Chemnitz's city fortifications around 1230. The tower's name is attributed to the dominant red colour of the building material used. The main body of the structure was built predominantly from red varieties of Chemnitz porphyry tuff.

At the end of the 15th century, a brick storey was added, which was covered with red roof tiles. Until the middle of the 19th century, the tower itself was plastered and probably painted white. Until around 1900, the tower and its extension were used as a prison. This function saved the Red Tower from demolition in the early 19th century when Chemnitz's city fortifications were torn down. The tower burned down during one of the air raids on Chemnitz at the end of the Second World War. It was rebuilt between 1957 and 1959.

de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roter_Turm_(Chemnitz)

is very little. i actually found this old photo on greg's laptop- i was trying to take a photo of a drawing that night,

1- i forgot that the flash was off

2- the paper began moving around the floor by itself.

We're back at the Monaco Ballroom on Friday December 12th for the final show of 2008!! Make sure you make it to see how the year's feuds end at this season ending super show - GPW: "Christmas Crunch"

We promise we wont crunch your credit.... we'll only crunch your Christmas!!

GPW Heavyweight Title Match

Bubblegum © vs. Dirk Feelgood

Just a few months ago you'd be forgiven for taking a double take at this match. The friendship between the two former friends totally imploded with the desire to become Heavyweight champion. Refusing to accept the demise of his friendship with Dirk Feelgood, Bubblegum spent months in turmoil not wanting to retaliate to the cutting comments and brutal attacks levelled his way by former friend and champion Feelgood. As time went by however, Bubblegum eventually unloaded on Feelgood but this will be the first time the two have ever come face to face in a one on one match. And to make things just a little more interesting... it's for the GPW Heavyweight Title. Can the fairytale championship reign continue for Bubblegum, or can Dirk shatter his dreams and become the first ever 2 time Heavyweight Champ?

Tag Team Special, Skeletor vs. Stella

Lethal Dose vs. Voodoo & "Sober" Mike Holmes

Alan Alan Alan Tasker's henchmen, Lethal Dose march into battle against former stable member Mike Holmes and the man they hold responsible for Holmes' new found sobriety - Voodoo. Cyanide and Toxic hope to tempt Holmes back over to the stable that two months ago he turned his back on. They want to snap him out of the spell they accuse Voodoo of putting him under. However, Holmes seems very happy with his new outlook on life and he and Voodoo look to send Lethal Dose packing in this tag team special. Lethal Dose have warned they will not be coming to the ring alone though, with them along with their attorney and law - Alan Alan Alan Tasker will be a 12 pack of Stella. Hoping the case of beer will prove to be a bigger demon to Holmes than the tag team itself. To fend off the 12 pack, Holmes and Voodoo will have Vooodoo's trusty skull, Skeletor in their corner. An unpredictable tag team match. Can MIke Holmes stay sober? Will Voodoo's spells work? Or will Lethal Dose deliver a beating big enough to break Voodoo's spell?

GPW British Title Match

Jak Dominotrescu vs. "Super" Sam Bailey

After pinning the British Champion last month in a tag team match, WKD's "Super" Sam Bailey has earned himself a title shot at GPW: "Christmas Crunch". Bailey, already a former tag team champion looks to add to his growing reputation by capturing his first ever singles gold in GPW. While reigning champion, Romanian Jak Domitrescu along with his cohorts - The Eastern Bloc look to make life as difficult as possible for the energetic live wire. Domitrescu has held onto the title since April this year with help from his fellow countrymen, but are his days numbered as champ? He surely wont be alone in this title outing and will have the Eastern Bloc close by, but can "Super" Sam Bailey overcome the odds to win his first singles gold in GPW?

And, the main event for the evening is...

GPW Tag Team Title 2/3 Falls Match

MIl-Anfield Connection © vs. Young Offenders

The heat just got turned up in this feud. The re-united Young Offenders have the most established tag team in GPW - The Mil-Anfield Connection firmly in their sights and not to mention the tag team trophy. These two teams met in September this year where there was no clear winner decided after the match ended in a draw. There will be NO excuses this time to not find a winner. This, for the first time in our history will be a 2/3 Falls Match for the tag team titles. A winner HAS to be decided, but who will it be? A truley epic encounter is in our midst as Jiggy Walker & "The Model" Danny Hope try to cling onto the championship that has defined them as a team and "Dangerous" Damon Leigh & Joey Hayes, The Young Offenders chase the title that one of the most popular tag teams in Europe have never held. Can the re-united friends overcome the well established unit that is The Mil-Anfield Connection? Or can the well oiled duo of the Mil-Anfield do what they've been doing all year and win again?

GPW British Title No.1 Contenders Match

Harry Doogle vs. Juice vs. Dylan Roberts vs. Chris Echo

After an eye catchingly good year from rookie Dylan Roberts, he has been included in this battle to earn a shot at the British Title. With a burning desire to win and the fans firmly behind him, Roberts could well mark his arrival onto the main roster by becoming the No.1 Contender and going for gold here. However, his opponents wont give him an easy ride. In a wonderful CC-08 tournament, no one impressed more than WKD's Chris Echo. Echo reached the CC-08 finals with two broken wrists and proved he is ready to take a step up. His previous attempts for British gold have been thwarted by the foreign legion numbers of the Eastern Bloc, is he ready to prove again that he is worthy of being No.1 Contender and finally lift the British title? Juice, the current CC8 champion has been as impressive as ever in singles competition this year, but can he compete in this match with 3 others all vying to be No.1 Contender? Also replacing Jervis Cottonbelly due to injury is Harry Doogle as a last minute entry could one half of the next gen score the upset win? , but with so many possible outcomes who will leave with the plaudits and go on to challenge for the British Title next year?

Lumberjack Match

Si Valour vs. Heresy

A violent and personal feud that has lasted all year long finally comes to a head in what promises to be a violent Lumberjack Match. Ever since brutalising Valour and cutting off all his hair, Heresy has, in some form or other dodged the challenge of Valour. Heresy claimed not to have lost his bottle or be running scared of the 2007 Break Out Star, yet during their Bull Rope clash at GPW: "V" where the two were tied to one another, Heresy still managed to find a way of escaping and creating distance between him and Valour. This time, in a special Lumberjack Match, no matter where either man go - there will be no escape. All lumberjacks will be at the ready to ensure neither man can escape the others clutches and a clear winner, one way or the other will HAVE to be decided. There will be nowhere to run to and nowhere to hide, no matter where they look. Heresy has been one step ahead of Valour all year, is this where he runs out of excuses, or can the master manipulator manipulate another win?

The building itself provides an elegant backdrop with a grand central courtyard, a finely painted loggia and frescoed rooms. These include the Sala delle Prospettive Dipinte, which was adorned with landscapes and hunting scenes for Cardinal Altemps, the rich nephew of Pope Pius IV (r 1560–65) who bought the palazzo in the late 16th century.

EXPLORED #210

The tree is dead but itself poses as a big question mark

Location: Bashudhara City, Dhaka-Bangladesh

NO GRAPHIC COMMENTS, LOGOS OR INVITATIONS PLEASE

From their website:

Estate of the Art

Can a winery elevate the craft of winemaking to a fine art? Of course it can. Can a winery dedicate itself as a temple to works of fine art? Why not? But can a winery that does one also achieve the other? Good question. Now, if you were to put that question to Bacchus, god of wine, mischief-maker and generally acknowledged originator of the practice of horsing around, we know just where he'd send you: straight to the horse's mouth.

And not just any horse. He'd send you to Pegasus, the winged horse of ancient myth whose hooves brushed against the earth, unleashing the sacred spring of the muses. Lucky earth. That spring gave life to grapevines, and the wine that flowed from them inspired poetry and art in all who drank it.

In that spirit, a couple of millennia later, we set out to create a place where the wellspring of wine and the muses of art could live together -- a sort of temple to wine and art. Not a museum or a sacred shrine way up in the clouds, but a haven here on earth. The kind of place we know Bacchus would approve of, where art and vines seem to spring from the same fertile soil, where smiling is encouraged, and pleasure and serendipity are all around you.

And in tribute to those fateful hoofbeats that started it all, we called that place Clos Pegase. Clos being the French word for an enclosed vineyard -- an estate winery, where every wine is made from that vineyard's own grapes. Which is what we are. And Pegase being the French word for "Pegasus." Which sounded nicer with clos.

Can wine and art come together to create an experience as lofty as Olympus and as lusty as the rascal Bacchus? We think so. Here's our story.

The Making of a Winemaker

Now, if you were to ask the wise-acre, Bacchus, "how do you make a small fortune in the wine business?" chances are he'd reply: "start with a large fortune."

In the case of Clos Pegase, that large fortune came from -- of all places -- the Japanese publishing industry. In 1955, our founder, Jan Shrem, who was studying for his Master's degree at UCLA, took what he thought was going to be a little vacation in Japan. He fell in love with the place -- and with a woman named Mitsuko -- and he decided to stick around. For the next thirteen years.

To support himself, Jan began importing English-language reference and technical books to a market hungry for all things Western. He was in the right place at the right time. Building on his success, he began translating and publishing books in Japan as well, and, by the time he sold his company in 1968 to elope with Mitsuko to Europe, it had grown to some 50 offices and nearly 2,000 employees.

In 1980, after 25 years in the publishing business, Jan found himself at a crossroads. He had built a publishing empire. And, in the meantime, Mitsuko had introduced him to the mysteries and pleasures of wine -- an interest that had quickly turned into a consuming passion. He decided the time had come to listen to his "inner Bacchus" and devote his life to winemaking.

Jan enrolled in the enology program at the University of Bordeaux, where he soon became fascinated with the idea of combining ancient winemaking practices with emerging technologies. Nowhere was this combination more vital and exciting than in California, so, armed with the Napa Valley address of the dean of American winemakers, Andre Tchelistcheff, Jan headed west.

With Tchelistcheff's help, Jan eventually created a unique wine estate -- and an equally distinctive style of winemaking. He began by purchasing a 50-acre vineyard in Calistoga in 1983. Later, he would add more than 400 additional acres in the northern and southern ends of the Napa Valley.

A Temple Among the Vines

By the mid-1980s, it became clear that Jan's new wine estate would need an anchor -- a building to serve as its base of operations. But Jan was thinking bigger than a mere roof and walls. He envisioned a place designed to showcase his extensive art collection in a way that made it accessible to everyone; a focal point that could match the majesty of the rocky knoll that rises above the valley from the center of the vineyard; a place of celebration, education and pleasure; and a visible, visit-able symbol of his winemaking philosophy.

Working with the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Jan sponsored an architects' competition. From a field of 96 entrants, the judges selected renowned Princeton architect, Michael Graves. He was commissioned to build a "temple to wine and art" at the base of the knoll and a home for Jan and Mitsuko at its summit, with sweeping views of the Napa Valley below. Within the knoll itself, 20,000 feet of aging caves would be excavated, including the breathtaking Cave Theater, a dramatic setting for celebrations, presentations and special events.

Construction was completed in 1987. The spectacular structures Graves created -- and the surrounding sculpture garden that includes some of the world's greatest twentieth-century works of art -- have won international awards and generated great excitement in the wine industry. The national press has been generous in its praise as well, describing Clos Pegase as "a place of pilgrimage" and "America's first monument to wine and art."

And, just as Jan had hoped, the stately symmetry of the building reflects his own winemaking ethos. "In architecture, as in our wines," he says "I believe we have achieved balance, harmony and symmetry in the classical Greek sense, avoiding the baroque concepts of high oak, high alcohol and high extract to create food-friendly wines of quiet elegance. These are the hallmarks of what has come to be known as the 'Clos Pegase style.'"

The Clos Pegase Style. It's there as you walk through the grounds. It's there in the cool stillness of the caves. You find it when you round a corner in the vineyard and come face to face with a sculpture that's both beautiful and as disarmingly irreverent as Bacchus himself. And it's there on our label, in Jan's favorite painting from his collection. There, depicted by the great 19th-Century French artist Odilon Redon, is the winged horse, Pegasus, his front hooves rearing toward the heavens, his back hooves firmly planted right here on earth.

The sunset itself was pretty dull, barely any clouds or color to it.. The most vibrant display of color & action was just behind me.

Jackie Novak Photography on Facebook

"The soul always knows what to do to heal itself. The challenge is to silence the mind."

- Caroline Myss

I was walking around downtown LA alone, when I heard someone say, "Hey, pretty lady. Don't you wanna take a picture of me?"

I turned to see this beautiful man with smiling eyes, laughing at me

So I stopped and took this

There is this awesome tune by a Danish band that has been playing everywhere, and I have been meaning to share it for a while

Heard it again in the car while driving back from lunch with a good friend, so I decided it was time to rummage in my archives, and find this image and share the tune, before it drives me nuts LOL

So a second upload :)))

www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHCob76kigA

Have a beautiful rest of the day

ps: the lyrics are pretty awesome too

xxxx

Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, CA

I always want to take a decent shot of Levi's stadium, especially prior to Super Bowl 50 event. It's a late Saturday afternoon. Clouds start adjusting the shape by itself and fan out nicely from top of the stadium just before the day ends.

Game day : Feb 07, 2016, 3:30 pm PT

Carolina Panthers vs Denver Broncos

Odds: Carolina by 4.5

Regular season record: Panthers 15-1 , Broncos 12-4

Lowest ticket price: 3,200

Highest ticket price: 15,000

3-star hotel average cost: 350/night

4-star hotel average cost: 1,000/night

Hyatt Regency (across the street from Levi's): 1,900/night

30-second TV commercial: 5 million dollars

Capacity for Levi's stadium: 75,000 people

Visitors come to bay area this week: 1 million people

Last time Super Bowl was held in Bay area: 1985 (Standford Stadium)

美式足球超級盃是美國體育界年度的最大盛事，今年的超級盃在灣區舉行，地主49人隊(49ers)戰績不佳，連季後賽都打不進去。對決的兩隊是丹佛野馬(Denver Broncos) 和卡羅萊納黑豹(Carolina Panthers)。

一直希望能在賽前拍一張像樣一點的Levi's 球場照片。一個月前曾經去球場練習拍照，結果有兩個警衛突然出現，他們為了安全顧慮請我離開。幾天之後的週六下午，感覺天有異象，便直奔球場等待機會。這次學乖了，在球場對街架設腳架，因為在管轄範圍之外，果然沒有警衛來找麻煩。而在天黑之前，雲層也開始自己調整形狀，最後呈放射狀自球場上方散出。

入境隨俗，這是一場全世界矚目的超級大賽，自己雖然不是美式足球迷，但是對這場比賽也是極度關注，可能會邀三五好友一起觀賞，為較弱的那隊加油。

比賽時間：2016 年 2 月 7 日美西時間下午 3：30

讓分：黑豹讓 4.5 分

季賽戰績：黑豹 14 勝 1 負，野馬 12 勝 4 負

最便宜的票價：3,200 元

最貴的票價：15,000 元

三星級旅館平均一晚住宿費：350 元

四星級旅館平均一晚住宿費：1,000 元

球場對面的凱悅酒店(Hyatt Regency)一晚住宿費：1,900 元

30 秒的電視廣告費：5 百萬元

Levi's 球場可容納： 75,000 人

一週內將來到灣區的人數： 1 百萬人

上一次在灣區舉行的超級盃：1985年(史丹佛球場)

This title attached itself to my brain now probably for a decade, and unfortunately now is perfect timing to start on this novel ... youtu.be/FV4qanGhzhk my home town where I was born ... I think over the years (especially after college graduation) I so grew into American life style that eventually stopped truly realizing where I actually came from. Poverty here is better than middle class there. Every day for the past week is a dream, something not real, something out of the novel especially if you are in health care. But I’m done with worrying, can’t anymore. Will take precautions, pray, take one day at a time & believe life is beautiful as never before. At this point I don’t know what else can be done. ♥️

The mesmerising Fuji-san or Fujiyama from Lake Kawaguchiko.

Fuji-san apparently cloaks itself in cloud for around 300 days per year. Not so the day we came to view. It was readily apparent to me why Mt Fuji is one of Japan's most sacred mountains and is listed by UNESCO as an object of pilgrimage for centuries. (Thanks Wikipedia).

Lake Kawaguchiko (河口湖) is the most easily accessible of the Fuji Five Lakes with train and direct bus connections to Tokyo. A hot spring resort town with various tourist attractions and views of Mount Fuji is located around the lake's eastern end (between me and the mountain), while the northern and western shores (behind camera) are mostly undeveloped.

Fuji X-H1, XF18/2, 1/1250th sec at f/9, ISO 200

I have been very quiet as the sheer number of potential keepers brought me to a standstill. It's not going to be the only pic... :-)

I was out at Fort Desoto Sunday morning and the sunrise itself wasn't great but provided some pretty cool silhouettes. Can you ID the birds by the silhouette? Answers below.

PS Mosquitoes were the worst I've seen them between the parking lot and beach.

1)Marbled Godwit

2)Roseate Spoonbill

3)Laughing Gull

Found itself a perch in the corner of the lake where the Sun shone through.

One of my photos of the sun from two days ago. I decided to feature this image by itself due to the magnificent solar flares, visible in the sun's corona near the bottom left and about a third the way up from the bottom right. I took this particular image as the "diamond ring" (Baily's Beads) was appearing after complete obscuration of the sun. Given the massive size of our sun, I would imagine that the largest of the three flares is probably bigger than our entire planet. What an amazing sight!

I made this photograph in Summerside on Prince Edward Island, Canada. I used my eleven year old Olympus OM-D E-M1 and M.Zuiko 100-400mm f/5.0-6.3 mounted to a sturdy tripod. The raw image was processed in DxO PhotoLab 6.x. For this photo, I selected an aperture of f/9.0 and a shutter speed of 1/2000th at ISO 200. I removed my solar filter briefly during the period of complete occultation when just the corona was visible.

i don't really know (remember) from which magazine or weekly that i cropped this from nor have any idea of who wrote it or when. I would imagine that it was either in the NME; Melody Maker; or maybe even Rolling Stone... It probably dates from around the early 80s -going by the other clippings that were filed alongside it. If anybody knows who wrote this; let me know.

The picture speaks for itself.

Sometimes the doing itself becomes the big scene. Like in this case, when Poseidon was throwing the surge 20 m over the rocks.

Thanks for coming and have a wonderful evening!

NIKON D80; Tamron SP AF f3,5-5,6/ 24-135 mm AD Macro

24 mm; f/9; 1/250 s; ISO 100

Bertem (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈbɛrtɛm] ⓘ) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant. The municipality comprises the towns of Bertem proper, Korbeek-Dijle and Leefdaal. On January 1, 2006, Bertem had a total population of 9,215. The total area is 29.75 km2 which gives a population density of 310 inhabitants per km2.

The area is noted for its rural landscape, in particular the "Koeheide"[2] and "Bertembos" ("Bertem Forest"). On the open plains of Leefdaal, it is possible to see the endangered European Hamster (Cricetus cricetus)).[3] The village of Bertem itself is home to the Sint-Pieters-Bandenkerk [nl], a romanesque church built between 950 and 1050.

a 80E has 2 SD40-2s leading a loaded coal train. Meeting NS 272

A return via the archives only , but a return none the less to

Knole and just a section as seen from the deer park .

A tiny section of Knole just to show the concentration of building work within it's itself .

Knole feels almost weighed down by its own history – six centuries of it. People are often impressed by all the absolutes of Knole: its enormous size, the number of rooms, its completeness. But those who live, work and visit here love its quiet dignity, its almost melancholy feel – the grandeur has passed but its old, glinting beauty remains.

What we see today is a remarkably preserved and complete early Jacobean remodelling of a medieval archiepiscopal palace. From an even older manor house, it was built and extended by the Archbishops of Canterbury after 1456. It then became a royal possession during the Tudor dynasty when Henry VIII hunted here and Elizabeth I visited.

From 1603, Thomas Sackville made it the aristocratic treasure house for the Sackville family, who were prominent and influential in court circles. Knole's showrooms were designed to impress visitors and to display the Sackville family’s wealth and status.

Over more than 400 years, his descendants rebuilt and then furnished Knole in two further bursts of activity. First, at the end of the 17th century, when the 6th Earl acquired Stuart furniture and textiles from royal palaces, and again at the end of the 18th century, with the 3rd Duke's art collection.

The Sackvilles gradually withdrew into the heart of the house, leaving many rooms unused and treasures covered. This helps to explain the relative lack of modernisation at Knole (central heating was never installed in the showrooms, for example) and the survival of its collections.

Knole has been welcoming visitors to see its splendours and curiosities for centuries. We know that visitors have followed the same route as you do today for at least the last 400 years.

There's a popular myth that Knole is a calendar house - with 365 rooms, 52 staircases, 12 entrances and 7 courtyards. While fascinating, the reality is that it all depends on how you count the rooms and Knole is such a large, rambling estate that it would be impossible to say for certain.

When the National Trust acquired the house in 1946, the majority of the rooms were leased back to the Sackville family, with the Trust retaining the more formal spaces. The 7th Baron Sackville and his family still live at Knole today in private apartments.

Now, visitors can experience so many different parts of Knole, from the grand showrooms to the cosy Gatehouse Tower, the tranquil Orangery to the sweeping parkland. Discover the vast estate and all it has to offer, home to a world-class collection of portraits and furniture, a state-of-the-art conservation studio and a wild deer herd. There really is something for everyone at Knole.

info taken from NT webpage on Knole .

Mark 4:28 ( www.bible.com/nl/bible/111/MRK.4.28.NIV )

This is an Iron age Broch on the North West Coast of Scotland at Clachtoll located on Stoer Beach. This is one of the most important archaeological sites in the UK. Clachtoll itself is in the Geopark of Northern Scotland. Many of the rocks here originally came from the earth's crust itself. I will provide more information over the next couple of days as I add more photos from my expedition which ended today with a drive home that took 11 hrs.

This golden yellow image of a spectacled thrush gorging itself on a banana is my favourite photo of the trip. In a world of exotic species, the spectacled thrush reassuringly reminds me of the blackbird of my native country, to which it is indeed closely related. It is the thrush of open forest in tropical South America. NB Despite the data given on the right of this page by flickr my lens is actually 150-500mm!

180114 368

Nacktaugendrossel Желтоглазый дрозд

500mm / 100th / f9 / iso800

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“The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven..” -John Milton

The mind is indeed a powerful place and while I’m not always successful, I try to focus on making light of things and focusing on the good in my life. This time of year, especially dealing with some major health issues, has been especially challenging. However, at the same time things could always be worse and I have so much in my life that I’m grateful for.

Likewise with blooming where you’re planted. I believe this can apply to both your physical location and your situation. This notebook will be a perfect reminder to me of what I should be thankful for.

Notebook from Sugarboo & Co., bandana from Wayfaring Wolves.

Eastern Bluebird from the side rarely seen. :-) Refreshing itself with a nice drink of water. I keep some "Bluebird Nuggets" in the feeders. They gulp them down without hesitation.

(Sialia sialis).

"To the eyes of the man of imagination, nature is imagination itself."

~ William Blake

Like many similar shots, this one was also clicked at the Athiyadam Bird Sanctuary.

PLEASE, NO invitations, graphics or self promotions, THEY WILL BE DELETED. My photos are FREE to use, just give me credit and it would be nice if you let me know, thanks.

USS Constitution is the oldest commissioned ship in the United States Navy. Naval officers and crew still serve aboard her today. The USS Constitution is operated by the United States Navy, a partner to the National Parks of Boston.

Prior to independence, the colonies were protected from pirates and foreign navies by the British Royal Navy. After independence the USA had to defend itself. In 1794, Congress authorized the construction of the first six warships that became the new United States Navy. USS Constitution was built in the North End of Boston. Construction began in 1794 and Constitution was launched on October 21, 1797.

The greatest glory for Constitution came during the War of 1812. Constitution's crew defeated four British frigates during three separate engagements. In battle, Constitution earned the nickname "Old Ironsides" because it appeared as if enemy cannonballs could not penetrate the ship's strong oak hull.

moments of Zen

The Source of all does not and cannot exhaust itself simply in producing shape and structure; it also produces that which dissolves and re-forms all structures in endless and undetermined movement, in such a way that form itself is not absolutized but always turned back toward the primal reality of the source.

-Rowan Williams, “Trinity and Pluralism,” in Christian Uniqueness Reconsidered: The Myth of a Pluralistic Theology of Religions, ed. Gavin D’Costa (Maryknoll, N.Y.: Orbis Books, 1990), 3.