St. Bavo Church, Haarlem, The Netherlands.

 

The organ of the Sint-Bavokerk (the Christiaan Müller organ) is one of the world's most historically important organs. It was built by the Amsterdam organ builder Christian Müller, with stucco decorations by the Amsterdam artist Jan van Logteren, between 1735 and 1738. Upon completion it was the largest organ in the world with 60 voices and 32-foot pedal-towers. In Moby-Dick (1851), Herman Melville describes the inside of a whale's mouth:

 

"Seeing all these colonnades of bone so methodically ranged about, would you not think you were inside of the great Haarlem organ, and gazing upon its thousand pipes?"

 

Many famous musicians played this organ, including Mendelssohn, Händel and the 10-year-old Mozart, who played it in 1766.

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grote_Kerk%2C_Haarlem

The female Giant Ichneumon wasp, Megarhyssa marcurus is equipped with an ovipositor several times her own length. She uses this to which she drills into the side of diseased trees in order to lay an egg on the larva of another insect, the pigeon horntail (Tremex ), which is a sawfly, a close relative of wasps, bees and ants. The horntail larva grows, and is fed upon by the ichneumon larva. The ovipositor is composed of a central delivery shaft which drills into the wood and through which the egg passes. There are another two outer sheaths that protect and stiffen the central “hypodermic needle”. Before the drilling begins the wasp walks methodically up and down the tree, “feeling” with her antenna to sense the presence of the host horntail larva buried below the surface. Once a host larva has been detected she raises her tail and brings the ovipositor into position. At the beginning and end of the drilling process the last segments of the tail hinge open and a flexible membrane is inflated between them, (this is the white moon-shaped structure in the photo). This is used to manipulate the ovipositer as it enters and leaves the wood. The photo here is at the end of the laying process, the wasp is using her abdominal disc to withdraw the ovipositor from the wood.

Raincheck

  

Entice a Thief Revisited

 

The Raincheck

 

One late summer evening Heather and Ginny were at the Poet & Peasant pub watching Merrick and me throwing darts with some lads from another pub’s team.

 

Ginny turned to Heather to ask if she was looking forward to her upcoming birthday weekend? Heather’s birthday proper being on Sunday.

 

Heather sighed…

 

“Merrick told me yesterday that he is going out of town on business Saturday, returning late Sunday.”

 

Ginny took Heather’s hand while saying cheerfully…

 

“That is a shame Luv, we can do something nice together with you. Maybe we can get dressed up and do the clubs.”

 

Ginny began thoughtfully fingered a ring Heather was wearing…

 

“Tell you what Lass, I’ll let you wear that bracelet of mine that you like.”

 

Heather, already happy with the idea of going out clubbing, perked right up at the mention of Ginny lending her the pretty rhinestone bracelet.

 

It was one of two pieces of rhinestone jewelry that Ginny owned that were spot-on imitations of actual jewelled pieces worn by royalty. It was always fun when someone would be admiring one of the pieces and then erroneously ask if it was real.

 

Ginny, still fingering Heather’s pretty ring gave a little jump, nodding towards Merrill and me…

 

“Remember the theatre re-opening, and what you had the lads doing?”

 

Heather grew silent and distant as she became lost in thought, then a wicked smile crept over her face as she turned towards Ginny…

 

“That’s right. We had them pretend to be thieves after the jewellery we were wearing. That was a bit of fun. Especially what Merrick and I played at later back at home...”

 

With the mention of her husband Merrick, Heather grew silent, the sparkle in her eyes fading away.

 

Ginny pulled Heather in a hug...

 

“Oh darling, it will be all right, make it fun for You. Wasn't there something said about a rain check ?”

 

Heather sat up, the sparkle again on her blue eyes, her Scottish birth accent becoming more prevalent...

 

“Jingse Ginny lass, I did ask your husband for that, teasing him, I was, for not lifting my jewellery like he was yours. What kind of thief worth his salt was he that night?”

 

Then Heather asked, a bit worried...

 

“Was he alright with that? It was probably a wee bit too bold of me?“

 

Ginny laughed, throwing her head towards me. As I, oblivious to the attention, was lining up a shot...

 

“Nothing is too bold for that one! If you are interested in that, we can even make a part of your birthday weekend. It’ll be no problem getting my husband on board with the notion. Game on Luv?”

 

Heather nodded her head, one could see in her eyes that it would be fun, though maybe not as much without her Merrick...

 

Heather looked at Ginny, asking...

 

“Have him again be the thief you are ‘reforming’ I liked that bit of his story.”

 

Ginny again took up Heather’s hand, playing with her ring, looking over at Merrick and me... Changing her tone of voice as she said...

 

“Darling, you must come and meet my latest undertaking. Let’s do lunch on Saturday, I'll have him toddle over and meet you all...”

 

£££££££££££££££££

 

The Restaurant

 

So that is how on the following Saturday found me dressed in black slacks, a brown tweed suit jacket over a black turtleneck.

 

I came to be sitting at the bar of a downtown restaurant. Next to me was a bearded gent wearing cargo pants and a polo shirt, with blue-tinted sunglasses. He was one of those sociable chaps that have a way with conversations.

 

I was halfway through my pint when the girls came in. Heather, my twin sister Cadence, and wife Ginny, all very prettied up.

 

My bar mate and I watched with interest as they swished their way and selected a table for four by the window.

 

I observed them settle while finishing off my pint of local ale. Then, taking my leave, I rose and headed towards them.

 

Ginny had been watching me, and as I came near called me over, totally in her character’s mode. Which was that of a bored wealthy socialite whose obligation she felt was to rescue men who dwelt within the rougher edges of society.

 

Currently, I was her latest project. A charming character whose living had been made stealing the jewels of ladies in Ginny’s character’s sphere of wealthy friends. Cade and Heather were two new friends of her’s that I was meeting for the first time.

 

“Darling, what a surprise,come and join us will you?”

 

I happily went over and She reached up pecking me on the cheek.

 

I took the jewelled fingers of the hand Ginny offered me, kissed the back as I eyed her over.

 

Ginny was wearing her long silk dress with verticle gold and cream white stripes. The dress’s high neckline has a ruffle made of the same material and pattern hanging down. She was wearing her set of diamond pearl earrings, a thin rhinestone bracelet, and a collection of five gemstone rings.

 

Ginny introduced her friends.

 

As I in turn took a hand of each of the ladies I and kissed it, while doing a careful study of each in turn...

 

Cade was wearing a gold sleeveless satin blouse and(a too) short leather skirt. She was wearing a necklace made up of a row of matched rhinestone diamonds along its length. She was wearing drop diamond rhinestone earrings, a bracelet that matched her necklace, and a large ruby diamond cocktail ring on her left index finger, the one I was kissing.

 

Broadly smiling, blue eyes twinkling, Heather, squirming in her seat for her chance to meet me, was cute in her long black skirt, silver lamee' top with a black velvet blazer. A rhinestone jewelled piece shaped like a bluebird was pinned to the jacket's left lapel.

She was wearing her diamond heart-shaped pendant, silver Sapphire earrings, sapphire bracelet, and 3 sapphire set rings.

 

I tickled Heather’s palm as I kissed her ringed fingers, then took my seat.

 

We ordered and ate our lunch while acting both in and out of character.

 

Heather asked me, as the girls were drinking cocktails, if I found it hard to give up my old ways?

 

I answered in character, as I reached over and fingered her broach.

 

“It was at first. I would find it very hard to pass up acquiring pretty jewels like this. It was especially exciting if the lady wearing them was pretty also, like you.”

 

Soon-to-be birthday girl Heather blushed very vexingly at that compliment.

 

Cadence asked...

 

“How did you ever get over it?”

 

I answered in character. looking from her, over at Ginny...

 

“Ginny helped me immensely. She started by having discussions with me as she wore her best stuff. We would discuss the allure jewels had over me, but though I was allowed to admire, taking was wrong and I needed to be able to admit that.”

 

Ginny added in...

“Yes, it was a tough slog. I even lost a ring and my diamond pin before convincing him to give up his ways. And you did darling...”

 

She squoze my fingers as she said this, I smiled, then answered.

 

“Yes, I did. It was once you started taking me to those parties where your friends were wearing really lovely jewels that I began finding my resistance. “

 

I looked at both Cadence and Heather as I continued on...

 

“It really helps me when the ladies are wearing their best, my feelings are tested to the limit and I feel do so much better after resisting such temptations. I honestly cannot tell you how it makes me feel.”

 

Ginny, taking my hand and grasping it so her rings dug in, looking me in the face, said cheerfully...

 

“I know, let us throw a ‘Happy rehabilitation, welcome back to society party’ for you this evening. I'll have my cook do dinner and we can dance to music on the back stone patio.”

 

£££££££££££££££££

 

The Rehabilitation Party

  

The party was taking place inside the old stone cottage in the woods I had inherited from a great uncle. Actually Cade is reading this bit over my shoulder and gently reminded me it was left to the two of us. Which it was, and technically still is half hers.

 

So that evening found the cook(me) in the kitchen making beef bone marrow dumpling soup and whipping up a corned beef cottage pie.

 

Cadence and Heather had already come over bringing their evening gowns. All three were in my den getting ready. The girls were going to wear rhinestones from Ginny’s ‘Play’ collection. Which mostly all were modified in some form to be easily removed.

 

I was excited to see the end result, and the not so reformed as he may seem, thief I was portraying, saw no disappointments:

 

I had changed into my tux and got a close look as I seated my three fellow role players.

 

Ginny was enticingly wearing a very sleek brown satin off one-shoulder gown.

 

Her jewels were a sparkling collection that consisted of a wide V-shaped necklace that looked like a falling river of jewels, amazingly sparkling chandelier earrings, a rhinestone bracelet with 3 rows of diamond stones, and several enticing rings.

 

But the real showpiece this time was the eye-grabbing broach she had pinned to the gown just at her waistband. It had a sparrow egg-sized diamond at its centre surrounded by 3 rows of smaller diamonds. The top and bottom three stones of the third row were pear-shaped 5-carat diamonds. It looked like something from the royal jewels in the tower of London, which indeed it was patterned after a jewelled piece worth a cool £2 million.

 

Ginny had worn this piece on a gown several times now and it had always garnered a great deal of compliments and notice, with some actually thinking the piece was genuine. This always puts me on my guard when Ginny wears it out in public.

 

Actually, One night after we returned home, Ginny playfully asked me if I ever had suspicions that any of that attention she received over her broach be from someone with thievery on their mind? Not realizing she was only joking, I believe that I surprised her to the core when I quickly shook my head in a positive yes. She was definitely shocked by the seriousness I had in my eyes as I did. And she had a real eye-opener as I explained myself.

 

But that is another story in itself I Intend to title:

‘The Great Ice Ripoff’

 

To be told another time….

 

But now back to this story...

 

Cadence was looking very cute wearing an ultra-smooth spaghetti strap silk gown with a leopard spot pattern. Freshly washed hair lad down her shoulders with long, old-fashioned hinge clasp, cascading diamond rhinestone earrings peaking out. Around her throat, she had hung a rhinestone diamond necklace with a lace-like pattern consisting of round and teardrop-shaped stones. Around her left wrist was clasped her handsome diamond bracelet that was the twin of the one my Ginny owned. Cadence had given Ginny the matching bracelet as a gift, after buying this one for herself. A pair of large cocktail rings glittered from each hand.

 

Heather, happily anticipating the game this evening, poured her petite figure into her favorite gown. A repurposed bridesmaid A-line taffeta gown of shiny sapphire blue with short white satin gloves and silver sandals. She wore a dazzling necklace of blue sapphire stones surrounded by diamonds. A large center stone dangled just above her snugly held cleavage with a series of smaller stones going up either side of the silver chain. The earrings she wore matched her necklace. And as promised, she was wearing Ginny’s fancy diamond bracelet, the one matching Cadence’s. Her fingers sported a brace of matching blue sapphire cocktail rings that just dazzled like the rest of her jewels. A leaf-shaped brooch and rhinestone tiara finished the effect with a rich sparkling allure…

 

£££££££££££££££££

 

Ambiance before Pleasure

 

We had supper in the dining room.

 

I had replaced the three standard bulbs of the light hanging over the table with ones that flickered, for ambiance.

 

At supper I play my role answering their questions:

 

“Have I ever burgled a room with the victim sleeping?”

 

Yes on several occasions. Sometimes they were wearing the very jewels I was after as they slept. Which offered a nice bit of a challenge.

 

“Do I regret not being a thief anymore?”

 

No, thanks to the efforts of Ginny and wonderful ladies like yourselves who are so willing to help me with my rehabilitation efforts, especially this party you are having for me. Just seeing you all here like this chokes me up… I have learned to give up my old ways of burgling lady's bedrooms...”

 

That made them all smile broadly, their jewels twinkling…

 

“We are all so happy you feel that way.”

 

I watch as they all nod their heads, jewels flickering and glittering in the dimly lit room as I answer…

 

Thank you all for making me what I am tonight. This is a lovely party and I feel so honored to be here amongst all you lovely ladies. Honestly cannot wait to party with you all this evening. And come away with some more of your sweet generosity.

 

I helped my ladies up from their chairs and they swept out to the back patio.

 

I then put on an apron and cleaned up and before joining them.

 

So many roles I was to play this evening…

 

£££££££££££££££££

 

Yet Another Role, Thief.

 

The back patio is lit by strings of small lanterns that run the length, about 1.5 meters above, the brick wall which encircled an area of about 30 meters by 15 meters with a flagged stone floor. The Bricks came from an old ruin of unknown age or origin. Saved from the dump by my great uncle some eighty years ago as they tore most of it down for a roundabout. Leaving part of a ruined tower in the centre.

 

At the house, end is a bar with 4 stools

Just off that is our patio table with its six chairs. The rest of the patio is opened with a small fire pit at the far end. It was this open area where the dancing would be.

 

I had speakers at each end of the bar with the stereo system located in the back glass atrium room. We had soft mood music playing in the background.

 

I found that the jewel-laden girls were huddled at the edge of the wall by the antique wrought iron gate that lets out on the roadside.

 

Across the road is a small patch of woods, an ancient ruined stone structure, and the old cemetery where the grand estate, still some 3 kilometers away, buried their ancestors. The estate is a private university now.

 

I asked the girls if they wanted some drinks, to come up to the bar.

 

All three came swishing over.

 

I seated birthday girl Heather first in one of the middle seats.

 

I seated Ginny next to her. As I did I placed my hands on either side of her waist, as she squiggled herself in, I unpinned then lifted off her broach. Heather saw me as I pocketed it and I winked at her…

 

I seated Cadence on the other side of Heather who was watching me like a hawk. But like Heather, I did not lighten Cade’s jewellery load…yet.

 

I make it a point to bump into Heather as I went around to the bar, amusing myself as she took a quick inventory.

 

I took the orders and mixed up several strong cocktails for the girls and an Irish whiskey neat for myself. We chatted through the first round and we’re well into the second when Ginny, taking what can be fest described as a coy sip of her drink asked me….

 

“So lad, how does it feel to be trusted by society now?”

 

Cadence piped in…

 

“Yes, how does it feel to not steal the jewels of sleeping ladies?

 

I just smiled at each of them…Cadence, elbows on the table, had her face cupped in her hands, earrings swaying in a frenzied sparkle as she listened intently…

 

“Stealing jewellery from sleeping ladies is the furthest thought from my mind this evening... It is my personal thrill to be allowed the opportunity to be here tonight amongst you lovely ladies. That said…Is anyone up for a dance? Cadence?”

 

“I would love to dance with you” sweetly said, my sister.

 

We both rose with an arm around her silken waist I guided her giggling figure to the dance floor.

  

We faced each other as we danced, my hands at her waist as she wrapped her arms around my neck.

 

I looked down at her figure and the appealing leopard-skin patterned silk gown she was wearing.

 

I remember the first time she had shown it off to Ginny and me... I had not been comfortable with my sister looking so sexy wearing it. Later my wife Ginny lectured me about being such a prude. I guess that it was Ginny’s suggestion for Cade to wear it tonight.

 

I could see her dazzling bracelet wrapped around her wrist and the thief I was playing, licked his lips in anticipation.

 

Even though I had lifted her bracelet before, this was not my thief character's objective.

 

For he had loftier goals. A pair of them actually...

 

Through my thief's eyes, as I had been studying the jewels being worn by the females I was sitting with, I noticed Cadence’s long diamond earrings were of the old-fashioned hinged clasp type. And as such tended to slip down a. Girls earlobe with very little effort. He had already observed with interest, Cadence absent-mindedly adjust them once after she had been laughing at something he had said.

 

Cadence had been shyly quiet as we danced. It was time for my thief to begin his approach

 

“I am very glad to have met you this evening Cadence. I just wanted to confide in you that I think you are by far the prettiest lady at our table. “

 

Cadence blushed deeply, then giggled as she shook her head in denial of my compliment.

 

I continued...

 

“When you laugh like that you look like the Actress Natalie Wood.”

 

Again she laughed, shaking her head vigorously in embarrassing denial.

 

I saw with satisfaction that this last reaction to my words had achieved my deceitful purpose, for both of her heavily long diamond earrings had noticeably slipped down and we're now hanging precariously about 1/4 further down her ears lobes.

 

I needed to act quickly...

 

“It's the truth My Cadence, just now when you laughed you looked like the spitting image of Natale in her last movie, do you remember seeing it?”

 

Again she shook her head, blushing.

 

I removed my hands from her waist and running my fingers up on either side of her face, lifting her soft reddish hair away from her head as I said...

“ She wore her hair up for the movie. Like this. Indeed you are the spitting image. “

 

She blushed again, closing her eyes in total satisfaction as she whispered...

 

“Thank you my kind sir, you are far too charming ...”

 

Tightening her grip around my neck, as she spoke, Cadence hugged warmly against me so tightly I could feel her heart beating rapidly.

 

As she did, I let her silky feeling hair back down. My fingers curled around her diamond earrings and slipped them both free as her hair settled back against her ears covering up my deed.

 

My hands dropped down, the knuckles of my closed fists running along the leopard patterned shiny gown, then depositing the purloined diamonds into my pockets. I did all this and replaced my hands upon her smooth waist before we had swayed no more than 6 beats as both sets of our eyes had remained locked on the others.

 

I turned Cadence around and looked over her shoulder, happily seeing Heather’s gobsmacked expression over what the thief had now accomplished.

 

Ginny was sitting next to her also watching. I saw her necklace sparkling along its entire length as she thoughtfully played with it.

 

I smiled at her. My thief had chosen his next target. Or had the target been chosen by its female wearer?

 

The song ended and I escorted Cadence back to her seat. As I thank her for the dance I took her hand and kissed it. As I did I fiendishly managed to slip off one of her rings. Making sure wide-eyed Heather sees me.

 

Heather can now hardly contain herself.

 

But I passed her going up to Ginny who looked up at me with a knowing smile as I extended my hand to her...

 

“Would you do me the honour, my lady?”

 

She took it, rose from her seat, her luxurious gown falling to her ankles.

 

Still holding her hand I led her out to the dance floor, slipped my free hand around her waistline, and as she did the same, we began to sway to the music.

 

Looking lovingly in my eyes Ginny thanked me.

 

“That was so sweet of you to dance with Cadence. She really seemed to like it..”

 

I replied, thinking of the long glittering earrings she had been wearing, that was now in my pockets.

 

“It is my pleasure. Was a quite an enjoyable experience... Cadence seems to be such a generous, giving soul.”

 

Ginny agreed with a giggle...

 

“Yes she is a giving soul., as I like to think I am?”

 

I locked my gaze into her eyes...

 

“Oh, I know you are, and will continue to be very giving...”

 

She liked that immensely...

 

Meanwhile, I was thinking to myself...

 

“And speaking of giving, and earrings... “

 

I gave a renewed study to the ones my current partner was so willingly wearing. I smiled into Ginny’s eyes, as I lifted her hair for a better look. They were worth that look, but her diamond necklace was by far the greater prize.

 

I gently let my Wife’s ginger hair back down, smiling that I had just given the observing Heather a bit of a thrill.

 

As I swayed and swished Ginny in circle to the music I felt like a wily fox who had snuck in with the hens.

 

Making me coo in my dance partner's diamond-holding ear as my fingers took a well-known path up the backside of her scintillating brown coloured gown...

 

“Thank you for throwing this brilliant party for me, and having your delightfully enchanting friends join in for the fun...”

 

Ginny liked that and lifted her head, throwing back her hair, giving full exposure of her shimmering necklace, whose jewelled clasp I had now managed to flick open.

 

Ginny smiled, pretending not to notice her necklace being lifted, said...

 

“I am so glad you have given up your wicked ways. I do feel so very safe around you now...”

 

I meanwhile had slipped the necklace up and around her throat, letting it dangle from the hand I had moved back down to her waistline as I murmured...

 

“ I am so glad I have you feeling that way. It makes my rehabilitation ‘efforts’ so much simpler and easy!”

 

I was pocketing her necklace as I said this. Letting the jewelled piece join the diamond earrings, gemmed broach, and diamond cocktail ring I had already collected from my gullible hostess and unsuspecting Cadence.

 

We finished the dance and I led a now laughing Ginny back to her chair at the bar.

 

“My turn!” Heather squeals, slipping off her stool and happily plopping to the floor.

 

I grandly lead Heather onto the dance floor.

 

Taking her squirming warm figure up, I lose no time asking her if she would like to hear a story of my exploits when I was a thief?

 

She nods her head, her eyes hold an enchanting look from deep within.

 

“Well, it was at a party not unlike this one. There was a lady there wearing several pieces of jewellery that I greatly desired. We were dancing like this and…”

 

Heather, hanging on every word of my story, said as I paused…

 

“Don’t stop, what happened next!

 

I looked down into her eager face and continued my silence for a few seconds stringing her along as we danced...

 

Finally, after the effects of my pregnant pause had the desired effect, I whispered...

 

“Would you like to do a reenactment? I had her sneak out and meet me alone...?”

 

Without hesitation, Heather took the bait as soon as I finished...

 

“Let us end the dance, have another drink, then you go inside to the loo. But sneak out. Remember across the street where I showed you and Merrick the stone ruins by the cemetery?”

 

Heather nodded, tipsy enough to agree without any reservations.

 

I smiled, lifting her necklace...

 

” I'll go first and meet you there. We will do a secret rendezvous. At the ruins, I will tell you the story about the mischief my”prereformed” thief was up to...”

 

She giggled happily as I swept her around the dance area.

 

Finishing up I escorted her back and went behind the bar and mixed up another round of drinks.

 

Cadence, who had been inside, now re-emerged nodding to me with a secret smile.

 

I served the drinks...the ball was in Heather’s play.

 

Heather gave away nothing. Unhurriedly sipping her drink as we all made small talk.

 

Then as a lull in the conversation occurred, I heard a small cough from Heather.

 

As I looked over she winked and sliding off her stool excused herself, then went inside the cottage.

 

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The Game Continued...

 

Heather's point of view after leaving the cottage...

 

Heather walked out of the front door and went to the edge of the road allowing her eyes to adjust to the light.

 

She easily spotted the well-marked path on the opposite side.

 

Lifting the hem of her alluring gown she scurried across the road.

 

Reaching the path, Heather looked back at the cottage. The music had changed to a song with a quick tempo. Cadence and Ginny we're out on the floor each dancing alone to the beat, bumping against each other from time to time. The bar was out of her view, but she assumed I was no longer there and waiting for her arrival.

 

With a secret smile, Heather turned away and disappeared into the dark woods.

  

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The rude and the glorious...

 

Heather purposefully swished along the moonlit path. Quite soon she spotted, through the trees, the clearing ahead where the ruins of an old tower-like structure are located on the far end.

 

The crumbling tower overlooks the thin woodline that runs along the west and north boundaries of the old now unused cemetery. Then some more woods are on the opposite eastern side of the cemetery, eventually coming out to the backyards of a few big houses where the wealthier of the area citizens have laid down their roots. The road( Abbot’s Chase Lane) that those houses were built leads up north to the university.

 

Heather, expecting that I was already in position, slipped into the clearing and with heightened expectations, made her way to the ruined tower standing black against the trees.

 

She reached the tower, and as she waited realized how quiet it was all around her.

 

She had slowly been circling the tower when she spied a figure weaving its way towards her through the cemetery.

 

She waved, calling out to it.

 

The figure stopped and looked over to her, then looked her over, before moving in close.

 

It was unmistakably a male. Wearing dark trousers, a black turtleneck, and a full-faced nylon ski mask, and with thin brown leather gloves over his hands. Knowing I owned such a mask( several tales there). Heather wasn't worried as the figure came to her through the woods.

 

The figure stopped as his eyes now saw her clearly.

 

Heather walked up to him, and as she started to speak, he placed a finger to his lips, then transferred it to her red lips.

 

Then, as his other hand raised like he was expecting to be handed something, his finger left her lips and going along her chin, reached up and lifted the end of a dangling earring. As he looked it over, his other hand’s fingers moved in a beckoning manner.

 

Taking the hint Heather, with a delicious shiver, removed each of her earrings in turn, laying them across his open palm.

 

As she laid down the second earring, the thief delicately took her white satin gloved fingers in his leather-gloved hand, holding up her wrist his eyes free wide while studying the richly sparkling fancy diamond bracelet she wore.

 

He nodded, letting go of her fingers...

 

Heather removed the bracket, and delicately raised it, shimmering, then laid it on his palm covering her earrings.

 

Then, with no further prompting from the masked figure looming over her, Heather methodically began removing her rings, leaf-shaped broach, and the rhinestone tiara, placing them onto his palm.

 

He had stood still she did so, not moving until Heather started to remove her last piece of jewellery, the sparkly necklace from around her throat.

 

He stopped her with a shake of his head no, them placing the pile of jewellery he had been holding into a leather satchel at his side (again recognizing it like one I owned) he ran a gloved hand along her luxurious gown, before turning and walking back into treeline towards the cemetery.

 

Heather was standing stone still, watching him. She saw him stop, then turn towards her. With a dismissing wave, he motioned her to turn and leave.

 

Heather did so without looking back. She walked with an almost pollyannaish cheerfulness across the open field.

 

Then she suddenly froze in step...

 

She gave a small gasp upon seeing me emerge from the woods in front of her, still wearing the same tux...

 

With a puzzled expression, her eyes bugging out, Heather stared at me, not saying a word. Then she slowly turned and looked back past the tower.

 

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A Prodigal Son.

 

I walked up to Heather, touching her on the shoulder. She jumped and turned to face me with a look of shock on her face

As I asked her...

 

“Sorry, I'm late Luv... But you look like you've seen a ghost?”

 

Heather finally found her voice...

 

“I...I thought it was you? He was wearing a mask, had me hand over my...I mean Ginny’s jewellery. Except for the necklace? Passed on that. But if it wasn't you? Was I...I just robbed??”

 

I looked at her reassuringly, wrapping my arm around her shoulder and we began to walk back.

 

“Let us get back to the others, make sure they are ok. No worries, what you were wearing was costume jewels, if the bugger was a real thief, he is not a very good one.”

 

We crossed the road and walked along over to the gate and entered the patio.

 

Ginny and Cadence were sitting at the bar, both turned as we came in. There was a person behind the bar. A male figure, face in the shadows, wearing a tan jacket and black turtleneck.

 

Heather froze in step, not sure what to do, as the figure moved from behind the bar.

 

Then Heather let out a loud squeal of excitement...

 

“Merrick!

 

She screamed with a shout her husband’s name and running, delightfully flung herself in his waiting arms.

 

£££££££££££££££££

 

A thief takes His Curtain Call

 

This whole affair had been envisioned for a rather unique birthday present for Heather.

 

Based on the remark she had once made asking me for a rain check after seeing me steal the necklace Ginny was wearing and was teasing me why I hadn't taken hers also?

 

It had all been wanna-be director Ginny and caper loving Merrick’s idea to use that remark to set this all up, like a play complete with acts. Starting at the pub on Friday, and ending with me finding her after Merrick, dressed as a burglar, took her jewels.

 

Cadence was pulled into the plot as a distraction, a not-so-red herring, and behind the scenes helper to avoid making Heather suspicious.

 

Merrick had told Heather a fib about having to work on her Birthday weekend.

 

Merrick had been my mate at the bar for lunch. Wearing a false beard Ginny had applied and sunglasses, he had a front-row seat for that affair.

 

He had clandestinely let himself into the cottage this evening as we were out back on the patio. As Heather and I danced, Cadence had met him inside, giving him something to eat before he took my satchel and mask, then headed off into the Woods.

 

Cadence had come back out to signal me the coast was clear.

 

It all had worked like a charm.

 

After the reunion and the explanations, we all settled in around the patio table to enjoy the evening. Drinks were served, mood music put on, and dancing under the stars resumed.

 

Towards the end of the evening, I was slow dancing with Cadence, and Merrick was with Heather.

 

Cadence had been playfully questioning me if I really thought she resembles Natalie Wood. I was telling her I always had, making her close her eyes and blush. I looked down at her now bare throat, then raised my head, looking over her shoulder.

 

I caught Heather’s eye and made a production to look down at the sparkling jeweled sapphire necklace hanging majestically around her throat.

 

Winking, to her I moved Cadence close and had her brush against Merrick. He turned to look and I tapped him on the shoulder.

 

“Change partners?”

 

Merrick let Heather go and I released Cade. Both of us taking our new female partners up in our arms.

 

I whisper in Heather’s ear.

 

“So glad you were able to make this party. But I'm curious, you caught me taking your friend’s jewels, but have said nothing?”

 

She looked up into my eyes smiling secretively...

 

“It was just a relapse I’m sure. Those two can afford to be trimmed a bit. And with me catching you, I know my jewels are safe from you.”

 

I placed my hand to her waist as we swayed to the soothing music.

 

“ Yes, just a relapse that is what it was. And I am so glad you have faith in me, my sweet...So can we make this our secret?

 

As I said this my hand moved up from her waist to the mid backside of her downy soft gown...

 

Heather purred in my ear...

 

“That is why I wore my best out tonight. As a test...And yes our secret. Just don't take anything else from them tonight, please!”

 

As Heather said “test” I moved my hand up to her throat and began to gently finger her necklace’s clasp.

 

“I hope I don't fail the test. For this has been a lovely evening, one I have enjoyed to the fullest...And no worries, their jewels are now safe with me!”

 

Heather sighed happily, laying her head on my shoulder. She was being lulled by the music. I took advantage of her situation as I undid her necklace’s clasp and pulled the heavily jewelled piece away from her throat.

 

I felt her trembling with a delightfully chilling thrill as she felt me removing it from around her throat.

 

The rain check had been honoured...

 

As I pocketed it I whispered in Heather's ear.

 

“I am loving spending this time with you, my dear. Absolutely... Loving this...”

 

She whispered back...looking over my shoulder lovingly at Merrick...

 

“And so am I, very much so indeed!”

 

Fini

Fuji X-Pro1 and XF 35mm f1.4

I never put much effort into mono photography as i love colour images but recently i realised i was hiding behind the impact of colour in many cases. A second hand X-Pro1 has leant itself to an exciting foray into black and white, which i'm now starting to love. It's interesting to go back and apply a traditional, methodical approach to a process you used not appreciate and see how it changes your perspective and skillset over time.

A View of the Columbia River and Hillsides at Crown Point Vista House. A view captured while on a trip to Oregon and Washington to hike and explore a national park and nearby places I love seeing while in this area. Here I was walking around and exploring the views around the Crown Point Vista House that one Thursday morning. While the thin layer of low clouds and fog didn't allow for a crisp capture of images across this amazing, beautiful and iconic view of the Gorge and river valley, I was able to post process this photo here. What a morning it was! That's the story behind this image I posted here on Flickr (www.flickr.com/photos/14723335@N05/36597031882).

 

Now for the digital painting...the whole of this image was I felt a chance to practice more with one of Kyle's ink style brushes and using broader strokes, while adjusting hues and tones to capture a sense of depth. At first, I was somewhat intimidated by the forest of trees, even erasing a few starts as I didn't seem to capture that feel of forest on sees from overlooks along the Columbia River Gorge. Then I recalled words from a painter friend and videos of Bob Ross and tried again. Voici! I then methodically painted area after area, contrasting as best I could for that visual effect of depth. I also adjusted the brush styles from normal to combined to intermingle colors like one can with a real brush. That came in handy with the grassy meadows, river waters and mountainsides. I found doing that mixing of colors also helped with some imagined clouds, but I first focused on getting certain areas darker or lighter. The darker shade of the skies wasn't planned as I'd been thinking of a sunrise but then turned the day around and went with a sunset and facing east. I felt the darker skies would not only accentuate the clouds, but also draw the eyes back to the areas still caught in sunlight.

 

In the right foreground of the painting, you'll find that stick figure image of me "hiking" with my Cubbies hat, loving my time exploring the Gorge area once again :-)

PLEASE, NO invitations 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.

 

Museum of Czech Literature, creates and maintains collections, to engage in scientific, cultural, educational, and methodical activities.

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

Night tour of Prague started at the Strahov Monastery, one of the oldest Premonstratensian monasteries still in existence in the world.

Methodically sifting through the reed mace.

"Trumpeter Swan Journey" by Patti Deters. I watched this swan swim slowly and methodically for quite a while, always with his head down and occasionally flapping his wings, as shown here. As I looked at the photo, it appears he is heading off on a long journey into the endless waters of a deep, dark, cold ocean. In reality, he is swimming along a river with a few other swans and waterfowl just out of frame. If you like this image, I invite you to please share or see my main image gallery (avian, wildlife, and more) at patti-deters.pixels.com/featured/trumpeter-swan-journey-p....

My father, Bert, was born on January 12th, in 1919, to Florence and Levi Martin, a farm worker, at White Cottages, Whitton, Suffolk. One of six children, he was a cub, scout, and server at church. Aged 13, he won a crossword competition and spent his prize money on a puppy.

 

He met May at Claydon High School and they married in 1941. Already conscripted, he wore his uniform for the wedding service. Four months later he was sent to war on the troopship, the Rangitiki.

 

Captured at Tobruk, he spent 3 years as a PoW, in camps in N Africa, Italy and Germany. He was among PoWs sent in by the Germans to “clear up the mess” after the firebombing of Dresden.

 

He went on the run in Czechoslovakia in the final stages of the war, eventually being liberated by the US Third Army.

 

He arrived home to his wife at their cottage in Paper Mill Lane, Claydon on May 25th, 1945. My parents enjoyed 45 years of marriage; my sister and I were born in 1946 and 1950.

 

Bert always lived in his native Suffolk. He worked first as a printer's apprentice and then as an estimator for a local firm, British Steel Piling.

 

He loved his garden, photography, and music, playing trumpet and harmonica, baking, and supporting the local Football Club.

 

I remember him as a calm person with a sense of humour and fair play. He was also a methodical and meticulous person in everything he did, this very much evidenced in the diary he kept during his wartime service.

 

He died in 1998, aged 79, his wish to publish his diary unfulfilled; at last in 2017, it gave me great satisfaction and a sense of pride to achieve its publication.

 

The original handwritten diary is lodged with the Second World War Experience Centre, for posterity and research purposes.

  

Listen to Bert's interview by IWM in their sound archive:

www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80005150

Find 23 reviews on Amazon of Bert's mémoirs in book/kindle format:

www.amazon.co.uk/Till-We-Meet-Again-Gunner/dp/154404870X

This carpenter ant (Camponotus discolor most likely, surely Camponotus spp.) was patrolling my passionflower vine (Passiflora incarnata) and establishing territory for when the nectar starts to flow, when he stumbled on this... bird poop, maybe? He took an extreme interest in the pile, surveying it from all sides in a slow, methodical manner. It was kinda odd to see an ant taking such deliberate measures, as I'm used to seeing fire ants simply dogpile onto whatever they don't recognize. I got this decent shot with my Vivitar (Komine) 90mm f2.8 Macro in 1:1, attached to 26mm of extension tubes, for around 1.3:1 magnification.

I watched this squirrel methodically clean out the Dogwood tree on this chilly afternoon. He was so cute!

The Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission takes us over Gangotri, one of the largest glaciers in the Himalayas and one of the main sources of water for the Ganges River.

 

This huge ball of stars — around 100 billion in total — is an elliptical galaxy located some 55 million light-years away from us. Known as Messier 89, this galaxy appears to be perfectly spherical; this is unusual for elliptical galaxies, which tend to be elongated ellipsoids. The apparently spherical nature of Messier 89 could, however, be a trick of perspective, and be caused by its orientation relative to the Earth.

 

Messier 89 is slightly smaller than the Milky Way, but has a few interesting features that stretch far out into the surrounding space. One structure of gas and dust extends up to 150 000 light-years out from the galaxy’s centre, which is known to house a supermassive black hole. Jets of heated particles reach out to 100 000 light-years from the galaxy, suggesting that Messier 89 may have once been far more active — perhaps an active quasar or radio galaxy — than it is now. It is also surrounded by an extensive system of shells and plumes, which may have been caused by past mergers with smaller galaxies — and implies that Messier 89 as we know it may have formed in the relatively recent past.

 

Messier 89 was discovered by astronomer Charles Messier in 1781, when Messier had been cataloguing astronomical objects for 23 years — ever since he mistook a faint object in the sky for Halley’s Comet. Upon closer inspection, he realised the object was actually the Crab Nebula. To prevent other astronomers from making the same error, he decided to catalogue all the bright, deep-sky objects that could potentially be mistaken for comets. His methodical observations of the night sky led to the first comprehensive catalogue of astronomical objects: the Messier catalogue! Messier 89 holds the record for being the last ever giant elliptical to be found by Messier, and the most perfectly spherical galaxy in the entire catalogue of 110 objects.

The glacier’s terminus is called Gomukh, which means ‘mouth of a cow’, presumed to describe what the snout of this huge glacier once resembled. Importantly, the headwaters of the Bhagirathi River form here. In Hindu culture and mythology, this is considered to be the source of the Ganges and consequentially the destination for many spiritual pilgrimages and treks. Gomukh is a 20 km trek from the village of Gangotri, which is in the top left of the image. While Gomukh and Gangotri have much spiritual significance, the Bhagirathi River offers an important supply of freshwater as well as power as it passes through a number of power stations, including the Tehri hydroelectric complex 200 km downstream (not pictured).

 

Gangotri is in an area also known as ‘the third pole’, which encompasses the Himalaya-Hindu Kush mountain range and the Tibetan Plateau. The high-altitude ice fields in this region contain the largest reserve of freshwater outside the polar regions. With such a large portion of the world’s population dependent on water from these cold heights, changes in the size and flow of these glaciers can bring serious consequences for society by affecting the amount of water arriving downstream.

 

From the vantage point of space, satellites, such as the Copernicus Sentinels, provide essential information to monitor the changing face of Earth’s glaciers, which are typically in remote regions and therefore difficult to monitor systematically from the ground.

 

This image, which was captured on 7 January 2018, is also featured on the Earth from Space video programme.

 

Credits: contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data (2018), processed by ESA,CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO

EPISODE at ABBOTS CHASE Parte 2

  

A fallen sapling blocks the path to the bridge, causing the equines to rear,

Devon smartly cracks his whip to quell the blindered horses’ instinctive fears.

From the bridges’ shadows a masked figure emerges, his senses deliciously a shiver,

A villain known as Smiling George, quite viciously commands out “Stand and deliver”.

  

The owl’s head turns, as George’s crisp words catch its sharp ear crystal clear,

While the rest of the forest quickly hushes, silently waiting for the destinies to appear.

Unscrupulous George moves swiftly in, waving a glinting sword in wickedly showy display,

Roguishly approaching the fancy carriage in his most menacingly cocky way.

  

Startled, Vain Devon Costner, coldly oblivious of his beautiful charges lustful crush,

Jumps hurriedly down from his coach seat, scurrying away in a rapidly cowardice rush.

Leaving his fair, wealthy passenger behind, woefully vulnerable and unprotected,

And to add, a snickering highwayman approaching, enthusiastic and undistracted.

  

Reaching the carriage door, George throws it open exposing the moons light to inside,

Hearing the welcome sounds of luxurious silk rustling, in the shadows someone tries to hide.

Noticing pinpricks of expensive moonlit radiance from jewels now lit in the darkness within,

Mockingly invites the passenger to please step out, drooling as he can hardly wait to begin.

   

Her shadow moved hesitantly, framing the doorway before Georges icy cruel black shape,

A plump purse hung, fat and ripe for the picking, as its owner haplessly sought escape.

Momentarily washed over with extreme excitement, George shakes his head to clear,

Then posture regained, eagerly snatches away the purse, intending to create great fear.

  

George then steps back, stuffing her velvety purse inside his cloak, invites out, grinning wide,

As our lady steps out, letting her pretty gown slither down, her Tiera’d head raised in pride.

Reaching the ground, she stares at the highwayman standing before her, his awe unabashed,

Innocently unaware of how her plethora of diamonds shimmer out to him, tried in the twilights bath.

  

A gentle swishing is heard, as the pretty lady, hiding her nerves, straightens her party frock,

Shivering under his wolfishly hungry gaze, eyeing her curves like a lamb strayed away from her flock.

George felt a spike of greedy delight, observing the slick sheen of her richly tailored lengthy gown,

Trimmed with frills of white, its midnight silks easily, provocatively, from her figure cascading down.

  

As she inwardly admonished how folly it had been to wish upon the mourning star, eyes winced,

With the nasty Highwayman looming before her , of his ultimate attentions she was all too convinced.

To ply his trade upon her, was the resolve the of this cruel blade wielding stranger, she sadly sensed,

Seeing his black gloved fingers reaching, with the danger of losing her baubles, she immediately tensed.

  

Great wish she thought in self pity, a man was now finally looking upon her with intense desires,

But her flesh prickled, knowing it was only her pretty jewels this particular highwayman requires.

Meanwhile Smiling George eagerly approached, sword straight out , mind reeling,

Holding up a satin gloved hand, "Do not touch me sir“, she said firmly, with no feeling.

  

Smiling wickedly, George had held a hand touching her scintillating black gown,

Fingering the rich, luxurious silk, he only smiled in answer to his victim’s frown.

But as for her diamond necklace, it gleamed to him with an inviting display of light,

Smiling George thought to himself, “ This alluring lady shall be a little less richer tonight."

  

The highway man reached out, this Damsels trinkets, her figure to relieve

"Stand and Deliver" she parried shrinking, her ill luck not to be believed.

"Sir, certainly you have a better line", she taunted hopelessly in desperation,

George only grinned wider, her words failing to break into his concentration.

  

"The pretty lady has some wit," George aloud said, as her words struck a chord,

"But if you do not cooperate me lassie, the next touch may be a prick of my sword!"

"I’ll have your necklace first, my fine pretty one!" he snarled, forcing her to step back,

To the miserable lady’s dismay, the coach blocked her way, giving George opportunity to attack.

  

Lifting her necklace, he fingered its diamonds, his eyes evilly tainted with greed,

"Sir, they are not mine, but a friends," she tried bargaining with a desperate plead.

The damsel in distress twisted and turned, trying to break it free of his firm grasp.

But it was in vain, as he held her waist, and pried open the necklaces diamonded clasp,

  

Its mine, she admitted, please do not take it , it was me late Great- Grandmothers pride,

But upon deaf ears her appeals were landing, as the highwayman took what he had eyed.

As the lady felt her diamond necklace tug, then come pulling away from around her throat,

Her spirit weakened, as George held it free, admired its brite glitter with a self-satisfied gloat.

  

The lady bowed her head in sorrow, revealing the diamond coronet she wore with grace,

The highwayman’s fingers flew to the prize, freeing the twinkling trinket from its place.

George pocketed it, then reached again with focused intent, his sword poking her waist,

She thought, "I really don't need this." while shaking her head, unfettered hair flying in his face.

  

Her thrashing head then exposed her long dangling earrings to his searching stare,

Smiling wickedly, his slick fingers slipping in skillfully through her loose silken hair.

Unemotionally avoiding the pleading of her eyes, he pulled the thick silky strands aside,

Then skillfully relieved the lady’s ears of their dangling bangles, ignoring her sad sigh.

  

Then as the thief’s hand snaked up to strip a showy bracelet from his victim’s raised wrist,

The owl left to fly closer, its interest caught by the glittering shimmers in the evenings mist.

Attempting to wrestle free, the damsel tried again to reason, her breaths deep and duress’d,

"Sir, these baubles are worthless!", she pleaded, as he snatched the large brooch from her dress.

  

The highway man’s victim was strugglin, trying not to give in any inch of the way,

George found the damsels be gowned figure slippery, as she twisted to keep him at bay.

Pretty to watch, exciting to feel, Smiling George admired the spirit of his captured prize,

But as always when robbing a frisky lass, gloating with no look of pity crossed his devil’s eyes.

  

Grabbing her hands, he methodically stripped off all her rings, taking great care,

Then he worked off her last diamond bracelet, pulling it free with an added flair.

All the while his vile mind marveling that his little trap this evening had snared,

A totally unique beauty, quite undefended and dazzling with riches plentiful and rare.

  

Into his cloak pocket the pretty ladies glitteringly jewels soon flickered out, disappearing,

Our damsel, had valiantly resisted, but that devil smiling George was once again persevering.

Playing her like a cat would a timid mouse, that was this Highwayman’s favorite devious game,

And like most damsels who met Smiling George that louse, found the Git harbored no shame!

   

Soon George methodically had stripped away everything of hers that glittered and shined,

But his desire was not sated, so he continued to feelingly probe with a determined mind.

Our lady wondered when the creep would finish this searching and pawing of her gown,

When he asked what valuables were hidden underneath, she quickly shot him a cold frown.

  

She squirmed struggling in his grasp, as his nastily malevolent words pierced crisp air,

Knowing there was no more, of her valuables, she had been completely stripped bare.

Still, his fingers poked at her gowned figure, she taunted in his ear, attempting to strike a chord,

"Oui, Would it be easier work me cruel sir! , if you’d just sheathed your bloody sword!?"

  

Smiling George, when out on the prowl for valuables to enrich his vain standing in society,

Practiced no gentlemanly bounds, like all fellow predators, his methods had gained bit of notoriety!

So, ignoring his jewel less victims heart felt appeals to end his terribly uncomfortable advances,

The evil Highwayman just continues on with his searching, taking full advantage of the circumstances.

 

Fellow Flickr member Reid Hildebrandt ( NatureThroughNorthernEyes ) and I were driving along Secrest Hills Road near Oliver, B.C., when a sight we couldn't believe made us slam on the brakes. A Wild Turkey was sitting under a ponderosa pine on the side of the road! Upon getting out the car, the turkey cowered down in the tall grass, trying to somehow hide itself. When we approached, it quickly got up and methodically strutted away. It turned out to be a lifer - #307 for B.C.! It was also the first Wild Turkey to be reported in the South Okanagan in the last several years.

Acte 6 Retribution

Sub titled : Just Desserts

 

Still back in time before the Police Constables disconcerting discovery, we rejoin the small party in the alleyway. Sir Edmund had just fallen faint on the pile of alleyway rubbish where he ended up after his rather unfortunate misadventure with the Gypsy youth called Josey, who hiself his sneaking back up in the shadows. . Lord Edmund’s wife, The Mistress , unawares of her Husband’s fate, is still being led by Josey’s older companion deeper into the shadows of the very same Alley.

  

The now impatient Mistress found herself being led about 25 feet further down the darkened alleyway from where they had left Josey and her husband, the Lord Edmund. Suddenly the tall bearded Gypsy youth stopped, turned, and led her down into deserted court yard, surrounded by backsides of tall, empty looking brick buildings. The place reeked of old garbage , stale beer, and worse smells best left undescribed. The scurrying feet of tiny rodents could be heard , but not seen, in the dim light.

  

Well, where’s the girl!, the Mistress demands, looking around at the barren courtyard, failing to see anyone else around.

  

Well mum you see, that’s the bit of a trick I was tellin you bouts, and from his waistband they Gypsy lad draws a long knife, its blade gleaming wickedly as it is caught by the Moon lite just now peeping through the parting dark clouds.

Put that thing down young man, and get me the girl, The Mistress shrilly commands him, unfazed by the blade, not truly understanding what is taking place( the curse of a privileged, overprotected childhood).

  

Silence, the young gypsy bellows, spitting the words in her face, then leaning in whispers evilly into her ear, his lips moving her shiny dangling earring…lets have that purse now mum. Finally The Mistress realizes the Gypsy lads intent.

 

Now, never in her life has anything like that ever been dared tried on her, and an even newer, at first unrecognizable feeling is felt, as dread washes over her, making her cower before the youth, no older than her husband’s stable boy, Tim, who had felt her strap earlier that morning. A surrendering moan escapes her lips, no she states, never!. Unheeding her commands, The purse she is holding is callously wrenched from her slippery gloved fingers grasp. She just stares at him, unable to find her tongue as he opens the small purse with its rhinestone clasp, and looks through it, lifting up a ring of keys with rising interest.

  

At this time the gypsy girl appears out of the shadows behind The Mistress, wearing the sparkling diamonded bracelet, and nonchalantly swinging the gold watch by its chain as she holds its gold fob, coming around she is smiling mischievously at the Mistress, who straightens up as she catches sight of the imp.

  

The Mistress, loses any vestige of her panic, and in anger and rounds upon the girl as she stands mockingly in front of her. Why you thieving harlot, The Mistress hisses, attempting to smack the girl, who jumps just out of reach. Suddenly The Mistress words are cut off with a meek squeak as the point of the lad’s very sharp knife is pressed under her chin, forcing The Mistress to raise her head, effectively shutting her up. Apologize The Gypsy male snarls wickedly in The Mistress ear, apologies now, tell her you are quite sorry Mum…!

  

The Mistress stands frozen, a stern look upon her puckish face, her lips pursed in defiance, even with the knife pressing threateningly under her chin. Teach you some manners I will he hisses again, as he raises his hand, slapping her on the cheek, the Mistress’s dangling earrings fire bright glittering salvo as her head is whipped to the side, the point of the knife opening a thin scratch along her chin, which quickly wells up with crimson blood.

  

She turns her face forward, facing the pair of young hooligans, glaring at their insolence to someone of her high stature. She is stubbornly holding her ground, all feelings of distress replaced by arrogance and superiority. Well now, the Gypsy Lad says to the Smirking Gypsy girl, as he points the knife in between The Mistress’s breasts, its prickling point effectively quelling any more feelings of retribution. Looks like what words she won’t give to you, will have to be given in some other manner. The Mistress listens, confused by his words, then what he says next, makes his attentions all too crystal clear.

  

For lack of an apology my girl, he says to the petit gypsy lass, let’s say we accept some other compensation, shall we? The young girl beams, as her eyes dart to the Mistress, looking her up and down , eyeing the gemmed jewelry the Mistress is wearing, sparkles of which are reflected in her coy doe wide dark green eyes.

  

The mistress still mute with rage, her hands clenched, her arms rigid at her side as she looks into the Gypsy male’s stern eyes, as he moves his knife up, once again pressing up into her chin. Suddenly, her arms are grabbed by a pair of strong hands and pulled behind her back. Ello, took your sweet time about it, the Gypsy youth holding the knife says to the unseen newcomer. No names are said, and whoever is now holding her remains mute, but the Mistress assumed it was the one called Josey. The Mistress tries turning her head, put is prevented by the knife. Where’s my Edmund, she manages to squeak out the words, but receives no satisfaction.

  

The Gypsy lad holding the knife reaches out his free hand, grinning! Leave me alone, the Mistress orders him, trying admonish him into obedience, bur the gypsy boy just smirks as he methodically , briskly gropes along her body, admiring and inventorying her plentiful jewels, opening her sable, and the satin Bolero, as he checks her over for anything hidden from view. He misses nothing, even her hair is carefully raked through, undoing the braided bun in the process as a diamonded clip is pulled off and handed to the gypsy lass. Her ladyship, shirking back from his touch, now begins to whimper, no, not my jewels! He reaches up, his eyes bugging, as his hand snakes up between her ample breasts and lifts her necklace, admiring it as she tries to shake her head no, but is unable to do so because of the knife. She tries to say more, but the words of discipline stay dry in her throat, choking her as she realizes, finally, the futility of her predicament. The Gypsy boy then nods to the girl, handing her the purse, the honor is yours he says….

  

The young girl taking the open silver clutch purse, smirking, her eyes ablaze with delight, reaches up her free hand and takes hold of the necklace, pretty thing this, she says sweetly, mimicking her earlier words. She pulls the necklace from around the Mistress throat so the clasp comes forward, then nimbly she flicks it open with the fingers of one hand, and pulls it , swishing freely along the satiny fabric, until it falls from the gowns’ neckline. Thank you mum, the Gypsy girl whispers as she places it inside the purse, and reaching up touches a dangling earring, I’ll have those next she says, almost like she is talking her herself, and yanks off both, one after the other. She than gets into her work, and soon the Gypsy girl’s invading fingers friskily finish stripping the Mistress quite clean of all her shimmering, expensively large collection of jewels; rings, bracelet, brooches, the entire glittery roster. It had all been carried out like some bizarre rendition of reverse trick and treating, with the Gypsy girl peeling away and placing the jewels into The Mistress purse. When she finishes, the Gypsy girl steps back, looking with interest inside the now bulging purse, now containing a small fortune, quite unseen for the likes of them who inhabit this rea of the great city.

  

Suddenly The Mistress’s hands are let go, and before she can properly react, male hands briskly grab and slips off the sable from her back. Then the satin bolero is also peeled off and she sees both passed to the waiting hand of the gypsy girl. Still held in her place by the point of the Gypsy’s knife,The Mistress’s eyes grow big with dread, as she feels the back of her long slick gown being unzipped, and allowed to fall freely down to her feet, piling up in a shimmering pool.

This exposes the long, luxurious purple slip she is wearing, complete with small rhinestones decorating its straps and bodice. As the Mistress is standing there, frozen in awe struck disbelief , the knife is taken from her chin, and used to slice each of the rhinestone slips straps, and the mistress grabs the top of the now free hanging slip, and holds if fast to her chest in an effort to preserve whatever remained of her quickly waning dignity.

  

The Mistress tries to find words of protest, but she is too unbelieving that she , a lady who considers herself to be far superior to common folk of their ilk, is absolutely dumbfounded that they are daring to treat her like this, fails to be able to give any words their proper voice.

  

The older gypsy lad holding the knife steps back. Now he says, shouldn’t leave a lady standing, and he points his knife to a stack of crates. She stands there glaring. Move it on now mum, he suggests , his voice carries with it a with mocking tone of fake obedience. The Mistress unwillingly does so, and moving to a crate, sits down, the smell of something rotten permeates her nostrils as she faces her aggressor. The other two have seemingly, cowardly, disappeared somewhere into the shadows she notices with thoughts of righteousness.

  

The Gypsy lad mocks her, there, cannt say we didint leave you nufing, eh mum.( indicating her slip, gloves and high heels)! And by the ways, apology accepted he added sarcastically, mimicking a curt bow.

  

Then almost immediately her eyes are blindfolded from behind ( they hadn’t run after all) with something made of cloth that reeks of decaying meat, and she hears the pratfalls of several pairs of feet running off. And then, all is silent, except for the beating of The Mistress heart from a mixture of rage and incredulity.

  

As all is once again quiet around her, and believing she is now alone, The Mistress continues holding up her slip with one hand, while with the other reaches in back, groping for the blindfold. Suddenly her whole being jolts as something furry with sharp claws runs over her feet, and a noise, not quite a scream, but close, gurgles from The Mistress’s dry throat.

  

Ere now, the mistress hears the voice of an old lady, , whose there? , no rat by the sound of things, she continues on, approaching. What have we here, the old lady says to herself, a damsel in distress by the look of things, whit no dress, and she cackles at her bit of humor. Her dearie, lets get you up and The Mistress feels a pair of cold hands helping her shakenly to her feet.

  

Then her ladyship feels those hands, not giving her aid, but quite the opposite, as cold fingers began going over her. Then, with a dry cackle, and the old hags words reach the Mistress ears, left you with nothing dearie but a shiny slip, too bad, but old Chizzy will check anyways. The Mistress balks as the pair of cold hands grope her figure, the second time that evening! The Mistress recoils, knowing the old hag is looking for anything of value, when quite unexpectedly the Hags hands shoot up into the Mistress underarms, and The Mistress raises her arms automatically as nerves are pressed, and the slip falls down her figure gathering into a slithering heap at her feet. The Mistress tries to protest, her hands going to her blindfold, but she is pushed, and falls over the crate into a pile of cold ashes. Each of Her hands are lifted and she feels her long satin opera gloves pulled off, and then her high heeled shoes are yanked from her feet before she can begin to offer any type of resistance..

  

Thenk you dearie! the Hags voice close enough now that the Mistress can smell the wispy oders of whiskey and old pipe, as it reaches her nostrils. Old Chizzy thenks ye, for your contributions this evening, Honey. The Mistress hears the old hags cackling laugh as ‘Chizzy” makes her get away with the last of the Mistress’s pretty possessions.

  

For a few minutes all is again silent, The Mistress lays upon the pile of asses, dazed by what has befallen her, but then, the cesspool like orders from the garbage surrounding the ash pile start to overwhelm her making the Mistress snap back into the cold reality of her situation.

  

It was then, that , for the second time, the sound of shuffling feet is again heard approaching, and the Mistress tenses up, now expecting more ill fortune, not that she really had anything left of value to lose.. But then a familiar voice, Edmund’s, calls out. Dear, where are you? The Mistress tries to answer, but, her voice dry and choked has trouble making words. Finally she does manage to call out to her husband, but her voice is noticeably missing its’ usual sharpness.

  

Edmund comes to her aid and helps her up. After he undoes the blindfold, she finds herself looking into his questioning eyes, and she actually hugs him. Edmund, startled at the long forgotten display of affection, finds that it takes him a few seconds to regain himself. Hear, cants having you catch your death of cold, he says, almost lovingly. He helps The Mistress find coverings from the piles of old trash in the form of a couple of rough sacks of old, mildewing burlap.

  

Hair disheveled, streaks of dirt and ash covering their figures that are covered with dirty, rancid rags they make their way down the alley, to where they believe their car and chauffer are still waiting. Edmund and the Mistress are both a smelly, reeking mess, moving slowly as their bare feet hobble tortuously along the cobblestone path. But as they make their way, The Mistress tells Edmund what had conspired. As she does, The Mistress feels more of her old self returning, and begins to chastise the three gypsy youths, and how she will make them pay for their rude indiscretions’. Edmund is in total agreement.

  

As they make it back to the alleys’ entrance, a figure appears out of the mist. The Mistress squeals in startled shock at the dark figure standing at the end of the alleyway, she grabs Edmund and pulls him in front of her as one would a shield.

----

 

As the dark figure peers into the alleyways entrance, he suddenly see’s two shadowy forms emerge from the misty pool of light given off from the relit street lamp. The pair is both tottering like being quite intoxicated, smelling like something a rat would have dragged out of the garbage, faces streaked with ashes and muck, barely half dressed. Suddenly, spying him, one of the figures makes a quick move, placing the other in front.

  

At that moment the figure raises his hand and suddenly the night’s silence is completely shattered by the shrill wails of his street constable’s police whistle.

 

End of Acte 6,

 

Watch for the final two actes of this woeful saga;

Acte 7 (Harbinger) and Acte 8 (Footfalls - including the obligatory Epilogue), coming soon….

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

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One of Munn’s decisive contributions to Canadian art was her fervent fusion od Christian symbolism in Cubist form. In the late 1920s she began a methodical practice of drawing scenes from the Passion of Christ, resulting in a fresh and radical update to one of European art history’s most traditional themes – an unusual subject for a Canadian modernist. This is one of the final drawings in the series, which included more than a thousand works on paper.

I happened to watch this gentleman pace back and forth while on his phone engaging in conversation. I thought he made for an interesting shot while crossing the street.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Lucidity

 

My twin sister has had, from early memory, a rather silly game she has always liked to play out on me.

 

Starting quite young, she had always thought it a great tease to try and lift things from my pockets when I was distracted.

 

And to be Honest, she had soon gotten quite good at it, to my chagrin.

 

Then of course, I made the mistake of letting her know it got under my skin when she would do that! So of course she kept on doing it, grinning with great satisfaction when she was successful.

 

Which she was a good deal of the time !

 

I had tolerated it for quite a few years, until one day when I found a way to get my revenge.

 

Which I did by lifting her necklace during a rather severely formal event we were rather forced into attending when we were 13.

 

Actually I lifted her necklace several times that evening without her catching on to what was truly happening…..! But that is another story altogether.

  

Needless to say, since then we had been going back and forth, cat and dog, trying to out do one another in our versions of the game from that time forward, lasting into our present adult hood.

 

Now, this rather insightful event I am about to relate, happened about two years after I had discovered my own spin on my twins annoying game.

 

By then I had successfully played it out on her several times…

 

This time around it was quite intriguing situation, for neither my sister or I had ever been to a wedding.

 

My sister( along with our mother) was assigned to be a bridesmaid at our Mum’s University chum’s wedding.

 

Sis was included to accommodate an age match for the Grooms younger brother, an oops baby Mum had said.

  

Apparently there were a dearth of females that young on either side of the Bride and Groom’s families.

  

I will admit me mum and sister looked rather smashing in their matching, quite vibrant bridesmaid’s attire.

 

^^^^^^^^^^

 

Later on, at the reception, I was watching as my sister was swishing out on the dance floor with the simpy young bloke who was her partner.

  

As Sis danced about in her long lavender coloured gown of some shiny material, I had eagerly watched her glittery collection of rhinestone diamonds flickering with mad abandon along her figure, as they were caught in the dim lights.

  

They were the same set of rhinestones which all the bridesmaids had been given and were wearing with the long flowing dresses that matched my sister’s.

 

They were all the same size too. So that the set my young sister was wearing looked like an adults. Especially her necklace, which seemed to go on forever as it dangled down the front of her slick gown, ending into a long v shape..

 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I actually had been pressed into service to help her place the shimmering necklace on around her neck at home before we left.

 

As she had held up her hair giving me a clear look at the long dangling earrings that she had already clasped on, she lifted the necklace up, holding the jeweled ends up to me to take and clasp.

 

I did so, watching the sparkling show reflected in our mums vanity mirror from over my sister’s shoulder..

 

As I observed my sister’s reflection, I could see that she was also keeping a rather watchful eye on me ( and her jewels I suspected)

 

Of course I acted all of the innocent one !

 

The jewels my sister was wearing also included a bracelet around a gloved hand, with a glittery ring on same hand. A brooch dangled from her waist, pinned to the front of a wide ribbed sash attached to her gown, and which I was directed to tie in a bow at her back.

  

She had stood in front of Mother’s long mirror as I stood behind tying.

  

But, truth be told, despite my innocent act, I had found the rhinestones a most attractive lure. Feeling an all too familiar certain tingle coming up from deep within as she teasingly played with her long gown, admiring her pretty self in the mirror..

  

It didn’t help much that only the weekend before we had seen an olde American funny show about people stranded on an island. We had seen the silly show a few times before, and I had really thought it was a bit of a bore.

 

The only thing I found about it to hold my attention is that several of the females liked to dress up in gowns and jewels, which peaked my interest, though it was kinda odd that people stranded on an island would be doing that sort of thing, was it not now?

 

But this one show had a newcomer, a thief, stranded on the island with them. And…

 

Well we will come to that soon enough….

 

But as I helped my sister on with her black velvet jacket, and followed her to the car watching her long gown fluidly flowing down out from underneath her jacket to where it fluttered at her heels, my thoughts were on that telly show, and I pondered over the possibilities of what the day could bring…….

  

^^^^^^^^^^^^^

  

So now at the reception, as I watched me mum, sister and all the other dancers, I found my eyes kept glancing back at my sister, and her showy attire, mesmerized, as the welcomed feelings re-emerged, dredging up from within!

 

I also began to notice the other shimmering jewels that many of the female guests were wearing along their equally fancy dressed figures.

 

So this is what a wedding was like, I was myself, finding it rather a bit interesting all around !

  

The music ended as the band took a break. The bloke quickly deserted my sister for his side of the family and my twin made her sparkling, gown swirling way, threading through the guests, finally coming up to our table.

  

I had sat with dad, while mum and sis were up at the head table. We had sat with other members of Mum’s Friends, but they had all left to go to another table once the music had started. Mum had dropped her things off at our table, then Her and Dad had also gone off to visit.

  

So we were left at the table alone, to find our own devices to entertain ourselves.

 

Or at least my sister had to find entertainment, unbeknownst to her, I already had mine !

 

As we talked while sitting at the deserted table, I kept stealing looks at my twin sister’s jewels, which were still rippling with sparkles with every squirming move she made. And the little chatterbox was by no means ever still for long.

 

Then my sister began to absentmindedly play with her hair ( a sign she was getting bored)!

 

I saw one of her long earrings give a peek out, shooting out a mad shimmer before darting back into hiding. As I half watched, still deep in thought, she nonchalantly tugged at that sparkling earring, like it was going to be pulled off….!

  

Then, with sudden clarity, an overwhelming desire surged over me as a rather delicious, devious plot popped in my brain… How many different pieces of my sister’s jewels could I manage to lift at one event?

  

For you see, on that American tv show, the stranded folks had invited the thief to their fancy dress dinner. The girls had primped up, wearing fancy gowns, and lots of diamonds, much like the plentiful jewels sis ,the other bridesmaids and a few of the younger guests were so winningly wearing.

 

The people stranded on that island believed the thief when he had said he was reformed, but he had decidedly not been reformed, only pretending to be that way in order to rob them some more.

 

And the cheeky devil began to rob them again, centering on the ladies and their sparklers he did !

 

The one wealthy lady was wearing quite a lot of diamonds. Some of her jewels were quite similar to the ones my sister was wearing, including the dangling long necklace. This charming thief managed to smoothly slip that expensive looking necklace off from around the throat of her sparkly blue gown.

 

I think he also took one of her bracelets! She had had two, both shimmering around each wrist of her long gloves, like the single bracelet my sister was also wearing on a similar long glove, but where this lady’s gloves were white, sis’s gloves were the same colour and material of her gown.

 

A second lady had hair like my sister’s, long and worn down. She was also wearing these long earrings which were strikingly like the ones sis was now playing around with, as well as a diamond ring similar also to the one my sister had on.

 

The thief had managed to neatly slip off not one, but both of those pretty sparkly diamond earrings. And looking later, I believe he had also took her ring as he kissed her hand!

 

The third and last lady was wearing a plainer frock, with small diamond earrings and a matching pinky ring. I believe it was the ring that soon fell victim to this scoundrels wiles. I was not sure, because she had been the first one he had lured off to be alone with him, and it was before I realized just what he was up to.

 

But he had taken her hand, and something must have happened because the audience had been laughing, as they had done later in the show when the necklace, braclet, and earrings had been nicked.

 

So I played over in my mind several ways I could lift my twin’s jewels in a similar devious fashion as the “reformed” thief.

 

Now, as I was my deep in thoughts of acquiring some of her sparkling jewels, I had done a bit of squirming of me own, and, noticing with interest, my sister looked over at me, ” Bored too huh, wanna sneak out now?”

 

I had almost forgotten. But it may prove to be perfect for my schemes !

 

You see, we had passed a small playground, then some woods, as we then turned into the church parking lot. As we were getting out of the car, my sister had whispered that we should slip out later and check the area out.

 

So, looking carefully around to make sure we were not watched, we got up and snuck our way along the wall until we reached the hallway leading to the restrooms.

 

At the opposite end of that hallway, was a circular staircase that led upstairs and to the side exit leading conveniently out to the back parking lot.

 

So we now slipped inside the hallway, and after waiting until a couple of giggling older teenage girls , , looking like debutantes in their long flowy dresses, long haired tied up, and their fetching figures adorned with white pearled jewelry, passed us by.

 

We than scurried our way to the staircase, and up and out to our adventure.

 

It was a beautiful sunny late afternoon, blue sky with a few wispy clouds that greeted our exit to freedom.

 

Happily we made our way across the parking lot and up to a stone statute depicting the last station of the cross ( the resurrection) that was set on the edge of the wooded area. The rest of the stations apparently led along a path that winded along through the woods.

 

We followed the path, looking at the old statuary depiction of the passion walk. The faces of the figures in abrupt agony, most definitely putting a certain chill in the air.

 

Still we contentedly meandered our way through, my mind meanwhile still working on the problem of how to acquire the first of the brite jewels my sister was wearing in a most certainly quite inviting manner.

 

It was always a bit fun, the plotting of lifting her jewels!

 

And today was no exception, as I watched her flirt about in her long flowy gown, her guard now apparently down, as she seemingly appeared to be totally unaware that her jewelry was in peril of being snatched.

 

Much like those three, diamonds and frills wearing, lasses in that silly tv show had been unawares when welcoming the thief into their party!!

  

But of course, my stupid mind could not come up with any plan that I thought would be successful to carry out my desired deeds…And I had had quite a few come in and rejected out of my mind as being too cockamamie, while we were walking up that path!

 

Then my sister, bless her innocence, conveniently gave me an opening.

 

We had stopped in front of one of the statue stations. A bird had made its nest in the crook of the stone cross. Sis wanted to see it, and kicking off her shoes, had tried to climb up to see inside.

 

Acting like that gentleman thief from the show, I had helped her up, and held her by the waist as she leaned over and peeked in. Her brooch was dangling freely, and my fingers had clasped around the jewel. I carefully tried to locate and undo the clasp, but could not find it in time, before she found the nest empty and asked me to help her down.

 

If only the bloody nest had been full !!

 

I saw She had skipped off ahead of me a bit.

 

So at least she had not noticed or felt my attempt, so I was still at the bat in the wicket.

 

I began to replay what I remembered of the show. I looked over my sister as I did so. Her necklace? No, not in the way he did it.

 

I thoughtfully watched as my sister moved about, her gown fluttering merrily along her figure…hair flying out behind her

 

My sisters longish hair was loosely down, as his third pretty victims silky hair had been… the one with the dangly earrings he had managed to lift…

  

Her earrings then ? Hmmm..

  

But as I was formulating a plan to nab at least one of my sister’s earrings, she abruptly stopped. And letting out a small squeal and stooped over to pick something up from the path.

 

Damn, I was not paying attention and had allowed her to get far enough ahead that such an obvious opportunity was lost.

 

It would have been perfect, for there was no way to suggest having her bend down without arousing suspicion. But If I had been closer when she had innocently done it on her own, well who knows what mischief a little thing like falling over into her would have resulted into ?

  

She rose, and brought over to me a colourful stone that shimmered in her gloved palm much like her jewels. I held her glove hand up, looking at it, my eyes also watching the bracelet just dangling there for the taking.

  

I picked up the the stone from her hand, and let it slip out, allowing it to fall to the ground. “Clumsy” she scolded, and as she bent down to retrieve it, my fingers raced up to her bracelet. But she pulled her hand from mine as she retrieved the stone, and that opportunity slipped through my fingers also, as I lost hold of her bracelet before working the clasp.

  

She moved off, looking at the sparkling stone. I followed close, ready and watching for some new opportunity, observing her longish hair falling down along the back of her gown. I watched its silky mass as my mind wandered back to the circumstances I needed in order to create the opportunity for me to nick her cascading jeweled earrings.

 

In the show on the telly he had…

  

But before I could finish that thought, we Suddenly found ourselves in by a small narrow clearing, and my sister looking down the hill, saw the playground a distance off through the woods.

 

My sister grasped my arm, there it is, let’s go over she chirped! As my objectives, her earrings, swinging along from her earlobes, were dancing in and out of her hair as she pleaded.

 

I held my thoughts in check. Maybe the playground would offer up some nice easy possibilities?!

 

Even though the path did not go that way, we soon spied a well-used route, not stoned over like the one we were currently following, but unmistakable a short cut through to the playground.

 

I pointed it out and we happily took the path, heading off to the playground and all its assorted attractions.

 

We reached it in short time.

 

But It really was nothing much, just a few swing sets, totter, and a spinner. On the opposite side, probably some 120 meters, was a fenced area with signs warning of electric hazard.

 

My sister made for the swing and, pulling back her gown, slipped on one, facing the woods, her back to the rest of the playground.

 

She kicked off her tight heels, laughing. I sat on the swing beside her and we both just kicked back and forth a little, chatting away. I watched as her necklace bounced up and down upon her sleek chest as she swung. A thought struck me on a method to lift away her necklace.

 

I got up and began to push her, my hands upon her back. I couldn’t see the necklace from this position, her hair was covering it.

 

But I reached up each time she sung back and eventually had my hands upon her shoulder.

 

She leaned back giggling, her head bouncing against my chest, my objective sparkling within reach as it dripped down from her throat…and so were her earrings ! All so close and yet so far. My fingers itching to make a try, at something but I didn’t want to muck it up and be caught out on my first attempt either !

 

I repositioned my hands to the small of her back.

 

I found that my fingers travelled with effortless ease up along the backside of the slick material of her fancy bridesmaid’s gown.

 

But my attempt fell short of its objective, my fingers getting lost in her hair that lay splayed across the back of her pretty gown.

 

I kept pushing her on the swing, my mind going miles a minute. Maybe be a different approach was needed The spinner? Or maybe a game, like say blind man’s bluff?

 

My mind pounced on that, liking the thought, and I just happened to have a handkerchief in my pocket!

  

I stole a look around to see if ……

  

It was as I did so that I saw them.

  

Two boys and a girl, a few years older than us, leaning against two bikes, smoking right under that sign which clearly, strictly forbade smoking in the area.. There were definitely dressed as punks, spiky hair, chains, ripped jeans, the lot.

 

And certainly had been watching us with quite some interest.

  

At that point my sister’s swing hit against me, and I was moved back by the force. I kept my balance, as I saw that my twin had turned to see what had happened. She saw the group of three, and they saw her fully for the first time, in all her fancy dress, with the pretty rhinestones just sparkling away.

  

I had a dark inkling that we probably should not linger here any longer. I said so much to my sister.

  

Shoes she said, and I collected hers and quickly placed them back on her feet. I was watching past her and could see that the three had now formed a huddle.

  

I helped my sister up from the swing, and she straightened her gown, bending down, her necklace dangling temptingly loose.

  

It would just figure that I now had a perfect opportunity at that point, her hair had fallen forward exposing the necklaces clasp. But to say that the situation was less than ideal, would be an understatement.

 

So I took her arm and quickly led her off. Looking back I saw that one of the boys, his cig dangling from his lip, had moved towards us a bit, stopping and was watching as we left. Needless to say I felt a bit uneasy as we made our hasty retreat..

 

We gained the safety of the woods, and soon disappeared into the tree line, scurrying back up along the wooded path.

 

We finally reached back to the stony path of the passion statues, and felt a bit securer with each step we took, eventually starting to meander about, playing down all thoughts of the incident on the playground.

 

Actually we both started to feel a bit embarrassed by the whole thing, acting like a couple of fraidy cats!

 

Soon I found that my mind, regretting the lost opportunity at the play ground , was again working on my intriguing bits of my challenge.

 

All the while, I stole quick glances at my sister waltzing about.

I just could not get enough of her show!

 

The long shiny gown fluttering about with each step, as her jewels flashed with what I found to be a now more than just taunting show.

 

But there had been something about the way those punks had snapped to attention, when me twin sister had turned towards them.

 

I remember it was concerning a thought I myself had had after the American telly show was over..

 

The thief in the tv show had only taken a few of the copious diamonds the ladies had been wearing. I guess that I figured if he was luring them off, why didn’t he just take all of their jewels !?

 

It wasn’t like he was going to be caught and thrown into a jail was he now, stranded alone with them on the island ?

 

I looked at my sister wandering about, her gown moving fluidly hither and tither as she looked here and there. Those quite mesmerizing jewels keeping in flashy rhythm as she so innocently explored..

 

What if….?

What if indeed !

 

I slowed down, letting my sister get to wondering a bit ahead, pretending in my mind of being someone with a devious intent on the ( in my mind, real) jewels that were dangling and sparkling along this fetching lass clad in a shiny gown that swished and swirled about her figure in a rather enchanting fashion.

 

Much like the gowns and jewels those 3 stranded lasses on that island had been doing!

 

I stopped by one of the large white Stations of the cross and pondered it over..

 

My sister soon took a turn ahead of me on the path, disappearing around a corner.

 

There was a bench across the path facing the statue. Behind the bench was the large trunk of a rather ancient tree. I slipped in behind the trunk to hide .

 

Spying a short knobby stick at my feet I picked it up…may come in handy I thought a bit wickedly as I prepared to play at being Robin Hood!

 

Soon I heard her call my name, then silence, except for the swishing of her long gown as she quickly came back down the path. From a hole in a large bush, I could see was looking side to side, her jewels sparkling nicely, like those the poor lasses jewels had been wearing before their loss.. a loss of jewels Like this one was about to encounter!

 

I waited for her to innocently pass me by, as I lurked back from her sight in the shadows of my tree.

 

She suddenly stopped, catching a stone in one of her heels.

 

She limped over to the bench and stooping over pulled off the offending heel and shook it.

 

I dropped the knobby stick, smelling a new opportunity that was ripe for the picking..

 

I slipped out ,quiet as a church mouse, and snuck up behind her on the heels of my feet.

 

Reaching my intended victim without any notice, I held my hands over her eyes.

 

She immediately straightened up, I could feel her figure freezing rigid.

 

I could also feel her long earrings under my palms as I still held managed to hold my fingers over her eyes.

 

I bent over and said in her ear, ” guess who lass?” as I eyed up close several of my objectives just dangling there with no care in the world.

 

After I spoke, I started pulling my hands from her eyes, and lifted back her hair with my thumbs, while resting my fingers gently upon her earlobes. Both of her earrings dangling coolly from out underneath..!

 

Meanwhile She had breathed a sigh of relief at hearing my voice while placing her gloved hand upon her beating heart.

 

“Not funny” she scolded, looking forward. I was watching her ring and bracelet do their sparkling dance from her finger and wrist respectively.

 

As I positioned my fingers to slowly pull down the long earrings from her earlobes, I started to ask what had happened, hoping she would look down at her feet as I finished my attempt to slip away her eye-catching earrings.

  

But, before I could start my sentence, that quick, opportunity once again slithered away from my grasp !

 

For we both simultaneously heard it at the same time…

 

The slow squealing sound of tyres from a bicycle being walked, coming up to us some short distance behind us on the path, from the direction of the playground!

 

My sister turned her head, her earrings slipped from my fingertips, as my hands lost their grip and fell down upon her shoulders.

 

Bollocks I said under my breath, as yet another opportunity to steal away a piece of my sister’s jewelry was lost. This one just whisked from my grasp would have been the easiest yet!

 

“What’s that ?” she said, innocently turning her face up to look at me, earrings and necklace again shooting off their taunting sparks.

 

And I now had grown cold with the realization that I may not be the only one my sister’s jewels had been taunting !!

 

I put a finger to her lips and told her, quick, behind the statues!

.

I realized what the sound of the tyres meant, and they were gaining.

 

I helped my sister up and we both crossed the stone path, darting behind the cross station statue group.

 

As we skulked down behind it my sister again asked what I thought it was?

 

“Sush and, don’t move!” I told her, pulling her silky clad figure close to mine, feeling our hearts beating rapidly…

 

Soon we heard voices above the sound of the bikes tyres. There were only the two of them, two of the group of three who had been giving my sister the once over at the playground.

 

One ripped jean jacketed Boy and the spiky haired female. They were walking beside a bike, the boy still had a cig dangling from a crooked, sneering lip. I wondered what had become off the other boy?

 

The squealing of wheels got closer and closer and we watched through the thicket behind the statue group depicting Jesus falling for the first time, as slowly they walked the bikes past us, looking straight ahead on the path before them.

We quite clearly could hear them now.

 

He : “She came this way!”

She: “Think they were real…?”

He: “Naw, not on a kid like that, fake, but still the bunch might be worth a few bob… enough for cigs, maybe… plus whats in her shiny purse and the lads tie clasp, probably has a wallet, or some coins at the least!”

“Them rich kids always do have sometin, and they usually give no problem handing them over nicely, do they now? “ He said wickedly…

She: Giggling at some memory..

 

I heard my sister gasp and pulling her even closer, clamping my hand over her mouth

 

They had passed.

 

I heard the girl saying something, but it was broken up. The words, “that little darlings” followed by a mumbled sentence with a word that sounded like “peel”, and then clearly the words “shiny dress ..” , before they had rounded the corner and the rest of her words were lost to us.

 

We waited a good while, then stole along the path. As my sister walked on directly ahead, I was watching and listening , all too well aware of the reality of being ambushed and mugged by the pair…

 

An unsettling image flashed in my head, close to home, because it had been my idea also…

 

In my mind, the bike was now laying abandoned on the ground.

 

The rude spiky haired punk girl was heartlessly staring at my sister, whilst caressing with grubby hands, the soft gown my twin was now limply wearing along her figure.

 

As the punk lad, cig still hanging from a curled lip, was methodically searching said figure; locating and pulling off all the jewels my forlorn sister had been wearing, shoving his pockets with the shimmering lot as he displayed a rather evil grin.

 

I no sooner shook the thought from my head, then another entered it.

 

Where had that other lad gotten off too?

 

I imagined a pair of rough hands grabbing me and pushing me off the path, then approaching from behind my unsuspecting sister, much like I had intended earlier with the a stick. But in my mind, what the third one was holdin, was no stick!

  

Get a grip lad, I thought to myself, as I looked behind us. But the path seemed to be deserted enough.

 

We moved on, my sister wanting to ask a million questions, but I motioned to her to move away silently.

 

We cautiously made our way back along the path, looking and listening all about us.

 

Finally,( it seemed like forever) without further incident, we came out to the edge of the woods and the welcome sight of the parking lot behind the promised sanctuary of the church..

 

I could see up ahead, on the road leading from the parking lot, the pair still walking beside their bike. We watched until they had moved off out of sight. Then we both darted across the lot and got to the exit leading back down to the security of the reception going on below.

 

Once safely inside we caught our breaths, before scampering down the stairs. Both of us headed directly to the loo, shortly meeting up again inside the reception area.

 

People were still dancing and mingling, totally unaware that we had even gone.

 

Even our parents, when we met up with them back at our table, just calmly asked if we were enjoying ourselves. We looked at each other smiling, yes we said in unison as we both plopped down in our seats.

  

They then asked what we had been up to in order to amuse ourselves?

 

“Dancing! “ my sister chirped, then rising, she got me up and led me onto the dance floor to avoid further questions.

 

We began our dance, weaving our way in and out of the by now liquored up adults.

 

We mulled over the close shave we had had, and now that the danger had passed, looked upon the occurrence as a bit of a lark. But all thoughts had left of my plots on relieving my sister of her jewels. I felt that it would just would be bad cricket.

 

It was a slow dance and we mimicked what the other couples were doing, still awkwardly since we had not really had much experience at it. But it was enjoyable all the same.

 

I know she is just my sister, but as I was aware then of a certain inkling, one that I really grew to appreciate later on with my wife, there is nothing like the experience of holding a warm body in close dance, especially one that is clad in a shiny gown and even shinier jewels!

 

The music ended all too soon and we left the floor.

 

My sister stopped me, Well little brother she said ( she is older by a few minutes and never lets me forget), thank you for saving me, and she gave me quite an enveloping hug.

 

I told her it was nothing.. and she smiled sweetly up at me before we continued our way back.

 

As we walked I reached down to straighten my tie that I had felt flapping about. It was then I realized my clasp was gone.

 

I looked at my sister, walking on ahead… The little snit had taken it when she had been giving me a hug, pretending to be sincere!

 

Game on “older” sister I thought…

 

My sister slid on her chair at the table, smugly looking all the world like a jeweled cat that had caught the canary. Said jewels, , especially her necklace, still were dancing about with sparkles under the lights, like they too were mocking me..

 

Well missy I thought, lets try another dance then!

 

And with my mind I envisioned back to the time I had been successful at slipping off another of her necklaces while we had danced a couple of years back.

 

But I never got the opportunity, for the band was taking a break, and shortly our parents reappeared to collect us.

 

We got our coats from the check in, and prepared to leave…

 

And so it twas, that the evening ended late, and as I helped my sister on with her black velvet jacket. All opportunity seemed lost, at least till next time.

 

We went back up the stairs we had snuck out on earlier, and regained our car in the now dark parking lot.

 

We settled in the back of the car for the long trog home.

 

Soon she was fast asleep, lulled by the cars engine.

Again I smelled ripe opportunity !

 

I looked down at my passed-out sister, so peacefully dreaming away. I placed my arm around her shoulder, she did not budge. Her jewels were mostly hidden by her fastened velvet jacket.

 

I looked ahead at my parents, but they were not looking back, probably figuring we both were asleep.

 

Like a curious thief, I reached down and with upmost care, unfastened the three buttons that hide the treasures from view. After I had undid the last, I pulled her jacket open a bit then settled back and out of the corner of my eye, admired my handiwork !

 

Her now exposed sleekly soft lavender gown looked like it was pouring out along her figure from underneath the stark black velvet jacket. Her splendid collection of jewels were easy to find, as they occasionally sparkled as headlights from passing cars caught them up in their light.

 

Her necklace still holding a glittery court as it dropped freely from down around her throat.

 

So very pretty as it lay there shimmering, and so vulnerably within reach !

 

My fingers soon began their familiar tingling, my thoughts were racing...

 

What would that thief on the show had done?

 

There had been no cars on that show, they were on a deserted island after all.

 

I shook my head clear and settled back… then opened my eyes wide..

 

The most wicked, tantalizingly vexing, of thoughts washed over me with a delicious tingle.

 

But he had robbed them as they slept!

 

Plus my twerp of a sister did still have my tie clip, didn’t she now?!

  

I cautiously reached over and then around my twin’s slumbering form, moving my hand down along her side.

 

My fingers went inside her jacket, glided along her gown till I reached her glittery purse on the seat next to her. I managed to snap open the purses’ clasp, finding and lifting out my purloined gold plated tie clasp.

 

Putting it in my pocket, I looked the situation most carefully over, both my victims position, as well as the placement of her quite glimmering jewels.

 

Slowly, ever so slowly, I began to locate and move her jewels about, to see if my victim would stir. She did not! I could now feel the hooked clasp of her necklace.

 

I lifted up the chain, easily unhooked her necklace, and pulled it ever so carefully from around her throat, stealing glances at the rearview mirror, but our parents still were not paying us in the back any heed.

 

I finished sliding the necklace around, pulling it away. letting it dangle as a set of headlights from a passing car bathed it in sparkling array, then, reaching around my slumbering victims soft figure, deposited it inside the purse.

 

It was the best piece she was wearing of all her jewelry, and so naturally would be the first to be taken by any thief worth his salt under similar circumstances !

 

I reached back down, my fingers feeling along her still gloved arm till I reached her wrist. Then carefully placing a finger under it, lifted the bracelet before finding and then working open its’ clasp. Off it came easily, sliding snakelike from around her wrist. I reached over her again, and it soon landed on top of its mate in her purse .

 

She stirred a bit, and I reached my arm around my victim’s soft waist, pulled her a bit closer, and she soon settled in back to sleep.

 

Then I worked on her earrings next. Reaching in her hair, locating, then most cautiously started slipping off, each of her clasped earrings in turn. The twin buggers would not elude me this time!

 

It wasn’t easy, and took some tricky effort, but I managed it, and in careful turn, slowly, with most upmost care, caressed smoothly each long diamonded earring off her ears in turn. My victim felt nothing, did not stir again from her probably most pleasant dreams.

 

The purloined earrings also joined their glistening fellows on top of the growing pile inside her purse

 

Finally I found and worked off her ring from a gloved finger, greatly aided by the smoothness of said satin glove.

 

As I finished, I deposited the ring, clasped my sister’s purse shut, a job well done.

  

Feeling rather like an actual thief at that point, I finished the job by slipping the small purse, now weighty with gems, into my pocket.

 

I knew what just I was going to do next….

 

Last Autumn my twin had lifted my wallet while pretending to stand behind me fixing my collar to tuck in my tie. I had not caught on at the time, and when I did, she had had time to hide it. In order to get it back, she ransomed it by making me do a full weeks’ worth of her chores.

 

Well my sweet, conniving sister, what goes around, comes around !

 

All I had to do was keep her from noticing her jewels had been lifted.

 

While I dwelt over this thought I eyed over my victim admiring my handy work.

 

My sister turned a bit, mumbling a little.

 

She had stretched out and moved away a little, I had just finished relieving her of her jewels just in time!

 

But as I looked her over, I realized that I had missed a trick! With the next passing car, I saw her now exposed brooch glisteningly betraying its position!

 

I moved over, leaning, reached down and in, once again my fingers glided along her smooth gown, until I reached her satin sash. Using the sash as a path, I travelled along it till I reached the glittering holdout!

 

I lifted the jewel, and this time my fingers easily found its’ clasp. Working blind, I thought I had unpinned it, and began pulling the dangly brooch from her sash.

 

But It was still attached, and as I pulled up, my sister again stirred, waking up, mumbling.

 

She moved over away from me to the door, rubbing her eyes, still not quite awake.

 

I just casually started chatting my victim up.

 

My foremost intention was in keeping her attention diverted from discovering her missing jewels and purse till after we got home and I had had time to hide it!

 

She managed to say a few words, but the time between those words got long and longer, till she fell back to sleep, lulled in again by the motion of our car.

 

Forced to be satisfied with what I had, and still happy with the revenge that would soon be mine, I now comfortably settled back into my seat.

  

I looked over my sister’s now almost jewel less ( damn the brooch) , blissfully sleeping figure, and soon drifted off to join her in happy dreams of my own!!

  

I woke from deep sleep as we arrived back at our house after the 90 minute ride back from the county.

 

My parents got out and tasked me with waking my still sleeping sister , ( not always a pleasant task by any means, even to this day I bear the scars(smiles)), and then pushing her up to bed.

 

^^^^

We live in a split level. An attached garage was converted by a former owner into a master bedroom. This is where my parents would be heading. The other end, with its staircase leading upstairs was where I had to drag my sister. The three bedrooms and bath upstairs were our domain. Each of us having our own bedroom, and the third room was employed as a playroom/sewing room.

^^^^

 

I began to shake her awake, which, true to form, she rather grumpily tried to fight off.

 

Finally I just went to the other side and began to pull her out. She slowly, most painstakingly woke herself up and was able to manage finishing getting out on her own.

 

Leaning against me, still half awake, I helped her up the walk and led her inside the house. All the while snickering that she had no clue that her purse and other valuables were gone, hidden in my pocket, right under her very eyes!

 

At some point my sister had rebuttoned her velvet jacket, which helped my deception play out immensely.

 

Especially since once me dad had helped mum off with her faux mink jacket, she had come over and given us each a kiss goodnight. Her necklace, the twin to my sisters , still was glittering around her throat.

 

If either parental unit had noticed the my sisters missing jewels, I would have had some fast explaining how they came in my passion, and would have lost any hint of revenge. And it was my week to mow the bloody lawn !

  

Now feeling rather cocky as both parents left us alone, I went over to gallantly helped Sis, who had unbuttoned her velvet jacket, slip off it off , and hung it up for her.

 

She turned towards me on the first step thanking me. I accepted, secretly looking over her pretty gowned figure that I had so deviously stripped bare of its pretty ornaments, except of course that cursed taunting brooch, which was still freely dangling about at the sashed waistline of my sister’s gown!!

 

Turning off the downstairs lights, I followed my sister’s swishing progress ahead of me up the stairs.

 

I saw the unwary victim of my thievery to her room, across from mine, seeing her inside, as I closed the door behind her.

 

I went to my room, closed my own door and breathed a sigh of relief.

 

Perfect I thought, saying under my breath, Game set and Match!

 

Figuring she should come knocking anytime now once she discovered her missing jewels as she was undressing, I laid out on my bed, still in my suit , and waited with eager anticipation till she did.

 

My thoughts went to a week without assorted chores, including mowing any lawns. Starting with tomorrow. No wait, tomorrow was Sunday. We were on our own , sis and I after morning Church. Our parents were leaving for the big city, shopping, a movie than dinner out to celebrate an early anniversary,, coming back in at around ten that evening.

 

My eyes opened, a deviously delicious thought had come creeping into my mind.

 

Give my twin a choice, my week’s chores, or spend Sunday after the parents leave playing the damsel to my thief!

 

We had played similar games before, my sister being a huge fan of robbing hood as she called Robin Hood, as well as our take on cops n Robbers, and something she came up with called “Help me Honey!” A game where I would have dual roles; she would direct me into placing her in peril, then have me come as a hero to rescue the damsel from the peril she had me put her in!

 

She could wear the same gown, her jewels, and her black velvet jacket with it if we went outside to the woods. Or better yet, mums mink would still be here ( Sis was always trying it on) !

  

I mulled over this for some time, while waiting for the expected knock to come….

 

I must have fallen asleep, for I was awakened when the timid knock was finally made at my door.

 

It was 2:35 in the bloody morning!

 

I rolled out of bed and opened my door.

 

She was standing there ,rubbing her eyes and yawning. I could see her opened door across the hall, light spilling out.

 

She was also still clad in her elegant gown, looking like a half awakened princess .

 

And there it was, her twinkling brooch. It still dangled from its position on the sash at her waist. Its’ frenzied sparkles appeared to be mocking my failure at taking it along with the rest of its’ mates!

 

She hadn’t even made it past the bed in her room before falling unconscious upon it fully clothed !!

 

What’s up I asked, a bit grumpily, for I had all but forgotten what mischief I had been at.

 

“My jewels ?” she said miserably, “Their missing!”

 

“Are you sure?” I asked

 

That made her think a few seconds before answering, her still gloved hand feeling a diamond necklace and earrings that definitely were no longer sparkling there like they had been earlier .

 

“Yes I am sure they are gone !” she said rather miserably.

  

“You took them off twit, probably still on your dresser. Now go to back to bed ! “ I answered paternally , just wanting to do the same myself.

 

“No,” she said, forlornly shaking her head, “I went right to bed without taking anything off atoll, didn’t I, and she spread out her luxurious gown.

 

“ I’ve looked everywhere!” She pleaded.

 

“Was your window opened?” I asked, finally awake enough to tease.

 

“Yes, I always do, why?” she questioned.

 

“You fell asleep steal wearing your jewels!” I pointed out…

 

“Maybe a burglar broke in and took them off you as you slept?” I stated, as I reached over and pointed at the place her necklace had been dangling upon.” Looks like he picked you over clean now !”

 

“No” she said, again shaking her head, “there was no burglar, and besides no thief could do something like that, I would’ve been woken up !”

 

“I don’t know” I answered thoughtful, “Someone obviously got the whole lot off you, without you noticing !”

 

She shivered, “No there was no thief!” she still insisted…

 

“Lets go and see” I said, and had her turn, followed her swishy gown clad figure back to her room.

 

I asked if she had checked around the bed, she nodded yes. Check again I commanded and she obediently began looking.

 

As she did I went over to her opened window, and swiftly slipped her purse, still holding her jewels, from my jacket pocket and placed it out on the ledge. Rather forgetting my old plans, as a deviously new one developed, to make her believe a burglar had been in her room.

 

Sounds rather mean I know, but I was not fully awake enough to really reason out that aspect!

 

“You ninny I said, here is your purse ! “ She swished over to my side, and I pointed down.

 

She reached down and retrieved it, feeling its new heft, she opened it, revealing her sparkling jewels.

 

She than just stared up at me, disbelief in her sad puppy like eyes.

 

“Here now ,” I said, “let me show you, Go lay back on your bed” I instructed !

 

She submissively did so, slipping back up and looking at me blinking from her pillow.

 

She looked all the world like a sad forlorn young princess , like she did when I played her game with her.

 

I turned out her lights, laid the purse down beside her, then went to the opened window.

 

A stream of light from the moon lit up her bed, I could see her clearly as she lay there.

 

“This is what probably happened Sis…”

  

“The burglar came in through this window” I mimicked it..

 

“ He saw you there asleep , and came over for a closer peek.”

 

I moved in, and saw her shiver as I approached, her whole begowned figure moving as she inched up away from my menacing dark shadowy figure…..

“He saw you were wearing jewels, and decided that he certainly must have them for himself.” ,

 

My sister had shrunk back as I approached.

 

“He reached along, and began to..

 

My fingers had glided up along her quivering figure till I had reached her waist, where I then lifted up her brooch.

 

“He than steals your…”

 

She cut me off… “There was no thief! “she insisted her eyes wide, but I could see the beginning of doubt creeping in her voice.”

 

“That cannot happen, burglars cannot take jewels like that , not with out waking a person up!” she tried to argue, herself half believing it may have happened like that!..

  

Ignoring her protests, , I picked up the purse from where I dropped it, went back to the window.

  

“You must have startled him and he dropped the goods as he was leaving, and an ran off!”

 

She had turned white as a ghost, trying to disbelieve in my words.

 

“No, it didn’t happen, couldn’t !” she vainly still trying on insisting my scenarios away.

 

“Tell you what lets try an experiment “ . I suggested as I turned back on the lights.

 

I laid the opened purse down beside her, jewels inside dimly glimmering .

 

“Put your jewels back on then, go to back bed, and in a couple of hours once you are back asleep I will come in and ….Li”

 

“No” she said, cutting me off… “I still don’t….” then she stopped talking as she saw the smirk on my face

 

“Your right!” I said assuring her qualms ,”There was no thief. It was me, I took em and put them there.”

 

“You took them, you turd “she scolded, WHEN..HOW?” she directly appealed in a rather fetchingly imploring way…as she raised her arms up to me to help her up.

 

“Every thief has their secrets luv” I said, as she slipped off from the bed and stood looking up at me, then let out a rather wide Yawn..

 

I was looking her still begowned figure over, her brooch the only jewel left, still putting on a rather dazzling show as she finished her relaxing yawn, I realized just how long a day it’d been, and just how tired we both were.

 

It had, actually been a quite long event filled day!

 

“Maybe I’ll tell in the morning, its late, lets get you off to bed !” I said, and she leaned happily up against me, I wrapped my arms around her warm, slippery figure.

 

“Good night Sis “ I said and kissed her on the forehead, then started to leave.

 

“Good night Baby brother” , she said smirking, as she reached back behind her with gloved hands fumbling to undo the tied bow of her gowns’ sash…

 

“Here,” I said, “please allow me.”

  

I went up behind her, as she turned to allow me access to the satin bow tied at the back of her svelte waiste.

 

She giggled as I pulled her bow, making her move back closer to me, as I worked on loosening the satin bows knot.

 

“I am so glad you have reformed Mr thief, I can feel safe wearing my jewels around you !” she said with another giggle, as I pulled the bow apart,

letting the loose ends dangle freely down.

 

“Indeed, so you can! “ I said assuringly, my hands wrapping around her waist to give her a hug.

“And I owe it all to you!” I said into her ear.

 

“There now ” I said as released her with a gentle push moving her towards the dresser. “to bed with you”

 

“Good night sir” she said facing away, bending over to open a drawer.

 

I back up alongside her bed, stopping to watch her a minute as she fumbled around in the open drawer.

 

“Good night “ I echoed, watched as she turned to face me with a swish. Holding a silky nightdress in a gloved hand.

 

She just smiled at me as I left, closing her door behind me.

 

I stood with my back to her closed door, grinning…

 

I opened my left hand, looking down with satisfaction at the sparkling brooch I had easily lifted from her pretty gown while hugging her after untying her bow.

 

So much for reformation!

 

I then pulled her unclasped purse , boldly reclaimed from its perch on her bed, from my jacket pocket and slipped the newly acquired brooch inside to join the rest of her purloined jewels…

 

I congratulated myself, my mind already traveling to tomorrow, Sunday, and the stealing prospects it promised to bring.

 

I began to walk away from her door, stopping suddenly I turned and looked back.

 

I whispered out to the closed door…

Addressing my unseen sister on the other side, who would have finally removed by now her quite pretty lavender brides maids gown and exchanged it with her sleeping attire..

 

“ Lessons Learned Luv!” I whispered with devious intent, taking on my character for tomorrow .

 

“ Never trust a thief , and don’t ever turn your pretty back to one!”

  

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

Gilligan’s Island,

Season 3

The Kidnapper with Don Rickles

 

By Monkey Bird

FIAC Hors les Murs (Paris, 10/2014)

 

Monkey Bird Crew developed out of the association of 2 Young artists, Temor and The Blow. The Monkey Bird Crew has the original ambition of restoring spectres of an animal of the Anonymous walls of the metropolises, wich engulf them with their unquestioning supremacy. Interrogating the notions of freedom and inacceccible private property, theirillegal interventions murmur an Anonymous philosophy via monumental images. Fuelling their inspiration with etchings, signs, and cosmopolitain calligraphies, The Monkey Bird Crew seeks a universal dialect filled with methodical lines and redundant symbols.

Gang-gang Cockatoo (male)

Callocephalon fimbriatum

 

May 8th, 2010

Croydon, Victoria, Australia

 

Olympus E620

Olympus 70-300mm f4-5.6 Zuiko ED lens

 

One of my very first images of a wild bird, taken in the front yard of a property on a busy suburban highway. A small flock of these beautiful Gang-gang Cockatoos were busy feeding on these Cottoneaster berries, methodically breaking open each berry to retrieve the seed inside.

Outside of my comfort zone. Photographing people and events isn't my forte'. I am mainly into the slow and methodical landscape photos. Living close to DC my wife and I sometimes like to go downtown and witness history. We wanted to see the happenings around the White House. This is the day after the media announced Biden the winner. This isn't meant to be a political statement, just a moment in time.

Tides in Alaska are frequently in excess of 19 feet leaving large portions of the inlet coast open for clamming by natives. A native takes advantage of the low tide digging and consuming mollusks at a methodical pace. For these bears it’s dinner with a view of wild and open country that is remains relatively pristine. #BrownBears

 

She was methodical in her approach to the field she was hunting in and made walked the same general pattern several times.

Viewed from the other side of the Main (river).

 

"Karlstadt is a town in the Main-Spessart in the Regierungsbezirk of Lower Franconia (Unterfranken) in Bavaria, Germany. It is the administrative centre of Main-Spessart (Kreisstadt), and has a population of around 15,000.

 

Karlstadt lies on the River Main in the district (Landkreis) of Main-Spessart, roughly 25 km north of the city of Würzburg. It belongs to the Main-Franconian wine-growing region. The town itself is located on the right bank of the river, but the municipal territory extends to the left bank.

 

Since the amalgamations in 1978, Karlstadt's Stadtteile have been Gambach, Heßlar, Karlburg, Karlstadt, Laudenbach, Mühlbach, Rohrbach, Stadelhofen, Stetten, and Wiesenfeld.

 

From the late 6th to the mid-13th century, the settlement of Karlburg with its monastery and harbor was located on the west bank of the Main. It grew up around the Karlsburg, a castle perched high over the community, that was destroyed in the German Peasants' War in 1525.

 

In 1202, Karlstadt itself was founded by Konrad von Querfurt, Bishop of Würzburg. The town was methodically laid out with a nearly rectangular plan to defend Würzburg territory against the Counts of Rieneck. The plan is still well preserved today. The streets in the old town are laid out much like a chessboard, but for military reasons they are not quite straight.

 

In 1225, Karlstadt had its first documentary mention. In 1236, the castle and the village of Karlburg were destroyed in the Rieneck Feud. In 1244, winegrowing in Karlstadt was mentioned for the first time. From 1277 comes the earliest evidence of the town seal. In 1304, the town fortifications were finished. The parish of Karlstadt was first named in 1339. In 1369 a hospital was founded. Between 1370 and 1515, remodelling work was being done on the first, Romanesque parish church to turn it into a Gothic hall church. About 1400, Karlstadt became for a short time the seat of an episcopal mint. The former Oberamt of the Princely Electorate (Hochstift) of Würzburg was, after Secularization, in Bavaria's favour, passed in 1805 to Grand Duke Ferdinando III of Tuscany to form the Grand Duchy of Würzburg, and passed with this to the Kingdom of Bavaria.

 

The Jewish residents of the town had a synagogue as early as the Middle Ages. The town's synagogue was destroyed on Kristallnacht (the Night of Broken Glass, 9 November 1938) by Nazi SA men, SS, and Hitler Youth, as well as other local residents. Its destruction is recalled by a plaque at the synagogue's former site. The homes of Jewish residents were attacked as well, the possessions therein were looted or brought to the square in front of the town hall where they were burned, and the Jews living in the town were beaten.

 

Lower Franconia (German: Unterfranken) is one of seven districts of Bavaria, Germany. The districts of Lower, Middle and Upper Franconia make up the region of Franconia. It consists of nine districts and 308 municipalities (including three cities).

 

After the founding of the Kingdom of Bavaria the state was totally reorganised and, in 1808, divided into 15 administrative government regions (German: Regierungsbezirke, singular Regierungsbezirk), in Bavaria called Kreise (singular: Kreis). They were created in the fashion of the French departements, quite even in size and population, and named after their main rivers.

 

In the following years, due to territorial changes (e. g. loss of Tyrol, addition of the Palatinate), the number of Kreise was reduced to 8. One of these was the Untermainkreis (Lower Main District). In 1837 king Ludwig I of Bavaria renamed the Kreise after historical territorial names and tribes of the area. This also involved some border changes or territorial swaps. Thus the name Untermainkreis changed to Lower Franconia and Aschaffenburg, but the city name was dropped in the middle of the 20th century, leaving just Lower Franconia.

 

From 1933, the regional Nazi Gauleiter, Otto Hellmuth, (who had renamed his party Gau "Mainfranken") insisted on renaming the government district Mainfranken as well. He encountered resistance from Bavarian state authorities but finally succeeded in having the name of the district changed, effective 1 June 1938. After 1945 the name Unterfranken was restored.

 

Franconia (German: Franken, pronounced [ˈfʁaŋkŋ̍]; Franconian: Franggn [ˈfrɑŋɡŋ̍]; Bavarian: Frankn) is a region of Germany, characterised by its culture and Franconian dialect (German: Fränkisch).

 

Franconia is made up of the three Regierungsbezirke of Lower, Middle and Upper Franconia in Bavaria, the adjacent, Franconian-speaking, South Thuringia, south of the Thuringian Forest—which constitutes the language boundary between Franconian and Thuringian— and the eastern parts of Heilbronn-Franconia in Baden-Württemberg.

 

Those parts of the Vogtland lying in Saxony (largest city: Plauen) are sometimes regarded as Franconian as well, because the Vogtlandian dialects are mostly East Franconian. The inhabitants of Saxon Vogtland, however, mostly do not consider themselves as Franconian. On the other hand, the inhabitants of the Hessian-speaking parts of Lower Franconia west of the Spessart (largest city: Aschaffenburg) do consider themselves as Franconian, although not speaking the dialect. Heilbronn-Franconia's largest city of Heilbronn and its surrounding areas are South Franconian-speaking, and therefore only sometimes regarded as Franconian. In Hesse, the east of the Fulda District is Franconian-speaking, and parts of the Oden Forest District are sometimes regarded as Franconian for historical reasons, but a Franconian identity did not develop there.

 

Franconia's largest city and unofficial capital is Nuremberg, which is contiguous with Erlangen and Fürth, with which it forms the Franconian conurbation with around 1.3 million inhabitants. Other important Franconian cities are Würzburg, Bamberg, Bayreuth, Ansbach and Coburg in Bavaria, Suhl and Meiningen in Thuringia, and Schwäbisch Hall in Baden-Württemberg.

 

The German word Franken—Franconians—also refers to the ethnic group, which is mainly to be found in this region. They are to be distinguished from the Germanic people of the Franks, and historically formed their easternmost settlement area. The origins of Franconia lie in the settlement of the Franks from the 6th century in the area probably populated until then mainly by the Elbe Germanic people in the Main river area, known from the 9th century as East Francia (Francia Orientalis). In the Middle Ages the region formed much of the eastern part of the Duchy of Franconia and, from 1500, the Franconian Circle. The restructuring of the south German states by Napoleon, after the demise of the Holy Roman Empire, saw most of Franconia awarded to Bavaria." - info from Wikipedia.

 

Summer 2019 I did a solo cycling tour across Europe through 12 countries over the course of 3 months. I began my adventure in Edinburgh, Scotland and finished in Florence, Italy cycling 8,816 km. During my trip I took 47,000 photos.

 

Now on Instagram.

 

Become a patron to my photography on Patreon or donate.

Chapter 7

The Daring Kind

 

She must have been able to read the discomfort in his eyes, assuming her actions had left her lover speechless.

She appeared happy to accept that for an answer and backed away, still smiling smugly, towards the staircase.

 

The diamond dangling from the coronet was still flashing its Morse code-like flickers, tapping the message to him that signalled, come get me!

 

Happily, she tapped his cheek, then turned and disappeared back around the corner with a swish of her gown, trilled affectionately to ‘Gaston” as she did…

 

“A most welcome home darling Gaston!”

 

He then heard her say merrily from her hiding spot...

 

“You have till the count of 25 luv , so get a move on”.

 

He stood there, jaw opened wide beneath his mask, his eyes had watched as her gown had wispily whipped around the corner behind her, whilst listening as she was giggling quite excitedly to herself at her cleverness!

 

He just didn't know what to think.

 

So of course, He obediently followed her directions.

 

“Bloody “ell” he muttered, thinking, had he just had fallen into a cat thief’s wildest dream!

 

He opened the door to the green satin wrapped damsel’s bedroom, and pulling out his torch, lit its pencil-thin beam.

 

Wishing only now that only the real Gaston didn’t decide to show his mug and spoil all the fun!

 

Once Inside, the torchlight quickly found her oak jewel case on the mantel of an old stained oaken dresser.

 

The high case matched the dresser and drawers below it perfectly, and it appeared that it was all uniquely Chippendale!

 

It sat across from a matching four-poster, with a sea blue satin coverlet and matching silken sheets.

 

“Nice of her to point out where her jewels are kept!” He thanked the clueless girl!

 

He swiftly went over and began opening the many drawers of the jewellery case, or jewellery coffin as some would churlishly call it!

 

The thin light of his torch lit up a sinfully copious display of jewels, note quite as valuable as the ones discovered in the master bedroom, but it was a damn close race all the same!

 

He happily began pulling out the drawers and sliding the prettily flickering contents into an already bulging case.

 

Rudely discarding the empty drawers unceremoniously upon the floor.

 

The lady he hoped, would appreciate the dedicated “realism “that this’ Gaston’ of her’s was going to put into her play, and he was just the person to make it realistic!

He reckoned this with a rather nefarious smile spreading upon the bearded face, covered by its thin black mask.

 

At that precise moment, he heard the door creak slowly open….

 

She was coming in quietly, and soon the lady proved her mettle to be quite the actress!

 

He heard her gasp behind him as he continued on his work!

 

“ No, not my jewels, Do anything to me but don’t take my family jewels!”

 

He turned around to face the damsel, holding the pearl filled final drawer in his thin black-gloved hand.

 

She stood there with her left hand to her mouth, while her right ringed gloved fingers played with her necklace. The diamonds flickered quite as she held it up!

 

She then teased, delighted at his captured attention! …

 

“You want these, do you not Mister Burglar, I can see it in your eyes!”

 

Looking upon her, he tipped the drawer full of pearls into the black bag, then dropping it empty onto the pile strewn about at his feet.

 

Then he eagerly, purposefully, moved towards her, lustfully eyeing the pretty victim’s savoury jewels.

 

She shivered as if she read his mind, that he would take her jewels and flee into the night with them.

 

But she was not ready to have him do that, so she commanded him in a softly brisk tone…

 

“Not yet!”

 

Putting up a nicely ringed finger to indicate he should come no further!

 

Surprisingly to himself, for he had no real reason to listen, he obediently stopped in his tracks to await her next command.

 

As it turned out, he was soon very glad he had done so!

 

Then he eagerly, purposefully, moved towards her, lustfully eyeing the pretty victim’s savoury jewels.

 

She shivered as if she read his mind, that he would take her jewels and flee into the night with them.

 

But she was not ready to have him do that, so she commanded him in a softly brisk tone…

 

“Not yet!”

 

Putting up a nicely ringed finger to indicate he should come no further!

 

Surprisingly to himself, for he had no real reason to listen, he obediently stopped in his tracks to await her next command.

 

As it turned out, he was soon very glad he had done so!

 

^^^^^^^^^^^^

Chapter 8

One must be Methodical

 

Dropping her hand, she questioned him…

“What have you forgotten to do, my dear thief?”

He stood still, hoping she would just obligingly tell him what to do next.

She happily did so...

“My closet! Gaston your always forgetting any good burglar worth his salt checks a damsel’s closet for brooches and such left on by ladies far too lazy to remove them from one's party frocks. I swear Gaston You would make a horrible burglar in real life. You would positively starve if it were not for being directed by someone like me!”

She chortled at her wit.

He just smiled, thanking her inwardly for being ever so much a big help to her poor Darling ‘Gaston’!

He turned to his right and headed straight to the closet, curious as to what he was expected to find inside?

Opening the door, a long floor length mirror was revealed, allowing one to see into the interior of the bedroom behind him.

Including the reflection of his most helpful victim as she stood there in all her jewelled and tight-fitting emerald satin attired glory!

She keenly watching his progress with an eager interest, as he stole a look at her reflection, muttering happily to himself…

“Best get this over with quickly, then attend to the lady and her finery!”

He turned to look back inside, and was met with a designer like an assortment of colourful dresses, gowns, and other fancy attire!

A quite nice, if not downright beguiling, display of soft velvets, slinky silks, sleek satins, frilled lace, and shiny leather.

He quickly began his task at hand, letting his thinly gloved fingers feel through the wonderfully sleek fabrics for anything hard and metallic.

On one velvet number he felt something like a necklace around its top, he pulled it out, but disappointedly it was a rhinestone collared frock.

He tossed it onto the bed and resumed his search as she could be heard softly giggling behind him...

“Nope, nothing on that one, but don’t quit just yet!

He stole a glance at her from the mirror, then he turned back into working the closet.

The glance revealed that his ‘mentor’ was watching him eagerly, her whole being quivering in anticipation head down to spiky heeled foot!

He fingered a satiny white ruffled blouse, he decided he had better keep tabs on this one, still not sure what exactly her game was all on about?

He muttered to himself…

“They were her jewels after all, weren’t they? Indeed, rather valuable for mere playthings!”

There had to be something inside here!

He thought as he let drop the satin blouse and plunged his gloved hands inside again and felt around.

This time he was rewarded by feeling a slight prick of something solid and sharp.

He pulled out a luxuriously long black satin number and saw it had two ruby clips attached to its bodice.

He held it up to the mirror so she could see.

she clapped gleefully, watching him pull free the ruby clips from the evening gown and casually flipped them into his bag on the floor.

“Well done Gaston!”

He looked up at her, as the slinky black gown was indifferently added to the growing pile on her bed.

He could see by her reflection that she was excitedly eating it up.

Then she suddenly resumed back into her character of being the hapless victim.

And began to miserably plead…

“Please mister burglar don't take everything of mine! I am sure there is nothing more inside!”

He smiled, wondering how she would react when she eventually found out that indeed, she was a hapless victim of her game!?

Turning his attention once again to her closet he moved aside the hangers, revealing a set of shelves set in the back that contained a nice selection of sensible shoes, wedged pumps, glossy spiked heels and designer style purses.

One purse caught his ever-appraising eyes, a small gold clutch with what looked like (and probably was) a diamonded clasp!

He pulled it out and tossed the expensive bugger into the bag.

“Oui , Good eye Gaston! It's almost like you were a real thief.”

She gurgled this, shivering in delight, as her earrings and necklace flickered along with her figure, like uncontrollable wildfires.

He watched the enticing show from her reflection in the handy door length mirror.

Then he turned back to the closet.

For, as he was moving the dresses over to look into the shelves, his eye had caught sight of a black leather jacket with a belt studded by what must have been a thousand rhinestones.

He now pulled it out and searched its pockets, mainly to tease her a bit further, for he imagined that “Gaston” would do such a thing!

So, he was utterly surprised when his gloved fingertips felt something cold and a bit weighty in a side pocket!

He slipped it out and found he was holding a solid gold cigarette case, which he added to the ever-growing collection in his bag!

His “Mentor” trilled as he did so, exclaiming with happy surprise...

“I had wondered where that had gotten off to luv! The matching lighter should be there too!”

He reached back in, and there it was, as well as a small ivory and ebony gold ringed cigarette holder.

Both of which quickly joined their companion in the now bulging bag.

He then pulled off the shimmery belt.

Even with rhinestones, it was worth a pretty penny he reasoned.

As started to pitch it into the case, he heard the Lady helpfully exclaim in the background, a good idea she said excitedly.

“Save that for when you tie me up to take my jewels!”

Shaking his head, why not? he tossed the belt to the helpful lass’s feet…

Thinking he was quite finished with the closet as he held the leather jacket, he for no rhyme or reason, took the time to hang it back up rather than adding it to the pile on the bed.

But It was as he did so that something, a most decidedly not rhinestone something, flashed in the dim lights in the gap that had been made where the leather jacket had hung!

 

He eagerly reached in and pulled out a lovely long brown, silky soft, liquidly appearing gown.

Holding it up triumphantly, he looked down at the dazzling sparkles of a magnificent gem-encrusted brooch that was suspended from the gown’s wide centre waistline.

“Good show Gaston!”

She exclaimed in the background.

His eyes left the brooch and looked into the mirror at her.

She was clapping, rings and bracelets, earrings and Coronet, the whole lot, erupting into a million pinpricks of fire as she did so!

He felt his manhood rising precariously as he looked her over, feeling the effect, even from this distance, her primitively carnal arousal!

She eagerly continued, spilling her emotions into her words!

“Mon Mari, I was going to tease you later if you were to ‘ave missed that one, and I was sure you were going to!”

“Tsk!” he said to himself. wonder what the teasing part would have entailed!

At the same time his mind was picturing this, he automatically, without taking his eyes off the mirror, pulled off the brooch and nonchalantly pocketing the breathtakingly pretty jewel before throwing the scintillatingly downy soft feeling soft gown onto the shiny pile already laying strewn about the bed.

It flashed through his mind that the fancy dresses strewn about could have been the striplings from that many jewel encrusted maidens, like this one, and what a delightful haul that would have been to carry out!

Savouring those thoughts, he turned once again to focus his attention, on the rather all too helpful Miss, his eyes traveling unabashedly up and down her figure.

Time was a-wasting!

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

Chapter 9

Wasting Time?

 

He eagerly started to move towards her...

“Almost!”

She said with a giggle, her flashily ringed finger raised again, stopping him as he had started to move towards her as she admonished him…

“Not quite yet! You forgot the most important part of burgling a lady’s chamber! “

Again, he stood staring, not quite knowing what the devil this peculiarly eager to be robbed damsel in distress was going on about now!?

But quite recent experience told him it should be to his thieving benefit to take more precious time and hear her out!

So, he stood questioningly waited to hear what the most important part was?

Which she then, quite helpfully, spelled it all out to him…

“You didn't check the lingerie drawer, Gaston! Any real burglar would have done so!”

He observed her winking at him …

“Come along Gaston l, get into your role my darling…!”

He looked at her, smirking to himself…

“Indeed, lady, I will!”

Curiously He turned and looked down upon the drawer in the stand next to her bed.

“No silly, still in the drawer beneath my now pilfered jewel case!”

She was looking down mischievously at the Drawers set in the ancient oak antique Chippendale dresser.

He turned, hesitating…

Should dear Gaston know which one it was?

He decided to just start at the top and began opening them one by one and pray he did not invoke her to start having any doubts as to his true nature!

He went over and started to pull open the top drawer.

She could be heard giggling in the background…

“Moved it on you didn’t I from the last time!? “

Her most welcomed words relived a bit of his anxiety, the gig was still not up, she still hadn’t guessed that he was the real thing, and not some love lost Beau sadly burdened with the moniker of Gaston, of all things!

“Ahh, there you go my darling!”

She said as he opened the next…

The drawer was found to contain, as promised, piles of wispy thin satin and silks, in all colours of a shimmering rainbow! Curious as to what further riches he was meant to find, he greedily swirled the expensive lingerie about, soon finding a pile of glistening silver all carefully laid out on one side.

A silver brush comb and matching mirror, all studded with jewelled handles, and a pair of silver handcuffs!

He lifted the jewelled vanity pieces...

He had once drooled over a similar set discovered in a museum's case!

“Oops, she giggled, forgot those were there, just leave ‘em luv!”

But he continued to place them into the case at his feet and was surprised when she did not protest.

Instead, she said reasonably…

“But of course, they are jewelled, just be careful with ‘em please my darling?”

Buy then he was already curiously looking inside, lifting the handcuffs…

He heard his victim give out a hoarse moan behind him!

The handcuffs and keys he lifted and threw on the satin comforter of the bed, wondering how many times she and her Gaston had put them to use?

He picked up the now quite hefty leather pouch and looked over at his smirking victim.

“Come mister thief!”

She instructed lustfully …

“Finally time to do your worst!”

“With pleasure” he murmured to himself, studying most hypnotic swaying of her long jewelled earrings…

“To all my just gratification, Madam!”

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

Chapter 10

Lusting Gratification

 

He came over from the fancy oak dresser and finally stood before her.

The lady’s head came up to his chin, her pretty face looking up with innocence, into his.

She was smiling most provocatively, one hand still holding the clasp of her cloak, the other resting upon the shimmery brooch pinned onto the cloak over her right breast.

He, for no real reason, found himself wondering if the broach’s placement meant she was left-handed.

“Okay mister burglar, take me broach, I see your eye’ in it!”

For the first time, but not the last, he almost felt sorry for the show that poor Gaston was missing out on, but glad deep down that he, on the other hand, was not!

He reached down and pried her fingers from the brooch, and as he unpinned the precious jewel, she pushed against him so his fingers brushed against a rather perked, notably heaving breast.

Obligingly he allowed his fingers free reign to fondle her tits!

With a deep sigh, she listlessly allowed both her hands to fall to her sides as she leaned into him, her eyes turned upward gazing lustfully at him with her imploring hazel green eyes.

Huskily she murmured…

“That’s it, not too quickly now…”

He unsteadily managed to unfasten the broach, his fingers a bit encumbered by the game she was playing with her body as she leaned in against him.

Pulling it off, his fingers brushing her soft figure, he let the broach plop into the pouch at his feet…

He then reached up and undid the jewelled clasp of her long green satin cape, exposing is silvery lining… and finally revealing the playful lady’s gown as it lay in full glory down along her enticingly Horney diminutive figure!

As well as revealing her remaining ornaments, in all their exquisite glimmering glory!

Tongue-tied in awe; he watched the cape slither down from her arms.

She looked up into his face, lustful eyes sparkling with delight at his unbridled rapture at seeing her...

Though not for a second realizing quite what it was about her that had captured his total drooling interest!

“Cat ‘ave your tongue there laddie?”

She purred, her hazel eyes opening doe wide, offering no quarter as to their needful meaning.

He just let his eyes travel up and down the now fully exposed figure, quickly taking it all in.

He thought with satisfaction …

“The only thing that had more shine than those doe-like eyes were the diamonds that fell ever so dripping, ever so invitingly, from alluring points along down her scintillating figure!”

Her green satin gown was fitted to show off every delightful curve of her figure.

The bodice was not decorated by rhinestones or anything else that would have taken away one’s eyes from the jewels the wearer was sporting.

Those jewels consisted of a brooch equally as magnificent as the one he had plucked from the brown satin gown found hanging in her closet.

Besides, now could be viewed her long wide necklace dripping down to just above her visibly heaving breasts. The fine piece was set with blazing diamonds, smaller round ones surrounding a steady stream of larger egg-shaped ones that matched the one that hung from her forehead.

She smiled at his amazement.

“Gaston, you almost act as you have never seen these before!”

She scolded, while playfully lifted the necklace, letting it flow charmingly through her emerald green satin gloved fingers.

“Or are you really getting into robbing me, you naughty man!”

She let her other hand playfully pat the side of his mask.

For a second, he thought she was going to pull it up to kiss him, thus spoiling the game.

So, he quickly grabbed her by the wrists under the pretense of studying her rings and bracelets, thus successfully diverting her mind away from the thought.

“Ahh mister burglar, you want my pretties, I can tell, do you desire them more them Moi? One can imagine that you do! Quickly now, put yonder chair to use and ensure sure your victim cannot slip away whilst you wrestle the jewels from her very body!”

Liking this game more and more, he quickly fetched over the chair she was indicating.

Happy to oblige, it would make things far easier at the end he thought to himself with a dash of relief!

The chair was another sturdy Chippendale, Victorian-era straight-backed. Its' position, reflection in the closet door he had left open, would allow them both to watch from all angles. Dear Romeo ‘Gaston’ could not have planned it better!

He sat it down behind her and she started to sit.

He grabbed her by the wrists, keeping her upright. He looked into her wide-open eyes, yet she was the one smirking like the cat eyeing the canary in its cage!

“Good Lord he thought wryly. What did you get yourself into mate?”

she asked him sweetly, honey dripping with each syllable.

“What do you have in mind for your victim?”

He briskly turned her around and began to unzip her gown, feeling its slick material, quite luscious even under the thin gloves he wore.

“Good show Gaston!

she chirped in approval…

“Make your victim feel vulnerable!”

She kicked off the gown and it fell in a pile on the carpet, with the brooch on top, sparkling like a lighthouse on top of an Irish island of shimmering green. She was looking up at him, clad only in a scant mint coloured silken slip that hung delightfully tight against her now quite overly perked figure.

She stooped down giving him a purposely good view of her ‘fin arrière’, tightly outlined by her silken thin slip. She reached down and retrieved her cape, covering the cold oak back of the high-backed chair with it and slipped onto it, too fast for him to react.

“Damn! He had planned to nick that pretty cape with its expensively wrought clasp as well!”

“But he reasoned, all is fair in love, games, and theft!”

He went over and undid the satin sash of her green gown, eyeing the brooch, but not taking it...

“Not yet my pretty!”

He said to himself with promise, as he slipped the sash off.

He turned back around, again she was still smirking like the cat that had now caught the canary, though this time it looked like she had bloody thing in her mouth. He looked down at her gloved hands, the bracelets were there, but judging by her now bare fingers, it was not a canary she had sucked into her mouth.

Without letting on to her mischievous game, he went behind her and she quite helpfully placed her gloved hands behind the chair, her fingers beckoning, trying to get him to notice her missing rings. But he had other ideas for that part of her game…

And it did not involve Gaston snogging ‘er to get at em!

He employed the sash by tying her waist to the chair.

He could feel her shiver deliciously from her head to toe, squirming playfully in the chair.

Then in her throes of passion, she almost slipped off the chair, made slicker by the cape upon which she perched, sitting in an equally slippery slip, and he had to catch her and pull her back, feeling her shiver pleasurably as he held her.

Her dangling earrings were flickering like mad throughout the show, beckoning quite invitingly in his face as he was kneeling, causing him to shiver in much the same manner as her.

He then rose and going to the bed picked up the set of the handcuffs. Going back, he held her eyes steady with his, as she tried to come across as if she was imploring him not to do it, the rings hidden in her mouth preventing her to speak out!

As he approached, she kicked off both of her emerald rhinestones covered spiked heels, playfully missing him.

He smiled at her mischievously, going around and handcuffing her wrists together as she squirmed!

Then he came back around, and bent down in front of her, his hand reaching back and snatching up the rhinestone belt from her leather jacket.

He reached down, and taking an ankle in turn, strapped them both securely together!

She was not going anywhere without dragging the chair with her!

He had kept the keys on the bed, she could reach there to undo herself, but he was planning to be long gone before she would manage to accomplished that feat!

She was now ready, bound up the way she was, to be mercilessly stripped of the rest of her jewels!

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

Chapter 11

The Subtle Touch

 

He went down behind her and she arched back in an attempt to watch what he was up to!

He looked over at their figures image in the mirror, her coronet, necklace, and earrings vividly sparkling in the reflection, like fire on a distant mountain he thought drooling with anticipation…….

He methodically decided to start with her Bracelets….

Holding her left wrist with his left hand, he let his right-hand travel up her squirming figure till he reaches her breast. Cupping it he began to with a slipping motion, massage it through her thin satiny slip.

She curled her figure against her bindings, closed her eyes, and began to whimper and moan lustily, opening her mouth just enough to keep her rings hidden inside!

As his right hand subtly pleaded her breasts, his left hand travelled down to a cuffed diamond bracelet. He began rubbing it up and down her gloved wrist in sync with his right hand, eventually worked it open and slipped it off from around her wrist, tossing it neatly into his pouch.

He repeated the performance on her right wrist as she continued moaning in total satisfaction.

If she noticed her twin bracelets were being removed in the process of having her breasts massaged, she did not appear to care.

Then, playing along with the lady’s game, he fruitlessly felt for her rings, hearing her muffled giggles above him as she squirmed.

“Mmmm,” she said, through gritted teeth not being able to open her mouth due to her rings.

He could see that what she was unable to voice, it was readable in her expression, reflected from the handy mirror!

Then he moved his hands, grasping her by the silken sides of her slip, and began to tickle her mercilessly, she started to uncontrollably giggle, then stated to sputter, finally letting loose with a gasping laugh!

This sent the three sparkling rings she had been holding inside her mouth, spinning out and plopping onto the green silk of her lap, where they slithered down between her knees!

“Dirty Play, Gaston!”

She admonished, snapping her legs closed to hide the rings, tears in her eyes as she laughed out her words…

“That wasn’t how… !

He hushed up her words by quickly plunging his gloved fingers down inside her slip, grasping and kneading her breasts in unison

Her whole being tingling with the exquisite pleasure, made her forget entirely how she had wanted him to play the game with her rings!

But he was now entirely in control of the situation, and she felt her whole figure limply wilt under his command!

He left his right hand inserted down her slip to carry on with the task, subtly extracting his left to then run fingers through her long blonde, luxurious feeling hair, pulling it back behind her head, where it hung down in a gold coloured silken mass!

Figuring if he did, she would lean right back to look up at him!

Which is exactly what she did, playing right into his trick!

Her eyes, though, were still tightly shut, as her focus went off to some erotic location, as she was reeling in the vivid pleasures of her game.

Her green satin gloved fingers tried to adjust her bonds so she could reach back out behind her, and he knew for what and responded appropriately by rising so she could reach her objective.

Then it became his turn to be the one moaning softly through gritted teeth…

He silently thought, while groaning inwardly…

“Easy on the family jewels there, missy!”

“Oh, My Darling Gaston!”

she responded, apparently, hopefully, waiting for a response.

He gave her one, though not verbally…

He leaned against the backside of the chair, getting as close to her as he could!

She began to grope quite furiously and he thought of a monkey he had seen once in the city zoo doing one such number on a banana.

He was also finding it increasingly difficult to keep his mind on the task at hand.

So, he pulled away from her grasp a little, allowing her fingers the barest of touch!

He then gently pulled back her blonde hair, and quickly started caressing her now sweating earlobes, taking advantage of where this lady’s reeling mind was otherwise occupied!

Slowly, carefully stroking up and off, he pulled out the gold hooks attached to her sparkling earrings from each pierced ear.

Freeing both of her lovely long earrings in turn and letting them drop, glimmering into his leather pouch!

He kept on caressing, deeply thrusting his right hand in and along her breasts for several minutes taking precious time with the task as to keep her mind away from what he was accomplishing from behind her trussed up back.

Meanwhile, his left hand moved up into a new position.

Her entire being was squirming, so enraptured and enthralled, that she never even felt him picking up the ends of the thin coronet: lifting oh so carefully, each end of shiny gold braided ends that were woven into her hair, and began gently lifting out each one free!

As he pulled it delicately away, she did not even miss the egg-shaped diamond as it stopped brushing against her sweat glistened brow!

Once he had freed the shimmering piece, he eagerly lifted to admire it!

She broke his trance by purring, opening her eyes as he quickly hid the jewelled coronet!

“Well, my Gaston! I can feel you desire me again, my darling! It has been quite a long time for you also!”

But though she may have felt that something growing between her captor’s legs, she had no inkling that he had been busy lifting her pricey jewelled headpiece!

Nor did she now hear it being dropped in the pouch at her foot!

So, oblivious that her earrings and coronet were gone, the bound, satin slip clad lady, quite seductively began murmuring these words as her fingers continued their gentle free play between his legs.

“You want me don’t you luv!”

She asked this seductively, wistfully as her eyes opened wide and looking up into his, catching him hovering over her, his eyes from the slits in his hood, looking down upon her.

He had stopped fondling her breasts with his right hand and placing that hand on her shoulder was looking down upon her with lust-filled eyes!

But she was entirely misreading the object of his also lustful gaze…

She again closed her eyes with a heavy sigh!

As his eyes went to what he now really wanted from her!

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

Chapter 12

The Fondling Theft

 

He smiled as he looked down upon her throat, watching the diamond and emerald necklace moving up and down in conjunction with her heavy breathing!

 

For the small fortune in diamonds, dribbling nicely down as her throat was arching back in her ecstasy, was sending a rippling cascading fire of colour from its’ gemstones!

 

This was, for the most part, the blame for a stiffly obvious condition of his John Thomas!

 

“Kiss me, Gaston!”

 

The enraptured miss cried out yearningly at that point.

 

In her bliss, his victim moved open her knees ever so slightly, uncovering several small glittering objects!

 

The rings! He had almost forgotten all about them!

 

Seizing the moment, his hand had delved down, then up in between her legs!

 

He pried open wider her legs, finding no resistance atoll.

 

He then obliged her sweet fantasy

 

As her thoughts of being kissed vanished into the aire in a fit of convulsive ecstasy.

 

She screeched, her whole figure thrashing against her bindings as the intensity of sparking feeling erupted from the sensitive area he had invaded!

 

He reached into her lap, his fingers plunging in against her silken slip, scooping the rings inside, inserting two fingers, pushing inside a portion of her slip with the bundle of 3 rings, deep up within her vagina!

 

Her whole being exploded into enveloping, exquisitely painful jolts of pleasure as her long waiting orgasm took full effect.

 

He had ardently moved against her and he felt her fingers curling around his manhood, he pulled away quickly before she could cause him some pain from a reflecting grasp!

 

“Gaston,!” she screamed her eyes closed shut tight in pulsating ecstasy!

 

He had begun groping about inside her vagina, searching inside the slip he had pushed up for the rings that were laying somewhere there, unseen!

 

He soon found and scooped out each glittery ring one by one, pushing them deeply up and into her pulsating “Labia Majora”, before pulling them from the now damp silk and tossing them each neatly into his bag.

 

As he pulled out the last ring, along with her now wet portion of slip, she said, her voice hoarse with expectations,

 

“Sure you found everything mister burglar Gaston?”

 

He reached down and randomly pulled up her hairpiece from the top of the glistening pile in his pouch and dropped it down between her legs.

She opened her eyes, looking down

 

“When did that fall off?”

 

Forgetting her hands were bound, she had tried to feel up for her hair…

 

Like she had done with her rings, she firmly clamped her legs tightly over the jewel, extinguishing its flicker as it laid there shimmering brightly!

 

“Not part of the game, luv… I borrowed that from Lilly, silly! “

 

She giggles at her rhyme, light-headed from the lingering effects of her prickling arousal and orgasm!

 

He smirked, thinking!

 

Hmmm, where is this Lilly, and is she another one wondering about, wearing the good ‘ice’ this evening? But, back to the job at hand!

 

He bent down and tried to open her knees…

 

She resisted, struggling against her bindings as she tried to work her hands-free to stop him!

 

He hoped she was still playing her game, and not having second thoughts about it.

 

It could make things rather unpleasant!

 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

Chapter 13

Pleasant Reflections

  

But apparently, the gig was not up yet!

For an old memory had been invoked back to her conscious mind.

With this thought, she said lustily, her dry throat cracking her words…

“Ah yes, you are right my dear Gaston! Recreating that time in the film we were watching, when a thief lifted some jewels from those ladies at a party, after promising them he was reformed!”

“Yes Gaston, you remembered that game..!”

she said with a sultry gasp, before uttering one last word.

“Except …”

He froze not sure if he should follow-through, not wishing to upset any apple carts of fantasy she was expecting.

Then she went on….

“I should have told you that the Tiara was out of bounds, of course, you wouldn’t ‘ave known it was mine, being absent for so many years…!”

He looked down at her and saw that she was again watching him with some queries.

Was she having some doubts as to what game was being played?

he was curiously wondering?

He removed his hands from her leg!

She sighed happily!

“Thank you, you are a gentleman as well as a thief! Dear sir!”

He then reached up and lifted her necklace, fingering its beckoning lure.

She said nothing...

So apparently, this beauty was still in play!

it was time for the coupe de grace!

He eagerly contemplated as he eyed the magnificent necklace, the last and best piece of his victim's worn jewels.

He again grasped her breasts, fondling them through the silken slip with his right hand.

Whilst his left travelled up her slick backside, reaching the back of her throat, and her necklaces’ jewelled clasp!

Using two gloved fingers, he neatly popped open the clasp and watched as the two ends fell open and hung down over her shoulders.

Curious as to what reaction she would give,

She did not disappoint

She quivered and moaned, then, began choking out the words in quite in a seductive, huskily hoarse-voiced manner.

“Gaston, Mon Mari!”

Her eyes were glazed over, reflected in the mirror, wide open with crazed excitement!

Suddenly an epiphany of an idea enters his head

letting one ned of the necklace noticeably drag up and over her shoulder, he released his hold, with a cascading fiery slither, it fell inside between her heaving breasts.

His right hand still fondling those breasts, he felt the necklace and worked it past so it slipped further down, landing in her lap!

Her diamonded necklace had joined its jewelled mate, the forbidden fruit, the jewelled coronet!

He then did the job properly, feeling along with the outside first, then reaching inside and giving great attention to all of her sweet spots.

Finally reaching the bottom, he again located her clit and began to manipulate it!

“Oh good, lord !”

she exclaimed, pleasurably leaning forward as much as her bindings would allow

As he fondled and groped, going all out to give her already intensely aroused figure as much over stimulation as possible!

Said figure, which had been ratcheting impulsively during the entire performance, now shot straight rigid as his fingers began once again searching the area between her legs!

She let out a piercing squeal as he hit home several times.

And as she closed her eyes tightly with each plunge of his right hands’ fingers finding their mark contorting her figure into exquisite convulsions, he took the opportunity to reach in with his free left hand and grabbed the now unprotected jewels from her lap!

As he pulled her jewels free, she slumped back into the chair, her whole being exhausted from her ecstatic struggles!

He slipped the shimmering strings of diamonds, necklace, and coronet, down on top of their pilfered, glittering mates…

Quite a haul he thought as He looked at her body, eyes clamped shut, still grasping to control her pinnacle reached desires!

She never even noticed that her borrowed headpiece had also been scooped up along with her necklace as he had quickly, unobtrusively also taken it to be deposited inside his bag

He went over to the piled green gown laying on the floor.

Lifting it he carried it over to his victim.

Holding it up he watches as the dazzling brooch was reflected in her, now open, slightly glazed over, doe wide eyes.

He slipped off the jewel, mindlessly pocketing it with the other, as he laid the gown reverently out over her lap.

Her only reaction was to close her eyes and groan happily.

“Okay Gaston you win, she murmured huskily, now untie me!”

“This Gaston did win!

He thought smirking to himself as claimed the now weighty pouch from the floor!

He began to stroll briskly towards the bedroom door exit, preparing himself for when she would realize the truth and start her desperate pleading.

It didn’t take long he heard her exclaim from behind his back before reaching the door…

“Hey, Gaston ! Where do you think you are going, lad?!”

“I said game over, no didn’t I ?!

She must have been looking down, for she began to bleat on like an annoying lost lamb…

“And you give me back that Tiara, it is not supposed to have been part of the game!”

He spoke aloud for the first time, lecturing…

“It is more of a Coronet than a Tiara my sweet!”

The burglar boldly closed the door behind him, distinguishing any further comment from the now indignantly squealing young, distressed Damsel.

He retraced his steps out to the second-floor sitting room’s balcony.

Then made his exiting the way he had come.

Climbing from the ancient wrought iron fire stairs conveniently located down off the second-floor balcony!

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

  

www.chrisfrailey.com/2011/06/morning-peace/

 

Today’s post continues with our recent camping trip to Watson Lake just outside of Prescott Arizona. This trip had been on the agenda for some time since last fall as I had stumbled upon some pictures on Flickr and was shocked that this was in our AZ backyard.

 

Saturday morning I made sure I was up before sunrise. I wanted to be down at the lake well before the bright thing in the sky made its appearance. After setting my camera up I had some time to sit in the early hours of dawn and just relax. It was such a welcomed change to my everyday life which runs at light-speed. I grabbed a seat on a rock and just stared out into the lake. No real thoughts or concerns. Just taking it in one breath at a time. Serenity. Clarity. A zen moment. Pick a name, I was in it.

 

As Mr. Sun peaked above the horizon I got up and started grabbing brackets (ahh heaven). Unfortunately there were no clouds that morning so I had to settle with what I was given. No complaints. Being in the outdoors with camera in hand is always a good time.

 

For the image above, I was finally able to try out my new 10 stop filter. It was great having it due to the breeze blowing across the lake made for choppy water. One lesson I learned very quickly is working with a 10 stop filter, you don’t get in hurry. Take your time and be methodical.

"The Roman Catholic parish church of St. Andreas in Karlstadt, the district town of the Lower Franconian district of Main-Spessart in Bavaria, was built from the 14th century on the foundations of a late Romanesque basilica.

 

From the previous Romanesque building, which dates back to the time the city was founded around the year 1200, the current church contains remains of walls in the nave, as well as the former sacristy in the southern choir corner (today the baptismal chapel), the crossing and the west tower. From the middle of the 14th century, the transept and choir were built in the Gothic style. The Rieneck chapel, which opens to the northern transept and choir, was built in 1447, as evidenced by a keystone on the vault bearing this date. The nave was built around 1481 and vaulted in 1512/13. Around 1583, the Würzburg Prince-Bishop Julius Echter had the tower increased by one storey and given a new pointed helmet.

 

Over the centuries the church was redesigned several times. In 1614 it was painted in the Renaissance style by Wolfgang Ritterlein from Innsbruck. Some of these paintings are still preserved on the frames of the portals and on some windows. During the Baroque period, the church received new furnishings, which were exchanged for neo-Gothic ones at the end of the 19th century. In 1999/2000 the church was further renovated and new furnishings were created.

 

Karlstadt is a town in the Main-Spessart in the Regierungsbezirk of Lower Franconia (Unterfranken) in Bavaria, Germany. It is the administrative centre of Main-Spessart (Kreisstadt), and has a population of around 15,000.

 

Karlstadt lies on the River Main in the district (Landkreis) of Main-Spessart, roughly 25 km north of the city of Würzburg. It belongs to the Main-Franconian wine-growing region. The town itself is located on the right bank of the river, but the municipal territory extends to the left bank.

 

Since the amalgamations in 1978, Karlstadt's Stadtteile have been Gambach, Heßlar, Karlburg, Karlstadt, Laudenbach, Mühlbach, Rohrbach, Stadelhofen, Stetten, and Wiesenfeld.

 

From the late 6th to the mid-13th century, the settlement of Karlburg with its monastery and harbor was located on the west bank of the Main. It grew up around the Karlsburg, a castle perched high over the community, that was destroyed in the German Peasants' War in 1525.

 

In 1202, Karlstadt itself was founded by Konrad von Querfurt, Bishop of Würzburg. The town was methodically laid out with a nearly rectangular plan to defend Würzburg territory against the Counts of Rieneck. The plan is still well preserved today. The streets in the old town are laid out much like a chessboard, but for military reasons they are not quite straight.

 

In 1225, Karlstadt had its first documentary mention. In 1236, the castle and the village of Karlburg were destroyed in the Rieneck Feud. In 1244, winegrowing in Karlstadt was mentioned for the first time. From 1277 comes the earliest evidence of the town seal. In 1304, the town fortifications were finished. The parish of Karlstadt was first named in 1339. In 1369 a hospital was founded. Between 1370 and 1515, remodelling work was being done on the first, Romanesque parish church to turn it into a Gothic hall church. About 1400, Karlstadt became for a short time the seat of an episcopal mint. The former Oberamt of the Princely Electorate (Hochstift) of Würzburg was, after Secularization, in Bavaria's favour, passed in 1805 to Grand Duke Ferdinando III of Tuscany to form the Grand Duchy of Würzburg, and passed with this to the Kingdom of Bavaria.

 

The Jewish residents of the town had a synagogue as early as the Middle Ages. The town's synagogue was destroyed on Kristallnacht (the Night of Broken Glass, 9 November 1938) by Nazi SA men, SS, and Hitler Youth, as well as other local residents. Its destruction is recalled by a plaque at the synagogue's former site. The homes of Jewish residents were attacked as well, the possessions therein were looted or brought to the square in front of the town hall where they were burned, and the Jews living in the town were beaten.

 

Lower Franconia (German: Unterfranken) is one of seven districts of Bavaria, Germany. The districts of Lower, Middle and Upper Franconia make up the region of Franconia. It consists of nine districts and 308 municipalities (including three cities).

 

After the founding of the Kingdom of Bavaria the state was totally reorganised and, in 1808, divided into 15 administrative government regions (German: Regierungsbezirke, singular Regierungsbezirk), in Bavaria called Kreise (singular: Kreis). They were created in the fashion of the French departements, quite even in size and population, and named after their main rivers.

 

In the following years, due to territorial changes (e. g. loss of Tyrol, addition of the Palatinate), the number of Kreise was reduced to 8. One of these was the Untermainkreis (Lower Main District). In 1837 king Ludwig I of Bavaria renamed the Kreise after historical territorial names and tribes of the area. This also involved some border changes or territorial swaps. Thus the name Untermainkreis changed to Lower Franconia and Aschaffenburg, but the city name was dropped in the middle of the 20th century, leaving just Lower Franconia.

 

From 1933, the regional Nazi Gauleiter, Otto Hellmuth, (who had renamed his party Gau "Mainfranken") insisted on renaming the government district Mainfranken as well. He encountered resistance from Bavarian state authorities but finally succeeded in having the name of the district changed, effective 1 June 1938. After 1945 the name Unterfranken was restored.

 

Franconia (German: Franken, pronounced [ˈfʁaŋkŋ̍]; Franconian: Franggn [ˈfrɑŋɡŋ̍]; Bavarian: Frankn) is a region of Germany, characterised by its culture and Franconian dialect (German: Fränkisch).

 

Franconia is made up of the three Regierungsbezirke of Lower, Middle and Upper Franconia in Bavaria, the adjacent, Franconian-speaking, South Thuringia, south of the Thuringian Forest—which constitutes the language boundary between Franconian and Thuringian— and the eastern parts of Heilbronn-Franconia in Baden-Württemberg.

 

Those parts of the Vogtland lying in Saxony (largest city: Plauen) are sometimes regarded as Franconian as well, because the Vogtlandian dialects are mostly East Franconian. The inhabitants of Saxon Vogtland, however, mostly do not consider themselves as Franconian. On the other hand, the inhabitants of the Hessian-speaking parts of Lower Franconia west of the Spessart (largest city: Aschaffenburg) do consider themselves as Franconian, although not speaking the dialect. Heilbronn-Franconia's largest city of Heilbronn and its surrounding areas are South Franconian-speaking, and therefore only sometimes regarded as Franconian. In Hesse, the east of the Fulda District is Franconian-speaking, and parts of the Oden Forest District are sometimes regarded as Franconian for historical reasons, but a Franconian identity did not develop there.

 

Franconia's largest city and unofficial capital is Nuremberg, which is contiguous with Erlangen and Fürth, with which it forms the Franconian conurbation with around 1.3 million inhabitants. Other important Franconian cities are Würzburg, Bamberg, Bayreuth, Ansbach and Coburg in Bavaria, Suhl and Meiningen in Thuringia, and Schwäbisch Hall in Baden-Württemberg.

 

The German word Franken—Franconians—also refers to the ethnic group, which is mainly to be found in this region. They are to be distinguished from the Germanic people of the Franks, and historically formed their easternmost settlement area. The origins of Franconia lie in the settlement of the Franks from the 6th century in the area probably populated until then mainly by the Elbe Germanic people in the Main river area, known from the 9th century as East Francia (Francia Orientalis). In the Middle Ages the region formed much of the eastern part of the Duchy of Franconia and, from 1500, the Franconian Circle. The restructuring of the south German states by Napoleon, after the demise of the Holy Roman Empire, saw most of Franconia awarded to Bavaria." - info from Wikipedia.

 

Summer 2019 I did a solo cycling tour across Europe through 12 countries over the course of 3 months. I began my adventure in Edinburgh, Scotland and finished in Florence, Italy cycling 8,816 km. During my trip I took 47,000 photos.

 

Now on Instagram.

 

Become a patron to my photography on Patreon or donate.

Anemic Literary Games,When Chess Isn't Enough.

 

Potest esse pure forma, quae secundum numerum intelligentiarum potentia in sensu spirituali,

Des âmes individuées subsistantes définies composées de raisons philosophe répondu simplicité,

Önemli operasyonlar yorum siparişleri erdemli görüşlere ilişkin sefil faylar seçkin,

συνήθης ισχύς τελειοποιήσει τις σφαίρες των θρησκειών της ισότητας των φωτισμένων εντυπώσεις παρασκευαστική κατανοητή μορφές,

fantasierijke proeve van bekwaamheid af te wijzen cognitieve begrip speculatieve posities vergankelijk intellecten,

법을 두려워하는 법안을 구성하는 법원 특유의 변형은 학문적 규칙을 제출했습니다.,

sláine coiriúil laborious file cumadóir knowledged pianta methodically sólás journeyman neamhspleách,

объявляет революционный восхваление мятежный декламация светящегося сумеречного наводнения экстравагантная теория в,

慎重な強調眠るトリック幼稚な物語残酷な霧の退職幻想的な認可された休息.

Steve.D.Hammond.

Shot in bright sunlight, it looks like noon. Straight down shadows, undesirable for today's photography but essential for shots in 1873 with individual glass plates. By Eadward J. Muybridge, famous for his motion studies. An innovative photographer of historic note.

 

At age 20, Muybridge emigrated to America as a bookseller, first to New York, and then to San Francisco. Planning a return trip to Europe in 1860, he suffered serious head injuries in a stagecoach crash in Texas. He spent the next few years recuperating in England, where he took up professional photography, learning the wet-plate collodion process, and secured at least two British patents for his inventions. He went back to San Francisco in 1867. In 1868 he exhibited large photographs of Yosemite Valley, which made him world-famous.

 

In 1871 Muybridge shot and killed Major Harry Larkyns, his wife's lover, but was acquitted in a jury trial on the grounds of justifiable homicide. In 1872 he travelled for more than a year in Central America on a photographic expedition.

 

__________________________________________

CITY AND COUNTY OFFICIAL PAPER.

THURSDAY OCT. 22, 1871.

 

A STARTLING TRAGEDY.

 

Chevalier Harry Larkyns Shot Dead by Edward J. Muybridge, the Photographer- The Sequel to a Scandalous Intrigue. From the S.F. Bulletin, October 19th

 

Considerable sensation was created In the city yesterday morning by the receipt of intelligence from Calistoga of the deliberate killing of Major Harry Larkyns of this city, by Edward J. Muybridge, the well known photographer. The cause leading to the act of murder was the discovery of convincing proof by Muybridge of the infidelity of his wife with Larkyns, and immediately thereupon he set out to avenge his wrongs, leaving the city in pursuit of Larkyns on Saturday, knowing him to be in the vicinity of Calistoga, engaged In preparing maps of the mines in that locality. He reached Calistoga at 8 o'clock in the evening, and without stopping for food or rest he went in search of his intended victim with a horse and buggy. Larkyns had returned from Pine Flat on Saturday evening and stopped at the Yellow Jacket mine, eleven miles from Calistoga, intending to pass the night there.

 

THE TRAGEDY Thither

 

Muybridge traced him, and reaching the spot at about 11 o'clock at night, he sent word to the Major that he wanted to see him. Larkyns was confronted by Muybridge, who, in words of terrible import, said, "This is the reply to the letter you sent to my wife,'' and immediately discharged a revolver. The aim was well taken and deadly. Larkyns had no opportunity to defend himself or to utter a word. He ran a few steps and fell a corpse, with a bullet through his heart. Putting his pistol up, Muybridge surrendered himself to the Superintendent of the mine, and was forthwith conveyed to Calistoga, where he was given in charge to the authorities.

 

THE WOMAN Connected with this affair was the divorced wife of one Lucius D. Stone, and whom Mr. Muybridge married about four years ago, while she was engaged as a saleswoman in a fancy store on Kearney street.

  

About a year since an intimacy sprung up between Mrs. Muybridge and Larkyns, which was generally noted with scandalous comments by those acquainted with the parties. Muybridge was absent from his home a great deal of the time, taking views of the coast and interior scenery: but last Spring unpleasant suspicions broke upon him, and an encounter ensued with Larkyns, attended with an exchange of blows, as reported. At all events, Larkyns was seriously warned against continuing his attentions to Mrs. Muybridge, and several acquaintances of Larkyns also cautioned him of his mortal peril in his unhallowed intimacy.

 

Muybridge sent his wife on a visit to a relative in Portland, Oregon, last Spring, in the hope of finally interrupting the scandalous intrigue, not supposing, it is presumed, that it had extended to the magnitude of criminality. Subsequently, it appears, a clandestine correspondence was continued between the guilty pair, through the medium of a woman who attended Mrs. Muybridge as a nurse, a short time previous to her departure for Oregon. This confidant, of course, was capable of treachery likewise, and when it became necessary for her to employ some extra persuasive influence to collect a demand for $IOO which she made on Muybridge, intercepted letters presented the requisite facility. On Saturday morning the claim of the mutual friend was pressed anew on Muybridge, and letters were exhibited to him to compel his speedy attention to the matter, containing evidence of a most exasperating character. The claim was not immediately forthcoming, as anticipated, but the parties concerned in this peculiar process for collecting a debt have the satisfaction of knowing that it was entirely effective in launching a wretched mortal into eternity within twelve hours after its institution. [The claim was a photo of Muybridge's son, titled, "Little Harry."

 

Muybridge was at the photograph gallery of Bradley & Rulofson, his place of employment, just previous to his departure for Calistoga, and manifested such a frenzy of despair and rage that his friends were fearful that he contemplated suicide. His subsequent movements, which were deliberate and methodic enough, are already indicated.

 

THE MURDERED MAN. Major Harry Larkyns, the victim, was well known In the city for a period of nearly two years, rather in the character of an adventurer. From the little that is known of his history, he came from a respectable and wealthy family in England, but became estranged from his relatives in consequence of his reckless and spendthrift propensities, and after wasting his patrimony in riotous living, he was thrown upon his wits for a livelihood. His life-history would, no doubt, afford a romantic narrative. He held a commission in the British army during a portion of his life, and served six years in India. Subsequently he traveled extensively In Europe, and was familiarly acquainted with the attractions and points of interest in the principal cities of the continent. On the breaking out of the FrancoGerman war he entered the French service, and held a position on the staff of General Bourbaki with the rank of Major. This fact was corroborated by a French gentleman who happened to be in San Francisco at a time that Larkyns was in custody of the authorities for certain financial irregularities. The gentleman commended Larkyns as a gallant officer, and in admiration of his conduct in the service of France, be desired to assist him in his emergency, but the favor was not required. Major Larkyns made his first appearance here in the month of January, 1873. He had previously been sojourning for a season at Salt Lake City, with San Francisco as his objective point. While there he fell in with a young Englishman named Arthur Neil, whom he had previously known in Europe, and procured large loans from this gentleman in anticipation of expected remittances, and appointed to accompany him in a tour around the world. The two spent a season of dashing dissipation In this city, made an excursion to Honolulu, and on their return a breech occurred, in consequence of a failure of confidence in the Major's expectation-.

 

A prosecution followed on a charge of obtaining money by false pretenses, and the Major's draft on a fictitious banking establishment in China was a leading feature of the case. The trouble was finally compromised by the Major drawing upon his grandmother, in England, for the sum of $4,000, which amount represented one-half of the expenses of this ostentatious pair of tourists, covering a period of about two months. On being released from this difficulty, entirely penniless, the Major declined the tender of a passage to China and the charity of persons whose sympathy was excited in his behalf, and declared that he would remain here and retrieve his character and his fortunes by his own exertions.

 

He commenced at the foot of the ladder by working at one of the wharves. He subsequently secured an engagement as translator in a publishing house and also as a reporter on several of the city journals. For a short time this season he acted as agent for Wilson's circus, and latterly had been employed in preparing maps of the mining regions about Calistoga, by which enterprise he expected to gain a substantial start in the world.

 

The deceased was highly educated and possessed all the accomplishments attainable by travel and good society in all parts of the world. Reduced from affluence to poverty by his reckless habits, his moral principles and ideas of correct dealing did not stand him well in the emergency, and his endeavors to reclaim himself were doubtless retarded in consequence.

 

He had good qualities, withal, which won him much indulgence, and many will bestow the touching tribute of "poor devil " on his corpse who, by comparison can ill afford the charity. The body of Major Larkyns was brought to the city last evening, and conveyed to the undertaking rooms of Lockhart & Porter, at 39 Third street. It was deposited in a handsome rosewood coffin, provided by friends at Calistoga. The wound made by the fatal bullet was in the vicinity of the heart.

 

FURTHER PARTICULARS. A gentleman who witnessed the killing of Major Larkyns gives the following additional details of the tragedy. It occurred at the dwelling of William Stewart, Superintendent of the Yellow Jacket Mine, where deceased was spending the night. Mr. Stewart had just returned from the village with his mail, and Muybridge appeared to have followed close behind him. Larkyns was sitting in the parlor with two other gentlemen and a number of ladies, a portion of the company being engaged in a game of cards.

 

A knock was heard at the door and the visitor invited to enter. A voice replied from without: "I want to see Major Larkyns; I will detain him but a moment." Larkyns rose from the table, excused himself in a jocular manner, and said he would see who the mysterious visitor was. He opened the door and peered for a moment into the darkness, remarking: "Where are you sir; I cannot see you." Larkyns then stepped out of the door, glancing about on either side, and immediately after the voice was heard again: "My name is Muybridge. There is the answer to the letter you sent my wife." Almost simultaneously came the report of the well aimed pistol. Larkyns clapped one hand to his heart, turned about and ran through the house, to the back door, saying: "Let me out," and fell dead. Muybridge rushed into the house and pursued Larkyns with his pistol raised for another shot, when one of the gentlemen present drew a pistol and commanded him to stand. Muybridge then drew his pistol on this person and was on the point of firing when his arm was struck down and he was secured.

 

Muybridge offered no further resistance, and expressed his gratification on learning that his victim was dead. The funeral of Major Larkyns will be held to-morrow at 1 P. M., from the Church of the Advent, on Howard street.

The fast rollicking song of the Warbling Vireo is a common sound in many parts of central and northern North America during summer. They are fairly plain birds with gray-olive upperparts and white underparts washed with faint yellow. They have a mild face pattern with a whitish stripe over the eye. They stay high in deciduous treetops, where they move methodically among the leaves hunting for caterpillars.

 

Thank you, my kind Flickr friends, for visiting my site and taking the time to leave a comment. Truly appreciated!

Haarlem, The Netherlands

 

The organ of the Sint-Bavo church (the Christiaan Müller organ) is one of the world's great organs. It was built by Christian Müller and Jan van Logteren, from Amsterdam, between 1735 and 1738; upon completion it was the largest organ in the world with 60 voices and 32-feet pedal-towers. In Moby-Dick (1851), Herman Melville describes the inside of a whale's mouth:

"Seeing all these colonnades of bone so methodically ranged about, would you not think you were inside of the great Haarlem organ, and gazing upon its thousand pipes?"

Many famous people used this organ, including Mendelssohn, Händel and the 10-year old Mozart who played it in 1766. The organ was modified a number of times in the 19th and 20th century. These changes were undone in the renovation between 1959 and 1961. Between 1987 and 2000 work was performed on the voicing of the organ. Today concerts are regularly held in the church, and all through the year special opening times are organized so the public can walk in free of charge to listen to this famous organ in action.

 

A local story goes to say that the bass of the organ was so low, the mortar in between the brimstones started to brittle to nothing

 

Pair of nudibranchs, Dendronotus subramosus, found as is in a tide pool at Montana de Oro SP, slowly and methodically choosing their paths.

This little goldfinch was fun to watch. Swaying back and forth in the wind, he dangled from this thistle stalk, methodically picking bits of thistle down which clumped together eventually creating this little white "waterfall" beneath him.

great blue heron dismembering crab

seekonk river

 

at first i thought he was clumsy, tossing and dropping it four or five times. when i opened the files i saw he was methodically tearing off legs and claws each time.

Goldsmith at Shakharibazar

'Taking a moment'. One of our most intelligent birds, a solitary Jackdaw on the rocks above the North sea, taking a moment to tidy up...Northumberland.

 

Many thanks for visiting my Flickr pages ...Your visits, interest, comments and kindness to 'fave' my photos is very much appreciated, Steve.

 

Jackdaw Notes

 

Jackdaws are pleasing to watch. Solemnly and methodically, they stalk the lawn, unhurried in their search patterns, neat and tidy and dignified in their bearing. Unlike the larger and clamorous cousins with which they often flock, their phrases are clipped, their conversations brief.

 

They pair for life, share food and, when the male barks his arrival at the nest, the female responds with a softer, longer reply. They like manmade structures. Formerly a nuisance as they favoured chimneys for their twiggy bundles, they’re less troublesome in the era of central heating and their liking for church steeples has long been indulged. As the 18th-century poet William Cowper put it, ‘A great frequenter of the church, Where bishop-like, he finds a perch And dormitory too.’ For this habit, the bird was deemed sacred in parts of Wales.

 

Jackdaws love people, and probably because they love eye contact

People and jackdaws get on – there’s a certain empathy between them. Many are the stories told by individuals who scooped up stranded fledglings in need and were rewarded with a bemusing trust and friendship. Jackdaws recognise human faces and studies by Cambridge zoologist Auguste von Bayern concluded that they respond to human expressions.

 

These corvids communicate via their eyes, just as human eye contact plays a major role, and a bird confident with its mentor can ‘read’ that person’s eye motions and will follow them to find hidden food. This interplay has encouraged and enabled research.

 

They can ‘marry’ to boost their status in society

From the 1930s, the Austrian ornithologist Konrad Lorenz, founder of modern ethology, determined a strict social hierarchy within jackdaw groups (collectively called trains or clatterings). Unpaired females rank lowest in the hierarchy: they’re the last to have access to food and shelter in times of scarcity, and are liable to be pecked at by others without being permitted to retaliate.

 

However, when a female is selected as a mate, she assumes the same rank as her partner and is accepted as such by all others in the group, upon whom she may impose her status by pecking.

 

They regularly make same-sex love matches – particularly in captivity

Dr Lorenz also discovered that, although the birds normally pair for life, jackdaws in captivity tend to form same-sex pairs. Research in the Netherlands in the 1970s went a step further by concluding that such pairings occur in the wild and that among females that have lost their mates, 10% bond with other females and 5% form a same-sex ménage a trois.

 

This aspect was pursued in detail by Canadian biologist Bruce Bagemihl in his 1999 book Biological Exuberance: Animal Homosexuality and Natural Diversity, in which he described widespread ‘non-procreative sexuality’ in the natural world. Jackdaws are among many species that may form same-sex pairs, he declared.

 

Their numbers are strong, and growing

The apparent lackadaisical attitude of jackdaws on procreation seems to have had no bearing on population. After significant reduction of British numbers in the 1970s, Corvus monedula is flourishing, with 1.4 million breeding pairs here and some 30 million across Europe. In four sub-species, the bird is found from Scandinavia to North Africa and as far east as central Asia.

 

Like magpies, they love shiny objects

Our jackdaw was classified in the 18th century by Carl Linnaeus for its habit of picking up bright objects, particularly coins (monedula being from the same Latin stem, moneta, as money).

 

Indeed, after Adolf Hitler embarked on an art-theft campaign in the 1930s he was derided as ‘the Jackdaw of Linz’, reflecting an appetite for bright objects.

 

A jackdaw became a saint – at least in a story

The best-known literary jackdaw is found in the Ingoldsby Legends of R. H. Barham, the Jackdaw of Rheims which stole the cardinal’s ring, but returned it and became a local saint.

 

He long liv’d the pride

 

Of that country side,

 

And at last in the odor of sanctity died;

 

When, as words were too faint

 

His merits to paint,

 

The Conclave determin’d to make him a Saint;

 

And on newly-made Saints and Popes, as you know,

 

It ’s the custom, at Rome, new names to bestow,

 

So they canoniz’d him by the name of Jem Crow!

 

R. H. Barham, the Jackdaw of Rheims

 

Jackdaws were once shot as vermin

We didn’t always warm to jackdaws. After poor grain harvests, they were proscribed with rooks and crows by Henry VIII in a Vermin Act of 1532, and Elizabeth I ratified this in 1566 with another act ‘for the preservation of grayne’.

 

Countryside attitudes softened after Victorian game-shooting luminaries Lord Walsingham and Sir Ralph Payne-Gallwey, writing in the 1886 Badminton Library, put them in the second rank of offenders alongside jays, kestrels and hedgehogs as creatures ‘which do some little harm but also some good’.

 

Jackdaws were ‘as a rule not very mischievous’ and were to be thinned in the woods only to keep their numbers under control. As for the primary raiders – crows, magpies, sparrowhawks, stoats, weasels, polecats, cats and rats – ‘not one bird or beast should be allowed to draw the breath of life on any manor where game preserving is carried on’.

 

They’re wrongly-blamed for killing small birds

Jackdaw numbers are thinned on some shoots, but, in the wider world they represent little threat. Corvids are blamed en masse for small-bird losses, yet magpies, grey squirrels, cats, changes in land use and habitat destruction are the major culprits.

 

Indeed, its diet confirms this. Forensic scrutiny by Walter Collinge, described in The Food of Some British Wild Birds of 1913, divided jackdaw crop contents into 42% insects, 29.5% animal matter and 28.5% vegetable matter. Insect and animal constituents spanned earthworms, woodlice, spiders, mice, frogs, snails, slugs, eggs and young birds. Vegetable matter included cereals, potatoes, cherries, berries, walnuts and poultry and game feed. All of this identifies the jackdaw as a useful ally in pest control and only an occasional opportunist feeder on other species.

 

The ‘chimney bird’ has several other names

The origin of ‘jack’ offers a choice between their brief squawk and the traditional signifier of a small species, with ‘daw’ an English word first recorded in the 15th century, the two halves conjoining in the 16th century. Dialect variants included ka, kae, caddow, caddesse, chauk, college bird, jackerdaw, jacko, ka-wattie, chimney-sweep bird and sea-crow.

 

They were once thought to be portents of death

These enigmatic birds have a place in folklore, too. A jackdaw on the roof was said to proclaim a new arrival, but might also be a portent of early death. In the Fens, a jackdaw encountered on the way to a wedding was a good omen.

 

The bird was well known in the Classical world, but its reputation wavered. Ovid declared that the jackdaw brought rain. Aesop used it derisively in his Fables as a stupid bird that starved waiting for figs to ripen: living on hope, which the Fox says ‘feeds illusions, not the stomach’. Pliny admired it as a destroyer of grasshopper eggs.

 

Jackdaws were once believed to have originally been white

The Greeks declared that ‘the swans will sing when the jackdaws are silent’, meaning that the wise will speak after the foolish have shut up. This reflected, to a point, their mythology that all corvids were white until one of their number told Apollo about his wife’s infidelity, at which point he turned the messenger’s feathers black.

 

A legend among early Christians declared that corvids were indeed white and took black plumage in mourning after the Crucifixion – except magpies, which were too busy pilfering to grieve properly, so turned only partially black. 11 things you never knew about the jackdaw, the bird that just loves people, Country Life May 20, 2018.

  

Enough of this DC rubbish.

 

When I was younger, long before I ever considered joining Flickr, and before I was even into comics, I still would pop on here every so often and look at the creations by builders like Legohaulic, Bart De Dobbelaer, SlyOwl, Sir Nadroj, and a host of others.

 

Maybe most importantly though, was Alex Eylar. I can't begin to describe how excellent, elegant, atmospheric, and just utterly creative his work is, and how deeply it effected my own building growing up.

 

And nothing exemplifies that more than The Irregulars , a group of colorful hitmen, thugs, and assassins he created and displayed in charming little vignettes way back in 2008.

 

The original conceit was to recreate the original Irregulars piece for piece, but I rapidly realized I didn't have the parts to do so, so instead I decided to do a shot-for-shot recreation of each of them with newer parts. Sort of an Irregulars for the modern day.

 

The Irregulars are,

The Cheshire Cat, The White Rabbit, The Lory, The March Hare, The Dormouse, The Mad Hatter, The Mock Turtle, and The Gryphon. On the image itself I'll put Mister Eylar's original bios over each of them, so you can get to know them a little better.

 

There's a theme there if you can catch it. Heh.

 

Anyways, I've been thinking over this weird little tribute for a while now, figured I'd get it out there.

 

Cheers, all!

It’s nice to once in a while take time out, stepping away from the technology race of megapixels and sharpness and digitised, saturated perfection. The gentle softness of analogue has a quality that no film simulation or Adobe Lightroom tweaking can convincingly emulate. The process of light meter and range finder and manual focus is slow and methodical and there is a pleasure in that for me. Image made at dusk in winter 2023, on a 1950s Voigtlander Perkeo 1 with the standard Vaskar 80mm f4.5 6x6 folder using 120 Kodak e100sw, expired 1998.

April 24, 2016. ©Copyright 2016 Karlton Huber Photography - all rights reserved.

 

I arrived at 445AM and quickly exited my vehicle full of excitement. I've been looking forward to doing another early morning shoot here for several weeks and finally was able to pull it off.

 

The sky was clear and still dark enough for the lights to stand out and pop nicely. A breeze cold enough to require a fleece jacket blew onshore from the blackness that still concealed the vast ocean to my right. Working by head-lamp, pausing occasionally to sip hot coffee from my Yeti mug (thanks Tom) while savoring the peacefulness that this time of morning brings. Methodically, I created several compositions which I will share over time.

 

Looking back at town from the bluffs above the beach. I love this time of day!

   

This cracks me up. This Least Tern (known as Tommy the Tern) is so used to me now he stands on my towel that I lay on to photograph during my belly shots! He was so close that I do not think even my 18 - 55mm could get him! He was inches from my face! He loves being sung to (I know -- really weird but he likes my singing voice). When I start to sing, he walks up to me in a slow methodical pace, mesmerized and stands there waiting for me to repeat the song over and over.

  

This evening I posted shots of two Sandpipers that are often confused especially in the juvenile phase - Solitary Sandpiper and Spotted Sandpiper.. This is a juvenile Solitary Sandpiper.

 

Solitary Sandpipers never have spots on the breast and flanks in any phase, Adult Spotted Sandpipers have spots there, but the juveniles do not. the juveniles of both species have a bold white eye ring. This eye ring on the adult Solitary extends to the base of the bill creating a spectacle look.

 

The bill of the Solitary is shorter and more slender than that of the Spotted Sandpiper and darker overall through adulthood, The bill of the adult Spotted Sandpiper turns a bright orange with a dark tip.

 

The Solitary Sandpiper is spotted on the mantle, scapulars and wing coverts. As it matures, those areas grow darker, and the spots become whiter and more obvious. Spotted Sandpipers are more uniformly plain and dark in those feather regions.

 

The juvenile Solitary Sandpiper is dark on the throat and breast with clean white flanks. The Spotted Sandpiper is white on the throat with a thick brown line extending from the mantle below the breast and then clean white flanks.

 

The legs of the Solitary are a dull greenish colour compared to the brighter yellow of the Spotted Sandpiper.

 

I think the best way to differentiate these species is by observing behavior. The Solitary Sandpiper forages by walking methodically along the shore line lifting its longer legs up and down while peering around.

 

The Spotted Sandpiper moves more quickly on shorter legs often pausing and moving its rump up and down it a "teeter-totter" motion.

 

Cooking Lake. .Strathcona County, Alberta.

At times the past year has raced past in a haze. Streets have emptied and we have retreated to our cocoons. Cooped up. Waiting for the storm raging outside to subside. The images in this, Kit Young’s second publication, appear as if from a dream state. Moments in time, brought to life in the darkroom and weaved together to create a journey.

 

Kit Young is an analogue photographer and darkroom artist currently based in the UK. He has been shooting the area around where he lives in East Anglia for many years, captivated by the beauty and power of the bleak landscapes and big skies found there. The photographs he produces are the result of his mastery of darkroom techniques and the countless hours spent in the darkness, alone, perfecting and finessing each print.

 

“I consider myself to be a photographer and a printer. I think that’s an important distinction to make. I don’t just take photos; I make photos too. The photographer in me is responsive, impulsive, reacting to subject matter on the spur of the moment, more often than not giving very little thought to anything more than the lines and tone of what’s in front of me; the printer in me is methodical, exacting, always working in a more meditative way. I do, however, think that both the photographer and printer in me are curious, inquisitive and often playful – and neither is afraid to make mistakes.” – Kit Young

 

Where the Rain Clouds Gather is a visceral memory of a trip taken under more certain skies. Following characters as they wait with anticipation for their journey to begin in quaint coastal bus shelters and steam plumed train stations seemingly from another time. Out and into elements. Flashes of the sea flicker through windows as we wind along glistening pathways. Stopping only to soak up the epic vistas under blackened and tumultuous skies. Those characters have become silhouetted ants now. Visible in the distance. Almost indistinguishable from the rich veil of grain that adorns each scene.

 

Pre-order the book HERE

  

Where the Rain Clouds Gather - Kit Young

 

Edition of 400

20x15cm / 44 images / 90 pages

Soft cover, fabric tape bound

Metallic on 135gsm black paper throughout

x4 silver gelatin print copies also available

 

Published by OD Books, 2021

  

Video production by pete gardner

www.EdinburghWildlife.com

 

About 100 Waxwings on Coates Crescent this morning, methodically stripping the trees of their berries....

 

(uncropped)