View allAll Photos Tagged optimistic
An optimistic great blue heron has become a regular visitor at our garden pond. The fish are protected by a net, so hunting success is not driving the visits. Perhaps it hopes that, one day, the net will be gone.
So far, not looking too good here... but we remain optimistic, I go to bed, thinking: TOMORROW morning will be beautiful...
Life is what YOU make it, even in tougher/rougher times.
I wish you ALL a marvellous Summer!
NEW!!! A NEW TREAT HERE, a second choice of some of my images:
Lead and enjoy a good life, do and say things that enrich... and do not forget to tell the people close to you, how much you love them!
With love to you and thank you for ALL your faves and comments, M, (* _ *)
IT IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN (BY LAW!!!) TO USE ANY OF MY image or TEXT on websites, blogs or any other media without my explicit permission. © All rights reserved
WHAT PART of DO NOT USE is it that you DO NOT UNDERSTAND?
I find my images on numerous blogs and websites EVERY DAY, without my permission!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why not view the set as a slide-show?
Also I often upload more than one image at the same time, I see a tendency to only view the last uploaded...
All rights reserved © fairuz 2011
Sometimes it seems your ever-increasing list of things to do can leave you feeling totally undone.
160910..
The Dixie Walesbilt Hotel, known as the Grand Hotel in later years, is one of a small number of skyscrapers built in the 1920s that still stand today and is a prime example of how optimistic people were during the Florida land boom. Built in 1926, it found financing through a stock-sale campaign in the local business community, costing $500,000 after it was completed(which equates to about $6 million today.)
The building architecture, masonry vernacular with hints of Mediterranean-Revival, is also a good example of the time is was built. It was designed by two well-known architects at the time, Fred Bishop who designed the Byrd Theatre in Virginia, and D.J. Phipps, whose designed both the Wyoming County Courthouse and Jail and the Colonial Hotel in Virginia.
The hotel was constructed using the “three-part vertical block” method, which became the dominant pattern in tall buildings during the 1920s. Three-part buildings are composed of a base, shaft and a cap, all noticeably visible.
The hotel opened as the “Walesbilt” in January 1927, shortly after the land boom had started to collapse and two years before the Great Depression began. It’s also best to note that the hotel opened around the same time the Floridan Hotel in Tampa opened, another hotel built during the Florida land boom.
In 1972, the hotel was purchased by Anderson Sun State and renamed the “Groveland Motor Inn”. The firm completely renovated the hotel and used it to host visitors to the area who were interested in Green Swamp, land sectioned off for land development. At the time there was heavy speculation in the land because of it’s close proximity to Walt Disney World and were selling for around $5,000 an acre at the time. That ended after a state cabinet designation of the swamp as an area of critical state concern, placing the land off-limits to any large land developments. The firm filed for foreclosure and the hotel was auctioned off in 1974. Despite RCI Electric purchasing the hotel, it remained empty for many years afterwards.
n 1978, the hotel was signed over to the Agape Players, a nationally known religious music and drama group, who would assume the mortgage and would pay the costs to make improvements to meet city fire and safety standards. The hotel was renamed the “Royal Walesbilt” and after extensive improvements were made, it became the headquarters for the Agape Players; using it as a teaching facility and the base from which the group launched their tours. In addition, they operated a restaurant, an ice cream parlor on the lobby floor and a “Christian hotel” on the upper floors, catering mostly to groups. The Agape Players disbanded in 1985 and put the property up for sale
Victor Khubani, a property investor from New York acquired the property and renamed the hotel “Grand”. The hotel closed briefly in December 1988, due to a variety of code violations and causing the owner to later pay $14,000 in fines. On August 31, 1990 it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, possibly for tax exemption reasons. In October 1991, The State Fire Marshall’s Office gave the owner one year to install a new sprinkler system and in May 1993, the code enforcement board gave Khubani until March to complete the work.
In March 1994, the hotel closed due to multiple code violations and was to remain closed until a new fire sprinkler system was installed. To reopen, the fire escapes and elevator, which did not function, would have to be repaired as well. In 1995, the hotel was auctioned off to a redevelopment firm, which dismantled part of the interior for reconstruction, which was never completed.
Since then, the hotel has deteriorated, becoming an eyesore to many of the residents of Lake Wales and nicknamed “The Green Monster” for the greenish color it has acquired from over the years. In 1995, it was even jokingly mentioned to become a sacrifice to “the bomb”, an economic boom that occurred in parts of Florida where movie production companies would pay cities to blow up buildings for their movies. In 2007, the city foreclosed on the structure for more than $700,000 in unpaid code fines, with hopes in finding someone to restore it.
Development firm, Dixie-Walesbilt LLC announced plans to restore the hotel, signing into an agreement with the city of Lake Wales in February 2010. By the agreement, the city would retain ownership of the building until a defined amount of work had been accomplished. The work must be completed within 16 months and the amount of money invested must succeed at least $1.5 million. The building would then be handed off the Dixie Walesbilt LLC, where they may continue with private funding or other methods to for debt funding.
Ray Brown, President of Dixie Walesbilt LLC, planned to invest $6 million into the renovation, with original plans to put retail stores on the ground floor and using the upper floors for as many as 40 condominiums.
On June 2, 2011, the city of Lake Wales agreed to deed the building off to Ray Brown in a 4-1 vote, after meeting the requirements of the redevelopment agreement. Though Brown submitted a list of costs to the city totaling $1.66 million, Mayor Mike Carter wasn’t satisfied with the results so far, pointing out that Brown failed to repair the windows and repaint the building. Previous owners had put tar on the building and then painted over it, so much of Brown’s investment went to stripping the tar off the exterior walls.
To repaint the building, Brown would also have to resurface the hotel with hydrated lime to replicate the original skin as well as the window frames would need to be constructed of Douglas fir, red cedar and gulf cypress. According to Brown, previous owners who renovated the building rarely removed the building original elements. They carpeted over intricate tile flooring, stuck tar paper above skylights and placed modern drinking fountains in front of the originals. He estimated about 98 percent of the building is still in it’s original form.
Restoration of the building’s exterior began in January 2015 and included surface repair, pressure washing, paint removal, chemical treatment, and a comprehensive resurfacing of the exterior.
While the original plans were for turning the building into condominiums, that has since changed and current plans call for operating the building as a boutique hotel. The hotel will feature geothermal cooling as opposed to traditional air conditioning, a permanent art gallery as well as theme gallery showings throughout the year, and the best WiFi/internet in the city. The project is expected to be completed in 18 to 24 months.
Credit for the data above is given to the following websites:
www.cityoflakewales.com/505/Dixie-Walesbilt-Hotel
www.abandonedfl.com/dixie-walesbilt-hotel/
© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.
I had read about the new RSPB reserve opening and decided to take a look. It opened on the 25th of May. When we arrived there were only 2-3 cars. The visitor centre overlooked a lake, stunningly bleak view but with no birds to be seen. No birds and no people yet the RSPB staff and volunteers appeared were so cheery and optimistic. Once out onto the reserve and onto the hilltop you get a beautiful view of the reserve and hear the sound of Skylarks, Meadow Pipits, Blackcaps and Whitethroats. When you descend you see the birds and also hear them. I would recommend it as a place to visit. I was very impressed!
www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/s/staidans/
St Aidan's is a perfect place to get close to nature and relax, unwind or exercise in a stress-free environment. Just outside Leeds on the banks of the River Aire, it's a big new space to walk, run, cycle, or ride your horse and enjoy the wildlife that surrounds you.
It has a wide range of wild plants and animals, and is home to thousands of birds, brown hares, roe deer, wild flowers and insects - all living in a stunning landscape of vast reedbeds, grassland, woodland, lakes, ponds and islands.
With a variety of circular paths of varying lengths and large areas of open grassland, St Aidan’s is a great place for families to enjoy the outdoors, share a picnic and play together.
Over 7.5 miles (12 km) of footpaths, bridleways and cycle routes connect the surrounding communities, with links to national footpath and cycle networks. St Aidan's is a fantastic place for locals wishing to explore the wider countryside or as a destination for people who love nature.
Opening times
St Aidan's is an open access site. Opening times apply to the visitor centre and car park. From March-October they're open from 9.30 am to 5 pm. From September-February it's 9.30 am to 4 pm. They're closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
Entrance charges
Entry to the site is free but donations to help us continue our work are welcome. There is a car park charge of £2.50 per car for RSPB non-members. RSPB members and disabled badge holders park for free.
Information for dog owners
Dogs are allowed on the reserve as long as they are kept on a lead in the appropriate designated zones. There are some less sensitive areas within St Aidan's where dogs are allowed off the lead. Please check with staff before letting dogs off the lead.
Star species
Our star species are some of the most interesting birds you may see on your visit to the reserve.
Bittern
Bitterns are brown, secretive herons, camouflaged to hide amongst reeds. Visit in spring to hear male bitterns 'booming' or summer to watch the parents making feeding flights.
Great crested grebe
Watch the amazing courtship ritual of great crested grebes on the open water in spring. You may see pairs performing their 'weed dance' when they present one another with weed and patter across the surface of the water together.
Little owl
You may be lucky enough to find one of these compact owls perched in a tree or on a fencepost. They become very active at dusk and you may hear their shrill calls.
Marsh harrier
Look for marsh harriers gliding over the reedbed with their wings held upwards in a shallow 'v'. In spring, pairs perform their breathtaking 'skydancing' displays high in the sky.
Skylark
Spring visits will be enriched by the beautiful song of skylarks. They rise up into the air from the grassland until they are barely visible and only their song can be heard
www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/s/staidans/seasonal_highli...
Seasonal highlights
Each season brings a different experience at our nature reserves. In spring, the air is filled with birdsong as they compete to establish territories and attract a mate. In summer, look out for young birds making their first venture into the outside world. Autumn brings large movements of migrating birds - some heading south to a warmer climate, others seeking refuge in the UK from the cold Arctic winter. In winter, look out for large flocks of birds gathering to feed, or flying at dusk to form large roosts to keep warm.
Spring
Look out for marsh harriers displaying over the reedbeds, great crested grebes performing their elaborate courtship dances and returning swallows skimming low over the water and grasslands as they collect insects. Listen out for skylarks filling the air with their song, the deep booming of male bitterns, male snipe 'drumming' as they vibrate their tail feathers to attract females and lapwings calling as they perform their aerobatic displays. Enjoy the fusion of colour as wildflowers burst into bloom and a host of brightly-coloured butterflies and dragonflies take to the wing. Spring is also a great time to see kestrels. You can often see several hovering around the site at the same time as they hunt for voles in the grassland. Kestrels have also been seen nesting in the huge dragline.
Summer
Watch overhead for herons and little egrets dropping into the reeds to feed, female bitterns flying low over the reedbeds as they seek out food for their chicks or marsh harriers passing food to each other in flight. Keep an eye on the open water for lines of young ducklings paddling along behind their parents or young great crested grebes riding around on their parents' backs and admire the abundant lilypads on the lakes. Stoats, weasels and water voles are often seen at this time of year as are basking butterflies and dragonflies hawking the waters edge. Thousands of black-headed gulls set up a colony at this time of the year filling the air with their calls. Summer is the best time to spot the elusive black necked grebe as it will have its fluffy youngsters in tow. Avocets also nest at this time of year. St Aidan’s is a good place to spot this iconic bird that is the logo of the RSPB.
Autumn
Autumn sees the arrival of migrant birds, such as black-tailed godwits, ruffs and green sandpipers. Local birdwatchers will also spot a few rarities such as spoonbills and pectoral sandpipers. Huge flocks of lapwings arrive to spend winter with us and can be seen around pool edges and on grassland. Short-eared owls hunt over the reedbeds and our winter wildfowl begin to arrive. Look out for flashes of blue as kingfishers flit up and down the river.
Winter
Waders and wildfowl such as lapwings, curlews, wigeons, teals, shovelers and goldeneyes gather in big numbers, roosting and feeding across the grasslands and pools. Water rails can be spotted feeding on frozen pools, or you can listen out for their strange, pig-like squealing! The elusive bittern is also drawn out into the open at times. One of the most awesome spectacles in winter is seeing massive flocks of roosting birds panic and fly into the air as peregrines hunt over the site. Look and listen out for overwintering stonechats. Their calls sound like two pebbles being knocked together!
Facilities
Facilities
•Visitor centre
•Car park : There's a car park charge of £2.50 per car for RSPB non-members. RSPB members and disabled badge holders park for free. We have cycle parking and a height restriction of 2.7 m (8' 10'') for vehicles.
•Toilets
•Disabled toilets
•Baby-changing facilities
•Picnic area
•Group bookings accepted
•Guided walks available
•Good for walking
•Pushchair friendly
Nature trails
Bowers Bimble: Starting from the car park, this 0.9-mile (1.5 km) flat trail takes you on a short walk around Bowers Lake then through grassland and wild flower meadows. Great for a relaxing stroll (20-30 minutes).
Lowther Loop: For a walk through shady woodland glades and along the banks of the River Aire, venture onto this 1.3 mile (2 km) flat trail. In wet winter months, it’s a welly boot walk (60 minutes).
Hillside Hike: For stunning landscapes and panoramic views of the nature park and surrounding areas, t ake a hike onto the hillside. This trail is 1.3 miles (2 km) with some steep hills and inclines, which wind through the trees and grassland (40-60 minutes).
Reedbed Ramble: To explore the magic of the whispering reedbeds, take a walk on this 1.7-mile (2.8 km) flat route that runs around the edges of the reedbeds and loops back to the main entrance (40-45 minutes).
As the new custodians of St Aidan's, we are aiming to improve the accessibility of our paths as soon as we can. Please contact us for updates on footpath and bridleway conditions.
Refreshments available
•Hot drinks
•Cold drinks
•Snacks
•Confectionery
By train
The nearest train stations are Woodlesford (3.2 miles), Castleford (3.2 miles) and Garforth (4.3 miles). If you're going to be walking or cycling from the station to St Aidan's, choose Woodlesford station. Turn left out of the station then left onto the main road. When you get to the bridge over the Aire and Calder navigation, cross it, then turn right and walk along the riverbank until you reach St Aidan's. If you're going to take a taxi from the station to St Aidan's, head towards Castleford station as it's easier to get a taxi there.
By bus
The nearest bus stop is just outside the entrance to St Aidan’s, on Astley Lane. The Number 167 Leeds to Castleford bus stops here and is run by Arriva Yorkshire.
By road
Reach us from junction 46 of the M1. Follow the A63, signposted Selby and Garforth. At the roundabout, take the fourth left for Wakefield A642, Swillington and Oulton. Follow the A642 for 1.5 miles then turn left on to Astley Lane. St Aidan's is 1.8 miles on the right.
From Castleford, follow the A656 (Barnsdale Road) north out of the town centre for 1.4 miles. Turn left onto Station Road towards Allerton Bywater and travel 1.2 miles. Turn left onto the Leeds Road (next to the yellow corner shop). St Aidan’s is 0.5 miles along the road on the left.
Other ways to get to the reserve
It's easy to get to St Aidan's by bike. The site is bordered on its south-east edge by the Trans-Pennine Trail central section (Route 67). This runs north all the way to Leeds city centre, and south to join the main east-west route near our Old Moor nature reserve at Barnsley. There is also a local cycle route called the Linesway Greenway (Route 697) that runs between Garforth and Allerton Bywater with a spur at the Allerton Bywater end that links into the site. St Aidan's is also bordered by the Leeds Country Way. Maps of this route can be found on the Leeds City Council website. There are also many other local footpaths and bridleways that link into the site from the surrounding towns and villages.
"Sunshine, you're my hero. Forever optimistic, you are always shining somewhere."
- Lucas Hopper
Ya gotta see this in the lightbox! Press L! It's awesome!
Pardon my absence :p it was a weird week, and the details are iffy. . so yea. . . great week!
Public transportation is a wonderful thing. I ride it all the time. I'm riding it now! But we sit shoulder to shoulder with a perfect stranger and sometimes never utter a word. It's amazing how comfortable we are on an air tight train through a city, but we'd freak the hell out if that same guy tried to sit next to us at a McDonald's. Strangers are strange. Try to sit next to me at a McDonald's and I'll ask how your days been. The world would be even more amazing if we treated every experience like public transportation: we're in this together, it'll be fast or we may be delayed together. But it's over in a bit.
Now this stranger next to me now is probably reading what I'm writing so I'ma finish typing this and give her a "oh yeah! I would like to go to lunch with you" look. I'll let ya'll know if it works. She's like 50-ish hahaha
Have a great weekend ya'll!
L.A.S.E.R.S ya'll!! (Love Always Shines, and Everyday Remember 2 Smile)
I had read about the new RSPB reserve opening and decided to take a look. It opened on the 25th of May. When we arrived there were only 2-3 cars. The visitor centre overlooked a lake, stunningly bleak view but with no birds to be seen. No birds and no people yet the RSPB staff and volunteers appeared were so cheery and optimistic. Once out onto the reserve and onto the hilltop you get a beautiful view of the reserve and hear the sound of Skylarks, Meadow Pipits, Blackcaps and Whitethroats. When you descend you see the birds and also hear them. I would recommend it as a place to visit. I was very impressed!
www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/s/staidans/
St Aidan's is a perfect place to get close to nature and relax, unwind or exercise in a stress-free environment. Just outside Leeds on the banks of the River Aire, it's a big new space to walk, run, cycle, or ride your horse and enjoy the wildlife that surrounds you.
It has a wide range of wild plants and animals, and is home to thousands of birds, brown hares, roe deer, wild flowers and insects - all living in a stunning landscape of vast reedbeds, grassland, woodland, lakes, ponds and islands.
With a variety of circular paths of varying lengths and large areas of open grassland, St Aidan’s is a great place for families to enjoy the outdoors, share a picnic and play together.
Over 7.5 miles (12 km) of footpaths, bridleways and cycle routes connect the surrounding communities, with links to national footpath and cycle networks. St Aidan's is a fantastic place for locals wishing to explore the wider countryside or as a destination for people who love nature.
Opening times
St Aidan's is an open access site. Opening times apply to the visitor centre and car park. From March-October they're open from 9.30 am to 5 pm. From September-February it's 9.30 am to 4 pm. They're closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
Entrance charges
Entry to the site is free but donations to help us continue our work are welcome. There is a car park charge of £2.50 per car for RSPB non-members. RSPB members and disabled badge holders park for free.
Information for dog owners
Dogs are allowed on the reserve as long as they are kept on a lead in the appropriate designated zones. There are some less sensitive areas within St Aidan's where dogs are allowed off the lead. Please check with staff before letting dogs off the lead.
Star species
Our star species are some of the most interesting birds you may see on your visit to the reserve.
Bittern
Bitterns are brown, secretive herons, camouflaged to hide amongst reeds. Visit in spring to hear male bitterns 'booming' or summer to watch the parents making feeding flights.
Great crested grebe
Watch the amazing courtship ritual of great crested grebes on the open water in spring. You may see pairs performing their 'weed dance' when they present one another with weed and patter across the surface of the water together.
Little owl
You may be lucky enough to find one of these compact owls perched in a tree or on a fencepost. They become very active at dusk and you may hear their shrill calls.
Marsh harrier
Look for marsh harriers gliding over the reedbed with their wings held upwards in a shallow 'v'. In spring, pairs perform their breathtaking 'skydancing' displays high in the sky.
Skylark
Spring visits will be enriched by the beautiful song of skylarks. They rise up into the air from the grassland until they are barely visible and only their song can be heard
www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/s/staidans/seasonal_highli...
Seasonal highlights
Each season brings a different experience at our nature reserves. In spring, the air is filled with birdsong as they compete to establish territories and attract a mate. In summer, look out for young birds making their first venture into the outside world. Autumn brings large movements of migrating birds - some heading south to a warmer climate, others seeking refuge in the UK from the cold Arctic winter. In winter, look out for large flocks of birds gathering to feed, or flying at dusk to form large roosts to keep warm.
Spring
Look out for marsh harriers displaying over the reedbeds, great crested grebes performing their elaborate courtship dances and returning swallows skimming low over the water and grasslands as they collect insects. Listen out for skylarks filling the air with their song, the deep booming of male bitterns, male snipe 'drumming' as they vibrate their tail feathers to attract females and lapwings calling as they perform their aerobatic displays. Enjoy the fusion of colour as wildflowers burst into bloom and a host of brightly-coloured butterflies and dragonflies take to the wing. Spring is also a great time to see kestrels. You can often see several hovering around the site at the same time as they hunt for voles in the grassland. Kestrels have also been seen nesting in the huge dragline.
Summer
Watch overhead for herons and little egrets dropping into the reeds to feed, female bitterns flying low over the reedbeds as they seek out food for their chicks or marsh harriers passing food to each other in flight. Keep an eye on the open water for lines of young ducklings paddling along behind their parents or young great crested grebes riding around on their parents' backs and admire the abundant lilypads on the lakes. Stoats, weasels and water voles are often seen at this time of year as are basking butterflies and dragonflies hawking the waters edge. Thousands of black-headed gulls set up a colony at this time of the year filling the air with their calls. Summer is the best time to spot the elusive black necked grebe as it will have its fluffy youngsters in tow. Avocets also nest at this time of year. St Aidan’s is a good place to spot this iconic bird that is the logo of the RSPB.
Autumn
Autumn sees the arrival of migrant birds, such as black-tailed godwits, ruffs and green sandpipers. Local birdwatchers will also spot a few rarities such as spoonbills and pectoral sandpipers. Huge flocks of lapwings arrive to spend winter with us and can be seen around pool edges and on grassland. Short-eared owls hunt over the reedbeds and our winter wildfowl begin to arrive. Look out for flashes of blue as kingfishers flit up and down the river.
Winter
Waders and wildfowl such as lapwings, curlews, wigeons, teals, shovelers and goldeneyes gather in big numbers, roosting and feeding across the grasslands and pools. Water rails can be spotted feeding on frozen pools, or you can listen out for their strange, pig-like squealing! The elusive bittern is also drawn out into the open at times. One of the most awesome spectacles in winter is seeing massive flocks of roosting birds panic and fly into the air as peregrines hunt over the site. Look and listen out for overwintering stonechats. Their calls sound like two pebbles being knocked together!
Facilities
Facilities
•Visitor centre
•Car park : There's a car park charge of £2.50 per car for RSPB non-members. RSPB members and disabled badge holders park for free. We have cycle parking and a height restriction of 2.7 m (8' 10'') for vehicles.
•Toilets
•Disabled toilets
•Baby-changing facilities
•Picnic area
•Group bookings accepted
•Guided walks available
•Good for walking
•Pushchair friendly
Nature trails
Bowers Bimble: Starting from the car park, this 0.9-mile (1.5 km) flat trail takes you on a short walk around Bowers Lake then through grassland and wild flower meadows. Great for a relaxing stroll (20-30 minutes).
Lowther Loop: For a walk through shady woodland glades and along the banks of the River Aire, venture onto this 1.3 mile (2 km) flat trail. In wet winter months, it’s a welly boot walk (60 minutes).
Hillside Hike: For stunning landscapes and panoramic views of the nature park and surrounding areas, t ake a hike onto the hillside. This trail is 1.3 miles (2 km) with some steep hills and inclines, which wind through the trees and grassland (40-60 minutes).
Reedbed Ramble: To explore the magic of the whispering reedbeds, take a walk on this 1.7-mile (2.8 km) flat route that runs around the edges of the reedbeds and loops back to the main entrance (40-45 minutes).
As the new custodians of St Aidan's, we are aiming to improve the accessibility of our paths as soon as we can. Please contact us for updates on footpath and bridleway conditions.
Refreshments available
•Hot drinks
•Cold drinks
•Snacks
•Confectionery
By train
The nearest train stations are Woodlesford (3.2 miles), Castleford (3.2 miles) and Garforth (4.3 miles). If you're going to be walking or cycling from the station to St Aidan's, choose Woodlesford station. Turn left out of the station then left onto the main road. When you get to the bridge over the Aire and Calder navigation, cross it, then turn right and walk along the riverbank until you reach St Aidan's. If you're going to take a taxi from the station to St Aidan's, head towards Castleford station as it's easier to get a taxi there.
By bus
The nearest bus stop is just outside the entrance to St Aidan’s, on Astley Lane. The Number 167 Leeds to Castleford bus stops here and is run by Arriva Yorkshire.
By road
Reach us from junction 46 of the M1. Follow the A63, signposted Selby and Garforth. At the roundabout, take the fourth left for Wakefield A642, Swillington and Oulton. Follow the A642 for 1.5 miles then turn left on to Astley Lane. St Aidan's is 1.8 miles on the right.
From Castleford, follow the A656 (Barnsdale Road) north out of the town centre for 1.4 miles. Turn left onto Station Road towards Allerton Bywater and travel 1.2 miles. Turn left onto the Leeds Road (next to the yellow corner shop). St Aidan’s is 0.5 miles along the road on the left.
Other ways to get to the reserve
It's easy to get to St Aidan's by bike. The site is bordered on its south-east edge by the Trans-Pennine Trail central section (Route 67). This runs north all the way to Leeds city centre, and south to join the main east-west route near our Old Moor nature reserve at Barnsley. There is also a local cycle route called the Linesway Greenway (Route 697) that runs between Garforth and Allerton Bywater with a spur at the Allerton Bywater end that links into the site. St Aidan's is also bordered by the Leeds Country Way. Maps of this route can be found on the Leeds City Council website. There are also many other local footpaths and bridleways that link into the site from the surrounding towns and villages.
I found this so hilarious that I took this shot through the kitchen window. We did build this bird feeder taking into account the fact that it had to be cat-proof. I guess we have to redesign it!
Notre chat est très optimiste et espère attraper un oiseau stupide... Nous avions pourtant construit cette mangeoire en étant persuadés que les chats n'y auraient pas accès. Je pense qu'il va falloir en refaire les plans!
Once the barriers are unlocked, there is a bright and optimistic future for all....
Scorpocat added this comment : " "My interpretation was of someone in Zimbabwe looking through the fence into South Africa where the lights shine brighter, but I realise that you most probably wouldn't have actually been standing in Zimbabwe to take the shot."
To which I replied: "I like your interpretation, very interesting- never occurred to me, but it means the visual has an ambiguity and can taken on different ideas which is a concept I personally like very much. Thank you for your input."
Areté then added this comment: "i would like to say what i think not about the picture but about the meaning of the picture: My impression is that the lights are not the light of freedom...On the contrary, i feel they combine with the iron fence as they do in a concentration camp, to prevent people running away, invigilating in a combination with the prison. These lights are invigilating people.....Freeedom lights come from high, like dawn lights, very huge, for example, and they give the meaning of opening and liberation, a new day or a new era.."
I wrote this reply: "Ateté, I like by your interpretation of the image and as I commented to Scorpocat, that this is the interesting aspect of interpretive images, it has different meaning to different people. Your feedback, as well as that from Scorporat has given me insight for future visuals which I will keep as ambiguous as this one and throw it out for comment. Thank you both again for your thoughts and input."
Sabby661 had this to say about how she interperated the visual: "My interpretation is trying to pick a lock in order to break into someones mansion and I'm sprung by the sensor lights... again... I really should have stayed in school. Dig that crazy razor wire, cool shot... "
San Gimignano , italy
Camera: Nikon D3
Lens: NIKKOR 85mm f/1.4D
Exposure Program: Manual
F-Number: 1.4
Exposure: 0.001 sec (1/1000)
ISO: 200
We were in the car long enough today for it to warm up. Despite it being minus ten degrees C on the other side of the glass, this spider was stretching his or her legs and looking around as if to find something to pounce on.
After we turned off the car, the spider probably went back to hibernating. It's minus twelve out there now. Brrr.
He/she was tiny; excluding the legs its body was about three mm long.
So I've been trying to remain optimistic and quiet over the new Flickr layout and “upgrades”, but after fighting with the organizer tool since there is a huge bug on some groups in which I can’t even click to add my pictures button…I’ve decided that I’m gonna rant here for a little while if you don't mind me. Flickr is my favorite website and my therapy. I log in to Flickr more than my very own Facebook, but putting that aside, I am particularly pissed at Yahoo for not giving a damn. I renewed a 2 year membership in April…and now what? I'm shit out of luck? I’m a bit disgusted and offended, I can only imagine how pissed the people that renewed a few days before this clusterfuck took place feel like. We didn't even get the courtesy to test it at least and see what we thought, not even an email an EMAIL????. It was just shoved in our faces…Which brings me to what I really want to talk about. I love this community; I've met some amazing people and brilliant artists throughout the time I've been a member. I cannot imagine myself without this website but more importantly I cannot imagine myself without you guys, the people that bring me inspiration on a daily basis…my friends. I've heard a lot of Ipernity lately, there seems to be a huge crowd switching over there and yet like many and I'm still frozen over what to do. So it would be great to hear a bit of what you guys have in mind. It would suck if most of my contacts would leave since in the end it was the photographers that made Flickr what it is today and I feel confident that it can be done again elsewhere. Sorry for my rant I just had to get it off my chest. Cheers!
P.S. (The reflection from the lens in this shot was pure luck I had no idea LOL)
Call me Snake offers an optimistic provocation – ‘imagine what could be here’ by Judy Millar. On a walk into the city October 3, 2015 Christchurch New Zealand.
The work is comprised of vibrant graphics of Millar’s looped paintings, which are adhered to five intersecting flat planes, and draws inspiration from the forms found in pop-up books. The colourful piece will add a dramatic and rhythmic counterpoint to the city’s current urban landscape — a mix of flattened sites, construction zones and defiant buildings that have stood through the quakes. The work employs theatricality, playfulness and visual trickery, whereby the viewer is unsure about the work’s flatness or three-dimensionality; and it has been designed to offer a different perspective from each angle. The bright colours interrupt the grey of the work’s surrounds, and as buildings pop up around it,
SCAPE 8, New Intimacies curated by Rob Garrett was a contemporary art event which mixed new artworks with existing legacy pieces, an education programme, and a public programme of events. The SCAPE 8 artworks were located around central Christchurch and linked via a public art walkway. All aspects of SCAPE 8 were free-to-view.
The title for the 2015 Biennial – New Intimacies – came from the idea that visually striking and emotionally engaging public art works can create new connections between people and places. Under the main theme of New Intimacies there are three other themes that artists responded to: Sight-Lines, Inner Depths and Shared Strengths.
For more Info: www.scapepublicart.org.nz/scape-8-judy-millar
My friend Jon is the most optimistic supporter in the world. Even in the most desperate times in Oxford United's recent existence, he's stuck with them thick and thin - and never had a negative comment to make about his beloved Us. Here he is sneaking a glance inside the stadium before a game late last season - Oxford's successful promotion season from the Blue Square Premier.
I tweaked with this image a couple of ways using GIMP. I first did the selective colour thing to kind of bring out Jon's optimism in otherwise gloomy times - Oxford had blown a big lead at the top of the Conference and at this point were looking consigned to the pain of the play-offs. I followed the excellent tutorial found here for this:
www.gimp.org/tutorials/Selective_Color/
Then I also followed another of the tutorials to lighten up the shadows on the photo to get some more of the stadium detail out:
IN ENGLISH BELOW THE LINE
El fusell alemany de la I Guerra Mundial, el Mauser Gewehr 98 (no comfondre amb el Kar98k de la II Guerra Mundial, més petit), tenia un molt optimista mira graduada des de 400 fins a 2000 metres. Com si haguessis de encertar a algú a dos quilometres!
www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=WkBrh1euWg0
El Museu del Exercit Nacional o Muzeum Armii Krajowej, a Cracovia, mostra la organització d'una resistencia armada durant la Segona Guerra Mundial contra la conquesta alemana del 1939, però també contra els sovietics tant a partir de 1939 (al·liats amb els nazis) com a partir de 1944. El més interessant és la colecció d'armes d'infanteria de l'època, sobretot les improvissades.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armia_Krajowa_Museum_in_Krak%C3%B3w
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The German World War I rifle, the Mauser Gewehr 98 (not to be confused with the smaller World War II Kar98k), had a very optimistic "tobogan" like rear sign graduated from 400 to 2000 meters. As if you had to hit someone two kilometers away!
www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=WkBrh1euWg0
The National Army Museum or Muzeum Armii Krajowej, in Krakow, shows the organization of an armed resistance during the Second World War against the German occupation of 1939, but also against the Soviets both from 1939 (allied with the Nazis ) as from 1944. Most interesting is the collection of infantry weapons of the time, especially the improvised ones.
See also my album: portraits when passing by and... you are welcome to visit my profile You should have a look on my Faves too.
Photo captured via Minolta MD Rokkor-X 85mm F/1.7 lens. Spokane Indian Reservation. Selkirk Mountains Range. Okanogan-Colville Xeric Valleys and Foothills section within the Northern Rockies Region. Inland Northwest. Stevens County, Washington. Early October 2020.
Exposure Time: 1/6 sec. * ISO Speed: ISO-100 * Aperture: F/11 * Bracketing: None * Color Temperature: 4700 K * Film Plug-In: Fuji Provia 100F * Filter: Hoya HMC CIR-PL (⌀55mm) * Elevation: 2,520 feet above sea-level
Optimistic and happy is how I want the world to see me.
Scared and uncertain is the part of me only a few will see.
Now You
52 of You - Masks
43/52
Last year started out on an optimistic note, on a nice sunny day, as I recall. I had 30 or 40 people over for Hoppin' John, and we all had a festive time. And then look at what that year became.
So this year has started out on a decidedly gloomy note. No visitors allowed. Rain and wind. Too gloomy to go out for a walk. Just right for indulging my depression on the couch all day with 47 episodes of Big Bang Theory. So....maybe that means that the year will become something positive and wonderful and sane.
That reasoning sounds plausible enough.
The We're Here! gang is exploring Dark Days today.
There's something very optimistic about a sunrise. I photographed this one on Seven Mile Beach a few weeks ago - you might recognise the hues from my first postcard video. I am sometimes asked how I manage to be in the 'right place at the right time' and the answer is that it is far from lucky. I simply go out as often as I can and let the law of averages work in my favour. Or to put it another way, if you don't go fishing, you won't catch a fish. Cheers me dears :)
I'm optimistically naming this one in the hopes of doing a series on the New York subway system. Not a new idea, by any means, but it could be interesting....plus, it is getting too cold outside ;-).
Part of my Life Underground Series
“Mildly optimistic”. That’s what I told my friends (Monte Sano regulars) on my morning weather report. I’m usually up there before anybody else and it helps to know what the weather is really like. And I was “mildly optimistic” is would be a decent sunrise. You really don’t know what you’re going to get. Just show up and hope for the best.
A very unusual color combination: Streaked orange down low and puffy red up top. It was an interesting morning.
Nikon D7200 — Nikon 18-300mm F6.3 ED VR
32mm
F8@1/50th
ISO 400
GND filter
DOL_2749.JPG
©Don Brown 2023
To a nature loving optimistic photographer like myself, I often go to extremes to get that 'one-shot' that has a certain story, flair or is otherwise interesting, at least for myself. My goal is first to please myself with the adventure of obtaining a fun image, perhaps even a composition that would be enjoyed by others. And occasionally there turns out to be a few bumps along the way, and an interesting story to go along with the photo.
Such was the case this last Saturday at the wooded Harrison Hills Park near the border of four counties in Western Pennsylvania. Every Saturday morning I often hike along a scenic trail which lies at the top of a very steep ridge along the Allegheny River. At the base of the ridge are railroad tracks. I don't often see trains along there, but on this occasion, there was a train stopped right below me.
In winter the view is spectacular; off in the distance one can see the town of Freeport, and there are snow covered hills and trees as far as the eye can see if one looks up the valley. The river itself is often teaming with various forms of ducks and geese often heard, and with binoculars seen down in the distance.
On this particular day I spied a bird's nest, by my estimation most likely the nest of a Red-eyed Vireo based on the size and location in the branch of a small wild Black-Cherry tree. I decide that I'd try to get a photo of this durable nest, even though it was situated down about 15 feet from my position. The embankment there is quite steep, and against my better judgment I began to descend a little bit over the edge. There was a nice foot hold for my right leg which I decided was the best place to make pictures. I dared not go any further. I took a few photos, but my zoom was only 3x, and decided I need to get just a few inches further.
Suddenly I slipped onto my back, but yet did not slide down the ridge. My cool head told me to put the camera away, which I did, luckily, I even managed to get my glove back on my right hand. But how would I get out of this predicament? A moment later I began to slide, and slid on my back halfway down the steep ridge. Luckily, a log loomed large and I grabbed it, otherwise who knows how much further I would have gone, and to what peril.
I was able to gain my feet, inspect for damage, to which there was none, and traverse along the ridge to a place where trees with many hand holds afforded a chance for me to ascend back out of the ridge back to the path. I went back to where I had fallen and marveled at my luck. I then proceeded to place a few well laid foot prints so that anyone else coming upon the scene wouldn't worry that someone had fallen over the cliff because the tracks would have appeared to go one way only: down. I didn't want anyone to institute a search.
Perhaps some day, another photographer, in a similar situation, will think of my story, and err on the side of caution. Maybe my foolhardy escapade will have not been for naught.
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With their optimistic hue and general association with good cheer, yellow roses are the perfect way to toast friends, lift spirits and send a general wish for well-being.
And that’s great news for those who love roses—the rose is known for its simple, architectural beauty, but some colors are so loaded with significance that they can be a bit tricky to work with.
Sending a get-well bouquet of red roses to your administrative assistant might raise eyebrows around the office, for instance. Suffice it to say, you can never go wrong with yellow roses.
In the outdoor gardens at Lake Merritt, Oakland
Autumn impressions from Graz and (near) Vienna Lobau - I know, I'm late with my autumn pictures, but I wanted to use Lightroom and I had to learn it first. :-)
This optimistic young man stayed out on the still water for a hour or more hoping for a wave. Naples, Florida has a lot to offer…unfortunately waves are are not one of them. The area is know for it's calm, still, warm waters. Dream on young man.
Taken at the Naples Pier in Naples Florida..
Optimistic Fantasy ;;; Just Hold The Hands & Drop The Knees
Dedicated to [ Viρєя.vèỉή..]
=D Fdaatich Ana I Love You Like Hella Lots<3<3
Im Sorry If i Say Silly Things That Hurt i Dont Mean To =(!!
&& uuuh iunno where to start
Everything In You Is Just Like Im Close To Haven
your More Then What I've ever Imagined Of ~~
your Just Amazing
Hope You Love The Pic<3
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PS. Big Big Big Thnx To Punket For The Edit What Will I Do Without You ILoveYou && Thnx For Teaching Me Walla && Thnx To Frenchi For Taking The Pic ""RightOne""
And THNX TO MEEH For Modeling
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Ps;; Thnx For The Rose Sara <3
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Like The Pic? =D Then Show It Off To All Your Friends!!
Get It Got It GOOD
Xoxo