View allAll Photos Tagged optimistic
Evidently, my light estimation was a bit optimistic when taking this photo. And: using a step-up ring on a wide angle lens is not always a good idea (if you're not crazy about vignetting).
Still a somewhat spooky-cool shot, I think.
Yashica-J5, Super Yashinon R 35mm f2.8, Ilford Delta 100 Prof.
Developed with Ilfosol 3 (1+14).
since I stood in the glow of the York & Son Garage neon with my boots on the pavement of US 6, once the longest highway in the nation.
The road's been rougher since then, harder than I could have imagined - long lonely stretches, with scary turns and steep drop offs, gray days and stormy nights that seemed endless. It's taken me to places I never thought I'd see . . . and didn't want to visit.
But that road finally came back out at Ladora. Brought me back to remember the girl, the poem, the dreams of so long ago. It could be, that on a cool July evening in Iowa, the effects of old roadside garage neon along an empty highway might be more intoxicating than a field of poppies - I don't know. But I do know that, standing there, I could hear those sweet optimistic voices singing:
You're out of the woods,
You're out of the dark,
You're out of the night.
Step into the sun
Step into the light.
Keep straight ahead for the most glorious place
On the face of the earth or the sky.
Hold onto your breath,
Hold onto your heart,
Hold onto your hope.
March up to the gate and bid it open . . .
: ) The original shot is below in the comments.
Around sunset, a couple days ago.
We moved to our new apartment this month and this was a nice way to celebrate the photographic possibilities from this 15th floor point-of-view. We didn't have any serious storm that day, despite the alert in the morning... Spot the rainbow.
Stitched pano from about 23 photos, taken at around 30 mm. In hindsight, I should have just used a wider lens. I had another layer of photos for the clouds above the frame but didn't account for how fast the wind was moving them and how quickly they were changing. That was a nightmare to stitch in post and in the end I just had to give up on that top strip of clouds, which in my opinion was the most dramatic :(
This is very optimistic picture, right?))
To be frank, I have nothing good to tell as well.
I’ve just got results of the latest check-up and they are not bad, no, they are simply awful. I’m still in kind of shock. Though it wasn’t unexpected thing, I didn’t think everything would be so bad, really :(
I should be hospitalized but I don’t want to. I’ve got a choice yet (in case I’m not getting worse). I don’t want to go there because I will have to give up everything. Yeah, I will have a right to breathe and look at the window. That’s all. On the other side, classes start on Monday and if I won’t be able to study well because I will have to spend a lot of time in the hospital anyway, so… ugh. I hate making decisions, I simply can’t do it right! Workaholics should never make such decisions! Never!
I’m not sure what I’m going to do with pictures… I stop all my projects for a while cause I look like a ghost (wait, I can start “Zombie” series or something like this LOL. No, kidding) but vacation finally ends, my lovely models come back to the city and I may shoot some of them.
Photography is such a drug! Well, you know it very well if you’re reading this. :D
Actually I don’t know why I’m writing this and what I’m looking for here... I guess I do it because there are friends who seem to care.
Yeah friends, shit happens.
~*~*~*~
Ok, some positive here.
I would like to thank miss'anna for her lovely testimonial! And I (careless, careless creature!) say my veeery late thank you to shawnisabelle and Dylan Murphy as well. Your kind words made my day. When I hear (read) something like this, I really want to live. And breathe. And create.
Thank you!
L
Granny is headed to Washington.
We’re Here : optimistic Cloudgoat.
My chariot courtesy of www.myartprints.co.uk/a/anonymous-painter/model-of-a-two-... where I found a Bridgeman Library picture of a sculpture discovered in the Tiber River, currently located in the British Museum, London.
I try to be an optimistic realist…seeing what could be possible but realizing it will usually take real work and effort to get there.
So here I am back out and about…nothing too amazing… but I’m doing it again.
The day was mostly uneventful as Becky's days go. Most stores still have their dressing rooms closed here, so I didn’t find much fun in just touring the racks, as these days I like to see how something is going to look on, before I buy it.
It has been rather warm, so long outdoors activity was also a bit limited. I could have gone to the city, but I was looking to end my day up in the Walnut Creek area and meet up with my friends from the DVGs for dinner and socializing.
But it was nice to be back out and I got a nice boost from a long time friend who, after talking with me for a few minutes, stopped mid-sentence and, Said “You look really good today”…”not that you don’t look good usually but you look very nice, your make up….”
When she was done…just a short set of comments, I stopped her. “Thank you” I said. “It’s not that I need a lot of complements, but today that hit very deeply, as I’ve been struggling to feel like I’m getting back on track again, so thank you very much.” And we continued chatting about some other thing unrelated to TG things.
I didn’t take her comment to mean I looked gorgeous or anything like that, but just that I looked very put together, comfortable and natural and I was back being the nice, friendly, calm and confidence woman she had come to know over the last decade or so. (Just for the record, she was in male mode, but joined us anyways.)
So, I think I’m back…a little older and heavier than before the COVID pandemic hit, but I’m back. I look forward to getting to spend some more femme time soon. It might be a little bit, because I have lots of things vying for my time right now. Family, friends and more that all got set aside for a bit last year.
Anyways you all be well and I hope things will be opening up for you all soon as well.
On a side note: We are now at 82% of folks over 12 vaccinated in my county. Something I quite happy with, but things have really slowed down here, which means we still have nearly 1 in 5 people who have bought into the stupid and self-destructive COVID hoax movement that still exists here. By this point we could have had nearly everyone over 12 vaccinated and the pandemic would be gone here, but because of these stupid and ignorant folks, we are still being held back from really getting back to normal.
The really irritating thing is these are mostly the same people who didn’t want to help stop the spread when COVID was raging last year and they will cause additional unfortunate death and grief, for really no reason at all. Its free, its available, it works amazing well and there is little risk or side effects.
Another sign of the truly insane times we are currently living in.
Be well, Hugs, Becky
Builders' hoarding optimistically showing the finished building. I assume it will take so long to complete, by then we will be back in the EU.
Despite a very optimistic weather forecast, yesterday ended up rather overcast. Still an opportunity for fresh air without too much fresh rainwater.
Lomo Lubitel 166 Universal and T-22 75mm f/4.5, Ilford HP5 Plus in Rodinal 1+50 for 14 min @ 20°C and digitalized using kit zoom and extension tubes.
Thank you everyone for your visits, faves and comments, they are always appreciated :)
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...
Photo of the Similkameen River captured via Minolta MD Zoom Rokkor-X 24-50mm F/4 lens and the bracketing method of photography. Okanogan Highlands Region. Inland Northwest. Okanogan County, Washington. Early February 2018.
Exposure Time: 1/250 sec. * ISO Speed: ISO-100 * Aperture: F/11 * Bracketing: +1 / -1 * Color Temperature: 6650 K * Film Plug-In: Kodak Portra 160 NC
Sometimes when the times are at their darkest point, the brightest pictures come to light.
November last year wasn't my finest time. But even when I know I wasn't happy and everything was sort of crumbling down I feel optimistic when I look at my past self here. There isn't sadness in my eyes, and somehow, that tiny little stupid thing makes me feel so strong.
A couple days after my first trip to the desert, another optimistically-romantic and even-younger dude wanted to take me to see some small dunes (the dunes-only shots turned out unphotographable with my crappy film). Small, because the big ones are touristy, and also the small ones were near his village. A very weird evening motorbike ride into the desert to drink terrible whiskey on the dunes, watch the sunset, and get eyeballed suspiciously by his family.
Maybe better in color, while the guy was wearing my turban from Mali that happened to match his t-shirt.
Graffiti that used to be at the entrance to the Royal Victoria Park, Bath. Taken from the first ever B&W film that I learnt to process myself (many years ago.....)
Hope you are looking towards the new week in an optimistic mood! It'll be (another) busy week for me; I hope I will be able to "steal" some flickr-time! ;-)
(Some yellow plants I picked out of a withered flower bouquet; see on black)
optimistic about gods
and I do believe in good
but as autumn gets closer
it gets hard to keep the mood
- Frosted July -
During the early optimistic days of SSI UK ownership, GB Railfreight-operated Di8 class diesel-electric loco No. '820' draws a loaded torpedo wagon away from the Redcar Blast Furnace in October 2012. The 'Di8' class was previously used for freight traffic by the Norwegian railway company CargoNet. Twenty locos were constructed in 1996-97 at the Maschinenbau Kiel (MaK) plant in Kiel when it was part of 'Siemens Schienenfahrzeugtechnik' and GB Railfreight acquired ten for the Redcar contract. SSI UK went into liquidation during October 2015, resulting in 1,700 job losses at the plant alone.
© Gordon Edgar - All rights reserved. Please do not use my images without my explicit 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.
Perhaps a little optimistic, but at least it's forecast that it's going to warm up over the weekend! Have a good one!
A little about our stay at Hotel Chocolat, for those who're interested...
For anyone who's familiar with the brand of chocolate "Hotel Chocolat" this is the hotel, restaurant and plantation where it all begins. We were lucky enough to meet co-owner Peter Harris on our stay, a fascinating guy who started the business as a mail order chocolate company and has worked to create something virtually unique. I've not met many true entrepeneurs before, but what I found most interesting is that I got no sense that he'd built this for the money. It seemed much more about creating something very special, realising a dream if you like. It seemed clear that the workers here are getting a good deal. The plantation works to promote agriculture and to help farmers set up their own crops, with a clear focus on education and providing a fair return on the cocoa! If ever you're lucky enough to visit St Lucia, I cannot recommend this place enough. It makes you see your chocolate in a whole new light, and I doubt you'll ever grumble again at paying a couple of pounds for quality bar of dark chocolate once you've seen the work that's gone into it!
I came across this beauty on a walkabout near Capitola, CA. Copyright: Sweezey Pictures - Ken Sweezey.
(+2 in comments) Ok, I've been tagged so many times. Finally, I'm getting around to it!
1. Sometimes I like to sleep in tights.
2. I read my Bible nightly.
3. I gave up pop for about 3 months and drank nothing but lemonaid and iced tea. (It didn't work out too well.)
4. I'm not too patient.
5. Recently, I really dig old school rap. But I hate the new stuff.
6. I can't stand people who try too hard to separate themselves from the crowd. You're fine how you are.
7. Wow. I'm lazy.
8. I sleep with Christmas lights on in my room.
9. My relationship with my mom just got really great.
10. I'm not too good with words. I'm good at empathy.
By the way. I really do love life. So much. I used to think it's not fair. But everything happens for a reason. I am satisfied. The reason we don't have something is because we don't need it.
I think that a relationship with God can totally change your outlook on everything.
Scratch that....I know that a relationship God can totally change your outlook on everything.
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