for all of us who labour, the underpaid, the overworked, the under appreciated, of all colours and persuasions, may this day of rest and contemplation bring rejuvenation and rest.

After twelve years languishing in limbo, the Order's battlecruisers greatcruisers return to active service. The world of 1924 is a very different time from their glory days of 1909-1912, and their gun layout is now long obsolete. However, the dangerously overworked enthusiastic and untroubled shipyards of the Ordenric have refitted the remaining three of the class up to mostly modern standards! Just don't put them in the line with the battleships. The most striking additions are the new towers for fire control gear, brand new 12" guns with improved elevation and boring, the replacement of the 5" gun turrets with 6" gun turrets (with the removal of casemate guns), and the AA mounts. Invisibly to the viewer, more powerful geared engines have been added as well as torpedo protection (actually that is visible in the middle). You can see a little torpedo boat 1922 on the other side of the bow, for scale :^)

The Dreodspirs are about as uncomfortable to live on as their namesakes, the infamous prison-towers of the Inquisition. Unusual boiler arrangement ensures that all spaces are equally heated to an uncomfortable temperature, especially in the tropics. Air conditioning has been installed but it's not very effective, and the magazines are now refrigerated to prevent any premature detonations. Magazine duty is the most sought-after posting on the ship. With the turrets and their associated support spaces, and the boilers and engine rooms arranged uneconomically, there is not much space for actual quartering, storage, and so on. All available surfaces are utilized, leading to cans of paint and washboards being used as tables while sacks of vegetables and fruit hang from the hallway ceilings. The chaotic internal layout is attributed to the critical wounds Holmweard took in battle, as damage control crews were unable to repair the breached hull quickly do to an inordinate amount of banana bunches in their way. Careless crewmen, or a Ziamese plot? You decide.

Muh stats:

Maximum speed: 30 knots (thanks, oil sprayers for the coal!)

Armament: 4x3 12" guns, 4x2 6" guns, 6x2 1.5" autocannons, 16x1" autocannons

Range: 10,300 km

Armor: 10" armor belt around engines and magazines, 9" on main turrets and barbettes, 2" on secondary turrets, 1" in all other non-vital areas

A rare iPhone shot here. I'd spent a while taking long exposures of Vauxhall with my Canon 6D, and as I was leaving the area I noticed the evening sun on the power station. Didn't quite have the motivation to get my gear out so did a quick iPhone snap which came out pretty well.

This was taken with the camera within Lightroom Mobile rather than the stock Apple 'Camera' app, as it doesn't do all the automatic processing which I find makes cityscape and architecture shots look overworked for my taste ...

For the very first time *Lunacy* is looking for bloggers!

I wont overwork any of you, it's a growing brand so the rules are easy and chill ♥

Thanks to anyone who paid attention to this post ♥

Click here to apply

Our Daily Challenge - Skill

229:365

I had a plan

it failed

this is all I have

So over it

It's midnight, catch you all tomorrow

overworked, will attempt this again!

Today I’m busy with overwork ... few few time to stay on flickr, sorry...

.

much better large size and on black - molto meglio in grande e su sfondo nero

View On Black

.

.

I spent 7 nights and 8 days in London in August with my family, Tiziano and Giulia and their families.

I’m trying to show 100 shots that I’ve made there, that represent my “London point of view”.

12 August:

Westminster/Big Ben/House of Parliament

Westminster Abbey (it’s strictly forbidden to take pics)

Westminster bridge

Southbank

London eye

Boat to tower

Tower hill

Covent Garden

■ Trafalgar square

Pall Mall

Regent Street

Piccadilly circus

Paddington

Thanks for all your kind comments to my last photos …

.

.

Grazie per tutti i gentili commenti alle mie ultime foto…

Serena

Watercolor for JKPP

www.flickr.com/photos/searen_art/4927486733/

This was a difficult one for me. I kept trying to fix it and overworked it, plus not an ideal likeness I'm afraid.

Just preparing for an exhibition, that's why I don't build much new stuff right now. However, I'm actually overworking and improving some older models, this wrecker included which was meant as a 7w+ interpretation of City set 60056 (one of my favourites due to its intriguing colour design), combined with quite a few Technic stuff to improve its playability - in fact a "Technic City" MOC according to Andy L's definition (see the group).

The revamped model has a longer hood and new tires, the chrome silver rims are used in a better way at the rear, plus there are quite a few minor modifications. However, the (hand operated) functions stay the same:

- winch (same as in the original set)

- boom up and down (via mini linear actuator)

- lifting cradle up and down (via mini linear actuator)

It's the 7w scheme that allows the use of the mini linear actuators which would be difficult on a 6w model.

100% Lego, no custom chrome.

This is definitely overworked. But.... Due to the terrain i couldn't get close enough to get a true detailed Lapwing picture so plumped for a silhouette and then applied a little cross processing and voila!!!

One for the kids.

Oil, collage and levelling gel on canvas

(basically, this was a serious portrait that I overworked, then destroyed - but it didn't want to die so I brought it back to life:)

dark or light will wait for us?

.

ci attenderà buio o luce, quando la linea della vita si interromperà?

.

.

much better large size and on black - molto meglio in grande e su sfondo nero

View On Black

.

impegnato in cantiere con molto da fare, scusate...

.

busy with overwork on site, sorry...

.

.

A little bit overworked version in a context with the used action-cam is to find here: youtu.be/iUU42aA65wM

Thanks very much for your interest, fav or time to comment !!

Night time is still very much alive.

There's a Filipino saying about overwork, that goes "People treat the night the same way they do for daytime".

Hmm. Translation really takes out the oomph, the gravitas out of the local sayings. Locally, it is "Ginagawang araw ang gabi"

This one's taken from Tocho, after around 30 mins of queuing.

.

Today and tomorrow busy with overwork & out of office, sorry...

.

much better large size and on black - molto meglio in grande e su sfondo nero

View On Black

.

.

I spent 7 nights and 8 days in London in August with my family, Tiziano and Giulia and their families.

I’m trying to show 100 shots that I’ve made there, that represent my “London point of view”.

13 August:

The Mall

St. James Park

■ Buckingham palace

Changing of the Guard

Green Park

Clarence House

St. James Palace

Savile Row

Fortnum & Mason

Carnaby Street/Soho

Oxford Street

Thanks for all your kind comments to my last photos …

.

Grazie per tutti i gentili commenti alle mie ultime foto…

Went with the family to Prescott for the French-themed event, 'La Vie en Bleu'. Being the first event I've been to since the winter I did far too much socialising and not enough sketching and photographing. I did find time to draw two cars. I fear I overworked the first sketches (in blue pencil) so I had another go at them when i got home.

Yep, definitely a bad guy. I'm not sure if I overworked the torso area, I mean, his name is Maniac, it's supposed to look a little unhinged I guess...

Hasselblad 503cx, Distagon 40mm CF FLE overcooked in Photoshop! Fomapan 100 rated at 50 in Ilfosol.

Recipe:

Pineapple jam

4 pineapples

2 cinnamon stick

2 star anise

6 cloves

300g sugar (or more to taste)

1. Peel and core pineapples. Cut into long segments and hand grate with a box grater. (This keeps the pineapple pulp fibrous; dont be tempted to blend in a food processor)

2. Strain out the pineapple juices.

3. Place pineapple pulp and half the sugar with whole spices in a large saucepan

4. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Lower the heat to med-low to keep the simmer. Stir regularly to prevent burning. As the juice cooks off, slowly add the reserved juice a little at a time.

5. After about 1-1.5hours, the jam would have reduced to a sticky texture and caramelized. Remove spices. Add remaining sugar (or more to taste).

6. Continue cooking over med heat stirring constantly until pineapple jam is a dark amber colour

7. Let cool completely and refrigerate overnight

Matcha shortcrust dough

125 g soft unsalted butter, cut into cubes

150g flour

1 tbs matcha powder

50g icing sugar

1 egg yolk

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1. In a bowl of an electric mixer, blend together butter and sugar until creamy and smooth.

2. Sift together flour, icing sugar and matcha powder. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture and cream together until well-blended.

3. Add in egg yolk and vanilla, mixing just to blend. (Dont overwork the dough.)

4. Divide dough into 2 and wrap well in clingfilm. Refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight until firm.

Assembly:

Pineapple jam (enough jam to yield 4 batches of matcha shortcrust)

Matcha shortcrust dough

Preheat oven to 170C

1. Remove shortcrust dough from fridge and allow to rest for 10 min to soften.

2. Roll pineapple jam into balls of 6-7g each

3. Roll out the matcha dough with a rolling pin inbetween two pieces of clingfilm until about 0.5 cm thick.

4. Using a well-floured pineapple tart mould, cut out tart shapes and place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.

5. Top the tarts with a ball of pineapple jam each

6. Bake at 170C for 20 min until firm and browned.

In 1973 I did a northern working trip with a friend. We headed north from Vancouver and our first stop was Terrace, where we found jobs on a tree planting crew. We stayed in the Luso Hotel, pictured above, which could be described most accurately as a dump. There were drunken fights in the hallway at night - that sort of thing. Was the town as bleak as it looks in this photo? Yes. I hear it's better now, but I haven't been back.

We felt we were being exploited - overworked, underpaid - and so I went to Kitimat to check out jobs at the Alcan smelter while David headed for Prince Rupert. No cell phones in those days, so we reported to each other via pay phone at a prearranged time. No luck at Alcan, but David told me there were jobs galore in Rupert, and he was correct. I hitchhiked the hundred miles from Terrace, and on the first morning of my "creative job search" was hired at the grain elevator. Total number of doors I knocked on: one. Total time searching: fifteen minutes.

Meanwhile I continued to document everything, including every place I passed through. A lifelong obsession. I'm sure the Luso - for losers, we figured - is long gone. This photo doesn't give me warm fuzzies, nor does it induce any nostalgia, but rather, gratitude that I only stayed a week. Best memory from Terrace? We spent evenings at a pub down the street, where we'd sip a couple of beers very slowly to make them last, while David taught me how to play chess. We played each other and anybody else who wanted a game every day for the next two months, and when our trip was over I could beat the average player. I still can. A good player, on the other hand, will almost always mop the floor with me.

Photographed in Terrace, British Columbia (Canada) on Kodak Tri-X (ISO 400); scanned from the original negative. Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission ©1973 James R. Page - all rights reserved.

If you are in need of some colour, this should give you a heavy dose. This turned out a bit eye-blasting. :)

My To Do list is very long at the moment, and I also have more than one on the go. I decided to create this week's self portrait around the idea of a REALLY long list of things to do because sometimes these things can get out of hand. When I am too focused on getting things done I feel a bit like a "human doing" rather than a "human being".

Sgt. Weeper, command log:

Landing on Corellia would’ve been a nice change of pace from the swathes of snowy hills on Vandos Prime had it not been following on the aftermath of that ice block. We’d essentially been demoted to simple police work. Riots, not to mention the lack thereof violence, were nothing compared to a coordinated and sophisticated insurrection. The political climate was different this time. Mourning squad was on its way to do its duty but it all felt truly off.

Our modest force was placed in the parks outside of the noblemen’s places. Their homes were the most extravagant and ornate above the rest of the city growth. Many were simple workers on the shipping yards but now they were rioting in the streets, claiming ‘bad pay’ and ‘overworking’. If only they had an ounce of honor in their work it might’ve been justified. They seemed pitiful enough based on the briefings yet seeing them eye to eye was almost uncomfortable.

Then there was a breaking point in the tension. Voices began to rise and hands belonging to the blurry faces of the riot shook and jested at an individual. The movement seemed to be heading to the front. We thought that the non-lethal weapon outfitting was for looks. Now it was evident that there was and edge, waiting to be unsheathed.

“Do you know what it’s like to be worked?” The man started off on a rant or monologue of the sorts. “Do you even see the work that builds the galaxy for your war? Do you even know what it is to be human?” That was the sting that hit with a seething venom. Bearer had taken a particular liking to him.

“Just because I’m a lab rat doesn’t make me any less a rat!” Bearer was certainly throwing some fiery words for a man meant to perform basic crowd control. It was rather poetic for a clone admittedly.

“Oh, but I’m no rat. I’m guessing you don’t have an idea as to what these blood-stripes mean. They distinguish a man from his outfit. A soldier from his squad. A leader from his audience. It takes the most dedicated will from a Corellian soldier to get these! I’d even guess you have no idea what being a true soldier is!”

Bearer has enough and lit up his baton. Pall was gripping his shield so taught that the white was practically showing through the glove over his knuckles. A screaming match ensued where no one seemed to be getting anywhere. Someone from the crowd threw a glass and rioters we kicking trash up at us. I felt removed by an enigmatic enormity. Somehow, as the patriarchal brother of the squad, I found myself in the childish bickering. What did it mean to be a true soldier? Follow the orders to a T. Right? Now I thought back to my last minute call on Vandos Prime. That was blatant disregard to the given protocol. What was I thinking? Only now in the heat did I think of something so detrimental to myself. What did it mean to be a true soldier? These protesters did seem to display some honor.

Weeper, out.

Thank God it's Friday!

View On Black

somebody asked me in two different scenarios why am i in self-exile and if i ever get tired...

i am in self exile because i am honestly sick (healthwise, thank god not mentally), down with tons of obligations (in and out of work), been going thru a self- reflection and penitence for this holy week and im simply homesick and battling all sorts of internal and external dementors.

yes, i do get tired. in fact i am super tired. i am over worked. and at the end of the day. i ask myself. why do i kill myself with excessive overworking. but then i remember. oh yes. i know why. im living in america. im living in the land of the almighty greens. i have to work for myself, for everyone, in fact i even have to work for my own name, status and my color.

so i said: "oo napapagod ako, pangalan ko nalang pinagtratrabahuhan ko pa, pati ba nman ang kulay ko..:

so ill correct the wrong notion. living here doesn't mean we pick up dollars from the trees like autumns traditional apple picking. living here means working, working, working and working your way for your name, color and if lucky for an airfare, a chance to go back and visit your home soil.

on explore april 7,2008 #98

Watercolour on 300 lb Arches 11.5" x 15". I started to paint this sunflower a few months ago and was having a great time until I came to the centre, so I put it aside. The reference photo for this can be seen in my "Animals & Close-ups" folder. I think the centre is a bit overworked, but I finished it today.

Photographed at San Antonio Open Space Preserve, California, U.S.A.

=> Please click on the image to see the largest size. <=

This very young Gray Squirrel was very tentative in exploring the trunk of this oak tree and I wondered if it left its nest earlier than it should have. It was very close to the ground when I took this photo but later disappeared back up to the top area of the tree...perhaps to return to the nest for another week or so. 😊

===============

From Wikipedia: The western gray squirrel (Sciurus griseus) is an arboreal rodent found along the western coast of the United States and Mexico. It is a tree squirrel. In some landscapes, the Western grey squirrel has lost habitat or experienced local extinction due to competition with other squirrel species and other pressures on their population.

Description[edit]

The western gray squirrel was first described by George Ord in 1818 based on notes taken by Lewis and Clark at The Dalles in Wasco County, Oregon.

Sciurus griseus is the largest tree squirrel in the Sierra Nevada and Central California range. It has plantigrade, pentadactyl feet with two phalanges. Compared with the eastern gray squirrel S. carolinensis or the fox squirrel S. niger (which have been introduced into its native range), these squirrels are shy, and will generally run up a tree and give a hoarse chirping call when disturbed. It is the largest native tree squirrel in the western coastal United States. Western gray squirrels exhibit a form of coloration known as counter shading. The dorsal fur is a silver gunmetal gray, with pure white on the underside; there may be black flecks in the tail. Ears are large but without tufts. The ears turn reddish-brown at the back in the winter. The tail is long and typically very bushy. Also, it stays in a curved upwards in an "S" shape.

Tree squirrels undergo a complete head-to-tail molt in the spring and a rump-to-head molt in the fall. Tail hair is replaced only in the spring. Nesting mothers will use their tail hair to line birthing nests. Western gray squirrels eat berries, nuts, a variety of seeds, and the eggs of small birds.

Reproduction:

Western gray squirrels reach sexual maturity at 10 to 11 months, and at approximately one year of age, will begin breeding.[5] They mate over an extended period ranging from December through June. Young are born after approximate 44-day gestation period. Juveniles emerge from nests between March and mid-August. Litter sizes range from one to five kits which remain in the nest for a longer period than other squirrels. The kits are relatively slow in development, and will not leave the nest for six months or more, another species disadvantage when in competition with other, more-rapidly fledging squirrels. Young gray squirrels have furled tails which will not reach fullness until adulthood. This is a good indicator of age and maturity. Mother squirrels often seem to be overworked with a stressed appearance, complete with bruised and battered nipples. Mating squirrels can be very physical and will bite and injure each other. Females can be quite territorial, and will chase others away and have fairly violent altercations between themselves.

Reproduction:

Western gray squirrels reach sexual maturity at 10 to 11 months, and at approximately one year of age, will begin breeding. They mate over an extended period ranging from December through June. Young are born after approximate 44-day gestation period. Juveniles emerge from nests between March and mid-August. Litter sizes range from one to five kits which remain in the nest for a longer period than other squirrels. The kits are relatively slow in development, and will not leave the nest for six months or more, another species disadvantage when in competition with other, more-rapidly fledging squirrels. Young gray squirrels have furled tails which will not reach fullness until adulthood. This is a good indicator of age and maturity. Mother squirrels often seem to be overworked with a stressed appearance, complete with bruised and battered nipples. Mating squirrels can be very physical and will bite and injure each other. Females can be quite territorial, and will chase others away and have fairly violent altercations between themselves.

Behavior and diet:

Western gray squirrels are forest dwellers, and can be found at elevations up to 2,000 m. Time on the ground is spent foraging, but they prefer to travel distances from tree to tree. They are strictly diurnal, and feed mainly on seeds and nuts, particularly pine seeds and acorns, though they will also take berries, fungus and insects. Pine nuts and acorns are considered critical foods because they are very high in oil and moderately high in carbohydrates, which help increase the development of body fat. They feed mostly in trees and on the ground. They generally forage in the morning and late afternoon for acorns, pine nuts, new tree buds, and fruits. They feed on pinecones and many other nuts in preparation for the winter.

When on alert, they will spread their tails lavishly, creating an umbrella effect that shields them and possibly provides cover from overhead predators. They are scatter-hoarders making numerous caches of food when it is abundant, and thus contribute to the seed dispersion of their food trees. Although squirrels show relatively good scent relocation abilities, some food caches are never reclaimed, becoming seedlings in the spring. Though they do not hibernate, they do become less active during the winter. Like many prey animals, they depend on auditory alerts from other squirrels or birds to determine safety. Once an alarm call is transmitted, those present will join in, and the trees become a cacophony of chirping squirrels. Tree squirrels are prey for bobcats, hawks, eagles, mountain lions, coyotes, cats, raccoons and humans.

9Y9A6379fFlkr

The old Cass foundry and repair shop, built in 1922 and burned down in 1972.

Cass, Pocahontas County, West Virginia

The history of the town of Cass follows the evolution of the lumber companies that inhabited the valley and operated the West Virginia Pulp and Paper Mill. Once a symbol of the economic power that drove this valley, the mill building has been victim of two major fires in 1978 and 1982. Now only twisted steel and rusted machinery remain amid the cracking cement. Trees and vines grow in a place where humans once toiled among the machines of lumber and fine wood products production.

The mill operation was enormous during its heyday 1908 to 1922. It ran two 11-hour shifts six days per week, cutting 125,000 board feet of lumber each shift, an impressive 1.5 million feet of lumber per week. The Cass mill also had drying kilns using 11 miles of steam pipe to dry 360,000 board feet of lumber on each run.

The adjoining planing mill was three stories high, measuring 96 by 224 feet. Massive elevators carried up to 5,000 feet of lumber to the separate floors and machines. Some of the flooring machines were so big that it took 15 men to operate them. There were two resaws here that could accommodate boards up to 35 feet long. The large surfacing machines finished all four sides of a board in one operation.

Roy Clarkson, in Tumult on the Mountain, estimated that in 40 years the Cass mill and the mill at Spruce turned more than 2-14 billion feet of timber into pulp or lumber. The town of Cass was named for Joseph K Cass (left picture), Chairman of the Board of W.Va. Pulp & Paper Co. Each morning the C&O dispatched a 44-car pulpwood train for the paper mill at Covington. At its peak, West Virginia Pulp and Paper employed between 2,500 and 3,000 men. In an average week six to 10 carloads of food and supplies traveled over the railroad to 12 logging camps. Indeed, the ruined mill is a symbol and a reminder of a past resplendent with human achievement. But the story of the mill is also a story of the rails that linked that mill with the timber in the nearby mountains.

At the turn of the century lumbermen eyeing the large tracts of virgin timber on Cheat Mountain, west of Cass, decided to route the timber east through a mountain gap and down the steep grade to the planned mill. An interchange between the Greenbrier and Elk River Railroad at Cass and the C&O was most economical but it called for the building of a difficult mountain railroad.

In 1900 Samuel Slaymaker, a timber broker, set up a construction camp at the mouth of Leatherbark Creek (the present site of the Cass shops). He and his hardy men pushed the rails up and along Leatherbark Creek, and gained altitude by constructing two switchbacks. Tracks were laid around the face of the promontory -- up and up along the ridge, winding until at last the rails reached the gap between the mountains. Here a camp named Old Spruce was established.

Around 1904, 1-1/4 miles of track were laid from Old Spruce to Spruce, a new town on the Shavers Fork on the Cheat River. At 3,853 feet, Spruce became the highest town in the eastern United States. From Spruce, the track eventually ran 35 miles south into the Elk River Basin to the town of Bergoo and 65 miles north, along Shavers Fork of Cheat River. Spruce became the hub of the rail empire. The main lines (Cass to Spruce, Spruce to Bergoo and Spruce to Cheat Junction) were 82 miles long. During the 1920s there were many miles of branches in use at once, but the total length was probably about 140 miles at maximum. Altogether the logging railroad built about 250 miles of track. At Spruce a large pulp peeling rossing mill was constructed. Billions of board feet of logs passed through Spruce and eventually went over the mountain behind the tanks of big 4 ton Shays like Number 12.

The Town of Cass after 1905

After 1905 the railroad went through a succession of name changes. The Greenbrier & Elk River became the Greenbrier, Elk & Valley Railroad in 1909, only to become the Greenbrier, Cheat & Elk Railroad (GC&E) in 1910. This quick succession of names reflects the early permutations so characteristic of a young and booming logging empire. Actually, all these names changes are a bit misleading because West Virginia Pulp and Paper (WVP&P) owned and operated the entire lumber operation from its beginnings. The original lumber company was West Virginia Spruce Lumber, set up by West Virginia Pulp and Paper to develop Cass property. WV&P bought (on paper) its West Virginia Spruce operation in 1910. At that time the railroad became a common carrier.

In 1926 merger negotiations were conducted between GC&E and the Western Maryland, which wanted to tap the rich coal reserves of the region. March 3, 1927 saw an agreement reached, and the Western Maryland purchased the 74 miles of north-south mainline between Cheat Junction to Bergoo. Shays were used to pull coal until the line could be renovated to accommodate the massive WM H-8 2-8-0's. Up to 10 locomotives were required to boost the coal loads up the steep grade.

The town of Spruce began to die when the peeling mill ceased operations in 1925. In the early 1930s the town became an isolated helper station on the Western Maryland. With the coming of diesels, all locomotives serving Cass were transferred to Laurel Bank and Spruce became a ghost town; all that is left now is crumbling concrete slabs, rubble and a two-track horseshoe curve of railroad track.

Mower Lumber Company acquired the Cass operation in 1942 to cut second growth timber on Cheat and Back Allegheny. Track was re-laid into old logging areas. Huge steam skidding machines were rigged on the hillsides and knobs, bringing saw logs for the mill on the rail lines. But second growth could not feed the mighty mill for long. By 1950 the operation was in decline. The sawmill worked only one shift; the big four-truck shays languished on sidings while three overworked and tired three-truck Shays, Number 1, 4, and 5, were assigned to the hill.

With Edwin Mower's death in late 1955 family members were unable to keep the operation going. The rail-haul logging operation and bandsaw mill ceased operation abruptly July 1, 1960. Employees were not notified until their shift ended on June 30. That night gloom and despair hung heavy over the town of Cass; it seemed likely that the town would go the way of Spruce. Three months after the mill closed, Walworth Farms (controlled by Peter Grace, a principal of W.R. Grace Co. of New York) purchased all the landholdings and acquired Mower Lumber Company. The town of Cass and railroad was retained by real-estate-oriented offshoot, The Don Mower Lumber Co. A scrap dealer, the Midwest Raleigh Corporation, was subcontracted to dismantle the line. It seemed that the life cycle of the logging town and its railroad had reached its bitter end.

But other forces were at work this time. In late September 1960, a rail fan, Russel Baum of Sunbury, Pa., initiated an effort to save the railroad. Baum reasoned that the Shays and the old logging track could become a big tourist attraction. A small number of local businessmen formed the Cass Planning Commission and state legislators were approached. Skeptical officials initially declined to participate. But when the state legislature's prestigious Joint Committee on Government and Finance took an inspection trip over the former Mower Lumber "railroad to the sky," to Bald Knob, the bureaucratic wheels were set in motion.

During the State Legislature's regular session in early 1961 an appropriation was approved and the governor of West Virginia signed a bill bringing Cass into the state parks system. The Midwest Raleigh Steel Corporation received $125,000 for seven miles of "main line" track from Cass to Old Spruce and four miles of branch line from Old Spruce to Bald Knob. Also included in the agreement were three locomotives, 10 flat cars, four camp cars, three motor cars and other equipment. Work began almost immediately, but an old logging railroad doesn't turn into a tourist line overnight. It wasn't until 1963 that Shays Nos. 1 and 4 were put in working order and safety rails and benches were installed on a few flat cars. Trains went about halfway up Back Allegheny Mountain, above the switchbacks to a pleasant pasture that has since come to be known as Whittaker Station. At that time there was not enough money to fix the tracks the remaining distance to Bald Knob.

The first year of operation was all that was needed to prove the skeptics wrong. Twenty-three thousand people flocked to this remote mountain town and its former back woods logging railroad.

Expansion of Cass continued. The shop, initially leased, was purchased from Mower Lumber Company. In 1966, $800,000 was invested in rehabilitating the line to Bald Knob; the total line was opened in 1968. In 1977, the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources acquired the former logging Company properties in Cass. Buildings were repaired and repainted. And by 2010, twenty of the former company houses have been restored and are rented to the public as park cottages. People now have the opportunity to spend their vacation in Cass.

Since 1985, the West Virginia Department of Commerce has proceeded with plans to further develop the historic town. More company houses are being restored for use as cottages. Replica plank walkways have been constructed throughout the town, and white picket fences now surround the cottages.

Possibilities for development for the Cass Scenic Railroad State Park are limitless. The future will bring additional recreational facilities for park visitors, including a campground, hiking trails, and additional interpretive programs.

The people of Cass and West Virginia are deeply rooted in their own expansive and fascinating history -- the history of bold, pioneering men and women who settled this country and built a magnificent logging empire under very difficult circumstances. The spirits of the past were reincarnated in the original visionary and determined supporters of the Cass Scenic Railroad who engaged in the lonely, tough struggle of transforming a tired, worn-out and about-to-be-scrapped logging railroad into a first-rate living museum. Today the spirits of past achievement live on in the men and women who keep a priceless collection of antique steam locomotives running much longer than ever intended, on a railroad that is surely one of the most interesting and challenging in the world.

Paris Street Photography, by Jonathan Nardi - 2014

Some photos are available for purchase here: WalkinginParis Etsy Shop

Front wheels aren't spinning, the model must be overworked. But the new Speed Champions hubcaps in combination with the newer Town tires improve the look very much in my opinion.

I was on a waiting list for Tom Hoffman's Watercolor workshop in Portland. I gathered my supplies alone with my urban sketching backpack and parked around the corner just incase someone dropped out the last minute. Class stayed full, so I sketched this building around the corner. After a while I realized I was freezing and hungry. I may have overworked this, but I had a good time. It was a good day.

2 of 4 new cardboards for the ongoin exibition at blota blota shop. i used this sketch originally for a wall, overworked.

Weathered and overworked garden statue. Front Yard USA.

.

scusate, oberato di lavoro...

.

much better large size and on black - molto meglio in grande e su sfondo nero

View On Black

.

busy with overwork, sorry...

.

entro il mare

Lascia la luce

entrare nel mare

stasera

ed il pensiero si ferma

così

in piedi di sabbia

ai confini del molo

respiro il vapore

poche virgole blu

quando il sale nell’aria

bagna pelle e vestiti.

Ho chiesto alle rocce

in fondo

se l’abbraccio dell’alga

nascondesse la vita

nell’attesa ora

oggi

ho capito lo scopo

di correnti sommerse

trattenere chi ondeggia

e goderne la danza

nel ritorno dell’amore che dona

e ancora mi scopro

incapace di gesto

se non trasportato dal mare

assieme alla luce.

.

.

inside sea

(my translation is only a faint attampt to render in English an Italian born text)

together with that light.

.

.

Guido Ranieri Da Re

agosto 2009

[0209]

Stintino, Sardegna

NOTE: In March of 2018 I posted this image, having no idea that two years later, in March of 2020, our lives would be majorly transitioning. I'm working on my 2021 calendar and absorbed with selecting images appropriate to last year. Interesting that 9 out of 12 were shot right here in or out of my studio . . . and the other 3 were within miles from home, either over the border in Rhode Island, or a few miles down the road in Mystic, CT; whereas in the past, I'd feature photographs from travels to all the New England states!

This is the second time, in my search, eerily,

I've come across a very prophetic image.

an unfinished canvas,

hanging on the wall.

W A I T I N G

for the inspiration to be transformed.

I happened to capture the first few newly applied brush strokes

to a piece my husband had placed on some newspaper

on the floor of his studio . . .

In my opinion, he was finished . . . but of course I left him in his solitude to follow his muse.

As artists, oftentimes we tend to overwork a piece, absorbed in thought, not knowing when to break or have a sense of completion.

Reading my "Daily Word" today, I was struck by the profound line,

"We die to some aspect of life that has been obstructing our true self, so that we can move forward with more freedom than ever before."

Despite the limited space, the new police station is packed with all the necessary features for its daily operation. The Command Center for Operation and Response Team (CCORT) stands in the city under sand blue, black and grey major colors, getting rid of the usual bright blue palette.

Giving way to the vehicular entries, the reception is moved to the first floor led by a wide staircase which becomes a welcoming and prominent feature along the street. Above it are the detention section, interview rooms, and one record room.

Going further up will be the main office for the officers, accompanied with pantry and the female restroom. Half of the area is a double volume space to receive more daylight through the big window. There’s also a meeting room which can be used as a war room if needed.

Above them will be the laboratory and equipment room, where evidence can be analyzed and where weapons and tools are stored. There are also the male restroom and one meeting room. Speaking of the restrooms, both of them have shower in case the overworked officers need to take a break.

Finally you will reach the top floor where the director’s office and flight control room are located. One can also reach the rooftop which is an Orca pad. The parking receiver is usually closed, and extends out upon Orca landing. The charging equipment sits on the side. Seldom do we see an Orca here actually since it’s usually parked for charging and equipment check.

Now, VCPD (V City Police Department) has a solid base for daily operations, providing all the services and support to the citizens in the town!

The lazy days are over, Fynn. Santa has called. He is overworked and wants you to come over and help out. :)

A close look at Philippines' overworked and underpaid worker.

Célia asked for a shot looking up at the lighthouse. This is the best I took of the day. I might have overworked this a little too. I really need to work on the HDR to make natural dynamic ranges.

This sky really caught my eye when I was there, but as I said in another post, the sea was washing around my ankles and it's very easy to get cut off from the shore. At high tide my head would have been under water if I'd stayed. Any criticisms have to factor in my circumstances ;-)

So I darkened her brows a bit, added a bit more detail on the lashes, tried to fix the lips- they look red here; they're actually pink. Also did a bit of touch up to detail on her eyelids. This is where I stop or I'll overwork her which is very easy for me to do.

I have been having some brain fog lately not able to focus on anything on the weekdays. It 's similar to this picture that I took at Mt Diablo two years ago. Perhaps I need to get out of the house and resume my daily walk routine. I might have overworked myself sitting in front the computer for too long.

"Yes sir, we'll all be wearing dresses. You'll be the only one there in trousers. No sir, I can't guarantee that all the dresses will be as sexy as the one I'm wearing."

Gonville and Cauis College, University of Cambridge. I'm going through a blue phase:-)

We live in the age of instant communications: tweets, blogs, FB etc. Sometimes things come out when they shouldn't. Take the recent tweet of Carol Vorderman when she announced that her daugher Katie had secured a place at Cambridge. In her excitement she let it slip that the college was Gonville and Cauis. Aha! Ask an official at the college and you'll get silence, "No coment". It's supposed to be all hush hush. Thanks to social media we now discover all sorts of things by bypassing the normal channels.

Does it matter, though? There is now info (junk) overload. What matters is that it should be relevant to us and that it enhances our lives in some way, or even offers light relief in these days of stress and overwork.

Overworked, Sam dreams of his vacation!

Towering in bronze outside Palermo’s central post office (Palazzo delle Poste), this solemn statue of St Christopher (San Cristoforo) holds both a staff and a child — no ordinary child, but the Christ Child himself. As legend has it, the saint once ferried a small boy across a river, only to find his burden growing heavier with each step. It was Christ in disguise, carrying the weight of the world.

Created in the early 20th century, this muscular rendering speaks of resilience, protection, and spiritual heft — fittingly placed at the civic heart of the city. With his rugged beard and furrowed brow, San Cristoforo might just be the patron saint of overworked couriers, stressed-out office clerks, and anyone trying to cross Palermo traffic with divine assistance.

⸻

Dressé fièrement devant le palais central des postes de Palerme (Palazzo delle Poste), ce robuste San Cristoforo incarne la force tranquille du porteur de fardeaux. Le bâton à la main, l’enfant sur l’épaule — qui n’est autre que l’Enfant Jésus — il évoque la célèbre légende où le saint traversa un fleuve en portant l’enfant, qui devint de plus en plus lourd à mesure qu’il avançait. Le poids du monde, disait-on.

Cette œuvre du XXe siècle allie symbolisme chrétien et esthétique musclée. Avec sa barbe taillée et son regard déterminé, San Cristoforo semble veiller non seulement sur les âmes en voyage, mais aussi sur les postiers débordés, les guichetiers du lundi matin, et tous ceux qui cherchent un peu de foi dans l’administration publique.

Whether it's overeating or it's overworking or over-sex or whatever it is, alcoholism, drug addition, we push ourselves to the brink and then pull back because it's kind of exciting.

Anthony Hopkins

My facebook page: www.facebook.com/pages/Trig-Photography/349794277317

Belchertown School for the Feeble Minded

April 17th, 2013

Info:

"The Belchertown State School for the Feeble-Minded was established in 1922 in Belchertown, Massachusetts. It became known for inhumane conditions and poor treatment of its patients, and became the target of a series of lawsuits prior to its eventual closing in 1992. This 876-acre (3.55 km2) campus contains ten major buildings.

Attendants on the wards were overworked, with dozens of patients in each ward, and as a result their treatment of the residents was nothing short of atrocious. Because there was not enough time for proper toilet care, residents were left "half-naked rolling in their own excrement. Those who were severely physically handicapped were left in their beds the entire day, without any form of entertainment. Patients who were unable to feed themselves were force-fed by the attendants, and when it was necessary to move a patient they did so roughly, causing injuries to the patient. As a result of this gross mistreatment, some patients were prone to reaching into [their] diapers and spreading whatever [they] found all over, repeatedly banging their heads against the walls", or any of a number of other responses. Additionally, the facility suffered from vermin infestation."

After rescuing the scientist that designed the Joker, a few updates were able to be made to the design, it turns out that the stability issues that it presented were just part of its strengths, the motors that provide mobility move at excessive speed, hence the incredible amount of energy consumption, and this is also the reason why only the pilot could control it, since the pilot has a heart decease that overworks the heart, and what seemed like panic attacks, where just his body working at overspeed, and this mix of mech and pilot, gave birth to the Joker as we know it.

It is equipped with a Spear called "The Grin" capable of piercing with enormous force and change to "casting mode" where it shoots charged blast from its core.

Additional mobility was added with its dual boost located on the lower back, allowing for extra speed and limited flight.

And with the scientist rescued, they were also able to reproduce in a more stable way the M-Frame, renaming it the MR-Frame, which is the base of 4 more mechs built, which are piloted by fellow mercenaries, with great skills, these 5 mechs are collectively called "Royal Flush"

-- Build Notes --

So after a LOOOOONG break, I saw that Lu updated his Re-Frame with a pilot cabin, and that made me want to modify my already modified version of his frame, the M-Frame, which I just called the MR-Frame, so it is definitely inspired by him, and the build is meant to live on his fictional universe.

I call the MR-Frame a poor man's frame, since it uses less pieces and some easier to find, but it does it's job. the arms and the legs are going to be different on each build so I don't consider them part of the new frame.

I used the joker for this update since it was the only mech I still had that resembled the shape and build I wanted, and I think it looks better now and I truly believe this is the definitive form, now with a pilot.

The decision to add a robot sidekick was inspired by nier: automatam. it works the same way it does on the game, it provides range weapons so that the mech can focus on melee attacks.

So after this Huge wall of text, I hope you like this re-build and stay tuned, tomorrow I'll post the Mech I decided to call "king".

This loaded autorack train was lead by an overworked square cab as it passed Teaneck, NJ.

Excerpt from brainproject.ca:

Regrowth

Artist Bryan Belanger pictures the brain as its own ecosystem, one that thrives when healthy and one that can be in danger if it is unattended or overworked. He imagines it to be covered in lush green grass, trees and rivers that flow, all funneling life from place to place. Like our own environment and the current state of our planet, there are places where there is no new growth, where the trees have been cut down and the land has eroded. Belanger has a similar picture in his mind of Alzheimer's and other diseases of the brain.

Unknown

No information on web site or the showcase.

Luminate

Luminate acts as a signifier that reminds us all of the psychological and physical importance of "lighting up" our environment and creating a positive aura despite the hardships that shadow us with fear. Through its movement, energy and markings, the brain sculpture Luminate suggests that even the smallest mark can make a world of a difference in our interconnected experience.

SYNAPSE

Interconnectedness. Layering. Complexity.

'Weaving' the 'clear' monofilament – layer upon layer and in no particular pattern – draws attention to interconnectedness. The layers of monofilament increase, and become very dense in much the same way that memories are made in the brain. Memories are made and there is potential distortion in remembering.

The nail heads placed in the creases hold together all of the filaments which are absolutely interconnected and made of one single length of material.

Brain Früz

Brain Früz is a a collection of vivid memories awakened by the power of different sensories. It represents hope for a bright and colourful future where thoughts remain crystal clear, lively and coherent.

State of Bliss

Sometimes, we all wish to be floating in warm, blue water with the hot sun kissing our face. State of Bliss captures the feeling of that moment.

Progression – Journey through the Darkness

This photograph exhibits the stark contrast between light (the brightly coloured framework of contours and orbs) and dark (the space between). It is only on our journey through the darkness that we can understand and appreciate the relief of the light. We each have our own internal structure and pattern of light, and it is our unique perception of and personal attachment to these patterns that assist us in making sense of the world, ourselves and those around us.

The TELUS Health Brain Project shines a much-needed light on the importance of cognitive and emotional well-being. Hollend’s work speaks to building that vision of a brighter, healthier future for this generation and those to come. TELUS Health is proud to partner with the Brain Project in support of the Baycrest Foundation for the second consecutive year, because they share in our commitment to create stronger, healthier communities.

The Prosper

Artist Yaron Bob’s sculpture is made from chains and a rocket base. It is a tribute to the place he lives in southern Israel, where these rockets fell. It is named after a dear friend who is going through a rough patch in life. His name is Prosper.

The name seems fitting since it has a double meaning. The artist wishes his friend and everyone in need to "live long and prosper."