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The Château de Chambord in the Loire Valley is a impressive sight and the largest château in the region. Originally built as a hunting lodge the Chateau has only been lived in for a handful of years throughout its history. It is particularly famous for its double helix staircase in the centre of the keep (you can just see it at the top in the centre).
Taken with a 10x stop ND (3.0) and GND filters, giving an exposure time of ~48 secs. Minor editing (levels, sharpening, etc) in Capture NX.
© Scott Thistlethwaite 2009. All rights reserved.
I look out for this Rosehip bush on my walk as I have noticed groups of Northern Cardinals quite often feasting on the berries. I find it hard to get a clear shot through all the branches..However, I was happy with this one ;) I hope you enjoy him too.....especially in this light. (Who needs textures? lol This is nature's texture!!)
"The brilliant red of a male Northern Cardinal calls attention to itself when males are around. You can also find cardinals by getting a sense of the warm, red-tinged brown of females – a pattern you can learn to identify in flight. Away from backyards, cardinals are still common but inconspicuous owing to their affinity for dense tangles. Listen for their piercing chip notes to find where they are hiding."
Enjoy your weekend everyone :)
Best viewed LARGE.
è un piccolo paesino in provincia di Lecco, posto su un piccolo rilievo montuoso, il primo venendo da Milano, dalla cui sommità è possibile scrutare l’intera pianura Padana. La favorevole posizione ne ha favorito il turismo sia grazie al parco naturale circostante il paese, che alla fama enogastronomica dei suoi prodotti tipici, che alla bellezza della val Curone.
da Wikipedia:
Montevecchia, detto anche Monte delle veglie, volgarmente Montaveggia. Era un tempo un fortissimo castello, sui di cui fondamenti è fabbricata la moderna parrocchiale. L'oratorio di s. Bernardo, fabbricato dal canonico di s. Maria della Scala in Milano Giovanni Antonio Scaccabarozzi, fu consacrato dall'arcivescovo Gaspare Visconti l'anno 1592.
Un Resta vi lasciò alcuni fondi per l'erezione d'un monastero per le Clarisse, ma impossibilitata la fabbrica, s. Carlo aggregò i fondi al monastero di s. Apollinare di Milano. Recaronsi quassù i Milanesi condotti da Roberto Gallo per discacciare da Calco Francesco Sforza, che impediva i Veneti dal soccorrerli. Giacomo Brivio nel 1713 diventò feudatario di questa sua patria. Il feudo era indi passato negli Agnesi. La celebre Agnesi vi si recava. In quell'aere purissimo, in quell'amenità di siti la mente di lei doveva elevarsi ai profondi calcoli matematici, che tanto l'onorano. E maestosa la gradinata che mette alla chiesa parrocchiale, che è posta sulla vetta del monte.
Firefighters' demonstration in Paris.
Right before the Pont d'Austerlitz, some of the firefighters clashed with the riot police, which defended themselves with tear gases. No zoom for this, and no crop (just B&W conversion) ;-)
Part of "Au feu, les pompiers !" (please watch in the order of the set, to better understand the chronology of events)
a tiny portable chess set bought at beijing's touristy yashow market -- one of the souvenirs i look at from time to time to remind me that i was there.
i suffer great disconnect between the places i've lived... at times i suspect i've imagined them. i know it sounds funny, but sometimes i look down on my old neighborhoods on google earth to reassure myself that they really, truly exist.
if i go back to visit, even after decade's absence, it feels as if nothing's changed and it's as if i never left.
on the blog: toomanytribbles.blogspot.com/2009/07/across-board.html
Taken with the 50mm F1.4 fully open View On Black
Exif Data
Camera: Pentax K20D
Exposure: 0.001 sec (1/800)
Aperture: f/1.4
Focal Length: 50 mm
Exposure: +0.35
ISO Speed: 640
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
File Size: 7.5 MB
It's said that the eyes are the mirror of the soul.
But this is actually the tunnel leading to the opera house in Oslo that has found its way into my eye.
Taken for #TwPhCh036: Angle of View / Synsvinkel
www.lokomotivy.net/adm/zobraz2.php?rada=git_c1&loko=4...
Noční vlaky jsou nedílnou součástí železniční dopravy v Itálii, přičemž relace, směřující z vnitrozemí na Sicílii, patří k nejvytíženějším. Jen ze samotného Říma jezdí hned dva páry spojů, doplněné o vlak z Milána, který cílů na ostrově ve Středozemním moři dosahuje až odpoledne, a i ve směru do Milána vlak odjíždí z obou sicilských destinací nedlouho po poledni. Cestujícím zejména posledně jmenovaného páru se tak naskýtají překrásné výhledy na Tyrhénské moře, neboť železniční trať je vedena v těsné blízkosti pobřeží od Sicílie až téměř po Neapol. Vzhledem ke zmíněné vytíženosti jsou všechny tři páry vlaků složeny pouze ze spacích vozů a poté, co se přepraví ze vnitrozemské italské železniční sítě přes Messinskou úžinu na tu sicilskou pomocí trajektu, se ve stanici Messina Centrale rozdělují Zatímco jedna část vlaků je vedena po severním břehu ostrova do stanice Palermo Centrale, druhá část vlaků směřuje na jih přes Katánii do Syrakus.
Na snímku vlaku ICN 1963 "Intercity Notte" [Milano Centrale – Siracusa], pořízeném dne 23. března 2024 u letoviska Praia a Mare, lze spatřit všechny tři typy spacích vozů, kterými lze v těchto vlacích cestovat. Nejpočetnější lehátkové vozy, nabízející pouze čtyřmístná a o poznání komfortnější kupé, než bývá v Evropě zvykem, představují zástupce dvou sérií, které vznikly v letech 1996–2001 přestavbou starších vozů konstrukce UIC-X ze 60. a 70. let v celkovém počtu 230 vozů. Lůžkový vůz je zde zastoupen v západní Evropě nejrozšířenějším typem MU rovněž po modernizaci. Na vzniku celkem 283 vozů během let 1963 a 1990 se podílely hned tři společnosti a vozy tohoto typu jezdily i ve Francii či v zemích Beneluxu. Zatímco zcela původní francouzské vozy dnes dožívají v Černé Hoře, všechny dnes provozované italské vozy prošly modernizací a jsou dodnes v provozu, jak se lze na tomto snímku přesvědčit. S celkovou kapacitou až 36 osob nabízí jedno-, dvou- či třílůžková kupé standardních parametrů.
Nejzajímavější je ale třetí vůz na snímku – jedná se o lůžkový vůz typu T3S, který vznikl v počtu 11 vozů v letech 2007–2008 ve firmě RSI Costa Masnaga přestavbou starších lůžkových vozů typu T2S z roku 1982. Jedna polovina vozu je tvořena standardními třílůžkovými oddíly, druhá polovina pak představuje netradičně provedená čtyřlůžková kupé s vlastním WC a sprchou. Vozy tohoto typu byly mj. nasazeny v letech 2017–2020 na páru nočních vlaků Benátky–Paříž, avšak po ukončení provozu tohoto spoje v důsledku pandemie viru Covid-19 v roce 2020 byly staženy do vnitrostátního provozu a dnes jsou vozy nasazovány na všechny tři páry nočních vlaků na Sicílii, avšak pouze do skupiny vozů Miláno/Řím – Syrakusy a zpět.
Praia a Mare je obec v regionu Kalábrie, která je známá jako plážové letovisko u Tyrhénského moře. Celkem dva kilometry dlouhá pláž je částečně pokryta atraktivním černým lávovým pískem. Na jižním konci se nachází skalní ostrov Dino, kde se nachází několik velkých mořských jeskyní, přístupných malými plavidly. Na nejjižnějším výběžku pláže se na výběžku sopečné skály tyčí středověká věž Fiuzzi, postavená byzantskými silami k ochraně pobřeží.
REALLY LOOKS BETTER VIEWED LARGE ON BLACK
dug into my archives for this one . . . i have almost forgotten that. although i am not a portrait photographer, i do have some studio portraits i took during a 3-hour workshop a year ago. i have posted a few before but i think i have a few more worth sharing. this was my first and (so far) only experience in studio portrait photography. don't ask me for lighting information because i have no clue. i do remember that i used a remote-controlled strobe light on this one. didn't turn out too badly . . . i think..
Una parte delle mura del Castello di Riva di Ponte dell'Olio (PC).
Questa è una parziale visione del fossato che circonda il Castello.
da Wikipedia:
"I castello di Riva è un complesso fortificato che si trova a Ponte dell'Olio, in provincia di Piacenza. Posto sulla riva destra del torrente Nure tra il corso d'acqua e la strada provinciale che collega Piacenza a Ferriere, controllava il passaggio nella val Nure. La sua collocazione, nel punto in cui la pianura finisce e la vallata si strige addentrandosi tra le colline, era strategica poiché permetteva il controllo del passaggio verso il mare, in Liguria, attraverso la val d'Aveto, (Ponte dell'Olio deve il suo nome ai magazzini di olio d'oliva) e in Lunigiana attraverso la val di Taro.
Costruito con le pietre del fiume, è parzialmente circondato dal fossato. Ha pianta a forma di triangolo isoscele, con una torre semicircolare, e due quadrate, poste ai vertici e lungo il lato più lungo. Le mura con merlature ghibelline, sono sovrastate dal cammino di ronda. Un elegante loggiato, costruito nel 1703 dai Maggi, con archi a tutto sesto, collega la torre maggiore con una torre intermedia. L'ingresso si trova sul lato sud-est, è protetto da una torre con porta a saracinesca e ponte levatoio.Una quarta torre si trova all'interno, e serviva per controllare il ponte levatoio. La torre maggiore si trova a nord-ovest, nel punto d'incontro dei lati maggiori del perimetro, è un'imponente mastio quadrato cinquecentesco, ornato di beccatelli collegati da archetti sui quali sono appoggiati i merli a coda di rondine. Ospitava nel sotterraneo la prigione e il pozzo del taglio, a piano terra la sala delle armi con quattro stanze sovrastanti. La base del torrione è lambita dalle acque del fiume che da quel punto si incanalano nella bocca del canale, chiamato Rio San Giorgio, che, costruito nel medioevo a scopo irriguo, dagli Anguissola di Vigolzone, attraversa la pianura oltrepassando San Giorgio Piacentino.
Due sono le leggende che aleggiano intorno al maniero. Secondo la prima, esiste un cunicolo sotterraneo che, partendo dalla torre rompitratta posta sul lato nord, passava sotto il fossato e si collegava ad un edificio adiacente al maglio di ferro*, dove probabilmente venivano conservate armi da fuoco. Un'altra versione narra di un condotto che metteva in comunicazione il castello di Riva con quello di Bicchignano, correndo addirittura al di sotto del greto del torrente.Di questa galleria si sostiene che se ne siano perse le tracce attorno al 1310, poiché gli abitanti del castello, visti a mal partito, vi si sono rifugiati all'interno, i nemici però preferirono farne franare le parti terminali, murandovi all'interno vivi gli avversari. Più probabile è che fosse presente un tunnel, di cui non vi sono comunque tracce, per garantire la fuga in caso di assedio.
La seconda leggenda ricorda la storia della figlia del fiorentino Niccolò Soderini, che era ospite della moglie del signore di Riva Gian Giacomo Anguissola, Beatrice Tedeschi, che divenne ladra per amore. Ella era innamorata di un uomo rozzo, sempre bramoso di denaro, difatti la figlia di Soderini rubò il tesoro al castellano e lo sotterrò sotto il mastio quadrato, in attesa che fosse arrivata l'occasione propizia perché il suo fidanzato lo andasse a dissotterrare, la quale, però, non si presentò mai ed il tesoro rimase sepolto dove l'aveva deposto la bella fiorentina.Lei fu la prima ad essere sospettata e venne gettata nel pozzo del taglio*. Per questo si dice che nelle notti di luna piena l'acqua del Nure (che passa direttamente sotto al mastio) emani bagliori di color verde smeraldo come la figlia di Niccolò Soderini, fatta ladra per amore.
Cokin P filter: GND4
HDR 3xp
Reflection Set on Black | Beauty of Poland Set on Black | My Photostream on Black
The following description came from National Geographic.
www.nationalgeographic.com/destinations/Taos/Taos_Drive.html
The highway between Tres Piedras and Tierra Amarilla is one of New Mexico’s most scenic, threading the Brazos Mountains, where grassland basins and forests of evergreen and aspen at 10,000 feet [3,048 meters] are so cleanly delineated they look like landscaping. The Brazos Cliffs, composed of 1.7- to 1.8-billion-year-old Precambrian quartzite (the cliffs contain the oldest known rock in New Mexico), plunge 2,000 feet [609.6 meters] to the Rio Chama Valley.
Jesus is the "velcro friend" who sticks with you through it all. He wants to be that friend for you. People can fire you, abuse you, criticize you, divorce you, disappoint you, abandon you - but millions of us have found what those Latvian followers of Christ found - that Jesus is life's one and only "through it all" person. In fact, intimacy is born from difficulty. When the Apostle Paul said his passionate life goal was to "know Christ," he went on to say that involved knowing "the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings" (Philippians 3:10). You never really know Jesus until you really, really need Jesus. And when you really, really need Him, He's really, really there.
"What a friend we have in Jesus." It's more than a song. It's a life you can have. Then no matter what the future holds, that will be your personal anchor - "what a friend I have in Jesus."
Best: View On Black
A little blue heron photographed Sat. March 31st in the backwoods of south Louisiana.
Flickr member Scott Schexnaydre and I went out in his boat and we spent the morning shooting pics.
We had great weather and I enjoyed the trip!
Scott has a great Flickr site and his images can be found here:
The Monastery of Sant Benet de Bages is a former Benedictine monastery, in the Catalan comarca of Bages. The Romanesque monastery was thoroughly restored at the beginning of the twentieth century by the Catalan architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch. The monastery was founded about 950 by the noble Salla and his consort Ricarda, of the house of the viscounts of Osona . According to the founding legend, Salla traveled to Rome to have his institution authorized, and to have it depend directly on the Holy See, the usual method for preserving the community from interference from the bishop— in this case of Vic— in whose diocese it lay. The abbey church was consecrated 3 December 972, witnessed by a gathering of notables: Borrell II, Count of Barcelona, the bishops Frugifer of Vic, Guisad of Urgell and Pere of Barcelona, the viscount Guadald of Osona, and three of the four offspring of the recently deceased founder, his son Isarn and the sisters Quíxol and Ego, at the head of witnesses both laymen and priests, in a grand ceremonial recorded in the surviving act of consecration. The community was dedicated to the Holy Trinity and to Benedict of Nursia (Sant Benét in Catalan) founder of the order, and Peter and Andrew, all guarantors of its future orthodoxy. The founder secured dispensations that the future abbots would be chosen from among their descendents, making the abbey a form of proprietary church, an agreement that would soon lead to disputes among the various branches of their lineage as to choice of abbots.
From 965, the abbey church held the supposed relics of Saint Valentine, enclosed in a wooden reliquary with plates of silver depicting miracles of Saint Valentine, which was rediscovered in 1863 in the church of Navarcles. At the beginning of the eleventh century the monastery passed under the direction of the Abbey of Saint Peter of Tomeras at Narbonne, from which the community freed itself in 1108. In 1125 Sant Benet de Bages suffered from an attack by Moors that required a rebuilding, financed by local nobles who required in return the right to be buried in its consecrated ground. The most splendid age of Sant Benet de Bages was in the fourteenth century, until the Black Death left the community with only two survivors, in a period that witnessed the beginning of its decline. On 9 November 1593, by order of Pope Clement VIII the community passed under the direction of the Abbey of Montserrat, and remained so until it was suppressed in 1820, serving as a place of retirement for Montserrat's community of monks. By the "law of desamortización" of 1835, all religious orders in Spain were required to render upo their possessions. The crumbling ancient structure attracted the interest of intellectuals who organised visits to it in the late nineteenth century. The architect Puig i Cadafalch and the painter Ramon Casas encouraged the mother of Casas to buy the property in 1907; in 1910 it passed into the hands of Casas, who commissioned Puig i Cadafalch to restore it. Since 2000, when it was purchased from Casas' heirs it has belonged to the Caixa de Manresa, a financial institution that has undertaken its maintenance.
"I've never been so pleased to see a ceiling," he said.
Virtually the first words out of his mouth when my step-mum and I went in to see him after his operation late on Thursday evening.
After the relative high of leaving hospital and getting home for his birthday last week, this week was all about the build up to his carotid endarterectomy. And as the week drifted by, dad drifted a little further within himself; the risks and understandable fears of what was quickly galloping towards him looming large.
The morning of the operation began early, the hospital taxi duly arrived. My step-mum apparently offered to carry his bag. He politely declined, picked it up himself, strode off down the path, into the waiting car and away. My step-mum, slightly shocked, waved at the back of his head. He didn't say goodbye. He didn't look back. It's astonishing to think that could've been their last moment together.
Later he shrugged the moment off, "I don't like goodbyes. Besides, I was being positive. I had every intention of coming back." He's an unusual character all right, my dad.
The scar and associated bruising, as you can see, make him look the victim of a particularly brutal werewolf attack. However, given the relative invasiveness and delicacy of the operation, his recovery, again, is quietly remarkable; also a wonderful testament to the skills of the surgeon, Mr Neary. [Who, the day before, was so calm before the operation, he sat on the edge of the desk talking to my parents swinging his legs back and forth like a small boy.] You've got a special place in the hearts of this family, Mr Neary. Now, pull your socks up, tuck your shirt in and go tidy your room!
Twitter: Anatomy Of A Stroke
Thank you for all of the views, awards, comments and faves. They are greatly appreciated.
This is a Douglas DC-3 (C-47 military version) used by the Israeli Airforce (IAF) for training paratroopers. The DC 3 was manufactured in Santa Monica, California, Long Beach, Califonia and Oklahoma City. This aircraft is currently being reconstructed by the current owner.Although it is on the apron adjacent to the Camarillo Museum the aircraft is not one that is owned by the C.A.F.
This is the only image in this set on which I did not use textured overlays. There is, however, also a textured version. If you like you can compare this original (a single RAW processed with PS CS-5 and Dynamic Photo HDR software and saved as a jpeg) with the earlier overlaid image. This is my favorite image in the series.
For those wanting the technical data as follows: The shot was hand held and taken with a Nikon d90, Tamron 18-270 lens at 32mm. Manual mode, manual focus. Exposure 1/640 of a second at f13, ISO 200 -4/3 E.V. No filters on the lens.
© Lawrence Goldman 2011, All Rights Reserved
This work may not be copied, reproduced, republished, edited, downloaded, displayed, modified, transmitted, licensed, transferred, sold, distributed or uploaded in any way without my prior written permission.
Lighting Info:
SB800 in Shoot Thru Brolly Camera Left
Sun Behind Camera Right as Rim
Nikon D300
Nikkor 50mm 1.4
Pocket Wizard Plus II
This is probably my favorite portrait that I have taken, it is not a great photo or some kind of masterpiece, but it speaks volumes to me. I have a younger brother that is my best friend, I have always felt this need to really watch over him. You see, my parents did not speak English when they first came to this country. The culture and country was completely new to them, me and my brother felt lost sometimes. Me and Steve saw these young brothers walking home from school, they had just gotten off the bus. The youngest one, Dee, had his ice cream cone and it was melting and running down his hands. His older brother, Darrell, took the ice cream cone and fixed it up for him and then handed his brother a napkin to clean his hands off. He then put his arm around him and they began walking. I watched all this and was reminded of the many times I did the same for my younger brother. It was a very endearing and awesome scene to watch unfold.
Enjoy,
Hector
- large -
Where: Sweden, Östergötland, Bjärka säby. google maps
When: 20100619
How and why: The green fern unfolding like a flower, the blue river, the calm...
Editing: HDR tone mapped
It is in the municipal area of El Port de la Selva in the province of Girona, Catalonia. It has been constructed in the side of the Verdera mountain below the ruins of the castle of Sant de Verdera that had provided protection for the monastery. It offers an exceptional views over the bay of Llançà, to the north of Cap de Creus. Near the monastery Santa Creu de Rodes is the ruins of a medieval town, of which its preRomanesque style church is the only remains dedicated to Saint Helena.
The true origin of the monastery is not known, which has given rise to speculation and legend; such as its foundation by monks who disembarked in the area with the remains of Saint Peter and other saints, to save them from the Barbarian hordes that had fallen on Rome. Once the danger had passed the Pope Boniface IV commanded them to construct a monastery.The first documentation of the existence of the monastery dates 878, it being mentioned as a simple monastery cell consecrated to Saint Peter, but it is not until 945 when an independent Benedictine monastery was founded, prevailed over by an abbot. Bound to the County of Empúries it reached its maximum splendor between the XI and XII centuries until its final decay in 17th century. Its increasing importance is reflected in its status as a point of pilgrimage.
In the 17th Century XVII it was sacked in several occasions and in 1793 was deserted by the benedictine community which was transferred to Vila-sacred and finally settled in Figueres in 1809 until it was dissolved.The monastery was declared a national monument in 1930. In 1935 the Generalitat of Catalonia initiated the first restoration work. The buildings are constructed in terraces, given its location. Cloisters of XII century form the central part of the complex. Around them the rest of constructions are distributed. The Church, consecrated in the year 1022, is the best exponent of the Romanesque style and without comparison with others of its time. Detailing features plants with three bays and a vault. These are bordered by a double column with capitals influenced by the Carolingian Style. The double column support arches separating the bays. The columns and pillars have been taken from a former Roman building. The bay is splendid with large dimensions with an arch in the apse, this is continued in the two lateral bays. Under the apse is a crypt. The church synthesizes a number of original styles including Carolingian, Romanesque and Roman. The monastery is considered one of the best examples of Romanesque architecture in Catalonia. In the western facade of the monastery is a XII Century bell tower, a square shape it is influenced by the lombards from the previous century. To the side is a defensive tower, that was probably began in the X Century but finished later after several modifications.
Better in large
Míconos (em grego, Μύκονος, Mykonos) é uma ilha da Grécia. Faz parte do arquipélago das Cíclades, um grupo de ilhas do Mar Egeu. Tem uma área de 86 km² e uma elevação máxima de 364 m. É composta principalmente de rocha de granito e tem pouca água. Tinha uns 6200 habitantes em 2002. A maior cidade da ilha é Míconos, também conhecida por Hora, situada na costa oeste da ilha.
Mykonos (Greek: Μύκονος) is a Greek island and a tourist destination, renowned for its cosmopolitan character and its intense nightlife. The island is part of the Cyclades, lying between Tinos, Siros, Paros and Naxos. It spans an area of 105.183 km2 (41 sq mi) and rises at an elevation of 341 m (1,119 ft) at its highest point. The island is composed primarily of granite. It has little natural fresh water and relies on the desalination of sea water in order to meet its needs. There are 9,320 inhabitants (2001) most of whom live in the largest town, Mykonos, also known as Chora (i.e. the Town in Greek, a common denomination in Greece when the name of the island itself is the same as the name of the principal town), which lies on the west coast.
It is believed that the island was named after a local hero, who is considered an offspring of the god Apollo and was worshipped locally in antiquity.
-...ma che cos'è questo lampo di felicità, che mi fa tremare, che mi ridà forza, vita?
Vi domando scusa, dolcissime creature, non avevo capito, non sapevo...
Com'è giusto accettarvi, amarvi,
E com'è semplice, Luisa...
Mi sento come liberato, tutto mi sembra buono, tutto ha un senso, tutto è vero...
Ah come vorrei sapermi spiegare ma non so dire... ecco.
Tutto ritorna come prima, tutto di nuovo confuso.
Ma questa confusione sono io, io come sono, non come vorrei essere, e non mi fa più paura dire la verità, quello che non so , quello che cerco, quello che non ho trovato.
Solo così mi sento vivo, e posso guardare i tuoi occhi fedeli senza vergogna.
E' una festa la vita, viviamola insieme!
Non so dirti altro Luisa, nè a te, nè agli altri.
Accettami così se puoi, è l'unico modo per cercare di trovarci.
-Non so se quello che hai detto è giusto, ma posso provare, se mi aiuti.
-What's this sudden happiness that makes me tremble, giving me strenght, life?
Forgive me, sweet creatures, I hadn't understood. I don't know.
It's so natural acceoting you, loving you. And so simple.
Luisa, I feel like I've been freed.
Everything seems so good, so meaningful.Everything is true.
I wish I could explain, but I don't know how to.
So, everything is confused again, as it was before.
But this confusion... it's me.
Not as I like to be, but as I am. I'm not afraid anymore of telling the truth, of the things I don't know, what I'm looking for and have not found.
This is the only way I can feel myself alive, and I can loo into your faithful eyes without shame.
Life is a celebration. Let's live it together.
This is all I can say Luisa, to you or the others.
Accept me for what I am, if you want me.
It's the only waywe might be able to find each other
I don't know if what you said it's right, but I can try, if you help me.
Light show in Beaubourg by Swiss artist Pipilotti Rist, called "A la belle étoile". The 10mn show will be projected every night from 7pm to 8am until Feb. 26. Tip: pretend you're going to the restaurant on the 6th floor and stop at the 5th floor, which is opened and from where you can see the show from above without any glasses interfering :-) The previous link is also offering a webcam of the show.
Part of A la belle étoile
wow, I can still see after all that work! (see last photo if you do not know what I mean...) but now I am off to another 12 hour shift... shudder... at least I love my job taking care of these 6 elders!!! They are like my moms and dads!
update... it is now 9am on Monday, and I am running away once more to the mountains, and no work today or "fingers crossed" Tomorrow! woo woo, more time to play... and next coming up in Bird Creek Meadows we are starting to see RED foliage on the low growth alpine huckleberry plants! oh dear... so pretty, but it means SNOW is right around the corner up there, and no more trips to my fave spot after another month!
so I am gonna run and enjoy it all... thank you all SOO MUCH for the wonderful comments, awards, faves, invites... sorry I am not taking time today to put it in all the groups, but the mountains are calling my name! You understand....
so see ya in a couple days! **beaming love to my Flickr Friends"
and thanks to all of you for this being in Explore Aug 26 #162!
A tale of escape, from Lands of Classic Castle. PART 1: Return of the Ice Wizard.
“Sir Caelan, Baron of Munro,” he thought to himself, “big deal now.” He held up the chains around his wrists to look at them. The chains were old and rusty, but not so worn that he could bust them apart, try as he had. Even if he could, they were also fastened onto a longer chain spiked into the stone pillar behind him. “Baron Stupid,” he cursed himself.
What a fine mess indeed. His intuition had practically screamed for him not to attend the new Queen’s coronation, but he ignored his friend Tavish’s gut feelings as well and went anyway. Worse, he had brought Lady Kenzie along as his “date”. Why? He realized now it was vanity. The title had gone to his head. ‘Couldn’t skip the coronation as a new Baron’, and all that uppity rubbish. Even though the Queen had obviously been all-too perfect to be real.
He had at least been suspicious enough to arrange for some help should he not report back to the mainland in 24 hours. He had instructed Tavish to come over at night in a small boat with a few of his Lenfald Scout Snipers if he didn’t show. That time had come and gone now by at least six hours, and what good was it anyway? Impossible for such a small force to break in and find him. And what of Lady Kenzie? He thought she might be in a cell near him as he had heard her voice, but still...
Feeling quite foolish as he stood there in the cold, he also had come to realize something even worse. He had an “old friend” here somewhere in this castle. No, not the two other prisoners also held in this chamber, one reasonable older Garhim named Jorvik, and a Loreesi whom he would dislike even if Loreos hadn’t recently pillaged his country, named Sir Erliss. No, it was none other than the Ice Wizard himself, old Jens Valtyr.
For after bringing down Valtyr during the attack on the Magic Isles the previous year, instead of killing him, Tavish and Caelan had made a present of him to King Wenseclaus, right here in this very castle. The King had decided to put off capital punishment and instead had the Ice Wizard imprisoned - somewhere in this dungeon complex he was in now! And being an agent of the Outlaws, clearly he would have been freed by the newly revealed evil Queen. She would need all the help she could get to take Roawia over, and Valtyr was effective. Caelan had felt the brutally icy blow that Valtyr could deliver, and the memory of it gave him a shiver now.
But it also got him thinking. And suddenly…
“Jorvik,” Sir Caelan looked over to the next pillar at the gruff Northerner, “confirm something for me will you? When metal is cooled down to severe freezing, doesn’t it get brittle? You Garhim should know about that, right?”
“Hmmm,” Jorvik nodded in that typical aloof mannerism of his people, “but what of it lad? It’s not gonna get dat cold ‘ere! Ever. Even if it did, we’d long be dead a’ freezin’ before. Forget it.”
No, Caelan wouldn’t forget it and he thought for a long while until the guard came in with plates of food for them. The moment the guard entered, Caelan started in conversation mid-stream, as if he had been jawing for hours. He stated to Jorvik in particular, “So if the Ice Wizard knew I was here, I would be in the worst way you see, as I’m the one who put him here in the first place! What’s this garbage?” Caelan asked the guard, staring at the plate of food being offered as imperiously as he could. “This isn’t food, you swine! It may be fit for you but not us!” And he kicked the plate across the room. “Now get me food suitable for a royal, you cesspit-swill!”
The guard was furious, made a nasty comment about Caelan’s lineage, and stormed out mumbling he knew “how to fix you, by thunder!”
Sir Erliss snarled, “You insolent fool of a Lenfel! Now we get no food!”
Caelan just stared at him. “You’re not very bright are you? You’re head’s like a burnt-out torch.” He then glanced over at Jorvik, but instead of anger, the Garhim was studying him.
“You’re takin’ one nasty gamble there, Lenfel,” he replied in measured tones. “I know of whom you speak, he is from Garheim, and you are most likely a dead man. A frozen dead man.”
“Better to chance the ice than to starve here while the Scum Queen uses me against my own people.”
Sure enough, not a half hour later the locked door was opened and Jens Valtyr, the formidable Ice Wizard, stumped in with the same guard in tow. “Well now, if it isn’t that little fool of a knight come down low, ha ha. I’m lucky to be alive, and my leg never healed properly.” He came closer to Sir Caelan. “I will limp the rest of my life because of you!”
“Must be hard to clean out the Queen’s cesspit then,” Caelan snapped at him as arrogantly as he could sound. “Can’t imagine she’s got you doing anything else as you are such a worthless wizard.”
Valtyr took the bait and Caelan could see him losing control even in the low light of the dungeon. “You Lenfel dog! I am the greatest Ice Wizard in all of Roawia!”
“Exactly. I got your worst and defeated it with a little bit of wood. No, the Queen obviously prefers Fire Wizards. Why do you think she dresses in fire-red and not your pansy-blue?”
That was enough to trip the Ice Wizard into action. As Valtyr sputtered, “You have no wood to cower behind now!” he brought up his hands and cast his Ice Blast before the guard could stop him. But not before Caelan, who was fully prepared for this very thing, jumped backwards, pulling the chain taught. The blast was horrible and slammed against the pillar, covering the chain and shooting cruel streams of freezing ice everywhere. Where it touched him Caelan had frostbite, but he had avoided the worst of it. The chain however was covered, as was his intention.
The guard stepped in to stop the Ice Wizard from a second blast, as the guards were expressly forbidden from killing their important captives, on pain of death from the Queen. With this distraction going Caelan snapped as hard as he could on the chains and they shattered from the spike, leaving a long chain at his disposal for a weapon, and he immediately used it on Jens Valtyr’s head. As the wizard dropped like a rock to the hard ground, Caelan swung again and hit the guard so hard he spun in place and fell against a stool behind him, shattering it. Both men lay motionless.
“Brilliant!” Sir Erliss proclaimed, finally getting the plan.
“You are one lucky Lenfel,” Jorvik just shook his head with chuckle.
“Rather be lucky than good any day,” Caelan swooped down and grabbed the keys off the unconscious guard’s belt. Within minutes both Jorvik and Sir Erliss were free, Caelan had snatched the guard’s crossbow and gave the dagger to the Garheim, and had switched into the guard’s red and black uniform. He let Sir Erliss take the black helmet (as he thought it ugly anyway) and headed for the door. “We must separate. I have to rescue Lady Kenzie, and I can’t ask you to come,” he stated to Jorvik. “And take Dead Torch with you for company,” he gave a nod at Sir Erliss and was out the door, headed down the hallway for where he had heard her voice.
MONTREALERS: DON'T FORGET TO DROP BY... AND SAY HI! ;D
Happy Friday Everyone!
No, I am not celebrating a week's end by having cupcakes for my breaky.
This is to call attention to Cupcake Camp Montreal being held this Sunday at the Bitoque Restaurant in Montreal.
For a $10 donation at the door, you get to indulge in 3 mouthwatering cupcakes and coffee. And, 100% of the proceeds go to "Kids Help Phone", a very worthy cause.
Kids Help Phone is Canada’s only toll-free, national, bilingual, phone and web counselling, referral and information service for children and youth. Whatever the problem, from abuse to the death of a parent, Kids Help Phone is there with professional phone and web-based counselling services, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Cupcake Camps have been held around the world to resounding success. With many talented pro bakers in Montreal, like my friend Clever Cupcakes donating their cupcakes for the event, I am sure Montreal's will be a not-to-be-missed event, too.
I volunteered to take photos at this charitable event... so expect more sweet pics! =D
If you're in Montreal this Sunday, why not drop by and join us, for the cause, the fun and the yummies. Bring the whole family to this kid-friendly event... make a date to meet your friends there, or make some new ones.
To find out more about Cupcake Camp Montreal, go to www.cupcakecampmtl.org
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In other news, I am racing to get things done, in order to hopefully attend a lighting seminar given by Gary Fong in Old Montreal today... will catch up with your streams, later! Have a great one and as always, thanks so much for stopping by my stream! xx
Mattina ore 6 circa,altra levataccia per cogliere quello che la luce al tramonto, due giorni prima, non mi ha regalato.Forse il fatto di essere li da solo...in verità ci sono altri due pazzi come me, ma il silenzio e l'atmosfera sono tali che riesco ad isolarmi.A tu per tu con la natura, uno di quei momenti che solo certi posti riescono a trasmettere.Il gruppo del Latemar si specchia nel lago di vetro, una carezza per lo sguardo...
About 6 a.m., I wake up early to catch what the light at sunset two days before has not given me. Perhaps the fact to be alone them...in truth there are other two crazy persons as me, but the silence and the atmosphere are such that I succeed in isolating me. A face to face with the nature, one of that moments that only certain places succeed in transmitting. The group of the Latemar is mirrored in the lake of glass, a caress to the eyes .. .( sorry for my bad translate )
I was looking through Barry Hutton's website and made a realisation that I can't post anymore colour shots of Buttermere! This guy has done an incredible job in capturing some stunning light and colours of Lake district, specificly Buttermere! So I am sticking to monochrome! :)
This was a calm but rather dull morning!
Canon 5D, 17-40L @23mm, f/22, 4 seconds, ISO-50,used a 2 stop SE GND
If you like my work you can view my images for sale at Getty images
Copyright © Suddhajit Sen Photography.
This photo may not be used in any form without prior permission. All rights reserved
You can buy a print of this image from here
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[...] The sky is eternity. And "sun, moon and five stars" are "the manifestation of the time, which imitate eternity and a number of law following turn, are the moving images of eternal being who is" alone and not the will obey. What we see with our senses, is not heaven, not the original eternal being itself, solely by God's Spirit West. If we "want to live in the light of eternity," therefore, we need to get into the spirit of God.
"Is that possible?" You might ask. But, it's not about the possibility of achieving this goal - but the need.
Otherwise we would not even be able to only this to our time-bound and living in days and nights, months and years, measured life.
What is needed, however, which must be possible.
If the eternal, refuses to manifest in the "Forms of Time", then left it to the forms of time but not helpless themselves
If the Eternal is the moving, changing, sentient forms of the time denied it burrow yet in them. [...]
.
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[…] Der Himmel ist die Ewigkeit. Und „Sonne, Mond und die fünf Sterne“ sind „die Erscheinungsformen der Zeit, welche die Ewigkeit nachahmen und einem Zahlengesetz folgend sich drehen“, sind die sich bewegende Abbilder des ewigen Wesens, das allein „ist“ und nicht dem Werden gehorchend. Was wir mit unseren Sinnen sehen, ist nicht der Himmel, nicht das ursprüngliche ewigen Wesens selbst, das allein Gottes Geist durchwest. Wenn wir daher „ im Licht der Ewigkeit leben wollen“, müssen wir in Gottes Geist eindringen.
„Ist das möglich?“ könnte man fragen. Allein, es geht nicht um die Möglichkeit, dieses Ziel zu erreichen – sondern um die Notwendigkeit.
Andernfalls wären wir nicht einmal in der Lage, auch nur dieses unser an die Zeit gebundenes und nach Tagen und Nächten, Monaten und Jahren gemessenes Leben zu leben.
Was aber notwendig ist, das muss möglich sein.
Wenn das Ewige, sich weigert, sich in den „Formen der Zeit“ zu manifestieren, dann überließe es die Formen der Zeit dennoch nicht hilflos sich selbst.
Wenn sich das Ewige sich den bewegten, wechselnden, fühlenden Formen der Zeit verweigert, so verbärge es sich dennoch in ihnen. […]
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Source: D.T. Suzuki, „Der westliche und der östliche Weg“ (The Western and Eastern Weg),
Chapter: „Leben im Licht der Ewigkeit“ (Living in the Light of Eternity)
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|| Wikipedia: D. T. Suzuki || Plato ||
Thank you for comments, adding to fav's - and your time :-)
© All Rights Reserved - no usage allowed in any form without my written permission.
"Siempre la ruta suspendida. La cordura loca. Siempre el lugar equivocado. El yo equivocado. El tú equivocado. El nosotros equivocado. Siempre la grandeza en el bolsillo. Siempre el hoy en el mañana. Siempre el ayer en el siempre. Siempre el paso a paso que termina en tropiezo. Siempre la sonrisa en llanto. Siempre el llanto en el mundo. Siempre el mundo en mí. Siempre el equilibrio malogrado y los cristales quebrantados. Siempre el apego en el dolor. Siempre el dolor en mí. Siempre la fragilidad en cada tropiezo. Siempre la fiesta en la casa de al lado. Siempre la derrota en el ceño. Siempre la noche en el nosotros equivocado. Siempre la vida en la tristeza. La tristeza en la esperanza. La vida en el nunca. Siempre la araña para las moscas. Siempre la ausencia en este aquí. Siempre mi cuerpo machacando dudas. Siempre este azul a contraluz. Siempre este caos al caer el telón. Siempre estas ganas de dejarme ir. Siempre este no saber qué hacer con tanto yo equivocado. Siempre la pregunta. Sólo la pregunta". ( My Blog)
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Always at the end of the road, always dealing with my crazy sanity, always at the wrong place, always wrong, the wrong you, the wrong me, the wrong us. Always greatness in a strangers´ pocket. Always today in tomorrow, always yesterday in forever, always the same steps that end in pain, always a smile through the tears and the world in tears. Always the world in me, always doing a balancing act and looking through broken windows. Always attachment to the pain, always the pain in me, as always fragile. Always the party next door, always defeat in a frown, always the night at the wrong time, always living in sadness, sadness in hope, life in neverland. Always the fly to the spider, always this sense of absence. Always crushing doubts, always the same blue backlight. Always chaos as the curtain falls, Always willing to let go, not knowing what to do with all these wrongness. Always the question. Just the question.
© All rights reserved. Use without permission is illegal
Explored April 14, 2009
Sometimes life takes us to the edge and then...well you hope that there are friends there to pull you back.
Carol I am here for you along with a lot of others whom love you dearly!
Take care my wonderful creative friend.
Sending love and hope to your family
This is where you can send hope and love to her. Thank you momhascrafts for letting us all know what is happening.
Please keep Carol in your prayers.. @ Tumbleweed1937
Here is a thread where you can learn of her situation and leave a message for her..
www.flickr.com/groups/photos_to_smile_about/discuss/72157...
Questions, questions, questions - as long as you feel you are the luckiest girl on Earth... For you, My Love
I don’t put a smile upon your face no more
I can’t make your heart shine like it did before
You don’t listen to my stories anymore
You can’t comfort me the way you did before
Was I too loud, was I too bad
Was I too open
Was I too high, was I too fast
Was I too close
I don’t feel your lips like the first kiss
I’d rather run away than sit to face the truth
Was I too proud, was I too hopeful
Was I too needing
Was I too crazy, was I too long
Was I too giving
No matter how far, no matter how long
I will be there
Cádiz (Spain).
ENGLISH
The expression “to have elf” (tener duende) is used mainly in the Community of Andalusia to designate to the person whom has a special enchantment (synonymous, also of the lexicon Andalusian, to have angel) or whom is enabled for the art in some of its manifestations. The inspiration has often been compared with “elf” hidden that lives in some place of the soul of the artist, to whom it puts in grace state, and that is the one that activates the creative process.
The expression “to have elf” became very popular after its use by the poet Federico Garcia Lorca in a famous speech that had like subject “'duende' in the flamenco art” and in that it praised the artistic virtues and almost magicians of the famous flamenco singer Niña de los Peines.
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CASTELLANO
La expresión "tener duende" se utiliza sobre todo en la Comunidad de Andalucía para designar a la persona que tiene un encanto especial (sinónimo, también del léxico andaluz, de tener ángel) o que está capacitado para el arte en alguna de sus manifestaciones. La inspiración se ha comparado muchas veces con un “duende” escondido que habita en algún lugar del alma del artista, al que pone en estado de gracia, y que es el que activa el proceso creativo.
La expresión “tener duende” se hizo muy popular tras su utilización por parte del poeta Federico García Lorca en un célebre discurso que tenía como tema “El duende en el arte flamenco” y en el que alababa las virtudes artísticas y casi mágicas de la famosa cantaora Niña de los Peines.
Fuente: www.elpelao.com/letras/1240.html
Best Viewed On Black or view in Fluidr
One of my favorite things is to drive up and down the Northern California
Pacific coastal highway looking for new areas to photograph. I have
collected a number of shots of the Pigeon Point Lighthouse and swear I will
avoid it this next time but inevitably I stop and take more images and it
seems to always pay off.
As you head south from San Francisco you first get a glimpse of the
lighthouse as you pass around a bend in the road. It grabs your attention
as the area is generally flat. A flashing Coast Guard light replaces the
magnificent 24 beam first order Fresnel lens. Fortunately each November
they revert back to the days of old and light the main 24 beams of light
which extend to the horizon. The lighthouse is one of the tallest on the
California coast and was constructed after the Carrier Pigeon and several
other sailing ships ran aground on the rocks just off shore. Modern
technology has since made the structures obsolete and there is not much of
any effort by the government to maintain the lighthouses. Pigeon Point now
belongs to the State of California and is in a sad state of disrepair which
is why you see the unattractive chain length fence surrounding the base.
When I first visited the lighthouse it was open to the public and I took my
then young kids to the top for a view they still remember to this day. It
was quite a climb to the top up the spiral staircase but once there the view
was stunning. Point Arena Lighthouse looked exactly like this one at
Pigeon Point unit it was destroyed in the San Francisco earthquake. It has
since been replaced by a large cement structure that while functional lacks
the beauty of design seen in the Pigeon Point Lighthouse.
This image makes a great Windows (and probably Macintosh) desktop
background.
Click here to view the lighthouse on the California Coastal Records Project
Enjoy!
Darv
© Darvin Atkeson
Best Viewed Large - 'Winter Straight Ahead' On Black
Goodbye to you, my trusted friend.
We've known each other since we're nine or ten.
Together we climbed hills or trees.
Learned of love and ABC's,
skinned our hearts and skinned our knees.
Goodbye my friend, it's hard to die,
when all the birds are singing in the sky,
Now that the spring is in the air.
Pretty girls are everywhere.
When you see them I'll be there.
We had joy, we had fun, we had seasons in the sun.
But the hills that we climbed
were just seasons out of time.
Goodbye, Papa, please pray for me,
I was the black sheep of the family.
You tried to teach me right from wrong.
Too much wine and too much song,
wonder how I get along.
Goodbye, Papa, it's hard to die
when all the birds are singing in the sky,
Now that the spring is in the air.
Little children everywhere.
When you see them I'll be there.
We had joy, we had fun, we had seasons in the sun.
But the wine and the song,
like the seasons, all have gone.
Goodbye, Michelle, my little one.
You gave me love and helped me find the sun.
And every time that I was down
you would always come around
and get my feet back on the ground.
Goodbye, Michelle, it's hard to die
when all the bird are singing in the sky,
Now that the spring is in the air.
With the flowers ev'rywhere.
I whish that we could both be there.
We had joy, we had fun, we had seasons in the sun.
But the stars we could reach
were just starfishs on the beach
Terry Jacks
(Please View LARGE On Black for full effect if you have a moment. Thanks. :) )
Last night, Gregg Cooper and I put off all the other stuff that we were supposed to be doing and headed down to the Disney California Adventure at 10 PM in hopes of catching both Carsland and Buena Vista Street without many people in the shot. As it turned out, we didn't leave until almost 1 AM (the park closed at 11 PM) and we were literally the last two individuals to leave the park for the night. They closed and locked the gates just as we left.
I tried a couple of different ideas for this shot, but I went with mono as it seemed that once you ignore the entrance gates in the background, this could very well be a shot of Oswald's Gas in the 1930's. I went with 1937 specifically as it's the year Snow White premiered and the street is themed to the Carthay Theater/Reastaurant down on the end of the street. That, and the fact that the year is printed on the license plate behind the car. I'm also a huge fan of the great jazz photographer Herman Leonard . Even though he didn't start shooting until 1947, this scene evoked the type of B&W contrast and mood that I've seen in much of his work.
In other news, this is the first shot I've posted using the Nikon D800, which showed up last Monday from Amazon. It was taken using the Nikkor 14-24, 2.8 which showed up on Thursday. I am now officially broke and will be spending my next few weekends standing next to the onramp to the 57 freeway with a sign that says "Spent all of my money on camera gear. Will shoot for food." Keep an eye out for me. With any luck, I should have this stuff paid off by the Summer of 2014. Let's hear it for Amazon's 24 month, 0 percent financing!
Switzerland.
Check it out my Portfolio: GETTY IMAGES
Maybe you like this: / Facebook / 500px
Switzerland (German: Schweiz[note 3] [ˈʃvaɪts]; French: Suisse [sɥis]; Italian: Svizzera [ˈzvittsera]; Romansh: Svizra [ˈʒviːtsrɐ] or [ˈʒviːtsʁːɐ]), officially the Swiss Confederation (Latin: Confoederatio Helvetica, hence its abbreviation CH), is a federal parliamentary republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western and Central Europe,[note 4] where it is bordered by Germany to the north, France to the west, Italy to the south, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east.
Switzerland is a landlocked country geographically divided between the Alps, the Swiss Plateau and the Jura, spanning an area of 41,285 km2 (15,940 sq mi). While the Alps occupy the greater part of the territory, the Swiss population of approximately 8 million people is concentrated mostly on the Plateau, where the largest cities are to be found. Among them are the two global cities and economic centres – Zürich and Geneva.
B/W version 1st commet | Large on black | Link to prints available on my profile page
Yesterday I returned to the scene of the crime to see if that big puddle was still there and if there would be anything nice reflected in it again. It was quite a different scene then the two days before, and I was absolutely delighted to find that this time I didn't need to stand in the puddle in order to get a nice reflection shot, and also that I could shoot in the opposite direction and get a more interesting background (with the closer oak trees and such)
It was kinda crazy, but I literally got out of my car, walked over to this spot, set up the tripod, fired off the camera ... and this is the first shot I took. OMG! It was the first shot I took and when I looked in the viewfinder I couldn't believe how sweet it was. I don't think I got another great shot all afternoon but I really didn't care.
This was also my first time using a tripod for landscape work. Wow. Can't believe the difference. Doesn't it look sharper than my other landscapes? I used to do everything hand-held, then very recently moved on to using a monopod, then after my last sunset shoot I was really wishing I had a tripod so I ordered a good one yesterday (decided to spring for a manfrotto after reading all the reviews). The tripod I used yesterday was my friend's that I borrowed. It was cheap and I was grateful to have it but it made me so happy that I had sprung for a higher-quality one!!
Using a tripod also made me think a LOT more about each shot, and whether or not it was really worth it, which I think will be good for me. I tend to take a lot of mediocre shots just because I can and then when I get home I have to wade through so much junk and do a lot of culling. If I am forced to be more selective about what I shoot I think that will be an improvement!
First attempt for this weeks Twitter Photo Challenge #TwPhCh063
Theme : Splash / Full sprut
What's the first thing photo enthusiast (or maybe it's called a maniac:)) does when he comes to New York? I went directly to B&H Superstore and thought that I had come to heaven, but I managed to buy just the things that I had decided before I came there :)
I had to try the new equipment and this is from the first walk with my new Pentax K-7.
New York has been extremely hot for a while and it's still somewhere between 30-35 °C.
It's very warm and people have to find a way to cool down.
This photo is from a playground in Central Park where the kids had lots of fun and
the grown ups wanted to be kids again :)
Nueva foto con la camera nueva...
Neues Foto mit der neuen Camera...
The Torre Agbar, or Agbar Tower, is a 21st century skyscraper at Plaça de les Glòries Catalanes, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It was designed by French architect Jean Nouvel and built by Dragados. It opened in June 2005 and it was inaugurated officially by the King of Spain on 16 September 2005. The Torre Agbar is located in the Poblenou neighborhood of Barcelona and is named after its owners, the Agbar Group, a holding company whose interests include the Barcelona water company Aguas de Barcelona.
According to Nouvel, the shape of the Torre Agbar was inspired by the mountains of Montserrat that surround Barcelona, and by the shape of a geyser of water rising into the air. Jean Nouvel, in an interview, described it as having a phallic character. As a result of its unusual shape, the building is known by several nicknames, such as "el supositori" (the suppository), "l'obús" (the shell) and some more scatological ones.[5] It has 30,000 m² (323,000 ft²) of above-ground office space, 3,210 m² (34,500 ft²) of technical service floors with installations and 8,351 m² (90,000 ft²) of services, including an auditorium. The Agbar Tower measures 144.4 m (473.75 ft) in height[7] and consists of 38 storeys, including four underground levels.
Its design combines a number of different architectural concepts, resulting in a striking structure built with reinforced concrete, covered with a facade of glass, and over 4,500 window openings cut out of the structural concrete. The building stands out in Barcelona; it is the third tallest building in Barcelona, only after the Arts Hotel and the Mapfre Tower, both 154 m (505.25 ft).
A unique feature of the building is its nocturnal illumination. It has 4,500 LED luminous devices that allow generation of luminous images in the facade. In addition, it has temperature sensors in the outside of the tower that regulate the opening and closing of the glass blinds of the facade of the building, reducing the consumption of energy for air conditioning. It will house the head office of the Aigües de Barcelona Group (Spanish: "Aguas de Barcelona", English: "Waters of Barcelona").
"Dances With Birds" www.flickr.com/photos/printmaker_1/
The Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)
is a passerine bird of the family Icteridae found in most of North and much of Central America. It breeds from Alaska and Newfoundland south to Florida, the Gulf of Mexico, Mexico and Guatemala, with isolated populations in western El Salvador, northwestern Honduras and northwestern Costa Rica. It may winter as far north as Pennsylvania and British Columbia, but northern populations are generally migratory, moving south to Mexico and the southern United States. The Red-winged Blackbird is sexually dimorphic; the male is all black with a red shoulder and yellow wing bar, while the female is a nondescript dark brown. Seeds and insects make up the bulk of the Red-winged Blackbird's diet.
The Red-winged Blackbird nests in loose colonies. The nest is built in cattails, rushes, grasses, sedge, or in alder or willow bushes. The nest is constructed entirely by the female over the course of three to six days. It is a basket of grasses, sedge, and mosses, lined with mud, and bound to surrounding grasses, or branches.[7] It is located 7.6 cm (3 in) to 4.3 m (14 ft) above water.[13]
A clutch consists of three or four, rarely five, eggs. Eggs are oval, smooth and slightly glossy, and measure 24.8 x 17.55 mm (1 x .7 in)[13]. They are pale bluish green, marked with brown, purple, and/or black, with most markings around the larger end of the egg. These are incubated by the female alone, and hatch in 11 to 12 days. Red-winged Blackbirds are hatched blind and naked, but are ready to leave the nest 11-14 days after hatching.[6]
Red-winged Blackbirds are polygynous, with territorial males defending up to 10 females. However, females frequently copulate with males other than their social mate and often lay clutches of mixed paternity. Pairs raise two or three clutches per season, in a new nest for each clutch.[6]
Predation of eggs and nestlings is quite common. Nest predators include snakes, mink, raccoons, and other birds, even as small as marsh wrens. The Red-winged Blackbird is occasionally a victim of brood parasites, particularly Brown-headed Cowbirds.[9] Since nest predation is common, several adaptations have evolved in this species. Group nesting is one such trait which reduces the risk of individual predation by increasing the number of alert parents. Nesting over water reduces the likelihood of predation, as do alarm calls. Nests, in particular, offer a strategic advantage over predators in that they are often well concealed in thick, waterside reeds and positioned at a height of one to two meters. Males often act as sentinels, employing a variety of calls to denote the kind and severity of danger. Mobbing, especially by males, is also used to scare off unwanted predators, although mobbing often targets large animals and man-made devices by mistake. The brownish coloration of the female may also serve as an anti-predator trait in that it may provide camouflage for her and her nest (while she is incubating).[14] Owls and diurnal raptors are both regular predators of adults.
Absolument View On Black
... atteindre le sommet du " Géant de Provence ", le mythique mont Ventoux!
Du haut de ses 1912 mètres, il règne en maître. De son sommet, il fait découvrir l’un des plus vaste panorama d’Europe, dominant la Vallée du Rhône, les Baronnies et le plateau du Vaucluse. Son sommet, aux pentes dénudées et caillouteuses est couronné d'un observatoire, ce qui le rend reconnaissable à plus de 100 km à la ronde.
Paysage aux milles facettes, le Ventoux est surtout un lieu de légende pour les cyclistes que l'on rencontre, le souffle court dans la montée, et le visage marqué, mais épanoui par le défi relevé dans la descente.
En faire l'ascension à pied, lorsque le soleil baisse à l'horizon, à la fin d'une journée lumineuse mais froide d'un début de mois d'avril, c'est à celui qui sera le plus fort....
See where this picture was taken. [?]
No tripod needed for this one. There's a nice chest high wall that's plenty deep enough to rest a camera on. A beanbag certainly helps and is one of the most useful things in my camera bag... The reason the log at the top of the hill is "frozen" even though this is a 30sec exposure, is ride's flash for the on ride photo. If you look really closely at the "stream" towards the bottom of the picture you can see the blur from other logs coming through.
Pictured:
Splash Mountain
Frontierland
Magic Kingdom
Walt Disney World Resort
Bay Lake, Florida
November, 2008
Thanks for stopping by!
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Disney Photo Challenge winner in "Show Me" - thanks for your votes!
i'm feeling a bit ill today and don't have the energy to process a whole lot of my more recent images -- the best i can offer today is this image of a tavern that's hidden away at the windmills area in chios (tolis has a beautiful gallery). i couldn't see it from the road -- i spotted it only when i was walking around the windmills themselves.
i don't know how, but my train of thought led me to imagine a huge party for flickr friends and contacts, with everyone holding a camera, shooting each other and looking for something interesting.
i'll try to get around to your streams today -- (it cheers me up!) -- but i hope you forgive me if i don't succeed.
on the blog: toomanytribbles.blogspot.com/2009/09/friends-of-gold.html
EDIT: hey, look where my moon candy landed! www.focus.it/natura/gallery/10092009-1252-113-astronomi-p...