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Prince of Wales Hotel
Waterton, Alberta, Canada
View On Blackand LARGE
The Prince of Wales Hotel is located in Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta, Canada, overlooking Upper Waterton Lake, near the Canada-United States border. Constructed between 1926-1927, the hotel was built by the American Great Northern Railway to lure American tourists during the prohibition-era south of the border. The hotel was named after the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII), in a transparent attempt to entice him to stay in the hotel on his 1927 Canadian tour, but the Prince stayed at a nearby ranch instead .
The Prince of Wales Hotel enjoys the distinction of being the sole establishment among Canada's grand railway hotels to have been built by an American, as opposed to a Canadian, railway company. The hotel was designated a national historic site by the Canadian government in 1995.
An interesting book has been written about the hotel and it's history. It's title is High on a Windy Hill: The Story of the Prince of Wales Hotel--by: Ray Djuff
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New York City.
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New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York metropolitan area, one of the most populous urban agglomerations in the world.[6] The city is referred to as New York City or the City of New York to distinguish it from the State of New York, of which it is a part. A global power city,[7] New York exerts a significant impact upon commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and entertainment. The home of the United Nations Headquarters,[8] New York is an important center for international diplomacy[9] and has been described as the cultural capital of the world.[10][11]
On one of the world's largest natural harbors,[12] New York City consists of five boroughs, each of which is a county of New York State.[13] The five boroughs—the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island—were consolidated into a single city in 1898.[14] With a census-estimated 2013 population of 8,405,837[4] distributed over a land area of just 305 square miles (790 km2),[15] New York is the most densely populated major city in the United States.[16] As many as 800 languages are spoken in New York,[17][18] making it the most linguistically diverse city in the world.[19] By 2013 census estimates, the New York Metropolitan Area's population remains by a significant margin the United States' largest Metropolitan Statistical Area, with approximately 19.9 million people,[20] and is also part of the most populous Combined Statistical Area in the United States, containing an estimated 23.4 million people.
Best viewed LARGE on Black: bighugelabs.com/flickr/onblack.php?id=3462259502&size...
St. George Slays the Dragon - Taken in the Village Church in Fenny Bentley on the Tissington Trail in Derbyshire.
From the Wikipedia Article: "St George's Day is celebrated by the several nations, kingdoms, countries, and cities of which Saint George is the patron saint. St George's Day is also England's National Day. Most countries which observe St George's Day celebrate it on April 23, the traditionally accepted date of Saint George's death in 303 AD.
St George's Day was a major feast and national holiday in England on a par with Christmas from the early 15th century. However, this tradition had waned by the end of the 18th century after the union of England and Scotland. In recent years the popularity of St George's Day appears to be increasing gradually. BBC Radio 3 had a full programme of St George's Day events in 2006, and Andrew Rosindell, Conservative MP for Romford, has been putting the argument forward in the House of Commons to make St George's Day a public holiday. Although Saint George is the Patron Saint of England, it is believed that St George was not English and it is not certain that he ever visited England, although legend has it that St George was born in Coventry at Caludon Castle in Wyken, though some say he was born in Cappadocia, an area which is now in Turkey"
Close to the town of Ashbourne, Fenny Bentley is a picturesque little village consisting of little more than a school, a pub and the church of St Edmunds possibly dating as far back as the 14th century. The church has an alabaster tomb of the Beresford family. Sir Thomas Beresford had fought at the Battle of Agincourt.
www.derbyshireuk.net/fenny.html
www.ashbournechurches.org/FennyBentley.htm
"The Tissington Trail is a bridleway and walk/cycle path in Derbyshire, England. Opened in 1971, and now a part of the National Cycle Network, it runs for 13 miles (21 km) from Parsley Hay in the north to Ashbourne in the south, along part of the trackbed of the former railway line connecting Ashbourne to Buxton. It takes its name from the village of Tissington, which it skirts."
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tissington_Trail
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The world is never quiet, even its silence eternally resounds with the same notes, in vibrations which escape our ears. As for those that we perceive, they carry sounds to us, occasionally a chord, never a melody.
Albert Camus
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I'd like to say it's been a good day...Of course I'd also like to say I won the lottery, both of which would be big fat lies...
I need a vacation, a break from my family...I love them dearly but handling them 24-7 is too much sometimes.
My father, I adore him but his brain is never in his head.
My uncle steals my batrhoom for hours at a time. How a man with no hair can spend four hours getting ready is beyond me. Even he admit he will just stand in there and think. What?
Of course there's Mom. I can't be in the same room with her lately without it ending in a screaming match. Since her stroke she's always had a temper, but in the past few weeks have been torture. I understand her reasons, I try my best, and do what I can, but when every single conversation ends with her yelling at me and bringing up things about me that she's hated since I was three, it gets to be too much...
So lately I'm writing more, escaping as much as I can into the world I'm carefully molding. I can say this, my frustration with them, my anger, my hurt, it does at least fuel my work and in the end, a small twisted part of me will likely be grateful.
However, I'm not miserable and I love them. I wouldn't trade them for anyone else, I just need a break.
Who wants a panda cat in there house for a while? ;)
Se ve mejor en grande sobre fondo negro
Del viaje a Port Aventura en Halloween.
Trabajando con HDR suelo hacer autenticas chapuzas, pero esta me ha gustado. Espero que a vosotro@s también.
Muchas gracias por vuestras visitas, comentarios y galardones.
Sahyadri is one of the toughest mountains in the world. You can enjoy it's beauty in various places. Shivthar Ghal is one of such places. It is comparatively a small and rare place but must be seen and especially in the rainy season.
It is a place where Samarth Ramdas had written 'Dasbodh'- his famous manuscript. You must be amazing about this place and why Ramdas Swami had chosen this place, for his holy book but you never know it until you enter a small hall where Ramdas Swami used to sit, pray and write.
Shivthar Ghal is an area of silent beauty consists of lush green views of trees, mountains, a big waterfall and a river. Its a place where you can enjoy the clam and quite nature and really concentrate. It took almost 12 years to complete Dasbodh as Ramdas Swami dictated it and Kalyan Swami wrote it down. Now a days, the place is maintained by Shri Samarth Seva Mandal' and 'Sundarmath Seva samiti'.
Shivthar Ghal is a place worth to visit and enjoy the quite beauty of the nature and remember the famous saint in Maharashtra - Saint Ramdas and his Dasbodh.
I've managed to spend the entire day home, but rather than focus on, well, anything I've had to spend the day cleaning *gag*. So when I did get a break and wanted to take a photo I just quickly did a little blue makeup.
I had the awesome chance of trying new makeup from Harajuku Hunnies and I'm so madly in love! The colors I used here come from their "Boys Day" Quadriset and it's so pigmented it just pops beautifully! I used my NYX jumbo pencil in Milk under it but truthfully you don't even need it, the colors are stunning on their own.
You so must go and check them out at www.harajukuhunnies.com and if you'd like to get 10% off your order just enter in "Jacqueline" when you checkout and you can thank the fabulous Jacqueline herself aka A Brilliant Brunette for that! <3
Make sure to also check out Jacqueline's blog. She has some gorgeous Halloween looks up and more to come as well as various looks from Harajuku Hunnies.
Now, I'm off to go and be lazy <3
是白天具靈性的白荷散發出光芒?
還是夜晚慈悲照亮大地的水蓮燈?
當我按下快門那一瞬間,我便知我拍到了.
今天也是陰天.一直拍到早上九點.又下起雨來了.今年真是運氣太好了,拍櫻花,拍桐花,拍荷花都是陰雨天.
陰天,自動白平衡會錯亂,所以我設定在4760K,並做 25mired 洋紅色偏移.並且不用CPL,利用右下方荷葉當反光板.光線照在荷葉上,除了形成荷葉上,下方的高反差外.也反射在荷花上形成補光的效果.讓看起來好像是荷花自己會發光,照亮了荷葉一般.
這張照片第二區佔大部分.所以我採矩陣測光, -0.7EV 來加重第二區的穩定度以及把在第七區的白荷拉回第六區來保有荷葉上的細節.而之前 25mired的洋紅色偏移,也為陰天下本較為平面的白荷, "刻"上紅色線條,來增加立體感.
謝謝大家的支持,這張已進了 Explore
When A Man Loves A Woman - Percy Sledge
The Monastery of Sant Benet de Bagés 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 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 miraclesa of Saint Valentine, 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 Bagés 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 Bagés was in the fourteenth century. 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.
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El palacio fue proyectado por el arquitecto inglés Selden Wornun, en 1888, pero fue llevado a cabo por Benito Olasagasti, bajo la dirección del arquitecto José Goicoa. El palacio consta de sótano y tres plantas, las dos primeras eran las de uso privado y la última, abuhardillada, estaba reservada para la servidumbre.
San Sebastián se había convertido en la capital del turismo desde que a mediados del siglo XIX la familia real española comenzara a veranear en la ciudad. Esto dio lugar a que el Ayuntamiento empezara a barajar diferentes ubicaciones para edificar una residencia digna de los monarcas.
La Corporación Municipal finalmente optó por la ubicación actual tras desechar el adquirir el Palacio de Aiete, propiedad de la Duquesa de Bailén, y que, desde 1887, era utilizado por los Reyes como residencia de verano.
Sin embargo, la Reina María Cristina, "por no querer aceptar el sacrificio que supondría para el Ayuntamiento", compró, en 1888, la posesión que el Conde de Moviana tenía en Miraconcha
La primitiva finca ha ido ampliándose con diferentes adquisiciones, lo que le ha permitido crear un entorno envidiable de jardines y bosque.
La finca y Palacio de Miramar es, desde agosto de 1972, propiedad del Ayuntamiento de San Sebastián. Su situación sobre la Playa de La Concha y la Playa de Ondarreta hacen de él uno de los lugares más visitados por los donostiarras y por aquellos que visitan la ciudad.
fr: Un coup d'oeil sur la bastide à travers les arcades III, Monpazier, Périgord, Dordogne, France
*"HDR" from 3 different exposures - no Photomatix - blending mean + minimum of 3 pictures - EXIF from -1ev Exposure - Tripod - WB asjusted to 3000K High fluorescent.
you REALLY have to view it BIGGER On Black or the boogeyman will get you! :-)
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The real challenge on this series is to find the right WB setting for a consistant look and feel. Still more pictures from this series coming soon...
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See More of the set Night Scenes | See More of the set Pittoresques Villages de France.
See my most interesting pictures here or take some time to view the slideshow .
*History: This town was founded in 1284 by the English King, Edward I, who was also had the title of Duke of Aquitaine. It is an example of an almost completely preserved bastides, which were fortified towns, built in the areas disputed by England and France in the 12th century. This attractive and peaceful village has a turbulent and violent history at the hands of various protagonists.
*Histoire: Monpazier est sans nul doute la bastide anglaise la mieux conservée du périgord par sa place à arcades, ses ruelles, ses maisons, ses églises et les vestiges de ses fortifications.
La ville forme un quadrilatère de 400 mètres sur 220 mètres dont le grand axe est orienté du Sud vers le nord. Toutes les maisons sont d'égales dimensions et sont séparées par d'étroits intervalles (andrones) prévus pour limiter la propagation des incendies.
Cette bastide fut fondée le 7 janvier 1284 par Edouard 1er, roi d'angleterre et duc d'angleterre sur des terrains cédés par le baron Pierre de Gontaut Biron. Ses habitants bénéficiaient de nombreux avantages comme l'exemption d'impôt et l'abolition du droit seigneurial.
Pendant la guerre de cent ans, Monpazier changea plusieurs fois de main. En 1637 une révolte de 8000 croquant naquit à Monpazier.
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Shades of MAC.
Lipstick is a cosmetic product containing pigments, oils, waxes, and emollients that applies color and texture to the lips.
Lipstick is known to have been used around 5000 years ago in ancient Mesopotamia, when semi-precious jewels were crushed and applied to the lips and occasionally around the eyes. Women in the ancient Indus Valley Civilization applied lipstick to their lips for face decoration. Cleopatra had her lipstick made from crushed carmine beetles, which gave a deep red pigment, and ants for a base. Lipsticks with shimmering effects were initially made using a substance found in fish scales called pearlescence.
Lipstick started to gain popularity in the 16th century, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, who made blood-red lips and stark white faces a fashion statement. By that time, lipstick was made from a blend of beeswax and red stains from plants
A study by US consumer group Campaign For Safe Cosmetics, in October 2007 found 60 percent of lipsticks tested contained traceable amounts of lead. One third of the lipsticks containing lead exceeded the 0.1ppm limit set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for lead in candy.
The sky is her blue eyes
Begin to open
The storm is upon me
But I'm chasing the sun
And she's got me down on my knees
Trying to crawl
Through all of the winter
Through all of the fall...
She's like a sweet summer
A sweet summer day
And I can't let her
I can't let her go to waste
She's like a sweet summer day
I want to breathe in her air
I want to crash through the waves
Into her fields where
These memories are made...
Now there's no turning back
I'm lost somewhere deep inside of you
The clouds have been lifted
And you're breaking through...
- The Calling
maraculio.09 © All rights reserved
Vista dalla terrazza di La Morra (CN) -Italia.
View from the terrace of La Morra (CN) -Italy
Agli albori del II millennio la città di Alba Pompeia iniziò a dissodare le colline circostanti: fu allora che nacque il villaggio di Murra sulla cima del colle (Murra significa recinto per le pecore). Nel 1340 passò sotto il dominio della famiglia Falletti; nel 1402 si diede propri Statuti nei quali sono citati per la prima volta in zona il vitigno Nebbiolo (Nebiolium), dal quale trae origine il vino Barolo, e il Pignolo (Pignolium), ormai scomparso dal territorio lamorrese.
Oggi La Morra è diventato un paese molto ricco grazie al grande valore assunto dall'oro rosso, il vino Barolo, su cui il Paese basa la propria economia. Negli ultimi decenni, infatti, il turismo a La Morra è aumentato tantissimo, trasformando il paese in tutto e per tutto.
Altezza 513 mt sul livello del mare.
At the dawn of the second millennium the town of Alba Pompeia began to break up the hills surrounding it was then that he was born the village of Murra the top of the hill (Murra means enclosure for the sheep). In 1340 it passed under the dominion of the family Falletti, in 1402 he began his in-laws who are cited for the first time near the grape Nebbiolo (Nebiolium), from which originates the Barolo wine, and Pignolo (Pignolium), vanished lamorrese territory.
Today La Morra has become a very rich country due to the great value that gold red, Barolo wine, on which the country bases its economy. In recent decades, in fact, tourism has increased a lot in La Morra, transforming the country in every way.
Altitude 513 meters above sea level.
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This picture was taken on the way down form the Cevedale peack (3769 mt) on the italian alps. An easy mountain to climb but with an amazing view on one of the larger glacier of Europe (at least it was in the past)
Questa foto l'ho scattata durante la discesa dal Cevesale (3769 mt) una montagna senza troppe difficoltà, ma che regala una vista incredibile.
Look the links below for a different way to look at my shots/ Regarder ci-dessous les liens pour voir mes photos d ' une autre façon
www.fluidr.com/photos/45715717@N00
Icy wind blows between the houses, flashes quickly in the night on the streets of the rotten city. A shade, a woman, her eyes are shiver and charm, her look magnetize you, it won't let you go.
The photoshoot shows the creature in an own perspective, who became nowadays very popular in books, films and series. The vampire. The immortal being of the past, the present and the future.
Look at the whole series!
Az időn át - Vámpír krónikák (a jövő)
Jeges szél süvít a házak közt, fürgén cikázik az éjszakában a romlott város utcáin. Egy árny, egy nő, a szeme borzongás és igézet, megbűvöl a tekintete, nem ereszt.
A sorozat saját szemszögünkből mutatja be azt a lényt, aki mára oly divatossá vált könyvekben, filmekben és tévésorozatokban. A vámpírt. A múlt, a jelen és a jövő alakját, aki halhatatlansággal bír.
Nézd meg a sorozat többi darabját is!
Info:
Concept, model: Ágnes Vincze
Makeup artist: Dóra Vízhányó
Hair stylist: Gábor Antal
Clothing designer: Zsuzsa Pócs
Strobist info:
Metz 58 AF-1 @ 1/2 power + Carena CA21 @ full power at camera left 45º into a reflective white umbrella, fired with Phottix Tetra PT-04II wireless trigger
Strobist.hu info:
Metz 58 AF-1 @ 1/2 teljesítményen + Carena CA21 @ max. teljesítményen kamera bal 45º-ról, fehér visszaverő ernyőbe Phottix Tetra PT-04II-vel indítva.
I don't meditate anymore or anything like that, but this is me tastefully nude striking a half-lotus pose. Pretty much all of the things I've been doing are on hiatus while I don't live in Chicago and I'm pretty much fine with it. Periods of transitions and all that. On the first day of my college psychology course, the professor asked us to draw a picture of ourselves in the rain, and this is how I drew myself.
Please View 'Crown Jewels' Large On Black
America isn't known for castles or treasure from past kings on display in countless museums. America's crown jewels are it's wilderness, landscapes and natural wealth. Nothing probably signifies that more than Yellowstone, our first National Park.
Here we have an icon of the Park that has to be one of the most photographed things on earth: Old Faithful Geyser erupting. Behind lurks another national treasure: Old Faithful Inn.
Designed by architect Robert Reamer, Old Faithful Inn is a magnificent example of “Parkitecture” on a massive scale. From the National Park Service:
The building is an exposed log and wood-frame structure of rustic design and gigantic proportions: nearly 700 feet in length and a central core seven stories high.
Old Faithful Inn is one of the few remaining log hotels in the United States. The Inn is a masterpiece of rustic architecture in its stylized design and fine craftsmanship. Its influence on American architecture, particularly park architecture, was immeasurable in its uses of natural materials to create a feeling of high-style rusticity. In a broad sense the design of the Inn parallels architectural ideas being used in hotel construction today with its enormous multi-story lobby surrounded by levels of galleries.
Old Faithful Inn undoubtedly is the queen of rustic hotels in the national parks. Its use of natural materials, allusions to pioneer building techniques, and strong ties with its site through the use of onsite materials are three key principles of rustic design with which National Park Service architects worked through World War II.
Built for SW Factions on Eurobricks. Original Post: www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?/forums/topic/180378-j...
Iridonia, the gateway to the Outer Rim.
The red sphere was a dry, harsh world, the home to the hardy Zabrak. The Zabrak had a centuries-long tradition of hyperspace trade, rivalries with the Duros, and a shareholder’s slice of the pie when it came to making decisions about hyperspace tariffs. Their homeworld’s placement provided leverage, leverage that the current regime was glad to exploit.
The House of Kesh had ruled Iridonia for decades. Lord Kesh had proven himself a violent, unstable, vain tyrant who murdered outsiders and made his own people slaves. The rest of the galaxy might have ignored this, but Kesh also made a habit of choking the Coruscant-Dantooine hyperlanes. Hitting people’s bottom lines was a good way to draw their attention.
For over a month, a growing team of CFS diplomats had been hunkered down on Iridonia to try to negotiate a deal with its government, working to arrive at some sort of agreement, both among themselves and the Iridonian leadership. Everyone in the room had different priorities: some represented the CFS Merchant Core and just wanted to relax tariffs, others had the plight of the people in mind. Some wanted to take Kesh before a trial, deal with things peacefully. Others at the table would rather see him dead.
A sandstorm of intrigue surrounded the diplomats since the moment they arrived. Spies hung on every corner and doorway: CFS spies and Iridonian spies, and spies working for individual diplomats, advancing causes unbeknownst to their colleagues. While the gears of diplomacy grinded on, some had initiated more direct action.
Forgun Bohani had been the third diplomat to arrive in the Iridonian court. He was a clever old man, always watching and listening, who found himself on the side of a peaceful transition of power. He had listened to the bickering in the court long enough to decide a fresh voice was needed. He knew exactly who to summon: a young diplomat who had negotiated terms at Kril’Dor after the Pyerce insurrection, a rising star named Lan Honn. Honn seemed intelligent, studious, and honorable, precisely what was needed here. Bohani sent a message asking for Honn’s help, offering himself as a sponsor.
When the message arrived, Lan Honn was struck speechless. Once he had composed himself, calmed his excited nerves, and closed his gaping jaw, he jumped at the opportunity with appropriate seriousness. He became a tireless student of the Iridonian situation as he traveled, pouring over not only the current stakes of the negotiation, but Iridonian culture, art, and history. Anything that might help him understand their point of view. He stared out the viewport of his transport at the grim, dust-red planet’s surface.
Though he would soon join the CFS entourage, he chose to mask his arrival by docking at a swoop slum far from the city center. He traveled in plainclothes accompanied only by his bodyguard, the dangerous Esno Bo’Barbi.
The landing pad was deserted. The only people in sight were offworlders who looked more than worse-for-wear. As Honn and Bo’Barbi walked down the gangplank, a fat, bearded Lannik approached.
Honn turned to his companion. “Here comes Dak Sirah, a rogue if ever there was one, true and merry-faced though he be.”
“Aye,” replied the gruff Bo’Barbi. “Untiring after his own interest. Though if his and ours overlap, he becomes a useful fellow.”
Honn smiled at Sirah. “Dak! It’s good to see you. Live you on borrowed credits, or your own?”
“Lan Honn!” cried the bearded man. “Prince among men! Don’t you look…discrete. For once, I’m the handsomer of us two! For a diplomat, you make a lousy first impression, y’know. Don’t jest about my finances, I try to do my best.”
Honn grinned. “You’ve never once succeeded, though you’re not without other merit.”
Sirah peered at him. “Honest for a diplomat, too. Let’s put aside the squabbling, eh? I’m here on Bohani’s behalf, he got your message and sent me to lead you to the courts. I’d say welcome, but there’s nothing welcoming about Iridonia at present. What do you know about the situation, Honn?”
“I’ve read up on my way.”
“Ah! Of course you have. I should’ve known.”
“But pretend I haven’t. I want to hear it from your perspective.”
Dak sighed. “It’s a port of wolves, Honn. The Iridonians waste no pity or kindness on their own people, much less the Duros or offworlders. Both sides watch each other, constant with their spies. Yours truly, in fact, does some work on the side for Lord Bohani! Though, come to think of it, I wasn’t meant to let on to that.”
“I would think Bohani would bring on tighter-lipped spies. Though he’d be hard-pressed to find one more likable.”
“Ahhh, that’s my trick, there. No one suspects a guy like me to do anything more subtle than a public one-man-show! Keeps ‘em off the scent. It’s a good thing you’re here, Honn. It’s all been infighting and circling so far. Every day new proposals, new amendments, but nothin’ seems to stick. They’ve needed some fresh ideas, I think you’re just the one for it.”
“Thank you, Dak. I mean to be of service.”
Sirah scoffed. “You seem nervous. You kidding me? You’ll do great, you’re a bright guy. A lot brighter than some of the statues they’ve got at the table right now. Scaft, I nearly forgot to greet your bodyguard. Mister Bo’Barbi, the most dangerous man in the galaxy, enemy to nere’do’wells! A title I hope I don’t merit.”
Bo’Barbi raised an eyebrow. “An enemy to flatterers, too, mister Sirah.”
“Ah . . . Point taken. Lovely to make your acquaintance, sir! Ol’ Dak means no harm, no harm at all.” Sirah crinkled his jolly face. “Not unless you’re a bottle of Mantelli Scotch, anyway.”
This is the second Baz Luhrmann film that I'm quoting in this series.
Continuing on with my affinity for twisted love stories....Luhrman's 1996 film Romeo+Juliet is a modern interpretation of the classic Shakespeare, anachronistically juxtaposing Shakespeare's original language against a modern landscape of consumption and capitalism.
As with all of Luhrman's films, the visual style is rich and detailed, vibrantly coloured and surreal. He paints a rather sickening view of modern society, with petty vanities slathered upon the grotesque criminals of upper class society. In the midst of such ugliness, Romeo and Juliet emerge, as yet untouched by the poisonous world around them.
I've read criticism that claims Romeo and Juliet must die in order to keep their love untainted. This film takes that purity one step further: In the end Romeo and Juliet have no choice but to die, or to succumb to the grotesqueries that their parents have grown into.
This film accomplishes the ideal that I believe all film adaptations of stage plays should strive toward: it brings the work of theatre to life in a manner unique to film, using the capabilities of the medium to inform a new, deeper understanding of the original work. The play is incredibly powerful on its own. Luhrmann has built upon Shakespeare's original work to create something contemporary, relevant, beautiful and impassioned. I am in awe of his work.
Big thanks to Happy_Peasant for sending me a bird image just so I could have my wings!
And again....textures by kittykatfish.
It was a sunny Tuesday afternoon and it was approximately 84 degrees outside.
You were sitting in my room complaining about how hot it was. I didn't complain because you already knew how much I adored this weather. I observed you, and I could see this expression of "I'm dying." upon your face. I suggested we go to the beach for a while. You got up right away and said "You're so smart. That's a great idea." I giggled because even you could have come up with that, but I suppose you were too hot to even think.
I changed into some denim ripped shorts and a flowy tank top. You, of course, we're screwed because you wore jeans and a t-shirt. but it didn't matter.
you always seemed to manage.
i grabbed some sun-block and towels and we headed out to your car.
It was pretty hot in there. I said "Wow, I can't even breathe." and so we rolled down the windows. We got on the 10 freeway and there wasn't much traffic, which was awesome because the faster we got there, the better. We put on our ipods, you started off with some loud hardcore music, i didn't mind. I was actually getting the hang of it and even started building a like for it. Then, I blasted some Taylor Swift. You weren't such a big fan, but you didn't mind it either. While you kept your eyes on the road, I kept my eyes on the sky and started imagining all the fun we were going to have on this really hot day.
You held my hand and I started playing with your fingers. We held hands until our palms started getting sweaty. We released them, and we started giggling saying "ewwwwwww." we were such children.
we're about 5 minutes away and we can already see the pier and the ocean. we make our way into the parking lot. once we're parked, we get out of the car and I start running away from you, making my way towards the sand. you go after me and say "Girl, where do you think you're going?" I laugh and let you catch up to me. You wrap your arm around me and we see what looks like a huge family of seagulls. You look at me and give me that smirk. I already know what you're thinking. I say "Honey, leave them alone. They're just cute little birds. They aren't doing a thing to us." You laugh because I always had the habit of defending animals. You take me by the hand and start running. I couldn't stop myself and so there we were. We chased after the seagulls making funny noises at them, scaring them away. I couldn't help but to just laugh. You say "Wasn't that fun?" I reply "it was a workout." after the seagull chase, we find ourselves a nice spot to lay our stuff down. There's children everywhere playing with their shovels and buckets, making mud pies. I suggest that we build a sandcastle. and so we do. at the end, we're both very satisfied with our castle and I proudly declare that you're the prince and I'm the princess. you give me a soft kiss on the cheek and call me "dork."
the sun kissed our skin beautifully with its warmth and its rays shining down upon us.
you roll up your jeans halfway and we start to walk towards the ocean. as the waves come crashing down, I start squealing because I can feel the cold water wash over my feet. You begin splashing me with your hands and I kick you on the side of your leg. I then start splashing you back. You don't care that you didn't bring extra clothes. you simply enjoy the moment you're having and forget about everything that doesn't matter. After an hour of spending some time in the water, we walk back to our things and I dip my little red-painted toes in the sand and giggle like a child as I move them around. You pull up and sit next to me. We both start shivering because we got completely wet. I grab a towel and wrap it around our frail little shoulders. I ask how you're feeling and you reply "Much better, I'm so happy we did this." As you look up into the sky, I look at you. Amazed. Of what? Only I knew. We never had a day like this. It felt completely magical. As the sun starts going down, we question if we should stay or leave. In the end, we decide to stay. We fall asleep for a while on the towels we laid out.
we wake up and its already dark. you help me up and we walk towards a lifeguard dock. we then just sit there, observing the stars. I look afar, and I see what looks like a big sparkly star. Amused, i say to you "oh my gosh! do you see that star?! its so big! and it sparkles like no other!" You look, and then you reply "Oh baby. That's not a star, that's a helicopter." To my dissapointment, you were right. I look down feeling stupid, and you simply lift my chin up and say "You know, some things aren't what they seem. But you and I, we're real. We're up in the night sky, and we sparkle, twice as much as all the other stars." You point out a star, one that I had not seen, and it was sparkling, so bright. It made its reflection upon the ocean, and you were right. Once again.
I lay there in your arms, with my head resting upon your chest, and I can feel your heartbeat. As I'm there, the lyric "You belong with me, not swallowed in the sea." makes its way into my head.
The night was perfect.
Our day at the beach, it was perfect.
and it will forever remain in my heart.
[P.s. Ta-da! I hope you enjoyed this little story that I made up lol. I'm working on my writing and story-telling soooo, bear with me. One day I'll write a perfectly nice story that makes sense. :) and I uploaded this photo in the past, but deleted it, and uploaded it once again to tell this story.]
Best Viewed On Black | My Photostream On Black | Desktop Background
NOTE: This one really does shine when Viewed On Black
My wife was kindly doing the driving while I gazed out to sea. We rounded
a turn and I caught a glimpse of what I thought was a natural bridge down
below. We had to drive a bit before we found a place to turn out which
meant I was hoofing it back up the hill. There is was, a natural bridge
that looked something like an elephants head with the image dominating Point
Sur volcanic rock in the distance. I timed my shot to coincide with the
light of the Point Sur light station. We were really enjoying watching the
waves roll in off the crystal blue Pacific and turn to a foamy white. A
short ways down the road we discovered a sign indicating that tours of the
Point Sur lighthouse are available on Wednesdays and again on the weekends.
We agreed that we'd revisit the site and take the tour at some future date.
We could see the light from the Point Sur lighthouse as far north as
Carmel's Point Lobos. he weather couldn't have been better so we continued
down California's Highway One headed towards Pfeiffer Beach.
Darv
© Darvin Atkeson
:::: BIGGER ....... is BETTER for your eyes and soul!
:::: Click here for a slideshow of my latest!
:::: Click here to view my Most Interesting according to Flickr!
:::: Have a coffee.... click here ....... and relax!
:::: Spring Signature!, Rosemère, Québec, Canada. Copyright © 2010 Gaëtan Bourque. All rights reserved. Use without permission is illegal.
Questa è dedicata a me e a tutte le persone care, che mi sono state vicine in questo percorso e soprattutto negli ultimi mesi!!
A 27 anni ci si ritrova ancora a saltare sul letto per aver raggiunto traguardi importanti...un po' come quando da piccoli ci si svegliava la mattina di Natale e sotto l'albero trovavi una quantità smisurata di pacchi regalo!
Questa è la sensazione di gioia!
Per la cronaca, ho scoperto lightroom! <3
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Let's call it a day for the time being, my friends!! I have closed down the comment box for uploads henceforward. I don't wanna be rude and unfair - receiving comments but not returning any. I don't know when I am gonna reopen the comment box; only time knows, I guess!
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Looking 'inside' a photograph, I always try to unravel the secret of the presented being, all the joy and sorrows, and first of all mysterious human fate.
~ Jerzy Tadeusz Lewczynski - [translation cited in "Archeologia fotografii" ("Archeology of photography") by Jerzy Lewczynski, Wydawnictwo KROPKA, Wrzesnia 2005, p. 51]
Dando un paseo por la urbanización que está cerca del campo de golf de la manga, llegamos a un sitio que no había estado en mi vida, y las vistas son extraordinarias, a parte de las vistas, el sentir el aire acariciar tu cara y respirar esa brisa marina no tiene precio, he buscado en el mapa de google para encontrar su ubicación y esta calita esta en dirección la manga Golf oeste- Atamaría (Murcia)
Nota: Si ponéis en el mapa de google, Atamaría , y seguís un camino hasta la costa os lleva al sitio,he puesto la foto en el mapa de Flickr y me ha concretado el lugar y la playa- Playa el Negrete (Murcia)
Cámara: D40
Modo De Exposición: Manual
ISO: 200
Velocidad: 1/125
Focal: 32.0 mm
F/ 16
Objetivo: 18.0-55.0 mm F/ 3.5 -5.6
Procesado: Light room 2
Camera Raw 4.3
Photoshop Cs
View Napau Crater, Kalapana, Hawaii on Black
View Napau Crater, Kalapana, Hawaii Map/EXIF
NIKON D810 + 24-70 mm f/2.8 @ 24 mm - 1/125 sec at f/5.6, ISO 200
Aperture priority mode @ 2 EV E.C - Pattern metering - no flash
Subject Distance: unknown
The Napau Crater is slowly building the southern edge of Hawaii to the sea. Lava pours from deep beneath the ocean surface and tunnels its way through a series of under and above-ground tunnels on its way out to the sea once more.
While Haley and I were there, we were fortunately enough to see the last remnants of a spectacular flow into the sea which collapsed just a few weeks later (you can youtube videos people have taken from tourist boats floating around the area - they are nuts).
I decided the last day of our trip that I really wanted to get some ariel shots of the island - especially the lava flowing into the ocean, which spews steam and sulfurous air for miles down the coast. I took a sunset helicopter ride and was able to catch the crafter and steaming ocean just as the sun began to set. This illuminated the back of the clouds behind the crater nicely, and created a nice contrast.
I had to jam my camera lens outside the helicopter window to avoid reflections, so composition was difficult; a problem I made up with my favorite technique - machine-gunning my way to success ;). I had to bracket most shots to keep exposure under control, but am relatively happy with the results.
19°23'15" N 155°6'21" W, 3306.1 ft
Napau Crater, Kalapana Lava Flows
Pāhoa, Hawaii, United States
Taken on 01.14.2017, uploaded on 02.04.2018.
©2017 Adam James Steenwyk. Please contact me at ajamess [at] gmail [dot] com if you would like to use this photo. Blog: www.f128.info
1/125 sec at f/5.6, 24 mm,
24-70 mm f/2.8, NIKON D810, ISO 200,
no flash, "Aperture priority mode", 2017,
January, "January 14 2017",
"Self Rating: 4 stars", 19°23'15" N 155°6'21" W, Pāhoa, Hawaii, United States, "Pāhoa, Hawaii, United States", "Subject distance: Unknown"
Technical properties:
Processing-program: Photomatix Pro and Adobe Photoshop CS4
Framed and signature: Photo Scape
Camera: Canon EOS 50D
Lens: Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4.5 DC HSM
Copyright © 2009 by pixel@work . All rights reserved.
Feel free to use this image as you wish! I only ask you to credit me by linking back to my flickr account or my website www.archetypefotografie.nl/ Thanks!
If you wanna follow me on Twitter -> twitter.com/AF_Photography
Critique is very welcome ;-)
www.nine9style.net/shop/step1.php?number=15993&b_code...
Warm spring!
But still chilly in early morning&late night, isn't it?
So! We've prepare special Long knit cardigan for your dollXD
We've prepare this cardigan for bunnynine, MSD, SD13 and SD17 boys. Two colors available;Grey and Black!
So please visit our online store and see more pictures in there;3
(We will provide new long knit cardigan for girls with different color soon!)
For Bunnynine boys:
Grey: www.nine9style.net/shop/step1.php?number=15998&b_code...
Black: www.nine9style.net/shop/step1.php?number=15997&b_code...
For MSD boys:
Grey: www.nine9style.net/shop/step1.php?number=15996&b_code...
Black: www.nine9style.net/shop/step1.php?number=15995&b_code...
For SD13 boys:
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For SD17 boys:
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===================================================
-:- ( 1 ) - ( 2 ) - ( 3 ) - ( 2X5 ) - ( 6 ) - ( 7 ) - ( 8 ) - ( 9 ) - (2X10) -:-
===================================================
With some Haiku Notes:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Other dimensions
providing information,
just don't look; but see.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Take aim and you'll see
truth behind reality
in both yin and yang
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It's all in your mind
concentrate and be mindful
sense reality
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Noble Eightfold Path describes the way to the end of suffering, as it was laid out by Siddhartha Gautama. It is a practical guideline to ethical and mental development with the goal of freeing the individual from attachments and delusions; and it finally leads to understanding the truth about all things. Together with the Four Noble Truths it constitutes the gist of Buddhism. Great emphasis is put on the practical aspect, because it is only through practice that one can attain a higher level of existence and finally reach Nirvana. The eight aspects of the path are not to be understood as a sequence of single steps, instead they are highly interdependent principles that have to be seen in relationship with each other.
1. Right View
Right view is the beginning and the end of the path, it simply means to see and to understand things as they really are and to realise the Four Noble Truth. As such, right view is the cognitive aspect of wisdom. It means to see things through, to grasp the impermanent and imperfect nature of worldly objects and ideas, and to understand the law of karma and karmic conditioning. Right view is not necessarily an intellectual capacity, just as wisdom is not just a matter of intelligence. Instead, right view is attained, sustained, and enhanced through all capacities of mind. It begins with the intuitive insight that all beings are subject to suffering and it ends with complete understanding of the true nature of all things. Since our view of the world forms our thoughts and our actions, right view yields right thoughts and right actions.
2. Right Intention
While right view refers to the cognitive aspect of wisdom, right intention refers to the volitional aspect, i.e. the kind of mental energy that controls our actions. Right intention can be described best as commitment to ethical and mental self-improvement. Buddha distinguishes three types of right intentions: 1. the intention of renunciation, which means resistance to the pull of desire, 2. the intention of good will, meaning resistance to feelings of anger and aversion, and 3. the intention of harmlessness, meaning not to think or act cruelly, violently, or aggressively, and to develop compassion.
3. Right Speech
Right speech is the first principle of ethical conduct in the eightfold path. Ethical conduct is viewed as a guideline to moral discipline, which supports the other principles of the path. This aspect is not self-sufficient, however, essential, because mental purification can only be achieved through the cultivation of ethical conduct. The importance of speech in the context of Buddhist ethics is obvious: words can break or save lives, make enemies or friends, start war or create peace. Buddha explained right speech as follows: 1. to abstain from false speech, especially not to tell deliberate lies and not to speak deceitfully, 2. to abstain from slanderous speech and not to use words maliciously against others, 3. to abstain from harsh words that offend or hurt others, and 4. to abstain from idle chatter that lacks purpose or depth. Positively phrased, this means to tell the truth, to speak friendly, warm, and gently and to talk only when necessary.
4. Right Action
The second ethical principle, right action, involves the body as natural means of expression, as it refers to deeds that involve bodily actions. Unwholesome actions lead to unsound states of mind, while wholesome actions lead to sound states of mind. Again, the principle is explained in terms of abstinence: right action means 1. to abstain from harming sentient beings, especially to abstain from taking life (including suicide) and doing harm intentionally or delinquently, 2. to abstain from taking what is not given, which includes stealing, robbery, fraud, deceitfulness, and dishonesty, and 3. to abstain from sexual misconduct. Positively formulated, right action means to act kindly and compassionately, to be honest, to respect the belongings of others, and to keep sexual relationships harmless to others. Further details regarding the concrete meaning of right action can be found in the Precepts.
5. Right Livelihood
Right livelihood means that one should earn one's living in a righteous way and that wealth should be gained legally and peacefully. The Buddha mentions four specific activities that harm other beings and that one should avoid for this reason: 1. dealing in weapons, 2. dealing in living beings (including raising animals for slaughter as well as slave trade and prostitution), 3. working in meat production and butchery, and 4. selling intoxicants and poisons, such as alcohol and drugs. Furthermore any other occupation that would violate the principles of right speech and right action should be avoided.
6. Right Effort
Right effort can be seen as a prerequisite for the other principles of the path. Without effort, which is in itself an act of will, nothing can be achieved, whereas misguided effort distracts the mind from its task, and confusion will be the consequence. Mental energy is the force behind right effort; it can occur in either wholesome or unwholesome states. The same type of energy that fuels desire, envy, aggression, and violence can on the other side fuel self-discipline, honesty, benevolence, and kindness. Right effort is detailed in four types of endeavours that rank in ascending order of perfection: 1. to prevent the arising of unarisen unwholesome states, 2. to abandon unwholesome states that have already arisen, 3. to arouse wholesome states that have not yet arisen, and 4. to maintain and perfect wholesome states already arisen.
7. Right Mindfulness
Right mindfulness is the controlled and perfected faculty of cognition. It is the mental ability to see things as they are, with clear consciousness. Usually, the cognitive process begins with an impression induced by perception, or by a thought, but then it does not stay with the mere impression. Instead, we almost always conceptualise sense impressions and thoughts immediately. We interpret them and set them in relation to other thoughts and experiences, which naturally go beyond the facticity of the original impression. The mind then posits concepts, joins concepts into constructs, and weaves those constructs into complex interpretative schemes. All this happens only half consciously, and as a result we often see things obscured. Right mindfulness is anchored in clear perception and it penetrates impressions without getting carried away. Right mindfulness enables us to be aware of the process of conceptualisation in a way that we actively observe and control the way our thoughts go. Buddha accounted for this as the four foundations of mindfulness: 1. contemplation of the body, 2. contemplation of feeling (repulsive, attractive, or neutral), 3. contemplation of the state of mind, and 4. contemplation of the phenomena.
8. Right Concentration
The eighth principle of the path, right concentration, refers to the development of a mental force that occurs in natural consciousness, although at a relatively low level of intensity, namely concentration. Concentration in this context is described as one-pointedness of mind, meaning a state where all mental faculties are unified and directed onto one particular object. Right concentration for the purpose of the eightfold path means wholesome concentration, i.e. concentration on wholesome thoughts and actions. The Buddhist method of choice to develop right concentration is through the practice of meditation. The meditating mind focuses on a selected object. It first directs itself onto it, then sustains concentration, and finally intensifies concentration step by step. Through this practice it becomes natural to apply elevated levels concentration also in everyday situations.
An Additional Haiku Note:
=============================
Take time be aware
we are no-thing but our thoughts
so said the Buddha
=============================
Personal Thoughts from August 07, 1976
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Energy is one.
Individuals are parts of that one.
Individuals through a source such as Love
(or other emotion or virtue) are one.
Thoughts are a source of energy.
Energy is neither created or destroyed.
Thoughts are neither created or destroyed.
Individuals are tuned-in to thoughts.
We do not think; we experience thought.
Our level of development is how we use
these thoughts to experience other
thoughts.
We are actually experiencing energies.
Our level of development is how we can
tune-in to these energies.
Our true purpose is to think and develop;
think and develop; become the source of energy.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
June 16, 2010
this is what you call my bad day.
as i continue to grow older each day i feel more and more like a child.
i cant help but admit i have less and less inspiration/ideas :( i feel as though my creativity is running out or expiring. i tried my hardest to think of a good spell photo for today, but it just didnt happen. tomorrow i have a phobia planned though.
thank you for your kind words everyone. i feel as though it is just today though :P
i do however, love how this one tells a story.
i am reminded everytime i go up to the forest as to why i hate dogs. guhh theyre so annoying, territorial, and make me fear them because theyre so ferocious.
Explored #72 thanks so much :)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBkXfsTWXXw
JASMINUM NUDIFLORUM
Gelsomino d'inverno o di San Giuseppe
Generalità: questa specie di gelsomino è originaria della Cina, ed è un arbusto a foglie caduche, resistente al freddo. Si presenta come un ciuffo, più o meno denso, di sottili rami verde scuro, dritti e rigidi; le foglie sono lucide, leggermente cuoiose, verde scuro anch'esse, e sono costituite da tre piccole foglioline. Questo arbusto verso la fine dell'inverno ci regala una splendida fioritura di piccoli fiorellini gialli, che sbocciano a partire dalla base dei rami, prima della comparsa delle foglie. Il gelsomino spesso tende a crescere abbondantemente, raggiungendo anche i 2-3 metri di altezza, per ottenere una forma compatta è consigliabile potarlo appena dopo la fioritura; ogni 3-4 anni è possibile procedere ad un rinnovo totale dei rami, potando il gelsomino a 10-15 cm dalla base. Il portamento parzialmente strisciante rende la pianta adatta anche come tappezzante, oppure come rampicante, ma solo se collocata a ridosso di apposite strutture su cui farla crescere.
www.lokomotivy.net/adm/zobraz2.php?rada=gru_2te10m&lo...
Hlavní železniční trať spojující Rusko s Mongolskem vede mezi městy Ulan-Ude a Sükhbaatar. V pohraniční oblasti trať využívá údolí řeky Selenga, která dosahuje délky toku 5539 km, což jej řadí na páté místo mezi nejdelšími řekami světa. Zároveň se jedná o největší přítok jezera Bajkal. Ve zmíněném údolí trať na několika místech přetnula původní tok této řeky a vzniklo několik slepých ramen, které s oblibou využívají rybáři. Na jednom takovém místě mezi mongolskou pohraniční stanicí Khoit a stanicí Sükhbaatar byl dne 2. října 2024 zachycen kontejnerový vlak, který směřoval z Ruska do Číny, v jehož čele byla ruská lokomotiva 2TE10M-2102 z depa Ulan-Ude. V roce 2024 zajišťovaly přeshraniční vozbu Ruské železnice (RŽD - Rossijskije železnyje dorogi), které se na této vozbě střídají v ročním intervalu s Mongolskými železnicemi (UBTZ - Ulaanbaatar Temer Zam).
"To take away a chapel from the sick, disadvantaged and downtrodden is one of the lowest acts this government could approve."
Today's Advertiser published a reader's letter about the closure of the chapel:
"MANY citizens are appalled at the closure of the chapel on the Glenside campus.
The chapel, a heritage building, is now owned by the Arts Department and a room has been set up in the Grove division of Glenside as a "contemplation room".
This new ownership was confirmed by staff at Glenside.
When I enquired about this room I was ushered down a corridor to a room with six chairs and an organ - this was the substitute:
A contemplation room and it was locked.
What a disgrace. We should be able to pride ourselves on religious freedom.
This would be one of the most disgusting and insensitive episodes on the Glenside campus.
To take away a chapel from the sick, disadvantaged and downtrodden is one of the lowest acts this government could approve.
The "old chapel" has been used for numerous funerals by the next of kin/relations and friends for deceased patients.
Many comments have been made by the loved ones on the serenity and beauty of this chapel during their times of bereavement and sadness.
Many of our forefathers came to this state to seek religious freedom and for this Government to accept and sanction this closure defies description.
Shame on you, Mr Rann, to allow this to happen."
JS, Burnside. From letter to The Advertiser.
After 139 years of being a mental health service facility, patients will no longer be able to sit here and watch the sunset. This has now become the playground for the South Australian Film Corporation as part of the new $43 million Adelaide Film and Screen Hub. The patients will have to wait another 5 years or more until the new hospital and associated non-denominational space are constructed.
Originally built as a combined chapel and dining room in 1880, it was used solely as a dining room until 1970 as well as for screening films for patient entertainment. After renovations were completed in 1970/1971, it became the hospital chapel.
please see larger
the forest fires which are burning all up and down california are of course nature's way
and yet ..
hearts are with the wild animals for whom this was home!
and with the human folks, and their dear pets and pastured animals, who live where the fires are ferociously encroaching...
~
am hesitant to even write of these fires in any personal way ..
yet my heart compels me to ... as two of the places that have been most fiercely engulfed in flames are the places i've most fiercely loved..
big sur and carmel valley
carmel valley is where, right before coming to hawaii, i lived in a cabin in the middle of nowhere ...
owls, bobcat, swallows, rattlesnakes, donkeys, cows and stars were my only neighbors.
on the same land, a little lake was home to many wild things.. including a beloved (albeit crabby :) swan .. many ducks and ducklings .. and fish
and it was a stopover for orchestras of canada geese ...
i so hope this bit of land is safe... have not been able to find out ..
(of all the places i've ever lived, i loved it most.)
and...
over several enchanted years in the 1970's, i lived in four magical places in big sur ... and worked at three.
from what i can tell from the news, all of these homes may be gone .... and all of the places i worked have fire licking at their edges.
the initial big sur fire, called "the coast gallery fire", started from lightning at the coast gallery, high above the sea.
do not know if the gallery, which served all the artists of big sur back then, is now still there..
the "coast gallery" is where i first lived and worked in big sur..
(and where somehow the gallery itself held on when the mountain there collapsed into the sea.. literally right up to my doorstep.. taking with it the sole road, that part of highway 1 .. and, most sadly, a precious soul who was working on the highway in the middle of the night, just after the outset of this sudden landslide.)
the two other places i worked, "ventana" (when it first opened) and the historic "nepenthe", have been evacuated and are in severe danger right now.
the magical house described in another image on my stream .. the one where potato vines grew up and through the walls in my attic home.. then flowered! .. is likely gone.....
as it was above the wonderful "deetjen's big sur inn", where fires came down the mountain and right up to the cottages and restaurant of the inn.
also lived in an artist studio high atop a ridge where the fires have blazed homes..
and, at the other end of big sur, i lived in a cottage with my boyfriend sandy, a harpsichord maker ...
from what i can gather, that cottage and the harpsichord studio that sandy and i built are gone.
so...
these personal connections are only the tiniest of tiny specks in the whole..
but i am sorrowful.
~
my whole heart goes out to everyone whose homes all along the coastal areas of california, and inland, are in danger or have burned ...
and especially to the wild animals and their babies of spring.
≈ prayers for them .. all and each ≈
*
The Viceregal Lodge, Obervatory Hill, Shimla, India, by Henry Irwin. Completed 1888; tower height increased later by Lord Curzon. Local grey sandstone and light blue limestone, with iron girders, beams, and trusses.
Built on a high 331-acre site, levelled for the purpose, this mock-Tudor or baronial-style building is visible from far down the hillside, and was intended as a proud symbol of Empire. Over the portico at the main entrance is a coat of arms with inscriptions above it naming the architect (Irwin), the executive and assistant engineers (F. B. Hebbert and others) and the Earl of Dufferin as the current Viceroy. Dufferin was the first to occupy the new Lodge. The columned arches along the façade are echoed in the arches of alternating widths supporting the verandas. Just visible to the left of the main entrance, on the first floor, is one of the unobtrusive external iron spiral staircases provided for the lowliest menial staff, the bathroom sweepers.
Inside, the main hall is panelled in teak. The unicorn originally carved over the impressive main fireplace has since been replaced by the Indian wheel of progress. The double-galleried corridor off to the left is lit by mullioned windows and a glass ceiling, and leads to the ballroom, now the library of the Institute of Advanced Studies. On the ground floor were also the dining hall, lounge and drawing room. On the upper floors were the Viceroy's office and rooms. To the right of the main hall is a splendid three-storey high teak staircase, the kind of feature, no doubt, that earned Irwin his eulogy in the Madras Mail, to the effect that his genius was displayed in his interiors. In the morning room and visitors' lounge on this side, finishing touches like a walnut ceiling with a Kashmiri design, lavish wall-coverings (some of which remain more or less intact), an original chandelier and so on, can still be seen. Maple & Co, London, were the western suppliers. A large picture of one of the Vicereines, Lady Elgin, hangs over the fireplace of the visitors' lounge.
For its day, the Lodge had state-of-the-art technology. It had its own steam generator, and was the first building in Shimla to employ electric lighting. Indeed, Lady Dufferin, the first Vicereine in residence, is said to have first used an electric light switch here. The original light panel is still in place (with an added fusebox). The Lodge also had running hot and cold water, together with a sophisticated system for collecting and storing bath and rainwater, including two tanks under the front lawn.
Outside in the landscaped grounds stands a tall tulip tree, a rarity in an area dominated by pines and deodars. It was planted during the stay of the Marquis of Lansdowne, the Viceroy who replaced Dufferin in 1888.
♫ Louis Armstrong - What a Wonderful World ♫
Cuando vuelvo la vista atrás y hago balance, sólo encuentro buenos momentos...
Hay bajones, es normal me dicen...
No, no es normal, me digo.
Porque cuando eres capaz de mirar más allá de tu ombligo y abres los ojos al mundo, tus problemas se convierten en granos de arena... Y te das cuenta de la gran suerte que tienes...
Tómate la vida como una prueba. No es una prueba colectiva, sino individual.
Cada cual compite en su propia carrera, con distintos obstáculos... no hay que competir entre nosotros, no hay que luchar por un primer puesto, sino ayudarnos entre todos a completar nuestra propia carrera y superar los obstáculos que aparecen en cada camino... ^^
Gracias a todas esas personas que me dan la mano y me impulsan a superar mis obstáculos :)
Foto: Tremendo atardecer en Santa María del Mar :)
La idea fue mía, pero la foto está realizada por Javi, muchísimas gracias fotógrafo!!!! :)))))
Fue este mismo día.
Todos sabemos ya que Castilla y León es una comunidad que atesora grandes valores naturales. Entre ellos, se encuentra el Parque Natural de las Hoces del río Duratón, en la provincia de Segovia.
El Duratón es un afluente del Duero, del que toma su nombre: "Duero pequeño", ya que "-ón" actúa en este caso como diminutivo, y no como aumentativo (como ocurre con "tapón", "ratón", etc.). Nace en Somosierra (Madrid) y desemboca cerca de Peñafiel (Valladolid). Durante su curso, se va encajando en las rocas dolomíticas que hoy día lo circundan.
Ese encajonamiento progresivo es el que va dando lugar a las hoces, llamadas así por su parecido con dicho apero de labranza. No es una tarea fácil. El río ha necesitado millones de años para disolver el carbonato cálcico y magnésico a la vez que trazaba, caprichoso, meandros como el que se aprecia en la imagen.
Cabe destacar entre la fauna más característica la colonia de buitre leonado, una de las mayores de toda Europa. No es difícil ver los nidos de estas aves en los cortados de las hoces.
No son los únicos que habitan en el parque. La diversidad es enorme. Se han llegado a catalogar 445 especies animales (130 de ellas son aves). ¡Ahí es nada!
Respecto a la vegetación es preciso distinguir los diferentes biotopos que podemos encontrarnos aquí: las parameras en la zona superior, los cortados y los bosques de ribera en el fondo del cañón, sin olvidar los pinares sobre la arena. Todo ello condiciona una amplia variedad de hábitats y, consecuentemente, una elevada biodiversidad: 572 son las especies vegetales registradas.
Para finalizar, quisiera hacer una breve reseña a la localidad de Sepúlveda, municipio en el que se encuentra la casa del parque. Su nombre "Septem Publica" se debe a las siete puertas de su muralla. La historia ha quedado reflejada en sus calles y sus monumentos. Su pintoresca estampa no escapa a los ojos del visitante.
En definitiva, el Parque Natural de las Hoces del Duratón es un lugar totalmente recomendable para visitar, disfrutar y aprender, tanto de la biología y geología del lugar, como del arte y la historia de sus municipios, sin olvidarnos de su exquisita gastronomía :)
Esto era solo una pincelada.