Highest Position on Explore: July 8, 2008: #148

Highest position #26 on May 12 -2007

Looks almost as though created with a kaleidoscope

Miss his little snores.

"Position Confirmed", an oil painting by Ardell Bourgeois, on display at the Bomber Command Museum of Canada in Nanton, Alberta. The painting of a BATCP Harvard trainer is shown in front of the museum's Harvard.

Arkania was full of precious minerals that led to the arrival of the greedy CIS who wreaked havoc on the small population. We were sent to there to break up the fight - a simple skirmish was what we thought. Instead, we had been here through three moon rotations. Totally underestimating the level that the Separatists would take to fuel their operations, they were overwhelming our positions and churning the planet into a workforce. Those damn clankers, they didn’t feel cold, or pain, or hunger. Stupid useless droids. Just like the citizens, they did nothing for us either. No appreciation for us liberating their lands, they gave us little contact. Whenever they saw us, they would scramble away, the braver ones would turn and glare. A handful of the slaves we set free from the mineral mines had faces of gratitude, though we thought there was nothing to be thankful of on this wormhole of a planet. The rest...same story. Could they see that we were a step forward in the solution? Or did they think we were just part of their never ending conflict?

And then, there were the Jedi who did what they could to help us with our struggles. They had the final say, they were the highest authority, or so we thought. As the war dragged on, we felt like we were just a tool in their regime. The order was falling, and we were falling with them. Our duty as soldiers were to serve them, for the republic and its pride.

However, times were changing quickly. We also weren’t expecting the winter season to arrive so soon, and our men were unequipped for the weather. The temperature dropped to freezing conditions, and what vegetation on the planet had shriveled, all life that remained appeared dormant, the last few stragglers of moss clung on to rocks and rubble. Grabbing on to the last bits of light, and hope.

The final days of the war were coming to an end as the droid army was weakening. We had managed to grab a hold of our positions. Our last offensive was made trekking through the mountains into mining territory, to free the citizens, and the local population. General Tros Zeks and his padawan named Dorrent, hacked down countless droids clearing the way. Darkness was soon approaching, and we had to find shelter.

Our men looked up at the looming tower. It was an old building, formally a mining tower point. The Jedi general’s red eyes scanned the distance. He ordered us to secure the area. We took control of the lookout tower with little resistance. A couple of droids lay rusted on the ground and in the building. Wind blew snow up in blankets and rattled glass panels.

Taking out the droids was easy and I walked through the doorways to reach the rooftop view with Dorrent. The views were stunning as blue hour was slowly fading into a charcoal gray sky, snow curling in spirals settling lightly on our armor.

Suddenly I felt a dizzying sensation spread across my head. I grimaced and took a knee on the cold icy platform, backing up closer to the doorway on the vent. Dorrent didn’t seem to notice, he was busy studying the view. I put my hand on my helmet in hopes of relieving the throbbing sensation. My head rang with strange vibrations, and I heard voices. Suddenly, a weight seemed to be taken off. I blinked twice and looked down. My hologram had opened up and a familiar voice was speaking. I looked down as blood suddenly rushed back into my head. It was the Chancellor himself.

Personal excerpt - Commander Brenno 167th Legion

Standard 5pm hometime position

..::LOG ENTRY 17.4::..

Corellia.

Durge. I'd never faced him, but the stories told of him are a Clone's worst nightmare. Furthermore, the sewers are playing havoc with our communications equipment.

"Lieutenant, These guys are still alive!" came Easys voice. I could see the Durge's silhouette from the storm drain get larger and larger. We were running out of time. Squads of fully trained ARC troopers have failed to bring Durge down, what chance do I have against this beast with a squad of rookies!.

I moved back to Reaper squads position and knelt down by the injured troopers they'd found. It was the remains of Spectre squad, they'd be sent to find Alpha-19, just like we had.

We have no heavy ordnance, nothing that would touch Durge if the stories were to be believed and we have no detonators left. This is a suicide mission.

"Listen up squad! Take the injured and get out of here. Get a message back to command. Make sure they know where Durge is and get some ordnance down here to deal with him! Go. NOW!"

"But...." started the entire squad.

"I SAID NOW!"

Hesitantly, Reaper squad helped up the remnants of Spectre squad and headed to the surface. I turned and headed back towards Durge. Hopefully I'll buy them enough time."

As I entered the storm drain, it was clear to see that the rumours were true, Durge was huge and easily towered over me. Without hesitation, I open fired. The blasts just deflected off his armour, and those that hit him did little good. He just continued to walk toward me.

His walk became a run and he charged at me with inhuman speed. I continued to fire shot after shot at him. As he was about to collide with me I dived to one side, but he was ready. He reached out with a tree-like limb and delivered a blow to my helmet sending me crashing into the ground. I quickly got to my feet, something was wrong. I felt no pain, but my vision was blurred and I could feel the drips of blood run down my nose, I felt the dent in my helmet on my cheek, and my visor had been smashed clean of the helmet.

Trying to regain my senses, I tried to turn to face the monster, but my feet couldn't feel the ground. Looking down, I realised I was being held in the air. I couldn't feel the pressure of Durges hand on the back of my neck. He launched me into the air. I hit the wall of the drain and smashed into the floor once more. A sharp pain shot through my leg as I tried to stand up. Something was broken.

At this point, I had no clue what was going on. I turned to try and get my bearings, but I couldn't see in the murk of the sewer. I heard a voice mutter, "impressive" and it was swiftly followed by a heavy impact to my chest that sent me into the wall for a second time. I fell, face first into the ground. This was it, the end of the war for me.

I could make out muffled voices coming from the entrance to the storm drain. I tried to look up. Even through the haze, I could pick out the white armour of my brothers. The republic was here!

From the cover of the entrance, several clones lay down covering fire. The beast that was Durge seemed to instantly forget I was there as he disappeared in a volley of fire. The troopers were covering my escape, but I couldn't move.

No, I was wrong. They weren't covering me.

A clone trooper had made a break from cover down the far side of the storm drain. With renewed hope, the adrenaline started to pump through my body again, lifting the haze slightly. That was no random trooper, that was Trigger!

Trigger dived toward a prone ARC Trooper while Durge continued to recoil from the heavy volley of fire. As Trigger reached the trooper, he reached down and scooped up the dead troopers RPS-6. Hoisting the rocket launcher onto his shoulder, and barely with time to aim, he fired a rocket straight at the retreating beast. I couldn't make out what happened to Durge. Reaper squad and Spectre squad continued to cover Triggers reload. Trigger hoisted up the rocket launcher once more and fired a second time. My head span, and I blacked out.

..::END ENTRY::..

Cage woke up in the medical bay on an un-comfy cot. A trooper I recognised from Spectre squad sat on a stool at the far end of the cot.

"Ah, you're awake boss!"

"Boss?"

"That's right. The remains of Spectre squad have been assigned to you. Sergeant Deano, at your service Boss" Deano extended his hand for a handshake, but quickly pulled it back seeing Cage was a little too rough to move.

Cage was visibly panicked.

"Where is Reaper Squad?"

"Oh, don't you worry about those guys. They were the only guys who faced Durge and aren't in the medical bay. We owe them our lives. How are you feeling?"

"Rough. Better knowing Reaper Squad are ok. They really came out unscathed?"

"Yeah, your boy Trigger drove Durge back. We dragged your sorry behind up and got the hell outta there! What was it Bench said? That's it. 'We all go home, or nobody goes home!'. Bench practically dragged us back for you."

"They disobeyed orders...."

".... They saved your life! And several other troopers too. For rookies, they really showed the seppies that we are made of sterner stuff! I know you thought you were protecting them, trying to stop command from wasting lives of good clones, but this is what we were made for. The moment Bench learned that we had taken a rocket launcher with us, he insisted we could help you. And he was right. I know you're a 'by the book' kinda guy, but you can't protect your squad from commands decisions. Just trust that Reaper squad are capable clones and use them sensibly instead of sending them out the way."

Cage pondered Deanos words. He remembered Spectre squad was lead by ARC Captain Nate, he had trained with Nate when he joined the ranks of the ARC Troopers.

"What happened to Nate?"

"He didn't make it, that's why we were assigned to you. But your 'rookies' did what the rest of us couldn't and held back Durge. I think it's time you stopped calling them rookies. I'm going to go tell the staff you're awake."

Deano moved to leave and stopped at the door, he turned back.

"Oh, and one more thing. You're going to need new armour, the last set you had was shattered into splinters."

He left the room.

Cage pondered for a moment and then muttered to himself.

"Well if command aren't going to protect us, then maybe I shouldn't do things 'by the book' anymore."

EXPLORED! Highest position: 147 on Thursday, July 9, 2009

Still busy, these next two weeks will probably be even worse...

Getting stronger, on Thursday they scheduled me the final job interview (already succesfully passed through two) for a really interesting opportunity.

I will be meeting the General Manager of the company. Sounds good!

The shot

Another sunrise from my April Tuscany trip. Taken some minutes before "Tuscany Sunrise @75mm". Tighter crop, less contrasty.

I'm in love with that place.

The Processing

Photoshop: (SINGLE EXPOSURE)

- Duplicated the background layer, switched to soft light mode and applied a gradient mask (sky only)

- Switched to LAB mode and applied two curves to improve contrast and tones

- Back to RGB, added a vibrance layer to boost up minor tones

- Used color balance tool to improve colors

- Duplicated the background layer, switched to linear add and applied a gradient mask (foreground only)

- Created an Overlay layer to adjust light

- Resized

- Run Noise Ninja to reduce Noise

- Sharpening (Smart Sharpen + more accurate)

- Framing and signature.

Take a look at it, LARGE on Black :

The best is yet to come, on Black

@ You all

Comments, faves and critiques are always welcomed!

I wish you all a splendid sunday and a marvellous week ahead.

I will be checking your streams out tonight.

explored 1/4/2014 highest

position 34

is an arboreal lizard found primarily in the southeastern United States and some Caribbean islands. Other common names include the green anole, American anole and red-throated anole. It is also sometimes referred to as the American chameleon due to its ability to change color from several brown hues to bright green. While many kinds of lizards are capable of changing color, anoles are closely related to iguanas and are not true chameleons. The Carolina is a small lizard; male adults are usually 15 cm (5.9 in) long in adulthood, about half of which is its tail, and it can weigh from 3–7 g (0.11–0.25 oz). Exceptionally, these anoles will grow up to 20 cm (7.9 in) in length. Anolis carolinensis is part of the carolinensis series of anoles.green anole photos

Highest Explore Position #192 ~ On Thursday June 4th 2009.

Blackness Castle ~ Blackness ~ Linlithgow, Scotland ~ Monday May 25th 2009.

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Robbie Williams ~ Somewhere beyond the Sea ~ www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldrxR9X-a3o ~

Well, another shot taken a few Millie-metres from the surface of the sea water...yup...once again I was living dangerously with my camera...one day I'll drop it...fingers crossed I don't though..:)))

This was probably the only moment during the Bank Holiday that the sky had some blue in it....whilst the rest of the country basked in the Sun and enjoyed unbroken sunshine....we in Scotland...well, the part I was at anyway...enjoyed only fleeting glimpse...typical hey..:((

This is also where I wrote the postcards I sent out whilst here...for those that received one from me..:))

Well...I hope the rest of you wonderful people have a great Hump Day Wednesday...:))

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ~ Blackness Castle is a 15th century fortress, near the village of Blackness, Scotland, on the south shore of the Firth of Forth. It was built, probably on the site of an earlier fort, by Sir George Crichton in the 1440s. At this time, Blackness was the main port serving the Royal Burgh of Linlithgow, one of the main residences of the Scottish monarch. The castle, together with the Crichton lands, passed to King James II of Scotland in 1453, and the castle has been crown property ever since. It served as a state prison, holding such prisoners as Cardinal Beaton, and the 6th Earl of Angus.

Strengthened by Sir James Hamilton of Finnart in the mid 16th century, the castle became one of the most advanced artillery fortifications of its time in Scotland. A century later, these defences were not enough to prevent Blackness falling to Oliver Cromwell's army in 1650. Some years after the siege, the castle was repaired, and again served as a prison and a minor garrison. In 1693, the spur protecting the gate was heightened, and the Stern Tower shortened as a base for three heavy guns. Barracks and officers' quarters were added in the 1870s, when the castle was used as an ammunition depot, until 1912. The castle was briefly reused by the army during the First World War. It is now a Scheduled Ancient Monument, in the care of Historic Scotland.

Because of its site, jutting into the Forth, and its long, narrow shape, the castle has been characterised as "the ship that never sailed". The north and south towers are often named "stem" and "stern", with the central tower called the "main mast".

History ~ Origins ~ The barony of Blackness was held in the mid 15th century by Sir George Crichton, Lord High Admiral of Scotland, Sheriff of Linlithgow, and later Earl of Caithness. The Crichtons were one of the most politically powerful Scottish families at the time, and were close to James II; Sir George was governor of Stirling Castle when the King murdered the 8th Earl of Douglas there in 1452, and George's cousin, William, was Chancellor of Scotland from 1439 to 1453. The castle was probably built in the mid 1440s, during a time of feuding between the Crichtons and the "Black" Douglases, which had resulted in the destruction of Sir George's tower at Barnton in Edinburgh in 1444.

Blackness Castle is first mentioned in 1449, and was already serving as a state prison as well as Sir George's residence. The original building comprised a curtain wall and the north tower, with the central tower isolated in the central courtyard. A hall range may have stood to the south, while the whole was defended by a rock-cut ditch and accessed by a gate in the east wall.

Sir George Crichton handed over the Crichton lands, including Blackness Castle, to James II in 1453. His dispossessed heir, James Crichton, captured the castle and held it briefly against the King, who besieged and recaptured it the same year. Blackness became a royal fortress, as well as continuing to serve as a prison, and was put into the care of a keeper, who was often the Sheriff of Linlithgow. In the 17th century, this office became hereditary in the Livingstone family.

Description ~ The castle stands on a rocky spit in the Firth of Forth, and is oriented north-south. The castle comprises a curtain wall, with integrated north and south towers, and a separate central tower in the courtyard. To the south-west, a defensive spur forms the main entrance, while a water gate to the north-west gives access to the 19th century pier. Outside the walls are 19th century soldier's barracks and officer's quarters. The castle is said in popular legend to have a ley tunnel linking it with the House of the Binns, which lies about 1.9 miles (3.1 km) to the south.

I was walking along the beach when I see this woman walking her dog. I thought this would be a great photo op. I positioned myself closer to the water and starting snapping away as they came closer. I started to kneel to capture a different perspective and that is when this dog stops, sits, and IMO poses for the shot. This sweet animal does not move until I stand up. Remarkable!

# highest Position 472, September 8, 2009

An even wider Sky

a sunday afternoon walk in late summer - and suddenly the surprising play of light and shadow at the hills, building a perfect delta to the bright blue sky and the gorgeous clouds, in the distance hardly visible ... the alps

i wish, i would know, how to bring out the green a bit more saturated, but this is the best, i got. any helps or ideas are welcome

Highest Explore Position #95 ~ On Friday 20th March 2015.

Hawaiian Gosling (Nene) ~ London Wetland Centre ~ Barnes ~ Hammersmith ~ London ~ England ~ 18th March 2015.

Click here to see My most interesting images

Purchase some of my images here ~ www.saatchionline.com/art/view/artist/24360/art/1259239 ~ Should you so desire...go on, make me rich..lol...Oh...and if you see any of the images in my stream that you would like and are not there, then let me know and I'll add them to the site for you..:))

You can also buy my WWT cards here (The Otter and the Sunset images) or in the shop at the Wetland Centre in Barnes ~ London ~ www.wwt.org.uk/shop/catalogue.asp?Page=1&CatID=182

Well yesterday I was mostly at the London Wetland Centre again, where I saw these little chaps.:) They now have some Hawaiian Goslings, which they are trying to bring back from the brink of extinction, I have never seen them before, let alone knew they were endangered...:(

Anyhoo...I also managed to capture loads of ducks doing what comes naturally...thus proving Spring has most definitely sprung...images to follow in the coming days.:)

Nene (Hawaiian Goose) ~ From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ~ The nene (Branta sandvicensis), also known as nēnē and Hawaiian goose, is a species of goose endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. The official bird of the state of Hawaiʻi, the nene is exclusively found in the wild on the islands of Oahu, Maui, Kauaʻi and Hawaiʻi.

The Hawaiian name nēnē comes from its soft call. The species name sandvicensis refers to the Sandwich Islands, an old name for the Hawaiian Islands.

Evolution ~ ~ It is thought that the nene evolved from the Canada goose (Branta canadensis), which most likely arrived on the Hawaiian islands about 500,000 years ago, shortly after the island of Hawaiʻi was formed. This ancestor is the progenitor of the nene as well as the prehistoric Giant Hawaiʻi goose and nēnē-nui (Branta hylobadistes). The nēnē-nui was larger than the nene, varied from flightless to flighted depending on the individual, and inhabited the island of Maui. Similar fossil geese found on Oʻahu and Kauaʻi may be of the same species. The Giant Hawaiʻi goose was restricted to the island of Hawaiʻi and measured 1.2 m (3.9 ft) in length with a mass of 8.6 kg (19 lb), making it more than four times larger than the nene. It is believed that the herbivorous Giant Hawaiʻi goose occupied the same ecological niche as the goose-like ducks known as moa-nalo, which were not present on the Big Island. Based on mitochondrial DNA found in fossils, all Hawaiian geese, living and dead, are closely related to the giant Canada goose (B. c. maxima) and dusky Canada goose (B. c. occidentalis).

Description ~ The nene is a medium-sized goose at 41 cm (16 in) tall. Although they spend most of their time on the ground, they are capable of flight, with some individuals flying daily between nesting and feeding areas. Some are born without the ability to fly. Females have a mass of 1.525–2.56 kg (3.36–5.64 lb), while males average 1.695–3.05 kg (3.74–6.72 lb), 11% larger than females. Adult males have a black head and hindneck, buff cheeks and heavily furrowed neck. The neck has black and white diagonal stripes. Aside from being smaller, the female nene is similar to the male in colouration. The adult's bill, legs and feet are black. It has soft feathers under its chin. Goslings resemble the male, but are a duller brown and with less demarcation between the colours of the head and neck, and striping and barring effects are much reduced. The bill, legs and feet are the same as for the adult. Its strong toes are padded and have reduced webbing, an adaptation that allows it to swiftly traverse rough terrain such as lava plains.

Habitat and range ~ The nene is an inhabitant of shrubland, grassland, coastal dunes, and lava plains, and related anthropogenic habitats such as pasture and golf courses from sea level to as much as 2,400 m (7,900 ft). Some populations migrated between lowland breeding grounds and montane foraging areas.

The nene could at one time be found on the islands of Hawaiʻi, Maui, Kahoʻolawe, Lānaʻi, Molokaʻi, and Kauaʻi. Today, its range is restricted to Hawaiʻi, Maui, Molokaʻi, and KauaʻI. A pair arrived at the James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge on Oʻahu in January 2014; two of their offspring survived and are seen regularly on the nearby golf courses at Turtle Bay Resort.

Breeding ~ The breeding season of the nene, from August to April, is longer than that of any other goose; most eggs are laid between November and January. Unlike most other waterfowl, the nene mates on land. Nests are built by females on a site of their choosing, in which one to five eggs are laid (average is three on Maui and Hawaiʻi, four on Kauaʻi). Females incubate the eggs for 29 to 32 days, while the male acts as a sentry. Goslings are precocial, able to feed on their own; they remain with their parents until the following breeding season.

Diet ~ The nene is a herbivore that will either graze or browse, depending on the availability of vegetation. Food items include the leaves, seeds, fruit, and flowers of grasses and shrubs.

Conservation ~ The nene is the world's rarest goose. It is believed that it was once common, with approximately 25,000 Hawaiian geese living in Hawaiʻi when Captain James Cook arrived in 1778. Hunting and introduced predators, such as small Asian mongooses, pigs, and cats, reduced the population to 30 birds by 1952. The species breeds well in captivity, and has been successfully re-introduced; in 2004, it was estimated that there were 800 birds in the wild, as well as 1000 in wildfowl collections and zoos. However, there is some concern of inbreeding due to the small initial population of birds. The nature reserve WWT Slimbridge, in England, was instrumental in the successful breeding of Hawaiian geese in captivity. Under the direction of the leading conservationist Peter Scott, it was bred back from the brink of extinction during the 1950s for later re-introduction into the wild in Hawaiʻi. There are still Hawaiian geese at Slimbridge today. They can now be found in captivity in every WWT centre. Successful introductions include Haleakala and Piʻiholo ranches on Maui. The nene population stands at 2500 birds.

State bird ~ The nene is the state bird of Hawaii. It is also the rarest state bird.

Highest Explore Position #250 ~ On January 30th 2009.

Baby L'hoest Monkey - Colchester Zoo, Colchester, Essex, England - Monday 26th January 2009.

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Well, thanks to all those that prayed for a West Ham win yesterday, lol...because we only went and won 2-0...mind you, it should have been 10-0!!!!

We missed numerous chances and a penalty!!!..OH..well, a wins a win I guess...and puts us in joint 7th position in the Premiere league...European football anybody...lol..:O))

Anyhoo, I'm off to Colchester again for another long weekend..:O))

I won't be back until late Staurday night, so I hope to visit all your wonderful streams on Sunday...:O))

The weather men say that we are going to have the coldest February for Thirteen years, and could have snow here on Monday and Tuesday next week....here's hoping..:O))

Anyhoo, If I don't see you before, I hope you all have a wonderful Friday and you also have an awesome Weekend..:O)))

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ~ L'Hoest's Monkey (Cercopithecus lhoesti), or Mountain Monkey, is a guenon found in the upper eastern Congo basin. They mostly live in mountainous forest areas in small, female-dominated groups. They have a dark coat and can be distinguished by a characteristic white beard.

Population ~ L'Hoest's Monkey occurs in northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, and western Uganda. It is a forest monkey, which is typical of the moist and high primary forests. It will occupy a range of different kinds of forested areas, including gallery forest, mature lowland rain forests, wooded savanna at mountain slopes, and forest borders. However, it also will live on cultivated lands. In lowland forests it shows a preference toward areas where the forest is regenerating, while in mountain areas it will frequent the mature, tangled, undergrowth below the broken canopy. One study found this population only above 900 m (2950 ft) but another found it as low as 610 m (2000 ft). Another mostly observed it from 1500 to 2500 m (4900-8200 ft). They make their homes in remarkable nests in trees.

Behavior ~ C. lhoesti lives in fairly small groups dominated by females and have only a single male. The females are usually related, while the male stays only a couple of weeks or at most a couple of years. The adult male will make very loud and distinct calls. They are active during the day, mostly during early morning and late afternoon. They sleep in trees in a sitting position, usually either holding branches or each other. When they are alarmed or see they are being observed they will flee and take shelter in trees, and after become very still. They are mostly terrestrial.

Breeding ~ L'Hoest's Monkey breeds seasonally, with the timing depending on the area. After about a five month gestation period, a single young will be born. The mother gives birth typically at night and where ever she happens to be at the time. Birth usually occurs at the end of the dry season, which allows lactation when rainfall is highest. She will eat the placenta and lick the baby clean while it hangs onto to her belly. The other females in the group will show much interest in the newborn and will try to hold it. After a few months nursing becomes less frequent, but will continue for about two years when there is another birth. When male offspring reach sexual maturity they will leave the group.In captivity they have been known to live for more than 30 years.

Diet ~ In the wild C. lhoesti is primarily an herbivore, which will mostly eat fruit, mushrooms, herbs, roots, and leaves. However, it will also occasionally eat eggs, lizards, and small birds.

Physical characteristics ~ C. lhoesti has a short, dark brown coat, with a chestnut color across the back and a dark belly. Its cheeks are light gray with a pale moustache. It has a characteristic and prominent white bib, In body length it is 12.5 to 27 inches, with a 19 to 39 inch tail.[9] The male weighs about 6 kg, while the smaller female weighs 3.5 kg. Its tail is long and hook-shaped at the end. They are born fully-coated and with their eyes open.

I started travelling internationally right after finishing college when I took a teaching position in Kuwait. Over the decades of my career, my partner and I have continued to work in or explore different parts of the world. More recently, since taking early retirement, we manage to spend around five months away during Canadian winters.

I kept track of all the places with a blogged list. In 2018, I decided it would be useful to find a single, personal image to represent each country I've visited. I have put these into a single Flickr Album. A photograph may occasionally be updated if we have a return visit.

These are organized alphabetically. You should be able to go forward or background from the image's main page where you can also see the names, and dates. In most cases the EXE date is correct. Some images may have been scanned and dates approximated.

dennissylvesterhurd.blogspot.com/

On Gordon Point are the remains of Fort Ballance, a defence site that was once Wellington's primary source of protection against sea-borne invasion. Built in 1885 following fears of an impeding war with Russia, Fort Ballance is one of the best preserved of a string of nineteenth century coastal defences constructed to protect New Zealand from a naval attack. In 1885, the Government, reluctantly acknowledging that they could not rely solely on Britain for protection, commissioned engineer Major Henry Cautley to design a series of fortifications to protect the country's main ports.

Fort Ballance, Wellington's main fortification, was built by the Armed Constabulary, day labourers and prison inmates. Erected on the former site of Te Mahanga Pa the fort was named after the then Minister of Defence, John Ballance [1839-1893]. In the event of war Fort Ballance was to prevent enemy ships entering the inner harbour and provide covering fire for the minefield between Gordon Point and Ward Island. Supported by positions at Kau Point and Point Halswell, when fully armed, Fort Ballance had more guns than any other fort in New Zealand.

Highest position: 140 on Monday, December 1, 2008

Excuse the bad quality.

The Summer Palace (Chinese: 頤和園), is a vast ensemble of lakes, gardens and palaces in Beijing, China. It serves as a popular tourist destination and recreational park. Mainly dominated by Longevity Hill (万寿山) and Kunming Lake (昆明湖), it covers an expanse of 2.9 square kilometers (1.1 sq mi), three-quarters of which is water.

Longevity Hill is about 60 meters (200 feet) high and has many buildings positioned in sequence. The front hill is rich with splendid halls and pavilions, while the back hill, in sharp contrast, is quiet with natural beauty. The central Kunming Lake, covering 2.2 square kilometers (540 acres), was entirely man-made and the excavated soil was used to build Longevity Hill.

In December 1998, UNESCO included the Summer Palace on its World Heritage List. It declared the Summer Palace "a masterpiece of Chinese landscape garden design. The natural landscape of hills and open water is combined with artificial features such as pavilions, halls, palaces, temples and bridges to form a harmonious ensemble of outstanding aesthetic value".

The origins of the Summer Palace date back to the Jurchen-led Jin dynasty in 1153, when the fourth ruler, Wanyan Liang (r. 1150–1161), moved the Jin capital from Huining Prefecture (in present-day Acheng District, Harbin, Heilongjiang) to Yanjing (present-day Beijing). He ordered the construction of a palace in the Fragrant Hills and Jade Spring Hill in the northwest of Beijing.

Around 1271, after the Yuan dynasty established its capital in Khanbaliq (present-day Beijing), the engineer Guo Shoujing initiated a waterworks project to direct the water from Shenshan Spring (神山泉) in Baifu Village (白浮村), Changping into the Western Lake (西湖), which would later become Kunming Lake. Guo's aim was to create a water reservoir that would ensure a stable water supply for the palace.

In 1494, the Hongzhi Emperor (r. 1487–1505) of the Ming dynasty had a Yuanjing Temple (圓靜寺) built for his wet nurse, Lady Luo, in front of Jar Hill (瓮山), which was later renamed Longevity Hill. The temple fell into disrepair over the years and was abandoned, and the area around the hill became lush with vegetation. The Zhengde Emperor (r. 1505–21), who succeeded the Hongzhi Emperor, built a palace on the banks of the Western Lake and turned the area into an imperial garden. He renamed Jar Hill, "Golden Hill" (金山) and named the lake "Golden Sea" (金海). Both the Zhengde Emperor and the Wanli Emperor (r. 1572–1620) enjoyed taking boat rides on the lake. During the reign of the Tianqi Emperor (r. 1620–27), the court eunuch Wei Zhongxian took the imperial garden as his personal property.

Qing dynasty

In the early Qing dynasty, Jar Hill served as the site for horse stables in the imperial palace. Eunuchs who committed offences were sent there to weed and cut grass.

In the beginning of the reign of the Qianlong Emperor (r. 1735-1796), many imperial gardens were built in the area around present-day Beijing's Haidian District and accordingly, water consumption increased tremendously. At the time, much of the water stored in the Western Lake came from the freshwater spring on Jade Spring Hill, while a fraction came from the Wanquan River (萬泉河). Any disruption of the water flow from Jade Spring Hill would affect the capital's water transport and water supply systems.

Around 1749, the Qianlong Emperor decided to build a palace in the vicinity of Jar Hill and the Western Lake to celebrate the 60th birthday of his mother, Empress Dowager Chongqing. In the name of improving the capital's waterworks system, he ordered the Western Lake to be expanded further west to create two more lakes, Gaoshui Lake (高水湖) and Yangshui Lake (養水湖). The three lakes served not only as a reservoir for the imperial gardens, but also a source of water for the surrounding agricultural areas. The Qianlong Emperor collectively named the three lakes "Kunming Lake" after the Kunming Pool (昆明池) constructed by Emperor Wu (r. 141–187 BCE) in the Han dynasty for the training of his navy. The earth excavated from the expansion of Kunming Lake was used to enlarge Jar Hill, which was renamed "Longevity Hill". The Summer Palace, whose construction was completed in 1764 at a cost of over 4.8 million silver taels, was first named "Qingyiyuan" (清漪園; "Gardens of Clear Ripples"").

The design of the Summer Palace was based on a legend in Chinese mythology about three divine mountains in the East Sea, namely Penglai, Fangzhang (方丈) and Yingzhou (瀛洲). The three islands in Kunming Lake – Nanhu Island (南湖島), Tuancheng Island (團城島) and Zaojiantang Island (藻鑒堂島) – were built to represent the three mountains, while the lake itself was based on a blueprint of the West Lake in Hangzhou. Besides, many architectural features in the palace were also built to resemble or imitate various attractions around China. For example: the Phoenix Pier (鳳凰墩) represented Lake Tai; the Jingming Tower (景明樓) resembled Yueyang Tower, Hunan; the Wangchan Pavilion (望蟾閣) resembled Yellow Crane Tower; the shopping streets were designed to imitate those in Suzhou and Yangzhou. The centrepiece of the Summer Palace was the "Great Temple of Gratitude and Longevity" (大報恩延壽寺). There was also a Long Corridor more than 700 metres long which was furnished with artistic decorations. As the palace was not equipped with facilities for long-term staying and daily administration of state affairs, the Qianlong Emperor hardly lived there and only remained there for the day whenever he visited it.

As the Qing Empire started declining after the reign of the Daoguang Emperor (r. 1820–1850), the Summer Palace gradually became more neglected and the architectural features on the three islands were ordered to be dismantled because the costs of maintenance were too high.

In 1860, the French and British looted the Summer Palace at the end of the Second Opium War and on October 18, 1860 the British burned down the nearby Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan). The destruction of the palace was ordered by Lord Elgin, the British High Commissioner to China, and was undertaken in response to the torture and killing of two British envoys, a journalist for The Times, and their escorts. The destruction of large parts of the Summer Palace still evokes strong emotions among some people in China.

Between 1884–95, during the reign of the Guangxu Emperor (r. 1875–1908), Empress Dowager Cixi ordered 22 million silver taels, originally designated for upgrading the Qing navy (the Beiyang Fleet), to be used for reconstructing and enlarging the Summer Palace to celebrate her 60th birthday. As the funds were limited, the construction works were concentrated on the buildings in front of Longevity Hill and the dams around Kunming Lake. The Summer Palace was also given its present-day Chinese name, "Yiheyuan" (頤和園), in 1888.

In 1900, towards the end of the Boxer Rebellion, the Summer Palace suffered damaged again when the forces of the Eight-Nation Alliance destroyed the imperial gardens and seized many artifacts stored in the palace. The palace was restored two years later.

Post-Qing dynasty

In 1912, following the abdication of Puyi, the Last Emperor, the Summer Palace became the private property of the former imperial family of the Qing Empire. Two years later, the Summer Palace was opened to the public and entry tickets were sold. In 1924, after Puyi was expelled from the Forbidden City by the warlord Feng Yuxiang, the Beijing municipal government took charge of administrating the Summer Palace and turned it into a public park.

After 1949, the Summer Palace briefly housed the Central Party School of the Communist Party of China. Many of Mao Zedong's friends and key figures in the Communist Party, such as Liu Yazi and Jiang Qing, also lived there. Since 1953, many major restoration and renovation works have been done on the Summer Palace, which is now open to the public as a tourist attraction and park.

In November 1998, the Summer Palace was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Towards the end of 2006, the Chinese government also started distributing commemorative coins to celebrate the Summer Palace as a cultural relic of the world.

The entire Summer Palace is centred around Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake, with the latter covering about three quarters of the area. Most of the important buildings were built along the north–south axis of Longevity Hill, which is divided into the front hill and the back hill. There are three small islands within Kunming Lake: Nanhu Island, Zaojiantang Island and Zhijingge Island. The West Dam of Kunming Lake divides the lake into two. The East Dam was constructed during the reign of the Guangxu Emperor. The attractions in the Summer Palace may be divided into six different sections or scenic areas: the Halls, Longevity Hill, Kunming Lake, the Farming and Weaving Picture Scenic Area, the Long Corridor, and the Central Axis area.

Dragon boats at Summer Palace.jpg

Front Hill

Eastern Palace Gate (东宫门): The main entrance to the Summer Palace. The two bronze lions on either side of the gate are preserved from the Qianlong Emperor's time while the Cloud Dragon Steps in front of the gate are relics from the Old Summer Palace. The three Chinese characters "Yiheyuan" on the sign above the gate were written by the Guangxu Emperor.

Hall of Benevolence and Longevity (仁寿殿): The hall where court sessions were held. It was called "Hall of Good Governance" (勤政殿) in the Qianlong Emperor's time but was given its present-day name by the Guangxu Emperor. The well north of the hall is called "Year-Prolonging Well" (延年井) while the rockery behind the hall was designed to imitate the Lion Grove Garden in Suzhou. The stalactites are relics from the Old Summer Palace.

Hall of Jade Billows (玉澜堂): Located west of the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity. It was the living quarters of the Qing emperors. The Guangxu Emperor was once confined here by Empress Dowager Cixi.

Yiyun Hall (宜芸馆): Located north of the Hall of Jade Billows. It was originally a library in the Qianlong Emperor's time, but became the living quarters of Empress Longyu in the Guangxu Emperor's time. It housed a collection of stone carvings of calligraphy written by the Qianlong Emperor.

Dehe Garden (德和园): Houses the three-storey Great Opera Hall (大戲樓), where opera performances were staged.

Hall of Joy and Longevity (乐寿堂): The living quarters of Empress Dowager Cixi.

Long Corridor (长廊): Stretches from the Hall of Joy and Longevity in the east to Shizhang Pavilion in the west. The entire corridor is 728 metres long and contains artistic decorations, including paintings of famous places in China, and scenes from Chinese mythology and folktales, The Twenty-four Filial Exemplars and the Four Great Classical Novels.

Hall of Dispelling Clouds (排云殿): Situated on the centre of the central axis of Longevity Hill. Originally the Great Temple of Gratitude and Longevity (大報恩延壽寺), it was renovated in 1892 and became a place for Empress Dowager Cixi to receive guests, host grand ceremonies, and celebrate her birthday.

Buddhist Temple at Summer Palace.jpg

Tower of Buddhist Incense (佛香阁): Located right in the centre of the front hill of Longevity Mountain. The tower was originally meant to be a nine-storey Buddhist pagoda built to resemble the Yellow Crane Tower. The Qianlong Emperor ordered the construction to be stopped just after the eighth storey was built. The tower was built on a 20-metre-tall stone base, measures three stories and 41 metres in height, and is supported by eight ironwood pillars. Empress Dowager Cixi visited the tower to offer incense and pray.

Sea of Wisdom (智慧海): Located on the peak of Longevity Hill. It was built from coloured glass and houses over 1,000 statues of Buddhist figures. It was partially damaged during the Cultural Revolution.

Stele of Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake (万寿山昆明湖碑; Wànshòushān Kūnmínghú Bēi): Located east of the Hall of Dispelling Clouds. The stele bears six Chinese characters written by the Qianlong Emperor.

Pavilion of Precious Clouds (宝云阁): Located west of the Tower of Buddhist Incense. It was originally called "Bronze Pavilion" (銅亭) and was built in 1755. The doors and windows were stolen by soldiers from the Eight-Nation Alliance in 1900. In the 1980s, they were purchased by overseas Chinese and donated back to the Summer Palace.

Stone Boat (石舫): The Stone Boat is 96 metres long. The original wooden boat was burnt in 1860 and has been replaced with a marble copy with western style paddle wheels.

Oriole-Listening Hall (听鹂馆): Located west of Longevity Hill. It used to be where Empress Dowager Cixi watched opera performancees. The hall is now converted into a restaurant specialising in Qing imperial cuisine.

Huazhongyou (画中游): Located west of Longevity Hill.

East of the Front Hill (前山东部; 前山東部): Has many pavilions and halls.

West of the Front Hill (前山西部): Has many pavilions and halls.

West of the Long Corridor (长廊西端; Chángláng Xīduān): There is a "West Four Hall" (西四廳) located north of Shizhang Pavilion. The Guangxu Emperor's Consort Zhen was confined in the hall by Empress Dowager Cixi. It used to be the west entrance into the Summer Palace during the Qianlong Emperor's time.

Back Hill

Suzhou Street (苏州街): In 1762, after returning from touring the Jiangnan region, the Qianlong Emperor ordered the construction of a shopping street resembling Shantang Street in Suzhou. The street was destroyed by the British and French in 1860 and was only restored in 1988.

Garden of Harmonious Pleasures (谐趣园): Located in the northeast corner of the Summer Palace. In 1751, when the Qianlong Emperor toured the Jiangnan region, he was so impressed with Jichang Garden in Wuxi that he ordered a Huishan Garden (惠山園) to be built in the Summer Palace and modelled after Jichang Garden. Huishan Garden was renamed "Xiequ Garden" in 1811.

Four Great Regions (四大部洲): Located on the centre of the central axis of the back hill. It was designed to resemble the Samye Monastery in Tibet, and houses statues of Bhaisajyaguru, the Buddha and Amitābha. It was destroyed by the British and French in 1860 but was restored later.

Flower Pavilion and Glass Tower (花承阁琉璃塔): Located east of the back hill. It was destroyed by the British and French in 1860; only the Glass Tower remains. During the Cultural Revolution, the Buddhist statue at the bottom of the tower was disfigured by the Red Guards.

Former Location of Gaichunyuan (赅春园遗址): Located west of the back hill. A small garden was built there during the Qianlong Emperor's time and the emperor also had his personal study room there. Gaichunyuan was mostly destroyed by the British and French in 1860.

Former Location of Qiwang Pavilion (绮望轩遗址): Located west of the back hill beside the lake. A small garden was built there during the Qianlong Emperor's time.

Eastern Dam

Zhichun Pavilion (知春亭): Located on the east bank of Kunming Lake at the south of the Hall of Jade Billows.

Wenchang Tower (文昌阁): Built to resemble a city gate. It served as an important entry point into the Summer Palace from the east and south during the Qianlong Emperor's time. The Wenchang Hall (文昌院) beside Wenchang Tower displays cultural artefacts from the Summer Palace.

Kuoru Pavilion (廓如亭): Situated in the middle of the eastern dam, east of the 17 Openings Bridge. It covered an area of 130 square metres.

Bronze Ox (铜牛): A bronze statue of an ox built in 1755.

Yelü Chucai Shrine (耶律楚材词): A shrine built by the Qianlong Emperor to commemorate Yelü Chucai, an influential statesman in the Mongol Empire. It was closed down after 2003 and its front section was converted into a souvenir shop.

Nanhu Island

17-Arch Bridge (十七孔桥): Has 17 different types of arches on it. It incorporates features of the Precious Belt Bridge in Suzhou and the Lugou Bridge in Beijing. The entire bridge is 150 metres long and eight metres wide.

Dragon King Temple (龙王庙; 龍王廟o): A temple built to worship the Dragon King.

Hanxu Hall (涵虚堂; 涵虛堂): Located at the north of Nanhu Island, directly facing the Tower of Buddhist Incense on the north bank.

Western Dam

Lake Dividing Bridge (界湖桥; 界湖橋): The bridge that separates Kunming Lake from the northern lake.

Jade Belt Bridge (玉带桥; 玉帶橋)

Binfeng Bridge (豳风桥; 豳風橋)

Jingming Tower (景明楼; 景明樓): It was destroyed by the British and French in 1860 and was restored only in 1992. It was designed to imitate Yueyang Tower.

Mirror Bridge (镜桥; 鏡橋)

White Silk Bridge (练桥; 練橋)

Willow Bridge (柳桥; 柳橋): Located most south of the western dam.

Farming and Weaving Picture Scenic Area (耕织图景区; 耕織圖景區): Built during the Qianlong Emperor's time, it was designed to bring to life a scene from the daily lives of peasants. This area was excluded from the Summer Palace after it was renovated by Empress Dowager Cixi. In 1949, the area was occupied by the People's Liberation Army and a paper-making factory was built there. In 2003, the area was incorporated back into the Summer Palace and some old buildings were restored.

from Wikipedia

Just after a moment, he caught and swallowed the bug on the top of the leaf.

Photos by Evelyn

The green eye is very evident in certain light and not evident at all in other positions the bird takes. Sort of like the brilliant color of a hummingbird's throat seen only in certain light.

Seen off the back boardwalk at Lettuce Lake Park, Tampa, FL

(H)

Positions for take off on 26.

wish you a good start into the week :)

Macro Mondays- Anything goes...

HMM everyone!

...para a Faina

November - Divers 2022

Camden Town, often shortened to Camden, is a district of northwest London, England, 2.5 miles (4.1?km) north of Charing Cross. Historically in Middlesex, it is the administrative centre of the London Borough of Camden, and identified in the London Plan as one of 34 major centres in Greater London.

Laid out as a residential district from 1791 and originally part of the manor of Kentish Town and the parish of St Pancras, Camden Town became an important location during the early development of the railways, which reinforced its position on the London canal network. The area's industrial economic base has been replaced by service industries such as retail, tourism and entertainment. The area now hosts street markets and music venues that are strongly associated with alternative culture.

Photos of November 2022

Photos de novembre 2022

( Divers albums de photos prisent en 2022 sans sujet precis.

Various albums of pictures taken in 2022 without subject. )

my cat sleeps with the body facing the opposite direction of the head!!!

Mobility at the National Memorial Arboretum 3 of 3.

A constant stream of people attending the Remembrance Day service.

Highest position on Explorer: 193 on Thursday, July 12, 2007

Now that we have the Sentinel-1B safely in the ‘high bay’ at Europe’s Spaceport near Kourou in French Guiana, or Centre Spatial Guyanais, CGS, as it’s known locally, the campaign to prepare the satellite for liftoff on 22 April has started in earnest.

On Friday, one of the first jobs was to position the satellite on the tilting table in preparation for testing. We also unpacked and set up the electrical ground support equipment in the ‘checkout room’.

Credit: ESA

Read more here.

Poeka looking down from her strategic position on the roof of our shed.

Classic view of Knaresborough, in North Yorkshire, looking down from the castle towards the River Nidd.

A Northern rail service, recently arrived from Leeds, is on the 1851 built viaduct whilst shunting before making a return journey.

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Pole position

Shot on Fuji Natura 1600 at EI 800

Color negative film in 35mm format

Overexposed one stop

Pole positionShot on Fuji Natura 1600 at EI 800.Color negative film in 35mm format.Overexposed one stop.

Write for EMULSIVE

The driving force behind EMULSIVE is...

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Read on at: emulsive.org/photography/35mm-format/pole-position-shot-o...

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Filed under: #35mmformat, #Photography,

#shootfilmbenice #filmphotography # believeinfilm

Explore: Highest position: 187 on Friday, October 16, 2015

3162x3162

Groß ansehen macht Sinn.

Best watched large size!

FL Everglades ~ #353 in Explore 1/13/11

Explored!

Highest position # 111 on August 11, 2008.

My early Birthday present :o)))

Can you suggest a name for him? Still haven't decided upon one!

PS. It's not my Birthday today!!

I dedicate this pic to all my wonderful friends for showing their love n support...and for sending their well wishes through mails n comments...Thank you all so much...I truly appreciate your kindness :-)) I'm feeling better a lil better today but still suffering from cold n headache...might not be able to check your pix today...should be back tomorrow...hopefully :o)

SPECIAL THANKS TO :

Diana Nevermind

Secret i

WorldOfArun

PC - My Shots@Photography

Prbhu B

Cashima

Saurabh Roongta

Queenscents

ranjini.

||Ramit||

Vicdv888

Aamir Yunus

Diamondee

princesstorchie

***irene***

sharaff

jlnewland

Anuj Nair

natureloving

TheZionView

*squall(closet1969)*

Rigs Clearwater, Florida

Terri.Flickr.Chic

Heniusia

*/black n blue\*

sanctu

speshalyst

EdmondCV218

Wanderlust Nightfire

NO INVITES NEEDEED FOR THIS ONE ~ Just wanted to share it with you. :-) Have a great day/night everyone!

Oklahoma Brown Tarantula (Aphonopelma hentzi) reared up into its defnesive position. They detect vibrations of things that might be close and in this case it was me that bent down to photograph this spider straight on. Image taken in the Comanche National Grassland of Colorado.

I was sent on a first aid course yesterday.

I was looking forward to it because I knew there would be big busted, mumsy ladies wrapping me in bandages all gently and with soothing voices and I would be able to glean a much needed dose of physical correspondence from the day.

It got even better. I bagged the prettiest girl as my bandage partner and a whole afternoon was whiled away with her tiny, delicate hands bundling me up.

Contrary to popular male fantasy; women don’t actually spend very much time touching each other. The rare occasions where I get to experience what men do of women is rather enlightening. They have a totally different way of touching. Every brush of fingers is infinitely gentler, more measured. Wafting over me as she leant forward to check if I was breathing was a delicious, feminine scent, soft hair tickled my neck. When it was my turn to dress her wound (ahem) and then elevate her arm I was struck by how delicate and tiny her arms and hands were, how pronounced her collar bone. Her shoulders were so narrow as I tied the sling behind her elegant neck. I moved her hair ever so carefully out of the way and a delicious shampoo smell rose.

Men are so lucky.

They get these gloriously scented, bird-like creatures whose touch feels like kisses from kittens while women get these rough skinned, heavy handed brutes whose touch feels like a rugby tackle and who would roll you into the recovery position as if you were a giant pile of dough. Maybe I am a closet lesbian, or maybe I just like the novelty factor of feminine caresses every so often, when I don’t want to be rolled around like an uncooked cottage loaf.

uk.youtube.com/watch?v=a1Y8utsY6LY