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There is a state where there is neither earth, nor water, nor heat, nor air; neither infinity of space nor infinity of consciousness, nor nothingness, nor perception nor non-perception; neither this world nor that world, neither sun nor moon. It is the uncreate. That I term neither coming nor going nor standing; neither death nor birth. It is without stability, without change; it is the eternal which never originates and never passes away. There is the end of sorrow. ~ THE BUDDHA
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❤At Home Workout By Sari-Sari - set for Anthem's next round,
original mesh decor with original bento animations and props
⚛Includes dumbbells, home gym storage, stability ball, and workout mat (18 original bento animations: 9 per M/F)
Included horizontal/vertical orientation of mat for ease of use. Please use whichever fits best for your room size, video/picture needs, etc.
⚛Sari-Sari mainstore: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Kusawa/90/231/1926
⚛Anthem:
location : Nanzenji Temple Tenjyuan ,Kyoto city ,Kyoto Prefecture,Japan
南禅寺 天授庵
Tenjyuan :
Tenjyuan is one of the most historically important temple of the Nanzenji. It was built as a dedication of the founder of the Nanzenji , Daiminkokushi Mukanfumon .
In 1267 the Emperpor Kameyama,enchanted with the natural beauty of the spot,elected a villa on the site where where the Nanzenji Temple now stands. Around 1288 the emperor was vexed by the appearance of a ghost and asked for help from Daiminkokushi ,the third Chief Priest of the Tofukuji Temple.
The priest rid Emperor Kameyama of the gost by merely performing Zazen meditations without reciting a single sutra.
The emperor was deeply moved by this demonstration of the priest's virtue and subsequently became became his disciple,giving himself the name Hoo("Great Priest").He later converted his villa into zen temple and dedicated it to Daiminkokushi.These events took place in Hoo's later years ; the priest died before the coversation of the villa was complete.It was left for a priest named Kiansoen,the successor of Daiminkokushi.to finish the work and inaugurate the zen temple. For this reason little credit for the task is given to Daiminkokushi himself.In 1336 Kokakushiren,the 15th chief priest of Nanzen Ji Temple,asked the retired Emperor Kogon for permission to construct a building commemorating the founding of the temple by Daiminkokushi.Construction on the building was completed in the following year(1337),hence the opening of the Tenjyuan.
Tenjyuan,however ,was destroyed in the Nanzenji conflagration of 1447 .Nor was the temple spared destraction by fire during the Onin War ( 1467-1477). More then 130 years passed before the temple was finally reconstructed.
Many of the temples destroyed by wars were reconstructed in the last quarter of the 16th century,when Japan enjoyed a period of political stability. The priests of Nanzenji agreed that the Tenjyuan be reconstructed by one of the most famous Zen priests of Kyoto,Genporeisan.He appointed Ungakureikei chief priest of the Tenjyuan ,and asked the daimyo Hosokawa Yusei to finance the enterprise.Thanks to generous contribution of Hosokawa,the reconstruction of the Main Hall,the Main Gate,and the old study was completed in August ,1602.These are the Tenjyuan buildings that stand today.
The garden consists of the front ,or eastern,garden of the Main Hall, and the southern garden near the Study.
The eastern garden is a rock garden. A geometrically designed stone footpath embedded in white sand and moss connects the Main Hall with the Maingate. This footpath was made 1338 after the original construction of the Tenjyuan.
The other ,shorter stone footpath leading to Yusai's mausoleum was made after Yusai's death in1610.
The layout of the southern garden clearly illustrates the characteristics of late 14th century landscaping.The two central islands in particular epitomize this style. A long penninsula extending from the study and a smaller penninsula extending from the other side meet to form a curling clasp,creating an eastern and western pond.The shorelines of the two ponds so divided are thus varied.
The eastern pond is smaller than the other and has a slopping bank.In addition to this landscaping technique,the arrangement of rocks near the waterfall indicates that the garden was made around the time of the construction of the Tenjyuan in 1337.
- Tenjyuan
ƒ/7.1 70.0 mm 1/125sec ISO 100
ⓒmaco-nonch★R, All Rights Reserved
Please do not use without permission.
All and every non permitted use, replication,
or duplication is subject to punishment by copyright law.
My Christmas Wish for you and me – Day 13:
Financial Stability and Prosperity
Let it Snow- Dean Martin:
Soak Testing is a type of performance test that verifies a system's stability and performance characteristics over an extended period of time. It is typical in this type of performance test to maintain a certain level of user concurrency for an extended period of time.
A Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus) poses in golden light on a Massachusetts tidal flat. I used the pot-pod technique to take this photo. (I laid down on the ground and propped my lens up with a pot to get a low angle). I recommend doing that. It really helps with stability when photographing shorebirds.
Taken on Cape Cod.
My I struggled with this one - not only capturing it but in the process in trying to keep the colours real and the flow smooth. Well I guess this is what I have come up with and from memory its pretty much how the morning looked. It was from the outing last week with Pixeloc at North Turimetta. Definitely had a fun morning and treated to a delight of a sky. Anyway... all feedback .. harsh as it may be ... is required.
(Daniel: Yep...got soaked from the backwash hitting a set of rocks behind me more than the front waves...Fun!)
Stability...I had two of the legs between rocks and I lent down pretty hard on it! Most of the shots where stable thankfully...Appreciate all the comments!
Its a single exposure using a Cokin GND8 for the sky. Thanks for looking as always.
Created for Mystic Challenge's ~Mystic Fantasy~:
www.flickr.com/groups/challenges_community_group/discuss/...
Created in Stability Ai.
Filters: PSE21 and Topaz Studio.
Thank you for your visit, faves and kind comments.
Christmas is the celebration of community, the celebration of family, the celebration of love. At least it is for me. And even if I don't need a special day of the year for empathy, mindfulness and appreciation, these days still have a special, strengthening effect on me.
It's the time when I reflect on what's really important. A time when the "I" steps back to let the "we" take precedence.
Basically, we all belong together. As different as we may be, we are the same in the same moment. We all (and by that I really mean ALL) strive for the fulfillment of the same basic needs. The realization of our own ideals, the recognition and appreciation of our environment, as well as stability and security. These are the lowest common denominators of all human beings, and are enough to at least understand anyone whose strategies for meeting those needs may differ (sometimes radically) from ours.
Talking to each other, speaking clearly and really listening are the only way in this case.
With this in mind, I wish you all a merry Christmas filled with love and harmony both in your environment and within yourself.
Weihnachten ist das Fest der Gemeinschaft, das Fest der Familie, das Fest der Liebe Zumindest ist es das für mich. Und auch wenn ich für Empathy, Achtsamkeit und Wertschätzung keinen beonderen Tag im Jahr benötige, so haben diese Tage trotzdem nocheinmal ein besondere, verstärkende Wirkung auf mich.
Es ist der Zeitpunkt, wo ich mich besinne, was wirklich wichtig ist. Eine Zeit in der das "Ich" zurück tritt um dem "Wir" den Vorrang zu lassen.
Im Grunde gehören wir doch alle zusammen. So unterschiedlich wir auch sein mögen, so gleich sind wir im selben Moment. Wir alle (und damit meine ich wirklich ALLE) streben nach Erfüllung der selben Grundbedürfnisse. Die Verwirklichung unseres eigenen Ideale, Die Anerkennung und Wertschätzung unseres Umfeldes, sowie Stabilität und Sicherheit. Das sind die kleinsten gemeinsamen Nenner aller Menschen und es sind genug um jeden zumindest zu Verstehen, dessen Strategien zur Erfüllung dieser Bedürfnisse sich möglicherweise von unseren unterscheiden (manchmal auch grundlegend).
Mit einander zu reden sich klar zu äußern und wirklich zuzuhören sind in diesem Fall der einzige Weg.
In diesem Sinne wünsche ich Euch allen ein besinnliches Weihnachtsfest erfüllt von Liebe und Harmonie sowohl in Eurem Umfeld als auch in Euch selbst.
more of this on my website at: www.shoot-to-catch.de
-Couleurs du Maroc-
Images from my last trip to Morocco, the country I grew up in.
"True stability results when presumed order and presumed disorder are balanced. A truly stable system expects the unexpected, is prepared to be disrupted, waits to be transformed.”
~Tom Robbins~
"The pillars of truth and the pillars of freedom - they are the pillars of society."
~Henrik Ibsen~
A beautiful Lioness we spotted while on a 2023 photo safari in the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania. She stopped her search for prey just long enough to show me those eyes.
In the savannas of Africa, female lions play a crucial and dynamic role in their familial groups, shaping the social structure and bearing the responsibility for the pride’s survival. Contrary to some common misconceptions, lion prides operate within a matriarchal social structure, where females hold the key roles in decision-making and coordination.
Lionesses are the primary hunters within the pride. Their exceptional teamwork and strategic approach to hunting are essential for the pride’s survival and well-being. Together, they deploy strategic hunting techniques, such as coordinated flanking and ambushing, to outwit their prey. Their synchronized efforts increase the likelihood of a successful hunt to secure food for the entire pride.
Male lions are typically responsible for protecting their pride from other males. However, the females play a vital role in defending the pride’s territory against threats such as leopards, hyenas, neighboring prides, and occasionally other males. The survival of a pride often hinges on the lionesses’ ability to protect their territory.
The lionesses’ strong maternal instincts are at the foundation of the pride’s social bonds. As a group, they are responsible for raising and nurturing the cubs. They teach essential survival skills, including hunting techniques and social behaviors, which ensure the continuity of the pride’s legacy. The pride communicates through vocalizations and body language, fostering a strong sense of community. The bonds formed among females contribute to the overall success and stability of the group.
In the lion pride, females emerge as the unsung heroes, weaving together the threads of survival, protection, and legacy. Their role as huntresses, defenders, nurturers, and leaders is integral to the pride’s success.
(Nikon Z8, 100-400/5.6 @ 340 mm, 1/250 @ f/5.6, ISO 1100, edited to taste)
Created for Kreative People Treat This :
www.flickr.com/groups/1752359@N21/discuss/72157721917233121/
Many thanks to abstractartangel77 for sharing the fractal:
www.flickr.com/photos/abstractartangel77/52316728979/
Woman, Elephant: created in Stability Ai. Texture is my photo.
Filters: PSE21 and Topaz Studio.
Thank you for your visit, faves, invites and kind comments!
2019 is a number of endings leading to new beginnings, different directions and fresh starts, finding balance and stability in life, and living personal truths.
Happy New Year !
By breaking his word, by refusing the diplomatic route, by choosing war, President Putin has not only attacked Ukraine. He has decided to carry out the most serious attack on peace, on stability in our Europe. To this act of war, we will respond without weakness, with composure, determination and unity.
Emmanuel Macron, French President
Thank you for your kind visit. Have a wonderful and beautiful day! ❤️❤️❤️
On Friday evening I went up The Shard in London for the first time.
The views of the city were incredible and we spent a good few hours up there looking around and waiting for sunset.
I took hundreds of photos but this is the first I want to share, it's a shot overlooking the financial district in the city of London and the colour in the sky after sunset was just gorgeous.
The shot was pretty difficult to get, with their no tripod policy I had my camera balanced on two rucksacks and a mini beanbag for some stability, plus I had a mini lens hood to avoid any reflections in the glass. Thankfully the security staff were in a good mood and left the fair few photographers up there alone to get the shots they wanted.
I have plenty more photos to go through but I'll start with this as it's the one I edited first.
Need some stability or do you need a stable? If it's the latter, you're in luck...DaD virtual living has a new release. The "Berkshire Stable". This stable actually has lots of possibilities. The texturing is beautiful and it's very functional. Stable doors open on both the top and bottom in case your horses need to run free. You can find this stable at the faMESHed 8th Anniversary Event! Also make sure to wear your faMESHed group tag to grab your free gifts! Pictured:
DaD "Berkshire Stable"
faMESHed: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/FaMESHed/226/144/1001
DaD Virtual Living Mainstore: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Saint%20Florent/139/81/25
DaD Flickr: flic.kr/ps/2t776E
New from Ayla is a cute set that is perfect for this time of year...get your hands dirty with the new DIY plant stands! You can find this set out now at the Anthem Event. Pictured:
Ayla. DIY Plant Stands - Picket Fence Plant Stand
Ayla. DIY Plant Stands - Book Plant Stand
Ayla. DIY Plant Stands - Carrot Plant Stand
The Anthem Event: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Anthem/86/161/1114
Ayla Mainstore: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Supernova/130/138/34
Ayla Flickr: flic.kr/p/2iX5K6C
Misc:
Apple Fall Shepherd Hook Wall Lamp
Grey/Brown Standing/Grazing Horse(MP)
hive // harvest hay bale
{vespertine} potted herb mix
dust bunny . kitchen clutter . potted herbs . basil, parsley, rosemary
Apple Fall Stacked Herb Pots - Bleached
Apple Fall Stacked Herb Pots - Clay
Apple Fall Stacked Round Baskets
Apple Fall Vintage Milk Urn - Galvanized
Apple Fall Trough Metal Sink
Apple Fall Tobacco Basket
Apple Fall Vintage Milk Urn - Cream
West Village Classic Watering Can - Galvanized
ChiMia:: Les Landes Work Bench
Sari-Sari - Tool Rack
Sari-Sari - Garden Shovel Sign
PLAAKA OldGrazingLandFence Broken
M&M GOAT FP
8f8 New beginnings chickens
8f8 - The Sweetest Spot - Hanging Sign
8f8 New beginnings geese
DRD - Rustic Barbecue - Wheelbarrow
HPMD* WildGrasses
Skye Stone Path Steps
Heart - Forest Undergrowth - Clover and Daisies
CR Reed Green With Flower
Thanks for your continued support and hope you all have a fantastic rest of the week! 😊
Well at this point I don't actually know what happened but I was the one holding the camera and aiming to capture this rushing gushing tumbling little cauldron of water at Golitha Falls.. So I take the credit/blame for the shutter speed etc but not the crop factor here. I was using my macro lens as a short telephoto as I now do fairly often as It is a handy focal length. What I don't know is how five shots got cropped/elongated in camera. I did notice at the time that these five photos, shot on continuous high (in the hope some would avoid handshake as not using a tripod in this confined little spot ) were this shape and quickly ran through settings that I use and got back to regular 2x4 size photos but still don't actually know what I touched to make this happen. I do know that the interchangeable dials and joy stick on my Nikon cameras have lead me a dance before- answers on a postcard lol...
Taken at f/5.6 iso 200 @ 1/40 second using a Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM and using a small handrail to prop the camera on for stability.
Created for The Award Trees challenge: Sunflowers
www.flickr.com/groups/awardtree/discuss/72157721917198881/
Created in Stability Ai.
Filters: Topaz Studio.
Thank you for your visit, faves, invites and kind comments!
Singapore has a sensibly regulated free market economy, combined with political stability and certainty based on the rule of law. A laser sharp focus on quality education has produced an industrious and well educated work force. Singapore is probably the only country in that has graduated from being a Third World Country to a First World one within a single generation.
These attributes have attracted many international investors that have turned Singapore into a powerhouse for global business and finance.
Several leading multinational corporations have established their regional headquarters in Singapore, and announce their presence in the form of competing skyscrapers that rival any skyline found in the leading countries of the world.
I am fascinated by some of the Tree roots I come across on my walks. Especially when you can see them above the surface like these. They are the veins that provide all the nutrients and water the tree requires, but much more.
There are five types of Tree roots, each of them developing at different stages of the Tree’s life:
1.Tap roots: Every tree starts with a tap root that provides stability and absorption. Over time, other roots outgrow the taproot. Most taproots don’t continue to grow ever more deeply because deep soils lack the oxygen and nutrients that roots need to survive.
2.Lateral roots: Lateral roots grow outwards right under the soil surface. They absorb a lot of water and nutrients as well as anchoring the tree.
3.Oblique/heart roots: Oblique roots, also known as heart roots, grow at a diagonal and have the same function as lateral roots.
4.Sinker roots: Sinker roots grow downwards from the lateral roots to a depth of several feet. There, lateral roots take advantage of any water and nutrients deeper in the soil in addition to increasing tree stability.
5.Fine roots: All the root types aforesaid can give rise to fine roots, which is where water and nutrients are directly absorbed. They also house mycorrhizae, which are fungal partnerships that increase root absorption capacity.
An interesting tale came to me some time ago that I am sure many of us can take a life lesson from. It tells of how trees push their roots down deeper when located in stormy areas. Their deeper roots helps them to withstand the elements. And there’s good advice for us all. Whatever your belief, put your roots down deep so when you face whatever life throws at you, you'll still be standing firm!
For more information for any Dendrophiles (Tree Lovers) out there: aplustree.com/3-types-of-tree-root-systems/
However cheerless the season and little birds and
The noble heart must not be sad,
But ready to suffer for Love’s sake.
It must know and experience all:
Sweetness and cruelty,
Joy and pain,
All that belongs to the service of Love.
The proud souls who have advanced so far
That they can bear loving without satisfaction,
Must be in everything
Both strong and courageous,
Ever ready to accept
The consolation or affliction
That Love deals out to them.
The ways of Love are strange,
As those who have followed them well know,
For, unexpectedly,
She withdraws Her consolation.
He whom Love touches.
Can enjoy no stability
And he will taste
Many a nameless hour.
Sometimes burning and sometimes cold,
Sometimes timid and sometimes bold,
The whims of Love are manifold.
She reminds us all
Of our great debt
To Her lofty power
Which draws us to Herself alone.
Sometimes gracious and sometimes cruel,
Sometimes far and sometimes near.
He who grasps
Her in faithful love
Reaches jubilation.
Oh, how Love With one sole act
Both strikes and embraces!
Sometimes humble, sometimes haughty,
Sometimes hidden and sometimes revealed;
To be finally overwhelmed by Love,
Great adventures must be risked.
Before one can reach
The place where is tasted
The nature of Love.
Sometimes light, sometimes heavy,
Sometimes somber and sometimes bright,
In freeing consolation, in stifling anguish,
In taking and in giving,
Thus live the spirits
Who wander here below,
Along the paths of Love.
-Hadewijch I:
Stanzaic Poem V
november 2025
Photo taken from the Euromast. (no sunshine unfortunately)
Euromast is an observation tower in Rotterdam, Netherlands, designed by Hugh Maaskant constructed between 1958 and 1960. It was specially built for the 1960 Floriade, and is a listed monument since 2010.[5] The tower is a concrete structure with an internal diameter of 9 m (30 ft) and a wall thickness of 30 cm (12 in).[6] For stability it is built on a concrete block of 1,900,000 kg (4,200,000 lb) so that the centre of gravity is below ground. It has a "crow's nest" observation platform 96 m (315 ft) above ground and a restaurant. Originally 101 m (331 ft) in height it was the tallest building in Rotterdam. It lost this position to the high-rise of Erasmus MC (113.5 m, 372 ft)[7] which was completed in 1968, but regained it when the Space Tower was added to the top of the building in 1970, giving an additional 85 m (279 ft). Euromast was the highest building of the Netherlands,[8] but was surpassed by De Zalmhaven, also in Rotterdam, in 2021. It is also a member of the World Federation of Great Towers. In 2008, 2009 and 2019, the tower hosted an extreme sports event which featured BASE jumping.
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My Flickr stream photos best to see on Fluidr
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No, this image does not exist in the real world: The Great Wall in China and the Matterhorn in Switzerland are 8000 km apart. In the spirit of open source software, I can only claim copyright on the derivative work, e.g. for this improved HDR version.
You can generate your own AI image at Stability AI: bit.ly/3JKHs3q
I generated this AI image from text prompt "Great Wall with Matterhorn in the back at sunrise" using Stable Diffusion XL, enlarged it from 1024 pixels to 6144 pixels using Topaz Gigapixel AI, processed a balanced and a photographic HDR photo from from the resulting image, blended them selectively, and selectively adjusted the color balance and curves. See original AI image in the first comment at bit.ly/3rgumVo
Thank you for visiting - ♡ with gratitude! Fave if you like it, add comments below, like the Facebook page, order beautiful HDR prints at qualityHDR.com.
-- AI image, Stable Diffusion XL, HDR, 1 JPG exposures, stability-ai-great-wall-2_hdr1bal1pho1d.jpg
-- CC BY-NC-SA 4.0, © 2023 Peter Thoeny, Quality HDR Photography
"""""Oh, hi there…;-))……. I'm on my way to meet a good fellow dragon of mine, who send me an invitation to share some secrets….. Like J.R.R. Tolkien's quote says: “No dragon can resist the fascination of riddling talk and of wasting time trying to understand it.”
So I move on………..
and……..oh dear, I almost forgot…….
Marjan asked me to wish you all a very magical weekend! ;-)) """""
I folded this red origami dragon from a 70x70cm sheet of red transparant paper. When the model was finished, I treated it with wallpaper glue to give it more stability and to shape it at the same time.
Final size: length 28cm, height 17,5cm, width 9cm.
Model: origami Chinese Dragon
Design: Peter Budai
Diagrams in the book 'Play With Paper' by Peter Budai
Camping Class Notes!
THE STAIKA IS ALL ABOUT SIMPLE – but simple does not by any means equate to “sparse.” Easy to pitch, immensely stable, remarkably spacious, and quite light, the Staika is an excellent “go to” tent for any use where sturdy strength is the high priority. We originally designed the Staika for paddle tourers, who wanted a highly stable, fully free standing tent for handling tricky pitching conditions. Since then, it has garnered a large, loyal following amongst a wide assortment of other adventurers: mountaineers, polar travelers, and ski tourers find it a supremely stable base camp tent in all conditions; bicycle tourers love its simplicity and completely free standing construction; and even regular backpackers find great comfort in its roominess and relatively light weight as well as in its strength and stability.
“Staika” means “high,” or “pointed” in Sami, the language of the people indigenous to northern Scandinavia.
In Flanders Fields by John Mccrea
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
The theme for “Smile on Saturday” for November 9th is “poppies”, in honour of Armistice Day and Veterans Day, both of which are celebrated on the 11th of November every year. This red poppy I actually photographed in the St Kilda Botanical Gardens in Melbourne a year ago, when whilst I visited there, I came across beds full of beautiful poppies in all kinds of colours. I hope you like my choice for this week’s theme, and that it makes you smile, and that it helps you reflect and remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our peace, prosperity and stability, and those who fight today to protect us still. Let us also hope that conflicts around the world will come to a swift conclusion, not least of all in Ukraine and in Gaza.
Armistice Day or Remembrance Day is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth member states since the end of the First World War to honour armed forces members who have died in the line of duty. It falls on the 11th of November every year. Remembrance Day is marked at eleven o’clock (the time that the armistice was declared) with a minute’s silence to honour the fallen. Following a tradition inaugurated by King George V in 1919, the day is also marked by war remembrances in many non-Commonwealth countries.
Veterans Day is a federal holiday in the United States observed annually on November the 11th, for honouring military veterans of the United States Armed Forces.
Improved the stability (you can hold it with one hand, for example) among other things. Made the top more accurate as well. It's composed of two CNG (compressed natural gas) tanks, a window, a grate for maintenance workers to walk on, and an exhaust pipe.
“Lest we forget” – three very simple, yet also very powerful words. First used in an 1897 poem written by Rudyard Kipling called “Recessional”, to mark Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee, they caution us to be careful not to forget.
As we take a moment this Armistice Day to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our peace, prosperity and stability, and those who fight today to protect us still, let us also hope that conflicts around the world will come to a swift conclusion, not least of all in Ukraine and in Gaza
Armistice Day or Remembrance Day is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth member states since the end of the First World War to honour armed forces members who have died in the line of duty. It falls on the 11th of November every year. Remembrance Day is marked at eleven o’clock (the time that the armistice was declared) with a minute’s silence to honour the fallen. Following a tradition inaugurated by King George V in 1919, the day is also marked by war remembrances in many non-Commonwealth countries.
Hofskirkja Church, dedicated to saint Clement, was built in 1884, and was the last turf church built in the old architectural style. Its walls are thick and assembled of rocks to give stability as well as insulation, an important element to consider in the Icelandic climate. The roof is made of stone slabs and covered in turf. It is one of six churches in Iceland still standing, which are preserved as historical monuments.
(Source: www.amusingplanet.com/2014/09/the-last-turf-church-of-hof... )
"Attempting to claim the treats" This is the first image in Robbie’s (Gray Squirrel) MI (mission impossible) series. I have to say, I wish I would have thought to switch to video mode. After this amusing encounter, I may have to change Robbie’s name to Tom Cruise.
As I was making the rounds to fill the bird feeders, Robbie was sneaking around in the foliage near the main feeder. He was following me but keeping his distance. I surprised him by placing some seeds and mealworms on a stone beneath the feeders. Although at first, he appeared to be slightly astonished by the gesture, it didn’t take him long to partake in the treats.
Meanwhile, the area where Robbie’s allotted amount of food is normally placed on the palm stump under oak one, habitat enhancements were underway. This was in order to give that feeding station a bit more character and stability. Actually, the entire area is getting a smidgen of a makeover so it will be more people-friendly for small gatherings.
Once the feeding station enhancements were completed, I set up the camera, placed some treats, and began to work on the trimming and relocating some of the plants in the area. I fully expected Marion (Female Northern Cardinal) to swoop in and grab the first bite. She generally keeps a watchful eye out for treats to be placed and usually beats everyone to the punch in this location. In other words, she’s not afraid of the clicking monster (me).
However, Marion and the rest of the gang stayed in the neighbor’s trees fussing at me for messing with the vegetation in the area. Apparently, they were extraordinarily displeased! I can only imagine what I believe to be modest revisions must look like an extreme transformation to them.
As I tended to the task at hand, I listened to the boisterous calls of my aggravated regulars. They seemed to be expressing their complete frustration and concerns about the activities at hand. Unhappy or not, their voices are still beautiful. Cranky cardinal, wren, tufted titmouse, and parula calls were carried far and wide. Not the bluebirds, they have not been visiting on a regular basis as of late.
Suddenly, I heard something rustling in the understory beside me. I looked to see Robbie slowly creeping across the ground towards the feeding station. He was checking out the changes and keeping an eye on me. Then with some impressive mission impossible style moves Robbie scampered to a tree stump that had been temporarily placed in the area.
He shimmied all around the stump while in the pancake position before moving on closer, closer, and ever closer towards the newly upgraded platform. Robbie had but one mission in mind, get those treats without being seen. Haha, I kept telling him I could see him but he totally ignored me and continued with his games. He would hide behind leaves, jump around, lay flat, and repeat.
But wait, what do I hear? By a shift in the sound of the bird's chatter, they were ready to forgive the intrusion and visit the yard for treats. Yes, the bird show was going to happen after all. The question became who shall complete the mission? Will Robbie be the first to get a treat or will Marion slip in and claim them for herself?
I hope you have a pleasant day, happy snapping.