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© 2014 tozofoto –Tóth Zoltán- All rights reserved.
Thanks to all for your wonderful comments,faves and invites!!:-))
Halfway up the 21 locks of Hatton Flight. AKA by canal users as The Stairway to Heaven on the Grand Union Canal. Ascending 146ft in two miles through the Warwickshire countryside near Warwick UK
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Thanks for your visit and comments, I appreciate that very much!
Don't use this image without my explicit permission. © all rights reserved.
Regards, Bram (BraCom)
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Scattered remains of the two statues of the seated king can also be seen, one in pink granite and the other in black granite, which once flanked the entrance to the temple. The head of one of these has been removed to the British Museum.
PS. The Osorid Statues are behind the head.
آلجنّة ♥
أُمنيتُنا الخَالِده ..
ۆ آلشوقُ الذي يكبرُ فينا كلّ يوم !
في آلجنّه نرَآهُم آجمعين :")
ٺلك آلأجسادُ الٺي فقدنَآ طيفُهآ
ۆ ٺوآرتْ في آلسماءِ . .
يومَ أن مگثنا هُنآ . .
آلجنّةة ♥
ۆطننآ آلذي نعودُ إليه
بعد طولِ السفّر . .
آلحضنُ الذي يسعُنَا گلمآ ضآقٺ
دُنيانا بِنا '
آلحُلمَ الذي نغفُو عليه سرمديََا !
آلحنينُ المٺقدُ أبدََا
آلصورُ الٺي نرسمُهآ گلّما غصّ في آلروحِ حزنٌ ؛(
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IMPORTANT: for non-pro users who read the info on a computer, just enlarge your screen to 120% (or more), then the full text will appear below the photo with a white background - which makes reading so much easier.
The color version of the photo above is here: www.lacerta-bilineata.com/ticino-best-photos-of-southern-...
THE STORY BEHIND THE PHOTO:
So far there's only been one photo in my gallery that hasn't been taken in my garden ('The Flame Rider', captured in the Maggia Valley: www.flickr.com/photos/191055893@N07/53563448847/in/datepo... ) - which makes the image above the second time I've "strayed from the path" (although not very far, since the photo was taken only approximately 500 meters from my house).
Overall, I'll stick to my "only-garden rule", but every once in a while I'll show you a little bit of the landscape around my village, because I think it will give you a better sense of just how fascinating this region is, and also of its history.
The title I chose for the photo may seem cheesy, and it's certainly not very original, but I couldn't think of another one, because it's an honest reflection of what I felt when I took it: a profound sense of peace - although if you make it to the end of this text you'll realize my relationship with that word is a bit more complicated.
I got up early that day; it was a beautiful spring morning, and there was still a bit of mist in the valley below my village which I hoped would make for a few nice mood shots, so I quickly grabbed my camera and went down there before the rising sun could dissolve the magical layer on the scenery.
Most human activity hadn't started yet, and I was engulfed in the sounds of the forest as I was walking the narrow trail along the horse pasture; it seemed every little creature around me wanted to make its presence known to potential mates (or rivals) in a myriad of sounds and voices and noises (in case you're interested, here's a taste of what I usually wake up to in spring, but you best use headphones: www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfoCTqdAVCE )
Strolling through such an idyllic landscape next to grazing horses and surrounded by birdsong and beautiful trees, I guess it's kind of obvious one would feel the way I described above and choose the title I did, but as I looked at the old stone buildings - the cattle shelter you can see in the foreground and the stable further up ahead on the right - I also realized how fortunate I was.
It's hard to imagine now, because Switzerland is one of the wealthiest countries in the world today, but the men and women who had carried these stones and constructed the walls of these buildings were among the poorest in Europe. The hardships the people in some of the remote and little developed valleys in Ticino endured only a few generations ago are unimaginable to most folks living in my country today.
It wasn't uncommon that people had to sell their own kids as child slaves - the girls had to work in factories or in rice fields, the boys as "living chimney brushes" in northern Italy - just because there wasn't enough food to support the whole family through the harsh Ticino winters.
If you wonder why contemporary Swiss historians speak of "slaves" as opposed to child laborers, it's because that's what many of them actually were: auctioned off for a negotiable prize at the local market, once sold, these kids were not payed and in many cases not even fed by their masters (they had to beg for food in the streets or steal it).
Translated from German Wikipedia: ...The Piazza grande in Locarno, where the Locarno Film Festival is held today, was one of the places where orphans, foundlings and children from poor families were auctioned off. The boys were sold as chimney sweeps, the girls ended up in the textile industry, in tobacco processing in Brissago or in the rice fields of Novara, which was also extremely hard work: the girls had to stand bent over in the water for twelve to fourteen hours in all weathers. The last verse of the Italian folk song 'Amore mio non piangere' reads: “Mamma, papà, non piangere, se sono consumata, è stata la risaia che mi ha rovinata” (Mom, dad, don't cry when I'm used up, it was the rice field that destroyed me.)... de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaminfegerkinder
The conditions for the chimney sweeps - usually boys between the age of 8 and 12 (or younger, because they had to be small enough to be able to crawl into the chimneys) - were so catastrophic that many of them didn't survive; they died of starvation, cold or soot in their lungs - as well as of work-related accidents like breaking their necks when they fell, or suffocatig if they got stuck in inside a chimney. This practice of "child slavery" went on as late as the 1950s (there's a very short article in English on the topic here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spazzacamini and a more in depth account for German speakers in this brief clip: www.youtube.com/watch?v=gda8vZp_zsc ).
Now I don't know if the people who built the old stone houses along my path had to sell any of their kids, but looking at the remnants of their (not so distant) era I felt an immense sense of gratitude that I was born at a time of prosperity - and peace - in my region, my country and my home. Because none of it was my doing: it was simple luck that decided when and where I came into this world.
It also made me think of my own family. Both of my grandparents on my father's side grew up in Ticino (they were both born in 1900), but while they eventually left Switzerland's poorest region to live in its richest, the Kanton of Zurich, my grandfather's parents relocated to northern Italy in the 1920s and unfortunately were still there when WWII broke out.
They lost everything during the war, and it was their youngest daughter - whom I only knew as "Zia" which means "aunt" in Italian - who earned a little money to support herself and my great-grandparents by giving piano lessons to high-ranking Nazi officers and their kids (this was towards the end of the war when German forces had occupied Italy).
I never knew that about her; Zia only very rarely spoke of the war, but one time when I visited her when she was already over a 100 years old (she died at close to 104), I asked her how they had managed to survive, and she told me that she went to the local prefecture nearly every day to teach piano. "And on the way there would be the dangling ones" she said, with a shudder.
I didn't get what she meant, so she explained. Visiting the city center where the high ranking military resided meant she had to walk underneath the executed men and women who were hanging from the lantern posts along the road (these executions - often of civilians - were the Germans' retaliations for attacks by the Italian partisans).
I never forgot her words - nor could I shake the look on her face as she re-lived this memory. And I still can't grasp it; my house in Ticino is only 60 meters from the Italian border, and the idea that there was a brutal war going on three houses down the road from where I live now in Zia's lifetime strikes me as completely surreal.
So, back to my title for the photo above. "Peace". It's such a simple, short word, isn't it? And we use it - or its cousin "peaceful" - quite often when we mean nice and quiet or stress-free. But if I'm honest I don't think I know what it means. My grandaunt Zia did, but I can't know. And I honestly hope I never will.
I'm sorry I led you down such a dark road; I usually intend to make people smile with the anecdotes that go with my photos, but this one demanded a different approach (I guess with this latest image I've strayed from the path in more than one sense, and I hope you'll forgive me).
Ticino today is the region with the second highest average life expectancy in Europe (85.2 years), and "The Human Development Index" of 0.961 in 2021 was one of the highest found anywhere in the world, and northern Italy isn't far behind. But my neighbors, many of whom are now in their 90s, remember well it wasn't always so.
That a region so poor it must have felt like purgatory to many of its inhabitants could turn into something as close to paradise on Earth as I can imagine in a person's lifetime should make us all very hopeful. But, and this is the sad part, it also works the other way 'round. And I believe we'd do well to remember that, too.
To all of you - with my usual tardiness but from the bottom of my heart - a happy, healthy, hopeful 2025 and beyond.
A l'arrivée de la neige les paysages sont métamorphosés: les chemins et les épicéas chargés de neige nous transportent dans une véritable féerie.Tout est silence ,nos pas glissent sur les étendues blanches. Montagne , toi seule peut nous apporter ce sentiment de plénitude et de liberté...
Photo dédicacée à mes amies de l ' hémisphère sud...
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Musique : " Vois sur ton chemin " By Les Choristes .
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Chapotet - Massif de Belledonne - Savoie - France .
Great Blue Heron - - - - - - ( Ardea herodias )
He's just arriving at the lake, and heads for a spot to land on shore.
Lake Emerald, in Oakland Park, Florida -US- near Fort Lauderdale.
Shot from my balcony over the lake, late Sunday afternoon, February 25, 2007.
See him LARGER ( a "must.")
See WHERE. ( When map appears, click "Hybrid" and "+" sign for best map view.)
/Users/timothyjhopkins/Downloads/nurseryrhymes_oldhubbard_p-0.jpeg. This is The Original House From The Nursery Rhythm, it is located in Yealmpton Nr Plymouth.
September 1, 2018 - Kearney Nebraska US
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Oh Yeah... Lightning Storm that evening... It came in late, and I had gear packed and ready in case a storm started to brew. Only a 30% chance but that means its gonna storm in Nebraska.
NWS had just issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Phelps & Kearney Nebraska Counties and it was moving right in my direction. I had time to get into position and wait for the show to begin! I ALWAYS have front row tickets to this type of show!
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Dale Kaminski @ NebraskaSC Photography
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This image may not be copied, reproduced, published or distributed in any medium without the expressed written permission of the copyright holder.
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Infinity / South France
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2J74 Southport to Manchester Oxford Road, formed of 150138 trailing 156428, has deposited a solitary passenger at Hoscar station. In the 2016/17 period the station was the least used station in Lancashire with just 1024 recorded passengers although this was up from 900 in the previous year. There are just 8 services, 4 in each direction, that call at this lonely outpost Monday to Saturday.
August 22, 2021 - South of Arapahoe Nebraska US
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Finally a good setup for severe weather and were were on time for the event. Shortly after 4pm CDT were in the Moderate Risk area for that afternoon. Arapahoe Nebraska was our destination. Traveled a few miles south to get the best open position before the storms. Pointing the cameras due southwest, this is were they were to develop and become severe.
Towers were already forming and were were under the first cells of the day. These would become the tornadic cells just north of Alma Nebraska that late afternoon.
As were were watching the severe storm to the southwest approach our location... This formed and went severe right behind our location.
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Dale Kaminski @ NebraskaSC Photography
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This image may not be copied, reproduced, published or distributed in any medium without the expressed written permission of the copyright holder.
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Visit my Photostream Archive (On Flickr) of Severe Weather
this is one of two photos on my stream that have false viewing stats, accumulated rapidlly between october and december 2022. other flickr users have experienced similar stats inflation in this period, for reasons known only to flickr. i reckon under normal circumstances this photo would have accumulated between 6-7000 views by january 2023. the other one with false stats is here
going round the swan house roundabout (again). i am deeply attracted to that rose pink paint. for more images in the vrbs series, click here
Tumblr I Ipernity I Photo Vogue I art + commerce I Avard Woolaver Photography
I see the world differently from when I lived in Wolfville in 1980. I had a good feel for photography back then, but I just didn't know how to capture what I saw.
Adjunto un hermoso y triste Gregoriano por Amelia Brightman.
Pulsar CTRL al mismo tiempo que el símbolo ♫♫
♫♫ Brightman.♫♫
whytake.net/Portfolio/FranciscoDominguez/5334
www.linkingoo.com/foto/13/1304/francisco_dominguez.html
www.fluidr.com/photos/35196188@N03
www.fotonatura.org/galerias/6318/
www.youtube.com/user/25elgaucho
www.youtube.com/user/25elgaucho/videos?tag_id=&view=0...
es.wikiloc.com/wikiloc/spatialArtifacts.do
Es el reflejo de la adaptación del hombre al medio que le rodea y en el que habita. Las casas estan hechas con barro, normalmente con adobe, que es un ladrillo grueso de barro con mezcla de paja y grijo menudillo secado al sol, utilizado como material único.
Las paredes exteriores se revocaban con un paño y se les añadía paja trillada para que diera un aspecto liso.Todas tenían planta rectangular, las fachadas son lisas con ventanas, puertas y el portón con salida al corral o al portal. En el corral suele haber huertos donde cultivaban las verduras y hortalizas que utilizaban para su propio consumo, un gallinero, conejeras, un horno, cobertizos…
Ver vídeo de otro tema por el mismo autor:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBtioLIVls0
It is the reflection of human adaptation to the environment around him and in which he lives. The houses are made of mud, usually with adobe, a thick brick of clay and straw mixture fetlock Grijo sun drying, used as a single material.
The exterior walls are daubed with a cloth and threshed straw were added to him a liso.Todas they look rectangular, are smooth facades with windows, doors and the gate to the corral or exit portal. In orchards where poultry have cultivated the vegetables they used for their own consumption, a chicken coop, rabbit hutches, an oven, usually sheds ...
I still haven't figured out how many legs these guys are supposed to have.
*Inspiration for the legs is from a reddit user.
Finally :"O !
i'm Canon User !
Thanx Dad 7bibi ! , j3lneee Man7rm Mnk y el.'3aly :* !
Trd Le B el.Salma <33 !
Twinzy : Fdeet 3mrch ! To Manwrt Q6r Brj3tCh !
Miss yeew Mn el.5a6r :| ! Mtaaaaaaa Ashof Facech el.jmeeeeeeeel <33 !
LOVEu (L) !
Spicalle Thanx For Shlon b9br 3 Kl Shy Sweeth 4 Me , :* LUVyew Mn el.5a6r Walla (A) !
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all canon users say HOOORRAAAAAAAAAAAY =P
and yea Nikon - sony - Fuji users =P
too bad u can't say hoooray
out of picture
out of ideas =P
and btw. that colorful thing is eatable =P LOOOL i jst did it to take this shot =P
May 2, 2012 - Kearney Nebraska US
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If you LUV Structure in Thunderstorms then this video is for you. Updrafts & Thunderheads on Flickr Click Here
South Central Nebraska, early May 2012. No chasing this day due to work late. Afternoon Storms were predicted that afternoon & evening. Slow movers they were to be.
Off work & I was in luck. The dryline had stalled right over south central Nebraska that afternoon & the explosion of billowing thunderheads erupted. Billowing picturesque Thunderheads. Some of the most photogenic cells I caught in 2012.
Wicked Photogenic Severe Storms developing just to my east and & another batch of developing severe storms right over my head & moving the northeast. What a afternoon of Light & Severe Storms... Click Click Click!!!!
*** Please NOTE and RESPECT the Copyright ***
Copyright 2012
Dale Kaminski @ NebraskaSC Photography
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This image may not be copied, reproduced, published or distributed in any medium without the expressed written permission of the copyright holder.
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July 6, 2024 - West of Minden Nebraska
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Watch that afternoon's chase (on Flickr) Click Here
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Dark, dramatic supercell clouds loom over a rural landscape, suggesting an impending storm. The contrast between the green fields and the turbulent sky creates a sense of intensity and anticipation.
*** Please NOTE and RESPECT the Copyright ***
Copyright 2024
Dale Kaminski @ NebraskaSC Photography
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This image may not be copied, reproduced, published or distributed in any medium without the expressed written permission of the copyright holder.
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With dozens of railfans waiting for the CP 150 train to enter the Port of Montreal, a drone user launched his drone nearly at track level (seen just to the left of the lead unit), which seemed dangerously low and was certainly very inconsiderate to the many railfans waiting to shoot this historic train in an unexpected location (the CN Wharf Spur).