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My sister and I enjoy popsicles at Legoland. This photo must be from the first half of the seventies. When our family visited Legoland in 2019, I was disappointed not to find any tipis.
youtu.be/voW0RiNTbGI?t=2s Trailer
This is one of the block-buster classics of early sci-fi movies. It's theme was so potent that offshoots have been remade in several other movies. When Worlds Collide (WWC for short) was a big budget film, shot in color, with a large cast, and fairly expensive sets, models and special effects (for its day). WWC usually makes classic sci-fi fans' top ten lists. Never mind petty quibbles over the science cited in the movie. The science is just there to support the premise. What if the earth was about to be destroyed? What would mankind do? With the usual romance elements and human drama, that question is explored.
Synopsis
A rogue star and its planet are hurtling on a collision course with the earth. The planet, Zyra, will come close to the earth, causing massive floods (ala Noah) and earthquakes, but it is the rogue star itself -- Bellus -- which will plow through the earth, burning it up. By the time astronomers discover Bellus and Zyra, the earth has less than a year left. Governments are paralyzed. A rich, selfish, wheelchair-bound billionaire agrees to finance the building of a rocket ship on the condition that HE gets to come. Hundreds of people build the ark with a sense of hope. It is a race against time. As the end nears, human drama complicates things. Only 44 people, chosen by lottery, will be able to go. A pair of young lovers is split up by the lottery. The billionaire's aide tries to steal the young lover's ticket, but is shot by the billionaire. As the end nears, chaos breaks out. All the lottery losers want aboard anyhow, but it's too late. The space ark takes off just in time, but leaving the selfish billionaire behind. Alas. Bellus destroys the earth. The space ark lands, albeit roughly, to find Zyra strange, but very earth-like. The remnant of mankind escaped the destruction of the old earth, to begin anew on a new world.
It's interesting that WWC used the same rogue planet plot device as Man From Planet X, which opened about 4 months earlier. This time, however, it was a collision course. In fact, the roles are reverse from Planet X. This time, it's the earthlings who are trying to escape their doomed world to another. The theme of WWC is thought provoking.
The acting is pretty good, even if some of the roles are fairly stereotypic. The rocket itself is a cool looking example of what 1950s thinking imagined rocket ships would be like. It's this fascination with sleek rockets that would lead the culture to tail fin mania in the latter 50s. The takeoff of the rocket-ark is made all the more dramatic by having it gain speed racing down a track, then up a ramp (rather like the V1s in WW2). A conventional vertical blast off would have been too slow for the urgent mood.
The threat of world destruction has been up-scaled for effect. The name of the rogue star, Bellus, reminded me of the Latin word for War: Bellum. "War" was coming and would totally wipe out the earth. Where many films imagine some survivors of a global nuclear war (see review of "Five"), WWC posits an inescapable total destruction of the earth. Yet, WWC looks at both the hopeful and the gloomy. The space ark represents the hopeful glass-half-full. The earth's anarchy and violence which they leave behind represents the pessimistic glass-half-empty view.
WWC was based on the 1933 novel by Edwin Balmer and Phillip Wylie. The plot of the movie follows that of the book generally, with many of the usual book-through-hollywood caveats. In the book, it's two planets, not a star and a planet. The two planets are named Bronson Alpha and Bronson Beta. While the movie makes only one mention of other rockets leaving earth, (yet only shows one) the book is more clear that several space arks left earth.
George Pal (the producer of WWC) is known for including fairly overt Christian messages into his productions. WWC is no exception. The movie opens with a shot of an ornate Bible, opening to a couple verses from Genesis -- the part where God is so disgusted with the corruption and violence of the earth that he decides to wipe it all out, (except for Noah, etc.). Pal is making a pretty strong social commentary right off the bat. The whole story line is a modern adaptation of the Noah's Ark account, right down to the animals, two-by-two. The ruthlessness and violence that break out on earth as the rocket-ark is about to take off, stand as a vindication that the "old" mankind was indeed corrupt and violent and deserved to be wiped out. You don't find yourself feeling too sorry for those being left behind. Certainly no tears were shed for rich Mr. Stanton.
Another fascinating part, which seems to get little comment, is when they get to Zyra, and disembark their ark, on the far left side of the Zyran landscape (painting) is some very man-made looking cuts in that cliff. Ahead of them are clearly two pyramids. Nothing is said of them. In the novels ("When Worlds Collide" ('33) and "After Worlds Collide" ('34)), the new planet was inhabited, but the advanced race had died out as "Zyra" coursed through cold, deep space. A movie sequel to WWC was planned, but George Pal fell on hard times, and the project was scrapped.
A feature of WWC which would be much more apparent today than in 1951, was that the space ark carried only white people. A half-century after the making of the film, even cereal box art is careful to show a politically-correct mix of white / black / asian / latino cartoon children frolicking behind the giant cereal bowl. Were the makers of WWC being subconsciously racist? That is (and has been) debated. A minor note on that, is that in the novel, many space arks are built in different countries. Many of them make it to the new planet. In WWC, about a half hour into the runtime, Dr. Fry says that other ships are being built too. WWC is the story of that one particular ship, which happened to end up with a crew (cargo?) drawn from only the all-white labor force at the shipyard.
A sort of subtext to WWC is triumph of egalitarianism over elitism. When the time came to go, only 44 people, out of the hundreds, could go. Surely everyone working on the ship had to realize this. It was built with only 44 seats. Those would be filled by a ruthlessly fair lottery. 22 men, 22 women. They weren't chosen for their skills, or their breeding proclivities or genetic makeup. They were chosen by simple lot.
Bottom line? WWC is a great sci-fi classic. It strives to explore big ideas with little wallowing to petty drama (unlike many in the B-grade films). It is a must-see of classic sci-fi.
In the southwest corner of Amache National Historic Site is the original cemetery and monument house. Established between 1942 and 1945 when the area was Granada War Relocation Center, the cemetery includes 11 grave plots, ten with markers and one without. According to WRA records, 106 deaths occurred at Amache, although many remains were voluntarily removed after Amache’s closure in 1945.
A brick memorial building stands in the northwest corner of the cemetery. originally built to be a columbarium, or a place to store cremated remains. It was never used as intended since the Japanese did not want the ashes to be left or forgotten. Instead, in 1945 as people were being relocated and released, a three-piece memorial was designed by Rev. Masahiko Wada and a memorial committee. In the building, a granite stone honors those who passed away in Amache and is etched in English and Japanese. Above the stone, the names and family information of the people who passed away in Amache and the names of the 31 Japanese American soldiers whose families were incarcerated here is etched in Japanese on a wooden panel. A gold star shield honoring the 31 soldiers hung on the east wall. The people incarcerated at Amache etched the granite stone, wood memorial salutation, and gold star shield memorial.
Today, only the stone remains. Prior to organized preservation at Amache, the memorial house was broken into. The wooden memorial honoring those who died in Amache was saved from burning and is on loan to the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles, California. The gold star Honor Roll shield is missing. In 1983, a second memorial inscribed with US military casualties from Amache was erected at the cemetery by the Denver Central Optimists Club. It is large concrete obelisk with a memorial salutation on the front and the Amache Honor Roll names on the east and west sides.
Many visitors and relatives of the deceased continue to leave offering and memorabilia at the cemetery. Although the offerings and memorabilia left at the cemetery are contemporary and ongoing, they also have potential historical significance. The National Park Service recognizes that many of the offerings and memorabilia left at the cemetery are worthy of collection and preservation.
Since its closure in 1945, the Granada War Relocation Center Cemetery has remained a place reflection, worship, pilgrimages, protest, and a place to reach out to share an experience with strangers.
The smallest incarceration site by population—the Granada Relocation Center, as it was designated by the War Relocation Authority—was in Colorado, only 15 miles west of the Kansas border and less than 2 miles from the town of Granada. Although all WRA records refer to the incarceration camp as the Granada Relocation Center, early on, incarcerees began referring to the camp as Amache, after the camp’s postal designation. Built to accommodate up to 8,000 people, Amache housed 7,318 incarcerees at its peak in 1943, making it the 10th largest city in Colorado at that time. During its three years of operation, 10,331 incarcerees passed through Amache. Its population often fluctuated due to work, education, and military leave programs, as well as indefinite leaves as part of the resettlement program.
Ameohtse’e (Amache/Walking Woman) was a Cheyenne woman whose father was killed at the Sand Creek Massacre. A generation after her death, Japanese Americans incarcerated at the Granada Relocation Center embraced Amache as the camp’s unofficial name, referring to themselves as Amacheans.
Incarcerees at Amache came primarily from three areas of California: the Northern San Francisco Bay Area, primarily Sonoma County; Central California, namely the San Joaquin Valley; and southwestern Los Angeles, including the Seinan District. Nikkei from these areas were initially forced into either the Merced Assembly Center in the Central Valley or the Santa Anita Assembly Center in Los Angeles.
Although the population at Amache was a mix of families from both urban and rural areas,
farming communities were slightly more numerous. These close-knit families often maintained their connections throughout the upheaval of forced removal and incarceration. This population included the entirety of the Yamato Colony, founded in 1906 by Kyutaro Abiko, a San Francisco newspaper publisher and businessperson. This settlement eventually evolved into three separate but adjacent colonies known as Yamato, Cressey, and Cortez, located in and around the Livingston area.
Another discrete Japanese American community that was removed together was Walnut Grove, a small agricultural community in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta that served as a commercial and social center for Japanese American farm laborers beginning in the 1890s. The Seinan District of southwest Los Angeles was another community whose members ended up in large numbers at Amache. Also a tightknit, thriving community, the Seinan District differed from the other communities because it was a part of a bustling urban city.
The structure of daily life in Amache was drastically different from life outside of incarceration. Cramped, shared spaces and communal dining and bathing robbed incarcerees of their privacy, forcing them to adapt, subvert, and redefine private spaces. Not only could incarcerees hear and be heard by neighbors, but families also lacked physical privacy from each other.
Many Japanese American incarceration survivors remember using curtains as substitutes for walls, separating small living and sleeping areas within the barracks. These cramped living conditions often had divisive effects on family unity.
Family life was also strained by how meals were organized. In traditional Japanese culture, mealtime is a time to spend with family. Familial roles are fulfilled, structure is emphasized, and family dynamics are solidified. At Amache, the structure of mealtimes was disrupted by being forced into the public arena.
Mealtimes were characterized by long lines, unfamiliar foods, and the visible deterioration of family solidarity and unity. The mess halls contained rows of unassigned tables and benches, seating approximately 250 people at a time. Many young adults, teenagers, and even older children began using mealtime as an avenue of socialization and chose to sit with their friends and peers rather than their families.
One of the most challenging aspects of communal life in confinement involved the public performance of personal hygiene activities such as showering and using the toilet. The public latrine was split into a women’s side and a men’s side and included a row of exposed toilets and showers, with no dividers or walls to offer even a modicum of privacy. Incarcerees adopted an array of tactics and tricks to cope with this transition, including walking to the bathhouse covered in bathrobes, wearing geta (Japanese wooden sandals) in the shower, bringing in different materials like cardboard and sheets to create dividers, and employing the use of chamber pots to avoid walking to the latrine in the middle of the night.
Like a city, Amache relied on a planned and managed infrastructure that provided basic services and necessities that addressed health, safety, and governance. Amache included many specialized departments and programs, such as the hospital, fire department, police department, and an agricultural program just to name a few. All of these were overseen and supervised by WRA personnel, but incarcerees were either strongly encouraged to participate in these programs or specifically recruited as the government took advantage of the incarcerees for their cheap labor.
This practice was blatantly evident in the differences in monthly wages earned in camp ($12–$19) versus those earned outside of camp ($132–$164).
The skill and experience of Japanese American farmers was also something that the WRA took into consideration as they aimed to operate self-sufficient sites. Intensive and extensive agricultural programs were deliberately set up at each of the camps, with the intention of harnessing the knowledge and labor of the seasoned Nikkei farmers to grow food for each camp’s population. The 8,860 acres of land that lay outside Amache's central project area were intended for use in agricultural production.
Amache, though the smallest of the incarceration camps, had one of the largest agricultural programs; it grew enough produce to be used at Amache, distributed to other incarceration camps and the US military, or sold. The farm program produced 2.7 million pounds of vegetables in 1943 and an even more impressive 3.3 million pounds in 1944. Not only were common vegetables such as onions, tomatoes, and potatoes grown, but other crops, not usually grown in the area, such as daikon, Chinese cabbage, and mung beans were also successfully grown.
Castletown River, Dundalk, Co.Louth, Ireland 03-01-2020
[order] Charadriiformes | [family] Scolopacidae | [latin] Tringa erythropus | [UK] Spotted Redshank | [FR] Chevalier arlequin | [DE] Dunkelwasserläufer | [ES] Archibebe oscuro | [IT] Totano moro | [NL] Zwarte Ruiter
Measurements
spanwidth min.: 48 cm
spanwidth max.: 52 cm
size min.: 29 cm
size max.: 32 cm
Breeding
incubation min.: 23 days
incubation max.: 24 days
fledging min.: 0 days
fledging max.: 0 days
broods 1
eggs min.: 3
eggs max.: 4
Physical characteristics
Big and elegant wader, with long neck, legs and bill. Entirely black, with white dots on upperparts, and often variable amounts of whitish on underparts, in flight shows white wedge on back and white underwing. Female slightly larger and generally paler, with white tips on crown feathers and more white fringes on underparts. Non-breeding adult has contrasting dark eye stripe and white supercilium, ash grey upperparts with white fringes, plain grey breast and white underparts. Rather similar to T. totanus, but has longer darker red legs. Longer, finer bill, lower mandible basally red. White above lores. Juvenile darker than non-breeding adult.
Habitat
Open wooded tundra, swampy pine or birch forest near tree-line, and also more open areas such as heathland and shrub tundra. After breeding, occurs in variety of freshwater or brackish wetlands, including sewage farms, irrigated rice fields, brackish lagoons, salt-marshes, salt-pans and sheltered muddy shores along coast
Other details
This bird inhabits taiga and scrub tundra in northern Eurasia, from the north of Scandinavia and Finland to eastern Siberia. European populations winter mainly in sub-Saharan Africa, north of the Equator. Small numbers stay in the Mediterranean regions and Western Europe however. The total European population, Russia included, is estimated at 27000-47000 breeding pairs
Feeding
Mainly aquatic insects, terrestrial flying insects, small crustaceans, molluscs, worms, fish and amphibians. When feeding on fish, may forage socially in dense flock of conspecifics or mixed with other tringines, moving erratically while pecking at prey or running synchronously in one direction, while each bird sweeps bill through water. Often found in water, and occasionally swims while feeding in deep water, may immerse head and neck completely. Pecks, probes, jabs or sweeps bill through water from side to side. Mostly in small flocks, sometimes singly. Diurnal and nocturnal feeder.
Conservation
This species has a large range, with an estimated global Extent of Occurrence of 1,000,000-10,000,000 km². It has a large global population estimated to be 120,000-360,000 individuals (Wetlands International 2002). Global population trends have not been quantified, but the species is not believed to approach the thresholds for the population decline criterion of the IUCN Red List (i.e. declining more than 30% in ten years or three generations). For these reasons, the species is evaluated as Least Concern. [conservation status from birdlife.org]
Breeding
Egg laying from April to May. pair bond is monogamous, apparently sometimes polyandrous.Nest is usually built in grass tussocks or moss, sparsely lined with plant material. 4 eggs are laid, incubation period unknown. Chick pale drab grey finely marked with fuscous black above, dark cap and dirty white on chin and belly. Most females leave before eggs hatch.
Migration
Migratory. Overall winter range extends from western Europe and West Africa to Vietnam and south-east China; reached by broad-front overland movements, though important passage concentrations also occur along western seaboard. European migration characterized by long, continuous flights between staging areas, so that over large regions seen only in low numbers which do not reflect true scale of movement. Adult females form flocks and leave breeding grounds while males incubating (about 10 June in Finland) and reach Denmark and Waddenzee by mid-June. males and juveniles follow in second half July and August. Early birds reach West Africa August-September, but main arrivals in October. Sénégal wintering areas vacated in March; return movement through Europe in April and May. First birds consistently reach Finland about 4 May (× 4 days), and immigration proceeds rapidly, reaching even northern Gulf of Bothnia within a few days. A few non-breeders summer in Africa, but others return to Europe and remain in flocks south of breeding latitudes
When I leave the house with my camera, I don't have a specific subject in mind most of the time......some times I don't see a thing that strikes my fancy. And then there are days like today.....maybe not the usual subject matter, but I think the textures and colors in old wood is just beautiful!
When the summer season , the weather is always fine in north of Taiwan ,
I got up early to go to the northeast seacoast which full of strange and many pattern rocks , when the sunrise from the sea , the light and everthing was so wonderful and amazing
A faerytale began with the singing of a bird and it led a fair maid to market. The bird would light upon a branch almost as if to stop and say, "Follow me dear, yet, only you know the way... You shall go to market and sell your cleverness, you shall sell all that you think you know." "But, what will I get for my cleverness, for I doubt it has been sold before or bought for that matter, what shall I get, what will I buy?"
The bird would look at her as if to say, "Well you shall receive six splendid gems, like none you have ever seen and they will be all you need for they are magical and not true currency, but a ticket for passing into the miracle of living and leaving the mundane of knowing. You sell your cleverness for bewilderment. You will be able to tell your own faerytale because no longer will you read it as if out of the pages, dry and crumbling; you will be breathing the bewilderment and aahhh...."
Visit my blog www.suchawondrousplacethisfaerytalespace.blogspot.com to see a video on my second to last post that will touch the spirit and affirm the intelligence and beauty of all Nature's beings. Just when you think you understand something, or especially someone, sell your cleverness for bewilderment and see that person or being or thing with new eyes. The blessings will be resplendent.
I wrote this story in honor of this elephant and its story, my astonishment and my story, and all the stories yet unsaid and summarized by Rumi's glorious quote.
A good example why firefighters wear helmets and keep a wary eye and a good distance when testing hose. This coupling and its mate were blown 50' forward when this pair blew off.
19-0141-032print 8x10 b&w[Naval Support Activity Hospital Danang, Vietnam]. HM3 Zach Clyde Taran receiving Purple Heart from CAPT Custis, SMO at NSA Station Hospital on 14 July 1969. Station: NSA Tan-My. HM3 Taran was on Med-cap, 12 miles north of Phu Bai, when going down path around curve from village, was hit by 2 rounds in left calf. He returned a couple rounds when he was a small kid firing at him. He was carried out by the rest of his squad. [Vietnam War; child soldiers].
The sky was already lit when I showed up and my usual one-hour-before sunrise. That’s the best sign you’ll get that it is going to be a great sunrise. It was.
But the sky was “hot”. And I knew it was overwhelming my graduated neutral density filter. Which explains the lack of detail in the foreground. But that’s okay with me. I’m only here for the sky.
Nikon D7500 — Nikon 18-300mm F6.3 ED VR
26mm
F8@1/50th
ISO 400
GND filter
Cropped
DSB_8848.JPG
©Don Brown 2025
When I survey the wondrous Cross by Isaac Watts 1674-1748.
Isaac Watts
1674-1748
The singing of God's praise is the part of worship most
clearly related to heaven; but its performance among us
is the worst on earth. (I.W.)
Watts wrote them superbly, yet he wrote eversomuch more than his 697 hymns. A textbook on logic, for instance, that was used for years at Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard and Yale. Not to mention his two books on geometry and astronomy. Upset at the inability of students to handle the English language creditably, he penned The Art of Reading and Writing English. It was followed by his Philosophical Essays (with its appendix, "A brief Scheme of Ontology", ontology being that branch of philosophy that discusses being), then by Improvement of the Mind (this was actually a "how-to-study" book, and even A Discourse on the Education of Children and Youth. A minister for virtually all of his adult life, Watts also published ten volumes of sermons and scores of theological treatises.
Isaac Watts was born in 1674, the eldest of eight children, six of whom survived. The last quarter of the 17th century was a troubled time in England. Dissenters (those who refused to conform to the established church) were not only denied access to suitable employment and the universities; Dissenters were liable to prosecution and imprisonment for no greater "crime" than persisting in worshipping God according to their conscience. Watts's father, a Dissenter, was imprisoned one year after he was married. His wife, Watts's mother, gave birth to Isaac while her husband was in jail. She regularly nursed her infant son on the jail steps in the course of visiting her husband. (When Isaac was nine years old his father was jailed a second time -- for six months -- for the same offence: refusing to conform to the worship-practices of the established church.)
Young Isaac was plainly precocious. He had learned Latin by age four, Greek at nine, French at eleven, and Hebrew at thirteen. French was not usually studied in English elementary schools during the 1600s, but Watts was raised in Southampton, and Southampton was a city of refuge to hundreds of refugees who were fleeing persecution in France. The youngster thought he should know French so that he could converse with his neighbours.
A physician recognized the boy's intellectual gifts and offered to finance his education at either Oxford or Cambridge. But regardless of his brilliance Watts would be admitted to either university only if he were willing to renounce Dissent and conform to Anglicanism. He wasn't willing. (Had his father suffered for nothing?) He would never surrender conviction to expediency. As a result he went to a Dissenting Academy, the post-secondary institution for those barred from the universities. While completing his formal education Watts wrote much poetry, most of it in Latin. Upon leaving the Academy at age 20 he wrote his first hymn, "Behold the Glories of the Lamb" -- yet did so only when challenged sharply by his father.
The writing of his first hymn was significant in view of the fact that hymns weren't sung in English churches. German Lutherans had been singing hymns for over 100 years. Calvinists in Switzerland and France, however, had not. The Calvinists disdained hymns as unscriptural and popish. Calvin had wanted his people to sing only the psalms of scripture. English Protestants of Calvinist parentage had adopted the practice of singing only metrical psalms in worship. The texts of these metrical psalms were poetically crude and frequently ludicrous; for instance,
Ye monsters of the bubbling deep,
Your Master's praises spout,
Up from the sands ye coddlings peep,
And wag your tails about.
The texts were ludicrous, the mood was ponderous, the tone of the entire service dreary, and one day Watts discovered he couldn't endure any of it a minute longer. Returning from the service one Sunday morning he complained vehemently to his father about the psalm-singing that put people off worship. "Why don't you write a hymn suitable for congregational singing?", his father retorted. In the course of the afternoon Watts did just that, and the congregation sang hymn #1 the same evening.
Yet it must not be thought that Watts disesteemed the psalms. Far from it. So highly did he value them, in fact, that he immediately set about rewriting the metrical versions in a smoother idiom. Compare the metrical version of Psalm 20 with Watts's version:
In chariots some put confidence,
Some horses trust upon;
But we remember will the name
Of our Lord God alone. (Metrical)
Some trust in horses train'd for war,
And some of chariots make their boasts;
Our surest expectations are
From Thee, the Lord of heav'nly hosts. (Watts)
(As relatively smooth as Watts's hymn-line was, it would be made even smoother by 18th century poets such as Charles Wesley.)
Not everyone thanked Watts for his efforts. Some of his contemporaries complained that his hymns were "too worldly" for the church. One critic fumed, "Christian congregations have shut out divinely inspired psalms and have taken in Watts's flights of fancy!" His hymns outraged many people, split congregations (most notably the congregation whose pastor, years earlier, had been John Bunyan, himself the author of an English classic), and got pastors fired. Still, Watts knew what his preeminent gift was and why he had to employ it.
Needless to say we of Streetsville United Church, having been thoroughly exposed to the genius of Charles Wesley, cannot help comparing the hymnwriting of Wesley and Watts.
Wesley's hymns concern themselves chiefly with God and the individual human heart: their relations, their estrangement, their reconciliation, their union. Watts writes of this too, but with a major difference: the backdrop of God's intercourse with the human heart is the cosmos in its unspeakable vastness. Watts sees the drama of the incarnation and the cross, the dereliction and the resurrection, as apparently small events that are in fact possessed of cosmic significance. Watts's universe is simply more immense than anything Wesley imagined. For Watts nature is more prodigious, time more extensive, eternity more awesome. (This is not to say that Wesley is inferior. Indeed no one would rate Watts a better poet. Wesley had more poetic skill than Watts, and more thorough training in the forms of classical poetry. It is simply to say that Watts's universe was larger.) It is said of Milton that he is the English poet who, above all others, makes the reader aware of the sky. In the same way Watts, with his fondness of astronomy, singularly makes the reader aware of the hugeness of the firmament.
There are technical comparisons as well of the poetry of Watts and Wesley. Wesley preferred a six-line stanza, but when writing a four-line stanza usually rhymed first and third lines as well as second and fourth. Watts preferred a four-line stanza and usually rhymed only the second and fourth lines. As a result Watts's stanzas tend to read less compactly than Wesley's. While Wesley combined Anglo-Saxon expressions (they are customarily blunt, one-syllable words like "hit") with Latin expressions (usually multi-syllable words like "transported" or "ineffable"), Watts wrote page after page of hymns lacking even one word with a Latin derivation (despite the scores of Latin poems that he wrote). Watts evidently preferred to write hymns in words of one syllable.
Watts was a man with limitless appreciation of the passion of God. He himself was possessed of the profoundest experience of God. Listen to him:
Here at the cross, my dying God
I lay my soul beneath thy love.
*
The mount of danger is the place
Where we shall see surprising grace.
*
Turn, turn us, mighty God,
And mould our souls afresh;
Break, sovereign grace, these hearts of stone,
And give us hearts of flesh.
(Note that the last line, "And give us hearts of flesh", consists of six words of one syllable each.)
Watts was accorded the recognition he deserved. By age 50 he was a national figure, esteemed by Anglicans and Dissenters alike. John Wesley had long acknowledged the genius, discipline and piety of Watts, and when Wesley came to publish his first hymn book, one-third of its hymns were Isaac's. When John Wesley published his tract, The Doctrine of Original Sin, he incorporated 44 pages of Watts's earlier work, Ruin and Recovery.
The poetic genius of Watts is evident. Yet since few poets (if any) have made a living from poeticizing, how did Watts manage to survive?
Upon graduating from the Academy Watts eked out a living as tutor to the son of a well-to-do English merchant. He never thought for a moment, however, that this was his vocation. In 1702, when he was 27 years old, he was called to a pastorate in London. The next ten years were spent fruitfully and happily as Watts immersed himself in the relentless round of responsibilities that every pastor must attend to -- at the same time as he wrote books, treatises, poems and hymns.
The easygoing ten years were ended abruptly by a major illness from which he never recovered fully. While he was unable to work during his illness he asked the congregation to discontinue his salary. The congregation refused, and instead raised it so that he could pay his medical bills.
The illness incapacitated him for four years. When the worst of it abated he was left frail, fragile, sickly. In addition there was an apparently non-specific psychiatric component to his now-chronic weakness. On the one hand he wasn't sick enough to die for another 38 years; on the other hand, he wasn't sickness-free enough to be well. A wealthy benefactor, Thomas Abney, invited him to his home to assist his recovery. He gratefully accepted, and went on to live there for the rest of his life.
Watts preached whenever he could. There were periods when he could preach with little interruption, as well as periods when he was simply deranged and couldn't function at all.
In 1739, at age 65, Isaac suffered a stroke that left him able to speak but unable to write. A secretary was provided for his dictated poems and hymns.
He died on 25th November, 1748.
Isaac Watts was unusual in many respects. A short man (five feet tall), his frail body was capped with a disproportionately large head. Virtually all portraits of him depict him in a large gown with large folds, an obvious attempt at having him appear less grotesque.
Unusual? How many working pastors write a textbook on logic that is used for decades by the preeminent universities of the English-speaking world?
Unusual? Who among us can write a book on metaphysics that probes ontology, and at the same time write a book of children's poetry that goes through 95 editions within 100 years of its publication?
Unusual? Who has written hymns that have been translated into dozens of languages from Armenian to Zulu?
Unusual? What modern thinker has published a learned tome on astronomy and also published graded catechisms (one for five-year olds, another for nine-year olds, another for twelve-year olds)?
Watts was unusual: he regularly gave away one-fifth of his income, deploying his tithe locally yet also sending it as far afield as Germany and Georgia to help beleaguered people there.
Yet surely he was most unusual in that the jockey-sized man, ugly as well, handicapped by a thin voice and a history of psychiatric illness, could appear in a pulpit whenever sanity overtook him and draw hundreds who hung on words rising from a heart that hearers knew to be wrapped in the heart of God.
Watts was not unusual in one important respect. Like all Christians he knew that God is to be loved with the mind, and therefore reason must never be discounted in the exercising of faith or the discipline of the Christian life. Yet he knew too that the mystery of God himself, while never irrational, is oceans deeper than reason can fathom. Who among us would say anything else? Then it is proper for us to conclude with a four-line stanza Isaac Watts wrote concerning the fathomless mystery of God.
Where reason fails,
With all her pow'rs,
There faith prevails
And love adores.
Victor A. Shepherd
October 1994
kids gathering to meet us (Jesus slum, Nairobi)
File size :975.7KB(999103Bytes)
Date taken :2005/09/27 13:29:36
Image size :2592 x 1944
Resolution :300 x 300 dpi
St Patrick's Day (Ireland and Boston only).
I was a toddler when BBC screened the film of the last non-stop steam run between London and Edinburgh before the troughs were taken out.
Like most children I have always been taken by steam, and like most, this locomotive in particular.
This was the 4th time I have seen here: first time she was in pieces in the National Railway Museum, where the scale of the rebuild had become clear.
In 2012 she was put back together, in NB black for Railfest, she looked whole, but there was still much work to be done.
A few years ago, I went to Barrow Hill where she and Tornado were the star attractions for its reopening.
Scotsman sat on the turntable in the roundhouse, a small fire had been lit, just for effect. She wasn't in steam.
So, this was my first time.
And it was good.
I wrote that at the end of the day, so let's go back 12 hours or so.
I had a day off.
Because: Trains.
And I wanted to.
I would need the car, so I had to drop Jools off at work, and then pick her up in the evening, but all that was worth it for old 4472.
I had a full day planned, with time for more stuff, but I hadn't planned on the delayed railtour taking nearly three hours out of the day, waiting on the platforms of east Kent for two high speed passes by the world's most famous train.
A walk in Earley Wood Apparently.
So, after coffee I drove Jools to Hythe, through the light morning traffic. It was a glorious morning, clear blue skies and the sun rose on the way. But it was frosty.
So after leaving Jools along the prom leaving her with about a ten thousand step stroll into work, I drove back to the motorway then along it before turning up Stone Street and making for Earley Wood, where early by name and nature, I hoped to see sme wood anemonies in flower, and maybe a bluebell, but I wasn't hopeful of the latter.
It was muddier than I thought, so glad I took my boots, but it was wonderful among the trees and green fresh undergrowth. I found three colonies of Early Purples, none in flower, but spikes forming, and if the weather stays mild, we may have flowering spikes in two weeks.
Maybe.
I did find lots of amemonies in flower, but closed due to the chill, but as the sunlight warmed the ground up, they would open too.
I went all the way down through the wood to the bottom path, and then along, hoping to see the flock of friendly sheep and lambs we found last year, but they were in a field next door, and I didn't want to trespass, so left them to their plaintive calls.
Back up and I see a few bluebells in bud and one of two in flower, until I came to an almost fully open spike, all curved over under the weight of several open flowers.
I took a few shot of that, and others, before returning to the car.
I had an hour before I was due to pick up Gary so he could tag along to see Flying Scotsman, so I decided to go back down Stone Street to Stop 24 Services to use their facilities and buy a sandwich for breakfast. And it was there that I saw about a dozen minibuses filled with folks in hi-vis clothing, milling around. Turns out these were the blacklegs who were to take over the P&O ferries. None that I saw had a company name on the back of their jackets, which I thought was odd.
I drove to River to pick Gary up, we have a chat before leaving and then drive out of town, back the way I had just come to Stone Street and up to the top of the Roman Road before turning off to Chartham.
Chartham is the location of choice for many, as it has an original SER signal box and manually operated level crossing gates, well, for the time being anyway. So, a steam railtour is perfect for here.
Dozens of photographers thought so too.
And then there were those who just wanted to see Flying Scotsman, there were people in their dozens, if not hundreds.
We parked by the football pitch and walked to the station, 50 minutes to go, and so a wait.
We were told by some with a mobile phone that it was delayed an hour.
Oh no.
I grabbed a position on the overbridge, and Gary looked for locations, before deciding he needed a sandwich, so he went to the village shop for supplies.
Time crawled.
But it was a glorious day, a few local trains stopped and passed, and photographed.
Time passes, and after yet another stopping train left, the gates closed again and it was showtime.
We could hear the whistle after it crossed a foot crossing, and then it came into view.
I guess it took five seconds to pass beneath the bridge, and a quick turn to snap it the other way. And it was gone. All that effort for what, thirty seconds.
Worth it.
Gary said he needed to go home for a rest, so I drove him back via the A2 and Lydden back to River.
I had time to nip home to review shots before the planned second pass at Shakespeare Beach.
By then news of the P&O sackings had come and suspension of sailings, the result was jams everywhere, and so I made the decision to not go into Dover, but to nip down the Martin Mill.
The station was packed, well, a hundred of so people, all waiting for the steamer, but news was that it had not left Canterbury yet, and it would take half an hour to get here.
So, another wait here, an hour before news came it had left, then the half hour to reach us. By which point half the crowd had left, leaving us with much better views.
A child shouted, he it comes!
And indeed, there she was.
My camera whirred as the train approached, spin and snap it as the climbed the bank into Guston Tunnel two miles away.
I watched it merge into the mist and late afternoon sunshine.
Perfect.
I walked back to the car, under the subway and through the car park, drove back up the hill, washed up, reviewed shots, and it was time to leave to go and collect Jools.
Traffic had melted away. In fact it was very quiet, unusually so.
Odd.
I drove to Folkestone, then took the back road to Hythe, but where the road crossed the motorway near the junction for the Tunnel, a queue of trucks lead to the horizon, so this is where all the P&O traffic went.
I collect Jools, arriving dead on knock off time. No worries about having to find another route back, all roads were open, and we had a reservation at Nameste at 18:00, so we should make it easy.
The line of truck on the A20 was only halfway to the Capel turnoff, but the town itself was lorry free, which is unheard of, really.
We drive up Jubilee Way, and behind us the three P&O ferries were all tied up along Admiralty Pier. Just like Chistmas, but a very much different occasion.
We arrived at the restaurant at quarter to six, it wasn't quite open, so we sat in the lounge and chatted, until the owner heard us and insisted we go to our table and be served drinks! The cheek of it!
We were presented with the menu, talked through the specials, so we could order. I had lamb something, Jools had salmon something, along with rice and naans.
It was all very nice.
And from where I sat I could watch the chefs busy cooking and chopping and making glorious smalls and foods in general.
We were done by five to seven, and home in time to hear almost all the Marc Riley show on the wireless. We drove home under the slivery lights of another full moon.
How did that happen?
When life gives you lemons... then make jet bikes! The kids challenged me to rebuild the Lego Friends 41027 Lemonade Stand into "anything less boring". The potential for a jet bike was obvious so Brianne now has a jet-powered mobility scooter, Leonor has a citrus-coloured hovercraft (with space for the crate to fit on the back), and there are enough spares for a lemonade stand with free-standing sign and a crate full of lemons (that look suspiciously like grenades). It now looks like some sort of pink flower-powered superheroine versus a citrus-themed supervillain set! All three models are robust and have full child-friendly swooshability, although the set has no foot plate and these mini figures have no other attachment points except their hands so Leonor is secured in the hovercraft with both hands (one on the throttle and one on her seat). If I could change only one thing it'd be the colour of the grey 1x1 knob at the back of the hovercraft. The extra silver piece Brianne is holding is her crutch because the kids insist she doesn't go anywhere without it.
When I look in your eyes
I see the wisdom of the world in your eyes
I see the sadness of a thousand goodbyes
when I look in your eyes
And it is no surprise
to see the softness of the moon in your eyes
the gentle sparkle of the stars in the skies
when I look in your eyes
-- Leslie Bricusse
Windows & Tester Notes
•A window tells me I don't have permission to save notepad to desktop but it saves anyway.
•I like pin to taskbar.
•When I unplug and go outside my home network disappears. I was able to connect to the net. The network stayed when I came back in and unplugged.
•I don't notice a mail. Windows mail or outlook express.
•I'll install 2003 soon.
•I'm glad I can drag files to a folder and they Move like xp used to. I want a move feature.
•Could not load easy media transfer on xp pro machine
•Adobe flash player 9 debugger comes up in mozilla even though I have installed flash PLAYER 10
•I had problems installing an ati 650 made for windows 7 beta software. Uninstall was just as bad.
•I like the video preview box!
•I can't get the ati TV 650 wonder to load from the software disc or from the ati site using a windows 7 friendly download.
•It looks like you didn’t get the message about playing gifs.
•1/28/2009 5:11:15 AM
•Moving @ 50 gb from networked xp pro external hd to windows 7 LT
•69 processes, cpu usage %68, physical memory %51 5 apps open including mozilla with 3 tabs open to my webpage plus two fox web pages which are heavy with video and pics. Firefox at 224,00kpss
•Memory is at 1.93 gb
•1/29/2009 4:43:51 AM I have tried three or four times to open the control panel and get a runtime error. I want to uninstall a program. The control panel view opened but was blank. I had to use the drop down to select.
•Odd behavior tonight. I loaded some movie files from my Sony. Adobe premiere pro didn’t see them so I loaded adobe elements 2.0. It didn’t see them. I tried to rename the ext to .mpg they wouldn’t rename. I tried to use a bulk rename utility but it didn’t see the files… Twighlite zone. I see the files and the media player plays them. I want to cut them but do not understand.
•I started having problems with the forward button on the photo nedia viwer roday.
•1/30/2009 4:10:50 PM
•I like the thumbnail images on the desktop
•2/3/2009 6:57:56 PM
•OK it has to be a windows 7 thing with mo 2003 because I received both of these at the same time watching THE DESKTOP AND THE LAPTOP (LAPTOP HAS WINDOWS 7) . THE DESKTOP, xp pro, WAS FINE. THE LAPTOP RECEIVED GARBAGE. But I am wondering why Bella can send me the same thing and it was OK on Laptop when yours wasn't. So it is not you.
•2/4/2009 6:47:30 AM
•Pop up says ie8 not supported.
•I still haven’t found how to sort by name the icons in the quick launch area.
•I need base system deveice drivers’
•When moving files on a network from xp pro to windows 7 the move starts but often ends in can’t move thumbnail error.
•I like the way 7 easily synched with my moto q however I have trouble turning motoq into a modem.
•I have difficulty opening multiple folders at the same time
•IE comes up but then just disappears, firefox works.
•I can't get to advanced edit in mo 2003 windows 7. erroror h.
•windows 7 bogged dowen deleting duplicate files with dupe locator.
•2/8/2009 1:58:16 AM
•trying to update a techsmith camtasia I get switch to box. Finding the browser didin't help.
•When I try to use camtasia to record a power point presentation I can’t check the record from what speaker hears box.
•Ie won’t stay op[en. It opens then closes.
•Ie7 would not install. Windows said not nsupported
•Won’t work with google chrome.
•Shaneksmith1957@gmail.com
•2/9/2009 7:00:59 AM
•Sound recorder threw up multiple windows telling me it didn’t have enough temp memory to record. I have @ 200gb free on drive.
•2/17/2009 1:11:46 PM
•An infrared driver update came my way via windows beata notification. However the page disappeared and I can’t get it back. It lead me to a blank web page. I managed to save a pdf of the page with hot links but the links go nowhere. There was no explanatioin as to what the driver fixes.
•Shaneksmith1957@gmail.com
•I managed to downlload the cir driver from the hotlink.
•I am looking for 3 base system drivers
•Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
•2/28/2009 1:25:37 AM
•I like the desktop random change selection
•3/8/2009 3:48:36 AM
•7 has a problem with video programs. i tried importing an avi video from a networked pc using camtasia and she crapped out on me...AGAIN!!
•shaneksmith1957@gmail.com
•3/16/2009 9:09:52 AM
•windows 7 won't let total recorder record sounds heard from speaker only. This is useful when trying to record screen shots with internal sound from a website.
•shaneksmith1957@gmail.com
•Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
•3/17/2009 9:17:25 AM
It’s a sugar coated version of XP that conflicts with my video editing programs. Microsoft has made it harder to move files with no “move” feature. They have taken away the windows picture viewer and gif images don’t work without extra software.
The switch to box wouldn't let me switch mto moizilla on a download for an upgrade to snagit.
shaneksmith1957@gmail.c
4/5/2009 12:19:52 AM
7 crashed while saving a word project and going to open a photo.
shaneksmith1957@gmail.com
4/9/2009 6:17:34 PM
Windows 7 does not like my logitech webcam.
4/18/2009 1:47:39 AM
4/19/2009 9:46:20 PM
7 can feel me closing it down. it crashed as i copy program files so I can downgrade to vista.
shaneksmith1957@gmail.com
Installing windows 7 signature edition on 32 bit and 64 bit. I had to wipe the 32 bit because 7 wouldn’t recognize windows 7 RC. Install of fresh 7 took About 40 minutes. From Vista 64 bit 7 copied and saved programs and data of @ 400gb on my lt and @ 80 programs in @ five hours! That was nice!
10/10/2009 9:39:53 PM
Wipe 7 32 bit because of ati problem. Starting re install
To ready desktop:
10/10/2009 10:08:59 PM
A wipe did not fix the ati glitch on a reinstall.
Windows 7 changed back to windows 7 basic color scheme and the tuner came back on. I had just plugged the tuner into Laptop 2 64bit vista and ati 650 worked. Then all of a sudden the tuner started working again on my 7 lt. Weird coincidence.
10/14/2009 4:21:42 AM
Uninistalling Roxio and using a windows basic or Aero theme in Display settings then re-installing the 650 program over the existing install made the 650 work for me again. I dare not mess with Windows TV tuner!
For those with simple need that don’t need a TV tuner I sugest Windows 7 Ultimate. For those willing to troubleshoot your ATI tuner I also suggest Windows 7 Ultimate!
10/14/2009 11:23:51 PM
A windows 7 update today caused the ati not to work again. It plays but is slow.
10/17/2009 5:16:59 AM
I had to reverrify my activation key on the 32 bit.
I can only network 2 machines that are both on 7.
10/17/2009 10:12:32 PM
A clean uninstall of the 650 then re-install AFTER re-installing roxio fixed it so far.It’s working with roxio now. Roxio’s TV tuner and the ati tuner are working. If you put in ati first before Roxio then Roxio won’t let you install ati.
Hp 7350 photo printer won’t work with hp laptop 64bit and 7 desktop 32bit. No compatible drivers I have found so far have helped.
I can’t figure out how to sort icons in Quick launch with 7.
At Zoe's 1st budday partee...her smile is effervescent :) She was moving around too much. I just about managed this one - hence the blur and the noise...
Mother and daughter - This is at Zoe's christening
Shell and Zoe - When the Braganzas came over
Big advertisements panels are everywhere in Bangkok. This one was shot from the taxi on the way out from the airport.
When you arrive in the Land of Smiles everything is well organised, you meet a lot of friendly people. The new Suvarnabhumi airport is very clean, nice and easy. You can see some artwork on the long way to get out of the airport.
Big contrast with CDG Roissy 1 where i landed this morning...
First police control take place before you feet touch the groud :
inside the footbridge for going out of the plane, 3 policemen block your way and ask to see your passport.
a few hundred meter later, only 4 policemen of the PAF (police de l'air et des frontières) control passeports and visas for several planes landing at the same time. It took about one hour to cross this checkpoint...
No welcome signs, everything is sad, only interdiction messages from the loudspeaker and on light panels. Dont smile, dont talk to your neighbour : you are now back in sarkoland
My little girl loves to dress up in my wedding dress and tell me that when she grows up, she wants to wear my wedding dress.
Torrijo de la Cañada is a town located in the valley of the river Manubles, municipality of Spain, in the province of Zaragoza, Autonomous Community of Aragon. It has an area of 74.6 km² with a population of 231 inhabitants.
History
The history of Torrijo dates back to antiquity when it was known as Termes and as Turriga. Here was an episode told by the historian Apianus and carried out by the proconsul Quinto Pompeyo in 137 BC, within the Celtiberian wars when after defeating Numancia, he went against the city of Termes, where he lost 700 men. According to Christian tradition, in the third century AD, where the parish church rose, Dacianus commanded the slaughter of the saints Felix and Regula, on September 11, 300, who were born in the city of Thebes and belonged to the Legion Tebea. Torrijo was reconquered in the twelfth century by Alfonso I the Battler where it appears with the name of Turrillo. Already in century XIV as all the towns of the eastern zone of the province of Saragossa suffered the consequences of the war of Dos Pedros.
Geography and monuments
The municipal term is crossed by the Manubles, affluent of the river Jalón. It is between Bijuesca and Villalengua, also has another river, called by the locals Carabán, (Carabantes) affluent of the river Manubles.
In its historical architecture stands out its Church of Our Lady of the Hortal with a central tower and arch in the base, Flamigeo, that could be given for being Gothic, and to few meters of this church forming part of the greater place we emphasize the consistorial palace, with The bottom arched in the shape of a market. Where they put their goods with their goods. Ecclesiastically it is included in the Arciprestazgo of the High Jalón.
Crowned the main square by a tower-bridge belonging to the old wall that serves as an access to cross to the other side of the village in Gothic style and made the base of the tower of stone sillar, as the bridge of Torrijo de la Cañada in truth a Magnificent preserved historical ensemble. In the XVI century the height of the tower increases, moment to which belong the two upper floors, decorated with brick windows, characteristic Aragonese renaissance.
The other church that stands out for its tower is the call of San Juan, which is all of sillar stone, emphasizing in its contalamiento and covered several columns and porticos of Renaissance style. In the high streets of the town we can find among remains of ancient corrals the remains of what was a medieval fortress, built in the 14th century, during the Pedros war.
At the top of the summits that crown the valley where the village stands on the Manubles river, we can see a hermitage, from which we can see the whole town, this hermitage is dedicated to Santa Barbara. We can also see a hillside, in which there are more than a hundred old wine cellars. Still image of a wine past. Now used as popular rocks.
All around, are more or less preserved, the typical threshing ages along with hundreds of haystacks of a past also dedicated to the cultivation and treatise of cereal, along with its two factories (in ruins) flour.
We also find the ruins of an old hermitage at the exit of the village towards the neighboring town of Castile Deza, this hermitage raised in honor of Santa Cristina has a Peirón in quite a state of conservation. (We found another Peirón, at the entrance of the town according to Comes from the neighboring Villalengua, dedicated in honor to San Vicente).
Later we enter a green forest for reforestation and in the end at the summit of the highest mountain exceeding 1000 meters we can find a hermitage, raised in honor of the patron saints San Felix and Santa Régula, and a very good view of A splendid setting and the Moncayo.
Passing the Carabán river and part of a mountain of great value of flora and fauna typically Iberian, which opens to give way to a Spanish-Aragonese sub-set, in which we find several ruins of sales, haystacks and warehouses for the grain of a settlement Inhabited well into the twentieth century called Campo Alaves, in which a large hermitage is kept up in honor of the virgin of Campo Alaves. Easter in Torrijo de la Cañada is declared of regional tourist interest.
Torrijo de la Cañada es una población situada en el valle del río Manubles, municipio de España, en la provincia de Zaragoza, Comunidad Autónoma de Aragón. Tiene un área de 74,6 km² con una población de 231 habitantes.
Historia
La historia de Torrijo se remonta a la antigüedad cuando era conocida como Termes y como Turriga. Aquí tuvo lugar un episodio contado por el historiador Apiano y protagonizado por el procónsul Quinto Pompeyo en el año 137 a.C., dentro de las guerras celtíberas cuando después de haber derrotado a Numancia, se dirigió contra la ciudad de Termes, donde perdió 700 hombres. según la tradición cristiana, en el siglo III en el lugar donde se levanta la Iglesia parroquial, fue donde Daciano mandó degollar a los santos Félix y Régula, el 11 de septiembre de 300, que habían nacido en la ciudad de Tebas y pertenecían a la Legión Tebea. Torrijo fue reconquistado en el siglo XII por Alfonso I el Batallador donde aparece con el nombre de Turrillo. Ya en el siglo XIV como todos los pueblos de la zona oriental de la provincia de Zaragoza sufrió las consecuencias de la guerra de los Dos Pedros.
Geografía y monumentos
El término municipal está cruzado por el Manubles, afluente del río Jalón. Está entre Bijuesca y Villalengua, también tiene otro río, llamado por los lugareños Carabán ,(Carabantes) afluente del río Manubles.
En su arquitectura histórica destaca su Iglesia de Nuestra Señora del Hortal con una torre central y arco en la base, Flamigeo, que se podía dar por ser gótico, y a pocos metros de esta iglesia formando parte de la plaza mayor destacamos el palacio consistorial, con la parte inferior arqueada en forma de lonja. Dónde se ponen con sus mercancías los feriantes. Eclesiásticamente está incluido en el Arciprestazgo del Alto Jalón.
Coronada la plaza mayor por un torreón-puente perteneciente a la antigua muralla que sirve de acceso para cruzar al otro lado del pueblo de estilo gótico y hecha la base de la torre de piedra sillar, como el puente de Torrijo de la Cañada en verdad un magnífico conjunto histórico conservado. En el siglo XVI se incrementa la altura de la torre, momento al que pertenecen los dos pisos superiores, decorados con ventanas de ladrillo, características renacimiento aragonés.
La otra iglesia que destaca por su torre es la llamada de San Juan, que es toda de piedra sillar, destacando en su aportalamiento y cubierto varias columnas y pórticos de estilo renacentista. En las calles altas del pueblo podemos encontrar entre restos de antiguos corrales los restos de lo que fue una fortaleza medieval, construida en el siglo XIV, durante la guerra de los Pedros.
En lo alto de las cumbres que coronan el valle donde se asienta el pueblo jalonado por el río Manubles podemos observar una ermita ,desde la cual podemos observar todo el pueblo, esta ermita está dedicada a Santa Bárbara. Podemos observar también una ladera, en la cuál se encuentran más de un centenar de antiguas bodegas.Imagen aún viviente de un pasado vinícola. Ahora usadas como peñas populares.
Todos los alrededores, están más o menos conservadas, las eras típicas de trillar junto a cientos de pajares de un pasado también dedicado al cultivo y tratado del cereal, junto con sus dos fábricas (en ruinas) harineras.
Encontramos también las ruinas de una antigua ermita a la salida del pueblo hacia el vecino pueblo de Castilla Deza, esta ermita levantada en honor a Santa Cristina tiene un Peirón en bastante estado de conservación.(Encontramos otro Peirón, a la entrada del pueblo según se viene de la vecina Villalengua, dedicado en honor a San Vicente).
Más adelante nos adentramos en una verde sierra de repoblación forestal y al final en la cumbre de la montaña más alta superando los 1000 metros podemos encontrar una ermita, levantada en honor a los Santos patronos San Félix y Santa Régula, y unas vistas muy buenas de un entorno espléndido y del Moncayo.3
Pasando el río Carabán y parte de un monte de gran valor de flora y fauna típicamente ibérica, que se abre para dar paso a una submeseta Castellano-Aragonesa, en la cuál encontramos varias ruinas de ventas , pajares y almacenes para el grano de un asentamiento habitado hasta bien entrado el siglo XX llamado Campo Alavés, en el cuál se conserva una ermita grande levantada en honor a la virgen del Campo Alavés. La Semana Santa en Torrijo de la Cañada está declarada de interés turístico regional.
A simple octopus designed this morning when I was tring to do someting else.
one piece uncut squre paper 20cm.
When we were at the cabin, Ollie and I were up every morning before dawn. It always took a while to get out the door because I had to put on so many layers of clothes! But it was worth it, I never got tired of watching the glow of the sunrise over the Collegiates. I love how it looks like Ollie is introspective here and watching and enjoying the sunrise with me.
Actually he is watching the mule deer. They were on both sides of the road. There were a lot of them in this area, and whenever he saw them on our walks, he just sat and quietly watched. He didn't wag his tail, bark, jump around, or act like he wanted to chase them. He just seemed to know that we were observing them, and if we remained calm, we could watch them longer.
I'm sure if I let him go, all hell would have broken loose. But I did enjoy the peace and quiet and deer sightings on our early morning walks.
This was just a test shot, but my wife is still photogenic
SB700 Trigged SB600 on tripod pointed down on subject
One of our best pals is in his 90’s, 93 when hanging out with us to see the lovely fall colors. Born in 1922, and serving in WWII as a young man, Lou D’Alonzo’s life has been very interesting in the years since coming to America as a baby from Italy. He has a wide range of interests in history and the arts, and often times, in spite of his advanced age, is eager to accompany us on full day excursions that he can handle. Even at this writing, he is now 96, and full of pep and sharp as can be—and yes, still hanging out with us on a regular basis.
The end of the this gorgeous autumn day had us driving up to the top of Bear Mountain, situated wonderfully as it offers superb views in all directions. Down toward the Hudson Valley and River sits the historic Bear Mountain Inn, Lake Hessian, the sprawling grounds and an ice skating rink and antique indoor carousel. Furthermore, in that direction, one can enjoy the views across the river with the layers of mountains and the Bear Mountain Bridge that spans from one end of the river to the other. Anthony’s Nose, the name of the mountain on the other side of the bridge is great to hike and climb, for the views facing west toward where we stood are just as impressive. I had finally taken done the hike in more recently, and accordingly, will have the photos from that outing posted in the future. Views to the south and west, or north, depict the lush wooded landscape, and the colors can be nicely appreciated as you look as far as you can, taking in the amazing scenery. Many photographers would arrive toward this latter part of the day to catch sunset views, and when the observation tower is open, the views can be even better--it was not on this day. Our old-timer pal, Lou (93 at the time), was delighted to sit on the seat of these very attractive motorcycles—I had asked the riders if he could sit on one or more of the bikes for photos. They were more than happy, and even offered Lou a helmet to wear. As the sun begins its final descent, the granite boulders take on a very attractive salmon hue, and when the golden orb decides to get dramatic toward the western end, one never knows exactly what type of show it will put on for the admiring onlookers. We were fortunate enough on this day to witness that of an inferno sky. A perfect ending for all . . .
Although at the time of this upload, the period in which the photos in the series were taken is not current, but from October 22, 2015; however, the overall scenery and the colors/shades of the foliage is consistent over the years, with only slight variations depending on any particular weather influence.
The brilliant autumn colors of Harriman State Park of New York, just north of the New Jersey border and a bit west of the Hudson River, never fails. If at all possible, it is usually best to take shots rather late in the day, starting a little before the sun begins to descend—unless, of course, the overcast or inclement weather is a factor.
When the sun is just right, and the “magical light” is cast upon the land and water scape, everything becomes so much more spectacular in the golden tones and the vibrant reflections in the water.
The variety of colors seen in the NJ-PA-NY Tri-State region can match anything in the popular New England states. In spite of the scale, on average, in the New England states being greater, the variety of tree species changing colors around the same time frame is more pronounced in our Tri-State area, thus, allowing a wider range of the rainbow array to capture at any given time during the autumn foliage visits.
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas Martial Arts and Karate
Karate for Kids Testimonial and Review
When my eight-year-old son first asked me if I would let him take Karate for Kids, I was a little worried. Karate seems so dangerous and I was concerned that my boy would end up injured. After talking with my husband, we agreed to give the program a chance and now we are so glad that we did.
First of all, I would like to state that Master Babin is wonderful with the children. While I was apprehensive that the Karate class would be all about fighting, I was relieved to learn that the focus was more on self-defense and moral values. Now my son is healthier than ever, doing an activity that he truly loves.
I would encourage every parent out there looking for a fun exercise-based activity for his or her child to participate in their Karate for Kids program a chance. My son is constantly talking about what he learned in his past karate lessons and practicing his blocks and punches in the living room. He is even playing his video games less.
After my initial reservations, I now cannot imagine my son participating in any other karate program. Consider this my highest recommendation.
David S
Reviews on Karate for Kids
When my son started karate instruction with Karate for Kids, he was timid, had few friends and had trouble paying attention in school. I didn't agree with the doctor who tried to tell me he had Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and that I should put him on medication to control it. To me, my son just needed some loving guidance, not to be medicated.
That is when I asked my good friend about her children's experiences with the local martial arts Instructor. Like my son, her children did not have a father figure in their lives and suffered greatly as the result. When they were approaching their teenage years, she decided to enroll them in karate at Karate For Kids Within a matter of weeks, I saw her pre-teen son and daughter become more confident, focused and goal-oriented and knew I wanted the same for my child.
After his very first lesson, my son, then aged nine, was already a changed child. He overflowed with enthusiasm as he explained how the karate for kids program pushed him to reach goals, but was "really nice" about it. To this mom, that means that my son finally got the caring, personal instruction that he deserves.
Thank you for such a fantastic Karate For Kids Program
Samantha W
Testimonial and Review on Martial Arts For Men
I am a forty-eight year old man and, until about four months ago, I had really let myself go. Between work-related stress and the other pressures of my day-to-day existence, I made little time for exercise and gave almost no thought to a healthy diet. In short, I was a mess.
One day, a colleague at my office took me aside and recommended that I sign up for the martial arts program offered locally. He had recently signed up for a class and loved it. After some convincing, I agreed to accompany him to his next class.
Fast-forward to today and I now love my martial arts training. Martial Arts for men workouts feels less like training and more like fun. I have been losing weight and now have a new energy when facing the daily grind. I have gone from one class a week to two, and am thinking of adding a third.
If you are looking for a fun way to get in shape, I would advise you to come on down our Martial Arts for Men Academy. You will not regret it.
Getting younger…
Lisa F
Testimonial and Review on Martial Arts For Women
I never would have thought that taking up martial arts, would change me so much as a person and in so many ways. I still use every occasion to thank my friends, for recommending me the Martial Art courses for women taught by a martial arts school that teaches quality skill sets for women
I used to be a very shy person, and had become quite fearful after having my purse stolen one evening. Now, that is no longer the case. Since participating in the martial arts courses, I have felt more empowered than ever. I enjoyed the friendly and encouraging atmosphere right from the start, and did not feel ashamed of my initial clumsiness.
Now, I can actually impress my friends with some of the moves I learned. Also, I am fully aware that martial arts represent a life style just as much as anything else. My Instructor simply amazed all of us throughout the entire program, with his dedication and willingness to teach us. In fact, we could hardly wait for the next session.
I truly recommend anyone to make the same change I made in my life. Looking back, I really cannot see my weekly schedule without my martial arts training sessions.
C McCrae
Martial Arts For Women in Las Vegas, Nevada
Taking a martial arts class was not something I had given much consideration prior to turning 30. Wanting to preserve my strength and flexibility for years to come finally enticed me to take the plunge. The immediate results were stunning and I found myself feeling more energetic and confident in just a few sessions.
Not only are his martial arts skills top-notch, but I find his enthusiasm and enjoyment of the sport to be infectious. Considering that this entire venture was foreign to me, I felt right at home during my very first class. In addition to training in martial arts my instructor has a great deal of patience and warmth, the other karate students in the session were just as receptive to me. They really know how to make new members feel welcome.
Learning the forms and methods involved in martial arts is a great experience, but what makes these classes truly exceptional is that we learn how to incorporate the philosophy and principals behind this art form into our everyday lives. I look forward to my sessions with my instructor, and find his classes to be a great way to invest in myself, while having some fun at the same time. It is more than just kicking and punching it’s a well rounded martial arts program.
With Great Thanks,
Jackie W