Although I can't quite make out what the top smaller photo is - a tree trunk? a couple of large rocks with grass around them? ...your fishing spot is absolutely beautiful.
Thanks, shona. Believe me, my Yoda Girl does not allow me to over work our 'sloth' time. She will not be ignored, and I try to give her the time when she wants it. And she will come and plant herself on my keyboard when she wants attention.
Thank you Raven. Now I can quite clearly see what you have done, and assume that others will as well. It is a magnificent job, tells a story, has meaningful images and a credit to your skill.
Continuing with the photo essay of the Nan Shan Flower Park from last weekend, we now go inside that huge horticultural building that was shown in the last photo. Walk in the front door and this is what faces us....
.
Species are identified, and you will note that it is in English as well as Chinese....
.
As the sign says, these are red pompoms...
.
And now, to my favourite flower. My appreciation of orchids goes back to my teenage days when we would go to formal dances such as New Years Eve, or our high school fraternity annual ball, and we would get our dates a corsage. If the date was nobody special, usually the corsage would be roses, and depending on what our date was wearing, either one to pin on the dress or a wrist corsage. If the date was somebody special, we would splurge on an orchid corsage.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Now back to the other flowers....
.
A small waterfall...
.
And a bigger one....
.
.
A little formalized. I'm not sure what it is meant to depict....
.
And we end up in the desert...
Next weekend will be the final episode of this series, and it will be something completely different. We will be seeing a misty sunset and looking down on downtown Chongqing during a misty twilight and dusk from a mountaintop viewing area.
Soooo... (yeah I probably have an issue) Petco was having a sale on this tank yesterday. I had been planning on putting the old 29g back up until I saw this 40g online. I purchased it for close to half of what I got the first 40g a couple of months ago. I have an appointment early next Friday in Minneapolis and I'm going to try stopping at a couple of fish stores on my way home.
This is as far as I got last night. There's no guarantee this will be the final hardscape setup either... I just can't find anything I'm really excited about.
I've heard of Fisherman's Friends, there is a movie by that name. However, you're the Fish's Friend. Be careful, someone might dub you with the nickname "Fishy".
That picture fills me with nostalgia, as it is so reminiscent of some paintings by Canada's famed Group of Seven and Tom Thomson - for example Jack Pine and West Wind. Prints of those photos were on the hall walls of the public school I attended, and many other public places.
Russia, although we were supposed to go to St. Petersburg in June 2020, but our trip got cancelled because of the pandemic. Now, I don't know that we will ever get there.
We were in Russia in Oct, 2019. We took a Baltic cruise which brought us to St Petersburg. From there we took a high speed train to Moscow to visit the Red Square, etc.
Awesome architecture and history. The people though all seemed unhappy.
We will never go back but are very happy we were able to go there.
Our trip was also a Baltic cruise. We had planned it for a year and were very excited about it. We would still like to go in the future if and when things settle down, but Russia might not be on the itinerary.
I was in Moscow in 1995/6. Flew in from Helsinki, Finland. Flew Aeroflot the world's worse airline. I took another carrier back out of Moscow. Didn't like Russian then, like it even less now.
I have been in most of the old Warsaw Pack and other Eastern European countries and both the east and west Balkans. Really enjoyed my time there.
Sarajevo, Bosnia Herzegovina is one of the most beautiful and historic cities in the world. I visited there many times before the Yugoslav war in the 1990s. Mosques that dated back to the 14th century. Where three religions lived in peace for decades. Muslim, Roman Catholic, and Orthodox Christian. Numerous languages and alphabets were the order of the day. It was exciting to get up every day and just roam the city, taking in all the cultures and drinking Kava (coffee).
Sadly it was a city under siege during the war and much of it along with Mostar were destroyed.
I still communicate with friends there that I met in my travels. They are very concerned that the Ukraine war is going to overflow in the Balkans since Serbia is a close ally of Russia.
St. Louis, Mo. has the largest Bosnian population in the US. 60,000 strong and all are refugees from the Yugoslav war and have transformed deserted neighbors into thriving neighborhoods once again and with great restaurants.
Little Bosnia is home to an ornate fountain replica of the Sebilj in Sarajevo (Credit: Stefanie Ellis)
I was in Russia 1987... the Berlin Wall was still up...when we were at the West Berlin camp site a few KMs down from it two East Germans managed to get over the wall..heard the shots, dogs and trucks racing around on the other side in no man's land.
Went through check Point Charlie and the KGB were following us around as they did with most Westerners..got into East Berlin and there was still damage from WW2 as there was a shortage of $$.. bombed out buildings still standing complete with bullet holes...was totally shocked the difference between East and West...
Was in St Petersburg when the navy was celebrating some huge naval anniversary..all the money went into that and not much else. Red square was massive and had to keep out of the way of black limousines speeding through it all the time... government officials we were told...
Loved the buildings and architecture, the people were extremely wary of us...but relaxed slightly when we said we were Aussies and Kiwis...had a rock thrown through the bus window heading to Moscow, the KGB rolled up for that..Some kids did it, we told them nothing as we had no idea what they would do to them if they were caught.
Had to bribe the cops got pulled over, said our bus driver had crossed double lines 10 KMs back...turned out he wanted cigarettes, chocolate and US $$$...
I would have gone back to Russia pre the Ukraine invasion just to compare life with what I actually saw in 1987..but not now..
Here in Los Angeles we have a large Russian expatriate community. Over the years, I have represented quite a few Russian clients. As part of preparing their case, it is essential that I delve into their backgrounds, including such things as their educational and employment histories and any prior injuries. With the older Russians who grew up under the Soviet regime, I notice that as soon as I start asking about their backgrounds, they become very wary and clam up, and act like I'm the KBG. I never have that experience with clients who are not from Russia.
I loved Kinsale. Such a friendly, colorful little town.
My sis and I had an unplanned visit there, when our other plans fell through due to fog and wind. We had no idea where to grab dinner, so we asked a local, and instead of telling us, she walked us to the restaurant. It was excellent.
We walked around the harbor after we ate, before returning to our hotel in Cork, and an older man who surely knew we were tourists just struck up a conversation with us, joking about the fog.
Everyone in Ireland was very friendly. We loved it there. I would go back to see more.
We had a similar experience in Kinsale. We were trying to find our recommended restaurant, asked a woman on her way home from the market where it was, and she walked us to the door. The restaurant was named Fishy Fishy and it was excellent. Is that where you ate?
I encourage anyone who has the opportunity to visit Ireland to go. It is really beautiful, very historic and the Irish people are absolutely wonderful.
We had excellent Thai food in Dublin. It was so good we went there three times. We also went to an outstanding Italian restaurant a couple of nights. Interestingly, the Italian restaurant was staffed by Libyans, who were all very nice. I had an in depth discussion with our waiter one night. He told me in the most sincere manner that all his people want is to live in peace and freedom, and to be able to take care of their families. That's what most people everywhere want.
I split a little wood this afternoon, took some photos, and made paint-like renderings of a few shots.
I suppose there's a bit of green in there for St. Paddy's day, too.
Late winter or very early spring is a perfect time to cut wood — no leaves or bugs, the sap is down, and once split and stacked it can cure in the heat all summer and fall and be good to go by next winter.
Nice series of photos. Back in my younger days spending time in Ontario's rural central area staying in a farmhouse I did some wood splitting myself for winter warmth. In the city, I had half-cords of split wood delivered as needed (3 working wood-burning fireplaces in my house).
I enjoy splitting wood every now and then. I actually love splitting the really good, knot-free stuff that requires very little effort; the ones that practically fly apart on their own at the slightest touch. I hate the knotty ones, though, and I have quite a few knotty ones in that pile. I have a feeling I'm going to have to cheat and rip a few of them up lengthwise with the chainsaw. Either that or just toss them.
There is a movie I'm thinking of in which one of the protagonists is shown splitting wood - hint - he says that right now $20 is a lot of money. What's the movie?
It was a screen shot from the movie, and the fact that you were able to google it to identify the movie is the reason I don't use screen shots or quotations as clues in my movie quizzes. Of course that's a stop action shot while he was splitting wood and it was just for a second during the conversation when Yul Brynner was recruiting him to join the group.
A person looks at 109 empty prams (one for every child killed) placed in the center of Lviv during the "Price of War" campaign organized by local activists and authorities to highlight the large number of children killed in ongoing Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in Lviv, March 18, 2022. REUTERS/Roman Baluk REUTERS
I'm sure that none of us support war and the inevitable results from it but since this "Creative Arts" group has started considering political statements and "horrors of war" photos acceptable I guess it's okay for me to post a few similar iconic horror of war photos.
I don't expect that I have to identify the first two images.
In keeping with NT's Terms of Service, the frontal nudity of Napalm Girl has been covered.
Screen shot from the movie "Casualties of War", which is a true story. Sean Penn, who was acting the part of an American soldier, is shown tying down a young Vietnamese woman whom he kidnapped, made into a sex slave and then murdered.
Results of an "accidental" drone attack in Kabul
The people killed by that "accidental" drone attack in Kabul, none of whom were the enemy and 7 of whom were children, who will no longer need their prams.
First-Things-First; Check the Article at the link.
A reminder; Three-Day-Weekend is never limited to any one theme. Post whatever creative work you care to share.
A/noon Mac...
Looks a fantastic fishing spot of yours...
Although I can't quite make out what the top smaller photo is - a tree trunk? a couple of large rocks with grass around them? ...your fishing spot is absolutely beautiful.
© A. Mac/A.G.
Thanks - At least I was right about the tree trunk.
Hi all. Happy St Patrick's Day!!
My project is back on and I now have a lot of catching up to do. Thus, this may be the last of my new artwork for a while. Hope you enjoy....
The artwork is Father Sky releasing various Spirit Birds to the care of Mother Earth, and the protection of the Spirit Wolf.
A/noon Raven..
Good luck with your project Raven and don't forget to sloth out every now and then with Yoda...
Thanks, shona. Believe me, my Yoda Girl does not allow me to over work our 'sloth' time. She will not be ignored, and I try to give her the time when she wants it. And she will come and plant herself on my keyboard when she wants attention.
Will you allow me to enlarge it to full size so I can see the detail better?
Yes you can, Buzz.
Thank you Raven. Now I can quite clearly see what you have done, and assume that others will as well. It is a magnificent job, tells a story, has meaningful images and a credit to your skill.
You'e very welcome, Buzz, and thank you for your very kind compliment. It is very much appreciated.
I'm very glad you like the artwork.
That is a VERY nice piece, Raven Wing.
Thank you, G. Glad you like it.
A/noon..
By the light of the silvery moon...
Down the harbour last night at the beach where I go swimming...
With two ships in the back ground waiting to come in..
Not my photo..
I think that B&W is best to convey a mood (and a moon)
Continuing with the photo essay of the Nan Shan Flower Park from last weekend, we now go inside that huge horticultural building that was shown in the last photo. Walk in the front door and this is what faces us....
.
Species are identified, and you will note that it is in English as well as Chinese....
.
As the sign says, these are red pompoms...
.
And now, to my favourite flower. My appreciation of orchids goes back to my teenage days when we would go to formal dances such as New Years Eve, or our high school fraternity annual ball, and we would get our dates a corsage. If the date was nobody special, usually the corsage would be roses, and depending on what our date was wearing, either one to pin on the dress or a wrist corsage. If the date was somebody special, we would splurge on an orchid corsage.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Now back to the other flowers....
.
A small waterfall...
.
And a bigger one....
.
.
A little formalized. I'm not sure what it is meant to depict....
.
And we end up in the desert...
Next weekend will be the final episode of this series, and it will be something completely different. We will be seeing a misty sunset and looking down on downtown Chongqing during a misty twilight and dusk from a mountaintop viewing area.
A very beautiful photo essay, Buzz.
Wonderful plants!
Anoon Buzz.. love orchids. One of my favourite flowers...got four at the moment only one is in flower...
It has been flowering for two years now and another I had went for three...so certainly get your monies worth...
The photo you said you weren't sure what it was depicting...not a dragon?? Can see a face and ears...
Actually, looking at that face, it looks more like the face of a tiger - this is the Year of the Tiger.
Soooo... (yeah I probably have an issue) Petco was having a sale on this tank yesterday. I had been planning on putting the old 29g back up until I saw this 40g online. I purchased it for close to half of what I got the first 40g a couple of months ago. I have an appointment early next Friday in Minneapolis and I'm going to try stopping at a couple of fish stores on my way home.
This is as far as I got last night. There's no guarantee this will be the final hardscape setup either... I just can't find anything I'm really excited about.
I've heard of Fisherman's Friends, there is a movie by that name. However, you're the Fish's Friend. Be careful, someone might dub you with the nickname "Fishy".
Fisherman's friend's are cough lollies here...
A helping hand and a loss of innocence. Ukraine 2022.
Some shots I took at Universal Studios yesterday.
Sensational!
Fantastic - love that Lion shot.
Very nice!
Abstract-Sunset, Window View/ © G. Gam
Really love your use of color on that, G. Well done!
Thanks, Perrie.
Never would have guessed without seeing the title - excellent abstract.
Thanks!
oh yeah ...
I knew you would like that.
Otter Cliffs, Maine
© A. Mac/A.G.
That picture fills me with nostalgia, as it is so reminiscent of some paintings by Canada's famed Group of Seven and Tom Thomson - for example Jack Pine and West Wind. Prints of those photos were on the hall walls of the public school I attended, and many other public places.
Since we are celebrating St. Patrick's Day and all things Irish...
Blarney Castle, County Cork
River Corrib, Galway
Kinsale Shops
Awesome photos, G. Have you been to the Blarney Stone?
Thanks, Raven Wing. Yes, I kissed the Blarney Stone. It's at the top of the castle in the photo.
Thanks for that super tour. Is there a country you HAVEN'T been to?
Russia, although we were supposed to go to St. Petersburg in June 2020, but our trip got cancelled because of the pandemic. Now, I don't know that we will ever get there.
We were in Russia in Oct, 2019. We took a Baltic cruise which brought us to St Petersburg. From there we took a high speed train to Moscow to visit the Red Square, etc.
Awesome architecture and history. The people though all seemed unhappy.
We will never go back but are very happy we were able to go there.
Our trip was also a Baltic cruise. We had planned it for a year and were very excited about it. We would still like to go in the future if and when things settle down, but Russia might not be on the itinerary.
I was in Moscow in 1995/6. Flew in from Helsinki, Finland. Flew Aeroflot the world's worse airline. I took another carrier back out of Moscow. Didn't like Russian then, like it even less now.
I have been in most of the old Warsaw Pack and other Eastern European countries and both the east and west Balkans. Really enjoyed my time there.
Sarajevo, Bosnia Herzegovina is one of the most beautiful and historic cities in the world. I visited there many times before the Yugoslav war in the 1990s. Mosques that dated back to the 14th century. Where three religions lived in peace for decades. Muslim, Roman Catholic, and Orthodox Christian. Numerous languages and alphabets were the order of the day. It was exciting to get up every day and just roam the city, taking in all the cultures and drinking Kava (coffee).
Sadly it was a city under siege during the war and much of it along with Mostar were destroyed.
I still communicate with friends there that I met in my travels. They are very concerned that the Ukraine war is going to overflow in the Balkans since Serbia is a close ally of Russia.
Saravejo before the war.
Photos from the internet.
St. Louis, Mo. has the largest Bosnian population in the US. 60,000 strong and all are refugees from the Yugoslav war and have transformed deserted neighbors into thriving neighborhoods once again and with great restaurants.
Little Bosnia is home to an ornate fountain replica of the Sebilj in Sarajevo (Credit: Stefanie Ellis)
I was in Russia 1987... the Berlin Wall was still up...when we were at the West Berlin camp site a few KMs down from it two East Germans managed to get over the wall..heard the shots, dogs and trucks racing around on the other side in no man's land.
Went through check Point Charlie and the KGB were following us around as they did with most Westerners..got into East Berlin and there was still damage from WW2 as there was a shortage of $$.. bombed out buildings still standing complete with bullet holes...was totally shocked the difference between East and West...
Was in St Petersburg when the navy was celebrating some huge naval anniversary..all the money went into that and not much else. Red square was massive and had to keep out of the way of black limousines speeding through it all the time... government officials we were told...
Loved the buildings and architecture, the people were extremely wary of us...but relaxed slightly when we said we were Aussies and Kiwis...had a rock thrown through the bus window heading to Moscow, the KGB rolled up for that..Some kids did it, we told them nothing as we had no idea what they would do to them if they were caught.
Had to bribe the cops got pulled over, said our bus driver had crossed double lines 10 KMs back...turned out he wanted cigarettes, chocolate and US $$$...
I would have gone back to Russia pre the Ukraine invasion just to compare life with what I actually saw in 1987..but not now..
Here in Los Angeles we have a large Russian expatriate community. Over the years, I have represented quite a few Russian clients. As part of preparing their case, it is essential that I delve into their backgrounds, including such things as their educational and employment histories and any prior injuries. With the older Russians who grew up under the Soviet regime, I notice that as soon as I start asking about their backgrounds, they become very wary and clam up, and act like I'm the KBG. I never have that experience with clients who are not from Russia.
The Russians are big into container theft in the LA area and have been for a long time. We had to deal with the POS when I was still working in LA.
I loved Kinsale. Such a friendly, colorful little town.
My sis and I had an unplanned visit there, when our other plans fell through due to fog and wind. We had no idea where to grab dinner, so we asked a local, and instead of telling us, she walked us to the restaurant. It was excellent.
We walked around the harbor after we ate, before returning to our hotel in Cork, and an older man who surely knew we were tourists just struck up a conversation with us, joking about the fog.
Everyone in Ireland was very friendly. We loved it there. I would go back to see more.
We had a similar experience in Kinsale. We were trying to find our recommended restaurant, asked a woman on her way home from the market where it was, and she walked us to the door. The restaurant was named Fishy Fishy and it was excellent. Is that where you ate?
I encourage anyone who has the opportunity to visit Ireland to go. It is really beautiful, very historic and the Irish people are absolutely wonderful.
Jim Edwards. It's mostly a seafood place, and I don't care for seafood, but they had other dishes, too.
I didn't have a single disappointing meal in Ireland. Even places that looked like holes in the wall had great food.
The Irish don't know what strangers are. The chats started on our flight over, with a man from Tralee, and kept up the whole vacation.
We had excellent Thai food in Dublin. It was so good we went there three times. We also went to an outstanding Italian restaurant a couple of nights. Interestingly, the Italian restaurant was staffed by Libyans, who were all very nice. I had an in depth discussion with our waiter one night. He told me in the most sincere manner that all his people want is to live in peace and freedom, and to be able to take care of their families. That's what most people everywhere want.
I had really good chicken curry in a little pub we stopped at in Cahersiveen, on the Ring of Kerry. I've decided that's where I want to retire.
We spent a fun day on the Ring of Kerry, although I'm not sure if we went through that town.
Retire in Ireland? You could do a whole lot worse.
© A. Mac/A.G.
Nice blue and yellow for Ukraine, Mac. I made these a couple of weeks ago for use in another article...
Wheat, sky, and flag with Ukrainian tryzub symbol.
What that Z stands for.
The O on other Russian vehicles should be for orc (the barbaric warrior creatures from Lord of the Rings), but I haven't made an image for that one.
Kindred Spirits, Bailick Park in Midleton, County Cork, Ireland .
Acknowledgment of the spirit between the Irish and the Choctaw Nation.
That's an outstanding work of art.
I love that image. Some of my dad's ancestors are from County Cork, my maternal grandfather was from Galway Bay. I really want to visit Ireland.
Here is the article on the history of the monument, Pat.
.
I split a little wood this afternoon, took some photos, and made paint-like renderings of a few shots.
I suppose there's a bit of green in there for St. Paddy's day, too.
Late winter or very early spring is a perfect time to cut wood — no leaves or bugs, the sap is down, and once split and stacked it can cure in the heat all summer and fall and be good to go by next winter.
******
******
Nice series of photos. Back in my younger days spending time in Ontario's rural central area staying in a farmhouse I did some wood splitting myself for winter warmth. In the city, I had half-cords of split wood delivered as needed (3 working wood-burning fireplaces in my house).
I enjoy splitting wood every now and then. I actually love splitting the really good, knot-free stuff that requires very little effort; the ones that practically fly apart on their own at the slightest touch. I hate the knotty ones, though, and I have quite a few knotty ones in that pile. I have a feeling I'm going to have to cheat and rip a few of them up lengthwise with the chainsaw. Either that or just toss them.
There is a movie I'm thinking of in which one of the protagonists is shown splitting wood - hint - he says that right now $20 is a lot of money. What's the movie?
I have no idea. What is it?
Second hint....
Looks like Charles Bronson, but I couldn't name the film so I did an image search and Google says The Magnificent Seven.
What am I looking at there? Is he walking around with his splitter stuck in a piece of wood?
It was a screen shot from the movie, and the fact that you were able to google it to identify the movie is the reason I don't use screen shots or quotations as clues in my movie quizzes. Of course that's a stop action shot while he was splitting wood and it was just for a second during the conversation when Yul Brynner was recruiting him to join the group.
The renderings are great. They have a story-book quality.
Thanks, Pat.
Glad to see you. You disappeared for a while.
I've been fortunate that my business has been thriving. Takes me away at times.
Have a good week.....
Stunning and mesmerizing.
Thanks Buzz.
A person looks at 109 empty prams (one for every child killed) placed in the center of Lviv during the "Price of War" campaign organized by local activists and authorities to highlight the large number of children killed in ongoing Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in Lviv, March 18, 2022. REUTERS/Roman Baluk REUTERS
End of the day, Stone Creek, Ocala, FL.
I guess I shouldn't have sold my golf condo in Pembroke Pines, Florida.
I'm sure that none of us support war and the inevitable results from it but since this "Creative Arts" group has started considering political statements and "horrors of war" photos acceptable I guess it's okay for me to post a few similar iconic horror of war photos.
I don't expect that I have to identify the first two images.
In keeping with NT's Terms of Service, the frontal nudity of Napalm Girl has been covered.
Screen shot from the movie "Casualties of War", which is a true story. Sean Penn, who was acting the part of an American soldier, is shown tying down a young Vietnamese woman whom he kidnapped, made into a sex slave and then murdered.
Results of an "accidental" drone attack in Kabul
The people killed by that "accidental" drone attack in Kabul, none of whom were the enemy and 7 of whom were children, who will no longer need their prams.