pictures!!

[pianowolfi]

Very beautiful, Elspeth

[thinkgreenlovepiano]

So pretty, Elspeth!
I love all the PURPLE.

I live near a wood too... although its really small.

[Bob]

Looks like purple forest fog.

[m1469]

From out my airplane window (yesterday)

[m1469]

From the ground, taken in March:

[littletune]

It looks really cool! 

[m1469]

It looks really cool!  

Thanks, Littletune!  Sometimes I just can't believe how nature looks and behaves, and that I get to be there to see it .

[thalbergmad]

A recent pic of Dougs at Avebury Stone Circle.

Thal

[thalbergmad]

A pic from my hotel room.

You can just see the Westbury White Horse in the background.

Thal

[thalbergmad]

Dougs with the Westbury White Horse in the background.

[pianowolfi]

That's very impressive! Cuteness and humour together with majesty and the mysterious footsteps from the past.

[thalbergmad]

Thanks Wolfi, I try to combine a bit of humour along with my fascination for ancient history. The stone circles of England have always been of interest to me and Avebury is my favourite. I have probably visited most of them by now.

Incidentally, whilst out cycling on a small Country road, I came face to face with an enormous cat that I think was a Puma. The poor thing was probably more shocked than me and it appears there have been several sitings in various locations this year.

I have filed a report with UK Big Cats.

Thal

[pianowolfi]

Was its perhaps a lynx?

I have been at Stonehenge so far, a few decades ago, I love it, and I'd like to visit some other places too, this one, and the Hebrides, and Tintagel and many more

[thalbergmad]

Stonehenge is so popular now, that it is impossible to be alone with the stones and you cannot get anywhere near them. For me, to appreciate places like this, you need to be on your own.

Fortunately, there are many other ancient sites that are not inundated with tourists, because they are less well known and not all are easily accessible.

I visited Tintagel back in 1994, but unluckily for me the path was closed due to damage caused by a heavy storm. Must go back sometime.

Thal

[oxy60]

Incidentally, whilst out cycling on a small Country road, I came face to face with an enormous cat that I think was a Puma. The poor thing was probably more shocked than me and it appears there have been several sitings in various locations this year.

I have filed a report with UK Big Cats.

Thal

Security at Hartfield (Atlanta) used to think we had a "big cat" but it was only our very over fed black male pet at 8 kg. When you reported the sighting did you give a size estimate? Color?

It's taken me years to properly identify that group of wild cats and I still get confused.

BTW the English countryside is not to be equaled. When I visited stonehenge (late dark ages) one could wander all through it with no paths or barriers.

[thalbergmad]

When you reported the sighting did you give a size estimate? Color?

Yes old chap, it was slightly smaller than the average Alsatian Dog, golden in colour and with black on the hind legs.

I think Wolfi is right, looking at pictures I think it was a lynx.

Thal

[elspeth]

There used to be a lynx living in the woods just where I live (same wood the bluebell pictures came from). Nobody's seen it for a while though.

I don't have a lynx in my 'beastie' collection yet, I will rectify that when I can find one which will sit and pose for me! Closest I can do is a puma for now:

[thalbergmad]

That pretty much looks like what I saw, maybe a little smaller.

Thal

[elspeth]

It is reassuring to have some proper predators living in the countryside, it means some parts of this beleagoured country are actually doing rather well in the important ways.

I have a date to go play with some Sumatran tiger kittens in the winter, can't wait! As long as their mother has decided she doesn't mind photographers, anyway... The sanctuary I work with has acquired a white lion since the last time I was there, he should be fun too.

In the meantime I am trying to work out whether the red kite I've been seeing flying over the local woods recently is actually a resident or just a visitor. I hope it's resident, I shall be making a project of watching and photographing it if so.

[oxy60]

Those animals also live very near me. I have never seen one on the wild although the wildlife observers say there is quite a population around here. They very dangerous and small children who stray off alone have been attacked. A woman of slight build was about to be attacked but her horse alerted her by rearing up on its hind legs. She stayed mounted and lived to tell the story. 

If you search "sd zoo puma" you can see the ones we have in captivity, in action.

[thalbergmad]

Still as handsome as ever.

Thal

[ahinton]

Still as handsome as ever.

Indeed so. The amount that Audi paid you for that is, of course, immaterial to the rest of us, but I nevertheless hope that it was appropriately substantial, especially if it enables you to purchase the scores of those Sorabji piano concertos in which you expressed interest some time ago...

Best,

Alistair

[nanabush]

My girlfriend and I in front of a forest lol... 'pro photo editing' done by my iPhone  

[littletune]

Cool! This looks like some really old picture! I like to make my pictures like that too!   

[essynia]

https://<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/61685782@N02/5996980662/" title="Big D - Day 2 002 by AnebariAbir, on Flickr">

I took this picture on my Ranch, and I absolutely adore it. This was my favorite place in the world, other than stargazing in a deer stand after the sun has set on a freezing November night .

Just thought I'd share a place of much inspiration for me

[essynia]

.

[littletune]

Ahhh I miss this!!    

[m1469]

Ahhh I miss this!!    

woah, woah!  I had such a reaction to these photos!  I can't even describe how badly I want to be just swimming in there and floating and floating and listening and listening ... it makes me almost cry from my guts!     

*so beautiful*

*contemplates a bath to pretend in*

[littletune]

woah, woah!  I had such a reaction to these photos!  I can't even describe how badly I want to be just swimming in there and floating and floating and listening and listening ... it makes me almost cry from my guts!     

*so beautiful*

*contemplates a bath to pretend in*

I know how you feel!!! I want to be there too!! I mean I was... but I'm not now  ... but I am in that other time!  But I still miss it sooooooo much!!!!!!!!!
But I'm glad you think it's beautiful!!   

[thinkgreenlovepiano]

Ahhh I miss this!!    

Beautiful!! Where was this?

I wish I lived near a body of water. Sunsets + water= breathtaking.
I miss the place I went on vacation last month.  Small town, by the river, a trip to a different beach every week, the most gorgeous sunsets ever




The pictures aren`t as nice- my camera isn't so great. But to be there... I wanna go back!

[littletune]

Wow your pictures are really beautiful too Thinkgreenlovepiano! 

I was on vacation in Slovenia in Izola I don't live near a body of water either... well I mean we have a river in our city (or even two)... but they're not for swimming... They're too dirty  well... they are talking about cleaning it up... That would be really cool!   

[elspeth]

A few pussycats from an outing this weekend... The tiger cubs are eleven weeks old and so lovely... they're full of mischief and fun, their mum seemed rather glad of a photographer to distract them so they left her alone for a bit!

[Bob]

Did you Ohio over the weekend?

[oxy60]

Beautiful wild animal shots. Rather close encounters. How did you manage that? My zoo has installed some glass we can get close but not with the same perspective you got.

[Bob]

That "friend they haven't seen in a long time/ever" got cropped out of the shots. 

Must have a good camera.

[elspeth]

Partly due to a good camera, but mostly due to a wonderful big cat sanctuary in Kent. They're a charity, and one of the ways they raise funds is by allowing photographers privileged access to the animals, with a keeper on hand who knows exactly what they're doing with the cats.

[pianoplayjl]

How adorable the cubs!

[oxy60]

Partly due to a good camera, but mostly due to a wonderful big cat sanctuary in Kent. They're a charity, and one of the ways they raise funds is by allowing photographers privileged access to the animals, with a keeper on hand who knows exactly what they're doing with the cats.

2X WOW! There's the cubs, there's mama and then there is you plus the keeper. Maybe I know too much and maybe I'm too cautious but you won't find me in that situation. Are you going to try to sell the shots? You should try if your permission will allow it.

Thanks for sharing the shots.

[m1469]

Very awesome photos, Elspeth!  In fact, so awesome that I am not posting my photo in this thread for now ... I don't want to ruin the ambiance!

[thalbergmad]

I don't want to ruin the ambiance!

I will then.

Here is a pic of me at the Worlds greatest rip off "tourist attraction", being the West Stow Anglo Saxon Village.

Thal

[thalbergmad]

I am glad not to have been born in the 10th Century.

This place stank of turds.

Thal

[littletune]

What a cute face Thal!   

[thalbergmad]

This was taken on the pier at Southwold where some people are engaging in a remarkably boring passtime called fishing.

Thal

[littletune]

I don't understand how can someone ENJOY taking another living being's life?! I mean I would understand if they sad: ok we have to eat, we need food, so that's why we have to go fishing. But no, they actually like killing!!   

[thalbergmad]

I think the pleasure is gained in just catching the fish.

Most get put back in the water I hope.

Thal

[littletune]

I think the pleasure is gained in just catching the fish.

Most get put back in the water I hope.

Thal

Yes I really hope that too! And I hope they don't get too hurt by having that sharp thing stuck in their mouth!

[birba]

I give up.  How do you post a picture?

[ahinton]

I am glad not to have been born in the 10th Century.

This place stank of turds.

I think that most people here could with good reasons feel glad not to have lived at that time (a distinct lack of pianos for one) but never mind that - are these photos before or after the massive weight loss about which you've recently written elsewhere?

Best,

Alistair

[birba]

[littletune]

I give up.  How do you post a picture?

This is not from Photobucket right? I could help you if it was from Photobucket but now I don't really know... I guess it's just not the right link or something...  I hope you can figure it out... I mean if this doesn't work you can always upload the picture to Photobucket.......