Blogging with mehar_mah

   Tigh Mor and Loch Achray, Perthshire Bing has taken this breathtaking photograph at  Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park which also happen to be the favorite place of photographers. And by looking this shot you know the reason why... The whole Loch is covered in mist and a magical spell that bounds your hearts and calls to its beauty.  Loch Achray is one of 22 larger lochs in Scotland’s first national park. Others include its namesake, Loch Lomond, Britain’s largest freshwater lake, and Loch Katrine, which inspired Sir Walter Scott to pen his epic 1810 poem The Lady of the Lake. Tigh Mor sits about a mile east of Loch Katrine and was well situated in the 19th century to pick up passing trade from tourists en route to see the famous loch. When it was built as a hotel in 1849, it had a fairytale-like appearance with its imposing towers and ‘candle snuffer’ coned roofs. Despite later additions, and a restoration in the 1990s which saw it turned into holiday a...

 The Hobbiton Hobbiton, near Matamata, North Island, New Zealand It's the Birthday of the most fantasied characters in the history of the fantasy world! Happy Birthday to dear Bilbo and Frodo!!!  Today's, on September 22,  marking the anniversary of the 'Unexpected Journey', which sets in motion the 'Lord of the Rings' book series. Fans of the film adaptations of those stories will have no problem identifying today’s image as Hobbiton in the Shire (though it is actually a set built in the countryside near Matamata on New Zealand's North Island.) You can celebrate Hobbit Day by walking around barefoot all day and having seven meals like a hobbit, or just by watching (or re-watching) any or all of the six films in the series.

  Sailboats in Warnemünde, Germany Its a Pirate Day! Lets sail and talk like a big, burly PIRATE! The holiday (yeah, we're calling it a holiday) was first imagined in 1995 by two US residents from the state of Oregon. September 19 was chosen for the annual observance since one of them had an ex-wife whose birthday fell on that day and they figured they could remember it. A few years later, seeking widespread adoption, they pitched the idea to humour columnist Dave Barry, who wrote, 'Every now and then, some visionary individuals come along with a concept that is so original and so revolutionary that your immediate reaction is: "Those individuals should be on medication"'. From there, it went viral, and these days, September 19 is celebrated internationally, with major brands and media personalities joining in the silliness. We're fans, too. Just picture us typin' this here with an eye patch, peg leg, an' pocket full o' swag doubloons. Arrr!   

  A new born pup is sleeping on the Mummy Sea Otter,  Monterey Bay  California. Sea otters shower their pups with attention, cradling them and grooming them for hours. But it's more than a gesture of affection - a mummy will rub her pup to fluff the pup's coat, which causes the fur to retain air bubbles. The air insulates the pup from chilly water and sometimes causes the youngster to float like a cork. Sea otters can survive on land, but they spend most of their time in the water, sleeping above the surface and anchoring themselves with kelp or by holding onto each other. When they get hungry, they use rocks as tools to hunt for food and pry open shells - something that makes them relatively unique, as they're one of the few mammals that can use tools.

Burchell's zebra mother and foal in Rietvlei Nature Reserve, South Africa by Richard Du Toit. Happy Mother's Day! On Mother's Day, we're looking at a Burchell's zebra mother and foal. An interesting fact that zebras can walk within 20 minutes of being born, but they still need help from mum. For the first two days after the foal is born, the mother will keep it close by and limit contact with other zebras, so the foal gets to know her by sight, smell and sound. Over the next year, the foal will follow its mother, learning what to eat, where to migrate in the dry and rainy seasons, and how to avoid predators. Those might not be the exact skills your mum taught you, but she surely played a part in your survival and growth - so be sure to wish her a happy Mother's Day today.

Sunrise at Llyn Padarn at Llanberis, Snowdonia National Park by Helen Hotson. The lone tree of Llyn Padarn This serene scene on Llyn Padarn, a glacially formed lake at the foot of Snowdon, is a photographer's favourite with its solitary tree set against a dramatic landscape. Sitting on the western shore of the lake, the 'Lone Tree' is visually striking at any time – be it full of leaves and set against a sunrise in the spring, leafless and mirrored in the still waters of the lake or enveloped in mist in the autumn and winter. The lake itself is a site of Special Scientific Interest which is home to lots of wildlife including the rare Arctic Char. At an impressive 29m (95ft) deep and two miles long, it is one of the larger natural lakes in Wales, sitting on the Llanberis Pass below Mount Snowdon, the highest mountain in Wales.

"Mt. Fuji and tea plantation" Shizuoka by  Hiroshi Ichikawa. It is the 88th day counting from the beginning of spring, and it is said to be a turning point from spring to summer.  Tea picking of new tea is also performed at this time.  The tea leaves picked at 88th night are said to be fine, and it is said that drinking tea on this day will make them live longer ... This is Shizuoka, the place for tea.  A tea plantation is spreading at the foot of Mt. Fuji.  The splendid greenery that spreads over the gentle hills and blue Mt. Fuji create a beautiful contrast.  Shizuoka tea is cultivated using a traditional farming method called "Tea grass farming," which is recognized as a World Agricultural Heritage.

"Victoria Falls and Rainbow" Zambia by  Dietmar Temps. A place where rainbows meet! Victoria Falls is a large waterfall located in the middle of the Zambezi River, which flows through the southeastern part of the African continent.  Located on the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia, it is also a World Heritage Site alongside the Iguazu Falls in South America and is a World Heritage Site.

The centuries couldn't change the beauty of this place. It's always been like this, the roofs of Paris! It is recognizable at a glance, the blue of the roofs of Paris, draped in zinc and slate, enhanced by the eternal red brick chimneys.  We saw them shine on the canvases, these roofs, on the canvas and in the movies.  We remember the Aristocats and the four hundred blows of little Antoine by François Truffaut… To those, the roofs offered a unique and personal escape, a parenthesis, in which they could sing, run, play and dream, floating almost at- above the world, like on a cloud ...

Daffodils in Dora’s Field, Rydal, Lake District by Simon Whaley Landscapes. Dancing daffodils! This sight of daffodils open a window from the past where we can hear the beautiful lyrics, wrote by  our nature loving poet,  William Wordsworth. The “host of golden daffodils, beside the lake, beneath the trees, fluttering and dancing in the breeze” that he describes are said to have been inspired by those in Glencoyne Bay, Ullswater, on a visit with his sister Dorothy in 1802. Wordsworth spent much of his life in the Lake District, the perfect place for a key figure in the Romantic movement and passionate environmentalist to get close to nature. To mark the anniversary, the Wordsworth Museum has been expanded and modernised and Dove Cottage has been refurbished to help generations of new fans discover Wordsworth.

A Kermode bear cub huddling with its sibling in Canada's Great Bear Rainforest, British Columbia by Ian McAllister. Brothers rivalry! They’re very cute but we’re betting these two Kermode bear siblings are a handful (hang in there, mama bear!). Kermode bears are a subspecies of the American black bear, although they're obviously not always black. They have a recessive gene which sometimes results in cream or white fur. While most Kermode bears are black, scientists estimate that between 10 and 20 per cent of the population have ivory coats. Known as ‘spirit bears’, they are special to indigenous people of the British Columbia coastal regions in Canada where they live. Today is Siblings Day in the US, which celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters.

Aerial view of Santorini island, Greece by Amazing Aerial Agency. Beautiful, whitewashed buildings through the clouds! With its romantic sunsets, dazzling ocean views and whitewashed buildings clinging to rocky clifftops, the Greek island of Santorini (aka Thera) is the very picture of an idyll in the Aegean. But this tranquil scene belies the island's explosive geologic history, for this is the site of one of the largest volcanic eruptions in recorded history. The Minoan eruption, about 3,600 years ago, caused the centre of the Thera volcano to collapse into the ocean, leaving Santorini a jagged, crescent-shaped moon atop the sea. The impact of the eruption was more than just geologic - when the volcano blew its top, Santorini was home to a thriving outpost of the Minoan civilisation. A farming and fishing community had been established at Akrotiri on the island around 7,000 years ago, and by the time of the eruption had developed into a prosperous city built largel...

The April full moon, or pink moon, rises over St Michael's Mount, Cornwall, England by Simon Maycock. Once in a pink moon! We're seeing a vivid 'pink moon' rise above St Michael's Mount - a granite-encrusted isle connected to the rugged peninsula of Cornwall, England, by sandy flats and a man-made causeway that submerge at high tide. The same order of monks that established France's Mont-Saint-Michel built a church and priory here in the 12th century. In ensuing centuries of war, the insular monastic outpost was fortified into the imposing castle we see today. Privately purchased in 1659, the mount was opened to the public in 1954 - and is still managed by members of the family that bought it over 350 years ago. This photo may give the moon a somewhat salmon tint, but the term 'pink moon' doesn't arise from its colour, nor from any place near the Cornish shores. The April full moon is called the pink moon because Native Americans associa...

Castle on the hill! Cherry blossoms and Himeji Castle in Himeji, Japan by Tororo. In honour of Castle Day in Japan, we're featuring Himeji Castle - one of the most pristine examples of traditional Japanese castle architecture and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Castle Day is on April 6 (or 4/6) because the Japanese character for castle (城) is read as 'shiro', and the Japanese pronunciation of 'four' is 'shi' and 'six' is 'ro'. Samurai warrior Akamatsu Norimura built Himeji Castle in 1333 as a fortress. Over the years, the structure has been remodelled many times and buildings were added as it changed hands. The castle even survived World War One unscathed while surrounding areas were bombed mercilessly. Today, it’s perhaps the best-known castle in Japan.

Let's celebrate  ‘the sparkliest day of the year' because it's The Unicorn Day by honoring  the beast of sea: A pod of narwhals or  narwhales. A pod of narwhals near Baffin Island, Nunavut, Canada by Eric Baccega. A pod of narwhals brandishing their tusks in the Arctic Ocean. Narwhals develop only two teeth, but - in males especially - the left canine can grow into a three-meter-long spiral tusk. As the tusk juts out of the top of their head, it's given the whale the nickname, 'unicorn of the sea'. For centuries narwhal tusks were sold to gullible buyers as rare unicorn horns with magical powers. These 'unicorn horns' were so prized for their medicinal and healing properties that in the 16th century, Queen Elizabeth I paid around A$20,000 for one (equal to the cost of building a castle back then). By the late 17th century, scientific facts started replacing superstitious beliefs and the unicorn horn market fell out of favor. Today narwhals c...

Looking inland from Ponce de León Inlet toward the lighthouse, Florida by Jason Sponseller. We’re at the Ponce de León Inlet Light, a lighthouse in the US state of Florida, for Pascua Florida Day, marking the anniversary of the Spanish explorer's arrival here in 1513. Believing it to be an island, Ponce de León claimed the land for Spain and named it 'La Florida' because of the verdant landscape and because it was the Easter season, which the Spaniards called 'Pascua Florida' (Festival of Flowers). According to legend, Ponce de León arrived here in search of the Fountain of Youth, a mythical water source said to restore the youth of those who drink or bathe in its waters. While that mission was unsuccessful, his name lives on in history and on this lighthouse and the inlet where it shines.

A fool's hen? Ruffed grouse in Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada by Jim Cumming. Various types of forest grouse are sometimes rather unkindly referred to as 'fool hens' because they don't fly away when approached by humans. In its northernmost habitat in Canada, the ruffed grouse pictured here is more likely to behave a little more ‘foolishly’, sitting and looking at people as they approach. But further south, they are more wary and fly off at the slightest sign of movement. And they can be quite the acrobatic fliers when needed, flying in short spurts and making sharp twists and turns as they navigate thick forests.

This shy guy here, is hiding for what! Why do elephants hide in the first place? ... Because they're so good at it. And none are as skilled at self-concealment as this specimen from the Loxodonta genus of African elephants - namely the species laprofolis. These mammoth creatures roll in the mud, getting covered in seeds which stick to their grooved hide. When it rains, the seeds sprout into dense, leafy growths which camouflage the huge beast as it wanders the savannah. Don’t believe us? Maybe take a closer look at the species’ name and see if you're still not convinced it exists. Either way, it’s best to be on your guard today, who knows where the next elephant of surprise will come from? This image is taken from  Marakele National Park, Limpopo, South Africa, by  Staffan Widstrand.

Blooming cherry trees in Vancouver, B.C, Canada

The Twist bridges the Randselva river, at the Kistefos Museum's sculpture park in Norway What a twist! No, it's not a sci-fi movie set - but maybe it should be. The Twist does look like a futuristic intrusion amid the dense woods and preserved historic buildings of Jevnaker, Norway, home to the Kistefos Museum's sculpture park. The Twist is a bridge, but it’s also an art gallery. Its unique construction features straight panels set at increasing angles as one moves towards the centre - 'like a stack of books' as its architects at the Bjarke Ingels Group describe it - to create a 90-degree turn where a wall becomes the ceiling and vice versa. Situated about an hour's drive from Oslo around a defunct wood pulp mill on the Randselva river - which the Twist spans - Kistefos boasts a collection of works by Claes Oldenburg and other notable artists. The Twist, which opened in autumn 2019, will be a space for rotating (pun intended) art exhibitions and even mu...

A boundless beauty and serenity!  Aerial view of Spray Lakes Reservoir, Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park,  Alberta . Established since 1922, Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park sits about 48 kilometres southwest of Banff and is only accessible via backcountry hiking trails or by a helicopter. This gem in the wilderness boasts snow-peaked mountains, glistening lakes, glaciers and luscious larch trees. Given its relative inaccessibility, it tends to draw serious campers, hikers and mountain climbers. We don’t blame them for trekking it out here given the naturally stunning vistas here.

Spring is here! This image is a former waste water treatment field and it's called  "tricky field", situated in Berlin, Germany. These fields were once used for filtering waste water but there they are a sight for sore eyes and nature lovers. These trees, however reducing in numbers but nonetheless, give a breathtaking view in spring season. The “Berlin Rieselfelder” were created by James Hobrecht at the end of the 19th century for the purification of Berlin's wastewater.  Today, all of the trickle fields are out of order, but in 1928 around 10,000 hectares were used for wastewater treatment.  Wastewater treatment plants have now taken over the tasks of the trickle fields, which existed not only in Berlin, but throughout Germany. So lets celebrate spring and save water for the next generation.

Aerial view of Galešnjak Island on the Adriatic coast of Croatia Spreading love is an inspiration! Galešnjak is a small, uninhabited island that reveals itself as a heart-shaped paradise when viewed from above, earning it a romantic reputation and the nickname Love Island. We’ll take it as proof that sometimes all you need is a shift in perspective to find the bright side of things.

"Central Park" New York City, New York, USA Central Park in Spring. Central Park is a four-kilometer north-south urban park in the heart of New York and Manhattan.  The green belt at the center of the skyscraper is an oasis for urban children.  Spring is finally coming to such a resting place… This park is planted with Yoshino cherry trees and double cherry blossoms sent from Japan, and from April to May it will be a beautiful row of cherry trees.  A flower belt that stretches in the middle of the city tells Manhattan of spring.

Leopard snoozing in a tree in Namibia Feeling tired?. A good day for a nap Like the napping African leopard in today's image, you might be feeling a little tired after losing an hour of sleep when the clocks went forward at 1 am, as we switch to daylight saving time. The good news is, you’ll be repaid with lighter evenings from now on. In the UK, clocks always go forward one hour on the last Sunday in March and go back an hour on the last Sunday in October. We’ve been switching to BST (British Summer Time), since World War One so you’d think we’d be used to it by now. But it’s tiring losing that hour in bed, so maybe take a leaf out of our leopard’s book and grab a cat nap if you can.

"Royal Albert Hall", London, UK An iconic platform to display your art! Today is the birthday of Royal Albert Hall.  Since its inception in 1871, there have been held many legendary events here ... The hall in the image is called the Albert Hall, is lined with famous museums and theatres, including the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Natural History Museum, and is central to London.  In the hall, not only music performances, but also sporting events such as boxing, professional wrestling, tennis, etc are organized here. In 1991, Japanese sumo wrestling was also performed. After a great art exhibition in Hyde Park of London in 1851, Prince Albert suggested to build a recreational facility for his people and this hall is called Albertopolis.  So here we have a royal spot to display our royal talents.

A stormy crested tit, Scotland Three more wintry days! Scottish people believe that the last three days of March is borrowed from April that's why are called 'Borrow Days'. March normally consists of lots of weather lore— one is springy and breezy, the other is wintry and snowy and the last one is rainy and sleety, according to Scottish folklore. These days are considered the wintry lapse and some think, they are ill-omen to reduce the businesses and makes birds frozen on their perch on the branches of trees. So today, in this image a b lack crowned  tit  ( Parus rubidiventris)  is perching on a tree in a stormy weather. Its  body is 12 cm long and is characterized by black crown feathers and chest pockets, white cheeks, gray upper body, no wings, gray lower body, and brown rump.  Young birds are dark and have a short plumage.   Generally they inhabit in alpine forest areas nearly 2000 meters above sea level, often active in alpine coniferous...

Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge over the Cooper River, South Carolina, USA An illuminated pathway! This cable-stayed bridge has one of the largest spans in the western hemisphere and is particularly impressive in the dark when it is illuminated.  When opened in 2005, the eight-lane Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge replaced the two older, dilapidated bridges that previously ran over the Cooper River.  It can withstand wind speeds of over 480 km / h and 7.4 magnitude earthquakes on the Richter scale.  And that's really necessary as: ​​Many of the more than 134,000 residents of Charleston in the US state of South Carolina can still remember Hurricane Hugo, which swept across the port city in 1989.  While earthquakes do not occur particularly often in Charleston, caution is still advisable. The 1886 earthquake, with an estimated magnitude of over 7.3 almost completely destroyed the city at the time.

Cape Formentor Lighthouse, Mallorca, Spain A long drive along Mediterranean!  Cape Formento stands at the southernmost tip of Mallorca.  For nearly a century, Cape Formento has attracted countless tourists to visit, its magnificent scenery and steep cliffs are breathtaking. It's really exciting to see the magnificent rocky landscape of the entire island at Cape Formento.  Cape Formento also has a wealth of tourist facilities and lighthouses for tourists to visit.  Gaze at the deep Mediterranean Sea, the sigh of admiration for the amazing beauty of Mallorca is spontaneous.  If the weather is clear, you may also see Balearic Island in nearby Menorca.

Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge connecting two cliffs near Ballintoy, County Antrim, Northern Ireland High and dry. A bridge for the brave A head for heights is definitely required here at one of Northern Ireland’s most eye-catching attractions, the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge, off the coast of County Antrim. This 20m (66ft) long bridge spans the chasm between the mainland and Carrick-a-Rede Island, which takes its name from the Irish ‘Carraig a’ Ráid’ or ‘rock of the casting’. No-one lives in the restored fisherman’s cottage on the island now but at one time it was the place to go to catch migrating salmon, and it is fishermen who built the first bridge here in 1755. If you think today’s bridge looks daunting, you should’ve seen some of its earlier incarnations. As late as the 1970s there was only one handrail, not to mention large gaps between the slats. As numbers of salmon dipped, commercial fishing came to an end in 2002 and the bridge became a tourist attraction for thos...

"Mt. Fuji and Sakura" Yamanashi, Lake Kawaguchi Today is "Sakura Day"! This is the cherry blossom anniversary established by the Japan Sakura Association.  3 × 9 = 27, March 27, from 3 (sa) 9 (ku).  The current season is the 72nd season of cherry blossoms, and this year is March 25.  It is said that the cherry blossoms are starting to open ... At the foot of Mt. Fuji, the cherry blossoms at Lake Kawaguchi will soon be in full bloom.  The walking trail around the lake is lined with about 200 cherry blossom trees, making Mt. Fuji look like a picture frame.

Aerial shot of grey whale (Eschrichtius robustus) at the surface among bull kelp in Vancouver Migration in progress In late winter and early spring, thousands of grey whales, many with calves in tow, swim by coastal waters of B.C. as they migrate from the warm waters of Baja California to their summer feeding grounds in the north. Come winter, they pass by again on the swim south. The entire roundtrip route clocks in at about 19,000 kilometres, making grey whales among the longest migrators of animal kingdom. Because they travel close to Vancouver’s coastline, it's also one of the few whale migrations that can be seen from shore.

Azaleas in bloom at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, South Carolina Pretty in pink, and purple, and red... Azaleas in peak bloom are a stunning sight at the Magnolia Plantation and Gardens near Charleston in the US state of South Carolina. Together they create a vibrant forest of blooms spanning hundreds of native and hybrid varieties, including 15 azaleas once thought to be extinct. Founded in 1676 as a rice plantation, Magnolia introduced an extensive network of dams and dykes built along the Ashley River for irrigating fields for rice cultivation. These earthworks were created by African slaves from rice-growing regions of West Africa and their descendants. Botanical gardens were an early feature of the plantation; some sections of Magnolia's gardens date back 325 years.

Rhododendron flowers and Bucura mountain lakes, Retezat Mountains in Carpathians, Romania A post for nature lovers! The oldest national park in Romania is located in the high mountains of the Southern Carpathians.  In addition to numerous deep blue glacial lakes - such as Bucura Lake, which we see here - the protected area also has over 60 mountain peaks with a height of over 2,300 meters.  The Retezat National Park also serves to protect one of the last primary forests in Europe.  Many animals live here, including golden eagles, wolves and brown bears.  But the flora is also impressive: a third of all plant species found in Romania can be found in the park.

The Federseesteg at dawn near Bad Buchau, Baden-Württemberg, Germany Morning mood at the lake The Federsee near Bad Buchau is located in the middle of a large moor area, so access to the open water is not easily possible.  Thanks to the Federseesteg, walkers can reach the water with dry feet.  It leads from Bad Buchau's edge over a length of 1.5 kilometers through scattered meadows and reed landscape to the lake shore and ends at a viewing platform in the lake. With an area of ​​1.4 square kilometers, the Federsee is Baden-Württemberg's second largest lake and is protected together with the surrounding moor area.  The variety of plant and bird species is unique.  A visit to the Federsee museum in Bad Buchau is recommended.  Finds of prehistoric pile dwellings and replicas of bog villages can be viewed there.

The Radcliffe Camera, Oxford, England for Tolkien Reading Day It's Tolkien Reading Day! For Tolkien Reading Day, we're featuring Oxford University's Radcliffe Camera, home to the world's largest archive of J.R.R. Tolkien's original manuscripts and drawings. While Tolkien never worked in the Radcliffe Camera (Latin for 'room'), he both studied here at Oxford (graduating in 1915 with first-class honors in English language) and taught here as a professor of Anglo-Saxon and later as a professor of English language and literature. During his years at Oxford, Tolkien wrote 'The Hobbit' and its sequel, 'The Lord of the Rings', along with other books and research. In 2003, the Tolkien Society organised the first Tolkien Reading Day to celebrate and promote the works of Tolkien. They selected March 25 since it was the day that the Dark Lord Sauron was defeated, and the Black Tower destroyed in the 'Lord of the Rings'.

Crimson rosella with juvenile, Victoria, Australia Snack time for the crimson rosella Everybody loves a little snack, and the cheerful rosella is no exception. The bird, which is native to Australia (but has been introduced to New Zealand and Norfolk Island) will happily feast on tree blossoms, berries and insects, but more commonly nibbles on seeds of eucalyptus, grasses and shrubs. Make sure to pay close attention to its colour though, because there are actually three variations of rosellas. The crimson rosella, with a red plumage (the layer of feathers that mostly cover a bird) and bright blue cheeks. Then there is the ‘yellow rosella’, which has the areas of crimson replaced with a light yellow and greener tail, as well as the ‘Adelaide rosella’ which can range from yellow to a reddish-orange in colour. If you do happen to spot one out in the wild, don’t be scared - the birds are relatively familiar with humans and are known to accept hand-held food.

Balloon over Lavender plantation, Brihuega, Guadalajara province, Castilla La Mancha, Spain