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Showing posts with the label flower

The Ring And The Giant And The Hobbit

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 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.

Daffodils— A Sight To Hold To The Heart

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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 Sight Descended From The Past - A Castle On The Hill

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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.

White, Pink And Purple Blossom

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Blooming cherry trees in Vancouver, B.C, Canada

A Day To Celebrate Cherry Blossom

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"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.

A Theme Of Nature

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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.

Approaching Of Spring!

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Honeybee approaching the flower of a common pasque flower (Pulsatilla vulgaris), Upper Palatinate, Bavaria, Germany Hooray, Lenz is here!.  Beginning of spring We welcome the beginning of spring with this wonderful picture of a honeybee approaching the bloom of an ordinary pasque flower.  The flower, which is widespread in Western and Central Europe, is one of the early bloomers and shows its flowers from March to May.  At the beginning of the flowering period, the plants are often in an attractive contrast to the garden, which still looks wintery. Unfortunately, the population of the common pasque flower is considered endangered.  In many German states it is threatened with extinction, in some regions such as Berlin, Hamburg and Bremen it is already extinct.  As colorful and tempting as the flower looks, people should keep their distance, because all parts of the plant in the common pasque flower are very poisonous.

The Colors Of Nature In Jerte Valley

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Blooming cherry trees in Jerte Valley, Province of Cáceres, Spain Jerte Valley in bloom As winter turns to spring in the Jerte Valley, all eyes are on the cherry blossoms. This tiny region in the Province of Cáceres, Spain, has the perfect microclimate for cherry trees, and there are more than 1.5 million of them here in just 37 square kilometres. The cherry blossoms last just two weeks before the petals rain down, covering the entire valley. About 40 days later, the first cherries are ready to be picked. Locals make wine, beer, and various foods with them. Cherries are also used for spa and beauty treatments, since they have antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, in addition to vitamins and ellagic acid .

The Smell Of Spring And Hope

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Pointe de Pen-Hir and the Breton monument of Free France on the Crozon peninsula, Brittany La Breizh!.  It smells of spring and Brittany Looking at this picture, you can almost feel the fresh Breton wind sweeping our face, as much as it sweeps the tall grass and wild flowers of this steep coast.  In ten days, spring will be here again but, as we wanted to get a little ahead, we offer this photo full of daisies, sea, blue sky and sea breeze. What you see here is the Pointe de Pen-Hir, located on the Crozon peninsula, in Brittany.  The stone structure that we see in the background is a monument commemorating the Bretons of free France, inaugurated by General de Gaulle in the 1960s. This Monument to the Bretons, also called Croix de Pen-Hir, was carved by artist François Victor Bazin in blue Brennilis granite.  You can read the inscription "Aux Bretons de la France libre - MCMXL - MCMXLV - France has lost a battle, but France has not lost the war.  In ...

A Star Frog!

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Tree frog on a flower, Lake Kissimmee, Florida, USA The charming prince?  Charming princess, rather.. Perched on the petals of a Nymphaea, on Lake Kissimmee in Florida, we thought this little frog quite interesting to watch.  In the United States, these little amphibians are celebrated during the month of the frog which pays homage to all the frogs in the world, which represents no less than 4,000 species!  Among the different kinds of frogs, this little tree frog is favored by most of us, no doubt because of its small size, funny face and the fact that it requires very little attention.  Some of the American gardens are populated by it and it is even the official reptile of Louisiana and Georgia!  A star frog, what.

The Allure Of Some Predators

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Eurasian Eagle-Owl (Bubo bubo) in wildflower meadow, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany Look at the ears and the fascinated feathers of this magnificent creature! Hedwig is probably one of the most famous owls in contemporary film history. As a faithful companion of Harry Potter, she has not only found a place in the hearts of many children, but also delighted many adults. We don't know why our leading actor looks so grim in this picture, but even a Lord Voldemort should be anxious and serious. Our owl – scientifically known as Bubo bubo - belongs to a genus of birds in the family of the actual owls. With a size of up to 75 centimetres, a weight of around 3.4 kilograms and a wingspan of about 1.80 metres, the owl is the largest owl in the world. Special features are its eye-catching feather ears and the striking orange eyes. Today's picture was taken in Rhineland-Palatinate. The main area of the owl is located in the state with the capital Mainz in the districts of Bad ...

The First Sign Of Spring

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"Crocus" Nagano, Komoro Spring is coming! Today is Keikei (baby or immature plant).  It is said that the signs of spring have come and the hibernating insects are crawling out.  It is the term of the spring season until the vernal equinox ... Crocus that blooms at this time is said to be "a flower that tells spring" in Europe, and the flower language "coveted" is attached when waiting for spring.  However, depending on the color, there is another flower language, and the purple crocus is accompanied by the word "regret of love".  Be careful when giving to your lover.

The Desert Flowers

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Saguaro cactus flowers, Coronado National Forest, Arizona, USA The desert blooms Spring may yet to have sprung here in the UK, but across the Atlantic, in the US state of Arizona, the Sonoran Desert is coming into wildflower season. Soon the big daddy of the cactus world – the saguaro – will start to bloom. This amazing succulent is the largest cactus in the United States (it can grow higher than 50ft and weigh several tonnes, when it’s fully hydrated). It can also live more than 100 years and will grow arms as it ages, creating that classic cactus profile associated with the desert and the Wild West. Its flowers are short-lived, typically blooming at dusk and remaining open only until the following morning. They form at the top of the plant and the tips of branches and are striking enough to be honoured as Arizona's state flower. They’ll go on to produce a red, edible fruit that will ripen by July. (© Jack Dykinga/Minden Picture)

Blaetter Frost

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Leaves with hoarfrost in the Black Forest, Freiburg, Baden-Wuthering, Germany.

A Beautiful Pair Of Butterflies

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A pair of Galle White-Eyed Butterfly landing on a flower, Alsace, France.

"Peach blossoms"

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It is “Ritsuharu”. “Peach blossom”, which means  that the spring begins.

Sneeze Spring

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Snowdrop in the snow

Sky Islands Arizona

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Saguaro cacti in the Sonoran Desert near Tucson, Arizona.

Blueberry Frost

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Frost on blueberry plants, New Brunswick, Canada.