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Showing posts with the label plant

A Fantasy For Nature Lovers

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   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 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.

A Lone Tree In The Lovely Llanberis Lake

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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.

A Tea Day In Fuji

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"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.

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.

Ponce De León Inlet— A Lighthouse From The Spanish Era

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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 Shy, Shambling Elephant

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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.

White, Pink And Purple Blossom

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Blooming cherry trees in Vancouver, B.C, Canada

A sight So Full Of Beauty And Reverence

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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.

A Cat Nap After Losing An Hour Of Sleep

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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.

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.

Flying Among The Purple Fields

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

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.

Bungle Bungles Or Beehives!

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Beehive domes in the Bungle Bungle Range in the Purnululu World Heritage Listed National Park More than meets the eye Welcome to Purnululu National Park, a World Heritage Listed site that managed to be one of the world’s best kept secrets until relatively recently. Although it has existed for around 350 million years and respected by its Indigenous Australian custodians for upwards of 40,000 years, it wasn’t until 1983 that the area became public knowledge after airborne treasure-seekers stumbled upon the area while making a documentary. Nowadays, the park’s most popular area is the Bungle Bungle Range, also commonly referred to as the Bungle Bungles. With soaring rocks rising 250 metres above the grasslands, many people liken the maze of domes to giant beehives, however you needn’t worry about pesky stingers - it’s in look only. The formations were instead created over the span of 20 million years as water gradually eroded the orange and black-striped karst sandstone into t...

An Endless Green Passageway (Grave)

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Knowth burial mound in Newgrange, Boyne Valley, Ireland for St Patrick's Day It’s a good day to be green For St. Patrick's Day, an image of the Knowth passage grave, part of the Boyne valley tombs, about an hour's drive north of Dublin. In addition to Knowth, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is home to the Newgrange and Dowth passage graves, henges, standing stones, and a significant portion of Western Europe's megalithic art. Knowth, the largest passage grave in the complex, is a 12-metre-high mound with a diameter of 67 metres; two east-west passages run under it that lead to separate burial chambers. The structures predate St. Patrick by nearly 4,000 years, and their original purpose is unclear - but on this day dedicated to celebrating all things Irish, they show off the engineering capabilities of the area's ancient population as well as the natural green beauty of the Irish countryside.

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 Miracle Miracle

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"One pine tree of miracle", Rikuzentakata, Iwate It's been nine years since the Great East Japan Earthquake. In 2011, the Great East Japan Earthquake occurred.  The largest earthquake in Japan's history, has caused even greater damage, including tsunamis and nuclear accidents.  Nine years later, the recovery has progressed, but there are still traces of the disaster ... This "One Miracle Miracle" is a monument left in Rikuzentakata City, Iwate Prefecture.  This was once a scenic spot that was once designated as one of Japan's 100 scenic spots, but the pine was left behind and one side was exposed to the tsunami.  This one-honmatsu, which did not wash away by the tsunami, tells the state of the time that conveys the scars of the earthquake.

The Real Conquerors

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The Joan of Arc Monument at Riverside Park in Manhattan Joan charges Riverside Park! Sculptor Anna Hyatt Huntington was unusual for her era - a successful female artist. In 1910, she first exhibited a version of her Joan of Arc statue at the Salon in Paris, a prestigious art exhibition dating from the 1600s. But she only earned honourable mention because the exhibition’s judges didn’t think a woman working alone could create a sculpture of that magnitude. Paris’ loss is Manhattan’s gain, as the American city soon commissioned a new Saint Joan for display at Riverside Park. These kind of stories, we enjoy sharing on International Women’s Day. Here, the real conquerors are the women who have held their ground and remained invincible despite all the criticisms and objections.