Fireflies in Southern Michigan
a night of fireflies
has arrived…
my spring-planted willow ~ Issa
Photographer: Ken Scott; Ken’s Web site
Summary Author: Ken Scott; Jim Foster
Shown above on this long exposure (40 minute) is a flock of fireflies on a midsummer’s eve, beneath a starry sky as observed near Willis, Michigan. With dimming light after sunset, fireflies (also called glow worms or lightning bugs) emerge from their daytime lair in grassy lawns, meadows and tree canopies. Initially they cling close to the ground but tend to drift higher up — though rarely above the tree tops. As the sky darkens their blinking bioluminescent glow, used to attract mates or prey, seems to increase. Note the lone fire-walker; seemingly daring others to cross its yellow-green line. Photo taken on July 19, 2014.
http://epod.usra.edu/blog/2014/08/fireflies-in-southern-michigan.html
Miniature Donkeys are the CUTEST Things Ever
The miniature donkeys at the Amelia Rise Donkey farm in Australia are some of the cutest creatures on this earth. They are small, they are happy and they are fuzzy.
Prepare for your blood pressure to be lowered and your day to be brightened:
Vík í Mýrdal ~ Black Sand Beach on South Coast of Iceland
Photographer: Mari Wirta; Mari’s Web site
Summary Author: Mari Wirta
The photo above shows a black sand and pebble beach near the town of Vik i Myrdal, the southernmost settlement in Iceland. This sand originated from the basalt lava that covers much of the area. Because black sand isn’t routinely replenished like most beach sand when storms and tides wash the sand away, black sand beaches tend not to endure very long.
The geology of Iceland is comparatively young — it owes its existence to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge that splits the island in half. Volcanoes along the ridge, such as Katla, erupt with some regularity continuing to add surface area and mass to the “land of ice and fire” and to augment the black sand beaches. Photo taken near sunset on October 3, 2012.
Photo details: Camera Model: NIKON D800; Lens: 16.0-28.0 mm f/2.8; Focal Length: 16mm (35mm equivalent: 16mm); Aperture: f/4.5; Exposure Time: 0.0040 s (1/250); ISO equiv: 400; Software: Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4.2 (Windows).
- Vik, Iceland Coordinates: 63.419444, -19.009722
The village of Vík or Vík í Mýrdal in full, is the southernmost village in Iceland, located on the main ring road around the island, around 180 km (110 mi) by road southeast of Reykjavík.
Despite its small size (291 inhabitants as of January 2011) it is the largest settlement for some 70 km (43 mi) around and is an important staging post, thus it is indicated on road signs from a long distance away. It is an important service center for the inhabitants and visitors to the coastal strip between Skógar and the west edge of the Mýrdalssandur glacial outwash plain.
Summer Palace, China
Summer Palace, China
Photograph by Shen Xinhang, National Geographic Your Shot
This Month in Photo of the Day: Travel Photos
Marble 17-arch bridge at the Summer Palace, China
This photo and caption were submitted to Your Shot.
See pictures of China from our photo community »
Hedgehog Cacti in Bloom
Photographer: Kathleen Kiefer; Kathleen’s Web site
Summary Author: Kathleen Kiefer
The photo above shows hedgehog cacti blooming in the Ancient Lakes area of Washington State. I had always wanted to see the illusive crimson to cherry colored blooms of the “hedgehog,” which grow on rocky hillsides and flat lands, usually in lithosol areas. Because collectors have been known to dig them up, even though seldom survive under propagation, they’ve become increasingly rare where they were once common. The ones above were found in a rather secluded part of the Columbia Basin, pictured against a backdrop of lichen-covered rocks, larkspur, phlox, and sulphur lupine. Photo taken on April 13, 2013.
Photo details: Top – Camera Model: Canon EOS 7D; Lens: EF-S10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM; Focal Length: 22.0mm; Aperture: f/25.0; Exposure Time: 0.0016 s (1/640); ISO equiv: 1250; Software: Adobe Photoshop CS4 Macintosh. Inset – Same except: Lens: EF-S18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS; Focal Length: 52.0mm.
Tonle Sap Lake ~ Cambodia
Entire Communities Living on a Lake, Going to School on Stilts
Photo of the Day: May 19, 2013. An Editors’ Pick from our 2013 Photo Contest.
Photo and caption by Steve Wallace (Oceanside, CA); Photographed February 2011, Tonle Sap Lake, Cambodia
Temples of the Angkor Complex in Cambodia ~ here
Misty Morning ~ Louisiana
The Greenwood Plantation’s Oak Alley on a Misty Morning
Photo of the Day: April 19, 2013. An Editors’ Pick from our 2012 Photo Contest.
Photo by Bonnie Marquette (Wakefield, LA); Photographed February 2012, St. Francisville, LA
Night Sky Observed from Paros Island, Greece
Photographer: Stavros Hios
Summary Authors: Stavros Hios; Jim Foster
The image above shows a view of an illuminated, old sailing ship and the glow of the Milky Way as observed from the island of Paros, Greece, in the Aegean Sea. Since the Moon was in the new phase and because this area (southernmost point of Paros) is quite isolated, the night sky was nearly pitch black. The camera is facing in the direction of the constellation of Sagittarius — toward the center and densest portion of the Milky Way. Sagittarius has more Messier objects than any other constellation. The brightest of these is the Lagoon Nebula (Messier object M8), visible with the naked eye — at top. Just above M8 is the Trifid Nebula (M 20). Photo taken on July 15, 2012.
Photo details: NIKON D7000 camera; F/5; 70mm lens; ASTROTRACK
essere nella merda lol :) raccontare barzellette
my “creek ” forming off front steps to porch … is time to build boat and sail to Cuba ? lol
Butterfly and Rhododendron
Butterfly and Rhododendron
Photograph by Julia Baverstock, My Shot
This Month in Photo of the Day: Nature and Weather Photos
This beautiful rare butterfly was on a rhododendron bush in my grandfather’s garden, Dartmoor, Devon.
(This photo and caption were submitted to My Shot.)
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February 24, 2013 Eruption of Sakurajima
Photographer: Marc Szeglat
Summary Author: Marc Szeglat
Shown above is an impressive fusillade from Sakurajima volcano, on the island of Kyushu, Japan, as viewed on the night of February 24, 2013. Throughout the past four years, Sakurajima has been in a state of elevated activity. During the first two months of 2013, approximately 200 explosive events were recorded. On occasion, an eruption is accompanied by lightning. As can be seen on the picture, the lightning seems to emanate from near the crater rather than from a cloud above the volcano’s 3,665 ft (1,117 m) summit. This phenomenon isn’t fully understood. Our small exploration group (Richard Roscoe, Martin Rietze and Marc Szeglat) noticed that the flashes appeared in the first seconds following very powerful explosions. Scoria and very fine-grained volcanic ash were observed during such eruptions. For five consecutive nights we were stationed in front of the volcano and saw two eruptions with lightning. Photo taken on February 24, 2013.
Yo vengo de la Habana ;)
Seaside, Havana
Photograph by Paolo Pellegrin
This Month in Photo of the Day: National Geographic Magazine Features
The century-old stone wall of the Malecón, Havana’s famous oceanside esplanade, shields the city—imperfectly—from the battering of roiling seas. On calmer nights people come out to stroll on the street.
See more pictures from the November 2012 feature story “Cuba’s New Now.”
Go behind the words with a podcast from the story’s author »
Take a visual tour of Cuba »
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Tutti siami rei ~ le lacrime sono la miglior preghiera
Kyrgyz Girls, Afghanistan
Photograph by Matthieu Paley, National Geographic
This Month in Photo of the Day: National Geographic Magazine Features
After a hailstorm, nomadic Kyrgyz girls venture outside their mud hut beside the Aksu River in a remote part of Afghanistan. The nomads sometimes stop here for a few weeks between migratory seasons if grass for their herds is too scarce at the summer or winter camps.
See more pictures from the February 2013 feature story “Stranded on the Roof of the World.”
Novice Shaman, Mongolia ~ Бөөгийн хонхорын тахилга Shaman Byambadorj
Novice Shaman, Mongolia
Photograph by Carolyn Drake, National Geographic
This Month in Photo of the Day: National Geographic Magazine Features
A novice shaman makes an offering of milk to the spirits at her initiation outside the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar.
See more pictures from the December 2012 feature story “Masters of Ecstasy.”
~ Frozen Misurina Lake, Veneto, Italy ~
Photographer: Marco Zante; Marco’s Web site
Summary Authors: Marco Zante; Jim Foster
The photo above shows Misurina Lake in Veneto, Italy covered with snow and ice. The light conditions this foggy morning lent an ethereal look to the wintry landscape. Snow depths in wooded areas ranged from approximately 15-20 in (38-50 cm); the average thickness of the ice on Misurina Lake was perhaps 12 in (30 cm). Actually, when the ice thickness approaches 24 in (60 cm), polo is occasionally played on the frozen surface. Note the incremental contours that show patterns of ice formation and, in some cases, patterns of ice disturbance. Forest trees include, silver fir (Abies alba), Swiss stone pine (Pinus cembra), larch (Larix deciduas), black pine (Pinus nigra), Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) and Norway spruce (Picea abies).
Photo details: Camera Model: Canon EOS 1100D; Lens: EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II; Focal Length: 35mm; Aperture: f/14.0; Exposure Time: 0.0025 s (1/400); ISO equiv: 100; Software: Adobe Photoshop CS6 (Windows).
- Misurina Lake, Italy Coordinates: 46.5819, 12.2539
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Codfish Vicenza-style
Time ~3 hours and 30 minutes
Ingredients
Servings 4
- 1 lb stockfish
- ½ lb milk
- 3 ½ oz onion
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 oz salted anchovies
- a pinch of parsley
- 2 oz all-purpose flour
- grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese to taste
- salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
30 minutes preparation + 3 hours cooking
Step 1
Soak the codfish for 24 hours. Remove the spinal bone and the other fish bones. In a casserole with oil, brown the onion, add a little salt.
Step 2
Add crushed anchovies and chopped parsley.
Step 3
Cut the codfish into chunks, flour the chunks then sprinkle grated cheese on them.
Step 4
Add a little milk to the casserole, keep on low heat, add codfish and cook.
Step 5
Add more milk if necessary, season with a little salt and pepper and cook till ready.
Chef’s Tips
The casserole with the codfish should never have the lid on because this will make the fish turn dark. There should be abundant oil, low heat, as it should not fry but cook lightly. Do not stir with a ladle as the fish tends to come apart, simply move the casserole in a clockwise direction.
more recipes @ original link Academia Barilla
//www.academiabarilla.com/italian-recipes/step-step-recipes/codfish-vicenza-style.aspx
Rough Green Snake
Rough Green Snake
Photograph by ~ Jason Wiles, My Shot
This Month in Photo of the Day: Your Photos
Rough green snake in a Japanese maple tree. The irony of this photograph is that this incredibly angry looking pose is actually the snake yawning.
(This photo and caption were submitted to My Shot.)
What Makes This a Photo of the Day? The focus of the frame, the snake’s yawning mouth, is tack-sharp, which is what makes this a success. I also appreciated the extra information from the photographer, as I too would have assumed this was one disgruntled fellow. —Alexa Keefe, Photo of the Day editor
February 19, 2013 Eruption of Mount Etna ~ Sicily
Photographer: Marco Restivo; Marco’s Web site
Summary Authors: Marco Restivo; Jim Foster
Mount Etna, on the island of Sicily, Italy, has long been one of Europe’s most active volcanoes — eruptions have been observed here for approximately 3,500 years.
The most recent series of eruptions were initiated during the early morning hours of February 19, 2013, when glowing fountains of lava erupted from Mount Etna’s southeast crater.
Four separate outbursts were recorded within about a 48-hour period. Even though eruptions of Etna (about 10,900 ft or 3,325 m) occur quite frequently, it hasn’t exploded with successive episodes such as this since at least 2000.
Photo details: Camera Model: Canon EOS 7D; Lens: EF70-200mm f/4L USM; Focal Length: 200mm; Aperture: f/4.0; Exposure Time: 0.067 s (1/15); ISO equiv: 400; Software: Adobe Photoshop CS5 Windows.
- Mount Etna Coordinates: 37.750000, 15.000000
Mount Etna, on the island of Sicily, Italy, has long been one of Europe’s most active volcanoes — eruptions have been observed here for approximately 3,500 years.
The most recent series of eruptions were initiated during the early morning hours of February 19, 2013, when glowing fountains of lava erupted from Mount Etna’s southeast crater.
Four separate outbursts were recorded within about a 48-hour period. Even though eruptions of Etna (about 10,900 ft or 3,325 m) occur quite frequently, it hasn’t exploded with successive episodes such as this since at least 2000.
Photo details: Camera Model: Canon EOS 7D; Lens: EF70-200mm f/4L USM; Focal Length: 200mm; Aperture: f/4.0; Exposure Time: 0.067 s (1/15); ISO equiv: 400; Software: Adobe Photoshop CS5 Windows.
- Mount Etna Coordinates: 37.750000, 15.000000
Arno River, Florence ~ Italy
Arno River, Florence
Photograph by Heather Anne Campbell, My Shot
This Month in Photo of the Day: Your Photos
Spending the holidays traveling means fewer tourists and more clouds. This photo was taken on Christmas in Florence, Italy. Very few people were walking around, and the air was very still.
(This photo and caption were submitted to My Shot.)
What Makes This a Photo of the Day? This photograph has a delicate, painterly quality, which is lovely. The soft, gray light and the choice to show more sky above the bridge than water below reinforces the stillness of the day the photographer describes. —Alexa Keefe
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Collection of Florentine Recipes ~ one of my favorites
Carciofi ripieni
Carciofi ripieni = Artichokes filled with bread and….
Artichokes (two per person)
One bunch of parsley
Garlic (3 coves)
Olive oil
Breadcrumbs
Salt and pepper
Clean the artichokes cutting off the stalk and the tough leaves.
Grind the parsley and the garlic together, in a bowl place: a cup of breadcrumbs, add water, salt a little oil, the parsley and the garlic and mix all (the breadcrumbs will soak up about 1 or two glasses of water).
Open the leaver of the artichokes and with a tea spoon insert the mixture among the leaves. Place the filled artichokes in a saucepan so that they are standing one near the other. Cook (adding some water if necessary) until they are tender (test with a fork).
dip leaves into seasoned olive oil or melted butter with garlic
more florentine recipes @ link
A waning moon and its halo as seen through a willow tree ~ Earth Sky
Today’s image of a waning moon and its halo as seen through the branches of a willow tree comes from EarthSky Facebook friend Michael Flood.
L'amore e forte come la morte 