Category: humanity

Our Sally IV

Old and New Forts

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As Pam and I past the scenes of bucolic reverie this sign drew us back to the past. The reference to de Courcy is as a family of invading Normans. John de Courcy, without the King’s permission, launched an 1176 AD invasion of northeastern Ireland, what is now County Down, as an ultimately failed land grab. The history is murky, though apparently John de Courcy’s son Miles acquired the land referred to in the placard through the English King Henry II, awarded to Miles’ thieving, murderous Norman father-in-law Milo de Cogan in the 13th Century. Much later, the old (James) and new (Charles) Forts were constructed to defend Kinsale harbor.

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Here is a Google Maps screen capture showing the relationship of our position (the unnamed red drop-pin) on the right, Charles and James Forts and the de Courcy family parklands, the large blank area below the pin named “Dock beach.”

Here are the views looking toward the Celtic Sea, the Old Head of Kinsale and the cliffs at our feet.

  • Looking toward the Old Head of Kinsale in the far distance
  • Rocky Cliffs at our feet
  • Cliff and Sea Pink
  • More Sea Pink decorating the rocks.
Here is a Google Earth view of our walk, the red line. The view is looking east from above the former “de Courcy family parkland.”
  • A half mile footpath, marked in red, leads from Charles fort along the shoreline cliffs, surmounted by working farmland.

Copyright 2021 Michael Stephen Wills All Rights Reserved

Yellow Hibiscus III

anthers and stamens

MichaelStephenWills7 Comments

Nyctinasty (flower response to light: opening with or closing without light) in hibiscus plants is a mechanism to protect against adverse conditions such as cool temperatures that can be damaging. Through a lack of light stimulus and circadian rhythms the plant is able to trigger the molecular movement of ions to allow for the closing of the flower.

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  • ISO 100, 1.3 sec at f / 29

Here are three macro photographs of this bloom, all from the Canon 100 “macro” lens. I start with the shutter diaphragm open at 4.0 (“F-stop”), a little narrower at 4.5 and a bit more at 9.0. For this lens the maximum opening is at 2.8, the narrowest is 32. As the opening narrows (F-stop increases) the exposure time needed to capture enough light lengthens and the range of the image in focus increases.

  • ISO 100, 1/30 sec at f / 4.0
  • ISO 100, 1/25 sec at f / 4.5
  • ISO 100, 1/6 sec at f / 9.0
References

Wikipedia – “hibiscus.”

Copyright 2021 Michael Stephen Wills All Rights Reserved

Our Sally III

Looking Around

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As Pam and I continued down the half mile “Sallyport” footpath, marked in red on the Google Earth view provided at the end of this post, we enjoyed the view across the Celtic Sea toward the distant Old Head of Kinsale and this sailboat headed to port.

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Landward, we enjoyed watching the progress of a farmer rolling hay bales while cows munched fresh green grass.

  • A half mile footpath, marked in red, leads from Charles fort along the shoreline cliffs, surmounted by working farmland.

Copyright 2021 Michael Stephen Wills All Rights Reserved

Yellow Hibiscus II

flower and buds

MichaelStephenWills2 Comments

This is a perennial, commonly known simply as “hibiscus”, or less widely known as rose mallow. Other names include hardy hibiscus, rose of sharon, and tropical hibiscus.

The hibiscus flower is traditionally worn by Tahitian and Hawaiian girls. If the flower is worn behind the left ear, the woman is married or has a boyfriend. If the flower is worn on the right, she is single or openly available for a relationship.

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  • ISO 800, 1//8 sec at f / 32
Here are the three photographs of this bloom, all from the Canon 100 “macro” lens. Two with “sweat bees” and one without.
  • ISO 800, 1//8 sec at f / 32
  • ISO 800, 1//8 sec at f / 32
  • ISO 800, 1//8 sec at f / 32
References

Wikipedia – “hibiscus.”

Copyright 2021 Michael Stephen Wills All Rights Reserved

Yellow Hibiscus I

flower, buds, bee

MichaelStephenWills7 Comments

Yellow hibiscus, the state flower of Hawaii was recorded in ancient Greece. In the photograph is captured several unopened buds, behind the flower, and a bee in the flower throat, attracted by nectar there. It is a small bee, of the Halictidae family, that lives alone in a ground nest and also called a “sweat bee,” from being attracted to perspiration.

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  • ISO 800, 1//8 sec at f / 32
References

Wikipedia – “sweat bee” and “hibiscus.”

Charles Fort Walls

Dún Chathail

MichaelStephenWills5 Comments

A “dun” is a larger fortification, few and far between on the island of Ireland. We saw one on the Arran Islands, from the Iron Age, Dun Angus, Charles Fort, or Dún Chathail in Irish, is from historical ages.

A cannot tell from my slide show, but the walls are star shaped with many salients, giving more positions to defend the walls.

  • Steps to bridge across defensive ditch
  • Bridge and gate to fort enclosure, closed this late in day
  • Embrasures
  • An opening in the fort walls which cannons can be fired. They were often flared outward to enlarge the field of fire.
  • Close-up of gun port
  • Crenellations
  • Tightly joined masonry
  • lichen
  • life has its way
  • seems to be a succulent
  • a doorway here seems a bad idea, but what do I know?
  • A pulley at first glance, look again and it is a lock
  • beneath the walls
  • Down to the Sallyport and the next post

References

“Charles Fort” – wikipedia

Copyright 2021 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills

Summer Walk

Experience a hike around Taughannock Gorge on a summer morning with thunderstorms threatening

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Constant winds from thunderstorm updrafts, I brought along an umbrella just in case.

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  • Maple Tree
  • View from the South Rim Trail. The water flowing from Taughannock Falls to Cayuga Lake.
  • The steep, high gorge walls below the falls on a humid July morning.
  • gorge walls
  • My umbrella
  • Taughannock falls in distance
  • Taughannock Falls in distance
  • South Rim Stairs built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930’s
  • Pine Forest at foot of stairs
  • An interesting presentation at the Gorge entrance
  • Tiger Lilies
  • brown creek water meets Cayuga Lake (900 feet deep)
  • Last waterfall of Taughannock Gorge
  • wild roses
  • Wild rose blooms
  • camping on North Rim
  • North Rim Gorge view
  • Lobe leaved Hepatica
  • Mushroom and Moss on the “wetter” north rim
  • asters, an invasive species
  • The dramatic and virtually inaccessible gorge above Taughannock Falls

Click the “Watch on YouTube” for a larger format view and more information about each video.

Taughannock Falls Gorge on a humid summer morning
Hemlock Forest on South Rim Trail
Taughannock Falls Gorge from South Rim Trail
Taughannock Falls from South Rim trail
View of Taughannock Falls Gorge from the North Rim trail on a humid summer (July) morning. Turkey Vultures circle overhead…they are there most summer days.
View of the first waterfall of Taughannock Gorge from the railroad bridge linking the North and South Rim trails on a humid summer (July) morning. This large waterfall empties to the gorge above the 210+ foot Taughannock Falls.
Copyright 2021 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills

Zion Merged

revelatory

MichaelStephenWills5 Comments

The first photograph is the myriad fractures within the Zion Navajo sandstone, hidden water transits from rainfall miles away.

  • ISO 250, 1/8 sec at f/22

The second photograph, water emerging as a blessed sacrament, bestowal of life nourishing wildflowers, ferns, mosses, trees.

  • ISO 250, 1/320 sec at f/4.0

For this third photograph the first two were merged in photoshop for a revelation. I did not take time to smooth the transition, visible as a line. I graduated from this merge technique with the purchase of a wide angle (24 mm) lens. It is so difficult to organize all the angles and exposures, plus time to bring it together.

All photographs from the Kodak DSC Pro SLR/c, Canon Lens EF 200mm 1:2.8 L II stabilized via a Manfrotto 468MG with Hydrostatic Ball Head.

Can you spot the foot path?

Here is a gallery of the three photographs, to flip back and forth.

Copyright 2021 Michael Stephen Wills All Rights Reserved

Three Zion Images

full of ferns, wildflowers, and mosses.

MichaelStephenWills7 Comments

“Water seeping out of the Navajo sandstone creates tranquil springs and the unique “hanging gardens” for which Zion is famous, full of ferns, wildflowers, and mosses.”

  • ISO 250, 1/6 sec at f/22

Here are three exposures of the same scene.

  • ISO 250, 1/4 sec at f/22

Click on an image for a closer view.

  • ISO 250, 1/13 sec at f/22

Can you spot the foot path?

Here is a gallery of the three photographs, to flip back and forth. the primary difference is the exposure within the shadow under the projecting cliff face.

  • ISO 250, 1/6 sec at f/22
  • ISO 250, 1/4 sec at f/22
  • ISO 250, 1/13 sec at f/22
Copyright 2021 Michael Stephen Wills All Rights Reserved

In Zion Canyon

Edge of the Abyss

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Wandering Zion canyon I spied three visitors seemingly trying their luck on the cliff edge, where the water drops.

  • ISO 250, 1/8 sec at f/22

Look closely and the rope barrier can be picked out. Can you see the three figures? Click on the image for a larger view.

Captured with a Kodak DCS Pro SLE/c dslr and a Canon lens EF 200 mm 1:2.8 L II stabilized with the Manfrotto Studio Tripod model 475 and the 468 Hydrostatic ball head. This series explores the possibility of the iconic “Lone Pine.”

Copyright 2021 Michael Stephen Wills All Rights Reserved