Looking northwest along Market Quay toward Saint John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church seen rising above the rest. The Jim Edwards hotel on the right. This, and the next, photographs are an interesting, or not, slice of life on Market Quay this May day: a man in a striped apron carries packaged food, ostensibly a delivery, and it probably is.
Looking northwest along Market Quay toward Saint John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church.. the Jim Edwards hotel on the right.
A man in striped apron carrying a delivery (…or a story plot line….) walks in front of Victoria Murphy and Daughter, Real Estate Agent, storefront on Market Quay, Kinsale, County Cork, Republic of Ireland. Notice the store to left is vacant and handled by Victoria Murphy. That store front has high turnover: was occupied 2017, vacant again 2019 (as per Google Maps).
“Angle’s Secrets” storefront on Market Quay, Kins ale, County Cork, Republic of Ireland. I believe this building is owned by Victoria Murphy and Daughter Realty, the storefront second to the right. Don’t ask me how I know this as, no, I do not know it in the usual sense.
The second of a series of idiosyncratic posts from a walking tour of Kinsale. My Sony Alpha 700 captured the events back in May 2014.
Text from the current Facebook page: The Temperance Hall is Kinsale’s example of Victorian architecture, constructed in 1885. It provides a space to facilitate those within the community and is used on a regular basis by all walks of life. Temperance Hall is space that can be rented by the community through Finishing Services which is located in the heart of Kinsale or can be contacted on 021 477 3571. The hall is run by a voluntary community committee who oversee the day to day running and maintenance of the hall. This Space is used by many groups in the town some of which are: Youth Café, Set Dancing, Bowling, Drumming Circle, Kuk Sool One, Active Retirement Tae Kwan Do, Craft Fairs, Self Defence Class, Dance, Art Exhibitions, Kinsale District Court Service, and Many Fundraising Events. This space can be used for many events on a non-commercial basis for €10 per hour and all enquirers can by made to Finishing Services on 021 4773571.
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In “Dubliners,” Joyce uses sensory disconnect in evoke Gabriel’s epiphany, and effect the writing of this sign, quoting another writer, an American no less, near (next to…on?? Don’t recall) the Kinsale Temperance Hall.
“Too much of anything is bad, but too much champagne is just right….” –Mark Twain
All this is happening on Market Quay. A quay is a dock, historically ships were offloaded here.
“Cornell Botanic Gardens is a living museum with a mature botanic garden and arboretum—part of what makes Cornell one of the most beautiful campuses anywhere. We steward over 3,600 acres of biologically diverse landscapes that represent the full range of ecological communities found in the Finger Lakes region.” — from their web site
Pam and I need venture no farther than across the valley, from West to East Hill, for an experience of autumn in all its glory. These IPhone 7 photographs and videos are from a recent visit.
We took in the artistry of the railing, the stone steps, gentle curves.
De Courcey Stairs
Buena Vistas
Granite boulders harvested for a Holocaust Memorial by Andy GoldsworthySculpture GardenArt Work
I marveled at the absence of Gypsy Moth egg masses on the Oak trunks, in spite of evident though modest leaf damage.
Labeled Diversity, specimens from the Oak Collection
Respite BenchEncircledGrand OakStriking GroupAncient Red Oak Silhouette
Houston Pond is visible in several of the “Buena Vista” images…..
Houston Pond
Houston Pond reflections from the pavilion
Another version of reflections from Houston Pond taken from pavilion
Johnson Trail
“No Place Like Home” — Back on West Hill, our Japanese Maple was waiting for us.
Copyright 2022 Michael Stephen Wills All Rights Reserved
Gourds include the fruits of some flowering plant species in the family Cucurbitaceae, particularly Cucurbita and Lagenaria. The term refers to a number of species and subspecies, many with hard shells, and some without. One of the earliest domesticated types of plants, subspecies of the bottle gourd, Lagenaria siceraria, have been discovered in archaeological sites dating from as early as 13,000 BCE. Gourds have had numerous uses throughout history, including as tools, musical instruments, objects of art, film, and food. ~Wikipedia A wildly popular flower, Chrysanthemums are presented here during a “Pumpkin Farm” autumn festival. Honeycrisp (Malus pumila) is an apple cultivar (cultivated variety) developed at the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station’s Horticultural Research Center at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. Designated in 1974 with the MN 1711 test designation, patented in 1988, and released in 1991, the Honeycrisp, once slated to be discarded, has rapidly become a prized commercial commodity, as its sweetness, firmness, and tartness make it an ideal apple for eating raw. “…The apple wasn’t bred to grow, store or ship well. It was bred for taste: crisp, with balanced sweetness and acidity.” It has larger cells than most apple cultivars, a trait which is correlated with juiciness, as theoretically a higher number of cells rupture when bitten, releasing more juice in the mouth. The Honeycrisp also retains its pigment well and has a relatively long shelf life when stored in cool, dry conditions. Pepin Heights Orchards delivered the first Honeycrisp apples to grocery stores in 1997. The name Honeycrisp was trademarked by the University of Minnesota, but university officials were unsure of its protection status in 2007. It is now the official state fruit of Minnesota. A large-sized honeycrisp will contain about 113 calories. ~Wikipedia Stoughton Farm, Newark Valley, Tioga County, New York
Family
A family pulls together before the Pumpkin Farm Autumn Festival.
Fun
Nerf Gun BattleCow Wagon
Copyright 2022 Michael Stephen Wills All Rights Reserved
View of Clinica Delgado (hospital) from Lima Peru’s Elias Aguirre (street), Huaca Pucllana filling the foreground. Huacas are commonly located in nearly all regions of Peru outside the deepest parts of the Amazon basin in correlation with the regions populated by the pre-Inca and Inca early civilizations. They can be found in downtown Lima today in almost every district, the city having been built around them. Huaca Pucllana, located in Miraflores district, is an adobe and clay pyramid built from seven staggered platforms. It served as an important ceremonial and administrative center for the advancement of the Lima Culture, a society which developed in the Peruvian Central Coast between the years of 200 AD and 700 AD.
Pam and I arrived early to Cass Park for our grandson’s October afternoon soccer match, in time for a 2 mile walk on the generous footpaths. This is my impression of that time, from the IPhone 7’s camera.
Around the marina on Cayuga Lake
Red Accents
Watery Impressions from Linderman Creek flowing into Cayuga Inlet
Trees and Our Sky
Gracious Willows Line the Cayuga Lake Inlet
Cornell University on East HillLake Excursioin Heading Out from Farmer’s MarketCarl Sagan’s former study perched above Ithaca FallsView Across Cayuga Lake Inlet
A Packed Excursion Boat Under A Stunning Sky
A Few Animals and a wildflower
This completes our Sunday afternoon walk around Cass Park, Ithaca, New York.
Copyright 2022 Michael Stephen Wills All Rights Reserved
This view from Dutchman Trail was taken on the red line trail (below) between Black Top Mesa (out of view, on left) and Bluff Springs Mountain (right), on the approach to White Rock Spring and LaBarge canyon (the large canyon at the north end (left) of the red line.
Terrapin Trail to White Rock Spring on Dutchman Trail
Here is the topographic map with Terrapin Trail (yellow) meeting Dutchman Trail (orange) to the right of Upper Black Top Mesa Pass, bottom center
The beetling cliffs off Bluff Spring Mountain loom over where Terrapin and Dutchman trails meet. Patches of yellow are Mexican Poppies blooming on the talus slope. Terrapin Trail climbs the ridge, to right. Here is where I caught up with mounted expedition members, the spotted rump of an Appaloosa figures prominently next to the signpost.
Terrapin Trail almost immediately starts a climb up to an eponymous pass between Bluff Springs Mountain and Weavers Needle. From here, it is the best way into the mountain. The trail name is a misnomer, as terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) turtle habitat is near the ocean. There is a desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) you might encounter during the rainy season as they are otherwise inactive.
As we descended Upper Black Top Mesa Pass into Bluff Spring Mountain canyon we found, foreground, Palo Verde and brittle bush, and, midground, Saguaro. The presence of Palo Verde reveals water flows through this area intermittently though not enough to sustain a large tree. Palo Verde is in the pea family (Fabaceae), as evidenced by production of seeds in pods.
Calling it “Buff Mountain” some say the mountain is named for these buff-colored cliffs. Others, calling it “Bluff Spring Mountain” name it for the cliffs and the spring within a canyon on top.
Bluff Spring Mountain from the slopes of Black Top Mesa
Closer to the junction with Terrapin Trail this Bluff Spring Mountain ridge rose above us. A fine specimen of mature Saguaro cactus is in midground.
Our second day began in East Boulder Canyon, in the following map it is at the foot of the “Z” of the orange line, the Dutchman Trail, lower left center. The shape is the signature of a switchback needed to negotiate a steep slope up to Upper Black Top Mesa pass. This day will see us traverse Dutchman Trail to the intersection with Peter’s Trail (yellow), another steep climb up Peter’s Mesa.
A topographic map including Yellow Peak with Dutchman Trail in orange. Upper Black Top Mesa Pass lower center.
Today’s post features photographs of flourishing Sonoran Desert plants and landscape on the slopes of Black Top Mesa. Dipterostemon capitatus known by the common names blue dicks, purplehead and brodiaea is native to the Western United States (particularly Arizona, California, Oregon, Utah, New Mexico and northwest Mexico.
Dutchman Trail above East Boulder Canyon, Palamino Mountain left, Yellow Peak in distance. We are on the side of Black Top Mesa.
Here I used the “zoom” for a better view of distant Yellow Peak. In foreground is Brittlebush (Encelia farinosa) and Blue Dick. In the distance Saguaro Cactus. Below the cliff of Black Top Mesa, above East Boulder Canyon, is a patch of yellow, Mexican Poppy (Eschscholtzia californica).
Slope of Black Top Mesa above East Boulder Canyon with the distant Yellow Peak.
Here is camera, set to zoom, is swung toward the mesa cliffs. Prickly Pear and Brittlebush growing along the Upper Black Top Mesa Pass trail. I have not identified the shaggy shrub above the Brittlebush. In the distance Saguaro Cactus (Carnegiea gigantean) flourishes. Below the cliff are patches of “gold dust”, the Mexican Poppy.
PCliffs of Black Top Mesa
Heading southeast climbing out of East Boulder Canyon with a very young Saguaro Cactus (Carnegiea gigantean) just off trail on left, a large specimen silhouetted on ridge ahead. Windmill Pink (AKA Common Catchfly) (Silene gallica) foreground, lower left. Brittlebush (Encelia farinosa) on both sides.
Upper Black Top Mesa Pass
This post ends as it began, with wildflowers growing next to the trailon a March morning. Blue Dicks (AKA Purplehead) (Dipterostemon capitatus), Tidy Tips (Layia) — daisy like flower, Brittlebush flowers are yellow when not dried. The larger small white flowers are Desert Phlox (Phlox austromontana) — I have not identified the tiny white flowers sprinkled around.