Beautiful South West England

 In October, I vacationed in an area of England I'd never seen...the south west portion. It covered the counties of Wiltshire, Dorset, Devon, Cornwall, Somerset, and Gloucestershire. 

I visited Stonehenge, Salisbury, Lyme Regis (on the Jurassic Coast), Exeter, Dartmoor and Dartmoor National Park, Widecombe in the Moor, Plymouth (and the Mayflower Steps), Polperro, Charlestown (filming location for Poldark), Falmouth, Jamaica Inn, St. Michael's Mount, Penzance, the Minack Theatre, Land's End, St. Ives, Port Isaac (filming location for Doc Martin), Altarnun, Tintagel, Bath (Roman Baths), the Cotswolds, and Castle Combe. 

Insert deep breath. Simply mentioning the areas doesn't do the tour justice. It was filled with beautiful scenery, incredible history, pleasant surprises, agreeable weather (for the most part), good food, and an excellent tour guide. Hopefully I will be able to focus future blog posts on some of the stops, etc. I'm very grateful for the experience and it was wonderful. For now, I'm sharing some screen shots of photos that can be found on my Pixels and Fine Art America sites. To view higher resolution images, please visit veronica-batterson.pixels.com. Any and all purchases, shares, shout-outs are always greatly appreciated.

Hoping everyone in the US has a safe and happy Thanksgiving Day in a couple of weeks. 

The Great Elephant Migration

 I recently visited a wonderful temporary sculpture exhibit in New York City. "The Great Elephant Migration" is one of the largest outdoor art installations comprised of one hundred (98 Asian and 2 African) life-sized elephants displayed along the city streets of the Meatpacking District in NYC. 

The aim of the art is to raise awareness for conservation and coexistence. All elephants can be purchased, with proceeds raised to benefit groups such as the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust and INDIGENOUS LED.

The installation will be in NY until October 20, 2024. Please visit The Great Elephant Migration website for more information, and to see where the elephants are off to next. 

JD Souther

 I once briefly met John David (JD) Souther. He was very gracious and kind. May he rest in peace.

J.D. Souther, American Singer/Songwriter

November 2, 1945 - September 17, 2024

Sea of Love

 Robert Plant's The Honeydrippers...Sea of Love

Another good one to share and reminisce over. 

19th Amendment - Votes For Women

 Tomorrow is the 104th anniversary. On August 18, 1920, the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution was ratified, giving all women who were US citizens the right to vote. Only 104 years! If you're a feminist, remember this anniversary...share it...shout it...be proud...and go to the polls and vote as if this right is going to be taken from you! 

Ask the older generations of women you know what it was like to live and survive before you were born. Know women's history (your history) and pass it on. 

I remember what it was like when I was younger...the things I had to endure just to get a job, keep a job, to be considered, etc. Oh, the things I could tell and share. It was worse for my mother's generation and even worse for my grandmother. 

My grandmother was born before women had the right to vote. Yet, she spent her entire adult life never believing she had the right when she actually did; she never believed her voice was relevant. I can't remember her ever voting, and to this day it is something that breaks my heart. 

We stand on the shoulders of women who came before us. Remember. Fight. Stand up for yourself! Vote!

Vote...Votes for women!

Please Don't Do This

 Shared here is a screenshot of a 'Threads' post that kind of scrolled my way. I reluctantly signed up there, and I've not posted anything nor do I really plan to do so.  It's sort of like all other social media...I'm not consistent with it, I don't engage in it much anymore, and I basically don't get it. I also think it's a huge waste of time. The biggest thing is that I find it horrible and unkind. 

I understand the need to create a gift registry for weddings and baby showers. It makes it easier for most. But there are aways exceptions, and you aren't always going to get the things that you want. Remember to still be gracious and kind. Show gratitude. Write a thank you note, then you have options. Discreetly return the gift to the store, re-gift it, or donate it to someone who would actually appreciate it. There. Simple. Kind. Gracious. And you don't come across as a spoiled, entitled, mean brat of a person. And I'm being kind with those adjectives. 

I'm uncertain why this particular thread crossed my path but the person seems rather horrid. Apparently, she is an 'Influencer' which is something else I don't get. Why not be a sheep and follow someone you don't know, who is being paid by sponsors/companies to hawk their products that she gets for free? It's like the popular kid in high school found a way to be popular as an adult. Makes no sense to me, but I'm one of those old ones anyway. Life.

The point of this post is to be kind. Don't be like the person in this post. Thanks for reading. 

Just Because...

 Just because...and it's a great song.

The Moody Blues ~  Lovely to See You

Illusions...

 A simple photographic technique continues to amaze me. Taking a self-portrait while looking into a mirror. It can be done with an iPhone or any cameras including a DSLR. Why does a reverse image reflection generally look better than a flat 2D selfie? I suppose there's more distortion with a 2D image, but there's a bit of illusion and magic with the mirror. Illusions. It's somewhat the same when using a wide-angle or fisheye lens. The results are magical.  

Given my age, I'm happy to embrace the illusion and magic. See photos below. I was looking into a mirror as I took the photographs of myself (with both the iPhone and a Canon DSLR). Trust me, they are better than the normal "selfies" these days. I've even written about this somewhat previously (search 'The Looking Glass' in this blog). 

It's good to remember that most things aren't always as they seem. Magic and illusion are part of everything...not just photographs. 

      

80th Anniversary of D-Day #DDay80

 Tomorrow, June 6, 2024, is the 80th anniversary of the world’s largest amphibious operation, led by land, air, and sea forces of the Allied Armies during World War II. The D-Day Landings in Normandy, France ultimately led to the liberation of France and Europe, preserving freedom and defeating Hitler’s Nazi regime. The Battle of Normandy, codename “Operation Overlord”, lasted from June 6, 1944 to August 30, 1944, with the liberation of Paris on August 25, 1944.

The loss of life on D-Day was catastrophic. Over 4,400 Allied troops were killed, with more than 5,000 wounded. The Battle of Normandy saw 73,000 Allied forces killed, and 153,000 wounded. The numbers are unimaginable. 

The last few days have seen celebrations and remembrances begin along the Normandy coast. Veterans from the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Belgium, Denmark, Holland, Norway, Poland, Australia, and France made their way to honor and remember those who gave the greatest sacrifice. 

I’ve followed much of the proceedings online. It has been heartwarming and so moving to see the number of D-Day veterans who have been able to make the journey; also notable…witnessing the warm welcome and respect those brave individuals have received. The surviving number of WWII veterans is dwindling, with this special celebration likely to be the last the world will see of any who served at that time. How different life would be today if not for them.

Last year, I was fortunate to visit the Normandy coast of France. I stood overlooking the cliffs at Pointe du Hoc; reflected silently at the beauty and serenity of the Normandy American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, where nearly 9,400 US soldiers are buried; and I walked along Omaha Beach, experiencing the peaceful surroundings and unable to imagine the horrors of June 6, 1944. I’ve shared some of my photographs below. Someday I will return. 

We must never forget our veterans and their sacrifice. Cherish the memories of those still amongst us, honor the sacrifices of those who are not. It is with good reason they are known as being part of ‘The Greatest Generation’.