Friday photography - The Forest Hasn’t Missed Us

Not one bit.

These photos were taken on a newly re-opened bush track close to home. It’s one that we frequented over the past 24 years, but has been closed for the past three of those years, until recently. The closure was in an effort to protect the numerous Kauri trees living there from the fungus causing Kauri dieback. A couple months ago the council went to great effort and expense to re-open part of the track, and for that I am truly thankful, even though it meant having to tolerate two weeks of helicopter flying from sunrise to sunset carrying materials to rebuild the track for the protection of the trees and their roots. I don’t recall ever seeing it look so fresh. If I may be so lyrical, the experience felt enchanted - especially I suppose, when I consider the general state of things environmentally.

Cheers everyone

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RantingRooster's picture

All that foliage. Was it nice, fresh air? I am so sick of city life. Sad

Drinks

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C99, my refuge from an insane world. #ForceTheVote

janis b's picture

@RantingRooster

the scent was slightly earthy. I wish you could breath it in deeply. Maybe you can, a little, just from the sight of it. I wish you well RR.

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Socialprogressive's picture

Love all the green. The bush track looks like a great place to go for a walk and get away from it all.

Sealions at La Jolla Cove.
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When I offer to wash your back in the shower, all you have to say is yes or no.
Not all this "who are you, and how did you get in here?" nonsense.

janis b's picture

@Socialprogressive

The close-ups of the seal’s face make me melt from the pure peaceful and contented look of them. And then there they are roaring, hopefully from joy instead of aggression.

Dare I admit, that as a young child one of my favourite places to be was with my head in the lap of my mother's seal coat. It was and still is the softest material I have ever felt. I have the coat still, and intended to make something to enjoy from it. Now I am again motivated, maybe a throw or a pillow?

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enhydra lutris's picture

@Socialprogressive @janis b

pelts, one especially so.

be well and have a good one.

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

janis b's picture

@enhydra lutris

by the mention of a seal skinned. Just the opposite indeed, you expressed appreciation for the species, even in that state. Somehow I'm not surprised, thank you.

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Socialprogressive's picture

@janis b
I don't know what type of fur it was but I do remember it being very soft.

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When I offer to wash your back in the shower, all you have to say is yes or no.
Not all this "who are you, and how did you get in here?" nonsense.

janis b's picture

@Socialprogressive

your sig line makes me giggle every time I read it ; ).

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lotlizard's picture

@Socialprogressive  
Fur is a thing with us mammals, a mammal-only exclusive. Fur says “cuddle up next to mama” — it’s literally in our DNA.

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janis b's picture

@lotlizard

It makes perfect sense.

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dystopian's picture

@Socialprogressive great sea lion pics SP! For those that don't know... the key obvious character to tell a seal from a sea lion is external ears. Seals do not have external ears, such as you see on these sea lions. Beautiful photos SP! GREAT work!

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We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein

Socialprogressive's picture

@dystopian
Sea lions also have larger front flippers that they use for walking and standing.

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4 users have voted.

When I offer to wash your back in the shower, all you have to say is yes or no.
Not all this "who are you, and how did you get in here?" nonsense.

lotlizard's picture

@dystopian  
a certain kind of bad-faith conduct in discussions.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sealioning

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Bollox Ref's picture

around here at the moment:

Thanks for hosting Janis.

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Gëzuar!!
from a reasonably stable genius.

janis b's picture

@Bollox Ref

Cherry blossom time in all its delicate beauty, thank you.

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enhydra lutris's picture

wonderful track and area. The colors are great, and, the foliage, to me, is exotic. Here's something coastal
coolsnag

Papallacta Pass in the Andes (Ecuador), around 14,000 feet, foliage is only inches tall, but here, at that altitude, it's all granite:
papallacta_foliage1

desert
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and sierras
river1

thanks for the cool photos and for this series, btw

be well and have a good one

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

janis b's picture

@enhydra lutris

of community here.

I hope it won't be too much longer before you feel free to explore and enjoy the landscape away from home again.

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dystopian's picture

@enhydra lutris great pix EL! Interesting micro-habitat there... Which desert is that?

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We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein

enhydra lutris's picture

@dystopian

western Colorado which is the northwestern Sonoran. I think the actual shot is a bit north of San Felipe Wash and south of Yaqui Pass road. The area has a ton of elevation and geology changes and hence a ton of differing ecosystems/biomes.

be well and have a good one

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

where I decided to zip line, and where my travel partner said, "hell, no!"
I took a photo of it, just so everyone would know where I was when the zip line broke.

IMG_1741.JPG

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

janis b's picture

@on the cusp

How was it?

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@janis b I zipped over all that, really high, then I cranked the thing down so I wouldn't smash into the "stop". I wound us pulling myself in the last 15 or so feet.
First zip line experience.
That forest was filled with birds and moneys and all kinds of eye candy. The sounds, the fresh smell, taking a mud bath in the nearby hot springs...just 11 days in Panama that I will always treasure.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

janis b's picture

@on the cusp

was built by a grandpa for his grandchildren, literally through the bush. No monkeys but but lots of head ducking.

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lotlizard's picture

@on the cusp  
is the extent of my derring-do when it comes to adventures at altitude.

https://oreillys.com.au/activities/flying-fox-adventure/

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janis b's picture

@lotlizard

"Children of all ages are welcome (we even have toddler harnesses)."

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dystopian's picture

Beautiful photos Janis! Makes ya just want to walk right into it. Awesome. Lush beauty. Great conservation story too! I am sure lots of nature has not been getting trampled this past year and has benefited.

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6 users have voted.

We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein

janis b's picture

@dystopian

Well, I trust.

I think the environment might be the lucky winner of the lottery.

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dystopian's picture

@janis b I'm good, how are you? If only the corporate assault on the environment would stop. Whence a forest only has value when cut. So now you are in summer and days getting shorter. Does it green up in spring, and do you get any color in fall there, maybe at altitude? Or is it more tied to wet/dry season cycle like the tropics?

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We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein

janis b's picture

@dystopian

and glad you are too.

These Waitakere Ranges in the Auckland area are more tropical, and becoming more so by the year.

This growth is about 120 years old. The forest was mostly levelled for the Kauri trees, much of which was supplied to San Fran for rebuilding after the 1906 fire.

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dystopian's picture

Here are a couple quick ones, as I gotta run...

This was just a couple weeks ago here... in south central Texas.

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here are some Robin at the birdbath...
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Thanks for the pics everyone... great to see...

play it safe, be well, and enjoy!

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7 users have voted.

We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein

janis b's picture

@dystopian

Thank you dystopian.

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Socialprogressive's picture

@dystopian
The birdbath looks like the place to be if you're a Robin.

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When I offer to wash your back in the shower, all you have to say is yes or no.
Not all this "who are you, and how did you get in here?" nonsense.

The Liberal Moonbat's picture

...incidentally, it might be something I'm doing wrong, but is anyone else having increased trouble with the image uploader-gizmo?

YeahRight.jpg
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In the Land of the Blind, the One-Eyed Man is declared mentally ill for describing colors.

Yes Virginia, there is a Global Banking Conspiracy!

janis b's picture

@The Liberal Moonbat

funeral bouquet one.

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Lookout's picture

Pond is lovely this time of year.

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The beech trees hold their bronze leaves till spring growth forces them to fall.
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Enjoy your summer J and thanks for all the photos!

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

janis b's picture

@Lookout

Thank you for showing us the beauty of it. The pond looks very inviting for sitting by or canoeing on.

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