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About Me Photoshop

Painting with Photoshop Jack Davis WOW

Painting with Photoshop after a Creative Live class by Jack Davis WOW

Painting in PhotoshopPainting with Photoshop CC and Jack Davis

I was able to see part of the three days of Creative Live training class taught by Jack WOW Davis. I wasn’t able to see all of all three days, but I saw enough to encourage me to try my hand. I decided to try painting a cactus flower that I had taken a picture of some time ago. I grow four colors of cactus flowers in my solarium. Please tell me what you think of my Photoshop painting efforts!

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About My Travels Flowers Galleries Ireland

An Irish Flower Garden

An Irish Flower Garden


A visit to a beautiful and well tended Irish Flower Garden in Clonakilty, Ireland County Cork

Because of abundant rains the colors seem more vibrant, regardless of the type of flower.
For more pictures from Ireland check the archives November 29 2012. That Post features pictures of the ancient, historical, and religious sites as well as some UNESCO sites. Ireland has a rich and ancient history.
Email me at Doris@fordsfotos.net if you are interested in purchasing any photos.

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About Me Photography Viewbug

Fun with the View Bug Photo Contests

Viewbug Photo contests

Photo Contests; I have Fun with View bug Photo Contests, maybe you would like to also!
Please comment and vote on my photos if you like them. I currently have three or four in rated the top ten in their respective contests, and would like to gain a few more votes! Many different types of contests are featured and it is fun to look through my photos to see which may apply. If you have any photos entered into the contests please let me know so I can view them.
Thank you for your votes!

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About My Travels Google Map Holland America Cruise Line

Travels located on Google Map

Travels–Google Map update
World Traveler–So much to see–so little time!


View My Travels in a larger map

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About My Travels Egypt Karnak

Temple of Karnak

Temple of Karnak in Egypt:

Karnak Temple in Egypt is located in Thebes which is now (Modern Luxor), and is actually a temple complex, formerly known as Ipet-isut (Most select of places) by the ancient Egyptians. A city of temples built over 2000 years and dedicated to the Theben triad. The great temple at the heart of Karnak is so big, St Peter’s, Milan and Notre Dame Cathedrals could be lost within its walls. The Hypostyle hall at 54,000 square feet with its 134 columns is still the largest room of any religious building in the world.

“In ancient Egypt, the power of the god Amun of Thebes gradually increased during the early New Kingdom, and after the short persecution led by Akhenaten, it rose to its apex. In the reign of Ramesses III, more than two thirds of the property owned by the temples belonged to Amun, evidenced by the stupendous buildings at Karnak Temple complex. Although badly ruined, no site in Egypt is more impressive than Karnak. It is the largest temple complex ever built by man, and represents the combined achievement of many generations of ancient builders. The Temple of Karnak is actually three main temples, smaller enclosed temples, and several outer temples located about three kilometers north of Luxor, Egypt situated on 100 ha (247 acres) of land. Karnak is actually the sites modern name. Its ancient name was Ipet-isut, meaning “The Most Select (or Sacred) of Places”.

The Temple of Karnak is a “vast complex built and enlarged over a thirteen hundred year period. The three main temples of Mut, Montu and Amun are enclosed by enormous brick walls. The Open Air Museum is located to the north of the first courtyard, across from the Sacred Lake. The main complex, The Temple of Amun, is situated in the center of the entire complex. The Temple of Monthu is to the north of the Temple of Amun, and next to it, on the inside of the enclosure wall is the Temple of Ptah, while the Temple of Mut is to the south. There is also the small Temple dedicated to Khonsu, and next to it, an even smaller Temple of Opet. Actually, there are a number of smaller temples and chapels spread about Karnak, such as the Temple of Osiris Hek-Djet (Heqadjet), which is actually inside the enclosure wall of the Temple of Amun.”

Read more: http://www.touregypt.net/karnak.htm#ixzz2UuEWOe6M

The Karnak Temple in Egypt was a highlight of our visit to Egypt. The carvings on the columns are quite well preserved in places, and some paint can be seen on rare occasions. The tall ornate columns standing in a row dwarf the visitors strolling by as they look up to admire the awesome sites.
In The Temple of Karnak one an easily visualize -“The carving of the one armed man who was the God of Fertility and the Eastern Desert, worshiped since pre-dynastic times. He was later associated with Amun as Amun-Min. He was shown as a human male with one arm and one leg and an erect, large penis. His right arm was raised, holding a flail. The flail is sometimes seen as a symbol of intercourse. The flail forms a V, while the upraised arm was thrust into the V.”
Read on about the scenes in The Temple of Karnak

“This area (Karnak Temple) is very significant because it reveals much of the history of this area through scenes that are displayed in the complex. There are battle scenes between pharaohs and enemies, and rulers were made a permanent part of history through these memorials. Many remarkable displays of the history of this time are still standing, such as the statue of Pinedjem I which is 10.5 meters tall. The sandstone that was used in the temple’s complex was brought from over 100 miles away on the Nile River. Another amazing feature of the Precinct of Amun-Re is the panora of a freize that displays very clear images of ancient characters that still stands today. In 323 AD, when Constantine the Great recognized the Christian religion, the complex was closed down, and Christian churches were built.”
http://www.karnak.org/

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Arts and Crafts Show FordsFotos

FordsFotos on the lawn

FordsFotos on the lawn;
Sold my beautiful matted photography last

FordsFotos on the Lawn
Fordsfotos on the Lawn
Saturday on the lawn at Fuller Lodge. Fuller Lodge is an historic building in Los Alamos NM.
Here is one of the sites for more information on the Lodge itself. www.losalamoshistory.org/room234.htm

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About My Travels Peru UNESCO site

A visit to Chan Chan

Chan Chan

Review the map on the Post of March 24th 2012 for the route taken for the South American trip.
The largest Pre-Columbian city in South America, Chan Chan is an archaeological site located in the Peruvian region of La Libertad, five km west of Trujillo. Chan Chan covers an area of approximately 20 km² and had a dense urban center of about 6 km². Chan Chan was constructed by the Chimor (the kingdom of the Chimú), a late intermediate period civilization which grew out of the remnants of the Moche civilization. The vast adobe city of Chan Chan was built by the Chimu around AD 850 and lasted until its conquest by the Inca Empire in AD 1470. It was the imperial capital of the Chimor until it was conquered in the 15th century. It is estimated that around 30,000 people lived in the city of Chan Chan.

Chan Chan was added as a UNESCO World Heritage Site on November 28 of 1986. The city is severely threatened by storms from El Niño, which cause heavy rains and flooding on the Peruvian coast. It is in a fertile, well-watered section of the coastal plain The city’s ruins are additionally threatened by earthquakes and looters. Present-day visitors to Chan Chan can enter the Tschudi Complex, believed to be one of the later citadels built in the city. There are also several other Chimú and Moche ruins in the area around Trujillo. This site was discovered by the Conquistador Francisco Pizarro.

The city is composed of ten walled citadels which housed ceremonial rooms, burial chambers, temples, reservoirs and some residences. Chan Chan is a triangular city surrounded by walls 50–60 feet high. A distinguishable aspect of Chan Chan is that there are no enclosures which open to the north. The tallest walls shelter against south-westerly winds from Peru’s coast. Northern-facing walls gain the greatest exposure to the sun, serving both to block the wind and absorb sunlight where fog is frequent. The numerous walls throughout the city create a labyrinth of passages.

The walls themselves were constructed of adobe brick and were then covered with a smooth surface into which intricate designs were carved. There are two styles of design present in these carvings: one is a ‘realistic’ representation of subjects such as birds, fish, and small mammals; and the other is a more graphic, stylized representation of the same subjects. The carvings at Chan Chan depict crabs, turtles, and nets for catching various sea monsters. Chan-Chan

Chan Chan, unlike most other coastal ruins in Peru, is located extremely close to the Pacific Ocean. In 1998, The “Master Plan for Conservation and Management of the Chan Chan Archeological Complex” is drawn up by the Freedom National Culture Institute of Peru with contributions from the World Heritage Foundation – WHR, ICCROM and GCI. The Plan is approved by the Peruvian Government, with involvement at the highest levels up until today.
From Wikipedia
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/366

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About My Travels Dubai

Ski Dubai- Yes its true!

Ski Dubai a Ski Slope in a Shopping Center–Yes–in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.–Where else! Ski Dubai is an indoor ski resort with 22,500 square meters of indoor ski area. It is a part of the Mall of the Emirates, one of the largest shopping malls in the world. located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Ski Dubai is best viewed while eating at the Cheesecake Factory, great food and great view for one price.
Sledding, Skiing, and rolling down the hill in a ball are a few of the highlights offered at this unusual indoor ski slope. For people who live in a sandy Desert area just walking in, touching and making snowballs in all that snow is worth the admittance price.

Ski Dubai Highlights;
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Snow in the Desert

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About Me Holland America Cruise Line

Dubai and the Burj Khalifa

Dubai and the Burj Khalifa

What a city!
A lot could be said about Dubai, but it probably has all been said before. I want to focus on some of the buildings that one can see in Dubai. The first one of course will be the Tallest building in the World–the Burj Khalifa. It is an amazing building to view and to go into. The high-speed elevator will zip one to the 124th floor in less than one minute.

I feature a few pictures of the Bruj Khalifa with different views, day and night, and from the ground and from the 124th floor.

For an amazing picture from the 124th floor look at-Joe McNally’s Instagram photo http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/20/joe-mcnally-burj-khalifa-skyscraper-photo-picture_n_2917817.html–The picture I wish I had taken when I was there!

Burj Facts
1. Burj Khalifa is located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).

2. It’s 828 metres tall (2,717 feet).

3. The exact height was not revealed until final stages of the construction.

4. It was officially opened on Jan 4, 2010.

5. It was previously known as Burj Dubai.

6. Burj means Tower in Arabic language.

7. It’s renamed after Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President of UAE and ruler of Abu Dhabi.

World records

8. Tallest building – previously Taiwan’s Taipei 101 (509m).

9. Tallest free-standing structure – previously Canada’s CN Tower (555m).

10. Tallest man-made structure – previously USA’s KVLY-TV Mast (629m).

11. Tallest man-made structure ever – previously Poland’s Warsaw Radio Mast (647m).

12. Building with most floors (160) – previously USA’s World Trade Center (110).

13. Highest elevator installation.

14. Highest outdoor observation deck (~440m)

15. Highest mosque at 158th floor.

16. Highest (insert here) which requires another long list to be completed ;p

17. Fastest elevators at speed of 64km/h, or 18m/s.

18. It would take just a minute to reach from ground level to top floor.

Architecture facts

19. Burj Dubai has more than 162 floors.

20. It has 49 office floors.

21. It houses 1044 residential apartments.

22. It has a floor area of 334,000 square metres.

23. There’s 57 lifts in the tower.

24. There’s 28,261 of glass-panels on the exterior of the tower.

25. Its top spire can be seen from 95km afar.

26. The architecture features a triple-lobed footprint, an abstraction of the Hymenocallis flower.

27. The Y-shaped floor plan aims to maximize views of the Gulf.

28. Over 1,000 pieces of art from prominent Middle Eastern and international artists will adorn the tower and the surrounding Emaar Boulevard.

Environmental facts

29. The tower’s peak electricity demand is estimated at 50MVA, equivalent to roughly 500,000 100-watt light bulbs.

30. It’s expected to use an average of 946,000 litres of water each day.

31. During peak cooling conditions, the tower will require around 12,500 tons of cooling, equivalent to the cooling capacity of about 10,000 tons of melting ice.

Construction facts

32. Construction began in September 2004.

33. The tower’s architect and engineer is Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (Chicago).

34. The main constructor is Emaar Properties, a joint venture by Korea’s Samsung C&T, Belgium’s Besix and UAE’s Arabtec.

35. The construction project manager is Turner Construction Company.

36. Bill Baker is the chief structural engineer.

37. Adrian Smith is consulting design partner.

38. It took some 22 million man-hours to be completed.

39. On downside, foreign construction workers were pay as little as $4 per day.

40. Over 45,000 cubic-metres of concrete, weighing more than 110,000 tonnes, were used.

41. Concrete used was enough to lay a 2,065km-long pavement; and equivalent to the weight of 100,000 elephants.

42. Total weight of aluminium used is equivalent to that of five A380 aircraft.

43. Total length of stainless steel bull nose fins used is equal to 293 times the height of France’s Eiffel Tower.

44. The foundations were dug to depths of 50m.

Financial figures

45. Total cost estimated at US$1.5 billion.

46. The price for the offices spaces reached as high as US$4,000 per sq ft.

47. Residential spaces as high as US$3,500 per sq ft.

48. The building is part of the a 490-acre flagship development called Downtown Burj Khalifa.

Random stuff

49. Burj Khalifa is about twice the height of Empire State Building (443m).

50. It’s taller than Hong Kong’s Victoria Peak (552m).

51. It’s the first world’s tallest structure in history to include residential space.

52. It will feature the world’s first Armani Hotel, which occupies 15 of the lower 39 floors.

53. The exterior temperature at the top of will be 6°C cooler than its base (some say 10°C).

54. Jan 4, its opening date, was the birthday of Sir Isaac Newton.

55. Around 12,000 people are expected to live and work in the tower when it’s fully occupied.

56. The tower’s official website is www.burjkhalifa.ae.

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About My Travels Indonesia

Komodo Dragons on Komodo Island Indonesia

A visit to Komodo Dragons on Komodo Island Indonesia

Dragon toenails Check out my Toenails!

Dragon walking A Dragon walking near the entrance to the Park

Komodo dragons
Look at the long Tail />

Komodo dragons smell with their tougues Komodos smell with their tongue
Komodo dragon Komodo near Kitchen

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Check out the Smithsonian magazine of February 2013 for more information on the Dragons.

Some information on the Dragons-Taken from Wikipedia

The Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis), also known as the Komodo monitor, is a large species of lizard found in the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores, Gili Motang and Padar. A member of the monitor lizard family (Varanidae), it is the largest living species of lizard, growing to a maximum length of 3 metres (10 ft) in rare cases and weighing up to around 150 kilograms (330 lb). Their unusual size has been attributed to island gigantism, since no other carnivorous animals fill the niche on the islands where they live.

However, recent research suggests the large size of Komodo dragons may be better understood as representative of a relict population of very large varanid lizards that once lived across Indonesia and Australia, most of which, along with other megafauna, died out after the Pleistocene. Fossils very similar to V. komodoensis have been found in Australia dating to greater than 3.8 million years ago, and its body size remained stable on Flores, one of the handful of Indonesian islands where it is currently found, over the last 900,000 years, “a time marked by major faunal turnovers, extinction of the island’s megafauna, and the arrival of early hominids by 880 ka.”

As a result of their size, these lizards dominate the ecosystems in which they live. Komodo dragons hunt and ambush prey including invertebrates, birds, and mammals. Their group behaviour in hunting is exceptional in the reptile world. The diet of big Komodo dragons mainly consists of deer, though they also eat considerable amounts of carrion. Komodo dragons also occasionally attack humans in the area of West Manggarai Regency where they live in Indonesia.

Description-
In the wild, an adult Komodo dragon usually weighs around 70 kg (150 lb), although captive specimens often weigh more. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, an average adult male will weigh 79 to 91 kg (170 to 200 lb) and measure 2.59 m (8.5 ft), while an average female will weigh 68 to 73 kg (150 to 160 lb) and measure 2.29 m (7.5 ft).[15] The largest verified wild specimen was 3.13 m (10.3 ft) long and weighed 166 kg (370 lb), including undigested food. The Komodo dragon has a tail as long as its body, as well as about 60 frequently replaced, serrated teeth that can measure up to 2.5 cm (1 in) in length. Its saliva is frequently blood-tinged, because its teeth are almost completely covered by gingival tissue that is naturally lacerated during feeding. This creates an ideal culture for the bacteria that live in its mouth. It also has a long, yellow, deeply forked tongue. Komodo dragon skin is reinforced by armoured scales, which contain tiny bones called osteoderms that function as a sort of natural chain-mail. This rugged hide makes Komodo dragon skin poorly suited for making into leather.
Senses

The Komodo dragon does not have an acute sense of hearing, despite its visible earholes, and is only able to hear sounds between 400 and 2000 hertz.
The Komodo dragon uses its tongue to detect, taste, and smell stimuli, as with many other reptiles, with the vomeronasal sense using the Jacobson’s organ, rather than using the nostrils. With the help of a favorable wind and its habit of swinging its head from side to side as it walks, a Komodo dragon may be able to detect carrion from 4–9.5 km (2.5–5.9 mi) away. It only has a few taste buds in the back of its throat. Its scales, some of which are reinforced with bone, have sensory plaques connected to nerves to facilitate its sense of touch. The scales around the ears, lips, chin, and soles of the feet may have three or more sensory plaques.
Ecology

The Komodo dragon prefers hot and dry places, and typically lives in dry, open grassland, savanna, and tropical forest at low elevations. As an ectotherm, it is most active in the day, although it exhibits some nocturnal activity. Komodo dragons are solitary, coming together only to breed and eat. They are capable of running rapidly in brief sprints up to 20 km/h (12 mph), diving up to 4.5 m (15 ft), and climbing trees proficiently when young through use of their strong claws. To catch out of reach prey, the Komodo dragon may stand on its hind legs and use its tail as a support. As it matures, its claws are used primarily as weapons, as its great size makes climbing impractical.

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About Me

Winning Photo at Viewbug!

Viewbug is a Fun Photo Sharing Contest Site, Check it out and see who likes your photos.
viewbug.com

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About My Travels Lisbon Portugal

Bridges

Bridges of the World
As I travel I have noticed how many bridges remind me of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco especially this one:

Where was this picture taken?
Where was this picture taken?

The 25 de Abril Bridge (Ponte 25 de Abril “25th of April Bridge”), is a suspension bridge connecting the city of Lisbon, capital of Portugal, to the municipality of Almada on the left (south) bank of the Tejo river. It was inaugurated on August 6, 1966 and a train platform was added in 1999. Because it is a suspension bridge and has similar coloring, it is often compared to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, USA. In fact, it was built by the same company (American Bridge Company) that constructed the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge and not the Golden Gate, also explaining its similarity in design. With a total length of 2,277 m, it is the 23rd largest suspension bridge in the world. The upper deck carries six car lanes, while the lower deck carries two train tracks.
Bridge that is similar to Golden Gate Bridge

similar to Golden Gate Bridge

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About My Travels History

“REAL” Story of the Mayflower

“Real story of the MAyflower:

JOINT PREPARATIONS FOR EMIGRATION TO AMERICA


Two chartered English companies controlled Virginia; the First Virginia Company of London (Southampton and other local Lords and Burgesses had shares in this), and the Virginia Company of Plymouth. The First Virginia Company of London went bankrupt and was therefore unable to service the colony. Neither was it prepared to allow freedom of worship to the negotiators. However, in 1619 the Leyden delegation secured a tract of land in Virginia made out in the name of a sympathizer, Rev. John Wincob, a name that is often forgotten.

The option of land was never taken up, but one of the leaders of the Second Virginia Company, Thomas Weston, persuaded the Leyden puritans to join them. A complicated – and harsh – Agreement of Ten Articles was drawn up which the would-be settlers had to agree to. The terms of the agreement left the Leyden contingent very short of money, so they were unable to provision themselves properly for the first few months of survival in the New World. 

Some prospective Leyden settlers withdrew at this stage, and they were replaced (by the London shareholders of the Company) with others from England. Among these was Miles Standish, a soldier, and Christopher Martin, the latter causing trouble later when he, as the Treasurer of the venture, as well as being Company agent, refused to account for £700 which he had spent in Southampton.

In 1620 the London adventurers chartered the Mayflower under her master Captain Christopher Jones of Harwich. She was a good, stout, and ocean going ship of 180 tons. The Leyden contingent, however, could not afford such a big or good vessel. They needed a ship which could be used when they actually arrived in America, rather than a chartered one, so they bought the Speedwell. The 60-ton ship was refitted in Holland, and they hired a less experienced Master, Captain Reynolds. It is thought, but cannot be proved without a doubt, that the Speedwell was built originally in Southampton in 1606. A ship of that name and tonnage was certainly built there.


Whatever; Southampton was chosen as the rendezvous point for the voyage to America. The Mayflower sailed from London with about 70 immigrants on board and arrived in Southampton about the 29th July where others joined her. One cannot be precise about the date because in 1752 when the New Gregorian Calendar was introduced officially, the difference between the old Julien calendar and the new was adjusted to 11 days. In 1620, however, the difference was considered to be 10 days. 
 The Speedwell left Holland on 1st August (Gregorian time from now on) from Delft Haven near Rotterdam with less than 50 emigrants aboard. On arrival at Southampton the ship had to have another refit at West Quay with money the Leyden “Saints” could ill afford. She was overmasted for a start and would have wallowed in heavy seas. Quarrels and disagreements broke out and Thomas Weston for the Company refused to let the Leyden people have any more money because they would not sign an amended contract. As a result the group had to sell some of their belongings, food and stores, to pay Southampton its harbour and other dues.

The party from both ships spent nearly 2 weeks in Southampton, which at that time was recovering from a downturn in trade and was a fairly prosperous town. At least one new member, John Alden, a cooper, joined the emigrants. It is thought that he was the son of George Alden who lived in what is now called the Old Town. (Rate Roll for All Saints Parish 1602) There were, however, two Alden families in Southampton at that time. Longfellow’s romantic poem “The Courtship of Miles Standish” keeps his memory alive, however, whichever family he originally belonged with.

It is possible that other Southampton families joined the Pilgrims, or at the very least had sympathy with them. Certainly, Steven Hopkins and his second wife, Elizabeth, had connections with Hampshire. His, but possibly not her, children were born in Hursley, and his first wife was buried there.

In Southampton in 1620, the congregation of the French Church, St Juliens, in Winkle Street, which was licensed by Queen Elizabeth I in 1567 for use by the Huguenot refugees, had almost as many English worshippers as Huguenot families.
Now as this was obviously from preference, it must be presumed that the choice was made because of the more rigid, Puritan-like customs of the “foreign” church. In 1635 after an official Visitation, however, the English were ordered to return to their own churches.

On the other side of the coin, some of St Julien’s congregation, notably the Dellamotte’s who had been among St Julien’s Elders, had joined the less rigid Anglican congregation. Judith, Philip Delamotte’s, widow, was buried in St John’s in 1640 and her granddaughter, Martha was christened an Anglican.

The Speedwell and the Mayflower eventually sailed from Southampton for the New World on the 15th August, but twice they had to turn back. The second time they limped into Plymouth where it was decided that the Speedwell was unseaworthy. She was leaking like a sieve, so was abandoned. Some of the Pilgrims left the ship and the venture there, but others transferred to the Mayflower in what must then have become extremely crowded conditions for such a long journey. The Mayflower was hardly the Queen Mary in the first place! The Mayflower sailed from Plymouth for America on September 16th and arrived at Cape Cod on 21st November.

Cape Cod was not the intended place of disembarkation and on arrival such was the distrust among the colonists-and between them and the Company-that the famous Mayflower Compact was drawn up and signed on board before anyone was allowed to disembark. 

This agreement was thought necessary because there was unrest and it was felt that some of the non-Separatists, called “Strangers,”(the others, particularly those from Leyden, were called “Saints”) among the passengers would defy the Pilgrim’s leaders if they were landed in a place other than that specified in the land grant they had received from the London Company. Although not meant as a democratic document – more a way of quelling mutiny -the Compact became the basis of government in the Plymouth Colony and eventually, America. After it was signed, the Pilgrims elected John Carver as their first governor, the first free election of the New World.

THE MAYFLOWER COMPACT

”In the name of God, Amen. We, whose names are underwritten, the Loyal Subjects of our dread Sovereign Lord, King James, by the Grace of God, of England, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, &. Having undertaken for the Glory of God, and Advancement of the Christian Faith, and the Honour of our King and Country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia; do by these present, solemnly and mutually in the Presence of God and one of another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil Body Politick, for our better Ordering and Preservation, and Furtherance of the Ends aforesaid; And by Virtue hereof to enact, constitute, and frame, such just and equal Laws, Ordinances, Acts, Constitutions and Offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the General good of the Colony; unto which we promise all due submission and obedience.In Witness whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names at Cape Cod the eleventh of November, in the Reign of our Sovereign Lord, King James of England, France and Ireland, the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty-fourth. Anno Domini, 1620.”


There were 41 signatories of the 102 passengers, 37 of whom were members of the “Separatists”. This compact established the first basis in the New World for written laws. Half the colony failed to survive the first winter, but the remainder lived on and prospered. 
MAYFLOWER PASSENGER LIST NAMES
alden John (prob. Soton) 
Allerton Isaac 
Mary Allerton (wife) 
Allerton Bartholomew (son) 
Allerton Mary (daur) 
Allerton Remember (daur) 
Allerton Jon ( sailor. no relation) 
Billington Don 
Billington Eleanor (wife) 
Billington Frances (relationship unknown) 
Billington John (son) 
Bradford William 
Bradford Dorothy May (wife) 
Brewster William 
Brewster Mary (wife) 
Brewster Wrestling (son) 
Brewster Love (son) 
Britteridge Richard 
Brown Peter 
Butten William 
Cartier Robert 
Carver John 
Carver Katherine (wife) 
Chilton James 
Chilton Susanna (wife) 
Chilton Mary (unknown r’ship) 
Clarke Richard 
Cooke Francis 
Cooke John (son) 
Cooper Humility 
Crackson John 
Crackston John (son) 
Doty Edward 
Eaton Francis 
Eaton Sarah (wife) 
Eaton Samuel (son) 
Ely ???? (sailor) 
English Thomas 
Fletcher Moses 
Fuller Edward 
Fuller Ann (wife) 
Fuller Samuel (son) 
Fuller Samuel (not related. Doctor) 
Gardiner Richard 
Goodman John 
Holbeck William 
Hooke John 
Hopkins Steven (Hursley, Hants connections) 
Hopkins (Fisher)Elizabeth (2nd wife) 
Hopkins Giles (son) 
Hopkins Constance (daur) 
Hopkins Damaris (daur) 
Hopkins Oceanis (son born at sea)
Howland John 
Langmore John 
Latham William 
Margeson Edmund
Martin Christopher
Martin nee Prower, Marie
Minter Desire
More Elinor 
More Jasper (brother) 
More Richard (brother)
More Mary (sister)
Mullins William
Mullins Alice (wife)
Mullins Joseph (son)
Mullins Priscilla(m. John Alden)
Priest Degory
Prower Solomon
Rigdale John
Rigdale Alice (wife) 
Rogers Thomas
Rogers Joseph (son)
Sampson Henry
Soule George
Standish Miles
Standish Rose (wife) 
Story Elias 
Thompson Edward 
Tilley Edward
Tilley Ann or Agnes (wife)
Tilley John (brother to Edward
Tilley Joan (Johns wife)
Tilley Ellizabeth) (daur)
Tinker Thomas
Tinker ?????? (wife)
Tinker ?????? (son)
Trevore William (sailor)
Turner John
Turner – two sons 
Warren Richard
White William 
White Susannah (wife)
White Peregrine (son b. at sea)
White Resolved (son)
Wilder Roger
Williams Thomas
Winslow Edward
Winslow Elizabeth (wife)
Winslow Gilbert (brother)
MORE INFORMATION
 A great deal has been written about and around the Pilgrim Fathers and there are several commemorative sites one can visit, both literally and on the Internet. In Southampton, as well as the obvious Mayflower Park right on the Waterfront, there is the Mayflower Memorial on the other side of the road which was erected in 1913, and the Mayflower Theatre in Commercial Road. Southampton also has a plaque which was presented to the Mayor in 1970 by the Society of Mayflower Descendants to commemorate 350 years from the date of the sailing of the Speedwell and Mayflower.

The Mayflower Memorial



There are some very good websites specifically about the Pilgrim Fathers, the Mayflower, and the families that the ship carried. Just a quick look using any of the popular search engines will come up with quite a list. Those that can be 
recommended are:



http://pilgrims.net/plymouth/history/  (needs to be typed in the address bar) 
http://www.mayflowerfamilies.com  (an Ancestry.com site)
http://members.aol.com/calebj/mayflower  A very large site packed with well researched genealogical information by Caleb Johnson.

List of published sources used for this piece:

Handbook accompanying the Mayflower Exhibition, Southampton 1970
A Social History of England by Asa Briggs
History and Topography of Buckinghamshire by J J Sheehan
 Pilgrim Fathers Southampton Record Series
Southampton Guide Book Milestone Publications 

Viktoria Turner 
History Research

Salute to the Mayflower in Mayflower Park Southampton
Salute to the Mayflower in Mayflower Park Southampton

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About Me

Face in Fire

Face in the Fire

Taking pictures while staring into a fire–

When I opened it in Lightroom,
Guess what I saw!

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About My Travels

Visit of the Wise Men

Wise Men story as reported in the Bible

"Wise

In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.” When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: ‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.'” Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.” When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another path.

Just think–If there had been observatories then, like this one in Chile, they would have recorded the “star at its rising”.

Cerro Tololo-Observatory located high in the mountains of Chile
Cerro Tololo-Observatory located high in the mountains of Chile

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About My Travels Bethlehem Christmas

Christmas eve and scenes from Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem

Before one visits Bethlehem these days one must pass through a huge barbed wire topped wall, guard houses and all! Rather disconcerting.

“The Church of the Nativity is a basilica located in Bethlehem, Palestinian territories, and is considered to be the oldest continuously operating Christian church in the world. The church was originally commissioned in 327 AD by Constantine and his mother Helena over the site that is still traditionally considered to be located over the cave that marks the birthplace of Jesus of Nazareth. The Church of the Nativity site’s original basilica was completed in 339 AD and destroyed by fire during the Samaritan Revolts in the sixth century AD. A new basilica was built 565 AD by the Byzantine Empire, restoring the architectural tone of the original. The site of the Church of the Nativity has had numerous additions since this second construction, including its prominent bell towers. Due to its cultural and geographical history, the site holds a prominent religious significance to those of both the Christian and Muslim faiths.

The site of the Church of the Nativity is a World Heritage Site, and was the first to be listed under Palestine by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The site is also on UNESCO’s List of World Heritage Sites in Danger.

First century holy site (circa 4-6 AD – 327 AD)

The holy site, known as the Grotto, that the Church of the Nativity sits atop, is today associated with the cave in which the birthplace of Jesus of Nazareth occurred. In 135 AD, Hadrian is said to have had the Christian site above the Grotto converted into a worship place for Adonis, the Greek god of beauty and desire. A father with the Church of the Nativity, Jerome, noted before his death in 420 AD that the holy cave was at one point consecrated by the heathen to the worship of Adonis, and that a pleasant sacred grove was planted there in order to wipe out the memory of Jesus. However, some modern scholars dispute this argument and insist that the cult of Adonis-Tammuz originated the shrine and that it was the Christians who took it over, substituting the worship of God. Regardless, a trip to the Holy Land usually includes a visit to this Grotto

The antiquity of the association of the site with the birth of Jesus is attested by the Christian apologist Justin Martyr (c. 100 – 165 AD, who noted in his Dialogue with Trypho that the Holy Family had taken refuge in a cave outside of town:

Joseph took up his quarters in a certain cave near the village; and while they were there Mary brought forth the Christ and placed Him in a manger, and here the Magi who came from Arabia found Him.(chapter LXXVIII).

Origin of Alexandria (185 AD – circa. 254 AD) wrote:

In Bethlehem the cave is pointed out where He was born, and the manger in the cave where He was wrapped in swaddling clothes. And the rumor is in those places, and among foreigners of the Faith, that indeed Jesus was born in this cave who is worshiped and reverenced by the Christians. (Contra Celsum, book I, chapter LI).

The main Basilica of the Nativity is maintained by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem. It is designed like a typical Roman basilica, with five aisles (formed by Corinthian columns) and an apse in the eastern end, where the sanctuary is. The church features golden mosaics covering the side walls, which are now largely decayed.”
Information taken from Wikipedia

The basilica is entered through a very low door, called the “Door of Humility.” The original Roman style floor has since been covered over, but there are windowed areas in the modern floor which allows viewing portions of the original mosaic floor. The church also features large gilded iconoclasts, and a complex array of lamps throughout the entire building. The wooden rafters were donated by King Edward IV of England. The same king also donated lead to cover the roof; however, this lead was later taken by the Ottoman Turks, who melted it down for ammunition to use in war against Venice. Stairways on either side of the Sanctuary lead down by winding stairs to the Grotto.

Information taken from Wikipedia

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About My Travels Holy Land Merry Christmas

Waiting for Christmas

As we wait for Christmas in this Advent Season I revisited some scenes from a recent visit to the Holy Land

Near the Temple
Near the Temple

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Ireland Stone Age Structures

A visit to Ireland

A visit to Ireland


Reliving our recent trip to Ireland. So many beautiful areas, prehistoric to present.
More Photos to be added soon
Check out the Irish Flower Garden on August 6 2013

Newgrange (Irish: Sí an Bhrú) is a prehistoric monument located in County Meath, on the eastern side of Ireland, about one kilometre north of the River Boyne. It was built around 3200 BC, during the Neolithic period. There is no agreement about what the site was used for, but it has been speculated that it had some form of religious significance because it is aligned with the rising sun, which floods the stone room with light on the winter solstice. We were able to enter the stone room, and the winter solstice was simulated using a flashlight. we were amazed to hear that Newgrange is older than Stonehenge and the great pyramids of Giza. It is in fact just one monument within the Neolithic Brú na Bóinne complex, alongside the similar passage tomb mounds of Knowth and Dowth, and as such is a part of the Brú na Bóinne UNESCO World Heritage Site. We also went into a passage tomb in nearby Knowth.

Mellifont was the first Cistercian abbey built in Ireland in 1142, and once held one hundred monks and three hundred lay brothers. It was the main abbey in Ireland until it was closed in 1539.

By 1170, Mellifont had one hundred monks and three hundred lay brothers. The Abbey became the model for other Cistercian abbeys built in Ireland, with its formal style of architecture imported from the abbeys of the same order in France; it was the main abbey in Ireland until it was closed in 1539, when it became a fortified house.

The historic ruins of Monasterboice (Irish: Mainistir Bhuithe) are of an early Christian settlement in County Louth in Ireland, north of Drogheda. It was founded in the late 5th century by Saint Buithe who died around 521, and was an important centre of religion and learning until the founding of nearby Mellifont Abbey in 1142.  The site houses two churches built in the 14th century or later and an earlier round tower, but it is most famous for its 10th century high crosses.

The round tower is about 35-metres tall, and is in very good condition, although it is not possible to go inside. The passage of time has laid down layers of earth so now the doorway is almost at ground level. The monastery was burned in 1097.

12 Arch Railway Bridge–On 6 September 1886 Ballydehob railway station opened on the narrow gauge. The magnificent 12 arch bridge, which dominates the estuary of Ballydehob, was the major engineering achievement of the line. Mounting losses, coal shortages and the arrival of buses and motor cars eventually brought the closure of the line. The final train ran on 27 January 1947 and the station finally closed altogether on 1 June 1953.

The 5.5-metre Muiredach’s High Cross is regarded as the finest high cross in the whole of Ireland. It is named after an abbot, Muiredach mac Domhnaill, who died in 923 and features biblical carvings of both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. The North and West crosses are also fine examples of this kind of structure, but these have suffered much more from the effects of the weather.

Trim Castle, Trim, County Meath, Ireland, on the bank of the Boyne has an area of 30,000 m². It is the remains of Ireland’s largest Anglo-Norman castle. It was built primarily by Hugh de Lacy and his son Walter. The Castle was used as a centre of Norman administration for the Liberty of Meath, one of the new administrative areas of Ireland created by Henry II of England and granted to Hugh de Lacy. de Lacy took possession of it in 1172. De Lacy built a huge ring-work castle defended by a stout double palisade and external ditch on top of the hill. There may also have been further defenses around the cliffs fringing the high ground. Part of a stone footed timber gatehouse lies beneath the present stone gate at the west side of the castle. The ring-work was attacked and burnt by the Irish but De Lacy immediately rebuilt it in 1173. His son Walter continued rebuilding and the castle was completed c 1224.         The Castle is noted for the part it played in the filming of the Mel Gibson directed film Braveheart.

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Photoshop

Fun with Photoshop

Playing with various photoshop effects

Hope all had a wonderful and Happy Thanksgiving.

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Halloween

Happy Halloween


What a fun time for kids–Went to two parades today to see cute kids in their costumes. What did you do for your Halloweeen costume when you we were a kid?

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