Explore #90

Tags:   mushroom closeup macro abstract explore

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One of my favourite films is "Into the West". A story set in Eire about two Irish boys and their horse Tir na nOg (Land of Perpetual Youth in gaelic). It is such a wonderful fairytale of a story and always makes me cry. If you've seen the film, you will understand my image. In the film the boys grandfather tells the story of Tir na nOg. As my mother is from the west coast of Ireland the film has a real special meaning to me.

I've taken this piece from www.shee-eire.com so you can read the story of Tir na nOg

Tír na nÓg is the fabled island off the west coast of Ireland "The land of perpetual youth" where the Tuatha de Danann (the Sidhe) resided. It also was home to a few mortals who were carried there by the Sidhe such as the Celtic hero Oisín who loved the ban-sidhe (fairy woman) Niamh and lived on the island for what he perceived to be a year. Time on Tír na nÓg seemed to pass at a different rate to time on earth. Hence when Oisín returned to his homeland to visit his family and friends he discovered that they were all long dead and three hundred years had passed by.
Other names for Tír na nÓg are Oilean na mBeo - the Island of the Living, Tír na mBuadha - the land of Virtues, Hy na Beatha - the island of Life, Tír na mBeo - the land of the Living and Hy Brasail - Brasil's Island, The Land of Promise, and the Land of Youth. Also known as the Land Over Sea, and the Land Under-Wave.
Time stopped still on Tír na nÓg, one never grew old or suffered from any illness, it was always of a temperate climate neither too hot nor too cold. The flowers bloomed perpetually and never died. There was no sorrow or pain, love was eternal it was without wars or famine or any of the ills of the earth.
To get to Tír na nÓg it was necessary to cross a stretch of water and then to go under the waves for a time before coming again to dry land. The 'horses' of the sidhe crossed the waves as if they were a solid surface.

Thanks so much for making this #69 on Explore. This photo is one of my very own favourites and means so much to me.

Explore #187

Tags:   Land of eternal youth Tir na nOg Ireland Into the West fairytales BlueRibbonWinner blueribbonaward Impressedbeauty supershot ABigFave first-theearth Galope explore

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Polar bears conjure up memories of the fantastic trilogy His Dark Materials by Phillip Pulman. If you haven't read the books I would highly recommend the series. Although meant for children, they are such fantastic books, adults can enjoy them too. I understand they are in the process of making a film of them.

In the books the main character , Lyra, meets the Panserbjornes. "The Panserbjørne are large polar bears who almost always wear their robust armour. They have opposable thumbs on their front paws. Despite their large digits and immense strength they have remarkable dexterity. This, together with an innate sense of metallurgy, makes them exceptional metalsmiths, and they are capable of creating and repairing metal items far beyond the capabilities of human smiths"

Oh btw have a Happy Furry Friday! I will get commenting shortly, just so much to catch up on now we are back:-)

Explored#68

Tags:   polar bear his dark materials berlin zoo panserbjorne Impressedbeauty flickrdiamond ultimateshot DiamondClassPhotographer explore

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They are two weeks old now and beginning to get a little more movement. Thought you might enjoy seeing them 'moving'. We are starting to seriously go about finding a new home for them *sigh*

Explore #331

Tags:   two week old kittens kittens kitten video tabby kittens explore

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It's that time of year when we all go aahhh at the sight of the foals in The New Forest. This one particularly caught my eye with its dining technique

Explore #211

Tags:   foal Newforestpony horse explore

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