A-Z 2021 Challenge - Photo Shoot: V - Viaduct, Turkey Vulture, Valhalla

 The Isles of Scilly have seen a lot of shipwrecks. The Valhalla Museum on the island of Tresco has figureheads on show recovered from some of the wrecks.

As you can see Valhalla is part of the National Maritime Museum.

Soaring high in the sky is this Turkey Vulture captured in the USA.

One of the sights that is hard to miss is the viaduct in the town less than three miles from where we live.

Yarm Viaduct crossing the River Tees

Nearly 700 metres long the viaduct, carrying a railway line, has 43 arches which dominate the town.

Larpool Viaduct in the Esk Valley ( a minnow with 13 arches)

A-Z Challenge 2013 - 'V' - Violas

My A-Z posts this year are based on my garden – flowers, animals, the birds and the bees, butterflies - with a bit of poetry thrown in. For some letters I am expecting to cheat somewhat –wishing they were here.

V – Violas, Veronica, Vulture, Violets

It may seem strange to start with a snow scene, but there is a very good reason for this.

 

November snow

Six months later that bump in the middle had developed into this.

 

Violas (Johnny Jump-ups)

A little poem from the 1800's about Johnny Jump-ups.

Little Johnny Jump-up said,

"It must be Spring

I just saw a ladybug

And heard a robin sing."

It may show my age but one of the earliest film actresses I knew was Veronica Lake so I just had to include these flowers.

Veronica

Next I want to include some wild flowers which are common in a local wood; we even have one or two.

Violets

 I know a bank whereon the wild thyme grows

Where oxlips and the nodding violets grow. (Oberon)

 And finally for V, a bird I see regularly in the Michigan sky.

Turkey Vulture

The bird of the blood

hangs from the sun

on a rack of bones.

Poems:

• Johnny Jump-ups – Edwina Fallis
• Midsummer Night’s Dream – William Shakespeare.
• Turkey Vulture – David Chorlton

Photo:

• Wild violets - Anne Burgess; Geograph Project Collection - CC BY-SA 2.0

Later Flight - Sepia Saturday

I couldn't resist putting up a second flight when Little Nell had Albert Ball VC in her post.

A Hero's Salute - Andrew Mynarski VC

The statue of Andrew Mynarski VC stands outside the former Officers' Mess of RAF Middleton St George, now the Durham Tees Valley Airport. I've written about how this Canadian officer won his posthumous VC during WWII here.

There are several planes in flight in my brothers war photos.

WWII Action

Meanwhile Eden Camp in North Yorkshire has replica planes on show.

Eden Camp - entrance

No matter how we try we still can't match what is strictly for the birds.

Turkey Vulture

In flight we are nowhere near as elegant.

Just don't miss Sepia Saturday 121

Movement - Thematic Photography

You may take shots that that show motion as a blur, but my selection for Carmi's theme of  'Movement' has frozen the action at the time. Motion on land, water and in the air has been caught in these photos taken in the USA and the UK.

Turkey Vulture in Michighan

The turkey vulture (or turkey buzzard) is an ugly looking bird in close-up but elegant when it glides around looking for a carcase to eat,

I'm not sure what this is, just let's say I wouldn't want to swim to close to it.

Flat body, big mouth, aquatic - I'm off!

This may have been larger but at least it's (h)armless I'm told.

Northern Watersnake in Michigan lake

I feel much safer with this fellow caught in mid-stride.

'Harry', the Blue Heron

I wonder whether he tackles that snake and the thing I don't like.

Here's something ideal for a hot day.

Fountain

Closer to home water is still the theme. A competitor practising his paddling skills.

Tees Barrage International White Water Rafting Centre

This facility has just been upgraded and is to be used as a practice centre for London 2012 Olympic Games.

My next shot shows my grandson in surfing action.

Riding the waves

Finally an all time favourite shot of a granddog.

Blind Sam in mid-pounce

Now I guess, it's time for you to go and study more movement at Written Inc's thematic photographic 180