three hands

“three hands” – by don and cheryl

after the rain – my slideshow

Slideshow of close-ups after the rain

Monkeys

Monkeys – our lovely brothers and sisters! What might they think about us humans?

important discussion , by Edgar Thissen

You scratch my back… , by John Jantak

Mother and Baby, by John Jantak

Colours of India – again

The colours of India are irresistible and magic. I have never been there, but I feel immensly attracted by its people and colours. All of the following photos are from Jules1405 on flickr.

Sadhu Orchha

Orchha

Sadhu Varanasi

kids Varanasi

Magic Owls

There are approximately 222 owl species worldwide. They are very enigmatic birds.

“Owls have fascinated man from time immemorial – to some cultures they are symbols of wisdom, while to others they are harbingers of doom and death. Here, The Owl Pages sheds some light on these mysterious creatures…”(Owl Pages)

barred owl

Great horned owl

Species Tyto alba

Owls are a group of mainly nocturnal (active at night) birds. They are Raptors, or Birds of Prey, which means they hunt other living things for their food, using their special adaptations and unique abilities that set them apart from any other creature.

Tyto alba chickens

Owls have a very wide range of vocalisations, ranging from the hoots so often associated with Owls, to whistles, screeches, screams, purrs, snorts, chitters and hisses. Hooting is often territorial, and is also associated with courting, the male usually having the lower pitched Hoot. It should be noted that not all Owl species Hoot.
Owls can also make clicking noises with their tongues, often as part of a threat display. They may also clap their wings in flight as part of a mating display. (from: Owl Pages)

Barn Owl

the blue porch

Orchha, India – Orchha (or Urchha) is a town in Tikamgarh district of Madhya Pradesh state, India.

Another example of a wonderful colour contrast, and again, turquoise dominates the picture. Where does the door lead to? Is it a private entrance, are these niches ancient shrines? And the woman – is she discussing with the photographer? Is she upset?

A picture like this can inspire numerous stories, and the colourful scenery seems to derive directly from a fairytale.

Indian turquoise

A wonderful colour contrast – turquoise and ocker/sand yellow! The turquoise in these photos has so many different shades, from powder blue to violet.

door in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan – the Golden City

window in Jodhpur, Rajasthan