# Vagaries of Nature  -  Odd and Interesting Photos



## SmoothSeas (Oct 2, 2021)

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## SmoothSeas (Oct 2, 2021)

Neptune's Grotto is a stalactite cave near the town of Alghero on the island of Sardinia, Italy. The cave was discovered by local fishermen in the 18th century and has since developed into a popular tourist attraction. The grotto gets its name from the Roman god of the sea, Neptune.


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## SmoothSeas (Oct 2, 2021)

Xylaria polymorpha, commonly known as dead man's fingers, is a saprobic fungus. It is a common inhabitant of forest and woodland areas, usually growing from the bases of rotting or injured tree stumps and decaying wood.




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## Kaila (Oct 2, 2021)

I am not sure about that last one there, the picture in post #3.


But, either way on _that_ one, 
I love the thread idea and the other posts! Thank you! @SmoothSeas


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## SmoothSeas (Oct 2, 2021)

Memo to file avoid Southern Manitoba...The Canadian Garter Snake have came out of hibernation in what is called a mating ball.
These balls contain as many as 20 thousand snakes per ball with 100 or more males for every female.

This phenomenon has become a major tourist attraction in Manitoba..



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## Kaila (Oct 2, 2021)

I'd rather see that one here, than in person, SmoothSeas.
But I *do* enjoy seeing it and all of the interesting things, _posted here!_


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## SmoothSeas (Oct 2, 2021)

@Kaila    I stumble across interesting pics and need a place to park 'em.  Hopefully, others will be sharing some, too...


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## SmoothSeas (Oct 3, 2021)

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## Gary O' (Oct 3, 2021)

I took a lot of snow pics when living at the cabin

This one caught my eye one morn



Put me in the mind of Moby Dick



'course I had to put myself into a scene


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## SmoothSeas (Oct 4, 2021)

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## SmoothSeas (Oct 4, 2021)

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## RadishRose (Oct 4, 2021)

SmoothSeas said:


> View attachment 187214​


You're blowing my mind Smooth!


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## SmoothSeas (Oct 4, 2021)

@RadishRose  -  when you find an interesting image  -  come and park it here...


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## RadishRose (Oct 4, 2021)

Aerial view of Rice Terrace in Bali Indonesia


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## Gary O' (Oct 4, 2021)

RadishRose said:


> Aerial view of Rice Terrace in Bali Indonesia


Sorry, Radi

I gotta play

This....is your brain


This......is Gary O's brain;


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## RadishRose (Oct 5, 2021)

Gary O' said:


> Sorry, Radi
> 
> I gotta play
> 
> ...


Gary
It's a no brainer.....
I've always loved your mind.


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## CinnamonSugar (Oct 5, 2021)

My son is helping out in a friend’s ranch. He sent me this photo this morning 



with the comment, “ How do you know you work in the country?  Snakes greet you at the gate”


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## Shero (Oct 5, 2021)

SmoothSeas said:


> View attachment 186915​



Stunning


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## Shero (Oct 5, 2021)




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## SmoothSeas (Oct 5, 2021)

The best photo I’ve ever seen of volcanic lightning. The “dirty thunderstorm” shot at Calbuco volcano in April 2015, southern Chile.



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## SmoothSeas (Oct 7, 2021)

A time lapse photo of hundreds of sunsets.



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...Photographer:  Matt Molloy​


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## RadishRose (Oct 7, 2021)

SmoothSeas said:


> A time lapse photo of hundreds of sunsets.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Amazing!

I had to look up the photographer Matt Molloy beautiful work; here is another


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## SmoothSeas (Oct 8, 2021)

A beehive filled with honey glowing in the sunlight


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## bowmore (Oct 8, 2021)

Mirror Lake near Ketchikan , Alaska


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## Sliverfox (Oct 8, 2021)

Glad you started this thread, Smoothseas.

Stunning  pictures,,, thank you.


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## SmoothSeas (Oct 9, 2021)

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## SmoothSeas (Oct 9, 2021)

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## SmoothSeas (Oct 13, 2021)

It's not a bird ,it's a flower...


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## RadishRose (Oct 13, 2021)




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## RadishRose (Oct 13, 2021)




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## RadishRose (Oct 13, 2021)




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## Paco Dennis (Oct 14, 2021)




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## SmoothSeas (Oct 16, 2021)

In the forests of Guangxi China is the sinkhole of Xiaozhai Tiankeng. Known as the Heavenly Pit, it is the largest sinkhole on Earth at 2,054 ft. long and 1,762 ft wide. At its deepest point its plunges 2,172 ft deep. Over 1,200 species of plants and fauna can be found on the floor of the Heavenly Pit as well as numerous animal species that call it home, including the endangered Clouded Leopard. Discovered in 1994, it is believed the Xiaozhai Tiankeng has developed over the last 128,000 years....


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## SmoothSeas (Oct 16, 2021)

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## SmoothSeas (Oct 25, 2021)

Northern lights in the sky over Murmansk region, Russia!  Stunning, eh...?


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## horseless carriage (Oct 25, 2021)

Aurora Borealis known as the northern lights.


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## Shero (Oct 26, 2021)

Fantastic pictures guys.  

********






Isn't the Universe  stupendous!!!!


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## Paco Dennis (Oct 26, 2021)




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## Chris P Bacon (Nov 11, 2021)

Teamwork makes the dream work!  ​


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## David777 (Nov 11, 2021)

As an old landscape and nature photographer in The West, I've seen many bizarre, strange, and wonderful things. Our planet blue water Earth of DNA life would be considered a rare universe class wonder by advanced extraterrestrial alien civilizations. 

The below are a couple tidal zone photos from Point Lobos State Reserve near Monterey.  Top shows swirling eroded sandstone layers, downsized for web from 7200x5400 pixel original.  Bottom shows incredible colorful dense low tidal zone life, downsized for web from 5800x3800 pixel original. 

Note I dislike the way this forum's software severely softens uploaded photos reducing detail that will discourage bothering to share photos with others on this site.


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## SmoothSeas (Nov 11, 2021)

@David777  -  really amazing shots

you read like you'd have some interesting stories to share so, here's hopin' you continue to post and participate.  I see you're wearing that 'new member' banner, so welcome aboard...


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## SmoothSeas (Jan 28, 2022)

Geologist finds rare formation inside rock that looks exactly like Cookie Monster on Sesame Street.


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## RadishRose (Jan 28, 2022)




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## David777 (Jan 28, 2022)

Along the Big Sur coast, Andrew Molera State Park has some small beach areas that contain colorful purple hued *manganese garnet sands*.  There are also sandstone erosion depression structures termed *tafoni* that are remnants of urchins that secret substances that erode holes into the rock.  

This is a 2400x1900 pixel crop from a 5800x3500 pixel full image close-up showing the sand filling the ocean smoothed sandstone base rock of tafoni.  Note one's eye may flip the sand losing depth perception to make it appear like it is above the holes.  Note shadows from the sun up above frame left.






 A family of emerging red hued *snow plants*, _sarcodes sanguinea_, at Lassen Volcanic National Park. A downsized 2000x1944 pixel version of the 3600x3500 pixel full image. Snow plants do not use chlorophyll but rather absorb nutients from decaying plant matter. In a couple weeks would be a bit taller showing small red flowers.


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## SeaBreeze (Jan 28, 2022)

Golden Bridge in Vietnam.


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## SeaBreeze (Jan 28, 2022)

Picture of tree from one of our camping trips.  Hope it doesn't offend.


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## SeaBreeze (Jan 28, 2022)

Frost flowers.


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## SeaBreeze (Jan 28, 2022)

Emerald Ice Balkal Lake Russia





Abraham Lake, Canada Bubbles Under Ice





Pond in Switzerland


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## SeaBreeze (Jan 28, 2022)

Baikal Lake Russia





Ice Castle





Lake Superior Sunset


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## Paco Dennis (Jan 28, 2022)




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## SmoothSeas (Feb 2, 2022)

Hubble Space Telescope image of a star-forming. Amazing...




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## RadishRose (Feb 2, 2022)




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## Sassycakes (Feb 2, 2022)

Signs in Pennsylvania.


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