#Alpine Museum

[arc-hus]

Muzeum Susch, Zernez, Switzerland - Schmidlin Architekten + LUVO ARCHITEKTEN

[ghostlyfleur]

boyfriend bucky barnes ♡🦾

[nsdclassic]

Alpine A310

[careful-disorder]

Giovanni Segantini, Alpine Triptych: Life

"He sometimes gave the closely observed mountain landscapes symbolic content, creating allegorical visions of extraordinary luminosity. This shift away from realistic genre painting came at a time when it was in crisis all across Europe." - Segantini Museum

[savageonwheels]

Car Spot: 85 Renault Alpine GTA

It could have been AMC's halo car. The Renault Alpine GTA is this week's spot.

Almost rebadged as the AMX in the US American Motors was trying its best to make the partnership deal with Renault work when the two connected in 1979. My dad was there at the time making sure parts got to every zone office throughout the country, and he was somewhat happy about it. It gave AMC the cash it needed and two Renault cars to be built in Kenosha, so it was a lifeline. I found this…

[maryegallagher]

Lillehammer - An Ideal Getaway

by Deirdre Frost   In so many ways, Lillehammer is a favorite destination for Norwegians and for those with a passion for outdoor sports. Popular with tourists is the exhilarating luge ride down the Olympic-grade toboggan track. Other exciting activities are visiting the ski jumping arena or bobsledding and cross-country skiing in the Olympic Park. The Olympics torch bearer is visible from the…

[memories-of-ancients]

Carved ivory casket, Alpine region of Europe, early 12th century

from The Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna

[kdrtsz]

Travel the World of Imagination: Journeys Beyond Border

Kieth Denmark M. Retes | BSIT1A OVERVIEW:

Switzerland originates from the Old Swiss Confederacy established in the Late Middle Ages, following a series of military successes against Austria and Burgundy; the Federal Charter of 1291 is considered the country's founding document. Swiss independence from the Holy Roman Empire was formally recognized in the Peace of Westphalia in 1648. Switzerland has maintained a policy of armed neutrality since the 16th century and has not fought an international war since 1815. It joined the United Nations only in 2002 but pursues an active foreign policy that includes frequent involvement in peace building.

Switzerland is the birthplace of the Red Cross and hosts the headquarters or offices of most major international institutions including the WTO, the WHO, the ILO, FIFA, the WEF, and the UN. It is a founding member of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), but not part of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area, or the eurozone; however, it participates in the European single market and the Schengen Area. Switzerland is a federal republic composed of 26 cantons, with federal authorities based in Bern. references: Switzerland - Wikipedia

Switzerland, a small yet influential country nestled in the heart of Europe, stands out in many ways. From its awe-inspiring landscapes to its unique political system, Switzerland offers a blend of natural beauty, cultural diversity, and global diplomacy that few other nations can match. Its distinct character is a product of centuries of neutrality, innovation, and a deep respect for its heritage, all of which contribute to the nation’s unparalleled reputation on the world stage.

One of the first things that captivates visitors to Switzerland is its breathtaking scenery. The country is dominated by the majestic Alps, with towering snow-capped peaks that attract adventurers and nature lovers from around the globe. Whether it’s skiing in world-class resorts like Zermatt and St. Moritz or hiking through verdant valleys and along crystal-clear lakes, Switzerland offers outdoor experiences that are hard to rival. Beyond the Alps, the country is dotted with picturesque towns, lush meadows, and sparkling lakes, such as Lake Geneva and Lake Lucerne, each offering their own unique charm. The country's commitment to environmental preservation further enhances the beauty of these landscapes, ensuring that they remain pristine for future generations.

Swiss culture is characterized by diversity, which is reflected in diverse traditional customs. A region may be in some ways culturally connected to the neighbouring country that shares its language, all rooted in western European culture. The linguistically isolated Romansh culture in Graubünden in eastern Switzerland constitutes an exception. It survives only in the upper valleys of the Rhine and the Inn and strives to maintain its rare linguistic tradition.

Switzerland is home to notable contributors to literature, art, architecture, music and sciences. In addition, the country attracted creatives during times of unrest or war. Some 1000 museums are found in the country.

Among the most important cultural performances held annually are the Paléo Festival, Lucerne Festival, the Montreux Jazz Festival, the Locarno International Film Festival and Art Basel.

Alpine symbolism played an essential role in shaping Swiss history and the Swiss national identity. Many alpine areas and ski resorts attract visitors for winter sports as well as hiking and mountain biking in summer. The quieter seasons are spring and autumn. A traditional pastoral culture predominates in many areas, and small farms are omnipresent in rural areas. Folk art is nurtured in organisations across the country. Switzerland most directly in appears in music, dance, poetry, wood carving, and embroidery. The alphorn, a trumpet-like musical instrument made of wood has joined yodeling and the accordion as epitomes of traditional Swiss music.

references: Switzerland - Wikipedia

[scotianostra]

January 24th, 76AD, is said to be the likely date of birth forPublius Aelius Hadrianus, who built Hadrian’s Wall.

When the Romans invaded the British Isles they held, large parts of what is now Scotland, even after the construction of Hadrian’s Wall in AD 122, there were large forts around the country at varioustimes, the largest of which was Trimontium located at Newstead, near Melrose, in the Scottish Borders. It was occupied intermittently from about 79 to 184 AD and was the largest of the "outpost" forts after the construction of Hadrian's Wall

Hadrian’s Wall was largely abandoned for about twenty years from .AD 138, when the Romans established a new frontier in Scotland between what are now the Firths of Forth and Clyde, where they built the Antonine Wall.

The Antonine Wall was more of a very large ditch, and my old flat would have been part of the structure, part of the "wall" is on land only yards from me. I got into trouble for calling it a ditch from a Roman historian before, so will add that it was much more, the thing is it more or less looks like one just now, much of the fortifications are long gone.

Hadrian is noted for his interest in architecture and the number of provinces he visited whilst Emperor. He is likely to have visited Britain in AD 122, after some kind of conflict in the preceding years, and we know that it was in this period that construction of the Wall started. It has also been known as Picts' Wall, or Vallum Hadriani in Latin.

The origin of the Picts is clouded by the many fables and legends about them. There are numerous theories as to who the Picts were and where they came from. Experts even disagree over what they ate and drank and what language they spoke although some point to the existence of a distinct Pictish language, which today is believed to have been an Insular Celtic language, closely related to the Brittonic spoken by the Britons who lived to the south.

Often described as savages the Picts were an ancient and artistic people who defied the might of Rome which conquered the rest of Britain. They were a sophisticated , hardworking, clever people, skilled in farming and fishing.

You would have thought a savage tribe would have been an easy conquest for the Romans, but the Picts were anything but that. Picts are first recorded in history in the third century AD. Eumenius, a Roman writer, describes the "pictus" as fierce and skilled in battle. It is not clear whether "pictus" (the Latin for painted) was intended, or if this is a Latin form of some indigenous name. I prefer to think of them as the "Painted People"

Although the Romans reached Scotland and often defeated them in battle, they never conquered the Picts or Pictland. The Roman Empire's expeditions north resulted in few permanent gains.

Scotland's sculptured stones, created by the Picts of ancient Alba tell the stories of a race of people who defied Rome and survived the invading Vikings, thus preserving a separate culture and race in Scotland. It is in these sometimes mighty, sometimes delicate stones that the history of ancient Scotland is now recorded.

There are many of these slabs on display in The National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh, as well as a fine display in The Hunterian in Glasgow.

When the Romans left the Picts were often attacked by the Britons and eventually all the Pictish tribes agreed to support one High King who would rule all of Pictland.

It's said the Picts, unusually, were a matrilineal society, i.e. bloodlines passed through the mother. Pictish kings were not succeeded by their sons, but by brothers, nephews or cousins as traced by the female line in a complicated series of intermarriages between 7 royal houses. It is this rare form of succession which in 845 AD gave the crown of Alba and the title Rex Pictorum - King of the Picts - to the son of a Pictish princess by the name of Kenneth, Son of Alpin, he is generally accepted by most historians as the first of the kings of Scotland, follwing on from his reign as King of Dál Riata. As usual though, not al agree on this.

The Picts survived as a distinct people until early in the 10th century. However, there is no record of them dying out or moving elsewhere. It is most likely that the Picts simply integrated into the large population within the developing multi-ethnic nation of Scotti, Picts, Celts, Britons and Angles which we now call Scotland. The map, from wiki says this was how their lands looked as late as the 7th century. The last pics are of two Pictish people and a 15th century depiction of King Kenneth.

[thezombieprostitute]

Masterlist

By AU

Biker AU - Fate (Curtis Everett)

Coffee Shop AU - Barista!Steve Rogers

College AU - Tenure (Charles Blackwood, Curtis Everett) - Tutoring (Ari Levinson, Bucky Barnes, Lloyd Hansen)

Corporate AU - Tech Tuesdays (Multiple characters)

Fairy Tale AU - Magic (Jefferson/Mad Hatter)

Flower Shop AU - Flowers in Storms (Lee Bodecker)

Mafia AU - Changing Minds/Constant Change (Nick Fowler) - Dream Come True /Nightmares (Curtis Everett) - Hummingbird /Dragonfly (Steve Rogers) - Sparks Fly/Frayed (Mace)

Maid AU - Cleaning Up (Jonathan Pine)

Omegaverse - Alphas & Algorithms (Curtis Everett) - Beta!Reader (Bucky Barnes, Hal Carter)

Royal AU - Sir Everett (Curtis Everett)

Soulmate AU - All Your Lovin' (Captain Syverson) - Alpine (Bucky Barnes) - Lloyd's Soulmate (Lloyd Hanson) - Sleepy Surprise

Werewolf AU - Prologue (Hal Carter, Jake Jensen) - Werewolf Steve (Steve Rogers)

By Character (characters I've written more than a couple stories for)

Bucky Barnes

Curtis Everett

Hal Carter

Jake Jensen

Lloyd Hansen

Nick Fowler

Steve Rogers

Character Reactions

I need kisses

Tell me I'm pretty

Holiday Stories

Christmas - Baby's First Christmas (Curtis Everett) - Music in the Air (Bucky Barnes) - 'Tis the Season, Sir (Steve Rogers) - Last Christmas (Nick Fowler, Hal Carter)

Halloween - Laughingstock (Dark!Steve Rogers)

Valentine's - Lloyd's Valentine (Dark!Lloyd Hansen)

Miscellaneous

Always the Bridesmaid (Jonathan Pine, Nick Fowler)

Bad Day (James Mace) - Bad Day Alternate (Dark!Ari Levinson)

Bets (Bucky Barnes, Jake Jensen)

Bittersweet (Dark Skinny!Steve)

Cops and Robbers (Lee Bodecker)

Dandelion (Hal Carter)

Done This 100 Times (Mordecai)

Grumpy Days (Multiple characters)

In the Woods (Chris Beck, James Mace)

Missing You (Johnny Storm)

Museum Tours (Steven Grant)

Panic Attack (Walter Marshall)

Pen Pals (God the Bounty Hunter)

Photos (Jake Jensen)

Receiving Affection (Multiple Characters)

Retaliation (Dark!Jake Jensen)

Self-Care Weekend (Bucky Barnes)

Selkie Story (Mace)

Stickers (Bucky Barnes)

Stuck (Ransom Drysdale)

To the Rescue (Kyle "Gaz" Garrick)

Inspired by Others

Alpha to the Rescue (unnamed character)

Andrew's Downfall (dark!Andy Barber, dark!Lloyd Hansen)

Angry Ari (Ari Levinson)

At the Gala (Multiple Characters) - After the Gala (Harald Finehair)

At the Gym (Unnamed SStan character)

Bouquet Event Masterlist (Multiple Characters)

Charity Auction (Multiple Characters)

Detective vs. Mafia (Clark Kent, Steve Rogers, Walter Marshall)

Don't Open the Door (Curtis Everett)

Global Warming (God the Bounty Hunter)

Ice Cream (Hal Carter)

Jealous (Nick Fowler)

Kidnapped (Multiple Characters)

Quiet Night (Bucky Barnes)

Royal Security (Nick Fowler)

Sacrifice (Demon!Lloyd Hansen)

Secret Crush (Lloyd Hansen)

Speed Dating (Jonathan Pine, Lloyd Hansen)

Too Old? (Unnamed Character)

Unexpected Guest (Curtis Everett)

[mountrainiernps]

The shift from fall to winter conditions happens quickly on Mount Rainier. Paradise and other subalpine areas have already seen some snow, and more is likely this weekend. When visiting, plan ahead and remember you are responsible for your safety.

Before leaving home, check the current trail conditions and heed local weather forecasts, realizing weather can change for the worse in a very short period of time. Before starting your hike, stop by the Longmire Museum or Jackson Visitor Center in the southwest part of the park, or the Carbon River Ranger Station in the northwest, for the latest trail conditions. Note: While SR410/123 on the east side of the park are still open, all eastside visitor facilities have closed for the season.

Always carry survival gear with you in case you have to spend the night out, including the 10 Essentials: food, water, warm clothing, emergency shelter, stove/fuel, flashlight, avalanche transceiver/probe/shovel, map/compass/GPS, first aide kit, & repair kit for any equipment.

Wear footwear with good tread to minimize risks from slipping. Consider using traction devices like shoe chains or hiking poles for extra stability.

You may need a reliable map and compass skills to traverse snow-covered trails, which can be difficult to follow, particularly in backcountry areas.

Know your limits. Know your experience and ability to survive in an alpine environment and don’t exceed them. A trail that is easy in summer can be challenging in winter.

Find more safety tips at https://go.nps.gov/MORAWinterSafety

NPS Photo of snow on the Tatoosh Range, 10/23/24.

[uwmspeccoll]

A Black and Rosy Feathursday

Well, here's a rare bird: the Black Rosy Finch (Leucosticte atrata), a bird that only lives above the tree-line in the high alpine areas of the American west. Because of its remote and restrictive range, it is one of the least studied birds in North America. It was first classified in 1874 by American ornithologist Robert Ridgway, the painter of this image, which is reproduced as a chromolithograph in our 2-volume set of Our Native Birds of Song and Beauty, by the late-19th-century director of the Milwaukee Public Museum Henry Nehrling, and published in Milwaukee by George Brumder from 1893-1896. 

So little information is known about the breeding distribution of the Black Rosy Finch that it has been designated as a “species of greatest conservation need” by the Wildlife Action Plan Joint Team of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.

View more posts from Nehrling’s Our Native Birds.

View more Feathursday posts.

[sjsmith56]

Snowfall, Part 4 - Encounter

Summary: Over the next 10 days Bucky and Leia develop a routine that allows them to live normally. A fire alarm at the apartment building sets the stage for a showdown.

Length: 4.2 K

Characters: Bucky, Leia, Burnham, purse snatcher, stalker.

Warnings: Emotional turmoil, realization that the stalker is determined.

Author notes: FBI profiles are rarely static as new evidence can cause the authorities to redo them several times. Even then, too much emphasis may be placed on certain facets of the profile sending them looking in the wrong places.

<<Part 3

In the 10 days since the last letter was received and Leia revealed her little brother's tragic death, the FBI team redid the profile of the suspected stalker.  With the new information about the other half-siblings, at first expected to identify the stalker, it now pointed towards someone who knew Leia's real identity, someone with a clear sense of superiority, and was possibly related, but unconfirmed at this time.  It sent the investigation in a different direction that felt like a waiting game to Bucky and Leia.

The three known half-siblings, one older brother, one younger brother and one younger sister were under surveillance as their backgrounds were being checked but so far there was no indication they were involved.  All were married, with children, were gainfully employed, and well regarded in their communities.  None of them seemed to know about the others or about Leia; none of them belonged to an ancestry website or had registered with an agency that found birth parents.  Although their original birth registrations listed Leia's father as their biological father, two of the three were legally adopted at a young age by their mother's eventual husband and their official birth records changed to reflect that.  The third, whose mother was with Leia's father at the time of her brother's death, had initially drawn the most suspicion but a sample of his handwriting didn't match the stalker's handwriting at all. 

That left the possibility that the stalker was an as yet undiscovered half-sibling, his or her birth father either unspecified or named as someone else on the birth registration.  A DNA sample from Leia was prepared for comparison with ancestry websites that used such evidence to determine familial relationships, but that process took time.  It was frustrating but there was little recourse.

With an early winter fully ensconced in the Tri-state area, Bucky and Leia were committed to their burgeoning love affair.  Living together in the apartment was still in its honeymoon phase for the couple.  Their daily routine involved breakfast together, often cooked by Bucky, then Leia would write for a few hours, using the notes she placed in her phone app during the day.  Bucky would read, or lay on the couch with wireless headphones on, listening to 30s and 40s music; Alpine often curled up on his chest.  Lunch was usually undertaken at a small cozy bistro with windows steamy from the interior warmth colliding against the cold panes of glass that looked out on the wintry street.  They spent one afternoon shopping; with Bucky trying to get some Christmas presents for Sam and his family.  He even managed to get Leia a present by convincing Pepper Stark to pick up a necklace that she admired, relaying the amount to her via a money app.   The other afternoons were spent seeing several attractions that New York had to offer: the Empire State Building, the Museum of Modern Art, and the main branch of the New York Public Library.  It was all new to Leia, and Bucky loved seeing the city through her eyes.

Dinner was something they worked on together, or had takeout food delivered to them, courtesy of the food delivery service that had been previously vetted.  So far, their handful of evenings together had been quiet, watching a movie on TV, or listening to music together, sometimes dancing in the living room with the coffee table pushed out of the way.  That activity had led to early evenings in bed, exploring the physical relationship that had developed quickly between them and showed no signs of burning out.

When they were out, they were always aware of one or more of the FBI agents tailing them, without them being intrusive.  With Bucky wearing an earpiece that kept him in constant communication with the team, it helped to quickly identify and discount various individuals who seemed to give Leia too much attention.  It also proved invaluable on the day that someone snatched Leia's purse.  As they were on a crowded street, a person jostled her, causing her to be pushed away from Bucky.  He saw a flash of a box cutter, pulled her towards him and away from the potential weapon, then watched with disbelief as a man slashed through the shoulder strap of her purse, sliding it off and running through the crowds back in the direction they came, straight towards two of the FBI agents.

"Purse snatcher," he signalled to the other three, unwilling to leave her alone.  "Grey hoodie, black jeans, 6 feet tall, 180 lbs."

"Got him," replied Burnham.  "Not today buddy."

Seconds later the guy was down on the pavement, flat on his back, as pedestrians stepped around him while Burnham and DaSilva held their guns on him.  Bucky and Leia joined them moments later, and waited for the police, already called by Schultz.  As they waited, Bucky scanned the crowded sidewalk, ever vigilant, sensing something that didn't seem right about this crime of opportunity.  A man, wearing a navy-blue winter coat and a black beanie deliberately turned away from the scene, then looked back and smirked at the super soldier before turning away again.  It was a very deliberate movement from a bystander, and he couldn't ignore it.

"Stay here," he ordered Leia.  "I'll be right back."

Burnham immediately stood next to her, nodding at Bucky that he had her.  Wading through the mass of people on the crowded sidewalk, Bucky kept the person in sight, as he was led away from the scene.  Approaching a stairwell down into the subway, the person dropped out of sight and Bucky hurried towards the stairs, running down them.  With people streaming past him, he climbed on top of the gate to look at those already inside the paid area.  Just as he spotted the man, a transit officer challenged Bucky to get down. 

"I'm on a case," he answered, keeping his eyes on the suspect.

"Don't care, get off the gate."

With a huff, Bucky jumped down and went back up the stairs.  He stopped at the top and looked around again as that sense came back to him.  Scanning the busy intersection carefully, he noticed something at the other entrance to the subway station, set diagonally across the large crossing space.  The man was at the top of the stairs, watching Bucky intently.  He must have jumped across the tracks below and gone up the stairs that led from the other platform.  For a moment, the super soldier considered running across, but it would have caused a disruption in traffic that could have led to an accident.  It occurred immediately to him that the man wanted just that, creating a diversion that would keep Bucky occupied.  Without taking his eyes off of him, he pulled his phone out, then held it up as if he was going to take a picture.  The man disappeared down the stairs, suddenly camera shy.  It didn't matter.  Bucky saw enough of him to commit his appearance to memory.  As he made his way back to the others, he wondered if the man was testing their response to any physical action taken against Leia.  The more he thought about it, the more he realized he was right.

"Damn, it was a setup," he thought, straining to see them as he got closer to the scene. 

When he did finally get them in view, with Leia seeming to be lit by the sun’s reflection from a pane of glass, the would-be purse snatcher was leaning sullenly against a building.  Without hesitation, Bucky picked him up by the neck raising him above their heads, his intent clearly evident.

"Who paid you to steal her purse?"

"Can't breathe," stammered the man, his hands on Bucky's hand, frantically trying to pry it off.  "Stop, please."

"Bucky," said Burnham, quietly, leaning in close.  "You're attracting attention.  Put him down."

Breathing heavily, he loosened his grip, lowering his hand so the man was standing on the sidewalk but still kept his hand resting on the thief's throat.  Then he leaned forward, until his mouth was at the man's ear.

"I could snap your neck and walk away with a clear conscience."  He could feel the fear his words brought out of the man.  "Answer yes or no."  The man nodded.  "You were paid to steal her purse." Yes. "It was a man in a navy-blue coat and black beanie." Yes.  "Have you ever seen him before today?" No. "Now you're going to answer with words.  How did he know you were a thief?"

The purse thief turned his head to look at Bucky, who had pulled back slightly.  What the man saw must have frightened him even more because he nodded his head.

"I picked his pocket a couple of hours ago.  Just as I was opening his wallet, he put something in my back and said to keep walking until we made it to an alleyway.  He said not to look at him while he took his wallet back.  I thought he was going to kill me.  Instead, he offered me a grand to steal her purse; gave me the money right there and showed me a picture of her on his phone.  That red coat stands out so she would be an easy mark, and he said she often walks with a big guy, you.  He had a picture of you, too.  That's all I know, mister.  It's the honest truth.  Please don't kill me."

"You still have the money?"

"Yeah, yeah, in my wallet," said the guy, reaching towards his pocket but stopped by Burnham who patted him down from the side and took the wallet himself, putting a glove on first.

"Fingerprints," said Burnham, holding the wallet up.  Bucky nodded.  "Good thinking."

At the police station a short time later, while the thief was being processed, they were in an office with the station's captain, who was made aware of the stalker.

"It was a setup," scowled Bucky.  "He was testing us, led me to the subway trying to get me onto the platform.  I didn't take the bait and came up the stairs.  He was across the intersection at the top of the other entrance, watching me, almost daring me to come get him.  Tall, pale skin, blue eyes.  No hair visible as he wore a beanie.  He knows Leia has a security detail, and his next move will likely be to separate her from us."

"Did you see enough of him to talk to a sketch artist?" asked the station captain.  Bucky nodded.  "Okay, get that done and we'll put out a notice on him.  Let us take it from here."  Bucky glared at him.  "Look, I have no doubt that you can handle it.  Hell, I know what you and Captain America did for the city with the Flag Smashers, but you have no authority here."

"Actually, he does," said Burnham.  "He's on secondment with the FBI.  Since the stalker originally sent letters to Ms. Dunn in another state, that makes it federal jurisdiction.  I'm not trying to overstep any boundaries, Captain.  We did call you in to take the thief into custody, but Sergeant Barnes is more than capable of handling himself in this case.  We cooperate and maybe together we can get this guy."

Reluctantly, he agreed, and the sketch artist came in to get Bucky's description of the man in the beanie.  Leia sat next to him, knowing her presence helped him, and hoping that what they produced would show her a face she knew.  When the artist applied the finishing touches he showed the picture to her, but she shook her head. 

"No, there's no resemblance to my dad and I don't recognize him.  If he's from my original hometown, I wouldn't have known him as an adult and I saw so many people at the farmer's market where I lived when I was trying to sell the book myself, that they all just blurred together after a while.  I mean I didn't even recognize that Edward guy and I posed for a picture with him."

She was disappointed and sat back in the chair, feeling like they had wasted everyone's time.  The artist excused herself, while Bucky took Leia's hand.

"It's alright," he smiled.  "It's been a tough day but at least I know the face now."  She smiled, then leaned towards him for a kiss.  Just as they touched lips, he pulled back.  "You wouldn't have known him as an adult because you left your hometown when you were 12 years old.  What if you only knew him as a kid, maybe a friend or a classmate, of either yourself or your brother?"  He stood up, pulling her up with him.  "They can make someone in a picture look younger using a computer program now, can't they?"

"Yeah."  She realized what he was implying.  "They can make that sketch look like a kid.  There must be yearbooks from when I was in school.  We can compare the de-aged sketch to the yearbooks, so we get a name, right?"

With a smile, Bucky placed both hands on her cheeks, and kissed her intensely before looking at her with admiration.

"Right."

Sharing their insight with Burnham and the police captain produced a flurry of activity as the school district in Leia's hometown was contacted.  They did have a selection of yearbooks from the various schools and would make them available by the following day.  As the sketch was scanned and fed into the computer program that could render it at different ages, Bucky and Leia waited.

"Do you really think he's going to try again?" she asked.  "He must know that with you seeing him, you'll find out who he is."

"Yeah, but maybe that's what he wants.  I think this started out as a way to threaten you.  Since this most recent incident I get the feeling that he's playing with us.  He didn't seem afraid of me, that's for sure."

Burnham came in then, carrying several sheets of paper.

"Here they are," he said.  "The suspect as he might have looked at 6 years of age, 10 years of age and 15 years of age."

Leia took them and looked at the top image, the teenage one.  She shook her head, then looked at the 10-year-old and 6-year-old side by side.  She could feel her heart in her throat as she saw the face of a boy she hadn't seen since Mikey died.

"He lived next door to us," she said, recalling her neighbour.  "Mitchell Morrison.  Everyone called him Itchy because he had eczema and was always scratching his skin.  The really mean kids would say it was cooties or lice.  I didn't like him because he was always staring at me through the fence.  It gave me the creeps.  He liked Mikey, even though he was younger.  They played with Lego a lot.  He can't be my brother.  My dad didn't pay attention to him at all." 

She dropped the sheets and sobbed.  Bucky looked up at Burnham, who picked up the sheets and left, leaving him to comfort her.  Taking her hands in his, he kissed them, then pulled her up to stand as he hugged her. 

"Do you want to go?" he asked.  "I don't think they need us any longer."

She nodded and stayed in the room as Bucky stepped out to tell the three agents he was taking Leia home.  When he returned, he helped her on with her coat, making sure her scarf covered her throat, then helping her button it up and doing up the belt.  He frowned at the plastic bag they gave her to transfer her belongings into instead of her purse as it was now evidence.

"I'll get you a new one," he said, as he opened the door for her.

"You don't have to," she answered.  "I have others at home."

Burnham was waiting for them in the hallway.

"I was going to hail a taxi," said Bucky. 

"Nope, not after what happened today," said the FBI agent.  "I'm driving you, as usual."

He was emphatic on the need for them to keep to the protocol, and Bucky wasn't inclined to argue with him.  If Morrison was the stalker, he got too close today.  If he wasn't the stalker, then they needed to know why he targeted Leia and Bucky.  The FBI agents would do their part now, using the resources of the agency in cooperation with the local police to find the man.  Bucky's job hadn't changed; to be Leia's personal bodyguard.

"We're going to find him," said Burnham, once they were on their way.  "Once we confirm his identity and get it out to all law enforcement agencies, he won't be able to hide anymore." 

"I still don't think I'm related to him." 

He looked at Leia through the rear-view mirror. 

"Profiles are at most 80% accurate, so we may have got that wrong, but it was based on that most recent letter when he referred to your brothers.  You just provided more information that added to the profile of the suspect Morrison.  It's a process and I think there's much more to explore there."

She squeezed Bucky's hand as she kept looking out the window, still bothered that the man who wrote those filthy letters to her was someone she had known as a child.  Mikey's death changed her by exposing her to deep emotions that found their way into her writing.  It had changed Morrison into someone dangerous.  The same incident created two different outcomes. 

By the time they got to the building, it was dark, and Leia had a headache.  She waited for Bucky at the security door, as he unlocked it with his set of keys.  When they got to the apartment door, he suggested ordering a pizza for dinner.

"I'm not really hungry," she answered.  "I've got a headache and just want to have a bath and go to bed."

He rubbed her back, smiling grimly at her, wishing he could do more to soothe her on this roller coaster day.  Taking her coat, he hung it up, then listened as she went into the bedroom, coming out moments later in her robe.  As the water started running, he poured some cool water for her and got her some painkillers.  Knocking on the door, he entered on her say so, handing her the pills and water, while she sat on the toilet seat, waiting for the tub to fill.

"I'm going to eat some of the leftovers," he said quietly.  "Let you have some quiet time."

"You can join me after."  She looked up smiling but without any warmth behind her eyes.  "I'm sorry I'm so quiet.  They seem so sure they're going to find him, but I think he's smarter than they know, and it has me worried."

He bent down on one knee, taking her hands in his and kissing them.

"No matter what, he has to go through me," he murmured.  "I'll admit that even with my skills, there's a chance that he could take you.  If that happens, I won't let you go without a fight.  Believe that and believe that I will find you if I have to tear the city apart to do it." 

She caressed his face.  "How would you find me?"

He took her hand and flattened it on his chest.  "By what I feel for you here.  Everything about you is deep in my heart and my head.  I know the scent of your hair and body, I can recognize the beating of your heart in a room full of others, and that connection we have is something I can't even begin to explain. I think you were right that we are kindred souls.  We were meant to find each other and be together.  I believe that with all my heart."

After a soft kiss to her lips he stood up, stopping at the door to look back at her.  When he returned in 10 minutes, he was only in his briefs, pulling them down quickly and entering the bathtub behind Leia.  She turned the hot water on to warm up the water, then leaned back against him.  It felt good to feel him gently massage her shoulders, and she rolled her head to give him more access to her neck.

"That’s good," she murmured.  "You know just where to apply the right pressure."

"Beginners luck," he answered.  "It will be alright, Leia." 

She felt his kiss on her head and closed her eyes, allowing her body to relax.  When the water became too cold to stay in, Bucky dried her off first, then himself, and followed her into the bedroom.  As she sat on the bed, yawning with how tired she was, he helped her on with some flannel pyjamas, then spooned behind her after turning out the lights.  Alpine joined them and within moments he could hear the rhythmic breathing indicating she was asleep.  More than anything, Leia needed that.

The sound of the building's fire alarm jolted Bucky awake, and he sat up, listening for a second, before going to the door of the apartment.  He couldn't smell any smoke but when he looked out the peephole, he could see their neighbours filing towards the stairwell.  One of them was knocking on everyone's door to make sure they were awake, confirming the fire department were on their way.  With a sigh, he opened the door and announced they were getting ready.  Leia had the bedroom light on, stuffing her purse contents that she brought from the police station into another purse.

"There was a fire alarm the day after I moved in," she said.  "It was a false alarm, but you never know in these taller buildings, right?"

Pulling sweatpants on over her pyjama bottoms, and an oversized sweatshirt over the top, she quickly put some socks on and went out to the entryway to put her boots on.  Bucky put his jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt on then his jacket and boots.  He helped Leia on with her red coat, making sure it was buttoned up properly, with the scarf protecting her neck. 

"Alpine," he remembered.  "I better take her in the cat carrier."

That took another few minutes to get her into it and they were among the last to leave their floor, although there was a steady stream of people in the stairwells from the floors above them.  On the way down they came across an elderly woman who was having trouble with the stairs.  Handing Alpine to Leia, Bucky stopped and offered to carry her.  She was quite impressed at how easily he lifted her into his arms, complimenting him often on his gallantry.  A city bus was already outside the building when they got down there, for the elderly and those with kids to sit in.  With the light snow that was falling it was appreciated to have someplace to shelter.  Bucky deposited her inside then came back out to where Leia waited with the cat carrier.  Someone else yelled that they needed help with an elderly resident and Bucky rushed over to help.  He placed them inside the bus, then came out to Alpine, still in her cat carrier, and Leia's purse on top, sitting on the snowy ground.  Leia was no where to be seen.

"Excuse me," he said to a man standing nearby.  "Do you know where the woman who was holding the cat went?  I left her here just a moment ago."

He looked at the cat carrier then looked around.  "There was a guy talking to her," he said, "but I don't see him either.  I think he needed help."

A cold feeling of dread settled in Bucky's belly.  "Could you just watch the cat while I look for her?" 

The man agreed and Bucky started to explore the scene, making his way past several fire trucks that responded to the alarm.  As he searched, all sorts of dark thoughts filled his mind.  It can't be him.  How would he know where we lived? I promised to protect her.  Half a block away he saw something dark on the ground and approached it, gingerly picking it up with his left hand.  The black beanie was proof that it was Morrison.  Kneeling down to catch his breath, he noticed dark spots on the snow.  Taking his phone out, he turned on his flashlight and shone it on the spots, revealing them to be blood.  Sitting down hard on the cold wet snowy road, he couldn't breathe for a moment then he looked at the phone and called Burnham.

"He has her.  Fire alarm at the apartment building.  I was helping someone, just for a moment, and when I came back, she was gone.  I found his beanie and there's blood nearby."

Dropping the phone, he sat there devastated at having failed at the one thing he promised to do.  He almost lost it to the despair he was feeling, then something in him hardened and he knew what had to be done next.  He promised Leia he would tear apart the city to find her.  When a police vehicle left the fire scene and came closer then pulled up near him, he handed the beanie to the officer.  They could investigate the scene.  Time was wasting.  He had to find Leia.

Part 5>>

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[thepastisalreadywritten]

“(In the name?) of St Titus.

Holy, holy, holy!

In the name of Jesus Christ, Son of God!

The Lord of the World

Resists (to the best of his ability?)

All attacks(?)/setbacks(?).

The God(?) grants the well-being

Entry.

This means of salvation(?) protects

The human being who

Surrenders to the will

Of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God,

Since before Jesus Christ

All knees bow to Jesus Christ: the heavenly

The earthly and

The subterranean and every tongue

Confess (to Jesus Christ).”

There is no reference in the text to any other faith besides Christianity, which would also have been unusual at this time.

According to the Frankfurt Archaeology Museum, reliable evidence of Christian life in the northern Alpine regions of the Roman Empire only goes as far back as the 4th century AD.

‘Fantastic find’ made possible by modern technology

Wolfram Kinzig, a church historian and professor from the University of Bonn, helped Scholz to decipher the inscription.

“The silver inscription is one of the oldest pieces of evidence we have for the spread of the New Testament in Roman Germania, because it quotes Philippians 2:10–11 in Latin translation,” Kinzig explained in an interview published on the University of Bonn’s website.

“It’s a striking example of how Biblical quotations were used in magic designed to protect the dead,” said Kinzig.

Peter Heather, a professor of medieval history at King’s College London with a specialist interest in the evolution of Christianity, described the discovery as a “fantastic find.”

Heather, who wasn’t involved in the research, told CNN:

“The capacity to be able to decipher the writing on that rolled-up piece of silver is extraordinary. This is something that’s only possible now with modern technology.

If they’d found it 100 years ago they wouldn’t have known what it was. Silver amulets are probably going to contain some kind of magical scroll but you don’t know what – it could be any religion.”

He added:

“You’ve got evidence of Christian communities in more central parts of the empire but not in a frontier town like that in Roman Germany so that is very unusual, well it’s unique. You’re pushing the history of Christianity in that region back.”

[artsandculture]

The Hunters in the Snow (1565) 🎨 Pieter Bruegel the Elder 🏛️ Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien 📍 Vienna, Austria

In the late 16th century, the Antwerp banker Niclaes Jongelinck owned one of the most important painting collections in the Netherlands. He commissioned Bruegel to create a series of six seasonal paintings, the last of which is shown here. The series also included: Gloomy Day (Early Spring; KHM, GG 1837), Spring (now lost); Hay-Harvest (Early Summer; Nelahozeves Castle, Czech Republic, Lobkowitz Collection); The Harvesters (Late Summer; New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art); Return of the Herd (Autumn; KHM, GG 1018). For the composition of this series, Bruegel, who today is regarded as the most progressive landscape painter of the 16th century, followed an older tradition that divided the year, beginning on 1 March, into six unequally long seasons. What all the compositions have in common is the so-called balcony motif, i.e., the depiction of a hill in the foreground from which an overall view of the landscape unfolds. On top of the hill a group of hunters accompanied by a pack of dogs is seen, making their way back to the village below. Their catch is poor: a single fox dangling from the spear the hunter on the left carries on his shoulder. To the hunter’s left, Bruegel added a motif that had been used forquire some time in book illumination for depicting the month of December: the preparations for singeing a pig over an open fire outside a building. The damaged sign hanging above them reveals the name of the inn: “dit is inden Hert”, meaning “To the Deer” – a well-aimed passing shot. Entertaining details, such as the people ice-skating on the frozen lakes, have contributed to the painting’s enormous popularity. However, it does not owe its significance in art history to its details but rather to the overall impression conveyed by the coloration and composition. With virtuosity and consistency Bruegel evokes the impression of cold: white, blue-green and brown are the dominant colours. The precise silhouette of the trees, the frozen mill-wheel at the lower right and the icy surface of the snow revealed by the hunters’ footprints blend together to convey the fundamental characteristics of winter. The scene is an invented, universally formulated landscape: the combination of a chain of Alpine mountains with Flemish architecture renders pointless any search for reality.

[blackswaneuroparedux]

Les aspirations les plus absurdes et les plus téméraires ont parfois conduit à des succès extraordinaires.

- Vauvenargues

St. Moritz has been a famous health resort in Engadine since the 19th century. At first, it was only frequented by spa guests, before the village developed into a high alpine sports centre, and for a time it was a playground for the rich and famous. There’s still some of that element present but not as in its hey day of the 70s. For nine months of the year it’s just another picturesque village in the gorgeous Swiss Alps, with Lake St. Moritz lying at its heart.

Crucially it is quietly forgotten by the outside world. Residents can breathe and go about their daily chilled out lives. For those precious nine months it was great to hike and ski there as my boarding school wasn’t too far away from getting there. But the other four months of the year, the high season, it gets flood with skiers and altogether more showy crowd.

The frozen surface of the lake, which can only be described as a desert of snow, now serves as a symbol of the resort itself. From nine months of natural bliss to four months of chaos and madness. Every time the ice lends its surface to polo tournaments, horse races, and the wealthy and beautiful make the pilgrimage down the mountains from their grand hotels, St. Moritz seems to transform. St. Moritz’s newest ‘gimmick’ for the past three years or so has been to serve the International Concours of Elegance St. Moritz - or The ICE St. Moritz - as a kind of classic car museum with an adventurous character.

Since the first ever The ICE St. Moritz in 2019, historic rally cars have been exhibited to the sports car-crazy public on the opening day, before demonstrating their horsepower on the ice racetrack on the second day of the event. However, the fact that The ICE is taking place on Lake St. Moritz, of all places, is no coincidence. In 1985, a group of Scottish and British sportsmen drove their vintage Bentleys to St. Moritz to celebrate the centenary of the Cresta Run (an eccentric and high spirited toboggan amateur race). As part of the festivities, they drove their cars on the racecourse across the frozen Lake St. Moritz.

This year, however, the ICE St. Moritz evolved slightly differently. For the first time, the event was held on two days: Friday 24 and Saturday 25 February. On the first day, the lake was transformed into an open-air museum, where the jury evaluated the cars on display from an aesthetic perspective. Then, on the second day, the actual race took place, whereupon the jury evaluated the classic cars from a performance perspective.

This year there were five category winners. In the ‘Open Wheels’ category, the 1958 Maserati 420M/58 “Eldorado” held its own. Meanwhile, the ‘Barchettas on the Lake’ category crowned the Ferrari 500 Mondial Series II from 1955 as the winner. My personal favourite, the aforementioned Ferrari 250 Testarossa ‘Lucybelle’ emerged as the winner in the ‘Le Mans 100’ category. As expected, Lancia Strato’s HF Zero of 1970 came out on top in the ‘Concept Cars & One Offs’ category. Last but not least, judges crowned the 1958 Bentley S1 Continental Drophead Coupé as the winner of the ‘Queens on Wheels’ category.

The evening gala took place at Badrutts Palace, which towers over the city like a castle with its high stone walls. In the stimulating semi-darkness and under shimmering candlelight, riders, collectors, enthusiasts, the public and media from all over the world celebrated the conclusion of one of the most anticipated competitions in the Engadine. Overall it’s spectacular fun and contrary to what one might believe it really does draw the car enthusiast crowd rather than the snob mob. It’s a very chilled event and bags of fun.