#Storm on the Black Sea

[stigmatam4rtyr]

Storm on the Black Sea (1837, oil on canvas) | Andreas Achenbach

[opera-ghosts]

OTD in Music History: Important Russian “nationalist” composer Modest Mussorgsky (1839 – 1881) is born into a wealthy and land-owning Russian family. Mussorgsky began receiving piano lessons from his mother (a trained pianist) at the age of six. He progressed rapidly, and, at the age of ten, he and his brother were taken to Saint Petersburg to continue their studies (which included music) at an elite school. Mussorgsky's parents had also planned the move to Saint Petersburg so that both their sons would renew a longstanding family tradition of military service. Accordingly, Mussorgsky was duly enrolled in the Cadet School of the Guards at the age of 13. Unfortunately, the school was a brutal environment – and it probably instilled in young Mussorgsky the drinking habits which would ultimately lead him down to the path to terminal alcoholism. (According to another former student, the Head of the Academy at that time "was proud when a cadet returned from leave drunk with champagne.”) Mussorgsky’s considerable skills as a pianist made him popular with his fellow-cadets, however, and he spent many evenings playing popular dances interspersed with his own improvisations. In October 1856, the 17-year-old Mussorgsky met the 22-year-old physician Alexander Borodin (1833 - 1887) while both men were serving at a military hospital. Even more portentous was Mussorgsky’s introduction just a few months later to Alexander Dargomyzhsky (1813 - 1869) – who at the time was the most important Russian composer after Mikhail Glinka (1804 - 1857). Dargomyzhsky was so impressed with Mussorgsky's pianism that he invited Mussorgsky to attend his soirées, and it was there that Mussorgsky met Cesar Cui (1835 – 1918) and Mily Balakirev (1837 – 1910) – and, through Balakirev, Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844 - 1908). Thus the core constituency of the historically important Russian “nationalist” school of composers known as “The Mighty Five” was formed… PICTURED: A c. 1920s real photo postcard showing the middle-aged Mussorgsky, with a very solid mullet.

[expressions-of-nature]

Sevastopol, Crimea by Ekaterina Dmitrenko

[sir20]

Next harbour please, by sir20

[puppetmaster13u]

Prompt 299

Hear me out- Ghosts have wings. They have wings, which are affected by their cores, and can make them disappear from sight if they want or need to. You got that? Good. 

Ecto-contaminated people? Don’t have wings. Liminals and Halfas, who have developed cores? Do have wings, and they can’t hide said wings, because unlike ghosts? Their bodies are physical living flesh. 

Now Gotham? Ecto-contaminated, there’s no doubt about it. The amount of portals that have been opened there and death pits and death cults… yeah it’d be surprising if it wasn’t. But again, no one really notices, because at most? Most just get a bit of eyeshine. 

The Bats however? Oh man are they freaking out when they wake up with aches in their back and feathers starting to poke through their skin. Curse? Nope! Welcome to Liminality, enjoy the second puberty of wings, emotion-sharing, fangs, claws, and whatever else you might develop- also enjoy the whole eating fear thing. (Wait, the what-)

[chasingrainbowsforever]

Best Astronomy Photos ~ BBC News

Photo taken by Mikkel Beiter, who stood and observed the sea’s waves rolling onto sand, turning it into a reflective surface.  When clouds emerged from behind the nearby mountains, he was able to capture a winning image of the teal aurora borealis curving across the night sky in Stokksnes, Iceland.

[jadafitch]

Inspired by the recent storms, here's a great cormorant facing the wind.

[maximura]

Greece in detail: water on rock | Original photography by Silvan Schuppisser from Unsplash

[people-who-steal-ships]

John Silver's very rational thoughts about Flint

[branchflowerphoto]

It was a stormy day at Rivermouth, Margaret River, Western Australia.

[sabekr]

[leomitchellart]

Inktober 2024 no.12 - “Remote” 🗼

A lonely lighthouse. 

[falsemilkbun]

It turns out I forgot there IS canon examples of how casting lightning would work, and I'm freed from figuring it out if I like

but watch out

[ravensarca]

Something's Brewing

algo se esta gestando

[bulgara]

Ahtopol City after storm // Bulgaria // Black Sea Coast

[joeiannandrea]