#tiny tiny hassy

[zarla-s]

Thirteen years the ladies have been around! Always there, just hanging about, haha. I recently picked up Aseprite and I wanted to give it a try, and I was always intrigued by those pixel landscapes that had lots of moving pieces all at once. I didn’t understand how they did that until I picked up Aseprite and saw the timeline feature! I might fiddle with it some more as time goes on. In the meantime this was a fun change of pace, I haven’t done in-depth pixel work like this in a while. It’s meditative in a way.

[patreon]

[conductor-on-grn]

The spotted garden eel (Heteroconger hassi) is a species of heteroconger belonging to the family Congridae. It is native to the Indo-Pacific.

The spotted garden eel is a small fish that can reach a maximum length of 40 centimetres (16 in; 1.3 ft). Its body is anguiform (eel-like): long, thin, with a circular cross-section (14 millimetres (0.55 in) in average diameter) and a head of the same diameter as the body. The head appears shortened because the large mouth is close to the also large eyes. Nostrils are small and positioned in the center of the upper lip.

The body is white and covered with many small black spots. The spotted garden eel has three larger distinctive black spots; the first identifies the gills opening and the position of the tiny pectoral fins, the second is located in the central part of the body and the third one surrounds the anus. Juveniles have a very thin black body.

The spotted garden eel is widespread throughout the tropical and subtropical waters of the Indo-Pacific from the eastern coasts of Africa including the Red Sea to Polynesia, and south from Japan to New Caledonia.

It lives exclusively in variously sized colonies on sandy bottoms that are exposed to currents, at depths from 15 to 45 meters. It digs a burrow from which emerges about a third of its body pointing their mouths towards the underwater current to catch drifting food.

ooh, eel!!! that's so fun, thanks mate

[sir-maxwell1]

Have a tiny, silly Hassie for now

[sukkanen]

how do you come up with your characters names?

they have dumbass names because they were originally fantrolls and me and apri are too attached to the fucking names to change them!!!!!!! some of them have gotten extra names (like cuvier and domina), or that their original name is just a nickname (nuptus) ,but … these names are just, what we gonna have to live with

the worst one is hassis he’s a literal weed joke and we didn’t mean that to be his name but it was too late. we got attached. now we have a weed son.

btw a tiny OLD list of our ocs with minimal info can be found here:

https://sukkanen.tumblr.com/moco

[alexsfictionaddiction]

Review: The Gardener by Salley Vickers

I’ve been intrigued by Salley Vickers’ books for a while. I’ve had a copy of The Librarian for a couple of years and shamefully haven’t got round to picking it up yet. But I was very excited to be approved for her new release The Gardener.

Hassie and Margot Days are sisters who have recently bought a house in Hope Wenlock on the Welsh borders. For the first time in years, they’ll be living together following their father’s death and neither is sure how things will work out. While Margot is still keeping up with London society, Hassie makes it her business to become involved in local life, including hiring Murat, an Albanian who is relatively new to the area, to look after the garden. But the hire raises tensions in the village.

Hassie’s full name is Halcyon, which isn’t a word I’ve heard used as a first name before. However, when she reveals that it’s from a Greek myth, I saw the charm in it and it seemed to fit Hassie very well. In some ways, she resembles a beautiful, small bird taking flight from her past and settling in a new garden.

We get quite a detailed picture of the dynamics that the sisters grew up with. Hassie was very much their father’s favourite and Margot, their mother’s. Hassie seems to harbour a lot of resentment towards her mother and I can imagine the pain that she feels, knowing that a parent doesn’t like her. Living with a domineering or narcissistic parent is a hard way to grow up and it’s inevitable that it would have left its mark.

Hassie and Margot’s relationship made me smile. They’re middle-aged women but they converse and bicker like children. They are very different personalities and tend to clash on most things. However, I could tell that there was a lot of love between them. Vickers is clearly excellent at writing sibling relationships and I had no doubt that they were real sisters.

Hass befriends an old lady called Phyllis Foot, who is full of stories and advice. I loved sitting in on their chats and absorbing everything that Phyllis had to say. There appeared to be very little that Phyllis didn’t know about Hope Wenlock and its inhabitants. She felt very real to me and I was willing Hass to listen to everything that she had to say.

She also brings a lot of the humour to the book. I laughed out loud at the above line and it confirmed her authenticity for me. I know these eccentric old women who dwell in these tiny rural towns and they’re some of the most interesting, enjoyable characters you’re likely to meet.

Hass is fleeing a love affair that has broken beyond repair. We get glimpses of her past and watch this relationship develop and we’re privy to the circumstances surrounding it. Although I loved reading these parts and definitely picked up on the romantic nature of it, I wasn’t invested in it and wanted more for Hass. She is clearly in a lot of pain from it ending though and I was willing her to realise that there was so much more to life and love.

Overall, The Gardener is a very observant, authentic depiction of English village life. There is a lot of prejudice, a lot of distrust and fixed opinions but there is also a charm, plenty of individuality and blissful solitude. While this is definitely set in recent times, due to references to Brexit and Theresa May, there is something about it that felt nostalgic. With these references to current affairs removed, the book could easily be set anytime between the 1950s and 2020 and I loved that enigmatic, timeless vibe. I’m excited to read more of Vickers’ work and see if I enjoy them as much.

[ramblingsofastarrider]

Drabble: Awaiting

Hastiel gazed over her elder sister. Uncertainty staining her glass features, penetrating into her airy voice despite her efforts to sound indifferent. She was glad her lavish court mask hid her pained expression. “Do you know how much more time you have before the ship arrives?”

“The Kiliktin say that it should be here within two days.” Soriah stoically gazed out the window of the Kiliktin outpost. The horned people had been generous to allow her to take residence with them in their heated station. For that she and her father owed them a huge debt, which they paid in glacial resources.

“Two days and you’re gone forever.”

“It’s hard to say what the future holds. I pray that there is a cure for me somewhere in the vastness, so that I can return and gain the throne when father steps down.”

“What if there isn’t a cure?”

“Then you will be the new Glastier Dynasty Queen.”

The thought was a displeasure to both of the sisters.

Hasteil continued to watch Soriah who was bundled up in lavish white furs. Hidden behind it all Hastiel could see the black lines creeping over her sister’s skin like the ancient fractures in the ice at the Chasms of Calcida. “Do you feel the cold in here?”

“It is not the same as the outside air, but I still shiver. The Kiliktin say that it’s hot in here, I don’t grasp the concept.” Soriah smiled as she turned to Hastiel. Her sister was suited for the lavish court life, comfortable in the role of the second sibling. Hastiel wasn’t destined to rule over anything, she could hardly govern herself. “Come on Hassy, don’t look so sad...”

“Sister!” Spheil shouted, running through the hall to jump into Soriah’s arms. “Papa said that a federation ship is coming to pick you up!”

“Did he now?” Soriah knelt down and held Spheil, her flesh was cold. 

“Is it true?”

“Of course, Father would never lie.”

“Wow,” Spheil leaned back and looked at the marks upon her sister’s face, tracing them with her tiny fingers. “Can I come with you into the vastness? I have always wanted see the moons and the stars up close.”

“Spheil, if you come with me, who will take care of Hastiel?” 

“I can take care of myself.” Hastiel replied, unimpressed at the comment.

Spheil’s nose crinkled. “Your eyes look more yellowey than before.”

“Spheil.”  Hastiel was too slow to silence her younger sister, remorsefully waiting for Soriah’s reaction.

“It’s okay,” Soriah said, forcing a light smile. “I noticed it too, it doesn’t hurt me, so neither of you should worry. The only thing that hurts me is the air of our planet, I am comfortable in here.”

The three sisters hung around in silence. They were unsure of what to say, even Spheil couldn’t think of things to talk about, it was rare for her to be so quiet. Yet there was comfort in each other’s company, just as there always had been. This could be the last time that Soriah was with her sisters. After all, her ailment could be fatal. Even the Dynasty’s top scientists could not tell what was wrong with her, nor could the Kiliktin. 

After awhile, a man dressed in elaborate white silks with true-ice and fur embellishments approached the girls. He was their father, the King of the region. “Hastiel, you will be leaving with your sister and I will hear no complaints on the subject.”

Hastiel was mid-protest before the pointed glance of her father silenced her. 

“Go home to pack your things, say your goodbyes. The ship will be here in two evenings.”  

[its-just-jaylon]

The Spotted Garden Eel

The spotted garden eel has large black dots all over its body and large yellow eyes. This species can grow up to 16 inches in length and 1/2 an inch in width.

Scientific Name

Heteroconger Hassi

Taxonomic Classification:

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Anguilliformes

Family: Congridae

Genus: Heteroconger

Species: Hassi

Habitat/Environment:

The Spotted garden eels live in the warm parts of the Pacific Ocean and Red Sea in colonies on sandy flats and slopes that border coral reefs at depths between 23 -150 feet. 

They are also found in areas dense with seagrass.

Behavior:

The spotted garden eels burrow into the sand to make their home. 

They tighten their muscles and then drive their tail deep into the sand. 

When they get deep enough, they wiggle their dorsal fin which pushes the sand out.

Eventually, they secrete slime from their skin to support the burrow walls. 

They whole spotted garden eels make are used as a hiding spot from predators. 

During the mating season, the males become defensive of the females, protecting her from other males. 

The spotted garden eagle rarely leaves its home. 

The spotted garden eels live in seagrass to blend in with their surroundings. 

They prefer to live in groups of 3 or 4 

-group of spotted garden sea eels-

Nutrition:

They eat tiny planktonic animals that float by

Reproduction/Development:

During mating season, males and females reach across and entwine their bodies. 

The species are pelagic spawners, which means, that the fertilized eggs are released into the current. 

They float in the open waters near the surface until they hatch. 

Once large enough, they swim down and make their burrow.

FunFacts:

They have extremely good eyesight

-byeeeeee-

Sources:

https://www.dwazoo.com/animal/spotted-garden-eel/

[cool-critters]

Spotted garden eel (Heteroconger hassi)

Spotted garden eels burrow into the sandy sea bottom to make their home. They eat tiny planktonic animals that float by them in the water current. Spotted garden eels live in the warm parts of the Pacific Ocean and the Red Sea in colonies on the sandy flats and slopes that border coral reefs at depths of 7- 45 m. They can also be found in areas dense with seagrass; this makes it easy for them to blend in with their surroundings.They grow to 40 cm in length and have a body diameter of 1.3 cm.

photo credits: temaki , Hans Hillewaert, publicdomainpictures

[golshxd-blog]

Let me spoil you the end right away. This lens is ridiculously good, even by Hasselblad standards. While I will go into details further down this page, just know I couldn’t find fault with this extraordinary design.

It’s not all good news, however. Ergonomics unfortunately lag far behind optics. At least for most people. Let’s start with that before we can get to the good stuff.

    So, what’s wrong with the XCD 3.5/120?

For one thing, it’s real big. The XCD30, XCD90 and XCD45 are large but balance very nicely on the body. However, the XCD 120 is much larger. Add the sunshade, and it feels like a model bazooka.

Secondly, autofocus is woefully slow. Extremely accurate, but slow. For low-contrast moving subject, I found that focusing manually close to the exact point and letting AF finish the job was the fastest procedure. If that scares you, you are not the target customer for what is without the shadow of a doubt the sharpest lens I have ever used. Sharp enough to trim Wolverine’s toe nails, sharp enough to split leptons for breakfast.

  Click for 100% view

  This is a specialized lens. Try to use it for action photography and it will drive you insane. Use it for macro and still subjects and you will discover the most extraordinary and satisfying tool.

Better still, what separates this from a soulless scientific razor blade is its gentle rendering. Far from the aggressive look of some other macro lenses, this XCD 3.5/120 shows tremendous finesse and delicacy.

In other words, anything you photograph just looks drop dead gorgeous. If you own an X1D and don’t want to spend big money, stop reading right here

    With an f/3.5 maximum aperture, it cannot create the same razor thin focus plane as an Otus. But it’s rendering is every bit as elegant and subtle. Surprisingly, the same can’t be said of some of its non-macro sublings (all share a common aesthetic and come close, but they aren’t quite there).

The way every subtle shade and colour nuance is depticted without having to touch saturation is fabtastic and makes for a vibrant but very natural atmosphere, even on dull subjects in flat lighting.

    Another direct consequence of this subtle rendering is a natural depiction of 3D that mixes a very palpable layering with the slight compression offered by a short telephoto lens (120mm, roughly 90mm equivalent on full frame). Very complex scenes are dealt with with a nonchalent “wha’ever” dismissal and everything falls in its natural place.

    For me, the standout feature are the colours. Strong but mainly … true. Even in brutal light. This is a trademark of the host camera, but it seems this lens gets the very best out of the X1D.

    Bokeh is also good. Getting close up and personal at full aperture will produce oodles of capuccino, but even distant scenes at more moderate f/ratios will send the background into an elegant blur. Essentially perfect, here.

  @ f/18

@f/4

f/6.3

f/6.3

f/9

  In fact, Hasselblad could sell this as a portrait lens. It excels at that exercise, even without IBIS (smug grin, check).

    Black and white “performance” ? Well, given how gorgeous the colours are, I didn’t bother much with b&w in my short experimenting. But everything points to a very delicate look.

  The Harcourt Studio look in macro mode, hand held, in natural light …

  Chromatic aberration ? Nope. Couldn’t find any. Not wide open, not in focus, not closed down, not out of focus. Maybe it’s there (is that a trace around the boxes above the left shoulder? It may be but I don’t think it is), but it didn’t show up in any significant way during my day of experimenting. This is a stunning, stunning, lens.

    Here are some more random shots taken during my walk with the lens, to let you judge the rendering style for yourself.

  Held at arms lenght with one arm. Not super sharp.

Through glass

The lesser spectacled grandad, a.k.a. Homo Exhaustus.

AF slightly flummoxed on this one.

Through glass

Moving too fast for AF

Much betta

Smile, you’re on Hassy

Tiny wild orchids

Vial selfie.

  So who is this expensive, slow, ponderous and optically magnificent lens for ? What’s my final verdict ?

  Near full moon at over 200% magnification. This level of detail is ridiculous for an equivalent focal length of 90mm!

  Well, my take is simple. Before moving to the X1D system, all my lenses had been manual focus. Why? Simply because AF lenses are optical compromises. The optical formula is chosen not just for visual goodness but also for lightness, so as to allow the AF motors to be snappy. Manual focus lenses don’t have to make that compromise and often turn out to be more subtle and more elegant.

This Hasselblad XCD 3.5/120 Macro appears to be an autofocus lens that makes no compromise to autofocus. It offers all the the visual beauty I’ve come to expect of an Otus, and then some, and happens to also focus automatically. This puts it at the other end of the AF spectrum from sports-oriented lenses that will primarily guarantee great subject tracking and also offer the best optical quality that first condition allows. If you think about it as a manual focus überlens that happens to have AF, it begins to make a lot of sense. In fact – and this is going to make many scream in rage – this lens reminds me of another gentle giant favourite of mine : the Milvus 85, one of the most underrated recent masterpieces in optical design. Bold, powerful, but infinitely lovely. Only the Hassy trades aperture for even more quality, subtlety, and AF.

  Through dirty glass

  And one of the words that have popped up most frequently in this (kind of) review is “natural”. This is the lens of a naturalist. I honestly cannot think of anything better for that sort of application. I wish it had been with me during the supermoon. And that some sort of astonomical guiding system was still accessible to me to photograph the Milky Way with this heavenly combo.

If John-James Audubon was around, this is what he’d be using. Of course, he’d be somewhere exotic, not at the local zoo, but that lens and camera would be there with him to document the animal world with that mix of absolute scientific exactitude and artistic flair for gentle beauty.

I sure wish I was a naturalist adventurer.

  Where’s Waldo ?

  Anyone who’s seen me shoot knows that I walk a lot, and often run when with family or alone, trying to encounter as many subjects as possible rather than stick around. Even though, it’s been absolute love at first sight, and the lens is being used far more than I anticipated, because zoos aren’t my natural habital and I don’t usually have the time to go out and explore the outdoors, observe, plan, or be meticulous.

    I don’t care, I’ll deny ever suggesting it, but the lens deserves better than me, in that respect, don’t you think?

  Posted on DearSusan by pascaljappy.

[moroccotours]

4x4 Excursion around Erg Chebbi Dunes

4×4 Excursion around Erg Chebbi Dunes

Tour 4×4 in Merzouga Desert

4×4 in Morocco,Tours 4×4 in Merzouga,Excursion 4×4 Morocco,Tours 4×4 Merzouga

Our 4×4 tour in Erg Chebbi Dunes After breakfast begin the drive to explore to the tiny villages around Erg Chebbi dunes such as Hassi Labied, Merzouga and Khamlia. In Hassi Labied you will have a stop at the garden where you will view canal irrigation system. From here we…

[torremargps-blog]

Look out, don’t step on the Marine Iguana!

Galapagos Marine Iguanas basking in the sun. Look out, don’t step on the Marine Iguana! That’s right, strolling along the streets and on the beaches in the Galapagos Islands you need to watch where you step when the Marine Iguanas are sunbathing or cooling down in the shade. The Galapagos Islands are the only place on earth where you will find Marine Iguanas. The Galapagos Marine Iguana is a reptile and they regulate their body temperature basking in the equatorial sun and resting in the shade. As you walk down Charles Darwin Ave on the black lava sidewalk look where you are walking, because you are in the Marine Iguana territory. You will also find the Galapagos Marine Iguana wondering on the beaches and swimming in the bays. The unique Marine Iguanas feed on algae that grows in the ocean.  These sea going creatures not only feed in the shallows along the rocks, but they also dive in the depths and feed.  They can hold their breath for more than 30 minutes.  In addition, they can also drink salt water and have the ability to excrete the salt.  You may see them “spiting salt”.  The process of spiting salt gives the Marine Iguana a white haze on their heads.  The Marine Iguanas are black, but the large breeding males become very colorful.  The males put on their best to impress. During mating season they show brilliant reds and greens.  The Marine Iguanas share a common ancestor with the Galapagos Land Iguana that most likely floated to the Galapagos Islands.  The Galapagos Marine Iguana has been in the Galapagos Islands for over 8 million years. The Galapagos Islands are home to eleven different subspecies of Marine Iguanas. In 2017, the first comprehensive taxonomic review of the species in more than 50 years resulted in new findings.  Based on morphological and genetic evidence, there is now recognition of five new subspecies. Come and experience these unique creatures. A. c. cristatus Bell, 1825 (albermarlensis and ater are a junior synonyms) – Isabela and Fernandina Islands A. c. godzilla Miralles et al., 2017 – northeastern part of San Cristóbal Island A. c. hassi Eibl-Eibesfeldt, 1962 – Santa Cruz Island and smaller adjacent islands such as Baltra A. c. hayampi Miralles et al., 2017 – Marchena Island A. c. jeffreysi Miralles et al., 2017 – Wolf, Darwin and Roca Redonda islands A. c. mertensi Eibl-Eibesfeldt, 1962 – southwestern part of San Cristóbal Island A. c. nanus Garman, 1892 – Genovesa Island A. c. sielmanni Eibl-Eibesfeldt, 1962 – Pinta Island A. c. trillmichi Miralles et al., 2017 – Santa Fé Island A. c. venustissimus Eibl-Eibesfeldt, 1956 – Española (including adjacent tiny Gardener Island) and Floreana Islands c. wikelskii Miralles et al., 2017 – Santiago Island and smaller nearby islands such as Rábida Donna Daugherty is a long time permanent resident of the Galapagos Islands.  She has worked as a consultant for the Charles Darwin Foundation and is a founding member of Ambiente Independiente. She is an entrepreneur owning and developing businesses for over 20 years. The owner of Torre Mar Galapagos Apartment Hotel serving guests in Galapagos Click to Post