James' World 2

Click the link below the picture

.

Acer palmatum, commonly known as Japanese maple, palmate maple, or smooth Japanese maple, is a species of woody plant native to Japan, Korea, China, eastern Mongolia, and southeast Russia. Many different cultivars of this maple have been selected and they are grown worldwide for their large variety of attractive forms, leaf shapes, and spectacular colors.

Acer palmatum is a deciduous shrub or small tree reaching heights of 6 to 10 m (20 to 33 ft), rarely 16 meters (52 ft), reaching a mature width of 4.5 to 10 meters (15 to 33 ft), often growing as an understory plant in shady woodlands. It may have multiple trunks joining close to the ground. In habit, its canopy often takes on a dome-like form, especially when mature. The leaves are 4–12 cm (1+1⁄2–4+3⁄4 in) long and wide, palmately lobed with five, seven, or nine acutely pointed lobes. The flowers are produced in small cymes, the individual flowers with five red or purple sepals and five whitish petals. The fruit is a pair of winged samaras, each samara 2–3 cm (3⁄4–1+1⁄4 in) long with a 6–8 mm (1⁄4–5⁄16 in) seed. The seeds of Acer palmatum and similar species require stratification in order to germinate.

Even in nature, Acer palmatum displays considerable genetic variation, with seedlings from the same parent tree typically showing differences in such traits as leaf size, shape, and color. The overall form of the tree can vary from upright to weeping. Wikipedia

.

An image of a Dwarf Japanese Maple Tree

.

.

Click the link below for images:

.

__________________________________________

Click the link below the picture

.

Ystad is a town and the seat of Ystad Municipality, in Scania County, Sweden. Ystad had 18,350 inhabitants in 2010. The settlement dates from the 11th century and has become a busy ferry port, local administrative center, and tourist attraction. The detective series Wallander, created by Henning Mankell, is set primarily in Ystad.

In 1285, the town’s name was written Ystath. Its original meaning is not fully understood, but the y probably is related to an old word for the yew tree, while stad means town or place.

After the time of Absalon, Bishop of Roskilde, and Archbishop of Lund, peace was brought to the area in the 11th century, fishing families settled at the mouth of the river Vassa as herring fishing became the main source of trade. Ystad was not mentioned in documents until 1244, in a record of King Eric’s visit to the town with his brother, Abel. A Franciscan monastery, Gråbrödraklostret, was founded in 1267, and Ystad joined the Hanseatic League in the 14th century.

The charter of 1599 gave the town the right to export oxen. Ystad, together with all of Scania, was transferred from Denmark to Sweden following the Treaty of Roskilde in 1658.

By 1866 Ystad had a railway connection and it was established as a garrison town in the 1890s. After World War II, ferry services to Poland and to the Danish island of Bornholm were opened. Wikipedia

.

An image from Ystad, Sweden

.

.

Click the link below for images:

.

__________________________________________

Click the link below the picture

.

If you drive south on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coastal road until it ends you will reach Playa Manzanillo, a small fishing town inside the Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge. There is something magical about reaching the end of the road, and this particular trip will not disappoint. Once there, you will have a stunning beach to sunbathe and swim, great snorkeling and beautiful hikes, and to make it just perfect…add a great Afro-Caribbean ambiance.

.

An image from Manzanillo Limon

.

.

Click the link below for images:

.

__________________________________________