FELT

Cave at Charco Azul on El Hierro in the Canary Islands

Visitors to El Hierro are probably well-seasoned travelers looking for the remote and the rugged, a place barely blipping on the tourist radar. This isle, the most southwestern of the Canary Islands chain, is distinguished by a shoreline of volcanic rocks and high cliffs. The Atlantic Ocean sends waves crashing into the primeval landscape, the sea water sometimes settling into cave pools such as this one.

Its remoteness helped lend El Hierro a notable claim to fame: For hundreds of years it was the site of the prime meridian, a line of longitude used by many European navigators and map-makers. Basically—from the 2nd century when the geographer Ptolemy marked it as the prime meridian, until the 18th century—this island was considered the end of the world. ~ author unknown 

Cave at Charco Azul on El Hierro in the Canary Islands 

photo by Reinhard Schmid 

Old Nature, New Day.

Alishaaa Mae moist with the glee of being freed from childhood into the beginning of discovering the nature of being a woman. That means there are paths to explore. Any old woman would tell her that. A wise one will show her how! Alishaaa Mae in the quest for who she can become as a woman makes her discoveries. "Are they not as important as landing on the moon, the stars?" is an obvious question. Without a translation what does the Punany say to the soul? ~ Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories 10/30/18

Wadi Rum (‘The Valley of the Moon’) in Jordan

Wadi Rum’s forbidding landscapes don’t look particularly hospitable, but people have lived here since prehistoric times. This extraordinary region of sand seas and towering mountains in southern Jordan includes ancient Thamudic petroglyphs carved into cliff faces. Byzantine monks seeking the ascetic life are said to have taken up residence in this harsh desert. And over the centuries, nomadic Bedouins have traversed the scorching sands, as they still do to this day.

Moviemakers are also drawn to the severe majesty here: Many films have Wadi Rum to thank for some of their epic sweep, including ‘Lawrence of Arabia,’ ‘The Martian,’ and the Star Wars spin-off, ‘Rogue One.’ ~ anon 

Henna design on Marcy S. DePina somewhere in Marrakech, December 17, 2012.

I have fond memories of Marrakech. The Medina! The best place to go in any city. 

Back when I was young in Morocco, and in ancient times henna was part of the evidence of women's exclusivity in a culture moored in the dominance of men, and Islam and the prophet Mohammed. There was, and is hidden sacred power women held within themselves. Rituals, like drawing geometric designs on hands, and face (I never saw a woman's feet) maintained mystique and quiet powers within the household, and the men they married, and loved. It was deep the love a boy had for his mother, but at the age he went with the men created adoration for Mother, the way a man feels with deeper appreciation for the roles played by both genders.
There is a lot in Henna. - Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories 10/30/18 

the form of Valerie. 

"Nakedness catches all off-guard. 

Those off guard moments tell. Those moments are unguarded, 

and in the flash tell many things about a man's soul..." - dawn wolf, keeper of stories 10/30/18 

Naked woman in soft light by AndreasReh 

This older woman has dynamic energies...

Ode to a Paradigm.

The wild sense of being independent, aloof, and 'on my own' became part of the mystique carried by each generation of youth, in the States. It portrayed a yearn incapable of fulfilling itself; yet it was fashionable. . . It is captured in this photograph! - Alowan Chantey Inyan Wichasha, 10/01/18 

Honor Water, Honoring Life.

Water embraces all of Life. White men not understanding this come from within their bowels, as if it is their right to disregard the waters of their mother's wombs as property! Therein lies the debate, and the future. - Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories 

the Precious touches.

Victoria Hunnie Jewelz.

Lingerie football player. Victoria Hunnie Jewelz. by Roland Dawson. Oct. 31, 2018.

pregnancy, water and motherhood: Tomiko Fraser by Guy Viau.

pregnancy of hers has no words to convey the beauty, the warmth, the comfort of knowing deep things father and child will never know, only sense. - Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories 

Absolutely stunning Mailis is in this photo taken by Aaron Kurkela. (Nov. 2018)

Elizabeth Montgomery

Catch the Eye, Prick the intellect

Women's Portraits Only (WPO)

Nude study of Kalin Olson in waters of Costa Rica for Mystique Magazine by photographer Mark Daughn. Shot with a Bronica SQA, Ektachrome transparency film. (2018).

Check out his work here: Mystique Magazine.

eyes of model 菓子 by Andy Liu. September 2018.

What caught my eye was what a viewer asked. He want to know 'wuz up with her eyes?' My response was simple, on one level.

"What are you seeing? Probing question a man should ask of youth. If you look closer, the question innocence asks of itself, and of the possibility of losing or compromising innocence, you will be startled. It is a disturbing look, but is all around us. It is not that there is something wrong in the eyes; it is what is in the eyes? That is the question! That is start of the line of questions grandfathers should, and many do, pose to their grandsons. . ." - Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories 10/07/18 

Womb as Water Carrier

Blue waters, Sara Jean Underwood, delicate beauty...

When first I saw this image, I thought: Water's troubled spirit has a sound within the waves. How she is heard is not dependent upon how many respond. Her life is not dependent upon men, or men's need to dominate...

"Where do you sit within the whole believing in what you hope is right?"

I couldn't feel anything trite when the photographer translated something from deep within the essence of who we are collectively in this one image! - Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories 10/01/18 

[The] Esoteric feel of a timeless moment is felt in this image of Sara Jean Underwood. 

- Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories

Sounds in Water.

Water's troubled spirit.

"Water as the ethereal force she is, is conveyed by how Sara Jean Underwood sits in the water." - Alowan Chanteh Inyan Wichasha

Walking in the Fog shot by Kevin B. McCluskey.

Composure in Movement.

Rainbow over the fields, Hommelvik in Norway. Pål Rune Lien‎, photographer. [Sept. 2018]

Priyanka Roy Kundu by Partha Pratim Kundu‎.

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Natural woman in Nature, Kristina in this setting taken by Kenneth Lysgaard.

"Composure in stillness is a spontaneous reaction in any forest near a water source. The water within reacts with water in our physical surroundings. It is nothing to explain, or write poems about, unless you must; but to be experienced in the wholeness of a moment is magic of a simple formula church cannot recreate..." ~ Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories [September 26, 2018]
Women's Portraits Only (WPO)

the Glory of Discoveries

The life of this woman makes a promise to continue the legacy of her ancestors. The quality of those lives she brings to Life tell multiple stories from One Web. - Abuelo Wolf, Wisdom Keeper 9/11/18

There is the essence of the spiritual connection of soul to water, spirit to flesh. In the context of African ancestors is transitory work bound souls undertake to resurrect in this action of birthing: becoming! - Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories

[This] short black dress worn boldly sends shock throughout the body! Properly done seduction is an induction into a breathing sequence weak hearts adjust by focus of intent to either give in, or strengthen resolve. - Abuelo Wolf, Keeper of Stories

Maggie Smith, the British actress, is one essence; as a lady she is a breath away from something inaccessible. It is what drew me to her soul that links us with fascination and appreciation... - Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories 9/12/18 

Eva Mendes !!!!

Eva by Mercedes Castillo Sánchez who lives in Spain.  

Wonder meant to engage...

Cristina Tiurean Photography

Photographer Cristina Tiurean took this moment of Simona Spinella.

"The relationship between women and water is the birth of a child, the pregnancies we all evolve from and the element we carry and emerge from to breath air. It is quite the circular game to existence these touches to our knowing!..." - Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories 8/21/18

"Tiny woman. Elegantly does she wear the Ujena classic G-string! It is a gift being this confident in the sensuality of this stage in life. It commands attention to and from purpose!..." ~  Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories 

Root of an Evil

Naked woman in a body of water by Dino PhSette Istantifotografici‎

A RIDDLE: 

The placement of a woman naked in a body of water is a story. These are two things despised in European thought and tradition: a woman and a body of water. The consequences of this historical fact is crushing the life out of existence. Unrepentant, humanity moans in pain we all feel. We people of color have no idea how to break through their resistance to begin the process of reconciliation at this level, for so complicated a history!. . . - Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories 8/3/18

A JOY:

Naked introspective into the eyes of Shana DeFilppis sees the soul shot with Canaon 6d Mark2 85mm lens, single flash 300 wats by John Nasser Photography.

Well done this introspective. - Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories 8/4/18 





A PUZZLE to the mind is the feeling, in American belief, in conflict with the belief in the insignificance of the child. It goes deep into European history, thought and belief... - Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories 8/6/18 

baby in crochet carrier by Dania Renae Photography.