<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[RSS Feed]]></title><description><![CDATA[RSS Feed]]></description><link>http://direct.ecency.com</link><image><url>http://direct.ecency.com/logo512.png</url><title>RSS Feed</title><link>http://direct.ecency.com</link></image><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Mon, 11 May 2026 06:22:35 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="http://direct.ecency.com/@brianvds/rss" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title><![CDATA[Steemcreations @steemcreations]]></title><description><![CDATA[Steemcreations is a project started by @steemcreations to share free images made by steemians for steemians, to use for whatever other projects. See his original post here: Free image for the day: How]]></description><link>http://direct.ecency.com/steemcreations/@brianvds/62epki-steemcreations-steemcreations</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://direct.ecency.com/steemcreations/@brianvds/62epki-steemcreations-steemcreations</guid><category><![CDATA[steemcreations]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[brianvds]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 02 Nov 2017 04:18:21 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.ecency.com/p/6VvuHGsoU2QD2aHbJiivbVZV6nAA4BJrX2xi1Ybu2ZzpKMwSDf6kPPatvxByck1c8K3QADVFSWdjCSfqqStujcyuhhcfAKBiGTJxry4NodxGU7VxeG9F5YZbWBJgke?format=match&amp;mode=fit" length="0" type="false"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Steemcreations @steemcreations]]></title><description><![CDATA[Steemcreations is a project started by @steemcreations to share free images made by steemians for steemians, to use for whatever other projects. See his original post here: How to share your free stuff:]]></description><link>http://direct.ecency.com/steemcreations/@brianvds/4er8ux-steemcreations-steemcreations</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://direct.ecency.com/steemcreations/@brianvds/4er8ux-steemcreations-steemcreations</guid><category><![CDATA[steemcreations]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[brianvds]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 31 Oct 2017 14:07:51 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.ecency.com/p/3W72119s5BjWPGGUiZ9pqnZoj8JHYxCCp9dtn2QVeYX5uhbSK7J33zSpUnA4cWWpELAHLRzfh5BbX1VzZzsb55VuZZTaDtyGA6CXHo2edRDB4MJKBfW3kS?format=match&amp;mode=fit" length="0" type="false"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Narcissus visits the interwebs]]></title><description><![CDATA[In a very perceptive article, ( Matthew Koller captures the problem with social media in general, and Instagram in particular: you pretty much need it as marketing tool, but if you’re not careful, you]]></description><link>http://direct.ecency.com/marketing/@brianvds/narcissus-visits-the-interwebs</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://direct.ecency.com/marketing/@brianvds/narcissus-visits-the-interwebs</guid><category><![CDATA[marketing]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[brianvds]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 30 Oct 2017 05:04:06 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.ecency.com/p/ChYr1cJZCH5MCAy3RJLzdaUfAradUD6Ky3UVSyaCBs1XaAcuj8kzcUoPvnZxQp76EjH5p4Hde8W8ycXEMtAn9KftuFAsbreg15TaWxE8UPiKNKKt5Q9rNbL5q6eRhVahYmoJC6gEctQhziXYv3pgfDiygPe1HZBBPj6ABQ4VHMrs1yPinbND9s5rSY7ZYa?format=match&amp;mode=fit" length="0" type="false"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Steemcreations (@steemcreations)]]></title><description><![CDATA[Steemcreations is a project started by @steemcreations to share free images made by steemians for steemians, to use for whatever other projects. See his original post here: Here's another free coloring]]></description><link>http://direct.ecency.com/steemcreations/@brianvds/steemcreations-steemcreations</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://direct.ecency.com/steemcreations/@brianvds/steemcreations-steemcreations</guid><category><![CDATA[steemcreations]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[brianvds]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 30 Oct 2017 04:44:39 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.ecency.com/p/qjrE4yyfw5pQYiuVvgYiUBP16WHGGN7UNn1BCdGddixdME43fxfVXmfXnz8mWcd7bndeDtcnKwKEoXbXvRbRjgYZtHfJkdZNbp1NTKDgoFYxkhjH1PTsjLYe?format=match&amp;mode=fit" length="0" type="false"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[@steemcreations - Steem Creations: Coloring picture]]></title><description><![CDATA[Steemcreations is a project started by @steemcreations to share free images made by steemians for steemians, to use for whatever other projects. See his original post here: Here's another one of my famous]]></description><link>http://direct.ecency.com/steemcreations/@brianvds/steemcreations-steem-creations-coloring-picture</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://direct.ecency.com/steemcreations/@brianvds/steemcreations-steem-creations-coloring-picture</guid><category><![CDATA[steemcreations]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[brianvds]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 27 Oct 2017 05:31:54 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.ecency.com/p/qjrE4yyfw5pQYiuVvgYiUBP16WHGGN7UNn1BCdGeA2qwZv98ARocQJY9tubFerANtTxdUvsq8ZGxuAjGQuSHTNt2uPtvzGUa8VWrTSPDLDo5Vn2A6KGQYq9G?format=match&amp;mode=fit" length="0" type="false"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[@steemcreations Steemcreations Free Coloring picture]]></title><description><![CDATA[Steemcreations is a project started by @steemcreations to share free images made by steemians for steemians, to use for whatever other projects. See his original post here: So here's another free picture.]]></description><link>http://direct.ecency.com/steemcreations/@brianvds/steemcreations-steemcreations-free-coloring-picture</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://direct.ecency.com/steemcreations/@brianvds/steemcreations-steemcreations-free-coloring-picture</guid><category><![CDATA[steemcreations]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[brianvds]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 26 Oct 2017 04:28:24 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.ecency.com/p/3W72119s5BjWPGGUiZ9pqnZoj8JHYxCCp9dtn2QVgEyzFCTRBMsMg4zbQL5UpQS5CjhjYfuc7yQfXh4iue1Ub36cYCNezqqUk8Vi1bWBtbkgQL5BkfrfGa?format=match&amp;mode=fit" length="0" type="false"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Tale of the Fearsome Duck]]></title><description><![CDATA[I grew up on a small homestead out in rural South Africa, where we lived pretty much like Appalachian hillbillies, despite (or perhaps because of) the fact that my father had a master’s degree in philosophy.]]></description><link>http://direct.ecency.com/homesteading/@brianvds/the-tale-of-the-fearsome-duck</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://direct.ecency.com/homesteading/@brianvds/the-tale-of-the-fearsome-duck</guid><category><![CDATA[homesteading]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[brianvds]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 24 Oct 2017 03:03:12 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.ecency.com/p/3jpR3paJ37V8t3d5gG8YxUrFtTrvhgCDjjN8jFs75kknWvbuKScGH9sz3kd6x2rk6nPvZrYpAP1Xj8HdJ9gRDzJ5EpgG5avJA9TooJskvGw8QCg7pBgXSbNUuQHNVejhSwtQ6?format=match&amp;mode=fit" length="0" type="false"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[@steemcreations FREE STUFF!]]></title><description><![CDATA[Steemcreations is a project started by @steemcreations to share free images made by steemians for steemians, to use for whatever other projects. See his original post here: In this spirit, here is a photo]]></description><link>http://direct.ecency.com/steemcreations/@brianvds/steemcreations-free-stuff</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://direct.ecency.com/steemcreations/@brianvds/steemcreations-free-stuff</guid><category><![CDATA[steemcreations]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[brianvds]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 23 Oct 2017 05:18:24 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.ecency.com/p/99pyU5Ga1kws91ecJjkANAzfstp5ietJ4ACvk9NVKtUBDKUAkJAhvZ8mjsLWBS45LEci28zZf5mp71XoS9y5cR3EHQFRuHQ38jjdfLuth5AgMMN5E272MMCGMDtDRwkCcv?format=match&amp;mode=fit" length="0" type="false"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Color challenge - Friday blue]]></title><description><![CDATA[White against blue. Taken with an old Kodak C195 point-and-shoot: Centurion, Gauteng Province, South Africa -Brian]]></description><link>http://direct.ecency.com/photography/@brianvds/color-challenge-friday-blue</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://direct.ecency.com/photography/@brianvds/color-challenge-friday-blue</guid><category><![CDATA[photography]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[brianvds]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 20 Oct 2017 04:43:12 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.ecency.com/p/7258xSVeJbKnFEnBwjKLhL15SoynbgJKpQxRd1uotdiRgYNQW1A2z68H9gy8k94TsEwFhtG2XG83d2ZnCcfBXZ8ZYZLEyn37xsSjEw2mNC7s4K2ks771iuasfqyyJq3ti2n2F16gKSY6a?format=match&amp;mode=fit" length="0" type="false"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[The more things differ, the more they are the same...]]></title><description><![CDATA[Never having been in America, I can’t be sure of this, but if the movies are anything to go by, American schools look like this: Big buildings with the whole school enclosed in it, and when students move]]></description><link>http://direct.ecency.com/school/@brianvds/the-more-things-differ-the-more-they-are-the-same</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://direct.ecency.com/school/@brianvds/the-more-things-differ-the-more-they-are-the-same</guid><category><![CDATA[school]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[brianvds]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 15 Oct 2017 10:50:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.ecency.com/p/D5zH9SyxCKdBnJaFeHnL3svQi9ZN2XzXDbzH7Wc9sq1seZkZPEFBHdke6xX5xqfhfN2PoGdncX9JJmZSTUKg8RHWhYD5UNpM5uBgvMK631qKsmvZDkZHunLCuPLPn6hcHu4TQJ?format=match&amp;mode=fit" length="0" type="false"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[What should kids play with?]]></title><description><![CDATA[On the web, I saw someone ask this slightly strange question: How can I find people with exceptionally good taste and judgement in recommending children's books, toys, and other child related things? My]]></description><link>http://direct.ecency.com/psychology/@brianvds/what-should-kids-play-with</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://direct.ecency.com/psychology/@brianvds/what-should-kids-play-with</guid><category><![CDATA[psychology]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[brianvds]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 14 Oct 2017 12:03:03 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.ecency.com/p/D5zH9SyxCKdBnJaFeHnL3svQi9ZN2XzXDbzH7Wc9tvqBH5T3T727NGjaiHt3PAdpvwHaj6UfqojFzFeGzAgqpTVEDy8iJDVhkZkMJDCiaSZ3aps79TnCDWSWsntb2kymmFz34i?format=match&amp;mode=fit" length="0" type="false"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Seaside paintings]]></title><description><![CDATA[The Western Cape province coasts in South Africa are known for their quaint and colorful fishing boats and fishermen on the beaches. They are also popular subject for artists, including yours truly. Alas,]]></description><link>http://direct.ecency.com/art/@brianvds/seaside-paintings</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://direct.ecency.com/art/@brianvds/seaside-paintings</guid><category><![CDATA[art]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[brianvds]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 13 Oct 2017 03:49:54 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.ecency.com/p/5ShzsKnKF7vqjwxfz8GNQQU7Rv6mDu9Mbhf9eZ574u317w3QmjV13N2Gq3K3oueaDpqpLseQje9FAoDi89tjdJCVtYoZ3fGHHezR6rV7xnzD9wMKgUnBW5RTqVSTch92rKWpJZtaraP1WjbukHXLdiZt?format=match&amp;mode=fit" length="0" type="false"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Should lions be admired?]]></title><description><![CDATA[On the question-and-answer site Quora someone asked what struck me as a somewhat strange question: Is it just me, or do Africans not hold lions to the same degree of admiration Europeans do? To me, rather]]></description><link>http://direct.ecency.com/wildlife/@brianvds/should-lions-be-admired</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://direct.ecency.com/wildlife/@brianvds/should-lions-be-admired</guid><category><![CDATA[wildlife]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[brianvds]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 12 Oct 2017 12:35:15 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.ecency.com/p/JvFFVmatwWHVQPjDcGkFxELgGtwNAntRtiqDuEyxx85HG712fPtwphFE7LcoU6GKnejiWCGmxVCPLPYzkR1HN3ZGjYhWiiTawN5Yqt3FY21efZPKyyA3Akos9EYeSbDQW7cp4UamKk?format=match&amp;mode=fit" length="0" type="false"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Wildlife around us]]></title><description><![CDATA[We all tend to think we live in a boring place, and we long for all those exotic places you see in tourist brochures. Me, I am lucky enough to live in one of those exotic places, though of course it doesn't]]></description><link>http://direct.ecency.com/photography/@brianvds/wildlife-around-us</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://direct.ecency.com/photography/@brianvds/wildlife-around-us</guid><category><![CDATA[photography]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[brianvds]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 11 Oct 2017 05:23:45 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.ecency.com/p/6VvuHGsoU2QD2aHbJiivbVZV6nAA4BJrX2xi1YbtzCG1DK9eRsNs5772coiZGGvg5L5BBHBT33D5tNcWxirWEk7f56feZDFRJEw2pjC311mSepyRVe2tAFiBbxjrri?format=match&amp;mode=fit" length="0" type="false"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[A bit TOO peaceful?]]></title><description><![CDATA[People often think I'm morbid, but I have long loved the peace and tranquility of cemeteries. Apparently, with less and less space to bury people, cemeteries will also disappear over time. But at least]]></description><link>http://direct.ecency.com/photography/@brianvds/a-bit-too-peaceful</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://direct.ecency.com/photography/@brianvds/a-bit-too-peaceful</guid><category><![CDATA[photography]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[brianvds]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 09 Oct 2017 05:06:15 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.ecency.com/p/21PRtjKRXPQyotRPt1Hd7fPufGf1WCpCvB7qBKbTkatmeSxiwJ9V2nkUcoskbDSjsSGMSKNhXJpsdaXBXkwDqiKw6KcBQDbvp8bdV411Z6uheMfTXauzhMkevpKMqzUA5BJmJfvxHQGxkrTUrFuFXvW?format=match&amp;mode=fit" length="0" type="false"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Autumn tree]]></title><description><![CDATA[For all the folks in the northern hemisphere, my recent painting of a tree in autumn: Oil on board, 25 x 20 cm (= about 10 x 8 inches). Here in South Africa, it is spring, getting hotter, trees beginning]]></description><link>http://direct.ecency.com/art/@brianvds/autumn-tree</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://direct.ecency.com/art/@brianvds/autumn-tree</guid><category><![CDATA[art]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[brianvds]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 06 Oct 2017 03:14:15 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.ecency.com/p/5ShzsKnKF7vqjwxfz8GNQQU7Rv6mDu9Mbhf9eZ576r9ufW4ueYUw3TNTor5afsh3anDg4c9C6kaaNcbrsfGMKRgcmqfMugCguRUUcaHSovCLaFEpJqugYJHHVR7TuiMgH7qcRNdqTNJr7ePtBMJ61sQS?format=match&amp;mode=fit" length="0" type="false"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Longhorn beetle]]></title><description><![CDATA[A longhorn beetle; Pretoria, South Africa. These colorful critters spend most of their lives as wood boring larvae, and they can indeed spend years that way. Then the colorful and short-lived adults emerge.]]></description><link>http://direct.ecency.com/photography/@brianvds/longhorn-beetle</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://direct.ecency.com/photography/@brianvds/longhorn-beetle</guid><category><![CDATA[photography]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[brianvds]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 05 Oct 2017 04:15:48 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.ecency.com/p/2N61tyyncFaFnNFKLegVvzmsrMAExSDXzsHdqwaiS2JHV1Vq3rWaHVFZMbpTKd32rxDDPMcWH65qA5GxQmAUFF9XBWoS6n5jeJoChe2sU8qDNSgSsKzM2onQw5dQn5doaCkg7nXQ4ajx?format=match&amp;mode=fit" length="0" type="false"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Praying Mantis]]></title><description><![CDATA[Captured this little fellow on camera some time ago; he/she looks very devout, but also ready to take a swing at me... :-) Pretoria, South Africa. In the old, days the only way to study insects in depth]]></description><link>http://direct.ecency.com/photography/@brianvds/praying-mantis</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://direct.ecency.com/photography/@brianvds/praying-mantis</guid><category><![CDATA[photography]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[brianvds]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 04 Oct 2017 01:47:42 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.ecency.com/p/99pyU5Ga1kws91ecJjkANAzfstp5ietJ4ACvk9NVSY6T3dGGPBNW13SSiJbHJdQdnwVP6wLmw8EHN3HNCzfhEMSz5HjYzpzfx9gxVGZ54RACyfWTvuHc2wJgKRBo3cmDWv?format=match&amp;mode=fit" length="0" type="false"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Nature around us - can you spot the snake?]]></title><description><![CDATA[Went to a kid's birthday party, at a little homestead some half hour or so outside of Pretoria. Great fun, and then people started milling around a tree and shouting and pointing - there was a snake in]]></description><link>http://direct.ecency.com/photography/@brianvds/nature-around-us-can-you-spot-the-snake</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://direct.ecency.com/photography/@brianvds/nature-around-us-can-you-spot-the-snake</guid><category><![CDATA[photography]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[brianvds]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 03 Oct 2017 02:49:27 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.ecency.com/p/2dk2RRM2dZ8gbkvz1yNBypLpwUHBnasMpK1zSCzdCTpzR3ic27hN6kWscf2AnwKxuNWtUDTe92kLdgi8R2G7thAFbFZgaF1ZKbSu6Dw16qPq9gny36QRREojAoYCUTLDjGyiwGSGZxgUjWeQ8tRiPbosh7mv8WDAYR68Wb3fYS?format=match&amp;mode=fit" length="0" type="false"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Russians in South Africa]]></title><description><![CDATA[A few days ago I saw a photo of a Russian Orthodox church in an article by @alextribeck. Go check out this young man's work here: It made me think of the only such church I have ever seen in person. I]]></description><link>http://direct.ecency.com/travel/@brianvds/russians-in-south-africa</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://direct.ecency.com/travel/@brianvds/russians-in-south-africa</guid><category><![CDATA[travel]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[brianvds]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 01 Oct 2017 10:36:30 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.ecency.com/p/JvFFVmatwWHVQPjDcGkFxELgGtwNAntRtiqDuEyxsusWhZJWmxJRUZxW1JRXQ5MpHd1aojkFMrM4ZEvAdtS61wCpEtYNWHoKF8JrfiEQZyHeWgWuvA3v4PiYe5z9riFzK82cGFBE2i?format=match&amp;mode=fit" length="0" type="false"/></item></channel></rss>