The ghost town of Carter, Wyoming
Population 6 in July 2023
Northern winds haiku: WHPPC
northern winds swirl, sting
snowflakes dance, drift, and alight
kisses of winter
Purple clematis up close: MM & FOTD
Here’s a picture of beautiful purple clematis blossoms up close in July of last year.
Clematis vines do well in sunny locations with moist, well-drained soil. A thick layer of mulch over their roots helps keep them cool, which they prefer. Once mature, these plants can reach a height of 10 to 20 feet. There are nearly 300 species of clematis. The distinctive blossoms of clematis come in a wide variety of colors, including white, yellow, pink, purple, blue, green, and bi-color.
Hot Springs State Park: LAPC
You’ll see unique sights if you visit Hot Springs State Park in central Wyoming. Unlike other state parks in Wyoming, entrance to this park, located in the city of Thermopolis, is free. I’ve included a map of this day-use park at the end of this post.
History of the park
In 1897, Big Horn Hot Springs State Reserve became Wyoming’s first state park. The park, now called Hot Springs State Park, has always been famous for its therapeutic mineral hot springs.
On the iconic Monument Hill, you’ll see the words “World’s Largest Mineral Hot Springs” in large white letters.
Native peoples used the hot springs for healing purposes for hundreds of years. They believed its waters would make them invincible in battle.
Stateparks.com describes the park’s history in the following excerpt:
“Chief Washakie of the Shoshone tribe, who built a personal bath house there, and Chief Sharp Nose of the Arapaho tribe sold the hot springs to the United States in 1896 with the provision that a portion should be forever reserved for the use and benefit of the public. Today nothing is left of Washakie’s bathhouse, although a small marker may be found at the site. At Thermopolis, each year in early August the presentation of the springs to the white man is re-enacted in the ‘Gift of the Waters Pageant’.”
Hot Springs Pools
The state-run bath house in the park has free admission. The water temperature at Wyoming State Bath House is maintained at 104 degrees Fahrenheit.
Two nearby commercial hot spring facilities, with inside and outside pools and waterslides, charge an entrance fee. Star Plunge was built in 1900 and has hosted many famous people, including Buffalo Bill Cody, Butch Cassidy, Marlon Brando, and Robert Redford. Hellie’s Teepee Pool’s iconic copper dome is a local landmark. They offer a 272-foot-long outdoor slide and a 162-foot indoor slide.
You can explore the park by car or by venturing out on the 6.2 miles of trails.
Hot Springs State Park offers opportunities for fishing, boating, Volksmarch, and group picnicking. Group picnic shelters require registration and a deposit.
This small park includes several unique features.
Unusual hot springs in the park
White Sulfur Springs, at the north end of the park, may not be as impressive as other thermal features, but it was interesting to see its white-colored water.
The Teepee Fountain is much more impressive. This cone-shaped feature, originally built to vent steam, is right next to the Best Western hotel where we stayed. It has accumulated more layers of color since our last visit to Thermopolis.
Hot Springs State Park Swinging Bridge
At the north end of the park, you can walk across a suspension bridge for unique views of the park’s attractions.
I walked by this winding hot spring-fed creek near the bridge. If you take a dog with you, as I did, make sure you have them in a harness and under good control. That water is HOT!
The original Swinging Bridge was constructed in 1916 and rebuilt in 1992. When you get to the other side, you’ll get a big surprise. Rainbow Terrace stretches along the shore of the Big Horn River. Over 8,000 gallons of water flow over the Terrace every day. The water temperature here measures 135 degrees Fahrenheit.
Hot Springs State Park Bison
The park maintains a herd of 24-27 bison. When we visited in early June, several calves grazed near the cows. Bison have inhabited the park since 1916. In the late fall and winter, they are fed daily supplements. Note, the park brochure reminds you to watch the bison only from inside your vehicle. They are wild animals who can run at speeds up to thirty-five mph.
Legend Rock Petroglyphs
Thirty miles northwest of Thermopolis, you can walk alongside a low cliff covered with hundreds of petroglyphs. Hot Springs State Park personnel manage this AMAZING petroglyph site. For more about Legend Rock, see my post about this impressive site.
Hot Springs State Park map
Painted turtles drawing & photos: First Friday Art
Today I’m sharing a pen and ink drawing I did of a painted turtle. I have fond memories of them as a child, when I kept painted turtles as pets.
I’m also sharing a couple photos of them I took in Custer State Park in South Dakota. When we made a quick stop to walk the dogs, I was surprised to see this “island” near the road.
When I took a closer look, I discovered the island was covered with painted turtles, taking a break in the warm sun. Cool! 🙂
Do you have artwork you would like to share? Be sure to include the First Friday Art tag.
First Friday Art (FFA)
Jewel of a truck: WPWC
A jewel of a truck is currently on display at the High Desert Museum in Bend, Oregon. Artist Laurel Porcari covered this 1941 Ford panel truck with a colorful mosaic of tiles. This piece is titled Voyager.
On one side you can see the iconic volcanoes that border Oregon’s High Desert.
On the other side, you’ll see a lunar landscape, with views of a planet-filled sky.
The artistry of this piece looks beautiful from any angle.
Old mill in Hines: Monochrome Monday
Emptiness around memorable sights: LAPC
On our road trip last June, we saw several memorable sights that were notable for the emptiness around them.
We drove past miles and miles of vast landscapes with few occupants. Near Carter, Wyoming, we spotted hundreds of sheep grazing by the road.
A little bit farther down the road, we were fortunate to see sheepherders and their five dogs at work guiding this herd.
On our way to South Dakota, we took a side trip to see a unique attraction near Sundance, Wyoming.
You’ve seen windsocks before, but have you seen one made from an airplane? This Beechcraft Twin Bonanza would have cost $200,000 to get in flying condition so the owners decided to turn it into a “whimsical windsock.”
I showed another aircraft on a pole in my recent Unique Roadside Signs post, but the Quaal plane rotates with the wind like a real windsock.
When we stopped to see Mount Rushmore in South Dakota early one morning, we were shocked to see something missing; People!
We walked closer and had a great view of this massive monument, framed by flags.
It was strange to experience emptiness at a site that hosts more than two million visitors a year. Lucky us!
After reviewing this post, I realized the skies are an important part of each photo. In some, the skies are clear and blue, while in others there are wisps and layers of puffy clouds.
South Falls Loop hike in Oregon: RDP
In July, I hiked the 2.6-mile South Falls Loop trail through the wilderness of Silver Falls State Park, Oregon. This route, past South Falls and Lower South Falls, is part of the Trail of Ten Falls. See the map of the trails at the end of this post.
I parked in the lot near South Falls, hiking north along the Canyon Trail and then heading south along Maple Ridge Trail. Though I’ve visited the park before, I had my dogs, and they are only allowed on a few trails. This time I was going solo.
I took the short trail to the South Falls overlook from the parking area. You get great views from above of the 177-foot-tall waterfall.
If you have limited time, take the ¼-mile trail to the South Falls overlook. If you have more time, walk the 1-mile loop trail behind the falls.
Loop trail – clockwise route
After a brief stop at the overlook, I walked to the lower trail that goes behind the falls. Cool (literally)!
If birds can glide… : Wordless Wednesday
If birds can glide for long periods of time, then… why can’t I?
Orville Wright
Wright Flyer replica, Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum, McMinnville, Oregon
Almost Wordless Wednesday
Dinosaur National Monument: LAPC
Visitors can enjoy unique attractions at Dinosaur National Monument in Utah and Colorado. While visiting here, I found myself constantly shifting my field of view to things above and below me. Colorful tilting rocks in vast landscapes showed geology in action. Petroglyphs and pictographs told stories of Indigenous people from long ago. An amazing collection of dinosaur fossils took me even further back in time.
The Monument also includes places to hike, fish, river raft, picnic, and camp. There’s a visitor center in Utah, and another in Colorado.
The small Visitor Center in Utah features informational exhibits and a store.
A fall view: Pull Up a Seat
A fall view by the Bend Whitewater Park in Bend, Oregon. The path leads to two benches surrounded by fall leaves. You can also see a few realistic-looking Canada Geese sculptures in the foreground.
Cave popcorn: Wordless Wednesday
Green up close: LAPC & MM
Green up close
In triangular Vanilla Leaf leaves
And tiny Huckleberry leaves
Green
In splitting Gingko leaves
Green up close
In frond fans of Maidenhair Fern
2023 Bloopers #6: CFFC
Yes, I know you’ve all been waiting to see more of my blooper photos. This is where I share pictures that don’t quite fit into any category so I try to add a little humor to them. Here are a few 2023 bloopers to entertain you. 😀
“Am I still your good girl?”
I believe I finally found the true cause of global warming.
Continue readingTime accelerates haiku: SS, HPC, FOL, NPC
time accelerates
color flies through restless leaves
the end of autumn
Sunday Stills (SS) – Leaves, Autumn or Spring; Monthly Color Challenge – Brown
Similarities and differences on display: LAPC
Last week, I showed symmetrical displays of history at the Museum of the American West in Lander, Wyoming. However, history is not always balanced. A good museum shows our similarities and differences. Here are more items on display at the Museum.
At times, our differences stand out.
Though what we wear differs, from practical and utilitarian…
To ornamental and symbolic, our clothing reflects who we are.
Happy Hyopsodus 3 ways: First Friday Art
While visiting Wyoming, I noticed the interesting pose of this happy Hyopsodus wortmani fossil at one of our stops. To me, it looked like a dog asleep on its back.
I thought I’d try to draw what it may have looked like based on the fossil. The first drawing is in pencil.
The second one is pen and ink, drawn with a dip pen with a pointed nib tip dipped in ink.
On the last one, I added a light wash of acrylic paint.
You may have noticed the Hyopsodus I drew is smiling. Do mammals smile?
Here’s a recent picture of one of my dogs, hogging both dog beds. You be the judge. 😉
Check out the happy Hyopsodus and many other amazing fossils at Fossil Butte National Monument in Kemmerer, Wyoming.
Do you have artwork you would like to share? Be sure to include the First Friday Art tag.
First Friday Art (FFA)
A scary carriage: SSMCC
I saw a scary carriage at Beyond the Ranch, an antique store in Redmond, Oregon. The skeletal coachman guides his skeletal horse while the occupant waves a bony hand. A frightful sight for your Halloween!
Sunday Stills Monthly Color Challenge (SSMCC) – Black or Metallic
Treasures of the Old West: LAPC & MM
Here are some treasures of the Old West at the Museum of the American West, in Lander, Wyoming, shown in both color and black and white. Click on the arrows to see monochrome versions highlighting their symmetry.
Wheels may carry you forward, towards new horizons
Or back, to a final resting place
You may choose to wander in another’s shoes
Continue reading
Beer bike rack in Bend: Sculpture Saturday
I saw this creative beer bike rack in Bend at On Tap. This is one of seven “pods” where food trucks can park. Customers can enjoy a wide variety of food from the trucks and beer and other beverages on tap inside the main building.
I LOVE the Rush’s Squares pizza food truck here! My favorite is the Pesto Margherita pizza.
Jailbird jay: Bird of the Week
I saw this jailbird jay while out walking in Bend. It perched on a rock behind the heavy bars of a fence around the Hayden Homes Amphitheatre.
This is a California Scrub-jay. Here’s a closer look.
In 2016, the American Ornithological Union (AOU) split the Western Scrub-jay into two species, the California Scrub-jay, Aphelocoma californica, and Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay, Aphelocoma woodhouseii. They appear very similar. This post by Andy Birch describes and shows the characteristics of each species.
Fine feather I found: Macro Monday
This a fine feather I found while walking in a park in Bend, Oregon. This large feather belonged to some kind of raptor.
Unique Roadside Signs: LAPC
After recently covering indoor signs on my post about the National Neon Sign Museum, I thought I’d feature some unique roadside signs today.
A giant jackalope?
The first picture is of a unique animal of the Wild West. It’s a jackalope, part jackrabbit, part antelope. Maybe you’ve heard of them. Are they real or another legend of the West? Chainsaw carver Jarrett Dahl paid tribute to these animals in an impressive 40-foot sculpture near the iconic Wall Drug Store in Wall, South Dakota.
Completed in 2022, the jackalope is holding a sign that says, “Believe.” Though it looks like it’s just a big carving, it’s hollow inside with a stairway leading to a balcony. Inside, you’ll find carved jackalopes, murals, and 71 wood spirits, hidden within its cracks and crevices.
Devil’s Tower stories
The next sign is at the cafe and gift store by Devil’s Tower in Wyoming. You can see a bear next to the tower on the sign and the real tower in the background. In the oral stories of Native Americans, the tower formed in different ways. In several versions, a bear tries to claw its way to the peak, thereby creating its distinctive appearance.
Bend’s leaves of fall: NPC & FOL
This morning, while out walking along the Mill A Loop Trail, I noticed many of Bend’s leaves of fall.
This aspen tree was surrounded by gold and green.
The towers of Deschutes Brewery and the old train station were framed by trees of red, gold, orange, and green leaves.
The red stems and leaves of red osier dogwood stand out in contrast with green shrubs growing nearby.
Oregon Outback morning: 1-to-3 Challenge
Last Saturday, we had an Oregon Outback morning. We drove south of Silver Lake, Oregon to get a good view of the annular eclipse. Unfortunately, the clouds never cleared during the peak minutes of the eclipse. For today’s One-to-Three Photo Processing Challenge, I decided to make lemonade out of lemons.
Beautiful cloudscapes hung over the land, highlighting the Basin and Range topography. We stood in the middle of a basin surrounded by low mountains and buttes.
I used Corel PaintShopPro 2021 for different photo processing effects. In the original image I slightly increased the contrast and fill light and cropped the edges.
Oregon Outback morning photo effects
The first two show the original photograph and the same picture with a Black and White effect. For this image I went to Effects>Photo Effects>Black and White Film. I used the BW Heavy setting because it works well on clouds.
The next two show the original photograph and the same picture with a neon effect. For this image I went to Adjust>Hue & Saturation>Hue map>Neon glow. I liked how this effect enhances the mysticism associated with High Desert environments.
Continue readingWhispers of autumn poem: WWP
Whispers of autumn
Blown in on
Northern winds
Cool and crisp
Leaves turn
From verdant to
Golden, orange,
Crimson
Rustles
Drifting gently
To Earth
Differences in nature: LAPC
There are many differences in nature.
Skies…
May be foggy and humid near ocean beaches,
Or sprinkled with clouds over an arid land.
Water…
May pound down mountainsides in narrow waterfalls,
High Desert dahlia: FOTD
Here’s a pretty lavender-colored High Desert dahlia seen on a garden tour in Bend, Oregon last year. These popular plants prefer full sun and good drainage. Though this one was seen in July, they are treasured for blooming well into the fall months.
This was one of the many flowers in bloom we saw on the tour. I think the color of this one made it my favorite High Desert dahlia seen that day.
Another day, another sunrise: Wordless Wednesday
Sinclair Oil: Monday Mural
I saw this Sinclair Oil advertisement on the side of a building in Hudson, Wyoming. Though it has faded over the years, it’s still a great ad. I made it look even older by using a vignette effect and showing it in a frame that looks like a piece of film.
Wyoming Dinosaur Center: LAPC
If you’re travelling to Wyoming and like dinosaurs, consider stopping at the Wyoming Dinosaur Center (WDC) in Thermopolis. In 1993, dinosaur fossils were discovered near here at the Warm Springs Ranch. Fossils discovered here and elsewhere are on display at WDC. Visitors will see fifty-eight articulated dinosaur skeletons and a wide variety of fossils.
You’ll see dinosaur skeletons large and small in the display hall. Some are real, others are recreated from casts of fossils.
Remember the Velociraptors in “Jurassic Park?” Here’s one, blending into the background.
I especially liked this one because it shows a Tyrannosaurus dinosaur attacking a Stegosaurus.
Tough terrier painting: First Friday Art
Today I’m sharing an acrylic painting I did of a tough terrier. He’s resting comfortably within the spines of my cactus garden. Juniper berries and branches cushion his bed.
I used to sell my artwork at craft shows and a customer requested this rock. The elderly woman described her dog’s two-colored face. Unfortunately, I never saw her again. Maybe she passed away.
The spirit of her dog “Charlie” lives on in this little rock, guarding my garden.
Do you have artwork you would like to share? Be sure to include the First Friday Art tag.
First Friday Art (FFA)
Fruitful trip to Parkdale: Wordless Wednesday
Scenes near the sea, Northern Ireland: LAPC, WWE
Scenes near the sea on a stormy winter day
A bridge of rope, swinging and swaying
An ancient castle, deteriorating yet persisting
A seaside cafe, satiating and breathtaking
A shoreline sculpted by waves, ebbing and flowing
Scenes near the sea on a stormy winter day
Sitka spruce at Fort Clatsop: TTL
We saw this large Sitka spruce, Picea sitchensis, tree at Fort Clatsop, Oregon. This is where the Lewis and Clark expedition spent a long, wet winter in 1806. Lewis noted how this tree was commonly 27 feet in girth, with some trees reaching 36 feet around. This tree’s height averages 125-180 feet, and may reach over 250 feet. Sitka spruce can live up to 800 years.
Indigenous people used parts of spruce trees in several ways. Roots and cedar bark were woven into baskets and hats. The pitch was used as a varnish, to waterproof canoes, and chewed like gum. Various parts were used to treat diarrhea, constipation, and back aches. Sitka spruce was thought to possess “mystical powers and provided protection against evil thoughts.”
The tree’s fine-grained wood is both strong and lightweight. It is used in turbine blades, aircraft, sailboats, racing sculls, and oars. its unique qualities also make it a favorite in making musical instruments, including guitars, harps, violins, pianos, and flutes created by Native Americans.
Driving into Hood River: SS & CWWC
Here’s the view as we were driving across the Columbia River into Hood River, Oregon on a recent trip. You can see Mount Hood peeking over the hills on the left side of the picture.
We happened to be there when the annual Association of Wind + Watersports Industries event was taking place. Here’s a picture of the Hood River Bridge from the Oregon side. Can you see all the windsurfers out there?
Ripples of summer haiku: WHC, SS, CWWC
lamplit paths tremble
a bridge arises from green
ripples of summer
Weekly Haiku Challenge (WHC) – Lamp & path
White Cosmos up close: MM & FOTD
Here’s a picture of a white cosmos up close, taken a couple of days ago in Bend, Oregon. Cooler weather is on the way so it may soon disappear. They are one of my favorite flowers!
Macro Monday (MM)
Flower of the Day (FOTD)
Oregon photos, 10 favorites: LAPC
When I looked through my Oregon photos, it was hard to narrow it down to only ten pictures for this week’s Lens-Artists Photo Challenge of Tell us why. These are the photos I chose, shown by category.
Oregon photos of history
Sometimes you take a picture and when you look at it later on a larger screen, you say, “Wow!”
I took this picture of an old homestead without fussing with the settings first. It almost looks like one of those old-time stereoscope images. I like this photo because it captured a glimpse of history.
I took a lot of pictures of the Spruce Goose aircraft in McMinnville and described it in a recent post. When I saw the lines in this photo, I knew it would look great in black and white.
Majestic mountains
I noticed I had many portraits of majestic mountains when I browsed through my Oregon photos.
The first photo, is of Steens Mountain, in southeast Oregon. The lupine was in bloom so I focused on its purple flowers. This 50-mile long mountain is one of my favorite places in Oregon. I like taking pictures that show its powerful presence.
