This Sisters Coffee Mural is in the Old Mill District of Bend. I believe the featured bird is an Osprey. Ospreys are regularly seen near the Deschutes River. This bird is also known as a ‘Fish Hawk’ since fish are its preferred prey.
This mural was painted last summer by Vivi Design Co. I previously featured murals they created at Dr Jolly’s.
Did you know you can reveal petroglyphs with a little digital magic? Yep, there’s an app for that. In this post, I’ll show you how I revealed several petroglyphs with the app, Rock Art Enhancer. Click through the slideshow of each image below.
In each of the first pictures, I show the original image. In the second, I used the Auto level and increase saturation tool. The third pictures show a variety of effects. All of these petroglyphs are located in southeast Oregon.
These petroglyphs were carved into rock thousands of years ago and over time they have become less clear. Unfortunately, the messages conveyed by many of these carvings are unknown. While some show obvious elements of wildlife, humans, and the sun, others are open to interpretation.
The first series shows petroglyphs on a rimrock cliff located in Harney County. The second effect brings out the details, but I prefer the almost psychedelic colors in the third image. The third effect used the Decorrelation Stretching (abbreviated as D. Stretch) YUV Custom tool.
The second series is from the same location. The second effect brings out the petroglyphs that are almost invisible in the original. The third image shows more muted colors. The third image uses the Histogram Equalization effect.
This petroglyph was found near Abert Lake. Several boulders at this location are thought to have rolled down from Abert Rim. Petroglyphs and pictographs at this site include lizards, snakes, and complex designs. The petroglyph was faint but the third effect eliminated distractions. The third effect uses the K-Means clustering tool.
This boulder was near Abert Lake and, like the other one at the same location, it was faint. You can see the images better in the second effect. I experimented, with limited success, with the third effect, which isolates and reveals the petroglyphs. I used the K-Means clustering tool and customized some of the settings.
This boulder is near the summit of a pass north of Summer Lake. The images are thought to represent human figures, horses, and coyotes. The multiple figures are easier to see in the second image. The third effect makes the surrounding foliage shine. I used the D. Stretch YUV tool.
This lizard petroglyph is at Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge. It really stands out with the increased contrast in the second image. The third effect looks like a painting in pastels. I used the D. Stretch Lab tool.
Rock Art Enhancer is a cool tool to reveal petroglyphs and pictographs you’ve photographed.
Though the stories this rock art once told have been lost over time, this app helps us see what has long been hidden.
Surrounded by pines in the forests near Bend, Oregon. Though it was a hot summer day, the forest canopy provided shade and cooler temperatures. 😀
The smoke from a forest fire ahead of us near Crane Prairie Reservoir was an eerie sight to see. The nearby Cedar Creek Fire reached a size of 127,311 acres and burned for three months. Once wet fall weather moved into the area, the fire was finally contained.
Peering through my pocket lens
Vivid reflections shine
where the river bends
The colors soar high into the blue
pausing in rainclouds
falling as dew
Droplets of pigment splatter parched plants
cling to pale petals
interweave and dance
Skimmia shrub with berries up close. This plant was seen at the Portland Japanese Garden in the fall.
This Alpenglow Park bench in Bend, Oregon is unique. Park designers used large pieces of columnar basalt to create this trailside retreat. In the distance, you can catch a glimpse of Pilot Butte, an extinct volcano.
After walking the trails at Alpenglow, consider walking to the top of Pilot Butte to get amazing views of the landscape of Central Oregon.
This painting is in the eastside Lone Pine Coffee Roasters business in Bend. The mural was painted by artist Megan McGuinness and it wraps around three walls. I like how she outlined almost everything with white borders.
This scene shows a fox in the foreground and a snowy owl in the upper corner. The mountain on the right is Smith Rock, a local rock climber’s favorite. Crooked River wraps around the edge of the mountain.
Today I’m sharing a dozen memorable pictures of 2022. I’m including photos of history, nature, and culture.
In the first one, I used infrared processing on a picture of Mt Rainier and I also added a colorful eel image. The challenge prompt was “surreal.” I had fun with this one!
The next picture is of a quilt at the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show. In addition to being beautifully crafted, this one had a message of kindness. I took so many pictures of the show, I divided it into three posts.
The next picture is of an unexpected guest in our backyard. This Barred Owl feasted on the ample supply of Pacific Tree Frogs breeding in our pond. From then on, our nights were slightly quieter.
The picture below features the aircraft known as the Spruce Goose. It is enormous! We saw it at the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum in McMinnville, Oregon.
The next picture is of my dog, gazing back at me near Waldport, on the Oregon coast. The setting sun, coupled with her devoted expression, made for a memorable moment.
This is a photo of a silvery dragon swimming across a pond. I loved this sculpture. This dragon is at the Oregon Garden in Silverton, Oregon.
I also took this hibiscus portrait at the Oregon Garden. This flower has an interesting common name, Spin the Bottle Hibiscus.
This wooden sculpture, at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody, Wyoming, was spectacular. I was impressed by both the sculpture and the beadwork, even on the baby carrier on her back.
This is the lighthouse at Yaquina Head in Newport, Oregon. I wrote an 82-word flash fiction story to go along with the pictures I took there. Fun challenge!
I called the image below “Fence of Gold” and it was a favorite of visitors to my blog. The golden aspen trees were equally spaced apart, as if someone had planted them that way.
The next picture is of a zig zagging boardwalk at Summer Lake, Oregon. I used a retro photo effect to make it look significantly older, like photos taken in the distant past.
The last picture is one of my favorite memorable pictures of the year. I featured it on a recent Wordless Wednesday post. When I processed it, I softened the focus and added a white vignette effect.
However, I did not explain to readers that the reindeer pictured were actually collectible figurines. Never a dull moment on my blog! 😉
This month, I’m sharing a Great Horned Owl painting I did over the past couple of days. I used acrylic paint on a piece of unfinished oak wood. Sometimes I paint the main subject shape with off white paint before adding the color. I used this technique in my High Desert Mural. This time I did not do the lighter base painting.
I like how the grain of the oak shows through on this painting. It gives it a more rustic quality.
For this Great Horned Owl painting, I used a photograph from a fellow volunteer at the High Desert Museum as my reference. John Williams is one of the talented members of the Photography Team at the Museum. He took this photo of a Great Horned Owl in 2022 and calls it Surprize.
Be sure to visit Seeing the Gift to see more of John’s wonderful photographs!
Do you have artwork you would like to share? Be sure to include the First Friday Art tag.
Bison in steamy landscape near Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park.
There are two things that bring peace and joy to my dog, Shelby.
When she’s feeling stressed or trying to get to sleep, she sucks on her blankie. She never bites holes in it. As you can see in the video, this nooking activity brings her peace.
The thing that brings her joy, is her ball. I do a “fetch walk” with her every morning. She also likes to play fetch down a hallway, in a garage, or anywhere else she can.
As a new year begins, I hope you too find things that bring you peace and joy. 🕊
These Oregon grape leaves were frosty around the edges. This picture, taken in November, shows the leaves getting their fall color.
Last year I showed pictures of part of my reindeer collection and this year I’m sharing more of my reindeer decorations. A good thing about this collection is that it’s only out during the yuletide season. I look forward to seeing them every year!
This large metal reindeer looks delicate, but it’s heavy. I like displaying it underneath this metal sun sculpture.
This beauty is made from blown glass. I love how this one’s pose is so confidant.
There’s a winter wonderland in my yard near Bend, Oregon. My favorite western juniper is dressed up for the season with a few inches of snow.
Snowfall softens edges while sharpening the contrast. It can also mute colors, as it did in this photo. The structure shines through, even on a cloudy day.
If you’re looking for a special gift of words, consider buying the Central Oregon Writers Guild 2022 Literary Collection. Local writers submitted long and short poetry and prose covering a wide variety of topics.
The work of 37 authors was accepted, including two of my pieces. My poem and short story are both about autumn, my favorite season. 🍁
To purchase the book, visit Roundabout Books & Café in the Northwest Crossing neighborhood of Bend. You can also purchase it here, from Amazon.
Local writers appreciate the support you’ll give them by buying this gift of words.
Thanks!
Siobhan
There, above a rocky shore, a cylindrical tower appears.
The shipwrecked crew stumbles towards the house of perpetual light.
They ascend a zigzagging set of stairs, rising above the gray mist.
A well-worn trail leads them towards the shining tower.
Thick fog clears, revealing a path that encircles the lighthouse.
The crew heads towards the front door, seeking warmth and sustenance.
Every year in December, the Tumalo Creek Holiday Lights Paddle Parade takes place on the Deschutes River in Bend, Oregon. This year, I took pictures of them paddling through the snow. I thought maybe there wouldn’t be as many participants, but a little snow falling didn’t stop people from joining in on this annual event.
Here’s a short video of paddlers on the river.
Paddlers decorate their kayaks, stand up paddleboards, and canoes with holiday lights and paddle from Tumalo Creek Kayak and Canoe for about a half mile to the Flag Bridge in the Old Mill district.
You can see a snow-covered inflatable reindeer on the kayak on the left side of the photo below. I enjoy seeing reindeer wherever I can.
Continue readingCould this be a pickled herring fossil? I got this fossil from my mom and don’t know anything about it’s history. It looks like the herring fish pictured on this Green River Fossil site. Though I was hoping it was something rare, fossils of this small fish are common.
The Green River Formation, located in parts of Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah, is one of the best places to find fish fossils in the world.
The details of leaves,
Rounded, serrated leaflets bearing tidbits of sweetness.
Arching narrow leaves falling in cascades of ombre colors.
These photos show a kitchen from the past, full of artifacts.
We recently visited the Kam Wah Chung State Heritage Site in John Day, Oregon. The building originally served as a trading post, built in 1864. In the 1870s, business partners Lung On and Ing Hay established a business here. It served as as apothecary/medical clinic/store/boarding house/community and religious center. It closed in 1940 and was sealed up for decades. When it was finally opened, it was like a time capsule.
The building preserves Chinese history from a time when they were excluded from everyday society. This site is open from May 1 to October 31 and guided tours are offered for free. If you have an interest in history, be sure to visit this fascinating site!
See Kam Wah Chung: A Step Back in Time for more details from my previous visit.
Fish sculpture on overpass in The Dalles, Oregon. Salmon and sturgeon leap and splash in churning waves in this metal artwork. This sculpture is by the exit for the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center, a sight worth seeing.
Angles of the Earth sculpted by pounding waves.
Rising on the edge of a caldera in olivine and crimson shades.
Fracturing leaden lava flows, brushed with a glow of lichens.
Continue readingHere are a few killdeer pencil sketches I did while watching them in the field.
These shorebirds always let you know they are there with their distinctive kill-deer call. Here’s one calling near Sizzling Basin at Yellowstone National Park.
In the photo below, you can see a killdeer defending its nest from ornithologist Pepper Trail at Summer Lake, Oregon. I circled it to make it easier to see.
Continue readingfable of the fox
who crept too close to a fire
enlightened and singed
I feel most at home when visiting the Wild West.
In the West, tall tales are told in layers of intense and pale colors.
Odd-looking plants stand tall, like characters in a children’s picture book.
You may find ancient hidden stories exposed by wind and water.
Last July, on the High Desert Garden Tour in Bend, I was happy to see a place to pause in a xeriscaped garden. What is xeriscaping, you may ask. Here’s the dictionary definition:
a landscaping method developed especially for arid and semiarid climates that utilizes water-conserving techniques (such as the use of drought-tolerant plants, mulch, and efficient irrigation)
Merriam-Webster dictionary
Are xeriscaped gardens boring? No! This garden was designed by Rick Martinson, formerly of Wintercreek Restoration and Nursery. He’s now the executive director of the Worthy Garden Club. Rick has been encouraging people to use plants that require little water for years.
Happy Turkey Day from John Day, Oregon! We saw about one hundred wild turkeys alongside the road near John Day a few weeks ago. Dinner anyone?
They have become so common in some areas, that they are considered pests. They sometimes destroy crops and gardens and can become aggressive towards people in the breeding season.
Oregon created a Hunt by Reservation Program where private landowners can allow hunters onto their land to help thin out the population. A benefit to them and us!
Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.
Marcel Proust
A little play on the words “let us” with this up close picture of lettuce growing in Hollinshead Park’s community garden in Bend, Oregon.
The touch of nature can be sharp and cold or
Ridged and dry
The touch of nature can be smooth and wet or
Morning
On a fall day
Brilliant colors appear
Merging into luminous wings
Soaring
