in unsettled times
the path forward zigs and zags
to the still of spring
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I just returned from a stay at Summer Lake in Oregon where I saw lots of Black-necked Stilts, Himantopus mexicanus. Unlike other birds in the area, they are easy to identify.
They look stylish with their striking black and white markings and long, slim bill. Then you notice their legs. They’re so long in proportion to their bodies! In fact, only flamingos have longer legs. If that’s not enough to get your attention, the legs make a fashion statement with their bright rose-pink color.
So where can you find Black-necked Stilts? They live in wetland environments in parts of North, Central, and South America. In the continental United States, they are common along the coast of California, in interior parts of western states, along the Gulf of Mexico, and east to Florida.
Yes, you’ll see them in shallow water including in salt flats and pans, flooded lands near rivers and lakes, saltmarshes, swamps, and mudflats. However, you can also see them in human-created habitats like sewage ponds and rice fields. In some areas they actually prefer those sites.
Black-necked Stilts are often on the move. What are they eating? They feed on aquatic invertebrates, small crustaceans, amphibians, snails, and small fish.
Where do they nest? Stilts build nests on the ground and lay 2–5 eggs. Both sexes are active in incubation and chick-rearing.
To drive away predators, they sometimes gather together in a group and jump, hop, and flap their wings in a behavior referred to as “popcorning.” They’ll also pretend to have a broken wing and lure predators away, like killdeers. Predators include foxes, coyotes, feral cats, skunks, and gulls.
Are they doing okay? Populations of Black-necked Stilts have been stable overall in the continental U.S. They may be extending their range to the north, possibly because of climate change. Since they depend on the availability of wetland habitats, they’re vulnerable to habitat destruction, degradation, and pollution.
Weirdest fun fact: Black-necked Stilts and American Avocets, Recurvirostra americana, can hybridize and produce young. Birders have nicknamed these rare birds “avo-stilts.” Wow, I’d like to see one of those! 😀
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge (LAPC) – Subjects that begin with the letter B
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On June 29, I traveled to Steens Mountain in southeastern Oregon to go on a guided tour in search of Kiger mustangs. I’ve always been a fan of horses, but have wanted to see Kigers in the wild for many years.
Our guide, Tim O’Crowley, lives on a working cattle ranch, the Steens Mountain Guest Ranch, in Diamond, Oregon. On the day I rode, Tim had his grandson, Tye, and niece, Connie, helping on the ride. Visitors to the ranch can participate in four- or five-day cowboy experiences, one-day Kiger mustang experiences, or two- to four-hour horseback rides. For our ride, Tim’s wife, Susan, laid out a smorgasbord of snacks to fill our saddlebags with.
After getting acquainted with the horses we would ride that day, our group of six riders and three guides took a short drive to the Kiger Herd Management Area. My horse, Larry, had been captured many years ago in the area where we would be riding.
People travel from all over the world to see these horses, but almost everyone in our group was from Central Oregon. The exception was a woman from Boise, Idaho. She was 81 years old and probably the oldest participant to ever go on these trips.
So, what makes a Kiger mustang different from other wild horses? In 1971, Congress passed the Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act to protect wild horses and burros on public lands. In 1977, while gathering wild horses near Beaty’s Butte, Oregon, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Wild Horse Specialist E. Ron Harding noticed an unusual type of horse in the herd. They had strikingly similar markings and conformation, reminiscent of Spanish horses brought to North America in the 1600s. At that time, it was widely assumed that descendants of those Spanish horses no longer existed.
Genetic testing confirmed that the horses gathered near Beaty’s Butte had Spanish markers for dun factor coloration and markings. The Kiger Mesteño Association notes these characteristics include dorsal stripes, jack stripes, zebra stripes on legs, arm bars, bicolored mane and tail, ears with dark outline and fawn colored interior, facial masks, and cobwebbing. Kiger mustangs stand 13 to 15 hands, smaller than most other breeds
Bicolored tails and faint zebra stripes on legs
The BLM separated the Kigers from the other horses and eventually moved them to two Herd Management Areas (HMA), Kiger HMA and Riddle Mountain HMA. In past years, the BLM auctioned off excess Kiger mustangs, but they have not gathered any since 2015.
Many of today’s Kiger mustangs can be traced back to a single stallion named Mesteño from the original herd. In 1992, Breyer used him as the model for one of their collections of model horses.
Another Kiger mustang, Donner, was the model for the 2002 animated film, Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, and the 2017 Netflix series, Spirit Riding Free! The Kiger Mustang Ranch in Bend, Oregon, raised the colt. Both of its parents were Kiger mustangs. DreamWorks Animation, the future producer of the film and series, purchased him after months of negotiations. Donner, later renamed Spirit, turned 31 in May 2026.
Breyer Spirit model
I’m a big fan of horse characters in books, movies, and series but feel like I have a special connection with Spirit. I live in Bend, where the real-life horse was raised, and I live in the Cimarron City neighborhood, alluded to in the movie’s title.
After reading about the history of Kiger mustangs, I was eager to see them in the field. The riders in our group were advised to wear darker, muted colors so we would blend in with the environment when searching for mustangs.
As we rode along, I asked Connie if she had seen very many greys, often referred to as grullas. She helps at the ranch for a month in the summer. Connie said she had only seen five grullas. Brown-colored horses are much more common. Kiger mustang coat colors include dun, grulla, red dun, bay, black, and claybank.
Just by chance, the first Kiger we saw was a grulla. He was hanging out with a pronghorn. Why? We can’t say for sure, but pronghorn have remarkable vision, and these animals likely alert each other if they sense something nearby. This curious young stallion ended up following us for quite a while. You can see him on the left in the picture below.
Next, we saw a small group with two adults and a foal. Tim said it was only a few days old. After a brief break, we continued on our way.
Our next stop was the most exciting one. A herd of Kigers had collected near a large clearing. There were at least 75 Kigers in this group. We ate our lunch and took numerous pictures of the herd. They seemed unbothered by our presence, partly because we had horses with us.
Within this herd, we spotted two black stallions. Tim said they were not Kigers. In the photo below, in the group of three horses near the center of the picture, you can see how much taller the black horse is. These two horses either escaped from somewhere else, or someone dumped them here.
Though the BLM lists the current population at 51-82 horses on the 36,618-acre Kiger HMA, it’s likely much higher. Some estimate there are at least 200 there. The BLM lists the 28,000-acre Riddle Mountain HMA population at 33-56 horses. Since the horses like to rest under juniper trees, certain methods, like aerial surveys, may not be as effective at counting them.
We started riding at about 8:30 am and finished the ride at 2:30 pm. That was a long day in the saddle. Did you know you use eight muscle groups to horseback ride? By the end of the day, I was well aware of that fact. After stopping at Crane Hot Springs, going to the hot tub at my hotel, and taking a hot bath when I got home, I felt just fine. 😀
Tim helped make this one of the most memorable experiences of my life. His easygoing manner, knowledge of the environment, and gentle sense of humor made it a trip to remember. Once we got back to the ranch, Tim made delicious smoothies. It was a great way to end the day.
Steens Mountain Guest Ranch, Diamond, Oregon
This article will be featured in the July 2026 edition of High Desert Voices, the volunteer newsletter of the High Desert Museum in Bend, Oregon.
Fandango’s One Word Challenge (FOWC) – Fan
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This collection of Plateau flat bags with a heart theme was created by Native Americans of the Columbia River Plateau region. The display features “distinctive contour beading, used to create organic forms and imagery ranging from floral motifs to portraits, animals, birds, and idyllic depictions of native American Life.”
Arlene Schnitzer’s estate donated this Plateau flat bag collection to the Portland Art Museum in 2022.
I love beadwork. See my beadwork tag for more images of these utilitarian works of art.
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If you’re looking for an early morning breakfast restaurant in Central Oregon, your choices are limited. Do you want a fancy meal or a homestyle one? Here’s my take on two breakfasts I had out recently.
Two weeks ago, I had breakfast at The Lemontree, in downtown Bend. I ordered the Amaretto French Toast. It included two thick slices of brioche bread from Big Ed’s bakery covered with fresh berries, slivered almonds, and berry coulis. It was nicely framed with slices of orange and kiwi and whipped cream topped with a sprig of mint. I thought it was excellent!
My companion ordered the Crab Cake Benedict. It included an English muffin topped with their “award-winning” crab cakes, poached eggs, and a citrus brown butter hollandaise sauce. A violet flower, sprigs of parsley, and small tomatoes garnished the meal. Though well-presented, my companion didn’t think it was flavorful
A week ago, I visited One Street Down Cafe in Redmond, Oregon. I ordered the Stuffed French Toast, and my companion ordered two fried eggs and a half order of Biscuits and Gravy.
The French toast included four pieces of bread with mascarpone, Black Forest ham, and blueberry ginger jam. Its presentation made a statement, but not necessarily one I wanted to hear. I ended up disassembling the dish and only eating part of it. I pulled out the thin slices of ham and saved them for my dogs. Shhh! Don’t tell my vet. 😉
You’ll notice I’m not posting a separate picture of the biscuits and gravy and fried eggs. You can see those dishes in the background below. That monotone-colored meal was not very photogenic. However, my companion thought it was one of the best meals he’s eaten recently.
When we ate these two breakfasts at local restaurants, the person who was dissatisfied with their meal thought it “lacked something.” At the first restaurant, my companion thought the eggs Benedict lacked flavor. He thought the dishes there were too “frou-frou.” At the second restaurant, I thought the French toast bread lacked flavor, and I didn’t like the inclusion of the ham slices. However, we both thought the meals that we liked at each restaurant were exceptionally good. So, when someone recommends a restaurant to you, consider what their personal tastes might be.
At Portland International Airport, PDX, there have been some big changes. The years-long main terminal redevelopment is currently in its final phase.
The 9-acre timber roof makes the terminal stand out as an architectural wonder. Timber for the structure came from local sources, including small family-owned lots and tribal lands. The timber was harvested within 300 miles of the airport. PDX received the Best Design in North America award in 2025.
One thing I like most about the renovated PDX is the abundance of live plants. The design includes 72 mature trees and 5,000 other plants. The wooden beams bring warmth; the plants bring a sense of calm to stressed-out travelers.
It’s a great atmosphere to take a leisurely stroll through. When you’re wandering around the terminal, you might want to visit one of the airport’s 24 stores or 34 restaurants.
The redevelopment includes beautiful elements, but it also includes practical ones.
The budget for this project was $2.15 billion. Yes, that’s with a ‘b’, not an ‘m’. The redevelopment will help accommodate the millions of customers expected to use the facility, but it will also include a nod to its past.
In 2015, the airport’s special projects division announced it would replace the carpet. The iconic carpet, designed by a local architectural firm, was installed in 1988. There was such a public outcry against the planned removal of the carpet that the airport revised its plans.
To help heal the wounds inflicted during the Great PDX Carpet Replacement Tragedy, PDX will install a newly manufactured version of the beloved carpet in ten locations. You can use the map on this site to find them when you visit the airport. Yeah, really! 😀
What happened to the old, worn-out carpet? Four area businesses won contracts to remove it. When one announced they would sell framed one-foot squares and two-by-three-foot floor mats, “the cars were lined up all the way down the street.” Other businesses sold luggage tags, coasters, magazine racks, sling-back chairs, and ottomans made from the remnants. There is a reason for the well-known slogan, “Keep Portland Weird.”
Now you may have a better understanding of why PDX is often on various best airport lists. They’ve put a lot of time into making the airport beautiful, safe, and energy efficient, but also considered the voice of the people.
After viewing all the architectural wonders at PDX over your head and below your feet, Mother Nature will show you a few of her wonders once you are airborne. Mt. Hood is a short distance from the airport and I can’t help but smile every time I fly over it.
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge (LAPC) – Looking back at challenge #1: Wonder
Weekly Prompts Weekend Challenge (WPWC) – Leisurely
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On 3 July 2026, I was notified that this post was selected for Freshly Pressed recognition. WordPress.com reviews posts by creators from around the world and showcases editors’ picks and community favorites on this site.
If you’re traveling east of Bend in Oregon along Highway 20, there aren’t many places to stop to get a bite to eat. About half-way to Burns, you’ll see Hampton Station. This business is a combination cafe, gift shop, and gas station. We stopped there after collecting obsidian at nearby Glass Buttes.
The food they serve is simple and delicious. Hampton Station serves breakfast burritos, burgers, sandwiches, ice cream sundaes, cinnamon rolls, and other sweet treats. When we arrived, they had just pulled freshly baked molasses cookies out of the oven.
I had a turkey, bacon, and avocado toasted sandwich. It also included provolone cheese, red onion, and lettuce. For the side, I ordered a salad with a mustard vinaigrette dressing. The sandwich and salad were very good.
My companion had a burger with bacon with a side of chips. He also ordered a root beer float. The burger was flavorful and well-cooked.
The last time I stopped at Hampton Station was about ten years ago. A new owner took over the business in November 2022. The interior has been updated, and it’s clean and cozy.
Outside, the building has an Old West style. It looks like it hasn’t changed in a hundred years.
If you are looking for a good place to take a little break on the long, straight drive across Oregon’s High Desert, consider stopping at Hampton Station. It’s located 63 miles east of Bend and 68 miles west of Burns. On the day we visited, it opened at 10:30 am.
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Where buffalo roam, Custer State Park, South Dakota
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I saw this northern scorpion, Paruroctonus boreus, in my laundry room a couple of days ago. I was barefoot and almost stepped on it. Fortunately, the sting of this species is not as bad as some of those residing in other parts of the world. A sting from a northern scorpion produces effects similar to a bee sting.
It looks kind of big and scary in this picture, right? In reality, it was only an inch long. I scooped it up with a paper towel and put it outside.
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Today I’m sharing a drawing and photo of a palm tree. I saw this Chinese Windmill Palm, Trachycarpus fortunei, while visiting the Oregon Garden in Silverton, Oregon.
I did a quick pen and ink drawing of the tree as part of the Inktober challenge in 2024. The prompt that day was ‘exotic.’ I always associate palms with hot, humid climates, but these plants do well in much cooler places like western Orgon.
Chinese Windmill palms grow in a wide variety of habitats around the world. These graceful plants have been cultivated in Japan and China for thousands of years.
I wanted to share a drawing and photo of a palm tree because they have such interesting structures. I’d love to grow one where I live, but it probably wouldn’t tolerate our temperature extremes.
Do you have artwork you would like to share? Be sure to include the First Friday Art tag.
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Yesterday, I made a visit to Post, Oregon, one hour east of my house in Bend. Why drive there? Because Post claims to be at the geographic center of Oregon.
The Post General Store and Eatery includes a store, restaurant, and post office. In 1889, Post was named after Walter Post, their first postmaster. The outside of the building has a rustic Old West charm.
A view my drone above the store shows the rural nature of this country. On this visit to Post, the weather was nice and warm with a scattering of clouds.
Inside, they sell gifts, groceries, and lots of products with a “Post: Center of Oregon” theme. I bought a new green t-shirt for my collection.
The picture below shows the Post post office. Yes, it is small. There are only 48 mail boxes.
The store also has an eatery with a very limited menu. I ordered a meatloaf sandwich and I thought it was fine, but not the style I prefer. Post General Store & Eatery serves over a dozen kinds of milkshakes.
Is Post really located in the exact center of Oregon? There are multiple ways to determine the location of the center of a state. If you cut out a map of Oregon and balanced the rectangular-shaped state on the head of a pin, the real center is nearby. It’s on the Bonnieview Ranch, just north of Post.
You have to get permission from the landowner to view a small U. S. Geological Survey metal marker on the property. Over the years, people have assumed it marks the center of the state. However, these benchmarks were historically used to help surveyors create maps, not to mark geographical features. This marker, installed in 1903, indicates the site’s elevation at 3,348 feet. Other markers include the latitude and longitude.
If you would like to own the land where the center of the state is located, the ranch is for sale for $20 million dollars. With 20% down, your payments will only be around $101,000 a month. The 18,700 acre Bonnieview Ranch includes several buildings including three homes, two cabins, and a bunkhouse. There are more than 50 springs and ponds, plus a 35-acre reservoir.
For this post I used my Samsung phone camera, my Canon pocket camera, and my DJI drone. To play up the history of this spot, I used cross processing photo effects and a border reminiscent of old printed photographs.
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Stuck in place
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Galley Bend is an Asian fusion restaurant that opened recently in Bend, Oregon. Two former flight attendants, Krid Sathirawongwan (Kris) and Sureeporn Tattumle (Kate), created this restaurant. They feature some of their favorite dishes from their past travels. Most of the food is Thai, but you’ll also find dishes with Indian, Korean, Chinese, and Malaysian influences.
The Korean Fried Chicken x Garlic Gochujang Sauce is my favorite dish. The chicken is coated in buttermilk and fried until golden, then glazed with a sweet, savory, and medium-spicy garlic gochujang sauce. This is a customer favorite and it is delicious! I was glad they provided wet wipes to wash your hands with because this is a very sticky dish. We ordered a side of kimchi for an additional charge and it complimented the crunchy chicken well.
Galley West offers appetizers including larb fries, crispy pork bellies, coconut shrimp, spring rolls, crispy tofu, and crispy clamari.
Galley West serves curries, rice plates, noodle plates, salads, and soups.
The Pad Thai features stir-fried rice noodles with egg, scallions, bean sauce, and pad Thai sauce with a garnish of lime, bean sprouts, peanuts, and dried chiles. I added chicken to mine. This classic version had a familiar taste.
Their Pineapple Fried Rice is often mentioned in online reviews. It includes scrambled eggs and fried rice with onion, tomato, and chunks of pineapple topped with cashew nuts and parsley. I added beef to mine. This dish also had a familiar taste.
We also tried the Fried Chive Cakes. These chewy garlic chive cakes are fried until crisp and served with a sweet and sour dipping sauce. This was an unfamiliar taste. I liked the crunchiness of the outside and the flavor of the dipping sauce.
I ordered the Red Curry, since it’s one of my favorite Thai dishes. Galley West mixes a rich Thai curry paste with red chilies, lemon grass, bamboo shoots, bell peppers, and coconut milk, topped with basil leaves. Most red curries I’ve ordered have a rich base that is so “heavy” I can’t finish a bowlful at one sitting. Galley Bend serves a lighter curry that is a nice change. I also liked the tangy taste of the lemon grass.
My dining companion ordered the Spaghetti Kee Mao (Drunken Noodles). This Thai style stir-fried spaghetti includes basil, bell peppers, and savory house sauce. It is a colorful dish with lots of different textures and flavors.
This restaurant offers soft drinks, beer, wine, cocktails, and mocktails.
On one visit, I ordered the Asahi Japanese Lager. This beer was light and refreshing.
On another visit, I ordered the Thai Iced Tea. I ordered it with coconut milk and it was yummy! 😀
The interior is decorated in a light, modern style. Unlike other industrial-style interiors in some of our local restaurants, you can actually carry on a conversation without yelling.
I also like their logo of a plane in flight. The food preparation area of an aircraft is called a galley, so this is a fitting name.
The owners of Galley Bend have connections with two other Bend restaurants. They learned some of their cooking techniques and management practices through Sathirawongwan, Jattalee (JJ) Chalernhinthong, of the Dear Mom Cafe, and Kwan Singhakahm, of the Yokocho Izakaya restaurant. Both are very good places to eat here in Bend. The owners of these three establishments once took a university class together in Bangkok. We’re lucky these friends brought their commitment to preparing meals well to Bend.
I’d also like to mention the staff working at Galley Bend. They go above and beyond in treating their customers well. You can tell they’ve worked in careers where hospitality is important.
Galley Bend is at 62080 Dean Swift Rd, Ste 100 on Bend’s east side. Their hours are Monday through Friday 11:00 am to 2:30 pm and from 4:30 pm to 8:30 pm. On Saturdays and Sundays, they’re open from 12:00 pm to 2:30 pm and from 4:30 pm to 8:30 pm.
In our journey through life, layers of wisdom accumulate in us over the years and become a thing of beauty.
We fondly recall the delicate flowers of our youth,
but sometimes forgot about the tough times.
In those days, we tumbled aimlessly from one place to another,
searching for a soft spot to land.
In our journey through life, we eventually found our way past sharp obstacles
towards a long and fruitful ending.
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge (LAPC) – Textures
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The Star Catcher mural in downtown Portland, Oregon, was painted by Rustam Qbic in 2015. This mural depicts a person with a conch shell head catching stars in a net and using them to light a lantern and campfire.
Qbic’s art contains small details you may not notice at first. Did you see the magical window on the back of the person in the Star Catcher mural?
Rustam Qbic is a Russian street artist whose work can be seen in countries throughout the world. His murals, illustrations, and graphic art pieces are often inspired by literature and classic poetry of Eastern countries. Qbic’s murals include vibrant colors and whimsical elements.
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For this post, I’m showing several pictures with clouds as a major element. The Lens-Artists Photo Challenge this week is to post quotes illustrated with your photos.
The first one shows a view of Red Canyon in Utah. The quote seemed to fit this picture perfectly.
May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds.
Edward Abbey
I took the next picture in my backyard in Bend. The nighttime rainbow magically appeared in this image taken with my phone.
There are nights when the wolves are silent and only the moon howls.
George Carlin
I took this picture of a tree in my yard in winter. My juniper tree muse looks beautiful with a coating of snow.
In nature, nothing is perfect and everything is perfect. Trees can be contorted, bent in weird ways, and they’re still beautiful.
Alice Walker
The next picture was taken on the Oregon coast, south of Seaside. Misty clouds collect along the shoreline.
Change is the only constant. Learn to surf your life instead of planting your feet.
Amy Poehler
I took the next picture on top of Steens Mountain in Oregon. The yellow aspen leaves contrasted well with the blue skies and puffy white clouds.
Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.
George Eliot
I took the last picture from my house of a sliver of sunset in the final moments of a day. My drone captured great pictures of the setting sun and dark clouds over volcanoes in the Cascade Range.
A day without sunshine is like, you know, night.
Steve Martin
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Pick a favorite quote and illustrate it
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Today, I’m sharing a Wood Duck painting I created. I used acrylic paints on mixed media paper that is slightly grained.
Wood Ducks, Aix sponsa, are one of the most beautiful ducks in the world. They are colorful and have unique markings.
Wood Ducks look like someone couldn’t decide what they should include when they created them. They threw in multiple colors, dots, stripes, iridescence, and striking bill patterns. They’re like something out of fantasy novel.
When I created my Wood Duck painting, I used A LOT of colors. Here’s a picture of my palette and the paper l use to try out colors. I brushed iridescent gold over parts of the head, but it’s hard to see in a photograph.
For the duck, I used sharp lines of color with a little shading. For the water in the background, I took advantage of the paper’s watercolor characteristics. I did a wash of pale green and layered on darker green and patches of pale yellow. I hope it conveys the ever-changing appearance of water.
Before painting the background, I accidentally dropped my paintbrush loaded with black paint onto the unfinished painting. It left a black spot over the duck’s head. Oh no! 😮
I tried an ink eraser and an electric eraser. Nope, those didn’t work.
What did work was a small pumice file meant for fingernails. They work for several purposes, including cleaning stubborn stains in sinks and toilets. Fortunately, the file helped erase my paint mistake. 😁
If you use a pumice file on paintings, be extra careful. It will sand off part of the paper if you press down too hard.
Do you have artwork you would like to share? Be sure to include the First Friday Art tag.
First Friday Art (FFA)
All my posts this week are related to water. Two show things in the water, and two show things on the water. I included a link to this week’s Lens-Artists Photo Challenge in the two posts showing things on the water.
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Looking back to #155 – On the water (LAPC)
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Windsurfing the Columbia River is a popular activity. On one of our visits to Hood River, Oregon, we happened to be there during a national Association of Wind Water Sports Industries (AWSI) event. In September, they host the AWSI Boards Sports Expo for their members.
You can see windsurfers and kiteboarders up close, and from farther away.
Why is windsurfing the Columbia River so popular? The Columbia Gorge is like a natural wind tunnel. It’s often referred to as the windsurfing capital of the world. Click here to see a map showing the numerous water sports launch sites along the Columbia.
When you’re there, you’ll get great views of the mountains surrounding the Columbia Gorge.
This photo was taken from the south shore of the Columbia.
You can see the Hood River bridge in the background.
If you drive over the bridge, you’ll get more views of windsurfers and kiteboarders. Note Mount Hood in the background.
I took this picture from the north shore.
One of the great things about this sport is that everyone can find a place to watch it from. 😀
Do you want to learn how to windsurf or kiteboard? There are several companies in and around Hood River that offer lessons.
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Looking Back to #151 – On the Water
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Orchids as Art at the Exquisite Creatures Revealed exhibition at OMSI, Portland, Oregon in 2024
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The P Ranch Long Barn is at the south end of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in eastern Oregon. This historic barn was built in the early 1880s. The land was originally owned by L. C. Porter, but was later acquired by Peter French and Dr. Hugh Glenn.
French and Glenn ran the French-Glenn Livestock Company. Through legal and sometimes questionable tactics, they eventually owned the entire Blitzen Valley. After purchasing land in nearby valleys, the French-Glenn Livestock Company ran their 45,000 head of cattle on 150,000 to 200,000 acres.
This 150-by-50-foot barn was a place to store hay and shelter horses. Hay harvested during the growing season stored here was fed to cattle and horses during winter months. This practice was uncommon at the time.
Though Pete French had a limited education, he was an astute businessman. The French-Glenn Livestock Company “was considered one of the best run and most profitable in the Pacific Northwest.” However, French’s driven, domineering style made him unpopular with neighbors and settlers. French legally contested the construction of fences on open public lands. Ed Oliver, a local settler, disagreed strongly with French’s management practices. He shot French dead in the back of his head on December 26, 1897. Even though French and his ranch hands were unarmed, the jury acquitted Oliver on the grounds of self defense. There’s a reason it was referred to as the “Wild West.” 😉
In 1935, after passing through several hands, the P Ranch and other Blitzen Valley ranchlands were purchased by the federal government and integrated into the existing Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. Habitat restoration after decades of agricultural alteration became a priority.
The P Ranch Long Barn is on the National Register of Historic Places. Two rows of juniper trunks support the pine-shingled roof. French shipped the lumber for the walls from 100 miles away by train.
The barn has been stabilized and restored over the years. When the barn was in danger of collapsing, heavy steel cables were attached to the ceiling beams to support the structure. Concrete pads installed under the support columns help protect them from high water levels. As you can see in my photos, the barn could use a new roof.
The pictures below show the hay wagon originally in use on the ranch. Since it was deteriorating because of the harsh weather conditions, it was moved inside the barn.
I visited the P Ranch Long Barn on tours during the Harney County Migratory Bird Festival in mid-April 2026. Birds in this area include Bullock’s Orioles, Cedar Waxwings, Western Tanagers, and Red-naped Sapsuckers. Just northeast of the barn, you’ll find “Bobolink Alley.” Breeding pairs live in a large meadow area from late May through July. Turkey Vultures often roost on the ranch’s lookout tower on summer evenings. There’s also a Bald Eagle nest just east of the turnoff for the ranch.
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – History through the lens
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Two Triceratops in black and white at the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, Montana.
Monochrome Monday (MM)
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As luck would have it, sometimes I see skies painted with bold strokes of orange
Or blue skies full of popcorn clouds
Sometimes, I’m in a distant place at the right time and see tiny perennials in bloom
Or winged beauties alighting on blossoms in my own garden
As luck would have it, sometimes I pause along a road and a small predator looks back at me
Or I discover a snowshoe-footed creature by the trail that other hikers did not notice
And if I’m very lucky, sometimes I unknowingly photograph something I hadn’t intended to
Can you find two purple pickerel bloom stalks, a pink waterlily, two spiders, and a frog?
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Lucky Shot
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These Origami Wall sculptures are on display at the International District/Chinatown light rail station in Seattle, Washington. The nine 14 x 14-foot painted aluminum sculptures show the steps of the origami folding process. You start at either end and in the center you’ll find two completed pieces; one of a man and one of a woman. These pieces were created by Sonya Ishii in 1990.
There are several wooden benches for you to sit on while waiting for the next train. Trains run every four to fifteen minutes, depending on the time of day.
Here’s a closer look at the Origami Wall sculptures.
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I framed this river poem I wrote with an artsy mat. The green paper contains small leaves, and the brown paper includes little bits of bark and sticks. I bought this paper at an art supply store.
I created the blue paper by dripping acrylic paint onto a pan full of liquid laundry starch and gently swirling it. You drop a piece of paper onto this mixture and peel it away to get a marbled effect “print.” It’s a fun process because you never know how it will turn out.
I altered the length and position of each line of this poem to imitate a meandering river. By showing the poem with an artsy mat and changing the layout, it became a unique piece of art. When I entered this piece in a state fair competition, it won a blue ribbon. 😀
Here’s the poem in another format.
River Retreat
Traveling from afar to alight
In an oasis of comfort and contentment
A restful sleep wakening to
A joyful dawn chorus from feathered friends
Breaking the fast with
Nourishment for body and soul
Flying away
Until the river beckons us again
Do you have artwork you would like to share? Be sure to include the First Friday Art tag.
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In moments of darkness, I reach for the tool of enlightenment tucked inside my pocket.
Click! Click! Click! Click! I enlighten exhibitions.
4th Floor to Mildness by Pipilotti Rist, Portland Art Museum in 2026, Oregon
Fulfillment of Emptiness by Jang Jin-ik, Portland Art Museum in 2026, Oregon
Forest at Night by High Desert Museum staff in 2026, Oregon
Infinite Moment: Burning Man on the Horizon by High Desert Museum staff in 2020, Oregon
In moments of darkness, I reach for the tool of enlightenment tucked inside my pocket.
Click! Click! Click! Click! I enlighten landscapes.
Subway Cave, Lassen National Forest, California
Sunrise over Bend, Oregon
Steam over hot springs, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
Playa at Summer Lake, Oregon
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Phone Photography
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There are a lot of places to buy a burger and fries in Bend, Oregon. Today, I’ll feature burgers from three different restaurants.
If you ask a local where to buy a good burger and fries, many will mention Americana first. They used to only serve their burgers from a food truck, but now they have a brick-and-mortar location downtown. They still have a truck at one of our food truck pods.
Americana serves smashburgers. This is a type of burger that’s smashed flat before or during cooking. Their menu is limited to eight burgers, two kinds of fries, soft drinks, beer, and milkshakes. The food truck only serves three kinds of burgers. It kinda reminds me of the ‘Cheeseburger Cheeseburger‘ sketch that was on Saturday Night Live.
Here’s a close up of The Popper burger I ordered. It includes pickled jalapeños, jalapeño cream cheese, white American cheese, caramelized onions, bacon, shredded lettuce, fresh tomato and secret sauce served on a brioche bun. I admit, I like thicker burgers, but I liked this nicely spicey, very flavorful burger.
The fries, shown below, were another story. The pieces were small and didn’t have much flavor at all.
Americana’s restaurant is at 1033 NW Bond St, Suite 100 in Bend. Their food truck is at at the Podski pod at 536 NW Arizona Ave in Bend. Both locations are open from 11:00 am to 8:00 pm on Tuesday through Saturday. They’re closed on Sunday and Monday. The prices at Americana are relatively low.
Next, I’m showing a burger from Killer Burger. Their menu includes nine beef burgers, including a Peanut Butter Pickle Bacon one. They also serve three chicken burgers, chicken tenders, and eight sauces. You can order three sizes of burgers, Pint, Original, and Double. Drinks include beer, cider, and soda.
I ordered a Classic burger in the Original size. It included bacon, American cheese, crisp lettuce, tomato, grilled onion, pickle, mayonnaise, and house sauce. I’ll have to go back and try something more unique next time. I thought the burger was better than average, but not outstanding.
The fries, however, were great! Nice and crispy and full of flavor.
Killer Burger is at 20789 NW Henry Ave, Suite 180 in Bend. They are open from 10:30 am to 9:00 pm daily. This restaurant is right next to Costco. They have other restaurants in western Oregon, eastern Washington, and in parts of Texas. Their prices are low to moderate.
Next, I’m sharing a picture of a burger from Bend Burger. I ordered the Pole Pedal Paddle burger. It included fresh cut charred jalapeños, mango ginger chutney, aged cheddar cheese, bacon, and mayonnaise. This burger was a wonderful combination of sweet and spicy. It does get messy, so be prepared. Do NOT attempt to eat this one while driving.
The fries were thick-cut and the serving size was large. However, they were a bit soggy, not crispy.
Bend Burger Company serves eight beef burgers, two chicken burgers, a tri-tip steak sandwich, BLTs, and a grilled cheese sandwich. They also have three salads. Bend Burger makes three kinds of fries, two kinds of tater tots, onion rings, and seven sauces. They serve the usual drinks plus milkshakes in six flavors.
Bend Burger is at 1939 NE 3rd Street in Bend. There’s also a Redmond location. They are open from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm daily. The prices are on the high end, but I’ve never had a bad burger there.
So which place had the best burger and fries? I can’t really say. One burger was a smashburger, one was a classic burger, and one was a gourmet burger. If I rated just the beef patty, not including the bun or condiments, I’d have to say Americana.
The fries were easier to pick a favorite. Killer Burger’s fries were crispy and flavorful, just the way I like them.
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Watching backyard TV in Bend, Oregon
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Color in photos highlights
a balance of form and function
medleys of wholesome tasty treats
and lanterns of luck and happiness
Color in photos highlights
rainbow rows of vegetables
bright graphic designs on balloons
and the personality of each ornate orchid
Yesterday’s Lens-Artists Photo Challenge was to show colorful images in monotone. My post Scenes without color shows six black and white photographs of various scenes. In today’s post, I shared how the same images looked before I edited them by restoring the color. Both versions are beautiful in their own sort of way.
Ragtag Daily Prompt (RDP) – Restore
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Scenes without color highlight
design elements of feathered finery
Artistic arrangements of snacks
and fantastical architectural forms
Scenes without color highlight
perfection in imperfect patterns
bold and buoyant formations
and the delicacy of floral details
To see these same images in color see my Color in photos post.
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Color in Black and White
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When I visited Ireland with my daughter, one of our favorite things was a falconry experience in Dingle, County Kerry. The guides at the Dingle Falconry Experience tell you a bit about each bird they fly. You also get a chance to have the birds perch on your gloved hand.
One of the most impressive birds we saw was an Eurasian Eagle Owl, Bubo bubo.
I mentioned it in one of my previous posts. It is so heavy, the guide helps support your arm when it perches on you.
Our guide flew it from one post to another. See it in action in this video.
The bird with the most beautiful plumage was a Western Barn Owl, Tyto alba.
I took this photo of its back to get the details of its feathers. Note, I wasn’t really paying attention to the alignment of the background. 😀
The birds fly from person to person as you stand in a large circle. Here’s the Barn Owl flying around our group.
The Harris’s Hawk, Parabuteo unicinctus, had a powerful presence. Here it is up close.
Here’s the bird perching before it flies to the next participant.
When we were there, the guide used a lure with a piece of prey attached to exercise a falcon. Here’s a video of the bird in flight.
The Peregrine Falcon, Falco pergrinus, was gorgeous in flight and on the ground.
Here’s the bird eating a snack with the guide.
If you’re looking for an up-close and personal encounter with birds of prey, check out the Dingle Falconry Experience. It was educational and fun!
Hope you all have a Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
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If you’re looking for a relaxing oasis in the middle of a desert, check out Crane Hot Springs near Burns, Oregon.
Hot springs in this area were first developed for commercial use in the 1920s. A dance hall and restaurant were built near Crane Hot Springs, but they burned down around 1930.
Over the years, this business has passed through several owners and is currently managed by Dan and Denise Kryger. They have been busy renovating and upgrading the property. They dug out the pond, built bathhouses, added RV facilities, and renovated the motel and cabins. Previously known as Crystal Crane Hot Springs (CCHS), the current owners shortened the name to Crane Hot Springs.
The restrooms and changing rooms are clean and comfortable. Here are a couple photos of them. I visited this hot spring decades ago and there have been huge improvements since then.
The large outdoor pond is the big attraction at this site. It measures 9,728 square feet in size and holds 323,143 gallons of water. Water in the pond reaches depths of almost seven feet. Water temperatures range from 99 to 102 degrees Fahrenheit. Private soaking tubs are also available.
One of the wonderful things about this place is that you can sit in the hot springs and view spectacular sunrises, sunsets, and dark skies bursting with stars.
This site has many overnight options available. There are several cabins to stay in, but you might also consider staying in a teepee, covered wagon, or their 5th wheel rental. The smallest cabins, pictured below, have no restrooms but they are nearby. If you want to camp, there are dry camping or RV camping sites with full hookups available. We’ve stayed in our campervan here, in one of the rooms with its own spring-fed hot tub, and at a for rent by owner house nearby.
If you don’t want to spend the night, you can pay for day use at the hot springs. Prices for the large pond range from $5 to $15 for up to four hours. If you want to rent the smaller, private soaking tubs, it costs $15 per hour per person or $50 for two people for two hours.
The ponds on the property are great places to see some of the local wildlife. There’s one right next to the hot pool and another one a short walk away.
In past years, while participating in the Harney County Migratory Bird Festival, my tour group stopped here to look for birds.
You’ll see plenty of waterfowl, shorebirds, and songbirds in and around the ponds. Raptors can be seen feeding on the ground or drifting by on thermals overhead.
There are some interesting things to do nearby. You can visit a unique round barn, drive around Steens Mountain, see the vast landscape of the Alvord Desert, and volcanic features at Diamond Craters. You may even glimpse wild horses, some of which are direct descendants of those brought here by the Spaniards in the seventeenth century. Gas stations in this rural area are few and far between, so plan your trips accordingly.
Crane Hot Springs is at 59315 OR-78, Burns, Oregon. The hot springs are open from 7:00 am to 10:00 pm daily. If you plan to stay there, make your reservations here.
Pets are allowed in your RV and in 15 of the rooms. Dogs must be on leash on the grounds.
If you are here for day use, be aware that pets are not allowed near the outdoor pond. You are also not supposed to leave them in your vehicle. Since many travelers like to travel with their dogs, I hope they can add the doggie daycare a staff person mentioned SOON.
Our local TV station, Central Oregon Daily, did a great story on Crane Hot Springs on April 2, 2026. Watch it here. It includes some wonderful aerial views.
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Time to Relax
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Flag bridge through the seasons in the Old Mill district of Bend, Oregon
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A ghostly cottonwood at Summer Lake, Oregon
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Today I’m sharing a colored pencil penjing drawing I quickly drew this morning. Penjing, or penzai, is the Chinese version of Japanese bonsai. While bonsai often focuses on a single tree, penjing represents a scene in nature in a “three-dimensional painting.”
In China, these plantings have been created since at least the Han dynasty (206 B.C. to 221 A.D.).
My drawing is based on a penjing planting at the Lan Su Chinese Garden in Portland, Oregon. In my photo below, the wall of the gift shop made an interesting background.
I’ve always admired the artistry that goes into creating penjings. It requires a lot of patience and foresight.
Do you have artwork you would like to share? Be sure to include the First Friday Art tag.
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Giant Pacific octopus up close vignette
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Shadows play
Within deep glacially carved gorges filled with fall foliage
And shallow grooves in clay created by an artist’s hands
Shadows gather
Around the powerful presence of a goat the color of snow
And along straight and curved ridges in a garden of sand
Shadows play
Among towering sentinels standing guard over thundering waterfalls
And around a grand and forever grounded aircraft
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Shadowed
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JIA Asian Street Kitchen is tucked away in the corner of a mall in southwestern Bend, Oregon. They serve a wide selection of meals, drinks, and appetizers.
The best thing we had on a recent visit was the JIA Popcorn Shrimp appetizer. You can dip tempura shrimp into spicy Gochujang aioli and Wasabi aioli sauces. Both were good. This dish comes with Vietnamese rice crackers, pictured below in the glass. I describe these crackers as “crunchy air.” 😀
The JIA’s BBQ Set, shown below, is one of their Chef’s Specials. It includes BBQ chicken marinated in lemongrass for 24 hours. It also features a green papaya salad, sticky rice in an upright basket, and tamarind and sweet chili dipping sauces. My dining companion didn’t particularly like the chicken’s flavor, but others may feel differently. He described the rice as “tough”, but did like the papaya salad.
For my main dish, I ordered the Khao Soil. This is a coconut curry soup from Northern Thailand. Tender egg noodles and grilled chicken fill the rich coconut broth. It’s topped with crisp-fried wontons, fried shallots, pickled mustard greens, and raw shallots. A drizzle of hot chili oil adds a touch of heat. I liked the spiciness of the broth and the crunchiness of the fried wontons.
JIA Asian Street Kitchen serves several cocktails with interesting names. The Unblinkable, shown below, is “A tamed dragon’s eye drifts atop Brazil’s dragon tears, enveloped in the ethereal mist of Oregon spirit absinthe a bold blend of Leblon cachaca, Midori, lemon, pineapple, and a touch of absinthe.”
The interior design includes a lively mural, paper lanterns, and lit-up clouds and a moon.
Rattan hanging lights and a life-size artificial cherry tree decorate the rest of the space.
The food we ordered on this and previous visits was generally good. The unique interior design is memorable.
On this visit, there was a new element in the dining area. A remote-controlled food cart delivered our food. Yeah, really. While it gets your attention, I’m not sure it’s necessary. Will photos of the cart be shared on social media? Yup, that’s what I just did!
JIA Asian Street Kitchen is at 19570 Amber Meadow Dr. #100, Bend, OR 97702. They are open from 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM on Mondays through Thursdays, 11:00 AM – 8:30 PM on Fridays and Saturdays, and 12:00 AM – 8:00 PM on Sundays.
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When I visited the Lan Su Chinese Garden in Portland, Oregon last week, I saw several Lunar New Year decorations. They were prepping the garden for celebrations on February 17, the day the 2026 lunar new year begins.
This impressive dragon was inside one of the buildings hovering over a table and desk.
I zoomed in to get a better view. The colors and textures were gorgeous.
Outside, a jumping fish floated over the pond.
Here is a closer view of it surfacing near an arch, lotus blossom, and smaller fish.
In another part of the pond, a dragon curls around mountains in the clouds. All of these Lunar New Year decorations showed a lot of expression.
Speaking of expression, I’m also sharing a sculpture of a horse at the nearby Portland Art Museum. I thought it was appropriate since it’s the year of the horse. Recent “Horse” years include 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, and 2026.
The chinesenewyear.net website describes those born in the year of the horse as follows:
Horses are lively, charming, and adventurous. In the zodiac, they thrive in lively settings and are often seen as natural leaders and motivators.
This Prancing Horse sculpture, by an unidentified artist, is made of gray earthenware with traces of calcified green lead glaze. The sculpture is from China, Sichuan province. It is likely from Chengdu, Tianhuishan and created in the 2nd century CE.
I really liked the face on this sculpture. Is it grimacing or grinning? Hmm…
For more info and photos about Lan Su Chinese Garden, see my previous post.
Ragtag Daily Prompt (RDP) – Celebrations!
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When you trim a photo
you may notice exhalations in the skies
and the embrace of trees
Dark islands may emerge
from shallow seas of dense fog
in the ring of fire
When you crop photos
you may notice red, yellow, and green layers about to fall
or a rainbow of colors about to rise
When you trim a photo
you may notice soft curving lines
on a feline’s fur
Rigid radiating lines may emerge
Brushed with pale whispers
of an owl’s wisdom
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge (LAPC) – Unusual crop
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On a recent trip to Portland, Oregon, I saw this abstract in an elevator. The patterns were created by reflections of lights on the stainless steel walls. At first, I was going to show this picture in black and white, but the different colored lights made it more interesting. This week, I decided to use photography effects that show the designs in even more abstract ways.
I used Corel PaintShopPro 2021 for different photo processing effects on this picture of the elevator. In the original image I increased the contrast and cropped the edges. Use the slider to view each effect compared to the original.
In the first photo, I used a distortion effect. I went to Effects>Distortion Effects>Polar Coordinates and chose the Rectangular to Polar effect with a black background. With this effect, the program “maps pixels from Cartesian to polar coordinates.” Some describe this technique as creating ‘little planets’ from the original photo. With the black background, I thought this image looked like a distant galaxy, with a twist.
In the next photo, I also used a distortion effect. I went to Effects>Distortion Effects>Twirl and used the Right 180 setting. This effect distorts the image by twirling it around its center. I like the swooping action created by this effect. All the straight lines disappeared.
In the last abstract in an elevator photo, I used a reflection effect. I went to Effects>Reflection Effects>Kaleidoscope and used the Default setting with a reflected edge. This effect turns a pie-shaped area of the image into a circular pattern. I like how this effect turns pictures of ordinary objects into something extraordinary.
This freight elevator was in the Portland Art Museum in Oregon. Even a functional item like an elevator was beautiful.
One-to-Three Photo Processing Challenge February 2026
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Today, I’m sharing images I created of 3 fish 3 ways. When I took an ichthyology class at Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington, we visited the aquarium in Vancouver, B.C. Our assignment was to sketch some of the fish we saw and write down notes related to their life history. What a fun assignment! 😀
My first picture shows a pencil sketch of three fish. I drew a Longnose Butterflyfish, Forcipiger longirostris, a Swallow-tailed Angelfish, Genicanthus melanospilos, and a Smoothed Unicorn Tang, Naso lituratus. These three have great common names.
I traced a copy of the pencil drawing and outlined each fish with an ink brush pen.
In the last of my 3 fish 3 ways pictures, I quickly filled in the ink outlines with watercolor pens. The coloring of these fish varies widely.
Note to self… use a good quality watercolor paper next time. Since I used cheap printer paper, the paint dried fast and I couldn’t blend it.
Here’s the watercolor pen set I used. I found it at one of the gift stores in downtown Bend. I like having them organized in a handy case.
Do you have artwork you would like to share? Be sure to include the First Friday Art tag.
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