A visit to Post – The center of Oregon: LAPC

May 25, 2026May 25, 2026 / SoyBend / 14 Comments

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.

The center of Oregon?

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: Foodie Friday

May 15, 2026May 7, 2026 / SoyBend / 3 Comments

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.

Entrees and appetizers

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.

Drinks at Galley Bend

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 hours and location

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.

Foodie Friday

In our journey through life: LAPC

May 10, 2026May 10, 2026 / SoyBend / 22 Comments

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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Star Catcher mural: Monday Murals

May 4, 2026May 4, 2026 / SoyBend / 2 Comments

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.

Monday Murals

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Clouds and quotes: LAPC & WS

May 3, 2026May 3, 2026 / SoyBend / 14 Comments

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

Weekend Sky

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Wood Duck painting & photos: FFA & LAPC

May 1, 2026May 1, 2026 / SoyBend / 8 Comments

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.

Creating my Wood Duck painting, mistakes and all

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: LAPC

April 26, 2026April 26, 2026 / SoyBend / 20 Comments

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: Friday Flowers

April 24, 2026April 24, 2026 / SoyBend / 9 Comments

Orchids as Art at the Exquisite Creatures Revealed exhibition at OMSI, Portland, Oregon in 2024

Friday Flowers

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P Ranch Long Barn, Inside and Out: LAPC

April 21, 2026April 21, 2026 / SoyBend / 16 Comments

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.

P Ranch Long Barn preservation and restoration

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.

Harney County Migratory Bird Festival

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 & white: MM

April 13, 2026April 13, 2026 / SoyBend / 2 Comments

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: LAPC

April 12, 2026April 23, 2026 / SoyBend / 22 Comments

As luck would have it, sometimes I see skies painted with bold strokes of orange

In a High Desert yard - sunset October 2019

Or blue skies full of popcorn clouds

Popcorn Factory , Clouds over Bend, Oregon 9November2018

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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Poem with an artsy mat: First Friday Art

April 3, 2026June 2, 2026 / SoyBend / 9 Comments

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.

First Friday Art

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Tool of enlightenment: LAPC

March 29, 2026March 29, 2026 / SoyBend / 16 Comments

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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Burger and fries in Bend: Foodie Friday

March 27, 2026March 27, 2026 / SoyBend / 4 Comments

There are a lot of places to buy a burger and fries in Bend, Oregon. Today, I’ll feature burgers from three different restaurants.

Americana burger and fries

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.

Killer Burger

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.

Bend Burger Company burger and fries

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.

Best burger and fries?

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.

Foodie Friday

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Watching backyard TV: Wordless Wednesday

March 25, 2026March 25, 2026 / SoyBend / 8 Comments

Watching backyard TV in Bend, Oregon

Wordless Wednesday

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Color in photos: RDP

March 23, 2026March 23, 2026 / SoyBend / 5 Comments

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: LAPC

March 22, 2026March 23, 2026 / SoyBend / 19 Comments

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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A falconry experience in Ireland

March 17, 2026March 17, 2026 / SoyBend / 19 Comments

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.

Owls at Dingle Falconry Experience

One of the most impressive birds we saw was an Eurasian Eagle Owl, Bubo bubo.

Guide at Dingle Falconry Experience Ireland March 2020

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.

Barn owl up close, Dingle, Ireland March 2020

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.

A stunning hawk

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.

A falcon in flight

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!

Birds of the Week

Hope you all have a Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

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Crane Hot Springs

March 15, 2026April 3, 2026 / SoyBend / 18 Comments

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.

Crane Hot Springs accommodations

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 5^th 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.

Wildlife at Crane Hot Springs

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.

Yellow-headed blackbird Rising above the mist 6April2018

Steens mountain tour, western meadowlark eastern Oregon 6April2018

Turkey vulture eating ground squirrel, Harney County, OR 13April2019

Things to do nearby

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.

Brilliance of the desert, Big Indian Gorge, Steens Mountain, Oregon 28 August 2019

Horses near Steens Mountain, Oregon August 2019

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: Wordless Wednesday

March 11, 2026March 11, 2026 / SoyBend / 4 Comments

Rainbow flag bridge, Bend, Oregon 21June2019

Flag bridge through the seasons in the Old Mill district of Bend, Oregon

Wordless Wednesday

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A ghostly cottonwood: Monochrome Monday

March 9, 2026March 9, 2026 / SoyBend / 4 Comments

A ghostly cottonwood at Summer Lake, Oregon

Monochrome Monday

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Penjing drawing & photo: First Friday Art

March 6, 2026March 6, 2026 / SoyBend / 4 Comments

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.

First Friday Art

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Giant Pacific octopus up close: Macro Monday

March 2, 2026March 2, 2026 / SoyBend / 8 Comments

Giant Pacific octopus up close vignette

Macro Monday

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Shadows play: LAPC

March 1, 2026March 1, 2026 / SoyBend / 23 Comments

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: Foodie Friday

February 20, 2026February 20, 2026 / SoyBend / 2 Comments

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.”

Interior design

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 location and hours

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.

Foodie Friday

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Lunar New Year decorations: RDP

February 17, 2026February 17, 2026 / SoyBend / 14 Comments

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: LAPC

February 15, 2026February 15, 2026 / SoyBend / 19 Comments

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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Abstract in an elevator: 1 to 3 Challenge

February 9, 2026February 9, 2026 / SoyBend / 13 Comments

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.

Abstract in an elevator three ways

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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3 fish 3 ways: First Friday Art

February 7, 2026February 7, 2026 / SoyBend / Leave a comment

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.

First Friday Art

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Designs in… :LAPC

February 3, 2026February 2, 2026 / SoyBend / 18 Comments

Designs in… nature

may be spikey and sharp

curve around contours

or fracture along fault lines

Designs in… the human-made world

may symbolize city skylines

carved details of the cosmos

or footpaths leading us forward

Lens-Artist Photography Challenge – Looking back to 174 – Shapes and design

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Joe Feddersen baskets: Wordless Wednesday

January 28, 2026January 28, 2026 / SoyBend / 2 Comments

Joe Feddersen baskets at the High Desert Museum, Bend, Oregon

Wordless Wednesday

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2025 photo bloopers: LAPC

January 25, 2026January 25, 2026 / SoyBend / 14 Comments

A new year has begun, so it’s time to post my 2025 photo bloopers. This is where I share pictures from the past year that didn’t quite fit into any category, were blurry, or had poor composition. I try to add a little humor to them with captions and comments. Hope they entertain you!

What happens when the photographer hasn’t had her morning coffee yet.

“Hamburger? What hamburger?”

The eyes have it!

Mole two ways

“Don’t let them get you down, Herb. You just gotta stick with it.”

The picture I shared and the rest of the story showing what was in the foreground. Use the slider to view each image.

My dog took a selfie. Pretty good, right?

“It was a dark and gloomy night… “

Hope you enjoyed my 2025 photo bloopers. See more of my funny photos on my photo bloopers tag.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Rejected

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On a winter walk: LAPC

January 24, 2026January 24, 2026 / SoyBend / 18 Comments

On a winter walk
down my block
A dusting of snow
shows which way to go

Fences of wood, wire, and stone
divide us, and leave us all alone

Daggers and spikes form
along edges once warm

An ancient one awakens

speaking of directions not taken

On a winter walk
down my block
A warm sunrise glow
shows which way to go

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – What’s around the corner

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Bosa restaurant: Foodie Friday

January 23, 2026January 23, 2026 / SoyBend / 2 Comments

Bosa is an Italian and French restaurant on Bend’s westside. The food is served in courses and is meant to be shared.

Appetizers and Salads

Our first dish was the Bosa meatballs. Tomato gravy, topped with parmesan and parsley covers the three large meatballs. The tomato sauce was good, but the meatballs themselves didn’t have a lot of flavor.

Next, we had Insalata salad. This was a very good salad and it included mixed greens, fennel, and thin slices of apple, topped with spiced pistachio nuts and crumbles of Rogue smokey blue cheese. A light date vinaigrette tops it off.

Bosa Pasta

In the next course, we had house-made pasta. The first pasta dish shown below is the Bigoli “cacio e pepe.” The pasta is like a thicker version of spaghetti. This simple dish includes beurre monté (butter sauce), cracked peppercorn, parmigiano, pecorino, toasted breadcrumbs, and parsley. I thought this had good flavor without being too heavy.

The next photo shows the Tagliatelle dish. This dish includes beef and pork ragu, parmigiano, and parsley. The meat sauce was full of flavor.

If we had chosen to order the next course, we could have selected from a variety of meat and vegetable dishes. Since we had ordered a beer and a cocktail, we weren’t hungry for anything else. The dessert dishes included some enticing-looking offerings, like a warm toffee date cake with salted vanilla gelato.

Would I go here again? I’m not sure. I liked the fact that you could carry on a conversation. They have a lot of staff working there. Every time you finish a dish, they bring you a new set of silverware. Why?! The ceiling decor in the small space is a little cluttered for my taste, but others may not feel the same way. Most of what we ordered was good, but my cocktail, an Old-fashioned, was just okay.

Bosa hours and location

Bosa is located at 1005 NW Galveston Ave, in Bend, Oregon. The restaurant is open from 4:30 to 9:30 pm on Mondays through Saturdays, and closed on Sundays. Reservations are highly recommended at this popular restaurant. Their food is in the mid- to high price range. Parking in this residential neighborhood is limited, so arrive early.

Foodie Friday

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Pot of gold ahead?: Wordless Wednesday

January 14, 2026January 14, 2026 / SoyBend / 4 Comments

Pot of gold ahead? Trail in Pine Nursery Park, Bend, Oregon

Wordless Wednesday

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Well-loved camels: Monochrome Mondays

January 12, 2026January 12, 2026 / SoyBend / 4 Comments

These two well-loved camels are at Volunteer Park in Seattle. Numerous children have climbed onto these large sculptures. Though they may not remember what was inside the museum, they likely have fond memories of their time spent sitting atop these large sculptures. The two camel sculptures flank the doors of the Seattle Asian Art Museum, formerly the Seattle Art Museum (SAM).

Of the nearly 24,000 objects in SAM’s collection, two sculptures have probably had the broadest impact on visitors’ experience of the museum since it opened in 1933.

SAM Stories

The original marble camels were created in the late 14th-mid 17th century in China. Due to conservation concerns, in 1991 the originals were moved inside SAM. Today, the well-loved camels outside the Seattle Asian Art Museum are replicas.

Here is a 1933 picture of the Art Deco-style building that shows two camel and two ram sculptures in front of the museum.

Monochrome Monday

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Seating at Hawkeye & Huckleberry: Pull Up a Seat

January 9, 2026January 9, 2026 / SoyBend / 4 Comments

This seating at Hawkeye & Huckleberry Lounge in Bend, Oregon has a modern cowboy kind of vibe. There’s a lot going on in this design.

There are two couches, four easy chairs, and two barstools shown in this relatively small space.

Pull Up a Seat

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2025 Favorite Photos: LAPC

January 4, 2026January 4, 2026 / SoyBend / 30 Comments

Today, I’m sharing some of my 2025 favorite photos I posted on my blog. I’ve divided them into four categories: Countryside, Cuisine, Critters, and Cultural Attractions. Enjoy!

2025 Favorite Photos of Countryside

I’ll begin with a picture of a sunset I took with my drone from my backyard in Bend, Oregon. Stunning, right?

The next picture, also taken with my drone, is on the east side of Steens Mountain, Oregon.

This picture shows Burney Falls in action in California.

The next is of the Red Canyon Overlook in Wyoming. I loved the layers of earth and sky.

This picture shows the aptly named Reflection Lake in Lassen Volcanic National Park, California.

Photos of Cuisine

Though I have featured food photos from many locations in past favorite posts, this year all of them happen to be in Bend, Oregon.

This picture shows one the many dishes served during the Foodie Crawl in Bend. It was a Crispy Chicken Bite & Biscuit paired with a mojito at The Drake.

I love salads. This is the house salad served at Oblivion Pour House.

This photo shows the Original Bowl at Café Yumm! There is rice hiding underneath all the veggies. Delicious!

One of the main dishes I sampled during a recent visit to Yokocho Izakaya. This is the don teriyaki.

A yummy brownie with ice cream beautifully presented at The Blacksmith.

2025 Favorite Photos of Critters (and a Flower)

Here’s a pronghorn from behind in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming.

This is a photo of my very comfortable cat resting on my lap.

This photo shows a tiger in a blur of motion at Fota Wildlife Park near Carrigtwohill, County Cork, Ireland.

The side-blotched lizard was soaking up the sun in Arches National Park, Utah.

I got a nice close up of this Cattleya orchid in Volunteer Park Conservatory, Washington.

Cultural Attractions

One of my favorite cultural attractions I saw this year was the Exquisite Creatures Revealed exhibition at OMSI in Portland, Oregon. Be sure to check out the other pictures I took of this unique exhibit.

This polo player sculpture is at the Seattle Asian Art Museum, Washington. I liked the horse’s expression in this small sculpture.

This photo shows a variety of sea anemones at the Seattle Aquarium, Washington.

This whimsical VW van firepit was featured at Winterfest in Bend, Oregon.

I decided to show this portable cattle squeeze in black and white. This dramatic photo was taken in Crane, Oregon, near the hot springs.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge (LAPC) – Favorite Images of 2025

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Yokocho Izakaya restaurant: Foodie Friday

December 26, 2025December 26, 2025 / SoyBend / 5 Comments

Yokocho Izakaya restaurant serves what it calls “Japanese & Asian comfort food.” It opened earlier this year in northeast Bend, Oregon. The restaurant was created by Kwanchanok Singhakahm (Chef Kwan) and Phanpat Namsr (Chef Nong), both originally from Thailand. A recent article notes that they enjoy serving Tokyo street food-style dishes here because it’s their “passion”, not to make money.

The interior is a work of art. Colorful posters, lanterns, and flags fill the space. Repurposed milk crates serve as seats at some of the tables.

In fact, I thought the interior was so interesting, I used a picture of it in the One to Three Photo Processing Challenge. In that challenge, participants show a single picture processed three ways.

Lines of customers waiting to get in can get long here. Near the entrance, there’s a yellow wall-mounted Pac-Man arcade game to pass the time.

There’s a small outdoor seating area by the front door.

Yokocho Izakaya restaurant food options

Their menu includes skewers, salads, small plates, noodle dishes, rice dishes, and several sides. There are a few dessert choices as well. Yokocho Izakaya restaurant has a large selection of sake, served hot or cold. Drinks include cocktails and mocktails with interesting names as well as beer, wine, tea, soft drinks, and Thai tea.

Bento

On my first visit, I had a bento box and the house sake. As you can see, it doesn’t look like a traditional bento box. This one included miso soup, seaweed salad, gyoza dumplings, karaage fried chicken with lemon aioli, and a yaki onigri (grilled Japanese rice ball glazed with sweet sauce). I especially liked the gyoza and chicken. Though I’m no expert on sake, I really liked the flavor of the sake I ordered.

Side dishes

On my next visit, I ordered several dishes. My first picture shows sides of Edamame and Agedashi Tofu. The steamed edamame beans were nice and salty on the outside and moist inside. The deep-fried tofu had a crunchy thin layer on the outside and silky and soft inside. The tofu is served with a dashi sauce and a topping of scallions and bonito flakes. Both were very good.

My next picture shows a serving of Okonomiyaki. This seafood pancake is covered with okonomiyaki sauce and mayonnaise. The garnish includes bonito flakes and seaweed. I thought it was good, but craved a stronger seafood taste.

Main dishes

The next photo is of the Teriyaki Don main dish. The grilled chicken is served with teriyaki sauce , and veggies, garnished with scallions and sesame seeds. The chicken was moist and tender and I really liked the flavor of the sauce. I preferred this chicken in this dish over the karaage chicken I had on my previous visit.

My dining companion ordered the Karaage Curry main dish. The chicken is deep-fried and served with a Japanese curry sauce. The sauce was tasty and the dish was beautifully presented.

Hours and location

Yokocho Izakaya is open six days a week from 12:00 to 3:00 pm and 5:00 to 9:00 pm. It is closed on Wednesdays. This restaurant is located off the beaten path at 1900 NE Division St., Suite 110 in Bend, Oregon.

I’ve liked Yokocho Izakaya so far. However, several people noted how uncomfortable the milk crate seats at some of the tables are in their comments. Perhaps they can address this issue in a creative way.

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Foodie Friday

The center of Oregon?

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Entrees and appetizers

Drinks at Galley Bend

Galley Bend hours and location

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Creating my Wood Duck painting, mistakes and all

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P Ranch Long Barn preservation and restoration

Harney County Migratory Bird Festival

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Americana burger and fries

Killer Burger

Bend Burger Company burger and fries

Best burger and fries?

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Owls at Dingle Falconry Experience

A stunning hawk

A falcon in flight

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Crane Hot Springs accommodations

Wildlife at Crane Hot Springs

Things to do nearby

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Interior design

JIA Asian Street Kitchen location and hours

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Abstract in an elevator three ways

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