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 at the High Desert Museum, Bend, Oregon
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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
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 is an Italian and French restaurant on Bend’s westside. The food is served in courses and is meant to be shared.
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.
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 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.
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Pot of gold ahead? Trail in Pine Nursery Park, Bend, Oregon
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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.
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.
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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.
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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!
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
I’m including two photos of the menu.
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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a wandering soul
trudges between boulders and blooms
on a quest for spring
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On my blog site, I have organized my pictures that are waiting for a prompt. These include regular prompts I use, like Wordless Wednesday and Monochrome Monday. There are also folders where I store things like plant, animal, waterfall, and old building photos. Today I’m sharing some of these pictures.
Landscapes can be full of color,
or dark and brooding.
A wild creature close by can shine in a neutral background,
while one farther away can still show a powerful presence.
Artwork can be lighter than air,
or anchored to a concrete wall.
Some photos waiting for a prompt don’t seem to fit into any category. Though I can control the vertical and horizontal, what is the best way to present them?
When you look at them from one angle, they may hold beautiful flower arrangements.
When you look at them from another, they may be the perfect serving dish for chips and dip.
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Last chance
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Today I’m featuring a tiger mug. I originally drew this piece with pen and ink. Later, I added color with acrylic paints. It was printed onto ceramic mugs by a professional printing business.
I drew this when I was running for a School Board Director position many years ago. Our mascot at the high school was a tiger and I put this image on my campaign literature. It must have worked because I won over a longtime incumbent. 😀
Since I like to print artwork on things people can actually use, I had a big batch of tiger mugs printed. I also printed some onto canvas grocery bags.
I’m including a photograph I took of a Sumatran tiger. Though tigers are known to sleep 16 to 20 hours a day, I caught this one at a wildlife park in a blur of motion.
Do you have artwork you would like to share? Be sure to include the First Friday Art tag.
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Birds on the move, flapping wings of bronze
Or paddling alone in cool, calm waters
Flocks in the city, fluttering and chattering together
Or pairs peacefully standing beside secluded shorelines
Raptors on the ground, squatting in subdued shades of gray
Or songbirds resting, clad in brilliant shades of the sky
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge (LAPC)- Wings
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This Salmon mural is at the Seattle Aquarium in Washington State. This piece is called Ocean Travelers.
The salmon mural was created by artists Ray Troll and Owen Oliver. Ray was friends with Coast Salish artist, Marvin E. Oliver. They had discussed creating a collaborative piece for many years. Though Marvin passed away in 2019, his son, Owen, helped fulfill that dream.
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Moments of mystery may loom large in front of you
Sasquatch sculpture at Sensing Sasquatch exhibition, High Desert Museum (2024)
Or hide within the shadows
Reflections in fish tank in By Hand Through Memory, High Desert Museum
Mysterious sights may make you question reality
Small stick supporting large boulder, Lassen Volcanic National Park
Or wonder which path to choose
Subway Cave, Lassen National Forest
Moments of mystery may reveal followers you didn’t know you had
Northern River Otters in Deschutes River in Bend
And secret conversations between similar species
Trumpeter Swan and Mallard, Sunriver Nature Center
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Finding the Mysterious
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Alvord Desert from above in southeastern Oregon
Wordless Wednesday (WW)
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: Looking back at LAPC #31 – Landscapes (LAPC)
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The majesty of mountains with distinct fringes of red
Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, Utah
and coming into focus over a blur of the Sagebrush Sea
Mt. Shasta, Shasta-Trinity National Forest, California
The mood of mountains retreating in a blush of color
Painted Hills Unit, John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Oregon
and rising above, snow-clad and strong
Mount Rainier, Mount Rainier National Park, Washington
The majesty of mountains layered in subtleties
Badlands National Park, South Dakota
and taking center stage above a curve of crops
Mt. Jefferson, Willamette National Forest, Oregon
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: Looking back at LAPC #31 – Landscapes
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Old Mill sunrise in Bend, Oregon
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Fall seating near the Flag Bridge in the Old Mill District of Bend, Oregon
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When you drive by this old stagecoach stop on the east side of Steens Mountain in Oregon, it just looks like a couple piles of rocks in the distance.
From a closer distance, it still looks like piles of rubble.
However, when you see it from above with a drone, it looks completely different. You can clearly see the walls of the structure on the left.
The building on the right looks like this from above. There are remnants of the rock wall on the west side of the structure, but the wooden parts have fallen to the ground.
In other environments, the wood would have deteriorated by now. However, this structure is just north of the Alvord Desert, which gets an average of 7 inches of precipitation a year.
I am reposting some facts related to stagecoach travel from one of my previous posts.
In the late 1800s to early 1900s, stagecoach routes crisscrossed the West. On the more heavily traveled routes, there were stops every 25 miles or so. Why that distance? That’s about how far a team of horses pulling wagons full of goods and passengers could travel. Their progress was slow because of difficult terrain and weather that could quickly change from scorching heat to bone-chilling cold.
Some of these stations were just for changing horse teams, while others had accommodations available for travelers. The stops in Fields and Frenchglen in Oregon offered more options for weary travelers. One stop near the one pictured above charged 25 cents for overnight lodging and meals. The charge for the care of each horse was an additional 25 cents.
Travel along these stagecoach routes was not fast. For example, the east-west route from Ontario, Oregon, to Burns, Oregon, took approximately 40 hours. Today, the 130-mile route takes 2 hours 12 minutes by car. But imagine all the sights those early travelers must have seen on those slow journeys…
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Ancient
Fandango’s One Word Challenge – Fast
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The Pete French Round Barn in eastern Oregon is a beautiful structure. On a recent trip, I took pictures and video of the barn with my phone and my drone.
This picture shows the building from above.
In this video, the drone flies around the perimeter of the barn. You get a much better perspective from this angle.
These pictures show some of the internal structure. The supporting beams and posts are like a work of art.
In the spring and summer, barn owls nest in the center of the barn. You can see the whitewash near the nest.
This is a panoramic view of the inside of the barn. In this view, you can see the details in the rock walls.
Here’s a closer view of the walls.
The story of pioneer Pete French is an interesting one. Though he accomplished a lot in his lifetime, he was not well liked. He ended up dying at the hands of a neighbor with whom he had a dispute. See my previous post for more about him.
The Pete French Round Barn is a state heritage site near Diamond, Oregon. Built in the late 1870s to early 1880s, it served as a place to train and stable horses.
In the summer, the barn is open daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. In winter, it’s open Friday to Sunday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.
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In our dreams,
we remember
the light and dark moments
of our lives
We remember soaring
over the highest peaks
and sinking to the lowest lowlands
In our dreams,
we remember the stormy times
and anticipate
the rainbows to come
We remember
turning around dark bends
towards the light of a new day
Lens-artists Photo Challenge (LAPC) – Dreamy
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The Juniper Cookhouse, in Burns, Oregon, is well-known for its barbecued food. The first picture shows a Large Plate with chicken. It includes 8 ounces of meat, two sides, a dinner roll, and a side salad. The chicken has a subtle smoky taste and the baked beans and coleslaw were both delicious. The dinner roll had a light texture and a great taste. Sugared walnuts in the salad added a nice touch of sweetness.
I took the picture above while participating in the Harney County Migratory Bird Festival in 2023. This dish is still on their menu. There was enough food to last for a couple dinners.
I’ve had barbecue there several times, but had never had the breakfast. On our most recent trip, we ordered a couple breakfast meals. The first meal included your choice of ham, sausage, or bacon and hashbrowns with two eggs. The scrambled eggs had great flavor, enhanced with a grating of cheese. Shoestring hashbrowns were perfectly cooked. The thin-sliced ham had a great smoky flavor. The biscuit was light and fluffy and delicious.
The next picture shows biscuits, hashbrowns, and gravy topped with sausage and two eggs. Once again, everything was well-prepared and delicious.
We ordered a cinnamon roll to go. Do you ever order cinnamon rolls that are so sweet you can barely eat them? You may even resort to scraping off thick layers of frosting. Sometimes, the inside dough is not cooked all the way through. That was not the case with the Juniper Cookhouse cinnamon roll we ordered. It was cooked throughout and had just the right amount of frosting. The texture of the roll was light and not too dry. Yum!
We also ordered meat by the pound to go. I had read several reviews that mentioned their tri-tip beef and ordered a pound. The thin-sliced smoked meat had great flavor! We also ordered a pound of the chicken. It came in large pieces, like in my first picture. When I got home, I shredded the meat and made a sandwich with some of their homemade barbecue sauce. It was pretty good.
Juniper Cookhouse is at 540 Highway 20 in Burns, Oregon. For many years, it was in a small building next to a large tent with seating. Now their brick and mortar location is right next to the Best Western. They serve breakfast, sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, wraps, salads, baked goods, and several sides. This family run business processes their own meats and creates wonderful baked goods. Juniper Cookhouse also offers catering services.
If you are considering stopping at Juniper Cookhouse, check their limited hours of operation. They are open on Tuesdays through Fridays from 7:30 am to 2:30 pm. On the day we were there, we learned they were closed the day before because the women had traveled to California to fight wildfires.
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This cactus close up picture was taken at Volunteer Park Conservatory in Seattle. The cactus was only a few inches tall. Its scientific name, Gymnocalycium fleischerianum, posted on a stake nearby, was bigger than the plant. 😉
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The valleys on Steens in the fall
Are filled with green, yellow, and orange leaves,
Framed by mountain mahogany
Clouds skitter across the sky;
Parting to enlighten
Lone patches of gold
On Steens Mountain
Fall’s foliage gathers at the bottom of
Deep glacially carved gorges
Golden leaves of aspen and
Fuzzy flowers of rabbitbrush
Edge the ridgetops and roads
The last colorful moments shine brightly
On Steens in the fall
As winter’s darkness creeps in
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge (LAPC) – Looking Back to Lens-Artist Challenge #106: Autumn
Ragtag Daily Prompt (RDP) – Valley
All pictures were taken on 1 October 2025 while driving to the top of Steens Mountain, Oregon. The mountain reaches an elevation 9,733 feet. The 52-mile long Steens Mountain Backcountry Byway loop road to the summit is open seasonally.
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On a recent trip, I saw a Great Egret up close. I thought I should try to draw one of these elegant creatures. For this drawing, I used a pen that has a brush on one end and a narrow tip on the other. It was my first time using one of these pens and I think I’ll improve once I get used to them. I also used colored pencils for the eye and bill.
I saw this egret on a beach near San Simeon, California. The bird was not bothered at all when people walked close to it. I guess if you stand over three feet tall with a wing span of around five feet, you don’t care if other critters get too close to you. 😉
Do you have artwork you would like to share? Be sure to include the First Friday Art tag.
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I noticed this Chinese birdcage right away while visiting the Seattle Asian Art Museum. Its intricate design really caught my eye. I especially like the dragon on top of the cage.
I used Corel PaintShopPro 2021 for different photo processing effects on this picture of the Chinese birdcage. In the original image I slightly increased the contrast and fill light and cropped the edges. Use the slider to view each effect compared to the original.
The first one shows the original photograph and the same picture with a filters effect. For this image I went to Effects>Photo Effects>Film & filters>Warming filter>Warm earth tones>20 density. I liked how this effect made it look older in glowing warm tones.
The next one shows the original photograph and the same picture with a lighting effect. For this image I went to Effects>Illumination Effects>Lights>Default setting. I liked how this effect gave the subject a starring role in the spotlights.
The last picture of the Chinese birdcage shows an Art effect. For this image processing I went to Effects>Art Media Effects>Pencil>Factory Defaults setting. It looks like a soft pastel drawing that shows all its details.
This cage was made during the late Qing dynasty (1644-1911) or Republican period (1912-1949). The label near the display noted that this “birdcage reflects luxurious dimensions of pet ownership accessible to the wealthy.”
One-to-three Photo Processing Challenge – September 2025
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On April 6, I was up bright and early for a birdwatching trip that would encircle Steens Mountain in southeastern Oregon in a single day. Being a bit of an introvert, I wasn’t sure I wanted to partake in a tour like this one. The Steens Mountain tour was one of 22 tours available for nature enthusiasts at the Harney County Migratory Bird Festival. The festival, which started in 1981, takes advantage of the annual spring bird migration in the Harney Basin. More than 300 species of birds use this area annually.
At 6:00 am, participants in the Circle the Steens Mountain & Alvord Desert tour met at Burns High School. The weather was not cooperating for the 200-mile trip. A big storm system was blowing in. Twelve hours and 76 bird species later, we returned to the high school. Though we didn’t see any rare birds, we did see a lot, considering the weather conditions. Our views were framed by the dramatic landscapes of Harney County. The pale colored sands of the Alvord Desert stood out in contrast to the dark stormy skies. Steens Mountain provided beautiful panoramas from many different angles. We also had great views of pronghorn and deer.
We traveled east of Steens Mountain, south to Fields, then north along the west side of the 50-mile long mountain. Our tour guides, Joan Suther and Rick Hall, worked for the Bureau of Land Management locally for many years. The first brief stop was to look at burrowing owls. The small owls were seen braving the wind on this tour and the one I was on the next day. Flocks of snow geese and Ross’ geese were in fields nearby. Our next stop, at Crystal Crane Hot Springs, was much longer.
Continue readingWater falls in cascades over moss-covered cliffs
Burney Falls, McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park, California
and between dolphins, dancing and spinning
Rhapsody, Kelowna, British Columbia
Water flows down rocky crags, plummeting and thundering
Bridalveil Waterfall, Yosemite National Park, California
and emerges quietly from lagoons bordered by blossoms
Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden, Portland, Oregon
Water falls twice through basalt canyons, producing essential power
Shoshone Falls, Twin Falls, Idaho
and continuously over rustic artistry created from stone
Columbia Gorge Discovery Center, The Dalles, Oregon
Sunday Stills (SS) – Fountains and Falls
Water Water Everywhere (WWE)
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge (LAPC) – City Mouse/ Country Mouse
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Yearning to visit places that warmed the body and soul
Wishing to smell the scent of purple, blown by the breeze
Pining for the sound of bugling calls, heralding the arrival of spring
Craving the taste of a special summer treat
Longing to catch glimpses of beloved companions from the past
A picture helps us remember when we are yearning to feel, smell, hear, taste, and see our memories.
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Longing
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Here’s the High Desert Voices September 2025 newsletter for your reading pleasure. Lots of nice photos as well! This newsletter is published by and for volunteers at the High Desert Museum in Bend, Oregon. I’ve been working there as a volunteer since 2013.
Articles this month include one about the Welcome the Night evening event, one on the Forest at Night exhibition, and one on hiking the Soda Creek Trail, west of Bend. A calendar of upcoming events and exhibitions is on the last page.
Please enjoy the High Desert Voices September 2025 issue!
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Some things in nature have patterns in whirls,
Other things are smooth and plain
Some things in nature are velvety soft,
Other things have rough, bumpy surfaces
And in underwater worlds, things may be patterned or smooth
soft or rough and bumpy
Lens-Artist Photo Challenge (LAPC) – Virtual Scavenger Hunt
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trails wind and descend
elements of earth arise
on the cusp of fall
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I was really looking forward to seeing the WinterFest 2025 fire pits at Bend’s winter festival event in Bend’s Old Mill District last February. They are great to photograph! I have posted pictures from previous years under the fire pit tag.
We are about to experience some of our hottest temperatures of the year in Bend this week. Maybe you are also getting some hot days where you live. I thought it might be a great time to remember the cooler temperatures of winter.
One of my favorite fire pits this year, was this VW van. It was well-designed and fun.
Another one I really liked was this one featuring a forest. Loved those trees!
Some of the fire pits have more intricate designs.
Others are more simple.
Some, like this one, are enormous. You can see lots of people meeting up around this WinterFest 2025 fire pit to take advantage of its warmth.
Some of the fire pits used a more traditional design, but included interesting cut-out details.
Others were all about the details. This octopus surrounding a boat, which I’ve shown before, had amazing details.
Some are cone or column shaped.
Other are square.
This year, snow from a recent storm covered the ground. It added to the festive mood.
This event includes ice carvings, hand-crafted fire pits, the Pump Bump Jam (a ski ramp with several jumps), a wine walk, food carts, beer, wine, and cider booths, bands playing on the stage, a flying dog show, and a kid’s area. It also includes booths from a wide variety of businesses and booths selling everything from jewelry and clothing to unique food items. This year, there were more Marketplace booths than I’ve ever seen before.
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge (LAPC) – Found at the fair/market
Ragtag Daily Prompt (RDP) – meet
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A soggy sage contemplating the rain at Crystal Springs Rhodendron Garden in Portland, Oregon.
Colorful resting balloons, drowsy at dawn,
Breathe in heated air, unfold, stretch, and inflate
Burners roar, envelopes fill, tense crews hang on
Baskets shift on the ground, sandbags balance weight
Pilots check the weather, instruments, and tanks
Passengers clamber aboard, voicing their thanks
Flames dance over burners, heat enters the skirt
Lift greater than weight, balloons float o’er desert
Photographs taken at Balloons Over Bend event July 2025. Here’s a short video from a previous post.
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Lines, colors, and patterns
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While out walking my dog, I noticed this mule deer who appeared to be 1st in line for the next concert at the Hayden Homes Amphitheater in Bend, Oregon.
She stood there gazing at me for a moment, then walked even closer. When she paused about eight feet away from me, I thought I better continue on my way.
These photos really show the beautiful color of mule deers’ summer coat. In winter, it’s much heavier and more gray in color.
I passed by this flower border a couple of minutes after seeing the deer. I wonder if she wandered over there to munch on the flowers. It’s kinda like a smorgasbord for deer. 😉
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On Thursday, we ate at Abe Capanna’s Neighborhood Pizzeria. They opened in Bend, Oregon on Friday, July 18th.
You can order 4-slice or 8-slice square pizzas here. Their Detroit-style pizzas have thick, delicious crusts. You can also get combos that include one or two pizza slices, a small Caesar salad, and a fountain drink. Besides pizza, they also serve a few appetizers, sandwiches, salads, and pasta dishes.
I had the Mr. White pizza. The toppings include ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, roasted garlic, olive oil, and fresh basil. I thought it tasted pretty good. I could taste the garlic, but it wasn’t overpowering. With its thick crust and rich ingredients, I could barely eat two of the four pieces.
My companion decided on a make-it-yourself option. He had pepperoni, sausage, pineapple, and extra cheese on his 4-piece pizza. He liked his pizza but probably won’t add extra cheese next time. Yes, it had a lot of sauce! Like me, he could only eat half of the pizza.
On another visit, we ordered two large pizzas since we had a buy one get one free coupon. We had A LOT of leftovers. Fortunately, these pizzas freeze well.
I had The Franklin pizza. It includes BBQ chicken, mozzarella and gouda cheese, red bell pepper and red onion slices, topped with a drizzle of BBQ sauce and fresh cilantro. I thought this was a very good pizza. The toppings are light, just the way I prefer them.
My companion ordered The Janimal pizza. It has slices of pepperoni, Italian sausage, salami, and a thick layer of red sauce. This pizza was also tasty. When Detroit-style pizzas are made, they often add the sauce after the pizza comes out of the oven.
The restaurant has an industrial design, but it wasn’t too loud. Tables are covered with white paper and have a package of crayons if you’re feeling artistically inclined. They have their sign up for alcoholic drinks but are waiting for their liquor license to be approved, which shouldn’t take long.
I took a couple of pictures of the inside and of the courtyard they share with Hablos Tacos. Note that we usually eat out on Thursdays at around 4:00 to 4:30 pm. There will be more customers during busier times.
Do the Abe Capanna’s pizzas remind you of other pizzas in town? Yeah, they are similar to Rush’s Squares at the On Tap food truck pod, a mere 200 yards away. Their Pesto Marg is my current favorite pizza. I think the menus are different enough that these two pizza restaurants can co-exist.
Abe Capanna’s Neighborhood Pizzeria is located at 1462 N. East Cushing Ave. # 140. The restaurant is in the same complex as Hablos Tacos, Lone Pine Coffee, and Cuppa Yo. They are in their soft opening phase right now, so I’m not sure of their hours. I’ll try to update this later.
Be sure to check them out!
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