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!

Bend Branches always appreciates your comments and likes. Comments may not appear right away since they’re screened for spam prior to posting. Thanks!

Crane Hot Springs

March 15, 2026April 3, 2026 / SoyBend / 19 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

Bend Branches always appreciates your comments and likes. Comments may not appear right away since they’re screened for spam prior to posting. Thanks!

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

Bend Branches always appreciates your comments and likes. Comments may not appear right away since they’re screened for spam prior to posting. Thanks!

A ghostly cottonwood: Monochrome Monday

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

A ghostly cottonwood at Summer Lake, Oregon

Monochrome Monday

Bend Branches always appreciates your comments and likes. Comments may not appear right away since they’re screened for spam prior to posting. Thanks!

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

Bend Branches always appreciates your comments and likes. Comments may not appear right away since they’re screened for spam prior to posting. Thanks!

Giant Pacific octopus up close: Macro Monday

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

Giant Pacific octopus up close vignette

Macro Monday

Bend Branches always appreciates your comments and likes. Comments may not appear right away since they’re screened for spam prior to posting. Thanks!

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

Bend Branches always appreciates your comments and likes. Comments may not appear right away since they’re screened for spam prior to posting. Thanks!

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

Bend Branches always appreciates your comments and likes. Comments may not appear right away since they’re screened for spam prior to posting. Thanks!

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!

Bend Branches always appreciates your comments and likes. Comments may not appear right away since they’re screened for spam prior to posting. Thanks!

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

Bend Branches always appreciates your comments and likes. Comments may not appear right away since they’re screened for spam prior to posting. Thanks!

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

Bend Branches always appreciates your comments and likes. Comments may not appear right away since they’re screened for spam prior to posting. Thanks!

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

Bend Branches always appreciates your comments and likes. Comments may not appear right away since they’re screened for spam prior to posting. Thanks!

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

Bend Branches always appreciates your comments and likes. Comments may not appear right away since they’re screened for spam prior to posting. Thanks!

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

Bend Branches always appreciates your comments and likes. Comments may not appear right away since they’re screened for spam prior to posting. Thanks!

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

Bend Branches always appreciates your comments and likes. Comments may not appear right away since they’re screened for spam prior to posting. Thanks!

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

Bend Branches always appreciates your comments and likes. Comments may not appear right away since they’re screened for spam prior to posting. Thanks!

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

Bend Branches always appreciates your comments and likes. Comments may not appear right away since they’re screened for spam prior to posting. Thanks!

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

Bend Branches always appreciates your comments and likes. Comments may not appear right away since they’re screened for spam prior to posting. Thanks!

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

Bend Branches always appreciates your comments and likes. Comments may not appear right away since they’re screened for spam prior to posting. Thanks!

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

Bend Branches always appreciates your comments and likes. Comments may not appear right away since they’re screened for spam prior to posting. Thanks!

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

Bend Branches always appreciates your comments and likes. Comments may not appear right away since they’re screened for spam prior to posting. Thanks!

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.

Bend Branches always appreciates your comments and likes. Comments may not appear right away since they’re screened for spam prior to posting. Thanks!

Foodie Friday

A wandering soul haiku

December 23, 2025December 23, 2025 / SoyBend / 9 Comments

a wandering soul
trudges between boulders and blooms
on a quest for spring

Haiku

Bend Branches always appreciates your comments and likes. Comments may not appear right away since they’re screened for spam prior to posting. Thanks!

Waiting for a prompt: LAPC

December 14, 2025December 14, 2025 / SoyBend / 20 Comments

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

Bend Branches always appreciates your comments and likes. Comments may not appear right away since they’re screened for spam prior to posting. Thanks!

Tiger mug & photo: First Friday Art

December 5, 2025December 5, 2025 / SoyBend / 9 Comments

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.

First Friday Art

Bend Branches always appreciates your comments and likes. Comments may not appear right away since they’re screened for spam prior to posting. Thanks!

Birds on… :LAPC & BOTW

December 2, 2025December 2, 2025 / SoyBend / 22 Comments

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

Birds of the Week (BOTW)

Bend Branches always appreciates your comments and likes. Comments may not appear right away since they’re screened for spam prior to posting. Thanks!

Salmon mural: Monday Murals

November 24, 2025November 24, 2025 / SoyBend / 2 Comments

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.

Monday Murals

Bend Branches always appreciates your comments and likes. Comments may not appear right away since they’re screened for spam prior to posting. Thanks!

Moments of mystery: LAPC

November 23, 2025November 23, 2025 / SoyBend / 24 Comments

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

Bend Branches always appreciates your comments and likes. Comments may not appear right away since they’re screened for spam prior to posting. Thanks!

Alvord Desert from above: WW & LAPC

November 19, 2025November 19, 2025 / SoyBend / 12 Comments

Alvord Desert from above in southeastern Oregon

Wordless Wednesday (WW)

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: Looking back at LAPC #31 – Landscapes (LAPC)

Bend Branches always appreciates your comments and likes. Comments may not appear right away since they’re screened for spam prior to posting. Thanks!

The majesty of mountains: LAPC

November 11, 2025November 11, 2025 / SoyBend / 33 Comments

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

Bend Branches always appreciates your comments and likes. Comments may not appear right away since they’re screened for spam prior to posting. Thanks!

Old Mill Sunrise: Wordless Wednesday

November 5, 2025November 5, 2025 / SoyBend / 2 Comments

Old Mill sunrise in Bend, Oregon

Wordless Wednesday

Bend Branches always appreciates your comments and likes. Comments may not appear right away since they’re screened for spam prior to posting. Thanks!

Fall seating: Pull up a Seat

October 31, 2025October 31, 2025 / SoyBend / 4 Comments

Fall seating near the Flag Bridge in the Old Mill District of Bend, Oregon

Pull up a Seat

Bend Branches always appreciates your comments and likes. Comments may not appear right away since they’re screened for spam prior to posting. Thanks!

Stagecoach stop from above: LAPC & FOWC

October 20, 2025October 20, 2025 / SoyBend / 16 Comments

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.

Sunflowers & stagecoaches at Steens Mountain, Oregon August 2019

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

Bend Branches always appreciates your comments and likes. Comments may not appear right away since they’re screened for spam prior to posting. Thanks!

Around the Round Barn: RDP

October 18, 2025October 17, 2025 / SoyBend / 17 Comments

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.

Bend Branches always appreciates your comments and likes. Comments may not appear right away since they’re screened for spam prior to posting. Thanks!

Ragtag Daily Prompt – Pioneer

In our dreams: LAPC & WS

October 12, 2025October 12, 2025 / SoyBend / 29 Comments

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

Weekend Sky (WS)

Bend Branches always appreciates your comments and likes. Comments may not appear right away since they’re screened for spam prior to posting. Thanks!

Juniper Cookhouse: Foodie Friday

October 10, 2025October 7, 2025 / SoyBend / 2 Comments

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.

Food to go

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 location and hours

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.

Foodie Friday

Bend Branches always appreciates your comments and likes. Comments may not appear right away since they’re screened for spam prior to posting. Thanks!

Cactus close up: Macro Monday & FOTD

October 6, 2025October 6, 2025 / SoyBend / 2 Comments

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. 😉

Macro Monday

Flower of the Day (FOTD)

Bend Branches always appreciates your comments and likes. Comments may not appear right away since they’re screened for spam prior to posting. Thanks!

Steens in the fall: LAPC, RDP, & WS

October 5, 2025October 5, 2025 / SoyBend / 20 Comments

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

Weekend Sky (WS)

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.

Bend Branches always appreciates your comments and likes. Comments may not appear right away since they’re screened for spam prior to posting. Thanks!

Great Egret drawing & photo: First Friday Art

October 3, 2025September 29, 2025 / SoyBend / 10 Comments

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.

First Friday Art

Bend Branches always appreciates your comments and likes. Comments may not appear right away since they’re screened for spam prior to posting. Thanks!

Chinese birdcage: One-to-three Challenge

September 30, 2025September 30, 2025 / SoyBend / 6 Comments

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

Bend Branches always appreciates your comments and likes. Comments may not appear right away since they’re screened for spam prior to posting. Thanks!

Owls at Dingle Falconry Experience

A stunning hawk

A falcon in flight

Share this:

Like this:

Crane Hot Springs accommodations

Wildlife at Crane Hot Springs

Things to do nearby

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Interior design

JIA Asian Street Kitchen location and hours

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Abstract in an elevator three ways

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Appetizers and Salads

Bosa Pasta

Bosa hours and location

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

2025 Favorite Photos of Countryside

Photos of Cuisine

2025 Favorite Photos of Critters (and a Flower)

Cultural Attractions

Share this:

Like this:

Yokocho Izakaya restaurant food options

Bento

Side dishes

Main dishes

Menu

Hours and location

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this: