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Magical moment with wildlife: LAPC

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I had a major magical moment with wildlife while visiting Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden in Portland a few weeks ago. I took a little used side trail and paused briefly in the pouring down rain.

This Great Blue Heron walked right up to me before turning to stand near a pond. I could have reached out and touched the bird. WOW! I stopped snapping pictures when it was really close to me because I didn’t want to scare it.

Magical moment with wildlife

I’m working on a book where the main character is a girl born with the powers of several animals. One animal is a Great Blue Heron. Was this heron showing its appreciation of my efforts so far on that book?

Great Blue Heron

I had another magical moment with wildlife at Yellowstone National Park this week. We were at the end of the road at Slough Creek and saw a small critter weaving its way through the sagebrush. A badger!

Magical moment with wildlife

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Old Farm Machinery: Wordless Wednesday

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old farm machinery

Old farm machinery at Museum of the American West in Lander, Wyoming

Wordless Wednesday

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Jenday conure up close: Macro Monday

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A Jenday conure up close at my house. I sometimes take care of my son’s conure when he goes on vacation. It has beautifully colored feathers and a very LOUD voice.

Jenday conure

Macro Monday

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Family Mural of Flowers & Birds: Monday Mural

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This cheerful mural, Family Mural of Flowers & Birds, was created by artist Denae’ Manion of Manion Studios. Manion is a talented mural artist and honorary member of the Wall Dogs, an international mural painters group. Besides murals, her work also includes logos and designs, face painting, hand painted gifts, custom shoes, and she hosts PaintNite events. She also creates “entertainment paintings” live at various events.

Family Mural

Her Family Mural of Flowers & Birds mural is one of 33 murals in The Dalles, Oregon. We visited The Dalles in August of 2022 during their Northwest Mural Fest. It’s a great place to see the work of many mural artists.

Monday Mural

Seastacks before the storm: WWE

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Seastacks before the storm in Tillamook Bay, Oregon.

seastacks

This landmark is known locally as The Three Graces.

Water Water Everywhere (WWE)

Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden: LAPC & FOTD

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In early May, I visited the Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden in Portland, Oregon.

Rhododendron

The 9.5-acre garden contains more that 2,500 types of rhododendrons, azaleas, and companion plants. This site was donated by the Jackson family in 1950.

Close up rhododendron

After paying admission, you’ll enter the garden over this beautiful bridge.

Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden

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Kayaking East Lake, Oregon: FOWC

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I decided to try kayaking East Lake, at Newberry National Volcanic Monument, on a spring day a couple of years ago.

“It’s spring,” I thought to myself. “The weather will be fine.” See how beautiful it looks in the photo below near the East Lake Campground?

However, the shoreline is at 6,400 feet in elevation and the weather can change fast. Be prepared!

kayaking East Lake

I was captivated by the cliff-lined north shore and set my sights on reaching it. “It’s not that far away,” I thought. Later, I determined it was a 1.25 mile trip across the lake.

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Buena Vista ponds: WWE

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The Buena Vista ponds are a great place to spot birds at Malheur NWR in Oregon. In the middle of this picture, you can glimpse three Trumpeter Swans foraging for food.

Buena Vista ponds

In the distance, you can see Steens Mountain. This 50-mile long mountain rises majestically over the Sagebrush Sea in southeastern Oregon.

Water Water Everywhere (WWE)

Hope may be… : LAPC & WPWC

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Hope may be bright spots in the darkness

curving tunnel

Or at the end of a twisted and turning path

hope may be trail

Hope may be something we wish and pray for

otter praying

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Magnificent mountain goat: Wordless Wednesday

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magnificent mountain goat

Magnificent mountain goat at the Oregon Zoo, Portland, Oregon

Wordless Wednesday

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Cedar waxwing drawing & photos: First Friday Art

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Cedar waxwing birds are one of my favorite kinds of birds. This month, I’m showing a simple pen and ink drawing I did of one.

cedar waxwing drawing

When you first see a cedar waxwing, you might think of it as “simple” looking. They don’t have bold markings. Instead, their markings blend together smoothly.

Their tail feathers are tipped with a yellow wax-like substance and their wingtips are tipped with red.

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Morning breaking over the High Desert: LAPC

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Morning breaking over the High Desert

morning breaking

Blackbird singing praises over a playa

Yellow-headed Blackbird

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Rocks I remember: LAPC & FOWC

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The rocks I remember may rest on the slopes of extinct volcanoes

Rocks on Pilot Butte 26Oct2016
Volcanic rocks on Pilot Butte, Bend, Oregon

And show cryptic carved messages created years ago

reveal petroglyphs
Picture Rock Pass Petroglyphs Site, Oregon

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Enhance the beauty of photos: LAPC

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When I process pictures, I think about how to enhance the beauty of the subject.

The natural features at the Red Canyon Overlook in Dutch John, Utah are beautiful, but so is the visitor center. The roof looks like wings swooping upwards. A fence with a modern design and a standing dead tree add to the beauty.

Red Canyon Overlook

To enhance the architecture of the building, I used a cold filter and a dark vignette. I framed it with a simple white slide mount effect.

enhance the beauty

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April HDV newsletter 2024

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As you may know, I’ve been volunteering at the High Desert Museum in Bend, Oregon since 2013. I work on their volunteer newsletter. We are sharing the April HDV newsletter with staff and volunteers and we’d like to also share it with you. High Desert Voices (HDV) is a newsletter published by and for Museum volunteers.

The newsletter covers events and exhibitions at the High Desert Museum, as well as other topics. The museum features wildlife, living history, and culture topics related to the High Desert region.

April HDV newsletter, High Desert Museum entrance

The April HDV newsletter includes articles on the relationship of Indigenous people with Mother Earth, a behind the scenes look at the Museum’s birds of prey, and the progress being made on returning steelhead to the Crooked River in Oregon.

04-HDV-April-2024-2Download

Please enjoy this month’s HDV newsletter. I’m very proud of the work our Newsletter Team accomplishes. We’re always grateful for the input we receive when working on articles from staff, speakers, and other sources. Comments from you, our readers, would also be appreciated. Thanks!

Coyote print & photo: First Friday Art

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A coyote howling drawing

Today I’m sharing a coyote print & photo. I drew the coyote in pen and ink and printed it with sublimation ink onto special paper. Then I used a heat press to transfer it onto a fabric bag. I gave the finished product to a friend for a birthday present.

coyote print & photo

This was my first attempt at this type of printing. It turned out a little blurry. I tried transferring another one of my drawings and didn’t have the press hot enough. Maybe I should have read the suggested settings by the fabric manufacturer. 😉

Sublimation printing

What is sublimation printing? It uses heat to bind the ink and fabric together. A post on prodigi describes it as follows: “The inks that are used turn into gas when brought under heat, then combine with the fabric and permanently print onto the fabric.” They compare it to a tattoo.

Sublimation ink & paper

One thing to think about if you are considering trying this type of printing; the printer should only be used with sublimation inks. Fortunately, the cost of the equipment is relatively low. I bought an Epson ET-2800 printer and an Offnova heat press machine for less than $300 total. Of course, you can spend hundreds of dollars if you want products with more features.

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Near the ocean’s shore: LAPC & WS

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Near the ocean’s shore, wind and water create ephemeral works of art

near the ocean's shore
Arcs in the sand at Fogarty Creek State Recreation Area, Oregon

Ebbs and flows peel away the earth’s surface to reveal its hidden brilliance

coastal cliffs
Cliffs at Fogarty Creek State Recreation Area, Oregon

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Painted Hills trail Rispetto poem: JMW

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A rough Painted Hills trail meanders ahead
Curving towards colorful hills of mystery
Cutting through foliage, shriveled and dead
Through an ancient landscape filled with history
Covered with ash spewed by Cascade volcanoes
Compacted, sculpted into hillside rainbows
Layered with varied stripes of red, green, and gold
Reminders of climates, hot, humid, and cold

Painted Hills trail

Jo’s Monday Walk (JMW)

Brews & views, Ferment Brewing Company: OLWG, FOWC, WOTD

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Ferment Brewing Company, in Hood River, Oregon, is a nice warm place for brews & views. I made it appear even warmer by using a warming filter in the photo below. The big tanks below are actually silver but I thought they looked great in gold! 😀

Ferment Brewing Company

Ferment opened here in 2018. They fuse traditional farmhouse brewing techniques with a modern touch. The brewmaster, Dan Peterson, has a degree in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics and uses his scientific knowledge to create unique brews.

The fermenting theme is also featured in some of their food offerings. If you browse the menu, you’ll find fermented foods such as sauerkraut and kimchi, but fermentation is also in more unexpected offerings, like kombucha ketchup.

Their tasting room is decorated in a modern, industrial style, with lots of symmetry. It’s a comfortable spot to share a meal and a drink.

views & brews

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Look right in front of you: Wednesday Wisdom

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When I was 20 years old, I took classes to become a lifeguard. I always remember my instructor saying, “Don’t forget to look right in front of you.” I think these words could apply to many situations in life.

Here’s an old photo of me working as a lifeguard at Millersylvania State Park in Washington state.

look right in front of you

I was reminded of those words again last Thursday. Since I recently hit 1,000+ subscribers on my blog, I decided to celebrate at a fancy restaurant in downtown Bend. While walking across the street in a crosswalk with the light, I was almost hit by a car making a turn. A passerby asked if I was hit by the bumper of the car—that’s how close it was. No, I wasn’t, but I was a bit shaken up. The driver of the car shouted, “I’m so sorry!” and drove away. Fortunately, the rest of the evening went well.

So, my words of wisdom for today are, “Don’t forget to look right in front of you.”

I also wanted to thank all my subscribers. THANK YOU! 😀

Wednesday Wisdom

Metropolis of Thermopolis: LAPC & RDP

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What’s so special about the metropolis of Thermopolis? It’s a great place to stay to see several amazing attractions nearby.

Thermopolis is a small city located in central Wyoming. In 2020, its population was 2,725. Its name means “hot city” in Greek. Here’s a view of it in the distance from Hot Springs State Park. Though I didn’t take pictures of the downtown, the sights within and near the city are very photogenic.

metropolis of Thermopolis

As you can see in the photo below, they proudly advertise their hot springs. “World’s Largest Mineral Hot Spring” is spelled out in big white lettering. Visitors can pay to soak in two commercial hot springs or soak for free in the state-owned State Bath House.

Hillside hotspring sign


We stayed in our campervan for much of our recent multi-state trip, but our driver needed a break, so we stayed in a Thermopolis hotel for a couple of nights.

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Guinness advertisements: Word of the Day

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In celebration of St Patrick’s Day, I’m sharing Guinness beer advertisements I saw at the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin. We were there in March of 2020.

The first one is a giant tortoise carrying a beer. It looks pretty happy!

Guinness advertisements

The second one shows a display cabinet full of toucans and other items. The toucan was a favorite, used in many of their ads.

Toucans ads

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Garden of Surging Waves: LAPC

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The Garden of Surging Waves is located in Astoria, Oregon. The city was founded in 1811 and this garden was a gift to celebrate the city’s 200th anniversary. The Chinese were an important part of Astoria’s history. At one time, 22% of the city’s population was Chinese. In the Pacific Northwest, Chinese were instrumental in the cannery, logging, mining, and railroad construction industries.

I’m starting with a circular mosaic of three sturgeon. It was my favorite artwork there.

sturgeon mosaic

This is part of the Pavilion of Transition, pictured below. The fish theme is repeated in the circular lantern hanging above the mosaic. Nine salmon swim around its perimeter.

The pavilion has eight columns with dragons carved into each. The squares, circles, and even and odd numbers in this garden represent elements of Yin and Yang.

Garden of Surging Waves

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Garden art in Silverton, OR: LAPC

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Garden art may be realistic and small

garden art

Or tall and abstract, casting striking shadows

Abstract sculptures

You may hear garden art bark from the shadows cast by trees

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A challenging photo edit: Sunday Stills

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Today I’m sharing a particularly challenging photo edit I worked on recently. Sometimes putting extra time into something can really pay off.

When I visited the Museum of the American West in Lander, Wyoming last year, I took a couple pictures of an art piece entitled The Confrontation. I marveled at the detail the artist, Tess Diaz, created with thousands of tiny glass beads.

Here are the two pictures I took that day, shown with no editing. As you can see, the bright light and many reflections hid the beauty of the work.

glare on artwork

challenging photo edit
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Hawk eating breakfast: Bird of the Week

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I was driving near my house early one morning when I saw this sight. It was a hawk eating breakfast on the road.

I had interrupted a Red-tailed Hawk while it was feasting on a rabbit or hare. The local Black-billed Magpies appeared out of nowhere to get the leftovers.

As you can see, if you zoom in, the magpie pictured below was moving at a speed of 0 MPH. 😉

hawk eating breakfast

The hawk wisely decided to move its breakfast off the road.

hawk & magpie
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Chevrolet fire truck 3 ways: Sunday Stills

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Today I’ll be featuring a photo of a 1935 Chevrolet fire truck on display at the High Desert Museum in Bend, Oregon, edited three ways. This truck, pieced together with parts from trucks in Prineville and Lakeview, Oregon, was restored to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Smokey Bear. For years, Smokey Bear has been reminding people how to prevent wildfires.

I’ll show a pair of pictures with and without editing effects. Slide the slider to see the full images. I use Corel Paintshop Pro software to edit my photos.

The first pair shows the original picture and one using the Hot Wax Coating Artistic Effect. I like how it almost looks like a pen and ink drawing with color added.

Chevrolet fire truckChevrolet fire truck

The second pair shows the original picture and one using a Retro Lab Photo Effect. The effect darkened the whole picture. I loved how it and gave the chrome details a warm brass color.

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Daylily Trail: FOTD & WPWC

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A colorful daylily trail in the Oregon Garden in Silverton, Oregon.

These perennials have showy, long-lasting flowers that attract butterflies and hummingbirds. Daylilies grow well in full sun to partial shade.

daylily trail

Here’s a closer view of violet purple daylilies with bright yellow throats. I’m not sure what variety of daylily this is, but I loved its ruffled edges.

Close up of lily

Flower of the Day (FOTD)

Weekly Prompts Weekend Challenge (WPWC) – Edge

Sounds of wild creatures: LAPC

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Sounds of wild creatures, the large and the small,
Pulling our attention, leaving us enthralled

Small Black-throated Sparrows pause and perch high
Singing unforgettable melodies to deep azure skies

Black-throated Sparrow song

sounds of wild creatures
Black-throated Sparrow at Arches National Park, UT

Large Wild Turkeys graze and promenade
Chortling calls rise, then fall in cascades

Wild Turkey call

wild turkeys
Wild Turkeys at Capitol Reef National Park, UT
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Searching for a sweetheart: RDP

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This handsome mule deer buck was searching for a sweetheart in my front yard.

searching for a sweetheart

Wishing you a Happy Valentine’s Day, filled with love (and chocolate)!

Ragtag Daily Prompt (RDP) – Sweet

Beneath the Clouds in B & W: LAPC & WS

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Paddling beneath the clouds
Floating lacelike
Over lakes of lifegiving water

Beneath the clouds

Puffs of pale exhalations
Follow meandering rivers

Flaming Gorge clouds
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The spirit of… :LAPC & WOTD

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The spirit of a sea creature living on, forever guarding its seaside home

The Spirit of

Fiery red maple leaves, trembling in autumn’s cool showers

Red vine maple

The edges of never-ending books, revealing themselves on rolling hillsides

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Finding drama in Oregon: LAPC

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Finding drama in branches haphazardly woven together

Finding drama
Willow fence at headquarters, Malheur NWR, Oregon

Or planted in concise rows bearing intoxicating fruit

Vineyard and waterslide
Vineyard in front of airplane waterpark, Evergreen Air & Space Museum, McMinnville, Oregon

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2023 favorites: LAPC

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Here are some of my 2023 favorites. Enjoy!

2023 favorites of scenic roads & trails

Quiet places to sit and ponder the wonders of nature

2023 favorites Malheur view

Bridges swaying over stormy seas, with thundering waves below

Carrick-a-Rede Bridge

Landscapes uplifted over eons to reveal the colors of earth’s core

2023 favorites Driving into geology
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Colors of the season: SS & FOL

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Colors of the season seen up close in a park in Bend, Oregon.

Red & green leaves

Sunday Stills – Monthly Color Challenge – Red & green

Friday Flowers (and leaves)

Noticing landscapes: LAPC

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Noticing…

unique landscapes

with rivers rolling on and on

Columbia River view

and hills full of stories,

repeated and remembered

Noticing Badlands

Noticing…

the brilliant colors

of a new day in the skies

Noticing sunrise
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Northern winds haiku: WHPPC

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northern winds swirl, sting
snowflakes dance, drift, and alight
kisses of winter

northern winds

Weekly Haiku Poetry Prompt Challenge (WHPPC) – Sting & Kiss