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 up close: Macro Monday
Brown Pelicans drawing & photo: First Friday Art
Here’s a pen and ink drawing I did of a Brown Pelican. Brown Pelicans are big seabirds with a unique appearance.
They capture fish by diving into the water and scooping them up in their stretchy throat pouches.
I saw several Brown Pelicans perched on posts at Seafarer’s Park in Warrenton, Oregon last summer.
Seagulls and cormorants perched and flew nearby. This park is at the mouth of the Columbia River. It’s not far from Fort Stevens State Park, a popular destination for campers.
Do you have artwork you would like to share? Be sure to include the First Friday Art tag.
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Montpelier ranch under cloud-filled sky: Wordless Wednesday
Montpelier ranch under a cloud-filled sky in Idaho
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Family Mural of Flowers & Birds: Monday Mural
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.
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
Brasada Ranch view: Pull Up a Seat
Last weekend, we drove to Brasada Ranch resort in Powell Butte, Oregon for a BBQ and art show event. They have spectacular views of the Cascade volcanoes from their restaurant. These red chairs around a firepit were a nice accent in this scene.
Here’s a closer view of some of the marvellous mountains.
This beautiful resort has received recognition from Condé Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure, Golfweek, USA Today, and other sources. Since we live close by, we did a staycation in one of their cabins a couple of years ago and it was great!
Fish taco extraordinaire: Wordless Wednesday
Seastacks before the storm: WWE
Seastacks before the storm in Tillamook Bay, Oregon.
This landmark is known locally as The Three Graces.
Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden: LAPC & FOTD
In early May, I visited the Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden in Portland, Oregon.
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.
After paying admission, you’ll enter the garden over this beautiful bridge.
Kayaking East Lake, Oregon: FOWC
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!
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.
Continue readingBlack-necked stilts parade tanka: LAPC & BOTW
black-necked stilts parade
on pink legs, slender yet strong,
in search of magic
hidden beneath the marshlands
in iridescent ripples
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge (LAPC) – Delicate
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What they use to make brews: Monochrome Monday
This post shows what they use to make brews at Deschutes Brewery in Bend, Oregon. Last year we went on the Barrel House Tour at this brewery. I highly recommend this tour that focuses on their barrel-aged beers.
While on the tour, I thought some of the sights seen in the factory might look good with black and white processing.
Monochrome processing highlighted all the angles and straight and curved lines of the equipment.
However, I admit, the high alcohol barrel-aged samples consumed on the tour may have made everything they use to make brews look special to my slightly blurry vision. ;D
Lion at Portland Japanese Garden: Sculpture Saturday
This lion at Portland Japanese Garden was guarding the entrance to the gardens. This statue shows a female with a lion cub under her paw. These statues represent protection and compassion.
They are known as komainu in Japan. In other parts of the world they may be called Fu Dogs or Foo Dogs.
Baskets at Columbia Gorge Museum: WW
Buena Vista ponds: WWE
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.
In the distance, you can see Steens Mountain. This 50-mile long mountain rises majestically over the Sagebrush Sea in southeastern Oregon.
Hope may be… : LAPC & WPWC
Hope may be bright spots in the darkness
Or at the end of a twisted and turning path
Hope may be something we wish and pray for
Lan Su Chinese Garden seating: Pull up a Seat
Lan Su Chinese Garden seating in Portland, Oregon on a rainy spring day.
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Magnificent mountain goat: Wordless Wednesday
Giant jaws of Megalodon shark: Monochrome Monday
Cedar waxwing drawing & photos: First Friday Art
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.
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.
Peaceful Prineville paddle: Wordless Wednesday
Soda Springs Scene: Monochrome Monday
The dramatic cloud formations caught my attention in this Soda Springs scene.
Soda Springs is a small city in Idaho known for its geyser and mineral springs. The Soda Springs Geyser is on a timed release valve and it goes off once an hour. Yes, really!
Morning breaking over the High Desert: LAPC
Twin Falls ranch: Wordless Wednesday
Mt View Orchards mural: Monday Mural
This Mt View Orchards mural is located in Parkdale, Oregon. The plants growing around the mural make it blend into the background.
This is one of our favorite businesses to visit to buy fresh local fruit in the fall. You can pick your own fruit and flowers or buy what they’ve harvested. They also produce beer, wine, and cider. This beautiful 50+ acre site was featured on a Top Chef episode in 2021.
This business is part of the Hood River Fruit Loop. There are 28 farms open to visitors along the 35-mile route .
Here’s some of the fruit we bought last year. Yum!
Continue readingSeeing the softness of nature: LAPC & WPWC
Seeing the softness of nature
Walking behind a wall of water of a woodland waterfall
Regarding a heron ruminating over rippling reflections
Spotting the strength of steel softened by a spring snow
Skink among the stones: WW & LAPC
Rocks I remember: LAPC & FOWC
The rocks I remember may rest on the slopes of extinct volcanoes
And show cryptic carved messages created years ago
Winter tree from 3 perspectives: TTL
These photographs show a winter tree near Bend, Oregon shown from 3 perspectives .
Western juniper trees are great to photograph. I show this one from a distance, looking up its trunk, and with a close up view of its rough and wrinkled bark. These trees’ unique characteristics are enhanced by a light snowfall.
Winterish Spring on Santiam Pass: WW
Hook & Plow in Bend: Monochrome Monday
Hook & Plow is a farm-to-table restaurant that recently opened in Bend, Oregon. The seafood, meats, and produce served here are sourced locally. Wines and craft beers on the menu are also from the local area. Take a peek at their full menu here.
I’m highlighting the interesting architecture with sepia tone processing. Straight lines, curved lines, and various textures stand out in this monochrome picture.
Monochrome Monday
Enhance the beauty of photos: LAPC
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.
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.
April HDV newsletter 2024
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
Continue readingColumbia Gorge reflections: Wordless Wednesday
Photo op Robert’s Bookshop: Monday Mural
While visiting Lincoln City, Oregon last week, I saw this photo op Robert’s Bookshop sight. A small mural of a comfortable room full of bookshelves adorned the wall next to something odd–an airplane nose! Apparently, this 1967 Boeing 727-100 found a nice spot for its final landing place.
In 2015, the owner of the bookstore, Bob Portwood, bought the nose section at a state surplus auction. He attached it to the building and opened the interior wall to make a small office space in the cockpit.
The store has 1.64 miles of shelves full of books. They sell used and antiquarian books, including books related to aviation.
If you’re on the Oregon coast looking for roadside attractions, consider stopping to view the photo op Robert’s Bookshop in Lincoln City.
Near the ocean’s shore: LAPC & WS
Near the ocean’s shore, wind and water create ephemeral works of art
Ebbs and flows peel away the earth’s surface to reveal its hidden brilliance
Arising from the mist: Wordless Wednesday
Painted Hills trail Rispetto poem: JMW
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
Jo’s Monday Walk (JMW)
Brews & views, Ferment Brewing Company: OLWG, FOWC, WOTD
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 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.
Look right in front of you: Wednesday Wisdom
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.
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! 😀