Norris Geysers – big & little: LAPC

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We just returned from a trip to Yellowstone National Park and the Norris geysers were spectacular, as always. Some of the geysers are big and showy; others are small but still impressive.

The picture below is of Steamboat Geyser. Gray stone, dappled with red and brown-colored rocks, surrounds the vent.

In 2020, this geyser erupted 48 times. Water shoots 300+ feet into the air, making it the tallest in the world. This year, once again, we just missed its latest eruption. It went off on May 31, 2021, the day we drove to the park from Bend, Oregon.

Steamboat Geyser

Here’s an overview of the basin. If you don’t have time to walk the trails, You’ll get great views from this observation area.

Norris Geyser Basin

Here’s a view from the trail. There are geysers everywhere you look in the Norris Geyser Basin.

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Homeward Bound sculpture: Sculpture Saturday

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There’s a new sculpture at Tumalo Art Co. in Bend, Oregon. The Homeward Bound sculpture of a deer, by Danae Bennett Miller, is a cast bronze piece. Danae uses a lost wax process to create works of art. I previously featured one of her horse sculptures in Outdoor Horse Sculptures. That post highlights the work of several impressive sculptors.

Homeward Bound sculpture in Bend, Oregon
Sculpture Saturday

A husky pocket pet: First Friday Art

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Here’s a husky pocket pet I painted on a rock. This breed can sometimes be a handful.

A husky pocket pet by Siobhan Sullivan

But in the right hands, they’re great pets. Here it is curled up in a cozy blanket.

Painted rock by Siobhan Sullivan

My first dog, J.C., was part husky. One of the things I remember most about her was her thick undercoat – a common trait of huskies.

After brushing her, I understood how people such as the Coast Salish once made blankets from dog fur.

A Woman Weaving a Blanket by Paul Kane. 1856.

Do you have artwork you would like to share? If so, include a First Friday Art tag on your post.

Ponderosa pine bark up close: Macro Monday

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Ponderosa pine bark up close. This bark is made even more interesting with drips of amber pitch.

Macro Monday

Colorful lichens up close: Macro Monday

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These colorful lichens are growing on a rock in my High Desert yard. So much variety in a tiny landscape!

Colorful lichens up close

Macro Monday

Warner Wetlands-Wonderful throughout the year: LAPC

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The Warner Wetlands of south central Oregon are beautiful throughout the year. I dug into my archives to find photos taken long ago there, supplemented with a few recent ones.

You can view wispy sunsets over the wetlands in the summer.

Warner Wetlands view in the summer

Moody cloudscapes over them in the spring.

Warner Wetlands in Oregon

Snow and ice covering them in the winter.

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Volcanic views from Lava Lands: Pull up a Seat Challenge

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I recently hiked the Trail of Molten Lands at Lava Lands Visitor Center and paused to take in the volcanic views. The center is located within the Newberry National Volcanic Monument, a place with many recreational opportunities.

I took these photos from the Phil Brogan Viewpoint. On a clear day, you can see Mt. Bachelor, the Three Sisters, and other peaks in the distance. On this day, clouds covered them in soft shrouds. The visitor center reopened on May 20, a couple days after my visit. It’s a great place to learn more of this area’s volcanic past.

Volcanic views from Lava Lands, Oregon

Here are a couple pictures of the volcanic views from a closer angle.

Lava Lands, Oregon

This 1.1 mile trail winds through basalt lava flows surrounding Lava Butte to the viewpoint.

Volcanic views from Lava Lands

Pull up a Seat Photo Challenge Week 22

Colocasia esculenta Mural: Monday Mural

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Colocasia Esculenta mural

This Colocasia Esculenta mural, created by Danny Fry in 2020, shows colorful elephant ear plants. This plant, referred to as taro or kalo, is common in Hawaii, where Danny grew up.

The colorful leaves of this mural represent the mix of people here in Bend, Oregon. Many people move here from other locations, and this mural reflects that growth in a positive light. For example, Bend hosts several thriving restaurants and businesses run by Hawaiians.

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Spectacular sights seen in blue & green: LAPC

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I’ve been out and about more recently and photographed several spectacular sights seen in blue and green.

I thought the pictures deserved a story, so I made up a tiny tale to go with each one. At a virtual conference I attended yesterday, I learned a “micro-story” is a form of flash fiction with 300 or fewer words. I’m calling the following stories “mini-micros” since they range from 43 to 58 words. Not sure if they qualify as true stories, but they were fun to write.

Mini-micro tales

A crowd of manzanita shrubs watches a shifting skyscape in awe. Their pink blossoms open in silent applause. Snow-covered Cascade volcanoes rumble in the background, taking in the show from a safe distance. Steam billows from their peaks, merging with the dancing clouds.

Spectacular sights seen near Bend, Oregon
Paulina-East Lake Rd, Oregon

Clouds emerge from a crack in the ground on a chilly spring morning. They radiate outward from the ridgetop and tree branches stretch and reach towards them. Striated boulders celebrate by tumbling and crashing down a steep slope. An osprey drifting overhead crows in anticipation as another glorious day begins.

North shore of East Lake, Oregon
North shore of East Lake, Oregon
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Canada geese & goslings: BWPC

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Though some consider Canada geese to be a “nuisance” species, they sure have cute goslings. I watched these young ones growing up fast in Bend, Oregon.

Canada geese & goslings

Here’s what they looked like a week later.

Waterfowl in Bend, Oregon

When I was out kayaking at Prineville Reservoir, these recently-hatched goslings struggled to conquer the huge-to-them wall.

Birds at Prineville Reservoir
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Rise swallow the wind: Haiku Prompt Challenge

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rise swallow the wind
rapid plunge trailed by bubbles
joyful rays of sun

rise swallow the wind
otters at play
otters at play
rise swallow the wind
otters at play

Haiku Prompt Challenge – Plunge & Rapid

Manzanita blossoms up close: Macro Monday

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Manzanita blossoms May2021

Manzanita blossoms are putting on a show right now in Central Oregon. The delicate pink blossoms contrast with the thick, leathery green leaves and red bark. The bark on these shrubs peels like on a madrone tree. It’s one of my favorite local plants but it refuses to grow in my garden. That gives me an excuse to seek them out in the wild.

Macro Monday

The façade of Newgrange – A short history: LAPC

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The stone façade surrounding the 5,000-year-old Newgrange monument in County Meath, Ireland is impressive. However, I learned Newgrange’s façade is not what it appears to be.

façade of Newgrange March 2020

I liked the way the patterns in the wall changed from dark-colored stones to dark dotted with white…

Dark & light wall at Newgrange March 2020

To light dotted with dark stones.

Façade - Dark & light wall at Newgrange March 2020

The white stones over the entryway make it stand out.

Entranceway at Newgrange March 2020
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A bold blue sage border: Friday Flowers

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bold blue sage border

I saw this bold blue sage border in the 80-acre Oregon Garden, located in Silverton, Oregon. It’s impressive how they pay attention to all the plants surrounding bold flowers such as these. The framing brings out their best features.

Friday Flowers

Miller cabin in the morning: Monochrome Monday

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Miller cabin in Bend, Oregon

I took this photo of the Miller cabin in the morning at the High Desert Museum in Bend, Oregon. I used the platinum process for this image. This method, popular from 1873-1920, was discontinued due to the high cost of platinum.

Monochrome Monday

Within a small seed – 4 haiku: LAPC

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Within a small seed blanket flowers
Blanket flower seed heads

within a small seed
a tiny new life slumbers
awakened by sun

Hops and chives
Hops & chives

emerald limbs stretch
stems lengthen and reach skyward
embraced by springtime

Flower border May 2020
Mixed flower border
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Colorful lichen up close: Macro Monday

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Colorful lichens up close

A rainbow of colorful lichen up close. These lichens grow on the rocks in my High Desert yard. Though they are small, they have a big presence

Macro Monday

Bits & pieces of a whole: LAPC & Sculpture Saturday

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I’m always amazed by artists who collect seemingly unrelated bits & pieces of things and combine them into impressive works of art. This week I’m featuring War Paint by Greg Congleton. I have featured some of his other artwork on my blog since he’s one of my favorite local artists.

On a recent trip to Prineville, Oregon, I made a point of stopping to see this work. Greg created this piece in 2020. I decided to photograph the details of this sculpture more closely.

Here it is as you approach it from a distance.

War Paint by Greg Congleton

When you get a little closer, you can see the attitude of the horse and the rider.

War Paint by Greg Congleton

Greg is a master at showing expression in his welded metal sculptures. Look at the horse’s reaction to the situation.

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Pinecones in black and white: Monochrome Monday

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Pinecones in black and white

A collection of pinecones shown in black and white. These cones were found in the Lost Forest of Central Oregon, a remnant from another time.

Monochrome Monday

Following Pronghorn: LAPC & WWP

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I’ve been following pronghorn for years. They have much to teach us.

following pronghorn near Great Basin Npk

A restless past

In the distant past, I was always restless, bounding from place to place, relationship to relationship. Once I started sensing my roots taking hold, I would break free, fleeing restraints. I sprinted towards the next place or person. Like an animal being pursued by a predator, I found it easier to run.

Grazing pronghorn buck in Yellowstone

Following Pronghorn

One day I started thinking of pronghorns, those iconic creatures of the Wild West, differently. Maybe I could learn something from them. They are a one-of-a-kind animal, not quite fitting into any family. I felt that way too and I began following pronghorn.

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A colorful corner in Bend: Friday Flowers

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Here’s a colorful corner filled with blooming summer flowers. This planting includes: hollyhocks, foxglove, blanket flowers, ‘orange blaze’ red hot poker, black-eyed Susan, pansies, and more. I’m looking forward to seeing them again in a few months.

A colorful corner in Bend, Oregon

See more photos of flowers in bloom at Flower Border at Old Mill and A peninsula of flowers.

Friday Flowers

A white coneflower up close: Macro Monday

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Here’s a white coneflower up close in my garden. I usually see pink or purple coneflowers, but they’re also pretty in this color. Their scientific name, Echinacea, comes from the Latin word for ‘sea urchin’ and the Ancient Greek word for ‘hedgehog.’ The spiny cone-shaped central disk resembles some type of prickly creature.

White coneflower August 2020

Macro Monday

Elusive birds captured – finally!: LAPC

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One of the challenges of photography is capturing images of elusive birds. Sometimes certain species are not considered difficult to photograph, they only elude YOU. Here are a few of mine.

Intelligent & elusive birds

I have been trying to get a decent photo of a black-billed magpie for a long time. These intelligent birds usually take flight when I approach. I finally captured the essence of a magpie recently near my home. This photo shows its long, elegant tail, striking markings, and iridescent plumage.

Slide the slider to the left to see the type of photos I have taken in the past of magpies. This one was near Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone National Park. It teased me by hiding behind the sagebrush.

Elusive birds - magpie March 2021Black-billed magpie May 2018

Shy & elusive

I’m lucky because mountain bluebirds nest in my yard. When I visit Glass Buttes, an hour away, during the spring months, the bluebirds pop out ready to be photographed.

However at my home, the birds are especially shy, as you can see in the second shot. They somehow sense I’ve picked up a camera and fly away or turn their back towards me.

Mountain bluebird pair April 2018Elusive birds - mountain bluebird

Distant & elusive

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In the Oregon Outback: Monochrome Monday

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Here’s a sepia tone view of Fort Rock Homestead Village Museum in the Oregon Outback. Twelve buildings built in the early 1900s were moved to this site. It’s one of my favorite roadside attractions in Central Oregon.

In the Oregon Outback March 2021

Monochrome Monday

Wildflowers in the Desert – Nonet poem: LAPC & SS

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Wildflowers in the desert sunshine
Emerging in harsh conditions
Shining with an inner light
Colorful expressions
Jewels in the sand
Ephemeral
Presences
Fleeting
Views
Giant head clover
Dwarf waterleaf
Penstemon
Wildflowers in the desert - Indian paintbrush
Grass widow
Wildflowers in the desert - fleabane
Desert parsley
Wildflowers in the desert
Wildflowers in the desert - bitterroot
Wild onion
Buckwheat
Whitestem frasera

Wildflowers in the desert photographs taken at Gray Butte, Oregon in the springtime.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Colorful April

Sunday Stills – Emerging

Spring birds: Bird Weekly Photo Challenge

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The challenge this week is to show photos of birds seen over the past two weeks. As spring progresses, more and more birds, and tourists, are showing up.

Here’s a California scrub-jay perched on an interpretive sign in Bend, acting like a tourist. They change the flags displayed on this bridge throughout the year. On this day, they happened to match the jay.

Spring birds California scrub-jay

I’ve been seeing this lone swan near the flag bridge for several weeks. It was hard to figure out if it was a tundra swan or the less common trumpeter swan. It finally got within a few feet of me last week. It’s a tundra swan. See the bit of yellow near the eye? They don’t always have the yellow patch, but it’s the best clue.

Tundra swan in Bend, Oregon

For comparison, here’s a trumpeter swan we saw this week at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. The skin between the eye and bill is thicker and all black.

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Deschutes River mural in Bend: Monday Mural

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Deschutes River mural in Bend, Oregon

The Deschutes River mural is by husband and wife artists, Paul Bennett and Carolyn Platt. The artists created this mural in 2012. This piece, along with their Dogs mural, is on display at the Strictly Organic coffee shop. These works are in the Old Mill District of Bend, Oregon.

In this shot taken from a distance, you can see the smokestacks of the old mill building that now houses a REI store.

Mural in Bend, Oregon

Monday Mural

Water falling acrostic poem: LAPC

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Water falling
And
Tumbling
Entering a
Rogue river
Finding
A course
Lyrical and
Littoral

Water falling Latourell Falls
Latourell Falls
Multnomah Falls, Oregon
Multnomah Falls
Horsetail Falls in Oregon October 201
Horsetail Falls
Water falling at Wahkeena Falls, Oregon
Wahkeena Falls

Photographs of water falling were taken along Oregon’s Historic Columbia River Highway. For more information, and a map, see Waterfall Tour Loop.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – You pick it!

Sockeye salmon 2-sided rock: First Friday Art

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Today I’m sharing a sockeye salmon 2-sided rock painting I created. On one side you see what this fish looks like when it’s spawning, and on the other side you see what it looks like at other times in its life cycle. They look SO different!

Sockeye salmon rock
Fish painted on rock

Sockeye salmon travel from the ocean to freshwater to spawn. Kokanee are a landlocked version of sockeye. If you’re lucky enough to catch one, they are especially delicious smoked.

Here’s a video of sockeye spawning in the Adams River in British Columbia, Canada. The 3-minute video, by Luke Gibson of Life of Luke, shows aerial and underwater shots of the fish. I loved his creative solution to filming underwater shots on a limited budget! A true artist will always find a way to work around obstacles.

Do you have artwork you would like to share? Include a First Friday Art tag on your post.

Frosty ponderosa pine pom-pom: MM & MM

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Frosty ponderosa pine

Close up view of a frosty ponderosa pine pom-pom in black and white.

Monochrome Monday

Macro Monday

Crack in the Ground – An amazing sight!: LAPC & FFC

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Last week we visited Crack in the Ground in Central Oregon near Christmas Valley. You may be wondering what exactly this place is. Well… it’s a huge crack in the ground in the middle of the desert.

I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was impressed by the crack’s picturesque angles and curved surfaces.

Crack in the Ground, Oregon

There’s a 2-mile trail inside that reaches a depth of ~70 feet below the surface. We took the left path that has a more gradual entrance. It’s in the middle of the picture below. This trail is relatively easy but if you go the whole length, expect to climb over boulders and through some cracks.

2-mile trail near Christmas Valley, Oregon

But how did this crack get here? It’s an ancient volcanic fissure. I learned in most climates, fissures fill up with soil and rock from erosion. Since it’s so dry here, there has been relatively little filling.

Fissure near Christmas Valley, Oregon

Crack in the Ground sits within the Four Craters Lava Bed. During the Pleistocene, four cone volcanoes were active here. A shallow depression formed when older heavier rock sunk. The fissure opened near the edge where there was tension along a fault zone. This Bureau of Land Management map shows the extent of the lava beds and the location of Crack in the Ground.

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