Wild Rose: Friday Flowers

/ SoyBend / 3 Comments

A moment with a rose

There is simply the rose; it is perfect in every moment of its existence.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Wild Rose 15May2018

I was fortunate to share a moment with a wild rose near Clarno, Oregon. It is beautiful and delicate when viewed close up.

Some people are always grumbling because roses have thorns; I am thankful that thorns have roses.

Alphonse Karr

Wild Rose 2 15May2018

Zooming out you can see how its blossoms and fruits are protected by sharp thorns. As you make your way through the thorns of life, keep looking forward towards the moments of peace offered by its flowers.

Delicate Arch – Beloved Icon: CFFC

/ SoyBend / 4 Comments

A treasure in stone

There it is. The view of Delicate Arch in Arches National Park I was waiting for. What a sight!

Delicate Arch 3May201:

Now here’s “the rest of the story.” Lines of people wait to take pictures of their loved ones or themselves under the arch. That is the life of a beloved icon like Delicate Arch.

It’s great that so many people treasure our natural resources in national parks. Just be quick if you want to get that perfect shot! 😉

Delicate Arch, Arches National Park, Utah 3May2017CFFC: Arch, Dome, or Half Circle

 

 

Flowers & flags: Friday Flowers

/ SoyBend / 6 Comments

Bright yellow flowers on a currant shrub with colorful flags flying in the background. The bridge passes over the Deschutes River in Bend, Oregon.

See my post about one of the short, easy trails in this area here.

Flowers & Flags - currant blossoms May 2018

Friday Flowers

Glass Buttes obsidian field trip

/ SoyBend / 28 Comments
Glass Buttes Flint knappers camp 1May2018
Glass Buttes Flint knapper’s camp

I went on a field trip recently to one of my favorite places–Glass Buttes. Obsidian is everywhere you look! It’s like being a kid in a candy store. In fact in one of my previous posts, Glass Butte Dragonglass, I show a picture of some obsidian I have collected displayed in a candy bowl.

Obsidian at Glass Buttes, OR 1May2018
Obsidian everywhere you look!

Glass Buttes – Rockhounding and habitat

Located about halfway between the towns of Bend and Burns in eastern Oregon, this site is a rockhounder’s paradise. You can dig and crack open obsidian with a rock hammer, but you really don’t need to because it’s all over the surface.  The Bureau of Land Management oversees most of this site. Individuals may collect up to 250 pounds of obsidian per year.

Continue reading →

Twisted Swans: WPC

/ SoyBend / 2 Comments

Twisting Trumpeters

Here’s a photo I took in March of three twisted swans at Summer Lake in Central Oregon. The northern shovelers surrounding them seem to be doing some contortions of their own. Can you find a raptor hiding in the background taking it all in?

Twisted Swans at Summer Lake, OR 29March2018

The three swans have bands on their necks. I saw them there last fall and turned in my sighting to find out where they came from. I found out the young birds were banded in the spring of 2017 at Summer Lake so they haven’t strayed far from where they hatched.

Twisted Swans at Summer Lake, OR 29March2018

This area hosts thousands of snow geese at certain times of the year. Summer Lake Wildlife Area is open to hunting so in order to avoid confusion, they have this sign posted for hunters. From a distance, snow geese and swans can be hard to tell apart.

Swan sign at Summer Lake, OR 1November2018

Do you want to learn more about trumpeter swans? See my post Swan Song to learn about the conservation success story associated with this beautiful bird.

Weekly Photo Challenge – Twisted

Gray Butte Hike: Wildflowers & Views

/ SoyBend / 4 Comments

Scenic views all around

The hike to Gray Butte, located in the Crooked River National Grassland near Terrebonne, Oregon, is great to walk in the spring because of the wildflowers.  I went here in May and we saw quite a few colorful flowers. The habitat is sagebrush steppe with scattered western juniper trees.

View of Mt. Jefferson from Gray Butte trail 9May2018

View of Mt. Jefferson from Gray Butte trail

I have been here twice with Leslie Olson, one of my favorite guides with Bend Parks and Recreation. One time we went on Cole Loop Trail #854 and the other time we went on Gray Butte Trail #852. The roads to the trailheads have sections that are rough but passable. We did out-and-back hikes of around four to five miles total distance. They are listed as easy to moderate hikes. Here’s a map that shows both trails.

McCoin Orchard at Gray Butte trailhead 9May2018

McCoin Orchard at Gray Butte trailhead

A piece of history

My most recent hike began at Gray Butte trailhead, elevation 3,800 feet, near the McCoin Orchard. The orchard was originally planted by Julius and Sarah McCoin in 1886. The property was purchased by the U.S. Forest Service in the 1930’s. At one time there were 100 fruit trees here – apple, pear, plum, etc. Grassland range specialists saved the surviving trees in the 1980’s. When I was there, the trees were in full bloom.

Continue reading →

Clear Lake Underwater Worlds: WPC

/ SoyBend / 2 Comments

Life Beneath the Waves

I saw strange sights while out kayaking on Clear Lake in Oregon. Moss-covered creatures live beneath the waves waiting to enchant you and take you into their liquid world.

Clear Lake Underwater Oregon 30August2016

Weekly Photo Challenge – Liquid

Spring lupine: Friday flowers

/ SoyBend / 8 Comments

Blooming lupine amidst obsidian

Lupine plants were in full bloom on a recent trip I took to Glass Buttes, Oregon. They have beautiful flowers and a unique leaf form. The palmately divided leaves of lupine can have five to 28 leaflets. Water often funnels down the leaflets and collects at their base.

Lupine at Glass Buttes, Oregon 1May2018

View from the Caldera

/ SoyBend / 5 Comments

Hiking on a caldera

Today I took a hike up Gray Butte, northeast of Terrebonne, Oregon. It was a nice hike with lots of wildflowers and spectacular views. This view is from the edge of the Crooked River Caldera looking west to Mount Jefferson, on the right, and Black Butte, on the left. The rocks in the foreground are splattered with messages left by lichens.

View from the Caldera 9May2018

My place in the world is out in the wild places of central Oregon. From dry sagebrush steppe in a caldera to lush meadows bordered by pine forests. There are so many special places to explore…

Weekly Photo Challenge – Place in the World

 

Shooting Stars: Friday Flowers

/ SoyBend / 4 Comments

“Stretching his hand up to reach the stars, too often man forgets the flowers at his feet.”     Jeremy Bentham

Shooting Stars at Zion National Park, Utah 7May2017

Shooting Stars at Zion National Park, Utah

Osprey pair in action: WPC

/ SoyBend / Leave a comment

An unlikely sighting

Last week I was out walking my dog on the Mill A Loop Trail  in Bend, Oregon and I happened to see an osprey pair in the process of creating more ospreys. Spring is in the air!

Ospreys on Nest 27April2018

Osprey pair on nest at Bend Whitewater Park, Oregon

Ospreys often nest in areas close to human activity. This nest is right next to the Bend Whitewater Park. There are perches and platforms installed on both sides of the Deschutes River here for birds. I’m glad to see them using the site after the initial disturbance caused by the park’s construction.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The osprey pair will lay 1-4 eggs and incubate them for 36-42 days. The nestlings will be in the nest for 50-55 days. It will be great to see more of them flying around in a couple of months.

Weekly Photo Challenge – Unlikely

Time Lines 2: Bryce Canyon National Park

/ SoyBend / 10 Comments

Time Lines Bryce Canyon NPk 6May2017

Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

Lines of Hoodoos

Here’s one more entry for the Weekly Photo Challenge of Lines. The many layered castles in Bryce Canyon National Park are an amazing sight. A single hoodoo formation is impressive, but when you see hundreds of them in lines like soldiers standing at attention,  they are just plain stunning.

See my previous post Time Lines: Utah Parks for more pictures featuring a small taste of the geology in Utah’s parks.

Time Lines: Utah Parks

/ SoyBend / 22 Comments

Time lines from long ago

The time lines are obvious in the many rock forms in state and national parks in Utah. Can you imagine the stories from hundreds of millions of years ago these land forms could tell us?

Time Lines Capitol Reef NPk 5May2017

Capitol Reef National Park, Utah

Time Lines Arches NPk 3May2017

Arches National Park, Utah

Time Lines Zion NPk 6May2017

Zion National Park, Utah

Continue reading →

Succulent Wall: WPC

/ SoyBend / Leave a comment

I often stop to look at the succulent wall at my favorite plant nursery. Varied in their colors, shapes, and textures, these prolific plants always impress me.

Succulent Wall in Bend, Oregon 27March2018Weekly Photo Challenge – Prolific

 

Blackbird Rising: WPC

/ SoyBend / Leave a comment

Last weekend I saw this yellow-headed blackbird rising above the misty steam surrounding Crystal Crane Hot Springs in Oregon. He looked almost like some mystical character awakening from a dream.

Blackbird Rising above the mist 6April2018Weekly Photo Challenge – Awakening

Have no fear, killdeer here: WPC

/ SoyBend / 4 Comments

Every time I see a killdeer, it brings a smile to my face.

Killdeer at Summer Lake, Oregon 30March2018A bold bird

They are a bold little bird. Yes, you usually hear their distinctive kill-deer call long before you see them. Their black and white banded markings, and cinnamon-colored rump and tail feathers, make it hard to mistake them for something else.

Their bold personality is another thing I admire about them. They are a small bird, but they are fearless if you are near their nest. They assume anyone nearby is a potential predator. Killdeer bob up and down and call if you get close. If that doesn’t discourage you, they’ll drag a wing, feigning injury. The birds flap their wings on the ground while leading you on a wandering path away from the nest. Courage in the face of adversity.

Nest and young

The nest is a scrape in the ground containing three to five speckled eggs. It’s easy to overlook so watch your step if you hear an adult nearby in the spring or summer months. The young birds are covered in down and ready to run right after they hatch. They are one of the cuter birds I have seen in the wild. Watch this short video to see a chick with a vocal adult.

Killdeer baby finds Mom

Continue reading →

Many moods of my muse: WPC

/ SoyBend / 12 Comments

In my backyard, an old western juniper tree serves as my muse. Hope you enjoy these pictures that show the many moods of my muse through the seasons. The moods in the sunsets range from a quiet blush to a loud show of anger.

My cover image shows a rainbow of emotions surrounding the tree.

Juniper sunrise 2Feb2015

Weekly Photo Challenge – Rise/Set

Yellowstone Favorite Places: WPC

/ SoyBend / 12 Comments

I have so many Yellowstone favorite places it’s hard to choose. Here’s a collection of photos of things that make the park special. I start this post with a quote from President Theodore Roosevelt who was known as the “conservation president.”

“The only way that the people as a whole can secure to themselves and their children the enjoyment in perpetuity of what the Yellowstone Park has to give is by assuming the ownership in the name of the nation and by jealously safeguarding and preserving the scenery, the forests, and the wild creatures.”

Theodore Roosevelt, April 24, 1903 at the laying of the cornerstone of Gateway to Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone Favorite Places Mammoth Hot Springs 2017Yellowstone National Park, with its larger-than-life landscapes, dramatically changing weather conditions, amazing menagerie of wildlife, variety of plant life, and geology in action, is one of my favorite places. It also has a rich history as the world’s first national park.

Continue reading →

Beautiful Beadwork – OWPC: Museum

/ SoyBend / 5 Comments

Messages communicated without words

I am always amazed by the beautiful beadwork on display at the High Desert Museum where I volunteer. The carefully crafted pieces represent work by tribes of the Columbia Plateau in parts of modern-day Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.

Beautiful Beadwork at the High Desert Museum 25February2018Tribes represented include Umatilla, Wasco, Wishram, Paiute, Washo, Chehalis, Quinault, Nez Perce, Skokomish, Chinook, Tillamook, Yakima, Warm Springs, Haida, Salish, Yaqui, and others.

Doris Swayze Bounds Collection of Native American Artifacts

They are artifacts with an emphasis on “art.” However, Native Americans in the 1700’s and 1800’s did not make art for art’s sake. Beads embellished utilitarian pieces.  Beads adorned items ranging from small handbags and knife cases, to deerskin clothing and footwear.

Beautiful Beadwork at the High Desert Museum 9December2015The High Desert Museum houses the Doris Swayze Bounds Collection of Native American Artifacts. Born in 1904 in Oklahoma, Doris Swayze Bounds later lived in Hermiston, Oregon, where she worked as a banker. She always appreciated Native American people and their culture. Many of the pieces in the collection were gifted to her by local Native Americans as a way of showing their respect and affection to her. The artifacts date from the 1870’s to the 1960’s. The collection has many pieces, but I focused on the beadwork in this post.

Continue reading →

A Bluebird Day? : WPC

/ SoyBend / 5 Comments

A bluebird day in Bend, Oregon 13March2018

A bluebird of unhappiness

The mountain bluebird perched on the snag for a long time in a drenching rainstorm. While all the other birds sought shelter, he stubbornly remained on his perch. He wondered if it really was a bluebird day. The bird thought his brilliant blue plumage would attract a mate by reminding her of the sky on a sunny day. No such luck!

Weekly Photo Challenge – I’d rather be…

Where the deer and the antelope played

/ SoyBend / 10 Comments

Celebrating a life

After living a life full of leaps and bounds, she settled down in her favorite aspen grove. The bunchgrass waved goodbye. The rabbitbrush shaded her in her final moments. The rosebush provided fruit in celebration of her life. And finally, the aspen covered her in leaves of gold.

Where the deer and the antelope played 2November2017Weekly Photo Challenge – Story

Mill A Loop – Deschutes River Trail

/ SoyBend / 16 Comments

Short and sweet hike

Mill A Loop Deschutes River Trail 13August2016

Mill A Loop Deschutes River Trail

The Mill A Loop is a short and easy hike that starts on the flag bridge in the Old Mill district of Bend. This 1.1 mile trail is paved and mostly flat. You walk along the Deschutes River for most of the hike.  At certain times of the year, kayakers, stand up paddleboarders, and innertubers will float by you on the river.

Flag Bridge March 2018
Crossing the bridge over the Deschutes River to see the Art in the High Desert show in Bend, Oregon

Iconic attractions

The Flag Bridge is a well-known sight in Bend. The flags are changed to celebrate different holidays and events. I am always impressed by these flags of many colors fluttering in the breeze. They also fly over a smaller pond near the restaurants.

Continue reading →

Silent barks: WPC

/ SoyBend / 15 Comments

Silent barks speak with voices needing to be heard.

Silent Barks Western Juniper 8August2016Unknown worlds are tucked into their cracks and crevices.

Silent Barks Paper Birch 16February2018Layers peel away to reveal glimpses of their hearts.

Continue reading →