Petersen Rock Garden & Museum: LAPC

Petersen Rock Garden & Museum is a unique roadside attraction located halfway between Bend and Redmond in Oregon. The original owner, Rasmus Petersen, began working on this site in 1935.

Petersen Rock Garden

As you can tell, he loved rocks. He constructed the many features on this 4-acre site using rocks collected within an 85 mile radius. Oregon is known as a rockhounding paradise so there are plenty of rocks nearby to collect.

rock building

About Petersen Rock Garden

The “novelty architecture” here includes castles, churches, buildings, and bridges.

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Long-eared owlets: Birds of the Week & FOWC

I saw these three Long-eared Owlets at the Summer Lake Wildlife Area in southeastern Oregon last May. They were perched within a thick stand of willow trees.

long-eared owlets

There were rumors of these owls being in the area and I wanted to get a quick glimpse of them. I was lucky to spot these secretive, well-camouflaged birds. Older Long-eared owlets like these are referred to as “branchers” since they often perch on tree branches near their nests.

Birds of the Week

Fandango’s One Word Challenge (FOWC) – Want

Octopus Recycler mural: Monday Mural

Though this mural is untitled, I thought it looked like a giant octopus recycler. The octopus appeared to be busy sorting through treasures it had found. It’s not far from the shoreline of Puget Sound in Edmonds, Washington. This mural was painted by Andy Eccleshall and it’s on the back of the Salish Crossing building.

Octopus recycler

It was hard to capture the entire painting with my camera. The mural also included this colorful crab. The business right next to the crab is appropriately named “Stranded by the Sea.”

crab mural

Monday Mural

Pesto Margherita pizza: Foodie Friday

Today I’m sharing a photograph of the Pesto Margherita pizza from Rush’s Squares in Bend, Oregon. This pizza includes pesto, a cheese blend, fresh mozzarella, grape tomatoes, fresh basil, and balsamic glaze.

Pesto margherita pizza

Though it doesn’t include tomato sauce, meat, or other common pizza ingredients, this simple Pesto Margherita pizza is my favorite in Bend. I especially like the fresh basil leaves and the drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Yum!

Rush’s Squares is one of the food trucks at the On Tap food truck pod in northeast Bend. As you may have figured out by their name, all their Sicilian style pizzas are square. You can order a pizza from their menu or create your own. Be sure to pair your meal with one of the beers, ciders, wines, or non-alcoholic drinks from the On Tap taproom.

Foodie Friday

Treasures of the Wild West: LAPC

If you’d like to see an impressive collection of treasures of the Wild West, be sure to visit the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. This world-class attraction is in Cody, Wyoming, an hour’s drive east of Yellowstone National Park.

Treasures of the Wild West in five museums

The Center contains five museums, including the Buffalo Bill Museum. There’s something for everyone at this museum.

Buffalo Bill Museum

During his lifetime, William F. Cody worked as a ranch hand, bison hunter, fur trapper, wagon train driver, Army scout, prospector, and Pony Express rider.

Cody is perhaps most well-known as a showman. He helped create a traveling show called Buffalo Bill’s Wild West. He took on the persona of Buffalo Bill.

Buffalo Bill Cody

Source: National Portrait Gallery. Smithsonian Institution.

Cody and his crew of performers put on outdoor western shows, highlighting (and romanticizing) the legacy of the West. The show began in 1883 and continued for 30 years.

Buffalo Bill's wardrobe

treasures of the wild west

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Mythical creatures of MOR: FOWC

While visiting the Museum of the Rockies (MOR) in Bozeman, Montana, I was amazed to see mythical creatures filling one of their halls. Kudos to whomever had the great idea to create and display life-sized representations of creatures that have existed in our imaginations for years.

Large-scale mythical creatures

A colorful 17-foot long dragon guards one of the entrances. These are mythical creatures, but they resemble lizards, snakes, and dinosaurs.

mythical creatures

Near the other entrance, a unicorn points the way ahead. Modern tales of this creature depict it as white with a single long horn. However, older stories describe them with the body of a goat and a short, colored horn.

Unicorn sculpture

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Glass from the Past: LAPC & MM

Today I’m sharing some of my green glass from the past. It’s nice to collect things you can actually use.

The first piece is a beater/measuring cup that’s practical and pretty. The Art Deco-style measuring cup also makes a nice display piece without the beater on top.

The next piece is a large cake plate with geometric patterns. It works great for cakes (and even better for homemade fudge). 😀

The next piece is a Vess Dry Ginger Ale bottle. I really liked its curvaceous shape.

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Lamar Valley sky: Weekend Sky

Bison grazing under the beautiful Lamar Valley sky in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming.

Lamar Valley sky

Weekend Sky

Owl shirt & sign: First Friday Art

Today I’m sharing an owl shirt & sign I created. I’m featuring a drawing I did of a Flammulated Owl, Psiloscops flammeolus. When I originally drew this small owl with pen and ink, it was one of my favorites. In fact, I liked it so much I made it my logo for the art business I once ran.

First, I’ll share a photo of the t-shirt. I used sublimation ink, sublimation paper, and a hot press to transfer this image.

owl shirt

As mentioned in a previous post, I’m still learning how to do sublimation printing. This time, my first transfer didn’t work well at all. I used the settings included with the hot press. When I redid it, I used the settings recommended by the sublimation paper manufacturer. On some fabric products designed for this transfer process, there may be an additional set of instructions. I figured out you should keep extra blank products to discover the best settings.

Here is a closer view of my owl shirt. A few areas aren’t as dark as they should be, but it turned out well overall.

owl print

Next, I’m sharing a picture of a sign from my one-time business, NatureWise Art. For a while, I participated regularly in arts and crafts fairs with my wildlife art. I sold stationery, prints, boxes, and rocks featuring my artwork. Creating this post showing my owl shirt & sign reminded me of the many hours I put into participating in fairs.

owl shirt & sign

Since I’m an introvert, these events weren’t easy for me. I thought I must not have inherited my family’s salesperson gene. Later, while working as an elected School Board Director, I learned successful politicians rely upon the key qualities of salespeople regularly. Over the 12 years I served, I became a salesperson. Though I no longer work at fairs or serve as an elected official, I “sell” information and entertainment on this blog site.

I have always said that everyone is in sales. Maybe you don’t hold the title of salesperson, but if the business you are in requires you to deal with people, you, my friend, are in sales. Zig Ziglar

Do you have artwork you would like to share? Be sure to include the First Friday Art tag.

First Friday Art (FFA)

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Born Again Babaylan: Monday Mural

The Born Again Babaylan mural is one of many murals located in downtown Bend, Oregon. This mural was painted by Bekah Badilla in 2021. I previously featured one of her other works, Myth of Progress, also located in Bend. The Born Again Babaylan mural was created in collaboration with the High Desert Equality and Justice Mural Festival.

born again babaylan

Bekah describes this work in the following partial description. See her website for the full description.

Melting out of the glacial ice is the spirit of a Babaylan and her descendants. Babaylan refers to the naming for a matriarchal leader, spirit guide and warrior prevalent in pre-colonial Philippines. The Babaylan is embodied in the ice, changing, shifting and eternally offering knowledge and guidance not through elitism and brute force but through spirituality, mysticism and ancestral strength.

Bekah Badilla

Monday Mural

Clouds collect overhead : LAPC

Clouds collect overhead, darkening and protecting the landscape

Prineville Reservoir

Cumulus curtains part and the earth awakens

Prineville geology

Colorful voices shout from sloping shorelines

clouds collect overhead

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Tasty treat at East Lake: Friday Foodies

If you’re looking for a special dessert in Central Oregon, try this tasty treat at East Lake Resort. While staying at the nearby campground, I had a craving for something sweet.

After a little kayaking on the lake, we visited the Blue Duck Grill at the resort. For dessert, we ordered this Mixed Berry Cobbler. It was a generous-sized portion, with plenty to share!

tasty treat at East Lake

The crumbly cobbler was topped with a couple dabs of whip cream and plump, delicious berries in a sweet sauce. The scoop of ice cream costs $1 more, but it was worth it. If you’re looking for a tasty treat at East Lake, consider ordering this cobbler.

The menu also includes something called Terrible Pie that’s described as “so good it’s terrible.” I’ll have to try that on a future visit.

For dinner, I had the Habanero Bacon Jam Burger and it was very good. It somehow mysteriously vanished before I could take its picture. 😉

Foodie Friday

Pronghorn prancing: Wordless Wednesday

pronghorn prancing

Pronghorn prancing in the Lamar Valley, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Wordless Wednesday

Livingston Montana: Monochrome Monday

While visiting Livingston Montana last summer, I was impressed by the well-preserved downtown buildings. Livingston, founded in 1882, currently has a population of about 8,000. This town was established while construction of the Northern Pacific Railroad was making its way westward.

Livingston Montana

To learn more about the historic downtown, consider going on a walking tour. This site gives more information on 22 historical locations in Livingston Montana.

downtown view

Monochrome Monday

West Thumb geysers: LAPC

At West Thumb, magma boils below

West Thumb Geyser

Cooled by lake water’s ebb and flow

Fishing Cone

Alkaline frosting marks the shore

West Thumb Black Pool

Thermophiles collect, framing more

West Thumb Geyser Basin
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Rudbeckia up close: Macro Monday & FOTD

I saw these Rudbeckia up close while walking along the Deschutes River trail in Bend, Oregon.

Rudbeckia up close

Macro Monday

Flower of the Day (FOTD)

Small and large scale: LAPC

In photography, the way you show objects in small and large scale can have a big impact.

When I’ve seen grizzly bears in Yellowstone National Park, most of the time they are hundreds of yards away. I took this small scale picture through my spotting scope of a sow with two cubs in the Lamar Valley.

small and large scale

To see a closer view of a grizzly bear, I visited the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone, Montana. They are massive creatures.

Grizzly bear

Sometimes, bonsai masters sculpt smaller versions of objects of nature. This is a juniper tree bonsai, recently purchased at the Bend Summer Festival. It measures 4 inches in height.

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Yoli Korean restaurant 5-course meal: FF

We’ve visited Yoli Korean restaurant in downtown Bend, Oregon before, but had never ordered the 5-course meal. We recently tried it and were not disappointed.

Yoli, the Korean word for cuisine, was created by Chef Joe Kim and his wife Laura and opened in 2022. I included a copy of the 5-course menu at the end of this post. You can see the lunch and dinner menus on their website. If you’re feeling adventuresome, give them 24 hours notice and order a Tasting Menu.

Raw Starter course

For the Raw Starter course, I had the Spicy King Salmon Hwe and my companion had the Yukhoe. The presentation is artful and the food delicious.

raw salmon starter

Yukhoe

The picture below shows the interior of the restaurant’s simple yet elegant design.

Yoli Korean restaurant

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Fruit and flowers: LAPC & MM

I decided to take pictures of some of the fruit and flowers in our garden today before they fade away.

Delicate petals of nodding hollyhocks filtered the sun’s light

Hollyhocks

Snapdragons filled the landscape, exploding in shades of pink

fruit and flowers

Iceplants with purple punctuations slid towards the pond’s edge

iceplant

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High Desert Voices August 2024 newsletter

Here’s the High Desert Voices August 2024 newsletter for your reading pleasure. Lots of nice photos as well! This newsletter is published by and for volunteers at the High Desert Museum in Bend, Oregon. I’ve been working there as a volunteer since 2013.

High Desert voices August

Articles this month include one on the Natural History Pub lectures, one on the Lost in Place writing workshop, one on sea otters, and one on the Sensing Sasquatch exhibition at the Museum.

Please enjoy the High Desert Voices August 2024 issue!

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 windmill palm: Thursday Tree Love

So, when you think of trees on the westside of Oregon you probably think of evergreens, right? However, trees associated with more tropical locations also grow there. This is a Chinese windmill palm, Trachycarpus fortunei, growing at the Oregon Garden in Silverton.

Chinese windmill palm

Windmill palms have been cultivated in China and Japan for thousands of years so their exact natural range is difficult to determine. This hardy palm has been planted throughout the world. The tough leaf fibers of the Chinese windmill palm have been used in making rope, sacks, and coarse cloth.

Wind palm trees reach a height of 10-40 feet. In southern China, these palms grow at elevations as high as 7,874 feet. They tolerate cold temperatures, wind, salt, and drought.

Thursday Tree Love

Lan Su Chinese Garden: One Word Sunday

Near the shores of the Willamette River in downtown Portland, you’ll find a small gem of a garden. Lan Su Chinese Garden is the result of a collaboration between Portland, Oregon, and Suzhou, in the Jiangsu province of China.

The Lan Su Chinese Garden mission is to “cultivate an oasis of tranquil beauty and harmony to inspire, and educate our global community in the appreciation of a richly authentic Chinese culture.”

Lan Su Chinese Garden

Kuang Zhen designed the 1.03-acre garden with the help of 65 artisans. The garden opened to the public in September 2000.

Over 400 species of plants can be found here. More than 100 plants grow near Lake Zither, a feature created for the garden.

garden in the rain

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Fringed gentian drawing & photo: FFA & FOTD

Today I’m sharing a fringed gentian drawing I created from a photo. I used colored pencils for this drawing. Originally, I planned to paint over the drawing with water since I had used watercolor pencils. However, I decided to leave the drawing as is because I liked how the texture of the lines turned out.

fringed gentian drawing

Did you know that the fringed gentian, Gentianopsis detonsa, is the official flower of Yellowstone National Park?

If you visit the park in the spring, you’ll see lots of wildflowers in full bloom. We were there in the beginning of June 2024.

I took this picture at Black Sand Basin, just west of the Old Faithful area. As soon as I saw these blooming beside the boardwalk, I knew I wanted to do a fringed gentian drawing to try to capture their beauty.

Fringed gentians

I previously featured another photograph of fringed gentian and showed how they look with three different photo processing techniques. These flowers look pretty, no matter how they are presented.

Do you have artwork you would like to share? Be sure to include the First Friday Art tag.

First Friday Art (FFA)

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!

Abstracts adrift at an aquarium: Sunday Stills

When I looked at the pictures I’d taken at the Oregon Coast Aquarium, I thought several images were like abstracts adrift.

The northern sea otters rolled themselves up into buoyant balls.

abstracts adrift at aquarium

Moon jellies fell like brilliant blue windblown blossoms.

jellyfish

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Sasquatch sculpture: Monochrome Monday

This enormous Sasquatch sculpture is part of the Sensing Sasquatch exhibition currently at the High Desert Museum in Bend, Oregon. Sensing Sasquatch considers this mythical creature from a Native American perspective. It will be at the Museum through January 12, 2025.

The Protector was created by Hollyanna CougarTracks DeCoteau (Yakama, Nez Perce, Cayuse, Cree). This work is based on her memories of seeing the shadows of Sasquatch in the forest.

Sasquatch sculpture

She noted that Indigenous peoples admire Sasquatch because they are “protectors of all living things… if they die so too does everything else.”

The fur-covered Sasquatch sculpture was impressive, but so was the way they separated the sculpture from the rest of the exhibit. Long strands of string hung from curving ceiling tracks, adding to the sense of mystery. I loved the shadows created by the curtains surrounding the artwork.

Monochrome Monday

Seeing pairs in art and nature: LAPC

Seeing pairs of bronze bulls bash together in winter blizzards

seeing pairs
The Battle by Rip Caswell, High Desert Museum, Oregon

and a couple of cascades crashing down craggy cliffs

Shoshone Falls
Shoshone Falls, Idaho

Seeing two octopi slip and slide over seaside skyscrapers

Octopus mural
Octopus mural by Goonie Wolfe, Anthony Ortega, & TME Crew in Lincoln City, Oregon

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Gulf Shrimp Po Boy: Foodie Friday

Last weekend, while attending the Bend Summer Festival, I had this Gulf shrimp po boy sandwich. This is a great event with booths featuring artists, musicians, businesses, and food.

Gulf shrimp po boy

My delicious sandwich was from the Southern Accents food cart, shown below. The cart was at the recent festival, but it’s usually at Silver Moon in downtown Bend.

Southern Accent food truck

This food cart features great options with a southern twist. Besides the Gulf shrimp po boy, you can also get things like fried chicken po boys, rice bowls, and fried pickles. Here’s their menu at Silver Moon.

Foodie Friday

Antlers & horns & skulls: Monochrome Monday

This antlers & horns & skulls chandelier is at the Fishing Bridge Visitor Center and Trailside Museum in Yellowstone National Park. A metal circle is adorned with bighorn sheep and Rocky Mountain elk antlers & horns & skulls. It’s suspended by heavy metal chains.

antlers, horns & skulls

This museum is small and probably overlooked by many visitors to the park. I recommend stopping by to see its collection of historic bird specimens. If you want to see mounts of many of the park’s birds to help identify them in the field, this is a great resource.

Monochrome Monday

Lava Hot Springs: LAPC & FOWC

The hot pools of the Lava Hot Spring tourist attraction are in the city of Lava Hot Springs in southeastern Idaho. Four blocks from the hot pools, you’ll find a water park and indoor and outdoor swimming pools, also heated by hot spring waters.

Swooping red sunshades over the hot pools offer visitors shelter from the sun.

Lava Hot Springs

The five outdoor pools in the Hot Pool site have water temperatures ranging from 102 to 112 degrees Fahrenheit. Lava Hot Springs uses over 2.5 million gallons of hot spring water per day to heat their pools.

pools

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Otter sculpture in snow: Monochrome Madness

Since the temperature reached 102.4 degrees Fahrenheit at my house yesterday, I thought back to the cool day I saw this otter sculpture in snow. This bronze sculpture titled “Otter” was created by Ann Bannard. It was installed in Riverbend Community Park in 2009.

otter sculpture in snow

The Bend Park and Recreation District office is located behind the otter sculpture. To the left of the building, you can see a sculpture of kayaks. It’s one of my favorites here in Bend and I featured a closer view of it in a previous post.

Monochrome Madness – Sculptures

A flying lens: Three Things Challenge

I enjoy using cameras small enough to fit in a pocket. I recently got a new flying lens as a gift.

A pocket-sized flying lens

Here it is. What, can’t you see that it’s a camera?

drone

How about if I unfold it? Yeah, it’s a drone. I still have the lens protector on the front in this photo.

Here’s the controller. I like my new flying lens because it stops itself from crashing into things in 360 degrees of direction. It will also land from where it took off with the touch of a button.

drone controller

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