Art with a twist: A riddle in pictures

September 18, 2020September 18, 2020 / SoyBend / 6 Comments

These three pieces of art with a twist by Dennis McGregor are displayed in the Old Mill District of Bend, Oregon.

Why do they come with a twist? Each piece represents the name of a local wildlife species but you have to figure out what they are. Can you guess?

Art with a twist in Bend, Oregon July 2020

I like seeing the work of an artist with a sense of humor.

Art at Old Mill in Bend, Oregon July 2020

Dennis wrote a children’s book a few years ago titled You Stole My Name. That book exhibits the same type of wordplay as these murals.

Do you give up on what these art with a twist pictures represent? The first one is “mule deer”, the second is “chicken hawk”, and the third is “bull trout.”

To see another slightly twisted piece of art located just down the street from these murals, see Horse of a Different Color.

Congestion in Diamond, Oregon: Wordless Wednesday

May 13, 2020May 13, 2020 / SoyBend / 4 Comments

Congestion in Diamond, Oregon August 2019

Wordless Wednesday

Photo Bloopers 4: More photo fun

March 20, 2020March 20, 2020 / SoyBend / 8 Comments

It’s time once again for fun with photos. Welcome to Photo Bloopers 4! This is what I do with pictures that don’t quite fit in or turned out weird looking. They needed a few words to make them more interesting. Hope they entertain you!

Photo bloopers Ground squirrel at Lava Butte, Oregon July 2018

Painted Hills in Oregon with funny caption October 2018

Western juniper tree burdened with cones (berries) August 2019

Photo blooper of pronghorn surrounded by rainbow colors April 2018

Collared lizard at High Desert Museum, Bend, Oregon October 2019

Shelves in the General Store in Fort Rock Museum, Oregon May 2019

Rock formation at Arches National Park May 2017

Photo bloopers , dog in front of DNA kits July 2019

Do you want to see more of my Photo Bloopers? See:

WPC – Fun!: Bird Bloopers

Photo Bloopers 2

Fun photos: Photo Bloopers 3

Someone needed their coffee fast!: Wordless Wednesday

October 30, 2019 / SoyBend / 6 Comments

Someone needed their coffee fast in Lostine, Oregon. June2019

Wordless Wednesday

Peaceful pets at rest: LAPC

August 31, 2019August 31, 2019 / SoyBend / 14 Comments

This post shows peaceful pets at rest in our home. Yes, they can be very active, but these pictures focus on their time asleep.

Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.
Anatole France

Taking a little cat nap

Peaceful pets. Cat asleep on a dog bed 13 June 2016 — Motor sound asleep

Our cat, Motor, was very happy to see I bought a new dog bed. He was the first to try it out.

Two cats asleep in a La-Z-Boy chair — Lazy boy (and girl) in the La-Z-Boy chair

In this picture, Motor is doing his best imitation of a waterfall. Kitty can’t bear to watch this cliffhanger.

Peaceful pets. Cat sleeping on computer tower — Kitty sleeping on the computer tower

She likes to sleep on top of the warm computer tower. Sometimes Kitty sleeps so soundly she rolls right off.

This is the expression she gave me when she learned I bought a new camera. I think she was less than thrilled.

Cat and dog asleep together on one bed — Tesla and Kitty sharing a bed

Our peaceful pets get along well. Tesla and Kitty sometimes sleep on the same bed.

Kitty is a Pixie-Bob cat. This breed is known for its “dog-like personality.” She’s taking that part a little too seriously in this picture.

Kitty, like other Pixie-Bobs, loves to play fetch. Pixie-Bobs can also be trained to walk on a leash.

Dogs having their day

Peaceful pets. Tesla the dog in front of a Tesla car. — Two Teslas at rest

Tesla, the dog, gives a big smile as she rests in front of Tesla, the car. Like her namesake, she can run fast and last a long time on a charge.

Two dogs resting on the grass — Tesla teaching Shelby how to play “Dog”

Our new dog is named “Shelby.” Both of our dogs are rescue dogs. Tesla is in the process of showing Shelby how to be a dog.

Dog rolling on its back in the grass — “You mean like this?”

After that lesson, she got the hang of it!

Peaceful pets. A dog resting on a patterned carpet — Shelby taking a well-deserved rest

I think sometimes the best training is to rest.
Cristiano Ronaldo

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Precious Pets

High Desert Roomba: Wordless Wednesday

November 7, 2018November 5, 2018 / SoyBend / 3 Comments

Wordless Wednesday

Fun photos: Photo Bloopers 3

October 28, 2018 / SoyBend / 16 Comments

Fun photos

It’s time for some fun photos to go along with the Lens-Artists Photo Challenge theme of Just for Fun. Here are some of my photo bloopers for your enjoyment. This is what I do with some of my photos that don’t turn out quite right.

Grizzly bear and ravens at West Yellowstone, Montana

The Three Gossips at Arches National Park, Utah

Swallows at Summer Lake, Oregon

Close-up of western juniper bark, Bend, Oregon

Three mallards in the Deschutes River, Bend, Oregon

My cat, Motor, recovering from his broken leg

For past Blooper posts, see…

Fun!: Bird Bloopers

Photo Bloopers 2

Motor’s brakes: My broken cat

September 15, 2018 / SoyBend / 11 Comments

Sorry, that’s the brakes

My cat, Motor, has to put the brakes on for a while. He was outside a few days ago and when he came in, something was not quite right with one of his front legs. The vet x-rayed him and we were told he had a broken leg.

We don’t know how he did it, but he is not a happy cat right now. Dogs sometimes get to wear the “cone of shame” for a while but cats just have to learn to deal with it.

He keeps asking me if he can go out. No, Motor, not for a while. You get to wear that colorful splint for four to six weeks.

I have been a little distracted lately making sure he doesn’t fall off of things. Why does he have to jump to the highest spots?

Here he is during happier times on my lap with our other cat and not-so-tiny dog.

Motor celebrated his 16th birthday recently. I hope he recovers well and is able to celebrate a few more.

Can I help?: Wordless Wednesday

August 29, 2018 / SoyBend / 4 Comments

Wordless Wednesday

Moo-ving on up: Wordless Wednesday

August 1, 2018 / SoyBend / 6 Comments

Wordless Wednesday

Tiny hitchhiker: Silent Sunday

May 27, 2018May 27, 2018 / SoyBend / Leave a comment

Silent Sunday

Watch out Space Station!

November 17, 2017 / SoyBend / Leave a comment

Yesterday I went out early in the morning to see if I could spot the International Space Station going by. I saw it and snapped a quick photo without composing it. I was using the SkyView Free app on my phone. This is the picture I got through the app!

Orion the Hunter is about to smash the International Space Station. Uh oh.

To find the International Space Station where you live, go to this NASA site – Spot the Station. Type in your location, click the pin on the map, and then click “View sighting opportunities.” It tells you when it will be going by, where to look in the sky, and how long it will be visible. Seeing the station zoom by is an impressive sight.

Fuzzy Lawn Art: Mule Deer Bucks

September 27, 2017January 24, 2019 / SoyBend / 1 Comment

These guys are so helpful at keeping our landscaping plants nice and trimmed – NOT! This is the view out my front window of three mule deer bucks. They were enjoying the plants so much they did not want to leave.

Weekly Photo Challenge – Windows

Coalmont, B.C. Welcome Signs: CWW

July 14, 2017September 17, 2017 / SoyBend / 3 Comments

Here are photos of signs in the town of Coalmont, British Columbia, Canada from my archives. The signs are right next to each other but I split the photo in two to make it easier to read. They do have a unique sense of humor there. 🙂

Cee’s Which Way Photo Challenge

Photo Bloopers 2

March 26, 2017August 20, 2019 / SoyBend / 7 Comments

It’s been a while since I posted any photo bloopers so I figured it was about time for some more. Sometimes an imperfect picture needs a little modification. Here’s what I do with them. Enjoy Photo Bloopers 2!

To see more, go to one of my previous blooper posts here.

Rare opportunity – with a twist: WPC

August 19, 2016October 3, 2020 / SoyBend / 7 Comments

Young Western fence lizard, Sceloporus occidentalis — Young Western fence lizard, *Sceloporus occidentalis*

So I was sitting in my living room when I saw this lizard scamper across my porch. Seeing a rare opportunity to get a good picture, I jumped up, dropped everything off of my lap, and grabbed my camera. The lizard moved fast but I managed to grab it. After it calmed down from the initial shock of being grabbed by a towering giant, it sunned itself calmly in the warm summer rays while perched on my hand.

I quickly snapped several pictures as it posed for me. After I felt like I had snapped enough photos, I gently placed it down on the grass. That was when the fun began. It climbed up my pants leg and vanished from sight.

I brushed my pants this way and that but no lizard. I went into my bathroom and stripped off my pants and shook them and turned them inside out – no lizard. I took off my shirt and thoroughly searched it – still no lizard. I got dressed and happened to look in the mirror and saw a teeny tiny head peering over the top of my head. The little sneak! I grabbed it and took it back outside.

Rare opportunity Young Western fence lizard, Sceloporus occidentalis on my head — “She will never see me here!”

The pictures that you see at the beginning and end of this post are of the lizard after it had temporarily hidden from me. Do you see the look of satisfaction in its eyes? It took advantage of the situation and saw a rare opportunity to hitch a ride so it could explore new worlds.

Weekly Photo Challenge – Rare