At West Thumb, magma boils below
Cooled by lake water’s ebb and flow
Alkaline frosting marks the shore
Thermophiles collect, framing more
West Thumb geysers: LAPC
lens-artists
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.
To see a closer view of a grizzly bear, I visited the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone, Montana. They are massive creatures.
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.
Continue readingFruit 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
Snapdragons filled the landscape, exploding in shades of pink
Iceplants with purple punctuations slid towards the pond’s edge
Seeing pairs in art and nature: LAPC
Seeing pairs of bronze bulls bash together in winter blizzards
and a couple of cascades crashing down craggy cliffs
Seeing two octopi slip and slide over seaside skyscrapers
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.
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.
A High Desert playa: LAPC & SSPC
I awaken on the shores of a High Desert playa
Dust devils on the distant shoreline dance across the flats
Dry soil at my feet cracks and crumbles
The funnel of a dust devil hovers over me and carries me a few miles away
I drift over a lake of summer and a ridge of winter
Water meanders its way through marshlands of green
Hot springs of the West: LAPC & WPWC
On our recent trip we stopped at several hot springs of the West. Each site was special in its own way.
Hot springs occur when geothermally heated groundwater emerges onto the earth’s surface. In areas like Yellowstone National Park, magma is present at shallow depths below the surface. Temperatures in Yellowstone’s hot springs may reach 198 degrees Fahrenheit. At the developed hot springs of the West we visited on this trip, pool temperatures are constantly monitored and modified with colder water.
Lava Hot Springs is located in the town of Lava Hot Springs, Idaho. In this picture, the scenic Portneuf Range mountains tower in the background. This post gives more details about the site.
Bozeman Hot Springs is in Bozeman, Montana. Remodeled in May 2024, this facility includes 12 indoor and outdoor pools. It’s gorgeous! The stage behind the outdoor pools will host future entertainers. Pieces of columnar basalt serve as seating and landscaping. Here is my description of this facility.
Magical moment with wildlife: LAPC
I had a major magical moment with wildlife while visiting Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden in Portland a few weeks ago. I took a little used side trail and paused briefly in the pouring down rain.
This Great Blue Heron walked right up to me before turning to stand near a pond. I could have reached out and touched the bird. WOW! I stopped snapping pictures when it was really close to me because I didn’t want to scare it.
I’m working on a book where the main character is a girl born with the powers of several animals. One animal is a Great Blue Heron. Was this heron showing its appreciation of my efforts so far on that book?
I had another magical moment with wildlife at Yellowstone National Park this week. We were at the end of the road at Slough Creek and saw a small critter weaving its way through the sagebrush. A badger!
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.
Black-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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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
Morning breaking over the High Desert: LAPC
Seeing 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
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.
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
Metropolis of Thermopolis: LAPC & RDP
What’s so special about the metropolis of Thermopolis? It’s a great place to stay to see several amazing attractions nearby.
Thermopolis is a small city located in central Wyoming. In 2020, its population was 2,725. Its name means “hot city” in Greek. Here’s a view of it in the distance from Hot Springs State Park. Though I didn’t take pictures of the downtown, the sights within and near the city are very photogenic.
As you can see in the photo below, they proudly advertise their hot springs. “World’s Largest Mineral Hot Spring” is spelled out in big white lettering. Visitors can pay to soak in two commercial hot springs or soak for free in the state-owned State Bath House.
We stayed in our campervan for much of our recent multi-state trip, but our driver needed a break, so we stayed in a Thermopolis hotel for a couple of nights.
Garden of Surging Waves: LAPC
The Garden of Surging Waves is located in Astoria, Oregon. The city was founded in 1811 and this garden was a gift to celebrate the city’s 200th anniversary. The Chinese were an important part of Astoria’s history. At one time, 22% of the city’s population was Chinese. In the Pacific Northwest, Chinese were instrumental in the cannery, logging, mining, and railroad construction industries.
I’m starting with a circular mosaic of three sturgeon. It was my favorite artwork there.
This is part of the Pavilion of Transition, pictured below. The fish theme is repeated in the circular lantern hanging above the mosaic. Nine salmon swim around its perimeter.
The pavilion has eight columns with dragons carved into each. The squares, circles, and even and odd numbers in this garden represent elements of Yin and Yang.
Garden art in Silverton, OR: LAPC
Garden art may be realistic and small
Or tall and abstract, casting striking shadows
You may hear garden art bark from the shadows cast by trees
Continue readingSounds of wild creatures: LAPC
Sounds of wild creatures, the large and the small,
Pulling our attention, leaving us enthralled
Small Black-throated Sparrows pause and perch high
Singing unforgettable melodies to deep azure skies
Large Wild Turkeys graze and promenade
Chortling calls rise, then fall in cascades
Beneath the Clouds in B & W: LAPC & WS
Paddling beneath the clouds
Floating lacelike
Over lakes of lifegiving water
Puffs of pale exhalations
Follow meandering rivers
The spirit of… :LAPC & WOTD
The spirit of a sea creature living on, forever guarding its seaside home
Fiery red maple leaves, trembling in autumn’s cool showers
The edges of never-ending books, revealing themselves on rolling hillsides
Continue readingSnow in words and images: LAPC
Today I’m featuring quotes related to snow next to snowy pictures taken in my yard. Winter has finally arrived here in Bend, Oregon.
A snow day literally and figuratively falls from the sky, unbidden, and seems like a thing of wonder.
Susan Orlean
Advice is like snow – the softer it falls, the longer it dwells upon, and the deeper it sinks into the mind.
Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Finding drama in Oregon: LAPC
Finding drama in branches haphazardly woven together
Or planted in concise rows bearing intoxicating fruit
2023 favorites: LAPC
Here are some of my 2023 favorites. Enjoy!
2023 favorites of scenic roads & trails
Quiet places to sit and ponder the wonders of nature
Bridges swaying over stormy seas, with thundering waves below
Landscapes uplifted over eons to reveal the colors of earth’s core
Noticing landscapes: LAPC
Noticing…
unique landscapes
with rivers rolling on and on
and hills full of stories,
repeated and remembered
Noticing…
the brilliant colors
of a new day in the skies
Moments of Magic in Oregon: LAPC, WWP
Remembering moments of magic in Oregon
Rambling past remnants of history with curious children in tow
Watching bird broods on windswept islands stretch their wings to flutter and fly
Hot Springs State Park: LAPC
You’ll see unique sights if you visit Hot Springs State Park in central Wyoming. Unlike other state parks in Wyoming, entrance to this park, located in the city of Thermopolis, is free. I’ve included a map of this day-use park at the end of this post.
History of the park
In 1897, Big Horn Hot Springs State Reserve became Wyoming’s first state park. The park, now called Hot Springs State Park, has always been famous for its therapeutic mineral hot springs.
On the iconic Monument Hill, you’ll see the words “World’s Largest Mineral Hot Springs” in large white letters.
Emptiness around memorable sights: LAPC
On our road trip last June, we saw several memorable sights that were notable for the emptiness around them.
We drove past miles and miles of vast landscapes with few occupants. Near Carter, Wyoming, we spotted hundreds of sheep grazing by the road.
A little bit farther down the road, we were fortunate to see sheepherders and their five dogs at work guiding this herd.
On our way to South Dakota, we took a side trip to see a unique attraction near Sundance, Wyoming.
Dinosaur National Monument: LAPC
Visitors can enjoy unique attractions at Dinosaur National Monument in Utah and Colorado. While visiting here, I found myself constantly shifting my field of view to things above and below me. Colorful tilting rocks in vast landscapes showed geology in action. Petroglyphs and pictographs told stories of Indigenous people from long ago. An amazing collection of dinosaur fossils took me even further back in time.
The Monument also includes places to hike, fish, river raft, picnic, and camp. There’s a visitor center in Utah, and another in Colorado.
The small Visitor Center in Utah features informational exhibits and a store.
Similarities and differences on display: LAPC
Last week, I showed symmetrical displays of history at the Museum of the American West in Lander, Wyoming. However, history is not always balanced. A good museum shows our similarities and differences. Here are more items on display at the Museum.
At times, our differences stand out.
Though what we wear differs, from practical and utilitarian…
To ornamental and symbolic, our clothing reflects who we are.
Treasures of the Old West: LAPC & MM
Here are some treasures of the Old West at the Museum of the American West, in Lander, Wyoming, shown in both color and black and white. Click on the arrows to see monochrome versions highlighting their symmetry.
Wheels may carry you forward, towards new horizons
Or back, to a final resting place
You may choose to wander in another’s shoes
Continue reading
Unique Roadside Signs: LAPC
After recently covering indoor signs on my post about the National Neon Sign Museum, I thought I’d feature some unique roadside signs today.
A giant jackalope?
The first picture is of a unique animal of the Wild West. It’s a jackalope, part jackrabbit, part antelope. Maybe you’ve heard of them. Are they real or another legend of the West? Chainsaw carver Jarrett Dahl paid tribute to these animals in an impressive 40-foot sculpture near the iconic Wall Drug Store in Wall, South Dakota.
Completed in 2022, the jackalope is holding a sign that says, “Believe.” Though it looks like it’s just a big carving, it’s hollow inside with a stairway leading to a balcony. Inside, you’ll find carved jackalopes, murals, and 71 wood spirits, hidden within its cracks and crevices.
Devil’s Tower stories
The next sign is at the cafe and gift store by Devil’s Tower in Wyoming. You can see a bear next to the tower on the sign and the real tower in the background. In the oral stories of Native Americans, the tower formed in different ways. In several versions, a bear tries to claw its way to the peak, thereby creating its distinctive appearance.
Differences in nature: LAPC
There are many differences in nature.
Skies…
May be foggy and humid near ocean beaches,
Or sprinkled with clouds over an arid land.
Water…
May pound down mountainsides in narrow waterfalls,
Wyoming Dinosaur Center: LAPC
If you’re travelling to Wyoming and like dinosaurs, consider stopping at the Wyoming Dinosaur Center (WDC) in Thermopolis. In 1993, dinosaur fossils were discovered near here at the Warm Springs Ranch. Fossils discovered here and elsewhere are on display at WDC. Visitors will see fifty-eight articulated dinosaur skeletons and a wide variety of fossils.
You’ll see dinosaur skeletons large and small in the display hall. Some are real, others are recreated from casts of fossils.
Remember the Velociraptors in “Jurassic Park?” Here’s one, blending into the background.
I especially liked this one because it shows a Tyrannosaurus dinosaur attacking a Stegosaurus.
Scenes near the sea, Northern Ireland: LAPC, WWE
Scenes near the sea on a stormy winter day
A bridge of rope, swinging and swaying
An ancient castle, deteriorating yet persisting
A seaside cafe, satiating and breathtaking
A shoreline sculpted by waves, ebbing and flowing
Scenes near the sea on a stormy winter day
Oregon photos, 10 favorites: LAPC
When I looked through my Oregon photos, it was hard to narrow it down to only ten pictures for this week’s Lens-Artists Photo Challenge of Tell us why. These are the photos I chose, shown by category.
Oregon photos of history
Sometimes you take a picture and when you look at it later on a larger screen, you say, “Wow!”
I took this picture of an old homestead without fussing with the settings first. It almost looks like one of those old-time stereoscope images. I like this photo because it captured a glimpse of history.
I took a lot of pictures of the Spruce Goose aircraft in McMinnville and described it in a recent post. When I saw the lines in this photo, I knew it would look great in black and white.
Majestic mountains
I noticed I had many portraits of majestic mountains when I browsed through my Oregon photos.
The first photo, is of Steens Mountain, in southeast Oregon. The lupine was in bloom so I focused on its purple flowers. This 50-mile long mountain is one of my favorite places in Oregon. I like taking pictures that show its powerful presence.
National Neon Sign Museum: LAPC
Where do you go when you’re looking for a quick recharge? To the National Neon Sign Museum in The Dalles, Oregon, of course!
On the main floor, you’ll see a rainbow of neon colors. The signs on display are from the late 1800s through the 1960s.
Do you recognize any of these iconic signs?
How about this wall filled with Coca Cola signs?
Legend Rock petroglyphs: LAPC
In June, I visited Legend Rock State Petroglyph Site near Thermopolis, Wyoming. The quarter-mile-long sandstone cliff at an isolated site is adorned with hundreds of Legend Rock petroglyphs. When you walk the trail beside these images, it is truly a step back in time.
Seeing Legend Rock petroglyphs up close
More than 300 petroglyphs have been identified on 92 rock panels. The oldest are at least 10,000 years old. The petroglyphs were carved by “ancestors of today’s Numic-speaking Eastern Shoshone tribe.”
Due to the fantastical nature of the images carved here, this site is thought to have been used by individuals on vision quests. The images were carved so long ago, their exact meanings are unknown.
In 1973, the state acquired the site and later that year, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Sites. The site included sections owned by the state and federal government, and private landowners. In 2015, local landowner Richard Wagner donated the last part needing protection.
