Oregon

The Bend Wall: Monday Mural

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You’ll find The The Bend Wall mural on the side of Newport Market, a neighborhood grocery store in Bend, Oregon. The bright painting covers a 100-foot long wall on the side of the building.

This impressive piece of artwork was created by Bend artist, Kim Smallenberg.

The mountain in the center of the mural is Pilot Butte, a dormant volcano. On the right side near the peak, you can see a small fire. On the Fourth of July, commercial fireworks are launched from Pilot Butte, and sometimes, it catches on fire. Our Fire Department is always there and ready.

The Bend Wall

A large metal sculpture of a bear sits in front of one end. The mural behind the bear shows dogs around a campfire. Bend is a dog-centered town. Many residents own one, or two, or…

Bear sculpture & dogs mural

The next section shows bridges over the Deschutes River. The solar eclipse is taking place in the skies. In 2017, we had prime viewing opportunities to watch the eclipse here in Central Oregon.

Mural at Newport Market

The next picture shows the heart of town. Kim included several local businesses in the painting. Look at the bottom right of the mural. Can you see beer mugs lining the road? We have a couple dozen breweries in Bend.

Love Bend painting

The last picture shows Mount Bachelor, an outdoor recreation destination. Tumalo Falls splashes down rocky cliffs in the foreground.

The Bend Wall mural

If you visit the west side of Bend, be sure to stop by and look at The Bend Wall. It’s huge and amazing!

Monday Mural

Cars from the Golden Age: LAPC

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The Western Antique Aeroplane & Automobile Museum in Hood River, Oregon has a large collection of cars from the “Golden Age of Transportation” – the period from the early 1920s through the 1940s. The Museum has a collection of over 130 vehicles from the 1900s to the 1960s. You can get more information on vehicles in the collection by year or manufacturer here.

Cars from the Golden Age and beyond

Artifacts from the time period are on display near many of the cars. Here’s a camping scene.

Cars from the Golden Age

Storefronts around the perimeter of the building add visual interest to the collection.

Antique autos

The color and design of the cars make them great subjects for photographs.

Colorful old cars

Here’s a view of the car section from one of the entrances.

Old car collection

You will also see several vehicles displayed near the airplanes. This 1921 Ford Model T shows an example of a car converted into a pickup. Ford didn’t start making pickups until 1925.

Cars from the Golden Age

The 1925 Ford Model T 1-Ton Truck pictured below represents one of their first pickup trucks . This model sold for $295 in 1925.

Cars from the Golden Age

Right next to a yellow floatplane, you’ll see a 1941 Chevrolet Master Deluxe Business Coupe. Their lighted trunk and extra storage space appealed to traveling salesmen.

1941 Chevrolet

Learning something new…

I learned something new at this museum. Have you heard of micro cars or rat rods?

You’ll see cars you recognize plus some you probably never heard of, like this 1981 HMV Freeway micro car. The manufacturer guaranteed 100 MPG when traveling at 40 MPH in the High Mileage Vehicle (HMV).

1981 HMV Freeway

The two cars below are “rat rods.” Wikipedia says rat rods are custom cars “with a deliberately worn-down, unfinished appearance, typically lacking paint, showing rust, and made from cheap or cast-off parts. These parts can include non-automotive items that have been repurposed, such as a rifle used as a gear shifter, wrenches as door handles, or hand saws as sun visors.” 😯

Cars from the Golden Age

There’s a lot to see at this large museum. This post focuses on cars from the Golden Age and beyond. I’ll be featuring photographs of their airplane collection in the future.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Mechanical/Industrial

Whimsical doors in Tumalo, Oregon: Thursday Doors

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I noticed these whimsical doors in Tumalo, Oregon while visiting a pod of food trucks. The Bite currently hosts five food trucks. You can get an assortment of beers on tap inside the main building. There is comfortable seating inside and out.

These paintings were done by local artist, Nicole Fontana. There are more pictures of her work at The Bite here. She even included her whimsical take on things in the signs for handicapped parking spots. 🙂

whimsical doors
Fishing fly painting

Thursday Doors

Lower Crooked River drive – am & pm: LAPC & FFC

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A couple days ago, we went on a Lower Crooked River drive. We were there early in the morning, attempting to avoid an incoming storm system. I remembered I had been there about a year earlier for an afternoon drive. How would the lighting differ in the photos taken on both trips?

Just south of Prineville, Oregon, the Lower Crooked River Back Country Byway winds its way along the Crooked River. The 43-mile long road meets up with Highway 20 to the south.

This post highlights the 8-mile section between Prineville Reservoir and Castle Rock. See map at the end of the post. On this drive, the curving lines of the road and river contrast with the straight lines of geological features.

A morning drive

As we drove north from the reservoir, shadows covered the east side of the road. The morning light cast a warm glow over the canyon lands.

Canyon views

Basalt columns looked pretty in full light…

Columnar basalt

But took on more character in the shadows.

columnar basalt

The Bureau of Land Management notes, “The most significant contributor to the outstandingly remarkable geologic resource are the unique intra-canyon basalt formations created by recurring volcanic and hydrologic activities.”

Chimney Rock was shrouded in shadows. Rays of sunlight snuck through the cloud cover to cast light near the butte’s base.

I have hiked the 1.3-mile trail to the base of Chimney Rock. You get 360-degree views of the landscape and, in the spring, you’ll see stunning desert wildflowers in bloom.

Chimney Rock

As we rounded another curve, I saw the dark gray palisade formations in the distance that always catch my attention.

Crooked River Canyon

An afternoon drive

I remembered seeing them a year before, driving from the opposite direction. The afternoon light was starting to shade the palisade formations near Palisades Campground.

Crooked River Canyon

Parts of the road were in full sunlight, while distant hillsides were shaded.

Winding road

The columns of basalt appeared to bend in the midday heat.

Near the northern end of the Lower Crooked River drive, where the scenic part begins, rimrock formations emerged from smooth hillsides. They serve as a gateway to the Lower Crooked River, where dramatic landforms reflect the light and absorb the shadows.

Crooked River Canyon

Lower Crooked River camping

This section of Highway 27 includes nine campsites and two day-use areas. See Lower Crooked Wild and Scenic River, Chimney Rock Segment for more information.

Bureau of Land Management

Lens- Artists Photo Challenge _ Light and Shadow

Friendly Friday – Leading Lines

Western tiger swallowtail box & photo: First Friday Art

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Here’s a western tiger swallowtail painting I did on a small wooden box.

Western tiger swallowtail

Here’s one I saw on the High Desert Garden Tour a few years ago. The Western tiger swallowtail, Papilio rutulus, ranges throughout western North America.

Seasons Butterfly 21July2018
Butterfly on flowers

The state insect in Oregon is the Oregon swallowtail butterfly, Papilio machaon oregonius. They have paler yellow coloring on their wings.

Would you like to attract butterflies to your garden? Here are a few things you can do, according to Gardeners.com:

  • Choose plants that attract pollinators
  • Limit, or eliminate, your use of pesticides
  • Provide shelter for breeding and avoiding predators
  • Provide water
  • Consider keeping a beehive

For a good list of plants that attract butterflies, go to Attracting Butterflies, Hummingbirds and Other Pollinators.

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

First Friday Art

Photo in thirds? Bending the rules: LAPC

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When taking pictures, you might want to think about composing your photo in thirds. What?

According to the Digital Photography School, the rule of thirds “is a compositional guideline that breaks an image down into thirds (both horizontally and vertically) so you have nine pieces and four gridlines. According to the rule, by positioning key elements along the gridlines, you’ll end up with better compositions.”

While browsing my photos, I realized horizontal layers are more important to me in composition. Do my pictures always follow the rule of thirds guidelines? No, it’s okay to bend the rules.

SLR Lounge notes, “Of all the “rules” in photography, the rule of thirds is one of the easiest to successfully break.”

My photo in thirds examples (with layers)

This sandhill crane is in the upper third corner, but the differing textures and colors of the plants catch your attention. This photo has four layers.

Photo in thirds

This pronghorn is near the lower third of the picture. I could have cropped it more, but I didn’t want to cut out the misty mountains in the background. This photo has five layers.

Pronghorn at Yellowstone

Mount Bachelor, in the upper third of the photo, blends into a flat overcast sky. The foggy forest and flat lake are also muted in color. The “stars” of the picture are the multi-colored rushes and sedges in the foreground. This photo has five layers.

Mount Bachelor

The swans in this Summer Lake scene are near the center line. The dust storm is in the upper third. Both elements are interesting. This photo has a lot of layers – sky, mountains, dust storm, rushes, water, shoreline (with white alkaline deposits), and greasewood shrubs.

Summer Lake sandstorm

The last picture shows a fallen juniper tree in the foreground and the La Sal Mountains in the background. The twisting branches of the juniper are in the bottom third. This photo has four layers.

I don’t always pause to compose a photo in thirds, but I think the last photo comes closest to meeting the rule’s guidelines.

Photo in thirds in Utah

Remember, it’s okay to break the rules! Be spontaneous when taking photos and edit later.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Rule of thirds

The guy next door: Monochrome Monday

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the guy next door buck

We have a resident herd of mule deer here and I refer to this buck as the guy next door. He didn’t seem to be bothered by my presence at all.

Monochrome Monday

The path meanders haiku: Haiku poetry challenge

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the path meanders
up a rocky desert butte
embraced by spring clouds

the path meanders Fischer Canyon
Fischer Canyon, Oregon

Weekly Haiku Poetry Prompt Challenge #407 – Path & Desert

A white poppy up close: Macro Monday

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A white poppy up close growing in our garden last year. Poppies come in a variety of colors, but they’re also pretty in white.

a white poppy

Macro Monday

Funny bird moments, slightly blurred: LAPC & BWPC

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I often look at bird photos I’ve taken later and find out they’re slightly blurred. Fortunately for me, the Bird Weekly Photo Challenge this week is “Blurry.” I’m highlighting funny bird moments to go along with the Lens-Artist Photo Challenge of “Humor.”

This American robin looked kind of mad that I interrupted a private moment with its Ring-necked Dove friend. Ooops!

Ring-necked Dove and American Robin

Is this an ad for Subaru? Look a little closer to spot the Mountain Bluebird admiring its reflection in my mirror. It was quite taken with itself.

Funny bird moments bluebird

I was trying to get pictures of these fledgling Barn Swallows for a while. At one point, one fluttered above its nest mates and turned to laugh at me.

Barn swallow fledglings

We were so busy looking at these mule deer that we almost overlooked the two Burrowing Owls in the foreground. They tried standing still and imitating sagebrush stems but their heads kept swiveling in our direction.

Mule deer and Burrowing Owl

I saw a Western Tanager in my yard once. Really. I did. See, here’s the picture I took to prove it. 😁

Funny bird moments tanager

You never know when you’re going to capture funny bird moments with your camera.

Bird Weekly Photo Challenge #58 – Blurry

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #196 – Humor

Had too much fun on Earth Day

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too much fun dead juniper
Western juniper at Fischer Canyon, Oregon

This western juniper looks like it had too much fun on Earth Day. I think it was trying to sleep it off. 😉

Trees

Terry’s Hanger Shop: Monochrome Monday

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Terrys Hanger Shop

Terry’s Hanger Shop is part of one of the displays at the Western Antique Aeroplane and Automobile Museum located in Hood River, Oregon. This large museum features airplanes, automobiles, and other artifacts. This shop is one of the many storefronts featured around the perimeter of the building.

Did you notice the sign showing the hours they are open? “Gone Yesterday Today and Tomorrow.” Someone has a good sense of humor. 😉

Monochrome Monday

Looking up at Lava Butte: Wordless Wednesday

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Looking up at Lava Butte
Looking up at Lava Butte, Oregon
Lava fields
Lava fields surrounding the butte

Wordless Wednesday

Bridge with a view: Monochrome Monday

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This bridge with a view takes you to the entrance of the Portland Japanese Garden. The bridge’s glass walls bring you closer to the natural world beneath you. Straight lines contrast with the curves and textures of the surrounding forest. When you ascend the stairs and exit the path, you’ll enter the Cultural Center. With its minimalistic design, it stands out yet blends in at the same time.

view a with Bridge

Monochrome Monday

Driving around the bend-Sijo poem: LAPC, TTC, SWPC

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Driving around the bend, visions of new worlds come into view.
Splashes of warm color, framed in cool blue, catch our attention.
Images pass by fast and vanish, remembered as a dream.

Driving around the bend near Sisters, OR
Sunset near Sisters, Oregon
Painted Hills Oregon
Approaching the Painted Hills, Oregon
Fall color McKenzie Pass
Fall color on McKenzie Pass, Oregon

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge (LAPC) #191- Curves

Three Things Challenge (TTC) #862- Color & fast

Sijo Wednesday Poetry Challenge (SWPC) – Blue

Stilbite up close: Macro Monday

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This is a beautiful piece of stilbite up close. Specimens like these, from the stilbite subgroup, can be found near Mill Creek, Polk County, Oregon. The crystals on this mineral are gorgeous, but I also like the parallel lines surrounding the cavity in this piece.

Stilbite up close

Macro Monday

Gray fox basking in the sunlight: LAPC

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A gray fox blissfully basking in the sunlight on a log.

Gray fox

Zooming in a little closer to see the details of her coat.

gray fox

Zooming in closer still to focus on her exquisite and intelligent face.

close up from High Desert Museum

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge (LAPC) #190 – Close and Closer

Sisters quilt mural: Monday Mural

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Sisters quilt mural

This Sisters quilt mural is located in Barclay Park in Sisters, Oregon. This work by local artist, Jerry Werner, celebrates all that makes this town a vibrant community. In the past, Jerry worked as an illustrator for Walt Disney. His artwork includes murals, fine art, paintings, illustration and graphics, and sculptures.

The Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show bills itself as the world’s largest outdoor quilt show. More than 1,300 quilts are hung outside along the town’s main streets and visitors use maps to find them all. The quilts are amazing and show so much creativity and skill!

Monday Mural

Dragons breathing fire – haiku: Haiku Challenge & MWM

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dragons breathing fire
over magical snowscapes
on the edge of spring

Dragons breathing fire

Weekly Haiku Poetry Prompt Challenge – Dragon and Magic

Mid-Week Monochrome #77

Deschutes River sights to see: LAPC

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Today I’m sharing Deschutes River sights to see. Since the river, located in central and northern Oregon, is 252 miles long, I’ll show just a few of its riches. At the end of this post, a map shows these locations.

Where the Deschutes begins

The first picture is of Little Lava Lake. This is a more peaceful place to kayak than the much larger Lava Lake. The spot below shows where the Deschutes River begins.

Little Lava Lake
Little Lava Lake

The next picture was taken on another kayaking trip near Harper Bridge in Sunriver. The waters are calm on this part of the river, but get much rougher when you get to Benham Falls, a class V section. I got out well ahead of the falls!

Kayaking on the Deschutes River 10Sept2016
North of Harper Bridge

A river of falls

FYI – Deschutes means “of the falls” in French. You can find four waterfalls in close proximity north of Benham Falls. These include Dillon Falls, Upper Deschutes River Falls, and Lava Island Falls.

Here are two pictures of Dillon Falls – one at the top and one of the falls.

Dillon Falls
Dillon Falls

In Bend, they created artificial water features at the Bend Whitewater Park. I’ve seen engineers standing near the park changing how the river flows with a handheld tablet. This section of the Deschutes River is divided into three sections. One is for inner tubing enthusiasts, another is for surfers, and the other section is for wildlife. The wildlife section is not accessible to swimmers or surfers.

Bend Whitewater Park
Bend Whitewater Park

Deschutes River sights north of Bend

The next picture shows The Cove Palisades State Park from above. The river on the left is the Deschutes River and the one on the right is the Crooked River. This park is very popular with people looking for water-related activities in the summer.

Deschutes River sights
The Cove Palisades State Park

This next Deschutes River sight is along the Trout Creek trail. This easy, level trail is not used as heavily as others in the area. Rock climbers love to climb on the rock formations in this canyon.

Deschutes River sights Trout Creek
Near Trout Creek Campground

Where the Deschutes ends

The next picture is a view looking west from the Washington side of the Columbia River. You can see Mount Hood in the distance. The end of the Deschutes River is located on the Oregon side almost right below the mountain in this view.

I took these pictures from the Stonehenge WWI Memorial, located in Maryhill, Washington. Did you know there’s a replica of England’s Stonehenge in Washington state? It was commissioned by Sam Hill and opened in 1918.

  • Looking West to where Deschutes River meets Columbia River
  • Stonehenge WWI Memorial
    Stonehenge WWI Memorial

I’m including a map of the entire river basin with Deschutes River sights I mentioned marked. Interestingly, this map did not include Little Lava Lake so my mark is in the approximate location. There is much to see and do along the course of this beautiful river.

Deschutes River sights
Map of Deschutes River Basin from Wikipedia

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Water

Hells Canyon Overlook views: Pull up a Seat Challenge

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These Hells Canyon Overlook views were taken in the Hells Canyon Recreation area in northeastern Oregon. Though more people are familiar with the Grand Canyon, Hells Canyon is the deepest river gorge in North America. He Devil Peak, on the East Rim, stands 8,043 feet above the Snake River, at the bottom of the gorge.

Hells Canyon overlook view

You can learn about this unique geological feature at the Hell’s Canyon Creek Visitor Center in Imnaha. When we visited in June a couple of years ago, the road to the center was still closed due to snow so check ahead of time.

Scenic views in Oregon

Visitors seeking Hells Canyon views in the spring and early summer are rewarded by a wide variety of wildflowers in bloom at the scenic overlook. See Hells Canyon in the Spring for closer views of these beauties.

Wildflowers in NE Oregon

Pull Up a Seat Challenge

A rabble of robins: SS & WWP

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A rabble of robins settles in my backyard. Five species of thrushes often pause for a quick drink, but I’m flummoxed by the American Robins this year. There are hundreds! Plentiful food, a mild winter, or enchantment in the water? Who knows…

a rabble of robins
A rabble of robins
More robins
More rabbles of robins
Cooper's hawk
The bird I’m feeding – a Cooper’s hawk
Remnants of a songbird
Remnants of a robin

Sunday Stills (SS)- Are you a bird feeder?

Weekend Writing Prompt (WWP) #247- Flummox (42 words)

Big changes at the Amphitheater: LAPC

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There have been some big changes at the amphitheater in Bend, Oregon. I featured the art in and around this venue in a post in June 2020. At that time, it was called the Les Schwab Amphitheater. It was named after a local entrepreneur who developed a thriving national tire business. Now the site is the Hayden Homes Amphitheater, named after a local home builder.

This site, the largest outdoor music venue in Bend, hosts concerts as well as events like Brewfest. Live Nation, the world’s leading live entertainment company, will partner with Hayden Homes in managing events. This page lists events scheduled for 2022.

Before and after views of the big changes

Today I’ll turn my lenses toward some of the changes at this site.

The stage before was small with whimsical art on the front and back. Here’s the artwork that was on the back of the stage. I loved the raven in this mural.

Art at the Amphitheater , Bend, Oregon November 2018

The new industrial-style stage is much larger and has a big open “window” space to take in the view.

Close view of stage

The next two pictures show the before and after images of the stage. Prior to the changes, shows set up a limited number of folding chairs and a set of bleachers.

Art at the Amphitheater , Bend, Oregon November 2018big changes at the amphitheater

Now, attendees that buy seats can sit in a couple semi-permanent structures. Many concert goers choose the less expensive option of standing.

Outdoor concert seating

I took this picture of the rules of the venue last summer. Last week they decided you cannot bring your own chair to any event. However, they’ll gladly rent you a chair!

Rules of the venue

During the concert season, food and drink carts are set up near the entrance.

Food carts in Bend, Oregon

They are currently in the process of shifting the trail’s location and building a new main entrance. This photo shows the construction in progress today.

Construction in Old Mill

The next two photos show a before and after view of the stage from across the river.

View of amphitheater in Bend, Oregon November 2018Big changes at the amphitheater

Do you see the dark shape on the rocks in the middle of the Deschutes River in the second picture? That’s an eagle that followed me on my morning walk. It wasn’t sure if it liked the big changes at the amphitheater and took flight in search of quieter environments.

Eagle in Bend, Oregon

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge (LAPC) #185 – Change

On distant trails: LAPC, WWP, & SS

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I saunter along distant trails, not knowing what wonders nature will share with me.


Will falling water sing between rocky cliffs?

Multnomah Falls
Multnomah Falls, Oregon


Will earth show its origins in the soil?

Distant trails Painted Hills
Painted Hills, Oregon


Will wind turn wheels of history over parched plains?

Fort Rock
Fort Rock, Oregon


And when I return home from distant trails, will fireworks light the skies?

Sunrise over Bend
Bend, Oregon

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge (LAPC) – Travel has taught me

Weekend Writing Prompt – Saunter (51 words)

Sunday Stills – The power of the elements: Earth, air/wind, fire, & water

It’s a Boy! Pine tree: Thursday Tree Love

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I saw this “it’s a boy” pine tree along the trail to Big Tree, the largest ponderosa pine of its kind, in LaPine State Park, Oregon. I may have walked right past this odd tree, but I noticed two teenage boys laughing loudly and pointing at it. They took multiple pictures to share with their friends. Their reaction to it was almost as funny as the tree itself! 😀

Its a boy pine tree

Thursday Tree Love -122

A fruit-filled Friday: FOTD Challenge

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I’m sharing memories of a fruit-filled Friday in Hood River, Oregon last fall. We took a trip to northern Oregon in search of fall foliage, but stopped to buy some tasty fruit in Hood River. These apples were at Smiley’s Red Barn, one of 26 stops along the Hood River Fruit Loop. Visitors can stop at fruit stands, orchards, wineries, and vineyards along this route. If you’re craving a good beer, check out some of the great breweries and pubs within a half hour from Hood River.

A fruit-filled Friday

Flower of the Day (FOTD) Challenge

Seeing red near Mt Jefferson: Wordless Wednesday

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Seeing red vine maples
Seeing red vine maples near Mt Jefferson in Oregon
Fall color near Mt Jefferson
Fall foliage in Oregon’s Cascade Mountains

Wordless Wednesday

Blanket flowers up close: Macro Monday

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Here’s a photo of blanket flowers up close that I took last summer. These perennial flowers are big and showy. Their contrasting colors make them stand out as a star in any garden. These easy to grow plants are also drought tolerant. They attract butterflies and birds.

Blanket flowers up close

Macro Monday

Pronghorn near Prineville: 1-to-3 Photo Challenge

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I saw this herd of pronghorn near Prineville, Oregon last spring. I’ll be showing how I processed this photo three ways with Corel PaintShop Pro 2021.

Prior to trying various effects, I increased the brightness, contrast, fill light, and clarity. Since this photo was taken from a distance, I also adjusted the sharpness.

The first two show the original image and the same picture with a Film and Filters effect. For this image I went to Effects>Film and Filters. I selected Vibrant Foliage from the first pulldown menu and Warming Filter from the second one. The orange filter brought out the pronghorn’s tawny coats. The vibrant foliage filter enhanced blues and greens in this scene.

Pronghorn near PrinevilleWarming filter

The next two show the original image and the same picture with a Hot Wax Coating effect. For this image I went to Effects>Artistic Effects>Hot Wax Coating.  This effect gives an almost comic book-like effect with enhanced edges. The images appear to be coated in a thin layer of wax.

Pronghorn near PrinevillePronghorn near Prineville

The last two show the original image and the same picture with an Aged Newspaper effect. For this image I went to Effects>Artistic Effects>Aged Newspaper. You can choose how old you want the picture to look. I chose 50 years. More recent options appear more black and white, while older ones have a more yellowed appearance. This effect slightly blurs the edges to make them resemble images in old newspapers.

Pronghorn near PrinevilleAged newspaper effect

One-to-Three Photo Processing Challenge – December 2021

Reindeer tryouts at Malheur NWR: Wordless Wednesday

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Santas reindeer tryouts
Reindeer tryouts at Malheur NWR, Oregon

Wordless Wednesday https://wordpress.com/tag/wordless-wednesday

A tumbleweed snowman: Sunday Stills

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I decided to make a tumbleweed snowman from the giant tumbleweed I recently found in my yard. In my previous post, Giant tumbleweed in my yard, I tried to show the scale of this tumbleweed. It measured 7 feet 6 inches across!

Since it’s December, I thought I might as well have some fun with it. We tied it to a tree to keep it from blowing away. I added a smaller tumbleweed to make a head.

A tumbleweed snowman

It’s kinda hard to see his face so I zoomed in. The branches are spaced far apart on the top tumbleweed so his face is held on with a few twist ties. Can you see his lichen eyelashes and juniper nose and smile?

A crazy snowman

A string of battery-powered lights added some holiday cheer.

Lighted tumbleweed snowman

Hope you enjoyed my High Desert tumbleweed snowman. Happy Holidays! 😀

Sunday Stills – Light the Night

Giant tumbleweed in my yard: KOB

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I found a giant tumbleweed in my yard after a big wind storm earlier this month. I took a photo of it, but it didn’t really show the scale.

Giant tumbleweed

Can you tell how big it is when I put my medium-sized dog, Shelby, and my large-sized dog, Tesla, in the picture? They were glad it didn’t tumble on top of them. 😀

Dogs and invasive weed

How about if I stand behind it? I’m 5 foot 4 inches tall. Can you see me?

Giant tumbleweed

Finally, I decided to show the tumbleweed in front of my little blue Subaru. I wouldn’t want this thing rolling in front of me when driving down the road!

Invasive weed in front of car

Can you guess how big this giant tumbleweed was? 7 feet 6 inches across. A whopper!

Kammie’s Oddball Photo Challenge (KOB)