Fogarty Creek Beach in Oregon with curving lines in the sand
Oregon
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.
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.
Painted by elements: WW
A night in winter: Wordless Wednesday
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.
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
Clouds collect overhead : LAPC
Clouds collect overhead, darkening and protecting the landscape
Cumulus curtains part and the earth awakens
Colorful voices shout from sloping shorelines
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!
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. 😉
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 readingFort Rock in profile: Wordless Wednesday
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.
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!
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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.
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.
Banded trumpeters haiku: Birds of the Week
A pansy rainbow haiku: Macro Monday
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.
Moon jellies fell like brilliant blue windblown blossoms.
A soggy seat: Pull Up a Seat
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
Pair of puffins: Birds of the Week
Here’s a picture I took of a pair of puffins at the Oregon Coast Aquarium. This photo shows them in breeding and nonbreeding plumage.
This bird lives most of its life at sea, but they nest in burrows that can be more than 5 feet deep. A pair of puffins will feed their young tiny fish, which they line up crosswise in their bills. Sometimes they will carry as many as 20 fish at a time to their nests.
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Chiwen roof decoration: Monochrome Monday
This chiwen roof decoration is at Lan Su Chinese Garden in Portland, Oregon.
These dragons, placed on both ends of roof ridgelines, are thought to protect the inhabitants from fires. Fengshui theory says they also protect against floods and typhoons. Chiwen translates to ‘hornless-dragon mouth.’ This dragon likes to swallow things, including evil influences.
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
Maple leaves in the rain: Wordless Wednesday
Maple leaves in the rain at Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden, Portland, Oregon
Sturgeon sculpture: Sculpture Saturday
I recently saw this white sturgeon sculpture at the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport, Oregon. They are the largest freshwater fish in North America.
A couple months later, I watched these white sturgeon swimming around at the Oregon Zoo. These fish were three or four feet long, but this species can reach lengths of over 14 feet and weigh more than 1,500 pounds. Sturgeon can live more than 100 years.
Here in Oregon, white sturgeon live mainly in large freshwater streams and estuaries along the coast. They occasionally travel into the ocean.
Here is a picture of a much younger white sturgeon taken at the High Desert Museum several years ago. I wouldn’t mind having a sturgeon sculpture of this size fish. The other fish pictured are trout.
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Family Mural of Flowers & Birds: Monday Mural
This cheerful mural, Family Mural of Flowers & Birds, was created by artist Denae’ Manion of Manion Studios. Manion is a talented mural artist and honorary member of the Wall Dogs, an international mural painters group. Besides murals, her work also includes logos and designs, face painting, hand painted gifts, custom shoes, and she hosts PaintNite events. She also creates “entertainment paintings” live at various events.
Her Family Mural of Flowers & Birds mural is one of 33 murals in The Dalles, Oregon. We visited The Dalles in August of 2022 during their Northwest Mural Fest. It’s a great place to see the work of many mural artists.
Monday Mural
Brasada Ranch view: Pull Up a Seat
Last weekend, we drove to Brasada Ranch resort in Powell Butte, Oregon for a BBQ and art show event. They have spectacular views of the Cascade volcanoes from their restaurant. These red chairs around a firepit were a nice accent in this scene.
Here’s a closer view of some of the marvellous mountains.
This beautiful resort has received recognition from Condé Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure, Golfweek, USA Today, and other sources. Since we live close by, we did a staycation in one of their cabins a couple of years ago and it was great!
Seastacks before the storm: WWE
Seastacks before the storm in Tillamook Bay, Oregon.
This landmark is known locally as The Three Graces.
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.
Kayaking East Lake, Oregon: FOWC
I decided to try kayaking East Lake, at Newberry National Volcanic Monument, on a spring day a couple of years ago.
“It’s spring,” I thought to myself. “The weather will be fine.” See how beautiful it looks in the photo below near the East Lake Campground?
However, the shoreline is at 6,400 feet in elevation and the weather can change fast. Be prepared!
I was captivated by the cliff-lined north shore and set my sights on reaching it. “It’s not that far away,” I thought. Later, I determined it was a 1.25 mile trip across the lake.
Continue readingBlack-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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What they use to make brews: Monochrome Monday
This post shows what they use to make brews at Deschutes Brewery in Bend, Oregon. Last year we went on the Barrel House Tour at this brewery. I highly recommend this tour that focuses on their barrel-aged beers.
While on the tour, I thought some of the sights seen in the factory might look good with black and white processing.
Monochrome processing highlighted all the angles and straight and curved lines of the equipment.
However, I admit, the high alcohol barrel-aged samples consumed on the tour may have made everything they use to make brews look special to my slightly blurry vision. ;D
Lion at Portland Japanese Garden: Sculpture Saturday
This lion at Portland Japanese Garden was guarding the entrance to the gardens. This statue shows a female with a lion cub under her paw. These statues represent protection and compassion.
They are known as komainu in Japan. In other parts of the world they may be called Fu Dogs or Foo Dogs.
Buena Vista ponds: WWE
The Buena Vista ponds are a great place to spot birds at Malheur NWR in Oregon. In the middle of this picture, you can glimpse three Trumpeter Swans foraging for food.
In the distance, you can see Steens Mountain. This 50-mile long mountain rises majestically over the Sagebrush Sea in southeastern Oregon.
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
Lan Su Chinese Garden seating: Pull up a Seat
Lan Su Chinese Garden seating in Portland, Oregon on a rainy spring day.
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Magnificent mountain goat: Wordless Wednesday
Giant jaws of Megalodon shark: Monochrome Monday
Cedar waxwing drawing & photos: First Friday Art
Cedar waxwing birds are one of my favorite kinds of birds. This month, I’m showing a simple pen and ink drawing I did of one.
When you first see a cedar waxwing, you might think of it as “simple” looking. They don’t have bold markings. Instead, their markings blend together smoothly.
Their tail feathers are tipped with a yellow wax-like substance and their wingtips are tipped with red.
