Cooperative foraging: Birds of the Week

Last spring, I saw this group of White Pelicans involved in cooperative foraging near Island Park, Idaho. All About Birds describes their feeding behavior as follows:

They forage by swimming on the surface, dipping their bills to scoop up fish, then raising their bills to drain water and swallow their prey. They also forage cooperatively: groups of birds dip their bills and flap their wings to drive fish toward shore, corraling prey for highly efficient, synchronized, bill-dipping feasts.

cooperative foraging

Do you know what a group of pelicans are called? They are called a squadron, pod, pouch, or scoop of pelicans.

white pelicans

Birds of the Week

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Some things in nature… : LAPC

Some things in nature have patterns in whirls,

somethings in nature

Other things are smooth and plain

cedar waxwing

Some things in nature are velvety soft,

some things in nature

Other things have rough, bumpy surfaces

Subway Cave

And in underwater worlds, things may be patterned or smooth

soft or rough and bumpy

Anemones

Lens-Artist Photo Challenge (LAPC) – Virtual Scavenger Hunt

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Seattle waterfront mural: MM & WWE

Here are two photos of a Seattle waterfront mural that I took last May. The mural Three Animals was painted in 2024 by Victor Ash. It adorns a wall right next to light rail line.

The murals were painted in celebration of World Environment Day in a partnership with UNEP, United Nations.

Seattle waterfront mural

In the first image, you can see iconic landmarks in the background. Close to the mural, you can spot the Seattle Great Wheel Ferris wheel. In the background, you’ll see Lumen Field and T-Mobile Park sports stadiums.

Seattle waterfront mural

In the second photo, you get a great view of the Norwegian Bliss, a cruise ship that is part of Norwegian Cruise Lines.

I like the close up perspective of the animal’s heads in this Seattle waterfront mural. They must look amazing from the light rail!

Monday Mural (MM)

Water Water Everywhere (WWE)

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Trails wind and descend haiku: WWC

Trails wind

trails wind and descend
elements of earth arise
on the cusp of fall

Which Way Challenge (WWC)

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Portal into another realm: Wordless Wednesday

portal into another realm

Portal into another realm at William Randolf Hearst Memorial Beach, California

Wordless Wednesday

Gulls, terns, and cormorants: Birds of the Week

At Summer Lake Wildlife Area, in southeastern Oregon, you can get some great views of gulls, terns, and cormorants. At the north end of the Wildlife Area, you’ll drive by a rocky island covered with birds in the spring and summer months.

In this picture you can see California Gulls, Larus californicus, and Common Terns, Sterna hirundo.

gulls terns and cormorants

In the picture below, you can see California Gulls and Double-crested Cormorants, Nannopterum auritum.

seabird colony

Luckily, this bird colony is a few hundred yards from the main road you drive on. I have helped band birds in seabird colonies before and they are one of the stinkiest places I have ever been. Phew!

You might associate gulls, terns, and cormorants with seaside habitats. However, Summer Lake is a five plus hour drive to the coast. These types of birds also live near large inland bodies of water.

Birds of the Week

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WinterFest 2025 fire pits: LAPC & RDP

I was really looking forward to seeing the WinterFest 2025 fire pits at Bend’s winter festival event in Bend’s Old Mill District last February. They are great to photograph! I have posted pictures from previous years under the fire pit tag.

We are about to experience some of our hottest temperatures of the year in Bend this week. Maybe you are also getting some hot days where you live. I thought it might be a great time to remember the cooler temperatures of winter.

One of my favorite fire pits this year, was this VW van. It was well-designed and fun.

Another one I really liked was this one featuring a forest. Loved those trees!

forest firepit

Some of the fire pits have more intricate designs.

torch fire

fire

WinterFest Bend

Others are more simple.

WinterFest 2025

firepit

firepit

Some, like this one, are enormous. You can see lots of people meeting up around this WinterFest 2025 fire pit to take advantage of its warmth.

Winterfest 2025 firepit

Some of the fire pits used a more traditional design, but included interesting cut-out details.

Desert firepit

firepit

honeycomb firepit

Others were all about the details. This octopus surrounding a boat, which I’ve shown before, had amazing details.

WinterFest 2025 firepit

Some are cone or column shaped.

cone firepit

lighted trees

Other are square.

square firepit

WinterFest 2025 firepit

This year, snow from a recent storm covered the ground. It added to the festive mood.

Other attractions at Bend WinterFest 2025

This event includes ice carvings, hand-crafted fire pits, the Pump Bump Jam (a ski ramp with several jumps), a wine walk, food carts, beer, wine, and cider booths, bands playing on the stage, a flying dog show, and a kid’s area. It also includes booths from a wide variety of businesses and booths selling everything from jewelry and clothing to unique food items. This year, there were more Marketplace booths than I’ve ever seen before.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge (LAPC) – Found at the fair/market

Ragtag Daily Prompt (RDP) – meet

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Comfortable seating at Lava Hot Springs: PUAS

You can find comfortable seating inside the water and out at Lava Hot Springs, Idaho. You also get some great views of the Portneuf Range mountains behind the pools.

comfortable seating

See one of my previous posts about Lava Hot Springs for more details on this attraction. It was one of my favorite hot springs of several we visited last summer.

Pull up a Seat (PUAS)

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A pleasing plesiosaur: Wordless Wednesday

pleasing plesiosaur

A pleasing plesiosaur fossil at Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, Montana

Wordless Wednesday

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A soggy sage: WWE

A soggy sage contemplating the rain at Crystal Springs Rhodendron Garden in Portland, Oregon.

Soggy sage

Water Water Everywhere (WWE)

Balloons before lift off – Rispetto poem: LAPC

Colorful resting balloons, drowsy at dawn,
Breathe in heated air, unfold, stretch, and inflate
Burners roar, envelopes fill, tense crews hang on
Baskets shift on the ground, sandbags balance weight
Pilots check the weather, instruments, and tanks
Passengers clamber aboard, voicing their thanks
Flames dance over burners, heat enters the skirt
Lift greater than weight, balloons float o’er desert

Photographs taken at Balloons Over Bend event July 2025. Here’s a short video from a previous post.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Lines, colors, and patterns

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Four lounging lions: SS & WPCC

This sculpture of four lounging lions is at the Oregon Zoo in Portland. The ‘Lunch Break’ brown bronze sculptures were created by Jim Gion and put on display at the zoo in 2009.

four lounging lions

On the day I was there, there weren’t many visitors because it was pouring down rain. On a more typical day, children would be having fun climbing all over the sculptures. See the video below.

I decided to post this today because I included posts with one, two, and three main subjects earlier this week. My photo shows four lions, but, as you can see in the video, there are two additional cubs.

Sculpture Saturday (SS)

Weekly Prompts Colour’s Challenge (WPCC) – Brown

Mount Rainier images in 3 ways: First Friday Art

Today I’m sharing Mount Rainier images in 3 ways. Mount Rainier is an iconic mountain, southeast of Seattle, Washington.

This active volcano reaches a height of 14, 410 feet at its peak. Native American tribes surrounding the mountain had 20 different names for it. One of them, *nə(xʷ)xʷak’ʷ, translates to “(sky) scraper.”

Here’s a quick pen and ink drawing I did of Mount Rainier. This is a very simple line drawing.

Mount Rainier drawing

Next, I show a picture I took of the mountain while on a flight to Seattle from Bend. There were some great clouds and low-lying fog that day.

Rainier from above

The last picture shows an embroidery I did of Mount Rainier while I was in college. Since I hadn’t done much embroidery when I created this, I used a running stitch for the whole piece. The stitch is simple, but this was a time-consuming, complex piece of work.

These Mount Rainier images portray the mountain in simple to more complex ways.

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

First Friday Art

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1st in line: Jo’s Monday Walks

While out walking my dog, I noticed this mule deer who appeared to be 1st in line for the next concert at the Hayden Homes Amphitheater in Bend, Oregon.

1st in line

She stood there gazing at me for a moment, then walked even closer. When she paused about eight feet away from me, I thought I better continue on my way.

Mule deer doe

These photos really show the beautiful color of mule deers’ summer coat. In winter, it’s much heavier and more gray in color.

I passed by this flower border a couple of minutes after seeing the deer. I wonder if she wandered over there to munch on the flowers. It’s kinda like a smorgasbord for deer. 😉

Jo’s Monday Walk

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Abe Capanna’s Neighborhood Pizzeria: Foodie Fridays

On Thursday, we ate at Abe Capanna’s Neighborhood Pizzeria. They opened in Bend, Oregon on Friday, July 18th.

Abe Capanna's Pizzeria

You can order 4-slice or 8-slice square pizzas here. Their Detroit-style pizzas have thick, delicious crusts. You can also get combos that include one or two pizza slices, a small Caesar salad, and a fountain drink. Besides pizza, they also serve a few appetizers, sandwiches, salads, and pasta dishes.

menu

I had the Mr. White pizza. The toppings include ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, roasted garlic, olive oil, and fresh basil. I thought it tasted pretty good. I could taste the garlic, but it wasn’t overpowering. With its thick crust and rich ingredients, I could barely eat two of the four pieces.

Mr White pizza

My companion decided on a make-it-yourself option. He had pepperoni, sausage, pineapple, and extra cheese on his 4-piece pizza. He liked his pizza but probably won’t add extra cheese next time. Yes, it had a lot of sauce! Like me, he could only eat half of the pizza.

pizza

On another visit, we ordered two large pizzas since we had a buy one get one free coupon. We had A LOT of leftovers. Fortunately, these pizzas freeze well.

I had The Franklin pizza. It includes BBQ chicken, mozzarella and gouda cheese, red bell pepper and red onion slices, topped with a drizzle of BBQ sauce and fresh cilantro. I thought this was a very good pizza. The toppings are light, just the way I prefer them.

BBQ chicken pizza

My companion ordered The Janimal pizza. It has slices of pepperoni, Italian sausage, salami, and a thick layer of red sauce. This pizza was also tasty. When Detroit-style pizzas are made, they often add the sauce after the pizza comes out of the oven.

Abe Capanna’s Neighborhood Pizzeria

The restaurant has an industrial design, but it wasn’t too loud. Tables are covered with white paper and have a package of crayons if you’re feeling artistically inclined. They have their sign up for alcoholic drinks but are waiting for their liquor license to be approved, which shouldn’t take long.

I took a couple of pictures of the inside and of the courtyard they share with Hablos Tacos. Note that we usually eat out on Thursdays at around 4:00 to 4:30 pm. There will be more customers during busier times.

Abe Capanna's Pizzeria

Do the Abe Capanna’s pizzas remind you of other pizzas in town? Yeah, they are similar to Rush’s Squares at the On Tap food truck pod, a mere 200 yards away. Their Pesto Marg is my current favorite pizza. I think the menus are different enough that these two pizza restaurants can co-exist.

Abe Capanna’s Neighborhood Pizzeria address & hours

Abe Capanna’s Neighborhood Pizzeria is located at 1462 N. East Cushing Ave. # 140. The restaurant is in the same complex as Hablos Tacos, Lone Pine Coffee, and Cuppa Yo. They are in their soft opening phase right now, so I’m not sure of their hours. I’ll try to update this later.

pizza restaurant

Be sure to check them out!

Foodie Friday

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Whole Novel Workshop: FOWC

Highlights Foundation and magazine

I recently learned I was chosen to participate in a Whole Novel Workshop hosted by the Highlights Foundation. Some of you may be familiar with Highlights magazine for children. Libraries, schools, and doctors’ and dentists’ offices always had copies of this magazine. The magazine was created in 1946 by spouses, Garry Cleveland Myers and Caroline Clark Myers.

The dark hills in Darkness of Hills, Lightness of Wings

In 1985, the Highlights Foundation began positively impacting “children by amplifying the voices of storytellers who inform, educate, and inspire children to become their best selves.” They began offering workshops and retreats for writers and artists at their retreat center in Milanville, Pennsylvania.

Here’s a beautiful video of the center. I’ll be there for six days in October, during the time when fall foliage reaches its peak colors.

Whole Novel Workshop entry process

To apply, you must submit 10–15 pages of a manuscript, fill out an application, and include a short bio. I submitted part of my work-in-progress novel, Darkness of Hills, Lightness of Wings. It’s for kids in the 9- to 12-year-old age range.

I was inspired to write the book after a visit to Kam Wah Chung State Heritage Site. I knew I also wanted to include the Painted Hills, pictured near the beginning of this post.

Where the main character in Darkness of Hills, Lightness of Wings lives with her grandfather

Here’s a blurb about the book. These paragraphs might appear on the back cover or in a query letter. Writers send query letters to prospective agents or editors, hoping they will want to collaborate with them.

Darkness of Hills, Lightness of Wings blurb

Forced out of her home in China, Jīnsè sets out on a long journey, filled with peril. Along the way, Jīnsè heals Rěnshòu, an injured gull, and several passengers on their ship. On the trip across the Pacific Ocean to Oregon, they encounter storms, poachers, and pirates. At a stop in Hawaii, Jīnsè meets Koa, a local boy who shares her love of birds. Together, they overcome a life-threatening situation.

Jīnsè continues her journey to Oregon to work with her grandfather, a local doctor skilled in the techniques of Traditional Chinese Medicine. While out collecting herbs, they find an orphaned magpie and name it Liáng. Her cousin, Feng, who works with Grandfather, becomes jealous of Jīnsè and traps her in an abandoned mine. When she escapes, she finds she has gained the ability to speak to animals and to see words written on the slopes of dark hills. Rěnshòu and Liáng help Jīnsè learn about local plants to use in herbal cures. Feng must work in the mines for a month as punishment for what he did to Jīnsè. Meanwhile, there are rumors of a distant wagon train full of settlers suffering from a terrible illness. Will Jīnsè be able to use her newfound abilities to help them in time? Will Feng help her or stand in her way?

Does that make you curious about the rest of the book? That’s the point of blurbs like this.

Two of the light-winged characters in the book

A sick gull I nursed back to health also inspired me to write this book. He had avian botulism, and as his health improved, he became more and more ornery. In the book, I change the type of gull, but he still has an attitude.

Ring-billed Gull

The gull I nursed back to health at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon

Darkness of Hills, Lightness of Wings also features a Black-billed Magpie character. Here’s a drawing I did of one. They have a lot of personality.

Black-billed magpie pen and ink by Siobhan Sullivan

More about the workshop

The Whole Novel Workshop accepts twenty-one or fewer students. Students attend lectures, receive one on one guidance from faculty, and participate in small writing groups. It sounds like just what I need right now with my 57,000-word draft novel. I don’t normally brag about my accomplishments, but I’m so glad I was chosen to participate. I can’t wait! 😀

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Fandango’s One Word Challenge – Brag

Iceplants in California up close: MM & FOTD

I saw these iceplants in California up close at Leffingwell Landing Park. This plant, Carpobrotus chilensis, is known as an iceplant or sea fig.

yellow flower

Iceplants in California are considered an invasive species. It is native to South Africa. The iceplants form dense mats in habitats near the sea. The picture below shows them growing under pine trees.

I was a little puzzled when I noticed they had some flowers that were pink, and others that were yellow. Then I read about how the flowers start out yellow and fade to pink. Interesting…

iceplants in California

Macro Monday (MM)

Flower of the Day (FOTD)

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Wandering beneath the giants: LAPC & ST

The sun peers at me wandering beneath the giants.

wandering beneath the giants

I pause beside an ancient one. She is broad and strong at the base, with outstretched branches reaching for the sky.

Giant sequoia

I continue wandering beneath the giants until I find him, the oldest one of them all.

General Grant tree

His branches tremble and point towards a burned-out tree. The fire exposed its heart, but its thick bark protected it for many years.

wandering beneath the giants

I notice the toes of the tree curling. It is struggling to keep itself upright.

sequoia roots

Then… whoosh, boom! It falls to the ground. The voices of the trees around it rise in a song of mourning.

fallen sequoia

The burned wood at its core falls away. Its wrinkled bark flakes off, exposing a more youthful surface. The hollowed out tree shares its soul with curious visitors who marvel at the wonder of its life.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Into the Woods

Sunday Trees

Photos taken at Kings Canyon National Park, California.

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A visit to San Simón: Foodie Friday

Last week, we visited San Simón, in downtown Bend. This restaurant is known for its unique cocktails.

San Simón

They have a small menu, featuring make-your-own charcuterie boards. The board comes with dates and crackers, and the customer decides what else to include.

charcuterie board

Here is their menu that includes charcuterie board offerings and a variety of wines.

menu

Here’s their cocktail and mocktail menu. Yes, they came up with some creative names.

menu

San Simón has plenty of seating, inside and out. This business is located in Tin Pan Alley. I have previously featured the tiny Tin Pan Theater that’s right next door to San Simón. I covered the outdoor artwork in the Alley in another post. This alley is small, but full of charm.

San Simón

I went here to celebrate a big accomplishment and was a bit disappointed. Our bill for five charcuterie items and two cocktails, plus a tip, came to $76.50. That seemed sort of high for what we got. We liked the bread, cheese, and chutney we ordered. Though the menu indicates you get dates and crackers for free, they only gave us two small, sad dates.

I would have liked to have been able to order charcuterie boards that included things meant to go together. A thoughtfully created board may have been more satisfying than what I threw together. Just my opinion…

The cocktails were fine, but they are all priced the same, regardless of size and ingredients. The cocktails are priced at $14, while the mocktails are priced at $11.

The staff members were polite and prompt. I liked the decor and cozy atmosphere of San Simón. I remember visiting Lone Pine Coffee when it was here and enjoying its coziness.

San Simón location and hours

San Simón is located at 845 Tin Pan Alley in Bend, Oregon. It’s open daily from 3:00 pm to “late.”

Foodie Friday

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Roundabout created by Mother Nature: Wordless Wednesday

Roundabout created by Mother Nature

Roundabout created by Mother Nature in Yosemite National Park, California.

Wordless Wednesday

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The silence of… : LAPC

The silence of sunrise

Over High Desert lakes in the spring

the silence of

And juniper forests in the winter

juniper in snow

The quiet presence of dawn

dewdrops on strawberry blossoms

Strawberry Blossoms 10May2018

And ripples radiating around curious creatures

Northern River Otter

The muted tones of a morning

rainbow forming over stormy seas

the silence of a rainbow

And icy rivers, meandering through winter landscapes

Cline Falls

The silence of daylight

breaking over misty mountains

Red Canyon, Utah

And awakening birds, in the blur of sleep

the silence of

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge (LAPC) – Quiet hour

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Blazingstars near and far: FF & FOTD

Today I’m featuring photographs of blazingstars near and far.

The first picture shows the Sierra blazingstar, or saffron blazing star, Mentzelia crocea. I took this picture in Kings Canyon National Park, California. This 3-foot tall plant blooms from April to June. I like the numerous delicate stamens in the middle of each flower. It is classified as an annual wildflower.

This blazingstar grows in the foothills of the Sierra Mountains. It grows in a relatively small area of California. It is endemic to that region.

Sierra blazingstars

The next photo shows the giant blazingstar, or smoothstem blazingstar, Mentzelia laevicaulis. I took this photo at Pilot Butte State Scenic Viewpoint, Oregon. Pilot Butte is an extinct cinder cone in Bend, Oregon. This species grows from 3-6 feet tall and blooms from June to September. The petals are narrower on their flowers, but they still have a lot of stamens. It is classified as a biennial or short-lived perennial wildflower.

Blazing star beauties in Bend, Oregon August 2019

The giant blazingstar grows from southern Canada through the western United States. It’s much more widespread than the Sierra blazingstar.

As I noted on a previous post, the flowers stay open from mid-morning through the night. Blazingstars attract pollinators during evening hours, including hawk moths. The giant blazingstar can also self-pollinate.

Friday Flowers (FF)

Flower of the Day (FOTD)

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Sentinel standing watch: ST & OWS

I took this photo of the Sentinel standing watch in Sequoia National Park in California. This giant sequoia tree measures 257 feet tall and 25 feet in diameter, four feet above the base, making it the 43rd largest in the world and 26th largest in the Giant Forest. It’s estimated to be 2,175 years old.

The largest giant sequoia, Sequoiadendron giganteum, is located nearby. The General Sherman tree measures 272 feet in height and 25 feet in diameter, four feet above its base.

Sentinel standing watch

In photographs taken from this angle, it almost looks like it’s a sentinel standing watch on long reddish-brown legs.

The Sentinel tree is growing right next to the Giant Forest Museum. This museum is small, but nicely laid out and informative.

Giant Forest Museum

Sunday Trees (ST)

One Word Sunday (OWS) – Red

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Eye drawings and paintings: FFA

Today I’m sharing eye drawings and paintings. The first three show pencil sketches of human eyes; the second three show paintings of animal eyes done with acrylics.

Pencil drawings

In the first drawing, I tried to convey a person who is bright and inquisitive. Slight changes in how open the eye is and the position of the eyebrow can change the emotions you are trying to portray.

eye drawings and paintings

In the next drawing, I show the eye of a person who is sad and anxious.

eye drawings and paintings

In the last drawing I started out trying to portray someone laughing, but I think it turned into a slightly mysterious, Mona Lisa-type smiling expression.

pencil sketch of eye

Acrylic paintings

The next photo shows a close up of an Australian shepherd I painted on a rock with acrylics. Though I could have added more shading to the eyes, I decided not to. The expression could be seen as startled or alert.

Australian shepherds’ hauntingly blue eyes often are referred to as “ghost eyes.” Here’s a quote from Dogster about this feature:

“According to legend, Native Americans considered them sacred animals whose unique eyes linked them to the spirit world. Other legends speak of heterochromatic dogs as being able to view heaven and earth simultaneously.”

Here is a close-up of one of my current dog’s eyes. Her other eye is predominantly brown, so she has heterochromatic eyes. Now I understand why she sees things in a unique way. 🙂

Close up of dog

The next painting shows a close up of a fox rock I painted. On this rock, I added a light color on the bottom of the eye and darker color near the top eyelid. This adds depth to the eyes and shows the fox’s sly personality.

fox painting

The last painting shows a close up of a lion’s eyes. On this painting, I added a thick black line around the eyes. This “eyeliner” effect pulls your attention to the eyes. They give this lion a powerful presence.

eye drawings and paintings

I hope these eye drawings and paintings show you different ways you can portray a person or an animal’s personality.

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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Delicate symbols of peace acrostic poem: BOTW

Delicate symbols
Of peace
Vying for space
Endure
Settle

Delicate symbols of peace
Eurasian Collared-Doves and Mourning Dove

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Birds of the Week (BOTW)

Bend Branches birthday

Ten years ago today, I published my first post on this blog. I am celebrating Bend Branches birthday with a little treat.

My first post was titled, Time. It featured a photo of my favorite western juniper tree in my yard in Bend, Oregon. A winter sunset paints the skies in the background.

Bend Branches birthday

My post also included the following observation:

“The twists and turns of time can ravage one or make them into a thing of beauty.”

Thank you to my followers and to others who stop by to view my posts. Your likes and comments have encouraged and inspired me. I hope to celebrate another Bend Branches birthday ten years from now.

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Blog anniversary

Get creative on blog posts: LAPC

You can get creative on blog posts in several ways.

Artwork

You may want to showcase your own artwork.

This rock was the perfect shape for a barn owl painting. I used acrylic paint on this rock. First, I applied a cream colored base coat, then used small brushes to add the details. I perched it in the fork of a tree in my yard for the photo.

Get creative Pocket Barn Owl

The next photo shows a magpie flying over the Painted Hills. As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, the bird is a character in a book I’m working on. For this painting, I used watercolors and ink from a Chinese inkstick.

In the next drawing, I used pen and ink. This a stylized drawing of a grizzly bear. I had forgotten it was on the back of another drawing I had done of a bear.

Grizzly drawings by Siobhan Sullivan. September 2020

Photo Bloopers

You can be creative in other ways. I like to occasionally post photo bloopers. This is where I post pictures that didn’t turn out as expected, so I add a little humor to them.

One day, I was following a family of Trumpeter Swans near the Sunriver Nature Center in Oregon. As soon as I started taking pictures, they did this.

Trumpeter swan Blooper 15 July 2016

The caption reads, “She’s about to take our picture. Quick, everyone put your head underwater!”

The next one shows the Three Gossips rock formation in Arches National Park in Utah.

Fun photos: The Three Gossips at Arches National Park, Utah October 2018

One of the gossips is saying, “Then Rocky told me he’d give me the latest scoop.” Another says, “Really?” The last one says, “Cliff, you really shouldn’t spread that kind of dirt.”

The next photo shows a close up of wrinkly bark on a western juniper tree.

Fun Photos: Close up of western juniper bark, Bend, Oregon October 2018

The caption reads, “Uh… the anti-wrinkle cream doesn’t seem to be working.”

Photo Processing Effects

Another way to get creative on your blog is to use photo processing effects. I use Corel PaintShop Pro 2021 to edit my pictures.

The first shows a cloud-filled sky over Playa at Summer Lake. If you move the slider, you can see how the original compares to the edited version. I increased the contrast and used a black and white film effect. This effect works well with cloud formations.

Zigzag boardwalk

In the next photo, I used a colored edges effect on a picture I took of daisies. I like this one because it almost looks like a drawing with this effect.

Flowers in Bend, OregonColored edges effect on flowers

The last photo shows a windmill at Fort Rock Homestead Village Museum in Oregon. For this picture I used a glowing edges artistic effect. It makes all the details stand out.

Windmill at Fort RockGlowing edges effect

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Creativity

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Grizzly Falls in B & W: MM & WWE

Here’s a photo of part of Grizzly Falls in B & W. I took this picture in Kings Canyon National Park and thought it looked best with a monochrome effect. Grizzly Falls is a 75-foot tall waterfall right beside the road.

Grizzly Falls in B & W

Monochrome Monday (MM)

Water Water Everywhere (WWE)

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Reflecting on adventures

Reflecting on adventures to

national parks to see iconic landmarks

reflecting on adventures
Reflection Lake, Lassen Volcanic National Park, California

Or to hidden gems in more isolated places

Withers Lake, Oregon
Withers Lake, Oregon

Remembering trips in search of feathered friends and

Finding tiny floating treasures

American coot cooties
American Coot & cooties, Summer Lake, Oregon

Or elegant creatures striding on stilt-like legs

Sandhill Crane
Sandhill Crane, Summer Lake, Oregon

Reflecting on adventures to

familiar places seen in a new light with a coating of snow

reflecting on adventures
Flag Bridge, Bend, Oregon

Or framed by the fiery leaves of fall

Pioneer Park foliage
Pioneer Park, Bend, Oregon

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Reflections

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Brickhouse restaurant: Foodie Friday & OWS

Last weekend, we had an excellent meal at the Brickhouse in downtown Bend, Oregon.

I started with the Beet Salad. This salad includes pickled beets, endive, arugula, radicchio, and candied pumpkin seeds topped with Rogue Blue cheese crumbles and citrus vinaigrette. I especially liked the tartness of the beets and the sweetness of the pumpkin seeds.

By the way, the Rogue cheese sprinkled on the salad won the World’s Best Cheese award in 2019 and won a Super Gold Award in 2022 at the World Cheese Awards.

Brickhouse beet salad

Next, I had the Seafood Pasta. This dish includes wild prawns, sea scallops, and fresh fish topped with Parmigiano Reggiano cream sauce and fresh herbs. This was delicious and so rich, the leftovers lasted for two more meals.

seafood pasta

My dining companion had the Rib Eye Steak. This is an 18-oz piece of heavily marbled USDA Prime meat. It was perfectly prepared and served with bone marrow butter (for an additional cost).

Rib eye steak

We celebrated a special occasion with the Marionberry Cobbler. The cobbler was full of flavorful berries and topped with vanilla ice cream and a mint leaf. The crumble topping on this dessert was very good.

Brickhouse berry cobbler

Service at the restaurant was prompt and polite. Since we ordered a salad, dessert, and drinks in addition to the entrees, this was a pricey meal. However, I appreciated the well-prepared meal, good service, and the fact you can carry on a conversation. As I’ve mentioned before, restaurants where I have to shout to be heard, lose points with me. I will definitely return to the Brickhouse and recommend it to others.

Brickhouse location and hours

The Brickhouse is located at 5 NW Minnesota Ave, Bend, Oregon 97703. It’s open seven days a week from 4:00 to 9:30 pm. Brickhouse offers First Hour Specials at discounted prices from 4:00 to 5:00 pm.

Foodie Friday

One Word Sunday (OWS) – Looking down

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Chihuly glass art: Wordless Wednesday

Chihuly glass art

Chihuly glass art at the Seattle Aquarium

Wordless Wednesday

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Stormy skies: LAPC

Stormy skies can be seen over inland saline lakes

stormy skies
Abert Lake, Oregon

Or by the shore of the sea

Seal Rock
Seal Rock, Oregon

Clouds collect over unique natural wonders

Hot Springs State Park
Hot Springs State Park, Wyoming

and over acres and acres of the Sagebrush Sea

Powell Butte thunderstorms
Powell Butte, Oregon

Stormy skies settle along distant horizons

Stormy skies
Near Pocatello, Idaho

Or float above the place you call home

Dramatic clouds
Bend, Oregon

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge (LAPC) – Stormy

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Checkerspot butterfly up close: MM & FOWC

I took pictures of this checkerspot butterfly up close on Winter Ridge in Oregon. I believe it’s a Anicia Checkerspot, Euphydryas anicia, based on the description on the Butterflies of Oregon website.

Anicia checkerspot

It’s a beautiful checkerspot butterfly on its own, but I noticed it blended in really well with its environment. Can you see how all the colors on the butterfly’s wings are also in the lichens on the rock? Was it just a coincidence, or did it land here on purpose? Hmm…

butterfly on boulder

Macro Monday (MM)

Fandango’s One Word Challenge (FOWC)

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Content critters: LAPC

Content critters know when to relax with family,

content critters

Or get together with the neighbors

Fish at aquarium

Animals know when to find a cozy lap,

content critters

Or seek out the warmth of the sun

Gray fox

Content critters know when to stand alone,

Mountain Bluebird

Or work together towards a common goal

White Pelicans

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge (LAPC) – Mellow

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Rattlesnake drawings & photos: First Friday Art

Today I’m sharing a few rattlesnake drawings and a couple of recent photos I took. I did these drawings when I was working on a writing a character in a book. When I draw a character, it helps with my writing.

Rattlesnake drawings

Roca, the rattlesnake character, gets his power from thundereggs. Thundereggs are the official state rock in Oregon. As of this year, they have been designated as the state rock for 60 years.

Here’s a photo of a giant one that I had cut in half. I found it at the Priday Polka-Dot Agate Beds, located near Madras. Read more about this amazing site here.

Thunderegg cut in half

Anyway… back to rattlesnakes. While participating in a workshop through Playa at Summer Lake, we stopped at Abert Lake. At the north end of the lake, we saw not one, not two, but three rattlesnakes rattling their rattles. Here’s one of them.

Great Basin rattlesnake

In Oregon, there are two subspecies of Western rattlesnakes. The one pictured above is a Great Basin rattlesnake, Crotalus oreganus lutosus. The other subspecies is the Northern Pacific rattlesnake, Crotalus oreganus.

Here’s another snake nearby.

snake in the grass

We may have seen three snakes in close proximity because they denned together over the winter and recently emerged. Reptiles have a hard time regulating their body temperature. In the winter, they gather together and go into a kind of suspended animation called “brumation.”

Though people may fear them, it should be remembered snakes play an important role in maintaining the balance in ecosystems. They play a significant role in controlling rodent populations.

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

First Friday Art

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In a blue landscape haiku: BOTW

in a blue landscape
a swallow’s iridescence
echoes summer sun

In a blue landscape
Violet-green Swallow at Summer Lake, Oregon

Birds of the Week (BOTW)

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1914 Model T Ford: Monochrome Monday

This 1914 Model T Ford is on display near the entrance of the High Desert Museum in Bend, Oregon. The Ford Company produced the Model T from 1908 to 1927. Over 15 million were sold in that time period.

1914 Model T Ford

Moving assembly lines were utilized to produce this affordable vehicle. Production speed was increased by having groups work together in an 84 step process. In 1913, a car was produced every 1.5 hours. In 1923, production time was cut to 23 seconds. Wow!

In 1999, the Model T was recognized as the Car of the Century.

Monochrome Monday

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Mountain goat sculpture & photo: Sculpture Saturday

This bronze mountain goat sculpture shows an adult goat with a kid on its back. This piece was created by Pete Helzer and installed at the Oregon Zoo in 1998.

mountain goat sculpture

You can see real mountain goats at a nearby enclosure.

magnificent mountain goat

Sculpture Saturday

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Red Beard Barbecue: Foodie Friday

Red Beard Barbecue is a great place to order barbecue in Bend, Oregon. Their food truck is located at the Dogwood at the Pine Shed food truck lot. They have an additional truck at Otto’s Landing in Redmond, Oregon.

The photo below shows the Three Meat Combo. There are several choices for meat. This one includes Pork Ribs, Tri-tip, and Chicken. Red Beard offers seven sides. We had the Coleslaw. The sauces with this order included the Spicy Honey Garlic and the Honey Garlic.

Red Beard Barbecue

The smoked meat tastes good with or without the sauce. That’s how I judge a barbecue place. I also liked how they serve a generous portion that gives you plenty for leftovers.

This picture shows a few of the food trucks at the Pine Shed lot. Red Beard Barbecue is the red one in the back. Note, this picture was taken in February when there was a little snow on the ground. They have a wonderful indoor seating area here and they serve unique cocktails.

Dogwood at the Pine Shed

Foodie Friday

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Remnants of sunlight haiku: WWE & WS

remnants of sunlight
slash across High Desert skies
on a cool spring night

remnants of sunlight
Dusk at Summer Lake

Water, Water Everywhere (WWE)

Weekend Sky (WS)

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