Moments of Magic in Oregon: LAPC, WWP

Remembering moments of magic in Oregon

Rambling past remnants of history with curious children in tow

Moments of magic
Wreck of the Peter Iredale, Fort Stevens State Park, Oregon

Watching bird broods on windswept islands stretch their wings to flutter and fly

Seabird colony
Seabird colony, Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area, Oregon

Feeling the pounding rhythm of roiling water and the softness of its spray

moments of magic Multnomah Falls
Multnomah Falls, Oregon

Listening to voices from long ago telling tales of hardship and happiness

Fort Rock Homestead Village Museum
Fort Rock Homestead Village Museum, Oregon

Pausing to marvel at moments of magic in colorful soil, layer by layer

Painted Hills
Painted Hills Unit, John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Oregon

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge (LAPC) – Magical

Weekend Writing Prompt (WWP) – Rhythm (67 words)

Whispers of autumn poem: WWP

Whispers of autumn
Blown in on
Northern winds
Cool and crisp
Leaves turn
From verdant to
Golden, orange,
Crimson
Rustles
Drifting gently
To Earth

Whispers of Autumn

Weekend Writing Prompt (WWP) – Whisper (24 words)

Fluttering into a wild iris meadow: WWP

Fluttering into a wild iris meadow
White-faced Ibis alight
Curved bills preen and probe
Iridescent feathers catch fading light
Casting rainbows over dusty hills
Awakening dormant wildflowers
Yearning for an opportunity
To shine

fluttering into a wild iris meadow

Weekend Writing Prompt (WWP) #322- Flutter (34 words)

The path: LAPC, WWP, WS

The path in front of you may be dark and foreboding

Santiam Wagon Road

At times, it will zig and zag, causing you to lose hope

Zig zag path

Keep your eyes and mind open, looking for an ephemeral glimmer of light

Sunrise and juniper
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A tower of light tale: LAPC & WWP

There, above a rocky shore, a cylindrical tower appears.
The shipwrecked crew stumbles towards the house of perpetual light.
They ascend a zigzagging set of stairs, rising above the gray mist.

Lighthouse tower

A well-worn trail leads them towards the shining tower.
Thick fog clears, revealing a path that encircles the lighthouse.
The crew heads towards the front door, seeking warmth and sustenance.

Yaquina Head Lighthouse
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On the other side: LAPC & WWP

On the other side of darkness,
it may be difficult to find a clear path ahead

On the other side
Lava Butte, Oregon

The journey towards a viable future
may be surrounded by ghosts of what once was

Santiam Highway
Remnants of fire, Santiam Highway, Oregon

Meander between colorful boulders haphazardly blocking the trail
in a landscape dark and unfathomable

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Avian sentry poem: WWP

Avian sentry blackbird

Avian sentry alert at daybreak
Perched on cattails near High Desert lake
Dangerous clouds move in
Surrounding him
Lightning flashes
Thunder crashes
Blackbird sounds alarm
Protecting marshes from harm

Yellow-headed Blackbird

Weekend Writing Prompt – Avian (29 Words)

Double views in changing seasons: LAPC & WWP

Changing seasons bring double views

Shining cactus blossoms returning

double views of cactus

Mothers guarding their curious young

Cow with calves

Dramatic storms hovering over landscapes

Double views of Summer Lake
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A rabble of robins: SS & WWP

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)

On distant trails: LAPC, WWP, & SS

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

Painted Hills – An origin myth: WWP

Painted Hills Oregon

Steep knife-edged mountains arose from the plains centuries ago. Over time, torrential rains wore them down into rounded hills. Though plants tried to take root on their soil, none survived.

The Wise One summoned the artists of her tribe. She asked them to paint the hills in sacred colors. Pale green colors, from crushed sagebrush leaves and golden rabbitbrush blossoms, and black and red, from sumac trees, filled their brushes. The artisans painted the hills with broad brushstrokes and veiled the skies with delicate dabs of white.

Weekend Writing Prompt #230 – Brush (87 words)

Following Pronghorn: LAPC & WWP

I’ve been following pronghorn for years. They have much to teach us.

following pronghorn near Great Basin Npk

A restless past

In the distant past, I was always restless, bounding from place to place, relationship to relationship. Once I started sensing my roots taking hold, I would break free, fleeing restraints. I sprinted towards the next place or person. Like an animal being pursued by a predator, I found it easier to run.

Grazing pronghorn buck in Yellowstone

Following Pronghorn

One day I started thinking of pronghorns, those iconic creatures of the Wild West, differently. Maybe I could learn something from them. They are a one-of-a-kind animal, not quite fitting into any family. I felt that way too and I began following pronghorn.

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The Hoodoos – A story in 47 words: LAPC & WWP

Walking among the hoodoos in the morning light, feeling out of my element.

Hoodoos at Bryce Canyon

Sculpted towers surround me, casting tall shadows. Their wind-carved faces turn towards the sun,

Close up at Bryce Canyon

until clouds block their view.

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