Here are several old corners that have stood the test of time.
Weekly Photo Challenge – Corner
Weekly Photo Challenge
Kingbird surveying his realm
This western kingbird distracted us while we were on a field trip looking for Swainson’s hawks and ground squirrels. Their bright color and bold personality forces you to take notice of them.
You can see part of Fort Rock in the background on the left. To learn more about the cave with ancient artifacts near there, see my post here. For information on the great museum at Fort Rock, see my post here.
Weekly Photo Challenge – Ooh, Shiny!
Bridge of Art Update
Bright Passes
Storms can be raging around you
Clouding your judgement
Darkening your mood
Look for the passes
On your horizons
Make your way
Across the low spots to the
Brightness beyond the barriers
Weekly Photo Challenge – Elemental
Feeling rocky
Here are my entries for the Weekly Photo Challenge related to Texture. I am fascinated by the many shapes, colors, and textures of rock.
Castles of Bryce
Being a visual person, I have always wanted to visit Bryce Canyon National Park. I was not disappointed when I visited the park in May. Here are some of the many multi-layered delicate castles of stone in the park. They are a visual treat to all that are lucky enough to see them.
Weekly Photo Challenge – Satisfaction
Three Bucks Landscaping Service
Do you need a little help with your garden? These three mule deer bucks showed up to help in our backyard. We often see deer here but it was unusual to see three bucks together. They just did a little pruning here and there and then left. Thanks guys!
Weekly Photography Challenge – Unusual
Colorful collage of comestibles
Lots of colorful fruits and veggies to buy at the Farmer’s Market yesterday in Bend, Oregon.
Weekly Photo Challenge – Collage
Friday Flowers & Flag Bridge
Just couldn’t resist posting one more picture of a bridge. The color of the flags on the bridge are changed with the various seasons, holidays, and events. This bridge is not far from the one I posted on Wednesday. The bridge is in Bend, Oregon and it goes over the Deschutes River. There are some nice trails to walk on near the river. It’s also fun to inner tube, kayak, and stand up paddle board here. Colorful flowers around the area are in full bloom.
Weekly Photo Challenge – Bridge
Bridge of Art
Last summer I was out for an early morning walk and happened to see an artist at work painting a mural on a bridge. Sandy Klein was painting spring flowers and birds on this bridge of art in the Old Mill district of Bend, Oregon. The beautiful artwork sprinkled throughout Bend accentuates its natural beauty.
Weekly Photo Challenge – Bridge
Peek-a-boo view of flicker
Some birds you hear long before you see them. I was happy to follow the sound of a northern flicker’s calls to discover it was nesting on our property. Here is peek-a-boo view of it looking out from its nest cavity in a western juniper tree. Their markings are loud and sharp – just like their calls. I know the birds won’t be in their nest for long, but I am glad to catch glimpses of them glimpsing at me.
Weekly Photography Challenge – Transient
Blurry songster
Out of focus but in tune
I recently heard a complicated and beautiful birdsong but it took me a minute to locate the singer. Though the photo I took turned out to be one of a blurry songster, the mockingbird’s song was loud and clear. Be sure to visit this site to hear it – Northern Mockingbird’s song. No wonder its Latin name translates to “many-tongued mimic.”
Northern mockingbird Mimus polyglottos
Weekly Photo Challenge – Focus
A story in layers
Land forms of the Moenkopi Formation at Capitol Reef National Park, Utah
Land forms at Capitol Reef National Park
The landscape at Capitol Reef National Park tells many stories in colorful layers of rock. The darker columns in the picture above are part of the Moenkopi Formation and it is 225 million years old.
The sedimentary layers of rock in this picture consist of silt, sand, clay, and gravel. The bands of gray and burgundy are made up of volcanic ash. The 700 foot thick layer at the base of the cliffs is the Chinle Formation. That formation contains a lot of petrified wood.
I was impressed by contrasting colors and textures at this park. If you take a trip to Utah, don’t overlook this park. There are a lot of hiking trails here and a short scenic drive.
Weekly Photo Challenge – Order
Fleeting moments with a friend
A friend may well be reckoned the masterpiece of nature.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Remembering a wonderful trip with my friend at Hosmer Lake.
Weekly Photo Challenge – Friend
Hummer time
It’s hummer time! Here’s a view of a hummingbird working the flowers of spring last year. The flowers fade away as the seasons turn but the memory of their brilliance remains.
Weekly Photography Challenge – Evanescent
Newspaper Rock – Ancient Messages in Stone
An amazing example of petroglyphs can be seen on the road into the Needles section of Canyonlands National Park in Utah. Wow! I have seen petroglyphs before but never so many in one spot. There are more than 650 drawings on Newspaper Rock at this state historical monument. The dark desert varnish provides a nice contrast to the messages carved into the stone.
The first carvings at this site have been determined to be 2,000 years old. People of the Archaic, Anasazi, Fremont, Navajo, Anglo, and Pueblo cultures have carved their messages into the rock over the years. Unfortunately, it looks like some more modern graffiti artists added to parts of the scene.
The meanings of the messages here have been difficult to figure out. Do they tell a story or are they merely scribbles? The Navajo refer to Newspaper Rock as Tse’ Hane – translated as “Rock that tells a story.” It does indeed appear to tell many stories. Only the people who made the carvings know exactly what those stories were.
Weekly Photo Challenge – Heritage
Continue reading
Fall morning at Sunriver
Dangerous Beauties
The Three Sisters volcanoes in Oregon are beautiful but one of the three is dangerous. The photo above shows Middle Sister, a dormant volcano, and North Sister, an extinct volcano. Their other sibling, South Sister, is the troublemaker. This volcano last erupted about 2,000 years ago and research in 2000 indicated uplifting activity so it could blow again. See all three Sisters in the photo below. South Sister is on the left – some distance from her siblings.
Weekly Photo Challenge – Danger!
The wonder of Sahalie Falls
Sahalie Falls, Oregon
“The key to a wonderful life is to never stop wandering into wonder.”
Suzy Kassem
Weekly Photo Challenge – Wanderlust
Lava Rock Red
Hidden Fawn
While out hiking last June near Camp Sherman, Oregon, we were surprised to find a hidden fawn in a grassy field. Its mother was close by so we took a few pictures and continued on our way.
Weekly Photo Challenge – Surprise
Hiding in plain sight
Hiding in plain sight, safe and secure in its nest, this great horned owlet looks content while an adult keeps watch nearby.
Weekly Photo Challenge – Security
Dense Clouds
Dense clouds in the sky can be seen as an excuse to feel sorrowful and gloomy or an opportunity to reflect back a glow of happiness and joy.
Weekly Photo Challenge – Dense
Green 2
Verdant and vibrant
Cool and calm
Reposting this little post about the color green in Green 2. Also see my last post – A green scene
Weekly Photo Challenge – It IS easy being green!
Chickaree Mad at Me
I got quite the scolding from this chickaree squirrel from its perch above me. Chickarees, otherwise known as Douglas’ squirrels, will try to defend their territory from just about anything.
Weekly Photo Challenge – Atop
An artist’s wish
Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone National Park
Sometimes an artist’s greatest wish is that others will be able to see the emotion and spirit of a place in their work. I hope you can feel some of what I was trying to capture in this photo from Yellowstone National Park.
Art is about expressing the true nature of the human spirit in whatever way one wishes to express it. If it is honest, it is beautiful. If it is not honest, it is obvious.
Corin Nemec
Weekly Photo Challenge – Wish
Looking back to Fort Rock
A sky streaked with clouds frames Fort Rock, rising from the sagebrush sea in central Oregon. This is the view from a cave where ancient sandals made from sagebrush were found. Sandals and other artifacts found there were determined to be 9,300-10,250 years old. Walking from the cave back towards the mountain, you can almost imagine some of the sights ancient people may have seen.
For more about the cave, visit my post. Read more about the excellent Fort Rock Valley Historical Society Homestead Village Museum, on another one of my posts.
Weekly Photo Challenge – The road taken
A Matched Pair
Here is another great outdoor metal sculpture by local artist Greg Congleton. This sculpture depicts a team of draft horses pulling a log. Thousands of draft horses were imported from Western Europe in the late 19th and early 20th century to help with logging, farming, and moving freight and passengers.
Here is the sign nearby that lists some of the parts used to make this sculpture. Can you find any of them?
Note that this sculpture was donated by Penny and Phil Knight. Phil is the co-founder and chairman emeritus of a company named Nike. Perhaps you have heard of it.
Here is a video of Belgian draft horses at work dragging logs. They are pretty impressive.
Weekly Photo Challenge – A Good Match
Persisting
Though barriers may sometimes block your way, if you persist you can find your way around them.
Weekly Photography Challenge – Against the odds
Shadow Otter
A strange and almost surreal photo that has rays of light, wave shadows, and reflections of floating leaves. Can you find the shadow otter swimming in the background?
Weekly Photo Challenge – Shadow
The Sentinel
Warped and twisted in its quest for water, this lone tree keeps watch over the Lava Cast Forest. The sentinel standing tall over the forest.
Weekly Photo Challenge – Solitude
The T. rex within
While on vacation, I picked up a rock and it told me what it was meant to be. A T. rex of course!
I took it home and got ready to paint a Tyrannosaurus rex. All of the ridges and depressions seemed to be in exactly the right spots. Even the greenish color was right. I darkened a few spots and enhanced others. I added scales with a tiny brush. The crooked T. rex grin fit right into the contours of the rock. The nostril and eye placed themselves along a ridge and depression.
Look past external appearances and you may find magic hidden within.
Weekly Photography Challenge – Repurpose
Finding grace
Headwaters of the Metolius River, Oregon
Rivers make their own way
Flowing
In a steady direction
Turning
When they find obstacles
Rising
And descending towards
Finding
A unique form of grace
Weekly Photo Challenge – Graceful
Waiting out the storm
Robins feasted on juniper berries while waiting out the storm.
Spasmodic Geyser
I have always had a special feeling about Spasmodic Geyser in Yellowstone National Park. Why? I think part of it has to do with the interesting name. Check out this short video and watch for the butterfly that tempts fate.
Eruptions from this geyser range from a few inches to 20 feet in height. The time between eruptions varies but is usually in the range of 1-3 hours. Spasmodic Geyser has a temperature of 198° F. This geyser was named by Geologist A.C. Peale when he was doing work with the 1878 Hayden survey team. Peale chose this name due to the geyser’s erratic behavior.
Weekly Photo Challenge – Names
Juniper Muse
I have a scraggly old western juniper tree in my yard that is one of my favorite photography subjects. It’s my juniper muse. Can you see why? These resilient trees get more contorted, furrowed, and interesting as they age. Perhaps the same could be said for some people you may know.
Weekly Photo Challenge – Resilient
Zigzag – Words of Wisdom
As you make your way along the path of your life, you may make sudden and abrupt turns. Stay steady and remain on course to get to where you were meant to be.
Weekly Photo Challenge – Zigzag Path
Hosmer Lake Reflections
South Sister from Hosmer Lake, Oregon
My yard is blanketed with fresh snow and temperatures are in the teens but I’m glad I can think back to a warm summer day kayaking on Hosmer Lake. I hope to explore many new horizons in the new year and share them here.
To learn more about my great trip to Hosmer Lake, click here.
Weekly Photo Challenge – New Horizon
Tucked in for Winter
These ducks are getting themselves all tucked in in anticipation of a long cold winter.
Weekly Photo Challenge – anticipation
