Time in the Garden

Following my workout I went directly to the Owen Rose Garden hoping for a decent shot of this bloom.  I tried to get one yesterday but the wind just dominated the scene so I got nothing that really worked.  I am not sure of  the name so would welcome an addition to my botanical knowledge.

This is a stacked image created from 14 separate images.  It is the only one that worked for me from the images I collected this morning which just means that I will return soon.  A large view is better so click on the image if you would like to see it that way and I welcome you comments.  Thanks for looking

Spring blooms

As I said in a post yesterday I think the Metolius River is one of the prettiest rivers in Oregon and in the spring the banks are full of wild flowers.  Not just the banks but there are small mid-channel bars that are covered with beautiful bouquets.  Below is one example.

South of the town of Sisters are hillsides that were severely burned a few years back.  Those hills are coming back and are covered with ceanothus that are bloom.

Thanks for looking.  Stay healthy as we move into yet another phase of virus protection.

Desert treats

As you travel south on Highway 31, The Fremont Highway, from the town of Silver Lake, home of the Cowboy Dinner Tree which serves an excellent albeit large dinner, you start a steep climb that takes you out of one watershed and drops you in the Great Sandy Desert.  At the top you can find some petroglyphs left from when the Paiute tribe roamed this country in past years.  I like this one – mother and child – I think I can see antlers so  maybe a deer or and antelope.

After hearing of rain on the desert the week before I went over looking for wildflowers.  The first day I found some Arrowleaf Balsamroot (Balsamorhiza sagittata) – the intense yellow against the gray and brown of the desert makes this plant stand out.

Traveling along I kept my eyes open for flowers and came upon a flat at the base of the hills just north of Alvord Desert covered with blooms.

One more stop on a long day that still had a trip to the Malheur NWR to come.  Love the way a gully like this concentrates enough water to initiate a little garden.

Be sure to click on the images for a larger screen view – especially the last two.  I still have a few more images to work with but as you can hopefully see this was a really good outing.

 

Further into the Desert

Following a quick stop along the road east of Adel – due to about 100 head of cattle being herded down the road – I drove into the beginnings of the Basin and Range country.  As the name describes you travel over some steep ridges with names like Buzzard Gap @ 6,122 ft and Dorothy Rim at 6, 240 ft. and then drop down into almost flat basins.  The image below is from one of the basins.  You know you are in big country when a 14mm prime wide angle lens just seems to be not wide enough.  The road joins Hwy 205 at Denio Junction, Nevada and it was there that I turned north and headed toward the Alvord Desert.  It is always a treat for me to stop and visit with John Simpkins at Andrews.  We were both careful to do our social distancing and to keep the visit short.

I think the Alvord Desert is one of the most interesting places in Oregon if not the whole interior west.  The Playa in late Spring and throughout summer is bone white and very hard.  Going mid-week was a good idea as those I chatted with said that the Memorial Day weekend was very crowded and noisy.  Not something that appeals to me.  I wandered for a couple of hours on the Playa – the reflection of the sun made what was a relatively hot day even hotter.  I love the vastness of this place.   The photographic gurus tell me that one should never split an image down the middle but this just seems to work for me.  Again please click on the image for a larger view.

I have more to post – intimate views of the tiles on the Playa and fields of wildflowers in bloom but will wait a day or two.  Comments always welcome.

Easter Morning

Found this wonderful flowering tree along the banks of the Mckenzie River this morning in Armitage Park. Developed it while listening to Beethoven’s Ode to Joy – seemed to be just right for an Easter Morning.

Have a day of peace and joy.  All the best to all y’all.

Easter Lily

Not the standard variety of Easter Lily that you see on the shelves on grocery stores this time of year but more a natural variety that I think still trumpets the joy of the season.  Shot this at Mt. Pisgah and there are more scattered about but not in full bloom.  I did check out the West Eugene Wetlands and the blooms there are no where near out or ready.  Maybe a couple of weeks.  Perhaps they are self isolating! Wishing you all a Happy Easter connecting as best you can.

Potential Pears

As many of you may know and in the past been recipients of fresh pears in August, I have a pear tree in my backyard.  It is currently in bloom and I think about the blooms being potential pears.  Here is one – perhaps a couple.  Hope you are all well and taking care of yourselves and your communities.  All the best

A Spring Morning…

… in the garden in the backyard.  I kinda jumped the gun yesterday wishing y’all a Happy First Day of Spring but I think today really is the start of longer days and warmer weather.  The image below is a composite of 6 images – stacked.  Took a while to gather a sequence that was still enough to composite.  I have seen a lot of traditional color Daffodil images and they are lovely but I think B&W brings out the classic, simple beauty in these blooms.

Comments always welcome

When the Spring Replaced the Winter

You may be saying “What is he talking about??  Ain’t happened here!”  Probably true as you move across the State and gain and lose elevation.  However this morning I went to Hendricks Park and there are signs that Spring will replace the Winter in the next few weeks.  Love this park – seems that I can always find something to photograph.  Also was delighted to have some energy back and feeling like I was really recovering.

Hendricks Park path lamps in the early morning light

A stacked image of early blooms.

I certainly do welcome your comments and thanks for looking.

Sparks Lake View

I took this image a couple of years ago, 2017, in mid-August.  It was the summer of smoke and haze from all the wildfires that ran thru the forests of Oregon.  Sometimes odd conditions can make for interesting images.  The little yellow flowers on the islands were in bloom again this year but well past their prime – they were full on in the image below and added a lot to the image.

Click for a larger view.  Let me know what you think – comments welcome