Through The Log

Is it a monstrous cave opening or just a hole through a log.

Weathered Stump

A weathered tree stump on the dunes of Westport, Oregon.

Five Stones

Wrapping up a week of beach photos from Westport, Washington.  (Which was an incredible locale, by the way--if you're into free, secluded, luxurious vacations by the ocean.)

Sunset Rock

Sunset at Westport, Washington.

Thoughtful on the Dunes

A man on the dunes looking out over the Pacific ocean. (Westport, Washington).

I haven't taken all that many sunset / sunrise photos, so the color in this shot surprised me. I assumed that photographers used filters or Photoshop to color these shots. But the color here is straight from the camera.

Lime Woods

Bright green summer woods.

Chapel and the Tree

A tree still in color by Mt. Scott Park Presbyterian Church. Yes, in December.

Through the Trees

Sunlight through old trees, crisp air. Ahhhhhhh.

Ghost Moon

Ghostly image of a full moon. (30-second exposure on a cloudy night.)

Island of the Sea Lions

Rocky island resort of barking sea lions and screeching gulls, complete with crashing waves and salty sea spray. Click the image for a larger view.

Big Sky

Visited the "End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center" today (FREE admission on July 4th. And I do love FREE.). Nothing like learning about the Oregon Trail on Independence Day to make you feel good about white men running rampant across North America laying waste to nature in pursuit of wealth. (Note the sarcasm.)

On a positive note, I suppose the Oregon Trail holds some personal symbolism in that we made our own cross-country trip to Oregon last fall in pursuit of our dreams. Just didn't kill any buffalo ("tetonka") along the way.

So anyway, I couldn't stop thinking today of this old 1952 Kirk Douglas movie I'd seen as a kid (no, I wasn't alive in 1952) called "The Big Sky". Turns out the movie has nothing to do with the Oregon Trail. Has some quirky quotes that I remember though.

Hope you had a happy fourth!

Donut Tree

Another fine example of the electric company's pruning handiwork.

Dark Clouds Rollin' In

Dramatic storm clouds before a summer rain last year.

Tree Bones

A tree's bare skeleton exposed against a cold sky. Winter has always been my least favorite season, a symbol for death and all that's depressing in the world. I usually yearn for that first hint of life on a tree bud or blade of grass. Imagine my delight in this first Portland winter where it's so green that people have to mow their lawns! Bring on the endless drizzle--as long as it gives me green.

Dreams Come True

Okay, so I'll eat my words. I was dreaming of a green Christmas here in the northwest and we actually got a white one. It snowed in Portland on Christmas! I remember every Christmas as a kid wishing that it would snow, so today's blanket of white was nostalgic and happy.

Mossy Stairway

Steps leading up to Multnomah Falls near Portland.

Stone Stairs

Warmth of sun meets cold of stone on top of Mt. Tabor.

Autumn Glow

Soft sunlight filters through autumn leaves on top of Mt. Tabor. Oregon is beautiful!

Multnomah Falls

The lower half of Multnomah Falls cascades in a silvery sheen on a crisp autumn morning. We're just beginning to discover the seemingly endless natural beauty of Oregon. This is just one of a series of seven waterfalls within a half hour drive from our house.

Endless Evergreen

The height of the evergreen trees in Portland astounds me. Their endless shadows scatter patches of warm sunlight along grassy paths, perfect for a quiet stroll.

Apples

Apples sit in the hollow trunk of their tree, stashed there by a critter, a person, or just happenstance.

Lone Tree

Whenever I see a lone tree out in a farmer's field, I have to wonder why it's still there. Makes for a nice photo though.

Happy Willow

Am I morose? Weeping Willows are my favorite tree. Odd that such a sad sounding tree should be the one that makes me so happy. In my ideal world, my backyard has a huge willow with a swing and a trickling stream nearby.

Dark Clouds

Glad to have had some rain this week. Our grass actually has a bit of green to it again!

Jurassic Bark

We drive by this tree a lot and it always looks to me like a dinosaur waiting to crush the next car that comes over the hill. Do you see it? I'm sure the guys from the electric company who trimmed the tree weren't intending to sculpt a piece of public art, but it certainly amuses me.

Maple Tree Happiness

We have what I consider to be the quintessential maple tree in our back yard that just makes me happy. Perfect height for walking under, perfect positioning for shade, perfect limb for hanging a swing. Made for a perfect setting to have a Memorial Day picnic on a blanket and spend the afternoon relaxing with the family. (And there's beautiful red maple in the front yard. This is suburban bliss--if you could actually call where we live a suburb.)