Travels with a Muse

After the Snow

2012-01-17T00:08:00.000-08:00

The day after the snow I went out for a few more pictures in Creswell starting at Garden Lake Park.

Where I parked was next to a really beautiful barn that was perfect for a snowy picture.

There is a creek that flows into the park creating the lake that took on a very look in the winter...

... and the light of the sun reflecting on the snow created a terrific back lit image.

I found the great leaf that had landed on it's feet looking like a hand drawn person.

Driving our of the park area I saw these people sledding on the berm of the bridge that goes over interstate 5 at exit 182.

Next I drove over to Sears Road to see what was happening there...

I like the wire wrapped rock boundary markers in this field ...

... where this herd of cattle grazed in the snow...

...Next to a castle on the hill near cougar mountain.

Quote of the Day ~

"And finally Winter, with its bitin', whinin' wind, and all the land will be mantled with snow." ~ Judge Roy Bean

Drive to Elkton

2012-01-13T00:25:00.000-08:00

The day before the drive to Elkton Sharyn and I visited Delta Ponds a wonderful wetlands area in Eugene, Oregon.

"Over five decades ago gravel mining cut off what is now the Delta Ponds natural area from the flow of water from the Willamette River. Today, after 10 years of planning and phased implementation, water is once again flowing from the Willamette through Delta Ponds – creating 2.2 miles of valuable side channel habitat for juvenile Chinook salmon and a wide variety of other species."

City of Eugene Delta Ponds Restoration from MetroTV on Vimeo.

We didn't stay long that day but did take a short walk on the north end of the wetland park seeing some ducks...

... a posing Cormorant and even a great blue heron on the far right...

... and a slightly larger picture here.

"Delta Ponds is a 150-acre waterway site consisting of numerous ponds, channels, wetlands, and associated riparian areas. This unique natural area owned by the City of Eugene borders a stretch of the Willamette River, just downstream from Valley River Center. For many, it is a favorite spot for bird watching, fishing, and enjoying the outdoors."

I like these red not sure what these are ...

... white berries possibly banenberry.

So on the day of our drive to Elkton we stopped by Pass Creek County Park part of the Douglas County Park System and found some wandering Geese...

The park is a great place to stay in your RV with 30 full hookup sites and is just off of Interstate 5 south of Cottage Grove at the Curtin exit.

There were also some ducks ...

...and Sharyn also spotted a hooded merganser ...

Swimming around enjoying the nice warm day.

When we got close to Elkton I got to stop and take some pictures of one of my favorite places on earth...

... it's a small valley on the east side of the hill that drops into Elkton...

... and is on my top 10 most beautiful and serene places on earth.

The north side of the road is a tree covered forest that was wonderfully white, blue and green that day ...

... but to the south it was all green and softly lit.

The town of Elkton is restoring the southernmost fur trading post of the Hudson Bay Company. The Hudson's Bay Company is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. In 1836, Hudson’s Bay Company established Fort Umpqua near the present day town of Elkton, Douglas County, Oregon. The Fort was a regional center for the fur trade and many Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians traded hides for goods there. The fort was destroyed by a fire on 15 Nov 1851 and the post finally closed in 1854 as the fur trade diminished.

Quote of the Day ~

By the late 1850's the Community was selling more than 100,000 traps a year to, among other customers, the Hudson's Bay Company ~ Spencer Klaw from "Without Sin"

Cottage Grove Lake Low Levels

2012-01-08T00:40:00.000-08:00

February of 2010 this was Cottage Grove Lake and it was lower than later in the year...

... but this was Cottage Grove Lake today and it looked almost totally drained.

There was some water but it was trickling in slowly...

... yet it was definitely much lower...

...and in some places almost dry.

I'm not sure whether this is normal but it seemed very low and I hope it doesn't mean drought.

I hear many ski areas around the country are still low on snowfall let's hope we get more rain/snow but not in too great an amount. We looked a little for Snowy Owls hearing they are moving farther south this year with some spotted in the area.

We didn't see any owls but on the way home we did spot this Kingfisher sitting on a power line over the Coast Fork of the Willamette River near our home

Quote of the Day ~ "When the well's dry, we know the worth of water." ~ Benjamin Franklin

New Year - A Great Start

2012-01-05T23:58:00.000-08:00

*** To see a larger picture of these images click on the picture

I've been wanting to get a picture of Frank's Oar House for ages and so, as part of my New Year's Resolution list this is one of the first following my quitting smoking

Last night we had another glorious sunset and some blue sky during the day.

Of course Sharyn and I have a shared resolution, along with the vow to quit tobacco, and that is to get out and do some traveling and exploring. Today we took our first drive of the year to Florence, Oregon to see some predicted turbulent surf. We drove to the north jetty where the Siuslaw river...

... Comes into the Pacific and looked back to the town of Florence...

...and then at the sandy beach.

Near where we parked was a coast guard tower...

...and lots of sand and beach grass...

... along the path to the jetty.

There were big waves but nothing worth walking out to the end of the jetty but on the way to the car I did manage to get a shorebird in flight ...

I'm not sure what the heck this thing was but I think it was on Coast Guard property.

We stopped in at the Harbor Vista RV park that's part of the Lane county park system where I got this shot of the North Jetty from the overlook just above...

... and this shot of a weed flowering just off of the walkway.

Getting back into Florence I took a picture of some trees on a very high sand dune across the harbor...

... then took this flower on the way to Mo's seafood on the river.

Another part of my resolution to get some pictures I always wanted and never go was this great bridge. Cushman was a station on the Coos Bay Branch of the Central Oregon and Pacific Railroad, named for local residents C. C. and I. B. Cushman.

This bridge is a swing span railroad bridge across the river there. The bridge opened to allow ocean-going barges to reach a now-closed sawmill in Mapleton. In 1940, Cushman had a population of 145 and a full-service port. At that time the hills above the community produced Port Orford-cedar, a large evergreen coniferous tree native to the region, but by 1990, this resource was depleted and the port no longer served ocean-going vessels.

I stopped for a look at the Wildcat covered bridge ...

Just so you know I consider it a good sign seeing a beautiful rainbow next to us on our drive home and even more special to share the day with my very special lady. Looking forward to a very great New Year.

Quote of the Day ~

"Throw your dreams into space like a kite, and you do not know what it will bring back, a new life, a new friend, a new love, or a new country." ~ Anais Nin

Florence and Beachside State Park

2011-10-24T17:38:00.000-07:00

We took off from home to have dinner in Portland with Isaac and took the scenic route...

...through Florence where the Siuslaw River meets the Pacific Ocean.

We stopped for lunch at Mo's a landmark seafood restaurant chain on the Oregon coast...

Then had to decide on what to eat...

While waiting I went out for some pictures...

of the great coastal community...

... Especially the great bridge that takes highway 101 over the river.

This is the view from the docks at Mo's looking east up the river...

...and a dockside crane.

After lunch walking back to the Musemobile I found this great looking blue flower...

...near a bright red-orange umbrella. Then up the coast we went.

After hooking up the Musemobile I took a few pictures while walking with Sharyn on the beach just 30 feet from our campsite where I took this picture looking north along the coast.

It was low tide leaving the sand sculpted by the receding waters...

... and a few interesting objects like this broken sand dollar...

... on a lovely but windy day.

There was a little seaweed but not much ...

... on the huge expanse from water to trees and the state park...

...looking south you could see the foothills diving into the Pacific.

Sharyn and I enjoyed the walk looking out at ...

... the shore birds looking foe a meal...

... and eventually finding a crab for lunch.

Looking at the sands you can almost see the water receding in little waves even though the water is now gone.

I liked this shell that looks like a butterfly...

and this small canyon created in the sand.

We then went back to the Musemobile for dinner and waited for...

... the sunset that looked like we would not get to see.

I met a couple from Canada who were on their way back north after driving the entire Oregon coast down to northern California...

... and then it came, a beautiful sunset.

The colors were gorgeousness...

...and the ran the full spectrum...

... until the sun completed it's visible route moving west.

Quote of the Day ~ "Man is not an aquatic animal, but from the time we stand in youthful wonder beside a Spring brook till we sit in old age and watch the endless roll of the sea, we feel a strong kinship with the waters of this world." ~ Hal Borland

Maude Kerns - Dia de los Muertos

2011-10-16T17:51:00.000-07:00

The observance of El Dia de los Muertos (the Day of the Dead) dates from pre-Columbian times. It is believed by many that this is the time when those who have passed away are allowed to return to earth to visit with their families and friends.

The most important manifestations of this holiday are the ofrendas, or altars made of offerings, created in homes, businesses and public places.

The altars honor the dead to assure the continuity of life. In the Mexican tradition, those who are dead provide the necessary connection between the living and God and the Saints.

El Dia de los Muertos is celebrated in Mexico by decorating shop windows, cleaning and decorating the cemetery, creating special fantastic flower wreaths, making small and large toys.

Special dishes are cooked for the ofrendas, and are usually offered to both living and dead friends and relatives who visit. The celebration is often called Los Dias de los Muertos because two important days are recognized.

Since the event is celebrated at Maude Kerns Art Center every year is is also filled with art of all kinds.

Some of the mini shrines are shadow boxes like the one above and more to come later.

Dia de los Muertos celebrates to special days, November 1, All Saints' Day devoted to los angelitos (little children), and November 2, All Souls' Day, devoted to adults as well.

El Día de Los Muertos originated in Mexico, before the Spanish conquest. The exact date is unknown but it has been speculated that the idea originated with the Olmecs, possibly as long as 3000 years ago.

Following the Spanish conquest of Mexico during the 16th century, there was a strong effort to convert the native population to Catholicism. There was a good deal of reluctance on the part of the indigenous people which resulted in a blending of old customs with the new religion. All Saints' Day and All Hallows Eve (Halloween) roughly coincided with the preexisting Día de los Muertos resulting in the present day event which draws from both.

Although the skeleton is a strong symbol for both Halloween and Días de los Muertos, the meaning is very different. For Días de los Muertos the skeleton represents the dead playfully mimicking the living and is not a macabre symbol at all.

A sweet bread, pan de muerto, with decorations representing bones of the deceased is very popular as are sugar skulls. [see recipe for sugar skulls]

All sorts of art objects and toys which symbolically represent death in some way are created and marketed. This gives the economy a boost in much the same way as our Christmas season does.

The intriguing thing about the celebration is the juxtaposition of ancient tradition and current depictions like this four panel painting.

Then there were the shadow boxes that are like mini shrines...

... they are ornate....

... they are clever...

... they express fond memories of those lost ...

...and some are just too precious for words.

I particularly liked this painting by Anthony Hensley titled "Reina Queen" an oil on canvas and a steal at $350.

I also loved the crow series by Kris Hurwit starting with "Dancing with the Crows" another oil on canvas ...

... and another titled "Forgetting Manners" then ...

... there was "It's Just a bowl of Cherries"

There is always a tribute to Maude Kerns the artist.

She was an American artist. born in 1876 in Portland, Oregon, where she was raised by her pioneer parents. After high school, she graduated from the University of Oregon, the California School of Fine Arts and later Columbia University.

Some of the more simple pieces I found to be marvelous were this piece by Cenya Eichengreen titled "The Grand Mothers...

...and this shadow box within a book by Robin Bachtler Cushman called Renascence, very imaginative.

A large painting by Anthony Hensley was "Saint of the Harvest Festival Games" simply great.

Richard Cutshal gave us "Redemption, Salvation, Forgiveness"

The Altar
Before Dia de los Muertos, an area of the house is cleaned up and the furniture removed to make room for the altar. The altar consists at a minimum of a covered table, and usually a few crates or boxes are added to it and covered to create open shelves and other raised display areas. The coverings used can vary from plain to vibrantly colored oil cloth. The altar is then set up with the appropriate ofrendas (offerings), in this case oranges, for Dia de los Muertos.

There are many great art pieces dedicated to loved ones...

...and the alters at Maude Kerns are beautiful.

At the opening of the Dia del los Muertos dancers come in costume...

... and many, but not all are children proud of their tradition and beautifully adorned in traditional dress.

The music is wonderful and full of trumpets and guitars unfortunately I had to leave before the dancing which I really love.

The variety of alters is amazing and yet they all complete a picture of colorful insight into the meaning of the celebration of individual differences.

Some of the artistic crafts are amazingly simple...

...and yet dramatically emotional.

Some of the simple figures are sold and are part of the tradition/// from sombreroed skulls...

... to puppet skeletons...

... to winged hearts ...

... and more skulls.

Love among the dead as if they continued romance in their next life. It is fitting we see the dead as alive in the next life and as normal as the living.

I saw this painting on the side of the Maude Kerns Art Center and discovered it was a paint test. Benjamin Moore is dedicating paint to restore and renovate the center to become weather proofed and have a more appealing appearance...

The rendering of the revamped center is wonderful and will keep the building in good shape for the future. The center is appealing for help and if you can donate toward this end it would be most appreciated by our community and provide a great place to show, teach and support the arts. For more information go to Maude Kerns Art Center website

Quote of the Day ~

I can see lights in the distance Trembling in the dark cloak of night Candles and lanterns are dancing, dancing A waltz on All Souls Night. ~ Loreena McKennitt

Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway

2011-10-03T10:15:00.000-07:00

With all the traveling in Oregon I don't know how we missed this section of the Cascades Scenic Byway. It was like like "How the West was Won"...

...meets "Shane" ...

... and "Comes A Horseman."

The drive started in Bend and wove it's way behind Mount Bachelor...

... through high mountain meadows...

...where fields of grass and low bush looked like a yellow , brown and green sea...

... all the way to the sun streaked mountain.

After seeing at least a hundred trucks, trailers and cars and hearing the sound of chainsaws I stopped to ask about what was happening. John one of the people involved told me about the region being opened for tree removal while he was sharpening his chainsaw.

Believe me John was not alone ..

... all along this section of of the drive.

Soda Creek glacial tsunami caused this huge rock pile several stories tall.

They say it is a birdwatchers dream and I'm sure we will return for a bit of birdwatching next season.

There were several tree lined lakes on this drive...

... and lots of fallen timber...

...and even signs to tell us the Deschutes River has trout ...

and what better place to fish than in a forest where ...

... "A River Runs Through It."

I found a scruffy looking mushroom on the river bank...

... then trudged back to the Musemobile.

This fantastic land is all about life and living & about living things like the grasses...

... and the wildlife that sees us perhaps more than ...

... we see them as we drive along beautiful roads...

... and manage, as best we can, this beautiful national resource.

Quote of the Day ~ "The creative is the place where no one else has ever been. You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition." ~ Alan Alda

Malheur Bird Refuge Trip

2011-09-30T18:03:00.000-07:00

On the way to the Bird Refuge we stopped for a history lesson about the Bannock War.

"Five miles northwest of this location, one of the last battles of the Bannock War was fought in June 1878. The Bannock War began in May 1878 when the Bannock Indians of Southern Idaho became angered over treaty violations and increasing settlement. With the U.S. army in pursuit, the warring Bannock fled to this area and were joined by Wada Tika Paiute. On June 23, units of the 1st U.S. Cavalry commanded by Reuben Bernard attacked a camp under the leadership of Paiute Chief Egan on nearby Silver Creek. The battle continued into the night until Egan, severely wounded, led a retreat northward through the John Day Valley into northeastern Oregon. The tribes were defeated at Battle Mountain and surrendered after Chief Egan's death."

White Pelicans at Mulheur Lake

Up ...

...Up...

...and away...

... while others sit and chat.

This is a wonderful place for birding and we barely got here,
what a treat...

...even the Grebes were there to greet us.

We checked into the Narrows RV Park a nice RV Park with good
views as the sun began to set...

...and set it did with a bang.

We left the RV park headed to the Mulheur headquarters and
passed some beautifully arraigned round hay bales...

... in huge quantities.

Finally after a short 6.3 miles we arrived at the headquarters where
we were greeted by Suzanne a volunteer at the center. After an
excellent orientation...

... we stepped out on the patio that overlooks a great pond
filled with all kinds of aquatic birds...

... we then went on to their small but very nice museum. The first display
was a white owl clutching a field mouse...

... and another beautiful owl that looked like it was winking at
the camera.

Some of the other birds were unusual in color ...

...and others in how they looked...

... it is no wonder so many people enjoy "bird watching" like
these two...

... even the beautiful statue reflect our interest in viewing
our feathered friends.


Two beautiful black birds one with a yellow head and another with yellow on it's wings flew in for some food...

... and were fun to watch

We then took a drive along the auto tour that went through the entire

refuge starting at the old Sodhouse Ranch (no, not where an old sod lived)

"The Sod House Ranch is a historic ranch in Harney County in southeastern Oregon, United States. The remaining ranch structures are located south of Malheur Lake in the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. The ranch was built by Peter French, a well known 19th-century cattle baron. The Sod House Ranch became the headquarters for the northern operating division of the French-Glenn Livestock Company, which eventually covered over 140,000 acres."

Driving through the refuge was amazing with splashes of water surrounded by

Tuli grasses between 6 and seven feet tall.

"In Oregon and much of the western United States, tule is the common name for two species of emergent plants that grow in shallow water of marshes, muddy shores, and lakes."

"Tule, a Spanish name, is based on tollin, of Nahurtl Native American lingustic stock, meaning a rush. Older botanical literature places these bulrushes in Scirpus, a closely related genus with various species names attached."

Some of the ponds had many birds, some birds were were very
large.

Don't ask me why this harvester was in the field but it looked cool in the

middle of all the rushes.

Some birds were difficult to spot and others almost impossible...

...still others were impossible to find in the vegetation.

I still don't know what this tower was for and there were no signs
but it looked interesting.

Then we found the Blitzen River, and yes there is a Donner river

nearby,that butte behind the river is called "Rattlesnake Butte"

but we saw no snakes.

This is the bridge over the Blitzen river where I took the last picture,
it is a wooden bridge.

The Blitzen River is part of the nation's first redband trout reserve, established by Congress in 2000. The Redband trout is generally similar in appearance to the rainbow trout but can be differentiated by having larger, more rounded spots, parr marks that tend to remain into adulthood, are more orange-red around the lateral line, and have very distinct white tips on the anal, dorsal, and pectoral fins.

The country around eastern Oregon is amazingly beautiful and

very different from where we live in Creswell.

While driving we saw a deer up ahead going into the bushes

on the left, I knew the trees there were on the river so I got

the camera ready as we very slowly drove up and sure enough

out came the deer and a mule deer friend - very cool.

Near the end of the drive we went by Buena Vista ponds where
a group of bird watchers had set up a roadside camp with lawn
chairs and their spotting scopes.

"At the Buena Vista ponds about 15 miles south of headquarters, plan a longer stop. Scan the marshes and ponds for American bitterns, trumpeter swans, great blue herons, great egrets, and ruddy ducks. You might want to use a spotting scope to see the far reaches of the ponds."

South of Buena Vista Ponds is the town of Frenchglen where
the Frenchglen Hotel and State Park exist. This is the dining room
where we had a great lunch.

I liked the skull on the front porch of this hotel where Our son
Isaac stayed a few months ago on a photo trip.

It must be the perspective but looking at this picture
is the Musemoblie larger than the hotel.

The Hotel is a great historic landmark for this area and the State.

They told me at the RV park this was a controlled burn it makes

me wonder what an uncontrolled burn would look like.

Back near the RV Park I took this picture of a dead tree in Harney

Lake. Harney Lake is a shallow alkali lake basin located in southeast

Oregon approximately thirty miles south of the town of Burns.

The lake lies within the boundary of the Malheur National Wildlife

Refuge and is the lowest point in the Blitzen Valley drainage.

Our beautiful Musemobile on the edge of Malhuer lake.

Waysides along Highway 138

2011-09-11T11:05:00.000-07:00

The first wayside was the Narrows Wayside and it had had a sweet and simple memorial...

... next to the fast moving waters of the Umpqua river...

... and the graceful wild flowers. Su head of the library here in Creswell, and my plant identification expert said this: "It's a bachelor's button, centaurea cyana, and it's a plant introduced here from Eurasia."

I did venture down a bank to the river's shore...

... to see crystalline clear water flowing over the shallows.

On the way back up the bank I stopped for more flowers...

...and more of that same type of flower in other colors...

... including this beautiful white variety with lavender accents and

... nearby was a berry looking pod.

Further up the road I stopped for a picture of a steep rock wall that is very typical of the area...

...and more of the white water spots...

...as well as the deeper sections of calmer water.

I wonder why, not just my eye, my eye is so drawn to the angry white water sections with their roaring thunder than those still water sections. Perhaps it's that I'm drawn to the action/activity/power that gives the river life beyond three dimensions.

In gardens these may be called weeds but to my eye they are beautiful delicate flowers...

... that form complex shapes like wound yellow wire ...

... or like birds on the branches of bare limbs.

Amazing and it leaks,

"A 12-foot diameter redwood-stave flowline (pipeline) is part of the Toketee development of the North Umpqua Hydrolectric Project."

"Completed in December of 1949 (when I was 6 years old) , the Toketee development was the first component of the Project to be built. The Toketee facility begins at the earth-fill dam less than a mile upstream of Toketee Falls. The reservoir behind the dam is approximately 102 acres. Water enters an intake structure at the dam and then runs through the wood-stave flowline for 1,500 feet where it then transitions to concrete just before entering a tunnel through Deer Leap Rock. the water powers three generator turbines that have a capacity of 45 megawatts of electricity or enough energy for approximately 22,500 homes"

Toketee falls is one of the most interesting falls I've seen and is a double fall waterfall. This is a picture of the falls on the information board at the trail head but we do plan to return and walk to the falls.

On the way home we took the road less traveled, a BLM road that goes up 3,500 feet then descends into Culp Creek just east of Cottage grove and while possible time wise about the same as Highway 138, was much shorter and provided this beautiful view.

No Scrabble for awhile

Quote of the Day ~

Can we ever forget 9/11 and can we afford to not learn from that tragic day

"If blood will flow when flesh and steel are one
Drying in the color of the evening sun
Tomorrow's rain will wash the stains away
But something in our minds will always stay
Perhaps this final act was meant
To clinch a lifetime's argument
That nothing comes from violence and nothing ever could
For all those born beneath an angry star
Lest we forget how fragile we are." ~ Sting from the song Fragile

SCCA Autocross in Coburg, Oregon

2011-08-17T22:23:00.000-07:00

Sharyn and I got to the parking lot for the Autocross at 8/15/2011 / 2:24:56pm to find ...

... a few of the cars in the lot preparing for the next heat. There was this really cool red car...

... and an even more interesting go-cart.

I liked the red, white and blue AM 31 car...

... and this silver/gray muscle car...

... and then we saw Isaac coming to the lot with Nicole (sigh) we missed his race and he did very well winning his heat.

This was so cool...

... almost like being in the pits at the Indy 500 without the crowds...

... and getting up close to the racers and their cars.

Isaac and Nicole then joined us for a few moments...

... along with Chris and Jaxon who was proudly wearing his Red Sox hat he had personally chosen at the store.

Jaxon saw I was taking pictures and forcefully demanded I get a picture of Nicole.

After a brief visit Isaac went to work as a cone spotter for the next heat, that's him in grey on the far side of the track.

There is the little red race car I saw in the parking lot going through the paces on the track.

SCCA is a really great organization split into regions, we are in the Northern Pacific Region.

"Since 1944, SCCA has championed one mission: To bring motorsports to the masses of American men and women who are passionate about automobiles, speed and competition."

Drivers are professional, novice and everything in between.

There goes the beautiful AM 31...

... and one of my favorites that I am not sure if it was a pinto or what. When I was in High School I knew every make and model by year and Horsepower. Today I know only four cars: Honda Odyssey, Cute little cars, Muscle cars and Race cars, so don't ask and clarifications are welcomed.

Some of the cars are obviously regular street cars...

... like this T-Bird (okay so I did know one) that was rigged for road trips or taking the kids to school...

... some were pure muscle...

... and others obviously real race cars...

... some were tricky fast (note the roll bars) .

There was a little burning rubber and one 360 degree spin-out...

Isaac said this was a female driver in her VW Bug...

... I had a feeling this was a guy.

Some cars had riders going along and Nicole rode with Isaac - Everyone does wear helmets...

... whether they need them ...

... or not.

I did talk to this driver about his car - its a very old Lola

... and was probably my very special favorite.

Lola Cars International Ltd. is a racing car engineering company founded in 1958 by Eric Broadley and based in Huntingdon, England. Lola Cars started by building small front-engined sports cars, and branched out into Formula Junior cars before diversifying into one of the oldest and largest manufacturers of racing cars in the world.

This isn't a Lola but was a fast running small car ...

... competing against more powerful but not as agile big cars like this one ...

... and this (nice color) one .

Some of the cars cornered evenly ...

... and others leaned a bit almost getting air between the tires and pavement...

... and then came the go-cart and brother did it go. Perhaps because of the size it easily appeared to be the fastest in the field and especially quick not to mention agile. I did like what I think was a camera on the driver's helmet. It was a fun race and I hope to go to more and maybe comtete in the Musemobile, I'd be in a class by myself *Just Kidding Sharyn*

Quote of the Day ~

My dad was very successful running midgets in Texas. Then, his two drivers ran into some bad luck. People started saying that Daddy had lost his touch. That it was the cars and not the drivers. I wanted to race just to prove all those people wrong. ~ A.J. Foyt

Florence Day Trip

2011-07-31T09:34:00.000-07:00

What's a trip to the coast without stopping by the ATM for a little cash. While waiting for Sharyn I got a glare reflected sign on the door of the bank. No Sunglasses, Hats, Helmets or Masks for your security and ours. A sign with no guns, bomb, long knives, bazookas might be a bit safer. Go figure.

We pulled the mini-musemobile into the big parking lot in Florence near Old Town to see a line of vendor tents already set up.

There was the BBQ truck...

... the Fry Bread stand...

... and a long line of stands from Paul's Violins...

to creative birdhouses at the far end...

... and too the left (riverside) of the board walk were the docks.

One stand manned by a couple who had lives in Alaska had glass floats ...

... collected from near the Bearing Strait...

One of the boats, Cap Armstrong, was a little dingy but was in the perfect place for a photo...

... and was just beyond the boardwalk fireplug...

... near "The Otter" a rather sleek looking sailboat.

Matt introduced us to Scentsy (pronounced Sen-See). From the ad:

"Scentsy Candles are a Unique Candle Warming system that uses a 25 watt bulb to warm the wax slowly into a pool of melted wax that maximizes the strength and life of the scent."

This is a great fragrance system

Glass flowers are not like real flowers but they make for very pleasant and colorful decoration. This stand had some very nice pieces.

Was this the Loch Ness Monster or just another of the river birds hunting for anchovies?

There were Tuna but these were not swimming and for sale at $2.25/lb...

... at this fish house on the river.

I was sorry we couldn't report a sighting of a "Killer Whale" but they are occasionally spotted nearby.

Oregon is definitely a mural state with some of the most interesting wall paintings ...

... and at this spot and many the giant anchors are also occasionally seen.

I did like this white moth on a plant with many white flowers (you have to trust me on the white flowers not pictured here.)

"The wayside blue and innocent heal-all?
What brought the kindred spider to that height,
Then steered the white moth thither in the night?" ~ Robert Frost

We did walk over to the "Backstreet Gallery" an artists cooperative made up of twenty-six local artists who had some really great work on display. It's a perfect place to find original art of very high quality and very reasonable cost. Go visit when you can and support the Arts by buying a piece to decorate your home.

Silly me I took one bridge picture without ...

... and with traffic. This beautiful Art-Deco bridge spans the Siuslaw River near where it flows into the Pacific Ocean.

"The Siuslaw River Bridge is a bascule bridge that spans the Siuslaw River on U.S. Route 101 in Florence, Oregon. It was designed by Conde McCullough, built by the Mercer-Fraser Company of Eureka, California, and funded by the Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works (later renamed the Public Works Administration). It opened in 1936.
The bridge's total length is 1,568 feet (478 m). When open, the 140-foot (43 m) double-leaf bascule provides 110 feet (34 m) of horizontal clearance for boat traffic. The bascule section is flanked by two 154-foot (47 m) reinforced concrete tied arches, identical to those used in the original Alsea Bay Bridge. Four Art Deco-style obelisks house mechanical equipment as well as living quarters for the bridge operator. The total cost of the bridge was $527,000"

Of course I did find real and not glass flowers...

... and like always they were fascinated me ...

... and I never stop wondering about the number of variations in the flora all around...

... even the long gone foliage can be astounding when we really see it up close.

Quote of the Day ~

"Crafts make us feel rooted, give us a sense of belonging and connect us with our history. Our ancestors used to create these crafts out of necessity, and now we do them for fun, to make money and to express ourselves." ~ Phyllis George (born 25 June 1949) is an American businesswoman, actress and a former sportscaster. She is a former Miss Texas and Miss America of 1971

The High Desert Museum and Fort Rock

2011-07-01T19:56:00.001-07:00

On day two we left our campground in Prineville and drove to Bend, Oregon then to the High Desert Museum...

... where they had Wiley Coyote guarding the entrance...

,,, near this pool with a metal trout...

... and several real trout.

Just inside the door was an antique Ford...

... a great quilt exhibit ...

... and a huge Lynx and I do mean huge only slightly smaller that a cougar.

The museum had many dioramas ...

...each one with real examples of days gone by from tents ...

... to everyday items.

They even had an old time Plein Air painter exhibit...

... a gold mining setup ...

... and an old time bar.

I really liked the old forest ranger truck...

... and the woven tee-pee.

This was a tiny diorama with the characters only a few inches tall depicting cowboys around a campfire.

There were also some natural displays with lizards...

... scorpions ...

... and a Gila Monster complete with an interesting fact...

... telling how the saliva from these large lizards can help people with diabetes.

This was one of the pictures of wild horses saved by the High Desert museum named after my sweet grand-daughter.

There were more dioramas ...

... interesting and ...

informative about life in the high desert...

... and the Native Americans who shared this land.

They also depicted the fishermen of the Columbia River...

... even a tank aquarium with a huge Sturgeon.

There was native dress...

... and views of the interior of prairie homes.

On the way out I got nice shot of this chipmunk (correction, it is a Golden Mantled Ground Squirrel) thank you for the correction ...

... and some beautiful Lupine.

Next we drove to Fort Rock for a look at this spectacular geological feature shaped like a huge 3-d crescent...

... and the ghost town preserved as a museum...

... and a great old church.

You can click on this picture and read a little about Fort Rock and a picture of the ancient sandals found there.

On the way home we stopped at a state park to take a few pictures of the huge stumps...

... and I added a pine cone ...

... noticed the burned tree limb or root - not sure which.

I did get a shot through the fire ravaged trees, the lake and on to the magnificent mountains in the distance. The Cascade range is a series of Volcanic mountains from British Columbia to California.

"The Cascades are part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, the ring of volcanoes and associated mountains around the Pacific Ocean. All of the known historic eruptions in the contiguous United States have been from Cascade volcanoes. The two most recent were Lassen Peak in 1914 to 1921 and a major eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980."

It was a good trip which left us wanting to do another trip soon,

Quote of the Day ~ "If your heart is a volcano, how shall you expect flowers to bloom?" ~ Kahlil Gibran, Lebanese born American philosophical Essayist, Novelist and Poet. 1883-1931

Smith Rock and the Vertical Dance

2011-06-30T18:45:00.000-07:00

Driving to Smith Rock State Park in Central Oregon from home isn't a terribly long trip but we went through Sisters and stopped for a burger. While Sharyn was getting the food I got out (for Doreen) to take a picture of the Bright Spot coffee drive-thru.

When we got to the park we parked the Musemobile and started hiking around the easiest trail...

... but first stopped to talk to Jonathan Schrock who Guides the climbers for Smith Rock Climbing Guides

I liked this assessment of rock climbing calling it a "Vertical Dance."

And what a dance floor this is surrounded by beautiful spires, rock faces and Oregon's Crooked River.

Natasha Denyer writes on Oregon Live's web page :

"Central Oregon's Smith Rock may not draw the concentrated crowds of big-name international rock climbers that it did in the 1980s, but it's still got those world-class walls, the juniper-infused air, the vertical dance of climbers on prickly, sun-drenched rock."

and later says

"Smith was at the forefront of the birth of sport climbing -- in which climbers clip their ropes to permanent bolts in the rock -- in the mid- to late '80s. About 80 people who were the world's best climbers would gather at Smith in those days, says Volk, who's been climbing at Smith since 1971 and lives next to the park. 'That was the real mystique of the place. Literally every name you'd read about in the magazines was here all at once.' "

Hikers and climbers were everywhere today ...

...all in the space of this one canyon...

... with a plethora of rock faces...

... that stand like gods of stone...

... living in a unique paradise.

The exquisite beauty of this place is impossible to capture and I knew that midday was not the perfect time for soft light...

... but I am happy with the shots I did get even though the three climbers in this picture are tiny specks...

... but occasionally they reach the top and can be captured

The rocks are ruggedly beautiful...

... and the views are astounding....

... and even the river below accents the beauty of this place.

Quote of the Day ~

"Climbing is unadulterated hard labor. The only real pleasure is the satisfaction of going where no man has been before and where few can follow." ~ Annie Smith Peck Born Oct. 19, 1850, Providence, R.I., U.S.—died July 18, 1935, New York, N.Y., American mountain climber whose numerous ascents—often record-setting and some at an advanced age—made her a remarkable figure in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Back to the States

2011-06-19T16:09:00.001-07:00

When we arrived at the border crossing we saw the Peace Arch. It was built by Sam Hill who was mentioned in three earlier blogs about the Stonehenge War Memorial and the Mary Hill Museum and its Sculpture Garden.

"The Peace Arch is a monument situated on the Canada – United States border between the communities of Blaine, Washington and Surrey, British Columbia. The Peace Arch, which stands 67 feet tall, was built by Sam Hill and dedicated in September 1921, and commemorates the signing of the Treaty of Ghent in 1814. The monument is built on the exact United States – Canada boundary, between Interstate 5 and Highway 99, in the grass median between the northbound and southbound lanes.

The Peace Arch has the flags of the U.S. and Canada mounted on its crown, and two inscriptions on both sides of its frieze. The inscription on the U.S. side of the Peace Arch reads "Children of a common mother", and the words on the Canadian side read "Brethren dwelling together in unity". Within the arch, each side has an iron gate hinged on either side of the border with an inscription above reading "May these gates never be closed."

Welcome to the USA ...

Just into the US we were asked to stop for an inspection which gave me the chance to take this picture of Non-Sign II. It is unusual and what I consider the imagination of artists around the world.

"A U.S. art studio called Lead Pencil Studio has created a sculpture on the border between the United States and Canada that consists of a blank space in the shape of a billboard, surrounded by tangled metal. Titled Non-Sign II, the piece was commissioned by the U.S. government."

Estuary - where the River meets the Sea and this is an overlook of the Tillamook Estuary in Garibaldi...

... where we noticed the Rhododendron blooms were already gone...

... and the berries were just coming out. From the over

Looking back after we parked it was beautiful looking to the north west and watching the sun start to drop in the sky.

While waiting for the sunset I took a flower picture of this really nice plant...

... then walked over to a memorial to take a few pictures...

... and back to the Musemobile for a shot with great light...

... and got lucky getting this gull as the sky began its golden tint time of day.

The view became a warm gold ...

... that was perfect in the light/shadow spectrum that was balanced evenly...

... then as the sun dropped under the clouds sent out wonderful rays.

As the sun dropped behind the hill we entered the a blue period...

... that became increasingly dark...

... and then the lights on the Coast Guard pier were beautiful to see reflected in the water.

This was a perfect place to be in the Musemobile and the perfect time of day.

Quote(s) of the Day~

"Estuaries are a happy land, rich in the continent itself, stirred by the forces of nature like the soup of a French chef; the home of myriad forms of life from bacteria and protozoans to grasses and mammals; the nursery, resting place, and refuge of countless things." ~ Stanely A. Cain

"Many estuaries produce more harvestable human food per acre than the best midwestern farmland." ~ Stanely A. Cain

Last day in Vancouver

2011-06-16T21:47:00.000-07:00

Day two in Vancouver meant another day on the bus to the SkyTrain...

... and this time I was ready to snap this skateboard park just past the Royal Oaks station...

... for my boys who loved (and probably still do) skateboarding.

SkyTrain is an urban rapid transit system in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It uses fully automated trains running mostly on elevated tracks. SkyTrain's 42.7 mi of track makes it one of the longest automated rapid transit systems in the world.

We got off at the Stadium/Chinatown exit and started walking...

... and needless to say saw Stanley Cup Playoff memorabilia hanging all over and lots of Canuck jerseys being worn except for this lone Bruin Jersey on this teddy bear.

We eventually found the gateway arch to Chinatown ...

... and Kitti's Beauty Studio painted pink...

,,, near Shanghai Alley.

Finally we found the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen garden and also the public park of the same name.

The garden is named in honor of Dr. Sun Yat-Sen, a nationalist leader who is considered the “father of modern China.” The attribution is not arbitrary, as it emphasizes his connection with Vancouver. While traveling the world to raise awareness of, and funding for, the Chinese nationalist movement, Sun Yat-Sen stayed in Vancouver on three different occasions for extended periods. At the time, there was a significant presence of Chinese nationalists in British Columbia, who helped finance the Chinese nationalist revolution that overthrew the Qing Dynasty in 1911. Sun Yat Sen subsequently became the first president of the Republic of China.

Classical Chinese gardens employ philosophical principles of Feng Shui and Taoism, striving to achieve harmony and a balance of opposites. Craggy rocks, for example, are juxtaposed against delicate foliage. Water is also an important element of the garden, and the large pond offers stillness, sound, a reflection of the sky, and helps to unify the other elements

There are many simple rooms giving the feel of serenity and simplicity...

... that is almost perfect for quiet reflective meditation.

This is a beautiful setting like a peaceful island in the middle of a city...

with a very special view every step you take ...

from hardscape to ...

... soft colorful floral settings...

... clever turtles sunning themselves...

... and all very special...

... they even call the fish for feeding with a gong.

In one of the reception rooms I liked this rock on the window ledge ...

... and the look of the bamboo outside this window.

Even in this hidden treasure there was a Canuck bag hanging on this Kimono.

I especially liked this stone sculpture and even saw forms of people within it.

The entrance to the free public garden was impressive. I will say as impressive as this garden was I liked the Chinese Garden in Portland even more impressive.

We found Sharyn's zodiac tile ...

... then mine although I like my sign called the Ram better than the Goat.

My favorite rock was this one in the back section of the garden.

This monument was erected to commemorate the significant contributions of Chinese Canadians to the growth, vitality and prosperity of Vancouver, British Columbia and Canada...

... and a higher view of the Memorial Square and the Chinese Cultural Center...

Then there were the turtles again...

not to be out shown by this lovely Peony...

Then it was back on the "Big Bus," The "SkyTrain," the city bus and to the RV Park.

Quote of the Day ~

"Canada has great natural resources, and its people have the spirit and ability to develop them." ~ Charles E. Wilson

Vancouver - Stanley Cup - Transportation +++

2011-06-14T22:10:00.000-07:00

Waiting for the bus while Sharyn checked our route...

... that would take us to the Skytrain...

with lots of other passengers...

to downtown Vancouver and the Disney Cruise ship...

... and the main station.

In front of the station was this great statue dedicated to the those who endure hardship and danger ...

to build the Canadian Pacific Railway.

We then waited our front waiting for the "Big Bus" that would show us the sights of the city.

What a city Vancouver is ...

... hosting the winter Olympics...

... and is one of the top ten tourist destinations in the world...

... and still showing off the Olympic Torch...

...and a Lego version of an Orca widely known as a killer whale.

Along with the new architecture there is also the old...

... sometimes reflected in the new.

There is plenty of shopping ...

The Oneiroscopist by Edith Rimmington, 1947.

And some great art galleries and ...

... even a few gargoyles both ancient ...

... and contemporary.

Of course the is Molson...

... and a city garden called Davie Garden...

... In Davie Village...

... and Canucks fans in high places.

Getting close to Stanley Park there was some art on the greenway along the beach...

... I'd say some really different art but I liked it ...

... even the David Oppenheimer bust. David Oppenheimer (January 1, 1834 – December 31, 1897) was a successful entrepreneur, the second mayor of Vancouver, British Columbia.

Then we were there...

Thanks to the "Big Bus"...

...where we ordered from the Senior menu where the proclaim (you know who you are) to seniors wanting a discounted meal, we got the fish and chips at the Stanley Park Pavilion a delightful place in a beautiful setting.

I like gardens and this was no exception...

... lusciously planted...

... with one great view ...

... after the other.

We finally were close to the Aquarium...

... and after crossing a stream

... and finding a giant gunnera plant ...

... and the biggest fuchsia blooms I've ever seen...

...we entered the Aquarium only to find giant roaches.

Actually we did find birds ...

... and butterflies...

... polka-dot river rays.

"Otamotrygon Henlei is one of the more sought after stingrays in the world. Since it's recent ban from export from Brazil, the price of Henleii have became increasingly high, as they are near impossible to acquire. Once acclimated, they are a very hardy and prolific ray."

There were some snakes...

... and oops, the roaches are back ...

... and the Red Ibis that never turned around.

There was agreat poster about Body Art (go figure)...

... then we found colorful some fish ...

that were very hard to photograph...

... and a great blue frog, and yes, that's its real color...

I like the clown fish and its buddies...

... and some were still long enough for a good shot.

There were also Otters...

... and Beluga whales...

... and, of course their fans....

... and this great whale statue in front ...

... and a great Bald Eagle in a tree.

Vancouver loves their Canuks fighting for the Stanley cup but losing to the Brew-ins yesterday. Tomorrow its one last game to decide who gets the Cup and who gets to say we took them all the way to the wire. By the way what is a FOUR Seasons hotel doing in a two seasons city?

Vancouver has a really huge and attractive library...

...and one of only a few steam driven clocks in the world.

Gastown's most famous (though nowhere near oldest) landmark is its steam-powered clock, located on the corner of Cambie and Water Street. Built to cover a steam grate, part of Vancouver's distributed steam-heating system, the clock was built as a way to harness the steam and to prevent street people from sleeping on the spot in cold weather.

Scrabble Score -Scrabble Queen 257 - The Contender 335

Quote of the Day ~

"There are no environments where you're only going to win, because life just isn't like that." ~ Bobby Orr

Florence Rhododendron Festival and Old Boats

2011-05-22T17:41:00.000-07:00

This was the first time we went to the Florence Rhododendron Festival and it was a very nice and familiar drive to Florence. This event looked a lot like Sturgis on the coast with thousands of Motorcyclists. We tried to stay out of the more densely packed areas and started with lunch at Mo's seafood house then went to the Florence event center to look for the Rhody Show but were a bit early...

... so we ventured into the Arts Fair and were greeted by this short grey statue.

Inside Sharyn found the "Given Back Bird Houses" exhibit.

"Our bird houses are made from dead wood or driftwood, and sized according to various song bird nest dimensions. Each one is hand signed with the date the wood was Given Back to the wild birds."

The bird houses are terrific and you can go to their website to see more pictures. they ARE very cool.

It was a small show with some interesting work like this stained glass...

Some great paintings by John Bradley...

... and as we walked out into a festive day even a nice woman in costume.

We were too early for the Rhododendron show we went to Gallagher;s Park to enjoy the flowers there...

... and they were all rhododendrons like this purple...

... and this very red..

...exquisite beauty.

I liked this pale yellow/white one...

... but they were all wonderful to see ...

... and some were still blooming...

... and some barely starting to bloom.

I really liked this one for the colors.

Some were passed blooming and forming new growth...

...with new green leaves forming over the red...

... or the time when the petals drip leaving what I call a Rhody "Spider.
"

While this pink one was in full bloom...

... this red bud was about ready to come out.

From every angle they are beautiful ...

... and even from a distance they can take your breath away.

Just for fun I tried a close-up shot of this tiny flower.

They decorate the sky...

...then fall to the ground like a red carpet...

... or become white stars to guide the way.

On the way back home we stopped to see the old Mail Boats next to the road. They were freshly painted by a local Artist...

...and they were fun to see all painted after seeing them earlier in pretty drab condition...

The boats are on a commercial property next to some wetlands on the banks of the Siuslaw river and the grasses were well fed this year and very beautiful with the green demarcated by many small rivulets...

... and the grasses looked like soft green clouds...

...and an occasional log, this one looking like a huge planter for flowers.

There was one more boat named the "Bronco" that was tiny compared to the others...

... and not much larger than these big buoys. All in all it was a very good day getting out with Sharyn and taking pictures and otherwise enjoying a warm Oregon day.

Quote of the Day ~

"Being on a boat that's moving through the water, it's so clear. Everything falls into place in terms of what's important and what's not." ~ James Taylor

I Love Vermont

2011-05-06T20:15:00.000-07:00

The lake house in Vermont is a lot like heaven with many species of birds...

...woodpeckers, grosbeaks and goldfinches with an occasional osprey.

The second thing I love about Vermont are the quaint views...

...and great eateries like "Jackson's on the River" named after Craig and Jackie's dogs River and Jackson

I did get a shot of Doreen and Sharyn walking to the car...

...and turned for another shot back up the hill to the main drag.

Jim and Doreen are also the proud owners of the scariest tree in Vermont...

... and a very lovely home

Back in Middlebury we saw a spectacular river falls show...

... with the town for a backdrop...

... and I love this town for all the great things it offers.

I'm not sure but I think the brown color is from tannin leached from the trees...

Jim was far braver than I going down to the river's edge...

... while I took the high ground to shoot a steeple and large granite slab.

Speaking of spooky trees these woodpecker holes make an awesome face...

...and Jim got very close to the side falls...

...while I got a shot of a spider pointed out to me by a little boy on the bridge.

I went above near the shops to look down on the river run...

... and got a good shot ...

...or two.

I also got a great shot of Jim on the guardrail and it reminded me of Michelle hanging over the wall above a 500 foot drop at salt creek falls in Oregon taking a picture.

Kermit the frog with a blue tie was also there with a little Buddha friend.

Our second day in Middlebury we went to lunch at "Fire and Ice" a great restaurant ...

... with a salad bar in a boat.

After leaving Middlebury we drove to Texas Falls...

... and while it didn't have the quantity of water it as amazing for the chutes...

... and pools...

...and a park under construction funded by the American Recovery and Reconstruction Act a great stimulus created to help workers and improve our infrastructure in America.

We then drove ro Rochester, VT on route 100 to met Shatryn's cousin Beth who owns a shop called Boysenberry - Smart clothes

I wasn't sure what the clothes IQ was but they look great ...

... felt soft

... looked great a great place to shop. After a short visit with Beth I couldn't help but think of Jo & Joe Sharyn's cousin also and Beth's mom. Great family and a great legacy from Ed.

There is one more thing about Vermont I love and that's Jim and Doreen we couldn't have invented better friends who always make us smile...

... even with their tee shirts.

Quote of the Day ~

"Vermont - What happens here stays here, but nothing ever really happens here" ~ Jim's Tee Shirt

Magic Number is 144

Garden in the Woods

2011-04-28T18:43:00.000-07:00

Garden in the Woods is a great place to go if you like gardens and are near Boston especially in the Spring.

Flowers are in bloom...

... ferns are fiddle hedding...

and the variety of flowers are wonderful.

Some of of the little flowers are doubled colored...

...and others have bright stems and ruffled flower tips.

Some of them have windswept shapes...

...and others look like little bucket claws like prize machines...

Some areas of the garden are green and flowery...

...some are damp footed in the water...

... ans other areas are gray and somewhat dead looking...

... and some flowers look like little white bells.

There is a little wildlife like this mallard duck...

... turtles near the shore...

...and some on islands in the pond...

...and I even found a chipmunk.

The flowers were wonderful...

... in both color and variety....

... and I even found some cactus here in the Northeast

There was a fake stegosaurus...

... that was pretty cool,..

and an artistic wooden snake in the valley.

We eventually returned to the place we started,,,

... where I took one more picture,

I took this picture several years ago on a visit to these gardens and I think the lady shown here was at the garden again this visit. Interesting!

Quote of the Day ~

"By cultivating the beautiful we scatter the seeds of heavenly flowers, as by doing good we cultivate those that belong to humanity." ~ Robert A. Heinlein

Boston Museum of Fine Arts

2011-04-28T06:36:00.000-07:00

We love Boston and our friends here today we left their home...

... to visit the Museum of fine art...

... where we were greeted withTaihu Rock from the late 19th Century or Early 20th Century.

Doreen and Sharyn led the way while I lagged be

"Appeal to the Great Spirit," a sculpture by Cyrus Dallin, is the last of a four-piece series called "The Epic of the Indian." Dallin, a native of Utah, had a large amount of interaction with Native American children while growing up. The Sculpture was cast in 1909 in Paris, France and won a gold medal for its exhibition in the Paris Salon.

The entrance to the Museum is grand and once inside...

... there are three beautiful sculptures of a Madonna with child...

... a hunter...

... and a reclining woman.

The Dale Chihuly Glass exhibit was the main reason for the visit today...

...and it was amazing to see what looked like a 50 foot tall glass yucca plant

The fine art at the museum's new Art of the Americas"

... is amazing...

....and the work of masters.

The subjects are heroic

... and in heroic circumstances.

They are not all paintings...

... some are sculpture...

... and they are all fascinating ...

... including the pieces being renovated.

The museum has a large amount of early american decorative arts

all wonderful to see.

I did take a break to walk outside...

... it may not be very artistic but I liked the skateboarders...

...and the older couple exiting the museum...

and I especially liked the small fountain ...

... I also liked the look of the garden eatery...

... and seeing the lights of Fenway park and the top of the landmark Citgo sign,

Dale Chihuly and his "Through the looking Glass" exhibit was the main reason for our visit to the Boston Museum of fine art and we were nor disapointed...

... I was especially impressed with this ship of glass and it's black reflective base...

Some of his pieces were stand alone brilliant ...

... and of intricate design...

...beautifully lit and simple...

...others were groupings and while individually impressive, were set off by the collective items to form the image of a dinner table coupled with northwestern native American woven baskets and Pendleton blankets.

...and then there was a glass forest...

...and an undersea reef.

The show was just exciting ...\

...and the patrons also participated in the show while in this room with the glass pieces above showering the room with colored light.

There we huge glass ornaments hung from the ceiling in many colors...

...and shapes

...and finally a simple forest of lavendar lights entitled neodynium reeds on logs.

Exiting through the gift shop we saw several pieces...

... beautifully colored...

and impressively shaped...

with color and light...

and a rainbow of frozen glass.

Other pieces I like were this Singer Sargent painting ...

...this intricate stained glass...

... wonderful portraits...

... glorious room settings....

...and more and more fine art.

My favorite had to be this piece by Singer Sargent of life sized young girls at home.

Actually best of all was seeing this place with Sharyn and Doreen.

I walked out and took one more picture of a couple of tourists who were enjoying the sun and pictures of a tree taken with a cell phone.

Quote of the Day

"Living is like tearing through a museum. Not until later do you really start absorbing what you saw, thinking about it, looking it up in a book, and remembering - because you can't take it in all at once." ~ Audrey Hepburn

The Billboards of I-40

2011-04-18T17:55:00.000-07:00

We finally left Matt's house on Sunday stopping at Gas City on Buffalo Soldier Trail...

... past the Whetstone mountains...

,,, and onto Interstate 10 ...

...and finally past the State line between Arizona and New Mexico.

We headed north on I-25 into Albuquerque then turned East on I-40.

I-40 East of Albuquerque is the land of billboards, curios,,,

...and fireworks.

I liked this billboard and the view between the frame.

We do miss the Musemobile a lot but we are roughing it in motels and the Mini-Musemobile.

There three main themes along the road with a few independent operators like the Wagon Wheel.

It is something like billboard jungle.

Clines Corners has the most billboards and is the established purveyor of giant food...

... Indian pottery...

...and moccasins.
..

...even Ice Cream Cones.

The other established billboard operation is Tucumcari Tonight!

New is the Mesalands College Wind Turbine training thingie...

...and the new Mass Assault team at Flying C Ranch...

... with the same products...

...adding Black Hills Gold.

I thought the bus from Central Ohio Transit Authority passing the Mexican Imports was a nice touch...

...and then came the Flying C Ranch pottery...

and double-decker burgers...

... and breakfast burritos.

This refurbished building was around when I was 10 years old and sold great pottery, blankets and wooden painted dolls. But wait there's more they had a two headed snake in the area where the white truck is parked behind the gas pumps.

Finally we saw a sign for the town that was our goal for the night.

After going under this great bridge...

....we came to the exit for Milagro reminding me of Robert Redford's great movie titled the Milagro Beanfield War."

After one more sign for Billy the Kid ...

... and these towers I took a picture of ...

... August 7, 2005 at sunset

Time to rest at the Comfort Inn. zzzzz

Quote of the Day~

"Hey, what are you doing? You can't buy bullets with food stamps grandpa." - Milagro Beanfield War

Formation and Deformation of a Lenticular Cloud

2011-04-08T12:35:00.000-07:00

I watched a Lenticular cloud forming today...

... as I sat on the back patio.

High winds aloft sculpted the flat saucer looking shape...

As time went by the shape became more defined as a smooth cushion with clouds below giving it a mushroom look

I looked these clouds up in Wikipedia and this is what I found:

"Lenticular clouds (Altocumulus lenticularis) are stationary lens-shaped clouds that form at high altitudes, normally aligned perpendicular to the wind direction. Lenticular clouds can be separated into altocumulus standing lenticularis (ACSL), stratocumulus standing lenticular (SCSL), and cirrocumulus standing lenticular (CCSL). Due to their shape, they are often mistaken as Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs)."

"Where stable moist air flows over a mountain or a range of mountains, a series of large-scale standing waves may form on the downwind side. If the temperature at the crest of the wave drops to the dew point, moisture in the air may condense to form lenticular clouds. "

This particular cloud unlike the one we saw over Mount Shasta formed and was gone withing 30 minutes The one over Mount Shasta lasted at least 3 hours maybe longer.

Within minutes the left side of the cloud began to stream away ...

...causing the cloud to slowly break up into wisps...

... as the formation began to elongate.

As the cloud began to reshape itself it began to slowly move north...

... as the backside (the left) streamed away ...

...smaller clouds formed and took on a diamond shape with what looked like thin tornado looking edges.

This really light looking cloud broke off from the main cloud...

... at the lenticular cloud became even more elongated and slowly drifted north.

With no more clouds I did get a picture of a Quail in the peach tree and ...

... thought about the spectacular Lenticular cloud over Mont Shasta.

Quote of the Day ~

“Happiness is like a cloud, if you stare at it long enough, it evaporates” ~ Sarah McLachlan

The Owls of Lowe's Garden Center

2011-04-04T21:52:00.000-07:00

My sister Kathy makes great stained glass images but this isn't one of her's it is one Matt has in the bay window of his home.

The Whetstone Mountain range lies between Sierra Vista and Tucson and are one of three ranges that bound the Sierra Vista. We have taken several drives in the area looking for flowers and wildlife but ...

... it took going to the Sierra Vista Lowe's hardware store Nursery to find what we have looked for so long a baby owl in the wild...

...and there it was, there are actually two owl babies one is hiding, sitting on its nest. Well actually it was on a bag of organic soil.

Of course mom and dad kept an eye on the babies from the rafters of the nursery...

...as proud parents and fierce attackers of anyone who gets too close.

I looked up references to the great horned owl (that's what these are) and found some facts that all wax whimsically about these great bird in the wild of everywhere but a Shopping Mall.

"Great horned owls will usually perch or roost during the day in a protected area such as a tree limb or rocky overhang. When awake and hunting they use their excellent ability to hear to catch their prey. This is aided by excellent eyesight and the fact that they make little-to-no noise when they fly. "

More Facts:

"It is a myth that owls can turn their heads all they way around in a complete circle. They can turn their head close to 270 degrees because they have extra neck vertebrae. Owls are unable to move their eyes, so in order to see around them they must turn their head."

And wait there;s more:

"Did you know that a great horned owl probably does not have a good sense of smell? It is one of the few predators that will actually kill and eat skunks. Taxidermists who stuff and mount dead owls often have to deodorize them first, because the bird smells so strongly of skunk! "

Back to the babies, you can kind of see the second baby behind the first here.

"The name great horned owl suggests the involvement of some kind of horns. Although these owls do not really have actual horns, instead have tufts or feathers that bear semblance to a horn. In fact, some people also call them cat owls, since they feel the tufts appear similar to cat's ears. Interestingly, the great horned owl grows"

They look so cuddly:

"The Great Horned Owl is referred to as “the tiger of the sky” because of its fierce nature and ability to capture a wide variety of prey that may be larger or heavier than the owl. The Great Horned Owl is one of the few species that occasionally preys on skunks."

They are just too cute for words. Last fact below doesn't mention sacks of soil at the hardware store but I suppose this is a bit unusual except for this Lowe's store, this IS their 3rd year nesting here - go figure.

"Great horned owls will usually perch or roost during the day in a protected area such as a tree limb or rocky overhang. When awake and hunting they use their excellent ability to hear to catch their prey. This is aided by excellent eyesight and the fact that they make little-to-no noise when they fly. "

The store also has some beautiful flowers for sale (they don't sell the owls) ...

...So I enjoyed getting a few pictures.

I think flowers amaze me because of the variety of shapes...

... and colors...

...and fragrance.

I like Calla Lilies and usually see them in white but I found some yellow,

... and yellow and red.

I liked these colorful daisy looking flowers ...

... and these red flowers...

... I even found a really cool fountain ...

... we even bought this bottle brush tree and planted it next to Matt's Main driveway. It was a good day topped off with some great grilled Tuna Steaks - Thanks Sharyn.

Quote of the Day ~ "He respects Owl, because you can't help respecting anybody who can spell TUESDAY, even if he doesn't spell it right.” ~ A. A. Milne

Back to Cactusland

2011-03-28T22:09:00.000-07:00

One of the first things you see after leaving Oregon is Mt. Shasta that was formed as a Volcano and it looked active when we drove by.

After a night at a Best Western we drove over the Tehachapi Pass at an elevation of 3,970 feet and down into Mojave cutting south at highway 395. The road is bounded on the west by some pretty huge power lines...

... a few Joshua trees...

... and even more power lines.

We drove 17 hours getting in at Matt's house late but safe. I did get out the next day for some cacti pictures like this one of a leaning Mickey Mouse Cactus...

.... this bearded cactus I called a Gabby Hayes ...

... and this one I call a fish hook cactus

after it's curved barbs

When I think about it Matt has a great variety of cacti and I really appreciate this yellow cactus.

Matt also has some interesting boulder sized rocks and even an old wagon wheel...

... and the boulder was beautifully colored.

Some of his cactus is furry but don't let it fool you ...

... there are some sharp needles as well...

... and the effect in the yard is very traditional Arizona hardscape.

This guy so special with it's almost perfectly round shape and, yes, needles...

nestled as part of a purple gold and green paddle cactus.

Matt did get the picture I put together I put together for him hung on the wall of the living room...

... and the rocks I put on the wall were still there...

... the ducky was chlorinating the pool...

... and the pool water was up to 61.

As the shadows from the pool fence moved across the patio floor...

...Scrabble queen potted an herb garden.

The real star was Matt's Yucca with two beautiful bloom pods...

... that were impossible to capture this day...

Best of all Matt's healing and each day is better than the last.

Quote of the Day ~

"So it really does have a sort of bittersweet quality. Kids like to have adventures and to believe they can fly, but there's also that fear about people leaving you." ~ Cathy Rigby, gymnast, actress and speaker.

First Friday Art Walk in the Rain - March 2011

2011-03-05T23:21:00.000-08:00

When I arrived downtown for the Art Walk the first thing I saw was this huge poster on the West side of the parking structure. Very colorful and creative.

Looking back toward town I also liked the mixture of color on the buildings across the way to the south east...

... and directly down a trio that consisting of a tree trunk, a yellow ire hydrant and a mostly buried boulder.

My first stop was at The Karin Clarke Gallery that was showing the work of LaVern Krause

"LaVerne Krause graduated from the University of Oregon in 1946 and then returned in 1966 to teach art, and by 1972 she was a full professor. Her close friends called her "mercurial" and she was respected by almost everyone as a strong influence on art students and young artists. As a visiting faculty member, she founded the UO printing program and eventually became a permanent faculty member. Krause taught at the University of Oregon for 20 years until she retired in 1986. She continued to be active in the art community until her death in 1987. Even after her death, she is still recognized as a great role model and skillful artist."

This painting called The Wheat Field is a great example of seeing a pallet of color and contours and creating a very serene view of rural America.

In LaVerne's Painted Desert she expresses the earth tones in contrast with the ethereal blue sky. Such lovely work from an exciting and gentle soul.

Across the way at The Karin Clarke Annex were two wonderful works from Margaret Coe (Karin's Mother) first was this great painting of a rustic looking port ...

... and beautifully smooth landscape of boats along the shore.

I also got to finally meet Karin's father Mark Clarke a very who painted this beautiful image and many more that can be seen at the gallery. Mark took some time to discuss the technique he uses when painting. It is a very unique style and he is one of Sharyn's favorite artists. Later Mark gave a talk on LaVerne Krause in the main gallery.

There there a lot of gallery walkers tonight despite the rain like this gentleman talking with Renee about some of the fine art on display in the Annex.

I walked over to the Jacobs Gallery in the rain and took a few "wet" shots, this one is of the parking structure where I parked...

... and this shot is looking down Willamette from the Hult Center...

... and finally I got a picture of the elevator hauling a man up to the top floor

Back at the Annex of Karin's Gallery this painting caught my eye and I really like the color and style but didn't get the title or name of the artist.

I always feel more alive at the art walks and I'm not sure if it's the color you bathe in at the galleries, or the people I meet, or the cool night air or maybe it's just that I'm doing something with my photography of just plain doing Something...

... I do enjoy the company and coffee after the walk with friend like Ron (center of the picture) ...

... and Randy and Renee and Vern who couldn't be here tonight.

Even when I am walking back to the car and the crowds have cleared, the quiet night feels very sweet.

Quote of the Day ~

"Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain!" ~ Vivian Greene

Plein Air Painters in Creswell

2011-02-26T11:02:00.000-08:00

Garden Lake Park in Creswell was the gathering place for the Plein Air Painters of Lane County and the artists were there. Victoria and Jacki were there early...

As was Sarkis who had a great start to his painting...

I walked around the lake and got a picture of Don and Renee setting up on the pier ...

Then walked to the pier (not on the water) to get a picture of Renee with Don in the background.

What an artist sees is personal and a representation of each artist's personality

Don is a very accomplished painter and it was a pleasure watching his vision come together...

... It's one thing to see these works in a gallery as a fixed image but to watch them go from a blank canvas to a wonderful work of art is very special.

Renee was painting a barn across the pond...

...and the amazing thing is that the barn was partially hidden by the trees on the bank...

... yet she captured it beautifully in the final stroke...

... since I'm a photographer I had to walk around the pond to get a fairly clear view.

On the walk around the lake I did snap a few shots of mossy rocks...

... colorful leaves...

... and a bright weed...

Even a dead branch that looked like a bearded snake

Later I found Victoria and Jacki painting in the high brush...

... and first took a picture of the brush ...

... then the brushes...

Victoria was busy painting and in the background Don and Renee were still hard at work

I did stop to get a picture of Don through the trees...

... and one more moss covered branch.

Later Sally arrived with her gear. I wanted to show an artist setup gear ...

... for those of you who think artists are not very organized, believe me they are very organized.

There was even a new artist there, I even got her name and the spelling and lost and forgot it so please let me know. This was the second day of the paint-out and it was very cool seeing a new artist there...

Walking around the lake I got a shot of an Egret before it flew away...

Paul Bourgault was there as well high on a rise painting the barn at close range. I am always happy to see these great people and fine artists they are always smiling and kind.

Quote of the Day ~

"No matter how we view things or perceive them, beauty is constantly there" ~ Renee Manford Plein Air Artist