Christmas Valley Sand Dunes
Once again, Central Oregon does not disappoint.
There is a lifetime of exploration here.
Rippling sand.
Trees past.
Dusk calm.
News flash…
re: Three landscapes and a soaking shed
…I can’t count.
Or I changed my mind.
Possibly both.
Oh, my.
Three landscapes and a soaking shed
A wild winter ride to iconic Central Oregon hot springs offered these landscapes. The road to Summer Lake is a beautiful stretch of little-used highway along the western edge of the Great Basin. Sagebrush gives way to alkali lakes, winds rip across the open flat, and clouds create another dimension of life above the high desert.
An unsettled day in the high desert.
Silver Lake, Oregon, snow from the west meets billowing clouds from the east.
Snow seems to be falling from Summer Lake up to the clouds.
Between the land and sky of Central Oregon lies Silver Lake.
Summer Lake Hot Springs soaking shed
A One Sentence Story
I saw a dead fish on the highway today.
Winter Water – snow and ice taking new forms
The only constant is change. Snow turns to ice; ice turns to water; water turns to rivers; rivers become oceans. And eventually, it comes back to land to start the cycle again.
Building crystals, Deschutes River, Tumalo State Park
Juniper droplet
Calm in the rush
Deschutes River, Tumalo State Park
Winter daydreams of light and texture
The Great Basin, Nevada
The Painted Hills in winter, an unfinished canvas
At first glance, covering the brilliant colors of the Painted Hills with snow seems an affront. Slowly, though, you realize the colors are more vivid and the landscape patterns surreal; it is a study in negative space. The intensity of the snow and depth of the shadows create an otherworldly effect that makes this fabulous place more so.
Winter Solstice
Happy Winter Solstice!
All the best and brightest for 2017!
Spring trees after morning rain. Beartown State Forest, Massachusetts
Yampa River valley, cottonwoods, snow, and afternoon light. Colorado
Fern aliens. How can so many shades of green live in one place? Mount Baker, Washington
Sea alien – A.K.A. anemone. Deception Pass State Park, Washington
Paintbrush in lichen-laden sagebrush. Steens Mountain, Oregon
The road through Candy Land
Fall color against red rock. Capitol Reef National Park, Utah
Super moon set. Canyonlands National Park, Utah
Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
Kalahari Milky Way. Botswana
Zebra-belly nap face. Moremi National Park, Botswana
Personal grooming is important in maintaining superiority.
Elephant knees and toenails and a little one tucked under the trunk. Chobe, Botswana
Lilac-breasted roller. Moremi National Park, Botswana
Paradise Found, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
The road through Candy Land
Remember the children’s game, Candy Land? If the board was laid out on a real landscape, this is what the road would look like, marshmallow fudge and cotton(wood) candy.
Cottonwood Canyon Road, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Utah
Notes from the camper
I wonder if snails ever get tired of hauling their homes around on their backs.
When hermit crabs move out of outgrown shells, do they feel elated?
I offloaded the camper yesterday for the first time since July. I suddenly feel exposed and, at the same time, delighted that I am free of my shell. The truck feels like a zippy sports car without the extra weight but I have to learn to use the rearview mirror again.
I’m settling in Bend, Oregon, for the winter. Stay tuned. I’ll be adding posts along the way. It’s always an adventure.