The traveled road, page seven

I've been remiss in updating my blog lately. With more struggles on the dog front, I haven't had much interest in writing. Letting go of the struggles surrounding Kindle has been excruciatingly difficult...

The 'traveled road' reminds me that life goes on. 'Things' can be more constant, but living, breathing creatures have a force all their own, sometimes that force is good, and sometimes it's bad. None the less, it's a force to reckon with, and we have certainly had to face that full in the face with Kindle very recently.

Last month we were in California, and had occasion to visit the central coast. We made several pit stops, but the one I loved most was the one in Carmel at the Mission San Carlos Borroméo del río Carmelo, or, as it's more commonly known, "the Carmel Mission".

I'll let the images speak for themselves. Needless to say, it's a very quaint, understated mission. I loved this mission's rich history. And I loved seeing where Father Junipero Serra is interred. An interesting and educated man. He held a doctorate in theology.

The traveled road, page six

Everything seen here is within an hour of home...we are blessed.

The Three Sisters (foreground) and the Pole Creek fire burn area (foreground),
Deschutes National Forest, Oregon, December 27, 2013.

Smith Rock, Smith Rock State Park, Terrebonne, Oregon, December 28, 2013.

Benham Falls, Deschutes National Forest, Oregon, December 28, 2013.

Mt. Bachelor, Deschutes National Forest, Oregon, December 29, 2013.

Broken Top, Deschutes National Forest, Oregon, December 29, 2013.

Tumalo Creek, Deschutes National Forest, Oregon, December 29, 2013.

The traveled road, page five

A few nights ago the moon was full, and it was a 'harvest moon'. With no moon shooting skills to lean upon, and only a fundamental knowledge of my gear (though the knowledge is growing, it's far from complete), we headed out. What did I learn? The moon is hard to shoot! What makes it hard is the light from the moon relative to anything surrounding it.  The contrast is hard to manage within a single image, but I'm still proud of these two shots, from the same location, but with different lenses, apertures, exposures and focal lengths...

This, right as the moon came up from behind the rocks. A bit of 'peek-a-boo'. I like the detail on the rocks here, and the tree to the left of the moon.  I shot this with my 70-210mm lens.  I love that lens.  Older, but cheap, and it's pretty dang sharp, even further out.

This one was fun because I was playing with my newly acquired 'starburst' skills. I used the 12-24mm lens here, f/22 for 30 seconds.

Not far from home we have been able to find some pretty places from which to shoot. We live in a very beautiful place. I often forget. These evening treks remind me that we have incredible beauty just a few minutes from home.

The traveled road, page four

We set out for some camera practice for Cliff last night, and had a destination in mind. What we intended to focus on was different from what eventually caught our eye: a pump pump house in Terrebonne, in a rather affluent area, just sitting off the side of the road. The gnarled tree added so much visual interest to the setting, we just had to see about capturing it. As we were setting up, the moon made an appearance, which turned out to be the icing on the cake.

To be honest, I think this is a pump house and setting made to look old, rather than an old one blended into a new landscape. No matter, the visual interest was so compelling, we couldn't resist.

I'm always amazed at what you can stumble upon, in your own hometown, if you just get out and about. Sometimes it's about finding new things, and sometimes it's about seeing old things with a new eye, a more appreciative eye, an eye filled with gratitude.

Gratitude: the quality of being thankful;

readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.

The traveled road, page three

We live in a grand landscape. Not as grand as some, but the sights that can be found within an hour of our home are quite impressive. Hard to accomplish when you live in a desert, and nowhere near the beach. I can't count tropical paradise, nor the ocean, in locations close to home.

Smith Rock State Park is a favorite location of mine, and we are, literally, 10 minutes away from this stunning place. A favorite of rock climbers from all over the world, the chalk they use can be seen on rock faces nearly everywhere you look. I have yet to capture a climber on the rocks, but I will some day. I have only been here as the sun is going down, so my arrival times haven't coincided with the climbers, who tend to climb in the light of day.

Anyone visiting central Oregon should plan a stop here.  There are ample trails, and breathtaking views everywhere you look.

The traveled road, page two

A great weekend...

350 miles driven, several sights seen, and a truly enjoyable time with friends. Started out meeting up with a friend Friday night at the Prineville reservoir. Early Saturday morning we took off for the Painted Hills. Didn't quite make it for sunrise color, but it didn't diminish our enjoyment. I learned from my friend how to make a 'starburst' without any kind of trickery or fancy editing, a skill I will be excited to take to Sequoia National Park, and the Grand Canyon this fall. Simple, easy and really effective. No special equipment needed!

We took a swing through the Sheep Rock area. I'm not sure why it's called 'Sheep Rock', because I didn't see any sheep shaped rocks, and I sure didn't see any signs explaining how it came to be named as such.  It was lovely, regardless.

New this trip was a visit to Fort Rock, Oregon, where another friend joined up with us for some night shooting. Last night was the anniversary of Ty's passing, so shooting the stars and the Milky Way was fitting. I am so excited to have a wonderful image to remember the night with...a night to celebrate my Ty's precious, and all too short life.

Hoping to go back to Fort Rock in the late fall for some closer up shooting of the Fort Rock homestead buildings, which are pretty nifty. I did manage one shot of the rock, off in the distance. It's a fascinating place.

Until we meet again on 'The Traveled Road'...

The traveled road, page one

There are so many places I would like to see and visit, to capture memories into a single moment in time with my camera. This is not a time in my life when I can access the places that many others can. If I can't get there by car, and a short walk, I don't get there at all. In time this will change, but not now.

'The traveled road' is dedicated to my heart and soul dog, Jet, who at 14, is unable to walk long distances, or traverse uneven ground any longer. We travel as far as we, as a family, are able, and if one can only walk a few hundred yards safely, then that's what we do...together.

My first entry into 'the traveled road' is from last week, and our visit to Tumalo Falls in the Deschutes National Forest. It was so quiet there, with the peace only interrupted by the hypnotic sound of the falling water. We had the area nearly to ourselves, with just one other couple on the trail leading up to the upper overlook. We chose to stay close to the car for Jet's sake, and shoot from the lower viewpoint...it was anything but disappointing. It was just a short walk from the parking lot.