Janet Brien's photos

There's a song running through my head right now and I cannot help but croon! Please do yourself a favor and watch it once again, for today is one to celebrate! (The link below will take you to the classic Wizard of Oz song which is so perfect for today's momentous event!) Ding Dong the Witch is Dead! Ding-dong, the witch is dead! Which old witch? The wicked witch Ding-dong, the wicked witch is dead Wake up, you sleepy head, rub your eyes, get out of bed Wake up, the wicked witch is dead! I was planning to post more of my Medford parking lot fall images but instead I'm going to post a picture that shows how I'm feeling right now…this explosion of bright and beautiful Forsythia blossoms will do nicely! Thank you for all of your amazing comments, your favorites and just for stopping by. You guys are a huge part of what makes my world go 'round! Stay safe! Explored on 11/8/20; highest placement #3.

(Please view large!) I can't resist anymore! I've been sitting on this picture for ages and I just have to post it today...I have piles of Medford parking lot pictures still to post but I just gotta share this one! I know it's Thursday in the US but it's Friday in Europe so I hope it's no problem that I've posted this photo today... This picture was taken on my birthday, this past September 29th, and I turned 56! We were still out on our epic 3-month RV trip and what a lovely thing to wake up at LaPine State Park for this special occasion. As we are known to do, Steve and I try to do something special on our birthdays and I'd planned my outing months back, all thanks to one of my online brothers, Ron Hanko! He and his wife are avid hikers and photographers and enjoy their share of traveling too. They live in Washington--the state north of us--and venture all over, including forays into Oregon among other places. Last year they happened to travel near LaPine State Park and did some exploring at a place called Newberry National Volcanic Monument. Steve and I visited this amazing park once but it was Ron that alerted me to an area we missed: the Obsidian Flow. His pictures had me doing backflips all over the room and I told Steve at the time that the next time we get back to LaPine State Park, we would be visiting that place! The entrance to Newberry National Volcanic Monument is only about 20 minutes from our campsite, but it can take a while longer to get to many areas--it's a staggering 86 square miles in size! However, the trailhead to the Big Obsidian Flow was only about 30 minutes away so we arrived in short order, donning our masks soon after we left our truck. There were enough people around that we needed to protect ourselves--and them as well. Venturing up the trail, we soon found mountains of obsidian and lava rocks heaped before us. A metal-grate staircase led up the side and fencing protected those who stopped on the main landing there to look out on the forest and flow. This was a perfect spot for a HFF panorama and Steve and I thoroughly enjoyed soaking up the incredible view. I loved having Steve in the shot, he was busy creating a panorama too and I loved seeing that here. :) We spent an hour enjoying the mind-blowing features of this magnificent place and took lots of pictures along the path that snaked in and out, up and around the mounds and boulders. I couldn't help but think happily about this wonderful present from Ron. Had it not been for his pictures, we would have missed this jaw-dropping sight! I am only sharing this one picture today, as I'd like to post my presentation later. I have processed over two dozen pictures to share, so you'll see them eventually! :D I hope that everyone is staying safe and warm. It's been a very tense few days regarding a subject that I loathe with a fierce passion--politics--I look forward to the current monstrosity being in the rear view with a proper conclusion and kick to the curb. But…my head is back in the sand with ears plugged--lalalalallalalaal---I don't want to hear about it! Explored on 11/5/20; highest placement #1.

(+5 insets!) (the details in a larger view are worth it! :D) I hope this day has been a nice one for you! I am regaining warmth in my fingers on this crispy, cold but beautiful morning--a warm mug of tea does wonders!--and my feet are wrapped in a blanket. Though, let's be honest--they're really cold and won't be warming up any time soon. Happily, I decided to order a heated blanket so I don't have to spend so much time "praying to the Monitor Heater" downstairs with my sock-covered feet pressed up against the heating vent. Can't wait for that blanket to get here! :) Great Luck with my Photography! I have been having such fun working my way through my parking lot extravaganza! Don't you just love it when the majority of the pictures you took on an adventure turned out really well? That's how this lot has been and I took well-over 300 shots! Granted, I take aperture sets (e.g. 2.8, 4.0 5.6, 8.0, 11.0 etc.) of most subjects but still…I ended up with a huge variety of lovely subjects and interesting images to pursue. Leaf Junkie When I got my first Canon DSLR and beloved 100mm 2.8L lens, the first thing I took pictures of was an oak leaf! It's true: I cannot help being crazy about leaf shapes, colors and textures. I know that people get tired of the subject but me? NEVAH! Naturally, when the trees begin to turn colors and fall reveals its gorgeous rainbows of two-dimensional flowers, I lose myself when appreciating this yearly show. What about you? Do you tire of leaves or are they something you can't stop taking pictures of?! Today's Pictures Wandering around in careful steps on a wet lawn that had been watered earlier that morning, I zoomed in on the droplets I found all over the place. But I made sure to look up into the trees too, appreciating the myriad colors and pretty shapes there. I was attracted to the lovely peach and reddening tones in one tree and spotted a leaf that had enough contrast to stand out against the peach. When I processed the picture I realized it was the only forward-facing leaf of the group, which allowed it to show off so nicely. I find it a wonderful challenge to get a picture like this to work and happily, I got lucky with super framing of the peachy-colored leaf-backs all around! Also included: a much more subdued leafy composition mostly in shadow with interesting bokeh to look at; oh look, another lovely gingko leaf surrounded by bokeh! And it's growing directly out of the tree trunk!; a droplet-covered maple leaf found on the bark-covered ground; a single curled leaf, also growing directly out of a tree trunk that glowed beautifully in the afternoon light--almost a yin yang image!; and finally, a battered leaf in tones of splotched yellow, complete with cool shadows to appreciate…I think a well-placed puff of air would have brought this leaf down! Thank You! I'm loving the parade of images you've all been sharing for me to enjoy! And I really appreciate your visits, comments and favorites too. Sometimes I wonder if I should mention some of the pictures and presentations that so delight me as I wander around ipernity, but I think it's better to just leave my comments on your pictures and know that I've had a lovely visit and appreciate how you see the world! :) Be safe out there!! The flu is something we all need to worry about on top of covid, so please stay warm and monitor your sleep and stress!! *hugs to you all!* Explored on 11/3/20; highest placement #6.

(+5 insets) Happy Fall Back Day! Oh my, we've gained an hour! As I type it's 8:15 on the clock but really it's 9:15…or at least that's what my body has to say about it! I just love gaining an hour, even though it's not truly real. Real or not, I feel like I have a whole extra hour and it's delightful! :) A Very Covid Halloween By the way, for those of you who enjoy Halloween, I hope you managed to find a safe way to celebrate! I have always loved this holiday and as a kid it was my very favorite day of the year. I cannot help but feel sad about Covid ruining this special day for so many. Personally, I haven't actually done anything festive for Halloween for a few years now--we often get pumpkins to carve, but not lately. Instead, I'll participate in Halloween events happening within online video games and that really satisfies me. This year it was Animal Crossing! A few weeks ago Steve surprised me with a birthday gift--a Nintendo Switch! This is something I'd never buy for myself--I cannot justify the price of these little time-wasters--so Steve likes to get things like this for me because he knows I will enjoy them. He's right. I have a soft spot for this particular game and it's only available on the Nintendo Switch. Instead of Animal Crossing, I made due by finding other games which are similar--the outstanding Garden Paws and equally excellent My Time at Portia --but there's nothing like the real thing! I've been having a great time with it and the Halloween event was charming, darling, and so cute. Something very nice as well is that players can gather and celebrate together, which means a lot to all those kids who didn’t get to celebrate properly this year. I hope that next year kids will have their trick-or-treating and holiday parties restored! Fall in Medford, Parking Lot Style! Who says you need to go to a park or grand location to photograph the lovely colors of Fall? Steve and I don't always get out for a photo day that features Fall's dramatic show. However, if I want to immortalize the pretty colors everywhere, all I need to do is tag along when Steve's going out for some shopping and errands, and my wish is granted! Parking lots around here are often lavishly planted with a large variety of trees, shrubs and other plants. When Fall rolls around, the colors are simply outrageous! Yet, if you took pictures from a distance, the effect would be a disaster--who wants to see an ugly parking lot, cars, power lines and endless cement? However, if you get in closer, shoot up towards the sky, and take time to carefully compose images to eliminate the manmade distractions, the results can be just as marvelous as if we'd driven for hours to get pretty Fall landscape images. Yes, I do miss out on those amazing landscape images but I get so many lovely photos that are up-close and personal, it's a satisfying, marvelous show! Today's Pictures: Gingko Leaves and More! I had a wonderful time taking pictures of all of the beautiful things that presented themselves to me at each stop we made around town. However, I was beside myself with joy when I spotted a number of Gingko trees with some colorful leaves left just for me! Don't you just love their unique and interesting leaves? These marvelous trees with their many medical benefits are native to China and are commonly used for landscaping around the world. Creeping around the trees I found, I looked for the best way to photograph those magnificent leave. Happily, I was rewarded with a number of very successful winners to share, which I'll spread out over the next few posts. (For more information about these trees, Wiki has a super page on them here: Wiki: Ginkgo Biloba ) I'm also including a glorious spray of fiery red maple leaves against a blue sky--how awesome to find such a perfect branch of leaves! There is also a backlit "stained glass" maple leaf with a variety of colorful splotches and shadows of stems which look like an X through the leaf! A group of glowing orange leaves with a background of leaves in shadow turned out nicely too! There's a close-up of a red-edged, dripping leaf found under a tree just beginning to turn color. And finally, a some red leaves on a short hedge that were covered with water…I couldn't help but try for a starry-droplet shot! Partly blown-out but still a win in my book and I hope you like it too! :) That's all from me! Thanks again for your visits, comments and favorites! Please stay safe out there in this new explosion of cases…combined with the flu, I don't think this will be a very nice winter for a lot of people. Explored on 11/1/20; highest placement #2.

(+5 insets!) Please view large, the details are worth it! :) We've been having such lovely, sunny days here that warm up to a nice, warm day…but BOY, do they start off COLD! WHOOO!!! By the time I get inside after my 30-minute tromp up and down the driveway, my hands and feet are frozen! When I get into the house I must worship the Monitor Heater God for the next 20 minutes while I thaw out again! Sheesh! I have been having such a nice time visiting all of you and catching up on your beautiful photography. It really is like going on a trip around the world, a gift to me from each of you. Sometimes you leave something to read, sometimes it's just the picture to explain itself, but always it's nice to see what you are drawn to post for me to see! :) Today's Pictures: "Caught" Oak Leaf and More! My main picture is a subject that's a total favorite of mine, the "caught" leaf. On the way down to the ground, sometimes the rare leaf will get stuck on the way. Could be a bush or branch, twigs or grass stems--you never know what might interrupt a leaf on its path. Now, you must stop and think for just a moment about the odds. How in the world can a leaf get stuck on anything? Looking more closely, it's just amazing how tenuous the hang-up spot can be. A breath of breeze might be all it needs to finish its trip to the ground. This particular White Oak leaf had me all a-gawk! As it dried up, the end of it curled up into a tube. Then it fell and somehow managed to be speared by a wild oat stem--right through that curl in the leaf! How in the WORLD could the odds have lined up to allow this miraculous capture to occur? Nearly a week ago I was walking on our road and of course this marvelous little flag caught my eye. Crouching down to take a closer look, I gasped in surprise when I noticed the leaf's curl and watched as it waved softly in the breeze. I couldn't miss out on this picture so when it warmed up I returned with my camera to capture this cool leaf. Unfortunately the breeze had kicked up in the afternoon and I was pretty annoyed to find that not a single picture turned out of the dozen I'd taken. BOO! I worried about the leaf falling but still, I waited until the next day to try again. This time, instead of a bunch of failed attempts, I got plenty of choices to pick from, yay! I'm also including a few other prizes from my wander around our property. First off, we still have flowers! It's amazing to believe anything can grow, even though it's hovering around freezing in the morning and the soil has no moisture in it. Only hardy species can survive in our extremely hot and dry summer, an autumn with very little rainfall, and then a frozen tundra until February. But here are two stunning flowers who have no problems with drought! The beautiful yellow flower with a dried flower in bokeh behind is called "Lemon Tarweed", named for the sticky resin droplets that cling to the stems and behind-leaf veins. You'll know you've touched this plant if you smell the lovely lemon scent the disturbed resin releases. The blossoms are smaller and much more scraggly than earlier blooms, but one cannot deny their delicate beauty! The lovely little white flowers are called "Rough Eyelash" and at this point the blossoms are about 2/3 the size they normally are when they bloom earlier. Next: behold a little upside-down apple! No, wait! That's a manzanita berry, and behind in bokeh you can see a leaf from this wonderful small tree/scrubby brush. I am shocked to say that I've never processed a single one of these berries in all the years we've been on this property! I can only imagine I've got loads of pictures sitting in my archives but I never got to any of them. FOR SHAME!! Such beautiful little berries! I'm including a cluster of berries too, so you can see how they usually grow together in clumps. Finally, a wad of dried-up White Oak leaves that I liked the look of, all curly with a cool texture! Thanks everyone, for your visits, comments and favorites. I'm delighted by the words that you leave and often find myself giggling or downright cackling at your remarks about spiders and such! I am equally humbled by your words of joy to see my pictures and your high regards--you are so kind and I am moved by all of your impressions. How I love you all! Please stay safe, warm, and away from nasty little buggies! Explored on 10/30/20; highest placement #5.

Hello there and happy Wednesday (or Thursday depending on where you live in the world!)! I hope everyone is keeping safe and warm out there. It's been unseasonably frigid here and my morning walks up and down the driveway are now in near-freezing temps, yikes! I am having a hard time getting around to working on my state park writing project so I guess you'll have to put up with more pictures around our property! :D Thankfully there are zillions of pictures I haven't posted yet and of course…there are always new pictures that I've just taken! Walking up and down the driveway each day, there's no way to deny the beauty of everything around me. The sun shining through colorful fall leaves, the lovely gold and yellows of the dried grasses, and even though it's nearly November, there are still a few flowers blooming! I loved the idea of taking a few pictures, and so I popped out a couple of days ago and wandered around! Today's Pictures As I was drifting around beside our road, looking up into the trees for pretty leaves, down near the ground to look for "caught" leaves stuck on grass or stems before they hit the ground, I noticed something fluttering. Glancing up, I saw a butterfly! Better yet, it actually landed right near by! I simply could not believe my good fortune! From July through October, Steve and I travelled from one state park to the next and not once did I find myself graced with a single butterfly that I could take a picture of. And here, on our property, when the insects were almost all dead for the season or burrowed away to wait for spring, I find the one butterfly of the season for me to photograph! HOORAY!!! My main picture and one inset show a Common Buckeye Butterfly, which is a species found all over the United States. I was surprised to see that though I may have photographed one before (I probably have something unprocessed, who knows!), I've never posted a picture and I'm so delighted to share this pretty butterfly with all of you! The inset shows just how plain and camouflaged they become when their wings are closed. I've also included a picture of a silvery-looking Oak Gall, or "Oak Apple", which is another kind of wasp gall like the one I shared the other day. This one caught my eye with it's "cracked mud" surface that gleamed with a metallic silver sheen. Magnificent! And also included today are two views of a kind of stink bug that I found sitting on a manzanita berry. Super cool, no?! What a trove of neat subjects to share, and I'll have more to show you when I post my next set! :D (By the way, if you're interested in learning more about Stinkbugs, I found a wonderful pdf that shows many species in all of their growth stages! ) Thank you very much for all of your comments and favorites--I've been having a great time visiting your streams and seeing what you're all up to! :D STAY SAFE!! Explored on 10/28/20; highest placement #1.

Hi everyone! I hope everyone is having a wonderful rest of your weekend! I haven't been able to get to my trip notes yet, so I'm posting another picture from our property. :) Fall is Here! As October marches towards November, the leaves are turning every shade of the rainbow and falling from the trees in ever-greater numbers. Steve and I have been oohing and ahhing over the amazing show whenever we're out and are hoping for a fall photography adventure in if we can fit it in between his projects. Behold the Colorful, Odd Cynipid Wasp Gall One might notice that a few leaves--especially from Oaks--have something strange attached to them. These 1/4"-1"globes are perfectly round in shape, hollow and semi-translucent when held up to the sun . Upon closer examination, there will be a small hole somewhere around the lightly fuzzy ball. What a curious thing! Whatever could it be? This is a wasp gall! There are several species of wasps which lay their eggs in specific trees or other plants. When the larvae hatch and begin eating the plant's leaves, stems or branches, they also exude specialized growth hormones. These hormones cause rapid growth in the shape of a ball or lump of some sort depending on the species of gall wasp. The larvae sit inside this gall, which grows around them and provides protection and nutrients while they mature over the next few months. Eventually they will nibble their way out of the gall as fully-grown adults and fly away! Although they are technically parasites, they rarely do any harm to the host plant and leave only the empty galls as their calling cards. Our property is the home to many types of wasp galls and I think this type- Cynips mirabilis ---is my favorite, though the other species are very interesting and photogenic too! If you would like to know more about some of the different types of wasp galls, here's an informative web page for you: Wasp Galls For more pictures that include images of the various wasps and a lot more information, take a peek at this: In-Depth Article About Gall Wasps of Southern Oregon Explored on 10/26/20; highest placement #1.

Being Home is Kind of Strange! I have to admit that it's odd to be back home in our "bricks and sticks" house instead of on the road. It's a good thing to be back before the rainy season turns any flat area into sticky, slippery mud, but since the downpours haven't started yet, both of us wish we could be out and about. However, we were out a month later than we expected and we do have lots of things to upgrade and work on--both in our trailer and in our house--so it's for the best that we're home! :) Trip Stories I'm going to post a series of pictures that show a picture of each place we went during our trip, along with a quick summary, but I haven't gotten everything organized yet. In the meantime, I'll post some pictures from home! Today's Picture Just a couple of days after we got home, I found a little black something crawling on the wall in the bathroom. Of course I knew instantly what it was--a curious little jumping spider! Are you not in love?! JUST LOOK AT THAT FACE!! THE FANCY HAIR! Hearts and flowers everywhere! :D These are my favorite spiders because they are so cute, clever and interested in everything around them. Of their eight eyes, one of the two pairs that face forward is very large with excellent vision. These awesome hunters are not dangerous and are great fun to hold on the tip of a finger! :) I do love them so! Jumping spiders, members of the Salticidae family, are the most successful group of arachnids. There are over 600 genera and more than 6000 species found worldwide with the exception of the north and south poles--why, they have even been spotted at the base of Mount Everest! Thank you all for your visits, comments and favorites! I'm doing my best to catch up and hope you will be patient with me! :D It really is so nice to be visiting once again--you're all so talented with amazing photography to enjoy! :) Explored on 10/21/20; highest placement #1.

(+2 map insets!) Hello everyone!! We're finally home, safe and sound! Steve and I arrived a week ago from our epic 3-month "Covid Summer" RV trip around western Oregon, and with a few days to settle in, I'm finally ready to start posting again! What a blast we had! :) To be honest, if we didn't have a bunch of upgrade projects lined up for the next few months, we'd have been happy to just turn around and head out and find out what it means to be a "snowbird!" Wow, what a difference from last year's camping season! A year ago we returned home from our six-week trip to Vancouver Island, Canada, and both of us were totally wrecked. The trailer was damaged and we were totally exhausted from the stress of the many problems we experienced along the way. It took us months to recover from that trip…despite all the fun we managed to have between the worries, the negatives hung over us for a long time. As I've reported in the past, we didn't think travelling would be in the cards for 2020, what with Covid-19 taking over and throwing a wrench in the works. Staying safe was our priority and our rural home was our sanctuary. As summer approached, we learned that Oregon State Parks were opening up for reservations in June and we wondered if camping was a crazy idea. Then, when Steve's sister reported that camping in California was working out just fine, we pulled our heads out of the sand and made some reservations at nearby campgrounds. Who knew if the campgrounds would be shut down again? We prepared ourselves with the understanding that we might have to turn around and go home at any point but it was worth a try, right? Our Covid-19 Camping Trip Was a Complete Success! Our adventure started at the end of June and lasted through the beginning of October and included a two-week pitstop at home to add upgrades to the truck and trailer. We drove over 1500 miles on Oregon's scenic highways and back roads, enjoying breathtaking settings along the coast as well as deep forest and high-desert alpine forests too. We managed to avoid many threats and stressful situations during our adventure: Covid-19: First of all, we kept out of the corona virus' reach by staying away from people. Steve was our shopping hero and braved the stores when needed, being sure to protect himself wherever he went with a mask, rubber gloves and sanitizer. Whenever we were out hiking or biking, zooming around on our scooters, making the rounds with Pumpkin or just going on my morning walk, we made wide berths around passersby and never left the trailer without a ready-to-use mask in a pocket. Chatting with people was always done at a 6-feet distance, though we did have to gently remind folks who forgot when they wanted to see Pumpkin up-close in her hiking cage (we don't blame them, she's amazing! :D). Wildfires & Smoke: The fire season in Oregon (and California too) has been historic, with over one million acres burned so far. And, even though we're headed into the fall rainy season, there are still six huge wildfires that aren't completely contained. Thankfully, Steve and I were able to avoid the fires and smoke, though it did require the cancellation of several campsites and unexpected stays in other areas. It seemed like the entirety of Oregon was socked in by literally the worst smoke on the planet, but we got lucky. Our perfect oasis was found at lovely Fort Stevens, where we spent 14 blissful days in an idyllic escape from Oregon's troubles and only the rare whiff of smoke on one day! Our House Didn't Burn Down! On September 8, the Willamette Valley became socked in with smoke and caused us to flee the campground at Champoeg State Heritage Area and stay at L.L. Stub Stewart for a few days. That day, one of the biggest wildfires in Oregon erupted just a few miles from our home and would go on to burn almost 33,000 acres (they are still drenching hotspots as I type this post). Once we became aware of the fire, we watched the news nervously and worried more and more as the size grew quickly and marched in all directions--including towards our home. The Rogue River created a protective line but if wind combined with bad luck, embers could have easily jumped over and burst into flames. After a couple of very tense weeks, the first containment was underway…and it was the side headed towards our home! We were so relieved. We also learned a very important lesson about making sure our most precious valuables were safe-guarded if we were away. Our pictures. My journals. Priceless sentimental keepsakes. Our important paperwork. Irreplaceable files. What a terrible loss all of this would have been. We count our lucky stars that we have a chance to fix these issues for the future. Fun Was Had! With three months out, we had a lot of great adventures! Hiking together, going on my wonderful morning walks/hikes, walking around campgrounds with Pumpkin, taking pictures, riding our bikes, taking our boat out on lakes, fishing, hanging out in our hammocks and in our "easy-up" in our "easy-up" shelter, reading, playing video games--the list goes on and on! So much to chat about, so many pictures to post…it's hard to know where to begin. I'll try to keep it simple, though I've already included a book to read here, heh! Today's Picture (and map graphics) Our last campground stay was at LaPine State Park and one morning I took my Sony along to capture some of the gorgeous things I saw when I stepped out of the trailer to start my day. Oh, Those Darling Chippers! Near the end of my walk I made my way along a trail that hugs the Deschutes River, keeping my eyes open for "fluffy buddies." I caught glimpses of the many resident squirrel species that were always nearby--the elegant mink-chocolate Douglas Squirrel with its light-colored underbelly, the huge Western Grey Squirrel and smaller introduced Eastern Grey Squirrel. But of course there were also chipmunks! At least two of these small, striped squirrel species were found in great numbers around the park, including the larger Townsend Chipmunk and everyone's favorite, the tiniest of all--the Least Chipmunk! I was lucky enough to get pictures of little chippers along the way and then, to my great delight, I saw a pair of tiny cutie-pies jump onto a log and stand nose-to-nose, just for me! What luck that I got a nice image of this pair to share with you today! I am also sharing a couple of graphics which show the places that we stayed during our trip this summer. You'll notice that we didn't get to the eastern side of the state but certainly enjoyed the west coast and central parks to our fullest! I hope everyone had a safe and wonderful summer. I apologize for my sporadic posting over the past few months and lack of visiting! I'm looking forward to stopping by to say hi in the next few days! Explored on 10/20/20; highest placement #5.

(+9 insets!) (Yes, it's another long trip report including fires, smoke, and unbelievable parking situations and so much more!) Welcome to Hell If you've been keeping an eye on the news in the U.S., you'll know that it seems as if the entire West Coast is on fire and completely socked in with smoke. Well, Steve and I are on the West Coast and we have been experiencing the popular quote, "May you live in interesting times." Note that this is actually supposedly a Chinese curse. I haven't been writing or taking pictures lately because we've been on the move, though finally we've found an oasis from all of the terrible things going on. We have been watching the fire situation for weeks now. Back when we were at Detroit Lake State Park, a fire erupted some miles away and got us feeling edgy, even though there was no smoke or fire within sight. A few days later we left and went to L.L. Stub Stewart State Park. More fires were reported…and then more…and more. Still, our stay was idyllic and very far away from any reported fires. After our wonderful stay at Stub Stewart we drove an hour or so to our next campground at Champoeg State Heritage Area in the Willamette Valley. It was another lovely park and the location of the first government on the west coast! There are three huge fire complexes far to the east, now engulfing a staggering 450,000 acres. The complexes were large by the time we got to Champoeg, and a couple of days after we arrived the weather patterns caused historic winds in central Oregon, blowing from east to west. What this meant was that the smoke from those fires blew directly into the Willamette Valley and within the course of several hours the sky turned from cloudless blue to hazardous choking grey pea soup. At one point during the evening, Steve opened the door but quickly slammed it shut because the smoke was so thick. However, the next morning it was clear enough for me to go on my morning walk. I was shocked at the branches and leaves strewn everywhere from the hurricane-force winds. The trails were choked with pine cones, leaves, branches and sticks and the feeling of worry was thick in the air. Off in the distance loomed the smoke…it would only be a matter of time before the campground was socked in again. We had a plan though…GET OUTA DODGE! Running from the Smoke The evening before, Steve and I decided to abandon the final two nights at Champoeg and flee the toxic smoke filling the valley. Luckily we found space back at L.L. Stub Stewart where we could stay before heading on to our next campground at Fort Stevens. Stub Stewart turned out to be a wise choice. The first night and next day were very nice and mostly smoke-free. The next afternoon the smoke slowly accumulated and by the second morning it was so thick and heavy that my wake-up walk was a laughable idea. We packed and left before the hour struck 11. Driving out to the coast and up the highway towards Astoria, we wondered if we'd ever escape the horrible smoke. It felt like the apocalypse as we drove along and I looked out on a land tinted with orange light from the sun trying to break through the pea soup. Our Oasis at Fort Stevens…at a Very Steep Price Pulling into the park, we noticed a wondrous change. The light was still tinted orange but the grey that we saw wasn't smoke. It was fog. The cool mist in the park helped to calm our nerves until we got to our campsite. The parking space was plenty big for our rig, but to get into the spot turned out to the most stressful experience we've ever encountered. Despite the seemingly impossible challenge, Steve was eventually successful! It took 35 minutes of hair-raising maneuvering and both of us were at our very wit's end with shaking hands and jangling nerves. We'd learned another lesson about picking out appropriate sites, and this was something we would not repeat. Both of us were total wrecks afterwards but we managed to keep it together despite the tension. WHEW. As it turned out, the next day we found a ticket on our truck saying it needed to move. When Steve went to the ranger's station to ask about a solution, he was offered a site that would be much more appropriate for us and easy to get into. Both of us were understandably freaked-out at the thought of dealing with another harrowing parking situation again but Steve checked out the offered site and was very confident that both leaving our current spot and parking at the bigger one would be a snap. He was right. We literally pulled out of our site without any fuss (it's backing up a trailer that can be the horrendous nightmare) and at the new campsite, Steve didn't even need me to help direct him. It was a simple driver's-side parking situation with a gentle turn and simple as can be. Our victory hug upon final parking was such an outpouring of relief and happiness! Devastation Behind Us As we've been travelling, the fire situation in Oregon (and California and Washington too) has blossomed beyond conceivable understanding. Remember Detroit Lake State Park that we stayed at? The campground is still there but the town of Detroit (Oregon) is just GONE. And at this point, Champoeg is just outside the area where people need to be packed up and ready to evacuate at a moment's notice. In our town of Medford, Oregon, parts have been burned to the ground. Phoenix and Talent, two suburbs just south of it, have been devastated, and the motorcycle shop that Steve brings our bike to for servicing is gone. Did I Mention? Our Home is just a Few Miles from the 30k Acre Obenchain Fire Just in cast there isn't enough to worry about, there is a raging fire near our house again. This monster is 30,000 acres and only 20% contained. We really thought our house would be burned down because the winds were pushing the flames our way but in the past few days things have improved and it looks like everything is going to be ok. We hope. Keep your fingers crossed. Today's Pictures I have another set from Stub Stewart I wanted to post, leading with a spectacurly colorful trio of Wild Sweet Peas. I was surprised to find them so late in the year. Most flowers are over and done but I did find some. Aren't these marvelous?! Insets Include… …a lovely Dome Spider under its cobweb. I thought it was really cool that this previously unphotographed spider was so easy to find here! …a Smooth Hawkbeard blossom standing like a golden torch, its stem blurring into bokeh …a crab spider on a pussy toe , munching on a meal it had just caught. I often don't see these spiders until I look at my pictures in post, so I was happy that I spotted this one and could make it the star! …a rose hip that looked like a Christmas light! …a marvelous leaf hopper that looked like a little bump on the leaf…I knew better and focused carefully to see what it was. I am delighted by the details of this tiny guy, look at its "grill"!! …a Sierra Dome Spider in a sea of soft bokeh . The focus wasn't perfect but I couldn't toss this picture because I loved the magical appearance and the spider's interesting position. …a sprig of perfect leaves , so colorful at the end of their lives. Now they are immortal! …wild oat flower s peeking out from the stem. I love this sort of thing--so easy to overlook but beautiful if the time is taken to appreciate it! …a pair of Pussy Toes flowers , showing exactly why their genus is "Antennaria"--look at those antennae-like stamens seen on the flowers. So cool! I hope that everyone is doing well and that you have a nice rest of your weekend! Explored on 9/13/20; highest placement #6.

(+9 insets!) Quick Trip Notes from L.L. Stub Stewart State Park! We had a wonderful stay here this year! Our visit last year was planned for just 4 nights but ended up being an extra week because our truck's transmission died as we were pulling out to go to our next campsite. The result was a worrisome week without ever having a lot of fun because of the stress and anxiety. This trip was perfect in every way! 11 nights combined with great weather made it a lovely, relaxing stay that was so nice we would have happily stayed for 11 more nights! This gorgeous park has trails-galore for hiking, cycling, mountain biking and horseback riding too. Although most trails are "mixed-use" for everyone, there are two dedicated areas set-aside for just for specific activities! One area is just for mountain bike riders and has 8.5 miles of "single-track" trails built that are labeled by level of difficulty and includes important advice for anyone who wants to try them out. The other area is for disk golfers! There's a 9-hole beginner's course aimed at kids and also a very challenging 18-hole course, all of which are in a lovely forest setting! How's that for cool?! I had a marvelous time taking pictures too…how nice to cruise around exploring the macro beauty of this place. And of course I got many trail pictures as well, but today is all about macro! Today's Pictures Creeping along one of the many trails I saw this ordinary white clover and noticed how its long stem pushed it above the others around the area. Of course you never know how a picture will turn out until you see it on the computer so I was really delighted to find this image to share with you today! Insets include… …a beautiful Sierra Dome Spider in front of a sea of colorful bokah. I've never seen a spider like this before and at first I thought it was an orb weaver. A helpful spider forum suggested this species and then I realized it hadn't built an orb web at all After spotting this pretty spider I couldn't help noticing how common they were. Walking through the forest, I could spot dozens of these spiders almost everywhere. Such beautiful markings! …Scotch Broom seed pods against a beautiful wash of bokeh. This cluster was by itself just above a variety of different grasses and ended up creating a wonderful background to contrast the interesting pods. …a Grey Cross Orbweaver glowing in backlit sunlight. I'd been taking pictures of yet another Sierra Dome Spider when I stopped to peer around at the other plants near by. A large spot got my attention and I exclaimed, "WOW!" when I saw this beautiful spider glowing warmly in the sun. I admired its perfect web while I took pictures from behind, at its side and this view which was the best of all. I have never gotten a picture of this species before so I was really happy at my discovery! …a St. John's Wort blossom that was on its way out, but still beautiful. These flowers are very common here in Oregon and I believe they are easy to find in most countries. Such a beneficial plant--I use this herb in capsule form to ward of anxiety and depression! Especially nice to use if I can't get to sleep because I'm worrying about something. It just fades away and I can go to sleep! …a "Bee-Like Robber Fly" (Laphria), which I found on a fern while walking along. What a scary looking fly! Very large and menacing, when it flew off it circled me a couple of times and made me wave it away…yikes…anything that big would surely have a nasty bite! (Ever been bitten by a horse fly? OWWW!!!) …a Queen Anne's Lace seed ball! This is a picture I've tried to take before but haven't been entirely successful until now. The dof has to be just right and the lighting too, so I was really pleased when I found this image in my set of attempts! …a Smooth Hawksbeard against yet another sea of bokeh! These flowers were everywhere and to the uninformed, can appear to be a dandelion, though they are not very closely related (both are in the 32k species Aster family but diverge from there). …a Pussy Toe "torch". These flowers get their name from the budding flowers which form clumps that look a lot like the toes of cats! I usually see them closed-up but here at Stub Stewart, they were all approaching the end of their blooming cycle and I found most of them opened up like this one. Magnificent! …a cluster of Spiny Rose Galls on a wild rose. These galls are made by wasps, each of which has an egg laid inside it. The galls grow and the larvae feed on the material inside until they finally hatch and fly away as fully-developed adults! I hope that everyone is staying safe and having a pleasant weekend--happy Labor Day to those of you who live in the U.S.! Explored on 9/7/20; highest placement #3.

(+14 insets!) (Bigger is nice!) (This is another War and Peace doorstop so get a cup of coffee or prepare for a nap! :D) Highlights of Detroit Lake State Park What a wonderful visit we had here! Situated in the Cascade Mountains in central-western Oregon, this conifer and deciduous tree-filled park features over 300 campsites and an 11-mile long lake that caters to all types of water sports. We were there for seven nights and that meant total relaxation and settling into the park and all that it had to offer. Boating and Fishing Adventures Steve assembled our nifty fold-up Porta-Bote and I finally got to go for my first ride, what fun! The six horse-power motor was perfect for taking us out on the lake and around the sizeable Piety Island which sits in front of the campground. We buzzed up to the point where one river enters the lake--the North Santiam--and saw something that piqued our interest…a "scum line"! This is where the river water mixes with the lake water and creates a leafy, stick, detritus and log soup--and it's also a wonderful place for fishing! We were so excited! The next day we came back and tried our luck…Steve was able to anchor us right next to the scum line and away we went! Soon I caught one, but it got away after leaping out of the water! Steve caught one that escaped its hook as he was reeling it in, and we also got a number of promising nibbles and bites that didn't pan out. But then Steve hooked a keeper! A lovely Rainbow Trout that we cooked up for part of our dinner the next night and what a delicious treat! The next day we took the boat down to the south-eastern end, where the Breitenbush River enters the lake and tried our luck in a deeper spot. Sadly we didn't catch anything that day but we thoroughly enjoyed our time on the water and the beauty surrounding us. What amazing peace and tranquility--and how nice it was to have a boat with us! Hiking and Biking Adventures When I first visit a park, my morning walk includes a stroll around every paved loop road to check out everyone's trailers and tent setups. On following days, if there is a perimeter trail, I will often switch to walking on that instead. Happily, the Detroit Lake campground had a marvelous trail extending 3.2 miles around its 300+ campsites! Though half of the trail paralleled the often-loud highway, it was a very beautiful path and worth braving the noisy trucks, motorcycles and semi's that zoomed past. The lower half of the trail skirted the rear of the lake's beach and was the definite highlight. I would watch boats of all sorts buzzing by, jet-skis, kayaks, paddle boarders and canoers, and smiled at the sight of dogs diving in for balls, kids playing on their inflatables and folks soaking up the rays. What a nice way to spend part of my morning walk! Biking was fun too, and we buzzed around the campground loops most days, cruising past everyone's campsites and looking in on all of the interesting family stories we'd see there. As I've said before, one of the best aspects of staying at campgrounds is the opportunity to see snippets of family life--something not possible where we have our rurally-located house. I tried riding my bike on the perimeter trail one day but determined that the turns were sometimes too difficult to ride on, the little hills too abrupt, and the width of the trail too narrow to navigate comfortably. Still, it was great fun to try and I no longer had to wonder if it was the type of trail I'd enjoy on my bike. (There were other bike trails to go on which weren't too far away, but they required us to drive to those trails and we didn't feel like it!) Let's Not Forget Pumpkin's Campground Tours! Steve and I also went on daily walks with Pumpkin, something she absolutely loves! Her joyful whistling songs, hilarious bouts of laughter and silly sound effects are such fun to experience. Looking over at her as she sits perched in her little front-pack cage is a wonderful sight--feathers puffed with smiling eyes and happy expression--we cannot help but join in her jubilation. And of course, she's a total, magnetic ham. Her sing-song attracts onlookers near and far, and they are always delighted and amazed that we have a bird--"she's so beautiful!"--with us! Pumpkin turns up her antics whenever anyone else is around and while she's putting on her show--with plenty of laughing too--we answer questions and gently tell those who are excited about birds, that they are a very big responsibility and not for everyone. We love to educate and entertain Pumpkin's fans and those visitors sure do make her extra happy! Piety Island and a Hike to Piety Knob (Here is a link to a pdf which shows Detroit Lake with Piety Island in the middle) The day before we left Detroit Lake, we decided to pack some snacks, take the boat down to the lake and buzz across to Piety Island. There was a campground there (closed for Covid) and also a hiking trail that led up to the peak of the island. Steve and I were so excited to go because we figured that so few people got the chance to do that hike and that made it extra special! Once we got to the island, Steve attached its handy clamp-on wheels to the boat and towed it to the top of the beach where we locked it to a tree. The chance of any nefarious activity was laughably low but you just never know. We believe in the adage, "keep honest people honest" and on the other side of the coin…what would we do if we were stuck on that island without a boat to get back? We didn't exactly know where the trail was but luckily we found it right away! The first foray into the forest took us the wrong way though, but soon we were on the right path and up we went! It was a lovely forest trek, gradually heading up and up, through acres of ferns and conifers that darkened the understory. Here and there we could see the water through the trees and even the harbors showed themselves at just the right angle. Getting to the very top of the island turned out to be a bit of a challenge! Apparently the majority of hikers stopped just short of Piety Knob but we were bound and determined to stand at the highest point. Following the mostly-non-existent trail, we depended on the plastic trail markers that hung from branches along the way. Pushing our way through ferns and under encroaching branches, around bushes and over wispy plants, we managed the last quarter-mile to the point where no ground was higher and Steve's navigation app showed that we were at Piety Knob! YAY!! What a fun challenge to succeed at! We were delighted! Still, there was no place to sit and we wanted our snacks, so we did an about-face and made our way back down to the main trail. A few moments later and we were sitting with our legs dangling over the edge of the steep hillside, looking into the forested valley below. Our tasty reward for "bagging Piety Knob"? Lovely chunks of blue cheese, slices of pepperoni, gourmet hard sausage and cheddar-garlic curds, draughts of ice-cold water and handfuls of delicious roasted cashews! NOM! :D And guess who came along for the adventure? Why, the Squidgy Gang, of course!* George, Bun and Stormy were safely tucked away in my backpack throughout our trip and Steve took a picture of us at our picnic spot. Alas, I wasn't happy with my expression and the harsh lighting from his phone's camera so my picture to document their visit to Detroit Lake State Park was one I took at a picnic table near the island's beach…and don't they look HAPPY! :D *These are three stuffed animals that were lovingly made for me by my dear ipernity friend, Jenny McIntyre. Today's Pictures My main image is a macro I took with my Canon and I just love the way these flowery stalks turned out. I couldn't place the species at first, even though I know I'd seen this flower many times before. After looking for a bit I remembered! It was in the sage family, and with that clue I figure it out: Creeping Sage! You'll see a close-up among the insets and I've gone crazy and uploaded tons of pictures because they are really piling up! I hope you enjoy the show! Insets Include… Detroit Lake Beach and Perimeter images… …an individual cluster of sage blossoms …a feather caught between rocks on the beach …a fun bokeh shot showing a float on the beach and a line of other floats leading down to the water with people at the shore …a picnic table sitting near the beach with trees overhead, the sun dappling the ground below …groundsel fluff that I thought looked artistic and cool …a square-format macro of Columbia Coreopsis …a darling chipmunk that stopped long enough for a picture …a cluster of snowberries and bokeh Piety Knob Hike images… …a natural bouquet of Groundsel blossoms …a close-up to show the little beetle larvae on one of the flowers …a view through the trees on the way up to Piety Knob which shows one of Detroit Lake's campground docks …a view of the trail to show the amazing fern and conifer forest …another trail picture because one isn't enough! :D …and last but not least, the Squidgy Gang hanging out on a Piety Campground picnic table! Here's hoping you're having a lovely and safe weekend!! Thanks so much for your visits, comments and favorites! You're all the best! :) Explored on 8/30/20; highest placement #7.

(10 insets!) On to Campground #3! Steve and I began our second RV Covid Trip a few weeks ago with a week at LaPine State Park. We then moved on to Detroit Lake State Park, and have now changed our moveable home's location to our third stop--L.L. Stub Stewart State Park! I'm dreadfully behind in my picture uploads and posts but this is actually something I want to do. I've always been so focused on posting and processing pictures, commenting and writing, that it really made me a nervous wreck. I also didn't make the best companion to be around either. It's very nice to be more relaxed about everything. It means that I don't post as much but it's much better in the long run! Even though I had another set to post from Paulina Lake at Lapine, I really need to move on to Detroit Lake...so here we go! One of the nice changes to the slower pace of our travels now is that I have time to relax and chill out with my macro lens. I like to devote at least one day per campground for close-up photography and wandering around the rock-strewn beach of Detroit Lake was a wonderful adventure! Along with a few pictures I'm sharing from my 100mm lens, I am also including a bunch of pictures I got with my Sony while walking on the campground's marvelous perimeter trail. My main image is one of the lovely Columbia Coreopsis flowers that grew in colorful clumps at the rear of the beach. They were just so beautiful and I spent a lot of time enjoying their lovely details. Insets Include… …a picture of Detroit Lake with a cloud-laced Mount Jefferson in the background. You can also see the boat-accessible bathrooms on the lake which we thought were a very nice feature. Detroit Lake is eleven miles long and there is another boat-accessible bathroom at the other end! …a fun dof-bokeh shot of a cable attached to a string of floats that were on the shore …a kayaker who was trolling for fish one morning …a dried Columbia Coriopsis flower with a bud in bokeh behiind …a plump red berry and a pair of leaves from a flower I cannot remember the name of! …lovely little Bird's Foot Trefoil flowers that I found at the rear of the beach …texture-laden tree trunks on the park's 2.7-mile perimeter trail I walked each morning …one of the spiders I found along the trail. I was pleased that my Sony could manage this macro! …a Beach Strawberry flower opening up …a Beach Strawberry blossom Thank You! Thanks for your visits, favorites, and so very much for the wonderful comments that you leave. I appreciate you all so much! Here's hoping you are having a safe and wonderful week! Explored on 8/26/20; highest placement #6.