Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Day 5: Agency Hill

Today we decided to go a different direction, Agency Hill by way of Spring Creek.



Above is Spring Creek which comes bubbling straight out of the mountain. Its crystal clear waters stay at a constant 38 degrees! We came by here to scout out camping spots for later this summer. It is a tragedy what has been done to the campground here with the thinning of trees left all over the place and what looks like zero maintenance. However, over time it looks like the people who visit are cleaning the place up little by little and this is a great place to camp and get away from it all!


Here is the view from the top of Agency Hill. There used to be a fire lookout up here but it has since been torn town and the road to this place can be a little rough going. But as you can see, well worth it! In the distance is Mt. Shasta and Klamath Lake, with aptly named Crooked Creek below. There are plenty of ceders up here which give the forest a wonderful aroma to walk around in to enjoy the views.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Day 4: Telephone Flat

Yesterdays Spring rain came and went last night, but the wind was up a notch today. I packed up Charlie the hound and we went to a favorite spot, Telephone flat. Why it is called Telephone flat is a mystery to me as there is not a pole in sight! In fact my cell phone couldn't get reception up there!





The three pictures above is of the flat which is covered in wildflowers this time of year, and luckily no mosquitoes! The lower photo is of the tree Charlie and I took a break under after some serious stomping around in the creek and through the meadow and woods.



The last photo is of what my older kids and I called "frog pond", which as you can see is flooded. For some reason very large bullfrogs live in this area on top of a mountain, so a return visit is in order later on.

The adventure continues ....

Monday, June 13, 2011

Day 3: Chiloquin Backroads

A storm was to be coming in the evening so off we went a little bit earlier and sticking close to home. First off was a stop off was a stop along the Sprague River near the local "swimming hole" which is pictured above.



Ah yes, my kind of roads pictured above. A generic woodsy shot! lol


Eventually we made it by an extremely strange route, trying to get lost, to something on the map named "Lobert Draw," which is in the next two shots, I tried to go further, but a massive mud puddle blocked the way. I wanted so bad to charge the Zuzu through it, but decided against it after pondering for twenty minutes. The heart attack was only a couple of years ago and a long walk out wasn't yet in the cards! Maybe next time ....


Sunday, June 12, 2011

Day 2: The Meadow


Day two of the backroading by town/photography binge. Taking Hannah along for the ride,we headed out to some unnamed meadows about ten miles away. Vrrooooom Kersplash!



Some yellow flowers nearby a snow melt creek.



Wildflowers in "The Meadow" in all its glory.


Hannah lifting weights with a pair of "dinosaur bones" we found along the way.

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Up Around The Bend


Since college is out between terms for ten days, I'm off on a picture taking and hiking binge within twenty miles of town where I live. So, for each of the ten days I'll post my favorite from that day. This first shot is of the Sprague River and Winema National Forest from near the Sprague River Hwy. about five miles away.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

The Delight





I little something I wrote for Fiction class a couple weeks back.



The Delight

1.

The lady’s house sat alone, down a dirt road in the middle of a rolling field. Her lawn consisted of dazzling yellow dandelions that were blooming in full. In her garden were fruit trees and climbing Romano beans, every kind of tomato, numerous vegetables ripening in the warm summer sun. Off to the side of an octagon cedar gazebo was a particularly noticeable raspberry bush.

Behind her porch was a single stone path that ambled straight through corridors of lavender, chamomile and an assortment of mint. It met a small koi pond that had blooming lilies floating on its surface.

The dress she had on was silk, very fluid and perfectly white like fresh snow, or perhaps a swan’s wing. The skirt was full length and golden ribbons served as a belt and trim to the neckline and hem. Her mahogany hair had been curled and hung in long loopy tendrils past her shoulders to her mid back. She looked in a word stunning, and yet …

She invited the gentleman in and showed him her cottage. It was hand built of stones and bricks, with wooden rafters from which there were thousands of scented leaves and sprigs drying. There were large glass windows which let in the moonlight and stood open to let in a gentle breeze tickling the Scottish Lace Curtains. Her bookcases were filled with knowledge, adventure and mystery. A river rock fireplace took up a wall of the kitchen, a large stone basin stood next to it.

The lady had counters of polished blonde oak, and cabinets full of dishes, some brightly colored, some of simple clay, all of her hand. She smiled at him and produced an old copper pot, which was filled half full and set over the stove. She turned on the burner as she rolled fresh Moroccan mint and buds from the lavender and set them afloat in the water. After it had boiled, she strained the moss colored liquid into two simple clay mugs, and lit a candle ….

2.

“Where is this place?”

“You’re only dreaming”

Friday, May 20, 2011

Road Trip: Fort Rock 2011


Last month I went on my first adventure of the spring trying to outrun the rainstorms to the Oregon Outback, destination Fort Rock. My first stop was to the Fort Rock Homestead Village Museum.




Above and below is St. Roses Catholic Church, which was the only church built in the Fort Rock Valley during the homestead years. Here it is in all its glory over 100 years later. I was real excited over the fact that I actually got to go inside the museum since I usually get here and its closed. It is a must see if you get the chance!



Above is Fort Rock rising out of the barren, immense flatness of Oregon's high desert. The first photo in this blog entry is the view from inside the rock formation.


A trip for me out here has to include a visit to the sand dunes. The Isuzu did get to frolic for it bit before it was time to go home. And yes, the rain did catch up to me!