Holiday Lights

Winter at Zigzag River

I photographed Zigzag River when we were camping up here last summer, and was thinking it might be a pretty photo in the fresh Christmas snow. So we drove up to Mt. Hood early yesterday morning for a winter photo hike. We never made it to the trailhead though because the access road hadn't been plowed and we didn't have our tire chains. This spot along the river is part of another trail we hadn't tried yet, and just as pretty. It's hard to go wrong in this area near Mt. Hood. So many nice trails to choose from, all created by the CCC back in the 1930s. I'm coming back up here soon for some more photography. Tire chains are in the car now just in case, but I'm hoping to learn the plowing schedule better so I can hit the sweet spot between fresh snow and newly plowed roads! 

White Christmas

A beautiful snow up near Mt. Hood this morning after the snowline dropped early yesterday.  A Christmas present for all the area skiers, who where flocking up to the ski resorts as we were heading home from our early morning snowy walk with Clover. 

Cathedral

A summertime view of the poplar farm in Boardman, Oregon.  Another photo buried on my SD card, this time from a trip to Montana last July. At the time I was more interested in an abstract panning photo, but I'm glad I took this more traditional view. Today the tall trunks remind me of columns in an outdoor cathedral, where man and nature intersect magically at this sustainable tree farm.

Time and Tide

The time has come to clear out my SD card, and it seems a sort of fitting end of the year event.  It's a fairly large card that can hold almost 1400 large jpeg and RAW files, in this case dating back to our trip to the Lincoln City Kite Festival at the end of June.  It's interesting how my opinion of my photos can change over time, and I'm happy to have such a large space between initial viewing and second look.  This overlooked image taken on an overcast stroll down the beach in Lincoln City is one that stood out to me today.  Maybe I'll have a few more second chance photos to post in the coming days.

Passing

Not the most inviting of fence signs!  I was wondering why the owners bothered posting it because it doesn't seem like a location that would have a lot of trespassing trouble.  I wouldn't have even considered climbing over this fence, even on a sunny day!

Linking to Good Fences

On the Path

A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.     ~ Lao Tzu

Another view of yesterday's sunny fog, just a little further down the no-name creek path. Last year this was a dirt trail through thick woods, but over the summer the park expanded and this new path was put in.  I'm partial to the previous one because it felt more natural and because I felt comfortable taking Clover off the leash. Though it does make for an interesting view in the fog, with this new curvy sidewalk.  It seems like the kind of photo that should get an inspirational quote, and since I'm liking Lao Tzu right now...

Passing By

I pass by this little nameless creek almost everyday on my dog walk with Clover, but never think to photograph it. After last week's heavy rain, the little creek started making some noise and I took notice. Water was flowing between the trees and also around the tree on the left, and it was such a pretty sight. The thing is, I never walk with my camera these days, let alone with my tripod, so it took me almost a week to remember to bring them on the walk. This morning the little creek was whispering faintly, but the scene was just as pretty because we had a light fog with the sun shining brightly through. I will have to try again here after another heavy rain.

Peaceful

I awoke to a beautiful foggy morning.  Our winter inversion pattern has returned.
I wonder how long it will last.

Lake Merwin Boat Ramp

The Lewis River flows from Mt. Adams down to the Columbia River, and technically I think Lake Merwin is just the name for a dammed up portion of the river. Three adjacent dams form Lakes Merwin, Yale, and Swift, and the road to Gifford Pinchot National Forest passes all three. This particular section of Lake Merwin offered the most ethereal reflection in the late afternoon mist.

Linking to Weekend Reflections.

A Quiet Moment

Cedar Creek Grist Mill

We headed up to Gifford Pinchot National Forest over the weekend to find the perfect Christmas tree as part of the National Forest Service holiday tree forest-thinning program.  Our drive up toward Mount St. Helens winds along the Lewis River, and this working grist mill is just off the main road.  On weekends you can come up here and get freshly ground wheat or cornmeal.  It's an idyllic historical spot; this photo was taken from the sidewalk portion of an old covered bridge as the roof shielded my camera from a misting rain.  I've photgraphed this mill several times in the last few years, but I've never been satisfied with the colors until today. I really like how the moss on the nearby tree turned out. In our rainy season the moss turns a rich shade of green, and I'm happy with how it photographed against the diffused foggy background.

Hummingbird Bath