Mt. Hood at Trillium Lake

We had a nice getaway weekend, camping near Mt. Hood. This is the mountain most easily visible from where we live, but I didn't realize how close it actually is to us. Definitely an easy day trip, although the camping was fun, and the weather was perfect. I also didn't realize how much there is to do up here! We initially planned to hike Mirror Lake, but the ranger advised against it, saying that on summer weekend we'd be hiking with half of Portland. I have to say though, that the other half of Portland might have been here at Trillium Lake. It was an easy two mile hike around the lake, handicap accessible the whole way (although portions do the boardwalk could use a little repair!), and the lake was full of kayakers, rafters, and paddle-boarders. 

Water Irony

I was so surprised to see this truck full of bottled water during our visit to Logan Pass in Glacier National Park last month.  The irony of providing bottled water in the midst of some of the purest water on the planet was not lost on me.  I asked the rangers about this, and it turns out that we happened to visit during a two week interval when the park's water tank was receiving maintenance.  So...we missed out on the mountain fresh water while we were there.

Linking to Weekend Reflection

Homestead

A tiny little house with a very big view in Flathead Valley, Montana.
If you start to feel cooped up inside, looks like lots of room to roam outdoors.

Linking to Thursday's Good Fences at Run*A*Round Ranch.

Lantern

I thought this photo from the Clark County Fair came out sort of interesting.  The ride is a combination of swing chairs and tower. Riders sit in a chair swing which rotates in a circle while ascending and descending the tower structure.  I don't know the name of it, but it's clearly written on the sides of the tower in yellow and red letters, which blurred to a lantern-like quality because this long shutter release shot was hand held.  The wobbly handheld quality is what makes this photo interesting to me.

Red, White, and Blue

This Ferris Wheel at the Clark County Fair had such a big light show pattern, and I photographed it for so long, that I really think I could post a different Ferris Wheel abstract every day for the next month! I won't, I promise. This is my last Ferris Wheel shot (from this fair, at least!), because I really liked the red, white, and blue flag theme. I do need to update my website though, so I'm considering doing a Ferris Wheel gallery, because I have so many of these shots now.

Light Show

Of course I had fun photographing the lights at the Clark County Fair last week.  This particular Ferris Wheel had a very dynamic light display going on.  Like a kaleidoscope, each photo I took was different. (I spent way too long photographing this Ferris Wheel!)

Clark County Fair

View of the far end of the midway just after sunset.  I have to say that there are several things I miss about the Yolo County Fair, including the free gate!  But the Clark County Fair had a very large and photographically interesting midway.  I probably could have gotten a dozen interesting compositions throughout, if I could only have frozen time for this great twilight light.  (Or if they had a free gate...then I'd go back again.  At 10 days, it's certainly the longest county fair I've seen!)

Fun House Portrait

A rare self-portrait from the fun house at our county fair.  (OK yes, I do have big feet, and long toes.)  When I was teaching in Belgium a student once told me, "Mrs. Leady, you have foot fingers!"  Still, this is a bit much.  Maybe a little like Minnie Mouse, or maybe Olive Oyl.

Olive: "I'll take a three, but sixes feel soooo goooood!"

Popeye *measures her feet with his forearm*: "Grrrr...she'll take a 12."

Linking to
Weekend Reflections.

At the Ranch (Entrance)

This seemed to be the most common style for ranch entrances throughout Flathead Valley, Montana. I'm not sure how far back this road goes before you finally get to Chief Cliff Estates, but it looks like a pretty drive getting there!  Linking to Thursday's Good Fences.

Leaky Roof

Probably my favorite barn on our drive out of Flathead Valley in Montana.  Looks like that roof needs fixin', but on the other hand it doesn't seem all that necessary on this particular day.  It would be fun to watch the clouds pass by from inside the barn.

Car Wash

I guess this is sort of an odd photo to post, but it's the companion photo to yesterday's post about the Weeping Wall in Glacier National Park.  This is my photo of the wall on our descent, when we stopped for a brief  "car wash"; view from the passenger side window.  Also, I had a comment yesterday about this road getting icy, which reminded me to mention that this road is only open in the summer and early fall.  This year I was told it opened after the 4th of July, which is later than usual, but it depends on when the snow and ice melt up here. 

Weeping Wall

Plenty of waterfalls in Glacier National Park. As you near Logan Pass on the Going to the Sun Road, one interesting waterfall is called the Weeping Wall.  The water leaks out from the rocky wall on one of the narrower sections of the road over about a 50 foot span.  And in fact, the bottom edge of the picture is the outside edge of the road for the downhill traffic.  There were so many places along this road where scenic turnouts have been built, but for some reason, not in front of the weeping wall, so we stopped just long enough to take a quick photo before heading up to the pass. 

McDonald Creek

All the creeks and rivers we saw in Glacier National Park were this beautiful shade of turquoise that seems to accompany high altitude snow melt in summertime. I really liked the combination of the turquoise with the red rocks.  Too bad I couldn't see this river, which paralleled our drive, on the way into the park when it would have been shaded.  I only realized it was there on our drive out, and by then most of the river was in bright sunlight and really hard to photograph.  I found this one shady spot, which I've photographed here because it was kind of interesting, but I have to say there were so many other places to photograph that I'll just have to save for another trip.

Linking to Weekend Reflections

Flathead Valley

On our way to and from Glacier National Park we passed through peaceful Flathead Valley. Plenty of hay bales spread out in fields or freshly stacked in piles; and plenty of farm stands selling huckleberries. And lucky for me, a few red barns too!

Linking to Thursday's Good Fences.

Regrowth

As we winded along on Going to the Sun Road in Glacier National Park, we passed a large area affected by a fire in 2003. And even though the fire was obviously devastating to this area, I couldn't help but find this scene so pretty. Maybe because all the affected conifers are such a beautiful shade of white. And also because the young new growth seems so healthy.