Author: dndement

Loving my photography

Aqua Troll is back home from his adventure.

For those of you who read my post a couple weeks ago, and those of you who didn’t, this story is Aqua’s big adventure story. For some reason Aqua decided to jump off the bridge at lower bridge campground across the Metolius River. He very quickly floated down river and out of sight around the corner.

Now he is back safe and sound.

Nobody is happier to see him then Poppa T. Except maybe me.
And what an adventure story he has to tell.

It all started with a handwritten note.

and a delivery from Fed Ex.

Apparently Aqua is the sibling finder and Blew had come from Texas with a message…

On the day Blew arrived we had a trip planned for the Metolius and just before we left for our hiking trip, he whispered the message to Aqua. There were more siblings lost in Florida…. and they too were trying to come back home.
So Aqua dove into the river in hopes of finding them.

I don’t know how he thought he would make it to Florida from Oregon, but he did.

According to his story he hopped a ride on a swan, that took him down river to lake Billy Chinook. He was ever so grateful for the swan coming along because that water in the Metolius was freezing cold.

At Lake Billy Chinook he managed to catch a ride on the Canada Goose Express heading south. He said it was quite a ride across the United States and was glad that the geese had charted a course south through Texas and Louisiana.
They had heard that there were some lost trolls in Florida, it would be no problem to find them.

and there they were hiding in the ferns.

They were so glad to see Aqua that they came running out to surround him. He told them that his plan was to book them all on a one-way flight through Fed Ex and that they would all be back home with Poppa T soon.

So, Poppa T’s Tribe is growing and while he knows there are other kids out there, he can be patient because they will find their way home.
Meet our new cast of Troll kids

Aqua with formally introduced Blew (on the left.)

Pinky (Pinx twin) And Lime

Pumpkin or Kin for short and Gema.
Looking forward to what adventures we can all get into this next year.

When the personal challenge changes mid photo shoot.

I had challenged myself to do another Christmas style photo shoot using the greenery I picked up last week, and some of the items from the first personal challenge. Somehow when you involve the trolls things don’t always go as planned.

Here are my items that I planned on using for the challenge. Lights were suggested from the first challenge, and I had some small white led lights, but I could not find them, so I threw in the red lights. But I don’t know it just wasn’t right.

and the trolls agreed with me, so we removed the lights

Much better but… Maybe some fairy lights? Could I go find some of those?

Now we are ready to start the photo challenge. Let’s get down to the basics and start.

We will start with the crocks and the manzanita.

Add the red velvet cloth, the fake and wooden apples and the feathers.

More feathers and the dried ferns

Perfect girl but…. You know…. Those gourds that we got last month?…. Maybe we need them too…

Yes, those are perfect…. Now photograph it…

Now add more twigs and branches

Ok girl we need….. You know that pretty turquoise vase? Go get it, let’s add it to the photo.

Now close in, get closer

Better now one more step forward….

Yessss…. Girl …. We like it… Your challenge is done.
What shall we photograph for our Next Challenge…..?

Impressions of a tromp through the woods

There is nothing better for me than a tromp in the woods. I love both the moist Evergreen forest and the dry gnarly juniper high desert. I also love collecting things with the idea that maybe I can photograph it. This blog is about the Evergreen forest. I love challenging myself or accepting challenges from friends on making photos for this blog. This specific idea came from another idea that evolved yesterday into nothing close to what I started with.
I blame the trolls for that. They can lead me astray from an idea with just a giggle and a suggestion.

Their suggestion this time was we needed my hiking boots and warm fuzzy socks.

Put some of the sticks and branches with berries in the crocks. Add some sparkly mini lights

Put in a cup of coffee and a couple of those vintage thermos’s I have. Don’t forget the hand clippers.

Yes, I think we have the photo now shoot it…

There is nothing like the good memories of a good tromp in the woods

A little on the wild side Christmas arrangement challenge

After our trip to the Camp Sherman Metolius river area, I came home with some good nature to use in flower arrangements. Thinking about what greenery and other natural items I had gotten and wanting to use them in several different arrangements to photograph, I searched in my own cupboards and photo prop areas for accessories that fit my vision. The initial idea to use more natural fauna from mother nature came from a couple books written by Ariella Chezar. I had read two of them and bought a third to inspire me. But I never got back to that book. The ideas though still hung out in my mind.
This first photo is all of my supply for this personal challenge. I could not use more than this, but I could use less…

I asked my 3 assistants to help me with this challenge, and they were all in. They love a good challenge. Poppa T keeps our schedule on track, Pinx really get’s into the project and our little Blew, well he is pretty shy but soon warms up.

We start with a few pieces of greenery.

after a while Blew really got into the project

Soon we were able to add the fake poinsettias and the matching swans

a little more tweaking and arranging and they decided that the arrangement was done

Except for…. Well the final portrait shot with all three of them

I would have loved to use real flowers. I really could see this with bright red Dahlias… but those are really hard to find in December….

A trip to the Metolius River area and Robins challenge.

Last week my Friend Robin asked me to go with her and another friend to collect greenery for wreaths. I did my last blog on that trip the with her and her husband. It inspired me to think about going out and picking some greenery for photographs. I don’t need much and don’t want to get too much because I would not be able to use it before it faded. Plus, I would not be able to go out again to another place and get something different. As life goes though thinking about an idea and going out and doing that idea, doesn’t always happen.
So Monday, Robin asked me if I liked challenges. I love photo challenges…. Her challenge was for me to go out with the dogs and take 5 photos. I modified it to taking the trolls and the dogs. Especially since the German Shepherds are too busy checking things out to be good photo subjects. Then she said “Oh and no Juniper.” Well Shoot…. I guess I have to go back to Camp Sherman / Metolius river Area. I decided that we would start as far out as we could go at Candle Ck Campground. Normally we cannot get there this time of year because of snow. This year no problem good dry road all the way…
I love worn out picnic tables in the national forest and this table had a lot of character.
So Robin…. Challenge photo #1


Poppa T, Pinx, Aqua and their little brother Blew brought several of their pet lizards to play in the forest. We wandered around the campground a bit then headed back towards the main road. Collecting nature and greenery on the way back.

We stopped at Abbot Ck bridge because the kids wanted to check things out.

And then we hear a squawk from the car…. Thomas Turkey thought this might be a good place to find some of his family

Challenge photo #2
We did a search but didn’t find anything not even a feather. So, we continued back to the main road and lower bridge campground Bridge 99. Where there was this beautiful reflection on the river.

The trolls wanted to get out and take photos of the river from the bridge

Challenge photo #3
It wasn’t long before they moved along the bridge railing to a better view

Challenge shot #4
Just after this shot was taken Aqua, (on the right) decided that he wanted to go swimming and dove off the bridge into the freezing Metolius river. I hoped that he would catch the swirl and end up against the shore at the campground but no he went for the rapids and around the bend. After that the photo session was over for the day. I do hope that if he decides to swim with the fishies he has a good time.
However we still have Poppa T, Pinx, and little Blew. I convinced them that we needed to set up the photo area and use the greenery and branches we collected.

Challenge shot #5

And so, another personal challenge begins, Making floral arrangements with Christmas in mind.
We love a good challenge….. and maybe Aqua will figure out how to join us again….

Greenery for the holiday season.

One of the pool / hiking pals, Robin, invited me to go on a holiday greenery collecting hike in the Camp Sherman area. Today was the day… her husband Marc was our guide. Which is really good because he knows the area much better than I do. Actually, Robin knows the area much better than I do…. I really should go hiking there more often. Not really needing any greenery but willing to help I took my loppers, and we gathered some cedar, some fir, some manzanita… then I spotted one of my favorite things to photograph the Bracken ferns, and back to the truck I went for my camera.

there was just enough snow to coat the trees and brush with a bit of white but not enough to cause any problems driving or hiking.

Maybe a preview of the winter to come?

It didn’t take long, and I had managed to lose my loppers inside the pile of greenery in the back of the pickup. I wasn’t worried though I knew about where they were and that we would unearth them soon enough. I took photos and enjoyed the quietness of the forest.

The vastness of the forest

the greenness of the forest

While we were on the greenery hunt Marc and Robin were also looking for their perfect Christmas tree.

The tree was found and loaded up.

No easy task when the forest is full of perfect trees….
The only thing missing was the troll family, I forgot to bring them, now I am thinking another trip will need to be made to the forest for Photos. More Photos… and maybe some greenery….

I also heard a rumor that the trolls may have another brother showing up. and we would certainly want to show him the sights….

Happy Thanksgiving

It is that special time of year when family and friends get together and enjoy the harvest of the year. The Troll family has invited their special friend Thomas.

however, there was some concern that he might not have a safe trip here. A plan was hatched, Feathers were ordered.

Much planning, discussions, and giggles were coming from the photo area.

Thomas the Peacock was ready for Thanksgiving Day.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

Shevlin park loop trail to Fremont meadow and back. Bend Parks and Recreation.

This is my second visit to Shevlin park, Robin and I chose to hike the part of the park that heads up Tumalo creek southwest. I hadn’t been here and also wanted to explore that portion of the park. It was fun going with a guide who had hiked the park several times. Robin said that this park is always different every time you hike it no matter what the weather and season is. I can’t wait to see it in other weather situations. Monday was a nice clear crisp day. A good day to get out before the weather changes.

The trails are well used and free of tripping hazards, making them usable for anyone year around whether they are hiking, biking, or with mobility issues.

Since this was my first trip I really found myself photographing impressions. like the sunlight hitting the yellow leaves of the brush under the Ponderosa Pines

the silver bark of young aspen trees after all of their leaves have fallen.

The early afternoon light on Tumalo Creek from the bridge

the red stems of brush along the creek.

Rose petals tossed into the water, maybe to honor someone lost or to symbolize a happy event.

A tamarack / larch tree glowing against the darker pine trees.

We reached the southern most point of our hike at Fremont meadow then started back to the main parking area. I photographed more impressions on the way back.

A fallen bird’s nest captured by the brush along the trail.

Horse tail rushes glowing in a spot of sunlight.

A memorial for a loved family member.

White Snowberries and red Rose hips. Fruits of the brush along the trail and food for the critters who live here.
I also noticed the different light on Tumalo creek, at different times of the day.

Looking up stream and downstream from the bridge at about 12:30 in the early afternoon,

and from the same location at 2:15 in the afternoon.


The deep shadows along Tumalo creek as the sun is lowering for the day.

We ended our trip back at the parking area feeling a bit tired after a 4 mile hike but pleased with the photo opportunities.
Like our hiking trip to the east side of Shevlin Park My camera decided to go a bit rogue. However I did catch it pretty quickly and decided to keep the shots.

I am also thinking that I need to budget for another used camera, this next year.

Curiosity got the best of me I had to check out the work at Sage Ranch butte

Last week early in the morning I heard what sounded like off road motor bikes ripping through the BLM area I call Sage Ranch Butte and Canyon. I was Angry…. but have over time learned that trying to turn them in is pointless. I can’t get to the trailhead fast enough to find them, and BLM law enforcement can’t get here from Prineville. A good 45 minutes away or more. The next morning, I heard the sound of small engines again at the same time, and this time I realized that it was not motorbikes but chainsaws. My first thought was who is cutting firewood but just as quickly I remembered that I had found a plan by BLM to clear up this large area in the Cline Buttes BLM recreation area, make a new trail head on Fryrear and in general clean out the excess junipers and brush. Improve the trails and build more horse trails. Return the area to a more natural state. Mostly they have been working along Fryrear road. The Cline buttes recreation area is a huge area. The time to work in the sage ranch canyon and butte area has finally arrived.
About Damn Time ….. What took you all so long…… and then I did a little dance. But curiosity got to me and that afternoon I went out to my favorite parking area with my housemate Susan and the two German Shepherds. I also took photos, but I wasn’t really happy with them figuring I would go back another day. Saturday was my day. It was supposed to be nice; I had been talking to one of my pool /hiking pals arranging another hike and she said why don’t you go on a hike today. What a good idea, I gathered up my German Shepherds and the camera loaded everything in the car and headed out to my trail head parking area. My goal was to hike up to the top of Sage Ranch Butte, and see what they had cleared, hoping that they had not cut some of my favorite sacred trees…..

After 20+ years of hiking this whole area I had photographed many of these old snags and burned-out junipers. Some trees I just called my old friends. They had survived fire, wind, heat, drought, and snow, each has it’s own personality.
when I got to the parking area there were a couple vans for the cutting crew parked there so I chose to park along the road and just hike up the south and east side of the butte.
With a raven flying overhead we started out.

I was glad do see that there had been a lot of cutting around the base of the butte and most of the older snags had been left. The views were better than ever. looking east you could see the southernmost cline buttes

To the West you could see the 3 Sisters mountains

I was impressed that while a lot of the junipers had been cut it was not a clear-cut situation.

Finally after several minutes of hiking up the south side I reached the base of the final rocky summit. I was amazed because I had climbed around this but never saw it because of the heavy growth.

The view looking south towards Bend. Something you could not see before. and there on top was one of my favorite snags that I had photographed many times from the top looking south.

inspired I continued around the butte from the east approach. A lot of much needed work had been done along here.

My quest continued to the top hoping to see the leaning juniper still there. It was

And it was easier to photograph because some of the blocking trees had been removed. From here it was just a few steps to the top

and the view from the top of the 3,300 ft butte always good but now even better

I had planned on going down on the west side of the butte but found there was another hiker coming up that side so I chose to go back down on the southeast side. Photographing along the way.
I particularly like these old burned snags. They have survived many years of weather . 30? 40? 50 years…..

It was a really good hike for myself and both of my German Shepherds.
My plan was to have this posted on my blog page, but it took all afternoon to go through the photos, so I decided to post it Sunday morning, but… As I was working on which photos to use for the blog I got to thinking about hiking down into the canyon, knowing that the workers would not be there …. I went hiking and took more photos for another blog instead ….