The End of 2025 Making plans for 2026

For the last three days the Troll family tribe has been on exploring trips. Poppa T, Pinx, and Aqua have been taking Lime, Pumpkin, Gemma, Blew and Pinky on tours of a couple of their favorite places to hike.
Monday it was Reilly Ranch Preserve.

They enjoyed the views towards the mountains over the meadow.

The different views from the overlook.

and the lizards wanted to see the views too


There were views of the Deschutes river below,

Pinky and Blew were assigned to make sure Aqua didn’t decide to go swimming again.
After their tour of Reily Ranch they decided to explore the area closer to home. So Tuesday it was Sage Ranch Canyon and Butte. they decided to warm up with a little rock climbing in the parking area.

Soon we were on our way down into the canyon a bit so we could do some more rock climbing up

Poppa T chose this route because he likes the view of the mountains as they climb the rocks to the top of the canyon. Because this area has coyotes, he also hired a couple of guards…

Well truth is that Nova and Aurora insisted that we were not going hiking without them.
After we got to the top of the canyon we headed south up to the top of Sage Ranch Butte.

There were a lot of trees to climb, and every snarly snag had to be checked out, soon though we were at the top of the butte.

After they climbed some rocks and checked out the flat areas it was time to head home. We chose the path that took us down the easy slope and overlooked the canyon wall we climbed up earlier.

For today Wednesday, Poppa T wanted to go to the mountains…. Yeah Right…. I simply explained that I had other plans and was going to the pool…. They thought that would be a good trip, but I said that they didn’t have swim passes and couldn’t go… Plus we had to clean up the photo area so we could start the new year with a fresh blank slate…..

So Good Bye 20….
Hey wait What are you all doing???

What do you mean we are not done photographing???

All right one last portrait session for 2025
Good by 2025…. Time to make photo plans for 2026

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.