Hood Photo Blog

Lack of Updates

2011-12-12T11:24:00.000-08:00

Hi All! Long time no blog! I feel guilty for not posting more often, but I am just unable to get out like normal, growing this human in my belly and all ;) We are more than half way through the pregnancy now, found out last week that it is a boy, and could not be happier!

I took this photo last year and can only imagine this is what Multnomah Falls must look like right about now, with our freezing temperatures lately. Just wanted to post something to say hi to everyone and let you know I am still around and missing the blogging and photography deeply!

Snow

2011-11-22T09:36:00.000-08:00

The first snowfall of the year hit the lower lying mountain communities this past week. I drove up on Sunday and was forced to turn around and seek a hiking area in lower elevation, since I did not have proper traction for the conditions. Areas as low as Sandy had snow on the sides of the road, and a few miles up the highway in Rhododendron, the side roads were not accessible to anyone not sporting 4 wheel drive at the very least.

Mushroom Monday

2011-11-21T13:18:00.000-08:00

Seriously, I every Monday lately it seems as though I post a mushroom photo. But I love taking them. There is such a huge variety out there right now!

Beaver Moon

2011-11-17T11:48:00.000-08:00

I recently learned that a full moon in November is also referred to as the "Beaver Moon". From the Farmers Almanac website, this was the time to set beaver traps before the swamps froze, to ensure a supply of warm winter furs. Another interpretation suggests that the name Full Beaver Moon comes from the fact that the beavers are now actively preparing for winter. The Beaver Moon this year was a week ago today.

Damp Mushroom

2011-11-16T08:29:00.000-08:00

As I walked through the woods in the Mt Hood National Forest last week, I was happy to find many varieties of mushrooms growing out of the leafy ground cover. This one glistened from the rain, and had a bit of damage to the side, but I liked how it provided a window to the scaly underneath. Another surprising note was the large number of shamrocks that still covered the forest floor. Since it has yet to have frozen up there in those woods, the shamrocks were all still alive!

Rippling River

2011-11-15T09:09:00.001-08:00

Another shot from Salmon River taken last weekend.

Falling

2011-11-14T11:09:00.000-08:00

You would think, with the gusty winds and number of leaves that have been constantly falling, that the trees would all be bare. But there are still a lot of trees that have not even started to lose their leaves yet!

Sun Peeking Through The Trees

2011-11-10T08:34:00.000-08:00

The sun made a quick appearance as I took this shot, almost ready to be hidden by the foothill in the distance.

Salmon River in Autumn

2011-11-09T08:55:00.000-08:00

This is probably my favorite spot on the Salmon River. Love the yellow and orange leaves that dot the rocks.

Quiet

2011-11-08T08:53:00.001-08:00

This is the quiet upper portion of the road that I grew up on. The narrow street only gets traffic from hikers that are heading up to the multiple trailheads that dot the roadside. The leaves quietly drifted down as I sat there and listened to the silence.

Out and About

2011-11-07T08:40:00.000-08:00

I was able to get out and about yesterday and take some beautiful Autumn-y photos in the forest. The smell of the earth in the air was so refreshing, and was just what I needed!

The ground was covered in mushrooms of many varieties, and I had to literally stop myself from taking photos of them. But I did take a few, as they are on of my favorite little things to find.

Yellow Beetle

2011-10-24T09:51:00.000-07:00

I don't know what kind of bug this is, but he was doing some damage to the leaf he was standing on!

Tomatoes Still At It

2011-10-19T09:11:00.000-07:00

Another bright side of a delayed Autumn (other than the mild weather, of course), is that my tomatoes are still going strong. I have put to bed most of my garden in preparation for the cold weather to come, but left my tomato plants because they are still producing fruit. Even last night I went out and plucked a fresh tomato off a plant for our dinner salad. There is nothing like it!

Not Yet

2011-10-18T10:10:00.000-07:00

This photo was taken last year at the Portland Japanese Gardens. I am posting a photo of last years pretty autumn leaves, because this year, the leaves have yet to change! I took a drive about half way up the mountain yesterday to do some autumn photography and was very disappointed in the still green trees and shrubbery! We seem to be WAY behind on our autumn.

Hardhack

2011-10-17T09:27:00.000-07:00

Hardhack, which is part of the rose family, is a pretty common plant found around the lakes up on Mt Hood. The normally pink cluster of flowers (as seen in the background) dries up and looks like this in the autumn before spreading its seeds.

Dusk over Timothy Lake

2011-10-13T08:28:00.000-07:00

Taken on a grey and gloomy day at Timothy Lake. At dusk, the clouds broke just long enough to catch the sun for a moment.

On a personal note, I guess now is a good of time as any to make an announcement. My husband and I are expecting our first child! I almost 13 weeks along and very excited and happy. A drawback however is that my blog may start to suffer at some point as I become less and less able to get out and photograph. I will do my best though. Thank you all for continuing to stop by! I truly appreciate being a part of your blogging community!

Our little alien headed baby with a gummy bear body. Taken at 10 wks.

Reflection

2011-10-12T09:13:00.000-07:00

Mt Hood reflection among the lily pads at the northernmost point of Trillium Lake.

Mushrooms

2011-10-11T08:23:00.000-07:00

I was putting my garden to bed for the winter this past week and spotted these two tiny mushrooms. They were so small, only about 1.5 cm in height. I left them perform their function in my yards little ecosystem.

Autumn Ladybug

2011-10-10T08:25:00.000-07:00

This ladybug better get to where he is going, because the weather has turned for the worse and its getting colder in this area!

Mt Hood at Last Light

2011-10-06T09:14:00.000-07:00

Taken right after dusk, just before the sky gets too dark, and when the water on Trillium Lake was very calm. You can see the lights from Timberline Lodge at the timberline on the mountain.

Morning Dampness

2011-10-05T11:15:00.000-07:00

It's the time of year that when you wake up in the morning, everything is wet with dew!

Lost

2011-10-04T08:33:00.000-07:00

I am posting a series of photos today, hoping someone can help me solve a mystery. I was hiking behind Trillium Lake up in the Mt Hood National Forest a few weekends ago. The path I was following had taken me about a mile north of the lake. The trail was deserted; I saw no one else on the path except my dog. All of a sudden to my left I saw this car out in the bushes, about 20 ft off the path. I made my way over and the mystery began. First of all, does anyone know what kind of car this is? It had obviously been there for a really long time. Secondly, I have no idea how it got there in the middle of the woods! There is no evidence of even an old abandoned logging road out where I was, so I can't imagine how it ended up at this final resting place. Kinda creepy really. But interesting!

Wild Strawberry

2011-10-03T11:13:00.000-07:00

These wild strawberry plants are turning red in the autumn cold.

Foggy Hills

2011-09-29T09:56:00.000-07:00

At dusk, between two foothills rose a cloud of fog. It continued to grow until after dark, and covered the entire lake we were camping at.

Mountain Dew

2011-09-28T08:33:00.000-07:00

Early morning dew captured on a leaf up in the Mt Hood National Forest.

Natures Kaleidoscope

2011-09-27T09:37:00.000-07:00

In one simple drop of water, clinging to the side of a blade of grass, you can see the entire world around you.

And I'm Back

2011-09-26T11:12:00.000-07:00

I am back from my relaxing vacation. I spent 4 gorgeous days camping at two lakes on Mt Hood. This week I will post some of the photos I was able to snap between fishing and napping HAHA!

I came across this brightly colored shelf fungus while hiking northeast of Trillium Lake.

And The Winner Is....

2011-09-15T08:36:00.000-07:00

It should be no surprise to anyone that follows this blog that my favorite place to vacation is Trillium Lake up on Mt Hood. In this photo you can catch a beginning glimpse of the infamous cloud cap that often forms over its summit.

I have many memories of this place, as I have been coming here since I was a child. My husband and I were married on its banks. I was there on its opening weekend this year and have been there at least a dozen times this summer. I can think of nowhere else I would rather be!

Crater Lake

2011-09-14T09:40:00.001-07:00

Day 3 of posting some of my favorite vacation getaways in Oregon. Today's photo is of Crater Lake. I have only been to Crater Lake twice in my life. The last was just a short stop on the way back home from California. There are many camping locations nearby, and I would love to someday stay in the area for a few days again.

A few interesting facts about Crater Lake:

-- Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the United States.
-- Crater Lake National Park is the only national park in Oregon.
-- The lake partly fills a nearly 2,148 ft deep caldera that was formed around 7,700 years ago by the collapse of the volcano Mount Mazama.
-- There are no rivers flowing into or out of the lake; the evaporation is compensated for by rain and snowfall at a rate such that the total amount of water is replaced every 250 years.
-- Crater Lake is known for the "Old Man of the Lake", a full-sized tree which is now a stump that has been bobbing vertically in the lake for more than a century. Due to the cold water, the tree has been rather well preserved.
-- Since 2002, one of the state's regular-issue license plate designs has featured Crater Lake.
-- The commemorative Oregon State Quarter, which was released by the United States Mint in 2005, features an image of Crater Lake on its reverse.

"Island" of Neskowin

2011-09-13T08:53:00.000-07:00

This week, I am posting photos from some of my favorite vacation spots that I visit in Oregon.

Proposal Rock is sort of an island as Slab Creek (pictured above) empties into the ocean right at the base of the large basalt sea stack, and when the tide is up, water completely surrounds it.

You can hike to the top of the rock when tides are low (and you are brave enough to wade through the freezing waters of the creek) to see the awesome view of the Pacific Ocean around you.

Below is a view looking north towards Proposal Rock in Neskowin. We have a friend with a beach house in the tiny, quiet village, and it is where we go most often when we visit the coast.

Outside the Prineville Reservoir

2011-09-12T10:10:00.001-07:00

My vacation countdown is on! In 4 work days, I will be off work for over a week! This week I am going to post photos from some of my favorite vacationing areas in Oregon.

This photo was taken outside Prineville in Central Oregon, where my Dad lives. We often take a drive to the Prineville Reservoir, which is about 45 minutes outside of town. The reservoir is actually behind me in this picture. I am looking east, and a small bit of the little bay can be seen below that wraps around the hill I am standing on.

Smoke from Dollar Lake Fire

2011-09-08T08:44:00.000-07:00

My blog has been very "Dollar Lake Fire" oriented lately, since that is the big happening up on Mt Hood lately. I took a drive up I-84 to the town of Hood River on Monday, which joins up with Hwy 35. Hwy 35 goes back towards Mt Hood on the east side and gives a good perspective of the fire and smoke on the north side of the mountain. Needless to say, you could barely even see the mountain though. The smoke is overwhelming. Driving around the mountain past Cooper Spur, the blue sky gave way to smoke filled, hazy areas all the way until Mt Hood Meadows, about a 15 mile stretch of road.

The Dollar Lake fire, which was started by lightning two weeks ago, has scorched about 4,500 acres. Fire crews have contained about 30 percent of the wildfire. The flames are burning about 3 miles away from the Bull Run Watershed, the source of drinking water for around 900,000 people living in the Portland metro area. Fire officials expect the blaze will miss the watershed, plus the nearby high-voltage lines operated by the Bonneville Power Administration.

And So It Begins...

2011-09-07T09:36:00.000-07:00

The east wind has been blowing like crazy lately (which is not helping the wildfires on Mt Hood or in The Dalles). I let my dog out a few mornings ago and the lawn was covered in the first batch of fallen leaves. NOOOOO!!! Too soon for autumn!!!!! I snapped this photo after watering my garden. Wish the leaf was damp from dew or a late summer rain shower instead. We need it to help with those fires!

Horrible

2011-09-06T09:44:00.001-07:00

I have been following the horrible news about the wildfire up on Mt Hood since I visited Cloud Cap last weekend. During that visit, I photographed the very beginning of the visible smoke to this now out of control mess. This area has been victim to wildfire before, most recently only 2 or 3 years ago. While I was up there, I also photographed this tree, with the previously burned forest behind it. The charred remains of the forest have not been cleaned up at all, which leaves an incredible amount of fuel for the fire to thrive off of.

Still burning, The Dollar Lake Fire on Mt Hood has charred at least 4,500 acres.

Cloud Cap Sunset

2011-09-01T09:10:00.001-07:00

Timing is everything, they say. While I was concentrating on capturing the moment that the sun disappeared behind the very lowest point of the north slopes of Mt Hood, I didn't notice that from my perspective at Cloud Cap Inn, I also was capturing the first signs of smoke from a wildfire that broke out, as seen in the lower right corner of this photograph. The next day I saw the story in the news. Now it is four days later, and the Dollar Lake Fire is at 1,660 acres and threatening the Inn, which I wrote about yesterday. This is the second time in 3 years that the Inn has been threatened by wildfire.

City Daily Photo's theme this month is Perspective.Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Cloud Cap Inn

2011-08-31T08:26:00.000-07:00

Cloud Cap Inn was built in 1889 on the northeast shoulder of Mt Hood at the 6000 ft mark, and is the second oldest building in the country maintained by the Forest Service. (The oldest is Grey Towers outside Milford, Pa., the boyhood home of the first national forest chief, Gifford Pinchot, which was built in 1886).

Cloud Cap Inn was accessible back then from nearby Hood River via train, and then a long stagecoach ride up the side of the mountain. The excursion took 8 hours, which by car takes less than an hour these days. The Inn officially opened on Aug 3rd of that year, and was only allowed to operate 5 years during winter seasons due to the snowfall in the area, which sometimes exceeds 60 feet of accumulation.

Cloud Cap remained the main destination on the mountain until Timberline Lodge opened on the south side in 1937. Operating in spring and summer only, Cloud Cap Inn ran on and off until 1946. There was threat of tearing the building down in the 50's, but a Mt Hood based climbing club, the Crag Rats, saved the building and are taking care of it to this day. In 1974, it was placed on Oregon's list of historical places.

Gloomy Gorge

2011-08-30T08:50:00.000-07:00

Signs of autumn are already appearing. The mornings the past few days have been foggy, cloudy and cold. It doesn't actually clear up until late afternoon. Away from the damp Columbia River Gorge (pictured), things are looking dry. Yesterday, I heard geese flying over my work. I am hoping this is just a short phase though. We were so cheated out of summer here in the pacific northwest. We deserve at least another month of good, warm summer weather!

Washington Lily

2011-08-29T11:05:00.000-07:00

This Washington Lily was, of course, photographed in Oregon. The large flowers start out pink, and end up white by the time they are fully bloomed.

Sun in the Sky

2011-08-25T09:49:00.000-07:00

My own twist on a sunny sky. I started this sunflower plant from a tiny seed and now it towers over me. The flower just bloomed yesterday. This is its first morning stretch towards the rising sun in the east.

My favorite view of Trillium Lake

2011-08-24T08:28:00.000-07:00

While many people may argue that the view from the dam at Trillium Lake is the best view (such as the one I use for my profile picture here on Blogger), I tend to disagree. While it is beautiful, I appreciate the view from the north side of the lake. The mountain peaks perfectly through the trees. The lily pads dot the surface of the water, and the old dead tree still stands its post at the top of the lake.

Flying Overhead

2011-08-23T08:24:00.000-07:00

I am not sure what kind of birds these are. Some sort of hawk I assume. They can often be seen doing circles over Trillium Lake. All of a sudden, they rapidly drop down and pull a big fish out of the water. That was what I was waiting for when I took these, but they never dove.

UPDATE: Due to the help I received in my blog comments, I'm going to agree with the majority and say these are osprey. Thanks for your help everyone!

Queen's Cup

2011-08-22T09:15:00.000-07:00

Thank you to Heather at My Everyday Graces for helping my identify this wildflower!

There were tons of these Queen's Cups lining the path to Veda Lake. They seem to like the shade, but I noticed this particular flower because of the sunlight hitting its white petals.

Daytime Moon

2011-08-18T08:19:00.000-07:00

The sun isn't the only thing shining in the sky lately - the moon has been out during the day. I looked up info on the phenomenon, and this is what I found:

When the Moon is full, and at its brightest, it sits directly opposite the Sun in the sky, which means it is below the horizon while the Sun is up. The New Moon rises during the day, but sits too close to the Sun to be seen. It sets at night, which is why the night sky is dark during the New Moon. It’s only as the Moon gets close to its quarter phases that the conditions are ideal for it to be seen during the day. That is, it is bright enough, far enough away from the Sun to be seen, and rises or sets during daylight hours. When all of these conditions come together, and when the sky is clear enough, the Moon becomes visible during the daytime.

Dedicated to fellow blogger Klaus Peter of Skywatch Friday.

Kinzel Lake

2011-08-17T08:52:00.001-07:00

This small remote lake can be accessed a few ways. One of the more popular is hiking the Kinzel Lake Trail, built in 1925, which spans the distance between the lush river bottom environment along the Salmon River and the dry ridgetop on Hunchback Mountain. However, you can also access the lake by driving the unmaintained Sherar Burn Road (mentioned earlier last week on my Veda Lake post) for 9 miles to access the area. It is very secluded, and surrounded by gorgeous wildflower meadows.

Elevation

2011-08-16T11:40:00.000-07:00

At 11,235 ft, Mt Hood is Oregon's highest peak. In this photo, you can see the beginnings of the famous cloud cap that forms over its summit, also known as Hood's Hood. The meadow in the foreground is Summit Meadow, and was home to many pioneers making their way west. It became a tollgate from 1866-1870.

Sundown Silhouette

2011-08-11T09:36:00.000-07:00

As the sun went down over Timothy Lake, the land was silhouetted against the blue skies behind it.

On another note...

I was recently contacted by a online travel site rep that wanted to use some of my wedding photography for a new Mt Hood area based website. I gave her a few photos I have done in the past (since I am not doing a lot of wedding stuff anymore these days). I also asked if she needed any landscape type photos for her site and she was excited at my offer. So after many emails and exchanges, the site is live and some of my photos have been used!! Yay for me! Guess this blogging habit is paying off a bit. I am glad because it is more focused on the type of photography I enjoy doing the most and the new techinques I have been trying to teach myself lately.

If you want to check out the new site and the photos they used, here are the links to the specific pages I am featured on:

Weddings

Bridal veil Creek, Bridal veil Falls

Clear lake

Bonneville Dam

creek near Lolo Pass

3 photos of the national forest

Mount Hood with snow

Portland vista

Timothy Lake

Salmon River

Mt. Saint Helens

Trillium lake

Veda Lake

2011-08-10T08:40:00.000-07:00

I have yet to have found a view that takes my breath away like this one. Photos cannot do it justice. Looking up through the Still Creek valley towards Multipor Mountain (the "small" hill in the center of the valley) is an amazing view of Mt Hood, with Veda Lake resting in the forest below.

To access this view, you drive up notoriously rough Sherar Burn Road 3.5 miles to abandoned Fir Tree Campground. From there you hike up the backside of Veda Butte about a mile (the first half being fairly steep) until you come to this ridge viewpoint. You can continue down the trail another mile or so to reach the lake and all its seclusion.

Dragonfly

2011-08-09T08:26:00.000-07:00

Spotted this guy resting in the warm sun on Saturday at Trillium Lake. It looks like its had some hard times. I can spot two tears in his delicate wings.

Field of Bees

2011-08-08T09:13:00.000-07:00

On a drive out in the middle of the Mt Hood National Forest this past Saturday, we came across a huge field of wildflowers. Standing in it you were overwhelmed by the constant buzzing of bees around you.

Timothy Lake

2011-08-04T09:24:00.000-07:00

Dusk over Timothy Lake. The calm lake surface was only interrupted by a passing family of ducks in the distance.

Colors of the Collowash

2011-08-02T08:51:00.000-07:00

Seems as though the weather has finally made a turn for the better here. While the rest of the country has been suffering through hot, miserable heat waves, we were suffering from rain. Now a typical day is in the high 70's to mid 80's. Sunday was a beautiful day. Got in the car and took a drive up to one of my favorite places, the Collowash River. The water is crystal clear and cold here, but on a hot day, it could not be any more refreshing. I waded across this spot in the river and noticed that the rocks below my feet were a rainbow variety of colors.

Cat Ear

2011-08-01T09:08:00.001-07:00

I love it when I am out and about and come across a wildflower I have not ever seen (or noticed) before. This is an example of that. When I hiked to the face of Bald Mountain last weekend, the meadow around and below our lookout was covered in wildflowers. Most I recognized, but this pretty little white lily was a new one for me. It was also a bit of a challenge finding the name of the flower. It is known as "Three spot Mariposa Lily" and "Baker's Mariposa Lily" or "Cat Ear". I like Cat Ear. It seems appropriate ;)

Moon over Timothy Lake

2011-07-28T08:37:00.000-07:00

This hazy moon shot was taken over Timothy Lake two weekends ago as I was walking the bank after dark. The moon lit up the entire area!

Strawberries

2011-07-27T08:28:00.000-07:00

Seriously, is there anything more yummy than a fresh, bright red strawberry right off the plant, still warm from the sun?

Bald Mountain Viewpoint

2011-07-26T08:31:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, I hiked up Bald Mountain. This short hike is kind of difficult because it goes straight up the back side of the ridge from Timberline Trail, through the woods. It is very worth it, because at the end it opens up on the face of Bald Mountain to this breathtaking view of the west side of Mt. Hood. At the bottom of the snowline you can see Muddy Fork, which is the beginning of the Sandy River. The water melts from two points off the Sandy Glacier and winds its way around Yocum Ridge. It's hard to believe the little trickle of water that you can see ends up merging into a big river.

Avalanche Lily

2011-07-25T08:37:00.000-07:00

When hiking this weekend, at one of the forks in the trail there was a huge patch of these pretty Avalanche Lillies. The sun was hitting them just right and they practically glowed!

Rainbow over Timothy Lake

2011-07-21T08:50:00.001-07:00

Sitting on a boat in the middle of the lake fishing, a light rainbow started to form. I was just in the right place at the right time and snapped this photo, with the colors reflecting in the grey water.

Valley

2011-07-20T11:19:00.001-07:00

Just north of Timothy Lake is the High Rocks viewpoint. This is the impressive view of a valley through the Mt Hood National Forest.

Animal Antics

2011-07-19T08:57:00.001-07:00

I have a bird seed thief. Over the past few weeks, I couldn't begin to even measure how much seed this silly squirrel has eaten out of my feeder. Every morning I see him hanging upside-down from the roof, and in the afternoon I have to go add more. I have to admit, I am impressed with his athleticism -- how he hangs there using his toenails only to hold on!

Rain Beaten Rhodys

2011-07-18T09:07:00.000-07:00

Yes, we went camping this past weekend and yes, we got rained on. But it was a good time. The quarter mile hike in to our campsite was lined by large blooming rhododendron bushes. The first day was sunny and the blooms were fresh and perky. I took this one the second day. The blooms had been covered with raindrops and the light pink blossoms were practically see through from the bright white cloud cover above.

(PS) WOW - I just noticed this is my 600th blog post! Go me!

Going Fishing

2011-07-15T08:46:00.000-07:00

Is it 5pm yet? I am looking forward to this weekend! My husband doesnt work tonight. Tomorrow we are going up Mt Hood to go fishing for the day. On Sunday I have a photo shoot at a birthday party for extended "family". Should be a fun one. Have a great weekend everyone!

Fisheye view of Mt St Helens

2011-07-14T08:47:00.000-07:00

A pair of views from my drive up to Mt St Helens a few weekends ago. I took this one from one of the many viewpoints along the highway to the mountain. Looking up the valley, you could see the wide riverbed below, washed out from the explosion. The 'thin' looking river that winds through the bed is a normal size river, but looks smaller due to the washed out banks. In the greenspace to the north of the river you could see elk grazing if you looked through the provided scopes at the viewpoint.

I took the photo below with my fisheye lens to capture a different depth and perspective of the valley. Above, you could see the beginnings of the 'sun dog' that I posted about earlier.

A Bit of Rain

2011-07-13T08:17:00.000-07:00

Well, that didn't last long. The sunny week and a half we enjoyed in the Portland Metro area has gone and the past 3 days have been cloudy and cool. Yesterday it actually rained! From the looks of things out there right now, I think it will rain again today also.

Zen

2011-07-12T10:44:00.000-07:00

This is the tallest rock stack I have ever been able to accomplish. My mom has always been a big rock stacker, and I totally got the love of the difficult task from her. Rock stacking is soothing and a great way to really take in the nature and environment around you.

Marsh Marigold

2011-07-11T09:40:00.000-07:00

I had no idea what this flower was called, but have found a very handy site that has photos of Pacific Northwest wildflowers, and easily found out it is a Marsh Marigold. The description on the site says its often found at the edge of snowmelt, which is very true. Thats is exactly where I found these!

Gloomy

2011-07-08T08:43:00.000-07:00

This struggling tree in monochrome is a bit gloomy if you ask me, as is the weather the past two days, as the clouds have rolled in. :(

Here's hoping for bright sunny days this weekend. We in the Portland Metro Area DEMAND a summer!

Rainbow Cloud

2011-07-07T08:36:00.000-07:00

Rainbow clouds are made of tiny ice crystals, and if the cloud is at the right angle to the sun, the crystals will refract the sunlight (much like a prism) into the colors of the rainbow. So it's very similar to a regular rainbow when it's raining, only a little more rare.

Horsetail Falls

2011-07-06T09:41:00.000-07:00

This is the last waterfall I photographed during my day trip up the Old Columbia River Highway about a month ago. Horsetail Falls, at 192 ft., is one of the easiest to access waterfalls on the loop, as you can get to it right off the highway. There is a trail you can follow up to 2 other falls behind it. There is also the pool at the bottom which is good for wading, but it is cold!!!

I have posted a waterfall a week for the past few weeks, which can be seen here:

Latourell Falls

Wakeena Falls

Bridal Veil Falls

Thank you for following the tour! If you are in the Portland Metro Area, I highly suggest checking out these falls, as well as the other beautiful sights the Columbia River Gorge has to offer. Here is a map of the Old Columbia River Highway, which shows the route I took that day!

Yellow

2011-07-05T09:22:00.000-07:00

Along the north side of Trillium Lake there is a tangle of lilypads, and these yellow buds dot the top of the water.

Surrounded by Green

2011-07-01T08:43:00.000-07:00

I am fortunate to live where I do, and often times when I am out on my outdoor adventures, I find myself surrounded by green. Our damp environment may be undesirable to some because of the amount of rainfall and overcast days, but to me it creates a heavenly environment that is worth it. This was taken up at Trillium Lake on one of those type of days. The foggy cold dampness kept the crowds of people indoors that day, and the normally packed dock was deserted.

City Daily Photo's theme for July is "Green". Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Ring around the sun

2011-06-30T09:29:00.001-07:00

What does a ring around the sun mean? My mom says it is a change in the weather, and I believe her. Within an hour of taking this blue sky photo of the sun, the clouds rolled in and it has been overcast and raining on and off since!

Bridal Veil Falls

2011-06-29T08:42:00.000-07:00

Back to the waterfall photos I took in the Columbia River Gorge a few weekends ago. As I mentioned in last weeks post, we hiked in to Bridal Veil Falls. The Historic Columbia River Highway passes over the falls (you can see the bridge at the top of the photo), and you take a path to the bottom of the falls. Recently the falls was in the local news because a group of teenagers risked their lives and kayaked over the falls.

Mt St Helens

2011-06-28T09:08:00.000-07:00

I visited this ex-peak this past weekend. Back on May 18, 1980, a huge volcanic explosion rocked the Pacific Northwest and left the once perfect cone mountain in rubble. Now, 31 years later, things look better. But it won't be a lush forest again in our lifetime. Things are still barely starting to come back to life. The devastation is hard to believe, and even harder to capture in photo.

(Sorry ABC Wednesdayers - X is SO hard. Forgive my Ex-peak and Ex-plosion LOL!)

Bear Grass

2011-06-27T09:24:00.000-07:00

This pretty mountain flower is abundant up in the forest around here. Apparently the leaves of the plant were long used by Native Americans in basket making, as they are durable and once dried, turn white and are easy to dye.

Last Sight of the Sun

2011-06-23T08:56:00.001-07:00

Caught the last glimpse of the sun as it sank behind the mountains over Clear Lake.

Bridal Veil Creek

2011-06-22T08:24:00.000-07:00

This photo is a teaser. The past two weeks I have been posting photos from my day trip along the Old Columbia River Highway. So far, I have posted about Latourell Falls and Wahkeena Falls. Todays photo is of Bridal Veil Creek, just below the beautiful falls that I will post about next week. You can just barely make out some of the mist between the rocks in the background from the bottom of the falls. Stay tuned...

Wahkeena Waterfall

2011-06-21T08:42:00.000-07:00

This is the second posting of a waterfall from my day trip up the Old Columbia River Highway two weekends ago. This photo is of the lower portion of the two-tiered falls. The falls were originally known as Gordon Falls. In 1915, after the completion of the OCR highway, the falls were renamed to Wahkeena Falls – a Yakima Indian word meaning “most beautiful”.

Wild Strawberry

2011-06-20T08:45:00.001-07:00

There was a lot of wild strawberry growing along the beach areas at Clear Lake last weekend. Since it is up in the mountains, the flowering plants are just a bit behind in their blooming cycle. The strawberries I have planted in my garden this year are already growing small baby berries!

Baker Cabin Pioneer Church

2011-06-17T09:07:00.000-07:00

This adorable old church was built in 1895. In the late 1960's, it was saved from demolition and moved to its present site in Carver, OR. It is now part of the Baker Cabin Historical Society, and was accepted to the National Registry of Historic Places in 1976.

My friend is looking to get married at this peaceful wooded location in the near future. I can't wait!

Clouds Rolling In Over Clear Lake

2011-06-16T08:58:00.001-07:00

The weather on Mt Hood can be unpredictable. On the west side facing Portland, it is usually colder and wetter. This weekend was much like that. However, we stayed on the east side, where it was warm and blue skies for the majority of the time. This photo is the exception. On Friday night right before dusk, a huge cloud bank rolled over the mountain and settled in the valley we were camping in. We expected rain. But it never happened. It just continued to blow by and by the time it was dark, things were much more clear. The next day was warm and the blue sky was back!

Latourell Falls

2011-06-15T09:15:00.000-07:00

I had Monday off, so a friend and I did something I had never taken the time to do. We drove the Old Columbia River Highway from Troutdale up to almost Cascade Locks. The route is home to many beautiful waterfalls, so we hiked the short trails and I photographed 4 of them. This is the first that we visited, Lautorell Falls. The falls plunge 249 feet.

It was a great time to visit the Gorge waterfalls. Not a lot of people, which is not the case if you go on the weekend!

Here is another view of the top of the falls. I assume the yellow on the rock face is a fungus of some sort. I will post the remainder of the waterfall photos I took over the next few weeks. :)

Vacation

2011-06-14T09:38:00.000-07:00

Today is my first day back to work from my mini-vacation. My husband and I celebrated our 2 year wedding anniversary by camping over the weekend. The weather up in the Mt Hood National Forest was perfect. We stayed at Clear Lake, and this was the view from our tent. The water was only a few feet away, and we enjoyed every minute of it!

Mentally Checked Out

2011-06-09T10:01:00.000-07:00

We leave tomorrow to go on a 4 day weekend camping trip to celebrate our 2 year wedding anniversary, and it is all I can think about! Our reservations have been cancelled at Trillium Lake, where we got married, due to the snow still not melting and the campground not opening. So we will probably camp at Clear Lake, which is pictured. I love this photo because you can see my husbands silhouette in the lower right corner, fishing off the bank.

Bonneville Dam

2011-06-08T08:57:00.000-07:00

Bonneville Dam crosses the Columbia River between Oregon and Washington, about 40 miles east of Portland. This view is looking up at the dam from the west, and the sheer power of the water spilling out can't even be expressed in still photograph form. The energy in the air and the flow of the water was intense!

In his song Roll on, Columbia, the folk singer, Woody Guthrie, spoke of Bonneville as follows:

At Bonneville now there are ships in the locks
The waters have risen and cleared all the rocks,
Shiploads of plenty will steam past the docks,
So roll on, Columbia, roll on.

Water Tower

2011-06-07T08:47:00.000-07:00

Funny when you see something so often, and you realize, hmmm, I have don't have a photo of that! This is the water tower at the McMenamins Edgefield property. The history I could find on the tower is as follows: The property that is now Edgefield used to be the Multnomah County Poor Farm. This water tower was built in 1927 when the main building at the Farm was identified as firetrap because it lacked a fire detection and deterrent system. The tower was built to provide a gravity-supplied sprinkler system throughout the Main Lodge.

I have done plenty of weddings and other photo shoots on the property, and the tower is often in the background of those. But I, to my recollection, have never taken a photo of the structure itself. I caught it just as a plane was flying in the background, and a hole of the pub golf course is in the view as well.

Skunk Cabbage

2011-06-06T09:05:00.000-07:00

While some people may argue that skunk cabbage is stinky, I like the scent. It is so fresh and spring-like. It only grows in very wet, swampy areas. The air is damp and earthy. And I also think their yellow flowers are pretty in their own unique way.

Oak Grove Fork of Clackamas River

2011-06-02T13:55:00.001-07:00

The flow of water hidden in the shadows at the bottom of this photo is the Oak Grove Fork of the Clackamas River. The tributary feeds Timothy and Harriet Lakes (how odd that I haven't posted any photos of Harriet Lake! I will have to remember that on a day when I have nothing new to post and get something out of my archives. It's a beautiful spot!)

I was more focused on the sky in this photo though. The sun (which I had not gotten a glimpse of in days, but came out briefly) was just going down behind the tree line.

Clackamas Lake Meadow

2011-06-01T08:59:00.001-07:00

This soggy meadow is known as Clackamas Meadow, and is part of the Clackamas Lake Ranger Station Historic District. The small building you can see in shadows of the photo is one of eleven historic buildings in the compound, and is listed as a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places.

Trillium Lake Opening Weekend

2011-05-31T08:52:00.000-07:00

As I posted last week, I was anxiously awaiting the opening of my favorite place ever, Trillium Lake. On Thursday I heard that the lake had opened, and on Friday after work drove up to see for myself. It was open! On Saturday my husband, his friend and I went up to fish and take in the first weekend. The fresh cool air was so refreshing. It was snowing when we arrived, but we came prepared, and the weather got better as the day progressed. By the time we left, Mt Hood had peeked out of the clouds long enough for me to get this photo. Here is hoping the remainder of the snow melts enough that the campground opens by the 10th, when we have camping reservations here! (I promise I will lay off the photos of the lake for a few weeks now, since I have posted two in the past week hehe!)

Memorial Day

2011-05-30T11:09:00.000-07:00

Taken at Willamette National Cemetary last year. I am going to try to head up there today at some point and visit my husbands grandfather. Take a moment today to remember those who deserve remembering.

The Elusive Trillium Lake Otters

2011-05-28T01:45:00.001-07:00

You will have to excuse my enthusiasm. I am so excited. My favorite place in the world has finally opened up again for the summer. Today I went to check for myself if Trillium Lake, up on the flanks of Mt Hood, was open. And it is!!! There is still a significant amount of snow. The campground is closed. But we walked the trail to where my husband and I were married, and as we navigated the path, we spotted the elusive Trillium Lake otters. They don't show themselves too often, but I was able to get this one slightly blurry photo from a distance. I told my husband about it and he immediately told me we have to go back to go fishing tomorrow. Perhaps I will get more lucky then :)

Heading into a long weekend!

2011-05-27T09:07:00.000-07:00

Does anyone have any fun plans for Memorial Day weekend? I do not. My husband has to work every day except tomorrow, so we will be staying near home. I am probably going to take a drive up the mountain tonight, as I heard a rumor that Trillium Lake has opened earlier than expected! Keeping my fingers crossed.

Hope you all have a safe and happy long weekend. Be sure to take a moment to remember why we have this great life!

I miss Trillium Lake!!!!

2011-05-25T08:46:00.001-07:00

This photo was taken this time last year. I am going through some serious withdrawls -- from a place! Trillium Lake is my favorite place ever. When I was a kid my family would play here on sunny summer days. My husband and I got married on its banks. We camp and go on day fishing trips here as much as possible throughout the open season. But from about October until late May or early June, it is only accessible via snowshoe or snowmobile (Next year, I hope to try this). However, as of now, the road to the lake is still closed and we are waiting for the last of the snow to melt away. We have camping reservations for June 10th to celebrate our 2 year wedding anniversary. The website says the campground will open on June 9th. Talk about cutting it close! Keep your fingers crossed for us!!! Trillium Lake, I miss you!

Spring Shamrocks

2011-05-24T09:04:00.000-07:00

I love walking through the woods and being surrounded by a carpet of shamrocks. The green is so bright.

Beaten by the rain

2011-05-23T09:02:00.000-07:00

This dandelion fluff was beaten by the rain. Still awaiting the arrival of sunny days. We get one, maybe two nice days, but then a week of rainy ones. We all crave a week of sunny days with one or two rainy ones ;)

Beau Turns 8!

2011-05-19T08:31:00.001-07:00

I cannot believe my sweet dog, Beau, is turning 8 today. Where has the time gone? He is my best friend, my outdoors adventure companion and my 4-legged, furry, squeeky shadow.

Happy Birthday, my little man!

Salmon Berry Flower

2011-05-18T08:29:00.000-07:00

I personally love the orange berries that this wild bush produces. They are quite tart, and I love sour things. The bush doesn't produce as much fruit as a raspberry bush (which they resemble), but is a favorite of hummingbirds!

Rhododendron

2011-05-17T08:48:00.001-07:00

I have noticed that in the past week, the rhododendrons in the area have started blooming. It all seems to happen at once! One day they are just tight buds with no sign of flowering, and then they are like this one, just hours from opening.

Sword Fern

2011-05-16T09:19:00.001-07:00

How was everyone's weekend? Mine was great! A good balance of fun things to do, great people to see and hang out with, and time to relax and catch up on much needed napping ;)

Today's photo is a macro of a "baby" sword fern frond. It's the perfect time of year to see these. The forest is covered in them! And of course, the rainfall helps!

First Slug Sighting

2011-05-14T10:20:00.001-07:00

EW! Slugs are up there near the top of my "dislike" list. They are nasty, slimy, and they wreck havoc on my garden!!! But, since this was officially the first slug I saw out and about, and it was minding its own business outside of my garden beds, I snapped a quick shot.