Cathy and Henry, On The Rocks

Photograph taken on Sunday, November 03, 2024 by Henry
Cathy and Henry, On The Rocks

Cathy and Henry, On The Rocks

We took a walk at the Rachel Carson Conservation Area in Brookeville this afternoon. It was cool and fairly quiet but really nice to be out and about. There is a spot with a large outcropping of huge quartz boulders and I took a few pictures there, first of Cathy sitting on the rocks and then of the two of us. I balanced the camera on another rock and got it reasonably level and aimed about right. Then I turned on the self-timer, started it going, and ran to get into the photo. The first try didn’t work out well because when I jumped up onto the rock it tilted down in the back and I fell over backwards. That photo just shows Cathy and then me with my legs up in the air. This one turned out better.

Categories: People | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Cathy and Henry, On The Rocks

Rat Gallery DC #6

Photograph taken on Friday, November 01, 2024 by Henry
Andrew, Rachel, Katharine, Dorothy, Anna, and Jeff

Andrew, Rachel, Katharine, Dorothy, Anna, and Jeff

Sadly, Cathy and I missed the fifth Rat Gallery because we were in Oregon when it happened. But we were back on the scene this time for what we expect to be the final Rat Gallery at the 52 O Street location. Katharine is moving her studio so we don’t know where or when the next show will be, but good things are bound to happen, so keep an eye out on the Rat Gallery Web site. If you don’t already know, Rat Gallery is sponsored in large part by The Hartley Residence and you’re going to want to follow them, as well, because they have more going on all the time.

Categories: People | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Rat Gallery DC #6

Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum)

Photograph taken on Sunday, October 27, 2024 by Henry
Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum)

Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum)

One more bird photo from our walk around Lake Frank today. As we crossed the dam at the south end of the lake we saw this bird on a tree with fall colors reflected off the water behind it. I’m assuming it’s a double-crested cormorant (Nannopterum auritum). Regardless, I’m fond of this photo. Looking back I didn’t take many pictures in October and those I took were concentrated on just a few days. Our lives are just that way right now, I guess. I take what I can get.

Categories: Creatures | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum)

Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Photograph taken on Sunday, October 27, 2024 by Henry
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

On the southeast part of Lake Frank is an old boat ramp from when the lake had road access to vehicles. Near that is a very tall oak tree. We’ve see one or the other of our local bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) in that tree on more than one occasion. We saw it today, first from across the lake and then, when we got to that part of the trail from below. It was easier to spot, frankly, from across the lake. When you get close, you sort of have to know where to look. The best view turned out to be through the crook of this closer tree.

Categories: Creatures | Tags: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

Photograph taken on Sunday, October 27, 2024 by Henry
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

As mentioned in my previous post of the red-shouldered hawk on the street sign, we went to Lake Frank this afternoon. We hadn’t planned to walk as far as we did but ended up walking all the way around the lake. We saw two great blue herons (Ardea herodias). The first one was across the lake so I wasn’t able to get any good photos of that. Shortly after stopping to look at it, though, this one flew across in front of us. I didn’t have much time to focus, zoom, or frame the shot and was glad to get what I did. The very blue color of the bird has more to do with it being in the shadows than it’s natural coloring (per its name).

Categories: Creatures | Tags: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)

Photograph taken on Sunday, October 27, 2024 by Henry
Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)

Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)

Four days ago I posted a photo of what I identified as a red-shouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus) or possibly a broad-winged hawk (Buteo platypterus) taken in our back yard. Today I got a photo of what may be the same bird on a street sign. This is a much better view of the bird and I love the colors with the green of the sign and the yellow leaves in the background. Anyway, I still think it’s a red-shoulderd hawk but still am not sure, being no expert. We were getting ready to go for a walk when we saw this, so I’ve got three more bird pictures to come, both from that walk. Stay tuned.

Categories: Creatures | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)

Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)

Photograph taken on Wednesday, October 23, 2024 by Henry
Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)

Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)

We had heard this hawk a few times and early this afternoon it flew past our house and landed in the tree in our back yard. I got a few shots from the front but was shooting through branches so those photos aren’t very good. This one isn’t great, because of the shadow across part of the bird’s head, but it’s still pretty good, I guess. I think this is a red-shouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus) and Merlin agrees with me, although I’m not certain about the identification and if anyone seeing this knows better, let me know. It could be a broad-winged hawk (Buteo platypterus), as well. According to Audubon, neither is common in our area.

We enjoy seeing animals in our yard and of course it’s those animals that attract birds of prey. I certainly don’t mind giving up a rabbit or two for birds like this. I’m only sorry they can’t carry off the deer that do so much damage to my roses.

Categories: Creatures | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)

Croyden Creek

Photograph taken on Saturday, October 12, 2024 by Henry
Croyden Creek

Croyden Creek

We went for a walk on Croyden Creek today. It isn’t necessarily the prettiest time of the year, but it’s great to be outdoors. We’ve had a dry summer and had a particularly dry September, when we normally get a good bit of rain, so the creek is quite low and there’s a fair amount of brown everywhere. Of course by the second week of October, things are starting to turn brown most years, but this year more than usual, I think. Still, there’s a fair amount of green on the trees. We didn’t see any birds or other wildlife, but mostly it’s about being in the woods.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Croyden Creek

Northern Red-bellied Cooter (Pseudemys rubriventris​)

Photograph taken on Sunday, October 06, 2024 by Henry
Northern Red-bellied Cooter (Pseudemys rubriventris​)

Northern Red-bellied Cooter (Pseudemys rubriventris​)

Cathy and I walked to Blockhouse Point today and then drove to Pennyfield Lock and walked downstream about a mile. We didn’t see a lot of wildlife but did see a few ducks and turtles, including these northern red-bellied cooters (Pseudemys rubriventris​). From Blockhouse Point we saw a State Police helicopter circling the Potomac River. We learned later that they were looking for some stranded fishermen. Everyone was successfully retrieved, mostly be boat. It’s not the most dangerous part of the river but there are some significant currents if you aren’t careful (and depending on the height of the river).

Categories: Creatures | Tags: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Northern Red-bellied Cooter (Pseudemys rubriventris​)

Romanian Christian Enterprises

Photograph taken on Saturday, October 05, 2024 by Henry
David and Erin at RCA Banquet

David and Erin at RCA Banquet

We were happy to attend a banquet this evening for Romanian Christian Enterprises. Our dear friend Erin, pictured here with her husband David and their tablemates, has recently joined RCA as their Director of Development. This is a wonderful organization that’s been around since 1992, bringing “help and hope to poor families and abandoned children with special needs through its education, poverty prevention and placement programs.” If you’re looking for a charity for some year-end giving, please take a look at their Website—https://www.rcenterprises.org/—and give generously. If you want more information, there are email addresses and phone numbers on their Contact Us page. Feel free to tell Erin I said hello.

Categories: People | Tags: , | Comments Off on Romanian Christian Enterprises

Anna’s Art Show

Photograph taken on Friday, October 04, 2024 by Henry
Anna, Carolyn, and Chuck

Anna, Carolyn, and Chuck

Having spent the night in Pennsylvania with Dorothy and her housemates, we went to a show of Anna’s art at Waldo’s in Gettysburg this evening. She’s a talented artist and has done work in a wide variety of media. I especially likes some ink drawings she did and a piece of wood burning, an image of a tree on a slab of maple. Her parents, Carolyn and Chuck also came and we always enjoy seeing and chatting with them. She also had some very nice stained glass creations. If you’re interested in her work, you can contact her through her Instagram account or through The Hartley Residence.

Categories: People | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Anna’s Art Show

Dorothy at Ploughmans

Photograph taken on Thursday, October 03, 2024 by Henry
Dorothy at Ploughmans

Dorothy at Ploughmans

Cathy and I left work early and drove up to Gettysburg this afternoon. We went to Dorothy’s house first and then a little later to downtown Gettysburg where Dorothy and Andrew would be playing this evening at Ploughmans Taproom. There were to be two sets, with Dorothy on stage by herself for the first and then with Andrew joining her for the second. She played two covers (Miner’s Lullaby, by Utah Phips and All My Tears, by Emmylou Harris) but the majority of her songs were original. I recorded all of the first set but only a couple from the second, when I took a few pictures instead. This image is a frame from a song called Lemon Creek, which we really enjoyed.

Categories: People | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Dorothy at Ploughmans

Grand Tetons Puzzle

Photograph taken on Monday, September 30, 2024 by Henry
Grand Tetons Puzzle

Grand Tetons Puzzle

We’re back from Oregon, having had a really nice time. We enjoyed being with Brian and Lisa, we enjoyed the scenery in Central Oregon, and we enjoyed not being here. But of course it’s a vacation and it cannot go on for ever. Back home, we finally finished this puzzle. It’s a familiar scene if you’ve seen photos of the Tetons. The T. A. Moulton Barn, located in the southern part of Grand Teton National Park, is what remains of a homestead built by Thomas Moulton and his sons between 1912 and 1945 on what is called Mormon Row. I would really love to visit the Tetons at some point, whether or not we actually go to this barn.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Grand Tetons Puzzle

Crooked River

Photograph taken on Thursday, September 26, 2024 by Henry
Crooked River

Crooked River

Crooked River

Crooked River

Flowing north into Prineville, Oregon is the aptly named Crooked River. Along it runs Oregon route 27, named the equally aptly named Crooked River Highway. Cathy and I drove out to Prineville this morning and headed south along this beautiful road. We stopped quite a few times to walk down to the river and enjoy the cliffs on the far bank, the beautiful, clear water, and the cool weather we’re having. I have to say, we hit central Oregon at just the right time, temperature wise.

This is a lovely drive and I imagine it gets quite a bit of traffic during the summer and on weekends. I can definitely see coming here to camp and fish. We were doing neither, but still enjoyed it greatly. The first of these images, the panorama made from 10 separate exposures, makes it look like the river is forming a big, horseshoe bend. In actuality, it’s running pretty much straight and then bending the other way in both ends in the distance. The apparent bend is a function of the way the panorama was taken. Still, it’s a pretty nice view, I think.

Categories: Travel | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Crooked River

Valley Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis fitchi)

Photograph taken on Wednesday, September 25, 2024 by Henry
Valley Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis fitchi)

Valley Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis fitchi)

As mentioned in the previous post, Cathy and I drove up to and walked the Ray Atkeson trail today along Sparks Lake, northeast of Mt. Bechelor. We really enjoyed the walk, although at one point, fairly early in the walk, we came across this valley garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis fitchi). Cathy’s not a huge fan of snakes and although I tried to warn her, I had a hard time getting it out. She saw it, screamed and did a little dance. Although garter snakes have a mild venom in their saliva, which may be toxic to the amphibians and other small animals on which they prey, they are pretty harmless to humans. Also, they are not at all aggressive. This one let me get a few pictures before retreating into the rocks beside the trail.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Valley Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis fitchi)

Sparks Lake

Photograph taken on Wednesday, September 25, 2024 by Henry
Sparks Lake, Oregon

Sparks Lake, Oregon

Sparks Lake, Oregon

Sparks Lake, Oregon

Sparks Lake, Oregon

Sparks Lake, Oregon

Cathy and I drove up into the mountains west of Bend today. We drove the 25 miles or so to the Dutchman Sno-Park Trailhead, which is also the trailhead for the Tumalo Mountain trail. It is on Southwest Century Drive (OR 372), basically across the road from the Mt. Bachelor ski area. We weren’t sure about hiking that, because Cathy’s hip was bothering her a little and she didn’t want to overdo it and take a risk of making it worse.

As we came back down to the car, Cathy happened to ask me how much gas we had. I hadn’t noticed so I’m glad she asked. We checked and we were well under a quarter of a tank. The nearest gas station was back in Bend so we drove the 20 miles to that, coasting as often as possible, which was not too hard as we were coming down out of the mountains. We made it without incident, filled the tank, and then drove all the way back up and past where we had parked the first time up.

We continued to the four miles to the turnoff for the Sparks Lake Day Use Area. The gravel road going in is very rough, but we were able to avoid the worst of it and made our way to the parking area near the beginning of the Ray Atkeson trail. If you’re in the area, I’d highly recommend this trail. It’s a fairly easy walk with a little bit of it actually paved so it is very accessible. Even after the paving ends, it’s not a difficult hike. We did have some rain, which was a little worrying since I had my camera and long lens, but I was able to keep it mostly dry.

Categories: Travel | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Sparks Lake

Saturn

Photograph taken on Tuesday, September 24, 2024 by Henry
Saturn

Saturn

A few days ago we saw Saturn near the moon shortly after moonrise. Since then it’s moved a little ways from the moon. Or more precisely the moon has moved a ways relative to Saturn, since it is moving faster in relation to the earth’s rotation). In any case, I was able to get a pretty good shot of it with my long lens zoomed out to 600mm. This was taken at ISO 3200 at f/7.1 for 1/100 second. It isn’t going to win any awards for photos of planets but it’s at least good enough that you can be sure which planet it is.

Categories: Sunrise/Sunset/Sky | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Saturn

Sunset Over The Sisters

Photograph taken on Tuesday, September 24, 2024 by Henry
Sunset Over The Sisters

Sunset Over The Sisters

I wouldn’t normally post two sunset photos in a row, especially when they’re so similar, but I couldn’t resist posting this one. We went up onto Pilot Butte again in the evening (along with quite a few others and we were very lucky to find a parking spot). This is a three-shot panorama, taken with my 100mm lens, looking to the west over Broken Top on the left and then South, Middle, and North Sisters.

Categories: Sunrise/Sunset/Sky | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Sunset Over The Sisters

Sunset, Bend, Oregon

Photograph taken on Monday, September 23, 2024 by Henry
Sunset, Bend, Oregon

Sunset, Bend, Oregon

We had a pretty spectacular sunset this evening. This panorama is stitched together from seven shots taken from in front of Brian and Lisa’s house, which faces west. The two peaks partially behind trees about a third the way from the left are Middle and North Sister. South Sister is hidden behind the tree on the far left.

Categories: Sunrise/Sunset/Sky | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Sunset, Bend, Oregon

Steller’s Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri)

Photograph taken on Monday, September 23, 2024 by Henry
Steller's Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri)

Steller’s Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri)

In the late morning Cathy and I drove to Pilot Butte. We had come up here with Brian and Lisa the other day I I tried to get a photo of where they lived but I just missed it. Having consulted a map, I wanted to try again. After doing that, Cathy and I walked a little way down the trail that climbs the butte. We saw this Steller’s jay (Cyanocitta stelleri), moving from the ground, up into a tree, and then back onto the ground again. We also saw a hummingbird of some sort perched on a branch. Google says it’s an Anna’s (Calypte anna) but my photo isn’t quite sharp enough to be able to identify it conclusively. But I’m pretty pleased with this shot of the jay.

Categories: Creatures | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Steller’s Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri)