Friday, March 16, 2012

The Largest Clover I Have Ever Seen!


Redwood Sorrel (Oxalis oregana) is not a clover. It has a tart taste and can be quite enjoyable to chew on.
On our trip this last summer up the western coast of the United States we got to see some of the biggest clover I have ever seen! Ok they are technically not clover but the leaves look a lot like clover. They are actually Redwood Sorrel (Oxalis oregana).  If these do not bring up thoughts of leprechauns then I don't know what will other than a pot of gold. Since tomorrow is Saint Patrick's Day I thought I would share some photos of Oxalis oregano, my beautiful redheaded wife, and other photos from the day I came in contact with the giant non-clover Redwood Sorrel.

Wife Among the Redwoods Panorama
This photo was not taken on the same day but it was some smaller redwoods East of Point Arena
Redwoods with Sword Ferns and Redwood Sorrel Panorama.
The Redwoods really are majestic and grandiose. The ones we went to where not the biggest ones in the Redwood National Forest but they still are huge and they make you realize how small you are. They also remind you how dry and brown the desert is if you live in that type of area. 

In our short stop in the Redwoods we found a few hollow upright redwood trees and they made for some fun photos. This one below here is a panorama of one of those trees with my wife in it. There was another opening on the other side of the tree and it was letting light in. It made for some lovely lighting on her. 

Hollow Burnt-out Redwood Panorama with my wife.
Hollow Redwood Panorama
Another hollow upright redwood tree is seen above and the hollow center looking up is seen in the photo below. They are both panoramas. You almost have to take panorama shots just to fit enough in a photo to really see it. 

Inside and Upright Hollow Redwood Panorama
Trail in the Redwood Forest Panorama
My wife standing next to a smaller redwood.
Photo of my wife inside a hollow redwood taken with natural light.
My lovely redheaded wife posing with Redwood Sorrel with a Redwood Sorrel flower behind her ear.
Here is your Saint Patrick's Day photo. My wife has red hair and she was wearing green. I had her get next to some of the Rewood Sorrel which looks like giant clovers. The only things that could have added to this photo would be a fairy mushroom ring and a pot of gold. Below is another photo of the Redwood Sorrel.

Redwood Sorrel (Oxalis oregana). Not a clover. They are a few inches wide and have a tart taste to them.
My wife and I in the Redwoods.
I enjoyed seeing this sign in the Redwoods.

As we continued our drive up the coast we stopped so I could take a few photos from a bridge at Brookings, Oregon. It is where the Chetco River meets the ocean. It was a lovely scene and there were some pelicans gliding just above the water looking for their next meal. I got to see them glide along and dive in the water suddenly when they went after a fish. The spectacle was like seeing a person jump out of a moving car to tackle a mailbox. The pelicans stopped just as abruptly when they dove into the water. It was quite entertaining! They would glide in and out from under the bridge I was standing on.

Pelican Fishing 1 - photo taken from a bridge over the Chetco River/Harbor At Brookings, OR.
Pelican Fishing 2 - photo taken from a bridge at Brookings, OR
Chetco River, Harbor and Chetco Cove Panorama at Brookings, OR. Taken From Oregon Costal Highway (101)
Pelican Fishing 3 - photo taken from a bridge at Brookings, OR
Pelican Fishing 4 - photo taken from a bridge at Brookings, OR
After leaving the pelicans we drove further up the coast and stopped at Whaleshead Beach to explore. The scene was beautiful and there was much to see. It was in the afternoon but there were some good silhouettes from harsh light and ocean mist. It was somewhat dreamlike. We got to explore some tide pools and I got to get my shoes wet a few times (because of my photo taking)

Log in Coastal Stream
Beach Mist and Silhouettes during the day.
Waves on Rocks at Whaleshead Beach
Whaleshead Beach
Whaleshead Beach Panorama with Whaleshead rock (with water "blowhole") 
Mussel and Barnacle Covered Rock
Rock and Water at Whaleshead Beach 
Tide Pool and Anemone at Whaleshead Beach
Rock and Rolling Waves at Whaleshead Beach, OR
Tide Pool and Cliff Face at Whaleshead Beach, OR
Anemones in a Tide Pool at Whaleshead Beach, OR
We ended stopped for the night outside of Florence, OR, but before we made a short stop at the Port Orford, OR, Visitor Center for a bathroom break and to enjoy the view as the sun got lower in the sky. There were some benches up above the beach where you could sit and enjoy the relaxing view. But make sure you look where you sit or you might end up on a "leftover" from one of the local fowls.  We enjoy the scenery from the car but you have to stop and enjoy the area around you once in a while.

Beach view from Port Orford, OR
Wooded Island at Port Orford, OR

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Holladay Winter

 Location: Holladay, Utah.
Holladay Red and Green - nice play on words eh?

Waterfall & Pond in a Yard

Fall Leaves Cling - to trees. Snow had not fallen and caused the last of the leaves to fall. It makes for a great mix of seasons.

Classic Winter Foliage.

Last month I took some photos for a photo contest for the city of Holladay, Utah. After I had taken these photos I found out that I was supposed to provide my own frame along with printing and such. That is not bad really, but I found out that the grand prize would not even pay for the cost of printing and the frame. It was not worth my while to enter but it was fun to go out and take photos. It was a beautiful winter day that was lacking in snow.

Cottonwood Creek - 1

Tree on Blacktop.

Barn with Trees

Mount Olympus. Located just East of Holladay, UT

Barn Weathervane - Mount Olyimpus and clouds in background

White Winter Weed

Barn Roof Texture - I love the weathered look and the growth on the shingles.

 Cottonwood Creek passes through Holladay, Utah. It is from this creek that the Cottonwood Mall got its name. However, the mall is all but non-existent. The creek remains and in the spring gets extremely full and dangerous from the runoff in the nearby mountains. Here are some photos of a section that I enjoyed and that has easy access. It is located by I-215. In fact the shadow that you see in many of the photos is from the freeway just above where I was standing.

Cottonwood Creek - 2

Cottonwood Creek - 3

Cottonwood Creek Panorama - Upper Fall

Cottonwood Creek - 4

Cottonwood Creek  - 5

Weaving River-bottom Trees - In Creekside Park, Holladay, UT.

Tree by Creekside Park - Mount Olympus in background.

Cottonwood Creek Panorama

Holladay Winter Sky, A gif file of the sky in Holladay, Utah in January of 2012.
Southern Holladay looking South GIF.