Looking To Improve

To my viewers and followers,

I apologize for the lack of updates. With economy and funds being channeled to where they need to go, there have been very few to put into photo adventures. So obviously, there have been little activity on the Blog and I again apologize for it. Please hang in there as we hope to bring more adventures and photos your way in the near future but if you fail to see them soon, please know we are trying and as soon as we can pull it together, we will be back to it and sharing some of our fun experiences as we search for photos worth sharing and adventures worth telling. Thanks for your support and interest!

Along The Smith's Fork

So we headed out for another trip to see if there be a few pictures as the snows slowly retreat and leave brown ground cover everywhere. No new grass has tried to pop out or the early spring flowers as they keep getting dusted by fresh snows and cool temperatures.
As we venture out this week we head to a branch of the Snake River known as Smith's Fork and it runs down a small canyon as it moves slowly along making it a great place for animals of all kinds. Fishermen are along the banks fishing and the sounds of mating geese and other fowl can be heard across the area. Seen as how no new vegetation has yet started to grow, it still has a brown look but with the evergreens (cedar and juniper) as well as sage brush and such, there is a little color to this otherwise dull world. Bald eagles soar overhead and land on the cliffs edges as they rest and await their next meal. The sun comes and goes as small clouds roll overhead and bring warmth and light to these wild places. With the river flowing slowly along and in silence, one could find a great place to just relax and let the world drift by in peace and quiet. The cliffs that are scattered around the area have as many different types of rock and formations as I have seen. From solid rock to small rock packed together and then there are the more lava style and sandstone as well as maybe a bit of limestone as well. Color makes it mark on many and if there is a lack of color, the formation itself makes up for it. The road winds along the river and through groups of trees as it makes it way up the canyon. Old vines hang from every tree as if it is more of a jungle in summer than a forest. I have got to get back this summer to see the vegetation clinging to the trees, rocks and fences. It has got to be just beautiful with the vines covered and the other vegetation that grows in the wetlands along the river. The old cattails from last year still have the fluffy seeds on top or part of and some stand 10 feet tall. I can see how this could be a nesting ground for many water fowl as well as other animals and birds. Food, cover and protection all in a small area making it easy to stay out of sight and out of harms ways. I will try and make it down when the young are out and see if I can catch a few babies whether it be fowl or animal, don't really care, they are all fun to shoot with a camera. On the way home we had to stop by one of my favorite waterfalls, Fall Creek Falls, and see what it had to offer. The sun had set far enough down that shadows lay heavy on the falls but I still had to try and see what I could get. I passed on the flowing water type and went for the freeze type due to lighting and all, and the fact that no matter how you catch it, it is a pretty waterfall and always willing to yield that feeling I get in nature of peace, enjoyment and solitude.
There is plenty to see on this little drive and when you have to be the driver, it makes it hard to see it all unless you stop and look around a lot. Many would think there is nothing there like most places, but the more you look and the deeper one looks, it opens as it always does and there are things that just seem unreal and the beauty folds out the deeper you go and look. I will admit, I used to find really cool things in nature but the more I do photography, the deeper and the more I see, it just fascinates me what there is when you take the time to look and see it. And the more you work with nature, the more it opens up and allows you to see things you never thought you would or could see and be able to photograph even if you don't succeed at first and may never get another chance. the memories that come from the time I spend out with nature, is incomparable to anything except being with my family. And if I want the ultimate, spending time in nature with my family!
So, that was our little adventure and another one for the memory books, but none the less, another great trip out in nature being able to see things and have an enjoyable time just being out and about.
I have many places I really want to hit this spring and through summer, we'll just have to see how it goes and how many I can actually get to. I do have a Lake Barstow trip planned in July, and that little lake, solitude all the way and peaceful, calming and enjoyable every time I've been there, can't wait for another trip.
So hang in there and keep checking back, we have many ideas and plans and we'll just have to see how they come out. Enjoy nature!

Chesterfield and The I.F. LDS Temple

So past time for another trip and new post to share our journey. I took time to swing by and get a few shots of the Idaho Falls, Idaho LDS Temple and we took a few friends and headed out to a small, what is left of, community from the past known as Chesterfield. This is located about 1/2 hour drive out of Soda Springs Idaho going west north west. An old settlement of Mormons at time had this place producing crops and had made quite a settlement out here at the base of the hills and on a small bench above the rest of the valley. There are brick houses and log homes as well a long with everything in between. A general store as well as tithing buildings, homes, blacksmith, church cultural hall and other building rest in a small pocket of the hills and show that many homesteads were once scattered around the area for miles with this being the main "town".
Seen as how we visited this time of year, there was no one around to give us a guided tour so we wandered around looking at what we could and in through the windows that were not boarded up. As vacant as the place was while we took our little tour and checked out what we could, I can imagine what it would have seemed like back when it was going. People walking around from building to building with wagons rolling in and out bring and taking supplies as the community hustled with action and children playing. School was part of the life here and I'm sure that chores, crop care and others kept them all busy, but I am also sure, dances and other community events were popular and regular as part of the old ways.
I could just feel myself setting on a knob of the hill watching all the activities, work and the one or two mischief causers running around town. I fell back in time as the thoughts of how life would have been. No cars, no TV, not even a radio. The music they had was real, fresh and produced a sound that at times I can imagine carried to some of the far distant houses across the way. A sound so welcome that people came from all corners of the valley to dance, sing or visit as the men gathered and played instruments which were rare yet well handled when a few got together. An old organ was shipped in by train and finished it's ride by wagon which gave music for the hymns in church.
As I pondered the area and took time to get a few photographs, I came upon a window that with the sun as it were and the reflects as they were, it gave me a chance to see through it to the present and reflect on yesteryear which leaves tomorrow to wonder. Funny how little things like this can really get a person into deep thought and heavy ponder. So much happened here and now, well, quiet and peaceful with only a few buildings and scenes to give one a taste of the past life here and how it was.
In the summer, missionaries work the grounds giving information and even some samples of how things were and how this little town was. A blacksmith, doing work just as they did in the days of the settlement, works metal the old fashion way and as you take a look at the many tools used and made by them, I hear it is very impressive. One day I will return and visit when the missionaries are there and get better info and more in depth of the world as it was in the late 1890's and the years before and after.
So for now, here is bringing you a taste of the past as through the eyes of the present and hope for the future.

The Red "Castles"

For this photo trip, I headed to a bit different location than I have in the past and was just driving to see what I could find. As we travel down the road, an old homestead with a new windmill sets in a field of snow and sun's rays give it light in the mist of a snow storm that surrounds it. Just one of the peaceful scenes that fill the area.
I have been this route many times when I wasn't picture taking and as I was traveling along, I saw something I have never seen before. As we were driving along, I looked to a small hill area and in a very small distance along the road you can see into a small bowl in the hill. There I saw what looked like a small stucco castle. So we went in to investigate what it was. Being BLM land, we weren't trespassing but wanted, as usual, to obey the law and so finding a way to the place off the main road was something that took a little effort. Travel is only permitted on existing roads and being an area I hadn't spent much time in, well, it took some doing to get to where we wanted to go.
Well we made it and due to the overcast day, pictures weren't as appealing as they could be. So we set out he next day with a bit of sun popping out between snow flurries. We spent a lot more time in the area and found some very interesting formations which shoot out of the ground and tower above the ground below. These "castles" have a formation rather large in size in the middle of this little funnel shaped cove in the hill. Around the sides of the funnel many formations circle main formation in the center. Rocks of all sorts lay scattered all over the ground and in layers in the castle. Red formations of unknown (to me anyways) mineral deposits cover the area and every step give a whole new look to the design and handy work that is nestled into this little pocket.
Holes from water erosion run around along and down through the formation leaving channels that are carved into the formation and one can only wonder what all call this place home or where all these holes end in the earth below as well as inside the great formations. Many make for hole to pear through into the world behind and all that lay behind the formations against the basin walls.
As I mentioned earlier, every step made for a new and different look which lasted over and over again the entire time we walked the area.
after spending quite some time taking pictures and checking out the formations as well as just taking in the overall scene, it was time to head for home and sadly bring this journey to an end.
One can learn a lot from this adventure, because as many times as I have traveled this road, now I find something new and worth seeing which never before had shown itself to me and allowed me to walk among the "castles".

Tetons From The Western Side

So a beautiful day and a chance to get out and do a little photography. Having visited many of the places I like this time of year and thinking that I needed a change, I talked a good friend into taking a little trip for the day with me (it wasn't hard to talk him into it either). We headed out to a small valley west of the Teton Range. When you see pictures of the Tetons, most of them are taken from their eastern side, and well, it was time for something new. From the western side, you can see the tops of the Tetons over some of the mountain that rise above the valley and in one of the canyons, a very good view of the Grand and three other peaks around it.
Today was great because we spent some time finding different places to stop and take a few pictures. We traveled several routes and found some great picture places. But, not only did we get a bunch of places to see them good, but nature smiled upon us as we got to watch clouds build and blow across the range from peak to peak and some of the effects in which the wind blew them, was rather impressive to say the least. At one point, a cloud came from the furthermost southern peak and blew from it all along the range and when it got to the Grand, it blew around it and as it did, it caught a draw and shot up and over park of the peak then curled down into the canyon below. It was a very impressive scene to watch and enjoy.
Throughout the day clouds formed and blew across the faces of the peaks and created some very cool scenes even if these pictures fail to give you the full effect of what all really happened. You can't really see all the peaks in these pictures very well, except in the first picture. You can barely make out the fourth larger peak just over the mountain in the foreground to the right of the other three. In order to see all the peaks, we had to be so far away that they were "hazed" and there wasn't a lot of clarity to them so I only put a few here to give you a taste of the beauty. The closer pictures where cool but even though they have some beauty, the overall picture isn't complete because of the details that were all around. Shooting these shots are hard for me because I enjoy focusing in on parts of the scene and trying to catch the overall scene as well but usually find one or the other occurs for the most part. Today, more singled out details compared to the overall is what I ended up with. I'm not complaining as I got to see it all anyways but, I guess you'll never know what you missed hehe, sorry. Don't sweat it however, I thing the taste I give you here will be worth visiting my blog and hopefully keep you coming back to see what adventure we take next. One never knows how or where we'll end up in the next photo trip, so don't give up, it's bound to keep you in touch with nature and sampling it's little secrets that await the finding.
After all, it won't be long if things staying as they are and spring will be coming with many more options. Baby animals, more options of locations, greener settings, color and much more. If the signs of the animals this winter is anything, I hope we can see some babies this spring unless they go much higher altitudes to have their young. We'll just have to wait and see but that is one of my favorite things to try and capture, baby animals of all sorts and species. A truly enjoyable time when those little fellows can be seen and watched. One time we were out and a mule deer fawn was laying in front of a bushy tree and we came upon it, about 15 yards away and saw it laying there, and it looked at us, got up and walked around the back side of the tree from us and laid back down. Now keep in mind, it was only a day or two old so it was a real sight and treat to watch it half walk, half stumble around the tree and then just lay back down. I chuckled to myself for awhile over that one and we turned and walked away to let it rest in peace. Just one of the so many things nature provide to those who take the time to enjoy.
Well, we'll end this post for now. Make sure you check back regularly to see what adventures we take on as I try to get the perfect photo of nature's secrets to share with all who find comfort, peace or anything else in the beauty that awaits the exploring. I never know where it may lead or what there will be, but I do know it's gonna be loads of fun and worth every minute. So enjoy the pictures and please come back so we can share our next adventure in finding nature's secrets. Don't give up on us, or your bound to miss some fun times and scenery unseen before. Besides, not everyone can sample nature's secrets from the comfort of their chair, in a warm or cooled building, eating, drinking or just relaxing. And, it's my pleasure to do so. Thanks for visiting! See ya soon...

A Day Worth Every Minute

Oh what a beautiful day for a little trip. And as far as company, well, that was just as sweet, if no more. I was able to take my dear mother and sweet sister along with me on this little trip and enjoyed every bit of it.
We started our day out in hopes of finding animals and all the good things that we could and after a fast start to excitement, things went downhill as far as animals. As we started up Snake River Canyon we came across a mountain goat feeding along the road and managed to get a few shots as it headed back up into the less traveled areas for peace and quiet. These are some very peaceful animals and tolerate things very well but still hate to be in the hustle and bustle of the human world so they prefer a little more solitude and a calmer more relaxed setting. They are relatively small animals and much the size of a domestic goat one would find on the farm, but, they have very long hair to help them in the harsh environments they call home. An off white color helps them blend in the winter to the surrounding and in the summer, spending most of their time on cliffs, they blend in fairly well there too. A real treat to set and watch as they climb, jump, run and play on the rock ledges which they do with grace and style. Truly a spectacle to see as they move up, down, over and around the sheer ledges they have come to rule. A real site worth seeing for anyone interested at all in nature.
Our day continued as we headed for more of a animal area but that was all that wanted to present themselves for us to enjoy today. A small pond of a natural hot spring is home to a large population of tropical fish which have been introduced there from years past when some people put them in from an aquarium they had so the story goes. Larger Gold Fish and several species now call it home and is a very plain looking pond with moss and mud all around but a closer look reveals a fascinating world unknown to these parts. Temperatures dipping to well below zero and these tropical fish flourish in this natural hot spring as if in the amazon or something.
As we made our way around the area in search of photographic moments, little presented itself for us to share but we were able to find a few scenes to capture and the time itself we were able to spend together, a real treat. Enjoying good company sometimes overrides other things and the lack of pictures by far doesn't mean it wasn't a great day anyways. The Tetons were ever changing as small clouds covered the top and then would blow off and leave a trail from the peak out across the sky then releasing it only to allow more to form and the scene repeat time and time again. The clouds would blend with the sky and it would appear as the Grand had turned into a mesa several times today and yet every now and then it would break and reveal the peak still remained atop the rugged mountainside. I have taken so many pictures of these mountains and it never seizes to amaze me the beauty and majestic scene they continually produce every time I take time to look and see what they want to share.
The leaves that are in the other picture, are still hanging from last fall and as I came across them, I felt the softly colored leaves and the darker trunks of the bushes along with the shadows in which the leaves would leave on the snow below, made for a very nice, quiet and soothing scene to just set and take in. One of those not so exciting pictures yet the deeper one looks, the more it yields for thought and enjoyment.
I had a very special time with a couple of very special people and even if the pictures fail to show it, a day well worth remembering and cherishing for time evermore. I enjoyed having the company and sharing a little of "my" world with them as we searched for another set of pictures to share and try to bring the secrets which nature holds to all who find interest, comfort or peace in what nature offers to those who get lured into it's grasp and once there, choose to remain.
As soon as I can set out on another voyage, I will bring you another update and even though the time will not be as fulfilling as this trip, I always look forward to the time I get to spend in awe at the beauty and details that awaits the soul in search of finding.

Another Beautiful Day For Pictures

A little late getting this posted as the trip was taken last Friday, but, none the less, I wanted to share it.
Another warm winter day to enjoy out getting fresh air and grabbing a few photos to share. The first two pictures are of a falls a short ride from home and a very beautiful falls year around. Due to lay of the land, one is somewhat limited as to the angles of shot they can get. But even then, it is something to behold. Only about 60 feet high and depending on the time of year, it can produce a raging falls or a little flow cascading down as in these pictures. In the spring, it rumbles as a large quantity of water rushes over the falls on it's way to the river below and thus on to the sea to start the cycle all over. Usually, these falls are all covered in ice from the cold winter temps, but this year, or at this time this year, very little ice cling to the falls and the rock in which the waters flow can be seen shining in the sun.Quite yet powerful, the waters that run over these falls end up flowing into the Snake River at the bottom of the falls and westward as they continue the long changing journey to the sea just to start the whole cycle all over and who knows where the drops will fall on the next journey.
The landscape picture, shows the mountains behind our home (which is in our backyard, not from where this picture was takin'). The tuft of cloud that sort of makes a half ball (center left) sets right over a mountain top we call Baldy due to it's lack of trees. The mountain tops in the background form the big mountain which is part of the divide between Salt River Drainage and the Grey's River drainage looking up Willow Creek canyon.
A short trip but a beautiful day to enjoy being out and about. A warm winter's day that as just great to set and take in some sights in just a t-shirt and pants with no jacket needed. Some call it Indian Summer, others, false spring and there are many names for it besides these,but no matter how you say it, it sure beats the cold below 0 weather and makes for a great break in winter.
I plan to get out again soon and if the weather forecast is correct, it may have to be in a snow storm. Hope not, but if needs be, I guess we'll deal with it. So, check back soon to see what our next adventure unveils and we share some of the scenes we get to enjoy as we search and find "Nature's Secrets".