SOLO BACK-ROADS TRIP

During my Cousin Time I had reason to make a quick trip up to the Salt Lake

area by myself.

I left early on a cold morning on a day that was warming quickly, and was so surprised 

to see this that I had to turn around and get a closer look.

The irrigation sprinklers had just turned off in this field, but even in the direct sun, 

ice had formed to detail the wire fence.

The last of April, sun, and ice!

I took a break to walk around at an historic place: Cove Fort:

It is obvious that the original glass is intact, and I loved the wobbly reflection of the old stone-work:

In Provo, I caught this mid-morning reflection of the Wasatch mountains and an historic building:

On my return trip, I side-tracked my route to go through farm country in hopes

of finding history.

I surely did!  In Levan.  Farmers were happy to stop and talk 

to me when I showed interest in their barns and outbuildings which are now

over 120 years old:

Grape hyacinths could be generations old;  against old boards:

I liked the effect of new spring green popping through

this weathered, shadowy structure:

Prairie wildflowers and an abandoned corral:

WAH-HOO!

I have just spent hours with my camera and my photo management programs to try to discover

the glitch in posting my photos.

Random photos turn sideways; in addition lately, some have stretched horizontally, all out

of proportion.

I think I have found the problem!  So this posting is of 

random photos from my recent short visit with friends.

Getting it straight, so-to-speak.

Here again, is the Nisqually pond-top that looked abstract to me:

And the cottonwood path, in right proportions:

Lichen on a stump in the Nisqually:

Also at the Nisqually, a wild  Camas flower, or Indian Hyacinth:

I walked around a little town while my friend had an appointment.

It was pouring rain, but I loved it.

The town has old cottages with proud, old gardens and fences.

The rain had wiped out these poppy blossoms, but I

thought the remains looked like sea creatures, or

even a fancy confection:

It never hurts to take a camera-stroll down a small town alley.

I love old doors just about as much as old barns:

A WALK IN THE (wet) WOODS

Over many, many years whenever we drive south more than a couple of hours we passed right over

the Nisqually Wildlife Preserve. 

Never more.  Since Pat and I visited it for the first time many weeks ago, I will find it hard not to stop.

I drove that way to visit friends this week, and took the time to immerse myself there again.

It was raining.  Hard.  But I was prepared, and undaunted.

I was also alone on my walk through the preserve.  I was reminded of how much I love

the northwest forests, which used to be my whole world as a child. 

I do my settings in my camera; I do not digitally-enhance after the fact.

The lush green here, in the rain, is as vibrant as were the reds of 

the southern Utah rocks:

I met a new duck!  Here is the Cinnamon Teal, being illusive.

It was after making the photo that I realized I had

also captured his mate, on the left:

There is no refraction in this raindrop on the wild rose, but

I love the distinct pink outline:

Okay, I really do not know what to do about my vertical photos getting turned sideways

and all stretched-out when I post.  This is so frustrating; I couldn't even post some of

my favorites from this outing because of that.

But I am including here a sort of abstract of a pond surface - even though it is skewed. 

It brought to mind Van Gogh's "Starry Night":

NISQUALLY WILDLIFE PRESERVE

Of course I had to stop on my return trip for another walk in the Nisqually Preserve.

The sun was shining this time.  Again, I was alone, which allowed me to feel the surroundings with full intensity.  I was so grateful!

I think I need to dedicate this little posting to my Dear S-in-L, Barbara.

She is an amazingly talented gardener, and tends to a garden so prolific that she can cut a variety of flowers

to fill vases throughout their So. California home, year 'round.

Well, she does not "know" Cottonwood!

Here the "fluffs" are blowing as thick as snow, and landing, of course

 on anything, everywhere in the forest.

(This photo is another stretched one - phooey)

So, Barb, here are the  Cottonwood fluffs:

They illuminate a dark spot amid sword ferns,  

looking like the fairies are having a celebration:

Here they are stuck to the remnants of last year's Fireweed:

Even spider webs catch the "fluff":

I grew up in a "playground" of the rain forests of the Olympic Penninsula.

A walk through the Nisqually is not the same as having the freedom of a whole forest, undisturbed

by population, but such a walk this day brings back wonderful memories.

I guess these Salmonberries are not ripe enough for the birds and bears:

There was lichen of all sorts, but my other pics got stretched sideways on this blog.

Here is Shelf Lichen:

I almost missed seeing this Blue Heron, he was so 

camoflaged in the woods:

I

What a stretch!  I hope he got what he was after!

PRELUDE TO COUSIN CAPERS THREE; # 1: Red Rock Canyon

Such a bonus!

Since my flight to our Southern-Utah-based Cousin Capers terminated in Las Vegas

I had the opportunity to spend a few days with my dear college roommate who lives there, prior to meeting up with my 3 cousins!

It was as if I had a personal high-class guide to 5-star events and places; Susie took the responsibility of introducing me to special places very seriously!

Red Rock Canyon is located just minutes from Susie's home.

How lucky she is to live there, and how lucky I was to be taken there!

I really like the 3 different colors of rocks in this perspective:

I can almost still see the clouds scudding across this wide sky.

Such a place of unique beauty!

Just the opposite in color, but no less imposing are these sand stone walls, also part of 

Red Rock Canyon.

This was the home of the Southern Paiute from 300 AD, and earlier ancient

hunter/gatherers because it was a place of plentiful water, plants, and animals.

PRELUDE TO COUSIN CAPERS THREE ; Part 2, VALLEY OF FIRE

Susie had a surprise for me, and nothing could have excited and entranced me more than our outing

to Nevada's Valley of Fire.

It is located east of the Moapa Indian Reservation; a gem of a place that rises up in shocking colors from a bland desert floor; colors that are brazen even in red rock country!

Two things make it unique when compared with other red rock areas:

the variety of holes of all sizes,

and the brilliance of the red.

My husband and I have visited and hiked in Arches, Bryce, Canyonlands, and Zion National Parks, 

yet I have never seen anything so astounding as this little Valley of Fire.

Surely most of the thrill was that I could climb down (and up) into

holes to look for great effects in shadow and light for creating my own unique photos:

I want to give tribute to Susie for another reason:

She must be the "Fastest Brake in the West"!

She stopped for photo ops almost before the words even came out of my mouth to ask!

Of course it figures that her sensitivity allowed her to know even what I was thinking, before saying something out loud, because that is the way we were for each other as roommates at BYU, 

starting 54 years ago.

 East of the Valley of Fire is the "Lost City".

Early settlers discovered remains of ancient pueblos, and in

modern times, actual pueblos were constructed

over the foundations of  a small settlement.

This val verde tree was such a contrast to the stucco of the visitors' center:

This is part of the reconstruction of the Anasazi Pueblos: