Showing posts with label landscapes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label landscapes. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Fog on the Divide
The mornings have been cold and foggy creating an ethereal landscape. I took these up on the watershed divide last week. (click to biggify).
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Hill Country anniversary trip
We took a little day trip to Enchanted Rock--where we got married--on our anniversary this year. It's too bad I forgot to charge the battery of my loaner camera overnight, but it actually ran out of space before it ran out of juice.
On the way we stopped to take some photos of things we've passed by a zillion times and always meant to photograph if we weren't rushing from here to there. It was nice actually making time for them.
This little hobbit house in Hunt, Texas, is tucked into the woods and sits right on the river's edge. It has a sign that says 'Toad Hall' but an quick online check says that's for two cabins they rent out, so I'm thinking this must be their residence, as photos of it do not appear anywhere on their website.
Just down the road there is a unique fence that keeps some horses off the road. (Click to biggify).
The cedar posts are covered with used boots, some of them quite colorful. I've heard this started in the old days as a way of recycling old boots and protecting the ends of posts from absorbing rain and rotting. But cedar posts are very long-lived even without boots. I have the feeling the owner started it, and then people passing by have just added to it over the years. I've certainly watched the collection grow over the past decade.
On the banks of the river we saw this very large, rubbery Evening Primrose species. The flowers were at chest height and I'm fairly tall. I didn't get enough details to key it out, but it's definitely water-loving and day-blooming so that should narrow things down a bit. Unlike others in its genus, it doesn't seem prolific as this is the only one we saw.
We took a back road through the ghost town of Crabapple, and stopped to photograph the ruins.
This building was the old school until the late 50's and is now considered the Community Center, although the Census does not show anyone presently residing in Crabapple. The next two images I processed to give them a vintage feel.
This building was the teacherage, where the teacher lived.
And this was the church, built in 1897. These are all great examples of the stonework that is so predominant throughout the Texas Hill Country done by the early German settlers.
Enchanted Rock State Natural Area can be seen in the distance from the highway approach to the south. The main dome where we were married is the tallest one on the right. Although sedimentary limestone is the predominant rock of the Hill Country, here there is a giant pink granite batholith pushed up from the depths of the Earth.
Along the trails there you will find many interesting rock formations, many of them sculpted by the wind. It is a mecca for rock climbers.
Here is Moss Lake and a view of the back side of the main dome on the right. In my younger days I took up rock climbing for a year and I climbed the steep, back side of Enchanted Rock twice. It is the equivalent of a 20 story building and takes about 7 hours. They say if you can learn to climb granite you can climb anything. I learned a lot about strength and courage but I could never, ever, say it was fun. Eventually I took up whitewater kayaking which I found more to my liking.
We continued around the loop trail, cut through Echo Canyon and made our own trail to the top of Enchanted Rock from a side with a more gentle approach. It was a blustery day similar to our wedding day, sans double rainbow. It was unfortunate the camera conked out at this point, as the view, as always, was spectacular. We caught a bite of Mexican Food back in Fredericksburg before heading home after a very nice day.
On the way we stopped to take some photos of things we've passed by a zillion times and always meant to photograph if we weren't rushing from here to there. It was nice actually making time for them.
This little hobbit house in Hunt, Texas, is tucked into the woods and sits right on the river's edge. It has a sign that says 'Toad Hall' but an quick online check says that's for two cabins they rent out, so I'm thinking this must be their residence, as photos of it do not appear anywhere on their website.
Just down the road there is a unique fence that keeps some horses off the road. (Click to biggify).
The cedar posts are covered with used boots, some of them quite colorful. I've heard this started in the old days as a way of recycling old boots and protecting the ends of posts from absorbing rain and rotting. But cedar posts are very long-lived even without boots. I have the feeling the owner started it, and then people passing by have just added to it over the years. I've certainly watched the collection grow over the past decade.
On the banks of the river we saw this very large, rubbery Evening Primrose species. The flowers were at chest height and I'm fairly tall. I didn't get enough details to key it out, but it's definitely water-loving and day-blooming so that should narrow things down a bit. Unlike others in its genus, it doesn't seem prolific as this is the only one we saw.
We took a back road through the ghost town of Crabapple, and stopped to photograph the ruins.
This building was the old school until the late 50's and is now considered the Community Center, although the Census does not show anyone presently residing in Crabapple. The next two images I processed to give them a vintage feel.
This building was the teacherage, where the teacher lived.
And this was the church, built in 1897. These are all great examples of the stonework that is so predominant throughout the Texas Hill Country done by the early German settlers.
Enchanted Rock State Natural Area can be seen in the distance from the highway approach to the south. The main dome where we were married is the tallest one on the right. Although sedimentary limestone is the predominant rock of the Hill Country, here there is a giant pink granite batholith pushed up from the depths of the Earth.
Along the trails there you will find many interesting rock formations, many of them sculpted by the wind. It is a mecca for rock climbers.
Here is Moss Lake and a view of the back side of the main dome on the right. In my younger days I took up rock climbing for a year and I climbed the steep, back side of Enchanted Rock twice. It is the equivalent of a 20 story building and takes about 7 hours. They say if you can learn to climb granite you can climb anything. I learned a lot about strength and courage but I could never, ever, say it was fun. Eventually I took up whitewater kayaking which I found more to my liking.
We continued around the loop trail, cut through Echo Canyon and made our own trail to the top of Enchanted Rock from a side with a more gentle approach. It was a blustery day similar to our wedding day, sans double rainbow. It was unfortunate the camera conked out at this point, as the view, as always, was spectacular. We caught a bite of Mexican Food back in Fredericksburg before heading home after a very nice day.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Sunday Stills: Valentines
Sending all my friends in blogland this image of one of my favorite vintage Valentines! This holiday is special to me, as it was on Valentines Day that Farmer Rick proposed.
We have been in San Antonio this week, down on the lovely Riverwalk, attending the state's Music Educators convention. The Riverwalk is the most romantic place in Texas and a good place to do photography.
Everywhere you turn there is something to delight the senses--textures, colors, sounds.
We stayed in a historic district a brief walk away from the convention center. Although we were in the newer part of the hotel, there was an old-world feel to the room. We only wish the lighting had been more suitable to reading!
There are many restaurants along the Riverwalk, and in better weather you can sit outside along the water. The food at most of them is mediocre at best, but you cannot surpass the view.
From our window we could see the Tower of the Americas built for Hemisfair 1968. Somewhere in that plaza my great-grandfather's house once stood. It rained the first day and a half, but Saturday the sun came out and it was a cheerful place.
When you are down along the Riverwalk you become oblivious to the traffic above at street level.
There are little pocket parks, paths, fountains, and art.
This statue is of Saint Anthony, for which the town gets its name.
Artistic detail abounds.
There are many foot bridges to get you from one side to the other without ever having to rejoin the hectic world at street level.
Usually there are more flowers this time of year, but even San Antonio has been having a colder winter than expected.
If you get tired of walking, you can always take a river taxi!
The convention center had a magnificent landscape joining into the Riverwalk.
The landscape architect obviously spent much time studying rocks and waterfalls in nature to be able to design such a pleasant space.
I'd definitely like to come back in a few months when the plants leaf out and the flowers bloom.
It is amazing something that mimics the beauty of where I live could be forged out of concrete in the heart of the city.
For more Valentines, visit Sunday Stills!
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Sunday Stills: Happiness is...
(click to biggify)
Empress Antonia butterfly (Asterocampa antonia)
coming across something new and never losing your sense of wonder.
(click to biggify)
The start of a quilted jacket.
making something beautiful and useful from all the odd little pieces of your life.
(click to biggify)
Momma, the burrs just jumped all over me!
not worrying about small problems, as things are never as bad as they look.
(click to biggify)
Taken by a friend at our $150 wedding.
finding true love long after you've given up looking for it.
(click to biggify)
You can see the end of the rainbow! Check out my new blog header collage with this view from our garden.
is realizing with patience the end of the rainbow will find you!
For more takes on Happiness visit Sunday Stills!
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Sunday Stills: Silhouettes
This is a photo of the historic school ruins taken from my prairie at sunset.
This one was taken of my husband at a rock shelter pointing out Indian pictographs on the Devil's River.
This Middle Eastern teapot was found in an old barn, and has been the subject of many of my paintings. I like how it looks against the lace curtain.For more sihlouette photos, visit Sunday Stills.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Sunday Stills: Powerlines and Landscapes
Because I live in an extremely remote place where there are only 4.4 people per square mile there are not a lot of powerlines other than the ones that directly supply us and our handful of neighbors. At first I didn't think I could come up with anything for this challenge. In shooting I realized how much I have blocked them out and subject matter was there after all.
It's been such a strange week, I decided to be experimental with the photography. We've had some rain, so the clouds made it all the more interesting. These were all shot around sunset.
I knew that the lines would not photostitch smoothly, but I kind of liked their angularity and how abstract this pano of them crossing the road turned out. I'm taking an abstract quilting class next spring so some of these could be useful as ideas.
Here, the powerlines and clouds work together drawing the eye into the trees. The next three I ran through multiple filters.
This is the clear cut for the main lines bringing power into the community. I had never noticed it before and I have walked the dogs by it every day for almost a decade. It's amazing how a camera can help you see!
You can visit all the other interpretations of this challenge at Sunday Stills.
It's been such a strange week, I decided to be experimental with the photography. We've had some rain, so the clouds made it all the more interesting. These were all shot around sunset.
I knew that the lines would not photostitch smoothly, but I kind of liked their angularity and how abstract this pano of them crossing the road turned out. I'm taking an abstract quilting class next spring so some of these could be useful as ideas.
Here, the powerlines and clouds work together drawing the eye into the trees. The next three I ran through multiple filters.
This is the clear cut for the main lines bringing power into the community. I had never noticed it before and I have walked the dogs by it every day for almost a decade. It's amazing how a camera can help you see!You can visit all the other interpretations of this challenge at Sunday Stills.
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