Wandering in the Redwoods

On our way back from California, we detoured our trip down the "Avenue of the Giants"!!!!
We stopped to stretch our legs (dogs too:) ) There was plenty of smoke lingering from all the fires reshaping Mendocino and Humboldt counties forest.

I do truly miss the redwoods, this is where I went to Humboldt State University to learn forestry. This majestic environment has so much appeal. Walking among giants that have been there centuries before I was born. It gave me a feeling of how little I really am in in this world. Mother nature really out did herself when she created this species of tree. Banana slugs making a home for themselves in the red fissured bark.

Here a few shots as I wander through this old forest in Northern California.

"In the Redwood Forest"

"Coastline"



"Bark of the Redwoods"

"Afternoon Redwood"

Clouds and Light

A couple of weeks ago, I was playing with my dog Dozer around six o'clock until I happen to look up. There was crescent shaped rainbow directly right above us. Oh my goodness! I yelled and pointed for Keith as I ran in the house for my camera. All I could hear from him was, "Hurry, I see it !! If you wait fifteen minutes, the weather is going to change and fast (a saying I've heard from natives here in Oregon). They're not kidding either.

This going to be hard to explain so bear with me:

This is a crescent shape rainbow right above us. There's a thin layer of clouds. I look towards the sun and there's a band of light in a full circle, parallel to the horizon but further up. There are two twin sun spotlights (looks just light the sun but dimmer in the clouds at a 90 degree angle from the sun on a north and south bearing. This is the only way I can explain it, scientific. Here's a handful of photographs of the rainbow.

The darker images are from reducing light exposure in the camera.

Dark Side of the Rainbow

Rainbow in the Dark

Among the Clouds

Spectrum

I haven't named all of these photographs yet but I'm sure I'll figure something out. If you would like to purchase any of these images please email me at foresterchick@hotmail.com.

They are for sale at http://TwoDogGardens.etsy.com/.

My Trip to Multnomah Falls and Columbia Gorge

This last March, I got to visit Multnomah Falls for the second time in my life. A very spectacular area just adjacent to the Columbia River on the Oregon side. My friend Delos and I hiked the path from the bottom up to the top which was about 600 feet in one mile. I think about 3/4ths of the way up, I started to wonder if I'll ever make to the top. I stopped many times to take pictures. This is the tallest waterfall I believe I've ever seen in my life so far:)

Please enjoy the pics and if you think you might want a copy of one for yourself, just go to http://twodoggardens.com/multnomah_falls.html for your choice.

Here's just a few of my favorites, starting from the bottom and heading up.

This is pretty much the entire Multnomah Falls, this was taken from the parking lot. The only way to get the whole thing!

Base - This is the last part of falls before turning back into a creek and heading out to the Columbia River.

Lower Multnomah Falls, you can see towards the top the first of two falls. I focused on the second (lower) fall.

Among the Trees- Mid falls surrounded by trees.

Above the Falls- This is the creek that feeds Multnomah Falls.

Here's one of those rare pics of me:) Delos took it, thanks D!

Here's one right back at Delos. We needed photographic proof that we made it up to the top!

This is what it looks like looking down. Oh, vertigo!! The trees in the upper right corner are 100' tall trees.

All of these photographs are for sale in various forms. http://twodoggardens.com/index.html

Walking on Winchester Trail

The weather picked up this weekend. Sunny and in the 70's. Whohoo!! I took Friday afternoon off to enjoy the spectacular weather on the coast. So the dogs and I ventured over to a local trail in the Coos County Forest between Coos Bay and Bandon, Oregon. Of course I took my camera along to see what the forest has to show off on such a spring day.

Full Sail- White Trillium, woodland flower.

Dozer

Unknown woodland flower ( I haven't named the image yet either)

Dozer and Lacy

Skunk Cabbage - water loving woodland plant, always pops in the spring season around creeks.

Sword Fern - The most common fern in the Pacific Northwest forest. I borrow this plant's stable roots and stem to help get me up the hill slope througout my work day out in the woods (between 70-80 percent slope).

Dozer's ready to keep walking:)

My new website! What do you think?

I've decided to expand on my photography venture by opening my own website. Interestingly enough I started it from almost scratch instead of purchasing a template with expensive software. There were video tutorials on pretty much everything:) I went to http://www.bluevoda.com/.

I've been working hard this last month building my website. Almost every night after work. It's been a good learning experience. Once I thought I was done, I would either find a mistake or adding to it.

They have helped with everything!! A very easy program. I recommend them:)

Here it is!!!

http://www.twodoggardens.com/

A few new images from the spring collection:

On Fire

White Blush

Transparent

In the Garden: Spring Collection

Spring things are poping up around here and I'm having the most fun taking pictures! Here's a few I've taken recently, in the garden:)

Puzzle Points

(Monkey Puzzle tree from Chile)

Blue Bells

A new photo of an Echeveria lilancina (Hens and Chicks) succulent.

More flowers to come from a garden near you:)

Gardening in the Late Winter

I live in the southwestern end of the Pacific Northwest. We receive between 60-90 inches a year of precipitation. It's warm ans wet in the fall, cold, wet and sometimes snow in January and then things begin to change. Late winter is an interesting part of of the season. It still hasn't decided what to do yet, progress towards spring or stay as winter. Lately though, the sun is trying to share her warmth and I'll get the opportunity to start doing some late winter/I want it to be spring gardening. From pruning trees to transplanting strawberries, I'm busy while the weather is good.

This last Tuesday I drove down to Humboldt State University in Arcata,CA. Winding through forest and ocean views I managed to take some shots whenever there was a pocket of sunlight bursting through the fog. Here's a nice shot I got heading out to the beach in Ophir for a driving break.

Etsy Photography

I've been taking pictures for many years now and every time Keith and I go somewhere new either camping or to visit a friend, I can't help but take pictures. In December, a friend of mine opened a shop and this is how I was introduced to Etsy. I checked other photographers work and thought, I'm going to join in on the fun. I'm still in the beginning stages but I'm on board to try this out. I'm currently in a treasury (which is a collection of items that a curator picked), I'm honored and excited at the same time, but I can't seem bring the image of the treasury over though maybe next time. The image above is from Crater Lake National Park. The water is so blue it looks fake.

Most of my current and past work is focused on nature. I'm hoping to get a new camera as well some new subjects once the weather decides to stop raining/snowing.

Introduction and A Snow Day

For some reason I never thought I would start a blog....but here I go. A little bit about me.



My name is Gloria and I live on the southern coast of Oregon in the town of Coos Bay. I've been here for about 5 years now. Keith and I moved up here from Santa Rosa, CA after making a 3 year pit stop in Arcata, CA, where I went to college at Humboldt State University in Natural Resources - Forestry. I currently work as a forester out in the woods east of Coos Bay. I have two dogs, which makes this a family of four, two dogs and two people. They have inspired the name for my blog and my etsy shop, where I sell photographs of what I see in nature.



I woke up this morning to find it snowing quite a bit, nickle size flakes. I think we got at least an inch. For some folks this is nothing but for us coasties this is a big deal. It may snow once maybe twice a year down next to the coast but usually up in the mountains east of here. Today it was snowing on the beach. I snapped off a shot at my Douglas-fir tree out in the garden. Check it out! I'll be putting this image on my etsy shop. Please jump over and see all my images available. Take care until next time.