Moments Captured #3 - Quiet Beauty

“I wish that all of nature’s magnificence, the emotion of the land, the living energy of place could be photographed.” — Annie Leibovitz

It has been fun stretching my writing muscles again, just for the fun of it. "Use it or lose it". The more I've started to write in this blog again, the more I look forward to doing so again. My brain isn't so easily stumped as to "What do I write about?". Ideas just blossom, given a little bit of attention.

I was looking back at old entries of mine and found a couple that I really enjoyed: ones in which I wrote about photographs I took (taking pictures is another thing I enjoy). When I saw that I hadn't written about and shared some favorite snapshots for 9 years...well...time to do so again. I've certainly taken some memorable shots since then. Here goes. The pictures are listed in no particular order, and their theme just came to me...

Six Favorite Photos - Quiet Beauty

Schmidt Family Vineyards - October 2017

There are many beautiful vineyards in the Rogue Valley here - we've certainly enjoyed hanging out at a number of them. But the grounds at Schmidt Family Vineyards are the most spectacular, no matter the season. The sprawling green lawns there are fronted by a large pond and fountain - framed by trees. I love the different colors and level of light in this shot, and how I was able to capture the pond. Makes you want to sit in an Adirondack chair, cold glass of Pinot Gris in hand, and just smile and enjoy the tranquility. 

Tracy Arm Fjord, Alaska - August 2019

Deborah and I took an Alaskan cruise in the late summer of 2019. What a great adventure that was! Lots of fun pictures and experiences that I might share in the future. But this photo is still my most favorite. I took it early in the morning of our 2nd day of the cruise. We had left our home port of Seattle and sailed the open sea for most of a day and night. This was my 1st glimpse of the wonder of Alaska. I woke sometime around 6 am - just before sunrise - stepped out on our deck and saw this. Wow. The serene beauty just stunned me. You'd think this photo was black and white - it isn't. This was the color of the moment - a split second in between night and day, holding elements of both - but being neither. Unforgettable.

Silent Creek, near Diamond Lake OR - October 2019

We like to ride our bikes, especially in the fall. And one of the prettiest rides we ever took was around Diamond Lake. The lake is about an hour drive from us. The resort there sits at about 5000' in the Cascade Mtns, so they get plenty of snow in the winter. But we discovered that the fall is gorgeous there! There is a paved set of paths around the lake that you can take for about a 10 mile ride (perfect length for us!). Near the end of the ride, you will cross Silent Creek. We stopped there to eat lunch and that's where I took this picture. Aren't the colors amazing? I've never seen that red before. And the creek fit its name: silent and peaceful. 

Face Rock at sunset - Bandon OR November 2019

By now, you know Deborah and I love going to the beach, and that Bandon OR is our favorite coastal getaway. We go there 3-4 times a year; I've been going there for 30 years. We are such frequent visitors because we never tire of the beauty seen there. The beaches at Bandon are unique for their rock formations and sea stacks, such as Face Rock. I have taken dozens of photos of Face Rock, but this one is special to me. The sunset that evening was spectacular: colors splashing and then fading across the sky; soft light painting the gentle waves lapping at the shore. And a lone person standing still - captured as I was up on the hotel balcony - taking in the majesty of it all. I think that's my favorite detail of this photo. It reminds me of the truth of how small of a part of this world I really am. And it reminds me of the importance of stopping and being open to the beauty all around me. 

Dutcher Creek #2 - October 2021

Of course, there had to be a golf shot in here. Part of the joy of golf is getting to walk around some really beautiful places. My favorite local course, Dutcher Creek, is one of those - especially in the fall. Management has also been working really hard to keep making the course look even better. I took this photo last fall as I walked to the tee box on #2. Believe it or not, this gorgeous pond was once the home of nothing but wild blackberries and tall grass. Much prettier now!

Entering Tom Pearce Park - November 2021

My final picture for this entry is this one. A favorite memory from our walks together last year. Deborah and I set a goal for ourselves in 2021 to walk every day, and so we did. Rain or shine. During every season. Every day for 346 consecutive days (the only thing that stopped us was me getting sick with Covid). Our favorite places to walk were in our local parks, and this is the entrance to our favorite one. Tom Pearce is a small county park right alongside the Rogue River. This is what the entrance to the park looked like last fall. Golden splendor. A warm invitation everyday to the quiet wonders there. We still walk here at least a couple of times a week and it's still our favorite oasis. Together we've watched the seasons come and go here...watched the leaves come and go...the river ebb and flow...and felt both time passing...and what is timeless. What a gift.

“I really believe there are things nobody would see if I didn’t photograph them.” (Diane Arbus)

It was fun sharing these with you! I look forward to sharing more of these again!