Field of poppy flowers in Furano, Hokkaido, Japan -- Mitsushi Okada/Corbis ©

Contemplation...aka A Walk By The Fishing Hole

When I decided I was ready to start working on my blog again, I thought about what I wanted to post.. what photos? It seems like I have been doing this for so long that there isn't a barn, old building, bridge, farm etc, that I haven't already shot.. and posted. Whats new? What haven't I already shot?

Then this morning I went fishing with my family



While they were "attempting" to catch a fish, I took my camera and walked down the road



I was amazed at the things I saw.. I can't believe how much I had lost my "photographer's eye" in the year or so since I has stopped taking photos... I had also stopped paying real attention to all the beautiful things around me... I had forgotten that the beauty of my rural Oregon isn't made up only of waterfalls and mountains and valleys and rivers and barns and fields and grazing animals.. but also of tiny wild flowers and insects and twigs and pebbles and moss and streams...

So.. even though I may have photographed all the barns and old buildings in the county.. there are lots of little flowers and bugs beside those barns and old buildings that are calling my name :)

First I spotted this tiny pink flower. I believe its a type of wild rose



and I fell in love with this old barbed wire fence with daisies growing by it. I did some playing around in Photo Shop with this one.

Wild Roses in a frame

Just playing around.

Melqua Barn in Yellow

Although I am not a big fan of summer, I do like the flowers and changes of scenery it brings. This old building is totally surrounded with this gorgeous yellow crop. I don't know for sure what it is but my guess is mustard?

Yellow Carpet

This looks like a beautiful yellow carpet between the rows of trees in the orchard.

In A Portland Rose Garden

When I visited my friend, Darlene, in Portland, she took me to a beautiful garden called Peninsula Park Rose Garden. The roses were gorgeous. The entire park was fantastic.

...and another Rose After The Rain...

I just got home after 3 loooong days of workshops. I heard some great and inspirational speakers and learned of some new and inovative ideas for social services. I am newly enthusiastic but tired so at the risk of boring you with the same subject, I'm going to post one more rose and get to bed.

Obliging Turtle

This turtle was obliging enough to climb out of the water onto this pretty flower docorated log.

Shore Acres Finale

I hope I'm not lagging everyone to death here. I couldn't leave Shore Acres without showing you the last of these gorgeous flowers.

Tomorrow we'll leave the park and I'll take you with me on a nice quiet walk along an Oregon beach.

Shore Acres Dahlia Gardens

The dahlia beds in this garden are breathtaking. There are four big beds full of hundreds of dahlias in dozens of different varities and colors. I won't bore those of you who aren't flower lovers with photos of all the varities but will show a few of my favorites.

Lilly Pads

Floral Wagon

I took a picture of this waqon full of flowers last year too. It is next to a local produce stand. If you want to see last year's photo click on the "wagon" link below.

In My Dreams

A couple weeks ago I was out shooting and noticed these flowers next to a produce stand. I stopped to take some shots but it was windy and the flowers were moving so much I knew I couldn't get a clear shot. Today I pulled them up and sure enough the clarity was way off but I liked the composition and the old building behind them.

I played with this one for awhile but I couldn't get it sharp enough without it looking over processed. So I decided if I couldn't get it sharper I would run with the blur.. and I really like the effect.

Just Playing Around

OK We're back in the Silverton area. There are 3 fields of flowers in this shot. I believe the flowers in the front field are snapdragons? I love the varied color.

I don't know what the white with the tire tracks in the far field is.

...as we walk in fields of gold...

They walked along listening to the singing of the brightly colored birds and looking at the lovely flowers which now became so thick that the ground was carpeted with them. There were big yellow and white and blue and purple blossoms, besides great clusters of poppies, which were so brilliant in color they almost dazzled Dorothy's eyes.

"Aren't they beautiful?" the girl asked, as she breathed in the spicy scent of the bright flowers.

"I suppose so," answered the Scarecrow. "When I have brains, I shall probably like them better."

"If I only had a heart, I should love them," added the Tin Woodman.

"I always did like flowers," said the Lion. "They seem so helpless and frail. But there are none in the forest so bright as these."

~The Wizard of Oz~

I'm Dreaming of a White......

...field of flowers...

It almost looks like a Christmas scene :) Beautiful white flowers with a few gold ones scattered around the field.

The Color Purple

Can you just imagine sitting in your backyard with your morning coffee looking out over this gorgeous field?

I don't know what kind of flowers these are and I wonder how they are a money crop.. I just know they are breathtaking and my heart almost stopped when I first came across these fields of flowers.

Floral Crops

Yep, the farm area around Silverton is certainly God's country. I was amazed at the different types of crops grown in this area. And I was absolutely delighted to find that many of the crops were flowers.. in some places huge brillient fields of flowers. But I'm saving those for my Silverton finale. :)

There are 4 different crops in this one photo.

Wild Flowers

My Internet was down last night so I'm late. This is yet another scene from my last weekend trip to Myrtle Point.