The Grand Scheme

This week’s Daily Post photo challenge asks “Where do you belong?” and the challenge is to “show us your Place in the World  … give us a glimpse of who you are in the grand scheme of things.”

In the grand scheme of things… hmm.

To begin with, my place in the world is under the sun.

place1

That’s the grand scheme part. But where do I belong?

I belong in the space where the currant bush that was given to me by my sister grows.

place2

I belong where I can watch the changing of the seasons on an ivy-covered wall.

place4

I belong where wildlife visitors are welcome to drop in (with some notable exceptions, i.e. rodents and wasps).

place3

I belong where I can share a red table, a blue chair and a quasi-green lawn with a white dog.

shadow3

The place where I feel most at home is — well, at home.

But in the grander scheme, my thoughts and energy, and even these words I’m typing right now reach far beyond the expanse of greenery that surrounds my home. So for a glimpse of who I am, get a glimpse of who you are, and there you will find me, too.

place5

Unless you’re a rodent. Or a wasp.


 

BFF ~ Best Furry Friends

When a new dog you meet,
with a snarl you may greet.

smile a

Invitations to play
will go a long way,

smile b

or sharing a tree
where you both can go pee.

smile c

A trip to the coast,
getting sand in your coats;

smile e

by the end of the day
a best friend you have made.

smile d

Dogs that smile make me smile, too.


The Daily Post weekly photo challenge: Smile

In Search of my Future Favorite Place

This week’s Daily Post photo challenge is to “share an image of your happy place, a secret spot you love, or a faraway location you return to again and again.”

Hmmm. I’ve thought about this for a couple of days now, and I’ve come to the truly sad conclusion that I really don’t have such a place. My subsequent conclusion is that I really need to find such a place.

The closest setting I could think of is the trail that runs along Burnt Bridge Creek not far from my house. It’s got some scenic spots that I like to return to and watch the ducks swimming down the creek, or watch Great Blue herons fishing from the banks.

But the “trail” is really an eight foot wide path of asphalt which roughly follows a strip of land cleared for a utility right-of-way, where hefty power lines hum and crackle overhead as they span from bulky tower to bulky tower. So, yeah… it’s not really a “commune with nature” kind of experience.

Nonetheless, I keep returning to the trail. Below are photos of one place on the trail where I have photographed the creek on a number of occasions.

(Note to self: venture out and discover my new favorite place.)

fave2

November 2014

fave1

April 2015

fave3

May 2016

fave4

March 2018


The Daily Post weekly photo challenge: Favorite Place

Within this World (photo essay)

Galaxies within galaxies within galaxies. The penultimate frontier.

world 1

world 3

world 5

world 6

world 4

world 2

Top to bottom: small cannonball, civil war era; light bulb; soap bubbles (negative); black-light bulb; water bubbles (negative); granite sphere on grave monument.


The Daily Post weekly photo challenge: Out of This World

Nature, naturally

When I think about the best parts of living in the Pacific Northwest portion of the United States, I think of the diversity of nature. With my home situated near Portland, Oregon, I am just hours away from beaches, forests, mountains and high desert (with the occasional urban area thrown in).

This week’s Daily Post photo challenge asks us to show images of where we live. I just happen to have a ton of photos 😉 , but I’ll narrow it down to a handful.

Oregon Coast

tour 1

The Pacific Ocean near Oceanside, Oregon

Forests

tour 4

Ochoco National Forest, Oregon

Mountains

tour 3

Mt. Saint Helens in Skamania County, Washington State. This volcano erupted most recently in 1980.

High Desert

tour 2

Painted Hills near Mitchell, Oregon

And of course, the city where I live, Vancouver, Washington

tour 5

Columbia River and the Vancouver, Washington river bank.


To see the sights of where others call home, go to The Daily Post weekly photo challenge: Tour Guide