10-JUN-2013
Modern Day Beaver
One can see there was good reason for cutting down this tree. It would have come done by itself before long.
09-JUN-2013
The Catch
When you visit Alton Baker Park you will see people fishing along the canal. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife plants rainbow trout there from time to time. That's when the fishing is really good! Here I caught the catch of one of the fishermen.
08-JUN-2013
"To Paint a Rose"
"There is nothing more difficult for a truly creative painter than to paint a rose,
because before he can do so he has first to forget all the roses that were ever painted."
~ Henri Matisse
The lovely rose, beautifully portrayed by these seen at Owens Rose Garden, has prompted so many words. But words alone can not do the rose justice and neither can a picture!. Only when we are present to let our senses take in the vision and the smell of the sweet rose can we truly experience it fully. I think this is what Matisse was expressing! And some definitely are influenced by the work of others. No painting can show the rose in all its glory, and neither can a photo. One has to see the original. I hope only that this image will add to your appreciation for this marvelous gift from God.
07-JUN-2013
Green Heron
Around here, we see Great Blue Herons. They even have a nesting tree at Alton Baker Park. But when it comes to Green Herons, I have seen few of them. This is one I saw at Delta ponds. They seem much smaller than the Great Blue.
06-JUN-2013
Rose in Owens Rose Garden
The Owens Rose Garden in Eugene is in full bloom! The flowers on display are breathtaking. This shot is of a rose in sunlight surrounded by shade. I loved the dramatic lighting. I hope to post a gallery of flower images from Owens Rose Garden soon.
05-JUN-2013
Boyhood Dreams
Some time ago I thought about my childhood and how I loved to read. I would get lost in a book, absorbed in the story. So I wrote a poem about the joy I got from reading books. It's called "Boyhood Dreams". Hope you enjoy it.
BOYHOOD DREAMS
by Vern Rogers
I wanted to be a cowboy when I was very small,
Sitting on a saddle, riding straight and tall.
I wanted to be a captain of a great big ship,
Setting sail for some exotic land on a lengthy trip.
I wanted to be a pilot flying in a plane,
To a far distant land with a strange sounding name.
I wanted to be a pitcher on a big league baseball squad,
winning yet another game for the hometown fans to applaud.
I wanted to be a singer with a voice both rich and clear,
Singing songs in such a way that others want to hear.
There were so many things I desired to do when I was very young,
And as I sit here, now grown old, they're still upon my tongue.
But I'm content, my life's been full. Life's been good to me,
No matter what I think about, there's nothing left to be.
I've done so many things and that is why I fear,
That others will soon come to doubt my illustrious career.
There's not a thing I haven't done, no matter where one looks,
And that's no boast you see, I've done them all by reading books.
04-JUN-2013
Up Close and Personal
I heard this bird singing at Delta Ponds and kept looking for it. All of a sudden there it was, only perhaps 10 feet from me.
Needless to say, I was more than happy to photograph its portrait. The photograph is straight out of the camera and not cropped!
I am not sure what bird it is, though it seems to look similar to the Fox Sparrow. What is it?
03-JUN-2013
Natural Beauty
A lovely azalea blossom in Hendricks Park.
02-JUN-2013
Lattice and Wild Rose
We have this lattice in the backyard that has a wild rose bush growing on it. I think it makes a beautiful picture.
01-JUN-2013
Running on the Pre Trail
"The Steve Prefontaine Memorial Jogging trail is located in Alton Baker Park, and is accessible from parking lots at three trailhead entrances at each of the three main loops. There are two footbridges, providing access from the University of Oregon campus, located just across the Willamette River. From campus, the Center Loop can be accessed via the Autzen Footbridge (south of Autzen Stadium, half a block north of Franklin and Agate Streets), and to the southeastern Big Loop via the Knickerbocker Footbridge (near Franklin and Riverview Streets)."
"Steve Prefontaine, or "Pre," was impressed with the style and terrain of European cross country running courses while competing overseas. Upon return from Europe, he suggested to local officials about building a running trail through Eugene's Alton Baker Park. Lane County worked with the Oregon Track Club and University of Oregon track coach Bill Bowerman to design and build Pre's Trail. Within four months of Pre's death in an auto accident in 1975, the new trail served as venue to a memorial race of approximately five hundred participants in his honor." (Source - Wikipedia)
31-MAY-2013
In The Spotlight
This Great Blue Heron In Alton Baker Park just tried and failed to catch a fish. We have to admit that it sure stirred up the waters! And the lighting was perfect, highlighting the spot where it was located, while the background was in the shade.
30-MAY-2013
Fishing Buddies
It may look like they are fishing buddies, but the fact of the matter is that the heron was there to steal a fish or two. :)
Rainbow trout were planted in Alton Baker Park today and so the fishermen and herons were there to fish.