Times were better once.......

The shop where a dump truck normally lives. It has seen better times. This is how I feel when I look at this place.

William Behind Bars

We were playing on the stairs & told him to pose and look sad. Post processed as monochrome with a yellow filter in CS3.

Breakfast

Blocked by Fire

Billowing smoke pours off of a semi truck carrying a load of straw that had caught fire from other fires along the freeway caused by someone else. This guy just got lucky.



A bale of hay that burnt through a strap causing the load to fall here where the trucker stopped.


We were stopped with many others with fires burning all around us. There were many fire fighters from 5 towns so we were in no danger.


The semi-truck is on on fire here, an early photo on the left. The center shot is later when there is not much remaining of the truck except an exhaust stack.


Jefferson firefighters Smith & Powell shown on the hill and taking a deserved break from the fire. They quickly zoomed off shortly after to help in another area.


While the area was heavily engulfed here, no real damage other than to some trees.



Not like we were covered with them, but there were *many* grass hoppers trying to escape the flames. When we were told we could leave, you can see the exodus of cars heading around the fire area.

On another note.......

I have been tagged by Bubba (Lisa) to tell a little about me and request the same from some of you.

HERE ARE THE RULES:

1. Link to the person who tagged you. (it's in my title)
   
2. Post the rules on your blog. (AND FOLLOW THEM)
   
3. Write 6 random things about yourself.
   
4. Tag 6 people at the end of your post and link to them.
   
5. Let each person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

My 6 random things, photo and motorcycle related because of my blog and Bubba.......

1. I was in the navy for 8 years and do no know how to swim and I never stepped foot on a boat/ship. (I worked on airplanes.)
   
2. I have been using Pentax cameras sense 1979.
   
3. I shot the cover of an aftermarket Harley parts catolog, Jammer's Handbook in 1982 or '83 (don't remember). Because I was purched on top of a van taking the picture my bike was in front of all the others.
4. On a motorcycle trip through Indiana I could not find a campground so slept in a wheelborrow at a construction site. (It was comfortable!)
   
5. While falling to sleep I saw my first and only firefly.
   
6. I have been riding motorcycles for 35 years, been coast to coast 3 times and still wear the same leather coat I purchased in 1982. (It's worn, just like me.)
   

I tag my brother Kelly, Ken's Place, My year in photographs, Firefly,  Jenty's Life in Pics

A Barn Not Falling Down

I saw the clouds on the way to school this morning and knew there was something I *had* to put in front of them. I remembered this barn and could not be happier!

From the weeds.....

I sure like the contrast on this one.


A fairly friendly Praying Mantis found me (hung out on my shoulder for a while) but I wanted a better background so I located him back to the wild.

Corn

We had a little rain last night

Polk County Fair

Too many pictures? If so, sorry. I get into it sometimes.

I had fun in the reptile zoo.....





William had fun everywhere. He had blue lips from his Sno-Cone.


The typical farm animals. The goat was especially friendly.


And again, the reptiles. A unique opportunity in this area.

Sunrise over Scio

Field for Harvest & Tree in Burnt Field

A 5 image panorama of a grass seed field ready for harvest.


This is converted to monochrome and I played with filters to give it a bit of an infrared look. It is not an IR photo. Actually the leaves were scorched from burning the grass seed field so were brown and easier to make look IR. The ground is pure black with a few dirt spots showing. It has an other world look to me.....

Wild Oats, Sewn

And a Butterfly.....

Strieeeeek!

That's how the entire game went. A slow game even though the opposition won 6-1. Lot's of home team errors and a lack of both offense and defense. Just not their day. Tomorrow will be better. :-) (Notice the ball by his right knee, left side of the picture. His bat is under the ball.)


Called Strike & "Gimme the ball kid"

Steam Up!

If I weren't there today and took these I might be convinced they were taken 50 some years ago. But they were taken at the annual Steam Up at Antique Power Land in Brooks, Oregon. A very cool event with tractor pulls, hay bailing, flower milling, trolley & 10" scale train rides and a live steam saw mill. Very cool if you have a hankering farm history or antique steam and gas engines.




And for those who need a little color in your life....... (The first one is the same as the top one above.)

My Coneflower

And then some. Just so many pretty images and I can't just say no to posting more than one a day.........

Rusted Roof

Huge weather change from yesterday. But there are plenty of barns to go around.

/