One advantage to having a truck for an office, is to take a few minutes in the woods during lunch to engage in a bit of en plein air sketching. En plein air is a french term meaning “in the open air.” It refers to painting or sketching in the outdoors.
En plein air pen and ink of a lodgepole pine cone.
Here is some of our local lodgepole pine.
In California, lodgepole pine is a tree of high elevation.
They prefer growing near wet areas and around meadows.
This Oregon Junco summers in a high elevation lodgepole pine forest.
Lodgepole pine grows around this meadow with Magee Peak in the background. The very tall trees are Ponderosa pine and white fir.
It often grows in pure dense stands.
These are the male cones of the pine.
In some parts of its range, lodgepole pine produces serotinus cones. These cones stay closed until a fire triggers them to open. The seeds are released to begin the next generation.
Lodgepole pine cones are small, less than two inches in diameter.
It is a favored tree for making log homes.
Click on the images to enlarge them.
THE FORESTER ARTIST 
Great drawing Tim! It’s a great way to spend your lunchtime.
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Thank you Leonie. It is nice when I can do it. Mostly, I’m driving from place to place during lunch. But sometimes when I stop for lunch I can sneak in a bit of drawing.
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Tim,
On my screen, the photos looked like a collage until I clicked on one to enlarge it. Then I got a closer look and I discovered a bit of information tucked away. What a nice surprise.
Getting to spend part of your lunch break sketching the great outdoors is a terrific way to enjoy your time. I’m glad your truck takes you to sites that inspire you to draw and photograph and that you share them with us! Please keep it up.
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Thank you so very much Linda. I am fortunate to be in the forestry profession and to have these opportunities. I wish I could take you all for a ride along. 🙂
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Having the photos is fantastic – sharp, clear informative shots, but your sketches add the personal touch and detail that is their natural beauty.
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Thank you GP. I really appreciate you comment.
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I’m so jealous of your job. .. However, I’m working towards goals that will get me there….
I love this sketch. Simple sums it up. 😃
I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
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Thanks Ilex! It’s a great profession to work in. I know a lot of lady foresters. However, you bring a lot of beauty into people’s lives with the job you do. 🙂
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Love seeing the forest photographs, always a story to tell. Beautiful drawing Tim.
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Thank you so much Mary.
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Love your sketch and thank you for the photos and info on lodgepole pines. I had never heard of them before.
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Come out west sometime and you might. Yellowstone Park is full of lodgepole pine. Of course I say that, but I’ve never been to NYC!
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You are talented, thanks for sharing
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I was thinking about you last week. Were you on the mountain during the fire?
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No I am not working there anymore.
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Then it is good to know that you were safe. 🙂
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indeed! i have a much nicer job working at a bookstore.
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That’s wonderful!
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That is a most wonderful drawing of a pine cone and twig. I love it!
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Thank you Annerose. I appreciate your comment especially knowing how much we both enjoy the same subjects in our art.
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The pen and ink is so good! I took the time to click and enlarge your photos, Tim. I enjoy everything you share about forestry. I’m learning so much I did not know. In winter, I so enjoy watching the Juncos that come here. I’m pretty sure they are not from Oregon, but still. What a busy little bird.
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Oh, thank you Leslie. I really appreciate that. The juncos show up at are house in the fall as if to say, “winter is right behind us!”
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Great photos, but your drawing puts them to shame:)
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Thank you Elena! 😀
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Reblogged this on By the Mighty Mumford and commented:
NOT GONNA PINE FOR THESE LODGEPOLES….BEING PUT TO GOOD USE!!! 🙂
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Good use indeed! Thanks for the reblog Jonathan!
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Beautiful ink drawing Tim. I did not know you were using the expression “en plein air” in California! I loved your pictures specially enlarging them. I realise you write what it is about on each picture. That’s great! And I learned how to recognize a male cone of the pine.
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Thank you so much Chatou. “Oui, we love en plein air!” It sounds so poetic to us. 😉 I am happy to share a little art and Forestry.
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Sweet little drawing.
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Thanks Ruth.
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Tim love seeing you joined the troops of En Air Plein artists and what an entery you have beautiful… I thought you live En Plein Air.. have a super weekend 🙂
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Around here lately it’s been more like “En Enfumé Air.”
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Reblogged this on Ta hendene til din kjære – se på dem og hold dem hardt Disse hendene skal du følge, leie og lede. Du skal få føle på varmen fra dem og kjenne en inderlig glede. De skal stryke deg og de skal holde rundt deg – de er ikke skapt for å såre i vrede For du skal ikke alene mer vandre. De skal klemme og kose og aldri klandre De skal skjerme deg for det du ikke selv ser. De skal elske og aldri forakte – bare hjelpe når du ber. Disse hendene skal jobbe for at dere skal få det godt De skal gi – og du skal takke for det du har fått. De skal tvinnes sammen i kjærlighet og være ømme og gode og et tegn på inderlighet Hendene du holder er sterke og unge De skal gjennom mye for din skyld når dagene er tunge De skal stryke og klemme og være gode og fromme De skal ruske i ditt hår og takke når dagen er omme Disse hendene skal følge deg gjennom livet. De skal holde fast ved deg og verne om samlivet De skal være hos deg når alle andre har gått De skal aldri slippe men holde fast og tørke tårer når du har grått. Hendene skal bære din ring med rette Den skal skinne og for alle berette Jeg elsker deg! – kan den bekjenne Det er bare en som har maken til denne En dag er hendene blitt ru og grå Hver fure og rynke forteller om livet som bak dere lå Dere kan minnes den dagen i dag – da et livslangt bånd Ble knyttet Og fra denne dag dere gikk Hånd i hånd..
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