Don’t go walking in those spooky old woods alone.
Sun obscured by the fog.
Waxing gibbous moon.
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog.
Here’s an excerpt:
600 people reached the top of Mt. Everest in 2012. This blog got about 9,200 views in 2012. If every person who reached the top of Mt. Everest viewed this blog, it would have taken 15 years to get that many views.
The trees are ablaze.
A male Common Golden-eye visits our pond.
Our constant guest the American Coot.
Striking a pose.
Ever wonder what is going on behind the scenes with other blogs? This is a little snippet in the life of The Backdoor Artist. If you are a follower of my blog, you probably already know that I am married to The Backdoor Artist, Mary Livingston.
Mary in the creative process.
Mary has a front row seat to our backyard with a large window facing out from her work space. It is a wonderful view. A view which often provides for visual treats. Yesterday she spotted a large buck across the pond. She posted this adventure complete with beautiful pictures here at, http://thebackdoorartist.com/2012/12/11/animal-attraction/.
Spotting this big old buck prompted frantic camera grabbing and stealthful sneaking out into the yard to photograph the buck. When he didn’t run away, we plotted to stalk our subject for more and better shots. More frantic activity ensued with changing of clothes and getting shoes on. We came around the garage and started approaching our prey, all the while, keeping the trees in between to hide our approach. Next, we used the dam of our pond for cover and climbed to the higher ground. Once, on top of the dam we had to stay low to stay out of sight.
Mary belly crawls for the money shot. The buck is on the hillside on the left side of this picture.
Mary crawled to the edge of the dam to have a clear shot of the buck with her Nikon D200. I hung back a recorded the moment. I Let her go first. Wasn’t I considerate. She was kind enough to soak up the water in the grass, leaving me a little less wet. We laid there together shooting pictures of the big buck for quite some time.
Patience and opportunity pay off. The big fellow started to leave, but he could still smell the doe.
Maybe he’ll stay.
What a handsome fellow!
We continued taking pictures together until they left. We would have stayed in the wet grass for as long as the deer were willing to stay. At a moment like this, I didn’t even notice the cold and wet. It was one of those great times with my best friend. We headed back to the house soaking wet and with Mary’s light colored pants looking more like camouflage. All well worth it.
Off they go over the hill.
The old buck trotted off with the doe over the hill. I’m with you brother.
This Cattle Egret surveys it’s domain from a stack of poles as the Portal Crane towers over head.
Every kid loves a snow day. It gets them out of school work. I go to work to get a snow day!
Even Nellie likes a snow day.
What Golden doesn’t love the snow.
Be careful were you stand.
Definitely a snow day for the loggers.
Out here a snow day doesn’t get you out of work.
New snowfall on a Douglas-fir sapling.
There will be no cattle to load today.
Snow in the pines.
The big wind turbines don’t care if the snow is falling.
SNOW DAY!
Some days I need to experience the beauty in my world. Today was one of those days. Today was exceptional. Here are some pictures I would like to share with you. Today the sun shone warm. Tomorrow a storm is coming.
Today is my birthday. My wife, Mary Livingston – The Backdoor Artist blogged a nice birthday post to me, and I want to say Thank you to her. So, thanks honey. Just for fun and for a little self-inflicted birthday humiliation I’ve attached a self portrait that I drew about 33 years ago. This was part of my early beginning into serious art. Well, you’ve got to start somewhere. This was about a year before I met her on a blind date, don’t ask. Back then I still had hair, a lot of blond hair. I miss that hair. Thinking back I can almost hear the disco music playing.
The first snow of the season paints Bully Choop white.
We had the first snow of the season. It ended fire season and caused the first chain requirements this Fall, all in one day. The first day of October it was 103 F. Did we just skip Fall.?
The woods crews went from fighting fires to building warming fires.
THE FORESTER ARTIST 