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Summer ended and with it the wildflowers, or so it seemed. So I’ve watched and found many wildflowers here are still trying to squeeze out the last bit of warmth from the season. Most have lost the luster of Spring. … Continue reading
When I first posted A Memory In The Mist I thought it would be an unusual sight for most folks. With so many people unfamiliar with teepee burners and their use, and add to that a picture of one decaying into the earth, it would be something different. I decided I would show you a few more images of full standing burners that are still around. They represent something from the past that was left behind by the forward march of technology.
This pen and ink represents an old-time sawmill with a teepee burner.
In the old days, before sawdust was used for particle board and bark was used for landscaping, it was burned. Much of it was burned to power the boilers at the mill, but excess wood waste was just burned. Today’s mill residues that cannot be used in other products are burned in co-generation plants to generate electricity. Nothing goes to waste anymore.
The Carlotta, California teepee burner was an extra-large one.
A big one like the Carlotta burner could handle a lot of mill residue. With the mill gone the old burner stands like a grave marker of the old mill site.
It is a tall skinny teepee burner in Nubieber, California.
A tall burner like the one Nubieber was built with a tall chimney. This reduced the risk of sparks starting a fire outside the burner.
This teepee burner is located between Anderson and Redding, California.
The Anderson burner was a very typical design around here. As a child I lived about a half mile from this one.
A teepee burner in use from 1932.
The teepee burner from A Memory In The Mist.
Where once was smoke now there is foliage.
Nature is resilient and relentless and will be here long after we are gone.
Here comes the sun.
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.
I had a lot of fun with Mary when she shot these fantastic pictures!
As I sat down to paint this morning, movement in the field on the other side of the pond caught my attention. The distance, about 250 yards, from the window was a bit far for a nice shot. Tim and I quietly slipped around the south side of the dam, then belly crawled to get within 100 yards. This nice black-tailed buck in rut was watching a doe by one of the lower ponds.
We must have been a sight, laying on our bellies, in the rain soaked grass, stalking the deer for a photo. The buck did not notice us at all. He was captivated by her scent. She was nervous, people crawling through the grass and taking aim her way was more than she could stand. She bolted up the hill and over the ridge with him in hot pursuit.
Gotta sneak bliss when you can, even when…
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Vista point……not today.
I want to meet Yogi!
Some folks are very photogenic and some, not so much. Some days are very photogenic and some days, not so much. This was one of those good days. I love a good day. I try to have a lot of them.
Like sentinels in the wind, the big turbines peer through a window in the clouds.
Magee Peak is a sleeping volcano.
The mother oak looks down at the young pines gathered about her.
Magee Peak in the distance.
With Burney Mountain in the background, Nellie strikes a lovely pose. She is one of my favorite models. Nellie is very co-operative and will work for dog biscuits.
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!
THE FORESTER ARTIST 