Giant Ripples on the West Bar – Columbia RiverThis image is a close-up of the giant ripples on the West Bar near Crescent City on the Columbia River as showed on my previous entry. These giant ripples were created during the Ice Age Floods as the Columbia River flowed over the gravel bar. They are 35 feet high, spaced at 150 -200 feet apart. It is amazing what water can do!
Columbia River – West Bar
How calm the Columbia River looks. Fifteen thousand years ago, during the Ice Age Floods, it wasn’t quite like this. At that time the Columbia was flowing at the top of the basalt cliffs seen in the distance. The West Bar shown in the middle of this image is comprised of gravel. rock, and other sediments. It was part of the backwater created as the Columbia raged toward the left and then back down through the gorge. The surface of the bar is covered with giant ripples around thirty feet high.
This image was taken above Crescent Bar looking southwest.
Sentinel Gap Looking South from Frenchman’s Spring Coulee
This image was taken from the bottom of Frenchman’s Spring Coulee near where it enters the Columbia River. Sentinel Gap was cut across the Saddle Mountains by the Columbia River and the Ice Age Floods. During the floods, the Columbia River was at a level near the top of the eastern slope of the Gap. On the north side of the Gap, the Vantage Bridge and Wanapum Dam are faintly visible. Through the Gap, Umatilla and Rattlesnake Ridges are visible. And of course, the clouds make the image.
Frenchman’s Spring Coulee – near Vantage, WA
This image is taken from the top of the Frenchman’s Spring Coulee looking down toward the Columbia River. The mountains in the far background are the Cascade foothills. This coulee was created during the Ice Age Missoula Floods. It is the farthest south water path from the Quincy Basin to the Columbia River. The flood waters in the Quincy Basin were split by the Frenchman hills, just south of this coulee. The water flowed east into the Drumheller Channels toward Othello and west into the Columbia River via several coulees including Frenchman Springs.
The wind was howling, so I did not feel like getting too close to the edge. I bet this will make a good sunset or sunrise photo. I will be back.
Grass Clump Abstract
Walking along I spotted this interesting clump of grass. I immediately thought that it would make a great subject for a hand-held circular pan. It did. Sometimes things just pop out in front of me. These usually turn out to be some of my favorite images.
For reference, below is the grass clump with out the pan. I like the abstract better.
Just a Clump of Grass
Forsythia Tree in Our Back Yard
This Forsythia Tree is the first Spring bloom in our yard. It signifies new life, a new beginning, and new hope. Easter brings the same feeling to me. Our Lord through his ultimate sacrifice, brings new life to all of us. HAPPY EASTER!
Drumheller Channels – Othello, Washington
This image is a hand-held pano taken above the Goose Lake trail head at the northern part of the Drumheller Channels reserve, just below O’Sullivan Dam. This was our final stop on our Sandhill Crane photo shoot. We took a leisurely hike (walk) to cap off a great trip. Spring is a beautiful time to visit the Channels. I was hoping for some big white puffy clouds. But it just did not happen this trip. I will return …
Scootney Reservoir Sunset – Othello, WA
After a chilly late afternoon / early evening Sandhill Crane photography shoot, we were looking for a rest area. The closest one was at Scootney Park. As we drove down to the lake, the sun had just gone down below the western hills. The red, orange, and pink colors covered the sky and reflected over the lake. The rest stop had to be delayed for a while while we captured the beautiful sunset. We sure got lucky!
Corfu Landslide – Saddle Mountains, Central Washington
This image was taken from Lower Crab Creek Road. It is a small section of the Corfu Landslide. Lower Crab creek is in the foreground. This part of the landslide was probably post Missoula Floods. It looked like the rocks at the base were not eroded, hence it probably occurred following the last floods. The land slide extends upward to the Saddle Mountains crest. A couple of weeks prior to taking this image, I was at the crest of the Mountain looking down. Refer to my post of 27 March.
Colorado Blue Spruce Abstract 1
Sometimes it is just fun to play around with images. I knew that I would use various ways of post processing when I first took the image. Here is one version. Playing around a little more, I came up with the following abstract :
Colorado Blue Spruce Abstract 2