Category Archives: The Grand Landscape

The overview of the natural landscape.

Looking at Life from a Different Perspective

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View from Our Patio
Heatherwood & Selah Ridge

During the last two years I have been focusing my photography in our Heatherwood garden using my standard visible light camera and presenting how I see the garden in color. I was becoming stuck looking at things in the same way. Yesterday I brought out my infrared camera from retirement and took a stroll through the garden. I looked at the garden around me with a different perspective seeing the landscape with a new view. The color was gone; the sky was dark; vegetation was white; greens and reds were the same tone; clouds were dreamy. Beauty presented itself in a different way.

At times I tend to get trapped in looking at life from a set perspective. It feels good and gives me balance when I step back and open up my mind to other viewpoints, focusing on a positive perspective. Opportunities open up. Life is more enjoyable!

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Cloudy Day in the Badlands

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Across from the Visitor’s Center
Banlands National Park

During my workshop in the Badlands, our group passed by the Visitor’s Center almost daily. This scene is just across the road from the center. Every day it had a different perspective. On my last day in the park, it was cloudy. The clouds and the filtered light accentuated the contrast between the hills and the sky as well as the trees. Infrared made the contrast even greater. I was thankful that I stayed an additional day in the park.

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Ever Changing – What is Next?

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Record of Changing Time
Badlands National Park

The exposed hills of the Badlands paint a picture of changing time. Each line on the hills represent a period of time where things were changing on our planet. It is hard to fathom that this area was once a giant sea bed that covered the central part of our continent. Layers upon layers of sediment illustrate the layers of time as our current central landmass was slowly building up. As the sea receded, the atmospheric winds and rains eroded the hills creating crevices and valleys that now host emerging plant life. What is next in the continuing evolution of our planet?

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Change of Pace

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Colors & Contrasts
Badlands NP, South Dakota

It has been a long time, almost two years, since I have gone on a creative photography excursion. My focus has been on recording the changes in our Heatherwood garden as it gradually matures. It is time for me to get out to some unknown location, explore, and exercise my photographic vision.

Looking back at unprocessed images of my trip to the Badlands National Park a couple of years ago, I found a few gems that have stimulated me to get out and explore. We have so many places in our country that are awe-striking like this one in the Badlands. Some are far away. Others are on our doorstep. Our opportunity and challenge is to open our eyes and minds, then explore.

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Even on a Cloudy Day

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Looking Out My Office Window
Cloudy Heatherwood Day

Heatherwood brightens my morning even on a cloudy day. After finishing my daily journal entry, I turn around and view the beauty of our garden through my office window. The spring colors of the Japanese maples draw my attention. I gaze deeper and explore the various conifer shrubs and other trees. I look up and see the Selah ridge rising above into the sky. The scene entices me to get up, grab a cup of coffee and take a morning stroll with my dear Mary!

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Happy New Year

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Looking Out My Office Window
Heatherwood & the Bluff Above

Warm sun rays brighten
the garden and hillside above.
A bright New Year ahead!

As I sit in my office gazing out the window, I warmly admire our garden and the hillside above covered by the early morning sunlight. The scene entices me to look into the future in a warm positive light. New knowledge, adventures, and experiences lie ahead. I wish you all a Happy New Year!

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Beautiful Day!

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Woodland Edge
Heatherwood Autumn

Fall color abounds in Heatherwood on a beautiful autumn day. Just six years ago this was just a pasture with only the background birches. It is amazing how fast nature takes hold. We are pretty much finished with the design in this woodland area. Next year we will focus on another corner of the garden.

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Looking Up to the Northeast

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Dogwoods and Selah Bluff
Heatherwood Autumn

A planting bed of grasses and deciduous shrubs separate Heatherwood from our neighbor’s back yard. As we were designing the lower part of our garden area, we reviewed our concepts with our neighbors. We wanted to make sure that what we planted did not distract from their view of the bluff looking over our yards. This is their view from their back yard looking northeast up toward the surrounding hills. We both think the design has worked out!

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What a Difference a Couple of Weeks Make

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Cherry Allee
Heatherwood Early Summer

Two weeks ago, I posted a similar image with the start of our perennial bloom. In the time that has passed since then, the whole Cherry Allee is full of summer blooms. As the summer progresses, some blooms will fade, others will take their place. The nickname for this perennial bed is “Bright and Shiny”. It fits its name.

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