Category Archives: Trees

IR Practice

Leave a reply

“Woodland Garden Path”
Heatherwood, Summer

I am getting ready for an infrared photography workshop with Tony Sweet on Whidbey Island. I thought I needed to do a little practicing. In this section of Heatherwood, we are trying to create a woodland garden. It is a work in progress, and right now we have only small trees and a few “sun-loving” shrubs planted. The dark bark provides a striking contrast to the IR highlighted trees. In a few years, hopefully the ground will be covered with shrubs, ground cover, and shade-loving perennials. The envisioned garden path will provide the contrast needed for an IR image.

Related Images:

200507_LongExp_WtrFall__Kotoji 200506_LongExp_WtrFall_1

Sad…

Leave a reply

“Last Days”
The Palouse, Washington

For years, this tree was a cornerstone of a SW view from Steptoe Butte. It anchored a vignette of lush green (spring), golden tan (harvest), and contrasting dark and light browns (after plowing). I had last seen it during the fall of 2019, pre-Covid. It still had all its leaves and looked healthy (at least from a distance). When I saw it from Steptoe this spring during a severe draught, it had lost most of its leaves. I am afraid that this stately giant is in its last days.

On the last day of our workshop, several of us went out to photograph the tree up close. I made images from several different perspectives, but nothing seemed to express the sadness I felt seeing the tree in its dying state. Most of my images were of the lone tree against a background of rolling green hills and a cloud dotted sky. It seemed lonely, just left to die. Then I looked up and zoomed in to focus on the strong stately branches still reaching out. This is how I want to remember it.

Related Images:

Old-Barn-1 Wheels Old-Barn-2 Red-Roof-Barn Curving-Road-Hill Steep-Hill-Fence Old-Grain-Elevator

Tracking Clouds … A Great Way to Pass the Time

Leave a reply

“Lone Trees & Clouds”
The Palouse, Washington

I have many wonderful memories of my childhood growing up at the “Ranch.” Many times I spent what seemed like hours, laying on the lawn, gazing up at the clouds, watching them move across the sky changing shapes. Some things never change. On my recent trip to the Palouse, I saw these two trees out in the middle of endless hills of green fields. The bright blue sky was filled with puffy white clouds. I stopped and watched the clouds move across the sky casting shadows on the green hills. An hour went by like a flash as I watched and waited for the shadow patterns in the background to frame the tree while not shading the tree itself or the area in front of it. What a great way to spend a peaceful early afternoon in a beautiful part of our state.

Related Images:

Exploring the Back Roads

Leave a reply

“Lonesome Road”
The Palouse, Washington

One of the things I enjoy the most is just driving around exploring the countryside. An old dirt road, rolling hills, puffy clouds puts my mind at peace. I stop in the middle of the seldom traveled road not worrying about another car or truck coming by. I pause and enjoy what I see around me and contemplate how this beautiful land has been used to support a long abandoned homestead and now as a section of a large mega-farm. Sometimes I create an image with my camera. Sometimes I just drive on with the image as a memory in my mind.

Related Images:

Old-Barn-1 Wheels Old-Barn-2 Red-Roof-Barn Curving-Road-Hill Steep-Hill-Fence Old-Grain-Elevator

Gifts For the Taking

Leave a reply

“Forest Pansy Redbud”
Heatherwood Spring

Heatherwood continues to give up something new and interesting every time we stroll around the garden. Little elements of nature abound at every turn. These gifts are for the taking. I just need to recognize them and add a little creativity.

Related Images:

200507_LongExp_WtrFall__Kotoji 200506_LongExp_WtrFall_1

The Guardian

Leave a reply

“Kotoji, Waterfall, & Japanese Maple”
Heatherwood Japanese Garden

I keep coming back to this view in our Heatherwood Japanese garden. The Japanese maples continuously change in color, shape, and texture through the revolving seasons. In time they will flow over the stream’s edge becoming one with it. The Kotoji Japanese lantern acts like a guardian over the stream stabilizing the scene with its graceful legs .

The Guardian
A Japanese maple gently bends,
Shielding the flowing stream,
As the guarding Kotoji overlooks.

Related Images:

200507_LongExp_WtrFall__Kotoji 200506_LongExp_WtrFall_1

White and Pink Contrast

Leave a reply

“Milky Way Dogwood”
Heatherwood Woodland Garden

I remember roaming around the eastern woodlands in Virginia and North Carolina and enjoying the early blooming white dogwoods and redbuds. I can visualize visiting Jefferson’s Monticello with its surrounding eastern woodlands decorated with dogwoods and redbuds. It brings back many wonderful memories.

Here at Heatherwood in Eastern Washington, I am trying to recreate a little of this dream memory. Last year, we planted a redbud grove and a couple of white dogwoods. However the dogwoods were late bloomers and did not coincide with the redbuds. This year we planted two early blooming white dogwoods and have been successful in matching their blooming times. As trees get a little larger, we will add some rhododendrons to complete the scene.

Related Images:

200507_LongExp_WtrFall__Kotoji 200506_LongExp_WtrFall_1

Crabapple Finale

Leave a reply

“The Old Timer”
Heatherwood Spring

This glorious crabapple highlights the corner of our house and the Heatherwood Japanese garden. The tree was planted here before I moved back to Selah in 2016. It is very close to the house and hangs over the entry path to the side of the Japanese garden. Its original shape was heavily leaning and contorted. Over the years, I have selectively pruning it to recover its shape and provide clearance to walk under it on the path. Each year I remove a branch or two to “guide” it in the direction I want it to grow while maintaining its overall health. The tree is beautiful and provides a special anchor to our springtime Japanese garden.

Related Images:

200507_LongExp_WtrFall__Kotoji 200506_LongExp_WtrFall_1

Spring Glory 7

Leave a reply

“Prairefire Crabapple”
Heatherwood Spring

Today we return to a deep pink flowering crabapple. The various colors of the different trees provide a beautiful contrast in Heatherwood’s crabapple grove. They have varied between white, whitish pink, light pink, and deep pink. The trees’ barks, leaves, blooms, and fruits are all different. They all contribute to variety of little surprises that change from season to season.

This post shows the last crabapple that we have planted in our small crabapple grove. The trees are small now. We patiently wait enjoying each surprise they give us as we contemplate what they will be like in the years to come.

Related Images:

200507_LongExp_WtrFall__Kotoji 200506_LongExp_WtrFall_1

Spring Glory 6

Leave a reply

“Golden Raindrops Crabapple”
Heatherwood Spring

“Golden Raindrops” is our sixth crabapple that has bloomed this spring. Each one blooms about one week after its predecessor. It would like to say that the sequence was meticulously planned. But I can’t. We did pay attention to notes that indicated if the species was a late, mid, or early bloomer. With the sequence, we have about three in bloom at one time after the third on starts.

This crabapple is unique in that it has little golden apples in the fall.

Related Images:

200507_LongExp_WtrFall__Kotoji 200506_LongExp_WtrFall_1