Located in Oregon, USA, featuring Stayton and other nearby towns in the Willamette Valley.
Archive for September, 2006
Donkey on da hood
Sep 30th
One of the things that makes life interesting is the random things which come our way, and the donkey hood ornament above definitely fits into the random category. There’s just something wonderfully whimsical about having a donkey on your vehicle for all the world to see.
I found it for sale online (note: I have no affiliation with the company linked, I just found it via a Google search), and apparently the eyes light up, too. Gotta love that. If my vehicle (a scooter) had a hood, I think it would have a donkey on it in fairly short order. I guess I’ll just have to stick with my “girls kick @ss” bumper sticker instead. 
Technorati tags: Out of the shadows
Sep 29th
Okay, this is the last photo from the duck pond I’ve been featuring the last couple of days. At least for now. It really is a pretty pond.
I couldn’t decide if I like the photo above or the one to the right, so you’re getting both. Don’t say I never gave you anything. 
I promise tomorrow’s photo will have nothing to do with ducks. But it may have something to do with donkeys. Unless it doesn’t.
Why it’s called a duck
Sep 28th
I was going to feature a different duck photo today, but I decided to go with this one, instead. I may post the other one tomorrow. Dunno.
The one above was taken at the duck pond I featured yesterday. I hadn’t realized how often ducks either, well, duck either their heads or the upper half of their bodies underwater. They can do the ducking thing very, very quickly, so I ended up taking several photos of duck bodies with their necks leading into the water. That wasn’t really my intention.
My favorites, tough, are of their cute little behinds sticking up, like the one above. They also had a nifty syncronized swimming maneuver going on like in the thumbnail at right (click on it to see the larger version).
They’re fascinating little creatures. Do you think the people who live in the little neighborhood where the duck pond is would mind if I just started sitting on the bank with my camera and tripod every single day? More importantly, would the ducks mind? I could dress up like Big Bird, like I did in grade school for a play.
I doubt the costume would still fit, though.
Duck pond
Sep 27th
A fairly new neighborhood off of Fern Ridge Rd. in Stayton has a lovely small pond. I think it’s manmade, but it’s set so well it feels completely natural.
Roughly a bagazillion ducks live at the pond, from mallards to other ducks which aren’t mallards.
You may be thinking the only types of ducks I can identify are mallards. You would be right.
The ducks are hard to see in the photo, but they are there. Tomorrow I’ll post a photo of a couple of the ducks, whatever variety they may be.
Red Leaves and Such
Sep 26th
In the Stayton Community Center Complex, which houses the city’s pool, community center, and a park. It also has some lovely plants, flowers, and trees, like the one pictured above. I have no clue what type of tree it is, but its leaves and whatever the lighter colored stuff is (seeds?) sure are pretty.
There was another tree of the same type a few feet away whose leaves are yet to turn for the season.
I also took a couple of photos of some roses which were near the trees, if you’re interested. Click on the thumbnails below for the bigger versions:
Chevy DeLuxe
Sep 25th
The car above was parked outside a house in Stayton. It’s an early 1950′s Chevrolet DeLuxe (possibly a 1951). I think it’s great to see things like this — it’s a nod to the nation’s past, in a way, since cars are tied to a lot of our country’s way of life, especially during the 50′s.
Speaking of looking back, I want to thank Janean of the J D’s Daze blog for her request to post one of my photos, which was featured here back in June. Her post touches on a similar “looking back” theme.
Americana
Sep 24th
This house in Stayton just struck me as being very idealistically American, with the white house, American flag, and manicured plants. It’s right by two elementary schools and a church on a quiet residential street in a small town. I don’t think it had a white picket fence, though. Perhaps I should go back to the house and tell them they should get one.
A sign of autumn
Sep 23rd
Happy first full day of Autumn! Yes, it’s that time of year, when the leaves start to turn colorful shades, like on the oak tree pictured above. It’s also the precursor of winter, which is my least favorite season, but let’s not hold that against it. It’s just doing its job, after all.
Reflected sky
Sep 22nd
This double reflection is of a lovely early evening sky via the rear view mirrors of my scooter. I was sitting at the top of a hill taking photos of some clouds when I looked down at the mirrors and saw what was behind me.
The smaller mirror shows the outline of part of Stayton’s “skyline” which is more of a “treeline” since we have a lot of trees which are far taller than any of the buildings.
By the way, happy last official day of summer (in this part of the world, that is). Tomorrow heralds autumn/fall, and another changing of the seasons. And to those of you heading into spring, enjoy my favorite season.
Amongst the trees
Sep 21st
When I was taking photos of new home construction the other day, I saw the above construction equipment (a backhoe?) silhouetted in some trees, and just thought it was pretty. That’s it. No lamenting of trees being cut down, etc. I’ve done enough of that recently, so I’ll give it a break. For now.
I also want to take a moment to thank everyone who visits this blog, and especially to those who leave comments. I don’t always have the opportunity to respond or comment back on your blogs (if you have them), but it is always, always appreciated. Thank you.
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