Located in Stayton, Oregon, USA, also featuring other nearby towns in the Willamette Valley.
Out of the shadows
3
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.
Technorati tags: Why it’s called a duck
5
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
5
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
1
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
2
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
1
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
2
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
24
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
1
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.
Holding up the clouds
66 years ago
by Celine
in miscellaneous
As I was going through the parking lot by an agriculture-oriented store, I spotted the above. The manlift in the photo looks like it was placed there to make sure the clouds don’t fall. They did, anyway, in the form of a bit of rain, which made the plants in my yard happy. And if they’re happy, I’m happy… especially since I’ve kind of been forgetting to water them.
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