It was unusually hot today-- 96 (F)! So spent some time in my mind at one of my favorite spots- North Central Oregon's White River Falls, near Tygh Valley.

 

Sometimes somewhat ordinary things can seem quite interesting when the light is right-- like this tie-rod from some ancient bit of farm equipment. For me, it's the roundness of the parts-- almost a living softness.

 

This is the front of a steam-powered tractor from about 120 years ago. In those days, farm equipment like threshers, plows, etc. were either pulled by animals or, if the farmers had enough money, a steam-powered tractor like this one from Case. They ranged from about 10 horsepower to 150 horsepower--- incredible numbers for the time. They ran just like steam locomotives, complete with the familiar whistle. But what I really like now is the wonderful bird on the front. They really knew how to make machinery look great in those days. Throw some more wood in the firebox!

 

Big sky, big mountain (Mt. Hood), and a very large orchard-- This is north-central Oregon, about 15 miles south of The Dalles (city) and the Columbia River. I don't know what's growing in the orchard, but I do know that cherries are the most prominent tree fruit crop in Wasco County. It could also be Apples, pears, or peaches-- but the area near The Dalles is a major producer of sweet cherries.

 

Dead trees in an empty field...

 

It's the light that always takes you there...

 

The secrets to the Cosmos are behind this door... Or maybe not.

 

It was 90 years ago that this truck rolled off the Ford assembly line, all shiny and ready to go to work. Now the windshield is gone, the tires are flat, and I doubt that it's moved at all for a few years. It was a handsome, heavy-duty truck for its time.

 

Another magical spot-- a waterfall in the rainforest.

 

The trees are so tall, they make the cattle look tiny!

Big tree, little shack!

 

The old tractor and the old shack-- they belong together.

 

It may be old, it may be tired, but it's still the first thing you see...

 

Hidden...

 

This is the OLD Columbia River Highway, deep in the Columbia River Gorge, on the Oregon side. With just one lane in each direction, it parallels the Union Pacific tracks.

Nightwings... The contrail from an unknown jet is lit up by the setting sun.

 

Way up in the hills on the Washington side of the Columbia River...

 

Watch your step...

 

It's hard to believe there really are places like this... Oregon's Latourell Falls, in the Columbia River Gorge

 

Big and powerful-- The amazing basalt formations on the Washington side of the Columbia River!

 

The Mountain, the River, and Stonehenge! Washington's replica of Stonehenge is a monument to the fallen in the First World War. It's over 100 years old. Oregon's Mt Hood is in the distance, and the Columbia River separates the two...