A friend...

… will teach you how to read.

I admit this photo was NOT taken today,

it was taken years ago,

but once I remembered it,

I could not think of a photo that would work better

for today's theme, A Friend.

=)

Day 5 of the 30 Day Photo Challenge = DONE.

Tomorrow = Humans Meet Nature

That's certainly appropriate, as I was JUST going to warn you

that given the incoming snowstorm & accompanying low temps (8F),

I may not have internet access for a day or two. We'll see...

PRE-SNOWSTORM, LIVIN' IN THE BOONIES CHECKLIST:

firewood stacking
tarpify any wood not stacked & sheltered
feed hen an extra just-before-sleep snack to fuel her through the cold
put fluff around tiny potted plants (in non-heated greenhouse)
help repair the well house (so MAYBE the pipes won't freeze again)
fill water bottles with water (in case the pipes DO freeze again)
put snow chains on the truck
keep the wood stove burning brightly

Done!

Saw the US map of current temps--WOW, lots of us are cold, eh?

xoxobb

why these NPS scientists do what they do... short video w/GREAT scenery

Which has a NUMBER of people in it

whom I was lucky enough to get to know back in my PNW NPS days. =)

2 of 'em even came to my Christmas party. =)

InSANE scenery ahead!

Why We Work from NCCN Science Learning Network on Vimeo.

And if you know of any science-nerdy folks

whose work focuses on nature,

you might make sure they know that the NPS

is one of the places they could work.

xoxobb

easy birding photo quiz + when your friends are silly...

Easy if you've ever encountered this creature before.

First time I did I almost passed out. STUNNING creature.

Not stunning shots, but good enough for ID.

bird one:

bird two:

upside down mountains explained...

 
I have on a few occasions taken upside down pictures.

This only happens if:
1) I've been steeped/hiking in quality nature,
2) there are comfy rocks around which make me want to stretch out like a cat in the sun,
3) there are great views,
4) I've eaten recently or am eating,
and
5) I'm over-the-top happy.

Typically, 1+2+3+4 = 5. (math folks, please forgive my poetic license)

Anyhow, on this particular day I was hiking with friends at Mount Rainier National Park. Parking at Sunrise, we hiked toward the burroughs (first and second burroughs, ended up just seeing but not getting to third) via Frozen Lake. (pretty big pics today, so click to enjoy)

Hiker heading across a talus-y but blessedly ice-free trail: Frozen Lake is just past the end of this hillside, on the right.

Looking back (northwest: can just see frozen lake left of the people), this is the part of the hike I thought might end in my death. Happily, it did not. Hence photo (Yay! I'm ALIVE!)

View west.

View southwest.

 

 Then alit on second burroughs.

Check out this CRAZY scale check (teeeeeeny people).

In your FACE mountain.

This is the last photo I took before I flipped.

I blame it all on Mount Rainier grandeur happiness overload.

I stretched out on my sun-warmed lunch site, lay back to see what the view was like behind me, and took some photos, much to the amusement of passers by.

I'd found a very cozy rocky sitting area, was facing my two dear friends, and staring at this gorgeous, lilliputian alpine plant community (which I adore and admire), as I shoved a sandwich into my maw.  (sigh)

 panning from left to right...

Way too happy.

These flowers were up there: can they get any more perfect?

I think not.

 Last shot I took before 2nd flip shot.

That plateau on the right is where we saw (from very far away) mountain goats.

If you'd not read that post, my friend (wildlife biologist who works there) SMELLED them many minutes before we saw them. And they were far away. How's THAT for knowing your stuff?!? Wow.

This was a snack shot (biobabbler requires frequent stops for eating; my friends are ALL very patient).

Photo slightly altered to protect the identify of my friend, who is ever-patient and understanding of happiness-fueled goofiness.

Here's a view of where I was sitting for the snack stop:

Beautiful, comfy rocks, beautiful lichen, crazy view, AND stuffing food into my face = why I flipped 2nd time.

Hiking alone frequently, I got into the habit of including my shoes/legs in the shot to prove I was there. Or, shadow shots. Or both. =) It's not the clearest pic, but the shoes crack me up.



Anyhow, that is the FULL explanation of that series of flipped photos.

They were flipped 'cause I flipped.

'Cause Mount Rainer is THAT amazing.

=)

xobb

(for other pics from that trip, see this, my most conceptual post ever)

wow. whattaday. wordless, but whatever!

 
First, I whine for a millisecond about getting out of the house at dark time (earrrrrly) to get my haircut.

Then, I actually GET outside, and see this:

was much more impressive in person and about 45 seconds earlier...

I should have known.

I had the MOST amazing day.

Bear had asked what I was doing after getting my hair cut. I said something dull like, "uh, cooking those tomatoes into sauce?" and he suggested (WHAT is he THINKING?!?) instead I consider going to the park (Yosemite valley, specifically) 'cause fall is happening and it's really pretty, and it's supposed to rain this weekend.

Now, why would I do that?

Uh, because it's one of the most beautiful places on the planet, and (since we have an employee sticker) it's free?!?

Yeah.

So, yeah.

I went.

Pictures soon.

(okay, here's one)

 (do click on this--SO much better big)

In short: a spec-TAC-ular day, then looking for Bear at his office, ran into an NPS friend, chatted, got him to send me a few COOL pics that I may post, and saw another friend (USGS) which was delightful as ever, chatted with him a bit, then found Bear outside, who'd just run with a co-worker whom I've not seen in ages who needed a ride to his car, so I got the low down on how he became a SMOKE JUMPER since the last time I saw him!!!

Wow. Then went to eat at a place in town, and there were another 7 people I knew there. I SWEAR I saw every person whom I know in this county today. So, totally flying on the intensive nature hit, and then a huge social high from all those wonderful people.

Even learned about some new fungus sampling technique some folks recently used as part of a fungus bio blitz thingy that sounds a-MA-zing and you can BET I'll be sharing it once I learn.

Yow.


Oh, and got zero words written today (you know, for NaNoWriMo) but really don't care. SO happy.

Crikey.

Good night! (if I can EVER get to sleep)

bb

P.S. Predicting total exhaustion tomorrow. Typically follows insanely high energy day. =) Dood, I'll still take it!