Since this is the last day of National Park Week, I decided to reminisce about our visit to several parks 3 years ago. This was on a morning drive in Yosemite Valley along the Merced River.
HSS!

Tags:   Yosemite National Park California USParks NationalParks El Capitan Merced River Trees pines granite walls fromthecar mono b&w iPhone HSS top-f25

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because of the length of the mirrors, I couldn't get closer, but I hope you like the effect (triangle side-2.5 cm, mirror length 12 cm)

Tags:   abstract blue bokeh F. Carmen Photography Macro macromondays reflection nikkor signed not edited mirrors contrast

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because of the length of the mirrors, I couldn't get closer, but I hope you like the effect (triangle side- 2.5 cm, mirror length 12 cm)

Tags:   50mm abstract F. Carmen Photography Macro macromondays nikkor reflection signed not edited kaleidoscope Berries blueberries mirrors

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Rocky Coulee Recreation Area, Columbia River and the Channeled Scablands, Vantage, Washington

A week after my rainforest hike, I experienced the complete opposite, heading east to chase the annual Spring wildflower bloom in the desert areas on the eastern side of the Cascade Crest. I did find an abundance of wildflowers blooming in the dry and arid landscape (and hopefully will have time to upload photos of them soon), but it was the fascinating geology of this area that I found equally compelling to my eyes and camera.

These coulees were formed by massive Ice Age floods, the explanation for which took decades of research and controversy to establish. Hiking through this landscape is literally walking on the scars of those floods and there is something powerful about connecting so closely with millions of years of geologic history. Combined with a stop at a nearby state park to view pieces of petrified wood that are over 10 million years old, it was an emphatic reminder that in the big picture of things, one's personal human history is pretty small and insignificant :-)

For those who may have further interest and some time to read, here is additional info about the history and geology of the area:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channeled_Scablands
arstechnica.com/science/2014/10/the-scablands-a-scarred-l...

Tags:   river rocks cliffs desert Scablands Channeled Scablands Rocky Coulee Columbia River Vantage Washington geology hiking nature landscape

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