Manti Temple in Snow

Manti Temple

Manti, Utah

I think I'm officially done with winter, even though the calendar doesn't agree with me! And to commemorate this decision, I think this will be the last snowy image I will post until next winter.  It is the beautiful Manti Temple taken several weeks ago. This majestic temple sits high on a hill in rural Utah and acts as a beacon and sentinel to be seen for miles around.

Buffalo on Antelope Island

Buffalo on Antelope Island

My last post reminded me of the last time I was on Antelope Island. I was really glad I was standing by my car with the door open when I took this shot!

Antelope Island

I must be a 'glutton for punishment!' I hate winter, I hate cold, I hate gray days, & I usually hate snow. So being ill with 'cabin fever', I drove to the barren, mostly desolate Antelope Island, accessed by a causeway into the Great Salt Lake. Water/ice, sky, land, everything was foggy/whitish/grayish. Most people go there to spot wildlife, and I'm a horrible wildlife photographer. I'm never patient enough to wait until I spy something to shoot, and if I do see some wild thing, I usually have the wrong lens, the wrong camera setting, or I fumble around too long and miss the shot....the bird flies away, the animal runs away, etc. So what was I thinking!!! For me, just to capture something at all is a success! So here's what I got.....

They must be antelope since I was on Antelope Island!!!

Is that a wolf???

Well, these must fall under the category of birds!

Red Rose for Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day!

I recently ran across this photo that was taken several years ago, but thought it appropriate to post again today.  I hope your day is spent with the people your cherish!  Today my family will gather for our annual Valentine's dinner where, of course, everything we eat must be red, which makes for some very unusual looking corn!!!  (We sometimes cheat with red food coloring!)

On the Way to East Cape, New Zealand

On the Way to East Cape, New Zealand

Day 6 that I've posted a photo of a tree for a Facebook challenge.  Too much pressure!!! 
Anyway, this photo was taken in a remote area of the north island of New Zealand. We traveled on this dirt road for quite some miles to reach East Cape. It is a point in NZ said to be the first place in the world to see the sun rise, however, several other locations also claim this distinction. Regardless, this drive was one of my very favorites.

Spring in Christchurch, New Zealand

Spring in Christchurch, New Zealand

Still trying to keep up with a challenge from a Facebook friend to post a 'tree' photo a day for a week.  (I skipped posting yesterday's photo on this blog because I think I have posted it here before.)  

Anyway, we strolled through this beautiful canopy of blossoms in Christchurch, New Zealand. This photo was taken on a lovely spring day.   It is especially poignant to me when I remember that this lovely park was surrounded by the devastation and tremendous destruction of most downtown buildings in Christchurch by a recent series of tremendous earthquakes.

Taveuni, Fiji

Taveuni, Fiji

Second day of Facebook 'tree' challenge.  This photo was taken on the small island of Taveuni, Fiji. Seems blissfully beautiful doesn't it........until I looked up and saw dozens of huge fruit bats roosting in the palms!! Yikes!

Pohutukawa Tree

Pohutukawa Tree, New Zealand

A Facebook photog friend challenged me to post a photo of trees for seven days.  Here is my first post.  These trees are very common in New Zealand and grow very big.  The kiwi's, (what New Zealanders call themselves), call them their Christmas trees because they bloom at Christmastime and are so beautiful.

Kolob Canyon, Zion National Park, Utah

Kolob Canyon, Zion National Park

It doesn't get much better for me than being outside at sunset, with my camera, in a beautiful location!!! This evening I had about one hour before sunset to jump in my car and find a 'photo opp'. I made it to Kolob Canyon, (part of Zion National Park), but it was so cold and windy that I quickly lost my enthusiasm for spending time outside, thus, this shot was taken out my car window. Lucky for me, it doesn't take much of a photographer to get a colorful photo when your 'canvas' includes beautiful orange cliffs bathed in the warm glow of sunset light!

Cedar Breaks, Utah

Cedar Breaks National Monument

Red cliffs, green pine trees and blue sky.....my favorite combination!

Cathedral Gorge State Park, Nevada

Cathedral Gorge, Nevada

Last winter I was on a photo shoot with a group of photographers to an old west town in southern Utah called Modena.  (HERE and HERE are posts of Modena.)  After we were done there, several of us traveled a few miles across the border to this state park in Nevada where this photo was taken.

Gunlock, Utah #2

Upon request, here is the previous post zoomed in and cropped to a vertical orientation.

Gunlock, Utah

Gunlock, Utah

I have not done any outside photography for several months, and finally today I had to get outside, if only for a few minutes.  My challenge was to find a scene to photograph under the following conditions:

*  I only had about 45 minutes to find something of interest to photograph

*  I only had time to travel within 10 miles of home

*  It had to be a landscape and not a macro

*  It is winter here and that means there was no snow, no flowers, no leaves or anything else really green.  In other words, the scenery is mostly brown.

*  In addition, the sky today was mostly covered with high, gray boring clouds, with occasional patches of blue.

The best I could do was reflections in a small pond.  Oh well, it still felt great to be outside taking pictures!

Salt Lake Temple

Salt Lake Temple in Winter

I don't like winter! I don't like cold, snowy scenes unless I'm viewing them through a window as I'm sitting by a nice warm fireplace! Therefore, my winter photo collection is slim. And so this photo of the Salt Lake Temple is a first for me. Most of my pictures of the temple include the bright, colorful flowers of spring. And the only other winter photos I have of this temple are surrounded by a gazillion sparkly Christmas lights. But, somehow, the soft, muted neutral colors on this day seemed to match my mood. Haven't decided if it is a keeper or not.

My 13th Grandchild!

Welcome to the world, my sweet, little grandson.  

He is perfectly adorable and he is my 10th grandson, and 13th grandchild.

Nature Photo Challenge #7

Antelope Valley, California

For my last 'challenge' photo, I thought I'd post something to remind us that spring and summer will come again! This photo was taken in the Antelope Valley region of California's high desert. Often these hills are barren, however, in spring when the previous weather patterns and rain fall have been just right, they burst into riotous colors of blue, purple, gold, yellow, red and orange, dominated with California poppies and lupine that cover miles. It is a glorious sight. This post is something different with a bit of a painterly look.

Nature Photo Challenge #6

Sedona, Arizona

Sedona has some of the most beautiful red rock formations in the Southwest.

Nature Photo Challenge #5

Moorea, South Pacific

My photo today is of beautiful Moorea in the South Pacific. It is top of my list if you are looking for a small island paradise, with towering, craggy, lush cliffs and mountains, pristine turquoise water, minimal tourists, yet just enough accommodations from modest to luxury, and just a short ferry ride from Tahiti.

Nature Photo Challenge #4

Manukau, New Zealand

New Zealand is surrounded by the most picturesque beaches, bays, and coastline scenes.  They are clean, pristine and usually deserted.  Amazingly beautiful places.

Nature Photo Challenge #3

Cannon Beach, Oregon

 

It was just an ordinary day when we were there, but when the sun set, the magic happened!!