WELCOME to MY NEW BLOG… MORNING GLIMPSES! Each week I will share one or two walking trips, either in my hometown of Ashland, Oregon or out in the Oregon countryside.
Each blog post will have beautiful photos from my most recent walk as well as gentle, short narrative on the theme of each walk. Look at my first post below to get an idea…
I hope that you’ll join me for the journey.
You can easily subscribe by clicking the “subscribe” button below.
Latest from the Blog
This Day was For the Birds
Scientists from the Finch Research Network were out in Corvallis this week, seeking to find the Evening Grosbeak. Having lost over 90% of its resident population in the United States since 1970, the bird is the subject of intense study to determine its present risk status. Our daughter Saskia and her husband Kevin invited the…
Weekend at Our Favorite Nursery
On Saturday morning, we headed out to our favorite local nursery. A good local nursery never disappoints. ********** These characters were there to welcome us to the vegetable section. They were obviously not organically grown! ********** Caution! These are not your garden variety Tulips… ********** Would it spoil the scene if I sat here? **********…
VACATION
Morning Glimpses is one of my favorite retirement vocations. Another is Making Craftsman Style furniture and a third is riding my eBike. Of course, every vocation also involves short vacations, in this case of the one day variety. ********** ********** In the middle of my bike ride, I’m stopping to get an Affogato. An exquisite…
BATCHES of COLOR!
On a warm afternoon, I went for a walk seeking colorful Spring flowers… Although it was late in the day, I was not disappointed. ******** “Welcome to our neighborhood…” ******** A few steps down the sidewalk, I turned toward the street… I had never before seen the Sun create shadows inside translucent flowers… ******** I…
WALKING into MEDITATION
Sometimes when I’m walking with my camera, my eye stops my forward movement, and I am captured by the moment. It might be a glorious sight, or it might be the simplest thing. Life has somehow taught me to trust those moments, to wait for whatever will emerge… ******** It might be encouragement to do…
Wildlife Walking
A few days ago, I went out walking with my son-in law Kevin through the Alsea Falls Recreation Site and the Finley Wildlife Refuge. Here’s one of the first creatures we ran into… Looks like a Rainbow Trout, showing off her incredible jumping ability… ******** From the river wildness, we shifted to the valley floor……
Back Downtown Again
I love downtown Corvallis. There are always surprises! ******** At the corner of Second Street and Madison Avenue, this sign tells of cheerful times past and hints at things to come. ******** Less than a block away, this 30 year old hand carved wooden sign beckons passersby to venture into the narrow alley where it…
Roaming In An Early Corvallis Neighborhood
On one of my regular bike rides, I “discovered” a new neighborhood. Called the Job’s Addition Neighborhood, it was approved for development in 1888. From time to time I’ll visit, sharing some of the beauty it offers us. ******** This is the place that first captured my eye… ******** A camellia just starting to blossom!…
Out Taking Pictures
For the next couple of weeks, I’ll be out taking pictures. In the meantime, here is a thought expressed in someone’s front yard… ******** Grace and peace to you for the next couple of weeks, Art
WAITING
This morning I find myself waiting. Waiting for deliveries… Waiting for arrivals… Waiting for resolution. ******** A touch of early morning sun foretells the coming of fresh light on the scene. It will be welcome here in the rainy Willamette Valley. ******** Out in the back yard garden, these two offer the mildest hint of…
A Day Off
Every day off should involve a little bit of rest… preferably with the luxury of some time at a favorite place to sit. This bench caught my eye the first moment I saw it. “Come here! Sit down for a bit, and open your book for a bit of a read.” ******** ******** That’s what…
LIFE is DIVERSITY
MY PERSPECTIVE In the natural world, life is dependent upon diversity. The greater the diversity of different plants and animals that can live together in a particular environment, the healthier that environment will be. In such a healthy, diverse environment, there will be a greater variety of things to eat… and there will be more…
SLOWING DOWN in BANDON
We were out on the Oregon coast this weekend… Sometimes we just need a safe harbor… Slowing down in Bandon “Welcome to our port!” “Take your time… there’s no rush here.” “It’s important to know where the boundaries are!” “When it gets to be too much, it always helps to just gaze for a bit…”…
MEANDERING DOWNTOWN
On one of our rare January sunny days, I was wandering down by the river that borders the southern edge of downtown. The County Courthouse occupies a square block not far away… It is the location for all of the contemporary protests about our endangered American democracy. Without towering over the city, the Courthouse quietly…
The PAST and the PRESENT meet up HERE
At the corner of corner of 2nd and Adams streets, in old Corvallis, for 170 years there was a hardware store… Now living on the same spot is WADE HARDWARE. A bit like walking back into the past, the modern setting is old school, right down to the long wooden floors. The staff are friendly…
YESTERDAY in DOWNTOWN CORVALLIS
In downtown Corvallis, Oregon, the U.S. Post Office resides on land where the Willamette River flows nearby. By the entrance you see a 1986 postage stamp commemorating the 1886 raising of the Statue of Liberty in New York City. “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse…
CHRISTMAS PEACE – 2025
This Christmas Eve is a particularly unsettling one, with chaos, bigotry, and violence awash in our world. I reached back to an image of a lone mallard paddling in a cold pond a few winters back. It was February 1st in Ashland, Oregon and somehow there was no ice on the pond. The mallard was…
TEST
This is a test to see if my connections with social media are working… I’m starting up the blog again in the New Year…
Transition…
October is a month of constant change, progressively waving goodbye to the heat of summer and bringing a gaudy display of color… It is the perfect time to rekindle Morning Glimpses… wandering with my camera and imagination in the midst of this periodic transition… Fall trumpets its own arrival… Cattails in the wetlands watch over…
Walking Again… In our new neighborhood
We sold our home last summer and moved to the Mountain Meadows community in Ashland, Oregon. Early this morning I set out walking on the periphery of Mountain Meadows… The morning sun offers a moment of luminosity in the awakening sky… “Hey! I know this is beautiful, but where’s the hive?” I could sit here…
New Beginnings
I start out in the early morning sun, hoping for bursts of Spring color along the way. Just over the hill, this gentle purple blanket offers its morning greeting… A tree pruning sets in motion the process of healing… Are these two also anticipating the arrival of more Spring color? This character just longs to…
Pre-Spring Morning
This morning I set out eagerly anticipating colorful signs of the spring to come… Old layers, old friends, gathered at a bend in the road… Almost by itself, awaiting Mother Nature’s next move… What lies ahead? Frenchie says, “Hey, I’m ready to go find out!” Pausing just another moment, I realize that the absence of…
Mystical Morning Walk
It is a drab winter day as I set out, looking forward to spring. It feels like there may be no pictures this morning. How wrong one can be… The first thing I see this morning offers up a glimpse of the world coming back once more. This polyvalent window startles me with its “Good…
An Eclectic Walk
The walk always offers up the theme… you’ll see what I mean. “Hey! Where is everybody? They were here just a minute ago…” Cold as it is, there’s still a crowd seeking ice cream… I’m not really sure what this is, but I like it… The Varsity Theater marquee calls out to us, “Come in…
Out for a Stroll
I start out for a stroll, with skies of gray, wondering if there will be any color to see. Right at the start, I’m surprised. Looks to me like he is swimming through an impressionist’s palette. Is this alarming Ikebana? At first I thought the tree was rusty… Each day, these first responders are on…
Afternoon Walk
Looking for a fresh perspective, I walk through the Railroad District in the afternoon. An arch and chips appear out of nowhere… This owner-designed Craftsman is an aging beauty… The Inn appears open, but the porch light isn’t on… How many roads has this old rim gone down? What will these buds become in just…
Walking thru the Gloom
Like everyone else, I remain stunned and saddened by what happened in Washington, D.C. on January 6th. I just needed to get outside, during a break in the rain, for a walk that would help shake some of the gloom. I had no idea that potatoes grew on trees! “We’re watching you.” Winter contrasts continue…
Christmas Greetings
In this strangest of years, we find ourselves in various states of isolation from Covid-19. Still, there are so many things that are continuous. One of those is the presence of the creation… In the midst of our uncertainly, I wish for you a measure of peace and beauty this Christmastide. Grace and peace to…
Another Walk in the Park
This morning I take another walk in Lithia Park, to hear what the trees are saying… Now I can see how people get spooked walking in the woods at night. I have the feeling that some of these characters are reaching out for me… At the top of another canopy, the morning sun picks out…
Walking in Winter
Today seemed like the first day of winter, even though December 21st is the official start. We woke up to snow on the ground, and went for a mid-afternoon walk in the Railroad District. Did we interrupt an unfinished project, or was it just a coffee break? No idea what kind of farm implement this…
Reaching for Comfort
From time to time, I may post an individual photo. Mother Nature afforded me the chance for one such occasion… This was the sunset for just an instant, two evenings ago… It made me think that in some elemental way, nature was reaching to the spirit of the creator of the universe for some comfort.…
With Fall Departing
This morning, it is apparent that nature is getting ready for winter. Everywhere I look, there are signs of this, and I pause to say goodbye to the season. At the peak of their autumnal brilliance, the last leaves prepare to fall… “Hey! Where are all the bugs?” Gone south for the winter? I linger…
Beauty in Simplicity
It’s cold outside… We bundle up for our walk, and are soon rewarded with expressions of beauty in the simplest of things. Out front of a Tiny House, below the Railroad District, we receive this Western greeting. Two guys, working in the garage of the main house, confirm its authenticity. “What’s got your attention, Mr.…
Outside Again
Being outdoors always reminds me that there is a pace which has nothing to do with our politics, our preoccupations, or our worries… it is the pace of the natural world…. a pace which is so pleasant to regard. “Hello there!” He was not at all bothered by my presence. Mother Nature interacts constantly with…
Walking with Favorites
So, I’ve been walking and taking pictures for seven months of these Covid and Trump times… My goal has been to share a post every Sunday morning. This week, I’m sharing some of my favorite images from previous meandering. “Hey! I’m over here! Please, let me wish you a Good Morning….” A place to just…
Resting my Leg
This morning, I’m resting a slightly injured leg… So, after the shortest of walks, I have just one picture to share, with a few thoughts that come to mind. When first I look at this scene, I wonder is it of cacophony or cooperation? It could be so many different individuals, each competing for the…
Back in Town
Winding my way from our house on the hill, I walk down into town this morning, and then out to where the Almeda fire started three weeks ago. The rooster greets me in the early sun, “Good Morning!” The picture of contentment… This pair grace the streetside view… He pays me no never mind… If…
A Quiet Place
This morning, I’m looking for a quiet place… A place where all the noise is gone. Politicians are rendered speechless… Liars are silenced… Bearers of news are diverted… Proponents of solutions are deferred… Purveyors of goods are absented… Power tools are disconnected… Electronic pulses are hushed… Fear is…
Walking in Refuge
A week ago this morning, wildfire struck our town of Ashland, and three neighboring communities in Southern Oregon. The fire started in Ashland, down the hill from us and across the road. We watched it roll like a freight train into Talent, Phoenix, and Medford, Oregon. About six hundred individual homes, one hundred small businesses,…
Walking around Bandon
We spent the past week camping near Bandon, on the Southern Oregon coast. Before sunrise one morning, we started to walk the environs of shore and town. High above the streets, a town light keeps an eye on things. On a bluff overlooking the Pacific, the first light of morning greets a giant Puffin. The…
Quiet Morning
I start out this morning on the campus of Southern Oregon University… A sea of color welcomes me to the day! The early morning sun is just coming up, and the night lights are still on in the campus buildings… A sculpture stretches as the morning arrives… Walking into town, I pass alongside this place…
Moving through Time
This morning, as I walk from the bottom of Helman Street, back into downtown, I feel like I’m moving through time. Helman school is filled with artwork, including this fire breather. A bicyclist rides through the early morning quiet… Resting at the side of the road is a remnant of our agricultural past… Moving to…
A Slower Pace
I usually stroll when taking pictures. This morning, I feel like a slower pace. I catch up with these characters right outside our front door. Turtles? I’m still looking for them. Today’s walk is a delight! Things and people seem to appear out of nowhere! Like this rusty garden cow… Down the road, I hear…
On the Periphery
This morning, we were out walking on the periphery of the Ashland Plaza, in the neighborhood just to the north. The simple beauty of this one matches the sentiment itself… The shapes draw me in, reminding me that even in repose there is life… The garden is so lush, that this three pointer can quietly…
Down the Hill..
This morning, I went for a short walk in our hilly neighborhood. It was not far, but two hundred feet downhill. The steepness caused me to walk with more intention… The morning light can change the most common thing into a point of beauty… Even in the midst of Covid-19, people express a sense of…
Early Morning Interlude
Out for a short walk in our neighborhood early this morning, I encountered a bounty to share with you… Barely out my door, I met this local resident… Just up the hill, the rising sun touched this beauty… Good morning, Sun! Can you guess what time it was? Even the strongest among us sometimes need…
Looking for Simplicity
Six in the morning is such a quiet time in the city. I went out this morning, looking for simple expressions of humanity and beauty. Another early bird, scooting down Main Street… I wandered around the edges of downtown until I found this bit of playfulness… Are they courting quietly? What made these marks on…
People Sharing…
This morning I walked through downtown Ashland to see people sharing with others. They shared in so many different ways, all appreciated. Here are just a few… Daniel is a gifted professional cellist who makes his instrument sing several days a week in Lithia Park. At the base of the stairs going up to the…
A Place to Pause
This morning, I sought refuge from the daily news, looking for the best outdoor places in town where one might pause. Here’s what I found… A little whimsy… A quiet place, nestled next to the pond in Lithia Park… If I were a bicycle, this is where I’d rest… Did a gardener create a place…
Time to Sit…
All of my life, I have been on the move. Recovery from a simple wrist surgery on my left hand means that I need to stop temporarily doing a lot of things I love to do. I’ve been given the gift of time to sit… Here’s where I’ll go first… This bench captured me on…
Seeing the Beauty
Even with the multiple crises we are facing right now, there is beauty in our midst… Beauty reminds us of the hope that is there as well. Starting out at Southern Oregon University – while looking for one particular object, I found this instead. Hidden among the trees, is the original bell of the Southern…
Walking with Questions
Sometimes I find myself filled with questions as I walk. It isn’t that I start out with questions. Rather, they arise as I look at the subjects of my pictures. A corner creates a beautiful scene out of the most ordinary task of supporting a roof and draining rainwater from it, an example of form…
Walking the Lake
This past week, we were camping at Lake Manzanita in the Lassen Volcanic National Park. These pictures are from two morning walks. Mt. Lassen last erupted in 1914. Camping so close to this mammoth definitely puts everything into perspective… A line of fisherman advancing across the lake in coordinated effort. Human endeavors can be a…
Still walking Together
Dear friends, this week I’ll be out walking in the country, and will share photos next Sunday about that walk in the midst of beauty… In the meantime, I leave with a photo from an earlier walk and with a brief thought about it. Whether we are in the same community, or across the land,…
Walking along Iowa
I was out walking along Iowa Street this morning… The question every morning… What will the news bring today? What is this mystery color place? There is beauty in the midst of hodgepodge… Feels like it grew right on the spot… This old tree continues to heal where a limb was removed… How do people…
Walking thru Reopening
Saturday morning, I started walking at 6:30, before many people were out and about. I wanted to see the town early on the second day of our Governor-approved reopening… The first thing I saw was this out-of-use water fountain… Is it a new relic of the past? How many more such relics will there be?…
Following my Lens
This morning, I followed my lens around town… It took me to shapes and gradations of color… I have gone by hundreds of times and never noticed the eyes looking back at me! Farther on, this gentleman was walking with his morning coffee… Ballots and Books… What better combination for our present circumstance? I went…
Walking into Town
This morning I walked down Siskiyou Boulevard from Tolman Creek Road, to the center of town. One thing was made clear by a business awning… Ashland is, indeed, at home… Even at seven AM, there weren’t many people about. Some of the street signs along the way reflect our aspirations… Then, I saw this on…
Still out Strolling
I’ve spent the past few days this week, continuing to stroll on the campus of Southern Oregon University. There is something about the beauty and the serenity of a place committed to learning that draws me to it. To my surprise… this was my first glimpse this morning… An Extra-Terrestrial greeting the artwork out front…
Strolling on Campus
I set out this morning for a walk on the Southern Oregon University campus… Like other universities, the campus is quiet, with students and faculty working at home and online. The first thing I saw were the bike racks waiting for the students… What’s waiting for us when we return to “normal?” Recycling bins were…
People Serving Others
Beauty presents itself to us in many forms. One is the sight of people living selflessly to help each other throughout each day. My morning walk leads me to people who work in the businesses that meet our day-to-day needs, often at risk to themselves. My first stop is Ashland Hardware… Madelyn is a young…
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