Root

Root, a photo by DeForestRanger on Flickr.

Riffe Lake is an enormous reservoir formed when a hydroelectric dam was placed in the Cowlitz River. As such, its level is subject to the whims of water managers who have to strike a balance between flood rains, power production, recreational use and several other factors. Currently, the height of the lake is at mid-range, exposing a few of the remnants of the forests which once lined the slopes of the river valley. At the new public boat launch, the shingle was exposed to a point that I could go exploring without having to fight tall grass and hidden masses of driftwood, and it was on that shingle that I spotted this strange creature, seemingly making its way down to the shore. Whether it was simply searching for a drink or pursuing some lemming-like urge to return to the environment of its forebears, I do not know, but its purposeful ignorance of my footfalls left me feeling that it had some specific design.

The Puzzler

The Puzzler, a photo by DeForestRanger on Flickr.

As I sat in a waiting room today, I noticed this gentleman raptly involved in working on a crossword puzzle in the newspaper. His look of concentration intrigued me, so I surreptitiously placed the camera on my lap and zoomed in on his face. The set of his mouth only changed once, and that was in acknowledgement of a crucial discovery in the puzzle's solution. It was only later that I realized why he had been so intent. When the work on his car was completed and the service representative came into the room to invite him to the cashier's desk, he thanked her for the use of her pen (not a pencil!) and told her it had been lucky for him, guiding him to all the right answers.

Roosevelt Elk

Roosevelt Elk, a photo by DeForestRanger on Flickr.

Fog lay on the pasture this morning when I went out to photograph the sunrise, and as the first warmth from the emerging light touched the mist, it began to thin. It was then that I noticed I was not alone. In the far end of the field, half a dozen elk were grazing the new shoots of grass. It was a moment of delight for me because they've been absent the last few days.

Postcard Reflection

Postcard Reflection, a photo by DeForestRanger on Flickr.

I don't know what possessed me to convert this to the albumen process because it was quite nice in color, but when I did, all thoughts of posting the chromatic version went entirely out the window. This is the type of shot my grandfather would have made when he was looking for postcard material. Of course the Cowlitz was an undammed river in those days, and Lake Scanewa didn't exist, but I could imagine my grandpa walking along the bank here, tripod over his shoulder and a suitcase full of plates in his hand, my mother tagging along behind as she so often did, carrying even more plates and equipment.

The two of them often went on photo shoots together, one of the most memorable causing my grandmother great consternation when they hadn't returned by dark from a long hike. She rousted out the rangers, and was insisting that they mount a search effort when my mom and grandpa straggled in with several dozen exposed plates in the bag. Yes, I can see the two of them in my mind's eye here, waiting for the breeze to slacken just long enough to capture the reflection. The color version of this image does not evoke those memories, and so I put it aside. There will be other reflections in Scanewa which do not call my grandfather into my heart as this one does.

Raven

Raven, a photo by DeForestRanger on Flickr.

Raven is one of the principle characters in the stories told by the Pacific Northwest's First Peoples. He is often seen in opposition to Coyote, and both spirits may be referred to as "The Trickster." When the two meet in a tale, As for who wins out in each encounter, it depends on who is telling the story. In the desert country of eastern Washington, Coyote is more likely to be the hero, and the opposite is true for the west side of the mountains where Coyote's mammalian counterpart is less common.

This small desktop "story pole" (the term which is currently considered to be politically correct) comes from the Tulalip nation and was carved in part by Ed Loney as a gift to my mother. When he passed away, the work was completed by his understudy George Craig. Raven, with his prominent "ears" and outstretched wings is the topmost figure.

Grosbeak Hazel

Grosbeak Hazel, a photo by DeForestRanger on Flickr.

Imagine, if you will, a Goldfinch the size of an American Robin. That's how you could best describe a male Evening Grosbeak, although his yellow is a bit more greenish. These handsome birds are one of the most colorful species in western Washington and a welcome sight at the feeders at almost any time of year. During mating season, their heavy seed-cracking bills turn a brilliant chartreuse color, as if they weren't already easy to recognize. Their appetite for black-oil sunflower seed is legendary, and not a one of them ever goes hungry at Café Crow.

A Storybook Farm

A Storybook Farm, a photo by DeForestRanger on Flickr.

Over a hundred years ago, immigrant farmers came to this area looking for fertile land in a river valley, a place where they could pasture herds of cattle. Meandering Ohop Creek held promise as a continuing water source, but little did the settlers realize until some years had past that the boggy nature of the valley was not an occasional phenomenon, but rather a permanent situation. In an effort to drain the land and make it more arable, they excavated Ohop Creek and straightened out its channel, intending to create a faster run-off, but they were defeated by the clayey nature of the underlying soil. The straightening of the creek's channel had another unexpected side effect. It destroyed the habitat for spawning salmon.

In the last twenty years, restoration of the wetland has been a project for a variety of groups. Contractors were brought in to restore the natural meander, native plants have been reintroduced to the flood plain and invasive species have been removed. Today, visitors to this lovely valley will see farm buildings such as this only above the flood plain. Most lowland structures have been removed.