Equipment in the Barn

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Still Hanging On

Steve and I went to one of Dale's memorials on Sunday. Steve called me over to scope out the barn. I loved the way that the light was playing on different surfaces. This photo is one of the entrances to the barn area.

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Evening Light

When I looked out my studio window the light was in contrast with the sky filled with heavy clouds. I almost didn't go in to the house to get the camera. I am so glad that I followed through and got the camera, and was also willing to go outside.

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Sun Setting in the Yurt

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Molten Sky-- The sky was filled with incredible firey clouds last evening. The sky is framed beautifully by a madrone tree. We could hear thunder and it started to sprinkle.

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Half-Hearted Sun Setting

This is the last picture that I'll share with you tonight that was taken last evening. It started to rain and I noticed that my camera created this circular pattern on the photos.Can you believe thatI didn't adjust the color? I didn't.

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Naked Ladies Dancing in the Light

This is a test to see if having the words "Naked Ladies" in the title draws more attention. Last time that I showed some Naked Ladies, I got eight comments, and I believe that it was because of the title.

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Charred

This is a view of where the fired burned on Orr Springs Road looking back towards Ukiah.

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Death and Rebirth

This is a view of the recent fire on Orr Springs Road. It was taken looking to the northwest. If you look closely, you can see the bridge at the far bottom left corner of the photo.

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Fires of Fall

When I got home last Tuesday earlier than usual, my husband, Steve, was still in town running errands. I got a call from him saying that there was a fire at the bottom of Orr Springs Road, and that they weren’t letting traffic through. He ended up finding a back way home. It took one and a half hours to get back here (usually it takes about 20 minutes). So, I had to see for myself if I was in danger and drove back towards town. I found the fire raging pretty close to Ukiah, about six or seven miles from here. Fortunately, for my neighbors and I, the wind was blowing from the west, and not driving the fire our way. My son called because he had seen the smoke, and told him I was OK.

The next morning, the fire still burned. The road was choked with all kinds of firemen and equipment. Only one lane of traffic was open, but I was able to get to work. It took two helicopters, two firefighting airplanes, over 30 fire trucks, and a multitude of firefighters to get it under control. It ended up scorching over 111 acres, though, no structures were lost. I heard that the cause of the fire had to do with someone cutting fire wood. I take my hat off to the firefighters who help knock it down and put it out.

By the way, it was earlier that same day that I took the picture of the turkey vulture on the telephone pole, just across the road from where the fire took off. My understanding is that no turkey vultures were harmed in the burning of this fire.

Golden Light

This picture was taken of the view looking north from our front yard as the sun was setting. I love the long shadows and the goldish-orange colors that are so unique to this time of year.

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Sunbathing Vulture

On the way to work this morning, I noticed a turkey vulture airing its wings while perching on a telephone pole. I took the picture through the windshield because I didn't want the vulture to fly away. Then I used Photoshop posterize adjustment to create this effect.

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"Hot" Summer Eve

This is a different view of our "view". I walked about 100 steps north of our yurt, and then took a picture trying to shield the lens so the glare wouldn't be too much. I love the way the rays of light beam across the Big River. In Photoshop, I used Rough Pastels for a stunning effect.

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Lone Buck

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Alien Flowers

When Stars Dream

When stars dream
Planets form
Carrying cargoes
Of treasure
Beyond measure

When stars dream
Galaxies sparkle
With light
Scattering seeds
Like stardust

We are stars dreaming
Come to life
Laughing and loving
Across all boundaries
Of space and time

We dance together
As Beloveds
Lifetimes cocooned
In our embrace
Lovers stardancing

Stars dreaming
Through the great
Wheel of Being
Birthing universes
Dancing as One –

Steve Ryals
09.13.05


Today is my birthday! Two of my favorite gifts were both of these poems that my Beloved, Steve, wrote for me on this special day.

Love & Adoration

How can I tell you
Of my love and adoration
On this glorious day
Of your immaculate birth?

How can I begin to describe
Just how deeply I feel,
How the scent of your hair
Brings me to rapture,

How the look in your eyes
Tells me I’m home in your heart
As the taste of your soft lips
Makes me sing like a robin in spring –

How inadequate words seem
To reflect the feelings
Dancing in my heart…
Your magic touch,

The miracle of your tender smile,
All wrapped in the
Tawny glow of summer skin –
How can I tell you?

Steve Ryals
09.13.05

Sun Drenched Clouds over Fog. I had to slip on some warm clothes to take this photo. I am sorry to say that this captures less than one tenth of the beauty that was here this evening. Oh well, that is the way that it is with the vastness of nature.

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A Brilliant Sunset! This shot was taken from our ridge tonight. This summer we haven't had many extraordinary sunsets, like this one, because the sky has been so clear.

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Nature's Garbage Disposals Flocking Around

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Easy Landing!

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Our resident turkey vultures having a conference

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Dale's Crossing Over Celebration

We got to Dale's Crossing Over Celebration in time to put a handful of soil in his casket. Then his body was covered with the coffin lid.

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Carrying Dale in the freshly decorated "green" casket

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We probably walked the labrynith celebrating Dale's passing for 15 minutes. People carrying Dale were leading the way.

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