This is the same group of Bunchberry plants
that I pictured some time ago. Shown later in the year. A bit worse for wear as is evident, but with nice red berries.
Click on image for full-size view.
Bunchberry; With Berries
Bunchberry, along with a few others, such as Thimbleberry, Raspberry, Strawberry, Huckleberry, and Pacific Elderberry, are some of my favorite plants.
As usual, this image is available on a number of items at my Zazzle store.
A nice rural scene here. A dilapidated, old, red truck sitting near an abandoned cabin.
Click on image for full-size view.
The Old Red Truck
Not! I manufactured the image from three photographs I took in Sandpont, ID over a period of years using free software.
Here is the original photograph of the truck. You will notice that the truck is white. Transforming it into a red truck was a bit more difficult than it would otherwise have been as the color was so close to that of the snow. Still, it only took a few minutes.
The Old White Truck
Here is the original photo of the house. Notice that the image is horizontally reversed.
Ramshackle Cabin
And here is the original background image, also horizontally reversed, from some years ago.
Background Image
The three photos assembled into one. As I was not trying trying to create an image to fool the Internet public I did not take much care with precision cropping of outlines; or matching hues, saturation or luminosity. Not bad though; for a quickie job.
Three Photos Into One
Be warned You can’t trust what you see. There are many people out there trying to put one over on you.
UPDATE November 8, 2012:
A project is in the works to use a remotely-piloted, camera-equipped drone to search for evidence of Sasquatch in the western United States. More information at The Falcon Project. I urge anyone who is able to make a modest donation to support the effort.
Though I think there is a very good chance that Sasquatch (Bigfoot) exists it is obvious that I do have fun with the idea.
Click on image for full-size view.
Sasquatch Security
If you live or travel in rural areas of the Pacific Northwest you may possibly come across one of the region’s lesser-known species of native wildlife. “Sasquatch” is an anglicized derivative of the word “Sésquac” which means “wild man” in a Salish Native American language. Sasquatch is reported to be a large, hairy ape-like creature, ranging between 6–10 feet tall, weighing in excess of 500 pounds, and covered in dark brown or dark reddish hair. Alleged witnesses describe large eyes, a pronounced brow ridge, and a large, low-set forehead; the top of the head has been described as rounded and crested, similar to the sagittal crest of the male gorilla. Sasquatch is commonly reported to have a strong, unpleasant smell. Enormous footprints for which it is named are as large as 24 inches long and 8 inches wide. Tufts of hair of an unidentified primate species are often found. Most scientists say Sasquatch, aka Bigfoot, is nothing but folkloret and attribute sightings or footprints to misidentification or hoaxes. However, some scientists such as Jane Goodall believe it may exist. Based on examination of footprint casts, Professor Jeffrey Meldrum of Idaho State University, an expert on foot morphology and locomotion in primates, believes sufficient evidence exists to warrant to warrant further investigation. One theory suggests Sasquatch are a relic population of ancient hominids which reached North America from Eurasia via the Bering Land Bridge during a period of glaciation. Stories about Sasquatch-like creatures are found among the indigenous population of the Pacific Northwest. The legends existed prior to a single name for the creature. They differed in their details both regionally and between families in the same community. Similar stories are found on every continent except Antarctica to include the Yeti of the Himalayas and the Australian Yowie. Members of the Lummi tell tales about Ts’emekwes, the local version of Bigfoot. The stories are similar to each other in terms of the general descriptions of Ts’emekwes, but details about the creature’s diet and activities differed between the stories of different families. Some regional versions contained more nefarious creatures. The stiyaha or kwi-kwiyai were a nocturnal race that children were told not to say the names of lest the monsters hear and come to carry off a person—sometimes to be killed. In 1847, Paul Kane reported stories by the native people about skoocooms: a race of cannibalistic wild men living on the peak of Mount St. Helens. The skoocooms appear to have been regarded as supernatural, rather than natural. Less menacing versions such as the one recorded by Reverend Elkanah Walker exist. In 1840, Walker, a Protestant missionary, recorded stories of giants among the Native Americans living in Spokane, Washington. The Indians claimed that these giants lived on and around the peaks of nearby mountains and stole salmon from the fishermen’s nets. The local legends were combined together by J. W. Burns in a series of Canadian newspaper articles in the 1920s. Each language had its own name for the local version. Many names meant something along the lines of “wild man” or “hairy man” although other names described common actions it was said to perform (e.g. eating clams). Burns coined the term Sasquatch, which is from the Halkomelem sásq’ets (IPA: [ˈsæsqʼəts]), and used it in his articles to describe a hypothetical single type of creature reflected in these various stories. Burns’s articles popularized both the legend and its new name, making it well known in western Canada before it gained popularity in the United States. For more information on Sasquatch visit the Bigfoot Field Research Organization. BFRO provides a free database to individuals and other organizations. Their internet website includes reports from across North America that have been investigated by researchers to determine credibility
It was a gray and cloudy mrning as we approached Bellingham on the last day of our ferry trip from Alaska. The top of volcanic Mt. Baker could be seen rising above the cloud deck.
This picture is from a photo I took of the scene.
Click on image for full-size view.
Mount Baker
Known as Koma Kulshan (white sentinel) by one Native American tribe, Mt. Baker dominates the skyline from Bellingham, Washington, and Vancouver, British Columbia. At 10,781 ft, it is the third-highest mountain in Washington State and the fifth-highest in the Cascade Range. It is visible from much of Greater Victoria, Greater Vancouver, and, to the south, from Seattle (and on clear days Tacoma).
On cold, clear winter days, dramatic increases in the steam plume rising continuously from Sherman Crater can alarm local residents. This apparent increase in plume vigor occurs because of condensation of steam in cold, calm air.
The mountain, an isoloated stratovolcano, is the most heavily glaciated of the Cascade Range volcanoes after Mount Rainier. Mount Baker Ski Area set the world record for recorded snowfall in a single season—1,140 in.
Mt. Baker has the second-most thermally active crater in the Cascade Range after Mount Saint Helens. While volcanism has persisted here for some 1.5 million years, the current glaciated cone is likely no more than140,000 years old, and possibly no older than 80-90,000 years. Older volcanic edifices have mostly eroded away due to glaciation.
Mt. Baker has been very active over the last 10,000 years and has erupted 13 times in recorded history. Its last eruption was in 1880. A release of steam occurred at in 1975-6, but no eruption followed this event.
The first written record of the mountain is from the Spanish. Spanish explorer Gonzalo Lopez de Haro mapped it in 1790 as the Gran Montaña del Carmelo, (Great Mount Carmel). The explorer George Vancouver renamed the mountain for 3rd Lieutenant Joseph Baker of HMS Discovery, who saw it on April 30, 1792.
This is one of my early efforts with digital art. A bear wandering near low mountains; perhaps in Wyoming or Montana. If you have never been to Alaska and the Pacific Northwest I highly recommend you spend some time there.
In reality, with the amount of snow on the mountains, there would lilely be some on the ground as well, but it was just an experiments and I like the colors.
Click on image for full-size view.
Bear and Mountain
I made this image with a graphics application by the name of Project Dogwaffle. If you want to try your hand at digital art you might give it a look. You can start with a free version which has all the basic features you will need. It is fairly intuitive to use, there are a number of tutorials available, as well as a helpful users community. I would also suggest you acquire a graphics pad/tablet. Much easier than trying to draw with a mouse.
I worked this up from a photo I took in Sandpoint, ID some yers ago. Looking east from City Beach across Lake Pend Oreille (ponderay) on a winter day; snow-covered mountains in the distance. The refelctive area in the foreground is ice along the shore extending part way across the lake. Some years the ice is thick enough for hockey games.
The lake is reported to have a monster, like Loch Ness or Lake Champlain, called Pend O’Reilly. I have never seen it, but I always keep a watchful eye out when in my kayak, especially if it’s foggy and snowing.
Click on image for full-size view.
Lake Pend Oreille on a Winter Day
I have several conventional/traditional projects under way which will appear here in the future, but I just wanted to post one more version of the Sasquatch image from some weeks ago.
Idaho’s standard license plate was voted “Most Beautiful” of the 50 states, or something like that, a few years ago. There are also a number of plates promoting wildlife conservation which are quite nicely done. Ya’ think I should cointact the DMV and try to hock this one?
As with most of the images appearing here this one is available at my Zazzle store.
Click on image for full-size view.
Idaho Vanity Plate
A late spring day in the northernmost county of Idaho. This view is just a bit to the northeast of Bonners Ferry.
Click on image for full-size view
Near Bonners Ferry Idaho
It just would not do to run over Bigfoot
Click on image for full-size view.
Watch Out For Bigfoot
If you live or travel in rural areas of the Pacific Northwest you may possibly come across one of the region’s lesser-known species of native wildlife. “Sasquatch” is an anglicized derivative of the word “Sésquac” which means “wild man” in a Salish Native American language.
Click on image for full-size view,
Bigfoot
Sasquatch is reported to be a large, hairy ape-like creature, ranging between 6–10 feet tall, weighing in excess of 500 pounds, and covered in dark brown or dark reddish hair. Alleged witnesses describe large eyes, a pronounced brow ridge, and a large, low-set forehead; the top of the head has been described as rounded and crested, similar to the sagittal crest of the male gorilla. Sasquatch is commonly reported to have a strong, unpleasant smell. Enormous footprints for which it is named are as large as 24 inches long and 8 inches wide. Tufts of hair of an unidentified primate species are often found.
Most scientists say Sasquatch, aka Bigfoot, is nothing but folkloret and attribute sightings or footprints to misidentification or hoaxes. However, some scientists such as Jane Goodall believe it may exist. Based on examination of footprint casts, Professor Jeffrey Meldrum of Idaho State University, an expert on foot morphology and locomotion in primates, believes sufficient evidence exists to warrant to warrant further investigation. One theory suggests Sasquatch are a relic population of ancient hominids which reached North America from Eurasia via the Bering Land Bridge during a period of glaciation.
Stories about Sasquatch-like creatures are found among the indigenous population of the Pacific Northwest. The legends existed prior to a single name for the creature. They differed in their details both regionally and between families in the same community. Similar stories are found on every continent except Antarctica to include the Yeti of the Himalayas and the Australian Yowie.
Members of the Lummi tell tales about Ts’emekwes, the local version of Bigfoot. The stories are similar to each other in terms of the general descriptions of Ts’emekwes, but details about the creature’s diet and activities differed between the stories of different families.
Some regional versions contained more nefarious creatures. The stiyaha or kwi-kwiyai were a nocturnal race that children were told not to say the names of lest the monsters hear and come to carry off a person—sometimes to be killed. In 1847, Paul Kane reported stories by the native people about skoocooms: a race of cannibalistic wild men living on the peak of Mount St. Helens. The skoocooms appear to have been regarded as supernatural, rather than natural.
Less menacing versions such as the one recorded by Reverend Elkanah Walker exist. In 1840, Walker, a Protestant missionary, recorded stories of giants among the Native Americans living in Spokane, Washington. The Indians claimed that these giants lived on and around the peaks of nearby mountains and stole salmon from the fishermen’s nets.
The local legends were combined together by J. W. Burns in a series of Canadian newspaper articles in the 1920s. Each language had its own name for the local version. Many names meant something along the lines of “wild man” or “hairy man” although other names described common actions it was said to perform (e.g. eating clams). Burns coined the term Sasquatch, which is from the Halkomelem sásq’ets (IPA: [ˈsæsqʼəts]), and used it in his articles to describe a hypothetical single type of creature reflected in these various stories. Burns’s articles popularized both the legend and its new name, making it well known in western Canada before it gained popularity in the United States.
For more information on Sasquatch visit the Bigfoot Field Research Organization. BFRO provides a free database to individuals and other organizations. Their internet website includes reports from across North America that have been investigated by researchers to determine credibility
Muskox
Native Alaska
Ice Edge
Winter Eagle
Concentration
deHavilland Beaver
Afternoon Moose
Bright Fox
Orca
Wolfpack
Siberian Tiger
Cold Day in Snezhnii
Taiga
Cold Lands Artist 