~ Lens-Artists Challenge #416: Music ~

Posted on October 9, 2026 by Lindy Le Coq

Ritva invites us to turn up the volume and “capture the energy, excitement, and emotion of live music—or anything connected to it. Think instruments, the crowd, listeners, and most importantly, the emotions and feelings that music sparks in us all.” I always loved going to live music dances (Paul Rivere & the Raiders, Three Dog Night), big name concerts (Tony Bennett, Pat Metheny), and the Mount Hood Festival of Jazz in Portland Oregon, where I was blessed to see many Jazz greats (Dave Brubeck, Stan Getz, Charlie Hayden & Quartet West, Gene Harris), to name a few.

Sixty years ago, at the age of 17, I purchased this Victrola at an Auction in Albion, Washington for $15.00. I have cherished it through the years, and if I could find someone to lubricate it, I’m pretty sure it would spin out sound again!

When people ask how I met Creighton, my husband of 57 years, I tell them the true story of when a mutual friend was visiting Creighton at the University of Washington, and appealed to me to ask Creighton to loan him his Gibson 6 string – again.

Creighton and his Gibson in his dorm room, 1967.

LP records, cassette tapes, CD’s and instruments have filled our lives with music. His first bass was the Epiphone in the photo below that also features about half of our CD collection.

Creighton played bass in 3 different bands, and I sang in our Jazz Casual trio, with Creighton on bass, and dear friend Bill Wilson on guitar.

Any photos I have of other gigs and events are buried in photo albums in a chest beneath boxes of other memorabilia that I have yet to sort through. This small window into our walk with music is a peek into how vital music has been and is in our lives together. Thank you Ritva for this wonderful challenge. You can see her excellent post here.

On your walk with life, please honor our earth, encourage dignity and share kindness. 🐾

Posted in Lens-Artists, Lens-Artists Photo Challenge, music, Musical Instruments | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

~ Lens-Artists Challenge #415: Move Your Body ~

Posted on October 3, 2026 by Lindy Le Coq

Anne Sandler lead last week’s challenge, and I am finally putting my offering together! Anne asked us to show photos that demonstrate movement of our bodies to adjust distance to subjects instead of relying on our lenses to do the work for us!

The view looking southwest over the Pacific Ocean through tree branches. Then, walking back along the trail, the view with trees in foreground.

Poking it’s way through a crack in the fence, a pretty Snapdragon shines in morning light. Yes, I crouched down to my knees! On the other hand, I was standing up stretching my neck to get this shot at the tops of Spruce Trees

Looking north from inside Northhead light house, (a bit of a hike up the hill and on stairs) we see the Long Beach shoreline that stretches into the distance. On the ground, the view highlights a craggy promontory topped with evergreens.

My apologies to Anne for handing in my assignment late, though I understand no points will be deducted for being tardy! You can see her challenge post here.

On your walk with life, please honor our earth, encourage dignity and share kindness. 🐾

Posted in Lens-Artists, Lens-Artists Photo Challenge, nature photography, outdoors, pacific northwest, pacific ocean, photography | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

~ Lens-Artists Challenge #414: Looking back to #44 – Harmony ~

Posted on September 25, 2026 by Lindy Le Coq

This week Anne Christine harkens back to a challenge of Tina’s; Harmony. This time Anne Christine offers a wider explanation of the concept to provide more options to illustrate the concept of Harmony. You can see her original post here.

Dale Chihuly has perfected the art of placing his glass sculpture within natural settings, to create a unique and lovely sense of balance and unity. Below is an example from a 2023 exhibit at the Missouri Botanical Gardens, St. Louis.

On my windswept treks along the Long Beach Peninsula, I have been fascinated by the intricate patterns that clumps of dune grass imprint upon surrounding sand. Eventually I started calling them Dune Runes; hidden messages, here today, gone tomorrow!

Flowers attract pollinators like butterflies and bees, who feed upon the nectar while pollinating the plant, perfect examples of symbiotic relationships in nature.

Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) are opportunist and in their predatory largeness create a sense of power and dominance. They mate for life and work together to build their nests and raise their young. I felt fortunate to be trusted by this pair as I walked in their territory during spring, 2020.

I’ll close with a photo of Max & Daisy that I snapped just a couple days ago. The top of the couch is a favorite place to sleep and watch the world outside the window. Usually, if they’re both on top, they each take an end. This time, Max cuddled up with Daisy, and I couldn’t resist their happy harmony!

Thank you to Anne Christine for reminding us of the importance of Harmony in all its various definitions!

On your walk with life, please honor our earth, encourage dignity and share kindness. 🐾

Posted in Lens-Artists, Lens-Artists Photo Challenge, nature photography | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

~ Lens-Artists Challenge #413: Bridges ~

Posted on September 17, 2026 by Lindy Le Coq

Beth of Wandering Dawgs, invites us to share our photos of bridges this week. Though I live in a community with many rivers and streams, therefore bridges, I have few photos of them. Usually I am driving over them and it would be unsafe to stop and take pictures. In her post here, Beth has a shot of the Astoria-Megler Bridge, a masterpiece of engineering that we cross on our way from home in Vancouver, WA to our condominium on Long Beach, WA.

Located fourteen miles (23 K) from the mouth of the Columbia River, this is the longest continuous truss bridge in North America at 21,474 feet (6,545 meters).

While driving the sleepy back roads of the Palouse in eastern Washington, I pulled over to photograph what I later learned is the Rosalia Railroad Bridge. Built in 1915, it’s impressive concrete arches beckoned me. Due to its design, it is listed in the National Register of Historic Places

The Discovery Trail on Long Beach Peninsula (WA) follows portions of the route traveled by the Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery when they encountered the Pacific Ocean in 1805. As the trail wends its way through rolling dunes and into the coastal pines and shaded landscape of Cape Disappointment State Park, foot bridges provide easy passage across marshes and ravines.

Crescent Creek, at the summit of Willamette Pass in Oregon a fast flowing and cold. A foot path over the creek leads to a well established trail through the forest.

I’ll finish with a favorite photo you have seen before if you follow my blog. The lovely curve of this classic foot bridge in the Missouri Botanical Gardens (St. Louis), is accentuated by bright autumn foliage.

Thanks to Beth for a refreshing subject that allowed me to “visit” some favorite places!

On your walk with life, please honor our earth, encourage dignity and share kindness. 🐾

Posted in Lens-Artists, Lens-Artists Photo Challenge, nature photography, outdoors, pacific northwest, photography, travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

~ Lens-Artists Challenge #412: Places Shaped by Water ~

Posted on September 10, 2026 by Lindy Le Coq

John Steiner leads this week with an invitation to present images “focusing on the landscapes, structures, and stories that unfold around water features.” Since much of my recreation and leisure time centers around bodies of water, the challenge for me has been to narrow my choices to no more than six.

In September 2024, I participated in a trail walk through the Willapa Coastal Forest to witness a recently restored section of Bear River that had been logged and left a mess. It is one of the small but highly important rivers that help form Willapa Bay, on the Long Beach Peninsula, WA

“The roughy 250 acres of wetland concentrated around the stream corridors support a diverse array of plant and animal species, including critical spawning and rearing habitat for salmonids.” https://www.westernrivers.org/projects/wa/bear-river-willapa-bay

Willapa Bay Wetlands, Long Beach Peninsula, Washington – USA

Lucia Falls is located on the north shore of the East Fork of the Lewis River in Washington State. The river wends its way through channeled bedrock and both Salmon and Steelhead can be viewed leaping up the falls during their migration cycles.

With the Pacific Ocean slugging and tugging day and night at the shoreline of Orcas Island, WA the rocky beach is in continual flux. Solid rock is both smoothed and broken by wave action. This photo looking north and west from Orcas, includes Freeman Island, in the foreground and Point Doughty on the right, along with other islands in the distance. This is Orca Whale territory.

When the moon is nearest the earth (perigee), its gravitational force is stronger, resulting in higher high tides and lower low tides. In this photo of a super low tide, taken on Long Beach, WA the ocean formed tide pools and rivulets as the tide receded. This is the Razor Clam Capital of Washington State.

In fall and winter, heavy rains blow in from the Pacific Ocean forming ponds in front of the Breakers at Long Beach, WA. What bcomes a meadow in spring and dune-grass through summer, is shaped into welcome marsh habitat for frogs, and water birds in autumn.

Here’s to John Steiner for taking us on a visual tour through the beauty of water that shapes the world around us!

On your walk with life, please honor our earth, encourage dignity and share kindness. 🐾

Posted in Lens-Artists, Lens-Artists Photo Challenge, nature, nature photography, outdoors, pacific northwest, pacific ocean, photography, travel, weekly photo challenge | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

~ Lens-Artists Challenge #411: What Is It? ~

Posted on September 3, 2026 by Lindy Le Coq

Sofia urges us to have some fun this week by finding and showing photos that are puzzling and curious, leaving us to wonder, “What Is It”? She encourages us to edit images to hide obvious clues, and most of all to play and enjoy. Just scrolling through my catalogue relaxed me by taking me out of the present day-to-day angst of life into moments of serenity and joy. In keeping with the spirit of the challenge, I invite you to ponder and guess what you think is depicted in each of the 5 photos selected. I’ll save the reveal for the end.

1. The first image is the claw-print of a Bald Eagle in wet sand. The shadows tell you it was early morning, and the feathers reveal the eagle had feasted on a bird.

2. The fish weren’t biting the morning I took this shot of my line in the water on Odell Lake. I liked the tension of the line and it’s shadow and wake on the intense blue water.

3. Only in the morning does this little nook receive sunshine, so I was lucky to walk by and capture the play of shadows from the porch railing on the lovely bench.

4. Did you guess garlic sizzling in a pot of olive oil? That’s the first step of making basil infused olive oil for my pantry, which I make every September to enjoy through the seasons until the next September rolls in. It’s on my current to-do list!

5. Those who have followed me over the years will recognize this “dune rune” left by a little wood louse, Alloniscus, who forages at night under the surface of sand leaving all kinds of amazing patterns.

Thank you to Sophia for a relaxing and amusing challenge. You can see Sofia’s post here.

On your walk with life, please honor our earth, encourage dignity and share kindness. 🐾

Posted in Lens-Artists, Lens-Artists Photo Challenge, nature photography, pacific northwest, pacific ocean, photography, weekly photo challenge | Tagged , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

~ Lens-Artists Challenge #410/154: One Photo Two Ways ~

Posted on August 28, 2026 by Lindy Le Coq

Ritva invites us to explore the different methods we use to create images, a throw-back to a challenge Tina posted on June 26, 2021. To see Ritva’s lovely images, go here.

Cropping is my go to method to create a less cluttered and more dramatic image from the original. It’s almost impossible to get a bird to pose, though sometimes it seems they do! So, cropping and cleaning up the image is usually essential. When the bird’s eye is in focus, I follow the rule of thirds to get a cross line in the center of the eye. Below the original shot of a Bald Eagle and then the cropped version.

Along with cropping, another handy tool to accentuate a photograph is to use filters; essentially the adjustment of light and color. The wonderful birding trail where I walk my beagles on the Long Beach WA Peninsula, has some handsome sweeping turns. I took this photo thinking “what mystery might be around this corner?” In it’s original form, it’s just another bend in the road. Cropping and filtering made it a bit more evocative.

I’ll finish with a goose floating on the marshes at the Breakers, Long Beach, WA. The nearly perfect reflection was what attracted me to capture the original shot. By cropping and enhancing it became a keeper, and in black and white I find it quite striking.

Thank you to Ritva and Tina for this theme. It’s important to recognize that taking a photo is easy, however turning it into a keeper, takes some work!

On your walk with life, please honor our earth, encourage dignity and share kindness. 🐾

Posted in Black and White Photos, Lens-Artists, Lens-Artists Photo Challenge, nature photography, pacific northwest, photography, weekly photo challenge | Tagged , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

~ Lens-Artists Challenge # 409: Best Ever Images ~

Posted on August 20, 2026 by Lindy Le Coq

Steve Hyde is the guest host for this week’s Lens-Artists Challenge. He asks us to select 5 (five!) images we consider to be our best photographs; “pictures that celebrate our love of photography.” This is harder to do than it may seem. Every photo I keep has resonance, or I wouldn’t bother saving it. However, there are some in my collection that I believe are quite visually striking and/or create an exceptional interesting sensation upon viewing.

Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

During the first two months of the Covid 19 pandemic, when people were asked to stay where they were, I was at our condominium at the Breakers in Long Beach, WA. Most days I was the only human being walking the shoreline, so the resident Bald Eagles became accustomed to me. With his glare this adult male let me know he wasn’t about to share his meal.

Low tide on the Long Beach peninsula of Washington State, USA. A lone walker offers perspective, as sunlight through cirrus clouds reflects on the vast sandy shore.

From cabin #1 at Beach Haven, on the West side or Orcas Island, WA the sunsets often are spectacular. I had watched this young women when she paddled south through Presidents Channel, and I was thrilled for this “right place right time” moment, as she floated north through the glorious prism of sundown.

Moonglow over the Pacific, captured from the deck of our condominium at the Breakers, Long Beach, WA. I was fast asleep when my husband awakened me to see this full moon reflecting on the spring marshes and ocean. The lighting is as my camera caught it; no filters, just what the universe offered.

My older sister and I like to visit our younger sister in St. Louis, MO. She always has special places to take us, including the Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House in Faust Park, Chesterfield MO. Next door to the Butterfly House is a lovely old Carousel from 1924. On the ride around I noticed the reflection of our prancing ponies on the glass enclosure gave an illusion of them frisking in the windswept grounds outside. Snap, snap with my iPhone netted an unexpected treasure.

Thank you to Steve for this opportunity to showcase some extra special favorite photos. You can see his invitation and fine examples here. It is quite a responsibility to take on the duties of hosting a Lens-Artists challenge. In addition to suggesting the subject, hosts look at the responses followers post, and comment on them! Here’s to you, Steve!

On your walk with life, please honor our earth, encourage dignity and share kindness. 🐾

Posted in Lens-Artists, Lens-Artists Photo Challenge, nature photography, pacific northwest, pacific ocean, photography, travel, weekly photo challenge | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

~ Lens-Artists Challenge #408: Over the Top ~

Posted on August 14, 2026 by Lindy Le Coq

Egídio invites us to show our interpretation of Over the Top – images of things that are beyond the bound of what is expected, usual, normal or appropriate. My photo collection is crammed full of normal, usual, and expected images, however, there is one photo-shoot I did in 2019 on the campus of Washington State University, Vancouver that qualifies! Professor Emeritus Steve Sylvester planted a titan arum seed in 2002, cultivated it on his desk and then moved it to a stairwell planter in the Science and Engineering Building. After 17 years, Big Bucky finally bloomed.

What you may ask is “over the top” about this blossom? To start with, it is over 4 ft (1.22 m) in height.

In addition, the blooms of Amorphophallus titanum give off a powerful scent of rotting flesh which attracts pollinators. As a consequence, it is characterized as a carrion flower, earning it the names corpse flower or corpse plant.

Learning that there was a blooming corpse flower on the campus two miles from my home, got me out with my Panasonic. I didn’t notice any offending smell while I was there, however I’m not a pollinator attracted to carrion!

Thanks to Egídio for giving me the perfect opportunity to show this over the top plant! To see his stunning examples of over the top places and things go here.

On your walk with life, please honor our earth, encourage dignity and share kindness. 🐾

Posted in Lens-Artists, Lens-Artists Photo Challenge, photography, plants | Tagged , , , , | 10 Comments

~ Lens-Artists Challenge #407: Celebrations ~

Posted on August 6, 2026 by Lindy Le Coq

Patti invites us to showcase Celebrations Around the World, and provides a beautiful array of examples from her own travels here. Though I have albums with photos from celebrations I’ve been a part of over the years, this post will be of recent gatherings near home that celebrate events and are unique to my current life.

When I retired 14 years ago, I joined a writing group which has evolved over the years, and which I continue to be part of. Last summer we met at my home to celebrate writing together. We had a fine time chatting by the pond, and read pieces we had selected to share. Since I enjoy entertaining, this was a true joy for me.

The last wedding I attended was a lovely gathering celebrating a wonderful couple. Three weeks from now, my niece and her partner will be rejoicing their upcoming marriage with a reception, to which I will be taking my Panasonic!

Last year, Kai (the tall Doberman pinscher) turned 3. His owner and friends hosted a birthday party for dogs and their humans at our favorite dog park. Yes, we are sort of over-the-top about our pets! It is wonderful that the dogs have an opportunity to socialize, at the same time we humans can keep company with other dog lovers. 🐾

Any members of my family who are able, gather together for a celebration of Christmas before the actual day, usually at my sister’s home in Corvallis or at my home. We have plenty of good food, listen to holiday music while we chat, and enjoy being silly with crackers!

The No Kings protest I attended is a different kind of celebration. Above, several hundred people gathered together in Vancouver, WA to express our dismay at the Trump administration. There is a sense of rejoicing in the group, as we peacefully demonstrate our support for democracy. Solidarity brings joy.

On your walk with life, please honor our earth, encourage dignity and share kindness. 🐾

Posted in Lens-Artists, Lens-Artists Photo Challenge, photography, weekly photo challenge | Tagged , , | 13 Comments