~ Lens-Artists Challenge #364: Quiet Moment ~

Posted on September 9, 2025 by Lindy Le Coq

Ritva invites us to showcase photographs that create a calm and soothing atmosphere; “images that evoke feelings of peace and contemplation.” Finding quiet moments that provide a sense of serenity is central to my mental well-being, so it was a delight to look through my archives for photos that radiate the nature of tranquility.

Miller Lake, a natural fresh water beauty in the Cascade Mountain range of Oregon. Its lovely blue tones invite me to relax.

Looking up to a clear sky through leafy branches, encourages me to take a deep breath and contemplate the beauty all around me. Even in my own back yard!

A couple walk together on a misty morning, low tide at Long Beach, WA.

Long Beach, with the gentle flow of tide sparkling in afternoon sunlight, washing away my cares.

An Anna’s hummingbird supping on Fuchsia blossom nectar represents the essence of harmony and balance in my world.

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

Here’s to Ritva and all the Lens-Artist hosts for providing us challenges that keep us engaged and often sooth our souls.

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

~ Lens-Artists Challenge #363: Virtual Scavenger Hunt ~

Posted on September 4, 2025 by Lindy Le Coq

This week Anne invites us to showcase 5-10 photos that exemplify something from the 20 specific categories she suggests. With this wide-open theme, I decided to select only nature photos, which helped me include some shots that I might not ordinarily feature. My first image, a Dune Rune, features both wavy lines and a very cool shadow

In order to flourish, mushrooms and toadstools need moisture. Once open, they provide lovely little cups that catch water.

Alloniscus is a wood-louse that navigates under the sandy beach at night, and is a major contributor to my collection of Dune Runes. Below, is an almost perfect circle!

So smooth and soft we know not to handle the wings of a butterfly. Below, a Monarch with it’s distinct color pattern, feeds upon daisies.

Zigzag lines were etched in the sand by the Pacific Ocean as the tide receded.

A big bouquet of kelp glistens in the sun at low tide. Why am I taking photos of this, I asked myself. Well, because it’s pretty and has such a wonderful bumpy texture!

Nature provides the template for designs. Milkweed seed-heads are among the many that draw my attention and beg to be photographed.

“…as small as a world and as large as alone.” ee cummings

Thanks to Anne for another opportunity to feature some overlooked photos in my archives!

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

Posted in butterflies, Lens-Artists, Lens-Artists Photo Challenge, nature, nature photography, outdoors, pacific northwest, pacific ocean, photography, weekly photo challenge | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

~ Lens-Artists Challenge #362: Sports, Sporting Events and Fun Games ~

Posted on August 29, 2025 by Lindy Le Coq

This week Beth hosts the challenge asking us to feature sports activities. I thought about it all week; the different sporting events I’ve been to (football, baseball, basketball, formula 1 auto racing, rodeos, hydroplane racing…) and all the competitive and fun runs I participated in, and the years of bicycling with my husband sometimes camping, other times on day rides, all happy memories now. Although I walk every day, it’s for my health and socializing, not competitive. The only true sport I am involved in these years is fishing with my family. We don’t compete with each other or with other boats. For us fishing is a team sport that requires the expertise of all who are in the boat!

Most important is having the boat and all the gear required to be successful, which my brother-in-law and sister provide. They also know how to operate it and where we might have luck catching fish, and with what!

Once the lines go in the water, the anticipation begins!

My niece Marie knows how to catch fish. Her expertise has been cultivated by her parents who make sure she has opportunities to put a line in the water every year. Her faith, based on indigenous beliefs, includes a ritual of kissing each fish she catches with a blessing of thanks, before slipping it into the icy cooler.
“I want to make sure the fish spirits know that I honor their sacrifice,” she told me when I asked about her motivation. “I need those spirits on my side!”
As she pulled in a third Kokanee while I had none, I mused about this. In our family there is a multi-generational ethic of respecting the earth and her creatures. We leave places we visit in better condition than we found them, and we are stewards of the waters and land. We process what we harvest and share it with our family and friends. My husband Creighton, who is mostly vegetarian, calls the fish I bring home “honest food.”
Before long, I had a strong strike and with the help of my sister Diana’s expert netting, my first fish of the day was in the boat.
“Let me kiss it,” Marie exclaimed. “It doesn’t matter who catches it, I like to kiss all the fish we catch.” After she blessed it, I too kissed my fish and then placed it on ice.
Moments later, as I was letting my line out, Marie shouted, “fish on,” and started reeling in. I had just set my line, when it popped off and to my amazement I had a fish as well! Diana netted Marie’s and then mine for our first “two-fer” of this fishing trip. Marie and I each kissed both fish, put them in the cooler and bated our lures. Within a few minutes after getting our lines down, it happened again; I had a strike and was reeling in when Marie got a strike too. Diana steadfastly managed the net to help us get first one fish in the boat, empty the net of fish and lure, and turn around for the second one. This happened at least 7-8 times – maybe more – we lost count, but all agreed this was a new “two-fer” record for our boat!

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

Hope everyone has a fun, safe Labor Day weekend. Thanks to Beth for giving me an excuse to show some of the joy my family and I have with fishing!

Posted in fishing, Lens-Artists, Lens-Artists Photo Challenge, nature, nature photography, outdoors, pacific northwest | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

~ Lens-Artist Challenge #351: Looking back to #20 – Doors ~

Posted on August 22, 2025 by Lindy Le Coq

Doors. Hmmm. Dear Sophia asks us to show our best photos of doors, from near and far, from humble to ornate. As it turns out, I have very few shots of actual doors, however since doors are portals – gateways to what lies beyond – I’ll start with a couple nice entryways. Arches invite us to visit the space beyond.

A necessary accessory of living in buildings, doors keep the cold out, let fresh air, friends and sunshine in, and provide a modicum of protection from unwanted intruders.

In the wild pioneer west of the USA, there was no need to make a door beautiful. It was a functional and necessary component of a building. What mattered more, was (and is) that which lies on the other side of the entrance.

As I write and post this, I’m sitting on my deck with a gentle cool breeze this morning. By afternoon, and for the next 5 days the temperature will be in the range of 95-100ºF (35-38ºC). That’s when I say, God bless my heat pump! Thanks to Sophia for providing beautiful examples of doors around the world. See her post here.

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

Posted in architecture, Lens-Artists, Lens-Artists Photo Challenge, pacific northwest, photography | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments

~ Lens-Artists Challenge #360: Found at the Fair/Market

Posted on August 15, 2025 by Lindy Le Coq

This week Anne-Christine invites us to share photos from Farmers’ markets, fairs, carnivals or other summer memories. With very hot weather this past week, I didn’t make it to our county fair, and the next similar opportunity is after this coming week-end. Consequently, I decided to feature the one Farmers’ Market that is nearby and open most of the year. When I visited at 10:30 in the morning the temperature was already 83°F (28.3°C).

I had hoped to get some corn, but I was just a day or two early. There’s plenty of farm fresh produce inside protected from the heat.

They also sell a wide variety of preserves.

After taking my photos and drooling, I came home with fresh peaches, raspberries and seedless blackberries.

Today, the weather is seasonably cool with a little bit of rain, which we need badly. The berries were consumed by the end of the day I visited Bi-Zi Farm, and the peaches are just about ready to slice! Thank you to Leya for prompting me to visit a favorite Farmers’ market.

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

Posted in food, Lens-Artists, Lens-Artists Photo Challenge, pacific northwest, photography | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

~ Lens-Artists Challenge #539: Lines, Colors & Patterns ~

Posted on August 7, 2025 by Lindy Le Coq

John challenges us to demonstrate how we use lines, colors or patterns in our photo compositions. He promises extra credit for showing two or three elements in one shot! Lines clearly define the subject in my first example taken on the deck of an almost empty Washington State Ferry, headed from Anacortest to the San Juan Islands, in October.

The top and side rails of the Ferry, along with the bench seat and windows lead our eyes to the Ferry bow and on toward Rosario Strait and islands of the archipelago.

The Martha Jordan Birding Trail in Leadbetter State Park, WA is arched over with fresh green foliage in May. It’s a quiet place where I can take the beagles and enjoy being surrounded by beauty.

This shot features the line of the path leading toward the distance, with lovely shade patterns crosshatching the ground. Bright sunlight at the end of the passage adds to the harmony in this photograph.

City Park in St. Louis, MO, features sculpture, architecture and natural elements in a harmonious blend.

I’ve always liked attempting to combine hard lines of man-made structures with the soft edges of nature. In this photo, they co-exist quite nicely. The straight lines, wavy glass and bright blue sky reflection on the building is interrupted and softened by dark green branches and the warm tones of autumn tinged leaves. Also, notice how the upper branches of green are echoed in the wavy glass.

A bright blue sky background to the lacy pattern of leaves and branches make a cheerful display. There’s something about this combination, green on blue, texture on clear color that always invites me to take a picture!

I’ll finish today with a favorite I’ve featured before, however try not to over use. Taken during a very low tide, on Long Beach, WA.

We can see that as the tide receded, deposits of foam created asymmetric lines that stretch on to the horizon. In the sky, fluffy clouds repeat the undulating pattern the Pacific Ocean left on the beach. Clouds on the left and mist over the ocean also draw our eyes to a foggy North Jetty.

Thank you John for continuing to emphasize the tools of photography that help make interesting and worthwhile images! https://photobyjohnbo.com/2025/08/02/lens-artists-challenge-359-tools-of-photo-composition-lines-colors-and-patterns/

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 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

~ Lens-Artists Challenge #358: Live and Learn ~

Posted on July 30, 2025 by Lindy Le Coq

Tina reminds us that “as we age it’s important to maintain our social lives, to stay mentally and physically healthy and to challenge ourselves to learn new things.” This week she invites us to showcase things we’ve learned about any subject of our choice. Sitting outside on my deck, it seems fitting to feature gardening. When we had our house built 40 years ago, we asked that as many trees as possible be saved. Through the years I have stewarded this sylvan refuge.

To learn what would thrive, I studied gardening resource books (now internet), talked with family and friends, and tried things out, focusing primarily on perennial and native plants. Some worked well, other quickly faded. We now have seven tall Douglas Firs, five Vine maples, one Bigleaf maple and a large stand of holly in this east-facing back yard. Understory plants include rhododendron, hydrangea, Japanese Ajuga, various viburnums and a carpet of shade loving ground covers. From early spring to late fall this is my favorite place to be (when not at the beach!) and it’s a year-round sanctuary for birds.

Top left clockwise: adult Pacific Steller’s Jay, adult male Varied Thrush, fledgling Red-breasted Nuthatch, Mourning Doves, adult feeding fledgling Northern Flicker, aka Red-shafted Flicker.

From sunup till late afternoon, my front yard has a lot of sun exposure. This is where lilacs bloom in spring, followed by rhododendron and hydrangea, and by mid-summer rudbeckia and echinacea join the perennial color-riot. In May I plant annual vegetables, herbs and companion plants in raised garden beds. Again, I learn what works through research, and trial and error.

Our neighborhood abounds with bunnies, and a good many hop between our front yard and our neighbors yard. Years ago I learned they devour carrot-tops, lettuce and sweet peas, so I only put in plants they historically avoid; tomatoes, zucchini, basil, thyme, rosemary and sage. Things were looking good in the veggie gardens this spring until one morning I noticed that all three of the Genovese basil I’d inter-planted among tomatoes, were gone! When I saw that the lower leaves of some heirloom tomatoes had been chewed upon, I immediately placed plastic netting around the base of the tomato cages, and they have rebounded.

Then I fashioned a plastic netting cage to the back of my other tomato bed and planted sweet peas and basil inside. They are doing well, and once in a while I see a bunny looking through the net longingly.

I could go on from here, as the bunnies gnawed down my gladiolus and started in on the one artichoke I’d planted just for fun. I net-fenced it along with some chewed upon snapdragons and calendula, and now they’re doing fine. This fall I’ll put in fresh gladiolus bulbs and fashion a bunny-proof fence around that bed. So we Live and Learn! Stay curious and you will never be bored. Thank you Tina for another wide-open challenge. I wish all the green thumbs out there a plentiful harvest.

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

Posted in birds, flowers, Gardening, landscape gardening, Lens-Artists, Lens-Artists Photo Challenge, nature, nature photography, outdoors, pacific northwest, photography | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

~ Lens-Artists Challenge # 351: Into the Woods ~

Posted on July 25, 2025 by Lindy Le Coq

As I write this post, I am in a small cabin at the summit of Willamette Pass in central Oregon State (USA) 5,000 ft. above sea level and surrounded by the Deschutes National Forest. Nearby, the cold sparkling water of Crescent Creek flows by our camp.

Once again, my sister Diana, & brother-in-law, Les host me and their daughter Marie at camp and take us out in their boat (with all the gear) to guide us on the search for Kokanee trout in Odell Lake.

Marie & I had our lines in the water at 7:00 and when we all decided to head in at 10:30, we had brought in 26 nice sized fish. In our family, fishing is a team sport; it required Les navigating the boat to happy fishing grounds, and dear Diana netting 26 unhappy fish.

Marie and I went right to work cleaning and packaging our harvest!

In the afternoon Daisy took me on a nice (though hot) walk through the forest. The trees are Lodgepole Pine, and several varieties of Spruce. I knew Blue Spruce (Daisy is walking by one) and with the help of Picture This, I learned there are Engelmann spruce and White spruce here also. Maybe others. The two little ones (Center above) are White spruce behind Lodgepole pine. This forests is a jumble of old, young, seedlings and dead trees in meadows of grass and underbrush. These majestic stands of evergreens provide quiet and calm for the human spirit at the same time they supply food and shelter for other living creatures.

As I pack up and prepare to head back to my own little back yard woods, I thank Egídio for an absolutely perfect challenge for me this week. I hope everyone finds a place where there is forest to bathe them in tranquility.

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

Posted in fishing, Lens-Artists, Lens-Artists Photo Challenge, nature, nature photography, outdoors, pacific northwest, photography, travel, trees | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

~ Wordless Wednesday ~ Lindy & Daisy Go Fishing ~

Posted on July 24, 2025 by Lindy Le Coq

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

Posted in Beagles, nature, nature photography, outdoors, pacific northwest, photography, travel, Wordless Wednesday | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

~ Lens-Artists Challenge #356: Quiet Hour ~

Posted on July 17, 2025 by Lindy Le Coq

Quiet Hour – a welcome break in often fast and furious days. Since I’m retired, I can make time for quietness whenever I choose to – one of the many blessings of this phase in my life. My blog is about being, although doing is part of being, being is more than doing. Making space for quiet time is an integral part of the shift from doing to being. SH, a brave guest-host this week, invites us to share, through our photography, how we experience Quiet in our lives.

A bench on Orcas Island, WA facing Rosario Strait, welcomes wanderers to stop for a moment and soak in the peace and quiet of this lovely place.

It’s early morning, the sun is just up and mist lifts from the waters of Odell Lake in central Oregon. Stillness is accompanied by the gentle lapping of water on shore.

A Western Swallowtail wafted by me and settled on a branch of holly by my deck. As I watched, it gently fluttered its wings a few times then spread them to absorb sunlight.

There is no breeze, the tide is out and our sun will disappear behind the earth soon.

My go to place for Quiet Hour is right under this bower in my own back yard. Here I rest on a comfortable loveseat, (usually with a beagle beside me) and the lazy splash and sparkle of my pond waterfall before me. City sounds fade into the distance as I read, write, photograph and enjoy this little sanctuary I’ve created with the guidance of nature.

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

A big shout out to SH for suggesting another calming theme for this week’s challenge. It is a big job to take on hosting, and I compliment him for being willing to jump into the fray! To see his original post here.

Posted in butterflies, Lens-Artists, Lens-Artists Photo Challenge, nature, nature photography, outdoors, pacific northwest, pacific ocean, photography, travel, weekly photo challenge | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments