The Great Wheel in Seattle

Our first stop of the extended vacation was to the Seattle area. My brother and sister-in-law just had their first son, so spending a few days there didn't take a lot of thought. While in Seattle, we decided to spend a little time on the waterfront and saw The Great Wheel for the first time. The weather was perfect, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. From The Great Wheel, we had perfect views of the city, waterfront, and cascades. If you've never been on The Great Wheel, I recommend it; the cars can hold up to 8 people, but we were able to have our own (2 people). Also a nice surprise - the cars are air conditioned! The only downside is that there is a slight glare when trying to take pictures, but really that just means that you should put down the camera and enjoy the view for what it is!

Cannon Beach Haystack Rock

I've been on vacation for about a week and a half, and haven't really taken many pictures. We're on our last day of vacation, and ended up at Cannon Beach. When the tide went out, we went out to check the tide pools near Haystack Rock. If you've ever been there, you know that there is an abundance of starfish, sea anemones, and if you're lucky sand dollars (I only found one). It has been overcast and foggy along the beach today, but I won't let that ruin the last day of vacation!

Michael Franti and Spearhead at the Les Schwab Amphitheater

On Wednesday August 22nd, I had the pleasure of going to the LSA (Les Schwab Amphitheater) and hearing Michael Franti and Spearhead perform. I had never heard Franti Perform live, but my boyfriend assured me it would be an amazing time. He was right; the mood and vibes were amazing. I would almost say he sounds better live! If you ever have the opportunity to go see him and his band, I highly recommend going.
I only took a few photos, and then put my camera away to fully enjoy the show! Enjoy!

Balloons Over Bend

So, my intent was to go to Balloons Over Bend for the morning launches and night glow and take lots of pictures. Instead, I ended up volunteering with one of the balloon crews, and I have to say - I didn't end up with as many pictures as I wanted, but I had so much fun! If given the opportunity again, I would do it in a heartbeat!
Filling up the balloon (my perspective):

Watching the balloon with the mountains as a backdrop (as part of the chase crew):

Retrieving the balloon after landing:

Did I mention I got to go up on Sunday?!

Overall my weekend was filled with good people, and great memories. It was definitely a weekend to remember!

Around Dillon Falls at Sunrise

I've never been much of a morning person, but maybe that will change soon. I went out to Dillon Falls around sunrise, but couldn't get a good morning light shot over the moving waters and rapids. However, this lovely image is from the calm area before the river's current picks up! Now that I know waking up around 4AM (before the sun is up), won't kill me, I might have to try it out more often. Everything is so calm and peaceful around that time.

To see this photo on facebook, click HERE

Tumalo Falls

Before this trip, I had only been to Tumalo Falls in the Winter - Park 2-3 miles out and walk/hike to the falls. In the Summer it's much easier. You can drive and park right at the falls, and if you're feeling up to it, hike about 1/4 mile up for a view at the top of the falls. Both are beautiful views that I recommend seeing if you are in the area!

Smith Rock Around Sunset

I finally made my way out to Smith Rock. I look at it from a distance daily from my house, but I had never made the effort to get out there, until now. Once I got there, the sight was breathtaking - I will definitely be making a return visit!

Sparks Lake at Sunrise

I woke up around 3:30AM so I could head up to Sparks Lake and watch the sunrise. Unfortunately, it was far too cloudy to see any spectacular colors. However, there was no wind and the lake was so calm; the reflections on the water were flawless.

It's Beginning to Feel like Summer

It was a wonderful 81˚ today in Bend. With a light breeze, I really couldn't ask for better weather. As the sun began to set, the clouds started drifting in a bit. Here is an image made by merging 3 photos (3 different exposures) so the foreground doesn't appear as dark. I haven't experimented with merging images much, but I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.
Feel free to let me know what you think!

Supermoon Over Pilot Butte

I've heard over and over that the moon tonight is supposed to be as close to Earth as it will get this year. So, I went outside after sunset to observe and admire its beauty (and take pictures, of course).

Moon-rise over Pilot Butte:

Honesty, I was expecting the moon to look a little bigger than usual, which it didn't seem to be (in my opinion). But, there is no denying that it was still a beautiful sight!