Welcome to the first Sunday in May! How did that happen? This week’s Sunday Stills theme is water. Not only will I share some images of water, I will get into the details partially inspired by this week’s Lens-Artists challenge “in the details” over at Patti’s blog.
As a former Aquatics Director for a large, urban parks and recreation department, I want to remind everyone to observe safety as you venture out into the waterways this month. Memorial Day weekend (end of May) here in the US marks the beginning of summer activities, especially around the water as temps rise. Here in my new neighborhood, I saw people already out in their kayaks and fishing boats.
May is National Water Safety Month
People die every year of accidental drowning because they underestimate the cold water, fast currents, or drink too much and enter the water without life vests. Aquatic Professionals all over the world are hypervigilant to keep everyone safe in and around the water and actively promote water safety to their constituents. Please keep yourself, your kids and grandchildren safe!
Overview of Local Waterways
Water exists in all forms here in Eastern Washington, from frozen lakes, rainy days and insane amounts of rivers and lakes. Who needs an ocean?
Let me show you around my new neighborhood of Nine Mile Falls, Washington. As you can see in this featured image, this is the actual Nine Mile Falls dam, for which the town is named. The dam breaks up the Spokane River which originates in Lake Couer D’Alene in Idaho and flows 111 miles into the Columbia River in Oregon.
Nine Mile Falls Dam is a dam on the Spokane River, in the unincorporated community of Nine Mile Falls, Washington. … The 58-foot-high cyclopean masonry dam and its powerhouse, storehouse, ten cottages and other structures were placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990. Built in 1906.
Wikipedia
Nearby Riverside State Park is a favorite destination in the area, complete with fishing and water sports like boating, kayaking and stand-up paddling. This image was from last October while smoke from wildfires in the West enveloped the area.
Long Lake Dam overlook shows the stunning Falls, still slightly frozen in this photo taken in February.
Completed in 1915, the Long Lake spillway dam is 400 feet long, 250 feet thick at the base, and 208 feet from foundation to crest. It is constructed of concrete on a base of solid rock. When built, the spillway dam was the tallest of its type in existence.
Source
Between these two dams on the Spokane River, Long Lake was created. Our home is situated about a quarter mile from this lake!
On this same day trip, we drove to nearby Loon Lake for giant pizza calzones and a look at the frozen area of the lake.
A Rainy Day’s Details
Right in our neighborhood, unofficially called “Tum Tum,” spring has sprung, and with that, some seasonal rain showers. In between showers last week, I took the dogs for a walk on a “new-to-me” trail and enjoyed blossoming trees and wild sunflowers adorning the trail. Have I mentioned that pine trees and sunflowers are my favorites and they live together here? This is how I knew we found the right place to live!
If you look closer at the details, you will see the raindrops on these sunflowers, dubbed “noxious weeds” by locals, but are really “Arrowleaf Balsamroot,” a plant of the Asteraceae (sunflower family). Believe or not, this entire plant is edible and is known for its medicinal properties!
Water droplets also adorn these blossoming ornamental plum trees.
Adding this walk to Jo’s Monday Walk series!
I hope you enjoyed my tour of my rural neighborhood. Just for fun and to enter Lisa’s Bird Weekly Challenge: Birds in Flight, I share an old photo of swallows nesting under a marina boat ramp along the Sacramento River Delta.
Behind the Artwork Details, Part 1
Since we are on the subject of water, I wanted to share more about the details of the three framed prints I posted last week that sit over my dining room table. These three pieces are special to me and two are water-themed. For Part 1, I will share details about the center print. Next week I will share more about the Kinkade prints.
The middle print, 34 x 44, is by Thomas Mangelsen, world-renowned American nature and wildlife photographer.
How did I get this framed print? Years ago, I visited my brother in San Diego who had just purchased a framed print at the Mangelsen Gallery in La Jolla. I accompanied him to pick it up during their gallery show and filled out a raffle ticket. The grand prize was a $500 gift certificate. I won! I looked all over the store but couldn’t find anything at the time. I had a year to claim the prize and at Christmastime, having viewed some prints online, I visited the gallery again and had narrowed my choices down to a couple prints. But then I saw the print you see now.
Not only did the stunning Autumn landscape speak to me but you may just be able to see a moose walking in the shadows.
Turns out Mangelsen had captured this scene along the Snake River near the Idaho-Oregon border. The Snake River eventually feeds into the mighty Columbia River in Oregon. As we hung the print in our new home, I exclaimed to my husband that the moose has come home! Well sort-of. Thar be moose here in Eastern Washington.
This post is also partially inspired by Cee’s Flower of the Day and Jez’ Water Water Everywhere
Sunday Stills Photo Challenge Reminders
- Please create a new post for the theme or link a recent one.
- Title your blog post a little differently than mine.
- Don’t forget to create a pingback to this post so that other participants can read your post. I also recommend adding your post’s URL into the comments.
- Entries for this theme can be posted all week.
- Use hashtag #SundayStills for sharing on social media.
Sunday Stills is a wonderful community of bloggers and photographers who desire to connect with one another. Each week I share the links from the previous post so you can continue to meet and support each other. And with that…meet the:
Lovers of Pets and Kids
- Always Write
- Cats and Trails and Garden Tales
- Cee’s Photo Challenges
- Easin’ Along Image of he and his granddaughter in comments
- Equipoise Life (I missed violet 4/18)
- Equipoise Life
- Graham’s Island
- Hugh’s View and News Image of his cute Corgies in Comments
- Jacquie Biggar, Author
- NEW Joanne’s Crafts and Adventures
- JP the Wide-Eyed Wanderer
- Kamerapromenader
- Light Words
- Loving Life
- Mama Cormier
- Musin’ With Susan
- Natalie the Explorer
- Nut House Central
- NEW Poetry in Pictures
- Travel with Me
- Woolley Muses
Copyright Disclaimer
Images of prints are copyrighted by the original artist. I have permission to publish as a certified owner of the prints.
I look forward to your creative images, stories, comments, music and poetry related to water this week. Remember to please be safe in and around the water!
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