Goin' to the Chapel...

This is my last scheduled post until I return from Oregon around the 8th of September. MY DAUGHTER IS GETTING MARRIED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

God truly blessed me with Autumn. She is the perfect daughter, always carrying herself with grace and dignity. She has her father's blue eyes and intelligence, and my mother's gracious personality. I thought I couldn't be prouder when she graduated Cum Laude from college in 2004. Now, I find myself marveling at her life choices and achievements, feeling incredibly proud, and happier than I could've imagined. She simply excels at everything she does. Jason is a warm, loving person and has fit in beautifully with our family. It's a beautiful thing, man.

Hope you enjoy these engagement photos from the talented Haley Lovett. Location is Crystal Springs Rhododendron Gardens in Portland.

See you all in a few weeks with lots of Portland/wedding photos to share!

Crystal Springs

Moving along with my vacation adventures, I now present to you Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden. Another favorite destination in Portland, I visit this magical place each time I visit. This is the only place that I can hope to get close to the wood ducks, since they are so accustomed to human activity. And of course the flowers are something else. Hope you enjoy!

Wood duck, male and female

Stellar's jay

Red-winged blackbird, female (if not, please correct me)

Stellar's Jay

The Stellar's Jay is a striking bird, closely related to the Blue Jay. It is the only crested jay west of the Rocky Mountains. It was named after the German naturalist Georg Wilhelm Stellar. Primarily residing in coniferous forests, they also inhabit other forested areas. Stellar's Jays are omnivores, with 2/3 of their diet consisting of plant matter and 1/3 animal matter. The nest is usually in a conifer but sometimes they use the hollow of a tree.

These shots were taken at Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden in Portland, OR. Unfortunately, he scampered around in a shaded area, so these are not the sharpest of shots, and the best I could do hand held at a shutter speed of 1/320, ISO 3200, f/8. The rule is to have your shutter speed at or exceeding your focal length, so I'm pleased that these came out as well as they did, considering I was using the 400mm lens fully extended. My poor daughter's Nikon pooped out on her during our visit here, throwing out a shutter error message. It will have to make a trip to the camera hospital soon. :(

The feathering appeared a lighter blue when he was puffed up.

The only shot I was able to get from his back side. So although his face is blurry, I wanted you to see the detail of the feathers.