On A Clear Day

Sunday, January 27, 2019

Imagine my surprise on finding that my small pocket camera had captured several mountains visible from my barn. I shot them casually on a whim and anticipated a throwaway. I’ve tried often to capture this range with a big powerful camera, but always have manipulated lenses and brought images closer, capturing fewer peaks with single shots. And now, this big, good-enough image from a cheap camera!

These mountains, visible from my deck, represent the South Cascades and show a tiny bit of Mt. Bachelor, followed by Broken Top (my favorite), and then, the South, Middle, and North Sisters. I didn’t bother to snap more peaks, visible stretching north, that include Black Butte, Mt. Washington, Mt. Hood, and on a few super-clear days a smidgit of Mt. Hood.

Befoere moving to Central Oregon, I lived in big cities and mostly knew flat country. I was neither outdoorsy nor interested in mountains, but seeking a home less expensive than my big city offered. Accidentally winding up with an easy view of the entire Cascades was of little interest for me.

Eventually, I began understanding that the Cascades are a many faceted bonus. They’re beautiful from a distance, lovely to drive through, and fun to explore on horseback. They’re an ongoing source of interest as a presence that renders, between its west and east sides, distinctly different patterns of weather, flora, and fauna. Plus and noteably, not all its volcanos are extinct.

My affection increased during attempts to photograph the Cascades. These mountains seem mysterious (more or less) depending on the weather, cloudiness, camera location, and a photographer’s mood. Simply put, the range captured my attention from looking closely, learning to appreciate its multi-faceted beauty and potential.

And finally, I’ve captured a sizable portion of the range with a pocket camera!

Dear Readers, have a wonderful day, Diana.