Santa Train

Yesterday was quite the adventurous day with a lot of playing taxi and driving people here and there. While waiting for the the road home to open up due to an accident we went down to the Roots of Motive Powers "Santa Train" in Willits. Santa Claus came in on the steam train for the kids and the childlike adults. They were serving much needed hot chocolate and cookies that were enjoyed by all. Lenore, Grandma, Annika and friend Manzy rode the train while I stayed on the ground and did some photography. The cab crew invited me to ride in the locomotive but I declined because it was going to be the last run of the day and I wanted to photograph it. It turned out great because it was so cold out making the steam really stand out. God's blessings and a Merry Christmas to all, chris For you steam fans the #7 locomotive was built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works. It was built in May, 1910 and is a type 2-6-2T

Let it Snow

Yesterday morning around eleven thirty the snow storm moved in and it came steadily down. Snow falling on Redwwods! It was just so beautiful. I squeezed in just a little time photographing a Steller's Jay in the afternoon They are such an under appreciated beautiful bird. God's love and blessings to all, chris

Equipment Used-Canon EOS 7D and a Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM lens, Canon 28-135 IS Lens. Camera Setting- ISO 400, AV Mode, F stop varied upon image.

Frosty Morn

We awoke this morning to cold temperatures and the cloudy tendrils of an incoming storm. I called to Badger and he bounced around me as we walked out to the pick up. He was ready for an adventure. We drove down the ridge towards town.I was hoping to find some good frost to photograph. Along the way I stopped to photograph the rock. I have photographed the rock numerous times over the years. I think I really need to ask permission from the property owner and go out into the field and photograph it from really close up. It would make a great foreground for a beautiful image. Afterwards we made a short tour of the valley where nothing really caught my interest. On the return trip I stopped off on the banks of Willits Creek to photograph the frosty leaves. They were incredibly beautiful. Enjoy and God bless, chris Equipment Used-Canon EOS 7D and a Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM lens, 100mm Macro Lens. Camera Setting- ISO 400, AV Mode, F stop varied upon image.

Trees in the Valley Down Below

I went for a quick drive through the Little Lake Valley yesterday morning as a break from my many domestic chores for the day. We have had unseasonably low temperatures this week resulting in some beautiful frost covering the valley floor. Several friends reported that it was snowing in the valley yesterday from the fog freezing creating little mini snow flurries. There is snow in the forecast for tomorrow. This may necessitate the wearing of long pants sooner this year than expected. May God bless you and keep you warm in heart, chris

Sunrise Over the Arcata Marsh

Last Sunday I arose early so that I could capture the sunrise over the Arcata Marsh. I really enjoy being out on the marsh in the early morning hours. It brings back good memories of when I was a young boy out duck hunting with my Dad and older brothers. We would walk out in the dark by flash light in the freezing cold. We would sit in the blind and watch and wait for the sun come up over the marsh. God's blessings, chris

Fresh Duck for Breakfast

Sunday morning I was up bright and early to capture the sunrise at the Arcata Marsh. On my way out I stopped at a convenient pull out on one of the ponds to photograph some Green Wing Teal that were right on the ponds edge. As I was photographing them there was a major commotion off to the right and behind them. All of the ducks in that vicinity were making a very fast exit from the area. Up popped a River Otter with a wing sticking out of its mouth swimming my way. It swam to shore and bit the neck of the hapless duck. Later on from my images I was able to figure out that it was a female Ruddy Duck. The otter chewed off the head and sat there for quite a while relishing eating it. It gnawed on it for quite awhile. It took a few breaks putting the head down down only to pick it up and start chewing on it again. It chomped away until only parts of the beak were left. Abruptly it slipped into the water and swam away. What an amazing sight to see. God's love and blessings to all, chris Equipment Used-Canon EOS 7D and a Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM lens. Camera Setting- ISO 400, AV Mode, F5.6

Gift

I have discovered over the years that the more time you spend out in nature the better your chances of seeing many of the special events that God provides. There are the many beautiful sunrises and sunsets along with rainbows and wildflowers blooming. There are also the ones that aren't necessarily pretty but they are magnificent in their own way, usually resulting in the death of one creature by another in order to eat or feed their young. This last weekend we made the journey up to the Humboldt Bay area of Northern California for a short weekend. While sitting next to the bay a gull swooped down to the rocky beach with a Red Rock Crab in its beak. For the next half hour I was treated to how a gull dismembers and eats a crab. The key thing I noticed right away was that the gull held the crab by it's rear end in the beginning, staying well clear of those front claws. After landing the gull flipped the crab onto its back and worked it's way up the abdomen. Tearing off the legs and abdomen plates as it went upward. In the end all that was left was carapace. It probed its beak thoroughly into that as well for each and every last morsel of that poor crab. God bless, chris

Equipment Used- Canon 7D, Canon 100-400 L IS, Manfrotto 055XPROB Tripod with a 3055 Ballhead. Camera Setting- ISO 400, AV Mode, F5.6