Best of 2016: Second Cut

Posted on by kritterspaw

My Best of 2016 post, posted ….here and Honorable mentions …here, have been such a huge hit they have even inspired a Best of 2016: Restaurants post … here.

Many have asked if these are your Best of 2016, what kind of photos didn’t make the cut?  So, by popular demand… here are a few that didn’t make the ‘Best of’… the Second Cut, as I call them.

serelepots2PSi.JPG1.  Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia

lthsclPSi.JPG2. Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia

seatreeesPS_IR.jpg3. Cape Breton Eastern Shore, Nova Scotia

crwn clsPS_IR.jpg4. Mt. Hood, Oregon

bodegarays cloPS.JPG5. Bodega Bay, Northern California

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6. Fall on Mogollon Rim, Northern AZ

 

mosslog long2PSi.JPG7. Maple Drop, Mogollon Rim

 

burnartPS.jpg8.  Burnt Art, Mogollon Rim  AZ

SnowBurst.jpg9. Snow Burst, Happy Jack  AZ

toadstoalsPS.jpg10. Toadstools, Utah

smoked treePSi.JPG11. Smoked Tree, Mogollon Rim AZ

rockshadowPSi.JPG12. Harris Beach, Northern CA

stars2PS.jpg13. Lake Powell,  AZ

 

This is been such a fun exercise for me… it’s actually made me feel better about my photos.. so thanks for all the likes and comments.   What I have found most interesting has been the differences in people’s taste.  Some liked some of my Honorable Mentions better than my Top 10 picks… including my husband, who liked some of my Second Cut (didn’t even make Honorable Mentions) photos best.  And that… is what makes it so difficult to choose ‘Best of’, because depending on your tastes or moods of the moment, one might pick different favorites.

Next up, I’ll collect a Best of Animals post to highlight all the amazing animals we saw in 2016.

If you didn’t see the original posts that this is a sequel to.. check them out here, here… AND here.

Feel free to choose your faves… I love to hear what people think. :)

 

 

 

Best of 2016

Posted on by kritterspaw

I was recently talking to my friend, Maureen, about Best Photos of 2016.  It’s an interesting topic and one worth taking pause to think about.   We are fortunate and active enough to take quite a few trips per year, and with them lots of photos.  So I have lots to choose from for a Best of collection.  The hard part, if not impossible, is trying to pick which ones make the cut.  Nonetheless, I think it is an important and relevant task that should be part of my annual objectives… pick your best of the year.  It does two things, allows one to reflect on the year past… all the special moments, great experiences, and cool things we did… and identify my best photos.

So I decided to take on the task.  Looking at my 2016 photos, I was delighted to see how many I really liked and that indeed I did come away with some great shots on the many awesome trips we took.  In fact, I got so many I liked, I am able to break this blog into two .. and share my TOP 10 here… and another TOP Honorable Mentions on my sister blog, here.

So without further ado… here are my Best of 2016 (Top 10), in no particular order.  What do you think?

Alstrom Sunrise Pano PEPSi.jpg1. Alstrom Point, Lake Powell

Mesa Arch Pano_PEi.jpg2.  Mesa Arch, Canyonlands  Utah

reflctnpondPSi.JPG3. Mogollon Rim, Northern Arizona

treesaddlePSi.JPG4. Mogollon Rim, Northern Arizona

boatrekPSi.JPG5. Peggy’s Cove,  Nova Scotia

mossfingersPSi.JPG6. Olympic Peninsula, Washington State

iredaleshinePSi.JPG7. Peter Iredale wreck, Ft Stevens  Oregon

leafsplash2PSi.JPG8. Leaf splash, Northern California

golfbayPSi.JPG9. Lunenburg, Nova Scotia

qfalls mistPSi.JPG10.  Quinault Rain Forest, Washington

So that’s it.. my selected 2016 Top 10.  To see the honorable mentions, check it out here.

The coolest part about this exercise, were the number and amount of great photos I left behind that I could have chosen.  Love it when that happens.

So what do you think.. weigh in… what are your favorites?

Bull Pen

Posted on by kritterspaw

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Finally… an outing!  We have been ‘home alone’ sort of speak for too long.  So we took the truck out and did a quick jaunt to Bull Pen for a simple lunch outing.

Bull Pen is just outside of Camp Verde and has several trails that go down to Clear Creek.  There is nothing like sitting outside the babbling of the water rushing across boulders forming their own waterfall.  It’s peaceful and relaxing… just what the dr. ordered.

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We were surprised how many people were actually there for during the week.  We found a nice spot to ourselves and relaxed in this beautiful environment, if only for a few hours.

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From the Archives: Venice, ITALY

Posted on by kritterspaw

I have a friend going to Venice, Italy this year, so I thought I’d post some old pix from my last trip, years ago now.  All my friends seem to be taking these great International trips… seems I’m the one staying home for a change.  Maybe I need to some planning.  Hmmmm.

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I love Venice.  It’s a magical place.  Just sitting in St. Mark’s square having a coffee watching the people go by… or the dueling music at night, can be very entertaining.

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But it’s so much more… it’s the architecture, the gondolas, the city on the water, the food stalls, and artisan shops filled with masks, glass blowing, and hand made papers.  It is a festival for the eyes and the senses.

gondola dude_Ssi.JPG    gondola clos_Ssi.JPG

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I hope she enjoys it as much as we did.  But then, how could you not.

Have fun!… and get lots of GREAT pix.

From the Archives: Australia

Posted on by kritterspaw

It’s been awhile since I have been to Australia, but it is a place I revere with great affection.  It’s got everything… great views, wonderful scenery, awesome and diverse food, and the best people anywhere.  It’s super friendly, great climate, and lots to do and see.

I wrote about it here.    My friend, Pat, is making her first trip with her family to Australia and asked me where she should go.  That’s always a tough question, but got me to thinking where to recommend.treeharborbrgi.JPG

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Anyone going to Australia will be hitting Sydney, and with it, automatically see the Harbor Bridge, the Opera House and the boardwalk or Circular Quay.  But while there, I might recommend the Harbor bridge climb or the unfortunately now defunct Mutiny on the Bounty harbor cruise (see below).

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The Queen Victoria Building isn’t much more than a shopping mall, but it is home to this ancient and fascinating clock>

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When I was there some years back, we also took an excursion to Symbio, because I wanted to see koala’s and kangaroo’s.  It was little more than a zoo… but I got to pet kangaroo’s, so it was fun.

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Of course if one was to do excursions Bondi Beach and Darling Harbor are also great outings.  The Three Sisters in the Blue Mountains is a beautiful outdoor destination out of Sydney.

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My knowledge is all quite old.  I’m quite sure my friend will bring home her own great experiences and be telling me the places to go.  All I have are my memories of the places I have been, and they are all cherished indeed.

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Woodpeckers are in

Posted on by kritterspaw

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redseed2PSi.JPGYou can tell when the weather is nice, even if only for a short period of time… the birds and squirrels come out in droves to collect seeds and food before the storms return.  They are fun to watch as they happily hop around soaking up the fleeting sunshine.

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We have red headed Acorn Woodpeckers and Northern Flickers in these parts.

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… and the occasional endearing dear and crazy squirrel .

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Journey goes on a Journey

Posted on by kritterspaw

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The life of a dog named Journey…

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We recently took a long road trip up through the WA and OR coasts.  Our dog, Journey went along for the ride.  Along the way she had lots of firsts.  She rode her first elevator – and wasn’t so sure about it when her feet went out from under her.

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She ran on the beach and collected sticks.  She loved the feel of the sand beneath her toes… but wasn’t crazy when the waves chased her back and got her feet wet.

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She saw waterfalls and rainforests for the first time.

She did wineries and lighthouses, hikes and trails.

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She met friends everywhere she went… and introduced us to them.

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South Oregon Coast

Posted on by kritterspaw

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The Southern Oregon Coast is as picturesque as the Northern Coast, but with smaller towns and more nature walks and trails throughout.  Again we are impressed by the magnitude of State Parks along the way, and Oregon’s celebration of their coastline.

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The Southern Coast has more lighthouses, and more spurious rocks in the ocean jutting out, ocean spraying from their jagged edges, vs. Northern coast’s individually named singular rocks like Rockaway, and Haystack.  This coast is more rugged, with windy roads and frequent pull outs.

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Several lighthouses are part of State Parks including campgrounds and walking trails to allow one to spend time to appreciate and enjoy the super scenic area, complete with beach, rock formations, and lighthouse trails.

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