Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 97 (Now That’s A Pine Cone!)

Jeff

foot long pine cone 

Large pine cone found along the Valley Loop Trail

We live in the desert of Arizona and while we have some drought-tolerant pine trees with pine cones, they are nowhere near the size pictured above. Even when we lived on the east coast, we couldn’t find cones this large.

My shoe size is ten-and-a-half, triple E so that may provide a mode of comparison. We were in Bishop, CA several days before reaching Yosemite and they did have pine cones equal to or larger than this as well.

NOTE – While taking a shuttle bus to Glacier Point, the driver explained that it was a violation of federal law to remove anything natural, including pine cones, from the park. National Parks are home to many life forms including insects, rodents, mammals, etc. and they use the resources of the park to create a living environment for themselves. Pine cones, for example provide food for a variety of wildlife.

 
Do you have a question about our visit to Yosemite? Ask it in the comment section.

 

JBRish.com originally published this post
*All photographs Copyright by Jeffrey B. Ross with all rights reserved.

 
See previous Year of Yosemite (YOY) posts HERE. If you want to read the introduction to the YOY series, CLICK HERE.

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STATUS QUOtes — 20161010

Jeff

“Falsehood is the jockey of misfortune.” — Jean Giraudoux

“We may not be able to prepare the future for our children, but we can at least prepare our children for the future.” — Franklin D. Roosevelt

“The few who do are the envy of the many who only watch.” — Jim Rohn

“You don’t have to enhance reality. There is nothing stranger than truth.” — Annie Leibovitz

 

JBRish.com originally published this post

See previous STATUS QUOtes HERE

Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 96 (Beauty Among the Debris)

Jeff

Beauty among nature's debrisEven among the debris, nature leaves behind, beauty stands out!

What I like about this photograph is that even among the debris left behind by nature, the inherent beauty shines through. There are dead trees, debris in the pond left by recent rains and branches dying on nearby growth. Yet the beauty in the background was breathtaking!

The sapling to the left of the water (foreground) should serve to remind all that nature rejuvenates our world when left to her own devices. Yes, Half Dome peering out above the distant mountain watches over the lush, green valley; joy to the world!

 
Do you have a question about our visit to Yosemite? Ask it in the comment section.

 

JBRish.com originally published this post
*All photographs Copyright by Jeffrey B. Ross with all rights reserved.

 
See previous Year of Yosemite (YOY) posts HERE. If you want to read the introduction to the YOY series, CLICK HERE.

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STATUS QUOtes — 20161009

Jeff

“Feelings are just visitors, let them come and go.” — Mooji

“When you play, play hard; when you work, don’t play at all.” — Theodore Roosevelt

“We are like islands in the sea, separate on the surface but connected in the deep.” — William James

“An economist is an expert who will know tomorrow why the things he predicted yesterday didn’t happen today.” — Dr. Laurence J. Peter

 

JBRish.com originally published this post

See previous STATUS QUOtes HERE

Wildlife Photography by Tommy Simonsen with a Fuji X-T2**

Jeff

One of my keen interests is photography and JBRish readers know that I am interested in upgrading my hobbyist gear to something more in the “enthusiast” to “semi-professional” range. As part of that search for the camera and technology ecosystem in which I would like to invest, I have been leaning toward the Fuji X-T2 although there are other contenders as of late. This is an important decision because purchasing a camera is often the least expensive acquisition when moving to a new system. There are lenses, accessories, additional batteries, filters, etc.

That, however, is not what this post is about. I want to share with you a few images. It just so happens that because I read many, many articles about the Fuji X-T2, they are from a Fuji user who enjoys wildlife photography.

First, the pictures…

baby seal with mother

Don’t these seals always look sad? This mom and her pup were wary, but knew the photographer was at a distance.

The three wolf musketeers

The picture of these wolves was my favorite basically because I am partial to them.

arctic lynx?

It does look like everyone/everything wants to be a photographer. I wrote about that HERE as well.

**NOTE** – These pictures are the property of Tommy Simonsen and one can and should assume that they are copyrighted with ALL rights reserved. I am using them on my blog in an effort to share photography I personally consider to be interesting and/or excellent.

These are just a few examples of what Tommy Simonsen, photographer and blogger, was able to capture using the Fuji X-T2. What camera was used is not significant and this is not a pro-Fuji or anti-anyone post. What I am pointing to are the wonderful pictures he was able to capture. If you read photographer Simonsen’s post,Extreme field test of the Fujifilm X-Pro2 and X-T2, you will see many more and if you are interested in the gear, well…there is plenty of that too.

If you are interested in reading about my Photographic Conundrum, you can find all parts of the story at these links.

My Photography Conundrum – Part 1

My Photography Conundrum – Part 2

My Photography Conundrum – Part 3

My Photography Conundrum – Part 4 (Final)

 

JBRish.com originally published this post

See previous Photography posts HERE
See more of Jeff’s pictures on Instagram

Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 95 (Stone Bridge)

Jeff

Beautiful Stone BridgeStone work fits in so nicely in our national parks and this bridge is no exception!

It is a wonder that structures built so long ago with natural materials have held up so well. I so admire the stone work in our parks that enhance the beauty without distracting from the inherent wildness of the area.

When I came upon the scene of the bridge peeking out between the two trees, the natural frame drew my attention immediately. Especially nice (IMHO) is the dappled sunlight highlighting the colors and textures of the stone itself!

PS – Love the brown earth tones!

 
Do you have a question about our visit to Yosemite? Ask it in the comment section.

 

JBRish.com originally published this post
*All photographs Copyright by Jeffrey B. Ross with all rights reserved.

 
See previous Year of Yosemite (YOY) posts HERE. If you want to read the introduction to the YOY series, CLICK HERE.

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STATUS QUOtes — 20161008

Jeff

“Let us go singing as far as we go: the road will be less tedious.” — Virgil

“Happiness, that grand mistress of the ceremonies in the dance of life, impels us through all its mazes and meanderings, but leads none of us by the same route.” — Charles Caleb Colton

“One cannot and must not try to erase the past merely because it does not fit the present.” — Golda Meir

“What can you say when your husband says: ‘You can’t expect me to remember your birthday, when you never look any older?’” — Toni Anderson

 

JBRish.com originally published this post

See previous STATUS QUOtes HERE

Backseat Triplet Fight Stopper – Life Hack

Jeff

Many parents will probably recognize this situation and the need for a resolution. What would you do if you had triplets in the back seat of a car and they often got into a scuffle? Well, Jack White seems to have arrived at a solution some refer to as genius. What do you think?

Triplet Anti Fight Hack
Triplet Anti Fight Hack by Jack White

Via Buzz Feed News


See more JBRish humor posts here HERE

Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 94 (Dog Lake Expanse)

Jeff

Expanse of Dog LakeUnlike yesterday’s post (YOY #93) this shows the expanse of Dog Lake

Yesterday’s photograph of Dog Lake, while picturesque, did not display the full expanse of the lake itself. I thought I would show a picture taken from a similar vantage point at the lake to allow readers to appreciate the complete beauty of the mid-afternoon scene.

 
Do you have a question about our visit to Yosemite? Ask it in the comment section.

 

JBRish.com originally published this post
*All photographs Copyright by Jeffrey B. Ross with all rights reserved.

 
See previous Year of Yosemite (YOY) posts HERE. If you want to read the introduction to the YOY series, CLICK HERE.

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