A Walk In The Forest
It’s one of those super-crazy-foggy days today. The type of day where the fog is so dense it precipitates and falls like light rain from the sky. On top of that the wind is eerily still giving the impression of a world that’s waiting…waiting…waiting. Days like this are best spent inside drinking hot chocolate and cozying up with your honey, but our furry friends often demand differently. So, when doggie finally pesters me off my backside I embrace the mood and go deep into the forest. Here the fog can envelop you inside the trees giving the impression of being inside a blanket within a blanket. Here you can lose your thoughts and meditate on your inner self. And Cape Blanco is just the place to do it!
One of the unique things about Cape Blanco is that you get a perfect mix of cliffs, beach and forest all in one spot. You can literally hike for miles in the latter, losing yourself in the cozy protection of the tree-lined paths. There are lots of official trails, but also many more “hidden” ones and the longer you spend here the more of them you discover. Whether foggy or dappled in sunlight these forest trails force you to look at the smaller things -> mushrooms peeking through the undergrowth, a slug stretching across pine needles, spots of light illuminating the moss. It’s uniquely beautiful in its own way and can make for some fun photography if you’re willing to get down on your knees and capture it.
I managed to persuade Gunta (and doggie Sissy) to come down for just such a photo shoot earlier this week. While the doggies ran and chased each other in the forest, we ambled along the path looking for interesting mushrooms and small things to capture our lenses. I always enjoy these kind of photo outings with friends. Paul often becomes bored brainless by my photography especially when I’m crawling around on the ground for 20 mins trying to capture that perfect flower shot
“Just a few more minutes, honey. This photo is going to rock!”
“Ummmm, yeah….” responds the near-zombie hubby
Doggie, on the other hand, is the perfect photo buddy as she is completely in tune with my habits and quite happy to sniff out interesting minutae while I take my time in the weeds. And, of course, other photo buddies are equally perfect. Gunta considers it perfectly normal when I’m wedged in-between the trees for 15 mins trying to angle a mushroom shot
“Take your time, I’ve got a really interesting a pine cone right over here…”
But of course the real beauty in the forest is its calm. When I was a kid I used to spend hours by myself in the forest near our summer house in Denmark and I still get that same sense of deep peace when I go into one today. No matter what the weather, when I step into those trees they envelop me in their silence and I am home. Photo buddy or not, a walk in the forest is a balm for the soul, but I’m still glad I got to capture a few shots along the way. Enjoy!
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Your photos are awesome! Have you ever considered selling them?
I think about it sometimes, but never get around to the actual doing. Maybe one day. Thanks for the lovely compliment 🙂
Nina
I can so relate to the impatient spouse while I’m taking photographs!! We are headed your way in a day or two – will probably be there either Monday or Tuesday. Ashland is fun but hot – can’t wait to get back to the coast and cooler temps. And of course to see you two again!
Yeah!! You guys are coming! Can’t wait. See you soon.
Nina
Oregon has it all! Beautiful photos, as always.
OR sure is a state rich in natural beauty. Plus they’ve done such a great job of preserving it. Love it here! Nina
Oh how much richer we are by noticing the little thing on the forest floor!!
You just can’t go on a fast walk through the woods, you miss too much.
Thank you for sharing your time in the woods.
I agree. I love to amble along in the forest. You get to enjoy so much more of the smaller life in there.
Nina
So love to see the little beauties in a forest and foggy days are best. Excellent shots.
Indeed. Fog and clouds are sometimes the absolute best times to photograph the little stuff.
Nina
Such a very CUTE shot of Sissy (thank you for that!) Love every single one of your macros, though that first one seems to providing a lesson in perseverance, or something similar. Thanks also for the lovely photo walks I’ve enjoyed so very much with you!
It’s been so much fun to have you as a photo buddy, Gunta. Plus I love the fact that Sissy and Polly get along so well. They’ve become firm doggie friends.
Nina
Oh I love those tiny shots of life that most people walk right by. Thanks for taking the time to draw us in. Hmmmm… little Sissy looks a bit like a tiny, feminine Lewis. Polly has her preferences doesn’t she!
Sue.
Yeah, I think Polly has a real sweet spot for poodles. They’ve had so much fun together.
Nina
It’s interesting how places like where we hung out during our childhood keep calling us back. For me it’s the Sonoran Desert in Arizona where I grew up, and it’s tugs pretty hard this time of year…
Box Canyon Mark
Nature has a way of winding itself into the deepest places in our soul. It’s a beautiful thing.
Nina
With you on one coast and Sherry on the other, readers who can’t “walk in the woods” reap the benefit of “almost being there”. Thank you for taking us a long. (Lost my first post-Passwords will be the death of me!)
Lovely sentiments! I have quite a few blogger friends on the East coast right now. It sure is fun to follow along.
Nina
Love your photographic efforts. Seems it’s never to hot, cold, or wet to chase that elusive shot even tho otherwise my comfort zone is increasingly getting narrower. Looks like a gorgeous area. May need to consider doing a stint there.
Photography is like meditation to me. I forget about the wet, the cold, the lot! And generally I’m a weather wimp too. Nothing absorbs me quite as quickly as a good photo session.
Nina
Sissy is lovely!
My friend also go zombie-like when I trying to get the right angle of a photo I can live with that 😎
Do you remember the name of the location in Denmark?
All the best,
Hanna
PS Great photos by the way 😛
Our house was in Kalvehave, a small fishing town on the south end of Zealand. Very close to Møn (one of my favorite places in the world) Lovely spot!
I took some pics from my home area when I went back to Denmark in 2011:
https://www.wheelingit.us/2011/08/30/hej-fra-danmark/
Nina
Beautiful pictures, I’m especially drawn to the shroom and the fern curls. You have such a good eye for the right shot!
Thank you! I enjoyed that fern shot too.
Nina
I do believe this is the season of the fungi! So many blogs have had gorgeous colors and shapes of all types of fungi. I like the shroom with the dots.
Great finds to photograph. I love that you chose tiny parts of nature.
Beautiful photos, Nina:) Cute Sissy!!
Yes, the moisture seems to be just right at the moment. I’m seeing new mushrooms in the forest everyday. They just springing up everywhere!
Nina
I have noticed the same thing in the forest of the North Carolina mountains, a lot of mushroom & some I’ve never seen before. Maybe it’s more rain than normal.
Here in OR we’ve had an unusually dry summer, but this month we’re finally seeing a bit more moisture. Wonder if the shrooms have all been lying in wait? They’re certainly happy now!
Nina
Beautiful photography. Just lovely.
Wow what a great photographer you are. I’ve discovered your blog a little while back (and Technomadia) and have been following your travels. My husband and I are interested in work camping at areas like this so these last couple weeks have been very informative for us. Thanks for the great blog and keep up the great pics!
Glad the blog posts have been useful. Workamping is a great way to stay longer-term in beautiful spots. We were very careful choosing our jobs (and our spots), and it’s paid out tenfold! We love this area!
Nina
Sissy is sure a cute dog- great capture. I can attest to the fogginess on that day. We were there and freezing in shorts and t-shirt!! Sorry we didn’t wait around for you to come on duty but we were not dressed for it – such wimps!
I don’t know why I am still so amazed at just what you can do with a camera. 🙂 I too love walking in the woods or along the beach on a particularly foggy day.