Winnemucca Lake Wildlife

A few furry friends and one not so kind one, encountered  just recently during the last backpacking trip.

The obnoxious bird with it’s screeching call. You could hear him sitting in the tree above the tent, screaming of the top of his little lungs that had an unusually loud, echoing call. Dropping pine needles and other things onto the tent, we had no choice but to laugh and it appeared that he was trying hard to get us to leave what he might have considered his territory. We even got bombed by him during the day and he pooped on one of us in midair hahaha. The next morning and after all failed attempts to annoy us enough to leave, he had left another little bomb right on our camp stove. I should elaborate on this encounter and I’m sure it would make a funny post for my friend Linda. If you haven’t checked her Guest in Jest series and need a good laugh, please make sure to stop by.

A little chipmunk, contemplating life while watching the sunset. I wrote more about him here and learned that the word “Spunk” can have different meanings. Haha.

A sweet little hummingbird that was nearly impossible to photograph. I spend a good portion of the morning situating myself within close distance and waiting patiently for it to sit for a fraction so I could snap a quick picture. Hummingbird, also  a spirit animal encountered and a feature post about it’s symbolic meaning.

Hello pretty yellow Birdie….💙

A Bugs Life….

Hello Ms. Pics. A rare sight and in all my hikes, I have maybe seen three or four at the most. They are small in size and you can easily identify them by their huge ears.

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Rise above it

Not always easy to do, but always a choice to consider. 

Dots in the night

The last daylight had vanished and the moon illuminated the night sky. Clouds were aglow while catching the round balls reflection and shimmering in hues of pink and neutral. Life was good, but mostly peaceful and serene during these quiet hours in the wild. 

I stood for awhile and starred at Polaris. I finally had found it and better yet, I knew how to locate it. My “True North” was no longer just living within my heart, but it  also had it’s place in the universe and was always shining down on me. 

Looking at this picture from that night, it was a few weeks later that I noticed a dotted line in the bottom right corner. At first glance, I thought I had captured a shooting star and I did see a few that night. But the angle wasn’t right and the line was dotted instead of being straight. I looked closer and came to the conclusion that it was an airplane that had travelled by. With the long exposure and the lens wide open, the camera recorded it’s flight through the night with tiny little dots from it’s blinking lights. Pretty neat and pretty soon tiny little dots will mark the sky on my journey back to Germany. 🛩

As nighttime falls in the wild

Here we are, and finally we have arrived at the Photo project that I’ve mentioned several weeks ago. You probably forgot all about it, but the suspense has been on my mind as I was leading up to this sequence of events and take you along for the trip. If you followed my last couple of posts, you know by now what Winnemucca Lake looks like, and I will share with you yet another view in the form of a night shot. Earlier in the day, we had backpacked up to this amazing spot to spend the night and enjoy my first full moon adventure. We woke up just in time to photograph the magic hour of golden glow and were now waiting for the full moon to rise over the ridge. The last light was fading and after it disappeared, it took with it what seemed like all the warmth of the sun. The temperatures were dropping as I layered up, preparing to enjoy the moonlit landscape. I watched the mountains to the left of the lake where the moon would rise, and even though all daylight was gone, it never got fully dark enough that I couldn’t see. Once the moon came over the crest, it would be even brighter and no flashlight was needed. I walked freely through the area around the tent, making out rocks and boulders, tree remnants and other trip hazards with ease.

With the tripod in place and all digits dialed into the camera (thank you Marcus and my boss for your help with this), I waited and watched the sky transform. As the shades of darkness intensified, more and more stars appeared. I could still see the clouds moving through, leftovers from the day that brought threatening thunderstorms that never came to be. They surely added drama to my pictures and I love the big, white, puffy clouds. And then it finally happened and like a halo, the moon broke over the ridge. Beams of light hit Mount Round Top and faintly illuminated the area. The lake was lying mostly dark and it would take hours to catch a moon reflection in the calm waters. I knew I wouldn’t be able to stay up that late. The prior nap felt good, but I was still tired and it was getting increasingly colder. I probably would have been OK hiking but instead I was standing in place and with little movement to keep warm. I took a few first shots at different exposure lengths and was excited to be doing it. I shared my successes and findings and allowed the excitement to fill me. After all, it was my first time photographing a somewhat dark night sky with nothing to focus on.

I found Polaris, the North Star that night and what better place to say hello, then out here in the wild! There it was, high up in the sky, shining bright and twinkling among st the constellations. I felt reminiscent as I stood and watched the symbol in the sky that reminded me about my “True North“. About the things that matter and the magic that is to be found in everything. Like a child I was watching in awe while standing in silence. A shooting star was streaking the dark as I closed my eyes and made a wish. I was by myself by now, alone to admire the beauty and serenity, while I let it engulf me and carry me to a place of wonder and magic. Here and there I took a picture for later review to analyze exposure time and settings. I was excited about these first pictures, the new photo project and learning a new technique. Honestly, I thought I would take many more than I did, but I forgot to consider that the ambiance and the power of the moon would capture this moon-child’s heart, mind and spirit to be completely still instead. Not a bad trade off and I’m not complaining. I can live with this being my first nighttime shot.

 

Solid gold…Part II

And one more picture from a closer view which showcases the ridge and the detail behind the lake. I could truly sit and watch for hours, if sunsets could only last this long. 

Bohemian in a nutshell

This sign spoke to me and in a nutshell I believe it describes me, what this blog was founded on and what it stands for. Add Rhapsody to the mix and you have an effusively, enthusiastic outpouring of feelings and emotions. A passion for what you do and what you believe in.

 I can relate to each and every word that is listed and come up with countless examples how they apply to my experiences and the past. Most evoke a grin that is just a tad on the mischievous side and the memories attached, are good ones and touch especially on the unconventional and the wild side. My heart seems to beat for these essential ingredients even more so these days, and they are necessary for me to feel alive and escape the mundane. Other words listed, are things in progress as they are ever evolving and continue to shape me in to who I’m meant to be. I have come to enjoy the journey and it’s a beautiful thing, even when there are times not all is fun and roses. Just like the seasons, those pass as well, making room to new light and to new experiences that for me are attached to all meaning of bohemian. Choose wildly xoxoxoxo 🦋💙

Source: Pinterest 

Solid Gold

We woke up just in time for the magic hour. It’s my favorite and there is such an amazing ambience, a vibe and a mood that is hard to match any other time. Peeking our heads out of the tent, there was not a moment to waste and the mountain range across from Winnemucca Lake was already lit up. I grabbed the camera and hurried out of the tent to find a interesting composition that struck my eye. I wasn’t too picky and the sun was setting quickly, but I did find myself wishing that I had a little more time and had woken up earlier. The nap was great though, but it also stole my opportunity to get some different angles and a variety of photo ops. You get some, you lose some and life is a constant give and take I guess. Why should it be different in nature. In the end I couldn’t complain and believe I captured some magic. It only takes one good shot and I was ok with what I was lucky to experience during the “Solid gold”. It would only be the beginning and what was about to follow under the moon-lit sky, would have no shortage of packing its own magic. Fingers crossed I would be lucky enough to capture a fraction of what I imagined would unfold, for sure I would be a very happy person. But that, and upholding the good cliffhanger fashion, is meant to be told in another post, isn’t it? 😉

Hello Winnemucca Lake

It’s been awhile since I first wrote about our backpacking trip to Winnemucca Lake and you can read the beginning of it here. There are more pictures and stories to share and tonight I will attempt to bring you another little chapter of that trip. After the boulder Meadow, you are literally a short distance away from the top and peaking over the rim. Be prepared once you reach that moment, because if you thought the two mile hike up was breathtaking already, you will be in awe once you see the lake spread out just over the ridge. Dark blue in color, with Mount Round Top dominating above it, it is nestled in granite, surviving glacier fields from last winter and a few small waterfalls that feed into the lake. It is one of those places that just never get old and we were looking forward to spending the night up there. To watch the sunset and camp out over a full moon rising into the star studded night sky, what could be better!

We reached our camp site (our favorite one out of the three) and set up the tent to store our belongings inside without having to lug it around with us. The site and the view was hard to beat and exactly how we remembered. What a night it would be. We spotted a marmot sunning on a nearby rock and I was in heaven. Little did I know that it would sadly be the only one that crossed our paths. Very unlikely compared to the other times and I’m looking forward to make up for this lack another time. We grabbed the lunch that I brought from home, consisting of hamburger bagels, fruit, and salad and our valuables. Towel in hand and camera in tow, we started heading down the short distance to a tiny grass patch right near the waters edge. We were hungry and the spot for a picnic was picture perfect. We had reached heaven for sure. We stayed for hours, cooling off in the water, exploring flowers and plants, taking pictures while watching other people that seemed to come and go without end. Nobody could stay and sit for awhile and off to the next attraction it was. It was early evening when we started to head back to camp and cooked dinner in the form of a hearty soup with saltine crackers. It was perfect and it filled the spot. The plan was to stay up to play in the moonlight, but we were tired from the early start to our day and the hike up with the heavy packs. A nap wouldn’t be a bad idea and we quickly set up the inside of the tent. Sleeping pad and sleeping bag….check. Pillow and items stored we didn’t needed….check, it felt good to just lay down. If the annoying screeching bird outside could take a break as well for a bit, that would be great. I’m not sure what bird it was and I usually love birds, but this one was so loud and obnoxious to say the least that it was hard to find something likable in the loud screaming. Despite the ruckus, we drifted off into slumber-land at some point and luckily woke up just before the golden hour.

Related Post: Heavenly Meadow

To be continued….😉

The long haul

Soon, it will be travel day for the long haul towards the homeland. Germany is around the corner and before I know it, I will find myself sitting in the airport just like I was as I took this picture. I’m governed by mixed emotions for various reasons and wish that like a Jeannie in a bottle, I could wink my eyes and nod my head, while transporting myself in record time to where I need to be. Or for once fall asleep and let time pass while waking up well rested. That sounds pretty awesome too and after all, I do believe that miracles happen around us all the time. So why not this time….anything could happen. We shall see….

And it continues…

The storm is not over yet and more surprises might still be in store. I’m thinking positive vibes here, but I’m preparing. I got “The Pony” back just a little while ago and there are pros and cons. Of course I’m glad to have her back, but she is not fully well yet. 

The pro is that she won’t stall unexpectedly anymore and therefore there won’t be any loss of power steering or power brakes. Definitely a plus as I don’t have to worry being caught of guard which is usually in those moments when you need your brakes and steering the most. 

The con is that she idles too high now, but only if you run it with the air on. Yeah go figure that one and at the moment “The Pony” has turned into a “Mystery Mare”. So if you have any idea as to why this might be happening, please let me in on the secret. Thank you kindly 😉

She got three new parts and at roughly $250 later, paid so far, my mechanic didn’t even charge me for the labor yet. Once she is a 100% and I’m happy with her, we will look at taking care of that he said. I’m still impressed with his service and the kindness and care I have found in his work ethic. He also put $20 in the tank and never even charged me. Wow…almost hard to believe. In the meantime I will drive her for a few days until my next days off and see if the computer will re-learn (it is currently in a learning/reset mode) how to proper….well, how to properly behave I guess. Fingers crossed once more.