Tag Archives: Photography

Where are the Hamsters?

August 28, 2016 Odee Leave a comment

Woof! We made it back to the USA after our trip to that big country above us. We had fun in that Scooty place, we drove all over and I got to hike and swim at many different places. We saw places I could not swim, where the water was not clear at all. The water was red just like the earth is at home, that was strange. My human said that was because this thing called tide came in and out so fast it stirred things up. We saw one place where the rivers ran backwards sometimes, woof that was really strange. Now we are in places that look more like our mountains. The water is clear, but right now there is not much water in the streams. Matt said it is because there has not been much rain.

We drove a lot when we left Canada (that is what my human called the place where Scooty is.) We drove through that Maine place because it was so busy and hot. Then we came to a state called New Hamster. It was much busier with humans, cars, and dogs than the Nova Scooty place was. When we got to the New Hamster Matt was getting a little discouraged but he said we were going to make the best of it so we stopped and he took pictures even when it was crowded. Then we started looking for a campground to spend the night and it looked like we were going to be out of luck, ruff. Then at one of the campgrounds we stopped and a nice human told Matt there was a place with plenty of places to camp. We drove through some busy towns along the way, but the all of a sudden it was like everyone left. Well not everyone, but it was more like normal when we go camping, woof! We found a nice place with big tall trees surrounded by big tall mountains. There were trails and clear streams and just a few humans and dogs, just enough to make it nice. One thing that I am puzzled about is where are all the hamsters? Is not this place called New Hamster? Are they new? I saw plenty of chipmunks, maybe they are mistaken and calling them hamsters, woof!

Then we set up our campsite and ate dinner. Then my human started a fire and put my pad next to it along with his chair. It was so nice and comfy. I just love camping; I listen to the voices of the other humans and dogs, woof, woof. Those sounds are almost mystical (I bet you did not think I knew that word or what it means.) Everything sounds muted and pleasant. Then the owls started hooting like they did at the house we used to live in. I like hearing them. One was hooting on one side of the campground, then another answering on the other side of the campground.

This was close to our campground. I did not swim here, but I did get to swim in a stream, woof!

Well we are off again and not sure where the road will lead us. We will find out when we get there, woof!

Matt here again to interpret some of Jackson’s place names:

Of course the Scooty place is Nova Scotia and New Hamster is New Hampshire!

Carpe Cape – Seize the Cape!

August 26, 2016 Odee Leave a comment

Woof, woof, what a day we had at the cape park. I was so busy having fun I forgot to look for that cape thing. We got up early in the morning just as it got light and drove to the park from our campsite. The first thing we did was drive by a stand where a nice female human took some money from my human. She gave him a map and told him places I was not supposed to go. Luckily there were not many places I could not go, woof! We only drove a little further and took our first hike. We went up a big hill where we could see far, far away. I saw some rabbits on the trail and ran over to them to say hello, but they ran away, Matt would not let me go in the woods after them. I guess he was afraid I would get lost looking for them. I do not know why they all ran from me. All I wanted to do was say hello and ask them a few questions. The next place we went was at a real rocky beach where the waves come crashing in. Waves are strange; they come at you and then go back. It is almost like the water is alive and coming after you. I still have not quite figured them out. I do not get to see them very often, woof! The beach was one of the places I was not supposed to go so I sat in the truck and watched my human take photographs.

This is me at a beach where I am allowed not in the National Park. Even the little waves here were after me! — This is me at a beach where I am allowed, this is not in the National Park. Even the little waves here were after me!

Then we took a hike to a waterfall. I decided to walk mostly in the stream and it was fun, the water was so clear and it even smelled good. When we got to the waterfall I got to swim in the pool right at the waterfall. It was deep, nice and cool. Matt said he walked eight miles, I bet I walked twice that, ruff! Humans are good walkers, but they are slow and a dog has got to do what he has to do, run! We had a great time hiking together and I loved being in the park greeting nature and other humans and dogs along the trail. I did record some videos, but Matt said we would wait until we get home to edit and post those.

Well we are headed back on the long trip home, but Matt says we will have fun and visit places on the way back so we will see you from the road, woof!

PS – Matt here this was the day we spent in Cape Breton Highlands National Park – it is a beautiful place and dogs are restricted only in two places; the beaches and the Skyline Trail. I did a small portion of the Skyline early in the morning while Jackson was in the car parked in a shady spot. The rest of the time we were hiking together.

The Cape!

August 24, 2016 Odee 3 Comments

Woof, woof! What a great time we have had so far. We have been in Canada four days now and have been to so many places. After camping near the place where the water runs backwards and has big whirlpools we finally made it to the Scooty place. My human calls it Nova Scotia, I think that sounds funny and guess what? We have been traveling by Funny Bay and it is funny! The water gets real high and real low. My human would not let me swim there because he said a thing called tide (is that not a detergent?) comes in and out so fast I would be taken away by it. I would not like to lose my human so I decided he was right so I just looked at the water. It was not clear most of the time. It was so red that even I could see the color! Woof! We were at Funny Bay for two days camping by the water, it was very pretty there. We went by a lighthouse at a place called burnt coat. I kept looking for that coat to see if it was burnt, ruff, but I did not see one!

Then it started raining so we went to a big city, but it was so busy and crowded we left there and found a neat place close to a famous lighthouse named Peggy Cove. She must have been special to have a cove and a lighthouse named after her., ruff. Woof, woof, I did get an ice cream cone when we were driving there that day and it was good, they even put a doggy treat on top!

It cleared off that night and we got up early the next morning so my human and I could take pictures. He said there would be a lot of people there and the best time would be very early in the morning. Besides, having been an art director for my human I know morning light makes good photographs. We spent a lot of time photographing the lighthouse, the village where the humans live there, and along the rocky coast. It was very pretty. After taking the photos we packed up and went to a place called Picktoo or something like that. I really liked the campsite we got in the park near the Picky place it is called Cariboo something, boo who? After we set up camp we went into town to see the boats and village. I liked it; there were friendly people and not at all busy like that big Halley city. Now we are at some place that has a cape, I have been busy looking for and when I find it, I will let you know.

Woof, that is all for now, I think Matt has something to say so here he is!

Matt here I think need to decode a few names here for everyone. Jackson has a hard enough time with our local place names, but when we headed north he just doesn’t quite understand them. Here are a few interpretations:

Funny Bay – Bay of Fundy

Picktoo – Pictou

Halley City – Halifax

Burnt coat – Burntcoat Head lighthouse

Cariboo – Caribou Provincial Park

New Adventures!

August 14, 2016 Odee 3 Comments

Woof, woof a lot has happened since my last entry. I have moved to a new place, I miss my old window, I saw a lot going on with the humans, but now out of my new window I see all kinds of birds, ones that buzz like bees, big ones that swoop down at the other birds and critters, and black ones that are loud. I see a lot of rabbits I go over to play with them, but they usually run off so I go back to play with my human. I have him trained pretty well. I still need to work on him some; he could do a little better. Our move took a long time because we downsized, well that is what Matt said. He said we had too much to take care of and keep up with. Now we are living with Frodo, Matt is renting a room from his human.

Me looking out my window at my old place.

My new window.

We have been busy, well my human has, I have been watching. Since we came back from our last big adventure he has been busy moving us to the new place, but that is over and now we are leaving today for another big adventure. I know we are going far away again. Matt said it would be different than our last trip. There will be a lot of trees and water this time! Woof, I like that, maybe I will get to go swimming this time, woof! We are going to a different country, oh this makes my head hurt sometimes, my human had to explain countries to me. On our last trip he had to explain what a state was because we went to so many. He said now I am going to be an international dog, whatever that is!

Woof, what I want to do on my next adventure, explore creeks!

Well this time we are going to a place call Canada, did I spell that right? That name seems pretty easy. The place in Canada he said we were going is call Nova Scootia I think, do you scoot there, I wonder? Woof, well we will find out, we are leaving this afternoon and I am packed and ready. Woof, I wonder if Matt will ever finish packing. Humans always take so long to pack. It just takes the patience of a dog just to watch…

The Last Leg

March 29, 2016 Odee Leave a comment

For those that have just joined us on Jackson’s blog (he took over my blog here months ago) I am adding this note. We are back from a month-long road trip visiting the desert canyons in the American west. I enjoy traveling, but I always regret my best buddy can’t go on a lot of my adventures. This was one of two we have planned this year centered around Jackson joining in on the grand adventure. Jackson is going to be doing all of the blog posts. We will be posting our photographs on our Facebook pages (and a few here also!)
– Matt

Woof, woof, I meant the title to be a pun, no it is not my last leg! We got back a week ago my human tells me, I have a hard time figuring out how long a week is and I just rely on my human keeping track of non-important stuff like that. I guess it is time for my account of the last part of our trip. Ruff, of course I will write more about what we did, but Matt told me to do a chronological account when I started this. Woof, I had to say stop right there and tell me what “chronolococal” was. That is a new word for me and I didn’t understand. He told me it meant to write the story in the order it happened, or that is what I understood from his explanation.

The view from our campsite in Nebraska at Ft. Kearney State Park.

Ruff, back to my story. In Nebraska we watched some birds he called Sandhill cranes, there were so many I could not even think about trying to count them. Later that morning my human met some friends. After seeing my friends Bob and Paulette Matt said we needed to go because the weather was going to get colder and we might as well start the trip home. We only drove four hours that day so we did not get far. I think Matt said we were in Springsomething Missouri. The next day we were supposed to get up early and leave because my human said we were going to drive for a long time. Well that did not happen, when that thing my human calls a phone (you know that thing you humans look at and talk to all the time) made and irritating sound when it was still dark, he turned it off. We left later then we were supposed to and then drove, and drove, and drove and kept on driving. I think we drove through three states. We went over big rivers and saw mountains again late that evening. Finally we drove up to a house made of logs where a cat lives and I got to meet my Facebook friend Aunt Marlene, my human said we were in southeastern Tennessee. She was real nice to me and gave me fried chicken (without bones) and other good treats. Hobo, the cat, was not too happy with me at first, but he got better before I left.

Aunt Marlene's back yard. — Aunt Marlene’s back yard.

After the long drive we stayed at Aunt Marlene’s place. It was in a quiet valley on a farm near a river called Ocoee. Once again I did not get to swim, ruff! It is a lot smaller than the other rivers, but my human said it was a dangerous one because it flowed so fast. After resting (and getting treats) for a day we got back in the truck after my human packed it back up. We made one more long drive, I got excited because it started smelling like places I knew and had been before. Then I started smelling places close to home and finally we got home in the afternoon so we had time to unpack. Well my human had time to unpack, I watched, woof!

Now that I have I finished my account of our trip I am still going to have more to say about what we did. I tried to let you know what we were doing as we did it. Maybe that is what that “choro” word means, ruff! I still have photographs and videos we have not looked at or edited, so I haven’t had the last word yet, ruff!

Our Great Side Trip

February 26, 2016 Odee Leave a comment

For those that have just joined us on Jackson’s blog I am adding this note. We are on a month-long road trip visiting the desert canyons in the American west. I enjoy traveling, but I always regret my best buddy can’t go on a lot of my adventures. This is one of two we have planned this year centered around Jackson joining in on the grand adventure. Jackson is going to be doing all of the blog posts. We will be posting our photographs on our Facebook pages (and a few here also!)
– Matt

Woof, woof! So far it has been a great trip but I got bored of all the driving and put my paw down! Too much driving and no fun and I could tell my human was getting tried. I saw him looking at all the big brown signs and saying he would like to go there and finally I told him to go to one. He said we were still in New Mexico and had a ways to go so I thought doing something different would be good. All I have been doing on the trip is taking videos with my camera mounted on the dash of the truck and I wanted to do some real picture taking and hiking, ruff!

Well Matt decided to go to a place where people lived up in the cliffs a long, long time ago. He said they left the area way back in the 12th century, now I have no idea what a century is, but it must be a long time! They lived in these big caves and built houses with rocks. He told me it was the Gila Cliff dwellings. Woof, I got to explore a little one on a smaller trail, my human said that trail is called “Trail to the. Past” We also saw some of the writings of humans that lived there a long time ago, called pictographs (my human told me that word!)

This one looks about the right size for me!

After our visit to the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, we drove back on the curving windy road, then all the way to a city called Phoenix where my human met some of his pack and visited for a day. He stayed at his aunt’s (who was very kind and nice to me) and saw a lot of cousins. He also also met an internet friend for the first time, woof! I had a good time.

Today we will be driving again, but not the hundreds and hundreds of miles we have been. Matt said we have gone more than 2,700 miles in five days, ruff and he told me I have been in seven new states. I had to get him to remind me what a state was so he tried to make me understand what they are. I’m still not sure but he said there had boundaries like dogs have their territories. Ruff maybe by the end of the trip I will understand fully. Woof, but back to where we are going. My human said we will be going to a place called Sedona and after that the Grand Canyon!

Woof, woof! I can wait to see those and write about them. I’ll be back here soon to report, ruff!

February 1, 2016 Odee 2 Comments

Just to keep everyone up-to-date I am adding this note to Jackson’s post. We are preparing for a long road trip to visit the desert canyons in the American west. I enjoy traveling, but I always regret my best buddy can’t go on a lot of my adventures. This is one of two we have planned this year centered around Jackson joining in on the grand adventure.
– Matt

Woof, I have been too excited to write, and as usual my human hasn’t taken time to write anything either. I will say he has been busy with the giveaways. That is over but now he is busy getting ready for our adventure. I don’t know what all the fuss is about, but I’m ready. He has spent hours on the computer and that stupid smart phone he talks to ordering things and talking with other humans. I made sure he ordered some things I wanted too.

Ruff, I need to get back to what I was writing about. Matt is getting the truck ready for what he says will be a long road trip. I love riding in the truck, woof! Since my human is lazy and slow about writing I am taking over his blog to write about our trip as we go along. While he was ordering tings for his camera I told him I wanted some things just for me to use in the truck. I want to use it as a dash-cam; I just have to be careful not to slobber too much on it so he won’t have to clean the camera up, woof! At least it is waterproof, my human is smart sometimes!

He has been showing me pictures of where we are going and I have never seen anything like it. It looks so strange and I just can’t wait to see it. The only thing I worry about is finding some water to swim in. I haven’t seen many lakes or rivers in those pictures. I am looking forward to meeting more humans including some of my human’s pack. Of course I want to meet other dogs to play and talk with along the way.

I am going to show some before photos of the truck. Matt says this will be our home on wheels for a month but he says it will be much nicer than this when he is done. Maybe that is why he is taking so long. I am ready to go now, ruff! I keep everyone posted on our progress. I have to keep on Matt to be sure he is working on the right things so we can leave on time. He wanders off more than I do!

Jackson riding shotgun on a photo adventure. — Here I am ready for action!

Woof, one more thing my human finally made www.photodogjackson.com work now. That will take you to his blog for now (this page.) Little does he know I am taking over this one until he gives me my own blog!

Now for the before and after photographs of some of the truck repairs and improvements.

Woof! This this the before photograph.

And this is the new bumper on my truck. Great job Travis at Uwharrie Welding!

Introducing the Pee Dee NWR Gallery

January 8, 2016 Odee Leave a comment

I’m jumping in for the next post while Jackson is working on his next entry. It seems like he had a little case of writer’s block, but he is progressing just fine.

I have been working on a new gallery featuring landscape and nature scenes from the Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge in Anson County. In the introduction page I have some information about the history of the refuge and some of my experience there. I have 22 photographs in the gallery and plan to add more soon. Oh, Jackson just nudged my elbow and asked if I would add some of his to the gallery. We’ll see, he may just deserve a gallery of his own instead. We both hope you enjoy the history and photographs. Just click on the Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge Gallery menu on the left!

A water impoundment near Arrowhead Lake.

My Tail, woof, I mean Tale!

November 14, 2015 Odee 4 Comments

Cool Photo Dog Jackson — Photo Dog Jackson

Woof, woof, well Matt has been slow to write a blog entry so I told him I would write one for him today. I’ll try to contain my excitement and keep my woofs and ruffs to a minimum. I have really enjoyed taking pictures with my human and jump for joy anytime he gets my harness and camera; I am always ready to go. I eagerly await the words, “ride”, “outside”, “play” and anything like that.

Where do I start? Well I usually tell Matt to start at the beginning so I should take my own advice. A long time ago I found myself back at that place called a shelter, where all the dogs and cats live, for a second time in my life. I was so confused, that day I was two-years-old I thought I was part of a pack, and I thought I was going on a fun ride with my human. Then they left me in that shelter again. I was shocked and hurt, she left me there! I knew something was wrong because I had been there before. After two days had passed I was trying to get someone’s attention to take me away from that awful place. One human came over and played a little with me and then called out “Hey Matt come over and see this dog!” When I saw this human named Matt, I knew this was my person. I had to find a way to go home with him so I ran over, jumped up on him, and in my excitement I accidently stuck my paw in his mouth! I knew I had better make things right after that mistake so I quickly ran over and got a ball to make him forget the paw. To my joy he threw it for me, I was so excited, and then he threw it again, and again. It must have worked because the next thing I knew is I was in a car with him leaving that dog and cat place once again. I sure hope I don’t ever go back.

Maverick and Jackson. — Maverick (foreground) and Jackson (behind the pack) resting during a hike at Morrow Mountain. .

My life since has been quite an adventure after I joined Matt’s pack. There were three of us, Maverick, my new human, and me. At first Maverick didn’t like me, but later we became great buddies. Earlier this year Maverick went to a place Matt called “The Rainbow Bridge” I don’t know what that means. I just know Matt was sad when he came home without Maverick one day and I was sad too.

When my human first got me we all went on hiking and camping trips and one backpacking trip. Then things changed for a while. He didn’t go out or play much and I was worried. He was not able to do what he wanted or what I wanted to do. I can always tell when something is wrong with him and I try to comfort him at those times. Sometimes he sleeps a lot, even more than I do, so I am right next to him guarding and watching. He always tries to look and act well in front of other humans, but I can tell when he really is not feeling well. Woof, but now he is more active! Oops there I go, I let a woof out!

After a while he did more and we went more places. He tells me the backpacking is something we won’t do any more, but we have plenty of camping and hiking to do, Woof! He did let me in on a secret, but don’t let him know I told you. He feels guilty about all the long trips he has taken and left me at doggie camp. Mind you I don’t mind visiting with my friends but I miss Matt when he is gone. Ruff, I got off track, the secret: he said if he can get the truck fixed up, we are going on a big adventure out west! I don’t know what west is, but a trip sounds great! I hope he can get the truck ready!

Well thanks for taking time to read my story and I hope you found it interesting. Now I think it is time to curl up next to the fireplace and take a nap, it is cold this morning.

Jackson on the Thornburg Trail in the Uwharries with his GoPro camera.

Morning Light, Golden Light & Milky Light

October 28, 2015 Odee 2 Comments

Morning Light, Golden Light, and Milky Light

Some thoughts on three different experiences at Town Creek Indian Mound.

Town Creek Indian Mound has a definite presence in its isolated corner in Montgomery County. Every time I come to the site I have a unique experience. I used these three photographs as they represent sunrise, sunset and the Milky Way. What I like about being here is the lack of modern “civilized” sounds. All one can hear are the sounds of nature, no cars, planes or voices, just one with the surroundings and at night no artificial light to mar one’s view of the sky. Time slows down where you can live in the moment and that’s all that matters…

Morning Light – April 4, 2014

Standing in the field in front of the Indian mound this morning waiting for the sunrise I was listening to distant woodpeckers drumming on hollow trees in response to each other. One bird was on the left and the other drumming off to the right. The stereo drumming echoed off copses and hollows surrounding the ancient place. In the center field of my hearing a turkey gobbled off in the distance in the gathering dawn light. Hardly any human sound interrupted the morning chorus of the songbirds, just the occasional distant car traveling to work on the highway. These words hardly touch the experience.

Sunrise at Town Creek Indian Mound

Golden Light – August 23, 2014

My last trip to Town Creek was back in April, six months ago when spring was just giving its promise of new growth, warmth and a respite from the grey winter months. It was early morning; the sunrise brought out Pileated woodpeckers who were drumming to each other, calling each other to the cycles of the awakening spring. The air had a magical feeling, a newness rising, life starting over, and growth about to begin.

This evening was once again magical; it was during the golden hours of the last sunlight, now in late summer, growth is coming to an end and life is in the early stages of going dormant, wildlife is preparing for leaner times. Mourning doves were calling to each other, the melancholy sounds floating from the edge of the field. Towhee declaring their territory broke into the melancholy coos of the doves while the breeze was matching the sound of the rushing creek on the opposite side of the mound.

Milky Light – October 17, 2015

Waiting for the darkness to become complete I am under the open sky within the stockade with friends. We are eagerly waiting for the Milky Way to make its appearance. I drove across the river to the Indian Mound do some astrophotography. This is one scene I have been planning since this summer and my new interest in photographing the nighttime sky. My goal was to frame the galactic core of the Milky Way over the lodge on the mound. As we waited patiently planning out what we wanted to accomplish the sky darkened and the crescent moon dipped below the tall straight pines standing guard behind the mound. Finally the hour came and we jumped into action doing some light painting on the lodge so it would show up in the photograph. We didn’t get lost in all of the technical aspects though. We did have time to wonder and gaze at the heavens at the incredible expanse of space and stars didn’t make me feel small, it made me feel like we were interconnected with everything and everyone.

The core of the Milky Way over the lodge at Town Creek Indian Mound

This area is rich in history of many Indian cultures, Town Creek being one of the more recent. You can visit the site at their Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/towncreekindianmound

Or their web site:

http://www.towncreekindianmound.com

The Adventures of Odee & Matt