dawsonjm

<p>Farther on towards the Wallowa Mountains, we find the aspen in leaf. Pentax K5lls with the DA60-250.</p><div></div>

<p>And here is a tall sage in bloom. Pentax K5lls with DA17-70.</p><div></div>

<p>It is spring here in Eastern Oregon, as elsewhere, but the advance depends on the elevation. Here in the low desert along the Columbia River, the lilacs are at the peak, or beyond, while up in the mountain valleys they barely have daffodils.<br>

Here are a couple from the last week or so.</p><div></div>

<p>Hank, I like those very much, love the color in contrast to the drab houses and hills.<br>

I have a couple more from my trip to china, camera was my K5lls and lens was the Tokina Tank, 24-200 ATX. These were taken on the Li river, not far from Quilin in Guangxi Zhuang Region.<img src="http://cdn-2-service.phanfare.com/images/external/1496468_6470796_211414035_WebSmall_2/0_0_f56faf26ed82cc71c5abe2a08e02cefb_1" alt="" /><img src="http://cdn-2-service.phanfare.com/images/external/1496468_6470796_211414419_WebSmall_2/0_0_c7436178b32866d6545c780be9bd8137_1" alt="" /></p>

<p><img src="http://cdn-2-service.phanfare.com/images/external/1496468_6470796_211336211_WebSmall_2/0_0_222263cdf992307e271346bbc3e2c863_1" alt="" />I recently went to China, but since it was February, early March we stayed in southern China hoping that it would be warm. Turned out that it was pretty chilly even there. Saw some wonderful sights and had great experiences. I will submit a few at a time.<br>

First image is of a historical site, Yamen Sea Battlefield, where a great battle between war ships occured about 700 years ago on the Pearl River.<br>

Camera was my K5lls with a Tokina 24-200 zoom.<img src="http://cdn-2-service.phanfare.com/images/external/1496468_6470796_211336396_WebSmall_2/0_0_87d752f4c6ab96d017013187d23fa295_1" alt="" /><br>

Second is of the Pearl River, same lens.<img src="http://cdn-2-service.phanfare.com/images/external/1496468_6470796_211333475_WebSmall_2/0_0_6f1ceed705d20adede36580a1338b559_1" alt="" /><br>

A great bell, awesome tone</p>

<p>Hank,<br>

I really like the pic of the fishing boats. Well done.<br>

Guus,<br>

You are getting good with whatever you are doing in post, the painting effect. I really like the fruit blossoms.</p>

<p>Douglas just said it for me! Gnus, where did you come from? Fantastic work!</p>

<p>It was prom night last night, Sami and some friends came by to show off their dresses. </p><div></div>

<p>These shots taken with my K5lls and the DA60-250.</p>

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<p>Great birds, Douglas! My sister in Brownsville keeps sending me photos of all these warblers and others in migration. One year I will go down to see it for myself.</p>

<p>Here we have softball, prom, and more spring garden.</p><div></div>

<p>Some great photos this week. I especially liked the "Voodoo" by PJ, really like the spring flowers by Bob and Robert, and the birds by Douglas. Matt, I have to admire your shots and your endless energy. You must be younger than some of us!</p>

<p>I have been very happy with my DA15. I do not do a lot of work where corner sharpness is critical, but outside, at least, it seems plenty adequate. I have three examples with this lens in this weeks POTW. Take a look.</p>

<p>Brush pile burning after 3 days!</p><div></div>

<p>Proof of the neighbor's work, growing milk!</p><div></div>

<p>I guess I am up early, just a few shots this week, I was busy burning my massive brush pile and mowing acres.</p>

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<p>A shot of one of the ground hogs enjoying the spring weather. This taken with a Sigma APO 170-500 that I picked up used in a shop in Portland.</p><div></div>

<p>Another shot of the falls from the top with the DA15. Both of these were multiple exposure shots.</p><div></div>

<p>I was not able to log in until this morning, don't know what was going on, maybe that delayed some of the other responses. Spring is well along here along the Columbia River, lilacs are already in bloom. Love those photos of the spring wild flowers!</p>

<p>I took a drive into southeast Washington to the Palouse Falls, near where the Palouse enters the Snake River northeast of Walla Walla. I wanted to get there while there was water in the river, and found quite a bit, it was a good show. Guy there told me that two people had gone over the falls in their kayaks, was supposed to be a record height. Pretty impressive.</p>

<p>Anyhow, two photos of the falls and a ground hog, one of many hanging around the lip of the canyon.</p><div></div>

<p>I don't know if it is possible in your situation, but I had something similar while shooting at a base ball game recently. I had the battery grip on, and was taking vertical shots. When I did, my nose occasionally bumped the LV button, causing great confusion! As soon as I figured out what had happened, I was able to recognize the problem and fix it right away. <br>

Just a thought, could happen.</p>

<p>An now the Sandhill Cranes.</p><div></div>

<p>Another shot of the sheep!</p><div></div>

<p>Can't believe that I am first, but here we go. <br>

Drove to Portland last week and caught one of the groups of mountain big horn sheep that reside in the gorge near the John Day River. This bunch had about 20 sheep, and there are 5 or 6 other groups of about the same size along the river.</p>

<p>I also drove over to Echo and caught the flock of Sandhill Cranes that stop there in the spring. They were a long ways from the road, in private land, so could not get real close. Besides that, they are very skittish! </p><div></div>

<p>Very nice Kitsch! I am glad that my wife is not there to see all of this.</p>

<p>Very nice, Matt. Still cloudy out west!</p>

<p>You know, just looking at the picture of the mount, I think it would fit MY camera!</p>