Rural Life

Not really rural but it's plenty of life.  The  Eiffel Tower on Las Vegas's main drag.
I had forgotten all about even taking this photo while I was there, do you ever do that?  This will probably be the closest I will ever get to viewing the real thing.  Taken straight from the Nikon, to computer, to you.

Rurality Blog Hop #6

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It Takes Courage
by Author Unknown

It takes strength to be firm,
It takes courage to be gentle.

It takes strength to conquer,
It takes courage to surrender.

It takes strength to be certain,
It takes courage to have doubt.

It takes strength to fit in,
It takes courage to stand out.

It takes strength to feel a friend's pain,
It takes courage to feel your own pain.

It takes strength to endure abuse,
It takes courage to stop it.

It takes strength to stand alone,
It takes courage to lean on another.

It takes strength to love,
It takes courage to be loved.

It takes strength to survive,
It takes courage to live.

Outside My Window - Idaho Photography

Sparrow Hawk waiting patiently for a mid-day snack.

Last Snow Ride - Idaho Falls Idaho Outdoor Photography

Last ride, last snow storm and last big adventure.  In the Fall I look forward to seeing winter snow covered landscapes.  In Spring I look forward to seeing the same in Summer covered in green.

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.

Ecclesiastes 3:1

{Day 100}

Theme #1 One Hundred

List is my 100th picture so I figured that it was only fitting to have it be for theme #1.
This is a picture of the Snake River as is runs over the falls in the middle of town. Not much fall as there is way too much water coming down the river this spring.

Where I am standing taking the picture the water should normally be a couple 100ft below me but is only about 5ft from me.

There is a cement embankment on the far top which makes the water channel through an electrical turbine for the city, hence making most of the falls. I love Idaho Falls.

{Day 94}

Theme #219 Out West

My husband, Dennis, and I make it a point to go to the Dodge National Championship Rodeo when it is in town. This year it looks like the animals won as there were very few riders that got their 8 seconds in.

Here is just a few of the highlight that I was able to capture. I wish that I had taken my better camera so that the shot would have been better, but oh well. Better next time. Enjoy!

Dodge National Championship Rodeo 2009 Highlights

Bull Riden, the #1 event

Bronk Riden

Calf Roping

Kids Mutton Busten
where the trophy is bigger than they are.

{Day 59} Steeple

Theme #302 Steeple

Don't think I can find a grander steeple around these parts than this one that.

{Day 58} School

Theme #268 School

It is amazing what you can find when you drive slow and keep your eyes open. This is probably going to date me somewhat but I went to a school just like this one. No I don't live in some hick town, we do have indoor plumbing and running water. It just that when I was young and you lived in the country, you just went to the country school instead of going into the new school in town. Bet there's lots of fond memories in those old building.

{Day 57} Places Of Worship

Theme #235 Places Of Worship

This the Idaho Falls LDS Temple that is on the bank of the Snake River here in town. The ice is gone, thank goodness, and I was able to get a semi-good reflection of it in the river. On a really calm day you can get a really good reflection if you are will to wait for a really CALM, WARM day.

{Day 41} Peak or Valleys

Theme #Peaks or Valleys

I couldn't think for any Grander Peak than my very own Grand Tetons that are right in my backyard, well give or take 50 miles. I have, when I was younger much younger climbed 2/3 of the way up the Grand, around Mt. Owen and all over Table Mountain (which is a favorite hiking spot from the Idaho side). Picture was taken Saturday, March 21st on a trip to Grand Targhee Ski Resort on the Idaho Side. There are more pictures taken of the Grand Tetons from the Idaho side that the Wyoming side due to the fact that the Idaho side is more photogenic.
The scenery is breath taking, numerous waterfalls, wild life galore, granite cliffs and the flora is outstanding.

Here is a little history of my favorite Mountain Range in the whole world -

The Grand Teton is the highest mountain within Grand Teton National Park, and at 13,770 feet (4197 m), the second highest in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The origin of the name is controversial. The most common explanation is that "Grand Teton" means "large teat" in French, named by either French-Canadian or Iroquois members of an expedition led by Donald McKenzie of the North West Company. However, other historians disagree, and claim that the mountain was named after the Teton Sioux tribe of Native Americans.

Link for the Teton Cam is right HERE if you want to see it in real time but bear in mind that the weather is always changing here in Idaho so you could be seeing just snowy, cloudy or stormy weather on the mountain. I LOVE these Peaks Ü

{Day 30} Warning

Theme #351 Warning

Use to be that you could see these kind of road signs all over the west due in part to the Stinker Stations. This happens to be the only one left in my area so I thought I had better get a shot at it before it was gone as well. Some of the other sayings that were also put on signs are-

• (Out in the middle of NOWHERE without a dwelling in sight) "If you lived here you would be home now."
• Next to a bunch of large rocks painted green, "Petrified watermelons take one home to your mother in law."
• "Watch out for the cows jumping over the moon, they may land in front of you."
• "Watch the stripes in the middle of the road but try not to hit the kitty with stripes. That's our mascot."
  

Following is a little history for posterity stake about the famous Stinker Stations:

Stinker Stations have been around Idaho since the 1930s. It’s a gas station chain started by a man with a keen sense of humor - the skunk used to be the big star. The skunk has taken more of a background role since the chain was sold, and since the chain became affiliated with Sinclair. The chains also used to use Burma Shave-style roadside signs for promotion - with sayings something like “Nudist Camp – keep your eyes on the road,” and there would be cutouts of discarded clothing nearby, and maybe a naked mannequin. A recent bus bench banner for Stinker Stations here in Boise said “If you think no one cares, miss a payment.” Stinker was one of the first stations to offer bio-fuels.

Stinker Stations homepage

{Day 21} The Games We Play

Theme #319 The Games We Play

Winter on the Jackson Hole Elk Refuge 2009. Young Elk feeling a little frisky and perhaps a bit board as well.

{Day 12} Fences

Theme #98 Fences

This is a very old, well used ranch fence. I wonder how many cows it has held in, and let out?