Sandy River and Framed Art

I had a nice day yesterday.  I met an old friend for lunch that found me again via my blog!  We had emailed back and forth, she's into spinning now and was born and raised in Hawaii, so I thought we'd have lots in common.  We met years ago when she was volunteering for the Vista House.  We had a fun lunch reconnecting and chatting about spinning wheels and such.  I then drove into Portland and to pick up the artwork I'd had framed.  On the way home I drove up the Sandy River gorge and pulled over and hopped out of my car to snap a few images of the sun sparkling on the water.  The river is REALLY low, but soon it should fill up and be roaring along.  

Every time I drive to Portland this is my view coming home.  :-)

I love seeing the sunshine sparkling on water.

I then noticed this yellow wildflower in bloom where I was standing by the riverside.  *snap*

As I turned to walk back to my car I noticed the cliff-side across from me with the fall leaves on the trees.

I'm pleased with the new frames on my artwork.. I look forward to hanging them up this afternoon.  The first one is a watercolor of the French Quarter in New Orleans that I bought from the artist on Jackson Square. 

Then the oil painting of the steamboat Natchez on which we sailed on the Mississippi River during our trip to New Orleans.

I really like how my own painting of the Yaquina Bay Bridge in Newport, Oregon came out with the two colors of matting and the walnut frame.  I did this painting using ink from an octopus.  It will be hung beside my painting of Yaquina Head Lighthouse which is already on the wall beside my easy chair in the den.

My favorite is the watercolor painting I did of our family's "fleet" of Sunfish sailboats on the shore of Amy's Blue Lagoon at Waldo Lake during one of our camping trips there.  I'd long wanted to preserve this painting under glass - each time I saw it in a pile of papers moved from here to there.  :-)  I used Americana Frame - and can highly recommend them if you need something framed in Portland, Oregon.

I had to show you what Kristi made on her new sewing machine - she made a shopping bag from an empty chicken food bag!  Isn't that neat?

I asked Hayden if he'd pick up some oak acorns for me in the basket I made.. here he is showing me what he picked up.. with the help of his mommy.  :-)

I had an interesting comment from my assertion that bloggers might be considered "photojournalists" - from my blog friend Tammy, saying that we might more rightfully called "photo diarists".  I also like that term.  I then googled "photojournalist" and found this great definition.

"Photojournalism is a unique and powerful form of visual storytelling originally created for print magazines and newspapers but has now morphed into multimedia and even documentary filmmaking. Through the internet, apps and the mobile device explosion, photojournalism can now reach audiences never before imagined with immediate impact, while continuing to write our visual history and form our collective memories."

So, I think we can authentically call what we do as bloggers "photojournalism".  Which explains what we do to those who ask "what is a blogger?"  :-) 

I'm off to swim soon.  The day began sunny and has clouded up.. I wonder what will happen next?  ((hugs)), Teresa :-)