On the Country Roads. Beneath the Immense Sky

 A small piece of life, held between earth and sky.
 

Generally, life is good.

On the Country Roads

There is not much snow in the valley, but in the mountains winter is in full swing. I feel like I entered true winter today, harsh and cold, but I am glad I did.

Generally, life is good.

On the Country Roads. Lost in the Mountains

 

Our first cold, frosty day with heavy low clouds and small light snowflakes covering the ground and immediately melting. 

Generally, life is good.

On the Country Roads. Indian Summer

 

With the arrival of October comes Indian summer - warm and sunny, when the air is fresh, the sunlight is fragile and the nights are cold. 

Generally, life is good.

On the Country Roads. Old Barn

 

After long-awaited rains, everything was transformed in an instant, and nature once again sparkled with all sorts of colors. 

Generally, life is good!

Notes to Self. Red Barn

I took this photo out of desperation. No, this is not a joke. The spring flood cut me off from the Bear River MBR and my favorite birds.

Knowing that there was no way I could get to the Bear River, I told myself that there was a big world around me and if I tried hard to discover something interesting in it then my favorite birds could wait.

One of my little "interesting" discoveries was the red barn, very important and festive.

Actually, I like the old dilapidated barns better. There is something very touching and sad about them. Such barns have closed one of the last pages of their lives and retired with dignity. 

Unfortunately, there were no old barns around, only important and festive one and at some point it suddenly seemed not so boring, it had its own special charm.

***

Я сделал это фото от отчаяния. Нет, это не шутка. Весенний паводок отрезал меня от МБР Медвежьей реки и моих любимых птиц.

Зная, что мне никак не добраться до Медвежьей реки, я сказал себе, что вокруг меня большой мир, и если я очень постараюсь открыть для себя в нем что-то интересное, то мои любимые птицы могут и подождать. 

Oдним из моих маленьких "интересных" открытий оказался красный амбар, очень важный такой, как будто он был на шоу.

Вообще-то, мне нравятся больше старые полуразрушенные амбары. Есть в них что-то очень трогательное и грустное. Такие амбары закрыли одну из последних страниц своей жизни и ушли на пенсию с достоинством.

К сожалению, старых амбаров вокруг не было, а был важный и праздничный, и в какой-то момент он показался не таким уж скучным, в нем был свой особый шарм.

Generally, life is good.

On the Country Roads - II.

 

I will never fully get used to the mountains.  You can't get used to something powerful that takes your breath away.  You can only be in awe.

Life goes on.

January Sketches - II. Rural Landscapes

 

Today was the first sunny day after a few weeks of rain mixed with snow.  The snow melted and everything around woke up from the sleep.

Life goes on.

Retrospectiva - II. Autumn in the Country

 

I always a little bit sad at the end of autumn but at the beginning when it's still warm and welcoming I love to drive on the country roads with windows open, looking at pastures with cows or horses and of course at the trees.

Generally, life is good!

On The Country Roads

This morning I took my old camera and went on the country roads to photograph everything that would capture my attention. I ended up photographing only birds and an old shed.

The male Mallard duck is leading his followers to cross the rocks to get to the other side of river.

The female American Robin is observing the world from a tall tree.

I never took a portrait of male Mallard duck, I thought it was a time to capture his beauty a little bit closer.

Returning back home I spotted the shed that offered to take the hot bath just for 5 cents.

Northern Utah in October

On the Country Roads -16. With Mama

On the Country Roads -15. Horses

There is an English proverb which says,
"Show me your horses and I will tell you what you are."

Sacred Bird

White-faced ibis.

***
In ancient Egypt killing an ibis was punishable by death.
Ibis was considered a sacred bird.
It's interesting that when American naturalists saw for the first time ibises
they confused them with herons, storks and curlews.
***
In April 2015 I saw for the first time Glossy ibises.
I was driving on the country roads when I spotted big beautiful birds.
They were flying in flocks over a field.  That was my first encounter with ibises.

Glossy ibises.

 

On the Country Roads -14. Chasing Rain

  One year ago I was chasing rain
 taking pictures through my car window. 
This is one of them.
It was autumn.  
I was driving and looking for barns 
when I saw a farm surrounded by old trees.

Chasing Rain - 2.

Evening in the Country -1.

Foggy Morning

Foggy Country.

Flying Ibis