Went for a walk with the Mrs. this morning. Took the cameras, like always. Wasn't planning on any particular images. Took a few anyway. Total abysmal failures. Oh well, tomorrow is another day.

Ever since my first trip to Wyoming and Montana over 20 years ago, I have struggled mightily with trying to find a way to express photographically the sheer and utter vastness of those "wide-open spaces." The land seems to go on forever. Frankly, I cannot even imagine what the first settlers must have thought as they drove their wagons through that country for the first time. Wagonhound Rest Stop, WY 41°37'51.7" N 106°17'12.5" W @NikonUSA Z8, 24-120mm f/4 S

Back in 2018, I was very blessed to be able to buy a brand new Silverado pickup. Turned out to be the single best vehicle I've ever owned. 165,000+ miles, and never had to do any major work on it other than replace the water pump. Thing ran like a champ. Plenty of power when I needed it, got upwards of 27mpg on the highway, 19 or so in town. Great, great truck. It literally took us from our home in Oklahoma to northern California, to upstate New York, to Florida, to Montana. As a matter of fact we just returned from what we knew was going to be our last trip to Yellowstone/Grand Tetons. Paid it off several years ago. The plan was to drive it forever, just keep fixing whatever broke. I don't know that this can be fixed. Young man driving a brand spanking new, quite large industrial truck pulled out in front of me. I stood no chance of avoiding the collision. Fortunately, except for a couple of bumps and bruises, my wife and I are unhurt. Heartbroken, but otherwise fine. Dang that was a great truck.

A while back, my wife and I were driving to see Mount Rushmore in South Dakota. Our route took us through the tiny little town of Dalton, Nebraska. I find such small towns fascinating. A whole different way of life than most of us know. Who lives there? How do they earn their living? Where do they grocery shop? Many questions. Interesting places. Sadly, we were on a schedule, and hardly had time to stop. But we did, even if it was only long enough to grab a few frames.

Some flowers from the archives. Even us guys like flowers . . . 1. Purple ground orchid (Spathoglottis) 2. Tubular, multi-colored inflorescence (flower spike) of an Aloe plant 3. Lily 4. Yucca? @NikonUSA

We've only trace amounts of rain for quite a number of months. Our main lake in the area is down 7 feet. We are behind in rainfall by 14 inches. Until last night. Beginning last night, we have received 4..03 inches in our neighborhood. Other areas have received more, a couple, less. But that's the way around here -- nothing, nothing, nothing, then BOOM, all at once. Can't complain. At least it's raining. And it's cool . . .

More on the last trip to Yellowstone National Park. One of the main features about Yellowstone (besides the wildlife) is all of the water. Rivers, streams, ponds, lakes, falls. Too many to count, much less photograph. I've always found the water very peaceful, even the waterfalls. 1. Lewis Falls and River. One of the first things you see when entering the park from the south. It was one of the first things I photographed on our very first trip to the park 20 some years ago, so I had to photograph it again. Still not doing it justice. 2. The Gibbon River, just east of the Virginia Cascades. This road has always been closed when we've visited in the past, so this was new to us. We were there right after sunrise. Beautiful, peaceful. Quiet. Alone. 3. The Firehole River Falls. One of the smaller falls in the park, it's still a lot of fun, but very popular. 4. The Madison River. One of the most peaceful places on earth (along with the Redwood Forests in California). Very calming. Soothes the soul, as they say. Could spend hours and hours there, never seeing it exactly the same way twice. Always new. Always gently relaxing.

As I wander through life, I am reminded that we not only must look down to see where we're going, but we must look up, to see what's possible. 1. Asters. Very small, so a lot of cropping was needed. Z8, 24-120mm f/4S 2. female Mountain Bluebird. Tiny little thing, with a big voice. Z7ii, 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6S I suppose I should have put the 100-400 on the Z8 to shoot the bird, but I wasn't expecting to shoot wildlife with it that morning. Yes, I do shoot landscapes with that lens. FWIW, the Z8 and the 24-120 is my go-to rig. The Z7ii comes out when I need a second body. I was carrying both when I saw the bird. @NikonUSA

Photography can be so fickle. We drove through several states, spent 10 days in Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons, spent who knows how much money on food and lodging, and I only saw ONE bird worth aiming my cameras at -- a female Mountain Bluebird. (image #1) We come home, go to see my granddaughter's soccer game in the next town, and this Red-tailed Hawk flies over my head. (image #2) ‾\_(ツ)_/‾ @NikonUSA

Back from 2 weeks in Yellowstone & the Grand Tetons. Probably don't have very many "incredible" "killer" shots, but that wasn't the point of this trip. Always try to get some good images, but this was to say "goodbye," since I doubt we'll ever get up there again. It was our 6th trip up there. Been a lot of fun. I'll miss that incredible place. I've already posted a few shots from this trip. Here's one more for now. I'm not 100% sure, but I think this is the Crazy Mountains, taken from Yellowstone. MTK @NikonUSA

The Madison River area, Yellowstone NP, WY @NikonUSA

Most people who have seen my work know how much I love black & white. But I have also said that when I shoot in color, I want the color to make its own statement. I didn't expect it to smack me in the face . . . These were all taken in southern Wyoming. @NikonUSA

We arrived at Ox Bow Bend well before dawn. No clouds. Sun came up. No clouds. <sigh> Shoot anyway . . . @NikonUSA

This is the Chapel of the Transfiguration, inside the Grand Teton National Park, in Wyoming. Image #1 was shot as a 5-image bracket, then assembled as an HDR in Lightroom Classic. This is the exact view out the window, past the alter. I used my @NikonUSA Z8 and my 24-120mm f/4 S lens, which allowed me to shoot the 5-image bracket handheld.

Mountain Monday These were all taken today in the Grand Teton National Park. @NikonUSA

Yellowstone National Park, WY 1. Dawn, Madison River 2. Sunrise, Virginia Cascades Road 3. There must be a bear nearby. 4. The bear they were all taking photos of. This was taken with a 500mm lens with a 1.4xTC, which equals 700mm. Still just a speck. @NikonUSA

Sometimes I feel like I'm on Mars . . . (Really, it's Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone National Park.) @NikonUSA Z7ii, 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6