The "Curse" of the Camera-Holder

I am very in to photography.  You may have noticed this on my blog as almost every post includes a photo, in many cases, multiple photos.  Photos help me remember good times and good places.  They help me identify birds.  They help remind and illustrate the progress and changes in my life from the condition of the garden to my weight to the length of Matt's beard.  Every year Matt and I go through the digital photos and print off a Highlights-Of-the-Year collection to add to the photo album.  Looking at it makes me relive the adventures of the year.  It is very satisfying....especially on a cold winter day when I feel that summer will never come back.

The yuccas are looking very green already.

So, I am photographer in our household.  Matt always makes sure I've grabbed the camera when we go out adventuring, but 98% of the time it is me who holds and operates the camera (The other 2% is when I feel like breaking into a wild-and-free run which I worry jostles the camera too much so I hand it off to Matt who carries it in his pocket for me until I get back or when I request Matt take a photo of me which I try to do at least once per adventure.)

So, the "Curse of the Camera-Holder" is that I am rarely in photos.  I have countless photos of Matt and our friends and families exploring and playing, but not too many of myself.  The camera is in my hand!

The place was huge!  I think that was what was being discussed here.

Which way should be go?!  THAT way!  There was layer upon layer of cliffs.  We would navigate around the rim until we were inside the cooley and then soon enough find ourselves on the rim of yet another sandstone formation to navigate around and into.  I guess we didn't need keep going deeper and deeper into the valleys, but it was one of those things where it seemed like each layer was better than the one before.

This selection of photos is from an outing to Yellowstone River State Park last weekend.  It is a fairly new state park and this was our very first visit there.  We will most certainly be going back.  If I wasn't going to be out of town this weekend I would be going back this very weekend!  It is an absolutely amazing place: wide open sky, sage and sandstone cliffs every-which-way, wildlife everywhere you look, no litter (Matt described it as "The Rims, only with trees and no people or garbage."  I admit this may not mean much if you are not from the Billings area). 

There were so many pieces of just magnificently twisted, aged wood.

Perhaps the best part is that it is also only 30 miles outside of Billings so it gets a great big woohoo!  A new playground for Matt and Beth!

Being from Eastern and Central Montana I pleasantly surprised by the fact that this park is surprisingly covered in trees.

My favorite kind of sage, possibly called Fringe Sage.   It is tiny, only growing a few inches off the ground.  It is also very soft and, like all sage, smells just heavenly.

I knew it was going to be a great place to be when this Bald Eagle swooped low over the field next to us as we were driving in.  I took it to be a good sign.

Rock Doves on the cliff's edge.

The Lamb's Ears were giant and so very soft and lovely.  I got to teach Justin about them, which with my limited knowledge consisted of: "Oooh, look! Some Lamb's Ear.  They feel so soft, check it out!

I got only one cactus spine through the sole of my fivefingers in the several hours we wandered.  Considering how much cactus was out there I thought that was pretty good.

Here I am!  (This being the once-per-trip occasion at which I require Matt to take my photo....in this case three whole times!)

I found a really neat feather which is tucked up in my cap.  I am watching the rock doves.  Matt proudly told me he got an action shot of me since there are so few of me and so many of him. 

I like that we are all scattered about in this photo with Jeremy itty-bitty in the background.

Oh well, if this is my "curse" in life I am doing just dandy!  : )