Sunday, September 13, 2009

sleeping giant


In the distance is the shattered remains of an ancient volcano near Bend, Oregon aptly called Broken Top. I have considered climbing it and may go as far as the saddle, but to reach the summit requires technical skills and equipment, such as rope and, no pun intended, that is where I draw the line. I chose this picture for Sunday since the western slope lies in dark shadow against the early morning sky.
I sometimes imagine what this terrain looked like many years ago. When I shut my eyes, I recall childhood memories of scenes from the 1946 Disney movie, Fantasia, in which really scary, big dinosaurs are quickly overrun and covered by molten lava to the percussive sounds of Igor Stravinsky's Rite of Spring. Sometimes while walking among all the pumice, basalt, and obsidian outcroppings of igneous rock, I wonder whether I will suddenly see steam ooze from the ground and feel a portentous vibration under my feet. Fortunately, I have lived another day without being part of a cataclysmic event and am happy to witness this amazing, hopefully dormant, landscape.

8 comments:

Small City Scenes said...

Soon it all will be covered with snow and look amazingly different. So you are here to dream another dream. MB

Lowell said...

Hmmm...are you feeling a bit insecure up there among broken-topped volcanoes?

Does the ground seem less than stable sometimes?

Do you ever wonder if that was fog or the steamy warnings of a possible breakout?

You're a brave man, Lee! And a good photographer. Have you written any books?

Marcel said...

You have a good imagination, very nice surrounding. At least you consider climbing it, I probably only phantasise about it.

Unseen Rajasthan said...

Beautiful view !! Winters are about to come so it would be full of ice and wil look more beautiful !!Great..Unseen Rajasthan

tapirgal said...

Great photo, and what an imagination. How can you possibly tolerate caffeine, when all you need is a "peaceful" scene like this to get the adrenalin going? I do love the image of the dinosaurs, though. I must have traumatic forgetting. All I remember is the brooms and the elephants.

Sylvia K said...

Yes, the snow will come soon, but it will still be beautiful! And you do have a great and colorful imagination, Lee!

Great post, as always.

Sylvia

Pat said...

The silhouette of the ancient volcano is very striking.

Fantasia did have some scary parts in it for little kids!

Lynette said...

Recently my older son Lamont camped there, near Cayuse Crater. The next day he hiked up onto those dinosaur-like pieces that are left at Broken Top. He held his camera out over the edge as he lay on the steep slope and took a very scary photo. I follow his (and his brother's when he goes hiking too) progress with the Spot Locator I bought them last year for their birthdays. Well, to tell you the truth, I bought it for me, too!