Nikki's Photography

Forest fires in Washington and Oregon affecting air quality, Hwy 47 near Amity, Oregon

Detroit Thermal: steam rising from from 39 miles of piping buried deep underground the city streets of Detroit, Michigan.

Shepherd’s Flat Wind Farm near Arlington, OR and storm over flat terrain near Echo, OR on the Oregon Trail, just before crossing the Wallowa Mountains.

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Driving past the perfectly aligned poplar trees on the Greenwood Tree Farm, Columbia Basin, Hwy 84, eastern Oregon. Large sections of trees at various ages can be seen from the highway. The company specializes in the hybridization of fast-growing, high yield poplar trees, and managing sustainable tree farms with the aim to help reduce reliance on natural forests and non-renewable energy sources.

Endangered Cottonwood-Willow Riparian forest, The Hassayampa River area, Peoria AZ. A local legend says that people who drink from the Hassayampa River will never tell the truth again.

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Left: Children watch on as snake-wranglers demonstrate various tricks goading the rattlesnakes. Fangs have broken the balloons, foreground, during demonstrations at the annual Rattlesnake Roundup in Sweetwater, Texas. The Texan cultural tradition, both horrifying and curiously fascinating, takes place during Springtime every March, when thousands of rattlesnakes are competitively captured each year and placed in pits inside the local arena, with wrangling demonstrations, milking, skinning, tables of bizarre crafts, the sale of deep-fried rattlesnake, and even a meat-eating contest involving Miss Roundup’s participation. Next photo: Individuality – each snake has its own unique markings and colors.

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Now that we are moving from Texas and may never live there again, I’m so glad we went. View more photos posted on March 15th 2009, the initial post of Rattlesnake Roundup in Sweetwater TX.

Gas rainbow at a Portland, Oregon rest stop

I recently watched a very interesting documentary about the perilous state of our planet, and things we can do to affect the course of necessary change. Narrated by Leonardo Dicaprio I highly recommend seeing this film,  The 11th Hour

Shopping carts in Lake Ontario, Kingston ON

Update – originally posted September 11, 2008

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This set of photos honors the efforts of a petition to halt construction on John’s Island, South Carolina that would have encroached on an area of land boasting an Oak tree estimated to be between 300 and 400 years old.
Charleston, SC is proud of its heritage and respected for its commitment to preserving history in the area. Thanks to individuals rallying together and signing a petition, we are reassured that small efforts can and do make a difference on this planet. The land surrounding the Angel Oak is no longer in jeopardy. 17 acres were purchased by Lowcountry Land Trust, protecting the area adjacent to the tree.

Initially I wrote a longer article promoting the petition and website, which is no longer active. There were pages of exclamations by tourists who have visited the area specifically to see the Angel Oak, and interesting comments and pleas from residents who have fond memories of climbing the branches as children, and whose children now do the same. A nearby elementary school carries its’ name.

During the summer of 2008, my husband and I drove through South Carolina and took a short detour to John’s Island because I had heard of the tree and was very curious to see it. We drove through wicked rains at the edge of Tropical storm Faye, so when we arrived at Angel Oak park no one else was there. The tree trunk and lower branches are so immense, many have been propped up with stakes and heavy cables here and there, which is a little intrusive for photo-taking, but obviously necessary. Growth is spread outward more than upward, occupying an enormous space at least 150 feet wide.

According to after the Category 5 Hurricane Hugo hit the coast of in 1989, Governor Carroll Campbell is reported to say that the storm destroyed enough timber in South Carolina to frame a home for every family in the state of West Virginia. All those trees and forests obliterated, yet The Angel Oak survived. It has since healed injuries inflicted by Hurricane Hugo.

Wildorado Wind Ranch
Creating fields of renewable energy themselves, a herd of cattle leisurely does what cows do best on a warm summer day, twenty five miles west of Amarillo, just outside Adrian, Texas at the Wildorado Wind Ranch where there are 70 wind turbine generators spanning the horizon. Each turbine measures 450 ft. from ground to the tip of one of three blades. Wind will generate power to parts of eight southern States: Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana.

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Mohave Desert sunset near Edwards Air Force Base, CA. 5,000 wind turbines all spinning miles into the horizon is a thrilling sight to see, even if you don’t appreciate their great contributions. I suppose I’m pretty naive in assuming that everyone everywhere holds the sake of the planet in highest regard, even at the risk of paying higher taxes and energy bills…which are inevitable anyway no matter what resources we consume, and if we depend on others to create electrical energy for us.
Proposition 7, a Renewable Energy Generation Initiative Statute proposes all Government owned and private Utility companies in the State of California to generate 20% of electricity from renewable energy sources by 2010, 40% by 2020, and 50% by 2025, with possible penalties for not complying. I was kind of surprised that there is a controversy at all until hearing arguments from both sides. Now I’m confused! Who do I believe? A contraversial statute with good arguements from both sides. For details visit voterguide.sos.ca.gov/audio/proposition7.htm
To give an idea of scale of each Wind Turbine at the Tehachapi Pass, California, apparently six people can fit inside to fix and maintain the turbines.

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Kudzu, an invasive vine species covers trees in Southern USA, here in Tennessee, creating miles of sculptural shapes.

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