Waterfalls on Tuft Creek

Waterfalls on Tuft Creek, a photo by Jim Arnold (jga154) on Flickr.

Jim, Jim, Mary, and Sandy took our Samuari's out for a ride the other day. We ended up north of Mosquito Lake in the Big Valley Mountain range. The creek that drains the lake is called Tuft Creek. As we were descending into Julia Glover Flat I noticed this waterfall on Tuft Creek. It is an amazing little falls and not so small this spring. Unfortunately few have probably ever seen this falls as the creek is very seasonal and normally dry.

They're Back

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The Hooded Orioles have returned. We have had a pair for several years now feeding at our Hummingbird feeders and nesting in nearby Palm trees. Frank and I spent about an hour and a half sitting in my truck (a good blind) waiting for them to feed yesterday evening. The male came but only once. Hopefully they will ramp up their visits later on.

Pretty Good Duck Hunting

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Frank and I had pretty good duck hunting this morning on his pond. At least Wood Ducks.


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The female almost never gets in the same focal plane as the male, making it nearly impossible to get both in the same shot in focus. So, here they are separate.


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After the ducks we got some nice images of perching birds.

Potem Creek Falls

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Garry and I drove up to Montgomery Creek this morning to photograph Potem Creek Falls. The falls was beautiful and running really full. Problem was the mist. We couldn't keep it off our lens' when down by the water. It also caused a softening in the image. What a pretty spot though.

What We Went For

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This is the reason we drove ten miles behind the dam yesterday. I made this panorama from ten vertical images edited in Lightroom and stitched together in Photoshop. The finished image would easily print out over six feet wide. I'm not sure how to keep the top half of the shot from being washed out. It was a little hazy up there also.

Squaw Creek, Shasta Lake

Squaw Creek, Shasta Lake, originally uploaded by Jim Arnold (jga154).

This is the Squaw Creek flowing into the west side of the lake about two hundred yards above the lake. The color was fantastic. Phill, Skip and I were up in the OHV area looking for photo ops.

Skip rode ten miles in and back out in the back of my Samurai with no back seat. He assured me it wasn't bad at all. It would have been were it not for the new springs and shocks.

Fall River Valley

Fall River Valley, originally uploaded by Jim Arnold (jga154).

Bald Mountain


Soldier Mountain over the valley.

Last Thursday morning in the valley we woke up to about three inches of snow. Then the sun peeked through in a few places and bands of fog rolled in and about the trees. All these shots are from up on the bench at my brothers place overlooking the valley.

I was up visiting my brother and experimenting with the newly geared and locked Samurai on Big Valley Mountain. We had a lot of fun in the snow, mud, and rocks. The Samurai is a blast and goes just about anywhere too.

Whiskeytown National Recreation Area

Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, originally uploaded by Jim Arnold (jga154).

Indian Rubarb

Another morning spent on Brandy Creek. I never get tired of being in the creek or right along side photographing it. Mary was in bed, I decided we should go, within a half hour we were on our way. Of course Mary couldn't go in anyplace public (she didn't get to do her hair),

The light was pretty much perfect with high bright clouds, no shadows, and plenty of saturation.

I'm on a Roll

Well, my first sourdough cinnamon rolls look like this. Believe me they are perfect, especially with the light drizzle of cream cheese glaze Mary made.

This is all well and good, but last year I dumped forty pounds. All this cooking and baking is not too good for that weight loss. I do have to at least sample my goods though, so I guess I just keep track of this high point stuff and eat less of the food that I should be eating more of. Aah, the trade off's of life. If anyone wants to help me out just drop by or give me a call.

1847 Oregon Trail Bread

Well I finally made it. I have been making sourdough bread from starter for over a month now. After at least ten pounds of flour and numerous attempts I have it (I think).

Each attempt takes between 16 and 36 hours by the time you get the starter to sponge, mix the loaf and get it to rise.....twice, and finally bake it. The sponge can take 6-24 hours, each rise 4-8 hrs (if it rises at all), and baking only 30-40 minutes. My first dough balls stayed just that, dough balls. Or they went flat and were useful for discus throwing. The flavor was OK, you just couldn't bite them.

There are numerous sourdough starters available and you can make your own. I started with my own, setting flour and water mixture out on the patio for four days until it catches a wild yeast I called it Camulos Way. Yes, you can name your sourdough starter. Mine worked but the yeast isn't wild enough. It won't raise the dough.

Then I found a starter called Goldrush. Sounded old and good but it just doesn't rise well enough either. I'm not sure why because it is a widely known commercial wild sourdough yeast and I paid three dollars for it.

Then while researching sourdoughs on the internet I found a FREE one called 1847 Oregon Trail. It comes from a pioneer family around Burns, OR. Try the link to read about it.  I sent away for a start of it because you just can't have enough different starters around. Wow, it worked the first time I tried it. The starter is very active and bubbles bunches. This makes for good bread.

Now I need to find someone who will help me eat it. Ha Ha