SOU grads lining up with Grizzly Peak in the background

I have about 60 decent photos from Southern Oregon University’s graduation ceremony this morning. I’ll post them in two installments. This first set of pictures will consist of 10, and the next one will have 50. If you were there, there is a chance you are in at least one of these images.

Donna and Lisa greet soon-to-be grads

Mark Siders visits with former students

Donna poses for a photo

A couple of Criminology professors arrive just in time

A couple of my accounting students discuss debits and credits

Dennis Slattery and a new grad

Posted on June 11th, 2011 under only in ashland, people. Tags: commencement, grizzly peak, people, Southern Oregon University. Comments: 1

My new lens (Nikon Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D AF Lens) arrived in the mail a couple days ago. I had to go pick up Ellie across town at her flute lesson so I took it and my camera in case I arrived early and could try it out. I only had a minute so I took a grand total of one picture with it. This was the result of its first ever use.

A 50mm lens isn’t really a landscape lens, but I think this turned out OK. I cropped the top and bottom off the original to give it more of a panorama feel. I purchased this lens more for low-light photography and concerts. The 50mm, prime lens is tiny and light compared to my 18-200mm lens but not nearly as versatile. I hope to test it out more tomorrow night.

Posted on June 10th, 2011 under nature, only in ashland. Tags: mt. ashland. Comments Off on Mt. Ashland behind the City of Ashland

Outside Magazine is currently running a contest in which people can vote for the “Best Town Ever”. Of course, there is nothing scientific about the poll, and it’s merely just a ploy to get people to “like” Outside Magazine on Facebook, but Ashland is currently running second behind Tucson, Arizona. Really? Tucson? Can a city of over half a million people in the city limits with another half a million in the suburbs really be called a “town”, let alone be the “Best Town Ever”?

Anyway, today’s photo is from a real town. This is Ashland Creek which runs through this town, which will soon have less than 20,000 people once the SOU students split this weekend.

Posted on June 8th, 2011 under lithia park, nature, only in ashland. Tags: lithia park, water. Comments Off on Outside Magazine’s Best Town Ever?

Here is another strange car in town. I’ll show you some close-up photos of some of the figurines attached to this vehicle on another day.

Posted on June 7th, 2011 under only in ashland. Tags: funky cars. Comments Off on Crazy car

Last night’s Green Show featured Terry Longshore and Grant Ruiz of Duo Flamenco. On a little more than half the songs they played, Monica Morales danced. If you missed it, they will be performing again at the OSF Green Show in September. I’m guessing they will also be performing locally elsewhere as well.

The parking situation was out of control as not only was the Shakespeare Festival in full swing but Ashland High School was having their graduation ceremony a few hundred feet away, AND it was the First Friday Art Walk.

Posted on June 4th, 2011 under only in ashland, people. Tags: green show, oregon shakespeare festival. Comments Off on Duo Flamenco with Monica Morales

One of my favorite things about driving Ellie to school every morning is seeing this view of Grizzly Peak (from E Main Street between Walker and Wightman). Every day is different–the clouds, the shadows, the level of green (or snow), cows in the field (or not), fog, etc. Today’s photo was yesterday’s view, one of the better ones in my memory so I pulled over to take a picture as I sometimes do.

Ten minutes later, when I got to work, the clouds had lifted and I could see that Grizzly Peak was covered in snow. Grizzly being blanketed in snow is not unusual, but this is June! I don’t think I have ever seen snow on Grizzly in June.

This photo actually looks much better on a big screen. Click on the image after maximizing your browser window for a bigger view.

Posted on June 3rd, 2011 under nature, only in ashland. Tags: clouds, grizzly peak, skywatch. Comments: 1

Way back in 2002 or 2003 I was home alone one warm summer evening so I went for a walk. I ended up in the Bullseye Bistro (now called Larks) in downtown Ashland. Allison & Victor were playing and something about their performance that evening was magic to me. I have probably seen them a half dozen times since then, most recently at the Lithia Artisans Market a couple weeks ago.

In three weeks they are opening for Mary Chapin Carpenter and Marc Cohn on the new Table Rock City Stage at Britt. I won’t get to see that performance as I’ll be on a plane headed for Copenhagen at the time.

Here is a portion of one of the songs they played a couple weeks ago, “La Seine” off of her first CD, “Allison St.”

Posted on June 2nd, 2011 under only in ashland, people. Tags: music, video. Comments Off on Allison Scull & Victor Martin

The weather has been brutal this year. Temperatures have usually been below normal and the amount of rain has to be among the most in recorded history for the area. This rainbow is from two weeks ago, but it has rained a lot since then.

Posted on June 1st, 2011 under nature, only in ashland. Tags: rainbow. Comments Off on Will there be a summer this year?

Today’s photo is from Mother’s Day a few weeks back. This is what you are supposed to do with your mom on her special day. The place was Ashland’s newest park, Scenic Park near the Ashland Hospital.

Posted on May 31st, 2011 under only in ashland, people. Tags: ellie, ryan. Comments Off on Mother’s Day in Scenic Park