Mountain Walk

On Saturday, the weather was gorgeous, so, after lunch, I went for a walk in the nearby hills. Marga wasn't feeling well and didn't want to come, but I couldn't resist the urge for some fresh air and sunshine. I didn't have any particular destination in mind when I set out from home, but, what I found was pretty spectacular.

Walk with me on a 36-photo journey...

As you may recall, this is the view from our house. I often see sheep and horses and cows and things roaming the grassy hills.

This is the photo I took after I got back, looking towards where I had been. See the little house with the blue tarp? (click the image to see the Flickr note if you don't see it)

Here it is under the telephoto lens.

On the way up, I saw the strangest sight. Apparently, the recent winds knocked down these two trees, and they sledded down the hill, tearing up everything in their path, finally coming to rest at the bottom.

This tree also seems to be a casualty of wind.

The moon provided a nice incentive to keep climbing.

It looks like it's just over the horizon.

Sunlit daisies, with Pico Candiano behind.

A panorama with the medieval church and sunlight reflecting off the Rí­o Asón. Larger here.

Looking back at our house.

Here it is with digital zoom. I hate digital zoom.

Check out this view! 12996 x 1688 original version (9 MB).

You can follow the curve of Laredo's beach by the tops of the buildings. With Santoña in the background. Larger here.

I noticed that I was perfectly in line with the motorway bridge.

At the very top of the road, by the building with the blue tarp, there were some horses casually grazing. This is what their daily view looks like. Larger here.

Sunlit pine.

Looking back up at the horses while descending the hill.

My house with sheep in the foreground.

I was walking the Camino Real.

Every sheep has a silver lining.

I tried to count them, but I kept dozing off.

House through grass.

This farm house was pretty gorgeous in the setting sun.

A panorama with the farm house. Larger here.

Barbed moon.

Post in focus.

House in focus.

Digitally combined for both to be in focus.

Bovine umbra.

They aren't the cleanest of animals.

This wall seems to have some problems.

Lunar meadow.

Any idea what these red growths on this cactus are? Flowers? New branches or leaves or whatever the parts of a cactus is called?

Weird.

Vined wall. Makes you want to know what's on the other side, doesn't it?

This hawk almost passed over the moon.

It may not surprise you that, by the time I got home, I was so obsessed with the moon that I had to give the old DIY telephoto lens a try.

What's amazing about this is that the sky was still blue. As I was searching for the moon in the binoculars, it was nothing but blue. And when I finally found it, the camera adjusted and the background went black. Crazy, huh? This is definitely my best moon photography.

It also might not surprise you to learn that I made a video of the moon, but I don't like it that much and don't think it's worth embedding here. I'll do a better one sometime.

I hope you've enjoyed our walk through the countryside. I sure did!