Bentonite deposit
Friends, don’t adjust your monitor, these clay beds are definitely blue. This bentonite clay, the raw material for scoria formation, is often found adjacent to stripes of lignite coal. Bentonite can be used in pottery to form ceramics and glazes as well as other commercial applications. The most valuable applications are dependent on the ability of very small particles to hold water . Suspensions, colloids and emulsifiers made with bentonite are commercially viable. When water hits these bentonite slopes, the surface is extremely slippery, sticky and mucky. Many times I have come back to camp with clay snowshoes attached to my boots that take days to wear off. til Tomorrow MJ
Erosion at work
Friends, the clay layers are carved by water on this hillside. The inverted v formations result from water flowing downhill. When meeting resistance the flow slows and forms new channels to continue to flow downhill. The badlands are constantly being washed away downstream so get your photos while you can. They say that one inch/ year is being removed by water. til Tomorrow MJ
Scoria Point in the Snow
Friends, this is Scoria Point on a September morning when we had an overnight dusting of snow. The next day it all melted, but the day was perfect for photography. The saturated reds of the rock, golds of fall grasses, and greens of cedar trees as well as the fall foliage made for a delightful day. I have visited these hills at least once a year since I was nine years old, and the landscapes never cease to amaze me. My love for this country is very deep within me, I hope i can share it adequately. til Tomorrow MJ
Mountain of Red Rock-Scoria Point
Friends, this is a formation called Scoria Point located within the Theodore Roosevelt National Park in western North Dakota. This red rock or scoria appears many shades of red, from pink to purple and all the oranges in between and the shade is dependent on the light. The day this image was taken, the light was slightly diffused through some clouds and the color appears a rusty orange with pink accents. But in the evening with a setting sun, the hill appears a bright orange and in the snow with cloud cover, the rock appears a very deep almost iridescent red. I haven’t yet captured the spirit of this rocky scene, but i keep trying. til Tomorrow MJ
Badlands Red Rock
Friends, this red rock is fragile and will break like any good china cup. The formation process is similar to producing bricks or fine tiles. A clay (bentonite) is baked by a coal vein that is burning underground. The coal is a soft lignite and may be spontaneously ignited or the vein may be lit by grass fires whipped by the wind. These fires may burn trees and then travel down the roots to the seam underground. When the various clays are baked and glazed by the igneous process, they are a form of porcelain or as it is locally called, scoria. When a chunk of this light rock is dropped, it clinks on a hard surface, and it is often called North Dakota Clinker. I know i am at home when i see the scoria peaks at sunset. til Tomorrow MJ
Badlands-The land
Friends, This image illustrates the two formations that make up the Little Missouri Badlands in North Dakota. Sediments layers that were deposited after the demise of the dinosaur were eroded by wind and water to form the rugged topography. The hill nearest is topped by a red rock deposit, locally called scoria, that was formed by coal burning under a layer of bentonite clay. When Lewis and Clark traveled through these badlands, they saw many of these burning coal veins. As a child, i remember walking on the warm clay and peeking down through the cracks of an actively burning vein with great wonder. So we begin a journey into a land lit by the setting sun and ancient fired formations. til Tomorrow MJ
Sandhill Sunrise
Friends, these Sandhills are taking off into the sunrise, pretty colors in the morning especially as the sun peeks over the horizon. Now i am done showing any more crane images until next fall. Tomorrow i start in a new direction, i will still be doing the nature photography, but the location will change from the Wisconsin birds to North Dakota badlands. I will show you the land, critters, wildflowers, lichens and tell you some natural history stories along the way. Tune in for a fascinating journey into a land touched by the sun,wind and history. til Tomorrow MJ
Award-Versatile Blogger Award
wow, thanks Nicholas
Friends, i have been nominated for the Versatile Blog award, and i want to thank Nicholas at The Daily Norm for this nomination. He does a wonderful blog that teaches art history and blends it with Norm-style humor. Sorry that this thank you was delayed a few days. I had to figure out the process and i am a little slow. So to accept the award, one first needs to thank the nominator, Thanks again
The second requirement is to list 15 bloggers worthy of this award that i follow on a regular basis: here is a short list of my favorites
My talented spouse: J Springett
My talented sister: bluebirdslivinginthemeadow.blogspot.com
Wonderful flower painting by: Mikki Senkarik
The photo of the day: Jim at Developing a new image
a friend from down-under: dadirridreaming
a new follow: purple lady bug photography
envious traveling: theblondecoyote.com
claude schilling photography
donald reese photography
kayaker: wind against current
techniques: photography improvement
David Patterson at storiesfrom home
Photo of the day (classic cars) at Dakota Grown and City Savvy
Photography by Rob Newboul
That completes my list for this present time, sorry if i left anyone out, but it is limited to 15
Then the third requirement is to list 7 things about myself so here goes:
1) I have a soul mate, two big black labs and a cat
2) I am retired from a technical vocation and am now living the “good life”
3) I am a writer at heart, but it takes time away from my photography
4) I would rather be in the woods
5) I love red rock country and badlands
6) Occasionally i do some watercolor work (the keyword being work)
7) I am constantly learning more photo techniques and practicing my craft
Thanks for reading, now on to bigger and better blogs, til Tomorrow MJ
Juvenile Cranes-Talking While Flying
Friends, whenever i am feeling down, i just look at one of my images of the Sandhill Cranes, especially flying shots like this one and i am cheered immediately. Sometimes i think one of my major purposes in life is to photograph the cranes as they fly overhead. These birds are juveniles, their crowns are rusty instead of bright red, and as all young ones do, they are busy talking as they fly. I have recorded their sounds and play them back often to remind me of the beauty of Crex Meadows in the fall. Now i am feeling much better, til Tomorrow MJ
Dysfunctional Swan Behavior
Friends, not the pretty swan picture that you are accustomed to seeing, but normal behavior during the breeding season, chasing away the competitors, and this takes place in Crex Meadows before the ice melts on the lakes, i like to think of them chasing away the cold weather and ushering in the warm, no Pasque flowers yet but 66 degrees F yesterday so warmer times are coming 🙂 I am ready, til Tomorrow MJ
MJ Springett 