Tag Archives: Tulsa

The Marshes of Oxley Nature Center

Oxley Marsh Trees and Reflections - Topaz Glow - Fur and Feathers

Topaz Glow – Fin and Feathers

Oxley Nature Center is built on some land nobody else wanted. Just north of the airport, wrapped by Bird Creek, and right next to the police department shooting range, nobody likes it except hikers, families, trail runners, geocachers, and photographer, not to mention deer, squirrels, snakes, lizards, ticks, fish, and lots of birds. The marshes of Oxley is what gives wildlife its space against us humans. I’ve been out here and have seen deer run across the marshes and swim the sloughs and leave guys like me trying to get good pictures behind.

The marshes give Oxley a lot of its mystery. I used Topaz Glow to emphasize that mystery. I like how it brought out the reflections of the trees and the texture of their bark.

Oxley Nature Center – A Great Alternative to Turkey Mountain

Heather and I wanted to go hiking on a warm sunny Winter afternoon and we decided to on the north side of Tulsa to Oxley Nature Center to avoid the crowds that show up at Turkey Mountain on nice days. The successful fight to save Turkey Mountain from developers really aroused the public’s interest in the park and I’m happy that so many people love it but there are other parks in Tulsa to go and hike, run, bike, and whatever you want outside with a lot less people. Where you can get a little elbow room and hunt for a parking space.

Oxley, adjacent to the also hikeable Mohawk Park is a little more structured and has a interpretive center with staff to help you with planning your hike. And it has hours of operation and such but if you just want to show up and hike or run, just park and do what you want. Check the link for hours of operation, maps, and such.

So on a day where Turkey Mountain was a little crowded (only at the parking lot, you get a quarter mile from the parking lot and the crowd are diminished considerably) Heather and I found a hiking spot and took off on a circuitous route. Sure we saw other people but just every now and then.

So don’t let crowded parking lots deter you from spending time outside.

We say several deer right close to the parking lot. I haven’t seen a deer on Turkey Mountain in years.

So we were just moseying along at a leisurely pace. Our son is on a school trip to Breckenridge and of course we stopped every time he texted us.

And we had a great time. Over four miles all in all.

As far as what was going on in Breckenridge, here is a selection of some of the pics Logan sent Heather.

This was from the bus ride as they were getting close to town.

The condo they are staying in and reportedly doing lots of “hanging out” and “relaxing” when we ask him what he is doing.

And it sounds like there is an ice sculpting contest or exhibition going on so this is one of the sculptures.

And this has something to do with dragons. Anyways we miss the boy and are glad to be able to hear from him.

Childless Weekend

Leake Park in Tulsa on a warm sunny Winter Day (up in the 70’s)

The kid has gone with his senior class to Breckenridge, Colorado. We do have proof of life via text messages that he has survived the long bus trip, the snow, and the new surroundings and such. Far cry from when I was a kid where when we left we left and nobody ever thought about calling home or anything. No news was good news.

Heather and I are going places that Logan can’t stand (Bass Pro and Academy) and eating food he won’t eat (sushi) and staying up late without worrying about him but we already miss him and hope that he is having a good time. When we ask him what he is doing we find out that he is “hanging out.” When we ask if he is having a good time we find out “yes.” I’ve taught my son too well I think.

So today, more stuff the kid can’t stand, we are going hiking. What about you? What do you do when the kids are gone? I mean that you can share on a G rated site. Well, maybe PG.

Skywatch Friday – Arkansas River Sunset

I saw the orange glow in the western sky so I grabbed my little Nikon AW110 point and shoot and took the elevator up to my old floor in my office building and went over to my old cubicle and took a few shots of the western sky with the Arkansas River. I never get tired of this view.

Linking with Skywatch Friday

Digital Art – Overlook of the Arkansas River

This is [photo of the Arkansas River as seen Turkey Mountain on the river’s west bank. The river is quite full due to recent rains. You can’t hardly tell it but the other bank is south Tulsa. If you look close you can see cars and a couple high rises on the horizon.

I used a new app on my Ipod Touch called Stackables to edit this photo. I tried to give it a kind of a 19th century wilderness aspect to the photo. The photo was taken with with Nikon AW110 point and shoot. I posted it on Instagram a week or so ago.

The number of editing apps and their capability is exploding. Many are free and most are $3 or less. Incredible time for us picture takers is what I say. I’m wondering when we are going to see high quality cameras with downloadable and updateable apps and wifi capabilities. Many cameras now have many different effects available but they are not near as good as what is available on portable devices. Many cameras have wifi capability but I can tell you I have two cameras with wifi and it is very clunky working with them.

Oh well, for now I’ll just keep on doing what I am doing.

Linking with Digital Art Meme today

Lunchtime Walkabout and an Indulgence

Lunchtime Monday was cold but I grabbed my camera and went walking for just a few minutes. I got to what I call the “Old Chamber of Commerce Building” and took a photo of some of the Bas Relief sculptures on the facade. They are in kind of an art deco style and there lots of images in the panel. The one above of a mother and child is my favorite.

Right next to it is a depiction of Tulsa’s role as the “Oil Capital of the World” way back int eh day. It’s got and oil well obviously as well as refineries, pipelines, tank farms, trucks, railroads, and airplanes.

I went walking around the corner over to Holy Family Cathedral and saw this door labelled Porta Sancta. Of course, not being Catholic, I had to google it and it has to do with Pope Francis declaring a Jubilee Year of Mercy where believers are to learn about and practice mercy in the daily lives. The Porta Sancta has to do where a believer who meets certain requirements can receive an indulgence where an “..indulgence is a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven…” It all starts by going through the door which is open at certain times. The church’s web site describes it.

I don’t really understand it but you know, we could all use a little a mercy in our lives right and we could all practice a ~~little~~ lot more mercy also toward others. (And by the way if I’ve got any of this wrong, please let me know!)

And then it was time to get back to work.

What did you do today?

Weekend Roundup

Busy, busy, busy that was us this weekend. Friday was my 9/80 day. I work 80 hours over nine days and get every other Friday off. It makes for long hours when I’m working but I love having the extra days off. Friday, Heather and I dropped my car off to get tires and then we went to breakfast and then on to the movies. We decided to see The Revenant.

Heather went to see it as a favor to me and I don’t think she liked it as much as I did. The Revenant is a powerful movie and very raw and incredibly brutal at times. I was worn out by the time it was done and I can see why it was nominated for a bunch of Oscars. I can’t really say much about it because almost anything would be a spoiler. I’ve some research I need to do and then maybe a dedicated blog post.

Friday night Logan’s Improv group put on a new show. Logan loves Improv and I love watching him light up when he is onstage. It is great watching his fellow performers also, some of whom have been in the group for years and I love watching the kids grow up. Logan and several others are seniors this year so they will be aging out of the group. We’ll have to see how Logan can continue doing Improv.

The nature of Improv is that you have to have a quick wit and you have to move on. Some skits work and others don’t and you don’t look back, you just go on.

Saturday morning I went for a trail run on Turkey Mountain. It is a great place to get my head on straight.

I saw this note card stuck in a tree. It’s a nice gesture and all that but the first rain this will turn into mush or the wind will blow onto the ground. I’m such a cynic.

Saturday night Logan got all spiffed up for his school’s Winter Ball. Heather and I were the chauffeurs for the night. We drove him to a country club where the Senior Dinner was and then later picked him up and took him to the dance venue and then picked him up. We were glad to do it. It was great seeing the young men and women being all dressed up, excited, and glowing for the event.

Heather and I went first class. I took her to one of the finest convenience stores in the country and offered to get her anything she wanted. I was even prepared to get here the X Large Pizza. Nothing but the best for my wife. She opted for a bottle of water.

Together Forever

Umpteen years ago, who knows how many, somebody tied these two trees together at two levels with a very stout and thick cable. Now the trees have grown and the cable is part of the tree. Who knows why? Turkey Mountain is now a popular park in Tulsa but formally it had lots of oil wells, and hardscrabble rocky farms, and by legend alcohol stills. Many relics of its past are still on the mountain, foundations for oil well pump jacks, farmhouse cisterns and foundations, old flow lines and such.

I just love finding clues to its past and wondering what in the world happened.

Linking with NF Trees n Bushes

Our World – Tulsa Themed Art Piano

Seen through the window of the SIP Gallery in downtown Tulsa is this Tulsa themed piano. It has several Tulsa landmarks painted on it such as Cain’s Ballroom, the Tulsa Driller, the Praying Hands at Oral Roberts University, Tulsa’s CityPlex Towers, the Philbrook Museum, US Route 66, University Club Apartments, Bartlesville’s Frank Lloyd Wright designed Price Tower, the Tulsa Skyline, and the Arkansas River. I think this is superb. I don’t have room for it but it would certainly be the gift for somebody has everything.

Linking with Our World Tuesday

Back to Turkey Mountain

Saturday I ran on Turkey Mountain for the first time since I messed my knee up there back on Labor Day. You can bet I was watching where I was putting my feet this time! It was a cold, breezy day in Tulsa and so running up on the mountain is better than plodding it out on the trail fighting the wind.

Anyways, I didn’t set any speed records. But I had a great time, and then drove back to pick up the kid.

How was your Saturday?

YogisDen.us

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