Hidden Treasures

One of my favorite things to do when I'm traveling is to look for hidden treasures. I like to explore and take lots of pictures. In fact, 98% of the pictures that I share on this blog are shots I've taken with my trusty digital camera.

Today I thought I'd share some of the treasures I've found recently while exploring. The picture you see above is of Dry Creek, located just south of Afton, Wyoming. My husband and I drove over Saturday night and this canyon caught my eye. My mother grew up in Star Valley, so this area has always seemed like home. I'm familiar with a lot of the region, but I had never been near this particular canyon, so we drove down Dry Creek Road for a look around. It was gorgeous. Everything is very green this year, compliments of the numerous storms we endured earlier this season. The white water\spring\summer runoff is spectacular, as you can also see below.



A few days ago, my husband and I drove to a local area called Whiskey Flats. He was intent on finding a fishing hole. I was exploring and found wild strawberry plants. These are a tasty treat, if you know what you're looking for. The berries are tiny---about 1\8 of the size of a regular strawberry, but they are wonderful. Too bad these plants weren't full of berries during this excursion. ;)



About a month ago, my oldest son and I were jaunting around the foothills behind our home in Bennington. I was trying to get a shot of a little creek that is about as full as I've ever seen it. But to my chagrin, I had already filled my memory card that afternoon. So I quietly stood, deleting unwanted pictures. As I stood there, focusing on my camera, a hummingbird flew in front of me, intent on sampling a nearby flowering bush. If you're familiar with hummingbirds, you know that they don't like to have their picture taken. I very sneakily took several shots, trying to capture this rare moment. For once, the camera fairies smiled upon me---and as you can see in the picture below, I gleaned a treasure that day. (Note: I've noticed that this picture is pretty scrunched on the blog---click on the picture and you'll see it more clearly. This hummingbird is green and it has a bright red throat.)



This final shot is a sunset scene, overlooking the south end of Star Valley. I took it as my husband and I were heading home Saturday night. He has learned that when I say, "Stop," as we're traveling, it's not an emergency. It just means I want to take a picture of something I think is cool. =) What can I say---it's one of my hobbies. Sometimes I will take numerous shots (as in the case of the hummingbird picture you can see above) to get a good picture. You never know which one will adequately capture the treasured moment.



My challenge to you this week is to look around as you're traveling, camping, hiking, and enjoying life. You may be surprised at what you might find, even in your own backyard.

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