Alpenglow

I started a new job a couple of months ago. It's pretty basic work, just housekeeping, but it's allowed me to start getting back into shape and is so far much more enjoyable than the office work that I previously did. It's funny, I never really considered something like housekeeping before. I think a small part of me was afraid to try something new. I also hadn't done a job like this since I was a teen, so I felt a little out of practice as well.

Low and behold, I really love the work itself. (The drama between coworkers is something that I could leave behind, but I digress.) The best part about it, for me, is that I'm cleaning vacation houses in one of the most beautiful private ranches in our area. It's a full community that's a mixture of rentals and people who live out there full time, and it's surrounded by the most gorgeous scenery.

Now, most of the houses are tucked away into the woods, but a few of them have mountain views. The housekeeping area, however, has the best views I've seen thus far, with a good portion of the Cascade Mountain range visible. Every day, I get to see their beautiful peaks come into sight and I feel happy.

After a couple of weeks of seeing the most spectacular alpenglow on the mountains each morning, I decided I needed to capture some images of these gorgeous peaks. So on one of my days off, I grudgingly got up at 4:30 in the morning and drove out to my most recently discovered favorite back road, just me and my dog.

I parked on the side of the road, set up my tripod and waited. Bright oranges and pinks lit up the clouds behind me, reflecting on the snowy sides of the mountains.

The Middle and North Sister, part of the Cascade Mountain range, were so close I felt like I could reach out and touch them. The Cascades actually start up in Canada, in British Columbia, and extend all the way down to Mt. Shasta in California. In Oregon, most of our portion is singular volcanic peaks like these, with very unique shapes and sizes, but every area that I've explored in the Pacific Northwest is spectacular in its own right.

Mountains are a strange therapy for me. They're constant, yet changing with the seasons. Once I had captured the images that I wanted, I just sat for nearly half an hour, watching the light slowly crawl across the forest in front of me as the mountains became brighter. It was a beautiful memory, and a reminder of why I love photography so much. Plus, thanks to my zoom lens, I was able to get some close up shots.

I love it when I can see the individual parts of the ridgeline and the details of the rocky formations. Having such grandeur available so close by has spoiled me considerably. This view isn't even an hour away from where I live, and I am so grateful.

I have many plans for this year, and I hope that I'm able to travel more and check out some new places as well. You can be sure I'll be sharing more of my adventures as they take place.

Be blessed!

- Kendra