A Winter’s Solstice Recovered

Mount McLellan north from Carson City from our favorite winter hike. Captured with X100VI, 2026-01-07 12:26:31, 23mm, 1/6400sec, f/8, ISO-2500, in-camera Tri-X Film Recipe.

Between Thanksgiving and Christmas (and actually to about the New Year) I like to play some holiday-themed music. One of my main go-to selections is the Windham Hill collections called A Winter’s Solstice. There are six collections in that series, most of them completed when Windham Hill was independent.

This year, when I got into my Apple Music application, I found these recordings missing. I was shocked and still do not know how that happened. It upset me sufficiently that I abandoned the idea of celebrating in music. I was busy and the CDs are in a box in the garage somewhere. I was not going to go track them down and re-rip them.

I got to thinking about this early this morning and did a little research to determine how to transfer the recordings from my old iPhone (they were still on it) to my Mac. I found a piece of software (paid) that will actually copy them directly into Music and preserve the tags and album art. It was worth the price of admission so I paid for a year’s subscription.

This saved me a bit of work. I plan on listening to these recordings over the next or so and pick up my missed celebration in music.

Although I was a bit disconcerted by this train of events, I remain grateful. Life is good.

The Utah Skyline

While The Girl and I were hiking, I noticed the skyline. Captured with X-T5, 2025-10-16 16:47:04, 35mm, 1/640sec, f/8, ISO-250, in-camera Tri-X Film Simulation, SOOC.

Typically, we think of a skyline in terms of a city. However, while hiking The Girl near our campsite in Utah, I noticed this vista. With one eye on her, I made a few captures and like this one the most.

There are a few more frames from this overnight stop that are worth sharing. I will work through them over the remainder of the year.

The Sun set not long after I made this capture. By that time, we had completed our short hike and returned to the camper. I set about making some supper and taking care of my girl. Then I enjoyed my supper and a beer and we settled in for the night. I was tired and had a lot more miles to make before arriving in Missouri.

It was a good day. Life is good.

A Hint of a Hoodoo

A hint of a Utah hoodoo, near my camp on my way east back in October. Captured with X-T5, 2025-10-16 16:46:39, 35mm, 1/1100sec, f/8, ISO-250, in-camera Tri-X film simulation, SOOC.

Back in October, I headed east to see Older Grandson married and to spend time with my children. My second night out, we pulled off I-70 to find a campsite for the night. About a half-mile off the highway there was a pullout on the trail. It made sense to reverse the rig to put the door on the trail side, so I did and spent the few minutes required to setup the camper.

Then I got The Girl out of the 4Runner, checked to see that the group of feral horses were far enough away to not be a significant temptation, and we started a short hike to look around. I learned that the trail was washed out by recent rains so the risk of nighttime traffic was low. I also found these rounded rock outcrops that made me think of Goblin State Park, which I visited another time a decade ago.

The hike done, I fed us and we settled in for the night. Both of us slept well.

It was a good trip, if exceptionally busy. I am so grateful for a safe trip and the time spent with my children. Life is good.

Monuments

I made several images in this old cemetery. This is one that I like. Captured with X-T5, 2025-10-26 12:38:59, 27mm, 1/550sec, f/5.6, ISO-250, in-camera Tri X Film Simulation.

Somewhere on the way back to Missouri from Pennsylvania, DiL wanted to stop and walk and old cemetery. She found several and then picked one. It was good to be out of the rig for awhile and the places always provide some interesting images. I came away with a few.

It was a good stop. Life is good.

Row Houses

While walking The Girl, I noticed this row of houses .Captured with X-T5, 2025-10-25 07:15:09, 18mm, 1/750sec, f/8, ISO-250, in-camera Tri X Film Simulation,

While in Philly for the wedding, I walked The Girl around the block a few times. The row houses are a fascinating architectural thing that I do not routinely see. Therefore, I needed an image for the memory. So, I made one.

While I do not want to live there, the visit was worth the effort. Life is good.

This Old Rock

This old steel pipe with a rock on top is a favorite subject. There has to be a story behind this. Captured with X-T5, 2025-10-04 13:45:35, 35mm, 1/3000sec, f/2.8, ISO-250, in-camera Tri-X film simulation, SOOC.

We have hiked past this pipe and perched stone countless times. Sometimes, when the light is right, I stop and make an image.

This is one of those images.

Slide Mountain

Clouds over Slide Mountain. Captured with X-T5, 2025-10-05 09:54:28, 18mm, 1/900sec, f/8, ISO-250, in-camera Tri-X film simulation, SOOC.

On a Sunday morning a few days ago, I took The Girl up to Washoe Lake for our daily outing. I did not want to go to our usual spots, it being the weekend.

When we arrived, there was an ultralight aircraft preparing to launch. There were a few other folks also enjoying the bright morning. But there were not too many.

I found a place to park the rig away from everyone else and got The Girl out. We walked about the western shoreline of the lake, her running from spot to spot, sniffing and marking. She dashed back to me a few times, threatening to shoulder my legs as dogs often do in play. We laughed and played a little grabass, enjoying the outdoors together.

I made a few images, the one above of Slide Mountain with a wide angle lens and an in-camera film simulation.

Then we finished our outing and loaded back into the rig. I had things that needed doing.

It was a good day. I think every day is a good day. Life is good.

Piñon Hills and Carson River Valley

Clouds and canopy along the Carson River on Silver Saddle Ranch. Captured with X-T5, 2025-09-25 12:19:49, 35mm, 1/1600sec, f/8, ISO-250, in-camera Tri-X film simulation, SOOC.

For the last week or so, The Girl and I hiked the Silver Saddle Ranch open space. While not completely out of snake season, it is safe enough with her on-lead. Her lead work needs work anyway. (She is doing much better on-lead.)

Some of the rabbitbrush has waned, but my allergies are still in full force. That is making some things a bit difficult because my eyes are subject to the allergies and watery eyes make for poorer vision.

I am working through my first mug as I write this and will want another shortly. It is much cooler here in western Nevada this morning — in the low 30ºs F. That will make The Girl frisky when we hike today. I worked all morning yesterday, so it was afternoon before we hiked. Today I think I would like to get out a bit earlier, although there is still work to do.

I had supper with my buddy Jimmy yesterday evening. It was a good visit and the food at Betsy’s Big Kitchen is decent. All in all, it was a good day.

I am grateful. Life is good.

Virginia Range

The Virginia Range from one of my favorite hikes on Silver Saddle Ranch. Captured with X-T5, 2025-10-01 11:13:13, 35mm, 1/600sec, f/8, ISO-250, in-camera Tri-X film simulation, SOOC.

A few days ago The Girl and I used a cool morning to hike Silver Saddle Ranch. With less Sun and cooler temperatures, I figured the risk of a nope rope encounter might be reduced. In any event, I kept her on-leash for our hike, with a brief exception for her to play in the water a bit.

It was a good hike and gave the opportunity for a few images, of which a couple were actually decent enough to share. The Fujifilm X-T5 is turning out to be a great camera. As much as I liked my X-T1, the most recent body is substantially improved. I mean this not just in pixel count (which is crazy high at 40MP), but in refinement of the shooting experience.

It was a good day. Life is good.

Cut

I hike past this old stump almost every day during the summer. Captured with X-T5, 2025-09-26 12:48:19, 35mm, 1/300sec, f/2.8, ISO-250, in-camera Tri-X film simulation, SOOC.

We are still hiking up near Spooner Summit, on an old fire road cut by the Forest Service whenever the last fire happened on the site. (It must be several years ago, based on what I see.) We walk past this old stump nearly every day.

That will end soon enough as Fall moves into Winter. Once I am convinced the Nope Ropes have gone dormant for the season, The Girl and I will transition to hiking Silver Saddle Ranch a good part of the time. The snows will making hiking the old fire road much more difficult and the trail access is often block by a snow bank from the plows.

I have been thinking that I would like to hike Dead Truck Canyon this Winter, maybe several times. The climb will do me good and The Girl will enjoy new places to explore. I think the likelihood of a coyote encounter will be reduced (but not eliminated) because of bulk of prey is in the valley and not on the hills. At least, those are my current thoughts.

There is definitely less cover as we climb, so I should be better able to scout ahead.

An additional benefit is that the elevation provides some nice views of the surrounding valleys. Plus the Carson Range will be in plain view as well.

I am thinking that Fall/Winter hiking will be good this season. I am grateful and life is good.