Mount Baker

This Cascade volcano towers over the northwest Washington landscape at 10,781 feet. This shot was taken on the ferry ride from Anacortes to Orcas Island in the Rosario Straight.

Iguana iguana

We call the green iguana the common iguana, but he looks pretty spectacular to me. They’re native to Central & South America. (And they’re not all green, by the way.)

The Spouting Horn

Drive through Depoe Bay, Oregon and you’re sure to catch at least a fleeting glimpse of the spectacular spouts of water that spew along the rocks as the waves crash upon them. If the light is just right, they’ll give birth to rainbows like the one shown here.

Beryl

Eighty-eight pounds of Emerald Beryl from the Marota Mine in Bahia, Brazil. Yum!
Pure beryl is colorless, actually. It’s trace impurities of chromium and/or vanadium that give it the deep green hue of the emerald.

Python regius

When the reptile & amphibian show came through OMSI, they sure had a lot of these ball pythons. They skins all had beautiful patterns which are largely the result of selective breeding.

The Big Obsidian Flow

Here is the stunning evidence of the most recent eruptive event at Newberry volcano. 1,300 years ago this obsidian oozed from the north caldera wall. The flow is 6,000 feet long and 65 feet deep. East Lake in the background.

Multi-Faced Sundial

Built in 18th century Germany, this sundial manages to project the time on nearly every conceivable surface.

Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park

This beach along the Big Sur coast of California features beautiful, 80-foot McWay Falls, which spills directly onto the sands.

Extatosoma tiaratum

This is an Australian walking stick. The photo is a bit blurry just because the little creature wouldn’t sit still for me. It’s actually part of their defense/camouflage mechanism. When they feel a breeze or some movement, they slowly rock back & forth to mimic leaves in the wind.

Pumice Plain to the Crater

This photo was taken in the dead-center of the blast zone of Mount St. Helens, looking south into the crater. You can see the crater rim in the background at an elevation of nearly 8,400 feet.