From PhotoGraphic Expressions to Bonran Home Plus

Offering products for a comfortable and relaxing environment

I've never put too much reliability in the old saying, everything happens for a reason until I had a problem that eventually led me into a new venture with my eCommerce business.  

After 14 years, my water heater was showing signs of problems so I went on-line and did some surfing where I discovered the Marey Tankless Water Heater, which could be shipped and arrive at my door in 3 business days. The small tankless water heater was much more economical and not as large or bulky as the standard tank water heaters.  Since Rural Nevada uses propane and not natural gas, I decided to go with the electric, on demand water heater.

During the installation process, I was extremely pleased with the technical support that I had received from the Marey Customer Service.  When  I went online to register the unit, I noticed a link to apply for a distributorship.

This is where the statement "everything happens for a reason" comes in to play.  On an impulse, I filled out the distributorship form and upon being accepted, made the business decision to branch out my PhotoGraphic Expressions in to Bonran Home Plus.  

By incorporating a variety of products that I have tried and believe are high quality, along with my fine art photography, I can offer my customers unique items that bring a comfortable and relaxing environment to their home or office.  After being out in nature searching for photographs, whether it is in the heat of summer or chill of winter, I am ready to come home, take a warm shower, then prop my feet up and enjoy a relaxing beverage.

I will be writing a series of posts on my blog about the different products that I have available.  Today, I would like to begin with the Marey tankless water heater.  The Marey Heater Corporation has been in business since 1955, offering a large selection of electric, natural gas and propane tankless water heaters, ranging in price from $118.95 to $469.99.  Marey offers a 2.0 gpm 110 volt point of use unit up to 6.5 gpm whole house unit.  Each come with a 5 year limited warranty. 

One of the most popular units is the small portable propane water heater: GA5PORT which is ideal for camping or any outdoor usage as in horse stables, dog kennels and veterinary offices.  

So come and check out my line of products on Bonran Home Plus, whether you are in the need of an energy efficient Marey tankless water heater, some soft and comfortable bedding or to indulge in pure cocoa:   https://squareup.com/market/bonran-home-plus

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What an exciting and interesting photo-adventure this day has been.  I love it when I am drawn to an area and not knowing what to expect I get treated to new experiences. 

Sign up and follow my blog to see where my next photo-adventure will be!

Photography places me in the moment where I can share that moment in time. It becomes a life story as represented by my interaction with the scene. The happiness and beauty or the sorrow and strife; how I focus leaves a lasting impression that might touch the viewer on a spiritual level.

 "Reflecting Nature's Artistry" 

Many of these images are available on my website:

 http://www.bonnierannald.com/ 

For custom matted and framed images:
Off The Wall

No images on this blog are within Public Domain or are available for free download. 

 All rights reserved, world-wide and images protected by Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). All photography, graphics, text, design, and content is copyrighted by Bonnie Rannald and should not be copied, down-loaded, transferred and re-created in any way without the express consent, in writing to Bonnie Rannald. For information on Bonnie Rannald licensed, right-managed images, please submit a written request.

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Painted Lady Butterflies in December

Butterflies in place of snowflakes for Northern Nevada!

What can be more amazing in early December than seeing an influx of Painted Lady butterflies fluttering around my yard?  So far the temperatures for Northwestern Nevada have been mild and averaging around 60 °f (15.55 c) during the day and not dropping much below the freezing point at night. 

I would assume that all these Vanessa cardui butterflies are on migration and seeking warmer climates for winter. 

There is not much nectar available for them at this time of year, other than some flowering rosemary and orange colored mallows.  

They seem very attracted to my Arborvitae shrub that is facing south and gets sun most of the day. 

Butterflies not only feed on nectar but also on tree sap, dung, pollen and rotting fruit.  They receive minerals and especially sodium that is vital to reproduction from wet areas on leaves, plants and the ground.  I try and provide shallow, wet areas on the patio rocks and ground when I notice butterflies in the area.   

This winter, I will not disturb any leaves that have fallen to the ground just in case they might have butterfly eggs.  A female butterfly will lay her eggs on milkweed, mallow or any leaf that will serve as a food source for the caterpillar.  Come spring, it will be interesting to note if I find any of the small bristled caterpillars that will accent my yard as Painted Lady butterflies.

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What an exciting and interesting photo-adventure this day has been.  I love it when I am drawn to an area and not knowing what to expect I get treated to new experiences. 

Sign up and follow my blog to see where my next photo-adventure will be!

Photography places me in the moment where I can share that moment in time. It becomes a life story as represented by my interaction with the scene. The happiness and beauty or the sorrow and strife; how I focus leaves a lasting impression that might touch the viewer on a spiritual level.

 "Reflecting Nature's Artistry" 

Many of these images are available on my website:

 http://www.bonnierannald.com/ 

For custom matted and framed images:
Off The Wall

No images on this blog are within Public Domain or are available for free download. 

 All rights reserved, world-wide and images protected by Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). All photography, graphics, text, design, and content is copyrighted by Bonnie Rannald and should not be copied, down-loaded, transferred and re-created in any way without the express consent, in writing to Bonnie Rannald. For information on Bonnie Rannald licensed, right-managed images, please submit a written request.

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Nature's Patterns in Weather Predicting

Bees, Gulls and Cows, Is it going to rain?

Weather is perhaps the most decisive factor in planning a day out with nature photography. It not only sets the stage for any wildlife being out but also is a determining factor in my safety and comfort zone.  In this modern era of scientific forecasting sometimes the weather just does not want to cooperate, so I must turn to other means in making my decision to venture out or stay home.  

The old saying "red skies at night, sailor's delight, red skies in the morning, sailor take warning” is based on the weather moving from west to east and would mean that the moisture has passed with a red sunset. 

 With a red sky in the morning, the sun shines on moisture in the atmosphere at a low angle, therefore rain is possible.  However rain actually reaching the ground and giving a good soaking occurs so infrequently out here in the high desert of the Great Basin U. S. The one factor that I can always rely on is the wind.  

Seagulls or Inland gulls are sensitive to the slightest fluctuations in air and water pressure and can therefore respond to drops in air pressure just before a storm.  Flying in tight circles, they adjust their sense of balance to the air pressure changes. 

Gulls will also remain grounded when they sense that a storm is coming. 

Flowers are known to give off stronger fragrances just before it rains due to a lowering of air pressure.   

It has been noted by beekeepers that bees return to the hives before the rain sets in.  This could be that they are also sensitive to the changes in atmospheric pressure. 

 

I've always heard that cows will sit down when it is going to rain, I am not too sure if this is true or maybe they sit down in hopes that it will rain.  One interesting theory about cows is that they can sense when there will be an earthquake which might be from their ability to hear on a much lower pitch than us.

Speaking of earthquakes, some people do confirm that dogs can predict an earthquake hours before it will strike. The incessant barking and howling of dogs in 1975 at Haicheng, China convinced the city to evacuate, saving at least 150,000 lives. 

I think my favorite of all predictions or maybe it's a superstition is the one about rain coming within the day of a cat cleaning behind its ears. 

As much as I love the rain, I sure do wish this weather forecast was more accurate.  Or maybe I'd rather it not rain so much to make up for all the times that Skip cleaned behind his ears and it didn't come true. 

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What an exciting and interesting photo-adventure this day has been.  I love it when I am drawn to an area and not knowing what to expect I get treated to new experiences. 

Sign up and follow my blog to see where my next photo-adventure will be!

Photography places me in the moment where I can share that moment in time. It becomes a life story as represented by my interaction with the scene. The happiness and beauty or the sorrow and strife; how I focus leaves a lasting impression that might touch the viewer on a spiritual level.

 "Reflecting Nature's Artistry" 

Many of these images are available on my website:

 http://www.bonnierannald.com/ 

For custom matted and framed images:
Off The Wall

No images on this blog are within Public Domain or are available for free download. 

 All rights reserved, world-wide and images protected by Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). All photography, graphics, text, design, and content is copyrighted by Bonnie Rannald and should not be copied, down-loaded, transferred and re-created in any way without the express consent, in writing to Bonnie Rannald. For information on Bonnie Rannald licensed, right-managed images, please submit a written request.

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Autumn at Siesta Lake

An artist retreat in fall colors

What could be better than spending an warm autumn Saturday at a place called Siesta Lake? 

Located in Yosemite National Park, Siesta Lake is on the east side of Highway 120 (Tioga Pass Road) just before the White Wolf turn-off. 

The small lake is easily overlooked in the summer but during the early autumn it stands out, highlighted in gold and yellow hues against the blue waters.

Lying at 8,000 feet (2438.4 m) elevation, tall pines reach toward the sky and provide a scenic setting for a quiet retreat.  

Sitting for a moment to enjoy the setting and gazing across the lake, I am reminded of Monet's Garden with the lily pads floating in the still water.

A narrow path leads around the lake but in some areas the ground can be boggy so it's best to tread lightly.  

 An interesting log lies across the path, accented against the deep blue hues of water.

As the day winds down and I take my last look across the lake, Ansel Adams words come in my thoughts,  “Yosemite Valley, to me, is always a sunrise, a glitter of green and golden wonder in a vast edifice of stone and space.” 

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What an exciting and interesting photo-adventure this day has been.  I love it when I am drawn to an area and not knowing what to expect I get treated to new experiences. 

Sign up and follow my blog to see where my next photo-adventure will be!

Photography places me in the moment where I can share that moment in time. It becomes a life story as represented by my interaction with the scene. The happiness and beauty or the sorrow and strife; how I focus leaves a lasting impression that might touch the viewer on a spiritual level.

 "Reflecting Nature's Artistry" 

Many of these images are available on my website:

 http://www.bonnierannald.com/ 

For custom matted and framed images:
Off The Wall

No images on this blog are within Public Domain or are available for free download. 

 All rights reserved, world-wide and images protected by Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). All photography, graphics, text, design, and content is copyrighted by Bonnie Rannald and should not be copied, down-loaded, transferred and re-created in any way without the express consent, in writing to Bonnie Rannald. For information on Bonnie Rannald licensed, right-managed images, please submit a written request.

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From Destruction to Creation, after the Rim Fire

A return trip before winter's closure

A return visit to the northern edge of the Rim fire led me to new discoveries in the pine forest memorial land of charred and dead trees.  This second visit before cold weather closed down the Tioga Pass road was devoted toward spending as much time as possible and allowing nature to lead me with my camera.  

Wildfires can be beneficial to forests by clearing out over-crowded vegetation, thereby creating space for new growth. With all the tiny pines that were thriving in this area, the Rim fire has allowed for a rejuvenation of growth.  Unfortunately this fire was not an act of nature but caused from carelessness which burned 400 sq. miles at a cost of $127 million. 

Hiking deeper into the cemetery of dead trees, I stood at the base of so many monolithic trees that were still towering over the forest floor.

Up high from the green canopy a raven cackled as if to remind me to enter with reverence, for it was not only trees that met their demise in this charred forest. 

Every turn of the camera revealed a different scene with a unique story that immortalized a once thriving life. I was drawn to a young pine that had succumbed to the intense heat, finally resting on its side, with bare branches reaching up.  

Life amongst death as a bramble bush takes residence against the charred trunk of a once majestic pine.  The hollowed base of the tree will likely become someone's den for the winter.

One of the most awesome scenes of survival was this mighty Ponderosa pine that was almost cored from the fire, yet still alive and standing tall.

  The pine's strength and perseverance really touched my emotions. 

Sap oozing  down from this hollowed out recess in the charred pine gave me impressions of being in a cave.

 In a small area I noticed a number of round, blackened balls that I think might have been Black Oak Acorns.  Black Oak Acorns were a food staple of the Yosemite Indians.  

The opportunistic side of nature never ceases to amaze me, some critter has made a home in this hollowed out trunk

An intriguing scene and I wander if the boulder was cracked by the intense heat?

A shape beckons me to take a closer look, the abstract form has humanoid qualities and reminds me somewhat of a Hawaiian Tiki Totem 

In one of the most devastated areas of the fire a huge pine lays stretched out for many meters.

I can only imagine how many years this tree had been growing. 

 

 Over time and like with the Titanic, nature will reclaim what is left of this hull, leaving only a layer of mulch and some charred bark. 

New growth accents the landscape and Lupines are beginning to grow on the forest floor. 

 A destroyer of living matter, the fire leaves in its wake abstract creations, the outline of a heart catches my eye in the upper section of the trunk.

 Intricate shapes accent the landscape,  nature's Biomorphic creations that are charred and appear as if decorated with Pryographic designs. 

  
 
All over this land where the dead have come to rest lies a tribute to so many once thriving lives.  As I begin to retrace my steps and make my departure, I feel blessed that I have been given such an opportunity to experience this touching side of nature. 

 The seasonal change of winter is coming soon and one never knows what changes it might bring to this unique memorial site. Maybe I'll return again after spring's thaw.

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What an exciting and interesting photo-adventure this day has been.  I love it when I am drawn to an area and not knowing what to expect I get treated to new experiences. 

Sign up and follow my blog to see where my next photo-adventure will be!

Photography places me in the moment where I can share that moment in time. It becomes a life story as represented by my interaction with the scene. The happiness and beauty or the sorrow and strife; how I focus leaves a lasting impression that might touch the viewer on a spiritual level.

 "Reflecting Nature's Artistry" 

Many of these images are available on my website:

 http://www.bonnierannald.com/ 

For custom matted and framed images:
Off The Wall

No images on this blog are within Public Domain or are available for free download. 

 All rights reserved, world-wide and images protected by Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). All photography, graphics, text, design, and content is copyrighted by Bonnie Rannald and should not be copied, down-loaded, transferred and re-created in any way without the express consent, in writing to Bonnie Rannald. For information on Bonnie Rannald licensed, right-managed images, please submit a written request.

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