What is it about Happy Fence Friday that's so much fun?! There's something about nabbing a picture of a fence of any type that's really hard to resist. I'm not alone, as you guys know all too well! I have to admit that when I first noticed this crazy photo day many years ago, I didn't get it. What's the deal? Who cares?! As it turns out, the subject really does merit its own special day. Those of us who love to participate in this weekly frolic know that fences--in all their zillions of iterations--can be appreciated and shown off to an almost worshipful greatness from near and far and in all conditions. And yes, it's true--any picture can be a bore if taken without care. Certainly the same can be said of a fence picture, but more often than not, fences add more interest to an image and can really be jaw-dropping to look at. How wonderful to have the excuse to take that picture or go the extra mile to produce something really special! In any event, I love seeing what everyone's come up with for their weekly offering and it's great fun to toss my picture into the pile! Hooray for Happy Fence Friday!

Today's Picture: A Fence at Oregon's Champoeg State Heritage Area
When Steve and I were out on our "Covid Summer" RV trip, we visited a bunch of Oregon state parks, and one of the places we visited was Champoeg ("Shampoo-ee") State Heritage Area. Turns out it's the site of the very first Oregon government, and Steve and I enjoyed visiting the various monuments and historical buildings in the area.

The campground also had access to a number of wonderful trails to enjoy on foot or bicycle, including a lovely paved path that led through the forest and alongside the Willamette River. This river, Oregon's largest, was visited by the Lewis and Clark expedition and is an important waterway for shipping goods to and from the Pacific Ocean.

To keep people in the campgrounds on the trails and off the plants, fencing lined this paved path in many places. The moment I saw this fence I knew there would be a host of images for me--one good look was all I needed to see! I returned the next day with my macro lens and flash, spending an hour creeping along and finding stories and images there that I hoped to share.

At one point I found the leaf you see, and I burst out laughing as I stared incredulously. "WHAT THE HECK?!" I exclaimed in amazement, "How does this even happen?!" I studied the seemingly impossible way the leaf got itself so firmly stuck in the fence, shaking my head in wonder. I came to the conclusion that this leaf isn't going anywhere until it disintegrates with the passing of time.

I took an assortment of pictures with and without flash and a slew of apertures too. Who knew what would look best, or if any of them would look good at all. When I looked through my pictures, this one was an instant favorite, even though the subject and background are yelling at each other for center stage. The background, with its juicy color and bokeh, form an almost stained-glass appearance. The foreground with its crazy leaf stuck in the fencing, stand out with great detail too. I think this is one of those pictures that breaks the rule of having one primary element, and I love that! What do you think? Too busy? Did I hit the mark for you? :)

Anyway, I've got a pile of pictures for this fence-filled presentation but I'm still working on them. Stay tuned for more discoveries in the future! Until then, stay safe, dry, warm and comfortable on what is for us a soggy, cold and miserable day outside! Thanks for all of your visits, comments and favorites, you guys are the bestest! :)

Explored on 11/13/20; highest placement #1.