Exploring Whiskeytown: Brandy Creek Trail

Exploring Whiskeytown: Brandy Creek Trail

Art, Series and Works
On March 10th I hiked Brandy Creek Trail, this trail starts out in an Old Growth Forest and progresses along Brandy Creek. The trail is about 2 miles with a moderate elevation change. There are some good views of Brandy Creek along the way. Although my favorite part of the trail is the section of Old Growth forest. This trail will take you right by a group Campsite at Whiskeytown, and if you continue you can actually reach Brandy Creek Falls.  Past the campsite this trail loses a lot of its interest, you are no longer near Brandy Creek, and it is a mixed conifer forest you are walking through. [sphere 338]   [gallery size="medium" columns="4" ids="330,331,332,333,334,335,336"]
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Futurelearn: Exploring the World of English Language Teaching

Futurelearn
This was the last week for my second Futurelearn course, Exploring the World of English Language Teaching. Hosted by Cambridge English Language Assessment. The course was led by Monica Poulter and Marie Therese Swabey. The purpose of this course was to serve as an introduction to Teaching English as a Foreign or Second language. The course accomplished its goals of serving as a introduction course. It helped me to begin the process of learning how to be an English Teachers, as well as highlighting the areas that I need to work on. The course covers topics like teaching techniques, grammar; vocabulary; pronunciation, resources, and teaching certificates. While none of the topics were covered in depth there was a great overview of the subject provided. One of the greatest parts of…
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Exploring Whiskeytown: Shasta Mine Loop Trail

Exploring Whiskeytown: Shasta Mine Loop Trail

Art, Series and Works
I hiked Shasta Mine Loop Trail on February 24th, 2017. I had wanted to do this trail the last time I was out at Whiskeytown but the road was closed due to a storm that had passed through. At tis time everything was still quite soaked and saturated I knew this trail was mostly on the side of a mountain so I was hoping that the water would have drained off the trail for the most part. But that not how it went, I started at one entrance to the loop, and walked in about 1 1/4 miles until I reached a part of the path that was totally flooded. The water was about 5 inches deep, and stretched around the corner. Now I don't mind crossing a bit of…
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Exploring Whiskeytown: Oak Bottom Trail

Exploring Whiskeytown: Oak Bottom Trail

Art, Series and Works
On February 10th, 2017 I went out to Whiskeytown to hike the Mount Shasta Mine Loop Trail, but a storm earlier in the week caused several rock slides to block the main road in Whiskeytown Recreation Area. So instead I went over and walked the Oak Bottom Trail, at least until the trail was flooded out. I also ended up going to my most photographed waterfall at Whiskeytown, Crystal Creek Falls. It was an overcast day, and seemed like it could have rain, but didn't while I was out. I went Panorama crazy with this set, and there are five panoramas with only three single frame shots. The vertical panorama of the tree is the one with the most images (23 frames), The Panorama of Crystal Creek Falls is the…
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Exploring Whiskeytown: El Dorado Mine

Exploring Whiskeytown: El Dorado Mine

Art, Series and Works
Now that the weather is getting nice, I've started to go on hikes, and walkabouts again. Mostly at Whiskeytown Recreation Area. I actually have some catching up to do on blog posts, so the photos here were shot on February 2nd. The weather was full overcast, with a very light drizzle that day. I actually went out to Crystal Creek falls that day as well, but I feel like the visit to the El Dorado Mine was the more productive of the two. I've photographed here many times before, but rarely was happy with the outcomes. This time I feel like the resulting photos are worthwhile. I was also offered the chance to review Sleeklens Landscape Adventure Collection, that review will be coming in a week or so. Most of…
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Futurelearn Antiquities Trafficking and Art Crime Review

Art, Futurelearn
  I recently completed the Antiquities Trafficking and Art Crime MOOC (Massively Online Open Course) on Futurelearn, my first MOOC ever. This was a three week course with an estimated  4 hours of time each week. Week 1 was about Stolen/Looted Antiquities and Trafficking, Week 2 was Art Crimes, and Week 3 was about Reparations and Returns. The course was led by Donna Yates. I really enjoyed the course. Particularly week 2 when we covered Art Crime, Week 1 was also very enjoyable. Most memorable was Ai WeiWei's smashed Ancient Urns and the resulting museum crime (of someone smashing one of his Urns), The Gardner art theft, and the concept of art smuggler networks. The format of the course involved primarily videos, and Articles with some Quizzes, Discussions and a couple activities.…
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