February 09, 2009

Buttes

The High Desert of Central Oregon is home to many buttes. 
Unfamiliar with this term?

butte
noun~Chiefly Western U.S.
A hill that rises abruptly from the surrounding area and has sloping sides and a flat top.


Gray's Butte (the tallest one)
Hmmm...I don't really notice a flat top...
It is, nonetheless, a very important butte....
the tower we get our internet signal from is on the very top!



Black Butte

Doesn't have much of a flat top either...
but it does rise abruptly from the surrounding area
and have sloping sides.

Still confused?  Maybe this will help...
a butte is smaller than a mesa.

There ya go.

23 comments:

Golden West said...

Thank you for your kind birthday greetings to my daughter, which I will pass along to her. She is a fan of your site, as well!

A Wild Thing said...

I must have a mesa...cause my butte seems to be growing...cool pics!

Tess Kincaid said...

My daughter fondly calls Crested Butte, old crusty butt.

Sharon, I think I have a mesa, too!

Beautiful pix, Charmaine.

Jeanne Estridge said...

That butte is a beaut!

Cecile/DreamCreateRepeat said...

Nice photos inspiring such clever early-morning word play from your fans! ; )

Linda Sue said...

Beautiful! I can feel my lungs fill up with so much fresh air that I think they might pop!

Michelle Engel Bencsko said...

Much obliged for the information! I did not know this.

littlebyrd said...

I want to hike up Black Butte. Haven't ever done it. Perhaps this is the year!

Laura Doyle said...

Wow..you live there? You lucky dog. It's gorgeous!

Helen said...

Where in the world did I get the idea that a butte was an unformed volcano? Was I ever fed the wrong information! I love all of our buttes - especially Horse Butte and Pilot Butte.

Unknown said...

Well Black has a little bit flatter top but I have to agree with the first shot, not very flat. Off to look up the technical definition of mesa!

Unknown said...

Gorgeous photos, Diva. Great composition and color. Thanks!

SUSAN SONNEN said...

I am so glad that you share the beauty of your surroundings with us. Thank you!

picciolo said...

great buttes!!
: )

Mary-Laure said...

This brings back the memory of a really cool t-shirt that a friend had brought me back from Butte Montana.

Lisa's RetroStyle said...

lol...hahaha! Why do I think that is so funny?! I thought I knew what a butte was...even what a mesa was. I'm wondering if those naming the MOUNTAINS surrounding you knew the difference?

Pretty whatever ya call them!

Anonymous said...

What a Grand Vista you have there. I would love to live in a place that presents so much visual drama on a daily basis. I don't think I would get tired of it. Not a bit...

Kate

Country Girl said...

And much, much bigger than a breadbox.

Two Dog Pond said...

...tonight when you are gazing at the buttes, enjoy the full moon.

Hey Harriet said...

Butte? Sounds like a fancy way of sayin' butt. As in bum, arse, ass.

Nice butte ;)

Living in the Garden said...

Oh, I get buttes

Our view is of Kamiak Butte jutting above the
rolling hills of the Palouse.

Your Buttes are beautiful...

Here, There, Elsewhere... and more said...

That's a French word too, meaning the same thing...how funny..:)

Unknown said...

the first shot if so pretty with the curving road.