Photos and comments from Arizona and around the world
One thing I like about the desert is the ability to get the far view. You can really see where you have been and where you might like to go. On the other hand, you may also find out that where you want to go and where you can go are very, very far ap...
crave.cnet.co.uk Intel has helped cook up some futuristic headlights that make rain seem to disappear. We explain how it works.
In traveling around the country giving genealogy presentations, I have experienced a wide variety of equipement failures and lack of Internet connectivity. Since my primary computers are Apple OS X based, I always have to worry about connectivity issues....
These little guys would run in an out as the waves came in, just barely missing getting their feet wet in the foam. They are looking for an evening meal but seem to be in such a hurry that I am sure they are missing most of their opportunities. I relate...
One advantage or disadvantage of living in the desert is that old metal farm equipment stays around forever. This is a spring-tooth harrow or drag harrow. It was used to loosen the soil before planting and is largely outdated. It has been replaced by...
Tulips are definitely not a desert plant. They usually require a certain number of cold/freezing days in their winter dormancy to properly bloom. These aren't the type of tulips that have the iconic tulip shape but they are impressive none-the-less. For...
One done and one to go. Last night, 24 April 2013, we had a successful webinar on the FamilySearch.org Research Wiki at the Mesa FamilySearch Library. Once the webinars are presented live online, they are recorded and added to the webcast library. Right...
Being from the low desert, it is very unusual for me to be trying to take pictures in a snow storm. The trick is have someway to cover your camera and moving pretty fast. This photo was taken in Zion National Park in April. You would think it was still...
As I get time, I will be working on this series of online video on various topics. If you would like to suggest a topic, please feel free to do so. I am still working out some of the formatting and such so the videos are a little rough right now. Thanks...
More than three years ago, I had a book scanned by the Mesa FamilySearch Library. I quote from a previous post of 19 May 2011: More than a year ago, I had a book scanned by the Mesa Regional Family History Center. The Mesa FHC is scanning books in conjunction...
Geni.com users got an added bonus with the implementation of Smart Matching and Record Matching to their existing subscriptions. Quoting from the press release: April 23 2013: Geni.com, the leader in collaborative family history, today announced the...
Well, we have a link. Right on the search page with everything else we have a link to the FamilySearchResearch Wiki. Life will go on and we can talk about something else. Of course, you can always type wiki.familysearch.org in the Address Bar of your...
It was raining with a mixture of snow and the wind was blowing so hard it made it difficult to keep from getting the lens of the camera spattered with water. We used umbrellas that threatened to tear apart and stood under whatever cover we could find....
Even the most meticulous gardener will find a few exceptions to their carefully laid plans. Maybe the bulbs got mixed and it was impossible to tell which ones were daffodils and which ones were tulips. This is a good analogy for life, we sometimes get...
I like to visit some National Parks during really bad weather. The rain and/or snow is a challenge to keep the camera lenses from fogging or getting rain splattered. But the photographs are worth the challenge of the elements. This is in Zion National...
There are not words to describe these flowers and the photos do not do them justice. I have two images here so you can see the size of these blooms. All I can say is that they are much more impressive in person and overwhelming in color. This one small...
The above daguerreotype was reportedly of my Great-great-great-grandfather, John Tanner. However, after some extensive research and using historical and genealogical data gleaned from dozens of sources, my daughter Amy has finally made a positive identification...
The colors spectrum of cactus blooms is incredible. In fact, flowers on the same plant can vary dramatically in color. This prickly pear or opuntia is a good example of the vibrant, almost fake looking, colors that appear each Spring. Once pollinated,...
First of all this photograph is actually in color. Secondly, it is almost impossible to duplicate the conditions that allowed this photo to be taken and last, it highlights the incredible forms of the cactus. This is easily one of the most dramatic shots...
Most of the time, these very active birds are running around on the ground at a frantic rate of speed, looking for food. But every once and while, one of them pops up on a fence or railing to survey the area. One of my favorite sounds is the coo-cooing...
Since Family Tree Builder 7.0 has now been officially released, I can talk about the program I have been using for the past few weeks. I was one of the few Beta testers for the new program. I was given a copy of the program and access to the online MyHeritage.com...
The Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) is a major step in making major digitized collections available in one place on the Web. Today the DPLA announces the following: At its launch this week, the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) is featuring...
From a press release on the Digital Public Library of America website: From all of us at the Digital Public Library of America, our hearts go out to those affected by the terrible events in Boston yesterday. The tragedy took place right in front of...
One of my online friends, Lee Drew of the LineageKeeper Blog said it well today with a blog post entitled, "New FamilySearch Design ~ A Left Turn?" He states in part, that the design is aimed at beginners and that the changes to the FamilySearch.org website...
