Photos and comments from Arizona and around the world
One of the most important things we can accomplish as individuals, as families and as a society is to take care of our children. This photo symbolizes how youth can benefit from age. It is too bad that more of the youth of our very mobile country do not...
One of the speculations about cactus spines is that they are a means of defense. This might be a good theory except for the fact that many cactus spines are not hard and pointy but soft like hair. The Old Man Cactus is a good example. Some cactus have...
I have always been fascinated with architecture and I have seen this building many times in photographs but only recently had the opportunity of visiting it for the first time. I was very much impressed and loved the way the photos came out. If you haven't...
Koi is the Japanese word for carp. Apparently, the carp all got together and hired a PR firm and after extensive research decided that they would get more traction in the U.S. if they went by the Japanese name rather than plain old carp. In ancient times,...
Luxury is often associated with using finely textured materials. The manufacturers of fine automobiles often advertise how their cars have wood paneling and leather accents. But what they fail to admit is that anyone can enjoy the luxury of texture and...
When I was studying painting and drawing at the university, I really liked Rembrandt's etchings. But slowly over my life, my tastes in art have changed. I still like Rembrandt, but now I love a vast spectrum of art from American Indian to Van Gogh. Some...
Triops, or tadpole shrimp, live in desert potholes of the Southwest. The are prehistoric crustaceans and have remained unchanged for millions of years. They predate the dinosaurs. Their eggs can lie dormant for 25 years, waiting out a dry-spell.
There is probably no other state in the U.S. that has such a major scenic attraction that is so closely identified with the state. You might say the same about Delicate Arch and Utah but Delicate Arch does not take up a large portion of the northern part...
Those of you who are used to traditional fruit such as apples, peaches and pears, probably would not view these offerings with approval. But I can assure you they are delicious, especially the prickly pear fruit on top. It is dark red when ripe and juicy...
Stanza X of Intimations of Immortality from Recollections of EarlyChildhood by William Wordsworth. What though the radiance which was once so brightBe now for ever taken from my sight, Though nothing can bring back the hourOf splendour in the...
These brightly colored flowers are on a large tree growing right downtown in Scottsdale, Arizona. They are called African Tulip Trees or Spathodea and are native to dry regions of Africa. This occurrence is added to that list of very surprising things...
One of the most beautiful sights in the desert is the ironwood or smoke tree. Their delicate purple blooms are absolutely stunning. They are called smoke trees because when they are in bloom they look like wisps of smoke on the hillside. The wood is so...
Abraham Lincoln's Tomb, Oakridge Cemetery, Springfield, Illinois USA in USA Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States of America. He was born on February 12, 1809 and died by an assassin’s bullet on April 15, 1865. He is buried in a...
When you live in the desert, anything green looks wonderful. I was particularly enchanted with this waterfall of green ferns. This tropical wonderland is a polar opposite of the currently very dry Arizona desert. Each has its own attractions, but in this...
The individual florets, those yellow dots in the center of the flowers, grow in two spirals extending from the center of the flower. One spiral has 21 arms and the second has 34 arms. Here is a close up of the center of the flower so you can better see...
Home Construction, Mesa, Arizona USA in Arizona Home construction methods vary by region in the United States. Arizona has a distinctive frame on slab method of construction that is different from other areas of the country where there are concerns about...
What if your world was confined to the bark of one tree? What would you know or even think about the rest of the world? What if you world was confined to one small planet circling an average star? What would you think or even know about the rest of the...
Whenever I travel to other areas of the United States, I enjoy the different flowers and trees. Crepe Myrtle is common in the South but non-existent here in Arizona. I am sure the heat and lack of humidity are a factor, but you would think that it would...
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These are some shelf or bracket fungi. They are hard and leathery and grow on the sides of both dead and living trees. I love the variety of fungi there are in the forest. I especially like shelf fungi and mushrooms. They are very distinctive and have...
Here is another selection of mystery photos of babies. There is no real way to tell, in some cases, if these are the same child at different ages or different children. The photos come from glass negatives preserved from an early Arizona female professional...
The Western Sierra Nevada is anything but cool and wet in the summer months. It is hot and dry unless you go to extreme altitude. This day was well into the high 80s and dry as a bone. Almost all the Spring wildflowers had disappeared, but here was one...
White Canyon in south central Utah, is known for its natural bridges, Indian ruins and slot canyons. It is a maze of narrow channels ultimately emptying into the Colorado River. Part of the Canyon is located in Bridges National Monument. Wandering around...
What if you need to travel? You may be one of the vast members of the vagabond RV culture or only travel when you absolutely have to do so. In either case, if you are a genealogist and especially if you are one who writes, you have to figure out how you...
I have always been fascinated with hand crafted items and spinning is one of those crafts that is most intriguing. The fiber, for example wool, must be sheared from the sheep, skirted, washed, picked, carded, and roved before it is even ready to spin....
