Geography Div (National Parks subsection)

A couple of weeks ago my sweetie and I took a road trip and Arches NP near Moab, UT was one of the stops. I haven't been to Arches since late 1981 and on my two previous hikes into Delicate Arch, I've seen maybe a total of six people (and in 1979 I was, eerily, alone).

The hike is a mile and a half and the result is spectacular.

I was amazed at the crowds of people (and wondered if some would make it up). One person told me that the day before (a Sunday) the line on the trail reminded him of photos of the miners trekking up Klondike Pass during the Yukon Gold Rush.

Geography Div (Global Warming subsection)

A nice little interactive graphic about attitudes on the subject. Enjoy.

Walkies Div (Friday Flutterby subsection)

After a two-mile stroll without anything interesting, found this in front of a neighbor's house (three doors down the block).

Walkies ..... Div

I try to get my old bones out for a walk two or three times a week. Today, around the lake and took the camera. Weather is comparable to late May or early June ( as opposed to a week ago where the only polite, descriptive word would be "brutal").  We've also been fortunate here in the mid-Atlantic to be receiving plenty of rain .... so things are really green with the trees and flowers blooming everywhere. Thus, a plethora of nectar sippers and pollinators.

Here's todays keeper ........ a Giant Swallowtail butterfly (I think) and a honeybee.

Don't ask me what the plant is. My plant identification ends with "oh shit, is that poison ivy?" Flower recognition consists of "flower" preceded by the appropriate color,  ie "Blue flower," etc.

RIP div ............

My family moved to Arizona in 1950. I maintain that we ran out of money while heading for Southern California where my Dad went to high school, but my Mom disagrees.

Arizona was a much different place. Phoenix's population had just topped one hundred thousand and the area was a rich, agricultural valley - one of the most fertile in the world. We were surrounded by groves of oranges, lemons, grapefruit and fields of cotton and alfalfa. Most (if not all) of that is gone today; replaced with concrete, asphalt and gravel. Summers were hot, but dry and an evaporative cooling unit (often referred to as a swamp cooler) was adequate due to the low humidity. The abundant green space allowed for sufficient overnight cooling; it might be 110 during the day, but the temp would drop at night into the 60's. Today the entire Phoenix area is a gigantic "heat-sink" mostly devoid of shade. The overnight temps from the triple-digit days rarely get below 80. The arrival of June marked the beginning of the "Monsoon" season with the cooling rains. Now, they arrive later, don't last as long and bring less rain.

It was a wonderful place to grow up ....... but I'd never move back.

In 1990, six firefighters were killed fighting the "Dude" fire northwest of Payson. Five were inmates from the State Prison and one a guard. My mother's church opened their community buildings to house and rest the many crews. Needless to say, the lack of rain and fire danger are a constant topic of conversation in North-Central Arizona.

I heard about the tragedy in Yarnell this morning on the radio (we listen to a Prescott, Arizona radio station on the internet). 

During the 50's and 60s, I camped and hiked and traveled many of the backroads of this area with my family and Scout Troop.

From my visits to see my 91 year-old Mom a couple of times a year, I can see how the climate, culture and condition of the state has changed; and it saddens me.

                                                  (Firefighter memorial - Payson, Arizona)

My heart goes out to the families of the firefighters that were lost. We never appreciate their day-to-day labor and effort until they make the ultimate sacrifice. Thanks Guys ........ RIP.

Spring Div (Urban Wildlife subsection

My neighbor has encountered Mom and Dad when out walking his rescued, racing greyhound.
This was shot about 100m from my front door.
There are four kits, but one seems to be more adventurous than its siblings.


(H/T Rob & Vector)

Watch What You Eat .... div

Remember that age old advice your mother gave you ???
There seems to be no end to the stupidity that abounds out there. It's not bad enough that the python is an ever increasing menace to wildlife in Florida; that now idiots are giving them away as prizes in contests. It makes even less sense when the contest is pretty gross and ends up killing you.

Maybe they should have just let his prize eat him, eh ???    ( I didn't bother to include the photo of the fully-grown deer removed from this guy - the snake that is).