My Datura Has Grown Up

You may recall that this spring, frustrated by my attempts to grow datura from seed, I bought a seedling up at Flagstaff Native Plant & Seed. Pragmatic, yes. Nonetheless, a defeat -- after all, the plant grows wild in my immediate neighborhood and I've collected plenty of seed over the years. In any event, the seedling has prospered and is now a largish plant. Big enough to produce one blossom this summer and possibly many more in the years ahead.

Here is the large bud, looking like a candlestick.

The blossom has emerged and is thinking of uncoiling.

I waited patiently the evening that the flower was to open; there was only a small amount of movement. I had once before caught a datura blossom as it suddenly sprang open at dusk. A wonderful sight -- and wonderful scent, as well, like many night blooming plants. This particular night, I lost patience, figuring that I could photograph the open flower the next morning.

Hah! No such luck -- in the morning, the blossom was spent!

I had to make do with another plant just up the street from me -- a plant that has grown wild by the roadside for several years, with neither watering nor other TLC.

Developing seed pods on the nearby plant; my own datura has one healthy seed pod. Easy to see why the name thorn apple. Other names for the plant include jimson weed, gypsum weed, loco weed, jamestown weed, angel's trumpet, devil's trumpet, devil's snare, according to Wikipedia. It is found in almost every state and belongs to the solanaceae family, which includes everything from belladonna to tomatoes, potatoes, chilis, tobacco and deadly nightshade.

BTW, I found this reproduction from Georgia O'Keefe among my pictures. Not only beautiful, the datura is seductively dangerous. "Most parts of the plant contain atropine, scopolamine, and hyoscyamine. It has a long history of [medicinal and magical] use both in S. America and Europe and is known for causing delerious states and poisonings in uninformed users," notes the Erowid Organization, whose pages are concerned with hallucinogenic plants. There is, of course, also an association of fanciers and breeders, the American Brugmansia & Datura Society. For the record, brugmansia is the name given to tree daturas, native to South America.

The Education of a Candidate

My good buddy Georgene Lockwood has decided to challenge the present county supervisor from Yavapai District One. Not a career politician, she is undergoing a big-time education in matters civic, attending meetings throughout the county on all imaginable issues. Water. Development. Zoning. Roads & transportation. Affordable housing. You name it, she's getting a crash course.

And then there is the fun stuff. Which is where I come in. There are plenty of places and events to meet and talk to real people about how they feel about local issues. I've been tagging along as a chance to photograph more events than is possible for a mere walker-about-town. An almost overwhelming number, it turns out. For instance, a couple of weeks ago, we set out Saturday morning for an eight AM presentation on water-wise plantings out at Acker Park (above).

Followed by a quick stop at the Apple Pan for a breakfast bite. The other person at our table: Bobbi, the campaign's treasurer.

Next, a drive out to Skull Valley for the annual Pie & Ice Cream Social.

Finally, back to town for petition signing at the Book Fair over at the Sharlot Hall grounds.

This weekend started with the Open Space conference, also at the Sharlot Hall Museum, on Friday night.

This morning, early, an Audubon Society bird walk at Watson Woods, where Georgene met a couple of youngsters interested in tracking.

Next stop, the Yavapai Cattle Growers annual Bar-B-Q (which was absolutely yummy!) Here, the candidate buys some raffle tickets for the Yavapai Cow Belle's 2007 scholarship quilt.

And, finally, a 30+ mile drive out to Paulden for that rural area's annual Fall Festival. A windy day and a chance to get more signatures. Did I mention that I arrived home very, very tired?

I had hoped to link to an article Georgene wrote for ReadItHere News, but though it just appeared on the newsstands, it's not on-line yet. All about a green zoning ordinance in the works that nobody seems to know much about and -- how difficult it was for her to find the relevant meetings. Interesting.

Corn Mother Near Harvest Time

You may recall that back in June I posted pictures of the Corn Mother sculpture over at the Sharlot Hall Museum grounds.

Look at her today! She's almost completely hidden by the corn stalks that have grown up around her.

But then these are the first days of autumn and the final days for most annual growing things, such as these flowers I saw tonight, also at the Sharlot Hall Museum. I love this time of year!

An Album from the Past

Gussi is a 99-year-old lady who lives in the same assisted living facility as my mother. Born in Germany, she lived 30 years in Ash Fork; today her hands are crippled with arthritis. Last week, Gussi showed me some of the pressed flower arrangements she created during the 90s. I only wish that my photographs could do her lovely little pictures justice.

Many of her flowers were actually pieced together from individual petals.

What look like leaves are, in most cases, seed stalks from different grasses.

Many were made into cards for friends and family.

When I am privileged to catch a small glimpse of the accomplishments of Mom's fellow residents, I am awed and I am saddened. These are people who have led active lives, who have worked, created, lived and loved. Yet their time is short and today few beyond their families are aware of how much they have achieved.

Hello! to vistors from the Pressed Flower Guild over at Yahoo. And welcome. I am glad you had this chance to enjoy Gussi's handwork. Do come by again!

Those Pesky Rights-of-Way

All right, already. Call me picky, picky. However, today marked the second time that our daily newspaper has printed the same incorrect map. On page 1. Story about Lincoln School's property problem. How do I know? Well, I happen to walk the area frequently, as you may have noted. Examine the map above. Picture yourself in your car, heading straight up Beach street from the back side of the Sharlot Hall Museum to get to Lincoln school.

Oh oh! What have we here? Look what's ahead of you. Even in your SUV, you aren't going to get up this little cliff! Pretty, though. Quite walkable -- there's a well worn neighborhood path. Yes, this is on some maps as part of Beach Street.

Now here's the map with my corrections. See the little stub of Beach? See the "new" street going past the other side of the United Methodist Church over to Gurley? MapQuest online has corrected its map to this configuration. On the other hand, my 2003 edition of the Yavapai/Coconino Counties Street & Road Atlas still shows the map just as the Courier printed it.

By the way, that isn't the only Prescott street found on some maps that in the real world goes over a cliff. Likely, the problem is that city rights-of-way do exist and the map makers mistake them for actual thoroughfares. No way. They should get out on the land more often!

As for the Lincoln School property problem -- I'd say that the city should quietly deed its "strip of land" over to the school and be done with it. After all, it did pass the whited-out portion of Beach Street to the adjacent land-owner, I'm told. And, after all, city had apparently lost the piece of land which the school has used for all these years. Isn't there a term for land ownership that passes as a result of long-term use? Oh, yes -- squatters' rights.

The Rest of the Chickens

Surely you didn't think that all those chickens I posted last night brought an end to my poultry posts, did you? Our county fair had other ways to celebrate the national foul. Starting with the cloth, above, which covered one of the tables in the animal house.

Chickens were in evidence in the exhibit hall, too. This papier-mache critter was part of the big elementary school art show at the fair.

The quilt, above, was a blue ribbon prize winner. Neat roosters, aren't they.

Yes, there were also paintings and photographs on display.

As for this quiltish rooster, he was the creation of another of the school artists. High school, BTW.

Bloggy Business: sheoflittlebrain has handed me this award:


It seems I have made her smile on occasion. I hope frequently! And my instructions were to pass the award along to others who have made my day a happier one. Here goes with a partial list; several I might have included were already nominated by she:

* Right back to The One Acre Wood
* Desert Cat
* Albuquerque Daily Photo
* ksquest
* Not Dead Yet
* SmilenSigh
* Olivia in Germany
* The Lazy Artist
* Escaping Suburbia
* Foolsewoode

County Fair: Chickens Galore

I'd be willing to bet that a big percentage of visitors to the county fair are there for the thrill of the rides. But there probably wouldn't be a fair if it weren't for farmers and the products of the land.

A good third of the space over at our new fairgrounds was devoted to the animals -- big and small. Here, a focus on the small. Chickens, to be specific. And as an honor to Little Sir Galahad, the gallant Mille Fleur bantam rooster who resides at The One Acre Wood.

As a townie, raised neither on the farm nor in the big city, I'm pretty naive about such matters. The critter above, for example, along with his red brethren, is what a Real Chicken looks like in my mind.

Oops! How wrong I have been all these years. A university down in OZ offers this handy dandy chart of the varieties of chook, as the Aussies call this species of foul.

Visits to the One Acre Wood and, now, the Yavapai County Fair, have certainly improved my education re: barnyard denizens. What a wonderful variety I've become acquainted with, if ever so briefly.

Of course, along with chickens go the eggs. There appears to be a second prize-winner (red ribbon) in this batch.

A beautiful tail! What better way end to this short tale.

Intrusions in the Meditation Garden

Friday was one of those strange days. The first thing I saw when setting out for a brief walk was a claw. Looked to have been barbecued. When I picked it up, tho, it was merely a twig. Well, Halloween is around the corner, isn't it?

I was headed to the meditation garden over at the nearby church. A couple of days earlier, I had seen objects that didn't seem to fit exactly with a contemplative mood. It was time to photograph them, which had to take place up over that wall you see to the right, with the lens zoomed to telephoto position.

For instance, there was a flag tucked into the garden mulch. Turned out there were three little flags, one in a potted plant. I don't object to the flag per se, but somehow this doesn't seem the place for patriotic declarations. At least as I see it.

Item number two was a black fashion boot. Really, really out of place. I tried to picture how it got there -- not very meditative, for sure. When I walked around the upper perimeter for a better shot, lo and behold, both boots. From the comfort of my office, I can see that there's a hole in the sole of one. That's a somewhat better explanation than my first theory! Still a tacky gesture, though, throwing worn out boots into a serene garden.

This intrusion I'll allow. At first, I thought that a cement sculpture had been plopped down in one corner of the garden. Trying various angles, I discovered that the Siamese fellow was indeed alive. Now, examining the picture in greater detail, it seems that he was deliberately put in the garden. On a lavender leash. Guess he's the church cat.

County Fair: the Midway

Fortunately, my neighbors decided to go to the Yavapai County Fair last night. Took me along for the ride, which was great, since I haven't been to a county fair since the 19-aught-80s. Today must have been miserable for the fair participants -- kids with their carefully groomed animals, visitors looking for a good time, entertainers, farmers with their cattle. Our weather blustered, then delivered a series of veritable cloudbursts in front of that hurricane down off Baja. All day. Wet.

But last evening the weather was cool and fair. Perfect for the occasion. First stop, several long looks at the Midway, starting with semis that declared "circus load" on the cabs.

On one end of the fair grounds, the animals; at the other, the arts, crafts and commercial booths. In between, the best part of all -- the rides.

A machine called the Kamikaze...

...the Tornado, which looks sort of like the old Tilt-a-Whirl that I fondly remember...

...a ride whose name I didn't get, though it looks like great fun...

...and, of course, the Ferris Wheel. Didn't take any of the rides. A pity -- I recall motion pictures my LH took from the Ferris Wheel. Very unnerving point of view. Another memory -- the remarkable wheel with closed cars in Vienna that Orson Welles featured in The Third Man.

OK, OK. After dark, I couldn't resist the opportunity to check out the Night setting on my Cannon. Cheap shots, of course, but why not?

The one problem: the Ferris wheel was the only ride visible from my shooting position -- we were waiting to be picked up and couldn't go for a long walk.

But the County Fair is certainly about a lot more than rides and junk foods. More later.

Horney Toads Revisited

So I just received this interesting email re: my recent post on the birth of 12 little horned toads. Aunt Phibia wrote: I wanted to respond to the mention of horny toads shooting blood out of their eyes. It is true of only one species...found in CA. The two species around here...Eastern Horned Toad (east of what I wonder) and the Mountain Horned Toad do not have this ability...and they only do it when they are scared to death...or nearly. Also, of these two species one bears live young and one lays eggs...interesting eh? Finally, my concern was that they live in a den for much of their first year...so I hope that you put them back near to where you found the mom and that they don't think your table is their den.

First, I want to reassure Aunt Phibia about those youngsters. We are now several generations from the little guys whose pictures I showed. Either they found their den or they didn't. Not much I can do about it more than 20 years later! And, second, I wanted to pass along a curious fact I picked up at the archeology society meeting last night. If you see horned toad petroglyphs at sites down in the Verde Valley (and further north), they may well be Hopi clan symbols; this particular clan is responsible for water matters. Why, I would wonder -- for us white men, the horny toad is very much a symbol for the dryness of the desert.

In the Beginning...

These people over at the Courthouse Square are not looking at their feet. No, they are taking a quick tour of local history via one of our timelines carved into and painted on the walkway on the Gurley Street side.

Notable events, beginning in 1501, are cut into the cement, painted -- and periodically updated. A new paint job is also a regular event.

An even more ambitious timeline adorns the sidewalk up the incline along Goodwin Street over at the library. I didn't catch the absolute beginning date, but it starts back in earliest Egypt or maybe Ur and moves on up to present days.

As you can see, the Far East as well as Europe and the Middle East are represented. I know, I know, it isn't fashionable to link history to dates these days; on the other hand, dates do create a timeline...a framework, as it were, to give order to cultural, scientific and political developments. Our local timelines are a cool way to brief folks on where we've been and where we come from! I say hurrah for the people who created and maintain them.

Variations on a Quilting Theme

A new quilt show by the Material Girls Quilters was another feature at last weekend's pie and ice cream social down in Skull Valley. Believe me, it was hard to decide which quilts to include here. However, I think many agreed that the sun motif was a winner.

Other themes included classic pinwheels (surrounding a not so classic petroglyph square), whirligigs...

...and autumn leaves.

An intricately quilted picture was also on display.

Other subjects included butterflies, cats...

...and very colorful chickens.

For a western flavor, each square in one quilt featured a stylized Indian petroglyph.

More western -- a bandana quilt above and (below) a stitched picture of a desert saguaro.

However, the prize for most up-to-date goes to a commercial coverlet at a sales booth just outside the exhibit hall. Harry himself, suitable for keeping any youngster warm and safe at night.

Aglow in the September Sun

About noon. I stepped out the front door and happened to glance up. The mountain mahogany seeds were glowing in the autumn sun. Oh, I couldn't resist taking picture after picture. Here are a few. Enjoy!

Fire Trucks, Then & Now

Skull Valley is a very small ranching community about 20-25 miles from Prescott, the other side of the Prietas. I'm sure that theirs is a volunteer fire department -- but look at their fine up-to-date fire truck.

Plenty of gear & gauges to befit 21st century blazes.

Here's what they might have had back 85-90 years ago, tho I would guess a fine R.E.D. machine like this more likely belonged to a city such as Prescott or Phoenix. Both machines were on display at the pie & ice cream social this weekend. (And, Bro, note that the proper wheels remain on the truck. None of this low rider nonsense.)

In the meantime, I've been tagged again! By she at The One Acre Wood. Actually, twice, but I'm doing this in two parts so I can think about my answers.

#1. Rules-Players, you must list one fact that is somehow relevant to your life for each letter of your middle name. If you don't have a middle name, use the middle name you would have liked to have. At the end of your blog post you need to choose one person for each letter of your middle name to tag. Don't forget to leave them a comment telling them they're tagged and to read your blog. Hokay, here goes:

A -- Ambitious not. Never was -- all I ever wanted in my working days was a reasonable living doing something interesting. Journalism fit that requirement to a tee until they started pushing me up the ladder, where meetings and paperwork took the place of inquisitiveness.

N -- Nosy. The old shoes, ships & sealing wax thing; I'm curious about almost anything or anybody you can name. Always have been. Mom says that as a little kid, I was always asking "Why for???"

N -- Negligent. Or perhaps just plain lazy. I never did keep a neat house or office & my windows and hard drive need cleaning, tho I'm taking care of the windows very soon by hiring outsiders. Not to say that my negligence is guilt-free; no way. Goes with the territory of being brought up female.

So: who'll I tag? How about:

* Olivia
* pb
* String Bag

Screen Critters

We all know that the reason for window screens is to keep the creepy-crawlies out. In my world, there's another reason: to provide a landing place for various flying creatures, so that I might photograph or examine them (or both.) As a certified night owl, I have my lights on at least until midnight so the catch should be good. But our rains have been sparse this summer and the critters have followed suit. Nonetheless, an interesting handful now reside on the hard drive.

Number one is a hawk moth. This is the fellow who hovers like a humming bird and unrolls an unbelievably long tongue to sip nectar, preferably from night-blooming flowers. However, this week, I've seen this moth at almost all times of day as well as at dusk. Probably means his season is drawing to a close. Too bad I didn't use the flash -- the pretty colors might have shown up (pink and black.)

This was a medium-sized moth whose colors popped quite nicely. No idea what he looks like on top, however; that's one problem with window screen photography -- you see the undersides of a critter.

Once in a great while, one of those huge moths puts in an appearance. About a 4-5 inch wing-spread, I'd say. Quite spectacular.

Usually toward the end of the rainy season, mature praying mantises gather on my screens at night. This year, there's been a grand total of one. However, I did find a first cousin -- a walking stick -- on the screen one evening. On the inside, yet. Must have come in when I called the cat!

Bug Photos Galore: Wow! I've just visited Cindy's Bug Safari. She's got some beautiful photography and interesting posts. Do take a long look!

A Pie & Ice Cream Social Under the Cottonwoods

Perhaps you recall that sometime back I wrote about two old retired Santa Fe stations that sit alongside Iron Springs Road. Here's the third of the trio -- unlike the other pair, it is less than a mile from its original railroad home in Skull Valley. I was fortunate enough to score a ride down the hill for the annual ice cream and PIE social sponsored by the Skull Valley Historical Society Saturday morning.

There were ladies and gents in period costumes, the men as Arizona Roughriders...

...and the ladies in their Sunday-go-to-meeting finery.

There was music -- by the bluegrass gospel & western group, Extra Touch.

This was not an occasion for all those sales booths we see at most summer events. Only a few items were on sale, all local, including honey...

...cute little owls made from what look like Arizona walnuts...

...Skull Valley tee shirts...

...cloth books made by a Skull Valley woman...

...and pie, wonderful pie! Oh, so many kinds of pie there were.

Pumpkin. Apple in various guises. Lemon meringue. Lime cream. Chocolate. Assorted berries. Pecan. You name it...
Well, I did. I asked for good old fashioned rhubarb. It took some looking, which the ladies did willingly. Finally they found two, among all those homemade goodies that were still packed away, waiting to be served from the long table. But I'm sorry to have missed tasting some of those other confections. At $5 a pop (priced to pay for the entertainment and food), a slice of that lime cream looked a hair pricey. But mainly, I was short on cash!

Folks ate at tables in back of the museum in the shade of those immense cottonwood trees for which Skull Valley is famous (all thanks to the best water table in all Yavapai County, BTW.) If you still need convincing, the picture below should help gauge the size of those trees.

I haven't room in this post for the other pictures you'll see soon, of the beautiful quilts and the really, really antique autos that were on display! And, not so incidentally, the reason I made it all the way down to Skull Valley is that a dear friend, Georgene Lockwood, is running for county supervisor for district one. She is attending all manner of local events to meet people and get a feel for what they expect of a candidate.

Speaking of Elections: In case you were looking for a website for the Yavapai Wester (formerly the Yellow Sheet), it is here. There's a good story about the election of our new mayor.

Wee Horses, Antique Cars & Elders

It's been Natl. Assisted Living Week over at Las Fuentes, where Mom lives. Different special activities for residents and family every day. Yesterday was a luau lunch; above are the costume leftovers.

A three-ring circus was scheduled as the grand finale for today. Two of the rings materialized, but a monkey and his person were among the missing on Scott Drive! Nonetheless, it was a grand morning.

First to arrive were two miniature horses from Mini Mystique. These gentle creatures are so well trained that they are even allowed to walk between beds in a nursing home to cheer up patients. Just incidentally their trainers hope to have a drill team of minis in next January's Rose Bowl parade.

Weighing in at about 150 pounds, a mini can pull two or three people in this little cart. The horses are too small for riding.

Here my aged Mom (104 in December!) pets one of the horses; dog, cat and other animal visits are very popular at local hospitals as well as facilities for seniors.

The splendid old wrecker was one of the antique and classic cars that paraded for the gathering. Here, the owner and his dog meet the dark stallion. Gives you a good idea of the comparative sizes. (Note: I held off on the car pictures because I expect to photograph more cars tomorrow down in Skull Valley at the ice cream & pie social.)

Carol and Cindy, the ladies who plan and produce the activities over at Las Fuentes, check out some of the photos taken this morning.

By noon, the circus was over, but balloons in the dining room were a reminder of the morning's excitement.

Dead Things 1: Cactus Bones

Out front of the store in Yarnell was this sign: turn it right side up and it declares Brand New Dead Things. It's by far one of the more interesting (and bizarre) curio shops I've visited in Arizona. I have a folder fat with 61 pictures of dead things animal, vegetable and mineral to prove my point!

What to do? Well, perhaps focus in on one type of dead thing at a time. So here we are with a good lot of cactus bones. The tall guys are what's left of that Arizona symbol, the saguaro, once they give up, lose their spines and flesh.

Two close-ups of a saguaro trunk. Note that the structural members are 1) on the outside and 2) are separated into a sort of lattice-work so that the tree can expand or contract, accordion-wise, depending upon how much water it is holding in the pulpy center.

One of the ever-present saguaro arms. Examining the picture, I noticed that there is a meshwork between the ribs. There's one other part of a dead saguaro that I didn't see at Brand New Dead Things: a saguaro shoe, made of scar tissue by the tree when a woodpecker or cactus wren pecks out a home. It resembles a classic Dutch wooden shoe.

The bones of the prickly pear form a mesh, not nearly as interesting as other cactus remains -- nor as collectible.

These pictures show what's left when a cholla cactus dies. Again, an expandable structure to accommodate varying levels of moisture.

Pieces of cholla stems above; below, made into napkin rings. Just FYI, you may have heard of the dread jumping cactus -- it's a form of cholla.

Out back, there was a further supply of saguaro bones. Many thanks to sheoflittlebrain who took me to this wonderland as part of a birthday outing!

Catalogs Offer Gizmos for Every Need

I'm not really a sucker for gizmos like one of my aunts; sit her down with a catalog and she was filling out an order form in no time at all. Just what is a gizmo (as opposed to a product to be taken more seriously?) For one, it's cheap -- under $25, these days. And it's usually single-purpose. Finally, it is destined for the Salvation Army or Noah or Goodwill store when it runs its short shelf-life.

There are gizmos that I will buy. Here's one that I have been on the lookout for -- a plastic egg timer. I was given one maybe 15-18 years ago by a physicist friend and couldn't boil an egg without it! How does it function? Let Amazon tell you how: As the timer heats up, its face darkens from the outer edge inward. Because the timer heats in step with the eggs, it automatically adjusts for the amount of water and number of eggs in the pan--even the altitude at which the eggs are being cooked. Living in the mountain world where baking recipes have to be altered big time because of our high elevation, that last item is a real selling point! I'm getting a new one right away, now that I have discovered a source.

As a rule, though, I just like to look at the catalogs and those shelves in the middle aisle where gadgets and stuff reside at the Walgreen store. A solar lily??? Indeed!

The kitchen is the prime location for gizmos. Above, a hotpad to keep your tortillas warm and a folding colander to save space. In my current catalog, teabag tongs, olive tweezers, a peeler for soft-skinned fruit (peaches, tomatoes.)

Potatoes are a favorite for the small-time inventor. How about those scratchy mitts for peeling spuds with your hands? Or a special microwave dish with spikes to cut cooking time in half.

A duster that...get this, spins.

I'm sure any young guy would really appreciate a chick who would carry 20 cans of brew or soda. Hey -- that's a lot of weight! But often these considerations are overlooked in the world of gizmos.

I've mentioned the kitchen as a prime target. Closets are a close second, and then there is that class of gadgets called organizers and/or caddies; each such item is one-purpose as a rule. I'm looking right now at a catalog page with belt and tie organizers, and a special storage bag for one's baseball cap collection. There's also a rolling pant trolley and a handbag holder. What won't some enterprising outfit think of next?

Horned Toads by the Dozen

This lonely piece of new gear has been sitting next my computer since April, waiting to be fired up. Finally happened today. Oh, yes -- it's a slide scanner, given me by my mother. Purpose: bringing color slides out of my past to life again on the computer. You'll see why in a moment.

Yep, that's my little horned toad I've seen out front. As I mentioned a while back, this is the first of these critters I've seen at my house in about 20 years! By the way, this is a really wee guy, about an inch across -- note how he's trying to hide behind that leaf of grass. If it weren't for that fringe-y outline, he'd disappear right among all that gravel. Because they blend into the background, horned toads will sit still rather than hide; thus it can be easy to pick them up.

Just for purposes of comparison, here's a much bigger lizard -- about 3-1/2 inches from nose to end of body. This picture by was taken my late husband shortly after we arrived in Arizona, as was the sequence below. All were Ektachrome color slides.

One April day in 1982 we saw a rather fat horned toad, picked it up and brought it into the house to take its portrait. As soon as I put it on the table, the lady (for it was certainly a she) began to give birth! Luckily, my LH had the camera ready.

Like most reptiles, the horned toad does deliver a clutch of eggs; unlike most, the babies are quite ready to emerge. In essence, live birth.

Here's a close-in view of that egg, which at this point is simply a membrane enclosing the hatchling. You can see his legs and tail folded up against his body.

Here, the hatchling has stretched out and the membrane is starting to dry up.

While he finishes drying, his color pattern is developing out.

Already he's an alert little fellow!

And here are two of the 12 little guys that hatched that day. Slightly bigger than a thumbnail. We entered the slides into the photo competition at the Yavapai County Fair that year and the LH took a blue ribbon. Well deserved, too.

Summer Waning, It Must Be Halloween!

Today was a Very Good Day. Weatherman, 0%; plants and critters, 100%. We had a totally unpredicted late summer rain, on and off for much of the day. The clouds gathered over the mountains, as they do during the monsoon season, and then proceeded to let loose. After a very dry August, it was needed.

But, for me, it was also a strange day. As it was for this poor snail who's backtracking on his own slime trail on one of my very wet stumps. Is this guy stuck for eternity going back and forth on his own trail?

But I had to go to Fry's -- where it turned out that summer was on sale, for the grown-ups as well as...

...for the little ones. Right next to the umbrella-ed table is a sure sign of what's ahead.

Yes, you guessed it, Halloween, the season which follows summer like night follows day. At least in the world of Marketing Man. BTW, on Sunday, saw a costumed placard lady at the foot of Grove street promoting the temporary Halloween store that's settled into the old Breuner's furniture building on Gurley Street. A very suitable, cave-like venue, I'd say.

Still at Fry's. Marketing man, again, albeit with a summer orientation. Who but an adman would think to disparage water ice by calling it wet ice? It would appear that the Penguin Dry Ice people have to cope with a world in which it's necessary to explain their product to potential customers. People who've never heard of, must less used, dry ice! Back in the G.O.D. (Good Old Days), every kid knew all about the wonders of dry ice.

And finally, yet another product for the modern world -- a vending machine that, what, converts coins to cash??? Huh? Just incidentally, taking 8.9% off the top.

Canyon Links: Nothing could be more Arizona than a raft trip through the Grand Canyon; over at the One Acre Wood, enjoy a three-part adventure down the Colorado. There's another deep canyon that very few have visited, in part because it's located on private land, the huge Baca Float/O RO Ranch. A fortunate blogger describes a day trip down into the upper Burro Creek watershed.

The Evolution of SR89 Through the Dells

The Dells top my earliest memories of Prescott -- I'm old enough to have picnicked at the long-gone Granite Dells pavilion and swimming facility in the rocks! And I've long been curious about the major road building project that must have taken place way back when.

It was a grey day that friend Georgene drove me through the Dells earlier this year; unfortunately, this is the best picture of the lot and I haven't been back since. Consider it merely an introduction to a brief pictorial history of the highway through that wonderful collection of ancient granites north of town.

Ever wondered what the original trail might have looked like? Here is a photo of the Prescott- Williams road from the Forest Service files, dated 1921, though that seems rather late for such a primitive back road. If that is indeed a vehicle, not a cart, it looks more like my dad's racer from about 1916 ... or is it possibly a motorcycle with a sidecar?

Obviously, a lot of dynamite came into play between the previous picture and this postcard shot. The highway, for such it is at this point, still looks to be unpaved. Mid to late 20s, perhaps?

The cars from this postcard appear to be from the mid-30s; the highway is almost the same as today -- tho the shoulders aren't nearly as wide.

Two fellow bloggers have cool photos of the Dells today. Oddball Observations aimed his camera at the rock formations earlier this summer; Rich over at Gadget's Airstream Chronicles is living in an RV park in the Dells, has been climbing those monster rocks, complete with pictures and a new blog, Climb Arizona.

A Picnic at the Butte

It's been over a year since I'd last been out at the Thumb Butte area; this time it was for a picnic sponsored by the local chapter of the Arizona Archeology Society. The event was scheduled just before the Forest Service closed the area for a major overhaul. And it was the first time I had taken a close look at the picnic facilities. Pretty neat. And pretty, for that matter.

A circle of tables...

...surrounding a fire pit.

Additional picnic facilities are to be developed in the open area beyond the circle, at the right, according to folk who were at the picnic.

There's a beautiful set of stone stairs leading down to Butte Creek.

A more fortuitous sight: the highlit snag between two pine trees.

And what better proof that this was an archeological crowd than this Tshirt from Australia!

Cool Toys for Good Ole Boys

I'll say this for guy toys -- they're both varied and mighty photogenic! This occasion was a recent model railroad swap meet. (For those from parts East or other countries, swap meet is western for flea market.)

One of two elaborate layouts at the meet. The booths featured all kinds of goodies for a good old boy's own layout...

...track...

...rolling stock...

...cool antiques, including my favorite of all railroad cars, the observation car. (Just parenthetically, I believe that American politics started its downward spiral when presidential candidates gave up the old fashioned coast-to-coast whistle-stop campaigning from the platform of an observation car.)

This was the only model of European-style passenger cars that I saw.

Of course, plenty of staging for the complete railroad complex. My favorite was the ready-mix plant (below.)

Even a tunnel assortment. I was struck by the number of women manning booths at the show. More than one was, I suspect, the widow of a modeler, selling off the collection.

Items for the railroad buff, including comprehensive timetables. The guide at the left, for 1969, was priced, I believe, at $1000. Maybe $100, but that isn't what my picture shows. That's a lot of nostalgia in my books, but then a friend's father, like very many hobbyists, had an entire room dedicated to his layout!

In closing -- couldn't resist the Ts. The railroad theme makes for excellent shirts, I'd say.

FYI Links: The swap meet was sponsored by the Central Arizona Model RR Club; there are pictures of several local layouts here. Over 800 links to railroad related web sites can be found at trainweb. And, consulting The Google, I located a layout for the Santa Fe Prescott & Arizona RR. It includes models of Prescott and two other towns.

Henrietta, Hah!

Well, our hurricane remnant went east of us. New Mexico and Texas got the rain. When I set out for my evening walk, the skies were ominously grey; by the time I had climbed up the nearby hill, we were having a Sunset. And so here's what our little city looks like in the red light of a setting sun, from a hilltop.

By the way, do take note of the old VA Hospital domiciliary buildings in the distance. I hadn't realized they were visible until I opened up PhotoShop.

Here's what became of those ominous grey clouds. Neat sunset, but I would have settled for the rain. Maybe the next Pacific hurricane will blow some our way.

Voting by Mail???

Of course, I'll do it -- but I really don't believe in it. A proper election involves voting booths, precin't cap'ns, and a lot of whoopla. The voters should be excited. Somehow, a mail-order election just isn't.

Yes, we've had the ads in our local newspaper and a few signs here and there. But it remains too much a whatever moment.

You wouldn't know that on one side are the folks who brought you the Lowe's strip mine; on the other, are people who think they can maybe slow our foolish race to be an ever-expanding, Big Time City. I know which way my meager vote will go.

Of a Tuesday Afternoon Walk Downtown

Before setting off down the hill, I was determined to get a picture of the long-flowered 4 o'clock seed presentation. What else can one call it? Pretty little cups, each containing a single seed, which will soon roll out and down to the ground.

Approaching the lush garden down at the corner, what should I spot but several butterflies. I have to take back my whining about this year's shortage. All along my walk today, there were great numbers of Painted Ladies -- almost as if they were suddenly coming into bloom. Was I wrong about the lack of butterflies? Had I missed them because I refused to take the long walk downtown in the summer heat? I've no idea.

As ever, there were lost things. I really hope that Luna was found. As for the Easter egg, I wonder if it's been missing since spring.

I chose the little cliff path that connects upper and lower Beach Street. It's an area that's been home to the homeless, to teen-age trysts, to heavy drinking and, yes, to an expanding agave plant complex. Originally, this stretch was public right-of-way, but I was told the city had ceded the land to one of the nearby property owners, presumably the United Methodist Church. Whoever is the new owner is now asserting their rights. Wonder what precipitated the sign below: a real incident or the lawyer warning of potential lawsuits.

It's a pretty, sylvan spot oh so close to the Square! I'm especially fond of the stone wall, all that remains of an old house that overlooked the path for many years.

Downtown, a pause to admire the rooftop garden of El Gato Azul. The owners have landscaped nicely on the ground, too. Further along, on Granite Street, my day was completed by this unexpected chair at Fancy That. Ah, paisley! I've sung its praises before. And will again.

Chainsaw Sculpture: Crude & Refined

Do you, by any chance, recall a 1982 pop book, Real Men Don't Eat Quiche. It was one of those overnight sensations that disappeared just as fast as it appeared. I've always remembered this item: one of the most important historic dates for Real Men was the day the chainsaw was invented. Today, it is an implement of a most manly art form.

These 3-4 foot pine logs have been sitting at a neighboring house for several months; I lust after one or more. But it turns out the the occupant is into chainsaw sculpture. Garden gnomes, I'm told. All by way of introduction to one of my favorite art forms.

Chainsaw sculpture can be simple, like the cat over at Miss Kitty's...

...more detailed, like this bear I photographed in Ponderosa Park...

or crude like the four or five critters sitting up on poles overlooking the pond at the late lamented Young's farm. Above, one of two eagles and, below, a dog.


I'll admit that this sasquatch isn't a local item -- SIL photographed him up on the Al-Can highway on the way to Alaska. While I tend to think of chainsaw artistry as a very American thing, it actually is a world wide phenomenon. One article I read credited the boom in chainsaw carving to the internet, believe it or not!

Since the medium is a tree trunk, a totem pole of one variety or another is an obvious use. This is another sculpture from Ponderosa Park.

Three bears are climbing the pole...

...which is topped off by an eagle. Local critters and themes are typical subjects -- Paul Bunyan at the Minnesota State Fair, moose in northern states, frogs, eagles and toadstools everywhere and, I presume, trolls in Norway. Browsing a few of The Google's 14,000+ chainsaw sculpture entries, I even saw a beautifully carved giant snail.

One of the more elegant local examples of chainsaw artistry is the totem pole in Prescott College's library.

Incorporating several local animals, the sculpture even has a white stripe down its back side. Symbol of the skunk, perhaps, or maybe snakes.

I'd hate to run into this intimidating mountain lion that tops the carving; if you look more closely, a raven is just below the cat.

The first time I saw the totem pole, I did not see all the animals that were present, such as these deer.

Here is another raven. There are probably other critters that I will discover on my next visit!

However, my absolutely most favorite sculpt is the Viking a couple of streets over. Whenever I have a new visitor, he or she is taken on a walk to gawk at my heroic friend. Today being a holiday, he had a flag in his fist. I'm sure he is meant to hold a spear but I guess that it is stashed in the closet.

End of Summer Doldrums!

Sorry, folks -- time ran out on my plan for a post of great chain saw art, so a quickie about today's few pictures!

Not my best day! I dutifully turned over a several pound garden stone per International Tip a Stone Day only to find all of two sow bugs, the little crustacean fellows my daughter calls "rolypolies". And that's all; perhaps if I had examined the sand and stones under a microscope, there might have been more life. But then, this is Arizona and we have suffered a drought the past few years.

You wouldn't know about the drought looking at the Siberian elm bush that is determined to survive my attempts to cut it back. However, this is the end of summer and the leaf miners are out in their millions, making holes in the elm leaves.

Pretty when viewed as windows to the clouds and blue of the sky. But ultimately pretty doggone ratty when viewed without the flattering back light!

However, you might drop by Firefly Forest to enjoy the butterflies I haven't seen this summer -- or take a trip over Mingus Mountain to Jerome with Mr. Oddball. And SmilnSigh offers an excellent bright red bug sculpture.

Four Portraits Plus an Insect Circle

When the moth settled down on my keyboard space bar, it was picture taking time! One of several recent insect portraits, tho this has not been a really good year for bugs. I've offered a lot of bright flowers -- enough to keep a very proprietary hummer happy -- but I've only seen a couple of butterflies most of this summer. One, a white guy with a couple of spots, and the other a yellow swallow tail. Neither has parked long enough for this slow-on-the- uptake photographer to fetch the camera.

However, I did get some advice from Box Elder on how to take macro shots with my PowerShot, which I tried out on my favorite neighborhood ant nest. Almost, but not quite.

My shortage of insects has included caterpillars. No woolly bears, for instance, at least at Chez GrannyJ; the housekeeper who takes care of Mom's apartment mentioned that she has two big mulberry trees over in PV that have been decimated by woolly bears. However, I did come across this pretty green fellow (above) while out walking. He was dining on a four o'clock.

I also discovered these curious insectoid rings on a ceiling in my utility room. Data, anyone?

Here's the exception to the shortage. I always have plenty of grasshoppers. The picture above shows the reason why. And for the really kinky, there are 2000+ more like it at insect porn, a Flickr site.

Later, a Circus Note: I should have mentioned earlier that my post about the mysterious critters that turned out to be box elder bugs got a mention at the Circus of the Spineless, along with a lot of other interesting insect sites. BTW, the Naturalist Notebook, which hosted the Circus, has a number of interesting nature sites worth looking at.

Further PS: I hear today is International Rock Flipping Day. Idea is that you turn over a rock (avoiding known rattlesnake havens and the like) and photograph who and/or what was living there. Let Via Negativa know your results.