Saturday, January 03, 2009

By Granite Creek on a winter Friday

What makes a winter picture? No, snow is not necessary. The answer is simple: an absence of green. Plus yellows that have muted to a straw color. Instead, the quiet elegance of blues and browns. And denuded trees that cast striped shadows.

Even the creek side building, with at least four layers of graffiti-bloc, matches the color scheme, though the sign below shouts its orange. Exactly what are the plans for the new, improved creek side trail, by the way? Anybody in the know?

On nearby a power line, a smug lot of pigeons, fluffed up for warmth, sit sunning. Then, oops, another bird arrives and the lot of them take off. 'Tis a hawk not much bigger than any of his potential prey. (Below) An admonition not to empty your beer can into the sewer.

This electric box on a pole on the Gurley Street bridge next the coffee house almost always sports either graffiti or stickers. The current artwork certainly suggests a sad story!

More Links: Must be a lot warmer in Tucson -- Warren went to the local botanic garden and came away with beautiful butterfly pictures. Up in Flagstaff, a different matter; all about the elk caught chest deep in the snow; too bad they couldn't rescue him and he had to be put down. A happier local critter picture I found at Wunderground: a wee snake guarding a tomato in warmer times. And, finally, to put an end to the idea that Alaska is some unsophisticated backwater: pay a visit to the Yak and Yeti restaurant.

12 comments:

  1. Anonymous8:25 AM

    A little ice in that creek would make it look like winter. All of our lakes are frozen solid.

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  2. Hi;
    I enjoyed these photos and your observations about seasonal color. Never really thought about it before...

    I should write a gardening post about de-nuded trees. That should get me some hits! :D

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  3. steve -- at a lake, we might have some ice, but the creeks are running nicely, which keeps them ice free. Besides, it hasn't really been cold enough during the day.

    kate -- tis curious -- I hadn't really noticed those color combinations until I looked at the photos and it just jumped out at me. I like both the subtle winter colors -- and the green that's so green that it hurts.

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  4. The improvements generally include making sure that there is a path available for pedestrians/bikers that is not under water for most of the year. Most of the time they pack down the earth to form a path, line it with rocks so it doesn't all apart too fast, add some drainage pipes for any areas that have water flow across them, and construct bridges where necessary.

    If you want a good look of a current stretch being improved, look underneath gurley street (take the stairs down from the dinner belle cafe). They dug it all out, have added drainage pipes, and are now building up the level of the path so that the water favors the other side of the culvert.

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  5. thank you for the info, tombo -- I had wondered if they were going so far as to pave the path! Having walked beneath the Gurley street bridge, I can appreciate what they are doing.

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  6. Anonymous3:50 PM

    What is that little fellow on the side of the electrical box?

    I'm looking and looking... and is he releasing a butterfly?

    What's on his head, a helmet? What sad story does he suggest?

    Just call me clueless! LOL

    ~Anon in AV.

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  7. anon av -- as I read the story, this nerdy guy used a wrench to pluck out his heart... the rest of the story is open to however you want it to begin and end. It just seemed to me that going after one's own heart with a wrench was pretty drastic...

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  8. Anonymous6:29 PM

    Oh, that is sad.

    More than a broken heart....

    ~Anon in AV.

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  9. Anonymous5:59 AM

    Great photos of the creek. My late father was active in the association that tries to protect Prescott's creeks, and these pictures bring back fond memories of him. Thanks for sharing.

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  10. anon av -- much worse...

    dsb -- glad to have you with us anytime. Besides, I can't resist those creek pictures.

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  11. Thanks for the link to my butterfly pictures! And as always, thank you for setting such a great example of keeping ones eyes (and camera) open when out and about. I always enjoy your posts.

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  12. warren -- I just wish I had the wealth of art (and kitsch) you've found down in Tucson for photographing!

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