Speaking of Railroads...

Mom and I were over at the Krumholz Hearing Center a few days ago to see about her hearing aids and I spotted this wonderful picture on the wall. 'Twas from the 60s, a Santa Fe freight train headed through the Dells. Rocky had it blown up and framed.


I was curious and came in close to see what the sign said. Entro. A name I've seen on topo maps. If you look closely, you'll see a spur track going off on the left. That must be the track that went into then-Lonesome Valley, now-Prescott Valley and connected with the line that went down along the Bradshaws.

Sigh. It's a pity we don't have trains into Prescott any more. But the railroad bed does make a good, well graded hiking trail, I suppose.


Oh, yes. There was also this elk on the wall. Quilted by Mrs. Krumholz to celebrate the first time Rocky was lucky in the hunting draw for an elk.

I Found the RR Car!

You didn't know I was looking? Well, yes, I was. Sort of. You see, the other day I walked past the storied railroad bridge -- and it was empty. No railroad car. No graffiti. Nothing.


And when I went around the corner to where the ill-fated railroad buffs' saloon had stood, the straight-shot look through the bridge from head-on revealed nothing/nada/zilch.

That was a week ago.

Then the Courier ran a story Sunday, with picture, to the effect that the railroad car was on its way to a storage interlude. But good news -- the article also said that a local group wants to keep the car on display in town as an relic of Prescott's ties to its railroading past.

To finish my tale: today, as I was heading for Staples to replenish my black ink, I fortunately glanced down the creekside alley/street that heads to the Sam Hill Warehouse. Voila! There was the railroad car in all its shabby glory, loaded to move somewhere. It will make quite a spectacle travelling down one of the city streets to a temporary home.

Summer Rains Bring August Wild Flowers

This afternoon's downpour was quite unexpected. KNAU, my weather-on-the-hour source, insisted that today was to be dry -- and it was, almost everywhere except around Prescott. Good thing, too, for many of the local summer wild flowers were beginning to wilt.


Not fleabane, however. This hardy fringed daisy is a real survivor, with more than 2 dozen species in Arizona. In the spring, creeping fleabane predominates in Prescott; the low-growing species spreads as strawberries do, putting out runners that start new plants. In fact, one wildflower landscaper recommends using the creeping variety as ground cover in the highlands.

The late summer fleabane pictured above is taller and I think these plants are more attractive.


No way can you set your watch by this tufted four o'clock -- the pretty little thing doesn't open until dusk and you're likely to miss the blossoms, which drop off during the night, leaving only the white bracts (below.) I hadn't realized how outstanding the plants can be until this summer as I have been taking more walks late in the day.



With 53 species of buckwheat (eriogonum) in the state, I suppose I can't expect my assorted handbooks to provide pictures of every kind -- but you would think that this fluffy white flower that blooms all over the Prescott area would land in someone's wildflower book. If it has, I have yet to find it, so my ID is: some sort of buckwheat. The wild morning glory hiding in the middle makes a nice color contrast.


Suddenly, in the middle of the past week, the local mallows popped open. A welcome sight, tho they aren't quite as spectacular as similar globe mallows are down in the desert in spring. A creeping version of this hollyhock cousin grows over in Prescott Valley.


Horsetail or poison milkweed is very common around town right now. That may explain my recent problem with the milkweed caterpillars (scroll down to the August 13 post to get the full story.) I had wondered why moths were laying eggs on butterfly weed which isn't very common hereabouts; obviously, this plant is their primary food source. Horsetail milkweed is poisonous to livestock, hence its name.


The trouble with our wild asters is that the flowers are too scattered to be showy. I've tried to cut the stems back to encourage more blossoms, but the plants defy my best laid plans. Wish the blossoms would cover the stems like the white asters which open soon.


Bouncingbet was introduced from Europe as a garden plant but, like many others, escaped to become established as a wild flower. The Sharlot Hall grounds have a garden of these flowers. Weeds of the West calls bouncingbet poisonous but "unlikely to be eaten by livestock."


Last but by no means least: Indian paintbrush, an opportunistic rather than strictly a summer bloomer. All it takes is water and paintbrush is happy to blossom at almost any time. This particular specimen is in my yard and I'm surprised at how well it is doing without a host plant to supply water and nutrients. "Indian paintbrush seedlings grow poorly or won't grow at all if the plants fail to find a host. Like most hemiparasites, they lack a well-developed root system," according to 100 Roadside Wildflowers of the Southwest Woodlands.

Note: In addition to the two books I've already mentioned, two other very useful handbooks are Plants of Arizona and 100 Desert Wildflowers. They can be bought at most local bookstores, which is why I haven't linked to Amazon.

Critter Sightings 1

There are several problems with critter sightings. You may be without binoculars in hand (and properly focused) ... you may be without camera ... you may have camera but wished you were equipped with a super long-focus lens, like stepson Bob.


I guess I just got lucky, in this case. There I was, trying to get a close-up picture of a flower, when who should emerge from beneath the fence, but this handsome fellow. And I mean truly handsome. Glossy black fur, clean white stripe.


And a gorgeous tail that would do any fur bearing critter proud.

These pictures, by the way, are dedicated to my Aussie nephew who recently visited. His world has a totally unique suite of animals; his introduction to the family skunk was on a trip to Flagstaff through Oak Creek Canyon with Memphis niece, his sister.

"What is that strange odor," he asked wrinkling up his nose as they motored on. We all know the answer to that question. Turned out he learned his lesson well -- it was a five-skunk trip.

And, yes, we do have skunks like the fellow above in our neighborhood. I've only seen them in the years that I had an outdoor cat with a matching outdoor food dish. Need I say more.


Chipmunks are another neighborhood critter. Every day I hear the call and response chirps of Chip and Dale or their friends and relations. I can spot them when they are in trees, but they are always too far away to photograph. My next door neighbor was luckier -- and caught this pair near his koi pond.


It took my printer lady to catch a hummer nesting on camera. The eggs were laid in a nest atop a wind chime -- a very poetic gesture on the mom's part.


Here are the nestlings nearly ready to leave the nest. Says Barbara, "They are two weeks old and ready to fly. The mama is not coming around much any more. I guess she wants them to leave the nest."

Here is the mom, taken a little bit earlier -- note how long her beak is, compared to the youngsters. Looks like they have some growing to finish!

It's been years since we had horned toads in the neighborhood -- back in the 80s, I saw as many little hornies as I see other brands of baby lizards nowadays. The aforementioned nephew caught this one up on Thumb Butte and the fat squirrel (below) at the Grand Canyon. (We've got too many cats patrolling our neighborhood for squirrels to feel comfortable.)

Note: For previous critter reports, go here, here, and here.

Pimp My Ride?

As we were taking assorted pictures of cars that were more than simply "interesting," my recent visitor, the niece from Memphis, insisted that I needed to get with the scene and find out more about the TV "reality" show, Pimp My Ride.


I should explain. I don't watch much TV except for Battlestar Galactica and the new Dr. Who on the Sci-Fi channel. I've watched MTV once or twice in all my life -- and I can abide neither rap nor those pick-up trucks on huge wheels that ride around town with their bass speakers blaring an extra-loud rap beat.

So I consulted The Google and was thoroughly frustrated. At the official MTV site, there were excellent pictures of cars that had been "pimped" for the show -- but I couldn't snag any of them for this post. You'll just have to go there. And other places where plenty of "pimped" cars are displayed. (Here and here.)

Basically the idea of the show is to take someone's beater and "pimp" it up -- give it the kind of treatment that rap stars and their ilk spend tens of thousands $$$$ on: super horsepower, a ransom's worth of chrome, the finest detailing, and plush interiors outfitted with gizmos, gadgets and amenities galore. College students apparently love it! Especially when one gets his/her car selected.


What did we find in Prescott along these lines? Well, above are some former beaters that would take just an awful lot of pimping to bring them back to life.


Then we came across the Cosmic Steel works over on Granite Street. I don't think these two vehicles are what Xzibit means by pimping. On the other hand, they might well fit in at Burning Man over in Nevada or one of the Rainbow Family gatherings off in a forest somewhere.


The flamingos (above) are an extra nice touch.


Now here's a fine example of an antique wrecking truck. It has a companion old-style diesel truck.


The owners of this car had something in mind -- but weren't able to bring it off.


As for this 40s vehicle -- it has been lovingly cared for and curried. I'm reminded of that classic verse by Gellet Burgess -- "I never saw a purple cow, I never hope to see one. But I can tell you, anyhow, I'd rather see than be one." If I had the talent I'd revise the verse to apply to this car (complete to the "bras" protecting the grille and front fenders.)


I didn't get a look at the car maker's symbol, so I can't give a proper ID. But it certainly has had the treatment! Of special note -- the robin's egg blue wheels and (if you can find it) a tiny flame, just above the headlight.


The final exhibit: a pimped up surround for an Airstream, complete with satellite dish. I'll bet the owners even have broadband Internet service out in the woods there. Nonetheless, the scene doesn't have the pizzazz of a professional pimping!

Hokay! Thanks to the comments below, I consulted The Google with the term, "art cars" and was rewarded with 285,000 entries.

Business Nostalgia

We weren't in the world of Big Pharma when these nostrums and chemicals were compounded. One look at the bottles, jars, and boxes in the old oak and glass cabinets over at the Goodwin Street Pharmacy is a real trip back memory lane -- if you are old enough. If you aren't, the products will probably just scare you! But then, once upon a time, people knew how to handle chemicals.


Here are a couple of old Maytag washing machines -- makes one appreciate modern conveniences! To get a closer look at this pair, visit the Maytag store on West Gurley Street.


I find it great when individual businessmen are interested enough in the products or services they offer that they become real collectors of the past. The displays certainly give their customers a window, however small, on how people lived in days gone by. A good lesson for any of us, in my books.

Miss Kitty Open House

For anyone interested in meeting the cats at Miss Kitty's
(scroll down to read post), there will be an Open House on this Friday. 609 S. Granite St. in Prescott, 445-5411 for info about the open house or adopting a cat.

Later: more info -- cats, kittens for adoption at PetSmart on Saturdays, Sundays. Open house every Friday, Saturday, 10-2.

I Love Bulletin Boards

As a professional media person, I'm fascinated with all forms of public communication. Bulletin boards give voice to a wonderful variety of causes, entertainments, desires, products and services.

At the Catalyst Bookstore over on McCormick Street, I would expect to find primarily environmental & peace activist material.


A more mainstream assortment is to the rule in the windows of local businesses -- although New Age is not unusual.


Another form of bulletin board you'll find inside some businesses -- ones filled with a plethora of business cards, offering a wide range of services such as these out at the airport restaurant.


Things were quiet over at Prescott College's Crossroads Center -- primarily because the cafe was closed, meaning not much traffic. (I didn't get over to Yavapai College. Too bad -- they have several fine outdoor kiosk-type bulletin boards between the buildings, plus a lot of indoor stuff as well.)


However, figuring that maybe a few readers secretly are aspiring cartoonists, I enlarged this notice for a over-night cartooning do over by the new Art for All mural next to the city parking garage on Granite Street. Something to do after you've had a full day of cowboy poetry this Saturday.

Miss Kitty's Cat House

It's hard to know where to begin. You see, there's this house -- a little old cottage, really -- that is occupied by 25 cats. Comfortable, well fed, proprietary cats. They might as well own the place. In a way, they do.

When friend and I visited, there was one volunteer on hand, but I didn't get the impression that the cats gave that much of a damn.


The point of Miss Kitty's is that it is a real home for cats who've lost their homes. The place is clean, reasonably odor-free and even has kitchen cabinets that are partially open so that cats like my Max (who hates closed doors) can explore to their hearts' content.


Everywhere you look, there are comfy cat accessories & hiding places and plenty of sleeping places. After all, that's what most cats spend most of their time doing -- sleeping. Miss Kitty's is no exception.


Cat castles, cat baskets, cat pillows. You name it, they've got it. The house was surprisingly uncrowded. I would never have guessed that there were 25 cats in residence -- maybe as many as eight or nine was what it looked like.



Like many cats, looking out the window is a way to pass the time.


And if the animal above really wanted to go out, provision is made for that, too, with more cat amenities in the outdoor run.


All the cats at Miss Kitty's are available for adoption. If they don't find the right people, they have a splendid home for life.

Hurrah for Miss Kitty.

Munch. Munch. Munch. Munch. Munch. Munch.

We had a good rain this afternoon, the first in about five days. Sadly, good rain always brings out more herbivores, such as this snail. These pesky creatures are also the first plant munchers of the season, in great numbers.


They adore hollyhock leaves -- among other tasty goodies from the garden. As a result, I've had to start my hollyhocks indoors in pots; young plants in the ground are decimated by snails and their peers, the slugs.


Here's a better picture of one of today's snails. (I've finally discovered how to do close-in shots with my little Sony.)


The critter above is the guilty party for the munched out hollyhock leaf, to be perfectly honest. (I had that particular plant in a container on the porch, safe from snails.) The several kinds of grasshopper emerge later in the season than the snails; this fellow has neatly striped legs, if you look carefully. By the way, I don't spray any of the critters because I have a dear cat (DC) that wanders the yard.


Besides, I got caught up in the behavior of a batch of woolly bears that discovered my Martha Stewart milkweed (the Peruvian variety.) A batch of these fuzzy caterpillars appeared of a sudden and began munching out on this single plant.


One morning was overcast and cooler; the critters were huddled together, to keep warm, possibly.


Here they have nearly denuded the milkweed stem.


Yesterday they abandoned the now leafless milkweed and spread out, hunting for more food.


And guess what -- though I hadn't realized it, there was another, smaller milkweed a good six to eight feet away in another large pot. But those woolly bears found it and started gathering again this afternoon.

Of course, it was time to consult The Google, to see what I could learn about woolly bears with such finicky eating habits. Took some drilling down, but I found out that they are tiger moth larvae -- in particular, a variety of (surprise) milkweed moth.

With 21 species of tiger moth reported in Yavapai County, we have just one kind of milkweed moth (Euchaetes antica). The picture of the Oklahoma variety sure bears a family resemblence to my crop.

Don't ask me what I'm going to do next. Maybe get rid of the woolly guys and save my #2 milkweed...maybe keep watching them to see what they do next. I have to decide tomorrow.

Next Day: At 9 a.m. I went downstairs to pick up the papers. #2 milkweed stripped bare -- and woolly bears nowhere to be seen. I suppose they have scattered, looking for yet another milkweed. And I have only one -- located a good 30 feet away, in the ground, as opposed to my garden of pots. When I took a quick glance, some had already found it.

Also I noted on the skeleton of the original plant that the little black dots I had seen earlier were now more the size of rain drops and developing the same sorts of bristles as my earlier crop!