Friday, October 31, 2008

happy halloween!

skeletons, spider webs, pumpkins, and spooky 
goblins are out in my neighborhood tonight

Thursday, October 30, 2008

pumpkin spice

pumpkin spice latte, a great drink 
for a chilly fall morning

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

get out and vote

i have returned to tempe but couldn't resist one more
manhattan photo. 

Monday, October 27, 2008

bleecker street subway

*bleecker street, manhattan*
once a major center for american bohemia
i thoroughly enjoyed my day in manhattan and look 
forward to my return trip

Sunday, October 26, 2008

photo of a photo for making photos

*manhattan, new york excursion*
every centimeter of space is 
occupied in manhattan. in time 
square, everything is big and
flashing, competing for attention

Saturday, October 25, 2008

green space

*manhattan excursion*
new york city is a feast of sight. a million things
to see everywhere all at once. green spaces scattered
through the city offer respite from the bustle. i was 
impressed with how serene some of these areas were.

Friday, October 24, 2008

fall color

the trees in new jersey and pennsylvania were
in serious gorgeous color. 

Thursday, October 23, 2008

one thing tempe does not have

fall color
it also doesn't have the cold, drizzle, damp days that 
kept me from getting outside much while in scranton
here is a shot i took on the way to a day in manhattan

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

serendipity

*petsmart, elliot & hardy*
what a happy accident that i was shopping for pet
supplies tonight and found the store overrun with canines
and their leash holders. dachshunds dressed in buns with 
mustard and bulldogs dressed in pink tutus. a halloween 
dog parade. i'm so glad i'm 
in the habit of carrying a camera. 

i'm off to scranton, pa tomorrow for the big annual 
bat conference -   
nasbr (north american society for bat research)
 and may have to post a few postcards from my trip 
to get me through til my return next week. 

Monday, October 20, 2008

Buffalo Theory

In an episode of "Cheers," Cliff is seated at the bar
describing the Buffalo Theory to his buddy Norm. 
For your enjoyment:
"Well, you see Norm, it's like this...
A herd of buffalo can only move as fast as the slowest 
buffalo. And when the heard is hunted, it is the slowest and 
weakest ones at the back that are killed first. This natural 
selection is good for the herd as a whole, because the 
general speed and health of the whole group keeps 
improving by regular killing of the weakest members.
In much the same way, the human brain can only operate
as fast as the slowest brain cells. Now, as we know, 
excessive intake of alcohol kills brain cells. 
But naturally, it attacks the slowest and 
weakest brain cells first. In this way, 
regular consumption of beer eliminates the
weaker brain cells, making the brain a faster and 
more efficient machine.
And that, Norm, is why you always feel smarter
after a few beers." 

Sunday, October 19, 2008

sailing

*tempe lake*
sailing on a sunday evening, what a great way to 
wind down the week

Saturday, October 18, 2008

pass the hommus...

the phoenicia mediterranean cafe
*6th Street and Forest*
a great place for a gyro

Friday, October 17, 2008

fall plant sale

*desert botanical garden*
the annual fall plant sale (there's also one in the spring) 
is a big hit. members and volunteers get a special 
day to buy, and the public sale begins tomorrow. 
i found some fantastic additions 
for my desert landscape. 

Monday, October 13, 2008

to the victor goes the nectar

*my house*
what a fabulous fall day today was. downright chilly 
 morning, nice warm afternoon. the agitated squeaky chase
 calls of two anna's hummingbirds caught my attention 
around 1:00; buzzing, swooping, flaring tails, suspending 
animation in a stare off; one flies to the palo brea tree 
while the other drinks in temporary victory. 

Sunday, October 12, 2008

butterfly sticker

desert botanical garden
one last monarch shot, applying the tiny blue
sticker to the butterfly wing

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Friday, October 10, 2008

also called choje

desert botanical garden, galvin parkway near papago park
quiver tree, indigenous to south africa and namibia 


Thursday, October 9, 2008

tracking monarchs


*desert botanical garden, galvin parkway near papago park*
after sticking a tiny blue adhesive tag on the hindwing of this Monarch butterfly, 
an enthusiastic future scientist releases the colorful lepidoptera. the marked Monarchs are being released 
this fall in hopes that recoveries will lead to a better understanding of their migration routes.
 a few years back one of the marked butterflies was recovered in Mexico City. 

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

got milk?

the manufacturing facility for the united dairymen 
of arizona at hardy and broadway. it operates
 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to produce 
cream, butter, skim milk, 
condensed milk, lactose powder, 
and can process 10 million pounds of milk per day. 
it is among the few remaining full service dairy 
co-ops in the country, consisting of approximately 
90 producers who represent 90% of the 
milk in the state.
 

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

please forgive me

i've been in the field for 3 days and in need of an easy post.
pictured here, a texas short horned lizard, found in southeastern 
arizona. they are beautiful! three species of horned lizards, 
or "horny toads" as they are sometimes called, 
can be found in maricopa county. a hike 
at one of our nearby mountain park trails
 will reveal a ubiquitous lizard 
bounty. 

as of this morning at 11:00 pacific, black-tailed prairie dogs
have been returned to southeast arizona. 
extirpated (local extinction) in the 1930s, 
we have been without this component of our ecosystem for more
than half a century. after many years of paperwork and preparation, 
a team of biologists worked to prepare the site, 
capture prairie dogs from ted turner's ladder ranch in new mexico,
 and transport 74 to the release site near sonoita 
where they will hopefully thrive. 
good luck little guys!

Monday, October 6, 2008

bicycle friendly city

tempe has miles and miles of bike routes.
this month there are bicycle events each weekend.
the weather is perfect for pedaling.

Sunday, October 5, 2008

beautiful vision

what's my line?
i happy cleaning windows
take my time
i'm a working man in my prime
cleaning windows

Saturday, October 4, 2008

not Rudy's day...

go devils!
despite the encouragement of fans
asu just couldn't get it done today

Friday, October 3, 2008

Thursday, October 2, 2008

male grackle

with head held high and proud, in typical male grackle fashion