DSKWanders

• Teddy Bear •

Stay away! Do NOT come any closer! Well, I may exaggerate, but not by much. At least not without warning.

I wandered a bit in the desert at the Saguaro National Monument outside of Tucson, Arizona, USA. The winter months are a good time to visit the Arizona desert when the sun isn't as lethal. There is easy access in and around the cities of Phoenix and Tucson. Here we see the tall Saguaro (/səˈ(ɡ)wɑːroʊ/ sə-(G)WAR-oh), some Yucca, various bushes and then there's the "Teddy Bear" cactus shining golden in front.

I learned the Teddy Bear was also called the jumping cactus, but now it appears that's not quite true. Cholla in general are "jumping", but this one's nick-name is the teddy bear because the "balls" or "links" at the outer edge have some many spines they look soft and fuzzy. But trust me - they're not. In fact, should you even barely touch it the barbs on the needles will cling quite well (and painfully). Do NOT try to take it off with your hand, but rather use a comb, pliers, or a stick. Despite the name, they do not "jump", but they can come off quite easily - even a moderate breeze. And be careful where you step which is why a fair distance is advised. Saguaro on the other hand can easily be carefully touched without issue. All the same, the desert is a fragile ecology so please don't hit, shoot, or otherwise damage any of them.

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• Sept '26

• Nikon z6iii | f8, 1/320s, ISO-720, 55mm | Tamron SP 24-70mm f2.8 Di VS USD G2
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• These pics plus more are always shown on my general picture feed .

• Historic Arizona •

I have visited San Xavier Del Bac several times in my youth but it has been quite a few decades since my last visit (I'm not young any more). So while touring the Tucson area I decided to stop by. Here we can see the east bell tower. The towers are distinctive since one has a top tier and the other doesn't.

The original Catholic mission was established north a ways in 1692 but that was destroyed in 1770. They rebuilt this one between 1783 and 1797 making it almost as old as the United States. In that time this was part of Mexico but after the US bought the southern part of what is now Arizona it makes this building the oldest European structure in the state.

Besides its age, it's also a great example of the classic colonial Spanish architecture of the US southwest. For all these reasons along with the religious faithful, it hosts about 200,000 visitors each year. As a historic southwest site, it's a great place for those visiting the southwest to see.

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• Oct '24

• Nikon z6iii | f11, 1/200s, ISO-200, 24mm | Tamron SP 24-70mm f2.8 Di VS USD G2
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• These pics plus more are always shown on my general picture feed .

• Looking Up •

Look! Up in the Sky! It's a bird, it's a plane, no it's.... the SUN! Maybe most of you aren't old enough to know that opening reference to Superman (instead of the sun), but this is about the looking up in the sky part.

Welcome to INSIDE the McMath-Pierce solar telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory. We're looking up from the ground level to the main / primary / objective mirror assembly what moved the mirror to reflect the sun's light down this shaft about twice the distance behind the camera before bouncing back up to another mirror which reflected it down to the observation instrumentation. To me it's a fascinating bit of engineering made for one purpose - observe the sun (though it could also look at the moon).

I love visiting Kitt Peak. The science and the tangible instruments / telescopes make me feel like a kid again with the wonder about the universe. I'm glad they're keeping it alive as the Windows on the Universe Center for Astronomy Outreach. They've retired this once largest solar telescope from active research since newer ones have been built and satellite instruments now do what it once did. Basically, IMO just as this iconic telescope once ignited my interest, it still does for new generations who look up and wonder.

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• Oct '24

• Nikon z6iii | f22, 1/800s, ISO-3200, 70mm | Tamron SP 24-70mm f2.8 Di VS USD G2
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• These pics plus more are always shown on my general picture feed .

• Time to Stand Still •

As I've said about probably all my cave pics, I really like the otherworldly formations we find hidden beneath our feet. So though I don't visit caves as much as I would like, I love seeing them when I can. Now I'm not a real explorer - I've only visit as a tourist in the developed caves. Maybe I should have gotten into spelunking more when I was younger, but life in the city took my time. So if you're young, explore what you want before your time is gone.

I remember first hearing about Kartchner Caverns back in the 80's. By the time it was developed the wait list was a year long. And as I said, raising a family took all my time and money. So when I finally had both time and money, I finally specifically headed back to Arizona to see the caverns and even had enough money to spend for the photo tour (once a month every third Saturday @ $175 /person). But what a way to get some better than average snapshots. You get to take your tripod and they give lots of time to shoot (almost) to my hearts content. One note I will say is follow the guide's guidance... they know where the best areas are and they'll get there, but don't spend too much time where they aren't staying.

And if you're not into photography that much, enjoy any of the tours. If you like caves, these are worth the stop. All the info is at https://azstateparks.com/kartchner

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• Oct '24

• Nikon z6iii | f2.8, .8s, ISO-100, 29mm | Tamron SP 24-70mm f2.8 Di VS USD G2
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• These pics plus more are always shown on my general picture feed

• Pictures From the Past •

Hieroglyphics or Petroglyphs? These are Petroglyphs since they are pictures etched into stone. Hieroglyphics are writing (even if a pictorial / icon based writing). To be honest, I knew there was a distinction, but I just learned the writing aspect in researching for this post.

I was at a trade show in Las Vegas a couple of years ago on the way back from my parent's old house so I had my youngest daughter with me. If at all possible, any time I visit Vegas anymore I like to go out to the Valley of Fire (about an hour away). So I convinced her to go out with. Given it was summer, there was still enough daylight left but most of the trails were closed (which we didn't have time for anyway). But it meant we did visit the Petroglyphs that I hadn't stopped for before and at sunset it gave some nice lighting.

I will note that to see these at Atlatl Rock, you have to climb 84 steps - no option for disabled. It's just that rugged of an area but getting to the site is just a short loop drive off the main road.

I've always found such artifacts interesting. Who actually did this. I mean, not the peoples, but the person(s). What was their name? What were they really trying to express? What else did they like to do? Did they think about us - those who might centuries later wonder about them? We'll never know those answers, but I still like to wonder.

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• Jul '24

• Nikon D5200 | f5.6, 1/125s, ISO-360, 29mm | Tamron SP 24-70mm f2.8 Di VS USD G2
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• These pics plus more are always shown on my general picture feed .

• Under What Is Under •

What are some of the strangest natural things you've seen? I think cave formations rank way up there for me. However, strangeness comes from being uncommon or unfamiliar, so I guess is we lived in caves these wouldn't be quite so strange.

Traveling up through mid-America my wife and I stopped at Mammoth Cave National Park. It's generally known for its size not for its formations but this time we took the Frozen Niagra tour. Mostly because it's relative short and has interesting features. For it you take a 10 minute bus ride to one of the few alternate cave entrances. It's far enough away that when the caves were first explored they didn't realize (though maybe suspected) that it was the same cave. And it's kind of a different world even from much of the rest of this cave since it actually has a fair amount of formations.

I took this from about the lowest point in this cave tour. You go down almost a hundred steps to get to this spot. Of course I took a lot of pics from the sides and all around, but I don't think I've ever been under such a formation before and that gives this an interesting perspective looking straight up.

To me, it almost looks like living tissue. Maybe alien living tissue. But thankfully (for my mind) being rock it isn't pulsing or moving. In a sense, it is the living tissue of the cave since it grew into the space. It's just that caves are very slow growers. Just some of the thought I have about the magical looking world beneath us.

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• Apr '24

• Nikon D5200 | f2.8, 1/6s, ISO-3200, 24mm | Tamron SP 24-70mm f2.8 Di VS USD G2
• Adobe Lightroom enhancements

• These pics plus more are always shown on my general picture feed .

• Flows Under Glass •

I love the beauty of flowing fountains - and I guess most everyone does. So let's see - who of you does and who doesn't really care for them?

My wife and I enjoyed walking around the gardens in the Opryland Resort. If you don't know, it's quite a complex and was once the largest hotels outside of Las Vegas. Various tropical gardens under a glass roof grace the courtyards between various wings of the resort.

I had to find various things I could set my camera down on to get the long exposure. I had a tripod - in the car but wasn't carrying it around inside. But water almost begs to have long exposure. The trick with these fountains was also taking a lot of pics to try and have the look I wanted. They are on a schedule of when different ones shoot up in different patterns, so it took a bit to get a shot with just the right height and number of fountains to get the pic I was after.

A lovely time indeed enjoying the gardens, water, and friends.

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• Apr '24

• Nikon D5200 | f22, 1/2s, ISO-100, 50mm | Tamron SP 24-70mm f2.8 Di VS USD G2
• Adobe Lightroom enhancements

• These pics plus more are always shown on my general picture feed .

• Repeat Adventure •

Are there any places you've traveled back to because you liked it so much? Well, this time I'm sharing another pic from Oak Alley Plantation - this one from my return trip there with my wife to share a memory with her since my first visit was solo. We were going from Texas up to Indiana and it was more or less on the way. Sometimes when I ask where she wants to go for vacation she says to take her to some of the picture places I've been before, so I'm a smart husband and agreed. But honestly, that's one of the best reasons to travel back someplace!

This was in April and we arrived somewhat late in the day so there weren't a lot of people around though we did see a couple of others taking their share of pictures. The "remove people" option is amazing these days - but best when it's just a few to remove.

It was also nice to go back and shoot some different angles I had missed before. After a trip sometimes I go to enhance my pictures and I'll think I have a certain one but then realize I didn't actually take "that" angle or I wanted it a little wider, or maybe to have it in focus this time! Of course, I took plenty of duplicates, even some same pics just during this shoot. I just get snapping away and loose track. Ah well - at least digital is cheap since I don't have to pay to have the film processed!

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• Apr '24

• Nikon D5200 | f5, 1/100s, ISO-400, 52mm | Tamron SP 24-70mm f2.8 Di VS USD G2
• Adobe Lightroom enhancements


• These pics plus more are always shown on my general picture feed .

• Inspiring Design •

I've been to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the Space and Rocket Museum in Alabama, and the Johnson Space Center in Texas where I took this picture.

The intricacies of the shuttle are amazing. Pictured here are some of the more than 24 thousand tiles, each one unique to fit a specific place and different materials for areas that would heat up differently. Each one numbered (literally). They were able to withstand 2300deg F (1260 C)!

This is the shuttle replica: Independence at the Johnson Space Center (originally exhibited at the Kennedy Space Center). It is quite realistic (at least to me) partly because it was built from design documents of the real space shuttles. It was thrilling to be able to go inside as well as the 747 carrier plane. We just had to wait in line. And wait. And wait. And take pictures (like this one). And wait.

It's hard to believe the shuttles haven't flown in 15 years. The last time was today (July 21), 2011. A great era. And now an exciting time of looking to the moon again - and beyond. Humans are explorers. It's only natural for us to explore beyond our planet.

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• Apr '24

• Nikon D5200 | f7.1, 1/200s, ISO-200, 70mm | Tamron SP 24-70mm f2.8 Di VS USD G2
• Adobe Lightroom enhancements

• These pics plus more are always shown on my general picture feed .

• The Other Northern Light Show •

The detail on these ice sculptures is amazing! To assemble, carve, and display these life-size (or maybe even larger) is amazing enough for me, but using chisels and chainsaws is way beyond my capability.

This is yet another of the entries in the Ice Sculpture Championship of 2024 when my sisters and our spouses headed up to Fairbanks, Alaska to see some northern lights. The lights weren't all that spectacular during our stay though we did get to see some, but thankfully even in winter Fairbanks has more to offer. So we bundled up and headed over for a nice (if not freezing) evening or two while waiting for the lights.

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• Mar '24

• Nikon D610 | f2.8, 1/200s, ISO-2000, 48mm | Tamron SP 24-70mm f2.8 Di VS USD G2• Adobe Lightroom enhancements

• These pics plus more are always shown on my general picture feed .