Cap'n Bob & the Damsel

Erosion Control Project

Erosion Control Project

About three weeks ago, I posted an item about some erosion along the front of our property. Today, since the temperatures were in the comfortable range of mid-eighties, I started transporting boulders from the back property and placed them along the edge of the path that the runoff takes when we get our summer gully-washers.

I still have a way to go before I will be done. I have some more one-inch red gravel to place on the bare strip on the right end of the area. I also will be transporting more medium-sized boulders to place in front of the ones I brought down today. I also intend to extend the rock wash at the right end a couple of feet to the confluence with the runoff coming down the road.

Click on the image to enlarge.

12 Sep 2012 by Arizona Environment Home & Garden Panorama Retirement

Patriot Day 2012

It has been eleven years since the terrible events inspired by Islamic Terrorists. We continue to remember those events and the evil people who perpetrated them. The current president, his comrades and the major media (but, I repeat myself) have forgotten. That is why patriotic Americans must NEVER FORGET.

The Never Forget Animation has been served up more than 82.5 million times. Since the tenth anniversary of the attacks last year, there have been over 7.5 million hits.

The animation was originally inspired by an anonymously-produced PowerPoint slideshow making the rounds on the Internet and via emails after 9/11. I gathered some of the graphics and produced the prototype of the graphic to display on my personal website. After refinements and improvements suggested by Damsel and others, it appears as it does today.

There are two sizes available for the animation; the one seen here is 118 pixels wide and the one in the sidebar is 150 pixels wide. You can choose which size to use that best fits in your sidebar or other space. Visit the Never Forget Flash Animation page for details.

11 Sep 2012 by Islamic Terrorism Never Forget

Beaver Tail Cactus

Beaver Tail Cactus

Last year, we rescued some wild Beaver Tail Cactus from the north forty in our lot and planted them in several places in the red rocks along the RV drive and out front. I’m glad to say that they are doing great (minus a few squirrel and rabbit munchings). We hope that these will have their trademark bright pink flowers come springtime. Click on the image to enlarge.

10 Sep 2012 by Arizona Home & Garden Photography

Turkey Buzzard

buzzard.jpg

This intrepid guy was devouring a piece of something that was definitely not carrion. It looked like a piece of a glove or something after the bird flew off. We see turkey vultures a lot soaring over the area, but this is a rare time I saw one on the ground.

09 Sep 2012 by Critters Photography

Roadside Native American Petroglyphs

Roadside Native American Petroglyphs

On our trip back from California yesterday, Damsel managed to get this good shot of the Native American Petroglyphs along US 60 between Hope, and Harcuvar, AZ. We have stopped at this location a few times, but this time she took the shot while we were going 55 MPH as we passed the rock pile upon which the ancient artifacts are etched. Click on the image to enlarge.

If you’re interested in seeing this first hand, point your GPS to approximately 33.748822 (N. lat), -113.671906 (E. long). As you can see from her photo, it’s right there.

08 Sep 2012 by Arizona Culture Travel

Arizona Outback

Arizona Outback

We drove back to our Arizona home today. After getting off interstate 10, we are officially in the Arizona Outback. The Outback stretches along US Hwy 60 across La Paz and Maricopa Counties and has some of the most amazing and beautiful scenery seen anywhere. We always find something new each time we cross this magnificent desert. Click on the image to enlarge.

07 Sep 2012 by Arizona Photography Travel

Visit to the Optometrist

Visit to the OptometristI had my annual eye checkup today. It was mostly the routine “Which is better – 1 or – 2?” At the end of the exam, the optometrist showed me some information about cataract surgery which, she says, ‘could’ be required at some point.

In the meantime, I still can enjoy corrected vision in the 20-20 or 20-25 range with eyeglasses, of course. I have a set of sunglasses from last year, that work just fine. I ordered a new set of single-vision clear glasses, mostly for watching TV and after dark junkets out with the dogs. I stopped driving at night after I retired.

The interesting thing about cataract surgery is that they can, with minimal invasive surgery, replace the natural crystalline lens affected by cloudiness with a new artificial lens that compensates for both nearsightedness and presbyopia. Of course, there are caveats like astigmatism and muscle range, but it sounds like someday we can get rid of contacts or corrective glasses altogether.

06 Sep 2012 by Retirement Science Technobabble

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