There is a mesquite tree across the road, just southwest of our lot, that appears, from certain angles, to be growing from three feet off of the ground with no apparent connection to a root system. In truth, the creosote in the foreground conceals the branch from the main trunk of this mesquite that arcs out to the suspended growth above If you look closely, you can see the connection. Click on the image to enlarge.
A little over two weeks ago, we discovered a curve billed thrasher nest in the cholla in front of our house. Today, there are two little chicks in the nest. There were three eggs two weeks ago, but apparently one didn’t make it. To give you an idea as to the size of these little ones, the mouth of the nest is about four to five inches across.
We will keep a lookout for further development. Click on the image to enlarge.
UPDATE: Much to my surprise, I looked into the nest today and saw that Mama Thrasher had deposited another egg in the nest.
Yesterday, we went to the post office and the supermarket. While Bob was checking the PO Box, I walked over and took this picture of some cactus flowers on a devil’s tongue cactus behind the bank. Click on the image to enlarge.
Using photographs that Damsel took during the eclipse, I threw together a little animation of the main part of the event. To start the animation, click the image below; it will run until maximum annularity. Click again to continue to almost the end of annularity. Click once more to to rewind. Pardon the slight jitter; it was difficult to align each frame perfectly.
I cannot tell you how amazingly spectacular it was to see in person. Damsel and I are already starting to plan for the total eclipse that will occur on August 21, 2017. We are looking at being near Casper, WY, but that could change between now and five years from now.
On our way out of Williams, AZ, this morning, Damsel got this shot of a vintage steam locomotive and caboose in the yard of the Grand Canyon Railroad The locomotive is still used for occasional trips to Grand Canyon Village. The railroad also uses more modern diesel electric locomotives on most of the runs to the rim. Click on the image to enlarge.
We were going to stay one more night on the road, but decided before pulling into the campground that we had plenty of vacation for the time being. We reset the GPS to take us the last 50 miles or so to our little home in Wickenburg, where we are enjoying recuperation and relaxation.
We never get tired of seeing the scenery of the Grand Canyon. Although we didn’t spend a lot of time in the park today, I did manage to get a lot of nice photos. The one above is from a scenic view site about six miles west of the east entrance to the park on State Route 64. Click on the image to enlarge.
This is a view of the lower Colorado River basin taken from US 89 west of Page, Arizona. The trees and terrain in the foreground are on the top of the mesa where the highway descends down into the basin. The ridge with the three peaks at the left and the cliffs beyond lie above the Colorado River on its journey toward Grand Canyon and beyond. Click on the image to enlarge.
