Shooting Stars Milky Way – August has been a good month for getting outside in the middle of the night. They say the northern lights are making a show in the north but they could be seen down as far as Iowa this week.
So I have been going outside every night, when ever I wake up and taking a few photos if the clouds are not to thick. I have not seen the northern lights yet, but there are a lot of shooting stars.
My camera settings for photographing the Milky Way are; 17mm lens, 6400 ISO, f 2.8 and shutter speed any where from 10 to 30 sec.
It is so fun to look at your photos later, because I don’t see any of these shooting stars with my eyes. Only the camera picks them up.
This photo below is a shooting star and I believe the star link satellites. Star link used to have 20 some satellites but every photo just about picks up only 6 in a row now.
Why Arizona – Let me rephrase, these photos today were taken around the small town named Why. Just north of the Organ Pipe National Monument in southern Arizona.
This is my first time seeing the Saguaro Cactus and there are so many of them in this area. When we got to this area we were going to camp at Organ Pipe, but it was dry camping there, meaning no electricity or water and it was 90 plus degrees F when we arrived.
But we found this campground in the little town of Why, full hookups so we could use the air-conditioning. They also have lots of trails behind the campground that you can hike all day on.
O Sole Mio, translated as – my own sunshine. Some of you may have never heard O sole mio, it is a song from a long time ago. But when I saw these photos, it looks like these Saguaro Cactus are singing.
This photo is not photoshopped. It is exactly how they look when I took the photo. The holes are in just the right places to look like a face.
Most holes are caused by Gila woodpeckers and gilded flickers. They make their nests in the trunks of saguaros by hollowing out a space in which they will raise their young. In response to the birds’ activity, the wound created will dry out and harden off, forming a callus.
Now I did add to dark spots on the photo below to make it look like it has eyes.
An Incredible Journey is the flight of the Monarch Butterfly. Each fall, North American monarchs travel from their summer breeding grounds to overwintering locations. East of the Rocky Mountains, monarchs travel up to an astonishing 3,000 miles to central Mexico, whereas the shorter migration west of the Rockies is to the California coast.
Decreasing day length and temperatures, along with aging milkweed and fewer nectar sources trigger a change in monarchs; this change signifies the beginning of the migratory generation.
Similar to the Hummingbird as I mentioned last week. Amazing how these tiny little creatures both travel farther then most giant birds.
Orientation is not well understood in insects. In monarchs, orientation is especially mysterious. How do millions of monarchs start their southbound journey from all over eastern and central North America and end up in a very small area in the mountains of central Mexico?
From across the eastern U.S. and southern Canada, monarchs funnel toward Mexico. Along the way, they find refuge in stopover sites with abundant nectar sources and shelter from harsh weather. Upon reaching their destination in central Mexico beginning in early November.
Scientist say they do not learn the route from their parents since only about every fourth to fifth generation of North American monarch migrates. Therefore, it is certain that monarchs rely on their instincts rather than learning to find overwintering sites.
What kind of instincts might they rely on? Other animals use celestial cues like the sun, moon, or stars), the earth’s magnetic field, landmarks, mountain ranges or bodies of water.
Of these, the first two are considered to be the most likely cues that monarchs use, and consequently have been studied the most.
So when I see a monarch like this one who just stopped by my yard for one day, I imagine the incredible journey this little one is on. They have no worries about anything except survival, getting to their destination and continuing life as is written.
Flower Art, the weather this past weekend was just perfect. Cool mornings, fire in the house stove in the mornings. I just love this time of year.
I was doing some flower arrangements as well. You may not know this, but I was actually a florist at one time, many years ago. I arranged these wildflowers with some of the sea shells and rocks I found during our trip. Plus some drift wood I had from Lake Superior as well.
I have done a few different jobs over the course of my life, from driving a Semi truck across country for a couple of years. Working in a flower shop and back then I made $100 dollars a week. After a couple of years my boss gave me a $50.00 a week raise. I felt as if I was rich at the time.
I have always lived a very simple life, I have never been much of a shopper or collecting things. Being out in nature was always more important and enjoyable for me. I would rather be outside then be anywhere in a building.
I accomplished everything on my bucket list from raising Draft Horses to riding a motorcycle, driving a Semi truck and climbing the highest mountain I dare climb this past year.
When the world seems so crazy around us, I just stop and remember that time is precious. What we do now, today is so important. I choose to enjoy each and every moment I have, not worrying about tomorrow. For we know not if it will even come.
There isn’t anything on this earth that we will take with us when our time here ends. Why try to build up so much more than what each individual needs. Why is it the rich seem to never have enough. Power and money changes people, they forget what is truly important in life.
I have had such a full life, yes I had many ups and downs. But through out it all, my constant has been, for me, my faith in our Father who will hold out His hand one day and say; ” child take my hand and come with me”. So that I may go home. For this place here is not home, I am just passing through.
Thank you to all that visit me here. I so appreciate the time that you take to look at my photos and to leave such wonderful comments. I am feeling grateful today and just wanted to say thank you. 🙂
Little Things that make the world seem normal. From fall flowers in bloom to the little critters of the world. Why is it that nature is so simple, is it that it lives by the laws of nature?
Trees in the Chiricahua Mountains, the rock formations in these mountains are amazing to see, but the trees are what caught my eye as well, as we made our way to Echo Canyon hiking trail.
Here is a link to Pancho Villa State park in Columbus New Mexico, with a bit of a time lapse. I am always a little ahead on these post compared to the video’s I put of these areas on my You Tube channel.
I have always been fascinated with trees and all the different kinds across the country. These here in the mountains of Arizona are quite unique as they grow out from the rocks in many forms. Twisted and curved, they are an artistic display of nature.
Sulphur Canyon Road Tank in Arizona, what is a Tank you might be asking? A tank is a man-made reservoir and this one was built in 1950 as a holding tank to flood the surrounding cotton fields back in the day.
There came a time when the fields around the tank no longer were planted and the area became a pasture for cattle. The owner of this tank decided to keep this oasis going as he discovered how important this water is to the wild life that would stop here to quench their thirst in this dry desert environment.
They installed solar panels back in 2016 to keep the pumps running adding water to this tank. The owner fenced off the area from the cattle and built bird blinds around the water so folks can stop here and see the wildlife up close and not disturb them.
It is now home to a variety of birds who stop here during their migration. This tank provides an oasis in this dry and dusty land and the most reliable source of water on the east side of the Chiricahua Mountains.
Someone at the campground told us about this place and to take the drive across the mountain where you will end up at Chiricahua National Monument. A must see place if you are ever in eastern Arizona.
By far the most noticeable natural features in the park are the rhyolite rock pinnacles for which the monument was created to protect. Rising sometimes hundreds of feet into the air, many of these pinnacles are balancing on a small base, seemingly ready to topple over at any time.
Hop Skip and a Jump to Arizona, we were in Texas for the entire month of March, Texas is a big state. But by April we skipped on over to Arizona, not a long drive from El Paso Texas. This is where I found a wonderful campground called Rusty’s Rv Park.
What a beautiful area this is, most people travel a little farther north to the big national park called Gila national forest. I had checked it out but it was completely booked when we were passing through the area.
I tend to look closer at the smaller green areas on the map like the area with the arrow on the picture below. This is where I found Rusty’s rv park and a wonderful surprise called the Chiricahua Mountains.
Someone told us at the park to take a drive over this mountain in the photo below and you will end up at one of the most interesting landscapes hidden in the hills of Arizona called, Bonita Canyon and Echo Canyon Trail head.
It is a 5 hour drive over the mountain to get to the other side, pictured below is the road that takes one on this beautiful journey. One lane in most places and yes I was a little nervous about what one does if another car is coming from the other way.
Luckily we left very early in the morning and did not meet anyone on the road.
If you ever find your self in eastern Arizona down by the border, be sure to stop by this place. In the middle of a hot desert, this is a true oasis for people and animals alike. Nothing like I have ever seen before.
I will have more photos and video coming this week of the drive into the mountains.
Plus at this RV park, like many others, we met a wonderful group of genuinely kind folks. A shout out to Kathy whom we met that is a photographer and writer. We had a wonderful time visiting with her.
If you would like to see the video of Cloudcroft and White Sands National park, Link is Here; Cloudcroft and White Sands.
We only stayed a week at this park and then moved farther west to one of the best parks all along the southern border. We had been in the desert for a couple months at this point. Dry, dusty and not much for trees at all.
But what a surprise we found at the next stop, birds, mountain, forest and water. The Chiricahua National Wilderness, just across the border of Arizona.
Pancho Villa State Park New Mexico, after leaving El Paso Texas, we headed west to our first stop right along the US and Mexican border in a little town named Columbus. Now this is back in April when we were here. This little town is home to 1,118 people.
This historical park features an exhibit hall and structures that capture the rich history of the Pancho Villa Raid and Camp Furlong.
The exhibit hall also showcases the Punitive Expedition, which was led by John “Black Jack” Pershing in 1916-1917. This military expedition to chase down Pancho Villa threatened to bring the United States and Mexico into direct conflict with one another during the height of the Mexican Revolution in Mexico itself.
Below is the campground we stayed at for about a week. It was a very nice place, wonderful people running the park and lots of space.
When the wind blows the air is full of dust and dust tornadoes. Very seldom is it a clear day.
Just behind the park is the wall between the two countries. The road going to Mexico past the park is always busy. Lots of trucks bringing produce from south to the north. It seemed to be a constant flow of traffic and it was the off season.
But with all this open space, the sunsets are beautiful.
A Rare Sighting in Nature, what a surprise I found the other day. I was out wandering around, something I do often and I looked over at my feeder and there in the grass is this tiny little all white squirrel.
I did some research and it says that white squirrels are rare and if they have black eyes, it is do to pigmentation for the fur to be white. But it says most white squirrels come from the gray squirrel species.
But I do not think this is a gray squirrel, I believe it is a red squirrel.
Here is a photo of a red squirrel next to the white one and they are about the same size.
Where as this photo below is a gray squirrel and notice how much bigger the ears are.
Gypsum Sand in New Mexico, The “sand” in these miles of shifting dunes is not composed of silica, like most inland sand. Interestingly, the sand at White Sands is almost pure gypsum. Gypsum is different from many other rocks because it is readily soluble.
That means it will dissolve in water, just like sugar or salt. When rain falls on the mountains, the layers of gypsum start to dissolve, and the gypsum runs down the mountains as fast as the water can carry it.
Since the Tularosa Basin and the dunes are fully enclosed, there is no outlet to water of any kind, so the gypsum stays in the monument.
Gypsum is actually a clear substance; the dunes appear white like snow because the gypsum grains are constantly banging into each other. The scratches then reflect the sun’s rays making them appear white.
Also, unlike silica sand, gypsum doesn’t absorb heat from the sun. So even on the hottest day of the year, the dunes are cool and comfortable to walk on, making White Sands a nice stop in the summer. Just visit when the sunrays are not at their peak, and remember to bring plenty of water to drink.
The gypsum dunes are home to a unique ecosystem of plants and wildlife, many of which only exist here in the northern end of the Chihuahuan Desert.
Cloudcroft, New Mexico gets 30 inches of rain, on average, per year. The US average is 38 inches of rain per year.
Cloudcroft averages 69 inches of snow per year. The US average is 28 inches of snow per year.
On average, there are 289 sunny days per year in Cloudcroft. The US average is 205 sunny days.
Cloudcroft gets some kind of precipitation, on average, 98 days per year. Precipitation is rain, snow, sleet, or hail that falls to the ground. In order for precipitation to be counted you have to get at least .01 inches on the ground to measure.
Cloud Croft New Mexico, I don’t know about you but when I look at photos of snow like these, I can almost feel the cold air, even when it is hot outside now in July. This is the only moisture we saw during our month visiting Texas and New Mexico area back in March.
Established as a vacation getaway and logging town in the late 1890s by the developers of the El Paso and Northeastern Railroad, tiny Cloudcroft (pop. 688) sits in the heart of the Sacramento Mountains at nearly 8,700 feet above sea level. The railroad chugged away in the late 1940s, but this easygoing village, with its unpretentious Western vibe, continues to draw tourists from all around the country.
Cloudcroft Trestle Bridge
The trestle was regularly used and maintained by the railroad until about 1947, when the line was abandoned. By the 1980s, a dip had formed in the center of the trestle, and Lincoln National Forest personnel had become concerned about its condition.
The trestle was built in 1899 as a part of the A&SM’s efforts to access timber in the forest, and after that, the line was used for nearly half a century to transport tourists to Cloudcroft, the picturesque little village located nearby. At 8,675-feet in elevation, Cloudcroft is among the highest-elevation communities in the United States—hence, the numerous references to the clouds.
Desert to Snow to Gypsum Sand, all within 100 miles of each other near El Paso Texas. I have never seen anything like this, all in one area. When we were camping at Franklin Mountains by El Paso back in March, we had one day that had sleet and snow.
Video Link to a short clip of Snow and Sand; Snow to Sand
It was March 22nd, so the next day we figured it was a good day to drive up to Cloudcroft New Mexico, about 112 miles NE from where we were camping, to an elevation of 9000 ft.
From the warm desert to this beautiful scenery high in the mountains, was a welcome sight. We were traveling last winter to avoid snow. But I sure liked seeing this snow when we got up there.
This photo below is from the top of Cloudcroft looking towards the White Sands National Park in the distance.
But, after the cold and snow we were ready to head back to warmer weather and drove back down the mountain and headed SW to White Sands National Park where it immediately went back to 80 deg weather. With the most beautiful white sand dunes every where.
Situated in the Tularosa Basin, between Alamogordo (northeast) and Las Cruces (southwest), the White Sands National Monument is a vast, natural playground of brilliant particles that reflect the sun – making the crystals shine “white” to the human gaze.
I will have more photos this week of these two areas. A must see if you are ever visiting Texas and New Mexico.
Flower Art with a Flashlight, there are some beautiful wild flowers growing around our place this summer. So I was feeling a little artsy today and decided to try something new.
I picked this one flower and put it in a vase and brought it inside. Grabbed a flashlight and pointed it directly at the flower and if you hold the light close enough it will create a dark background as well.
Light always brings out the details of any object and lets you see the extraordinary creation in front of you so much clearer. 🙂
But, my cat decided to get in on the photo shoot. She stuck her nose in just as I clicked the shutter button. She is good for wanting to be up front and getting more attention from me.
Downtown El Paso Texas, we do not go into big cities very often. But we were camping here for 2 weeks and had to run in for supplies so decided to go down town and walk around a bit. I do love architecture as well and taking photos of buildings when I see some I like.
I like the older ones that have been restored or just kept up nice.
This is an overlook area facing south looking over the city of El Paso, everyday there was a bit of a haze over the city. Somedays we could not see the mountains in the background at all.
Tree Frog Bird Frog or Just a Frog, it is extremely hot here today and I was out walking along the tree line and I looked up at a bird house on a tree. I had to squint a bit as I saw something in the entrance hole of this bird house.
I wasn’t quite sure, so I went and got my camera and sure enough it is a frog sitting in a bird house. Well, if the birds don’t want it, I guess the frog can make it his home. He definitely has a great view from way up there.
I don’t know what kind of frog it is, if any one knows please leave a comment below.
I took a picture of this frog below down by the water.
Texas is Big Sky Country, well they say Montana is Big Sky also, but Texas can give it a run for its money on that title. I think anywhere that is pretty flat when you can see the horizon can be considered big sky.
Birds and Bunnies in Soft Light, what is soft light you might ask? Well it is considered to be diffused light, which I have the best luck finding in the early morning hours of a day. But you can always use the shade of a tree or the soft shadows of any structure.
One doesn’t always have a chance to place our wildlife in the right lighting for that, so the rule of thumb, depending on where you live of course, is to not photograph between 11am and 2pm. That is usually when the sun is straight over head and it is like shinning a giant flashlight right on your subject.
So for me, early morning is my favorite time of day to photograph outdoors..
Franklin Mountain State Park, our next stop as we travelled this past winter. A beautiful state park just north of El Paso Texas. We were here once before when my husbands son was stationed here for the Air Force.
So as we are traveling west we decided to stop here again. The park itself is a great place to camp, it is dry camping here, meaning they do not have water or electrical hookups. When I went to check in, I told the ranger we will be here for 2 weeks. He said, ” What?”, no one usually stays that long. 🙂
We have learned to become pretty resourceful with water and as long as the sun comes out, we have electricity or use the generator.
They have wonderful hiking trails here and when you get to the top of any of the mountains around the park the view is spectacular.
The photo below is the campground, it only has 5 sites. I would like to go back when the flowers are in bloom, they were just starting to come out when we were there.
Wild Horses in Big Bend, now I am not positive these are wild horses but they were out in the middle of no where with no fences or anything. What I find fascinating about this first photo, is that the horse in the back ground, which I am pretty sure it is a mule, looks gigantic compared to the horse in the for ground.
This is the last of the photos from Big Bend National park. It was quite the trip, I had never heard of this place until we went to it. I am glad we had the chance to visit and be a part of a landscape that seems like time forgot.
Smaller horses are probably ideal for desert life. Mules are even better, they are a cross between a male donkey and a female horse. I grew up with horses so I still have a love for them and enjoy being around them when I can.
Below we were wandering down by the Rio Grande river when this gentleman came around the corner to let his pony get a drink of water.
My brother and his wife have had mules for years, when I was visiting them this year I took a few photos of both of their mules and created a frame around them so they would have something to hang on their walls. A nice portrait, which took quite a few photos to get them to look up with their ears forward.
Beautiful animals with the sweetest eyes.
The eyes can tell a story all on their own, right now you can see my camera and I in the reflection of Mac’s eye. 🙂
Its the Simple Things that make me smile the most. Like this first photo, I did not have the camera prepared for this shot, but this little hummingbird showed up out of the blue and I just clicked away. Capturing a bit of light illuminating its beautiful colors.
Life can be a long bumpy road at times, but a journey worth taking, as it is a gift. The idea that any of us are here at all is worth thinking about. The true miracle of birth is something that I think about often, for I have never had children of my own. But, when you stop and remember how we are even here, that we all started from a tiny little cell.
Why is it Called Big Bend, The region was named Big Bend for the drastic change in course of the river from a southeastern to a northeastern flow. As the Rio Grande flows through the Chihuahuan Desert, it carves not only majestic canyons, but also a political boundary.
4 Most popular places to see in Big Bend Video here; 4 Most Popular Places in Big Bend
Big Bend includes massive canyons, vast desert expanses, forested mountains, and an ever-changing river. Here you can explore one of the last remaining wild corners of the United States.
Chisos Basin is Next on the List, The Chisos Basin Campground is nestled in an open woodland within a scenic mountain basin. Campers enjoy the iconic views of Casa Grande and Emory Peak. The sunset through the nearby “Window” is a Big Bend highlight. Some of the park’s most popular trails begin nearby. Elevation is 5,400 feet.
This area here was quite a surprise. We were camping down below at 1800 ft. elevation and it was very hot down there. We begin the drive up to the Chisos Basin and the temperature cooled off right away and the landscape was completely different.
Pine trees and lush green grasses and signs everywhere that this is the home to mountain lions and bear. Obviously they like the higher elevation as well.
So, Big Bend has such a variety of landscapes, wildlife and activity. I highly recommend this place if you have not been here.
These are the top three places people like to see, Chisos Basin, Santa Elena Canyon and Ernst Tinaja. But there is so much more to this 800,000 acre park that one will never see all of it in one visit. I have more photos coming up of this beautiful place to come.
Ernst Tinaja in Big Bend, now this spot here was a fun road to travel on just to get to this area. It was highly recommended to have a high clearance vehicle and I will be having a video soon that shows the off roading here in Big Bend National Park.
Once you get to the end of this long, bumpy dirt road, it is about a mile hike to reach this beautiful area named Ernst Tinaja.
This popular feature at the mouth of a limestone canyon is noted for three things: vibrant orange swirling striations in the rocks, fossils of giant oysters, and the Ernst Tinaja itself – a 13-foot natural rock pool. The word tinaja (pronounced “tin-AH-ha”) is Spanish for “large earthen jar” and in Big Bend refers to natural water holes, usually formed by erosion.
You don’t want to hike down here if there is any chance of rain, because it floods very quickly and you would be trapped in here. Luckily in March it was completely dry and you can walk all the way through the canyon.
The rock formations are so unique and beautiful, very picturesque.
The Most Scenic Areas at Big Bend, When you enter Big Bend National Park they give you a map and a guide of the most scenic areas to visit in the park. You can visit all these areas in one day by vehicle, they have a loop that travels around the park to each one of these spots. Make sure to go early because this first one draws a crowd.
It is Santa Elena Canyon, an experience of nature that is beyond ones imagination and a photographer’s dream to photograph in the right conditions.
This narrow canyon is cut by the Rio Grande River. Texas is on the right side of the picture and Mexico on the left. Here the Rio Grande separates the limestone outcrops of the Mesa de Anquila, on the Texas side, from the Sierra Ponce, on the Mexican side. In places, the canyon walls tower 1,500 ft (457 m) above the river.
The photos do not do the canyon walls justice, if I was standing next to the wall in this photo I would look like a speck of dust.
Santa Elena Canyon is 8 miles (13km) long and 1,500 feet (450 m) deep. In some places the canyon walls are only 30 feet (9 meters) wide. The Rio Grande established its present course on basin-filling sediments that covered the rocks and faults we see exposed today. The river eroded through the surface layers and cut steep-sided canyons in the more resistant Lower Cretaceous limestones.
Today you can see those ancient limestone formations exposed in the canyon walls. A popular way to explore the length of Santa Elena Canyon is on a two or three-day river rafting trip that begins in the town of Lajitas,
