I was a very lucky kid. One of my grade schools was set amidst an ecological paradise. I mean, this place had it all — tall trees, flowers, birds, and all sorts of furry creatures. The perfect place for a daydreaming, artistically-minded kid. I’ll admit to hearing more than a little bit of teacher flak…
Here in Tucson, we have an ample supply of sunshine. Which means that we can harness that natural energy and put it to good use. I’m part of a small group called The Solar Society. It’s made up of people who want to develop and build devices that use solar power for home use. Examples…
Was on my way to an early morning meeting just north of Tucson’s Rillito Creek. We had yet another rainstorm last night, which meant that the creek was running. But it wasn’t running as briskly as it had been on Labor Day weekend. So, no creek photos. This time, the eye-catcher was a construction site…
One of my favorite types of graphic design: Designing with type, then combining the result with photography. Here is an example that came together on a promotional postcard for my studio…
Was pedaling around the University of Arizona late yesterday afternoon. Had the camera draped around my neck so I could quickly catch anything interesting. Went by the entrance to the business school, and the late afternoon sun and shadows got my attention…
This just in: The Arizona Daily Star says, “The three-month period from June through August tied for the 16th-warmest and was the 40th-wettest summer on record.” The Star also notes a summer rainfall of 5.28 inches, which is 0.67 of an inch above normal. The Star is reporting the rainfall measured at the Tucson International…
Today is the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Although much attention had been paid to what happened to New Orleans, Katrina’s devastation covered several states. And the reconstruction work still goes on. It will continue for several years. I took this photo in Moss Point, Mississippi, last month… The owners of this house are living…
If you’ve ever been up close and personal with a cactus, you (ouch!) know that (yeow!) it takes a pretty tough critter to crawl all over one. Permit me to introduce you to the fig beetle. Not only does it like to do the cactus crawl, it also munches on them. This one’s chowing down…
This past Saturday, the Phoenix Mars Mission’s Science Operations Center had an open house. Being a space geek of many years standing, I couldn’t stay away from that one. As of Saturday, the Phoenix Mars Mission was up to Sol 88 — that’s mission-speak for the 88th day on the Martian surface. The plucky little…
A fountain that lacks a continuous water flow soon turns into an interesting biology lesson. I don’t know how long this fountain had been idle, but it was growing quite the crop of algae when I happened upon it with my camera… In addition to the algae, the standing water was attracting at least one…
Southern summer mornings are misty times. The combination of airborne moisture and early morning light makes the piney woods into an eerie place. This is scene is from Caswell Springs, which is located near Wade, Mississippi.
On Tuesdays and Thursdays, the Tucson Lobos have basketball practice at the Northwest Center. The Tucson Lobos are Tucson’s only community-based wheelchair basketball program. They strongly believe that if you use a wheelchair, or if you’re missing a limb, you can still play sports. The Lobos play against teams in the western U.S. and northern…
Do you have some old stock certificates laying around the house? Well, don’t throw them away! They could be worth a lot of money. Stock Search International has helped investors recover millions of dollars from old stocks and bonds thought to be worthless. This Tucson-based company has been a Web design client since the late…
This past Tuesday, communities all over the United States gathered for National Night Out Against Crime and Drugs. Tucson’s festivities included a get-together at the Northwest Center in Mansfield Park. Severe thunderstorms kept attendance below the usual triple digits. They also forced the cancellation of several other NNO events. Weather notwithstanding, we enjoyed some high-quality…
This past Saturday, the Watershed Management Group helped me get my yard into better shape. Permit me to explain… After I moved in here, I set about the task of planting a xeriscape so I wouldn’t spend a fortune on water bills. In addition to planting low-water use plants, I tried to contour the property…
Changed planes in Houston a couple of weeks ago. While I walked from one terminal to another, I encountered this statue of former President George Herbert Walker Bush… Among other things, I told the statue that the elder Bush was no John Adams, and that the son certainly doesn’t measure up to John Quincy Adams….
Looking for something interesting to do while visiting a small Southern town? Well, how about a walk around the cemetery? Yes, it will be quiet, and you may well be the only live person there, but, oh, the stories. Some people’s lives just read like a good book. Take, for example, this rockin’ Army veteran…
Just returned from another week of post-Katrina reconstruction in Mississippi. Although much appears to be back to normal, there’s still quite a bit of work to be done. Take, for example, this house. Almost three years after the storm (local people rarely call it Katrina), the owners are still living in a trailer. Since drywalling…
Went past a former place of employment a few weeks ago. The place has been out of business for almost eight years, and it’s been six years since any other business occupied the space. The landlord’s attempts to lease aren’t going very well. It’s been for rent for a couple of years… Before it rents,…
On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina came ashore along the Gulf Coast of the United States. It proved to be one of the most destructive storms in U.S. history. Although cleanup and rebuilding efforts are well underway, much work remains. San Diego-based International Relief Teams (IRT) is helping to rebuild Katrina-damaged homes in southern Mississippi….
A few days after I moved to Tucson, I heard that my neighborhood was having a July 4th parade. Being the new kid in town, I was curious to see what a parade in 100-degree heat would be like. So, I ventured over to the corner of Camden Street and Palo Verde Boulevard to see…