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Monday, April 26. 2010
Photo Tour at Boyce Thompson
Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park is about 25 miles east of Apache Junction. It was a good day for a photo tour of desert flora -- local and around the world collected by the Boyce Thompson beginning back early in the 20th century.
This is just one of many Wandrin paths through the park flanked by desert flora from around the world.
With a river flowing through the park, the riparian area provides a variety of birds to call the area their home. There are two "P" birds that have names that are unpronounceable. The Phainopepla and the Pyrrhuloxia. I usually refer to them as the "P" bird and leave it at that. This is the Phainopepla. Who comes up with the names for these birds. How about something a little easier to remember -- and pronounceable.
As a desert garden there were many blooms to choose from for the photo ops. A close up of the bloom of one. The second bloom is in the midst of a Desert Christmas Cactus (a pencil variety of cholla).
As a one time working farm growing vegetables and plants, these buildings date to those earlier days of the mid 20th century. With a little artistic license, the photos were enhanced with Topaz plug-ins.
There may be hope. I seem to be recovering from the condition diagnosed by Boonie and known as Constant Travel Syndrome.
This is just one of many Wandrin paths through the park flanked by desert flora from around the world.
With a river flowing through the park, the riparian area provides a variety of birds to call the area their home. There are two "P" birds that have names that are unpronounceable. The Phainopepla and the Pyrrhuloxia. I usually refer to them as the "P" bird and leave it at that. This is the Phainopepla. Who comes up with the names for these birds. How about something a little easier to remember -- and pronounceable.
As a desert garden there were many blooms to choose from for the photo ops. A close up of the bloom of one. The second bloom is in the midst of a Desert Christmas Cactus (a pencil variety of cholla).
As a one time working farm growing vegetables and plants, these buildings date to those earlier days of the mid 20th century. With a little artistic license, the photos were enhanced with Topaz plug-ins.
There may be hope. I seem to be recovering from the condition diagnosed by Boonie and known as Constant Travel Syndrome.
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I've never seen a pyrrhuloxia in Arizona. Have enjoyed watching them at Falcon State Park in Texas. Read somewhere online that they should have been named desert cardinals.
Have gotten a few good pics of phainopepla in Arizona.
Nice pictures. Sounds like a place I'd like to visit.
Have gotten a few good pics of phainopepla in Arizona.
Nice pictures. Sounds like a place I'd like to visit.
Perhaps I have misdiagnosed your ennui on the road. Maybe you are just experiencing something perfectly natural and unavoidable: the point of diminishing returns (regarding travel).
Your mobile lifestyle improves the sight-seeing portion of your life. But how big a part of your personality can be challenged merely by gawking at pretty scenery?
I'm surprised you don't spend half the year functioning as a seasonal resident at some place like Tucson that can offer hiking clubs, university lectures, good bookstores, book discussion groups, fast internet, etc. Benson is 'like' nowheres-ville.
Your mobile lifestyle improves the sight-seeing portion of your life. But how big a part of your personality can be challenged merely by gawking at pretty scenery?
I'm surprised you don't spend half the year functioning as a seasonal resident at some place like Tucson that can offer hiking clubs, university lectures, good bookstores, book discussion groups, fast internet, etc. Benson is 'like' nowheres-ville.
Rita,
Since I have actually mis-IDed a pyrrhuloxia as a female cardinal, at least if it was called an Arizona cardinal I would be a lot closer.
Judy,
This was my first visit.
Boonie,
Perhaps. Whatever I was dealing with mentally seems to have been cured. At least it appears that way to me. Scenery is nice, but the details of the natural world of plants and animals struggling and surviving in their world is the real draw. My curiosity is peeked frequently as I hike.
Tucson does seem a good place to settle for the winter. Who knows it may happen some day. Right now, I prefer to be "no where" and Benson is preferable to the big city.
Since I have actually mis-IDed a pyrrhuloxia as a female cardinal, at least if it was called an Arizona cardinal I would be a lot closer.
Judy,
This was my first visit.
Boonie,
Perhaps. Whatever I was dealing with mentally seems to have been cured. At least it appears that way to me. Scenery is nice, but the details of the natural world of plants and animals struggling and surviving in their world is the real draw. My curiosity is peeked frequently as I hike.
Tucson does seem a good place to settle for the winter. Who knows it may happen some day. Right now, I prefer to be "no where" and Benson is preferable to the big city.