Sunday, March 10, 2024

Cholla in the Desert


 Cylindropuntia fulgida or Hanging chain cholla or jumping cholla

Cylindropuntia fulgida, also referred to as the hanging chain cholla, is a remarkable cactus native to the Sonoran Desert and the Southwestern United States. Its greatest range encompasses nearly all of Sonora, except for the Sierra Madre Occidental cordillera on the east, and extends into northern California. In the Southwestern United States, you can find it in the Colorado Desert of California and various locales in Arizona. It even ventures into the Mojave Desert in southern Nevada and Utah, as well as the Great Basin Desert in southern Utah. The jumping cholla thrives in arid environments, where it forms striking forests of interconnected plants spanning vast areas1.

The jumping cholla is an arborescent (tree-like) cactus with a low-branching trunk. Its stems are light green, tuberculate (covered in wart-like projections), and measure 6 to 9 millimeters in length. These stems give rise to drooping branches adorned with silvery-yellow spines, which darken to gray as they age. The spines form a dense layer, obscuring the stems and creating an otherworldly appearance. As the spines fall off from older parts, the bark reveals a rough, scaly texture. The jumping cholla blooms in mid-summer, displaying white and pink flowers streaked with lavender. Interestingly, it opens its flowers precisely at 3:00 p.m. solar time, a quirk noted by naturalists1.

Cylindropuntia fulgida grows at elevations ranging from 300 to 1,000 meters (980 to 3,280 feet). While the name “jumping cholla” specifically applies to this species, it is also used more broadly for all chollas. The plant can reach heights of up to 4 meters (13 feet) and forms dense, sprawling clusters. Its cylindrical trunk holds multiple low, drooping branches, creating a distinctive silhouette. Beware of those spines—they detach easily and seem to “jump” onto unsuspecting passersby. So, if you encounter a jumping cholla, admire its unique beauty from a safe distance.

Abstracted from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cylindropuntia_fulgida by Microsoft Copilot

Tuesday, January 16, 2024

Hello, Fall


 We had a very warm Fall that suddenly jumped into Winter. Some of the plants hardly had time to process the event and their leaves were still in place when the snow started. A few of the plants turned lovely colors but others turned a dull brown and are still clinging to their branches. Now we move into snow. 

Wednesday, December 20, 2023

Parque Chankanaab, Cozumel, Mexico

 

The skeletons in Mexico dressed up and displayed are part of the Day of the Dead (Spanish: Día de los Muertos) celebration, which is a pre-Hispanic tradition that honors the cycle of life and death. The skeletons are called calacas, which are whimsical representations of the deceased in various scenes of everyday life. They are often made of papier-mache, wood, clay, or sugar or in this case, iron.

The calacas are displayed in homes, altars, streets, and cemeteries during the Day of the Dead, which takes place every year on November 1 and 2. They are meant to celebrate and remember the lives of the departed, as well as to mock death and show that it is not something to be feared. The calacas are also decorated with bright colors and flowers, especially marigolds, which are believed to attract the souls of the dead with their scent. The calacas are a unique and festive way of expressing the Mexican worldview and spirituality.

Wednesday, December 13, 2023

Dolphin Statue Cozumel, Mexico


Quoting from Microsoft Bing Chat:
Cozumel is an island and municipality in the Caribbean Sea off the eastern coast of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. It’s located just off the east coast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula and is directly across the water from Playa Del Carmen. The island is known for its white sand beaches, coral reefs, and modern amenities.

Cozumel was once a bustling Mayan community with as many as 10,000 local residents2. Sacred to the Mayan Moon Goddess, Ix Chel, the island and its temples were an important place of pilgrimage for women seeking fertility. The remnants of that once thriving civilization can still be seen today in the small ruins of San Gervasio in the island’s forested interior.

Today, Cozumel is a popular tourist destination. It has two very different sides: the modern amenities around its main town of San Miguel, and numerous places on the far side of the island to get away from it all. Cozumel is considered a very safe area to travel to, especially compared to other parts of Mexico.

Cozumel is especially known for its warm, tropical water, snorkelers and scuba divers from across the globe enjoy exploring the island’s reef, teeming with aquatic life. No trip to Cozumel is complete without a boat ride (or two) around the island’s magnificently blue waters.

The tropical climate in Cozumel is reasonably predictable and easy to make plans around. Without much of a temperature difference throughout the year, (the average temperature lingers around 83° F) it’s the rainy season that travelers should pay attention to.



 

Monday, November 27, 2023

Ctenosaura similis, commonly known as the black iguana or black spiny-tailed iguana

 

According to Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ctenosaura_similis ia found in Mexico and Central America which is probably why I saw this one in Mexico. Here is a quote from Wikipedia,

Ctenosaura similis, commonly known as the black iguana or black spiny-tailed iguana, is a lizard native to Mexico and Central America. It has been reported in some Colombian islands in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean, and has been introduced to the United States in the state of Florida. It is the largest species in the genus Ctenosaura. They are typically found in areas such as grasslands and forests.

The Guinness Book of World Records lists this as the world's fastest lizard, with a maximal sprint speed of 34.6 kilometres per hour (21.5 mph) also from Wikipedia.  

 

Saturday, November 18, 2023

Provo City Cemetery, Provo, Utah

 



The Provo City Cemetery has the graves of many early Utah pioneers. Some of my own relatives are buried here. My Great Great Grandfather Sidney Tanner's (b. 1809, d. 1895) half-brother Myron Tanner (b. 1826, d. 1903) is buried in this cemetery. Myron Tanner was an Alderman for Provo City for many years. 

Tuesday, October 31, 2023

Tampa, Florida from the Tampa Bay, Cruise Terminal

 

Tampa Florida is on Florida's west coast. Its population is about 400,000 which makes it about twice as populated as Utah's Salt Lake City with about 200,000. Jacksonville is the largest city in Florida with almost a million inhabitants. Florida has a population of just over 21 million, while Utah has only about 3.5 million. Provo's population, where I live now, is about 115,000. However, the population of Maricopa County, where I lived for many years, is well over 4.5 million making its population greater than 21 of the states.