Ancient Ruins

These ruins are located near to Montezuma's Castle. Those people that lived here are called the Sinagua (without water in Spanish) These buildings were constructed sometime between 1100 A.D. to about 1400. There is a lot of speculation about where the people went after the  disappeared from the Verde Valley. I have been visiting these ruins the past week and will have a lot more posts on ruins in the future.

Puzzle Tree

This is really a sycamore, but I have always called them puzzle trees from the way you can peel off pieces of bark like a puzzle. They are some of Arizona's largest trees and I can remember camping under them as a Scout.

Montezuma's Castle

It is not a castle and it has nothing to do with Montezuma, but it is a cliff dwelling dated to between 1100 and 1400 A.D. It is one of the best known cliff dwellings in the United States and has been a National Monument for many years.

Departing Storm

This is a photo taken from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon looking north. Winter storms move from the west or northwest across Arizona so generally clouds will be moving with the prevailing winds from the west. It is very rare at the Canyon to be above the clouds. You will need to click on this photo to see what I mean in this series of fantastic images.

Coming out of the Mist

On this day, the Grand Canyon was completely invisible due to fog and low lying clouds. As the day progressed, the clouds began to part and you could see parts of the Canyon. It was a magical time and you need to click on this photo to see the detail. I will be sharing a number of fantastic photos over the next weeks taken during two days of mist and rain at the Canyon.

Mistletoe

Mistletoe has a mystique, especially at Christmas time. But it in reality, it is a very common plant. It grows as a parasite, living on trees. This clump is growing at the end of a branch. Most of the time it blends in with the foliage on the tree so as to be almost invisible. When I was a young Boy Scout, our troop raised money one year by going into the mountains and cutting mistletoe and selling it before the Holiday Season.

A Winter Raven

These loud and aggressive birds do not fly south or anywhere else for the Winter. They hang around and make squawking noises all Winter long. They are lovely if you look at their feathers closely but they are also ready to snatch anything you leave unattended. Hurray for ravens.

The Mists of Time

Whenever I see a ruin or an old building it reminds me of the passage of time and how the past moves off into the mists. This day of misty weather highlighted the sense of time's passing with this ruin-looking wall on the edge of the Grand Canyon.

A Sense of Perspective

Sometimes we see things as they are but most of the time we see things as we expect them to be. It takes a great deal of effort to break out of the habit of seeing things we expect and really see the world as it is. Images of the Grand Canyon and its surroundings have become so stylized that they are iconic. But there are a lot of things at the Grand Canyon, although iconic, are not as they seem judged from the promotional materials. I love the Canyon for the way it changes my perspective.

Mysterious Stairway

This stairway leads to the interior of one of the most interesting structures in the Southwest, the Desert View Watchtower on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. This building was designed by Mary Colter who was working, at the time, for Fred Harvey. This is a gorgeous building with many historical authentic Indian design features and paintings. It is worth the trip to the Canyon just to see this building, but of course, there is the Grand Canyon also.

The Desert View Watchtower at the Grand Canyon

The Desert View Watchtower is an architectural masterpiece located right on the edge of the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. The Tower is modeled after ancient ancestral Puebloans watchtowers found in the Four Corners region and was designed by Architect Mary Colter. It is a strikingly beautiful structure and this photo, in the fog, lends it an aura of mystery.

Leaning with the Wind

In exposed areas such as the Rim of the Grand Canyon, the trees have a tendency to grow away from the direction of the prevailing winds. In this case on the South Rim, this tree is leaning decidedly to the East. You can't see the canyon because of the fog but without the fog you would never notice the tree.

The Lone Pine Cone

I was impressed with the patterns of this melting snow and the lonely little pine cone in the center. In northern Arizona, they use cinders on icy roads instead of salt so all along the roads the snow has volcanic cinders embedded in the snow banks. There is nothing soft or inviting about this snow.

An Impending Storm

Sometimes it isn't easy getting photos, especially when the wind is blowing and the rain is starting to come in. On my recent trip to northern Arizona, I spent a lot of time trying to take pictures under an umbrella. But when the rain is blowing sideways it doesn't work too well. Have you ever wondered why there are so few photos of storms?

Fog at the Rim of Grand Canyon

The promoters of Arizona tourism would like everyone to believe that Arizona is the land of perpetual sunshine and good weather. Unfortunately this view is highly inaccurate. Winter in Arizona's high country can be treacherous with temperatures well below zero. This is the Rim of the Grand Canyon on a day when the Canyon was taking a vacation from the ordinary tourist. I went to the Canyon specifically because the weather was bad.

Winter Storm over the Bradshaws

Arizona has extensive mountain ranges that hardly ever get mentioned in the publicity about the state. The Bradshaw Mountains run roughly north and south between the Agua Fria watershed on the east and the Hassayampa watershed on the west. Historically, they have been one of the most highly mineralized areas of Arizona and the location of many gold mines. They are highly visible traveling north from Phoenix to Flagstaff but mostly inaccessible by road.

Floating Rock Revisited

I thought you might like to see what the floating rock looks like from a little bit further away. It is still floating.

The Amazing Floating Rock

I found this rock floating over the Grand Canyon. Really. You can see the dark smaller rock floating over the shelf behind the fat person holding a plant. The reason this hasn't been discovered previously is because there was a fog bank behind the rocks. When the air is clear you get a perspective and the rock is firmly attached to the ground.

Arizona Sunrise

There are millions of photographs of sunsets but not that many of the sunrise. I guess the reason is pretty obvious, it is harder to get out of bed in the early morning before the sun comes up and get ready to take pictures that might not happen. It just so happens that I frequently watch the sunrise. This morning I had to grab my camera and run outside before the colors faded into daylight.

Snowstorm Perspective

In most lighting conditions at the Grand Canyon, the distant cliffs look like paper cutouts. But when there is weather with clouds and rain or snow, the whole aspect of the Grand Canyon changes and becomes a world of shadows and light. You seldom see this side of the Canyon when you look at the normal touristy promotional shots of the Canyon, they don't want you to know that it is 17 degrees outside with snow.

Evening in the Grand Canyon

Most of the images you see of the Grand Canyon are iconic in their uniformity. They are taken either when lighting conditions are optimal or when there is some dramatic lighting event. Most of your experiences when you visit the Canyon are entirely different. It is the subtle change of light that can change from minute to minute that is impressive. The colors, rather than being dramatic, are muted and soft. The best time to see the Canyon is when you are able to do so.

Peering into the Canyon

When you visit the Grand Canyon, the contrast is between the approach which is through relatively flat land and the sudden edge or rim of the Canyon with it breathtaking vistas. But the Canyon is so large that first visitors do not appreciate the scale of what they are looking at. You see people dancing on the edge of thousand foot cliffs who have probably never stood next to a cliff before in their life. It is only after you hike to the bottom of the Canyon that you begin to appreciate the scale of what you see.

The Colorado River

Looking down from my vantage point on the Canyon rim, I can use a long lens to get a semi-close look at the river almost a mile below me. Of course, this isn't the only view I have of the Colorado. I have spent quite a bit of time on the river in boats, swimming, and standing and hiking along its bank. It is at once approachable and inaccessible.

Piñon Pine Cones

Piñon Pine cones make piñon nuts or pine nuts, one of my favorite things. The nuts have been used for food by the native inhabitants of the Southwest for thousands of years and are a staple for squirrels and other small animals. As trees go, most piñons are rather small, but they are very common throughout the high country of Arizona.

Clinging to a Cliff

I was attracted to this cliff ledge in the Grand Canyon with its skiff of snow. You can see how some of the markings on the cliffs originate from the pattern of the water running down the cliff from the melting snow. Like many of my images, this one is almost abstract in its form. I am on my way back to the Canyon and hope to have a few more photos to share.

The Inner Gorge

There are only a few places on the Rim where you can see clear down into the bottom of the Grand Canyon. Once and a while you catch a glimpse of a portion of the Colorado River, but mostly, all you can see is the top of the Inner Gorge of the Canyon. It makes the game of hide and seek played by the River all that more interesting.

Winter Storm Moving In

You are not usually surprised by storms and weather up on the Colorado Plateau. You can usually see for almost a hundred miles and impending storms are pretty obvious. Here the sky was already overcast, but you can see the bank of clouds moving over the North Rim. There is still a little bit of snow on the cliffs but it looks like there is more to come.

Snowstorm at the Canyon

The South Rim of the Grand Canyon is over 7000 feet above sea level and the North Rim is over 1000 feet higher. In Arizona, that means that the winters are severe with very low temperatures, snow and ice. For me, this is the best time to be at the Canyon. The storms change the light and provide a more pastel and mysterious atmosphere to the Canyon. I think the bare trees go well with the huge expanse of rocks.

Into the depths

I like the pastel colors of the Canyon when there is a storm. This photo was taken when it was almost snowing. Within a few minutes, the snow blew in and we had to stop taking pictures. It was freezing cold, but this is the best time to take pictures at the Grand Canyon. I always hope for bad weather when I go.

Oleanders

The first thing you learn about oleanders when you grow up in Phoenix is that they are poisonous. I used to think a lot about this when I was sent out to cut the huge oleander hedge that we had around our yard. I always wondered if I was going to die. Well, yes they are poisonous but only if you eat the plants. These are very resilient plants and can survive almost anywhere in the desert Southwest. They are also very invasive and have roots that can clog pipes. They are pretty when in bloom.

From Australia

The Salt River Valley seems to have a lot of plants imported from elsewhere. These bushes from Australia are a good example. Over the years, I have noticed that there is a definite shift in plant preferences. When I was young, Eucalyptus trees were all the rage and thousands (millions) were planted. Now they are definitely out of favor and all the now older trees are being removed. These small red-flowered bushes showed up about 8 years ago in plantings, but problems with keeping them alive in the summer heat has now slowed their use and they also will eventually disappear.

Dinosaur Crossing

If you look carefully, you can see the dinosaur footprints embedded in this sandstone slab. This is not a famous site. It is just an ordinary looking wash at the bottom of a sandy hill. You have to know where to stop your car and where to walk to see the footprints.

Sandstone Monument

One of the halmarks of the desert is that its bones are out there for all to see. Most of the world is covered by vegetation. But once you get out into the world of the desert, all those vegetive coverings disappear and you can see how the world is put together.

Needs a Haircut

These cactus have a topknot of stiff bristles that are distinctively different than the regular cactus spines. They only seem to develop when the cactus is mature. Maybe they are a sign of old age? I love the shape and color of cactus even if they don't have any flowers. I guess that is a good thing since I live in the desert.

A Sharp Design

The house across the street had some beautiful big cactus plants until recently. New owners bought the house and didn't like all the cactus so over the past few months they have been paying to have them hauled away. I decided to take a few pictures of the plants before they were consigned to whatever fate is in store for retired cactus. 

Quartz

We always look for quartz rocks. Quartz is a mineral and in its pure form is as clear as glass. But usually, it comes in veins and sometimes outcrops and has a whitish color. Colored forms of quartz like agate, garnet, amethyst and turquoise can be very valuable. We have two fairly large chunks of quartz sitting in front of our house that were retrieved from the desert years ago. This is one of the pieces.

What People Expect When They Think About Desert

I thought this picture would be typical of what most people would think about when they heard the word "desert." I can truthfully say that this isn't my idea of desert, but then my idea is pretty complicated by years of experience and all sorts of plants and animals.

Deep End Frozen

The recent low temperatures gave us a new experience; ice on our swimming pool. I am sure in more temperate climates this would hardly go noticed. But here in the low desert is was a novelty. Within a couple of days the temperatures had returned to normal and were pushing 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

The Cactus Crowd

Cactus look as though they had been designed. They are very visual. I admire their sociability. Some varieties grow in huge clumps. Unfortunately, prickly pear cactus grow rapidly and spread wide, sort of like weeds. They are hard to control in a landscape setting, unless you simply give up and turn you yard into a giant social club for prickly pear.

Still Alive

I immediately related to the trunk of this old grapefruit tree. Even though it has gone through major surgery and multiple injuries, it is still alive and growing. It may not last much longer but there is still life in the old wood.

The Long View

The Salt River Valley is full of contrasting images. We are supposedly sitting in the middle of the Arizona Sonora Desert and yet the Valley has hundreds of water features. Some people decry their existence as wasteful and extravagant, but they fail to realize that that the original condition of the Valley had a huge "water feature" in the Salt River and some of the Riparian areas are merely a reflection of that reality.

Icebound

If you click on this image and look closely, you can see that our little penguin pool float really is icebound. There was a sheet of ice on pool today also and I will likely post more ice pictures. Ice is big news in the Salt River Valley unlike other places.

Ice on the swimming pool

This may not be very impressive for those of you who live with snow and ice, but this is a real rarity here in the low desert. I don't remember seeing this much ice here for a very long time. About half of the pool was covered with a 1/8 to 1/4 inch sheet of ice. It melted rather quickly but it was fun while it lasted.

Sanctuary in the City

If you click on this image and look closely, you will see that this wild looking lake is right in the middle of a huge city. Just a few hundred yards away is a busy six lane major municipal artery. I thought about using Photoshop to take out the cell phone towers but then decided that the image needed to be presented in context as a city shot not out in the country.

Lunchtime Gathering

These little birds were so busy eating, they were almost ignoring me. But when I took one step closer, they all decided it was time to return to work. Lunchtime was over.

Winter Colors in the Desert

The riparian foliage in the desert turns golden in the late afternoon Winter sun. Rather than dying each year, the leaves and shoots of the plants regenerate and turn green in the Spring. They contrast with the deep blue of the sky reflected in the dark water.

Tangelos

Tangelos are a hybrid mixture of tangerines and grapefruit. The juice is our favorite and we could drink it all year but this is always the first tree to get completely picked of fruit. One of the bonuses of our mild winters in the desert is that is the time when all of the citrus fruit ripens.

Navel Oranges

Navel oranges are some of our favorites. When we moved to our new home a few years ago, we very soon purchased and planted a navel orange tree. It has been growing now for a few years and has wonderful fruit.

Winter Dry

By definition, the desert gets little precipitation, but this is especially true in the winter when most of the desert plants go dormant from the cooler weather. This dormancy does create some spectacular forms and colors. Every season has its surprises and rewards.

The Library Again

I couldn't resist another photograph of the Maricopa County Library Branch in Gilbert, Arizona. One of things I like about the building is the design but more than that I like the fact that the County has resisted the standard Arizona landscape around the building of gravel and cactus or green grass and trees. There are plants, but they are mostly what would be growing there anyway.