Yucca in the Snow

We usually associate succulents, such as the yucca, with warm climates, but they are quite common high in the mountains of Arizona where the temperatures are well below freezing and snow is not an infrequent visitor. I was captivated by the contrast of the spiky desert plant and the subtle texture of the snow.

Kiva Roof Structure

This is a roof structure in the Desert View Watchtower on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. It was constructed under the direction of the architect, Mary Colter, who copied similar structures in the roofs of the Kivas of the Pueblo Indians. The Kiva is a Pueblo Indian ceremonial structure that is usually round and partly underground. I like the design of the roof beams and the contrast in the texture of the wood.

A Profusion of Drawings

It is difficult to conceptualize the arrangement of these drawings since the building's structure is so unconventional. The drawings are hard to distinguish unless you click on the image and enlarge it. As I have said in past posts, these are authentic American Indian drawings done by famous artists. They are not copied reproductions. This photo is an interior view, looking upward, in the Desert Watchtower on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon in Arizona.

Hunting

I'm back to the drawings and paintings in the Desert Watchtower on the Rim of the Grand Canyon. These are not copies of drawings, but actual drawings made by the original Indian artists. Some of them, like this hunting scene, are likely overlooked by the casual visitor. They are rather hard to see as you can guess from the way the photo has picked up the image.

Tangled Roots

The reason mangrove swamps are such a good protection for the beaches lies in this mass of roots. When the trees grow next to each other, there is a solid mass of these shoots that break up the action of the waves and keep the beach from eroding. We have similar plant structures in Arizona, but not as thick and obvious as these roots.

Highlights and Outlines

These leaves are fascinating. They have distinct outlines in dark red. These outlines and the highlights from the reflections are remarkable. I did not recall ever having seen this type of plant before. It was growing within ten feet of a salt water bay on the Coast of Florida.

A Sun Dog

The faint rainbow effect vertically in the clouds is a Sun Dog. This is an atmospheric effect of the sun's angle on high, usually ice, clouds. They are really quite common, but I don't always have a camera ready when I see one. I am usually driving a car and don't take time to stop. You could go your whole life without seeing one unless someone points one out to you. They often appear in pairs on either side of a setting sun.

Literally a Sea Turtle

I found this lovely statue outside of a public library. If you know me at all, you realize that this is likely where I would end up even on a casual visit. I like the colors and the form of this statue. But at the same time, I am concerned that the original turtle might not have survived all this paint.

A Window to Luxury

This is one of the many pictures I have taken of doors. This one also happens to be a window so it fits in both my door and window categories. I would contrast this with many of the more rustic photos I have taken of doors, including those in Indian ruims and old farm houses. This doorway is decidedly on the other end of the spectrum of door photos.

Patterns

Sometimes when I am walking through a building, I notice the patterns created by the architecture. This was a particularly striking pattern in an airport. I like the repetition of the motifs from side to side and the strong angles. Like many of my photos, it takes on the abstract.

A Majestic Palm

Palm trees are extremely common in the desert Southwest, but they are limited to three or four varieties. There seem to be dozens of different varieties in Florida where this lovely tree is growing. This tree is similar to our desert Washington Palms but close examination shows dramatic differences.

Prevailing Winds

The wind coming off the ocean is so strong and consistent that the plants grow markedly showing the direction of the wind. The plants right on the beach grow in an incline reflecting the prevailing wind patterns. I was struck by how obviously these grasses had adapted to the wind.

The Estuary

On the Florida Barrier Islands, the inlets and bays are mostly all salt water. By definition they are estuaries where they originate in a river. This is a small inlet on the Barrier Island and it is debatable whether or not this a real estuary of merely an inlet in the bay. This particular inlet is lined with mangrove trees.

Facing the Ocean

Notice the color change in the water as you look into the distance. The ocean is an interesting place for an old desert dweller. Contemplating all the water in one place gives rise to a lot of speculation about efficient distribution systems and how deserts are a good example of how they don't work for water. Because of the salt content, oceans are not quite so attractive as other water sources.

Taking advantage of the support

Vines and other climbing plants use any post or tree to climb into the sunlight. This unusual specimen had brilliant red leaves. The palm tree is a variety unknown in Arizona which is logical since it is growing in Florida.

Florida on the Wild Side

Whatever your conception of Florida, this is probably not what you are thinking about. This is the Pelican Island Wildlife Preserve, the oldest Wildlife Preserve in the United States. This is very likely what the interior of the barrier islands looked like before they built all the fast food restaurants, resorts and condos. Although the palm trees look similar to ours in Arizona, up close they are quite different.

A Distant View

Most of the photos of the Grand Canyon are from vantage points looking across the Canyon. But as you follow the South Rim in its twists and turns you find places that give you a perspective up or down the Canyon and therefore provide a much longer look into the Canyon. This is one of those places where you are looking down the river to the west. The clouds add to the dramatic appeal of the view.

Dwelling in the Rock

I guess these ancient dwellings could be considered the antithesis of modern tract housing. They blend into the landscape and use available rocks for part of the structure. The contrast with rows of stucco covered homes is dramatic. The color of these rocks is so uniform that the image appears to be in black and white but it is in color.

The Hance Rapids of the Colorado River

This photo shows the Hance rapids of the Colorado River from one of the few places on the Rim where  the river is clearly visible. This placid looking photo give no idea of the roar of the river or speed of the water but it does show how the rapids originate. If you look closely, you will see that a side canyon comes into the main channel and the rapid is formed around the mouth of the rocks carried down the side canyon.

A Touch of Desert Snow

In Arizona, the presence of snow is strictly a function of altitude. It is not unusual to have snow above 4000 feet above sea level, but it is uncommon in the lower deserts. At lower levels snow accumulations are usually extremely light and the snow melts almost immediately. I have seen it snow in Mesa a few times and have even seen it cover grass but melt immediately on any cement or asphalt surface. So, when I see snow in desert locations, it is always fascinating.

Ancient Sinaguan Pot

This remarkable example of Sinaguan pottery is in the small museum at the Tuzigoot National Monument. Tuzigoot is one of those out-of-the-way places in Arizona that does not get the crowds associated with the more popular archeological sites.

Landforms

You could take a picture almost anywhere in Arizona and use it for a textbook on geomorphology. This is a classic example of erosional forms in the Grand Canyon. This image also shows the strata of the sandstone rocks of the Colorado Plateau, notable for their horizontal configuration. It is also a strikingly beautiful photograph.

Changing Colors

As the light changes at the Grand Canyon, the colors of the rocks and sky change dramatically. You can stand there and watch the colors change as the clouds move and the sun is hidden or shines. In the heat of the summer, the Canyon's colors are bight but flat. As the seasons change so does the light and the colors become more vibrant and the Canyon takes on depth and form.

Topped with Clouds

Because of the cloud bank, you can see how far the buttes are separated from the Canyon Rim. Normally, they all blend together and look like the same cliff systems. The vast nature of the Grand Canyon usually does not lend itself to vignettes of a portion of the Canyon. Most of the shots you see are wide angle and show a lot of territory. This is a more intimate view of the Canyon.

A Window on the Rim

I took this shot looking out of the window in the Bright Angel Lodge restaurant at the Grand Canyon. The day was overcast and very cold and raining, but I like to take pictures of windows because of the framing effect. It is interesting what people can really see out their windows, especially in really old buildings.

A Northern Cactus

We found this rather prickly specimen of cactus growing on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. The temperature was close to or below freezing. I think people associate cactus with warm and sunny climates, but the real issue is rain fall. They are arid or semi-arid plants for the most part. But to add to the confusion, they also grow in the jungle where it rains profusely.

Stabilizing the Beach

This would seem to be the antithesis of an attractive beach; no waves or stretches of sand. But the mangrove roots that form huge clumps protect the barrier islands from erosion from the wave action. In some places these tangles of roots and shoots extend for miles. They have a tremendous impact on the wildlife and the fish and mammals in the area. Destruction of this habitat is a great concern.

Catching the Wind

There were several seagulls riding and strong wind coming off of the ocean and closely watching some people who were eating lunch on the beach. I tried to get shots of the gulls as they swooped down to take scraps of food, but the wind was blowing so hard it was difficult to get the pictures. This is the one shot of the fast moving birds that came out of that hand-held photo series.

Endless Cliffs

Rock climbers are attracted by challenging cliffs. In the Grand Canyon, there are endless and totally inaccessible opportunities to climb. Usually however, those hiking in the Grand Canyon have a big enough challenge just following the trails and trying to avoid the endless cliffs. These isolated buttes are everywhere in the Canyon and many have likely never been climbed.

View of the Inner Gorge of the Grand Canyon

Peering down into the Grand Canyon, you can barely see the Colorado River cutting its way through the Inner Gorge made of what is called the Vishnu Basement Rocks or Granite Gorge, named by the explorer John Wesley Powell. These rocks date from the Precambrian and early Proterozoic ages of the Earth's history. They are made up of very old granite and pegmatite metamorphic rocks; primarily Vishnu schist, Brahma schist, Rama schist, Orthoamphibole-bearing gneiss and Elves Chasm pluton or quartz diorite.

The Persistence of Life

This dead branch is dangling into the salt water of the Atlantic Ocean just in the tidal zone. It is entirely covered with living organisms. The algae and the barnacles are the most evident, but if you were to examine it closely, you would see a whole world of animals and plants living on this one branch.

Mangrove Roots

You can see from this photo why the mangrove swamps help to prevent erosion of the sea shore, especially during hurricanes and other lesser storms. Every one of those root tops can develop into a tree. If you look closely, you will see that some of them have already sprouted leaves. Imagine this mass of roots spreading unbroken along the shore. Now image what happens to the shore when the mangrove trees are removed for development.

Floating in the Clouds

There is just a hint of the depth of the Canyon at the bottom of this photograph. But it does show the contrast between the cliffs and the clouds and gives a sense of depth. If you haven't taken time to look at some of the other photographs I have loaded online recently, take the time to browse through the collection. I now have over 1300 photos online.

Through the clouds darkly

If you stand on the Rim of the Grand Canyon during a storm, the light and view changes constantly. One minute the Canyon will be visible and the next, the clouds will move in and the Canyon will vanish from view. Watching the drama of the weather is compounded by the weather itself; it is cold and windy and wet.

Looking for Vengeance

This monster is looking for vengeance. There is a drama going on in this drawing that is evident from the action of the figure trying to hide or get away. This is a painting in the Desert View Watchtower on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.

Little Mudheads in a Row

These are obviously mudheads, but so stylized and reduced to their essential features as to be almost a cartoon. Nonetheless, these are authentic Hopi drawings, not copies or reproductions. If you don't know what a mudhead is, click here.

Tangled Wood

These mangrove roots and the driftwood make up an interesting contrast in color and form. This image intimidates with its complexity. But at the same time, the complexity is the attraction here.

Palm Pattern

My wife commented on the striking patterns made by cutting the branches off of a palm tree. In Arizona, we usually strip all of the cut branches off of the trunk. On some palm species, this happens naturally, so you see the classic smooth palm tree trunk. But here the stubs of the branches have been left to give a wonderful pattern.

A Palm Beach

I could not resist this classically iconic image of a sandy beach with palm trees. This is especially true because of the exotic nature of the image for someone who lives in the dry desert Southwest. The wind was blowing but not enough to overly ripple the water and it was a brilliantly sunny day in Florida when this photo was taken.

Adding Perspective

In photographs of the Grand Canyon, there is usually no perspective. It is impossible to tell how large the Canyon really is. When there are clouds and mist, the Canyon takes on its real size. You can stand on the Rim and look down at clouds and begin to imagine the vast distances involved in the cliffs and canyons. This photo may give you some idea of size of the Canyon. You may need to click on the photo to see the detail.

Beach Relic

I am fascinated with form and color. This old tree stump would likely be ignored by most, but it attracted me because of the juxtaposition between the ocean water, the land and the plants that survive or don't survive in the costal environment. 

Mangrove Tree

Mangroves are various types of trees up to medium height and shrubs that grow in saline coastal sediment habitats in the tropics andsubtropics – mainly between latitudes 25° N and 25° S. See Wikipedia: Mangrove. I am fascinated by these trees because they are so foreign to my desert upbringing. This tree is on Cape Canaveral Island off the Coast of Florida.

Canyon Cloud Layers

Another exceptional view of the Grand Canyon in the middle of a huge storm. The sky cleared briefly and showed the layers of clouds spilling down into the Canyon. These are the rare sights that you can only capture if you want to brave below freezing temperatures and sometimes high winds.

Montezuma's Well

Despite the entirely inappropriate name of this National Monument, the well itself, really a limestone sinkhole, is fascinating. There are several Indian ruins in the walls of the sinkhole. It is a perennially flowing spring used by the early inhabitants for irrigation and as a source of water. The white object floating in the lake is a turtle trap to catch non-native turtles that were introduced by careless people over the years.

Barrier Islands

The Florida coast is protected from the ravages of the ocean by a series of barrier islands. Unfortunately, for those of us driving along the coast, there are sand dunes covered with plants between the road and the ocean, so mostly while driving, in between the houses and the high rise condos, this is about all you see of the ocean. But it is interesting. Who says there are no straight lines in nature?

Sea Grapes

These plants, called sea grapes, are every where along the barrier islands on the Florida Coast of the Atlantic Ocean. They help stabilize the sand and protect the coast from hurricane damage. They grow as low bushes or trees about twenty feet high. They have lovely round leaves. 

Yes, this isn't Arizona

I have mixed feelings about the ocean. I enjoy the waves and all that goes with it, but it seems like we could use some of that water in Arizona instead wasting it away on beaches in Florida.

A Different Perspective

This isn't the usual view of Montezuma's Castle but it shows more of the cliff and how isolated the ruin is from below. There is one thing about pictures of the ruin. They make the building look much larger and more impressive than it is in person standing there on the ground.

Winter Flood

Rain on the snow in the mountains caused an early melt that translated into a flood down the creeks and rivers in central Arizona. We missed the highest water but normally this is a small clear stream. This might happen once or twice a year or even skip a few years in drought. We always like to see running water in the desert.

Using the Space

You have to look closely to see the structure since it blends in with the cliff. I don't think the ancient inhabitants of Arizona lived in these small constructs, they were more likely used for storage or similar uses. They are presently almost completely inaccessible, but appear on cliffs all over the state.