Minute Geyser, Yellowstone National Park

We stopped and enjoyed this smaller geyser for about half and hour while it erupted just like in the video. I am trying to figure out time to get back to Yellowstone. I think going when it is very cold and just before the snow comes is the best time.

Castle Geyser -- Yellowstone National Park

This is a video. Located in the North Section of the Upper Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park, Castle Geyser has a distinctive shape made up of geyerserite sinter deposits. It erupts about every 10 to 12 hours for about 20 minutes to a height of 90 feet. We watched this geyser through its whole cycle of eruption.

A Geyser Rainbow

The steam and condensation from the geyser formed a close-to-the-ground rainbow. Conditions for this have to be perfect, with sunlight at the right angle and you have to be standing in just the right spot to see the color. The geyser is Castle Geyser in the Yellowstone National Park, Upper Geyser Basin. Castle Geyser only erupts every 9 to 11 hours.

Boiling Pools

Thermal pools are relatively rare. But this is only part of their attraction. A trip to Yellowstone National Park puts you in hot pool overload. You can walk by a dozen of them in a matter of a few minutes. It is sort of like being in an art museum. One or two catch your eye but the rest fade into the numbers in the background. It is only when you take a photo and later look at each photo that you can begin to appreciate what you saw at the time. This particular pool probably has a name but did not merit a sign.

Watching the Geyser

It is really hard to get a sense of scale in photos of things like a geyser. This long shot of people watching the eruption of Grand Geyser in Yellowstone National Park gives you an idea of how large all of this country really is. Other areas where the scale of the view becomes lost are the Grand Canyon and any of the mountains in the Rocky Mountains.

Morning Frost

Some of the benefits of moving further north from our traditional desert home, are the new opportunities to see the effects of frost, ice and snow. We did have a few frosty days in the Arizona-Sonora Desert around Mesa and Phoenix, but further north the effects are more dramatic. In this image, the contrast of the white frost against the pastel colors of the plants is exquisite. You may need to click on the image to enlarge it to see all the detail.

White with Foam

With Spring right around the corner, it is time to start thinking of Summer and places to go. I guess there are places, like Alaska, where you can get high mountains and the ocean at the same time. But here along the Wasatch Front, we have high mountains and the only ocean-like thing we have is the Great Salt Lake. This photo is from the real ocean, the Pacific to be exact. But the photo did get me thinking of warmer weather and the ocean again.

Spring is Just Around the Corner

While much of the country is frozen solid, here in Utah Valley we have been basking in Spring=like weather for more than a month. Temperatures have been a record highs and there has been no significant snowfall in the valley since the beginning of this year, 2015. We are watching the grass turn green and the flowers starting to poke their heads out of the ground. I expect to see leaves start to bud out any day now. The deer waking past my window look sleek and fat and none the worse for wear after a warm winter.

Spines Galore

The theory is that cactus spines evolved from modified leaves or modified bud scales which are also modified leaves except spines do not contain any of the cells or tissues characteristic of leaves and leaves lack all of the features characteristic of spines. Spines are made up of a fiber core surrounded by sclereid-like epidermis cells. See Cactus Spines from the University of Texas. In short, the evolution of spines is still a mystery.

Euphorbiaceae

Plants from the Euphorbiaceae family are often mistaken for cactus. It is not generally known, but cactus are indigenous to the American continents. There are no native cactus plants on any other continent including Africa, one the homes of the Euphorbiaceae. These plants are commonly called Euphorbias. Members of this plant family are found throughout the warmer climate areas of the world, with most of the varieties in the Indo-Malayan region and tropical America. See Wikipedia: Euphorbiaceae.

Looking Down on an Agave

As I have said in the past, I am fascinated with the forms in nature. One of the most impressive of these forms is the radial pattern of the agave leaves. In this case the pattern of the leaves is extenuated by the color of the leaves. Although this is an intentional planting, this particular plant can grow in very arid conditions in the wild. I also like the contrast with the rocks surrounding the plant.

Full Body Armor

Some cactus protect the growing tip of the plant with a mass of spines that looks somewhat like hair. I can assure you, you would not like to run your fingers through this cactus' mass of spines. Not only do the spines protect the growing tip from mammals, birds and insects, but they provide valuable shade in areas where there is no other plant cover. This type of growth is associated mainly with columnar cactus that grow to be 20 to 30 feet high. This type of spinal growth is commonly seen on Senita cactus.

Cactus Fruit

Yes, cactus fruit are mostly edible although preparation of the fruit is somewhat tricky depending on the type of cactus and the number of spines. This cluster of fruit comes from a barrel cactus. There are two genera, Echinocactus and Ferocactus that are both commonly referred to as barrel cactus because of their shape. This yellow type of fruit stays on the cactus for an extended period of time and is not usually eaten because it is bitter tasting and quite dry. Also, larger barrel cactus with clusters of fruit are not that common in the Southwest deserts.

Getting a Drink on a Sunny Day

Drinking fountains are ubiquitous in the desert city of Phoenix, Arizona. It is also common for honey bees to use the moisture from the fountains for a convenient watering hole. This was a warm and sunny day in the middle of the Winter and the late afternoon sun cast its golden glow on the busy workers stopping for a quick sip.

Protection

Cactus spines are sharp. Really sharp. Cactus spines are modified leaves. Here is how the different sharp, pointy things differ:

• Spines are modified leaves, like what you’ll find on cactus.
• Thorns are modified branches or stems, like those found on citrus trees.
• Prickles are modified extensions of epidermal tissue. Roses have prickles, even though people typically call them thorns. The Fragrant Mimosa above also has prickles. Think of prickles as hairs. Sharp, pointy, painful hairs. See Sharp Points mean Protection

Scientists have come up with a lot of theories as to why cactus and other plants have sharp spines, thorns or prickles. Some of the theories explain spines as a protection against those animals that would eat the plant. Other theories include the fact that the spines shade the plant. Maybe it is a little of both. Imagine if this seed pod above were your finger. 

A Thorny Issue

Cactus are defined as plants with glochids. The points on this cactus where the spines originate are the glochids. Here is a longer definition:

Glochids or glochidia (singular "glochidium") are hair-like spines or short prickles, generally barbed, found on the areoles of cacti in the sub-family Opuntioideae. Cactus glochids easily detach from the plant and lodge in the skin, causing irritation upon contact. Wikipedia: Glochid

I like cactus because they are self-sufficient and survivors.

Famous Praying Squirrel Rock

Phoenix has its Camelback Mountain with the famous Praying Monk rock on the north side of the camel's head, but here in the Superstition Mountains is the famous Praying Squirrel Rock. This Praying Squirrel comes complete with his rock nut to eat sitting right in front of him/her (I am not quite sure how to tell the gender of a rock squirrel).

Rock Garden

The contrast between Winter in the desert and real Winter in the Frozen North is dramatic. This was a lovely day between Christmas and New Year's Day. We hiked into the Superstition Mountains east of the Salt River Valley with temperatures in the 60s and not a cloud in the sky. When you look at this image closely, you will start to see the faces in the rocks. The Superstitions are inhabited by all sorts of strange rock creatures. I liked the curves and the narrow window in the rocks, but I felt that the straight saguaro was a counterpoint to the shapes of the rocks. It almost seems as if it were planted there on purpose, just for this photo.

Frost

One of the most fascinating phenomena of the cold weather is the appearance of frost. Even though I am an old desert dweller, I am no stranger to frost. We had frost on our lawn and cars from time to time when the temperature dropped. But there is something about the way frost works when it really gets cold that is intriguing. This winter composition has some of the beautiful colors I have ever seen in one of my photographs. I hope you enjoy this image as much as I do.

The Dead of Winter

Winter almost seems like a dream. I am sitting here looking out the window as the sun comes up over the mountains and there is a shaft of sunlight that is shining down through the trees. The trees do not yet have any leaves, but the first flowers are poking their heads out of the ground and the sky is blue and the air has a warm touch of Spring. This is bleak view of Winter. I really do like the snow and especially when it is sparkling in the sunlight. But it is also cold, wet and uncomfortable to walk in or try to clean off your car.