A Visit to the USS Arizona

In my walking around Arizona, I never dreamed that I would have a chance to visit the USS Arizona as it lies in Pearl Harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. We learned about the sinking of Arizona's namesake ship in grade school, but seeing the place and standing in the Memorial and reading the names of those who died, brings a whole new level of understanding. The USS Arizona was sunk on 7 December 1941 with the loss of 1,177 of her crewmen. Many of those lost still remain entombed in the sunken ship. This is a particularly moving experience similar to the feelings I get when I view the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C. even though I lived through the Vietnam War and was born only a few months before the end of World War II.

A Double Yolk

Every so often, I am surprised by finding a double yolk in an egg I am frying. Mind you, I am as far from being a cook and a food person as it is possible to be and still have the ability to feed myself on occasion. Peanut butter and eggs are about the limit of my culinary ability. I am glad there are alternatives such as cooking an egg or making toast. That makes life simpler.

Plumeria obtusa – Singapore Plumeria

It may have been the time of year, but these Plumeria obtusa or Singapore Plumeria flowers were very common. They grow on a tree that looks dead, without leaves. Only a few leaves grow at the end of the branches where the flower clusters also grow. They are used extensively in flower arrangements and in Hawaiian leis.

Hawai'i: Waves against the shore

Here in Arizona the desert is almost always just a short distance away. Even if you're living in the middle of a big urban area like Phoenix, reminders of the desert are always present in the form of cactus and the ubiquitous "desert landscaping." In Hawaii, the same is true of the ocean. Not only is the ocean visible as you drive back and forth across the islands, it is always present in the plant life and humidity. The main contrast is between areas where lava flows reach the ocean and the waves crash against the rocks and where there are wide sandy beaches. The rocky shores make for dramatic scenery but are rather inconvenient for swimming or snorkeling.

Provo Rocks

Rock Canyon is a prominent feature of the east side of Provo, Utah. A hike up this prominent rock point, called Squaw Peak, is one of the most popular in the area. A similarly named peak in Phoenix, Arizona was renamed out of a wish to honor a dead soldier and for political correctness. According to the Geographic Names Information System of the USGS, there are about 60 such points in the United States with the same name.

Rock Canyon Angles

Provo, Utah is located between Utah Lake and the steep escarpment of the Wasatch Mountains. One of the prominent background features is Rock Canyon a steep V shaped valley. Both sides of the Canyon are covered in rocks. I has been a popular recreation place for years, but has been under the shadow of private development. The rock outcropping on the right in the image is that part of the canyon in private hands. There were plans to start mining the rock out of the canyon, but fortunately, the City has purchased the property to preserve it from development. I am particularly happy about that purchase since I am moving about a block and a half from the mouth of the Canyon.

Provo Temple and Utah Lake

Most of the communities in Utah Valley, south of Salt Lake City, are concentrated between the steep mountains of the Wasatch Range and Utah Lake. This photo of Provo, Utah taken from the Bonneville Shore Trail, shows this narrow corridor. In the foreground is the Provo Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In the background is Utah Lake. The larger structure to the left-middle of the image is the LaVelle Edwards Stadium on the Brigham University Campus. The trail follows the shoreline of the prehistoric Lake Bonneville which filled the entire valley. Utah Lake and the Great Salt Lake are remnants of this ancient lake.