Sunflowers help brighten up my day.
Saturday, June 9, 2012
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Grand Canyon :: Sunset at Hopi Point
On our last night at the Canyon (April 17th) we decided to take in another sunset. This time on the southwest side of the Canyon, at Hopi Point.
A close-up view showing a bit of the ruggedness of the Canyon.
The late afternoon sun emphasizes the “hills and valleys” of the Canyon.
The waning rays of the sun also bring out a little of the color in the Canyon.
Quite a few people view the sunsets at Hopi Point. There were three buses and more in the queue to take everyone back to Grand Canyon Village.
The setting sun, split in two by a layer of clouds. It was a fitting end to a very nice day and a great way to end our time at the Grand Canyon.
A close-up view showing a bit of the ruggedness of the Canyon.The late afternoon sun emphasizes the “hills and valleys” of the Canyon.The waning rays of the sun also bring out a little of the color in the Canyon.Quite a few people view the sunsets at Hopi Point. There were three buses and more in the queue to take everyone back to Grand Canyon Village.The setting sun, split in two by a layer of clouds. It was a fitting end to a very nice day and a great way to end our time at the Grand Canyon.
Veterans in the Family
Grandpa - Rolland Victor Phend - WWI
1917-1919
saw duty in France, was gassed
photo taken in June 1983
Dad - Jack William Wiseman - WWII
1943 - 1946
saw duty in the Pacific arena with the 511th
Brother - Charles Douglas Wiseman
1964-1968
Hospital Corpsman, served with the Marines at Camp Lejeune
Brother - Jack Lynn Wiseman
1969-1973
Hospital Corpsman, served with the Marines in San Diego
me - Becky Wiseman
1969-1979
Photographers Mate, numerous duty stations
You can read more about the military service of ancestors and others in my family in this post from ...
Monday, June 4, 2012
Encased in Ice
What a difference a day makes!
Yesterday was a sunny, bright, beautiful day.
Today is dull and gray. And everything outside is encased in a layer of ice.
But if we have to have dull, gray, icy days, better today than yesterday! Because yesterday I had to take my mom to the doctor for a follow-up exam. That meant a 30 minute drive to Columbia City to pick her up then a 45 minute drive to Auburn. Fifteen minutes waiting to see the doctor, about ten minutes spent with him in the office, and then reverse the drive back home. I'm so glad yesterday was a nice day! And so very glad that I don't have to go out in this mess today!!
The view from my front door. Doesn't look too bad? Well, there is about three inches of compacted slush, snow, ice and sleet in the drive. I haven't ventured out to the mail box yet. No traction. The pictures were all taken within 20 feet of the apartment and I used the flash to get some definition and contrast.
Looking closely at the trees, shrubs and weeds you'll see there is about a ¼ to a ½ inch of ice covering everything. Not nearly as bad here as it is in Columbia City or South Whitley (where my niece lives and is currently without electricity) or further south. And not even close to what struck the northeast coast last week or the northwest this week. So we are very fortunate here. Most of the schools in the area closed for the day giving the kids an extra day for their winter break.
Yesterday was a sunny, bright, beautiful day.
Today is dull and gray. And everything outside is encased in a layer of ice.
But if we have to have dull, gray, icy days, better today than yesterday! Because yesterday I had to take my mom to the doctor for a follow-up exam. That meant a 30 minute drive to Columbia City to pick her up then a 45 minute drive to Auburn. Fifteen minutes waiting to see the doctor, about ten minutes spent with him in the office, and then reverse the drive back home. I'm so glad yesterday was a nice day! And so very glad that I don't have to go out in this mess today!!
The view from my front door. Doesn't look too bad? Well, there is about three inches of compacted slush, snow, ice and sleet in the drive. I haven't ventured out to the mail box yet. No traction. The pictures were all taken within 20 feet of the apartment and I used the flash to get some definition and contrast.Looking closely at the trees, shrubs and weeds you'll see there is about a ¼ to a ½ inch of ice covering everything. Not nearly as bad here as it is in Columbia City or South Whitley (where my niece lives and is currently without electricity) or further south. And not even close to what struck the northeast coast last week or the northwest this week. So we are very fortunate here. Most of the schools in the area closed for the day giving the kids an extra day for their winter break.
Into the U.P.
Crossing the Mackinac Bridge into the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.July 31, ..
The first stop was at Brimley State Park, about 15 miles west of Sault Ste. Marie, on the shores of the St. Mary's River. Several pleasant days were spent in the area. Blue skies and sunshine were abundant. Daytime temperatures in the mid-80s with lows in the 60s overnight. Very nice!
Of course I visited the Locks at Sault Ste. Marie. A very large freighter had just entered the locks from the higher Lake Superior side. It took quite a while to get it lowered so it could eventually make its way to Lake Erie and eastward. Movement was imperceptible. Only when you looked away for a few minutes then looked back at the ship could you tell it was sitting lower beneath the top of the locks. Eventually the gates of the locks opened and the ship was on its way. I overheard the Park Ranger (Sault Locks is a National Historical Park) telling someone that the ship that went through was 105 feet wide while the locks were 110 feet wide. A rather tight fit overall.
A few minutes later, a small tourist boat came through. Entering from the east side it had to be raised in order to exit on the west side and into Lake Superior.
The top of the boat is below the top of the locks.
Twelve minutes later, the little boat was on its way. It didn't take nearly as long to raise this little boat as it took to lower the large freighter.
A very nice visitor center has displays on the history of the building of the locks as well as a very informative 20-minute movie.
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Ring Neck Dove
this ring neck dove and it's mate are setting up housekeeeping in the ponies shelter. Here it is sitting on the post at the corner of their pen. There is no sign of a nest yet but they have been courting and saying close to the shelter not even flying until i get just a few feet from them.
Friday, June 1, 2012
Newspaper Rock
Along the access road to Canyonlands, thirty miles east of the entrance, Newspaper Rock is a little mystery that will likely never be solved. It is a large slab of rock covered with desert varnish (a blackish manganese-iron deposit that gradually forms on exposed sandstone cliff faces due to the action of rainfall and bacteria) into which have been inscribed numerous petroglyphs. The older images are becoming darker in color as new varnish slowly develops over them. The first carvings were made around 2,000 years ago, although a few are as recent as the early 20th century.
There has been a lot of speculation as to the meanings of the drawings but in fact no one really knows what they mean or why they are in this place. It is in the middle of nowhere. Was this a stopping-off point for native people? Does it have spiritual or religious significance? Is it simply graffiti from a time long past?
There has been a lot of speculation as to the meanings of the drawings but in fact no one really knows what they mean or why they are in this place. It is in the middle of nowhere. Was this a stopping-off point for native people? Does it have spiritual or religious significance? Is it simply graffiti from a time long past?
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