“Age Has Character” — Images by kenne
Night of four moons
and a single tree
with a single shadow
and a single bird.
On my flesh, I seek the
imprint of your lips.
The jet of spray kisses the wind
without even touching it.
I bear the “No” you handed me
in the palm, if my hand
like a wax lemon
nearly white.
Night of four moons
and a single tree.
On the point of a needle
stands my love — whirling round!
— Federico Garcia Lorca
The Sabino Canyon Volunteer Naturalists (SCVN) have been preparing a new kit for Elementary School Program, which will be on pollinators. I was asked to provide some photos of pollinators. One of the photos first appeared on this blog in a grunge art piece I did in September of 2015, which I mistakenly identified as a viceroy.
One of the Pollinators kit developers is SCVN member Fred Heath, whom we consider our butterfly expert. Fred let me know that I had misidentified the butterfly —
“The orange and black butterfly is a Queen and not a Viceroy.
As you probably know, the Viceroy is a mimic of the Monarch and Queen.
In the east where there are more Monarchs than Queens,
the Viceroy is a brighter orange. Out west and in the south where there are more
Queens than Monarchs the Viceroy is more of a burnt orange like the Queen.
The one quick way to distinguish between the Queen and the Viceroy,
that that the Viceroy has a black median band,
which goes across the hindwing and the Queen doesn’t have that band.
This mistake is made a lot. There was a billboard that advertised Mexico and the Monarchs,
but the butterfly in the billboard is a Viceroy.
When I google Viceroy, the first picture they show is a Monarch.”
Fred Heath Slide for One of His Butterfly Presentations
Authentic Imperfection — Image by kenne
Like an old tree
standing
along the desert trail
we are not perfect —
growing
old together
recognizing
our imperfection
each step of the way
becoming
more perfect by
authenticating
our imperfection
staying
vulnerable together —
embracing
our essence.
— kenne
Tanuri Ridge Flowers In The Neighborhood — Image by kenne
(Click On An Image to View In A Slideshow Format.)
Greater Roadrunner Sitting On Nest In A Cholla Cacti — Image by kenne
— from “On Photography” by Susan Sontag
This time of year Tanuri Ridge is brightened with yellow Palo Verde blossoms under beautiful spring skies. This posting first appeared April 2014 with the poem, “Our Neighborhood — Trying to Reason,” which includes the line “pools of sorrow waves of joy” from the Beatles song, “Across the Universe.”
“Waves of Joy” — Image by kenne
OUR NEIGHBORHOOD — TRYING TO REASON
We traverse these streets,
sometimes early in the morning,
sometimes late in the day,
sometimes walking,
sometimes running —
always for a reason.
We wave at passersby,
sometimes we greet them,
sometimes it’s just a smile
sometimes we stop and talk,
sometimes walking together,
always for a reason.
We have neighborly expectations,
sometimes it’s watering plants,
sometimes it’s calling the ill,
sometimes it’s being complimentary,
sometimes it’s being watchful,
always for a reason.
We can be a convivial people,
sometimes we go out together,
sometimes we party together,
sometimes we join clubs together,
sometimes we share community work,
always for a reason.
We can be adversaries,
sometimes our expectations are not real,
sometimes we overreact,
sometimes we take reactions personally,
sometimes power is polarized, frustration generalized,
always for a reason.
We can be Pleasantville,
sometimes we are without color,
sometimes we are in pools of sorrow,
sometimes we are in waves of joy,
sometimes drifting through my open mind,
always for a reason.
— kenne
“Pools of Sorrow” — Image by kenne
Spring Break at Sabino Creek — Image by kenne
![Welcome back [Scolitantides Orion]](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/975/41689848731_b7bed26f15_s.jpg "Welcome back [Scolitantides Orion]")
