Archive for the ‘Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum’ Tag
Desert Spiny (Sceloporus magister) Lizard — Image by kenne
These are medium to large lizards with snout-vent lengths ranging from 2¼ to 5¼ inches (63 to 138 mm).
These robust lizards have keeled, pointed scales. Background color is usually subdued gray, tan, or blue
with a striking wide, purple stripe down the back and single yellow scales scattered on the sides (S. magister),
or scattered turquoise scales mixed with tan and brown on the back and sides (S. clarkii). Both species have a
dark collar under or around the neck; males have vivid blue throats and under-bellies. Females develop
orange to red heads during the breeding season. — Source: Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
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“Bee On Yellow Flower” — Image by kenne
“Compassion is an unstable emotion. It needs to be translated into action, or it withers.
The question of what to do with the feelings that have been aroused,
the knowledge that has been communicated. If one feels
that there is nothing ‘we’ can do — but who is that ‘we’? —
and nothing ‘they’ can do either — and who are ‘they’ —
then one starts to get bored, cynical, apathetic.”
― from Regarding the Pain of Others by Susan Sontag
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Gila Monster — Image by kenne
The Gila monster is a large, heavy- bodied lizard reaching a little over 1¼ feet in length.
The head is large, with small, beady eyes; the tail is short and fat. The family name
Helodermatidae means warty skin, referring to the beaded look of the dorsal scales,
due to the presence of osteoderms (small bones) under the scales.
The lizard is bright pink and black, usually in a reticulated pattern,
but in a banded pattern in some populations.
— Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
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Night-blooming Cereus Fruit (Sabino Canyon Recreational Area) — Images by kenne
“This unusual cactus has an aura of mystery about it, as it is rarely seen in the wild. Looking like dead creosote branches, it is not until it blooms that the Desert Night-blooming Cereus becomes obvious. Most of its mass is in a tuber below the ground. Twiggy finger-thick stems can grow up to 5’ long. Flowering happens at night, usually occur in June, and blooms are large, white, and fragrant. Golf ball size bright red fruit follow. This species occurs naturally in Arizona to Chihuahua, Zacatecas, and Sonora.”
— Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
FLOWER of the moon!
Still white is her brow whom we worshiped on earth long ago;
Yea, purer than pearls in deep seas, and more virgin than snow.
The dull years veil their eyes from her shining, and vanish afraid,
Nor profane her with age—the immortal, nor dim her with shade.
It is we are unworthy, we worldlings, to dwell in her ways;
We have broken her altars and silenced her voices of praise.
She hath hearkened to singing more silvern, seen raptures more bright;
To some planet more pure she hath fled on the wings of the night,—
Flower of the moon!
— from The Night-Blooming Cereus by Harriet Monroe
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Anna’s Hummingbird — Image by kenne
It started just now with a hummingbird
Hovering over the porch two yards away then gone,
It stopped me studying.
I saw the redwood post
Leaning in clod ground
Tangled in a bush of yellow flowers
Higher than my head, through which we push
Every time we came inside —
The shadow network of the sunshine
Through its vines. White-crowned sparrows
Made tremendous singings in the trees
The rooster down the valley crows and crows.
Jack Kerouac outside, behind my back
Reads the Diamond Sutra in the sun.
— from Migration of Birds by Gary Snyder
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Crested Caracara – Juvenile (Arizona-Sonora Museum) — Photo-Artistry by kenne
The crested caracara is related to the typical falcons but very different in shape and habits. This falcon has a strikingly patterned, broad-winged opportunist that often feeds on carrion. Because of its aggressive nature, it may chase vultures away from road kills. Juveniles are brown instead of black with a whitish neck and cheeks. In Arizona, they are only found near the Mexican border. “Caracara” comes from a South American Indian name, based on the bird’s call.
— kenne
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Monarch Butterfly — Photo-Artistry by kenne
“Just living is not enough,”
said the butterfly,
“one must have sunshine,
freedom and a little flower.”
— Hans Christian Andersen
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Rufous Hummingbird, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum — Image by kenne
The wings of this adult make a high buzzy trill in flight.
The rufous is known for their extraordinary flight skills,
flying 2,000 mi during their migratory transits.
— kenne
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Gates Pass Area In The Tucson Mountains — Panorama by kenne (This panorama was created by merging three photos in Adobe Lightroom)
The road through the pass
is narrow with lots of curves
and no shoulders for the
many bikers going along the
crest of the Tucson Mountains.
Sunsets in the Sonoran Desert
at beautiful, especially when
viewed from Gates Pass after
spending the day at Old Tucson
or Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum.
— kenne
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Great Horned Owl at The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum — Computer Painting by kenne
You fly dark skies
Traveling the underworld
The soul of darkness.
— kenne
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Barn Owl — Grunge Art by kenne
Somebody should tell us,
right at the start of our lives,
that we are dying.
Then we might live life to the limit,
every minute of every day.
Do it! I say.
Whatever you want to do,
do it now!
There are only so many tomorrows.
— Pope Paul VI
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Great Horned Owl — Image by kenne
My horns are feathers
and not ears as some may think,
they are in my head.
— kenne
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“Night Owl” (Great Horned Owl) — Grunge Art by kenne
On the winding path
I continued to follow
An owl sat perched
Old tree remain hollow
Its eyes were wide
Piercing through me
Claws dug in
To the barren tree
Hoot hoot hoot
A steady beat
Inviting me
To take a seat . . .
— from The Owl by Victoria Ruth
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Barn Owl (Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum) — Grunge Art by kenne
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“Two Lizards” (Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum) — Images by kenne
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Becoming is Superior to Being 