AZ Nature In Focus

  Most people who love nature have their favorite haunts around their home.  A place to escape for an hour or two close to home perhaps for a relaxing walk or to regain a few moments of peace.  Recent events have strengthened the pull of nature for me so I carved out a few hours one morning last week for a little time with some friends.  I have a few favorite locations around my home.  I tried my local riparian preserve but so many people had the same idea as I did that it was rather full and the paths were packed with people.  Not exactly my idea of gaining peace in nature so I quickly moved on.  There is a man-made lake not far from the preserve and I decided to head there.  To my delight, it was almost deserted and for most of my visit, I found myself alone with the birds. As I talked about in another post, about the winter birds returning and I was pleased to see a few birds that I have not seen all summer.  The egrets were back in force though there are always a few hardy guys th

  If you are an artist or anyone who tends to spend time in nature, it is likely that you have noticed the often intricate patterns of nature.  From beehives to feathers to tree bark, nature has an artistic flair.  We only need to slow down and take the time to notice.  Even with my camera in hand, I need to often remind myself to slow down and take a look around.  The small details of nature are often some of the most beautiful. This past week, I have been spending more time wandering my neighborhood and have taken notice of the dramatic differences in tree bark patterns.  I am sure that there is a very scientific reason for the vast array of patterns however my ignorance of those reasons doesn't take away from my admiration of their beauty.  This tree trunk almost looks like camouflage to me and in fact, this pattern did a great job of hiding the several small geckos I saw clinging to the trunk.  The curved lines and random color differences caught my eye first. A stark contrast

  I have very recently learned that countries outside the United States also observe Daylight Savings time though they might call it summer time or some other variation or combination of the two.  I have to say that I was surprised and asked for clarification as I thought I heard wrong.  I grew up on the east coast of the United States and never figured out exactly why we needed to change the clocks though I had always done it and didn't give it much thought.  In the fall we turned clocks back to presumably get some daylight in the earlier morning hours but that also meant that it was dark around 5:00 pm for a few weeks.  Spring called for turning the clock ahead, giving up an hour of sleep, and suddenly making it darker in the morning.  I don't know why I never thought about other countries adjusting their clocks.  I guess I just assumed that it was some strange tradition in the U.S. dating back to our more agricultural days.  It was the way things were until I moved to Arizon

I am someone who has a need to travel.  I need to escape my everyday life and recharge in different surroundings.  I have a drive to explore the world and gain a new appreciation for other landscapes, lifestyles, and people.     I know that I am not alone in saying that 2020 has knocked me around a little.  Plenty of great things have happened this year but by and large, it is a year that I am ready to put behind me.  I have had a few painful losses recently and as luck would have it, my family and I had plans to take a weekend escape to Payson, Arizona just when I needed it most.  For anyone unfamiliar with this area, Payson is a small town immersed in high desert wilderness of Arizona.  We rented a house that backed Tonto National Forest and I was able to spend the weekend seeing virtually no one and enjoy the solitude of nature.   Coming from the desert region around Phoenix, the sights, smells, and sounds of the forest transported me away from my everyday life and gave me just th

 I am fortunate enough to live in an area of the United States that is home to plenty of winter birds.  Our very mild winter climate in the deserts of Arizona creates a perfect environment for Canadian geese, shovelers, hummingbirds, and many other birds that leave us at the end of each spring.  I am not a bird expert and don't even know the formal names of many of the birds that I see but I get no less enjoyment from watching them play in their new surroundings. It is currently closing in on the end of October and for those unfamiliar with the Arizona desert climate, that means that we begin to leave 100 degree days behind and the evenings dip into the lower 70's at night.  These cool temperatures signal the return of hummingbirds which are usually the first of the migratory birds to return.  About two weeks ago my daughter and I were taking a walk and she spotted a hummingbird zipping along.  It is difficult to sense when we are still experiencing 115 degree days that some ar

  I am a naturally curious person.  I think all people are born that way.  Certainly much to a parent's frustration toddlers ask an awful lot of why questions.  Wanting to know something just for the sake of knowing the answer is something we embrace as small children but see far less frequently in adults.  I enjoy learning new things though I have never been big on book learning.  Knowledge just for the curiosity of finding an answer is appealing to me though sadly I probably only remember a fraction of the things I learn each day. In my last post , I talked about asking someone if they could identify a tree because I was admiring the flowers and received an elaborate answer as the gentleman enjoyed sharing his knowledge with me.  There have been many times that I will wonder aloud about something to a companion and might be overheard.  Several years ago I was visiting an area where lightning storms were very common and I verified with my daughter that the tall spikes on the build

  No matter where I travel, I always make at least a little time to explore nature.  Plants, flowers, and animals are so varied and provide endless interest to me as I roam outside of my desert home.  Often when encountering an animal or plant that I have never seen before, I will snap several photos just to be able to figure out later exactly what I discovered.  There have been times when someone is close by and I will ask if they are familiar with what I am admiring. This is usually the point when I am reminded just how for granted we tend to take the nature found in our own backyards. I adore the sparrows of my yard, the doves in the grass, or my lantana alive with color but that initial sense of discovery and awe that accompanied my move to the deserts of Arizona has disappeared after 16 years. When I first moved to Arizona from Pennsylvania, I was enamored by the soaring saguaro, the hummingbirds, woodpeckers, and the multitude of other plants and animals that call Arizona home.