A saguaro stands watch over Sutherland Wash northwest of Tucson.

New for me but there are a lot of giant velvet mites out exploring after the monsoon rains. (I didn’t try tasting them) news.arizona.edu/news/meet-bu...

I saw the tiniest tortoise this morning. Its carapace is about the size of an avocado.

This morning I saw two Western Diamondback rattlesnakes, another horny toad (horned lizard), a herd of 7 or 8 javelina, a white-tailed deer and a fawn, a desert tortoise and a pair of blue grosbeaks. Along with all of the usual birds and lizards. I turned around after snake #2…

Catalina State Park northwest of Tucson AZ

Sanyo MC-2 almost done with restoration

Here’s the first horny toad I saw this morning. It’s a lot darker.

I spotted two horny toads this morning. This one at about 3000 feet and a darker one at about 3500 feet. Both were large, full sized. Always a treat seeing these.

I spotted a desert tortoise this morning.

Pusch Ridge Wilderness northwest of Tucson

Random plants I saw in the desert today

I think this is Dead Horse Canyon in the Pusch Ridge Wilderness northwest of Tucson.

On this morning’s hike I found an unusual arrangement of large stones in a curved line. The stones are large - maybe 100 lbs each and are mostly buried except for the flat tops. They were definitely placed like this and the closest place to find stones of this size is a few hundred yards away.

My work area is getting a little cluttered I’d say. I’m just about to that place where I go get a big basket and start loading everything that’s a visitor into it, or I just pile it outside the door. I get everything back to tidy and put all the stuff in the pile away. Then it slowly comes back… ♻️♻️♻️

In this place the two distant ridgelines line up in an interesting way. Tucson, AZ

Saguaro dawn. Tucson, AZ

Looking northeast into Catalina State Park. From this morning’s hike.

Peccaries (also called javelina) are not pigs but I still call the little ones oinklets. This female is bedded down with 3 little ones in the damp shade of a Texas Ranger that is at the end of the pool drain for the pool deck fountain. It’s cool and damp there and a good spot to hide the oinklets.

Ash-throated flycatcher near Tucson, AZ 🪶

Curve-billed thrasher on a rock. Alamo Canyon near Tucson AZ🪶

5:30 AM. 85°F / 30°C in Tucson No wonder the birds are hiding out on the porch. I wonder if the horned owl will show up and take over the patio fountain again.

It’s so hot here in Tucson there are three different kinds of birds sheltering in the shade of the porch. They don’t fly off when I go out they just watch me warily.

Gambel’s quail, Tucson AZ 🪶

Bougie hot dogs. I told Rachel I was making hot dogs today. She is a pescatarian so was annoyed until I showed up with fresh lump lobster from AJ’s and made lobster rolls. I made a sauce with fresh chives, mayo, lemon juice and some Old Bay.

The moon is rising :right there:

The Obama Center reminds me of this album art from the latest Boards of Canada album. Although the Obama Center precedes 🤷

Bats at Sunset

Tile roof in Norway

I had no idea how beautiful Norway is.

Great place for lunch. Modalen, Norway.

Bergen / Bryggen, Norway.

Organized chaos. Lille Herbern Island near Oslo, Norway

Mo / Modalen, Norway

Marguerite Daisies

The Monolith at Frogner Park in Oslo, Norway.

Frogner Park in Oslo, Norway

Rachel and the Monolith, Frogner Park in Oslo, Norway

Oslo Sentrum

Along the Købmagergade, Copenhagen, Denmark

The Round Tower / Rundetaarn in Copenhagen, Denmark

Christianshavn, Copenhagen

Copenhagen

Copenhagen, Denmark

Sunset in Tucson

Chicago ORD Terminal 5

Villa et Jardins Ephrussi de Rothschild, St Jean Cap Ferrat, France

Weathered granite. Northwest Tucson, AZ

Fun and games with a neodymium magnet. I use this 1” cube as a stud finder, it’s infallible. I’ve also used it to search for meteorites but we have so much iron and so many iron nodules naturally occurring here, I get false positives and iron dust. Crazy strong.

Stoplights

Accidental pocket photo