Monument Valley - Part II

Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park includes a visitor center and then a bumpy loop road that is best down with a higher clearance vehicle. The road meanders through rock formations that have been named: Western Mitten Butte, Eastern Mitten Butte, Elephant Butte, Camel Butte, Three Sisters, Totem Pole. The mind tends to leap to familiar forms when looking at the rocks against the sky….and we want to name what we are seeing. I always wonder if naming a rock formation after a familiar form reduces our perception of the details of the formation just as a stereotype about a group of people reduces our perception of the specifics about an individual. So - I decided to just include an unlabeled slideshow from Monument Valley in this post.

Monument Valley - Part I

Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park is barely on the Arizona side of the Arizona-Utah boarder and the day trip from Monticello UT to Monument Valley was so eventful that I am doing two posts about it. Today the focus is on the road trip down and back; it took just under 2 hours each way. Blanding is the only town of any size along the way; the visitor center there has a Navajo loom set up in the museum area. Mexican Hat is at the place where the road crosses the San Juan River. There are two distinctive rock formations along with way: Mexican Hat just north of Mexican Hat and Navajo Twins near Bluff. I’ve included the images I’ve captured of them in the slide show below.

Rock Art and Sculpture at Edge of Cedars State Park

The rock art and sculpture at Edge of Cedars State Park is everywhere one looks. The image with two types of sandal prints (shown at the left) is used on the cover of a book about rock art produced in a book from the 1980s - Spirit Windows: Native America Rock Art of Southeastern Utah. The prints from sandals with patterns on the bottom were the elite or priests; the plain prints were from ordinary people.

The walls and stairwells of the museum have rock art reproductions. Some were similar to the pictographs we had seen at Newspaper Rock (see images 13-15 in the previous post). I always look for spirals. Here are some images from the museum.

Outside the museum there are modern sculptures that take on forms from rock art. My favorite single form was the mountain goat but I spent a lot of time looking at the complex sculpture that made streaks of sunlight through pictograph-like perforations: spirals, tracks, hunters.

And what about a figure coming of a ladder (from a kiva?).

Some look vaguely like people --- but raise questions too. Why does this one only have four fingers on his hands?

And is the one below representing a person at all? If it is not a person - what does it represent? It’s a reminder that culture impacts how we see the world. We take what we recognize from the rock art and make assumptions about the rest.

Clay Pots at Edge of Cedars State Park

This is one of the additional postings I promised in my previous post about Edge of Cedars State Park in Blanding, Utah --- and the focus is the extensive collection clay pots from the Four Corners area that are displayed in this museum. It feels similar to the pot room in the Arizona State Museum in Tucson and I indulged my ‘pots as comfort’ linkage by taking lots of pictures at this state park.

My favorite pot was a bowl - white on the outside and painted inside with black geometric designs. The irregularity of its shape is what made it special. It looked almost unused so maybe the potter from long ago thought the accident of its shape had made it special too.

Many times I am attracted to the colors - the deep oranges or black on white. Others I look more at the geometric designs. This time I also noticed the texture of the pots. The little cup with the waves of texture and burn marks from its firing (image 7 in the slide show below was my next favorite).

Gleanings of the Week Ending October 19, 2013

The items below were ‘the cream’ of the articles and websites I found this past week. Click on the light green text to look at the article.

1,200 Whimsical Stone Statues at Buddhist Temple in Kyoto - Small, mostly smiling statues capped with green moss. They were donated in 1981 to the temple but have a timeless quality. My favorite image is the sixth. The most prominent figure looks happy and calm; the one next to him looks worried about something.

Lost (and found) in Lahore: a photoessay - From the TED blog…images of Lahore, Pakistan from Khurram Siddiqi. If you tried to capture where you live in a photoessay, what would you include?

The Human Bionic Project - A collection of current state-of-the-art links about the interaction between human bodies and machines. The interface shows a human image with pink circles to indicate places where there is more information. There is a slider to move from outside the body to muscles, skeleton, organs, etc. This was one of the reference materials for a Neuroethics course I am enjoying on Coursera….part of the discussion about the changing definition of disability, illness, and disease.

Strength in Numbers: 5 Amazing Animal Swarms - Red crabs, free-tailed bats, desert locusts, monarch butterflies, and starling murmurations

The Uncanny Places on Earth That Look Like Alien Worlds - Sometimes they look alien from afar….and sometimes from within.

The Human Plutonium Injection Experiments - A report published in Los Alamos Science in 1995 about the efforts to understand plutonium’s effects on health during the Manhattan Project….what was known…and what was not…what was done to determine exposure limits. The project’s mission was foremost but the leadership did not ignore the health issue in the frenzy to get an atomic bomb built and tested. The article is another reference from the Neuroethics class.

Map of San Francisco, Stripped of all the Urbanism - The terrain without bridges, cable cars, and housing.

Where Are Migratory Monarchs This Fall? - There have been fewer monarchs in our area of Maryland. There are fewer milkweeds too.

Butternut Squash Smoothie - I have been enjoying apple cider in my smoothies…so I am going to try without orange juice or other sweetener. Somehow the taste of butternut squash and apple cider appeals to me!

More Than 500 Million People Might Face Increasing Water Scarcity - I am probably sensitized to the issue because I am familiar with Tucson’s challenges today. It would not take much change in rainfall, continued concentration of toxins in the water, and/or increased population to result in shortages of good quality water.

Edge of Cedars State Park - Utah

The Edge of Cedars State Park is located in Blanding, Utah (south of Moab in the Four Corners region). It’s one of the few AAA ‘gems’ that is not a National Park --- so it was open in early October when I was in Utah. It is a place worth the stop even if the parks are open and I’ve lined up 4 posts about it. I’ve planned posts on pots, rock art, and sculpture from the museum for upcoming days; today are some of my favorite things about the park that don’t fit in those categories.

One of my favorite things from the museum - beautiful and unusual - is a necklace made from insect legs. The necklace was found in a stash of illegally collected artifacts but there was a bracelet found (and the location well documented) that looked very similar. Were they ever a set?

Behind the museum are a restored 1,000 year old kiva and hummocks of the unexcavated ruins of the rest of the village inhabited by ancestors of Puebloan peoples from AD 825-1125. We braved the cold breeze the day we were there to walk around the interpretive loop (and down into the kiva) - no regrets!

The materials used by ancient peoples (aside from clay which will be the topic of a later post) were highlighted in the exhibits and some of them surprised me. The yucca fibers look like blonde hair. The broken pot that still holds the mesh of beads and rope someone long ago stuffed into it reminds us how pottery was used for storage of just about everything. And turkey feathers were used to construct blankets! Juniper bark was twisted to make mats. Macaw feathers were used to make a sash; the top part of the sash is squirrel fur (from a species found in northern Arizona/southern Utah) so the sash may have been made in the same area rather than made somewhere else and traded into the area; there are macaw skeletons found in some ruins. There was a set of stone knives with handles; the dry climate of the area preserves many items that would have decayed in other climates.

Enjoy the slide show from the Edge of Cedars State Park.

Monticello, Utah

We opted to stay in a vacation rental in Monticello, UT rather than Moab on our recent vacation. Monticello is higher (and cooler) than Moab and is further south. My husband had prioritized ‘Monument Valley’ as a destination for one of our days and the location of Monticello made it an easier day trip.

The small town turned out to be scenic too. The second morning, a dusting of snow became visible as the sun came up. It flocked the grass and provided a white backdrop to the fall foliage in the ‘rough’ of the golf course.

After the snow melted (it only lasted a few hours) - the green grass was visible again and the bright sunlight caused all the colors to glow.

Deer came to visit - seemingly used to people being near.

My eyes were drawn again and again to a tree that had lost its leaves already. The green of the golf course surrounded it - and I wondered if it was dead or just some tree that always lost its leaves early.

There were many birds around too - but only this one sat still long enough to be photographed.

Abajo Mountains and Newspaper Rock, Utah

Our trip to southeastern Utah coincided with the government shutdown - before the state managed to re-open the National Parks in the area with state funds. Consequently - my blog posts about the vacation will include sights from outside those parks. The drive west from Monticello UT through the Abajo mountains was quite scenic in the early days of October. There were swaths of aspen among the pine and scrubby oaks on the eastern side of the mountains….and colorful layers of rock in canyons seen from the western side. We turned around at the blockade at the Canyonlands National Park. Newspaper Rock - with images pecked into rock - was along our route back.

Sit back and enjoy the slide show of the mountain views - the large and small, the timeless and transient, the crystal clarity and hazy distances.

On the Road in Colorado - October 2013

The ‘paper airplane’ art seen at the top of the escalators in the Denver International Airport (picture above) is always something I appreciate upon arrival. There were a lot of travelers when I arrived in early October…and returned a week later.

Our final destination was Utah so the images of Colorado were what we could capture along I-70 while enroute. Fortunately - driving from Denver to Grand Junction is scenic any time and particular this time of year  when there is the addition of fall call to the mix: the dark green of pines, the yellow of aspens, older fall colors for scrubby trees, a scattering of snow on the highest peaks, and bands of rock colors anywhere the vegetation has been swept away or never grows in the first place. I also included an apple tree (with fruit) that was growing at a rest stop and the sunrise on the morning we flew home - in the slide show.

Gleanings of the Week Ending October 12, 2013

The items below were ‘the cream’ of the articles and websites I found this past week. Click on the light green text to look at the article.

Massive Growth of Electric Cars in US, + Who Drives Electric Cars - Infographic

21 Glorious Photos of Double Rainbows around the World - Any rainbow is special….but double ones are rare enough to be extra special

First Ever Global Index to Measure Wellbeing of Older People - Uses measures of income security, health status, employment and education, and enabling environment. For more details, the Global AgeWatch Index is here.

These Breathtaking Cliffside Walkways Will Give You Vertigo - I don’ want to go to any of these places…this pictures are enough!

Nut-and-Seed Energy Balls - I’m going to make the goodies this weekend.

12 Fantastic Photos of Fall Trees Exploding with Color - I like to think of fall colors as the last hurrah before winter. It is a visual feast.

Save Energy & Save Money Using The Sun Intelligently in These 10 Ways - How many of these are you already using?

Top 25 Wild Bird Photographs of the Week #48 - I always enjoy a series of bird pictures. I like the blue and gold macaw in this set.

Ancient Printing Rituals Form Intricate Sand Patterns - This looks more fun than sandcastles!

Top Travel Trends - From Richard Watson

Longwood Gardens Sunflowers - September 2013

Sunflowers in the sun! They are one of my favorites for late summer and into fall. The sunflowers pictured in this post were at Longwood Gardens in September.  The large headed one was in a demonstration garden and the smaller ones were at the edge of the meadow (closed for renovation and expansion). 

The group of flowers I spent the longest time watching had gone to seed and birds were enjoying their bounty.

Longwood Gardens Datura - September 2013

Datura was in full bloom at Longwood Gardens in September. The large trumpet flowers sometimes seem very delicate - and other times frilly. As buds - still compact - they appear waxy. On some varieties, the flowers hang downward and sway like bells in the breeze; other varieties have flowers that point upward showcasing all their layers. Enjoy the collages I made for the purple, pink and yellow daturas.

Gleanings of the Week Ending October 5, 2013

The items below were ‘the cream’ of the articles and websites I found this past week. Click on the light green text to look at the article.

Travel into the Wilderness of Olympic National Park and Listen to the Sounds of Nature - A short video from Olympic National Park. It’s about the sounds but had good sights from the park as well.

Birch for Breakfast? Meet Maple Syrup's Long-Lost Cousins - Learn about other trees that have sweet sap.

125th Anniversary Issue of National Geographic Magazine - The October issue of National Geographic is about ‘the power of photography.’ My Modern Met posted a sampling of the images.

The science behind power naps, and why they're so damn good for you - Isn’t it wonder that something so enjoyable is also good for you?

10 Cities Most at Risk from Natural Disasters - The list includes: Tehran, Los Angeles, Shanghai, Kolkata, Nagoya, Jakarta, Osaka and Kobe, The Pearl River Delta (includes Hong Kong), Manila, Tokyo and Yokohama. Look through the slide show to see the rationale for why they are in the top 10. The report that the post was derived from is here.

Rising Rates of Severe and Fatal Sepsis during Labor and Delivery - This is a finding in developed countries! There are some conditions that increase the risk (microbial resistance, obesity, smoking, substance abuse and poor general health) but many cases occur in women with no recognized risk factors. What a terrible trend.

Striking natural landscapes that look like works of fantasy art - From around the world.

A mysterious fire transformed North America's greatest city in 1170 - I walked around Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site a few years ago....glad to see what recent research has found.

Digital Inequality and Inclusion in Japan - A post from an undergraduate student from Japan at MIT.

3D printing techniques will be used to construct buildings, here and in outer space - There has been a lot of hype about 3D printing. Could ‘Contour Crafting’ really be used to build a house in less than 20 hours? Reading the article left a lot of unanswered question. It is an interesting idea though.

Longwood Gardens Water in Motion - September 2013

The water features at Longwood Gardens are an integral part of the gardens during the warmer months. Sometimes my favorite is the Main Fountain Garden. We have often stayed for the lights on the water on summer evenings so I find them less exciting during the day.

Other times the Eye of Water is my favorite just because of the sheer volume of water flowing over the structure and then downhill toward the Chimes Tower.

But recently - the Italian Water Garden has been my favorite. Many years ago when we first went to Longwood Gardens, the Italian Water Garden was open and people wandered around on the grass among the fountains. It was beautiful but crumbling. After a renovation, the fountains look much better but the area around the gardens is gated.

I’ve always liked the water stairs, the large central fountain, the smaller fountains along the edges shaded by trees, and the frogs contributing arcs of water to the fountain at the far end. 

Longwood Gardens Ferns - September 2013

There are always a few ferns that catch my attention in the Longwood Gardens Conservatory. There is a Fern Passage that is lined with them. Usually I am focused on fiddleheads - those tightly curled beginnings of fronds.

This time I noticed one but was almost immediately more interested in the sporangia on the underside of the fronds. This is where the spores are produced that will become the next generation of ferns. The patterns of the fronds and the sporangia have a precision and symmetry that is quite appealing.

Longwood Gardens Pitcher Plants - September 2013

In a short hallway off the fern passage at Longwood Gardens there were planters dense with pitcher plants.

I remember being intensely interested in insectivorous plants when I was in elementary school. They were so different than anything I had ever seen in north Texas where I lived. One year I found some in a catalog and managed to convince my mother to order them for me. I got tiny plants: a Venus Fly Trap and a Pitcher Plant. The Venus Fly Trap did not last very long but the Pitcher Plant endured for about 6 months.

They never got as big as the plants at Longwood and they never flowered. It still is thrilling to see them - and know what they are - in the gardens I visit.

Gleanings of the Week Ending September 28, 2013

The items below were ‘the cream’ of the articles and websites I found this past week. Click on the light green text to look at the article.

Arctic on course for ice-free summer 'within decades', scientists say - Where will the polar bears go in an ice free summer?

The Arsenic in Our Drinking Water - Scary findings. Evidently arsenic causes problems at lower concentrations that previously thought.

John Green on health care expenses in America - A fast paced video about how American health care expenses and outcomes compare to the rest of the world. Does anyone want the status quo? The answer has to be ‘no’ but we definitely have a challenge agreeing on how to change the system.

Antibacterial Products Fuel Resistant Bacteria in Streams and Rivers - Yet another reason to read the labels on liquid soaps, toothpaste and other cosmetics…and avoid triclosan. I’ve noticed recently that there are more companies that are removing it from their products so the research and consumer choices are having an impact.

National Park Quiz: How Good Are You When Quizzed On Fall In The National Parks? - I am not a quiz taker any more - but I enjoyed scanning through this one about national parks.

For Scientists, Early to Press Means Success - A study that included 1400 biologists from around the world. Do the results apply to other scientific fields? It seems logical that they would….and should be used to guide the early career of scientists (beginning while they are still in school).

Introducing The Landscape Architect’s Guide to Boston - A guide to the green spaces of Boston. A similar one was published last year for Washington DC. If you are going to be walking around either city these guides are another source of information about the city landscapes.

10 More Fascinating Photos That Look Like Paintings - A collection from 10 photographers.

Ancient merchants are responsible for modern horse genetics - Isn’t this something that was always suspected…and we just have the DNA analysis technology to prove it now?

Geography in the News: Cobras - From National Geographic

Longwood Gardens Slipper Orchids - September 2013

The Orchid House in the Longwood Gardens conservatory is not large but its walls are full of blooms from floor to ceiling. This time I focused on the slipppers. My favorites are the ones that have dainty slipper toes and trailing ties that I image would tie around an ankle. It isn’t clear how the large striped structure at the back fits into the slipper image….but the whole flower is quite appealing on its thin stalk growing from a base of green leaves.

Which are your favorites? I tend to always take pictures of the green and white ones first.

Longwood Gardens Water Lilies - September 2013

The courtyard of pools that hold the water lilies at Longwood Gardens is one of my favorite places in the gardens. The lilies were full of blooms and bees. I always like to capture the flowers with the most insect activity. The magnification often gives the flowers an unworldly look. Their colors are so vibrant and that is just what our human eyes can see; the insects probably pick up on even more. There are also some lotus pictures mixed in the slide show below. The pink or white flowers with petals that look crumpled are the Victoria Regia water lily; a book from 1854 available on the Internet Archive includes lithographs by William Sharp of this water lily.

I posted several times before about the water lilies at Longwood: November 2011 and August 2012. 

A Walk around the Howard County Conservancy - September 2013

Fall is a great time to take a walk around the Howard County Conservancy in Maryland. They have a fall festival planned for October 5 but the weather was so good this weekend that my husband and I decided to walk around on our own. We enjoyed being about to hear the insects and birds - and the signs of fall in both the meadow and the forest areas.

What do you think about the owl sculpture? It looks out over the nature play for children.

There are paths mowed through the meadow. The milkweed is ripening. We saw some that were splitting own and others that were still enclosed in a velvety husk complete with a milkweed beetle colony.

ThistlesThistles waved amid a sea of goldenrod.

There were young trees planted in the meadow; they still had protective tubes around their trunks. The dogwoods are easy to spot since they turn deep red while all the other trees are still green.

The wild carrot is making seeds. They look like a tangled ball…and they are a non-native plant that is quite prolific in North America.wild Carrot

It was a pleasant walk of just over a mile according to my husband’s pedometer...and we’d worked up an appetite for lunch. This is a place to come again as fall progresses.