posted October 02, 2009 08:40 AM         

I have watched a bit of the Ken Burns Documentary this week, and see that they are having a marathon on PBS Sat.
Twelve hours long, and 10 years in the making.

The message [s] that the movie tells is that visiting a national park can be a transformative experience. It has been for me. I have long wanted to visit Brice and Zion.....Dinali and others. I do have a history with Yellowstone and Yosemite.
Yosemite->

*yosemite falls->

My mom was born in Wyoming. She was raised in Jackson Hole near the foot of the Tetons.
Tetons->

posted October 02, 2009 08:43 AM         

Watching one show they had turn of the century photos of tourists posing on a promontory rock. My all time favorite family photo is similar and has a relative leaning into the sister of his soon to be wife on such a point. it has an intimate flavor, and a bit otherworldly as they are high in the sky. I have always wondered why he chose to marry Alice, and not Hallie.

Also have visited the everglades, but that felt like a drive-by We were visiting a SO parents, and he wanted to go to Sea World, and Disney World.

posted October 02, 2009 09:13 AM         

The sequoias would have been obliterated. This tree was made into a tourist attraction before the turn of the last century.

posted October 03, 2009 06:25 PM         

That sounds wonderful.

When I first read of the Anasazi [ancient ones in Navajo], a pueblo tribe who lived a thousand years ago, I have felt the call for the 'four corners' area and a visit to Mesa Verde NP.

The mystery surrounding they're disappearance- [which has been speculated upon ever since the discovery.] They left all belongings.

c. 1250

posted October 09, 2009 08:38 PM         

Missy Node, have you ever read Edward Abbey?? When you said Four Corners it reminded me of a favorite book -- "The Monkey Wrench Gang".....
http://www.amazon.com/Monkey-Wrench-Gang-Perennial-Classics/dp/0060956445

Not a national park, but wish it could be included in the Cascade protected areas.....
http://www.goldmyer.org/

posted October 11, 2009 03:49 PM         

The giant saguaro cactus, with its huge upright arms extending from a sturdy trunk, may after some 200 years reach a height of 50 feet. They don’t usually grow their first branch until age 50-75. Literally thousands of these giant saguaro cacti fill the Sonoran Desert here in the eastern section of the national park's two units.

The saguaros are a great boon to desert birds. Woodpeckers drill holes in the fleshy arms for nests, which are often used later by screech owls, purple martins, and sparrow hawks.

The plants and creatures of the desert can be studied closely on an 8-mile drive that loops through the saguaro forest and also on a 1-mile nature trail near a sheltered picnic area. Over 50 miles of hiking and horseback-riding trails traverse a 58,000-acre wilderness and ascend to the summits of the fir-forested Rincon Mountains at an altitude of 8,700 feet.

posted October 11, 2009 04:00 PM         

Saguaro blooms (probably April) ~

"The Walking Saguaro" ~

An owl's snug little home ~

The saguaro woodpecker ~

posted October 11, 2009 04:01 PM         

If you’re in Tucson to see Saguaro National Park, stop by Ted DeGrazia’s Gallery in the Sun (this page is notecards showing his popular "urchins" paintings): http://degrazia.org/Shop.aspx?page=Notecards

My mother collected his “DeGrazia kids” as refrigerator magnets, cards for every occasion, and even latch-hook rug kits

Apparently DeGrazia (Gemini) had a passing acquaintance with astrology -- this image is called Virgo (note glyph under his signature) --

I, however, liked his more “sinister” paintings better – this is a legendary monster (I can’t recall the Native American tribe or story):

posted October 11, 2009 04:02 PM         

Here’s the real church:

posted November 18, 2009 12:23 AM         

I was drawn to come back to the verdant green Olympic NP above, turns out it is by my favorite photog. Art Wolfe.

So a little Wolfe spiral. In keeping with the folder, staying with nature.

antelope canyon AZ

Form and light along with stellar composition.

posted November 18, 2009 12:31 AM         

this one is my fav I pussywillows

the owl and the pussy willow

*

http://www.artwolfe.com/

if you stay on his front page you are treated to a full size slide show.