Incense Passion Flower

This post is for those of you who have an interest in this beautiful flower which grows on a vine.

These pictures were taken at the Arizona Sonoran Desert Museum in Tucson Az.

The Seven Cataracts The Waterfalls

When I heard that Mt Lemmon had over an Inch and a half of rain my first thoughts were of photographing water everywhere. What I found was evidence that it had rained visa vie a couple of puddles and numerous rockslides above mile three. One of the strangest sights I've seen lately is a pick up truck with a snow plow on the 4th of July coming down the mountain with it's plow down. Apparently pushing the rocks from the roadway.

On the ride up the mountain we skipped right by the Seven Cataracts.

On the way down we stopped to enjoy the view, have a sandwhich and look for critters. Due to the unusually large amount of traffic headed up the mountain for fourth of July picnics and the Summerhaven parade it was quite noisy. Then there was a break in the traffic and I could hear what I thought was the wind down in the canyon. Turns out it was running water!!!

Burn Area

It has been six years since Mt Lemmon was a blaze but the evidence remains at every stop.
Plants that would have had a hard time surviving in the shade of the ponderosa pines have flourished in the now sunlit areas.
It must have been difficult to see so many majestic pines and aspens perish in such a short time span. 84,750 acres burned and 333 structures were lost.

Six years later there is evidence that rejuvenation is making progress and in allot of areas the change is incredible. In some areas it will take a lifetime to recover.





Beetles contributed to the loss of trees as well as heat and drought.

You can read more about the Aspen Fire by clicking here.

The Aspen Fire 6 Years Later

I have made several trips up the Catalina Highway recently and have been fascinated by the remnants of the 2003 Aspen Fire. These pictures are not in any particular order but they do give a pretty good indication of how long it takes for a forest to rejuvenate itself. Six years ago on the 4th of July the fire on the mountain was raging down the mountain towards Tucson.


As you can see thousands of trees were destroyed. Tree loss is greater as you get nearer to Summerhaven which was destroyed by this date six years ago.
There are many positive signs of regeneration and the wildlife is in abundance although I have yet to see one of those bears that are advertised near the summit.


Many spectacular views were revealed by the fire.
While Summerhaven has rebuilt many of the homes that were destroyed the landscape still looks like it will be many more years before it returns to it's former beauty.
I will be heading up the mountain later today to see what effects last nights rain had and to hopefully get a little exercise. I'll do another post before the weekend is over. Have a great 4th.

Feeding Time

Returned this morning to the Cactus Wren feeding what appears to be a single new born chick. I did not want to get too close so it's a little hard to see the young one.
The intervals that the wren returned with food were amazingly uniform.
Unless you're looking for it the nest is hard to see.
Saw a coyote cub for the first time which was a treat. Sometimes getting out early really pays off.
As you can see she was very vigilant. The more I look at these pictures the more I wonder if it's actually both parents. Guess I'll have to read up on cactus wren behavior and plumage.

East and West

Looking west. I took a ride out into the park just to enjoy the solitude. I spent more than an hour listening to the birds and enjoying the view and did not see another person the entire time. Came upon a cactus wren feeding her young but I didn't have a long lens so I didn't get any pictures. I recently read an article about our need to commune with nature and how it contributes to our well being and I couldn't agree more. Will be hiking one of the trails in the Catalina Mountains this week end and I'll be sure to remember to bring my long lens just in case.
Looking east.
West again.
East.

Gathering Storm

"Monsoon' has arrived in the low desert.

The temperature dropped from 103 degrees to the upper 70's in 20 minutes.
It gets very humid during Monsoon and storms become a regular visitor. On the plus side everything gets very lush and green.

Monsoon lasts a couple of months and it should be fun trying to capture the essence of the desert changes.
It did finally rain as the sun was setting to our right and the rain and lightning moved in from our left.

Sunrise on Kitt Peak

It was very cloudy this morning around quarter to six but the sun shown through on Kitt Peak in the distance.

Chiricahua National Monument

The grasslands along the road to the monument which is a 35 mile drive from Wilcox Az.
The Chiricahua Mountain Range is another of Arizona's many "Sky Islands."

The "Organ Pipes"Well worth the extra 70 miles you have to drive from Wilcox and back.

Plants and animals from four different ecosystems come together in the Chiricahua Mountains. They are the Rocky Mountains, Sierra Madre Mountains, Sonoran Desert and the Chihuahuan Desert.
We will be headed back to Wilcox in October to do the Rex Allen Days. We will be selling some of my 13x19 framed prints and of course the handmade soaps. I will make sure to make the trip to Chiricahua to do some more photography.