tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76078288894160860082024-03-12T17:53:10.211-07:00Arizona WriterAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13738377880145008895noreply@blogger.comBlogger243125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607828889416086008.post-82777980578371243492015-11-21T08:00:00.000-07:002015-11-21T08:56:41.779-07:00Don't miss it: Adobe Mountain Wildlife Center Open HouseAre you local? Do you love wildlife? Want to support a really good cause? Check out the Adobe Mountain Wildlife Center Open House this weekend! I couldn't come today, but I'll be there tomorrow (Sunday). Say hi if you're there!<br />
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The open house runs 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21 and Sunday, Nov. 22. There are live wildlife displays, activity booths, and more; and you can tour the rehabilitation facility. It won't come around again for a year, so check it out. Here are a few treasures from last year:<br />
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<a href="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5045/5241518672_5641368e31_z.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5045/5241518672_5641368e31_z.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 640px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 457px;" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5167/5230454412_ce6c6842a7_z.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5167/5230454412_ce6c6842a7_z.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 427px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 640px;" /></a><br />
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The address is 2800 W. Pinnacle Peak Rd, Phoenix, 85027. Take I-17 to Pinnacle Peak Road (Exit 217), go west on Pinnacle Peak, turn north at the first street (less than a quarter of a mile), and follow the signs throuhg the Adobe Mountain School Area to the even parking.<br />
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Obviously, bring your camera!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13738377880145008895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607828889416086008.post-2793842219809998392015-06-12T15:26:00.001-07:002015-06-12T15:26:11.950-07:00Kids these days! Rassum frassum...<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Kids these days, am I right? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Actually, no. If I'm about to gripe about how they're less courteous, less playful, bigger wusses, ruder, like stupid music or anything like that; I'm not. At least, I'm not any more correct than the zillions of other people in literally every generation who have said that.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Still, you see it all the time. Lamenting the degradation in today's youth is far from new. </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Just for fun I Googled various combinations of "kids," "youth," "these days," "generation," and phrases about older writings. It took me about 60 seconds: Turns out in 423 BCE, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Aristophanes <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=ddUIAAAAQAAJ&lpg=PA157&ots=Q_psObV1wM&dq=describe%20the%20ancient%20system%20of%20education%2C%20how%20it%20was%20ordered%2C%20when%20I%20flourished%20in%20the%20advocacy%20of%20justice%2C%20and%20temperance%20was%20the%20fashion.%20In%20the%20first%20place%20it%20was%20incumbent%20that%20no%20one%20should%20hear%20the%20voice%20of%20a%20boy%20uttering%20a%20syllable%3B%20and%20next%2C%20that%20those%20from%20the%20same%20quarter%20of%20the%20town%20should%20march%20in%20good%20order%20through%20the%20streets%20to%20the%20school%20of%20the%20harp-master&pg=PA157#v=onepage&q&f=false">makes fun of </a> the idea. That means "kids these days" hasn't just been around for thousands of years; it's been a <i>cliché</i> for thousands of years. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">One of the latest rants, shared on Facebook by many of my friends lately, most recently has been paired with this image:</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://scontent-lax1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/1381505_10151733471812695_1874481589_n.jpg?oh=1018345819d80089c868d46de91e1b13&oe=55F5167B" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://scontent-lax1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/1381505_10151733471812695_1874481589_n.jpg?oh=1018345819d80089c868d46de91e1b13&oe=55F5167B" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And back in the '80s we TOTALLY never complained about having to play with our siblings, and also never snickered at the word "booby."</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Here's the text that accompanies it:</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FMDRRMxidGs/VXkFxwPi22I/AAAAAAAAZ_w/7EGtrlQJF3A/s1600/meme%2Bpic.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FMDRRMxidGs/VXkFxwPi22I/AAAAAAAAZ_w/7EGtrlQJF3A/s640/meme%2Bpic.png" width="598" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">It's been going around for a few years, but I just saw it twice this morning and once last week, so I thought I'd pick it apart. Because kids these days are different in some ways, but they're just as good/spunky/nice/responsible and just as rude/lazy/ irritating/preoccupied as we were. I'm as baffled by this as I am by blind patriotism. Congratulations! You were born in a certain place/decade just like me! We're better by default! I was born in 1980, but I don't need the distinction.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1n6hxqb0s1U/VXtaLbG0tMI/AAAAAAAAaAI/Ng_8d4phAuk/s1600/diptych%2Bbeaters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="382" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1n6hxqb0s1U/VXtaLbG0tMI/AAAAAAAAaAI/Ng_8d4phAuk/s640/diptych%2Bbeaters.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My childhood and my son's: TOTALLY DIFFERENT. </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2mTfKe_QB84/VXtazQ3vPCI/AAAAAAAAaAQ/GTnx8Jr82V4/s1600/diptych%2Bcats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2mTfKe_QB84/VXtazQ3vPCI/AAAAAAAAaAQ/GTnx8Jr82V4/s640/diptych%2Bcats.jpg" width="398" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seriously. There's hardly any similarity at all. </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">OK, on to the picking.</span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL BORN IN 1930’s, 1940’s, 50’s, 60’s, 70’s and Early 80’s !!!</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">So, like, <i>everyone </i>who's not a kid/young person today. Casting a bit of a wide net, aren't we? This seems to be much more about kids these days than the childhoods of previous generations. You can't tell me that someone born in 1930 has as much in common with someone born in 1980 as that person has in common with a 25-year-old today.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First, you survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they carried us.</span> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a tin, and didn't get tested for diabetes.</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">My mom neither smoked nor drank, and felt terrible for the single Tylenol she took across three pregnancies. Turns out there's nothing good or nostalgic about fetal alcohol syndrome. Also, major findings about tuna weren't released until after my own son was born, so it's not like our parents were being reckless—and the study only warns to limit one's tuna intake due to rising mercury levels, a reasonable prevaution. According to the FDA, six ounces a week of tuna should be fine. If you want to be on the safe side that's obviously fine. Looking at the information and eating accordingly is the key</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">—there's nothing wrong with parents who didn't yet have this information nor is there anything wussy about using it now. It's not like this is a dichotomy between absolute paranoia and a total laissez-faire attitude. Either of those is dumb. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">You are supposed to avoid blue cheese, though. (And no, fellow word pedants, I'm not going to pick on the "blue." There's a good case to be made for "blue" cheese.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">And diabetes? For the record, many mothers in these generations would have been tested, since gestational diabetes was discovered several decades ago and can lead to a whole host of complications for the mother and baby, including <i>death</i>. These silly ninnies today; wanting to save people. What are they thinking? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then after that trauma, your baby cots were covered with bright colored lead-based paints. </span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Lead paint, seriously? You do know lead in many forms is a neurotoxin, right? Ah, for the days of brain damage via lead poisoning. Also, baby cots?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when you rode your bikes, you had no helmets, not to mention, the risks you took hitchhiking ...</span></blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/252/446965153_7f9aea0897_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/252/446965153_7f9aea0897_o.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pictured: A childhood devoid of adventure.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I never hitchhiked. Neither did the vast majority of my friends. I have helped, and have been helped, by strangers on the side of the road, but most of those happened in these "overcautious times" in the past decade. I mention this first to differentiate it from the other items in the list, which are merely advances in safety. Why should it be considered "tough" or admirable to do without safety measures that weren't widely available at the time? I know someone who hopped on a bike in his driveway for literally a few minutes, fell, struck his head, and died. Somehow, these stories of fun-times grit ring hollow to me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As children, you would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags. Riding in the back of a van - loose - was always great fun.</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">No air bags in the first several cars; that's correct. But always seat belts. I rode in the back of a van with no seat belt a few times, as well as in the bed of a truck, bouncing around and almost falling out a few times. I'll be honest; it WAS fun. I don't think that was any great consolation when my parents found out. Risking death because "wheeee!" isn't the smartest thing in the world.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You drank water from the garden hosepipe and NOT from a bottle. </span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">No, we didn't usually do that. I drank water from the faucet growing up, and still do. But you just taught me that "hosepipe" is a word, so thanks!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this.</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">People hardly ever intentionally spread germs and backwash around anymore, folks! Childhood as we know it is dead. Seriously: First of all, I never did this as a kid, and still don't. Ick. Second, I know plenty of people from both my childhood and current life who did/do this regularly. Still, ick. Also, are you saying that NO ONE has ever died from spreading germs? Really?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You ate cakes, white bread and real butter and drank pop with sugar in it, but you weren't overweight because... YOU WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!!</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I've consumed or served my kid three of these four things in the last week, along with more healthful fare. He also plays outside. True, it's tough to get him off his butt and outdoors sometimes, but I seem to remember that being a perennial complaint that I heard in my own childhood. In fact, bet you could find "kids these days" comments about every generation, leveled by the one just above them. I'm sure Aristophanes' contemporaries had a thrashing in mind for laze-abouts. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on. No one was able to reach you all day. And you were OK. You would spend hours building your go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out you forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, you learned to solve the problem.</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Why are we changing from second person to first person, back to second? Also, nope, never made a go-kart. I did do many dangerous things as a kid, and sure, I learned from them. But I don't think the GOAL was to put myself in danger</span>.</span><br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 99 channels on cable, no video tape movies, no surround sound, no mobile phones, no text messaging, no personal computers, no Internet or Internet chat rooms.......... </span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">No, wrong. Nintendo came out in the mid '80s. We had a Nintendo, and in another meme you'd be reminiscing about everyone gathered around it. Also, "video tape movies" were quite prevalent, starting in the late '70s and surging to tens of thousands of rental stores in the '80s. I would wager more '80s kids have fond memories of going to the video rental shop to pick out a movie with their families than risking vehicle-related death. And most of these other things came out during the adolescence of '80s kids.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Look, <i>of course</i> it's possible to misuse or overuse video games and other electronic entertainment. But the idea that any regular use of it <i>is</i> misuse is just dumb. Real-life relationships can be and have been nurtured through computers, text messages, video games and shared television show-watching experiences. If that's all you've got going for you there might be a problem, but that's the case if all you have going for you is volunteering together or taking cruises. It's part of a bigger picture, and Nintendo was part of the life of every early '80s kid I know</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">(and some '70s kids)</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">YOU HAD FRIENDS and you went outside and found them!</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Yeah, my son still does. And he finds them on X-Box Live and over Skype! I know because they annoy me with loud conversations, giggling, and planning social get-togethers. (Did you know it's possible to have an hour-long conversation of veiled silly threats and inside jokes over whether you're "griefing" each other's Minecraft worlds? Yeah, I don't know what that means either, but I gather it's a big deal.) They're getting together next week for a party, talking about their families as I type this, and learn more about each other over a video game chat session than I've learned/divulged over entire visits with adult friends. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Too bad he doesn't have MY childhood experience of being an awkward loner. The horror.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these accidents you played with worms (well most boys did) and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever.</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Yep! Did all of those things</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">—</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">and I'll be happy if my son misses the totally mangled arm, knocking out seven teeth and various other injuries I incurred. Just because they make for fun stories doesn't make them desirable. But if he does suffer something similar, he'll be in good company</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">—</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">millions of kids injure themselves playing each year. (Some fraction <i>die</i>. But that doesn't make for a fun, golly-gee meme, does it?) The vast majority of those have no legal repercussions. Also, why would only BOYS play with worms? I proposed to myself with a worm ring. Sorry to nitpick, but I can't help but be unsurprised (but still disappointed) at the latent sexism in this clueless rant.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You made up games with sticks and tennis balls and although you were told it would happen, you did not poke out any eyes.</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Was never told that, though we did injure each other a few times. My son LOVES sticks, and has amassed quite a collection. The games he plays with them are endless. We toss out sticks on the sly when he's not looking.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">And look. A few times now we've seen the weird claim that we're better ... because things were worse. I'm all for funny tales and nostalgia (things that endangered and/or gravely injured me as a kid include a swing set, a half-built house, the mountains, a tree, another swing set, a set of monkey bars, a swimming pool and a brick, a contraption of my own building, a shoe eyelet, a grill I was trying to light and many more)<span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">—</span>I get it. It's hilarious and gives you a strange kind of pride. Me too! But are you really saying it's <i>better to be in more danger</i>? You do know it is possible to have fun, even go on adventures, without <i>necessarily </i>risking life and limb, right? And that our kids are free to engage in even more adventures (while, you know, <i>not dying</i>) than we were? Oh noes!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just yelled for them!</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">No. No, we didn't, because that's freaking annoying. I hate when neighbor kids do that. How hard is it to plan five minutes in advance? These ARE the same folks advocating teaching kids manners, responsibility and common courtesy, right?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Local teams had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!!</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I <i>will </i>have to imagine that, because it's not what we experienced. My dad, the most passionate youth athletic coach I ever knew, was also the most compassionate. Every kid made the team (except for all-stars and special cases), and every kid played. If he was going to sub in a new player, he'd leave a kid in until they had a shining moment, even at the expense of the score. Because it turns out that encouraging effort and sportsmanship is more important than vicariously bragging through a number on a scoreboard at a kids' game.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The idea of a parent bailing you out if you broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law.</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Maybe, maybe not. When I stole candy my mom made me bring it back and formally apologize to the store manager. When I got speeding tickets I got a what-did-you-expect lecture. But I was also told if I were ever arrested for protesting for a good cause, or if I ever found myself in too deep (even if it WAS my fault) that I could count on my parents. Because that's what good parents do. We've continued the policy with our son.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This generation has produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever! The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas. You had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and you learned HOW TO DEAL WITH IT ALL! And YOU are one of them! CONGRATULATIONS!</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Well, sure! There are greats, lows and highs in every generation. We <i>should </i>be proud. We should also make use of those problem-solving skills and insights to see where we can still improve. Because I sure hope this generation didn't produce the least self-aware, most sanctimonious group ever.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">And it's not "this generation." Unless the Greatest Generation and early Gen Y are now the same generation.</span><br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You might want to share this with others who have had the luck to grow up as kids, before the lawyers and the government regulated our lives for our own good. And while you are at it, forward it to your kids so they will know how brave their parents were.</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">You might want to share my notes with others who had the luck to grow up during some damned good years, but still recognize strides we've made since then. While you're at it, forward it to everyone who thinks law, regulation and government are new-fangled concepts; and talk to your kids about your real childhoods, while also valuing theirs.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">--</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">We all think our own everything is the best. If we seriously apply that logic to kids or society these days, though, we've been getting worse with every passing generation. I tend to think the opposite is true: By most measurements (with notable exceptions in the environment and current economic hardships), we're getting better with each passing generation. Social justice and acceptance. Gender equality. Racial equality. Infant mortality. Maternal mortality. Teen pregnancy and drug use. Worldwide education. There are dips, for sure, but we're headed in the right direction, and often thanks to advances that new generations thought of or challenges the newer generations overcame. We've all but eradicated many deadly diseases, for heaven's sake. Here's the key, though: We can't be complacent. All these things have improved in our lifetimes. That is, in the days <i>after </i>those halycon days of your childhood. Say all you want about how tough you were as a grubby little rugrat; I'll take seat belts. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Want to raise a child as resilient, motivated, imaginative and tough as you were? How about telling them about your childhood, and then asking about theirs? What about exploring the ways the world has gotten better since they've been born? What about exploring how they can help make it better? Don't tell them you "had freedom" in your childhood. Tell them they still have it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Unless you think we peaked with dangerous cars and brakeless go-karts. Unless you don't trust this generation to produce brave kids too. Me, I'm looking at one right now.</span><br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2072/1507561108_e51a51cbf0_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2072/1507561108_e51a51cbf0_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just a snapshot my son's anti-social, over-stimulated indoor childhood. </td></tr>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13738377880145008895noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607828889416086008.post-80368436130216996532014-08-05T13:19:00.002-07:002014-08-05T17:19:16.255-07:00I'm back! Come say hi and tell me what you're up to. So things are getting ramped up again here at Arizona Writer and the Hosey-Wilson household, and we've got so many cool things to share -- trips and opportunities around Arizona and in the worlds of science and nature; photos, musings and more from our adventures; connections with the amazing people we've met lately; amazing projects I've tackled recently and--of course--my opinions, without which I know you've all been suffering greatly.<br />
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Seriously, we're super busy, but it's because we get to do awesome stuff, and I want to get back to sharing it here as well as in all my various online stomping grounds. So rather than do an "OMG sorry for not posting" post (or worse, including it in the first actual post), here's a preview/highlight reel of what I've been up to lately:<br />
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We've had fun with friends:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DrmDs-T7iz4/U9wF_KXAqfI/AAAAAAAAZDA/335eQOz6vq0/s1600/IMG_7256+Arizona+Science+Center+Ripley's+Believe+it+or+Not+Phoenix+AZ+kid+kids+dance+music+studio+wall+colors.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DrmDs-T7iz4/U9wF_KXAqfI/AAAAAAAAZDA/335eQOz6vq0/s1600/IMG_7256+Arizona+Science+Center+Ripley's+Believe+it+or+Not+Phoenix+AZ+kid+kids+dance+music+studio+wall+colors.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">David and Kat (hi, <a href="http://www.thescientificmom.com/">Amy</a>!) making rainbow-kid pictures using video feedback at the Arizona Science Center.</td></tr>
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and many, many animal adventures:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2rtwM1SGTZU/U9wHDa6HPEI/AAAAAAAAZDI/7l2WZcidUGQ/s1600/IMG_0667.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2rtwM1SGTZU/U9wHDa6HPEI/AAAAAAAAZDI/7l2WZcidUGQ/s1600/IMG_0667.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Feeding a very hungry baby elk at the <a href="http://www.azwildlifecenter.net/index.asp">Adobe Mountain Wildlife Center</a>.</td></tr>
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We've enjoyed monsoon season, sunsets and other awesome things the sky does:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_DVz277KsMo/U9wI7PaNbjI/AAAAAAAAZDU/vBnQRI_9A7w/s1600/IMG_0758+storm+clouds+arizona+sky.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_DVz277KsMo/U9wI7PaNbjI/AAAAAAAAZDU/vBnQRI_9A7w/s1600/IMG_0758+storm+clouds+arizona+sky.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh, just watching the Apocalypse in our backyard tonight. You?</td></tr>
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We wrapped up one year and started the next at school, which is always an adventure, especially with a middle schooler:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ljrn2NRguww/U9wO0_i6idI/AAAAAAAAZDk/DrcvW6N4EQM/s1600/chorus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ljrn2NRguww/U9wO0_i6idI/AAAAAAAAZDk/DrcvW6N4EQM/s1600/chorus.jpg" height="456" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The other boy in the chorus had a MUSTACHE. Middle school is wonderful and weird.</td></tr>
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And of course, we do it all with enthusiastic commentary:<br />
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Many more details on the way; including a guest blog or two from my son. We've gone camping, interviewed some awesome folks, taken trips around the Valley and more. Stay tuned! So tell me, what have you all been up to?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13738377880145008895noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607828889416086008.post-85328905316531997592013-12-31T17:02:00.000-07:002013-12-31T17:21:58.803-07:00Best of 2013: Favorite spots, favorite critters and my favorite kid2013 was a weird and busy year, and though I spent as much of it as possible at my favorite nature spots, life conspired to keep me from going out as often--or sharing as many photos--as I would like. Still, no matter what life throws at me and my family, being out in nature is our medicine. And sharing it with you all has made me more awesome friends than I deserve. I love it.<br />
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One of those excellent people, the inimitable <a href="http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/compound-eye/">Alex Wild</a>, issued his annual call for the best science and nature photos of 2013. I'm coming in a little late, as is my wont, and these are just the best of the ones I've managed to go through. There are thousands yet to be processed. But here are mine, all taken this past year, winners in the categories you'd probably expect from me. Happy New Year, everyone.<br />
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<b>Best spider</b>:<br />
Of course it's a black widow. Did you expect anything else?<br />
<br />
We have a lot of other arachnid goodness--giant fuzzy <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/khosey1/11637781285/">tarantulas</a>, <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/khosey1/8282491026/">jumping spiders</a> in fabulous colors, <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/khosey1/7359909904/">giant crab spiders</a>, wolfies, lynx spiders, you name it. But black widows have a special place in my heart (as long as they stay in my figurative heart and <a href="http://www.arizona-writer.com/2010/09/night-i-wore-hundred-black-widows.html">out of my literal hair and clothes</a>).<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CxoCdSHnnZE/UsIdPM2S4rI/AAAAAAAAYIk/6U1_cl-LyPk/s1600/Western+black+widow+spider+Latrodectus+hesperus+macro+Arizona+AZ+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="456" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CxoCdSHnnZE/UsIdPM2S4rI/AAAAAAAAYIk/6U1_cl-LyPk/s640/Western+black+widow+spider+Latrodectus+hesperus+macro+Arizona+AZ+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Western black widow spider (Latrodectus hesperus), our house (don't tell my husband).</td></tr>
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<b><br /></b>
<b>Best Combination of my Favorite Things</b>:<br />
A roseate skimmer dragonfly (<i>Orthemis ferruginea</i>) during sunset at the Gilbert Riparian Preserve. One of my favorite insects, at one of my favorite places, during my favorite time of day? Yes, please! One of my favorite people (my son) was just out of frame, and later we got to have chocolate ice cream and watch <i>Star Wars</i>. A good day.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EQogFFc51dg/UsIe3NT56ZI/AAAAAAAAYI4/7DTgGeiLEEg/s1600/roseate+skimmer+dragonfly+Orthemis+ferruginea+Gilbert+Riparian+Preserve+Arizona+AZ+insect+sun+sunlight+silhouette.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EQogFFc51dg/UsIe3NT56ZI/AAAAAAAAYI4/7DTgGeiLEEg/s640/roseate+skimmer+dragonfly+Orthemis+ferruginea+Gilbert+Riparian+Preserve+Arizona+AZ+insect+sun+sunlight+silhouette.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roseate skimmer dragonfly at Gilbert Riparian Preserve.</td></tr>
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<b>Best Dragonfly</b>:<br />
Or, you know, one of them. I can't spend all night choosing. At the moment, I love this red saddlebags dragonfly (<i>Tramea onusta</i>), captured at Veterans Oasis Park in Chandler. I especially like the wings, as well as the fact that a few years ago, this shot wouldn't have happened--not because I didn't have the gear, but because I would've given up. I was chasing this dragonfly, and he insisted on perching way out of reach, directly above me and against a blown-out sky. I didn't get the closeup I was after, but I like what I got even better. And that's the great thing about my nature photography journey. Learning to use my gear? Please. Boring. But make the effort again and again and again (and again and again), and you start to learn a few things about focus and exposure in spite of yourself.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ky8A_zAgh00/UsIhM43cfLI/AAAAAAAAYJE/Rt4piQaGagM/s1600/Red-mantled+Saddlebags+dragonfly+Red+Saddlebags+Tramea+onusta+skimmer+insect+Veterans+Oasis+park+Chandler+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ky8A_zAgh00/UsIhM43cfLI/AAAAAAAAYJE/Rt4piQaGagM/s640/Red-mantled+Saddlebags+dragonfly+Red+Saddlebags+Tramea+onusta+skimmer+insect+Veterans+Oasis+park+Chandler+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="512" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red saddlebags dragonfly, Veterans Oasis Park.</td></tr>
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<b>Best Damselfly</b>:<br />
Not quite as flashy as the dragonflies, but they're just as gorgeous. This year was a great year for blue-ringed dancers (<i>Argia sedula</i>), and I got quite a few "mealtime" shots like this one, captured at the Gilbert Riparian Preserve.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_QVtswzndi8/UsImEBn_21I/AAAAAAAAYJc/KbZQC1URE5k/s1600/blue+ringed+blue-ringed+dancer+damselfly+Argia+sedula+Gilbert+Riparian+Preserve+water+ranch+AZ+Arizona+insect+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="456" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_QVtswzndi8/UsImEBn_21I/AAAAAAAAYJc/KbZQC1URE5k/s640/blue+ringed+blue-ringed+dancer+damselfly+Argia+sedula+Gilbert+Riparian+Preserve+water+ranch+AZ+Arizona+insect+3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A blue-ringed dancer (<i>Argia sedula</i>) munches a fly at the Gilbert Riparian Preserve.</td></tr>
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<b><br /></b>
<b>Best Little Bird, Closeup</b>:<br />
If I'm not chasing insects and spiders, I'm probably watching birds. Here's an Anna's hummingbird (<i>Calypte anna</i>), one of my favorites, at the Demonstration Garden at Boyce Thompson Arboretum.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t70nLrE63FQ/UsInAORn03I/AAAAAAAAYJo/F_ua5w2GlmM/s1600/Anna's+hummingbird+Calypte+anna+bird+Boyce+Thompson+Arboretum+BTA+nature+animal+animals+male+birds+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="456" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t70nLrE63FQ/UsInAORn03I/AAAAAAAAYJo/F_ua5w2GlmM/s640/Anna's+hummingbird+Calypte+anna+bird+Boyce+Thompson+Arboretum+BTA+nature+animal+animals+male+birds+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anna's hummingbird (<i>Calypte anna</i>), Boyce Thompson Arboretum Demonstration Garden.</td></tr>
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<b>Best Little Bird, Full Body</b>:<br />
Mostly because I wanted an excuse to show off the broad-billed hummingbird as well. Also captured at Boyce Thompson Arboretum, which you totally need to visit if you're in the area.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-coJ9eG-4O6Y/UsIn1TkADyI/AAAAAAAAYJw/56vz18H3S7o/s1600/Broad-billed+Hummingbird+(Cynanthus+latirostris).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-coJ9eG-4O6Y/UsIn1TkADyI/AAAAAAAAYJw/56vz18H3S7o/s640/Broad-billed+Hummingbird+(Cynanthus+latirostris).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Broad-billed Hummingbird (<i>Cynanthus latirostris</i>), Boyce Thompson Arboretum.</td></tr>
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<b>Best Big Bird</b>:<br />
Not the giant yellow alphabet lover. More like the giant grouchy fish stalker. A great blue heron (<i>Ardea herodias</i>) in early evening light at the Gilbert Riparian Preserve.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R-mkaVSXGwY/UsIo_dc5b0I/AAAAAAAAYJ8/dYN3hZpaWCc/s1600/great+blue+heron+Ardea+herodias+Gilbert+Riparian+Preserve+Water+Ranch+Arizona+AZ+water.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R-mkaVSXGwY/UsIo_dc5b0I/AAAAAAAAYJ8/dYN3hZpaWCc/s640/great+blue+heron+Ardea+herodias+Gilbert+Riparian+Preserve+Water+Ranch+Arizona+AZ+water.jpg" width="512" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great blue heron (<i>Ardea herodias</i>), Gilbert Riparian Preserve.</td></tr>
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<b><br /></b>
<b>Best Bird That Everyone Thinks is Our State Bird</b>:<br />
The cactus wren, not the roadrunner, is the Arizona state bird (New Mexico gets the roadrunner). It's a local treasure nonetheless, and 2013 was a fantastic year for roadrunners in our neck of the desert. (Sorry, cactus wrens. You'll get play again when I restart Species a Day.) I liked this one because it showed off the insanely gorgeous iridescence in the bird's tail.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S7h3atCrh8I/UsIryMr5OzI/AAAAAAAAYKI/zpJE4AeEn9o/s1600/Greater+roadrunner+Geococcyx+californianus+Arizona+AZ+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="456" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S7h3atCrh8I/UsIryMr5OzI/AAAAAAAAYKI/zpJE4AeEn9o/s640/Greater+roadrunner+Geococcyx+californianus+Arizona+AZ+4.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Greater roadrunner (<i>Geococcyx californianus</i>), Veterans Oasis Park.</td></tr>
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<b><br /></b>
<b>Best Animal I Usually Suck at Capturing</b>:<br />
I don't know what it is about snowy egrets. I see them semi-regularly, and every single time I mess up the shot. The image is overexposed, or blurry, or I scare the bird away, or it's nothing but tail and legs. I think I've invented new ways of missing a snowy egret shot. So I was happy when this one came out kind of nicely (though it doesn't make up for the fact that my 11-year-old has more keepers of the bird than I do).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GYnZkaKuZow/UsIsmg4DmkI/AAAAAAAAYKQ/-7DK8VH8Jgw/s1600/snowy+egret+Egretta+thula+bird+Gilbert+Riparian+Preserve+at+Water+Ranch+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GYnZkaKuZow/UsIsmg4DmkI/AAAAAAAAYKQ/-7DK8VH8Jgw/s640/snowy+egret+Egretta+thula+bird+Gilbert+Riparian+Preserve+at+Water+Ranch+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="512" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snowy egret (<i>Egretta thula</i>), Gilbert Riparian Preserve.</td></tr>
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<b>Best Look Everyone; I Can Photograph Mammals Too!</b>:<br />
It's not all bugs and birds (it's just mostly birds and bugs). This young male elk (<i>Cervus canadensis</i>) watched us as we were surrounded by half a dozen of "his" females coming out of Bear Canyon Lake after a camping trip this year. It was the most wonderful thing--another young family, with a 3- or 4-year-old girl, was there as well. We were afraid she'd scare them away, but she learned from her parents, who were splendid examples. Everyone was still and quiet, and the elk knew we weren't a threat. That's how to appreciate nature.<br />
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<b>Best Scenery</b>:<br />
Snow on the Superstitions this past winter. Also a runner-up for Best Shot I Ran Out to Take Even Though I Should Have Been Doing Other Things. Rare snowfall, followed by a short-lived break in the clouds for some afternoon sunlight, all topped off with our iconic saguaros. I took a detour just to take the shot. I don't remember what my excuse was for being late to my actual appointment, but I think it was worth it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--M_zOs4jfR8/UsIkMTZeOII/AAAAAAAAYJQ/5Ff3ZwIades/s1600/snow+superstition+mountains+cactus+AZ+Arizona.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--M_zOs4jfR8/UsIkMTZeOII/AAAAAAAAYJQ/5Ff3ZwIades/s640/snow+superstition+mountains+cactus+AZ+Arizona.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snow on Superstiton Mountain, February 2013.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>Best Water and Best Sunset</b>:<br />
I'll probably share entire posts on both sunsets and water soon, but this shot as the sun set at Veterans Oasis Park in Chandler captured the goodness of both at once. The great thing is, this is just a 15-minute drive from our house. The nature opportunities around here are pretty awesome.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ca7ZtCyEk58/UsIw5oyccOI/AAAAAAAAYK0/UIWXRbRIa0E/s1600/sunset+water+reflection+Veteran's+Oasis+Park+Chandler+Arizona+AZ+outdoors+outside+nature.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ca7ZtCyEk58/UsIw5oyccOI/AAAAAAAAYK0/UIWXRbRIa0E/s640/sunset+water+reflection+Veteran's+Oasis+Park+Chandler+Arizona+AZ+outdoors+outside+nature.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset reflected in the pond at Veterans Oasis Park, Chandler.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>Best Kid Holding Insect(s)</b>:<br />
We attended the grand opening of Butterfly Wonderland, the largest butterfly atrium in North America. Many people just slowly but constantly made their way through and around the huge enclosure. Not my kid. He sat for ages in humid corners, gazing at the huge insects. At one point this mating pair of blue morpho butterflies fluttered from a shaken branch to his finger. He quickly made a more comfortable perch for them, sat down, and hosted the pair (and fascinated bipedal onlookers) for several minutes. Never have I seen someone so thrilled at a designation like "the boy with the mating pair on his hands."<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5zHPMOppt-o/UsIeOjVkHyI/AAAAAAAAYIw/kx98oMm2FXI/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+95+butterflies+insect+animal+blue+morpho+peleides+Nymphalidae+Lepidoptera+mating+pair+son+boy+kid+child+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5zHPMOppt-o/UsIeOjVkHyI/AAAAAAAAYIw/kx98oMm2FXI/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+95+butterflies+insect+animal+blue+morpho+peleides+Nymphalidae+Lepidoptera+mating+pair+son+boy+kid+child+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="512" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My son holding a pair of blue morpho butterflies (<i>Morpho peleides</i>) at Butterfly Wonderland.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><br /></b>
<b>Best Kid Not Having Much Choice About Holding Insect</b>:<br />
Silence of the kid? Actually, it was, and you have no idea how rare that is. This yellow-edged giant owl butterfly decided to perch on his nose for ages. He was quite thrilled, even though it was surprisingly heavy and its legs plucked and pulled at his skin, and the butterfly showed no sign of wanting to move. He might still be there if we hadn't coaxed it onto a nearby bush.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VEgxGqLytv8/UsIt84WyTqI/AAAAAAAAYKc/dvMBt8nSMMo/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+110+butterflies+insect+animal+yellow-edged+giant+owl+butterfly+Caligo+atreus+Nymphalidae+Lepidoptera+child+boy+kid+nose+face+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VEgxGqLytv8/UsIt84WyTqI/AAAAAAAAYKc/dvMBt8nSMMo/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+110+butterflies+insect+animal+yellow-edged+giant+owl+butterfly+Caligo+atreus+Nymphalidae+Lepidoptera+child+boy+kid+nose+face+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yellow-edged giant owl butterfly (<i>Caligo atreus</i>) and a happy kid. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>Best Kid Holding Arachnid</b>:<br />
It's not an insect, so I totally get to share this too. We went to the University of Arizona's annual Arizona Insect Festival in September, and this was a favorite of both of ours. My favorite thing as my son held this giant vinegaroon (<i>Mastigoproctus giganteus</i>) was that his face doesn't say "Ew, gross!" or even "OMG; there's a monster on my hand!" but rather something like affection. Indeed, he said he found the docile creature "adorable." What's that they say about apples and the trees from which they fall?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-memWj7fEAeU/UsIu5geT6xI/AAAAAAAAYKo/mV3iKEKdCDg/s1600/giant+vinegaroon+Mastigoproctus+giganteus+arthropod+Arizona+Insect+Festival+kid+boy+child+family+holding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-memWj7fEAeU/UsIu5geT6xI/AAAAAAAAYKo/mV3iKEKdCDg/s640/giant+vinegaroon+Mastigoproctus+giganteus+arthropod+Arizona+Insect+Festival+kid+boy+child+family+holding.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Giant vinegaroon (<i>Mastigoproctus giganteus</i>) and very happy boy (<i>Homo sapiens</i>), Arizona Insect Festival, University of Arizona.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>Best Macro</b>:<br />
I didn't have the stellar macros that I was able to get last year when I rented the heavy-hitting MP-E 65 mm lens. Still, even a kit lens and a cooperative widow skimmer dragonfly do well to show off some of those 30,000 facets.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_gMDgubUjD8/UsI1DiWh8mI/AAAAAAAAYLM/fPF4RzwjLJ0/s1600/widow+skimmer+dragonfly+Libellula+luctuosa+insect+Gilbert+Riparian+Preserve+Water+Ranch+Arizona+AZ+female+macro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_gMDgubUjD8/UsI1DiWh8mI/AAAAAAAAYLM/fPF4RzwjLJ0/s640/widow+skimmer+dragonfly+Libellula+luctuosa+insect+Gilbert+Riparian+Preserve+Water+Ranch+Arizona+AZ+female+macro.jpg" width="508" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Female widow skimmer dragonfly (<i>Libellula luctuosa</i>), Gilbert Riparian Preserve.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>Best "Secret" Spot</b>:<br />
One of my son's favorite spots on the planet. At the riparian preserve, if you veer slightly off-trail at a spot he is insisting I keep quiet, there are some really inhospitable bushes. If you tunnel through them--after picking stickers out of some very uncomfortable places--you come to a shoreline clearing that doesn't disrupt a single animal, but is beneath a huge tree full of egrets. We sat there for a hour the first evening, watching them soar in and listening to their barks and belches. It's not all that secret, but it's secluded, and it's nature, and it's special to us. The best kind.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eAwIuda6pAQ/UsI16yso9bI/AAAAAAAAYLU/vT8fx9lEscA/s1600/great+egret+Ardea+alba+Gilbert+Riparian+Preserve+Water+Ranch+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eAwIuda6pAQ/UsI16yso9bI/AAAAAAAAYLU/vT8fx9lEscA/s640/great+egret+Ardea+alba+Gilbert+Riparian+Preserve+Water+Ranch+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great egrets (<i>Ardea alba</i>), Gilbert Riparian Preserve.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I hope everyone had a wonderful year, or at least some wonderful parts of it. Happy New Year, and happy nature watching.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13738377880145008895noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607828889416086008.post-38937621404942506992013-08-20T12:28:00.002-07:002013-08-20T15:45:58.705-07:00Random thoughts on responsibility, running, and family on a late-night errandEven after a decade of parenthood, sometimes it's easy to forget that you are a parent. Not to forget about your kid, or your spouse -- just that you are a parent. Sometimes you even think it's kind of nice.<br />
<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2FDTXRSO_O8/UhPA6AewtBI/AAAAAAAAXY8/dzu4G9BkCuo/s1600/moon+moonlight+clouds+night+Arizona+AZ+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2FDTXRSO_O8/UhPA6AewtBI/AAAAAAAAXY8/dzu4G9BkCuo/s400/moon+moonlight+clouds+night+Arizona+AZ+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Maybe you'll be driving at night, probably on some last-minute errand because you and your spouse still suck at remembering to pick things up until the last minute, and now you have to run to the store across town at 10:30 at night, only you don't mind because you really just wanted an excuse to drive anyway; to get out on a long desert road and just <i>drive</i>, alone. And for a while, the antenna in your head that's constantly tuned to parenting duties is drawn in, and the reception is fuzzy and dulled. You turn west on the long, empty road -- your favorite, with cornfields to one side and widely spaced ornate houses to the other, with horses and cattle and goats in the yards. You can't see the horses or cattle or goats, but it makes you feel happy to know they're there, somehow.<br />
<br />
So you're driving, with the windows down even though it's summer because it's 10:30 so it's only 92 degrees and the wind feels great, and it smells like dirt and rain clouds and farmland. The radio plays an old Cranberries song that you listened to for two straight years in high school, and now you're 17 again, and you don't have student loans or job searches or stories to write or an overdue mortgage payment. You don't get tired or worried, you don't fight for just one minute of solitude each day, and you definitely don't fight with another adult over how to discipline a child for being a punk at bedtime. There's no sluggish plumbing to fix, no HOA fines, and certainly no dirty shorts in the laundry with dirty underwear still stuck inside. You belt out angsty lyrics and it's all music, and you, and crickets, and sharp desert air. And it's kind of nice, forgetting you're a parent.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--fjlIzAN6j8/UhPBeF98dbI/AAAAAAAAXZE/YXCDEZYNIb0/s1600/greater+roadrunner+Geococcyx+californianus+bird+arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--fjlIzAN6j8/UhPBeF98dbI/AAAAAAAAXZE/YXCDEZYNIb0/s400/greater+roadrunner+Geococcyx+californianus+bird+arizona+AZ.jpg" width="390" /></a>Eventually you get to the drugstore. You go inside and buy the few items you needed -- double the price, because you forgot to get them before the cheaper store closed -- and wander back out. As you leave the artificially cold, bright drugstore to return to the dark, airy night; you see a roadrunner. It's not running; just peering at you, looking prehistoric with its harsh reptilian gaze. It raises its crest, clacks its beak once, and trots off.<br />
<br />
Your kid would have loved to see that.<br />
<br />
And all of a sudden, the antenna goes back up, and the reception is crystal clear again. <i>Kid husband bills job insurance OMG-what-are-we-doing</i>. Errands. Dirty underwear. Scary official envelopes in the mail. Stupid bedtime fights.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
And sometimes moments like this make you just want to run away, run away forever, or at least for a long while. Not that you don't totally love your kid and spouse and life, not that the mortgage and squabbles and underwear are <i>that</i> bad; it's just that you kind of love the <i>notion</i> of running away. Or maybe it's just running. Running, and taking off, and exploring, and forget all that regular bullshit.<br />
<br />
Maybe it's running back. To when you were 17 and psyched about life, really beyond all reason.<br />
<br />
You lived another life, then. You pretended to be a philosopher and recorded an audio diary and thought that being a writer would be about being "discovered" somehow. You had an <i>X-Files</i> poster on the wall, for god's sake.<br />
<br />
So, no. Not-An-Adult-Yet-Hood was pretty great. But you were also kind of a douche.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CDd8dgUL3-k/UhPCEYKRqDI/AAAAAAAAXZM/Dty4-brrNsg/s1600/moon+moonlight+clouds+night+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CDd8dgUL3-k/UhPCEYKRqDI/AAAAAAAAXZM/Dty4-brrNsg/s400/moon+moonlight+clouds+night+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="400" /></a>And then clouds move in front of the moon so that it illuminates a whole milky patchwork of them, and you remember, <i>I watch the night with my kid and husband</i>. And a beetle moves across the pavement, all thorny collar and segmented antennae and body armor, and you remember the time your husband brought home a giant beetle from a parking lot, just so you could all forget daily life and retire to the backyard to release it and watch it. And you remember, <i>I already do run away, for moments, every day. I explore. I leave almost everyone and everything behind all the time. These are the people with whom I make my escapes</i>. And suddenly, you want nothing more than to return to the house, even with its shackles, because that's where the keys to the shackles are too.<br />
<br />
At least, those are the things I think about while buying juice pouches and overpriced insulin late at night. Your mileage may vary.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13738377880145008895noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607828889416086008.post-28343249449903805722013-06-17T01:51:00.002-07:002013-06-17T02:02:39.287-07:00Father's DayMy husband. Our son's father. He doesn't always say the right thing. In celebratory fashion (I swear!), here are some actual quotes:<br />
<br />
<br />
"Haha; you look just like a shark! No, I mean your face looks like a shark's face, in profile ... why are you upset? You love sharks!" (To me, in what he claims was complimentary intent.)<br />
<br />
"You're <i>definitely </i>not my mom." (To me, in a come-hither voice, following a conversation listing various
traits of family members, and thinking he was using a good line to come
on to me.)<br />
<br />
"No more than usual." (After I asked if a skirt I was trying on made me look fat.)<br />
<br />
"Haha! Take THAT." (After placing son's <i>Sorry!</i> pawn back in start and beating him at the board game, when son was 4.)<br />
<br />
"What does the wrestler have to do with anything?" (After I'd made a Sid and Nancy reference, gotten a blank stare, and clarified, "You know, Sid Vicious?")<br />
<br />
Him: "Mmm; I love when you've showered." Me: "Thanks a lot." Him: "No, not that. I mean, I like that I can <i>tell</i> you showered!" (He thought this was better, somehow.)<br />
<br />
"We had a good time while you were on your vacation!" (About time spent with our son, when I'd come home from two weeks of intense work toward my master's degree.)<br />
<br />
"I'd like the TV to myself for a while, if you have other things to do. Sometimes I like to watch more grownup shows." (Then he turned on <i>Dragon Ball Z</i>.)<br />
<br />
"No. I know it's a spider. It's always a spider." (After our son told him to open a drawer and "see what's in there." He was wrong. It was two spiders.)<br />
<br />
"Look, if we're trying to leave and be polite, and we say it's past bedtime and you're really tired, YOU ARE." (To our son, upon finally leaving a social engagement after many attempts.)<br />
<br />
"Careful with the food container on the shelf. It's not food. I found a giant beetle at work, and I figured you guys would like it." (OK. That one was pretty cool.)<br />
<br />
"Awww, fat little legs!" (As he looked at the warped reflection of my legs in a car window.)<br />
<br />
"If you don't finish getting ready for bed RIGHT NOW, you're gonna..." (To son, threateningly.)<br />
"What was the punishment for that?" (To me, whispered.)<br />
<br />
"I'm never, ever, ever, ever going to like Jar Jar, and talking about him only makes me hate him more."<br />
<br />
"You promised to tell me the abridged version of that cartoon. <i>Nine minutes</i> is not an abridged version."<br />
<br />
"No, see, Optimus Prime was originally Orion Pax. He was kind of like a librarian. He didn't become Optimus Prime until he got the Matrix of Leadership. At least in one version." (To son, earning major cool-dad points and starting a looooooong discussion about Transformers lore.)<br />
<br />
"That's pretty much all I know about Optimus' background. Like I said five times already." (To our son, an hour later.)<br />
<br />
"I don't really know why Alpha Trion has different roles. I don't know why Galvatron changes sometimes and I don't even really know who Ultra Magnus is. I also don't know why their transformations don't make sense to fit their robot bodies sometimes. I've told you everything I know!" (To our son, 30 minutes later.)<br />
<br />
"I'M DONE TALKING ABOUT TRANSFORMERS; EAT YOUR PASTA!" (To our son, some time after that. This is how most of these conversations end.)<br />
<br />
He has a hard time saying the right thing, sometimes. It must be hard dealing with a couple of overtalkers, overanalyzers, over-everything-ers. Maybe he's a glutton for punishment. He's also a good sport, though, who would probably admit that he did, indeed say "Aww, fat little legs," and that it's not a good idea -- no more so than, say, expecting your 11-year-old to leave an interrogation at one question and answer.<br />
<br />
He does, however, nearly always <i>do </i>the right thing. He provides. He works his ass off. He brings home bugs. He brings home that cake we like with the cookies on top of the frosting. He actually <i>likes </i>grocery shopping. He makes a conscientious effort to show love and start conversations with our son (even after past experiences of never-ending conversation traps). He horse plays (which I suck at) and keeps us grounded (which I'm not too great at either); all the while playing to my strengths as well. We make a kick-ass parenting team, and we're lucky to have him.<br />
<br />
Happy Father's Day, babe. I love you. For your present, I promise not to share any of the <i>really </i>bad quotes, including that poem you wrote me in high school.<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13738377880145008895noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607828889416086008.post-29647882582375256042013-06-09T18:23:00.000-07:002013-06-13T17:34:02.814-07:00Adventures in Butterfly WonderlandSometimes, in the course of exploring Arizona with my son, I set out to try something totally foreign -- something I’m not even sure we’ll enjoy.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mFcmtkevkrU/Ua9_c_9khDI/AAAAAAAAVe0/se7AULesf9Y/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+90+butterflies+insect+animal+blue+morpho+peleides+Nymphalidae+Lepidoptera+mating+pair+son+boy+kid+child+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="512" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mFcmtkevkrU/Ua9_c_9khDI/AAAAAAAAVe0/se7AULesf9Y/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+90+butterflies+insect+animal+blue+morpho+peleides+Nymphalidae+Lepidoptera+mating+pair+son+boy+kid+child+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm sure you already know where this is going.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
This was not one of those trips.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n5rSwlFN10A/Ua9-O4w2f-I/AAAAAAAAVYU/z-dPM1dbAec/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+109+butterflies+insect+animal+yellow-edged+giant+owl+butterfly+Caligo+atreus+Nymphalidae+Lepidoptera+child+boy+kid+nose+face+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="512" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n5rSwlFN10A/Ua9-O4w2f-I/AAAAAAAAVYU/z-dPM1dbAec/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+109+butterflies+insect+animal+yellow-edged+giant+owl+butterfly+Caligo+atreus+Nymphalidae+Lepidoptera+child+boy+kid+nose+face+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kid + me + insects + cameras = heaven, pretty much.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Anyone who knows our family knows that we -- and especially my son and I -- are huge nature nerds. The more informative, the more nature-friendly; the better. So the question on our trip to the grand opening of Butterfly Wonderland wasn't if we were going to enjoy it. It was how much.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NruaeO15PXQ/Ua9-uj8JqBI/AAAAAAAAVas/bkq9WdCO5Hw/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+42+butterflies+insect+animal+blue+morpho+peleides+macro+closeup+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NruaeO15PXQ/Ua9-uj8JqBI/AAAAAAAAVas/bkq9WdCO5Hw/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+42+butterflies+insect+animal+blue+morpho+peleides+macro+closeup+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="456" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taken by David. He's gunning for my job, I think.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The answer: A whole lot.<br />
<br />
Butterfly Wonderland just opened May 25 in Scottsdale on Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community land, and is now the largest butterfly pavilion in America. We’re already looking forward to our next visit and to the growth of this new destination.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Sai8Xt2x7wo/Ua9_T7862FI/AAAAAAAAVeE/Ojof9u6zck0/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+81+butterflies+insect+animal+blue+morpho+peleides+Nymphalidae+Lepidoptera+macro+closeup+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="512" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Sai8Xt2x7wo/Ua9_T7862FI/AAAAAAAAVeE/Ojof9u6zck0/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+81+butterflies+insect+animal+blue+morpho+peleides+Nymphalidae+Lepidoptera+macro+closeup+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plus, the residents looked so eager to see us!</td></tr>
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It’s actually the first stage of “Odysea in the Desert,” a 522,000-square-foot entertainment complex that is planned to include the largest aquarium in the southwest, a Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Museum, and more. For now, it’s all about insects, and that suits us just fine, because Butterfly Wonderland makes an immersive encounter out of the experience.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZvpuEjwtNRA/Ua9_CVOcPaI/AAAAAAAAVcU/DELv0jGUGw8/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+56+butterflies+insect+animal+blue+morpho+peleides+Nymphalidae+Lepidoptera+mating+pair+son+boy+kid+child+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZvpuEjwtNRA/Ua9_CVOcPaI/AAAAAAAAVcU/DELv0jGUGw8/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+56+butterflies+insect+animal+blue+morpho+peleides+Nymphalidae+Lepidoptera+mating+pair+son+boy+kid+child+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="512" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Immersive to the senses, and immersed in butterflies! Here, a twin pack.</td></tr>
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The first stop after checking in is the 3-D film Flight of the Butterflies, which follows a monarch family over multiple generations. I won’t spoil it for you except to say that it’s so well done, I almost got choked up over the insects’ fates.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z4rMPWrv0AM/Ua9-M5VoojI/AAAAAAAAVYM/HIZ3uhQndIs/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+107+butterflies+insect+animal+yellow-edged+giant+owl+butterfly+Caligo+atreus+Nymphalidae+Lepidoptera+child+boy+kid+holding+smile+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z4rMPWrv0AM/Ua9-M5VoojI/AAAAAAAAVYM/HIZ3uhQndIs/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+107+butterflies+insect+animal+yellow-edged+giant+owl+butterfly+Caligo+atreus+Nymphalidae+Lepidoptera+child+boy+kid+holding+smile+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Then again, we might be <i>just a little</i> more attached than usual to insects.</td></tr>
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If kids are old enough to understand the information and story, they (and you) will be enthralled like we were -- and even if they’re not, it’s an absolutely gorgeous film, making use of 3-D effects to surround visitors in a swarm of monarchs taking flight, or to glide just over the “shoulder” of a single butterfly.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HPMAWdpkhiI/Ua9-qTME3vI/AAAAAAAAVaM/1ks2GVw_-N8/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+35+butterflies+insect+animal+great+eggfly+Hypolimnas+bolina+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="456" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HPMAWdpkhiI/Ua9-qTME3vI/AAAAAAAAVaM/1ks2GVw_-N8/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+35+butterflies+insect+animal+great+eggfly+Hypolimnas+bolina+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I know, butterflies don't really have shoulders. But didn't you ever daydream about riding those upper wings like big, fluttery shoulders when you were a kid? No? Just me?</td></tr>
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The first stop after the movie is the Butterfly Emergence Gallery, a stage where visitors watch through a window as hundreds of butterfly chrysalises mature.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wO0gwPVnoZM/Ua9_NTbR7DI/AAAAAAAAVdU/AlDlDmTAzI8/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+76+butterflies+insect+animal+emergence+gallery+chrysalis+chrysalises+cocoon+cocoons+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wO0gwPVnoZM/Ua9_NTbR7DI/AAAAAAAAVdU/AlDlDmTAzI8/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+76+butterflies+insect+animal+emergence+gallery+chrysalis+chrysalises+cocoon+cocoons+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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The actual moment of emergence -- a rare sight anywhere else -- is commonplace here, as butterflies enter their adult stage before our eyes.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3dD9_VHWrwg/Ua9-G9lwBQI/AAAAAAAAVXk/esE7WVomrB4/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+10+butterflies+insect+animal+scarlet+mormon+butterfly+Papilio+rumanzovia+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="456" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3dD9_VHWrwg/Ua9-G9lwBQI/AAAAAAAAVXk/esE7WVomrB4/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+10+butterflies+insect+animal+scarlet+mormon+butterfly+Papilio+rumanzovia+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A scarlet Mormon butterfly (Papilio deiphobus rumanzovia). </td></tr>
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More than once I heard a chorus of excited voices calling out: “Ooh! This one is shaking! I think it's ready to come out!” (OK. One of those voices was probably mine.)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yEewFJAAv_g/Ua9_Gu8BvrI/AAAAAAAAVco/8R0yOrZ4Ka0/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+7+butterflies+insect+animal+chrysalis+chrysalises+cocoon+cocoons+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yEewFJAAv_g/Ua9_Gu8BvrI/AAAAAAAAVco/8R0yOrZ4Ka0/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+7+butterflies+insect+animal+chrysalis+chrysalises+cocoon+cocoons+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="456" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chrysalises</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SRxpmtaYLAQ/Ua9-5Gx6a7I/AAAAAAAAVbc/Q3fn1eOj2xE/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+5+butterflies+insect+animal++blue+morpho+peleides+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="512" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SRxpmtaYLAQ/Ua9-5Gx6a7I/AAAAAAAAVbc/Q3fn1eOj2xE/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+5+butterflies+insect+animal++blue+morpho+peleides+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A freshly emerged blue morpho butterfly (Morpho peleides), before its wings had fully hardened and straightened.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-znRZdZ1nFoE/Ua9-eWdsR7I/AAAAAAAAVZk/u7JnDYqzxQg/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+20+butterflies+insect+animal+Malay+lacewing+butterfly+Cethosia+hypsea+hypsina+chrysalis+cocoon+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-znRZdZ1nFoE/Ua9-eWdsR7I/AAAAAAAAVZk/u7JnDYqzxQg/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+20+butterflies+insect+animal+Malay+lacewing+butterfly+Cethosia+hypsea+hypsina+chrysalis+cocoon+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="456" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Malay lacewing butterfly (Cethosia hypsea hypsina) pushing out of its chrysalid shell as we watch. Very cool.</td></tr>
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Special highlights included watching a blue morpho butterfly flex its newly unfurled wings, inspecting the huge fibrous cocoons of atlas moths, and witnessing the release of “excess metabolic fluid” (kind of like butterfly pee; always a kid favorite) as the insects emerge.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VAidNCgs1rA/Ua9_IvX4hxI/AAAAAAAAVc8/EPvwsy8vT3I/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+72+butterflies+insect+animal+yellow-edged+giant+owl+butterfly+Caligo+atreus+Nymphalidae+Lepidoptera+chrysalis+cocoon+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VAidNCgs1rA/Ua9_IvX4hxI/AAAAAAAAVc8/EPvwsy8vT3I/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+72+butterflies+insect+animal+yellow-edged+giant+owl+butterfly+Caligo+atreus+Nymphalidae+Lepidoptera+chrysalis+cocoon+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="456" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After it pooled, my son repeatedly compared it to Diet Coke. Guess I'm drinking water from now on.</td></tr>
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And now, because I have no self control, some more shots from the Emergence Gallery:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sfMRXhHXwxM/Ua9-QaFXiTI/AAAAAAAAVYg/lPD0NPlX2W8/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+11+butterflies+insect+animal+blue+morpho+peleides+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sfMRXhHXwxM/Ua9-QaFXiTI/AAAAAAAAVYg/lPD0NPlX2W8/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+11+butterflies+insect+animal+blue+morpho+peleides+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another blue morpho, ready to move to the Conservatory.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5GTIrygvYmc/Ua9-ctBzJKI/AAAAAAAAVZU/akqCEAXLY50/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+22+butterflies+insect+animal+chrysalis+chrysalises+cocoon+cocoons+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5GTIrygvYmc/Ua9-ctBzJKI/AAAAAAAAVZU/akqCEAXLY50/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+22+butterflies+insect+animal+chrysalis+chrysalises+cocoon+cocoons+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="512" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The opaque chrysalises still have a little while to go, but when they turn transparent and you can see wing patterns and colors, it's almost time. Keep your eyes on those.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RiLhOf3CksI/Ua9-hWwqlYI/AAAAAAAAVZs/dW9IlxziZAg/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+23+butterflies+insect+animal+yellow-edged+giant+owl+butterfly+Caligo+atreus+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RiLhOf3CksI/Ua9-hWwqlYI/AAAAAAAAVZs/dW9IlxziZAg/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+23+butterflies+insect+animal+yellow-edged+giant+owl+butterfly+Caligo+atreus+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="512" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of many giant owl butterflies to emerge as we watched.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lHZw2qsDeLg/Ua9-htd5BsI/AAAAAAAAVZw/V_RZHI_GTC4/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+24+butterflies+insect+animal+blue+morpho+peleides+chrysalis+chrysalises+cocoon+cocoons+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lHZw2qsDeLg/Ua9-htd5BsI/AAAAAAAAVZw/V_RZHI_GTC4/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+24+butterflies+insect+animal+blue+morpho+peleides+chrysalis+chrysalises+cocoon+cocoons+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="512" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue morphos again -- one just emerged, and one just a few minutes later, with wings straight and strong.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gYzytDQxgRM/Ua9-icf2bLI/AAAAAAAAVZ8/Bp5gjsbOIRY/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+25+atlas+moth+moths+Attacus+atlas+saturniid+Saturniidae+Lepidoptera+insect+animal+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gYzytDQxgRM/Ua9-icf2bLI/AAAAAAAAVZ8/Bp5gjsbOIRY/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+25+atlas+moth+moths+Attacus+atlas+saturniid+Saturniidae+Lepidoptera+insect+animal+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even more impressive than the huge, fibrous Atlas moth cocoons? The huge, striking moths themselves! Also, have you ever heard a species name cooler than <i>Attacus atlas</i>?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MxD3BreNYEo/Ua9_LBayKII/AAAAAAAAVdM/FyP3PJN0-F0/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+75+butterflies+insect+animal+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MxD3BreNYEo/Ua9_LBayKII/AAAAAAAAVdM/FyP3PJN0-F0/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+75+butterflies+insect+animal+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I forgot this species! Someone tell me! But hey, how pretty is that?!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2S0LbJsdd2Q/Ua9_RTrPPII/AAAAAAAAVd0/-gJTuRd6M3s/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+79+butterflies+insect+animal+yellow-edged+giant+owl+butterfly+Caligo+atreus+Nymphalidae+Lepidoptera+chrysalis+cocoon+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2S0LbJsdd2Q/Ua9_RTrPPII/AAAAAAAAVd0/-gJTuRd6M3s/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+79+butterflies+insect+animal+yellow-edged+giant+owl+butterfly+Caligo+atreus+Nymphalidae+Lepidoptera+chrysalis+cocoon+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More newly hatched giant owl butterflies. We're being watched.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GjHx_AN8LJA/Ua9_VTcBikI/AAAAAAAAVeU/XUbIFLerN0c/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+80+butterflies+insect+animal+yellow-edged+giant+owl+butterfly+Caligo+atreus+Nymphalidae+Lepidoptera+blue+morpho+peleides+chrysalis+cocoon+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GjHx_AN8LJA/Ua9_VTcBikI/AAAAAAAAVeU/XUbIFLerN0c/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+80+butterflies+insect+animal+yellow-edged+giant+owl+butterfly+Caligo+atreus+Nymphalidae+Lepidoptera+blue+morpho+peleides+chrysalis+cocoon+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A blue morpho butts in on a giant owl conference.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ggIABH1JhGc/Ua9_UUmH_AI/AAAAAAAAVeM/QOwOygW_tLE/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+82+butterflies+insect+animal+blue+morpho+peleides+Nymphalidae+Lepidoptera+macro+closeup+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ggIABH1JhGc/Ua9_UUmH_AI/AAAAAAAAVeM/QOwOygW_tLE/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+82+butterflies+insect+animal+blue+morpho+peleides+Nymphalidae+Lepidoptera+macro+closeup+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue morpho says hey!</td></tr>
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When we managed to tear ourselves away from the Emergence Gallery, we went through an “airlock” of sorts to ensure that no butterflies get in or out of the next stage, and then we entered the Conservatory, the centerpiece of Butterfly Wonderland.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2Q_Z7u84P1k/Ua9-598VYaI/AAAAAAAAVbk/8cUc91Sue4I/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+49+butterflies+insect+animal+conservatory+atrium+greenhouse+pond+waterfall+kid+child+boy+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2Q_Z7u84P1k/Ua9-598VYaI/AAAAAAAAVbk/8cUc91Sue4I/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+49+butterflies+insect+animal+conservatory+atrium+greenhouse+pond+waterfall+kid+child+boy+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seriously, it'd be gorgeous even with no butterflies.</td></tr>
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The Conservatory is a glass atrium, a greenhouse covering over 10,000 square feet and planted with tropical trees and bushes. It housed about 1,000 butterflies when we visited. They added another 3,000 for the full opening June 1, to coincide with National Butterfly Awareness Day. A small waterfall, large koi pond, benches, and sloping walkways complete the area.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4r1enrEEd1I/Ua9-10o1XDI/AAAAAAAAVbU/HksVh5NgIEk/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+47+butterflies+insect+animal+conservatory+atrium+greenhouse+bench+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4r1enrEEd1I/Ua9-10o1XDI/AAAAAAAAVbU/HksVh5NgIEk/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+47+butterflies+insect+animal+conservatory+atrium+greenhouse+bench+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I want that bench.</td></tr>
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The atrium is a veritable showcase of the quirky wonders of biology; from knobby or feathery antennae, to eye spots on butterfly wings, to moth wingtips that look for all the world like snake heads.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6UmcWYnIkeo/Ua9-tdW4aqI/AAAAAAAAVak/YfeAnbIHx40/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+39+atlas+moth+moths+Attacus+atlas+saturniid+Saturniidae+Lepidoptera+insect+animal+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="456" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6UmcWYnIkeo/Ua9-tdW4aqI/AAAAAAAAVak/YfeAnbIHx40/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+39+atlas+moth+moths+Attacus+atlas+saturniid+Saturniidae+Lepidoptera+insect+animal+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seriously, I'm waiting for a forked tongue.</td></tr>
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Workers circulate to point out sights both bizarre and beautiful, and to teach visitors about the insects. You and your kids can learn about mimicry, metamorphosis, evolution, predators, and more. Get a close look at a butterfly’s curlicue proboscis, or the dainty feet, or its rainbow of shingle-like scales.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qD1XHcu5OZ4/Ua9-KjwYrQI/AAAAAAAAVX8/LAgFHd3jmKc/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+101+butterflies+insect+animal+yellow-edged+giant+owl+butterfly+Caligo+atreus+Nymphalidae+Lepidoptera+macro+closeup+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qD1XHcu5OZ4/Ua9-KjwYrQI/AAAAAAAAVX8/LAgFHd3jmKc/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+101+butterflies+insect+animal+yellow-edged+giant+owl+butterfly+Caligo+atreus+Nymphalidae+Lepidoptera+macro+closeup+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="512" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yellow-edged giant-owl butterfly (Caligo atreus). They have striped eyes!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o-l_f3t8_xY/Ua9_Kgtcc7I/AAAAAAAAVdE/pX8w5nEqIMo/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+70+butterflies+insect+animal+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o-l_f3t8_xY/Ua9_Kgtcc7I/AAAAAAAAVdE/pX8w5nEqIMo/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+70+butterflies+insect+animal+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="512" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at that proboscis!</td></tr>
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Or you can just lounge and watch the pretty butterflies with your loved ones. There are certainly much worse ways to spend an afternoon.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5khRAtVOA9s/Ua9--dGQOXI/AAAAAAAAVb8/dRH5I0pEKUo/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+50+butterflies+insect+animal+conservatory+atrium+greenhouse+bench+pond+waterfall+kid+child+boy+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="456" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5khRAtVOA9s/Ua9--dGQOXI/AAAAAAAAVb8/dRH5I0pEKUo/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+50+butterflies+insect+animal+conservatory+atrium+greenhouse+bench+pond+waterfall+kid+child+boy+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And it'll be a whole afternoon, if you have a partner in crime like mine.</td></tr>
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Some of the resident insects are shy, but many seem to be -- dare I say it -- social butterflies. They may even land on you, as I discovered when one hitched a ride on my hair, or as my son learned when two blue morpho butterflies decided his fingers were a prime spot to, as he delicately put it, “make more butterflies!” He sat down with the pair for several minutes, and became temporarily known as the mating-morphos host, a designation he relished.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4x8iUeRfDok/Ua9_hgB9nYI/AAAAAAAAVfU/2RQb3nOfWrg/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+95+butterflies+insect+animal+blue+morpho+peleides+Nymphalidae+Lepidoptera+mating+pair+son+boy+kid+child+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4x8iUeRfDok/Ua9_hgB9nYI/AAAAAAAAVfU/2RQb3nOfWrg/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+95+butterflies+insect+animal+blue+morpho+peleides+Nymphalidae+Lepidoptera+mating+pair+son+boy+kid+child+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="512" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Probably the only context in which repeatedly announcing "LOOK EVERYONE! THEY'RE MATING!" is considered endearing.</td></tr>
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Later, after we’d gently ushered the pair into a shady spot, a yellow-edged giant owl butterfly perched on his nose. I’ve never seen him so happy about an itchy nose.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RwhzEopzBDc/Ua9-QSm0jHI/AAAAAAAAVYc/sGxWBthikaA/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+110+butterflies+insect+animal+yellow-edged+giant+owl+butterfly+Caligo+atreus+Nymphalidae+Lepidoptera+child+boy+kid+nose+face+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="512" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RwhzEopzBDc/Ua9-QSm0jHI/AAAAAAAAVYc/sGxWBthikaA/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+110+butterflies+insect+animal+yellow-edged+giant+owl+butterfly+Caligo+atreus+Nymphalidae+Lepidoptera+child+boy+kid+nose+face+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Momentary silence of the kid.</td></tr>
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[You can check off exotic butterflies and practicing identifying them here] Here (because I really do have no self control at all), just a few more of the Conservatory's residents:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bCYipOJTBfo/Ua9_X-vayzI/AAAAAAAAVec/dfhLpbWYhi0/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+86+butterflies+insect+animal+blue+morpho+peleides+Nymphalidae+Lepidoptera+mating+pair+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bCYipOJTBfo/Ua9_X-vayzI/AAAAAAAAVec/dfhLpbWYhi0/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+86+butterflies+insect+animal+blue+morpho+peleides+Nymphalidae+Lepidoptera+mating+pair+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="456" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue morphos, mating, again. They did this a lot.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f9QdlVTQGvc/Ua9-qni6FmI/AAAAAAAAVaQ/SRNhuXt-zPY/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+32+butterflies+insect+animal+blue+morpho+peleides+closeup+macro+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f9QdlVTQGvc/Ua9-qni6FmI/AAAAAAAAVaQ/SRNhuXt-zPY/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+32+butterflies+insect+animal+blue+morpho+peleides+closeup+macro+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A LOT.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R2FkqKtLv0U/Ua9-mvCptcI/AAAAAAAAVaE/EOUH-g37DoA/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+34+butterflies+insect+animal+great+eggfly+Hypolimnas+bolina+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="456" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R2FkqKtLv0U/Ua9-mvCptcI/AAAAAAAAVaE/EOUH-g37DoA/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+34+butterflies+insect+animal+great+eggfly+Hypolimnas+bolina+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A great eggfly butterfly (Hypolimnas bolina), perching on the ground. Make sure to watch where you step!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9JgeEC-RD8M/Ua9-vmTNlxI/AAAAAAAAVa0/cLmnIpyWMOk/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+43+butterflies+insect+animal+blue+morpho+peleides+macro+closeup+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9JgeEC-RD8M/Ua9-vmTNlxI/AAAAAAAAVa0/cLmnIpyWMOk/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+43+butterflies+insect+animal+blue+morpho+peleides+macro+closeup+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue morpho, wings open! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oaR8FZjuKIk/Ua9-z9ZnC8I/AAAAAAAAVbE/LjMYULZVWq4/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+44+butterflies+insect+animal+blue+morpho+peleides+macro+closeup+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oaR8FZjuKIk/Ua9-z9ZnC8I/AAAAAAAAVbE/LjMYULZVWq4/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+44+butterflies+insect+animal+blue+morpho+peleides+macro+closeup+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Same species, wings closed. It's like a different butterfly. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZRNDVZLk_vs/Ua9-yl5ybLI/AAAAAAAAVa8/hSkUQ_KkuC8/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+45+butterflies+insect+animal+Papilionidae+Papilio+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZRNDVZLk_vs/Ua9-yl5ybLI/AAAAAAAAVa8/hSkUQ_KkuC8/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+45+butterflies+insect+animal+Papilionidae+Papilio+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Check carefully through the foliage. No one but me spotted this butterfly. (Until it landed on the rear end of a fellow patron. I spared you and her that photo.)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i9ggZJ-MNrY/Ua9-0AGsKeI/AAAAAAAAVbI/4u4F-g7-k7A/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+46+butterflies+insect+animal+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i9ggZJ-MNrY/Ua9-0AGsKeI/AAAAAAAAVbI/4u4F-g7-k7A/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+46+butterflies+insect+animal+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Forgot this species too! I need a bigger field guide if I'm coming back here.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2Wu6FH9Weso/Ua9-9Slr-2I/AAAAAAAAVb0/rgRnoXKdS0o/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+53+butterflies+insect+animal+clipper+butterfly+Parthenos+sylvia+nymphalid+Parthenini+Nymphalidae+Lepidoptera+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2Wu6FH9Weso/Ua9-9Slr-2I/AAAAAAAAVb0/rgRnoXKdS0o/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+53+butterflies+insect+animal+clipper+butterfly+Parthenos+sylvia+nymphalid+Parthenini+Nymphalidae+Lepidoptera+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A clipper butterfly, another that went largely unseen in the bushes.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zHOogLeRWKg/Ua9--oLl39I/AAAAAAAAVcA/SdTkmvWbufc/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+54+atlas+moth+moths+Attacus+atlas+saturniid+Saturniidae+Lepidoptera+insect+animal+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zHOogLeRWKg/Ua9--oLl39I/AAAAAAAAVcA/SdTkmvWbufc/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+54+atlas+moth+moths+Attacus+atlas+saturniid+Saturniidae+Lepidoptera+insect+animal+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seriously, these guys are massive. Can you imagine them flapping around at night? </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iNEGyqlVfds/Ua9_C-0MR4I/AAAAAAAAVcc/6q1P4XJztvU/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+57+butterflies+insect+animal+blue+morpho+peleides+Nymphalidae+Lepidoptera+closeup+macro+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iNEGyqlVfds/Ua9_C-0MR4I/AAAAAAAAVcc/6q1P4XJztvU/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+57+butterflies+insect+animal+blue+morpho+peleides+Nymphalidae+Lepidoptera+closeup+macro+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A lone blue morpho, probably about to hook up.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6nW-QqDPzuk/Ua9-JJbkZgI/AAAAAAAAVXs/pYlgEkTrezI/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+102+butterflies+insect+animal+Lepidoptera+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6nW-QqDPzuk/Ua9-JJbkZgI/AAAAAAAAVXs/pYlgEkTrezI/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+102+butterflies+insect+animal+Lepidoptera+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="512" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was one well-photographed butterfly. This is a great place to practice your photography!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KMXzSmlfl0M/Ua9-KTfycaI/AAAAAAAAVX0/p2Q6OvgyfD4/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+103+butterflies+insect+animal+blue+morpho+peleides+Nymphalidae+Lepidoptera+macro+closeup+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KMXzSmlfl0M/Ua9-KTfycaI/AAAAAAAAVX0/p2Q6OvgyfD4/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+103+butterflies+insect+animal+blue+morpho+peleides+Nymphalidae+Lepidoptera+macro+closeup+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue morpho, showing off both sides of the wings!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OzmOOBCg6Lk/Ua9-LGqTriI/AAAAAAAAVYE/ecrE9FQNxFc/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+106+butterflies+insect+animal+yellow-edged+giant+owl+butterfly+Caligo+atreus+Nymphalidae+Lepidoptera+hand+holding+macro+closeup+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OzmOOBCg6Lk/Ua9-LGqTriI/AAAAAAAAVYE/ecrE9FQNxFc/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+106+butterflies+insect+animal+yellow-edged+giant+owl+butterfly+Caligo+atreus+Nymphalidae+Lepidoptera+hand+holding+macro+closeup+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="512" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Owl butterflies like to perch on hands as well as noses! (Make sure not to pick them up. They'll come.)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tHHmAQ-4ceQ/Ua9_ZL9_O4I/AAAAAAAAVes/rZRwfU5Cq9Q/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+87+butterflies+insect+animal+yellow-edged+giant+owl+butterfly+Caligo+atreus+Nymphalidae+Lepidoptera+macro+closeup+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tHHmAQ-4ceQ/Ua9_ZL9_O4I/AAAAAAAAVes/rZRwfU5Cq9Q/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+87+butterflies+insect+animal+yellow-edged+giant+owl+butterfly+Caligo+atreus+Nymphalidae+Lepidoptera+macro+closeup+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aliens have landed! And they're beautiful.</td></tr>
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I know a lot of wildlife advocates, enthusiasts, scientists, photographers, and just general nature lovers. And yes, the general consensus is that we prefer our wildlife, well, wild. Still, Butterfly Wonderland, from what I've seen so far, does a great job keeping these insects in as an environment as close to their native habitat as possible.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x6kDRmb1RYM/Ua9_lj8XqfI/AAAAAAAAVfs/5jMaFZtCPjg/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+99+butterflies+insect+animal+Malay+lacewing+butterfly+Cethosia+hypsea+hypsina+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x6kDRmb1RYM/Ua9_lj8XqfI/AAAAAAAAVfs/5jMaFZtCPjg/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+99+butterflies+insect+animal+Malay+lacewing+butterfly+Cethosia+hypsea+hypsina+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="510" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A lacewing butterfly, as close as it gets to Southeast Asian rainforest habitat in Arizona.</td></tr>
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<br />
The butterflies are likely to live out their full lifespans (only a few weeks in many cases; these beauties are fleeting), as long as they don't get too overcrowded and as long as patrons are careful where they step. (While we were there, everyone was. It was actually pretty heartening to see kids and adults alike counseling one another to be gentle to insects.) So yes, the "real" wild is best, but I'm not likely to get free time and a budget to go trekking to Costa Rica and the Philippines any time soon, so this is the next best way to see these exotic insects.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dx_KpgyuKrM/Ua9_hBiNJpI/AAAAAAAAVfM/wn0HR16SjAk/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+93+butterflies+insect+animal+blue+morpho+peleides+Nymphalidae+Lepidoptera+mating+pair+son+boy+kid+child+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dx_KpgyuKrM/Ua9_hBiNJpI/AAAAAAAAVfM/wn0HR16SjAk/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+93+butterflies+insect+animal+blue+morpho+peleides+Nymphalidae+Lepidoptera+mating+pair+son+boy+kid+child+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="456" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You just <i>knew </i>I took a thousand photos of this moment.</td></tr>
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<br />
The atrium is hot and muggy -- they keep it tropical for the butterflies -- so you will get sweaty. Wear cool, comfortable clothes and get something to drink beforehand. (Also, take family photos right away, before everyone's dripping.) It lets out into the Butterfly Café, which is a nice cool rest stop even if you’re not planning to buy refreshments.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oUck0Lbd6kY/Ua9_kJPhidI/AAAAAAAAVfk/cD_vKIpZhkw/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+98+butterflies+insect+animal+Malay+lacewing+butterfly+Cethosia+hypsea+hypsina+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="512" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oUck0Lbd6kY/Ua9_kJPhidI/AAAAAAAAVfk/cD_vKIpZhkw/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+98+butterflies+insect+animal+Malay+lacewing+butterfly+Cethosia+hypsea+hypsina+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Assuming you don't get your refreshments through a proboscis.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Next, we explored the other resident insects -- a beehive where we could watch the queen lay eggs and workers fill honeycomb with honey; and a large see-through ant colony.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-afM3yJ-ac1k/Ua9_GFraFhI/AAAAAAAAVck/c-Da-zXEnTc/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+66+honeybees+honey+bees+honeybee+apis+hive+beehive+insect+animal+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="512" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-afM3yJ-ac1k/Ua9_GFraFhI/AAAAAAAAVck/c-Da-zXEnTc/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+66+honeybees+honey+bees+honeybee+apis+hive+beehive+insect+animal+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Honeybee with honeycomb. And actual honey!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7YsGXgtCFaY/Ua9_G-84DPI/AAAAAAAAVc0/9rzwn3hhc3o/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+64+honeybees+honey+bees+honeybee+apis+hive+beehive+queen+insect+animal+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7YsGXgtCFaY/Ua9_G-84DPI/AAAAAAAAVc0/9rzwn3hhc3o/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+64+honeybees+honey+bees+honeybee+apis+hive+beehive+queen+insect+animal+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look near the upper right for the queen, with a green dot.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The last exhibit is the Rivers of the Amazon area, with a wide variety of colorful fish.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ws2ZTi41XPw/Ua9-WAIF4dI/AAAAAAAAVY8/dhR5szEEGl8/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+15+fish+animal+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="456" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ws2ZTi41XPw/Ua9-WAIF4dI/AAAAAAAAVY8/dhR5szEEGl8/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+15+fish+animal+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Also available in every other color of the rainbow.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The area also included a pool with spotted freshwater rays, which visitors were invited to touch gently (after having their hands sanitized). The half-dozen rays, juvenile and still small, mostly stayed at the bottom of their pool, only coming up now and then to investigate visitors, but we liked it, as it seemed the rays had plenty of room and weren't stressed.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7CtgR-wivfg/Ua9-TAHOApI/AAAAAAAAVY0/DI5BgMJNvnM/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+14+aquarium+spotted+freshwater+stingray+ray+animal+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="456" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7CtgR-wivfg/Ua9-TAHOApI/AAAAAAAAVY0/DI5BgMJNvnM/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+14+aquarium+spotted+freshwater+stingray+ray+animal+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm happy because I don't have to hang out in a bathtub with 50 other rays!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The tour ends, of course, in a gift shop. Still, the Butterfly Treasures Gift Shop has some great (if pricey) souvenirs, and even if you're not inclined to buy (we weren't), the only thing your kids will probably pester you about upon leaving is your next visit.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pJPU176gZdo/Ua9_dQan94I/AAAAAAAAVfA/4fRrFQGQ_yg/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+92+butterflies+insect+animal+blue+morpho+peleides+Nymphalidae+Lepidoptera+mating+pair+son+boy+kid+child+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pJPU176gZdo/Ua9_dQan94I/AAAAAAAAVfA/4fRrFQGQ_yg/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+92+butterflies+insect+animal+blue+morpho+peleides+Nymphalidae+Lepidoptera+mating+pair+son+boy+kid+child+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="512" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last one like this. Promise.</td></tr>
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<br />
Butterfly Wonderland is located at 9500 E. Via de Ventura, Scottsdale<br />
Admission: Adults: $18.95, Children ages 3-11: $9.95, Students: $16.95<br />
Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily<br />
For more information, call (480) 800-3000 or visit www.butterflywonderland.com<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XfQACJFAZQM/Ua9_h0eYkQI/AAAAAAAAVfY/bmVWt1TvVMc/s1600/Butterfly+Wonderland+97+butterflies+insect+animal+great+eggfly+Hypolimnas+bolina+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XfQACJFAZQM/Ua9_h0eYkQI/AAAAAAAAVfY/bmVWt1TvVMc/s640/Butterfly+Wonderland+97+butterflies+insect+animal+great+eggfly+Hypolimnas+bolina+nature+Scottsdale+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="512" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Come now!</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13738377880145008895noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607828889416086008.post-87593485909524125972013-06-03T13:41:00.000-07:002013-06-09T23:46:34.845-07:00Experiencing art (even when you can’t touch it) at the Phoenix Art Museum<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>This article originally ran in the May 2013 issue of Times Publications. </i></span><br />
<br />
I have a confession: I have cultivated, in three decades of living, almost zero real appreciation for art. I don’t mean performance art -- I like a good play and love of music runs strong in our family. But “real,” hang-on-the-wall or stand-in-a-room art? Except photography, I just never “got” it. I never tried to get it.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WEY-sJhP6ww/UZco-gTB8hI/AAAAAAAAUzw/1zxCoHy9qvQ/s1600/Phoenix+Art+Museum+Arizona+paintings+exhibit+kid+child+boy+IMG_3555.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WEY-sJhP6ww/UZco-gTB8hI/AAAAAAAAUzw/1zxCoHy9qvQ/s640/Phoenix+Art+Museum+Arizona+paintings+exhibit+kid+child+boy+IMG_3555.jpg" width="512" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, some of these paintings will prompt many questions. That's a great thing.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Still, I figured just maybe, my son enjoy a trip to the Phoenix Art Museum last month. I just hoped he wouldn’t be too bored.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ghk2JYusfgo/UZcpTgIL68I/AAAAAAAAUz4/ovyZINjEk-c/s1600/Phoenix+Art+Museum+Arizona+exhibit+kid+child+boy+IMG_3562.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ghk2JYusfgo/UZcpTgIL68I/AAAAAAAAUz4/ovyZINjEk-c/s640/Phoenix+Art+Museum+Arizona+exhibit+kid+child+boy+IMG_3562.jpg" width="512" /></a> <br />
<br />
I should have known better. We had a wonderful time. I’m sorry I didn’t visit sooner.<br />
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We weren’t even out of the lobby when we saw “The Last Scattering Surface;” a sculpture of glass, aluminum, and light by Josiah McElheny that combines industrial techniques and big-bang cosmic illustration. My son was hooked.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A7DTQ1fg-t8/UZchhS_0VrI/AAAAAAAAUxw/uWxzfYSgaaY/s1600/Phoenix+Art+Museum+The+Last+Scattering+Surface+Josiah+McElheny+exhibit+Arizona+big+bang+hand-blown+glass+chrome-plated+aluminum+IMG_3659.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="512" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A7DTQ1fg-t8/UZchhS_0VrI/AAAAAAAAUxw/uWxzfYSgaaY/s640/Phoenix+Art+Museum+The+Last+Scattering+Surface+Josiah+McElheny+exhibit+Arizona+big+bang+hand-blown+glass+chrome-plated+aluminum+IMG_3659.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Next we spent a while wandering through walls of butterflies. Not real ones -- clouds and swarms of black paper butterflies swirled up the walls and ceiling, leading toward the Diane and Bruce Halle Collection, “Order, Chaos, and the Space Between,” featured through May 5. (Don’t worry if you missed it; the museum has great exhibits following as well.)<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-43ZW2rvzGdI/UZclQGP_LTI/AAAAAAAAUyY/_hqhS7tYz4o/s1600/Phoenix+Art+Museum+order+and+chaos+Black+Cloud+Carlos+Amorales+butterflies+exhibit+installation+kid+child+boy+Arizona+IMG_3618.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-43ZW2rvzGdI/UZclQGP_LTI/AAAAAAAAUyY/_hqhS7tYz4o/s640/Phoenix+Art+Museum+order+and+chaos+Black+Cloud+Carlos+Amorales+butterflies+exhibit+installation+kid+child+boy+Arizona+IMG_3618.jpg" width="640" /></a> <br />
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The Halle gallery was captivating. Exhibits of glass, cement, thread, metal, and much more illustrated wildness and pattern, creating a snapshot-in-time of Latin American artists pushing boundaries of creativity.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UiDRfddjCyI/UZcn8vHCcLI/AAAAAAAAUzY/_ktoD17UG00/s1600/Phoenix+Art+Museum+exhibit+Philip+Glass+Chuck+Close+tapestry+Arizona+boy+kid+child+IMG_3628.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UiDRfddjCyI/UZcn8vHCcLI/AAAAAAAAUzY/_ktoD17UG00/s640/Phoenix+Art+Museum+exhibit+Philip+Glass+Chuck+Close+tapestry+Arizona+boy+kid+child+IMG_3628.jpg" width="456" /></a> <br />
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I learned a lesson many parents learn on first museum visits: Watch your kids and their hands. As we approached a bold painting and I looked ahead, my son brushed a sculpture with a finger. Naturally, a museum worker politely asked him to use his eyes only. Then, he did it again -- this time “accidentally”-on-purpose, with a shirt sleeve, on the same sculpture. We had a brief but enthusiastic conversation with the same (extremely patient) worker. My son was on her radar. We continued to peruse the gallery, his hands firmly in his pockets. Lesson received.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-00Uj-hTBVek/UZcnRu1e8iI/AAAAAAAAUzI/5lJbkn4NUUY/s1600/Phoenix+Art+Museum+Guillotine+of+Sunlight+Guillotine+of+Shade+colors+papers+painting+exhibit+kid+child+boy+Arizona+IMG_3621.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-00Uj-hTBVek/UZcnRu1e8iI/AAAAAAAAUzI/5lJbkn4NUUY/s640/Phoenix+Art+Museum+Guillotine+of+Sunlight+Guillotine+of+Shade+colors+papers+painting+exhibit+kid+child+boy+Arizona+IMG_3621.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AnzZYlX-UgQ/UZcm8IJ30SI/AAAAAAAAUzA/Bo6s51zSf5s/s1600/Phoenix+Art+Museum+Guillotine+of+Sunlight+Guillotine+of+Shade+colors+papers+painting+exhibit+kid+child+boy+Arizona+IMG_3623.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a>
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ms-24u2-0Yk/UZcmlhXtp8I/AAAAAAAAUy4/6viXRPho-0g/s1600/Phoenix+Art+Museum+Guillotine+of+Sunlight+Guillotine+of+Shade+colors+papers+painting+exhibit+kid+child+boy+Arizona+IMG_3638.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="456" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ms-24u2-0Yk/UZcmlhXtp8I/AAAAAAAAUy4/6viXRPho-0g/s640/Phoenix+Art+Museum+Guillotine+of+Sunlight+Guillotine+of+Shade+colors+papers+painting+exhibit+kid+child+boy+Arizona+IMG_3638.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
This made for a humorous moment with an exhibit we saw a few minutes later. A pile of mint-green hard candies, individually wrapped, formed a pond-shaped pile on the floor. A sign invited visitors to take one and explained that the piece is ever-changing. <br />
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But the lesson from the sculpture loomed large, and my son only circled the pile. His hand reached out … and darted back to his pocket. Not allowed! Can’t touch!<br />
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It wasn’t until another worker invited him to take a piece that he dared snatch one up. So the lesson isn’t “Don’t touch anything,” but rather “Follow the rules.” And pay attention to learn the rules. The same as the “rule” for enjoying art. Pay attention.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c5qlkDLYbXQ/UZck6lqk9YI/AAAAAAAAUyQ/nPe4-YHpu6U/s1600/Phoenix+Art+Museum+order+and+chaos+Black+Cloud+Carlos+Amorales+butterflies+exhibit+installation+kid+child+boy+Arizona+IMG_3549.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> <br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JxTmg9SvoA4/UZcmQjrGC3I/AAAAAAAAUyw/LyOrMIIemVw/s1600/Phoenix+Art+Museum+order+and+chaos+Black+Cloud+Carlos+Amorales+butterflies+exhibit+installation+kid+child+boy+Arizona+IMG_3539.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JxTmg9SvoA4/UZcmQjrGC3I/AAAAAAAAUyw/LyOrMIIemVw/s640/Phoenix+Art+Museum+order+and+chaos+Black+Cloud+Carlos+Amorales+butterflies+exhibit+installation+kid+child+boy+Arizona+IMG_3539.jpg" width="456" /></a><br />
If you aren’t sure younger ones will have the patience for “grown-up” art, you can still check out the museum together. The PhxArtKids Gallery explores interactions of color and shape, and invites kids to build their own art; from drawing to building copies of mounted pieces. For us, it reinforced lessons in exploration that we were already learning: look from a distance and closely and think about colors, shapes, and lines. Wonder how the artist thought and felt as he or she made the piece. Young kids will glean a few lessons, and older kids will learn even more. You might also pick up some great ideas for crafts at home!<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4UfadBac_eE/UZclkV8eUjI/AAAAAAAAUyg/TVPNMD4TU4k/s1600/Phoenix+Art+Museum+PhxArtKids+Gallery+line+color+shapes+activity+kid+child+boy+Arizona+IMG_3600.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4UfadBac_eE/UZclkV8eUjI/AAAAAAAAUyg/TVPNMD4TU4k/s640/Phoenix+Art+Museum+PhxArtKids+Gallery+line+color+shapes+activity+kid+child+boy+Arizona+IMG_3600.jpg" width="456" /></a> <br />
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I was most surprised at his reaction to “Ahmed Alsoudani: Redacted,” a series of layered and chaotic paintings influenced by the artist’s time in Iraq. Machines, animals, faces, eyes, and more swirl together in a vivid commentary on chaos, violence, and life. I thought it would be too abstract. My son studied each one.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gJLapKnW5Ho/UZcpnsNNnWI/AAAAAAAAU0A/FwN6cAcdcEk/s1600/Phoenix+Art+Museum+Ahmed+Alsoudani+Redacted+painting+paintings+exhibit+kid+child+boy+Arizona+IMG_3573.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gJLapKnW5Ho/UZcpnsNNnWI/AAAAAAAAU0A/FwN6cAcdcEk/s640/Phoenix+Art+Museum+Ahmed+Alsoudani+Redacted+painting+paintings+exhibit+kid+child+boy+Arizona+IMG_3573.jpg" width="426" /></a> <br />
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We perused many of the other exhibits, and I watched as the museum inspired not just an aesthetic appreciation for art in my son, but an in-depth analytical analysis: “Why did they do that? Why is this there instead of here? Why these colors? What does this mean?” If anyone tells you art is weird fluff and no real thinking, tell them to watch a kid at an art museum.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TxvYN33TMgE/UZcl9a73cgI/AAAAAAAAUyo/6ZWvZKw2H5k/s1600/Phoenix+Art+Museum+Sui+Jianguo+Jurassic+Age+sculpture+dinosaur+toy+China+exhibit+bronze+steel+Arizona+kid+boy+child+IMG_3661.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="512" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TxvYN33TMgE/UZcl9a73cgI/AAAAAAAAUyo/6ZWvZKw2H5k/s640/Phoenix+Art+Museum+Sui+Jianguo+Jurassic+Age+sculpture+dinosaur+toy+China+exhibit+bronze+steel+Arizona+kid+boy+child+IMG_3661.jpg" width="640" /></a> <br />
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My son’s favorite was definitely Yayoi Kusama’s “You Who Are Getting Obliterated in the Dancing Swarm of Fireflies.” It’s a darkened, mirrored room illuminated only by strings of color-shifting LED lights hung from the ceiling, ending about a foot from the floor. Mirrors replicate the points of light into infinity, but we were barely visible. Go in, adjust for a moment, stand, and really look. It’s the kind of disorienting freedom and sense of wonder you usually only get from serious stargazing. And kids will love it. My son didn’t want to leave the room, and I can’t say I disagreed.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s-usepOPA7o/UZckmtCSoKI/AAAAAAAAUyI/muTMS8Gf0D8/s1600/Phoenix+Art+Museum+Yayoi+Kusama+You+Who+Are+Getting+Obliterated+in+the+Dancing+Swarm+of+Fireflies+light+dark+exhibit+kid+boy+child+Arizona+IMG_3654.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s-usepOPA7o/UZckmtCSoKI/AAAAAAAAUyI/muTMS8Gf0D8/s640/Phoenix+Art+Museum+Yayoi+Kusama+You+Who+Are+Getting+Obliterated+in+the+Dancing+Swarm+of+Fireflies+light+dark+exhibit+kid+boy+child+Arizona+IMG_3654.jpg" width="456" /></a> <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_S-DYfBPv9A/UZckOkrZYdI/AAAAAAAAUyA/vSTk34X3bw0/s1600/Phoenix+Art+Museum+Yayoi+Kusama+You+Who+Are+Getting+Obliterated+in+the+Dancing+Swarm+of+Fireflies+light+dark+exhibit+kid+boy+child+Arizona+IMG_3647.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_S-DYfBPv9A/UZckOkrZYdI/AAAAAAAAUyA/vSTk34X3bw0/s640/Phoenix+Art+Museum+Yayoi+Kusama+You+Who+Are+Getting+Obliterated+in+the+Dancing+Swarm+of+Fireflies+light+dark+exhibit+kid+boy+child+Arizona+IMG_3647.jpg" width="426" /></a><br />
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From European classics to contemporary art, the Phoenix Art Museum is like several museums in one. Plan ahead and see the exhibits that most excite you. Keep your family’s particular interests in mind -- but whether you’re visiting with young ones, older kids, teens, or just having a special adults’ day out, the Phoenix Art Museum’s got you covered. (Just don’t touch <i>most </i>of the exhibits.)<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PHYKGL83tNI/UZcoSyocixI/AAAAAAAAUzg/jaSacL71gDQ/s1600/Phoenix+Art+Museum+exhibit+diorama+room+Arizona+IMG_3611.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="456" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PHYKGL83tNI/UZcoSyocixI/AAAAAAAAUzg/jaSacL71gDQ/s640/Phoenix+Art+Museum+exhibit+diorama+room+Arizona+IMG_3611.jpg" width="640" /></a> <br />
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For more information, call (602) 257-1222 or visit www.phxart.org.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1uGbC_TNHQ8/UZcnoq5L2bI/AAAAAAAAUzQ/Ij6_CHPoMhk/s1600/Phoenix+Art+Museum+exhibit+wood+Cornelia+Parker+Mass+Colder+Darker+Matter+Arizona+boy+kid+child+IMG_3632.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="456" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1uGbC_TNHQ8/UZcnoq5L2bI/AAAAAAAAUzQ/Ij6_CHPoMhk/s640/Phoenix+Art+Museum+exhibit+wood+Cornelia+Parker+Mass+Colder+Darker+Matter+Arizona+boy+kid+child+IMG_3632.jpg" width="640" /></a> <br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-00Uj-hTBVek/UZcnRu1e8iI/AAAAAAAAUzI/5lJbkn4NUUY/s1600/Phoenix+Art+Museum+Guillotine+of+Sunlight+Guillotine+of+Shade+colors+papers+painting+exhibit+kid+child+boy+Arizona+IMG_3621.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a> <br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bQLJAxV5Ks0/UZcooQwh80I/AAAAAAAAUzo/_eh4oE3s7pc/s1600/Phoenix+Art+Museum+exhibit+diorama+room+Arizona+IMG_3610.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bQLJAxV5Ks0/UZcooQwh80I/AAAAAAAAUzo/_eh4oE3s7pc/s640/Phoenix+Art+Museum+exhibit+diorama+room+Arizona+IMG_3610.jpg" width="640" /></a> <br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-00Uj-hTBVek/UZcnRu1e8iI/AAAAAAAAUzI/5lJbkn4NUUY/s1600/Phoenix+Art+Museum+Guillotine+of+Sunlight+Guillotine+of+Shade+colors+papers+painting+exhibit+kid+child+boy+Arizona+IMG_3621.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a> <br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AnzZYlX-UgQ/UZcm8IJ30SI/AAAAAAAAUzA/Bo6s51zSf5s/s1600/Phoenix+Art+Museum+Guillotine+of+Sunlight+Guillotine+of+Shade+colors+papers+painting+exhibit+kid+child+boy+Arizona+IMG_3623.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="456" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AnzZYlX-UgQ/UZcm8IJ30SI/AAAAAAAAUzA/Bo6s51zSf5s/s640/Phoenix+Art+Museum+Guillotine+of+Sunlight+Guillotine+of+Shade+colors+papers+painting+exhibit+kid+child+boy+Arizona+IMG_3623.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c5qlkDLYbXQ/UZck6lqk9YI/AAAAAAAAUyQ/nPe4-YHpu6U/s1600/Phoenix+Art+Museum+order+and+chaos+Black+Cloud+Carlos+Amorales+butterflies+exhibit+installation+kid+child+boy+Arizona+IMG_3549.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c5qlkDLYbXQ/UZck6lqk9YI/AAAAAAAAUyQ/nPe4-YHpu6U/s640/Phoenix+Art+Museum+order+and+chaos+Black+Cloud+Carlos+Amorales+butterflies+exhibit+installation+kid+child+boy+Arizona+IMG_3549.jpg" width="426" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13738377880145008895noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607828889416086008.post-974320783941719932013-05-20T17:32:00.000-07:002013-05-20T17:43:51.815-07:00A year of dragons and damsels<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EDV3uEIFZm0/UZp_j31HXpI/AAAAAAAAU6o/OerMqfhTHEw/s1600/dragonfly+collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="468" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EDV3uEIFZm0/UZp_j31HXpI/AAAAAAAAU6o/OerMqfhTHEw/s640/dragonfly+collage.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_4fRSXSF5hM/UZqOLJ7ChtI/AAAAAAAAU-Q/Ub83P07gpCU/s1600/variegated+meadowhawk+dragonfly+(Sympetrum+corruptum)+female+Boyce+Thompson+Arboretum+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_4fRSXSF5hM/UZqOLJ7ChtI/AAAAAAAAU-Q/Ub83P07gpCU/s320/variegated+meadowhawk+dragonfly+(Sympetrum+corruptum)+female+Boyce+Thompson+Arboretum+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="204" /></a></div>
I have been known at times as the <a href="http://www.arizona-writer.com/2011/02/black-widows-part-ii.html">spider</a> lady. I'm also the <a href="http://www.arizona-writer.com/2010/10/face-everyone-could-or-should-love.html">vulture</a> lady and now the mother of a budding ornithologist (more on that later). But Arizona offers more than amazing birding and fodder for my <a href="http://www.arizona-writer.com/2011/02/black-widows-part-ii.html">nocturnal adventures</a>. Dragonfly and damselfly watching has been growing, much like birding took off (har har) before it. Places like Boyce Thompson Arboretum do regular <a href="http://arboretum.ag.arizona.edu/events.html">dragonfly walks</a> in the summer, Chandler's Environmental Education Center holds days <a href="http://www.azcentral.com/community/chandler/articles/2012/09/26/20120926chandler-dragonflies-butterflies-focus-guided-walks.html">celebrating dragonflies</a>, they're studied around Arizona both formally and through awesome citizen science efforts, we have dragonfly experts and enthusiasts <a href="http://www.azdragonfly.net/">cataloging our species</a>, we have dedicated <a href="http://thedragonflywhisperer.blogspot.com/">dragonfly blogs</a>, and dragons and damsels generally make Arizona an awesome place to be, especially in the summer. (Well, if you don't mind the whole 120-degree heat thing.)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RSX327Dx-6M/UZqHeJlL4AI/AAAAAAAAU64/WEe3D-hTBSc/s1600/American+rubyspot+damselfly+(Hetaerina+americana)+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RSX327Dx-6M/UZqHeJlL4AI/AAAAAAAAU64/WEe3D-hTBSc/s640/American+rubyspot+damselfly+(Hetaerina+americana)+3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Canyon rubyspot damselfly (Hetaerina vulnerata), Saguaro Lake, Mesa</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wo3SQXZ5LWE/UZqHurAbXwI/AAAAAAAAU7A/lpyQJCf8L3E/s1600/Mexican+amberwing+dragonfly+(Perithemis+intensa).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="456" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wo3SQXZ5LWE/UZqHurAbXwI/AAAAAAAAU7A/lpyQJCf8L3E/s640/Mexican+amberwing+dragonfly+(Perithemis+intensa).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mexican amberwing dragonfly (Perithemis intensa), Tucson</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0WRS33fsZnY/UZqICBkblFI/AAAAAAAAU7I/kuY2zqeU1hI/s1600/Mexican+amberwing+dragonfly+Perithemis+intensa+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0WRS33fsZnY/UZqICBkblFI/AAAAAAAAU7I/kuY2zqeU1hI/s640/Mexican+amberwing+dragonfly+Perithemis+intensa+6.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mexican amberwing dragonfly (Perithemis intensa), Boyce Thompson Arboretum</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jUeqPqmOppg/UZqN63zW9JI/AAAAAAAAU-I/DbcrqDoitHI/s1600/spot-winged+glider+dragonfly+spot+winged+glider+Pantala+hymenaea+Gilbert+Riparian+Preserve+Water+Ranch+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jUeqPqmOppg/UZqN63zW9JI/AAAAAAAAU-I/DbcrqDoitHI/s640/spot-winged+glider+dragonfly+spot+winged+glider+Pantala+hymenaea+Gilbert+Riparian+Preserve+Water+Ranch+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spot-winged glider (Pantala hymenaea), Gilbert Riparian Preserve</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3ISCI5oGSrk/UZqIohmu47I/AAAAAAAAU7Y/YBxzPFs2syQ/s1600/Pacific+Forktail+Ischnura+cervula+damselfly+damselflies+mating+pair+Gilbert+Riparian+Preserve.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="456" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3ISCI5oGSrk/UZqIohmu47I/AAAAAAAAU7Y/YBxzPFs2syQ/s640/Pacific+Forktail+Ischnura+cervula+damselfly+damselflies+mating+pair+Gilbert+Riparian+Preserve.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pacific forktail damselfly mating pair (Ischnura cervula), Gilbert Riparian Preserve</td></tr>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VLEgKKNsSZI/UZqJWzwn_tI/AAAAAAAAU7w/-Vkxj7uLhDY/s1600/amethyst+dancer+damselfly+(Argia+pallens)+Boyce+Thompson+Arboretum+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VLEgKKNsSZI/UZqJWzwn_tI/AAAAAAAAU7w/-Vkxj7uLhDY/s200/amethyst+dancer+damselfly+(Argia+pallens)+Boyce+Thompson+Arboretum+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="160" /></a>So I was excited and intrigued when my friend on Google+ (yes, there are a ton of us over there -- come join us!), <a href="https://plus.google.com/115427700899384150369/posts">Michael Hensley</a>, had the idea to start sharing a photo of a dragonfly or damselfly each day. He shared some of his fantastic photos before moving on to other pursuits. However, I <strike>stole</strike> was inspired by his idea, and with his permission, ran with it for the full 365 days. My rules were kind of made up as I went, but almost all the shots were taken within this past year. To "count," it had to be a good photo -- I've spotted a few springwater dancers, red rock skimmers, and plateau dragonlets; but alas, I captured only one lousy shot of the dancer and none of the others, so I'll keep trying. The main idea was to show off the amazing, intricate beauty of these insects, and maybe learn a little about science and photography along the way. I was forced to skip a day here and there. (Family emergencies and family in general are not too sympathetic to "Hang on! The Internet needs an insect photo from me today!") However, just a couple weeks late, here is my <a href="https://plus.google.com/photos/107408720924877751027/albums/5735004142560959617">year's worth of photos</a> of our state's gorgeous Odonata (that's the name for this order of insects). It's been a fun year, following these dragons and damsels. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yyduCznzD3g/UZqIWN0w5aI/AAAAAAAAU7Q/RHD5hNoJd-w/s1600/Mexican+amberwing+dragonfly+dragonflies+Perithemis+intensa+boyce+thompson+arboretum+BTA+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yyduCznzD3g/UZqIWN0w5aI/AAAAAAAAU7Q/RHD5hNoJd-w/s640/Mexican+amberwing+dragonfly+dragonflies+Perithemis+intensa+boyce+thompson+arboretum+BTA+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mexican amberwing dragonflies (and bonus hoverfly!) (Perithemis intensa), Boyce Thompson Arboretum</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fSl1iRbN2nM/UZqKj6OCF5I/AAAAAAAAU8Y/gYkc7ZS3OtM/s1600/blue+ringed+blue-ringed+dancer+damselfly+Argia+sedula+Gilbert+Riparian+Preserve+water+ranch+AZ+Arizona.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fSl1iRbN2nM/UZqKj6OCF5I/AAAAAAAAU8Y/gYkc7ZS3OtM/s640/blue+ringed+blue-ringed+dancer+damselfly+Argia+sedula+Gilbert+Riparian+Preserve+water+ranch+AZ+Arizona.jpg" width="512" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue-ringed dancer damselfly (Argia sedula), Gilbert Riparian Preserve</td></tr>
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I plan to do a much more thorough and dedicated blog post (or posts) on dragonflies -- maybe some species accounts, certainly more of a rundown of what I've learned in the past year. I'd like to share some dragonfly research, highlight some spots, talk about my wonderful assistant/son when he accompanies me, and hopefully touch base with some fellow odo-nuts. (Yes, I know that's lame.) For now, though, please enjoy some highlights from this year. You can check out the whole album <a href="https://plus.google.com/photos/107408720924877751027/albums/5735004142560959617">here</a>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PKGyBhbg4qM/UZqI8Kpb9hI/AAAAAAAAU7g/wqMTufO77wk/s1600/Rambur%27s+forktail+damselfly+(Ischnura+ramburii)+2+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PKGyBhbg4qM/UZqI8Kpb9hI/AAAAAAAAU7g/wqMTufO77wk/s640/Rambur%27s+forktail+damselfly+(Ischnura+ramburii)+2+(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rambur's forktail damselfly (Ischnura ramburii), Veteran's Oasis Park, Chandler</td></tr>
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I'm doing another year, starting today. I have a few thoughts, which follow. Any tips from fellow oders? Any requests from pretty insect oglers? <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MYuFKlq9auA/UZqJHPAiOlI/AAAAAAAAU7o/Qj948OEUNXA/s1600/Rambur%27s+forktail+damselfly+Ischnura+ramburii+macro+Papago+Park+Phoenix+Arizona+AZ+insect.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MYuFKlq9auA/UZqJHPAiOlI/AAAAAAAAU7o/Qj948OEUNXA/s640/Rambur%27s+forktail+damselfly+Ischnura+ramburii+macro+Papago+Park+Phoenix+Arizona+AZ+insect.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rambur's forktail damselfly (Ischnura ramburii), Papago Park, Phoenix</td></tr>
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1. <b>More locations</b>. I've relied really heavily on half a dozen ode havens. While part of this is because I have a job (usually), a kid, a family, and all that good stuff; and I do not have infinite gas money and time to spend tracking them down; I would like to branch out quite a bit more. I know there are some great spots I've yet to hit, and I bet there are new ones I don't even know yet.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vy94f9J0PJQ/UZqJnjicjQI/AAAAAAAAU74/WEWhaJqAX5g/s1600/blue+dasher+dragonfly+(Pachydiplax+longipennis)+13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vy94f9J0PJQ/UZqJnjicjQI/AAAAAAAAU74/WEWhaJqAX5g/s640/blue+dasher+dragonfly+(Pachydiplax+longipennis)+13.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue dasher dragonfly (Pachydiplax longipennis), Papago Park, Phoenix</td></tr>
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2. <b>More species</b>. This kind of goes with No. 1 -- the more locations I visit, the wider variety of species I'm likely to encounter.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-byGIE2gk9q8/UZqJ56CavGI/AAAAAAAAU8A/OGEyK2gGkVg/s1600/blue+dasher+dragonfly+(Pachydiplax+longipennis)+male+Gilbert+Riparian+Preserve+Arizona+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-byGIE2gk9q8/UZqJ56CavGI/AAAAAAAAU8A/OGEyK2gGkVg/s640/blue+dasher+dragonfly+(Pachydiplax+longipennis)+male+Gilbert+Riparian+Preserve+Arizona+5.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue dasher dragonfly (Pachydiplax longipennis), Gilbert Riparian Preserve</td></tr>
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3. <b>More, and more frequent, visits to the "regular" spots</b>. This could also go with No. 2. Different species frequent the same area at different times in the season. For example, I almost never saw Pacific forktails (or at least I didn't notice them) until I started paying attention to the Gilbert Riparian Preserve earlier in the season.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AoiyQevs1Jw/UZqL_MhR-PI/AAAAAAAAU9I/7VkmHCBwD5I/s1600/flame+skimmer+dragonfly+(Libellula+saturata).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="456" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AoiyQevs1Jw/UZqL_MhR-PI/AAAAAAAAU9I/7VkmHCBwD5I/s640/flame+skimmer+dragonfly+(Libellula+saturata).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flame skimmer dragonfly (Libellula saturata), Tucson</td></tr>
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4. <b>More information</b>. I did pretty well on this for a while -- I regaled anyone who followed the series with tales of territory disputes, Latin name origins, cannibalism, and dragonfly/damselfly Kama Sutra (or "insex" as some of us in the insect geek set like to call it) -- but I can do better. I'd like to include at least nuggets of cool information with maybe a quarter to half of my shots, and engaging descriptions with most of them, hopefully. Of course there are limits -- there are only so many anecdotes I can share about blue dashers -- but you get the idea.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-02IwCGcMy8c/UZqKbGWXluI/AAAAAAAAU8Q/OtA1F3X09os/s1600/blue+dasher+dragonfly+(Pachydiplax+longipennis).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-02IwCGcMy8c/UZqKbGWXluI/AAAAAAAAU8Q/OtA1F3X09os/s640/blue+dasher+dragonfly+(Pachydiplax+longipennis).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue dasher dragonfly (Pachydiplax longipennis), Papago Park, Phoenix</td></tr>
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5. <b>Connect more with others</b>. I would love to learn from the dragonfly and damselfly experts, and I would love to connect more -- virtually or otherwise -- with other enthusiasts. The Internet is so awesome for this kind of thing (we already have <a href="http://pets.dir.groups.yahoo.com/group/SoWestOdes/">Yahoo groups</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/WesternOdonata">Facebook groups</a>, and awesome sites like <a href="http://bugguide.net/">BugGuide.net</a>), and I hope to make even better use of them.<br />
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6. <b>Make something (else) out of it.</b> I would really, really love to write a well-researched, longer-form piece on these awesome arthropod acrobats. Any takers?
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QMNW11RYW-4/UZqMlNks1xI/AAAAAAAAU9Y/FJR4PdAOCCE/s1600/rambur%27s+forktail+damselfly+(Ischnura+ramburii)+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="272" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QMNW11RYW-4/UZqMlNks1xI/AAAAAAAAU9Y/FJR4PdAOCCE/s640/rambur%27s+forktail+damselfly+(Ischnura+ramburii)+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rambur's forktail damselfly female orange form (Ischnura ramburii), Papago Park, Phoenix</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-co-S_JwyE74/UZqKL6ub1vI/AAAAAAAAU8I/AN6DqAwy8P0/s1600/blue+dasher+dragonfly+(Pachydiplax+longipennis)+male+papago+park+Phoenix+Arizona+AZ+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-co-S_JwyE74/UZqKL6ub1vI/AAAAAAAAU8I/AN6DqAwy8P0/s640/blue+dasher+dragonfly+(Pachydiplax+longipennis)+male+papago+park+Phoenix+Arizona+AZ+3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue dasher dragonfly (Pachydiplax longipennis), Papago Park, Phoenix</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G7V9Y3dnuz8/UZqKspYpa1I/AAAAAAAAU8g/20XtJPbaQZs/s1600/desert+firetail+damselfly+Telebasis+salva+mating+pair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G7V9Y3dnuz8/UZqKspYpa1I/AAAAAAAAU8g/20XtJPbaQZs/s640/desert+firetail+damselfly+Telebasis+salva+mating+pair.jpg" width="510" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Desert firetail damselfly (Telebasis salva) mating pair, Boyce Thompson Arboretum</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NRYRQuSZGMA/UZqLvfjN2aI/AAAAAAAAU9A/z17crdzPBsw/s1600/female+widow+skimmer+dragonfly+(Libellula+luctuosa).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="456" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NRYRQuSZGMA/UZqLvfjN2aI/AAAAAAAAU9A/z17crdzPBsw/s640/female+widow+skimmer+dragonfly+(Libellula+luctuosa).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Widow skimmer dragonfly (Libellula luctuosa), Papago Park, Phoneix</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qz36Q8nCkLk/UZqLMVH2KmI/AAAAAAAAU8w/vsSDutJkyoo/s1600/female+Mexican+amberwing+dragonfly+(Perithemis+intensa).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qz36Q8nCkLk/UZqLMVH2KmI/AAAAAAAAU8w/vsSDutJkyoo/s640/female+Mexican+amberwing+dragonfly+(Perithemis+intensa).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mexican amberwing dragonfly (Perithemis intensa), Gilbert Riparian Preserve</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9LPUYCO-CUA/UZqLeA7t5yI/AAAAAAAAU84/h3QbHHDGTwg/s1600/female+blue+dasher+dragonfly+(Pachydiplax+longipennis)+macro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9LPUYCO-CUA/UZqLeA7t5yI/AAAAAAAAU84/h3QbHHDGTwg/s640/female+blue+dasher+dragonfly+(Pachydiplax+longipennis)+macro.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue dasher dragonfly (Pachydiplax longipennis), Papago Park, Phoenix</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2KP7c-btaqs/UZqK7kxkS7I/AAAAAAAAU8o/mOw8_zaCags/s1600/desert+forktail+damselfly+Ischnura+barberi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2KP7c-btaqs/UZqK7kxkS7I/AAAAAAAAU8o/mOw8_zaCags/s640/desert+forktail+damselfly+Ischnura+barberi.jpg" width="456" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Desert Forktail damselfly (Ischnura barberi), Papago Park, Phoenix</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UYgkLs92wPE/UZqMRmXrdYI/AAAAAAAAU9Q/UJzX1-bujpw/s1600/flame+skimmer+dragonfly+Libellula+saturata+Libellulidae+Gilbert+Riparian+Preserve+AZ+Arizona.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="456" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UYgkLs92wPE/UZqMRmXrdYI/AAAAAAAAU9Q/UJzX1-bujpw/s640/flame+skimmer+dragonfly+Libellula+saturata+Libellulidae+Gilbert+Riparian+Preserve+AZ+Arizona.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flame skimmer dragonfly (Libellula saturata), Gilbert Riparian Preserve</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mYUI32yw7wc/UZqM10Y-P-I/AAAAAAAAU9g/Xm0H8DvXUiY/s1600/rambur%27s+forktail+damselfly+(Ischnura+ramburii).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="456" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mYUI32yw7wc/UZqM10Y-P-I/AAAAAAAAU9g/Xm0H8DvXUiY/s640/rambur%27s+forktail+damselfly+(Ischnura+ramburii).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rambur's forktail damselfly female orange form (Ischnura ramburii), Papago Park, Phoenix</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VkWTXqCn-o8/UZqM6q-6R6I/AAAAAAAAU9o/iBiRDwyZy3A/s1600/red+saddlebags+dragonfly+Tramea+onusta+in+flight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="456" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VkWTXqCn-o8/UZqM6q-6R6I/AAAAAAAAU9o/iBiRDwyZy3A/s640/red+saddlebags+dragonfly+Tramea+onusta+in+flight.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red saddlebags dragonfly (Tramea onusta), Veteran's Oasis Park, Chandler</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nUBDKWZLGSQ/UZqNMBUj1VI/AAAAAAAAU9w/4z4KjUH6Oqs/s1600/red-mantled+Red+Saddlebags+(Tramea+onusta).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nUBDKWZLGSQ/UZqNMBUj1VI/AAAAAAAAU9w/4z4KjUH6Oqs/s640/red-mantled+Red+Saddlebags+(Tramea+onusta).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red saddlebags dragonfly (Tramea onusta), Papago Park, Phoenix</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IqNrv2RLVfw/UZqNX8TlrLI/AAAAAAAAU94/w6dlWQUAqOw/s1600/red-tailed+pennant+dragonfly+Brachymesia+furcata+veterans+oasis+park+chandler+AZ+Arizona.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IqNrv2RLVfw/UZqNX8TlrLI/AAAAAAAAU94/w6dlWQUAqOw/s640/red-tailed+pennant+dragonfly+Brachymesia+furcata+veterans+oasis+park+chandler+AZ+Arizona.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red-tailed pennant dragonflies (Brachymesia furcata), Veteran's Oasis Park, Chandler</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--iiMxN8AIVs/UZqNogqrMvI/AAAAAAAAU-A/kSETiNQqoI8/s1600/roseate+skimmer+dragonfly+Orthemis+ferruginea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="456" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--iiMxN8AIVs/UZqNogqrMvI/AAAAAAAAU-A/kSETiNQqoI8/s640/roseate+skimmer+dragonfly+Orthemis+ferruginea.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roseate skimmer dragonfly (Orthemis ferruginea), Gilbert Riparian Preserve</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6b4PGwKSNdI/UZqOSlJyxMI/AAAAAAAAU-Y/dm78WrkVGWY/s1600/western+pondhawk+dragonfly+(Erythemis+collocata)+mating+pair+wheel+Papago+Park+Phoenix+Arizona+AZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6b4PGwKSNdI/UZqOSlJyxMI/AAAAAAAAU-Y/dm78WrkVGWY/s640/western+pondhawk+dragonfly+(Erythemis+collocata)+mating+pair+wheel+Papago+Park+Phoenix+Arizona+AZ.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Western pondhawk dragonfly mating wheel (Erythemis collocata), Papago Park</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13738377880145008895noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607828889416086008.post-26594219541209337942013-01-23T14:52:00.000-07:002013-01-23T15:16:13.946-07:00Day at the Museum<i>This is an expanded version of this month's column in Times Publications. </i><br />
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This month, my son and I went back in time billions of years. Then we went on a few archeological expeditions, took a trip to a modern photo gallery, and finally, I put him in jail.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Standard punishment for bothering Mom while she's working.</td></tr>
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We went, of course, to the Arizona Museum of Natural History. During a visit there, you and your family can learn about anthropology, archaeology, history, Native American civilizations, and many fields of scientific research. Of course, we really went for the dinosaurs. It’s known as the “dinosaur museum,” after all.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And also the "Play acting beneath big-ass dinosaur claws" museum. What; that's not what you call it?</td></tr>
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Some of my and my son’s favorites, however, weren’t the showstoppers like the towering camarasaurus, fearsome tyrannosaurus, or iconic triceratops (although, yes, those warranted several visits). We loved finding something new, something we didn’t know about before. The crazy, horned skull of a “crowned crocodile” that was actually part of a group of mammal-like reptiles that lived around 267 million years ago. The spiny, intricately detailed trilobite fossils, part of a group including over 10,000 species. There are dinosaur juveniles -- and nests! If all you want is to marvel at some giants, they’ve got you covered, but there is much more to paleontology, and the museum covers that, too.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">But seriously, the giants are pretty cool.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Also, more giant claws!</td></tr>
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We were also captivated by “Origins,” a permanent exhibit that showcases astronomical events through images and displays and teaches visitors how to “look into the past” simply by examining the stars around them. From the formation of the moon 4.5 billion years ago, to life on Earth 370 million years in the past, to meteorites and minerals collected by people around Arizona, this gallery’s got the history of our world. My son (and each passing kid) gazed in wonder from the hole in the bizarrely shaped giant cast of the Tucson Meteorite, an immense iron meteorite that was discovered before 1850. Beside it, visitors are encouraged to touch a real meteorite, older than the solar system itself.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The real one was actually used as an anvil before they knew what they had. For my money, unabashed wonder is a better use.</td></tr>
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Happily, our visit coincided with the museum’s “Rulers of the Prehistoric Skies” exhibit, which is set to run through early 2013. This was lucky, because I have always -- oops; I mean my son has always -- dreamed of seeing pterosaurs (which are reptiles, but not dinosaurs) in person. This is about as close as you’ll get, so we were both thrilled. At the exhibit, we learned about everything from pterosaur anatomy and evolution to their dietary habits. There were even replicas of baby pterosaurs. Of course, the highlight is probably standing beneath Quetzalcoatlus northropi. Imagine a small glider plane. Now make it a giant flying, beaked reptile, and you’ve got a good handle on Quetzalcoatlus. It was one of the biggest flying animals of all time, with a wing span of up to 10 meters and a skull that topped 2 meters. I managed to let David take the first turn beneath the behemoth, but just barely.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8188/8389102402_8f9ca6b2a1_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8188/8389102402_8f9ca6b2a1_c.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting cool pictures only kind of makes up for it not being my turn yet.</td></tr>
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If quetzalcoatlus "folded" and stood on its haunches (if pterosaurs had haunches), it was about the size of a giraffe. A giraffe that could fly for thousands of miles, and had a beak much bigger than you.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Pteranodon sternbergi </i>and <i>Kiddus amazeface. </i>Priceless. </td></tr>
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If top predators of sky and land aren't your speed, how about the sea? Prehistoric oceans were teeming with apex predators not topped in any blockbuster, and you can get your fill of sharks and marine reptiles here as well. The diorama of a six-gilled shark is always one of our favorites. And we love the pliosaur exhibit of the Black Mesa area of northeastern Arizona, circa 100 million years ago, which showcases short-necked but ridiculously large plesiosaurs, swimming reptiles that lived alongside dinosaurs in the Jurassic and Cretaceous Periods.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shark and awe.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We're gonna need a bigger boat.</td></tr>
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It wasn’t quite yet unveiled when we were there, but the museum is unwrapping a new exhibition just in time for Christmas -- “Destination Station,” open Dec. 20, 2012 through March 24, 2013. The exhibit focuses on the International Space Station, an internationally developed research facility, in Earth’s lower orbit. It's the largest space station ever constructed, and is a space-based research lab where astronauts from around the world conduct experiments. “Destination” is a sort of awareness campaign for the station, showcasing the cutting-edge research that takes place there, showing visitors how studies are conducted and what discoveries have been made, and highlighting its immense potential for future research. The museum plans to collaborate with the Arizona SciTech Festival, and may even call in visiting astronauts during the exhibit’s run.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8098/8357582955_c10ae88d07_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8098/8357582955_c10ae88d07_c.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Triceratops appreciation, or the only time this vegetarian really enjoys a good set of ribs.</td></tr>
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The exhibit should fit right in. One of the best things about the museum is that it encourages active participation, mentally and sometimes even physically. Plaques by the reconstructions and fossils not only identify the species, they tell how it was discovered. Some displays even tell about questions scientists still haven’t answered, which perfectly highlights the skeptical, ever-developing nature of science. If you went here as a kid, it won‘t be the same when you take your kids. If they take theirs in 20 years, it will be a whole new place again. This place not only shows the fruits of scientific discovery, it shows the process of discovery. You can crawl through a lava tube (if you’re a small- to medium-sized adult or a kid), touch several displays (signs will say “Please touch”), piece together skeleton puzzles, answer trivia questions, pan for gold (“fool’s gold,” anyway), and stay in a cell from a real territorial jail.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What? Forget something? Nope; just leaving the jail exhibit.</td></tr>
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And, come on. Your kids might whine when you leave places, but it’s not often you hear “Mooom! I want to go back to jail!”<br />
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More photos:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8493/8387519929_697a23378d_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8493/8387519929_697a23378d_c.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Ornithocheirus mesembrinus</i>, a particularly toothy pterosaur.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jail is fun! (Disclaimer: Do not use the exhibit to teach your children that jail is fun.)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The skull of an <i>Estemmenosuchus</i>, also known as a crowned crocodile, also known as the coolest animal that I didn't know existed until visiting this museum.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A paleontologist is born. Examining a <i>Coelophysis</i> fossil. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8505/8388732246_124ffd3559_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8505/8388732246_124ffd3559_c.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Quetzalcoatlus northropi</i> in yo face.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8229/8388614970_2faff088f4_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8229/8388614970_2faff088f4_c.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Pteranodon sternbergi</i> also all up in yo face.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8090/8388735340_101c57757d_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8090/8388735340_101c57757d_c.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The chase continues. I think-he-saurus.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The pterosaur gazing continues.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Touching a real fossil! A giant one!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8219/8387524935_462e6cd689_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8219/8387524935_462e6cd689_c.jpg" width="512" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The creepy-cool <i>Jeholopterus ninchengensis</i>, a very small pterosaur.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8056/8388557724_88b5dd4e6b_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8056/8388557724_88b5dd4e6b_c.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dinosaur mountain, complete with waterfalls, periodic thunderstorms, and animatronic dinosaurs.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Triceratops again. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8237/8387501213_37eb2b73dd_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="456" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8237/8387501213_37eb2b73dd_c.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even in Arizona, we don't grow them this big (anymore).</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8227/8388531554_75822c7253_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8227/8388531554_75822c7253_c.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dilophosaurus, with fossil evidence gathered from Arizona's Kayenta Formation</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8333/8389100692_87db82cb2d_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8333/8389100692_87db82cb2d_c.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Quetzalcoatlus </i>from the back. Tell me this isn't the coolest creature ever.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8505/8387324177_60625de6c7_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8505/8387324177_60625de6c7_c.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My kid shares a moment with <i>Tyrannosaurus bataar</i>, a close relative of <i>T. rex</i>. Rawr.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8364/8388723314_d4a5d324b8_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8364/8388723314_d4a5d324b8_c.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And yet another pteranodon, because I truly can't help myself</td></tr>
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The Arizona Museum of Natural History is one block north of Main Street in downtown Mesa. For more information, call (480) 644-2230 or visit azmnh.org.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13738377880145008895noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607828889416086008.post-64490270303074270442012-07-17T23:02:00.000-07:002012-07-23T11:45:22.016-07:00Travel Tuesday: Phoenix Herpetological SocietyFor this Travel Tuesday, please enjoy a writeup that on the Phoenix Herpetological Society, which appears in this month's issue of <i>Times Publications</i>. (I could have just summed it up with "We got to touch Galapagos tortoises, saw endangered crocodiles, and OMG <i>so many cool snakes</i>!" But I guess a full writeup is a little more informative.)<br />
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<i>EDIT: I just discovered that PHS lost their beloved alligator Tuesday on July 15, 2012. She was an awesome ambassador (over 300,000 kids got to met her!) and will be missed. I'm so sorry for the loss. You can read tributes to Tuesday <a href="http://db.phoenixherp.com/database/tuesday.php">on her memorial page</a>, and add your own if you have something to share. </i><br />
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Have you ever wanted to see a snake disarticulate its jaw? Think you can figure out what a ball python weighs? Haven’t you ever wanted to see a crocodile up close? Get trampled by a bunch of hungry tortoises?<br />
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If you’re an adult like me (by which I mean an adult who is still mostly a child), the answer to all of these questions is a resounding yes. The Phoenix Herpetological Society (PHS), located in Scottsdale, can provide all this and more. This is even better news if you have a few excuses to go -- I mean, if you have children of your own.<br />
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The PHS was founded in 2000 to rescue and rehabilitate native and non-native reptiles, displaying some for education and releasing or giving homes to reptiles when possible.. Since then it has expanded, and now houses over 1,400 reptiles; including the recent addition of some extremely rare crocodilians, an entire room devoted to venomous snakes, and a veritable stampede of African tortoises. And they give tours.<br />
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During a tour lasting about two hours, a worker at the sanctuary gives visitors -- kids and adults alike -- an overview of the facility’s reptilian residents. Quick: What's your favorite reptile? I all but guarantee you PHS has one, and knows more about it than you do.<br />
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After a brief introduction to the PHS’s mission, our small group visited the facility’s tortoises.<br />
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In a lowered, shaded area near the entrance, three Galapagos tortoises and some Aldabra giant tortoises (similarly-sized relatives from a different island) basked in cool mud. Kneeling beside the giants, outweighed by hundreds of pounds, my son was enthralled.<br />
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Next, we visited a pen with about sixty African spurred tortoises. It was feeding time, and we got to help. Turning over crates of fruits and vegetables, our guide, Daniel Marchand, invited visitors to climb in and help feed the tortoises. The large, eager tortoises moved surprisingly quickly, climbing over one another to follow anyone with a celery stalk.<br />
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From there we toured “lizard alley,” and got to watch the lizards (some rare and endangered) slurping up flowers or, in the case of an erstwhile Asian water monitor, attempt to mate.<br />
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At the iguanas, Daniel advised us why the lizards, while gorgeous, don’t make great pets.<br />
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“There comes a time where a male iguana is only looking for one thing. If you’re not a female iguana, he’s going to get unhappy and maybe aggressive,” he said. Many of PHS’s reptiles are rescues after previous owners couldn’t care for the exotic animals.<br />
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Next our group visited the crocodilian residents of PHS. Endangered and extremely rare species; including a New Guinea crocodile, Nile crocodile, Yacare caiman, and African slender-snouted crocodile, which PHS is helping to conserve; stared at us from cool pools.<br />
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Next we toured the snakes of the “venom room,” the largest collection of venomous snakes in the state, and one of the largest in the western United States. It’s the best (and safest) up-close view you could hope for of an incredible variety of snakes, including several different rattlesnake species; spitting cobras; a black mamba; and the New Guinea taipan, which is, drop for drop, the most venomous terrestrial snake in the world. It uses a big dose of venom in each bite, sometimes enough to kill fifteen human adults. These were all facts enthusiastically repeated to my husband as soon as my son walked through the door.<br />
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In the last room, Daniel showed us a photo of a rattlesnake bite, in case anyone needed the “snakes aren't toys” point driven home, and we toured enclosures of pythons, boas, and other non-venomous snakes and lizards, as well as some tiny hatchlings that I was surprised to discover were the same species as the huge African tortoises we’d fed earlier in the tour. The tortoises were just beginning to emerge from their eggs, some just barely peeking through cracks in the shells. Daniel explained that it’s important not to disturb the eggs (the tortoise inside can drown), and showed us the “belly buttons” the hatchlings still have until they’re a bit older. My son had to be dragged away.<br />
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The PHS focuses year-round on education, including special holiday-season tours, summer camps, and outreach efforts. Last year they reached more than 109,000 people, mostly kids, with their educational programs.<br />
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My family has always had an affinity for exotic animals. The creepier, crawlier, scalier, and weirder; the better. <br />
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The PHS is fantastic if you feel the same way, but it might be even better if you don’t. What better place to be exposed to these amazing creatures than a sanctuary devoted to preserving and respecting them?<br />
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My son and I were thrilled to see a sincere love for reptiles that surpassed even our enthusiasm. Crocodiles rock, and so does the Phoenix Herpetological Society.<br />
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Tours are $20 for adults, $15 for kids (ages 3 and under are free). Visit PHS at <a href="http://www.phoenixherp.com/">www.phoenixherp.com</a> or call to book a tour at 480-513-4377 (HERP).<br />
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And, because I have absolutely no self-control, please enjoy a bunch of additional images from the Phoenix Herpetological Society. Seriously, you should give them a call. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5276/7420937014_46aec0d349_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5276/7420937014_46aec0d349_c.jpg" width="456" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">African spurred/sulcata tortoise (Geochelone sulcata) hatchlings</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8022/7420948660_334f443195_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8022/7420948660_334f443195_c.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jojo, a Cuban "jumping" crocodile, can jump 6 feet forward and 4 feet high with her long, strong legs. (Our guide helpfully put it: "They can get you at chest level from six feet away." Oh, and they've been observed to possibly <i>hunt in packs</i>. Like many of the crocodiles at PHS, its species is endangered.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8142/7421091974_123f33a5f3_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8142/7421091974_123f33a5f3_c.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, <i>another </i>sulcata tortoise hatchling. Come on. You wouldn't have been able to resist either.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8152/7420987068_23376cb257_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8152/7420987068_23376cb257_c.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last sulcata; promise. The grown-up version this time.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.static.flickr.com/7116/7421027736_3505348082_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://farm8.static.flickr.com/7116/7421027736_3505348082_c.jpg" width="512" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Nile crocodile, a little over nine feet long. Seriously, look at those <i>eyes</i>.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5232/7421035988_0fdd7c3269_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5232/7421035988_0fdd7c3269_c.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A West African gaboon viper. His name is Tank.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.static.flickr.com/7259/7421086036_4d721eefa5_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://farm8.static.flickr.com/7259/7421086036_4d721eefa5_c.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Western diamondback rattlesnake in the venom room.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5272/7421074098_f9b808a698_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="456" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5272/7421074098_f9b808a698_c.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Urocoan rattlesnake. I don't even know how I'd ever spot this snake in the wild. So gorgeous.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8159/7421082052_64a1471b61_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8159/7421082052_64a1471b61_c.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A prairie rattlesnake, showing off an impressive rattle.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5155/7421066222_f705838e11_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5155/7421066222_f705838e11_c.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">OK, one more of the Western diamondback. Couldn't help myself here either.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.static.flickr.com/7257/7421057390_67a6285677_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://farm8.static.flickr.com/7257/7421057390_67a6285677_c.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last but not least, an insanely gorgeous canebrake rattlesnake. And there are about 200 more venomous snakes where these beauties came from.</td></tr>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13738377880145008895noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607828889416086008.post-42714959260063948062012-07-15T19:53:00.000-07:002012-07-17T16:56:21.457-07:00Spider Sunday 7-15-12A few spidery links today:<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-brown-widow-spider-california-20120702,0,4442357.story?track=rss">Brown widows replacing my favorite spiders</a></b>: A link to one of many stories. <a href="http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/jul/09/tp-brown-widow-spiders-are-taking-over-and-thats/">Here's</a> another. As I said the other week, yes, I've heard the news. Incidentally, I think I may have been, um, using the facilities beneath some brown widow egg sacs the other day at the lake. For now, it's still black widows at home.<br />
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<b><a href="http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2012/07/12/hey-spiderman-heres-what-really-happens-when-a-spider-bites-you/">What really happens when a spider bites you</a>:</b> Sorry, Spider-Man. Radioactive or no, you're not getting superpowers. (You will notice that I spelled and hyphenated the name correctly, though! None of this "Spiderman" nonsense.) A brief rundown on a few notorious spiders and the effects of their bites. The upshot: Be careful, and you'll probably be fine. Bonus points for nerdy comic book/movie tie-in. Points off for use of "poisonous" instead of "venomous."<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.chicoer.com/news/ci_21031067/man-sets-house-ablaze-while-killing-spiders-blowtorch">Man decides "kill it with fire" is a good idea; it goes about how you would expect</a></b>: A man decided blasting cobwebs with fire was the best course of action. Some brush ignited and spread a fire to the attic. Firefighters responded promptly and no one was hurt (unless you count massive damage to the family's home), but suffice it to say, maybe you should reach for a broom instead of a blowtorch if you want to clear out cobwebs.<br />
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<b><a href="http://chicagoist.com/2012/07/12/baby_spiders_ballooning_post.php#photo-1">OMG FLYING SPIDERS!!</a></b>: The words "flying spiders" appear in a few articles, and everyone panics. Sigh. The Hilton Magnificent Miles Suites hotel in Chicago <s>provided free nightmare fuel with turn-down service</s> warned guests to avoid the "annual influx of flying spiders spinning mini-masterpieces as high as 95 stories." The note did specify that it's natural behavior, and ballooning rather than soaring and diving, but I think all people saw was "flying" and spiders. Spiders balloon all the time. The air currents this time of year seem to make these particular spiders a local phenomenon (to some, anyway; several Chicagoans seem to never heard of it) -- but come on. Keep your windows shut tight "to avoid the annual migration of high rise flying spiders?" Surely the hotel was trolling folks. Remember those cute, gently floating spiders at the end of the animated <i>Charlotte's Web</i>? That's what they do. They're not attacking high rises.<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.buffalo.edu/ubreporter/2012_07_05/good_venom">Treating muscular dystrophy with spider venom</a></b>: A story of a grandfather's love, the Internet's ability to connect people, some really interesting medical research, and spider venom. Scientists from University at Buffalo think that the complex molecules in the venom of Chilean rose tarantulas may help reinforce cellular structures in patients with muscular dystrophy. Stockbroker Jeff Harvey, whose son has the disease was looking for some way to support research. The scientists needed funding. A Google search later, everyone came together. It's not a cure, but it might be a treatment. And the tarantulas aren't even radioactive. More, and much better explained, at the link.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13738377880145008895noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607828889416086008.post-90941130271085353982012-06-10T18:19:00.000-07:002012-07-17T15:47:09.073-07:00Spider Sunday 6-10-12Today, some beautiful videos.<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdZUd-Rwl1s&feature=g-u-u">World's Biggest Spider</a>: A new video on the Goliath tarantula (<i>Theraphosa blondi</i>) describes its fierceness but is refreshingly un-scaremongery: "Perhaps knowing the facts about these ancient predators can help turn human fear into fascination." I hope so too, narrator. (P.S. Does that narrator sound like Terri Irwin to anyone else?)<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-aocOht_dk&feature=relmfu">Ogre-Faced Spider vs. Soldier Ant</a>: A fairly recent "Monster Bug Wars" video from The Science Channel's channel on YouTube. Other awesome ones include their video on the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tybmTidHMtM&list=PL7F22DC9C297129D6&index=1&feature=plpp_video">redback spider</a> (a relative of Arizona's black widows), the one on the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfropwMh_sM&list=PL7F22DC9C297129D6&index=15&feature=plpp_video">green jumping spider</a>, or most any on that channel. They're a little silly and a lot dramatic, but they're pretty darn cool. And if you really want to see a poor spider really get it, you can always watch this <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAggi3eqYhg&list=PL7F22DC9C297129D6&index=16&feature=plpp_video">poor huntsman get taken down</a>.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8025/7359909904_8daac20214_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8025/7359909904_8daac20214_c.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here, a slightly happier huntsman on my patio. I fed it a cricket.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://vimeo.com/29960640">Spider mom</a>: A cellar spider lays some eggs. Totally not new, but totally, amazingly beautiful. Freaking amazing videography.<br />
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A few more spider news items:<br />
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<a href="http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2012/06/07/to-study-vampire-spiders-build-frankenstein-mosquitoes/">To study vampire spiders, build Frankenstein mosquitoes</a>: The jumping spider <i>Evarcha culicivora</i> has a very specific diet -- it feeds on blood, but only by hunting mosquitoes that have recently filled their bellies with mammalian blood. But wait -- how do you check the guts of mosquitoes before attacking them? And what's more, only females feed on blood -- I remember my son and I putting our hands into nets filled with male mosquitoes, and getting covered in insects but not bites. (Which leads me to another question: How do you go about sexing that many mosquitoes? Entomologists are dedicated.) Do the spiders seek out blood-engorged bellies above all else, or do they know to look for females, which have less feathery and elaborate antennae than males? To see how the spiders make the distinction, scientists built Frankensquitoes. Naturally. <br />
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<a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2012/06/07/tech/innovation/space-spider-egypt-student/index.html">Can jumping spiders kill in space? Student's experiment set for orbit</a>: A little bit of an update on the teenage winner of the YouTube Spacelab competition. It's a nice little profile on Amr Mohamed, who shares my spider love but definitely beats me in the initiative department.<br />
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Happy Spider Sunday! As always, check out the shots on <a href="https://plus.google.com/s/%23SpiderSunday">Spider Sunday on Google+</a>!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13738377880145008895noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607828889416086008.post-7642870880536029062012-05-17T13:23:00.001-07:002012-05-17T13:25:25.550-07:00My day in a few multitasking sentencesI found myself lecturing my son yesterday about the underpants-covered state of the entire house -- everywhere, in fact, except the laundry room.<br />
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Later, I found myself delivering the underpants lecture -- to my husband.<br />
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Sometimes I call my son the cats' names. Or call the cats "David!" at the top of my lungs.<br />
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I don't think I'm <i>that </i>scatter-brained. I think it's just that I have a handful of multitasking phrases that I recycle to get through each day. They might have different connotations depending on which person/animal I'm addressing, but these are most of the things I say in a day, in one form or another.<br />
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<b>Husband/Son</b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>I don't care. Just take off your clothes. Right now!</li>
<li>You don't understand the Marvel comic universe <i>at all</i>. You can't go by the freaking <i>cartoons</i>.</li>
<li>Put the $%#@ garbage in the $%#@ <i>garbage can</i>!</li>
<li>You know what? Fine! If you want to wear your holey underwear from three years ago that doesn't even fit you anymore, just keep putting your laundry wherever you want.</li>
<li>It's simple. If I'm on the couch with you, talk to me. If I'm writing, leave me alone. </li>
<li>Hey, can you hold up this thing over here so I can take a picture? No, like this. No, in the <i>light</i>! No; now <i>you're</i> in the light! Seriously, do you even WANT me to be able to take pictures? Fine. I'll do it myself. What? Why are you upset?</li>
<li>Trust me; you find your penis much more interesting than anyone else does.</li>
<li>Quit throwing a football in the house!</li>
<li>Quit throwing a Frisbee in the house!</li>
<li>Quit throwing a... what is that even? A giant branch? A small log?</li>
<li>No. I <i>totally meant</i> to turn the wrong way five times on my way to Phoenix. Now shut up. </li>
<li>Seriously? Did you come in here <i>just </i>to fart? </li>
<li>Fine. You can use the computer. Just leave my stuff alone. </li>
<li>No, as a matter of fact, I don't think <i>Phantom Menace</i> was better than <i>Return of the Jedi</i>. What are you; nuts?</li>
<li>I love you.</li>
</ul>
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<b>Son/Cats</b><br />
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<ul>
<li>Did you just barf on the rug?!</li>
<li>Your food is just fine. And I just filled your water. And stop crying.</li>
<li>I need to cut your nails, and squirming like this is only going to make it worse.</li>
<li>It's just a vacuum, not the end of the world.</li>
<li>We really don't need you to announce every time you go to poop. </li>
<li>Quit licking me.</li>
<li>Don't climb on the shelf.</li>
<li>I really don't understand your obsession with butts. </li>
</ul>
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<b>Husband/Cats</b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Honestly, are you snoring or starting a lawnmower in your throat?</li>
<li>Are you going to sleep all day? </li>
<li>Get you paw off my boob. </li>
<li>You're adorable.</li>
</ul>
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<b>Creditors/Bank/Editor/HOA</b><br />
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<ul>
<li>What a funny coincidence! That thing you called to check on, because it's so late? I was <i>just </i>doing it/sending it over!</li>
</ul>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13738377880145008895noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607828889416086008.post-66142313199834384022012-05-06T17:41:00.005-07:002012-05-06T17:41:40.120-07:00Spider Sunday 5-6-12It's Sunday, so it must be time for spiders! Here are a few updates from the world of the coolest arthropods there are:<br />
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<b>Just in case you thought your size protected you</b><br />
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Snake-eating spiders! A few weeks ago, we had the <a href="http://www.cairns.com.au/article/2012/04/19/215081_local-news.html">orb weaver in Cairns</a> eating an unlucky brown tree snake, and now, here's a <a href="http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/8461310/redback-spider-eats-snake-in-wa">redback spider</a> from Port Hedland in Western Australia enjoying a similar meal. It's not just in Australia, either! A while ago we had one locally, at Boyce Thompson Arboretum, where a black widow made a slow but gluttonous meal out of <a href="http://boycethompson.blogspot.com/2010/11/widow-wins-big_23.html">an unfortunate coral snake</a>. And those are just the ones we <i>know </i>about. Snakes beware.<br />
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<b>Speaking of black widows...</b><br />
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I did a <a href="http://www.arizona-writer.com/2012/05/friday-5-black-widows-actual-best.html">Friday 5 post</a> on the beauties, and why they're my favorite spiders. It's just my own measly blog, but it is my blog, so I can promote my own stuff if I want to. Go check it out if you're so inclined and tell me about your favorite spiders!<br />
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<b>I, for one, welcome our new robot spider overlords</b><br />
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Don't worry, it's not really a spider. More like a giant ... robot ... arm ... thing. At an MIT Media Lab, <a href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/254495/robotic_spider_weaves_web_at_mit_media_lab.html">scientists are teaching a robot to weave webs</a>, based on preset structures. One day, they hope to make the process autonomous. I already said I welcome them, right?<br />
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<b>Peter Parker's web shooters can't be far away</b><br /><br />Scientists , including Jeffery Yarger from my alma mater, Arizona State University, are using high-energy X-rays to <a href="http://phys.org/news/2012-05-untangling-mysteries-spider-silk.html">study spiders' dragline silk</a> (the webbing they let out to dangle in front of your face). Ultimately, they'd like to produce artificial spider silk that makes use of the same amazing mechanical and elastic properties.<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13738377880145008895noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607828889416086008.post-70875979733927793712012-05-04T12:33:00.000-07:002012-05-06T15:48:53.543-07:00Friday 5: Black widows, the actual best spiders<div style="text-align: left;">
I said some time ago that I was going to write a response to The Dragonfly Woman's post, <a href="http://thedragonflywoman.com/2012/04/06/fabulous-salties/">Why Jumping Spiders Will Always Be My Favorite Spiders</a>. Sure, they're cute. And hilarious dancers. And ridiculously photogenic. She picked a good family. However, my loyalties lie elsewhere. I'm sure you already know what's coming.<br />
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<b><u>Five reasons black widows are <i>actually </i>the best spiders</u></b><br />
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<b>You have to seek them out</b></div>
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Black widows won't come after you. This might be good news if you're, well, <i>normal</i>, but if you're a spider lover -- or just that rare breed of bug-loving, camera-toting nut that really isn't so rare in this crowd -- it might be vexing. Black widows aren't out during the day. They build webs in corners. They vanish into little hidey holes when they sense the slightest movement, and then they won't come out for hours, sometimes. (I know. I've waited.)</div>
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Somehow, this hard-to-get routine makes them that much more appealing. Like those CDs that used to be so hard to open, or a dish that takes a while to cook. (I assume. I spend more time with the spiders than in the kitchen.) I've spent more hours than I should probably admit, poised by the corner of our patio or next to the broken pipe that houses a big female every year. I genuinely get excited when those first legs tiptoe out of the gloom. </div>
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<b>You have to look closely</b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4140/4872672157_d69b6780ed_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4140/4872672157_d69b6780ed_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gimme a kiss!</td></tr>
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Not everyone I run into knows or has looked carefully enough to note the shape of the red or orange abdomen marking on a black widow (it's an hourglass, sometimes two disconnected triangles). But there's much more; and unlike some big-eyed, fancy-dancing, well-coiffed spiders who shall <a href="http://thedragonflywoman.com/2012/04/06/fabulous-salties/">remain nameless</a>; black widows play it a bit closer to the chest (or cephalothorax). Have you ever really seen a black widow's eyes? They're smaller than a jumping spider's, but kind of endearingly buggy. Do you know the exact sheen on an adult female's abdomen, and the dimples that invariably form? Have you ever caught the pinprick glisten on a widow's fangs as she eats a moth? Either most people are missing out, or I really need a life. OK, it's probably a little of both.</div>
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<b>They're sexy</b></div>
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Come on. Even if you don't think the two terms belong within a mile of each other, think "spider" and "sexy." What's the general shape in your mind? It's a black widow, isn't it?</div>
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Apparently, Google agrees. Over the course of the past few years, I've had reason to search for "black widow" and "black widow female" several times. Here's what usually happens:<br />
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Now, there's plenty to be annoyed about -- the feminist in me and the "No, I meant the spider!" in me both take issue with the results. But you've got to admit, this is a spider with presence. A spider people want to <i>be</i>. Just imagine people trying to emulate any other spider. Try to imagine a Marvel hero named "Salticidae" or "Orb weaver." (OK, so there are a few "Tarantulas" in Marvel and DC, but they're all super lame.) The jet-black color, the curves, the long, slender legs. And yes, the venom and (mostly apocryphal) mate eating. The black widow spider is iconic. If jumping spiders are great ambassadors because they're adorable puppy-dog "gateway" spiders, then black widows are the conversation starters. They're the quintessential <i>spider </i>spiders.</div>
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<b>Their webs are awesome</b></div>
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I know, there are prettier webs, larger webs, and a few stronger webs. But black widow webs remain my favorites. The thread is shockingly strong. And although the web looks like a disorganized mess, it functions like a three-dimensional pulley system and sensory grid. It's a machine. And it's fascinating to watch the operators at work. Black widows are a little like penguins or seals in one way -- on the ground, they're awkward and clumsy, toddling and wobbling about, but in their environment (their web, rather than water), they're full of sinuous, remarkable, swift grace. They run through the web instinctively, throwing silk loops around prey moments after it becomes entangled.<br />
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<b>No one expects it</b><br />
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For black widows to be my favorite, that is. (Also, the Spanish Inquisition.)<br />
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They're venomous! I have pets and a kid! They <a href="http://www.arizona-writer.com/2010/09/night-i-wore-hundred-black-widows.html">traumatized me</a>! And they're venomous! I know a friend of a friend of a friend of etc. that could have died once from what was almost kind of certainly maybe a black widow bite!<br />
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First, they're not as dangerous as all that. Yes, they have potent venom; but they bite people so rarely, and only when directly threatened, and even then the person is usually fine; as to make actively fearing them make about as much sense as fearing cars. (Actually, you're in much more danger around a car, probably.) Just be careful. And let the venom and danger prompt you to learn more. Also, I love adorable jumping spiders and their ability to bring more people into the spider loving fold. But if we can love these spiders too -- the most venomous spiders around, the ones who get such a bad rap for mate eating, the ones with freaking danger signs on their abdomens -- then maybe we can love them all. And by extension, all critters. Look closely. Be amazed. </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13738377880145008895noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607828889416086008.post-22632469270234433882012-04-16T14:54:00.001-07:002012-04-16T14:59:28.487-07:00Spider Sunday 4-15-12I'm a little late getting this week's Spider Sunday up, but I did have a very spidery Sunday! Black widows in my backyard and garage (pics later, though hopefully no <a href="www.arizona-writer.com/2010/09/night-i-wore-hundred-black-widows.html">shirtless episodes</a>), jumping spiders on our nature walk, and a spider lowering itself onto my head as I drove (I hope you parachuted to safety, car spider). To top it all off, on the way to the jumping spider hike, my son reached the point in his <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Quillan-Games-Pendragon-D-J-MacHale/dp/1416914234">current book</a> where the main character gets attacked by thousands of robot ... spider ... <a href="http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2011/038/1/9/robo_spider_quig_by_skoobasteev-d392clp.jpg">things</a>. He wishes fervently they were real, and ours.<br /><br />As always, check out the gorgeous images at <a href="https://plus.google.com/114258026580679698529/posts">Spider Sunday on G+</a>, and here are some more spidery goings-on!<br /><br /><a href="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5032/7085328337_79418a6819_z.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 640px; height: 457px;" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5032/7085328337_79418a6819_z.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Spiders in Borneo</span><br /><span style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Buttons"><span onmouseover="ButtonHoverOn(this);" onmouseout="ButtonHoverOff(this);" onmouseup="" onmousedown="CheckFormatting(event);FormatbarButton('richeditorframe', this, 8);ButtonMouseDown(this);" class="" style="display: block;" id="formatbar_CreateLink" title="Link"><img src="http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif" alt="Link" class="gl_link" border="0" /></span></span><br />If you're into spiders, or biology, or evolution, or super-cool stories, you need to read this blog series at <span style="font-style: italic;">Scientific American</span>. Wayne Maddison is a spider guy. Scratch that. He's kind of like the Indiana Jones of jumping spider scientists. He treks about in off-the-map jungles, finding jumping spiders no one knows about yet. In other words, he does my absolute dream job, only fittingly, and unlike me, he's supremely qualified for the task. Start at <a href="http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/expeditions/2012/03/12/spiders-in-borneo-introduction/">the introduction</a> and read through to his <a href="http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/expeditions/2012/04/16/spiders-in-borneo-the-spiders-who-wouldnt-be/">latest post</a>, cataloging the specimens after some of the coolest field work ever.<br /><br /><a href="http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4074/4932966796_d9fe4a01ca_z.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 640px; height: 427px;" src="http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4074/4932966796_d9fe4a01ca_z.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">I'm sure how you use it matters too</span><br /><br />It's a crucial organ. Hardness, stiffness, shape, and ability to penetrate are all of utmost importance.<br /><br />I'm talking about spider fangs, of course. What did it <span style="font-style: italic;">sound </span>like I was talking about?<br /><br />If you're a spider, fangs are pretty important, for defense as well as hunting. Many spiders subsist mainly on insects, whose exoskeletons are made of chitin, roughly the same material that makes up spider fangs. So how do the spiders penetrate the chemically similar exoskeletons of their prey? By injecting venom with fangs made of composite material, basically chitin layered with a fancy protein matrix, and tipped not with chitin, but with high amounts of zinc and chlorine. Explained with a higher knowledge of biomaterials and also a higher level of eloquence <a href="http://www.materialsviews.com/biomaterials-with-bite-a-new-understanding-of-the-spiders-fang/">here</a>. (Notice use of the word "venom" rather than "poison." Please, please notice this, any newspeople who fire off an article on the study.)<br /><br /><a href="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5072/6939213348_fde4473039_z.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 298px; height: 417px;" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5072/6939213348_fde4473039_z.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Spider venom for the cure?</span><br /><br />I've been withholding judgment on the handful of articles I've seen recently about using spider venom to fight breast cancer, mainly because I didn't have time to really read up on it and both spiders and cancer are rife with silly claims. However, <a href="http://www.cairns.com.au/article/2012/04/09/213831_local-news.html">this study at James Cook University</a> seems to be legitimate, and we'll see where it goes. Heck, certain fish have been studied for kidney disease and skin cancer research and Gila monsters have given saliva for diabetes research, so why not? (However, word to the wise: Don't search online too long about animal-derived cures unless you have an abnormally high tolerance for bullshit, fake medicine, and animal cruelty.)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Can I just use them for fun?</span><br /><br />One possible use for Google Glasses? Spiders everywhere!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.livescience.com/19669-virtual-reality-spiders-crawl-phobia-treatment.html?utm_source=Marleybonez-via-twitter">This augmented reality application</a> is supposed to be a next-gen treatment for arachnophobes. Check out the video at the bottom. My favorite part: The spiders' personalities are programmable. So we really are one step closer to artificial arachnid intelligence. My son will be thrilled.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13738377880145008895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607828889416086008.post-35348801233762749222012-04-08T17:14:00.013-07:002012-04-10T01:01:14.902-07:00Spider Sunday 4-8-12I have a hard time curating the <a href="https://plus.google.com/107408720924877751027/posts/Gb6bE4n9td8">Spider Sunday theme</a> each week on Google+.<br /><br />It's not that I don't love it -- quite the opposite. The problem is that first, I have to resist the urge to find every last person (though they are extremely few and far between) who makes a point to find spider shots and then type something like "Ewwwww! I hate spiders," or "These insects [<span style="font-style: italic;">yes, a few people really say that</span>] are so gross," or "Kill it with fire!" so I can insult and/or correct them. And second, and even more of a difficulty, is the fact that I tend to just ogle the shots instead of sharing, plussing, or commenting at first. It's like when I'm asked to edit something really good. I forget the task and just bask in it. Eventually I get around to responding coherently, but first, I just stare. I mean, how can I help but stare at shots like <a href="https://plus.google.com/photos/112119701706188379523/albums/5684774777713598641/5713295796383315042">this</a>, <a href="https://plus.google.com/photos/105307122700891838084/albums/5677747125888866385/5700706798368975154">this</a>, <a href="https://plus.google.com/109078482373047829757/posts/9Dcm13BzTxY">this</a>, or <a href="https://plus.google.com/115924865466302265389/posts/QUAap173Bnz">this</a>, or a ton of others? Follow these people on Sunday, everyone. I guarantee you'll love spiders in a few weeks.<br /><br />Also, check out some other bloggers' stuff on spiders -- my friend Chris of <a href="thedragonflywoman.com">The Dragonfly Woman</a> shared some saltie fabulousness on her <a href="http://thedragonflywoman.com/2012/04/06/fabulous-salties/">Friday 5: Why Jumping Spiders Will Always Be My Favorite Spiders</a>, and you should totally check it out (though I might have to write a competing Friday 5 about black widows).<br /><br />Oh, and happy Easter, everyone! I made an Easter card for you:<br /><br /><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7210/6916986368_c10ed9fdd8_z.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 640px; height: 640px;" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7210/6916986368_c10ed9fdd8_z.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The rest of today's images are from a few long-jawed orb weavers I spent time with, who preferred to leave off the bunny ears.<br /><br />A few spider tidbits for this week:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">National "Be Kind to Spiders" Week</span><br />April 1 to 7 was <a href="http://mix108.com/its-national-be-kind-to-spiders-week/">National "Be Kind to Spiders" Week</a>! I observed it, but then, I observe spider kindness every week.<br /><br /><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7266/6916987266_23a41c2414_z.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 640px; height: 457px;" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7266/6916987266_23a41c2414_z.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Forget snakes on a plane; we've got spiders on a space station!</span><br /><span name="advenueINTEXT" id="advenueINTEXT">In the very first <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/spacelab">YouTube SpaceLab contest</a>, students ages 14 to 18 from around the world were invited to pitch science experiments to be conducted in space. One of the winners -- 18-year-old Amr Mohamed of Egypt, who proposed sending jumping spiders into space to see if they could adapt the way they jump and hunt. Since they can adjust their trajectories on Earth, he reasoned, it's worth checking what they'll do in zero gravity. It'll be, like Mohamed said, "</span>the first time in history for an animal to change its way of hunting to zero-gravity environments." <span name="advenueINTEXT" id="advenueINTEXT">Like any good scientist he has a hypothesis -- he thinks they won't be able to catch their prey -- but who knows? I love that I never would have even though to do something like this. His experiment is being prepared, and will ride to the International Space Station on a cargo ship. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=2YV1WHjNs4E#%21">Check out his video here</a>, and watch all the videos if you get a chance. One of the greatest things about both young people and scientists is the spirit of drive, optimism, cooperation and just sheer geeky, curious camaraderie. Good stuff. And spiders in space! How cool is that?<br /><br /><a href="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5341/7063067317_b4a5db212d_z.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 640px; height: 427px;" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5341/7063067317_b4a5db212d_z.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Amateurs discover new (super pretty) jumping spider</span><br />A naturalist, but not a spider expert or even professional photographer, takes a photo of a spider and shares it. A <a href="http://www.canberratimes.com.au/environment/how-amateurs-discovered-namadgis-tiny-dancer-20120402-1w95e.html">possible new species is discovered</a>. The Flickr community. Citizen science. An outrageously gorgeous spider. Is there anything not to like about this story?<br /><br /><a href="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5034/6916669794_3b7b44d97e_z.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 640px; height: 427px;" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5034/6916669794_3b7b44d97e_z.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Someone make me one of these</span><br />I've had scissors confiscated at the airport. If I had known <a href="http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2012/03/scissors-confiscated-by-the-tsa-welded-into-spiders/">this was where they were going</a>, I'd have brought a bunch to donate. I <span style="font-style: italic;">love </span>this sculpture.<br /><br />That's it for now! I hope everyone had a great Easter. Our chocolate bunnies are already earless and one of our empty candy containers holds a jumping spider. So, you know, business as usual.<br /><br /><a href="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5463/7062753417_6f3f2447d3_z.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 640px; height: 427px;" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5463/7062753417_6f3f2447d3_z.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13738377880145008895noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607828889416086008.post-55475436265189812012-04-04T19:03:00.002-07:002012-04-04T19:07:56.852-07:00Why my son isn't special, and yours isn't either<a href="http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4124/5094279830_dfdb2c3243_z.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 285px; height: 399px;" src="http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4124/5094279830_dfdb2c3243_z.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Someone sent me a link to the (no longer airing) television show <span style="font-style: italic;">Psychic Kids</span> the other day.<br /><br />My son, the person contends, might be like these kids. Not socially maladjusted, probably, and not with these abilities, but he's got a special something. He's not like most kids. Check this show out.<br /><br />I'd never watched it. I had a feeling it would just rile me up, and I was right. I felt dirty watching it. It really seems to border on child abuse. These smart, sensitive, fascinating kids were getting all the wrong messages; their parents were getting all the wrong messages; and no one was being helped. The kids want validation, guidance, understanding; and they can't get it except through exploitation and fakery.<br /><br />But here's the thing: I kind of, sort of, understand where the parents are coming from.<br /><br />No, not like that. I'm still me, after all. Rational, skeptical, wholly anti-woo. What I understand is the parents' urge to have their kids be special. Unique. Like <span style="font-style: italic;">really, really</span> unique. Their talents are different from everyone else's talents, so of <span style="font-style: italic;">course </span>their problems are different from everyone else's problems.<br /><br />And they're right. The kids' talents and problems are unique, and difficult, and nuanced. Just like <span style="font-style: italic;">everyone's</span> problems. Their kids are hard to reach, and their problems are hard to address. <span style="font-style: italic;">Just like all kids.</span><br /><br /><a href="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3586/4564196038_c5f7476000_z.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 285px; height: 415px;" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3586/4564196038_c5f7476000_z.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>I see it in Arizona all the time, these two extremes. At one end, you have the hard, grizzled "I ain't buyin' this 'Everyone's a special snowflake' bullshit; now pull yourself up by your bootstraps!" guys. Think ranchers, cowboys, farmers. Everything is black and white. Every problem is easily addressed, and there's one -- and usually only one -- common-sense solution. Anyone who thinks otherwise is a namby-pamby idiot. At the other end, you have the froofy, kooky "We're just the universe getting to mystically know itself" crowd. Think UFOlogists, Sedona vortex seekers, and the folks who love to talk about the Phoenix Lights while showing you their crystal collection. (I actually had someone do this.) Now I truly love the grizzled Arizona frontiersman, and I love me some dreamy Sedona artists, but this is silly. Truth and validation are not magical, but neither are they simple. It's not always either "Here's your problem. I fixed it!" or "There is no answer on this physical realm." That's what I'm talking about with <span style="font-style: italic;">Psychic Kids</span>.<br /><br />It's entirely possible that these kids have more -- maybe much more -- talent and difficulty in some areas. The kids have mental issues and aptitudes that their peers won't understand. It's necessary to grant them this validation. However, it's just as likely, and just as necessary to express to the kids, that other children have issues and aptitudes that <span style="font-style: italic;">they </span>don't have and won't understand. You don't get to be the star of the world. You don't even get to be the star of your own world. You're a spectator and participant, and it's infinitely better and more interesting that way.<br /><br />Maybe these kids' talents and problems lie along more difficult-to-discern, difficult-to-deal-with lines. Maybe the parents decided they don't understand what their kids are going through -- <a href="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3515/3203207951_f8fc051049_z.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 285px; height: 425px;" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3515/3203207951_f8fc051049_z.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>which is fine; but then decided that it must be incomprehensible to anyone, paranormal -- which is not fine. You don't need to resort to magic for your kid to be special. Magic isn't real. Your kid's specialness is. Your kids problems are.<br /><br />Am I one of those hippie parents who thinks everyone's a winner? Yeah. I guess I am.<br /><br />But here's the difference: I'm not saying your (or your kid's) special beauty lies in some unable-to-be-grasped magical aura. I'm specifically saying it does not. It's real. You might not be able to grasp it, but it's graspable. It's concrete. You're special, and there are ways to find out how. You have problems, and there are ways to pin them down and address them. Same for your kid. Everyone is special. Everyone's a winner. This doesn't diminish the words "special" and "winner," because we all win at different categories. And we all suck royal donkey balls at several categories as well. Same for your kid.<br /><br />Apparently (according to the original link sender), this makes me a closed-minded wet blanket. I don't see why. The choices aren't "My kid has black and white talents and foibles that I can readily describe" or "My kid is a magical starchild." Do you really think every kid but a select few is less complex, less nuanced, less worthy of wonder and consideration; than psychic kids, savants, "Indigo" children, "Crystal" children, kids with an affinity for animals, or whatever specialty your kid has? How is that better than "My football player can kick your honor student's ass?"<a href="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2643/4161183633_e81d7459f1_z.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 285px; height: 427px;" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2643/4161183633_e81d7459f1_z.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Of <span style="font-style: italic;">course </span>I think my kid is the most special kid in the world. And it doesn't feel like an opinion. But it is an opinion, and none less valid for being one. He's the most special because of his unmatched (in my limited experience) imagination and way with animals, because of his intelligence and insight, because of his kindness, and yes, because of his flaws. (His ability to focus, for example, is so miniscule that while we were ice skating the other day he stopped, simply because he <span style="font-style: italic;">forgot to keep moving his legs</span>. I'm relieved that breathing is involuntary.) His specialness is born from his specific set of characteristics as well as those of everyone he encounters. His shared experiences and private thoughts write a specific story that's his, and to a much lesser extent, mine and my husband's. His story is staggeringly beautiful. It is mind-searingly tiresome. It is heart-breakingly, uniquely painful. It is heart-meltingly amazing. I'm proud, touched, annoyed, exasperated, and amazed every moment that I'm with him. I try, from time to time, to share some of that with you. But here's the thing -- I share the <span style="font-style: italic;">qualities </span>of it. I share the universal -- or near universal -- parts, including the universal happiness we all feel from witnessing someone's distinct footprint on the world. I share the details to show the beauty. I don't expect the details themselves to impress anyone, because I know they're not objectively special, at least not in the sense that they're unique to us. And they don't need to be. The whole package is special. Isn't that enough?<br /><br />Which brings me back to what I suspect some of the <span style="font-style: italic;">Psychic Kids</span> parents are doing. Their kids have talents, sensitivities, and problems that happen to be hard to put a finger on. Fine. So spend time with your kids. Validate them, even if your answer is "I believe you, but I don't know what is happening. There is a real answer out there. Let's find it together." Even if it takes a lifetime to find, even if you never find the answer. Because you'll make your own answer along the way, and it will be built of a million real things. <a href="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3007/2941757769_42d9cfb22d_z.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 342px; height: 228px;" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3007/2941757769_42d9cfb22d_z.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Early morning cuddling and dinnertime fights. Walks through meadows in the golden hour and homework nagging. Sleepovers and playground fights. Snapshots by road signs and sinks full of dishes. Board games and cats and dogs and backyards and cookies and toys and baseball games and school dances and a million other things that won't be special to anyone on the planet but you and your kid. And that's fine. Think of the world you'll discover together. Think of the people he'll meet, who'll get to know him in return. He will grow up with volumes of special experiences. What's more, the understanding that it's the big picture that makes who we are, that no one's concerned about his mundane trivialities -- but only because each one of them is carrying a whole universe of their own, waiting to be explored -- I think he'll be infinitely better for it than if you told him he has magical powers and sent him to a spooky house with some wacko.<br /><br /><a href="http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4149/5018299656_83cb99d09c_z.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 640px; height: 457px;" src="http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4149/5018299656_83cb99d09c_z.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13738377880145008895noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607828889416086008.post-22022066743818756702012-03-18T13:07:00.001-07:002012-03-19T20:24:55.854-07:00Spider Sunday 3-18-12<a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7061/6847631072_61f5a8a78a_z.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 376px; height: 401px;" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7061/6847631072_61f5a8a78a_z.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://network.bestfriends.org/460/news.aspx">Another reason to geek out on 3/14</a><br />If you're a dork (and if you're reading this you probably are), you know March 14 was <a href="http://www.piday.org/">Pi Day</a>. What you probably didn't know -- I didn't until yesterday -- is that it was also <a href="http://network.bestfriends.org/460/news.aspx">National Save a Spider Day</a>! Credit goes to my aunt, Heather, for passing on this reminder from Heloise. I guess it's only fitting, now that I've got spider pictures coming at me from across the country and even world, that I get my family and friends in on it too. You guys "celebrate" spider day weekly and sometimes daily on my Facebook wall on and in my inbox. You're all weird and wonderful. I shall become the spider queen and you will all be my spider-rescuing, spider-info-hoarding minions. Mwahaha!<br /><br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://adorablespiders.tumblr.com/">I can't believe I didn't share this earlier</a><br />I'm not too big into Tumblr, but you all must follow this site, <a href="http://adorablespiders.tumblr.com/">FACT: Spiders are Adorable</a>, as long as they're posting content. Spider humor, spider fact tidbits, spider photos, spider macros (of both the close-up photography and humorous-text-having varieties), and all forms of spider love. Go see it.<br /><br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://abcnews.go.com/Health/deadly-brown-recluse-spider-coming-town/story?id=15904498#.T2Y0gfXyCSo">Brown(ie) points: Brown recluse in the news</a><br />The brown recluse spider, <span style="font-style: italic;">Loxosceles reclusa</span>, has been featured quite a bit in the news lately -- from the apparent spread of their territory and <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0017731">research</a> to better define our understanding of their range, to recent cases like <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/13/brown-recluse-takes-ear_n_1342319.html">college student Nikki Perez</a>, who was almost blinded due to a brown recluse bite. It's a medically significant spider, with unique and potentially quite harmful venom, and climate change could be affecting its range, so this is important stuff. Of course, there's quite a bit of difference between the predicted "possible migration of the spider by 2020" to new areas, and the melodramatic headlines ("America in Danger!") that I began seeing this week. <a href="http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/imagepages/19570.htm">This</a> is what a brown recluse looks like, with a coin for scale. Its range is the Southeast to the Midwest. And if you have a giant brown spider on your wall, it's still probably not a brown recluse. Just, you know, be smart. Most people are never bitten by <span style="font-style: italic;">any </span>spider, so don't start worrying about inevitable blindness/ear rotting/body-part-loss/general doom just yet.<br /><br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/15/arts/artsspecial/spiders-alive-at-the-natural-history-museum.html?_r=2&ref=science">Spider sensitivity training</a><a href="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2701/5819916091_1404deb33f_z.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 387px; height: 309px;" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2701/5819916091_1404deb33f_z.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I love this! The American Museum of Natural History is preparing to open an interactive exhibit, "Spiders Alive!" starting in July. Sensitive to the needs of the spiders, reaching out to the humans ... everyone wins. And we get to learn more about these amazing arthropods. I'm quite fond of Norman I. Platnick, the museum’s curator of spiders (although I'm also quite jealous of his profession). A few quotes:<br /><blockquote>Of the new exhibit, (Mr. Platnick said), “I’ve always argued that it would draw as many people as the dinosaurs, if not more.”</blockquote>and<br /><blockquote>Mr. Platnick, who has been at the museum since 1973, had long lobbied for a permanent hall devoted to spiders, insects and other arthropods. Not having one, he said, “is a major gap for a major natural history museum.”</blockquote>I'm glad to see arachnids have such an awesome advocate. Now who wants to pay for me to go to the exhibit in July?<br /><br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2012/02/23/spiders-appear-bigger-when-you-fear-them/">Spiders look bigger to arachnophobes</a><br />Yes, I saw the recent article. My husband agrees wholeheartedly, and feels vindicated for the many incidents in which I <span style="font-style: italic;">may </span>have implied he's a big baby for being afraid of something half the size of his pinky fingernail. I don't know, though. I see a sea of emerald sparkles in a jumping spider's eyes, and a veritable forest of hair on its back. Maybe it's just fixation that makes the spiders appear massive.<br /><br />My husband doesn't particularly care why. They're huge, according to him.<br /><br />Oh, well. I've seen him watching them and photographing them when he thinks I'm not looking. And he <span style="font-style: italic;">does </span>know there's not an army of invading brown recluses. It's a start.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13738377880145008895noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607828889416086008.post-29905772884296287612012-03-11T23:33:00.005-07:002012-03-17T10:29:01.727-07:00Spider Sunday 3-11-12Forgive me if this one is up a little bit late. This Spider Sunday is also my son's tenth (!) birthday. The festivities started Saturday with an all-day amusement park trip, and I am already exhausted.<br /><br />But onto the spiders (and a few of their relations, in this edition)!<br /><br /><a href="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3095/5827276587_b76fc0c29f_z.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 357px; height: 285px;" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3095/5827276587_b76fc0c29f_z.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JK2dR8ei5E">Are Daddy Long legs Spiders?</a><br />If you're still confused about the daddy long legs issue, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JK2dR8ei5E">this video</a> is pretty good, and it's a great mini-lesson on taxonomy in general. It illustrates why I never use the term. My only nitpick: he should say "<span style="font-style: italic;">venom </span>glands," not "<span style="font-style: italic;">poison </span>glands." (Two pedantic spider points in one item! I win!)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.wtsp.com/news/article/243048/58/Are-camel-spiders-invading-Phoenix">Are camel spiders from overseas invading Phoenix?</a><br />Short answer: No. Longer answer: Are you serious? No. And word to the wise (and also reporters): They're not actually spiders; and they're certainly not insects.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-VM9X-uRmE">Speaking of camel spiders</a><br />OK, I know they're not real spiders, but more than a few people sent me blips about <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-VM9X-uRmE">this film</a>, which reaffirms all the myths we've heard (but unlike squeamish reporters, know are false) about camel spiders. Like <span style="font-style: italic;">Arachnophobia</span>, only nowhere near as good. Still, campy fun. Starring the guy who played Leo on <span style="font-style: italic;">Charmed</span>, apparently.<br /><br />Spider silk = super substance<a href="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2567/4039954718_ca6fe64ca2_z.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 309px; height: 309px;" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2567/4039954718_ca6fe64ca2_z.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Dumbledore might have discovered <span class="st"> the twelve uses of dragon blood, but I'm pretty sure we've already topped twelve uses for spider silk, besides getting in our faces and catching dinner for spiders. There's the <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2012/jan/24/spider-silk-cape-show">fantastic cape</a> from a little while ago. It might have <a href="http://medgadget.com/2012/02/spider-silk-inspired-biomedical-thread.html">applications for wound healing</a>. And this week we've got <a href="http://news.discovery.com/tech/spider-silk-makes-violin-strings-120306.html">violin strings</a> from spun spider silk, and the discovery that <a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120305132613.htm">spider silk conducts heat</a> as well as metals, and hundreds of times better than any other organic material. Spider silk: Is there anything it can't do?<br /><br /><a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46706906/ns/technology_and_science-science/#.T15yE_XyCSo">It can freak people out, that's for sure</a><br />As the farm town of Wagga Wagga, Australia faced rising floods, the people moved out and the <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46706906/ns/technology_and_science-science/#.T15yE_XyCSo">wolf spiders moved in</a> -- and it <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/thousands-spiders-blanket-australian-farm-escaping-flood-165958059.html">snowed spider silk</a>. </span><br /><br />OK. Now I'm really sorry for the lateness of the post. Apologies for the parting mental image. Sleep well!<br /><br /><p><span style="display:none">sciseekclaimtoken-4f64c92acf3c8</span></p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13738377880145008895noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607828889416086008.post-90925227237565937492012-03-09T19:49:00.002-07:002012-03-09T19:53:02.165-07:00Friday 5: Things I learned teaching nature photography to kidsI've been a little busy lately (I know; haven't we all), but I'm actually trying to build up a buffer so I can really write polished posts again -- funny stuff, poignant stuff, all that crap. I miss that. I'm also streamlining how I handle my blog and my various other time-sucks, so I can get to know more of you. (Find me on <a href="https://plus.google.com/107408720924877751027/posts">Google+</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/#%21/arizonawriter">Twitter</a>, or <a href="https://www.facebook.com/khosey1">Facebook</a>; we can waste time together!)<br /><br />But I have been doing stuff! Story pitches. Research. And sometimes, I even get out of the house. I taught a kids' photography workshop at the Chandler Environmental Education Center. After some first-timer fumbling, I do hope I taught them a thing or two and we all had a good time, in the classroom, but mostly in the field. It's all stuff that's old-hat to my photographer friends, and even many who've read <a href="http://www.arizona-writer.com/2011/04/nature-photography-tips-from-complete.html">some posts here</a>, so I'll go a different route. Here are five lessons they taught me.<br /><br />1. Streams must always be crossed. Repeatedly. Here's how to tell which side of the stream is best: It's not where you are at the moment.<br /><br /><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7059/6968332077_7ee0f83041_z.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 640px; height: 427px;" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7059/6968332077_7ee0f83041_z.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Make sure you choose the mossiest, most slippery rocks when crossing. If you feel like you're slipping, fling your camera around a few times for balance. Especially if it's holding the instructor's telephoto lens.<br /><br />2. You might have to go through the mud. Scratch that. You'll always have to go through the mud. Don't worry; you can take your shoes off and leave them behind for the instructor! Also, try to spread yourselves out as widely as possible, especially if there's only one adult watching you all. If she looks worried about keeping an eye on the two of you at the stream, the one by the cactus and the rest stalking the egret, don't worry. She's savoring the challenge.<br /><br />3. The best place to hold a photograph is with your thumb pressed firmly into the front of the print. The best way to hold pricey camera equipment is however the hell you want. If it's your turn to borrow the telephoto lens and you notice the instructor's eyes bugging as she appears to be using the force to stop the lens from careening into stuff, don't worry. It's just another challenge! See how the game works?<br /><br />4. Teachers love when you take surreptitious pictures of them. Seriously. They don't mind at all that you're clicking and giggling away in the middle of a lecture. And they especially love the up-the-nostril angle you capture from your seat.<br /><br />5. Bugs are beautiful. Pooping is funny. That orange rust-colored stuff in the water is really a plant. It doesn't matter if you don't know what you're doing; just start doing it and it'll come. Smelly feathers are still worth saving. Make sure you pick up stray fishing line. Surreptitiously remove the bread from the ducks after the old couple walks away; supply cracked corn instead. Protect the birds' nests. Cormorants look like they're stuck up. Kids are freaking wonderful.<br /><br /><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7060/6822212196_c9c18e9be9_z.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 640px; height: 427px;" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7060/6822212196_c9c18e9be9_z.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13738377880145008895noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607828889416086008.post-6873646362519093602012-02-14T15:30:00.011-07:002014-11-24T13:15:03.170-07:00I was a teenage troll, or how I came to accept evolution<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZqwO0xlN0xY/Tzrhk2faIJI/AAAAAAAAGSo/tUvQ43Za2dg/s1600/darwin%2Bchange.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZqwO0xlN0xY/Tzrhk2faIJI/AAAAAAAAGSo/tUvQ43Za2dg/s320/darwin%2Bchange.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709123500864315538" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 296px; margin: 0 0 10px 10px; width: 193px;" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Today is both Valentine's Day and my state's 100th anniversary! Happy day! Before that, though, Darwin Day was on Sunday, and I thought I'd share a post on an Arizona teacher I only later came to love. I didn't name names -- I don't know if he'd have wanted me to -- but those who had the same teacher will recognize him, and perhaps there are more like him. Love of science is appropriate for today, anyway, as is Arizonan stubbornness. </span><br />
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My high school years were unremarkable. I didn’t hate them, but they certainly weren’t my glory days. Still, everyone has standout memories from high school. Some of mine -- crashing a school dance, cliques, that one class you take because the teacher lets you ditch -- are fairly universal. Others -- rattlesnake awareness days, meeting friends at a desert lake at the end of a precipitous dirt-road drive or at a restaurant called “The Feedbag,” cowboy fights breaking out at lunch -- might be more local, but folks from my school will recognize them.<br />
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The ones I remember the most are a little more unique. The Time I Forgot to Wear Pants. The Pavlov Drooling Experiment in Math Class. The Time My Science Teacher Gave me the Silent Treatment, Forcing me to Accept Evolution and Reality.<br />
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Because yesterday was Darwin Day, We’ll focus on that last one today. Sorry if you wanted to hear the pants story.<br />
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This may come as a shock to anyone who has experienced one of my diatribes against science haters of all stripes -- but in high school, I went through a brief, extremely enthusiastic, and very embarrassing creationist phase.<br />
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Our biology teacher probably wouldn’t survive in today’s school system, at least not with the recent revival of creationist fervor. This was a guy who focused pointedly and heavily on biological evolution, a guy who made it known to anyone who asked that he was an atheist, a guy who drew Darwin fish in everyone’s yearbooks. When a student in class sneezed, he didn’t just refrain from the mildly religious “God bless you.” He said “Go to Hell.” He was an <span style="font-style: italic;">anti</span>-theist, before I knew that there was such a thing.<br />
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His class was revered and reviled in equal measure. His worksheets were legendary. The labs were long and difficult, but invariably fascinating. He had a seemingly endless collection of formaldehyde-preserved animals -- hag fish, worms, bony fish, sea urchins, snakes, a shark. When a handful of us saw Peter Benchley’s <span style="font-style: italic;">Beast </span>on television and pestered him about squid the next day, he broke out the squid-in-a-jar so we could see that squid did, in fact, have small curved claws on some of their suckers.<br />
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And he was weird. During our fetal pig lab, he offered (seriously, it seemed) “five bucks to anyone who can suck on their pig’s nose till the head caves in.” When my lab partner needed to refill a chemical at our station, he sent her to the refrigerator. She had to reach behind what appeared to be giant fleshy grapefruits. They turned out to be immense ram testicles. In his fridge, for some reason. I think his lunch was in there too.<br />
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On test days, he wore all black. He liked to talk about “masticating” whenever he got the chance, knowing what we all mistook that word for. He looked like Satan.<br />
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I’m serious. He had salt-and-pepper hair when we knew him, and wore plaid shirts (except for test days) and glasses, but even then we thought he looked like a particularly mischievous Devil, with the goatee perfectly trimmed for the effect. When we found an old faculty photo with all-black hair and goatee, we wondered why the writeup didn’t include “soul contracts signed this year.”<br />
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Still, I thought he was an eccentric genius -- until I got it into my head that this “EVILution” stuff was bullshit, and took it upon myself to write a ridiculously lengthy report to that effect. I titled it “A Fairy Tale for Adults,” because originality wasn’t my strong suit at the time. While normal teenagers avoided even the assigned homework, I threw in a 20-page, footnoted, completely unnecessary and not-requested report. Because I was a really <span style="font-style: italic;">devoted </span>little shit.<br />
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I handed it to another biology teacher (so I was a chicken shit too), who generously read it and (even more generously) added gentle notes throughout. They were all things like “No Kim. This isn’t true,” and “Your sources have not done their research.” I ignored it all. I knew I had The Answer<span class="st">™</span>.<br />
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I spent the rest of the semester doing dickish things like filling out the worksheets with caveats (Question: <span style="font-style: italic;">Give examples of both parallel and convergent evolution</span>. My answer: <span style="font-style: italic;">SOME SCIENTISTS BELIEVE that the eyes of different animals show convergent evolution</span>…) I asked; while thinking I already had the answers; about complexity, the second law of thermodynamics, and mathematical odds. Basically, I was a troll.<br />
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I tried to provoke my teacher. I dropped hints about the “studies” I’d cited in my paper. I knew the teacher I handed the report to had let him read a copy. I knew he had read it. I couldn’t wait for his reaction.<br />
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And … I never got one.<br />
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He had corrected me on every error I’d ever made. Every slight error on a worksheet, or lab, or exam. Every stupid offhand comment I made once I started my creationist kick. He had a portrait of Darwin behind his desk, for crying out loud. But now, nothing.<br />
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I finally asked him about it after classes had wrapped up for the year. He responded by referring to his own initials: B.S. He added, “I think you know better," and that was it.<br />
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Then he ignored me. He didn’t speak to me for the entire next year. I didn’t have him that year, but we passed. If I was in a group of people, he’d make a point of saying “Hi, John. Hi, Sarah. Hi, Chris … Well, I’ll see you all later.”<br />
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I thought, <span style="font-style: italic;">Wow. He’s mad! I got him good</span>.<br />
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But really, it was just that he’d said all he could. That’s it. I was the troll, and he didn’t feed me. And, after a while, it worked. Eventually, I went back to reading real science books, and I abandoned the very appealing feeling of having The Answer<span class="st">™. Real life turned out to be less about membership in a secret, in-the-know club; and more about, well, real life. It was so much more beautiful that way.</span><br />
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That teacher is a big reason I came to accept evolution by natural selection once more. But more than that, he let me -- forced me -- to think for myself. By not rising to my ridiculous bait, by not responding except to indicate that it wasn't worth a scientific response, and by not doing the thinking for me except to present information and model how to think; he forced me to change my mind, because I was wrong. I didn’t see it for years, but that was huge.<br />
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My teacher really was weird. And maybe he really did hate me. But I don’t think so. I think he thought quite highly of me. And not just me, but all of us. He knew we were better than this. He knew we were capable of thinking for ourselves, of taking the world both seriously and with a healthy dose of dark humor, of reaping the consequences for saying and doing stupid shit. And by all that was holy (which was nothing in his view, but still), we were going to do so. We were going to be challenged.<br />
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He died several years ago, and I never had a chance to go back and thank him. It’s sad that he’d probably be in hot water today. I hope Arizona gets its act together about science education. I hope in high school, my son has "jerk" teachers who push critical thinking and love for the natural world. I guess I can probably fill in until that happens.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13738377880145008895noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607828889416086008.post-77992126791827039722012-02-12T23:08:00.003-07:002012-02-14T15:21:15.680-07:00Spider Sunday 2-12-12<a href="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3572/3351877811_8109778378_z.jpg?zz=1"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3572/3351877811_8109778378_z.jpg?zz=1" alt="" border="0" /></a>Another Spider Sunday! Also, happy Darwin Day! Go appreciate some biological diversity today.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/319422">Scientists discover "most stretchable" spider silk in Italy</a><br />Researchers have identified the most stretchable egg sac ever tested. I'd say I felt like <span style="font-style: italic;">my </span>egg sac was stretched when I was pregnant, but I've been informed that comparing parts of my own anatomy to those of arachnids "really isn't sexy, and you should stop doing it. Seriously. Stop it." Hmph. Anyway, super cool discovery not only because of the spider, but for potential nanomaterials design.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.scotsman.com/scotland-on-sunday/scotland/spiders_to_remain_kings_of_the_castle_during_restoration_work_1_2112528">Spiders to remain kings of the castle during restoration work</a><br />Clan MacDougall, medieval kings ... and cave spiders! They're restoring an old Scottish castle, and saving the spiders that nest in its wall! Awesome squared.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2097115/Could-Spider-Man-reality-Bizarre-white-cobweb-nuclear-waste-come-mutant-spider.html?ito=feeds-newsxml">Le sigh, headline and lede writers</a><br />A cobweb-like substance has been found on spent uranium rods at the Savannah River National Laboratory in South Carolina. Cue the Spider-Man references, "mutant spider worries," and headline writers generally losing all desire for accuracy or self control. The substance hasn't even been positively identified, though it does seem to be biological. Even if it was made by a mutated spider, "mutated" to a scientist isn't always what the public imagines when they hear "mutant." No superpower-granting arachnids here, sadly.<br /><br />In honor of Darwin Day:<br /><a href="http://spiderjoe.com/images/5">A spider found by Darwin 180 years ago, and promptly lost</a>. It was found again.<br />--and--<br /><a href="http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/09/super-strong-spider-silk/">A spider that was named in honor of Charles Darwin</a>, on the 150th anniversary of the publication of <span style="font-style: italic;">On the Origin of Species</span>. Also, it spins huge webs from silk that's stronger than Kevlar.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.kensingtonandchelseatoday.co.uk/arts-and-culture/5vfeclkd3c.html">An accessory that might actually capture my interest</a><br />Maybe a more flowery example of spider-silk milking to match <a href="http://www.arizona-writer.com/2012/02/super-spider-sunday.html">last week's</a> black widow story -- I've heard of this guy, Simon Peers, a few years ago when he created a scarf with wild-caught orb weavers. Now he's made a golden spider-embroidered cape. Apparently, he was inspired by <span class="contentText">mid 17th and 19th century accounts of the enormously time-consuming technique. </span>They release all the spiders, too!<br /><br />That's it for now. More spiders next week. (Or earlier, probably.)<br /><br /><a href="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3254/2788237334_f25423a545_z.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 640px; height: 427px;" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3254/2788237334_f25423a545_z.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13738377880145008895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607828889416086008.post-73101543345331709492012-02-07T16:19:00.001-07:002012-02-07T16:21:50.656-07:00Travel Tuesday: Don Donnelly Stables<a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7011/6751594813_873562c633_z.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 480px;" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7011/6751594813_873562c633_z.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>A little over twenty years ago, for my eleventh birthday, my parents got me a horse.<br /><br />Well, not my own horse. My parents weren't crazy.<br /><br />As a child, I was in love with animals, but I was a little flighty. My parents weren’t ready to take on full-time horse care.<br /><br />So they did the next best thing. They got me a horseback ride. Not just a ride in circles on a hitched-up pony. A real, mountainside, hours-long horseback ride.<br /><br />The ride was about two hours, up into the foothills of the Superstition Mountains, and it was led by a guide from Don Donnelly Stables, based in Gold Canyon. It was one of the best birthday presents ever.<br /><br />Two decades later, I'll admit there was a little nostalgia at play when I first booked the ride for my son and me. A blurry snapshot of me riding over a mountain rise on my horse still occupies a treasured spot in my childhood scrapbook.<br /><br />Still, at almost 10, my son -- captivated by animals, fascinated by horses, adventurous, and a <strike>lot</strike> little flighty himself -- seemed like a perfect candidate for the same ride. I scheduled a late-morning two-hour "Tenderfoot" trail ride with ourselves and one other parent-and-child duo.<br /><br />David spent the rest of that evening looking up instructional videos online. (In case you’re wondering, "How to ride a horse" returns about 26,600 results on YouTube.) He was definitely excited.<br /><br /><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7160/6751604931_424f57646a_z.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 319px; height: 398px;" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7160/6751604931_424f57646a_z.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Obviously, we didn't have to rely on the Internet. The folks at Don Donnelly's D-Spur Ranch & Riding Stables are experts at helping riders learn the ropes (or reins), and feel at ease with their horses.<br /><br />Don Donnelly himself, sort of an Arizona John Wayne, was passionate about preserving the desert wilderness, was a natural storyteller and teacher, and had a soft spot for children; so it's only natural that his wife, Shelly, and his stable continue his legacy as ambassadors to the cowboy way of life. It's impossible not to "cowboy up" at Don Donnelly Stables, or at least to want to.<br /><br />We arrived fifteen minutes before our ride was set to start, signed waivers, and were fitted for helmets. (Helmets are not mandatory, though you do have to sign off that you don’t want to wear one if you choose to decline. We both wore them.)<br /><br />Our guide, Rusty Bates, gave a brief overview of riding etiquette and demonstrated how to control our neck-reined horses, which are used to following the trail and are trained to respond to very slight pressure from the reins.<br /><br />The first big hurdle - literally - was mounting our horses. I know David had worried about this, but mounting blocks made it relatively easy. We all swung onto our horses, David onto a Tennessee Walker named Bart and me onto a bay-colored horse named Skip.<br /><br /><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7173/6751558579_e41d35cb12_z.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 321px; height: 481px;" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7173/6751558579_e41d35cb12_z.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>From there, Rusty led our little train out of the corral and into the foothills of the Superstitions.<br /><br />Rusty was a wonderful guide. He talked with my son and me, as well as the other family, throughout the ride, and put us all at ease. Every once in a while, he'd holler back to David, whose horse liked to trot ahead at a faster pace than anyone else, until David reined the eager horse in. By the time we were getting to higher ground, David was controlling Bart with relative ease. These horses know the drill.<br /><br />We soon began to know our horses’ personalities and feel comfortable with their rocking, sometimes jerky gait, as they stepped surefooted over the rocky terrain. My horse, Skip, was careful going downhill, carefully picking his way over rocks and down the thin strips of trail. On the other hand, he liked to get up a head of steam on the uphills. David’s horse (to my dismay) liked to run both uphill and downhill. We both learned to rein in our horses.<br /><br />After about an hour, we stopped for a break at a lookout point, ---- and led our horses back down the narrow, meandering trail out of the Superstition Wilderness.<br /><br />By now, we were comfortable. That’s the beauty of a longer ride. The trip back was as much a sightseeing tour as a trail ride, with Rusty pointing out desert plants (somewhat unnecessary, as our horses liked to run our legs into cactus and our heads into trees) <a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7032/6751612391_c0a71ccc2d_z.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 479px;" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7032/6751612391_c0a71ccc2d_z.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>and animals (common sights include javelina, deer, and coyote; we saw rabbits and a few phainopeplas, silky flycatcher birds that resemble black cardinals).<br /><br />As we rode back to the stables, Rusty carried on easy conversation and stories, right up to the moment we rode back to our mounting blocks. David’s horse decided to get a five-minute drink, with David still mounted, before heading over to be dismounted. David certainly didn’t mind. By this point, he was trying to milk every last second of horseback time he could from the experience. I can’t say I blame him.<br /><br />If you’re looking for a break from the usual; if you’re looking to splurge on a treat for your kids; if you want desert scenery or if, like me, you’re still secretly that 11-year-old girl who’s in love with horses -- you’ll have a blast at Don Donnelly Stables.<br /><br />Rides range from Leadline/Greenhorn (1-hour, for beginners) to all-day or overnight trips. Call ahead to reserve a ride at (602) 810-7029. Print the waiver ahead of time at www.dondonnelly.com.<br /><br /><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7148/6751601853_f08f017ffd_z.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 640px; height: 457px;" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7148/6751601853_f08f017ffd_z.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7006/6751523039_23f541ab22_z.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 640px; height: 427px;" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7006/6751523039_23f541ab22_z.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13738377880145008895noreply@blogger.com4