One of the interesting things about living here in Santa Barbara is the fact that occasionally you can see satellite launches from Vandenberg Air Force Base, located about 40 miles northwest of us. The US launches satellites from two facilities: Vandenberg, where the launches go south over the Pacific, generally for payloads with polar orbits; …
Author: Reid Farmer
Some More on Shamans in Coso Rock Art
I wanted to add some more pictures to the Shamans and Coso Rock Art post below but ran into the usual Blogger content limitations, so I’ll put a little more up in this post. As I mentioned below, it’s theorized that some of the rock art in Little Petroglyph Canyon is there to record what …
Shamans in Coso Rock Art
I have posted about the spectacular rock art at Little Petroglyph Canyon up in Inyo County several times now but have so many interesting images from my visit there last year you’ll be seeing more. This shot shows petroglyphs of several shamans from high on the canyon wall. I had to use a telephoto lens …
Endangered Species
Union Products, Inc., the company that manufactures plastic pink flamingoes is about to close its doors. Please say it ain’t so!
Dwarf Water Buffalo
The New York Times has this article on extinct dwarf water buffalo that were found on the island of Cebu in the Philippines. An interesting analogue to the pygmy mammoth that was found out here in the California Channel Islands.
Sidewalk Art
Once or twice a year, some city commission here in Santa Barbara arranges for an exhibition of art that is installed along the sidewalks of State Street, our main street downtown. Sometimes it consists of a number of works by a single artist, other times they are by multiple artists. They vary in quality. Last …
Another Curious Caterpillar
Steve’s picture of a caterpillar in his “Getting Out” post reminded me of this one we saw while out in the field with Steve & Libby in Magdalena last month. Afraid I have no idea as to who this fellow might be, though he is an attractive shade of green. Caterpillar enthusiasts, grab your guidebooks!
Controversial Origins of the Domestic Dog
Darren Naish has one of his as-usual excellent essays up, dealing with the origins and evolution of dogs. A recommended read on a subject of interest to posters and commenters at this blog.
Quiet Please
A sign from the flight line at Santa Barbara Airport. The airport has been here since the 1920s, when it was surrounded by lemon groves and pasture. Now that those have been replaced by UC – Santa Barbara and suburbs, people complain about the noise. Like they didn’t know the airport was there when they …
El Morro
One of our vacation stops was El Morro National Monument east of Zuni pueblo in west-central New Mexico. This striking mesa has been a landmark along a heavily used travel route for hundreds of years. Rainfall and snowmelt from the mesa top drains down this channel and waterfall into a large pool, also providing incentive …