POTD: Harebell
Harebell
Bozeman, Montana
2024
July 2024
POTD: Teddy Bear Tribbles
Teddy Bear Tribbles
Ajo, Arizona
2024
Teddy bear cholla is a misleading name for my favorite species of cholla cactus. They are so named because when the sun shines through them, their long spines give off the soft warm look of a cuddly teddy bear, when in fact they are quite the opposite of cuddly. This smattering of small balls of teddy bear cholla joints (which fall off the cactus and snag passersby, hence spreading the plant elsewhere in the desert) reminded me of tribbles of Star Trek fame. This, my second Star Trek reference in a week, refers to the classic episode “The Trouble With Tribbles” broadcast in the second season of the orginal Star Trek series back in 1967. Per Wikipedia, “In this comic episode, the starship Enterprise visits a space station that soon becomes overwhelmed by rapidly reproducing small furry creatures called “tribbles.”
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POTD: Pac-Persons
Pac-Persons
Lake Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
2024
I was going to say these lily pads reminded me of the early video game Pac-Man, but in today’s lingo I guess the name would be more inclusive. Besides, back in the day, subsequent to Pac-Man, there was also a Ms. Pac-Man game introduced as well and who am I to speculate on the gender of these particular lily pads.
POTD: The Swirl
The Swirl
Lake Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
2024
Lake grass being moved in slow motion by the weak current in a slough on the edge of the lake.
POTD: Leaf Boats
Leaf Boats
Lake Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
2024
Emergency leaf boats protect raindrops’ autonomy for at least a little while before they are assimilated into the watery “borg” of the lake. (The strange use of the term borg here is a loose reference to the evil Borg of Star Trek renown.)
POTD: Exhumed
Exhumed
Bozeman, Montana
2024
Probably the most charitable description of my workshop is that it has existed long term in a state of controlled disarray. It certainly doesn’t look all need and tidy like all the ads you see for workshop cabinets and equipment. But everything more or less has it’s place and I’m more or less always able to find what I’m looking for with little or no searching. Similarly, cleaning of the space follows a “good enough” policy. I sweep the floors fairly regularly, but usually only the readily accessible space, not behind all the tools, workbenches and stacks of pipe, lumber, etc. that crowd every corner. But once in a while I do spend some time moving things and getting out all the accumulated detritus from around the edges. So, although it was a first, it wasn’t much of a surprise to me when I unearthed this well preserved skeleton buried in a corner under a pile of sawdust behind a collection of pipe clamps and wood cutting guides. I assumed at first it was a mouse, of which we have plenty. But it was really too big for a mouse so I assume it was a chipmunk, which we also have plenty of and which I’m periodically having to chase out of there (along with squirrels, rabbits and the occasional marmot) when I work with the shop’s garage door open in the summer.
POTD: She’s Got Legs
She’s Got Legs
Lake Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
2024
You ever see a four-legged bird?
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