Sad news for aspens

On our trip to northern Arizona, we were looking for the changing of the colors, particularly in the aspen trees. But SWMBO said it looked like the older trees were dying, or at least sick. The leaves seemed gray and many of the trees were leafless.

I mentioned this to a friend when we returned home and he said he had heard something was killing the aspens. Investigating, I found an article that said the death rate of aspens in some forests near Flagstaff has neared 95% and fewer appear to be regrowing. The high death rate has mystified scientists, the article continued, though the list of suspected causes includes drought, disease, insect infestation, wildfire suppression and the grazing habits of elk. Couple that with the bark beetle infestation that is threatening the Ponderosa pines and you have a grim picture of the future.

Fall color (???)

After reading about fall colors in the newspaper the other day, SWMBO and I headed north today to the Flagstaff area to check them out.


Arizona's highest point, Humphrey's Peak, had a dusting of snow on top.

There was some color on another hillside but SWMBO determined it was some kind of shrubbery.

But we did find a few young aspens that had changed color. This was behind a big snag of dead wood from seasons past.

It makes a difference in color as to which side the photograph is taken. The first picture, above, was taken with the sun at my back. The second one was taken more into the sun.

In spite of the many signs along the highway, we once again saw no elk. But as I was walking over to take the above photos, SWMBO did spot several deer bounding away through the trees and I caught a glimpse of them.

But they were too far away for the camera to catch them.

More photos tomorrow.

6 months to go!

Get ready fans! The opening day of the 2010 season for the Arizona Diamondbacks is exactly 6 months from today. Play ball!

The 2010 Schedule

A windy day

What a difference a day makes. The wind is blowing like crazy today.

A great day for folk music

The 31st annual folk music festival is going on today and tomorrow at the Sharlot Hall Museum in Prescott. Highlighting today sessions was a birthday party this afternoon for the legendary Katie Lee of Jerome. Take a good look at her.

Believe it or not, she is 90 years old!

(By the way, I must apologize for the inside pictures as they are a bit blurry.)

Katie entertained with stories and songs from her long career as a singer, composer and author.

Sharing the stage at her party was Tony Norris, who sang a beautiful song about a cowboy and his Mexican girlfriend.

Also on hand was cowboy poet Gail Steiger, grandson of Gail Gardner with whom Katie used to sing and learn cowboy songs.

Also performing a moving number were the wonderful duo known as D-Squared.

Later I got the opportunity to wish Katie a happy birthday. I told her that I had heard of her for years but had never seen her. While I was waiting for her birthday party to begin, I said I was looking around for a very old lady in a wheel chair. Obviously . . . especially after she displayed a shoulder high kick on stage . . . that day is far away. Some people I was sitting next to in the audience said Katie bicycles about two miles every day!

There was plenty of additional good music outside all over the grounds.

Along with the scheduled performers, there were jam sessions everywhere.

Arizona's official state historian, Marshall Trimble, was on hand to entertain and chat with festival attendees.

There were a number of the infamous Shady Ladies on the grounds.

And one man who might have been an old time gambler.

As I said, it was a great day for folk music. If you live anywhere near Prescott, I'd urge you to attend tomorrow's second day of the festival.

Yavapai County Fair 2009

Today I made my annual visit to the Yavapai County fair. There is, as always, the Midway with its temptations of turkey legs, corn dogs and funnel cakes.

And if you haven't filled your stomach, you might take in one or two of the rides.

For some reason, when I was a kid I could handle the "scarier" rides but I was terrified of the ferris wheel.

Leaving the midway behind there is the requisite display of farm machinery and if you're so inclined . . a hayride.

Moving inside the main building I was confronted by a massive model train layout.

Very impressive with layouts of different cities around the country and even Mount Rushmore. One of the modelers told me the trains were N guage, which may be the tiniest. The tracks appeared to be no more than half an inch apart.

There is always a lot of art by young people on display.

And some by older crafters, including this beautiful quilt.

I also spent a lot of time viewing a photography exhibit. Lots of fine work but it didn't seem right for me to photograph someone else's photographs so you'll have to go see them for yourselves.

Besides, I had animals to see. First a sheep who was more interested in his neighbors than me.

But one of his mates was less bored and showed me his beautiful turquoise eyes.

A big white turkey ruffled up his tailfeathers when I took his photo. He may have heard about those turkey legs being grilled, sold and eaten out on the midway!

A couple of geese were wisely standing in their swimming pool to keep cool.

I'm not sure what this strange apparition was. It was in with the chickens so it was some type of fowl. A woman standing alongside me said "You can't tell which end is which!"

My favorites are the bunnies and there are many at the fair. This big thumper probably is more rabbit than bunny but he was beautiful.

The soft fur begs to be petted but signs everywhere warn people not to stick their fingers in the cages. So I didn't.

There's much more to see but my old legs grew tired so I reluctantly left for home.

Birds of a feather . . .

"I'll watch the front, you watch the back"