Verna and Bob's Weblog

Bob

Dueling Cameras

Dueling Cameras

We were out taking photos of various things around the house and yard when we both stopped to photograph each other photographing each other. The composite photo above (click to enlarge) is the result.

She used her Canon EOS Rebel T6i DSLR with the EF 15-135mm lens and I used my Canon R10 Mirrorless with the newly acquired RF 24-240mm wide angle to telephoto lens. We both get pretty good finished products.

A couple of the photos we took – Her first:

Ocotillo

Turkey Buzzard

And mine:

Devil’s Tongue Cactus Flowers

Lemon Ripening

September 24, 2026 by Arizona Nerdliness Photography

2026 Autumnal Equinox

Happy Autumnal Equinox!

Astronomical autumn begins at 00:05 UTC on Wednesday, September 23, 2026 — that’s 5:05 p.m. Mountain Standard Time on Tuesday, September 22 here in Arizona. As you may know, most of Arizona stays on MST year around. Some of the reservations still do DST.

May this fall find y’all to be happy and healthy as we transition to our cooler months. God bless!

Verna and Bob 💖💖

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
—2 Corinthians 13:14

September 22, 2026 by Arizona Astronomy

Cinchweed

Lately, these little weeds with yellow flowers have been popping up all around our area. I got curious as to what they were, so I asked Grok, which came up with the following:

These are cinchweed (also called manybristle cinchweed), Pectis papposa.

It’s a native Sonoran Desert annual that germinates quickly after summer monsoon rains and often appears in abundance among rocks and gravel in September. The small yellow daisy heads (typically 8–15 mm across) sit in clusters at the ends of forked stems, and the leaves are narrow and linear—exactly as in your photo. Crush a leaf and you’ll usually get a lemon or spicy scent from the oil glands.

It is common around Wickenburg and throughout the mid-elevation Sonoran Desert on rocky slopes, washes, and open ground. The plants are short-lived and will fade once cooler, drier weather arrives.

Since they aren’t much of a nuisance, we will let them do their thing before they fade away in a few weeks. Click on the image above to enlarge.

September 12, 2026 by Arizona Flowers Home & Garden Photography

Labor Day 2026

Happy grilling day! We’re having Filet Mignon Steaks for our Labor Day Dinner. Click on the image to enlarge.

Labor Day originated during the peak of the 19th-century Industrial Revolution, transforming from an activist demonstration into a federal holiday that now marks the unofficial end of summer.

History & Origins

  • The First Parade (1882): On September 5, 1882, the Central Labor Union organized the nation’s first Labor Day event in New York City. Roughly 10,000 workers took an unpaid day off to march from City Hall to Union Square, demanding eight-hour workdays, safer conditions, and fair wages.
  • The Founders: Debate remains over who proposed the holiday. Some credit Peter J. McGuire, co-founder of the American Federation of Labor, while others credit machinist Matthew Maguire, secretary of the Central Labor Union.
  • Federal Recognition (1894): Following the violent Pullman Railway Strike in 1894, President Grover Cleveland signed legislation making the first Monday in September a federal holiday—a political effort to reconcile relations with organized labor.

Cultural Traditions

  • The Unofficial End of Summer: Labor Day weekend serves as a seasonal boundary marking the return to school, the close of community pools, and the final stretch for summer vacations.
  • Barbecues & Gatherings: The early tradition of union picnics evolved into family cookouts, camping trips, and outdoor gatherings.
  • Parades & Political Speeches: While early Labor Day events featured massive union marches to demonstrate collective strength, modern parades are generally smaller community events or labor-focused political rallies.
  • “No White After Labor Day”: A 19th-century fashion rule dictated that lightweight white linen clothing belonged strictly to summer. Packing away white attire after Labor Day signaled a return to urban work routines and autumn dress.
  • Sports & Retail: The weekend marks the launch of college and high school football seasons, as well as major retail sales.

We wish everyone a happy Labor Day and Happy Autumn!

September 7, 2026 by Food and Dining Holidays Military

Feeding the Birds

I fill up the bird feeders once a week, usually on Fridays. I did so yesterday and, today the “rotunda” medium feeder (pictured above) is about half empty. This is typical of the day after. Later in the week, the two smaller feeders will be empty and the large feeder seems to hang on for a few more days.

In addition to the feeder shown above, there is a smaller feeder and the “bird church” large feeder.

You can see our feeder setup in this post from February of 2025.

August 22, 2026 by Arizona Critters Home & Garden

An Alert Squirrel

While out on my morning walk, I snapped a photo of this little White Tailed Antelope Ground Squirrel in an alert stance in the little wash behind our house. She was looking for the peanuts that I throw out there for them. Hint to the squirrel. There is a peanut in the lower left corner of the (click to enlarge) photo.

She, shortly after I took this photo, found the peanut and bounded off into the underbrush before I could snap any more photos. We love our little desert wildlife and seeing them daily. I saw some juvenile Gambel’s Quail and their parents just a couple of moments before this photo. They, as is usually the case, were too quickly dispersed for me to get their images captured in the camera.

UPDATE: September 4. 2026 – I managed to get this photo of one of the squirrels with the peanut just before it scampered off.

August 10, 2026 by Critters Home & Garden Photography

Avalon 1998

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