Verna and Bob's Weblog – Page 2

Retirement Anniversary #16

Sixteen years ago, I pulled the plug on being employed. At first, it doesn’t quite feel like it has been that long, but again, so much has happened in the last 16 years that, when you think about it, the time seems to fill in with life’s events.

We have looked into our retirement past and recall many more events than we can list here, but a few of the most memorable and significant things come to mind.

Here’s a brief synopsis of some of those milestones:

2009 Retirement
2010 Bought property in Arizona and started building our desert home
2011 Moved physically into the Arizona home
2012 Began retirement travels – viewed annular solar eclipse from Page AZ
2013 Bob’s Mom relocates from California to nearby retirement home
2014 First great grandson born in California. Acquired travel trailer to facilitate more travel plans to see family
2015 Completed the RV Drive around the house with full trailer hookups
2016 Many trips to various places of interest throughout the west
2017 Travel to Wyoming and beyond to see the total eclipse with new class A RV
2018 First great granddaughter born in California – trips of course
2019 Second great grandson born in California – more trips
2020 Second great granddaughter born in California – trips pending
2021 A relatively uneventful year save for hernia surgery
2022 Lost Beethoven, our red Min Pin – gained Tucker, a long-haired Chihuahua mix
2023 Discovered a leak in the water line between bathroom and kitchen requiring a complete overhaul of bathroom and kitchen cabinets
2024 Travel to Waco, TX to observe total eclipse of the sun. Visited other interesting places in the RV before and after the eclipse
2025 Travel in the RV to visit birthplaces and residences of ancestors in the eastern and southern U.S.

So, as we continue our retirement, we will keep our heads on a swivel, given the multiple left-wing groups out to get their perceived enemies. And, then, there is the crime epidemic, thanks to president autopen, et al. We are fortunate that The Lord brought us to this tranquil place in the desert, generally away from all that malfeasance, but we never know when that might break down.

Y’all stay safe!

Devil’s Tongue Cactus Flowers

Once again it is fall in the desert and with it comes the beautiful flowers on our Devil’s Tongue Barrel Cactus. This trio, along with several others, was open today after a nice rainfall yesterday. Click on the image to enlarge.

Ferocactus latispinus is the binomial nomenclature for what is commonly called the Devil’s Tongue cactus. Wikipedia offers the following information about this cactus:

Ferocactus latispinus is a species of barrel cactus native to Mexico. It grows as a single globular light green cactus reaching the dimensions of 30 cm (12 in) in height and 40 cm (16 in) across, with 21 acute ribs. Its spines range from reddish to white in color and are flattened and reach 4 or 5 cm long. Flowering is in late autumn or early winter. The funnel-shaped flowers are purplish or yellowish and reach 4 cm long, and are followed by oval-shaped scaled fruit which reach 2.5 cm (1 in) long.

September 23, 2025 by Verna Arizona Flowers Home & Garden Photography

27th Wedding Anniversary

While the 27th anniversary is a significant milestone, our actual 45 years together speak to a deep, enduring love. This photo of us posing with our wedding cake at the Blue Parrot Restaurant in Avalon, Catalina Island, California, captures a special moment that holds a lot of meaning for us. It’s a reminder of the joy and celebration that marked the beginning of our wedded journey together — and the many more years of love, laughter, and shared memories that have followed.

What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. – Mark 10:9.

September 12, 2025 by Bob Family Nostalgia

Waxing Gibbous Moon and Craters

Clickable image: The image taken slightly past first quarter lunar phase makes craters near the light to dark region more pronounced. Leo-AI explains:

Lunar craters are depressions on the Moon’s surface formed by asteroid, meteoroid, or comet impacts. They are a record of the Moon’s impact history, providing valuable information about the early solar system’s asteroid-pummeled past. The Moon’s surface is relatively preserved due to the lack of liquid water and wind, making it an ideal location to study impact craters.

During the first quarter phase, the Moon is illuminated from the right, making it visible from Earth. This phase is characterized by a half-illuminated Moon with a right half visible and a left half in shadow. Many notable lunar craters are visible during this phase, including:

Tycho crater: A complex crater with a central peak complex, terraces, and a flat floor.

Giordano Bruno crater: A complex crater with a central peak and terraces, formed about 10 million years ago.

Linné crater: A young simple crater, thought to be less than 10 million years old, with a smooth floor and a diameter of about 1.4 miles.

These craters are just a few examples of the many impact craters visible on the Moon’s surface during the first quarter phase. The Moon’s surface is constantly changing due to meteoroid impacts, and studying these craters helps scientists understand the Moon’s history and the early solar system’s asteroid-pummeled past.

August 31, 2025 by Bob Astronomy Nerdliness Photography Something Shiny

Cactus Wren

One of our favorite local birds, the Cactus Wren, perches next to the seed block feeder in the back yard. Click on the image to view enlarged.

From the link above:

The Cactus Wren is a large chunky wren with a long heavy bill, a long, rounded tail, and short, rounded wings. The Cactus Wren is the largest wren in the United States and is similar in size to a Spotted Towhee.

The Cactus Wren is a speckled brown bird with bright white eyebrows that extend from the bill, across and above their red eyes, to the sides of the neck. They have pale cinnamon sides and a white chest with dark speckles. The back is brown with heavy white streaks, and the tail is barred white and black—especially noticeable from below. Males and females look alike, but juveniles are slightly paler and have a brown eye.

Unlike other wrens that typically hide in vegetation, the Cactus Wren seems to have no fear. They perch atop cacti and other shrubs to announce their presence and forage out in the open. They do not cock their tails over their back the way other wrens do. Instead they fan their tail feathers, flashing white tail tips.