Verna and Bob's Weblog

Some Back Yard Photos

I had the camera out this morning (as I do most mornings) and snapped some of the fauna and flora regularly seen in our back yard. Between Verna and I, we take a lot of pictures, especially at events like yesterday’s Car Show and Fly-In. Nothing below as exciting as all that, but we enjoy seeing this stuff almost every day.

First up is a photo of one of our local White Tailed Antelope Squirrels begging for me to toss an almond to it (which I did).

Next up is a Lesser Goldfinch at the Nyger seed feeder. It appears the bird has something other than a seed in its beak. I am unable to determine what it is, but the bird went back to getting seeds after I took the photo.

Now for some of the still life – this is the tippy top of one of our Buckhorn Cholla Cacti in the area. You don’t want to get too close to these “jumping cholla” balls. Trust me.

And, last for this bunch is a close-up of one cane of an Ocotillo in the yard. These are not true cacti, but as you can see, the thorns mean business. This cane and others on the Ocotillos in the yard still have some leaves after the rains this early winter.

As usual, you may click on any image to see it enlarged in the viewer.

OK, so that’s it for this series of photos. I now have a pretty good collection of lenses for my camera, and I will be experimenting with some of them and posting from time to time.

January 18, 2026 by Arizona Critters Photography 0

FotoFutz

Fotofutz is a made-up word to describe my latest reinterest in photography and the associated equipment. So, here are a couple of new images taken this morning:

The first image (above) is of the sky to the southeast of our place here in Arizona around 9AM. there were lots of clouds with a few holes skyward. I used a stopped-down ISO and Shutter speed to get the image without over exposing the bright sunlit clouds.

This image I call “Sparrows” since those are what are perched on the withering rosemary bush atop our back yard near the feeders. The birds flushed shortly after I captured the photo. The image was taken with my venerable Canon SL3 camera and the everyday lens I use – the Canon EF-s 55-250mm telephoto. This lens is handy for getting close-ups of the critters that populate our fair and tranquil spot of Arizona. Click on both images to view enlarged.

January 8, 2026 by Arizona Climate Critters Nerdliness Photography 0

Red Sky at Night

There is an old saying among mariners: “Red Sky in Morning – Sailors take warning; Red Sky at Night – Sailor’s Delight.” I asked Alexa about it – is it accurate and where did it originate?

The accuracy is quite impressive for middle latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere. The reddest of red skies occur when there is high atmospheric pressure, and depending on whether that happens at sunrise or sunset, it could mean a storm is brewing. Here’s how it works:

Red Sky at Night (Sailor’s Delight):

  • A reddish sunset means that the air is dusty and dry. Since weather in North American latitudes usually moves from west to east, a red sky at sunset means dry weather—good for sailing—is moving east
  • A red sunset often means that there are clouds in the east and clear skies to the west, an indication of approaching high pressure and good weather

Red Sky in Morning (Sailors Take Warning):

  • A reddish sunrise means that dry air from the west has already passed over us on their way easy, clearing the way for a storm to move in
  • Red skies in the morning can mean clouds invading from the west, often the forerunner of approaching storms

Historical Origins

Variations of this adage can be traced back to biblical times and are based on the experiences of mariners who sailed the Earth’s middle latitudes, where storms generally travel from west to east. The most popular version arises during to 1600 to 1800s during the age of sail.

The saying has evolved across cultures – in England, the saying is slightly different: Red sky at night shepherd’s delight, Red sky in the morning, sailor’s warning/shepherds take warning.

So, given the historical lore and somewhat accurate forecasts, we should expect good weather. However, NOAA is forecasting rain most of the day tomorrow. We shall see.

Image courtesy Verna. Click to view enlarged.

January 7, 2026 by Arizona Climate Photography 0

New Years Portraits

This is our posed portraits to kick off 2026. Verna got New Years themed tops for us to wear explicitly for this photo.

Wishing all of our readers a happy and prosperous New Year!

Photo equipment and set up:

  • Tripod: Velbon CX690
  • Camera: Canon EOS Rebel SL3
  • Copyright (c): BOB ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
  • Shutter Speed: 1/125 seconds
  • Aperture: F4
  • Camera Program: Normal
  • ISO Speed Rating: 100
  • Focal Length: 38mm
  • Lens: Canon EF-S17-55mm IS USM
  • Shutter Delay: 10 seconds
January 1, 2026 by Arizona Family Holidays Photography 0

Happy New Year!

I’ve been fooling around with some AI lately and I understand that some users have been using AI to write code. So, I tried my hand at asking it to write a script for a countdown to the new year. I asked for JavaScript to be embedded in HTML and it produced the result seen below. The AI (Google Gemini) produced JavaScript, HTML and the Style Script (CSS). All I had to do was provide the HTML Header and Body and, voila, the counter worked right off the bat. Link to Gemini Code.

If you see “Happy New Year” instead of the counter, then It is already (MST) 2026.

I’m posting this some 29 hours or so before the new year so visitors to the site can see the counter. I may (just for grins) change the code to countdown to 2027 after the new year.

So, from both Verna and I, we wish you all a very happy and prosperous New Year in 2026!

UPDATE: I changed the target to St. Valentine’s Day 2026!

December 30, 2025 by Culture Holidays Nerdliness 0

Merry Christmas 2025

Wow! This year has gone by so quickly! I guess that’s what happens when you keep busy in retirement, travel a lot and get caught up in everyday routines. At any rate, it’s time to wish everyone a blessed Christmas and a joyous New Year in 2026.

The Birth of Christ according to the Gospel of Luke (summary):

The account of Jesus’ birth in the Gospel of Luke is one of the most famous narratives in history, focusing on the humble circumstances of His arrival and the celestial celebration that followed.

The Journey to Bethlehem
The story begins with a decree from the Roman Emperor, Caesar Augustus, calling for a census of the entire Roman world. Because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem, the city of David, to register. He traveled with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was pregnant.

The Birth in a Manger
While they were in Bethlehem, the time came for Mary to give birth. Because the town was crowded with travelers for the census, there was no guest room available for them. Mary gave birth to her firstborn son, wrapped Him in cloths (swaddling), and placed Him in a manger—a feeding trough for animals.

The Shepherds and the Angels
Nearby, shepherds were living in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks at night. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them.

The Message: The angel told them not to be afraid, announcing “good news of great joy”: a Savior, the Messiah, had been born in Bethlehem.

The Sign: The shepherds were told they would find The Baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.

The Heavenly Host: A great company of angels appeared, praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

The Visit to the Child
Once the angels left, the shepherds hurried to Bethlehem. They found Mary, Joseph, and The Baby exactly as they had been told. After seeing Him, they spread the word about what the angel had said concerning the child, leaving everyone who heard it amazed.

The chapter notes that while the shepherds returned to their fields glorifying and praising God, Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

December 24, 2025 by Family Holidays Religion

Avalon 1998

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