Verna and Bob's Weblog

Arizona

Watching the ISS Fly Over

One of our activities is, and has been for quite a while (since living in California) watching the International Space Station fly over when visible. Last Sunday night’s pass was quite a treat in that it had nearly everything going for it: cloudless skies, convenient timing and an almost direct overhead pass.

In the image above, you can see the ground track of the ISS as it passed over the Southwestern US. The maximum predicted elevation for this particular pass was 88° which barely missed our exact location to the southeast, but watching the fly-over, one could not perceive any difference from a direct overhead pass. Image credit Heavens Above.

Another attribute that is not always the case during a pass is that the ISS remained sunlit during the entire pass. We live in a slight hollow below surrounding terrain and saw the ISS rise in the southwest above some local hills and it few over us and set in the northeast behind some other terrain. We always enjoy watching the ISS and other satellites flying over, but this one was unusually spectacular.

May 16, 2023 by Aerospace Arizona Nerdliness Something Shiny

A New Cholla Cactus in 3D

Sometime last year, we noticed a small protrusion of what appeared to be new cactus growth under the red rocks that cover the ground around our house. Eventually, this winter, the cactus had evolved into a two-prong sprout with each prong measuring six to eight inches in length. As of the emergence of spring, the growth has really taken off virtually tripling the size of the little cactus.

I took a side-by-side image of the cactus and made it into the anaglyph seen above. Click on the image to enlarge.

If you don’t happen to have your 3D glasses handy, you may view the 2D image here.

May 10, 2023 by Arizona Bob's 3D Stuff Home & Garden Nerdliness Photography

Lenticular Clouds and a Flower

The Wickenburg and surrounding area forecast called for high winds (to 40 MPH) all day today. In the sky (clickable image above) we saw several areas like the one depicted having lenticular (altocumulus lenticularis) or lens-shaped clouds. Sometimes called “standing lenticulars,” the clouds appear stationary in the sky but the truth is they are in a very high winds condition usually downwind from mountain ridges. The clouds condense at the tops of the “mountain wave” where the airmass is rising and descending as it moves away from the ridge, I think they are very pretty to look at, but I wouldn’t care to be in an aircraft anywhere near them.

In other news, we had an Argentine Giant Cactus flower opening up on Palm Sunday evening. The photo below is that flower in the broad daylight of Monday afternoon. Click on either image to enlarge.

April 3, 2023 by Arizona Climate Home & Garden Photography

Photo Update

It’s been eleven months since we did a photo update. Here we are in the courtyard enjoying a nice spring day with the temperature up to about 72° with an expected high of 76°.

Today, we’re going to grill up a couple of Filet Mignon steaks and Verna will fix a nice salad to go with the meal. Yes, the dogs will be getting some of the scraps.

Image taken with my ancient Canon Powershot A710 IS using the delayed exposure timer. Click on the image to enlarge.

April 1, 2023 by Arizona Family Photography

In Like a Lion

I know that other regions in our Nation have had much colder winter weather than we’re currently experiencing and, in fact, so have we here in past years. However, this is the coldest we have had this winter and it’s happening in accordance with the March Proverb. Supposedly, this is the time of late winter when we’re beginning to have cactus flowers blooming and other signs of impending spring.

In the image above, you can see the Weaver foothills covered with snow which is fairly rare here. The snow will be gone tomorrow and then we will expect to revert to the late winter conditions we’re used to. I hope.

Verna snapped a bunch of snow photos today and this one shows the lower foothills and the snow proximity. Click on the image to enlarge.

March 2, 2023 by Arizona Climate Photography

Lemon Harvest Part III

Verna and I picked lemons and pruned the tree this afternoon. We managed to reap an estimated 150 of the good-sized citrus fruit. This is the third time this season that we have picked lemons since the little tree bore more fruit than we have ever seen and one day’s worth of effort comes nowhere near clearing the tree. There are still many lemons on the tree that will need another round of picking later.

We gave lemons to neighbors, friends, the Dermatologist, the Barber and we still have more to give. Of course, there are going to be some in reserve for Verna’s annual production of Limoncello.

More info about the Lisbon Lemon Tree From The Spruce:

The Lisbon lemon (Citrus x limon ‘Lisbon’) is one of the most widely available varieties of lemon found in shops worldwide. If you live in a hot and dry region, you can grow Lisbon lemon trees outdoors and receive an abundant harvest.

[More]

January 17, 2023 by Arizona Home & Garden Retirement

Avalon 1998

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