Utah Vacation--Day One

Travel and Vegas

Yesterday we flew into Las Vegas and were greeted with HEAT. I don't care what they say--109 is HOT even if it is dry heat. Today we drive to Kanab, UT, which will be our hub for the next few days. We should be able to get a fairly early start because our bodies still think we're on Eastern time.

Below are a few highlights from yesterday.

While arduous at times, travel went well yesterday. We all ended up at our destination with all of our bags. Win-win. I see an interesting trend developing for me with air travel. The last 5 out of 6 times I've been through security, I've gotten to go through the TSA Precheck line. That means the shoes stay on and the computer stays in the bag as I go through a very short line. I don't know why I keep getting "randomly" selected, but I like this trend. Also while I didn't get to sit with the rest of the family, I did get a window seat. :) 

Ward decided that the first thing we should do is give Wally and Theo a driving tour of the Strip and surrounding area. Look closely at the upper left of the picture and you'll see the picture of the famous Las Vegas sign that Wally took as we drove by.

No one was ready to join the crowds on the Strip, so we had lunch at this out-of-the way restaurant. Suspiciously, we were the only people in the place, but the food and service were quite good.

Still not ready to join the crowds (have I mentioned that we're a family who likes to stay away from the maddening crowds), we visited the Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort State Park where once again, we were the only ones there. We learned that while the fort didn't play much of a role in things (it was abandoned after only 2 years), the location did. This was the spot where people (native and European) had centered from very early on. That was because it was the location of two natural springs--a welcome sight in the desert. Through a series of events including Mormon settlement, mining, and railroads, the original city of Las Vegas sprang up here. 

By evening, we were ready for a little more excitement, so we decided to have dinner at a casino. While this one was relatively small by Vegas standards, it was big enough to give Theo and Wally their first real feel of what a casino was like. Their reactions? Wally was pleasantly surprised that he was not overwhelmed by the noise and lights of the whole thing, and Theo was fascinated by the mirrors and cameras that were on the ceiling over each gaming table.

Theo was also kind of creeped out by this giant head that kept winking at him. 

We're Almost Ready

No preparations would be complete without a cat in the suitcase.

The bags are nearly full. The boarding passes are in hand. Instructions for cat care have been given. And the last load of laundry is being dried. We're almost ready.

Ready for what? We're going to Utah to explore some National Parks. If the Internet gods cooperate, I plan to blog along the way. Check in from time to time if you want to see how it's going and some pictures of what I hear is beautiful scenery.

A few more things on the list to do, and then instead of saying, "We're almost ready," I can say, "We're ready!" :)

A Second Look--September 1, 2015

This week's Second Look is a day early as well as being shorter than usual because I will be traveling tomorrow. So without further ado,

Here are some things I saw this week 

during a Second Look.

Day Lily

Turkey Vulture tail feather. I see various feathers around the yard, but this one got a second look because it was so big. After a bit of investigation, I concluded that it came from a turkey vulture.

Grasshopper

Mr. and Mrs. Goldfinch

Milkweed tussock caterpillars. This milkweed plant didn't have a chance with all of these caterpillars feasting on it. The next day it was nothing more than a leafless, shortened stem.

There's plenty of good stuff for the cows to graze on this time of year.

Thankful Sunday--August 29, 2015

I am thankful for peaches.

When we moved into our present house, 17 years ago, we were happy to find a peach tree. The thought of fresh peaches in the backyard was exciting for everyone. But, alas, it was not to be. We just couldn't keep ahead of the pests. When we were lucky enough for the tree to set more than a couple of peaches, they rotted long before they were ripe. There was one bug in particular that would burrow in as soon as the fruit was setting. And if any got close to ripening, a squirrel would take a bite out of each one before it could be picked. So after several years of trying, we gave up and just appreciated the beautiful blossoms in the spring. But this year Mother Nature decided that just like the locusts every 17 years or so, ripe peaches would appear. While we are still competing with the bugs, squirrels, and deer, we have harvested and eaten several ripe peaches with more to come. And for that, I am thankful.

A Second Look--August 26, 2015

I am going to continue last week's talk about caterpillars with the mention of a wonderful book, The Secret Life of the Woolly Bear Caterpillar by Laurence Pringle, I found recently at the library. It is centered on the life of Bella, a woolly bear.

The The Secret Life of the Woolly Bear Caterpillar strikes a good balance between simple text and beautiful pictures while telling Bella's story and can be enjoyed by all ages. With the very young, the stunning pictures provide ample opportunity to talk about woolly bears, plants, and other animals. With older kids, you can either read the text to them or they can read it themselves. And while a lot can be learned from the actual story, there is a two page summary with vocabulary in the back that is useful for older kids and adults.

From a woolly bear post from two years ago. I guess I've been
interested in woolly bears for a long time.

One of my pet peeves about some children's books about nature is that while the generalities are correct, the details may not be--like putting the wrong kind of leaves on a flower. This book avoided that by being reviewed by entomologists from the Smithsonian, Carnegie Melon Museum of Natural History, and the University of Florida.

So, can you tell I liked this book? If you're looking for a fall nature study or just want to know a little more about the fuzzy caterpillars that are supposed to predict the severity of the winter, this is a good place to start.

Now onto the business at hand.

Here are a few things I saw this week 

during a Second Look.

Day lily

Spirea

I have seen a lot of goldfinches around recently both on the feeder and on their natural feeders--coneflower seed heads.Can you find the one in this picture?

This is the same picture as above but zoomed in around the bird. Now do you see her?

Flower longhorn beetle, This was a fairly large bug measuring around 1 1/4"

Coneflowers

The last couple of days we've had low humidity and blue skies. Wonderful.