Monthly Archives: June 2021

A Western Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly and Other Winged Creatures Today

Here are five photos of a western tiger swallowtail butterfly in the garden, followed by a dove, a bee in the middle of a crepe myrtle bloom, and a California scrub jay. Also, though I don’t have a picture, yesterday evening we were sitting outside, and suddenly there was a very loud sound about fourContinue reading “A Western Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly and Other Winged Creatures Today”

Happy Summer Solstice 2021 (and Me)!

Here are six pictures of the garden flowers still blooming: a rose, crepe myrtle, oleander, and butterfly plants. The final picture is of me from Amsterdam, in early March of 2020. I am both happy and a bit jet-lagged in that picture, and obviously “open”…. What a lovely city – hope to return next year!Continue reading “Happy Summer Solstice 2021 (and Me)!”

Paperback Now Available: BRAHMAN – Learning to Thrive in Paradise: Essays on Living Cosmic Life

My book has now been published as a paperback on Amazon (tinyurl.com/2d5np68m). Now that Kindle accepts .docx manuscripts, the process is a breeze from submission to publication. Kindle tools for cover design are excellent and easy to implement. Please enjoy!

‘Star Ladders’ and a CalFire Spotter Plane

I took several 30s time exposures last night of distant high-altitude jets. Their light patterns look like ladders to me when seen up close. Earlier, our first CalFire spotter plane of the season flew overhead. Please enjoy these four pics!

Published: BRAHMAN – Learning to Thrive in Paradise: Essays on Living Cosmic Life

I have just published BRAHMAN – Learning to Thrive in Paradise: Essays on Living Cosmic Life as a Kindle e-book on Amazon (USD$9.99), with a paperback version coming soon. https://www.tinyurl.com/2kkzudn5 Here is the introduction to the book. I am excited to publish it, and I hope everyone enjoys it, and finds it a practical guideContinue reading “Published: BRAHMAN – Learning to Thrive in Paradise: Essays on Living Cosmic Life”

A New Discovery – A Western Pond Turtle in Nance Pond

Today I was taking pictures of the bullfrogs sunning at Nance Pond. Then I noticed something at the far end of the pond, a Western Pond turtle. I had not seen one here before. These turtles are California’s only native freshwater turtle species. They are now endangered, with an estimated 25% of the population left.Continue reading “A New Discovery – A Western Pond Turtle in Nance Pond”

The International Space Station (ISS)

Taking a reasonably clear picture of the International Space Station (ISS) has been a goal of mine for several years, especially with the clear skies in Paradise and the frequency of observable flyovers, as many as five per night. The challenges are the intensity of sunlight reflecting from the station, its speed, about 5 mi/8Continue reading “The International Space Station (ISS)”