Monday, October 31, 2016
Halloween Party 2016.
Patriotic Redneck Homer. And Mrs. Clinton fresh out of the shower.
Patriotic Redneck Homer. And Mrs. Clinton fresh out of the shower.
Thursday, October 27, 2016
28 Days Later. I was in the field up in Alpine, Arizona for 28 field/driving days. Four separate sessions. I haven't been away this long since 1996. Poor Puff missed me terribly.
Saw lots of horny toads (which are actually horned lizards). The adult ones were easy to catch and liked to hang out, appreciating the warmth of my body.
Adult horned lizard.
The baby horned lizards scooted around fast. They were so cute.
Baby horned lizard.
One day Connie spotted a tree frog. So brightly colored!
Click on picture to see it better.
We stayed in a cabin and a double wide. As the days got shorter, the sunrises got better.
Sunrise in Nutrioso.
While we were up north the aspen and oak leaves changed color.
Connie walks past an aspen grove.
Aspen groves were a nightmare to walk through. Many of the trees have fallen down, and you had to climb over and around piles of dead and dying aspens.
Leaves.
The smell of the leaves reminded me of my grandmother's house in Traverse City. She had three enormous cottonwood trees.
And yet another pretty picture.
Our two crews found over 40 sites. During the last session, the other crew found some small pueblos. Our crew went over to look at them (we had been finding small flaked stone scatters). One of the pueblos had interesting corregated pottery.
Corregated pottery.
On the last day of the project I finally found a spear point.
Chalcedony point, the base is broken off.
We went to relocate some previously found sites, and while there I found a second point.
Obsidian point, very thin.
The best past of the last session was seeing herds of elk. Many hang out in the Alpine Valley, safe from the nasty hunters because of firearm restrictions there.
Elk.
Back in Tucson for a while, before heading north for a new project.
Sunday, October 09, 2016
On the survey in the meadows and forests of the Apache National Forest, an abundance of wildflowers. I was surprised at the number and diversity. I took lots of pictures, and tried to identify them in guide books (which I mostly failed at). So anyways, here are just some of the wildflowers I have seen over the last month. I'm guessing that some of the IDs are wrong.
Bird-bill dayflower, Commelina dianthfolia.
Nodding Onion.
Iris.
Wild Blue Flax.
Tansyleaf Aster. Machaeranthera tanacetifolia
Iris.
Penstemon.
Bull Thistle.
Scarlet gilia. Ipomopsis aggregata.
Nodding Onion.
New Mexico checkermallow.
Swamp roses.
Baby Aster
Hooker's Thistle.
Common Mullein.
Saturday, October 08, 2016
I watched the clip on CNN at our cabin in Alpine. Spent the day in the field, didn't expect to listen to Donald Trump talk about grabbing pussy on the news.
The President of the United States is supposed to be a role model, both for the kids in our country and for people around the world. In my lifetime I consider Barack Obama, the first George Bush, Jimmy Carter, and Gerald Ford to be good role models. They were human, humane, good family men, seemed to care about people in the USA and abroad. In contrast you have the second George Bush, Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan, and Richard Nixon. Not particularly role-modelish in their public and private lives.
I've watched with alarm and amazement as Donald Trump became the Republican nominee. Millions of Americans voted for this reality tv con artist. He has said so many horrible things about minorities and women, and yet he has millions of fanatical followers. Look at his Facebook page, nothing he does or says turns these people away. Even his "I grab women by the pussy" statement is viewed as something to be admired. What is wrong with these people?
I know that Hillary Clinton isn't a saint. But she is so qualified to be president, as opposed to Trump. I am at least comforted knowing that she will win this election and rapist-wannabe Trump will not.
The President of the United States is supposed to be a role model, both for the kids in our country and for people around the world. In my lifetime I consider Barack Obama, the first George Bush, Jimmy Carter, and Gerald Ford to be good role models. They were human, humane, good family men, seemed to care about people in the USA and abroad. In contrast you have the second George Bush, Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan, and Richard Nixon. Not particularly role-modelish in their public and private lives.
I've watched with alarm and amazement as Donald Trump became the Republican nominee. Millions of Americans voted for this reality tv con artist. He has said so many horrible things about minorities and women, and yet he has millions of fanatical followers. Look at his Facebook page, nothing he does or says turns these people away. Even his "I grab women by the pussy" statement is viewed as something to be admired. What is wrong with these people?
I know that Hillary Clinton isn't a saint. But she is so qualified to be president, as opposed to Trump. I am at least comforted knowing that she will win this election and rapist-wannabe Trump will not.
Sunday, October 02, 2016
I've been up in Alpine, Arizona, working on an archaeological survey. At elevations ranging from 8,600 to 8,850 feet. The first session was a nightmare of foot pain and staggering around trying to breath. On the sixth of eight days I started feeling better.
The second session was better, although it has started to get cold. The aspen and oak leaves are turning.
By the middle of the second session it started to get cold.
We hear elk whistling every day, and sometimes spot them while driving or while walking.
And when the ground surface is visible, we occasionally find archaeological sites. The most common are lithic (flaked stone) scatters. When we find one, we stop, place pin flags at each artifact, and then record the material and type of flaked stone.
Most of the flakes are pieces knocked off during the process of making stone tools such as spear points, scrapers, or bifaces.
I have yet to find a complete spear. My co-worker Connie found three on our last session. Maybe the next time I will be lucky.
The second session was better, although it has started to get cold. The aspen and oak leaves are turning.
Big mountain outside of our work area.
We walk through the forest and meadows spaced 15 meters apart. Sometimes the slopes are horribly steep. I wear a bright orange vest so my co-workers can easily spot me. Sometimes we stop to catch our breath.
In the forest.
By the middle of the second session it started to get cold.
Frost.
We hear elk whistling every day, and sometimes spot them while driving or while walking.
Bull elk.
Most of the ground is covered with pine needles, pine cones, and leaves. There are relatively few places where the ground surface is visible.
Overview.
And when the ground surface is visible, we occasionally find archaeological sites. The most common are lithic (flaked stone) scatters. When we find one, we stop, place pin flags at each artifact, and then record the material and type of flaked stone.
Flagged artifacts.
Most of the flakes are pieces knocked off during the process of making stone tools such as spear points, scrapers, or bifaces.
Black flakes.
Chalcedony flakes.
I have yet to find a complete spear. My co-worker Connie found three on our last session. Maybe the next time I will be lucky.
