Album Arizona from Esther

Opal in matrix

nobody@ipernity.com (Esther) — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 02:25:30 +0000

Esther has posted:

Alfie Norville Gem and Mineral Museum
Tucson, Arizona

AP1134511

Cavansite on stilbite

nobody@ipernity.com (Esther) — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 02:25:32 +0000

Esther has posted:

Alfie Norville Gem and Mineral Museum
Tucson, Arizona

Sunday Challenge: Find the intruder

Present a photo of any subject including something that should not be there and ask viewers to find it. It can be something obvious or obscure. A black chair in a sea of red chairs, a mis-colored brick in a wall, a hammer amongst the kitchen utensils, etc.

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Warts and all

nobody@ipernity.com (Esther) — Sun, 05 Apr 2026 14:58:34 +0000

Esther has posted:

Romanechite is a hydrated barium manganese oxide mineral that is frequently mined in a bubbly mass form. It was first discovered in France, but is also mined in Germany, France, India, Mexico, and the United States. It is used to make steel and sodium batteries.

Sunday Challenge: Ugly ducking. Take a photograph of something that we normally view as ugly and make it beautiful, or at least interesting

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Desert colors

nobody@ipernity.com (Esther) — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 20:40:21 +0000

Esther has posted:

Desert Botanical Garden
Phoenix, Arizona

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Crested saguaro

nobody@ipernity.com (Esther) — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 20:40:13 +0000

Esther has posted:

Desert Botanical Garden
Phoenix, Arizona

"Some saguaros grow in rare formations called a cristate, or "crested" saguaro. This growth formation is believed to be found in one in roughly 10,000 saguaros, with 2,743 known crested saguaros documented. The crest formation, caused by fasciation, creates a seam of abnormal growth along the top or top of the arm of the saguaro."

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saguaro

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Saguaro landscape

nobody@ipernity.com (Esther) — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 20:40:18 +0000

Esther has posted:

Desert Botanical Garden
Phoenix, Arizona

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Crested saguaro head

nobody@ipernity.com (Esther) — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 20:40:09 +0000

Esther has posted:

Aloe flower with bees

nobody@ipernity.com (Esther) — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 20:40:03 +0000

Esther has posted:

Desert Botanical Garden
Phoenix, Arizona

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The variety of desert life

nobody@ipernity.com (Esther) — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 20:39:59 +0000

Esther has posted:

Desert Botanical Garden
Phoenix, Arizona

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Hummingbird and aloe flower

nobody@ipernity.com (Esther) — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 20:39:54 +0000

Esther has posted:

Desert Botanical Garden
Phoenix, Arizona

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Prickly fingers

nobody@ipernity.com (Esther) — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 20:39:49 +0000

Esther has posted:

Desert Botanical Garden
Phoenix, Arizona

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Mourning doves

nobody@ipernity.com (Esther) — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 02:37:04 +0000

Esther has posted:

Desert Botanical Garden
Phoenix, Arizona

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American snout butterfly

nobody@ipernity.com (Esther) — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 02:36:58 +0000

Esther has posted:

Desert Botanical Garden
Phoenix, Arizona

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A pop of red

nobody@ipernity.com (Esther) — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 02:37:01 +0000

Esther has posted:

Desert Botanical Garden
Phoenix, Arizona

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Majestic Saguaro

nobody@ipernity.com (Esther) — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 02:34:55 +0000

Esther has posted:

Desert Botanical Garden
Phoenix, Arizona

"Life Span With the right growing conditions, it is estimated that saguaros can live to be as much as 150-200 years old. Size Saguaro are very slow growing cactus. A 10 year old plant might only be 1.5 inches tall. Saguaro can grow to be between 40-60 feet tall (12-18m). When rain is plentiful and the saguaro is fully hydrated it can weigh between 3200-4800 pounds. Quick Facts • The saguaro is the largest cactus in the United States. • Most of the saguaros roots are only 4-6 inches deep and radiate out as far from the plant as it is tall. There is one deep root, or tap root that extends down into the ground more than 2 feet. • After the saguaro dies its woody ribs can be used to build roofs, fences, and parts of furniture. The holes that birds nested in or "saguaro boots" can be found among the dead saguaros. Native Americans used these as water containers long before the canteen was available. "

chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.azed.gov/sites/default/files/2019/02/Saguaro%20Fun%20Facts.pdf

AP1123896

Checkered White butterfly

nobody@ipernity.com (Esther) — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 02:34:47 +0000

Esther has posted:

Desert Botanical Garden
Phoenix, Arizona

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Not an easy landing

nobody@ipernity.com (Esther) — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 02:34:50 +0000

Esther has posted:

Desert Botanical Garden
Phoenix, Arizona

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Natural caves

nobody@ipernity.com (Esther) — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 02:34:45 +0000

Esther has posted:

Desert Botanical Garden
Phoenix, Arizona

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Free form

nobody@ipernity.com (Esther) — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 02:34:38 +0000

Esther has posted:

Desert Botanical Garden
Phoenix, Arizona

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Rhythmic patterns

nobody@ipernity.com (Esther) — Sat, 07 Mar 2026 20:57:44 +0000

Esther has posted:

Desert Botanical Garden
Phoenix, Arizona

"Cacti are adapted to live in very dry environments, including the Atacama Desert, one of the driest places on Earth. Because of this, cacti show many adaptations to conserve water. For example, almost all cacti are succulents, meaning they have thickened, fleshy parts adapted to store water. Unlike many other succulents, the stem is the only part of most cacti where this vital process takes place. Most species of cacti have lost true leaves, retaining only spines, which are highly modified leaves. As well as defending against herbivores, spines help prevent water loss by reducing air flow close to the cactus and providing some shade. In the absence of true leaves, cacti's enlarged stems carry out photosynthesis.

Cactus spines are produced from specialized structures called areoles, a kind of highly reduced branch. Areoles are an identifying feature of cacti. As well as spines, areoles give rise to flowers, which are usually tubular and multipetaled. Many cacti have short growing seasons and long dormancies and are able to react quickly to any rainfall, helped by an extensive but relatively shallow root system that quickly absorbs any water reaching the ground surface. Cactus stems are often ribbed or fluted with a number of ribs which corresponds to a number in the Fibonacci numbers (2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34 etc.). This allows them to expand and contract easily for quick water absorption after rain, followed by retention over long drought periods."

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cactus

Sunday Challenge: "Show an image where rhythm is a clear theme.
Rhythm arises when elements repeat: a row of trees, waves on the water, the veins of a leaf. Sometimes rhythm is strict and measurable, sometimes playful and unpredictable."

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