gingkochris posted: " Single-leaf pinyon (Pinus monophylla) is unique among American Pinus species in having single leaves rather than bundles of leaves or needles. The needles are greyish green with a whitish tinge and are round. They are stiff, curved toward the branch "
Single-leaf pinyon (Pinus monophylla) is unique among American Pinus species in having single leaves rather than bundles of leaves or needles. The needles are greyish green with a whitish tinge and are round. They are stiff, curved toward the branch and prickly. The season's growth of needles remains on the tree for about 7 or 8 years, but can persist for 12 years.
Mature single-leaf pinyon trees have short trunks that are rarely straight and a wide, rather flat crown of short, heavy, twisted and bent branches. The bark of young trunks and twigs is dull grey while old trunks are roughly and irregularly furrowed with bark nearly an inch thick, and thin, close, dark to reddish brown scales. Single-leaf pinyons are usually not over 25 feet in height unless in protected or otherwise favorable conditions. Slow growing, this native regularly lives to 100 years and can survive for up to 400 years.
Cones mature in August of the second season and the seeds are shed about a month later. Single-leaf pinyon cones are egg-shaped with thick scales raised at the ends into high, broad-based pyramids with rounded tops. First year cones are greenish and mature to a yellow-brown color. The empty cones fall from the tree in winter or spring.
Single-leaf pinyon seeds are a dark chocolate brown. Their narrow wings remain attached to the cone scales when the seeds are released. The oily, nutritious seeds were a Native American staple and even today pinyon (pine) nuts are eaten. Leonard and I collected handfuls of seeds and enjoyed a trailside treat.
The yellowish-brown wood is very fine grained, moderately light and very brittle. Single-leaf pinyon wood has little commercial use.
Arid mountain slopes, canyon sides, mesas and foothills with rapid evaporation, light precipitation and little humidity between 2,000 and 8,000 feet are single-leaf pinyon habitat. These trees are found throughout the Great Basin, NW and Central Arizona, the mountains of SE California and Baja California.
These specimens were photographed near Nevada Route 844 not far from Berlin Ichthyosaur State Park. Pmonophylla has many other common names including nut pine and one-leaf pine.
postrockcafe posted: "Summer may not sound like summer, but that's okay, because the season has just ended in the Northern Hemisphere. Instead, Sonae's album is an ode to a lost summer ~ the summer of 2020 ~ and a warning that future summers may head in the same direction. CO"
Summer may not sound like summer, but that's okay, because the season has just ended in the Northern Hemisphere. Instead, Sonae's album is an ode to a lost summer ~ the summer of 2020 ~ and a warning that future summers may head in the same direction. COVID is nothing compared to climate change, which is the result of human action and inaction, a point hammered home in Jennifer Trees' powerful video installation. The partnership between Sonae (Sonia Güttler) and Trees has produced one of the year's most stunning documents.
The cover photo implies peace, tranquility, and given the time of year, a tinge of melancholy. The emptiness implies human desertion, the story of many a pool in 2020 (and 2021). Sonae's album was commissioned pre-pandemic, but recorded during the initial surge, which produced a convolution of seasons and reactions, including seasonal affective disorder in a time of warmth. As Leah Kardos writes in her expressive liner notes, summer has no agency or intention, but "holds up a mirror" to reflect our expectations and projections, hopes and sins.
Seldom has a piece titled "Summer" from an album of the same name sounded so foreboding. The piece starts in mid-drone, atop a wash of waves, followed by an assault of electronics. When the beats arrive, they sound like sluggish goths, enervated by the world. Visually, Trees establishes the template for the project: a split screen whose right half is sumptuous and whose left is unnerving. The ocean images are only slightly marred by the appearance of a plastic bottle. But then there are more plastic bottles, more and more; an attendant wastes water washing down chairs while tourists pack themselves in like lemmings and raise towers to the heavens. The phrase "turn a blind eye" comes to mind; cover the left image and all is well.
Then there is "Steam," the condensation of the heavens contrasted with the factory byproducts. Sonae's music also picks up steam, underlining the urgency. Gorgeous geysers share split screens with smokestacks. A message is conveyed without a word: low notes, dark tones, a sense of flow: but in which direction? Now city lights, accompanied by views from space: the death of natural light, robbing humans of the sight of the stars. When the stars cannot be seen, do soft wishes and humble prayers diminish as well? Look ~ the right screen is polluted as well. What is the cost of our pursuit of artificial beauty?
Trees makes even the desolate seem beautiful, in the manner of Ron Fricke's Qatsi trilogy. While Philip Glass' score nestled in ambience and Jeremy Bible's score for his own excellent Human Savagery ventured into drone, Sonae's vision is futuristic and electronic; one might even call it dystopian. "La Nuit" introduces a Bladerunner pulse over neon images; the tension builds; the flashing lights grow ever more soulless until only mechanical clicks and echoes remain.
For the first time, both images match. "Soleil Noir" displays the blinding sun, then fades to black amid rustlings and faraway notes. Do we like the sun? We do, as much as we love strip mining. Sonae mingles natural and industrial percussion until the listener is no longer able to tell them apart. And now, the sights and sounds of summer: pools, barbecues, sun bathing! Oh how happy we are, scorching the beef that kills trees in the Amazon while wildfires rage across the globe. Wait, did you not want to read, hear or see that? Simply cover the left screen, it's safe again.
Sonae's "Heat" turns to requiem. We've had our time in the sun. We've increased the temperature of the globe. We've gotten more of what we wanted and less of what we needed, and perhaps our summer as a species is over as well. No one will remember our blaze of glory. (Richard Allen)
Goff James posted: " Hi, Dear Friends. Welcome to October's News Letter Here we are again October has arrived. Autumn is upon us once more. October weather-wise was very much better than that offered in August. It has been a month of sunshine with a touch of"
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Here we are again October has arrived. Autumn is upon us once more.
October weather-wise was very much better than that offered in August.
It has been a month of sunshine with a touch of chilled nights setting in.How quickly the months seem to fly.
That time of year thou mayst in me behold When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang Upon those boughs which shake against the cold, Bare ruined choirs, where late the sweet birds sang
William Shakespeare (Extract from Sonnet 73)
The tenth month of the year continues to be a challenging one for all at home and across the world in so many ways.
The ongoing pandemic continues to teach one to value life and freedom.
My little garden, continues to fill my days with continuing colour and joy. The days are however definitely getting shorter and the nights are becoming cooler. October's colour palette darkens with Autumn's multicoloured hues.
The phlox and alliums have shed their flowers. The fuchsias are at their finest and are joined by the sedums and Japanese anemones.
Each in their own way are a buzz with bees. However very few butterflies have graced the garden. A handful of white butterflies have been seen. Hopefully all that will change before the frost arrives.
The rigorous routine of deadheading the roses throughout the summer continues to provide a great show.
Autumn is definitely making herself felt. The trees are slowly continuing to change colour, hedgerows are filling with scarlet berries.
Large gatherings of young sparrows gather daily at the birdbath. There is definitely a differentand chillier hymn being sung.
October is one of the best months of the year with Halloween, stacks of Autumn leaves to jump into and it is even national pizza month!
The star sign of everyone born in October is either a Libra or a Scorpio. Libras are born between 23 September to 22 October and Scorpios are born between 23 October to 21 November.
Libra is the seventh astrological sign in the Zodiac. The birthstone for Libra is the Opal known for bringing prosperity and personal power.
People born under the sign of Libra are represented by the scales that reflects their fixation on balance and harmony.However they also love excitement, new situations, adventure and the unusual.
Scorpio is the eighth astrological sign in the Zodiac. The birthstone for Scorpions is topaz. Scorpions are known for being strong, mysterious, ambitious, resourceful, brave, passionate and a true friend.
Happy Birthday Folks!
I would like to take this opportunity to continue to express a special note of appreciation to all of you who visit, follow and read my blog.
I also extend a very warm welcome to all new visitors, readers and followers.
To those many writers I follow an apology for not spending more time visiting and reading your valued blogs.
With a need to keep up to date with my gardening jobs, painting, going for walks, going to the gym, photography, reading and writing; each, in their turn, cut into the time available for blogging. My schedule is being constantly reviewed and amended.
For me reading and replying to all comments remains very important; as, does checking the numerous e-mails received. I set aside around about two hours each day to enable me to keep on top of this.
This amount of time really cuts into my time scheduling; so, to enable me to focus on my other many interests I continue to prioritise a maximum of ten e-mails each day to read and follow up. This strategy has certainly helped to free up more time for me.
I wish that I could read everyones posts. I am continuing to find, with my increased commitments, it ever more difficult to pay each of you regular visits; this is something that continues to bother me. I trust you all understand.
Over the last few months concerns have been raised regarding certain health issues that have become more concerning. I have had to have regular health checkups and continue to need such reviews.
So a point has has been reached where I have to listen very carefully to what my body is telling me and act seriously upon it and all the medical evidence and advice.
Gym sessions have been put on hold until my next review. So that will be replaced with more daily walks. Fingers crossed I will be back, physically and mentally, as good as new soon.
These issues have raised the need for me to consider reducing the number of my daily posts by some 50%. I am in the process of trying to decide which is the best way forwards.
All options are on the table. No final decision has been made as yet. All depends on the health reviews etc.. I may leave it to the end of the year or even early 2022; however, it maybe sooner than later.
I continue with my new venture of working on my first book of haiku poems.
I have to admit progress is rather slow. I have been busy writing, rewriting, drafting and redrafting the manuscript. It remains very much an on going project.A little slower than I originally anticipated.
I am still working on creating a cover design and I continue to trawl my archive of writings in an attempt to put the collection together.
Here are a few tasters.
I have decided to arrange the poems in no particular order or theme.
I am still trying to decide which will be the best way for me to publish.
I continue to be drawn to the idea of self publishing and releasing it as a download document or to publish it in instalments. This aspect remains very much up in the air.
Any advice would be truly appreciated.
Stay Well. Stay Safe. Stay Smiling.
Photos AttributionGoff James
Copyright (c) 2021 Goff James – All Rights Reserved
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