Hogle Zoo Close-ups - Abstracts In Nature

Green Tree Python at Hogle Zoo

Every time I go to the zoo, I take my camera.  I can't help it.  But how many pictures of the giraffe or elephant do you really need?  Certainly, I have amassed enough for a lifetime or two.  But still, the lure of trying to get a really great shot beckons, and I carry the camera around and click away.

Cottonmouth snake

So, this time around I decided to zoom in a bit and focus on the amazing colors and textures in nature.  The reptile house in particular gave an abundance of patterns and shapes.  The variety of art in nature is truly amazing.

Tiger at Hogle Zoo

This tiger's coat would blend in with the sandstone of southern Utah.

Indian Star tortoise

From fur to feathers, shells to skin, the lines, shapes, and textures are an inspiration.

Can you guess what this is?

If you said porcupine quills, you are right!  These spiny shafts trail after the porcupine as he walks by me in his enclosure.

Beaded texture of a gila monster

The gila monster is a particular favorite with his contrasting colors and bumping skin.  It is almost as is he has sequins.

Giraffe at Hogle Zoo

The patterns on the giraffe probably act as camouflage in the savannas of Africa. They stand out in sharp relief in the mountain region of Salt Lake City.

Snake at Hogle Zoo

A snake's skin, when amplified, doesn't look smooth.  The texture of artfully placed scales forms incredible patterns and designs.

Butterfly

My personal favorite is this abstract canvas formed by a colorful butterfly wing.  It could hang in any museum.  So, next time you are going to a familiar place and are facing the choice of "to photograph or not to photograph," consider a different angle.  You might be surprised what you find if you take the time to zoom in!

When Clouds Get In the Way....

Clouds in Alberta, Canada

Sometimes the best laid plans just don’t work out.  This year, my summer got derailed.  Here is what I had planned: a great family vacation, followed by many family activities around home like hiking, camping, cookouts, game days,  zoos and aquariums,  painting the deck railing, gardening, and more.

Here is what my summer turned out to be: great family vacation followed by a diagnostic mammogram, ultrasound, biopsy, MRI, surgical consults, another MRI, more surgical consults, surgery, PET/CT scan, and post-operative follow-up appointments.  My plans for the next several months will now be centered around chemotherapy and radiation.

Hollyhocks at home.

Sometimes the journey we plan and the journey we take aren’t exactly the same.  But, it doesn’t mean the trip has to be terrible.  Although my path this summer has had many unexpected twists and turns, I did manage a couple of easy hikes, and I also soaked up as much family time as possible.  I learned that the things that mattered most to me before cancer, are still the things that matter the  most.  Some things don’t change.  I learned about the overwhelming kindness of people.  And I learned that life is full of beautiful things all along the way, even when your travel plans change.   

Thought for the Day

Flowers in Bloom

"There are always flowers for those who want to see them."

                                                                   --Henri Matisse

Our Most Wired Vacation Ever

Canadian Rockies in June

Although I try to limit technology on vacations, our recent trip to Alberta, Canada ended up being our most "wired" ever.  I had one child taking an online course who had to submit assignments during our trip, my husband needed to check in with work occasionally, and I had another child who had a school registration date during our vacation as well.  This meant we had to have access to a computer while traveling, so as we loaded the van, in went the laptop.  And since we had the laptop, it meant everyone checked emails more than usual as well.  

Using the internet in our hotel.

We drove from Salt Lake to Alberta, and spread the drive out over two days.  Although my kids are veteran road-trippers, I had one child concerned about passing the time on the trip, so in went the DVD player.  To his credit, I think he only watched one movie in the back of the van the entire 9 day vacation, and that was during the first leg of the trip.  Still, it is interesting to note that having the option of using the DVD player was like a security blanket.

DVD player in the car

I like to put on music and drive, which is why I love road trips, I guess.  Although we took a CD case loaded with CDs (something for everyone), I also took my beat-up Sanza Fuze mp3 player as well.  It is terribly convenient to have so much of MY music available on these trips.  I noticed if my kids didn't like the music mix, they put their own earbuds in, so it all worked out.

Music for the road.

However, I also found everyone spent some time with the tried and true road trip survival methods we have encouraged over the past several years.  Looking out the window is the obvious activity of choice.  With our recent interest in bird watching, it gained an added appeal.  On the way to Alberta, I saw a prairie falcon, turkey vulture, and golden eagle along the side of the road.  Also, as we drove near Glacier in Montana, we spotted some other wildlife.

Young bear near Glacier National Park.

I was happy to see kids reading and playing in the car instead of just being wired all the time.  We enjoy chatting and laughing together as we travel.  I really love being in the car with just my family for days at a time.  It is another thing I enjoy about road trips.  Maybe it is because my kids are older now, but this particular trip went very smoothly.

Reading in the car...books are a must!

At each place we stayed, using the pool was the top priority for our group.  Two motels even had water slides, which made several family members very happy.  After a day of sightseeing or driving, the pool was the perfect place to unwind and loosen stiff muscles.  We also took an assortment of games (card games and board games), and enjoyed playing every one of them during our trip.

Nopy plays in the car.

Since we don't have international plans on our cell phones, we only paid to add international calling on one phone for this trip, and left the other phones at home.  I was happy to find I did not miss my cell phone at all.  In fact, it was incredibly freeing to NOT have it with me.  Our one cell phone saw limited use, and was mainly used to set up visits with friends once we were in Calgary.  It truly feels like a vacation when you can leave all those distractions behind.

Artist and Artwife at Bow Falls

So, even though technology played a more prominent role on this trip than we normally like, I felt like we managed to control the technology and its use, instead of letting it be dominant on this vacation.  How do you deal with technology during your family vacations?  Is it a life-saver, or a headache?

For more on technology and the family, check out my other blog posts.

Technology vs. the Family - Where Do You Draw the Line?  Part 1

Technology vs. the Family - Where Do You Draw the Line?  Part 2

For tips on planning a successful road trip, click here.

Visiting Newspaper Rock

View of Newspaper Rock

You have seen graffiti on buildings, walls, and railroad cars.  Layers upon layers sometimes exist, as taggers cover the work of others to leave their own mark.  The jumbled chaos of rock art on Newspaper Rock seemed to me a bit like ancient graffiti.

Rock overhanging the petroglyphs.

Who knows why this somewhat remote location became such a popular place to peck petroglyphs into the rock surface.  The dark desert varnish makes a suitable canvas, and the huge rock overhang shelters the figures from some weathering.  However, I was left wondering why this place?  Why so many carvings right here?

Signage at Newspaper Rock

The rock art here dates as early as 2,000 years ago.  Some recent additions are from the Ute tribe in the last century.  From ancient Puebloans to modern people, there must be quite a story in all the figures on the rock, if we only knew what it was!

Close-up of Newspaper Rock

At first the figures seem like a confused jumble, but if you pause to take it all in, you begin to see animals, a bear paw, feet, and more.

Detail of Newspaper Rock

In the above detail photo, you can see the reddish color of older petroglyphs.  These animals are covered by the newer, lighter art.  You can also detect a change in style between the ancient and modern.

Another view of petroglyphs at Newspaper Rock

Detail image of Newspaper Rock

The Navajo call this area by a name that means "rock that tells a story."  Perhaps that is where our name of Newspaper Rock originated.  Some of the carvings are attributed to the Fremont culture, making this an interesting site with both Anasazi and Fremont art.  No one is sure what all of it means.  From abstract symbols to figures on horseback, there is a little bit of everything here.

Again, lighter colored carvings cover older, darker art.

Tall walls of Wingate sandstone rise above Indian Creek.  This monument is on the way to the Needles district of Canyonlands National Park.  It is well-marked and easy to find.  Ample parking is available, as are vault toilets.

Sign and path at Newspaper Rock.

Take a few minutes and ponder all of the wonderful art work here.  It has a remarkable simplicity and beauty.  With literally hundreds of petroglyphs on one panel, this is one of the best-preserved, accessible panels around.  Newspaper Rock is just a short stroll from the parking area.

Taking it all in.

If you go:  To access Newspaper Rock, drive north from Monticello, Utah.  Turn onto Hwy. 211, and continue down the road for 13 miles.  The historic site is well-marked.  This is on the way to Canyonlands National Park.

Related posts:

Visiting the Sand Island Petroglyphs

Visiting Hovenweep

Edge of the Cedars State Park

Visiting Anasazi Ruins Near Bluff, Utah