Nile Root » Picture of the Month

Spring in the Tucson Area

Nile — Sun, 21 Mar 2004 05:07:04 +0000

On March 20, 2004, we welcome spring in the Northern Hemisphere. The Vernal Equinox has been celebrated for centuries in the Southwest. On the Equinox this spear of sunlight crosses an ancient solar symbol carved by a Native American. This marker has survived for a millennium. This image is part of my eight-year study of Signal Hill, Arizona, near Tucson. You can see more of this study by going to this web site Contents page and clicking on Archaeoastronomy and then Signal Hill.

Winter in Tucson

Nile — Sun, 25 Jan 2004 05:13:47 +0000

During winter in the Tucson area we often have gentle rains along with the sunshine. This photo was made on January 24, 2004, while Abby and I were on a nature walk with visitors, a few miles from our home. I was standing in the light rain as the rainbow sparkled for a minute or less.

Joshua Tree National Park

Nile — Sun, 11 Jan 2004 05:19:14 +0000

During the Thanksgiving holiday Abby and I spent three days at this park with family. In our travels around the United States we have never been disappointed when we visited a National Park or National Monument. Joshusa Tree National Park exceeded our expectations. I hope to have a section on my web site soon describing this site.

Winter in upstate New York

Nile — Sat, 20 Dec 2003 22:17:34 +0000

Abby and I lived in this house for 14 years. It is located in Pittsford, New York, a suburb of Rochester. When we retired in 1986 we joyfully moved to a warm climate!

Each morning, after one of the many winter snowstorms, we were awakened at 4:00 am by our contracted snowplow service — paving the way up our long, steep driveway so we could drive to work on the icy roads.

Grand Canyon

Nile — Thu, 20 Nov 2003 22:20:39 +0000

Grand Canyon in the fall season remains a photographer’s challenge with its colorful geological landscapes.

The Havasupai tribe has made the canyon its home for over 900 years up to and including the present time. In ancient times the Native American Anazasi occupied some 2000 sites in and near the canyon.

Spanish explorers first recorded seeing the Grand Canyon in 1540 while searching for the Seven Golden Cities of Cibola.

Later, in the summer of 1869, Major John Wesley Powell led the first expedition to explore the length of the canyon. He accomplished this difficult feat with a small boat crew on the treacherous Colorado River.

Sonoran Desert Butterfly

Nile — Mon, 20 Oct 2003 22:26:07 +0000

In late September, 2003, Abby and I visited the Arizona – Sonora Desert Museum with a visitor from New England. Despite a soft rain we saw many desert creatures in their natural habitats including flocks of multicolored butterflies.

This photograph was made with my Fuji S2 digital camera with a 450 mm telephoto lens hand-held at 1/1000 second.

Reed Flute Cave in Guilin, China

Nile — Sat, 20 Sep 2003 23:31:07 +0000

On this web site my section on China receives the most visits. The reason is partly that several middle schools use it as an educational resource and also because several Chinese sites link to my site. I have many photos from China not seen on my web site so I thought I would include two more this month.

China has more caves perhaps than any other country in the world. More than 40 million Chinese live in caves. This cave, named after the useful reed flute grass growing nearby, is noted for its stalactites, stalagmites, stone pillars and stone curtains.

To see the grotto called the Crystal Palace of the Dragon King click HERE.

The Crystal Palace of the Dragon King

Nile — Sat, 20 Sep 2003 07:00:00 +0000

Reflections in water in Reed Flute Cave accent the stunning rock formations.

This grotto can hold about 1000 people. During the World War 2 era it served as an air raid shelter for locals. Over 70 inscriptions dating back to the Tang Dynasty (618 – 907 AD) have been found on the walls.

The secret location of the small entrance was revealed to the world by peasants in 1959. The cave was opened to the public in 1962.

Aspen forest fire on July 4

Nile — Tue, 26 Aug 2003 22:09:36 +0000

For over three weeks Abby and I watched the Aspen fire from our front yard and our living room window. It was raging in the Santa Catalina Mountains about 15 miles from our home. It had started on June 17, 2003.

The fire threatened the University of Arizona’s Steward Observatory but firefighters saved the observatory from major damage.

The Aspen fire scorched about 85,000 acres, destroying over 330 homes and cabins. In late July the monsoon season thunderstorms created mudslides and runoff. The overflowing mountain stream in Santa Catalina’s Sabino Canyon was black from the soot, ash and debris.

“The New Colossus”

Nile — Thu, 03 Jul 2003 22:09:25 +0000

This plaque was originally placed on the inner walls of the Statue’s pedestal where I made this photograph in 1946. It currently is on display in the Statue of Liberty exhibit on the second floor in the pedestal of the Statue. The handwritten original is preserved by the American Jewish Historical Society.

During this troubled era, in July, 2003, I believe we should remember the last sentence of this sonnet with its message of hope and liberty for people seeking freedom around the world.

“Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”