Rillito Flow

Pictured below is the normally dry and dusty Rillito River crossing on Camino de la Tierra, near I-10 in Tucson.  Photos taken the morning after torrential monsoon storms swept across the Santa Catalina mountains.  Here, over fifteen miles from the headwaters, the muddy river is easily two hundred feet across and still flows swiftly.

Cactus Bloom, with Bees

Pictured below is the flower of the night-blooming Peruvian apple cactus (Cereus peruvianus), also featured in Bloom Time 3 on this website.

In that post I stated that the flower is pollinated by the nocturnal white-lined sphinx moth, which is true.  But, on this cloudy morning, the dancing honeybees also play their role.

Canyon Metates

Hand-bored metates (or pestles), roughly one thousand years old, in a large bedrock boulder.  Presumably they were used by native inhabitants to grind foodstuffs such as mesquite beans or corn into usable meal.  This boulder was part of large jumble situated on a canyon rim overlooking a choke point and natural waterfall.

Most contained some water, but only this one was streaked with vivid plant life.

U of A Mineral Museum 4

The University of Arizona Mineral Museum features many amazing specimens from all over the world. Tourmaline (aka elbaite) is one of my favorites.

U of A Mineral Museum 3

The U of A Mineral Museum also has a fluorescent mineral display.

U of A Mineral Museum 2

The following photos feature a selection of mineral specimens from China.

U of A Mineral Museum 1

 The following photos are from the U of A Mineral Museum, on campus at 1601 E University Blvd. These are specimens from historically significant Arizona localities that are now and forever closed to collecting, such as Bisbee, Glove, and Tiger-St Anthony.