COVID-19 has been winning big in famous states like Arizona, Texas, and California, but has also been increasing in most other states of the USA. We have been forced to realize just how powerful a virus it really is. By now we know the reasons: governors opening up restaurants and bars too early. Mixed messages about masks from the Federal government. Open celebrations and parties on Memorial day and July Fourth holidays. Plus the old attitude of “I don’t want the government telling me what to do.” Plus “I’ve got a bad case of cabin fever, and I have to get out of the house and visit with my friends.”… More
FAVORITE TOWN. I can say truthfully that everyone I know who has visited Durango in summer, or Fall, say they love the town and the area.
In the Fall, the famous old steam train puffs up to Silverton, and in October riders are dazzled by the Fall colors of the golden aspens.
You can also see glorious views if you drive up to Silverton. Molas Pass is 11,000 feet and recently we sat on the edge of Molas Lake and drank in the view and the tranquility.
Molas lake nestled below the snow-flecked mountains of the Weminuche Wilderness.
Little Molas Lake, not far away, is a fairyland.… More
A SCARY COVID-19 REOPENING SPIKECOVID-19 is winning once again in these states: Arizona (419), Texas (175), Arkansas (202), Mississippi (252), Florida (291), South Carolina (240).In contrast, New Mexico (75), Oklahoma (75) and Kansas (75) are doing much better in controlling the virus.These numbers are daily new cases of the virus, averaged over the past week (21-28 June), per million people in the state. See Figure 1.
Figure 1.
The virus in Texas has flared up since restrictions were softened in early June: no mandate to wear masks, bars open to 50% and restaurants open to 75% capacity, allowing 100 people to meet together, and beaches open.… More
Last week I came across a calendar I had designed for 2015. To tell the truth, I had completely forgotten about the calendar. The pictures and the words lifted my spirit at this time of injustice, loss, death, and despair sweeping across the country. The following photos and words are from different months of that calendar.
Figure 1: Starting out on a cold fall morning in late 2014 about 60 – 70 miles from Albuquerque. Kim on the right with kids Kara and Jaden, and friend Brayden in the middle.
If you are a hiker, you will especially appreciate the challenge of the climb.… More
INTRODUCTIONThe COVID-19 outbreak was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11, 2020. This is defined as when an infectious disease passes easily from person to person in many parts of the world at the same time.The material in this blog comes from two BBC News articles dated May 28 and 29, 2020. To read these articles, click HERE and HERE.USA VERSUS REST OF WORLDThe death toll in the US became the highest in the world in early April and has risen dramatically since then.
President Donald Trump initially said “50 to 60,000” people could die during the outbreak but in May he said he was hopeful the toll would be lower than 100,000.… More
BACKGROUNDPetrified wood is created by precipitation of the mineral quartz from groundwater that flows through the wood after it is buried in sediment. Quartz replaces the wood, often preserving its fine cellular texture. The variety of colors of petrified wood results from impurities within the quartz crystals.
Perhaps the most famous is petrified wood from northern Arizona, extracted from the Chinle Formation of Late Triassic age (220 million years ago). Wood from the Chinle Formation represents conifer trees and is noted for vibrant red and yellow colors.
Large Petrified Pine cut and polished from Arizona, with Director Tiffany Santos. Stuhl Museum is at New Mexico State university in Las Cruces.https://zuhlmuseum.nmsu.edu/petrified-wood/… More