"The Symbolic Cemetery," My Newest Published Work

 Head on over to the Baltimore Review to read my non-fiction piece about mountain climbing and the sometimes-deadly lure of the mountains.  

But first, some pictures.  Memorial plaques at the Symbolic Cemetery in the High Tatra mountains:

Me at Kôprovský štít, which I mention in the piece:

That lake you see in the picture above is a glacial tarn, Veľké Hincovo pleso,  Here's a shot from its banks:  

Near the Symbolic Cemetery in winter:

Want to know more?  Read The Symbolic Cemetery 

More Birdwatching at Hassayampa River Preserve

 So, my novice birdwatching continues.

Note: pictures taken mid February at Hassayampa River Preserve near Wickenburg, Arizona.

Some cool raptor (Cooper's hawk maybe???)

Great Egret:

Ladder-backed woodpecker?

What a great day, even if I'm not sure what I saw.  

Hummingbirds at Hassayampa River Preserve

Pictures from mid February (yes, I'm late in posting) at Hassayampa River Preserve, just out of Wickenburg, Arizona.

Here I reveal my stellar skills at bird identification.  Below you'll find a...hummingbird.  Probably female.  

And here, what I believe is a male Anna's hummingbird on an ocotillo (I'm sure about the ocotillo):

And more...hummingbirds.  We have several common species around the Phoenix area.  I just can't differentiate any except the male Anna's and the male Costa's, and even then I'm usually not 100% sure.  Sigh.  One day I'll be a better birder.