Imagination

Was at the zoo for awhile yesterday. I enjoy this exhibit a bunch. I peer in every window I can see into each time I go. There is so much going on here. My imagination runs wild every time. Put it together and let yours go too.

Soon I will be seeing many  new and exciting things like this fellow did before it turned bad. I can't tell you how excited I am!

A 1937 STINSON RELIANT One Of Seven In The World

UPDATE: Here is one of several pictures sent to me by a fellow who saw this post and took better pictures than I of this same plane. I include the one below. Thank you Steve!!

 
 I had heard a lot about this plane for years and the trip in May back to Iowa got to see this unique airplane that gets flown frequently. 75 years old.

There's not a decent picture here and all were manipulated. It was dark and I wasn't going to push the button that opened this huge door to get some light inside. Hollywood types and other very wealthy people flew in these planes.

One of seven the value is  around 400K give or take a few. What that means I'm not sure as there may be a combine just outside that's worth twice that much but they don't fly.

I'm just glad I got around and in this plane and there is still a good chance there will be a ride in the future  and that would be waaaay too cool.

In the picture at the top and repeated at the bottom show the profile better thus the gull wing analogy.

Visitors

Knocking on the door. (click on the pictures) (twice)

Nobody home - let's move on boys and girls.

Stretch was resting.

From just  a bit ago. Quail are cool little birds as well. First time I've seen them here. There is also nearby a family or two of burrowing owls. No way can I even get an illustrative picture of these birds. Their flight is something to see.

I hope the quail come back a bunch more.

Listen To The Waves

Santa BarbaraMarch 2009

It's nice visiting an ocean when you don't get to see them very often.

What Will Be Left

And also whose table we will be on. Some think we as a species and as a planet are/will come to an end. Their is debate of course on when this will happen. Sooner or later take your choice it isn't worth arguing about. No one knows so that makes this opinion just as valid as anyone's.

I think the earth is past the tipping point and humans cannot sustain themselves at this level given the circumstances we have now.

Whether you agree or not one thing is for certain - when humans start dropping these fellows will be there to play their part in the worlds ever changing ecology.  

There are three pictures here in an attempt to show the size. These don't seem to get much bigger and there are not great numbers like some of the others. Notice the undeveloped wings. This is not quite two inches long and comes in one other color I've seen which is a reddish orange.

 Clicking on the pictures makes them bigger twice.

This is something else though. Gross out city I tell you. A mature Mormon cricket. When small they easily pass for a grasshopper. This is actually the first time I've seen some this big.

The other day went out to the same place I saw this one and did not see any large ones. Yesterday I saw several about half the size and they were much darker in color. They did not survive and what was left was dark as well. The one below was about 2.5" and just plain huge. They get get up to 3" in length and can and have cause devastating infestations. I hate to imagine what that would be like.

Not sure where this guy is headed whether it's mature or what have you. This is where the brighter colors are these days is on the ground. Time for breakfast.