Fierce

While I’m on the zoo theme, I’ll post one more photo from last weekend.  This one is of our favorite tiger.  He is fierce looking, don’t you think?  I do love my telephoto lens!

Yawn

When I visited the Phoenix Zoo last week, I got some great shots of our favorite lion but, this was my favorite.  My what a big yawn!

Pea Soup

There’s a duck in my soup! 

Not really, just a black water bird swimming in an algae covered pond.

Over the Wall

Yesterday, Phoenix City Councilman Tom Simplot went over the wall of a 16 story building……for a good cause.  He, along with a few others repelled down the side of the One Lexington high-rise to raise money for the Special Olympics.

I was on the ground taking the photo above and his chief of staff was on the roof taking the photo to the left.  Both of us agreed that it something neither of us could do! 

Pottery:

A vast array of pottery graces the front porch of this house.

Orange

Such a bright color for a house on a quiet street.  I don’t know what to make of that free-standing and rustic doorway that graces the entrance.  But, I do wonder if those are his and hers motorcycles.

Camel

This golden camel resides on the side of a building that houses Camelback Antiques.  What a perfect icon to represent this store as well as Camelback Mountain, the beautiful mountain that sits on the eastern side of Phoenix and Camelback Road, the street that runs east and west on the southern edge of the mountain.

Past & Present

You might say that for a flower, beauty fades quickly but, I think that faded beauty has an appeal all its own.

Koala

The Phoenix Zoo has acquired two young koalas.  Here’s one of them doing what koala’s do best…....napping!

Cactus Wren…posing

He looks like he was posing for me, doesn’t he?

Fall Welcome

Welcoming flowers decked out in fall colors.

Celebration

There were all kinds of music at the Desert Botanical Gardens last weekend to celebrate Dia de los Muertos.  I enjoyed this all girl Mariachi band.

Dia de los Muertos

Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead is a traditional holiday celebrated in Mexico and other Latin American countries.  It is a day to remember and celebrate the lives of friends and family who have passed.  I photographed this little figurine at the Dia De Los Muertos celebration at the Desert Botanical Gardens.

Theme Day - Public Transportation

I just realized yesterday afternoon that I didn't have a photo for theme day.  So, on my way to meet a friend for drinks, I saw one of our light rail trains approaching in my rear view mirror.  I held my camera out of the driver's side window while I was stopped at a traffic light and I didn't even look to see what I was taking.  I just snapped.  I was thinking that it was probably a throw-away shot, but once downloaded, I kind of like it.  It has that slight "Tenin-style" tilt to it and I love the giant sun reflection on the building behind the train.

Lately our light rail trains have been wrapped up in all kinds of advertising making them moving bill boards.  It is something the city really didn't want to do, but with the bad economic times, the extra money helps to support the transit system.

<a href="http://www.citydailyphoto.com/portal/themes_archive.php?tid=51">Click here to view thumbnails for all participants</a>

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween everyone!

Fence

There is something about the symmetry of this fence that appealed to me.

Bath Time

I spotted this little bird splashing away in a puddle of water left by the recent rains.

A new life

This might look like a small church but it really is an office building.  I’m guessing that the building has been converted into office space to house the offices of R C Lurie, an industrial lighting and equipment company.  It has all the appearance of a country church.

Sagewood

Right behind the brand new Musical Instrument Museum is a brand new housing development called Sagewood.  This is located way, way north in Phoenix.  It appears to be a combination of single family homes, two-story condominiums, and apartment-like condominiums all with similar architecture.

I like the style of these using rock and stucco together.

Quiet

One more set of photos from the Musical Instrument Museum.  The museum is arranged on two floors with a theatre, café, and special interactive displays on the ground floor and the main displays arranged by continent on the second floor.  The top photo is of the hallway on the second floor which leads to the display rooms.  I thought it was very sleek and since I was there right at opening, I could snap a photo before it filled with people.  And it did fill with people very quickly.

The photo to the left was taken in one of the special rooms on the lower level.  The display was about the diversity of the guitar throughout the world.

MIM

Yesterday I visited the new Musical Instrument Museum for the very first time.  I must admit, I wasn’t expecting what I found.  First of all, the museum is huge.  When I left the house I expected to be gone for no more than three hours.  I spent five hours there and could have stayed all day.  It was an amazing experience.

Every country in the world is represented and the majority have video screens showing the instruments on display being played in their native environment.  Visitors wear ear phones and magically the audio changes as you move from display to display.

Adding Copper

I happened to catch sight of workmen applying copper panels to the side of the new Maricopa County Superior Court Tower under construction in downtown Phoenix yesterday.  Copper was chosen because it is durable and will last decades, even centuries without maintenance.  They will be using more than twice the amount of custom fabricated copper than was used in the Statue of Liberty; 405,375 pounds.  If stretched into wire, it would wrap around the earth at the equator 4.4 times.

In 2008 and into 2009, copper prices were high but, they dropped mid year in 2009.  The decision was made to purchase the copper for this building in July of 2009 when the price was $2.23 per pound.  By the end of the year, the price has risen to $3.00 per pound.

The copper panels on this building will not be the same green color as the Statue of Liberty.  Copper oxidizes differently in different climates.  The dry climate of the desert will cause the copper to turn a brown or bronze color.  When completed, the tower will have 22 courtrooms with room to add 10 more in the future if needed.  Construction will be substantially complete in November of 2011.   Another whole year to go.

Red

A little bit of rain in the desert makes the cactus explode with color.

Resting

It’s hard work keeping those tiny wings flapping so fast.  A little rest from time to time to catch one’s breath is needed.

Cleaning Day

I’ve been wondering how they keep those Chihuly sculptures at the Desert Botanical Garden so clean and sparkling.