Maybe it’s obvious to others, but I was struck by an epiphany while pondering the Buckhorn Wash art-rock panel, with its many eras represented.
The epiphany was how the older stuff was universal, spiritual, other worldly. The stuff thousands of years later is more about the tribe: hunting and food. Another 1000 years later, it’s all about the individual who has nothing to offer other than his/her name and the date they were there; or the heart-shaped outline with two anonymous and banal names contained within. It’s shrunk from worldly, to tribe, to self. What will humans be like in another 1000 years?
Earlier era pictographs. I believe the serpent lines represent lightning. Rain gods watering the earth?My favorite is the second from the left.Later era petroglyphsLooks like one of the horned animals is on its back.
In late May, after a snowy and wet late winter, I was looking forward to some sunshine and some time-off from work.
Click on any photo for a larger version.
Before starting any adventure, it’s best to get your bearings and know where you are. I am here.Requisite shot of skeletal remains in the desert landscape.Continue reading →
I’ve purchased a camcorder. I decided that after decades of still photos, it was time to broaden my horizons and get into moving pictures. Of course for me that means a lot of nature oriented stuff.
I’m still learning the ins and outs of video editing, codecs, and rendering.
Posted below is the third video that I’ve created. Recently I hiked up to Magic Valley in the late afternoon hoping to see some elk.
The Young Bulls of Magic Valley. Higher res. version is here (right click to download).
When I first arrived, things were really quiet. I thought perhaps most of the elk had already begun the migration to lower elevations, and perhaps they had. But around 6:00 pm, a bull emerged from the forest on the opposite side of the valley from where I was sitting. A total of 3 young bulls emerged, one following the other. I do suspect the rest of the herd migrated to lower elevations because they weren’t visibly around.
What’s interesting is the curiosity they had in me. Throughout the video they are moving closer, yet are annoyed by my presence. I never moved from my spot or approached them. There’s lots of urine involved. There’s not much audio to hear until the #2 elk moves closer to join the #1 elk, when he commences to bark at me. At the beginning, they are over 100 yards from me. By the end they are probably only 20-30 yards above me on the hillside.
