Sunday, February 14, 2010 at 6:12PM
Found this rock walking through the woods in Pelham Bay Park. It's laying on top of one of the cutting boards made by Oficicinas Caboclas do Tapajós in Brazil (see Tapajós - Arapiuns and Oficinas Caboclas do Tapajós). Thought this a fitting image for today. Happy Valentine's Day.
Friday, February 12, 2010 at 9:08AM 
Locating a transect for counting Agave cupreata Trel & Burger in Chilapa, Guerrero, Mexico (see Mescal). Beautiful piece of oak forest on the slopes. I wasn't convinced that it was a good idea to take a rifle on the inventory transects...but I was voted down. [NOTE: That's a large Agave to the upper left of the cowboy hat].
Agave cupreata, Chilapa, Guerrero, mescal in Science | Share Article | Email Article | Print Article Thursday, February 11, 2010 at 9:43AM 
We got a lot of snow yesterday and I "had" to stay home all day. Snowbound. It was wonderful. [NOTE: Several inches of snow piled up on the tools, but the compost heap in the back was pumping out the heat and there was little accumulation. Love those microbes.]
Wednesday, February 10, 2010 at 9:56AM 
Kohunlich is an elaborate complex of Early Classic Period Mayan structures located in southern Quintana Roo, to the west of Chetumal. The image above was taken next to the staircase at the Pyramid of the Masks; the giant masks are said to represent the Sun God, or "Sun-eyed Lord", Kinich Ahau. I took a break from my work with the forestry ejidos in Quintana Roo (see Selva Maya, Selva Maya II, and Selva Maya III) and spent a wonderful morning at this archeological site in 2006. [NOTE: There were originally eight masks at the Pyramid of the Masks, but three were looted in the late 1960's. Wonder where they are now?]
Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 10:04AM 
Still working through that box of photos from Indonesia. Really have no idea about the context of this image. I know it was taken at Danau Sentarum (see Danau Sentarum) during the dry season because the house poles are visible in the background. And I know the man in the foreground has a large reticulated python (Python reticulatus) around his neck. And I notice that I didn't take a close-up of this. [NOTE: Maybe I've repressed the memory of this encounter because of my discomfort with snakes].
Danau Sentarum, Reticulated python, snake in Other | Share Article | Email Article | Print Article Monday, February 8, 2010 at 9:42AM 
I was struck this morning - as I am many mornings, but today I went to get my camera - by the large Sycamore tree off the parking lot by my office. This majestic specimen is actually a sycamore hybrid, a cross between an American sycamore (Platanus occidentalis L.) and an Oriental plane tree (Platanus orientalis L.)
This tree always merits a brief glance, but today something about the smooth, mottled bark, the sinuous trunk, and the crystal blue sky really got my attention.
Friday, February 5, 2010 at 9:35AM 
Found an old box of photos from my Indonesia days. This image shows a nighttime foray at Danau Sentarum to collect Apis dorsata honey (see Honey). Kind of creepy (for me) going out at night on the largest inland lake in Borneo in a handmade wooden boat that's constantly leaking.
The image below is a close-up of our take that night. Honey this fresh is really, really delicious.
Thursday, February 4, 2010 at 11:28AM 
Severed flower stalk of Arenga pinnata (Wurmb) Merr. positioned to drip into a clay collecting pot. The sugar-rich exudate is fermented to make palm wine or "toddy". Despite reports that the raw juice is "caustic", the fresh, unfermented sap is actually a sweet, and quite refreshing drink. [NOTE: Photo from a Dayak village in the Sanggau district of West Kalimantan].
Arenga pinnata, West Kalimantan, palm wine in Science | Share Article | Email Article | Print Article Wednesday, February 3, 2010 at 10:07AM A simple pan of seven large paintings and the altar in the main pagoda in Myitkyina, Myanmar (see Signage and Bo Tree III). The paintings depict auspicious events during the life of Buddha, but I am not sure what all of them are supposed to represent. I don't remember, for example, a story about a little girl on the back of an elephant talking to Buddha and a line of Bodhisattvas (Painting No. 5). [NOTE: I find it interesting that the first painting shows Buddha sitting on a lotus surrounded by a group of Nats (see Nat Worship and Beautiful Nats). I don't remember that story, either...]
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 10:09AM 
Came on this timeless agricultural scene years ago while traveling in West Sumatra. The farmer is a member of the Minangkabau ethnic group - the world's largest matrilineal society - and he is plowing his rice field with a "kabau", or water buffalo. The ceremonial "keris" dangling off his belt in the back is a nice touch. [NOTE: In Minangkabau communities, property, e.g. rice fields, are controlled by and passed down through the female lineage].
