Walking Arizona

Fall Sunset Light

2026-09-24T18:56:14.702-07:00

In the fall, not only do the leaves turn, but the light from the setting sun turns the mountains to a red color. This is a shot looking east from the street in front of our house. The best time for leaves in central and northern Utah is from the end of September to the middle of October. The weather is lovely this time of year. Also

Utah Valley from the East Side

2026-09-15T15:18:19.914-07:00

This photo was taken from the mouth of Rock Canyon in Provo, Utah. You can see the lake as a blue band and then in the distance are the Lake Mountains. The photo was taken in the late summer. It was a remarkably clear day considering the number fires that were burning in Utah and other states. The specks in the sky are three jets from Utah's Hill Air Force Base to the north of Provo.

AI Generated Art from my interaction with Google Gemini

2026-08-28T18:18:10.331-07:00

All previous photos on this blog were taken by me. Lately, I've been experimenting with Google Gemini to create images for presentations and desktop wallpapers. Since AI-generated artwork isn't subject to copyright, you are welcome to download and use any of these images. Many of the images that I create using Gemini reflect my experience taking photos primarily in northern Arizona, but the subject matter is totally represented by the generated images. Any time I post a generated image, I will make it clear that the image is generated even though the ideas come from my own prompts.

Notice: The content of this blog is partially generated by Google Gemini.

Time spent in Budapest

2026-08-28T18:08:02.248-07:00

I realize that I haven't been posting photos for a while, but I thought I would start by putting up a photo of the Hungarian Parliament Building in Budapest. We spent two lovely weeks in Europe with one whole week in Budapest.

The Hungarian Parliament Building (Országház), situated on Kossuth Square along the eastern bank of the Danube in Budapest, is the seat of the National Assembly of Hungary and the largest building in the country.

Architecture & Style: Designed by architect Imre Steindl and completed in 1904, the structure blends a dramatic Gothic Revival exterior—reminiscent of the Palace of Westminster—with a symmetrical layout and a central Renaissance Revival dome.
Dimensions & Scale: It stands 96 meters tall (symbolizing the Hungarian conquest of 896), measures 268 meters long by 123 meters wide, and contains 691 rooms, 29 staircases, and 10 courtyards.
Interior & Treasures: The interior features ornate gold accents, stained glass by Miksa Róth, ceiling frescoes, and a 16-sided central hall that houses the Holy Crown of Hungary and coronation regalia.

See Wikipedia Hungarian Parliament Building.

Thanks to Google Gemini for the Summary.

Ice is Nice

2026-03-26T17:18:00.000-07:00

We had an extraordinary winter in Utah. There was almost no snow. We had only one measurable snow storm, but the snow melted within the next day. It was cold enough to snow, but it just never snowed. This is an interesting ice design on a stream that comes from Big Springs located above the South Fork of the Provo Canyon. We spend most of our time walking around the snow in the muddy ground.

Last of the Fall leaves

2024-11-23T10:54:00.001-08:00

The maple trees are almost the last to shed their leaves for the winter. But being among the last does not mean they are any less colorful than all the others. We are now prepared for winter as we see the last leaves fall and snow in the forecast.

Construction BYU Campus, Provo, Utah

2024-11-10T19:11:00.001-08:00

Construction on the Arts Building continues. This is a nighttime shot of one of the cranes on the construction site. Brigham Young University November 9, 2024.

Construction of the Lindon Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

2024-11-09T09:22:00.003-08:00

https://youtu.be/ugfXYkgZ_f8?si=f9I0VZMT2gLc0q-R This is a video of the construction and the above photo was recently taken showing the current status.

Quoting from the Lindon Temple website:

Announcement:
4 October 2020
Groundbreaking and Site Dedication:
23 April 2022 by Kevin W. Pearson

Site:
11.87 acres  | 4.8 hectares
Exterior Finish:
Granite
Architectural Features:
Two attached end spires
Ordinance Rooms:
Four instruction rooms, four sealing rooms, and two baptistries
Total Floor Area:
87,005 square feet  | 8,083 square meters
Elevation:
4,817 feet  | 1,468 meters

Northern Lights over Rock Canyon, Provo, Utah

2024-11-06T18:00:00.001-08:00

You can see a few stars shining through the bright color of the Aurora Borealis as seen over the mouth of Rock Canyon, just east of Provo but actually in the city boundaries. It was strange because we could not see the color with our eyes but the iPhone camera could. This photo was taken in almost complete darkness with an iPhone 15 Pro Max. The camera was hand held and the software compensated for any hand movement during the 2 or 3 seconds it took the camera to take the photo.

Your Roots Tech 2025 Genealogical AI Spotlight on Military Records

2024-11-04T06:29:00.003-08:00

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/fV1Rjv93ekc

RootsTech 2025 will be live on March 4th through the 6th, 2025 in Salt Lake City. Utah at the Salt Palace. You can register today at RootsTech.org. You can also view all currently posted videos and announcements for free on the RootsTech.org website.

RootsTech 2025 Homeland Highlights AI Spotlight

2024-10-01T12:00:00.000-07:00

RootsTech 2025 is now open for registration. Take some time to explore the website with thousands of videos. You can attend online for free or come to the live conference on March 6th to 8th, at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Panorama of Utah Valley as Fall begins

2024-09-21T18:45:00.000-07:00

https://youtube.com/shorts/nX6T1mLRFdQ?si=Z8wNmUJh0VPj5Qft

We had a short trip up the Rock Canyon Campground road (Kyhv Peak Road) to see the beginning of the fall leaves. The road past the pavement is rough and rocky with lots of dust. It is worth the drive. We got our car washed when we got back to the Valley.

AI Spotlight on RootsTech 2025

2024-09-03T10:51:00.000-07:00

https://youtube.com/shorts/nRKW79VsqDg?si=sHtdkDb1YhAcd2NR

Come and learn about artificial intelligence and genealogy at RootsTech 2025, March 6 -8, 2025 at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City, Utah. See RootsTech.org

Night at Salt Lake, Utah Temple Renovation

2024-08-11T07:15:00.000-07:00

The iconic Salt Lake City, Utah Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is still ongoing. Here is an article about the project. "Salt Lake Temple and Temple Square Renovation Updates." The large red, white, and blue lights are large cranes used in the construction.

Fall Pastel

2024-07-22T06:44:00.000-07:00

In the middle of a hot summer, it is always a good idea to remember that, unless you live in the lower desert, Fall will come and the temperatures will drop.

RootsTech 2025 Immigration Reel

2024-07-02T07:07:00.000-07:00

https://youtu.be/biVzAYkhCdU?si=7W84vdYw1yivevYg

I am publishing a series of short videos about the upcoming RootsTech 2025 Conference. It isn't too early to start making plans to come to Salt Lake City to the in-person conference. Check the RootsTech website for more information about the conference.

An Almost Empty Lot, Provo, Utah Temple May 29, 2024

2024-05-29T13:10:00.000-07:00

https://youtu.be/pojfvh4aYSY?si=flUCAfRgqgdaqHKQ

The demolition of the Provo, Utah Temple is almost complete. This video shows a view of the entire temple lot. We do not yet know where the new Provo Rock Canyon Temple will be built. I suppose we will know when they start excavating the basement. It was a lovely day but sad.

The Demolition of the Provo, Utah Temple

2024-05-17T15:41:00.000-07:00

It is warm and beautiful day but very sad. This is what is left of the ongoing demolition of the Provo, Utah Temple. I expect that this all we gone or in piles by the end of next week. You can see the base of the spire in the center of the ruin. It was on the roof and keeps falling down in the middle as the temple is demolished.

Provo Utah Temple Reconstruction Begins with the removal of the Angel Moroni statue.

2024-04-20T05:33:00.000-07:00

https://youtu.be/f9E270KcMmE?si=b_9xd0lRh90EKeZm

The Provo Utah Temple closed on February 24, 2024 for reconstruction and will be renamed the Provo Utah Rock Canyon Temple. The temple has served BYU students, missionaries, and local Latter-day Saints for more than 50 years. The actual reconstruction began the week of April 14th through the 20th with tree removal and site demolition. The Angel Moroni statue was removed on 18 April 2024. This is a short video showing the removal.

A Colander View of the Eclipse

2024-04-08T18:19:00.000-07:00

Using a colander or strainer, you can see miniature images of the solar eclipse. We had a few clouds but a good view of the sun. Not enough coverage to make the light go weird however.

Cholla in the Desert

2024-03-10T18:18:00.000-07:00

Cylindropuntia fulgida or Hanging chain cholla or jumping cholla

Cylindropuntia fulgida, also referred to as the hanging chain cholla, is a remarkable cactus native to the Sonoran Desert and the Southwestern United States. Its greatest range encompasses nearly all of Sonora, except for the Sierra Madre Occidental cordillera on the east, and extends into northern California. In the Southwestern United States, you can find it in the Colorado Desert of California and various locales in Arizona. It even ventures into the Mojave Desert in southern Nevada and Utah, as well as the Great Basin Desert in southern Utah. The jumping cholla thrives in arid environments, where it forms striking forests of interconnected plants spanning vast areas1.

The jumping cholla is an arborescent (tree-like) cactus with a low-branching trunk. Its stems are light green, tuberculate (covered in wart-like projections), and measure 6 to 9 millimeters in length. These stems give rise to drooping branches adorned with silvery-yellow spines, which darken to gray as they age. The spines form a dense layer, obscuring the stems and creating an otherworldly appearance. As the spines fall off from older parts, the bark reveals a rough, scaly texture. The jumping cholla blooms in mid-summer, displaying white and pink flowers streaked with lavender. Interestingly, it opens its flowers precisely at 3:00 p.m. solar time, a quirk noted by naturalists1.

Cylindropuntia fulgida grows at elevations ranging from 300 to 1,000 meters (980 to 3,280 feet). While the name “jumping cholla” specifically applies to this species, it is also used more broadly for all chollas. The plant can reach heights of up to 4 meters (13 feet) and forms dense, sprawling clusters. Its cylindrical trunk holds multiple low, drooping branches, creating a distinctive silhouette. Beware of those spines—they detach easily and seem to “jump” onto unsuspecting passersby. So, if you encounter a jumping cholla, admire its unique beauty from a safe distance.

Abstracted from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cylindropuntia_fulgida by Microsoft Copilot

Hello, Fall

2024-01-16T13:28:00.000-08:00

We had a very warm Fall that suddenly jumped into Winter. Some of the plants hardly had time to process the event and their leaves were still in place when the snow started. A few of the plants turned lovely colors but others turned a dull brown and are still clinging to their branches. Now we move into snow.

Parque Chankanaab, Cozumel, Mexico

2023-12-20T16:34:00.000-08:00

The skeletons in Mexico dressed up and displayed are part of the Day of the Dead (Spanish: Día de los Muertos) celebration, which is a pre-Hispanic tradition that honors the cycle of life and death. The skeletons are called calacas, which are whimsical representations of the deceased in various scenes of everyday life. They are often made of papier-mache, wood, clay, or sugar or in this case, iron.

The calacas are displayed in homes, altars, streets, and cemeteries during the Day of the Dead, which takes place every year on November 1 and 2. They are meant to celebrate and remember the lives of the departed, as well as to mock death and show that it is not something to be feared. The calacas are also decorated with bright colors and flowers, especially marigolds, which are believed to attract the souls of the dead with their scent. The calacas are a unique and festive way of expressing the Mexican worldview and spirituality.

Dolphin Statue Cozumel, Mexico

2023-12-13T18:09:00.000-08:00

Quoting from Microsoft Bing Chat:

Cozumel is an island and municipality in the Caribbean Sea off the eastern coast of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. It’s located just off the east coast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula and is directly across the water from Playa Del Carmen. The island is known for its white sand beaches, coral reefs, and modern amenities.

Cozumel was once a bustling Mayan community with as many as 10,000 local residents2. Sacred to the Mayan Moon Goddess, Ix Chel, the island and its temples were an important place of pilgrimage for women seeking fertility. The remnants of that once thriving civilization can still be seen today in the small ruins of San Gervasio in the island’s forested interior.

Today, Cozumel is a popular tourist destination. It has two very different sides: the modern amenities around its main town of San Miguel, and numerous places on the far side of the island to get away from it all. Cozumel is considered a very safe area to travel to, especially compared to other parts of Mexico.

Cozumel is especially known for its warm, tropical water, snorkelers and scuba divers from across the globe enjoy exploring the island’s reef, teeming with aquatic life. No trip to Cozumel is complete without a boat ride (or two) around the island’s magnificently blue waters.

The tropical climate in Cozumel is reasonably predictable and easy to make plans around. Without much of a temperature difference throughout the year, (the average temperature lingers around 83° F) it’s the rainy season that travelers should pay attention to.

Ctenosaura similis, commonly known as the black iguana or black spiny-tailed iguana

2023-11-27T12:36:00.000-08:00

According to Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ctenosaura_similis ia found in Mexico and Central America which is probably why I saw this one in Mexico. Here is a quote from Wikipedia,

Ctenosaura similis, commonly known as the black iguana or black spiny-tailed iguana, is a lizard native to Mexico and Central America. It has been reported in some Colombian islands in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean, and has been introduced to the United States in the state of Florida. It is the largest species in the genus Ctenosaura. They are typically found in areas such as grasslands and forests.

The Guinness Book of World Records lists this as the world's fastest lizard, with a maximal sprint speed of 34.6 kilometres per hour (21.5 mph) also from Wikipedia.