Raging since December 5th, 2010, the effects of a major storm on Saturn has now made its way completely around the planet.  In this image taken in real color by NASA's Cassini spacecraft, one can see the effects reach all the way around Saturn.  According to scientists, the atmosphere on Saturn is generally very calm and quiet, until a storm develops.  When one does happen, they are huge and long lived, as this one is.  It will certainly be interesting to see how long it lasts.

Only two weeks after Yellowstone Park was opened to hikers, a female grizzly bear has attacked and killed a hiker.  Apparently the hiker surprised the bear and her cubs, with tragic results.  

Phoenix Arizona is devoured by a giant dust cloud.  

Mondays (or in this case, Tuesdays) are like that.

Somebody is due for an as* whippin'.

Darwin award winner!

Cool pictures for a hot 4th of July

A bit of Sunday church action.

From the 1930's, and look at the dude in the left lower corner.  Sound familiar?

Fourth of July weekend and America's pastime, what a way to spend it!  I was tapped to take the 15 year old to Reno, Nevada for a baseball tournament, and it was a nearly non stop baseball extravaganza.  Here Mr. 15 keeps a close eye on the opposing team's pitcher.

Below he is at the plate, getting ready to swing the big black lumber.

During some free time, we took a drive out to Pyramid Lake, north and east of Reno out in the great basin desert.  Pyramid Lake is one of the few remaining "puddles" left over from the gigantic ancient Lake Lahontan, which once covered most of what is now central Nevada.  After the melt from the glaciers petered out after the last ice age, the lake dried up slowly, over millennia, and now Pyramid is the largest survivor. Supposedly, there are still huge Lahontan cutthroat trout living in it's depths, up to 40 or 50 pounds.  In this picture, you can actually see the pyramid shaped rock on the right in the distance, which gave the lake its name.

The sage was swarming with these little lizard guys, and the 15 year old captured this picture of one.

Below is a common sight in central Nevada, a road disappearing into the hazy distance, seemingly going on forever.

A local country driveway

DON'T EAT MY CALZONE!!

That's what the 17 year old said when she left for summer school this morning.  She said if ten times if she said it once.  So, naturally, as soon as she was out the door, the 15 year old snatched that tasty calzone up and took a big ol' bite.  Siblings, they're aggravating. 

Friday morning awesomeness, posted!

Even squirrel varmints need their morning coffee.

A guy over on the Ruger forum just installed this electrical backup system for his house.  It runs on propane, and given the size of his tank, the system will fully power his house, he reckons, for up to 10 days.  I have to say that is a nice and clean installation, and ten days ought to be enough time for the electric company to get the power back on.  If you lived in part of the country where there was a concern about a lengthy loss of power, this is the type of professional set up that you ought to consider.  Nice work indeed.