Rockhounding in the Southern Idaho Desert 2

More photos of the southern Idaho desert. The last 2 are at and on the way to Norton Bay at Salmon Falls Creek Reservoir. The first 2 are on the Rabbit Springs road which leaves Hwy 93 just north of the ID-NV border and rejoins in "downtown" Jackpot, NV. I found most of my new rock collection on the Norton Bay road.

Rockhounding in the Southern Idaho Desert 1

Off Hwy 93, about 8 miles north of the ID-NV border is a gravel/dirt road to Norton Bay at the south end of Salmon Falls Creek Reservoir. About half way there I took a more primitive dirt road spur up to some low hills for some rockhounding. A wash (dry stream bed) there was a great source of interesting rocks, including obsidian, and wildlife. I looked and looked for snakes but didn't see or hear a single one.

Check out the animal below. It turned out to be a Greater Short-Horned Lizard. When I first saw it I thought it was a snake head without a body! I threw a couple pebbles at it. Nothing. So then I poked it a couple times with a long, pointed rock. No reaction. I flipped it over a couple times, but it stayed there, unmoving. Their defense mechanism is to puff up and stay still. That's what it was doing - determined to wait patiently next to the wash, anticipating the next big thunderstorm and flash flood.

Elsa's First Trip to the Beach

Just moments after this 1st video, and with the camera now off, a sneaker wave swept in and nearly wiped out our beach umbrellas. We barely had enough time to run up the beach and grab mat and blanket off the beach. The beach? Hug Point, south of Cannon Beach, Oregon.

Elsa's Interpretive Dance - Dance of the Tissues

On June 29 we ate dinner with just-arrived Jon-Mo-Elsa at a Korean restaurant in Beaverton (Du Koh Bee). Elsa entertained herself (and us) by ripping several napkins into little pieces, then dancing on them on the table. No video camera! So we tried to recreate her Dance of the Tissues the next day at home. She could only give us a brief taste of her dancing abilities.

Elsa Rose and Her VIP's - 2 in May and 5 in July

July 2011. Scary!

Lolo (Grandpa)

Hug for mommy.

Elsa really looks like her daddy here.

Lola (Grandma)

Aunt Lorna, in May.

Aunt Lorna, Uncle Shawn and Cousin Jason, in May.

4-months old, lounging around among diaper collection.

Part 2 - Lucy Calkins Summer Reading Institute - Columbia University July 2011

Besides the incredible 5-day Institute, there was time for enjoying a bit of New York during my 2nd visit there (first in 2004). July 6 Amateur Night at the Apollo Theater with 3 McKay colleagues was amazing. The first 3 photos, below, were taken with my Sony flip cam. It's been great on the videos, but had a hard time delivering quality pics inside the Apollo lobby. The other photos were taken on my iPhone. The best thing about Amateur Night was the house band and MC. There was some great amateur talent, and some not so great. The second best thing was the aggressive usher with the scary flashlight. Taking photos inside the Apollo is strongly discouraged and can lead to being tossed!

Below, rainy day July 8, following day 4 of The Institute, a quick subway ride down Central Park West to Columbus Circle, then a walk down towards Times Square. Later, dinner with 5 McKay colleagues at a spendy Italian restaurant on 8th Ave and 54th Street. Yum.

Lucy Calkins Summer Reading Institute - Columbia University July 2011

Teachers College buildings, above. Columbia University campus, below.

About 1300 elementary and middle school teachers and administrators attended the July 2011 Summer Reading Institute at Teachers College in New York. The middle photo below shows Lucy getting ready to address the large group on day 1. Something "happened" to several other photos - Lucy speaking in a later, smaller group session, plus another literacy "rock star", Ralph Fletcher speaking in a keynote address on day 1. Missing photos aside, it was an amazing experience.

July 4, above Central Park. I had arrived late afternoon on July 3. On July 4 I walked around for hours and miles. Dinner was soul food at Aunt Mamie's Too on Cathedral Park Drive, the bottom end of Harlem.