Senita – A Hairy Cactus

Whiskery Cactus?

Whiskery Cactus? © 2011 Bo Mackison

This is the Senita cactus, one of the three largest cactus species found in a few areas of the United States. The Organ Pipe Cactus and the Saguaro Cactus (third photo in linked post) are the other two specimens that are found in the southern Sonora Desert in the US. They are more abundant in Mexico.

Senita

Senita © 2011 Bo Mackison

Senita usually grow about 10 to 12 feet tall and it looks very similar to the Organ Pipe Cactus, except for the long and bristly gray spines which densely cover the top third or so of each mature cactus arm.

The word senita is derived from a Spanish root meaning “old” and could roughly be translated “little old woman,” which I suppose seems appropriately named.

One of the things I found most interesting when I was doing a little research on the senita — the senita is very long-lived. According to A Natural History of the Sonoran Desert, published by the Arizona – Sonora Desert Museum, “when sites in Baja California photographed in 1905 were revisited in the 1990s, nearly every senita was still present.” The book didn’t say, but I’d love to know how much these cacti grew in that nearly 100 year period.

Hairy Senita

Hairy Senita © 2011 Bo Mackison

I am more than careful when it comes to touching the plants in the desert. This is extremely hard for me to stop, because I learn best through the techniques of visual and tactile (or kinesthetic) learning.

I want to get as close as I can to see the tiniest visual detail AND I want to touch all the parts of the cactus, too. Not so wise, but I did touch the gray spines of the senita — very carefully, I assure you — and they were very bristly and sharp.

Not unlike Sherpa’s two-day growth of beard when he is roughing it and forgoing shaving. (Ouch!)

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Bo Mackison is a photographer and owner of Seeded Earth Studio LLC. Bringing you photographs and natural history notes from the Sonoran Desert, at least for a few more days.

Sunlit

Sunlit

Sunlit © 2011 Bo Mackison

Action and reaction, ebb and flow, trial and error, change – this is the rhythm of living. Out of our over-confidence, fear; out of our fear, clearer vision, fresh hope. And out of hope, progress. ~ Bruce Barton

Change is in the air, and it’s not only the changing of autumn trees.Though the change in the trees has been spectacular this year.

In a few hours, I’ll be getting on a plane and traveling to Long Island to celebrate the wedding of my older daughter. There will be a wine tasting, dinner under the stars, a clam bake and picnic on the beach, oh yes, and a wonderful marriage ceremony. Another spectacular event for this autumn.

If I’m not around for the next few days, I’m either traveling, taking photographs on Long Island, drying my eyes, or eating wedding cake!

Congratulations to the happy couple, Jeanne and Judy!

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Bo Mackison is a photographer and the owner of Seeded Earth Studio LLC. Bo is taking a few days off to celebrate a special family occasion.

 

A Photograph with a Story

Two Benches

Two Benches © 2011 Bo Mackison

Many of my photographs have a story.

This photograph of two benches — one near and in focus, one far away and blurry — it has a story.

I had a long conversation with an elderly gentleman just before I took this photograph.

Often I am so focused on the plants in the gardens, I don’t spend much time interacting with other visitors. We exchange smiles and hellos, and we go on our separate ways. But this man stopped me as I was setting up a photo, and asked if he could ask me some questions. Expecting questions about my camera or lenses, I nodded and continued to adjust my tripod.

“I saw you back there, sitting on the bricks in that garden. You were staring at the plants,” he stated.

This wasn’t the conversation I was expecting, but he was polite and he was wearing a tweed jacket in the 85˚ heat. I’m not sure why I think tweed jackets vouch for a gentleman’s conversation, but I do. I stopped and listened more carefully.

“So what were you doing? You weren’t resting. There was a bench right there. Not pulling weeds.”

I shook my head. “No.”

“Most people your age, um, I mean no disrespect, but your generation, they don’t sit on the ground looking at eggplants.” He raised his eyebrows quizzically, and I laughed out loud as he “pulled a face” – the description my grandfather once used when describing the faces I made.

I agreed again. “No, not too many people study eggplants, sitting on the sidewalk. Grocery store’s more likely.”

“So were you praying or just looking mighty hard at that eggplant?” He thought a second, and said in a whisper, “Guess might be ’bout same thing.”

I smiled again. Seemed everything he said made me smile. I told him I was studying the way the leaves wound around some of the stems. I was looking at the way the sunlight cast leafy shadows on the plants and comparing the different shades of green with the rusty spots left by bugs of some sort.

“Thought you might be a real one.” He grinned at me as I frowned. “You know, a photographer. You ever take pictures of benches?”

I told him I enjoyed photographing benches, doors, paths, that sort of thing. Especially in gardens.

He nodded. Turned serious.

“I was sitting on that bench over there awhile, the one half under that tree.” I looked where he pointed. “I sit there some days, just sit and look. Talk to an old friend. Not out loud.” He cast his eyes toward the pavement. “That wouldn’t look right.”

 When his gaze returned to me, he saw the question in my eyes.

“He was a good friend of mine. We were in the Marines together, fought in the “Big One”. Enlisted together, got discharged together, came home to Madison together. Married, had kids, grandkids, huh, great-grandkids. All that.

“After we retired, we’d walk this garden, talk. It was quiet. We liked quiet. You go look. That bench, it’s a memorial to my friend. You might take a picture sometime.”

I asked if he wanted his photo taken on the bench. He shook his head.

I picked up my camera gear and walked over to the bench. I looked back, he nodded at me, did a quick salute, and walked away.

I sat down awhile, studied the bench, looked around, then I took a picture of his bench.

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Bo Mackison is a photographer and the owner of Seeded Earth Studio LLC.

Interior of Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church

Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church - Iconostation

Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church’s Iconostasion © 2011 Bo Mackison

These photographs of the interior of the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church were taken during the Wright and Like tour, June 2011.

This photo was taken from the back of the church and shows the entire Iconostasion, including the screen which shields the altar from full view. The sanctuary is only open during services when the priest is present.

Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church - Altar Behind Iconostation

 Altar Behind Iconostasion © 2011 Bo Mackison

Here is another view of the sanctuary behind the iconstasion.

Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church - Icons, Pulpit, and Lights

Icons, Pulpit, and Lights © 2011 Bo Mackison

The Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church is very unusual in that it’s interior is circular. Pews from a semicircle around the sanctuary. The pulpit from which the priest speaks is on the left side of the sanctuary.

More interior photos in next post.

There are more photographs of the church, including the full exterior view of Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, in earlier posts. I took these photographs in June during the Wright and Like 2011 Tour.

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Bo Mackison is a photographer and the owner of Seeded Earth Studio LLC. Her first love (to photograph) is macro-botanicals. Her second love is architecture, especially that designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church Celebrates 50th Anniversary

Brass Doors and Stained Glass Entrance to Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church

Brass Doors and Stained Glass Entrance © 2011 Bo Mackison

The entrance way of Annunciation Greek Orthodox has four brass embossed doors surrounded by stained glass windows. The windows depict the story of the Annunciation. If you look carefully, you can see a small red square to the lower left of the doors. This is the famous red tile with the engraved initials of Wright, signifying this is an authentic Wright design.

Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church

Stained Glass Windows in Arches © 2011 Bo Mackison

On either side of the church are stairways leading to the lower level garden with plantings, flowers and trees. There are also entrances to the lower level of the church, once used for offices and classrooms. The church has built a second building for most of their offices, but the downstairs space continues to be utilized for small group functions.

Curving Lines

Curving Lines © 2011 Bo Mackison

I love the repeated curving lines that Wright uses at the entrance to the church. The dome’s lower concentric circle, the circular arch protecting the entrance doors, the circles of the stairway and the large circle planters all repeat the same geometric pattern.

There are more photographs, including the full exterior view of Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, in the previous post.

Photos of the interior begin in the next post.

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Bo Mackison is a photographer and the owner of Seeded Earth Studio LLC. Her first love (to photograph) is macro-botanicals. Her second love is architecture, especially that designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.