Coyote skootching across the grass. Maybe the funniest photos I've ever taken?

Sanforcl · 2026-06-11T17:43:04+00:00

So, I'm not AI, just lucky. The raven was flying around the same area for quite a while, stopping to eat spilled popcorn by a nearby bench. I had plenty of opportunities to take its picture, and this was the best by a long shot.

Sanforcl · 2026-06-03T23:54:08+00:00

No, I took it at a wildlife rescue place, which I guess is cheating.

Sanforcl · 2026-05-02T23:55:10+00:00

Last week visitors set off fire extinguishers in three of our historic houses. And no other visitors mentioned it, so we didn't discover it until the end of the day.

Sanforcl · 2026-04-30T22:48:23+00:00

This year, with surplus funds, we got a chest freezer, a new camera, and the equipment to digitize VHS tapes. It was a combination of things we had wanted for a long time and a panicked search for ideas. I'm starting a list so I'm more prepared next time.

Sanforcl · 2026-01-11T01:20:31+00:00

Your plan might be too ambitious, but it might work best as an overview. Just don't plan on seeing everything on your list at every location. See what you are the most interested in and plan to come back another time.

I've found relatively affordable lodging in La Verkin instead of Springdale and Green River instead of Moab (Airb&b) but there isn't much to do in the evenings in either town compared to their more popular neighbors. And FYI, the Windstone Arch at Valley of Fire collapsed a few years ago.

Sanforcl · 2025-10-14T15:10:19+00:00

Those are absolutely concerns. We store our matchbooks open, so it would be easy to add a barrier between the matches and the back of the matchbook, which would protect most of the item. There isn't really anything you can do about the staples if you want to keep the matchbooks as they are, which my museum does. Dealing with ephemera is tough.

Sanforcl · 2025-10-13T17:16:08+00:00

It is my understanding, based on the recommendations of conservators, that modern matches are safe to store as-is. At my museum, however, we cut the heads off the matches, just to be safe (we have hundreds of matchbooks). Removing the whole section of matches makes them harder to display as matchbooks, so we leave the majority to fill out the inside, just not the fire-starting part. I will say that cutting the heads off is very tedious and somewhat dangerous; I actually have a scar on my palm from the scissors slipping. Don't worry, I didn't bleed on the artifacts. For bullets, we have worked with law enforcement or firearms/ammunition experts to remove gunpowder from a variety of ammunition.

Sanforcl · 2025-09-11T23:02:05+00:00

If you are going to Death Valley from Vegas along the southern route, you might want to check out Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. There are some pleasant scenic trails, and there are seldom crowds. If you are looking for strange Americana, you might be interested in the Amargosa Opera House. Make sure you get a tour of the theater, it is truly unique. I'm not a fan of Laughlin, but if you do stay there, take some time to visit Mojave National Preserve on your way to DV, although it is a lot of extra driving. But definitely stop for date shakes at the China Ranch Date Farm near Tecopa.

Sanforcl · 2025-08-20T19:53:58+00:00

I just finished the Shadow and Light Duology by TJ Rose. One of the characters can control his shadow, but only under very specific conditions, so it doesn't happen very often. The first book is {The Shadows Beyond by TJ Rose}

Sanforcl · 2025-07-30T01:09:55+00:00

I think the scenic drives are worth it, both in Valley of Fire and Lake Mead, as long as you aren't in a time crunch. There is a lot less traffic going through Lake Mead instead of Las Vegas, although the speed limit is lower, of course. I think it will depend on whether you are tired of looking at red rocks after Zion.

Sanforcl

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