Turtle on the Path

Turtle on the Path taken by AC Parker

If I hadn't seen the name of the photo I would have been puzzling over just what this object was. And then once you know ... it all comes into focus! I love it!

Third Occultation of Saturn by the Moon!

Third Occultation of Saturn by the Moon!, Thierry Legault

Click on the image link to see it much larger.

 I discovered Thierry Legault in a Wall Street Journal article years ago. He very graciously gave me permission to share his wonderful photography here. Click here to enjoy all his images. They are superb.

Jupiter's Great Red Spot

Jupiter's Great Red Spot, NASA

(March 1, 1979) As Voyager 1 flew by Jupiter, it captured this photo of the Great Red Spot. The Great Red Spot is an anti-cyclonic (high- pressure) storm on Jupiter that can be likened to the worst hurricanes on Earth. An ancient storm, it is so large that three Earths could fit inside it. This photo, and others of Jupiter, allowed scientists to see different colors in clouds around the Great Red Spot which imply that the clouds swirl around the spot (going counter-clockwise) at varying altitudes. The Great Red Spot had been observed from Earth for hundreds of years, yet never before with this clarity and closeness (objects as small as six hundred kilometers can be seen).

Mariano's

In 1971, Mariano Martinez, Jr. adapted a Slurpee machine to create the world's first frozen margarita machine at Mariano's Hacienda restaurant in East Dallas, proving that not all heroes wear capes. Photo courtesy Mariano Martinez Jr. via D Magazine.

Traces of Texas

I remember being awed when my boyfriend (later husband) took me to Mariano's and pointed out the tribute plaque for being at the place of the invention of the frozen Margarita. The original machine is in the Smithsonian. Thank you Mariano! (Also for all the delicious Tex-Mex we've enjoyed over the years.)

Perhaps surprisingly, I slightly knew Mrs. Mariano once upon a time. They went to our church and when I ran into her at the vet, knowing only that she looked vaguely familiar, she said that she and Mariano sat behind us a lot. It was a real pleasure to tell her that we our wedding feast had been in the back room at the Old Town location (now long gone, though we go to the nearby replacement).

Just Because I Love These Two Photos ...

That Jules took.