EAGLE MOUNTAIN, Fountain Hills, Arizona: This is more great Phoenix Sonoran Desert golf. Even though the course rating is tough, Scott Miller designed a very fair course in the McDowell Mountains. If you’re hitting it good you will be rewarded here, in a stunning landscape. Arizona golf publications have bestowed many accolades on the facility RATINGS: 71.2/136 COST: $60 (summer)-$195 including cart

Visit my website here.

I’m going to do a short series about the state of the birds, this information is borrowed from the State of the Birds Report for 2009. Today’s discussion is about the birds of the Aridlands. The aridlands are the major deserts of North America, such as the Mojave and Sonoran Desert. They are characterized by low annual rainfall. Pretty much dry, desert-like areas with lots of scrub.

The Facts:

• More than 80 nesting species, many very unique to the area
  
• More than 3/4 of the species are declining in the aridlands
• Habitat loss, habitat degradation, invasive species and climate change all contribute to the decline of species
• 39% are of conservation concern
• 10 species are listed as endangered or threatened
• There has been steady decline of 17 of the 30 obligate species over the past 40 years

The Birds in Trouble:

• Endangered
  
  • California Condor
  • (Northern) Aplomado Falcon
  • (San Clemente) Loggerhead Shrike
  • (Least) Bell’s Vireo
  • Black-capped Vireo
  • Golden-cheeked Warbler
• Threatened
  • (Western) Snowy Plover
  • (Coastal) California Gnatcatcher
  • (Inyo) California Towhee
  • (San Clemente) Sage Sparrow

The Major Threats:

• Development and Energy – such as unplanned development, energy development and exploration, extreme urban and suburban areas are of greatest concern
  
• Agriculture and Invasive Species
• Climate Change – yes it is real

There is Hope:

• Active conservation measures – responsible agriculture and energy practices
  
• Creation of protected lands and linking them with communities to demonstrate the enjoyment of nature
• Innovative efforts for sustainable agriculture – water is a big problem right now for California and most likely will be for the future
• Keep up with the efforts – conservation measures have to be continuous for them to be effective

Despite the sad facts (I am depressed by this), not all is lost. California Condors are coming back due to the great conservation efforts and breeding programs. That’s good news. However, for more good news to take place, action needs to happen. Without action, these beautiful birds will fall by the wayside and finally into extinction. A lot of people don’t understand that when extinction happens, that species does not come back, ever. That’s not cool, people, not cool at all.

This information summed up the part on Aridlands from the State of the Birds Report. Check back next week for the next installment.

“Till next time – enjoy!

]]> http://anthrome.wordpress.com/2009/07/15/bufo-alvarius-the-psychadellic-toad-of-the-sonoran-desert/ Wed, 15 Jul 2009 19:33:19 +0000 anthromes http://anthrome.wordpress.com/2009/07/15/bufo-alvarius-the-psychadellic-toad-of-the-sonoran-desert/

Bufo alvarius:
The Psychedelic Toad of the Sonoran Desert

by Albert Most
Gila, Arizona
Summer 1983

Neither the author, illustrator, nor publisher assume any liability for the application of the information contained in this pamphlet. It is presented solely to further the quest for a fuller understanding of the human experience.

---

Specialized multi-cellular glands concentrated on the neck and limbs of B. alvarius produce a viscous milky-white venom that contains large amounts of the potent hallucinogen, 5-MEO-DMT. When vaporized by heat and taken into the lungs in the form of smoke, this indole-based alkaloid produces an incredibly intense psychedelic experience of incredibly short duration. There is no hangover or harmful effect. On the contrary, a pleasant psychedelic afterglow appears quite regularly after smoking the venom of B. alvarius, the Psychedelic Toad of the Sonoran Desert.

Part One
The Sonoran Desert is a vast irregular-shaped area of some 120,000 square miles. It stretches from southeastern California across the southern half of Arizona and extends south into Sonora, Mexico. The desert rises from sea level to more than 5000 feet as arid lowlands of mesquite and creosote are cut by mountain canyons of oak and sycamore. It is a harsh zone where temperatures can reach 140 F. in the shade and rainfall amounts at as little as five inches per year.

One of the most unique inhabitants of the Sonoran Desert is the native toad, Bufo alvarius. Although the genus Bufo includes more than two hundred species of toads, B. alvarius is the only species that exists exclusively within the Sonoran Desert. Unlike most toads, B. alvarius is semi-aquatic and must remain in the vicinity of dependable water in order to survive. Consequently, the principle habitat of this species is within the drainage of permanent rivers and streams of the Sonoran Desert.

This delicate desert environment, like most places on earth, has not been overlooked by man in his constant compulsion to manipulate nature. But amazingly enough, the semi-aquatic lifestyle of B. alvarius has coincided quite well with the advance of civilized man. More than one thousand years ago, the Hohokam Indians began diverting water from the Gila River in order to irrigate the arid soil. Working with sticks and stones these primal people pioneered an extensive system of desert agriculture. Their original network of canals has been expanded for centuries and now irrigates more than 1.5 million acres of the Sonoran Desert. This is equivalent to regularly flooding an area of arid land about half the size of the state of Connecticut. The damp wet desert fields meet man’s increasing needs and simultaneously provide a permanent niche in the ecosystem for B. alvarius, the semi-aquatic toad of the Sonoran Desert.

B. alvarius is nocturnal and remains underground throughout the day, escaping the extreme temperatures with the strategy of subterranean life. At dusk, these desert toads leave their hidden recesses and congregate in damp wet areas near springs and streams, in fields irrigated for agriculture, or in temporary pools left after heavy rains. The breeding season, May through July, is the period of greatest activity for B. alvarius. Large healthy toads can easily be gathered after dark using a flashlight and a cloth collection bag.

You won’t have any trouble identifying B. alvarius. It is the largest native North American species of toad. In terms of snout-to-vent length, B. alvarius requires a minimum of three inches for sexual maturity, although breeding adults continue to grow up to seven inches in length. This desert dweller is of stout build with a squat body and a flat broad head. The skin is smooth and leathery, sparsely covered with pale orange warts, and can change considerably from a dark brown to olive or grayish green. The belly is cream colored and usually unmarked. There are one to four prominent round white warts at the corner of the mouth. But, by far, the most identifying characteristic of B. alvarius is the presence of large granular glands on the neck and limbs.

The granular glands are specialized multi-cellular concentrations of tissue. The most prominent of these is the pair of large kidney-shaped parotoid glands located one on each side of the neck, over and behind the tympanum. Enlarged and elongated glands on the outside of each hind leg, between the knee and thigh, are called femorals. Similarly, the tibeals are long glands, or a line of shorter ones, that run the full length between the knee and ankle. An additional gland concentration can be found on each of the forearms.

Each of these glands consists of many oval-shaped lobules about two millimeters in diameter. Each lobule is an individual unit with a duct that emerges onto the skin as a well-defined, single pore. A double cell layer surrounds each lobule and functions in the synthesis and release of a viscous milky-white venom.

The venom from B. alvarius contains a very peculiar and constant spectrum of biogenic amines. Biosynthesis of the amines is accomplished via a genetically regulated enzyme system. The metabolic pathway of B. alvarius is unique within the Animal Kingdom in that it produces large amounts of 5-methoxy indole derivatives. The predominant alkaloid among these, as much as fifteen per cent of the venom by dry weight, is 5- methoxy- N,N- dimethyltryptamine (5-MEO-DMT).

5-MEO-DMT is a potent hallucinogen, psychoactive in man at doses of three to five milligrams. It was first synthesized in 1936, but its mind-expanding effects were not discovered for more than twenty years. Then in 1959, 5-MEO-DMT was identified as the predominant alkaloid in the hallucinogenic snuffs of several tribes in South America. These primal people have long prepared mind-altering snuffs from flowers, seeds, bark, and stems of indigenous plants. In 1968, 5-MEO-DMT was detected in the Animal Kingdom, as well. B. alvarius became notorious as the “psychedelic toad” when its venom was shown to contain enormous amounts of this indole-based alkaloid. Whether extracted from North American toads or South American plants or synthesized in the laboratory, 5-MEO-DMT is an extremely potent hallucinogen.

5-MEO-DMT has ten times the relative potency of dimethyl tryptamine (DMT), the popular synthetic psychedelic drug of the 1960’s. It should be mentioned, however, that 5-MEO-DMT differs from DMT in two major ways. First, whereas 5-MEO-DMT has a methoxy group in the 5 position on the indole ring, DMT does not. The presence of this methoxy group greatly increases the lipid solubility of the molecule. This allows 5-MEO-DMT to penetrate the blood-brain barrier and reach sites of action more rapidly than DMT. Secondly, whereas DMT is classified as a Schedule I Controlled Substance, described by Title 21 of U.S. Code as having “a high potential for abuse and no currently accepted medical use”, 5-MEO-DMT is relatively unknown.

Part Two

“A certain man had the good fortune to possess a goose that laid a golden egg every day. But dissatisfied with so slow an income, and thinking to seize the whole treasure at once, he killed the goose; and cutting her open, found her — just what any other goose would be. “ The Goose with the Golden Eggs, by Aesop

Half-a-gram to a gram or more of fresh venom can be collected from a large adult specimen of B. alvarius. Half of this weight is water and evaporates upon drying. But, as must as fifteen per cent of the dry weight is the predominant alkaloid, 5-MEO-DMT. In other words, one large toad yielding one gram of fresh venom may equal as much as seventy-five milligrams of potent hallucinogen, psychoactive in man at doses of three to five milligrams.

Fresh venom can easily be collected without harm to the toad. Use a flat glass plate or any other smooth non-porous surface at least twelve inches square. Hold the toad in front of the plate, which is fixed in a vertical position. In this manner, the venom can be collected on the glass plate, free of dirt and liquid released when the toad is handled.

When you are ready to begin, hold the toad firmly with one hand and, with thumb and forefinger of your other hand, squeeze near the base of the gland until the venom squirts out of the pores and onto the glass plate. Use this method to systematically collect the venom from each of the toad’s granular glands: those on the forearm, those on the tibia and femur of the hind leg and, of course, the parotoids on the neck. Each gland can be squeezed a second time for an additional yield of venom if you allow the toad a one hour rest period. After this, the glands are empty and require four to six weeks for regeneration.

The venom is viscous and milky-white in color when first squeezed from the glands. It begins drying within minutes and acquires the color and texture of rubber cement. Scrape the venom from the glass plate, dry it thoroughly, and store it in an airtight container until you are ready to smoke it.

The venom from B. alvarius is extremely hallucinogen when vaporized by heat and taken into the lungs in the form of smoke. An adequate dose for a normal adult of average size is a piece of dried venom about the size of a paper match head. Shave it into thin slices with a razor blade and put the pieces in a clean one-toke pipe fitted with a brass screen. Designate this pipe strictly for smoking toad venom, as the accumulation of residue in the bowl and condensation of vapors within the stem can yield an unintentional high with other smoking materials.

Apply a suitable flame and smoke the contents of the bowl in one complete inhalation. Try to hold the smoke in your lungs as long as possible as the effectiveness will depend largely on the full dose being absorbed in one breath.

Within thirty seconds, there will be an onset of almost overwhelming psychedelic effects. You will be completely absorbed in a complex chemical event characterized by an overload of thoughts and perception, brief collapse of the EGO, and loss of the space-time continuum. Relax, breathe regularly, and flow with the experience. After two to three minutes, the initial intensity fades to a pleasant LSD-like sensation in which visual illusions, hallucinations, and perceptual distortions are common. You may sense a distortion in your perceived body image or notice the world shrinking or expanding. You may notice that colors seem brighter and more beautiful than usual. And, most likely, you will experience a euphoric mood interspersed with bursts of unmotivated laughter.

This ineffable episode is of extremely short duration. The hallucinogenic effects dissipate rapidly and the entire psychedelic cycle is completed within fifteen minutes. There is no hangover or harmful effect. On the contrary, a pleasant psychedelic afterglow appears quite regularly and may last several hours to several days after smoking the venom of B. alvarius, the Psychedelic Toad of the Sonoran Desert.

Important Considerations

Every psychedelic experience is chiefly a function of set and setting, of preparation and environment. The better prepared you are, the better the experience will be for you. Consider the following instructions:

• Smoke the venom fairly early in the day on an empty but not starving stomach.
• Do not drink any alcohol or take any drugs or medication prior to smoking the venom.
• Provide a comfortable setting which is as free as possible from unforeseen distractions and intrusions. Make sure you will not be disturbed for at least thirty minutes.
• Be comfortably seated or prone prior to inhaling the vapors.
• Enjoy your trip!

NOTES:
The author is saying that 500mg of dried venom times 15% equals 75mg of 5-MeO-DMT per toad. However, the average yield of dried venom per toad, regardless of its size, is generally 250mg when all the glands are milked twice. Additionally, it’s a good possibility that as much as 25% of the venom will contain 5-MeO-DMT which would equate to 62.5mg of 5-MeO-DMT per average toad. Please take additional note, however, that the amount of 5-MeO-DMT in any one toad varies quite considerably and could possibly be less than 25% or even 15%. Therefore, it is important to milk as many toads as possible and to combine and mix the venom as thoroughly as possible in order to standardize the dose. This is most easily done by collecting all the venom in the same spot on a glass plate, and then chopping it all up together with a razor blade at the end of the night before the venom is almost completely dry. Once the venom has thoroughly dried, you should blend it further into a uniform consistency by crushing the venom into a fine powder using a mortar and pestle, or some similar device.

Store the venom frozen in a container that blocks out light, such as a film canister for long-term storage. Condensation usually occurs when you take the container out of the freezer, so leave it sealed until it warms up.

]]>

And the Winner is…

Hopefully both.

The race against extinction is one that neither the Sonoran
desert tortoise nor the white-sided jackrabbit can afford to
lose. That’s why we recently filed lawsuits to require the
federal government to protect them under the Endangered Species
Act. Write a letter to Interior Secretary Salazar by June 21st,
urging him to deliver this protection:
[http://ga4.org/ct/41LBzBY1USz0/]

The facts are in: the Sonoran desert tortoise’s population has
been slashed in half over the past two decades, and surveys have
counted only five white-sided jackrabbits per year. Threatened
mostly by habitat degradation and the climate crisis, both of
these desert dwellers are in need of immediate help.

WildEarth Guardians is working to protect the tortoise and the
jackrabbit as part of our “Western Ark” campaign, where we are
seeking federal protection for a diversity of life forms – from
plants to mussels to mammals – encompassing 19 U.S states,
Mexico and Canada.

Our Western Ark campaign launched last fall, but unfortunately
the Obama administration has not yet brought smooth sailing – at
least when it comes to endangered species. Despite over 300
species awaiting federal safeguards, the Obama administration
has provided just one previously unprotected species with
listing under the Endangered Species Act. Shockingly, the
tortoise, jackrabbit and hundreds of other imperiled species are
not yet even in the queue for protection.

That’s why we need your help today. Write a letter to Secretary
Salazar by June 21st demanding the change we need to prevent
native wildlife and plants from vanishing forever, including
those we first came to love through childhood fables:
[http://ga4.org/ct/41LBzBY1USz0/]

For the wild,
Nicole Rosmarino
Wildlife Director
WildEarth Guardians

Photographed by kevindooley

A farm in the Sonoran Desert near Cotton Center, taken from Old Highway 80 looking west to an unnamed mountain range containing Red Rock Canyon. Diane+ medium format camera with Kodak ES (Extra Saturated). My controversy for the day is that I did indeed crop a bit off the bottom…

– License

As a few people know, my husband and I own a gourmet, custom-blend spice business. “What  the heck is that?” you might ask. Well, we create spice blends for businesses to use as promotional gifts for clients, meetings, or sometimes weddings. And they really are delicious! The problem I am facing now is that we really only had one big client (my previous employer) and for them we never needed a company name, logo or packaging because they created their own packaging to match their branding - we just created and supplied the spices.

It was a pretty fun side business for us, but it was never something we could expand while we managed two full-time jobs, worked opposite shifts so the kids didn’t have to be in daycare, kept the house sort of picked up, made dinner and handled everything else in between. Now that I find myself unemployed, I have my sights set on expanding and growing this business with the potential of it becoming a regular source of income for us. Heck – one day you might see us featured on Oprah’s favorite things episode!

Here’s where the “contest” comes into play. I figure there are a lot of people out there with good ideas for business names. I’m a writer and have tossed around what seems like a million names, but haven’t settled on anything concrete yet. However, I need a business name before my kick-ass designer, Amanda with Carristo Creative www.carristo.com, can start dreaming up a logo and packaging for us. That’s why I’m tossing this out into the blogosphere, to all tweeples and web surfers, or to anyone who likes spices.

Here’s a few things we have considered when we have brainstormed for a name:

1) Something food related

2) Something that could be used for spice blends, drink mixes (Southwest Hot Chocolate, Sonoran Mulling Spices, Prickly Pear Lemonade Mix), etc.

3) Something catchy, maybe sophisticated, maybe funny, maybe clever

Here’s what you need to do to enter:

1) Email your name suggestion to customspices@hotmail.com along with your name and mailing address. Please use “Name My Company Contest” in the subject line.

Here’s what you can win:

Grand prize – Three sandwich-sized baggies full of spices from our current inventory, one each of the following flavors: Smoky Mesquite Rub, Chipotle Onion Dip, Sonoran Seasoned Salt

Runner-up – Three half-filled sandwich-sized baggies of spices from our current inventory, one each of the following flavors: Smoky Mesquite Rub, Chipotle Onion Dip, Sonoran Seasoned Salt

Honorable mention (if we have enough entries – lol) - Three single-serve sized baggies of spices from our current inventory, one each of the following flavors: Smoky Mesquite Rub, Chipotle Onion Dip, Sonoran Seasoned Salt

Here’s the legal scoop:

1) By entering the contest, you certify that you have no claim to the name in the past, now, or in the future. You relinquish all rights to the name.

2) You understand that we may or may not choose to use any of the names submitted but we will select winners based on creativity, originality and useability.

3) If we are torn between more than one name, we may choose to let readers of the blog vote for their favorite, or we may just choose the final 3 ourselves.

4) The contest starts today, May 15, 2009 and submissions must be received by Friday May 22, 2009 at 8:00 a.m. MST. Winners will be announced by Friday May 29, 2009 on this blog and will be notified via email at the email address used to submit the name suggestion.

5) Prizes will be mailed to you at the address you supply in the email within 3 weeks after the winners are chosen.

Good luck and get creative!

Hiking Aravaipa

When you hike Aravaipa Canyon, expect to get your feet wet.  There is a lot of trail on the sides of the creek, but you will cross and wade the creek up to your knees at times. Shoes that drain well are preferable.  I used heavy wool socks and Chacos and I was comfortable that way.  If rocks getting in your shoes bother you, a pair of well ventilated sneakers might do you good.  Some shorty gaiters would probably be helpful in keeping sand and gravel out of the shoes.

You are reading a blog posting from the photographer Laurent Baig. Feel the wilderness experience.

Una pequeña ciudad del estado de Sonora de no más de 30,000 habitantes, pero con una gran historia(cuna de la revolucion mexicana).

View Larger Map

Altar Sonora Desert on Images

No cabe duda que una imagen (en este caso 25) valen mas que mil palabras, que bellas fotografias, no cabe duda, el Gran Desierto de Sonora es hermoso, ganas de estar ahi que importa el Calor si uno ya esta acostumbrado…

Agradecimientos Especiales a ALBERTO ENCINAS

View Larger Map

Brandenburg Campsite

Why would anyone camp here? One reason, and one reason only…Aravaipa Canyon.  This is the only car campsite on Aravaipa Road and on a hot Thursday afternoon, myself and four friends took advantage of it.  We got there mid-afternoon and temps were peaking a little above 90 degrees, so we hid under the convenient shade of the ranger station right across the road.  Stay tuned for more from Aravaipa.

You are reading a blog posting from the photographer Laurent Baig. Feel the wilderness experience.

Articulo visto en: www.sonoraes.com

Sonora es Grande, El estado de Sonora, México tiene 184, 934 kilómetros cuadrados de superficie y ocupa el 2do. lugar en tamaño de la República Mexicana representando el 9.2% del territorio nacional.

Sonora es Grande porque tiene 1,200 kilómetros de Riviera del Mar de Cortés, mar que comparten los estados de Sonora, Baja California, Baja California Sur y Sinaloa.

Sonora es Grande porque representa la producción minera más grande de México y la 2da. en el continente americano.

Sonora Es grande porque es el mayor exportador de carne de cerdo de México, el mayor exportador de ganado bovino en pie a los Estados Unidos. Es el mayor productor de trigo de México y el mayor productor de Espárrago, Nuez, Naranja y Uva de Mesa del país.

Sonora Es grande porque es el de mayor desarrollo y producción acuícola y el de mayor producción pesquera de sardina, camarón y calamar gigante.

Sonora Es grande, también por su gente, desde el indígena invencible hasta el recién llegado que participa incansable en su progreso.

Sonora Es Grande en su espacio territorial porque ocupa el segundo estado en tamaño de la República Mexicana, pero también es grande porque su gente ha hecho que su nombre figure en el mundo de los negocios, de las exportaciones a muchos países, de la producción pecuaria, de la minería, de la pesca y de la acuicultura. Y en
las bellas artes, la cultura en ciencias políticas y religión también tiene sus líderes nacionales y ejemplos de santidad que son parte de la  historia del estado.

Sonora Es grande en muchos aspectos incluyendo su gente, y claro, que también es grande en proyectos y cosas  por hacer, lo que también la convierte en un mundo de oportunidades en donde hay muchas cosas que podemos realizar en la inmensidad de espacio, de luz, de calor y de envidiable ubicación geográfica.

-Fragmento-

Enrique Yescas E.
Publicista/Editor

México desarrolla el corredor turístico más grande de América; 5700 kilómetros de litoral con 28 escalas náuticas, 3 regiones turísticas integrales, compuestas por Rutas y Circuitos terrestres, 22 localidades de la costa y un puente terrestre que servirá para transportar yates y veleros del Océano Pacífico al Golfo de California.

Via: http://www.fonatur.gob.mx

Click en la Imagen para Ver el Documento

Regional Overview on http://www.sonora.org.mx

Located on Mexico’s Northwest border, it is bound by the United States, (Arizona) to the North; Baja California, to the Northwest; Chihuahua, to the East; and Sinaloa, to the South.

NORTHWEST REGION

NORTH REGION

CENTER REGION

COSTA-CENTER REGION

SOUTH REGION A

SOUTH REGION B

Archaeology and Peoples of Sonora, Mexico
Desert and Cultural Landscapes

Via: http://www.crowcanyon.org

Click On Image for Full Document

Resume

A Learning Vacation in Sonora, Mexico

The Sonoran Desert spans 120,000 square miles across the southwestern United States and the western half of the state of Sonora, Mexico. Abundant cacti and other succulents defy its dry climate—the desert willow, cave primrose, and lupine call this area home.

During this investigation of the people and plants of Sonora, savor the region’s broad desert, jagged mountains, expansive basins, and stunning coastlines. Explore a spectacular and newly researched ancient Trincheras site (contemporary with the Hohokam). Delve into the living cultures of Sonoran peoples—the Mayo, Seri, and Yaqui—and learn about their arts and crafts as you enjoy home visits and local cooking. During Semana Santa, the holy week preceding Easter, observe long-standing traditions as you attend ceremonies that define Mexican culture…

El juramento Yaqui es un ejemplo del compromiso que deberían de tener nuestros gobernantes actuales. Los Yaquis son un ejemplo de compromiso con la sociedad y el bien común.

Para ti no habrá sol
Para tí no habrá muerte
Para tí no habrá dolor
Para tí no habrá calor

Ni sed, ni hambre, ni lluvia, ni
aire, ni enfermedad, ni familia…
Nada te causará temor
todo ha terminado para ti,
excepto una cosa:
El cumplimiento de tu deber

En el puesto que has sido asignado,
Ahí te quedarás
para la defensa de tu nación,
de tu gente, de tu raza,
de tus costumbres, de tu religión..

¿Juras cumplir con el mandato divino?

Con estas palabras, los capitanes
Yaquis dan autoridad a los nuevos
Oficiales, quienes agachan sus
cabezas y responden:

EHUI
SI

Bajar el Audio

Citado en: http://obregonsonora.wordpress.com

Version en Cahita

Ebetchi’ibo kaa taataria ayune
Ebetchi’ibo kaa kokowame ayune
Ebetchi’ibo kaa kososi ewame ayune
Ebetchi’ibo kaa tataliwame ayune
Ba’a ji’ipewamwe juNi tebauriwamejuNi yuku juNi
Jeka juNi kokoiwame juNi
Wawaira juNi kaitatune
Kaita majjaiwame kaita et ayune
i’ime inii kaitatune ebetchi’ibo
Senu weemw ama ayuk kaa koptanee
Em ibaktaka’u tu’isi aet
Yuma’ane makwakau
Junama empo ta’awane
Jak junii yoemiata beas kikteka am
Jin’neusim’nee pueplota at teakame elebenak
Ojbokame waa jiak kostumrem
Tekia yaura

¿Empo ama emo yumaletek Lijota nesaupo emo jipune?

¡ EHUI ¡

La Fender ci assicura di “aver raggiunto nuove vette in fatto di design ‘cool’ con i due nuovi modelli acustici California Series disegnate dal leggendario artista surf e giornalista della rivista Surfer John Severson”.

I modelli John Severson Sonoran™ SCE sono acustiche dreadnought a spalla mancante caratterizzate dal design realizzato da Severson stesso ed ispirato alla California del Sud dei bei tempi… Il modello “Surf Fever” è ispirato ai poster sul surf del passato, e la “Woody” evoca il “nirvana” dei surfisti. Entrambe hanno tavola armonica in abete, catenature scolpite, fondo e fasce in mogano, manico in acero con 20 tasti, tastiera e ponte (con sellette compensate) in palissandro, paletta Stratocaster®, meccaniche die-cast, pickup Fender FTE-3, etichetta John Severson e firma dell’artista sul retro della paletta.

Gracias a: http://www.mexicodesconocido.com.mx

En algunos casos, al hablar del desierto surge la imagen del arenoso Sahara con sus palmeras y sus camellos. Sin embargo, existen diferentes desiertos, de distintas edades y composiciones geológicas, florísticas y faunísticas.

Hay en todo el mundo trece grandes masas de tierra seca distribuidas en dos tajas discontinuas, una en cada hemisferio – más o menos entre los trópicos de Cáncer y de Capricornio- que ocupan un tercio de la porción continental del globo terráqueo. En esas tierras prodigiosas están incluidos los; cuatro desiertos más importantes de América del Norte: el de la Gran Cuenca, el de Mohave, el Chihuahuense y el Sonorense.

El desierto Sonorense es el más rico y complejo de los cuatro por su gran diversidad biológica y por su alternancia geológica. Se encuentra en más de la mitad del estado de Sonora, en dos tercios de la península de Baja California y está presente en todas las islas del Mar de Cortés; también lo comparten Arizona y una pequeña porción de California.

El Sonorense es un desierto joven que terminó de contraerse y expandirse a finales de la última glaciación, hace alrededor de 10 mil años.

Se le considera un desierto subtropical porque el número de especies de flora y fauna por área determinada es mucho mayor que en los lugares templados, a pesar de que durante la época invernal en el desierto se llegan a formar delgadas capas de hielo e incluso nieva.

En cuanto a su cobertura vegetal es muy versátil, y en promedio con otros desiertos presenta mucha más variedad de especies de diferentes tamaños y formas. Las cactáceas son las plantas emblemáticas de cualquier desierto del continente americano, pero sólo en el desierto Sonorense podemos admirar al fascinante sahuaro y al imponente cardón, pues no existen en ningún otro desierto de México y menos del mundo. Estas enormes plantas acorazadas han formado “bosques” de cientos de años en determinadas áreas del desierto, dotándolas de un gran movimiento de vida animal, especialmente durante la noche. Además, estos “bosques” no sólo se componen de robustos cactos columnares, sino que incluyen cactos ramificados, biznagas, mamilarias, y muchas otras especies de arbustos y árboles de mediana talla, como mezquites, palo fierros y palo verdes. A estos últimos se les conoce como “plantas nodrizas”, pues protegen con su sombra a los sahuaros pequeños de la desecación y de la muerte, durante su etapa inicial de crecimiento.

Todas las partes de un sahuaro o cardón adulto son aprovechadas de alguna manera por los inquilinos del reino animal, desde las frescas raíces, en donde algunos roedores como las ratas canguro excavan sus madrigueras para obtener la humedad necesaria durante los sofocantes veranos, hasta sus tallos, que son agujereados por algunas aves como los pájaros carpinteros, para convertirlos en perfectos albergues de anidación o “condominios de tiempo compartido”, puesto que algunos de esos hoyos son ruego ocupados por otras aves como las lechuzas. Coyotes, linces y liebres rondan por estos “bosques” predando o siendo predados.

A principios de mayo las blancas flores de los sahuaros coronan la parte más alta del tallo y son un manjar para los murciélagos e insectos, que toman de ellas su néctar, polinizándolas a la vez. Más tarde, el fruto se desarrolla, madura y se abre para alimentar a varias especies de aves, y aún al caer, algunas lagartijas también comen su roja y dulce pulpa.

Incluso la muerte natural de un sahuaro o cardón deja vida en el suelo del “bosque”. Parte de su madera interna se recicla en forma de nutrientes, que tanta falta le hacen al suelo desértico, pobre en humus.

Estas áreas del desierto no sólo las aprovechan los animales, sino también hombres y mujeres, como los concaa’c (seris), gente de la costa central de Sonora, o como los tohono o’odhams (pápagos) o gente del desierto, quienes en el verano celebran todo un ritual en torno a la cosecha del fruto del sahuaro.

Referencia: http://www.sil.org

El seri es uno de los idiomas autóctonos de la república mexicana.

Antes que el español y por muchos siglos, tal vez milenios, se ha hablado en el estado de Sonora.

Los seris tienen nombres propios para cientos de lugares, muchos de los cuales no tienen nombre en español.

Isla Tiburón – Tahéjöc

Guaymas – Hasoj Iyat

Punta Chueca – Socáaix

El Desemboque – Haxöl Iihom

Puerto Libertad – Xpanoháx

Baja California – Hant Ihíin

El nombre seri no es una palabra de la lengua seri. No sabemos de dónde viene. En su idioma, una persona seri es un cmiique. La forma plural es comcáac. [Nota] El idioma seri se llama cmiique iitom o cmiique iimx.

El idioma seri no tiene ninguna relación genética con otros idiomas que hoy se hablan en el estado de Sonora. Pertenece a una familia distinta a la del yaqui o el mayo, por ejemplo.

Siendo que no se puede mostrar relación estrecha del seri con otra lengua, a causa de los muchos siglos que han vivido aparte los seris, se le considera un idioma aislado.
Tepopa

El seri tiene su propia gramática, como todas las lenguas del mundo. Desde hace varios años esta lengua que ha continuado siendo la lengua materna de muchas personas, tiene su propio alfabeto.

Hay 22 letras en el alfabeto seri, incluyendo cuatro dígrafos, y algunas representan sonidos que el español no tiene:

a c cö e f h i j jö l m n o p qu r s t x xö y z.

Por ejemplo:

La z en seri representa un sonido que se parece al de la x de Xola, o a las letras sh del inglés.

La x representa un sonido más fuerte que la j del español. Se pronuncia más atrás en la boca, como los madrileños pronuncian la j del español.

La e representa una vocal que se parece mucho a la a del inglés en la palabra pet (mascota).

La h representa un cierre glotal; un sonido desconocido en las lenguas indoeuropeas. Es el alef del hebreo, y es parecido al apóstrofo o saltillo del mixteco y el zapoteca.

La l es sorda en seri; no vibran las cuerdas vocales. Se parece a la ll del galés o la l al final de la palabra náhuatl.

En el conjunto de letras on de la palabra francesa bon (bueno) se representa una vocal nasalizada, y no se pronuncia la n en la forma normal. Hay un caso similar en seri.

El conjunto de letras cm al principio de una sílaba se pronuncia como si fuera cu seguida por una vocal nasalizada, como en la palabra cmiique (persona seri).

Hay tres dígrafos que representan consonantes labializadas: cö, xö, y jö.

Como en muchos idiomas del mundo, incluyendo el latín y el inglés antiguo, el seri tiene vocales largas y vocales cortas.

hap

haap     venado bura
frijol del monte
¿Ox itái?
¿Ox itáai?     ¿Así le dijo?
¿Así lo hizo?
¿Haxz cop itácö?
¿Haxz cop itáacö?     ¿El perro lo mató?
¿El perro le ladró?
Casquim iha.
Caasquim iha.     Está remando.
Es un lenguado.

El vocabulario del seri es rico y amplio; tiene miles de palabras. Hay palabras muy básicas;

por ejemplo:

hax – agua dulce

xepe – mar, agua salada

hant – tierra

hast – piedra, montaña

y algunas muy especiales:

xepe imaz – la fosforescencia del mar

haat – torote (Jatropha cuneata)

xoop – torote (Bursera microphylla).

Hay una palabra para el palo fierro verde cuando está creciendo: comítin, y otra palabra para el palo fierro cuando está seco: hesen.

A la choya común le dicen tootjcö hant ihíti, a su fruta tootjöc, y al esqueleto seco cotéexoj.

Hay otro nombre para el cardón (xaasj), el sahuaro (mojépe) y la pitaya agria (ziix is ccapxl) cuando sus esqueletos están secos: xojíif.

Hay palabras cortas: zep águila, y palabras largas: cozamlcamáacöl zancudo.

Hay palabras fáciles de pronunciar: yam su esófago, y palabras más difíciles: ptcamn langosta de mar.

El verbo es muy importante en el seri, más que en otros idiomas. Siempre lleva un prefijo. Por ejemplo, el tema aaspoj se puede combinar de varias maneras con prefijos:

caaspoj – el o la que está escribiendo

icáaspoj – lápiz (con que uno escribe)

eenm an icáaspoj – cámara fotográfica

hapáspoj – papel (en que uno escribe)

hapáspoj cmatsj – periódico (papel mentiroso)

¿Áz itáaspoj?     ¿Qué escribió?

Saaspoj caha.     Va a escribir.

Imáaspoj iha.     No está escribiendo.

Un verbo puede llevar varios prefijos. El siguiente ejemplo tiene cuatro:

Ihpyompázt.
No fui tatuado.

Ihp-     yo-     m-     p-     azt.
Raíz ‘tatuar’
Voz pasiva
Negación

Tiempo pasado

Concordancia con sujeto de primera persona singular, intransitivo

Las palabras seris pertenecen a clases gramaticales como en otros idiomas.

Hay verbos (transitivos e intransitivos) que aparecen en voz activa o voz pasiva, en modo afirmativo o interrogativo, y en varios tiempos.

Hay sustantivos. No hay género (masculino y femenino, como en las lenguas romances) pero hay clases de sustantivos que son importantes.

Hay sustantivos especiales que funcionan como preposiciones (aunque en seri son posposiciones porque van después de sus complementos).

Hay adverbios.

Hay pronombres.

Hay artículos definidos e indefinidos.

Hay todo lo necesario para hacer enunciados expresivos y exactos.

Hay muchos idiomas en el mundo que tienen el mismo orden de palabras que tiene el español:

Sujeto     Verbo     Complemento
El hombre     vio     al perro.

Hay un número mayor de idiomas en el mundo que tienen el mismo orden de palabras que tiene el seri:

Sujeto     Complemento     Verbo
Ctam cop     haxz com     iyóoho.
(el hombre)     (el perro)     (lo vio)

En los idiomas que siguen el mismo patrón que el español, el artículo definido suele presentarse antes del sustantivo: el hombre.

En los idiomas que siguen el mismo patrón que el seri, el artículo definido suele presentarse después del sustantivo:
Ctam     cop
hombre     el

haxz     com
perro     el.

Los artículos definidos en seri son muy, muy expresivos. No indican género como en español. Si uno dice:
¿Haxz com intáho?
(¿Viste al perro?)

se sabe que el perro está acostado, dormido o muerto. Si uno dice:
¿Haxz quij intáho?
(¿Viste al perro?)

se sabe que el perro está sentado. Si uno dice:
¿Haxz cop intáho?
(¿Viste al perro?)

se sabe que el perro está parado. Si uno dice:
¿Haxz tintica ntáho?

se sabe que el perro está alejándose. Y si uno dice:
¿Haxz timoca ntáho?

se sabe que el perro está acercándose.

Si uno quiere hablar de los hermanos, no es suficiente saber que son muchachos o muchachas; tiene que saberse algo más.
Una muchacha puede usar estas palabras:
hiicaz     mi hermano menor
himáac     mi hermano mayor
hitcz     mi hermana menor
hizáac     mi hermana mayor.

Un muchacho puede usar estas palabras:
hizcz     mi hermano menor
hinyáac     mi hermano mayor
hicóome     mi hermana menor
hipáac     mi hermana mayor.

Tanto el muchacho como la muchacha pueden usar:
hixíiha     mi hermano mayor.

Y si uno quiere hablar de su padre, tiene que escoger una palabra diferente, dependiendo de si es muchacho o muchacha.
Si es muchacho, puede decir:
hii     mi padre.

Si es muchacha, puede decir:
him     mi padre.

Para la madre, los dos dicen:
hita     mi madre.

Igual que en otros idiomas, hay frases hechas en seri que uno tiene que aprender de memoria.
Hiisax hant yaait. Estoy feliz.
(Literalmente: Mi espíritu bajó a la tierra.)
Hiisax yaapl. Me siento consolado.
(Literalmente: Mi espíritu está frío.)
Naapxa iyízi. Es muy tacaño.
(Literalmente: Gana al zopilote.)
¡Yooz ma samsisíin xo! Gracias.
(Literalmente: ¡Qué Dios te muestre compasión!)

“La Fama de nuestra comida sobrepasa las Fronteras”…

Info: East Valley Tribune

Those who love Mexican food know there’s a wide range of Mexican restaurants in the East Valley. On one end of the scale, you’ve got the so-called “gringo” places, where the Mexican cuisine is about as authentic as the chimichanga. On the other end of the scale are places like Taqueria Cajeme, which shares a well-worn block building with a dulceria (candy store) on the northwest corner of University and Mesa drives in Mesa.

Taking its name from the owners’ hometown in south-central Sonora, near the Gulf of California, Taqueria Cajeme offers the type of genuine dishes you’d find in a Mexican coastal town. Seafood — including shrimp, tilapia, stingray, octupus, snails and oysters — dominate the menu, but there’s also such fare as goat soup, pork rinds and beef head.

Taqueria Cajeme in Mesa, AZI’d been tipped off by a couple people that the food is delicious, so I decide to check it out for myself. I’d also been told that the staff doesn’t speak any English, so I bring along a couple friends who speak Spanish.

We get off to a inauspicious start. As we enter the restaurant, we’re struck by unpleasant odor emanating from either the restrooms or kitchen — we can’t tell which. We almost decide to bail, but once we take a padded booth in the mural-decorated dining area, the odor is gone (or at least out of range). And in this case, it proves to be worth sticking it out.

One of my friends orders the shrimp culichi ($10.99), a bowl of meaty shrimp swimming in a delicious tomatillo-cheese sauce that generates a little heat. It comes with beans, fried potatoes and several corn tortillas that are used to sop up every last drop of the savory sauce. My other friend tries the shredded beef and potato tostadas ($5.99), a pair of flour tortillas topped with well-seasoned beef, vegetables and grated Cotija cheese that have us raving. Rice and beans come on the side. I opt for the marinated pork burro ($4.50), a large tortilla stuffed with meat, rice, beans, onions and a just a little cheese. The small pieces of pork are a bit chewy, but tasty.

Taqueria Cajeme’s beverages are just as authentic as the food. One of my friends enjoys a bottle of Mexican Coca-Cola (made with corn syrup instead of cane sugar), while the other has a tamarind-flavored soda. I go with a refreshing Jamaica agua fresca. Our dessert selections are limited to house flan and strawberries with creme. We decide to share the former ($3.50), which is adequate.

Some people undoubtedly will be put off by the language barrier and Taqueria Cajeme’s unpolished ambiance. For the adventurous, though, it’s well worth the trip.

Cholla Glow, Tucson Mountains

Here’s an image that’s hanging at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum gallery.  I exposed the film last summer but I didn’t “process” it until a couple weeks ago.  I’ve gone over to Gate’s Pass a number of times to try to make an image out there.  The standard is to point camera into the sun to get the pretty colors.  That’s all fine and good, but the pretty colors isn’t why I like the Tucson mountains or the gates pass area.

It seems a lot of todays photographers are obsessed with pretty sky colors.  That’s also well and good.  But I’ve come to realize it’s not the sky colors that make me want to photograph.  It’s the stuff on the ground.  The stuff on the ground that gets mowed down anytime somebody wants to build a house, or block entrance to public land,  or littered anytime someone dumps their garbage outside of a can, or tosses a used cigarette butt out a car window.

I didn’t photograph this for the light.  I photographed this for the cholla.  I photographed the cholla because I find them fascinating – that here, there is a patch of cholla (opuntia bigelovii), and they don’t seem to be on the rest of the hill or on the next but are clumped together like a clan. The light is very pretty.  But it would be nothing without something truly wonderful to reflect it.

You are reading a blog posting from the photographer Laurent Baig. Feel the wilderness experience.