A lot of effort is put into Halloween costumes and Halloween parties. It is the American harvest festival, same as Easter is Australia's. We went as New Jersey Guido and Guidette. (reply)

Outcrop on South Mountain. (reply)
We went up South Mountain yesterday. It is about a seven mile hike but is not challenging in ascent, path or distance. It is a pretty mild walk on the body; however we passed two guys that were doing it on unicycles.

Which is a pretty impressive mix of skill and courage. The second guy had blooded up knees and legs, so he had obviously taken a spill somewhere. They were in good spirits about doing it too. Mountain biking is common in Phoenix, there are plenty of places to do it, however, this is the first time I have ever seen anyone mountain unicycling.

Update: A quick googling finds MUni. A rough terrain unicycling group. (reply)

A monsoon storm creeping across the city from the west. (reply)

The monsoon season can kick up some pretty big storms. There was one recently where a dust storm presaged the rain storm. Today there was no rain just a large and powerful dust storm with a swirling wind inside it. (reply)

Rusted metal at McDowell Library. (reply)

Cactus from the botanical gardens. These kind get a white hairy aspect to them. (reply)

The Waste Water Treatment plant on Hayden and McDonald contains parks and public areas around it. The building is done in a modern style with rusted metal, rocks in rusted mesh and blood red canvas sails for shade.

You wouldn't know it is a waste water treatment plant other than a back entrance has card access and a warning that only authorized personnel are allowed in. Immediately infront of the facility is a water feature and dog parks. There is a shaded amplitheatre of sorts behind the structure and then it blends into baseball parks.

It is possible that disguising it in the modern structure was a requirement or a means to fend of any NIMBY attacks so that it could go through council. It is quite a stunning building and well integrated into the surrounding public space. (more)

Black and white photo of the lights on the living room lamp. (reply)

The church is still under construction but like many modern churches seems to be mainly of modern commercial construction and indistinguishable from a standard commercial building short of the cross. (reply)
Cam Riley: South Sea Republic. Freedom, liberty, equity and an Australian Republic.