365 Theme 287: Skin

I've been to a number of star parties over the years. And generally the entertainment, if any, consists of astronomy and space science related lectures, the occasional sci-fi movie, and music with the most tenuous connection to astronomy on really crappy speakers. But the entertainment at the Delmarva Stargaze was a first for me and pretty much everyone else there, the Arabian Lights Dance Company in a performance of traditional and perhaps not so traditional (belly dancing to "Walk Light An Egyptian"?) belly dancing.  Several of the dancers were very talented, and compete in national contests and some appeared to be new. But they were all enthusiastic and obviously having fun. And I had fun watching.

365 Theme 157: In My Neighborhood

Albeit not recently. This is Hadrosaurus foulkii as on display at the Academy of Natural Science in Philadelphia. I was fortunate enough to visit on the last day of this exhibit.

It turns out that this dinosaur was discovered a scant 15 miles from where I live. Which meant it or others like it were wandering around in my neighborhood some 80 million years ago. And it became the the state dinosaur of New Jersey in 1991.

365 Theme 227: Past Its Prime

An ancient sea turtle. It actually looked rather small amongst the mesosaurs and dinosaurs in Dinosaur Hall.  

In With The Old, Week Nineteen

Millcreek (January 2003)

Millcreek (March 2003)

Millcreek (March 2003)

Millcreek (April 2003)

Millcreek (May 2003)


Millcreek (October 2003)

The changing faces of Millcreek, the creek from which Millcreek Park in Willingboro, NJ gets its name. This park opened in 1973 and at the time was the largest municipal park in NJ. Millcreek flows into the Rancocas Creek, which is in the far background of these images. The sun is setting over Philadelphia and behind the trees on the right is NJ Route 130. But from this vantage point you think you are in the wilderness. Millcreek Park is less than two miles form my home and has a nice trail system that wanders through a wooded area bounded by the two creeks. A nice getaway close to home.

365 Theme 122: Girl

I don't know this young lady's name either. I do know that she was quite apprehensive about having a butterfly on her head. Both her dad and I snap our shots before a staff member came and removed the butterfly.

This is another shot form the Dinosaur Museum, where the butterfly garden is a permanent exhibit. And a very hot and humid one. This image may appear a little soft as my lens would keep fogging up.

365 Theme 46: Chalk or Chalkboards

I went to the "Dinosaur Museum" last Sunday with my sister and her family. My nephew calls it the Dinosaur Museum and has a great time on each visit. One of the things I found interesting is that immediately adjacent to the Dinosaur Hall is a prep room where the scientists and staff work on actual fossils. I don't know this young lady's name, but she was working on a fossil while we were there . I don't think it was part of the Titanosaur trove that had just arrived at in Philadelphia (it had been on the news the night before). 

The Titanosaur is the second largest dinosaur found. The Academy has the distinction of twice finding the number two dinosaur. And as a Drexel Alum I find it cool that my school was involved.

365 Theme 357 What's For Dinner

Xiphactinus audax, although it looks a bit on the boney side. That's Tylosaurus prorigor preparing to dine.

These two are on display at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia, PA, the oldest natural sciences research institution in the US. These are two non-dinosaurs mounted in Dinosaur Hall.