Feb 21 2024 - It is Firefall Time

 

Last week a friend showed me the Escarpment hillside covered in orange.  It was a picture from the morning sunrise, and it was blazing orange as though an autumn scene.  But we're in February and the trees are bare.  This was morning Alpenglow.   And it is this time of year when Yosemite has the Firefall display.  This is where the sun catches the water cascading over the Horseshoe Falls to create a fire-effect.  The Horsetail Falls is fed through snowmelt and run-off so it dries up in the summer and disappears.  It is only a few weeks starting in February when it shines brilliantly.  It is 2,130 feet long so that when the sun catches it, it is amazing.   Permits, logistics, reservations have turned this into an exclusive event.  I bet it is packed like some outdoor festival. Here is a picture from their facebook page.  Wouldn't this be something to see live!  There's even a video showing the valley at night with all the visitor activity.   You can see more stunning images on their facebook page - here is the link:  https://www.facebook.com/yosemitenation

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Feb 16 2023 - Fire Falls in Yosemite

 

This is the month when for three weeks there is an amazing phenomenon. Horsetail Falls on the east side of El Capitan is lit up by the sun for about 10 minutes a day towards sunset.  It looks like flowing fire.  To see this display reservations are required.  There's almost a full page of how to get them on the Yosemite website. And then the rules and regulations about being there. How does this natural phenomenon work?  Horsetail Fall must be flowing - it is an ephemeral waterfall so can be dry or not flowing.  Then the sky must be clear without cloud cover or haze. It occurs during a short time during sunset.  It is about 10 minutes. And how was this figured out? Ansel Adams had a picture of the falls in 1959, but no mention was made of the fire effect. There are no records by white settlers or native tribes either.  It was in 1973 when a hiker took a picture of the firefall and shared it later.  Looking at this picture below, doesn't it seem strange that this wasn't seen and recorded?  This comes from Dave Koch at PetaPixel and he provides all the information needed for photographers.  It is HERE.  He's got various shots taken with his numerous cameras.  And they are absolutely wonderful.   And this picture of Winterthur Spring Bank was taken a few years ago in April.  Today there are Crocuses blooming on the Spring Bank - I would assume millions of them.  They call them Tommis - latin name is Tommasinianus and is the earliest crocus.  When will mine bloom?  Early April - months away.  But  we do get Snowdrops in February and they are showing their tiny white flowers - they just don't want to open up yet. Read more daily posts here: marilyncornwellblogspot.com Purchase works here: Fine Art America- marilyncornwellart.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca

I am Joe Canadian

We find out that it might be Joe Trudeau rather than Justin Trudeau in the U.S.   It seems that Justin was too hard to pronounce for Sean Spicer, the White House Press Secretary.  The hilarity that ensued on twitter was entertainment for most people on Valentine's Day. I enjoyed the tweet that said "not only do we have alternative facts now, but also AlternativePrimeMinisters". We are at that time in February when the Yosemite Horsetail Fall has the optical illusion of the "firefall." The natural effect gives the illusion that bright orange lava is flowing off the cliff at the park in California. This magic trick is a natural occurrence that only happens for a couple of weeks each February and draws hundreds of visitors each night. The "firefall" comes to life when the angle of the setting sun causes light to hit the waterfall just right; making for some amazing Instagram-worthy photos.  You can go to images for yosemite firefall. Today we see some of Florida's sunrise fire in the sky, 2016.