To celebrate the opening of The RAF Exhibit Gallery, the Garden presents its first-ever orchid exhibit, Orchid Fever presented by Barton Faber and Elizabeth Byrnes. The exhibit showcases colorful blooms, delightful scents and wild textures that engage all the senses. Stroll through the gallery to explore rare and elegant plants artfully paired with cactus and succulents in a bold display completely unique to the Sonoran Desert.

Be enthralled by striking swathes of orchids in brilliant pinks, oranges, yellows and purples set in a lush desert oasis. Visitors of all ages will learn about Arizona’s endangered and rare orchids and the efforts Garden researchers are taking to preserve them. This lush collection is sure to leave visitors inspired and renewed.

Equine Voices in Amado, Arizona has three horses that they are helping foster and 40 bales of hay were brought in to feed them and keep them fed for another month or so! It takes a lot of money to run an organization like Equine Voices and they are doing a heck of a job!!! 🙂

https://equinevoices.org

Over the past few days, I have been documenting the ongoing cleanup and recovery efforts following the devastating Los Angeles fires that occurred two months ago. While television coverage can provide a glimpse into the extent of the damage, witnessing the devastation firsthand underscores the immense scale of the challenge.

Fortunately, organizations such as Caterpillar, Quinn Company and CORE have deployed their expertise and equipment to assist in the cleanup process and facilitate the commencement of rebuilding efforts. While the task at hand is substantial and will require sustained effort, I am confident that progress is being made in the right direction for the affected communities of Southern California.

2025 Arizona Gives Day is April 1st and you can help great non-profits like Equine Voices at

https://www.azgives.org/organization/Equine-Voices-Rescue-And-Sanctuary

Equine Voices Rescue & Sanctuary is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to rescue equines from neglect, abuse, abandonment and slaughter. Additionally, we rehabilitate, adopt and/or provide a safe and loving sanctuary to those equines who need a forever home. Through education, we empower individuals to learn about Premarin and horse slaughter.

https://equinevoices.org

“Three Desperate Men” is a creative project brought to life by Diane Marr, a member of the GVR Photography Club. Diane conceived the idea, wrote the screenplay, and presented it to the Multimedia Special Interest Group. Many members eagerly joined the project, not only as participants but also as actors. After several rehearsals, the team scouted and secured a location in Tucson, Arizona, at Harker’s Western Museum and Movie Set. In a single day, they filmed the movie at Harker’s and immediately began editing the video. Through countless hours of hard work, the GVR Multimedia SIG team has created this remarkable video.

Join Equine Voices Rescue & Sanctuary at the Longhorn Grill and Saloon on March 15th from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. for the Horses and Harmony spring fundraising event!

https://equinevoices.org

https://www.longhorngrillandsaloon.com

Join the hundreds of volunteers who participated in the 2025 clean-up of the Santa Cruz River in Tumacacori, Arizona. It was truly remarkable to witness the immense effort and dedication that went into this event. The amount of trash and tires removed that day was simply incredible!

Santa Cruz County Shining Az organized this event with the noble mission of making our world and our area a much better place to live. For more information, visit their website: https://www.sccshiningaz.com

Wow, what a year I had in 2024! When I moved to Arizona from Peoria, Illinois 5 1/2 years ago, I figured that I’d be easing into retirement and that would be the end of my working for clients. Not the case at all and I think it was one of my busiest years ever in my 34 years of self-employment! I put 37,000 miles on the rental cars for all these road trips and I’m sure the rental car company loves me for that!

The best part about all of this is that I’m working because I love what I do and all the great people that I work with and not because I have to work to support myself! That’s a great feeling indeed!

2025 is already here and the phone is ringing for shoots and I’m as excited as a kid on Christmas morning and I can’t wait to get started!

Let’s all have a great 2025!!!! 🙂

The Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden attracts photographers, gardeners, scientists, and nature lovers from around the world. They offer over a mile of trails lined with thousands of rare and endangered flora from all parts of the globe. It is a magical place where paths and bridges guide you over mountain-fed streams and waterfalls into awe-inspiring views of Onomea Bay along the beautiful Hamakua Coast.

Saint Benedict’s Catholic Church (also called simply The Painted Church) is a parish of the Roman Catholic Church in Honaunau, Hawaii. It was built between 1899 and 1902 under the direction of the Belgian Catholic missionary Father John Velghe, who then painted frescoes along the interior ceiling and walls. An untrained folk-artist, Fr. Velghe depicted various biblical scenes, such as Cain’s murder of Abel, Jesus refusing the Devil, and the writing on the wall, as well as a vivid illustration of sinners in Hell. While the building itself is small and rectangular, Fr. Velghe painted Gothic vaults above the altar, creating the illusion of a European Gothic cathedral, inspired particularly by Burgos Cathedral.