As a child, my favorite fairy tale was Jack and the Beanstalk, more commonly referred to as Jack the Giant Killer, here in the USA. Well, it was my favorite along with Three Billy Goats Gruff. First published in 1807, it follows the exploits of Jack, a young man who acquires some magic seeds that—overnight—produce a beanstalk of gigantic proportions. For a reason not clearly explained in the story, Jack feels the need to immediately climb the stalk, a task which eventually carries him above the clouds and into the dominion of a giant, who (along with his castle) is somehow lighter-than-air, or at least immune to the tedious effects of gravity.

I always felt a bit bad for the old giant. He was minding his own business when Jack showed up and proceeded to do a little breaking and entering in the castle. Naturally enough, the giant wanted to grind up Jack and make bread out of his bones. It’s the sort of thing giants are expected to do, and he came up with the highly memorable: “Fee, fi, fo, fum. I smell the blood of an Englishman!”—something I heard endlessly during childhood visits to the States from dear old London. So, Jack goes on to carry out repeated black ops missions up the beanstalk, stealing first the giant’s bag of gold coins, then his favorite hen that could lay golden eggs, and finally a magic harp (why the giant had all this swag is not made clear, and how would a giant play a magic harp anyway? The harp was regular person-sized). In the end, not feeling that he’s done enough damage, Jack kills the giant, and goes off to marry the daughter of some boring old count, and live happily ever after as a wealthy man. What a thieving wretch he was! Who took care of the giant’s wife after Jack did in her sweetie? I used to worry about these things when I was a kid.

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The original installment of Macro Thursday was evidently quite popular with my readers, thank you. So, I have decided to make it a semi-regular feature within the realm of the Logical Lizard.

The idea here is to use the ultra-fab macro lens on my favorite digital camera to capture hidden details of the natural world. All of these photos were taken in a single day during a lengthy hike through the Rincon Mountains, outside of Tucson. Amazing what you can see if you take the time to stop and look.

Spines unfolding

Why did the tarantula cross the road? My hiking companion claimed it was because she wanted me to pick her up and stroke her belly—apparently they like that. I didn't see my friend rushing over to do any such thing, so I was happy to just take the photo and skip the belly rub.

Butterfly with camouflage

Spiral of barrel cactus buds

Balancing act

Lichen growing on a boulder

All photographs by Geoffrey Notkin © Geoffrey Notkin. All rights reserved. No reproduction without written permission.

During the past few weeks, despite the appalling heat, I have been enjoying a lot of adventuring and rockhounding in the Sonoran Desert. When I am out in the field I always carry a little pocket Nikon digital camera with me. I need a camera or three, primarily, to document our expedition work, but I also like to pause and take pictures of the life around us. I have always been fascinated by the details of the natural world, particularly patterns and shapes. Stopping to appreciate them for a moment, here and there, can be a welcome break from sometimes arduous field work.

A good macro (close-up) lens allows an observant and patient photographer to examine the minutiae of the plants and animals that live with us here in the Sonoran Desert—a unique habitat teeming with natural wonders, some of them not found anywhere else in the world.

In the old days, the dedicated photographer had to haul a bulky macro lens around in the camera bag and mount it on an SLR for those close-up shots. Digital cameras, with their built-in macros, have made those brief journeys to inner space so very much easier, but no less fascinating.

Here are some details from this week’s adventures.

This handsome fellow, blending extremely well into his surroundings, is one of about ten horned lizards or "horny toads" belonging to the Phrynosoma species

Bark patterns on an elderly mesquite tree

A beautiful cluster of Coryphantha vivipara, the "Bisbee Beehive." This elegant plant is rarely seen around greater Tucson.

Wisps around a yucca plant

Industrious red ants working on their cave. Don't let these guys bite, it really hurts.

Ferocactus wislizenii is a survivor. Three new heads grew from the body of this injured plant.

Photographs © by Geoffrey Notkin. All rights reserved. No reproduction without written permission.