Now that's what I call a compass rose!

I stumbled across a reference to the world's largest compass rose while doing research for work today. Now, those are two words that never fail to catch my eye - compass rose. If there is one thing I don't collect that I wish I could it would be compass roses. They are amazing works of art sometimes yet serve as a simple tool.
So when I got home, I Google Earthed it to get an aerial image I could put in perspective.

NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base in California is the home to the "world's largest" compass rose. And 50 years ago, I don't think anybody made it with making the world's largest in mind. It's visible from over 20 miles up. The numbers are visible from 30, 000 feet. The magnitude is astounding for more than just the sheer physical size. Think about ...
-how to make such a straight line
-smooth curve
-line it up correctly
-maintain the image in a sandy / dune environment

There is equally amazingly little on the internet about it. Just the same reference repeated over and over, various photos, and a link to an EAFB page that doesn't exist anymore. Consider the proximity to Area 51 and the top secret North Base, I guess I shouldn't be surprised?

So the girls and I did some looking around. Trying to find things we could relate to for comparison. We found some jets but how big are they in comparison to this object? Treid to find what were could be sure was a car but the resolution isn't good enough to tell whether it's a car, truck, semi, or humvee. We found the residential area of the base. That got us close to a relatable object - baseball field and houses.


Here is 270 degrees with the space shuttle's 747 jet that it piggy backs on.

Then we measured it using Google Earth tools. And took a quick hop to our own back yard. One of the numbers (the 8 in 180 I think) will fit in our yard. We have a very big yard for Peoria. To walk across the circle would be similar to walking to Huck's from home. Not a walk they do even when there's a free slushee waiting at the end.
Big things in perspective.
Sure would be neat to see some day.

Spring has sprung!

The woodland spring flowers planted in the shade of a hackberry tree in the yard have come up. Spring is really here. This first picture really shouts "Hooray for Spring!" as the bloodroot blossoms stretch for the sky.


Here's another bloodroot shot. The droplet of water was a challenge that I couldn't meet. Was trying to capture the natural reflection that occurs but just couldn't get the right angle or close enough without causing a shadow or crushing flowers.


This trillium amazed me with the pattern in it's leaves. I've seen hundreds, thousands of them. And never noticed this camouflage pattern before.



Notice beside the trillium is wild ginger. I always enjoyed showing them to kids while doing outdoor education walks. It gets them looking for the forest's secrets and hidden treasures.