September 5, 2025

REMINDER: YOUR SUBMISSIONS ARE ENCOURAGED

I have had many requests from Flock readers to receive a text link to the newsletter each week, along with the email version. We are working on adding this functionality, but I don't have everyone's cell number to text. If you would like to receive a link to each new Flock by text, please send me your number by using the contact button below, and I'll add you to our text list. Be assured that your number will not be shared.

Overview for this week.

1. September's full moon, the Corn Moon, will rise Sunday evening, September 7th. People in Asia, Europe, and Australia will get to see a total lunar eclipse and a blood moon as the moon turns red while passing through the Earth's shadow.

2. A third-year medical student has learned to balance his academic commitments with the rigorous training required to compete at the top level in Ironman triathlons.

3. In this week's Artist's Corner, I am featuring an artist who recently caught my attention, Sam Fein.

4. In Parenting, I have a link to an excellent article that outlines six phrases to use to help young children stay calm and attentive when communicating.

5. In the Kid's Corner, the first break for students in the Tucson Unified School District is coming up in five weeks. The Children's Museum Tucson is offering two STEAM-focused Fall into Science Camps for grades K-1 and 2-3 to keep kids occupied during the fall break.

6. In Performing Arts I'm catching-up with my favorite mezzo-soprano, Linda Collazo and giving an update on her voice and piano lessons.

7. I have a video Reader Submission this week of a backyard surprise that had my friend Lisa Martin's dogs agitated.

8. In Around Town, there's a new kid on the block, YogaSix Casas Adobes. I stopped by and was impressed by what I saw.

9. In Weather, Phoenix was recently hit by a massive dust storm, also called a haboob that shut Sky Harbor International Airport down and caused power outages across the valley.

10. In closing this week, I have something a little different from what I normally post. It crossed my desk that the Arizona Opera has several positions open, and I wanted to share them with the Flock.

Next week, I'll be starting a new section at the end of every newsletter, Bindu's Corner, with inspiring thoughts shared by Flock reader and contributor Bindu Shroff.

Now, to this week's Flock.

Sunday night will bring September's full moon, called the Corn Moon or Harvest Moon, because it coincides with the corn harvest in northern parts of the United States. Sunday's full moon, while not technically a Super Moon, will appear larger than usual since the moon will be only about three days from reaching perigee, its closest point to Earth. There will also be a total lunar eclipse Sunday night, turning the moon red as it passes through the Earth's shadow, an effect known as a blood moon. Unfortunately, Flock readers in the Americas will not be able to see the lunar eclipse. Still, readers in Asia, Europe, and Australia will have a good chance at seeing the eclipse reach totality. Due to the timing of the eclipse, parts of Europe will get to witness the rare sight of the moon rising on the horizon as a blood moon.

From: The Old Farmer's Almanac, By: Catherine Boeckmann, August 28, 2025

This time of year—late summer into early fall—corresponds with the time of harvesting corn in much of the northern United States. For this reason, a number of Native American peoples traditionally used some variation of the name “Corn Moon” to refer to the Moon of either August or September. Examples include Corn Maker Moon (Western Abenaki) and Corn Harvest Moon (Dakota).

A total lunar eclipse will occur overnight on Sunday (Sept. 7) into the early hours of Monday (Sept. 8), creating a striking red 'blood moon' for skywatchers across Asia, Western Australia and Europe.

Almost 77% of the world's population will be able to witness the entire total phase of this eclipse, according to Time and Date.

September 7, 2025 Lunar Eclipse Visibility

What will happen

The eclipse begins as the moon enters Earth's penumbral shadow, causing a subtle shading effect. As it moves deeper into the umbra, a dark shadow will creep across the lunar surface until, during "totality," it turns a reddish-orange hue. The exact shade of the blood moon depends on Earth's atmospheric conditions at the time of the eclipse.

This eclipse occurs just 2.7 days before the moon reaches perigee (its closest point to Earth), meaning the moon will appear slightly larger than usual in the night sky. Because this total eclipse will sit deep within Earth's umbra, the darkest part of our planet's shadow, the moon is expected to turn a rich, dark red.

For observers in Asia and Australia, the moon will be high in the sky during totality, making it ideal for viewing and photography. In Europe and Africa, the eclipse will be visible as the moon rises at dusk. The Americas, unfortunately, will miss out on this one.

Matthew Marquardt is an inspiration for what you can accomplish when you fully commit yourself to a goal. He has excelled as a student, dedicating 50 to 60 hours each week to working on a degree in medicine from The Ohio State University College of Medicine, while also rising in the ranks of professional triathletes. After finishing first in June's Ironman Cairns, he now aims to compete in the 2025 Ironman World Championship in Nice, France, on September 14th.

The third-year medical student and professional triathlete keeps shattering expectations about what’s possible in triathlon and medicine. So far, he hasn’t found an obstacle he couldn’t conquer.

First place at 2025 Ironman Cairns. First place at 2025 Ironman Lake Placid. Fourth place in the 2024 Ironman Pro Series (and second place in the series so far in 2025).

If this sounds like the résumé of one of the world’s top professional triathletes, that’s because it is.

It’s also the résumé of third-year medical student Matthew Marquardt, who juggles 25 hours a week of Ironman training (swimming, biking, and running) with 50 to 60 hours a week at The Ohio State University College of Medicine, in Columbus.

This fall he will continue the clinical rotations he began in January, after taking a pause in medical school this summer, and during the 2024 calendar year, to research the use of custom anatomic 3D models in patients undergoing cancer surgery; the results of his research were published this month in the journal Oral Oncology.

Marquardt plans to become a surgeon specializing in head and neck cancers, one of the most highly competitive specialties in medicine.

But then, Marquardt is no stranger to competition, or to hard work.

Sam Fein is a new discovery for me. I love her use of color and the sense of whimsy and motion she captures in her paintings. She is based out of Boston, but it was a bonus to me when I found out that she was born and raised in Tucson.

Sam Fein is an interdisciplinary artist whose creative practice encompasses painting, drawing, text, curatorial practice, and social activism. Her work explores human relations and emotional conditions within social frameworks of power. Drawing upon her upbringing in the American Southwest, Fein fuses memory and imagination with present-day events. These densely-layered narratives integrate psychosocial research, allegory, anecdote, and magical realism. The result is a form of visual storytelling that is both comedic and bizarre. Bold colors, quirky characters, and whimsical scenes contrast a darker psychological underpinning, creating an unsettling reality.

The Stargazer

In the following article, child psychologist and parenting expert Reem Raouda outlines six calming phrases that help young children drop their defenses and become receptive to listening and cooperating with a parent. After each phrase, Raouda provides an example and brief explanation of how the phrase works. I'd like to post the entire article here, but instead, I'll just strongly encourage you to click through and read it. It's excellent advice.

From: CNBC, By: Reem Rouda, August 31, 2025

Parents are constantly searching for ways to get their kids to listen. But a lot of us focus too much on trying to get them to obey in the moment, rather than building genuine long-term cooperation.

I’ve studied over 200 parent-child relationships, and I’m a mother myself. I’ve learned that kids listen best when they feel connected. A big part of that is emotional safety: knowing they are respected and have the freedom to express their feelings.

Here are six magic phrases that calm a child’s nervous system and make cooperation feel natural, which is the real secret to getting them to listen.

Students in the Tucson Unified School District have a fall break from October 6th through the 10th this year. The excellent Children's Museum Tucson is offering half-day camps that coincide with the fall break this year. There are two camps: one for kindergarten and first-grade students, and another for second and third-grade students.

From: Children's Museum Tucson

Time for a school break. Let’s PLAY!

Fun, interactive experiments and activities await your child at our Fall Into Science Fall Break Camp!  

Join us for a STEAM-centered camp where we’ll explore science, technology, art and more! We have two half-day camps, one for K-1st graders and one for 2nd-3rd Graders, led by the Children’s Museum Education Team!

Both camps will start at our Angel Charity for Children Education Center, 130 S. Scott Ave., and include plenty of PLAY time in the Museum.

When I last posted about Linda Collazo back in May, I had just seen her perform in the Bronx Opera's production of Mozart's comic opera Cosí Fan Tutte. She was fantastic. I want to do a little catch-up this week and include something on her voice and piano lessons. I can tell you first-hand that Linda is an excellent teacher for young and old students alike.

From: Linda Collazo.com

Linda has been a private teacher for over 10 years and has held many teaching positions at places such as The Point C.D.C., Casita Maria, and The Professional Performing Arts School in Manhattan. She teaches all ages in beginner to intermediate piano and beginner to advance voice. Linda is credited with helping students get into prestigious performing arts high schools including Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School, PPAS, and Talent Unlimited High School.

Linda Collazo also frequently does educational outreach and speaks and performs at universities including at Princeton University, CUNY Queens College, and with NYC public schools associated with the Bronx Arts Ensemble and Hispanic Culture Arts.

In Arizona, rattlesnakes are part of our environment.

My friend Lisa Martin's two dogs were making a lot of noise in her yard, and when she went out to investigate, she found this rattlesnake. Luckily, the dogs left it alone and were not bitten.

There's a new yoga studio in northwest Tucson, YogaSix Casas Adobes, in the Casas Adobes Plaza at the corner of Oracle and Ina roads. I stopped by to check it out and was impressed. The location is very convenient to Linda Vista, Catalina State Park, Oro Valley, and the shopping centers along Oracle Road. The studio itself has a fantastic atmosphere with blocks and mats, a lovely shop, and lockers right there at the entrance. Above all else, it was immaculately clean.

From: YogaSIX.com

YogaSix is a boutique yoga fitness studio changing the way people think and experience yoga. Our inclusive, energetic, full-sensory workouts are designed to provide the mind-body experience of yoga that everyone deserves. Connect to a fitness practice that is energizing, empowering, and fun. We deliver life-enhancing benefits through our six core classes: Y6 101, Y6 Restore, Y6 Slow Flow, Y6 Hot, Y6 Power, and Y6 Sculpt & Flow. Each of the yoga classes we offer at YogaSix has a specific focus and produces specific body benefits. Whether you're looking for strength, agility, or flexibility and balance, we have the yoga fit for you.

Phoenix was hit by a massive dust storm, or haboob, on August 26th that temporarily closed down the main airport and cut power to tens of thousands of homes and businesses. Haboobs are caused by the severe thunderstorms that southern Arizona experiences during the monsoon season. Luckily, here in Tucson, haboobs are extremely rare because the city is surrounded by mountain ranges that help slow and block the outflow from thunderstorms. The corridor between Tucson and Phoenix is mostly unobstructed desert, creating ideal conditions for dust storms to develop.

From: The Weather Channel, By: Sean Breslin, August 26, 2025

A massive wall of dust, known as a dust storm or haboob, swept into downtown Phoenix on Monday evening, reducing visibility to nearly nothing and causing travel chaos, both on the ground and in the sky.

It came in from the desert and didn't just affect the downtown of Arizona's capital city. Across the Phoenix metro area, some 57,000 homes and businesses lost power during the dust storm, according to ABC15 Phoenix.

What Is A Haboob?

These massive walls of dust are stunning to see. Here's what a haboob is, what causes it, why they're dangerous and where they can happen in the U.S.

The American Meteorological Society's Glossary of Meteorology defines a haboob as...

"An intense sand storm or dust storm caused by strong winds, with sand and/or dust often lofted to heights as high as 1500 meters (about 5000 feet), resulting in a "wall of dust" along the leading edge that can be visually stunning."

How Do These Walls Of Dust Form?

Haboobs generally happen in two ways.

1. One or more thunderstorms generate a push of outflow winds, which then surge out ahead of the thunderstorms.

2. A strong cold front or dryline can also generate a fast-moving surge of winds.

Upward, turbulent motion along the leading edge of these stronger winds over desert or other dry areas stir up dust into a layer several thousand feet high.

Sometimes the dust blows through without any rainfall. Other times, at least some rain falls after the leading edge of the dust arrives.

Massive wall of dust sweeps through Arizona

From: National Weather Service

Motorists Beware!

A dust storm usually arrives suddenly in the form of an advancing wall of dust and debris which may be miles long and several thousand feet high. They strike with little warning, making driving conditions hazardous. Blinding, choking dust can quickly reduce visibility, causing accidents that may involve chain collisions, creating massive pileups. Dust storms usually last only a few minutes, but the actions a motorist takes during the storm may be the most important of his or her life.

Dust Storm Safety Tips

•If dense dust is observed blowing across or approaching a roadway, pull your vehicle off the pavement as far as possible, stop, turn off lights, set the emergency brake, take your foot off of the brake pedal to be sure the tail lights are not illuminated.

•Don't enter the dust storm area if you can avoid it.

•If you can't pull off the roadway, proceed at a speed suitable for visibility, turn on lights and sound horn occasionally. Use the painted center line to help guide you. Look for a safe place to pull off the roadway.

•Never stop on the traveled portion of the roadway.

Lights Out!

In the past, motorists driving in dust storms have pulled off the roadway, leaving lights on. Vehicles approaching from the rear and using the advance car's lights as a guide have inadvertently left the roadway and in some instances collided with the parked vehicle. Make sure all of your lights are off when you park off the roadway.

We're Hiring!

Interested in joining the Arizona Opera team? We're seeking qualified candidates for the following job openings:

Director of Artistic Operations

Patron Services and Development Associate

Costume Operations Assistant

If you're interested in applying, visit our website to learn more and view the full list of auditions and job openings.

These Flock regulars are always here for you:

Cita Scott for paintings, photography, and culinary art. Cita will be in and out of town all summer. Don't hesitate to give her a jingle. (520) 404-1551

Kimberly Gomer, MS, RD/LDN

Registered and licensed Dietitian/Nutritionist. Find me on my website at KimberlyGomer.com for information about nutrition coaching.

Sarah Smallhouse & Make Elections Fair ArIzona

– Sign the petition here

Sensitive & Specific: The Testing Newsletter by Mara G. Aspinall and Liz Ruark. Mara is always here to help in understanding testing knowledge and how it's being applied.

Kyria Sabin of Fletcher Pilates,

(520) 323-7070

The Fabric Jeanie!

Tap to learn more. 

(520) 245-0589

Linda Collazo, mezzo-soprano

for piano and voice lessons

Andres Valbuena, drum selection, drum basics, and more.

Dr. Hayward M. Fox, Ph.D.

The institute of Personal andTranspersonal Knowledge

Tucson Village Farm:

Vegetaable growing in the summer heat.

The Physio Shop,

Elite physical therapy services and more.

Icebox Cryotherapy,

Icebox Tucson’s unique enhancers allow you to be your best version! 

Nathan Anderson of Catalina Acupuncture

(520) 999-0080

Don't Be Shy: Share Your Stories!

I'm looking forward to sharing more of your personal stories - oral, written, or otherwise, as we enter our third year. I'd so love to present them to The Flock, hit a mailbox below to share your story.

Holualoa Ed Fit Wellness & Culture 2

520-818-4433

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