It's That Time of Year...

Corona de Tucson

April 3, 2025

I can hardly believe it's April already!  The ocotillo only bloom once a year...what a beautiful sight to see.

Our week was busy and fun with the crazy weather changing day by day.  We spent some time washing windows, dusting blinds, and cleaning out and organizing our closet.  In between, we had a nice walk around Sahaurita Lake one morning and a fun play day with Lucy at the doggie another morning.  A few errands here and there and another week is in the memory book.  The weather has been warm, windy (as in a little breezy and/or very windy with 50 mph gusts), rainy, pleasant, and chilly, but I'm not complaining.  Folks in other parts of the country have had much worse !   

Sahaurita Lake...

a nice breeze at the doggie park...

and an afternoon nap.

I spent some time getting accustomed to a camera that has been in the closet for a few years.  Why has it been in the closet?  I'm not really sure except that is bigger and heavier than the "go to" camera I have been using for many years.  It doesn't have a familiar "feel" even though it is a Nikon like the other one.  The "go to" camera and big zoom lens have finally bit the dust.  One of our errands this week was to Tucson Camera Repair.  I was correct in assuming the old camera and big, zoom lens were history , but it's always nice to know for sure. The owner, John, and his wife were very helpful.  

He spent a good 45 minutes answering questions and 

familiarizing me with the Nikon 850 camera.  It is much sharper and faster.  We haven't been birding, but I snapped a few shots from the patio.

 

The three of us enjoyed a nice drive through Saguaro NP East this week.  Ocotillos (oh-koh-TEE-yohs) were at the top of the list.  

What a gorgeous day!

Pops of orange/red swaying in the breeze against a brilliant blue sky is a beautiful sight.

Ocotillo buds...

The cluster of flowers at the stem give this hearty desert plant its name.  Ocotillo means "little torch" in Spanish.  In Arizona, the blooms coincided with the northern migration of hummingbirds as these tubular flowers provide a  dependable food source for them. 

We are happy to report that the saguaros have buds...

and so do the prickly pear cacti.

Back at the oasis,  the Bottlebrush tree is blooming,

the Desert Willows are leafing,

the torch cactus has lots of buds.  

the Christmas Amaryllis puts a smile on my face every time I walk in the kitchen...

and a watercolor sunset...

wraps up the past week and a half.   A most pleasant week indeed !

Happy Spring to everyone !  Until next time...

Happy Trails !

In Like a Lion...

Corona de Tucson

March 23, 2025 

Lucy and I enjoyed a pretty sunrise...

Not much going on this past week.  Lucy had a pre-surgery appointment with Dr Huang.  It was her first ride in her car seat.  She took it all in stride...a little nervous at first, but more relaxed by the time we drove home.  

She has her appointment to be spayed on April 8th.

Her next adventure was to the doggie park...in hind sight we should have taken that ride first.  No more anxiousness about the car seat and she sits on go ! 

Lucy and Kiko had a great time.  Kiko is a 4 yr old poodle and is real tolerant of Lucy's puppy energy.  I can't help but think of Dover as she was the alfa of the Tan Clan and kept the other three pups in place.  I miss those days...

 

Lucy (and Joe and I) are fortunate to have such a great park to socialize Lucy.  

Someone at our house had a birthday.  What a treat to meet Jamie and Andra at The Cheesecake Factory to celebrate.  

It was a nice patio day and so fun to see them and catch up.  

And...I have another pretty pot and cactus to add to our patio.  Thank you so much Jamie and Andra.

  

  We had crazy weather.  One day it was 55 mph winds and the next, cloudy, and a little chilly.  It was so cloudy, we didn't see the March full moon known as the Worm Moon.  The next day it was sunny and 78 degrees with a nice breeze.  March has always been a hodge-podge of weather.  In like a lion, out like a lamb or the other way around.   It marks the beginning of spring, it is named after the Roman god of war,  its flower is the daffodil, it is the International Month of the Umbrella, and if that's not enough, March is the least productive month of the year.  March does however have some key significant breakthroughs.  Silly Putty was invented in March 1950 and I always had some in my Christmas stocking growing up.  Monopoly, one of the nation's favorite games, was "invented" in March 1933.  In March 1876, the telephone was patented, the rubber band was invented in March 1845, and thank goodness the washing machine was patented in March 1797.  

Back at the oasis, Joe and I spent the week catching up on things around the house and checking things off the to do list.  Taxes are done, the 2025 budget is done,  and we still had time to enjoy the patio and birds.  I was thrilled to see the Ladder-backed Woodpecker !  This sweet little bird was once known as the "Cactus Woodpecker" and is often seen foraging among the thorns and spines of cholla, prickly pear, and mesquite trees.   

Unlike other birds, the woodpecker has four toes arranged in an "X" pattern...two are set forward and two are set backward.  Most birds have threet toes forward and one backward.  

With their stiff tails and unique toes, they can perch or prop themselves on just about anything. 

We have also seen the Gamble's Quail...first time this year they have been in our yard.  

Spring is here...

...and it is time to go exploring !

Until next time...

HAPPY TRAILS !