Verna and Bob's Weblog

It’s Tucker

Here I am posing for the Daddy’s Cameraphone with one of my play balls. This green one is almost too big for me to pick up, but I can do it anyway. The game I want the Daddy to play is “keep away,” where I growl and then run away with the ball. Sometimes I drop the ball and the Daddy throws it so I can chase it. And then play keep away some more.

I am almost four years old, I weigh about 12 pounds (5.4kg) and I am about 16 inches (40.6cm) long, not counting my tail. I look cuddly ’cause I am.

Clickable Image.

January 21, 2025 by Critters Family Photography 0

Backyard Critters

Over the past week or so, I have been playing with the new camera I bought to replace my old SL1 Canon. These are some of the backyard critters we see on a regular basis. All photos taken with the new camera, a Canon EOS Rebel SL3 with a EF55-250 lens, usually set to 250mm focal length. The camera mode setting is “P” which is the Program Mode function that selects appropriate settings automatically. Click on any image to enlarge in the image viewer.

Here are a couple of sparrows at one of the feeders:

Next, an Antelope Ground Squirrel:

This is a Gila Woodpecker feeding at the seed block:

And, finally, A Harris’ Hawk – when these guys show up, all the above “prey” seem to disappear from the area:

UPDATE: January 19, 2025

Here are a couple more photos from today:

Cardinal visiting the seed block.

A goldfinch at the nyjer seed feeder.

And the Harris’ Hawk came back.

January 18, 2025 by Arizona Critters Photography 0

Rainbow

We did get a little rain this evening (it’s 9:39PM now), but there was a small rainbow this afternoon when the sun shone through the cloud cover.

we’re having a gentle winter so far in January. Maybe a couple nights when the temperature got close to freezing, but no problems with anything that may be affected by the cold.

Image above: Rainbow to the east of us — Click on the image to enlarge.

January 16, 2025 by Arizona Climate Photography Retirement 0

Omigosh — It’s 2025 Already!

Of course, the Moon has nothing to do with the title, but we are getting queued up for the first full moon of 2025 in Arizona on June 13, 2025. I took the image above this evening with my Canon SL1 set to shutter priority 1/1000 sec. and F5.6. The focal length was about 250 mm through a Canon EF-S55-250mm zoom lens.

Anyhow, we’re late in wishing everybody a happy 2025, but we can do it now, so there it is.

Our plans for the new year aren’t very resolute, but they will probably include a longer voyage with the motorhome to the lands of our ancestors with some interesting attractions along the route(s). We may also go all the way to the east coast which will be a first for us in the big rig.

There will be no eclipses this time around, but we will be on the lookout for interesting photo ops and we plan to blog about it when we’re underway.

Cheers in 2025 and God Bless!

January 5, 2025 by Arizona Astronomy Photography Retirement Vacation 0

Christmas Eve 2024

First of all, Happy Birthday to my sweet wife, Verna! She got a new Iona Celtic Cross and chain for the occasion. It’s 14k white gold (the chain too).

As to the Arizona Christmas Eve Sunset, we’re quite lucky to get these quite often. Always a beautiful sight. Click on the image to enlarge.

We will be quietly spending Christmas Day here at our desert abode, just the two of us, since closest family is over 300 miles away and some even further out. We will be talking and/or texting to some of them, however, via the various electronic and social media. Our Christmas Feast will consist of Chicken and Dumplings, a wonderful southern favorite modified slightly for Keto diet purposes.

We wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Remember the reason for the season – Christ the Savior is born!

December 24, 2024 by Arizona Food and Dining Holidays Photography Religion

Winter Solstice

Today marks the first day of winter in the northern hemisphere. It is also the shortest day for us with only nine hours and fifty-six minutes of daylight.

In Wickenburg, we’re enjoying a nice sunny day and expecting a high temperature today in the mid-70s Fahrenheit. It is also The Sabbath, God’s Day of Rest. We will be preparing our feast of “Gumbolaya,” which is a combination of Gumbo and Jambalaya, two very favorite Southern (Cajun) stews. If we add okra to the Jambalaya, it becomes Gumbolaya.

Tomorrow, for Sunday Dinner, we will be having Crockpot Roast Top Round of Beef. Check the Food Blog for photos of the eats.

Image above: Waning Gibbous Moon over the big Saguaro Cactus in front of the Garage.

December 21, 2024 by Arizona Climate Food and Dining Nerdliness

Avalon 1998

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