We went to the valley today to do some shopping at Wally World. As we drive southeast on US Hwy 60, the Hassayampa River follows the roadway until we get almost to Morristown, where the river turns south and heads toward the Gila River confluence. Verna took this picture of the Hassayampa with the Vulture mountains in the background. What a beautiful desert we have! Click on the image to enlarge.
The cholla cacti that surround the house are all in bloom. The flowers range from yellow to copper colored. They are all very pretty. Click on the image to enlarge.
I found this panoramic 3D image on APOD yesterday. Click on the image to view the full-sized 3D panorama.
From your vantage point on the deck of the Curiosity Rover Mount Sharp, the crater’s 5 kilometer high central mountain looms over the southern horizon. Poised in the foreground is the rover’s robotic arm with tool turret extended toward the flat veined patch of martian surface dubbed “John Klein”.
We saw this roadrunner as we were leaving Mom’s retirement ranch. It was scampering through a neighbor’s yard with something in its mouth (a lizard, I think). Click on the image to enlarge.
Wikipedia says this about the roadrunner’s diet and foraging habits:
Food and foraging habits
Roadrunners are omnivores and are opportunistic. Their diet normally consists of insects (such as grasshoppers, crickets, caterpillars, and beetles), small reptiles (such as lizards and snakes, including rattlesnakes), rodents and small mammals, tarantulas, scorpions, centipedes, spiders, snails, small birds, eggs, nestlings, and fruits and seeds like prickly pear cactus and sumac. Because of its quickness, the roadrunner is one of the few animals that preys upon rattlesnakes.
I posted a photo of flowers at the garden shop a few days ago. This beautiful calla lily that was among those flowers has a very pretty color that reminded me of the hues of our Arizona sunsets. Click on the image to enlarge.
A very happy birthday to my Mom, Kate. She is 93 years young today. Click on the image to enlarge.
