Verna and Bob's Weblog

Photography

More July Saguaro Cactus Flower Buds

Cactus Flower Buds

To our delight, the big saguaro cactus out front has three new flower buds. We thought that the flower season might be over, but these three appeared. Two on the lower stalk and one on the upper stalk. A few of the withered older flowers on top of the saguaro fruit can be seen.

This image was taken from thirty feet away in the courtyard. Out of focus in the foreground is the arch over the courtyard gate and the top of one of the ocotillo canes to the right of the cactus. Click on the image to enlarge.

July 13, 2016 by Arizona Flowers Home & Garden Photography

Backlit Barbados Blossom

Backlit Barbados Blossom

With a little poetic license, the alliterative title works for this Pride of Barbados (a.k.a. Red Bird of Paradise) flower as the sun strikes it from behind. The lighting at this time of the day (late afternoon) augments the yellow tones in these beautiful flowers. All three of the Caesalpinia pulcherrima shrubs in the courtyard are doing their summer thing constantly making these delightful flowers that we love so much. Click on the image to enlarge.

July 8, 2016 by Arizona Flowers Home & Garden Photography Retirement

Throwback Thursday – Arches National Park

Arches National Park

Verna and I were visiting Arches National Park on July 21, 2008. This was when we were still considering retirement in about a year from then and deciding to use up some of our accrued vacation time.

The object in the background is a sandstone hill where three arches-in-progress graphically show the evolution of arches sculpted by wind and rain. There is a mostly completed arch on the left side with a just beginning stage in the middle and an intermediate stage arch-in-the making on the right.

Click on the image to enlarge.

June 30, 2016 by Nostalgia Photography Vacation

Astrophytum Cactus Flower

Astrophytum Cactus Flower

This is the latest “Star Cactus” flower to open on the Astrophytum in the courtyard. We saw one of these open when we returned from our last California excursion. This one opened yesterday (when I snapped this photo) and opened again today briefly. Click on the image to enlarge.

June 29, 2016 by Arizona Flowers Photography

Nest in the Palo Verde

Nest in the Palo Verde

We discovered a bird nest in our little palo verde tree by the driveway down near the road. It might be a hummingbird or verdin or other small bird since the entrance to the nest is rather small. When we first started building our house here, we found a verdin nest in this tree.

We haven’t noticed any activity in this nest, having only noticed it a couple of weeks ago, probably after the nesting season for this year. Maybe the little bird will come back next time so we can watch what happens. Click on the image to enlarge.

June 24, 2016 by Arizona Critters Home & Garden Photography

Avalon 1998

Categories

Archives