I don’t know the name of the tree in the Hawthorne, NV, RV park where we stayed last night, but it has these pretty poof ball flowers in bloom. Tonight, we’re in the foothills near Reno, NV, where there are no flowers, just pine cones.
Photography
Arizona Flag Sunrays
I’m certain that Arizona sunrises and sunsets like this were the inspiration for the Arizona State Flag. We fly the state banner below the Stars and Stripes on our flagpole (when the monsoons aren’t here) and the similarities between the design on the flag and the setting sun last evening are quite clearly evident.
I am so glad to be repatriated to my birth state and Bob is glad to be an expatriate from California in favor of this beautiful place. God blessed the desert with beauty and tranquility (most of the time). Click on the image to enlarge.
Hummingbird and Devil’s Tongue Flowers
I was in the courtyard this afternoon looking for photo ops when I noticed a hummingbird browsing the Devil’s Tongue cactus in Verna’s rock and cactus garden across the RV driveway. I had the telephoto lens on the camera, so I shot several frames of the little bird doing its thing. This was the best of the shots. Click on the image to enlarge.
This cactus came with us from California when we picked and chose what was coming with us. There is also a golden barrel close by that came with us. A second Devil’s Tongue is a few yards away and aspiring to grow into the large stature of the other cacti we brought.
Desert Summer Evening Clouds (with Moon)
Summertime brings some lovely sunset images, just as the other seasons around here. This set of clouds under the half moon, rose to produce a narrow shaft of intense showers to the south of us last night. Click on the image to enlarge.
Watch Dog
We have no fear of anything unusual going undetected while Beethoven (Bay Bay) is on the lookout. I was out hanging up a bird feeder in the back yard as Bay Bay looked on keeping watch for the unexpected. He made a ruckus at one point when a roadrunner appeared on the hill behind us. It was way up on the hill by the neighbor to the north; I had to look several times before I saw the roadrunner move. Good watchdog.
The Dry Hassayampa River
I took this photo from the bridge on US 60 westbound across the now dry Hassayampa River which has been flowing wet a couple of times this summer. This is the confluence of Sols Wash, in from the left, and the main river flowing down from the upper right side.
The river rose above its banks on July 18, 2015 in what is now known as The Wickenburg Storm Event. The Flood Control District of Maricopa County classified the storm as a millennium event, or happening once in a thousand years.
We were on the way back from delivering our trailer to the dealer who is going to make some repairs so it will be available for our California and Nevada vacation next month. We also will use the trailer as a “guest room” when some of our family visits us late next month.
