Verna and Bob's Weblog

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Lemons – Lots of ‘Em

Lemons

Our lemon tree has been doing great this year. I trimmed it this spring and it already needs to be trimmed back more. I took this photo today of some of the lemons just at the top of the tree. There are many, many lemons and we will be harvesting them in the near future.

We are planning to use the lemon skins to produce Limoncello, an Italian liqueur (digestivo). We will take the pulp and squeeze the juice out to keep for future use as ingredients to meals or as lemonade. We’re looking into how to preserve lemon juice over the long term. Click on the image to enlarge.

June 23, 2014 by Arizona Food and Dining Home & Garden

Golden Barrel Cactus Flower

Golden Barrel Cactus Flower

It’s almost summer and time for some of the barrel cactus flowers to start to open. This is the golden barrel cactus that I have in my rock and cactus garden on the west side of the property. We are still expecting more flowers from several barrel cacti that are here – some we planted and some were here when we came. Click on the image to enlarge.

June 7, 2014 by Arizona Flowers Home & Garden Photography

Vigilant

Vigilant

Bay Bay and Cabela stand watch in their usual position on the top of the love seat. If anyone or anything is on the road out front, they will let us know. Fortunately, neither of them bark at birds other than the roadrunner that comes around once in a while. Click on the image to enlarge.

June 2, 2014 by Arizona Critters Home & Garden Photography

Orange Gerberas

Orange Gerberas

We bought some Gerberas and Hydrangeas at the flower concession in the supermarket last week. Today, they are looking beautiful in the vase on the sofa table. Click on the image to enlarge.

June 1, 2014 by Flowers Home & Garden Photography

Curve Billed Thrasher

Curve Billed Thrasher

Verna thinks that we have had a “bumper crop” of birds and other critters this spring. We witnessed three of these curve billed thrashers as eggs in the nest, hatchlings begging to be fed and as fledgelings just leaving the nest.

We especially note a lot of juvenile Gambel’s quail running around with their parents, sometimes as many as a dozen. I will post photos of these camera-shy little quail when and if I can.

I took this photo of a thrasher atop the crook upon which hangs the block and bell seed feeders. The bird was waiting its turn as another thrasher was on the bell pecking below. Click on the image to enlarge.

May 23, 2014 by Arizona Critters Home & Garden Photography

“Dreadlock” Cactus Flower

Dreadlock Cactus Flower

Well, the actual name for this cactus is “Rattail” cactus (Aporocactus flagelliformis), but I think the stems resemble some of those dreadlocks hairstyles. At any rate, this is the second flower produced by the cactus in the patio. We have had this cactus for three years and this is the first year for flowers, two so far. Click on the image to enlarge.

May 22, 2014 by Arizona Flowers Home & Garden Photography

Avalon 1998

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