During spring and fall we may heat the spa, but when the outside temperatures here in the Sonoran Desert climb above 100 or so, the heater goes off and we use the spa as a place to cool off. The water temperature (measured today) was a cool 85° while the ambient temperature on the patio where the tub lives was 104°.
I captioned this photo on the FecesBook™ post I made today as “When it’s a dry heat – get wet!” Click on the image to enlarge (credit to Verna).
We don’t know the binomial designation of the barrel cactus producing these pinkish orange cactus flowers, but they are certainly beautiful. The cactus itself is in the downtown area near the American Legion Post. Click on the image to enlarge.
We visited Casa Grande several times before we retired in 2009. This photo of Verna and the ruins was probably taken around summer of 2002.
The national monument consists of the ruins of multiple structures surrounded by a compound wall constructed by the ancient people of the Hohokam period, who farmed the Gila Valley in the early 13th century. Archeologists have discovered evidence that the ancient Sonoran Desert people who built the Casa Grande also developed wide-scale irrigation farming and extensive trade connections which lasted over a thousand years until about 1450 A.D.
Our Trichocereus “Cherry Red” Cactus is fully in bloom this weekend. This is the second year we have had this cactus in its pot on the courtyard patio.
From Tucson Cactus and Succulents:
Trichocereus hybrids grow well in large pots or in the ground in the desert Southwest. Some growers can adapt them to full sun, but to avoid sunburn it’s safer to grow them in light shade, as under an unirrigated mesquite or palo verde tree. They respond dramatically to generous water and fertilizer. With weekly watering and monthly feeding, the best cultivars will flush massive blooms every two weeks or so for three months or even longer. With water restriction, bloom will be much reduced in number. (Some clones will flower for only one or two days a year; there is a great deal of genetic as well as cultural variability.) The authors obtain superb results using a water soluble ‘Bloom’ formula fertilizer, one with low nitrogen and high phosphate. Deadheading (cutting off the spent blooms) close to the stem will result in greater flowering potential since the plants may often abort new flower buds in favor of producing fruit from pollinated flowers. Trichocereus flowers may be enjoyed as cut flowers indoors in water.
If you live in the desert, you’ll need to protect your trichos from javelinas, rabbits, squirrels, or even deer; they will eat your flowers. Additionally, insect pests may include, the giant cactus beetle, Moneilema gigas, the cactus weevil, Cactophagus species, thrips, and cactus moth (blue cactus borer), Cactobrosis fernaldialis. These can easily be treated with regular applications of systemic insecticides.
This beauty opened up this afternoon. We waited until nearly dark to go out and get this photo of the fully opened flower. Click on the image to enlarge.
This cactus did not have flowers last year (although it did every other year before since we got it). This is the second flower this season, with another flower bud showing a potential for another later this week and at least one more bud tells us there might be more.
When we upgraded the RV from a 32 footer to the nearly 36 footer we now have, we worried about whether or not it would fit in the RV Drive behind the house. Well, it does, but without much room to spare.
The first time we brought it home, Verna was outside watching all clearances as I drove the big guy in. Now, each time we bring it home, she does the same to guide me to the exact spot where we can deploy all three slide-outs.
We wrote about the clearance issue on the Minstrel Blog a week or so ago. That write-up has several images showing proximity between the rig and the structures from several angles.
