A Hardy Feast for Fathers Day

It is interesting that “Fathers Day” and “Hardy Feast” are anagrams of one another; that is, each phrase contains all the same letters in a different order.

In fact, the entire weekend – Friday the 13th, Flag Day and Fathers Day each featured a “Hardy Feast.” Patty Melts on Friday, a Seafood Bake on Flag Day and Beef Tenderloin Steaks (a.k.a. Filet Mignon) with a green salad on Fathers Day.

Happy Fathers Day to all the Dads, Granddads and Great Grandads out there. If there are any Great-Great Granddads left, then a special shout out to y’all.

Desert House in 3D

It has been a while since I posted any 3D photos, so here is an image pair I took this morning with the Samsung Galaxy S23 camera phone. It was a little after nine AM and the sun and shadows were nice at this camera angle.

If in case you don’t have a pair of red/cyan 3D glasses, here is the 2D image:

Click on either image to enlarge in a new tab.

A New Camera Lens

My 75-300mm telephoto lens disappeared mysteriously over the last year, basically since we went to view the total solar eclipse near Waco, Texas, last year. The lost lens may eventually turn up, since we’re not generally that lax with keeping and caring for our equipment, but (s-word) happens.

So, in the meantime, before (and if) the old lens shows up, we ordered a new telephoto lens for my Canon EOS Rebel T6i camera, namely a Canon EF100-300mm replacement for the lost lens. To be sure, the new lens is somewhat superior to the old one, since it is lighter, has less chromatic aberration and is more compact than the “lost” lens.

As a quick functional test of the newly received lens, the photo above was taken of a white winged dove that perched on the bird feeder crook in the back of the house. The photo above was taken through the new lens at about a range of fifteen yards and cropped down to feature the bird. Thankfully, there seems to be no signs of chromatic aberration and the bird’s features come through very well.

Now, if the old lens turns up, it will go to one of the local charitable foundations for resale in their thrift store. The new lens, will be available for more shots like this of wildlife or whatever presents itself as we continue to photograph the world around us, both at home and on the road.

Memorial Day 2025

“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.” – Ronald Reagan

Honoring the Fallen

As we observe Memorial Day, we remember the brave men and women who have sacrificed their lives to protect the freedoms we enjoy. Their ultimate act of service is a testament to the enduring spirit of patriotism and courage that defines our nation. From the Revolutionary War to the present day, American heroes have fought and died for our country, leaving behind families, friends, and communities forever changed by their loss.

Let us reverently remember them on this Memorial Day.

Flower and Squirrel

These are a couple of candid shots from around the property this morning:

The Pride of Barbados shrub, also known as Caesalpinia pulcherrima, is a beautiful and fast-growing plant native to tropical America. It can grow up to 10 feet tall as a shrub. Our three in the courtyard have been with us for about thirteen years and still going strong. We trim them to the ground in late fall and they come back in the spring boasting flowers in May through late fall when they get trimmed back again.

Overall, the Pride of Barbados shrub is a stunning addition to any garden, with its vibrant flowers and fast growth rate making it a great choice for those looking to add some color and texture to their outdoor space.

The white-tailed antelope ground squirrel (Ammospermophilus leucurus) is a small, diurnal species of ground squirrel found in the southwestern United States and the Baja California Peninsula of northwestern Mexico.

  • Habitat: They inhabit arid regions with hot and dry climates, often living in burrows and using them as shelter from extreme temperatures and predators.
  • Diet: White-tailed antelope ground squirrels are omnivorous, feeding on foliage (10%-60% of their diet), seeds (20%-50%), arthropods, and vertebrates (mainly lizards and rodents).
  • Behavior: They are active during cooler parts of the day, avoiding midday heat and using their burrows as a refuge. They are solitary animals, but may live together in burrows during winter.
  • Reproduction: They reach sexual maturity by their first year, breed from February to June, and typically have one litter per year with 5-14 young.

From AI:

The name “white-tailed antelope squirrel” is somewhat misleading because the tail of this species is not entirely white. Instead, the underside of the tail is white, while the outer surface is brown to gray with two white stripes from the shoulder to the hind end. The white stripes on the sides of the body and the white underside of the tail are distinctive features that help identify this species.

First Saguaro Cactus Flower of 2025

We posted that this is the first year that this cactus has had flower buds a while back and now the first two have opened on the same cactus. The (clickable) image above is a close up of one of the first two flowers now open.

From LEO AI:

The saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea) is a iconic symbol of the American Southwest. Its flowers are a vibrant white color and bloom only at night, typically in May and June. The flowers are an important food source for various animals, including bats, hummingbirds, and bees. After pollination, the flowers develop into red, fleshy fruit that can take several years to ripen. The fruit is an important food source for desert animals, such as Gila woodpeckers and cactus wrens, which help disperse the seeds by consuming the fruit and then depositing the seeds in a new location.

The other two saguaros on the property are showing flower buds, so we should be getting lots of these beautiful flowers as we progress into May and June. We will likely post more flower photos as they pop up.

UPDATE 05/19/25: The flowers have kept coming and are far from being done at this time. Here’s another close-up of one of them: