Verna and Bob's Weblog

Bob

Desert Camo Cactus Wren

Desert Camo Cactus Wren

After I went up on the little hill behind our RV drive to reload the bird feeders up there, I hung around the back of the patio with my Canon EOS to see if I could get some photos of birds that come to feed. It took a while, but eventually a cactus wren showed up and took a nut from the trail mix block; the bird retreated to some underbrush to deal with its prize. I captured this image as it posed with the nut in its bill.

Photo details: Canon EOS Rebel SL1, 1/400sec, F7.1, ISO 100, 300mm Telephoto lens.

May 4, 2016 by Arizona Critters Home & Garden Photography

Baby Jerry Throwback

Jerry Loves the Grandma

This is a throwback to last month in California when we were visiting with the new Baby Jerry. Verna was holding him and he put his little hands to give her a little hug.

We will be out there by next weekend for another visit. We will be a week late visiting this time since the kids (baby’s parents) had to take the other grandparents out to LAX for their vacation trip down to Cancun this weekend.

More to come later – click on the image to enlarge.

April 15, 2016 by Family Photography

A Living Ocotillo Cane Fence

A Living Ocotillo Fence

Verna and I went down to the touristy part of town to look in one of her favorite shops this afternoon while we were waiting for the groomer to finish with the dogs. We have known for some time that this fence had been planted for the individual ocotillo canes to take root and eventually do what is seen in the photo above. Click on the image to enlarge.

We thought about doing something like this in our rock and cactus garden with a couple of ocotillos that our neighbor gave us after clearing a lot for one of his construction jobs, but those are also in bloom where we stuck them in the back. I guess we’ll let them stay where they are for the time being.

April 12, 2016 by Flowers Photography

Joys of Dog Ownership

Joys of Dog Ownership

When I say “Dog Ownership,” I actually mean the DOGS OWN US. Verna took this photo of me coming down Gloria’s Driveway today holding a bag of the puppies everyday contribution to the perpetuation of the ecology of the planet. These bags go to the landfills and eventually decay so that the nitrogen cycle of the contents can be released, thus completing the aforementioned contribution.

We had rain today, badly needed in the desert and there is more forecast for the week to come – April Showers/ May flowers. Click on the image to enlarge.

April 10, 2016 by Arizona Critters Family Leisure Photography Retirement

New Courtyard Shrubs

Bottle Brush Shrub

Last week, we went shopping for some shrubbery to replace the Cleveland Sage Brush shrubs in our courtyard which were not doing too well after the first year or two. We selected these little (for now) bottle brush shrubs which will (hopefully) display more of these little red flowers as they mature.

On Monday, Verna and I removed the old sage shrubs (mostly dead) and replaced them with these three, which were in five gallon containers from the nursery where we bought them. I managed to locate the irrigation feeders and placed them where they would drizzle the little shrubs when the irrigation timer setting turns the water on.

These shrubs supposedly will grow to three feet in diameter and two to three feet in height. I will post pictures of them again next year when they mature. Click on the image to enlarge.

April 5, 2016 by Arizona Flowers Home & Garden Photography

Royal Order of the Wouff Hong

Royal Order of the Wouff Hong

This is a throwback post about the time that I became a member of a select amateur radio group known as the Royal Order of the Wouff Hong. It’s a long story as to the origination of the Order, but suffice it to say that to become a member, one must gather at midnight with members and witness a rather comical ritual performed on stage and thereafter learn the secret handshake and password.

The midnight ritual occurred for me at the Southwestern Division Amateur Radio Relay League (ARRL) convention in August of 1987. A friend, Tom and I underwent the mystical event that night. Alcohol may have been a factor.

April 1, 2016 by Nerdliness Nostalgia

Avalon 1998

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