This is a claret cup cactus (echinocereus triglochidiatus) which is a close relative to our hedgehog cacti (echinocereus fendleri). The difference is that instead of pink flowers, this one will have bright red flowers starting in about a month. You can see the red flowers by clicking here.
It tuns out that 2013 is the sesquicentennial anniversary of our cute little town. I’m sure there will be celebrations and events, but I don’t know what and when. I’ll keep you posted when we hear of such events and will attempt to attend for photo ops and such. Stay tuned! Click on the image to enlarge.
Beef Stroganoff over egg noodles with asparagus spears (not shown) on the side. Yummy! Click on the image to enlarge.
Framed by the “musical mesquite,” the moon rises in the distance. We’re just a couple of days from the full moon and the late afternoon sunlight on the house makes for a very nice picture. We still can’t get over how happy we are in our retirement home. Click on the image to enlarge.
I have several bulbs planted in a shallow box in the courtyard. This morning, I discovered that there were buds opening on my paperwhites. It rained overnight and we had a little freezing rain pellets on top of the soil in the box. That’s why you don’t see the brown potting soil in the background – it’s ice. Click on the image to enlarge.
This is a photo of a cholla cactus embedded in an old dead mesquite that is up in the wash behind our house. I took this photo today and then rendered it in sepia to make it look all artsy and stuff. Click on the image to enlarge.
To view this same image in full color, click here.
