Verna and Bob's Weblog

Arizona

YAY!! Back in Arizona Tonight

Welcome

We’re in Kingman, AZ tonight, just a two-hour drive from home. We’re looking forward to being home tomorrow (weather permitting, T’storms forecast), to re-invigorate ourselves and prepare for another sojourn to California next week.

Too many things happening at once:

  • Imminent Great Grandson birth in N. Calif.
  • Mom is very, very ill in S. Calif.
  • Real estate deal escrow closing in S. Calif
  • Personal property disposition in S. Calif
  • Medical procedure scheduled in Arizona

We’ll get through it OK we’re sure.

Click on the image to enlarge.

September 17, 2014 by Arizona Family Vacation

Hummingbird Feeder

Hummingbird Feeder

I went out back this afternoon with the camera to try and get a shot of a road runner that I saw up on the hill behind the RV drive. By the time I got my camera and came back out, the road runner had retreated to a place where I couldn’t get a decent picture of it. However, this cooperative hummingbird came and perched on one of the feeders. Click on the image to enlarge.

September 4, 2014 by Arizona Critters Home & Garden Photography

Pink Oleander Flowers

Pink Oleander Flowers

We don’t have any oleanders on our property, but there are several down the road a hundred feet or so. The house where these are has white, red and these pink flowers going all spring and summer. The bushes have very pretty flowers, but they freeze easily in the winter and require more maintenance than we are willing to provide. Click on the image to enlarge.

September 3, 2014 by Arizona Flowers Photography

Butterfly and the Red Bird of Paradise

Butterfly and Red BirdAmong the main reasons I wanted the Red Bird of Paradise shrubs in the courtyard was to attract hummingbirds and butterflies. I am not disappointed since both species frequently browse the flowers of not only the red birds, but the sage flowers as well, when they are present. With second spring coming, the sages should also have more flowers to attract the critters.

In addition to the hummers and butterflies, this year we began noticing Sphinx Moths, sometimes called “Hummingbird Moths” browsing both the red birds and the rosemary bushes out back. Interesting little critters, they are about ⅓ the size of hummers but act quite the same.

I photographed this encounter with a very pretty black butterfly about to descend upon one of the clusters of flowers on the red bird closest to the middle of the courtyard. Click on the image to enlarge.

August 31, 2014 by Arizona Critters Home & Garden Photography

Saturday Grillin’ ‘n’ Cookin’

Tenderloin Steaks

We had a dinner guest today, our neighbor from across the road. Since it is a holiday weekend, we thought it appropriate to grill up a few beef tenderloin steaks. In the meantime, and before the steaks went on the grill, Verna prepared her wonderful broccoli au gratin and Danish stuffed potatoes for the side dishes.

Dinner was delicious and everyone enjoyed the meal. We had a chance to visit with the neighbor and to catch up on happenings in town, since he is out and about much more than we.

The dogs, who tend to be overprotective and territorial, finally settled down after a few minutes and welcomed our visitor as a friend. They must have sensed that there might be some steak tidbits if they were good and behaved themselves. 😉

August 30, 2014 by Arizona Food and Dining Holidays

Desert Monsoon


After the sheets of rain and the strong gusty winds subside, the aftermath of the big rainfall results in the road in front of our house flowing with whitecaps. I took this video from the garage with the wind and rain still blowing a bit. I panned up to the hill on the northeast of the property where lightning was still striking in the distance. Click on the play button to see the video.

August 25, 2014 by Arizona Climate

Avalon 1998

Categories

Archives