Verna and Bob's Weblog

Arizona

Saguaro, Saguaro, I Love You Saguaro

First Saguaros

You’re only a state away . . . (apologies to ‘Annie‘).

After getting back in the Copper State crossing the Colorado River coming from California, it is only a short time before we see the first saguaros growing on the hillsides. I’m not saying there are NO saguaros in California, only that they do not populate the hillsides with hundreds of them like after the river crossing into Arizona. We enjoy seeing them after we cross the river all the way across the Arizona Outback and all the way to home. Click on the image to enlarge.

June 18, 2014 by Arizona

Golden Barrel Cactus Flower

Golden Barrel Cactus Flower

It’s almost summer and time for some of the barrel cactus flowers to start to open. This is the golden barrel cactus that I have in my rock and cactus garden on the west side of the property. We are still expecting more flowers from several barrel cacti that are here – some we planted and some were here when we came. Click on the image to enlarge.

June 7, 2014 by Arizona Flowers Home & Garden Photography

Vigilant

Vigilant

Bay Bay and Cabela stand watch in their usual position on the top of the love seat. If anyone or anything is on the road out front, they will let us know. Fortunately, neither of them bark at birds other than the roadrunner that comes around once in a while. Click on the image to enlarge.

June 2, 2014 by Arizona Critters Home & Garden Photography

Bacon-Wrapped Beef Tenderloin Steaks

Bacon-Wrapped Beef Tenderloin SteaksA few weeks ago, I spotted some heart-of-the-tenderloin beef steaks (filet mignon) in the butcher case at the supermarket. We had something else planned for the weekend cooking then, but regardless, I bought them and put them in the freezer for a later date. Well, here we are in Memorial Day Weekend grilling mode and those steaks made for a great grilling experience. Verna wrapped the steaks in slices of bacon before I took them to the grill.

The meal was awesome! Verna had some roasted sweet and red potatoes on the side and I roasted some corn cobs on the grill while the steaks were cooking. The results were DELICIOUS!

Click here for pix of the weekend cooking.

May 25, 2014 by Arizona Food and Dining

Curve Billed Thrasher

Curve Billed Thrasher

Verna thinks that we have had a “bumper crop” of birds and other critters this spring. We witnessed three of these curve billed thrashers as eggs in the nest, hatchlings begging to be fed and as fledgelings just leaving the nest.

We especially note a lot of juvenile Gambel’s quail running around with their parents, sometimes as many as a dozen. I will post photos of these camera-shy little quail when and if I can.

I took this photo of a thrasher atop the crook upon which hangs the block and bell seed feeders. The bird was waiting its turn as another thrasher was on the bell pecking below. Click on the image to enlarge.

May 23, 2014 by Arizona Critters Home & Garden Photography

“Dreadlock” Cactus Flower

Dreadlock Cactus Flower

Well, the actual name for this cactus is “Rattail” cactus (Aporocactus flagelliformis), but I think the stems resemble some of those dreadlocks hairstyles. At any rate, this is the second flower produced by the cactus in the patio. We have had this cactus for three years and this is the first year for flowers, two so far. Click on the image to enlarge.

May 22, 2014 by Arizona Flowers Home & Garden Photography

Avalon 1998

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