Verna and Bob's Weblog

Thrasher Nest’s Natural Defenses

Cactus Nest

For the third year in a row (that we know of), the curve billed thrashers have built a nest in the buckhorn cholla cactus in front of our house. We discovered three eggs in the nest a few days ago.

The nest is in the inhospitable-looking cholla cactus, buried deeply between the branches of sharp needles. Egg predators like snakes and rodents are severely handicapped by the harsh spines. That, and we have personally seen thrashers defend their territory by attacking a gopher snake in our yard, running it off by pecking at its tail as it slithers off to the desert underbrush.

I took this photo today holding the camera above the cholla and pointing it down toward the cup-shaped nest embedded below the needles. Click on the image to enlarge.

March 18, 2015 by Arizona Critters Photography

First Argentine Giant Flowers Opening in Town

Argentine Giant Flower

My Argentine Giant cactus at home has several buds on it that will likely open into these giant white flowers. During an errand to old downtown, we passed a yard where the Argentine Giants were already in bloom.

The cactus isn’t particularly a giant, but the six-to-eight inch diameter flowers certainly are, among common cactus flowers. This flower was growing on a cactus behind the chain link fence, but the flower pod protruded through the fence and the flower was on the outside of the fence.

The flower smelled like a fresh sea breeze. Click on the image to enlarge.

March 17, 2015 by Flowers Photography

Echinocereus Pollinator

Echinocereus Pollinator

The hedgehog cactus out front is in bloom. The bees are taking advantage of that fact by browsing the colorful flowers. Click on the image to enlarge flower and bee.

I managed this shot from about 20 feet away from the cactus with the Canon SL1 using the 75-300mm telephoto lens. F7, ISO 100, 1/500 exposure, 300mm focal length. I sure like my new camera.

March 16, 2015 by Arizona Critters Flowers Home & Garden Photography

Cimarron Sage Flowers

Cimarron Sage Flowers

The spring season not only brings out the wild flowers and cactus flowers, but some of the landscape shrubs also start to bloom. These are flowers on our Cimarron Sage bushes that line the west side of our driveway. Click on the image to enlarge.

These shrubs have not been doing too well for some known and some unknown reasons. We may replace them with a variety of flowering bushes that have a trunk like a small tree, so when the boy dogs come to call they won’t be able to do their marking on the foliage and flowers.

March 15, 2015 by Arizona Flowers Home & Garden Photography

First Spring Lemon Blossoms

Lemon Blossoms

We spotted our first spring lemon blossoms on the tree in our “orchard.” This little flower was one of several making an appearance on the little lemon tree today. Click on the image to enlarge.

Last fall, we had a bumper crop of lemons, most of which were harvested and used to produce our homemade Limoncello. We still have a lot of the bottles that we need to ship out to family and friends. We have given several bottles to friends here in town, but there are a lot of bottles left over.

As fall approaches, we expect many more lemons to appear on this tree. This year, we plan on using the skins for Limoncello and freeze the juice in ice cube trays to then store in bags in the freezer until we need lemon juice for cooking or lemonade, whatever.

March 14, 2015 by Arizona Food and Dining Home & Garden Photography

New Friend at the Dog Park

New Friend

This is Bay Bay and Cabela meeting and greeting “Cha Cha” who is a rare brown and white Boston terrier. Cha Cha was in the small part of the Wickenburg Dog Park just on the other side of the chain link fence from where our dogs were romping.

Cha Cha’s mom and dad are snowbirds from British Columbia who will be going home this weekend since the weather there is almost livable now that spring has sprung. We expect many more snowbirds to depart between now and Memorial Day, when our town’s roads and facilities will be more to our liking due to the decreased population in the late spring, summer and early fall.

Both of our dogs love the dog park and had a very good time today. Bay Bay got into the tub, as usual, and Cabela romped and sniffed and did whatever she wanted until it was time to go home.

March 13, 2015 by Critters Family Retirement

Avalon 1998

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