Cloud Comfort

Scattered clouds early Tuesday morning helped the hot desert feel a little cooler.

See more skies from around the world at Skywatch Friday.

More spring pics

From the month of April:

Linking to Clytie's, Guest Hearts Thursday.

Mantises

Last September, my husband brought me a mantis egg case he found while working in the yard.

September 26, 2012

The ootheca was attached to a dried Nandina heavenly bamboo branch which I placed in a small vase on the kitchen counter for a few weeks...

until I moved the branch to a pot of dirt outside on the patio table where I could see the egg case from the window.  On April 23, about a dozen tiny green mantises were crawling on the branch.

April 23, 2013

Over the next week dozens more mantis nymphs emerged from the egg case.

April 26, 2013

This morning I found just one little mantis on the flower pot.

Ocotillo

Here are blooming Ocotillo and a few critters from the month of April:

Skywatch

Nearly full "Pink" moon setting this morning behind a pair of saguaro cacti reminiscent of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial's long fingers.  "I'll be right here."

View more skies from around the world at Skywatch Friday.