Desert Colors

Clouds and Mockingbird

2012-01-26T13:13:00.000-07:00

Hola! Tuesday turned out to be a good day for skywatching in Tucson with the clouds and all. Enjoy your day and remember to look up at the sky when you have a chance. :)

mockingbird on mistletoe

Linking to Skywatch.

January Birds

2012-01-23T12:31:00.000-07:00

black-throated sparrow on barrel cactus

phainopepla - male

phainopepla - immature

phainopepla - female

northern cardinal on ocotillo

blue-gray gnatcatcher (male) on palo verde

blue-gray gnatcatcher (female) on creosote

western bluebirds

Have a great day!

Enjoying Nature

2012-01-20T09:31:00.000-07:00

Hi there!

These pictures are from a walk to the creek a couple of week ago.

Have a great weekend!

Sky and Mountains

2012-01-12T10:43:00.000-07:00

Mountain Hearts

Looking east, west, south and north one morning for a few minutes as the moon sank, the sun rose and the mountains glowed, I snapped these pictures not realizing how freezing cold my hands were!

Linking to Skywatch and Random Hearts

Sunny Day

2012-01-03T07:44:00.001-07:00

Western Bluebirds

Desert Mistletoe

White-tailed Deer

Lesser Goldfinch

Hello!

Thank you so much for visiting Desert Colors.

Have a wonderful day. :)

Early Winter

2011-12-28T09:56:00.000-07:00

red-tailed hawk

Hello!

These pictures are from Thursday, the first day of winter.

Enjoy the rest of your week. :)

White and Blue

2011-12-19T09:19:00.000-07:00

Hello, These pictures are from last week:

I enjoyed seeing white fluffy things such as clouds, snowy mountaintops and mockingbird against the blue sky. This morning it is dark, cold and raining outside...perfect weather for baking cookies!

White

2011-12-10T16:11:00.001-07:00

Hello and Happy Monday! It's not always warm and sunny here, and this December feels especially chilly compared to past ones, but it sure is fun to go out early bundled up with jacket and gloves and see the desert decorated with white before the frost melts.

foggy street

frost on a car window

feathery pattern on another window

icy cholla cactus

prickly pear pad

prickly pear skeleton

snow on mountain top

frost on a wooden guardrail post

"All nature wears one universal grin."

~Henry Fielding

December

2011-12-07T12:12:00.001-07:00

Hiho! Here are some shapes, patterns and colors of the desert that caught my eye recently:

Cholla cactus skeleton

House Finch

spider web

Phainopepla

Western Bluebird

Arizona Foldwing flower bracts

Sunrise

Autumn Joy Sedum - from the garden

Whitestem Paperflowers

  I hope everyone is doing well. Have a great day! :)

November

2011-11-21T08:33:00.001-07:00

Greetings!

I found some pretty golden colors around Sabino Creek on Friday. Although these pictures are not very desert-like, I hope you'll enjoy them. Wishing everyone a happy week. :)

Linking to Mellow Yellow Monday.

Watching clouds

2011-11-17T11:18:00.001-07:00

These pictures were all taken Tuesday except for the sunset which was on Saturday.

Happy Skywatching to you and have a great weekend!

See more sky pictures from around the world at Skywatch Friday.

After the rain

2011-11-10T08:57:00.001-07:00

Hello! These shapes, colors and textures of the desert landscape are from Monday after the rain...

And, this was at sunrise this morning:

11/11/11

Linking to Skywatch Friday. Have a wonderful weekend. :)

Autumn

2011-11-07T13:53:00.000-07:00

Desert Mistletoe (dried)

various grasses amongst prickly pear cacti

grasshopper

random steps

Empress Leilia

Anderson Wolfberry

Sleepy Orange butterfly on Arizona Foldwing flower

bees like the AZ Foldwing flowers too

Turpentine Bush flowers

Cactus Wren in Mesquite tree

The above pictures were taken the last week of October. The scenery looked different this morning when it was cold and raining and there was a brief dusting of snow on the tops of the mountains:

See more views from around the world at Our World Tuesday.

2011-11-03T06:54:00.000-07:00

Hi there! Here are some snapshots of the desert taken in mid-October:

Witchgrass

Verdin on Barrel cactus

Cholla cactus

Dragonfly on Cholla skeleton

Whitethorn Acacia seed pods

Creosote fruit

Roadrunner

Silverleaf Bahia

I hope you are enjoying your week. Have a lovely day!

Orange and Purple

2011-10-26T09:23:00.000-07:00


Palmer's Metalmark on Rambling Milkweed

walking
with a butterfly
here I too pause

~Jane Reichhold, A Dictionary of Haiku

Around Campus

2011-10-25T06:45:00.000-07:00

Hi there! Here are some of the shapes and colors that caught my eye as I walked around the UA campus earlier this month during a running event:

And, I have a lot of desert snapshots to share when I get a "Round Tuit."

Have a great day! :)

Green and Gold

2011-10-19T14:23:00.000-07:00

Last week the ocotillo on the hills were glowing green and gold in the morning light.

Weekend Reflections

2011-10-07T13:42:00.000-07:00

The sun is peeking from behind a saguaro.

Curve-billed Thrasher

Desert Cotton

Pin Cushion cactus with fruit

Arizona Rosewood

Texas Mulberry

These pictures are from an early morning walk to the creek at Sabino Canyon on Saturday. In the last image, I like the way the rocky reflection mingles with the rocks under the water. Have a nice weekend!

Linking to: Weekend Reflections

hawk, flowers, yarn, cats

2011-10-04T12:28:00.000-07:00

Hello. Here are snapshots of some of the things seen around here:

Thank you for visiting. Enjoy your week. :)

Pleasant weather

2011-09-14T08:25:00.000-07:00

after a gentle rain...

Hooray for cooler temperatures, happy plants and animals!

After the long hot summer, it finally feels like fall is approaching.

Enjoy your day; I hope you have pleasant weather too! :D

Crochet Kitten

2011-09-09T09:02:00.000-07:00

I just finished making this little amigurumi cat with maize colored cotton yarn.

The crochet pattern is fun and easy:

Fold the flat rectangular body piece and stitch to form legs.

Sew on the head and tail -- and the kitty is done!

Looks like the ginger colored cat approves.

(The cat on the left isn't mine. He just happened to wander in while I was taking pictures.)

Early Morning

2011-09-06T07:16:00.000-07:00

Here are a few snapshots taken at Saguaro National Park yesterday where we watched a running event. Although the air temperature felt hot, I think the clouds made it more pleasant for everyone. And the rainbow was fun. Have a great day!

At the Canyon

2011-08-23T09:27:00.000-07:00

the morning after the rain...

swarm of flying ants


Pringle's Clustervine on canyon wall

happy Desert Senna :)

tea-colored water

Cereal Flies on Trailing Four O'Clock


Hooker's Evening Primrose across the creek


Bee on Scarlet Spiderling

reflected boulders

Leaf Footed Bug?

Western Tanager


a friendly Cardinal

Warm Colored Flowers

2011-08-17T13:46:00.000-07:00

The picture of the Lily was taken in Wisconsin where I was visiting family, including my sweet little grandson, Tyler Jet. :) The rest of the pictures are from Tucson where the Mexican Birds of Paradise are still going strong as are the Lantanas. Barrel cacti are starting to bloom too.

Blooming in the Summer

2011-07-25T11:23:00.000-07:00

A cute baby Verdin!

This flowering plant, called Red Bird of Paradise or Mexican Bird of Paradise (Caesalpinia pulcherrima), is commonly used in desert landscaping because it is drought tolerant and attracts hummingbirds and butterflies. I think the red and orange flowers and ferny foliage look especially nice against blue sky. Have a wonderful week!

Bugs

2011-07-22T10:07:00.000-07:00

Three tiny ants on a flower form a face. ( Click image to enlarge if necessary.)

Ants on Yellow Bells flower (Tecoma stans)

Sweat Bee

Milkweed Bug nymph

Giant Mesquite Bug nymph

Giant Mesquite Bug adult

Bark Scorpion

Comparing this picture of neighbor kitty chasing a bug with the picture above it, doesn't he look like a scorpion?

July

2011-07-13T06:51:00.000-07:00

The trails (where I usually walk) reopened last week after being closed for a month. Here are some snapshots from the past week:

Ash-throated flycatcher

Chainfruit Cholla blossom

Black-tailed jackrabbit

Saguaro fruit rind

Round-tailed ground squirrel with mesquite bean

Verdin

Desert Spiny lizard

Pyrrhuloxia

Cuteness

2011-07-12T07:34:00.000-07:00

Lately, I've been noticing things in "my world" that are cute.

For example, I think this baby Harris' Antelope ground squirrel that I saw out in the desert is cute.

And these young Roundtail ground squirrels as well. To me it looks like they're playing pat-a-cake.

Almost everyday, the neighbors' cat drops by our backyard to visit while his family is at work. Even though he temporarily scares the birds out of the yard, I still think he's cute.

Speaking of birds, the cute cardinal couple can be seen hopping and darting about the garden throughout the day.

Every now and then I catch a glimpse of one of their young.

It's hard to see in these pictures, but it's interesting to note that the immature cardinals' beaks lack the orange color of adult beaks.

And, this little cutie, a Verdin juvenile maybe, whose yellow head feathers haven't come in yet. I just say, "aw" whenever I see it.

Lastly, the amigurumi. Amigurumi is the Japanese art of making crocheted or knitted animals. According to Wikipedia, "Amigurumi have no practical use; they are created for aesthetic reasons. The pervading aesthetic of amigurumi is cuteness."

I hadn't crocheted in 30 years, but I picked up my old hook and yarn, and with the help of free patterns and tutorials online I made my first amigurumi, a gray monkey.

Next, with my cute grandson in mind, I made the little tan monkey...

and a Delft blue elephant pillow:

At the moment another amigurumi is taking shape here and I welcome it. With all the serious things happening in the world right now, embracing cuteness seems to balance it all out perfectly.

Linking to My World Tuesday. Have a wonderful week!

After the storm

2011-07-06T11:05:00.000-07:00

Yesterday afternoon, unusually strong wind knocked down trees at the school. Hopefully, no one was there at the time!

Pretty Birds

2011-06-21T09:37:00.000-07:00

Oriole

Verdin

Quail Family

2011-06-17T17:22:00.000-07:00

It all happened so quickly. I'm sorry that I don't have better pictures to share.

Mother, Father and Chicks

Yesterday, from inside the house, I noticed a mother, father and dozen or so chicks in the backyard.

Gambel's Quail Mother with Youngsters

They really blended in with the ground as they scratched around for food.

How many chicks below? The 4th one at the lower right looks nearly invisible.

I didn't know if they had hatched in the backyard or what. After snapping a few pictures through the glass window, the neighbors' cat came into the yard. Could the chicks fly? Yes, well enough!

See the little tuft of head feathers?

Quail Chick in Mesquite Tree

Father and Child

Happy Father's Day Weekend. :)

Purple Martins

2011-06-14T14:31:00.000-07:00

Yes, we have Purple Martins in the desert! Instead of nesting in man-made bird houses or gourds, here they use cavities in saguaro cactus made by woodpeckers. Martins are active chatty birds, fun to watch and cute!

Curve-billed Thrashers

2011-06-01T06:55:00.001-07:00

To the right of the trail, in the cholla cactus--

a young curve-billed thrasher,

and parent!

Further on up the trail, another curve-billed thrasher enjoying a saguaro blossom

and singing a surprisingly sweet song.

Celebrating Life

2011-05-31T07:35:00.000-07:00

A happy little post for my sweet grandson, Tyler Jet, who is one year old today... and happens to have the same birthday as Walt Whitman!

"Keep your face always toward the sunshine -
and shadows will fall behind you."

"Happiness, not in another place but this place...
not for another hour, but this hour."

"Peace is always beautiful."

"To me, every hour of the day and night

is an unspeakably perfect miracle."

"Be curious, not judgmental."

~Walt Whitman (May 31, 1819 – March 26, 1892)

Yard Birds - update

2011-05-29T19:15:00.000-07:00

Recent snapshots

Cardinal parents

Cardinal fledgling on the ground

perching on a low branch

white-winged dove with twig

dove nest in mesquite tree

white-winged dove parent on nest

Lil Hummer growing more colorful

Lil Hummer

Snapshots from Reid Park

2011-05-25T11:32:00.000-07:00

Ta ta for now...

Baby Cardinals

2011-05-24T11:34:00.000-07:00

Up in the oleander bushes, the nest is hard to see.

Here it is:

Arrow is pointing to parent's tail

Three baby cardinals in the nest!

Hungry!

The parents work hard getting food and feeding the youngsters.

Mrs. Cardinal at the feeder

Mr. Cardinal looking for bugs in the garden

Yesterday afternoon, one fledgling left the nest.

It landed on the ground below the oleander bushes.

And it was still there this morning.

Although it may not be very good at flying yet, the little cardinal has two attentive parents to care for it.

I suspect the cardinal couple has been living in our yard for about three years but this was the first time we saw their nest. And now a different kind of nest is in our front yard which I will probably report on in a future blog post. Have a nice week!

To the woods and back

2011-05-19T13:45:00.000-07:00

Staghorn Cholla Cactus

Hummingbird monitoring project in the forest

Pretty colors!

Vitex tree

Pictures are from a morning nature walk last week. The final two pics show Lil Hummer in our garden. We still see him (or her) each day, but Lil Hummer is not the only baby bird in our yard.

~~to be continued~~

More Birds!

2011-05-10T08:23:00.000-07:00

Cactus Wren

Pyrrhuloxia

Cardinal

Mockingbird

Vermilion Flycatcher

Mallard

Black-throated Sparrow

Green-tailed Towhee

Black-headed Grosbeak

Kingbird

Lil' Hummer

2011-05-09T06:10:00.000-07:00

This little hummingbird came to stay with us after getting separated from its mother at a school campus.


Brian offering Lantana flowers to the bird

We had to feed it nectar and protein during daylight hours.

And, the bird had to learn to fly, hover and land safely.

It liked to perch on the new feeder by the window where it could watch the birds outside.

After five days in our house Lil' Hummer seemed ready to be released back into the wild.

Right away, it met other hummers who were interested in the new nectar feeder.

All kinds of new sights, sounds and sensations!

Lil Hummer's first night outside went well --

and the following days and nights were uneventful too, apparently.

Just watching, learning and growing.

Backyard Birds

2011-04-29T10:30:00.000-07:00

These are some of the more colorful visitors to my backyard this spring:

Lesser Goldfinch

Cardinal - male


Cardinal - female

House finches - red and orange

Broad-billed Hummingbird

Hooded Oriole

Lazuli Bunting

Finches, cardinals and hummers are regular visitors while orioles and buntings are rarely seen here.

Fire Season

2011-04-28T13:40:00.001-07:00

Easter morning, on the way home from the market, I saw smoke coming from the forest.

The fire, which turned out to be near Sabino Dam, is believed to have been human caused.

Fortunately, fire crews were able to contain this fire quickly and only 1/4 acre was burned. Two larger fires were also burning in the Coronado National Forest on Sunday, but they are all out now.

White-winged Dove atop a blooming Saguaro cactus

See more skies from around the world at Skywatch Friday hosted by Klaus, Sandy, Wren and Sylvia.

Ocotillo Flowers

2011-04-25T10:25:00.000-07:00

Here are snapshots of ocotillos taken on various days around the canyon this month:


It looks like this little hummer is waving!

Have a nice week! :)

Cooper's Hawk

2011-04-14T07:28:00.000-07:00

Greetings from Tucson -- These pictures were taken through the glass door on an unusually cold day in February. The bird puffed up its feathers briefly, probably in an effort to keep warm. It's not cold here now. Have a good day!

Watching the Clouds

2011-04-07T12:50:00.000-07:00

Yesterday evening and this morning:

Hedgehog cactus blossom

View more skies at Skywatch Friday hosted by by Klaus, Sandy, Wren and Sylvia. Have a nice weekend!

March

2011-03-30T07:09:00.000-07:00

Greetings from the Sonoran Desert! Here are some of the colors observed here this month:

Wherever you are, Dear Reader, I hope you are able to get outside and enjoy nature too. :)

Yellow and Green

2011-03-23T08:15:00.000-07:00

While many trees haven't seemed to recover from the deep freeze last month, and native grasses and wildflowers did not make an appearance yet, this rangy shrub stands out because of its springlike coloring.

A member of the Mormon-tea family, Ephedraceae, this plant has long green stems with tiny brown cones and yellow flowers.

Small birds such as this verdin are attracted to it,

and deer nibble on it.

Spring seems to be coming later than usual to this corner of the desert, but it is coming, and it's exciting to see new signs each day.

No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow. ~Guinean Proverb

Cooper's Hawk

2011-03-22T07:09:00.000-07:00

Supermoon

2011-03-21T07:43:00.000-07:00

Here are some snapshots of the full moon rising over the Sonoran Desert on March 19, 2011...

and setting the next morning:

Have a wonderful week!

Roadrunner

2011-03-17T12:47:00.000-07:00

in a tree...

"Some days, doing 'the best we can' may still fall short of what we would like to be able to do, but life isn't perfect -- on any front -- and doing what we can with what we have is the most we should expect of ourselves or anyone else." ~Fred Rogers

Skywatching Fun Clouds

2011-03-11T06:24:00.000-07:00

“How did it get so late so soon?” ~Dr. Seuss

"Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple."
~Dr. Seuss

“From there to here, and here to there, funny things are everywhere.”
~Dr. Seuss

These are some of the clouds from my walk yesterday morning.
See more skies from around the world at Skywatch Friday. :D

Fiery Sunrise

2011-03-03T08:53:00.000-07:00

Looking east the morning of February 19th. Check out more skies from around the world at Skywatch Friday.

Lots of Sunshine

2011-03-02T06:40:00.000-07:00

My grandson Tyler Jet and his parents visited Tucson at the end of February. When they arrived, Little TJ and his dad were sick. One by one, all eight family members and some of their friends had caught "the bug." Some of us still have it. Nevertheless, it was great to see them!

Sunshine and Ice

2011-02-12T08:33:00.000-07:00

These pictures are from the morning of Feb. 04, 2011, when the temperature was 18f (-8c). This area had some freaky cold weather for a few days! The average low temperature for Tucson in February is 41f.

Wishing everyone warmth, good health and happiness. :)

2011-02-02T05:50:00.000-07:00

"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new landscapes but in seeing with new eyes." ~Marcel Proust

Sunday at the Park

2011-01-27T12:37:00.001-07:00

Blue sky over Tucson

Autumn colors at the end of January!

Whether running or just watching, it was a nice day to be at the park.

Black Crowned Night-Heron (juvenile)

Visit more skies from around the world at Skywatch Friday.

Winter Reflections

2011-01-21T11:09:00.000-07:00

Greetings from the desert! I've been pretty busy lately, but I wanted to pop in to say hi, and share some wonderful news. My little grandson, Tyler Jet, who lives in Massachusetts, is coming to visit for a week in February! He will be nine months old and will finally get to meet his Tucson uncles. Needless to say, I am very happy and excited about seeing Tyler Jet and his parents next month.

Here are some watery reflections from a couple of weeks ago:

See more Weekend Reflections at James' Newtown Area Photo.

Skywatching in Tucson

2011-01-13T11:46:00.000-07:00

Together We Thrive

"What matters is not wealth, or status, or power - but how well we have loved, and what small part we have played in bettering the lives of others." ~President Obama

See more skies from around the world at Skywatch Friday hosted by Klaus, Sandy, Wren and Sylvia.

Leafy Shadows and Colors

2011-01-02T08:25:00.000-07:00

For Shadow Shot Sunday. See more shadows from around the world at Tracy's Hey Harriet blog: click here.

November

"Happiness is a continuous creative activity"

~Baba Amite


December

"We should be open-minded, but not so open that our brains fall out."

~Woody Allen

January

"Never miss a good chance to shut up."

~Will Rogers

Skywatching

2010-12-30T08:31:00.002-07:00

Sunrise 7:13AM

Sunrise 7:21AM

Sunset 5:23PM

The above pictures are from one day earlier this month. I like how the bright pink and orange clouds in the morning contrast with the more subdued evening sky.

It is actually storming with cold wind and rain here today. After the fog lifts, maybe we'll see some snow on the mountain tops...

Yes! 12/30/10 8:51AM

View more skies from around the world at Skywatch Friday hosted by Klaus, Sandy, Wren and Sylvia.

Healing Garden

2010-12-13T18:41:00.000-07:00

Another set of images taken by my son Brian, these are of the Healing Garden at Good Samaritan Medical Center in Phoenix:

“I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in tune once more” ~John Burroughs (1837-1921) American naturalist and writer

Skylines

2010-12-09T08:54:00.000-07:00

Greetings from the Sonoran Desert! This week for fun I'm sharing some of our sunny skies with an emphasis on lines against blue sky.

See more skies from around the world at Skywatch Friday hosted by Klaus, Sandy, Wren and Sylvia.

Agave Library

2010-12-07T10:33:00.000-07:00

These pictures of the Agave Library in Phoenix were taken by my son Brian in June. The building was designed by architect Will Bruder. I like the creative use of ordinary building materials such as galvanized and rusted steel, concrete blocks and recycled sidewalk pieces.

Pretty neat, right?

Bento Box Quilts

2010-12-05T17:17:00.000-07:00

This year I started making quilts again after a long break from sewing. I still have a huge stash of fabrics from the 1980's and 90's, and some of the new colors and patterns are tempting also.

In the summer I made a baby Bento Box quilt for my grandson, TJ.

And, I just completed a bigger version for one of my sons.

The name Bento Box comes from Japanese lunch boxes that have partitions. The quilt pattern is simpler to piece together than it might look:

First, basic log cabin "courthouse steps" blocks are built, half of the blocks having dark centers, and the remaining with light centers.

Then, all the blocks are cut into quarters, and kitty-cornered sections are switched out and replaced with their light or dark counterparts.

For me, learning how to free-motion machine quilt was a fun adventure. It took a lot of practice, but I feel it was worth it. I like how the curvy meandering lines of stitching seem to soften and unite the overall look of these patchwork quilts.

Sometime I might like to try a modified Bento Box quilt for a postmodern look. :D

Desert Shadows

2010-11-27T10:10:00.000-07:00

Hi there! I have some shadows to share that I've found here and there while out and about.

House finch eating burro weed

Cholla cactus

Gambel's quail

Palm shadow

Creosote bush

Tree branch shadow on the bird feeder

See more shadows from around the world at Tracy's Shadow Shot Sunday.

At the park...

2010-11-26T11:48:00.000-07:00

We went to a running event at Reid Park in Tucson early yesterday morning. These snapshots are from the Richard & Annette Bloch Cancer Survivors Plaza on 22nd Street. The yellow caution tape around the structure was due to landscaping work. My pictures don't begin to capture the beauty of this plaza, just one of several R.A. Bloch Cancer Survivors Parks in North America.

Nonsense

2010-11-24T06:18:00.000-07:00

"I like nonsense -- it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living. It's a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope... and that enables you to laugh at all of life's realities." ~Dr. Seuss

This ‘n that

2010-11-22T09:09:00.001-07:00

Around the house…

Yesterday the boys came over with their laptops as they often do on Sundays. We like to hook a computer up to the TV screen to view interesting things from the internet. So anyways, one of my sons noticed a scorpion running across the floor, and right into his computer port!

These little bark scorpions are venomous, so I prefer them to be outside.

In case some of you don’t like to see arachnids, I offer a pretty Plumbago, one of the few flowers still blooming in the garden this season:

And, a peaceful mourning dove sunning in the platform feeder:

The Pyracantha berries look ripe. Surprisingly, none of our regular backyard birds eat them. Last year a hermit thrush was seen sampling some.

There’s Billy Cat, lounging on his chaise on the patio. He’s about twenty years old and still enjoys watching birds. Somehow the birds know that he is not a threat to them.

The old kitty wakes me up early each morning so I rarely miss a sunrise.

I wish everyone a lovely week!

El Tour de Tucson

2010-11-20T17:53:00.000-07:00

Today was the big 109 mile bike race around the perimeter of Tucson. Over 8,000 people registered for El Tour.

Most of the cyclists walked their bikes across the Santa Cruz Wash and everyone loved the mariachis.

After watching the participants cross the dry river bed, we watched them cycle through a neighborhood by Canyon Ranch.

It was a nice sunny day for watching a bike race, and catching shadows with the camera.

For more fun with shadows, visit Hey Harriet, hosted by Tracy for Shadow Shot Sunday.

Reflections of Autumn

2010-11-19T10:34:00.000-07:00

The creek has pretty much stopped flowing for now, but the pools of still water reflect the colors of the season, such as they are in the desert.

Catch more Weekend Reflections here at James' Newtown Area Photo.

Watery Wednesday - Bird

2010-11-17T04:58:00.000-07:00

A California Towhee enjoys a watering hole at Torrey Pines Natural Reserve in San Diego.

Linking to Watery Wednesday a fun meme hosted by 2sweetnsaxy.

MWT - Reading the Landscape

2010-11-15T13:54:00.000-07:00

Shubun Landscape early 15th century. Inscription by Son-an Reigen (Ts'unan Lingyen, 1403-1588):
"Wherever there is a stream and pleasant mountains, there's my hut;
But what I like most is where the bamboos are thick.
The gate is kept closed--it is not that I don't care to see companionable visitors
But that I still have some books to read for my daily lesson."
~from Zen and Japanese Culture by D. T. Suzuki

I've never been to Japan, but I resonate with the above painting and inscription.

From the corner of the world where I happen to live, here is an ordinary desert landscape:

The landscape includes mountains and a little stream. I like to walk to where "the bamboos are thick" which is for me is where there are trees and it's quiet. Here are some of the "books" I like to read:

The place where I walk is rather popular and people like to talk as they walk. Their conversations (often into cell phones) seem to revolve around their work, relationships, shopping, and restaurants. Rarely does the chatter acknowledge anything in the landscape where they are. It's ironic that most of the visitors pay to park at the forest, yet seem oblivious to the natural wonders that surround them. Yes, the people are a part of the landscape, an interesting part, and I'm grateful that they are there. And, they probably don't mind (or even notice) if I venture off to where the "bamboos are thick" to study nature.

Here's a cool web page on How to Read a Landscape.

My World Tuesday is a fun photo meme for sharing views from around the world, hosted each week by Klaus and the My World team, Klaus, Sandy, Wren, Fishing Guy and Sylvia.

Skywatching at Sunrise

2010-11-11T12:48:00.000-07:00

While checking out the sunrise early one morning in October, I heard what sounded like gremlins coming from up in a tree.

The flash on my camera revealed two raccoons in the African Sumac tree,

and two more raccoons down in the arroyo (dry stream bed).

As a Cooper's hawk quietly sat atop a Mesquite tree watching.

See more skies from around the world at Skywatch Friday.

Deer sighting

2010-11-09T10:59:00.000-07:00

White-tailed doe with fawn

I recently saw this doe and fawn in the desert. The little one looked playful, running around in circles with its fluffy white tail up in the air. Every so often it would stop and rest by its mom's side. The mom was eating green leaves from shrubs growing among the cactus.

I tried to take a short video of the scampering fawn, but the vegetation was so thick and tall, the little one could barely be seen. Luckily, it stood still long enough to pose for this photo. Although not pictured, there were three other adult deer with them browsing leaves.

Autumn mood

2010-11-06T10:55:00.000-07:00

For Shadow Shot Sunday:

child's fingers
trace on grandma's hands
the liver spots of aging

Haiku from ahapoetry.com A Dictionary of Haiku by Jane Reichhold, AUTUMN Moods, accepting aging

Reflections of MIM

2010-11-05T06:53:00.000-07:00

Here are some reflections found outside of the new Museum of Musical Instruments in Phoenix. Photography is allowed inside as well. The MIM has thousands of musical instruments from around the world. We were in there for 4.5 hours!

Catch more Weekend Reflections at James' Newtown Area Photo.

Skywatching L.A. to Tucson

2010-11-04T07:40:00.000-07:00

Los Angeles Public Library in Venice California, taken through windshield while stopped at a red light

Giant wind turbines on top of hill along I-10 near Palm Springs look like little daisies from the car

Sunrise from Motel 6 in Phoenix, AZ

A corner of the sandstone exterior of the Museum of Musical Instruments in Phoenix

Picacho Peak from the highway

Public art on Skyline Drive at twilight

Sunrise from my window in Tucson

See more skies from around the world at Skywatch Friday. Gratitude to the Skywatch team: Klaus, Sandy, Wren and Sylvia.

Waterbirds at Lake Balboa

2010-10-31T16:57:00.000-07:00

Curvy Shadows

2010-10-30T13:30:00.000-07:00

We found these shadows at Lake Balboa in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California a couple of weeks ago. We had intended to visit the nearby Japanese Gardens, but they were closed while we were in the area. Lake Balboa did turn out to be a great place to watch birds though.

Great Blue Heron

Great Egret

Camel ?

Ok, not a bird, but it had a nice little shadow at 11:00am.

If you enjoy shadows, hop on over to Tracy's Hey Harriet Blog for Shadow Shot Sunday.

Skywatching in Burbank

2010-10-27T17:03:00.000-07:00

Portal of the Folded Wings Shrine to Aviation

Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery - Burbank, California

See other skies from around the world at Skywatch Friday, hosted by Klaus, Wren, Sandy and Sylvia.

Venice Canals Walkways

2010-10-25T05:04:00.001-07:00

Near Venice Beach in California, one can stroll around this charming neighborhood of canals, walkways and bridges. I learned about the walkways on Tracy's blog, Life Is A Road Trip.

According to Wikipedia the man-made canals were built in 1905 and originally called "Venice of America". The canal district fell into disrepair by 1940 and was finally renovated in 1992. Today the walkways of this desirable well-maintained residential area are open to the public for free.

The Simple Life

2010-10-23T09:23:00.000-07:00

California Ground Squirrel

The squirrel's home, Torrey Pines State Beach, San Diego, California

Linking to Camera Critters, a fun photography meme for images with animals. Click here to see more critters.

October Skywatching

2010-10-21T12:01:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning

Hi there! Mostly clear skies over Tucson the past week, but today we have a little rain which is always welcome in the desert. :D

Click here to see more skies from around the world at Skywatch Friday Hosted by Klaus, Sandy, Wren, Fishing Guy and Sylvia.

Torrey Pines

2010-10-18T11:04:00.002-07:00

On our way to Los Angeles from Tucson, we stopped at Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve in San Diego. Torrey Pines has lovely walking trails overlooking the beach. The rare trees which the park is named after are unusual looking with their twisted branches and windswept forms. Coastal chaparral-clad slopes are dotted with cacti and other succulents and sandstone cliffs are eroded into interesting formations. A feast for the eyes in every direction!

I learned about Torrey Pines from Betchai's blog, The Joys of Simple Life.

Tucson to San Diego

2010-10-15T18:18:00.000-07:00

We went on a road trip to visit my mom in Los Angeles. These are some of the things we saw along the drive from Tucson to San Diego.

The Mockingbird

2010-10-15T09:55:00.001-07:00

Greetings! This morning I am pleased to share a monograph from the book, Living Nonduality: The Enlightenment Teachings of Self-Realization by Robert Wolfe, Karina Library Press, 2009:

Yea, Listen to the Mockingbird!

It is June 21 (The First Day of Summer) one hundred degrees in the shade, and completely open to the blue skies on this hilltop. Standing out in the pure sunlight is a pine tree about fifty feet tall. Perched at its very top, and overlooking the hills of this ripe green valley is a mockingbird. Singing.

It has been singing since about 7 A.M., when the sunlight first hurdled the mountaintops, and it will continue until the sun is gone; that is, about one half of the day. The mockingbird will fly away for brief periods of this time, during which its absence will be noticed in the quiet.

It sings for several minutes at a time, and then—still singing—it will leap into the air and flutter its wings in a semaphoric display of black and white, settling again on its prominent perch and continuing its plaint. Its song is not desperate, but it is insistent and unrelenting. It is designed to carry for a considerable distance over the hills.

As one listens, on this day in which few creatures are active, the song itself is astonishing. Though repeated, literally, for hours, it is not repetitious. Though one can hear, at moments, the mimicking of a cricket, a frog and the call of other birds, it is nonetheless inventive. What startles the human ear, as it listens, is that each note is sung with an intensity as if it had never been attempted before. Each refrain ends with the urgent sincerity and enthusiasm with which it began. Indeed, as the day wears, the mockingbird renders each passionate soliloquy as if every one of its previous efforts were completely forgotten. There is never a tired, worn or half-hearted effort; each effort is as if it were the first—nay, the only effort. The bird and its song are in no way divided; each breath and the expression of each note are inseparable. The potential for each moment is ever richer than the moment before. And all, and everything that one is, is in that rapturous moment. Nothing more is to be attended to than that.

Robert Wolfe's entire Living Nonduality book can be read for free as an ebook at his website here.

The author has kindly granted me an interview with him which is posted here on my other blog, Simply This.