sluth shot

The following two critters make regular appearances in our yard...and yet they scurry so quickly whenever a human comes in sight that it's tricky to get a good picture.

With my sluth photography skills I recently captured decent photos of a Quail and a Ground Squirrel (that's what I call them but I don't know their official name)....through the dining room window.

Farmer Gilbert

I had heard about the farmer's market in Gilbert but never had a chance to visit. Yesterday they combined the regular Saturday morning market with folk music and art fair for a jolly good time. We walked through the market and historic downtown street admiring the wares while enjoying the live music and happy people.

 For my favorite farmer's marketeers

I took a photo of this display because the dark bushel baskets with chalkboard signs

made such an aesthetically pleasing display.

I took this pic with my favorite Whoopie Pie loving niece in mind...

you know who you are.

We stopped and people watched this rolling marble fountain that seemed to draw in young and old alike to touch its smooth, wet rotating sphere. Then I discovered, to my delight that it made a wonderful reflection for lots of photo fun.

 

 Later we found a spot in the shade and watched the children play in the spray-ground. Amy would have been right in there with the little ones but I just enjoyed the moment through the camera lens.

These twin girls watched the other children playing at first, hesitant to venture in themselves. 

I chuckled as I watched the dynamics of their relationship;

the one in the pink was constantly pushing her sister to go out in front of her.

 
Finally they both became comfortable enough that they left caution behind and enjoyed playing with the water.

when life gives you lemons

sometimes they arrive in

color-coordinated tool bags....

siesta

It's hot in the valley of the sun. Today's high was predicted to be 114 degrees. I've decided that the fine line between spring and summer in the desert is the nighttime temperatures. In the spring the nights cool off and when you get up in the morning the air is refreshing. In the summer it's hot all the time-day and night. Summer has arrived. Jay has been getting up before the sun and heading to work early to try to beat the heat. This morning after he left I sipped my iced mocha outside and watched the sun rise. The weather on my tablet said it was 92 degrees at 5:21 AM (of course it only felt like 89!). 

We've still been using the swamp cooler rather than turn on the more expensive air conditioning but it only makes these high temps slightly more bearable. When Jay got home this afternoon he laid on the floor in the dining room in front of the swamp cooler. Lily thought that was a great place to take an afternoon siesta and joined him. I was back and forth between the computer and the kitchen but happened to catch the two of them holding hands...ah...paws.

weed week

 Last week was Weed Week. Without my attention this spring the yard had become overgrown and hazardous. A trek across the property required covering ones ankles with protective gear.

 Because of the high temps I tried to go out each day for a time in the morning and again in the evening...following the shadows around the house as much as possible.

I'm happy to report Weed Week was a success. Although not every weed was eliminated the dirt looks considerably better. To celebrate I found some pretty pearl lights to illuminate my swing.

desert blooms

Yesterday morning the kid's mother was here for get out of bed-time. I took advantage of the opportunity to walk around the yard and look for pretty blooms to photography. I found the pomegranate bush out front...




...the Palo Verde blooming in the dog fence...



and a delicate violet bloom in the greenhouse.

why i love Arizona #6

February showers bring March flowers!

happy 100th birthday arizona!

treasure hunt

I went searching for something interesting to photograph yesterday.
Here's what I came up with...

you know you are in arizona when...

proof...

that smelly things aren't so smelly when you smell them (or don't smell them) in Arizona. I found this dead banana hiding in my fruit bowl...discovered it with my eyes, not my nose. Yet another reason to love living in Arizona!

"cooler start to the week...

...high of 99 today" said the radio announcer. Considering we have had temps well over 100 for quite a stretch I guess 99 degrees could be considered "cooler".

snow flowers

It was wet and chilly on Saturday morning; the Palo Verde covered in delicate yellow flowers and the mountain covered in clouds of snow.

c is for clifton

Jay had an overnight trip to the copper mining town of Clifton, AZ. He invited me to ride along and since the camping gear was still out I tossed my lists aside, threw the tent in the back of the van, grabbed the dog and jumped at the chance to photograph a new venue.

Although Lily and I ended up hoofing it around the little town we were able to find a plethora of interesting photo opportunities.

Clifton is the birthplace of Geronimo.

We camped across the road from the San Francisco river.


Photo credit goes to Jay on this one. This big horn sheep was grazing along the roadside when we drove into town. It didn't appear to be the least bit camera shy.

I didn't see any information on how Clifton got it's name but after viewing the precarious setting for much of the housing it seemed a fitting name.