Taming the Alaskan Hummingbird

I've been lucky enough to spot, and try to take pictures of, some of the hummingbirds that are so abundant down here in Arizona.  I keep hoping I'll get lucky and get a really good picture of one.  It  would be easier if we had a hummingbird feeder in the yard, but I'd hate for the little creatures to become used to being fed here and then to be sad when we're away for such long stretches at a time.

In the meantime, my friend Mickey sent me this amazing video of people hand-feeding some wild Alaskan Hummingbirds far away from Arizona, up in Alaska.  I hope you love it as much as I do.

Taming the Alaskan Hummingbird  http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=EUEZkwJulBY

Count Quincey's Cacti!!

In contrast to my last post about the lush greenery of home in Alberta, this post is about sun bleached cacti...we won't pay any attention to the absolutely gorgeous blossoming bushes that are all over the place here - stunning oranges, reds, fuscias, yellows.  Arizona in June is a rainbow!

Anyway, whenever SIL Quincey comes to town he goes to town with the landscaping.  We never know what to expect when our visit down here comes after he and Sara have been and gone.  This time was no exception.  Our yard is becoming it's own desert botanical garden.  Just look---

I don't know if this stick tree is officially  cactus or not but it is definitely a desert plant.  Did you know that a plant can't be classified as a cactus unless it produces flowers.  I did not know that.

Stick Tree - these are really beautiful when they open up and turn green.`

 Again, I don't know if a Joshua tree is a cactus but we'll pretend it is.  We have two of these interesting looking plants in the back yard.  That's a saguaro behind it.

Joshua Tree

This is one of our three saguaros.  Those are blossoms growing around the top of the cactus.  I hope they open up while we're still here.

Saguaro with blossoms

 This is an Argentine Giant.  I'm told it'll spread to six feet in diameter and produce bright red flowers.

Argentine Giant

 I have no idea what this one is called - couldn't find it in my cactus book.  It looks kind of like a Christmas tree with round knobs all over it.

Who Knows???  He's in our front yard.

 This poor little prickly pear is on it's last legs I think.  Looks like it gets too much water.

Prickly Pear

 The two-armed bandit in our front yard - saguaro with blossoms around the top and in the 'v' of the arms.

Second saguaro

 This toothpick cactus has tripled in size since we planted it two years ago.  It's needles are nearly three inches long, and sharp!

Toothpick Cactus

One of many types of barrel cactus - we have three of these beauties

Barrel Cactus

 Another no-name - it's a new one Quincey planted in January

Quincey's cactus

 This one looks like a type of prickly pear - much healthier than the one shown previously.

Prickly pear with bunny ears, or Mickey Mouse ears

Mouse or Bunny???

 I don't know what this new one is called either, but it looks like a Daddy, Mommy and Baby cactus family.

Cactus family

 I think this one might be a form of pipe organ cactus or a senita.  Don't quote me on that though.

Pipe Organ?

 And this is a close up of the blossom about to open on the pipe organ. 

And this is the front yard where a lot of the cacti live.  More in the back.

So, did you count the cactus?  I think there are 17, but I could be off by two or three.  They are very interesting plants, maybe because they seem exotic to us northerners.  I love to see them blossom.

Holiday - First Step

Yesterday (Thursday) Lloyd and I drove to Lethbridge for the first leg of our trip to Arizona.   It’s been raining almost non-stop down in southern Alberta for most of the three weeks between our visits to our home there.  This is what we found:

Big mushrooms growing around the base the stump where  my solar lighthouse sits.

After

Before

Grass almost long enough to cut for hay.

So we got right to work and mowed, raked, swept and bagged grass cuttings.  After three labor-intensive hours, this is what we ended up with, besides aching backs, shoulders and knees.

A nicely cut, sweet smelling, yard of thick luxurious grass...and two tired bodies.

And my neighbours lilacs leaning over our fence.  Lovely.

Two weeks from now, on our way back from AZ,  we’ll have to repeat the exercise.  Unless someone near and dear to us gets to it before we do.

We're Off!

Lloyd and I are heading out to Arizona today for two weeks of much needed R&R.  This is where Lloyd can relax best, far away from the stresses of work, connected only by his ever-present Blackberry and the computer for keeping in touch on-line.

I'm expecting it to be hot down there but with the pool and air conditioning I expect we'll manage very well.  We have no plans for road trips or exploring, except around the Surprise area, so it'll be a very laid back vacation for us.  We'll hang out in and around the pool and I'll keep my camera handy in my ongoing quest for a good picture of the hummingbirds that flit around the yard.

Looking forward to a very pleasant two weeks.





You Won't See These Ads Today!

My friend Mickey sent me an email today with the following real ads...ads that wouldn't be allowed to be published today for reasons that will become obvious as you read them.  Some are funny - some are just sad.  Imagine promoting beer as being good for breast-feeding mothers and nursing babies!  Read and laugh...or weep!  We've come a long way, baby.

                                                                                                                            
So, what do you think?

P.S.  I've disabled the word verification aspect of making comments. 

Pat

Day 3 - Syd's Soccer

Yesterday was Syd's soccer day.  She's a sweet little 5-year old with an aggressive sporting nature...a real competitor.

Controlling the ball

 She sets her sights on the goal and goes in for it.

Closing in for the kill

 And she scores.  The goalie made an admirable attempt to block her shot.

Score!

I couldn't stay and watch the whole game because Aidan had to pee and Tate kept trying to run (crawl) away, and I forgot the bug spray and the mosquitoes were vicious.  Since home was just a block and a half away, it was easy for us to come back for the girls when the game was almost over.

Here's how Syd prepared for the game...

I came out of an upstairs bedroom and found her sitting in a beam of sunlight doing a yoga pose. 

So now I'm into day 4 of babysitting.  Hang in there baby!

Jurassic Forest, Alberta

For five days starting this past Saturday, Lloyd and I have been staying in daughter Amy's home taking care of their four kids while she and Curtis are enjoying R&R in Arizona.

As we guessed, the weekend was the hardest, with having to keep kids aged 8, 5, 3 and 1 busy and entertained all day for two days.  We managed by taking them to a place called "Let's Play" - a loud, busy activity center for kids, that they loved...and a couple of fast-food restaurants and a playground.  Yesterday we took them to Jurassic Forest about an hour north of town - a beautiful kid friendly place with dinosaur trails, playground, picnic area and gift shop.

Tate, Sydney, Kenzie, Aidan in front of some dinosaurs

 It as slow going, and this is why.  Tate wanted out of his stroller all the time so I had to let him do enough crawling to satisfy his need to feel independent.  Papa watched him carefully.

Lloyd and Tate

 The dinosaurs are all mechanized and are sensor activated.  Lloyd and the kids are watching a couple of long-necks being attacked by a band of smaller meat-eaters.

Lloyd, Kenzie, Syd, Aidan and Tate

 These are Kenzie's favorite dinos - the Edmontonsauraus - named after our home town, Edmonton, where bones of this dinosaur were first discovered.

Kenzie and Aidan

By the time we got back home and barbequed burgers and hotdogs for supper, the kids were all exhausted and ready to go to bed by 8:30.  Lloyd and I, exhausted as well,  didn't stay up much longer.

Things will be easier today, tomorrow and Wednesday because Kenzie is at school all day, Syd and Aidan are in school in the mornings and Tate takes two naps a day.  I think I'll live through it after all!