Cactus Kate

As most of you already know, my mom and I didn’t go to Arizona.  The weather at the beginning of the week (when we were supposed to leave) was very bad – too bad to drive through to get there.  Although Phoenix & Tucson are in the ‘nice weather’ part of Arizona, to get from Moab TO either of them takes you through the ‘mean weather’ parts.  Like Flagstaff.  and all of southeastern Utah.

While I am disappointed about this, Wait.  What am I saying?!  I am just disappointed.  There has been no up side.  Moab weather is STILL bad (it’s snowing now,as I type).  Winter has been never-ending this year.  I am pretty much done with snow, cold, wind, etc.

So – while I wasn’t in Arizona, I did see a few birds (no new ones), and got some decent photos.  This past Monday morning, I awoke to a LOT of noise and activity in my neighbor’s huge juniper tree.  I went out with the camera, and found the most cedar waxwings I have ever seen at once.  They were pillaging all the left-over juniper berries from the tree, and from the ground.  Here are some pictures from around the juniper:

These three photos are pretty amazing, but I didn’t even realize how great they were until I got inside, and checked them out on my computer.  The first shows this waxwing (on the left) with a berry in his mouth.  The second shows him throwing it into the air, and the third shows him catching it in his beak again.  You can’t make these things up.

Here are more of the waxwings, all hanging out together in the front yard sycamore tree.  The first photo has 19 waxwings in it.

The same day, I went to my parents’ house, and took some more pictures of their local sharp-shinned hawk.

Also, there were several magpies tormenting a raven in their back yard.  This poor raven found himself something to eat, and the magpies were trying to ‘persuade’ him to give it up.  Poor raven.

The following day, I heard a different bird singing in our sycamore tree, and looked out the window to see who it was.  There was a western bluebird in the tree.  They don’t often come into this neighborhood.  I was glad he was there, though, and I got 2 okay photos.

That’s all for now, folks.  I think I see light at the end of the tunnel, and I may get to escape Moab for at least a FEW days in the second week of March.  Julie has a seminar in Las Vegas, and I think Janet and I may go meet here there, and have some fun.

Hope all your winters are getting better.

My mom and I have made it a sort of tradition to go to Arizona in the spring.  It’s a great trip, we get to see lots of great stuff, and I love spending time with my mom.  This year, we have to go a bit earlier than usual, as my job situation is different this year, and I have to be here for the high tourist season.  It will still be great, and I can’t wait!  It’s a time to see new birds, eat good food (which Moab can’t really offer, unless it comes from one’s own kitchen), and this year it’s a chance to be MUCH warmer earlier. 

You can see photos and info from previous trips here:  2009 / 2008 / 2006

Obviously, there will be photos from this year’s trip, too.

There hasn’t been a lot going on around here plant-wise (or bird-wise, for that matter…).  I guess I can share some plant pictures I have taken in the last week or two.  I am sure you are all just DYING to see them!

Here’s my nutso-the-clown Euphorbia obesa (supposed to be ball-shaped – but this one had to assert its individuality).  It blooms year round (that’s what that messy stuff you see on the top is).  This is one of my oldest plants.  I got it in January of 2001:

My Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera buckleyi) is currently blooming.  It is one of my most neglected plants, and still it gives me flowers several times a year.

This is my Gonolobus cyclophylla (now called Matalea something-or-other, but I am sticking with Gonolobus).  I am very proud of it.  It pretty much came back from the dead this fall, and has put out these lovely leaves.  It’s very small, by the way…it’s in a two and three-quarter inch pot.

Below is one of my three Fockea edulis plants.  This one has a lovely round shape, and is growing nicely.  I got it in December 2005.  I have another one which I got in 2001, but it’s not quite as pretty as I had no idea what I was doing when I got that one, and it suffered at my inexperienced hands.  The third one I have I got last spring (2009), and it is doing well, but much smaller and more spindly-looking.

Aloe ‘Pepe’ is the name of this little hybrid.  It is another tiny one.  The whole plant is only about two inches across.  As you can see, it has a pup.  I am glad it is happy enough to offset!

…and last, there is Bowiea volubilis.  It is just starting to put out its growth for the year.  It does this every year at this time.  I feel very lucky that this one is doing well.  I have no idea what to do for it, to keep it happy.  It seems to like my passive neglect, though, so until someone tells me concretely what to do for it, I will stick with that care regimen.  I got this one in December 2005, too.

Thanks for listening to my plant stories and ramblings!