Some Odds and Ends for the month of May
Photographs that didn't fit into any other posts
It's late spring, early summer, and some of the cacti in the desert are blooming. This prickly pear had many yellow flowers on it. I like how grains of pollen have dusted the red parts of the flower petals
When I was growing up in Tucson, my mother would have me pull the weeds from the clover and grass lawn she was trying to grow. One of the common 'weeds' in our yard was this pink Mexican Evening Primrose. Now, as an adult, I recognize that this isn't a weed to get rid of, but a beautiful, pink native flower to enjoy. In fact, these flowers are sold in nurseries around town! Here is one Primrose growing among a flowering lantana plant.
On a recent visit to WOW Arizona, an Anna's Hummingbird sipped from a hummingbird feeder. The head of the Anna's was glowing red.
In my backyard, a male Pyrrhuloxia was looking for food.
In a belated Mother's Day post, this little "Red" was getting special attention from its mother Javelina.
A pair of Gambel's Quail came to the creek at Sweetwater for a drink.
Last summer was the first time that I regularly saw a Hooded Oriole in my yard. I think a pair may once again have a nest in a neighbor's palm tree. Recently, both the male (below) and female Hooded Oriole have been coming to my water and hummingbird feeders daily. After a sip of water, this male Hooded Oriole dried its bill on a cholla cactus skeleton.
I was on a walking tour of the Los Morteros site in Marana this week. Just as we were finishing, a Goodyear blimp floated over the ridge of the Tucson Mountains. There are three Goodyear Blimps in the United States and they are used for promotion of Goodyear tires throughout the country.
Goodyear flew its first blimp 100 years ago, in 1925. The three current blimp models are all named "Wingfoot". The one in Marana was Wingfoot Three with its name on the tail and the gondola. The length of the blimp is 75 yards, 3/4 the length of a football field!
Goodyear's current promotion has the motto of "Blimps Are Cool". It sure was cool to see this floating over the saguaro-topped mountains.
For a more detailed look into the Los Morteros site, see the first six pages of this 2006 Old Pueblo Archaeology report.
Not everything fits I t a category. Odds and ends are a wonderful way to encapsulate the various flora and fauna and weather phenomenon that we experience in this beautiful springtime month
I like to end my day looking at your beautiful photos. I formerly lived in LA and the Goodyear blimp was stationed nearby. It was always on my bucket list to ride on the blimp. I tried calling, emailing and writing letters to no avail. I pictured people rolling around inside but I know there's seats. A ride on the blimp was sometimes auctioned off at high roller events. A blimp ride remains on the bucket list. I think it's so cool that you saw it in one of your outings.