Last June, we had our landscaper install several shrubs and trees around the property. One of those is a flowering plum tree. Being a deciduous tree, it lost most of its leaves over the winter. Now that spring has sprung (80° high today), the tree is showing a few little (¾ inch) flowers and some new foliage. Click on the image to enlarge.
We originally bought this bishop’s cap cactus in a three-inch pot here in Arizona back in about 1998. It lived in California and did well there during the years before we retired and brought it back to Arizona. It seemed to like California since it grew into the six-inch pot seen in the image. However, now that it’s here in Arizona, it produces flowers all year long. I took this image today in our courtyard. Click on the image to enlarge.
Today is the first day of spring. Right on cue, we saw this cardinal perched on the power pole across the road on Sunday. He was whistling the cardinal mating call which is considerably more musical than the bird’s normal metallic “chip” sound. We assume this handsome fellow is looking for a mate.
Image: Male cardinal perched calling for a mate. Click on the image to enlarge.
We’re hoping that this cardinal and his mate settle nearby. We had two or more cardinal couples frequenting the area last spring and summer.
We were surprised to see last night’s forecast for possible snow as low as 2500 feet. No snow stuck to the ground here (if any fell at all) but the snow level in the local mountains looks to be as low as 3500 feet. I took this image from the hill behind our house looking north. Click on the image to enlarge.
About a year ago, we had the landscape installed at the house. I wanted to plant some native cacti to compliment the color of the gravel, so we collected some beavertail cacti from the back half of the property and transplanted them to several spots in the front and along the RV drive. Most of them, like the cutting shown in the image have sprouted new paddles.
We’re hoping for some of the brilliant pink flowers to bloom this spring. If they don’t appear on the transplants this year, we’ll give them time since I have a couple of mature beavertails elsewhere in the yard which are likely to produce flowers. Click on the image to enlarge.
I went around the yard today, watering all the flowering plants and vegetables as per my usual routine. I noticed that the creosotes have spring flowers, the mesquites are showing green leaves, my Argentine Giant cactus has a couple of little flower buds and both of our hedgehog cacti also have dozens of little flower buds.
Other than the creosote, none of those are in bloom yet. But, this lovely bunch of daffodils that I bought at the supermarket yesterday is going spring-happy. Click on the image to enlarge.
