This is a photo I took of a hummingbird that was browsing some of the garden shop flowers a while back. We get dozens of the little birds of all different colors who browse our feeders in the patio. They are so delightful to watch, either looking out the windows or while soaking ourselves in the spa. Click on the image to enlarge.
Damsel and I spent today doing some of the many chores that we have neglected for the past two months. I had a notion to trim the lemon tree by the RV drive, but the wheelbarrow had a flat; I knew about the flat tire, but only remembered it when I needed the wheelbarrow to haul the trimmings to the trash bin. I had a patch kit for the inner tube so I would be able to repair the flat.
But first, Damsel wanted to drain and refill the spa, so I hooked up the hose to the drain spout and got that going. I then attacked the flat tire issue. Lacking tire shop tools, I improvised with a wrench handle to get the tire and tube off the rim. I took the tube and inflated it a bit, immersed it in a tub of water and found the leak. I patched it up and reassembled the wheel. I was so tired after fixing the flat that I abandoned tree trimming for another day.
Damsel finished draining the spa and mopped it out. I then hooked up the hose for her to refill the tub. By the time the spa was filled, I rolled up the hose and started the spa heater. This weekend, we are planning to take a couple of dips now that second spring has arrived. We look forward to that.
The image above is from August 2012. Click on the image to enlarge.
I don’t know the name of this cactus (opuntia family, I think), but it gets these tiny orange flowers from time to time. When the flower is gone, another paddle will begin growing where the flower was. A very interesting cactus. Click on the image to enlarge.
Yesterday, my Mom, Kate, passed from the Earth to her heavenly repose. She was 93½ years old. Ironically, she departed on what would have been my Dad’s and her first husband’s 99th birthday. Damsel and I will miss her charming smile and vibrant personality. Click on the image to enlarge.
These are two of my favorite things; a short-tailed black swallowtail butterfly was browsing on a red bird of paradise (Pride of Barbados) flower today. I quietly approached and got a few shots of the two before the butterfly departed. It was another beautiful day here as Second Spring commenced. Most other places had fall start today, but here, that’s a few weeks away as more flowers are opening and butterflies abound. Click on the image to enlarge.
Actually, the ONLY Chinese food in town.
Last week, we decided to try some of the other restaurants in town instead of patronizing the same one or two. We have a “junk food” day about once a month when we get Mexican enchiladas or Cheeseburgers with fries.
I took Damsel to lunch yesterday at the Sizzling Wok, a Chinese cuisine restaurant less than a half mile from home. The sampler appetizer we ordered was pretty good. The penalty, of course, is the deep-fried goodies are anything but health food. Once a month, we figure, isn’t going to clog our arteries that much. Next time at this restaurant, we might try the Won Ton Soup, or something a bit less fatty. Click on Damsel’s image to enlarge.
Most of the saguaro cacti here have already had their flowers come and gone, but this one cactus at the Community Hospital had three new flowers this week. One bloomed yesterday and today, these two (the last ones) were open. Goodbye to our Arizona State Flower until next spring. Click on the image to enlarge.