Turtle Tales

This was taken Sunday at the Desert Botanicl Garden--Last month the fruits were a purple color, and they've darkened to an almost maroon red. I love this color the best. Some people burn off the glochids on the fruits and feed them to their pet turtles. Maybe I should try that sometime!


Turr Tull is not eating. This time of the year he spends his time looking for a mate. He won't take the time to eat or sleep! He roams the property day and night. He bangs his shell on the side of the house--always at the same place. He scratches on the back door--and if I let him in he will search through the whole house. I am up most of the night and Turr Tull can't sleep either. Once we brought home a mate for him but Turr Tull hated her! They would hiss and bite each other on the neck. They fought and chased each other for two days. We finally separated them and found a home for the new one.

We tried once more and brought home another one-- made sure it was female, but she didn't want him either. Maybe it is just the way they court each other, but he was too aggressive. She spent the whole time trying to get away from him! I feel sorry for him this time of the year. I know he needs to be in the wild, but after being in captivity all these years, he will never be able to survive on his own. He does have a pretty easy life though--He sleeps all winter and has food and water delivered to him each day!

In about 10 days he will start eating non-stop! We are alike. I also eat non-stop this time of the year--gotta store up for winter where my days are spent on the patio swing, looking at all my flowers and watching the world go by.

Pups and Politics

The blue agave pups should have been dug and and transplanted by now....but it's been so darn hot. The older and bigger they get, the harder it is to dig them up. Almost all the pups will take when transplanted, so sometimes some of them have to go into the garbage. These things get really huge in a few years, and my front landscape is not that big.

The blue elf aloe is doing very well out of the hot summer sun! It has been in the original container for a couple years just because I never could decide where to plant it. I guess I will get a beautiful pot, transplant it and then leave it where it sits now!

Red Yucca is still hanging in there. It will send up another set of stalks before the end of the year.

Right on time, the fishhook barrel cactus flowers have opened. This happens every year at this time.

This has been one long hot summer! It is still hot--110 degrees yesterday and will be again today. The air is so hot it hurts to breathe. This summer has had me housebound and addicted to TV! The only thing on is Biden and how much whose house costs what and who has the most houses, and who paid for whose house, and who is richer, and who relates to Joe Lunch Box the best, and who is yadda yadda yadda, over and over and over again!!!! I just don't need to know anything else about any of them. I made up my mind months ago when the presumptive nominees were decided. I finally had to just turn it off and get out of the house. I will be glad when the whole political circus is over, unless of course, the wrong candidate gets in. I won't say who that is, in my view.

I will be going to the Cactus and Succulent meeting today--I'm sure this will get all the political BS out of my mind! Just a touch of cool weather will cure the TV addiction--in fact, it will take care off all my ills! Too bad something that simple wouldn't cure our nations ills--whatever you think they may be!

Dead Daisies and Eggs

The daisies could not take the heat any longer! The plant was fairly large and has been in the ground for about two years.

I have stared preparing the flower beds for fall plantings and just finished pulling out the fried daisy plant. I was surprised to see these eight eggs underneath. I screamed dropped the plant and ran! All I could think of were snakes!! After I ran into the safety of the house and caught my breath, I felt pretty stupid. After all, I'm big strong farm girl, for heavens sake! So I waited till my husband came home to go back out and take another look. He seems to think they are a little large to be bird eggs. But then again, we are both "egg-norant" and don't know anything about eggs except chicken eggs. I would certainly have noticed had a chicken been in my garden! The only other bigger birds that come around here are coots, but they leave in the spring. Unless they layed the eggs at night, I'm sure I would have seen them.

Two were intact and six were cracked opened.

My planter is about 4 feet high and I'm not sure if a bird would nest here. I am not sure what they could be and I'm asking for help identifying the eggs. Maybe quail? They are about the size of dove eggs, maybe a tad larger with dark brown spots. The plant was at the edge near the light fixture. Some were under the soil, the cracked ones were just lying on top of the soil. I'm not sure if or what kinds of ?birds lay that many eggs

Sunrise and Stuff!

I just had to get out of bed this morning to take a photo of this beautiful sunrise! This has to be the beginning of a wonderful day!!!!! It even overrides the shock from the estimate for the slab of granite that has to be replaced in my kitchen! I have a vertical crack that has been repaired and has since grown and spread apart! They are not sure why this happened, as no one has ever stood on it or damaged it in any way. This is an unusual occurrence, but with it being a natural stone, it could have had a fissure deep inside. Of course, it is out of warranty (now 5 years) but they will give me a discount on the replacement. The granite is dark and if they can find a good match I won't have to replace the island as well. We will see!

I spent most of yesterday assembling wedding invitations for my grand daughter's upcoming wedding. This is no easy task for me as I am uncoordinated and can't really line things up without the help of a ruler. Finally, I called another grand daughter over to help me. After watching me spill all the little jewels, ruin a page of glue dots and place the inserts in the wrong pockets , she ask me to just sit and talk to her while she worked on them. Of course, this was what I was waiting for all along! I hate sitting for very long and I hate details--I am the wrong person to ask to do this kind of job!

My orange jubilee that turned yellow is now turning back to orange! My primary goal for today is to be happy! This should be easy--after the wonderful sunrise and a good cup of coffee filled with half & half , and my ability to filter and censor negative thoughts, all add up to a great day.

Back in the Saddle Again

I just got home from a wonderful time, house and dog sitting for a friend in the cool country of Arizona. Every day, the clouds came rolling in and it rained. The wash behind the house would quickly fill with with two feet of rushing water. As quickly as it came, the water would drain off. After the rain, the trees surrounding the wash and house were alive with birds sounds.



Only one humming bird came the whole time to enjoy the nectar from the feeder hanging from the patio. I loved the cool air, which allowed me to spend most of my day on the patio.

I was hoping to see the abundant wildlife that come and go along the wash. But I only saw a few bunnies running around. I did miss the scent of the desert after the rains, but the pine-cedar smell was almost as wonderful! I would like to have a summer home in that area. The best of both worlds, and all in the same State.

These two love birds (mourning doves) would be sitting on the decorative cart every morning. I would enjoy all my meals on the patio and watch the world going by.

Shelby is the sweetest dog in the world! She is almost blind and deaf . She takes a walk every day, never messes in the house, doesn't get on the furniture and doesn't bark! She eats only healthy natural meals, vitamins and snacks- I think that is why she is in such good shape for 19 years old!! It was a pleasure to take care of her.

Now that I'm "back in the saddle" so to speak, I hope my time in the cool country has inspired me to get ready for fall planting, one the best times of the year in the low desert.