More Snakes

I was just met by this baby rattler upon opening the studio door. I guess it was as startled as I was. Had to yell for Bob to come with the snake tongs and take it away in a bucket. I read recently in some science journal that a study of relocated vipers showed most of them died within a year when removed from their home territory, so I'm not sure it wouldn't be better to just dispatch them right away. But we feel like they are getting a chance to survive. If not, some roadrunner or other snake eating critter makes out. I always worry about the dogs running into one of these things when they go out at night. Now I'm back to wearing my hot snake boots in the yard....

Snake Season

We're seeing rattlers almost daily now. The one day walking without camera I spotted a speckled rattler swallowing a bird that I believe was a quail! The diamondback below was from last night. 

Western Diamondback

Vertical pupil

Cat's claw acacia

Unexpected Color

The Gilded Flickers were here today feeding on insects in the mesquite trees, and here is a Common Side-Blotched Lizard, a male with turquoise spots.

Nearing 100 degrees

Staying cool today and trying some slip painting. If I don't like what comes out of the bisque I can always glaze over it.

Pansy purple and violet

Opposites

Yellow and blue

Four flowers open!

Clay Day

It's conenose bug season and I've already suffered multiple bites. One eye swelled up like Romana's sign so I was off to see a doctor. Got some blood tests for Chaga's exposure (it isn't common but recent studies in Tuscon showed 40% of conenose bugs collected there had the Chaga's parasite - Trypanosoma cruzi). There is no good way to get rid of the parasite that causes the disease so I hope I'm not exposed.

Back to white clay and making some functional pieces.

Red barrel cactus flower

Snake Wrangler

First snake of the season in the yard. Bob is getting pretty good at picking them up with the snake tongs and putting them in a bucket for transport to anywhere but here. No pictures unfortunately. My camera was on the blink, not recognizing the memory card. Thank goodness for the internet. I found a simple DIY fix online and we're back in the picture business. Anyway, time for me to put on the snake boots.

Tux is eating well but not putting on weight with any speed. Look at the bones sticking out on the poor dog.

Skinny girl

Wowie!

I sure hope these cactus survive.

Tux's Weight

She's 51 pounds. Down four pounds since March. She may just waste away despite having started eating again. Poor dog.

Disappearing: Rusty Blackbirds

Rusty blackbirds are mysteriously disappearing from North America. These songbirds – cousins to meadowlarks and orioles – were described as “traveling in great noisy flocks” and “enormous numbers” just a few decades ago. Today their decline is now estimated at between 90 and 99 percent, the steepest decline of any songbird in North America.   Link to story.

Snake Walk

I've been wondering when they'd be out and we ran into two this evening.

Cat's claw blooming profusely 

Diamondback

Sidewinder

Clay

There's a potters' saying that you have to throw a thousand bowls to become a master, or something like that. I'm working on throwing a thousand bottles (most of them I throw into the pool).... only 985 to go! Anyway, here are some things I've been working on. Clay is Sedona Red. Love the toasty color when it's fired.

Cactus Flowers

These are my new cactus, still putting out flowers, and the fruit is ripening.

Big fruit ripening on the left

Half eaten fruit, revealing the seedy interior.

Found this Wilson's warbler in the yard this morning. RIP.

Cholla cactus have very interesting flowers. The top two pictures are silver cholla. The flowers are sort of orangey-yellow with red tips and veining.

 The teddy bear cholla has a green flower with a bit of russet on the tips. 

Teddy bear cholla bud

Teddy bear cholla flower

Red Barrel Cactus

No tortoise this morning but I did see a red Barrel cactus blooming. This is the first one I've seen with flowers! 

Critters in the Heat

Temperature approached 100 today. Saw a tortoise this morning... me without camera of course. Will be better prepared tomorrow, just in case...

This evening: sheep, safe up high on the cliff faces; burros hanging out in my shady canyon; and the perennial coyote melon returns!

Handsome burro following us

Cucurbita palmata

Blurry sheep

Birds

Yellow warblers are in the mesquite trees today. Spotted a quick flash of what looked like a Townsend's, possibly a yellow-rumped, a few days ago. Also currently on the bird list: Thrashers, cactus wrens, vultures, flycatchers, flickers, Gamble's Quail, and hummers.

The Pool Garden Grows

Yesterday I planted a pink oleander variety that will get pretty big, and a couple of Red Yucca (Hesperaloe parvifolia), in the Agave family, that the hummingbirds will appreciate.

Yesterday

Today

Caging saved the big yellow cactus flower that is in full bloom today. It looks like we'll be getting more spectacular flowers if I can keep these three cactus caged.

Saved!