Desert dreaming

Front door greeting from a budding Redflowering yucca, aka Hummingbird yucca which, it turns out, is actually not a yucca at all but Hesperaloe parviflora. A Chihauhauan desert native.

Opuntia mother love

Bouquet from the desert for Mother's Day

The buzz about chilopsos linearis

I discover that desert willow (chilopsis linearis) is coming into fragrant bloom, brilliant pink against the wrap around enamel blue tin drum desert sky.

Bees and other buzzy insect are very happy.

Home

Sun setting behind the mountain with flowering cactus, feels like home

Duck delirium

An intense rain and hail storm converts the neighbor's courtyard into a brief, duck-delirium-inducing puddle. 

Bigger question is: what constitutes appropriate pets for an apartment? 

Most days these happy quackers don't get much water play

Treasure huntin'

Scored at a Durango yard sale: heavy wood with beaten tin overlay design. 

Rajasthan? There's a definite Rajasthani feel in the shaping of the armrest detail. Reminds me of the wooden "horses" over entrances in the desert citadel houses, which pull the carriage of the home forward into auspiciousness.

Seller had no idea of origins. Fits perfectly in Red Pony.

Darwin award: the price of sauerkraut

Some people should not be given access to the opposable thumbs enhancement combined with sharp knife privileges. 

Fortunately no stitches necessary, but lots of blood. Not what a vegan wants to see on her food chopping board

Mayday

Celebrated May Day by labouring to create a new jar of sauerkraut fermenting.

April 30 - Back Forty begins all over again

On the last day of the month, I tilled about one third of the Back Forty. 

It was hard work because the rototiller kept clogging but the soil, though still clammy sticky , is looking better than last year already. 

I am thinking there are still around 4 weeks before planting on the next waxing moon. 

What is already showing is plenty of self sown arugula, cilantro and calendula. Hoping for basil, corn, zinnias and marigolds in this space, this season.

Mellow drama

Yes there are rainbows in the desert.

A squally storm at sunset makes for lovely drama. 

The new apartment, with upstairs rooms, means ringside seat on the sky show.

Buddha Purnima

Vesakha (Buddha Purnima) greetings! 

Rely on the teachings, not on the person
Rely on the meaning, not on the words
Rely on the real life, not on the dreams
Rely on the wisdom, not on the mind inside