April 6, 2011

In velvet

After suffering the cold of the decade, we are getting back into some activities. Apparently being among people on vacation is not conducive to our health. Not that it's going to stop us.


To test our lungs, we went on our little "outback" hike. It takes us by a beautiful ocotillo; I would like to know how old this plant is. In spite of our dry winter it is putting out leaves, which makes it look as if it's in velvet. Red flower spikes, the delight of every hummingbird, will probably be added next month. It takes little moisture, and only 72 hours, for the ocotillo to leaf out, but when it's dry it just shows bare stalks.


We are due for a storm to pass through over the next couple of days, and I hope there will be some moisture in it as our desert is very dry. Nonetheless, plants do thrive here and set leaf or bud, like this prickly pear.

We survived our outing well, and I think I am going to kick it up a notch tomorrow.

April 5, 2011

MY place!


With spring in apparent full swing, many animals, aside from us, are calling the WD home. The orioles have moved in, and there are numerous (nest) building projects going on all around. Coyote pairs come by on their daily route for water, and leave their card ... We relish all this company.

April 3, 2011

It's ... Magic!

It is probably old hat to anyone younger than I, but I have fallen into the magic of the Kindle. I am a cautious adopter of new technology, and a staunch opponent of that "leash" or "snag" called a cell phone. I've got one, and I take it whenever I am away from the house for any length of time in case I get into trouble or forgot to leave some important instruction for dinner. So it rarely gets used. Really, it is no wonder the planet is suffering from global warming with all that hot air being released into the air by people who have to let others know that they have arrived at the grocery store.

When Dan started talking about the Kindle, I yeah-yeahed it for awhile, but did not hesitate to put in my order when the one-click-buying began. Now I love it! I took it with me when volunteering at the local endurance ride last week, where my task was to hold cows and calves at bay at a remote gate, and read in between riders about Younger Next Year; not a page blowing away in the wind and without book mark.

My local geek found lots of great, free books here, and there has been no stopping us since. How can one stand at one's computer and have a book appear into your hands, as if by magic! How cool a device this is! It has been especially welcome because I have been suffering this nasty cold for a week, and finally decided to give in and spend some serious time on the couch, reading, trying to get well. This cold is very ill timed as I recently picked up my professionally tuned-up bicycle, and she is hanging in the garage, her wheels aquiver in wanting to get out for a ride. Sometime next week, I hope.