Tarantulas are...

So here we are on the patio last night enjoying Santa Maria-style Tritip with our OV friends in a balmy 82 degree weather when Jill announced that she saw something moving out of the corner of her eye.  The full moon had just come up over the Catalina Mountains providing us with a beautiful backdrop. It was the night of the "Super Moon", when the moon is 1 of the 3 times this year when it is closest to the earth, so it looks a lot larger.  We all turned to see a very big tarantula moving across the patio.  Ron and Jon tried to steer it away from the house and door because the pest control spraying was just done, and we didn't want it to get in the poison.  Boy can those big arachnoids move quickly!!!  No time for a picture this year.  You'll just have to look at last pic in my blog. 

And our big excitement the night before was going to Tohono Chul Park in the dark with our flashlights.  This was after our dinner in Catalina at Mi Tierra -- Valentina's favorite place!  The park had been advertising that "The Queen is coming!" for about 3 weeks.  There is one particular cactus that blooms only for 1 night a year.  They track the pre-bloom phases and put out email blasts about the expected day it will bloom, Then on the actual day, they post it again.  It was even on the News! 
This year there were enough that they had some blooming for 2 nights.  So off we went, in our closed-toe shoes and our flashlights and cameras.  We got there around 8pm.  There were soo many cars and people--- they were parked for blocks around the park, and lined up in a long queue!  We had no idea there would be this many people.  It was like the end of the movie "Field of Dreams" where all the cars were coming to the ballpark lined for miles at night.  Here is a pic of one of the 300 of them that they had fenced all around the park, the paths lit up with luminarias.  It was a sight to see for sure.!  Without the blooms, they just look sticks.  And they have a beautiful subtle aroma. 

 

Meanwhile along the Rancho Vistoso Blvd. median and street corners, there is another plethora of cacti blooms. This is the main street that loops through Rancho Vistoso -- our part of Oro Valley;  it leads  to our development.  Since the Monsoon has brought us some rain, the blooms are on parade again. They are all colors, and even more blooms on one plant than in April.    Most are different colors of red and  pink in many different shades.  And some are white and yellow.  Here is a sample. 

 

Driving down the boulevard it is hard to watch the road and observe the bloomin' cactus and watch out for the many bicyclists at the same time.  I had to stop for this one this morning. 

 

So, watch out for tarantulas y'all; it is the beginning of their mating season when the males are out -- in spite of all risks and danger -- in search of a willing date. 

Signing off for now,  Peju of the Desert

 

 

Horny little thing!

Well I hope I won't get censored by that title.  It is just about a little Horned Lizard!  It is also called a "horny toad", and inhabits the Sonoran Desert and other places as well..  This one was  next to our saguaro next to the garage.  They eat big black and red ants -- which is good, as they are numerous underneath the birdfeeder outside my window.  Paul, our Insect Eradicator, is the one who saw it, and is holding it for my picture.  He grew up in Santa Maria, Ca. where he used to catch them as a kid.  This is where Ron grew up also, and he also used to catch them as a kid.  Small world When they get really frightened and feel the need to protect themselves they squirt blood out of their eyes.  Yes, that would do it! 

Well several of you have asked if I have seen Wylie lately, and it was several months since he last pranced through here in front of my window.  That is until just now.  He just passed through  -- on a mission.  He came across between my labyrinth and the driveway, and kept on going alongside the driveway.  He is bigger, I must say!!  Unlike that scrawny bobcat from 2 days ago.  The roadrunner came by again last night again.  I think he forgot he already had both courses of dinner the day before. 

Soon it will be time to write about the Nopals of the prickly pear cacti, as they are ripening now.  Signing off for now, Peju of the Desert

It's WILD alright!!

Oh dear me!!  I didn't get to tell you that I almost stepped on a diamondback rattle snake a while back.  Ron and I were just going out for a walk, and at the foot of our driveway by our mailbox he put his arm out and stopped me. My next step would have been on the snake.  I was looking for Wylie up ahead since the last time I say him was up ahead a block.  Well, I tell everybody to look down, but was I doing that??  NO!!  I screamed bloody murder 3 times as loud as I could, and jumped up and down.  I don't know who was more scared --- me or the snake!! It rattled and slithered off the road , but toward our pool!  Now I always look for it!!
And now just after telling everyone about my latest blog, I have more news.  This is the Oh dear me! part. As I was sitting here today checking my email, first I see a Roadrunner go past my window with something in it's mouth.  It ate it, and later I saw the rest of what it had, a baby bird, most likely a quail or dove.  Then it kept looking at me through the window and finally walked away.

 

Then as I added other names to the Blog list a bobcat walked right past my window with a bunny in its mouth.  It walked around and under my other window with a screen on it, and stopped for dinner.

 

 

 

 

You know how you don't want to see something, but then you go and look anyway??  That's how this is.  I peeked around the desk to look out, and yes,  I don't want to see that! 
Then that roadrunner came back for the rest of the birdie.  Same thing.  I didn't want to look, but took a picture any way. It didn't come out very good.  Lucky for you!!  EEEUUU!!!
It's WILD alright!!!  OMG! 
So, if you just pulled this one up, take a look at the one posted just prior to this one.  It's much tamer.  I apologize if anyone gets sick from this blog. 
Signing off, and hope there's no more of this kind of dinner action under my Window on the World!
Peju of the Desert

 

Lots of cactus activity!

Since I have been away to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN to be a caregiver for my brother Steve who had a liver transplant on May 19.  This was a huge medical feat!  He had to stay in Rochester for 4 weeks after transplant and go to Clinic 2-4 times a week.  Our cousin and wife, Don and Mary, welcomed us as part of their extended family during the stay, including Steve's dear dog!  This is him and me the following week at a street fair, and with more cousins in suburb of Minneapolis.     

Our sister went for 2 weeks after I was there a bit over 2 weeks.  He is doing very well back home in Clear Lake, Iowa; and just got medical clearance to go back to work. 

Well I digress...The morning I left I had to chase away the javelinas from the cactus next to the driveway.  Usually they don't hear well or scare easily, but I let out a couple yips ... the kind that cowboys yell on a cattle roundup!  I learned this from watching John Wayne and Little Joe.  That scared them all right.  They went across the driveway and stopped, waiting for the rest of their herd -- which was a couple little babies.  They were actually cute!!  But you should also know, that when the javelinas have their babies with them they are very protective... and dangerous to others.  I did not get a picture as I just wanted them out of here!  The neighbor just behind us took this pic of several of them under her birdbath. They just make themselves at home. 

Before my medical sabbatical the Tucson cacti were in full glory.  I took so many pictures of them, as they are so beautiful and different.  It was as if they were each fashionistas vying for top place in the Best of Show! 

June was a bumper crop of flowers for the local Saguaros.  They had way more this year than in previous years...their way of propagating themselves. 

After they flower -- for only 1 day!--the green fruit ripens and bursts open enticing birds of all types to partake.  And they drop to the ground providing a meal for the local inhabitants...bunnies, ground squirrels, desert tortoise, quail, cardinals, curve-billed thrasher, gila woodpecker, cactus wren, greater roadrunner, and those are just the ones I have seen.  At night the bats also feed on them, but that is after I go to sleep.  Also the larger animals also eat the fruit and disperse the seeds...nature's way of propagating the saguaros, and other cacti as well.  The little black seeds inside are in a red syrup which is sweet.  When they are all opening the aroma is wonderful                                  

               

                             
                                                                           
I have to leave now,  and hopefully we get ahead of a Haboob as we drive up to Phoenix to fly to Bay Area for the 4th of July weekend.  This Haboob warning is for I 10 from 2:00pm till 8pm today.  We are leaving at 1:00!  and going on I 10 -- of course.  This all from our Monsoon beginning -- today!!  So wish us luck and safe passage to Valentinaland! 
Till next time,  Peju of the Desert