Friday, March 21, 2008

Sun-drenched Desert Places and Critters


It was nice to be perched in Phoenix for a week. Yep. Those toes belong to a Cactus Wren. Listen?



The sun hones and highlights every surface.



Even the water is sun-drenched. (Listen?)



Gambles Quail Listen?



It's a lifer. Black-throated Sparrow Listen?




Blue Phacelia, Scorpion Weed, Wild Heliotrope


Owl Clover (Listen ?) Just kidding. That's a Pygmy Owl call.


If many large mistletoe plants become established on a single host tree it may succumb to the attack and die. Vigorous trees may abort the infected branch, thereby ridding itself of the parasite. But, consider also that berry-feeding birds deposit fertilizing guano.



My little Black-tailed Gnatcatcher Listen?.



It's just a pile of ancient rock, a couple Saguaro cactus and bit of Brittle bush bloom, but dang - that sunshine sure is pretty.
(Very ancient metamorphosed rocks: schist, gneiss, other deformed sedimentary rocks. Approximately 1.7 - 1.8 billion years old! (Precambrian metamorphic units)



How do you feel when you spot another plane from your aluminum tube window? Listen?



Let's take a closer look. Hey! down there! (keep your distance:0)



Headed back to Toledo, I caught this pix of the last sunshine and up-and-down topography we're likely to see in a looonnggg time.



Now you've got to click on this word Fractal! I don't know where the heck we are here. Any ideas?



ANY idea as to what or where this is?



Ruh Roh. Headed back under the clouds.




(kind'a wish I could head down that path) But . . . .
I'm going to start my Spring cleaning. Hopefully, by the time Spring REALLY arrives, I'll feel I've earned the time to run open-armed into its embrace. I'll be checkn' in on you all to follow your bliss as the warmth and song returns.

10 comments:

Mary said...

Cathy,

That photo of the sun drenched fountain is beautiful. I want to tell you that Chloe and Bella enjoyed this post as much as I. The Pygmy Owl call fascinated them! They dropped their rawhides and raised their radar ears every time I played it for them. I laughed so hard!

Your photos are grand. The birds are amazing and so foreign.

A nice getaway, right?

Bonita said...

That one wrinkly photo reminds me of the back of my hand when I'm dehydrated...nice shots, Cathy, and I'm glad you had a chance to get some sunshine in the West.

Cathy said...

Oh Mary!!

Thank you! I can see their sweet radar ears using echo-location. What a cute image - jaws agape in wonder - sticky rawhide dropping onto Mommy's stockinged toes:0D

'Getaway is right. Yous should see the snow outside our windows this AM!

Big Smooch To The Toothsome Twosome. Mom gets a Big Hug :0)



Bonita!

Ahaahhhhaaaaaaahhaa!

Thank you. Thank you.

You are a HOOT!

Now I know why that picture looks so familiar :0D

threecollie said...

Oh, cathy, your pictures are simply breathtaking and wonderful and amazing and there just aren't enough adjectives in vocabulary to describe them!

Cathy said...

Three Collie -

Thank you soooo much. I'll be over to the 'View' to see how your new camera is behaving.

I just came in from outside trying to photograph this last (I HOPE) snow.

Mary C said...

Cathy, I love how you added sound effects to your post. That was great. I'm so glad you had a memorable trip. Arizona is the perfect spot to get away during the "wintery" months. Now if you can only wish away that snow! Happy Easter!

Anonymous said...

Cathy, welcome back and I just love all your photos! Especially the Wren shot! Air Plane flying under your plane? Ugg how scary!

dmmgmfm said...

Wow, like Mary, I love the fountain picture. That is really something. Thanks for sharing and don't work too hard cleaning your house.

Big hugs,
Laurie

Jackie said...

The desert is a fascinating place. Your photo journal is very nice.

Larry said...

I liked the photos but really loved the audio clips-I know its easy but I never figured out how to do just audio. Congratulations on the lifer!