The male is so colorful it's hard to believe he's real. The female is less colorful but with her striking white eyeliner I think she is quite attractive.
The males seem to think so too as she has two of them pursuing her.How do I know it’s Spring?
The neighbors Pink Flamingo is showing off his Spring wardrobe.
The green hills are washed with white popcorn flower.
My garden has begun its succession of Spring bloom.
Perfumed with the heavenly fragrance of the wisteria.
In the open space the sheep have moved on to other pastures. But wait, they left one behind!
No, not one, there is another.
Another sign of Spring. A new born lamb. Not wanting to tire or disturb them during this critical period, the shepherds fenced the ewe and her lamb and left them for a day, allowing them to rest and bond before returning them to the flock.
I had no idea when we moved here that it would be such a “back to nature” experience. Sheep lambing 100 feet from my back door, egrets, pheasants, quail, hawks and songbirds I see or hear every day from my yard. A walk down by the pond and I can see a wide variety of water fowl. Five years here and I still find new things to wonder at!
You can find more worlds at My World Tuesday, hosted for us by Klaus, Sandy, Wren, Fishing Guy and Sylvia.
More shadows can be found at Hey Harriet. Shadow Shot Sunday is hosted by Tracy down in Brisbane.
Morning has broken
Like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken
Like the first bird
Words from poem By Eleanor Farjeon. When I took this photo at sunrise one day, all I could think of was the hymn in my UU hymnal. I’ve been trying to get the blackbirds to cooperate ever since.
See more skies at Skywatch Friday, hosted for us each week by Klaus, Sandy, Wren, Fishing Guy and Sylvia.
Gold finches bathing in my fountain
See more watery sites at Watery Wednesday, hosted for us each week by 2sweetnsaxy.
Another hike in Anza-Borrego is the hike from the campground up Palm Canyon to the oasis.
The trail follows the stream up canyon. There was quite a bit of water in the upper portions. Down stream the thirsty gravel had left only puddles.
There was brittlebush and ocotillo in the lower, drier portions of the trail.
We were a little to early to see this Beavertail in bloom.
This Desert Mallow was blooming though.
There was quite a variety of flowers in the canyon. I think these are Mojave Gold Poppy and Arizona Lupine. There are so many similar varieties that I could easily be mistaken.
Some lovely cascades as we approach the end.
And then the palm oasis. The skirts of old leaves protect the trunk from the harsh summer heat. It was an easy hike except for some places where the trail and bridge had been washed out.
Find more views of the world at My World Tuesday, hosted for us by Klaus, Sandy, Wren, Fishing Guy and Sylvia.
This is a short hike in Anaza-Borrego, short but a bit steep.
Partway up there is a viewpoint for those that don’t want to go all the way.
I saw this beauty along the trail and didn’t see it anywhere else. It took me some time to identify it, Ghost Flower, Mohavea confertiflora.
Near Borrego Springs the vineyards are gone
but these iron farm workers labor on
foreshadowning a future with too little water
and too much heat
You can find more shadows at Hey Harriet, hosted for us by Tracy in Brisbane, Australia.
Reach, praising heaven
giver of rain, giving warmth
blossoms reach for sky
See more skies at Skywatch Friday, hosted for us by Klaus, Sandy, Wren, Fishing Guy, and Sylvia.
Anza-Borrego is one of the lesser known of California’s State parks. It lies in the eastern part of San Diego County extending down to the border with Mexico.
It is, however, well know to enthusiasts of desert wild flowers. I am certainly no botanist or horticulturalist, I can’t always identify the plants I see, but I find it interesting to observe how things grow in the desert.
When I walked through the campground I noticed that there were islands of vegetation. Smaller plants grouped under the larger shrubs and often two or three of the shrubs would be grouped together. The smaller plants seemed to be hiding in the shade of the larger or perhaps the grouping trapped more water.
These are some of the shrubs anchoring the islands.
If someone knows what this plant is I’d love to know, I couldn’t find it in any of my books.
Here are some of the smaller plant living in their shadow.
My World Tuesday Is brought to us each week by Klaus, Sandy, Wren, Fishing Guy and Sylvia.
I haven't left comments the last week as I have been away and off the web.
above still waters
silhouetted against the sky
Cormorant waits
More skies can be found at Sky Watch Friday, hosted fro us by Klaus, Sandy, Wren, Fishing Guy and Sylvia.
