First Roses of Spring

First rose of summer

A Black Magic tea rose

"Enjoy me", she says

"Living Easy" she says

This rose of coral hue

What beauty she brings to me and you

And now there are four little finches

---all in my Christmas Wreath.

Left up too long.

Second year in a row.

My new Christmas and Spring tradition.

Had five eggs, I believe.

Now I see four chicks.

I choose to believe that there is one in the back

and not that one didn't make it.

Empty Bowls

The best fund raiser in the Santa Cruz Valley is the Green Valley Assistance Empty Bowls held annually.

Always held at the Valley Presbyterian Church, people line up early to join in the activity.

For a $10 donation they will choose a bowl from many that are displayed. These bowls are made and donated by local artisans.

Once a bowl is selected, they will line up to choose a bowl of soup from a wide variety that are donated by local restaurants.

Raffle tickets are sold by young people to raise money for the

Green Valley Food Bank.

Many were lucky to win very nice gifts, also donated by local merchants.

Gulliver gets his own billboard

Gulliver continues to work hard as the mascot for Equine Voices. This is a horse sanctuary in Elephant Head whose mission is to save Pregnant Mare Urine horses as well as others from slaughter. See blogs Sept. 8-12 for details and photos of this equine rescue.

3 very bad bills by Az. Legistature

The Arizona State Legislature continues to produce very bad bills that keep our state near the bottom of all desirable lists.

1. The first one is HCR 2001. This bill will permanently repeal the First Things First program and transfer tobacco tax money designated for early childhood development into general funds. Why must our children suffer for the fiscal mismanagement of our legislature?

2. SB -Concealed Weapons. Will let anyone who can legally have a weapon carry it in their purse, pocket or jacket. That's all we need with Road Rage, Text Rage and drunks in bars.

3.HB2632 - Without a word of debate, the house advanced a series of changes in state law

to combat undocumented immigration. This would require police to take the role of border patrol and immigration in arresting individual without documentation. Whether this is legal or not remains to be seen.

1st Oriole of the season

I saw my first oriole of the season yesterday. A male.

Can't 100% confirm that it was the hooded oriole shown here..

But shape and color were correct.

Probably looking for a palm tree and a mate.

They love nectar from the hummingbird feeders.

Bobcat on the prowl

Spent about 20 minutes watching this fellow this morning on my mid morning walk with canine Jenny. She sat by my side patiently till after 20 min +/-, she suddenly saw the movement of the bobcat and tensed up with a low growl. Did manage to get these photos out of about 20 that I took. How I love that digital camera with a telephoto.

"The Bill is Passed"

Over 100 people demonstrated at the 4 corners of the center of Green Valley. Positive honkers far outweighed the thumbs down and middle fingers up. However the polarization of the country over health care reform is beyond belief to this individual.

Spring wild flowers

#1 Sand verbena

#2 Penstemon

#3 California poppy

#4 brittle bush

#5 Globe mallow

Hatching of Finches

Hatching of finches from Christmas wreath, second consecutive year.

Tubac's Spring Flower Pots

Hoodoo's & Grottos of the Chiricahuas

The Chiricahuas are a sky island near the New Mexico border in southern Arizona. Sky Islands rise abruptly from the desert floor. The upright rock formations of the Chiricahuas are called "Hoodoos". One can use your imagination and call them whatever your like.

Chiricahua National Monument

First Bloom

Curvedbill thrasher likes that address too.

This bird gets around!