Target Practice

We went shooting. Killed acorn squash. Fun was had by all. Beautiful sunset.

Quote of the day to those who live among the living

Every one of us is called upon, probably many times, to start a new life. A frightening diagnosis, a marriage, a move, loss of a job or a limb or a loved one, a graduation, bringing a new baby home: it's impossible to think at first how this all will be possible. Eventually what moves it all forward is the subterranean ebb and flow of being alive among the living.
from Barbara Kingsolver "High Tide in Tucson"

High Tide in Tucson

New blossoms in the rain!

Pre-rainstorm cholla and bird nest. What a brave little critter!

Life will out!

June is the cruelest month in Arizona, especially when it lasts til the end of July. This is the waiting for the monsoon month. And even when the June monsoon doesn't arrive until August and lasts into September it is worth the wait.

A couple of weeks ago we drove up behind Mt Hopkins. Everything was thirsty. The road was dusty and finally just gave way to intermittent faint tracks through the cactus. But up behind the mountain we got just the lightest sprinkling of rain, and on the way back down the dusty, gray-green cholla had burst into bloom. That's the desert for you.

Take what you can get and use it with exuberance!!

Swine Flu ground zero

I added a new blog to my list for one reason only: So that you could look at Ash's photo of swine flu, ground zero. It is an incredible and shocking photo of the birthplace of swine flu. All pigs beware!

Rain is falling all around

on the rooftops, on the ground.
Boy, is it ever raining,
and am I ever glad we decided to redo the roof even though the monsoon was over!

Eye of the Storm

or should it be I of the storm???

I stood outside as the storm clouds gathered, as it grew progressively darker, and as rain began to fall. I wanted a picture of the lightning. Not too much luck. Though the lightning did manage to shut down the power. This is Jimena's tail pushing up and around from Baja California. We should have more stormy weather today and tomorrow.

What's with California? Why won't the rain go straight up your way and put out the fires??!