Puppy and Cat

Look at this face!

He was a cutie pie we met at the park one day

And a beautiful cat lounging around in Tubac when we were there. He reminds me of Morris.

Joining in today with Camera Critters, Misty's good animal meme, and Saturday's Critters, Eileen's fun animal meme...visit them both!

Sabino Canyon, part II and Saguaro Series, part I

These are additional photos of Sabino Canyon, including some saguaro cactus photos taken there.  This will begin a two part series about saguaros. I have promised some photos of that amazing majestic plant for some time, and am happy to do so now, and give you some pertinent info about the cactus as I do.  First the rest of my Sabino Canyon shots:

Cottonwood trees.

It's a beautiful canyon.  I was glad we were there when there was water in the wash from the earlier monsoons. 

These are some of the saguaros we saw in the Canyon.  Note the unusual formation on one...it is called a crested saguaro (caused by a genetic mutation in the plant) and is sacred to the Native peoples here.

The cactus grow to as much as 40-60 feet tall, and can weigh 3200 to 4800 pounds when they are fully hydrated by the summer monsoons.  They live for 150 to 200 years.  They bloom in May & June and produce red fruit that is traditionally harvested by the Tohono O'Odham people using long poles.

The Tohono O'Odham have always made a fermented drink from some of the fruit which was given during the rain ceremony to insure the abundance of the monsoon rains.

Dying Barn in North Carolina

These are not my photos, but photos taken by my daughter.  She gave me permission to share them. I am linking up to Roan's Rubbish Tuesday and to Amy's Barn Collective with this post.  (Sorry I'm a little late linking in to Barn Collective...had the wrong day!)  When I drove by there a couple of years after these shots were taken, the barn was nearly flat.  I was glad she captured the images when she did.

Sabino Canyon, part I

We decided to do the tram tour of Sabino Canyon recently and it was excellent!  We hoped we'd see some birds or wildlife but that doesn't happen from the tram so I wasn't surprised too much.  The scenery was great though.  Sabino Canyon is a really gorgeous spot in North Tucson.  I do present two bird photos here, as book-ends (the first and last shot) to this post for Bird d'Pot and Wild Bird Wednesday!  Check those memes out for some amazing bird photos from around the world!

A cactus wren I saw while waiting for the tram.  He is perched on an ocotillo cactus branch.

The water found in the canyon is from monsoon season run-off and is not an actual creek.

The highest point in the Canyon.

Do you see the tiny people having fun in the water?

A hugely zoomed in shot of a lone saguaro on top of this ridge.

Need some help here, Chris! :-)...I think this MIGHT be a Costas!  If it is, it's my first Costas hummingbird in the wild (only have seen one at the Sanoran Desert Museum)

Early November Flowers & Views, Tucson

Miniature rose

Joining in with Today's Flowers.....

Hibiscus

My plumeria

A surprising gardenia at the V.A. clinic

A child's birthday party next door