The desert shifts toward summer

Swaths of golden grasses have replaced the green that carpeted the desert just two months ago. The top photo is from today's hike in Catalina State Park; the green one below is from February.

We're headed toward "dry" summer, which precedes the late summer monsoon rains here in the Sonoran Desert.

Today I didn't need these stepping stones to cross the wash, unlike two months ago, below,  when I dashed across them to keep my feet dry.

 

But there is still water in the side streams -- enough for these tadpoles to hatch!

This Velvet Mesquite tree put out its own golden glow with long puffy yellow blooms.

The majestic saguaros are just starting to bloom, with little buds on the one above today.

Soon the buds will open into a crown of white flowers before yielding to juicy, seed-laden red fruit that the white winged doves love. I took these two photos a few years ago in June.

 

On today's hike, I spotted a lone Sacred Datura flower in the dry wash! The plant is used in cultural practices by some Native Americans, particularly for its psychoactive qualities. And Georgia O'Keeffe painted them. Here is my photograph ...

... below is one of O'Keeffe's paintings.

As I was waiting for my car's AC to kick in before I headed home I spotted the beautiful purple blooms of a Desert Willow in the parking lot.

This was my 31st hike on my way to 70 this year!

My t-shirt says it all.

Have a colorful day

Colorful nature

The desert continues to bring color to my life! Here I am with Debbie and Beth on my 30th out of 70 hikes for this year. The trees are really leafing out and you can see the blue sky reflected in the stream behind me.

The prickly pear cactus is one of the most common native plants here, and the one above has sprouted glowing yellow flowers.

These next two beauties are hedgehog cacti. I spotted them blooming in my neighborhood a few days ago.

Aren't these pink ones amazing?

On today's walk I spotted a desert willow's beautiful new purple blooms.

Besides flowers, I've been looking at birds. These ones were all in my yard. The one above is a Hooded Oriole and is a much brighter orange in real life.

Hummingbird at a yucca stalk

Desert Cardinal

Gambel's Quail. The male can be identified by his rust colored cap.

And, since it's been awhile since I've published quotes I'm including these two. The first one is how I reassure myself that it's okay to while away the morning sipping coffee outside while watching the birds.

The second one reminds me, when I start to get anxious, to find something to look forward to. This morning was a walk with a friend and her puppy. Tonight will be a free outdoor concert.

Have a colorful day

Spirit dolls, book club and birds

 

I finally got back into the studio the past two days, and it sure felt good! I made two more spirit dolls -- "Garden" and "Deep Forest" -- to take up to Absolutely Art Gallery.

I used some fancy threads that have been languishing for years in my thread bins. The sparkly blue one is WonderFil Dazzle. The doll's hair is silk ribbon that I painted about 10 years ago (!) and the beads are wooden.

I used the variegated Eleganza to embroider a chain stitch around some flower petals and added a little sparkle with beads.

Don't the colors in the Eleganza thread look like the colors in the fruit salad that I brought to book club last night? Here we are before diving into our excellent potluck meal and discussing "The Life Impossible" by Matt Haig, which I loved.

On the nature front, the yuccas in my yard have all sprouted their annual seed stalks, which are well over 10 feet tall. The birds love to perch on them, and the seeds will feed them for quite awhile. We're well into summer here in the desert.

Have a colorful day

The green challenge

Green trunk of a palo verde tree

Palo verde means "green stick"

I decided to photograph shades of green on yesterday's walk because I haven't done anything creative with color lately and because green is my favorite color.  Here's what I found in 20 minutes.

Bright green on a new prickly pear cactus pad

Grey-green on the chunks of cholla cacti, above and next two

 

Tiny leaves on a mesquite tree

Bright green leaves of lantana

Yucca 

Lady slipper

Desert spoon sotol

Leaves on an orange tree, above, and olive tree below

Have a colorful day