It has been extremely hot, but that hasn't stopped me from taking advantage of the gorgeous Sonoran desert landscape. You are looking at the Saguaro bloom. Here are a couple rules for this summer if you are new to the desert.....
Sunscreen!!! Bring plenty o' water! and hike during the early morning or late afternoon. NEVER....and I mean this from the bottom of my heart.....NEVER hike in the middle of afternoon without water OR during our monsoon season. During the end of the month of June, all of July, August, and first part of September, washes fill up quickly and from out of nowhere. Sadly, every year, human life is lost because of rapid changing weather conditions.
Lightening strikes are common. But there are other things to keep your eyes out for.....like rattlesnakes etc:) They blend in very well with their surroundings.
There is so much to see in the summer. And birding!!! Well, birds are not dumb. You have to get up early just as they do to see them out and about because by afternoon, they will all be hiding in the shade for cooler temps:)
And sometimes, while it's super hot, we forget to look closely at our surroundings and miss out on all the truly spectacular things hiding......like this Momma Thrasher in her nest within a cholla cactus:)
This post is a reminder for all to get up early and enjoy Mother Nature. I began this photo shoot at 6 AM:) And I had to get my birding in for the day:)!!! Stay out of the heat!!! Arizonans have more skin cancer issues than in the other 49 states. Water plants early morning or late afternoon. Conserve:) Our desert sun is magnificent...and brutal. More tomorrow...
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When I took the Swedish family there to Tucson one late June day four years ago, we went to the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum. What amazed me & the family was the massive amouts of birdlife in that desert and not just around the museum. Far more than a Swedish or any other E.U. Industrial mismanaged forest system could ever hope to have.
ReplyDeleteSerious! - stay tuned!!!
For so many years, I've thought Sweden to be an example for people to follow in management area. It sounds like they haven't really done much to protect their natural environment. We had a HUGE Kingsnake come to my garden the other day. That was a little shocking!!! Right in the center of town! Yikes!
DeleteThere are quite a few things about Sweden and Scandinavia that most folks don't know, but I promised my wife I wouldn't write about them on my blog.
DeleteOkay, but she doesn't know I write to you.
The country is anything but neutral and peace loving. It's history like most countries has a shameful history, but like most countires it spends alot of time spinning a P.R. campaign to clean up it's image.
It was never neutral during the WWII. It allowed German Troop and Supply trains to run the length of the country to supply northern occupied Norway. It's King loan Berlin millions of Dollars in 1941 as discovered government documents uncovered recently. He favoured the Nazi Blonde Hair Blue eyed propaganda. Though they never officially entered the war, they unofficially encouraged 10s of 1000s of Swedish men to join the Finnish Armies to fight against the Soviet Union in Operation Barbarosa. Numerous Swedes enlisted into the German Waffen SS - becoming part of the notorious "Viking Division", in fact they even have a War Veterans website memorializing them with photos, names, origins, etc.
Today Sweden is the 7th largest manufacturer of weapons and other munnitions across the globe. It's their biggest GNP money maker and you thought it was Volvo, Ericsson, Nokia etc etc etc. Their biggest contract customer is the United States of America. All those smart missile bombs GPS pin pointing dead on targets from un-manned Drones - all Swedish. The Swedish Government were just recently exposed for building a weapons manufacturing plant down in Saudi Arabia.
They are obsessed with taxation and feeing their citizens to death. Kill your wife and you may get 5 or 6 years in prison. Cheat on taxes and you'll get 15-20 years.
Indoctrination into the Progressive Secular mindset is manditory. I took what is called SFI (Swedish For Immigrants) government Sponsored courses. Part of the course is learning Swedish ways of doing things and how to view the world. There are large populations of Muslim immigrants here. Now I don't like alot of things and beliefs about the Islamic way of life either, but they try and break down their and other immigrants from 3rd world countries who have traditional family structure cultural understanding of family life by showing movies with pornography in the content. Explaining how two people Shacking together having a Sambo (Swede word for unmarried partner) and having children is just another type of normal family without marriage commitment. Actually this very common family here. My brother-in-law has one of those familes where he fathered a child by another woman separate from his long time girl friend he lives with. They teach that a person who wants to own his/her own business is by nature selfish and more tax should be demanded of them. I have one Swedish friend who practically works 7 days a week and struggles each month at his cleaning business just to pay his share of 70% income tax. I've heard there are clever ways around that where you only have to pay 57%. Still!!! - eyes rolling.
I could go on but I'm suddenly getting irritated all over again. Just be thankful of where you are living. This whole obsessed E.U. Socialism is crumbling all around the continent over here. People don't understand you just can't provide silver spoon benefits without it costing massive amounts of money which cannot just be printed.
Now that your encouraged, I'll take my leave - *smile*
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Never seen this before.....great pictures !
ReplyDeletegreetings, Joop
Your Saguaro blooms are beautiful. A birder could easily miss the thrasher on the nest, momma looks barely visible. Great sighting!
ReplyDeleteI do most of my birding and walks early in the morning. It can be pretty hot and humid here in the summer months. Have a great day!
Absolutely gorgeous photos Chris :) The Saguaro bloom is stunning and I love the Thrasher's nest hidden away in the Cholla cactus. Wonderful post!
ReplyDeleteKreesh, that is a spectacular bloom, and a lot more follows. This is my first time to see it in blogs, what is its diameter at that blooming stage? I haven't seen a blooming dessert, i've just seen one in Dubai but i only saw one plant there, but not a cactus.
ReplyDeleteThe blooms are larger and in clusters. They feed our native peoples here as well as several as a birds and bees. There is a Mourning Dove that loves the Saguaro flowers and it's common to see them above this HUGE cactus having a little lunch:) Flowers are about 3 inches around.
Deletelove those blooms! so pretty!
ReplyDeleteThose blossoms are beautiful! I giggled at the turtles...all lined up and ready to go!
ReplyDeleteHello! Wonderful photos! I have not seen before it.
ReplyDeleteMarvelous shots Chris! Stay cool out there.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful blooms and photos, I've never been in the desert at the right time to see the saguaro bloom. It's awesome!
ReplyDeleteThat thrasher is a master at blending. We recently spotted a pair here. They must like the stand of native cactus we left in the backyard.
I see why you love the desert
ReplyDeleteso much bird life
LOVE those turtles
and the tHRASHER HIDING
DID YOU SAY KING SNAKE?
Great advice and awesome morning desert shots. Good thing I'm not in the extreme heat part of AZ as I'm not the best morning person.
ReplyDeleteGreat captures of the beautiful saguaro flowers and bees. Mama Thrasher is smart to nestle in the cactus to escape the heat of the day.
ReplyDeletecheers
Odważna jesteś, że tam poszłaś i zrobiłaś zdjęcia niesamowitych kwiatów. Ja na samą myśl o grzechotniku dostaję gęsiej skórki ze strachu. Pozdrawiam.
ReplyDeleteBrave you are, that you went there and did amazing photos of flowers. I find the idea of a rattlesnake get goose bumps of fear. Yours.
Hi Chris, I love Arizona --and visiting there, but couldn't live in that heat, especially in the summer. As much as I love outdoors, I'd really struggle with the heat.
ReplyDeleteWe live 2000 feet up in elevation --so our temps here are usually 5+ degrees cooler than Knoxville or Nashville... We seldom use AC (only when it gets totally unbearable) ---and love being outside as much as possible...
AND--since we are retired, we don't get up THAT early... We usually get up about 7 a.m. or 7:30... Lazy slobs!!!! ha ha
Sounds like you are going to have a great summer planned... Let's keep on birding!!!
Betsy
Great photos and excellent advice for living in any hot tropical area. The saguaro flower is beautiful - I have read about it but never seen it - and the bird on the nest is amazing.
ReplyDeleteAll good advice. I'm beginning to feel the heat after my nice weekend in Strawberry.
ReplyDeleteWelcome back stranger. Strawberry sounds wonderful.....especially during our 100+ temps!
DeleteIt is raining this morning here. It's wonderful! I hope you will have some rain soon. Btw that bloom is extraordinary! And looks like a plastic flower hehe...
ReplyDeleteI am amazed that no one has suggested that the beautiful Saguaro bloom looks like a gigantic meringue!! Maybe it is just my strange imagination ;-)
ReplyDeleteI love those Turtles!
Excellent!!! Love the turtles!
ReplyDelete55 deg here. Go figure? It was 98 on Sunday, never got over 60 today. I guess I'm not going to be growing any cactus.