A Sip and A Thought

Mexican Jay

I took a much needed break from birding. On the road.  Off the road.  It felt good to just do laundry, clean the dishes, get a haircut, and do.......absolutely......nothing.  The rule for the weekend?  Stay within a two block radius of the house and see what there was to see.  It turned out to be a fun game.

Bald Eagle-working with some of my photography from when I was in Wisconsin

I have been in a reflective mood lately.  Sometimes I just prefer to write while other times it's all about the pics.  So I write when I feel like it and put the post off until I'm in the photography mood.

Michael Summers' painting in the middle.  The photographs were taken from a photo shoot last year on a post titled Splash!

It has been a time of art and reflection for me.  I am burned out by it all and I realize it's important to take breaks.  So instead I began to watch my garden and my plants.  Work on and enjoy my discoveries this past year. A young artist by the name of Michael Summers contacted me and asked to use my photography for a painting on a Lorikeet photo shoot I did last year.  The theme for that photo shoot was capturing color and water droplets while the bird was taking a bath.  I was excited to see what he'd do with the photos and BAM!  He created a beautiful masterpiece!  Thank you Michael Summers for inspiring me.  Art is very healing and I needed a little magic to perk me up.

Still not complete but almost finished

There is a garden outside that needs tending.  All summer long it was enjoyed from my window.  Early morning, I would feed the birds and just watch as some plants burned to death while others thrived.  I have several cacti and fun plants to finish up my little area but it requires clean up.  Our fountain is finally finished after a lot of work and thought went into plant choices.  The rule?  Only native low growing plants.  Why?  Well obviously less watering, but also to attract more of our local birds and butterflies.  The rocks around the fountain base will allow for lizards to make that area home.  The rocks on top of the fountain will allow small birds to perch and sip from the flowing water.

American Kestrel

We have officially created a bird friendly atmosphere attracting some of the most incredible birds to our space.....Ash-throated Flycatcher, Western Tanager, my nesting Cardinals,  a Nashville and Yellow Warbler, nesting Anna's hummingbirds and so many other birds.

MacGillivray's Warbler on our Argentine Mesquite

Before there was nothing.  Absolutely nothing.  I planted the trees and the shrubs and the cacti....and it took a couple years for it to all establish itself.....but it happened.  And now the homeowners are taking part in this community effort.  One of the homeowners, John, brought the rocks and plants to El Presidio(a big thank you!!).  I am now President so I can oversee it all come together.  And it is.  I am appreciative to the homeowners who have taken an active interest in creating one of the most beautiful living spaces in central Tucson. Next project is the parking lot and then painting....:)

Horse Lubber Grasshopper

My first posts on Las Aventuras are all about gardening and plants.  Officially, I have passed over the reigns of El Presidio landscaping to other homeowners and it feels good.  With all the travel I do now, it was time consuming....and it was time to step down after 5 years of work. I hope they find joy in the work as much as I did.

Wood Duck

Now it's over.  I can sip my coffee on Saturday morning and just....be. Soon I will make another trek elsewhere, but not today.  Today it's all about watching the birds from my window, drinking the coffee, watching movies in my pajamas and of course....doing laundry.

Snow Geese fly with Canadian Geese over my parent's house in Wisconsin