Clinging Closely

Cooper's Hawk

Today I made a fascinating discovery in our garden forest.  For the past few days, the birds have disappeared from the landscape and I couldn't figure out why.  The hummingbirds have been chirping up a storm at El Presidio. And then....a squack!!  squack!!  I walk outside and discover two large winged shadows fly over my head and into our live oak trees.  A dead pigeon lies on the ground and a homeowner stands in awe at Mother Nature's bloody show.  I quickly run and get my camera to snap shots of the action and it's all so incredible to watch.  It is cold and breezy in the Old Pueblo.  We had a light rain storm the night before and everything smells fresh outside.  The mountains, from our courtyard, are still blanketed by the remnants of the passing storm system. I feel like a little kid again with my camera.  AND I don't have to leave my garden to witness it all! The hawks cling to the branches for tactical advantage.  The clouds cling to the mountains and try to stay intact. And we cling close to home to bundle up in our blankets on this very wonderful day off from work.  

Acorns!

This time of year becomes a dangerous time for people who walk under our trees.  The oak trees have started dropping their acorns all over the courtyard.  Acorns, or bellotas in Spanish, can be made into several food dishes, but I have not tried ours yet and am not sure I would because I am not a squirrel.  However, I have heard that they are very good.  I just hate cleaning them up and pulling out the babies when they start to sprout.  They get everywhere!!!  The worst part is that when you clean them up, more fall and so it looks like you never cleaned in the first place. 

These trees are becoming more and more popular in Tucson.  They are slow growing here, but once they get to mature size, they make a beautiful addition to the landscape.  I would consider them a VERY messy tree and you can see previous posts on this plants from back in March about the leaf drop.  But if you are interested in a large and attractive tree that can withstand the cold, drought, and heat, this is your tree that will provide hundreds of years of shade.  Just be patient as they grow slow and be patient with the mess they leave on your grounds:)  I will be honest....these trees convinced me to purchase our place as I had never seen these guys grow in the desert.  They are incredible trees to have around the property and will provide you with more shade than you can handle.

Humid

It was very hot this morning waking up...93 degrees at 7 AM. Not only was it hot but very humid. The skies are heating up around here and thunder clouds are building. I will film some of this monsoon madness this weekend as it is sure to be a good one. Several of the images uploaded show the progress from the front of the building. In the background, you'll see two live oak trees, white oleander, bouganvillea, chitalpa or desert willow on the right side. On the left, you'll see the California Palm. The tree with yellow blooms is the very native Palo Verde tree. There is also another picture taken of the sky as it starts its' monsoon build up. Early build up equals early storms here. People are generally very excited when this unofficial "season" begins bringing in much needed tropical moisture. Besides general pruning, watering, and the occasional blowing, there isn't much to do during this month except make sure that all the plants are happy:) Planting is halted as is any general gardening project until fall.