Thursday, May 7, 2009

Been a Busy Busy Day









Been up since 4:00 am...(in the hot desert you try to get as much as you can done before the heat makes you melt into a small puddle...in my case not such a small puddle and it's shape resembles a rather large ass...but I digress)...
So after a pot of coffee Richard and I set to task of finishing off 'jobs around the house' that have been lingering for some time and driving us both a little nutso...
So he clean the pool, and pruned bushes....I brushed oil onto our wooden fence surrounding the pool. Then I repaired a lighting display that I made a few years back...by repair I mean striped and repainted and set up again, Richard went to the front yard to prune some more...and quickly...yet quietly called me to the front yard....and what he had to show me was amazing...there hiding behind our pond was a little nest filled to the brim with Quail eggs...seems he was spraying off the pond with the hose and scared her away (but not to worry she returned in about 5 minutes) just long enough for me to get the camera a pop a few photos...I do love eggs...and this one is exciting as it is the closest to our house yet... You can see them nestled deep in the bushes...all safe and sound...soon we will have a batch of brown fuzzy little 'walnuts' running about with Mom and Dad close by... the dad roosts in the palm tree right about her.... Just wanted to share more egg pics...told ya...I love em!
Then as the first light of the morning sun hit our patio cactus garden the blooms of our Noto Cactus opened up...all 5 of them at once...so of course I had to pop pics.... I must tell you...this is Not an altered picture...this is the true color of these blooms...they almost appear to glow from within..and almost pulses with vibrancy.
Each and every year this little Noto amazes us... and it did not disappoint this year...
Just wanted to share some more Arizona Desert Nature Stuff...
Dog tired now...off to bed for me.....
See you all tomorrow
Jodi


18 comments:

Caseymini said...

Jodi, thanks for the photos of the quail eggs. We usually have mom and dad bring the line of little chicks into the yard when they are old enough, but I have never seen a nest before. Really neat! The cactus is beautiful. My Night Blooming Cerius has started blooming, but I haven't caught a photo yet. Most of the blooms are way higher than I can reach to take one. Thanks again for the pics!

MiniKat said...

Either get up earlier or become nocturnal. I'm prone to the later when I'm back home.

rosanna said...

Wonderful Nature. I really wish I can see it at least once in my life. I have only been in Sinai Desert and it's rocky and looks so life deprived. Nothing to compare with your cactus

Debbie said...

Jodi the cactus flowers are stunning. I counted 11 eggs in that nest, fancy laying that lot.
Thanks for sharing these wonderful pictures with us.
Hugs x

Mags Cassidy said...

Gosh all that activity has left me feeling worn out!
Need a lie down!
Mags

Creager Studios said...

Hi Mags....

Exactly!!! And I actually forgot to mention Richard put in a new faucet for me and boxed and mailed Lupin!! But I am up and ready to go again.... maybe a 'nap' will come into play!!

Jodi

Creager Studios said...

Hi Debbie...

11 WOW...I didn't even count them...that's a lot. Can you imagine sitting on that many in 105 heat... although she did pick a really nice cool place I must admit...smart mama!

Jodi

Creager Studios said...

Hi Rosanna...

Deserts are such interesting places...they always appear on the surface to have little to no life...but they in truth are teaming with all sorts of life.... in some cases having plants so tiny they fit on the tip of your finger...just amazing. Our Noto is originally from South America...

Jodi



Jodi

Creager Studios said...

Hi Kat...

I use to be (in my youth...EXTREME Youth of early early 20's) a night owl...seldom getting tired until around 4:00 am ... but for many years now I am a early bird...up at 4:00 am or earlier... I did a reversal in there somethere!!

Jodi

nikkinikkinikki72 said...

I've now worked out why everyone around your neck of the woods wake so early. I'd go nocturnal if i lived with that heat and only come out at night like a vampire.
The flowers are beautiful and how wonderful to have quail eggs in the garden. Can't wait for the baby pics when they finally crack out of those shells.
Nikki x

Creager Studios said...

Hi Casey....

OooOOoOOoo a Night Blooming Cerius...one of my favs. They smell wonderful and the bats adore them..that's how they pollinate. You are lucky to have one...we did when we lived in Phoenix...miss it.

You know the joy of the Quail Family...they are wonderful... glad you got to see the eggs.

Jodi

Creager Studios said...

Hi Nikki...

Plus...if you are nocturnal...you have better chance to see all the UFO's in our desert skies....lol

Jodi

Crafts From The Stash said...

Beautiful pictures as always Jodi. We keep quails and from time to time hatch out the eggs. Then 'pop' out come the little brown balls of trouble that get into all sorts of mischief, they are funny. We have even managed to get eggs from our local supermarket and hatch one out LOL. Debie xxx

Jdee said...

Thank you for sharing the pics of the eggs! I've never seen Quail eggs before and as I love it when nesting season comes this is very exciting to me! Keep us posted on the hatching!
xoxo

Sprite said...

Hi Jodi,

Wow, these are such awesome, beautiful shots, thanks so much for sharing. Glad to hear you had a productive day, hope you got some rest ;)

Hugs,
Sprite

Creager Studios said...

Hi Sprite...
Thank You so much...and Yes...got a Great Nights Sleep.... thanks for asking

Jodi

Creager Studios said...

Hi Joanna...

I promise to keep you up on the latest 'Nesting News' from the Creager Front Yard....just this morning I saw Papa Quail sitting on the small rock wall closest to her nest... he is keeping a watchful eye...

Jodi

Creager Studios said...

Hi Debie...

Thanks so much...

You reminded me that a few years ago Richard and I found a 'lost' little quail baby that we took care for for a week...I will dig out pics and post...

Jodi