An Alligator?

 

Hey, there seems to be a tiny alligator in my yard! (It is a Western fence lizard, actually...)

But when I zoom in, why does it look as if its nostril is made of metal? That looks like a grommet! Huh?

A Flower

 The first dahlia!!!

A Visitor

 

Imagine my surprise and delight when I looked out the window and saw this gorgeous bird in the fountain. I believe it to be a juvenile Cooper's hawk (though I am having a bit of a hard time saying for sure...). He or she stayed there for about 20 minutes or so, mostly just standing with a bath or two. 

Feather pants! 

So so cool...this is only the second time that I've seen a hawk in our fountain. Of course, the whole time I kept thinking "stay away, little goldfinches, stay away." 

Liquor

 

No need for a fancy shop name, just "Liquor."

Faraway/Close-Up

 

How can something so far away look as if it is so close? (The magic of my fancy camera!)

And here is the moon and Venus. 

Hard at Work

 

Seen...

 

 ...in the hood.

Matchy-Matchy

 

When the male house wren decides to sit in the pomegranate tree, color magic happens!

Olive Nirvana

 

...at the Sufi International Market; there were other olives in the refrigerated case, too! Yum!!!!

Nespresso Art: Fire-Breathing Dragon

Or perhaps a hippo expelling water while catching a ball? Hmmm...

Lit

Glowing bougainvillea!

 

I Heart Arrows

 

One arrow sign...

Another arrow sign...

Both arrow signs!

(I do love how Boulevard Liquor reallllly wants to make sure you know the name of the store!)

Young'uns in a Tree

 

I was out walking at the end of the day and heard what I at first thought might be a seagull...until I realized that it was coming from a 50-foot high eucalyptus tree (not a place for a gull). It was sort of a keening cry. I looked up into the tree and saw this hawk, which I believe to be a red-tailed hawk fledgling who was calling to a parent to come and feed it. (They know how to hunt but are not very good at it; their parents leave them for most of the day but will come and feed them eventually).

Then I realized there were TWO of them!

But wait! There were THREE of them. 

Such gorgeous birds...it feels like a privilege to observe them. 

Jack and the Dandelion Sprout

 

Call Guinness--this dandelion is a corker! (Maybe 7 feet tall?)

The Garden Report

 What's doin' in the garden today, June 12, 2023?

The very first two sweet peas! Hoorah!

And a handful of roses (yes, some of those outer petals have been chewed on--I like to share!)

Crow Tones

 

Crows look black, but really their feathers are a lovely mix of tones.

Towhee in a Tree

 

It is unusual to see a towhee in a tree...they are usually skittering along on the ground (and kicking up dirt/mulch in search of insects). 

P.S. Please pretend that this is Wednesday's blog post...once again, oops!

Sitting in a Tree

 

Hello, little beauty!

Wow Wow Wow!

 

A friend and I were walking this morning and turned a corner to see these--they are utterly amazing!

Pie-o-Nee (Peony) Time!

 

Yay! (These opened from a fully closed bud to wide open in one day...they are gorgeous!)

Random Heart: Nespresso Edition AND Nespresso Art: Heart

 

Finally, a heart! (That's because this was made for me by B.!)

Rosy Apricot

 

My pretty new rose--when I got it, I thought it was more pink than apricot, but I really like it! And it smells lovely. (It is called Princess Charlene de Monaco...)