Camouflage

This little hummingbird was well hidden within the plants but I could hear the humming of his wings and turned to capture the shot just in time.  I wouldn't think there was much nectar in that Baja Fairy Duster blooms but they do attract the hummingbirds and they certainly know best.

Morning Sun on Copper

I was out early last Saturday morning and caught sight of the early morning sun reflecting off of the copper trim at the Park Central Shopping and Office complex.  Copper is one of the main industries of Arizona so you see it as an accent to buildings quite often in our state.

My Desk

Today I'm showing you my desk in the office where I work.  Above my desk is one of my photographs that I have digitally manipulated, enlarged and had framed.  I've been doing quite a lot of that lately and have even sold quite a few.
I'm going to be away from here for next week.  I'm going to take a break from the heat and enjoy some ocean breezes for a change.  But, I'm taking the new Macbook with me so I will hopefully stay connected at least once a day.  I might even post a nice "vacation" scene if I get the opportunity.

Sun Flare

When I took this photo in Downtown Phoenix, I was shooting directly into the sun so I thought I'd end up throwing it away but, after looking at it, I think the sun flare is kind of interesting so I'm using it.  This is a new apartment building that has been built to incorporate the walls of a much older building. You can see the older portion on the bottom level.  Interesting concept and design.

Rain, blessed rain!

We had some rain Sunday night. All the thirsty plants were reaching skyward!

MAC update: So far, I am loving my new MAC computer. I’m still editing photos on the old PC until I can get some new software for the MAC. I’ve decided to get to know the computer very well before I start adding programs. Right now, I’m taking every opportunity offered by Apple to learn as much as I can.

The Lennon Sisters

These four lovely blooms all in a row made me think of the Lennon Sisters all lined up and ready to burst into song.

Wine Tasting

I went to a large wine tasting event at the Arizona Biltmore Hotel Saturday night and found these artists creating works of art out of old wine barrels. 

The small photo shows the barrel in the top photo after it was finished!

We tasted some pretty good wines to go with the art.

View:

The view looking south toward downtown Phoenix from the top floor of one of the mid-town high-rises.

Number Twelve

Number Twelve wading in the lagoon at the Phoenix Zoo.

I pulled this one from the archives.  I'm busy this weekend make the switch from PC to MAC.  See, you can teach an old dog new tricks.

Shade

When you live in the desert, shade is an essential key to survival.  This shaded pathway is on the grounds of the Royal Palms Resort.

Quiet Corner

This little shaded and peaceful spot is tucked away within the grounds of the Royal Palms Resort.

Royal Palms

This is the center courtyard of the Royal Palms Resort in east Phoenix.  The Royal Palms is a four star resort that is popular with presidents and dignitaries when they visit the Phoenix area.  I found the little “tropical” window I featured yesterday while walking around the beautiful grounds of this resort.

Window

Looks very tropical, doesn’t it?  Tomorrow I’ll show you where I found this little window.

Artistic Details

This is one of the art deco light fixtures on the ceiling of the living area inside Tovrea Castle.  Each light fixture and wall sconce is surrounded by delicate painted stenciling.

The photo to the left shows a broader view of the living area with the early morning sun streaming through the windows.

One Year Later

Last year around this time, I showed you some photos from Tovrea Castle, a historic landmark in Phoenix that the city owns but, because of budget woes, hasn’t been able to prepare for operation. (To see my photos and story from last year, click on June 2010 and scroll down to June 21st.)


Since that time, a very active citizens committee has been working diligently to prepare the castle for tours. Very early Saturday morning, I went out again to review how the tour is envisioned in preparation for obtaining docents and training them. I was able to snap a few more photos. This one shows the castle with a plane taking off from Sky Harbor International Airport just passing overhead.

Rusty Doors

The entrance to this home is behind those rusty doors.

Asi es la Vida

A couple of years ago, I featured a picture of the restaurant Asi es la Vida’s very eclectic exterior.  You can see it here.  I recently had lunch there and snapped this photo in one of the dining rooms.  You can see that the inside is just as eclectic.

Careful Balance

Munching on the fruit of tall cactus sometime requires a sophisticated balancing act.

Ant

 Can you find the ant in this photo?  I didn’t see it until it was uploaded to my computer.



Citadel

This sculpture is something new at the Desert Botanical Garden. It was created by Phoenix artist Patricia Sannit and is inspired by Citadel Erbil in Iraq. Ms. Sannit said she was inspired by the layering of time and history on top of each other over the centuries. It is composed of handmade bricks made the traditional way.

It inspired me to do some internet exploring of Citadel Erbil to see what it looks like for real.

I found these two small photos on the internet.  What an amazing site still populated and growing.  Check it out if you are interested.
 
 
 
 
 
 

Peach Faced Love Birds at the Garden

I rarely go to the Desert Botanical Garden during the months of July and August.  It’s just too darn hot.  However, we had a thunder storm last night that cooled things down and it was only 80 degrees when I got up this morning.  So I headed out to see if there was anything interesting to photograph.  I found of group of peach-faced love birds munching on some chocolate daisies.

Paradise Valley

I love the little round window on the side of this Paradise Valley home.

Cactus, Palms, & the Moon

Things you see when you look up.

Best Friends

In addition to the five friends staying at the cabin last weekend, there were also five dogs.  They all got along and as you can see from this collage, they all were enjoying themselves.

Good Food

Yesterday I mentioned that we indulged in good food last weekend when visiting up in the mountains.  This plate was especially gorgeous and every bit as delicious.  It was lovingly assembled by my good friend David.

Escape

If you live in the desert, sometimes you need to escape the heat of the summer.  I was lucky enough this past weekend to be invited to join friends at a beautiful cabin in the mountains owned by one friend.  It was great fun with good friends, good food, and cool mountain air. 

Colorful Plants

Here’s a decorative planter spilling over with colorful plants.  Each plant is unique in its own way.

Happy Independence Day

It’s Independence Day in the United States.  There will be picnics, bar-b-ques, and fireworks tonight.  Have a safe holiday!

More Garden Art

Here is the second piece from the art show I told you about yesterday.  Once again, you all tell me what you think of this one.

Garden Art

The Desert Botanical Garden has had some new sculptures on display for a few months now and I’ve been very remiss in showing them to you.  They are not my favorite kind of sculptures so I wasn’t that inspired to photograph them.  However, I did get a couple of photos back in May and I thought they turned out pretty good so I thought I’d share them with you.  After all, just because it isn't my favorite, doesn't mean it won't appeal to you. 
The artist is Ludvic and the series of sculptures is called Steel Jam Sessions.  The details on the show say that “Ludvic finds materials in junk yards and reworks them into lively, impromptu compositions.”  I’ll let you all be the judge on this one. 
I’ll show you one more tomorrow.

Theme Day: The Color Green

I did my own little still-life arrangement for this theme day.  A green bowl full of green fruits and vegetables and sitting in the green grass.  Then I added a little artistic effect to the photo and there you have it, my “color green” representation.  See the link below to see how all participants have represented the color green.
Click here to view thumbnails for all participants