An Odd Place to Nest

Earlier in the week I went to Scottsdale Fashion Square mall to pick up something.  I think I've mentioned before that the mall has a lot of construction going on right now.  The construction is mostly located on the north side and because of that, I haven't parked on that side in ages.  This time I did because it was so close to where I wanted to go.  Because of the construction, it's pretty quiet on that side of the mall but, there are still many cars parked there.  As I made my way to one of the mall doors, I saw something odd out of the corner of my eye.  It was a pigeon sitting on a nest on top of a decorative rock located right next to the sidewalk.  I could have walked right up and touched it.

I realize pigeons are very resourceful having to build their nests in an assortment of urban environments but, this has to be the most unusual spot I've ever seen one.  I can't help but wonder if it will survive there until it hatches it's eggs.

Friendly Reptiles

I ran into this Desert Spiny Lizard out for a stroll with a young one following close behind.

The young one was quite friendly, running right up to my shoe to say hello.  Momma lizard was watching closely from a distance.  Hopefully, she explained that running up to people is not a good idea.

So, even the lizards have to teach their young how to survive in the wild.

By the way, all that yellow you are seeing are the petals of the palo verde tree blooms that have fallen to the ground.  They create a yellow blanket on the desert floor this time of year.

A Quick Drink & a Shower

One of my favorite places at the Desert Botanical Garden is called the Contemplation Garden.  There is a place to sit and a water fountain that attracts all kinds of birds.  The early morning hours before the crowds arrive are the best times to visit if you want to see birds.  I've posted other photos of birds from here but this was the first time I'd seen a hummingbird stop by for a drink.  Doesn't he look adorable with his image reflected in the water?

He took several quick drinks of water...

....and then he decided to splash around for a quick shower.

After he was refreshed and clean, off he flew to find more flowers.

Squirrel Family

Another "early bird" visitor to the Desert Botanical Garden last Sunday directed my attention to a large cactus where a new family of squirrels had made their home.  She told me there were 6 babies and the mother living under that cactus.  I watched them for a while while the climbed around on the cactus.

They took turns crawling up the tall branches....

...and then back down to the lower branches.

Finally I was able to catch 5 of them in one shot!  

Happy Bees

The saguaro cactus are blooming now and it is making the bees very happy.  I took an early morning walk at the Desert Botanical Garden yesterday and it was a good time to be there.  They just switched to their summer hours so they opened at 6:00 AM for members only and it was so quiet and peaceful it was a joy to be there.

It was a good time to be there because all the critters were out enjoying the peace and quiet along with me and only a few other people.

I got lots of photos to share with you!

Diamond Bloom

Diamond Bloom is a sculpture by Curtis Pittman located just outside of the Scottsdale Museum of  the West.

I like the smooth lines and addition of the glass pieces that seem to change colors depending on the sky.


I have a new post on Sharon's Sojourns today.  It's a little tribute to Notre Dame.

Living on the Golf Course

I took a walk over to the golf course and found other families of geese frolicking on the lake.  No sign of my parking lot pals but several others with brand new families were out enjoying the spring day and teaching the young ones to swim and forage.

It occurred to me that these must be the more affluent geese living on the golf course of the Biltmore Estates while the family living in the parking lot must be the poor relations.  😃

The Yellow Blooms Continue

When I was out admiring all the yellow blooms on the palo verde trees last weekend, I noticed that the little Barry Goldwater Memorial Park was full of the golden branches.

So I stopped to get some more photos.  The trees were casting a warm glow over the whole park.

The blooms on these trees last between 4 to 6 weeks so we should continue to see them for a little while longer.

I'll miss them when they are just dust on the ground.

Phoenix is Awash in Color

In addition to that sea of yellow from the palo verde trees, there are more colorful blooms showing up on trees around the city.

The orchid trees are blooming and showing off those beautiful flowers.

And, the jacaranda are also in full bloom.  More "purple" with a touch of pink to add to all that yellow.

Theme Day: Purple

The first of the month has rolled around once again and rather quickly it seems to me.  The City Daily Photo Bloggers theme for May is "Purple" so I've found a purple prickly pear cactus for the theme.  This really is a variety of the well known prickly pear cactus.  It's official name is Opuntia Macrocentra.  They really are quite pretty....for a cactus that is.

If you would like to see purple from other bloggers, click here.

Yellow Blooms Everywhere

Last Friday, I met a friend for lunch (and shopping) at Kierland Commons up in north Scottsdale.  In order to get there from my house, I have to drive up over the mountains of the Phoenix Mountain Preserve.  On the whole drive to the center, I was in awe of the yellow of the Palo Verde trees everywhere I looked.

So I couldn't stop myself from taking more photos.  Maybe it's because of my cataract surgery last fall that I'm seeing the blooms brighter than ever.  Whatever the reason they seem especially gorgeous this year.

Here are some blooms framing that "praying monk" I mentioned last week when I posted about the painting I found at the art museum.

Another pretty tree along a road I travel quite frequently.  

Just driving down an ordinary street is suddenly a beautiful scene.

I stopped at another place to take some photos that I'll show you later this week.  I'm loving all the color I'm seeing this spring.

Mystery Solved

The mystery of the silly goose who hangs around our parking lot is solved.  There is a nest somewhere on the grounds.  No one has found it yet but, yesterday I was headed to my car only to find the feathered family lingering near it.

So I did what any good photographer would do.  I laid all my stuff on the ground, got out the camera and snapped away as the parents flanked the two young ones and kept an close eye on my every move.

When I came back after my errands, they were no where to be seen.  The young ones are too young to be on their own, so they must be somewhere near by.  I wonder where that nest is hidden.

Arizona Falls

I hadn't stopped at Arizona Falls, the hydroelectric plant that is a city park, in several years so when I passed it the other day, I decided to make a visit.  It looks pretty much the same and it's still leveling the canal water and generating electricity just as before.

There are three waterfalls in all, the two in the top photo and this one in the center that splashes the water over boulders and pipes and gears.

The park sits right on the edge of the Arizona Canal, one of the major canals that run through the valley bringing irrigation water across the desert.  As far as I know, this is the only spot where there is a small electric generating plant.

I have a new post on Sharon's Sojourns today.  I'm thinking about an upcoming weekend trip to Oregon wine country.

Balancing Blonde

I've had this photo of a sculpture on the grounds of the Shemer Art Center for about a year but, I hadn't posted it because I didn't know who the sculptor was.  I finally found out last week that it was created by James Farris an artist and sculptor from Tempe Arizona.

She always makes me think of Marilyn Monroe whenever I see her on the grounds of the museum.

James Farris passed away in December of 2010 but I think this sculpture has only been at the museum for about two years.  It makes me wonder how it made its way to the Shemer.  I'll have to ask a few more questions when I get the chance.

Getting a Little Abstract

I think I might have been inspired by those abstract paintings I saw (and loved) last weekend. When I was walking at the Scottsdale Mall behind the Saguaro Hotel I kept seeing artistic views unfolding.  The hotel is painted in big, bold colors like pink, orange, yellow, blue and white.  The above is at the back of the hotel by the patio off of a ballroom.

I decided to get a little abstract and zoom in to capture just the pink and orange with that tiny speck of white against the blue sky.

I walked around some more and saw this blue wall with the blooming palo verde tree in front of it.  Blue and yellow go together so well.

Around another corner I saw this ocotillo up against the white wall.  How do you like my little photographic foray into abstraction?

Past and Present

Before I leave the Phoenix Art Museum, I have to show you one more painting that I hadn't seen before.  It's titled "Kneeling Monk" and it was painted by Harry B Wagoner (1889 - 1950).  It's a view of Camelback Mountain that I've shown many times on this blog with the "Praying Monk" (what we call that formation now) jutting up like a little bracket in the center of the painting.

A lot has changed in the area since that painting was made!  I'm sure Wagoner would recognize the mountain again if he could see it but, I'm equally sure he wouldn't recognize the desert surrounding it.

Transcendentalist Painting Group

The Phoenix Art Museum owns several paintings by members of the Transcendentalist Painting Group I mention in yesterday's post.  In another part of the museum, they set up a small section of paintings from the artists in this group who were working at the same time as Agnes Pelton.  Above is Rancho de Taos Church by Emil Bisttram.

This group of paintings is called the Zodiac Suite by Raymond Johnson.  They range from Aries on the very far left to Pisces on the far right.

On the left of this photo is City Dynamism by Raymond Johnson.  Next to it is Marine #4 by Emil Bisttram and on the end is Tensions also by Bisttram.  To the right is a favorite of mine called Composition #18 and it is also by Bisttram.

I'll end with one more from the Agnes Pelton show.  This one happens to be owned by the Phoenix Art Museum and I've seen it many times before but until my visit to the exhibit last Saturday, I didn't know anything about the artist.  It will be nice to see this painting with the background to really appreciate it fully.  This one is called simply "Day".