Golden views

Near sunset -palm trees in the distance glow with golden light as seen through the passion vine outside my office window.

Happy SkyWatch Friday!

Pink Coral at Sunset for SkyWatch Friday

I snapped these pictures of the Pink Coral growing along my front fence last night at sunset. I love this vine...I planted it a year ago last August, and it completely died back over the winter. It popped up in the Spring though and started flowering late last month. Happy SkyWatch Friday...hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Desert Paradise at dusk and dawn

It has been a long busy week at work and I've had little time for blogs and picture taking. However at dusk last night I noticed the Desert Paradise was just unfolding some of its blooms. Taken with a flash the picture has a rather eerie look to it. And the second is early this morning. To join in and see other sky pictures from around the world please visit SkyWatch Friday.

Tucson Sunrise

I get up early every morning for many reasons...the sunrise not being the least of them..

Good Morning Tucson...Good Morning World!

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The clouds came over the mountain....

I monitor the possiblity of rain by looking to the North in the afternoons during monsoon season. The clouds gather over the Catalina mountains most afternoons and then move in over the town to hopefully bring some rain. We've had an awfully dry season so far this year but I keep hoping for a downpour!

Good-bye July 2009 and Happy SkyWatch Friday! To see the skies around the world please visit SkyWatch Friday!

Rat tail cactus at dusk as monsoon clouds gather

We have had lots of monsoon clouds and a little rain this last week. Even without the rain the clouds are a wonderful change from the hot hot sun.

My rat-tail cactus is changing once again. The tips of almost every long tail are splitting out now into three or four tails. It may be because they got bumped quite a bit when I tried repositioning it so it didn't attack everyone who walked up to the front door. To see other perspectives on the sky from around the world please visit SkyWatch Friday.

Skywatch Friday- June Sunset

The sunsets are always gorgeous but as the weather turns more to monsoons season, and the clouds gather in the afternoons, the sunsets get even more varied and intense. The Monsoon season is here, but the rains have not really made it yet. Usually around the 4th of July we get the first boomers. I look forward to them like a kid in a candy store.



And the excitement builds as the first 4 buds on my little brug hang ready to burst open...soon...very soon!



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Lazy Lizard in the sun

I saw this little guy the other day on the big Olive tree right outside my front door. He was not in any hurry, just moseying his way up the tree, enjoying the sunshine, on a blue-skied Arizona afternoon. Click on the picture for a better look.

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Goodnight Tucson

Goodnight from Tucson....Please visit SkyWatch Friday for other interpretations of the sky.

A sunset walk in April

I took a little walk through my neighborhood the other day, just as the sun was setting. It seems to me that the sunsets here are always beautiful but in the warmer months they are downright amazing. The sky was blue and pink and orange and purple and it appeared that all of the colors of the day were being sucked down off the edge of the earth.

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Saguaro sky

During a walk around my neighborhood at dusk I discovered my neighbors lovely Saguaro is starting to bud out. I thought the moon and the buds made for a great picture for SkyWatch Friday. As I walked up close to it I heard noises inside- it was alive with bird sounds coming from within the cactus. This Saguaro has lots of holes that must led to inner nests- it was so cool standing there hearing and almost feeling the vibrations of the birds.

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The wildflowers are starting to bloom

I went to visit my dear Mother who is a snowbird in Apache Junction, up by Phoenix. I drove up the back way through Florence, where there are miles of gorgeous desert views and wildflowers in bloom. It was a perfect spring day in Arizona with a blue sky that stretched on and on. The wildflowers were not as abundant as some years I have seen but there were still quite a few blooming and many more getting ready to bloom. I stopped several times to take pictures. See the little spider hiding under the bloom of what i think is a Desert Marigold.

Being a bit camera shy he scurried around to the other side, trying to hide.

I'll post more wildflower pictures from my drive this weekend. Please visit SkyWatch Friday to see other sky pictures from around the world and to join in yourself.

Hoover Dam for SkyWatch Friday

When I was in Vegas a couple weeks ago, I made a side trip to Hoover Dam. It was impressive- immense- almost unbelievable to see. The huge sculpture were equally fascinating. I think the plaque said they are the largest bronze castings in the USA. They were big and beautiful. This first one above is my picture this week for SkyWatch Friday!
And another view is next.

Both angels guarding the flag.

A view looking out over the river.

The sign below commemorates the men who died building the dam.

I thought these old pictures and newspaper clippings about the men who worked there were pretty cool. They were preserved in the table tops at one of the local stores.

Dam Men to Eat A Ton of Turkey!

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A room with a view

I spent 4 days in Las Vegas last week for work, and of course I had a little fun too! I had never been there before so it was quite something to see. I loved looking out my hotel window and seeing the Stratosphere Hotel and Casino- the tall spaceship like building- all lit up at night- but this early morning view was pretty too!

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Winter Wonderland in the desert

It seems to happen at least once each winter- a snowstorm that reaches low enough to actually cover the Santa Catalina's in snow. It is a pretty sight to most desert eyes. This was my view as I drove to work a couple days ago. By the afternoon most of the snow was gone.

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To see my other SkyWatch pictures click here.

A Curved Bill Thrasher for SkyWatch Friday

It has been too long since I last posted for SkyWatch Friday. My job tends to get in the way of blogging but I took this picture earlier in the week and thought it would be a good one.

This is one of my resident Curved Billed Thrashers sitting on top of the big Prickly Pear Cactus in my yard. I wonder if he is anxious for Spring to arrive?

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Here are some of my earlier SkyWatch pictures.

December Morning

The weather is holding here, with the low temperatures just under 40, and the afternoons in the low 60s. We've had a mix of rain and sunshine during the day. The pictures were taken looking north from my home, early in the morning. The clouds are covering the mountain tops, but in clearer moments snow covered caps can be seen.

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Tis the season for the lighting of the palm

My Palm tree is ready for the season.

Blessings to everyone!

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Thanksgiving skies in the desert

The cloud show started the day before Thanksgiving. I just happened to be outside right before sunset and the sky was an ever changing canvas of cloud, color and light. The palms and Cyprus were great silhouettes against the sky.




Each direction held a new color palette.

To the south it was as though the light and dark were colliding in the sky.

I could see rain streaks in the distance when I looked to the west.

Looking North to the Catalina Mountains, the storm clouds seemed to be just rolling in.

The clouds are a dark lid on the sky in my view to the West.

It was raining when I woke up on Thanksgiving morning and stepping outside this was my view. A dark heavily clouded day, with a darker shelf of storm clouds. The lone black bird flying across the cloudy sky was a surprise when I viewed the pictures.

It rained off and on yesterday, and then again last night but this morning the sky is blue and the sun is shining brightly. There are still clouds in the distance but they are a distant thought. The second sunflower decided the sun was back to stay and unfurled her beauty this morning.

Wishes of peace and thankfulness to all...

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