Yucca bloom

Notice the Yucca bloom.  It's the tallest item in the photo.  It was just buzzing with bees.  They are loving BTA right now with all the blossoms.

One of the many types of Prickly Pear Cacti.

Art

They tell me that this is art.  But as my son told me,  "Art is subjective"

  I say,  "Hmm....."

Less than one week.

   Of the six spots occupied by volunteers, here at BTA, three are empty.  Mark and Leslie left last Saturday,  Jere and Teresa left yesterday.  The volunteer campground seems dark and lonely.  The warmer weather has returned.   The winter visitors have started to head for home so visitation has dropped.  Also, the heat means that the locals will not be coming either.   This is a normal seasonal occurrence for much of Arizona.
    One week from Tuesday, we will be in Yuma.  We have some dental work to due in Algodonas, Mexico before we head north.  As soon as we get back to Oregon, we will start at Bonneville Dam.    We know that our work schedule will be 3 days on and 3 days off but not much more.  May will be a busy month, but another adventure for us. 

Remember Red?

Remember the red caterpiller?

This is what it becomes.  

A Gold Rimmed Butterfly

Students from Germany

   This afternoon my job was to escort 15 German high school students and a couple of instructors around the park.  The schedule said it was to be a general tour, but the combination of language difficulties and high school hormones showed me that a desert stroll was more appropriate.  The students were well behaved, polite, but not really into learning about desert plants.
   They saw lots of blooming flowers, many of the smaller cacti are getting blossoms.  The lizards were out in force, but, unfortunately, no snakes were sighted.

This is the Easter Lily Cactus.   Front  

and Back  

Red

Found this cute guy this afternoon.  I wonder what kind of butterfly this will be.

Short time

Time is getting shorter.  Basically we are ready but it's not going to happen until next Tuesday.  As time approaches many little jobs need to be done.  Tire covers removed, check batteries , check tire pressure  on both the trailer and truck, organize and load the storage areas of the trailer. 
   As I'm outside, Randa is taking care of the inside; dishes, pans, clothes, food .  It's a big job.  After we leave here we will spend a few days in Yuma, getting dental work done in Algodonas.  Then we head north.  Three days should get us home.  The temperature reduction will be quite an adjustment.  80's and 90's here.  50's and 60's in Oregon.  Longer days will help in traveling.   It seems that fuel prices are rising because summer is approaching.  The local Circle K was $2.79 from Jan til two weeks ago.  Yesterday it was $3.09 at the same station.   Darn greedy oil companies. !! 

Door

Don't know what this place is or was but the door is cool.

Loss

      Randa and I lost one of our oldest friends to cancer a couple of months ago.  We met Bob Waller and his wife Betty when I went to work for General Cable Corporation after I left the Marine Corps in 1971.  We were in Lindsay, California.
       It was my first job as a young married civilian.  Lindsay is a small town in the San Joaquin Valley between Bakersfield and Fresno.  I remember the first time we drove down Main Street, I couldn't read the theater marque.  Then I realized it was in Spanish.  Not much Spanish was spoken or written in southern Minnesota in the 50's and 60's.  None, in fact.  Mexican food was tacos. 
   So moving to central California, working in a factory that made telephone cable, dealing with civilians instead of Marines, was a complete change of our lives. Pretty unnerving, scary even. A new job, new location far from family and friends.  Then I met Bob.  Plain ol'  Bob.  No frills.  Not much education.  Bob's family were migrant farm workers.  Traveling around the country, harvesting whatever was ripe.  Living where they worked.  It was during this time that he met another migrant worker, Betty,who became the love of his life.  They were married close to 53 years.
    I met Bob while working at General Cable.  We both were supervisors on the production floor.  We both worked swing shift.  (4- midnight) which meant weird "social " times.  The Wallers and the Webers became friends.  Good friends.  We would go out to eat together.  That meant the middle of the day.  Straw Hat Pizza was our favorite spot.   That was the beginning of a long and loving friendship. 

   Good bye, my friend.  Randa and I will miss you.
       
       
 

No more Ballet

   Yesterday I had the opportunity to have my big toe carved on.  Well, actually, it needed some attention (sore, swollen, etc.) so I got an appointment with a podiatrist in nearby San Tan.  A quick exam, some shot to numb it, and a procedure (that I did Not watch), I was back in the truck heading home.  My toe was had a huge wrapping which protected it but it did not hurt.  Well, not at first.  As the numbing were off, I know that something had happened while I was not looking.  However, a Tylenol took care of the discomfort.
   This morning the wrapping was removed.  It looks like "something" was done, but does not hurt.  Instructions are to soak it, and apply Polysporin.  A good thing but I will never be a dancer.
 

Agave Flower

More unusual blooms to enjoy.

Iris in the Morning

A morning walk in the Demonstration Garden after an early morning rain.

Iris are one of my favorite flowers.

more flowers

Watch where you walk

Yesterday, our neighbor, Mark was walking behind his car and stepped on a rattlesnake.  I heard him yelp !  I knew something had happened.  The critter hurried into the flowers near our trailer.  Mark went to change his pants.

We all are very aware of where we walk now.

A bad day for a spider

Thursday while we were giving our tour in the cactus garden, one of our guests said to me, "There is a tarantula." I looked and sure enough, there was one.  But it was being dragged across the ground by a large blue wasp.  A Tarantula Hawk.  The wasp lands on a tarantula or wolf spider, injects it with  venom which paralyses it's victim.  Then the wasp drags the spider into a hole it has dug.  After laying it's egg on the living but paralyzed prey, it covers the hole and moves on.  Later the eggs hatch and the young eat the spider while they grow.  Gross but fascinating

We watched the wasp drag the spider to the middle of the path where there was a hole about an inch in diameter.   She pulled the spider up to the edge of the hole, left it and entered.  After a few minutes she reached out from the hole and pulled the spider in. Zip and it was gone. 
Today the hole was not there.  It had been filled in by Mom.  When the young have eaten enough to mature, they will emerge from the ground ready to hunt.

Snake Sex

Nothing is as exciting as a snake.  Especially a rattlesnake.  The rattlesnake, in this case a Diamondback, was the cause of the excitement.  Actually, it was two of them.  Mating no less.  Right out in the public !!

I was giving a tour to a group from Promise Lutheran School from Mesa.  I was talking to the kids about Mistletoe when Joe drove past.  In his cart was the snake box, which is a plastic garage tote that has a big red stripe on it and is used for only one purpose.  As he passed, Joe mentioned he was getting two snakes.
   Well, as far as I was concerned the plant lesson was over and the reptile lesson was about to begin.  We immediately heeded down the main path following the tire tracks.  It wasn't very far until we saw the crowd.  The two reptiles were oblivious to humans and were busy having sex.  They were entwined around each other, moving erratically, evidently having a good time.  It was difficult to see much because they were located between an Agave and a Golden Barrel Cactus, but their black and white striped tails helped keep track of them.
     Finally, after about 15 minutes of fun, Joe used the snake "grabber" and picked them up, stilled connected together, and put them in the tote.  I am not sure if they noticed or not.  The two were taken to another part of the park and released.   Just another day at Boyce Thompson Arboretum.  But a memorable one !

Miami

Miami is a small mining town not far from here.  It was booming in the early 1940's.  Not so much now.  Lots of empty buildings line the downtown streets.

Sound Advice

Beware of birds and lizards, Grasshopper.

Flowers and Desert

Reptiles

The weather is warming up.  Lower 80's today.  Upper 80's tomorrow.  Higher temperatures mean the reptiles are coming out.  Here are a few that we have seen in the last couple of days.

These two guys were along the main trail.

This guy was crossing the parking lot  near our trailer when I was walking the boys

Kartchner Caverns

   Yesterday we drove 3 hours south to visit Kartchner Caverns State Park.  It is a prospect for our next winter's volunteer gig.  Took one of the two tours.  Met with the volunteer coordinator.  Filled out an application while we were with him.  Met and talked to two couples that are current volunteers there. Both sets spoke favorably of the place and the management.  Also drove around the areas where our trailer would be parked.  I have seen better.  I've seen worse.  There are no laundry facilities available so that is a minus.  When we were at Cape Blanco we had to drive into Port Orford to do our wash so it is not unheard of.   I think part of the reason is that the park is many miles from public water so doing laundry for 16 rvs would probably overload the system.
   Bottom line on the visit.  I emailed 5 professional references to Kartchner.  I am seeking a copy of background checks from a previous work source to send in.  Otherwise we go forward with everyday chores for another month at BTA. 

Flowers

Flowers are popping out everywhere.  These happen to come from the bunches of succulents.