One of the high points of summer — we put up our first sack of roasted green chiles from Wagner’s Farm.
Category: Beauty
Smile
White Lily
This is the first lily to bloom in our oriental lily garden. Although I think it may be one of the Easter lilies I planted a couple of years ago.
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Interesting Koi. Laurie walks another labyrinth while I watch from a lounge chair.
Sex in the Desert at Desert Harbor
I’ve read that besides their voracious appetite for aphids, Ladybugs have an average of 400 different sex partners over their lifetime. Besides Ladybug love, many other insects were pollinating the flowering plants at Desert Harbor Retreat.
Fashion Lizard at Desert Harbor
We also came across a couple of Collared Lizards while on our hike in the canyon at Desert Harbor Retreat (see earlier posts, starting with Off The Grid for the full series on Desert Harbor Retreat). The first we lizard saw was shy and wary of us, but the second lizard was a real show lizard who made a reptilian fashion statement by moving from one rock to another striking poses, then striking the perfect show lizard pose on a weathered log. I simply followed her around capturing her poses and cute expressions.
Desert Harbor Retreat — The Setting
Our stay at Desert Harbor Resort was a Christmas gift from Laurie’s parents, and we scheduled our stay for our 32nd wedding anniversary. Desert Harbor Resort is run by Raymond and his wife Wesley. Guests stay in a small house up the hill from the main house nestled below undulating cliffs among the juniper and piñon trees. The nightly rate includes breakfast, and guest have the option of ordering dinners as well. Guests can also get life counseling, time in a hot tub, and schedule messages for additional fees. There is a labyrinth guests can walk in and then sit in the center and meditate. On the other side of the cliffs the porch faces is a covered lookout, with a chair and a hammock, overlooking a canyon where one can relax, read or meditate. There are also trails for hiking in the canyon and beyond.
Ducks In A Row
Following the ducks is a bit of “macro madness” — I found various interesting critters in the iris and roses. While I was out moving hoses to hook up drip systems, this female mallard hopped up on the neighbor’s wall. Then she hopped back down, and I could hear her making little quacking noises. When I looked over the wall, she was marching off with four ducklings in a row behind her.
Pink Peonies on Parade
We had several thunderstorms move through yesterday, including a heavy hailstorm. When I got home, Laurie told me the pink peony had bloomed and ask me to go out and see if the flowers survived the hailstorm. Many of the blooms were a little beaten down, but they survived the storm. I couldn’t resist photographing the wet roses while I was out, and I ended up pretty wet myself.
Easy Rider
Born to be wild, this woman is one easy rider.
Off Center & Not Even 