Arizona in August is a different world. The monsoon rains green the hills from the deserts up into the high country; what was hot and dusty is now verdant.
Walking my little hillside to see what changes had happened during my Alaskan holiday, I discovered that the wild morning glories were absolutely covering the barren ground, except near the new monster ant hill. Where there were shrubs (below), they were in climbing mode. No flowers yet; it seems that the morning glories only start blossoming once they figure they can't shoot up much further.
The buckwheat plant that I call the
white fluffies is putting out many many long stringy greygreen stems which will be covered with tiny white flowers as we approach autumn, hence my name.
No surprise that the recent rains have awakened more mushroom spores.
The miniature hen & chicken I planted by the mailbox decided to spread -- and to open pretty little flowers -- while my datura has grown four buds. This time I have promised myself to draw up a perch and sit with camera ready the evening the first flower is scheduled to open; I hope that a hawk moth or two shows up to fertilize the blossom. And yes, I discovered that another datura has come up. From seed, no less. With my previous track record, I feel accomplished.
While I was inspecting the back forty, I flushed the battle-scarred interloper, who seems determined to take over from poor Max. Spotted a couple of places where he had left his calling card.
Walking my little hillside to see what changes had happened during my Alaskan holiday, I discovered that the wild morning glories were absolutely covering the barren ground, except near the new monster ant hill. Where there were shrubs (below), they were in climbing mode. No flowers yet; it seems that the morning glories only start blossoming once they figure they can't shoot up much further.
The buckwheat plant that I call the white fluffies is putting out many many long stringy greygreen stems which will be covered with tiny white flowers as we approach autumn, hence my name.
No surprise that the recent rains have awakened more mushroom spores.
The miniature hen & chicken I planted by the mailbox decided to spread -- and to open pretty little flowers -- while my datura has grown four buds. This time I have promised myself to draw up a perch and sit with camera ready the evening the first flower is scheduled to open; I hope that a hawk moth or two shows up to fertilize the blossom. And yes, I discovered that another datura has come up. From seed, no less. With my previous track record, I feel accomplished.
While I was inspecting the back forty, I flushed the battle-scarred interloper, who seems determined to take over from poor Max. Spotted a couple of places where he had left his calling card.
So is it good to be back in Arizona? I look forward to that first datura flower.
ReplyDeleteAlaska looked as I imagined, or the landscape did. The heavy plant in shades of pink was a surprise!
Everything is growing well there. We have one of those miniature hen and chicken plants the I put in before summer. It has seen its prime is about finished now. All of the growth looks really nice.
ReplyDeletelucy -- today is going to be a hot one, so yes, I already miss Alaska. Besides, believe it or not, I've already had more mosquito bites at home than I got from those famous Alaskan bombardiers.
ReplyDeletesteve -- I love our two seasons of greening AZ; it's truly a different world at that time.
Looks wonderful, we're having what feels like monsoon rains here and everything is certainly greener for it....
ReplyDeletePretty pictures! Thanks for sharing them!
ReplyDeletecrafty -- compared to Arizona (even the mountains), the UK is a very, very Green Island -- wonderful for the eyes,
ReplyDeletefroggy -- we're currently in a "drying trend", unfortunately, so I hope that the morning glories hold out until the next rainy spell so that I will have further pictures.