So Long Agave

Sadly the Agave did not survive the snout beetle feast. It was sad to have to see it go. I decided to replace it with a very cool mutant Barrel cactus, and a couple of Cholla's. They really seem to ad a lot more color to the pond area. Clicking the image will get you the zoomed in version. Thanks for peeking in!

Home Is Where the Hawk Is

These last few weeks have been good for getting pictures of Henery. He sat on the rail and let out a screech while preparing to pounce on a finch.


He is getting more brazen and less bothered by the paparazzi everyday.


He loves to park his tail feathers in the pond.


I guess while hunkered down like this in the water he must feel somewhat camouflaged enough to surprise a feathered morsel coming in for a drink. And there he will sit for up to an hour at a time watching the yard like a .......hey.......I guess he's doing his job and watching the yard like a Hawk. Oh Henery your simply awesome thanks for beautifying my yard.

Breakfast Interuptus

Early in the morning my yard is totally abuzz with all kinds of winged visitors. That is of course until Henery the Coopers Hawk swoops down to see what the breakfast special of the day is. He came down this morning sending all of the quail and doves fleeing in every direction. The finch and sparrows however duck for cover into the ruellia bush. There must have been at least fifty finches and sparrows huddled in the bush this morning when I snapped this shot of Henery licking his beak. I kept trying to move in slowly for a closer shot, but I did not want to send the finches fleeing, as surely one would have been nabbed. As Henery stared down into the bush, you could see the bush trembe and shake. As I tried to position myself for a shot, Henery decided that I was probably more trouble than a little finch breakfast was worth, so he took off.



Under the feeder and over the pond,

we gathered together to sing so long,

to the Agave on which we love to rest.

That brutal snout weevil,

is one hell of a pest!

That was my little Ode to a sick Agave. A sad occurrence has landed in my yard. My large agave (pictured here) is in critical condition, and may not survive. That horrible agave grub infestation in Mexico that has driven up the Tequila prices, has made its way up here to the outskirts of Tucson. I just lost two Yuccas as well. Some websites say that once the grub gets inside and the leaves start dying, its all over for the plant. Yet when I spoke to a specialist at Mesquite Valley Nursery, he gave me a bit of hope, as he said that after treating the soil there is a chance the Agave will survive. We will just have to wait and see. This pic looks way better normal size so click on it. Thanks for stopping and popping on in.