Last week I posted a photo of a young fledgling Western Scrub jay here. That photo was taken 6 days ago.
Now, the bird is still a fledgling, and is still awkward, and is still getting its adult feathers. But it has learned about peanuts, and just goes straight for them when they are put out. This guy was a fast learner!
This dove was quite content this morning.
This guy (girl?) is the State Bird of New Mexico. At least one family lives in my neighborhood, and they walk on the block walls, eat lizards in the woodpile, make very interesting sounds, and just entertain in general.
This one was sitting outside my bedroom window this morning, but I could not get a photo. That will teach me to wash the windows more often!
He didn’t really want to be photographed, but let me get this one before he ran across the road and up the street, using the sidewalk!
Most of the gardeners I know in the high desert enjoy a variety of birds. Many put out food and water for the birds, and I am one who does. I think of summer as hummingbirds and roses, and winter as junkos.
But, even in the city, there are many different birds. When I first moved to this house, I had a lot of mourning doves. I had never seen a white wing dove until I moved to Albuquerque, and I lived here for several years before being aware of them. White wing doves have a more limited distribution in the United States than do mourning doves, but where the white wings occur, they are abundant. At my house, they nest in a large pine, close to a feeding station, and it is not unusual to see nine at a time on the block wall waiting to be fed. They share the feeder with finches and smaller birds, but the mourning doves are chased off until the white wings have had their fill.
In flight, you see a lot of white. But at rest, only a slim line of white is seen along the wing. The eyes are really red, as are the legs and feet. I love the blue eye patch, and the dark line underneath the eye.
Their call has been described as “who-cooks-for-you?” Personally, I think it is much lovelier than that 😉
They actually are hunted in Texas and in Arizona.
Today was the day to begin harvesting the peaches. How do I know? A little bird told me!
As soon as the peaches almost reach ripeness, the birds begin to sample them. Some people cover their fruit trees with netting to protect the fruit from being eaten by the birds. I find it easier to pick the fruit and let it finish ripening a day or so indoors.
This is what one branch looked liked before I picked its peaches. Notice that the branch is almost horizontal from the weight of the peaches (another reason to thin the peaches after the danger of frost has past).
This is what the same branch looked liked after the peaches had been picked:
Harvesting of the peaches as they ripen will continue over the next week or two. Yummmm. . .
This weekend the Pacific Southwest District had a great Horticulture Judging School and Seminar in Palm Desert, California.
Click HERE to view a PowerPoint slide show from the school/seminar.
“Yoyo” is a sport of “Gizmo,” which is the bright orange blossom in this photo. Yoyo has a range of expression, from solid red (mainly in cooler weather) to red with “hand painted” orange stripes (mainly in mid-summer).
Yoyo was registered in 2003. In 2006, the same sport was registered in its solid red phase as “Spring Fling.” At the present time, the ARS considers these two phases of the same sport to be two different roses. This was a political decision based on expediency, not on science and not on the rules for registering sports.
So, listen up, exhibitors. If you are really lucky and have a branch that reverts to Gizmo, you potentially have three entries for a rose show from one plant: Yoyo, Spring Fling, and Gizmo. The ARS is aware of this problem, and has chosen to allow the two different registrations of the same sport stand.
Go figure. Or, better yet, have a good laugh!
In the meantime, the ARS needs to develop a written policy for how the same sport independently discovered by different people will be appropriately handled. Until then, the credibility and integrity of the ARS in rose registration can fairly be called into question.
Click this link to view a PowerPoint slide show of some of the arrangements from the Albuquerque Rose Show, May 24-25, 2008.
Fran Hardy, Membership Chair for the Albuquerque Rose Society, has sent out the following announcement:
We have just learned that there will be a memorial service for Alan Hunton
on Wednesday, May 28 at 1:00 pm
at Asbury Methodist Church
10000 Candalaria NE (just East of Eubank).Alan’s son would like this to be a celebration of his fathers’ life. People telling stories of memories with Alan will be a big part of this celebration. Paul has requested that someone or several from the Rose Society speak about the good times at the garden, etc. This is important to Paul. If you have something would like to share and feel that you will not be able to keep your composure, the Minister will be happy to read it for you.
There will be a reception after the service. The church group is going to have refreshments. If anyone wants to bring something please contact Melissa Maher 323-9730.
I have been told that this is not necessary but if you do want to participate…cheese, crackers and salty treats would be appreciated.I hope that a lot of us show up to remember our friend Alan.
Both Alan and Jackie are missed.
This presentation is not yet complete. Look for a revision in the next couple of days.
Click on the link, and be patient as the presentation loads. Then, click each slide, or just scroll to view the PowerPoint slide presentation.
