Springtime flowers~Nature's Notes~042513

My neighbor's snapdragons and the roses in the park are blooming right now.  They should continue to bloom until it just gets too hot.  Some of the park's roses are wilting already.  I'm sad that I missed their peak, but these are still gorgeous.  My neighbor is a landscaper and she always has a beautiful garden in her front yard.  Sometimes I wander over there with my camera and take photos of her flowers.  Fortunately, she lets me!  Nature's Notes for April 25, 2013.  To visit Nature's Notes, please go to:   http://ramblingwoods.com/

What happened to the ducks at the Palm Desert park???

I headed out this morning with my backup Nikon because hubby needed my Canon camera today.  I didn't wish to drive up the mountain to visit my horses.  I did that yesterday.  They are all shedding their winter coats!  I'll need to brush, brush, brush them next weekend!  So, instead, I drove over to our local park and boy, was I surprised.  Instead of seeing lots and lots of ducks, I only saw a couple dozen!  And only  2 mudhens!  WWWHHHAAATTTT?????  I did count about 10 of the white ducks (they don't fly off) and I saw my little guy with a topknot who was there last year, but NO (zero) Canadian geese.  The geese have already left.  I've heard them honking on their way back to their northern homes.  I did some research online and the city isn't admitting to anything except to discourage the public from feeding the ducks.  And, as of June, you will ONLY be allowed to buy pellets at the park and you'll have to pay $0.25 for a handfull of pellets.  WELL!  It was a real shocker!

Here's a link to the article:

http://www.mydesert.com/article/20130321/LIFESTYLES/303210022/Quit-feeding-ducks-into-complacency-Civic-Center-Park-Palm-Desert-City-Council-warns?fb_action_ids=471707516233607&fb_action_types=og.recommends&fb_ref=artsharetop&fb_source=aggregation&fb_aggregation_id=288381481237582

I don't read The Desert Sun (we call it "The Desert Rag") because, well, frankly, it IS a rag.  It's a waste of a newspaper and is only good for lining the cat litter box (in my humble opinion)!

I guess the city's "discouragement" plan worked because the park was nearly devoid of ducks...sigh...

Giraffes at the Living Desert

There is a family of giraffes at the Living Desert.  That's dad in the first few, then the mom and baby came out (the baby is the one next to the iron cage), then both parents eating.    We were there over the Easter weekend and they were all out eating.  My, they have long tongues!   :-)

Smoketree and sky~SkyWatch Friday~041913

I love to watch the smoke trees here in our desert throughout the year.  They will soon have their dark purple flowers, usually in May.  But, this weekend, it will be 97 degrees here in the desert, so maybe they will bloom early this year?  I'm SO ready for the weekend and since hubby is working all weekend, I'll have plenty of free time!   :-)  SkyWatch Friday for April 19, 2013.   To visit SkyWatch Friday, please go to:    http://skyley.blogspot.com/

More from the Living Desert ~ Our World Tuesday~ 041613

More photos from the Living Desert Reserve.  In addition to all the animals there, they had a little train over Easter weekend.  It had a waiting line and the kids were really enjoying it!  There's also Gecko Gulch, which is a childrens' play area (see the little guy with his hat).  I always enjoy walking through the garden center.  Unfortunately, we are having horrific winds and dust storms this week, but maybe we can return there this weekend.  Our World Tuesday for April 16, 2013.  To visit OWT, please go to:   http://ourworldtuesdaymeme.blogspot.com/

Coyote Cafe~Whimsical Windows and Delirious Doors~041513

I love this photo not because of the windows and doors, which are plain, but because of the reflection in them.  HA~Look at the palm tree!  This cafe is up at the Living Desert reserve here in town.  WWDD for April 15, 2013.  Back to work...sigh...another LONG week.  To visit WWDD, please go to:   http://iwishiwereaphotographer.blogspot.com/

The desert is blooming~Today's Flowers~041413

There are a lot of desert trees and shrubs blooming right now, in addition to the non-native plants.  I especially enjoy the yucca varities, which I'm not posting here now.  All of these other photos were taken at the Living Desert Reserve here in Palm Desert.  Hubby and I renewed our membership just a couple of weeks ago and we went there with our daughter and son-in-law before their baby, Ellie, was born.  I didn't even venture out last weekend (too tired) and this weekend doesn't look much better.  I'm exhausted from parent conferences, a new granddaughter, and life in general!  My energy level is WAY down and I'm fighting a sore throat, so I may not get out at all this weekend...sigh...I hate to lose my weekends, but sometimes it just is that way...Please enjoy these photos of some of our blossoms here in the desert and STAY WELL!  That's hard to do as a public school teacher!   :-(

The top photo is the Baja Fairy duster.  It's an interesting shrub and I have very few photos of it for some reason.  They usually come out too dark!  To visit Today's Flowers, please go to:   http://flowersfromtoday.blogspot.com/