When we visited Boyce Thompson Arboretum last November, I spotted lots of patches of fall color – and not just in the trees!
Here are some shades of an Arizona autumn for you!
Desert Autumn Colors
November 2017 Photo: Autumn Tree
Fall color tends to come to Arizona a little later.
When we were at Boyce-Thompson Arboretum over Thanksgiving weekend, most of the trees were still green or yellow. But that just made this stunner stand out even more!
PS Also linking up with Tree Love Thursday!
Spotted at the Arboretum
Today at the Arboretum we saw
4 cardinals
1 woodpecker
a couple hummingbirds
several nests
a really neat feather
a possible owl pellet that Phillip poked at with a stick
some beautiful black butterflies
2 very determined ants and 1 that could care less
2 trees full of bees
a handful of squirrels
a turtle
a snake
and 75 lizards (before we stopped counting).
I also spotted a fuzzy tail of an animal going into a thicket. I jumped out of the car while it was still running to see what it was. All I found was a fat, lumbering squirrel.
Also, if you go on a hot, humid Tuesday, you’ll practically have the place to yourself. With the exception of those mentioned above, of course.
P.S. For those of you interested in chronology, by “today,” I mean last Tuesday, when I wrote down what we’d seen earlier that day.
Nests
I love it when I’m walking and spot a nest in a tree.
It feels like a small discovery, like finding an Easter egg (no pun intended) or a secret door.
From the time I was a little kid, my dad taught me how to look for signs of what’s going on in the natural world, pointing out the high waterline above a dry riverbed, animal tracks in the dirt, cottonwood trees where there’s water, and all kinds of habitats – burrows and holes and nests.
At the Arboretum recently, we saw a man was pointing out a nest in a tree for his grandson.
“You guys should check this one out, too.” I showed them a large nest right in the middle of a cholla cactus that would’ve been hidden from their viewpoint.
I can’t think of a safer place for a home – or a trickier place to build it.
January 2017 Photo: Mansion View
You asked for it! My Photos of the Month are back!
This January’s photo is a view from the historic Picket Post Mansion, which overlooks Boyce Thompson Arboretum. It was open for a rare public tour this January, and we jumped at the chance to peek inside!
Runners up:
I also considered either a photo from the Women’s March or the travel ban protest, partly because they are part of this moment in time. However, even though both rallies were positive experiences, they were in response to things I feel are very wrong. Which may be why looking at them makes me feel a bit agitated, while the landscape of the Arboretum makes me feel peaceful.
PS Speaking of photos, you still have time to share the love by tweeting/instagramming pics of art* from your community with hashtag #localartloves!
*Or an art space!