Red and Mrs. are my Northern Cardinal couple who live in a cholla cactus in the wash beyond our backyard fence. They have been arriving daily, but separately. Perhaps there are babies on the way and someone has to be in the nest at all times?
Red arrived and sat on his favorite pink flamingo. I watched him nibble and bite at the flamingo’s head. Maybe seeds blew down from the tree onto the flamingo?
Mrs. watched quail, a mourning dove and house sparrow devour a seed block.
I saw a strange sight. Two female cardinals together on our patio. They flew away before I could get a photo. One was larger than the other. I googled how or why two females would be together. First, I learned that it could be due to an abundance of birds in the area — which we have. Second, it could be mother and fledgling.
Mother cardinals are dedicated caregivers, often seen feeding and guiding their fledglings, which are brown-grey with dark beaks and sparse feathers. Fledglings leave the nest within 10-12 days but rely on parents to feed them for several more weeks while learning to fly. Parents, including the mother, frequently feed young on the ground or in low shrubs. –Allaboutbirds.org
Red got tired of being ignored by the flamingo, so he moved on.
The papa quail and mourning dove were more sociable to Red than the stuffy flamingo.
Mrs. told a quail couple about her visit with the other female cardinal.
Mrs. found a perch on the cactus statue to watch over the backyard actors.
Red and Mrs. are back to a normal routine in our backyard. Maybe this spring we’ll have some baby Reds?
Yesterday was a Red Letter Day — plus I got the photo above of Red! I went to my post op appointment with my favorite surgeon. My surgery on my foot was a little over two weeks ago. The dressing and sutures were removed. Yay! I finally get a look at my “elective foot” as Tippy Gnu from Chasing Unicorns called it. (That’s in reference to the procedure first denied by our insurance company. They said it wasn’t medically necessary.) Like I wrote before, what is necessary about walking and wearing shoes?
My foot is black, blue and swollen. The bright news? I wore flip flops out of the doctor’s office instead of the infamous boot.
Here’s the boot from last June, post ankle surgery.
The infamous boot where it sits today until next time.
I would love to toss the boot into the trash. But my surgeon said I may need to have a follow up surgery in the distant future if I have pain. I’ve placed the boot in my closet up on a shelf where Olive the cat would sit and watch birds.
I’m excited to get out of the house and I’m meeting my lunch bunch at Kiki Rae’s. It’s a cute restaurant in Cave Creek with Pacific Northwest specialities like clam chowder, fish and chips and steamers. They even serve Seattle Dogs which are hot dogs with cream cheese and caramelized onions. As a native of the PNW, it’s a treat to have a restaurant serving my favorite foods from childhood and college.
My lunch bunch are two friends from my previous life in Palm Springs, pre kids. They were graphic designers I worked with in my PR Days. When I moved to Arizona a friend told me to look them up — they moved here 10 years before me. We’re all within a few miles of each other and meet up for lunch several times a year.
Here’s to giving the boot to the boot, regular visits by Red and feeling better!
What are some of your favorite foods from your childhood?
Do you have traditional or specific foods that are unique to your area?
This year, we planted several bougainvillea. I love the color they add to our yard. They are small now and I can’t wait to see how much they grow in a few years. We had to replace several due to our javelina buddies who ate them.
I’m sharing several plant photos from around our yard. It’s been a very quiet week of rest, elevating and icing my foot. The pain has not been too bad post surgery. Honestly, not much has been going on this week and I’m enjoying the quiet.
We are meeting a fellow swim mom from our Palm Springs team later today who was one of my swim mom mentors. Her daughter went to ASU for college and lives nearby. The daughter was an All American collegiate swimmer and held ASU records. She and her husband had a baby recently and her mom is here to do grandma duties for her daughter’s return to work. It will be my first outing post surgery.
I always enjoy getting together with people from a former phase of my life. It seems as though no time has passed and we can reminisce about our parenting days.
The weather is beautiful and I’m loving sitting outside enjoying the sun reading, since there’s not much I can do — except for a small walk wearing my boot.
This photo was taken with me seated looking up at a mesquite tree branch.
Our fire sticks are turning bright orange. We have several plants throughout the yard. Why is it called “fire stick?” Not only does it resemble a stick on fire with its orange color, its sap is toxic and causes a burning sensation on skin and in eyes, leading to severe irritation and potential temporary blindness. I’m always careful walking by them.
I love these plants called Fairy Dusters. They do remind me of fairies. They can be light pink to a darker red like this one.
I hope you enjoyed my plant photos. Yes, I’ve seen Red but he’s staying far away in the wash behind our house. I’ve seen him where I believe their nest is in the cholla cactus.
Happy Friday! What plans do you have for the weekend?
This is a photo of the beautiful backdrop of Palm Springs, Mt. San Jacinto, from Ruth Hardy Park, which was a few blocks from our old home.
Why am I writing and posting photos of Palm Springs again?
Because I was there Friday through Sunday. It’s beyond gorgeous looking out the airport windows to the mountain. I forgot how much I missed that!
The night before we left, one of my best friends called and asked if she could pick me up at the airport. She’s the friend who helped us move five years ago. True friends. I wrote about that move HERE.
I was going to take a Lyft to my dad’s skilled nursing facility, but my dear friend drove me and came inside to surprise Dad. He was thrilled to see her. My dad was hospitalized several weeks ago and sent to skilled nursing to rehab. He realized at age 93 and 11 months that he can no longer live alone. It was a relief that he came to this conclusion on his own.
Friday accomplishments: Dad signed power of attorney to me. Dad listed his home with realtors we met in his home Friday. It was a long day for both of us!
The next door neighbors helped all weekend, too, popping in and out. They’ve looked out for Dad for three years.
Saturday was another long day meeting movers and getting them scheduled for Tuesday. Dad will be discharged from skilled nursing and needs a place to sleep by Wednesday night! I tagged what Dad wants moved including artwork, lamps, bed, dresser, dishes, clothing, etc. with yellow stickies.
I taught my dad how to use Lyft, in the event he decides to sell his car 🙏. Also, assisted living will drive residents wherever they want to go — at anytime without charge.
The realtors will schedule Angel View Thrift Shop to pick up everything left behind and prep the house for photos and to show. I don’t have to be there!
I’m exhausted. But Saturday morning I started the day with a walk and coffee with another Palm Springs good friend. We swam masters together, plus our daughters were friends from pre K through high school and beyond. My daughter was a bridesmaid in Kira’s wedding this past summer.
Here’s a crazy coincidence:
My daughter told me yesterday that she visited Kira on Saturday. On the way, my daughter got off on the wrong BART stop (Bay Area Rapid Transit). My daughter was frustrated with her mistake and was looking down at her phone to figure out what to do next. She looked up and saw Kira’s younger sister standing in front of her! The two got back on BART and went to Kira’s house together.
At the same time I was walking and having coffee with my friend, my daughter was with Kira and her sister (my friend’s daughters!)
What could have been a really tough weekend turned out to be special and possible — thanks to friends.
This was our home of 28 years downtown Palm Springs. Our backyard and French doors face Mt. San Jacinto, so we had great views.
This is Tahquitz Canyon Way. We had great views of Mt. San Jacinto on our morning walks.
Also, a great view Sunday morning of the Tahquitz Witch.
What is the Tahquitz Witch?
Cahuilla shaman named Tquits (or Tahquitz), is a malevolent figure from Southern California Native American lore, often appearing as a fiery ball or shadow in Tahquitz Canyon near Palm Springs, said to steal souls and cause strange phenomena like rumbling or earthquakes, with the legend popularized by stories and books, including a local horror tale about a witch-shadow that scares children.
The Legend Explained
The Shaman’s Fall: Tahquitz was a powerful shaman who used his abilities for evil, angering his people, who eventually banished him to a cave in the San Jacinto Mountains, near Tahquitz Canyon.
His Spirit: After his defeat by a chief, Tahquitz’s spirit was bound to the canyon and mountains, becoming a source of fear and mystery, notes the YouTube video and the Los Angeles Times.
Manifestations: Believers say he appears as:
A large, green fireball or shooting star in the night sky.
A shadow or silhouette cast on the canyon rocks at certain times.
Causes strange ground shaking, rumbling, or animal sounds in the canyon.
The “Witch” Aspect
While Tahquitz is a male shaman, the “Witch of Tahquitz” is a common local nickname, especially in children’s tales, describing a witch-like shadow figure that snatches misbehaving children. –AI OVERVIEW
Five years ago this week we moved from sunny Palm Springs, California to sunny Arizona!
I wrote several posts about leaving my home of 28 years. It was stressful, sad, yet exciting. We had some snafus along the way. The movers didn’t bring a large enough moving van for all our stuff. They had to rent a U Haul. With everyone leaving California, they couldn’t find one close by. They had to rent one from San Diego.
We arrived in our new home without our stuff. (But we had a sedated Olive kitty, who was not a good traveler.) Fortunately, we had purchased the furniture in the casita from the prior owners, so we had a place to sleep! And I smartly packed bedding in one of our cars, plus overnight bags with changes of clothing.
Our stuff eventually caught up with us.
Here’s one of the posts from five years ago:
Moving On To Excitement
The past month, I’ve been all over the place emotionally. I’ve been through shock, disbelief, sadness, regret and anxiety. But I woke up today and I’ve moved on. I’m feeling the anticipation of a new adventure. I haven’t moved since 1992 and I’m excited for a new experience.
I don’t know what happened to change my point of view. It may be that the escrows are going well and it looks like all will close this week on both ends of the move. So that takes a chunk out of the anxiety. We worked really hard the past two weeks, packing, throwing stuff out and making daily trips to Angel View Thrift Store — and the end is in sight.
I wish my daughter would come and help us move. But with the state in a new COVID shut down until after Christmas, she viewed the flight home and driving one of our cars to Arizona for us as not “essential.” Of course, I viewed that differently. But I do understand. She doesn’t want to get us old folks sick. She doesn’t want to get her brother and significant other sick, either.
We were surprised by one of our dear Piranha Swim Team family friends who offered to help us out. They volunteered to drive one of our cars. We didn’t even have to ask. That makes me appreciate the life we’ve had here, the friendships that are so true and valuable.
We’ve been blessed and I am ready to move on, knowing those friendships will continue.
Our Palm Springs yard all prettied up for sale.
What moves have you made? Did you experience mixed emotions?
I managed to get an in focus photo of a Harris’s Hawk who made a landing in our tree and immediately took off into the desert.
Today, my husband comes home. I had three days to myself while he traveled for a class. I was apprehensive about his trip and realized it was due to our last long weekend “trip” that turned into a disaster with me falling and breaking my ankle on our first hike! I was also a little worried about how I’d get along, but my husband stocked the fridge and freezer like I’d be eating for a month, not three days.
I had two friends take me out for lunch. We used to work together 30 years ago! They are both graphic designers and I was the PR person who hired them for brochures, ads and billboards. We get together about once a month after not seeing each other for 15 years. That’s when they both left Palm Springs for Arizona. We live a few miles apart now and it’s been wonderful to rekindle our friendships.
My surgeon told me I should start getting out of the house and I’d feel much better. So lunch was a good idea — as well as my mornings outside getting sun and enjoying nature.
Then I quit the board where I was in charge of communications. It’s a woman’s group where we fundraised to support victims of sex trafficking. A post of Wynne Leon’s of Surprised by Joy this week about leadership made me realize exactly why I made this decision. You can read her post HERE called How to Share Direction. A new year began for our group and we have a new leader.
Our group is very small, around 30, and in March we held a fundraiser, a casino night. Literally five of us pulled it off with a silent auction, prizes, menu planning, and me doing communications. I spent the better part of three months working on the program, fliers, invitations, press releases, public service announcements and contacting newspapers, magazines, radio and TV.
We voted at a recent board meeting to focus on growing membership and that a fundraiser like casino night is too much work for us at this point. It was a unanimous vote. Our new leader at a meeting I missed because of my ankle surgery made the unilateral decision that casino night was a piece of cake and we’d have one next March. She told another member to “book it.” That was it for me. No vote was taken. The board also decided to no longer fundraise for sex-trafficked victims because some members find it to be distasteful. Out again for a second time!
Meanwhile my laptop that is only three years old suddenly died. I have a MacBook Air and it’s my second one dying in six years. I remember when my Mac computers lived for 10 years or more. I was sitting on the sofa with my leg iced and elevated with the laptop on my sundress, when the laptop went black. I went to Apple’s website to figure out what to do. It turns out that it said not to use a MacBook Air on fabric, bed or on clothing. Who knew! It overheated and went kaput. According to my daughter, I needed to get a sturdier, more solid laptop, so I did and I’m back in business.
So that’s my week in a post plus a surprise photo I managed to get of Red and Mrs. together!
What are your plans for the weekend?
I’ll be doing my PT and trying to get though the food my husband left me.
Saturday our guests left and I had most of the day to myself. I took a long walk and captured this cholla with my iphone. I love the blue sky! I did have to make a trip to the grocery store to restock the fridge. I did a lot of cooking for my guests. My favorite dinner was our last. Chilean sea bass (my favorite fish) and steamed clams (another all time favorite.)
Sunday, I tried to do nothing after another long walk, but sit in the backyard, read and listen to podcasts — and my favorite bird Red. His singing voice is simply a joy to hear. I had a visit to the bird buddy by a female Cardinal. Maybe it’s his mate?
I’m not sure what to name her. Because of her quieter voice and color, I don’t notice her like I do my buddy Red.
Our guests were so kind and grateful. They were here to scout a nearby lake for an upcoming National Spearfishing competition. They are serious and have won world championships before. This is the second visit to the lake for one of them. Then they are coming back to stay with us the week of the competition in April. They will spend more time underwater, looking for where the fish live. I wonder if other teams prepare like this?
I kind of wish I didn’t go all out cooking for them. (But it was nice to get their compliments.)They will be back in a few weeks with the third member of their crew. I may tell them in advance that I won’t be cooking every night! That they need to know they’ll be on their own. Our casita does have a full kitchen and of course they can go to restaurants.
Another photo from Saturday’s walk. I loved the blue sky and contrast with the beautiful plant. Although I don’t know what type if plant it is.
