Mushrooms in the Desert? I Have Pictures!
Living in the Sonoran Desert, I don’t often see mushrooms. Sometimes, fungus appears on the trunks of dying trees, but that’s not often. This year, Tucson has had a very wet monsoon season, which is wonderful after years of severe drought. Along with the greening of the vegetation, the abundance of rain has brought forth […]
An Unusual Visitor Stopped By
The Sonoran Desert is home to many species of hummingbirds. The first things I installed in my yard when I moved in were hummingbird feeders. Whenever a hummer would stop for a drink, I’d pull out my bird book to identify it. I’ve had quite a few species stop by over the years. Some were […]
Brittlebush Can Take the Heat!
One plant that has always amazed me in the Sonoran Desert is the Brittlebush. No matter how little rain falls nor how hot it is, this bush produces a lush crop of flowers. Brittlebush, Encelia farinose, is a bush native to the Sonoran Desert and is a member of the sunflower family. The leaves are […]
Birds Do It, But Wow!
In the Spring, avian hearts turn to thoughts of love, or at least, to mating. Songs have been written about it. Cole Porter croons, “Birds do it, bees do it.” But have you ever thought about how birds “do it?” Recently, I realized that a couple of white-winged doves, Zenaida asiatica, were getting together on […]
Nature is the Best Holiday Decorator
I usually travel during the December holidays, so I don’t do much holiday decorating. A garland and a lighted ball is sufficient for me. This year, due to the pandemic, I’m staying home and I’ve been trying to decide if and how I’ll decorate. I don’t really need decorations to feel the holiday spirit. This […]
November 20th is National Absurdity Day
On November 20th, absurdity is celebrated by being whacky, for example. It strikes me as absurd that on November 19th, we celebrate carbonated beverages with caffeine day. One day later we can expand and include other absurdities. Some might think it is absurd to write a book. Some days, writers think so, too! Or go […]
September 4 is National Wildlife Day
This guy, Roadrunner Geococcyx californianus, and his species inspired my book, Don’t Make Me Fly! September 4 is National Wildlife Day. As a biologist, I love wildlife, whether it is in my backyard or at some distant exotic location. Wildlife Day was established to remind us about endangered animals, locally and around the world. This […]
“What’s a Nurse Tree?” you ask.
In the heat of the Sonoran Desert, many cacti use the shade of trees to help them survive. They also help in the cold winters. These are nurse trees. Underneath a mesquite in my yard, I found this thriving Graham’s Nipple or Arizona Fishhook Cactus. The scientific name is Mammillaria grahamii. I wouldn’t have noticed […]
