Good and bad woodpeckers

Finally got my first Lucifer photo of the year. First Lucifer photo with my new camera, too.

I had the white balance set too high and cut off the tail, but I'll learn...eventually. Sometimes Lucifer gorgets look very reddish and sometimes they look very blue-ish. Just depends on the lighting and humidity, or whatever. Normally, they're more of a magenta color.

I'm being defeated by the Golden-fronted Woodpecker! Might have to invent something to keep the feeders from tilting or put a screen around the feeders to keep the woodpecker off. Or shoot the woodpecker! I'm really frustrated that it won't leave the feeders alone.

I've been waiting for the Ladder-backed Woodpeckers to excavate nesting holes in the new agave stalk. Today one appeared to have started a hole. We will see. It's on the south side of the stalk, which Elf Owls don't prefer, but maybe I can turn the stalk. Time is of the essence. The female owls will be choosing their nests this month.

Not a total lack of lustre

This time of year is bleak at the oasis. The Golden-fronted Woodpecker seems to have found a permanent home, so the feeders still have bee issues.

My energy level is chronically low. I was dreading having to water in the morning. But then I got an email from someone that visited yesterday and reported having had a "fabulous" time. (They saw the Lucifer Hummingbird too.) Stuff like that re-motives me. I can keep on keeping on as long as it brings joy to other people. And possibly the road work is going to happen tomorrow. That means I'll have to rake the road but at least I can do it a bit at a time. And I might find someone to help me if it's really bad. 

I did actually see my first Lucifer of the year today, but didn't get a photo. It only came to the feeder one time. I waited to get a perched shot away from a feeder, but didn't happen. 

The seed feeder stays busy. I have it up out of bear's reach, but need to find the energy to put the "unwelcome" mat down tomorrow. Although bear visits are usually in the fall, they sometimes drop by in the spring.

I know I'm just tired tonight. In the morning the tasks won't seem so daunting. And it'll be worth killing myself on the road just to have it done. Everything after that will be easy going.

Big hands!

In my previous post I mentioned that I have huge hands. My hands are like my father's and his mother's before him, We're all hard workers too. Don't know if that's cause or effect. Here's my Irish grandmother, who I adored. Wish I was that young again! Those man hands have served me well.

Several purple flowers blooming in Alpine already that I don't recognize.

Winter is over! YAY!

Neighbors have seen several hummers but none at CMO yet. Plenty of feeder activity though. ... bees. Luckily I haven't gotten stung. (Knock on wood)

I'm excited because roadwork is finally gonna happen. I found someone with a bulldozer who will do it when he gets time. Expensive but so worth it. Good use of donation money. I'll take lots of photos when it happens. Should be within the next couple of weeks.

My orange tree only made three oranges this year. One was up high by the skylight (where I can't get to) and split, but I ate one of the other two today. So big and sweet and juicy! I have huge hands and it filled one. The tree is starting to bloom now.

Worn out welcome

I was disappointed to see that the Golden-fronted Woodpecker is still around. It makes the bees uncontrollable at the feeders. Hoping this too shall pass.

Feels like spring. Warm weather, Sandhill Cranes heading north...

Miserable cold spell

Got up the morning to discover my husband had ruined our apricot tree. He put a sprinkler on it all night and the weight of the ice broke it completely. Gonna buy one more suitable for our climate.

 

Just stayed indoors and read a book all day. Luckily I had a book I wanted to read. Still felt like a wasted day though. (The book I read was written by a women who has one thing in common with me....  our grandmothers were sisters. She spent 40 years writing the 700 page biography of her father.)

Lucifer sighting, not by me

Epic Lucifer fail on my part. Yesterday morning I saw a hummer zip across the parking area near the new tank and never saw a hummer since. I continued looking all day. This morning I looked again. Nothing. Around noon I headed to town.

When I reached town and got cell service I had an email from neighbors three miles to the south of the oasis. At 12:15 PM today they saw a Lucifer at their house. I'm sure if I had stayed at the oasis I would have seen one there this afternoon. My husband told me it was going to get cold tonight, I was out of firewood, so decided to head to town. Bummer!

😖

Last week of winter

Started watching for Lucifers today. I thought I saw a hummer whiz by me as I drove into the oasis parking area, but can't count it. Meanwhile, here are a few pre-spring photos of the Tree Tobacco. Most of them survived the winter and are putting on new leaves. I expect the seeds from last year to make a bunch of new plants, but so far haven't seen any.

After I lost water twice from leaving a faucet on, and once from frozen fittings, there isn't much left in the stucco tank. In a few weeks I'll have to pump some water from the big tank to make it to rainy season. I'd be stressed if I didn't have the new above ground tank to fall back on in case rains don't come, but hopefully won't have to use it.

The Cardinal and Golden-fronted Woodpecker are still around. I wonder when, or if, they'll leave.

The oasis may look bleak in the winter but the afterglow never disappoints.

Alpine blooms - ready or not

We groaned when we saw the apricot tree breaking out in blooms. A hard freeze is forecast for Wednesday. Same old story. I'm trying to find out what a good species to plant here would be. This Gold Kist didn't produce any fruit last year.

Other stuff blooming is Henbit, Daffodils, Violets, etc.

Tomorrow I plan to go to the oasis and start watching for the first Lucifer Hummingbird arrivals.

A real bummer of a day!

My husband and I went to a Mexican restaurant for lunch and awhile later I couldn't find my iPhone. I knew I had it in the car on the way to the restaurant. When we rushed back to look for it, it wasn't anywhere. Finally, I spotted it in the parking lot under a car that was parked where we had previously been parked. It was in a mud puddle, as well. My heart sank. It was demolished!

I went and bought a Galaxy A10 which is cheaper than an iPhone. I've never used an Android, so I'm pretty lost with it right now, but I'm sure I'll learn. No cloud storage so I lost everything, all my apps, messages, and contact. Really stressed.

Just have to accept what I can't change. Weather is real wintery, but that's very minor right now!