and baby makes three!

Introducing, Tyler Jet Gagnon, born at 4:59 AM

Everyone's doing just fine :)

Victoria and Geoff couldn't be any happier and I am thrilled to be a grandma!

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Friday Morning Skywatch

This morning around 5:30 AM, sunrise to the east...

and moonset to the west:

Still waiting for the new baby in the family to arrive.  Will today be the day?

Check out more skies from around the world or share your own at Skywatch Friday.

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On the rocks

Rumor has it that colorful collared lizards can now be observed in Rattlesnake Canyon.  On Saturday we went to see what we could find.  The only problem is, when the weather gets hot and sunny enough to see reptiles, I  prefer to go out very early in the morning.  Chris pointed out that we weren’t likely to see heat-loving collared lizards so early in the day.  He was right, we didn’t find any collared lizards.  I was not disappointed though, because we did see:
a tiny trickling waterfall

some water still standing in Rattlesnake Creek

green and orange colors in the creek bed
 
Red Admiral butterfly

greenish yellow lichen

Trailing Four O’clock

Desert Grassland Whiptail lizard

Still waiting for our first grandbaby to make an appearance. :)

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No News

Daughter Victoria is doing fine.  Her last day of teaching was Friday, baby due date was Saturday.  No baby yet, but the nursery is ready and she has some free time to enjoy before the little one arrives. :)

I do have some pictures of fledgling sparrows in the backyard:

what is a branch
and what is a bird leg?
the answer flies away

~Jane Reichhold

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Skywatch - Blooming Cactus

Greetings from Tucson!  Here we have blue skies sweetly scented with saguaro cactus blossoms.

This is a happy time for our family as my daughter and son-in-law, Victoria and Geoff, in Massachusetts await the arrival of their first baby, due any day now. :)

Enjoy more skies from around the world or share yours at Skywatch Friday.

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Ground Squirrels

I don't know what this little guy was eating...

but, apparently it was too good to share!

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Desert in May

leathery pads

welcome new growth

desert in May

Visit Tracy's Shadow Shot Sunday for more shadowy fun with photography.

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Glimmers of Light

As I was walking in the woods, I noticed some sparkly things.  It turned out to be a monitoring project for hummingbird conservation.  Here is concern for the well-being of migrants as well as residents.

Check out more Weekend Reflections at James' Newtown Area Photo.

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Cyclovia

A fun afternoon in April when some downtown streets were closed to motor traffic:

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Takin' it easy

Yep, been moving kinda slow lately.  Doing less but enjoying more.

Mostly savoring moments in the garden.  Life is good. :)

Everything
just as it is,
as it is,
as is.
Flowers in bloom.
Nothing to add.

~Robert Aitken Roshi

You have read this article garden / simplicity / slow / spring / turtles and torts / Zen with the title May 2010. You can bookmark this page URL http://mariabelgien.blogspot.com/2010/05/takin-it-easy.html. Thanks!

Little Gems

These common, yet adorable finches are often just outside the window singing and feeding on seeds.



"The life that the dawn brings us is the only life we have. Life is in the here and now, not in the there and afterwards."
~Vimala Thakar











"Nothing in life is trivial. Life is whole wherever and whenever we touch it, and one moment or event is not less sacred than another."
~Vimala Thakar


.

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Shadows of Squirrels

Three types of ground squirrels live in the Sonoran Desert:

Round-tailed Ground Squirrel

Harris' Antelope Ground Squirrel

Rock Squirrel

These were all found in the Coronado National Forest.  I love squirrels, but I never see any in my yard, not even at the bird feeders.  Fortunately, I get to enjoy pictures of squirrels at friends' blogs regularly. :)

For more Shadow Shot Sunday images, visit Hey Harriet hosted by Tracy.

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The World According to Abe

“I used to be with it

but then they changed what "it" was.

Now, what I'm with isn't it, and what's “it” seems weird and scary to me.”

 ~Grandpa Simpson of The Simpsons








Notes about the images:

1. reflection of box turtle on water
2. looking at turtle thru a window with reflection of poker chips on the glass
3. same as first image but cropped and set vertically

More Weekend Reflections at James’ Newtown Area Photo.

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