They don't climb

Oh hell!  Another boring day in paradise!

The view from the front door of Casa Foringer.

One of Becky's friends.

The view out front.
What are those white things in the sky?

The Foringer Estate.

Becky and Dave are doing so well, they even have a cabana boy.

Exciting times at the homestead.
"7 come 11," shouts Lorrie.
Or maybe she's about to knock some sense into Dave.

Just makes you want to clamber up onto Old Bessie and ride off into the sunset, don't it?

But not before dinner.
Mr. Sausage tests the grill.

Look, in the sky!
The killer bees have passed us by!

Not quite full.

Camelback beckons.
When will we ever get there?

But plenty of hiking available right here in the nearby McDowell range.

The rooftop view is stupendous, both for the mountains and the sunset.

Going...

Going...

Gone...

"I'm not going to deal with these crazy women," opines Dave as he leaves the scene.

A fine group of young men.
Well, a group of men, at least.

Don't ask.
I have no idea what's going on.

Almost everyone looks perfect!
Let's try again.

Isn't it amazing?
I have 30 or 40 pictures where Becky has photobombed,
and her eyes are wide open in every one.

Now this shot captures their essence!

I'm still trying to figure out how Chris kept his face in focus
while his hair is blurry.
Maybe it's the bees.

I think the disembodied hand on the left is accompanied by a song.
"Stop, in the name of love..."

But all good rooftop sunset and bee appreciation evenings must end.

"So do you think these people will ever leave?"

"I'm beginning to wonder..."

"They've been here for many moons..."

"I'm getting a little teed off at the way they all putter around."

"I've got it!  Let's show them our pet scorpions!"

"Yeah, that's it!  Especially the ones that drink wine!
That'll clear everyone out!"

Becky fessed up to the fact that scorpions do, in fact, climb, and the New Yorkers skeedaddled faster than you can say "blizzard!"  Peace returned to Arizona.

More Birds and a Dinosaur

The Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge is a very impressive place, if you have any appreciation at all for wildlife.  The stretch along the interior Indigo Trail is incredibly alive with birds.

A lovely Heron walking through the marsh.

You'd think with yellow feet and yellow beak he'd be easy to identify.
Not so.

Maybe I've discovered a new species!
Also, the Easter Bunny was just outside of this frame.
Perhaps this is a juvenile...they often don't look like adults.
No tattoos on this guy, however.

I regret I didn't get more shots of this Egret.

This Tricolored Heron is hanging out on a branch above the water.

"Tricolor?  How limiting.  How inaccurate."

What is this Egret looking for?

Mmmm...Lunch!

This pool, a short distance away, shows why the birds like the area so much.

Or perhaps it's the camaraderie.

Everyone loves a mangrove swamp.

Especially the Roseate Spoonbills.
I wonder why they call them that.

Ruffled or not, quite the unique bird.
I've been told their plumage is pink due to their shrimp-filled diet.
Maybe that's why I'm also a little pink.

Good grooming for a stylish bird.

Gotta love those leotards.

All back in order, and now I'm outta here.

The Little Blue Heron looked pretty big to me.

Showing off "nexterity."

Unfortunately, this was the best I could do with this Yellow Crowned Night Heron.
Perhaps it was because it was daytime.

On the inland side of the island, there is open water.  Different bird and different groupings appear.

Cormorants are rarely thought of as attractive birds.

Upon closer inspection, they are at the very least, interesting.
I was pleased this one was so good at posing.

Some prefer the road to the waves.

Some just hang out up high.
"No, I'm not an Eagle.  I'm an Osprey.  We're much better at fishing.
Those Eagles never even get their feathers wet."

The Snowy Egret is pensive.

Who IS your hair stylist, Dahling?

The full Monty.
Don't ask how I knew his name.

Eyes always look best in the sunlight.

Cool looking even with the neck compressed.

This White Pelican likes the open water.

There are plenty of fish, so everyone gets along.

Everyone.

Yes, everyone!

Even when they are not quite alike.
(Insert contrasting human comment here.)

"So two Herons walk into a bar..."

But there are places that seem to be completely devoid of birds.

No birds here.

I wonder why...