Things are quiet around here.

The weather has improved some, for a while the winds were gone and the temperatures were not blistering. But things change quickly here in the desert. All our plants are blooming. The Palo Verde has survived another year even with losing branches. Lots of flowers on it. And they managed to stay on it through yesterday's very high winds - gusts up to 60+. The chairs were rocking and the humming bird feeders were hanging sideways. Today it is calm and cool. 

I am amazed these tiny birds can fly in the high winds. He came zooming by while we were sitting outside enjoying the "breeze."

We have two cactus plants out front. The biggest one never blooms, this one has been blooming for a couple of years. I finally remember to go out with my camera and take a picture of its pretty flowers. So delicate for such an ugly plant. 

The bees love these flowers. This bee was rolling around in it. He was moving so much couldn't get a good focus on him. 

A month or so ago when we were walking there was a Plaine Air painting event going on. So of course I took pictures of the painters and their paintings. This was then.

Yesterday while walking we went into the Nature Center and discovered several of the paintings were on display.  In both the picture and the painting notice all the greenery around. 

That was one of the areas the big fire went through. Looks different now. We think the tree will survive as it has a lot of green new growth on top. Sure hope so. 

Another painter from the same area. I wondered about his style. Lots of orange?

But much to my surprise this is how it turned out.  The lighting in the nature center isn't very good so the pictures I took in there are kind of dull looking. 

A few more painters from a different area. 

Her finished painting. Much more vibrant than it shows here. 

We kind of wondered about his work too. Rather dark and dreary. 

Finished product. 

We managed to get out to walk a few times in the last week. The first Canadian geese we've seen all year. 

On Friday Bill and I went for a walk, before it got too hot. Was a beautiful clear not windy day. 

Different flowers. I was wondering what it was and thought I'd ask AI - the other day I discovered I could upload a photo and ask about it and Chatgpt would tell me more than I cared to know. I am having so much fun playing around with AI. Learning all sorts of things I can do with it. In case you are wondering it is a Veratrum Californicum... or California corn lily. Learn something every day. 

Managed to get in three walks last week, seven and a half miles all together. Bill and I did one and 1/2 miles. My walking friend and I got in two three miles walks. Hopefully on Monday and Wednesday this week we'll be able to get out and walk. By Friday the temperatures are going to be over 100, so it will depend on how cool it gets at night and how early we can get out to walk. 

Bill's eyelid seems to be improving and staying up more and more. He is this week taking 3  5mg tablets of prednisone, next week he'll be taking 20mg a day. Hopefully that will work and he'll be able to return to a more or less normal life of being able to see.

Just for fun I asked AI to rewrite the blog in a more interesting and fun manner. I copied and pasted what I'd written into the Chatpgt and this is what I got back (without the pictures.) I am becoming and AI addict.

Desert Diaries: Blooming, Blowing, and a Bit of Beauty

The desert gave us a little break this week — the blistering heat took a breather, and for a brief moment, the wind actually stopped pretending it was in a competition. Of course, nothing lasts long out here. But in that lull, everything exploded into bloom.

Our Palo Verde is still kicking — despite shedding a few limbs like it's in a seasonal shedding contest. Covered in yellow flowers and somehow still holding onto them through yesterday’s gusts that hit 60+ mph. Meanwhile, the patio chairs were rocking like a scene from Poltergeist, and the hummingbird feeders? Hanging completely sideways like wind chimes that lost their will to live.

And yet, those tiny hummingbirds? They still zipped around like fighter jets in a gale. One shot past while we sat out pretending the breeze wasn’t trying to relocate the patio furniture.

Out front, we’ve got two cactus plants. One is all bark and no bloom, but the other keeps showing off. This year, I finally remembered to grab my camera — and wow. Those delicate flowers are way too pretty for such a gnarly plant. The bees think so too. One bee in particular was having a pollen party, rolling around like it lost its tiny mind. Couldn't get a clear shot of him, but I tried.

A while back, we stumbled onto a plein air painting event during one of our walks. Naturally, I turned into the art paparazzi. Snapped pics of the painters mid-brushstroke, and later we saw the results in the Nature Center. Seeing the actual trees and landscape next to their painted versions was kind of surreal — especially since some of that area has since burned in the recent fire. The tree in one of the paintings? It’s still hanging on with some fresh green on top. Fingers crossed.

One painter’s style stood out — lots of orange. I wasn’t sure what to make of it… but in the end, the piece actually turned out beautifully. The lighting in the exhibit was awful (hello, grainy photos), but the work really did shine in person.

More painters from another area — one had a darker, moodier style. Kind of dreary… but again, the finished product surprised us.

We squeezed in a few walks this week — even spotted the first Canadian geese of the year! On Friday, Bill and I got out before it got too hot. Beautiful, still, clear day. Rare treat.

Along the way I spotted a strange plant and asked my new AI buddy about it. Turns out, you can just upload a photo now and it’ll tell you way more than you ever wanted to know. I’m mildly obsessed. The mystery plant? Veratrum Californicum — a.k.a. California corn lily. Who knew?

Clocked 7.5 miles of walking last week. Bill and I did 1.5 miles together, and my walking partner and I hit two 3-milers. Hoping to get out again Monday and Wednesday before the heat comes back with a vengeance — supposed to hit triple digits by Friday. If the nights cool off enough, we might sneak in another early walk.

Oh — and some good news: Bill’s eyelid seems to be improving! It’s staying up more consistently. This week he’s on 3 tablets of 5mg prednisone a day. Next week, it’ll bump up to 20mg. We’re hoping it keeps helping and he can get back to something resembling normal — at the very least, being able to see.

Me again - kind of fun and interesting isn't it.