Adventures with Snake

I'll try and find out what kind it is.

Adventures with Snake

Adventures with Snake

I spent a long time with this snake as it slithered through the trees one Fall day.

True Bug on Encelia

Butterfly on Pectis

Pectis

I love this little yellow daisy annual (Pectis sp.). I lost it when Mexican gardeners helped me--it was a weed to them and was removed. I had to transplant a few seedlings back in the garden and let them go to seed, to get it established again. It seems to sprout especially well along the brick border which stays wetter after rain or watering. I like the irregular edge it gives to the paths. Now I train gardeners (when I'm lucky to find someone) to pull only the grasses.

Spiny-tail Iguana Camouflage

The green color of the babies (which hatch in wet summer) helps to hide them as they mature. In December their color begins to gray, as the leaves fall from the trees and shrubs due to drought.

Iguana Acrobat

This was in the Fall when the babies were still green.

Cactus Beetle

Cactus Beetle is my name for these voracious devils. They love to feast on Opuntias and other cacti, leaving permanent scars on the cacti. They are active in the morning and evening and I go on patrol with my barbeque tongs--grasping and squashing them.

Winter Garden

Hurricane Damage

The hurricane blew off the tall limbs of this cardon cactus, as well as topping most of our larger trees.

Mamillaria dichotoma Closeup

Dividing Mamillaria

This is Mamillaria dichotoma and this clump started as one head. It always divides into two heads, hence the name dichotoma. Notice that these heads are starting to divide again and have two centers of growth.

Butterfly in Fall

Aloe thraskii

A. thraskii is a tree aloe originally from South Africa near the coast. It seems to like it here.

Summer Blooming Mamillaria Cactus

Cochemia poselgri

This cactus blooms within 3-5 days after the first rain of the summer!

December Garden

Another Caterpillar

Caterpillar

Lizard on Ancient Cardon Cactus

Juan Angel in the Morning

Red spotted Toad

After the rain these little toads hopped around. Every night for awhile, one of them hopped up onto our patio, cruising for insects near the light.

Mexican Fritillary and Queen Butterfly

In Fall, butterflies swarmed everywhere after the rain. Here they feast on Coralvine nectar.

Aloe vera

Aloe vera never fails to put on a show in late November and December.

Mexican Fritillary and Queen Butterfly

In the Fall there were swarms of butterflies everywhere.

Hurricane John Damage

I'm Back!

I haven't posted anything for a long time because I went to California for a few months in the summer and have been busy. I luckily missed Hurricane John, though by husband, Rob experienced it firsthand. I have been in the garden with my camera and will post as much as I can. We also sold our house, but are still living in it while building a new house on the adjacent lot. I get to design a new garden there soon!