SWF - Arizona skies

Some of you have seen many of my colorful nightly sunsets, but of course no two are alike. My sunset view sets behind the Weaver Mountains, which I’ve recently posted about.

In fact, this was another view of the Weavers on one of my recent walks and I just had to add it too.

To view more skies from around the world, or to share your own, visit Sky Watch Friday by clicking here.

Prickly Pear Cactus

Imagine a plant which can provide you with several year-round foods, as well as a sweetener, medicine, a red dye, flour, a hair conditioner, and still be a drought tolerant burglar fence. Not just found in AZ deserts Prickly Pear cactus grows throughout the United States, across the plains to Nebraska, all over the west, and one species even grows along the Atlantic coast.

Although cacti are about 90 percent water you can’t tap one with a spigot and fill your canteen. But you can eat the pads, seeds, fruit and flowers prepared in a variety of ways. I like the flowers fresh off the plant.

Of course you must be careful of the spines, both large and smaller hair-like spines called glochids can really hurt, but can be knocked off with a stick or burned off. Young shiny pads are best, then peel the skin and eat raw, boiled, or fried. Add onions and eggs for Huevos rancheros con nopalitos or use as a thickener in stews. If you don’t want to go through all the work try looking for a jar of nopalitos (cactus pads) in the grocery store.

Old fruit
The fruit, which ripens during late summer, can also be eaten raw or used to make delicious drinks, pies, jams, candy and syrup. It is loaded with tiny seeds which can just be eaten with the fruit or dried and ground into flour.

As a bonus, the fruit is a rich source of the mineral magnesium and the amino acid taurine, nutrients often cited as important to brain and heart health. It's also rich in flavonoids, antioxidants credited with keeping arteries healthy. Plus a red dye can be made from the juice of the fruit or by squeezing the cochineal beetles that live on the pads.

dying
Current research indicates Prickly Pear cactus might decrease cholesterol levels and help diabetics lower blood glucose by decreasing the absorption of sugar in the stomach and intestine.

decomposing
Cactus pads can also be used as a hair conditioning rinse by agitating pieces of the peeled pads with water then after straining the mucilaginous liquid is massaged into the hair and rinsed resulting in silkier hair. (I know it’s easier to just buy conditioner.)

decomposing
Prickly Pear cactus is an easy to grow food source that is drought resistant but not tolerant of snow, frost or extremely wet conditions. In the right environment it can grow into a natural fence that will deter most animals and people over its 20 plus year lifespan.

Remember Whensday - Dreaming of someplace warmer

Me at the Bahaman Princess
Because I’m cold in the mornings I’ve been dreaming of a warmer place. In December 1974 my boyfriend took me to the Bahamas. Being under 21 I couldn’t go into the Casinos. Our hotel was not on the beach as advertised but a frequent free shuttle got us there in a hurry. We were so young, and so poor we really couldn’t even afford to be there. Ate a free Continental breakfast then over priced hotdogs for lunch and dinner at the International Market. One night we walked a couple miles to town for Burger King and discovered not all Burger Kings are equal in quality or price.

Freeport Bahamas
But we were Warm and enjoyed our days on the beach. Wish that I were there Now!

Sally from The (Mis) Adventures of Karl and Sally has started a meme where the past is remembered through sharing old family photographs and this is #31. I love the idea and hope you will too. So join the fun by clicking here.

MWT - More Weaver Mountains

I guess you’ll be seeing a bit more of the Weaver Mountains because they are in my back yard. (Scroll down two posts for my New Year's Day walk.)

Balancing rock
How wonderful to walk under a clear blue sky in the high desert, about 50F with barely a breeze in the late afternoon.

Lichen on granite
My heart is set free and my mind wanders over the land further than my feet will tread this day.

Vulture Mts about 60 miles in the distance
I could live here enjoying the view over morning coffee.

Cholla
Need to get up there in the morning to see the light. Yet at 25F as the sun rises I don’t think that will happen soon.

Land four sale
I really don’t want to see this land developed but with the current housing crunch I don’t think they’ll be selling soon. These 4-9 acre properties are listed from $65,000 to 175,000. Utilities have been brought in along the access roads.

Some of the many curves of Highway 89, left to Yarnell and right to Congress
If I was building, my house would not be within sight of any roads or neighbors.

To see more of the world, or to share some of your own, visit My World Tuesday by clicking here.

Coy in Laughlin

Berta and I met in Laughlin, Nevada after my visit to Death Valley the beginning of November. It’s really just an excuse to get out of town and stay at a nice hotel for cheap plus soak in the Jacuzzi.

Neither of us are really gamblers and usually spend about $20 each on the slots. Berta was ahead by a little for a while.

In the moat around the Colorado Belle are these huge coy. I am fascinated by the variety of colors.

Scenic Sunday - Weaver Mountain walk

Road into Weaver Mts
Finally got myself out of the house and motivated to walk on the first day of 2010.

Kissing rocks
About a mile from where I live in the boulders there is a gated access road into a someday housing development on the eastern flanks of the Weaver Mountains.

View east towards town
After climbing over the gate I can follow several miles of semi-graded dirt roads or take off across the landscape on animal trails.

I heard more birds than I saw, scared up a rabbit, spotted a few lizards scurrying into cracks in the rocks and saw the tracks and scat of coyote, deer, javelina, cattle, and maybe a bobcat.

Yes, a pond in the desert
I really do need to get outside more often and walk in nature. I don’t make New Year’s resolutions, yet it does seem like a good time to make some changes. Karen at FabGrandma’s got me to thinking about goals for this year.

To see more scenes from around the world, or to share your own, visit Scenic Sunday by clicking here.

1 egg, 2 eggs, 3 eggs, 4

The turtle doves are being wonderful parents, taking turns on the nest although they often seem reluctant to leave the precious eggs to the other. I read that the female typically sits during the day and the male takes over during the night with a quick, possibly unnoticeable, switch. It’s very difficult to tell them apart although the male is supposed to have iridescent feathers on their necks. Guess I’ll have to take a closer look.

Typically doves lay only two eggs, yet Don and Angie are sitting on 4 eggs. I hope these young first-time parents can handle quadruplets if they all make it. Incubation takes from 13-19 days so we may see the first hatch about the middle of next week.