My Favorite Place

It's been too long since we've been to my favorite place in the city: the Desert Botanical Gardens.  Today's high was a safe 77*.

Mr. Intensity humored me, as he didn't really want to get out of the house.  Once we were on the grounds, he was excited to explore a familiar place once again.

The disk on the table below is a cross-section of a dried saguaro cactus (they're the ones that look like they have arms).  

When first cut, the insides of a cactus can be compared to the density of an apple or potato.  The red juice on the paper towel is from the saguaro's fruit, which had been in a freezer since this spring.  It's seeds are similar to poppy seeds.  To imagine, a 6 ton saguaro comes from such a tiny seed!

This 'lil guy humors me every time.  He's called "Old Man of the Andes."  We also observed a purple-throated hummingbird for a super long time. The tiny thing just sat in the tree and stared at us.  I couldn't believe it.

About lunch time we joined a lizard for his meal.  Well, we watched him bake in the sun and eat a bunch of little bugs and gnats.  I cheered him on!

I love the gardens.  It's such a peaceful place.