The Soil is Itching....

and I have the need to scratch.  It's that time of year here in Arizona when the weather backs down from a blast furnace to cool nights and warm days.  I love gardening this time of year and I can hardly wait to get things started.

Lemon Tree Very Pretty

My lemon tree is blooming. It must love the rain and smells oh so good.

Theme Thursday - Green

fresh beginnings down in the sun-warmed soil

pushing, struggling, growing, sprouting

shoots reaching, trembling to the sky

emerald blood coursing, pulsing, flowing in veins

shot like lightning through the leaves

dew clinging softly lingering for a chaste kiss

curling, lacey, crisp, tender, sweet and oh so green

Be sure and visit our friends at Theme Thursday

Aloe Plant

 When we moved into the new house last Spring, Nancy gave me an aloe plant. I think it likes the rain that we've been having.

Ill-Gotten Gains

You can see the bee has collected lots of pollen on his trip around the nursery. He's not the one with ill-gotten gains though...I am...with this photo or so it seems. At the retail establishment we were at this morning, it is apparently the policy of the store not to allow pictures to be taken of any of their displays. What a sad statement to where the world has come. But....they didn't make me delete my photos so now I guess I'm compounding my felony by sharing them with you.

N is for Nasturtium

You know when you go to those silly home parties and everyone has to go around the room saying their name and the name of a flower that starts with the same letter? Well mine was always "My name is Nancy and I like nasturtiums." I didn't even know what they looked like until years later. Now I love this flower and this is the first blossom of the year! You can entertain a kid for hours by putting water on the leaves. It beads up like mercury and rolls around. The blossoms are edible (although I never have - eaten them, I mean).

McDowell Mountains

Part of the beautiful McDowell Mountains, taken from inside the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix.

Baja Fairy Duster

This is one of my favorite desert plants, the Baja Fairy Duster,

taken at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix.

The Roadrunner and the Frog

This is a roadrunner who has grown up in and around our backyard. He's all fluffed up here trying to get warm. I didn't realize until I looked closely at the picture, just how frightened the frog must be. From his face you can see he's already suffered indignities and now he must be worried the roadrunner might just make a snack of him.

Ladybugs Welcome

Ladybugs are great friends to have in your garden. They like to dine on aphids and other little nasties that would like to eat my garden before I get to. So they're always welcome and I encourage them to invite bees to tea.

Garden goodies

The West Valley still has some areas of agriculture in a valley quickly being covered with concrete and tile. I have a small garden in my backyard and the weather this time of year is perfect for growing radishes, lettuce, spinach and green onions. Bon appetit!