Hummingburger? (not really)

So...what do a hamburger and a black-chinned hummingbird have in common?

Well, tonight after work, I went into my brother's back yard and fired up his grill. Then I took one of his hamburgers and threw it on the grill for myself.

As I stood there, patiently waiting for my sizzling meat, I noticed a hummingbird fly right toward me. It hovered for a moment, just a few feet away, then took off into a tree. While watching it in the tree, I saw about three more hummingbirds flying around in the same tree.

The meat was good (to eat)

The birds were good (to see)

That's my Arizona wildlife update for today.

Hope you enjoyed it.

Decade Autoportrait

My brother, out here in Arizona, has a freight forwarding business. That means he arranges for the transportation and shipping of all kinds of things - all over the world. sometimes it's plywood, or it might be furniture, granite, airplanes or jewelry. Today he was shipping a painting for someone from here to Christies in London. Apparently, it has a value of around $800,000.

Ok. That made me curious. I looked at the manifest to see the artist and the name of the painting.

The artist is Robert Indiana. The painting is entitled "Decade Autoportrait"

I consider myself generally capable of appreciating art. I guess I was hoping for a little more stimulation. Robert Indiana was born in 1928. He is still alive at 80. He was born as Robert Clark in New Castle, Indiana. Changing his name from Robert Clark to Robert Indiana (from Indiana) doesn't seem to require much imagination. I don't know why I should expect anything more from his paintings.

Prime the Pump

Saturday, I decided to take a motorcycle ride up to the top of South Mountain. It's about a 6 mile winding road up to the top. The temperature was around 90 degrees. I passed several people riding bicycles up to the summit.

Something that impressed me was what you see in this photo. At several points along the road up I spotted a collection of various beverages like water, Gatorade, etc. Also, some snacks like pretzels and power bars. Sometimes, they were sitting on a ledge, or sometimes, they were hanging in a bag tied to a road sign. Anyway, I realized these impromptu refreshment stops had been placed as a consideration for the bicyclists.

I was reminded of the old story about a well in the middle of the desert. As the only source of water for days of travel across the desert, it was absolutely essential for the wild west cowboy to locate this well to refill his water supply. Upon finally locating the well, he discovers a pump and a note. The note reads, " 20 paces to the west you will find a canteen full of water buried under a rock. Use this water to prime the pump and you will be able to get as much water as you need. Before you leave, refill the canteen and replace it under the same rock. If you drink the water from the canteen, the next traveller will die."

There is something quietly encouraging about people doing something to care for others they may never meet.

Wildlife Patrol

Well, Les may be a little more forgiving of me today.

Walking around the back of the house, I discover another potential meal. This dove is nesting about 3 feet outside of the back door.

Of course, I would have to overpower Willow (the housecat) to get there first.

Urosaurus Ornatus

Tonight, I went out to move Molly's car so I could put my Harley in the garage and I saw something small run from under the car to a bush in the front yard. I assumed it was a scorpion, so I started to look for it. Then I saw that it was actually a lizard - living right out in the wild. My attempt to catch it with my bare hands failed. Les Stroud would be disappointed in me. So, I guess it's a good thing I didn't have to depend on my hunting skills for my supper.

Anyway, my guess is that it was an Ornate Tree Lizard, apparently common in Arizona.