Saturday, April 29, 2017

Spring In The Desert SW, My Saguaro Is Blooming

A couple of years ago I thought our Saguaro was history. The top and two of its arms had fallen off leaving just one arm. BTW a Saguaro will grow its first arm between 75 years and 100. This year I guess it has decided to live and has five new arms growing. The largest of the new arms started putting on flower pods last week and some opened this morning. Saguaros support a large number of desert critters with Gila Woodpeckers making nests inside the main body which many other birds use once abandoned. The fruit, pollen and nectar also support birds and insects as well as O'odham Native Americans.The Tohono O’odham tribes celebrate the beginning of their summer growing season with a ceremony using a fermented drink made from the bright red fruit to summon rains. Bottom line I love my Saguaro and I'm relieved it may survive.

Photos of the blooms:



Slow progress is being made on Levi's toy box. The progress is slow because of OF aches and pains, for the last couple of weeks my back has been killing me and I don't have Ralph's excuse of working under a kitchen cabinet. My story and I'm sticking to it, was back in the 80's I spent a month on a UPS contract hauling freight in a SA227 and I'm paying the price today.

In spite of the slow progress the peanut's box is almost finished. I just need to install the bottom and make the dust seal for the lid. Then paint the outside, oil the inside and deliver it when we see the grand peanut in Balmorhea, TX the week of the eight.

Here it is after finishing leveling the top and bottom:


ken



13 comments:

  1. I'd go with shellac on the inside. It dries quick and smells nice every time it's opened.

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  2. Paul,

    The boss threw a curve this AM, she said to leave it unfinished because the girl child likes to do crafty things. I'm not totally on board, I'd like it to leave the shop completed with a nice milk paint finish. My guess as always the end answer will be "yes dear". But I think I will do the inside for no other reason than I don't like the inside painted and I expect the inside finish will be shellac.

    ken

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  3. That's sweet. Post picture when she's done. I bet primer coat of shellac on the outside would be a good idea too.

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  4. Ken if you remember it, post a pic of the new arms. It'll be the closest I'll probably ever get to see one. Nice flowers on it. My lilac bushes have bloomed and the they should open up in the next few days.

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  5. Neat pic, did not knew that about them cactus. Not many of them around here....
    Agree with your story RE your back, cargo plane can be fun.... well....

    Bob, sipping a cold one, it is hot and warm around here, sleep with the windows open

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  6. Ralph,

    Will do. Congrats on enjoying spring.

    ken

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  7. Bob,

    The Gila Woodpeckers are only suppose to use their nest one mating season and then move on leaving the "saguaro boot" (nest) for other users. I think the same Woodpeckers have returned to our saguaro year after year but who knows to us humans one Woodpecker looks pretty much like any other Woodpecker.

    BTW, after all my bragging about Summer, today was 77F and windy, no pool time for this farm boy.

    Someday if we ever have a beer together I'll have to tell you the story of the SA227.

    ken, full of saguaro facts.

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  8. Oh trust me will have a few beers together or other choice drinks :-)

    Bob

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  9. BTW after I read your post to Jean, she joke that you are a wimp for not swimming in 77F temps... :-)

    Bob, who has been know to have the whole beach in Florida to himself in February with only his fellow Canadians...

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  10. Hi Ken

    I love the expression "grand peanut".
    Handing something over that isn't finished can almost break your heart. I once made the most adorable little model horse for our daughter, with mane and tail and all. I thought it looked great just natural wood. She decided to paint it like the horse of Pippi Longstocking using a permanent marker. The only comfort was that she herself was very pleased with the result.
    I think that you should give the inside a coat of shellac too. That surely can't upset Mrs. OK Guy.
    Like Ralph and Bob I have never seen one of those cactus's live either, just in old western movies.

    Brgds
    Jonas

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  11. Cacti can be so beautiful, especially when they flower. There is a cactus garden not far from us in Palo Alto, CA that my wife visited last week and got amazing photos - lots of flowers that you only see once a year. I hope your saguaro lived another hundred years.

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  12. Jonas,

    I will not be able to call Levi a peanut much longer, sometimes I think I can see him adding inches :-) as we facetime.

    I took a big chance and didn't follow orders. The box has its first coat of red milk paint. I'm expecting 2 or 3 more coats of red followed by several coats of "Federal Blue". Sometimes a man has to do what a man has to do. Ain't no way, no how, I was going to let the box leave the shop naked.

    ken

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  13. Matt,

    Around here all it takes is a nice Spring rain to flood the air with pollen. I've been emptying close to a 1/2 gal. of blooms out of the pool filter every day for several weeks now. But what I like most is close to zero maintenance on the garden and yet it is still attractive.

    ken

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