The loons did not call us to arise as they had last year (read that post here) but we awoke before the alarm sounded anyway. We both sighed — for me it meant that my shop hop fun was coming to a close and for Tu-Na Helper it meant that his fun could now begin.
Some of you may be wondering, what happened to Tu-Na? It’s been about a month since I published a real post. But there have been pictures, lots of warm Arizona Christmas yard decoration pics to prepare us for the Christmas season and then lots of pics of snow from North Dakota to help welcome in the New Year here on the blog since then.
I just have to include a pic of the cactus in our yard. It was a volunteer growing too close to our concrete driveway so my husband transplanted it last spring to this corner of our yard. When we left in May, it was only the size of my thumb.
I’ve been very busy with flying to North Dakota to spend Christmas with family and then flying back to Arizona to get away from all that snow. I had to enjoy those beautiful and unique Arizona Christmas yard decoration pics I posted on this blog each day from Dec. 13th-Dec. 25th like many of you did—from afar. We left AZ on Dec. 15th.
When we returned in November, it had grown to this size. Pretty amazing. We have no idea what kind it will be when it’s all grown. It kind of looks like I stuck a cucumber in the ground but I did not. This cactus is a bit flatter on two sides. Our neighbors have cacti but nothing that looks like this. Any ideas?
Christmas was a busy time with holiday preparations, being with family and getting more snow. My husband, myself, and all of our kids and grandkids (16 people total) were all snowed in together for a blizzard on Christmas Day and the following day. And then the digging out began. If you haven’t seen some of that snow and ice, I posted pics here on the blog each day from Dec. 26th to Jan 1.
So here’s one more pic of a cactus all decked out in his little hat for the season. My husband and I are proud as parents of this little guy and wanted to show him off to you.
We flew back to Arizona January 1st just in time as the snow was starting to fall again. They received another 10 inches after our take-off making their total snowfall for the season at 52 inches so far.
Since the first, I’ve been busy touring Arizona showing our German exchange daughter and her boyfriend all the wonderful Arizona sights from the Grand Canyon to Tucson. Once I am rested and caught up with housecleaning and laundry, I’ll be back to posting more regularly including the pictures of my recent Modernitional bear paw quilt finish and the story about our German exchange daughter and how she came to us and why we won’t let her go.
What I Learned Today:
Question: What are you working on today? I’m sure it’s more interesting than the laundry and housecleaning that I am doing.
Linking to Lorna’s Sew Fresh Quilts for Let’s Bee Social. Button on the sidebar.
The backyard fireplace
Digging out after the storm. There are two cars under there.
And the fun begins.
No red poppies now. This was taken just before the storm. Tomorrow I will post after the storm.
May 15, 2016
“This is getting hot enough!” my husband, Mark, declared early last week. He was referring to the 106° temps we experienced the day before in the Phoenix area. So we loaded up the car and headed north for Dakota to our other home: the “apple house” as my grandson calls it since we have an apple orchard.
A cold front beat us there. “It’s not cold. You just think it is,” Mark said as I checked the outside temperature as we pulled into the driveway. “46° is cold,” I informed him. In my defense, I was still dressed in capris, a short sleeve shirt, and Birkenstocks.The truth of the matter is that I’ve become acclimated to the warm temps found at our “orange house”: our Arizona house affectionately labeled by that same grandson since we have an orange tree in our yard.
This spring in Arizona we witnessed a large variety of cactus flowers come to life and then fade. As we drove out of town on our way north, we happened upon this 25 foot tall Saguaro with its crown heavily ladened with buds and blooms.
I shall miss seeing the Saguaro cactus. Since I first set eyes upon them over 20 years ago, they have intrigued me: looking like sentinels standing and patiently waiting for their marching orders.
The Sonoran Desert (Phoenix is located in the upper part of it) is the only place on earth where these giants can be found.
What I learned today:
∗in the Wizard of Oz
Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats 