Ordinary days

by Rain Trueax

Trying to cut down the photos to a few for this blog is proving very difficult-- and that just for the ones from May-- a very colorful season for the Tucson area. Cacti are in bloom along with the ironwood and palo verde trees. It's a sea of pink and yellow all around our home.

Ironwood are particularly interesting as they don't grow everywhere in the Santa Cruz valley. Generally they are on ridges and maybe have soil requirements that I know nothing about. It is one of the blessings of this property that it's in one of their zones; so we have quite a few. They drop tiny slivers, which definitely are no fun to get one in your hands or feet. I have suspected the cats have gotten a few in their paws as they'll be licking and biting at it to get it out. 

When we bought the place we had three big ones right near the house, which provide shade and shelter for the birds. We lost one of them and couldn't do anything to save it even by giving it a waterer. Maybe it had lived its life. I will hate it if we lose either of the others even though smaller ones are coming up.


So, i don't have anything particularly interesting to share. Life is going along the same with staying in other than for groceries or essential supplies. Our days have taken on a rhythm that is comfortable but not all we'd be doing in different times. 

Get up, have a cup of chicken broth, then breakfast which is generally eggs but could be cereal on a rare day. I go online and read the news, listen to some talk radio when it comes on. I don't stay for the full 3 hours but like Brian Kilmeade for his variety of guests and subjects. Before it gets too hot, I go outside and get some sun on my legs as I watch birds-- especially hoping for baby quail, which come in all ages right now. I find them fascinating for how, unlike many birds, they don't feed their babies. They lead them to food, which means regularly to our quail block and the seed fallen from the finch and thistle feeders. It's remarkably peaceful to watch birds.

Ranch Boss and I began something in January that we have found we like-- taking turns reading aloud from a book. They're all nonfiction and work that can be broken into short sections making it possible to talk about the ideas afterward and whether we agree. When the reading starts, one cat comes out and sits on Ranch Boss's lap. The others come to listen. No, not for that but they know when it's  done Ranch Boss will play with them using a long leather cord that they chase. They are very much part of our day for being fed, getting let out into the cat yard and their interactions with each other. 

The rest of the day involves reading newspapers, working with the photos, watching some cable news although not a lot of it. One of my regulars is The Five. Although, unlike so many of my friends, I don't dislike Trump. I also don't watch his speeches/rallies/briefings. I prefer to read the gist of what was important from them later. I do research during the day but right now no new book is in process. I do spend time at Facebook off and on. It's my sole contact with humans other than my husband and an occasional phone call (those are rare). 

In the evening we generally watch a movie, which might be a documentary. We go to bed early-- usually around 8 but then we are up early too with 5 being a sleep in morning.

Does that sound boring? It's not a lot different than before the virus hit. We'd go for more drives and used to go to museums. We aren't much for meals out and for years have ordered takeout to bring home-- one dinner that we split as almost always the portions are way too big for old folks like us. Years back, I stopped going to salons for haircuts or permanents and never had my nails done. I cut my hair and Ranch Boss'. We don't need to be beauty salon perfect for the life we lead. Life won't change much for us when it all opens up as Ranch Boss does all the shopping using masks and wipes.

I hope that people don't take opening up as meaning this is over. I don't see any evidence that will be true. Don't take it for granted because it's been around for a while.

For not having much to say, I said a lot lol. Streaming service :)

All photos are from our desert property here. I wish I could share it better as it's so rich right now. The temps are really high like 105ºF, which is unusual for this early but so were colder than usual temps most of the way through April. When it's this hot, most outside activities must be done early or late. 

Luckily, we have good air conditioning *fingers crossed*.  We are trying to gradually get used to warmer temps in the house. Mostly 75 during the day and 70º at night, but 78º would be better for daytime. We have a lot of months ahead of extreme heat, no idea how hot it might get with May's temps being what they are.

Finally, May's full moon is called the Flower Moon. As it was setting one morning, it turned blood red. Now a camera can't capture what the eye sees (or maybe with more expense some could but not ours). I merged two of our photos together and created this. A lot of great photographers used the dark room. Today, we use photo tools. That is Twin Peaks, and the moon was amazing that early morning, before the sun rose.