Hola Tomatoes!

So excited. I actually have baby tomatoes on the vine. I hope I can keep these plants alive long enough to actually eat one. I am disgusted with grocery store tomatoes. They are waxy and have no taste. I am growing a few plants in a pot. It gets pretty hot here in Arizona so I need to watch them carefully and be sure they get enough water.

I noticed a lizard hanging around my little garden. I'm hoping he does not get the first taste.

Our backyard cactus had it's first bloom. It is about years old and looks like it is going to really put on a show. The blooms don't last long so I am taking photos almost every day.

A close-up photo of an ocotillo cactus flower. These blooms won't be around long either.

Happy spring everybody!

Spring in Arizona

It's spring in Arizona when the Ocotillo cactus bloom. I'm loving the color and the birds are too. I thought I would share a few photos from this week.

Hummer Happy Hour

It's April in Arizona. I had noticed lately that my hummingbird feeders were draining quicker than usual.

Gee, I wonder why? I think the word is out that it's Happy Hour at Cornflake Girl's house.

I think the migration has started. My friends in the Midwest are anxiously awaiting their first sightings.

By the way, I LOVE the feeder in my photos. It is plastic and comes apart easily for a good cleaning. If you feed hummingbirds do not let your feeders get moldy as this can harm the birds.

I also make my own syrup. Here is a recipe and some tips for feeding hummingbirds.

Boil four cups of water.
Remove water from the heat.
Stir in one cup of white sugar.
Cool the syrup before filling feeder.
NOTE: Do not use honey, which can cause a fatal fungal infection on the birds' tongues.
NOTE: Do not add food coloring to the solution. It's not necessary, and it may be harmful. Even a small spot of red on the feeder will attract hummingbirds.
You can store the extra syrup in the refrigerator for a week.
Hang the feeder where you can see it from a window.
Clean the feeder at least once a week. In warm weather, you may need to change the syrup and wash out the feeder every day. Don't let the syrup turn cloudy in the feeder — that's mold. It will make hummingbirds avoid your feeder, and it may make them sick.
If ants discover the feeder, discourage them by applying petroleum jelly to the wire that suspends the feeder.

Dad's Old Socks

Yes, I'm back at it again. Trying to tackle the organization of my home office /studio. Again, totally distracted. Of course now I "find" a 1944 McCall's magazine. Had to stop and look through it. Excellent wartime edition.

So, I find this article of some new uses for old socks. I remember tying my hair in strips of cloth when I was a kid but I never knew about using socks.

I'm glad that I can afford curlers now.

Here's the directions incase you are inclined to try it. (Send photos please)