my morning walk~

 every day i stroll my garden, normally i have garden tasks to do, but lately things are holding their own and i had time to bring the camera along this morning. chinese pistache is a favorite tree of mine, i was thrilled when we bought this house to have the largest one i had ever seen right in my backyard, i can lay in bed and watch the canopy change colors without even rising...

being one of my favorite fall trees i have a added many more, sadly, when my pets pass, we memorialize them with a tree. i have planted a double alley of chinese pistache on the hill in an area i call my stairway to heaven which is coming into its fall glory.

as an avid gardener i have 100s of favorite everything, but i adore the look of persimmon trees, the gorgeous fall color leads to the brilliant starkness in winter with the fruit still glistening orange.  

The borrowed view of a neighbors cottonwood sets off the orange canna

i can't resist stealing more photos of flora, i still can't believe she is here. i love the golden apricot tree in her background.

i adore this apricot year round, covered with fruit in spring, shade in summer and now a blanket of gold covering the dusty dry earth.

i am amazed of these non stop dahlias, i thought i cut all the flowers a week ago, but hanging over the back wall the colors are still vibrant.

i was stunned to see another reblooming median iris

the mexican sage has been a show stopper this fall, considering we lost our irrigation water on oct 15th, and have been in the 80s , its never stopped blooming for months.

even my shade garden is still in good shape without water, and surprisingly the paper whites are shooting up without and ounce of water

truly, my biggest surprise is how prolific the rose garden has been without water! i have an abundance of color, huge plants, and 1000s of vibrant blossoms, you would never know they have had not a drop of water...

i did take the time to today to fill up the fountain, i know the birds love this shallow bowl, but today was beyond belief, i had barely walked 50' away when it was instantly inundated with blue birds, finches, woodpeckers, etc, everyone was craving water, dozens at time drinking, bathing, splashing...

we are in dire need of rain, watching these birds let me know that not only is my garden thirsty, but the wildlife too. we were supposed to have our first rain tomorrow, but it looks like its chances disappeared, i can't tell you how eager i am for wet weather, but the temperatures will finally drop into the 50s and perhaps it will begin to look like a real fall.