Cold Wet Hummingbirds

About 0400 hours local time, a front moved through.  There was gusty, booming rattling wind for quite some time.  When we woke up it was much colder than it has been, and it was raining.  The desert needs the rain.  The prickly pear cactus have been looking desiccated since we arrived in November. With any luck, it all won’t run off and the cactus will get some benefit from this.

Since there was to be no hiking, we went shopping.  Jim’s new boots were slightly too big, so they went back to REI.  He went down half a size and they are much better.  I purchased yet another pair of ugly electric blue trail running shoes.  I figure I’m good for 3 to 4 years with what I have hoarded.  Eventually they’ll discontinue that shoe and then things will be bad.  La Sportiva is now making a green running shoe, but the tongue is really long and it annoys my ankle.  It is always something.  Truthfully, I’m not sure which is more unattractive.

       

So, it was cold this morning.  An aggressive hummingbird parked himself on the feeder for hours.  All other birds were denied.  There was another male who would buzz him and hover, but the guy on the feeder just shrugged.  Before we went out I refilled the feeder and he buzzed me as well, as if to say I was taking too long.



Notice how puffed up he is.  He was cold.



After the mall we drove north to Oro Valley.  There are a couple of neighborhoods up there that look mildly promising.  Many of them are gated, so we’re going to have to break down and find a real estate agent so that we can go in and look.  It’s annoying to not be able to cruise through on our own.  Those are the Catalinas, which are always lovely.



It’s raining again.  It was supposed to stop, so we thought it would be safe to grill dinner, but apparently we were mistaken.  Something else may be done with the hamburgers in the kitchen, rather than outside. 

Other than this paltry offer, maties, there is nothing much to report.