rich and gus' excellent adventure

my parent's pets (photo by gus, two years ago)

i singed all the hair off of my forearm this morning trying to make my tea--i friggin' love that stove!

rich and gus left early this morning for texas--they are driving to my parent's ranch in washington-on-the-brazos to go ride horses and stare at the longhorns for a couple of days. the longhorns actually stare back. and poop. and eat. and that's about it (they are what is technically called a "vanity herd," because you can't eat them or do anything with them really but stare at them). rich is excited to go because he is taking a detour through el paso on the way there to go to the lucchese outlet. i'm just hoping gus doesn't end up with a pair of luccheses at age 7...that might ruin him for other boots! so, danger girl (aka "sophie," "astrid," "sopaipilla," "miss fussy britches," "mommy's little swiffer," etc.) and i are holding down the fort on our own. sweet.

we have had so very much rain recently, and everything is green in the desert! take a look at these lovely trees that are blooming like crazy in my front and back yards:

apricot?

another apricot?

plum?

cherry?

this is a new mexico plum (it makes yellow fruit)

as is this

and this

and this

this is a mexican plum that is, sadly, dying but has amazing fruit

and my apple trees haven't even started to bloom yet! granted it isn't quite iowa spring, but really, what is?