Gypsie Meanderings: Long Walk in the Desert and Hubby-Pain-In-The-Ass!

I started this yesterday, but Blogger has been giving me fits.

I purchased a Groupon for a years family membership to the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum which is a world famous zoo (actually) that features the flora and fauna of the Sonoran Desert. Its actually quite a marvelous place. Animals are in enclosures, not cages. And the enclosures are designed to mimic their natural habitats. I love it. So it was a really good deal, but I had to get there and cash in my Groupon by April 1 or it would expire and I would lose the $25 I plunked down on it! So today was the day.

I asked Hubby-Pain-In-The-Ass (hereby referred to as HPITA) if he wanted to join me. I emphatically told him that his presence was not required and that if he was going to be grumpy I would prefer he stay home. No, no, he would go. "By the way, when are you coming back? Game starts at 3!" (Please, just shoot me now!) I told him we should be able to get back by then but reminded him this was a very large place, I was not going to be hurried. I wanted to go and take my time, take pictures and enjoy the day outdoors. "No Problem."

We got there about 9 am and probably started walking around 9:30 or so after getting in and using the facilities. At about 11:30 we got close to the restaurant and I asked him "Are you hungry or do you want to wait until we leave?", thinking we had just split a breakfast burrito and I wasn't really hungry and didn't really expect him to be. "Well, when were you planning on leaving?" "I don't know, to get home by 3 we need to be moving that direction by 2:30, I guess." "Oh no, my back won't take that!" WTH?! Since when do you have a back problem?

He was bored and wanted to go home. I should have never taken him to begin with! These are the days that test my marriage vows to the limits!!

I did get some good pics:

Can you see that beautiful hummingbird among the orange flowers?

The beautiful Harris Hawk. They hunt in family groups and hunt like wolves where certain members of the pack will drive prey to the hawk that is aligned to make the kill. This is a male, the female is larger and their society is matriarchal.

Speaking of wolves, a beautiful Mexican Grey Wolf. They are slowly being re-introduced into the Sonoran desert after having been hunted to near extinction. Needless to say there is a lot of controversy over this with all the cattle ranching that goes on in Arizona.

Bobcats! Too cool! The rock ledge they are laying on and the rock above them, in fact their entire enclosure is man made. It looks so natural, you might not know if you weren't made aware of it.

A beautiful dried agave blossom from last year. These make exquisite dried "flower" arrangements except they are about 10 feet tall!

When the desert blooms, the colors are incredible and its always amazing (at least to me) to see the juxtaposition of this delicate flowering next to the the apparent harshness of cactus. The yin and yang of the plant world.

This is Datura. Its highly toxic and can be fatal if misused.

This is quince?! I have no idea, but it was really pretty.

The only time I really like doves is when they are nesting. This little lady was totally undisturbed by the fact that I was invading her space. As a matter fact, all the animals at this "zoo" are completely at ease around humans. Even those in the wild, which are many. Many of them were born here and have no fear of humans because we are not perceived as a threat. They've never been harmed or even frightened by humans. Whats to fear?