Architects of the Desert

After the strong rains of this week, we discovered amazing structures in the desert built by ants overnight.  It's a testimony to teamwork and persistence.  I can see why my nephew has taken on the study of ants.  I never thought much about them in Ohio other than something to be poisoned or stepped on.  Out here I'm acquiring a new appreciation for the natural order of things that I used to consider pests.

Here's one with a outdoor toilet....

Somebody had more help last night

Looks like the pyramids of Egypt

The ATV tracks from the evening before don't bother them

Here's a duplex

This is the most interesting...a black and white family coexisting peacefully

These guys were still busy when I took their picture.

Labor Day 2013

Most people have picnic's and go on mini vacations on the last weekend of the summer.  We "labor".  We love our new entrance wall.  It makes our entrance look less stark.  Art did a great job shaping the flagstone on the top.  Now that it fits to the colors of the house so well, we're having second thoughts about repainting the house.  The pink is growing on us.  Art is still not so confident so he said for me to make a sign...."We're not gay".  He's so politically incorrect ;-)  The color makes me feel like I live in Tuscany or the on the coast of France or the Greek Isles.  

So for Labor Day, we went and bought another three gallons of pink and Art started painting the courtyard wall around 2 in the afternoon with the sun beating down on him.  He was stubborn enough to go through 1 gallon but then it got too hot.

Here's my guy, hard at work....

We walked Bear at 6PM and saw the most fabulous rainbow.  I'll be sad when the monsoon ends here in Arizona.  It's been amazing!