Speaking of bees...

There was a funny little black bee hanging around my porch this weekend. I was in the middle of painting, so I didn't take a picture. It was flying from hole to hole (keyhole, mailbox, crack in the siding) and appeared to be looking for a way in. It looked much smaller than the bees that I think of as carpenter bees (the ones that look like bumble bees). Anyone have any ideas about this one? I'll try to get a picture if it comes back. I hope it's not a bee that can causge damage, otherwise I might have to kill it :(

Spring in the Desert

I went on a hike up at a place called Pima Canyon today and the desert is really green!

The ocotillo are leafing out.

As is the mesquite.

The brittlebush are in bloom.

Snakes are out. I think it's a Sonoran gopher snake.

Probably the coolest picture I got was this big black bee. Don't know what the flower is. (Or the bee, either.)