Sunday Comics...the New York Times, Howling Roadrunners and other stuff!

In the New York Times:
At the very top of page this morning there was an article about Arizona, restrictive covenants in neighborhoods and grass.  It seems that here in Arizona where water is at a premium, if you own a home with a lawn, you have to keep it green!  There is no choice according to the NYTimes article:

Homeowners’ associations in this arid region typically have rules requiring residents to maintain either desert landscaping or green grass, with brown lawns not an option.

     I have had experience with all the rules that living in a "modern" community involve. The community I live in back in Oregon has rules for everything.  I am sure the color of our lawn is important to them.  But back in Oregon it rains a lot so water is not a huge problem. In the past, homeowners in the Willamette Valley have let their lawns go brown in the summer when the rains decreased. They would keep it mowed very short so when the lawns catch on fire, the house does not burn down. Believe it or not that has happened. But I cannot imagine that the aesthetic of a modern community would allow that now. We have come to think of aesthetics first. Saving resources is not high on the list.
     But Arizona???  Really????  Wouldn't a lawn that is mowed very short be okay brown during a time when the temperature went over 100 day after day?  Obviously not. Well anyway, it seems that people have gotten creative.  One guy has even started a business painting lawns. It would cost the home owner about $200 every three month. I don't know how much water would cost but I am assuming it would be a lot.
     You knew this was coming...here is what I think.  I think we need to lighten up a bit.

Roadrunner on the golf course.

In our front yard.

Hummingbirds at a feeder.

     The humming bird is back in the tiny nest she built on a string of lights under our carport last year.  I always wonder how she remembers where we live?  I was tempted to take the light down earlier this year...those aesthetics you know.  Now I know we will keep them up until she never comes back again. This year we are hoping that the eggs hatch and we can see at least a little bit of the babies. Last year, the babies hatched on the morning we left.  Our friend had to refill the feeder until they flew away. I love our feisty little humming birds.
     The Roadrunner gave us a start the other day. It sat on the fence around the tennis court and made a sound like a trapped dog. We got up and went outside to see if a dog was hurt in Pantano Wash.  No dog. It was a Roadrunner with his neck stretched out to it's maximum length howling like a wounded Rottweiler! I did not know they could do that! Maybe he swallowed Wiley Coyote.

On the web.
     Ari Cohen at AdvanceStyle posted an interview with a 80+ year old blogger from the UK the other day.  He said this about her:

Rita Marcus, a blogger in her 80s, proves you are never too old to learn about new technology. I met Rita while in London for my project with Selfridges last Summer. She told me about her wonderful blog VeryOldGrandmother.com and I have been a fan ever since.

     I am adding her to my bloglist.  I know her name says she is a very old grandmother but from where I stand she is looking younger by the day.  Stop by Advanced Style to read the interview and then visit this talented woman at her blog soon.
     ApartmentTherapy.com is have their 7th Annual Smallest Coolest Home Contest.  I found the one I liked and voted it  up.  It is a 350 square foot 5 floor walkup with left over furniture and big windows.  Wander on over that way and cast your ballot.  You will need to sign up for the website but is it a breeze.

Sunday night deadline.
     My dead line is passing so I will post this now.  Follow me on the Google Follow button.  Leave a comment so I can visit your blog soon.  Go over to BlogCritics where you will find more of my writing. (Article first published as Knowledge vs Opinion Are we so Opinionated Because we are Stupid or Just not Informed! on Blogcritics.) Thank you for coming by.

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