Did you know?

 Here is a really cute sea otter. Since I live in the desert and have only seen a few of these I found some fact about them to be very interesting indeed.

 

Sea otters use tools.

They are one of few animals that use tools like rocks, cement blocks and they have even been seen using a glass soda bottle for the purpose of cracking their favorite food, crab, even though they have a mouthful of mostly molars that are designed for crushing and grinding the shells. 

 yikes!

Sea otters have built-in storage.

Sea otters have a baggy patch of skin under their forelimbs, and this is used for storage. They can keep extra food in this spot, and also store a favorite rock for cracking the shell of their prey.

Young sea otters can't dive underwater.

Young sea otters are so buoyant that they can't dive underwater. Before they go foraging, the mother sea otter will wrap their young in a piece of kelp to keep them anchored in one spot.

 

Sea otters have very dense fur.

Sea Otters are the only marine mammal without a layer of blubber (fat) and their fur has ten times the number of hairs per square inch compared to a human head of hair. They spend several hours per day grooming their fur because their body warmth depends on it.

 Totally true:)

They are very sociable and found in groups which are called "rafts"

Their only predators are humans, great white sharks and killer whales.

Oh me oh my...that is a lot of facts and I hope you enjoyed them as much as I did.

 

Mary, Mary, quite contrary, How does your garden grow?

Well I can assure you my garden is nothing like these........

 

Thousands of boxwoods carved and trimmed at the gardens at Marqueyssac

 

Amazing green Wall Mexico City

 

 Creative

 

 Colorful

 

 Productive

 

 

 

 Fun

 

 

 Heavenly

 

 Serene

 

 Groomed for a round of golf (and Friday morning breakfast out)

 

 

If I had to reap what I sow in the garden department my life would be pretty drab but how wonderful to be able to enjoy others hard work and passions.

 

 

 

 

Challenge

Take some time and take the test...you might be surprised.

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2011/0104/Could-you-pass-a-US-citizenship-test/Who-signs-bills

 

Vegas for fun

Normally we go to Las Vegas because of the gun show held there every year but I wanted to make a trip to go see the Mounted Shooting Championships

 I have mentioned before how much I like to watch it and so we decided to go and I could watch the competition and hubby could do a little gambling.

 

 

 We did take a side trip on the way up to the famous Skywalk....

Before you go you need to know that it is expensive.....like $70.00 each and about 20 miles looks like this...

 Rough dirt road

but....it is worth it! What a once in a lifetime experience. Unfortunately you can't take personal pictures or even bring purse, camera or anything else on the bridge so I will link you to this video that they have available to get a little idea of what it is like...

http://www.grandcanyonwest.com/skywalktour.php

 

The other interesting thing about the side trip was the diversity of land in just 45 miles. First there was the desert with the dust devils...

 Notice the telephone poles along the road...don't see that very often anymore.

 

 Then it turned into a Joshua tree forest........You can read more about them here....

 Then high rock structures

 

 

 Then walls of rock

 

and out of nowhere.......

 

 

 

 The Grand Canyon with no barrier!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amazing

 

Had a great time and somehow computer has started running again so I am back in business for a while:)

 

 

 

 

Troubles

Have been having computer problems and sending this via new little IPad. Not able to read my blog but hopefully things will get fixed soon.