It has been a long week -- mostly dealing with my mother's chemotherapy and a small surgery that she needed which after a rough start, turned out to be a rather easy and sort of funny finish (how does my mother manage these things?). I managed to do some much needed gardening -- one can feel the season ramping up for the monsoons -- plants grab the moisture out of the air and grow feverishly, something I find utterly amazing.
Still I like to help them along and do a fair amount of watering, especially this huge potted asperagus fern which has recently become the afternoon resting spot for a gila monster. Two of them strolled across the patio, one to snatch a drink by the pool, this fellow to languish in the cool and very damp shade of the watered fern. He seemed so comfortable, I figured he wouldn't mind if I took a couple of pictures of him. And I was quick...as beautiful as they are, they can still give a nasty bite if they feel too threatened.
