Almost March!

 Time seems to be flying by.  Wickenburg's population inflates in February and most of of our traffic has a tail.....

We haven't done much of anything interesting since Jesse and Erin left.    Raphael is working hard outside, putting in a much needed irrigation system, placing river rocks along the road in front, hauling away junk wood that the previous owners left for us and just generally putting the outside of the house right.

Lewis does his best to help keep the backyard tidy.   He feels it's an important and sometimes overlooked job.     While we do our very best to "pick up" what he leaves for us in a timely manner, sometimes he takes matters in his own "hands" (or nose) and works carefully to cover up anything he finds left over......   It's much easier in the snow he says.  Gravel is hard on the nose.

We've done a little (very little) socializing also.   We enjoyed visiting with Dave and Faye at Steve and MonaLiza's the other day.    Steve showed us his new, early birthday present.    What a beauty it is, and it matches his color scheme perfectly!

a 1969 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am

And.....our chairs finally arrived!   They only took 9 months to get here from the Carolinas.    We began to wonder if the delivery man was on foot!       We really like them, they're just what we ordered and fit us well.   They swivel, they rock, they recline!  

We had a wonderful surprise last week!   Jodee and Bill were on their way home from a Superbowl visit with friends in the Kingman area and, since Wickenburg is in the middle of it's February inflation, they found that all the rv spots were completely full.   That is....except ours!       

They fit with room to spare

Tessa pronounced the new chairs "comfortable", and we were  happy that they passed the test.    We attempted to solve the world's problems at happy hour,  enjoyed dinner together and a sunny happy hour the next morning before they continued on their way home.    Jodee reports that nothing fell out of her cupboards on their way down our rocky road, phew!

Raphael's irrigation trenches and dirt piles didn't stop us from a pleasant second cup

Yesterday Winter arrived in Wickenburg.   Dave pressed the little red wagon back into service as a geranium transportation vehicle and we prepared for cold weather.   Late in the afternoon we had a fair amount of graupel coming down and settling on our patio chairs, but it didn't stay.   Yay! 

 This morning we woke to a completely frozen Hummingbird feeder, frost everywhere in the yard and the beautiful mountains in our view covered with snow!     The desert was pretty as the bright sun sparkled through the frosty landscape.

These chilly mornings, the fireplace is a wonderful spot to sit and enjoy second cup together....

sorry Dave....I managed to catch him mid chew!

I think our brief cold snap is over for now.   This coming week the temperatures are forecast to be in the high 70's, low 80's!    Nice.

The Visit

Last Wednesday afternoon we drove into Sky Harbor airport to pick up Jesse and Erin!   They were not able to come for the holidays this year and we were really excited to finally see them again.   This was the first time they've been to our "new" home.     We enjoyed a short but busy visit - I didn't waste time taking too many pictures.

They both had some business to take care of the first day,  but we took advantage of the time in between to do a little sightseeing along the Hassayampa river bed with Jesse, Happy Hour with Erin and we all had dinner together.

Dave and Jesse took a few long walks around our neighborhood in the mornings.   

Lewis wasn't invited, but he felt that he needed to keep a watchful eye on them as they hiked away.

Friday was a long day for us all.   The four of us left the house at 8 a.m. on our way into Scottsdale for a tour of Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin West,   It was a beautiful sunny day and we all enjoyed the home's desert setting, the Chihuly glass installation there this winter, and the dramatically embellished tour led by Molly.   

After our tour we had lunch at ZuZu at the Valley Ho Hotel in downtown Scottsdale, checked out the Boulders Resort and then went off road to head home through the desert on Castle Hot Springs Road.     We came across a small herd of Burro just before the historic hotel.

It was a long drive, but we wanted to give Jesse and Erin a little taste of the back country places we so love to explore.   

That night we shared the Ornery Hog's smoked Prime Rib for dinner.    

 As I said, it was a long day for us all but Lewis wasn't too lonely at home.    Steve came over mid-day and took him out in the yard for a little break.     Lewis is a bit of a flower, as you probably know.   Steve tried to take him out for us one other time, when Dave had his surgery, and he wouldn't leave the motorhome, wouldn't even get off the bed.      What if  Steve was trying to steal him, or perhaps try to steal Beluga, or perhaps Steve was planning to kill him, who knows what goes on Lew's little brain.    This time, Steve was a friend and he happily went with him.    Thanks Steve!  

Saturday we had a cool and windy lunch at Nichols West and then out into the desert again to give them an up close encounter with a beautiful crested Saguaro.    

Jesse pokes, Erin shivers

 

While we were tramping around I discovered this unusual and new to me, cactus.   There were no others anywhere around the area.    I think it is an Arizona Queen of the Night or Nightblooming Cereus.  Have you ever seen one?

it was purple ish

I think the highlight of the weekend, however, was the fireplace.....

my two smiling lizards

Sunday morning came too soon and they flew back to their beautiful home in Spokane.   I know Molly and Dexter will be over the moon to have them home!

Lewis was exhausted and slept most of the entire day....or maybe he was depressed?