Last few days of last year, first few days of this year

We spent the last few days of 2025 enjoying our time away and continuing to blow our sneezely noses.     A couple more delicious dinners/lunches (or were they linners?) were eaten at some of our favorite restaurants and a few more road trips were taken before heading back to Wickenburg.

Whitewater Preserve

a happy man at The Farm

Dudley's goodies and Julian Pie!

One day we drove south to visit a favorite spot, Borrego Springs.    Included in that drive, of course, was a quick stop in San Ysabel for some goodies at Dudley's and a few (yes, a few....) Julian Pies for the road.    (We managed to save one Strawberry/Rhubarb pie to share with MonaLiza and Steve when they came for dinner a few weeks ago - such willpower....) 

  The wildflowers were just beginning to show their pretty faces to the stark desert.   I was surprised to see them that early in the year, I wish we'd planned more time to explore!   

 

sand verbena

No visit to Borrego is complete without an off road drive to Font's Point.   It's an impressive spot with forever views and deafening silence.    We felt Jeff Pierce's spirit all around.

We got back home on the Saturday after New Years Day.   Mother nature decided to give us a bit more rain and cold weather just for fun.

raindrops make him grumpy

Taos enjoyed eating the ice we pulled from the birdbath

Taos was very happy to get back into the house and claim the favored spot in front of "his" fireplace.

Unsettled weather always brings beautiful skies here in the desert, so there's always that silver lining.

 All that rain encouraged a verdant desert - something we rarely see.

We were surprised when the mailman delivered a few post-Christmas goodies for us.    Thanks Judi and Cindy!

Judi always sends us Dave's favorite cookies, mmmm

Cindy P didn't forget our boy

Dave has been busy with all the things Dave is always busy with.     Ordering new tires for Beluga, chasing down and fixing the infuriating "codes" the Jeep has been throwing, pulling weeds, trimming bushes, taking Beluga's refrigerator out and locating an exact replacement, rebuilding Beluga's furnaces "redecorating" his bathroom, etc. etc.

I kept telling him it doesn't go with the decor....

Taos has been busy also, well, as busy as Taos gets.....

waiting patiently for happy hour to begin

dozing on his jolly ball during a lull in playtime.....

And....here's Annie testing her daddy's climbing wall project.    Fun, she proclaims!

Christmas!

 

zzzzz

Christmas Eve was a lazy time around here.     It was raining hard with low dark clouds.   Flood warnings flashed across the tv regularly.     We enjoyed the down time, dozing, reading, watching Christmas movies, dozing.....   I made our traditional meal of baked Manicotti, and we enjoyed a slab of caramel macchiato cake, left over from a meal at Restaurant 849.

The weather forecast had been threatening heavy, flooding rains and wind for Christmas, so we got out and did a bit of off roading and eating outside before it closed in. 

One day we drove south to Mecca, CA and off into the nearby desert looking for the Painted Canyon trail.     It's been on my list, but in the past, we've always said that it was a little too far from Palm Springs/Desert Hot Springs and also too far from Borrego Springs.  Places we often find ourselves in.  This year we decided to just go for it.     We're glad we did.

The rock formations along the wash were fantastic.   We always marvel at the variety of shapes and colors of just mud!      

We found an interesting looking pull out for lunch. 

Taos always enjoys these stops, but this time he got out for a look see without a leash!    The joys of no longer being in training.    He even got crazy scoots in the sand, but I couldn't get a picture of it, I was too busy trying to keep from being knocked down.

here he comes!

There's always a price to pay though.    He posed politely for pictures wherever I asked him to.    Good boy....

After lunch we continued our drive through the colorful canyon.   

We stopped at various spots to stretch our legs, two and four.

do you see him?  I yelled "wait" and he stopped to strike a pose

We drove in as far as the trailhead, then turned around and headed home.  Our knees aren't up to the interesting hike that was beyond a rudimentary parking area.  I understand ladders are part of that trail!     For us, it was definitely all about the journey not the destination.

I never mind returning by the same route.   I always see different things in each direction.    On our way back I spotted what looked like a crack in the wall of rock.   A slot perhaps?     Dave and Taos stayed in Rocky while I squeezed in to see where it might go.

It went a long way!   After scrambling up three or four pour overs I decided I'd gone far enough alone.    No cell coverage, of course, and, while the walls looked stable, one never knows.    I'm sure that if I was gone too long Dave would have come looking at me but I turned around, butt scooted down the pour overs and emerged into the sunlight just where I'd entered.    Fun!

All our good times have not been out in the rocks and sand, however.   We enjoyed a delicious linner on Restaurant 849's beautiful white on white patio.    They are enthusiastically dog friendly, so Taos was able to join us.

My birthday dinner was at The Farm.   It's no farm, to be sure, but a lovely, mostly patio French restaurant.    One of our favorites.

Dessert was a small slice of cranberry cheesecake with a candle and two complementary glasses of champagne with a raspberry float.    Perfect ending to a delightful celebration.

Beautiful, fragrant white birthday flowers arrived earlier in the day.    Jesse and family never forget, no matter where I am on the day.

  Here's Annie enjoying the Christmas boxes!

 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all......

Havasu Christmas

Taos had a little Christmas excitement before we left home.   Janna and Mike invited us all to their house for a little pre-Christmas linner.     As usual, I forgot to take any photos of people, but I did manage a few shots of the big guy's joy.....and Janna's delicious Lemon pie!

come and get me says Kayce!

After a few beautiful days in Lake Havasu, we're now sitting at our nice, quiet site in Desert Hot Springs (Catalina Spa and RV Resort) until Christmas day.    Flat Stanley is lit, and our little Palm Springs silver tree is sitting on Beluga's dashboard.   Let Christmas begin!

my view

pay no attention to the lg. reindeer in front of Flat Stanley...

Back to the beginning of this mini trip....Lake Havasu City.    The weather was just about perfect.   Sunny and warm, but not hot.    Beautiful sunsets over the lake.   We had a great site at Lake Havasu State Park, right next to Pam and John!

We were there to eat and visit and see the beautiful light displays around the London Bridge.     

second cup with Pam's Rugelach

Pam made and brought several goodies for us to sample.   Even Taos enjoyed treats from Gramma Pamma.    Thanks Pam!

what do you want, she asks.....duh!

dinner beside the bridge

After dinner we walked under the Bridge and along the canal, enjoying the colorful lights and the kids having a ball playing in the fake snow.   Soapy snow foam looks Christmasy but isn't the best for making snow angels....

she emerges from the "snow"

One afternoon Dave and I (and Taos) went into "downtown" Lake Havasu City looking for a few groceries.   We were happily surprised to find the main street filled with beautiful classic cars.   Every parking spot was taken by old Ford coupes, resto mods, corvettes, hellcats, roadsters and rat rods. etc.   We walked the entire street, stopping here and there to ogle, and perhaps eat a little ice cream....

After dinner (Barley Bros. Brewery) we all piled into our Jeep and set off to follow a map I found that would lead us through various neighborhoods to view individual's Christmas displays.     Dave drove, John worked Google Maps, and we found 12 of the 31 homes on the list.    Too much food in our bellies was making us all sleepy and driving through dark street after dark street was taking its toll on us all.   We'll finish the list next year!

his light was out, but I loved his face

up on the roof top

faa laa laa laa laa, cluck cluck cluck, cluck - right?

In case you're tired of Christmas lights.....here's Annie!