February

 

Nothing exciting to report this month.   The weather has been unusually cold and then unusually hot.

We enjoy sitting outside in the warm sun when the air is cold and then sitting in front of the fireplace when the sun goes down.

Taos watches me read, it's a little distracting but.....

happy hour in the waning afternoon sun

fireplace fun

A couple weeks ago it was so cold in the morning that the bird bath gave us a beautiful and interesting growth of ice.

I'm glad I covered up or brought in a few cold sensitive plants.....

As soon as the morning sun hit the outside table, a large white lined sphinx moth started work on the petunias.    Second cup entertainment!

This week, however, the temperature was well above normal.   Way too hot to sit in the sun.....sometimes even too warm to enjoy the shade.    Puzzling, reading and second cup/happy hour inside. 

 

post prandial snooze

Dave had a minor surgical procedure on his ankle Thursday, so sitting inside wasn't a real hardship.   Besides he had a good book and a very attentive nurse by his side - at all times......

February wasn't just filled with around the house, boring activities......Dave did a few more upgrades and tweaks to Beluga.   He likes to keep her in top shape.

The refrigerator has been bedeviling him, taking way too long (in his opinion) to restart after driving and then plugging into shore power.     He removed it in preparation for replacement (ugh) and then thought that perhaps it was the (relatively new) modified sine wave inverter that was causing the problem, not the refrigerator itself.    

He bought a new pure sine wave inverter, installed it and - Bob's your uncle!     The refrigerator now restarts in a timely manner.    No new refrigerator needed, so back inside it went.

Beluga's tires were nearing their end of useful life so, before we take off again, he decided to take her to the new Wickenburg Tire shop for 6 new ones.

off they go, without me!

I'm sure there are lots of other little things he's worked on, or changed, or redone also.   Sometimes my eyes just glaze over when he fills me in......

Rocky has taken us on a few short desert drives, looking for Crested Saguaros.  Looking is half the fun, right?   The google gods will not allow me to post a picture of the small, crested arm we eventually found.......

Poppies are beginning

he relaxes in the shade while we explore

multi use trail?

We've also had fun with friends.    Janna and Mike have a sweet little miniature Schnauzer named Kayce.    She just turned 2 and Janna threw a party to celebrate!    Lots of friends, two four footed friends for Kayce, and a yummy brisket dinner served outside in their nice, grassy backyard.   She got lots of presents, Taos insisted we bring her his favorite toy - Audrey!  

Audrey

  We all enjoyed ourselves, but I think Taos had the best time of all.  Running and playing with two friends, in the grass!     Sorry, no pictures. 

  Early in February we joined MonaLiza and Steve at Rancho de los Caballeros to celebrate her birthday.

Last week we celebrated Steve's birthday at the same spot only this time Rod and Lisa joined us.   Huge table, good food and wine, lots of great conversation and laughs.    Our waitress was from Verona, Italy and we really enjoyed her banter and recommendations.

Last but definitely not least, Pam and John drove down from Boulder City for a few days.    The first night we (the Wrights, the Banks, and the Lowes) enjoyed what has become our traditional first night dinner from Boulder City's China Bistro.   Pam and John graciously provide this luscious meal for us, and we all eat like little piggies.    Again, no photos - nom nom nom

The next morning, we sat outside with guava cheese pastries and solved all the country's problems. 

  That taken care of, we piled in the Jeep and set off into the desert with a very loose destination.   A natural arch!  

Taos enjoys the ride in his own way.   Sound asleep in the back of the Jeep.   He reappears when we stop to explore then returns to snore city as soon as the Jeep gets moving again.    An easy traveling companion.

We had two methods of navigations with us.   A chamber of commerce book and my OnX off road online phone map.     Dave and I had used the book once before to look for this arch (alternately named Natural Arch and Escondido Arch) with no luck.    We decided we'd use both methods and see which arch we came to first.   We weren't exactly sure if there were two or just one with two names.....

Needless to say, it took quite a while but in the end the book was abandoned with disgust, and the arch was located using the OnX map. (Although we did have to send Pam out on foot finally!)

TA DA!

She sent John up - for scale you know......

After our successful find and drive back through the beautiful desert, we shared a bbq dinner, taken out from the Hassayampa BBQ restaurant, and retired for the night.     They left in the morning.   A short but sweet visit!

 That's what we've been up to.

I love these Arizona skies

Here's Annie....

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!