From then to now

All of a sudden (or so it seems) it's Spring!   Our Argentine Giant cactus is beginning to bloom enthusiastically.    

 The blooms are huge and softly fragrant, so says Dave.....

Oh Dave.....

  There are 12 more buds getting ready to open, one beauty at a time.

The "volunteer" iris has several plump buds, ready to give us glorious lemon-yellow flowers in a few days.

The birds are using Taos hair to line their nests.    We gather it from, well....everywhere, stuff it into an old wire suet cage and hang it next to the bird feeder.

We're busy making plans for our summer travels.  I'm getting the calendar organized and reservations made, food planned, freezer goods used up, etc.   We've decided that Beluga needs a new recliner/swivel/rocking chair, so we've been sitting around all over the valley trying out possible candidates.   Taos helps quietly.

 I've been getting a series of gel injections in my knees in Surprise, so we've taken advantage of the time spent in the valley to check out furniture stores.     No time to order and receive a chair, we're leaving in about 3 weeks, so we have to find "the one" from the existing floor models.      Mission Accomplished!   We'll pick it up this week.   It feels good to check it off the list.

Dave is taking care of a few household jobs he's been wanting to tackle and making sure Rocky and Beluga are fit and ready for another long trip.  (Changing all fluids, LOF on both vehicles, including antifreeze, new thermostat and spark plugs, I remember hearing the words "moisture separator" also....  My eyes glaze over when he tells me what he's doing and has done, sorry.....)   Oh...and he also did a little tree trimming and finished the taxes.   phew!

He's long felt that the wall behind his fireplace needed a punch of color - so he painted it!   He also added some colorful Mexican tiles below its mantle - we're both happy with the results!      His resourceful gene stepped up to help hold the tiles in place until they were firmly set.....   (the Little Giant ladder helps with many non-ladder jobs, including as a training tool for Taos)

    

 

Right now, he's outside in the sunshine, repairing and refinishing the leg on one of the tables in Beluga.    He fashioned it out of a wonky branch of the 100 + year old Lilac bush that grew at our farmhouse in Geneseo.    It was a memorable lilac, huge and prolific and planted by the Darling family in front of the 4-hole outhouse!

Taos' time with us is winding down...sigh.    He had his evaluation last week and we have a tentative "in for training" date of May 3 or 4. 

starting off with the Club Leader and Field Mgr. following

up the glass elevator

open back stairs with water below

 We'll take him back to Guide Dogs for the Blind in San Rafael, California, to begin his formal, in harness training.   Dave and I will move along to our summer in Spokane.

   Meanwhile, he's been a busy guy.   He continues to have fun but also work on the few things that he doesn't really care for - namely water and rain.

nom nom nom

zzzz

morning belly rubs

Since he lives in Arizona, he doesn't see much rain and when he does.....he balks.  To try and desensitize him Dave has attached our hose to one of the patio chairs so that it shoots into the and "rains" down.   Then he walks Taos around under the artificial rain - back and forth.    They're both soaked by the time he's done.   

squinty eyes

In mid-March we set off for a Nevada desert adventure that we've been talking about for quite a while, but never did.   The reason being that we didn't really have any reliable information on where we wanted to go, or what time things would happen, or IF they would happen.     Nellis AFB (in Las Vegas) holds Red Flag Exercises three times a year.     

"The 414th Combat Training Squadron conducts Red Flag exercises to provide aircrews the experience of multiple, intensive air combat sorties in the safety of a training environment. There are three iterations of Red Flag annually, one U.S. only, one open to FVEY (Five Eyes) participants and one that welcomes an expanded roster of international allies and partners. The training occurs at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada on the Nevada Test and Training Range, the U.S. Air Force’s premier military training area with more than 12,000 square miles of airspace and 2.9 million acres of land"

This last statement is what caused us trouble....2.9 million acres of land, 12,000 square miles of airspace?    We sat at the end of the Nellis runway and watched the planes fly close overhead before, years ago, and we really wanted to see them perform in the sky!

I used a website "Dreamlandresort.com" and got some coordinates, some suggested spots to watch so.....off we went!

my directions.....

First up, however, we stopped to spend some time Pam and John.    Taos loved his visit, as always!

second cup by the fire.....

We all enjoyed a little time in the desert, walking by the water, and some good Chinese food and yummy happy hour treats.

Willow Beach

We left after a couple days and set up camp at the Green Valley Grocery and RV Park in Ash Springs, NV.    Nice little park, nothing else there or in the vicinity.    However, it made a good base for our exploration.     Spoiler alert.....we never did see the aerial games, dog fights, low altitude flyovers, alien space craft, etc. but we DID have a great time looking for them all!    One evening, as we settled into bed for the evening, we heard them booming around overhead!   They do one nighttime sortie, we missed it too!

powerline overlook

After a whole day of looking, we found the "Powerline overlook" and had lunch there one afternoon.   We hoped to see planes zoom below us as they flew the Tickapoo Valley above Area 51......ahem.

flying saucer?

We ate and talked and read while we waited.    The winds were so strong, and we were on the very edge of the overlook.   Dust motes filled the Jeep - we laughed and laughed at the visibility!    No one around for miles and miles.   No planes either.

see the lighter color rock flat spot between the mtns., directly above the
Joshua Tree?    That's where we were!

Another day we ended up driving down (up) the Mailbox Rd within view of the Area 51 Warning!   Stop!   Go Back! gates.   We stopped and went back. 

it's not polite to point....

 Discovered another prime watch spot at Coyote Peak, where the planes would, supposedly, fly directly over our heads on their way past.    No planes that day either.    We christened our spot there - Dead Cow Overlook.....three dead cows in a row on the way in and, one large black cow daring us to pass by.....

one dead cow picture is enough, right?

In between waiting for planes, we explored the nearby White River Narrows Archeological District.     Lots to see there, even though it was cold and there was.....snow.....on the ground!

We found, and walked along, a very long, very detailed panel of petroglyphs.   So rewarding since the rest of our trip hadn't proved fruitful.    Much to see for a return visit.

do you think the long horn sheep had beans for dinner?

We stayed at Green Valley Grocery and RV park an extra day because of forecast high winds, then moved to Lake Havasu Elks Lodge for a few days.   You know I have a hard time going home....

Actually, I wanted to give Taos a boating experience and the Casino Ferry fit the bill!

I tried to get a better picture of all the people on the boat but...
the boat guy told me to sit down.   Lots of spring breakers fall
down the stairs he said....

He handled the crowded waiting line, the quick golf cart ride, the steep stairs, the loud, droning diesel engines, and rocking boat with calm acceptance.

So.....that's all I've got.   Sorry it took so long to get things together, sorry it's so long!       Stay tuned for the departure.

And....here's Annie!