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......