Thursday

Today was a hazy, lazy day.  The Tucson weatherman (we only get Tucson TV channels even though we're in Phoenix - go figure) said that today was the last nice one for a week, so we had full well planned on taking a hike in the desert.  Well......this morning turned into this afternoon and we didn't do anything more than a little dog maintenance, vacuuming, reading and visiting.

We met a fellow blogger and neighbor here at McDowell Mtn. Park.  Rick stopped by this afternoon on Pam's suggestion and we had a very enjoyable visit.  He and his wife, JoAnn are almost full timers, they spend a few months of the year at their home in Colorado and the rest of the time on the road.     Its fun meeting and chatting with new people on similar paths.

Alex stopped by to share our sunset cocktail hour (he brought his own!) and we sat outside and solved the countries problems until it it got way cold and we went our separate ways.

Tomorrow we meet Linda and Dave G. at the Country Club at DC Ranch for dinner.  Can't wait to see them again.

hazy morning view

Wednesday

the finches waiting their turn at our feeder  remind me of the pussy willow bush back home

Another beautiful morning....but the TV weather people are telling us that change is coming.  With that admonishment, we decided to spend the afternoon exploring this beautiful area.  We drove out McDowell Mountain Road in the direction opposite to the one we usually take.  At the small, planned golf community of Rio Verde, we turned onto  Forest Road and followed it in to the Tonto National Forest. We were looking for Needle Rock and the Verde River.  

We parked the jeep and set out on a  long, smooth path through an impossibly green glen, the Mesquite Bosque.   We could hear the river close by,  but couldn't see it.  Interspersed among the twisted, tilted Mesquite trees were wickedly thorny bushes and soft fluffy air plants of some sort.

its hard to believe this lush green is in the desert just a few miles from us

Oh Dave, don't sniff this one!

close up of the thorn bush, yikes!

I don't know what this soft air plant is called, but its beautiful

Dave found a way down the eroded dirt bank and we scrambled down following the sound of the water.

We broke through the thorny, thick underbrush and came out on to a dry creek bed.  We walked one way to a dead end then back the other way, still following the sound of the river.

down the dry creek bed towards the hole in the bushes

And, there it was, the Verde River.   Not a soul around, the current rushing by, ducks quacking and the reeds rustling in the wind.  Beautiful.   We walked  down the muddy bank for a bit hoping for a glimpse of this Needle Rock, then decided to head back.

Verde River

We retraced our steps, got back in the jeep and continued down the road to see where it went.  After only a few miles the road ended at Needle Rock Beach!     There was the river, clearly in front of us, and we didn't even have to crawl down dirt embankments, through dry reeds and underbrush and down a dry creek bed to find it!     And.....there was Needle Rock.   Leave it to us to do things the hard way first.

This rock arch won't be here much longer from the look of the crack in its middle.....come out of there Dave!

hmmmm, I'd like to know the back story on this shrine

Dave chats with a fisherman from Nebraska
(actually, he was a professional Roper and not a fisherman...)

Back on the road home, we drove through a veritable forest of giant Saguaros (sue are oo).  They can grow to 60 feet high or more and live as long as 200 years.  They don't start growing side "arms" until they're about 75 years old and they seem to have real personalities to me.   No two are the same and I've always loved being among them.

you just can't beat this scenery

I'm fascinated by Saguaros.
 I make no apology, you'll see lots more while we're here in the desert.

Dave loves them too

Tuesday

Our prescriptions were ready today so after our morning coffees in the sun we set off to Scottsdale to pick them up.

our beach umbrella does duty here to make a bit of shade for the dogs

 WOW, has Scottsdale changed since we were here last.     Lots of the road names were the same, but not all of them.  We drove around marveling at all the new buildings and,  feeling pretty overwhelmed, decided to have lunch at a familiar spot.   The restaurant at the Scottsdale Municipal airport used to be called "the Left Seat", and is now  "Zulu Caffe", but the views are exactly as we remembered them, and that is a good thing.  New is wonderful and interesting, but old is like a big sigh.   We took a table outside under a yellow umbrella, right on the edge of the tarmac and enjoyed an excellent lunch while watching the comings and goings of a very busy airport.  Dave was in his glory, but our conversation was somewhat stilted due to the air traffic control chatter quietly piped in through the restaurants speakers.   I knew this would be the case before we sat down, its an airport restaurant "thing" that Dave particularly enjoys.   When we did talk, it was reminiscing about our old Bonanza and Cessna 172,  past flights and experiences and other small plane related topics.    Nice lunch.

reflection of the outdoor seating at Zulu Caffe

We picked up those prescriptions and took a different, much more beautiful drive back around the McDowell Mountains to our campground.  McDowell Mountain Regional Park is set in the desert at the foot of those mountains directly east of Scottsdale.   Only thing is, you can't get there from here.....You must go around the peaks to the south on Shea Rd., or to the north on Dynamite Road.  Shea is through beautiful Fountain Hills, a city so planned and perfect that even their big garbage totes are color coordinated with its desert colored homes!    Dynamite Rd. takes us through sparsely populated desert on big, quiet roads with very little traffic.    For those of you familiar with the greater Phoenix area, this route takes us north  almost to Carefree.  The homes that are nestled in the desert are beautiful and this route will be our choice from now on.

On our way back, Dave got a call from Linda, our Accountant at Papago, all those years ago.  She played an important part in the success of the company and it will be wonderful to see her again.  She and her husband live here in Scottsdale, and we made plans to get together this week.

It was 4:30 by the time we finally pulled into site 43 and we found Sasha  stretched out on Beluga's dashboard, right in the windshield, so she could be the first to welcome us home.   Her equivalent of the top of the dog house we think.    I'd love to be able to get a picture of her, but all that the camera captures is the big windshield and her grizzly, white chin appearing to float in its middle.

this is what a full campground looks like here....my kind of place

the desert is really beginning to green

No beautiful sunset pictures here.   The sky is so clear and cloudless, the sun slips smoothly and quietly behind the McDowells and thats all there is to it!

Monday - scary Monday

Monday morning, laundry day back when, right?   Well, there are no laundry facilities here, so we'll have to find something, somewhere soon or our basket will overflow.

 After our sunny, hot, second cup this morning (and a good visit with Alex) we called to get our prescriptions refilled, called to order a mail delivery, and called a local veterinary clinic to make an appointment for Lewis.....

Last night Dave found a round, flat, black,  encapsulated lump on Lewis' bottom line, last rib area.  Our hearts were in our mouths all evening and today until the vet appointment.  After having gone through a long and emotional Malignant Melanoma journey with sweet Miss Rose, we were extremely gun shy.  We could hardly sleep, thoughts of losing our wonderful boy woke us frequently.....We clipped him just three weeks ago and it wasn't there then, I groomed him just a few days ago and noticed nothing, we have our hands on him always and no bump.....

Dr. Bashaw thoroughly examined Lewis, palpated the lump, took a tissue sample and - long story short - declared the lump to be a Histiocytoma, a common benign tumor of young dogs.  It most often resolves itself, a self-cure.  We received some ointment to use twice a day and instructions to call back in 3 or 4 weeks if the spot has not significantly shrunk.  Removal will be indicated at that point.  I'm pleased with the care taken with Lewis at the El Dorado Animal Hospital in Fountain Hills and we'll keep everything crossed that the d amn lump goes away on its own.   Whew.

We shared a margarita toast to  Lewis' health  at sunset tonight.  He enjoyed happy hour by focusing his total attention on the doves bathing at our "spa".   Sasha stretched out in the shade, half in the water dish, half in the dirt, oblivious to all the world.

We're emotionally wrung out, nightie night.

Sunday - another BCA

Happy Birthday Tracy

cloudy day

drizzly day

fix grill

defrost freezer

walk dogs

read kindle

watch Superbowl

watch Downton Abbey

eat tetrazzini

bed time

Saturday - BCA

our home til Feb. 13

Another beautiful day slipped by.  This park is so pristine, so quiet, so beautiful we are just mesmerized by its peacefulness.  We've loved this desert for close to 43 years, this Phoenix area when it was a pretty small city and Scottsdale was a sleepy ranchy kind of place.   So much has changed,  rendering many familiar places unrecognizable, but this desert still feels the same and we love it.

We set up our bird "spa" in a Palo Verde tree at the edge of our sitting area and it was only minutes before it was discovered and mobbed.  We're always surprised by the number and variety of birds in the desert.  The usual Purple Finches were joined by Cassin's Finches, Cactus Wrens, Crissal Thrashers, Gambel's Quail, and various Hummingbirds.

thats one huge hummingbird at the nectar feeder!
(No, its a Gila  Woodpecker....who knew they liked sugar water)

not sure what type of raptor this guy is, but he's beautiful sitting up there right at the top of a giant Saguaro cactus

the fountain in Fountain Hills
It shoots water over 550 feet in the air once an hour and when it does,  we can see it from our campground.
built by the guy that brought the London Bridge to Lake Havasu City

We explored the town of Fountain Hills a bit after lunch.  We needed to find the Post Office so we can schedule a mail delivery for next week.  Fountain Hills is a small, fast growing city, incorporated in 1989.  No wonder we didn't remember seeing it before.

Shared a G&T with Alex at sunset, enjoyed some good conversation and then tried out a new recipe on the grill for dinner.

Friday

Quiet night in the desert, and coffee outside with friends.  Life is good.  Nina and Paul joined us for second cups this morning while the dogs played and played.  Well, two black dogs played and one black dog plopped herself on the dog bed in the middle of us and enjoyed herself quietly.

fun in the desert - hurry Polly, hurry!

Nina winds up for another throw!

We ate a quick lunch and then packed up and started our drive to the Phoenix area and our next home base, site 43 at McDowell Mountain Regional Park.

good bye again beast....

It was a 3 hour drive east on I-10 right through the middle of busy Phoenix, Arizona for us.  Traffic moved along slowly, but moved along.  We had to dodge a plastic dresser that was smashed in the driving lanes, someone's clothes scattered to the wind, valiantly trying to make it to the shoulder before being plastered on the front of an 18 wheeler.    Some made it across, some didn't.

 It wasn't a difficult drive, but much more traffic than we've seen in a while, so Dave was tired and ready to "be there" when we pulled into this pristine, beautiful, quiet county park.     We came into the site from the wrong direction, so he had to back up, turn around, and take another shot at it.  As usual, a perfect landing.    Our site is level side to side, but very low in the front, necessitating a creative step addition in order for us to get in and out.....Once again, Dave to the rescue.   Now we just have to remember to be careful when exiting, or one of us will break a leg!

Pre-sunset was beautiful, but when the sun went down, the color dispersed and was gone

how's this for a view?

our beautifully raked sitting area, all ready for a sunset G&T
(No, we didn't do the raking job, it was here waiting for us)

Alex and Ellen stopped by to say hello, just before sunset.  We had a nice visit, but as soon as the sun went down, the temperature plummeted, so we said good evening and headed inside for some nice hot split pea soup.     We're glad we're here and looking forward to exploring the area tomorrow.   This is a good place for us.    Stay tuned.