Dairy Queen

We washed windows today. Always say I am going to hire it done. Hate the thought, such a big job. But today we just went at it and worked together pushed through. . .and then treated ourselves to a trip to Dairy Queen for a blizzard.  Mine was salted Carmel truffel and was to die for!!

Saguaro

Will got up and went to the YMCA for his normal work out and I decided to get some excersize by taking a nice long walk out in the desert. I grabbed my camera as I suspected there might be some Saguaro Cactus in bloom.  Usually you can't get near the blossoms as they are way in the air atop these giant cactus but I came upon one that gave me a nice close up of the blooms.  It was a huge maybe 20 ft high cactus with one of his arms had twisted and aimed dowmward right to eye level.  Pretty amazing.  I have been told those arms can twist and droop like that if they go thru a  frost during a severe winter episode.

Another one blooming amoung an Ironwood tree. Ill have to come back in a week or so because the Ironwood is almost in bloom.  They always surprise me with their soft pink blossoms that cover the tree.

Company

On Friday Pete and Alice Haan joined us for the day.  We took a drive out into the hills south of Patagonia to the ghost town of Harshaw. Not much left of the old mining community but the cemetery is most interesting. And obviously maintained so some family must still be in the area.

From there we drove up to the San Rafiel Valley to get a view of the National Grassland there.  Ended the day at Velvet Elvis for dinner. A Patagonia must stop, has actually been written up in Arizona Hiways and Sunset Magazine. Trendy pizza place with a wider menue and funky atmosphere.

3 days in Patagonia.

We havent had the RV out since we got home from last summer's trip.  Its way overdue and we NEED a birding  trip.  Patagonia State Park, just north of Nogales is a perfect destination.  Probably our favorite of Arizona's State Parks.  Nice campground overlooking a lake that the DNR made back in the 50's when they dammed the Sonoita Creek.  Lovely reparian area in the middle of the desert, surrounded by mountains on two sides just a few miles cross country from the Mexican border. Sonoita Creek is another one of those rare perenial streams in south east Arizona.  Arrived mid afternoon on Wednesday.  Time to set up and walk the campground and lake front and a short hike up the creek trail looking for birds.  Our delight was coming upon a family of newly hatched baby Coots. Now Mom and Dad will win no beauty contests but those little guys were pretty cute. 

Thursday we hiked the Sonoita Creek Nature Preserve

The biggest Ocatillo "forest" we have ever seen. And in full spring bloom.

Its today!!

Five buds open at once. Will take all morning to fully open and by tomorrow they will be spent. 

Also spied a family of Gamble Quail this morning.  Mom and Dad are so, so skiddish as they hover and patrol all around them.  Looks like hours old, just little fur balls. Zoomed in and got a few shots off as they scurried away.

Dad is watching closely from the top of the wall.  Nervous parents, indeed.

Any day now.

I am watching these buds swell every dsy.  Won't be long.  Most buds ever !

These however, are starting to bloom. . .

Tour de Mesa

We drove up to Mesa and checked into the Mesa Marriott for a fun overnight.  First thing we got last minute tickets to an afternoon show of The Duttons.  They are a family variety troup, amazing talent. They have a winter theater in Mesa and then spend the summer performing in Branson. Enjoyed the show, went to dinner at a local Mexican place called Mangos. Was good, however not as great as recommendation said it would be. Except the flan for desert--yum.

Next morning Will got up for a 6:15 start time in the 72 mile Tour de Mesa.  The hotel was within walking distance of start so I could just enjoy a lazy morning and leisurely make my way to finish line to see him come in 4 hrs 37 mins later.

He did well. Still smiling when it was all done.  Great goal achieved!