Soaking Up the Sun

I would like to back-track a bit to my adventures at Bosque del Apache. I found these pictures on my Olympus. I used both cameras plus my cell phone on that trip. This is a sunset picture.

I call this photo the "Ghost Bushes", because the flash picked up the bushes in the foreground.

Another eerie shot!

Brock and I laughed so hard at the way the birds looked when they were getting ready to land.

I had a great Christmas Eve at Norma and Quinten's meeting his sister and renewing friendships from last year. Norma delights in entertaining and the food was outstanding. Unfortunately, I didn't take my camera.

I went to the Arizona Market a couple of weeks ago and got these two yard art thingyies. Yea, spell check says that's not a word. Too bad.

On my walk this morning, this crow was yelling at me, so I took his picture.

There are some beautiful homes out here where I walk; however, I think these people need to recycle this particular piece of yard art. Notice the hole and cracks in the donkey. Oh well, it makes it more interesting.

So we added about a week's worth of rain to the desert about ten days ago and this is what we got. In some areas, it almost looks like someone planted grass.

So tomorrow morning, I'm off to Chandler to spend the New Year's celebration with Tammy and Bob. Who knows what pictures I'll capture on that adventure. Happy New Year to all!

More Adventures

On Monday, I put Plan B into effect, and drove to Alagodones to make a dental appointment. I can't wait until Friday at 8:30 am. Since I was in town, I left some money at Walmart. On Tuesday, I ran into my friend June at the library, and we went to lunch at the Beaches in Coyote Wash.

On Wednesday, I headed back up to Martinez Lake and the wildlife refuge. There were about seven other people beside myself on the guided walk. Our leaders were a couple that worked in Denver for American Airlines. Now they winter in Yuma and summer in the Grand Tetons. Betty, the wife, liked to talk about scat. Here she is pictured with some in her hand.

She also had all sorts of animal bones that they had previously found in Wash B and stories for each one. Her husband, who thought it was going to be 90 degrees that morning, had some sort of temperature gauge and measured the temperature of the rocks that were getting sun.

This is a cholla with an unidentified bird nest in it. I took some other pictures, but nothing too spectacular. The bodies of water that they call lakes along the Colorado River are nothing but backwaters that are good for fishing and recreation.

This is a picture of the group paying rapt attention while Charles explains about the Africanized bees that have hives in the rocks. The good news is that they are being tamed, and bees are good, because the plants need the pollination.

Some time in the future, I may go do the Painted Desert Trail in the same area.

On Thursday, Brock and I went birding at Dateland and Tacna. As most of you know, my idea of birding is taking pictures of the birds. Well, that didn't happen, but it was a beautiful day.

On Friday, I did the dreaded dental appointment and found out that I have to have a root canal, maybe two. I don't want to think about it. Should I take pictures?? My friend June is going with me on Monday. In the afternoon, my neighbors invited me to Happy Hour in the middle of our street. Really nice group of people. There's nothing fancy in this park. It's very laid back.

Otra Vez

Since I had seen the ugly weather headed to Elephant Butte, and knowing that I needed dental work, I headed for Wellton, AZ, on Tuesday, the 28th to begin my winter adventure. I stayed that night at the Magic Circle RV Park in Wilcox, and arrived at Tier Drop RV Park here in Wellton on Wednesday afternoon. We are on the west edge of the park with excellent access to the desert. I take Marshall and Tux out there in the morning and mid-afternoon. In the evening, I sort of cheat. We just take a walk around the palms out in front of the coach.

I got in touch with Brock on Thursday. He needed to go to Walmart in Yuma, so I went along and got a few things. I tried to email the dentist for an appointment, and it wouldn't go through. I'll have to resort to Plan B.

On Sunday, I decided to explore, and I drove to Yuma Proving Grounds and headed west to Imperial Dam. I found a place that Gary and I had been to about 15+ years ago called Hidden Shores RV Park. Well, now it's a resort/gated community. They gave me a visitor's pass good for an hour. It was just a mom and pop type of place with a small office and store. They were promoting permanent sites up on a hill adjacent to the park, and, at the time, I thought, "Who would want to do that?" It's quite a community now, and I have pictures to prove it

Here's a picture of the Beach Rules. I think it says something about fat women on a stamp to the right of Beach Area.

Here's a warning sign. We used to sit out there and cool off in the water.

These are some kayaks on the shore. I couldn't resist taking the picture because of their bright colors.

This is the resort club house and golf. It's not my type of place, but it was fun to revisit.

From here, I headed up to Martinez Lake. On the way out of the proving grounds, I had to get a picture of this helicopter.

I had been to Martinez Lake last year with a friend, but didn't have my camera to get pictures of the ducks. Here's what I got last Sunday.

These four guys are taking turns nibbling on a dead fish.

Good to the last peck!  This is the restaurant and bar. I had a good fish sandwich for lunch. Then I headed to the wildlife refuge and signed up for a guided walk on Wednesday,