Snow Gone…
…but not the snowdrops.
Picked the e-bike up from the shop where it had been hibernating since early March (after a tuneup). Gave it a bit of charge and then went for a spirited ride, in spite of the clouds and chill.
Party of Many Reasons…
…spring, birthday, Easter. Egg hunt part of the fun.
Red velvet cake by Katy
Photo by Renee
Starting Seeds…
…on a snowy day.
Much of the day also devoted to getting our wifi/internet service re-established after the AT&T breakdown that occurred sometime while we were away.
With Ben and James
Too busy building animal pens, horse corrals, and marine acquaria to take many photos. We counted all the farm animals in one bin—8 cows and 15 horses, among many smaller creatures.
A different location, upstairs, is home to manta rays, orcas, dolphins, and sharks. The boys know their animals as well as they know their trucks.
Well, This Is Different
Rain, sleet, and eventually, snow. Not quite what was expected. The rationale behind a trip the last two weeks of March is that you depart In winter and return in spring.
That’s Why Airplanes Were Invented
L o n g drive, including a punch through a squall line at about Champaign, but we made it. Back to this little patch of ground, of all the vast many across what is still quite a big world.
It’s Hard Leaving Texas…
…even with a huge tailwind (the state is just too big.) But, we made it into Arkansas, and even a few miles beyond Littlerock (just as the sun was setting over Walmart).
Port Aransas…
…to walk the beach and have some lunch.
Boat-tailed grackle
Southern Comfort
Sunny, warm, and windy, with a little humidity (which actually feels good).
Palm and live oak on morning walk
Art show
Oysters and Shrimp …
…at Paradise Key.
After an afternoon of re-exploring Rockport. The town appears to be fully recovered from Harvey. Quite a few upgrades, but still very familiar. And busy.
Elevation Ten Feet…
…and the green of live oaks. Made it to Rockport.
And, as usual, right into basketball.
Halfway To Rockport…
…In other words at Fort Stockton, Texas. Fabulous drive on Highway 9, from Portal to El Paso—beautiful east-west tarmac through a vast landscape right along the border. Desert all the way. Here are a few shots by Sue of the oasis Hacienda Joyal.
The Chiricahuas
Sky island on the east edge of Arizona. Home and hideout of the Apaches.
Drive, hike, sit under the Arizona sycamores, lunch at an amazing restaurant in Portal.
Ash Canyon Bird Sanctuary and…
…San Pedro River. And the chance to meet pen-pal Mike (who is a docent) in person. Two hours of fun, watching and listening to a great variety of birds.
Then, over to a river I have long longed to see—the famous and significant wildlife corridor which flows north out of Mexico.
A cottonwood just leafing out along the river
Mike and me
And, a check on my bucket list—wading in the San Pedro
Then lunch at Thuy’s Vietnamese restaurant on Bisbee, where I had, in addition to great food TWO glasses of had squeezed lime juice, and got to try out a little very rusty Vietnamese.
Followed by a fabulous dinner hosted by Mary Jane and George. The conversation lively and long.
To The Wall
A one mile walk each way through white-thorn acacia to the awful wall.
Lots of other desert flora, too. Cholla, mesquite, yucca, sotol, paloverde, greasewood, ocotillo.
Bisbee
Made it to Bisbee, after an interesting stop in Silver City, and a fantastic desert drive which included dust storms. And, once here, a delightful birthday dinner in Sue’ s honor. More photos tomorrow.
Gila
Twenty-eight miles of precipitous road, with many hairpin turns, from here to the cliff dwellings. Strenuous hike up to the dwellings. Beautiful all the way.
Hiking The Property
Beautiful acreage along the edge of the Gila Wilderness. Many, many agave, along with Meyer oaks, alligator juniper, ponderosa pine, and several varieties of cactus.—all on steep, winding trails amongst giant boulders.
Agave seed
Coming back to the hoise
Pinos Altos
After a beautiful drive through the mountains of the Gila Wilderness.
Breakfast in Los Lunas
Dust storm heading south.
Elephant Butte
Hillsboro
Our rental above Pinos Altos
Hotel Andaluz…
…in Albuquerque.
Great hotel in a fascinating town.