Just a walk in the park......

Today Lady & I decided to go to the park. Okay, I guess I decided but she was quick to go along with me. Instead of walking I decided to ride my bike and let her run/walk beside me. This was kind of an experiment because I haven't done much riding with her at my side. I wasn't sure how she would react - all the while hoping that we both wouldn't end up in a heap on the road! But she did not fail me and all went well. Here she is enjoying herself immensely - smelling the smells of other animals!!! While her hearing is gone and her eyesight is failing, her sense of smell is still strong. Guess that's a good thing since it gives her so much pleasure!

Lady is really living in the moment! Should I mention here that the weather is perfect this time of year. Tomorrow (Halloween) it is supposed to be 93 degrees. After the weekend it is predicted that we'll be in the 70's! Last night Larry & I took a walk at 10 p.m. (with Lady, of course) and enjoyed the nice weather, beautiful skies, and Halloween decorations!

The sand in the kid's play area is not used much except by the local birds!

And here she is smiling! See those pearly whites? That was all the thanks I needed!!

And just so I don't show favortism, here is a great picture of Snickers. She loves to pose for me. Notice her paws so well positioned?

My current WiiFit age!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Growth......

Before running errands today I grabbed my camera and decided to take pictures of things I have been wanting to photograph but didn't because the camera wasn't with me. Believe me, you don't want to leave your camera in the car even for an instant around here!

So having said that......the first picture is of my little Cholla cactus. I found this little guy in our backyard before we moved here. It was about four inches long and maybe 3/4" in diameter. During our monsoon season the wind blew so hard it knocked the planter behind it right over it and down to the corner of our street! In the process it broke the cactus in half! I wondered what to do with it for about a day and a half and then decided to put it back in place and hope for the best. Well, as you can see, it is doing fine. This particular cactus has a nasty habit of throwing it's little spikes at you if you get too close. So I am really not sure why I am nurturing it except it is really a beauty!

If you look really, really close at the second and third pictures you will see a little rose bush tucked in under the other flowers. I brought this little guy back from Mark & Linda's in Vancouver, Washington in September. I planted it out in the open thinking that it was probably cool enough for it to survive. WRONG! It didn't take long for it to fry! So I rescued the little darlin' and nestled it into this very cozy spot. While some of the leaves and branches still look a little scorched, the rest of it is doing nicely. I am pretty confident it will do well in it's new home. When the time is right I will transplant it to a new space where it will enjoy full sunshine!

The next picture is Texas Sage (I think). They are blooming everywhere around here right now. If it is Texas Sage they bloom after there has been some rain. Let me tell you, I never knew we had so many honeybees until these guys go into full bloom! And they bloom every time it rains! Just for your information, that has been about six bloomings this summer!

Next we have the bridge being constructed over the Santa Rosa Wash. Right now the road goes down into the wash and when it rains the wash generally floods and traffic is detoured. We wondered about that detour route until the first time we had to take it. It really isn't that bad but it certainly will be nice to have this new bridge finished!

The next thing I photographed was our new library! It is about 8,500 square feet and construction was just started about a month ago. It should be completed by spring. Our current library is a little modular building that is probably 1,500 square feet. It will be wonderful to have a new library!

And last, but certainly not least, is our new WalMart - all 200,000 square feet of it! It is also scheduled to open sometime in the spring. WalMart is about a mile or so from our home and will be one of many stores in a new shopping area. Home Depot, a hospital, theatres, restaurants, small shops, etc. are all scheduled to be built. And all will be within walking distance which will really be nice!

Shopping is way fun!

Larry & I went shopping yesterday and these are the items we came home with. I didn't want to get the picture but Larry was sure we could find a place to hang it. I wasn't! But we bought it anyway and after some thinking I found the perfect place to display it. Now I even love it!

We also found these lovely drapes to hang in our bedroom. The colors in our bedroom are brown, white, and kind of a Caribbean blue. The drapes can be pulled together in case we ever get tired of seeing the sun! Not that that would or could ever happen! We love the sunshine! Guess that's why we live in the desert now!

My latest project.....

We have been looking for a set of barstools for seven months and finally found a set we agreed on! They really looked pretty good but did have some stains and one tear. I decided to get some fabric and reupholster them but haven't been able to get out to find the fabric. In the meantime I had some fabric (the same fabric I made my apron out of!) I could repurpose. This fabric started out on our bathroom walls in Glendale and I brought it with me thinking there could be a use for it one day. I really like the fabric and knew the new owners wouldn't want it!

Good thing I had all the tools I needed: sewing machine, measuring tape, iron, ironing board, drill, screws, tacks, etc. My leftover fabric was just a tad short to do all three barstools so I had to add a smidgen to one. I don't think anyone would ever notice. I think it's kind of like putting wallpaper up - only the person doing it knows where the flaws are.

Here's the barstool with the tear. I tried to sew it but it didn't look as good as I would have liked.

Weather's cooling....guests are arriving....

Today's weather is a testament to why we are living in the desert....it is NOT because of the 115 degree summer days that last from June through September. No it's not that! It is because of the 85 degree weather that brings people outdoors. It also brings visitors to our door that would not normally come to endure the oven-like summer temps! Here's proof - - - - -







Larry discovered these little "guests" when he came home from a Church meeting tonight. One graced each side of our front door. This first little guy was a bit camera shy.
(Side note: Candy said these guys were probably toads so I did some research - which I should have done in the first place - and this is what I found:
Sonoran Desert Toad Common Names: Sonoran Toad Genus: BufoSpecies: alvarius
A toad is a small animal without a tail that looks a lot like a frog. It is a type of animal called an amphibian. That means that toads live in water and on land. Toads have dry, warty skin with a raised area behind the eyes. The desert toad is olive green in color with a white "wart" bumpy area near the jaw and on the back legs. The Sonoran Desert Toad is the largest toad found in the United States, and it measures 7 inches in size.
The Sonoran Desert Toad is found in the Southwest United States Desert. The toad lives in the areas of the desertthat stay wet. Sonoran Desert Toads eat insects and mice.
In the spring, the male toad "sings" to attract the female. A female toad can lay up to 8,000 eggs. The eggs are laid in water and hatch in 2-12 days and are called tadpoles. The tadpoles change or go through "metamorphosis" . This change can take from 3 to 8 weeks. Once the toads have changed, they live on land. They grow to their adult size in less than 1 years. Toads can live ten years or more.
Toads can live in the desert where water is sometimes not easily available. The toad spends the dry winters buried under ground. The spring rains "wake" the toad. The toad survives on fat in its body. This is called hibernation.
Sonoran Desert Toads are not endangered.
by Amanda K. and Edey Y. 2000)


I'm sure the second one was posing - notice how it turned its good side toward the camera?













Then without so much as a thank you they (with a little prodding from Larry) scurried off to grace someone else's doorstep!





While I was busy posting these delightful pictures of our unexpected guests, another guest showed up. Larry saw something flash by the sliding glass door and was certain it was another toad that had gotten into the house. We had a bit of discussion on what we could use to capture this little critter. He said my idea of a waste basket was really lame because the toad would just hop out. I gave him a magazine to put over the top of the basket. He didn't like that idea so he found a plastic grocery bag to trap Kermit. Just as Larry lifted the box Kermie was hiding behind we quickly discovered it was not sweet little Kermie but Mickey Mouse INSTEAD!!!! Things happened REALLY fast after that. As Mickey RAN toward me (aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!!!) Snickers the Cat decided to pounce on him - she didn't have much experience with vermin and didn't grab him. I, on the other hand (with my trusty little waste basket), scooped Mickey up and not sure he was really in there screamed at Larry to look. YES, he was captured! Larry took his trusty plastic grocery bag and grabbed the little thing ----- see the picture. Next we had to debate his fate. I will not tell you his fate. Snickers is still looking around for some action. I think Mickey whet her appetite. Pest control service just went up several notches on MY priority list!

Look what a little (okay...a lot of) sunshine can do.....

February 2008 - landscaping was just put in......

September 30, 2008....February 2008

September 2008

February 2008
September 2008While this landscaping is nothing like what I am used to in the Pacific Northwest, I can readily find the beauty in it....even the gravel. It took a while to get used to the look of the gravel but no time at all to get used to not having to mow twice a week!!! The landscape we chose is called xeriscaping which means - uses little water. The first year we need to water frequently (daily in the summer) and after that these plants are all draught tolerant. The drip water system is very efficient for conserving on precious water. There are many, many beautiful plants that thrive here in the desert. I will be experimenting with more as I tackle landscaping the backyard. First the drip system will go in and then the plants. I hope to have some citrus trees so we can have fresh fruit much of the year.

Our Weekend in the Pacific Northwest....

Our whirlwind weekend started Saturday morning with a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the Portland Temple with Jacob. This was his first visit and it was incredible! The whole morning was so perfect and enjoyable. We are so blessed!

Amy, Matthew, and Nana had to take time to be WiiFit! Hate those gut busters but it was fun to have company while doing them!
"A kiss for luck and we're on our way.....we've only just begun....!!! And Saturday afternoon we were again blessed when Trent and Janel were married! Welcome to the family Janel and Aleana! Aloha!

The bride and groom cutting the wedding cake.

Aleana and Jacob (with Grandma Gwen watching) sharing the wedding cake!

Aleana concentrating on her cake.

Jacob and Aleana sharing a quiet moment. Notice the clouds in the background? Not one drop of rain fell on us! That was a miracle!

Guess who got most of the cake!

The food was just outstanding. Here is Ben and his buddy (and lots of curious onlookers) taking the pork out of the pit. After 10 hours in the pit the pork was just delicious! In addition we ate lots of different kinds of salads, rolls, beans baked to perfection by Debbie McBride, and chicken. What a feast to celebrate Trent and Janel's wedding!