May 29 thru June 12, 2021, Eastbound to Begin Summer Travels

As Arizona heated up it was time to get the coach back on the road and travel to cooler climates or at least visit family and friends back east. Deming, NM, had become a regular stop for us on the way east or back since it is about 285 miles from Mesa - just the right distance for a good day's drive. We always find time to visit the Luna Mimbres Museum. Joani would love to find her own geode in the desert and finds inspiration in this section every time.

We drove through City of Rocks State Park a few miles north of Deming to see if it had potential as a future stop. It was interesting but probably a bit too rustic for us. 

From Deming we made our way to Monahans Sandhills State Park (353 miles). This was our third visit to this gem. We try to stop here anytime we travel along I-20 in Texas. The cloudy skies threatened rain but also gave us a colorful sunset.

The skies cleared the next day giving us some beautiful weather for exploring the dunes.

We have discovered the desert has a special kind of beauty that grows on us a bit more every time we visit.

In Weatherford, TX, (320 miles) we boondocked at my cousin's ranch. I call it a ranch because I don't have another name for 17+ acres. Steve, and his entire family, took us into town for a Memorial Day parade. They do things up big in Texas.

Sunsets are certainly colorful at the ranch.

Monday, April 26, 2021, Desert Botanical Gardens, Phoenix, AZ

Since we have passes to the Desert Botanical Gardens in Phoenix, AZ, we visit often. The flora were in full bloom and as a bonus, we spotted some fauna as well.

I needed a faster shutter to capture this guy below but maybe the blurr suggests just how fast they move their wings. 

Bishop's Cap ( Astrophytum myriostigma) is an endangered species from north-central Mexico.

One species that seemed to be missing from the gardens was the Easter Lily Cactus so we were fortunate to have a few next to our carport. This year they put on quite a show.

Elsewhere in Val Vista Villages, the Saguaro were in Bloom.

Sunday, April 11, 2021, Tonto National Monument, Roosevelt, AZ

Joani called about reservations for a Ranger-led hike to the Tonto National Monument Upper Cliff Dwelling (ruins). It would have normally been more than a 3 month wait but they had a cancellation for the next weekend.

The hike was short and only about a mile and a half each way with a 646-foot elevation gain. We thought it should not be too strenuous. The day was just the right temperature for a pleasant visit. The cliff dwellings you see above the visitor center in the picture below were the lower ruins and smaller than the ones we visited on our hike. 

Our hike took us through a ravine and around some large hills before we could see the upper dwelling. They are at the far right of the picture below.

We were almost there in the picture below. Maybe we were not really ready for this hike - it was a bit more strenuous than expected. 

With the ranger's description, one could imagine the ruins hundreds of years ago with the bustle of kids playing, women preparing food, and the men returning from the fields or from hunting.

That lake in the distance was not there but the river was and the valley would have been planted with crops. It was speculated that severe drought for several consecutive years forced the residents to leave.

As always, it was a much easier hike downhill. Still, it seemed a little warm for early April.

I love the juxtaposition of the layers of rock tilted at an angle by millions of years of geologic movement with the relatively young Saguaro standing straight up.

As is often the case, timing is everything and we were lucky to have the opportunity to join this National Park Service Ranger hike and peek into the lives of the people who lived here 700 years ago.

March 9 thru 23, 2021, Family Visits from Tennessee and Iowa

March was a great month for visiting family. My sister-in-law, Barbara, flew to Mesa with my Mom on the 9th. We visited the Desert Botanical Gardens a bit early to see the best of the cacti blooms but it was, as always, a great place to spend time.

Remember those days?

That's much better!

A few days later family from Iowa rented a house in Gilbert, AZ. It was only a few miles away so we joined them several times during their stay. There was a houseful with my cousin Kathy, Chad and Erica and their four kids, Cameron, Harrison, Maryn, and Emmerson, and Branon and Jamie and their two girls, Macy and Finley. Good thing they rented a large house!

Lots of catching up to do meant conversations everywhere.

Ever the consummate host, Chad says "What'll ya have?"

After a week, Barbara had to fly home. My brother, Don, flew out so he could spend some time in the sun and then accompany Mom on her flight home. The exchange overlapped the Iowa folk's stay in Mesa so he was able to spend time with them as well.

Grill master, Branon, cooks for the hungry masses.

The girls had a blast splashing in the pool. Obviously, I brought my waterproof Fuji camera for just such an occasion. On a side note, most of the family pictures were taken with the Fuji with no image stabilization so many of these pictures lack sharpness. 

Obviously, something had everyone's rapt attention.

Of course, it was an Iowa Basketball game!

After the Iowa folks returned home we still had a few days to explore. I took Don to Falcon Field hoping to see some of the vintage aircraft take flight. Our timing was off but we watched as a Learjet prepped and took off.

Before they left we made a road trip to Sedona. We only spent a few hours seeing some of the sights and stopping for lunch at the Javelina Cantina.

Sedona's Tlaquepaque Village is a favorite of mine.

It was a little sad after everyone headed home but we had plenty of Val Vista activities to keep us busy.