Visitors

Have some fun visitors this morning.  Evidently our cafe tree is getting rave reviews with the locals. 

The tree and it's food brought us a Curved Bill Thrasher and a Black-headed Grosbeak.  These photos are from the web. 

But we also had a reptile stop by as well.  This is our first Horned Lizard.  Some folks erroneously  call it a Horny Toad, but it is not a toad.  This photo was taken by Rocky,  a fellow volunteer.

Cute huh ?

Toilet Paper

Postponed part 2

   Yesterday we received an email updating the opening date.  With the situation as it is the park system is trying to guess the future.  No one really knows, of course, how soon things will become less bizarre.  As of now the projected open date for the park has been moved to May 29.  I wouldn't be surprised if that date is pushed back. 
    Even though it is still April, summer has arrived.  Well, summer weather, meaning hot ! 90 degree days for the next 6 days.  The winter here was unusually cool with a half-dozen nights with freezing temps.  Late spring remained cool as well.  But then the jet stream no longer dipped down through California and resumed it's normal path through Oregon and Washington.  Rain and snow up there and dry weather in California and Arizona.  That change was last week and it's been warming up ever since.  I wish we could head home, but we are waiting for a call from the dentist to complete Randa's tooth replacement.  If we don't get a call by the first week in May, we will leave anyway. 

Postponed

   At the volunteer meeting Tuesday morning we heard that the tentative opening date for cave tours on May 9th has been postponed.  Not a surprise.  As much as the state would like to get the state parks back open again taking a group of people into a warm humid cave is not a good idea.  Trying to conduct a tour and maintain 6 ft between individuals, require masks on everyone, speak loud enough for all to hear while wearing a mask. plus sanitizing the cave after each tour.  There are just too many obstacles at this time.  As to when it will be safe?   There is no way of answering that question at this time.
   Randa and I are asked "when will you leave Kartchner?  Where will you go next? "  It is a question we cannot answer either.  I said to Randa this morning as we were waking up.  "When will we feel safe standing behind a counter at a visitor center greeting people or giving a tour to a bunch of folks?"   It is amazing how our lives have changed in 2-3 months.  And those months have changed our lives for years to come and

Feathered Neighbors

We are having a great time feeding our neighbors.  Putting fresh cut orange halves among the branches of the Mesquite.  They are picked clean in a few hours.

A Male House Finch is one of many who enjoy the 

thistle seeds in the bag. There are at least 3 pairs of Finches that visit our tree, sometimes all at the same time.  

This morning we had a new visitor.  A Hooded Oriole.

Tiny Trailers

The campground today is about 1/4 full right now.  There are always several large rigs scatter around.  Today I noticed several tiny rigs as well.  Check them out.

Views from a morning walk

Distant Phacelia grows in the underbrush along the trails.

Is it me or does this tree look like it's yawning in the morning sun?

Bug

The Prickly Pear Cactus in the area a week ago looked like this.

Those red buds now have grown and are getting visitors.

Neighbor

Our neighbor stopped by the tree next to us.

We be busy

   Well I got the trailer waxed.  Glad that is done.  Also all the black metal has been repainted.  The corner jacks, the stabilizer jacks and the steps.  I painted them with Rust Doctor to stop the rust.  I spray painted some of the difficult to reach pieces and brush-painted the other parts.  The rig looks pretty good. 
    Now today, because the trailer is done, I started on the truck.  I have always thought of the truck as being big, but compared to the trailer, it doesn't seem so big.  Anyway I got a start on it after the morning walk.   I washed and waxed the shaded side. 
    As 9:30 I drove down to the lower volunteer area for a status meeting with the a ranger.  We found out that the state of Arizona wants to reopen the state park May.  The goal is to resume the cave tours on May 9th. I'm not sure if it's a good idea or not.
   When I got back to the trailer I decided it was time to do more laundry.  More pails of water.  More washing. More rinsing. It was so much fun !!  A couple of hours and and the clothes line was filled with t-shirts. 

Safford

   Wednesday we took a road trip.  Gotta get out this place once in a while.  So we drove about 10 miles east of Wilcox and then headed north on Hwy 191.  Nice road.  Not spectacular scenery but the roadside was great.  Reminded us of Texas.  The highways in central Texas are beautiful this time of year, with Blue Bells, Mexican Hats. Poppies and Paintbrush.
    Hwy 191 wasn't Texas, but it was pretty.  Here are a couple of photos.

Proverb

“When the last tree is cut down, the last fish eaten, and the last stream
poisoned, maybe they will realize that you cannot eat money.”

Cree proverb

Penstimen

The Penstimen are coming up all over.  The mountain sides are red.

Others are Purple and Orange

Morning Clouds

Super Moon

Our Super Moon coming up.

Ouchy Things

Many plants in the desert are "Ouchy things'

The Silverthorn is one of them.

Nasty looking thorns. Pretty berries though.

Hike on Road 208 part 2

This Button Top is another tiny flower we discovered along Road 208

Muffin Top through the Mesquite branches.

Stick Man

On Road 208 we found many interesting creatures.  One of the most interesting was Stickman. 

 I am not sure whether he was dead or just resting.

A hike up Road 208

Yesterday we took a stroll in the Coronado National Forest.  Instead of going up the Guindani Loop we decided on Road 208.  It winds up into the valley between Muffin Top and the mountain that the Guindani Loop encircles.  We started off to bright sunshine and blue skies.
Three hours of walking and several miles of road brought us new views, vast and tiny.

On the walk we noticed interesting small things.  Like new growth on the Mesquite

Tiny flowers.  Like this Matted Sandmat