Woodpecker?

As I do my morning walks I see these birds hanging around the saguaro cactus, the cactus have big holes in them like "woodpecker holes", I'm not sure if this guy is one of the "hole makers"??? They are really spooky and I was lucky to get this distant shot. My cropping leaves a lot to be desired....

Rain here today, lots of it

Fountain hills Az

Went to Fountain hills art festival with our friends from Nebraska yesterday, the news said they're expecting 200,000 people this weekend to attend the "faire". hundreds of booths with artsy stuff. That's the fountain in the center of the picture "erupting".
Supposed to rain here in Paradise today, gonna be a "green" spring. I took some pictures and someone told me (after I took the pics) that you weren't supposed to take pictures. Now I'll be looking over my shoulder as the "picture" cops pursue me. Life is so complicated sometimes......and so many rules...

USS Something or other

Our cruise ship about November 1994, Catalina island, Ensanada Mexico and other lovely ports of call. Actually it was kind of fun for the few days we were out. This was just after the infamous Sublette county Sheriff's election where I beat the guy from California (well I remember it, I had to live it). A little less stress these days. Off to have lunch with some of our friends from Gibbon Nebraska. Really nice folks, they live in another RV park about 9 miles from here. My family all came from Nebraska to Wyoming back in the mid 30's.

Orange blossom special

The oranges, lemons and grapefruits have all been plucked off the trees and the blossoms for the new year are just beginning. This is a pic I took last year just a couple weeks later than this, they really come on fast when the sun angle gets higher.

Supposed to hit 70 here in Paradise today. Debi and I are off to the movies....Book of Eli with Denzel Washington.

Laughing bird

These folks (laughing bird) came to our RV park and entertained last year. They were super good this year too, they put their show on tonight. They tour the country and entertain people with instrumentals and vocals. They are Wyoming folks also, they summer in Story Wy., west of Sheridan..

Someone hacked my e-mail account(s)

Be wary of any e-mails you get from me (they even spelled my name wrong), I can't even get into my hotmail account, they must have changed my password??

Some ranch?

I'm hoping that if Gina sees this she'll let me know if it's the cow camp up Gyp creek?

I took it from an airplane on one of the searches many years ago but can't remember where it is??

Rain here in Paradise last evening and this morning. I'm getting horribly addicted to the winter olympics..

Breakfast with the Loziers

Had breakfast with Lary and Sharon Lozier this morning. Rainy here in friendly downtown Phoenix area today... Pic below is Silver lake area taken several years ago with one of those "throw away' cameras.

Gina's wagon

I snagged a pic of this wagon of Gina's last summer, never get tired of looking at that old antique. Supposed to rain here in sunny Arizona tomorrow, we'll see.

Pichaco peak at 75 MPH

Unfortunately, my pichaco peak climb didn't pan out (yet), I'll get it "climbed" one of these days. Took this coming back from Tucson this afternoon from I-10. Warm and sunny here, not unlike Pinedale Wy. apparently. How the winter does fly, in less than 2 months we'll be heading back to higher elevations (Hurricane Ut), son Tim is getting hitched in May so we'll head over to Las Vegas for that. Back in Pinedale about mid May.

Mesa Arts center

A couple of Sunday's per month local musicial artists gather for a free concert here at Mesa Arts Center. We did attend "River Dance" here a while back, we're threatening to go to one of the Sunday concerts. Off to Tucson this morning to visit my old pal Mike Mahar, we've been friends for over 30 years, Mike winters in Tucson and summers in Pinedale.

And more Art

This was a sculpture (or something like that) of a relatively decent Bighorn sheep. Pricetag was $2,300. for this one. Not being a connisuer of fine art, I prefer pictures... This was from last week at Cave Creek. Saw on the local news last night that about 2 miles from where theese pics were taken a helicopter went down killing all three on board (one was a little kid). 75 degrees today...yessssssss!!!

More "art"

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This piece was kind of neat. Not a very good picture of it though. This pic came from our trip to Cave creek.

Off to a Valentine dinner with folks from the RV park. It's about 75 degrees f. outside. Poor us huh??

roadrunners galore

Used to see more roadrunners down here in Az. This year not so much. This is a metal one out of Cave Creek Az.

Above normal temps coming up the next few days. Been kind of a cool (not cold) winter down here in Paradise!

Cave Creek Az

Saw some ladies overlooking an antique shop in Cave creek Az. today, I interrupted their lunch so that I could take their picture.

Lots of antique shops and Junk stores in Cave creek. Nice area. Woah, we're supposed to be above normal temps starting tomorrow. Be in the high 70's Sunday and beyond.

Mt. Geicke

I've posted so many of these over the years I can't remember which is which?? I do know this is Mt. Geicke with the northeast corner of Silver lake in the foreground. Not sure what the geological feature in the left center of the picture is? Could be a strip of material left from pressure?? Took this last August.

Chambers bay on Fremont lake. I've been negligent about taking photos lately, I'll do better!!

Afternoon sun

Tried to capture the afternoon sun in this picture and it turned out to be a horrible blob of light mixed with some background. The Phoenix haze in the background didn't help either. On a brighter note (no pun intended), the folks in Louisiana will have something to cheer about now. My poor sister is probably on a bloody mary IV bag trying to come down from the game..

North of Sedona up towards Flagstaff

Snow in the high country. This was about 20 miles south of Flagstaff... Some truck driver jackknifed his truck on one of the corners there that was under construction, we were in the opposite lane and didn't get stopped but it didn't look good..

Jerome

Nice area

Rocker Shovel??

Well anyhow, we saw a Rocker Shovel and dragline. Almost sounds obscene. This was In Jerome Az (Near Cottonwood and Sedona).

I guess this mining device shovels and drags copper around?

Warm here today and a bit humid. A bit of rain tonight also.

Mining device

Just out of Sedona Az

Some really pretty rock formations near Sedona Arizona, Neither Debi or I had ever been in that area before.

coat...what coat??

A balmy 46 degrees up in the high country, and of course I didn't take my coat. Wasn't too bad in the sun. Lots of native Americans with their handmade wares displayed for sale, cousin Carol bought some cool hair baretts (sp)...

Sedona Arizona and friends

My cousins Hank and Carol Mallot from Colorado Springs. They took us on a tour of Sedona Arizona and on up to near Flagstaff. Got into a bunch of snow up in that country. Elevation was over 6,000'. Got some really pretty pictures of the high country...

Fremont Butte

Fremont Butte southeast of Boulder Wyoming. Those buildings in center left of picture is the ranch where Debi grew up. The buildings in the foreground are also part of the "King" ranch
but built in the early 1990's. Off to see "Riverdance", sounds like fun!!

Peralta canyon

Another rugged pic of Peralta canyon southeast of here. Snakes should be out in about a month, that would be a clue for me to not go there...

"GITMO"

Finally our government "got it right" with Guantanamo bay. Took em a while..