Sunday, December 23, 2018

Tis the Season


We are alive and well and back at McDowell Mountain in Fountain Hills, AZ. After seven weeks at Jojoba Hills it was time for a change of scenery and activities. Our last month there was spent playing pickleball, ping pong, walking, working out, and hanging out with Terry and LuAnn after they returned from the mid-west, including a couple visits to our favorite, Garage Brewing in Temecula.

Views from the hills of Jojoba.

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The four of us volunteered to paint some more sheds for the park like we did in the spring. It’s more fun with a group, although I think the women did most of the work Winking smile

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We never did see the bobcats again although Terry and LuAnn saw one on their patio a couple mornings so we know they were around. This roadrunner came by several times while we were out in the yard.

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And I had to make nectar frequently to keep up with the hummingbirds.

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Jim found this hawk in one of our trees scoping out his next meal.

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If it wasn’t for the leaves and spiny balls dropping from our liquid amber (sweetgum) trees, our lot would require very little maintenance. Luckily they only fall off once a year. The succulent garden is doing well with just occasional watering and minimal pruning, which I don’t mind doing.

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We don’t ever want a yard again that requires more work than this. Had we not spent so much money trying to keep grass looking good at our home in Florida for so many years we probably could have retired ten years sooner.

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Last Wednesday we set out for Quartzsite, where we spent the night off Dome Rock Road. There were only a few people around but things will ratchet up next month. We like being there at the quiet times.

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Had just enough time for a nice walk before the sun went down. Always love being back in saguaro country. During our walk a jeep came by and a man asked if we had seen a blue truck camper parked anywhere. He was a US Marshall/bounty hunter. He told us the Rubber Tramp Rendezvous, which will be getting started in Quartzsite soon, is a great place to find people he’s looking for. Last year at the RTR he picked up 11 felons, and other bounty hunters picked up more. Interesting guy to talk to.

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On Thursday we arrived back at one of our favorite places, McDowell Mountain Park.

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This dead saguaro reminds me of Mardi Gras beads.

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Got up early enough to see the full moon just before it disappeared behind the mountains.

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A few minutes later came this sunrise on the other side.

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We’ve gotten off to a busy start, with Jim having the first of several annual doctor appointments, getting in a couple of bike rides, and working our first shift at Fearless Kitty Rescue. They are always short handed over the holidays so we’re happy to help out.

Check out some of these cute faces. We have lots of new names to learn.

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We’ll be taking care of cats again on Christmas morning, followed by dinner with the park volunteers and friends in the afternoon. Wishing our family, friends, and blog readers a wonderful holiday season!

19 comments:

  1. Your lot in Jojoba is very nice. I love your succulent garden. Nice to see you made it back to McDowell. I'm sure the Fearless Kitty Rescue is extremely happy to see you both. You are their holiday gift! Merry Christmas to you and Jim!

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    1. I love all the succulents the previous couple planted. Hope we can keep them alive!
      Enjoy your Christmas with Jessica and family!

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  2. Merry Christmas to you both. Your garden looks lovely! Let us know if you head towards Prescott any time when the weather warms up!

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    1. We were just discussing the possibility of meeting up with friends in Prescott again in May. Will definitely let you know if we do.
      Merry Christmas!

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  3. Glad to see you made it safely back to FH. Hope all of Jim's doctor appointments went well. We have our hands full here in ABQ taking care of three labs but they are all loves. Long walks out on the mesa have become our daily form of exercise. Happy holidays to you both!

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    1. So far so good on the doctor appointments. Enjoy your Christmas with the doggies!

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  4. Holiday greetings, or Bah Humbug if you prefer. Glad to see you are doing well after the long silence. That was interesting about the US Marshall in Q. I wonder if the RTR founders know that their group has become a happy hunting ground?

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    1. To clarify Gayle's comment. He isn't a U.S. Marshall. He is a bounty hunter who tends to focus on picking up individuals who are wanted by the Marshall. It could be a hobby for all retirees.

      Jim

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  5. Yes indeed, those are cute little faces. Cats are always cute, even when they're bad. I would not have predicted that RTR would have a bunch of felons participating - who knew?

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    1. We were surprised about the RTR, too. We met a lot of nice people when we met up with them 4 or 5 years ago. Of course it has grown a lot since then.
      We like getting to play with cats without actually having to own them.

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  6. What a great low maintenance yard...perfect to go with an Rv that only takes a few minutes to clean! Leaves more time to hit the breweries :)
    Box Canyon...Shoveling snow, cleaning house and prepping for Christmas dinner in Lovely Ouray, Colorado.

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    1. I'd rather do a bit of gardening rather than shovel snow :-)
      Merry Christmas to you both! Hope to see you next month.

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  7. I'm all about no yard work so your place looks pretty good. Don't think I'm in enough trouble for a bounty hunter to be looking for my blue truck camper. I'll be careful next month when I'm in that area.
    Merry Everything and Happy Always!

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    1. The bounty hunter loves to camp so he gets out with his dog and enjoys nature while earning a good living. He said he makes more than his wife who is an optometrist and has her own practice.
      Merry, merry to you, too!

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  8. I've been waiting for a post from McDowell! We really miss you both, and hope to spend next winter in the desert again. This year just fell into place for us on the East Coast. Merry Christmas to you both, enjoy the sunrises and sunsets!

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    1. Wish you guys were here. I miss my hiking buddies!
      Merry Christmas!

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  9. Such a beautiful place to spend the holidays! Wish we could have met up with you guys—next time, for sure. I laughed at your comment that you could have retired 10 years earlier had you not been trying to maintain a perfect lawn in Florida. Not to mention the time invested, right? Your succulent garden is lovely. Have fun biking and playing with the kitties! Happy holidays, and wishing you good health and many wonderful adventures in the new year!

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    1. Thanks, Laurel. We love this area around McDowell and Fountain Hills, with so much of the desert preserved for biking and hiking. If it wasn't so hot in the summer and there was not the possibility of a water shortage in the future we would probably be living here by now.

      Yes, next time for sure!

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  10. Love your bird neighbors. The roadrunner is especially cool for me to see. Such pretty kitties. Hope your holiday was wonderful.

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