Last Week of August

We are really enjoying the cooler weather here in the mornings on our walks.  The only thing that surprises me is that it's still dark now at 5:15AM.  Even though it's warm here in Arizona, the sun will not show it's face any earlier than in Ohio in the Winters.

This morning, the low clouds, don't know if it was actually fog, made the young grass shoots in the wash gleam in the sunlight.  Bear enjoyed it and was on the lookout for jack rabbits.

Tom came over on the weekend to show us the door he's building for Jerry Dixon.  The old oak door is rotten in spots but I'm thinking someone could make a solid oak table with that one.

Good job Tom!

Another beautiful double rainbow in the evening before the rains came.

A snake left it's coat in the wash.  Glad I didn't run into the owner that time!

Chris's bounty.  All kinds of tomatoes in all colors.  I'm making some salsa this evening.  I'm getting used to the taste of cilantro....who knew??

I love the sand and rock patterns in the wash after the rain.  It's art only nature can create.

Sunshine onto the Dragoons!

I love how you can clearly see the rain in the mountains and just watch it come your way.

Enjoying beautiful Arizona in the dog days of summer!

The Neighbors

We have some really great neighbors here in Benson.  There's Pat of course who's up at the crack of dawn, just like we are and walks her dog Buddy in the Wash.  Bear has been wanting out before 6AM these days too so this morning we were in the Wash before the sun came up.  It was a cool 62 and it was a pleasure to walk in the morning breeze.  I still have not run into what they call a rattlesnake in Arizona.  Thank God!  But I have seen a coyote.  As a matter of fact, he's been walking down the street like Wiley Coyote like he owns the place.  I was able to get a shot of him while he was eating something, I suspect a baby quail, under the tree next to our driveway.

When I moved in for a closer look, he ran up the hill with something unidentifiable in his mouth.

Pat's not too happy about this daily visitor because her dog Buddy would be a quick little treat for him.

Of course our cat, Angel would probably give him a run for his money but I hear cats here in Arizona are no match for a Coyote.

Angel has better things to do.....she's harassing Bear every day and when she's not begging food off of the table from Art, she's posing for pictures for my website.  Here's her best shot:

I finally finished the site for Softsense.  That's my LLC so that I can get some kind of a tax break.    Check it out: www.softsensellc.com

My talented daughter Josefa made the logo for me a few years back when I officially became the Mac Lady.  Now I'm trying to branch out into Web updates but once you get a certain reputation, it's hard to move on.  I still love working on Mac's, which I'm doing right now, but at my age, it's time to expand my horizons.  About time??

Milestone

Artur reached a milestone today, 70 years young.

Never would have thought that 70 years could be young but Artur is fit and as healthy as a man who smoked for 40 years can be.  His stent is in place and holding strong and he's enjoying retirement most days.  Taking two walks a day with the dog helps a lot.  Now if I can get him away from the nitrates in his "knockwurst", he might see 80.  It shouldn't be a problem because he's almost out of the stash that he brought from Ohio.  There's no Aldi's in Arizona so we haven't found a replacement brand here in Tucson yet.  We might have to stick with the Genoa Salami found at the Dollar Store in Sierra Vista (which is probably just as bad).

Finally filled out the paperwork for getting an appointment with a nurse practitioner here in Benson. The greatest country in the world and you call a doctor here in Benson and they say if you're on Medicare you can't get an appointment with a doctor just a nurse.  Must be too many "old" people here in Arizona, the system is on overload.  Solution:  stay healthy and stop eating sh-- with nitrates.  So to add to the clogging of the arteries, I baked his favorite cake.  What the heck, it's only once a year that I go to that much effort.  Black Forest Cherry cake with cherry rum.  I couldn't find any kirsch liqueur in Benson.  Here's the masterpiece.....

Go Live

Today, the website update I've been working on since June finally went live.  Cochiseterrace.com is up and running.  This was more fun than work for me.  I was able to use some of my photo's of the area and research other attractions in Cochise County while working on the site.  I built a great relationship with the office manager at Cochise and made a good contact in the Benson Tourist Bureau.

I need to start pounding the pavement for some more of that kind of work.  At least now I have something for my portfolio.

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At home we're still working on the front entrance enclosure.  Tom gave us some of the pink flagstone that he used in his house for the top ledge of the wall.  Now we are ready for the stucco and paint.  I found some paint at ACE that matches our wall so that we can paint and also touch up some of the worn spots around the outside of the house.  I'm still working on the right color for the trim.  Right now it's too much of the same color.  My talented sister Theresa gave me some idea's for southwest color combinations which would look really cute.

I'm going to take this photo into photoshop and try them out that way.

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The rainbow over Benson was glorious yesterday.  I couldn't believe how perfect it was!

It was like a dome where the top was all gray and underneath the rainbow were beautiful clouds and sunshine.

In the past, every time I've gotten worried about my children in any way shape or form, God always gives me a rainbow.  I remember stepping out of my garage in Ohio when I was really praying hard for Karl, there it was right in front of me as big as day.......rainbow.  It's like God telling me......I keep my promises.  So after I saw this beautiful rainbow yesterday, I sat down in my office and there right in front of me where I had pinned it to the wall a month ago was the little card Karl had gotten in Sunday School when he was probably 8 or 9 which said "God keeps his promises to Karlheinz"  and underneath a sticker with a rainbow.  Dah!

This rainbow came after a wonderful rainstorm that washed our Benson Wash totally clean.  It was like walking on the beach in the morning after the waves have swept the beach all clean and the sand is smooth and hard and easy to walk on.

The "Love Trail" as Cyenna calls it..

Barrel's of Fun

Barrel cactus are blooming after the monsoon rains.  We always find interesting changes every day in our walks in the wash.  I wish this blog could emit the amazing smells in the desert after the rains.  Last evening the dew on the grass that's coming up all over glistened silver in the setting sun.  It seems like the barrel's are having a beauty contest.  Each one wears a different crown.

 And the winner is:

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I found some more pictures of our adventures with Cyenna.  Here are some highlights:

At neighbor Pat's with Buddy

At Opa's favorite watering hole in Tombstone.  She had pink lemonade!

With Lorraine's Pug

This was camping breakfast

Waiting for her chicken sandwich....that was her daily breakfast

Little cowgirl jamming Opa's truck

Last walk in the wash

Good bye to the Yucca's

Last run down "Big Mama"

Sadness or just taking in the moment

Are we ready?

She gave Oma heart failure every time she ran down

With the bone player and his friend in Tombstone

Cyenna and Buddy

Leaving some writing in the sand.....After a week and even one good rain, it's still visible  

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Highlights from Cyenna's Visit to Arizona

Her last day, we visited Aunt Theresa in Ft. McDowell North of Fountain Hills, AZ.  She lives in a beautiful spot with a killer view and peaceful desert all around.  Animals everywhere of course, the attraction for Cyenna.  She was in heaven and we hated to see her board her flight back to Florida this morning.  She's excited about being able to come back every year and have more great adventures.

Pictures of our visit with the Franklins.......

Turtle Soup anyone?

Glen Franklin, such a cutie..

Max (Cyenna loved him) and Uncle Robin (Josefa's favorite uncle)

Cyenna

Beautiful little sister and I

Theresa's bunch

At Skyharbor gift shop

Teaching Oma about Pinterest

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More highlights of the trip

Benson wash

She loved being "king of the hill"

She loved running down the hills in the wash.  This one she named "big mamma"

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This was Artur's favorite day and of course Cyenna was in heaven at Triangle T Ranch in Texas Canyon

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While camping near the Grand Canyon in Williams, we discovered the place for pies!

They look beautiful but no one can finish the huge pieces that they serve.

Cyenna, make sure mommy does not see this picture ;-)

We told Uncle Christopher about this place so we'll have to make another trip up there with him.

Such a great time!  We miss you already, Cyenna!