Gypsy & The Navigator

The Desert Is Bursting With Blooms

The rainy days are in the past.  It was time for a road trip to see what the moisture has done for the desert.

The morning was bright and sunny as we drove the Apache Trail (Hwy 88) to Tortilla Flat.

While it is not the California Superbloom it is still pretty spectacular.

Wildflower seeds wait and wait for the rain. This year the rains came.

When the rains fall each tiny little seed sprouts to life.  Soon we can see the beauty they offer.

The adversity the flowers have gone through increases their beauty.

No controlling where they bloom.  They grow where they choose.

Just a little lupine among the grasses.

Wildflowers are up against such high odds..........some years the rain comes some years it doesn't.

Despite the obstacles the blooms glow in the sun.

This was a much needed outing for me.  Our stay in the Valley of the Sun this year has not been one of the best for me.

There hasn't been the sunshine I am used to.  And I have felt so bad about what the terrible winter storms have done and the damage that has occurred and will be impacting some areas for a long while to come 

There have been health concerns in the family.

The additional time spent working at the RV Park has cut into my fun time.  I haven't read as many books as I wanted,  we haven't gone to movies, and we have had hardly any outings.  We have enjoyed the people we have worked with so that is the offset.  Fun to get to know them and learn about the places they are from and their interesting lives. 

We have enjoyed the time we have spent with our family.  They always make us happy.  We continually feel blessed that our children, their spouses and all the grandchildren are filled with such goodness.  They are hardworking in their jobs, school, church, sports, and in parenting.  Their time management skills are amazing.  They are so busy but always "get it done" yet still have time for some fun.

I am really looking forward to Gypsy's wheels rolling on down the road. Two weeks to go!

Travel doesn't remove our cares and concerns but seeing the beauty of nature makes everything better.

One of my favorite quotes is........."Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.” -Gustav Flaubert

I need to remember that more often because I frequently think that obstacles I have are monumental.  Not so.

A day among the wildflowers can't help but lift spirits.

I know that I have a little share of DRD4 ( a dopamine receptor) that I have read leads to restlessness and the need to travel and always wanting to see or try something new.  I come by it honestly.............my Dad loved moving on to something new frequently.   

The road to Tortilla Flat is lined with wildflowers and if you are lucky enough to be in the area when the bloom happens it is the place to be.

Tortilla Flat is a real town with a few inhabitants.  It has a restaurant and a store and people usually stop for a Prickly Pear ice cream cone.

This trip we turned around at Tortilla Flat but previously we have gone on past Roosevelt Dam circling around through Superior and back to the valley.

The paved road runs out a few miles past Tortilla Flat and the dirt road is full of hairpin turns and switchbacks but it is a magnificent drive.

The scenery in the desert landscape shows the true beauty of Arizona. 

The magic of spring is touching the trees with leaves of green.

Thank you Walt for taking me on this sunshiny adventure.

 

 

The Sun Has Been Hiding In The Valley Of The Sun

We have been stationary in the Valley of the Sun for 6 months with 1 month to go before we have the wheels rolling.  Good thing we have been very busy because if there was more time for adventures and activities it might have been interrupted by cloudy, rainy skies.  We are grateful for the moisture and I smile every time they show the snow pack up in the mountains.  A break in the drought would be such a good thing.  The weather has not stopped the visitors to my hummingbird feeder.  Mr. and Mrs. Woodpecker are daily diners.  But, they don't deter the hummers at all.

Rainy days make for good napping for kitty.

One sunny day we went to Turf Paradise to the horse races.

We very much enjoy our time at the horse races.  At these races Walt bought the wrong program so it didn't have the owners information or the color of the jockeys silks and I use that to make my winner choices.  That and the name. It did have the jockey information so Walt had a leg up on me because he relies on that a lot so he had quite a day picking the winners.  Me, not so much.   It didn't spoil the fun at all. 

Another day I woke up and saw sunshine and wanted to go for a walk.  

Walt had errands to run so he dropped me off at the Gilbert Riparian Preserve and we agreed to meet in an hour.

I happily started down the paved path that circles one of the ponds.  So many ducks and geese paddling along.  Pure paradise for them.  Water in the desert.

Some of those critters have a face that some say only a mother could love.  

Seems to me that the Muscovy duck has a redeeming feature in its pretty black and white feathers.

The paved path curved back around the pond but I ventured forth out onto the dirt paths.  It was so pretty and peaceful out there.  No people, no noise......just birds singing.   Amazing that this pretty place is right in the City of Gilbert.

The mockingbirds were putting on quite a show.  

The doves were sunning themselves.  All of these distractions kept me going on and on on those narrow little dirt paths.  Checked my phone, there was 10 minutes left until I was supposed to meet Walt.  Checked GPS, if I went in a straight path to where I was supposed to meet him it was a mile and a half.  Straight path? There wasn't even a path going in the right direction. 

I just kept on going until I found a path that was going to right way.  Of course, it meandered and wandered instead of going straight.  Called Walt and told him I would be late and picked up the pace.  I couldn't help but laugh to myself as I kept looking at my phone to make sure I was going in the right direction.  Found a little wider path and it broke out into a clearing and I could see where I needed to be.  My little one hour stroll turned into a 4+ mile adventure right in the middle of town. I am not sure Walt will let me go off on my own anymore if I can get lost right in town.  Can't wait to go back. 

One day that the sky was filled with white puffy clouds and the temperatures were fairly warm we got to take cute little Brooke to Freestone Park. 

She is fearless and up for any adventure out there.

She's a strong willed little girl mixed with a lot of love.

Her big sister has taught her how to pose for the camera.

With two granddaughters playing Club and High School Volleyball it doesn't matter if the skies are cloudy because the action is inside.  

We went to watch Sammie's Club Team play in a tournament at the Cardinals Football Stadium.  That huge venue was filled with teams from all over competing for 3 days.   

The girls do it all.  They play, they referee, they score keep, and then they play some more.

Though not bright and sunny it was warm enough one day to put the top down and take Kristi and Brooke for a drive.

We went to the Riparian Preserve and the girls love all the walls they can walk and climb on.

Some of those walls are pretty high.

We did go for a walk around the ponds but I didn't take them off the beaten path so they didn't have to go for a 4 mile trek. 

Mother Nature stepped up her game and gave us wonderfully warm days when Frosty and Ginger came for a quick visit.  We managed to get in some really great food like this dinner at Gecko Grill.  Then, on to Cheesecake Factory for dessert. 

The Spring Training game between the Diamondbacks and the Reds ended in a tie.  But, the visiting was a definite win.

After the Spring Training game we went to Second Story in Scottsdale.  After the dark, narrow staircase you are greeted by this sparkling chandelier and pretty decor.  Our tableful of shared appetizers soon disappeared.  We enjoyed their quick visit enormously. 

There was decent weather, there was crazy wind, there was rain and yes snow which added a little drama to our winters stay. Our days have been filled with working in the kitchen at the RV Park, volleyball games, family events, Dr. appointments, with a few adventures mixed in.

We have a month left before GypsyII's wheels start rolling down the road and who knows there may be places to go and places to see before that happens.  Stay tuned. 

To get  a cut and curl!