Wandering continues... with a purpose

Todays wander included purpose... geocaching,

and the trail was only 7 miles from  home.

To start with we walked the power line

 and then deviated from

the main "trail".  Don got 2 geocaches!!

We walked about 2 miles and we saw a vole
and 4  lizards, which means trouble
because they are what rattlesnakes eat...
so we had to keep our eyes peeled!!!

Fortunately the trail was wide and easy which allowed
plenty of time to look at the scenery instead
of watching for snakes.  A red-tailed hawk
flew off his perch atop the power pole and
continued to circle us for much of the time.

This large saguaro was severely damaged
with only it's internal "ribs" holding it together.

The flowers  "Desert Globe Mallow"  thrive in
the heat and they are everywhere now since we had
sufficient rain this winter.

These are Desert Marigold - very pretty

 The "after life" of the desert Cholla provided an interesting

window thru which to view the Superstition Mountains. 

The opening at the left edges where Preying Hands

Trail leads.  I have hiked up there many times, and you

have a great vista point to enjoy as you eat your lunch!!!

Wandering Aimlessly...

I headed out at 9 a.m. again this morning

to do my daily three 18 minute miles 

(because I am a goal setter in case you forgot).

It's all we can do here in our community due to Covid-19.

The good thing about wandering is 

enjoying the local AZ flora...

This is an Ocotillo - a spiny scarlet-flowered
dessert shrub which looked beautiful silhouetted
against today's blue, blue sky.  And it is a mecca
for the hummingbirds...

The branches are interesting, but it has mega-thorns!!!

The Saguaro  (pronounced se waro) is a giant cactus which
can grow to 66 feet, with branches like a candelabra and
is native to AZ  It can take 10 years to reach 1" in height.
By 70 years it can reach 6 1/2' and finally start to grow arms
When rain is plentiful it can weight between 3200-4800 lbs,
and they can live to be 150 to 200 years old. 

This is a Saguaro with a band-aid.  A colony of
bees decided to nest in this particular saguaro
very near the activity center, which called
for major surgery to get rid of the hazard it created.

And I couldn't resist adding another tribute to the

Argentine Cactus who is really starting to show off...

These beautiful blossoms sadly only last for
one day.  The have a diameter the size of
a large hand!!!

A "5-C" Kind of Day

AZ is known as the 5 C state for its 

Cotton, Citrus, Cattle, Climate & Copper

and I think they missed another "Cloud Formations"

Anxious to escape our confinement (as most of you
are also experiencing as a result of Covid-19),

Don and I climbed into our Honda CRV 

for a colorful drive east on Hwy 60

 and then South on Hwy 177.  

The clouds continued to cooperate as we headed towards
the Ray Copper Mine.

FYI, the mine consists of a 250,000 ton/day 

open pit mine with a 30,000 ton/day concentrator, 

a 103 million pound/year solvent extraction-electrowinning

operation, and associated maintenance, 

warehouse and administrative facilities. Cathode copper

 produced is shipped to outside customers and 

the Asarco Amarillo Copper Refinery.

People have been digging for precious metals

 in Arizona for a long time. 

The copper color was enhanced by cloudy skies
and the color green.

And the color of the tailing piles could
definitely be an inspiration for a quilt. 

By 1863, nearly a quarter of Arizonans were mining

 for metals. Obviously, copper ore is still mined in 

the state today.  

Native Americans

 used gold, silver and copper for tools,

 weapons, jewelry, and painting pottery. 

And, they aren't the only ones...
My friend Nancy Finn of CA created
this stunning coiled copper necklace
for me to wear at my Grandson's wedding.

It was definitely a copper colored day...

Spring is Springing AZ Style.

Lots has happened since my last post, so get ready

for the big update!!!

Record breaking rain in the Phoenix area
has nourished the desert which shows off
it's coat of many shades of green.

However it's filled the greenbelt walking
area time and time again.  In 2020 we've
already had 4.2 inches of rain here in Gold Canyon.
That's a little over 50% of the average for a year and
we have many winter months ahead.

Since I've stopped playing pickle ball, because
of Covid-19, I'm walking over 3 miles per day.

I found a Canadian Goose and he graciously
posed for me in the morning sun with the
Superstition Mountains in the distance.

Beautiful spring flowers decorate the
common areas 

while others just pop up and show off

their vibrant colors.

And my friend Marita (from AK) certainly has
a green thumb.

The Argentine Cactus is starting to
show some promise.

Within about a week it will look like this.

Spring cleaning didn't happen because we had
to take down all the exterior artwork and
 move all outside items inside in order to get
the outside of the house painted...

because it looked like this and ruined our otherwise
beautiful view.

It now looks like this from the upstairs deck...

and as soon as the talented crew finished
removing many rolls of masking tape, we

quickly redecorated the lower patio.

While all this was going on our 55+ community was

working hard (as they do every year)

 and held many fund raising events

to raise money for Cancer Research.

I donated 3 original hand knit sweaters
to the silent auction which brought in
nearly $300...

and on Cancer Walk Day, Don signed the annual
banner as a CANCER SURVIVOR.

AND Last but not least as residents we
today received this notification!!!!

What more can I say...