Got Rocks...

Todays walk started at 6:30 a.m.  and it was already

83 degrees.  Fortunately a cloud cover

made the temperature a little more bearable and

the last 1/2 mile of my 3 mile trek offered

it's own reward.

Graduated Rocks...

side view!!!

Some rocks live in glass bowls...

while others are shared by neighbors.

Creative cairns like these would keep anyone

from getting lost,

while others just stand tall.

Others were embellished with cut glass

to create a mosaic rock.

Creative neighbors embellished their front deck

with a rock "nameplate" so friends could find them.

Others offered ballast so flowers don't topple.

Some rocks lend their shape to be adorned and have their

own beverage handy for a HOT day.  

We're headed for 102 today!!!

Others form a simple circle and

our rock has it's on whirly gig!!!

Let's Go for a DRIVE...

Canyon Lake is one of four reservoirs that were formed by the 

damming of the Salt River in Arizona. 

The lakes were formed by the Mormon Flat Dam, 

which was completed in 1925 after two years of construction.

So that you can get the lay of the land for this short

but very scenic & windy road, may I suggest

a double click on this map.  In the upper right, you'll

see Rosevelt Lake where we were a couple of blogs ago!!!

Hopefully you'll see why this is a favorite drive

for us, especially when we have visitors from other states.

If you look closely at rock formations (as we have done 

in recent blogs),  I'm sure you can see the creature on the

right, ascending the knoll to "take a bite" of an 

unsuspecting rock!!!

Why don't you grab your beverage of choice, sit back

and enjoy the ride.   There will be a comment or two

for some photos, but basically I'll try to 

let the images do the talking.

Canyon Lake is extremely full this season.  

This inlet is usually dry.

The last 2 miles to Fish Creek Overlook are dirt...

but it was still beautiful.

A little desert varnish and 

succulents adorned  many rocky formations.

At Fish Creek Overlook we were lucky to find the one

and only shaded area vacant and available.  A perfect

spot to enjoy our snack and a shaded breezy location 

on this 97 degree day!!!

However, you  always have to watch out for rattlesnakes 

and this is why.

Otherwise,  we would have once again walked the

paved site seeing path, with kiosks that explain

what you are seeing, but we've been here before!!

Therefore, we enjoyed the shade

and scenery instead of walking.  Time to head back...

Canyon Lake

Again...

It's Saguaro blooming time and I spotted

this one whose upper arms were about road

height on the way to Canyon Lake so we

stopped on the return trip to get a birds eye view,

without having to flap our wings.

This is what they look like before they pop open.

Thanks for joining us...

When it's 100 Degrees...

Combine 100 degrees with too much time on my hands,

so after a quick mask & glove visit to the grocery store,

I decided to get those stinky shoes and insoles washed...

and get my loom "dressed" again so I can spend many

hours weaving during  the upcoming 100 degree days, of

which we will see many,  here in AZ.  

Distancing Personified - A Mixed Bag

Don decided to take me on a drive ...

and the rural area was pretty nice.

A few big ranches

and interesting mountain formations.  Mainly he wanted me to

see some wild horses & burros at the...

This is a program located on the grounds of the 

Arizona State Prison Complex  in Florence AZ.  

He had seen them before when he found the geocache 

“Wild Horse Annie” part of a Celebrity Series cache.

To learn more about Wild Horse Annie aka Velma Bronn Johnston

do a search - you'll be amazed.

All of this lead me to do  some research to better understand:

donkey, mule, hinny and jack ass…

Donkey descended from the African wild ass,

Mule is produced when a male donkey (a “jack”)

 is breed to a female horse.  That explains jackass…

Hinny when you breed a male horse to a 

female donkey.  It is slightly smaller than a mule.

When Don stopped for another geocache, I saw this

Saguaro and walked out for a closer look.

“Crested” saguaros form when the cells in the growing stem

 begin to divide outward, rather than in the circular pattern 

of a normal cactus. This is an unusual mutation which results in the

 growth of a large fan-shaped crest at the tip of a saguaro's main stem or arms.

Can't have a day without cactus flowers!!!

Then we headed east on the Florence Kelvin Hwy

in search of Boulders.  We weren't sure how far out

they were... and if the pavement ended before we could get

there..  The road was still paved at mile 14 & there they were.

We had to take a very short dirt  spur to park near them. 

I loved this spot from 6 or 7 years ago and it was 

a perfect place to take a break, enjoy our snacks and 

reminisce and wander...

OMG do you see it?  A head on the ground, one

with eyes, nose, mouth and a big chin!!!

Yes, I really do go on all these outings.  One of my favorite

things, "Don driving Miss Nancy".

Later we continued to travel east and I couldn't

resist taking this photo of a gate to a private ranch.

 Then all of a sudden it was time to turn around...

Our navigation system  kept track of us and we loved 

the name of this upcoming "road".

And, I couldn't resist ending with this 

reminder, displayed in our neighborhood, which

seemed to fit right in with todays outing!!