For Our Less Fortunate Friends

No photos, no paintings, just thoughts for this morning. For my readers who have survived the terrible destruction for the past few weeks wherever you are, I am praying for you and those who have lost everything. I feel so very unworthy for complaining as the desert starts its inexorable heat-up because I know what is coming and dread it. But, now I know I have something very petty to complain about in the face of those who have lost so many and so much. I don't know if it is more stressful to watch the flood waters coming assuredly your way and know that it will soon engulf all you have worked for or more stressful to not know when a killer tornado is going to come. Either way, I feel for all who are going through such stress and will continue to pray for your comfort and safety.

We Have Returned!

 We had a five-night motorhome trip, the first one since our miserable year of poor health has not allowed us to travel. All went well, although after unpacking the motorhome we are very tired today, with lots more left to do! It was fun while it lasted, though!

We traveled to the bottom of the Grand Canyon through the road at the west entrance, this was our second time to do this. Fortunately this time we were there at the right time to see all of the wild flowers blooming. There were these beaver tail cactus, ocotillo, brittle bush, Indian paintbrush, desert marigolds, globe mallows...all blooming in profusion. There were parts of the area that had so many octotillo in bloom that it looked like a forest of them, all of them with their red flags waving.

When we were almost at the Colorado River, we were driving through a stream bed. There was runoff coming downhill from all directions, forming Diamond Creek which empties into the river at the base of the canyon. Here is a small cascade we saw. Being a desert native, I am always captivated by rushing water of any kind!

 We drove to the Hoover Dam, as neither of us has seen it. I climbed to the Memorial Plaza to cross the pedestrian bridge alongside the big bridge to see the back side of the dam. It is a long way down to the bottom!

Here is the memorial bridge, named in memory of Pat Tillman and one other person (I am chagrined to think I didn't write down the other person's name and now cannot remember it!). This is a very long span, completed last year.

Here is one of the most Grand Canyon-esque views as we neared the canyon. Please note the blooming octotillo at the left, in the foreground. This is where the journey got so much more picturesque. We were driving at the bases of these buttes at this point.

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

A happy Cinco de Mayo to everyone who celebrates it. Living so close to the Mexican border for most of my life I have come to realize that this is as important to our culture as St. Patrick's Day is back East. And I'm half Irish!

We plan on celebrating safely at home with something Mexican tonight for dinner, although I wish I had bought Cerveza beer to go with it! If you go out, don't drink too much and....Vayan con Dios!