Beautiful Sunsets

So far these first weeks of January have been wonderful weather wise. Most days have been in the high 60's to mid 70's. Nice enough to be in shorts and get a great suntan. Another result of this beautiful weather is gorgeous sunsets every evening.

These pictures were taken just outside the gate of our community looking over the desert

We had a surprise visit from friend Lynn Petersen from Airdrie Alberta. She visited with us for 2 days and we had a great visit catching up on all the news. Lynn was on her way to Palm Springs where she is going to spend the next 2 months enjoying the warm weather and golfing

 

Lynn picking an orange before she got back on the road heading to Casa GFrande to visit other friends

 

She finally got it free - oranges are not easy to pick off a tree!

 

Sharon picking the remaining lemons off our new little tree. Doug wanted a lemon meringue pie!

Besh-Ba-Gowah Archeological Site

On January 08, 2012  we went on a day trip with friends Ann & Trent to Globe Arizona to visit an archeological site. Globe is about 1 1/2 hour's drive east of Apache Junction. It was a beautiful day and we had a wonderful visit.

The sign as we entered the site telling us about the archeological site

This is all that is left of the site

Doug walking into the site via the central pathway. This is the only way into the site. They figure it was a means of the Indian's protecting themselves from intruders

You are able to see all the individual homes by where the rocks are arranged. About 300 people lived in this community

There is just one building left standing in the distance

It was amazing to think the Indians carried all these rocks from the river bed up to this site which is at the top of a hill, where there isn't a rock to be found

Amazing when you get up close and see how the rocks are laid out and the fact the mortar between these rocks is still holding them together since approx. 1250 AD

Doug walking out of the building. They must have been small people when you see the size of their doorways

Sharon climbing up the ladder to the second story - note the sign!

Up on the second floor looking down to the floor below

Huge prickly pear cacti outside one of the buildings, would have been used for food, medicine and the fibers for clothing and weaving of baskets

 

Huge agave plant again used for food, medicine and the fibers for weaving

 

Pottery found at the site surviving since the 1400's AD. Absolutely remarkable

We had a very enjoyable day with friends, we again went to antique stores a neat rock shop where I bought some peridot stone (beautiful green crystal found on the San Carlos Indian reservation east of Globe)and rose quartz and then we went to a Mexican restaurant for an authentic Mexican dinner. Very good!

Christmas Season at the Dixon's

It has been forever since I posted on my blog! We have been so busy having fun that I never seemed to have time to sit down at the computer. It is hard to believe it is already the middle of January and the day before Doug's birthday!! Our weather has been incredible since Christmas. Most days in the 70's and very comfortable wearing shorts. We have done so much in the last 3 weeks it is hard to remember everything. Thank-goodness for our pictures so I can remember what we did.

 We went swimming Christmas day - it was wonderful and warm!

Doug, Sharon, Grace & Malcolm in the hot tub after our Christmas swim

The table is set for Christmas dinner at the Dixon's

 

 Our Christmas toast to everyone, from left: Trent & Ann Wood, Malcolm & Grace Coupland, Doug, Jerry & Kathy Van Drisse & Sharon

Our $5 garage sale Christmas tree decorated to the "nines"

 Jerry, Kathy and Ann after dinner - present opening

Grace & Malcolm with their presents

Sharon made everyone socks for Christmas - Grace & Malcolm's socks

Jerry, Kathy and Ann's socks

 The sunset Christmas evening from our back yard

Our quail got a Christmas present - a quail block!

We decided to go out into the desert for another campfire December 28th but there were too many people for ATV's so the fellows decided to hook up one of the ATV trailers and haul our campfire supplies and 2 of the fellows out into the desert. Of course Doug and Jerry decide to be the guinea pigs and set up their chairs in the back of the trailer. They look pretty comfortable in amongst the firewood and coolers!

They are practicing the Queen's wave

 

Sharon & Kathy got to drive out to the campfire site in style

 

Setting up at the side of "Little" Mountain for our wiener roast

Ann is regaling us with campfire stories

The whole group enjoying the fire and good food!

 

We had such a beautiful sunset that night

 

I love the saguaros silhouetted by the sunset

The next day, December 29th our old RV park where Ann & Trent stay had their ATV Christmas parade so we prepared signs to grade the ATV's as they went by. We all brought food and drink to share while we watched the parade.

I think we were more entertaining than the ATV's!

The guys had a bit of problem with their grading system and Kathy decided to hide her face from the camera with her sign. We all had a good laugh once we saw the picture

 

Happy New Year everyone. We went out for dinner New Year's Eve with our friends Grace & Malcolm and I was in bed before midnight. Pretty sad eh? January 03 we took Grace & Malcolm on a road trip over the old Apache Trail road through to Roosevelt Lake and around to Globe, Miami, and Superior, and then home. We stopped at Canyon Lake and took the picture above where the paddle boat docks. We have never been on this boat and hope we can convince some of our company when they come to go on the trip with us. We did the paddle boat trip on Saguaro lake last year and thoroughly enjoyed it.

We are heading up into the Superstion Mountain Foothills

 

We stopped high up in the hills to take some pictures and Grace and I nearly got blown away the wind was blowing so hard

 

The views just went on forever

 

In one spot there was a walk way out to the canyon edge so you could see for miles

 

This is what we saw from the edge of the canyon

 

We stopped to take a picture and the wind was howling. My hair was standing right up on end and poor Malcolm lost his hat as it blew over the edge right off his head

 

The views up the canyon walls as we drove along were tremendous

 

We get out to take pictures at the bottom of what was a very windy, steep hill down to the valley floor

 

There was still a little bit of water in the creek at the bottom of the hill

 

A cave in the side of the sandstone hill above the creek

 

It always amazes us to see saguaro cacti growing on the side of the hills

 

You can see our truck in the background as we walked down the hill, across the bridge to see down into the river, the cottonwood trees in the creek looked so neat

 

We have arrived at the Roosevelt Lake damn. Quite impressive

 

 

 Doug, Sharon, Grace & Malcolm overlooking the Roosevelt Lake bridge

 The bridge over Roosevelt Lake

 Tonto National Forest Cliff house monument

 You can hike up to the cliff houses. Quite amazing what the Salado Indians did around 1200 - 1400 AD.
The remainder of our day was very interesting, we stopped in at antique stores and thrift shops, had dinner at Gold Canyon on our way home. A wonderful day spent with good friends.