Hi everyone, it is hard to believe it is December 04th today and the weather remains warm, sunny and wonderful! Still wearing shorts and sleeveless tops during the day and just a light sweater in the evening! Temperatures remain above normal for the year which is fine with us but the locals wish it would cool off! We have been busy, busy, busy. The days are flying by so quickly, very different for me than when we are home in Campbell River! We had our first full moon campfire out in the desert November 28th and it was such a lovely afternoon and evening for it
We went out into the desert about 3pm so we could set up and then enjoy both the sunset and the full moon rise. We started out with just two other couples, Trent, Ann, Sharon, Craig and Doug and I but we quickly grew as people in the park heard what we were up to!
We soon grew to a group of 11 people and had a fun evening! Still a bit early to light the campfire
The sun is finally setting and it didn't disappoint. The skies here are so breath taking at different times of the day.
Of course Doug has to take a picture of me as I return from a visit with the cacti!
The sun is gone now and just a hint of colour left in the beautiful sky
Time to light the campfire and think about roasting those wieners!
The full moon coming up didn't disappoint, what looks like a UFO off to the left is really a star and most likely Venus
The moon was so big as it topped the Superstition Foothills
It is finally up and well worth the wait!
Doug's excellent wash barrel fire pit is doing the trick.
We finally had to put our jackets on at about 8pm as it had cooled off enough.
This is my little Old Woman of the Mountain cactus and it is flowering again! Usually it just flowers in the spring and maybe in September but so far this year, this is the third tim,e it has flowered! I think these very warm temperatures are confusing it to no end! It thinks it is spring again! I only planted it last spring so this is a real surprise!
Our orange trees are loaded again this year and since I have been pruning them and having them fertilized 3 x's a year, we are getting more and bigger oranges. They should be ready to eat by Christmas this year. They are ripening fast with this warm, sunny weather. This and the next picture are Valencia orange trees
This is another of the trees and I have some chollo cacti wood drying on our heat pump. I plan to use it for crafts I am going to do. You will have to wait and see what exactly I am going to do! When I am done I will post pictures for you
This tree is a navel orange and the oranges are huge this year. It doesn't have as many oranges on it as the tree was loaded last year and they only bear heavily every second year.
I have had Doug busy decorating the outside of our house for Christmas. It is so much fun doing it when you can wear shorts and a sleeveless top and you have to go into the shade for a drink and to cool off! By the way, just so you know, I am the artistic director of Christmas lights and Doug is the "little" elf that does all the work. We won the house decorating contest last year so we made the decision to NOT enter it this year to give others the chance to win this year!
Of course I walked out onto the patio to see what Doug was up to and he snapped a picture!
We were able to pick up a few new decorations at yard sales for $4.00 or less! The star being one such purchase and the Snowmen at the centre of the house. I love it!
I think Doug did a great job under my directions - ha ha.
We started a tradition last year of having friends for dinner on a Saturday evening and then going up to the Apache Junction Christmas lights parade. Last year we just had Malcolm and Grace over so this year I increased the crew we invited.
We are sitting down to our wonderful early Christmas feast (it was December 01st) of turkey and all the trimmings. Starting on my left are our Minnesota friends Trent and Ann, our CRP Cranbrook friends (now full time RVers with that are homeless) Elaine and Ron, our Malekwa, BC friends Malcolm and Grace and then myself. Your highness, the big boss is taking the picture so lo and behold, you don't see him!
The parade this year was exce4llent, I think part of the excellence was the warm evening and the great company! We packed our lawn chairs and cameras and parked ourselves along the parade route. This first decorated vehicle was the Police Emergency Response Motorhome
We all loved the old police car all decorated up
This was the Dog Pound vehicle
Loved the sewage pumper truck decorated as Rudolph! Only in Apache Junction!
There were a bunch of old Model T's decorated and in the parade - they were gorgeous
Loved the covered wagon pulled by horses
Of course you have to have the decorated ATV's taking up the rear of the parade, one of them had the "pooper scooper" job following all the mounted and decorated horses! Unfortunately, none of my pictures of the Rodeo Queens and Princesses riding their decorated horses turned out.
Following the parade, we all went back to our house for desert and a good visit. We enjoyed a great evening and a good way to kick off the Christmas season.
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