Friday, April 19/2013

The sun is shining this morning and it looks like it is going to be an awesome (and wind free) day!!  It is early and despite the sun, it is chilly in the bus this morning.  In fact, it is warmer outside that it is inside at the moment.
The javelina were here around 10:00 o'clock this morning.  It was the bunch that have "the twins" with them.  Last night,  it was the group with "the triplets" that came for treats.  While I was sharing some of the fruit that MaryBeth gave me, I noticed that the Mom with the brand new twins (they are only about as tall as a beer can) off in the distance.  She is not yet ready to bring them closer to the fence during the day although she did the other night under the cloak of darkness.  John and Kay were able to see them but it was way too dark for me to see them.  Bummer!!
Kay and I decided to take the side by side, go across the road and check out the hawk nest down along the trail in the wash.  With Hogan sitting with us, we headed out and were soon irritating the Mom hawk with our picture taking.  She was not impressed with us being there and flew past us a few times trying to convince us to leave.  I got a few good pics then we carried on.
We took a trail that ended in a rock waterfall and thus ended the trail.  We turned around then accessed another trail that eventually took us over to Monarch Wash.  We knew that Monarch spit us out on the highway about a mile from our park.  Being that is was getting late, we hit the highway and got home in no time.
When we arrived back at the park, MaryBeth joined us and we decided to BBQ wieners on the grill along with coleslaw and beans.  It was good and certainly "hit the spot".
The javalina came for a visit (the triplets gang) and I threw the last of Marybeth's treats out to them.
Once supper was done, everyone was ready to just relax.  Marybeth and Mitch went home, Ray and John went into the house to watch the capture of the Boston Bombers on TV and Kay and I started a fire so that we could sit around it and unwind from the day's activities.  Eventually, John did come out and join us for a while before we all finally headed to our beds.
Sitting around the fire was a nice ending to another busy day.

Red Tail Hawk nest (she is sitting on the nest)

Checking us out

Desert flowers

Mexican Poppies

Red Tail on the Saguaro.  She is not impressed with us by
her nest.

Cholla flowers - such a pretty colour

Hedgehog Cactus

Today's trail

Barrel Cactus

Growing right out of the rock!!

Henrietta, waiting on the trail by the rock waterfall

Blooming Ocotillo

The Ocotillo Flower

Thistle Flower

Another Cholla Flower - this one red 

Tons of colour in the desert.  It is amazing!!