Night Magic at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix

 

Despite the cool temperatures (~50F/10C) and occasional rain drops between 6 & 9 pm, we were thrilled to be part of the music, lights, and desert nighttime Christmas magic.

Throughout the garden were seating areas, heaters and stages hosted by musical groups ranging from mariachi to Navajo flute, to brass, jazz, and blues bands..

                

(a borrowed photo)

Thousands of luminarias* lined the walkways and trails for the Desert Botanical Garden's annual Las Noches de las Luminarias. *A luminaria or farolito is a small paper lantern (commonly a candle set in some sand inside a paper bag) which is of significance in the Hispanic culture of southwestern United States at Christmas time, especially on Christmas Eve.

The huge, illuminated glass sculptures of the Chihuly in the Desert exhibit added a dramatic element to the evening.

Glass sculptor, Dale Chihuly, first filled boats like this one with glass pieces in Nuutajärvi, Finland, in 1995, after tossing bulbous glass pieces into the river to let them float downstream. Chihuly’s team salvaged a rowboat from the river and filled it with a variety of glass forms and he's been using the technique ever since.

 

The Seattle-based Chihuly Studio ships the thousands of individual glass pieces wrapped in foam and carefully packed in hundreds of heavy-gauge cardboard boxes; they also send some extra elements so if something breaks on site, they have replacement (s). Apparently the glass is so durable that it can withstand hail!

Probably 20 ft tall!

The Chihuly scuptures are illuminated by

 electrically charged argon and mercury.

Flowers for Christmas

 

This beauty was a surprise stem in our Christmas bouquet. There were no blooms in the beginning but these star shaped flowers showed up a few days later. Rose Lynn's sister-in-law, Carole, a horticulturist, identified it as a Star of Bethlehem.

That's a Wrap!

 

Bill couldn't resist snapping this pic of Rose Lynn keeping warm

while watching TV.

As we have mentioned we have been experiencing cooler and wetter weather than in our early days here in AZ. So, even though she feels chilly, she's happy she's not in the Alberta deepfreeze where Calgary daytime temperatures have reached highs of -17C/1F and lower (!) in the past week.

Three Days of Christmas

Christmas Eve day we had rain from 4AM til 4PM, then a little clearing, the sun peaked out a few times, followed by intermittent rain for a few more hours!

Sky drama during the late afternoon

Christmas day weather was dry, although still with heavy skies and very little sun.

Christmas cards displayed in our trailer

We started the day with a family favourite Blueberry French Toast casserole. Then, for the second Christmas in a row, we met our family on Messenger to open gifts; Janine, Colin and their boys Magnus & Zach in Calagry and Tyson & Veronica in Toronto.

Took an afternoon walk through the neighbourhood as we weren't sure that the leaden skies wouldn't produce more rain! Guess we were making an attempt to earn our meals and treats for the day....

Once again we were alone for Christmas dinner but that did not stop us from having roasted pork tenderloin* and root vegetables as well as harvard beets (a family tradition at festive meals). We even indulged in some wine. Dessert was Petite Cherry Cheesecakes, a Christmas favourite at our place.

* we would have roasted a (bone-in, skin-on) turkey breast if our local grocery had had one that hadn't been brined or pre-seasoned!

Boxing Day was dry, calm, blue skies appeared and temperatures warmed to low 60sF/mid teensC. Good enough for us to enjoy a bike ride! We felt like we had just got out of jail....

We hope you all enjoyed your Christmas celebrations and observances.

Tumbleweed Christmas Tree in Chandler AZ

Today we visited the tumbleweed christmas tree in the late afternoon sunshine and 70sF/ low 20sC. Didn't stay for the illuminated version!

After being sprayed with white paint, fire retardant and glitter, over 1000 tumbleweeds are fixed to a metal structure . The completed "tree" is over 30 ft in height and about 18 ft in diameter at the base.

Hopefully you can learn more about the tree and its history

from these panels on display at the site.

Stuck on You!

 

Jumping Cholla (choya) snagged onto Bill's shirt as he brushed by the plant on a hike today. They were painful to dislodge but did not seem to leave any stickers in his skin or shirt. Usually these spiny little buds lie on the desert floor and latch onto shoes/socks/pants as you walk on or close to them.

Suguaro arm seems to be hugging its neighbour, octopus fashion!

Scene in the Desert

 

We admired Picketpost Mountain ahead of us to the SW during our Sunday hike 

out of Superior exploring two more segments of the L.O.S.T. Trail  (see Dec 4 post).

A little research revelaled that the mountain's unusual name stems from an early military camp established at the base of the mountain by General George Stoneman in 1870. The soldiers nicknamed the mountain “Picket Post” due to its usage as a sentinel point to guard their camp from attacks.

Fruiting Barrel Cactus

We were surprised to see fruit on a cactus at this time of year. However it seems that, unlike other local cactus which bloom in the spring, the barrel cactus blooms in late smmer. The juicy fruit can be food for rodents, birds, javelina and even people.

Not sure what this dry/dead groundcover is.

We have seen it many places in the desert around here.

The brilliant red/orange colour is dramatic.

Hiking with the Rock Shadows Cactus Kickers

 

Rose Lynn joined 17 others for this hike along Saguaro Lake on Butcher Jones Trail #463. Bill had a morning zoom meetup with choir friends from Calgary and bridge in the afternoon. 

We left here just before 8 am and drove 1/2 hour to the trailhead NE of Apache Junction. We spent almost 3 hours on an easy, out & back single track trail that rose and fell gently as it traced a path along the inlets of the lake. A calm, clear day, it was fresh enough for gloves and layers at the start but most returned in t-shirts!

One-way elevation profile

Steam rises from the lake in early morning

Can you spot "Yosemite Sam" traced in black rock lichen

on the light rock face (above & right from saguaro)? 

Thank-you to other hike photographers who shared their photos

 on the Cactus Kickers Facebook page

Christmas Group Therapy

 

Covid Christmas Decorations

It seems that this Christmas light decoration on the motorhome three lots down looks eerily like a covid molecule - just sayin'!

Weigh-in-Wednesday

Let us explain...

Most of our blog readers know us well enough to have heard of "Weigh-in-Wednesday" at our house. It started over a dozen years ago when a Brownsville RV Park resident was heard to comment "I'm at my going-home weight and I still have 3 weeks to go!". 

We got thinking about it and realized that weighing regularly would help keep us aware of any weight gain (or loss 😉). Wednesday was chosen because at that time there were regular cooked breakfasts (bacon, eggs, pancakes, sausage etc) every two weeks on Wednesdays; we started weighing before this morning pigout that we attended regularly. The habit has stuck over the years.

Good Morning Apache Junction!

 

Saturday was Good

 We drove to Superior, east of here, thinking to have a sunny patio lunch at one of several familiar restaurants and then to hike an old favourite, the Queen Creek segment of the L.O.S.T. (Legends of Superior Trail).

As we were walking the main street in "sensible" shoes, we had a serendipitous moment when a man asked us where we were from and if we were part of the group he was to host on a local hike?  No we weren't but it turns out he is a local community volunteer with lots of suggestions for food and hiking. So, just like in Utah when Rose Lynn's brother called with a timely scenic drive suggestion, we ended our pleasant conversation with new plans!

The street taco eatery he recommended was not open yet but, after a sunny meal,  we followed through with a different part of the L.O.S.T. trail - the Arnett Canyon segment. It was an easy trail loaded with lots of classic Arizona scenic drama. The most dramatic feature was the charred remains of trees and cactus in the canyon bottom; further research indicated the fire ocurred in June of this year.

Filaree / Heron-bill 

(part of the geranium family)

This was the only flowering plant we saw in this very dry area.

If you look closely, you will see tiny purple blooms

 on stems rising from the centre.

Bill stands at a horse gate along a section of trail 

where it was marked for pedestrian travel only;

not surprising when you see the staircase behind him

 but we did see hoof prints on both sides of this navigational obstacle!

A closer look at the stone block steps 

with the hand hewn stairs in the background

Hiking in the Superstitions

 It was a good morning for a hike (and Bill had his Weds music jam planned for the afternoon!). We had t-shirt weather and the winds were gentle.

Suguaro is dramatically backlit in the morning sun

 while the Superstition Mountains loom in the background

The Superstitions are visible every day looking east from our RV Park.

We often see horseback riders using the same rubbly trails we travel.

Days of Blue Skies, Warmth, & Calm

 Arizona has settled into a delightful pattern of weather perfection! 

So, we are cycling and walking the days away! 

Play while we may....

Yard Art at Rock Shadows RV Park, our winter home

Figures are 1-2 feet tall and the circle is about 8 feet in diameter

Thanksgiving is Windy

Local weather for Apache Junction, for Thanksgiving today, is blue skies, more NE winds from 25-40 kph (15-25mph), with temperatures expected to reach low 20s C (low 70s F).

Wind does a number on the palm fronds

Once again we have resisted a "big" Thanksgiving gathering at the Rock Shadows hall, or any gathering at all; we've had two small Thanksgiving meals with our kids - one in Toronto with Tyson & Veronica on Oct. 9 and one with Janine, Colin, Zach & Magnus in Calgary on Nov 12, just before we left.

Update to November 23 post:

More about the scent of creosote after rain in the desert of the southwest - it's called petrichor (just learned this scientific term today from reading the local paper, Arizona Republic): 

Petrichor is the earthy scent produced when rain falls on dry soil. The word is constructed from Greek petra, "rock", or petros, "stone"; and īchōr, the fluid that flows in the veins of the gods in Greek mythology.

First Bike Ride in Arizona

 After several days of NE winds too high even for an e-bike, we set out this morning on a favourite route to Usery Pass.

Rose Lynn's bike experienced a software glitch and she was left without power assist! Luckily we were up hill from a Specialized dealer and she was able to cruise on down under her own pedal power. The controller was rebooted and she had an easy ride back to Apache Junction.

4 PM - Rain!!!!

Rain is always a unique occurrence in this part of the world,

 at this time of the year. 

We can already smell the scent of creosote bushes 

that is released during rain.

Jamming on Jamulus

 

Tonight, Bill enjoyed a virtual jam session on Jamulus software

 with his Calgary musicians.

It seems the highspeed internet installed on Saturday was up to to the job.

He's looking forward to his Weds afternoon meetup with one musician

 he met in Texas and two that he played with here in Apache Junction.

The Week that Was...

 Sunday Nov. 21

One week out on our adventure.

It was definitely the best weather we have ever experienced on our southerly escape route - other than wind in the early times, it was great driving on dry roads in warm weather (around freezing in AMs and reaching mid teens C/ 60s F in the afternoons). Amazing for this time of year we think.

We are settled in Apache Junction for the next 4 months! 

Here's what we did to get "settled":

• parked the trailer and leveled up, hooked up power, sewage, & water and were greeted by our neighbours from years past (including this tiny "bush" bunny (as we know them))

 

• got groceries

Really? And they don't have Jones Ginger Beer, Bill's fave!

• did laundry
• connected to highspeed internet 👍👍👍; in other years we have used our neighbours' service but that was not up for the challenge of Bill  continuing to jam remotely

Weds Nov. 17

After a pleasant, scenic day on the road we stopped in Page AZ for our last night on the road.

A well-timed morning communication with Rose Lynn's brother Ian led us to take a detour from plan A (Vegas); with the dry weather, we were finally able to drive Scenic Byways  east from Cedar City on 14, connecting with S 89 taking us into AZ.

Here's some of what we saw:

Losing elevation from 7000 ft on S 89

6% Grade/Next 4 Miles/Watch for Falling Rocks/

 Trucks & Vehicles Pulling Trailers Use Lower Gear

on S 89

Lava rubble on 14

Lunchtime meadow view on 14

Outdoor lunch in the sunshine!

11C/ ~50F and calm

It's all good!

Snow on roadsides near the summit of 

Scenic Byway 14

The red rock drama in the distance was a nice distraction

 that would continue throughout our day.

Tues Nov 16

Our morning started with wind warnings for south of Idaho Falls but, other than heavy gas consumption(!), they did not hold us up. We spent an early, quiet evening in the KOA at Fillmore Utah after another pleasant day of dry roads.

                             

Looking out the windshield through morning frost in Fillmore!

Monday Nov 15

Long day on the road out of Milk River....

First order of business was crossing into the US. That was easy except for the fog and wind we drove in for half an hour on either side of the border! At 6 am, there was one vehicle in front of us and inspection was short and sweet:

Passports please - no vaccination documentation

Where are you going/how long?

Firearms or ammunition?

Alcohol or tobacco?

Any citrus?

Roll down your back window. (was that to check for aliens ?)

Other than wind, it was a good, long, scenic day

 which ended in Idaho Falls, ID

Sunday Nov 14

Finished packing and drove to a prearranged campsite in Milk River AB, just north of the US border. We hoped to have a walk when we arrived but the Chinook winds kept us indoors and we turned in early to get an early start in the AM.

Under Eight Flags display blown by the westerly Chinook winds.

http://www.milkriver.ca/p/under-eight-flags 

(just scroll down beneath the photo to see the explanation)

A special "Thank You" to our magnificent neighbours, Dave & Barb, for all they do but especially for the send-off supper and game at their place last night. They even took some leftover kitchen things!