The spring weather in the Sonoran Desert is alluring, with beautiful blue skies and temperatures in the upper 70s. However, many drought-resistant plants are dying, very few if any wildflowers are blooming due to a troubling draught in the Sonoran Desert. What makes the Sonoran Desert so diverse and beautiful are two rainy seasons, summer monsoon storms and steady winter rains. The two seasons still exist, but half the normal amount of rain.
— kenne
Loma Alta and Coyote Wash Trails (March 19, 2021) — Photo Essay by kenne
In August of 2019, we spent some time in La Paz, Bolivia, before flying over the Andes to the Madidi National Forest in the Amazon. While in La Paz, we went to the Gustu Resterarent. Opened by Dane and co-founder of four-time World’s Best Restaurant, Claus Meyer, in 2013 with grand ambitions to boost investment and training in Bolivia while also propelling the country on to the world’s gastronomic map. We choose one of the tasting menus. The food was artistically presented, each providing a memorable tasting experience.
Today ranches exist along the narrow privative road through Doubtful Canyon. In the 1860’s the Butterfield Overland Stage route went through the canyon. Apache Raiders made passage through the canyon very ‘DOUBTFUL!’ In April 1861 the Giddings’ Party was ambush near Steins Peak stagecoach station. Cochise and his Apaches killed nine men, but reserved the worst torture for those captured alive.
Doubtful Canyon Ranch
In 2012, Tom, Steve, and I decided to follow the old stagecoach route through Doubtful Canyon, which we began in the small ranch town of San Simon. Once making it through the canyon, we planned to stay overnight in Lordsburg, New Mexico. The old road, now used primarily by area ranchers, is very premature. There were some places. The road was so narrow that you could not pass through without the bushes scraping the sides of the truck. Still, other places were wide-open rangeland having only an occasional gate we would have to stop and open.
Our goal was to find the Giddings Grave Marker, which was marked on our maps. We also knew the location was on the lowest northwest slope of Steins Peak. Even though we scattered out, crisscrossing the area, we were not able to find the marker. Here’s a picture of the area where the grave sits, which I found on the Internet.
Daughter Kate and her family live on 17 acres in Grantham, New Hampshire. Getting snow in the winter is not unusual; three feet of the white stuff is unusual. You can see an animal path leading down to the brook and across it if you look carefully.
These images are the morning after the winter storm. The day before, Kate texted the following video.
— kenne
In care you are wonder, the chicken are fine — all fluffy with plenty of food and water.
Magic Rocks Display in the Aria Resort and Casino, Las Vegas — Images by Kenne
One week ago, we received a call from Justin and Jerri. We learned that they were in Las Vegas on their much-delayed honeymoon. They would be spending five days there and asked if we would be interested in coming up to Vegas to have dinner with them. After giving it some thought, we decided to drive up Thursday and return on Saturday.
We had dinner at Maggiano’s Little Italy on Las Vegas Boulevard that evening and drove south of Vegas Friday afternoon to see the Magic Rocks in the desert.
Chapel Dulcinea sits daringly on the edge of an ancient walking trail on the Wizard Academy campus, approximately 20 minutes southwest of downtown Austin.
The chapel was new when we first visited Wizard Academy in 2005.
This summer Jerri and Justin had scheduled their wedding at the Chapel Dulcinea,
but because of COVID, it didn’t happen, even after rescheduling a couple of times.
I had prepared this post to go out before the June wedding. The wedding
did take place in east Texas this summer, but we were not able to attend.
Too bad their wedding was not able to be at Chapel Dulcinea; it’s a beautiful place
in the Texas Hill Country.
Early Aspen Colors on Mt. Lemmon (October 8, 2020) — Images by kenne
Most trails on Mt. Lemmon remain closed after the Bighorn fire, leaving many burn-scarred areas. As a result, photographing the fall colors will be limited to Summerhaven and Ski Valley.
Until COVID-19, gentrification was the big enemy of live music venues.
Now many these of these venues have closed forever because of the pandemic.
Maybe it’s time to bring back the old fashion bandstand in public parks.
People getting together to experience live music is a necessary
part of developing and maintaining a sense of community.
— kenne
Blue Door Texas Ice House On A Sunday Afternoon In East Texas (10/26/01) — Photo-Essay by kenne
Gene Kelton at the Blue Door Texas Ice House
Blue Door Texas Ice House
Blue Door Texas Ice House
Blue Door Texas Ice House
Blue Door Texas Ice House
Sunday at The Blue Door
Blue Door Texas Ice House
Gene Kelton at the Blue Door
Dancing to the Music of Gene Kelton and the Die Hards
(Gentrification Killed the Blue Door Years Ago.)
Usually, this time of year, when the temperatures are over 100 degrees, we start getting some monsoon rains.
So, yesterday when the dark clouds began moving in we would get some rain, and we did.
But only after some strong winds, reminding us much of a coming hurricane on the gulf coast.
Usually, wind gust in the desert doesn’t blow off the green olives on our patio tree,
but they did yesterday.
As the front moved through, we started to get some rain.
We received about one-quarter inch, the first rain in two months.
Chapel Dulcinea — Images By kenne
Blue Door Texas Ice House On A Sunday Afternoon In East Texas (10/26/01) — Photo-Essay by kenne
As the front moved through, we started to get some rain.
We received about one-quarter inch, the first rain in two months.
Images by kenne
Bighorn Fire (Sabino Canyon Smoke) — Images by Marty Horowitz
