Enjoying McPhee Campground

WELCOME to our new Followers, Sandra and Crystal!

Sandra has two blogs, one is in another language that I can't read, I and the other is about quilting.  The quilting blog is in English, and then again in the other language that I don't think is Spanish, but looks like it might be one of the romantic languages.  [NOTE: Per Bob and Gypsy, it's Portugese. That's where my maternal grandfather was born - on the island of Pico in the Azores. :)] If you scroll down through the posts, there are some interesting things to read other than quilting, one is how to easily stretch tight shoes.  So easy, but I wouldn't have though of that method.  Thanks for joining Me and My Dog, Sandra!

Crystal doesn't appear to have a blog, but from her Google + page, is definitely a dog lover.  Katie and I are happy you are traveling along with us, Crystal.

Welcome aboard to you both!

This morning I woke up to sprinkles on the roof.  Such a nice way to wake up.  When I go to bed at night, at least lately, Katie is in her bed and it's too warm to cover her up.  Usually when I wake up she's sitting on her brown and white blanket right below me, looking up waiting for me.  I usually ignore her and she goes back to sleep on her blanket.  I think she's a little cold, so after I've felt guilty for a little while, I climb down and cover her up with a corner of the blanket, and she'll sleep for another hour or two, nice and warm.

This morning after her potty walk, she snuggled right back up into her blanket and I covered her up again.  She is now sound asleep, warm and snugly in her blanket.

It feels cool in The Palms this morning, although it's 72 degrees.  I actually had the heater on for a few minutes to take the chill off.  It's raining really good outside right now.  I'm in heaven. The weather forecast for the next four days is for thunderstorms and at least 30 percent chance of rain.  :)

I was so sorry to hear that Donna and Russ's wonderful dog, Rusty, died yesterday.  He would have been  15 years old this month, and was one of those super special dogs that made their lives a happier place.  I was lucky to meet Rusty when I visited Donna and Russ at their home last year.  I was in tears at the end of Donna's blog post about Rusty's last day - I was very stoic when I put my last dog and cat down, but for some reason Rusty's death really affected me.  Rest in peace, Rusty, and my best wishes go to Donna and Russ.

Here are some photos I took yesterday at our current location, McPhee Campground.

Lots of Blue Jay's around here.  I think this one is a Western Scrub Jay, a juvenile according to my bird books, because his head isn't blue yet (I think) :

Our first deer sighting - I think she was as surprised by us as we were by her:

There's just something about having deer in your yard, you know?

This is a bush with weird spirals growing out of it - not a flower, but...?  I've never seen anything like this.

NOTE:  Per Gayle on 7/15/12 this plant is Mountain Mahogany.  She saw it at the Anasazi Heritage Center, "where many of the trees and shrubs along the trail are labeled."  Thanks, Gayle! 

 Close-up of the feathery spirals.

We have taken a few good walks so far. Venita, our camp hostess, said our loop is one-half mile, so if we do that a few times a day, we're getting in a lot of steps for an altitude of 7,400 feet.  At least it's good for me.

There is a sign near one of the nearby restrooms pointing to a trail, so last evening Katie and I went that way for a little bit.  The sign said it's a one-half mile walk which doesn't seem like much, but it said it's a very strenuous walk, and it probably is.  It ends up at the boat ramp which this campground overlooks, so there must be some pretty steep areas.  There are four or five rest stops with benches at intervals along the way.  Katie and I only went to the first bench, which was pretty much right behind the restroom. :)  Really pretty views from there, though, of McPhee Reservoir.

Looking to the right.

Looking to the left.

This is the first bench.

Sunset walking back to The Palms.

From me and Katie, have a great Saturday, everyone!  :)