Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Thanksgiving is coming up!


The weather turned cool and cloudy for a few days and now we're back to warm and some wind.  This is the perfect kind of weather, I don't need the heater, and I don't need the A/C. 

You can tell from these photos, there's not much going on - just hanging out, listening to audio books, taking walks, playing computer games, watching TV and Hulu, etc.  I watched the first four episodes of Emily Owens, MD on Hulu Plus last night.  It was pretty good.

Quartzsite sunrise - I don't see many of these! :)

I've had a bunch of people come and go in the nearby campsites.  The last couple to leave, Yvonne and Rich, left this morning on their way to Imperial Dam.  I really enjoyed talking to them.  They have a Dazer II, a little electronic gizmo that emits a high pitched electronic noise when you push the button. It's to stop dogs from barking, and I thought I'd try it out. I ordered one yesterday and it should be here tomorrow.  I don't want it just for Katie's barking, but also for other people's dogs and hopefully it will keep coyotes away, too.  It stops barking and makes the dogs move away from the sound. I'll let you know how it works.

Pallid-winged Grasshopper eating the apple I put out.

The other night I took Katie out for  her last potty break.  It was around 7 pm, I think, and completely dark.  I had on my head lamp for a flashlight and since it was dark, I had Katie close to me.  As she was sniffing around, I turned my head and the light picked up two eyes, glowing eerily about 30 feet from us, right at the edge of our campsite.  I quickly checked where Katie was and looked back; it was still there watching us. It had to be a coyote.  This is about what it looked like - just two bright eyes, much brighter than this:

Really Creepy!
It was very quiet and still and I was surprised Katie didn't pick up any scent or noise.  The first two coyote sightings I had were because of Katie.  She was just laying on the dinette seat and jumped up and started barking both times, so she either smelled them, or heard them.  Otherwise they would have walked right past our site without me being aware of them.

I quickly brought Katie right to my feet and we quickly walked back to The Palms, which was close by.  I was ready to swoop her up in a second if needed.  I have to say, that was pretty scary.

So...  that's the last night time potty break for Katie.  We go for a good walk right before dusk, and thank goodness she has a good bladder, because she waits until around 9 or 10 in the morning before she goes out again.  Her choice, not mine.  I'm always up and busy by the time she's ready to roll out of bed and go outside. 

On Thanksgiving I am going to the Bluewater Casino in Parker with three other women for an afternoon Thanksgiving buffet.  I checked out their website and it looks very good, and it's a very reasonable price, too.  Should be a delicious dinner, and it will be nice to catch up with some of the other women at the Dingbat campsite.


I hope you will all have a wonderful Thanksgiving.  We sure do have a lot to be thankful for!

Beautiful Quartzsite Sunset

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

19 comments:

  1. We had a coyote out by the tree you were first parked by. I didn't see it. Duchess did and she started barking at it. The coyote moved out of there pretty fast. Tell Katie to be careful!!

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  2. Remember your previous post, "This site has good critters?" Critters with glow-in-the-dark eyes!! Keep Katie close.

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  3. we hear coyotes nearly every evening and morning here in the Rio Grande Valley... I like their melodies

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  4. Have a Happy Thanksgiving. There are lots of animals roaming around between sunset and sunrise here on the Refuge. Coyotes, armadillos, javelinas and I see deer every morning and I saw a bobcat the other day around 7:30 am.

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  5. Scary indeed. Smart plan to walk Katie before total darkness sets in, and I suppose if you still had to take her out at night, perhaps turning the porch light on would deter the lurkers (both animal and human!).

    Going to the Thanksgiving buffet sounds like a great time. No waiting around for the food to cook, and no dishes to clean up afterwards! Enjoy your day!

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  6. Glad you are keeping Katie close, those coyotes move fast. Happy Thanksgiving!

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  7. Hi Barbara glad to see you and Katie are doing well. Nice to catch up on some TV with Hula. Those coyotes can be scary especially with Katie, smart move not going out after dark with her. We had a few coyotes this summer in BC but they seemed scared of Lilly she's so big. Little did they know she's a big baby. Have a great Thanksgiving.

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  8. Keep Katie nice and close, sure wouldn't want her to be in any trouble with a coyote!
    enjoy your Thanksgiving!

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  9. When we get there in January there are so many people the coyote's aren't near as brave. So hang on tight to our beautiful Katie and stay safe. Happy Thanksgiving you two.

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  10. Cool idea about the head lamp for lighting up the way and keeping hands free.

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  11. I've seen those eyes-in-the-dark before...eeries stuff!

    As for the Dog Barking device, as a former positive-based dog trainer I really, really can't advise them. The sound they emit is painful (for the dog), and if you use it around your dog, you'll hurt them as well as any other dog in the animal. This device is a punishment-based tool and I hate to see them used.

    Nina

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  12. Happy Thanksgiving to you both.
    Angel too likes to sleep in. Gotta keep our babies safe!!

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  13. We have coyotes right here in our neighborHOOD, and yes, it's scary when they get up close and personal. They are getting more and more brazen - running around more and more in the daytime. They make me nervous, but at the same time, I worry for them too. Good for Katie to have such a good mom. Happy Thanksgiving to you both!

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  14. That device to stop barking sounds like a winner. I love the sound of coyotes, but I've never had a small dog to worry about. Stay safe, Katie!

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  15. Wow, it was scary to read about those coyote’s encounters. I think I would take a more substantial light when I venture outside after dark, funny how Katie never picked-up on it.
    Hope your Casino buffet was enjoyable. A friend drove down from Hattiesburg, Ms and we had lunch at this great restaurant in Covington, Dakota’s my, oh my, that what a great Thanksgiving lunch, with all the trimmings. It was a bit pricy but it came with starters, entrée, and dessert. It was a lot easier that doing all that cooking like I did last year. There was this Brie and Crabmeat soup that was almost sinful. I could hear my arteries slamming shut with every spoonful, good thing it is only once a year we do this kind of eating.

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  16. Wow! That scared me and I am reading it, can't imagine being right there. The coyotes around here are so thick right now, as no one hunt them any longer. Be safe both of you...and Happy Thanksgiving!

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