Friday, December 23, 2016

A little local Quartzsite color

Aren't these hummingbirds gorgeous?  The first one is a Costa's Hummingbird male, and the guy with the red head is an Anna's Hummingbird.  I love it when I can get them with the sun shining just right to show off their colors.  These were taken right after a rain, so there were drops on the window where the feeder was, but still, they came out really well.  :)

Here's lookin' at you, kid!





Here's our current campsite - Home Sweet Home!


Kate and I went into town the other day and walked around the Vendor Tent areas - there are already a lot of them set up.  This first vendor, K & B Tools, has just about anything you'd want.  All kinds of tools and toys, it's where I got my new water pump and many other things over the years.

The food outlet store - TONS of things to buy, many of which are outdated or soon to be outdated.  But cheap.  I get Keurig K-Cups here every year.  Super good prices and most things last well beyond the dates shown.  I never get dented cans, though. 

Hat and jackets for sale - some nice looking hats:




Lots of kitchen things.  I was looking for an old-fashioned egg-beater, and the owner said he got a bad batch and wasn't selling them this year.  I continued to look around, and as I was leaving, he came running after me, "Young lady, young lady!"   LOL - I got a kick out of that!  He said a customer heard our conversation and found an egg-beater on one of the tables, so he gave it to me - FREE.  It still had the $10 tag on it.  Wasn't that nice? 



Here's Katie laying on the back of the couch in front of the window feeder - "Mom, that bird keeps bugging me!"


We had a beautiful sunset again the other night.  If I ever start painting, and I plan to, I'm going to pull up some of my Quartzsite sunsets and try to use them as guides.  I love the foreground in this one - which actually ends up in most of my sunsets from this campsite.  The bushes, Saguaro cactus, mountains, and then the sunset.  Can you imagine some of the photos I've posted done in water colors?  Or oils?  Seems like the Western sunset sky would be better in oil, and the softer Eastern sky in water colors.   I just remembered - I have a program that will do that - think I'll check it out and I'll post some next time from that program.  😊


From me and Katie - have a great weekend, everyone!   💕💗💕

Thursday, December 15, 2016

What's wrong with this picture? or....

One of these things just isn't the same:


I thought is was so funny how the bees were all lined up at their own nectar opening.  Supposedly this is a "bee proof" hummingbird feeder.  Yeah...  I don't think so!

This Costa's Hummingbird was just beautiful in the full sunshine - full head/neck feathers of royal purple.  Couldn't quite get it, though, with the camera. 


This was yesterday's sunrise, really pretty:


It looks like yesterday was the last warm, sunny day for a while. Today we had overcast skies most of the day with a temperature of 75 f, tomorrow should be 71 f, and then we go down to the 50s for a few days.  Rain was predicted, but it doesn't look like it's coming this way.   Still, no shorts for a bit - pull out the jeans and sweatshirts again.  I sure do love wearing shorts!

And that's about it.  There's not much going on lately, but I can always count on sunrises, hummingbirds and sunsets.  Things should pick up in a couple of weeks, company's coming.  :-)

From me and Katie, have a great Thursday, everyone!   🌥🌤🌥

Sunday, December 11, 2016

Visiting with neighbors, my new hat and drones in the sky

George and Suzie invited me for dinner Friday evening - I was dying to taste one of those dinners I keep seeing in George's blog - especially the salad.  So I walked over to visit them on Friday for happy hour with George and Suzie and their neighbors.  All three couples live in the same place in Canada during the summer, and here they are neighbors in Quartzsite, too, for a couple of weeks!  I wanted to get a group photo before everyone started heading in different directions.

Clemson the Dog, Bill and Pat, Melinda and Jerry, George and Suzie. 
You can find their blogs here:  Patsy, Bill, Jerry and Melinda, George and Suzie.

The sun was bright - Suzie had given Melinda a hat, which she said she wouldn't wear, so she brought it over and gave it to me, and I love it!  Perfect for these bright days in the desert.  🔆🔆🔆


As I was walking up to their rigs, I saw Bill flying his drone.  These things are pretty neat!


When it was about time for dinner, the other couples headed for their campsites and George put a pork loin roast on the grill.


Wow, what a great dinner - I'm not much of a meat eater, and only wanted one slice of the roast, which was delicious.  George's salads have a little lettuce and lots of other things, my favorite kind of salad.  He put quite a bit on my plate, which I said I'd never finish...  Oh, yeah.

Gosh it was good!  As you can see... my empty plate:


Melinda and Jerry had a cherry/apple pie from town, and gave half of it to George and Suzie for our desert - thanks Melinda!  It was really good.

We visited for a while, then I walked home before it was dark.  Perfect timing!

When I got home I noticed Sue and Brian, behind me, had a blazing fire going.  I didn't bring my camera, but will next time.  They don't have campfires, they have BONFIRES!  So I put Katie's Bomber Jacket and leash on her, grabbed a light and we walked over for a visit.  Nice and toasty.

Speaking of Brian, I heard a drone outside yesterday, and there was Brian's drone flying around the area.


In fact, I was just outside and there was another one nearby - I don't think it was Brian's, so another neighbor must have one, too.  I wonder if they are allowed over the nudist area?   Humm.

And here's a beautiful pastel sky when the sun set the other night:


 Another perfect day in the desert!  From me and Katie, have a great evening, everyone!  😊😀😁

Thursday, December 8, 2016

The Laundry Tree

Guess what I did this morning?

This is my laundry tree for the season - if I wash and partially dry everything at the laundromat, I can hang them outside to finish drying in the sunshine.  

I doubt the hummingbird whose job in life seems to be guarding the feeder is happy with all the clothes blocking his nectar, though.  Poor little guy - but they will be taken down soon.

The socks and " delicates" were almost dry, so I put them around the inside of the motor home.  Katie loves to jump up on the back of the couch and lay in the sun.  She wasn't quite sure what to do today, the look on her face was just so funny - not sure where to put that right front paw:





But she managed for a while.  LOL  Sometimes she cracks me up. 

Here's our Hummingbird on guard duty - he's not letting anyone get even close to this feeder:


He looks like a Costa's Hummingbird, they have deep purple necks in the sunshine, but his gorget shines a deep rose red, which would make him an Anna's hummer.  I think we have both here, because I've seen both colors.  ???



Here's another hummingbird, a female, who came by to see us.  She looks like the female Anna's in my guidebook:


It sure doesn't take them long to find us when we put out the feeders.

In the afternoon I walked down the road a ways looking for Suzie and George's motor home.  Click the link to check out their blog, Our Awesome Travels.  It was getting cold and I decided I'd never pick their rig out of all the ones in the distance, so I turned around to head for home.  And there was a car coming toward me - guess who?  George!  So I got a ride the rest of the way. Turns out I was almost there.

We had such a nice visit.  What a wonderful couple - I'm happy to have gotten to know them better.  They won't be here long, so it was good to have a chance to meet up again before they leave.


Thanks for the chat, you guys!  :)

And here's a gorgeous Quartzsite sunset.  I should add, "As usual."  But even if the sky is beautiful almost every evening, I don't think any of us get tired of seeing and snapping pictures of each one.

From me and Katie, have a super day today, everyone!  💓😀💓

Tuesday, December 6, 2016

Settled, finally! Here's our new camp - and our first visitor. :)

We are finally back in Quartzsite, La Posa South, after being in the Yuma area for a week for some shopping, two dental appointments and checking out Imperial Dam LTVA. 

It's SO GOOD to be back, and my favorite campsite was still empty.  It used to be my second favorite, but it's moved up on my list.  That's Brian and Sue's camp right behind us on the next wash. 

For the first time this season, I brought out the hummingbird feeders. That's when I know I'm settled for a while.  It's been a wild month and I'm glad it's behind us.  Now we can relax and enjoy the desert!

And here's our first visitor - of the feathered variety.  Not long after I hung my feeders, this Black-chinned male hummer came by for a look - he didn't stay long, but he'll be back.


As soon as he flew away a beautiful Broad-tailed male checked out the feeder attached to my dinette window - he had a beautiful gorget of crimson feathers shining in the sun.  I'll be waiting for him to come by again - hopefully get a good shot of the brilliant color.

We didn't stay at Imperial Dam LTVA for long, only two nights.  One night at Quail Hill and then one night at the main campground, South Mesa. We didn't see any burros, but each morning there were donkey droppings right near The Palms, so I know they were walking by in the night.  When the babies are older they will come during the day. 

I made the best oatmeal yesterday - it was the instant kind, quick and filling, and I added chopped almonds and fat blueberries and cut up bananas.  It stuck with me all day. 


And here are two photos of little Katie - first on her morning walk with her pink quilted bomber jacket on.  This is the first time she's worn it this season, but the morning was cold and windy.  I was so bundled up, it didn't seem fair not to put her coat on, too.



Then later when it was warmer, she wanted to be outside in her stroller watching the world go by.  Look at those ears - she looks ready to take off.  LOL

Have a great Tuesday, everyone.  Stay warm and happy!  💓😊💓

Monday, December 5, 2016

Can you believe it? THIS is inside THIS??

When I was in town with a friend looking for a trailer to buy, I found a rock on the ground and picked it up.  This was the inside...

and this was the outside...

Proof that you can't tell a book by it's cover.

It was already cut on one side so as soon as I picked it up I could see all the detail that was in the rock.







Isn't it beautiful? What a lucky find! I'm using it as a paperweight on my dinette table.

We've moved again.  There ain't no moss growing under these wheels!   More tomorrow.

From me and Katie, have a great day, everyone!  😁💓😁