Homeward Bound

Although it was our last week here at Countryside and we were alone doesn't mean we didn't stay busy enjoying all we could. The construction in the park appears to be winding down just in time for us to leave. Except for this it has been very quiet because nearly all park neighbors have left for the summer. To stay busy and get away from the construction we have gotten out for various activities. We have taken several bicycle rides and the trip computers on the bikes are now registering upwards of 150 miles on each since they were installed earlier this winter. We have continued to enjoy the pool about every other day but virtually all other park activities have died out except for Tuesday evening when we enjoyed pot luck snacks and a karaoke party on the pool deck with a number of remaining park residents. They tell us that about 70 people live here year round. On Sunday evening, as posted last, we had a fun evening with Dad's cousins in Chandler.

Left to Right: Alayne (Ruby's daughter), Wendy, Ivan, Lindsey, Curtis, Milo, Ruby

Monday afternoon Alan Sedgwick, our dancing and geocaching instructor, asked Dad to come to help him administer to an elderly couple in their park that are coping with news just received that the sister has terminal cancer. Following that we visited a while and invited them down to learn how to play Pegs and Jokers. We had a blast and Lois and I won twice to the men's once. We then made arrangements to spend Tuesday geocaching with Alan and Lois. We went to Fountain Hills and found about eight caches and then came closer to home to find two more that were very well hidden. One of the caches in Fountain Hills was a virtual cache and another was a puzzle cache in the vicinity of the lake and fountain. Another one was so tiny it was amazing. Ask us for more details about these if you are interested. We got in plenty of walking on a very warm day and had a great time.

Fountain Erupts Each Hour on the Hour for About 15 Minutes

That evening was the pool-side karaoke party mentioned earlier.

By Wednesday we started making preparations to leave and Thursday we spent all morning and early afternoon at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum about 30 miles East of here near the city of Superior. It is an Arizona state park that we visited there last year and it seemed even more beautiful this year maybe because more plants were in bloom. The variety of trees, cacti, flowers and other vegetation is made even more interesting and delightful due to the small lake, the nearby scenic Picket Post Mountain, many colorful rock formations within the park, the canyon with the small stream, the Australian exhibit and much more. We found this to easily be our favorite over the Desert Botanical Garden we visited last week. The only problem was that Dad was on a prolonged phone conversation with his sister which continued as we left and we forgot our camera so our only pictures were on Dad's phone. Once again it is difficult to select photos as there are so many good ones from which to choose.

Huge Eucalyptus Tree, One of Many in Eucalyptus Forest

Part of Australian Exhibit

Clevenger House Along Lower Main Trail in Canyon Was Home for Family of Five in Early 1900's

Section of Lower Main Trail in Canyon With Many Pomegranate Trees

Trail in Canyon Along Queen Creek

Upper End of Main Trail Going Down Into Canyon

Ayers Lake in Background From Upper Main Trail

Boojum Tree

After returning from the Arboretum we went to Gilbert to visit Becky Denison with whom we cruised last November. She lives in an exclusive gated community in a beautiful home on a man-made lake. She had lost her camera with all her cruise pictures in the lake while boarding her boat a couple of months ago and I went there to see if I could retrieve it in the shallow water near the dock. The camera would be ruined but the memory card with the pictures would still be OK. The water was cool and not clear enough to see the bottom so I had to search by feel. While I found a number of trash items, we were all disappointed that I never ran across her camera in almost a half hour of searching. Becky then took us for a ride in her boat to the community's common area with a huge club house, a small, clear lake surrounded by a sandy beach and waterfalls, a huge swimming pool with spa, fitness center, racket ball and tennis courts and many other amenities. Becky sent us off with three grocery bags full of lemons and grapefruits from trees at a vacant home in her community where she used to live. Thanks Becky for a nice afternoon. We wish we could have found that elusive camera:(

Looking for the Lost Camera

View from Becky's Back Yard

Becky and I Just Cruisin'

Community Swimming Lake and Beach (separate from boating lake)

Waterfalls and Flowers on Swimming Beach Shoreline

Community Swimming Pool

Fisherman on Shore During Boat Ride

In Becky's Back Yard

Friday we checked out to leave Saturday morning. We took a last bike ride and twice this week we have gone to delicious dinners at the Outback Steakhouse to use Christmas gift cards. Although it is very windy and cool (72 degrees) we took our last swim and soak for the season before turning in. If it is not too windy we'll be on the road headed home Saturday morning.

Winter Adventure Winding Down

The time is quickly drawing to an end when we'll head for home. The Sonoran desert of Southern Arizona has become a familiar and endearing environment, at least for the winter months. We continue to build our community of friends as well as time spent with Dad's cousins down here. Our neighbors come from many places across the U.S. and Canada. There is so much to see and do that is not available at home. This winter we have also been blessed by extended visits from my sister, Jane, our dear friends, the Liljenquists and the Gardners and Les and Matt. I also got to spend one day with my brother, Don, and Dixie from Alaska. But It's now time we'll be taking off shortly. We will leave clear blue skies, warm days, a wonderful pool, live entertainment, palm trees, desert vegetation in bloom, city life and the view of the Superstition Mountains. We will trade that for more living space, a quieter environment, small town atmosphere, old friends, majestic mountains, pine trees, clear streams, green grass, wildflowers, blooming lilacs, closer to grand kids and a beautiful home and yard. There is just no place like "HOME." But winding down has not necessarily reduced our level of activities. With Dave and Laurene here we have taught them geocaching and spent several outings looking for little worthless treasures where technology, the fun of the search and some exercise are the benefits.

We have spent nearly every night at the pool and played a little shuffle board. We have also played Pegs and Jokers with the Gardners. Laurene quickly acquiring a liking of this game so much so that they bought their own board from the park resident from whom we bought ours. So far Laurene and I are neck and neck with Dave and Dad at eight games won apiece. We spent Tuesday, April 3rd, touring on Canyon Lake aboard the "Dolly Steamboat" and visiting nearby Tortilla Flat up the Apache Trail. While there we saw a bald eagle nesting at the top of a tall rock pinnacle and scenic cliffs and rock patterns along the lake shore.

We also got to see a number of big horn mountain sheep. We even got to see two rams butt heads and heard the thud as they collided.

Wednesday we toured the Desert Botanical Garden in downtown Phoenix near the Phoenix Zoo. That was a beautiful, peaceful surrounding with an unimaginable variety of desert vegetation, much of which was blooming. It was difficult to select a few to post from nearly 90 pictures taken that day.

The garden also had it's share of birds and little critters.

We like to get away from home each day because starting April first there is major construction going on behind us in the park with equipment noise, dust and fumes beginning at 6:30 each morning until early afternoon. We won't miss this but it will be all done when we return next winter.

On Sunday evening after church meetings we got together with Dad's cousins, Milo, Ivan and Ruby and Ruby's family, Alayne and kids for a nice pot luck dinner and conversation. We then returned to the park to bid Dave and Laurene goodbye as they will be leaving early tomorrow morning for home.