Time Still Passes Quickly

June 11-20, 2020
Tombstone, Arizona

Although we both grew up in the desert, neither of us are fans of the heat. At 4500', Tombstone "normally" enjoys mild seasons year 'round. Well we know where Normal went this year. Another planet. 

With record high temps throughout the Northern Hemisphere many other places are hotter as well. Vermont is in the 90's this week with 40% humidity :-( We can at least take comfort in our 10%! 

Our plan is to get more landscaping done, but we quickly lose motivation as the thermostat moves past 95. The fairly new AC works great, and we spend much of our days enjoying its comfort. Ezra has plenty of games and toys and manages to engage us in his imagination. Brian and Jeff both have work, and Shalise gets to be a kindergarten teacher each day. With three different diets, I do more cooking than usual. And of course there's the weekly trips to pick up groceries curbside. There's little change.

Yet time still passes quickly. June is already 2/3 past, while Easter was just yesterday! For the first time since I retired I'm anxious for a year to be over. I don't know why we're programmed to feel like when the calendar year changes somehow circumstances will change. Like the 12 month period has been cursed, and once we change those numbers it will be lifted. But alas I think we're all hoping, praying, pleading, believing that getting 2020 behind us will be a good thing. Fingers crossed! (Although sooner than that would be even better.)

Brian and Shalise are in escrow for a home in SoCal, and she has OB appointments there, so they have to make that 18 hour round trip a couple times during their time here. They're able to do it with minimal contact with others, but of course it's exhausting :-( Still, we're all happy that most of their time can be spent here with more isolation and more space for everyone. Once the house is theirs, they'll move back permanently. It will be too soon no matter when it happens.

They love to make each other laugh.

Tessa has security backup.

Another rock collecting trip takes us back into the Dragoons. No campers this time, it's hot even in the trees. A nice breeze keeps us comfortable most of the day, and Bill, Jeff and I bring back small rocks for our river bed and large ones for our tree ring. It's a beautiful area and we stay out of the big boulders to avoid snakes.

Our home on the hill gives us a lot of joy with the ever-changing skies and the bird families coming to visit. Not liking the heat doesn't mean we aren't loving our desert home!

We now have four different Quail families, at least two Finch families, and single Thrasher and Northern Cardinal families that come for food and water each day.

They're so tiny! Sadly they don't all survive and we see their numbers drop quickly. Most coveys start out with 12-20 and by the time their top knots are visible they're down to 4-8. Nesting on the ground or in low brush, they are easy prey to snakes and roadrunners.

We get about a half hour of rain one day - it's heavenly!

The sun washes the Burros with light.

Rain continues to fall in the setting sun over the Whetstones to the west.

We never tire of the magic of Mother Nature.

Ocotillo in the gloaming.

We have decisions to make about our one pending travel plan for September, and I'm beginning to look at routes for 2021 Spring/Summer. I'm amazed by the number of RV parks and campgrounds filling up this season, and yet it makes sense as families figure out how to vacation while practicing social distancing. Airports and hotels continue to be "only in an emergency" options for most. When we're able to continue our travels hopefully there will be room for us!

Summer Solstice is the perfect night to enjoy a fire to celebrate the waning of the light. The stars are bright and plentiful, and we're all happy to have this opportunity to see so many overhead. Ezra has a couple roasted marshmallows and is excited by his first sparklers. 

Boo!

So yummy.

"It fills my whole mouth!"

Solstice Blessings. May Summer bring us all many good things.