The Sonoran Desert with Hanif and Patti

Bobcat at the museum-we see these fairly often at our home!

Friends from Tacoma, Hanif and Patti, came to visit us last month and of course we took them to the Desert Museum to learn and see more of the desert fauna and flora.

We rushed to get to the morning Raptor Show and we think it was the best yet!

We spent an entire day walking around the museum before heading back home for a dinner on the barbie.

Harris Hawk about to land

Great Horned Owl eyeing that piece of food on the branch as he lands

Amazing wings on the Great Horned Owl

Then we walked swiftly across the museum to an indoor show (mostly for children but we all loved it) with a pelican, a skunk, a porcupine, a coatimundi, a Gambel quail and more!

Mr. Fox sunning himself

After the show we walked the rest of the museum to see the animals and the plants.

You are now in MY world, the mountain lion says.

Mountain lion on the move - we have these in our neighborhood also but haven't seen one yet although we have received warnings that they are around.

Watching hummingbirds

Can't resist taking photos of the hummingbirds

Smart Prairie Dog Lookout in the shade

Worshiping the sun

Although we didn't take pictures Hanif and Patti are both very interested in gardening and wanted to spend some time in our yard learning about cactus and other plants. I put them both to work until it got a bit too warm to do much more. We did accomplish quite a bit though! It reminds us of Huckleberry Finn and we didn't even  have to pay them to work.

What a great visit - it was hard to say good-bye at the airport.

Reid Park Zoo

Our friend, Cara, who worked at the zoo was leaving her job to move back to Columbus, Ohio, and she had been inviting us to the zoo for a couple of years now.










We finally made it during her last three days there and we were both very impressed with the zoo. Although it is pretty small the animals are in areas where you can be quite close to them.








We had a great time and had lunch at the zoo restaurant that Cara was managing.

Thank you, Cara.

Sabino Canyon's Phone Line Trail with friends

You can probably guess who is who!

Our friends, Bonnie and Dennis, suggested we hike the Phone Line Trail in Sabino Canyon.

What is this Agave growing in?

So earlier this month we rode the tram to the top then hiked up switchbacks to the trail.













A great trail - about 4 miles in length - and with gorgeous views everywhere.



















It did get a bit warm toward the end but I guess that is what happens in the desert.

We had a great day!

That night I went to Bunco here in the neighborhood and it wasn't all that easy to stay awake but it was fun.