Joshua Tree National Park

Early morning view from Rick and Gin's patio.










Entering the park from the south; we drove all the way through--starting in the Colorado Desert and climbing in elevation to the Mojave Desert...two different ecosystems.










































cholla







smoke tree








zebra tail lizard









blooming prickly pear cactus










desert chicory








jimson weed








blooming cholla















big rocks


















joshua trees















Back at Rick and Gin's...sing-a-long















A few games of Go Fish

















Drove to Anaheim...the Disney adventure begins!
















































A dragon made of Legos at the Lego Store.





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Indio, CA

Ginny and Rick (my aunt and uncle) have retired to Indio, near Palm Springs.
It's the land of dates. Started the day with a date shake and an amazing breakfast out.
Hung out in their beautiful new home for a few hours, then to one of their community pools, and later out to dinner in Palm Springs.

Perfect visual of retired life...enjoy it you two, you've earned it!!












































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Baseball and Off To California

Tempe: playground time and Angel's Spring Training game


























Unexpected cultural experience, hula practice...































On the road...





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Phoenix Area

Audubon Nature Center
Saw lots of hummingbirds!


Found a shady spot and built houses for bugs...or fairies.





Up out of the dry river bed...


Flowering palo verde



Apache Trail drive to and from Canyon Lake
Saw a coyote at dusk on the drive back!












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