A day late Again our trip to Saguaro National Park west

I call this one “ballerina”

Some pics of this past week before we go back in time.....

     Merry Christmas lights from Lake Havasu City.  The buildings you see are gift shops on the water.  Some are English themed.  The building on the left had lights blinking to music.  We had our anniversary dinner here.
     Yesterday was Christmas.  One new thing for me this Christmas.  Watching holiday movies.  I’ve seen more this year than all the years put together.  Many for the first time like Polar Express, It’s a Wonderful Life, and Santa Clause.
    The highlight of Christmas was the meal.  We are really enjoying the sois vide.  The prime rib was melt in your mouth.  The potatoes were perfect.  The convection oven roasted the asparagus better than a grill.   Mmm, mmmm.   Richard picked out the wine, and it was very good.

Once in awhile I give the dogs something to chew.  We stay away from rawhide.  Leiden usually chews his up right away. Artie hides his, then finds it, then hides it.  He keeps it up for several days.  Sometimes it sits on the floor.  Ameena really liked the smell of this one.  She is laying on the chewy, and on Artie’s squeaky skunk.  

     One day Richard and I went on a walk in Saguaro National Park.  The highlight was to be seeing petroglyphs.  

How many times do we go sight seeing and there’s a field trip happening?  We were able to stay a safe distance away.  I saw some stations set up, and they looked very fun.

The drive in.

The small hike.

These pics are a little out of order.  Richard is on his way up the hill to view the petroglyphs.  

This is at the top of the hill.

Watch out!  It was too cold for snakes.

Another job for the CCC.  I wish the government would do this again.  I have several sons who would benefit from this.  

This was the other side of the rocks.

This was blocked off, yet close enough to touch.

When you look up from the above rock, this is the view.

These pics are of the cool things growing around the area.  I was able to use my “picture this” app to identify what I found.  The green one is a pencil cholla.

Richard actually spotted this new to me cactus.  It’s called “Graham’s nipple cactus”

A yellow paloverde.  Translation: Yellow stick green.  Or yellow green stick.  Hmmm.

this is Ironwood.

More pencil cholla

My favorite, Prickly Pear.  Maybe someday I’ll do a study of all the varieties.

Here is a tree cholla.

Barrel Cactus.  Richard likes these.

Cactus skeleton.

This time my app came up with Desert Ironwood.  I just love the gnarly trunk.

One healthy, old cactus.

Closing off this blog with these two beautiful pics.  Is Richard praying? Sleeping?  No, just looking at his pics on his phone.  Hugs and blessings to you all!  Thanks for reading and commenting!