PERFECT DAY FOR A POWER PARACHUTE

Today was the day the fliers have been waiting for. Just perfect: calm, warm, just a bit hazy so the sun wasn't in their eyes.

Paul and Gary went up for nearly two hours! Both were ecstatic when they returned. I can see these power parachutes make people "high" in more than one sense of the word, lol.

The power parachutes are unique in their ability to cruise low to the ground. I asked, "How Low?" Paul said: "Two feet....no kidding." They cruised along winding 4 wheeler roads, and traveled Preachers Pass, the mountain pass we took coming back from Southern Cross mine.

They enjoyed huge open vistas of all the little towns seen at once, Brenda, Bouse, Parker, Quartzite.

This is as close to flying like a bird as a human can get!

WINDY DAY FOR A POWERCHUTE

Some of the guys just couldn't wait for a calm day, so up they went. (not Paul and Gary) The wind gusts were impressive, and several landing attempts were aborted and tried again.

It did make for some pretty shots of the power parachutes.

Paul and Gary help Jim untwist his chute after landing.

KOFA

While in Quartzite with George and Rachel, I came across a wonderful artist selling her oil paintings of the desert. I loved this one painted of the Kofa wildlife refuge, and bought it to enjoy at home. Her art was ridiculously inexpensive. I couldn't frame it at home for what she charged for her original art work all framed beatifully.

NEW FRIENDS

To say everyone here is friendly is a huge understatement. We make new friends on a daily basis. Yesterday AM a tray of bloody Mary's were brought over to us by complete strangers.

Sylvia and Norm are our "neighbors", just diagonally across from us in a permanent trailer. They are owned by Millie, the tiniest miniature dachshund I have ever seen. Millie was bitten on the side of her face by a side winder rattlesnake, and lived to tell the tale.

Sylvia was a Montana state Legislator, who will be running for Montana state Senate next month.

"Daisy" is one of three Papillons we know of here in the park. She is absolutely precious, and drives her "own" golf cart. She sits high on her owners lap, "steering" golf cart happily around the park.

I'll get more pix of our (and Bella's) new friends before we leave.

DESERT SCENERY

Just a couple of random shots in the desert in all its beauty. I am still trying to get that "perfect" shot, one good enough to paint.

EYE OF THE EAGLE

This is a natural phenomenon in a rock formation part of the mountains here. I understand the hole is 12-15 feet high. Paul has already tried to hike there, but the going was rough and steep. He plans to try again soon with some other crazy person.

LITTLE GRAND CANYON

I'm not sure if that is the official name of this place, but is what folks around here call it. It's different and pretty, quite a gouge in the ground. We happened to be 4-wheeling with a geologist (amateur palientologist), and a botanist! It was great, I drove them crazy with questions.

Isn't it amazing how the huge Saguaro cactus can grow from a rock? Saguaros fascinate me. They can grow to be over 50 feet in height, and have up to 40 or 50 "arms" growing on them. (that many branches are rare, tho) A tall Saquaro with lots of branches can weigh as much as 8 tons!!

Cactus Wrens, owls, doves and other birds utilize the holes in these huge cacti as homes and nests.

Palo Verde trees are the state tree, and are quite lovely. They can "drape" a bit like a willow, and glow with their fine brilliant green stems and trunks.

Brittle bush grows here, with a lovely blue/green foliage that stands out from the other plants. They have yellow, daisy like flowers that look like greenhouse landscape bushes.

Petroglyphs show up here and there in the desert, beautufully crisp and clear. Wish I knew what they all depict.

The desert here is NOT dead and brown, believe me!