Momentary Heat Lapse

I was in Phoenix AZ this past week hosting a training seminar for work.  I was VERY lucky that my wonderful co-worker talked me into flying out early so we could hike in Sedona.  Sheri picked me up from the airport and we headed out to do the Boynton Canyon Trail.  It took up a bit longer than expected to get there and the rental car was due back at 5 pm in Scottsdale so let's just say, we hiked that trail with some conviction!  We started out saying we would only hike as long as time permitted and then head back but then we became fiercely determined and instead banged out the entire 6.4 miles with 15 minutes of sightseeing to spare at the summit.

Here I am as we head out.  Please do not look directly into the white Portlander legs!

The scenery was breathtaking the entire time:

Here we were about 3/4s of the way there when I spotted a cool little shelf and decided to scamper up.   I thought the view there was amazing.  Until I saw the top!

Sheri and I at the summit:

The view from the summit:

To summarize, it was wonderful.  Of course I feel sorry for whoever rents that car next as it was covered in dirt and sweat by the time we were done with it!

With the hike behind me I then continued the leisure leg of my trip by managing to catch up with a very dear, old fried who lives in Phoenix.  We had not seen each other in probably 15 years and I had never met his wife so it was a blast of catching up.

When I got to their house they were trying to see the Venus eclipse without much success.  We were all taking turns squinting through a welding helmet and convincing ourselves that we saw it.  Then their neighbor graciously shared his viewing glasses with us and WE SAW IT.  So cool!  Like a tiny marble on the sun.  Something none of us will ever forget I am sure!

After Venus I got the full tour of their awesome home and then we headed out to dinner.  Dinner was delicious and I am pretty sure all our sides were killing us from laughing and smiling and catching up so much over dinner.  Nothing like old friends leading to new friends to warm your heart.  Here is the departing shot of my friend and his wonderful family.  Love you guys!

After that it was work, work work but it was all worth it by the little bit of fun we managed to squeeze in.  San Diego may be next.  May have to look up an old friend!

Needless to say, G and I have been stuck like glue since I got back.  Kids are so funny, some days it is all you can do to make it to bed time.  Then it is all you can do to not sneak in and snuggle them up. 

Tweet Tweet!

Part of the new yard/garden remodel has been to better entice the wild population onto our property.  We had a ban swallow house on the west side of the house but it never seemed to attract anything but robins.  Nick has taken it down, redone it and now it is in the east garden.  It has already attracted a few visitors and hopefully by end of summer some swallows will have made it their home.

Week before last Nick came up with a great (yet another) rainy day project and he and Gunnar glued together a bunch of scrap wood to make some more single houses.

They came out great and the birds seem to agree too!

  

Next will be to get the bat house up!