Wow - it's been almost a month!

Yeah, not good.  In my defense I can only plead a quiet life in a quiet place.  We get up either with the sun or shortly thereafter.  My first task is to feed the birds then make coffee.  Mostly it is around 37F (2.7C) when I'm outside.  Then I usually settle in at the computer to check out what has happened in the world.  When I am sufficiently depressed, we get some kind of breakfast.  Breakfast, if it is at home, incorporates bird watching. 

I just noticed that ugly seating area in our back yard.  We set that up as a 'trial' seating to see if it was large enough, etc.  Hmm, that was at least 5 years ago!  What can I say, it works for us but maybe someday soon there will be a photo of the wonderful, new, prettier seating area. 

Then it is more computer work until we get ready to go out to lunch.  Most days we incorporate lunch with whatever shopping we need to do.  Since it is so cool early in the day we like to take a walk after lunch.  It is just around the neighborhood (about 2.5 miles or 4 km) but you can't sit around all day!  We get to say 'hi' to the various dogs and horses and, as a big thrill, we count the number of rabbits we see.  By now it's time to work on dinner but we do try to get a little time out in the yard (on the ugly seating area!) to check out the sunset (about 4:30) with a glass of wine or a drink. 

After our 'happy hour' we have dinner which will be followed by a couple hours of tv.  Exciting times!

Actually there are a few distractions.  Las Vegas is right there in case we want to do serious shopping and we usually make a trip every 10 days to 2 weeks.  A week or so ago we went the other way, towards California, and visited Ash Meadows.  The meadows are formed by springs bursting out of the desert floor and pumping thousands of gallons of water a minute along small streams until the water retreats and goes back underground.  These days the most famous residents of Ash Meadows are the pup fish.  These are little minow sized fish who live only in a few of these springs.  Back in the early 1900's people were trying to farm this area and they did so much damage to the environment that it cannot be repaired.  Still there are about 30 species of plants and animals that are no where else on earth.  What we have now are a few walks that one can take on raised wooden boardwalks.  The longest of the walks is just over a mile and in 80F (26C) weather it is quite pleasant.  Mid-summer and I don't think it would be that much fun.  We walked to the Crystal Spring and had a very nice time.

You stand there looking into this crystal clear water then look up to see that bare rock mountain in the distance.  It is quite a place.  You can see why people wanted to farm this land.  Apparently native tribes used the springs as a place to meet on special ocassions.  A couple years ago a new visitor center was built and the many displays discuss the history of the area.  You can even 'adopt' a pupfish for a $50 donation. 

This Thanksgiving our daughter offered to host at her home in Las Vegas so off we went.  We got to bring a pie and the stuffing but that wasn't too tough.  I may as well say there are no photos.  She had never cooked a turkey in her over 40 years on earth so she got advice from all her friends.  Somehow they talked her into cooking the bird breast side up for an hour or so then turning it over for another couple hours.  My wife and I had never heard of that but it turned out to be quite delicious.  I'm not too sure the skin was as crispy as it might have been but I don't eat it so I don't care!  She and her mother seemed to like it though so it certainly wasn't bad. 

Anyway, that was the month of November!  As I said, life in the fast lane.  Hope your month was more exciting in a good way!  Thanks for stopping by.