It's been a lovely cruise...... Lowering the curtain on the Valley of the Sun 2016

I like the way your sparkling earrings lay

Upon your skin so brown

And I want to sleep with you in the desert night

With a million stars all around

I get a peaceful easy feelin'

And I know you won't let me down

'Cause I'm already standin'

On the ground

(Lyrics by Jack Tempchin.  Song recorded and performed by "The Eagles" in 1972.)

Yes, I get a peaceful easy feeling when I reflect on our adventures to, in and from the Valley of the Sun 2016.  It has been a wonderful experience.  Sure, we had some bad days, but when I look back it is hard to remember too much about them.  Why do you suppose that is?  Maybe it is a glass half full kinda thing.  I'll have to ask my brother Mike about that.

I'm not sure I can put into words how much we loved our community in the desert.  It seems that every year we return the bond with old friends gets stronger.  A bonus is that we continue to make new friends which make our community even stronger.

January got off to a great start.  Dana and I got to ride our bikes in the sun on New Years Day.  A beautiful memory.  Then, one day later I went down with a flu bug.  I lost 2 weeks, maybe 3 until I felt fully recovered.  I plan on speaking with my medical team back home about the value of getting a flu shot when 2 years in a row I have ended up with the flu.  Dang!

Once again this year we played in the Bocce Ball League with Tony and Gayle.  We finished league play with a winning record.  There are 500 plus members of the Bocce Ball Club playing League.  The physical condition of the players range from athletes to invalids.  I have not seen anyone playing from a wheelchair or walker but there are some players that require physical assistance from team members to participate.  Okay, I'm only going to say this once.  Bocce Ball is a diabolical game.  I have not consulted my theologian friends but  I'm pretty sure the origin of the game is the Garden of Eden.   It is written somewhere, I think in the book of Bocce, verse 666, that Satan was behind the development of the game.  Back then instead of man made bocce balls they used apples.  I'm not making this up, I'm just telling you what I heard.  Adam and Eve were the first to play, and lose.  The rest is as they say, history.  But I digress....

I had a pretty decent golf game this year.  Of course, being that it was golf my game was up and down, good and bad, sometimes (rarely) very good.  Thursdays with brother Mike and the gang at Superstition Springs was a great time.  Sundays with a larger group called the "Royal Canadians" at Sun Land Village was less frustrating and equally a great time.  As was the case last year I got in a couple of rounds with JD at Sun City West and one round with Steve at Red Mountain.  The round at Red Mountain was special as brother Mike joined in for the fun and frustration offered by one of the toughest desert course in Mesa.

Birding and bird photography this year was fantastic.  Dana and I did not bird as much as last year, probably owing to the cold weather in January but all the same we got out a lot and saw a lot of great birds and birding locations.   Good news is that we did not see any snakes.  Not that I was over concerned about seeing snakes.  We got to renew friendship with our birding friends, which was special.  I got some good photos many of which I have yet to review, edit or delete.   By the way, I have found that the secret to photo file management is to be very disciplined in the application of "R.E.D."  That stands for Review, Edit, or Delete.  Some days I come home with 700 or more photos.  If I don't apply RED, in a few days I could be overwhelmed with photos.  Consider this a free tip on digital photo management.

We really enjoyed staying in our new trailer house on 14th street.  This year we had to move from 1402 to 1413.  The new (to us) trailer had some extra space the 1402 did not have.  The drawback was only one bathroom but other than that the new place was very comfortable and well equipped.  We left a deposit with the owner for January-March 2017 so our intentions are to return for another winter.  Lucky us!!!

I remain fascinated with the political scene in the U.S.  In a weird sort of creepy way it has been special to be in the U.S. during these very turbulent times.  I think everyone has long given up trying to predict what will happen next, or heaven forbid, what the outcome will be in November.  I know I have.  Oh, it was fun at the beginning to observe the silliness and the sensational, then write about it.  Now however after 3 months and more mud slinging than you might see at a Jerry Springer show, it is just very tiring, frustrating, confusing and fascinating and compelling.  Very weird, eh.  My last word on the outcome is that Trump will not get the nomination on the Republican side because just before their convention there will be a revelation about Trump that will sink his hope for the nomination.  John Kasich will garner enough votes on the 3rd ballot to win the GOP nomination.  All will be revealed on FOX News and detailed in the National Enquirer, both now reported by themselves to be legitimate news organizations dedicated to truth and justice in reporting.   God Bless America!

Seriously, the state of the State of the Union is precarious.  In my view the U.S.A. is at a crossroads in their history.  State rights are playing an increasing role in shaping public policies.  Many of these policies have morphed into state laws and many of these laws violate the U.S. Constitution.  The U.S. federal government seems paralyzed and is unable to deal with rogue states.  The 2 party system that has existed since the creation of the country is in the process of collapse.  Is this the start of an evolution, or revolution?  Frankly it is difficult to say at this point.  What is safe to say is that emotions are running very high throughout the country.  Current and prospective political leaders appear unwilling or unable to cooperate or compromise to reach consensus on major issues.  Public intervention is on the increase and may escalate from peaceful demonstration to something more sinister.  How could one not pay attention to this situation.  I am looking forward to observing it from the safe confines of Canada.  Welcome home!  Yessss!!!

I don't want to close out my last post ranting about the U.S. political crisis.  So, I want to tell you a little bit about our trip north to Canada.  Okay I am actually still in the U.S., Point Roberts to be precise, but we formally crossed into Canada this afternoon as we were enroute to the Point.  This was the 7th year we made the return trip from Arizona.  Hands-down this was the best return trip.  The roads were great.  The accommodations were good.  We found plenty of coffee along the way, which as you know is very, very important ;-)  We got see niece Carly in Salt lake City, truly a highlight for UB & AD.  And, the icing on the cake was our 2 day visit with Aunt Lynda and Uncle Bob on Whidbey Island.  A bonus is being at the Farm here at the Point with loved ones.

Our routing north was pretty simple.  Green Valley to Kanab, Utah via Interstate10 and Hwy 89/89A. Kanab to Salt Lake City via Interstate 15.  SLC to Pendleton, Oregon via Interstate 84.  Pendleton to Seattle, then to Whidbey Island via Interstate 82, 90 and 5.  Today we drove Hwy 20 to I-5 then north to Canada, eh.  Just givin' 'er, eh.  God it's great to be back north.  Whoa!  Did I just write that?  It's raining.  It's barely in the mid 50's.  But yes, it is good to be back, close to home.  Tomorrow we will catch the ferry to the Big Island and then we will really be home.  I'm really, really trying to stay positive about being back north.  I had such a great time in the desert.  I love the heat of the desert.  I love the sounds of the desert.  Heck, I love everything about the desert, except maybe the scorpions and snakes, er, I mean politicians.

Well, that's a wrap.  Time to bring the curtain down on another fabulous Adventure in the Valley of the Sun.  I hope you have enjoyed my stories, rants and raves, and the photos.  I have enjoyed bringing them to you.  Next year, God willing and the creek don't rise we'll go back to the desert for another Adventure in the Valley of the Sun.  Some J.J. Cale to close the show......

Sometime you do, sometime you don't

Sometime you will and sometime you won't

Sometimes it's better to leave it alone

Slow it down, ease it, you let it be gone, gone, gone

Bring down the curtain, we've been movin' on

Lyrics by: J. J. Cale - Bring Down The Curtain | MetroLyrics 

Vermillion Cliffs at Navajo Bridge, northern Arizona.

The view was "Golden"

As we continue our northward migration to Canada, our travels took us through Zion National Park.  Our excitement for the day occurred a few miles before we entered the Park.  About 9:00 a.m. we we cruising along not seeing much other than the beautiful red rock hills.  Then, off to our left on 2 power poles we notice 2 large dark brown birds.  Not Red-tailed Hawks.  I slowed down and Dana says, "Those are Golden Eagles!"  I keep driving for about 200 meters and pull off the road.  I hop out and dig out my camera from the back of the 4Runner.  Dana hops in as driver and we turn around and drive back to get a better look at the eagles.  We pull well off the road and turn off the truck.  I start shooting photos.  The eagles stayed with us for about 10 minutes.  Awesome!

Okay, let me explain to birders and non-birders what we experienced.  First of all, Golden Eagles don't just sit on power poles beside the road.  NOT EVER!!!  They are rare.  When they are observed it is when they are soaring high in the sky.  They often occur singly.   They nest on high rocky ledges and feed on small mammals such as rabbits and occasionally small pets.  (Penny - Just kidding about the pets ;-)  Of all the bird reports I have seen I have never seen Golden Eagles reported perched on power poles beside a highway.  This is how special this event was.  At least it was special for Dana and me and why I wanted to share it in our blog.

btw:  Tonight we are in Pendleton, Oregon.  We ate fantastic burgers at a brew pub this evening.  Downtown Pendleton is a happening place this Saturday evening.  A wedding reception at the world famous Hamley's Steakhouse (I got to hold the front door open for the Bride and Groom) and next door at the Slickfork Saloon above the world famous Hamley's Cowboy clothes, Saddles and Tack store, Michael Martin Murphey is performing live in concert with his band.

Here is a photo of one of the Golden Eagles that we saw yesterday morning in Utah.  (PS:  I know I have said some rather uncomplimentary things about Utah in the past.  I think I am changing my mind about the state.  It does have a lot to offer.....)

I generally to not post "power pole" shots of birds.  I am making an exception for this exceptional bird.By the
way, large hawks are about 20 inches "tall".  Golden Eagles are 30" tall, or in length.  That is how big they are!

Farewell Arizona!!!!!

At 5:45 p.m. this evening we crossed the state line into Utah bringing to a close to our 2016 Arizona adventure.  Wow!  What an adventure it has been.

Dana asked me this evening if I was going to blog tonight.  I said, "probably".  This is always one of the toughest posts to write, the one after we leave Arizona.  I usually start the post with lyrics from a song, or maybe a photo.   Okay, I'm waiting for some inspiration, or just plain imagination.....  Still waiting.....   Nothing yet.....   Maybe if I wrote a little something will come to me.

Since my last post we have been staying in Green Valley, Az. at the AzBirder Casitas.  If you google AZBirderCasitas you will see where we were staying.  Dorothy and John own 3 casitas and rent them by the week or month.  We stayed there last year and enjoyed it so much we went back.  This year was a bit special as our friends Bud and Joanne came down from Victoria and stayed in the casita next door.   The four of us spent the week birding some of our favourite locations in southern Az.  If you want a great vacation in this area I highly recommend you inquire about renting one of these casitas.

Over the course of our 6 days in southern Az. we birded pretty much non-stop.  I think the term is "industrial strength birding".  We were out of our casitas and on the road by 7:00 a.m. every day except the last one when we started at 6:30 a.m.  We travelled approximately 600 km going to and from locations.  I have yet to finalize my bird species lists for all locations.  I will put these details in the next post.  I can say that I added a couple of birds to my life list, and many to our year to date list.

I took quite a few photos during our 6 days of birding.  Alas, once again all of birds.  I had great intentions of taking landscape photos but every day I forgot my landscape lens.  Maybe I need a separate camera body for landscapes.  That way I don't have to worry about changing lens or forgetting to pack the 18-55 landscape lens.  You know, that is a great idea.  I will run that one by my accountant.

Oh by the way, tonight we are in Kanab, Utah.  We got here by way of highway 89A out of Arizona.  Fantastic scenic byway that cuts through northern Arizona, north of the Grand Canyon.  It is a 2 lane road that winds up into the mountains topping out at 7,980 feet of elevation.  Lots of red rock cliffs and tall pine forest.  Fortunately there was very little traffic.  If you went on that road in the busy season it would be very, very slow going.

Kanab is a very pretty town.  Tonight we ate the Iron Horse Restaurant.  Plastered on the walls were dozens of black & white photos of movie stars from the days of western movies.  They call Kanab, "Little Hollywood" where over 200 movies and TV shows have been shot.  If you are a western movie buff, a visit to Kanab should be on your list of places to visit.  Google Kanab, Utah and check out the film and TV credits (Gunsmoke, Outlaw Jose Wales, Stage Coach, Lone Ranger, Death Valley Days, etc.....)

Still nothing on the closing lyrics.  I will definitely come up with something on my closing post.  No this adventure is not over yet.  6 or 7 more days on the road before we get home.  I leave you with a few photos from our birding in southern Az.  Enjoy!

Bell's Vireo

Northern-beardless Tyannulet

Violet-crowned Hummingbird 

White-faced Ibis

Yellow-Romped Warbler

Anna's Hummingbird with pollen on her throat

Hooded Oriole (female) 

Last night in the Resort.

The days drift by
They don't have names
And none of the streets here look the same
And there aren't many reasons I would leave 
Yes, I have found me some peace
Yes, I have found me a home.

"I have found me a home" Lyrics by Jimmy Buffett.


Mixed emotions.  Yes, I have mixed emotions as we pack our belongings and clean the park model in preparation for leaving the Resort tomorrow morning.  We have been here for 3 months.  In some ways it seems like 3 weeks.  In some ways it feels like, well, 3 months!  A lot has gone on in 3 months.  Notice that I did not say that "a lot has happened" in 3 months.  It seems that most days are "groundhog days".  Up early, breakfast, riding, or birding, social activity, dinner, sleep; get up: repeat.  Never boring.  And the weather?  Except for a spell back in January it has been awesome.

Dana says she is ready to go home but we have one more adventure before we point the 4Runner north.  Tomorrow we go to Green Valley for a week of birding and sight-seeing with our friends from Victoria.  I will write about our adventures in southern Arizona later.

This past week we have said goodbye to many of our friends and neighbours.  It is hard to say goodbye, not knowing if they will be back, or if we will be back.  Of course we plan on returning but nothing is ever for certain.  Got to maintain our health, which as everyone over 60 knows is their number one job.  On this note we are looking forward to being home and getting back to our routine of going to the gym 3 times a week.  While we have been able to visit the gym here, it has been far from regular.  We do miss it.

On Monday we had our last bike ride with Steve and Joanne.   The ride even included our traditional stop at Starbucks for drinks.  Of course we also enjoyed munching on "cookies by Dana", our healthy snack for cyclists.

Yesterday we went birding for the last time here in the Valley of the Sun.  We were going to return to Mesquite Wash, 30 miles north of here where, last Friday we got two Vireo species for our year to date list.   Monday evening I sent an email to our friend Marcus to let him know where we intended to bird on Tuesday.  He sent a return one line email saying "I catch lots of rattlesnakes at mesquite wash, birding excellent there." I shot him back a reply saying "seriously?" Marcus returned a reply; "Should be fine, watch for them, birding should be fine."  I have to say this kinda freaked me out.  Luckily the weather Tuesday morning was cold, windy and some rain.  A great reason NOT to go to Mesquite Wash.  We elected to go to Granite Reef where we got the newly arrived Bullock's Oriole, our 158 bird species of the year.

Last evening our friends Tony and Gayle treated us to dinner at one of the favourite Italian restaurants. The food was splendid and the company was awesome.  Tonight, Lila and Leroy had us over for a fish fry.  Leroy cooked up Walleye and Small-mouthed Bass.  Awesome food, awesome company.

No question we are going to miss our friends here in Mesa.  It has been 3 or 4 years since we have stayed through to the end of March.  We are usually home in Victoria by now.  The days are getting longer, and hotter.  There are fewer people in the resort as many have already departed to their home in the north.  In some ways it is hard to stay in the moment and enjoy the wonders of what the desert has to offer this time of year.  Many cactus species are beginning to blossom.  We are hoping that the Saguaro cactus blossom before we leave the desert.  Regardless, it is amazingly green in the desert this time of year.  The Palo Verde and Mesquite trees have all leafed out.  They are very beautiful.  Of course this is making bird photography very difficult as the birds are hard to see in the trees.  That's okay.  I love a challenge.

The resort has been our home for the past 3 months.  This is the 7th year that we have come to Arizona during the winter.  We are so thankful that we are able to come to the desert.  We are so thankful we have our health.   We have logged over 1,200 kms on our bikes - not a single kilometre in the rain!  We enjoyed another year playing Bocce Ball with Tony and Gayle.  I have golfed way more than normal.  Dana and I have birded a lot, but perhaps a bit less than last year.  We have enjoyed many social events here at the Resort.

Yes, I have found me a home.  Then again, home is where you hang your hat and next week our home is Green Valley.  After that we will be on the road again.  Our destination, Victoria.  Sometimes I feel like I'm living the Johnny Cash song, "I've been everywhere".  Bet you know some of the words....

I've been everywhere, man
I've been everywhere, man
Crossed the deserts bare, man
I've breathed the mountain air, man
Travel, I've had my share, man
I've been everywhere

That's it for now.  I'll write again from Green Valley.......

Sing along and add your own towns and cities...

I've been to.....

???????

The not so Common, "Common Black Hawk".

In desperate need to rid my mind of gutter politics, at least for a few hours, Dana and I, joined by our 83 year old friend Carl, headed up the Bee Line Highway this morning for a bit of birding.

It was a wonderful morning.  Not too hot.  Not too cold.  We birded 2 locations about 30 miles north of Mesa.  The results were excellent as we picked up 2 new species for our year to date list.  These were; Warbling Vireo and Cassin's Vireo.  The highlight of the morning was the sighting of a pair of Common Black Hawks.  The hawks were busy next building so we observed from a safe distance, got our photos and left them to their business.  When I got home and reviewed the photos I was thrilled with the one of the hawk just before it took flight with a branch for the new nest.  Hope you like it too.

Short post tonight.  Mission accomplished.

Things are getting personal on the Republican campaign trail...

"Donald Trump, you are a snivelling coward"!  Words from Ted (I'm not a Canadian) Cruz this afternoon while campaigning in Wisconsin ahead of this weeks primary in that state.  Cruz went on to say to the Donald, "It's not easy to tick me off. I don't get angry often, but you mess with my wife, you mess with my kids, that'll do it every time.  Donald, you are a snivelling coward and leave Heidi the hell alone."  This latest tirade in response to the Donald re-tweeting a set of photos, one of his  wife, former fashion model Melania, and the other a less than flattering photo of Ted's wife Heidi.  It was the caption "A picture is worth a thousand words" that got Cruz in a lather.

WTF!??  What the hell is going on?  Where is this going?  Are these kids running for Leader of the Pack, or the leader of their country?  Okay, initially I thought it was going to be fun having great comic material from the Republican Presidential Candidates, who aren't even actual candidates yet.  I did say these are the halcyon days for political satire.  I poked fun at the missteps, misquotes and mistakes by and from those representing the Republican Party who wish to rule the kingdom of these United States of America.  I have written of the contrast between the GOP race and that of the sometimes feisty yet boring dust-ups between Bernie and Hillary on the Democrat side of the house.  But this latest twist in the already embarrassing Republican race takes us into uncharted waters, even for comedians and satirists.

"You are a snivelling coward"!  Whoa!  What's next, a challenge to a duel?  Pistols at 40 paces?  No wait, that would be too respectable.  No, I think to settle this latest tiff Donald and Ted will mud wrestle.  No, better yet, at the recommendation of Duck Dynasty fans who through social media, voted 102,346 to 46 for Donald and his wife Melania, and Ted and his wife Heidi to tag team mud wrestle.  All 4 will wear thongs and tear-away T-shirts that will be emblazoned with the words "My wife is prettier than yours"!  6 Delegates will be up for grabs in this winner take all event.  This might even set a standard for future contests in order to avoid the lack of Polling Stations like in Arizona last week.  That is another story altogether.   Arizona, shame on you!   No, you can't make this shit up.  Really, you just can't!

Yes, I have to admit that this is far better than "ambulance chasing".  However, the more I follow America's shame, ah, for anyone not following me I am indeed referring to the 2016 GOP race for the nomination as candidate for President, I am beginning to feel an actual need or even desire for information.  There are a lot of great sporting events going on around the world.  Pro cycling in Italy, Spain and Belgium.  PGA World Match Play in the U.S.  NCAA men's basketball "March Madness".   Yet when I get up in the morning what do I look at first?  NPR, CBC, then the New York Times.  I look to see who said what in the GOP race.   Then after I am satisfied that I have all the information I am craving I check to see if Alberto Contador won the current stage in the race in Spain, or if Kansas knocked off Duke.

Oh boy!  We are witnessing history.  We are shocked yet we can't get enough.  We swear that we are done paying attention, then we eat up the latest information as if it were Tillamook Mudslide ice-cream and we just finished an 80k hard effort on the bike.  Best take a deep breath, and let it out very slowly.  Another one......  There.  Better.  I fear the best is yet to come.  No, I'm not making that up.

Hot weather brings out the reptiles

In keeping with the theme started in my last post, I want to address the looming issue of possible reptile encounters.  The weather here in Az. continues to set records.  Hot, hot, hot....  Tomorrow the temperature will be a cool 75F.  No one is going to complain about seeing the daytime temp dip into the 70's after many days in the 80's and even 90's.  This will be a one day event as the temps go back up to 80 for the rest of the week.  I can see the faces of our Pacific Northwest friends who have been suffering through one of the wettest winters in some time.  I don't know if the look is bewilderment  but I know these are not happy faces.  I digress......

Right.  Reptiles.  Dana and I went to the Boyce Thompson Arboretum this morning.  We had not been to BTA for several weeks.  The last time we were there it was not "very birdy".  We had better luck this morning by identifying 26 species of birds, including 3 species new to our year to date list.  These new birds are: American Robin, Hammond's Flycatcher and Broad-billed Hummingbird.  

Here we go.  Reptiles.  In addition to the many birds that we saw today at BTA we also saw many lizards.  The are 107 species of reptiles in Az.  There are 49 species of lizards, 6 species of turtles and 52 species of snakes.  There is a saying here in the desert that when you start seeing lizards, the snakes are not far behind.  I can't say for certain how many species of lizard we saw today, perhaps only a few.  I did get a good picture of one which I have included in this post.

No, we did not see any snakes today but we were certainly on the lookout for them.  While we don't spend all day talking about snake encounters, it is a topic that comes up whenever we venture out into the desert.  We are trying to educate ourselves on how to avoid snakes, what to do when we encounter one and of course what to do in the event we are bitten.  The Arizona Fish & Game Department has a website page dedicated to "Reptiles".  It states "Among the snakes are 13 species of rattlesnakes, which is just over one-third of the world’s rattlesnakes, and more than can be found in any other U.S. state".  Such an upbeat statement.  Yippee!  We have more snakes than anyone else in the U.S.!!  Fine.

It would be so easy to become paranoid about being bitten by a rattlesnake and dying a slow agonizing death in the hot Arizona desert, Turkey Vultures circling waiting to feast, while Coyotes yip with excitement and anticipation of an easy meal.  Of course that would be sooo... Hollywood.  The reality is that only 150 people get bit by rattlesnakes in Arizona each year.  Deaths are rare.  They say that the best way to avoid being bitten is to avoid "handling" rattlesnakes and to "walk" away from any encounter.  Got it.  Check, check and double check!  No handling and walk away.  Got it!

I leave you with two photos from today.  The first one is what I believe to be a Hammond's Flycatcher, although my friend and master birder has yet to provide his feedback on my identification.  The second is a photo of one of the lizards we saw today.  It is a Greater Earless Lizard.  I can't say with any certainty how huge this lizard was but apparently it is harmless but I did not handle it so I don't know for sure.

Near miss......

Got to check the box on another "Arizona" experience this past Wednesday evening.  I stepped out of the sliding doors of the trailer onto the landing at about 8:30 p.m., it was dark, and I put my bare foot down onto a Scorpion.  The Scorp was not too happy with me and zapped me with its stinger.  Ouch! Actually I said other words but you get the drift.  In addition I hopped into the trailer wondering if I was going to live or was I going to die here in the dry Arizona desert.  Well, maybe I was being a wee bit melodramatic.

Seriously though it hurt like hell.  When I sat down I grabbed the computer and did what anyone would do when they need information.  "GOOGLE IT"  "Scorpion bites in Arizona" took me to a site that was awesome.  The information started out by stating that "Scorpion stings are not normally lethal".  My brain got hung up on the word "normally".  The site contained all the info one would need including a 1-800 number which I called.  This was the local Poison Control Hot line.  My brain got stuck on the word "Poison".....   I explained my situation to the representative.  The rep from Poison Control was terrific and somewhat reassuring.  He explained that the "venom" from the sting affected only the nervous system and nothing else.  (Oh goody....)  He instructed me to wash the area, apply a cold compress, elevate if possible and take 2 Tylenol or Ibuprofen.  He said he would call back in an hour and see how I was doing.  Sure enough an hour later someone called to check on me.  Great service.  

The question I get asked most often is, what were the effects.  To be honest there were not many.  The symptoms were similar to getting stung by a wasp.  The area where I was stung was tender and sore during the evening.  I did not have any swelling in the affected area.  The following morning I got up, put my foot on the floor and, nothing.  The pain was gone.  Other folks we know who have been stung had other symptoms and some needed medical attention.  Lucky me.

The beast was captured just after the attack.  It spend the night sealed in a jar.  The following morning I took it outside, in the jar of course, to take a few photos.  I took a couple of photos in the shaded carport.  The Scorpion was a bit lethargic but I wrote that off to it spending the night in a jar.  I took it out into the sunlight to get a better photo.  Holy smokes the beast went crazy.  It seems that Scorpions, like vampires, do not like sunlight, or for that matter any light.  When I took it back into the shade it settled right down.  Then I applied rubbing alcohol and he went sleep, permanently.  

Here is a photo of the Scorpion that savagely attacked me.  For interest, it is an Arizona Bark Scorpion.  Don't let the size fool you.  It packs a wallop!

Visit to the Tonto National Monument

It has been a busy week both in politics and more importantly, our continued adventures in the Valley of the Sun.  On Saturday we picked up our friends Keith and Nancy from their RV resort and headed off to visit the Tonto National Monument.  Saturday was "Fee Free" at the Monument in celebration of Arizona Archeology and Heritage Awareness Month.  The Monument, operated by the National Parks Service hosted Heritage Days on Saturday and Sunday.

What is the Tonto National Monument?  Perched on the side of a mountain are 2 shallow caves containing dwellings dating back 700 years.  A better description is "Cliff Dwellings".  There is a lower dwelling and an upper dwelling.  The upper dwelling is a bit larger but essentially both contain the remains of dwellings used by the Salado people.  Salado people being those of the Salt River.  The Monument was established by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1907 in an effort to preserve and protect the sites from vandals and pothunters.

Dana, Keith, Nancy and I arrived at the Monument Headquarters at 9:00 a.m.  Unfortunately, Nancy was unable to hike up to the dwellings as the night before she had injured a toe on her left foot.  We left Nancy in the Headquarters visitors centre where she bonded with fellow Parks Service employees while Dana, Keith and I headed to the lower dwellings.  This was a short 25 minute walk.  On the way up I took some landscape photos.  The sun was at the perfect angle.  The cactus, yellow flowers of the Brittle Bush and the red hillside seemed to glow.  We had a look at the dwellings, talked to a couple of Park staff and headed back down to find the trail to the upper dwellings.

For the hike to the upper dwellings I put the 400mm lens on the camera.  I did this as we saw a number of birds on the hike to the lower dwellings and I missed a few good opportunities at some of the local birds.  I was not about to miss any more.  Murphy must have been on our team as we got only a couple of glimpses of birds on the hike up to and down from the upper dwellings.  That hike, including a visit to the dwellings lasted 1 1/2 hours.

When we got back to the parking area we decided to have our picnic lunch.  It was at this time that I finally saw a couple of birds.  Photos below.

Overall the visit to the Tonto Monument was fantastic.  I have read about cliff dwellings and seen shows on television about them but I had not seen them for myself.  Fascinating!  To think that up to 100 people inhabited each of these dwellings is amazing.  The information on the Salado people indicate when they inhabited the dwellings but there is a great deal that we do not know about them.  For example, why did they create the dwellings high on a hill, many miles from the Salt River and perhaps even more important, where did they go and why did they leave.

I am including a few photos from the day.  All of these photos are from the trail to the lower dwellings, or of the lower dwellings themselves.  I had the big lens on the camera when we were at the upper dwellings and I did not take any landscape photos there.

In summary it was great day.  If you get the chance to visit the Tonto National Monument I don't think you will be disappointed, even if you have to pay the admission.

Enjoy the photos.

Visitor Reception and Office building

Photo taken from inside the cave.  In the background is Lake Roosevelt.  Prior to 1904 it would be the Salt River

Tropical Buckeye Butterfly

Canyon Towhee

White Western Butterfly

Anna's Hummingbird feeding on Penstemon flowers

Happy Birthday Dylan Douglas Shivers!

This post is a very special shout out to Dylan.  Happy Birthday, dude!  Some of you who know me might be thinking "Bob Dylan"?  No, not that Dylan.  That Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman on May 24, 1941 is one of my all time favourite singer-songwriter, poet, entertainer, someone who shaped a generation with his brilliant lyrics.  The Dylan on my radar today is Dylan Douglas Shivers, born March 8, 2009.  Happy 7th birthday Dylan!   Holy smokes, that is the year I retired.  Most of my socks and t-shirts, heck, most of my clothes are older that that.

I understand that Dylan requested his favourites for dinner tonight, and his mom delivered, as usual.  For Dylan tonight it was steak on the grill, scalloped potatoes and Greek salad.  For dessert?  What else but mom's special carrot cake with cream cheese icing.  Good call Dylan, these are some of my favourites too.

Okay Dylan, you know that we have some very interesting creatures here in the desert.  One being the Scorpion.  Well last evening AD and I were out for a walk and ran into a dude with a black light and pair of pliers.  He also donned a John Deere ball cap, but I digress (ask your mom what this means....).  John Deere dude was going through the resort finding Scorpions and dispatching them with his trusty pair of pliers.  He told us that the evening before he had found 31 Scorps.  Before you think this sound like fun you should know that he was a professional and you should not try this at home by yourself.  Dad will explain this reasoning to you.

Ok, that's all from here in Arizona.  To all you birthday dudes, have a good night.  Don't forget to tell your mom, dad, brothers and sisters how much you love them.

Here is a picture of Dylan on his birthday with his new scooter.

Time to March. Birding in overdrive......

I’m taking a break from politics tonight.  Rather than writing about the pathetic state of affairs in U.S. politics I am going back to basics.  I am not going to rant about the GOP’s choices for potential candidate in the 2016 U.S. Presidential race, although their choices are, by any standards, wing nuts, wackos and just plain ridiculous.  No, I won’t go there.  Nor will I satirize the GOP candidates by referring to their daily taunts, threats and empty promises, and that is just what they are saying about each other.  Nope.  Won’t go there.  Not worth the time nor effort.   Wait.  Trump is just about to make a speech after today’s Primaries and Caucuses, which he won 2 and lost 2 to none other than Ted, I am not Canadian, Cruz.   Oops.  Sorry.  I just can’t help myself.  Maybe if I shut the split screen that I have open I will be able to concentrate on what I really want to write about this evening and that is BIRDS!

Okay, here goes….

This week we added 7 new birds to our 2016 year to date list.  They are:

1. Lawrence’s Goldfinch - a new life list bird
2. Ash-throated Flycatcher
3. Black-chinned Sparrow - also a lifer
4. Yellow-eyed Junco
5. Hutton’s Vireo
6. Brewer’s Blackbird
7. Chihuahuan Raven- also a lifer

A couple of days ago Dana and I went down to Coon Bluff Recreation Area to do a bit of late afternoon birding.  We are doing this more often now that the day time temperature is in the mid 80’s.  By going to the river we find cooler temperatures and some shade.  Also, the birds tend to feed in the late afternoon so we have a better chance and seeing them.  I admit to having a couple of target species in mind.  One being the Ash-throated Flycatcher.  We got one about this time last year so I thought, why not?  While wandering through the Mesquite trees, which are leafing out making birding a bit more of a challenge, we spotted the “usual suspects”; Vermillion Flycatcher, Gray Flycatcher, House Finches, Northern Rough-wing Swallows, etc.  In addition we spotted several Violet-green Swallows mixing it up with the Northern Rough-wing Swallows.  We also spotted a pair of Rock Wrens who have made a home somewhere near the large boulders on the river bank.  The 2 Wrens did not seem a bit afraid and actually seemed to come closer once I started taking photos of them.

We were on our way to the 4Runner to go home when Dana spotted what she initially thought to be a Lesser Goldfinch.  We have Lesser GF here not the American we have back home.   A second look revealed that this Goldfinch had a black face.  Hmmmm…..  Time to re-think this one.  I got a few shots while Dana looked up the bird in her book.  Turned out to be a Lawrence’s Goldfinch.  New to both of us.  Yes!  A lifer!

Today we had a big birding day.  We joined Marcus and Carl for a trip to Pinal Peak.  Pinal Peak is south of Globe, Az., about a 2 hour drive from Mesa.  We drove up to Globe and turned south on Russell Road.  The first 5 miles is a barely 2 lane paved track.  After that it is gravel for about 18 miles to the top.  The last 5 miles is single track with some wide areas for passing.  We got to within 2 miles from the top and ran into a 100 foot stretch of deep snow.  Carefully considering our location, we chose to turn around and go back down the mountain.  Although we were in Marcus’ Toyota 4X4 Sequoia we decided not to risk the soft compacted snow and ice.  Besides, turns out we were a bit early in the season for birding and there were not many birds near the top of the 7,848 ft’ mountain.  We will return later in March before we leave the Valley of the Sun,

On our way to and from our turnaround, we did see some good birds including; Hutton’s Vireo, Acorn Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Yellow-eyed Junco; White-breasted Nuthatch and Black-chinned Sparrow.

We had one last stop to make before we headed back to Mesa. The Landfill at Globe, Az.  You are probably saying to yourself, “the landfill”?  Yes.  The Landfill.  Every good birder knows that landfills are a great place to find birds.  Actually, we didn’t even know there was a landfill at Globe.  I mean the entire countryside in a landfill.  Mining has destroyed hundreds of square miles of ecosystem in that area.  I can’t believe they even thought about having a landfill for human generated garbage.  Regardless, they have a landfill.  Earlier in the day we ran into the eminent Arizona State University Professor, Dr. Pearson.  He's an amazing birder.  I'm not exaggerating by telling you that he knows the call and song of every bird in the world.  Dana and I heard him speak at a Desert Rivers Audubon meeting in Gilbert, Az., 2 years ago.  Marcus knows him through his volunteer work as a bird guide.  Major score on our part.  Dr. Pearson told us that we could see Chihuahuan Ravens at the Globe Landfill.  So this is where we went, and that is what we saw.  Another lifer for all of us!

Yes, it has been a big week of birding.  And, if anyone is keeping score (I sure am), we are now at 150 species for the 2016.  Coincidentally this is exactly the number we had on this date last year.  Not all the same birds mind you, but the same number.

In closing, I did peak to the Trump speech tonight.  I’m going to have nightmares tonight.  Is it just me or was it weird to have a press conference, call out the members of the press by saying that “members of the press are the most dishonest people I know”, then ask for questions from same members of the press and not let the TV audience hear the questions, but provide responses to what may or may not have been the questions asked?  It was surreal.  Very creepy.  The Donald is one very strange, scary dude.  I’m gonna ask the question one more time.  What the hell is going on????

Here are some bird photos to get your mind of politics.  Click on the photos and your browser should provide a larger, sharper image.  Enjoy!
 

I know - not a bird.  We spotted this Mule Deer half way up the mountain.
 They are kinda cute when in the wild.

Ash-throated Flycatcher

Black-chinned Sparrow

Chihuahuan Raven

Hutton's Vireo

Lawrence's Goldfinch

Rock Wren

Super Tuesday, not so Super after all....

I have been looking forward to today.  For the past week I have, at times, been nearly giddy with anticipation.  Super Tuesday, the biggest day yet in the 2016 U.S. Presidential candidate nomination for both the Dems and the GOP.  Here it is 10:00 p.m. and most of the results are in, except Alaska, and I'm feeling not excited because I have a lot of great material to write about, but sad.  Why sad?  Well, let me try and put my feelings into words.  Not easy for a 60 something straight, happily married white guy from the left coast of Canada, eh.  Oh, I'm a non-smoker too, but I digress....

I think until a few weeks ago I thought that the phenomenon known as "The Donald" was going to implode, or explode, or perhaps just have a melt-down.  Whatever was going to happen would be spectacular.  As I have said in the past, it has been like chasing an ambulance.  You know that carnage and destruction could lie around the next corner.  I thought we might of had something last Saturday, when during the Republican candidates forum, Rubio went after Trump for his exploitation of imported Polish construction workers who were brought in to help in the construction of one of his hotels in New Jersey.  For sure this would be damaging to candidate Trump.  Nope.  Then Rubio attacked him over the Trump University scandal that involved lost tuition by students who were left out in the cold when the University folded.  Nope.  Then the other day a story broke about his refusing to reject the support of David Duke and the KKK.  This was the one.  This was it!  This was the straw that would break the back of the Badger.  Nope.  Nothing.  Nada.  Oh sure there was muted condemnation by a few noted Republicans but for the most part the airways were silent.

The Donald continues to show why he is the real Teflon Don.  He has seemingly benefited from controversy that follows him.  I must be losing it because I am going to quote the Donald.  "What the hell is going on"???  I heard a noted political pundit say recently that Trump has so much momentum that controversy of the kind revealed so far will do little damage to him and his popularity among Republican voters.  At this point I want to give a special shout out to the good people of Minnesota who today handed Trump his worst defeat of the primary season.  Trump finished 3rd garnering only 21% of the vote.  I have yet to hear Trump's response to the people of Minnesota but I can imagine that it will go something like, "Fuck 'em.  What do they know?  They voted Jesse Ventura Governor.  He worked for me in the WWF.  Didn't like him then, don't like him know"!  Yep, I can hear it now.....

But seriously, what the hell is going on?   Dana and I have had a couple of very brief discussions about this subject.  Dana is good for about 5 minutes of politics then she is done.  Can't really blame her.  What kind of person really likes talking about this stuff?  Oops.  I mean other than me.  If I had any answers to why and how the GOP, which by the way stands for Grand Old Party, got to this point I would be able to write a book, sell the movie rights and make a killing.  Alas, all I can do is write my blog and provide my thoughts and feelings on what the hell is going on.

Tonight on the PBS Hews Hour David Brooks, political columnist for the New York Times, called Trump a bigot and a bully.  No one on the set of the weekly political discussion gasped or groaned.  The news anchors said nothing.  It was if the silence was acknowledgement that they all agreed.  I happened to agree with David 's candid assessment and have been saying the same thing for months.   Such is the state of the current Republican party.  They are on track to nominate a man who is openly referred to as a bigot and a bully.  He ridicules and taunts his opponents and anyone who dare criticize him.  He lies, tells half truths, has a dreadful memory - conveniently so.  Yet, here he is on the verge of marching to the podium to accept the nomination as the Republican candidate for the 2016 election for President of the U.S.A.  Holy shit!  What the hell is going on?

Why are seemingly good people supporting Trump?  Maybe the options are so bad that they feel they are boxed in and have to vote for the Badger.  Hey, it's a possibility.  Actually when I look at the alternatives to Trump I have to say, could I support any of them?  Maybe John Kasich, he is the only reasonable one of the bunch.  The problem for Kasich is that he is so far back, except in Vermont where he finished 2nd to Trump tonight with 30% of the vote, that he gets no air time and is all but invisible.  Yes, what the hell is going on?

Well, I'm done for the day.  My brain is shutting down.  Let's continue this discussion another day.   If anyone figures out what the hell is going on, please drop me a line.  Oh, don't forget the movie rights.  It's going to be a blockbuster!

By the numbers.....

Almost forgot that this year February has 29 days.  Tuesday is March 1st.  31 days in March, still, and that is the number days we will have left in our 2016 Adventure in the Valley of the Sun., on March 1.  Lots of numbers so far in this post.  Want some more?  Of course you do.

143.  The number of bird species we now have on our year to date list having added 9 yesterday while birding on Mt. Ord which is 50 miles, or 80 Canadian, northeast of Mesa.  Mt. Ord has an elevation of around 7,100 feet.  We spent about 4 hours birding our way up to the summit of Mt. Ord. The 6 miles of gravel road was very rough and dusty, except for the small patch of ice near the top.

Mt. Ord, above 5,000 feet, is a pine forest.  These desert ecosystems are called "sky islands" and support a variety of flora and fauna.  Pine, Live Oak and Juniper are abundant.  Wild flowers dot the landscape.  Snow patches on the north side of the mountain provide some needed water.  The birds were quiet first thing in the morning but once the air warmed up to 50F they started moving around and feeding on seeds, insects and sap from the trees.

As I mentioned we picked up 9 new species on Mt. Ord.  They are:

Williamson's Sapsucker, Bridled Titmouse, Northern Flicker, Hairy Woodpecker, White-breasted Nuthatch, Olive Warbler, Violet-green Swallow, Acorn Woodpecker and Western Bluebird.

Photos were tough to get this day given the fast moving birds and the poor light in the forest.  I did however manage to get a couple to share in this post.  In addition to the sharing the bird photos I am  going to share with you a little insight into my style of bird photography.  There are times when I can photograph birds from the 4Runner (note the photo of the Crested Caracara from a previous post).  There are other times when skulking in the woods by myself can yield outstanding photos.  This is one of my favourite methods as I think it takes me back to my childhood on the farm where we ran free in the 10 acres of woods that made up half of the family "farm".   Yesterday Carl surprised me by  taking a couple of photos of me while I was busy at "work".  These I have included in this post.

I leave you with a couple of other numbers.  Today I golfed 18 holes at Sunland Village Golf Course. It was a gorgeous morning (most are...).  In the 4some was brother Mike.  Always great to golf with Mike.  He tends to bring out the best in me.  Today was no exception, in fact today was exceptional.  I shot 7 over par.  The best round I have had since, well, the last century.  1999 to be exact.  Golf being "golf", the next time out may be completely different.

Well, that's about it for today.  I am already thinking about my next post.  March 1st is "Super Tuesday" on the U.S. political scene.  Oh goody-goody!  There will be scads of great material for my next post.

Enjoy the pics!

Dark-eyed Junco on snow.

Olive Warbler in a Pine tree

Western Bluebird

Williamson's Sapsucker

Skulking in the woods.....

Intent on the subject, ready to pounce, er..., shoot.  No birds were harmed in this  "shoot".

Exciting end to Bocce Ball league.

Today we played our final league game.  We entered the contest with a record of 3 and 3.  A .500 record.  Could we go to 4 and 3?  I have to tell you that expectations were low as our opponents today were arguably the best team in all the Bocce League divisions here in the resort.  There are well over 500 members in the league and competition is stiff.  The all male team that we met today plays together as a team 4 or 5 days a week in various divisions.  At the Awards ceremonies in a couple of weeks they will, as they usually do, walk away with many of the top honours.  And today, we beat them!!!  The final score was 15 to 4.  Now we have been on the loosing end of a 15 to 4 score but I can tell you without hesitation that being on the winning end is a lot more fun.  What a great way to end the year.

Another Bocce Ball season is over for our team, "The Northern Lights".  To say it has been an up and down season would be an understatement.  After we won today we were all looking forward to next year.  A month go I think we were all looking forward to the end of the season.  Nothing like a big win to turn things around.

Oh, if anyone was wondering, no we are not in the playoffs.  After the win today I started telling everyone that we were "the best team NOT in the playoffs".  Makes me think of the Vancouver Canucks.....but I digress.....

Here is an iPhone photo that was taken after our big win today.  4 very happy Bocce Ball players!

Barry, Dana, Gayle and Tony.  Score 15 to 4

The Sunday Wrap

I got up around 7 this morning feeling fresh and energized.  No political hangover!  Thankfully!  After a nutritious breakfast I headed out for Sunday morning golf at Sunland Village Golf Course.  On Sunday mornings I normally play 9 holes with the "Royal Canadians", friends from Mesa Regal Resort.  Today I joined in for the back 9 as well.  It was a glorious morning. Just a breath of wind.  The temperature at the start of the day was around 65F.  By the time we walked off the 18th it was hovering around 75F.  It doesn't get any better than that.  Oh, the golf was pretty good too....

It's been a great week here in the Valley of the Sun.  On Monday we spent the day on Santa Cruz flats with Carl and Marcus.  I posted about our day there so I'll skip on to Tuesday.  We played our 6th league game in Bocce Ball.  We entered the game with a 2 and 3 record.  We had a great team effort on Tuesday against a good team and we won fairly handily.  It was good to bounce back from the defeat in the previous game.  We go into the final week of the season with a .500 record.  This week we play the top team in the league.  Expectations are low, and we just plan on having fun and seeing how the balls roll.

On Wednesday we rode with Steve, Joanne and Peter.  It was a stunningly beautiful day.  Maybe a bit hot at the end (80F), but none the less, near perfect conditions.

On Thursday I golfed 9 holes at Superstition Springs Golf Course in the morning.  Approaching the green on number 13 I noticed 2 large birds circling the green.  Turns out to be Zone-tailed Hawks.  This species of hawk is rare here for this time of year.

When I got home I entered the birds into eBird so that the observation would be recorded for others to see.  That is one of the great features of eBird.  Your observations are recorded and anyone searching eBird for information on what species are being observed in any particular geographic area has access to the data you submit.  eBird also sorts data by country, state, province, county, etc.  There is feature where you can see how your yearly species count compares to other birders who are submitting data.  Okay, this is where things get a bit competitive.  Yes, there is such a thing as competitive birding.

Year to date we are 103rd in the state of Arizona for total species count.  For Maricopa County, which is most of the Valley of the Sun, we are 30th overall.  Keep in mind there are literally hundreds of birders submitting data into eBird.  Our (read - Barry's) goal is to surpass last years placing which was 63rd in the state.  We are pretty much on track and will find many more species before we leave Arizona in April.

On Friday Dana and I had an awesome ride.  We took advantage of light winds and relatively cool temps.  Cool being under 75F.  We completed our 50k ride in 1 hr 49 minutes at an average speed of 27.2 kph.  We were pretty thrashed after the ride and rested for rest of the day.

On Saturday we started the day with some shopping at Trader Joe's where we bought a case of mixed wine for $36.00.  $3 bucks a bottle for decent Cab, Sav Blanc and Pinot Grigio.  In the afternoon we did some late afternoon birding at Coon Bluff where we picked up a new species for the year, Lark Sparrow.

Our year to date bird list now includes 132 having added 4 new species this week (Lesser Yellowlegs, Harris's Hawk which was seen earlier but not recorded, Lark Sparrow and Zone-tailed Hawk).

Well, that was the week that was.  Lots of the same stuff but loads of fun.  The week ahead is already shaping up to be another week of biking, birding, bocce, golfing and socializing.  Fun times!

Here are a couple of photos from this week.

Lark Sparrow at Coon Bluff

Lesser Yellowlegs at Gilbert Riparian Preserve




Surprise!  Hi everyone!!!

Trouble ahead, trouble behind - Dead heads unite.

Trouble ahead

Trouble behind

and you know that notion

just crossed my mind

Dead heads, for those who missed the '70's, Grateful Dead fans, will immediately recognize these lyrics from the song "Casey Jones", which first appeared on the Dead's 1970 album entitled "Workingman's Dead".   I am borrowing these words, not to describe Casey-Jones and his navigating the rails while under the influence of an illicit substance, but to describe my thoughts of the current Republican race for the nomination of the Grand Old Party's 2016 Presidential candidate.  

I get a nagging pain right in the middle of my forehead when I think about the prospects of Donald Trump winning the GOP nomination and going head to head with either Bernie Sanders or Hillary Clinton, because that race is far from over even with Hillary's win this evening in Nevada.  To use a sports metaphor, anything can happen, it's why they play the game.  That my friends is why I am humming the Dead lyrics....."trouble ahead, trouble behind, and you know that notion just crossed my mind".  Then I take 2 Advil and the headache slips slowly away...but I know it lurks just below the surface.....

In case you missed it, The Donald won the Republican primary in South Carolina tonight.  Jeb Bush, the Bush who in the end was just one Bush too many, finished a distant 4th and has "suspended" his campaign.  In other words he's done and has gone back home to Florida, the state with more handguns than residents.  The state where one can declare bankruptcy without future liability for debt incurred.  The state where being able to vote is a challenge for a large percentage of people of colour who lack required, or should I say imposed, identification.  No tears from me for Jeb.

The Republican race is now down to 3 combatants.  Yes, combatants.  The level of nastiness is somewhere between an 8.5 on the Richter scale and a Category 5 hurricane.  The level of vitriol and mud slinging has reached new heights, or rather, lows.  This week The Donald goes toe to toe with the entire Bush Family, calls out George W for being responsible for 911 and the Iraq mess, then gets into it with the Pope by calling him "disgraceful", just because the Pontif said that anyone who would build walls instead of bridges is not Christian.    Can you image.  The nerve - Go Donald!  He also got into it with Cruz and Rubio, calling them liars.  He called Cruz the worst liar he has ever seen.  Then he handily wins the South Carolina primary while Rubio and Cruz split what is left of the vote.  Holy smokes!  What the Sam Hell is going on?  That headache is coming back......

Calm down everyone.  Take a deep breath.....  Ahhhh....  Okay, what's up next?  Bernie and Hillary continue to wage a dull, boring war of niceties over each others awesome credentials, policy proposals and vision for the future.  Next stop for them is South Carolina next Saturday.  Hillary should handily win that one, if there are any sane people left in the Palmetto State.  And this is no reflection on Bernie, but my God, Trump wins in South Carolina?  Holy Smokes....!!!

I have been saying for months that The Donald will fade or flare out as really, no one likes a bully or a bigot, which he is both.  A check of the calendar, it is February 20 and The Donald is gaining delegates and maintaining his lead over the rest of the GOP hopefuls.  Why? Why, why, why???  Time to look at his combatants.  Ted "I'm not a Canadian" Cruz.  I can't get past thinking of him as a Tele-evangelist.  I think he could con a rattlesnake out of its' rattle.  When he speaks I want to run to the bathroom.  He speaks freely of restoring "religious freedom in America".  Whose religious freedom is he restoring?  If you restore something, someone is on the other end of that restoration.  Also, what about all those who live a peaceful, compassionate life outside of organized religion?  Teddy boy, get a grip.  It's 2016, not 1716.

Then there is Marco Rubio.  He's from Florida and thinks Jeb Bush was Florida's greatest Governor - ever.  Florida's greatest?  Sure.  He wants to "restore the Constitution" to it's true meaning.  

This is an excerpt from Wikipedia:

"Since the Constitution came into force in 1789, it has been amended twenty-seven times.[2] In general, the first ten amendments, known collectively as the Bill of Rights, offer specific protections of individual liberty and justice and place restrictions on the powers of government.[3][4] The majority of the seventeen later amendments expand individual civil rights."

So Marco, which of the 17 amendments expanding individual civil rights to you want removed in order to restore the Constitution?  Also, what restriction on government do you want removed?  What a very troubling notion.

My headache is returning....  In closing this post I can tell you that I am very troubled with the direction of one of the two major parties in this, the United States of America.  The GOP (Republican) process to nominate a Presidential candidate is my friends, a train wreck waiting to happen.  The more I watch it the more I feel like an ambulance chaser, which admittedly I did when I was a teenager, but I digress.  As a visitor in this country I am thankful for the freedoms we enjoy here and for the many wonderful people we have met, some who are now good friends.  While mindful of my visitors status,  I will continue to provide my political commentary on what is, in my opinion, a pivotal point in the politics of this nation.  Finally, and I don't often wave my flag, but damn, I'm glad to be Canadian.

Bring it Dead Heads:

Trouble ahead

Trouble behind

and you know that notion

just crossed my mind