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.....

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