Baby Elk

 Jim and Zella came upon this newborn elk  on a hike.  They are born either at the end of May or the first couple of weeks in June.  Moms are very protective and little ones often stay hidden, so they can be hard to get a glimpse of.  I think they felt a little safer way back in a mountain meadow, so they were out and about.  Once mom was aware of Jim and Zella she began bugling to her calf.

Another little one that Jim and Zella came upon a mile and a half later.

Moose Event?????

We get a lot of questions via phone, e-mail or doorbell.  This is my favorite one so far.  Someone called asking if we were having a moose event.  I tend to be geographically challenged, but I was pretty sure there are no moose in Arizona.  I did my due diligence and called a board member for the Greer Civic Association just to make sure there were no moose being brought in for some event I did not know about.  Nope...no moose event here.

Greer Days Amazing Race

Greer Days was great fun with our village parade, craft and food fair, silent auction for some lovely items and stays in Greer, and our very own version of the popular Amazing Race.  We were one of the challenges for the second leg of the race.  We had games set up on the lawn and teams had to choose between getting through a croquet course or getting three targets with lawn toss to get the next clue.  Our winning team had a great time and said they'd be back next year to defend their title.

John Wayne Days

It was a fabulous weekend in Eager for the John Wayne Days the first weekend of June.  There were events all over town with fun and fundraising for the John Wayne Cancer Foundation.  The rodeo took me back to childhood days at the Gila County Fairgrounds.
I'm Arizona born and raised and have never owned a pair of boots, so I decided it was high time to remedy that.  First rodeo I've been to with boots.  Yippee!!!
Rodeos have the best fat laden food ever.  We had frybread tacos and curly fries.  Yum.  Next year? I'm there...maybe with my first cowboy hat ever!

I Do Windows

June is usually pretty dry, so I got out the ladder and got the windows washed.  It's no easy task getting to some of them on the second floor, so this is the best view out the upstairs windows all year.  The rains will soon be here and leave spots that will remain until I get up on the roof again...probably next June.

May Teasing

Having lived in the desert most of my life, I am not used to such fluctuating weather in the mountains.  My desert wardrobe consisted of more sandals than closed shoes, more short sleeves than long, shorts, capris, skirts and summery dresses.  In the past year I have worn sandals only a few times, short sleeves/skirts or dresses rarely, and no shorts/capris.  Only when I head for the desert for a few days are these items used.
We had some promising days in the 60's, but then nature laughed and gave us snow and hail in mid May.  While our Phoenician friends have their air conditioners going, we are still running the heat.  I am beginning to think that I will be giving away a chunk of my clothing that I may never wear again, but I am holding out to see if it warms up enough and if I have acclimated enough to put them on this summer.  For now, I am layered in winter clothing, hoping that the weather will stop teasing.

April Projects

April is probably the slowest time for businesses in Greer, but a busy time for business owners.  This is the time of year to deep clean, re-model, paint, fix-up, etc.  I have painted a bathroom, re-caulked a tub, replaced window coverings, painted a stairwell and hallway in the lodge, and then gutted our little cabin to replace flooring, bathroom fixtures, and kitchen cabinets and counter tops.  I'm ready for a vacation!
In the last week we've had three little snow flurries, but spring is coming!  The trees are just starting to bud, the grass and willows are greening in the meadow, the robins and other birds are back, the deer are coming around.  The sounds of ducks quacking, birds singing, and frogs chirping are in the air.
It's pretty windy here in the spring and lots of dead trees from the Wallow Fire are blowing over.  Jim and Zella hike Butler Trail often and Jim has been taking a chainsaw to cut through the fallen trees across the trail.
Jim started watering the lawn to green it up, but Zella decided chewing on hoses was fun, so our indestructible hoses are in several pieces.
Pretty soon, it will be warm enough to begin the outside projects of planting new flowers and the sanding of weathered wood for re-staining.  Everything wood needs a fresh coat of sealant and painted decking needs touch-up.  There's always something to do!   I will be glad when Jim retires from Honeywell and he can join me full time!
Happy Spring!