Storm warning and rooster tails

Another storm last night and this one caught us as we drove from Palm Desert to Hemet to meet Jody who had been riding. It was raining a bit when we left and picked up suddenly just as we approached Interstate 10. This is a nasty road at the best of times - hundreds of transport trucks moving goods inland from Los Angeles fill the highway. We had been warned never to travel on the highway when wind warnings are in effect - the trucks frequently get blown over! This time it was rain rather than wind that threatened us. There were times when the heavy rainfall combined with the wash from the huge trucks and the craziness of a few drivers made me wonder if we were going to make it! Bill was calm and kept us in our lane and in one piece before finally being able to get off the highway. Almost simultaneously with leaving the highway, the rain stopped and as we drove over a ridge we were presented with a green valley and clouds lifting. The water was sitting on the surface of the fields so we knew the storm had passed through and when we entered Hemet we had a chance to find out about the dips and ditches that we've always wondered about. The water was a foot deep in places on the roads and drivers seemed to be thrilled with the chance of driving through full speed and sending out rooster tails five feet high!
When the clouds lifted this morning we found the snow had returned to the mountain tops once again - this time lower than ever. It was cool enough for the heat to be turned on but by afternoon we were able to sit by the pool and bake in the sun. Real heat is apparently on its way!

Roses, bird of paradise and giant succulents

San Diego is not only known for its zoo but also for its botanical gardens. We saw trees and flowers that looked like they were from another planet as well as beautiful roses and tropical plants.

Gorilla Sanctuary

For decades, the purpose of the San Diego Zoo has been conservation and the success of the program has resulted in enough financial support to build environments for animals that make the ten-foot square, barred cement enclosures of my experience look stone-age.
The gorilla enclosure is huge and natural. The animals are engaged with activities to keep them interested and active. Signs ask us not to make troubling eye-contact with the inhabitants but we get a tiny bit of an idea of the personalities as we watch them interact - the smart, tricky one, the playful youngster clearly at the bottom of the pecking order, and the worldly dominant silverback. We laughed to see the oldest breeding female stretched out in the sun around the corner away from the others - getting her few moments of quiet.

Panda Charm

We spent Wednesday at the zoo. It was a cool day and as a result, the animals were active. We arrived early and were treated to a number of cool experiences. We came upon an empty panda enclosure but noticed the keepers were cleaning the area and then carefully tying up bamboo branches and making piles of carrot-looking treats. We found a spot in the middle of the viewing gallery and waited patiently. Sure enough, once the cleaning stopped, the gate was lifted and out came Bai Yun, a lovely, rolly polly female panda. She has successfully raised a number of cubs at the zoo. We fell under the panda charm as we watched her strip the bamboo stalks and then crunch the core.

Trolley rides, banana boats and luxury resorts

Arrived in San Diego early afternoon after driving up over the ridge on Highway 74. It is such a clear lesson in rain shadows when you climb up the Palm Desert side with its dry desert landscape even high up in the hills and then come upon the surprising presence of furry pinion pines and green grass as you descend on the other side. Tiny yellow flowers cover the hillsides and cattle munch in healthy green meadows seemingly worlds away from the desert landscape left behind minutes before.

We decided to take the same bus tour we had taken a year ago to give Jody an overview of San Diego. It didn't take long for Bill and I to realize that we can always find someplace new to go since we didn't remember one bit of the information we heard in the exact same presentation a year ago!! While I remember this time: 40 million bananas a week come into the port on the "Banana Boat" from Equador, buildings can not exceed 500 feet in height because of the presence of the international airport in downtown San Diego. The planes were coming in overhead as we travelled and often seemed to come close to brushing the tops of buildings.

We got off the trolley for a stop at the historic Del Coronado Hotel on Coronado Island. It is a huge wooden structure built as a Victorian beach resort in the 1880's. Still beautiful and exclusive, all we could afford was some ice cream and that was the most expensive we've ever had! We wandered the property trying to blend in. I wonder if the bright orange trolley stickers on our lapels might have given us away?

As we strolled the beautiful beach out front we looked off in the distance to the city of Tijuana, Mexico - no doubt worlds away from the lives of the inhabitants of the hotel.

Same old, same old...

Just another few days in the heat of Palm Desert! The past few days with Jody visiting us have been relaxing and fun. We've spent time sitting around the pool - reading books, doing a few laps, or sitting in the hot tub. Then it is time for dinner followed by coffee on the patio.

Today we set out for Thousand Palms Oasis for a hike. It was already hot when we left around 10:oo am and we baked as we walked out to MacCallum Pond. It felt good sitting in the shade around the pond and we hated to leave. The only life we saw the whole way out and back were a couple of speedy lizards and two dazzling red dragonflies. The hike back was slightly better because there was a mild, cool breeze blowing. We were glad to get back home and soon headed back to the pool to sit in the shade and read books!

Tomorrow we are heading to San Diego for three days. The forecast is for rain and cooler weather but that might feel good after a plus 90 day today!

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter to all my chicks! We're thinking about you and send our love.

We hoped to take a picture of the local Easter bunny a few doors down but when we set out to take it, we found it deflated! So we found a Canadian version instead! Hope the Easter beaver brings you all lots of chocolate! (P.S. Turns out that the inhabitants aren't Canadian, their last name really is Beaver! We figured this out when we noticed the name on the mailbox but the four foot-wide American flag should have given it away.)