In the last month I’ve spent entirely too much time having fun.  I’ve been busy enjoying the beautiful Arizona weather, hiking, visiting family and friends, and  trying to squeeze in some baseball games and some writing.

Here’s a picture from our first hike:

Saguaro Cactus with the Four Peaks in the background.

Do you recognize this picture? The saguaro cactus and the Four Peaks (visible in the background) are displayed on the Arizona state license plate.  I took this picture on a morning hike through a regional park just outside the Yavapai Indian Reservation north of Phoenix.

I love that the area we’re staying in is (for me) rural. And yet, two miles away is a town with two grocery stores and a Target.

I know, I know, that is anything but rural in some parts of the country. My husband and I once got into a conversation in Las Vegas with a rancher from Wyoming who said it was an eight hour drive from his ranch to the nearest big store, a Walmart. But here’s a picture I took through the windshield one day when I ran out to the grocery store:

Horses at Fort McDowell

The guy (or gal) on the left was the crossing guard, standing in the middle of the road and stopping traffic while four of his friends crossed the road. The horses belong to the Native Americans who live in this community.

I’ve also been busy with baseball and side trips to Tombstone, Bisbee, and Prescott, Arizona. More pictures to follow, along with pictures from the Southern California RWA Conference in Santa Ana last weekend.

Happy trails!