Almost Missed August

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Where have all the butterflies gone? In years past, there would be a variety of them visiting our yard. This year? Just Fiery Skippers and not that many. I’m hoping they’re just late but it probably portends something worse.

I made a brief sojourn to Fountain Hills…this viewpoint used to have quite a lovely view but now houses, cars, and golfers have been added…this is a 4 shot panorama.

Kitties! The indoor crew: Ferguson, Torti, Bouche.

I was playing with my crystal ball one day and not getting the effects I wanted so Ferguson decided to help out by defying gravity. Much better!

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The cats are not using heir kitty cat clubhouse as much as I had hoped but every now and then:

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It’s been a decent monsoon season so far so things are pretty green but it’s very muggy as well as hot. That’s Phoenix in the summertime.

See you in September!

Mount Lemmon

Geology Vista Point

Okay, as of right now, beautiful Mount Lemmon in Tucson is now my favorite Arizona destination. There is only an ugly 2 hour drive on I-10 from Phoenix to Tucson and then an annoying drive through Tucson between it and me.

Both Tony and I had been to Mt. Lemmon decades ago, separately, yet neither one of us really remembered it. If I had, it would not have taken so long to go back. It is awesomely beautiful and goes through several life zones before reaching the 9,000+ foot peak by an extremely nice 2 lane highway.

Hoodoos abound.

Pipevine Swallowtail

Neither of us even knew there was a lake up there…Rose Canyon Lake. Small yet gorgeous. Here are a few panoramas. If you want to see them larger, click here: 1, 2, 3.

Seriously sublime!

I got my one and only lifer here.

Yellow-eyed Junco

We actually saw several. Normally getting only one lifer when I knew so many others had to be there would have saddened me…not up here because it was just so awesome!

Dull Firetip Skipper

Chipping Sparrow

Onward and upward we went through a beautiful census designated place (CDP) called Summerhaven, full of beautiful chalet-type summer homes. Yes, I want to live there now.

Abert’s Squirrel

The ski run was closed but this was the view from Ski Valley. This is the southernmost ski resort in the U.S. The temperature up here was a refreshing 75° while it was a toasty 113° in Phoenix.

This place was phenomenal!

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