Oct/Nov. visit fro. Donna and Fred

We have been at our home in Arizona about 3 weeks, settling in and enjoying the quiet.  Not many of our friends are in residence . Toni and Richard who winter here from Oregon invited us for dinner along with Sandy  and John.  Then a second invitation from Toni and Richard with Linda and John with whom they have bought a fishing lodge  in Alaska.  Lots of interesting friends! We will enjoy visiting them in Alaska. We are also back playing regular pickle ball at the Carefree  Resort. 

Our friends Susan and Brian from Roberts Creek BC/ Vancouver, are also here and joined us for dinner at our house. 

Donna and Fred arrived and we promptly went for margaritas !!!!!. at our favourite happy hour bar, the El Encanto!  Since it was Friday we had to Also go to Harold's bar and then to the Buffalo Chip to watch the live  bull riding and the dancing. The band is western and the place is hopping !!!!! We have never seen it so packed. Outside there are bonfires burning  by the corrals , even a rider on a horse is in the mix! It was a great evening......,!

On Saturday we did a little tour around the towns of Carefree and Cave Creek to give Donna and Fred the lay of the land.

Donna and I made a trip to Costco ......we were standing by the wine in Costco chatting away when a couple came up to us and said they had been driving behind us trying to get our attention as our car was belching white smoke .....they had been unable to get our attention and said to each other, well, let's hope they are going to Costco!!! Sure enough there we were! 

We had left Jeff and Fred basking  at the pool. 

Donna and I have been collaborating on meals, and watching the London Tennis each day with the guys. The weather has been all over the the map....hail, rain and sunshine.

One morning Donna and I were in the kitchen  chatting over our morning coffee when All of a sudden a bobcat jumped off the roof onto the tree in the courtyard. We did manage to snap a couple of pictures before he disappeared. 

I should say at this point that Donna and Fred have brought us a set of three candle holders which Fred has made out of sections of birch trees?..they are so beautiful and I LOVE them! Donna, has brought a box of delicious brownies fromMartha and a package of pumpkin brittle she has made. We are so spoilt! 

We went out to the Grotto Cafe for brunch.......a funky cafe that makes great food and coffee.

Tuesday, Jeff is coordinator at Pickle ball and then him and Fred climbed  black mountain. Donna and I were headed  for the shops...crate and barrel and others. After a rake around a few stores we had a bite to eat at True Foods,an organic restaurant where we enjoyed soup and an appy. We head back home as we had an appointment with Preston to view the Boulder House. It s a magical mystical place! Person is so knowledgeable and generous with his time. 

After an hour viewing the property and hearing the stories of its history we departed to the Spotted Donkey  Cafe for happy hour margaretias and a snack.

Then It was a quick stop off at the local store for some meat and home for tennis.

Jeff and Fred got a bonfire going out the back of our property and we got a fire going inside to ward off the chill! 

Another bbq and more vino and a fine meal!

Bellisimmo! 

Changeable weather Oct 21, 2015 Arizona

The weather has been muggy and then rainy, so much that the washes were running! This is the first time we have seen this in real time! Quite exciting to see how quickly it flashes and just as quickly stops!  The rain was coming down with such a force that the roof overflowed. Jeff was very busy with a broom sweeping it away from the patio doors. 

Before the rains came we had a very muggy couple of days where the sky was dark earlier than usual, the coyotes were confused as they normally don't venture out until dark. We had 5 or 6 of them right on the other side of our wall, then they took off across the runway to the other side where there is a larger bit of land without houses on it.

This statue in the photo is taken at the entrance to be of our neighbours.  The necklace on the woman is a beautiful turquoise colour. 

I

October 13,2015.......arrived in Arizona

We arrived at our home in Carefree today, our grandson Andrews 16th birthday. Happy birthday to you Andrew!!!!! We've checked your bat and it's in great shape! Today is also the first day for Ainsley on her new job in Toronto! Anxious to hear how it went. 

The drive down was long, the first day we drove to Twin Falls Idaho arriving at 10pm. 

The second day we drove to Boulder City, Nevada. What a lovely town, our friends Toni and Richard have a home there but unfortunately were not in residence. We stayed at an historic hotel, the Boulder Dam Hotel, which has just 21 rooms. The rooms are good size with modern updates but period decor. When we arrived a man was playing a grand piano in the lobby.  The temperature at 4pm was around 100degrees. The hotel is beside the Boulder dam museum and it was free for hotel guests but closed at 5pm. We dashed over and did a quick 15 minute tour, next time we visit we will make sure there is enough time to really see it.  We then went across the street for some cold libation! 

A short stroll took us to Milo's Italian restaurant where we had a nice glass of vino and delicious pasta. 

Today was a short four hour drive to Carefree.

We have ordered pizza from "the best pizza in the world " and are settling  in to watch the democratic USA debate.

Discovery lodge day 3

(I'm home now and see I have missed a couple of days blogging ) it could be I got mixed up because we had no wifi, the dates of our days are not in the correct order.

SO..,,,, day three we were up at our usual time for breakfast, made by Jen....Mexican eggs and corn bread, coffee and juice. 

We were soon dressed for kayaking and headed out.  Joanie had opted to chill out and not paddle today so the four of us were in two kayaks. We went in the opposite direction from our previous days and the plan was to hug the shore and peer down to see what we could see! Water was calm with no breeze, paddling was easy as we were on the outgoing tide. We saw some  kingfishers who were telling us to get lost, dipping and diving all around us on the high overhead cliffs. Arbutus trees hanging overhead and out over the water are so beautiful. A few starfish could be seen at the waterline, there would be more on our return. Seals would silently slip into the water when we approached.  We were watching the clock and the direction of the flow of the kelp as it is a sign the tide has turned. Wind was picking up and we turned our boats around to head back to the lodge.

It was a speedy sail with the wind and current both assisting us from behind, much more enjoyable than the fighting of both on our previous days. 

At lunch we discussed afternoon hiking plans. We wanted to see surge narrows at its peak! The hike through the forest was on a well travelled trail, lots of ups and downs! Through fern fields and tall cedars, gorgeous shades of green mosses were pillows of softness under our feet. We arrived at the narrows and sat up high above them to watch the "surge" at its peak! Wow, spectacular and wild! And to think we had passed through them yesterday at slack. The importance of timing! 

We met a young couple from Germany there who we asked to take a group photo, which they did. They were on a six month Canadian holiday, couch surfing, airbnb....ing and hosteling. 

For awhile we were watching something large diving and surfacing across the narrows.....thinking it was either dolphin or whale, but in the end we all decided it was a sea lion.  We hiked back to the lodge for some prosecco and wine and chat with the other guests while I started the dinner prep.  I was making tuna melt Mac n cheese. The girls loved it, we had enough for our guide Jen as well. 

The cards were out again and the tea was made. Soon we were the last ones remaining and we retired  also. Happy paddlers we!

Discovery Lodge Day 2

Call to breakfast was 8:30 although coffee was available earlier....and we were there! Breakfast was a bowl of steel cut oats with fixings and home made cinnamon rolls that were hot and fresh from the oven. Mmmmmm! 

Weather was looking a bit iffy but rain was holding off. We thought maybe we would be ok as it had poured through the night. The wind was up as we pushed off from the dock 

We were heading for surge narrows and had to time it right in order to navigate the rocks. We did not have a guide today but one had headed out with a couple of other kayakers and we followed behind them. The Marine park we entered was spectacular, lots of spiny Red Sea urchins, leatherback starfish, bat stars and Orange, purple and pink starfish, sea stars, and seals. More sealife  than we have seen in quite a few trips.  The water in the marine park was calm as a milk pond, but our time was limited due to the changing tide.

We started back toward the lodge, our calm waters receding behind us as we faced two foot chop and strong winds. It was a tough paddle back and the last section it also started to rain. Needless to say we were soaked, but still happy paddlers. 

Once back we stripped off the wet clothes, rinsed seawater off our life jackets and spray skirts , we met in the kitchen to eat a late lunch. And then the rain came!!!! Oh boy! Did it rain! We were so glad to be out of the water.  Next up was a trip back to town and a visit to a couple of local artist studios. One a potter and the other a painter! She was of great interest, Maureen Maryka. She works in acrylics and mixed media....with a chroma product that we will have to investigate further. Her studio was built on the bluff overlooking the ocean.......a dream studio location.

A quick visit to the grocer and we made the long drive down the narrow gravel road back to Discovery lodge. 

As I write this we are sitting around the communal kitchen table eating snacks and sipping  prosecco. 

While I write, Jan is attempting to read and the other three are coloring! 

Dinner prepared by Jan was chicken chili southwest with chocolate cookies to follow. Sandy presented us all with purdeys salted carmels. 

After dinner we played another game called Anomia......a fun but loud card game that caused a lot of laughter.

By 10 we were retiring for the night. 

Day one at the lodge

Arrived at the lodge by 9:30 and were out on the water by 10:30......proud of ourselves at our efficiency! The water was challenging to say the least, but we had opted to have guides. Jen and Gwen, two young (ish) girls led the way. Some of the currents we likely would not have entered without their guidance as we had not experienced anything that resembled what we had previously paddled. As it turned out we were quite competent! 

We stopped for lunch, provided by the guides. Also in our group were a family of three from Spain, mum, dad and a very shy smiley 8 year old boy.  One of our guides, Jen, speaks fluent Spanish as she works a non profit in Nicaragua for part of the year. Her non profit is called The Latitude Project.

We started back to the lodge, making a big crossing back to Quadra. We had been past Reid and Maurelle Islands. The crossing was long and challenging but nothing we could not handle. Regardless we were all quite wet on our return and Joanie and myself headed for the showers....one solar which was cold as there had not been enough sun and the other was heated by other means...nice and warm...I was the lucky one in the warm one! 

The lodge is quite lovely, we have private rooms and shared bathrooms. There is a living room and kitchen on the top (third) floor of the lodge.

Joanie made dinner which we all enjoyed, spaghetti with two sauces, a spicy red and a white seafood. Gourmet snacks were provided before dinner by Sandy. We finished it all of with Joanie's Lacey cookies....which we also share with our Spanish friends. 

The rest of the kayakers staying here soon drifted off and we played  a game of Quiddler, before hitting our beds for the night.

Last morning Discovery Lodge Aug 31st

Today we woke to the rain again. Our kayak guide Jen had made a lovely bowl of fruit with yogurt and freshly made chocolate banana bread.  

We were packing up our wet gear, paying our bill and then getting on the road. 

We had planned to get the noon ferry from Quathiaski Cove to Campbell River but we missed it by thirteen cars. After a stop at Pamela's to unload her gear we all piled back into both Sandys vehicle and Pamela's .

We eventually arrived at Sue's beautiful home on the ocean in Fanny Bay. Sue and Jim are multi talented. The garden path leading to the house descends towards the ocean through lush plants and a burbling stream. We were greeted by Sue with open arms and we  admired all.....the view, the art and serenity that the space evokes ! Sue offered us freshly baked scones, coffee and canapés. We went outside to see her studio and work. Lastly we went further down to the Oceanside where they have an outdoor bedroom, complete with a beautiful old brass bed. The walls were draped in mosquito screening. What an amazing place to sleep with the sound of the wind and the waves. 

We caught up on all family news and soon had to leave for our 7:30 ferry reservation, Nanaimo to Vancouver.