Summer in the Canyon

First a word about my computer issues. And yours! I am amazed at how many of you guys have had problems too. It will be difficult for me to read and comment on your blogs until I get Fran's computer and set it up. Cat left a comment and told me she just got a new computer and there is a steep learning curve. To practice and also to see if it would help my present computer, I ran a System Recovery the other day. While it helped: I can blog here right now, which is wonderful, but it still didn't cure the basic problem. And yes, we have taken it apart and used the large aircompressor my husband uses for the cars to blow all the dust away. But it still shuts down without being asked to and has some other issues.

My friend Upupaepops said she missed pictures of summer in the canyon and is looking forward to fall pictures once I get the computer situation fixed. I am looking forward to fall too and the cooler weather. But with my husband here and the weather reasonably hot, this really has been a great summer. Rachael and I talked about the daily difference in temperatures in northern Minnesota, where she is from. We have it here too -- 40 at 5:30 a.m. and often 100 by the end of the day. Here are some summer photos that I couldn't post in the last month:

On the way to the mail box, I pass the fields that were so pretty in spring when covered in mustard tumble weeds with bright yellow flowers. Now they are dry and brittle and will soon begin to tumble in the wind as they spread their seed.

 Fence lizards are everywhere here and this little guy followed me around as I did my morning chores in the garden. Then he found a neat place to take a rest and get some sun.

It seldom rains here in the summer but when it does, it is fabulous. Huge thunderstorms come through the mountains and roll around the canyon. After a storm, you feel so refreshed and ready to deal with the desert heat once again.



The above photo from earlier in the summer. The garden has been weeded, the corn is growing like crazy, the gopher ate four of the squash plants before we decided he had to go. He then became food for the resident fat raven. We are enjoying lettuce, yellow squash, mint, and radishes so far. And we have some stuff growing that we have no idea what it may be. Also, we know what we did wrong this year and have great plans for next spring. So much fun this!

I'm writing from my Wildblue Satellite provider's (powered by Google) portal and it has not been easy. The screen jumps up and down and the post gets saved about every 30 seconds, or so it seems, so all typing has to stop. I do, indeed, have a some work ahead of me. So I will end this post with a rose and a

desert mountain sunset. Have a great day --- I will try to prepare a post now about Rachael's visit and our trip back to the Zen retreat here in the canyon. I have a great picture of their Peace Bell and some of Rachael and me too.