Apache Junction AZ, butterflies

We are headed out of country for a week to the Cayman Islands this evening.  Mike is going to do some long overdue diving in Grand Cayman while I explore the town and beaches and do some snorkeling.  Hopefully, I'll get some interesting pics!  Looking forward to a great adventure there!  Let's see if I can come up with some blog material....hmmmm.

A few more pics from the Hieroglyphic Trl. :

a budding stick cholla

the butterflies were gathered on a small pool of mud.  The white ones have blue on the top of their wings but it was impossible to capture that!

Hedghog

Apache Junction AZ, Hieroglyphics Trail

Mike and I did this trail yesterday morning before the heat set in as it is already getting into the high 80s here in Apache Junction.  What a beautiful area made even more so by the spring flowers everywhere!  The trail leads to petroglyphs, not hieroglyphics, in a little stone canyon where there are large tanks, or water holes, and flowing water.  Evidence that the Hohokum people hung around here for a while:

Hedgehog cactus blooming

Most of the yellow flowers you see are Brittle Bush

These are grinding holes made by the Hohokum

First view of the water tanks and petroglyphs all over the rocks

the Brittle Bush plant

Apache Junction AZ, here and there

Back in Apache Junction from a wonderful 2 week stay with Jared, Jen, and beautiful little Allie!
Whew! It's warm here!;)

check out this "praying" saguaro we saw on the Air Force range near Ajo

great huh?

we also saw this Sonoran Gopher snake the same day

When in Omaha, Jared, Jen and I took Allie to the Omaha Childrens Museum and she had a great time!  A great hands on place for kids!

not to sure about the tornado machine...

but loved the bubble show!

Allie got to experience being inside a giant bubble!

Dad Jared, Allie and Me

All that excitement wore her out!

Omaha NE

Allie and Me!:)

An Ajo quail

A bit comical looking from this angle;)

colorful baby barrel cactus

beginning of the desert spring bloom

pretty fellow

just the right lighting for this saguaro pic

Omaha NE, Camino Del Diablo Part II

this Roadrunner hopped into a tree before I could get a good pic but you can still see lots of color in him

We had to pull over to let a couple of border patrol trucks pass and then came to this apparent holding station where the trucks that had passed us were unloading some illegals

managed to park under a tree for lunch

a grave beside the road......

with some unusual offerings on it

I think this Redtail was checking us out......

what do you think??

some of the sandy areas of road had this portable road surface laid down