Highway to The Pantry

I'm sitting on the patio sipping my cup-o-caffeine, feeling pretty good about it only being 95 degrees in the hot Arizona desert while Sacramento California is a blazing 118.  It must be pretty uncomfortable since everyone has their AC turned off between 4 and 9, following the great leader Newsom's directions.  How much do you want to bet HIS air conditioning is NOT turned off!!

I'm also smiling because my solar panels are sucking up all that free sun to pay for my bill this winter!!  I guess I should have done it years ago.  Hindsight is 20-20.

Someone asked how Jonathan was doing, so he agreed to pose for a picture.  She's a tough old bird.  If you remember, HE turned out to be a SHE.  She's not talking and screaming as much as in her younger years.

At 47 going on 48 years old, she's slowing down, like all of us.  She sleeps much of the day in this seemingly awkward position.  Every once in a while she even likes to be cuddled.  Weird for a bird.
 

Once my brain was finally in gear, I headed off to give my truck a drink.  All that running around to Green Valley used up a chunk of fuel.  This one little solitary cloud was hanging around the sky.  Not another puff of white anywhere to be seen.  I think it's the precursor to the storm coming up from Mexico.  There's a hurricane brewing whose after affects will hang around here for the next week.  That means rain.  That means CRITTERS.

For those that think diesel is much cheaper in Arizona, it's still very high.  Better than a dollar more in California I suppose.  It's a good thing I have that solar going, because between food and fuel, my bank account is running low.  Gas is about $3.87 a gallon.

I'm happy to report I've had visitors every night.  I'm pretty sure my property is the highway to the pantry across the road.  There seems to be a territory war between the coyotes and the bobcats however.  They are all marking the exact same spot next to the water trough.  Maybe that's why several have chosen to go right on by and not drink.  

These guys ... same thing.  You can tell he's smelling all around.  This is probably the one that knocked my quail block over and partook of the goods.  I fooled them ... I got another block and placed it up on the higher ledge where they can't reach.  At least I THINK they can't reach it.

Having finally figured out how to finish that quilt that was on the frame for four days ... boy did that take a lot of brain power ... I will be putting another one on today.  During that time I finished up these squares, but I still have borders to go.  

I brought six donation quilt tops with me, sewn by the Guild in California, to quilt for them.  They will be donated to foster kids who graduated high school and are enrolled in college.  There were a few troubles here and there, but I was finally able to finish them up.  Now I'm on to quilting my own.

In the meantime, I'm screwing up my courage for the onslaught of critters to come from the incoming rains.  No worries ... I've got my shovel handy and it will be COOL!!!!

Time to check the game camera and the rat traps!!