Pink Chalcedony

We went to Tonopah, Arizona to hunt chalcedony, fire agate and druzy quartz.

We made a flag with a metal pole, rubber band and a scarf. We planted it atop a hill near where we parked the car. Then the three of us descended upon the desert for five hours, searching.

We picked up many many rocks on two tours of the area. I found a cobalt blue glass soda bottle. We saw a couple baby tarantulas. We heard someone on a dirt bike in the distance. We drove out at dusk, following our own tire tracks back to the road through the creosote.

Clafouti Comeback

Clafouti makes a comeback cause it’s cherry season!

This delightfully simple little custard is so yummy when served cold with my iced coffee for breakfast.

I pitted a bag of cherries, but didn’t have any milk. My neighbor saved the day by delivering me a Mason jar of “borrowed” milk, so I doubled the recipe and gave her a dish. It’s fun to share!

Then we went to practice for our Rock Painting Band and enjoyed clafouti for dessert- after the ham and cheese Hawaiian rolls marinated in butter, Dijon, Worcestershire and onion.

Don’t worry, I served it with a salad that featured sprouted lentils and pepita. Now that’s a good day!

Bird bath

Last night I saw a flash of light through my eyelids. What could it be? I got up and watched out the window. Thunder softly rolled. It sounded like hail as huge drops of rain started smacking the ground. Heat is returning to the valley. Temps are going to be in the 90s for the next month. At least it is still in the 60s at night.

Woodpecker has been in the saguaro all day. Two pair of quail shuffled through the yard this morning. We ran the sprinklers and a curve billed thrasher stopped by for a bath on the rocks where we are building a new border!

Thrasher sat atop the rock pile and rubbed itself on the wet rocks to work the water through it’s feathers. It popped onto the fence to preen then onto the ocotillo for additional preening.

It made my day.