Just Stuff...

It was drizzling outside but the dogs needed a run so off we went. The sun came out and this beautiful rainbow surprised me when I turned a corner and the trail opened up.

More hiking with the dogs......they get us out at least twice a day. We are lucky to have quite a few places nearby for them to run off leash.

In this photo I can't tell who is who....Argo is now about an inch taller than Cooper and weighs about 7 more pounds. I am a little nervous about how large he is going to be.

We traveled up to the top of the Rim today for a brunch in a beautiful log house. The owners open their house once a year and treat us to fabulous food, and our little local museum keeps the profits from the ticket sales. This is the original site of the Zane Grey cabin which burned down in the 1990 Dude Fire.

The views from their deck are just wonderful.

This year the State Balladeer, Dolan Ellis, was our guest and entertainer. He has been the State Balladeer since 1966. What other states have balladeers? AZ is interesting in that we have a lot of state stuff. Some of it was chosen by students around AZ—state amphibian-tree frog, state fish-Apache trout, state mammal-ring-tailed cat, and the state reptile-AZ ridge-nose rattlesnake. (Speaking of rattlesnakes...we ran into one walking down a street in our neighborhood. He warned us with his rattle and we each grabbed a dog. Whew!)

We also have state neckwear......the bolo tie, of course. (I think Texas and New Mexico also have the bolo tie.) We even have a state fossil....petrified wood. And a state firearm.....Colt single action army.

I just love the top of the Rim......it is beautiful country and just 30 minutes from our doorstep.

One last photo of Mr. Argo.....he is at the public golf course where they let us run the dogs. They enjoy the creek there and the wide open spaces to run. All the apple trees are loaded this year....Argo eats at least two each trip.

Grandkids Day 6—Cottonwood/Out of Africa

We drove from Flagstaff to Cottonwood and went to Out of Africa Wildlife Park. We got up close and personal with many animals. First we took a bus tour and fed carrots to a giraffe.

He went the length of the bus and collected his carrots. Some brave souls put the carrots in their mouths and got a giraffe kiss.

Many animals came to greet the bus......getting to see them up close was awesome.

Our driver had some meat for one of the tigers. Some of the animals have been rescued from people who thought it was "cool" to have a wild animal.

This white tiger put on quite a performance at the Tiger Splash Show. She was raised at the park and the handlers drag toys stuffed with balloons and she jumps and swats them. They dive into the water with her. It was pretty amazing. These are not "trained" animals like in a circus and they have definite preferences as to what they like to play with. They rotate 8 tigers through the splash show. It is definitely play time for them.

Wren and Dakota got to touch a python and this little critter named Daisy....can't remember what type of rodent she is.

This ostrich had a mind of her own and the handler kept touching her as a way to calm her down.

Yes....there was even a grizzly bear.

And zebras......and a lot more that I didn't capture with my iPhone. A very nice experience.

It's on to the airport tomorrow to send the boys back to Walla Walla.

Grandkids Day 5—Flagstaff/Walnut Canyon

We drove two hours to Flagstaff. Love this town....cooler weather and lots of pine trees at an elevation of 7500 ft. We went to Walnut Canyon National Monument.

Magnificent views with 240 steps down to dwellings sheltered by overhanging cliffs that were home to the canyon's only permanent inhabitants more than 800 years ago.

The cliff dwellings were occupied for little more than 100 years. The people were called Sinagua and it is believed that they were eventually assimilated into Hopi culture.

The canyon builders took advantage of natural recesses in the limestone walls. Over millions of years, flowing water eroded the softer rock layers, creating shallow caves.

The canyon homes were situated on cliffsides facing south and east to take advantage of the warmth and sunlight.  Archeologists believe that it was the women who built the homes.

To form walls, builders gathered limestone rocks, shaped them roughly, then cemented them together with a gold-colored clay found in deposits elsewhere in the canyon. Wooden beams reinforced the doorways. Finally, the walls were plastered with clay inside and out.

The people built terraces and small, rock check dams to conserve water so that they could grow crops such as corn, beans and squash on top of the rim. They also hunted deer, sheep and numerous smaller animals.

We had dinner at Black Bart's Saloon. All of the waiters are students/music majors at Northern Arizona University (NAU) and boy did they put on a show!

They were bursting into song the entire time we were eating. They had wonderful voices and performed some old favorites as well as tunes from a variety of musicals.

The boys had a swim in the motel pool.

Some iPad time......

And a bit of reading before turning out the light.

Grandkids Day 3 and 4

 It rained most of the day on Tuesday so we did lots of legos.

The boys got some new kits and they were challenging to put together. (They are in my office so that Argo won't eat the legos.)

Wren says I have an "antique" lego collection that he really likes.

The boys did a bit of reading.....both are such good readers! And they enjoy it!

Today we went up to the top of the Rim to our favorite spot.....Woods Canyon Lake. It was 65 degrees and beautiful.

Boys will be boys....Wren using a branch as a "gun."

We saw several eagles and osprey and so many woodpeckers and stellar jays.

Cooper makes it his job to keep track of everyone.

We ended the lake hike with an ice cream.

Very tired dogs.....especially Argo. He actually had puffy and swollen eyes when we got home and the vet said to give him a couple of Benadryl. We have no idea what bite him. He had to go take his puppy dog class test tonight.....hope he doesn't fall asleep!

Grandkids Day 2—Music and Science Museums

We went to the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix.

Galleries feature instruments, video concert footage, photographs, performance outfits, and other special items linked to world renowned musicians and music innovators.

It was so much fun to listen to all kinds of music.

The Experience Gallery gives you a hands-on opportunity to play many types of instruments.

On to the Science Museum.....

Watch those balls go.....

Mind Over Matter.....one had to relax, concentrate and move the ball toward your opponent.

Wren won the wheelchair race.

Which gizmo will go down the fastest? Where should you put the weights?

Dakota braved the bed of nails.

Wren really got this going around and around and boy was he dizzy when he got off!

Grandpa and Dakota built a dam.

Great day.....we took the dogs for a hike when we got home and looked for rocks. Then had some Mac and Cheese with Peas and salad. We ended the day with a little Wii and baths.