January snow
The first snow of the season arrived in late January.
The colors of our sheet metal cactus and our glass art really pop against the white background.
Blue lights
The more than 90 Prescott Courthouse Plaza trees decorated with lights for the holidays were switched to blue in honor of National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day.
Farm girl
Gracie, learning about goats from Auntie Bekah.
Snuggle cats
Our cats sleep outside.
Some sleep in the hay barn. These two sleep on the front porch in a fleece-lined kitty igloo.
Outdoor cooking
No reason to let the cold interfere with grilling out.
It was cold and windy but a closed sliding door and a propane fire pit made things pretty cozy.
Quick trip to California
Sheila and I took a quick trip to Southern California and spent some time with Donny.
Our visit included lots of Donny-time, great meals, and a trip to the Museum of Latin American Art.
We also attended a rehearsal for Donny's band, badsoma.
Special guest
Bekah's friend, Natalie, came from Texas for a visit.
Our greenhouse
We bought a greenhouse kit. Don and Sheila have been assembling it.
Lots of pieces and lots of work putting it together.
We hope to have it assembled in time for spring planting.
February surprise
This is Codigo. He went missing in early January. This was troubling as more than once, he jumped into the back of a FedEx truck when the driver was delivering a package.
After several weeks of worry, he just showed up. We don't know where he went, what he did, or how he got home, but we're happy he did.
Kinda like a Disney movie.
March snow
We had an unexpected snowfall in early March
As usual, it was enough to look beautiful but not enough to affect local driving conditions.
Lynx Lake
We've been enjoying all the local beauty. Lynx Lake is located in the nearby Prescott National Forest.
Don, Sheila, and Bekah, recently walked a trail that goes around the lake.
Latest update
Nana's garden
A local craftsman built and installed this gate. It was a nice finishing touch to the greenhouse project.
Spring flowers
There's no shortage of spring flowers. Some are native, some we've planted.
Goodbye old friend
Sheila's Spanish Barb horse, Amado died quietly but very unexpectedly in his sleep this August.
Words fail me. There's a special connection between a girl and her horse.
Tourists in our own town
Sheila won a two night stay at the historic St. Michael hotel in downtown Prescott.
We felt like tourists in our own town
Good reason for a trip
In late May, Sheila and I flew to Boise for a wedding then drove to Oregon, and California to visit loved ones.
An Idaho wedding
Jackson, Sheila's nephew, and Abby were wed in a beautiful outdoor ceremony.
We had a great time visiting with Sheila's siblings and their families.
Oregon visit
The next stop of our journey, we stayed with longtime friends, Ken and Elena Jordan in Roseburg, Oregon.
We're standing on the front porch of the remarkable home that Ken, Elana, and their boys built. Watch this video for the fascinating back story.
Northern California
We spent the last few days of our journey with Don's cousin Pam in Carmichael, California.
June California trip
In early June, we visited Donny in Southern California.
Territorial Days parade
Each year, Bekah and her coworkers at the Recreation Department conduct Territorial Days, Chino Valley's biggest annual event.
This year Don, with his well-modulated radio voice, co-hosted a radio broadcast of the parade on Prescott's KDDL radio.
Pickin' in the Pines 2025'
We attended Pickin' in the Pines, a three-day bluegrass festival in Flagstaff.
ducks
Bekah has been raising Muscovy ducks.
Muscovy brings back great childhood memories for Don.
Donny's band
Donny's band, badsoma, performed at the Riverside Arts and Music Festival.
It was great to see the show and to spend some time with Donny.
Sheila and I stayed at the historic MIssion Inn in downtown Riverside.
Tattoo time
Since Bekah's goats are ADGA registered, each receives a tattoo indicating its unique ID.
Visit Moon Shadow Acres to learn more about Bekah's herd.
Rocket launch
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched 28 Starlink satellites from Vandenberg AFB in Southern California.
This was our view from our backyard, 380 miles from the launch site.
Birthday month
Anyone can have a birthday. Sheila gets a birthday month. One of her presents was this beautiful painting by local artist Jennifer Fox-Hamilton.
Jennifer has an amazing story. Read about it in her book, Alaska Unwilling.
Patio addition
Although God designed goats for outdoor use, ours sleep indoors at night.
It seemed a little cruel to lock them in a comfy box with straw bedding so Don added a covered patio. They're not animals you know.
Old friends, young wives
Our good friends Randy and Marylin Raysbrook stopped in for a visit. They are on a vacation celebrating their 50th anniversary.
Don and Randy met in 1983 through the Navigators, a Christian ministry and have stayed close since.
Birthday trip
Our trip started with a night in Tucson. From there we headed east to Wilcox for the Willcox Wine Country Fall Festival.
After two nights in Wilcox, we traveled north and east to Pinetop-Lakeside, spent the night and headed home via Winslow.
New adventures await
Mint Mobile, Don's employer since Feb 2019 was recently acquired by T-Mobile. In late October, Don was informed that his position had been eliminated.
Being half artist and half geek, Don's time at Mint has been a high point in his career.
After the initial shock, he and Sheila are excited about the next phase in their adventure.
Stay tuned...
