Some time with friends

The last photo of the Cactus garden om Pahrump NV. While there we found our friends that we met in Mesa were also here. We had dinner with Bob and Judy Leher and John and Helen Smallman who drove up from Vegas for dinner.

This bridge is over the Sacramento River in Redding CA. We stayed at the Elks where we were joined by Bob and Judy.

This goose was decoyed in by our making a motion like we were throwing something in the water, bread , popcorn. He flew across the river so Mary fed him bread.

She also found this family that liked bread.

And this family.

When two adult gees came in there was a fight with the parents of the young gees.

Looking up river from the bridge.

These folks are setting up for a wedding reception on the foot bridge.

The trail on the South side of the river.

Mary has been looking for a desert turtle all spring but found this water one on morning on our walk.

This is where we were parked when we visited our friends Howard and Edna Lee at their home near Janesville CA.

They have a Hawks nest in one of the trees in the back yard. One evening there were three deer in the yard.

The lee's back yard.

Howard, Mary and Edna

Howard, me and Edna
We are now in Canyon Ville OR. on our way to Sisters OR. to visit my oldest son and his family. Rick has put in a pad with hookups for us.

This is the best preserved bottle house NV. it is located in Rhyolite NV.

You can't go in the house but the windows are clean enough to get pictures.

This is the side showing the different bottles used in the construction. No patterns are found just as they were found. Some of them have Crickets in them.

Some of the art work done at the house by the children of the owner.

This is the railroad station. No rails are left.

Ash Meadows Wild life Refuge

Ash Meadows is a part of Death Valley National Park although it isn't in the boundary of the park.
It was established to protect a Devils Hole Pup Fish. The fish is under an inch long and only lives in Devils Hole. A crack in the earth that has water in it. The water is 89 degrees and very salty.



This zebra tailed lizard greeted us in the parking lot. Last time I was here I was greeted by a sidewinder.

Not a very good picture of the hole as it is completely surrounded by high fencing to keep us out. The hole is known to be at least 300 ft. That is far as divers have been able to go.

Another lizard taking advantage of some shade.

This is Longstreet Springs, the fussy cloud left of center is fine sand being blow about by the water shooting from the ground. This spring puts out over one thousand gal. a minuet at 89 degrees. It also has Pup fish.

The Longstreet Cabin that has been restored.

This flower is the Yerba Manza it was used by the natives of this area fore medicine. Treating colds,coughing and stomach pain. Also to relive swelling and as an antiseptic. All parts of the plant were used.

In the center of this photo is a Pup fish. The blue spot. (click on the photo to enlarge)

There are several pup fish in this shot. They are very small but bight blue.

More pup fish. The first time I was here they were not in breeding colors just brown.

This is a steel plate in a bridge over the streams flowing from the springs. This is Kings pool springs at Point of Rocks. All the trails are wooden decks and are being rebuilt. We were not able to visit Crystal springs, the largest springs in the park because of the reconstruction of the decking.

One of the displays in the park. I really enjoy visiting this area and recommend it.

The folioing photos of are of cactus blooming in the garden of the Preferred RV Resorts garden.

Death Valley - Scotty's Castle

This is the first hole on the Death Valley Golf Coarse. The sign reads " 214 Ft.. below sea level the lowest coarse in the world.

This is Scotty's Castle. It was built by a insurance Mogul after he had invested in a nonexistent gold mine Scotty had scammed him into buying one third. He loved the location and built this home. He said it was Scotty's and that he was just his banker. That way he could enjoy his time there with out being bothered as a host. He was a guest.

This is "Jimpson" (loco weed) it grows all over the desert.

Cholla cactis blooming. After about eightteen years down in the South it is the first time I saw this.

This is a well that was dug for looks as there is a spring above the house that provides over three hundred gallons of water a minuet.

A plaque in the left side of the entrence.

This was a guest house but is now the gift shop.

The clock tower still works and keeps good time but is a big maintenance headache.

Scotty and his burro on the weather vane.

This Pontiac is older than I am.

One of the fire places in the house.

This is not a fire place. Water was piped over the rock wall to act like a air conditioner.

The gun collection of the owner and Scotty.

Photos of some of the guest. Buffalo Bill, Hoover, and Teddy Roosevelt among the many celebrities that were guest.

The "day" bed for the Mistress of the house.

The every day dish's of the house.

I found this gas cook stove to be the most interesting thing in the house. It ran on an early form of Propane gas that was only available in Long Beach CA. almost 200 miles away. But there was no wood available.