On the 1st, back to work a very busy schedule.

On the 2nd, another long day at the office.

On the 3rd, yet another long day at the office.

On the 4th, after taking it easy (Jef did some weeding), Jef and Kathy set out to hike at the Calcite mine, but seeing the dust kicked up by "Tierra del Sol", we decided to do Hellhole Canyon. The big parking lot was full and about 20 cars were parked just outside it on the road, but due to our late start, we found a parking place in the lot & did the hike to Maidenhair Falls in about 3h 50m. After feeding doggies that night, we went out to the Red O for dinner.

A patch of monkey flowers

Approaching 1st grove

Little white & yellow flowers surrounding a mossy rock

Kathy at 1st grove

This boulder split right at the white strata (a dike)

Panorama showing the entire waterfall

This lady's goal was to shower under the falls

Jef & Kathy at Maidenhair Falls

Arriving back at 1st grove

Little pond in the creek

The trail passes by this mortero still holding rainwater from storm that hit 6 days prior

About a half hour from the trailhead, Kathy fixes her hair - this a panorama both looking up-canyon and down-canyon

We had a late dinner at the Red O

Jef's Red O burger #1

On the 5th, a cold windy day, we mostly spent at home taking it easy - Jef did some weeding.

Our front yard this afternoon - drizzle misting up in the mountains

On the 6th, the first and busiest day of the week at the office(12 patients).

On the 7th, another very long day at the office.

On the 8th, another very long day at the office.

On the 9th, we worked a half day at the office and then drove to see a doctor in Rancho Mirage. The doc was a bust, but we did manage to get in a lot of shopping. Also got to see flowers along the way.

Snapped pic of Henderson Canyon Rd. sunflowers on way to Rancho Mirage

On the 10th, originally scheduled to be a grueling day, due to cancellations and no-shows, it wasn't too bad, just 10 patients (instead of 15). Kathy helped capture a baby sidewinder at her last patient's house.

On the 11th, Jef walked to work at the office - Kathy came in and saw 1 patient. We noticed a huge influx of touristas - Kathy saw bumper to bumper traffic spanning the entire Montezuma Grade!!! Jef and Kathy went on a 4 mile hike that evening. Jef also got a lot of weeding in.

Beavertails starting to come out - this in Tilting T wash

Lots of monkey flowers and poppies as I reached end of Tilting T wash

Bumper to bumper traffic on Palm Canyon Dr. - XL station at right and high school in background

Approaching town, here's some blue phacaelia, desert dandelion & white desert chickory

Tourists clogging our usually empty parking lot

Tourist booth (used to divert tourists from overwhelmed visitor center)

On hike back, blue phacaelia & desert dandelion patches

Wooly plaintain field as I go up spur trail

Lupines at pass before I descend into Tilting T wash

Ghost flowers

Patch of monkey flowers and blue phacaelia

Panorama of wash - giant patch of brown-eyed primrose at right

Brittlebush ready to pop - jack rabbit stands middle right

Jack running down trail

Beavertail ready to burst in our front yard

Neighbor's yard with blooming chuparosa and brown-eyed primroses

Brown-eyed primrose bush

Time exposure of cars leaving the valley up Montezuma grade this night

On the 12th, Jef did more weeding & trimming & charged batteries in 2 cars not used for a couple months. Took doggies on walk around the circle and did another lap ourselves (45 min total).

We did a motor tour of flowers in valley this morning - we stopped first at one of our neighbor vacant lots

Kathy in Henderson Canyon sunflower field

Panorama of Henderson Canyon flower fields replete with touristas

People walking in flower fields

Sand verbena & dune primrose as we headed back toward town in a sand-dune area

Jef walked over to the sand dune after the trip and took some flower pix - hear is la vacant lot on EastStar

Jef walked to the end of Lapped Circle to get to sand dune overlooking ocotillo forest

Sand dune sported lots of desert dandelion and purple mat

Looking back up sand dune as some beavertail is starting to bloom

Panorama from sand dune

We have some desert dandelion in our front yard, too

Jef had to trim this paloverde to get to week 3' tall mustard weeds under its canopy

On the 13th, back to work a long day at the office - wildflower crowds were still coming, even on weekdays, so parking was a problem for us and patients.

On the 14th, another long day at the office.

On the 15th, a long day at the office, but off in time for our Wednesday hike.

On the 16th, another long day at the office. Met Ann & Jeff at Rams Hill for dinner.

On the 17th, another long day at the office.

An example of how abundant the "super bloom" was - desert dandelions all along Lazy S

Headlights/taillights of cars going up grade this evening under the stars

Ann & Jeff with Jef & Kathy at dinner this evening

On the 18th, Jef played at tennis center under the banner of "The Look of Love". This team beat "60 Shades of Awesome" decisively over the weekend. Jef lost only 1 of about 5 matches.

Jef found a new project - cleaning up unused wiring and leaves on roof - while unsuccessfully looking for where water leaked into the fuse box after the last storm

Our front yard this morning

Near peak of beavertail bloom

Panorama of front yard - note grass is already turning brown

Desert dandelions & beavertail cacti in front yard

On the 19th, Jef completed the tournament & brought his trophy, a "BSTC" wrist band, home. Jef had another broken blood vessel in his eye after wearing contacts this weekend.

On the 20th, back to work a very long day at the office.

Jef's eye

On the 21st, another very long day at the office.

Flowers along Lazy S

Lazy S at turn off to high skool

On the 22nd, a long day at the office.

On the 23rd, Jef got up early and took some pix in Glorietta Canyon before starting another long day at the office.

Ocotillo near mouth of canyon

Hillside full of brittlebush blooms near mouth of canyon

After hiking up about 5 minutes from trailhead

Panorama - at this point the sun was eclipsed by a big cloud

Nice patch of brittlebush

Rainbow

On the 24th, Jef walked to work while Kathy spent 5 hours at the dentist, but later that afternoon, they barely got in a Glorietta Canyon hike before dark and dined at El Borrego that night.

Meter is running backwards now

Raised garden this day

On way to work, spotted this sphinx moth caterpillar on a woody bottle brush plant

Starting up Tilting T Wash

Desert Lily on path to office

Final stretch of trail before reaching Mall

Indigo, brittlebush and ocotillos in bloom in Yaqui Meadows

Glorietta Canyon from Yaqui Meadows

Pink hillsides are monkey flower blooms

Cholla cactus in bloom

Kathy amid brittlebush on Glorietta trail

Approaching the pass

Kathy stretching

Kathy by hedgehog cactus in bloom

We made it to viewpoint before turning around

Watercolor of panorama at viewpoint showing Montezuma Grade and town of Borrego

Kathy by some beavertail blooms

Wooly daisies (belly flowers)

Purple mat flowers

Fishhook cactus blooms

At El Borrego

On the 25th, mostly took it easy and did chores, including catching up on work at the office.

On the 26th, chores and taking it easy. We did go up and hike Glorietta in the middle of the day, however.

Still flowers, but on the decline

Kathy by desert dandelion patch next to the house

Road to Glorietta

Desert dandelions, beavertail and brittlebush in Yaqui Meadows

Chuparosa near trailhead in Glorietta

Panorama near Glorietta Trailhead

Near the pass

Hikers coming down from pass

Jef and Kathy in this stitched photo near the pass

Hedgehog & brittle bush blooming

Jef and Kathy at a viewpoint

On the 27th, back to work a long day at the office. Jef took doggies to be vaccinated at the mobile vet this morning.

On the 28th, another long day at the office.

On the 29th, a fairly short easy day at the office due to cancellations. After work, we walked to the office to pick up a car that had been in the shop.

Walking up Tilting T Wash

On the 30th, we worked a very long day at the office, compounded by a nasty windstorm that caused blackouts and communications disruptions into the evening. Jef, Kathy & David had lunch at Carmelita's this evening (the power came up long enough to pay our bill via credit card).

Wind had blown open this gate twice this day

Sandstorm in Yaqui Meadows - within 30 seconds while coming back this way, the Maxima windshield was trashed with sand blasting

Park of yard at Sewanee house after Carlos & Rodrigo detailed the back yard

Tech mascot helped prevent the front door from blowing in at the office

We used David's Cellphone light and a glass of water to provide illumination during blackouts at Carmelita's

On the 31st,a full day at the office.

Wind had blown the patio furniture to this area in bhe back yard

Mia threatening to eat the remote control

On the 2nd, Kathy still recovering from surgery. Jef worked at the office.

On the 3rd, Kathy taking off one last weekday to recuperate from surgery. Jef again worked at the office.

On the 4th, Jef walked to the office and did some work. Kathy took it easy at home.

Meter this morning

Much of the desert, like this section behind the guest house is turning into a big lawn

View from the pass on the walk home late this afternoon

On the 5th, Jef hooked up irrigation to raised planter and worked on pictures and updated this journal at the office.

Earlier the halo of brightened clouds around the moon was more circular

Jef and Kathy outside bar-b-que-ing

On the 6th, back to work for a long day at the office.

Sunrise this morning

Raised garden

Threatening rain this afternoon

Saw a little rainbow while walking to pharmacy

Even more threatening on walk back to office

On the 7th, we drove to SD for follow up appt. with MD for surgery prior week. Jef did some shopping. After the visit we did some shopping and had dinner at Pinto Thai in Ramona.

Mountains getting greener this morning

On the 8th, back to work for another long day at the office.

Spur trail visible from the post office

Kathy's surgical scars 8 days later are still hurting

On the 9th, another very long day at the office.

On the 10th, another very long day at the office.

Sunrise this morning

Our "Chreaster" tree and decorations are ready for Stacey and Eric's visit in April

On the 11th, mostly took it easy, doing chores around the house. Gigi was very sluggish and appeared to be declining in health this evening after Jef noticed food not being eaten. Kathy got to hold Gigi for last time this evening.

Sunrise this morning

On the 12th, Kathy noticed Gigi had expired and Jef took care of Gigi & cleaning up. Later that day, Jef and Kathy joined Jeanne and did a loop hike going up the spur and circling back by the churches (about a 5 mile hike).

Gigi's final pose, trying to nibble on timothy hay

Panorama at high point of our hike up to the Borrego Spur

Kathy and Jeanne "posing" - Jeanne never stopped talking and gesticulating all the while, so never got her "actually" posing

Notice how green is the alluvium beneath the spur

We stopped by Jeanne's neighbor's house to feed the goats...

...and the horse

Verdant "lawn" in our front yard this afternoon

On the 13th, back to work a very, very long day at the office.

On the 14th, another very long day at the office.

On the 15th, yet another very long day at the office.

On the 16th, another very long day at the office, after which we stayed up til midnight cooking brownies for tomorrow's Sundowner.

On the 17th, after a long day at the office, we hosted the Sundowner, despite having a forcast of wind and rain, the weather cooperated until the end of the event when it started raining. We had about 75 show up and most of the food (including all 10 pizzas) was consumed. David took the rest of the rolled tacos and brownies home, so Jef & Kathy had no leftovers.

Kathy's wounds this day

Scary weather starting to arrive this afternoon

At the Sundowner - firemen at the right

Martha playing her song with a banjo

Marth from other side

On the 18th, despite some drizzly weather, Jef played in the tennis tournament playing for the "Wonders" and won all 3 of his matches (he played the first with only 1 contact, as he couldn't insert the 2nd one - he was late & had to rush to the tournament). Jef and Kathy walked to El Borrego and had dinner this evening.

Altho predicted to be a major storm, Borrego got very little of it this day

On the 19th, Jef won his final match and was on the winning team - the Wonders beat the Gators handily & Jef rewrote Peg's victory song:

We're a-playin' in the rain
Gators losin' and feelin' pain
Wishin' they could play like we
To end this misery

We wonders
We won! won!won! - the gators:
Why
Why, why, why, why, why
They couldn't play

And we wonder
Will the gators stay
Come Sunday
Or will they, run, run, run, run, runaway?

Tennis play today - someone pointed out the rainbow to Jef, as he couldn't see it due to his wearing polarized sunglasses

The "Gators"... aka LOSERS!

Fonts Point this afternoon

On the 20th, back to work a very long day at the office.

On the 21st, another very long day at the office.

On the 22nd, back to work another long day at the office.

Raised garden has plants growing

Guest house meter reading

Bizarre mushroom at the base of the big mesquite in the back yard

On the 23rd, another very long day at the office.

On the 24th, Kathy spent nearly 9 hours in a dentist chair getting 4 crowns! Jef worked at catching up with paperwork at the office.

Meter still creepin' up

Kathy near end of her dental ordeal

Our dryer has a design defect where lint gets stuck beneath trap & water deposits in front of it when it gets too stuffed

On the 25th, Jef and Kathy did a 4 hour hike this afternoon up Villager Ridge, going about 5 miles altogether. After the hike they dined at El Borrego.

Kathy at base of switchbacks, saying "You've GOT to be kidding!"

We saw this troll stroking his beard

The fabled "Big tooth" - a suspected "missing link"

This blue mini-ice chest contained an ice pack and 2 cold beers to celebrate the high point of our hike

2 beers orbiting a rock?

Panorama at high point - Lute Fault is near middle of this pic

We scooted 50 yards to edge from our first high point rock. Clark Lake and Coyote Mtn. are behind Kathy

Just after Jef took this, he screamed as a "jumping cholla" jumped into the side of his shoe

Who is this caped person....

... flying off to save the world?

We took a few minutes and rebuilt the big cairn at the top of the switchbacks (it was completely down before we arrived)

Kathy in front of some wildflowers

Patches of brown-eyed primrose

There are quite a few desert lilies in this area

East end of the Lute Fault ridge - trail crosses it here, and switchbacks an be seen behind it

Spectical pod flowers

On the 26th, mostly took it easy at home, as this was a cool and windy day. Jef did some weeding. Kathy bar-b-qued in the wind this evening: swordfish and chicken.

On the 27th, on this rainy day, Kathy's eye was bothering her so much that a full load of patients was cancelled. Jef worked at the office. Kathy's eye was still ailing. We found a new leak (water was FLOWING out of our breaker box - apparently the electrician failed to seal the conduit properly.

On the 28th, Jef filled up the trash with weeds - trying to 'stem' the tide of fresh growth after prior night's 1.5" of rain. The Jef went to the office to again cancel patients, while Kathy, who didn't get enough sleep, rested at home.

Puddles remain after prior day's rain - basket is full of weeds - Jef started weeding for real this week

Meter this morning - note snowcapped El Toro

Moon and Venus over the Mall

On the 1st, mostly took it easy at home.

On the 2nd, walked to the office and did some work there.

On the 3rd, back to work a very long day at the office.

on the 4th, had a medium day at the office and went on a nice moonlit walk for our usual 1 hour walk.

On the 5th, a very long day at the office.

On the 6th, had a medium long day at the office. Jef played in Sandi's tournament and did well this day, winning all matches.

On the 7th, Kathy did a couple of homecare patients. Jef played in tournament, but didn't do too well, falling out of 1st place.

Cool sunrise this morning

Dinner at Red Ocotillo - Kathy had spaghetti & Jef a nice Cobb salad

On the 8th, Jef played the last match, losing 3-6 to the winner (the reversed score would have had Jef the winner of this lower division of the tournament).

Larry (center) won 1st place in Men's C division

Jef (center) won 2nd place in C division with plate/metal "2nd place" label affixed to it

Lonnie (center) won 3rd place in C division

On the 9th, back to work a fairly long day at the office.

On the 10th, another long day at the office.

On the 11th, a short day at the office. Skipped walking as Kathy's hip was bothering her.

Guest house meter this day

After prepping 3rd wall of raised planter

Meter this day

On the 12th, another long day at the office.

On the 13th, another very long day at the office.

Another rainy day

On the 14th, walked to work and did some work at the office.

Meter this morning

Toro is snow capped this day

Cool ray coming from sunset this evening

On the 15th, finished wall 3 and started wall 4 of raised planter. Jeff and Ann came over to help us use up leftovers from NY Eve party.

Start of 4th wall of raised garden

On the 16th, back to work a very long day at the office.

On the 17th, another long day at the office.

On the 18th, another very long day at the office.

On the 19th, a long day at the office.

Another day of rainbows

Low clouds on this rainy day

On the 20th, another extremely long day at the office concluding a gruelling week - the busiest in over 10 years.

Yet another rainbow

On the 21st, due to rain, the tennis tournament was cancelled. Jef and Kathy mostly took it easy at home.

On the 22nd, mostly took it easy at home.

Meter this day

Greening desert with threatening clouds over the mountains

On our walk this afternoon, Ocotillo forest is green and flower buds are forming

On the 23rd, back to work a very long day at the office.

Rainbow over Weststar house

Puddles in our front yard this morning

Another double rainbow at the office

Rainbow accentuating Indianhead

Rainbow persisted to the afternoon - here it is looking north from the Mall

On the 24th, another long day at the office.

Snow cap on Toro this day

On the 25th, a long day at the office. We closed early to go on a walk, but it was too chilly for Kathy this evening.

On the 26th, very long day at the office.

On the 27th, yet another very long day at the office, completing the busiest week in over 10 years (beating last week).

On the 28th, mostly took it easy at home, but Jef did some work at the office.

Meter reading at the guest house this day

The hills are starting to look green - snow still in the mountains

On the 29th, Jef did some chores around the house and played with the drone briefly before figuring out it was too difficult even with the small amount of wind. We met Ann and Jeff at the Arches and had a nice dinner outside looking out on golf course and Toro Peak to the north.

Jef and Ann arranged this table at the Arches, where we dined this evening

Kathy and Ann

Loading up the leftovers into boxes at the conclusion of dinner

Kathy got a nice decorative chocolate mousse

The 4 of us

Photo taken by waitress

On the 30th, after a medium long day at the office, we packed up and drove to Santee where we checked into the Carlton Oaks Golf Resort for the night. We got Jack-in-the-box for dinner.

On the 31st, woke up at Carlton Oaks Golf Resort and drove to surgery center where Kathy had her implant ripped out in a brutal time-consuming (2 hours in OR) surgery. Jef walked to TJs and Walmart and did shopping during this. He then drove to eye doctor appointment before finally getting Kathy out and drove to Ramona, where we had dinner at Pinto Thai Restaurant. We stopped by pharmacy and did some shopping at Stater's before driving home.

Our room was just around the corner and viewed this practice range