On the 1st, drove Kathy to MD in Escondido in Jeep(as Camry was still in body shop) & did some shopping on the way home.

Puppies interested in Kathy's dinner

On the 2nd, Jef did a lot of clean up work in the garage.

Noticed smoke coming from the SW

This was the Scissors-2 fire, as Scissor's Xing had again caught fire

Some clouds at sunset this evening

We had burgers cooked on bar-b-q this evening

On the 3rd, continued cleaning the garage.

After mostly cleaning up table top

Found a dead tarantula wasp while cleaning

Sunset this evening

Cleaned up mess under window, temporarily putting stuff on table top

On the 4th, had to cancel 3 office patients, as Kathy was not up to working this day.

On the 5th, we had 2 long blackouts this day, so set up generator in the morning & Kathy watched Star Trek (original series) until power came back on. Power again went down this evening, but we sat outside and never connected the generator.

Generator set up

Got TV & DVD working during blackout

Sunset this evening

Sitting outside during blackout

On the 6th, mostly took it easy & did chores at home.

On the 7th, mostly took it easy & did chores at home, as Camry is still not ready, but should be ready Monday.

On the 8th, mostly took it easy at home. Walked Kathy & doggies on a slow loop around the circle, doing 2 spurs, so about 1.1 miles.

Puppies on walk

Pepper riding on Kathy's walker

On the 9th, checked out Sewanee house. That afternoon took Kathy & doggies to Old Borego History Preservation Day for about half an hour.

Meter check at Sewanee - as SDGE said I used 91kwh in 1st 20 days when only fridge was on

Looks like another main water leak to fix

Kathy & Pepper in living room in oldest building in Borrego

Panorama of living room

Looking into bedroom - another bedroom is beyond this

Bathroom

Northernmost bedroom

Another bedroom

And another bathroom - note: no halls - you must go thru bedrooms/bathrooms to get to other rooms

Kathy in the kitchen

Kitchen panorama

Looking back into living room from kitchen

Daisy by the "pool"

And in the pool

Kathy & Pepper did not enter the pool

Note the double roof design

Narrow door!

Panorama inside the old store

Pictures from old History Preservation Days with some of the pioneers - Denny was at this event, here's a pic of him from maybe 40 years ago

I rented a house in Tubb Canyon circa 1970 from one of the Sellis's and Norri Bakko is the realtor who turned me on to it

Phil Brigandi wrote a couple of books and may have been instrumental in History Preservation Day - he passed away 59 years young about 10 years ago

Visitors watching promotional Borrego video from the 50s

Apparently cabins were rented here in the past

Old Borego Store sign

Outside the store

Looking down (what might have been called Main Street) to northern suburbs in Old Borego

Kathy walking towards the "northern suburbs"

Old garage

Sign over old garage

This old mobile home may have been from the '40s

Another cabin

Looking to northern suburbs

Kathy & Pepper on front deck of this cabin

On the 10th, Camry is still not done, so mostly hung out at home.

We noticed that when roads end, there is a sign saying "Entering County", as is the case at this spur (Lightning)

On the 11th, Kathy did 2 patients at the office.

Dave stayed for dinner this evening

Aurora Borealis was visible with camera this evening

On the 12th, Camry was finally ready, so Jef got a ride with Dave to Poway, picked it up, and shopped on the way home.

On the 13th, Kathy had 2 patients at the office. Jef walked to town, helped out Kathy some and did a couple other chores.

Meter at this time

Starting walk home, noticed small cloud - they are predicting a big storm coming in, perhaps this is the start

Trail was obscured by erosion, such as this wash cut

Grasses along trail

Top of first hill

Nearing top

At the top - most of this grass is dead (not protected from wind, like in lower slopes)

Chinchweed still blooming in this little draw

Before descending to main wash

Looks pretty green down there

Erosion may make this a problem area

Arriving in main wash

Some chuparosa blooms

Blooming brittlebush

Desert hibiscus also blooming

Giant patch of windmills

Passing rotary trough

Healthy cheesebush

Rain washed away this old couch that had been a minor obstacle, pushing it off to the side

On the 14th, Jef helped Kathy make a batch of spaghetti sauce.

Nice sunrise this morning

Looking at red mountains & clouds behind house

Camry is now fixed!

Even the left side

Back yard during this sunrise

Plants are doing okay

Montezuma grade in early morning light

Rain shaft towards Coyote Canyon

On the 15th, woke up to rain. Stayed home and soaked up water flooding our sunroom.

Noticed this baby garter snake in sunroom

Picked up with tongs and tossed into front yard

Soaking up flood waters in sun room

Daisy wondering what this wet stuff is

Sunset this evening

On the 16th, mostly took it easy at home doing chores. Kathy & Kym went to Red O for lunch.

Sunrise this morning

Woke up with no water pressure in house - these guys were probably fixing a leak

One of Stacey's drawings from 20+ years ago left at West Star house

Water pressure returned & Jef noticed SOMEONE had used the hose and left it on full blast

Water reached into neighbor's property

Walking over to see what water district had done, took this pic of a raven

Water leak was on shoulder in front of next 2 neighbors

Must have been a little waterfall going down towards neighbor 3 houses down

Water crossing neighbor 3 houses down

Water crossed neighbor 4 houses down an continued to main wash, but never made it all the way to Tilting T

Still have blooming chinchweed

Kathy & Pepper starting walk

Saw a little rainbow over toward Santa Rosas

On the 17th, mostly took it easy at home. Jef worked on old pix & then walked about 4 miles to base of ridge in Dry Canyon in 74 minutes. Later we walked doggies about 2 miles around the circle.

Sunrise this morning

Meter is heading north - probably due to hot tub

Walking up Wagon noticed and took this shortcut dirt road to Bar O

2 miles from house took this panorama shot looking east to water tank

Looking back to ridge I was on - top is height of road cut-out on Montezuma

Wash was blocked here for recharge basin for water district

Discovered this track leading into Dry Canyon

On the 18th, Kathy resumed work with 3 patients this day.

On the 1st, Jef continued weeding circle of puncture vines. Drove Kathy to MD at local clinic.

Chinchweeds doing well in our yard

Looking to SW from great curve on BS Rd

Looking west into Tubb Canyon

Chinchweed in back of Rickard's old house

Kathy waited in car as Jef snapped a few pix on way home

On the 2nd, drove Kathy to doctor in Rancho Mirage.

Chinchweed near elementary skool

Car near skool on Borrego Valley Rd

On the 3rd, Jef got results of blood tests - nothing terrible.

Texas rangers still blooming after the late summer rains

On the 4th, Jef did final puncture vine removal on W Star.

A couple puncture vines before Jef dug them out

After digging out

Returning home with bucket full of puncture vines

On the 5th, Jef did puncture vine removal on upper part of W Star and Lightning, as he missed a bunch on original attempt. Started removal on E Star.

Water district has a little leak as there is standing water and very healthy spurge

Kym got Kathy a b'day cake & champagne, so we had a little ceremony. Jef picked some flowers from backyard

On the 6th, Jef drove to SD & got teeth cleaned & crown that fell off in WA temporarily reattached, as new crown will be needed. Stopped at Big Rock house on way home and did some front yard trimming and clean-up(40 minutes worth). Got Kathy a Thai dinner for a belated b'day gift and did some shopping before returning home.

Big Rock house after clean up

Panorama of valley with yellowing band the chinchweed fields

Our WStar house is in this pic

On the 7th, drove Kathy to dentist in SD. He found she needed a tooth pulled & tooth puller was across the hall & was available, so got her tooth pulled (with not-enuff novocaine, so very painful). Drove back home, arriving after dark.

Chinchweed still around, but starting to fade

At the dentist

On the 8th, Jef did chores & Kathy took it easy all day.

Jef started weeding puncture vines on East Star - before pic

After doing some weeding

Trash getting pretty full

After weeding even more

On the 9th, Kathy saw her 1st patient in over 3 months.

Jef did more puncture vine weeding, finishing nearly all of West Star

On the 10th, mostly took it easy at home.

Jef took pic of sky after sunrise this morning

Pepper snuck out, as Jef didn't close front door

Cool sky as seen looking to the west

Daisy hunting Pepper

Daisy(R) chasing Pepper(L) in back yard

Vertical panorama including drained pool

Looking NW

Sunset this evening

On the 11th, drove Kathy to MD in Escondido. A few minutes prior to arriving, we got rear-ended by a hit & run driver. We stopped & checked out damage & then went to MD and soon after tried to get a police case report started. Got Thai food and shopped on the way home. Then went over to John's place to discuss up-coming Borrego Days parade plan(Kathy's Bloody Mary event).

Chinchweed even blooming on foothills(this is the Borrego Spur)

Damage to rear bumper

The black compact car hit us around the center of this pic

Talked Kathy out of calling 911, so we could see MD before they closed

Kathy & John - we brought rest of Kathy's b'day cake & some wine

Pepper being blessed by the "angel" Joseph

Joseph & John enjoyed playing with the puppies

Joseph took this pic

John took this pic

Jef's "repair" job of damage to bumper earlier this day

John & Joseph continued taking pix

Jef briefly got camera back & took this pic of John & Joseph

Joseph got camera back for these last 3 pix

On the 12th, Jef did chores all day, including weeding about 35# of puncture vine in upper E Star, while Kathy took it easy.

Jef had called water district a few days ago about a leak here, and apparently they fixed it!

Jef with wine-stained shirt from prior nite at John's...

...while walking puppies around circle

Kathy temporarily took doggies on Lightning spur, so Jef could take a pic

Daisy was sniffing this light thing on WStar. Jef looked and wondered what it was in the waning light... Turned out to be a baby rattler

On the 13th, failed to do much in town as pharmacy, post office, and bank were closed for indiginous (aka Columbus) day.

Puncture vine

Jef, temporarily, put this day's puncture vine haul in this container

Chinchweed fields by the Center Mall

Panorama near Center Mall - as we shopped at the Center Mall store

Back home - panorama of sky this afternoon

Possible sphynx moth caterpillar on this puncture vine

Nearly overflowing trash with puncture vines ready to be put in

On the 14th, had a trace of rain from remnants of storm passing thru.

Chinchweed flowers behind Sewanee with recreational burn barrel

Burning palm fronds

Chinchweed fields just west of Center Mall

Some rain in the mtns

Cool clouds near sunset

On the 15th, pretty much took it easy at home, but did do another puncture vine removal in our circle.

As trash was mostly full of puncture vines, Lupita put house trash on top and didn't close the lid, so the ravens terrorized the trash bags

Still a few clouds from storm that moved thru - this was trash day

Chinchweed flowers are a pale shadow of what they were a week or 2 prior

Sample puncture vine before loading it in this bin

On the 16th, pulled more puncture vines. John dropped off 16 super jumbo eggs(some with double yolks) and Jef made deviled eggs for following day.

Some puncture vines in upper EStar are super healthy and generating big burrs

On the 17th, did another round of removing puncture vines, completing EStar/WStar circle. All that remains is upper half of Lapped Circle spur.

On the 18th, got down to parade camp site and off-loaded deviled eggs and bloody mary making supplies. Helped Kathy make bloody marys thru the parade and hung out afterwards for another hour.

John had already set up the base camp

We were the first to arrive afterwards

The quiet before the parade

People arriving

These 4 planes flying in formation provided the only aerial part of the parade

Planes drew squiggles in the sky on this 3rd pass

Remnants of smoke plumes after the 4 flybys

Start of ground parade

Legion entry

This guy did loops while going down the parade route, all the while doing a wheely! What balance!!

Miss Borrego float

The new restaurant, Michaels, entry in parade

Day of the dead float

Ramona Waste entry

Borrego Space Force

Holtville was the only marching band

Sylvia & David on their palominos

Start of BS alumni entry

End of BS alumni entry

Pedestrian BS alumni

Zoey, the desert dog, on John's lap - we didn't bring out puppies

Frederick's entry

State park entry

Horse women from Julian entry

After parade, one of the teachers accompanies John & Joseph to go to rides in the circle

Hanging out at John's camp after the parade

Took pix of chinchweed flower fields by the hi skool - note the puncture vines in foreground

Panorama

Puncture vines are very healthy here

Jef went back into town later this afternoon to get some oriental food for Kathy's dinner

While sitting outside after Holley & Alvero arrived, noticed a bunch of smoke to the NW - by the time I got camera, it had faded to this

On the 19th, Holley made us some breakfast & we walked doggies around the circle before they left.

Got Holley & Alvaro to walk the dogs

Holley tried running Pepper, but Pepper wouldn't let her get very far ahead of us

On the 20th, Jef finished weeding the circle by harvesting 2 buckets of puncture vine on Lapped Circle spur. Then drove to Rancho Mirage by himself, shopped & got an imaging, but had to wait an hour before being seen there. Then drove home.

Took pix before sunrise to see if any comet was visible, but failed

Windmills blooming on East Star

After completed weeding on Lapped Circle

Panel came loose driving to Rancho Mirage, so re-taped it there

On the 21st, mostly took it easy at home. A little rain during the night.

Whenever I try to put on my shoes, puppies jump on me and try to "help"

Virga in the Santa Rosas caused this mini rainbow

Fall foliage panorama

Chinchweed nearly gone in our front yard

Took puppies on 2 mile walk late this afternoon

Somewhere under the rainbow...

Crepuscular rays near sunset

Tried and failed to see any comets - the problem is the comet sets while it is still too bright out

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

Just before sunrise - we had a tiny bit of rain prior nite

On the 23rd, mostly took it easy at home.

Kathy & puppies went on a 3 mile hike this afternoon - first time out of the circle - we went up Broken Arrow & back

On the 24th, Jef drove Kathy to Poway where we got car evaluated after suffering damage from hit and run, then drove to OB where Kathy got her ring adjusted, then to get a 2nd neck MRI, then picked up Thai food to go, did some shopping and returned home to Borrego.

On the 25th, did chores at home and went on a 3.5 mile hike (Wagon/Broken Arrow loop) with Kathy & puppies.

Starting out on hike

Heading up Wagon

Daisy smelling this weird mushroom

We had to brave the dangers along this walk

This is the house where owner swiped car chasis that used to be in wash along sand dune behind our circle

Chassis is bottom right

Panorama

Good sunset colours

Crescent moon

Nearing top of Wagon

Kathy had spray painted the refrigerator again this day

On the 26th, mostly took it easy at home. Jef did a little hike this afternoon.

Before sunrise this morning

Meter's probably been going down lately

Mushroom on trail behind house

Mushroom on Wagon shoulder across from trail

Walked by this neighbor

Starting up trail behind old country club

Still some chinchweeds blooming on hillsides

My normal hike goes up this wash, but haven't done this since last spring

View from first peak on this ridge - the turnaround point on this hike

Heading back down towards the old country club

This barrel has a skinny base

Detail on the fence to the research station

On the 27th, Jef pulled puncturevines from trail behind house & then drove Camry to Poway to fix body damage & got ride back from Dave.

After dropping off Camry, Jef walked over a mile down Community to meed Dave at Harbor Freight

Had to squeeze by this narrow gap between vegetation and railing protecting me from cars whizzing by at over 60mph

Noticed another SpaceX contrail this evening

On the 28th, mostly took it easy at home, but did go and pull puncturevine weeds. Kathy learned a couple recipes from Lupita.

Puncturevine weeds pulled along this trail

On the 29th, pulled puncturevines along Wagon and Tilting T to top off trash on this trash day. Then sheparded Kathy thru her required CPR class & took Jeep in to get battery replaced.

On the 30th, Jef went to Sewanee and burned some work papers along with palm fronds and dead paloverde branches he trimmed.

Burning dead vegetation

Kym joined us on a walk around the circle this evening

On the 31st, mostly took it easy at home.

Some of the "Trunk or Treat" photo-ops at the Mall