LEAVING FOR THE CANYON

In a couple of hours, 1/2 of Travel by Chance will be on the road again, destination Grand Canyon. Yesterday was a flurry of activity, as I loaded some last minute stuff, put the motorcycle carrier on the back of the motor home, and hooked up the truck. Except for the computer, the cat and the dog, I'm ready to roll. I'm also ready for some cooler temperatures, as the summer has definitely arrived here in Lake Havasu.

A couple of days ago, we discovered a quail nest in this little raised flowerbed, next to the shed in the back yard. Sami was paying a lot of attention to the area, so when we checked a little closer, we found out why. The bottom picture shows the nest with 14 eggs sitting on the ground under the foliage.

So, for the past couple of days, we've been taking Sam out on her leash, keeping her away from the nest. Whenever we get too close, the bird sitting on the nest takes off, but so far, it's always come back. With our absence, and less activity in the yard, in about another week or so, Patty may have a bunch of baby quail to keep an eye on before she leaves for Paris on the 16th. According to the all knowing Internet, the incubation period is 2-3 weeks. In our 10 years of living here, this is a first.

By this afternoon, I'll be getting everything set up for our summer at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. It's only about 225 miles, so it will be a relatively short trip.

My oldest son Michael is back in the states, returning from 3 months in Afghanistan, and he will be reunited with his wife Amy in Augusta, GA tomorrow. Welcome home Mike!