Happy July 4 everyone!! What a beautiful day it was! Don and I sat out on our patio and watched a BEAUTIFUL rain this morning! Every drop is precious these days. The weatherman said we normally have about 3 inches of rain by July but this year we've only had .36 of an inch. We treasure those rain clouds. AND....it was only 80 degrees! Just an awesome day weatherwise. Then in the afternoon it all cleared up and we could enjoy our July 4 celebration up in the ballroom.
This wasn't a "storm"....but wonderful rain with long low rumbling thunder in the background. Awesome!
Our hummingbird feeder is busy as always.
Over 60 people gathered in the ballroom to celebrate the 4th of July. We had delicious hamburgers and something new-- brat burgers. It is good brat meat but in a flat patty instead of in a link. With a show of hands and a sell out today, it was unanimous that these new patties will be popular. Linda Balzan will be serving them at the softball games and Diane plans to add them to the menu for some of her patio golf lunches. We also enjoyed scrumptuous macaroni salad and a broccoli salad....along with potato chips, and cake and ice cream for dessert.
We started with the Pledge of Allegiance.
I was always afraid that pictures of people sitting around the tables would be boring but many readers write to tell me that they love to zoom in and see which of their friends are still here. I think I got a quick photo of each table today.
True to Palm Creek fashion, it wasn't just an ordinary cake! We honored the stars and stripes.
Diane Gaines (affectionately known as Martha Stewart) did the cake honors. Notice that delicious strawberry layer inside the cake. YUM.
Now for some FANTASTIC NEWS about our owls. This is the burrow just across the street from our front entrance. Lillie Corbitt sent me these photos and exciting report. Thank you, Lillie! She wrote: "There are a total of 7 baby owls. Mom stood watch while Dad took 3 at a time to
learn to fly. They went to the fence to a hump in the field landing several
times in between. Then back to the fence, then to Momma..who watched closely. If
we got too close, they all ran back in the hole. She was very protective
today. That is a baby landing.
Gene Overen takes an early morning walk every day and said he has seen a coyote walking along the houses on Oasis. Coyotes have been spotted by some of our early morning golfers as well. Today we finally got some photos! Thank you, Joann Strauchon for capturing these photos this morning and sending them for the blog. With all the doves, rabbits, and stray cats we have plus bountiful fresh water, I can understand why coyotes would want to visit. We're lucky to see them now. When residents return and the place gets active again, they will retreat back to the desert.
