APRIL 2011

April started out HOT – April 1st the temperature in Apache Junction hit 102! The official temperature in Phoenix was 100 – April 1st is the second earliest date that Phoenix reached 100 degrees. The average date for 100 degrees is in late May.


Even though it was hot we took our last organized park hike on April 1st. A few brave souls joined us for a nice hike in the Sonoran Desert Trail System northwest of Apache Junction. Because it was getting hot early we cut our hike short but were able to get a great view of Red Mountain.






One of the beautiful cactus we saw blooming by the trail








The weather immediately cooled down to the mid 80’s to low 90’s until April 9 when the temperature dropped to a high of 54 and we had SNOW on Superstition Mountain again. 

The weather again went back to nice and warm and stayed in the 80’s and 90’s the rest of the month.



Nancy joined a park bus trip to the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix. The gardens were full of wildflowers in bloom and many of the cacti were also in bloom. It was a very enjoyable day strolling through the gardens and visiting the butterfly house. We even saw a California King Snake slithering through the garden.




Our Tai Chi class ended in April. The last few weeks we went to Prospector Park on Wednesday mornings for our class. It was really nice being in the park as the sun was rising over Superstition Mountain.

 
 
 
 
 
We even had 4 coyotes watching us for a while.
 
 




We really enjoyed our Tai Chi class this season and look forward to continuing with it next season.  We thank Gene, our instructor, for all his patience and understanding!


Rex’s last day for the season on the Dolly Steamboat was Easter Sunday. While Rex worked Nancy joined her parents at church and then to Village Inn for a very nice lunch. Rex is ready to quit working for the summer but is looking forward to getting back on the Dolly again this fall.



There is a Dove nest in our neighbors palm tree that is at the end of our driveway. We had a lot of fun watching the mom sit on the eggs and anticipating the hatch. We had two babies! They left the nest the day after we took this picture.


We spent a lot of time in April saying good-bye to our neighbors and friends as they leave the park to head home – wherever that may be.  We will miss them all and look forward to seeing them again in the fall, but we are also anxious to start traveling again the first of May.  We are heading to Desert Hot Springs in California and will visit Joshua Tree National Park, the Salton Sea and the Palm Springs area.

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