April Flowers From Sedona Showers

1 May:  Mee weefee returns !!!  Oh Joy, oh, Joy.

Sisters: Bonnie & Cynthia

30 Apr, Sunday:  Ron rode to church service and got there on time - without adult supervision.  Then he hurried home for another peanut butter toast sandwich before another big hike, Big Park Loop to Rector Connector to Courthouse Loop , with camera in hand to take lots of wildflower photos, etc.  Photos to come one of these days.  He spent 20 minutes talking to Bob & Lisa, a fun couple.  Bob talked about his several heart attacks and his denial of each one.  Lisa kept saying he had it wrong.  Ron is not in the shape he thought he was; still tired from yesterdays uphills, today was a struggle despite much less hilly.  Dinner of cornbread & pretzels and to sleep early tonight.

Cynthia and niece Robin, both too tall

Cynthia & Lauren, both in yellow

29 Apr:  Without adult supervision, Ron ate peanut butter toast sandwich and hiked the Made in the Shade Trail and out the Hiline Trail to the overlooking point, a very industrious uphill hike.  He had hoped to get to the first rock chute and return, but his body told him NO.  At that point, Ron laid down in the shade and fell asleep for perhaps an hour, so his hiking time was 9:52 to 11:30 and 1:15 to 2:40.  The views at the point are of Cathedral Rock and the valley west of it, quite awe inspiring.  After his nap, as he returned, Zack and Vicky, 20-somethings, passed him, so Ron kept pace and talked with them to the enjoyment of all concerned.  Vicky is a personal trainer who has a bad back from gymnastics, and they are visiting grandparents who stay in shape, so we had lots of common interests.  More James Lea, more tree debris, and a walk to the store for bananas, raspberries and frozen mango, with return in nearly total darkness.

28 Apr:  In a radical departure from normal, we rode the motorcycle to the Bell Rock Trailhead for our hike around the Big Park Loop.  The reason for such radical behavior was Cynthia's departure via airport shuttle (Sue) at 1:45 PM.  After a two hour shuttle, Cynthia sat in the airport an hour to catch a 5:45 flight from Phoenix to Palm Springs to join her children.  She arrived in Palm Springs on time at 6:45, and waited another hour for her children to arrive.   Ron is left without adult supervision until his beloved weefee returns Monday at 1:00 PM.  Oh oh!  Ron continues working on James Lea when the sun is hot and on the derelict tree when the shade extends that far in the evening.

27 Apr:  Today Ron bought a couple of QQQ call options, submitted a limit, and we hiked at ten AM so that Cynthia could get pedicured and manicured at three PM.  His calls were still pending when we returned at noon, so Ron sold them at a profit near the high for the day and bought a put option.  Ron ran the electric chain saw to dismantle the derelict tree destroyed by this spring's heavy snow.  6.33 miles.   

26 Apr:  Ron's 90-day pacemaker test was completed.  Successful day in the markets. 6.13 miles.

25 Apr:  Late afternoon, we hiked 6.23 miles on the Slim Shady Trail with fewer bikes and hikers.  We have FUN!  The yucca are beginning to bloom.

Jane, Cynthia, Ron, Carol and Paul.

24 Apr:  We thoroughly enjoyed our guests, sharing wonderful memories as neighbors for nineteen years in Elk Horn, Iowa, forty years ago.  After breakfast we drove to Bell Rock Trailhead and hiked the Courthouse Loop.  Jane saw a couple of people atop Spaceship Rock and decided instantly to hike up it.  Ron followed, but was too slow to witness her assent of the steepest five feet of the climb - whereupon he stopped as he had previously.  She practiced a couple of yoga poses and reported magnificent views.  Cynthia's Apple Watch  5.30 miles.   

Tivoli fest, tepleat with Danish flag

23 Apr, Sunday:  After worship, we were  comfortable hiking the Slim Shady Trail.  Then Cynthia forced Ron to clean house while she prepared food in advance for our guests.  We enjoyed conversation on our deck here with its lovely view of a couple of immense red rocks until time for dinner at Cucina Rustica out doors on their patio, warmed by heaters, and entertained with lovely guitar music and more good conversation.  6.0 miles.

22 Apr:  Saturday, we slept in until 6:30, exercised, fed our faces, and hiked 5.35 miles on the Big Park Loop.   What fun to meet familiar faces, a couple we visited with at the same spot a few weeks ago, our pastor’s wife, and the bike patrol guy with a red cross on his shirt.  (Cynthia remembered that a couple of years ago his wife told him that the big red cross on his shirt was "to attract chicks").  The wild flowers continue to delight us, covering greater expanses and adding new colors occasionally.  5.35 miles 

21 Apr:  We only have ten days left in the Village of Oak Creek before we transfer into Sedona.  We hiked the same trail, starting at 5:30, and arrived home in the dark at 8:15 PM  happy to survive alive.  6.20 miles.  The Village of Oak Creek and Sedona do not have streetlights apart from low-wattage lights downtown; it gets black in a hurry! 

20 Apr:  Ron enjoyed a successful QQQ morning in the markets, and the forecast promised a gorgeous day ahead of us.  The Shady Slim Trail was almost deserted at five PM, cool and comfortable with lots of new flowers, many of which we did not see going out at 5 pm but which were quite striking upon return at 7 pm.  Quite remarkable that the rain a month ago spurred this floral show now that the weather has warmed up significantly.  6 miles. 

19 Apr:  The high-temperature forecast today is 70, a fantastic day for a big hike at one PM.  We were tired, but out the door to hike almost six miles on the Slim Shady Trail.  Rest, icing, and exercises have greatly improved Cynthia’s feet (tendonitis). 

18 Apr:  Still embroiled in the great struggle with QQQ.  Today we hope to sell our puts at a profit and buy a call.  Thereupon we stop hoping for it to fall, and we start rooting for QQQ to go up and up and up.

17 Apr:  Tomorrow, QQQ will again move front and center (actually we hope for a significant drop to recoup our "investment.")  We are absorbed with our computers.  5.81 miles on the Park loop.  Reading the news it is apparent our country faces danger, from without and within.  To hate is evil.  Changes begin inside each one of us.  One of the best posts I've come across with such a great message!

12 Ted Lasso Leadership Lessons:

1. Believe in yourself

2. Doing the right thing is never the wrong thing

3. All people are different people

4. See good in others

5. Courage is about being willing to try

6. Vulnerability is a strength not a weakness

7. Tell the truth

8. Winning is an attitude

9. Optimists do more

10. Stay teachable

11. Be a Goldfish - If you do something wrong do not let it define you.  Forget it - like a goldfish - within 10 seconds.

12.  Happiness is a choice

16 Apr, Sunday:  Another day of rest - except on church days we have to arise at 6:30 to get to the church on time.  Great hike up to the Yavapai Vista.  6.22 miles on the SlimShady Trail. 

15 Apr:  The stock market is closed, so we can sleep in - except that the light will awaken us at 5:30 anyway.  Cynthia is like a little Easter chicken; as soon as she sees daylight, she is up and foraging for food.  We hiked the Bell Rock loop.  5.49 miles

14 Apr:  Our day started after sleeping eight uninterrupted hours.  Miracles still happen !!  Cynthia's feet are still not good, neither is Ron's QQQ, although both are better today.  At best, Ron could have made $20 on one trade today, but that moment passed in a flash.  Today Ron finally resumed working on James Lea after about ten days off.  Cynthia's feet were not too sore to flutter around the house, cleaning, but they are too sore to hike with Ron, so he is off late this afternoon with a camera to see if he gets far enough to find a good photo for this blog.

13 Apr:  Cynthia is suffering from foot pain again; Ron suffers from QQQ pain.  The highlight of Ron's day was his energetic (i.e. tiring) hike from the house at 4 PM uphill and onto the Hiline Trail to the first good view down the valley towards Sedona.  As he hiked that trail, he was again impressed that Cynthia had hiked that with him a few years ago - it is very rocky, often with significant exposure.  And it is hard to imagine that we took Julie and Lamar on that trail too.

12 Apr:  A quiet day of genealogy, success in the market, and eating.  We eat a lot.  Ron is up to 172 lbs.  Cynthia is enjoying lovely pink roses.  We hiked at four, meeting the nicest people like Renee, a physician originally from Houston.  As we returned on the trail, the landscapes became unreal and surreal because the late afternoon sunshine and shadows bathed the mountains in many unusual colors.  Several trees, scrubs and flowers are budding, leafing and flowering nicely now.  There is nothing like a vibrant spring.  Climbing, camaraderie, and communion with nature is what drives us. 6.34 miles 

11 Apr:  The third day of Easter is also hot.  Ron rode to Cottonwood for groceries.  We followed that with a 2.26-mile walk. 

10 Apr:  The second day after Easter is a foretaste of the heat to come.  It was too hot to hike mid-day.  Besides Cynthia had a mani//pedi and her nails needed to cure.  Ron's move outdoors to the veranda proved very pleasant, with the birds singing and deer running in the yard beneath us.  Ron made delicious-smelling lentil soup. 

9 Apr, Sunday:  Happy Easter!  After a beautiful worship experience and pigging out, we felt lazy!  Besides, after all those lovely cool days this month, the temperature suddenly rocketed up to 90 degrees.  It was time to hike the Slim Shady Trail again at four PM. 6.26 miles.  On the way home, we chatted with neighbor John, who was weeding his nicely landscaped yard.  His wife, Sherrie, the culinary marvel,  joined us and gifted us freshly baked bread.  It is delicious. Mmmm. 

8 Apr:  Holy Saturday, Easter triduum, and Resurrection blessings and prayers uplifted for friends and for spiritual renewal.  Come, Lord Jesus.  The Slim Shady Trail at 4 PM was almost isolated except for a few bikers and Janet, a delightful hiker from Florida whom we thoroughly enjoyed.  5.82 miles. 

7 Apr:  Good Friday, a quiet day of contemplation.  We had a lovely late afternoon hike, 5.53 miles. 

6 Apr:  QQQ caused us to jump out of bed at 6:34 AM to watch the markets.  At 10:30, we were out the door to hike 5.69 miles, returning worn out.  Cynthia is halfway through a course on the History of Radicalism, plus slowly working her way through a great book by David Bentley Hart, The Experience of God, Consciousness, Being and Bliss.

5 Apr:  Yay!  We were exercised and out the door by ten-thirty AM and onto the Big Park Loop  5.67 miles.  After the hike, Ron rode to Cottonwood for groceries. 

4 Apr:  A windy day and activities kept us from hiking.  Cynthia lay down and fell asleep for an hour.  After Iowa's loss, Ron started researching basketball and was fascinated to read about Dr. J. first, then Lonzo Ball next.  Ron's friend Larry suggested that he look up Connie Hawkins.  Next was Wilt Chamberlain who said he thought the greatest basketball player of all time was Meadowlark Lemon, and when you consider Meadowlark's halfcourt hook shot and immense hands, you have to agree.  All that research accomplished nothing, but it sure was fun.  

Granddaughter Fyn with
a basket full of Easter
blessings

3 Apr:  And we are enjoying another wonderful day that God has granted us.  However, Ron spent the morning glued to his QQQ observations without success.  Hopefully tomorrow it will move low enough to jolt him into action.  Between times once, he did wash a couple of floors and straighten up his piles of various junks.  Cynthia is frustrated trying to type, deciding it will just wait another four months!  

2 Apr, Sunday:  The ride to church was fine at 50 degrees, and Pastor David delivered another fine sermon.  We were delighted to converse with Dale and Linda afterwards and decided to eat lunch at home rather than at a restaurant, followed by a struggle to start hiking.  But,   halfway around Big Park Loop we recovered our zest and were thankful for the 5.69 miles we accomplished.  Cynthia was disappointed that Iowa lost to LSU, and Ron was disgusted to learn that the refs were absolutely terrible.  Highlights show the outraged LSU coach walking onto the playing floor and grabbing a ref without a technical foul call as opposed to the gratuitous technical called on Iowa's star player.  Looks to me like black refs gave the game to a black team - no racism there.

1 Apr:  Exercised and oatmealed, we decided upon a longer hike, the Courthouse Butte Loop, a challenging 7.5 miles that gave us fatigue, but also, a great sense of accomplishment!!!  We noticed today that pear trees, red buds and a few flowers are blooming much more enthusiastically, thanks to the recent rains.  Cynthia discovered a place that will turn a blog into a book format of 20 pages for ten dollars!  We would have 5475 pages or 273 books, which would cost $2730.00  (Ron's side note.  I am quite glad that she did the math.)

At the bottom of the map, start with the Big Park Loop east to edge of map