18 Hours from San Antonio to Blythe, CA...

Yellow roses in Texas

Gorgeous scenery on the way to El Paso

We saw this young serviceman at two different rest stops!

El Paso rest stop

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We did enjoy ourselves--though this candid shot doesn't seem to depict that!

Admiring Agave and some other succulents!

We were driving along around 6:00, when Stepen said he had a quiz for Dad--he would ask a question, answer it, and Dad would tell him if his answer was correct. " Is the answer to 3000 + 3000, 6000?" "Correct!" Dad said. Then Stephen again--"Is 4000 + 4000, 8000?" "Yes!" Stephen again--"4 + 4 is 8 and you just add a thousand!"

Dad then said he would give Stephen a quiz that would be a little harder. " What is 200+400?" Stephen sat awhile thinking, almost gave up, and then said, "Wait, is it 600?"

What a smart little five year old!

The road goes on...

Erich's homecoming party...

Rachel with her lovely idea to keep the tablecloths on!

Ruth etc.

We had a refreshing rain--happily before people started arriving! Stephen splashing water off the chairs in preparation for guests.

Visiting

Some of the E.'s

Kandace

Ruth

There were quite a few people there!

Regina with Leah

Part of the ceremony

Singing!

A restful picture

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Ice Cream!

Mrs. E

Many of the young ones found it delightful to hold chicks! (I hope the chicks also found it delightful : )

Abram

Tired Giovanna

An Vibrant shirt!

Hooking up the M.'s converted bus/RV in the dark!

Trip...

John F. Kennedy and a young Mrs. B. R. Cant

art by Elisha

Glorious!

Our autumn wild flowers are all purple or gold!

Lovely, Elisha!

Here is Nathaniel about to set off for the county fair in a Bailey Fire Department T-shirt. The guys manned a booth with another firefighter.

We went to see them and watched some semi-wild heifer's being judged! This adorable little girl was not a bit afraid of her heifer--which dragged her around several times!

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Stephen with his souvenirs!

Off we go to San Antonio again! This time as the first phase of our trip to California.

Katelyn!

Preparations for the coming home party of Erich!

Erich and Dad

Some more...

Primary colors

"Wednesday, 9/21/11. When I awoke at 6:45 (without the aid of alarm) I decided to get up and then heard the soft cooing of an owl. Looking out of the window I saw two great horned owls bowing very stately to each other on the top of one of the cottonwoods..."

John F. Kennedy with a unaccounted for pink stripe : )

Stephen-- "Be-e-e-e-en... Could you blindfold the sun in THAT direction?"

We have had some beautiful fog!

How lovely this "Mrs. B. R. Cant" rosebud is!

(a this year's gift!)

note the pink seeded grass

This mother spider's abdomen (including her young which completely covered her) was a full inch long. Much too big for me to squish.

Elisha and I helped the local ham radio club at a bike race--sending photos of the racers to the finish line.

It was rather slow and I especially didn't feel like I was accomplishing anything when I realized that someone could have done the same thing effortlessly without the aid of ham, via cell phone camera!

This Limousine's owner was in the race--and was served a refresher of something in a stem glass by his tuxedo apparelled chauffeur!

This young one came in a bike trailer wearing a helmet, that though very small itself looked large on her!

Our set up

The Chauffeur

Another unique sight of the day!