So you think you're HOT?

IN THE HOLE!!!!!! BLINDFOLDED

We finally had our "Chili Feed and Golf tournament" Etzkorns, Hoenes and Stokes organized a golf tournment and Chili Cook-off. The tournament was totally twisted with Blind Putting, club

restrictions on some holes, and a detour on one hole. 46 players had a great time. The Chili was all eaten, as was the corn bread, salads and cake! I actually made a blind putt.

Bees, Bees and More Bees!

The zinnias in my garden have exploded, I just love them. So, too, the

Bees can't seem to get enough of them. Consequently, I can't seem to grow

zuchini and cucumber since their blossoms just can't compete with the

gorgeous zinnias.

Our 25th Wedding Annivesary

Let them eat cake! Aidan and Gwyn

Sue, Fritz and Bob, Harper was sick: Nate stayed home.

Ryan, Jamie and Anne discuss the event! Thanks, kids!

Oops, repeat!

My brother Bob, Dick and Patty Beamer. I think Dick looks like a

smaller version of Bob.

The kids had a nice party for us at Ryan's condo. It was so nice, just a few of our friends that had a significant impact on our beginnings and the kids, who also had a significant impact on our beginnings! It is always good to be together as a family, and great to add good friends. Good food, good times and good people.

Becky Sue Returns to the turf farm!

Jim and Kathy enjoying the warm evening....Jim is the 2nd Becky Sue stalker

Gene and Nancy, what a treat! They have the most fascinating stories about

their adventure travels. They inspired us to go to San Miguel de Allende

this winter.

Dancing on the green!

Bob and Becky, again! Where is Linda?
So, we had a great time (with the exception of a wind shift that brought the

scent of a feed lot our way! Luckily, it wasn't during the Mahi and Steak

dinner. It shifted, again, and we were ableto dance through sunset. We

got home about 10:30 and sat around to candle light until 12:30 reliving

past adventures and good times.

Another celebration for the Hospital Foundation. We invited Gene & Nancy Hoefling and Jim and Kathy Stokes to spend the weekend and go to the Red, White and Blues Festival with us. What a great group to gather for this event. True troopers and real movers on the dance floor. Actually, the dancers moved onto the turf rather than the dance floor!

4th of July Golf Cart Parade

First Place trophy, again, for the golf cart parade! Harper was so excited to
get the trophy!!!!!!!

This year's Theme was Aloha from Crescent Bar! Aidan and Grandma came up with the idea

of diving on a coral reef.........Bob named it C.B. Island Dive Shop.

Octopus's Garden accompaniment in the parade.

Aidan, Gwyn and Otto getting ready for the parade.
Otto even wore his goggles. What a doggone good idea, Otto!

Another 4th of July at Crescent: perhaps the last!

Our family: Sue, Fritz, Jamie, Anne, Bob, Ken, Nate, Ryan, friend Chris and me.

Mike Etzkorn and Sophia, Tony Etzkorn's daughter enjoyed the sun and picnic fare of ribs, sausages, pulled pork, cornbread, pasta salad, slaw, baked beans and coconut cookies. Oh, ya, Ken brought a keg of his favorite pilsner from Germany!

Tracy and Mike just relaxing before the Fireworks!

We had a picnic with the Etzkorns before the fireworks. All of their kids and grandkids were here, as were all of our kids and grandkids. Even Rocky and Allison, Chris and Jen were here since they have been a big part of the fun we have had over the years. Sad, for me, to think that our Crescent Bar days may be coming to a close. It is such a beautiful spot, lots of close friends, and the river!

Another Sleeping Lady

This Sleeping Lady is a clay face that is embedded in a knot in a tree at my sister

Janine's house. She placed it there and the tree has grown around it. I think Janine's

spirit lies in that tree! I love you and miss you everyday, Janine.

Our 25th Anniversary Retreat

Bob and I went to Leavenworth for a night stay at The Sleeping Lady Resort
Loved the sculptures by various Northwest artists, they have hiking trails, a wonderful
garden from which they pick fresh grown for their fabulous meals. We relaxed, watched
the birds and deer. Had a great duck and sea bass dinner and a terrific breakfast.

We golfed Monday with some very nice people from Wenatchee then headed to the
resort.

A couple of Old Crows! (not Bob and I)

Bob, Relaxing by the waterfall at the grotto.

A yummy desert, of creme brulee, chocolate mousse, and lemon something!

Sleeping Lady

Chihuily "Icicle Sculpture" at Sleeping Lady Retreat, Leavenworth

While I'm on the subject....

I have the most beautiful tree in Palm Desert which was given to me by my friend Shirley. I can't remember the name of it, but I call it the "Fairy Tree" I first saw one on Kuai and artists, there, often do paintings of these blossoms with fairies on them. The flowers are about 6 inches long, just right for a fairy to light on.

Poppies Plus

I just love the poppies that seemed to pop up out of nowhere! After digging up a new flower bed last fall to make room for a hibiscus tree that Mike and Mary donated to Crescent Bar, poppy seeds lay dorment all winter and Oila! I can hardly wait to see the Zinnias that are growing from seed left by last year's blooms. Isn't nature wonderful!

It's raining, It's pouring, the old man is golfing!

The Crescent Bar Men's Club championship was held this weekend. This is how Bob dressed to golf on Sunday since it was pouring cats and dogs..........and I guess garbage, since Bob left wearing a garbage bag! If there is a prize for best golf attire he just might win.

Trumpet Tree at Palm Desert

This is the tree as it looked(still loaded with tons of blossums) which I will miss the blooms this year! Almost as pretty as the orchids.

Bob and Linda

So, we returned to Crescent Bar to begin what may be our 2nd to the last summer here. We have been evicted from the island due to a lease ending. We have spent many, many great family vacations here, and it has become our summer residence since retirement. We have made a lot of special friends that we continue to see when we head south. Our kids grew up here in the summers and brought many friends to enjoy the fun in the sun: water skiing, swimming, dancing. The great fireworks and 4th of july golf cart parade has been a tradition, particularly popular with Aidan, Gwyn and Bob. We won several trophies due to our creative skills at builing golf cart floats!. So this may become another chapter of our lives that will close. We are thinking of our next step towards where we would like to spend the summers. Certainly, Palm Desert at 120 degrees doesn't sound like an alternative. Stay tuned, who knows what we might come up with. We have been told to load up all of our belongings, our houses even our cement pads and head out! Can you imagine 400+ units heading up the road off the river? It will look like a scene from the Grapes of Wrath!

Memorial Day Weekend- at the Bar!

It was unusual weather for Memorial Day Rain, fog, sun, clouds..........but none of that kept the huge crowds away from the island. Anne, Ken, Aidan, Gwyn and Otto showed up for a few day with an overllap of Ryan and Jaime. The report from them was that it was still warmer than the Westside of the mountains, of course. I took these pictures of the cliffs because I seldom see tham shrouded in mist.

The day after Ryan and Jaime flew out, we packed up everything we needed, "summerized" the Palm Desert House and headed North to Crescent Bar. We went by way of Humbolt, California for a day of golf with my brother, Jeff, then on to Crescent Bar. A few days later and we were spending the night in Seattle with our good friends, Dean and Mad, for a week long trip with them to Maui. It was their 40th wedding anniversary, so we celebrated regularly. We did the usual snorkeling, wave riding, sand gathering (in every available spot in our bathing suits and every nook and cranny of our body). We went hiking, dining, and took an all day, all enclusive sail to Lanai which was the only Island that Bob and I had not visited. It was a fun week.

Time for an update

Everyone who visits must have the picture infront of the palm tree!

We went out to dinner at the La Quinta Hotel and Spa...beautiful grounds, OK dinner

Ryan and Jaime made their annual visit to Palm Desert, just before we left. We had a good time, just doing the R & R they both needed. We dined out several times, cruised the area looking for the Palm Springs modernism icons and found several, even a fixer uppper on the very top of the rocks. We all agreed that if we pooled our money and devoted the rest of our time on earth fixing it, we would have an awesome home. But, alas, we decided we didn't want to work that hard and our pool of money probably wouldn't cut it! So, we called our friend, Wilson, but he had just bought a new home in Indian Wells.

Trail Blazers

Grandpa, Anne, Aidan and Gwyn

Aidan scaling the rocks, hold on Aidan!

Ran across a few critters along the trail.....a lizard and a couple of ducks!

From Germany to Palm Desert

Pioneer Town, this place wasn't affected by the mortgage meltdown.

These places probably rent pretty cheaply!

Rockin' in the Desert!

The rock formations of Indian Canyon are incredible, and the hike is along a stream bed. We ran into lizards and a couple of ducks along the trail

Our grandkids have been in Germany for three years during which time they travelled through most of Europe. So, it is difficult to get them too excited about the desert! But, today we hiked the canyon with winds whippin' up to 50 miles per hour, had a picnic and went up to Pioneer town. Pioneer town was built by Hollywood film makers then abandoned after the popularity of cowboy movies died. Now, people actually rent these little houses, stables, etc.