Celebrating Sumsumsummertime

On This Last Day of June

Wooooooo, doggies! We are waving a (very) warm goodbye to the month of June this evening. The outside temperature at 8 p.m. is still quite toasty at 101 degrees. We are acclimating and enjoying another summer in Quartzsite, like we did back in 2020. Our plan B desert oasis is continuing to serve us well.

Being home has given us time to pursue some hobbies and stack up some accomplishments that are hard to manage when we are on full roll. I tested for my ham radio technician’s license on Tuesday and passed, so I tried for the general license, and passed, all in one day! I tried for the extra license but did not succeed. I have the study manual, though, and plan to try again soon.

I checked into the net for the first time tonight with my less than 12 hours old call sign KK7HEU. Yippeee! I have my eye on two vanity call signs but have not decided which I will choose or if I will make the change. Getting my license(s) is an important part of our family safety plan, both at home and away. Dan finished training to work with the Red Cross and La Paz County Disaster Assistance Team (DAT) here in our area. We look forward to being of service in our own community while we are temporarily parked.

Tonight’s keep-the-heat-outside outdoor kitchen cooked feast seemed like a great send off to the roasty month of June. Thickly sliced Roma tomatoes were seasoned with a drizzle of olive oil, fresh (sun dried hahaha) basil from our garden, coarse ground black pepper, sea salt, and fresh Parmesan cheese and were roasted, to serve as the appetizer. Simply divine. Next time I will slither in between tomato and cheese a teaspoon of sliced sun-dried tomatoes in oil, and some fresh garlic, minced. Always thinkin’ thinkin’ thinkin’, as Dan would say.

Shish kebabs made with Texas Smokehouse beef and black pepper sausage, green bell pepper, onion, broccoli, a drizzle of olive oil, and some Cavender’s Greek seasoning, which is great on just about anything. Leftovers will be a nice lunch tomorrow, too, so you can’t beat that.

Dog walks can seem nearly impossible after such a feast, but we hauled draggin’ wagons around the neighborhood anyway. Who can resist a chance to see things like a heart-in-nature right smack dab in the middle of an ancient saguaro? We and the pups need our twice-a-day walks and are always rewarded by some magnificent sights. Even when the heat is oppressive, the view is always rewarding. I never tire of desert scenery.

This is the part where I high-five myself for getting one more newsletter in this month, even after a really busy week, and wish you all a great slumber, if it is time for such in your corner of the world. Or good morning, or afternoon, wherever you are!

As for the Cordrays, we shall bask in air-conditioned comfort and thank our lucky stars to be staying home this Independence Day weekend, safe and sound. We wish you all a safe and happy holiday!

Blessings,

Brenda Cordray

“The Desert Rose”

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/TheDesertRose