Flattened by a tongue

Congress, Arizona
North Ranch #57

The plan for the day was to register around noon and then head to Wickenburg for lunch and tour the bronze sculptures.  We might be morning people, and fairly early risers, but for some reason it takes us a while to get going.  

Bill and I took a walk this morning and visited the Saguaro Park.  What a beautiful serene area.  I learned the names of so many different kinds of cactus.  

This saguaro was huge and had so many different arms.  Last year about this time one of these huge ones fell through Don Smith's awning.  I didn't want Bill to get too close.  

A lot of the cactus were blooming.  

This cactus had a sign that said it was circa 1870.  There was a cactus wren that moved around the cactus every time we tried to get a photo.  Trust me it was there!

We'd seen this warning about an active javelina in the park but we didn't see any.

As we walked by the Fogler's we stopped to see how their first night in their new fifth wheel went.  No matter what you get there are always adjustments to make on where to store stuff.  Polly was upset that she can't see in the bathroom mirror because it is up so high.  There really wasn't anyplace to put the toilet paper.  I'm sure they will work out these small problems.  There new place is beautiful.  

By the looks of the parking outside the Hog Trough it promised to be a good place and the smells were divine. 

It wasn't a huge place but the atmosphere was great.

Sharon said her favorite was the Hogburger which was sauerkraut, spicy sausage with some kind of special dressing.  It sounded strange but Bill and I both tried it.  It was spicy but very good and we'd both do it again.  Maybe Bill is over his ordering the very worst thing on a menu.  

  Don was happy with his ribs.  Aren't the Del Rosario's a lovely couple?  

We walked across the street to check out this bronze.  These streetscape bronze sculptures were giving to the Town of Wickenburg by the DeVore Foundation.  There is a button to push to deliver the story of the bronze.

Sharon very carefully checked this one out with her foot to make sure it was a bronze. 

I'm sorry this photo didn't show the beautiful flowers on this ocotillo.  

The story behind this bronze was very funny.  This mesquite tree which is about 200 years old was used as the town jail between 1863 to 1890.  Outlaws were chained to this tree.  

These bronzes were so life like.  That's the real Sharon in the back.  

Their clothes looked so real you had to touch them to make sure they were part of the bronze. 

Bill does love the ladies.

We walked into this caboose and it had two knowledgeable docents.  The battery died on the camera so we only have this one photo.  The cowboys took the cattle to Chicago for about a 2 week trip.  Eight to ten cowhands rode along in this caboose.  There were three bunks that came down for sleeping.  This caboose was 114 years old.

We walked down to the next block and there was a Conestoga wagon.  Bill was admiring it and then he saw more wagons on the backside of it.  He was so interested that he completely missed seeing the tongue on the freight wagon.  He tripped over the tongue and fell forward onto his hands.  Lucky for him, he didn't break anything and he also had jeans on.  His shins were a little skinned up and it didn't even break the skin on his hands.  Naturally, he immediately jumped up before I could get his photo. He declined to pose for it again. 

Bill wants to know why I stood in the worst place behind the mule.

Polly and Vern weren't signed up for the woodcarver's so they weren't going to social hour with us.  We had our own pre-happy hour with them.  I brought out some of the margarita popscicles to try.  

At 5 we went to the social hour at the activity center.  There was a nice selection of food.  Walt Gunn explained a little bit about all the different classes that would be taught.  

Here's some of the beautiful carvings that were on display.

I signed up for the wood burning class.  This photo does not do this one justice.  I also signed up for the lariat class.

Here's Sharon as we leave the activity center after a fun filled day.  Tomorrow the classes start.  

Turtle Safely......