BEST DATE EVER!
Yesterday we went for about a 2 hour bike ride along the Colorodo River.  In one direction we rode along a path with the canal on one side and a wetlands project beside the river on the other.

We assumed that this is a birdwatching shelter of some sort.

 I think these are curlews, they are fairly large and have the coolest beaks.

Isn't this great!  (great egret that is)  This is a great area to really be out in nature.

I love these rock formations in the background.  They were doing some kind of "controlled burn" so the sky was pretty hazy.
Then we rode back to the parking lot and went along the path on the other side.  It was just the opposite of the first path.  It was all developed and made into a really great park for any age or ablility to enjoy.

See Kylie we really do wear our helmets - even tho they DO mess up my hair.  I think this just might be the definition of "huge nerd"

 Orange bouganvillia - how beautiful

This is a type of aloe in bloom.

 A number of trees were just purple like this but I could not get close enough to see it.  Too bad I wouldn't have looked with my binoculars which were right there hanging around my neck.  DUH

Wowza, is this not the coolest park you have ever seen - kinda makes you wish you were a kid again, or even had one with you so you could check it out.  It actually wasn't even open yet, they were just building it, the base was all some type of softer material in case of wipe outs.

Date shake #1    OMG - date shakes are the num num nummiest!  Note the pig in the background.  We were at this vegetable farm right out in the mountains.  It was the prettiest place.

 Broccoli of course

 Cabbage - and there were a few types of lettuce as well  While we were wandering around looking at the beautiful produce an egret just flew in a few yards away from us.  They are everywhere and they do not fail to make me hyperventilate just a little every time I see one.  I have started to refrain from taking pictures of every one I see because it drives Don crazy  hahahha.

 And artichokes - and no Tami they were not ready yet - jeepers, I really hope I get to see one before we head back.

This was all fresh picked, you could pick your own but well we were was busy slurping our shakes.
Today we went to the flea market and I got some more of those amazing dried apples and veggies.  Also a couple of my favorite JD Robb books.  Then we took a drive out to the date farms

Looks just like a forest, except with date trees.  This is also where I tried date shake #2

I have been waiting to see the occotillo bloom and was excited to finally see one.

Look at this pretty field of lettuce.  Why do you imagine they planted different kinds all in rows like that?  Maybe that farmer is also an artist? 

Gonna just gobble up some of these, and take some home for Kylie.  Was also thinking a date cake would be yummy!