July Ramblings





Mexican Bird of Paradise is a heat lover!




It has been a little toasty in Borrego Springs lately.  The neighborhood is very quiet with the exception of a ton of wildlife activity - thirsty birds at our "water feature", an occasional coyote roaming the golf course, jackrabbits, squirrels and some pretty interesting orange furry ants.  The orioles like us!  It has been great having the migrating birds visit this summer.


We gave up on the vegetable garden when tomatoes started cooking on the vines.  Removed the last of the tomatoes, onions and annual herbs, incorporated a couple of bags of steer manure in each raised bed, soaked the soil and covered it with black plastic held down with bricks.  By mid-September, it will be time to start planting again.  Our first year as vegetable gardeners is behind us and can't wait to put what we have learned to use!  Herbs, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, garlic, shallots, arugula, chard, peas, carrots and beets will all be planted again. 



FROM LA CASA DEL ZORRO FACEBOOK PAGE

 My husband and I spent our anniversary at La Casa Del Zorro.  Room was lovely with a comfortable bed and a beautiful, large bathroom.  I believe we were in one of four rooms rented the night we stayed, so it was very quiet.

We have had dinner in the Fox Den three times now.  Not too excited about the bar food, but the nightly entree specials and our breakfast after spending the night have all included the finest ingredients perfectly prepared.  Steak and rack of lamb - spectacular.  The fruit cup at breakfast was a thing of beauty and included perfect, icy-cold berries, melons and pineapple.  I would have breakfast there again just for the fruit cup.

The hotel posts specials on its facebook page, including a recent room special:

As the Perseids Fall so do our Rates! Room Rates from $99* During Peak Perseid Activity.

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  Expires Thursday, August 15, 2013.

The Wonder of Borrego Springs

We survived April's low desert windstorms.  My raised vegetable garden is going to seed (but not before producing some amazingly large beets... think softball size).  Bright, beautiful orioles made their visit and are planning their departure now.  The community is filled with excitement surrounding the June soft opening of La Casa Del Zorro.  Cactus are blooming.  The new Borrego Art Institute is an official success and there are other positive signs of growth within the community. 

The official low desert "season" has almost ended, but I haven't been able to rip my husband and two dogs away from Borrego Springs.  

With age, Yogi has become more flexible, kind of.



As neighbors leave to spend their summers in cooler locations, Borrego becomes more magical.  Hotter.  Quieter.  Slower and sleepier.  Off-season hours are adopted by many of the local business owners.  Some close altogether. 

Those remaining in Borrego Springs put on their rally caps and hunker down for the opposite of Chicago's cold winters.  This is hot weather at its finest!

Every day, the very happy Mr. W calls to fill me in on everything that's going on in Borrego.  Some days it's a very short conversation.  Recent reports:

• During their morning walk on de Anza Golf Course, Mr. W quietly watched a male and female roadrunner mating.  The male had a little lizard hanging out of its mouth the entire time.  After they finished, the male offered the lizard to his partner as a gift and she accepted.  A link to four Greater Roadrunner calls.

• There's a gas station in Borrego Springs where the attendant fills your car like in the good 'ol days.  That's why it's called a "service station", we were told.  While there earlier this week, another driver pulled in concerned about her tires.  Before anyone could begin checking it out, one of her tires exploded violently.  What?

• The dining room at de Anza was in the home stretch this week, and it finally closed Friday night.  So Mr. W and two buddies had dinner at the club Wednesday... chicken Marsala that was missing the usual Marsala and tasted a lot like teriyaki.  Oh Borrego!

• There's a rumor floating around town that the Borrego Springs Resort is being purchased by a San Diego investment group that plans to transform it into a Chinese Golf Academy.  Just here say.  Hey Doc, Borrego may end up with that Chinese restaurant you've been missing for the past 20 years!

Oh, and several good sized Koi magically appeared in the de Anza Golf Course lake.