Dust allergies are bad this year at Palm Creek! Perhaps it’s because immunity resulting from allergy shots completed some 15 years ago has worn off, but nevertheless, we’re thankful for Allegra!

After the Free Flight show Tuesday morning at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Kay and I wondered around on the trails. Specifically, we were targeting hummingbirds, but there were so many interesting things to see. Neither of us had ever seen an Ocelot. The Ocelot is a medium-sized wildcat, has a distinct “chain rosette” spotted coat, a long ringed tail, and slightly rounded ears. Once ranging throughout the Southwest, today the only breeding population of Ocelots in the US is in Texas, where fewer than 60 ocelots remain in two small populations near the Mexican border. In Arizona, a male ocelot, the only known one in the state, has been observed 94 times since 2012, offering some hope.

Another of my favorite birds, the Cactus Wren, offered plenty of sightings at the museum, seemingly atop every Saguaro Cactus. 

And while we’re not here long enough to witness the widespread cacti bloom, there were a few early bloomers.

Despite allergy problems of her own, Kay managed to play both golf Wednesday and pickleball on Thursday.

Thursday, our foursome played golf at the Francisco Grand Hotel and Golf Resort on the outskirts of Casa Grande. Steve, Ron, Rod, and I had a great game, with Rod winning most of the money, playing the best game I’ve ever witnessed him play—perhaps he’s been sandbagging! In the first photo below, L to R are Ron, Rod, and Steve. And then, yours truly in the second photo.