The Hot Springs Village area is undergoing above average temperatures, and the temperatures when combined with high humidity make it very uncomfortable to work or play outside. Nevertheless, Ridge stayed over and continued working for us on Wednesday, July 1, and returning home on Thursday. His main job was to excavate around the irrigation pipe running from the “in lake” pump to the electronic control box. In addition, he trimmed around all the Crepe Myrtles, and power washed the deck, patio, and front sidewalk. He was a great help.
Kay began physical therapy on Thursday, July 2, and goes twice a week for her knees (doctor says it arthritis), and the PT has really helped. She is almost pain free as of this writing.
The 4th of July weekend was much like any other weekend as the overbearing heat kept us close to the air conditioner. We did take time to watch a few pickleball games at Diamanté.
The weekend of July 11-12 was all about basketball. Ridge had two games on Saturday, and then another four on Sunday. He played exceptionally well, and his team won the championship.
Kay began her shuttle “service” for the central Arkansas grandkids on Wednesday, July 15. Their father was out of town on business and their mother was going in several other directions.
The pollinator garden continues to attract butterflies, but butterfly numbers are way down this year, at least for us. There its very little variety in species as most of what is being seen are the usual.
Only one butterfly was photographed on Thursday, July 2, and it was a Southern Cloudywing.
And three dragonfly species were photographed.
And then on Friday and Saturday of Independence Day weekend, a Great Spangled Fritillary stopped by long enough for several photographs.
On Monday, July 6, a Common Buckeye and a Northern Brokendash were observed.
A Hoary Edge Skipper was the only butterfly photographed on Tuesday, July 7.
Wednesday, ,July 8, was a big day photographically speaking. Friend Dan and I traveled to near Hope, Arkansas, to the Bois D’Arc Wildlife Management Area to “shoot” some Egrets. There was a Cattle Egret rookery near the shoreline of the namesake lake, and birds were seemingly everywhere.
Other birds photographed included a Great Blue Heron, an immature Black-crowned Night Heron, a Gallinule, and an Eastern Kingbird.
Of course, the southern Arkansas lake would not be complete without a resident alligator or two.
Perhaps the most beautiful thing observed was an American Lotus bloom.
Hot weather, especially heat index temperatures, soared during this reporting period. Despite the oppressive heat, Kay continues playing pickleball and golf, while I remain on the “injured reserve” list. There were a couple of times where I could play pickleball and one 9-hole round of golf before suffering another injury—a rib fracture, #7 on the left side—caused by losing my balance making a short turn on the e-bike. This one is going to take 8-12 weeks to heal.
The highlights of the two weeks were a visit by Karyn, Matt, Ridge and Aker for a weekend, and a follow-up “working” visit by Ridge the last week of the month.
He really helped us out digging up an irrigation fitting, trimming a bunch of shrubs, assisting with repairing a loose door hinge, and power washing the deck and the front sidewalk. Regrettably because of the injury, I was not able to assist him much, but we did build him a soccer rebounder.
I did manage to get out a few times to chase butterflies and dragonflies. On Tuesday, June 16, a female Diana Fritillary and an American Lady were photographed.
Additionally, a Variable Dance was present.
However, the star of the day was a nectaring Clearwing Moth, aka Hummingbird Moth.
A few butterflies were flittering about on Saturday, June 20, including a Fiery Skipper, a Southern Cloudywing, and a Red-spotted Purple.
An Eastern Pondhawk was also seen.
And perhaps most interesting was this unusual insect.
On Sunday, June 21, the grandkids were chasing crawfish and frogs in the ditch adjacent to the house,
while I photographed a Horace’s Duskywing, a Byssus Skipper (a first time species visitor to the pollinator garden), and a Silver-spotted Skipper.
And lastly, on Sunday, June 28, a Checkerspot, Fiery Skipper,, a Pearl Crescent, and a Realkirt’s Blue were photographed.
This Blue Dasher was all eyes while being photographed.
Kay began the month packing for a gambling junket to Beau Rivage in Biloxi, Mississippi. For a minimal amount, Beau Rivage flies “gamblers” from Arkansas to Biloxi, and then comps them a room for three nights. She and BFF Pam traveled there together. They left on Tuesday, June 2, and returned on Friday, June 5. Upon her return, she spent Saturday unpacking and doing her laundry. On Sunday, granddaughter came to visit for a few days. We were so delighted to host her, and she is growing up way too fast. She and Kay shopped, spent time at the Mid-America Museum, and rewatched her play at the beach and in Balboa Lake. On Friday, Kay’s longtime childhood friend, Sue, came to spend the weekend and on Saturday they attended their 61st high school reunion in Morrilton. Sue left on Sunday, and then on Monday, Kay flew to Richmond, Virginia, to spend a few days visiting her sister and brother-in-law. There were some snafus in her travel plans and Delta cancelled her flight from Atlanta to Richmond at the last minute. Fortunately, she was able to find another flight (for almost double the fare), arriving in Richmond late afternoon on Monday, June 15.
Meanwhile, still down and out with a pulled groin muscle, I hung around the house and enjoyed some yard work, and shop time. This is a photo of a prototype patio table I designed and built while Kay was away.
Of course, time was made almost daily for photographing butterflies and dragonflies in the pollinator garden, shooting photos 9 of the 15 days of this period.
The number of species of butterflies is really down this year. Generally, American Lady butterflies and Fiery Skippers can be observed every day, though the number of butterflies is small. However, the Diana Fritillary species is spending time nectaring daily which is a real thrill. And, a few dragonflies dart about in search of their next prey.
On Tuesday, June 2, an American Lady, a female Diana Fritillary, and a Juvenal’s Duskywing were seen; only the American Lady and Diana Fritillary were photographed. Additionally, a Common Green Darner dragonfly was photographed.
And then on Wednesday, both a Slaty Skimmer and a Calico Pennant (dragonflies) were photographed, as were a Pipevine Swallowtail butterfly and a Fiery Skipper. Juvenal’s Duskywing butterflies were again observed.
Another Slaty Skimmer (different color) and then a Black-shouldered Spinyleg were photographed on Friday, June 5. Additionally, a Common Buckeye and both female and male Diana Fritillaries were photographed.
In the butterfly world, male and female Diana Fritillaries were again observed on Monday, June 8, nectaring mainly on the butterfly bush blooms. A Widow Skimmer and an Eastern Amberwing (dragonflies) and an Orange Bluet damselfly were photographed and the photos are posted below.
In addition to the regular butterflies, dragonflies, and damselflies, a Leaf-footed Bug, and Clearwing Moth were observed and both were photographed (see below). The Clearwing Moth is also known as a Strawberry Clearwing Moth and a Hummingbird moth.
On Tuesday, June 10, three different species of butterflies were observed and photographed: a Dun Skipper, an Easter Tailed-blue, and a Red-banded Hairstreak.The Clearwing Moth was also nectaring.
The usual butterflies and dragonflies were again present on Saturday, June 13. Only a Pearl Crescent butterfly photo is posted here.
The last couple of weeks before summer solstice were busy ones for Kay, while I really enjoyed some lazy days at home without adult supervision.
Monday, February 16, 2026, was a “sea day”; thus, no ports of call.
After our early morning lattes, we climbed to the 15th floor to the three pickleball courts; they were packed so we just watched till mid-morning. Breakfast and lunch were at the 16th floor buffet and was what one would expect—just okay. Dinner was in the main dining room and was good. After dinner, we attended the first of several shows on the cruise, Voices, and it was entertaining.
The ship continued sailing southeast from Galveston on Tuesday. Continuing southeasterly between Cuba and Mexico, and then around the Cancun peninsula, the ship sailed towards the tiny Central American country of Guatemala. Up early, we enjoyed another latte before before actively beginning another sea day. And then it was off to the pickleball courts. Entertainment for the evening was Frankie and the Dreamers, a show paying tribute to Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, but mainly featuring songs from the Four Seasons. The lead singer had been a star on Broadway, but age was taking its toll. This was the third tribute show relative to Frank Valli and the Four Seasons, and it would rank third out of three. Our dinners in the main dining room were very good, with exceptional waiters.
After a short sail during the night, the ship docked Wednesday morning at Roatan, an island in the Caribbean, about 40 miles off the northern coast of Honduras. It was our third time to Roatan, so we didn’t bother getting off the ship. We hung out at the pickleball courts, and then lounged about and read the rest of the day.
The line waiting to play pickleball
The night’s entertainment was an ice skating show, 1887: A Journey in Time Ice Spectacular. We really enjoyed it. Afterwards, Kay tried her luck at the casino and I attended The Love and Marriage Game Show, a standard on most cruises. It was just okay.
After making a U-turn and sailing north, the Harmony of the Seas attempted to dock at Costa Maya on Thursday, but heavy seas created an unsafe situation. Consequently, it was another slow “sea day”. Reading and lazing about were our main activities for the day, though we did attend The Fine Line Aqua Show featuring high-flying feats, mind blowing stunts, and physically demanding acrobatics, including several high dives. It reminded us of a Cirque du Soleil show we saw in Las Vegas almost 25 years ago. The aqua show was definitely worth attending.
Continuing northeast during the night, the ship docked at Cozumel on Friday morning. Cozumel is premier Mexican Caribbean island famous for world-class scuba diving, snorkeling, and pristine beaches, particularly around the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef. Kay disembarked briefly to buy some Mexican vanilla for a friend. Otherwise, it was another quiet day on board. The evening’s entertainment was Columbus, The Musical. The show featured an outstanding set, but the singing was just okay, perhaps because the show was a bit “silly”.
Saturday was another sea day, with no ports of call. Running out of things to occupy our time, we hung out at the pickleball courts for a few minutes, and then read most of the rest of the day. Having exhausted the ship’s entertainment (that we wanted to see), we attended another ice skating show, iSkate Ice Spectacular, a show allowing the skaters to showcase their best moves to their preferred music—awesome skaters!
Sunday was disembarkation day, and it was without incident as we only handled our two suitcases ourselves. We were in the car at about 8:00 AM and headed north, arriving home about 4:00 PM. The cruise was good, not great.
Among our observations was that cruising has dramatically changed in recent years. Lots of children are cruising with their parents (homeschooling) as well as multi-generational families of 20 or more. Both the children and the multi-generational families totally overwhelm the dining facilities, shows, and recreation areas, including the pickleball courts. And, there were many preteen and teen children attending adult entertainment venues. This was likely our last cruise on Royal Caribbean, and we understand that Norwegian is similar. IF we cruise again, it will be on an adult only ship or one that favors adults.
Glad to be home, on Monday, February 23, 2026, we both played pickleball with our respective groups. Hot Springs Village is such a great place to live!
On Tuesday, I dug out the camera and managed photographs of an American Goldfinch at the house, and a Hair Bittercress “weed”.
American Goldfinch near our houseHairy Bittercress
And then, some Spring Beauty wildflowers along Cedar Creek Trail in Hot Springs Village were photographed.
Spring BeautySpring Beauty
More Spring Beauties were photographed on Thursday, February 26, 2026, along Cedar Creek Trail.
Spring BeautySpring BeautySpring Beauty
Kay’s half first cousin, once removed, visited and he and Kay enjoyed lunch and catching up of old times and family. He was so enjoyable with whom to visit, and Kay was definitely thrilled to spend time with him.
And then on Friday, I hiked the Beaver Dam Trail in the Village and photographed a Water Moccasin, and some Rue Anemone and Bloodroot wildflowers.
Water MoccasinRue AnemoneSpring BeautyBloodrootBloodroot
We resumed normal activities after arriving home from the cruise.
Since this is the first winter being home (except for a couple of short cruises), the “workshop” is drawing more and more attention— to keep hands and mind busy. And though there are several receptacles in the shop, there is only one electrical circuit, and it is not sufficient to power much more than one tool at a time. Consequently, another circuit with an additional 3 double outlets was added at a pretty low cost, allowing the dust filter, dust collector, and tool(s) to run simultaneously. Additionally, another repair on the whole house generator was required. These two “jobs” meant having to be available at home before, during, and after their appointment time.
On Sunday, January 18, 2026, a Dark-eyed Junco and an American Goldfinch were photographed trying to find food.
And then on the following Tuesday, a male Northern Cardinal posed several times for photographs. And on Thursday a Carolina Chickadee made its presence known.
On Friday, January 23, it hit—sleet and snow, followed by freezing rain and more snow with total accumulations of about 8 inches. In addition, a severe deep freeze occurred and lasted well over a week, leaving all the sleet, ice, and snow on the ground, houses, and streets. Obviously, we stayed in and read, baked, and watched YouTube and British television.
I raised the blinds in the sunroom, exposing nearby trees, setup the tripod and camera, and took pictures as birds came in to feed. As sleet and snow continued to fall, a disheveled Northern Cardinal, perhaps the same one from a couple days earlier, presented itself for a photo.
As the deep freeze set in and temperatures plummeted to single digits, four different species were photographed on Sunday, January 25, 2026: an American Goldfinch, a House Finch, a Dark-eyed Junco, and a Fox Sparrow. The Fox Sparrow was a “life bird”.
It began to thaw after five or six days, and we made an “emergency” run to friend Pam’s house to assist with water damage cleanup; apparently her refrigerator filter burst during the night and partially flooded her house.
As the month ended and temperatures rose, snow and ice still mostly covered streets and roads, AND PICKLEBALL COURTS, with some thawing beginning to occur. All in all, it was a pretty good time.
I spent considerable time organizing the cold garage/woodworking shop, and then building a few simple things to assist in organization and ease of working, striving to keep my mind and hands busy!
Perhaps because we’re not spending the winter away from home this year, it seems that the current holiday season was unusually long and intense. It’s possible that social activities occurred every day or evening from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Eve, and those who know me really well know that I’m not a social person. Kay, however, was “busier” than ever. Let’s see: there was Bubbly Lunch and Bingo, Village Big Band’s Cool Yule Concert, Hand and Foot Card night, The Book Club December meeting,
The Book Club, December 2025
Christmas party at pickleball friends house, Court Sports (tennis and pickleball) Christmas Party, Christ of the Hills UMC Christmas Cantata, Christmas celebration with Kay’s family, Communion and Candlelights service at Christ of the Hills UMC, Christmas Eve dinner at the Morris’, and another Hand and Foot Card night. New Year’s Eve ended at 9:00 PM for us. Christmas gift giving was very low key for Kay and me; we have everything we need and virtually everything we want.
Despite all the extra activities, we did manage to play pickleball almost every day, and I played golf on the two Mondays and a non-holiday Thursday.
I only managed to “shoot” (i.e. photograph) four days during the sixteen days. On December 22, 2025, a Tufted Titmouse and a Carolina Chickadee were the only birds willing to pose.
December 23, 2025, yielded a a Carolina Chickadee and Tufted Titmouse, plus a Red-bellied Woodpecker and squirrel.
A Carolina Wren, Pileated Woodpecker, and Dark-eyed Junco were photographed on December 24.
And, an American Crow and Pileated Woodpecker perched on a far away tree long enough to be photographed on December 27, 2025.
The year 2025 was a good one, and we were blessed to not have any major illnesses or accidents. We sadly lost several friends, mostly unexpected. We look forward to 2026, and have few clues as to what the year will bring..However, it’s unlikely that we’ll be able to maintain the same pace as 2025!
As Thanksgiving day approached, the holiday season, at least for us, slowly accelerates. As always, there will be good times with family and friends, and too much food.
I continue playing golf, as weather conditions permit—yes, I’m a “fair-weather” golfer—and the both of us play pickleball up to four times a week, again as weather conditions permit.
On the Thursday before Thanksgiving, we enjoyed an early Thanksgiving meal with Ron and Cheryl and their immediate family. The occasion was to celebrate Kaden (Ron’s son and KK’s oldest grandson) and Diane’s visit from San Antonio. And then, another feast was celebrated on Thanksgiving day, again at Ron’s, with KK’s family and Cheryl’s family. It’s always good to see family during the holidays, especially the grandkids.
Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving was pickleball play for the both of us—a great way to unwind after all the food and celebration.
I spent a good portion of this reporting period making a YouTube video, “Sizing, Printing, Matting, and Framing a Photo”. This was the 23rd or 24th video created, and though they’re fun to create, they don’t get a lot of views.
Photography has slowed a bit during this transition between fall and winter, as the birds have a lot of natural food available, and don’t hang out in the nearby trees and shrubs. However, on Monday, November 17, a few birds showed up including a Golden-crowned Kinglet, Tufted Titmouse, and Carolina Chickadee.
But the real star of the “show” was a Turkey Vulture perched in an adjacent tree.
Turkey Vulture
A few more birds began appearing towards the end of the month. In addition to the regulars, species observed included a Downy Woodpecker, Pine Warbler, Golden-crowned Kinglet, and Dark-eyed Junco.
The first two weeks of the month were relatively quiet. Most days found me taking photos, and the both of us either playing pickleball, golf, or both. Two notable events were Kay taking a girls trip to Beau Rivage in Biloxi, Mississippi, and the two of us playing in the Duffer’s annual member/guest scramble. The Beau Rivage trip resulted in donations to the casino, but overshadowed by a good time with Pam. The Duffer’s scramble was a weird Halloween-themed event with strange rules. Kay and I finished, which was a success in and of itself. Regardless, to say we were and remained blessed is a gross understatement.
I managed to photograph eleven days out of the fifteen of the month. Wednesday, October 1, was the most productive day with several species of butterflies, a dragonfly, and a Ruby-throated Hummingbird captured on digital memory.
Butterflies included Fiery Skippers, an Eastern-Tailed Blue, and a Clouded Skipper.
A solitary Blue Dancer dragonfly was also using the pollinator garden.
And the Ruby-throated Hummingbirds were stocking up on nectar for their upcoming journey south.
In addition to the usual butterflies and hummingbirds, a Fence Lizard was hunting for prey in the garden later in the week.
Butterflies have all but disappeared. A few birds came around on Sunday, October 5, including a Carolina Chickadee, a Ruby-crowned Kinglet, and a Tufted Titmouse.
Few birds came around on Wednesday, October 8. A Tufted Titmouse and a Ruby-throated Hummingbird were the only ones photographed; however, none are shown here.
The only bird of note photographed on Thursday, October 9 was a Ruby-crowned Kinglet.
Though no photos are posted here, a Ruby-crowned Kinglet was observed on Friday.
The season’s last photographed Ruby-throated Hummingbird was observed on Saturday, October 11.
And even though two Ruby-throated hummingbirds showed up early Sunday morning, October 12, no photos were made. These were the last hummingbirds seen this season. However, a juvenile Blue Jay (having a bad hair day) was photographed later in the day.
A Great Blue Heron was feeding along the shoreline on Monday morning, and it was photographed having breakfast. A Ruby-crowned Kinglet was also observed.
The 18th U.S. Hickory Open golf championship was held in early October at Hot Springs Country Club. This tournament annually attracts an international field of golfers who play with antique pre-1935 hickory shafted golf clubs or authentic replica hickory clubs. Most of the golfers dress in period golf clothes, making for an awesome photographic event. Friend Dan and I attended on Saturday, October 4, making several photos.
It was a relatively quiet couple of weeks ending September. Most days found us either playing pickleball, golf, or both. Significant items were Kay’s birthday, her departure for a girls trip to Beau Rivage in Biloxi, Mississippi, and repair of the house deck.
Kay celebrated another birthday on September 23, yet she doesn’t look a day older. Her son took her out to Pancake House in Hot Springs and she immensely enjoyed it. And then on September 30 she and a girlfriend flew to Biloxi, Mississippi, on a gambling junket at Beau Rivage. Also on September 30, a father and adult son removed rotten wood from the rear deck and replaced it with new material. As best I can tell, they did an acceptable job, but he grossly misstated the hours worked (at $55/hour). There was little I could do except pay, but we’ll not recommend him nor use him again.
As temperatures cooled, butterflies and dragonflies were observed less and less often; consequently, I switched to photographing birds.
On September 16, a Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Chickadee, and Ruby-throated Hummingbird were photographed.
A surprise visitor, a Northern Parula Warbler, showed up earning on the morning of September 18, and was photographed chasing, then losing a caterpillar. This is only the third Northern Parula Warbler I’ve seen.
Northern Parula Warbler
The following photos show the sequence of catching then losing a caterpillar.
A Blue-gray Gnatcatcher was observed and photographed on September 21, an unexpected visitor.
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Another unexpected visitor, a Chipping Sparrow, was observed and photographed on September 26.
Chipping Sparrow
On September 27, a solitary Ruby-throated Hummingbird was photographed.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
An exciting birding day at our place was September 28. On that Sunday morning before church, a Nashville Warbler, Chipping Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, and Northern Flicker were observed and photographed. The Northern Warbler was a “LIFE BIRD” and the Northern Flicker was the first-time I had photographed that species.
Lastly, a Brown-headed Nuthatch was observed and photographed on September 29. Nuthatches are often seen going down trees head first, clinging to bark with their strong feet rather than leaning on their tails like a woodpecker.
We were privileged to host our Maumelle kids this Labor Day weekend. They arrived on Saturday afternoon and stayed through Monday morning. As always, we played a lively game of pickleball, and Kay and I were amazed at how much progress Aker has made, getting almost all of her serves in and doing a great job of rallying—is proud for her! And of course, her mother and brother are both super competitive making for a great afternoon of fun.
On September 2, Kay and I traveled to northwest Arkansas to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. We toured Crystal Bridges Museum upon arriving in Bentonville, and continue to be amazed by the presence of such a facility in Arkansas. Afterward, we ate our anniversary dinner at Fish City Grill in Rogers—what a magnificent meal.
The restaurant is owned by the daughter and SIL of a friend of Kay’s, and I can’t recommend it enough. We were comped an appetizer tray and dessert, and the appetizers were to die for!
The following day, we drove to Springfield, Missouri, to tour the Wonders Of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium. It was indeed a sight to behold, and I particularly enjoyed the nature photography exhibit. We returned home early on Wednesday, September 3, 2025.
On Sunday, September 14, 2025, we drove to North Little Rock to watch granddaughter Aker play volleyball. She did really well, and though her team was outmanned, they still made a respectable showing. As for the rest of the reporting period, our calendar was filled with pickleball, golf, haircuts/beauty appointments, and social activities for Kay.
Butterflies and dragonflies have just about disappeared from the pollinator garden and lake shoreline. A substantial cool front that moved into the area in early September must have pushed them away. Consequently, photo opportunities for these creatures have been far and few between. However, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds have ramped up their migration, and we are seeing a lot of immature and mature males at the feeders. In addition, a few birds are beginning to hang out in nearby trees. On the morning of Monday, September 15, a Baltimore Oriole was observed near one of the hummingbird feeders hanging above the deck; regrettably, it didn’t hang around long enough for photos. Kay and I put an orange half out hoping to entice it back, but to date, it has not reappeared.
On Saturday, September 6, a few hummingbirds were photographed.
Hummingbirds were again photographed the following day, Sunday, September 7.
In addition to Ruby-throated hummingbirds, a Tufted Titmouse and a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher hid in the fully leafed birch tree, but appeared in an open area long enough to be photographed.
Birds, butterflies, and dragonflies were not out and about on Sunday, September 14, but a frog was caught “climbing the wall” and a hummingbird sat still guarding his food source.
This journal was begun several years ago, and reflects an accurate record of each day fished. Please enjoy it, and remember that fish are too valuable to be caught just once, and the places they live are too valuable to be mistreated.
Dunngone's Photos and Blog 