Family Time in Fresno

Spent a little over a week in Fresno. Karen came down from Richland for a week with Anne Marie and her family. We spent lots of time and meals together. Karen cooked awesome spaghetti. Tim and Anne Marie, of course, made gourmet meals. Karen flew out of Fresno on Saturday. That's where this picture was taken. Our next assignment is Sekiu, Washington. We'll be there at the end of the month.

Blue Angels at NAF El Centro

It's almost time for the annual Blue Angels Air Show at El Centro. They practice most days and we just smile and watch. The air show will be March 16, 2013 from 10AM to 4PM.

Quilt of Valor

Every year the women here at the Naval Air Facility El Centro RV Park create a "quilt of valor" to be donated to the organization of that name. These quilts go to wounded warriors. They mean so much to our service men and women who have been wounded. This is a picture of this year's quilt and some of the women who contributed to it.

Anza Borrego State Park

We took a day trip to the little mountain town of Julian (sorry, no pictures) through Anza Borrego State Park. It was the last few days before the New Year, and everyone was there. Ocotillo Wells was full of off road vehicles of all types. It was sunny. As we climbed the hills, the clouds moved in. When we got to Julian, 4000 ft., it was 35* and sleeting!

Julian was wall to wall people, dressed in heavy clothes. We found a small restaurant where we could eyeball tables until someone vacated. Just as our food arrived, a table became available. We were with Dan and Afsie Miller, our good friends from Irvine, on the other side of the mountains. Pulled pork sandwiches with french fries, onion rings or fried zucchini. Comfort food!

On the way back we went through Ocotillo. Lots of jumping or "teddy bear" cactus. Cute and cuddly to look at, but deadly if you get near them. The needles literally jump out on you and are verry painful. We will go back in the spring when the Ocotillo, the long spindly plants in the first picture, become green and have orange or red flowers. Just beautiful. So stay tuned. We'll be here at NAF El Centro through March.