Idyllwild break

Hubby and I took a 4 day break and drove up to Idyllwild.  We rented our favorite cabin up there for 3 nights and took the dog with us.  The Silver Pines Lodge, near the middle of town, but on a quiet street, is dog friendly and Ripley has been there before.  Besides, it was 115 down here in the desert.  Who wouldn't want to leave town?

We arrived Tuesday afternoon.  It was in the 90's up in the mountains, but we turned on the swamp cooler and awaited the 4 p.m. cool down.  And, yes, it was right on time!  Out we went to the back porch to enjoy some wine, cheese, crackers, and grapes.  The blue jays hadn't shown up yet, or the gray squirrels either.

By morning, however, they were all there.  We were also visited by a family of woodpeckers, 3 rabbits, a cute little chipmunk, and even a flicker!  I brought a peanut butter suet thing and I stuck it in the tree closest to the porch and the birds enjoyed it, so I left it there.

Hubby even saw a meteorite on the last evening!  I saw 3 deer right in the middle of downtown and once, when I was out taking Ripley for a walk, a hawk sailed right by me!  It was close enough I could have reached out and touched it, if I wasn't holding onto the dog!

It was a nice break and I'm glad we got out of the desert those hot, hot days.  Temps are now back into the 107/108 range and nights are FINALLY down into the high 70's here.  Looks like our summer heat wave may be over!  We've had monsoon storms the last couple of days, too.

~Cheers~

 This was the buck.  There were 2 does with him.  They crossed the street right in front of me in town!

 Little chippers!

 One of the woodpeckers.  There was a family group of 4...

 What are YOU looking at?