We have been going to visit Mom and Dad very often in recent weeks. Dad is quite ill, but is at home. When we visit, we often sit out in their patio to get fresh air and enjoy conversation with Mom and my sisters who also are frequently there (one of them is almost there full time taking care of Dad.

Mom and Dad’s house is near the approach path to LAX; consequently, airliners on approach pass close overhead. While relaxing in Mom’s patio, I took this picture of a Fiji Boeing 747 in landing configuration about two miles from touchdown. What a pretty paint job! Click 4 really big.

Now that I’m back in the Manhattan Beach office, I get to take summertime walks through Manhattan Village after I chow down. Summertime? It only seems like it. A couple of weeks ago, I had to wear a hooded jacket to walk to this exact spot.

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Currently showing in the vase by the staircase . . .

I would tell you the variety name, but that was missing from the package when I got them last friday. Click for big.

This is the interior of our accommodations during the recent winter cruise. Verna was looking up the next campground in the AAA guidebook. Bear, well, she was waiting for me to finish fooling around with the camera so we could get going again.

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Spring has sprung around here - well unusually warm winter weather, at least - and the first daffodil is already open in the patio. Click on the image below to view full-sized.

We stopped in Kingman, Arizona, on our recent Winter Cruise. There is a tourist spot there called the Kingman Powerhouse, which is a tribute to the railways and Route 66 in Kingman. There is a gift shop there who had their usually high-priced Aloha Shirts at reduced prices. I picked this colorful Route 66 print at Verna’s recommendation. Click on the print to enlarge.

Quite by accident, we found this RV park in Pahrump Nevada. It is located about halfway between Las Vegas and Death Valley National Park. We stayed at this park the night before we went to Death Valley.

Image: The Cruiser all hooked up at the luxury KOA in Pahrump. Click 4 big.

From the Pahrump KOA listing:

Located 60 miles northwest of Las Vegas and 50 miles from Death Valley, the Pahrump Desert Retreat KOA is a highly rated luxury RV Resort. We have 202 RV sites that can accommodate RVs up to 64 feet long and 50 AMP service. Amenities include a 10-ft. waterfall, 2 outdoor solar-heated pools and Jacuzzi, indoor spa with saunas, steam rooms and Jacuzzis, fitness center with Cybex equipment, laundry facility, putting green, shuffleboard, bocce ball, horseshoes, pet center, 4,000 sq. ft. convention center, 24-hour security, free WiFi internet, bowling center.

It is a great place to stay with more amenities than we needed. We’re planning to go back for a several-day visit to explore Death Valley and the surrounding ghost towns using the KOA as our home base.