Courtyard Update

Monday | 2 November 2020 | La Quinta, California: On my walk this morning, I heard the distinct sound of dog paws/claws clicking on the street behind me. It wasn't a dog, but a coyote, running quickly down the lane to the club house. Scared me for a second - he was a nice fluffy healthy-looking fellow - but the animal was not interested in me, only determined to get from Point A to Point B as fast as possible. (If he had been with friends, I would have been really scared... because of spooky memories of living in the country west of Portland, where a pack of coyotes did a stare-down with DT as he walked out to the road to get the morning paper - several times)... and too many times to remember... hearing the yipping and howling sounds of a pack as they slayed a fawn. Ah, nature.

By the way... do you pronouce "coyote" 1) Kai-yote, or 2) Kai-yoh-tee? Please comment below. Dave's dad was born/raised in Texas and used the first pronounciation. I was born/raised in Oregon with the second version. The word comes from Mexican-Spanish, and means trickster in Aztec. Let's just blame Wile E. Coyote for the pronounciation difference. Is it interesting (at all; to anyone) we have a roadrunner living on/around our property? S/he entertains us every day with clever hunting skills and funny antics.

Roadrunner, the coyote is after you.
Roadrunner, if he catches you - you're through.

Yeah, that silly song pops into my little brain at least once a day. I think this roadrunner is safe, as no packages from ACME have been delivered to our house.

No trick-or-treaters on Halloween. No idea if goblins were on our street. We kept our lights off and hoped no one would send their kidlets out to beg for candy in the middle of a pandemic... and as I said previously, not too many people have yet returned to this development and not too many people no one has kids of trick-or-treating age.

Desert Isles returned early this morning to finish-up the courtyard pavers.

Three men. Two setting the pavers into place, and the third cutting the pavers in our driveway (sorry neighbors). They finished laying the bricks this afternoon. Here is our "new" entry way:

As previously stated (several times), there are two entry gates to the courtyard. The first one is open wrought iron that doesn't lock (never mind the two obvious locks on the door). This is the location of the doorbell (RING camera doorbell, hooked up with my personal assistant, Alexa). Six feet inside the entry (tower?), there is another heavy metal door. This door is open during the day and closed at night - because it is super solid and it locks.

Welcome to our new courtyard! (Please imagine pretty plants on either side of this section of walkway, okay?)

Imagine entering the courtyard to find it filled with pretty palms and colorful annuals (which are planted in November in this neck of the woods). Wait - you don't have to:

Please do not tell anyone of my fantastic photoshop skills, I just don't have enough time to tackle another project right now.

Above, is the view from the front door. Door on left leads to the kid's family/media room and guest bedrooms.

Pretty pots for my kitchen herbs and tomatoes will go along these walls - along with a few plants.

Imagine these bright blue pots in our new courtyard. Wait, you don't have to:

I'd like to say Lucile did this photoshop rendition, but I am sure my 6-year-old granddaughter would do a better job than me! (Anyway, you get the idea.) Can you even imagine ever trying to sell a house with five blue pots in the courtyard? Most people will not appreciate our "good" taste, no doubt.

Now, I'm thinking we need a little bistro table for morning coffee?

Until my next update, I remain, your very happy correspondent.