Even if crapweasel Boxer loses to Fiorina, the Administration will probably find her another place in government where she can continue inflicting damage to the Country.
World’s Largest Wind Chime?
According to Wikipedia, this is not the record holder, but it sure is a biggie. I wonder if this chime has anything to do with a warning sign just up the street (inset). Click on the image to enlarge.
Casandro Wash Dam
Image: (top) west side of the dam and basin (seen from US 60) – (bottom) east side showing spillway and lower wash. Click on the image to enlarge.
One of the things you have to consider when buying property is the potential for damage from fire and flooding. I was very interested in the proximity of the Casandro Wash Dam and how the floodplain might affect our property. The diagram at the right shows an aerial view of the dam and spillway, the lower wash (yellow line) and the location of the new house (red circle). Click the thumbnail to enlarge.
According to the Flood Control District of Maricopa county:
Casandro Wash Dam was constructed to collect and store water from the Casandro Wash, removing a significant number of residential structures from the 100-year floodplain in a three-square-mile area east of the structure. The dam is 350 feet in length and the emergency spillway is an 80-foot-wide concrete weir through the embankment near the center of the dam. Casandro Wash Dam was constructed by the District which is also responsible for the operation and maintenance of the structure excluding the outfall system, which is maintained by the Town of Wickenburg.
From all the information we have gathered and the details in the escrow papers, we, and the other property owners near Casandro Wash are in pretty good shape when it comes to flood potential thanks to the dam and spillway.
Pansy
We visited an outdoor garden shop to start getting ideas about what grows well here and to generally plan for our landscaping. This pansy was on display on one of the tables. I’m glad that many non-desert native flowers seem to do well here. Click on the image to enlarge.
New House Feature – An RV Pad
When the family or friends come to visit, they have the option of bringing their RV and parking it behind the new house where there will be a full hookup RV pad. There is a hose bib, a sewer dump and a 30 amp electrical outlet – all weatherized, of course.
We arranged with our contractor to clear a pull through path around the house so it will not be necessary to have to back up a motorhome or trailer. That would be difficult and risky backing an RV or trailer up or downhill and around a corner. I know that I sure as hell don’t want to try that.
The panoramic image above (click for full-size view) shows the exit roadway on the left. The entrance is on the right side of the house where the driveway up to the garage is situated. Of course, there will be some sort of surface improvements (red gravel perhaps) on the entire pull-through pathway.
New House Exterior Paint
We went out to the property today to view the paint samples they applied to the exterior. There were two samples; one on the shady side of the house and one on the sunny side. Here is a composite photo that Bob made of both, shade and sunny side, respectively.
When Kevin, our contractor asked us what color to use, I gave him a small vial of red dirt I collected from a roadside not too far from Canyonlands and Arches National Parks. “Match this,” I said. I think he did a pretty good job!