We have been enjoying wonderful weather up here in Rico. For the last two weeks, the rainy days have been coming and going regularly, but with stingy results like light showers and sometimes just sprinkles, although the sky has great big thunder clouds. So, our faithful unofficial weatherman, Duane Holt, registered a mere 1.46 inches these last two weeks. The monsoon season does outlive its usefulness eventually, so I guess we are experiencing the last few good attempts and will soon be enjoying a beautiful Indian Summer for a couple of months. Oh dear! I think that I just performed a no-no. We are going to be celebrating on Labor Day weekend shortly and we all know what that means autumn in the high country.
Kim and husband Dr. Mick McClain of Rico and Prescott, Ariz. are back in town for a cooling off session. Prescott is a beautiful town and is not quite as warm as the Phoenix area, but it is still considered hot by our standards. Anyway, as you know, being a faithful reader of our column, that Mick suffered a difficult physical setback and his recovery is very difficult and slow. We once thought that maybe he and Dr. Jake Boyer of Rico and the Cortez area might just offer we Rico-ites an opportunity to use these two gentlemen for comforting dentistry in case of emergency dental problems. Now, I may be dreaming, but well see.
Some of us are still trying to find the mushroom mother lode up on the high road to Dunton and also alongside the road up to Engels cabin and elsewhere. Mary Lou Milstead did find several giant puffballs in one spot which she shared with all her friends! But, whether it was the severe drought this early summer and no rain for several weeks (we think this could possibly be the culprit), even Gary Gass hasnt had any luck. There is always next year. I should mention that our Arizona friends, sisters Candace Austin and Ann Price over in west Rico, pooled their resources and made the most beautiful wild mushroom soup after our last trip up toward the Dunton meadows! By the way, that last trip was what turned out to be just a bit upsetting. One of our four did not arrive back at a designated spot after we took off in different directions. After searching for her for a couple of hours, we hightailed it back to Rico and were in the process of doing the necessary search paperwork at the firehouse. We were awaiting a response from our sheriff, Jerry Martin, when a call came through to the firehouse from the Dunton Resort that she had located a trail, followed it about six miles and found Dunton. We believe that the trail is the old one that our Masons of Rico would use to travel to Dunton for their Lodge meetings in the olden days.
We wish a speedy recovery for Norman Yellowman, who is recovering from surgery.
Marlene Hazen has lived in Rico for two decades. An active member of the community, she participates in organizations such as the Rico Womens Club and Rico Historical Society.