Shattered and Entered

Our neighbors cabin was broken into last week.


The cabin right next to ours was also broken into last week.

We talked at length with the Border Patrol in front of our friends cabin. They've been broken into 4 times now since June! Since only food, water and clothing are taken, the Border Patrol feel illegals are targeting these cabins - desperate for supplies to get through our mountains. Our friends 2 frying pans were found in a 'camp' up on the hill behind our cabins.



The officers took the 2 frying pans off the mountain into their offices. Here's one of the officers hiking the 2 stolen pans back up the hill to replace them in the camp. They explained to us "We have our methods of catching these people!" I sure hope so. ~N

Big Hike to Big and Little Laguna Lakes

The trail to Big Laguna Lake stretched before us, following a fence that keeps hikers out of a endangered butterfly field.



Over some hills and through a forest we hiked down to Big Laguna Lake with a name nearly bigger than the water it now holds.

Cows graze on National Forest land - these were in the mud at the waters edge.


Hiking in that area called for a sharp eye --



We nearly stepped on the crispy corpse of half a toad. Perhaps they don't taste good enough for seconds.


And flattened into our trail was a small lizard that didn't move fast enough.

Our 3-1/2 hr hike yesterday finished at Little Laguna Lake - not a lake in August, but foot high soft rich meadow grass that blew in ripples with the afternoon wind. ~N

A Hike to Laguna Meadow

We hiked a new trail. Most of the major ones are well marked here in Mt. Laguna.


Tall stalks of wild plants grew thick throughout the oak and pine fields we first crossed.


Our hike continued to the far side of that distant meadow. An old cattle trough was filled by a dripping pipe from a spring up the hill.



Hiking up the other side of Laguna Meadow we turned towards the west and the setting sun.

Our 2 hr+ hike ended along a mountain ridge. We finished our walk after dark - I love this country so much! ~N