THE Border Fence

Went for a walk into the desert, more than once. It's only a couple blocks away.The area we walk in is full of trails people have taken with their vehicles to park and walk their dogs or unload their quads to ride. It's quiet...full of bunny (jack rabbit) holes and flowering now with low-growing purple verbena and white mallow or desert lily.

At the end of Foothills Road, which we take from the freeway to get to our place, the road enters the Barry Goldwater Firing Range. We're not allowed to enter this area unless we have a permit and make a phone call on the day we want to go in.

At the beginning of the desert road is the equipment to install the border fence. We stopped one day and took a look at the materials. It would be impossible to climb the expanded metal unless you had three Mexicans and a rope...hee-hee. But it is easy to see through when a person stands a few feet away from it.

We've been told conflicting stories about driving out to see the actual fence. One was that everyone was doing it...the other is it is in forbidden territory and you can only get within seven miles. We won't be finding out this year. Not too many days until we leave; not enough time to bother getting the permit this year.

But this is a picture of the fencing material. Standing with me is our neighbor Joel and his dog

Penney.