Fish Hatchery and more...

I really haven't seen much of Arizona, but what I have seen have been from really fun day trips taken with Derek's parents. It's amazing how much energy Grandpa Rick has. One day we loaded up in the car and took a trip to and around Payson, AZ. It was a couple hour drive so we stopped at a park and let Ethan run around for a bit after arriving. There was grass!!! Real live grass! It was wonderful! While the guys played around on the playground Grandma Sue and I were smart and relaxed in the shade.

A little later we drove up to the Fish Hatchery that wasn't too far away. It was a lot cooler than Buckeye, and felt wonderful. It was a bit in the mountains, I think, and was surrounded by a forest complete with a little stream. I think the stream was drainage from the hatchery, but it still counts.

Ethan loved seeing the fish. In the larger pool the fish are large enough that you can buy some fishie food from a machine and throw it to them. They were like mini-great white sharks fighting for food dangling just above the water, I kid you not. It was crazy.

As you walked up the hill the fish in the tanks gradually got smaller. We didn't get a picture of it, but we did see one fish swimming around with only half a face. Half a skull actually. It was gone! You could even see the bone of the other eye socket. I didn't even think that was possible.

At the top of the hill was the house of the care-takers (I'm guessing) in front of which they had a little flower garden teaming with butterflies. We all tired to get awesome photos, but since I have no gift of photography I'll post Derek's successes instead.

After lunch we drove up to what I think was called (my memory is horrible) The Honey Stand. It was just a little shack on the side of the rode that sold honey in any flavor you could want. They also sold a random but good assortment of other natural goodness. You can see them here. The guy who runs the stand gave us samples of whatever we wanted to try, and Grandpa Ricks says he's great to talk to. I wish I had taken a picture.

It was a fun trip, and nice to see a more pleasant side of Arizona. Thanks Abbotts!