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Over the weekend, we finally found our way to the Gilbert Riparian Preserve. It’s been on my list of local things to do for about 3 years and ‘he who shall not be named’ finally made it happen. We grabbed some sandwiches on the way and set out for an afternoon of sun, relaxation, and picnicking. Yes, it was hot; it is July in Arizona, after all but the Preserve features a variety of habitats and has wonderful trees that provide a lot of dappled shade. It is home to countless varieties of birds (local and migrating) and other desert denizens. Even my fear of rodentia didn’t spoil the day. The numerous desert rats looked content to munch on vegetation and left me alone for the most part. There was only one time that I wanted to climb on S’s shoulders to escape a rabid rodent. 😁