Monday, December 16, 2013

A MORNINGS ROUGH & TUMBLE JEEP JUMBLE SCRAMBLES OUR INNARDS

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DROVE BY AUNT JEAN’S CLIMBING ROCKS THIS MORNING:))

Noticed we were already up to 57F by 6 a.m. this morning.  Ten degrees warmer than Borrego Springs & 46 degrees warmer than back home in Bayfield.  We sure have been missing a lot of bad weather in Bayfield this winter again.  Checking the Grand Bend web cam this morning I see it is snowing heavily & the river is already frozen over.  Grand Bend is about a 20 minute drive south of our place in Bayfield.

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THIS IS PRECISELY WHY WE HIGH TAIL IT SOUTH EVERY WINTER

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It was with sadness we read about the tragic death of Butterbean Carpenter this morning due to a traffic accident back on December 11th.  He was an occasional commenter on our blog from time to time as well as many other blogs & his comments were generally very humorus.  Several years ago while traveling west he emailed Kelly & I inviting us to stop by his & Joyce’s Texas ranch if we were in the neighborhood.  We were too far north at the time so didn’t make it.  Butterbean last commented on our blog November 12 when he suggested we call our wooden garage sale Eagle, AL E. OOP.  He had quite a sense of humor.  You can see a photo of Butterbean & Joyce on GEORGE'S BLOG.  One just never knows from one day to the next what is in store for any one of us at any given time.

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We again had the Jeeps wheels rolling this morning about 8:30.  Not too far today but we did take ourselves out for a rough & tumble jumble in the desert out behind our place about a block away.  Found us some new Jeep roads we hadn’t been on before.  Also found us some hefty new ruts, bumps, wash-outs, and an assortment of new bumpity rocks.  Just enough to give our innards a good scrambling again. 

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LOOKS LIKE SOME NICE DESERT PIN STRIPING COMING UP & NO WE DIDN’T TRY THAT GULLY

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Found another what they call ‘tanks’ out here in the West.  Nothing to do with the military & everything to do with water.  Generally a bermed up area which holds drinking water for cattle.  We were hoping to work our way around a large rocky ridge but made a wrong turn & got siphoned off back to the flat desert so we called it a day.  Next time we will find the right road around the boulder strewn ridge.  We were back home by 11.

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DESERT WATERING HOLE COMMONLY REFERRED TO OUT HERE AS A ‘TANK’

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HOOVES OF MANY CATTLE HAVE BEEN HERE & ONE OF OUR DESERT ROADS ENDED AT THIS FENCE LINE BESIDE THE WATER HOLE

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FINDING OUR WAY THROUGH A SANDY WASH

Spent much of the rest of my day with paint brush in hand.  Finished our front door frame & the top front of our garden shed. 

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JUST NEED TO GET A COUPLE WOODEN DOORS NOW TO REPLACE THOSE OLD RICKETY GREEN TIN ONES

Only took me about 7 weeks to remember to hoist our flags atop the rig.  And I put up our WSI today as well.  WSI??  Wind Speed Indicator.  We can look out in the morning & see how stiff a breeze we have blowing & that will determine what we wear for our walk.

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Even managed a few minor fixes on our utility trailer this afternoon.  It was one of those rare days where a few mechanical things came together for me & actually worked for a change.  It certainly is not the norm.  And what a great feeling it is when I actually try to fix something & it turns out……fixed:))  ‘Huge’ I tell ya….’Huge’.  And by diggity I might just throw a little Cedar stain on those wooden side rails tomorrow……

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I see Geri & Chuck over at HAPPY TRAILS were at MYAKKA STATE PARK in Florida.  They have applied to volunteer there.  Myakka brings back pleasant memories for me from the late 90’s.  I flew down to Florida to visit my Aunt Jean for a week.  One of those days we went out Myakka.  I remember we took a boat ride out on the lake there.  Alligators, Alligators, everywhere.  I seem to recall we may have also taken another ride on a tram or something around the Park.  We had an enjoyable few hours & I remember all the Saw Palmetto, big mossy trees, & lots of birds everywhere.  We had a great afternoon & when we go to visit Aunt Jean in Florida we just may stay out at Myakka.

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SUNSET FROM OUR BACK YARD TONIGHT

So nice standing outside an hour ago under a full Moon listening to a chorus of Crickets across the road.  Could also hear a couple Coyotes off to my left howling at the Moon as well.

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A SLIGHT MOON GLOW OVER THE WEAVER MOUNTAINS

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GROANER’S CORNER:((  Signs You've Had Too Much Holiday Cheer

1. You strike a match and light your nose.
2. You take off your shoes and wade in the potato salad.
3. You hear a duck quacking and it's you.
Christmas Elf4. You tell your best joke to the rubber plant.
5. You refill your glass from the fish bowl.
6. You hear someone say, "Call a priest!"
7. You start kissing the portraits on the wall.
8. You complain about the small bathroom after emerging from the closet.
9. You ask for another ice cube and put it in your pocket.
10. You tell everyone you have to go home... and the party's at your place.
11. You have to hold on to the floor to keep from sliding off.
12. You pick up a roll, and butter your watch.
13. You yawn at the biggest bore in the room... and realize you're in front of the hall mirror.
14. You take out your handkerchief and blow your ear.
15. You suggest everyone stand and sing the national budget.

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- Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.
- Home is where your pet is:))
- "If having a soul means being able to feel
love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals
are better off than a lot of humans."
(James Herriot)
- The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails -William Arthur Ward
- The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...AL.
- It is not so much having nothing to do as it is not having the interest to do something....AL.

9 comments:

  1. That sunset was amazing! Looks like it was on fire! Also loved the moon photos.

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  2. Sorry to hear about Butterbean. He used to comment on my blog occasionally and like you said with a bit of humor. Nice moon rise over my mountains.

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  3. Beautiful pictures of the moon rising. A very nice way to end a productive and fun day....west remiss those desert jeep rides...can't wait to January!

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  4. Ummm...dang I pad! .....We miss those desert jeep rides.
    ( sorry!)

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  5. Butterbean sure was a character so glad we met him.
    Love you Moon rise shots.

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  6. The moon is so large this month! Loved your photos....again.

    What an improvement the color made on your shed.

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  7. I do love the lushness of our Florida State Parks, but I miss ROCKS! The rocks in their various earthtone hues, the mountains on the horizons! But that is what is so great about our planet, if you want it we got it somewhere! Desert, alligators, cattle ranches, Zion, Idaho... every few miles there is a whole new world to explore! Thank you for showing us your corner of the world with such wonderful photographs! I loved the sky reflection in the tank the best!

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  8. Oh my! We have been in contact with Butterbean and were actually planning to stop by his place on our way back North..What a surprise to read he had passed. I wish we had gotten to meet he and his wife...He sure had a way with words, that one..He will be sorely missed...

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