PHEEBS & I JEEP OURSELVES UP THE MOUNTAIN TO YARNELL

WATER IN THE DESERT AND WHERE DID THE MOUNTAINS GO IN THE REFLECTION??

Sometimes we can hear ‘goings on’ under our house & sometimes it’s quiet.  Last night & today has been quiet.  Quiet is good.

 

THESE DESERT PONDS ARE ACTUALLY CALLED TANKS & SERVE AS A WATER SOURCE FOR CATTLE…WE HAVE TWO CLOSE BY & THIS ONE IS CALLED THE SULLIVAN TANK

Each morning our walks get a little longer.  First bunch of days after arriving last week we didn’t get too far.  A week’s traveling with little exercise had turned our leg muscles to mush.

 

IT CAN BE VERY COOL IN THE EARLY MORNING DESERT AIR SO KELLY ALWAYS DRESSES PLENTY WARM

 

WHEREVER THERE IS WATER IN THESE PARTS THERE IS LOTS OF GREEN

Pheebs favorite Pal this year is Dally who lives just down the road from us.  Dally watches for Pheebs every morning now & the two of them race back & forth along the fence line.  I always like to watch dogs at play having fun.  

DALLY WATCHES FOR PHEEBS EVERY MORNING

THESE TWO ARE THE BEST OF PALS

 

Again, most of my morning was spent clipping sucker branches off our properties Palo Verde trees.  Talked to the neighbor lady on our north side.  Nice Mexican family & she said to come over & take as many Cactus pads off their tall cactus plants I wanted.  It’s a special kind of cactus they brought from Mexico years ago.  She gave me a wheelbarrow load last March but of course they got all ate up.  I may do that in the morning & get them planted.

THESE ARE THE NEW CACTUS PADS I PLANTED WEDNESDAY ALONG OUR FRONT FENCE LINE IN THE CACTUS GARDEN

Kelly headed off to the garage & had the battery replaced in the Jeep.  Also left Winnie’s flat tire & rim there.  Kelly informed me this morning I had it wrong in Wednesday night’s post about getting a used tire for a spare.  It is a new tire we are getting.  Despite being super busy at that garage the fella installed the battery in the Jeep right quick.  We learned a long time ago if you want quick attentive service at a garage just have a good looking blonde take the vehicle in.  Works every time.  And Kelly is such a charmer:))

 

NEW BATTERY IN & I DID NOT KNOW TILL TODAY OUR ENGINE HOOD CAN GO ALL THE WAY BACK & REST AGAINST THE ROOF…WHO KNEW?

Congress is having 3 free dump days at the moment so it was a good opportunity to rid ourselves of an old blue child’s outdoor swimming pool that had blown into our yard.  That & a Hughesnet satellite dish that we had taken off the the house last year.  Only two items but it was a good enough excuse to load up the Rascal Buns & head ourselves out of town.  Dropped off our 2 junk items & headed ourselves up the side of the Weaver Mountains to the tiny but artsy quaint village of Yarnell. 

HEADING FOR THE WEE TOWN OF YARNELL ATOP THOSE WEAVER MOUNTAINS & PHEEBS ENJOYS THE SCENERY ON THE WAY UP

Our destination was the hardware store.  Needed a few things & it’s always an experience navigating the narrow chocked full of stuff aisles in that place.  Two brothers own it & they have everything from soup to nuts in that place.  And they know where every bit of soup & every last nut is too.

THIS IS THE RANCH HOUSE RESTAURANT OFTEN SEEN IN THE YARNELL FIRE COVERAGE…MUCH OF THE YARNELL FIRE DAMAGE WAS RIGHT ACROSS THE ROAD WHERE 127 BUILDINGS WERE DESTROYED IN THE GLEN IIAH NEIGHBORHOOD

  

YARNELL’S HARDWARE STORE…IT’S QUITE A PLACE

HIGHWAY 89 THROUGH YARNELL

Again I was amazed to see how that Yarnell fire came so close to destroying the entire town.  Trees right beside the highway are burned in spots.  And so close up behind other buildings along main street.  Firemen did an amazing job in keeping that fire from jumping the highway.   

OK BACK DOWN THE MOUNTAIN DAD

We didn’t linger in Yarnell & just tumbled our way down the mountainside’s Yarnell Hill back to our little Adobe Digs in Congress far below.  Kelly & I have both been tiring easily so it was a quiet afternoon just taking things easy.  For Kelly that generally means reading & catching some zzzz’s.  For me it’s plunking away at my blog post for the day.  If I doze off for a few minutes in my chair I consider that a good thing.  I never ever lay down for a snooze on my bed though.  Don’t know why but that just never works for me.  Works fine for Pheebs though.   She likes snoozing on my bed during the day.  But only if I am in the room.  She generally always likes to be close by to wherever I am.

 

HAD LOTS OF HELP IN THE BACK YARD TODAY BUT CAN’T REMEMBER THIS LITTLE FELLOW’S NAME

Pheebs has been doing real well at avoiding cactus barbs since we arrived here nearly a week ago.  Her memory has retained the info of how painful they can be if she gets into them.  Goatshead stickers are something else though & there is no avoiding those miserable things for man or beast.  Pheebs needed a little help with one this morning.  Since I raked this entire one acre property last year we do not have nearly as many Goatshead stickers as we first did when we came here.

WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MOM SHE WAS AS GOOD AS NEW AGAIN

BECKY & DREW joined us on our ‘Friends List’ over there in our right hand column today.  Thanks for dropping by folks & welcome to the Bayfield Bunch’s combination travels & home time.  Last week was travel & this week it is Arizona home time.  And a last minute check before Publishing tonight shows we have a second Friend Connect person checking in today.  Welcome to ANN CONDRAN from we here at the Bunch & thanks for dropping in on us Ann:))

PHEEBS SNAGS MY SPOT AGAIN THIS MORNING

GROANER’S CORNER;:((  My wife and I had  words, but I didn't get to use mine.  And always remember….try to aspire to inspire before you expire.

-------------------------------------------------------------
- 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.

WICKENBURG, 18 CACTI PLANTED & WE’RE GONNA GET OUR WEEDS WHACKED

I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THIS LITTLE FELLOW IS

More Mesquite & Palo Verde tree trimming this morning.  Definitely a gloves job because both those trees have very sharp prickers.  Kelly slipped the Jeep down to the garage to have the fellow test the battery.  Said it was borderline & looked like the original.  Because we are sometimes way out in the desert where there is no cell phone coverage we decided to play it safe & have that aging battery replaced with a new one.  Will do that Thursday morning.  Also decided to go with a good ‘used’ spare for Winnie The Bago.  Much cheaper than a new Michelin tire we may never have to use.

SPOTTED THESE TWO FELLERS CRUISING BY THE ACE HARDWARE STORE IN WICKENBURG THIS MORNING

Hadn’t been in the Wickenburg Alco store since the last time I was in the Wickenburg Alco store.  Nothing much had changed.  Groceries at Safeway & off to Ace hardware to pick up our new Gravity chair.  From there it was back to our Adobe Digs in Congress. 

MATTHEW AROUND THE CORNER FROM US PULLED SOME CACTUS PADS OFF THE BIG CACTUS FOR US

Neighbor Matthew said he would pluck off some new Nopal cactus pads for me today so I slipped around & picked them up.  Didn’t take me long to get myself in planting mode & it wasn’t long before I had 18 of the lovely little things in the ground & watered.  Thanks to ‘Guest’ in our Shout Box for the list of hardy desert plants.  I will print that out.    

YEP I’M AT IT AGAIN…THESE ARE THE NEATEST THINGS:))

 

PHEEBS WAS A BIG HELP AGAIN TODAY AS SHE DUG SOME OF THE CACTUS HOLES FOR ME

In a comment, Jerry from OUR LIFE ON WHEELS said, “Don'tcha just love our desert”?  And my quick answer to that is ‘yes we sure do’.  I have heard it said about the desert ‘you either love it or you hate it’.  Lucky for us it is the first case.  I will never understand how some people cannot see the absolute beauty that abounds here in the Sonoran Desert.  Not just rocks, scrub, gravel, sand, & prickly cactus.  We can easily look out & see miles upon miles of green.  The desert landscape is so diverse & ever changing.  Just gain or drop a few feet and the flora begins to change.  Cozy up to a ridge line & again plants quickly change as soil has a higher water content from run off.  Not many Saguaros on the desert floor behind our place but just walk over to the base of rocky outcrop & there they are.  Saguaro Cactus all over the hillsides.  Rock formations everywhere with enough old worn & craggy Indian faces in them to keep an imaginative mind alive indefinitely.  Our rural farms & forest landscape back in Ontario are beautiful in a different way than the rugged desert landscape we have here.  Both are picturesque in their own right & fortunately I see & appreciate that beauty in both places.  Each compliments the other & we are extremely fortunate in that we can live & love each one for a whole 6 months of the year.  And it is that extreme difference & change that keeps my interest peaked.  Just as I do not like a cold Canadian winter anymore I would probably not like a hot Arizona summer either.  So again, despite my grumbling about stuff sometimes, we do have the best of both worlds:))

YEP WE LOVE OUR DESERT ALRIGHT

I remember someone commented one time about getting out for Jeep rides in Arizona with Pheebs just like we do back home in Ontario.  Great idea except for one small thing.  In Ontario where we live the countryside is crisscrossed with countless thousands of miles of country roads.  Once could spend the entire day driving in a 50 mile radius of home & never travel the same road twice.  That’s what makes it so interesting.  Here in Arizona there basically are no country roads criss-crossing with each other like in Ontario.  You are either on a paved highway or you are on a rough dusty trail in the desert.  Always a good idea when on those trails to have 2 people along so Pheebs & I have haven’t been out bombing around by ourselves.  But I know she’s needing a Jeep ride real bad so we are just going to have to work out some Jeep time logistics. 

CHATTING IT UP WITH THE NEIGHBOR’S ACROSS THE ROAD THIS MORNING

Mr. Gingerich rolled into our driveway somewhere around 4 this afternoon.  Recommended by Pat & Mike McFall over there in that Escapee North Ranch place Les is a competent yard maintenance fellow.  Worked out a deal where he is going to come in & weed whack our weeds & I will rake up & dispose of them.  He will then look after our weed problem in the future.  No more Sheeps!!

THIS IS ONE OF THE CRITTERS THAT ATE UP OUR CACTUS

On our way south last week I remember spotting the smallest fifth wheel I had ever seen.  John from FINDING OUR WAY commented on my post he had one of those fifth wheel Scamps & would be happy to drop by sometime this winter & show it to us.  So John if your still reading bring it on by:))

PHEEBS GOT A LITTLE TIRED OF DIGGING CACTUS HOLES SO STOPPED FOR A SHORT SNOOZE

Not sure if I have Craig & Sue’s link correct for OUR FIVER ADVENTURES but welcome aboard folks & thanks for popping up on our Google Friend Connect list.   If I have the wrong link let me know & I’ll get the correct one in:))

IN A COMMENT FLOWERGIRL WONDERED HOW BIG THE ANT HILLS WERE IN TUESDAY’S POST PHOTO…HERE ARE THE SAME MOUNDS BUT IN PERSPECTIVE WITH A POWER POLE…OF COURSE I AM ONLY ‘ASSUMING’ THESE ARE ANT HILLS…COULD BE SOME KIND OF RODENT TOO………

 

And a big hello to Morris, Elizabeth, & Wilf Blakey way up there in that Timmins place Ontario Canada:))

KELLY RELAXES IN OUR BACK YARD WITH HER BOOK THIS AFTERNOON

GROANER’S CORNER:((  A new York Divorce Lawyer died and arrived at the pearly gates. Saint Peter asks him "What have you done to merit entrance into Heaven?" The Lawyer thought a moment, then said, "A week ago, I gave a quarter to a homeless person on the street." Saint Peter asked Gabriel to check this out in the record, and after a moment Gabriel affirmed that this was true.
Saint Peter said, "Well , that's fine, but it's not really quite enough to get you into Heaven." The Lawyer said, "Wait Wait! There's more! Three years ago I also gave a homeless person a quarter." Saint Peter nodded to Gabriel, who after a moment nodded back, affirming this, too, had been verified.
Saint Peter then whispered to Gabriel, "Well, what do you suggest we do with this fellow?"
Gabriel gave the Lawyer a sidelong glance, then said to Saint Peter,
"Let's give him back his 50 cents and tell him to go to Hell."

-------------------------------------------------------------
- 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.

CACTUS MAN IS BACK ON HIS FEET:))

VULTURE PEAK APPEARS TO LOOM OVER CONGRESS 

So surprised when the Jeep started right up this morning.  Figured when I hit the key there would be nothing again.  I think last weeks long days with the key in the ignition while being towed put a lot of strain on the battery despite starting it up every day & letting it idle for awhile.  We will carry the mobile charger with us from now on just in case.  Had to wash all the road grime of the Jeep today too.  What a mess it was from being towed behind our rig for the first few days in a Michigan/Indiana rain.

I WASN’T OUT OF MY BED 2 MINUTES & GUESS WHO WAS RIGHT IN MY SPOT

Slowly beginning to shake off our travel lag from last week & make the adjustments to our new 3 hour time zone change from back home in Bayfield.  Traveling relatively quickly through time zones does take it’s toll.  And if your over 65 just about anything takes it’s toll these days:((

GIZMO COMES RACING AROUND THE CORNER TO SEE PHEEBS THIS MORNING

Spent an enjoyable morning burning accumulated brush & trimming Mesquite & Palo Verde trees.  Surprised at how fast & how many sucker branches had grown in just 6 months.  Kelly put a call in to a yard maintenance company here in Congress.  After our disastrous sheep decision we have decided to do things differently in the future.  First thing is to get rid of the weeds professionally.  I don’t think mowing them is the answer.  They will just be back next year waiting for us when we roll in again.

ANOTHER ONE OF PHEEBS MORNING PALS…ONE OF TWO YAKKY DOODLE DOGS…THEY ARE ALWAYS BARKING

I may have to rent a flashing neon sign saying something to the affect, ‘Stop Here For Free Birdseed’.  Feeders have been up for well over 24 hours & not one bird to be seen yet.  But how nice to hear the ‘Woot Weet’ of the Curved Bill Thrashers again not far away in the Mesquite trees.

HAD TO TRIM THESE PALO VERDE TREES BACK FROM THE SIDE OF THE WINNIE WAGON

Noticed one of the dumpy junkyard places down the street is for sale.  Half an acre with an old tumble down trailer on it.  Trailer has to be removed as part of the deal.  Asking price on the half acre is $69,900.  Real Estate company is promoting the lot as a great place for Snow Birds to park their rig for the winter.  Wow, were we ever lucky to get our house & property for the price we did just a year & a half ago.

 

BURNING UP SOME BACK YARD BRUSH IN THE FIRE PIT

I didn’t block the Skunk out last night. We might go with the Moth Balls & dog poop ideas sent in by readers.  I do not like to kill or cause grief to any kind of animal so if we can find a gentler peaceful way to discourage Louie LePew then that is what we’ll do.  Our neighbor has several skunks under his house & doesn’t mind them.  Said they keep snakes & mice at bay.  And maybe that skunk last night was blasting one of those Demon Squirrels for all we know.

 

I MANAGED TO GET CACTUS MAN BACK UP ON HIS FEET TODAY

Those nice red stone pathways I had in my little front yard Cactus garden last winter are pretty much gone now.  The small stones are still there but the hot unrelenting Arizona sun has bleached the color right out of them.  Hard to tell the graveled paths from the rest of the ground.  So that nice pathway idea is busted & another Arizona landscape lesson learned.

A CRATERS ON THE MOON PHOTO?  NOPE JUST ANT HILL DOMES AROUND THE CORNER

Still doing pretty good at staying away from those miserably aggravating morning television so called news programs.  Instead of heading out to the living room & habitually snapping on the TV every morning I just remain in my room seated in my comfortable Ikea chair with my Bose Ipod music & laptop.  It sometimes takes a location change to break a tough habit.  And how nice to sit here each morning & look out at 2 giant Saguaro Cactus right outside my window:))

 

OUR NEIGHBORHOOD

VIC NESHYBA joined our ‘Google Friends Connect’ section today.  Thanks for dropping by Vic & nice to have you along:))

Just remembered a reader inquiring as to why I stopped mixing up my SOUNDS YUKKY-TASTES YUMMY daily soy shakes about a year & a half ago.  Had been drinking those amazingly wonderful shakes for over 10 years when for no real reason I just got up one morning & decided to have a bowl of porridge instead.  Been eating porridge every morning since.  But here is one reason I quit the shakes.  When traveling in the rig with a smaller refrigerator my soy shake ingredients were taking up a lot of room.  Had to deal with big bundles of Romain lettuce, packaged carrots, banana bunches, celery stalks, & a stock of apples.  My big messy shakes just got to be a little much in the small kitchen area we had.

 

THESE ARE THE CACTUS PADS I WILL BE RE-PLANTING 

We are off to Wickenburg in the morning.  Arco has a sale on heaters & with colder weather slowly approaching we want to be prepared.  Need a new blade for my Bow Saw as well.  Groceries are on the list too.  Got a Gravity chair to pick up at Ace hardware so the little Pheebs will be holding the fort in Congress for a few hours.

SUNRISE FROM GHOST TOWN ROAD

GROANER’S CORNER:((  GRANDPARENTS ANSWERING MACHINE
Good morning . . . At present we are not at home but, please Leave your message after you hear the beep. beeeeeppp ...
If you are one of our children, dial 1 and then select the option from 1 to 5 in order of "arrival" so we know who it is.
If you need us to stay with the children, press 2
If you want to borrow the car, press 3
If you want us to wash your clothes and ironing, press 4
If you want the grandchildren to sleep here tonight, press 5
If you want us to pick up the kids at school, press 6
If you want us to prepare a meal for Sunday or to have it delivered to your home, press 7
If you want to come to eat here, press 8
If you need money,press 9
If you are going to invite us to dinner, or, taking us to the theater start talking we are listening !!!!!!!!!!!"

-------------------------------------------------------------
- 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.