Sunday, January 21, 2018

IT WAS ONE OF THOSE THINGS NEEDING DONE SO TODAY WE JUST SIMPLY DID IT

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THE TOP END OF A BARREL CACTUS
Stepping out with Pheebs at sunrise this morning I noticed we had clear skies overhead and not a cloud in sight.  A couple weeks ago while we were at Janna and Mike's I noticed one night, or was it morning while Pheebs and I were out a small light moving across the desert floor very close to us.  ‘Aha’ I thought, an Alien spacecraft has landed not far away and here comes the Captain of the ship to speak to me.  Well of course that thought was soon dispelled when I saw Janna in the glow of an outside light walking behind the moving lights only inches above the dark desert floor.  I quickly figured out it was little Emmi walking along with some kind of lighting device around her neck.  Thought that was really cool so we got the address from Janna of the company who makes BSeen Dog Collars and ordered one for Pheebs on Amazon.  It was less than $10.  That light collar came via UPS while we were at Nancy and Pat’s last week and Pheebs has been wearing her new light color every time we go out at night ever since.  The colored collar of your choice has 3 light settings, rapid pulse, slow pulse, or stationary.  We chose the green collar.  The collar comes in one length and you just easily cut it to fit your dog.  And here’s a nice thing, it has no batteries and you simply re-charge the collar with a USB cord into your computer.  USB cord comes with the collar.  The collar casts a bit of light ahead for doggy to see too.  Groovy:))
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THE RED BUTTON ACTIVATES THE LIGHTS AND THE BLACK RETANGLE IS THE PLUG IN FOR RE-CHARGING
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SHE’S QUITE PROUD OF HER NEW LIGHT COLLAR YOU KNOW
I don’t like clutter but on occasion my own clutter sometimes even catches my attention and so it happened this morning when I couldn’t find a clear flat spot to set down a glass of milk.  Below is a photo of my cluttered table beside my recliner and here’s a list of the clutter I found on it.  Clockwise from my red Kindle with my computer mouse on top it goes something like this, red flashlight, lamp with my Sony headphones which I can plug into the Sirius satellite radio, iPod, or computer itself.  Next is the Sirius radio antennae, USB card plug, Canon Powershot camera, my Nikon D3400 camera, camera case for my Sony Exmore, a camera brush, jackknife, nail clippers, a dish of doggy treats, my Nikon D7200 manual with my Sony Exmore camera on top, magnifying glass, a Nikkor 35mm lens, and a compass.  Somewhere in that clutter is also the computer end of my laptop’s power cord as well.  After taking a picture of my clutter I set about to get that mess all straightened out but further found an old banjo, the transmission out of a 59 Chevy  pick-up truck, 3 lost peanut butter sandwiches, a rusted orange juice can, half a dozen burritos, a spare Volkswagon tire I had misplaced  40 years ago and a Robin’s nest with a couple sky blue oval eggs in it………………….
DSC_1435_thumbDSC_1441_thumb[1] THE SHADOW COWBOY MADE AN APPEARANCE ON OUR WALK THIS MORNING
Welt, it had to be done and there was no use in putting it off any longer……laundry that is.  After our morning leg chug through the Sonoran desert’s finest greenery we loaded our laundry into the Jeep and headed the short back door way into Ajo.  Olsons for a few groceries, two breakfast burritos, and then to the laundromat.  Have to say this Ajo laundromat has always been one of our favs.  Bright and cheery plus clean and neat.  Machines are all in good working order with carts to move your clothes between washer and dryer plus folding tables.  Washrooms are spic n span. 
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WHILE WAITING FOR LAUNDRY TO FINISH WE STAND OUTSIDE IN THE PARKING LOT SOAKING UP THE WARM SUN WHILE KELLY PHONES HER SISTER BECKY IN FLORIDA
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KELLY CATCHES ME FOLDING MY LAUNDRY
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OF COURSE I GIVE HER THE INFAMOUS BOSSENCE THOUSAND YARD STARE
We were back to the rig about 12:20 and had us a nice bright sunny day going on but we also had a chilly west wind blowing.  Found a sunny spot on the south side of our coach out of the wind and spent part of the leisurely afternoon tipped back in my chair reading and reflecting back on our RVing days here in the Southwest over the years.  For us it’s all about nature and the older we get the more we embrace nature’s wonders.  It’s the only place I feel comfortable anymore and the only place I prefer to be…………..
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MY VIEW THIS AFTERNOON AS I SAT REFLECTING ON ALL OUR GREAT RVING MEMORIES OVER THE YEARS
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ORGAN PIPE CACTUS ARMS
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SAGUARO CACTUS
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A SAGUARO AND AND A BARREL CACTUS
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I stood quietly beside a tall Saguaro cactus today as a brisk and cooling West wind whispered through it’s prickly outer spines coaxing out inner secrets of  it’s long days and nights in the desert.  It told me of passing Coyotes, sheets of monsoon rains and thunderous lightning flashes.  It told me of Scorpions and Rattlesnakes, sunrises and sunsets and big scary winds.  Today’s winds were gentle and soothed the tall Saguaro bringing forth it’s whispering tales.  If you stand beside a Saguaro on a windy day you too will hear it’s many stories and in the photo below you can see the old Saguaro whisperer telling his tales.
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AND IT WAS THIS TALL SAGUARO CACTUS I STOOD BESIDE  AS IT SOFTLY WHISPERED IT’S SECRETS TO ME
It was one month ago today we left Bayfield Ontario and headed south.  Only four weeks on the road and it already seems longer than that.  In two weeks we will be at the half way point in our travels and 8 weeks from today with a bit of luck we may very well be rolling into our driveway back home again.  It’s been quite a Snow Bird life we have been lucky enough to live these past years and yet I felt a sadness as I sat today in the sun looking out upon the scenery before me knowing it must come to an end one day and I will never get to see these beautiful lands of southwest enhancement I have grown so much to love with each passing year.
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I didn’t end up with enough room for more of our Saturday mornings walk through the ruins photos so will try again to get them in tomorrow’s post.
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TONIGHT’S QUARTER MOON
GROANER’S CORNER:((  A man named Donald bought a horse from a farmer for $250. The farmer agreed to deliver the horse the next day. The next day, the farmer drove up to Donald's house and said, “Sorry, son, but I have some bad news. The horse died.”  Donald replied, “Well, then just give me back my money.”  The farmer said, “Can’t do that. I went and spent it already.”  Donald said, “Ok, then just bring me the dead horse.”  The farmer asked, “What ya gonna do with him?”
Donald said, “I’m going to raffle him off.”
The farmer said, “You can’t raffle off a dead horse!”  Donald said, “Sure I can! Watch me.
A month Later, the farmer met up with Donald and asked, “What happened with that dead horse?”  Donald said, “I raffled him off. I sold 500 tickets at five dollars apiece and made a profit of $2495.”  The farmer said, “Didn’t anyone complain?”  Donald said, “Just the guy who won. So I gave him back his five dollars.”
Donald moved into the White House later that year.
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A couple was dining out when the wife noticed a familiar face at the bar. She recognized him as an old flame.  "Honey," she said to her husband, as she pointed out the man, "that guy at the bar has been drinking like that since I left him seven years ago."  Her husband said, "That's silly, no one celebrates that much!"












13 comments:

  1. The day I realized My desert days were over was a sad day. But not for long because of friends like you and George and or there’s who blog about their desert lives. So now my desert travels are through your and their eyes.

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  2. We were in Ajo on Saturday with the same chores, laundry and grocery shopping. This morning, we pulled out of our Why BLM camp to go meet friends gathering near Q. Wow, what a madhouse up here. Not just the highway noise, but a chorus of a hundred generators singing in the night. We decided we had to go to Q during show week once, so we can say we did.

    I hope this is not your last snowbird trip to the SW, because someday I would like to meet and share a conversation. I was tempted to knock on your door, but thinking you are like me, you would rather not have strangers dropping in without an invite. Someday...

    Be well and travel safe.

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    1. Sounds like we have some things in common Kevin. Maybe see you further west somewhere. Don't let all those manic Mad Hatters in Quartzsite get ya down:))

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  3. She looks real proud of her light collar! Oh dad what are you doing to me? She has so many expressions. The ones with the lights around her neck are priceless.

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  4. Pheebs looks quite spiffy in her bright collar. A great idea for those night walks! Your photos are so peaceful I catch myself whispering in my head as I'm reading the post :-)

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  5. My goodness your photos have been exceptional lately. They're always excellent but they've been stupendous lately. Love the thoughtful portions of this particular post .. the talking Saguaro and your thoughts about the future and what it will bring. And yet your humor never fails to get a little chuckle out of me. :-) Thank you for everything you share with us.

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  6. Love the pictures tonight, Pheebs collar is pretty neat, Skip used to clip a headlamp to Jakes collar.

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  7. Love Pheebs collar, for the night wanderers that you guys do , maybe one for you as well??

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  8. I thought your chairside table looked quite practical, everything within reach you know. When you do stop heading south you're sure going to have an awful lot of great memories to keep you company, and a great blog to help you remember them!

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  9. Great idea for a dog collar. Amazing the things we find while cleaning up, you got quite the haul there. Never tire of cacti pictures.

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  10. Beautiful pictures as always Al

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  11. Pheebs looks proud in that collar. Yuma and I are never up before sunrise so he doesn't need one.

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  12. Love the collar too but like Doug, we are never walking before sunrise.
    I'm so glad you write, with your original humour you would have us ROFL at Happy Hours. I know that is not your thing so I'm so grateful you put it in writing.:)

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