A DRIVE UP THE MOUNTAIN TO QUAINT LITTLE YARNELL

 

WE ARE SO FORTUNATE TO HAVE THIS BEAUTIFUL DESERT RIGHT ROUND THE CORNER FROM US

Well, looks like we are about to begin our last full week here in the great American Southwest for another year.  And, what a busy week it is going to be.  Time is quickly running out for us now & we will have to be back on the road shortly for the long grueling drive back to southern Ontario, Canada.  The journey generally takes us the best part of a week & that’s pushing it.  We’ll not be making any side trips or unnecessary stops along the way again.  Straight home & that’s it!!

OH OH, SOMEBODY HAS A CACTUS STICKER IN HER PAW

With little Motor not feeling well this past week or so we had foregone our morning walks.  Better now, she was rarin to get outside & go walking this morning, so off we went.  We are so fortunate to have such a quiet & unique little neighborhood between us & the open desert.  And, there doesn’t appear to be many kids anywhere.  Bonus:))

 

The desert, only a block from us is beautiful in this area & we are so much looking forward to walking, hiking & Jeeping through this area next winter.  Miles upon miles of hard packed sand with a wide variety of flora & fauna.  For sure we will be bringing our Mountain Bikes next year & basing them here.  I have no interest in riding a bicycle on flat boring pavement on traffic infested streets & roads.  But, it’s a whole different & exciting ball game to get a mountain bike out into a hard packed desert setting with beautiful scenery all round.  I remember how much I enjoyed that a few years ago when at the Hickiwan Trails RV Park in Why, Arizona.

THESE DESERT ROADS ARE GREAT FOR WALKING, BIKING OR JEEPING

Next question is……how can I get my Motorcycle down here.  Sure makes a whole lot of sense to keep a bike in a dry climate like this, not to mention the great rolling desert highways that just go on forever with little traffic on them compared to back home.  Maybe we should be be driving a big U-Haul truck back with us next October instead of the Motorhome.

 

ON OUR WAY TO YARNELL JUST 9 MILES UP THERE ON TOP OF THE WEAVER MOUNTAINS 

Finished up the first house watering of the the day & decided to take a drive up into the Weaver Mountains & have us another look around the interesting little town of Yarnell.  Kelly had spotted an Emporium & a couple Antique stores last time through those parts.  Although warm on the Valley floor we knew enough to take our jackets.  Yarnell is only 9 miles from where we live but it’s higher altitude generally makes it about 10 degrees cooler.  And windy.

 

A NUMBER OF MOTORCYCLISTS HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES HERE OVER THE YEARS ON THIS WINDING ROAD LEADING UP THE MOUNTAIN TO YARNELL

IT’S A LONG DROP ONTO THE CRAGGY ROCKS FAR BELOW

Really liked the ‘YARNELL EMPORIUM.’  What a cozy & colorful little place this is.  Imaginative creations are everywhere.  Have always loved a place with ambience & the aroma of potpourri wafting through the air.  Big Band era music in the background & something for everyone, everywhere.  If your in the Yarnell area, give yourself a break & drop in.  Have yourself a coffee & relax your way through a rainbow of creative colors, imaginative sculptures & a couple rooms with antiques that will take you back in time.  It’s on the east side of the highway in Yarnell’s south end.  Just look for all the little bursts of color:)) 

  

 

 

 

 

The Yarnell Emporium reminded me a bit of the ‘Pink Store’ in Palomas Mexico just south of Columbus, New Mexico. I’m sure we will be back to the Emporium next winter looking at some colorful southwest ambience for our little Congress house.

 

RETIRED ROD & Loyce, who live in Kansas, are currently having a new home built in Mesa, Arizona.   They just arrived home a few days ago & Rod mentioned this in a recent comment, “This summer you really aren't going to be able to stand it going home. I'm going nuts already wondering how the work is coming along and I haven't been gone a week yet.”  Well, Rod is right, & I know I will be in the same boat thinking about all the work I could be doing at our Arizona place.  For me, our winters in the Southwest have never been just a vacation.  We have always looked at it as a welcome lifestyle change from our home in Ontario.  I never miss leaving Ontario to head for the Southwest in the Fall but I sure miss leaving the Southwest to head back to Ontario in the Spring.  Nothing wrong with Ontario of course, great place for sure but I’ve lived there for well over 60 years now.  The West is still all new to me & I love that newness and excitement of discovery & change.

      

RV SUE AND HER CANINE CREW are sure enjoying the peace & tranquility at our old spot in the desert just south of Congress, Arizona.  Sue has been making some fast friends with a band of free ranging horses in the area & has been able to walk among them taking photos.  Spike & Bridget are not quite as enthralled with the Equestrians as Sue is though.

  

Chinle over at the SPOTTED DOG RANCH has some reflective thoughts on past & present camping ways today, along with some well composed photos.

 

A COUPLE OTHER PLACES WE CHECKED OUT IN YARNELL

LYNDA rounds out our Blog Followers list today at 470.  Thank you for taking time to drop in on the Bayfield Bunch, & welcome to our travels:))

And, a thank you to readers for sending in info on the Oleander & Bougainvillea bushes.  Hadn’t realized those Oleanders were so toxic & those Bougainvillea so barbed.  Am hoping to make a trip to an area nursery this coming week to gather some info on plants for this climate.  May have to go with more tall ornamental grasses or something.

GROANER’S CORNER:((  "It's just too hot to wear clothes today," Jack says as he stepped out of the shower, "Honey, what do you think the neighbors would think if I mowed the lawn like this?"
"Probably that I married you for your money," she replied.

A CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH ONE OF THE LOCALS

BREAKFAST ON THE PORCH THIS MORNING…YOU CAN SEE OUR LITTLE MOTORMOUSE IS BACK TO NORMAL:))

Pheebs & I narrowly missed a close encounter of the third kind Friday night with one of the locals.  I’m in the habit of taking Pheebs out for a little walkabout after dark.  It’s a time I enjoy seeing all the stars.  Not a busy road here so we had walked out onto the pavement for maybe 20 yards.  Very dark because there are no street lights but I carry a flashlight.  I was standing on the road looking at the Planets, Jupiter & Venus when I glanced to my right & thought I detected a slight lighter patch of darkness on the ground about 10 feet away.  Pheebs was about 10 feet in front of me sniffing alongside the road.  Looked back at the stars for a few seconds & then looked to my right again.  The lighter patch had moved.  Oh Oh!!  Quickly fumbled for my flashlight as the object moved again slightly parallel to my right.  Hit the switch on my light & yikes, I was looking directly at the unmistakable business end of a skunk.  Tail high in the air.   It immediately ran down into the ditch without firing a shot at us.  I instantly turned towards Pheebe to stop her from running after the skunk, but…….there she was was still blissfully sniffing along the roadside.  Luckily she had not detected either the movement or the scent of the skunk.  We were both soooooo lucky to have not been sprayed!!  We quickly & quietly retreated back to the Motorhome.
THIS LITTLE HOUSE SPARROW IS LIVING IN ONE OF OUR FRONT YARD SAGUAROS
Kelly picked up the scent of Saturday morning garage sales first thing so not wanting to try the Jeep clutch with her sprained ankle yet…I was designated driver again.  There was a sizable auction going on in Congress as well but fortunately she didn’t have a bee under her bonnet about going to the auction.  Time consuming Auctions are not one of my favorite things.

D’YA THINK IT WILL GROW….. 
First garage sale we hit I saw some colorful dishes I really liked, so ‘bang’ we got em.  Had my eye out for a cheap radio for some background noise in the house & ‘bang’ found one of those too.  Kelly wangled the price down from $12 to $8 & we were off.  Next stop was the Congress Library.  More house forms to pull off the computer, print, sign & fax.  They sure bury ya in paper work on this side of the border.

IT WAS THE COLORS THAT CAUGHT MY EYE…LADY SAID WHEN SHE FINDS THE SECOND CUP SHE WILL PHONE US 
Free coffee & donuts at the library.  I bypassed the coffee but had a doughnut.  Awwwww nuts, what a super great home made doughnut it was & darned if they aren’t put together just up the mountain in Yarnell about 9 miles away.  Yep, Kelly has the Corner Stone Bakeshop on her list now for next week.  Oh Dear:((

KELLY PRINTS OFF & FAX’S SOME MORE PAPERWORK
Speaking of Yarnell, Gaelyn from GEOGYPSY came down off the mountain today to check out some Congress garage sales as well.  Her Brother-in-Law lives just behind us so while in the neighborhood stopped by to say Hello.  I was in the process of watering the house & moping our wood floors down with Murphy’s Oil & Wood soap so Kelly gave Gaelyn the Grand Tour.  When I am in full blown work mode I have to keep going because if I stop to chat I lose my momentum & likely as not I will be found a short time later sound asleep in my chair.

NOT VERY WESTERN LOOKING BUT IT PLAYS AM/FM ALONG WITH CD’S TOO.
Besides trimming some tree branches away from the roof I did get in my 3 mandatory house waterings today.  Always find watering enjoyable, whether it be a garden, trees, shrubs or a house.  Haven’t been able to get my painting Mojo back yet but maybe tomorrow between house waterings. 
   
STORY BEHIND THIS FRAME & PAINTING IS THAT IT IS OUT OF A SALOON SOMEWHERE ALONG THE RIO GRANDE RIVER 
Pack Rats.  Some readers have mentioned about leaving their rigs outside for extended periods of time with no Pack Rat damage.  Not surprised because Pack Rats are not everywhere.  Just so happens we are in an area where Pack Rats live.  In fact, Doby, who has grown up in this area, pointed out two nests in the thick Mesquite just behind our property.  With the great variances in altitude here in the Southwest, animals & plant life vary from one area to another.  Pack Rats are probably not found in urban areas with heavier populations & acres of cement & pavement.  We have endless acres of desert here.

ANOTHER GARAGE SALE ITEM
Kelly informed me this morning I had that money transfer between our bank on Canada & our American bank all screwed up.  That was done a week ago & the transaction Friday transferred the funds to the Title Company meaning the house is now officially ours & paid for.

STILL WATERING
Can’t imagine spending a cold Canadian winter in an RV but the folks from AT HOME ON THE ROAD did.  Not something they would care to do again but do admit they were extremely lucky with Southwestern Ontario’s unusually mild winter this year.  Lucky break for sure:))
 
EARLY MORNING SHADOW PATTERN ON THE HOUSE
Welcome to JERRY & LU LARSON as our most recent Blog Followers.  Clicked on your link folks but Google came back with a 404 error.  Thanks for tagging along guys:))
      
Since the day we pulled into our property here in Congress nearly 2 weeks ago we have just been going & going & going.  Tonight, for the first time, we pulled up a couple lawn chairs & sat under our 2 big front yard Saguaros for awhile.  What a whirlwind month this has been since first stopping to look at this house & piece of property for sale just over a month ago on February 23rd.  What a whirlwind indeed…………….10-4:))
 
RELAXING UNDER THE SAGUAROS
GROANER’S CORNER:))  The new iPad went on sale this week. The picture's so fantastic, you can see with amazing clarity just how obsolete the iPad you got for Christmas is.
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