CELIA’S RAINBOW GARDENS…..AND TOMORROW WE MOVE:))

AND, THIS WILL BE OUR NEW BACK YARD WEDNESDAY
Quite often it is on our morning walks where things are discussed & decisions are made. This morning we decided it felt like time to move on tomorrow.  Question was, where.  We went back & forth on that one for a bit but the Kofa Wildlife Refuge area came up the winner........as long as we could find internet there with our Verizon card.  We decided to check that out later.
                            

ANOTHER FINE ARIZONA MORNING FOR A WALK
Had a couple of things we wanted to see in Quartzsite so slipped into town around 10 for breakfast at 'Bad Boy.'  Next stop was the 'Pit Stop' to fill up our water jugs.  It's a nickel a gallon for water here so figured that wouldn't break the bank for us.  Pit Stop is geared to the RV lifestyle's necessities such as dumping holding tanks, filling up propane, & taking on water.  No gas or food here though.  Other gas stations & food stores handle that in Q.  Our total water bill came to .50 cents.  We will be back at the Pit Stop early Wednesday morning to dump tanks, fill up our large fresh water onboard tank, & top up the propane tank.   Cost for water & dump will be $10. 


A lot of folks may have heard of Quartzsite's naked bookseller, Paul Winer.  He in himself is an entire story but today we went to see the gardens that were created in memory of his daughter, Celia.  "In Quartzsite's North-east side of town is an 80 acre park of which 20 acres is dedicated to Celia's Rainbow Garden.  Started in 1995 a year after the death of eight-year-old Celia Anne Winer, the Gardens are a tribute to the memory of a little girl who loved Quartzsite and the people she met here in her short life.  After her death her parents wanted to give something back to the community who had rallied around them in their grief & the idea of a desert botanical garden was something they knew would have appealed to her."


Pathways wind throughout the Gardens between adopted areas that have been put in by family friends to remember someone special they have lost.  Each area is unique & personal to the people who are remembering loved ones & the landscaping reflects the memories that have been left behind.  When Celia's Rainbow Gardens is finished it will be the largest free botanical garden in the State.  The land was donated by the Bureau of Land Management & the gardens are a work in progress being pulled together by many dedicated volunteers.  It takes a lot of willing hands & hearts to keep the Gardens going so any help is greatly appreciated.  Anyone in the area having some time to volunteer can call Joanne at 928-927-6551 & be a part of something to be proud of.
CELIA’S RAINBOW GARDEN……A MOTHER’S STORY
CELIA’S RAINBOW GARDEN……QUARTZSITE ARIZONA

(click on pics to enlarge)
While searching out the Gardens we were surprised to see a side of Quartzsite we had never taken the time to see before.  My idea of the Q was probably like a lot of other RV'ers.  Tents, vendors, crowds, congestion, mayhem, shoulder to shoulder people, & go, go, go.  We saw a side of Quartzsite this morning that was humbly human just as any other small North American town.  Once off the main street where all the action is we found an impressive newer looking library, schools, playgrounds, parks, & even a wide paved runway for model airplane enthusiasts.  The police department even had one of their cruisers all spoofed up with an eye catching paint job.  I have to take back some of my negative thoughts about this town now that I have seen more of it.  I still probably wouldn't come back here again during the peak RV festivities in January but we definitely have a new respect for this town & will return again probably next year......after all the RV nonsense is over!! (2015 update....we have returned to the Q many times sinice I first wrote this post:))
 
NOTICED A MAILBOX AT THIS SITE & KELLY LOOKED INSIDE & FOUND THIS NOTE.  THERE WAS ALSO A SMALL ROUND BOOK IN THE BOX WITH MANY NICE COMMENTS FROM FOLKS WHO HAD VISITED THIS SITE.

Our last stop before heading back to the rig was to see the cairn erected to a fellow who came to Quartzsite many years ago.  He was a Greek fellow born in Syria by the name of Hadji Ali.  The locals named him Hi Jolly.  I will let my photos briefly tell you his story.
   

HI JOLLY…..WIKIPEDIA
With a load of groceries in the back of the car we headed back out to the rig for a rest before heading out on our second excursion of the day.  There was a time when boondockers could go pretty well anywhere they wanted without too many concerns.  Quiet settings took priority & the further one could get away from society for a while the better.  But, all that changed years ago with the invention of the computer.  With the addition of satellites, air cards, & wifi the priorities now became.....access to the internet!!  In other words, no internet, no go!!!!  So with that thought in mind we put our laptop in the car & headed south down the highway to check out a couple roads back in off the highway where we had seen some great boondocking sites a few days earlier.  First was Palm Canyon road leading into the Kofa mountains.  Our Verizon had a 3 bar signal all the way back in nearly to the Palm Canyon itself.  Checked out a couple spots & then headed back to the highway & drove further south. 
            

King Valley Road is one that we had driven back in on the way back from the Castle Dome Museum.  It goes further into the Castle Dome mountains & was our preference so we were pretty happy to find a spot that actually had 4 bars on our Verizon program.  Took a couple quick photos & headed back to the rig to begin packing up for the morning's move.  Solar panels to be secured, bins packed, outside furniture folded up & stowed away, etc.  We have enjoyed our hassle free 8 days here in the La Paz area south of Quartzsite.  Our 4th year here but it will probably be the last time because in the future we will come back to the Kofa & Castle Dome areas to boondock.  And thanks Quartzsite, it was nice to get to know the new you.......:))

NICE TO SEE ANOTHER SIDE OF QUARTZSITE.   THE AIRPLANES ARE F4 PHANTOMS

GROANER'S CORNER:((  An older gentleman was sitting on a park bench sobbing. A police officer came up and asked him what was wrong. "I'm 75 years old," sobbed the man. "I have a 35 year-old wife at home. She is beautiful, a great cook, mother of my two young children, charming and madly in love with me." "So what's the problem?" "I can't remember where I live!"
I will include more pics from today in the next web album I’m working on.
 
THIS P41 FLYING TIGER WAS IN TROUBLE & MISSED THE RUNWAY SO OUT CAME THE PLANE’S PILOT TO RETRIEVE HIS PLANE & THINK ABOUT THE NEXT MISSION:))

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The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now....AL.