SITTING IN THE MOTORHOME TODAY AND THINKING BACK

I always liked the string of ‘cactus cowboy’ lights we had hanging in our Damon Motorhome years ago and when I took them down back in late winter of 2014 due to selling the rig I remember thinking to myself ‘I wonder when I’ll get to hang these cozy lights back up some day.  Well today was that day.

 
THESE LIGHTS CAST THE NICEST SOFT GLOW IN THE MOTORHOME AT NIGHT


<<<< STRETCHED OUT AND SOUND ASLEEP
A much needed and welcome rain in the night left an overcast with ‘slightly’ cooler temps this morning so rather than a Jeep ride on muddy country roads I dug out our string of night lights and set to work hanging them up in the Big EEE.  I’m one of those people who do not like bright lights or lights of any kind hanging from ceilings.  Indirect subdued lighting and floor or table lamps are my thing.  We did have a big fancy schmancy Mossmagator of a light hanging over the dining area table but after we removed our table and dining room chairs to make way for my recliner I was always crashing my head into that annoying lamp every time getting into or out of my chair.  Uninstalled that light a few weeks ago and picked up an ordinary flush mounted RV light from Stormrunner RV Sales and Service here in Bayfield and neighbor Richard installed it for us.  Not likely we’ll ever use it much but at least I will end up with substantially less dents in my head now.

THE NIGHT LIGHTS CAN BE SEEN STRUNG ALONG ABOVE THE COUCH ON LEFT

While in the RV working on the lights I had the living room slide out and some tunes going on the radio.  Sitting down for a few minutes in our new to us slightly used leather recliner I could feel a twinge of travel excitement.  Just as we are so glad to get home every spring to our house here near Bayfield we are also very glad each Fall when we once again get the big wheels rolling as we head off on another big Snow Bird adventure.  And adventure is the correct word to use here because at this age and stage of life just about anything different from the usual and many times boring daily routines is a most welcome change of pace.  Knowing this Snow Bird lifestyle of ours will inevitably come to an end some day whether suddenly or over a planned period of time I feel it’s more important than ever before that we get ourselves out as much and as often as we can….while we still can.  So long story short, I am sooooooo much looking forward to getting on the road again this October.  The great American Southwest is already calling our name.

WAKE ME WHEN IT’S TIME TO GET ROLLING DAD

HEY DID YOU MEAN RIGHT NOW:))
Skies cleared about mid morning and I couldn’t help but notice how fresh and lush everything was looking after the rains.  Hope our overnight shower will be beneficial for our areas dry farmlands.  Looking forward to a cooler day Friday.

EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING FARM MACHINERY AWAITS THEIR EAGER OPERATORS

WHICH PARTICULAR ‘HEAD’ FITS ON THE FRONT OF THE COMBINE DEPENDS ON THE CROP BEING HARVESTED

THOSE LONG WIDE HEADS ARE TOO WIDE FOR COUNTRY ROADS SO WHEN THE COMBINE IS MOVED THE HEAD IS DETACHED AND PLACED ON A TRAILER LIKE THE ONE ABOVE AND TOWED BY A PICK-UP TRUCK OR THE COMBINE ITSELF TO THE NEXT FIELD

THROUGH A LONG AUGER DEVICE ATOP THE COMBINE GRAINS ARE FUNNELED THROUGH AND BLOWN INTO THESE LARGE WAGONS BEING TOWED ALONGSIDE THE COMBINE AS THEY MOVE DOWN THE FIELD

THE TRACTOR TOWS THE FILLED WAGONS OUT TO THE FIELD’S EDGE NEAR THE ROAD WHERE THE GRAINS CAN THEN BE AUGERED INTO LARGE WAITING TRUCKS WHICH WILL TAKE THE LOAD TO LOCAL GRAIN SILORS

I AM THINKING THIS IS WHEAT THESE MACHINES ARE HANDLING

Being in the RV this morning took my mind back to our earlier Southwest RV travel days when we were on the move much more during the winter season as opposed to our last few years of RVing since buying our Arizona house.  I do like going back to places we have already been. I like it so much that I have quite a struggle with myself sometimes to head off in new directions to see new things. I have always been a nostalgic creature by nature & really enjoy re-visiting places of past pleasant memories. Our first RV adventure took us to Big Bend National Park in Texas back in December of 05 and I hope we can return there again sometime just to see it all over again.  Columbus New Mexico created a lot of memories for us in 07 and 08 & holds a special place in my heart as well especially the The Pink Store just 3 miles south of there in Palomas Mexico. 

One of our first and few RV Park ventures was Hickiwan Trails in Why Arizona back in 07 which did see us return again in 08 & 09. We really enjoyed that area the first few times there but when we stopped by again in 09 it just wasn't quite the same. The newness had worn off a bit.  We stayed one night at Hickiwan & then rolled out early in the morning in search of new frontiers. But, you know what it’s been about 7 years since we’ve been there last and I’m thinking it would be nice to head back to the Ajo, Why, Organ Pipe Cactus Monument area again to touch base and re-visit some good old memories.  I would love to once more see the Ajo Mountains & walk the familiar desert floor at Hickiwan Trails where we once walked with the original Bayfield Bunch Max, Checkers and Cora better known by me as ‘Motormouse’:))  It was at Hickiwan where we first came face to face with the Sonoran desert’s big old lovable Saguaros which quickly became our favorite cactus and I would just like to walk out into the desert there one more time and say ‘Hello’ to all our familiar spots again.  Kick a little desert dust and hug a few Saguaros.  If our house sells this winter we just might take us for a drive on down to Hickiwan Trails for old times sake and maybe stay us a short spell.  Here’s one of my Hickiwan Trail posts I accidently found on the internet dated Monday February 4th 2008.  It’s called A Look At Hickiwan Trails RV Park.  And be sure to check out Donna’s recent post as well entitled Memories of Hickiwan and Ajo. 

WE SURE ARE ENJOYING THE EXTRA SUNLIGHT IN OUR FRONT YARD AND KELLY CAN EVEN SEE BLUE SKY NOW RIGHT FROM HER RECLINER
GROANER’S CORNER:((  Walking through Chinatown, a tourist is fascinated with all the Chinese restaurants, shops, signs and banners. He turns a corner and sees a building with the sign, "Hans Olaffsen's Laundry."  "Hans Olaffsen?" he muses. "How in hell does that fit in here?" So he walks into the shop and sees an old Chinese gentleman behind the counter.
The tourist asks, "How did this place get a name like 'Hans Olaffsen's Laundry?'" The old man answers, "Is name of owner." The tourist asks, "Well, who and where is the owner?" "Me...is right here," replies the old man.
"You? How did you ever get a name like Hans Olaffsen?"  "Is simple," says the old man. "Many, many year ago when come to this country, was stand in line at Documentation Center. Man in front was big blonde Swede. Lady look at him and go, 'What your name?' He say,'Hans Olaffsen.' Then she look at me and go, 'What your name?'"  "I say Sem Ting."