No Jeep ride this morning, in fact the Jeep never moved all day and I never moved off the property either. Spent my day puttering around the yard. Moved some bird feeders around and helped Kelly re-arrange a bunch of hanging flower baskets she had brought home a few days ago. Didn’t have any photos so slipped out into the front yard just before supper and snapped a few for tonight’s post.
OUR AZALEA PLANT IS IN BLOOM
A BUSY BUZZY BEE BUM
I know I’ve mentioned this before in a few previous posts but the subject of our future RV travels came up again recently here at home. There was a time in our earlier years when after arriving back in Bayfield in the Spring we knew exactly when and where we would be headed in the Fall again. It was never in doubt and we (especially me) counted the days to when we would be back on the road headed once more for our beloved destination of choice, the great American Southwest. It was our second home and we loved it so much we even bought an Arizona house in early March of 2012. That was great for over 4 years but we got a little bored after awhile and became restless. Sold the house in December of 2016 . What a great feeling to be free and back on the road again. But it didn’t last. We did enjoy our time boon-docking for the remainder of that winter but after returning home in late March of 2017 we both noticed a change in ourselves. For the first time we were not counting the days until we headed south again. We knew we would be going alright but we had trouble all last summer rallying our enthusiasm. We did eventually head for the Southwest but something had changed in both of us. We were there last winter of course but yet again, we really didn’t seem to be there at all. Gone was the excitement and adventure of previous years. Gone was the newness of everything. There we were in all our favorite places hoping to re-do all our favorite things, and yet we just couldn’t seem to get ourselves in gear like in previous years. I haven’t even done my annual Marshal South trek up Ghost Mountain the past two years. The old saying ‘been there done that’ kept ringing in our ears. We both agreed the best part of last winter for us was coming home.
So that brings us to our latest and current state of confusion and indecision. It’s been suggested we try Mexico but we don’t have any interest in RVing around Mexico. Not saying it isn’t a great winter destination but it’s not for us just as traveling abroad to say Europe , Australia, South America, or Alaska is. I don’t know why that is, it just is. Traveling in the summer is not high on our interest list either. Maybe 20 years ago it would have been but not now. About the only thing we’ve hammered out so far is that we both agreed if we do get away it will not be for the 5 or 6 months we used to go for. Maybe 2 months and that’s about it. I am not yet at the point where I want to just sit here in the cold and snow for the whole winter doing nothing!!
My heart is still in the southwest and always will be. Have not seen anywhere else in the States that I like better for a winter destination but going back again to all the same old places doing all the same old things just doesn’t hold the same interests it once did. The drawback of course is the weather. We would love to see northern California, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and of course more of Utah but it’s waaaaaay to cold in all those places during the months of December, January and February. We have always been confined by the warmer weather to southern New Mexico, Arizona, and California. Do we want to keep our 37’ Motorhome and repeat our repetitious boon-docking lifestyle of 12 years or do we downsize to a smaller more fuel efficient RV and maybe travel further afield more often to new places. Yes, we have a lot to think about this summer………………………….
It is so nice to see our flower beds ‘FINALLY’ springing to life. Always an amazing time of year when everything goes from looking so dead to looking so vibrantly alive.
GROANER’S CORNER:(( At a local coffee bar, a young woman was expounding on her idea of the perfect mate to some of her friends. "The man I marry must be a shining light amongst company. He must be musical. Tell jokes. Sing. Entertain. And stay home at night!" An old granny overheard and spoke up, "Girl, if that's all you want, get a TV!"
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Bill: Your wife is a lovely woman.
Bob: She’s getting old.
Bill: Well, you know, they say that women age like fine wine.
Bob: She’s aging like milk.
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As the plane was flying low over some hills near Athens, a lady asked the stewardess: "What's that stuff on those hills?" "Just snow," replied the stewardess. "That's what I thought," said the lady, "but this fellow in front of me said it was Greece."
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"When I saw you driving down the road, I guessed 75 at least.""You're wrong, officer, it's only my hat that makes me look that old."
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Your yard looks fantastic. Hard decisions to make about your rving. Last time you went smaller you didn't like it too much, we are missing our smaller RV so we know where you are coming from.
ReplyDeleteYour yard is gorgeous!!
ReplyDeleteYour yard is very vibrant which expresses the way you feel about everything in life. If you are searching for something New try the Gulf Coast States. That is our plan when we start finding the Southwest Trek to be too much for us to handle.
ReplyDeleteBe Safe and Enjoy!
It's about time.
Well, first of all, you have a gorgeous home and yard, so I can see how your homecoming is so happy.
ReplyDeleteAnd I know what you mean about "been there, done that." I keep going back to the same places, and each year it's different. Depending on me, my moods, the people who show up, or I meet new neighbors. The weather, sometimes it's too hot or cold or windy. Sometimes the weather is perfect, sometimes not, and I never know what and who I'll find till I'm there.
It all puts a different slant on the time I spend at the different BLMs I visit. If I've had a great time the year before, it's hard to match it the next year because different people are there. Or maybe there's no one I know and I don't meet any new friends.
I think I'm getting tired of being a full-timer and a lot of my friends seem to be in the same frame of mind.
I like your idea of a smaller rig, shorter trips - maybe just during the coldest months? It'll be interesting to see what you guys decide. :)
I recall that you tried smaller RVs before and weren't happy with them. Here's a suggestion, stay home in the winter and travel the US in the spring and/or fall. That way you could go to the other states on your bucket list. We leave about labor day and take a 4 to 6 week trip. One year it was Utah. Once it was Yellowstone, Teton, Glacier, etc. The last couple of years it was the Florida panhandle beaches. Relax, Enjoy
ReplyDeleteYour yard is lovely! Lots of hard work keeping those gardens going. Love Kelly's latest find!!
ReplyDeleteGreat weather for working around the yard . We still have our count down for when we can leave, but still not sure where we are going. We too would like to travel the northern states, but not in the winter one of these day we will work it out.
ReplyDeleteLike Kelly's chandler she found for the porch.
Your yard is absolutely gorgeous, Al and Kelly, no wonder you enjoy the return home so much. I'm not sure what our thoughts will be returning home when we don't have this property to return to. We are still newbies at this lifestyle so can't speak to your feelings but I'm sure you'll make the right choices for both of you. The chandelier Kelly found is beautiful and the sun must play wonderfully on the crystals.
ReplyDeleteYour yard is beautiful! The yard depicts your Love for your home this year. I don't remember Kelly having so many flowers. Travel as long as your health allows because once your health is compromised, the decision is quickly made for you.
ReplyDelete