KIND OF IN A REFLECTIVE MOOD TODAY

How nice to see a sky full of stars when Pheebs & I stepped out early this morning.  Started our day under sunny skies but by late morning we were again under a band of heavy dark clouds.  But no matter, I was anxious to take my new shovel (Big Red) for a test drive so it wasn’t long before we were tearing up the back yard.  Decided to start with an area beside our cement patio & make a wildflower garden.  After our rains of the past couple days I knew the ground would be perfect for digging & time was a wasting.  I was surprised by the fine quality of soil so figure wildflowers will do well.  Photos below show only the first phase of the flower garden.  I plan to extend it right around the patio.  Have also had it in the back of my mind for quite some time to put in a small shallow pond under the shade of the spreading Palo Verde tree in the pictures below.   Pond would have a pump & re-circulating waterfall.  Kind of a bird sanctuary place.  Maybe next winters project:))

GETTING STARTED…GARDEN TOOL IN THE FOREGROUND IS MY ‘EDGER’

NOTICE HOW MUCH BETTER THAT OLD PALO VERDE TREE LOOKS NOW THAT I HAVE INCLUDED IT IN THE FLOWER GARDEN

And by golly did you know Congress Arizona made Triple AAA’s magazine Highroads.  Short article is entitled, Quirky Congress & it’s got something to do with a frog:))

STARTED OUR DAY IN SUNSHINE, SPENT MOST OF IT UNDER CLOUDY SKIES & FINISHED IT UNDER MORE SUNSHINE

Years ago while ranch sitting near McNeil Arizona Kelly & I spent several months each winter over the course of 3 years taking in many sites & activities in Arizona’s Cochise county.  Some of our best memories are centered in that region & our time on the ranch will go down as some of the best times we have ever spent here in the great southwest.  Many of my archived posts cover those memorable days beginning with our first ranch sitting day February 5th 2009 The Bayfield Bunch Arrives At The Arizona Ranch to our last ranch sitting day on January 15th 2012 entitled Back To The Land Of Giant Saguaros.

 

NEIGHBOR’S PROPERTY TODAY & KELLY IN HER BEDROOM TALKS TO HER MOTHER ON THE PHONE MONDAY

Looking back over a few of my blog posts from our ranch sitting days I felt a sense of happiness knowing that I have kept up my daily blog posts from those ranch sitting years & the years preceding that time & these years since that time.  My memory is such that I would have no recollection of probably 80% or more of our past 9 RVing years had I not recorded it all through words & photos right from day 1.  As yet I don’t look back often on my old posts but who knows, someday I just might & it’s a comforting thought to know I have the option of traveling back in time if I should ever decide to do so.  It’s all there nearly a decade in words & pictures.  When the day comes & all is said & done our life & times may remain floating somewhere forever in cyber space long after I’m gone.  And if I’ve accomplished nothing else in my life I will be content knowing something I have created & stuck with for a change will hopefully remain & maybe for a time be remembered………… 

A FOGGY MORNING ON DARBY WELL ROAD NEAR AJO ARIZONA…JANUARY 23RD 2012

GROANER’S CORNER:(( This guy goes to the doctor and says, "Doc, I ache all over. Everywhere I touch it hurts."
The doctor says, "OK. Touch your elbow."  The guy touches his elbow and winces in genuine pain. The doctor, surprised, says "Touch your head."  The guy touches his head and jumps in agony. The doctor asks him to touch his knee and the same thing happens. Everywhere the guy touches he hurts like hell. The doctor is stumped and orders a complete examination with X-rays, etc. and tells the guy to come back in two days.
Two days later the guy comes back and the doctor says "We've found your problem."  "Oh yeah? What is it?"
"You've broken your finger!"

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The patient who came to my radiology office for abdominal X-rays was already heavily sedated. But I still had to ask her a lot of questions, the last one being, "Ma'am, where is your pain right now?"
Through her medicated fog, she answered, "He's at work."

DO WE HAVE ANY 'RANCH SITTERS' OUT HERE IN RV BLOG LAND:))

FULL MOON RISING OVER THE SWISS HELM MOUNTAINS AT THE RANCH IN DEC. 09 (700mm telescope lens)

Anyone following our blog knows that we have spent the last 4 winters traveling around the American Southwest.  You will also know that we have spent some time 'ranch sitting' the past couple years as well.  When we leave Bayfield in late October we will once again head straight for the ranch which is located in Arizona's southeast corner near McNeal, Douglas & Bisbee.  Unlike last winter, we have decided to spend less time at the ranch this year & more time traveling.  We will be there from the beginning of November until mid December.

STORM CLOUDS OVER THE RANCH HOUSE

The owners of the ranch, J & R are also RV folks & again this year would like to spend the winter months doing some traveling of their own .  Another RV couple is going to take over the ranch sitting job from us from mid December to mid January.  A third RV couple & friends of ours will take over sometime in January & will stay for awhile but not sure how long yet.  That will leave part of February & all of March available.

OUR FULL HOOK-UP SITE AT THE RANCH

Workampers will probably not be interested in this because it is not a paying job. You do have full hook-ups & the security of a locked gate & a very large area with coyote proof fencing so it's a great safety factor if you have pets.  The ranch is an excellent home base for day trips in this historical southeast corner of Arizona.  Thousands of Sand Hill Cranes fly directly over the ranch every single day.  Their roosting area is only one mile south of the ranch at the, WHITEWATER DRAW WILDLIFE AREA

SUNSET ON THE PORCH

It is imperative that you understand, care for & love animals.  The ranch has about a dozen frisky chickens, 3 clever donkeys, 2 new cows, two lovable dogs (Pearce & Gleason) & Charlie the cat to look after.  The gang has to be fed twice a day & the 3 or 4 chicken eggs have to be gathered daily.  And, you will be required to milk the chickens every Saturday morning before breakfast:))

DRAGOON MOUNTAINS NORTHWEST OF THE RANCH

Douglas & Bisbee are only about a 20-25 minute drive away.  Tombstone is about a 40 minute drive & Sierra Vista is just another 15 minutes on the other side of Tombstone.  The ranch is located in the Sulphur Springs Valley & surrounded by the Dragoon, Chiricahua, Swiss Helm & Mule mountains.  And, if you haven't been to Bisbee Arizona yet, you are in for an alpine treat in an old mountain mining town.  For many photos of the ranch & surrounding area attractions just check our archives for Feb-March 2009 & again from November 09 to just about the end of January 2010.  Or, check our PICASA PHOTO ALBUMS for those same dates.

3 OF THE RANCH'S DESPERADOS'....SARAH, NELLIE & PONCHO

So, if anyone is interested in 'ranch sitting' for a spell in February & March, just let us know & we'll forward your interest to the folks at the ranch.  Preference will probably be given to anyone on our blog list that we know or have been in email contact with for awhile.  Just a little something for you Buckaroo RV'ers to think about:))

GROANER'S CORNER:((  GREAT TRUTHS THAT LITTLE CHILDREN HAVE LEARNED...................
1) No matter how hard you try, you can't baptize cats..
2) When your Mom is mad at your Dad, don't let her brush your hair.
3) If your sister hits you, don't hit her back. They always catch the second person.
4) Never ask your 3-year old brother to hold a tomato.
5) You can't trust dogs to watch your food..
6) Don't sneeze when someone is cutting your hair..
7) Never hold a Dust-Buster and a cat at the same time.
8) You can't hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk.
9) Don't wear polka-dot underwear under white shorts.
10) The best place to be when you're sad is Grandma's lap.

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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

Until one has loved an Animal, part of their soul remains un-awakened.

OUR BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

AL'S SMUG MUG PHOTO GALLERY http://stargeezer.smugmug.com/

It is not the concept of God I have a problem with.....it's his fan club that causes me grievous concern:((

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

TO-DAY WE MET JC & BEV...FELLOW RV'ERS & BLOGGERS;))

JC & BEV ON THEIR 2008 HONDA GOLDWING

Weatherman said it's going to be another cooker to-day so figured we'd just hang around the ranch & try to stay cool. Kelly headed off for a Yoga class in Elfrida this morning & I continued puttering with my little garden project. Have also been busy watering trees the the past couple of days as well. They have quite an extensive irrigation system here on the ranch with lots of taps & hoses.

Jeannie phoned this morning saying another RV couple was coming down to look at the ranch sitting job plus another one in the area for this coming November in case we can't make it back here in the fall. With the economic downturn & a very unpredictible summer coming up for everyone it is a good idea for them to have some back up people in place because they are planning a 3 week cruise in November. Under normal circumstances we could have been back here for sure but with all the doom & gloom predicted in the coming months it's anybody's guess where we all be. A LAST MINUTE PICTURE

So, to-day we met fellow RV'ers & bloggers, JC & Bev. They are Escapee members & are presently camped up in Benson at the Escapee Park. They rolled in around 1:30 on a nice looking 2008 Honda Goldwing motorcycle complete with trailer. When they are traveling in their 40' Country Coach Class A Motorhome the trailer actually fits inside their towed Ford Hybrid car & the motorcycle has it's own lift & carrier right on the back of the motorhome. These folks are fulltimers & have traveled extensively including Europe. Really nice people & it was a pleasure to meet them. And of course it never ceases to amaze me once again how we already know & have met some of the people they know of. You can check out their travel website here... http://mytripjournal.com/webber I have also added them to our, "Blogs We Follow."

And now a "shout out" to any fellow RV'ers who might be interested in a ranch sitting job next November. A few days ago I did a blog on the Paws & Hooves Ranch up in Sunizona. Well those two ladies are friends with Jeannie & Ray who we are presently ranch sitting for. All 4 of them are planning a cruise for next November so Rosanne & her Mother are going to need someone very reliable to look after their critters for 3 weeks. Jeannie phoned us yesterday morning & suggested we post it in our blog because it's really RV people who are probably best suited & outfitted to do the job. Email The Bayfield Bunch at mousebanana@msn.com & we will forward your emails to Rosanne at Paws & Hooves. Rosanne & her Mother can have a look at the emails then directly email back anyone they are interested in. To have a look & find out more about the Paws & Hooves ranch just check back in our blog here a few days ago to Saturday Feb. 28/09.

Last night's DVD was called "De Lovely" staring Kevin Klein & Ashley Judd. It is a musical about the life & times of songwriter & composer, Cole Porter. Wasn't sure if I was going to like it at first but once the movie got going I enjoyed it to the end. Another movie we watched the other night was called, "The Diving Bell & The Butterfly." This is a well done movie & true story of a man in France who suffers a massive stroke & is left totally paralyzed except for his left eye. Through the help of 2 special needs nurses he learns to communicate by blinking his eye yes or no to their unique communication process. I don't care for captioned movies as a rule but this movie just draws you in right from the opening scene & we watched it right to the end.OK, HERE WE GO........HOLD ONTO YOUR HAT!!And it was one year ago to-day that we left Truth or Consequences New Mexico for our long 8 day journey home to Bayfield Ontario, Canada.

Well, it was a good thing JC & Bev showed up to-day or I wouldn't have had a single photo for the blog to-night. After all, how many chicken pictures can I put in before our readership drops below zero................:((

No photos for the web album to-night.

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

WIND, RAIN, THUNDER AND LIGHTNING TODAY AS 'MEMORY LANE' TAKES US TO BISBEE ARIZONA

BISBEE ARIZONA IS ONE OF OUR ALL TIME FAVORITE PLACES

We had a ton of rain, high winds, layers of clouds, thunder and lightning, plus a few faint touches of Sunlight.  Along with all that our temps dropped about ten degrees.  Pheebs and I slipped up to Goderich and back in the morning and arrived home with a cleaner Jeep than what we had left with.  I also arrived home a little damper after having to stop in the pouring rain twice on Porters Hill line to pull downed branches off the road.

PHEEBS ALWAYS GETS A TREAT AT THE GODERICH EAST END SHELL GAS STATION AND TODAY SHE ALSO HAD AN ADMIRER IN THE CAR AT THE NEXT PUMP

MORE TREES CAME DOWN IN OUR PARK TUESDAY

And here's where we were 10 years ago for Thanksgiving.... A Fine Thanksgiving Dinner With A Fine Bunch Of Local Folks.  We were Ranch Sitting near McNeal Arizona at the time.

::Memory Lane:: Bisbee Arizona is one of our all time favorite places and we have been there many times over our RVing years.  In our ranch sitting days it was only a 20 minute drive from the ranch to Bisbee.  Located in the Mule Mountains Bisbee reminded us of a snow covered Alpine village the first time we saw it back in late December of 2006 on our very first trip to the great American Southwest.  Tonight's Memory Lane is just one of our many enjoyable times in Bisbee.  Opening photos in tonight's photos are of Bisbee's Copper Queen Hotel.  Here are just a few of my posts regarding our times in Bisbee.  Sticky Bunned At The BBC In Bisbee --- A Quiet Snoozy Kind of Sunday and Donkey Smooches --- We're Kinda Getting Localized Here --- Some Days It's Hot And Dusty And Other Days It's Hot And Dusty --- Phones-Schmones And Making Faces At The Chickens.  You will see more of Bisbee in future 'Memory Lane' posts as well as our Ranch Sitting days.

DONKEY SMOOCHES

GROANER'S CORNER:((  “Thanksgiving dinners take 18 hours to prepare. They are consumed in 12 minutes. Half-times take 12 minutes. This is not coincidence.”
- “An optimist is a person who starts a new diet on Thanksgiving Day.”
-  My family told me to stop telling Thanksgiving jokes but I told them I couldn't quit "cold turkey.”
- If you call a large turkey a gobbler what do you call a small one?..........'Goblet'.
- What does Thanksgiving have in common with Halloween? Gobble-ins!
- Why did the police arrest the turkey? They suspected fowl play.
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What do you call a broken can opener? A can’t opener.
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A teacher was giving a lesson on the circulation of the blood. Trying to make the matter clearer, he said: "Now, students, if I stood on my head the blood, as you know, would run into it, and I should turn red in the face."  "Yes, sir," the boys said.  "Then why is it that while I am standing upright in the ordinary position the blood doesn't run into my feet?  "A little fellow of course at the rear of the class shouted, "'It's because yer feet ain't empty."
====================

HOW OUR BLOG HELPED LEAD A CALIFORNIA COUPLE TO ARIZONA:))

Another hot humid day but thankfully we have a cool down coming for the week-end.  Cranked up the A/C in the Santa Fe & headed off to see Uncle Harry in Mitchell.  He was looking & feeling much better than the last time we saw him at the hospital last week in Stratford.  In fact, I noticed a big improvement in him today from where he has been the last few months.

Now, to continue with the second of two stories stemming from our boondocking stay near Tombstone Arizona back in February of 2008.  The second fellows name who emailed us was Pat & he had been stationed at Fort Huachuca years earlier. We had found a spot along the Charleston Road & San Pedro river for a couple nights until a border patrol officer & a State trooper came along & told us we would have to move from that location. Pat knew the exact spot we were first camped along the banks of the San Pedro & shared some memories of his military days in that area. The Border Patrol officer told us of a BLM location about 3 or 4 miles from where we were that might be OK for us so we packed up & moved. The spot turned out to be totally excellent & we stayed there about a week.  Met a charming older ranch couple at that boondocking spot as well. Jack & Gwen came through twice a day in their old Ford truck watering & feeding their free ranging cattle.  It was not unusual for us to have cows feeding nearby. It gave us a nice rural ranch feeling.  Little did we know, our meeting Jack & Gwen would later have a direct bearing on a couple in California we had never met but were in email contact with.  Pat & Nancy were about to meet Jack & Gwen…….just a year later or so. 
 

CAMPED IN A PARKING LOT ON THE BANKS OF ARIZONA’S SAN PEDRO RIVER

 

KELLY WADES ACROSS THE SAN PEDRO RIVER AFTER WE HAD JUST FOUND THE LOST GHOST TOWN OF CHARLESTON

We occasionally heard from Pat over the next few months & years although we never did meet Gwen & Jack again.  Pat & Nancy continued to keep tabs on our travels & especially whenever we were Ranch sitting in McNeal near Sierra Vista. At one point while they were traveling in the Tombstone area, Pat emailed us again wondering where that spot was we had boondocked before. I emailed back the directions & they headed for the spot to camp for a bit. While there, they of course met Jack & Gwen on their cattle rounds.

  

BIG WAVE FROM JACK AS THEY HEAD BACK OUT ON THEIR DAILY ROUNDS OF WATERING & FEEDING CATTLE

Now, let’s fast forward a year or so to Pat & Nancy’s ‘second visit’ to the Tombstone Hills boondocking spot, & their second meeting with Jack & Gwen.

MORNING WALK ON A SECTION OF ‘ROAD’ JACK & GWEN DROVE OVER EACH & EVERY DAY….SEVERAL TIMES!!

While talking with Gwen & Jack again, they expressed an interest in having a look at some real estate in the area. Turns out Jack & Gwen's daughter-in-law happened to be a Real Estate agent in Sierra Vista. To make a long story short, a quick on the spot phone call was made & a meeting was arranged.  In the course of several days some properties were looked at near Tombstone & one near Sierra Vista. Pat & Nancy ended up buying the 10 acre parcel near Sierra Vista.

 

VIEWS FROM ATOP THE RIG BEFORE PUTTING DOWN THE SOLAR PANELS PRIOR TO DEPARTURE FROM THE TOMBSTONE HILLS… THE ENTIRE AREA AROUND US WAS LACED WITH OLD LONG AGO ABANDONED MINE SHAFTS 

I think it was at this point Pat emailed us to say how influential our travels in the area had been on their decision to move from California to the Sierra Vista area of Arizona. They had already cleared some land & had the basic ground work done for building a new house. Still living in California, Pat emailed us directions on how to find their property & for us to go have a look see.  We were once again Ranch sitting at Jeanie & Ray’s place at the time near McNeal so we drove over to the San Pedro Valley & managed to locate their property.  Photos below show some of the groundwork they had already completed.

TOOK THIS PHOTO FROM ABOUT WHERE PAT & NANCY’S HOUSE NOW STANDS

 

WE LEFT THEM A ‘BAYFIELD BUNCH’ CARD UNDER THE WHEELBARROW

Last year we received another email from Pat saying they had made the move from California, their new house was nearly complete, & for us to drop around. We were Ranch sitting for Jeanie & Ray at that time again. My Aunt Jean was visiting from Florida, so on our way to Sierra Vista & the CORONADO NATIONAL MONUMENT with Jeanie & Ray’s truck to pick up our Jeep (which was in a garage there with a flat tire) we stopped in to meet Pat & Nancy.  They again mentioned that it was the result of answering our question on the RV NET FORUM & their subsequent following of our blogging travels the past 4 years that they were now happily living within sight of the mighty Huachuca Mountains.  Can’t tell you how warm that makes me feel inside to know that our Bayfield Bunch blog had largely been responsible for leading Pat & Nancy to this quiet retirement property in Arizona’s scenic San Pedro Valley.  Something we did, led directly to someone else’s happiness.  Now, how nice is that at the end of a day:))

 

PAT & NANCY, JANUARY 2012…NO PORCH ON THE HOUSE YET BUT YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE SOLAR PANELS ON THE GARAGE ROOF

  

LATER THAT DAY WITH AUNT JEAN ATOP CORONADO PEAK…AND YES YOUR RIGHT, THAT’S A WATERMELON I HAVE STUFFED IN MY T-SHIRT FOR LUNCH LATER:))

What a great spot they have with scenic views of the Dragoon Mountains to the east, south-east to the Mule Mountains, south-west to the Huachuca Mountains & west to the Whetstone mountains .  Pat just sent me the following two photos which shows a newly added surrounding porch.  And, if I remember correctly, this is all being run on solar power from a large garage roof mounted bank of solar panels located at the east side of the house.  Never a lack of sunshine in Arizona:))  And, as a footnote…..sure hope I got all my facts straight in this story because I sure had to scramble through a lot of old dusty cobwebs to remember everything & where all the photos were hiding…. 

 

TOP 2 PHOTOS WERE TAKEN BY PAT RECENTLY & I TOOK THE BOTTOM PHOTO AS WE DROVE ONTO THEIR PROPERTY ON JANUARY 4TH 2011…BOTTOM PHOTO IS THE SAME AS TOP RIGHT BUT WITHOUT THE HOUSE

And, on another note, I enjoyed, and am in full agreement with Debra's post over at FIND AN OUTLET. No candy coated stuff going on here again as Debra steps up & tells us what she thinks. And again, as many times in the past, I have thought the exact same way she does about things.  I have a lot of respect for people who are able to think realistically & even more respect for those who can take that kind of thinking & lay it out for others to read & think about............ This time she writes about all those so called, 'Self Help' books that keep piling onto the market from time to time.  Couldn’t agree with you more Deb…..:)) 

YEP, SOME MIGHTY NICE COUNTRY DOWN THERE IN SOUTH EAST ARIZONA & THIS WHOLE AREA WILL ALWAYS REMAIN IN MY FONDEST MEMORIES

GROANER'S CORNER:(( In Canada's Newfoundland the Newfies have finally solved their own fuel problems. They imported 50 million tonnes of sand from the Arabs and they are going to drill for their own oil. Those Newfies are pretty smart eh:))

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- Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.
- Home is where your pet is:))

- "If having a soul means being able to feel
love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals
are better off than a lot of humans."
(James Herriot)

- The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails -William Arthur Ward

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

- It is not so much having nothing to do as it is not having the interest to do something....AL.

- OUR PHOTO ALBUMS - .https://picasaweb.google.com/117858411710794543295/

stargeezerguy@gmail.com