Quiet

February 15 & 16, 2016

When I think of our last few days parked out in the desert the one word that comes to mind is quiet, complete and wonderful quiet. No city noise, no highway noise, only one helicopter this morning to break the silence, and a van checking out the area past us for about 15 minutes and then the quiet was back. Sometimes the wind carries voices towards us but even those are muted.
We did take a ride into Quartzsite yesterday so I could take a jewelry beading class. While I did that Tom checked out a few of the vendors still here and filled up our water jugs. Then we came back out here to the wonderful quiet.

When I went to get in the truck
Sunday evening this was outside
my door. Such a romantic even
after all these years.

The sunrise Monday morning.
The mountains in the west look soft and muted as
the sun slowly rises over the mountains in the east.

I love sitting and watching the
shadows form on the desert floor.
The Crusader's shadow this morning.

Monday's sunset.

The clouds turned a lovely golden yellow,
then pink and orange.

This morning's sunrise.

Tom and I with the sun coming up behind us. I love how the sunlight dances across the desert floor lighting the rocks and forming long shadows as it just peaks over the mountains. It is a moment when you feel a quiet softness just before the light brightens and brings everything into a bright contrast. (I posted this on facebook with the picture below.)

I love the mornings.

The view out our living room window.
It was a little chilly sitting out this morning
so when the coffee was ready we sat inside. 

Tonight's sunset.
No clouds, yet a beautiful yellow orb sank
behind the mountains.

After the sun was gone we could see a pink glow between
the peaks. Though you cannot see it in the picture
the tips of the mountains to the right are outlined in pink.

“Life is sometimes made of the small moments of contentment, you find in the quiet corners of your day.”

                                                                                          ~unknown

Plomosa Road

We are presently parked out in a BLM 14 day camping area just off of Plomosa Road. This is our third time parking in this area and we really like it here. The plan is to move over to La Posa LTVA probably Tuesday then we will decide when and what next.

February 13th's Sunset

February 14th's Sunrise

“Grow old with me!

The best is yet to be.”

           ~Robert Browning

 

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Hi Jolly

February 12, 2016
We stayed at the Split Rail RV Park on the 11th and 12th. It is a Passport America so the price was right plus we needed full hookups because the Crusader’s tanks needed work and it filled that requirement. The people were friendly and we filled our water tank before we left on the 13th. That is all I will say and there will be no pictures posted.

After we left Quartzsite last year we realized we had not visited the Hi Jolly Cemetery. So after we brought the Crusader over to the shop this morning and had breakfast at the Mountain Quail restaurant we took a ride over to it.









The Crusader spent the day RV Lifestyles and we cannot say enough good things about this business. Certainly fair prices, from what we can tell excellent work, and after noticing the support for our spare tire needed help he fixed it at no cost. (We had bent it last year getting into our friends' driveway and Tom had bent it back in place but now it is a solid fix.) Definitely excellent service.
We also spent sometime during the day scouting out a couple of desert parking places. Always easier to do when not towing a 5th wheel.

Octillo are turning green.

We then ended the day with pizza at Silly Al’s. All and all not a bad day.

"It isn't what you have or who you are or where you are

or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy.

It is what you think about it."

                                                                      - Dale Carnegie

Catching Up

We are finally parked out in the desert by Quartzsite and our internet connection is the best it has been in awhile so I am going to do some catching up.




We spent two really nice months parked at Saddle Mountain RV Park. The original “plan” was to stay a month. When we opted to stay a second month it was an easy decision the people we met were friendly and nice, the activities available fun, and our site large for an RV park. We were sad to leave but it was time to move on and we were also anxious to be out in the desert.

Our home from December 11, 2015
until February 11, 2016

A couple of pictures of Tonopah, AZ

This was on the back of the RV parked next to us.
We will miss opening the dining room shade and 
seeing it but mostly we will miss Linda and Len 
who lived there. Hope to see them down the road.

I will be mostly posting pictures in this "catch up". As everyone knows it is about the memories and pictures always tell the story best.

February 5, 2016

This is a cell phone tower in disguise.
Just in case you thought it was a palm tree.

February 8, 2016

Random pictures from a ride over to Gilbert, AZ to get my hair done. (The windshield needed cleaning.)









February 9, 2016

Sitting on our patio looking up the sky was so blue.

Loved how the shadows played on the RV's and palm trees
as the sun set behind us.

The sunset

February 10, 2016

Two birds in the palm tree outside our back window.
(Lots of cropping.)

Our last sunset at Saddle Mountain
and it did not disappoint.
The colors are beautiful.

The clouds turned wonderful colors
of orange and pink.

Even behind us the sky and the clouds turned
 into lovely pinks.

 February 11, 2016

So after I enjoyed one last jewelry class and Tom picked up his rocks from the lapidary shop we hooked up the Crusader and traveled over to Quartzsite. The Crusader had an appointment at 8:00AM on the 12th to get some work done. We were sad to leave but, as I said before, the time had come and we needed to be on the road.

My last jewelry class at Saddle Mountain.
 Learning how to crochet with wire.
The bottom right our fearless leader, Diane.
Top left Linda concentrating.
Top right in the middle Joyce checking out beads
and on the left Molly helping.

“A journey is best measured in friends,

rather than miles.”

                                  ~Tim Cahill

The Wind is Blowing

As I sit and write this post today the wind is blowing outside and the sky is grey. Yet it is a peaceful, quiet sort of day; almost as if the clouds are muffling the sounds around us.

Saturday, January 30, 2016

The sunset as we walked out of Mass tonight.
Just two weeksago the sky was totally black when we left church.

Sunday, January 31, 2016

Today we took a “Sunday Ride” reminiscent of being little, sitting in the backseat, and heading out down the backroads in what we called  going for a ride in the “country”.

The scenery and especially the clouds are
beautiful as we drive.

Clouds fluffy and white against a blue, blue sky.
In the bottom left they almost look like feathers.

So many wonderful green fields.

The Saguaros standing tall
on a beautiful day in the desert.

Later we took a ride on Salome Highway and turned off onto a road we had been told by our neighbors we could find a couple of abandoned mines.

Two mines we stopped and looked at.

I love how, even here in the desert, the green peeks
out between the rocks.

The black stones form beautiful lines
of contrast on the mountains.

More clouds some with the sun glowing through.

The wind was getting stronger towards the end of the day.
Just after the sun had dropped behind the mountains and
the sky along the horizon looks hazy and brown.

Monday, February 1, 2016

Out our living room window the
palms are blowing in the wind. 

Out the dining room window earlier
we had some blue sky peeking out.

Looking West the sun is trying to come through the clouds.

Now I am going to hit publish and make Tom and I a cup of  Hot Choco Late Cappuccino it is that type of day. To our family and friends in the North stay warm. 

“Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.”
                                                                         —John Muir, Our National Parks