In Between

 Friday, November 24, 2023

Stepping outside Friday morning there was a definite chill in the air as the sun was just starting to come up over the Kofa Mountains to the East of us. I did not go far but I did take a walk across the "pad" next to us. I wanted to visit a Saguaro that is slowly returning to the desert floor. The first time we parked in this area he was standing tall. As I walked I took several pictures of the sun slowly making its way up to bring light to our day.

Still beautiful in the early morning light.

Looking straight down between our homes at the mountains
the camera caught the hint of color that was in the sky.

Walking down past Deb and Riley's home the sun had made 
its way over the mountains.

One last picture of the Dome Rock Mountains to the
West of us and I headed in side to the warmth of our home.

In between today's sunrise and sunset there was a  Morning Coffee Hour and a Happy Hour both spent enjoying conversations with friends. In between the day unfolded as I am sure most days do for everyone. There are those everyday chores that must be taken care of. Dishes in the sink, dust to be moved around to make room for more dust, wash to be sorted etc..none of that changes because we live n a motorhome and happen to be parked surrounded by mountains in the beauty of the desert. We are in a neighborhood where we are together but everyone respects everyone else's space. Over these past years living this life style we have been part of various neighborhoods in different places and that has always been the unspoken rule that everyone respects. 

As I was writing my words today, I admit sometimes my brain wanders off on its own when I am writing the blog and as I have sometimes done in the past today I decided to share that wandering,  I was thinking of the stories I have read about in the past were people would sit out on there large front porches and get to know there neighbors walking by or visiting over the fence. Even in cities sitting out on the front stoops of apartment buildings, I have pictures of my mom and I doing just that when I was little, visiting and getting to know their neighbors. Sadly that time has pretty much disappeared. We have become a society in a rush where everything needed to be in an instant. I remember evenings and Saturday's spent at the library looking up information for a paper that needed to be written for a class. Sitting at a large table all quietly working on our own yet sharing information and being together.  Now all that information is at our fingertips in seconds.  I remember writing letters and looking forward to receiving letters from Tom when he was overseas. Now we text and we do not even write out complete words and in an instant they are reading it. I remember going out to a restaurant with friends, enjoying the conversation before the meal and sometime thinking the food came out to fast. (Though we still do enjoy those type of meals with friends.) Now we are in line in our cars at a fast food restaurant impatient that it is taking to long. I am not saying all of the changes in our lives are bad things what I am trying to say is we have lost the camaraderie that came with the slowness of the need to pick up a book at the library to find information versus sitting at a computer in the isolation of our home. We play games with others on our phones instead of sitting down around a table. (Though again I know people still do that.) One of the perks of this lifestyle, in my opinion, is that we are getting to experience some of that time in life before  "everything needed to be in an instant". When we are in RV Parks as people walk around they stop and chat even out here if someone is walking by for the most part they will stop and chat for a bit. It is a wonderful way to live and enjoy this "season" of our life. There is a relaxing peacefulness that comes with this lifestyle and we are enjoying the moments as they come.

Yes, there is noise in the desert. There are the various vehicles that occasionally go by during the day, we may hear a dog barking the distance or a coyote howling in the evening. There is even a few birds chirping in the trees.  Yet, if I was to describe this place to anyone none of that would be in the description. I would only talk about the quiet and slowness of our time here which brings total peace to my soul. 

The sun slowly going down in the West.

The moonlight between the clouds.

Another good day in the desert near Quartzsite, Arizona!

We are glad you stopped by!

If you have time to leave a comment we would enjoy hearing from you!

Roadrunner BLM

Saturday, February 18, 2023

Good Morning!

Friday, February 16, 2023

Today started inside with a hot mug of coffee and the second one was inside, also. It has been to cold, (yes, family and friends in the frozen north I am using the word "cold" because it has been...cold), for sitting out and enjoy a morning Coffee Hour. I know not the same kind of cold that winter brought when we were living in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan but cold just the same just no snow. 

It was an ordinary type of day in our lives with chores to be taken care of just like any other day. Later in the afternoon we enjoyed a Happy Hour with friends/neighbors until the wind and lack of sunshine, as the sun started its trip down in the west, chased us all in to the warmth of our homes. 

Before I went in like yesterday I decided to take a walk. We have parked very close by to this spot in the past and there is a picture I have taken of the sunsetting more then once with saguaro pictured below. Since no one is presently parked there that was my goal. 

The sun was still making its way down as I took this.

Then I spotted this guy and was pleasantly surprised to see 
he is still hanging in there standing proud. 

I took this one of him in November of 2021.

Then I turned and saw these two across the way. They were
still green back in 2021 when we parked nearby.
I know death is part of life but it is still sad to see.

One more of the several Saguaros in our area.
All different all beautiful.

Turning towards home the light was beautiful on the 
mountains to the North of us. 

I do love being parked out here in the Roadrunner BLM. There is a peacefulness that we find in this place that keeps drawing us back. This place is special for a reason that cannot be put into words it is a feeling that just happens each time we park here. Even last month when it was so crowded and we settled on a place that at first I would only describe as level turned into a spot we agreed we would park in again. We are lucky, in a few months we will be back in the place that will always be home enjoying the green of the forest and the ever changing colors of the lakes and rivers. We will live surrounded by the love of children and grandchildren while also spending time with family and friends. It is a place that holds a thousand memories and will always hold a special place in our hearts. Yes, even the snow.  Until then we will savor these moments spending time with friends in the vastness that is the southwest with the mountains in the distance and the Saguaros, Ocotillos and all the beauty the desert has to offer surrounding us. We will enjoy our moments is this place we find special and know the memories are with us forever. There is beauty all around us in this world we live in we just need to look for it.  

Tuesday, February 14, 2023 (Additions to the Valentine's Day Blog)

As I mentioned in the blog I posted on Tuesday the wind was with us when we got up this morning. I mentioned to Tom after we had our coffee that maybe an inside Happy Hour would be a good idea today and he agreed. We had garbage to get rid of and the Refuse Transfer Station was open so before taking off he decided to check if anyone else had any garbage to get rid of at the same time inviting everyone to Happy Hour inside the Stinger "B". When he stopped at the Mansion he found out Shirley and Ken had decided to leave today to head home. So he delayed his garbage run and a little while later we all gathered outside in front of the White Lion, which was the least windy place in our neighborhood, to say our see you laters and gets some hugs. Hugs are important. Ken asked if I would take a selfie of us all and below are the results. Unfortunately, Riley was not feeling well; all this wind causing dust is not good for her sinuses and it was windy so she was not able to join us. 

We are all smiling first try...lol
Front: Shirley, me, and Deb
Back: Ken, Doug, and Tom

After hugs all around then waves they were off!
Looking forward to the next time. See you both down the road.

After we watched them leave Tom and I took off to get rid of garbage and then hamburgers at Carl's Jr  for lunch before heading home.

From US-95 looking towards the Dome Rock Mountains
the dust can be seen clearly.
Then we could see a burst of dust in the distance.

Around 3 o'clock Deb, Riley and Doug joined us for Happy Hour inside the Stinger "B" we had a pleasant couple of hours chatting. As many Coffee Hours and Happy Hours we have had together this winter we still seem to find something to talk about and never seem to run out of things to say. Just as they got up to leave we could hear some rain drops on the roof with the wind I am not sure those drops made it to the ground.

Today was cold, we had a few drops of rain, and the wind howled all day. We sadly watched Shirley and Ken pull out of their spot but understood why they decided to leave. It was an in between day in our neighborhood. Not good or bad but somewhere in the middle but leaning towards the good.  

Wednesday, February 15, 2023

When we got up this morning the wind was still with us just not as bad and it was cold any day we get up and it is in the 30's is cold. Tom did some cleaning/vacuuming  and I took care of a couple of things inside. Later in the afternoon we did venture out for Happy Hour but we were all in winter coats. Once the sun dropped behind the mountains we said our Good Nights and see you in the mornings. 

The sun had already made its descent behind the mountains
when I took this picture.

It was a good day. Any day Tom and I get to spend together with friends is a good day.

Thursday, February 16, 2023

Did not step outside today until Happy Hour and then I bundled up because it was not warm out there. It was not a long one today and after we broke up I took a short walk around our area to take some different views of the sun setting.

Our neighborhood,
Left to right: Igloo, Stinger "B", and White Lion

The last of tonight's sun light.
It was time to head into the
warmth of our home.

I think the cold is getting to all of us in our neighborhood. The only good thing is there is no snow. Shhhhh maybe I should not say that part out loud...lol  The question is where is the outside warmth and when will it return? I personally have my fingers crossed that it will get warmer and the wind will become just a breeze very soon. Life is still good even if the weather does not co-operate.

We are glad you stopped by!

If you have time to leave a comment we would enjoy hearing from you.