We have managed to do our chores today and are resettled and good for another two weeks. Very tired of "the cold"....giving in to our low levels of energy and enjoying the daytime coverage of the Olympics. We had a good dinner, enjoyed the sunset and cooler temperatures. Now inside for more Olympic coverage and probably early to bed. There is nothing more to say....Goodnight...
When we first arrived here there was probably 7 or 8 rvs near us (relatively speaking) . Today there is only 1 small unit further towards the hills than we are. There are very few places that provide the peace and quiet that we enjoy here. As Bob has been dealing with a bad cold I have been doing my walks alone. At home I would never feel comfortable walking in the woods by myself but here I never worry about people or animals. It's still too cold at night for the snakes to be out and I think coyotes would be more afraid of me than visa versa. I can walk for an hour and Bob can usually keep an eye on me in all directions, especially if I wear a bright top :)...who is this woman, I do not know her, but I do love her boots....lol...
I so enjoy my mornIng walks. We are here earlier than last year and from the looks of the desert flowers and cactus it has been a dry year. No desert Lilys so far and only one beaver tail cactus with three small blooms.
We are licking the wounds of our colds enjoying watching the Olympics. Unfortunately we have to watch a very American slant to all the events. I know we are lucky to be able to watch them at all sitting out here in the desert. We have our solar power and digital local TV that broadcasts NBC's coverage. Tomorrow is "dump" day so we will pack up and go to a Shell station about 11/12 miles away to dump our tanks and fill up our water. Then we are good for another two weeks. We will probably stay in this area til the end of the month and then re evaluate the weather window for our trip north and home.
Too busy BBQing and watching TV to check out our sunset tonight....mustn't have been too exciting or I would have noticed.
Go Canada!!
We have decided it's no use fighting this cold or blaming it on the desert dust and possible airborn bacteria. We could just as easy have colds at home. Actually the probability is greater. At least here we can sit in comfort inside or out. The heat from the sun has a healing effect like a hot cup of herbal tea. After five days we headed into town for propane, a few fresh groceries and some kind of cold medication. Bob seems to have got it the worst and is trying to knock the cough out of his chest.
Three hours in and around Yuma has pretty much finished us. Chores done, we head home to rest for the afternoon. It's never fun being sick but when you are you might as well just settle in and relax, letting nature take it's course. The old adage of rest and liquids is still pretty sound advice. We did add a few somewhat "natural" ingredients, except for the Robitussin.
Chilled Chardonney is a natural ingredient in my books. I guess I'm just not that sick because it sure feels and tastes good. (Salute! Marilyn :) and Sherry :)....Also our appetite hasn't diminished either. Pasta, prawns and coleslaw for dinner. Only thing missing is some ice cream but it is too far from the store to keep it in solid condition. Maybe a Valentines DQ Blizzard next time we go to town, hmmmm.....
Some Olympic coverage on TV and an early night.
I just can't stop taking pictures of this beautiful area. No matter what the conditions.....sunny, cloudy, combinations of both, the evening light on the Cargo Muchachos is always breathtaking.
I love my desert, dessert?? Both I think, lol....?
Statistics for the day. Fighting the cold goes on. No energy even to go for my walk. We have showers around doing the minimal amount of chores, feeding ourselves and having rests. This mornings sky was colourful but all in clouds of blues and greys.
I have a new Faber Castell pen that I practiced with this afternoon. Trying to do pen drawings without using pencil and erasing and correcting. People are the hardest, so must practice more, not shying away from attempting them. I loved the picture of Stella with her great Grandma so gave it a try. Also my favourite pile of rocks near our camp. It's always interesting to wonder how they arrive where they are. They don't seem to fit in with their surroundings.
Amazingly enough there wasn't a sunset worthy of recording tonight. Darkness comes quickly after sunset so we are inside and the door is closed before 7:00pm. Hoping tomorrow sees us both feeling better. Looking forward to watching the opening ceremonies of the Sochi Olympics.
We have now realized that our journey this winter to get to Arizona by the "long route" is really over. All the adventures we experienced, the new people we met, the music we discovered and the food we enjoyed are now almost a distant memory. I think this is why I'm having some difficulty continuing to write my blog. It's just like being at home.
The need to keep moving, looking for new horizons and experiences has just kind of seeped out of us. I don't know if we were prepared for the journey to be over, but it is.
We are decompressing, fighting colds and generally doing the things we normally do in the desert. Just living a quiet life and enjoying the lovely warm temperatures and peaceful existence.
We have our chores to do, like shopping, laundry, getting water, dumping our tanks and even a few sights to see that we have not seen previous years. We will fill the next month with whatever we are able and willing to do.
Come March we will be turning north and hoping for a weather window that will make the trip enjoyable at least until we get to the Northwest where we have no great expectations and accept the rain that we usually experience by Washington State.
Bob has been organizing his fly tying supplies and I have been doing whatever I feel like, working on a few different projects...the felted desert scene continues, still a lot of work left. It is so different from watercolours because I can keep adding and working it without ruining it like I feel I do so often when painting. Watercolours and over painting just don't go together.
The family painting is happening from Melaque, Mexico, through Arizona all the way to Quesnel. Can you tell whose is whose?... Stella has had a good day today too. Haven't got any pictures from Campbell River but I'm sure they are doing something artistic too:)
It is the desert's way to end each day with glorious colour. Some are more spectacular than others but each one is appreciated for its uniqueness. Tonight's contribution.
It is a beautiful morning, cool but finally no wind. After breakfast I took my iPad with me on my walk for some local colour. Staying on Bureau of Land Management lands...BLM ....there are roads crossing everywhere and they are all numbered and marked. This is our desert address this week. BLM road 707 on Ogilby Road, California.
There isn't much in the way of colour, only a few ocotillos struggling to put out some blossoms. There are young ones covered in green leaves, and old ones that have given up and now lay on the desert, very slowing breaking down as the dry heat keeps them preserved for a long time.
Spending a quiet afternoon preparing to watch the SuperBowl. Have chicken wings ready for the BBQ. Ready to cheer for Seattle. Update, no need to cheer as Seattle has trounced Denver!! Bring the bowl to the Northwest....Best Defence wins over Best Offence.
Tonight's contribution to the sunset file. Today I didn't know what I felt like putting in my journal so I brought out my big brushes and tried a loose watercolour. A somewhat dark, stormy sky...not too sure what I was aiming for but this is the result. I worked on my felt picture, setting up the structure of the page....and just generally had a relaxing day.
Have to share a picture of my granddaughter Stella with her great Grandmother Mary Coughlin. Two beautiful ladies only 92 years difference in age.
Good job Seattle, first Super Bowl victory in franchise history.
Just as we begin to get used to temperatures in the high 20's the desert pulls a switcheroo and the wind picks up and the temperatures drop 10deg. ( that's Celsius). These are the conditions that have sometimes driven us away from here in the past. We are now looking at a week with cooler weather but I am OK with that. It is still warm enough to open the door before the sun rises and it's great walking conditions.
We went to town today to provision up, Super Bowl food, chicken wings and munchies. We are open to a Bowl Party if anyone is interested in our neighbourhood. Not sure of attendance at this point.
That would be us and all our friends. How beautiful is that picture? Am I a hermit from another life...I so much like the peace and quiet. Sometimes we miss social interaction but not often enough to change our desert lifestyle. We have stayed in an RV park for 6 weeks this winter and we survived. As each year goes by I think we can find a balance between the two depending on where we are. Boondocking in the desert I like the solitude.
My trip to Italy is pretty much organized. Funds have been sent for the two weeks and our airfare is confirmed. I even have some of my clothing shopping done down here over the winter. I will try to go with only my carry on suitcase to make travel as easy as possible, so I needed some lightweight clothing. Most winters I am mostly a cotton person but that takes a little more to wash and dry. Walmart's Faded Glory cotton Tshirts and capris are my standard wardrobe. The desert sun and wind are hard on clothing so cheap and replaceable are the way to go.
The other aspect of my trip to Italy is all the wonderful artists that have become available to me through the blog connections, other people attending, Sketchbook Skool and the Urban Sketchers. So many inspirations and different styles.
......good luck to Seattle Seahawks....they are so close to home it's almost like rooting for the Canucks...hope they have better luck finishing things off for the ultimate trophy.
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