Look!

I finished something!!! Have had this for over a year, bought at my favorite place in Iowa last year, that would be 2009! And it was not hard to finish, at all. Feel like i accomplished something!
We are going for a walk, looks REALLY nice out there!
Take Care all

New Baby

We have a new baby in the family!!! Chloe Annmarie Sides. Born Feb 3 to my niece, Sacia. They just got a new home in Yucaipa California. I was able to go visit them this morning as they were still moving in. It was good to see her husband and the in-laws again. Was only about a 30 minute drive there. She is going to come see me and we are going to go to the beach one day. Am looking forward to seeing them more, we so rarely get to see one another and usually it is during holidays, so this is really a special visit!!
Now i ask? Is that not just the cutest, most darling little girl ever? She did wake up at one point and she has blue eyes, and red hair like her mommy. Also her Great-great Grandma Larrance!
Take Care and God Bless all!!

Picasa Discovered

Yes, have been fiddling with Picasa, this picture was shot into the sun and was dark and had a huge area of parking lot in front of it. This was the mission in San Antonio that i visited when there.
God Bless all

Mega Wind!!!!

Little Lupine by the road.
I have decided that all weather is relative to where you are. This wind is terrible, the RV shook and rattled all night and is still going at it. There is supposed to be a bad storm coming in, with snow even down low and icy rain...ooooo.... can hardly wait, going to brave it all and go get some staples so i can hunker down for the rest of the day and i guess the week end! Supposed to be in the 70's next week, Can't wait! It is not cold as far as cold goes and right now the sun is shinning, which is a GOOD thing.
Yesterday went to the manager's thank you luncheon, lots of people there, it was really nice, good chicken.
Take Care all, don't blow away!!!

WIND!

Goodness, about 9a the wind started and it is really blowing out there! Had to bring in the awning again.
Here is something that was blooming in the desert when i went to Joshua Tree NP the other day. It so gives one hope for Spring!
I am back to PetSmart today, yesterday i found it, BUT did not have my rabies paper, so back we go today ")
Take Care All!!!

Nothing

You know, when sitting still, i really don't do an awful lot. A tour here and there. Gas has gotten SO expensive. Just the Joshua Tree trip was $26 for gas.
This is the entrance to the park where i am.
We went to the dog park today and Luci was scared and would not leave my side, even tho she was off leash. So i walked around the park, talking to her, (am sure all the people there think i am crazy) and she followed, drooling, as there were a couple large dogs there. She is so funny, cute, but funny!
Did my laundry today, went well, and not to expensive here. only $1 per load and took 75 cents to dry the light things and $1 for the heavier items, like sweatshirts.
Want to bring your attention the last book read, 'These is my Words' by Nancy Turner. It takes place in the Arizona Territories and i have two more books in the series to complete. Found them at the Saguaro NP headquarters and of course had to have them all, as would not want to get interested and then not be able to find the continuation of the 'story'. This is a work of fiction, but based on the author's Great-Grandmother and takes place in Tucson and Benson, AZ area. I find it interesting to find and read books of areas where i have been. You can just picture the area where the people in the story live. Have another book too that takes place in Mobile, AL and New Orleans.
This was such a story! It has everything, can't wait to share it with people at home.
Take Care all!!!

Joshua Tree NP

What can a person say about this place? It is take your breathe away beautiful, i hope my pictures show/tell even a portion of that. I went in the West entrance from Joshua Tree, the town next to Yucca Valley and there were trees in the towns leading up to the Park, but nothing compares with seeing them in the Park surrounded by all of those huge boulders just tumbled all over the place. The Joshua Trees are all over the floor of the valley and up the sides of the hills. Stopped in a camp ground for a close up look of those boulders and they are like huge grains of sand that are compressed into the boulder sized rocks. They are ginormous!!!! This campground , the sites were scattered about within the boulders. It was really stunning to see. The road just went on and on, thru different ecosystems and types of desert.
The plant above is a cholla and there were much smaller ones here and there, but in this place called the Cholla Gardens, they were abundant and the light was just right coming thru them, it was truly beautiful.
Joshua Trees

And the light!!! It was the perfect day to be there, with the clouds to give pictures some interest and the light shinning through the clouds and the cloud shadows on the hills.
Coming back into the valley where Desert Hot Springs is there was rain in the mountains and you could see the different layers of light on the different mountains and rain coming down over there. When we woke this morning there was snow on them thar hills! Everything was bright and new. It was a wonderful day for a drive.
When i got down to lower elevation there was even a couple of wildflowers blooming!
Take Care and God Bless
Also want to welcome Kate from 'Cholulared' & 'Mactrailer' as new followers!!!!

I'm Just Sayin

I, in fact, DID take a shower in the RV this morning and it worked!!!! water did not get everywhere, and i am sure i am going to enjoy this much better than the trudge down to a shower somewhere. The one here in the park may be very nice, BUT it is about a mile away and there is NO parking by it. I don't feel so inclined to go down there in the early morning in my nightie and bathrobe as i have been doing. THAT was only for short distances, this would be a BIG production. The shower worked very nicely, I fit, just have to be careful getting in and out. A header would be into a wall and there is not much room for my body to slump onto the floor!!!
So, i am a happy camper.
(Judy, you are right, i know i am going to cherish having my own to use. Stubbornness leaves you nothing to gain)
Wind just came up, so no awning again today, i just like having that out, it looks and feels nice.
Yesterday when i went to Von's made an appointment with a nice little lady to get my hair done at 11a. we will see. Right next to there is a tire place to finally get my pick up tires checked and make them put air into my bike, as i am going to need it to get to activities around here in the park. Tomorrow Bobby Freeman is playing, a big deal, i guess, don't know who he is. And next Thursday is a luncheon put on by the park. So socializing will be done.
Take Care All!!

Arrival

My spot here at the Sands.
First view of a mountain with snow on it!
Well, i found the Von's, which is Safeway i guess. And Blair's RV as my tool that lowers the levelers broke, would no longer move the thingy, this AFTER one of the levelers was down, so had to have the tool as could not go anywhere with one leveler down. Have to work on this leveling thing, as have two down on one side as it is leaning to the right, and can't get it up far enough to change anything, so think i need to get some more pieces of wood under them...
Had to put the awning in as the wind came up and was making it go wild. Little chilly right now, was 65 when i got here. But i think it is the wind causing the chill
Well, we have to go for a walk, so Luci can see her surroundings. :)
It is nice here
Take Care and God Bless

This is a nice park! It is really, really BIG tho. We have a double lot, lots of room, but their hookups are on the back of the lot and need to be in the middle, had to unhook the car in order to get the RV back far enough for the electric to get to it. which is a pisser, but oh, well, good practice for me, right? I really think have had plenty of practice on this trip... thank you anyway. At least it does not take that long now. There are palm trees all over the place as u can see in the pictures. Healthy cactus too, some of the ones at the Benson park had seen their better days, or the frost may have gotten to them.


It was a nice drive here, only took me about 3 1/2 hours, with stop for gas, which i managed quite well, and a rest stop. I felt that traffic was heavy tho. Tucson wasn't bad then a bit of open land, then you started getting into Phoenix, which goes on for some time. Lots of malls and houses.
Also want to say something about the overpasses, There have been some really great ones. One was on the way to Tucson and Tucson itself had quite a few art ones, mosaics and pictures on the cement, Phoenix was more understated, Texas had the star on them here and there. They made them look appealing and artsy, not just cement. It was neat to see. But of course hardly any pics, as you are zooming along between traffic.
It is 76 right now and the wind is picking up.
Hope tomorrow goes as well.
Smile, Spring is coming!!!

Saguaro NP

The National Park was only about 40 miles from where i am camped and was an easy drive west on I-10. Got specific directions from map quest, so easy peasy. This was wild, soooo many different cacti and pricklies, never saw any wild life tho, but the Ranger said they come out at night, i did hear a coyote here at the camp one night, Luci was very concerned. I took so many pictures, but will just show a couple of the variety. I could have easily got carried away and did in a sense, my humor started taking over, as some of them have expressions, you might say, look at the one to the left "Oh, My!!"








And there are such a variety, some with many arms, some with none, some with baby arms, 'think today i will grow an arm?' It was just sort of funny or maybe you had to be there.
Came back and got the truck hooked up and the sewer hose put away, so just last minute things for tomorrow's move, only to Tonopah, Half way to Desert Hot Springs for a month b4 the final push for home.

Bisbee

It was a nice drive to this lovely little town in the mountains south of Benson. It was a mining town. There were tours to the mine and around town, but had Luci with me and did not want to leave her in the car for too long a time. It was getting warm, turned out to be low 80's today and really pleasant! Had a scone made out of mesquite flour, it was good, interesting. would have more pictures, but this is all that Blogger would download and guess i should be glad to get these.
There were many little houses built right up next to the hillside, lots of stairs, shops and curvy winding streets following the lay of the land.

Here is my space at the Benson KOA. It is nice enough, good showers!!! Which really, really made me happy. Got cool last night and had to turn on the electric mattress pad, are you tired of hearing about that? It is the greatest invention! So, so happy i got it!
We also went to Tombstone and got some pictures, it seemed like a tourist trap to me. There were lots of old buildings and board sidewalks, but makes me think that was all made for a reason. It was very tourist friendly. Had a great statue of Wyatt Earp. Lots of cowboy stuff there. But got good pics of windmills, dirt roads and more cacti, can't get enough of them, maybe i will find the perfect picture? If i take enough of them
Had a good drive, saw lots of new scenery..
Take Care all!

Forgot

That there was lots of snow, too on that crappy road and i crossed the Continental Divide at 7740 ft there too
Today not too memorable. Only that all went well, that is a good thing. Just that desert again, lots of the Yucca plant, with dead pods mountains in the distance, went thru Texas Canyon in Arizona and it was pretty cool, HUGE boulders stacked and tumbled every which way, lots of freight trucks.
This KOA seems pretty nice, gravel and dust, everything hooked and unhooked ok, did not have to take a hammer to the pins on the tow bar :)
Now, about the Low-Hi, i was bitterly disappointed that no one came to say hey, they all said hello when you met them on the way to some where or walking the dog, nothing out of their way like they advertise. AND the 1st day there was no water in the shower, now had i gotten up prior to 9a i could have had a shower one would suppose. Then this morning there at 7:30a and of course someone was in there, there only being ONE shower and they were taking their time, let me tell you. I find it only courteous to get in and out, so others may use it, do my primping, such as it may be in the RV. i wanted a goodly time, then stomped back to the RV and sponged, yet again!!!! yes, 2 days, no shower and washed my hair in the sink, so i was relatively oder free. BUT let me say, this was NOT a happy camper.
So i have all kinds of brochures and have to plan my time!!!
Later guys
Take Care and God Bless

Wonders & Glories

Click on the picture, as always, to make them bigger, this was just wonderful to see and experience and so glad that i was able to do it. It just makes you wonder, how they found the caves and for them to be just right for them too, facing south. and up this itty bitty canyon, with a creek running down it, even now, when there is hardly any water anywhere in the area. You will cross over a bridge like the Mimbres River and there is just nothing there.
the Ranger said there was a path up to the mesa also and places where they had retaining walls for run off and evidence of beans and corn being grown there and irrigated.
There were a couple of residence caves or dwellings and then a larger one for ceremonies. A number of storage areas.
They were hardy folk that is for sure.




Oh, the things i have seen today! Al from 'the Bayfield Bunch' is right, you have to get off the Interstates and go back into the mountains. Went to the Gila Cave Dwellings about 100 miles northeast of Deming. Geez it was a long way!! and windy road, on the way back took a different route, road not as long per the Ranger BUT it was pretty steep and windy, well i guess. I would have turned around, but there was no place to do it!!! it was that narrow and no yellow line, it was sort of like one of the paved logging roads in the mountains in Oregon. Awful. BUT i got to where i was heading, and that is a good thing.
There were red rocks and rocks that looked like there was green splattered on them, and hills of red and yellow, big vistas. Pine trees, cedar trees, those are just the ones that i know for sure what they are :) juniper, but not like the ones at home. Lots of different cactus. OH and 1st thing this morning right by the RV i saw a roadrunner, was very excited, got a pic, but it sort of blended with the gravel. It was neat to see.
And the dwelling's were wonderful and we got to walk right inside, amongst them so to speak, and i made it up there!!! which was an event! Just took it slow and easy, and taking lots of vitamin C tonight, supposed to help with aches if doing something out of the ordinary, like yard work, so says a friend :) they said 1/2 mile, hmmm, maybe as a bird flew, but the bridges and switchbacks were numerous. many stairs, even a ladder. Saw 700 year old corn, and paintings on the wall/ceiling. The weather was even nice, little cool in the canyon and back inside the dwellings, but warm in the sun.
IT WAS A GREAT DAY FOR EVENTS AND DISCOVERIES.

Desert

Here at the campground, cute huh?
Another prickly!
Well, let me just say, that there is not too much redeeming about this part of West Texas that i came thru to get here. what a total wasteland. No roadkill report as there is nothing that could live out there! After El Paso there were two coyotes.
It certainly got my attention when the sign said 1 1/2 mile to Juarez, Mexico!!! I paid CLOSE attention. The freeway runs right schmack along the border too. You can look off to the left and see nothing but hovels and squalor on the hillside, While on the U.S. side there was all this fancy new building. You would think they could place it somewhere else, so those people would not have to look at America's overly opulent extravagances. Can't imagine, that office or apts or whatever they were would want a view of that hillside. Wish i could have gotten a picture, just to have and be glad i have what i do, even if i had to work to get it. BUT i was busy staying in the right lane to NOT get to Juarez!

OMG!!!

Just noticed, i got over 10,000 page views!!! does that mean that many people took a peek at what i said? Gosh, hope i did not disappoint!!!! Thank you all so very much! Oh, Just occurred, it could have been all of those Oregon people wondering where i was!!!!! HaHa!!!!
Love you All!!

Update

Out my front door tonight, An actual Mountain!!
OOOOO, am NOT supposed to do this, but how else can you get perspective? of what Texas is like on this part of I-10? There is just not much to see...
pAnd this, bet that knob has a name!

Just for my friends in Oregon, the Roadkill report has been lacking!!! Since entering Texas i have seen 2 deer, 3 coyote many, many, many possums!!! and skunks. This is all up until San Antonio. Since then have seen about a dozen skunks just today, west Texas must be skunky!!!! and many unidentifiable critters! You have to understand that the speed limit is 80mph!!! 80! and when something is hit, it is pretty well smeared and you can't tell what it is, just that there was something there that should not have been. Skunks you can tell because of that white stripe down the black :)
On a happier note, in the Junction Koa there was a gaggle of geese, is that what they are? a group? more than one or 3, there were a dozen or so. They would waddle down to the river about 8-9am, then back up the bank and to a little house for them about 7p, so cute! they walk like Luci does!!! THEN this morning there were turkeys!!! about 5 of them, and they were huge, i swear i bet they were as tall as i am!! just sayin', big!! but they were very aware of me, even tho i was inside the RV, all excited, jumping up and down, cursing, trying to find the camera, may have alerted them, HA! anyway they were not there for long, and loped off.
THEN driving here, i saw a javelina, to those same Oregon friends, who no doubt don't know what that is, it is a wild pig, pretty large/black. it was off the road, but clearly identifiable and ALIVE.. Cool. but no armadillos yet :(
It was a good days drive, got here about 2:30P, then dumped rv systems and added water as supposed to freeze tonight and don't want to hook up outside water. They have a little cafe here at the park and going to go there for dinner and breakfast in the morning, tired of my own cooking .
sunny and bright today, but kept the sweatshirt on all day
Take Care and God Bless all

3pm

Well, got the faucet turned off and my hose disconnected and the nice man in the little cart came and took the hose to 'the shop' to defrost it, so i can roll it up and get it in the RV, so i can leave in the morning.
Here i am in all my glory, keeping warm in the furnessless home. the little space heater is working its little heart out. AND i am warm. It is all about layering. We have had our little outings for Luci. Oh...haha, this morning she got up after being forced from the covers, did her duty, then came in and wanted right back in the warm bed. She is not stupid :)




These are probably weeds as there are alot of them! but they are really pretty, bright color, the desert has to work harder to put forth something of notice in all the brownness.


Stay warm all. Take Care and God Bless

WELL!!

I am stuck here in Junction... the winds are fierce and the RV is encased in ice. My hair froze on the way back from the shower!! I don't take showers in the RV as i am a big gal and the shower is very teeny tiny, and don't like the idea of all that moisture in here. Altho the shower here was very smallish, almost laughable, but adequate. So i am going on safety side and staying here another day, as the weather will get marginally better tomorrow. Don't think i could get the water unhooked anyway as it is frozen, have to use my stored water.. i know whine, whine, whine.
Stay warm all of you!!!

Junction, Texas

Click to enlarge... can u see me waaaaayyyy over in the middle of the picture? They hardly have anyone here, yet they put me way back away from the showers :( It does not seem reasonable to me, yet i have observed that most use their own showers, so maybe, just maybe i am way off here, which is what i really am!!! Oh and those are pecan trees that are right beside me!!
It is not very hospitable here, these were not planted either as they are flourishing, randomly, all over the place. they have a certain beauty tho. AND i really feel like i am dry and back in the desert! There are even juniper trees of a kind here, of course the mesquite, i think it is ALL over Texas. the drive here was hilly, and windy, very, very windy after Kerrville, BUT it is warm. The office gave me all kinds of dire warnings tho that a front is coming in, temp is going to plummet during the night and it is going to be icy in the morning and cold... if it is icy can just stay here until it no longer is, and rearrange the reservations at the other two places down the rode.
We are right on the Llano River, can't get the color of the river right, it is very pale turquoise, and you can see rocks on the bottom about 2 feet out is all. Lady in the office said with the wind blowing, it is stirring up the silt, it is very pretty color tho.
And look after basic flatness for months on end there are bluffs and hills. Makes the little RV work going up them at times.
Take Care and God Bless all, wish me well for weather in the next couple days :)

Mission Espada

My mom and i were in San Antonio in the early 90's and went to ALL the missions, plus Goliad, after reading "Texas" by James Michener. We were all stoked on the history and the surrounding area. So this time i did not feel compelled to go to all of the missions. This one was right near where i was staying and i don't think we came down this far. so i had never seen it.


They are always lovely to see. this one was established in 1731! Think of it, there was not even a United States then, Oregon did not exist! Just like to put it into context. This is still used as a church by the local people. Going on 300 years old.
We had another lovely visit today and Cousin John fixed my XM Radio, so now i can actually use it. Even programed in some stations, so that i can easily change stations if i need to, without leaving my driving. He is also going to set up my computer for GPS, imagine!!!

Today i also set up for my next 4 days of travel through Texas and into New Mexico. Looking at the weather, one can imagine it is going to be cold. Weather is supposed to change here too, so staying for awhile would not save me :)


Here is my Lovely Texas Family, Aunt Ruth in the middle and Cousin John and his wife Linda!

Time With Family

Spent a wonderful day with my sweet, sweet Aunt and her family, Cousin John and his wife Linda. Had a great Sunday dinner, they let me do my laundry at their house, Yeah!!! all caught up. Had great conversation, looked at pictures. But did not get away unscathed, she had books to share and jig saw puzzles to recycle with me! Also leftover dinner for tomorrow!! YUMM!
Great times with family.........
Take Care and God Bless all
Welcome new follower Kerri from "Homeschooling Solo"!!
Oh and the weather was balmy and wonderful!! in the 70's!!!

Blogger not working

No Pictures, went to Fredericksburg today and really neat German town NW of San Antonio. Lots of churchs, little old house, even log ones, shops. Got more garden art!!! had a best ever rueben with melt in your mouth pastrami (is that the right meat?) and homemade sauerkraut, potato salad with dill in it.. never had it like that b4, but really good. At a German deli/bakery. Stopped a the Peach Haus and got some wildflower Texas wine/mead, it was really good.
Then there was a brush fire on the way home and got some good pics of the mesquite burning in the hills...
Take Care and God Bless all

Aunt Ruth

Had a lovely visit with my Aunt Ruth yesterday. First time i have been to their place sort of southeast of the city, as i understand the map! Of course got lost getting there, you have to follow the mapquest directions exactly and not guess at the next step or put things into your words. Going to see her again for Sunday Supper, so looking forward to it!!!
Have a warm day all!

Cartoon

Someone sent this to me this morning and thought it hilarious! Hope you all do too and are not offended :)

Survived!!

Still here...LOVE the electric mattress pad, it has two controls too, so i can put Luci's side way low :) they have to be comfortable, don't you know? and i was all toasty warm all night long...still have water ok in the rv. the 'skiff' of snow has melted, there was frozen sleet under it tho, will give them that, boy they are sure in a tizzy over a little bit of snow!!! But they are not prepared for it at all as it is so unusual for this area. apparently a lot of people don't even use anti-freeze.
Am just going to stay hunkered down, tomorrow supposed to be in the 60's, hard to believe right now. Sorry to always be talking about the weather. Maybe Judy was right and we just seem to be closer to it in the RV.
Thanks for all the comments, makes me feel like i am not so alone here.
Take Care and God Bless

San Antone

Well, i am here. The water in the park in frozen, so am working off my tank in the RV, that was 3/4 full, thank heaven, but, old, so will boil it b4 using :) I LOVE the electric mattress pad, it is saving me right now! Have that thing cranked up to 16 and Luci is just basking in the warmth, all hunkered down, can't even see her. The weather is supposed to be back to normal by Sunday. I certainly hope so! The news said that this is the coldest for the longest period, 8 days since 1885!!! Am i lucky or what? Got a nice pull thru space right near the shower, but can't use it due to NO water.
Hey, you all Take Care & God Bless AND stay warm!!!
Welcome new follower Pidge from "The Frugal Travelers"!

The Area

These flags were HUGE, flying by the Port Arthur Mall


Got up this morning and of course my water was frozen, unhooked it, and the faucet was frozen too, so, just not me, I had not hooked up the sewage, so could not leave the water dripping all night. Was NOT going to spend another night like last night, so went on a hunt for another space heater and an electric blanket! Came away with heavy socks, gloves/a fleece headband to cover my ears, and i went to Wally World, Lowe's and an outdoor store. Went on down to Sabine Pass. On the way back saw another part of the Mall on another side of the highway, so went into Bed, Bath and Beyond and found an electric mattress pad.
Hooked up the pick up and put the water hose away, as don't want to do that in the morning, and going to get out of here. And hope to get even a bit of a higher temp further South! Looking at the weather channel, tho, looks as if this is just everywhere, but will be a bit further down the road and can visit with my Aunt....:)


























This tire shop was right next to a large building that the roof had collapsed inward and everything was just left there, still..............


This pretty much what it looks like here, flat, flat, marshy and things just all blown apart and not fixed. Saw a couple boats washed up where they were not supposed to be. Imagine their owners just never knew where they ended up?









There were many, many large building looking like this, the lower level of the siding, just was no longer there and looks like it was chewed or ripped off.