IN THE MOONLIGHT…SOME BOONDOCKING THOUGHTS BUT NOT MINE FOR A CHANGE & WHO DECIDES ON THE COLORS…….

COULD BE AN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL PROBLEM HERE

I have always enjoyed the night.  Especially moonlit nights.  In the old farmhouse years ago we could walk out our back door, down off the porch & immediately be under the canopy of a zillion stars.  Oh how I loved that.  Our first dog Max & I walked the country road out front each night for years.  Even on winter nights we would be out there with snow crunching under foot.  On moonlit nights we could see for miles across glistening snowy farm fields.  I will always miss those nights.  Here in Congress it is similar.  No snow but soon as we walk out our front door & step off the porch we are again under the gaze of a zillion stars.   Pheebs & I slip out every night after dark & again in the pre-dawn morning.  We walk around the yard while I travel my eyes around the wondrous sights overhead.  One of my favorite constellations, Orion is now rising in the East.  And I love walking through our little Cactus garden on moonlit nights best of all.  Takes me back to an old country road I knew & loved so well.  And an old walking Pal who I knew & loved even more……………   

 

 

GAY & JOE in a comment question asked, “I love, love, love the clay pot color around the blue door! Is it you or Kelly with all the color decisions? Nice!”……. Well, before I paint anything I always talk it over with Kelly & we kinda decide together what we like & what might look best.  When I painted my bedroom a year ago I just went ahead & did it in the South-West colors I liked & thought would go well together.  Lucky for me they did & Kelly liked it.  We have always loved colorful South-West décor.  Even way back before we began traveling to the South-West we both loved the colors & designs found here in the western States.  In the old farm house we had a big wooden Saguaro Cactus.  We put lights on it at Christmas time.  Little did we know that someday we would actually have a house & property in Arizona with a couple of our very own real 30’ Saguaros just outside our front door.  And another 12’ Saguaro just outside Kelly’s bedroom window:)) 

  

  

Oh how I enjoy it when fellow RV’ers write about their love of the boondocking lifestyle.  In our opinion it’s just the greatest way to live while on the road traveling.  I have written my thoughts many times over the years on why we so much prefer to live that way of life when RVing.  The road less traveled if you will.  But tonight I will send you over to Nina & Paul’s thoughts at WHEELING IT.  Being full timers these are the folks who understand the way of life well & Nina is the one who is able to convey her love of the boondocking lifestyle through her blog in a way that makes it easy for everyone to understand……………….   

 

GROANER’S CORNER:(( And once upon a time in the old wild West a fellow was riding in a stagecoach. Suddenly, a man riding a horse pulls up to the left side of the stagecoach, and a riderless horse pulls up on the right.
The man leans down, pulls open the door, and jumps off his horse into the stagecoach. Then he opens the door on the other side and jumps onto the other horse.
Just before he rode off, the fellow in the stagecoach yells out, "What was all that about”?  The man on the horse replied,  "Nothing. It was just a stage I was going through."

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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.

A PAINTING KIND OF DAY & HAPPY HOUR WITH PAT & MIKE McFALL

MORNING CLOUD SHADOWS ON THE DATE CREEK MOUNTAINS

Although Pheebs & I were out under the pre-dawn morning sky we did not see any meteors.  This is prime time right now for the GEMINID METEOR SHOWER.

WE ALWAYS STOP TO PET THE LITTLE DALLY DOG >>>

Not a lot to write about today, it was mainly house things we busied ourselves with.  Burnt up some more brush & hauled a couple paint cans out.  Our front porch trim is painted white & I’m not a big fan of white so repainted the porch trim with an adobe color same as our house.  Will look better with the pine posts.  Also painted our front door frame with the same color we painted part of our Damon Class A motorhome interior a few years ago.  A clay flowerpot color.  Also painted the top front part of our aluminum shed. 

KELLY WORKS ON PAINTING UP A FLOWER POT

 

PAINTED THE PORCH TRIM AN ADOBE COLOR WHICH WILL GO BETTER WITH THE PINE PORCH POSTS SOON…ALSO PAINTING THE DOOR TRIM A CLAY POT COLOR

Wendall the electrician fellow dropped by & finished up re-doing a couple receptacles & that pretty much completes our few electrical issues for the season.

  

WE ARE SO FORTUNATE TO HAVE ALL THIS BEAUTIFUL SONORAN DESERT TO WALK IN SO CLOSE TO OUR HOUSE

We knew Pat & Mike McFall have a ‘Happy Hour’ most every day from 4 to 5 & we’ve been meaning to get on over there ever since we got here back around the end of October.  Usually by 4 every day we are winding down our mostly active days & sliding into the early supper mode.  Rare for us to go anywhere after about mid afternoon.  We are both definitely morning people.  We did slide over to see Pat & Mike & their good friend Greg at 4 though.  Mike & Pat are still very active with the Wickenburg gun club & just this past week-end they both received their firearm ‘Instructors’ permits.  Keeps Mike mighty busy making their own ammunition for all the events they participate in.  Good to see them today:))

Phoned Aunt Jean in Sarasota Florida Wednesday night & she’s doing pretty good.  Played 18 holes of golf on Tuesday but said the last couple of holes were a struggle.  She’s off to do some doggy sitting this week-end for friends.  Dog’s name is Lulu.  As a result of some medical difficulties this past summer Aunt Jean doesn’t think she will be able to make it back to Arizona again.  She was glad she had made the decision to come out the last two years when she did & while she was still able to do so.  Between her stay at the Ranch with us in McNeal Arizona two winters ago & last year’s stay with us here in Congress we were able to cover a bunch of scenic miles & chalk up a bunch of great memories none of us at one time thought would ever happen.  So glad we had the time to spend together when we did……………………..

LIGHT & SHADOW

GROANER’S CORNER:((  "Squawks" are problem listings that pilots generally leave for maintenance crews to fix before the next flight. Here are some squawks submitted by US Air Force pilots and the replies from the maintenance crews.
(P) = Problem (S) = Solution

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(P) Left inside main tire almost needs replacement
(S) Almost replaced left inside main tire

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(P) Test flight OK, except autoland very rough
(S) Autoland not installed on this aircraft

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(P) #2 Propeller seeping prop fluid
(S) #2 Propeller seepage normal - #1 #3 and #4 propellers lack normal seepage

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(P) Something loose in cockpit
(S) Something tightened in cockpit

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(P) Evidence of leak on right main landing gear
(S) Evidence removed

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(P) DME volume unbelievably loud
(S) Volume set to more believable level

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(P) Dead bugs on windshield
(S) Live bugs on order

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(P) Autopilot in altitude hold mode produces a 200 fpm descent
(S) Cannot reproduce problem on ground

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(P) IFF inoperative
(S) IFF always inoperative in OFF mode (IFF-Identification Friend or Foe)

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(P) Friction locks cause throttle levers to stick
(S) That's what they're there for

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(P) Number three engine missing
(S) Engine found on right wing after brief search

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(P) Aircraft handles funny
(S) Aircraft warned to straighten up, "fly right" and be serious

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(P) Target Radar hums
(S) Reprogrammed Target Radar with the lyrics

-------------------------------------------------------------
- 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.

YARNELL RE-VISITED

Seeing Kelly walking with no hat & no mitts told me we were finally getting back to some enjoyable morning walks.  Nice to feel our temperatures coming up.  Nice to feel the warmth of the morning sun.

THIS UNIQUELY CHARACTERED HOUSE FOR SALE NEAR YARNELL’S CORE CAUGHT OUR EYE…MAIN STRUCTURE ON RIGHT & GRANNY FLAT ON LEFT

  

GRANNY SUITE PATIO

Decided it would be a good day to stain our porch posts.  Figured might as well do that job now while we had the posts here just lying around.  We knew the hardware store in Yarnell had the stain we were looking for so it was off up the Yarnell Hill with us.  Checked the Jeeps thermometer when we left the house & it said 63F.  Less than 10 minutes later we were sitting in front of the Yarnell hardware store & the temperature registered 43F.  Yep, definitely much colder up on top of the Weaver Mountains alright. 

A VERY ARCHITECTURALLY UNIQUE HOUSE INDEED

 

A FEW PHOTOS THROUGH THE WINDOWS

 

UPPER BEDROOM WITH SEMI-WRAP AROUND DECK & BACK YARD VIEW

GROOVY GROUND LEVEL GRANNY FLAT

 

GRANNY KITCHEN & COVERED PATIO

Found the Cedar stain we were looking for, stopped at the Thrift Store, & took us for a drive around a few streets in Yarnell we had previously not seen.  Drove to the SHRINE OF ST. JOSEPH & could see how fire damage had come so close to destroying the whole Shrine.  We could see the gift shop had burned to the ground & we knew the Retreat Center across the road up in the rocks had burned as well.

THIS SECTION OF THE SHRINE ESCAPED THE FLAMES

 

FIRE SWEPT OVER THIS RIDGE…ONLY A FEW BRICKS & STONES LEFT OF THE GIFT SHOP

FIRE CAME DOWN & BURNT SOME OF THE SMALL TREES AROUND THE CROSSES ON RIGHT

We also noticed an unusual number of houses ‘For Sale’ on some of the side streets near the small Village’s center.  A very cozy & picturesque community with many small dwelling nestled into the predominant rock formations.  One place for sale especially caught our eye.  Maybe it was the color, maybe it was it’s unexplainably unique rambling design, or maybe it was just Yarnell itself.   The house was empty so we did have us a look around outside.  Figured out it had a complete detached Granny suite as well.  As with so many houses we have seen here in the South-West this one has fallen on hard times & I would class it as a handyman’s special.  But what a great project for the right person.  Just like our house in Congress I love these old places with all their character, their mysteries, & their old stories to tell.

 

JUST 2 OF MANY HOUSES & PROPERTIES FOR SALE IN YARNELL ARIZONA

YARNELL HAS A UNIQUE WESTERN FLAVOR ALL IT’S OWN

We were back down the hill by early afternoon & it didn’t take me long to get the can of Cedar stain open.  With brush in hand I was soon busy staining our yet to be installed wooden Pine porch posts.  In short sleeves too:))

POST IN FOREGROUND IS DONE, 3 TO GO

On a grueling 9 hour 450 mile drive from Logan Utah to Glenwood Springs Colorado Chinle over there at the SPOTTED DOG RANCH recently recounted a colder time in Steamboat Springs many years ago which resulted in something she refers to as, ‘Popsicle Toes’.  Chinle tells the story as only Chinle can……..

THIS YARNELL HOUSE WAS NOT FOR SALE, I JUST LIKED THE CORAL COLOR

GROANER’S CORNER:((    Three patients in a mental institution prepare for an examination given by the head psychiatrist. If the patients pass the exam, they will be free to leave the hospital. However, if they fail, the institution will detain them for five years.
The doctor takes the three patients to the top of a diving board looking over an empty swimming pool, and asks the first patient to jump.
The first patient jumps head first into the pool and breaks both arms.
Then the second patient jumps and breaks both legs.
The third patient looks over the side and refuses to jump. "Congratulations! You're a free man. Just tell me why didn't you jump?" asked the doctor.
To which the third patient staring down into the empty pool answered, "Well Doc, I can't swim!"

-------------------------------------------------------------
- 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.