WE WILL SOON BE GONE FROM THIS LAND OF LEGEND & LORE

VULTURE PEAK

A textured layer of clouds interspersed with rolling patches of sunlight today made for some nice diffused lighting situations which is always conducive to softer pastel like photos.  No harsh shadows or bright spots to contend with.

WE EVENTUALLY ENDED UP AT THAT KNOBBY PEAK ON THE HORIZON TO THE RIGHT

We were low on milk this morning so that meant Pheebs & I were on a mission to Wickenburg’s Safeway store.  Yabba-dabba-do any excuse will do.  Picked up a package of almond & poppy seed muffins plus a small Charbuck’s coffee to go & we were off out Vulture Peak Road heading West.

JUST ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE SUPER NICE MORNNGS TO BE OUTSIDE

No idea where we were exactly going of course but we did peel off onto a sandy Jeep road east of Vulture Peak & headed south about a mile. 

VULTURE PEAK LOOMS ON THE HORIZON

MAKING OUR WAY ALONG A NARROW ROCKY ROAD

CONGRESS IS WAY BACK THERE ON THE HORIZON TO THE FAR LEFT

PHEEBS LOOKS BACK ALONG THE ROAD WE HAD JUST WALKED

MORNING’S LIGHT HAD A SOFT PASTEL CAST TO IT

Road got a little rocky so we bailed out & took ourselves for a walk.  A beautiful cool morning as we stood on a high vantage point surrounded by tall long armed Saguaros, budding Palo Verde trees, a variety of Chollas & a palette of greens stretching out ahead making their way to & climbing up the tall cliff sides of Vulture Peak. 

We watched long bands of gentle sunlight lazily drifting across the landscape towards us feeling their warmth as we stood quietly transfixed in the moment of their passing.  A hawk circled silently nearby with the only sound in the air being the sharp raspy call of a Raven somewhere close but out of sight.  I stood thinking we will soon be gone from this magical land of mythical legend & I felt a sadness.

TRAVELING RIBBONS OF SUNLIGHT SLOWLY TUMBLE ACROSS A DESERT LANDSCAPE SOON TO ALIGHT & WARM OUR VERY BEINGS

IT WAS JUST ONE OF THOSE SPECIAL FEELING MORNINGS

Walking slowly back to the Jeep I was filled with many thoughts.  Some old, some new, but they were all good thoughts touched with a bit of longing, some apprehension, & a twinge of excitement.

PHEEBE STOPS TO SEE IF I’M STILL COMING AS SHE LEADS THE WAY BACK TO THE jEEP

IN THIS PHOTO I SEE THE HUGE ROCK HEAD, SMALL FACE, & LARGE SHOULDERS OF A GENTILE GORILLA PEERING SLIGHTLY MY WAY….LOOK CLOSELY & YOU WILL SEE IT TOO

Pheebs & I bumped our way back along Vulture Peak road out to Vulture Mine road & headed further South stopping for a few photos here & there & also checking out a couple more Jeep trails that didn’t really lead anywhere drivable for us.  A few drops of rain on the windshield surprised me but they were only a few drops & hardly worth turning the wipers on.

CAME ACROSS A COWBOY CORRAL WITH SOME CATTLE PRESENT

A GROVE OF TREES OUTSIDE THE CORRAL BLOCKED THIS GAL’S VIEW BUT I COULD SEE SHE HAD ON HER SUNDAY BEST WHITE SOCKS THIS MORNING

OH HOW LOVELY IT IS FOR ALL WE NORTHERNERS TO SEE ALL THIS GREEN

About 11:15 we swung Libby’s nose in the direction of home & made our way back down Vulture Mine Road to Wickenburg.  Twenty minutes later we were home with 2 cameras carrying another whole host of pleasant Southwest memories.  I just can’t think of a much better way to spend a relaxing Sunday morning than with me & the Pheebs out for a scenic drive in the lap of Mother Nature.  How lucky I am after all these sometimes turbulent years to end up with these few enjoyable hobbies I now have in my life.  And how nice to be able to continue these pastimes in reasonably good health day after day.  How lucky I am indeed……………….

GROANER’S CORNER:((  A little guy gets on a plane and sits next to the window. A few minutes later, a big, heavy, strong mean-looking, hulking guy plops down in the seat next to him and immediately falls asleep.  The little guy starts to feel a little airsick, but he's afraid to wake the big guy up to ask if he can go to the bathroom. He knows he can't climb over him, and so the little guy is sitting there, looking at the big guy, trying to decide what to do.  Suddenly, the plane hits an air pocket and an uncontrollable wave of nausea passes through the little guy. He can't hold it in any longer and he pukes all over the big guy's chest.  About five minutes later the big guy wakes up, looks down, and sees the vomit all over him.  "So," says the little guy, "are you feeling better now?"

A FEELING BETTER DAY AS WE GET THE BALL ROLLING AGAIN

Maybe not feeling quite as confident about things as a few days ago but we did manage to get ourselves back on an even keel today & start the ball rolling again.  Keeping busy today helped so I scruffled up a number of flower beds while Kelly occupied herself with some house cleaning.  Don’t want to get readers hopes up regarding our house sale again but I can say we are in talks with another possible buyer & just leave it at that for now.  And a note of thanks to everyone for your thoughts, feelings, & concerns regarding Fridays house sale ker-fuffle.  Much appreciated by we here at The Bayfield Bunch:))

A READER ASKED LAST WEEK IF I WOULD TAKE A FEW PICS OF OUR CACTUS GARDEN

We have accepted the reality our house may not sell by the time we are ready to head home in a few weeks & we are both Okay with that.  Our backs are not against the wall in any way & if need be we will look forward just as we have done the past 4 years to returning in the Fall to our cozy little home here in Congress Arizona.

WE HAVE A WEATHER FRONT ROLLING THROUGHT & MAY BE IN FOR SOME WIND, RAIN, & COOLER TEMPERATURES OVER THE NEXT COUPLE DAYS

HARD TO SEE BUT KELLY IS SITTING ON THE PORCH READING

Later Friday morning after our disappointing 8 a.m. phone call Pheebs & I took ourselves for a drive through the Wickenburg hills.  In times of upset & stress my way of dealing with things is to go off by myself for a quiet drive in the countryside.  I have always found Mother Nature’s peace & serenity to be the greatest healer of many woes & difficulties.  Doesn’t do well for me to be around people when I have things to deal with & problems to think through.  I suppose that is why over my working years it was always the jobs where I worked by myself that I always enjoyed most & was able to be at my very best.  Took me a lot of years to finally come to that realization & conclusion.  A good example of the old saying, ‘we get too soon old & too late smart’ & out of all those old sayings from way back when I think that one hits the nail squarer on the head than any others simply because of its glaring hard fact truth.

BLUE TANK ROADS WINDS IT’S WAY THROUGH THE WICKENBURG HILLS

After bending several spoons nearly in half I bought myself an ice cream scoop a couple days ago.  For a bunch of years now I’ve been eating Yogurt for dessert each night after supper but over the past few months I’ve been tiring of it.  Somebody somewhere awhile back suggested trying frozen yogurt so I did & liked it.  Kind of half way between ice cream & yogurt I guess.  Problem though was with the ‘frozen’ part & that’s where I bent the spoons trying to dig out the ‘really frozen’ yogurt.  Kelly suggested setting it out 20 minutes before eating it & let it soften up a bit.  What!!  Where do people get that kind of patience anyway!!  When I get any kind of dessert in my hands I’m not wasting any time eating it.  And I’m not going to turn my back on it & walk away coming back 20 minutes later.  No Sireeeeee not me!! 

GROANER’S CORNER:(( A man had been driving all night and by morning was still far from his destination. He decided to stop at the next city he came to, and park somewhere quiet so he could get an hour or two of sleep.  As luck would have it, the quiet place he chose happened to be on one of the city's major jogging routes. No sooner had he settled back to snooze when there came a knocking on his window. He looked out and saw a jogger running in place. "Yes?"  "Excuse me, sir," the jogger said, "do you have the time?"
The man looked at the car clock and answered, "8:15".  The jogger said thanks and left. The man settled back again, and was just dozing off when there was another knock on the window and another jogger.  "Excuse me, sir, do you have the time?"  "8:25!"  The jogger said thanks and left. Now the man could see other joggers passing by and he knew it was only a matter of time before another one disturbed him. To avoid the problem, he got out a pen and paper and put a sign in his window saying, "I do not know the time!!!"  Once again he settled back to sleep. He was just dozing off when there was another knock on the window.  "Sir, sir? It's 8:45."

JUST WHEN WE THOUGHT THE UNTHINKABLE WOULDN’T HAPPEN………IT HAPPENED:((

An 8 a.m. phone call this morning brought our whole house deal crashing down around us.  The buyers backed out.  Needless to say Kelly & I were in a state of disbelief, anger, disappointment & frustration.  The folks left yesterday afternoon with smiles & handshakes & what happened between them between that time & this morning we can only guess at but we do know ours was the 3rd house deal they backed out of recently with the first 2 being in Kingman Arizona.  I’m guessing they are having a hard time deciding on what they really want to do with their lives & for the most part I can understand that.  Kelly & I have been in that same frame of mind as well a few times over the years.  Barb loved the house & property & wanted it but we could tell Dave was more reserved on their visit Thursday.  He did tell me the first time we met he preferred to continue their RV travelling lifestyle & Barb not so much so who knows.  No matter……it is what it is & today has been a very emotionally draining day for us…………….

GROANER’S CORNER:(( A Brit, a Frenchman and a Russian are viewing a painting of Adam and Eve frolicking nude in the Garden of Eden.  "Look at their reserve, their calm," muses the Brit. "They must be British."  "Nonsense," the Frenchman disagrees. "They're naked, and so beautiful. Clearly, they are French."  "No clothes, no shelter," the Russian points out, "they have only an apple to eat, and they're being told this is paradise. They are definitely Russian."

A COUPLE DONUTS FOR KELLY & MORE ‘HOUSE SALE’ PAPERS TO SIGN IN WICKENBURG TODAY

NICE TO SEE THIS FRUIT TREE IN BLOOM NEAR YARNELL’S CORNERSTONE BAKERY

A high thin cloud cover rolled in overnight keeping Old Sol’s heat from bringing temperatures up into the low 80’s today & that was fine with me because we were again busy organizing & carrying things out to the Motorhome.

Pheebs & I slipped out early & up the hill we went to the Cornerstone Bakery in Yarnell to get Kelly a couple cinnamon donuts.  We decided to come down out of the Weaver Mountains via the Old Stage Coach road again & that’s what we did stopping along the way at our favorite old Cowboy corral.  I’ve posted lots of photos from this drive over the years & found myself taking even more photos this morning.  It’s just that kind of nice scenic drive that catches my attention every time I drive it.

Dave & Barb prospective house buyers emailed saying they wanted to come down & measure up some rooms for their upcoming renovations to our house so we said Okay.  Coming from Kingman Az they were here a couple hours later.  Did a walk around with Dave pointing out different things here & there while Kelly helped Barb measure some floors.  Everything is moving along fine with the house sale & later this afternoon Kelly & I slipped into the title company to sign a few more papers.  One more trip for a final signing & that will be it for our part.  One last trip to the title company for Barb & Dave a few days later seals the deal with their signatures & a money transfer.  Won’t it be nice when all this house stuff is over & I can begin blogging about other things like traveling again.  Hang in there folks………better blogging days ahead:))

GROANER’S CORNER:(( An older couple had a son, who was still living with them. The parents were a little worried, as the son was still unable to decide about his future career. So they decided to do a small test.  They put a note on the front hall table that they had left. Around the note they put a ten-dollar bill, a Bible, and a bottle of whiskey. Then they hid, pretending they were not at home.
The father told his wife, "If our son takes the money, he will be a businessman, if he takes the Bible, he will be a pastor, but if he takes the bottle of whiskey, I'm afraid our son will be a no-good drunkard."  So the parents hid in the nearby closet and waited nervously. Peeping through the keyhole they saw their son arrive. The son read the note that they had left.  Then he took the ten-dollar bill, looked at it against the light, and slid it in his pocket.  After that, he took the Bible, flipped through it, and put it under his arm.
Finally, he grabbed the bottle, opened it, and took an appreciative whiff to be assured of the quality. Then he left for his room, carrying all three items.
The father slapped his forehead and said: "This is worse than I could ever have imagined!"  "What? asked the wife.  "Our son is going to be a politician!"

A LONG TIME BLOG READER DROPS AROUND & CLEANS OUR MOTORHOME’S ‘MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR’

Faint odor of a Skunk first thing this morning so I checked around outside with a flashlight before letting Pheebs out.  We do think we may very well have a Skunk or two under the house & yes I did tell the prospective new owners about that a few days ago.

Last March after leaving Congress & heading home through Utah & Colorado we experienced problems with our Motorhome’s engine light coming on & each time it did the engine began running rough & we had to pull over & stop.  Readers wrote in with thoughts on what could be wrong & suggested possible solutions.  We did have the rig checked over twice but mechanics couldn’t seem to find the source of the problem.  Happened again coming down last fall north of Flagstaff & again a month ago coming back from Yuma.  A few days ago we received an email from one of our concerned readers saying he was in the area & would we like him to come over & have a look at the ‘Mass Air Flow Sensor’ in our rig.  Chris, a long time blog reader was one of the guys a year ago emailing us trying to help with our Motorhome problem.   Sarge had just dropped in for a chat on his way to the Post Office this morning when a gray Jeep Rubicon pulled into our front yard.  It was Chris & his wife Rosemary or was it Rosemarie…..oh-oh I could be in trouble here.

CHRIS & ROSEMARY ARE WINTER SNOW BIRDS FROM ILLINOIS

Chris is one of those mechanical do it yourselfer guys & he was suspecting a problem with our rigs mass air flow sensor because he had the same troubles with his Motorhome awhile back.  He wasn’t long in locating & pointing out the Sensor attached to the back of the air filter in alongside the passenger side front wheel.  Didn’t take him long to wiggle his way under the Motorhome’s front end & disassemble the sensor.  Seemed a bit dirty but not plugged.  Using a can of mass air flow sensor spray he cleaned it all up & reassembled it.  He also checked the air filter while he was at it & the filter was clean. 

THAT LARGE TUBE LOOKING AFFAIR TOP RIGHT IS THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR

CRAMPED QUARTERS IN THERE AHEAD OF THAT FRONT WHEEL

DETACHED FROM AIR FILTER AT RIGHT CHRIS PULLS OUT THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR

AND THAT ROUND BLACK THING IS THE ACTUAL SENSOR WHICH HE CLEANED WITH A SPRAY CAN OF MASS SENSOR CLEANER

BEHIND THAT SCREEN ARE A SERIES OF SMALL SENSORS & CHRIS EXPLAINED & SHOWED ME EVERYTHING HE WAS DOING AS HE WENT ALONG SO IT WAS DEFINITELY A LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR ME

TAPING UP WIRES LEADING TO THE SENSOR

BACKING OUT FROM UNDER THE RIG

Chris read the codes with his code reader as well & cancelled out the red  engine light that had come on again a month ago.   The error code readings were exactly the same ones we always get.  Also under the rig he pointed out to me where the two O2 sensors are located on the exhaust pipes.  If the Mass Air Flow Sensor cleaning doesn’t solve the problem our next step will be to have those 02 sensors replaced.  Chris also taped up a set of wires leading into the sensor that were looking a bit sketchy as well.

Both Kelly & I thought that was so nice of him to take time out of his day to come around & do that for us this morning.  What a nice couple they were & I’m sure our paths will cross again somewhere out here in this wild & wooly South-west next winter.  They are boon-dockers like ourselves & are camped out near Vulture Peak for a few days.  Thanks for dropping around guys & doing that for us this morning.  Very much appreciated:)))))

CHRIS SAID FOR ME TO CRAWL UNDER THE RIG & I WAS HOPING i WOULDN’T HAVE ANY VERTIGO PROBLEMS…AND I DIDN’T:))

OF COURSE PHEEBS IS ALWAYS NEAR BY READY TO HELP AS WELL

CHRIS CRAWS UNDER AS WELL TO SHOW ME EXACTLY WHERE THE 02 SENSOR WAS

YES THE PHRASE “HELP I’VE FALLEN & I CAN’T GET UP” CAME TO MIND WHEN I SAW THIS PICTURE

TRYING TO EXPLAIN SOME MECHANICLE STUFF TO MY SEVERLY MECHANICALLY CHALLENGED MIND

Don’t even ask me if we watched all that Super Tuesday political hoopla on TV last night because I’m not going to admit we did.  Not what I would call time well spent but there we were watching it anyway.  Nuff said about that!! 

THE GALS HAD THEMSELVES QUITE A CHAT WHILE CHRIS & HIS HANDY FLASH LIGHT HOLDING ASSISTANT WORKED ON THE MASS SENSOR PROBLEM… CHRIS DID THE WORK WHILE I ADEPTLY HELD THE FLASHLIGHT

Thanks to the Guest in my posts Shout-Box for tracking down our marriage date.  Must have used a key word or two in our ‘Search’ bar.  Neither Kelly or I had thought of doing that.  The form at the Title Company Tuesday morning that asked for our marriage date had to do with the IRS regarding tax.  Another Shout-Box Guest wondered where we got married so here’s the story.  Long time readers know Kelly & I are not big ‘people’ people & our wedding day was very typical of our lifestyle.  We never told anybody about our getting married, not even closest friends or family.  At the time I was looking after the grounds on an estate outside of St. Marys Ontario owned by Shakespearian Actress Pat Galloway & her husband Bernhard.  Just the nicest older couple.  It was May of 2002 when Kelly I decided on getting married.  Pat & Bernhard were still at their Villa in Spain so we decided to get married in their back yard near St. Marys.  For best man & bridesmaid we asked an elderly couple we knew living near Pat & Bernhards & they were happy to come over & do that for us.  Found us one of those Minister fellas in St. Marys & he drove the few miles out of town to marry us in Pat & Bernhard’s back yard under an arched trellis.  Only 5 of us there & I think it was a Saturday which I remember as being cloudy, cold, & windy.  I think from the time we all met to the time everybody was on their way back home again was well less than an hour.  No fuss, no muss, no bother & we still prefer keeping our lives that way to this very day.  Well, with the exception of Mr. Blabberfinger’s ‘tell all’ blog that is……………….

Turned out to be a hot one today & we had fans running.  Hotter on Thursday.  Pheebs & I will be out the door early in the cool morning air for a relaxing Jeep ride.  Last time we were out I think was last Saturday & we’re both showing signs of withdrawal so we had better get some fresh air blowing through the windows right quick.  We are in desperate need of some outdoor scenery.

SO NICE TO SEE OUR BACKYARD MESQUITE TREES FINALLY GREENING UP

I think Kelly & I both have a wee case of mental exhaustion with so many things going on at the moment.  Kelly was especially worn out this afternoon.  We both just want the next few weeks to be over so we can turn the page & get on with the next phase of our lives.  I think you full-timers out here might understand that if you thought back to the time you sold your house & had all those things to do before you closed the door for the last time, hopped into your rig, & headed on down the road……………… 

GROANER’S CORNER:(( A Senator is in a restaurant and the waiter brings over the rolls, but no butter. "May I have some butter, please?" The waiter gives a slight nod and wanders off. Ten minutes later, still no butter. The senator catches his eye.  "May I have some butter, Please?"  Still the vaguest of responses, and after ten more minutes, still no butter.  "Maybe you don't know who I am," says the senator. "I'm a Princeton graduate, a Rhodes scholar, an All-American basketball player who played with the New York Knicks in the pros, and I'm currently a United States senator, chairman of the International Debt Subcommittee of the Senate Finance Committee, chairman of the Water and Power Subcommittee of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and a member of the Senate Select Intelligence Committee."  "Maybe you don't know who I am," said the waiter. "I'm the guy who's in charge of the butter".