WE GOT OUR WEEDS WHACKED TODAY & AN EMAIL FROM SOLAR MIKE AT THE SLABS

<<< SOME NICE COLORS IN THE DESERT THIS MORNING

My first order of business today was to get the 9 Road Gradered Yucca plants in the ground.   All 9 went into our front yard Cactus Garden.  It’s anybody’s guess if they will make it but at least now they all have a fighting chance. 

 

Winnie’s new spare tire is on the rim & securely bolted back in it’s spot in the rig’s storage bin.  We are officially ready for travel.  Just waiting to hear back from Solar Mike over in Slab City at the moment.

Rather than have me go on about the joys of boondocking again I will let Nina over at WHEELING IT tell you a little bit about our much preferred way to travel & RV.  She has a list of 5 essential boondocking tips for folks.  You will always find helpful information, great photos, & fine writing on Nina & Paul’s blog.

A very slow draining kitchen sink led me to do a little digging in our back yard, a little sawing, & a little unplugging.  Working fine now:))

Kelly says we have some kind of critter living in our attic above the dining room & her bedroom.  I think it is a small bird & Kelly thinks it is an Elephant.  Whatever it is I guess my next job will be crawling up through our dining rooms ceiling trap door to see what I can see.  Maybe take some peanuts with me.  I hear Elephants like peanuts.

PHEEBS DIDN’T HEAR A THING…..FOR OBVIOUS REASONS

Les the yard man showed up about 1:30 this afternoon & started straight away with his weed whacker whacking wascally weeds.  I started straight away with my leaf rake raking up those wascally whacked weeds into piles.  Took Les about 2 hours to knock em all down & it will take me a day or two to rake em all up.  Even if it doesn’t have that perfect green mown grass look our dirt yard still looks pretty spiffy now.  He sure did a great job & even went around afterwards with a leaf blower to clean things up around the outside of the house, porch, & cement patio.  How nice to have someone who knows what they are doing & how nice to have someone who takes care in how they are doing things:))

 

LES SURE HAD THE DUST A FLYIN TODAY

Next step in our weed control program Les will spread a granular pre-emergent which with winter’s gentle rains will sink into the ground a few inches & take care of the weed roots before they can begin growing in Spring.  This cuts down tremendously on the spraying of Round-Up on actively growing weeds. A bit more expensive with the pre-emergent treatment but easier on the environment.  Les monitors the winter weather & puts the pre-emergent down just before a rain is due.  He figures 4 bags of pre-emergent will do our place.

I START MY RAKING

  

ABOUT A QUARTER OF AN ACRE RAKED UP SO FAR & 2 MORE QUARTERS TO GO…SHOULD HAVE IT ALL WRAPPED UP THURSDAY

{Update} Email from Solar Mike today says he can fit us in a week from this coming Tuesday.  We’ll probably head out for Slab City on the Monday, spend the night sacked out in the desert & be on Mike’s doorstep Tuesday morning bright & early. 

A PIECE OF PLASTIC ON THE GROUND? DOWN THE STREET?  NOPE, A SHEDDED SNAKE SKIN

And whispering desert winds have told us Wandering Willy made it to Borrego Springs & may be there for a couple weeks.  After Slab City we’ll see if we can pick up Wandering Willy’s dusty desert trail somewhere in Anza-Borrego.  But, that sly Fox just may give us the slip.  It was about a year ago WW dropped in on us here at our Congress digs.

We sure are fortunate to lead the lives we do.  Don’t know how long it will last but we are trying to make the most of it while we are still able.  Driving south a week ago it was nice knowing we had a house to come to but also nice knowing we would not be spending our entire 6 months sitting in one spot.  I looked forward again this year to the yard work which I enjoy.  And already I’m looking forward to being back on the road again in a week & half going somewhere.  What a winning combination that is.  A few weeks in the house to spread out, relax, & enjoy my outside projects and a few weeks traveling around boondocking under southwestern skies is just about the perfect kind of medicine for this guy.  Not sitting in one place long enough to get bored is key for me whether it’s in a house or in an RV.  I have an attention span of about 2 weeks & then it’s time for a change.

I’M BEGINNING TO THINK IT’S A HOPELESS CASE TRYING TO GROW CACTUS WITH SO MANY RABBITS AROUND >>>

I’m afraid the moth balls & doggy poop idea has not worked out as hoped.  More of my Cactus were chewed in the night despite being ringed with MB’s & DP.  And despite that same combination plus cement blocks covering the hole in our foundation something has already dug it’s way under right through the moth balls & poop.

Don’t know how many of you folks make it outside at night but right now Planet Venus in the southwestern sky is shining about as bright as I have ever seen it.  And tonight was a special treat with the crescent Moon very close to Venus.  A great sight for stargazers.  Years ago it was Terence Dickinson’s book ‘NIGHTWATCH’ A Practical Guide to Viewing the Universe that really perked my Astronomy interest.  I still have that book & tonight brought it in from the RV.  Need to have a look at the star charts & give myself a refresher course on all the constellations again.  Been quite awhile since I have taken myself for a tour around the night sky simply because I have forgotten where many of the points of interest are.  Got me some reading to do……..10-4:))

Talked to Aunt Jean today & she made it out to the golf course twice last week.  First time she went by herself & that didn’t turn out so swell.  Second time she went with friends & had a much better time.  She was so excited because she came within 2 inches of making a hole in one.  She’s looking forward to getting back out again shortly.  Jean has always credited the game of golf for maintaining her health & keeping her limber over the years.

SOUND ASLEEP ON A PILE OF COVERS

GROANER’S CORNER:((  Driving to work, a gentleman had to swerve to avoid a box that fell out of a truck in front of him. Seconds later, a policeman pulled him over for reckless driving. Fortunately, another officer had seen the carton in the road. The policemen stopped traffic and recovered the box. It was found to contain large upholstery tacks. "I'm sorry sir," the first trooper told the driver, "but I am still going to have to write you a ticket."
Amazed, the driver asked for what.
The trooper replied, "Tacks evasion."

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

TODAY WE MET JOHN SCHROEDER FROM ‘JUST FINDING OUR WAY’

THIS LITTLE HOUSE SPARROW HAS IT’S HOME INSIDE ONE OF OUR FRONT YARD SAGUAROS

When Pheebs & I slipped out Monday night to have us a look at the stars I could  hear thunder & see flashes of lightning way off in the distance towards Wickenburg & Phoenix.  Sky overhead was cloudy so put the Jeep windows all the way up.  When I awoke around 5 I could see lots of bright stars outside my bedroom window & knew the storm had missed us & we were in for another sunny day:))

 

PHEEBS HAS A FUN PLAY TIME WITH HER BEST ARIZONA PAL DALLY THIS MORNING

Took the Jeep & slipped out around the 2 old Congress Pioneer cemeteries this morning checking the availability of boondocking sites.  Been over 6 months since we’ve had to use our 4 wheel drive so it was nice getting re-acquainted again with some good old rough & tumble Jeep roads.  Even managed to pick up some nice new Mesquite desert pin striping.  Groovy. 

Also checked out a nice 4 acre property for sale near by with a nice view.  No services or dwellings & the price was a bit hefty but oh how nice to stand still and hear absolutely nothing but a gentle breeze whispering through nearby Mesquite trees & towering Saguaros.

 

GREAT VIEW FROM THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY  

These old wooden houses have so many unknown smells wafting through them it took me awhile to track down another dead mouse Monday night.  I think all the weathered wood with it’s many paints. varnishes, & floor oils over the years contribute to grab one’s nostrils from time to time depending on the indoor air currents.  I generally like to leave all the windows & doors open to let the fresh desert breezes blow through this dusty old western mining town house & take those nefarious odd odors with them.

THIS IS ONE OF THE EARLY MORNING ‘WAKE ME UP’ DUDES ACROSS THE ROAD

 

SPOTTED OUR BACK YARD PREDATOR ABOUT 50’ FROM OUR BIRD FEEDERS THIS MORNING

By 5 a.m. Pheebs & were out in the Cactus garden with a flashlight checking for any more nibbles on my newly planted cactus plants.  Hasn’t been any further chewing since the first night I planted them.  I have my fingers crossed the furry little critters didn’t end up caring too much for their new found green succulent delicacies.  Maybe a few tummy aches the next morning.

MY CAMERAS & HATS HANG JUST INSIDE OUR FRONT DOOR READY TO GO

A Facebook message from Russ this morning saying he hoped I found the Cisco Kid DVD in my surprise package Monday.  I had not so it was out to the shed this morning to retrieve the box, dump out all the Styrofoam chips & retrieve the DVD.  Good thing you messaged us about that DVD Russ or we might have missed it.  A big thank you for the Cisco Kid DVD & your kind words:))  And for readers let me give you this update history on that Hoppy picture.  In Russ’s own words he wrote…….”The picture was a poster of Hop Along Cassidy that I sent away for when I was a kid.  Had this hanging in my bedroom for many years when I was much younger.  Found it up in the attic awhile back, and thought of you, the minute I found it.   I can’t think of a better place for it than on your wall there in your Arizona home”………Well, I think that personal note from Russ makes that Hoppy picture mighty darn special:))

Getting back to our scouting out boondocking sites we had a reason for doing that.  Readers may remember me spotting what I considered the smallest fifth wheel I had ever seen a couple of weeks ago on our travels south.  We had an email from a reader in Mesa Az saying he had that same type of ‘Scamp’ Casita like fifth wheel & would be happy to drop by & show it to us.  Today was that day & we met John Schroeder & his adorable little dog Turk from JUST FINDING OUR WAY.  John’s wife had a previous commitment for the week so John took the opportunity to head on up our way to say Hello & get himself a little quiet relaxing boondocking in.  John rolled through our gates about 1:20 this afternoon.

John has been following RV SUE & HER CANINE CREW  from before RV Sue even got herself on the road & it was through Sue’s blog that he came across the Bayfield Bunch.  John is one of those highly talented innovator type of fellows having done 30+ modifications to their Scamp & you can find those mods on his blogsite.  He gave us a royal tour of the rig & we were very impressed.  Really liked the raised fifth wheel style bedroom in the front of the rig.  And especially liked his Toyota Tacoma pick-up truck for pulling their Scamp.  Just a very excellent combination of vehicles.  They had it on a 4 month trip to Alaska recently.

With Pheebs & I in the Jeep leading the way John & Turk followed in their Tacoma/Scamp as I led them just a short mile down Ghost Town Road to a boondocking area near the old cemeteries.  John & Turk jumped in the Jeep with Pheebs & I as I drove them around the immediate area showing them a choice of boondocking sites.  Only 2 other rigs in the whole place.  Showed John where to find the old Pioneer Cemetery & drove through RV Sue’s spot when she stayed there for a short bit a couple years ago.  John spotted a site that looked good to him so dropped him & Turk off back at the Scamp & headed home.  John’s in the area for 3 or 4 days & we’ll see him & Turk again at some point.  Forgot to get pictures of cute little Turk so will do that next time we see them.

JOHN HEADS OFF A SHORT DISTANCE TO A SPOT HE NOTICED ON OUR DRIVE-THRU

While we were scouting out that area this morning I saw some plants by the road a Road Grader had ripped out with it’s blade sometime in the past few days.  Pheebs & I went back this afternoon & retrieved those plants.  Some kind of Yucca I’m thinking.  Having them soaking in some water at the moment because they were pretty dried out.  Will find a spot to plant them in the morning.

RETIRED ROD got himself some new wheels.  And just the kind of wheels that go well out here in this rugged western Cowboy country.  Could we see Retired Rod out here doing a little boondocking & running a few Jeep roads one day soon……………I think so:))

IN A NEIGHBOR’S YARD

GROANER’S CORNER:((  A very homely looking person made an appointment with a psychiatrist. The homely person walked into the doctor's office and said, "Doctor, I'm so depressed and lonely. I don't have any friends, no one will come near me, and everybody laughs at me. Can you help me accept my ugliness?"
"I'm sure I can." the psychiatrist replied. "Just go over and lie face down on that couch."

-------------------------------------------------------------
- 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 BIG SURPRISE IN THE MAIL FROM OREGON TODAY:))

Now that some of this Arizona dust has settled on us here at our Congress house there was a bit of travel talk floating about this morning.  Had some good suggestions from fellow RV Bloggers over the past few months on solar installation & we have decided to stick with Solar Mike in Slab City.  We know the quality of Mike’s work, we like Mike as a person, & he has been good to us.  We will email Mike & see when he can fit us in & go from there.  So we may be rolling out before too long.  Where we will head from Slab City is yet undecided.

<<< CURVE-BILLED THRASHER

Monday is always Seniors Day at Alco but the home infrared heater we have a rain check for isn’t in yet so we sidetracked to Stewart’s Hardware, Safeway, Habitat for Humanity, Thrift Store, Ace Hardware, & the brand spanking new TSC store.  We loaded ourselves up with a big bag of birdseed at the ‘Tractor Supply Store’.  Also made a UPS stop along the way to ship our defective ‘Camping World’ gravity recliner chair back.  Bought it in Albuquerque but it goes all the way back to Kentucky.

ROLLING OUT OF WICKENBURG THIS MORNING FOR CONGRESS…RED ARROW POINTS TO CONGRESS LOCATED AT THE FOOT OF THAT MOUNTAIN RANGE 16 MILES AWAY

Big surprise at the Post Office today when we received a large parcel from Oregon.  And here’s the strange part, it was addressed to me.  Now who in the big darn heck would be sending me something??  Well I wasn’t long in finding out by golly because it had a familiar name right there on the outside of the box.  It had been shipped by that Russ Krecklow feller from TRAVELS IN THERAPY his very self way up there in the Willamette Valley of that Oregon place.  Post Office was our last stop today so hurried home to open the big box. 

 

REACHING FOR MY POCKET KNIFE TO OPEN THE BOX

 

VERY WELL PACKED & AT THIS POINT I HAD NO IDEA WHAT IT WAS

There inside the well packed & packaged carton was a 17 x 22 inch black & white print of HOPALONG CASSIDY sitting on his horse Topper.  Print from the 50’s is framed behind glass in an old original white frame.  I have mentioned in several of my posts over the years my love as a young boy for my cowboy hero Hoppy.  Had a black Hoppy shirt & a Hoppy necktie.  I was a big Hoppy fan & Russ way up there in Oregon must have remembered that.  A great big thank you Russ for today returning this little boy back to yesteryear in an era like no other.  Within minutes of opening your parcel I had Hoppy hanging on our living room wall just inside our front door.  A big, big, big, thank you Russ & how thoughtful of you to do that:)))))))))

Was thinking today how much better I am feeling this year as compared to last year at this time.  A year ago I was in a lot of pain with my upper right leg, hip, & groin area.  Bad enough that I had to use a cane at times & I missed a number of morning walks.  Little did I know that pain would persist for the rest of the winter & well into this past summer.  Much better now but I still get tweaks & twinges of pain in my hip area occasionally.  Fortunately so far they have not persisted & I have not had to take any meds for the occasional discomfort.

<<< FOUND THIS OLD ELECTRICAL PLUG IN THE DESERT THIS MORNING…HAS QUITE A FACE ON IT :o

Couldn’t quite gather myself together enough energy units to wash the rig this afternoon.  Clouds had moved in dropping the temps a bit & it would have been a good time to get busy with a hose.  Maybe tomorrow morning.  I always try to get everything done in the mornings when  energy levels are at their best for me.  Remember the days when we would work 8, 10, 12+ hour days & then some.  What the heck ever happened to those exciting & challenging days anyway??  And yes, many of those days were exciting & challenging too…………………

 

WE HAVEN’T BEEN OUT IN THE DESERT WITH THE JEEP YET BUT WITH LAST SUMMER’S HEAVY RAINS WE CAN EXPECT SOME DEEP WASH OUTS LIKE THIS ONE CUTTING ALONG AN ATV TRAIL 

Must have forgot to take my magic sleeping pill last night because I was wide awake at 3 & up well before 4.  Of course that always means a sluggish day for me & by noon I was dragging.  But not before I got my Hoppy picture hung up:))

PYRRHULOXIA (SILVER CARDINAL)

GROANER’S CORNER:((    A couple had two little mischievous boys, ages 8 and 10. They were always getting into trouble, and their parents knew that if any mischief occurred in their town, their sons would get the blame.
The boys' mother heard that a clergyman in town had been successful in disciplining children, so she asked if he would speak with her boys. The clergyman agreed and asked to see them individually.
So, the mother sent her 8-year-old first, in the morning, with the older boy to see the clergyman in the afternoon.
The clergyman, a huge man with a booming voice, sat the younger boy down and asked him sternly, "Where is God?"
They boy's mouth dropped open, but he made no response, sitting there with his mouth hanging open.
The clergyman repeated the question. "Where is God?"
Again, the boy made no attempt to answer.
So, the clergyman raised his voice some more and shook his finger in the boy's face and bellowed, "Where is God!?"
The boy screamed and bolted from the room. He ran directly home and dove into his closet, slamming the door behind him.
When his older brother found him in the closet, he asked, "What happened?"
The younger brother, gasping for breath, replied: "We are in real BIG trouble this time! God is missing, and they think we did it!"

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

THE BIRD’S ARE BACK:))

A HOUSE FINCH STOPS AT OUR BIRD BATH FOR A DRINK
A 3 minute splash of rain in the night hardly settled the dust but did make for some soggy work gloves left in a wheelbarrow this morning.  We awoke to another big bright sunny Arizona day with temps pushing 70F

GUESSING THIS FELLOW AS A LADDER-BACKED WOODPECKER
Disappointed to see some of my newly planted Cactus has already been nibbled on.  I suspect rabbits because we do see them in the yard.  So discouraging………With a combination of dog poop & moth balls we just may have convinced Louie LaPew to vacate his premises under our house. We have not heard any activity for about 3 days now.  I may have to try that same combination of deterrents around my cactus plants too.  Dumped the rig’s tanks this morning so that’s another ‘to do’ off the list.

RINGED-TURTLE DOVE
At last we have some birds beginning to frequent our feeders so I am encouraged once they get used to us being here I’ll be able to come with a few more bird photos before too long.  Waiting for a cloudy day before I wash the rig.  Topped up the coach batteries today as well.  You can see I am scrambling for things to write about here.  Needless to say it was a pretty quiet Sunday. 

<<< ??
Ever get bombarded with questions by a barber when all you want to do is sit there quietly & enjoy a slight head massage from the cutting & trimming.  Maybe just close your eyes & catch up with some thoughts for 10 minutes.  I liked how TOM, a skilled aircraft technician ( I think that’s what Tom was/is) handled the barber’s persistent questions.  I probably would have made a relaxing barber guy because it’s not likely I would have asked nobody nuthin.   IVAN has himself over near the controversial super secret military base known as Area 51.  If he gets his Chopper in the air he & Hailey, the truck, & the fifth wheel may vanish forever without a trace.   But not to worry because rumor has it Wandering Willy (in stealth mode of course) has slipped quietly out of Canada heading south.  Where oh where will that Wily Willy be headed this winter:))

HOUSE SPARROW ON THE LEFT
Couple questions from STORMRUNNER Dianne over there in our Shout Box today.  “I have forgotten Al but how far did you say you were from Yarnell”…… We are 10 driving miles from Yarnell or about 8 miles as the Crow flies.  And a bacon & eggs breakfast with home fries & toast at the Ranch House Restaurant in Yarnell is $7.95.  A bit steep for my pocket book of course:))

AND I SEE CURVY BILL THE THRASHER IS BACK >>>
GROANER’S CORNER:((  The irony of life is that, by the time you're old  enough to know your way around, you're not going anywhere anyway.  And blessed are those who can  give without remembering and take without  forgetting.   Oh & when I was younger I was always taught to respect my elders, but it keeps getting harder to find one these days.  (Keep in mind folks I don’t write these jokes, I just find them on the internet.  I do re-write some of them a bit & string them together sometimes though……AL:))
-------------------------------------------------------------
- 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.