BETWEEN A FIERY SUNRISE AND AN EQUALLY FIERY SUNSET WE SPENT A FEW HOURS WITH GOOD FRIENDS CARON AND CHRIS

HEY PAT THIS IS WHAT A SUNRISE LOOKS LIKE AT YOUR HOUSE:))

I still have the last of my photos to publish from last week’s Wednesday Jeep scramble up the East side of the Chiricahua Mountains so soon as we get a really rotten pouring rain weather day and I can’t get outside to run amok with my cameras I still intend to post them and finally get myself caught up with my back-logged photo deluge.

IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY YOU CAN SEE THE BISBEE COMMUNICATION TOWERS HIGH IN THE MULE MOUNTAINS AT THE NORTH END OF TOMBSTONE CANYON

A touch of wind in the night rolled a morning cloud cover over us which in turn made for milder early day temperatures.  Warm mornings are always nice except they sometimes lead to unpleasantly hot afternoons but that was not the case today.  Sunny afternoon breaks seemed to spur on gusting winds and that made for a marvelous weather day with spectacular cloud patterns.  We did have to dress on the warm side though due to the wind.

HERE’S KELLY IN HER GROOVY PJ’S PULLING A LONG SKINNY RATTLER OUT OF THE GROUND

SUNRISE ON THE HUACHUCA MOUNTAINS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SAN PEDRO VALLEY

Pheebs and I were in the Jeep early and headed a short distance down the road to the San Pedro House.  Fellow RV’ing bloggers and good friends and neighbors from our 5 Seasons Park back home in Bayfield, Caron and Chris were meeting us in the parking lot there.  They rolled in about 8:50 and we led the way from there back to where we are camped for a few days.  Caron writes and takes photos for their blog, ‘Travels With CC And Dixie’.

PHEEBS AND I ARRIVED EARLY AT THE SAN PEDRO HOUSE AND BRIEFLY WERE THE ONLY ONE’S THERE

THIS OLD COTTONWOOD TREE IS SO HUGE ONE OF IT’S BRANCHES EXTENDS INTO THE ROOF OF AN OLD CABIN

The San Pedro River is considered one of the largest and most critical avian migratory corridors remaining in the western United States.

WE WERENT LONG IN SPOTTING THIS RED TAIL HAWK

WHILE WAITING FOR CARON AND CHRIS A GROUP OF HIKERS ARRIVED AND SET OUT ON ONE OF THE TRAILS

THEY WERE A COLORFULLY DRESSED BUNCH AND THAT’S WHAT CAUGHT MY EYE

THEY ARE HEADING STRAIGHT FOR THE SAN PEDRO RIVER WHERE THOSE BIG COTTONWOOD TREES ARE

THE GROUP WAS SOON ALMOST OUT OF SIGHT EXCEPT FOR TWO WAYWARD FELLAS I SPOTTED IN THE TALL GRASS

“HEY BILL I THINK WE’RE LOST”…..”YA, I KNEW I SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT MY WIFE”

Darned if we didn’t have ourselves a great visit and chin wag with Chris and Caron.  Chris is especially savvy about phones and electronic stuff so we picked up some good tips.  Well Kelly did anyway, I’m not so savvy.  He is also a very handy fellow and somehow our brake light got fixed and a mis-aligned windshield wiper on the rig was straightened.  Now I was asked not to bother mentioning how that happened so I won’t.  Caron was busy with her camera and later sent us some pics of which I will include one.  Nice people these folks and we consider them good friends and neighbors.  Oh by the way, a big thanks to whoever fixed those problems for us………:))

BELOW ARE THE MESQUITE BEANS WE CLEANED OUT FROM BEHIND THE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY

THE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY HAD TO BE REMOVED AND IN BEHIND IT WE FOUND MESQUITE BEANS AND THE ONLY POSSIBLE WAY THEY COULD HAVE GOT THERE WAS BY A PACK RAT OR MOUSE….FOR AS LONG AS WE’VE OWNED RV’S WE HAVE NEVER HAD A RODENT PROBLEM…..OR DID WE??

THIS IS CARON’S PHOTO AND HER CAPTION IS ‘HOW MANY CANADIANS DOES IT TAKE TO CHANGE A LIGHT BULB’…. NOTICE TWO WORKING ON THE PROBLEM, ONE FURRY GUY WATCHING AND ONE GUY STANDING THERE HOLDING THE TAIL LIGHT COVER TRYING TO LOOK REMOTELY INTELLIGENT

A GREAT WILLOWY GHOSTLIKE SKY EAGLE MAKES IT’S WAY ACROSS THE AFTERNOON SKY

LOOKING IN THE DIRECTION OF THE MUSTANG MOUNTAINS

Took Pheebs for an afternoon walk and couldn’t help but take another glomp of photos along the way.  Had intended to wrap up my remaining Chiricahua pics in this post but with all of today’s additional photos there just isn’t any room again.  Here in the great Southwest with all it’s surrounding beauty it is near impossible for someone like me with photographic interests not to go overboard bonkers every day.  

PHEEBS AND I HEAD OUT FOR AN AFTERNOON WALK

 

THIS IS A TYPE OF CHOLLA (CHOY-A) PLANT

I’M THINKING THIS MUST BE SOME KIND OF BIRD’S NEST IN THE CHOLLA

HAZY SIERRA VISTA ON THE VALLEY FLOOR

 

BISBEE’S UP THERE IN THOSE MOUNTAINS

HMMMM, COULD BE THE BEGINNINGS OF A WALL HERE

RAIN CLOUDS GATHERING IN THE VALLEY

A PASSING LIGHT RAIN FOCUSES ON SIERRA VISTA

CLOUDS OVER THE MUSTANGS

SKIES BEGIN TO CLEAR A BIT

As mentioned by me many times before one of the big things we look forward to each year about coming to the Southwest is the sunrises and sunsets.  We never see them at home in our pine forest.  Sunrises and sunsets here are massive and today was a good example of that.  Not only did I catch a sunrise but was able to grab me a sunset as well.  With today’s cloud patterns and texture I knew we could be in for a great sunset.   We got one and it was a doozer on all horizons.  One could stand in one spot, level their camera on the any horizon, then turn in a slow circle firing as they went.  Every photo coming back in the 360* turn would have been just fine

SUNSET CASTS SHADOWS ONTO THE WEST SIDE OF THE MULE MOUNTAINS

LOOKING IN THE DIRECTION OF THE WHETSTONE MOUNTAINS

SUN IS DROPPING BEHIND THE HUACHUCAS

LOOKING IN THE DIRECTION OF THE TOMBSTONE HILLS

NOTICE THE LARGE NORTHBOUND DUCK FLYING LOW OVER THE HUACHUCA MOUNTAINS

LOOKING TOWARDS BENSON ARIZONA

A HERD OF TELL TALE TURTLE TURKEYS SKITTLE SINGLE FILE ACROSS THE EVENING SKY BETWEEN THE HUACHUKA AND MUSTANG MOUNTAINS

GROANER’S CORNER:((  You're not a kid anymore when:
- You enjoy watching the news.
- You can live without sex but not without your glasses.
- You quit trying to hold in your stomach, no matter who walks into the room.
- The phone rings and you hope it's NOT for you.
- Your best friend is dating someone half their age AND isn't breaking any laws.
- You start singing along with the elevator music.
- You really do want a new washing machine for your birthday.
- The only reason you're still awake at 4:00 am is indigestion.
- People ask what color your hair USED to be.
- You're proud of your lawnmower!
- You point out what buildings used to be where.
- You routinely check the oil in your car.
- You've owned clothes so long that they've come back into style, TWICE.
- You no longer think of speed limits as a challenge.
- You consider coffee one of the most important things in life.
- 8:00 AM is your idea of "sleeping in".
- Neighbors borrow your tools.
- Others ask for your recipes.
- You paint walls for a reason other than getting your deposit back.
- You can't remember the last time you lay on the floor to watch television.
- You wear socks with sandals.

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IT WAS A MOVIE MORNING FOR US GUYS

SUNRISE OVER THE MULE MOUNTAINS

Another reasonably mild night and the usual morning chill didn’t hang around too long.  Nice sunrise over the Mule Mountains to the East and how nice all the twinkling lights of Sierra Vista in the valley to the West.  I will take some photos of those lights later.  We’re familiar with the walking area where we’re camped so it was out the door along a laneway through scattered Mesquite shrubs and yellow grass.  A wash runs through to the San Pedro River nearby and again we noticed discarded clothing and backpacks along the banks but it’s not anything recent.  In fact we remember the gear from a year ago.  It was obviously a popular route for Mexicans heading North at one time.  We did see footprints on the sandy creek bottom but it could be hunter’s in the area.

WE HADN’T GONE FAR BEFORE PHEEBS HAD A FLAT TIRE

LOOKING ACROSS THE SAN PEDRO VALLEY TOWARDS THE SOUTH END OF THE HUACHUCA MOUNTAINS AND MEXICO

BACK HOME WE WOULD CALL THIS A RIVER OR CREEK BOTTOM BUT HERE IN THE SOUTHWEST IT IS CALLED A ‘WASH’  AND MEXICAN FOLKS OFTEN FOLLOW THESE WASHES NORTH ACROSS THE BORDER….. BELOW WE SAW FOOTPRINTS IN THE SANDY GRAVEL

The Motorhome’s windshield was pretty dirty so hauled out the ladder and took care of that job soon as it warmed up a bit.  Kelly said the drivers side brake light wasn’t working so I attempted to replace the bulb.  Well of course that didn’t work when the blackened bulb broke off leaving the metal bottom in the socket.  Try as we did we couldn’t get that piece out.  We’ll have to stop at a garage in Sierra Vista when we leave.

LOOKING SOUTH ALONG THE WASH TOWARDS MEXICO ABOUT 20 MILES AWAY

LOOKING NORTH UP THE WASH

CLOTHING AND BACK PACKS LEFT ALONG THE BANKS OF THE WASH

 

WE HEAD DOWN ALONG THE BANKS OF THE DRY WASH

PHEEBS KEEPS A WARY EYE OUT FOR ANY ILLEGAL TRAFFIC COMING ALONG

DEFTLY GOING SLOW THROUGH SOME BRAMBLES

Quite often after a travel day we like to spend the next day just relaxing and lounging around.  What better way to do that than head off to an entertaining morning movie.  Drove into Sierra Vista for the 11:30 showing of The Greatest Showman.  Thought this was a very well done musically oriented movie and of course I always enjoy paying attention to the background sets, camera angles and lighting.

I ALWAYS LOVE THE MOVIE EXPERIENCE WITH IT’S BIG LOBBYS, BIG SCREENS AND BIG SOUND….NONE OF THIS WATCHING MOVIES ON LAPTOP COMPUTERS OR SMART PHONES FOR THIS GUY

Surprised at how warm it was when we came out of the theater.  Ten minutes later we were back to the rig and oh my what a happy puppy dog we always have when we come back from somewhere no matter if we’re gone for 30 seconds or 3 hours. And we’re always just as happy to see her as she is to see us too.

SIERRA VISTA LIES AT THE FOOT OF THE HUACHUCA MOUNTAINS AND AT NIGHT THE LIGHTS ARE LIKE A LONG THIN LINE OF GLITTERING DIAMONDS….THE U.S. ARMIES FORT HUACHUCA IS BASED HERE AS WELL

While on the road traveling in the Winter months it is too much of a hassle to continue my morning shakes so I switch to peanut butter and honey.  My morning shakes consist of  a big Romaine lettuce leaf, 1 banana, 1 apple, carrots, celery, oatmeal, cinnamon, strawberry flavored Whey powder, and skim milk.  With a smaller RV fridge there’s not enough room for all that stuff.  Not always having easy access to fresh bananas is a problem and keeping enough milk in the fridge for daily shakes is a hassle as well.  So peanut butter and honey sandwiches it is.  I never use regular doughy bread though, always Tortilla type flat bread.  I thickly slather the peanut butter and honey on and roll it up.

BY THE TIME WE GOT BACK TO THE RIG HATS AND COATS WERE COMING OFF

Forgot to mention all the photos I took a few days ago when out with Mike on his UTV were taken with my point and shoot Sony RX100-3.  Made a last minute decision to leave my heavier and bulkier DSLR camera at home and with all the bumping and bouncing it was a right decision.

THOSE ARE COMMUNICATION TOWERS IN THE MULE MOUNTAINS NORTH OF BISBEE AND WE’VE DRIVEN UP TO THE BASE OF THOSE TOWERS SEVERAL TIMES

Nancy and Pat had us over for supper tonight and although their house is only a few hundred yards from our rig we took the Jeep.  Kelly’s been having trouble with her back and wasn’t up to walking.  I think it was a year ago next week that we last had supper with Nancy and Pat.  Supper of course was great and conversation flowed.  It was three and a half hours before we headed for home…….a few hundred yards away.  Poor Pheebs she was about bustin by the time we got back and she was sure happy to get out an ‘go’.  It’s not often she has to stay home alone and despite her being home alone twice today we reassured her it was just a one time thing.  We had to give her a couple extra treats to convince her of that though………….. We have company coming for a visit tomorrow and I think they just might be Canadians.

A HAZY HALF MOON THIS MORNING

GROANER’S CORNER:)) Eleven people were hanging on a rope under a helicopter, ten men and one woman. The rope was not strong enough to carry them all, so they decided that one has to drop off, otherwise they are all going to fall.  They were not able to choose that person, but then the woman made a very touching speech.  She said that she would voluntarily let go of the rope, because as woman she was used to giving up everything for her husband and kids, and for men in general, without ever getting anything in return. As soon as she finished her speech, all the men started clapping their hands.

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Black Fellah to White Fellah
Dear white fellah,
There's a coupla tings you orta no.
Firstly
Wen I am born, I'm black.
Wen I grow up, I'm black.
Wen I get sick, I'm black.
Wen I'm cold, I'm black.
Wen I go out in the sun, I'm black.
And wen I get scared, I'm black.
And wen I die, yes, I'm still black.
But you white fellah ....
Wen you born, you pink.
Wen you grow up, you white.
Wen you get sick, you green
Wen you cold, you go blue.
Wen you go out in the sun, you go red.
And wen you get scared, you yellah.
And wen you die, you purple
And you call me coloured !!

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