Sunday At Sun Camp

Here it is Sunday already. I wonder where the time has gone. My mind has been in a whirl putting into place my new lifestyle and meeting new people. Being a Libra I tend to want to balance all of my thoughts, ideas, and emotions. Much like a computer I get glitches if not running properly. Until I get back in balance I cannot write... meaning no blog. Once I am "centered" then words and ideas flow and I can listen to my Angels speaking. That said... I apologize for not getting the blog out and hope this one makes up for that.

Phil has taken on the job of producing the sign for the entrance here at Sun Camp. I am so proud of the job he is doing. I laid out the words on paper as to how it should look but he has done everything else. Looks like he will have it up with plenty of time to spare for the Grand Opening in November. Here he is working on it...

Where the sign is concerned about all I am doing is making sure that Phil gets plenty to drink and fix his lunch. The other day when I brought his lunch I noticed a pecan tree in Bob's back yard. I walked back to make sure I was seeing correctly and Bob came outside to say hello. In talking with him I noticed that under the pecan tree grew some young palm tree seedlings. I mentioned this to him and he said they were weeds. He didn't like palm trees as they don't provide shade and take too much water. That maybe so but I love them. The seeds provide food for both man, birds, and animals.  Palms don't grow unless there is water... hence the tended to grown only in the Oasis area not the desert area. They are a symbol of life and water. Sun Camp needs it's palms as they symbolize a Spiritual Oasis... that said I rescued the one Bob pulled up and brought it home. The next day Phil mentioned to Jim about the palms growing in the yard and Jim said the camp could use them. So I rescued eighteen more and took them over to Jim's house. After giving it some thought I know why they are growing in Bob's yard. Bob waters his grass daily and the bird rest in his tree where it is is cool and shady. They bring the date seeds from the palm trees to eat and they also drop some. These then take root and grow. Here is a photo of the adult palms that I took...

 

To me a palm tree is symbol of life in the desert but what happens when the palm tree doesn't get water? No life can exist without water ...

 

 

This fallen palm is beside a water faucet but it still died. To be honest I cannot say rather it died of old age or from lack of water. It sits near the entrance way and I have passed it many times. I see a frosty the sandman in the winter of it's life praying for water but no one turns the faucet on... poor fella...

 

 

Being an artist I sometimes tend to see images of things that others do not so to help you see what I am seeing I photoshopped the photo and drew what I see when I look at that poor palm tree. Where I see a sand "Frosty" Phil sees a "Smurf" lol. But with a bit of imagination it could be a tree "elemental" with a rope around it's neck also. Sometimes I have to hold my imagination in check lol.

 

Life is good and I am having a ball "dancing" through it.  We have chosen to sit out the winter here at Sun Camp Arizona so I am looking forward to learning how desert life is. There is so much to learn. What I know about deserts has been gained through film, pictures, and books. I loved the documentary film "The Living Desert" and now I am experiencing it. Everyday we are given the choice to make life an adventure and we all do .... be it a joyful one, depressed, or just existing day by day... so always remember it is our choice on how we chose to experience life... I chose to dance with the angels and I hope you do to... KEEP ON DANCING...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BACK AT SUN CAMP

My new camera finally came in so we packed up and said goodbye to the Pahranagat Refuge Wednesday.  We were camped at the Upper Lake. As we were leaving I noticed the middle lake was almost a dry lake bed. When we got to the lower lake the methane gas was really nasty. Even the girls started sneezing. The lower lake was extremely dry and the mosses were rotting causing the smell. But as we were leaving we noticed the park crew down at the main water drain so maybe they are going to open the valves and let the water back in. We were told that the lakes are fed by warm springs but that the farmers used the water for their hay fields. Hay season is over so hopefully the lakes will fill for the thousands of waterfowl and animals that depend on it. We left on Hwy 93 and started our cross country trip when we reached Hwy 168. Stayed on that road headed toward Las Vegas until we reached the Valley of Fire Hwy.... what a trip...

 

The highway started out bad. It needed paving and was like riding on waves, up and down. There were places that the sand was coming across the road.  Once we reached the National Park the road was great as you can see in the upper photo. In looking at the area I wondered if it was a strip of red terra cotta clay that ran all the way through to Sedona and on up into the Garden of the Gods in Colorado. The formations are similar.

Here are some photos I took as we passed through this wonderous valley. The first photo is Phil's bunny rabbit lol...

 

It is part of the "beehive" formations... Here are more formations as we past through...

 

 

 

 

 

 

We saw miles and miles of red rock formations ...

 

 

Even after we left the National Park there were spots of the same terra cotta clay as shown in the photo below... which I have titled "Gods Painting"...

 

 

The photo cannot compare to what the eye sees when you look out over this creation of nature. It is magnificent.

 

Leaving the Valley of Fire we turned right onto Hwy 169 which is also known as North Shore Drive. It begins our trip around Lake Mead and by passing Las Vegas. Everyone we talked to said there was no way to get to Phoenix without going through Las Vegas. But the map told us differently. We are glad that we chose our own route because the landscape was fan-n-n-tastic.

 

 

As we went around Lake Mead leaving Nevada and going into Arizona we couldn't help but see that the lake level was really down...

 

 

We made it all the way to a little town called Wikieup below Kingman on Arizona highway 93. There we pulled into a little deli/cafe to get something to eat. Before we could make up our mind to go in the owner came out to greet us and ask if we were looking to stay the night. That was a surprise so we looked at each other and agreed, "why not"? So we followed his lead going past the "big snake" into the rv park behind the cafe to spend the night...

 

 

The next morning we finished out journey back to Sun Camp in Tonapah, Arizona. Pulling into the campground late in the afternoon. This morning we finished setting up and after resting we are set to go again. The last couple of months have shown to both of us that we made the right choice in our life... we are truly dancing with the Angels... and we love it!

 

It doesn't matter what you are doing in life... Become an active participant rather than a contented spectator.... get up and dance!...

 

 

 

 

 

 



A DESERT OASIS

Looks like our dance has turned into a slow waltz. We are staying at this campgrounds until the new camera that Phil ordered come in. Looks like it may be another week before that happens. While waiting and killing time I decided to see what was on the internet about this area. The pictures of this lake have been enlightening. Makes me realize just how much the climate change has changed the lake. The water level is down many feet. Leaving the large cottonwood trees dying from lack of water. What I find sad is that this is happening all over the areas that we have traveled. I am aware that old trees die but this isn't just here and there... it is everywhere. It is the same thing that I saw happening on our land in central Texas. The trees are dying from lack of water and the bark start falling off, along with large limbs. The drought is hurting all of America and it is time the debating to stop and action to be taken before it is too late. It is time for Climate Change to take place in the mind's of man and let's get the climate back to being healthy for man, animals, and plants. We have the power within us to do this... Mind is the creative force with us. Meanwhile, the climate is changing nature. Food for thought.

This is such a beautiful desert oasis for both man and nature. There are so many ducks, geese and birds already here on the lake that the visitors spend the night and fly away in the morning. We have seen this in the sandhill cranes and ducks that come in large groups. I worry that if this drought continues will this be gone in the future? I pray not.

I've borrowed Phil's pocket camera to get a few photos to post. The fall is beginning to show and the area is georgous...

 

 

 

It is hard to believe when looking at these pictures that just outside this refugue there is desert...

 

 

And if I look into the other direction just across the road (Hwy 93) there is Area 51. Groom lake is located just about where the moon is in the below photo..

 

I discovered this fact when I was researching the area on the internet. Here is a map that shows the area... 

 

Maybe this explains the sonic booms that shake the ground. At first I thought a earthquake had taken place as the trailer was shaken but Phil clued me in on what was taken place. The ducks and geese seem used to it as it doesn't seem to effect them. I read on the internet where the air space above that area is restricted all the way into space. If so, then that leads me to believe the sonic booms are coming from there. Interesting...

 

This is such a beautiful place with all the birds. The geese have begun to get used to us and are coming in closer now. They are magnificent birds. Phil has been sitting out at the picnic table working on his wood working and enjoying the wildlife. I found a pocket knife with a broken handle at the Cove Campgrounds in Idaho and he fixed it. He took a piece of Russian Olive branch and created a new handle. It is georgous and well balanced. He really impressed me with his work on that knife. Here he is working on the project...

 

 

I found that we are boondocking in style. While in Las Vegas he bought a rubber water bag that holds 45 gallons. Then he discovered that the generator will run the washing machine. I didn't try the dryer. I was able to do most of the wash and get it dried in the sunshine.  I have the clothes rack that hooks onto the ladder on the rear of the trailer so didn't need to run a clothes line to dry the wash. Out here in the middle of no where there is no laundrymat. Sometimes it is the little things in life that really matter and clean clothes is one of them... lol .

 

So even though we have slowed down to a slow waltz we are still dancing with angels ... don't forget whatever the beat ... keep on dancing...

 

 

 

   

PAHRANAGAT WILDLIFE REFUGE

Thursday morning I thought about writing this blog but then my camera broke. Needless to say this was very upsetting to me. Once I got over the heartbreak I started the fight with the CPS warranty company. They want to deny my claim and say that the problem is either abuse or normal wear and tear. I don't think so. I have not abused my camera and having the power switch break when it is only one and a half years old is not normal. This has been very upsetting. Then Friday (the 28th) was my birthday and I had to deal with that. Now to top everything off I have a error going on with the blog. What is this... full moon madness? lol

But on with the blog... On the trip from the Cove Campgrounds in Idaho to this campground we spent the night sleeping in a road turnout. The next morning I got up to make coffee and found I could bearly control my body. I felt like my brain was moving forward and backwards... rather then dizzy it was like waves. I could not walk and think at the same time. After Phil stepped outside he came back with the answer... we were within a mile of a wind generator farm. Being sensitive to electrical fields I cannot do wind farms. I spent the next three days trying to get my body and brain to function normally. Not something I want to experience again. We wondered what the red lights were in that field and now we know so it won't happen again. If we see a field full of red blinking lights we will know it is a wind farm not an air strip landing area.

The campground we are at now is an oasis in the desert. We are eighty miles north of Las Vegas, Nevada. There are canadian geese, snow geese, mallards, teals, cranes, and alot of American Coots on the lake. It is sad to see the effects of global warming here in this refuge. The lower and middle lakes are dried up leaving only the upper one and it is shrinking...

 

The area around the lake is very pretty with the large cottonwood trees and the green grasses... an oasis surrounded by the harsh desert...

 

 

We traveled hwy 93 and ran into several herds of wild horses. The first group had foals in the herd. The herd in this photo has three in the group but two of them are behind the mares. The small horse with the white butt is a foal that was standing on the road. But the time my camera was on and ready I could only get the one shot of him heading for the ditch. But man was he pretty...

 

 

We passed another herd of horses that were scattered out on top of a mountain. Some were standing just off the roadway such as this mare... 

 

We caught up with the storm that went through the Cove Campground in Idaho as we traveled through Neveda...

 

 

 

One thing I am learning is not to trust the Google maps. I mapped out the roads to travel and one road turned out to be a gravel backroad not paved as shown on Google. It was a bit scarey over the mountain traveling...

 

The above photo is as we came off the mountain into the valley but shows the road we traveled. This section of it was not like a washboard and is pretty straight compared to what we left behind us. I have to admit I was impressed with Phil's driving ability. It was hard to keep traction on the washboard and going around curves with major dropoff was frightening to me. I refused to look out the side window lol.

Well, I am fighting a popup error message and it is getting to be flustrating so I will close this with the message... no matter what problems pop up in life.... just keep on dancing...

STILL HERE AT THE COVE REC. IDAHO

We are still here at the Cove campground in Idaho.  We will hit the road this coming Monday and begin our way back to Sun Camp in Arizona. No special reason for the delay other then saving money and killing time. Phil is having a blast fishing. Which he hasn't been able to do much of lately...

 

The wind has shifted and is out of the north making for some strange picture effects through the smoke from the fires above us to the north. The sky is gray with smoke and the sun bearly shines through. This is the first time I have been able to capture the sun at noon with this camera...

 

The photos I have taken look as if I have used a sepia lens but no so. Seems like the color is off on all the photos. But it has made for some interesting shots... Here are some of the park animals that I have found...the bunnies...

 

 

And their enemy... the bull snake...

 

   The Magpies love to harass the doves. They put on some great shows ... here is one that I got a photo of...

Here is a photo of one of the Golden Eagles that harass the nesting cliff birds...

 

And here are the girls patiently waiting for me to take the photo...

 

 

I will close this as it has taken me six hours just to get this far. Internet is touch and go. So while it is here I feel fortunate. Here is another sun photo to end the day...

 

Keep on dancing...

 

 

HERE AT THE COVE

Well, we made it from Priest Lake down to the Cove Recreation Park at CJ Striker Lake. It was a trip getting here tho. We drove past the major fire areas that were so sad to see the damages to the land on so many acres. I know fire only brings new growth but still to see the land charred is hard to view. At the Salmon River fire and at the Sheep fire area we were amazed to see how the firecrew save building and homes. The smoke was really extreme in the valleys. Here one of the Salmon River fire areas...

 
Wednesday night we spent sleeping in a roadside rest area. The distance was under estimated.  But we got up early and made the rest of the way.  

The second day here there was a jet ski accident killing a woman and her son is in critical condition. That was so sad. We could do no more than say a prayer for her and her son. We also said a prayer for those she left behind...

 

This has to be the hardest blog I have tried to write  as I am sitting up at the host site trying to get this online. I now know what the camp host has to put up with lol. People see you and start asking the question.  Man, is it hard to concentrate. Several times I find myself stopping and looking out over the lake and distant hills to gather my thoughts again.

 

The host and hostess of The Cove were a delight. We really enjoyed meeting them. They left for home Sunday so it was a short getting to know one another but a great one. We will see them again. Here is Rodney and Jane Rutherford of Beaver Dam, Idaho...

 

  

The Cove is one of several parks around this lake but in checking out others I think it is the best. It is BLM land and the fee is ten dollars a day use but with the Senior Pass it is only six dollars... not bad for the fantastic views . Just watch out for the thorns on the end of the leaves on the Russian Olive trees. Such as these at our campsite...

 

 

Here are a couple more views of the area...

 

 

 

It is time to close this and it will be my last blog until after our next move down the road. We will leave here Thursday. I am not sure where we will stop next but I do know that we are heading towards Phoenix . We will spend one more week at a campground before we arrive there. So I will close with one more beautiful sunset.... at the cove...

 

 

We have now danced with the Angels across eight states. Seen so much and experienced alot.  And the most important thing is that both Phil and I are having the time of our lives. We feel blessed to be able to experience this lifestyle and to meet so many new friends.  I miss not having a phone most of the time but life is good in spite of that. I have found a new joy in life. So, to each of you reading this...remember to find joy in life... As long as your heart beats you have the rhythm of life... DANCE ON...