 What a winter this has been. We have seen rain and snow in amounts that I think most of us never thought we'd never see again. My annual trip to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument was not exempt from the wet winter weather. That said, the drive out there was absolutely without stress and one of the most relaxing in my experience of toting a trailer behind me. However, when I arrived a sign at the campsite said it was reserved for RVs 35 feet and longer- well - that sure wasn't me. Sigh. OK - let's go talk to the Rangers. They were very helpful and grateful that I didn't set up camp there - "it's in small print on the website - not your fault.". That was kind - if it's on the website at all I should have caught it. They gave me a new campsite and in the middle of the campground - next to the bathrooms but hey - it worked. That night I was reminded that in Southern Arizona every night is a show.  The next morning I woke up and noticed that the Tacoma key fob battery was low. I'd recently gone through this on our trip to Hawaii last summer so I knew what to do...find a store that had one of those batteries that look like a coin and replace it. The nearest real town is Ajo which is 35 miles away. Jumped in the truck went to the little hardware store and found one of those batteries... remember when you just had a KEY? Oh, but I digress... the road back to Organ Pipe from Ajo is two lanes and a car and large truck were in front of me. The car pulled out and passed the truck and I looked to do the same but before I could do that - BAM - a rock came flying out of the truck and put a long crack in the windshield. I said a bad word. In fact- a flurry of bad words. Called the insurance company. They said, "Drive to get it fixed now because it can spread". "Oh, boy. Ok - where is the nearest place?" "Well...hmmm...let me look. I guess it's a place called Casa Grande - about 110 miles". I could only laugh. I drove the 110 miles. On the drive, well, goodness, it spread. When I arrived I was met immediately by a tech and he told that the windshield was not repairable - needed a replacement and that would take a week. This began my annual trip to Organ Pipe. I returned to my campsite and then got the news that my father in law - 96 years young - was very ill and that I might be needed at home. That put things like broken windshields in perspective. I stayed and waited to hear if I needed to rush home - for now- he was OK. I got out my hiking shoes the next morning. The weather was cold but just fine for walking.  I've been hiking in the desert for over 50 years. In that time I have had relatively few mishaps. I have observed a few though, ie., people running into chollas and such and I always felt sorry for the victims. I thought - you know - these were rookie mistakes. Poor fools. Well, look here.  I exacerbated the problem by attempting to knock off the cactus with my walking stick. It fell about 6 inches and buried itself into my shin. I limped back to the trailer and spent about 45 minutes yanking out spines. But what hurt the most? My pride of course... Undeterred, I decided to walk out to the Victoria Mine the next day and it was one of the warmest and most beautiful days of the trip.   That evening I went a Ranger talk about my favorite oasis in all of the west - Quitobaquito Springs. They were sure selling an apparent "renovation" pretty hard. I decided to drive out the next day and what I saw horrified me...beyond my ability to express...If you have been following this blog for any length of time you've seen my many photos of Quitobaquito - like this one from 2019.  Here is last January  I'm still sick about it. This is, after all, a sacred spot to the Tohono O'odham nation and many of us American southwest lovers. In the last few years we were horrified that it could be damaged by its proximity to the former president's absurd and useless border wall but this is self inflicted damage by the National Park Service and their biologists. During the talk the previous night the ranger did acknowledge, "the water isn't coming back as quickly as we'd hoped". Look, I am certainly not a biologist but I am a passionate lover of all things wild and of this particular place - I am not convinced this "upgrade was necessary" and, if it was, why it could not have been accomplished incrementally. I know I only have a few more years to enjoy Quitobaquito but I hope my grandchildren can enjoy it as their old Grandpa did... I am trying to remain optimistic and trusting of the NPS despite what my eyes saw...regardless, I know to will take awhile for it to recover... In the meantime my friends who were supposed to join me were texting that they couldn't join due to the cold and rainy weather. I understood but it was still disappointing and added to my unusual gloom. The rains did indeed return and it was time for me get up early and drive the 110 miles to the windshield repair shop. It was a harrowing trip. The roads were overflowing with water and the truck, in the darkness, lost grip a few times. I slowed down and got to the repair shop right on time at 8:00 AM. I was met by the manager who said, "Bad news sir. Your windshield isn't here. Can we re-schedule?". "Uh, no. I have just driven 110 miles to get here so that isn't a good option. Couldn't you have called and let me know?". "Just found out myself sir. If you want to wait the best case scenario is 1:00 PM". I had to wait of course. I decided, while waiting, that maybe I should just go ahead and head home. My father in-law was improving but still not well and more rain and cold weather was on the way and my friends weren't coming. I left early the next day. I've been coming to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument since 1993. This was not the most trouble free trip but, I'll tell you what, the worst day in Organ Pipe is better than most days anywhere else. I shall return next year but a bit later in the year. I can't wait.    See ya next year Organ Pipe! 
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 My 65th year on the planet started fabulously. For many years I have wanted to be with my family in my favorite desert place - Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. It was a dream that, candidly as the years have gone on, I wondered would come true. And while my daughter was stuck in Corvallis amid the omicron variant mess, my boys, their wives, my grandchildren and Lupe were all able to join me. It was a slice of heaven! My only wish is that we could have spent more time out in that glorious green desert. I have decided that, for the foreseeable future, I'll be spending at least two weeks every January in the Sonoran desert. So...who knows - maybe we will be able to do it again. And why don't you too come out to visit?!    Also in January I got a new iMac computer which I needed. Sadly and ironically, I lost much of my music library on Apple Music making the transition from PCs to Apple and was told just yesterday by a "senior advisor" that, "Sometimes at Apple we can't solve everyone's problem". Wow. I could spend hours writing about how technology has plagued me for the last few years but that is NOT the point of this post - I mean if we want to hear complaining we can just go on social media, right? Suffice it to say - you know how much I love music - and this has been a setback - fortunately, there are lots of choices for music streaming out there - and I prefer the ones where I can hear Neil Young and Joni Mitchell. My road trip playlists will carry on! Enough complaining... As I mentioned my daughter Lilly wasn't able to join us in the desert so I decided to drive to her in Corvallis. She is in her junior year at Oregon State and is doing beautifully. I couldn't be more proud. The only problem - and it's a serious one - is I miss her like Hell. So, I drove up and we went to a basketball game and hung out - she showed me around town and it was fantastic.  The weather, as expected, was chilly. I did bring the camera and made a few photos. Here is Mt. Shasta from Highway 5.  I decided to take the coast road home. It rained from Newport to Gold Beach. I was, as always, stunned by the beauty of the Oregon coastline.   Here is the Heceta Head Lighthouse from a distance.  The next day I drove to Fort Bragg and, when I got to California, the sun broke through the clouds - just for me.  Just last week I made my last desert trek of this winter at Anza Borrego. Marty and Dell joined me and it was a kick - until I hit a rut at speed in my truck and ripped off the bumper out in Blair Valley. But, hey, if you're gonna off road... it's all part of the deal.  Here are my two buddies Dell and Marty - for a couple of city slickers they're not too bad. I can't wait until we do it again.  Thanks, as always, for coming along. Next up is my dream trip - a cross country train trip on Amtrak. I'll be on 8 trains and passing through more than half the states in the USA. As the years dwindle in my life I'm trying to get in as much travel as I can while I am healthy. I do love it so. I'll be making big stops in Chicago, Cooperstown (Baseball Hall of Fame), NYC, New Orleans, Memphis, and Clarksdale MS (Mississippi Blues Trail). I can't wait to tell you all about it.
Much love and best wishes to all who read these words. May 2022 be a beautiful year for each of you.  In the month of February 2021 I was able to get out to my happy place again - the Sonoran Desert. It was an especially enjoyable trip for a number of reasons but, primarily because it, "cleared my head". I honestly believe that that human race is a mess but since the pandemic we are a mess times 2 - at least. While I like to see myself as a bit above the madding crowd - I'm not - and the pandemic made me a bit kooky too. So it was with relief - blessed relief - that I escaped to perhaps my favorite place on earth - the Sonoran Desert. I was also able to meet some of my dear pals along the way. Thanks to Paul, Holly, Joel, Scott, Jen, and Liz. Love you all... My first night was in Chiriaco Summit near the southern entrance to Joshua Tree National Park. I love it out there.  Next morning I hung out with Paul and we made some photos - then on to the magnificent Superstition Mountains in Lost Dutchman State Park in Arizona. There is nothing like them in all of the West.  I was disappointed to discover that the Apache Trail scenic drive was closed due to a washout with NO plan to fix it. I've been traveling that road since I was 9 years old on my first trip to Arizona. The trip that I fell in love with the Sonoran Desert. I've often thought that it would be a great place to toss my ashes. Alas. Nevertheless I did travel what I could of it and made a few photos.  After a few fabulous days in Apache Junction I drove to Gilbert Ray Campground near Tucson and Saguaro National Park . The following photo went kind of "viral" on the twitter machine giving further pause as to what I think is good vs. the rest of the world...  Arizona certainly has some sublime sunsets. I spent a marvelous day in the eastern section of Saguaro National Park. It had been years since I'd been there.  The Signal Hill trail, with it's petroglyphs, is a treat in the Park.  From Saguaro I went to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument driving through Tohono O'odham land. I have been distraught over what is happening at the border. The wall is destructive and does not impede border crossings. Candidly, only fools would believe that to be the case. It does, however, mar and, in some instances, utterly destroy important natural resources and the ecology of the borderlands - and its beauty too. I try in these pages to bring joy and not sorrow but this is a sorrowful story. Here is what I found on my drive to magnificent Quitobaquito - a desert oasis and sacred land to the Tohono O'odham.  I was so grateful to find that the springs still had water although geologists fear it may have been irreparably harmed. Time will tell. The wall is right next to it. I did spend a few hours there - breathing in the beauty and history and was joined by only a few people. As I was leaving a number of Tohono O'odham friends arrived. It was good to see them too.  Here are a few more photos from my trip.   I am grateful to each of you who reads this blog. I hope that it provides a bit of fun and relief. I also want to tell you that next year will be my 65th on earth and my 20th of sobriety. I plan on celebrating in epic style with a 2 month long trip around the USA - literally from sea to shining sea. Perhaps I will be coming to your town? Or perhaps you'd like to join me for a portion of the trip? I will be writing a blog post about this trip soon - let's talk! I am planning on seeing many of my friends along the way... Thanks for joining me on this little trip. I feel like a weight has been lifted - and now to get vaccinated... and back to concerts, restaurants, and the ballpark!   Sonoran Oasis - Quitobaquito Springs I write about it all the time and you know, if you've been following this blog for awhile, that I am a regular at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. I hope you have a place that fills your heart the way Organ Pipe fills mine. I'm not going to bore you with too much narration on this post - if you haven't been to Southwestern Arizona and you're ever interested in going let's talk... It was nice to go when it was warmer and quieter this year in April. I was on the lookout for snakes and scorpions and the mythical Gila Monster...but, alas, I saw none... Let's get on with the photos. With this post I'll do things a bit differently than previous posts - since I focused, to a large degree, on black and white images for this trip, we'll start there. These photos are from the first few days in Sonoran Desert heaven. The ruins at the bottom are from the Victoria Mine site.   The next series of photos are from the Ajo Mountain Drive and Puerto Blanco Road which includes photos of Bonita Well and Quitobaquito Springs as well as the trappings of the US Border Patrol. Perhaps, one day I'll devote an entire post to my interactions with the Border patrol since I'm often along the border in Arizona and New Mexico and see them regularly. The next photos are from the Desert Walk near the Twin Peaks campground on my last day. The photo at the bottom - with the early morning sun on a saguaro - is my favorite B&W of the trip.    Let's move on to color. For those of us growing up around the Mojave the Sonoran Desert always surprises us with its color. This year- after all the rain - and going in April was marvelous.   There is an oasis out there called Quitobaquito Springs home to the Quitobaquito (Sonoyta) Pupfish. I cherish it. Here is an afternoon panorama and other images.    I've spent many hours on the bench in the photo above simply soaking in the beauty and history and solitude. No place on earth I'd rather be...   I hope you enjoyed coming along. Catch ya down the road...  This was written prior to the decision, along with Syria and Nicaragua (who thinks the accord isn't enough), to drop out of the Paris accords regarding Climate Change. Multiply my comments by several factors... The photos above are from Mojave Trails National Monument. An online friend of mine R. Scott Jones suggested that us "nature and public land lovers" write a blog about the federal government's attack on our public lands. I think it's a wonderful idea. I started to write a long editorial essay regarding the Trump administration's "review" of our magnificent National Monuments and I wrote 6 pages of angry vitriol. The more I wrote the angrier I became. I made a list of the National Monuments I have visited. I made another list of the lies coming from Washington DC. I got ready to publish it and had second thoughts. I got depressed and sad as I thought about the world we're leaving for my grandchildren and their children. I started writing again and will try to offer a simpler message. I want to convey, without bitterness, the beauty of the public lands and how much is at stake if we lose them. I'm in love with what's left of the West and our National Monuments, National Parks, Wildlife Reserves, and ALL public land that WE own and that our descendants deserve to enjoy. I want to come from a place of love...not hate. My opinions on the decimation of the West are found, right here, on this website. If you want a more complete description of exactly what's happening this is an excellent article. My hunch is that venting my anger is not a productive exercise for those of you who follow this blog. I only hope you will condemn and resist the development of our public lands in general and our National Monuments in particular. Please join us in doing all we can to halt the destruction of our land. As Edward Abbey said, "The idea of wilderness needs no defense, it only needs defenders". Consider me an ardent defender. By any measure it's easy to see that our wild lands are being paved over, mined, drilled and ultimately destroyed. It is one of the great heartbreaks of my life. My words fail. I am too emotional to be very articulate. Instead, I offer more photos of one of my favorite National Monuments, Organ Pipe Cactus in southern Arizona. Please visit a National Monument if you can. I promise, if you do, you'll want to stop the madness of this "review". I hope you'll agree that these lands deserve saving. Contact your representatives by mail, email, or phone. Join one of the groups that advocate for the outdoors and our precious public lands. Fight for beauty and nature- it's a battle worth waging.  There was a popular song, written in 1927, called "My Blue Heaven", that my mother would sing to me as a child. Maybe you've heard it. One of the lyrics went: "Whippoorwills call, evenin' is nigh Hurry to my Blue Heaven and a little nest nestled where the roses bloom. Just Molly and me and the baby makes three." The song is filled with imagery and I pictured it in my mind's eye as a young boy. The words and my Mom's pretty voice soothed me and I remember asking her (she would have been 80 today) to sing it over and over again. I hadn't thought of this song for many, many years but on this latest trip to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument the song jumped into my head and the words naturally changed to my green heaven. The last several years now I have traveled extensively in the West and I've seen magnificent places but there is no place on earth that I feel more at home or connected to than Organ Pipe. The air itself is different. The earth feels differently below my feet. Edward Abbey served as a Park Ranger there and he loved the area too calling adjacent Cabeza Prieta the "finest desert wilderness in North America" and said this: Transparent and intangible as sunlight, yet always and everywhere present, the desert lures a man on and on, from the red-walled canyon to the smoke-blue ranges beyond, in a futile but fascinating quest for the great, unimaginable treasure which the desert seems to promise. Once caught by this golden lure you become a prospector for life. - Cactus Ed was right. I'm a "prospector" for what remains of my life. The Sonoran desert is very different than other deserts in North America. Since there are five seasons; winter, spring, summer, monsoon, and autumn, and two of those can see quite a bit of rain (winter and monsoon) the desert is truly alive. The last few years I've experienced some rain during January visits to the Monument and the beauty and smell of that experience is indescribable. On this trip it was warm and sunny which made for poor photographic opportunities but maximum recreation and relaxation. Another thing about this trip - I turned 60 recently and this damn birthday stimulated more than a few hours of introspection and reflection. As I look back I have many beautiful memories but I have also endured my share of pain: losing my parents to cancer and Alzheimer's too early, I was diagnosed with glaucoma at an unusually early age with all that entails, I faced appalling and dishonest injustice instigated and condoned by people I liked and trusted, I've lost several dear friends to death, suicide and the vagaries of time. Of course, I also extensively pondered all of my own terrible mistakes and sins which are too numerous and odious to count. While contemplating it became clear to me that while life has been, at times, profoundly joyful and fulfilling it has also been deeply sorrowful and painful and often seemed impossible to endure. But, endure I have. I know I've been foolish on occasion but I've gained some wisdom and I've hung on even when experiencing abject hopelessness. It seems clear that I am, if nothing else, resilient, and so it is with the desert. I love the sea and the mountains but, as I get older, and come to terms with my own mortality, my respect and affection for the desert grows more deeply every year. Life is hard, for sure, but the cacti, the creosote, the bobcat, the roadrunner and the lizard thrive against the odds in an often harsh and exposed existence. The resilient Sonoran desert not only gives me solace it inspires me to live my own life more fully and with fewer complaints. Wherever I go it will always remain my own true home. Remarkably, in this desert milieu live 850 plants and animals. Barren, brown desert? Not by a long shot. An example is the ocotillo (or coachwhip or candlewood). Talk about resilient. The ocotillo looks like an unassuming pile of dead sticks for much of the year. Then, if and when it rains, it becomes a brilliant green. It is a glorious transformation. It is a long drive (9 hours) out to Organ Pipe for me. I determined to simply relax and meditate on my first day. Perhaps I'd just hang around the campsite in the sun and maybe go for a short hike around the campground. When I woke up I had far too much energy for such sedentary activities. I jumped in the truck and drove to Ajo. I got my permit to travel in the Cabeza Prieta and Barry Goldwater Range and chatted with the BLM folks. I then decided to drive into the Cabeza Prieta and come back to camp via the Bates Well Road and Pozo Nuevo in Organ Pipe. The weather was warm and I drove with the windows wide open. I stopped and talked to whoever was around (except the Border Patrol who were parked in too many places). I met some eccentric and intrepid travelers out there. The desert does attract us oddballs. My people... In the middle of the day my old bones began to tire after two days of solid driving and several hours of being jostled on rutted and rocky dirt roads. I arrived at Bates Ranch in the northern portion of Organ Pipe Monument and took a few photos. If you find Bates Ranch as interesting as I do you can read more about its' history here. Despite being in the boundaries of a National Monument the ranch didn't actually stop operation until 1976. There is something about old West ranches that seems to ask for black and white photos. I also made some color photos of this fascinating place. The next few days I did get some of that sweet relaxation in. For the first time in many years I did not drive out to Quito Baquito but went on several short hikes in the Monument. I found some small hills to climb and meditate on. I studied the scenery. I sat in the slim shade of Saguaro and Senita cactus. I ate snacks in the cholla gardens. I stopped worrying. I listened to the crying coyotes each night. I made a few photographs but it was not a priority. I chatted with my campground neighbors. I relaxed out of my separation from the land. I visited with the Park Rangers. I slowed down. I heard the cactus wren and the ravens. I experienced each moment as fully as I could. I had a damn fine time. I saved, for the last day, a late afternoon and twilight drive through the Ajo Mountains. I rolled down the windows and crept along the road. A desert breeze blew through the cab of the truck. I occasionally stopped and got out to take photos and take short walks. I immersed myself in the desert. I thought of my children and wished they were with me. As I neared the end of the drive I started missing Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument and I hadn't left it yet. I'd apologize for the mawkish tone of this trip review but it wouldn't be sincere. I may wax tritely and in cliche riddled phrases but I'm at a loss to describe my love for the Sonoran Desert and if it sounds maudlin so be it. If you do get a feeling for my love of the place then I'm pleased. I encourage you to read Abbey, Bowden, and Krutch. They get closer to doing this slice of "green desert heaven" more justice than I ever will. I count the days until my next visit. Thanks for coming along. This last photo of dancing Saguaros is one that I enjoy. May you all be healthy, happy, safe and at ease. Until next time...  On Twitter it's apparent that reviewing one's photos for the year is all the rage. I consider myself a non-conformist but I kind of like the idea. This is true even if the exercise is nothing more than an oppportunity to review my travels and tribulations for the last 12 months. For me, it's easy to do that and one of the reasons that I started this website. I enjoy sharing the beauty of the West and looking at my photos will be an enjoyable activity. I am not, however, inclined to pick my "favorite" 12 photos. While ranking is cool I think that activity might make my head explode. Maybe next year... This was my first year traveling with my little travel trailer, a fiberglass egg, called, "El Correcaminos". It is quite different than sleeping in a tent or the back of my truck. In fact, it's so dang convenient that the first few months I traveled with it I'd get in the cozy little space and just want to stay there. This rather defeats the idea of getting a trailer which is to enjoy the great outdoors. I suppose it's natural though, when in a safe cocoon, to want to stay there. However, get out we did! Here are my some of my favorite photos from my trips this year. I started the year using JPEG and a Nikon D3300, editing using the Nikon software, and finished the year making RAW images with a Nikon D750 and editing them in Lightroom. The first photos are from Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument last January. For my birthday, the last one of my FIFTIES, Lupe and I took Banjo to Point Mugu. My next stop in the little trailer was Death Valley. I'd been there before but never during a "super bloom" or for so long. It was a good trip. In March I visited my Bay Area family. The last 6 years have been challenging for me in many ways but Lisa, Kara and Steve have always been there for me. How I love them... The photo below is of Lisa, Kara and their Dad, Jack. Jack is maybe, just maybe, the coolest guy I've ever known. In March Lupe and I went to Arizona. We spent time in the Superstitions and out at Organ Pipe. We had a wonderful time. Lupe is the perfect traveling partner. In late March Banjo and I spent a few days at the other-worldly Red Rock Canyon north of Los Angeles. It's a really cool place and reminded me of Utah or Abiquiu, NM.  In April, I headed out to Utah. I was able to spend time at Zion, Bryce, Escalante State Park and Kodachrome State Park. Magnificent. In May I spent some time in Joshua Tree and at San Onofre Beach. In June I was able to visit the newest National Park, Pinnacles, with my remarkable daughter Lilly and her friend Kennedy. Pinnacles is becoming a favorite as it is (relatively) uncrowded and sits in the heart of the scenic part of Central California. I'll be back next March for some spring photography in "Steinbeck Country". Lupe and I had to forego a planned trip to Glacier but we managed to spend a wonderful week in Lassen Volcanic National Park. When we returned we decided to establish an annual family and friends trip up there and 2017 will be our inaugural event. In August my friend Marty and I spent a week at Gaviota State Beach and on the Central Coast of California north of Santa Barbara. The next "big trip" I took was way up the Northern California coast to Redwoods National Park and then I spent another few days near Brookings, Oregon at Harris Beach State Park In October I visited my thoughtful and smart and long lost friend Eric Flaherty and took a short trip to Oak Creek Canyon in Arizona. In November I visited the wonderful Mojave. I love it out there... In December I took a very short trip to a local campground, Casper's Wilderness Park, and my truck began to have mechanical problems. I had to cancel my Anza Borrego trip and deal with having the truck in the shop 3 times in a two week period. Since I was convinced that my troubles with the truck were only beginning we bought a new Toyota Tacoma which will bring less worry to my travels in the next couple of years. This, then, wraps up my short review of the year's travels. I'm hard at work planning for 2017. I do hope each of you who read this have a magnificent holiday season and that next year is one of the best of your lives.
I recently returned from a gorgeous 3 days out in "Sonoran Heaven"- Organ Pipe Cactus National Park. Please look at the pictures under "Trip Reviews" and enjoy. I'm planning on heading out there again February when the wildflowers should be "popping"- especially with the recent rains down there. I can't tell you how much I love this place. I've been traveling there often since my first glimpse of this marvelous place in 1992.  Hi friends, it's been a while since I posted due to a number of reasons. First, my health hasn't been the best and includes an abscessed tooth which I'm having a root canal performed on next week. Then, my computer has been barely working, or at the computer repair shop, or not working at all. Its a pain in the butt to update from my phone (my iPod with 16000 songs also died- technology makes our lives so much easier, right?). I'll be returning this machine to the shop next week because, anytime now, it will freeze again.
Speaking of freezing it's been frigid around here and the snow level dropped to about 1400 feet blanketing the local hills in snow- a rare but welcome event. It did add a bit to the "holiday cheer" (is that an oxymoron?). We did make it through another round of the "Holiday Madness". I could go on and on regarding how much materialism repels me but I'll save that for another day when my tooth isn't hurting making me grumpier than usual. Time with my family is always the highlight and I did get some quality time in with my daughter and the new grand kids- Joaquin and Finley- precious angels both. What a remarkable gift they are. My travel has been limited by the same issues I mention above but I'm bound and determined to get out to Organ Pipe this month. I'll look forward to sharing pictures and stories. I do sincerely hope that 2015 is a banner year for you. I also hope it's a year filled with more kindness, justice and peace for all of us. I can't wait to start feeling better and head for Cactus Country. Peace. Happy Halloween and Dia De Los Muertos. I recently returned from a fine little desert trip (it's that time of the year again- Hallelujah) and you will find the recap under Trip Reviews. I decided, a couple weeks ago, to stay close to home and be on "baby watch" as my twin grandchildren are due soon. This trip was close enough that I felt comfortable going. It's a little over two hours away from our home.
My travel will now be limited until the blessings of the new additions arrive. To celebrate their impending arrival I'll be heading to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument in December. The wife and I are planning to scout some potential final retirement areas in which to live in the next several months in addition to my planned trips. Next year is starting to shape up quite well and I'm excited about that and my new grand-kids! Now, I'm off to meditate and, later, to practice guitar with my fat fingers or, as we call them in Spanish, "dedos gordos". Peace. |
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