sunrise sunset

I'm not sure if I like sunrise or sunset better. I do know that I like it when there are dramatic clouds and intense color. And it's even better if there are palm trees involved.

Arizona sunrise reflecting on the side of Emoh (our 5th wheel trailer). Can't get enough of the palm trees.

Arizona sunset from the banks of the Colorado River. I love how the power line looks alien and yet completely belongs here.

Please feel free to leave a comment even just to say hi. I'd love to know you're out there and I'm not talking to myself :)

journal entry #3176

I was just reading through our journal and I had to share this day with you...

Thursday, Day 3,176

December 23, 2010

Padre Island National Seashore

morning sunrise coffee out our big back window

There’s been some shopping and there’s been some present wrapping and there’s been some meal planning going on here. We have fabulous weather and beach walking barefoot has become one of our favorite things to do. Yesterday I suggested to Dick that we have a non-traditional Christmas dinner (a scallop dish that he made on our wedding day!). It took a while for him to wrap his head around the idea, but this morning he is busy making a shopping list. 

great blue heron waiting for scraps from fishermen

We’ve also got to go to the main Corpus Christi post office to get our presents from family that are waiting at general delivery. The post office seems like a longs ways, but it’s not. We get our mail, do our grocery shopping and hurry back to camp, anxious not to miss our neighbor’s fish-fry. We are bad about giving people nicknames and the couple across from us have been “the horrible’s” from Michigan. Every day they go out fishing and return with a string of big fish. 

Turns out they’ve been saving filets in their freezer for a month. Everyone in the campground has been invited to bring their chairs, their beverage and “something to pass”. The whole campground shows up (over 50 of us) including the family of nine with www.ourbigtrip.us written on the side of their big motorhome. Dick makes a point of meeting the Dad. They are an interesting family who we will be seeing for a few more days. The “horribles” turn out to be interesting people. George fried up the fish-fry to die for. All of the fish was delicious, but the Florida pompano was the best. We even scored two baggies of left over frozen fillets. Later than evening, crazy Dick fried up a few more fillets and we ate ‘em while shouting out the answers to Jepardy. “What is Uranus, Alex?” is Dick’s favorite answer.

Please feel free to leave a comment or just say hi. I'd love to know that you're out there and I'm not really talking to myself. Writing I mean.

sandhill cranes

It's been six years since we visited Bisbee, Arizona. Too long. Not only is it a uniquely artsy community, it's very close to Whitewater Draw, a winter refuge for the sandhill cranes. We have a friend in the area who says at least half of them had started the long migration north by the time we arrived to see the spectacle. Imagine every square inch of ground in this picture covered with these cool birds. If only you could hear their cooing by looking at the photo. They share their home with many other birds. The white ones here are Snow Geese.

Please feel free to leave a comment or just say hi. I'd love to know that you're out there and I'm not talking (writing) to myself.

journal entry #3237

Dick and I take turns writing in our daily journal. Here's a day in the life...

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Rockhound State Park, Deming, NM

It's hard to believe that this is our first visit to this little state park, especially given my love of rocks. Deming, New Mexico is another one of those places that make you hold your nose as you drive by on I-10. It looks dirty, old and full of Border Patrol. But drive off the freeway and it's a completely different town. Cute little shops, lots of motels and southwest style architecture everywhere. The cold snap of a few weeks ago has taken it's toll here as well as the rest of the cities and towns we've driven through since our time at Big Bend. Ornamental palm trees are dead. It breaks my heart to see them all brown. Hopefully there will be some recovery.

Deming is ringed by desert mountains. The Florida Mountains are to the east and the state park is on the western slope with a nice view of the town sprawling down the valley towards Mexico. There are 24 power and water sites and we managed to score one of the two that were available when we got here yesterday. The sites are big and lush, very similar to Albert Lee State Park south of Alamogordo. 

There are trails all over and there's a sign when you enter the park, saying that this is the most unusual state park in the country. Visitors are encouraged to take home up to 15 pounds of rocks. There is jasper, thunder eggs and opal to be found here. We find jasper - gobs of it. But it's too hot and thorny for our little Hilldog, so we don't spend much time rockhounding. Sigh. We'll be back. You'll see.

Please feel free to leave me a comment or just say hi. It would be nice to know that you are out there and I'm not writing to myself :)