Monday, May 6, at home in Arizona
RVSue and her canine crew has been put on a once-a-week posting schedule. Reggie, Roger, and I had a good week. More about that in a bit.
Photos take us back to 2014 and a daytrip from our camp at Green River, Utah, to the northern end of the San Rafael Swell. What a day that was!
Let’s begin with a few of the photos. –Sue
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Interstate 70 going west toward the Swell
It was a gorgeous, blue-sky day.
Photo taken from a scenic pull-out along the interstate.
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More Utah photos later. Time to return to this past week . . .
Dennis comes by the house.
Dennis is accompanied by his teenage son, also named Dennis. Their mission is to tear out the Mormon Tea tree (ugly) and the clothesline poles (ugly) which are in the way of the dump station port in the back yard.
The two Dennises soon discover that this runt of a tree has a tap root that will not let go. They dig about four feet down and repeatedly attempt to pull it out with the pickup truck.
“Watch the bumper,” Dennis the Dad instructs Dennis the Son. “I don’t want to lose the bumper.”
Finally the major part of the root system breaks loose.
The ugly tree is thrown aside. About eight inches of tap root is left and it’s holding on as if embedded in concrete.
It’s hot as the dickens and the men have been working a long time.
I tell them . . .
“This is too much. Put a piece of metal or thick plastic over the tap root, cover it with dirt, and be done with it.”
Oh, no, not these guys. They’re as tenacious as Reggie demanding griddle time to commence or as Roger keeping watch over whatever smells so good.
In other words, giving up is not an option.
Both Dennis the Dad and Dennis the Son immediately dismiss my suggestion; it will only grow back, they say.
I watch from the shade of the mesquite for signs of heat exhaustion.
The two determined Dennises continue making dirt fly with shovel and pick axe, pausing only for swigs of water. At last they get all the root out of the ground. Whew!
Next they tackle the clothesline poles.
I ask you: What is it that possesses people to do the things they do? Why does a clothesline pole require enough concrete to support a cell tower? Sure, we get wind here, but this is a POLE. Not a lot of resistance. What? It has to support 1,500+ pounds of wet laundry? Is that the goal?
Well, Dennis and Dennis work hard and they get the job done.
Later I rake the ground smooth.
Roger comes along and starts digging.
“It was nice of the men to make the dirt all soft and fluffy for you, wasn’t it, Roger.”
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Returning to our day trip in Utah . . . .
At exit 131 we take Frontage Road to Cottonwood Road, the latter turning northward.
I recall my excited anticipation, wondering what scenes lie ahead.
As you can see, the road is wide and easy to navigate with an RV of any size.
I park the Perfect Tow Vehicle and let Bridget and Spike out for a short walk-about.
May is an excellent time of year to explore this area. Then return in September for the Watermelon Festival put on by the town of Green River.
Get into the Time Travel Machine. We’re returning to this week at our home in Arizona. More Utah photos later.
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This was a week of yard maintenance.
I’m learning how to be an Arizona homeowner. Last month (April) the yard was green and wildflowers (aka weeds) began drying up as a stretch of no rain set in. This month (May) the yard is mostly brown and scraggly.
Smart Arizona homeowners, realizing the futility of attempting year-round grass, get out their mowers and weed-wackers this month and cut everything down to dirt level or close to it.
This I did. In phases. I like to pace myself. I’m happy to report that the entire property is mowed with all fence lines edged. It looks nice. Like a fresh start that gives a lawn maintenance reprieve, or at least a slow-down, until the monsoon rains roll in.
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Our day trip destination is San Rafael Rec Area at the mouth of “Little Grand Canyon.”
Wow!
We meet only one vehicle on Cottonwood Road.
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Back to the present!
Today our new mattress will be delivered!
I never thought I’d be this excited about a mattress. After 7+ years sleeping in the Best Little Trailer with two dogs on cushions only 27 inches wide, then moving up to a twin bed, I’m looking forward to stretching out on a queen-size mattress. As much as I love my crew, I think I’ll sleep better without Roger lying on my ankles like a box of lead and Reggie pawing at me to fix the covers just the way he likes them (I’m not kidding).
I sanded, painted, and set up the 80-dollar bed from the thrift store. The new sheets have been washed and dried. The bed covers are fresh and sweet-smelling, too. Delivery time is set between 1:30 and 4:30. I expect the boys and I will try it out with a nap as soon as the bed is made up.
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I’ll close this post with a few photos of the campground at San Rafael Rec. Area.
The San Rafael River flows by the campground. May 2014 it was a narrow stream.
Beyond the campground the road goes to Buckhorn Wash Rock Art Panel.
I’ll leave it up to you to visit in person or online to view the petroglyphs.
The campground and lands around it are under BLM management.
Rustic camping, far from any services.
Is it for you?
rvsue
NOTE (BACK TO THE PRESENT):
I did look at memory foam mattresses and they were enticing. The negative reviews scared me though. In the end I went with a conventional mattress and box spring set. Have you found the perfect mattress? Tell us about it!
Also, this once-a-week posting schedule means, more than ever, that this is your blog. Feel free, blogorinos, side-liners, and newbies, to keep this blog alive throughout the week with your participation in comments.
As always, thank you for shopping Amazon from here.
Happy Mother’s Day next Sunday! — Sue
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SMOOTHIE WEATHER IS HERE!
Goodbye, crock-pot; hello, smoothie maker! Now that short-sleeves, shorts, and sandals weather has arrived, I’m in the mood daily for sipping a refreshing fruit smoothie on our front porch.
With WalMart selling fresh strawberries from California at 99 cents a pound , I fix this basic recipe, give or take: orange juice, almond milk, and fruits (banana, pineapple, blueberries, heavy on the strawberries). I discovered that a fruit smoothie satisfies my craving for sweets.
RVSue recommends the AICOK personal blender available from Amazon.
This “personal” blender makes one very tall glass of smoothie (or enough to share). It smooths the ingredients in less than a minute and the receptacle and blades are easy to clean.
It’s available at Amazon! Surprise, surprise. (You knew that’s where I was going with this, didn’t you.) Get one for yourself and for someone you love. Enjoy! — Sue
THANK YOU FOR VISITING MY BLOG!
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