The Southwest has its change of seasons, too.
The last rain of monsoon season has the rain barrels full and overflowing.
Our trees may not burst with fall colors but they do have their own way of announcing the new season. For example, mesquite trees burst with pods and drop them all over the place. It wouldn’t be fall without something to rake, right?
Our tasks and routines change.
The scorching heat of summer is overtaken by brisk air and cool breezes. Even though we know it will happen — it does every year –we’re still surprised the day that summer (who always overstays her welcome in Arizona!) is ushered out without so much as a fare-thee-well.
Shoppers enter stores and breathlessly report the obvious. “Wow, it’s really cool today!” People respond with smiles and their own surprise. “Yeah, I know! I had to put on a sweatshirt this morning!”
Imagine that!
Shadows lengthen as summer turns to fall and beyond.
Summer is gone; fall is here!
The brisk air gives us energy with an awakened ambition to Get Things Done. We rake up the mesquite pods. We fuss around the house exterior and yard. Few of us have much grass. Our lawn mowers rumble over dirt, kicking up dust.
Mostly we get out our string trimmers.
Prickly weeds stick up from dirt-patch “lawns” like stubborn cowlicks on a perennially bad hair day. Like bees we zigzag from weed to weed, whacking them down. Soon we’re putting the weed-whacker away, confident that the job is done for a while.
Out along the highway . . . .
Sunflowers huddle together, three to six feet tall, lean and lanky. Self-conscious teenagers they are, bobbing among their friends, peeking with silly grins. They laugh at the hilarity of cars and trucks whizzing by.
The perfect days of fall are blissful. I eat all my meals on the porch.
All too soon winter butts in, uninvited.
Nothing like a hard freeze watch to slap us high-desert folk to attention. We’re so dang smug and complacent about our mild climate, you know.
Reading the stern announcement online (” . . . with temperatures as low as 26 degrees possible . . . .”), my internal whine-machine protests.
Hey, it’s still October! It’s too soon!
Followed by . . .
Hand-painted quail, $4 from the thrift shop
Gee, I should wrap the pipes!
This house has spigots on each of its four corners. The insulation foam and tape is torn and peeling. Fortunately, I anticipated this and have the necessary supplies on hand. I get right on that task.
Let’s see, what else . . . .
I take cuttings from the lantana and Mexican petunia plants which, by the way, are in full flush of bloom.
I have collected a variety of vases from the thrift store to be ready for this day.
A kitchen window with cuttings all lined up is a cheery reminder that spring follows winter.
I make sure all the bird feeders are filled to the top and the bird bath has fresh water.
These succulents are ready to be repotted.
Recently I repotted cacti and succulents, giving each their own pot.
Remember those little plants on the dining room windowsill that I showed you a while back? They’re all grown up now; some even have babies of their own.
Maybe someday I’ll plant a succulent garden outside . . . on the south side of the house where it’s warmest in winter.
Probably succulents in the ground will need cover during frosts to prevent scarring and I don’t know if I want to set myself up for that.
A desert garden!
I do plan to make a garden of cacti and other desert plants on the south side. During summer it gets so hot in that area that a desert garden seems the best plan. It will be fun creating it.
I’ve already picked up several books about gardening with desert plants (from the thrift store, of course!) and have a few cacti started in pots (see the little agave in next pic).
I carry several plants in pots inside.
The rest I load into the Gorilla cart and, like a nanny with her precious charges in tow, lead them into the house.
A Gorilla cart is the next best thing to having an on-site helper.
I park the cart in the utility/laundry room just inside the back door.
I can’t keep doing this all winter. Well, just for tonight. They haven’t had time to toughen up in their new pots.
Can you believe I planted two lantana plants only a week ago? Wal-mart was selling them so I figured I could do that. They’ve been happy in the flower bed in the side yard.
I cover them with overturned flower pots and hope for the best.
This morning . . . .
Well, everyone survives the night. The boys and I enjoyed having a heater on in the bedroom. I don’t think we had a hard freeze, but it was our coldest night so far.
Reggie and Roger shorten their usual, morning patrol. . . a quick lift of the back leg and a hurried, team-check of the yard’s perimeter. They always include a few sniffs of the front gate where the neighbor’s skinny cat sneaks in and out at night.
That done, they race past me through the open front door on a dash to the blankets.
Morning nap comes early today!
This old metal tea pot makes a precious flower pot.
I neglect to bring in from the porch the potted, pink geranium and the scraggly plant (in the photo) whose name escapes me at the moment.
They survive, only losing a few blossoms.
It’s cold today, this last day of October, in the sixties, but the sky is cloudless and blue, and the sun is shining!
No trick-or-treaters prowl our neighborhood. Good thing because I have no candy in the house.
Well, lookee at all I’ve written on this here blog!
“What are you dreaming about, Roger?”
For weeks I haven’t been able to come up with a post about “rvsue and her canine crew” and here I am rambling on and on.
I want to show you two major house repair and improvement projects recently completed. That will have to wait until another post.
I hope you are enjoying the change of seasons wherever you are!
rvsue
NOTE TO BLOGORINOS:
On behalf of Chuck and all those who knew and loved Geri, thank you for your words of sympathy and encouragement. I was going to write a tribute to Geri’s sweet spirit until I realized her spirit is already here in this blog, in her many friendly comments and in the posts about days we shared. I’m glad I recorded those times. — Sue
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THANK YOU FOR VISITING MY BLOG!
Did you know . . . .?
RVSue and her canine crew is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
In other words, when you enter Amazon from a link posted here, any order you place within 24 hours earns a fee for this blog. — Sue
~ ~ ~
RECOMMENDATION FOR A PRODUCT FROM AMAZON
Little by little I intend to build a collection of quality tools for home and yard. After much research online at the Amazon site, I decide on the Bully brand of tools.
Their tools are high quality, heavier and sturdier. Bully owners say one can expect the tools to last a lifetime. An important feature for me is they are “100% made in America.”
Recently I ordered this bow rake:
Bully Tools 92309 12-Gauge 16-Inch Bow Rake with Fiberglass Handle and 16 Steel Tines, 58-Inch
Here’s one type of leaf rake Bully sells:
Bully Tools 92312 Leaf and Thatching Rake with Fiberglass Handle and 24 Spring Steel Tines
The customer reviews are outstanding for Bully lawn and garden tools. Now that I have used my new rake several times, I can see why. — Sue
The crew warm up in the sunshine on the south side of the house.
~ ~ ~
Shop Amazon – Deals & Bargains
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Well, well. What a delightful post. We’re doing the same here too – preparing for winter. Blew out the sprinkler lines, first round of leaves picked up, vegetable garden pulled and tomatoes in the garage, RV is winterized and plenty of bird feed out and seed on had, along with suet cakes, to keep them fed all winter.
First? Ha!
Hi Sue!
Portulaca is the name. Commonly known as Moss Roses.
Succulent babies are called “pups.” Don’t know why, but that’s what Laura Eubanks, queen of the succulents, calls them. If you want to learn more about succulents, look up Laura Eubanks on YouTube. She has a thriving business of gardening with succulents down in San Diego.
Your house looks great! We are having some beautiful weather right now. No winds, power has been uninterrupted and it’s a beautiful 74 degrees.
Good to hear from you,
Chris
Fun to read all about your transition into fall and garden/yard activities. You have a way of chatting about the goings-on of life that just makes me want to keep reading. 😉 We too (here in the Salt Lake area) had a hard freeze a couple of nights ago — they were actually predicting single digits, but it only got to the low teens. Still cold enough to be grateful for a good heating system! I’ll look forward to the next post about your house projects.
Thanks for your detailed descriptions of season changes at your home. It’s fun to compare with ours, which are quite different in central NY state. I will come back later , when I am at home and free to chat.
Thank you, Sue, for your newsy notes. You know, I enjoy your adventures although they are limited to your premises mostly. You are such a skilled writer you could entertain us all in whatever circumstances come along. Your choices to do some things while saving other tasks for later (or never) are refreshing and remind me that I don’t have to seek perfection in all my mundane doings. Thanks so much for your honesty and cordiality.
Sue,
Your descriptions of AZ’s transitioning from Summer to Fall & eventual Winter is beautiful! Plans for the future desert garden sounds inspired.
Have missed you in your usual blogorino format, but understand completely. It’s your life…live it on your own terms. I’ll enjoy anything you care to share. Halloween night in MI brought our first snowfall! 🏊🍂🎃🦌🦃🎅…here we go again!! Take care of Sue, Reg & Rog 🐾🦴🦴🐾
What a treat seeing your post today!! It’s my birthday month so I’ve decided it’s my first birthday gift! Thank you! You haven’t lost your gift for writing a great blog or taking wonderful pictures. I love hearing about life in Arizona and the seasons you have. I’ve lived almost my whole almost 71 years in California so that’s all I know. What a blessing it is the be snug and cozy with fur kids to keep us company! Love to you and your crew from me and my crew.
Portulaca
Thanks for the lovely writing!
Good to get a report.We are housebound so far this winter .My 93 year old mother in law is in our home for home hospice and we are celebrating her life.I do not have a single complaint about her.She is one of the truly good ones.
Lovely weather even if it is a little cool at night! Those cheerful plants in the teapot are portullaca (sp?). I think your geranium will be fine too. I had one in a pot on my patio all winter in Rochester NY and the next spring if came back to life and actually bloomed that summer!
Can’t wait to hear about your house projects…I do love a cliff hanger!! I also love your rambling blogs it’s like a front porch chat!
Hello Sue, and hello Millie my fellow Rochesterian! I belong to a local garden exchange on Facebook. One member has a cactus garden, right here in western NY. I love portulaca, fond memories of my Mom’s garden years ago.
Well, it went quickly from fairly hot to rather cold here too…but long enough to get the most beautiful FALL colors I ever remember…the vividness of the reds is especially grand this year!! I remember my mother-in-law had something called hen and chicks that she planted in her front yard that faced West…in amongst some fair sized rocks (not so large one could not pick them up however). Those things did very well…in Southern Idaho…with very cold winters…I don’t remember her ever covering them up. So I imagine you could also find some similar plants that would endure there too.
The dogs look very healthy and happy…funny creatures!! So fortunate you are to have them, Sue!!
Dear Sue
So nice to have this post today. I definitely join the others in enjoying your catchup. Thank you for the pictures and thoughts. I am always amazed here in North Carolina that as soon as Labor Day arrives, the foliage starts to change. We don’t have the colors but the fall season just arrives in the air.
Best to you and the boys. Janet
Your little pot of flowers is called Portulaca or Moss Roses — they have always been one of my favs –Love what you have done to your house and look forward to aa blg tell about the new renovations. We need more antics of Rog and Reg we dont get to see enough of them these days — Stay Safe!!!
Hi, Sue,
Been wondering when we would hear from you. Thanks for checking in. I want a “pup” succulent for my man cave if I can find a variety that will thrive neglected and indoors.
It’s cold enough in our Tennessee hills for a fire in the fireplace. Love it! Looking forward to taking our trailer to Florida in late December however.
Great post!
Joe in TN — Cold in my section of NE TN also
A new post! Yeah! Loved every minute of it. Thanks for checking in, Sue.
Hi Sue and the boys, as always seeing a new post from you brings a huge smile to my face and slowly read all you have to tell us about today. Summer/Fall and now Winter came raging through East Texas as well. Which means we probably will wake up Christmas morning with 90 degree temps!! Oh I just can’t wait…not. I love the Fall season just wish it would last longer than 20 minutes.
Take care of you and the boys and stay safe out there my friend, Judy
Hi Sue and fellow friends,
Reading through this post, I saw the Quail figurine, and chuckled. Coincidence? Ha. I am sitting in a CG Sue has visited several times, and I’m enjoying her “covey of Quail”. Can anyone guess where I am? Site 28~ view of “pond mead”? Ha.
Larry and I love our little Wave 3 heater Sue. Could this be review enough or do I need say more about it? It warms our little home real well, and uses the tiniest bit of propane, that we are still both amazed! Shockingly, we use the stove quite a bit (at least twice a day), run our refrigerator on propane, and run that little heater every morning for a couple of hours maybe,(we get up so early, it’s still dark out!) and our propane tank will last 16-18 days. We are very pleased! Maybe my favorite part of this little heater is that it is silent! Silent is good! We had it installed (rather, Larry installed it) where you had yours put in, Sue. I was afraid to death we’d incinerate our bed covers or the cat, but in a month’s time, we haven’t had any incidents luckily. I was so very skeptical of it’s location, being that it’s the 3 of us, and we do use that bench seat still ~ (no rolling of the eyes please!) and still have the casita cushion on that bench seat. We do have the bed out into “Full-size” so it goes right out next to the seats. Nothing gets warm, except the air, and so far Kitty seems to give it a wide berth. So yes, we are very pleased! I might add, Kitty is most pleased too. =^,^=
Sue, this campground has not had a host for the past 3 days that we’ve been here, and no one has cleaned the bathroom down on this end. But also, “no one is here!” The no generator loop stays pretty quiet, doesn’t it? We choose site 28 as it seemed to have the best early sun exposure to warm up our very cold mornings. Later I looked back at your blog posts (several) and our site, and your photos look vaguely similar. Can it be? It is nice here, and even for $10/night it’s a pretty good deal. We needed to re-supply, and I’m a girl who can’t resist a Trader Joe’s!! Walmart, Smiths, haircuts – all within a short drive. I think they have paved this CG since you were here last. Fresh pavement, and the site pads are freshly paved. The rest is still pea gravel which is what I saw in your posts. Overall, it’s a nice CG, and we’d come back here again.
We stayed on Sand Mine Road last week, outside of Overton, NV. We got a site rather close to the main highway, as all the further in spots were taken. We drove up the road quite far looking, that Larry had to back up with the Casita in tow quite a way. What a champ! I cudda, but wouldn’t wanna! It was terrible-windy every single day we were there!! Windy and quite cold! We got laundry done in Overton, purchased some groceries, and hiked around Valley of Fire 2 days in a row. We went back in, past the tourist parking lots, and witnessed 6 Rams passing through in a matter of 3 hours. They were juvenile rams, and they all just sort of pranced on through (about 30 minutes apart) what must have been a route they use coming and going. There were no “ladies” present, which was odd, just the boys. No old, big male and his harem. We saw all the petroglyphs in the area, and got lots of good photos. Valley of Fire is a really neat park to visit and hike in, and we highly recommend it to anyone who hasn’t yet been.
We have hit Goblin Valley SP, Arches, Dead Horse Point SP, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef NP, Zion, and a few good out of the way hiking and camping spots since October 3. We are making our way to Havasu City to visit my brother in a week or so. In-between here and there, we plan to make a stop at Telephone Cove for a few days “on the beach”. We camped there last year after getting a tip from a fellow camper at the Salton Sea. It’s a very beautiful cove right on the sand, with the lake lapping at your feet; Lake Mead. It was, however, windy there last year, and I’ve had my share of wind for awhile I think. I hope to get a break when we are there. The day we bailed out of LaVerkin, NV (outside Zion) they were expecting 50MPH gusts, and a low of 19! We beat feet at 6:30 am in the dark, and drove away without looking back. We left 6 of our levelers, ugh. Lesson learned! WM again saves the day with their RV supplies. 😉
Utah has been magic. What a gorgeous state! We will definitely be back! As we make our way south, we hope to experience more wonder, and see more amazing places! I will give away a little secret; we are headed down to Baja in December. Yup! We are going to give it a go! Wish us luck, as we have not done this before. I remember how Tioga George loved Mexico, and several readers here go or have gone, every year. It’s now or never; Mexico or bust!! We will have to find our li’l mascot a tiny sombrero, and put his photo up on our travel page.
Okay, for all you still wondering where we are; we are at Las Vegas Bay CG, outside Henderson, NV. A place Sue has blogged about many times. It almost feels too weird to be sitting here knowing I’m very close to where Sue and her various doggies have literally walked by many times. Kinda gives me goosebumps! And I secretly wonder if we are near the site she choose too, that she said “is the best site in this CG in my opinion”. Something to do with the first sun rays of the day warming the door side of the Casita. I would agree, I think we have the perfect spot. The little covey of quail Sue mentioned, are still here. Kitty enjoys watching them from the window with great delight!
I hope this finds you Sue, Regg and Rogg , and fellow blogerinos well, happy, and loving the Fall colors and cooler temperatures. Cool, crisp, sunny days are my favorite!! Aloha for now!!
Suzi, Larry, and Kitty “meow!”
Great report, Suzi! Every detail was a joy for me to read! I love all your updates.
You’ve been on my mind, knowing you were in Overton this late in the year. I’m glad the Wave 3 heater is keeping you warm. That area is busy in late fall with snowbirds on their way south.
A surprise: You did laundry in Overton….. That was the only drawback to camping there. To do laundry you had to camp at the RV park or drive many miles, as the laundromat had closed. Did it open?
Nice to hear the quail are still at Las Vegas Bay CG! 🙂
Safe travels and fun times…. for you, Larry, and Kitty
Yes Sue, the Overton Laundry is open, although there were several problems with the machines that we encountered. However the fella who owns it also works at the ACE Hardware, has his number posted on the wall, and came right over twice to fix the issue. He was very apologetic and polite. I imagine that the laundry there takes a beating with constant “overuse”.
Poverty Flats was packed! Never seeing it before, my mouth gaped open when we drove past looking for Sand Mine Road. I couldn’t believe how the larger RVs all cluster so close together! To each his own, right? The next Mesa over was quite a bit more spread out and peaceful. Except for the wind one night- man! Remember waking up one morning and chasing down Reggie’s bed right near the abyss? Lol… Larry rescued our Crocks from going over said abyss right before we turned out the lights. We would have woken up to find no shoes to slip on in the morning. He came in the door like a hurricane with a mouth and eyes full of dirt. He was a sight!
I’m glad you enjoyed my post. 😍
I enjoyed it, too, although it gives me itchy feet.
What a wonderful description of your travels. Those Utah destinations are some of our favorites, too.
Yes! To Utah!! Gorgeous red-rock country! 🧡
Hi, Suzicruzi!
Thank you for sharing another trip report from Suzucruzi, Larry, and Kitty’s Great Adventure! Utah is one of my favorite places that I have visited. It is amazing how dramatically the landscape changes as one drives along. Spectacularly beautiful!! 😊
I think it is so cool that you all are finding some of Sue’s favorite spots! Not only that, you are sharing new, updated information that will be helpful to fellow blogorinos who are on the road or are hoping to launch soon.
Your trip to Baja is just around the corner! It will be here before you know it! All will go well – safe travels! Do you think Kitty will let you put a tiny sombrero on her? Oh, what a cute picture that will make!
Thank you for sharing your adventure with us! I have Gracie pup on my lap as we armchair travel with you all! We are excited to see our next destination! Have a great evening, Suzicrizi & Crew! 😊
P.S. – So glad to hear that your Wave 3 heater is a perfect fit to keep you all cozily warm, and that Kitty has not singed any whiskers.
Hi Denise, Kitty might allow the hat for a nano second if I bait him with a treat! Who knows? You know, for a rescue who has only spent his life indoors (his choice), he’s doing remarkable with us on the road. I can leash him up, and let him lead me around the camper outside for a few minutes with tail swishing like crazy. If he hears noises or cars and voices he wants back inside like a flash. I am just so proud of him and how well he’s done considering he’d never been in a car before. Now he rides like a champ! He will always be a timid and shy cat, but he’s adapted to the road life better than we had hoped for. We do t have to keep his litter box in the house anymore, even at night. He will ask to go out to the van to use it, without fail. This was huge! We miss having a doggo, but for now a traveling Kitty is pretty sweet! Thanks for commenting! 😽
We are on “the beach” at Lake Mohave enjoying some beautiful sand and blue-blue water today! This is a wonderful 7 day limit boondocking spot. There is a price to be paid driving down the 4+ mi crooked, hilly, and very bumpy dirt road to get here. But once you have arrived, it’s bliss! All you need are shorts, tee shirts and a good hat, sandals, and a Mai Tai 🍹- in November!
Thanks for following along. 😸
What a delightful post! You painted a wonderful word-picture of the teen aged sunflowers laughing at the cars and trucks whizzing by – I loved it. We have a gigantic, enormous cactus in a large pot in our sideyard. When I stuck it in there it was less than a foot high and now it looks to be about 11 or 12 feet high. I wish I had a way to get it to you for your planned cactus garden because it looks like a bit of an interloper where I have it because that side of our yard has evolved into a Mediterranean garden. Oh well, the United Nations of plants, I guess. It is cooler here – someone said it was the coldest Halloween on record since 18something. I am wearing a heavy jacket when I take the dogs out for their evening walk and I’ve noticed they are pretty quick to make their nightly “deposits” and head back to the house, whereas in the summer they want to stop and sniff and pee a drop or two on every vertical surface before they get on to the serious stuff! Thanks for the recommendation re tools – I need to start replacing some of mine.
Fall in Arizona, such a nice change to the hot temperatures. Mesquite pods, I hated them when we had the house! We had a huge mesquite tree in the front and each year it would release a multitude of pods. If we didn’t rake them up the pack rats would invade. Not necessarily a bad thing, except the rats liked to chew wires on cars or trucks. The rats would also bring the snakes in! S.V. Did get cold earlier than usual, but the temps will be (are) back to the 70s now. The boys should be on a longer patrol with these temps.
I loved this post! I love how you are just settling in and finding your groove in your home. All the plant clippings, love it! We have had 2 snowfalls here in Iowa already. It is wayyyyy too early! I am not really ready for winter weather yet. It seems like we hardly had fall! Looking forward to hearing about your home improvements!
Great hearing from you Sue!
Wonderful to hear from you, Sue! Your descriptions of everyday life is so enjoyable to read. Never be concerned about no one being interested!
It makes me chuckle when you describe 60 degrees as chilly. That’s warm here in MN at this time of year.
Lovely post! I enjoy reading whatever you write about as you definitely have a way with words! In fact, your writing style reminds me of Barbara Kingsolver! Well done!
Oh my word….you have been busy! Really busy! The boys look great!
Pool noodles work great for outside…and they should be on clearance. For the spigots you can used a pot holder mitt.
It’s chilly up here…turned off the AC but haven’t turned on the heater or fireplace. Jules is back from NY. 40 days and nights…literally froze her toosh off!
Weather….hope the high winds weren’t too bad last night for you. The Black River has jumped its banks…only one way in and out. Lots of trees down. Stay warm and dry!
Thanks for the good hopes, the steady winds were strong and the gusts coming off the lake were much more intense. The tree by my kitchen window lost a 6 inch in diameter bough that was growing above the roof. Get this, though- it fell against the metal reinforced corner so hard that the impact stripped off it’s bark, then it bounced AWAY from my jeep and came to rest in a spot that was recently filled with a pile of fallen leaves. My other door faces the lake and despite it’s being locked was blown wide open, thankfully, I was able to simply close and relock the door and there’s no damage. Jules left at a good time, this week the temps are steadily dropping, it looks like warm days(with the highs at 50 degrees or above) will be few and far between for quite a while here again. Enjoy your fireplace when you do turn it on, and stay well.
Wow, weather. Thank God you are okay, as well as your home and Jeep!
Thanks, Sue, I’m smiling about your caring 🙂
So glad to hear that you were protected from the branch falling, Weather!! Trees have felled plenty of people over time…so you are indeed protected!! Stay safe too!!
Hi weather, you were lucky not to sustain damage. One of the reasons I sold my condo was wind -storm concerns after an old growth Cedar tree crushed my neighbors unit during a huge storm. I never slept well during rain and wind storms after that.
Hi, weather,
Thank God you, your crew, home and Jeep are ok. Yes, you are being watched over and protected! I am relieved – sending you a **hug**
Thank you, my dear fellow blogorinos, for your understanding, caring concern and hug. Divine protection is something I rely on regularly, I cannot count the times I’ve been spared from a lot of problems in life. I pray the same be given to each of you !
As usual, I love the pics, especially the ones of those adorable little boys! Just yesterday, FINALLY, the sunshine state got a break from its awful, soupy, suffocating humidity. I was in Chattanooga last week, and the air was so clear and crisp up there; would love to move up there, but hesitate to leave family and friends here at my age (74). In years past, I’ve also thought about a move to AZ where the air is dry.
Hi to all, and welcome Fall. I wish I could say the same for SoFlo. We are still in the hot weather, so much so that I have delayed putting in the garden. Although that was not entirely by choice either, our trip to visit relatives kept us away during prime planting time. The trip was long, 4300 miles, and wonderful! We saw family members that I have not seen in years, some in decades. We also saw some beautiful Fall foliage and enjoyed our furnace in the trailer, as well as replenishing my supply of Maple Syrup. I look forward to cooler days ahead.
Had to get a new battery for my phone. Sue, your message was the first thing I saw, squealed with delight when I saw your post arrival in my email, young man at the counter jumped back with wild eyes, so funny. Am out and about so I’ll drop in later. Hi blogorinos!
Take Care
Hi Sue! Thanks so much for a new blog. You are such a talented writer! Thank you! I saw you post come in on Friday. It’s such a treat to get a new post that I saved it for my favorite time of the week. Weekend mornings drinking coffee in the sunshine ☀️, hanging out with my cats!
It’s finally starting to get cool here. I had to turn on my heater the other night. I’m always grateful that the old girl cuts on without a problem considering how old she is.
Been ordering a few odds and ends through your Amazon link. Hope you and Reggie and Roger have a wonderful Sunday!
Thank you, Dawn! You have a wonderful Sunday, too. 🙂
Hello, Blogorinos!
How nice to hear from you! Your presence fills me with love and gratitude. I know that’s an overblown thing to say, but it’s true. To be the recipient of kind thoughts, compliments, and well wishes from people whom I’ve never met is a special blessing.
We’re having a beautiful Sunday here! I hope you are, too. Reg, Rog, and I have been outside for a couple hours already and it’s only 9 a.m. as I write this.
My sick-with-blackspot roses are making a valiant effort before winter. Possibly their last gasp? I’m amazed at the lovely blooms they are putting out in spite of adversity. A lesson for all of us, eh?
A pair of cactus wrens have taken up residence. They remind me of early camps in the desert near Ajo, Arizona. That’s where I first saw them, flying from one saguaro to another.
Also a couple of roadrunners ran across the road when I returned from the store yesterday. I remember it was Geri who pointed out my first sighting, “Look! There goes a roadrunner!” That was at Elephant Butte, New Mexico.
I should write a post someday about the many reminders we receive at the house of camps and discoveries we enjoyed while full-timing. The “firsts” in life are precious, as are the memories.
I hope you’ll take a moment to let us know about your Sunday or your plans for the coming week and beyond. Feel welcome to share what’s on your mind. It’s always a pleasure to read what you have to say!
Love,
Sue
Hello all, from beautiful New Mexico! I have been lurking, mostly, lately but have enjoyed the comments. I was glad to get your new post, RV Sue, and very sorry to read about Geri’s passing. It was because of her we visited City of Rocks, one of my all time favorite campgrounds. You wrote another wonderful post, and I was glad to read it. Bret and I are enjoying learning about and visiting places in our new state! I love the weather here, though it has been pretty cold lately at night. Suzi Cruz, your posts are very enjoyable! Keep it up! Reggie and Roger look happy and healthy! Take care!
I’m glad you’re liking your new home, Terri! Thanks for the friendly post!
Hello all,
I know I said that I would not bring this up again till I was in NM. But…..I have a question…..since I am…..in…….OK……and WILL be in NM tomorrow! Are there any places in NM where it is still warm enough to camp in a truck with a camper shell, a bed and down comforters?….and a little heater for mornings? Or, would I be better off to just keep heading west and then south to around Why, AZ? Thank you for any suggestions you may have. 🙂
Love from OK,
MB, Bella and Molly
Hi, MB!
Oh, how exciting!!! You are on the road!!! I send you warm wishes for safe travels and ease in finding good boondock sites. You do have Bella and Molly to snuggle to keep you warm – it is amazing sometimes how much body heat our pets generate.
I hope you will be able to let us know how your trip is going. Whoo-Hoo from your fellow Virginian – you go, girl!! 😊
Thanks Denise!
Question for Blogorinos from MB from VA (see comment above):
Are there any places in NM where it is still warm enough to camp in a truck with a camper shell, a bed and down comforters?
MB….
A quick look at weatherunderground.com, which I find most reliable, shows overnight lows in the high 30s and low 40s this week for a route going west from OK. Of course, this doesn’t mean all night long, just in the predawn hour or so.
What temp is too low for you? Do you know yet? You mention a heater… Are you looking for a place with elec. hookup? I don’t know enough about your style of camping to give a specific recommendation.
If it were me (which isn’t necessarily what’s right for you), relying on solar, I’d bundle up and put up with a cold morning and get some rest, rather than having a long drive day. OK to Why, AZ, is a lot of miles in one day (675+ miles!).
You don’t say where you are in OK. If you enter NM thru the Hobbs area, you could make an overnight somewhere around Carlsbad. Temps Hi/Lo: Mon 81/40, Tues. 68/50 (weird drop for the high!), rain on Wed. Check these temps. closer to the time you set out.
Try to keep to the lower elevations as best you can.
Thanks Sue! No….not to Why in one day. Lynchburg Va to West Memphis AK is about all I can handle! LOL! We are in hotels until I get to NM or AZ. We have a little buddy heater. And we have a tent and a sleeping place in the back of our truck.
I won’t be able to stay through the winter for several reasons but had a little window and decided to fly through it!
Thanks for the website. That will be helpful. I have been looking at weather and reading your “winter posts” to see where you were.
Gotta work for awhile then off we go.
Have a great day!
MB
MB,
I know I’m late to the party, but I’m so happy for you! Congratulations for getting to hit the road no matter for what length of time. So excited to hear about your adventures!
Thanks Dawn!
Hello everyone!
I hope you are all having a wonderful Fall! This is the first time I’ve been in AZ during this time of year. I love it! We went down south to Why but did not stay. I can see where it would be a great place to spend the winter but since my time is limited, I decided to come back north to the places I dearly love. So, we are using Williams as a “home base”. (I did love seeing the Why Not and thinking of Sue and the boys being there.) I found a very nice but cheap hotel…one in which I have stayed on previous trips. Since it is off season, it is shockingly reasonable. I know that if I were full-timing, I could not do this but since I’m not….it works.
We have made lots of day trips and one camping trip near Kingman. (And we even spent the night in a truck stop! It was actually kinda fun.) It has been enough to let me know that I would love camping in the summer/early Fall. We have also done lots of “boondocking for the day” (too cold at night for us) around Williams. Sue, it was so much fun to finally see what you mean about finding boondocks. I get it now!
I will be heading for VA soon. But I WILL BE BACK! This was just enough of a taste to let me know, for sure, how much I would enjoy it. I love this area of AZ enough to call it home someday but what is so awesome about AZ (to me) is it’s diversity. Getting bored with the scenery? Drive and hour and it looks like you’re in a different state! VA is diverse with its mountains and seashore….but it takes more than an hour to see the change. 😉
Things may be looking up on the work front. The owners of the little company for whom I work are not ones to just give up when their main $$$ maker pulls out. They have been looking for other opportunities. I’ve been helping all I can with research ect. And it may be bearing fruit. Fingers and toes crossed!
Wishing you all a beautiful day!
MB
Hi, Sue, Reggie, and Roger!
It was so nice to see a new post, Sue! We were chatting amongst ourselves, but you were missed. After all, your blog is the reason we are here. Thank you for putting out the welcome mat on your virtual porch for us to gather. We catch up on news, share advice, and provide support and prayers when needed. The blogorino family is a very special place.
You really have had an awesome Sunday! Seeing a pair of roadrunners up close is a treat! I hope your roses survive the winter. Maybe a cold snap will kill the fungus but spare the plants. Your plan for a succulent garden sounds so nice. Maybe some of your neighbors would be open to giving you a cutting or two from their cacti and succulents. You are so successful with getting cuttings to root, you would have a nice start on filling in the garden. My County Extension Office offers tree saplings every Spring for free. They usually are a 10 – 12” twig. I have successfully nurtured one loblolly pine tree. Maybe your town or county offers something similar – plants suited for zeriscaping.
Gracie pup and I had a quiet, enjoyable Sunday. We had the time change last night where we gained an hour. Even so, we took a late morning nap. In an effort to de-clutter I will be sorting through my paper crafting stash. I received many items free as a bonus when I placed orders over the years. Even though the majority of the items were not something I would have purchased, I hung on to them…because well, you never know, I might find use for it. They have not been touched – time to purge! I also have items that I purchased with great intentions but my interests have changed. Once I get my stash sorted, I will email the list of the items to a friend. If she is interested in any of the stash, I will happily give them to her. The rest I hope to sell on eBay. I have made purchases on eBay, but have never tried to sell anything. Hopefully it will be a worthwhile experience.
Does anyone have any advice regarding selling on eBay? I know a good description and pictures are key.
Sending you, Reggie, and Roger lots of love and hugs from me and Gracie pup! Have a good evening, Sue – love you!
Lots of love and hugs back at you and Gracie pup! What a wonderful, chatty comment!
Funny thing… I had to fix a typo…. At first I wrote “Love of lugs to you and Gracie pup!” 🙂
You have a good evening,too. I hope blogorinos give you tips for Ebay sales. I know very little about it, never tried it.
Hi, Sue!
That is so funny! Most of my typos are caused my my iPad’s spell check kicking in. Gracie pup and I thank you for the love and hugs! 😊
Hello Denise, First, I would try a local classified service if available. Ebay will take 10% of your selling price and Paypal will take another 3%.
I avoid the auctions and always used the long term fixed price system. I also always set my price well above my lowest acceptable amount and use the ‘Or Best Offer’ option. ie: lowest $100, ask $179 OBO. Remember if you sell for $100 you will only see $85 or so. If it doesn’t sell in a few weeks lower your asking price to $149. Be patient.
Thank you for the advice, Mick! I will research if there is a local marketplace available and if there is site specific to crafters wanting to sell some of their stash. Yes, the fees do need to be kept in mind when setting prices.
On a related note….sellers on Etsy have to pay a boatload of fees: A listing fee $0.20 per item, plus 5% of the sales price AND a 5% fee on shipping charges + the PayPal 3% processing fee. The Etsy shipping fee is ridiculous as sellers pay for shipping out of their own pocket and ship the packages themselves! I have read that many fabric and pattern designers, makers, sewists, and quilters have been leaving Etsy and opening their own shops using Shopify.
Thank you again, Mick. Have a good evening! 😊
Thanks for the post!
This again reminds me that “everybody and his brother” recommends indoor plants for a couple of my conditions and also to maintain the spirit. Yours look good from here.
I’d have commented sooner but was involved with moving friends. Of course, I spent most of my driving time comparing the camper potential of the 15-foot box truck I was driving to the 10-footer I used the last time. They’re both okay to drive, but I can’t see what I’d do with 15 x 7 feet of space.
After the usual roller coaster, late autumn may be here for a while in Ohio. We’re having freeze warnings and wearing layers. I’m good with this up until we get snow.
Hi, Calvin . . . .
Ha! Fifteen by seven feet is too spacious! Love your minimalism!
Welcome back, you have been missed. Glad that all is going great with each of you. In South Georgia we have been thankful for the break from 90+ degree weather this past week. I enjoy your post.
Sherry
Happy Monday, Sue and fellow blogorinos!
This weekend as I was driving home, a bald eagle flew across the road just in front of me. He was a beauty! Richmond has several pairs of bald eagles who nest on the James River. I live near the river, but rarely see bald eagles in my area. The sighting was such a happy moment! 😊
Hi Denise!
What a special treat to see the bald eagles. That would have made my day too. Hope you and Gracie are well.
Hi, Dawn!
Gracie pup and I are ready for our first taste of winter weather. Tomorrow and Saturday our temps will be in the 40s and Tuesday there is a chance of snow!
Have a great weekend – it is just around the corner! 😊
Hi Sue and all,
It was great reading your very enjoyable post! Love to hear you musings and stories.
I read it the day you wrote but didn’t have a chance to post my thoughts until today but I remember thinking, WOW, it is warmer here in NH than AZ. We have had an interesting fall so far. Weather on Halloween hit 70. I remember just a few years ago (lose track if it was 2 or 3 years), we had a pretty good size snow storm on Halloween.
I’m not complaining as I’m in no hurry for snow and always happy for an extended mild fall! Unfortunately, looks like they are predicting a 1/2 foot of snow for this Friday…but maybe not. Hey, it’s NH so you just never know until it happens! I was a little sad though to turn back the clock this weekend and leave work while it was dark outside today.
Enjoy your fall and all the coming Holidays!
Hey, Sue,
Living in Colorado for 30 odd years, there were always Chicks n’ Hens and other succulents in most folks’ rock gardens. There were many below zero weeks and the plants did just fine outside. Here in Washington State it can run at freezing temps for weeks and the plants (in pots) have faired well. They do not, however, like the long wet periods of the PNW. Maybe for peace of mind you wouldn’t need to cover them but just try to sink the pot into some leaves or grass for insulation or just bring them closer to the house. On your porch or patio, perhaps? Whichever gets the most sun.
MV Gal
Hi, Maple Valley Gal,
Those are great tips to help potted plants survive the winter. I have used a similar approach successfully. Potted plants are put next to my home’s foundation and then covered with a bag of mulch. Sue has an abundance of pine tags, they could be used for mulch.
🙂
Very nice post Sue, well it looks like I’m going to live a long life with the help of the Lord and the VA, seems so because I had or still but healing nicely of pneumonia and COPD’ I’m doing great and I have a “Drive” F22 Walker that keeps me from falling too, I zip around like a Racer and I am getting better at everything as one can do, BTW, I will be the Big 70 in 10 days and 34 more to go Hopefully before the Lord takes me Home. You all have a Beautiful and Pleasant week and Thank you for your wonderful Prayers,,,,, 👍👣👣
It’s great to know you’re doing well, Rusty! Keep it up.
Glad you’re getting better Rusty! Thanks for the update.
Yay Rusty!!! Great news!!! 🤠. Thank you so much for letting us know! I’ll do a happy dance for ya!! Just pretend you are here with us, wriggling your toes in the sand on the shores of Lake Mohave. ☀️😎 77°, a stiff breeze, and its mighty fine!
Blessings,
Suzi, Larry, & Kitty 😻
I would like to wish all the Veterans a Pleasant and safe Veterans Day tomorrow, we at U.S.VETS are going to be in the Veterans Parade and a few will ride on the Float and a few will walk through this fine City of Prescott, then back at our residence we will have a very Patriot Veterans Dinner, thanks to all for your support!,,,,,,,,, Rusty
Thank you for your service, Rusty. Take good care of yourself.
We Veterans thank you all for your support 👍
Happy Birthday, Rusty…hope you have a wonderful day. Have you heard how Miss Piper is doing? Any plans to return to Kentucky? Glad to hear you’re improving. God Bless.
Hi, Sue,
I love the header photo today. Wow! Such a beautiful, fiery sky!
I hope you, Reggie, and Roger have a great day! Sending you all lots of love and hugs from me and Gracie pup! xo 😊
By the way, when the kazoo shows up on the Amazon list, that’s mine.
Calvin… Thanks for thinking of me when shopping Amazon. I don’t see the kazoo. When did you order it?
November 6, and got it the next day.
I don’t see it. Did you place the order within 24 hours of entering Amazon from one of the links? (That’s “place the order” not finalize an order initiated previously or via a different portal.) Products held in the cart or put on wish lists do not apply.
I appreciate the thought. I hope you are enjoying the kazoo!
I checked again and now I see it! I don’t know why I didn’t see it before out of only a handful of items sold around that time. Weird.
Neat item. 🙂
Hi Everyone! I’m very excited to share that I just got a Lodge cast iron dutch oven to cook with. I now have 3 cast iron skillets of different sizes and now a dutch oven. I am over the moon! Love, love, LOVE my cast iron pots and pans. I also got an immersion blender to try out. I’m always looking for new dinner recipes. So, if y’all have some great ones you’d like to share, I’d love to have them. I don’t eat pork, is the only thing. I’ve also been experimenting with cooking more vegetarian meals. I like the idea of going a few days without eating meat. Tonight I’m trying a tortilla corn soup for the first time. Hey, it has corn and potatoes, so I’m happy already!
Hope everyone is doing well. It is very cold in NC right now. It’s even cold at work, which NEVER happens! Usually it’s so hot at work in the winter, that I have to crack a window open or use the fan!
Love to hear how the rest of you are doing!
Hi, Dawn,
I’d like to post links to Lodge pots and pans and also to the immersion blender you have. If you like your blender, would you let me know the brand and model so I can post a recommendation? Thank you…. Stay warm!
Hi Sue,
I’d be happy to post those links. The dutch oven was a gift, otherwise I would have bought it through your link. This is the link to the dutch oven
Lodge L8DD3 Cast Iron Dutch Oven, 5 qt
(The link above to Amazon is one of mine. –Sue)
This one is for the skillet.
Lodge L10SK3ASHH41B Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet with Red Silicone Hot Handle Holder, 12-Inch
(The link above to Amazon is one of mine. — Sue)
I love Lodge because it’s a family owned American company. I believe that all the products are also made in America.
The other thing I love is that the cast iron can go from cooktop into the oven.
I haven’t tried out my immersion blender yet. I should be trying it out this weekend. I’ll let you know!
Thanks for the reply, Dawn.
I appreciate the effort you put into posting links to the products. However, I removed them because blogorinos may mistakenly believe they are supporting this blog by using those links.
Sorry about that! Next time i’ll use the asin number.
No big deal. 🙂
Made us some yummy gluten-free sausage gravy over homemade gf biscuits today. I substitute for pork sausage with some other kind, either premade or just with seasonings and some ground turkey (in that seasoning is a bit of coconut sugar…which makes it more pork-like in taste). I find at least with ground recipes that include pork, if I use ground turkey and some sweetening…goes just fine. I love cast iron skillets but in this apt I am not using mine as the stove top is glass and easily scratched I can already see…argh!! But maybe wherever we live next might have a less delicate stovetop…so am storing it for now!! I used to make a kind of taco meat with cornbread topping meal in one large cast iron skillet I had. You make up your taco seasoned ground meat, add onions, sliced black olives, and even some finely chopped veggies would work, a can of rinsed beans…my favorite are small red beans, and when that is cooked, add some cornbread batter to top and throw into oven to bake. We added some salsa, grated cheese, green onions etc to it once it was in our bowls. (My recipe is not very precise…but I am sure you can figure it out). Bon Apetit
Nice to hear how you are doing. We are staying home a lot…I continue working on my gluten free recipes etc. Never bored…never time enough to do all I would like to do!!
Hi Elizabeth! Thanks for the recipe ideas. Your taco meat with cornbread topping! I’d like to try that. If you’re ever interested, I have a really good vegan recipe for enchilada casserole. I know vegan doesn’t sound good, but it’s wonderful. It’s got plenty of veggies and taste. I make it vegetarian by using real cheese and sour cream. I was first served it at someone’s home. It was way better than the meat enchiladas that were there.
How is your husband’s health? I hope he is doing better and that you are having better luck navigating the health care system. It can be a bear.
Hi Dawn,
Thanks for your ideas too…I cannot eat milk products…just fake ones. I have yet to find a truly tasty fake cheese that melts well and tastes good. I do have a few recipes that SEEM to be with cheese or milk in taste, yet aren’t…so I have to be happy with those. I do not eat a lot of meat…and am working on focusing more on veggie recipes.
Thanks for asking about Hubby…he seems to be in a stable spot presently. Nothing is going on with his hydrocephalus. He has remembered even some times he passed out in childhood (fortunately always seems to feel bad before they hit so knows it)…so thinks maybe it is something he always has had. And actually having a shunt is not a perfect answer either…about 60% success rate. So for now, we are not doing anything other than trying to exercise more, eat better and try to get the diabetes in better control. And waiting to see what happens I guess. We have not found good medical care in this community so far. And there is no point in just being a guinea pig. And we pray and hope for the best.
As we’re also doing some nesting at our little winter spot I’m far behind on blog reading. Glad that cold snap moved through quickly. What a lovely Fall we’re having.
Love your happy sunflowers along the road 🙂 Enjoying your home stories and seeing all you’re up to at the house. I’m torn about succulents as we don’t know what our watering system will be for the many months we’ll be on the road.
Those boys look so cozy!
Hi Everyone, just thought of you all and wanted to stop and check in. Love reading all the travels some of you are on!
We have had a very early start to cold and winter weather this year. We have had 3 snows already. I keep saying we better get credit for this cold and snowy weather already!
About 2 weeks ago we got some news about our almost 10 year old Boston Terrier, Harley. He has a large mast cell tumor below his butt on his bottom. He is acting and eating fine and other than this large visible tumor, you wouldn’t know anything is wrong.
The vet immediately said he needed surgery and faxed his records to a larger vet office that could do it but we made the decision on the way home to not go that route. He is almost 10, the surgery would be a tough one because of the location. We found out the bully breeds, which Boston Terriers are considered part of are more prone to tumors as well as retriever breeds so there is no guarantee that he wouldn’t get more. And the expense and as I mentioned, he is almost 10 now.
So I researched all I could and found something on Facebook( but there is also a website)
about a protocol that has been quite effective on many kinds of dog cancers. It is called on Facebook, Tagamet/Benadryl Cancer Remission Protocol for Dogs – Vera Anderson. And her website is http://www.VeraBoxers.com.
I share this because Harley’s tumor that was probably baseball size is already shrinking. It is not sticking out nearly as much as it was. There were many visitor posts on the Facebook page telling of their good results. Now I am not a vet in any way shape or form but I will tell you this, my daughter has a black lab that was diagnosed with a tumor about 6 years or so ago and at that time her vet told her using Benadryl would help control it if she didn’t want to do surgery. So this is one more medication added to the mix. Both of the meds can be gotten in generics. The Tagament in generic can be ordered on the Walmart website. My daughter got me some Benadryl really cheap at Sam’s and of course you can find both of these on Amazon I bet.
I wanted to share this in case anyone else doesn’t want to do expensive, invasive surgery for cancer in their pets. I am realistic in that I know it may just get us some more time but I know one these dogs have been on this protocol for 6.5 years. I also know that every dog or cat will react differently and it may not work for all pets. Harley is in no pain and not suffering at all and it is our hope that by doing this we can get a few more years which would probably be his natural lifespan anyway. And we figure this is not costing us more than 10 to 15 a month for the meds.
There is a lot of information on the FB and website. She has audio files and videos on FB anyway. It was very informative. There are naysayers with everything but as some of the people on the FB page said, it is working for their dogs and it is worth it to give it a try.
Have a great weekend everyone!
Jolene,
Thanks for the information about how to treat this cancer. Boston terriers are close to my heart as my grandparents always had them and now my sister has them. I’m glad that you found something to help that isn’t invasive.
Hi, Jolene!
Thank you for sharing this alternative treatment. One of my sisters has Bostons…she lost her sweet girl 16 mos ago. Now she has a 1 year old red male (still a lot of puppy stuff to go through!) and a 5 year old red female (the pup’s mom) whom the breeder retired from breeding stock. Her hubby’s brother has the puppy’s dad, a 5 yr old red whom the breeder retired. Talk about keeping it all in the family! My family has a soft spot for Boston Terriers. I will pass on this good information.
I hope Harley continues to improve. Sending positive, healing thoughts and prayers. Take good care of yourselves, Jolene, Rick, and Harley! Stay warm! ☃️
Hi Sue,
I used my immersion blender and LOVED it. I did have a learning curve, however. When I brought the whirling blending close to the top, it spit soup everywhere! Rookie mistake. However using the immersion blender instead of my upright blender really saved on clean up and time. I’m looking forward to using it again. The ASIN number is B07BKLQR7R
I love my immersion blender. One thing it is really handy for is I can tomatoes. I can them whole but I can stick that immersion blender into the jar if I want juice when I go to use them at a later time. So much easier than putting them in my regular blender.
Hi, Dawn!
Well, I thought I was the only one who had more soup on me than in the pot after I blended it!! 😂
I agree, the immersion blender is a snap to clean. 😊
Hi Denise!
I’m glad I’m in good company! How are you and Gracie pup doing? I’m currently on a quest to deep clean my house. It desperately needs it. I have let things go for too long. The nice thing is that I have friends that are coming over and helping me. Cleaning is so much more enjoyable when you have help. I took four bags to good will and overflowed my trash can so much, that I had to put some on my back porch for the next week’s pickup! My cats don’t like all the noise and commotion when I clean, but they seem to like the results. After getting my living room picked up and swept, the cats played and played in it!
I know it’s only Wednesday, but I’m sure looking forward to Friday!
Hi, Dawn!
I am so sorry….I thought I had posted a reply last week. You were not ignored! The first attempt vanished into LaLaLand after I submitted it. The next night I replied and thought that I saved it, but it was very late and I was tired – user error. 🤦🏻♀️
I hope you accomplished all you had hoped to during your deep clean! It is a blessing to have extra help from your friends. It feels good to get things organized and purged. I am sure your donations to Goodwill will be put to good use.
This weekend nephew #2 came to visit and help me with a few chores. We had a very enjoyable afternoon and he was able to help me check off a few tasks on my to-do list. Years ago, I replaced my windows with the vinyl tilt-ins, they are more energy efficient and easier to clean. One has to be a bit of a contortionist though, holding/balancing both windows tilted in while trying to clean the outside glass. My nephew was a great help. Two rooms are checked off my deep cleaning list. Curtains washed, pressed, and rehung on sparkling clean windows. Yay!
Do you have plans for Thanksgiving? One of my sisters, her hubby and Nephew #2 will be joining me and Gracie pup for Thanksgiving dinner. We are sharing cooking duties. They are bringing the turkey, dressing, gravy, mashed potatoes, and rolls. I will be making fresh green beans, sweet potato & Granny Smith apple casserole, homemade cranberry sauce. Two pies will be for dessert. I was gifted a freshly baked pumpkin pie from a local company that I have done business with. It was a nice surprise! I picked it up today; it looks and smells delicious! The second pie is an Edwards Hershey Chocolate cream pie.
Have a good evening, Dawn! Have a great Thanksgiving!😊
Hey Denise!
It’s great to hear from you! I’m so glad that your nephew was able to come over and help you clean. I’m now pretty good with my downstairs. Last thing I need to do is clean out my fridge and wash all the shelves, etc. Yuck!
I’m going to be with my parents and my sisters and their families for Thanksgiving. It’s going to be a really nice time. My niece is going to have a sleep over with me the night of Thanksgiving! I’m so excited. She is growing so fast. It won’t be long before she’ll be too cool to hang out with her Aunties. I’m just trying to enjoy the time that I have with her.
Happy Thanksgiving!!!
Enjoy “Auntie time” with your niece, Dawn! 😊
Hi Sue!! I’m always around but don’t post much.
If I remember correctly, Chuck and Gerri were with you right after you picked up the Casita at your first camp ground. It was hot and Gerri prepared a meal and deliciously cold iced tea. I think they also did a few things on your Casita if I’m not mistaken.
Such a sad loss. Prayers for her husband.
Hi Sue,
Just passed Ogilby Rd going West on the 8. We are coming from Kofa NWR, and heading to Anza Borrego. Fill you in later.
Miss you, Suzi
Smooch to the boys for me
Morning Sue, want to check in and let you know I’m not mia, just had a little detour along the way. I remember when it turned to early winter in SE Az wondering what to expect, how cold it would be, how much sun could we expect. Oh the good old days of a new adventure. The state did not disappoint one bit. How much you have and continue to accomplish in your new home. Your knack for picking the right things to go here and there and getting the colors to fit right in are typical Sue!. I love that you can bring something home, paint or stain it and have it fit in exactly where you want it to. It is good that you have had good work men along the way when you needed them. Nice job on the bathroom ceiling. Ok, had to catch up from being away so long, but will stop now. Will be interesting to see what is down the road for you. So long as it is something you like is the important thing. You have many talents to choose from as we all well know. As always, Be Well. Hugs to Reggie and Roger and you from Jazz and I.
Hi Sue and Blogerinos.
I wanted to wish everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving, and hopefully we all are able to count our blessings while enjoying time with loved ones.
Currently we are boondocking out near Borrego Springs, and today it’s windier than all heck. The clouds are thickening for the upcoming storm, so we will be out of here by early morning. There is evidence of high water all over this area from last week’s rain. We got that rain while out at Kofa, but it wasn’t too troublesome. We had time and just waited it out. The reward was that glorious smell you get after a rainstorm in the desert. Oh how I love that!
The wind today has kept our outings short, and us inside most of the day with good books, and an occasional skim through the internet. Kitty is most happy for a stationary day and a chance to steal a warm lap and perhaps a floor d’oeuvre or two 😉
Our Casita has been a wonderful safe, and reliable home and taken us everywhere we’ve asked her to tag along. She’s easy to tow and tuck away in small, out of the way places. We are very pleased with our choice in buying a Casita. After 16+ months of towing, we’ve only popped 2 rivets, and not had any other malfunctions. That’s saying a lot considering all the dirt and gravel roads we’ve taken her on. Sue I know you also loved your Casita, the BLT, and I know it troubles you sometimes to see her sit. I’m sure that day comes for most of us, and sometimes I think about it. But I don’t want to get ahead of ourselves, because right now we are surely enjoying our travels!
Wishing you all a peaceful and lovely week, as you have a chance to reflect on what’s important to you. Hug those you love, and forgive those who need it.
Suzi, Larry, and Kitty ❤️
Hi, Suzi!
Thank you for sharing another trip report. I always enjoy reading about your adventure. Oh, yes, the scent after a desert rainstorm is heavenly! There is nothing else like it! Your Casita keeps you, Larry, and Kitty snug and cozy. It is the “just right” size! 😊
Enjoy the rest of the week and have a great Thanksgiving, Suzi! 😊
Hi Suzi!
It’s always great to get updates from you. I feel like I can travel along with you like I traveled along with Sue. Where do you think that you will be camped for Thanksgiving? What kind of meal do you have planned?
Happy Thanksgiving!
Hi all Blogorino’s!
I just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! I wanted to ask what you have planned for this holiday?
I’ll be with my parents, sisters and their families. I feel so blessed to have this, because I know that many don’t. If now with family, I hope you are with good friends or in a great boondocking spot.
Happy Thanksgiving!
I am blessed to have great friends. I’ll spend time with some of them, time in nature, and quiet time at home.
That sounds like an amazing Thanksgiving Calvin!
Enjoy, Dawn! 😊
Hi, Sue and my fellow blogorinos!
I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving! May your travels be safe, and may you enjoy your Thanksgiving feast! I am thankful for Sue and her blog, and all of the wonderful blogorinos who gather on her virtual front porch! 😊
Tonight I am cooking my cranberry sauce and boiling my sweet potatoes for my casserole that has Granny Smith apples in it. Tomorrow I will just need to assemble the casserole and bake it. The store bought pumpkin and chocolate cream pies are in the fridge, ready to go. One of my sisters, her hubby, and Nephew #2 will be bringing the rest of our dinner tomorrow. I am blessed to be able to spend Thanksgiving with some of my family.
Sue, sending you, Reggie, and Roger lots of love and hugs from me and Gracie pup! 😊
Blogorinos, save yourself aggravation, time, and maybe money, too. Shop Amazon using Sue’s link. I had to go out this afternoon to pick up an Rx, gift card, and gas for the car. Oh my gosh, what a zoo! There is no way that I will be out and about tomorrow night or Black Friday!! I will be shopping from the comfort of my home. 🙂
Thank you, Denise, and everyone!
Wishing you and all my readers a happy Thanksgiving . . . Sue and the boys
Hi Sue and Crew and All Y’all!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and you!
We are enjoying Thanksgiving on our front porch with our visiting, very lucky and thankful “lost, found and re-homed black lab dog” Maggie.
In Louisiana we are having terrific weather for fall; choice trees have popped with as much color as I have ever seen down here! Green leaves blushing with true yellows, golds, even reds while still on the trees!!! We have crisp air, light breezes that dance the leaves as they fall! Maggie stands and watches them around her! BTW for Louisiana, this is rare. More rare than snow! Grateful are we for our blessings we have had in our lives and enjoy daily! And today!
Hoping, Sue, that you are well, warm and comfy with The Crew!
BTW…You are one of everyones Blessings! Thank you!
mb in Abita, Louisiana (formerly of New York with memories)
Wishing all a lovely Thanksgiving!!
Happy Thanksgiving to all! Safe travels and blessings…the good blessings😳
Happy Thanksgiving everyone, stay safe and enjoy ! Whether you take part in a big celebration or just keep it simple I hope you feel blessed and at peace.
Happy Thanksgiving! May everyone have a wonderful day filled with warmth, love, tasty food and safe travel. I’m thankful for Sue and the boys for bringing us all together.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Love,
MB, Bella and Molly