About the photos in this post: 
Reggie’s and Roger’s interest in the blue mat returns when I move it to a different area of shade in order to mow.
As the sun slides toward the horizon, the boys tussle in the last, outdoor play session of another day at our new home in southern Arizona.
I also include photos of a few plants found in our yard. (Photo at left: Mesquite pods turning red.)
Wednesday, July 18, in Arizona
Longtime readers of this blog know they can depend upon me to grab an ordinary, mundane topic, latch onto it with terrier-like tenacity, and expand it far beyond normal, sane limits.
Make something out of nothing? That’s what I do best!
Having said that, let’s talk lawn mowing, shall we?
Morning and late afternoon I work to finish mowing the back yard.
Well, not exactly finish because there’s trimming along the fence to do and the mower blades can’t get close enough. That will have to wait.
I suppose I have to buy a darn weed-whacker string thing.
For the time being I’ll also ignore the 
intimidating tangle of weeds lurking at the back fence and plotting an uprising against me and my new mower.
What I mean is I’m almost finished with what I set out to do.
Just mow that patch around the yucca and the patch around the little mesquite and I’ll be done . . . .
I push the mower into the yucca patch of grass.
Pushing and pulling the mower, forward and back, being mindful to keep my head out of the mesquite thorns above, I make good progress.
Suddenly, as I’m pulling the mower back, who should appear in the just-mowed path but our little friend, Horned Toad!
(Photo at right taken previously.)
Immediately I pull the mower further back and in doing so I glance away for a moment. In that instant Horned Toad disappears.
Where’d he go? Oh, I’m too weary to deal with this. I’ll go mow the little mesquite patch and then I’ll quit.
Round and round the mesquite I go until . . .
Oh, NO! . . . Not again!
Horned Toad in my path!
Gee whiz, either we have two horned toads or Horned Toad is one very speedy reptile.
Before anyone jumps on me for calling a toad a reptile, remember that horned toad is a common name for the horned lizard.
Toads are amphibians and lizards are reptiles.
Now that we’ve cleared that up . . .
Recently while doing laundry I watch Horned Toad through the window as he browses his way across the bare ground in the back yard.
Probably eating ants.
I don’t want to hurt him or run him off.
Now here’s Horned Toad in front of the mower. He doesn’t move. We stare at each other for a few moments.
This is what is known as a stand-off.
Okay, I know when I’m beat. It’s hot. I’m tired. I’m going into the house right now, take a shower, make myself a fruit smoothie, and sit on the front porch.
Thursday, July 19
In the cool of morning I take a rake out to the patch of grass around the yucca. Carefully I rake aside the grass in search of Horned Toad. Satisfied he’s not there, I start up the mower and get that job done.
I won’t mow around the little mesquite tree for now. Let Horned Toad enjoy the shade of the tall grass, much like Reggie, Roger and I enjoy the shade of the big mesquite tree.
~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~
rvsue
THANK YOU FOR VISITING MY BLOG!
To see products recently purchased by readers or to browse and shop at Amazon, follow any of these links:
Hanging Trash Cans
Twist and Shout Mop
Washington Benchmark Atlas
Squirrel Buster Wild Bird Feeder
Air Fryer w/Recipes and Accessory Kit
Crinkle Tie Dye Tank w/Sequins and Embroidery
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.
.
Am l first? I just came here to place an Amazon order! Rarely comment but don’t miss a blog!
CONGRATULATIONS, LANA! YOU’RE A WINNER!
Read the post, but don’t forget to go shopping! 🙂
I’ve been shopping for a couple days. Ordered a 3 quart instant pot with some accessories, couple cookbooks, summer jammies for me, and a Washington Benchmark. Trying to figure out a birthday present for my 7 year old grandson. Retired a couple of months ago – actually have 2 potential buyers for my house, and looking for a small trailer for my two chihuahuas and me. Hoping to start wandering October or November!
Wow! Your life is in an exciting phase! Best wishes on the sale of the house and finding the perfect trailer for you.
Thank you for thinking of us when you go shopping at Amazon. I appreciate that very much. I’ll try to remember to check my reports and let you know that I see your items.
I hope you like the instant pot. They seem quite popular. Do keep in touch. You have me interested in your “story” and I want to read the next chapter! 🙂
Lana…Try a web search for “gifts for 7 year old boy.”
Now there’s a gadget I don’t have yet. I have a pressure cooker I seldom use and several crockpots in various sizes. So have always talked my self out of it.
Just call me the enabler! If you get the Instant Pot, it has settings for meat, poultry, yogurt, rice, porridge AND Slow Cooker! Think of all the appliances you can get rid of! 🙂
Lol get rid of? Really you can do that?
Age 7 is a good age to start buying Lego kits. You just buy a different one for each gift giving occasion and never have to research again. That way his collection grows as his abilities do too.
That is an excellent suggestion, Linda! I hope Lana sees your comment.
I see the items you ordered, Lana! 🙂
I enjoyed that bit of ordinary living. You and horned toad seem to have reached a nice balance. The blue mat is still “home” to Reggie and Roger; they’re just used to it moving instead of staying in place. I enjoyed all the vegetation, too.
Hi, Calvin,
I hadn’t thought about the boys expecting the mat to be moved. They were like kids being given a toy they had forgotten. Thanks for the feedback on this post.
First
In many ways, yes.
Oh my, too funny. I love you RVSue 😳
Chey, what a sweet thing to say! 🙂
What a lovely post Sue! How just like you to be so kind to Horned Toad! I was cracking up about the “standoff “! 🦎 Thanks for posting so many pics of the boys playing. Their antics always brings a smile to my face!
Thank you, Dawn,
The boys were being very photogenic on the blue mat. Taking photos of them was a pleasure. Some days it isn’t much fun as they run off or show their butts or close their eyes….
Nope….Hahh oh well! First, middle or last…as long as we’re all here it doesn’t matter! I can’t remember how that even evolved? Silly blogorino game!
Too funny about the horned toad…why you see…they have taken up residence before you purchased the place. All the little nooks they play in…they will move to another location once they realize your landscaping desires.
Enjoy your smoothie on the porch! The boys look so happy!
Yes, Reggie and Roger DO look happy because they ARE happy. This morning I watched them through the window while drinking coffee. They were having a grand time barking and protecting us from the lady with a limp who walks past our yard. Sheesh.
Fortunately we live in a neighborhood where almost everyone has a dog or two or three or more and they all bark at people and dogs walking by. The crew and I fit right in!
Anyway, I noticed how happy they were to be in charge of their yard. Cute.
Hi, Sue,
The yard is taking shape. What was the Smoothie recipe for today? I want one.
Hi, Joe,
I don’t remember what I mixed, probably fruit with spritzer water which I use as a base when I want a light, refreshing drink.
I don’t follow any recipes, just throw stuff in the blender jar. My method is a liquid for a base: unsweetened vanilla almond milk for breakfast with frozen fruit added (one or more of banana, strawberry, dark cherries, pineapple chunks, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and/or fresh apple, limes, lemons, oranges… whatever is cheapest at WalMart.). Then for protein I add a tablespoon or two of peanut butter powder or flax seed. Sometimes I add about a quarter cup of oatmeal.
Other times of the day I use orange juice, spritzer, or plain water for a base. Add a couple kinds of frozen or fresh fruits. I’ve combined almond milk with OJ. That works, too.
Today I picked up some really luscious peaches. Fresh peaches and nectarines make delicious smoothies!
I haven’t tried vegetables yet. I eat plenty of raw veggies almost every day.
I tell you, Joe, this smoothie maker is the best thing I’ve bought in a long time!
Here’s a link for anyone interested:
Smoothie Blender AICOK Personal Blenders Single Serve for Shakes and Smoothies with 20 oz Tritan BPA-Free Bottle, Detachable Blade Assembly, 300W, Black
Great price!
Oh, I forgot to mention. Today I tried dried dates and frozen pineapple chunks with almond milk. Boy, that made the little blender work hard. I thought it would explode but it kept on churning. I didn’t want to overdo it so I turned it off. Left some grit at the bottom of the glass. Otherwise it came out well…. I’ll make it again, probably tomorrow morning.
Don’t forget that the horned toads eat the big red harvester ants, so don’t kill the ants. So excited to receive your posts from you & pups! Don’t foget to put Stabil in your gas to keep your new mower’s carburetor from gumming up. We’ve learned this the hard way.
Were you using gas with ethanol or is the stabilizer needed regardless?
If mower sits 30 days or you should just put it in the gas when you put gas in it . Here in Texas, my husband does it that way & we don’t have to worry with any of our mowers, weed eaters, chain saws,etc. that has carburetors. Stay cool, was 107 degrees here today. Looking for 111 degrees tomorrow.
Thanks, Lynda.
Whoa! That’s Texas heat! Stay cool if you can…
107 in the Okla. Panhandle too!!! A quick suggestion on a string trimmer. How about getting a rechargeable one instead of a gasoline one. A lot less headache with keeping mixed gas and such. I’ve not had a rechargeable one but was wondering if some of the bloggers would chime in with their experiences with one. Thanks
Funny you should mention a rechargeable, Don. I plan to write about that in my next post. Wow, 107! It only went up to 100 here. 🙂
We have the ryobi 18v line of tools. Saw, drill, sawzall, blower, hedger and weedwhacker! There are two sizes of batteries..both are interchangeable and relates to the duration of power. We like using the smaller battery because whatever you are using gets quite heavy! Especially if you are swinging the weedwhacker. My sister has the ryobi 40v and she struggles! I like the freedom of not being attached to a cord…but with that comes the weight of the equipment and wait time for the battery to recharge. A 50-100ft extension cord may work for some. With everything else…personal preference in what you choose.
We also have Ryobi line of accessories/tools! Solution to the heavy battery is buy a couple of the lighter weight shorter duration batteries and one is always charged if you remember to swap them out on charger. As holidays approach, watch for deals at Home Depot (Ryobi not carried by Lowes) as they often have the charger and 2 batteries in a kit for a real good price. Many RVers use their solar to keep Ryobi batteries charged using the inverter and use the fan, light, drill, etc while boondocking.
I’ve used a corded string trimmer for a couple of seasons. I agree that it’s simpler and safer as far as gasoline, and I’ll add that it was also lighter, which makes it quite a bit easier. A rechargeable would be better for larger areas. The cord(s) can be a nuisance further from the power source or in places with trees, shrubs, etc., to maneuver around.
Sorry my reply didn’t make any sense. I meant to say that we put Stabil in the gas can when we refill the gas can each time. That way , we don’t have to guess if it’s been done. We live on a farm so it’s easy to forget. You stay cool as well!
Got it!
Am I in the top 10?
Are those your grapes?
Hi, Adrienne,
Yep. Those are our grapes. Lots of them!
Love the grape pictures! And the horned toad lore. They were plentiful where I grew up in Texas. Only, we called ’em “horny toads.” That resulted in loads of hilarity as we entered our teen years. Did you know you can flip ’em over and gently rub their bellies and they’ll zone out? They come back to their senses after a few minutes and scamper off. It doesn’t take a lot to entertain a kid in the Texas panhandle of the fifties. 🙂
That’s funny, Suzette.
It doesn’t take a lot to entertain a kid anywhere in the fifties. I used to put a rope in my dog’s mouth, hold both ends, and we’d trot around the yard as if she were a fine carriage horse. ha! I won’t admit how old I was at the time. Childhood lasted longer in those days. 🙂
The header photo is beautiful! Gosh, that big mesquite tree provides shade for a huge area. Aw-w, seeing the boys enjoying the blue mat again sure brings a lot of sweet memories back. I mean for me, not them. Your new lawn mower looks so shiny and clean, I know mine wouldn’t stay that way for very long. I cleaned it pretty often, it might seem silly, but I’m the same way with indoor appliances. I go through a box of steel wool pads pretty quickly.
Poor little Horny Toad probably didn’t know where to go. You were mowing in two in his favorite spots. It’s so sweet of you to leave him alone there, I’m sure he’ll find other places in your yard that he will enjoy as much. You’ll get years of use from a weed trimmer, I know, another expense, but having a neat yard gives you pleasure. Have you tried any of the ripe grapes yet? They look like they would be delicious. The blueberry farm near me just opened for picking this week. I’ll go there soon to get a couple of quarts. That’s something I love to put in a smoothie.
Ooh, fresh blueberries for your smoothies. I know you’ll enjoy that!
I tried one of the ripe grapes. The rest aren’t quite ready. Sweet and good. I don’t expect to have many for myself because there are a lot of birds here and I think Lattice Lizard likes grapes, too. That may be why he makes his home somewhere near the lattice.
I love that mesquite tree. Ugle as sin in the winter when the leaves are gone. Heavenly, dappled shade the rest of the year. I imagine mesquite trees aren’t preferred for home yards as they’re plentiful in desert shrub. I don’t care. We have six mesquite trees, four inside the fence and two between the fence and the street. Yes, they’re messy, dropping pods, and they’re thorny. Even so, the shade is worth all that, plus they remind me of boondocks in the desert.
When I was in S Texas I noticed the mesquite tree was treated like a weed. On some of the big ranches like the King Ranch, they would take a couple of huge dozers about 100′ to 200′ foot apart and string an big anchor chain between them and drive across the infested pastures dragging the mesquite brush out then they’d pile and burn it. Then the pasture grass would come back without the shade from the trees to hinder the growth. Quite an operation.
The mesquite is considered a pest at the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Area (near Arivaca in southern AZ) where we boondocked last spring. The trees crowd out the grassland like you mentioned. I never heard of that chain-drag method. Seems that is safer than fire.
Weather…dear it’s a horned toad! 🤣🤣
But you made me laugh…
I stand corrected…they are called horny toads.
The only Horny Toad I know of is a restaurant in Cave Creek, AZ
Ha! My spam filter will get a work-out tonight!
Pretty sure that was a typo on my part, I left the d out of horned, -horne was auto-corrected and replaced with horny, it made me laugh ,too 😉
How lovely that you’re taking care with Horned Toad.
Rog and Reg look like they’ve settled into their new home very nicely!
Hi, Shawn,
Horned Toad is a gentle creature who quietly goes about his business of eating ants. For that he is appreciated. I’m afraid I’ll run over him with the mower someday. I can’t comb every inch of grass in this large yard. I will mow slowly to give him a chance to move away.
You’ll have to do a walkthrough of the yard before mowing. Poor guy (or gal). It may have lived there awhile.
Hi, Sue,
I see that your horned toad is training you on his yard rules….after all, you moved into his home! LOL! 🙂 Glad that you discovered the little guy before tragedy struck! Reggie and Roger look so content and happy! Reggie had Roger in a head-lock!
Sending you and the Crew lots of love and hugs from me and Gracie pup! 🙂 Have a good evening!
Thank you, Denise,
You’re right. We’re living in Horned Toad’s territory. 🙂
Usually Roger plays the dominant role and Reggie, while fighting, plays submissive. Once in a while, Reggie gets to be boss and Roger goes along with the switch. I’ve never seen two dogs get along the way they do. More than get along, they are inseparable from the moment they wake until they fall asleep for the night. You can see the bond in the photos — the way they play and watch each other.
I hope you are having a good week. Love and hugs to you and Gracie pup!
🙂 xo
I am so glad that your heart called you back to check on Roger. Making him part of your family was one of the best decisions you made. To see Reggie and Roger so happy, and literally joined at the hip makes my heart smile. 💕 N’nite!
N’nite. 🙂
Wow! Your list of fruits for smoothies is way longer than I had considered. I might have to start making some.
I usually make my smoothies with 3 main ingredients, such as almond milk, strawberries, and banana. Three is a special number in mathematics, architecture, design, even in writing. Three is a holy number, too.
For that reason, when there’s a choice and it fits, I choose groupings of three. The only situation I know of where three leads to discord is something my mother said…
“Two children get along. Four children get along in two groups. But when you have three children, two are always ganging up on the third.”
That would be Pauline, Nancy, and me. Haha!
About smoothie ingredients… I bought 100 percent cranberry juice today. I’m going to try it with a bit of spritzer and some other fruit (frozen).
Out of all the smoothies I’ve made so far (one or two every day) I’ve only had one disaster where I had to throw it out. It was with coconut milk. I forget what else. I never follow a recipe.
Oh my, too funny. I love you RVSue 😳
Great to hear from you Chey! How is your health doing? Any updates on travel plans?
Hi again, Chey! Your comment appeard two times. That’s a good thing — twice the love for me! 🙂
I never thought of using spritzer water for my smoothies! I’ll have to give it a try. Sounds very refreshing. I always add spinach to mine. Looks awful but makes me feel like it’s much healthier. Do you ever wonder what Reggie did with himself before Roger came into your life? I remember being so happy when you went back for the little rascal. Loved getting to see a bit of your yard. I’m jealous of your grapes. When I was a little girl we had vines all around our back fence just full of Thompson seedless. My grandma would pay us kids to pick the tomato worms off the vines. I think that’s what they were called. Ugly little buggers. Anyway, happy home ownership!!
What did Reggie do before Roger? He clung to me a lot, depended upon me for entertainment. He’s more independent now which is healthier for both of us. 🙂
Yuck, tomato worms.
Good morning Friends. I’ve been out and about, most recently a trip to TX with my 7-yr-old granddaughter to visit my 91-yr-old aunt. Fun trip making memories.
I’m catching up on your posts and loving all the pix
Just had 1-yr anniversary and all’s good in the neighborhood.
Virginia, how wonderful for you. I can’t imagine the joy and energy your 7 yr old granddaughter brought to your visit. Three generations of women in one spot. That is reason to celebrate! Soon my nine year old niece will join my parents on a week long trip to the mountains. I know that my mom really treasures these times. Although, she is a bit anxious about how to keep her busy for a week! What a great problem to have!
My granddaughter journaled. She had received a polaroid camera for her birthday which makes smallish photos. She wanted me to spell everything for her, but I encouraged her to sound the words out and spell them her way.
We are also gamers so we played lots of Go Fish, Mexican Train Dominoes, Game of Life, and she’s just starting to learn to counted cross stitch. The mountains would be a whole new dream.
If that’s your one-year anniversary for being on the road, then here’s a hearty congratulations to you, Virginia!
Not being on the road. One year alone. I got my new-to-me rig in March. All is good. ☺☺
I wondered if that’s what you meant. It didn’t seem that long ago you got your new rig but I lose track of time regularly. You’re doing well, Virginia.
I really am, Sue. I’m hoping to make a Southwest trip this fall. Utah is begging me to come spend some time.
So excited for you and the changes in your life with the “new crew”
Utah in the fall will be glorious.
Your efforts to avoid mowing over the horned (or horny) toad reminded me of a funny story about my grandson’s bearded dragon. He begged for one for Christmas about seven years ago so my DIL and I drove down to a bearded dragon breeder (who knew?) down in San Diego County and got one for him. She was so small we transported her home on a small paper plate – she is now about 18 inches long. My DIL gives her a bath once a week and then puts her outside in the branches of a tree or bush in the backyard to enjoy the sun, but where she is safe from hawks. So one day, my DIL’s gardener is working in the backyard, picking weeds, and Meghan (that’s the dragon’s name) falls out of the bush onto the gardener’s back. He screams and starts running around the backyard looking for whatever it was that “attacked” him. In the meantime, Meghan was hiding in the groundcover. My DIL said when she went out back and found Meghan and picked her up, the gardener nearly fainted and made her promise she wouldn’t put her in the backyard anymore on his gardening day.
Love all the ideas of smoothies – I’ve never thought of using dates, although I’ve had great date shakes at the Indio Date Festival. I made peanut butter cup smoothies for us this morning: coconut milk, organic peanut butter, cocoa powder, protein powder and ice – tasted just like Reese’s!!!
Hope everyone has a happy, safe, cool weekend!!
Those peanut butter cup smoothies sound divine, Cynthia. I had a peanut butter/date/vanilla almond milk smoothie for breakfast. Not as heavenly as yours, but satisfying. 🙂
Enjoyed the bearded dragon story…
When I was a child we’d go to the Houston Natural Science Museum & but Horned Toads. Once home, we’d put them in an old aquarium outside. They would always disappear. I imagine I had at least 2 of the creatures at different times. Never knew where they went. Later, as an adult living in a Pasadena, TX rental house, I found a Horned Toad while working in a flower bed. First one I’d seen in decades. They aren’t native to that part of Texas.
See what memories your post has stirred up? Thanks, as always for your blog.
You’re welcome, Mary. Thanks for sharing your horned toad memories. 🙂
I haven’t checked in all week, and it’s your fault, Sue….. You’ve got me inspired enough that I’ve been painting – along with working a couple of jobs. Of course that means that everything is torn apart and has to be put back together. I don’t know where the week went. What a luxury for you to be painting an empty house. So smart.
Love the pictures of Bridget and Spike in the recent posts – sweet. The photo of the grapes in this post is beautiful. Great use of light.
I ordered some window valances from Amazon – to go with the freshly painted room, so hopefully you’ll see that show up, as well as boring ink cartridges.
Looks like the mower is working out well for you. Stay cool!
Hi, Applegirl,
Now I need to be inspired by you! I paint one or two mornings and then I don’t paint for three or four mornings. Too many other things I’d rather do. I saw an order for curtains. If those are yours, you are using a color scheme similar or the same as what Nancy has planned for our dining/living room area. 🙂
Thank you for shopping Amazon from my blog! Dang paint is expensive!
Yay! I got my mower portrait! Looks great 👍. Glad that old Horny let his presence be known! You and Horny have made a pact of friendship! You let him live, he eats your ants! Next thing you know he will want to tag along in the BLT to see where his new “family” goes when they leave! 😁
I agree with everyone else! Those grapes are beautiful and begging to be in your smoothie! Yum! What a nice addition they would make!💗
Hug those boys from us! So good to see them so HAPPY 😁!
We are getting rain off and on all day! Not sure if you heard on tv, but Jolene’s home town got hit hard by a tornado yesterday! No downtown left! No injuries or deaths, just LOTS of damage. I’ll come back in a minute with the name of the town!
Marshalltown Iowa!
Thanks, Geri, I am praying the she is alright and wasn’t in the path of the tornado. I looked at some videos showing a lot of buildings were untouched. The last report I read said there were no reported injuries or deaths in Marshalltown, just property damage. If you are in touch with her through the email address for products she sells please let us know if you get any news about how she is.
Jolene posted on Facebook that she and her family were safe! She had been worried about her mom, but finally got in touch with her!💗 But if you watch The Weather Channel, they show videos of downtown, heavily damaged!
On a good note, 4 more FEMA trailers arrived in Eastpoint today!💗
I just know Jolene through this blog and Facebook. We don’t email.
What good news, thanks again!
So glad that Jolene and Rick are ok!
FEMA trailers coming to town….what a welcome sight!
Wonderful news all around! Thank you, Geri. 🙂
No, I hadn’t heard about Jolene’s home town. I dont’ watch tv. Thank God she and her family are safe.
I have been suffering with knee pain for a couple years now. Two alternative health practitioners have told me I should consider a knee replacement. I keep trying things to correct the situation but so far the inflammation is not totally clearing up. It discourages me from traveling because you can’t really see much without some distance walking. Anyway one of my sisters and her X husband (back together now) have been doing the Dr. Kellyann’s Bone Broth Diet for several months. They are doing much better health wise so I figure I should give it a try. We are starting the 3 week diet program next week. Ordered the book from Amazon today plus a reading light and a couple Door Catch Holds for the Casita. Hope they show up for you Sue.
Hi, Gloria,
Your items appeared in the orders report. Thank you very much!
Gloria, a few things that helped my formerly nearly constant right knee pain I have had over 15 years: really high quality supportive shoes, fitted by a true trained expert. Fleet Feet runners store was recommended by my Nurse Practitioner. They measured, had me roll pant legs up and had me walk while they got down on floor and observed my feet, ankles and hips and how they worked, then recommended a brand and model of shoes. For me it’s Brooke Ariel’s but for you it will be something else. You need at least two pairs and rotate daily between so padding can recover. Don’t have a heart attack over the price ( mine are currently $180 a pair) as they saved me from knee surgery. Next, an anti inflammatory diet , giving up all but a very few carbs such as above ground growing vegetables and a few berries and adding good fats (olive oil, fatty fish, coconut oil) to your diet. Read on Ketogenic diet and inflammation (reduces it). Losing weight if overweight (at 56 lbs down I rarely have knee pain now, usually only if I jump out of the way of our two rampaging kitties, which I try to avoid). CBD such as Jolene sells or the real cannabis derived edible oils, tinctures or creams help a lot. Walking helps and regular exercise helps but when hurting you may not want to. If extra painful, try ice pack 20 min on and 20 min off. All these things are stuff I do though my knee is so much better I don’t have to ice or use CBD anymore.
Thanks Velda, Sounds a lot like the Bone Broth Diet. I will copy and paste this for future reference.
Bone broth is a very good thing, though I wouldn’t call it a diet, so much as a supplement. Esp good if you make it yourself. Full off good collagen and other nutrients. Try to get good quality bone from grass fed beef and or organically fed yard raised chickens and be prepared to simmer as much as 48 hours. A crockpot works or less time on an Instant Pot.
Yes, went to the Farmers Market yesterday and found a good beef source. Yes, it should probably be called a 3 week plan as two days each week all you have is bone broth and the idea is you will feel so much better eating only good foods during that time that you will want to continue.
We used to have horned(y) toads all over the desert growing up but sadly we never see them anymore. So glad your guy is safe sharing your nice yard! Even better if there are two of them 🙂 The boys look like they’re having a great time on the blue mat.
Oh, yeah… two of them… I hadn’t thought about the possibilities of our yard becoming a horned toad/lizard nursery. 🙂
Ah ha! So you admit you can make a mountain outta a molehill? JK :-). So, what happened with the rain barrels? Did you pick out one and what size?
This morning we had a down pour and all my rain buckets were out singing pitter patter. I filled four big buckets so can you imagine how much water I would have collected if I only had gutters and rain barrels. At our Rez homes, we have 55 gallon barrels at each down spout to collect water and the excess drains into under ground cistern. We use it to water fruit trees, garden, water animals. Since it’s open range, we get horses drinking from water troth…probably other wild critters visit the water troth too.
Navajos believe reptiles are our grandfathers…they came before us humans. Can you image the shock look on other fishermen when my young nieces/nephews ran after a horney toad yelling ‘grandfather! grandfather!’
💗😁💗
Grandfathers! That is hilarious. Not the belief, but the kids chasing and calling.
My husband and myself both grew up with cisterns at our homes. You don’t hear too much about them these days. Seems at the rate folks waste water these days, we would go back to having them, especially in areas that are so drought prone.
Hi, rita,
All I “admit” to is noticing the stories in daily life, the beauty in common things, and the wonders in God’s creation. Making “mountains out of molehills” means worrying and that’s something I avoid!
Sue I so enjoy the photos of the boys at play. It is great that they have so much fun together and a big yard to play in. I remember how sad Reggie was the day Roger was neutered.
My neighbor has a Germans Shepherd mix and an Aussie Shepherd mix. The GS loves to play fetch so much he always carries his ball with him. Sam (Samantha) has one of the throw gadgets and he will even bring the ball back and drop it in the tosser ofr her to throw again. The AS runs back and forth with him barking like he is cheering him on. They are so fun to watch. She plays with them before going to work and then later in the evening in lieu of walking in this hot weather.
Angel has no clue what to do with toys other than tug-o-war, but I love her anyway. Need to get busy. Have a good weekend everyone.
Thank you, Barbara. I hope your weekend has been a good one. Happy Sunday!
I love seeing pictures of the boys playing on the blue mat! They are such a cute pair!
Love the shade in your back yard! You have some interesting residents in your yard!
What do Reggie and Roger think about the horned toad?
Hi, Laurie. Reggie ignores the horned toad. When we first found Horned Toad, Roger pestered him, chasing him into hiding in a yucca. The day I found Horned Toad near the wheels of the PTV in the driveway, Roger looked on with interest from the other side of the chain link fence.
I don’t know if Roger’s at the point of ignoring yet, although I don’t think Rog would hurt Horned Toad. I hope Rog follows Reg’s behavior.
Hi there Lady! You are sure busy with all your yard chores! You left yard chores behind in GA, but now you have taken on another set. I have to chuckle; isn’t this how life goes? I bet you can’t wait to see Nancy? When will she arrive? I know it’s August, but I don’t remember if it’s the first part or the last part. Either way, it’s getting close! I was wondering if after you two have some time together to get all caught up, if you’ll head out in the BLT for another bit of a road trip?
I wanted to thank you for the tip on Cottonwood CG outside of Hot Springs, SD. I re-read your post and you had said you hadn’t paid for shade- LOL! And it’s now $5 with Buzzard pass instead of $3.50. We absolutely loved it! No one there but Marilyn the host, and she was delightful. She’s 70, a widow now, and has been camp host there for 6 years straight. She comes over from NE each May to be host for 4.5 mos. She said she loves it there. We will definitely go back again sometime. Perhaps when I remember to bring my “real” SS card, so I can get my DL. Mine was locked up in my SD box and I only had a copy with me, which they would not accept. I had (we had) everything else we needed! We were about to leave, when Larry opened his passport, and his SS card fell out. Score!! (He forgot to put it in the SD box before we left). So Larr is a legal SD resident, and I am not. I will need to go back sometime. That and the licensing is less than 30% of what he would have paid in WA back home; $33 instead of $120. (CDL & motorcycle endorsements). We are finding as a resident of SD, we have saved a good bit of money on auto and RV insurance as well.
We saw all the sights around Rapid City, including the Badlands yesterday, Sturgis and Deadwood today on our way out to WY. We are in a little WHMA area outside of Beulah, WY today. We used the benchmark to find it, and I’m so proud. LOL! 🙂 Free is a very good price! A few other campers are here: locals I think, with kids and dogs to swim in the little stream and do some tubing. It’s not bad, although when the dogs start, they all go! HaHa. We are only here for one night anyway. We are on our way to see Devils Tower in the morning, and from there we aren’t sure. Any suggestions?
Back in Utah, just prior to Dalton Springs CG, we camped at Maple Grove, outside of Scipio. It was a CG, but the sites were well spaced, huge, lots of foliage, and primitive, for $5/ w/ Buzzard pass. We liked that spot a lot as well. There were water spigots and clean pit toilets available, and a little stream running through the area, surrounded by beautiful maple groves, and red rock walls surrounding the CG. There were also lots of deer everywhere. It wasn’t busy and it was very quiet and peaceful.
In SE OR we camped up on Steen’s Mountain at about 7,000 feet so we got a break from the heat. So much of a break, that when we woke up that morning, everything was slightly frozen; the tent with our condensation was “crisp”, and our plastic bin holding all our coffee supplies and camp stove was completely frosted over. It was 29*. We are still talking about that! But it is one of the most beautiful places we have ever been. Truly. We’ve ridden our motorcycles to Frenchglen, OR at the base of Steen’s Mountain before, twice in fact, and then taken an off road bike to the summit as there is a maintained dirt road all the way up. The summit is 10,000’ and we walked the rest of the way up to the towers so we could see (we were told) into 4 states from the top; OR, CA, ID, and NV. It was a stunning day, and you also look below to the East into the Alvord desert. Where we camped at 7,000 feet, our Casitas would have no problems as the roads are graded, and kept in good condition. We could have easily backed the Casita into the spot we tented in. Not only beautiful, but pit toilets, and underground Spring water pumped up with a nice hand pump. Yum! We will definitely go back when we are passing through in the future. Ask me if you ever want to know the spot up there.
I got in a good visit with a dear old friend that used to live in Kailua when I did, who now lives in Omaha. We hadn’t seen each other in 28 years!! We stayed with her 2 nights, and she cooked for us, and it was really awesome to get caught up after all these years! It was such a blessing we could make our route go through Omaha on the way to SD.
We will head West now, dancing along the Montana & WY borders into ID at some point. Our goal is back to Vancouver in August so I can get that MOHS procedure on my hand Aug 17th. In October we head Southward to parts unknown ( to us).
Were there any special camps along the Montana/WY border, or there abouts, that you’d particularly recommend? Or any special sights to see you really loved?
I also want to say, Sue, that not only have I enjoyed your blog over the past two years, and read every post, and often twice, but you have been a wealth of very helpful information to us in preparing for our journey. Did I mention that our solar system, much like yours, works perfectly? It was you that gave us the idea of putting the panels on our van, instead of drilling holes on the Casita’s roof. Brilliant! It was also you that gave a nice tutorial awhile back on how to find boondocks by using the Benchmark maps. Thank you for that too. 🙂 If by reviewing campsites and or attractions, it helps you or any of your readers, then I would like to give back to your blog by doing so. I don’t want our friendship to be one sided and all take, with no give. Or if any Blogerinos want information about WA or OR, near the Columbia River Gorge, I can surely offer what I know.
Sorry to be so “windy”, but I promised to catch you up, so here it is. Ha Ha! We 3 are having a real great time, and we love our little Liberty Deluxe Casita. It’s just right! I love laying in bed and adjusting the blinds so I can star gaze at night right from the bed! It’s just an awesome little trailer!
Enjoy your day Sue and give the boys an ear scratch from me! 🙂 PS, thanks for fixing my last typo- “hit” was supposed to be “hot” and you got ‘er done for me. 🙂
Aloha!
Hi, Suzi and Larry,
Another great update! I’m glad you liked Cottonwood. I’m wondering if Marilyn is the widow of Larry. Larry and his wife were hosts when we camped there… nice couple.
From Devil’s Tower you could cut across Wyoming to the Grand Tetons. I’ll get my WY benchmark out tomorrow morning and give more details on what I would do. Also a more complete reply to your wonderful comment. I’m heading for the shower and early to bed tonight. Sleep well tonight and have another day of adventure tomorrow! 🙂
Camps going west from Devil’s Tower:
1) “dancing along the Montana & WY borders into ID at some point.” — I’ve no experience with camps on this route, unless you detour away from the border (see below).
2) Gillette to Buffalo to Bighorn Mtns, NF campgrounds on Rte 16: Middle Fork, Tie Hook, South Fork, Crazy Woman, Lost Cabin, Sitting Bull, Lakeview, Bull Creek, Boulder Park, Tensleep Creek, Leigh Creek. Out of Bighorn Mts. to Worland. South on Rte 20 to Thermopolis (hot springs) to Shoshone to Riverton, Dubois, (Falls Creek cg and Pallisades cg), Toghetee Pass, free camp at so. entrance to Yellowstone, leave park at West Yellowstone, and so on.
3) Gillette to Buffalo to Sheridan to Bighorn Mtns (more adventurous driving, switchbacks, overlooks), NF campgrounds on Rte 14: Sibley Lake, Prune Creek, South Tongue, North Tongue,Bald Mtn, Five Springs, out of Bighorn Mts. to Lovell, camp at Horseshoe Bend in Bighorn NRA (electric hookups for $10 with geezer pass when we stayed there).
4) If time doesn’t allow the above, make the boring drive to Casper (I stayed in the parking lot near the Verizon store), west to Shoshone, South to Riverton, Dubois (see #2) or cut south with a stay in Lander at Sinks Canyon SP.
To see my posts about camps do websearch for “RVSue + keywords.” I don’t know if all the cgs mentioned are suitable. Research or explore as you go, as there are several choices.
It’s too bad you’re pressured by the Aug. appt. Any way you can postpone it (if medically okay, that is)? You’re positioned to explore wonderful mountain camps, the Bighorns, the Wind River Mtns, Absarokas… See the Grand Tetons! 🙂
Sorry I can’t give you one route to take. You have an abundance of choices if you’ve got the time. Happy travels!
P.S. Of course, remember to check fire situation in mtns. as part of your planning.
🙂 nope, can’t postpone. But we’ll be back this way soon enough. I think we’ll stay around Gillette tonight, do some research, and figure the rest out this evening. We are in no hurry to make it back, other than my apt. We’ll meander along…
Thanks for the great info! Suzi