Oddities on Abajo – July 2020

July 24, 2020August 17, 2020 Carol CarnicomLeave a comment

July 19-24

During these mid-July days, there are a few things I can mention beside our usual activities: rain and mud puddles for one. It is so great to have rain and I make the most of the mud puddles.

How do you make a mud puddle attractive – put it right next to a tree….

How do you make a mud puddle attractive – add flowers….

I have noticed how oddly shaped some of the trees are. Aspens in particular, usually gracefully straight-trunked in their growth pattern are sometimes not, and some pines have an unusual curvature of the trunk. This calls to mind a very interesting thought by Ram Dass (sent to me by my sister, as we are both tree lovers).

When you go out into the woods, and you look at trees, you see all these different trees. And some of them are bent, and some of them are straight, and some of them are evergreens, and some of them are whatever. And you look at the tree and you allow it. You see why it is the way it is. You sort of understand that it didn’t get enough light, and so it turned that way. And you don’t get all emotional about it. You just allow it. You appreciate the tree.
The minute you get near humans, you lose all that. And you are constantly saying ‘You are too this, or I’m too this.’ That judgment mind comes in. And so I practice turning people into trees. Which means appreciating them just the way they are. Ram Dass

So, I have two thoughts in relationship to this: For all these months (309 days to be exact) that I have been doing the Higher Vibration Photo series, I have been seeing trees and flowers as people – singing, dancing, having families, smiling at me, being wise and patient teachers of wisdom. What an interesting turn-about to see people as trees.

The other thought is Ram Dass’ use of ALLOWING. I have been learning that in allowing something to be as it is or someone to be as they are, I move beyond tolerating, which I’ve always been good at, but which still has a negative energy about it. Allowing means having no emotional hangups or mental judgment in regard to a situation or person. This can be a very difficult move to make, since tolerating is a habit but allowing requires thoughtful letting go, releasing. This is not to say one should let go of awareness and discernment, but these states of mind and emotions need to be approached with deliberate intent.

This Mother Tree is Bartholomew – she told me so herself…

The other unusual thing these days is an unexpected trip to town after dark, as the camera monitor in the house is picking up an unusual sound and we need to check it out. Cows, deer, and headlights make it a not-fun trip down the mountain. The house is fine. The noise was apparently fireworks, delayed from having no fireworks on the 4^th, allowed this evening because of the rain a couple of days ago. We are certainly relieved that there is no problem at the house!

Street corner project – seen on a daytime trip to town

Highlights of Abajo – July 2020

July 18, 2020August 13, 2020 Carol CarnicomLeave a comment

July 13-18

We are camping on Abajo Mountain in southeast Utah, a dispersed area that allows for space and a fair amount of privacy from other folks who are also camping here.

The daily “highlights” don’t really touch on what’s important. The morning walk is important, on a superficial level for the exercise, but also for the photo opportunities for the daily Higher Vibration photo that I post on FB, Instagram, and on my website. But even more important is the positive vibration that I feel from the connection with nature. Opening to what’s positive, beautiful, and right with the world is nourishing for the soul, and I am blessed to be here on the mountain where I can take these daily walks among the pines, aspens, and scrub oak with wildflowers keeping us company.

For Clifford, bringing forward activities that have been left on a back burner for over twenty years is what is nourishing his soul. Playing dulcimer, virtual flying around the world, and ham radio have gained an important place in his life. After devoting himself to Carnicom Institute research for the past two decades, it is now time to fill in the life-gaps. He is still working on research projects, but his life is more balanced and enriched.

Covid has changed our plans, but we are not nearly as disrupted as most people. Self-isolation via camping/boondocking is a normal way of life for us. Even when we are in town, especially since moving to Utah, we are pretty much self-isolated – partly because of Clifford’s research, but also because we simply don’t know anyone and are not involved any social activities of the town, not that anything is going on now with Covid. So, other than missing the trip to Montana to see family, which is huge for me, we carry on doing what we would be doing in any case.

Monday: Town early to get the trash can out to the street. Play bluegrass music with Clifford. Listen to David Icke on the London Real program.

Tuesday: Morning walk through the pine forest, visiting a great Mother Tree. Clifford updates me on Covid, more than I really want or need to know. Taxes are done, slow because of computer and software issues.

Wednesday: Morning walk, especially enjoying the lower aspen forest. Clifford is not wanting to make the trip to Montana because of Covid issues. Play cello outside. I think I saw a mouse in the RV. Set traps.

Thursday: Mouse trapped, major counter cleanup first thing. Trip to town for errands and domestic chores at the house in town.

Friday: Longer walk this morning, then more counter cleanup (another mouse trapped). Review the journal of the St. Mary’s Pilgrimage in August 1996. Continue editing I Am Markus Desmend, Ang’s sci-fi novel.

Saturday: Forest walk, mostly in the aspens. Deposit insurance check for roofing work (following hail damage), which is scheduled to begin soon. Begin rereading Way of the Essenes. Sit outside to eat dinner and watch a beautiful sunset.

Snippets on Abajo – July 2020

July 12, 2020August 2, 2020 Carol CarnicomLeave a comment

July 6:

*Morning walk; I use photo of a purple flower for today’s Higher Vibration photo, *Run all computer programs, trying to keep my laptop working, *Check & answer email, *Make edits to a memoir by an author from UK, *Play viola with Clifford playing dulcimer, *Work on my website – the Higher Vibration Gallery, *Dinner & dishes, *Talk to MI, a friend from CA – Words of wisdom from MI – “Don’t re-enforce negative thoughts by repeating them.”

Purple flowers for Higher Vibration Series

July 7:

*Happy Birthday photo “card” to my son Tye, *Trip to town for errands, laundry, watering flowers & bird baths – takes up most of the day, *Dinner & dishes, *Foxtail at sunset for Higher Vibration photo, check FB, which is entirely too time-consuming

Morning road loop walk – the aspen section

Foxtail at sunset – Higher Vibration Series

July 8:

Repeats: *Morning work through the woods, *music with Clifford, *Email, *Finish editing memoir, *Higher Vibration photo from the morning walk

New or different:*Research literary agents for Ang’s fantasy novel – Dragons of Va’Haden. Send one query, *Calls with roofing agent and home owner insurance agent – work on roof will move forward

Morning road loop walk – the scrub oak section

July 9:

Repeats: *morning walk, *email, *meals & dishes, *Website HV Gallery

What’s new: *Start 2^nd edits for Ang’s sci-fi novel, “I Am Markus Desmend,” *Clifford makes a trip to town for propane, gasoline, and water – Right after he leaves, boys on motorcycles come tearing right into our campsite. Guess they are a bit surprised to see a wild mountain woman running out to tell them to get out of our campsite. I don’t know what they were up to, but no good, for sure.

A “road” less traveled – except by deer (just right of center)

July 10:

*Morning walk taking photos of “tree friends” and a photo for the HV series, *Edits to Markus, *Website Gallery, *Music with Clifford, *Meals & dishes, *Calls from a CA friend and from my youngest daughter, who will probably not make the trip to Montana due to covid. It is a long flight from Hawaii and there are too many unknowns about the health consequences. Plans for a get-together for her birthday in Glacier Park are postponed.

July 11: Variations on some of the above

Another, more mature, grove of aspen – off trail

July 12: The morning walks take up the time I usually spend journal writing, quiet sitting, inspirational reading, and so on. The time spent with nature makes up for it in many ways. However, the journal is a record that needs to be kept, so that is today’s focus – getting caught up the journal.

Little yellow flowers thrive in the hot dry climate

Roads Less Traveled – July 2020

July 5, 2020July 26, 2020 Carol CarnicomLeave a comment

July 1 – 5: My days here at Pine Flats in the Abajo Mountains of southeast Utah begin with a walk through the woods, groves of aspens and scrub oak, with pines on the periphery.

The road less traveled through scrub oak

There is one especially large and impressive pine, a subspecies of Ponderosa, that grabs my attention. At my sister’s suggestion, I ask the tree what its name is in people language. I don’t get an answer until, as I turn away, Bartholomew pops into my head. So I take it the tree is to be called Bartholomew.

Yarrow and some kind of little yellow flower are the predominant wildflowers; red blossoms, like teeny day lilies are also found, but scare. I enjoy the peaceful ambiance of the “road less traveled.”

Photos for blogs and the Higher Vibration Series, journaling, editing for my daughter Ang – a new sci-fi novel, and domestic chores take up the rest of day. Clifford continues with his ham radio, playing the dulcimer, and virtual flying.

Every day the sky is a gorgeous blue, highs are mostly in the 70’s and some days big billowing cumulus clouds build up.

No rain, however, except on the 4^th of July, there is a brief, but heavy rain storm, which apparently causes the tipi group camped near us to pack up and leave. Even though it is great that people want to be out in nature, some folks are a bit loud and we don’t mind when the weekend is over and most of them leave.

Heading to Abajo – June 2020

June 30, 2020July 21, 2020 Carol CarnicomLeave a comment

We are eager to go camping for Clifford’s ham radio field day, the weekend of June 27 & 28. After considering our options, we decide to go to Pine Flats, the large dispersed area on the north slope of Abajo Mountain. We head up on Wednesday morning prior to field day, and partway up the mountain, there is road construction with a THREE-hour wait. Luckily we are able to pull off and wait it out in the shade of the forest service campground adjacent to the flagman. We make use of this time to have a picnic lunch, then Clifford plays his dulcimer and I write in my journal.

Finally we are on our way again, following the pilot car to the turnoff into Pine Flats. We are pleased to find that our favorite spot is available. The road is rugged and we drive about two to three miles an hour for the last half mile.

The spot is at the end of a side-road and with some finagling we are able to get Cougar tucked back under the pines so as to have plenty of shade for these hot summer days. I am hot and dusty by time this accomplished. It is pleasant to sit in the shade and relax before we finish setup.

Clifford gets his antennas set up; he is ready for field day, but also for the usual morning traffic net (ham radio message transfer). I make sure the inside is homey and comfortable.

The next days are a mix of sun, clouds, calm, and wind – sometimes all in the same day.

My mornings begin with a walk on the road that makes a big loop through this dispersed area, traversing pine forests, aspen and scrub oak groves. I really like the lovely peacefulness of these forests and photos taken on the morning walk often become the Higher Vibration photo for the day. Other activities include journal writing, photo editing and blogs, editing my daughter’s most recent novel, and either cello and viola as often as I can fit it in.

Clifford’s activities: ham radio, dulcimer, virtual flying.

Calls, messenger, FB, texts, Instagram – these are the ways I am in contact with my family and friends. While we are here, work is scheduled for repairs to the roof of the house following the hail damage earlier this month. Waiting for this work to take place means our Montana travel plans will have to be adjusted. Further adjustment may depend on the virus situation, as the news remains contradictory. But in the meantime, we are grateful for all the mountain offers in the way of peace and quiet, beauty and shade, and cooler temperatures than the valley below.

Abajo Picnic and Needles Overlook – April 2020

April 11, 2020May 22, 2020 Carol CarnicomLeave a comment

Upon our return to homebase in southeast Utah in early April, life begins to settle into a different routine for Clifford and me. Now we have more house and yard chores to take care of, but it is nice to have access to hot showers, washer/dryer, and other conveniences.

For the most part, we are still living in Cougar. I miss being able to walk in the vast desert of southwest Arizona where we were camped all winter, but we make a couple of outings that are enjoyable.

Our first outing is a drive up nearby Abajo Mountain for a picnic. We intend to go to one of our favorite spots, either Monticello Lake and Pine Flats. However, when we reach the parking lot at the first campground, we can go no further, as the highway has not been plowed and there is too much snow. We drive back down the mountain to a forest road that is clear enough to allow us to pull to the side and park safely. We set up our table and chairs between old snowdrifts for our picnic before taking out our instruments to play music on the mountainside.

Our next outing is to Needles Overlook, about 45 miles from homebase. We pass the BLM campground where we stayed last fall, currently closed. As we drive to the overlook, we watch for places where we might boondock later this spring. Needles Overlook is 20+ miles from highway 191, but worth the drive for the spectacular view of the southern portion of Canyonlands National Park.

Although there are picnic tables tucked in here and there, we decide to check out a couple potential boondocking spots for our picnic on our way back to the highway.

The wind deters us from picnicking until we find a low spot off a side road that is out of the wind. A juniper provides a mix of sun and shade. We have our picnic and then play music, happy to have found a spot warm and calm enough to enjoy our afternoon outdoors.

Flagstaff to HomeBase – Utah – April 2020

April 6, 2020May 9, 2020 Carol CarnicomLeave a comment

April 6, 2020 – At our overnight camping spot in the Coconino Forest north of Flagstaff, our last morning in Arizona, it is 38 degrees and windy. The winds will be coming from behind, so we pack up and are on our way by 10:00 a.m. We leave the forests behind and enter the badlands of northeast Arizona, taking the junction off US Highway 89 to US Highway 160, and then north on US Highway 191 into Utah. The badlands, while barren of vegetation, are impressive. It is Navajo Reservation all the way to Bluff, Utah.

When we reach the San Juan River just outside of Bluff, we plan to spend the night at the Sand Island Campground.

San Juan River at Sand Island Campground

The website did not indicate closure, nor was there a sign at the entrance to the campground. It is only after getting set up that, at the pay station, we see a sign indicating that the campground is closed due to Covid19. Odd, since are a few other RV’s camped along the river. I am very disappointed, as I have been looking forward to camping by the river, having gone all winter with no rivers, streams, or lakes. However, it seems that we don’t have a choice, so we leave the campground and continue the journey to our homebase in Monticello, arriving in the later afternoon.

Abajo Mountains – Monticello lies at the eastern foot of the range

And now we are back at homebase after having left four months ago, returning a month earlier than planned due to the travel and camping restrictions imposed by the covid19 issue. At this point, travel plans for the summer are on hold until we see how things develop.

LaPosa South to Flagstaff – April 2020

April 5, 2020May 8, 2020 Carol CarnicomLeave a comment

April 1 to April 5: These first days of April are a time of change for us. We had planned to leave LaPosa South on the 15^th, but due to increased travel restrictions because of covid19, we change our minds and begin packing so as to leave tomorrow.

My brother Rollie and his lady friend Tata plan to come for dinner and music, but Rollie collapses. Tata calls 911 and we all spend the evening at the emergency room of the nearest hospital. Tests are done and Rollie will be fine. Clifford and I go back to camp around midnight; Rollie and Tata return to camp even later. Rough night for all, but glad everything is okay.

We delay our departure to make sure Rollie is okay and to have another opportunity for dinner and music. Saturday is now our departure date. Even with preparation ahead of time, it takes us awhile to get ready to leave. We say good-bye to Rollie and Tata, and she gives me two beautiful rocks: obsidian and a quartz crystal imbued with the intention for safe travel.

The Arizona desert is beautiful with so many flowers blooming, but hard to get decent photos from the vehicle at highway speeds. The ocotillo in full bloom, a purple ground cover, and California poppies are especially colorful. We leave I-10 at the junction of US Highway 60 to Wickenburg, then travel east on Arizona Highway 74 to I-17, bypassing Phoenix.

North of Phoenix at the Agua Fri National Monument, we pull off, intending to camp where we camped with Rollie two years ago. However, Saturday afternoon is not a good time to fine a place to camp. This place is not designed to encourage camping, so the few possible places are already taken. Going in further was not a good idea because the road becomes more rugged and steep in places. We turn around, drive back out to I-17, then backtrack south to a parking area we had seen a few miles back, which turns out to be the Badger Springs Recreation Area. There is a large and level parking lot and we get set up away from others who are already there.

Overnight at Badger Springs Recreation Area

The next morning, my son Matt calls, as there was an explosion and fire at the CBD plant where his son, my grandson, works. It was very very scary for everyone, but other than singed clothes, none of the workers were injured. Thank goodness!

As we are getting ready to leave, four semi’s pull in and unload their cargo – several hundred sheep that will soon spread out over the land for their summer pasture. It was fun to see them since I raised sheep for several years – not hundreds, but enough to have a fondness for them.

It is steep downhill to Camp Verde followed by a steep haul back up to Flagstaff, Arizona.

San Francisco Peaks above Flagstaff, Arizona

North of Flagstaff, on US Highway 89, we turn off on a forest road and find a spot to camp for the night. We are set up in time to have lunch and a restful afternoon. I walk about, missing the flowers of the desert we have left behind, but pleased to see trees and snow on the mountain peaks. We are grateful for a peaceful place to spend the night.

Evening at our overnight north of Flagstaff

March Marches On and Out – March 2020

March 31, 2020May 5, 2020 Carol CarnicomLeave a comment

Sunday, March 29 – More flowers…. More restrictions, including mandated “Stay Home” under whatever names various states call it.

Monday – Clifford wakes me up at 3:00 a.m. because there is a mouse in the house and he didn’t know where to find the traps. The mouse is subsequently trapped, and in the morning I thoroughly clean and disinfect the floor before getting on with my morning walk and other projects.

The flowers are so beautiful and I especially enjoy photographing and editing globe mallow.

Although the desert marigolds are past their prime, they are still attractive and grab my attention.

Other blossoms, from the tiny ground-huggers to the tall ocotillo, add to the desert palette.

In the later afternoon, Rollie and Tata come over for dinner and music at a campfire.

Tuesday – Rollie comes to look at our leaking water pump, and later when he and Tata go into Quartzsite, he picks up one for us. In the afternoon, they come over, bearing food for dinner and our new water pump, which Rollie installs. We visit as we eat dinner, but no music tonight, being too late to get out the instruments.

And thus March marches out and we will see where April takes us.

Crystal Hill Outing – March 2020

March 28, 2020May 2, 2020 Carol CarnicomLeave a comment

Saturday, March 28 – This morning the sky is a beautiful blue, so an outing is planned to Crystal Hill, which is not far from where Clifford and I are camped at LaPosa South, south of Quartzsite, Arizona. We meet up with my brother Rollie and his lady friend, Tata, so we can hike and have a picnic together.

By the time we are ready to go, spraying has messed up the sky, but we go anyway, taking the road out to Crystal Hill slow and easy, stopping a couple of times for photos.

Stopping on Crystal Hill Road for photos

When we arrive at Crystal Hill, we pick a nice spot to set up a picnic table, but decide to explore before eating. While Rollie, Tata, and I hike along the hillside looking for crystals, Clifford hikes to the top of Crystal Hill, where he sees a couple chuckwallas, foot long lizards. That was exciting for him.

Rollie and Tata with Ninja and Fifi at Chrystal Hill

Afterward, we enjoy a tasty picnic; wherever Tata is, food is good!

On the way back to camp, Clifford and I stop so I can take photos of the ocotillo, which are so bright with their blossoms fully open. Streaks in the sky kind of mess with the photos, but still the ocotillo and desert marigolds are worth capturing for a blog.

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