Cactus Forest Days – Arizona – January 2020

January 14, 2020February 18, 2020 Carol CarnicomLeave a comment

Monday January 13: One reason Clifford and I decided to camp at Cactus Forest, northwest of Tucson, is that, besides liking this unique dispersed camping area,

….it is near enough to Tucson to have our “big city” day. The most fun stops are Bookman’s and Trader Joe’s, but other necessary errands and shopping fill the day.

Driving out of Tucson at rush hour is NOT fun, but dinner at the Cracker Barrel in Marana on our way back to camp is enjoyable. Returning to camp long after dark, we unload groceries and soon head to bed.

Tuesday January 14: I am up in time for photos at sunrise, always a good start to my day.

It is great to have a day just to hang out here, especially having the time as well as pleasant enough temperatures for Clifford to play dulcimer outside while I play cello. I’ve also had fun playing around with the Snapseed app on my phone.

Daughter Becka calls and explains the recent “cow game” photo she sent, which was the result of an older couple hitting a black cow as they were driving down the mountain and nearly hitting Becka and her friend, who were driving the other way. Becka and her friend called 911 and helped the older couple until police arrived. Thankfully, everyone was okay.

Later, I walk down the road for photos at sunset, enjoying the ambiance of this desert forest.

Nearby Picacho Peak – Painterly (not Snapseed)

After dinner, I do a blog and then write in the journal before heading to bed, a good way to close the day.

Cactus Forest – January 2020

January 12, 2020February 18, 2020 Carol CarnicomLeave a comment

Sunday January 12: There is a little frost on the outdoor tables this morning at Cactus Forest BLM dispersed camping area where Clifford and I are camped, having arrived yesterday afternoon. This area is northwest of Tucson at the Red Rock exit and about 10 miles off I-10. It is a unique area due to the density and variety of cacti that grow here, truly a forest of cacti. Not the best place for little kids, dogs, or big rigs, but for us, one of our best finds.

I take photos at sunrise, but soon hustle back inside to warm up.

Later, when it warms up, I walk the road, surprised at the number of people camped here, as it is hard to see other campsites due to the dense growth.

Cactus Forest with Picacho Peak in the background

We play our instruments outside, work on various other projects (ham radio for Clifford; editing and blog-writing for me), and I finish reading Old Lady on the Trail. This has been an interesting book to read, since Clifford and I did a fair amount of backpacking when I was in my 60’s, but not anything like Mary Davison.

The evening sunset provides the opportunity for the classic saguaro-in-the-desert-at-sunset photos.

Arizona Here We Come – January 2020

January 11, 2020February 14, 2020 Carol CarnicomLeave a comment

Thursday January 9: Clifford and I have enjoyed our stay at Elephant Butte New Mexico State Park, but today is moving day and we are heading further south. Although our destination is Quartzsite, Arizona, we will only go as far as Lordsburg, New Mexico, today.

It is a chilly 27 degrees as we pack up and the drive is windy, south on I-25 and east on I-10, all the way to Lordsburg. After stopping for gas, we make our way to Veterans Park on the outskirts of town. Clifford discovered this place by doing some research and it proves to be a good spot to spend the night. Hardly anyone is here this time of the year and we are able to pick a spot along a row of picnic tables and small bushes. We park and level, happy to be off the highway and out of the wind.

I mostly read the rest of the evening, but step out for a nice shot of the sunset.

Clifford is focused on music for the dulcimer. The wind picks up in the night and there is a bit of rain.

Friday January 10: Due to the wind, we decide to stay here at Veterans Park today. I walk out to the gate in the morning and plan to walk about later when it is warmer, but it is too windy and I stay inside Cougar the rest of the day. Thanks to cell service here, we are both able to continue with projects.

Saturday January 11: It was a chilly 22 degrees overnight here at Lordsburg, but calm this morning.

After a quick breakfast and making tea for the thermoses, we are on our way, east on I-10, grateful for the calmer day.

As we approach Tucson, the desert basin is a sea of water and mud flats, which is something we’ve never seen before on our travels through this area. Driving through Tucson on a Saturday morning is a good move and we get through the city without any problem.

At Red Rock, we turn off I-10 and take the frontage road to the county road that leads to Cactus Forest, the BLM dispersed camping area where we will be staying for a couple days.

When we arrive, most of the sites big enough for RV’s are taken, but the one we camped in last year is available. We pull in and get set up almost exactly where we were a year ago.

It is like visiting old friends as we recognize various cacti that we became acquainted with when we were here before.

What fun to be here again.

Last Days at Elephant Butte – January 2020

January 8, 2020February 5, 2020 Carol CarnicomLeave a comment

Sunday January 5 to Wednesday January 8: The days go sweetly by as we tend to our projects: dulcimer and ham radio for Clifford; walkabouts for photos, writing blogs, editing, playing viola for me. We are really enjoying our spot on the bluff overlooking Elephant Butte New Mexico State Park where we are camped.

Morning saunter along Elephant Butte Lake

A wintertime bush at Elephant Butte State Park

We make a couple of trips to Truth or Consequences, once to get updates on my laptop and another day to run errands in preparation for leaving Thursday. It has been a good stay, but it is time for us to head to Arizona.

It’s a New Year – January 2020

January 4, 2020February 3, 2020 Carol CarnicomLeave a comment

Wednesday January 1 to Saturday January 4: It is great having some days to stay put at our Elephant Butte New Mexico State Park campsite with no business to take care of and no errands to run.

Sunrise at Elephant Butte State Park, New Mexico

One afternoon Clifford and I saunter down to the beach from our campsite on the bluff above Elephant Butte Lake. It is interesting to notice the rock formations, which are most likely a function of receding water, sort of how stalactites are formed, but horizontal action.

We play our instruments outside, not really a warm temperatures, but pleasant enough on the lee side of Cougar in the sun and out of the wind.

Clifford and the dulcimer spend time outside

I’ve felt that I’m not finding a rhythm to my morning “quiet time,” but the insights of a photographer friend brings an understanding that the time I spend seeking and sharing the beauty of nature is in itself the connection to Source that I am desiring.

We are grateful to be here with the lake below us, sunshine on the solar panels, and decent cell service for the hotspot: email, blog posting, photo editing, posting photos for family and friends, and my Higher Vibration Photo Series are among the things that happen when we have power and internet.

A colorful sunset at Elephant Butte State Park

A side note: Australia is on fire and Trump is sending troops to Kuwait. I have concerns for my son-in-law who is stationed nearby.

At the Close of the Year – December 2019

December 31, 2019January 24, 2020 Carol CarnicomLeave a comment

Thursday December 26 – It is a really lovely morning here at Elephant Butte New Mexico State Park where Clifford and I are camped.

Our last morning at South Monticello Campground

Today we are moving to a different campground, but when we get there, we find that the electric sites are far too crowded with no views of the lake or the mesas. We go exploring, having never camped in this area before, and find a road along the bluff that has sites, non-electric, but with a picnic table and a great view of Elephant Butte Lake.

View of Elephant Butte Lake and the mesas beyond

Solar panels come out for this set-up and we find that our Mr. Buddy heater is not working, first time we are using either on this trip. The nights and mornings are still quite chilly and we run the furnace to take the chill off.

The next few days are focused on meeting with our webmaster in Truth or Consequences, as the Carnicom Institute website is undergoing a major change. It is a lot of work for the two of them, but the change is mostly in place by time our webmaster has to leave. During these days, I participated minimally in the website work and wrote blogs. Only a few photos are taken.

Tuesday December 31: A pretty sunrise greets us this chilly morning.

It is nice to not have to run to T or C right away, but we do make a trip to town to find a bookstore. The Black Cat Bookstore is a charming place and it was fun to see our RV neighbor at the counter. She and I visit while Clifford looks for the book he needs, but doesn’t find. I also talk to a man who is making stone and wire jewelry, beautiful pendants, to sell. Coffee is fresh and from a good free-trade source, so I enjoy a cup before Clifford and I head back to camp.

Last sunlight of 2019 on Rattlesnake Island

The usual activities occupy the rest of our day. I am glad to have time to enjoy being camped where we are, on a bluff with a view. It is a peaceful quiet end to 2019.

Christmas at Elephant Butte – December 2019

December 25, 2019January 21, 2020 Carol CarnicomLeave a comment

Friday December 20 to Wednesday December 25: These are special days at Elephant Butte State Park in central New Mexico where Clifford and I are camped — beginning with the Solstice, celebrated by spending time outdoors and adding to the rock collage at the base of a creosote bush on the edge of our campsite;

our anniversary celebrated with a photo of the two of us and watching a movie (which we can do here because we have an electric site and good cell service);

Christmas Eve and Christmas which I celebrate by being at the lake before sunrise and then making a photo greeting of one of the sunrise photos, which I send to family and friends.

Chilly nights and mornings remind us daily that although there is no snow here, winter is real in New Mexico, even in this more southerly portion. But compared to many parts of the country and the world, we have it pretty easy. The bush fires in Australia have grown alarmingly while regions of this country are experiencing extreme high winds and heavy snowfall.

Every day I spend time sauntering about taking photos, writing and posting photos blogs, editing for a couple of authors, and playing viola.

Another sunrise at Elephant Butte State Park

Clifford works with ham radio, learning to pass “traffic” via radio, and playing his dulcimer, which also includes using software to create his own accompaniments.

Each day also has variety, including calls from my kids, learning of national and global events, reorganization projects, and so on.

This has been a good and peaceful place for us these past two weeks. Tomorrow will be moving day, but we will remember this spot with fondness.

More of Elephant Butte – December 2019

December 19, 2019January 19, 2020 Carol CarnicomLeave a comment

Tuesday December 17 to Thursday December 19: Nights are chilly, in the low 20’s, and midday temperatures in the 40’s here at Elephant Butte New Mexico State Park where Clifford and I are camped.

A different sunrise at Elephant Butte State Park

I dress warmly when I walk to the lake in the mornings, but by early afternoon we are able to be outside, sheltered from the wind on the sunny side of Cougar. I enjoy writing in the journal while Clifford plays the dulcimer for the brief time that it is warm enough to sit out.

On days that are not too windy, I also walk to the lake at sunset, as the late afternoon sunlight brings out the color of the mesas and the lake most beautifully.

Clifford goes with me to the lake near sunset one afternoon

Light of setting sun on shrubs at the lake

The usual activities of radio and dulcimer continue for Clifford; photography, blogs, editing, and playing viola or cello for me. Plus all the other things I don’t have time for that are sitting on a “back-burner.” Honestly, I do not understand how people can complain of being bored – there are so many fun and interesting things to learn and do.

Elephant Butte Days – December 2019

December 16, 2019January 18, 2020 Carol CarnicomLeave a comment

Friday December 13 to Monday December 16: Clifford and I are camped at South Monticello Campground located at the north end of Elephant Butte New Mexico State Park.

Elephant Butte Lake from South Monticello Campground

Our days are busy with activities that interest us. Clifford mostly works on his ham radio and music for dulcimer. I saunter about taking photos, often at sunrise or sunset.

Sunrise reflections on mountains to the north

I also edit for a couple of authors, edit photos for the travel blogs that I post nearly daily, and play viola.

Most fun during this time is a visit from our Santa Fe friend, Diana. While she is here, we three talk of her participation in preserving Clifford’s research, and we go on an exploratory drive to the dispersed camping area to the north of our campground.

Diana and I also go for walks to the lake and discuss other topics, including the importance of being in a positive vibration in our thoughts.

Diana finds a way to the shore of Elephant Butte Lake near sunset

One evening we watch the three videos that Clifford has made: A Grand Ceremony, a video of the backpacking trip that he and I did to the bottom of the Grand Canyon in 2012. The videos River Woman and Voice of the Cello are an artistic mix of my daughter’s Ang’s writing, my still photos, and Clifford’s videography. We are up late every night with so much to talk about.

It has been great having a good friend share time with us these several days and it is with reluctance that we part as she heads back to Santa Fe, but with the hope and intention of more time together in the future.

Elephant Butte, New Mexico – December 2019

December 12, 2019January 17, 2020 Carol CarnicomLeave a comment

Wednesday December 11: After picking up a few more supplies at the Socorro (New Mexico) Walmart where we spent the night, Clifford and I head on south on I-25, destination Elephant Butte New Mexico State Park. It is a chilly 27 degrees, but relatively calm. We are glad that it is not so windy, as there are sections of this route that are prone to high wind gusts, which can be quite dangerous for RV’s.

We are going to the South Monticello Campground at the north end of the park, our first time camping at this state park. The sites along the lake are by reservation only, but we find a nice site a ways back from the lake where we can still see the lake and have lots of privacy, surrounded by acres of creosote.

Acres of creosote and a view of the lake

After we get set up, I walk to the lake and see a route down off the bluff, which I will take another time. Cell service is decent here, so I am able to post a blog and download more photos. Clifford is setting up his radios and working with his music software.

We are treated to a colorful sunset to end the day.

Thursday December 12: Seeing mist over the lake when I get up, I walk out right away, enjoying the quiet ambiance of the morning.

Today, in addition to our regular projects, we hang a string a Christmas lights, since we have electric power here.

Calls from my daughter Becka, who is back in Hawaii, and from our Santa Fe friend Diana saying she will come visit, are great additions to the day. In the late afternoon, I saunter to the lake again, noticing the change of color as the sun nears the horizon.

The color changes as the sun nears the horizon

Today was a delightful beginning for our stay at Elephant Butte State Park.

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