Balloon Festival and Snow in the Desert – January 2023

Evening View of Pine Mountain from the Doorway

Clifford and I are camped in our RV, Cougar, on Black Rock Road not far from our friend David, a fellow nomad. The last weekend of January, Clifford, David, and I make a trip to Mesquite, Nevada, to the balloon festival. We meet friends Rick and LeeAnn there, go to a casino for a great lunch, the Virgin Valley Heritage Museum, and a pawn shop while we wait for the evening Balloon Glow when the balloons are filled and lit up. At the pawn shop I saw an old fiddle in a brand new case; I was tempted to buy it, but since I don’t really need another instrument, I talked myself out of it.

At the Virgin Valley Heritage Museum with Friends

We parked on a hill on the edge of Mesquite to watch the activity below until dark, then found a place to park near the balloon field so we could walk through and see the balloons up close. The balloons are huge and colorful and it was fun to walk among them.

Mesquite, Nevada, Balloon Festival
Balloon Glow at Mesquite, Nevada, Balloon Festival

In my miscellaneous reading, I come across something called “Five Minute Journal,” which I added to my daily journal writing: 1) – Inspiring quote.  2) – List 3 things I am grateful for.  3) – List 3 goals for the day (and did I accomplish them, if writing pm).  4) – List 3 things that were amazing or made me happy.       5) – Anything I would have done differently. In reviewing the journal for this blog, I find what I wrote in the Five Minute Journal to be quite interesting. I am glad I did it, at least for a while.

As January draws to a close, the temperature is warm enough for Clifford to sit outside on the sunny side of Cougar to play music, even getting  bit of a tan.

Clifford Plays Dulcimer in the Sunshine

An exciting change of  weather happens the very next day – SNOW! I spend a long time walking in the snow taking photos. It doesn’t last long, but it was delightful for me while it was happening.

Falling Snow Blurs the Horizon
Snow Defines the Mesa
Mountain to the West Covered in White

By the next day, the last day of January, the snow is all gone, except for the new white coat on Pine Mountain. What will February bring?

Snow is Gone

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