Uncategorized – Quiet Walk Photography

May 31, 2022March 13, 2024

Meadow Valley – part 3

Globe Mallow at Meadow Valley Campground

Some days here at Meadow Valley BLM Campground are rather breezy to windy, just as it was in Arizona. I am trying to be more at peace with the wind, seeing it as mother nature’s “wild child,” talking to it as though to soothe a petulant youngster.

One chilly morning, 34 degrees, I walk down the road where I can catch the sunlight on the vegetation on the rock face. As I wait, the chilly wind nearly drives me back inside. Brrr….

However, the daytime temperatures have been in the 70’s, so no complaints there. I enjoy sitting out with yerba matte tea, having more time to read inspirational material since I don’t have internet to distract me with texting or checking email.

And then my laptop hard drive fails, so I can’t even work on projects like editing or writing blogs. This is not a happy event, but now I have even more time for reading and journaling. I contemplate the Buddhist Eight Noble Truths, as well as dwell on my own daily intentions of mindfulness, the allowing of well-being, and surrounding myself with beauty. Well, this is certainly a place for that to be easy and joyful to accomplish. I also think about the Martha and Mary quandary I have faced for years. Here I have more opportunity to find a better balance between these two aspects of myself.

One of our projects is to make a mountain-man shirt for Clifford. I read (like reed, not red) the pattern and pin, he cuts and sews.

The shirt turns out quite well and he wears it when he and I go for a longer hike up the drainage. We see a rock cairn in the wash at the beginning of the trail.

The trail is rugged and wildflowers are abundant, including prickly pear blossoms seen for the first time in all of the walking about that I have done. Eventually we arrive at a spring where the landscape and dense vegetation force us to turn back. Great hike.

.Besides the daily hikes, I look forward to sitting outside with reading material, my journal, and French press coffee, adjusting for sun or shade as need be. Lizards and birds, butterflies and ladybugs come to visit. Life is quite delightful and our allotted two weeks passes quickly. I am sorry to leave the rugged hills with their blooming shrubs and wildflowers, but we have Montana with family to look forward to.

Saying Good-bye to the Rugged Landscape and Vegetation at Meadow Valley

May 21, 2022March 13, 2024

Meadow Valley – Part 2 – May 2022

Stansbury Cliffrose at Meadow Valley Campground

Clifford and I are camped at Meadow Valley Campground east of Pioche, Nevada. We are have only been here a few days, but we really like this scenic setting. In the early mornings, as the rising sun lights up the hillsides, evening primroses are abundant, adding to the delightfulness of my morning walkabout.

Every day I hike somewhere, sometimes through the campsites beyond us before winding through the tent sites on the other side of the wash and then further up the drainage where it deepens into an arroyo. Walking the path to the far side of the wash, I discover a pocket of claret cup, also known as king cup cacti.

Every day there are more wildflowers; such fun for me!

Indian Paint Brush and Stansbury”s Cliffrose

A project Clifford takes on is turning dirty water to much cleaner usable water via filtering through various types and layers of fabric. It looks messy, but it is surprising how well it works, as he started out with dirty water and came out with clear water.

One of our first days here, we walk up the highway to the border of the Spring Valley State Park.

State Highway 322 to Spring Valley Nevada State Park

It is a very scenic walk and a patch of red catches my attention. I am excited to find Indian Paintbrush not far off the highway,

Castilleja (Indian Paintbrush) Near the Spring Valley State Park Boundary

A Healthy Clump of Indian Paintbrush by Sagebrush

If we weren’t still hitched up, we would have driven there to further explore the state park. As it is, it is a good long walk for us and I am glad it is downhill getting back to camp.

Back at camp, we enjoy sitting in the shade of junipers, relaxing after our outing.

May 15, 2022February 21, 2024

Nevada Adventures Begin – May 2022

It is time for us to begin the journey north to Montana. Clifford and I spent the winter in northwest Arizona, staying longer than intended as we waited for snow and cold to leave northern Nevada. Well, the Ruby Mountains are still cold and very snowy, so a change of plans is in order. We will still go to Nevada, but stay to the east side, traveling north to Idaho on US Highway 93.

Time to Say Goodbye to Black Rock Road, Arizona

May 10^th we say good-bye to Black Rock Road and pull out, traveling through a landscape of red and black lava west of St. George, Utah, before winding through juniper covered hills, crossing over the Bull Valley Mountain Range, and across a large valley to Enterprise, Utah. Once past this farming valley, as we take a westerly direction, the landscape with its dead trees does not impress me. Our first stop in Nevada after crossing another smaller mountain range is the small mining town of Pioche.

Thanks to Clifford doing a little research, we find an RV park on the edge of town allowing a week stay by donation. There are no restrooms, but there is water and garbage cans, a big plus after months of boondocking. The RV park has about ten spaces and we are pleased to find a spot available. We get settled in without unhitching since we won’t be here long.

The next day, as I am interested in seeing the restored area of town with its museum and old buildings, I head toward the heart of town. While I learn a lot about the town, it is a cold windy day and everything is uphill from the RV park. The walk was stressful on my heart and I realize I must take better care. The following day is a day of rest and indoor projects. A couple days later when the temperature and wind moderate, Clifford and I go to the museum together. It is still a long uphill hike, but more enjoyable than my previous visit to the museum.

The old Lincoln County Courthouse is now also a museum and we pay a visit there, learning that Pioche was a violent nearly lawless town in the 1870’s when silver mining was the rage. There is a Boothill Cemetery we’d like to see, but since we didn’t unhitch, it will have to wait, as it is too far to walk.

Life-like Manikins in the Historic Lincoln County Courthouse Courtroom

In the morning, I go for a walk and find my way down into the pit next to the RV park where I take photos of a few wildflowers at sunrise. It is one of those places that could be made into a lovely walking park, if anyone cared enough to do it. When I am a rich lady……..

Our friend David had told of us a place he camped east of Pioche, so after staying a week at the RV park, having taken advantage of cell service to get caught up on email, blogs, and texts to family and friends, we head to Eagle Valley about 15 miles to the hills east of Pioche to find a place to camp. As it turns out, we find a small free campground, Meadow Valley Campground, just outside of Spring Valley State Park. The spots are small, probably designed for tent campers. We are fortunate that no one else is camped here, as it gives us the opportunity to park in the only spot big enough to accommodate our RV. Since we don’t know how long we will be here, we don’t unhitch, but get set up to enjoy whatever time we have. The rugged hills look like a great place to go exploring and we are pleased to have such a scenic setting as our home for a week or two.

Scenic Setting at Meadow Valley Campground

May 10, 2022January 7, 2024

May Flowers in the Virgin River Gorge – May 2022

Spring has arrived at Black Rock Road in northwestern Arizona where Clifford and I are camped. The acres of creosote that surround us are now in full bloom, the tiny yellow blossoms like sunshine sprinkled across the landscape.

Warmer days encourage us to spend more time outdoors, including a picnic at Cedar Pockets, the campground in the Virgin River Gorge, about 10 miles to the south of our campsite.

View of the Virgin River Gorge from Cedar Pockets

Clifford takes his kalimba so he can accompany himself as he sings while I hike down to the river. The trail is narrow and steep in spots, but it feels good to be outside and to the see the mesas from the river bottom vantage point.

Clifford Playing and Singing with Kalimba at Cedar Pockets

I am not the only one enjoying the river. A cow and her calves splash across the river. When the twins see me, they stop to stare like I’m an alien, which I am to them. Then in mirror reflection of one another, their heads turn to watch the direction that big mom is taking. So fun to see them, as I play a silly game, called Cow Game, with a couple family members, and today I win Cow Game!

It is delightful to be near the river with views of the mesas all around, and the frosting on the cake is to find flowers – globe mallow and desert marigolds. Although Cedar Pockets is not so very far from Black Rock Road, it is a very different ecosystem.

While Black Rock Road vegetation is acres and acres of creosote, the gorge displays a greater variety of desert plants with Joshua trees and many types of cacti, including cholla and a blooming hedgehog cactus along the trail from the upper campground to the lower camping area where we are picnicking.

Hedgehog Cactus in Bloom Along the Trail

For weeks we have been talking about camping in northern Nevada on our way to Montana for the summer. We thought we would leave in April, but northern Nevada has been too cold and snowy, and now it is May and the place we thought we’d go — the Ruby Mountains — is still too cold and snowy. However, Montana is beckoning and it will soon be too warm here in Arizona anyway. So, we begin preparations to leave our winter home. Besides picking up our mail, we also take a day for errands with a picnic of sorts at the back of the laundromat, and Clifford brings the kalimba and sings. Who can resist a picnic and music? Not us, apparently. 🙂

Our friend David pulls out just a few days before our departure date. It’s been good having a friend as a neighbor for the winter. We wish him well and safe journeying. Very soon Clifford and I will also be saying good-bye to Black Rock Road. Although the Ruby Mountains and Ruby Valley are out of the question for us, still too cold and snowy there, we know other places are waiting to be explored.

September 30, 2021October 4, 2022

Autumn on the Horizon – September 2021

After two great weeks camping at Bass Creek Recreation Area in the Bitterroot Valley of western Montana, Clifford and I move to my sister Nancy’s back yard, once a horse pasture, now a great lawn surrounded by trees. Not only is it a pleasant place to stay, we have electricity not dependent upon solar panels, a rarity for us.

Sitting in the morning sunshine with our hot coffee, Nancy and I begin looking through the photos albums that were once Mom’s. These albums go back many years, including photos from our childhood. It is fun and interesting to see these photos before passing the albums onto our sister Lillian.

My Siblings: Left to right: Rollie, Eddie Nancy, Lillian, Diana

The morning light is delightful as I walkabout for photos, and sometimes Nancy and I walk through the woods down to a side channel of the Bitterroot River.

Cattails along the road showing autumn colors

Walking to the side channel of the Bitterroot River

Reflections on the side channel of the Bitterroot River

For my daughter’s Ang’s birthday, we have a small family get-together at the Lumberjack for lunch and then we play music on the deck. It is really quite a fun afternoon for all of us.

Music at the Lumberjack: Bebose, Ang, and Carol

Clifford plays his dulcimer at the Lumberjack

Our days are filled with projects. Clifford is reviewing some of his research papers, while I work on edits for a couple of authors, do Qigong, especially appreciating the benefits of the Healthy Heart Routine, and write in my journals.

In mid-September there are a few smoky days, but not nearly as bad as what Montana was experiencing earlier in the summer.

When the weather cools, misty mornings provide photo opportunities.

One Sunday, Nancy and I go visit Ang and grandson Oden.

It is delightful to have dinner cooked over a campfire with the ambiance of the mountains and trees all around us.

Carol and Nancy surrounded by mountains and trees

Nancy and I also admire oil paintings that Ang has completed in recent months.

Near the end of September, I spend several days with Ang, staying in Terry, the old RV that Clifford and I bought after we got caught in a blizzard in our pop-up a couple of years ago. While I am here, Ang and I enjoy the warmth of the wood stove as we work steadily on the edits for her epic fantasy series, The Novels of Shannon.

Soon it is time for me to head back down the mountain.

October is just around the corner and other family get-togethers are in the works before Clifford and I head to Arizona for the winter.

August 18, 2021August 15, 2022

On the Road – Arrival at Bass Creek – August 2021

Tuesday August 17, 2021

Yesterday afternoon, we discovered that our intended destination, Divide Bridge Camp-ground, has been converted to a forest fire staging area. We continued driving north on I-15 to the rest stop south of Butte, glad to find a place to pull over for the night after a long hot day of driving through the heavy forest fire smoke that has obscured the landscape since we left Provo, Utah, a couple days ago.

Stopping at the rest area south of Butte, Montana – smoke haze in the background

We spend all day (Tuesday) at the rest stop, as it is too windy for safe travel. I help Clifford with rewiring the old backup camera, as the new one is still not working. We are outside with wires and tools spread out when a thunderstorm blows in making the work more difficult, but the cool moisture is much appreciated.

The rain continues into the night and this morning (Wednesday) there is a drizzle. A photo taken yesterday, pale grey with smoke, is almost indistinguishable from a photo this morning of the drizzle, but the drizzle sure feels better!

We leave the rest area about noon and as we travel west, the air quality improves and the 90+ degrees of the past days is replaced with a high of 58 degrees.

Smoke gives way to clouds as we travel west

Air quality improves with every mile west

I thought we might stop at a rest area east of Missoula to spend the night, but Clifford decides to push on through to the Charles Waters Campground in the Bass Creek Recreation Area in the Bitterroot Valley south of Missoula. We arrive about 4:30 with only three sites available to choose from. Although I prefer the creekside camps, we choose a campsite that will receive enough sunlight for the solar panels.

Campsite in the Bass Creek Recreation Area in the Bitterroot Valley of western Montana

After a visit say Hello to Bass Creek, I get the kitchen set up while Clifford gets antennas and ham shack functional.

Clifford’s ham shack and desk area ready for action

This site has a pleasing mix of meadow and tall Ponderosa pines as well as shrubs and other evergreens. It will be a very nice place for us to spend the next two weeks. We are happy to be here!

August 1, 2021May 1, 2022

Last Days at Monticello – August 2021

It is August now and western United States is hot and dry with many wildfires, but it has not been too bad here in Monticello, Utah. Even though Monticello and nearby Abajo Mountain have thus far escaped the ravages of wildfires, there are a couple of days when smoke lies heavily in the valley, obscuring Abajo from view.

Clifford and I discuss whether we should stay in Monticello longer or begin the trip to Montana and hope it cools off by time we get there.

The sale of the house is underway, but there are many things yet to take care of such as moving the last items out of the house and getting Cougar (our RV) ready to be our full-time home, including a major readjustment of living space functionality.

Downsizing from this place, once a small church, to a 24-foot RV has been a real challenge. We have given away hundreds to thousands of dollars worth of stuff – furniture, lab equipment, clothing, dishes, books, and so on. There is no turning back at this point, so it looks like we will aim for the small break in the temperature that we see shaping up in Montana in about a week.

My source of greatest peace during these last days is the time I spend in the backyard either on the deck watching the birds, sipping coffee and journaling, or sitting under the pine and spruce trees at the back, grateful for shade and their ambiance.

As I journal, I think about the difference between being motivated and being inspired. Being motivated comes from need – the need to eat, the need to have clean clothes, and so on, while being inspired comes from some deeper richer place. I seem to be doing most things based on motivation (need) rather than inner source (inspiration). In sitting quietly with the question of how to move from motivation to inspiration, I find the answer is that feeling satisfaction is the only gauge I need at this time. If the activity is satisfying, do it if I want to (cook, wash dishes, play the fiddle); if not satisfying, let it go for the time being. That makes sense given the current circumstances.

Some days I walk early while it is still cool, one day going as far as the cemetery, a peaceful place where I’ve never been before. Maybe I’ll come here again before we leave.

We make the final trip to Clifford’s storage unit in the nearby town of Blanding and stop at Recapture Reservoir on our way back to Monticello – one last chance for me to take photos there.

On August 10, we do the final walkabout of the house and yard with our checklist, repack the Suburban, and get Cougar ready for travel. I say good-bye to the backyard, the trees, and all that is being left behind.

Saying Good-bye to All That Is Being Left Behind

Tomorrow begins a new stage of the life journey.

February 28, 2021December 5, 2021

Green Thermos – February 2021

C,amped in the desert at La Posa South, south of Quartzsite, Arizona for the winter, Clifford and I have a busy lifestyle despite being retired. He works with his ham radio every day, plays music on his dulcimer, and enjoys flying with a simulator.

For me, daily walking continues, taking my fanny pack with a little thermos of tea and a small book of uplifting readings, and finding a place out of the wind to sit for quiet time. I have some favorite spots, but many days I look for a new place to sit.

Thermos, hiking sticks, and desert hat are my walking companions

I’m always on the lookout for flowers, but this February the desert is devoid of blossoms and trees remain the focus. A type of barrel cactus and the ocotillo provide a little additional color.

Old trees and saguaro still capture my attention.

Other than the daily desert walks and music, playing fiddle tunes on the viola and occasionally taking out the cello, my time is spent editing, writing blogs, and domestic tasks – and thus does February pass.

January 31, 2021November 14, 2021

January Happenings – January 2021

Camping at La Posa South, south of Quartzsite, Arizona, I walk daily, usually in the cool of the morning. Since I almost always walk alone, Clifford and I stay in touch with handheld radios, but other than that, I treasure the silence and hold thoughts regarding the importance of silence in making positive shifts, both in personal life and health as well as in relationship to the shifting energy of the earth.

“Scraggly” and his straight arrow friend.

After my walk, I often have coffee with my brother Rollie and his fiance Tata who are camped next to us. The day’s activities, in addition to journal writing and reading books of interest, I also spend time editing my daughter Ang’s books, as we are reviewing all of the first series, an epic fantasy that keeps me engaged.

Cousin Bill and his wife Sally come for a visit and we share meals, outings, and music. It is fun to have desert time with family.

Cousin Sally and Tata on a desert outing

One of the highlights of the day is getting together to play music.

Getting together to play music, mostly bluegrass.

Toward the end of the month, we are pleased to welcome clouds and a rainstorm. I have hopes that this moisture will bring blossoms to the desert.

Most days I prepare a photo to post on social media as the Higher Vibration for the day. Some of these will eventually end up in a blog, but for now they are a visual record of my day-by-day saunterings and a way to share the beauty I see in the world.

Things always work out for me. – Abraham-Hicks