Sunday, March 3, 2019

One Fine Day, Remembering Elephant Butte, Quail Run


On Sunday, Mar. 3rd we both woke up together after a really good sleep. It was around 6 am when our feet found each other under the covers. Bill slipped out of bed first and turned the Blue Flame heater on just to take the chill out of the air. Our weather station was showing 59F inside and 48F outside. I got up as soon as he was out of the bathroom and we had our first brew together.

Morning sky pictures

Other than the collage, untouched morning beauty
At 6:30 I slipped out the door to take a picture of the pretty sky over the lake to the east. Rob was doing the exact same thing. It was sure pretty. I finished my tea and went out for my walk. The air was so calm and after yesterday afternoon’s strong winds, that was a blessing and I hoped it would last for the day. It wasn’t long after I stepped out when I heard the quail all around me. Rob and Pat were anxious to see them so I texted him.

I don't know if you see them
but these quail were all over the place this morning
 What a nice treat following familiar lanes in this park. I knew where they led after having walked them many times last year around the same time. We are on the lower Level C rather than B this year because we wanted to be sure to get 2 sites together. Level B is a first-come, first-serve area and it is a good thing we didn’t count on squeezing in there. All sites up there were full when we arrived. We are very happy with the sites we booked online.

And these ran behind our site
Maybe it is a new Quail Run
Bill had his shower and I sat outside with Clemson for a while before I made us an omelette for breakfast. After dishes, he went outside to work on our transfer switch. Do you remember when we arrived at Sundance on Feb. 1st that we had a problem switching from solar to electric? We had to either use just solar or keep our inverter on while plugged in so the batteries were keeping a continual charge.

Last night, Bill and I decided that for our time here, we’d switch some of the wires (he knew what needed to be done) so we could use full electric including the fire place. After all, it is included in the $14/night here, we may as well use it. When that turned out to be a bigger challenge (for one reason or another) we once again decided to leave things the way they are. When we leave here, he would have to change them back so we could use our solar for travelling. (our fridge)

Lion's Beach - where we are camped
Staghorn cactus, just past the blooming stage
Bottom right - coyote gourds still on the vine
He came inside to turn the inverter on and realized that all of a sudden, the transfer switch was working! Well, he obviously jiggled, tightened or moved something while in the compartment. Yay! Now we can at least save on propane while here and take advantage of the conveniences offered. That made us both happy.

Selfies first thing this morning
Pat and I went for a nice long walk down to the water snapping photos of things along the way. I’d only taken my zoom lens and so had she so when we found a nice area of rocks, perfect for a selfie, I had to be far enough away to make the picture turn out. What a hoot! I got more exercise running back and forth across the sand to sit beside her in the countdown seconds of the timer. She posed and laughed, I ran back and forth. It was fun and I only hope someone else didn’t see!

Turning the camera every which way on rocks, in between rocks
Pat posed for test shots
The rest of the day was spent at our own sites, sitting/laying in the sun, eating lunch (Bill had the sandwiches left over from yesterday’s drive and I fried up my pizza), reading and Bill recharging his plane and our lawn mower battery. This is something he takes care of a few times over the winter. At 3 we invited Rob and Pat to join us for Happy Hour. The winds had once again picked up but it was still a beautiful day in the mid 70’s.

These were my attempts - LOL
You can't hear my breathing from running
but there were a lot of 'near misses'

We said goodbye and Bill and I took Clemson for a walk down to the beach. Blowing us away, Clemson walked out into the water with Bill. The little bum! He has for years led us to believe that he is afraid of water. Ha ha, too funny. He didn’t stay in it long before turning around back onto the sand. It was, after all, only around 55F. We headed the uphill climb towards our site and I sat and finished my Sandra Brown book. ‘The Deadline’ is a good one if you haven’t read it.

And finally, we got it!
For supper, I had 2 chicken thighs out. Bone in and with the skin on. We happen to like the skin when it is barbecued and love the good fat it offers. While Bill grilled it outside on Weber, he turned the tv on in the basement and watched the first episode of American Idol. Inside, I prepared our caesar salad (as easy as opening a bag and the small packets included). The chicken took longer than we expected so it needed to be popped back on to make sure it was fully cooked through.

This family enjoying a beautiful afternoon
Walking down to the beach
That kind of takes away from the whole meal, when you have to recook something but it tasted pretty good at the end of it all. We cleaned up dishes and watched the rest of the program inside. We may share a cherry pie or share some Jell-o for dessert but at this stage, we haven’t decided.

Water Dad?

Sure!, I'll get my feet wet

Okay, enough of that, Lets go!
This was a wonderful peaceful day. We all said ‘this is quietest place we have stayed at all winter’. No traffic, no 4-wheelers, no trains, no planes and no loud neighbours. I think we’re all happy to be here. 

Good night!
Thank YOU for being HERE!

Saturday, March 2, 2019

Goodbye Benson, Walkabout, Travel Day, A Favourite State Park


I was awake a couple of times through the night     but only because I felt Bill stirring and then in the bathroom. It was 4:15 and we all went back to sleep. He got up for good at 5 on Saturday, Mar. 2nd.  I didn’t, not until 6:30 after Clemson had been out and returned to make his nest. He wouldn’t move again until we disturbed him to put his seat belt on at 7:30.

Cloudy start to the day
The parking lot side of Little Caesars
I skipped tea first thing as it was light enough out to go for a walk before 7. This Walmart parking lot was one of the best we’ve stayed in. There are many bright lights all around and last night it was very quiet. Because I was awake at 4:15, I heard the garbage truck emptying the dumpsters behind Little Caesars but other than that, peaceful for sleeping. Bill said he counted 12 rv’s in our area last night when he took Clemson out for the last time. No one bothered us.



I walked to the Thrift Store and the restaurant
Time for a selfie
I walked around the outskirts of the lot, on the street sidewalks and down to the Farm House Restaurant on Prickly Pear Ave. It looks and sounds like it is a popular place. I took a selfie out front with their display of old farm equipment and then to my surprise I found a small painted rock. On the back it said Sierra Vista Facebook so I will be sure to post it. It almost looks like a child painted it, so I hope I can make them smile knowing that it was found.




Oh! What is that?

A small painted rock
Back at the Suite, I had my tea in my travel mug as I wasn’t sure how soon we’d all be ready. I didn’t even go online, instead focused on having our toast and getting cleaned up for the day. I apologize if I haven’t replied to comments you’ve made on my blogs, I don’t check them on my phone and I’m seldom inside at my laptop unless posting my own blog. I’ll get to them and your blogs eventually. Life is short and there is much outside to witness right now.

A bright bit of hope for today
By 8 am we were pulling out of the parking lot. Today, we are in the lead. We stayed on I-10E for about 175 miles. The sky was a blend of light clouds and blue patches but enough sun to bring the early temperature of 44F up 10 degrees by the time we left. Well be putting shorts on again today and I’m thinking sooner than later. We love this drive, you can see for miles and around Dragoon Rd. some of the most beautiful rock formations on both sides of the interstate.


With a fuel stop at San Simon, we lucked out on a great price again today. Thinking it was $2.79 we were surprised at the front pumps to pay only $2.71/gal. Yay! We made ourselves a coffee and got back on the road by 9:30 and crossed into New Mexico 15 minutes later. I missed the sign for the Continental Divide with my camera but crossed that invisible line an hour after that. What a great driving day! The temperature is 71F and it isn’t 11 o’clock yet.

Woops might be a duplicate in here

Can you believe these colours?
No enhancing involved, these are exactly as I saw them


Scenes from Hatch
Around 11:45 we arrived at Hatch, the Chili Capitol of the World. Bill and I needed a piddle break so after turning left on NM26, we pulled off in a truck stop. We retrieved our sandwiches from the Suite and a soda and everyone agreed to eat on the road since we were so close to our destination. The scenic views left, right and centre were breathtaking and I took a lot of photos again. Hence, more collages.


It was 12:45 when we pulled into Elephant Butte Lake State Park and got in line for check-in. It is Saturday, so busy enough with only one booth open. A friendly gal checked us in and we were on our sites and set up shortly after 1:30. We love this park and at $14/night with electric and water, we are very pleased to be back. I trusted that Rob and Pat would enjoy it as well and I wasn’t wrong.

Things along the way today
We have a view of the lake, sun if we want it and shade. The winds are high today and without that it is 83F in the shade. Bill fed Clemson at 2:30 and it was time to sit and relax. I texted ‘Momma’ (my sister, Donna) back home that we had arrived safely. I sat outside first in the shade but with such a strong wind, (upper 20 mph gusts) I moved to the sun with my book. And my wine.

Through a bug spattered windshield

After an hour or so, I moved inside, tired of fighting with the strands of hair that continued to disturb my reading. Bill was watching a movie so I went upstairs with my book and eventually had a small siesta. At 4:30 I came downstairs and took Clemson for a walk down towards the water. Not all the way, but quite a way down. He was really enjoying the walk and so was I.


our view
By the time we came back, it was 5:30 so I thought I’d better get supper started. I pulled pollock filets out of the freezer and some shoestring fries for the air fryer. The filets are quite thin so instead of our usual 2, I’m frying up 4. They didn’t come in the loins or I would have bought those for a ‘meatier’ meal. Everything was ready by 6 or so and it tasted like a fish and chip Friday. The food was good. For dessert, there’s some cake, pecan &/or cherry pie or Jell-o to choose from tonight.


Our sites together

watching the sky change tonight

Clemson enjoyed his walk to the lake with Mom

We followed his little footprints back home towards the wind
Supper was good
This has been a nice day and even though I missed the sunset, the sky all around was gorgeous. I hope you’ve had a good day. I’m happy to be here and it is looking like some great weather for the time we’re here.

Hoping this means some nice days ahead


These two pictures are looking over the lake to the northeast

Ignore the 4 lights reflecting but this
amazing sky was worth capturing through our window
Good night all!
I appreciate you stopping by! If you wish to leave a comment, it is always nice to hear from you.