An route home today

-Store RV safely in Phoenix. Check

-Eat big lunch ( so w don't have to stop for dinner). Check

-Cross over Colorado river

-Drive nonstop through SoCal en route home. Ongoing.

-Pray for rain to not happen tomorrow. Unceasing.

-Watch beautiful sunset. Check




- blessings from the road

Location:S Scott Ln,Quartzsite,United States

Happy Joyous Christmas Blessings to all

Location:N 90th Pl,Scottsdale,United States

Cave Creek Regional Park

We have been staying in Tucson much of our time in Arizona but this year were invited to my downs Christmas near Scottsdale.




As we drove up from Tucson, we agonized over whether we made the right decision to stay here. Our other option, trying to be near my family in Scottsdale, was Macdowell Mountain park, east of them.
We are really happy we are staying here. Quiet And the Internet works.

We visited the nature center at the park and saw this tee shirt.



Needless to say Sraddha liked this. Too bed it wasn't in her color palate.

Location:E Coyote Wash Dr,Cave Creek,United States

Raking Leaves

Ok, I confess.. I am home this week instead of out cruising around the southwest. Why? Still have work/service related repsonsibilities and commitments to honor.
Oh, yes, and the leaves around the house needed raking. Heh, heh.

We have someone who has been taking care of the oak leaves above the house, however, when I returned, I noticed the wisteria in back deck had shed about 90% of its leaves with 3 inch thick coat on the deck.

With another storm poised to arrive tonight (which it has), I decided that the morning hours would best be spent removing the dry leaves before the rain. Glad I did..
2 hours later, the compost pile was taller than ever.

And the back deck was clean

I also raked out the kitchen garden a bit, actually quite a bit.
Sure enough, later in the day, the bright blue sky turned grey and clouds filled the air.

As I write this, I can her the rain drops tut side and am glad I spent the wee hrs of the morning with the rake.

VLA with Night Sky

See photo below.
Last Saturday night, after a full day of bird photos in the Bosque, Sraddha and I drove out 50 miles to the VLA, or Very Large Array where the 27 big radio telescopes live. I mean BIG! (click on photo to enlarge).

One of the 27  telescope from the Very Large Array at night
(24 mm, F4, 30 sec, 4000 ISO)

Anyway, it was pitch dark, as the moon had not yet risen. As we approached the huge plain, we crossed the railroad tracks and found a little pullout, stopped and got out of the car. Low and behold, across the north side of the highway, we saw the silhouette of one of the big telescopes looming. I grabbed my camera and tripod and we crossed the road. A barbwire fence greeted along with a locked gate. Undetterred, we figured out a way through the fence, walked across the dry desert floor and approached the monster. It began to move. yikes! will it see us? Will some federal guard show up and haul us off to jail for entering the property?
We stood in awe of the immensity of this man-made object then broadened out focus to the sky around it. We spent the next hour photographing this scene from various angles and exposures. Last night was the first chance at reviewing the images. I processed several then opened them up. This is the best one and, it is pretty amazing, if you ask me. I wanted to share it with you.
It is best opened on an ipad or a big screen rather than merely your email program. i now have it as my desktop.
Hope you find it as expansive and humbling as I do.

another angle

Awesome Sunrise Alert

Woke up this morning in south Tucson area. Peaked outside to this.

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Location:S Paseo Rio Bravo,Tucson,United States

Pie Town, New Mexico

The lady at the VLA visitor center suggested we stop at Pie Town as we drove west. Located essentially on the continental divide, we found the Pie-O-Neer Cafe.


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River of Lights

Yesterday we drove up to Albuquerque for some supplies and attended the annual River of Lights show at the Botanical Gardens. I could have shot 200 different pix this night but only shot a small few.

Pickup truck at entrance

Fountain comes alive

Peacock and cotton candy (no I didn't)

for Liam - Choo Choo

Way down yonder