Daily observations of my simple life.

Re Address:

The address used in the former post somehow deleted the _ . In the open spaces include a _ and it should be complete.

Posted by: cactusandquail at 16:48 | link | comments

Natural Disaster:

We all hear that often and so then we have no blame for an event. It's God's fault or the earth. It's natural.

We are all struck by such great tragedy, stunned by the harm and damage done, a horrible natural disaster.

My thought too until a friend sent me a new report she had seen. Oh, if only we can blame it on nature not our greedy need for all the so called comforts and advantages that OIL brings.

Could it possibly be all those deep explosions, testing for oil, driving whales ashore could have something to do with this oh so aweful dissaster?

I am notorously bad at writing correctly addresses but I will try to post the address to the article. If it doesn't come up correctly and you wish to read it, email me and I will forward the file to you.

http://www.independent-media.tv/itemprint.cfm?fmedia_id=10211_&fcategory_desc=Under%20Reported

Posted by: cactusandquail at 16:41 | link | comments (1)

The Storm:

The evening is overcast but warm. My dog and I take our usual walk through the evening desert. She loves sniffing out creatures from under the bushes and I enjoy seeing whatever, wild grasses, tracks, mistletoe berry's on palo verde trees, a new cactus popping up in the middle of a bush or grass mound, glorious sunsets, changing colors on the mountains. 

Back home after the chores are done I settle in to watch the latest news. Storm is coming, rain is on the way. During the night it was like a woman in labor, the wind howled continously but periodically there was a bit of a down pour. My dreams were full of the screaching wind and pictures of faces with mouths wide open screaming in grief, tearing at clothing , holding dead children.  A feeling of doom rested over me.

At dawn the birth of the  storm after hours of labor had not arrived. As the sun came up I watched out my window thinking I should go out to feed. 8 a.m. the windows begin to stream with huge tears, the lights go out and the birth of the storm arrives. Now water burst forward in sheets creating lakes. By 9 a.m. the lights are back on and the storm is for the most part over.

On the news there's water, water, everywhere, in Sedona, floods. Water, water in Asia with great grief, sadness.  Tie a prayer and a gift of money in a package and send it away to rebuild, to restore, to create new in 2005. What can you say, nothing replaces those oh so dear.

People living in beautiful waterlands, now their peace is gone, gone, gone.  

Posted by: cactusandquail at 02:09 | link | comments (1)

Water the trees and it will rain:

That's what I always say and it happens. Today , I hauled water and watered my trees which were beginning to show the strain of no rain. It was overcast all day but no rain. I cleaned the pens and enjoyed the way Cheriki was hanging out with me. She let me stop my shoveling and pat her neck, no problem. Sage was glad for some hugs and pats and she was in a playful mood today. She and Cheriki kibitzed through the fence.  I took a long walk in the desert , I could see it snowing on the Hualapais. I felt a few raindrops.

Back at home I watched the news and rain is scheduled perhaps tonight and tomorrow. I'm cozy in the house listening to news of far off tragedy.

Posted by: cactusandquail at 02:39 | link | comments

Christmas Day

I woke to a wonderful blue sky day. This day was mine as the day before I had done all the family things. Went to my daughters had lots of food and gave the colorful bags to the grands.

I woke to the morning ponderings of the days ahead and what 2005 will bring and what are my goals. I had coffee and fruit cake and wandered outside. There my own manger scene greeted me. No Christchild, only in my heart.

I hugged Sage and carried water, then I went in Cheriki's pen. Quietly walking up to her I slowly reached out  my hand and finally touched her cheek, then her neck. Now I was able to stand and pet her for a long time, just communing.

There was a little girl who every year asked for a horse, who saved her pennies to buy a horse, and never was able to have that dream fulfilled. That little girl was me. Somewhere deep down that needed to be healed.

When I first thought about moving to Arizona I went to see some land that had a big sign by the road. It was a land development thing. The realtor took us , my daughter was with me, out all around and showed us 40 acre parcels. The mountain parcels were pretty much taken and what he really wanted to sell was in the flats, real desert.  Later I returned and did a search, finally finding a small parcel in the mountain area for under $3000. Lovely mountain high desert. I would go camp there from time to time and it was so isolated that it was almost spooky. Yet I loved having all this space to myself, walking about without a soul around. Feeling a bit spooked at night with no one around, wondering what was out there. There were a few abandoned properties where some long ago person had put up some kind of little structure then moved on. That was 5 years ago. About 2 years ago I drove up and found a small trailer parked on a lot down my block at the end of the road. They created walk ways into the desert and had a firepit in the yard. It was kind of charming and it gave me a since of security to know someone was fairly close by. The following year they had fenced a small area and built a cute little southwestern enclosure around their trailer and another mobile had been moved in across from them. Last year a couple had moved on the other end of my block in a couple of old motorhomes and there was a very small trailer parked directly behind my property. I learned it was a single man who was wintering there. Now this so very isolated, quiet, lovely area is slowly growing. There is another trailer down the street from me and two more in various locations by the couple with two motorhomes. Behind the little trailer with the southwestern front is another trailer with a little shed. I now have more neighbors in my little mountain property than I have here on my block  in a community. Several places are now fenced. Still I went there and enjoyed it's beauty on Christmas day.  I  hiked off in more isolated areas and made my Christmas Day special by hiking in the mountains with my dog. 

After hiking and resting we pulled up stakes and I decided to do my explorer thing and see where a certain road led. Off we went on this beautiful day traveling on dirt roads through unknown terrain. My kind of thing but one of these times I am going to get caught doing this type of exploring. Roads were a little rough but I saw some beautiful country. I came winding down into a little town about 50 miles from my home. I got home just after dark to feed and then went to my neighbors for a few minutes.

My neighbor had invited me over to commune with the many people she had invited. I felt a bit sad for her as she had gone all out. Her home was all decorated, with tables of food, smoked turkey, regular turkey, ham, many side dishes, and no one had showed up except her mother and finally me. There was sadness there so even though I had had a glorious day doing the things I love I went home feeling sorrow for her.

Yesterday I began cleaning, my daughter came by and we both went out and petted Cheriki, then I went into town for the rest of the day.  Today it is raining and I have a week ahead before the new year begins and I must practice my resolves, my new goals.

Posted by: cactusandquail at 16:42 | link | comments (4)

With pretty red bags and silver bows lined up ready to be destributed my day winds down. All cards have been sent out. All the cleaning didn't get done but since I'm not having guests here I'm not going to let it bother me. After all the holiday cheer bags were set to go I went to my kitchen and made a dinner soup. I like the way my kitchen is organized. I moved the old Indian school desk that I had slid in where an unwanted dishwasher once stood and put it against the wall . Then I covered it with this wonderful hand embroidered tablecloth I got at the thrift store for a $1.00. I moved my microwave on the table on a cutting board and put a glass shelf in front of it to avoid soiling the  tablecloth with spills. I have chairs on either side of this table and can do bills or eat , nice and roomy.  Now where my microwave and cutting board on the sink were is work space on the counter. My chopping table has a drawer with towels and pot holdersand now sits in the middle of the room close to the stove and sink.  I have a marble slab on top and my knives fit in the knife holder at the side.  It makes for a much more cohesive work space and I enjoy cutting vegi's and just turning around to deposit in the pan on the stove. So last night I chopped carrots, brocolli stems, the last bit of a celery, some onion, and added them to the last of the black beans and some chicken stock, threw in a chili and some herbs along with just a bit of chicken and let it cook. Went and took my shower and shampooed and got in my comfy nightgown.  Now with a big cup of soup and some cheese and crackers I padded into my room and curled up on my bed to watch Wheel OF Fortune.  After a cold windy day, a hike in the desert, feeding the animals it felt so good.

Today I will go to my daughters for a Christmas eve day, Christmas with the grands and great grands. Cheery red bags full of spider man cups and dishes, new jeans, apples, candy, erasable notepads, and party whistles that uncurl.  This evening I may go to church with Shirley to hear her sing at their Christmas eve celebration. Tomorrow my neighbor has invited me over for food and a game of dice.

I'm up early this morning. 3 a.m. with a cup of cocoa/coffee and a Christmas roll, pondering the year ahead. What do I want to accomplish this year and what are some of my goals. Since my sons operations are hopefully now over and other distractions are out of the way , I'm hoping to get on with an original goal of starting some kind of cottage industry. Something that has to do with craftmanship. I have learned that if you just do something toward a goal on a steady basis it comes to be. Maybe slower than faster but it begins to happen. I want to apportion at least one working day, eight hours to this goal a week.  Other goals are making the time slot for caring for plants and animals, home maintanance and improvement. Hiking, swimming, dancing and travel. Creating community where I live and growing spriitually. How's that.

I hope everyone out there in blogland has a wonderful Christmas.

 

Posted by: cactusandquail at 13:01 | link | comments (2)

Morning:

There's a cool chill to the air. I roll out of bed and dress after my first cup of cocoa/coffee.  Out the door it's crisp but I head for the barns to feed. Frank is already out doing the feeding. I'm going to have to be careful or he'll take all my jobs. He said, " Thought you might not like to come out in the cold." I smiled and said,"It's good discipline, keeps me active."  It's true I have my off days but I don't want to become dependant on others to do my work.

Sage was eager for me to come in and give her a hug. She is such a loving creature. Cheriki is a bit stand offish again, I will have to work with her.

I have a busy day ahead, cleaning to do, a couple more cards to send out, and the trees need watering dispite the cold. This will not be a veg out day.

Got a card from family yesterday. I loved the little dancing birds all across the page. It reminded me of my New years resolution to be, dance and swim at least once a month. I may be dancing out in the desert but this year I'll dance.  Was one sad note to the card, not a single acknowledgement of me as a person, only a form letter telling of all their many acomplishments . Somehow that seems very rude to me you should at least ask something about the person you send to, it is the height of conceit to feel that others must enjoy your life braggings but not acknowledge that they too are entitled to a lifeand indeed have a life with accomplishments.  I think I will send them a mirror so they can just enjoy their own company and not  have to acknowledge that others have value. What do you think?  I have grown weary of the ego games people play. Relationships are give and take, caring, sharing and supporting. 

But I will not think of that today. I have to dance in the desert, that is after I get my work done.

Posted by: cactusandquail at 18:09 | link | comments (3)

Winter Begins:

December 21 is the shortest day of the year. It burst forth cold and I was loath to go outdoors. All day except once before noon and later in the evening just before sunset I stayed inside, feeling the need to be warm. Once in awhile I like to shelter myself away from all else and just veg. I looked for blogs I like and set up a few links through the new template.

Finally I went out bundled up in my warm woolen cap and warm jacket plus mittens. The icey wind cut to the skin. I went out to feed. Frank had set up a shelter fence for Sage which she was enjoying. I spent some time with both Cheriki and Sage in the biting cold, fed the birds and watered and fed Chocolate my sheep and Dolly my goat. Done, I needed to drive to the bank to deposit money.

I had one frustrating encounter with the phone and getting my mortgage paid. For some reason my bank had decided to mail a check to my mortgage co. instead of wire it on the date determined. The check had not been received. I got a kurt young woman on the phone who just would not understand what I was saying or why I was calling. She even questioned what bank I was calling. I said , what bank are you? She said bank #1 I said that's who I called why would you think I was calling bank #2? A bank that had nothing to do with any part of the transaction. After about 4 calls back and forth to the bank and the mortgager I was able to get the payment accepted. I wondered why it seems that when ever there is some emergency all my well laid plans get turned around by the businesses I do business with. I had to go to my sons operation so my usual bill pay system simply failed.

Life is not always simple no matter how well we try to work things out.

Now the days will get longer . Spring will be moving towards us instead of away. A pleasant thought although there is still winter ahead. Strange how it was so warm and springlike yesterday and today so cold with the North wind blowing. Hot tea, in front of the computer all day.

After I picked up the mail, I had one good joy. I received a letter from one of my children I help support . That is real unlike many of the superficial greetings you get from some at Christmas time. It warmed my heart on a cold day. 

Posted by: cactusandquail at 05:44 | link | comments

I'm just testing the templates:

Wanted to see if I like some of the new ones better than what I have

Posted by: cactusandquail at 23:40 | link | comments (4)

Ah Tires and Brakes:

I have feet, but I need tires and I need brakes. My truck had an appointment and I must spend the day in town waiting. Frank and I talked about moving Sage. I told him what my daughter said, that I might find Sage a different burro if I let her out of her pen. I should have her halter broke, be able to put on and take off the halter whenever I chose. Frank thought we could manage moving her to the new pen. So I went on to town, left the truck after an estimate of $623. Sigh, that's what credit cards are for. I crossed the street to the K Mart center and wandered around aimlessly for an hour or more. I went into Taco Bell and had lunch and then out to go into Basha's grocery store. There I bought some brocoli on sale and some bacon ends. Time was slow. Finally I headed back to Taco Bell where I was to wait for my daughter. She would take me home if the truck could not be done the same day. I took my cart and sat in the outdoor eating area. I felt a bit of anxiety when a homeless man was curled up in his ratty old clothes and grocery cart in the corner. They always hassle you for money. He approached another lady who gave him some cash. He walked towards me and before he could ask for money I began a conversation with him. That put him off. He told me his story and said he had his back pack stashed out in the desert where he stayed. He told me about when he lived on a co-operative where they raised organic vegitables. He told me about being hit by a car in Flagstaff and having his leg broken.  I don't know why I didn't want to give him money, he was smoking for one and he looked like an alcoholic. I told him about the mission only a couple blocks away where he could get a meal and a bed if he chose. He finally left after saying "God Bless"

I thought about him sleeping out in the desert where he could wake to the sounds of the birds. I have the urge to just go out walking and sleep wherever. To cook over a fire and just be. I love pictures of those living out in the wilderness in tents, like Hemingway. This man was not the sort to romanticize about, toothless and dirty, someone who made wrong choices was my guess.

My daughter picked me up on her way home from work and we headed to the auto shop. My truck would be fixed and at closing time I paid the bill, almost $150. less than the estimate and headed home.

Driving in the driveway the sun is setting in beautiful pink clouds. Frank and Shirley are outside both smiling. They had moved Sage and were eager to tell the story. It took two hours to lure her into the new pen . She had been heady with freedom, eating green grass, running and kicking up her heels. Now in her new pen she was still running and kicking up her heels, happy to be close to the goat and sheep and Cheriki.

I went out for my evening walk with smiles and headed to my fort, the overhanging tree with a room and chair in it. There it was, waiting. I will build a firepit, bring water, rake up the debry in the room and maybe even sleep there one night.

This morning I woke at six, broused through the blogs and linked a few. I'm still in my comfy nightgown and curlers at 10 a.m. Frank said he would feed this a.m.

Four more shopping days till Christmas or so they say. I don't shop much.

Posted by: cactusandquail at 17:21 | link | comments (3)

To my readers:

The new format has made me realize that I can subscribe to other blogs. I will do that soon but haven't as yet. Thank you for commenting on my blogs. I'm just a we bit behind and hope you will be patient with me. I'm not ignoring you, thanks for your comments.

Posted by: cactusandquail at 17:12 | link | comments (3)

The Child in me:

It's almost Christmas and I am trying to get it all together. Send out a few cards, buy a few gifts, wrap and distribute. The weather has been just gorgeous, in the 70's. Everything is green after the fall rains. Frank is busy building fences for Sages new pen. I think he loves living on a little farm. He feels like  he is useful and is happy doing farm stuff at 72.

I'm not bustling around, just doing bits and pieces of pre holiday things, washed some windows, did some cleaning. Yesterday I just couldn't push myself to clean so I went outside and played with my animals. Sage of course loves anytime I come in her pen and pet her. She puts her nose up to mine and just lays her head on my chest and looks like she's saying "I love it when you come visit me." Cheriki on the other hand has a gentle spirit but has been stand offish.  She has let me pet her when I'm giving her carrots but not other times. Yesterday I went in her pen and just stood there with her. She smelled my hand, smelled my shirt, touched my nose so I put my arm out like I do when I give her carrots to see if she would let me pet her. First just a little touch than pull away, back up. I would put my arm down and let her approach me and try again. We had a real break through yesterday, after a few tries she stood there and let me pet her neck and chest , around her ears and touch her halter, what a thrill. I have wanted to do that since I first got her. We're on the road to getting her gentled.

After that I went with a little hand saw and headed out back. Down in a wash I found a tree that made a circle with it's branches to the ground but in the center there was a little space like a room. The child in me cut away  a small door and some of the underbrush. I put in a small folding chair and now, in my wilderness, I have a little tree fort, a hideaway. What do you think of a great grandma who still wants to play in tree forts? Grin.

The evening was so nice I took my dog and the motorhome and headed out in the desert. Then we got out and hiked looking for interesting leavings from other long gone humans. I love looking for signs of life be it human or animal. Tracking is fun and finding old buckets and other junk is fuel for the imagination. After an hour out I stopped at my neighbors and left off her Christmas gift then headed home to have black bean tacos. I love black beans. They have a wonderful flavor even without seasoning. I shred cabbage, chop onions, grate cheese, fry corn torteas and make em big and sloppy. They taste so good.

Watched a good movie yesterday too, on Sundance channel, called, "Alchemy" . It was about the simple life , living close to the earth, very nice.  

 

Posted by: cactusandquail at 17:10 | link | comments (4)

Little Bits of Humanity:

In the waiting room at the hospital the walls were flanked with Diego Rivera's paintings. I love his pictures of bunches of lilies. In one a little boy sits on his knees, you see his cute little feet and toes and he is holding a lovely bunch of lilies. Since being home that picture and the picture of the Mexican children in native costume going to some celebration through Union Station keep coming into my mind. Yesterday, the thought came that Diego used the lilies to portray innocense and beauty. These lovely children walking in their hand embroidered white regalia like little lilies.

While going to and from the hospital I had different drivers. One evening it was a strong typical looking Samoan man in his mid 40"s - 50"s, very handsome. Something I noticed that  many men in the city are wearing aftershave or cologne that is much softer and less abrassive. Not like that aweful "Brute" type. His cologne was a vanilla almost tropical scent. I found myself drawn and almost turned on by this handsome man. At 67?  I could see him in an out rigger glistening in the tropical sun, water drops down his back. Oh pardon me.

In the newspaper while in the city there was a picture of a woman in her little house in Brazel. It was very much like my goat house, very open, tin roof and sides, open beams, dirt floors.  She was cooking on a simple board across the side of the building on what appeared to be a kerosene stove. She had just won an international award for some of the best grown coffee in the world.

I do wonder if they are less happy than we are due to their very simple lives. These women get up and grind the corn, pat out the torteas and eat the simple foods day in and out. They work in the fields growing much of their own food. We love their hand woven cloth, their hand cared for coffee and other specialties. I admire them more than I admire the very wealthy and quest for big beautiful homes in this country.

Posted by: cactusandquail at 16:43 | link | comments (2)

The City:

While I was in the city I observed life on a different level. For miles and miles and miles there is nothing but houses, industry, shopping centers, traffic, and the human crush.Many places the train passed were garbage strewn , junk yards and just ugly.  From the hotel window in the morning there was some beauty, sunrise, sparkling tall buildings, and mountains across the way. I stayed in the Carson Hilton, I thought of Paris Hilton heritage and the OTHER simplelife.

In the LA times on Sunday, the day I left there, was a frontpage article about poverty in the city. In an earlier article during the week the median price of a house in Southern California was mentioned as $450,000. requiring an annual income of $102,000. to afford the down payment and payments . At the hospital and hotel I overheard some workers talking about how they worked two fulltime jobs and still couldn't make any headway. It left me with a real since of sadness for these people who must work endlessly to just get by and still can't buy homes. I feel very blessed to have found my little paradise. My daughter said, "How aweful, that's no life, working 16 hours a day." My son said, "You have to wonder who is raising the children?" It is a profound feeling to wonder how people survive under such stress. To go to and from work they must manage the traffic, where I didn't want to drive. If they work 16 hours a day and drive 1 hour, they only have minutes to do home stuff. One man I overheard said he had only half days off as either one job or another took the other half. I got very good service at the hotel, but my son did not get good service at the hospital. The hospital staff seemed to be very into their own thing, talking on the phone, eating, reading books and newspapers, sleeping, maybe that is the only time they have for themselves is during work hours. I have to wonder.

I do wonder how we can  call it freedom when it seems so like a prison to me. Aren't they imprisoned by the demands of life in the city? I can't solve the world's problems but I do wonder how we can move toward an ownership economy if most people can't afford to own while other people born with silver spoons in their mouths have soooooo much.

I have been pondering these things and it has been weighing on me these past days. Even my dreams seem oppressed with the realization of overwhelming human problems.

I wish my blessings, my simple life, could be experienced by all.

 

Posted by: cactusandquail at 17:31 | link | comments (1)

The Trip:

It was dark when I left for the train station. The train would be coming in at 12:50 a.m.  Yes, and it was cold, very cold. I dressed in layers and prepared for a cold ride. The train was overheated and the layers came off.  About the crack of dawn I saw the beginnings of L.A. Within an hour or so I was at Union Station, my first stop on the way to  Long Beach. I got off the train and went for a cup of coffee and a bearclaw at the very good little coffee shop in the great old station. I sat and people watched while I sipped my coffee. That morning my timing was perfect as just as I went to the counter to ask about my next trip and if there was anything earlier than 2:45, the lady said, "yes, they are loading right now, go that way"  Following her directions I found a large bus ready to go, totally empty except the driver and myself.  I got a taxi ride to the next site in a big empty bus. I then got a taxi from the amtrak stop in Long Beach to the Hotel. My daugher-in-law and grand daughter were there so we visited. My son had just gone into the surgery at 11 a.m. We stayed at the hotel until 1 and then took the shuttle to the hospital.

There were hours of waiting. Around 7 p.m. we still had heard nothing and it seemed that everyone else was out of surgery. Then over the loud speakers we heard, "Respitory therapist, STAT."  Not a good thing to hear at this stage of the game. 10 minutes later we hear, " CODE BLUE, CODE BLUE."  Anxiety builds and my daughter-in-law tries to make conversation with a woman waiting as well. Her brother-in-law was through his surgery and they had told her all went well. 10 minutes later a guerney goes by with a person completely under the sheet, head covered.  My daughter-in-law took a deep breath and said , "we saw that" and my grand daughter had this complete hurt look on her face. I was fighting tears. The woman who my daughter-in-law was conversing with laughed and said, " Well, they have to take them out some way."  I had a hard time not getting up and slapping her, I thought it was so thoughtless and rude, knowing our concern.  We got up and walked down the hall and a group of students and their instructor came out of the operating room area. The instructor said to the students, "His angeo tube came out."  We were trying to find something to do to lesson our anxiety but it just grew. We went back and waited and I was preparing myself for the worst.  It was about 20 more minutes before they wheeled my son out of the operating room, head uncovered. Sadly, someone died that night, we do not know who.  We of course were very grateful it was not our loved one.  After a short visit in the recovery room, he was in a great deal of pain, we went back to the hotel.

At the hotel international groups of young and some older people were coming in. It was a hodge-podge of languages.  We learned that they were arriving to take part in an international bike race. We went for dinner in the very nice restaurant at the hotel and broused the gift shop before retiring. Next morning we again ate at the hotel restaurant, sharing the dining room with various groups of young bikers. My very lovely young grand daughter was given many a long and short glance. In the elevator I started up a conversation with some of the bikers to draw their attention from their staring and making her quit uncomfortable.

After visiting my son, my daughter-in-law and granddaughter left for home and I was to stay on for the week .  My days were spent shuttling to the hospital from the hotel, spending the day with my son who made small strides each day and having a nice dinner at the hotel. And of course there was the international group, 13 different countries, coming and going , talking excitedly about their days race and filling the elevator with their bicycles at the hotel. The first two days it was interesting but I got a little tired of the high energy crowd after a few days. 

I would take walks around the hospital and walked to some shopping centers and around the neighborhood.  My son slept a great deal and I read. The hospital had a nice cafeteria where I had lunch and they served free coffee. There were a few homeless people who came in and stocked up on coffee creamer, chocolate (also a freebee), condiments etc.   I stayed an extra day due to the fact that he needed an extra day . My daughter-in-law arrived shortly after I left on Sunday morning. I caught the lightrail which I discovered was only a block away from the hospital and arrived at Union Station. It was quit a wait at Union before the train for home left but I was entertained and enthralled by a continuous stream of Mexican families walking through the station. Small boys and girls in native festive clothes, hand embroidered and woven, little shawls and sombrerros, so charming and delightful. Little girls with long black braids woven with colorful ribbons. One little girls braids went to the back of her knees before they were doubled up and tied by bows at the base of her scalp. Her hair must have gone to the floor when released from her braids. That was a treat, viewing these beautiful children.

Finally on the train at dusk. I settle in and sleep makes the journey short. Getting off the train my pickup is parked at the station where my daughter left it the night before. I get in and drive home, walk in the door and greet my dog who is now ready to eat and eat and eat. She had eaten little while I was gone. This is only the second time I have been away from her. A knock on the door, it's my daughter dropping my grandson off to catch the bus and say hello. " Did you know you have a flat tire? "  " No " I answered. The angels must have carried me home because the tire was slashed, probably at the train station and I had no battery in my cell phone and no inkling that there was a problem.

Next morning it was good to be home, beautiful sunny day, so far away from the city. Sage and Cheriki were happy to see me and Frank had been busy. He had managed to prop my huge barrel cactus up that had fallen in the rain. He said it took two pickups to pull it up. These cactuses are full of water.

My son is home now and doing as well as can be expected for such an operation. He has months of healing ahead , but he's alive.

Today , I'm doing Christmas cards and yesterday I rearanged my kitchen . It's good to be home

Oh, and yes, I've seen the new great grand daughter twice. She is very quiet. Amy. All is well.

Posted by: cactusandquail at 21:50 | link | comments (2)

This week:

Monday morning I will be going to my grand daughters house to care for the boys while she gives birth to her new daughter. Tuesday morning at about 1 a.m. I will be boarding a train to go to California where my son will have his third operation after being rear-ended in a car accident. My week will be watching him recover and begin healing from the surgery. This will not be pleasant but far more unpleasant for him. I'm glad that Frank and Shirley will be here to watch my place and critters. I'll be traveling mostly at night so it will not be a sight seeing trip. When I reach LA I'll be sitting in Union station for most of the day to get the train out to my distination.

I'm preparing a lunch and will take a thermos of coffee for the trip as train food is expensive. I'll take a blanket and a pillow, trains get cold at night. I'll take a good book or two .

The operation will be on my sons birthday. Sigh. Another sigh, the week ahead.

Posted by: cactusandquail at 20:23 | link | comments (2)

The meaning of Life:

I woke up the other morning with a deep sense of wondering about the way the vast majority of us spend our lives. I watch reality shows to some degree and the news. Phoenix is our closest news source and it is a city. It's hard for me to understand why to some people having the latest style or the in brand name makes them somehow a worthy person. Having a huge house, best car, money beyond their needs seems to be the goal of life for many. How much does any one person need? Does money, brands, position make worthy persons?

I watch shows that address the injustices of our overcomsumption and the effect it has on those who have far less. People who have thatched or tin houses made of scrap, who live on grains and greens compared to our huge shopping system. Do some of us even understand how we get our food? Let's take some of our Billionaires, like Donald Trump and Richard Branson who have allowed us a look into their abodes. What is the purpose of such oppulance and why is it we esteem people who grab all they can get while others have so much less.

Is anyone free when they don't have enough to supply their basic needs? How free is someone who must pay exorbitant rent, car payments, etc to survive. I wonder if it wouldn't be better to give each person  a sum of money to get a piece of land or a business start. I realize the American way is to go out and make it but there are many who live their lives just carrying the burden throughout life.

I think about my horse and burro. They lived free and were captured. Now they are fed but not free. I saw free running burros and mules at a campsite last year. They were pathetic, starved looking creatures.

Well, I ramble on. I'm grateful that I have enough and my needs are met but I often feel concerned for those who are not having their needs met and find nothing truly wonderful in life but maybe wearing a brand.

Posted by: cactusandquail at 20:13 | link | comments

A little interest in interest:

I have a reasonable but I would say small savings, about the price of a lowcost car. I keep it in a brokerage account in dividend paying stocks. I also have a credit card. I noticed that the credit card had about 10% interest. I get 5% cash back for groceries and gas and 1% for all other purchases. They sent me an offer of cash at 5.99% so I took some of my savings and paid off the credit card then I had the credit card send me a check for the same amount and put it back in my brokerage account. Now the balance is at the rate of 5.99% But to my surprise I just got a check back from the credit card since the card had been paid off and the check I ordered credited a new credit balance with a rebate. Thought I'd add that so if someone else would like to try that they can cash in.

Posted by: cactusandquail at 19:50 | link | comments

Ah Winter!!!:

The cold North wind bites at your uncovered skin on clear crisp days. I bundle up with gloves, wool bonnet, and layers of clothes under my jacket. There was snow the day I was away and Frank and Shirley told me how beautiful cactus is with snow on it. Coming from California with my daughter we had many a snowy landscape to enjoy in places I'd never seen snow before.  After long days of being outdoors now it's time to bundle up. I worry about the animals, Sage and Cheriki, so I feed them extra and often so their digestive systems will be pumping the heat out. I'm so glad that the garage blocks the North wind from Sage and Cheriki's new barn is also facing South with the structure blocking north. It's still cold but at least they have some protection. My dog Manna curls up in the house with me, warm. I do believe Sage would be most happy to come in and be a pet like a dog. She is turning out to be a real lover. I can just brush her all over and she loves it when she can lay her head on my chest and I hug and scratch her.

Thanksgiving Day was spent at my daughters. We all brought food and the stools I got for $5 and the folding chairs for .50 cents each were a blessing. My grand daughter was there and my two little great grandsons, 3 and 4. We had turkey and all the trimmings. I love the turkey with dressing and mashed potatoes and GRAVY. Yum.  I had made sweet potatoes and two kinds of jello , cranberry with fruit and nuts and lime with cottage cheese and pinapple. I also made , thanks to Mrs. Smith, two pies, blueberry and apple. My daughter made the turkey, mashed potatoes and peanut butter pie. I made the gravy. We all ate quit well.

It was a beautiful day and my favorite part of the day was out hiking with my daughter, grand daughter and great grandsons. The little boys were all excited about turning rocks and boards to find bugs. We all looked for exciting old stuff. There's something about the desert and the so called junk you find that wets my imagination. I'm always wondering what the story is about the stuff. Things like the frame of an old pickup camper. No doubt the wind has scattered the lumber and other fixtures, the front part of an old boat, springs from an old mattress. It's amazing how only the metal hangs on but all the other parts blow away and disappear. We hiked to an old abandoned trailer not far from my daughters. It was all a disarray as though perhaps the sheriff had done a search and all was abandoned. We found remnants of life, an old rainsoaked yearbook from 1964. It didn't appear as though anything major for life was stolen. There was the beginnings of a house foundation, piles of lumber, appliances, furniture, all still there but it had been ransacked, helter, skelter. So we wondered at the circumstances, as it has been there undisturbed since my daughter has lived there, two years.  Did someone die, go to jail, run away? I've always been fasinated by old shacks and such. We have one down the road from us and Shirlely mentioned it to me the other day. I realized it's a matter of perspective. I had enjoyed scouting around looking at all the spread out stuff while Shirley could only see a pile of trash.  She said ,"Have you been down to that old trashy place?" I smiled to myself, thinking how much I had enjoyed exploring and thinking about who lived there and the desert lifestyle.

I'm a bit cranky in the cold weather. It's not so fun to go outside and I do like being outdoors. The sunsets and sunrises are beautiful, clean clear air, blue skies but COLD. My joints seem to lock up and it's not as easy to walk. Not as young as I used to be, I guess.

Posted by: cactusandquail at 14:59 | link | comments (6)