Winter is coming to Arizona and that brings beautiful sunrises at a respectable hour
OK, I’ve been “retired” for a month and a half, have a beautiful place to live and park the 5th-wheel, and now winter is coming. Yes, even in Aridzona there is winter. And you all know how much I dislike cold weather. My current location in Skull Valley, Arizona is about 4500 feet so will see some winter, not like buried in feet of snow or sub-zero, but anything below 40° overnight is cold to me. So it’s getting close to time to head further south with the truckcamper and enjoy the Sonoran Desert for a while.
Like always there are chores to be done because winter is coming, the 5th-wheel roof repairs finished, and calendars mostly mailed. Now that I have a new physical address and post office box I’ve notified all who need to know. What used to take 10-30 minutes over the phone talking to a paid employee now takes one to three hours online with some automaton that doesn’t understand my question. Does anybody except Amazon really care where I live?
Talk about taking time. I love living rural. However, when I went to Wickenburg last week it was an all day trip with an hour drive on each end, lunch, groceries, fuel, thrift store, and the last visit to paid mail service. Bonus was seeing what I thought was seven hawks along the drives. I live in hawk country with open fields full of rodent meals. As I drive I note how many hawks are seen roosting on poles, hawk one, hawk two, hawk three… Just so you know, these shots were taken on a back road barely driving at all. Then when I zoomed in, I realized one of these birds is an American Kestrel. I have seen them before although they are noticeably smaller than most hawks and fast in flight so I’ve never gotten a photo before. Made the long day worth while.
Not quite full on Tuesday
Saturday setting
Was cloudy on Thursday so didn’t see the almost full moon rise. I also didn’t plan to be up all or part of the dark cold night watching the eclipse, difficult to photograph almost straight overhead. Did happen to wake up about 3am and took a gander outside to see a hazy white orb. Being much warmer in my bed, that’s where I went. If I’d been camped in a warmer place maybe I’d have seen more of the eclipse. Instead, I caught the moon setting Saturday morning at a much more doable hour. Maybe next month I can capture the full moon over Saguaro cactus in the desert.
I’ve watched November temperatures go from high 70s and 40s to mid 60s and high 30s. That should be my cue to head further south as winter is coming. Yet it’s so nice to have a home base that it’s not so easy to leave. As I walk around the ranch, the Cottonwood colors have taken on a tarnish and the carpet of leaves becomes more dense. Definite signs that winter is coming. I’m sure the cold will chase me south sooner than later.
I don’t travel over holidays, or really celebrate them much either. But I did buy an organic duck to cook, my family’s traditional holiday meal over turkey. Every day, I am thankful for what is given me and grateful for what I already have. That’s easy because life is good. Well, except that winter is coming. I’d love to live perpetual summer with a little spring and fall thrown in. What’s your favorite season?
I am thankful for all you readers who keep me motivated to continue writing even when there isn’t a whole lot happening like this last week. I want to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving, Gaelyn! My favorite seasons all have asterisks by them, as they are latitude dependent. I adore our Michigan summers and autumns, and our Florida winters are pretty sweet too.
I couldn’t argue with that, just too humid in those places for this desert rat.
Beautiful pictures. You do have a lovely location to call home. I think my favorite season is summer until it gets over 100. But then I like to play in snow a little too. Took a drive to the higher Jacob Lake after a storm went through last month and found me a handful of the white stuff left on the ground after warm temps all week. Enough to put a smile on my face…lol Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving!
Thanks. My window view is even pretty under gray skies today. No thanks to over 100° or snow. But the Kaibab is pretty when there’s a little white and the cookies are always good.
Happy Thanksgiving! I was wondering whether you’d caught the lunar eclipse. I felt the same way–it was way too cold to venture out! Thank you for the lovely calendar. It arrived safe and sound.
Beautiful photos in today’s post. Living in Pennsylvania, I have two favorite seasons. Spring for the wildflowers and fall for the brilliant fall foliage. Happy Thanksgiving.
Thanks. If I was in PA those would be my favorites too otherwise it’s too humid, hot, or cold. And thus wheelestate.
It was probably colder where you are. Glad the calendar arrived.
Spectacular photo’s Gaelyn my fav season is spring,it’s not to cold and it’s not too hot. Happy Thanks Giving to you too. Have a great week and stay safe.
Thanks. I do like to see the return of Earth’s life in the spring.
I second your desire for warm with the addition of a little spring and fall. Happy Thanksgiving.
I wouldn’t mind being in the southern hemisphere about now.
Love your photographs. A couple of them look like there is a light covering of frost but if you are only in the 40’s, it must be my eyes. I’m with you all the way on anything below 40. Imagine my horror at being stuck in Virginia at 23 degrees tonight. I’ve never done winter anywhere outside of Florida in the 10 years I’ve been on the road and I am one UNHAPPY camper at being forced to do it this year. Virginia is great in fall and spring but forget the hot humid summer and the cold humid winters. I’m thankful for many things in my life but not everything. These past 3 years have been very rough for me with one horror after another. I’ve had enough. Time for things to brighten up.
Great pics 1 and 4 through 7.
Here in NE Texas, we are already dipping down to freezing overnight and back up to the 60’s -70’s daytime and we are at about 600-feet.
The tropical and semi-tropical potted plants out to the patio @ 10am and back into the Green room at 4:30. A chore, but it it makes for a fast start to outdoor living in the Spring and extended flowers for the Fall and I don’t have to replace expensive plants every Spring. Hibiscus & Mandivillas still blooming profusely Thanksgiving week.
I have to admit to a great curiosity about your coming winter adventures and the pics created.
Sierra is plural. No need to add an ‘s
Thanks. Woke to frost this morning so won’t be much longer before I head south.
Thanks. Frost this morning, the others were just golden grasses. Must be time to head south. Sure hope that happens for you soon.
I guess no matter where you go, there you are. Winter comes, chores pile up retired or not. Only difference is the ability to get to the chores, eventually. Pretty sure we decided to not come south this winter. So hopefully you will make it north to our driveway sometime next season. We are tired of driving I-5, the coast takes a long time and gas is finally expensive enough that we actually think about the cost of traveling so far. Got lots on our plate this year with a big cross country trip beginning in August, so we thought better of going all the way south. Not to say we won’t travel a bit into California, and this time instead of flying through Lodi on an overnight, we are going to stay long enough to visit the wineries that create our favorite old vine zins and visiting a bunch of friends and extended family that are around the Mother Lode and Sacramento. And the option to play on the back side of the Sierras on 395 isn’t completely out either. Wait and see with weather, drought or not, and whatever else is going on. At least with these plans we can stay loose and not have to worry about overcrowded boondock sites or making reservations. Such a life. Got your calendar yesterday!! gorgeous.
Seems there’s always chores to do, and now more time to put them off. 😉 With high fuel prices I certainly understand putting off travel and am glad I don’t have far to go this winter. Glad you like the calendar.
You and me also, perpetual summer is the way to go. COVID has now put a spanner in the works for us as travel here is not that simple at present. Love all your sky photos and the Kestrel is gorgeous. I am glad someone is getting to take photos of sunrises😊. I am finding early mornings more and more difficult. Also I have to actually go for a short walk to see a sunrise as that side of the house there are a few barns in the way!
Keep warm and stay safe, hug from us both, Diane
Thanks. The increasing price of fuel will make travel more expensive so I won’t be going far. But woke to frost this morning so won’t be much longer and I hope to catch a few desert sunrises.
You stay warm and cozy! We have ice on the goldfish pond. Happy trails.
I’m trying but the ground had frost this morning.
Happy Thanksgiving! Can “hear” your gratitude in your written words. Looking forward to your photos of the KOFA. Also, have heard that Ajo is growing a bit, with an artsy flair. Should be an interesting explore!
Thanks. I hope to make it back to Ajo this winter. I’ll bet it was frosty at your place this morning, was here.
I’m out of the sticks and bricks and headed to warmth. It was not that cold in CO at home, but I needed to get away from all the memories that hurt. I visited my mom, moochdocking in her driveway, and now I am in Carlsbad. Spent the day in the cavern, which was amazing. Took some really good photos.
I hope to cross paths soon.
I think a change of scenery should do you good. That is an amazing cave. I haven’t left yet but with frost this morning it won’t be much longer. You are always welcome to visit Skull Valley. Otherwise, see you in the desert.
I know you have many familiar spots in AZ to enjoy the desert beauty.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and Sierra.
I will be returning to some of those familiar spots for sure. Should probably look for some new ones too.
I swore off lecturing you about the dangers of photography while driving, so just keep doing it safely.
I like the colder weather as it makes my geocaching hobby easier without the snakes, ticks, chiggers, and other bugs and pests. Plus there are far less people in the woods.
You seem to be enjoying your retirement!! But do I detect a note of retiree grumpiness?
Honest, I was stopped for the bird shots, but…
Cold weather makes nothing easier for me, except going where it’s warmer. And cold makes me grumpy.
I love Autumn, but am afraid of the season that follows — I think that’s a metaphor for life right now as I know I’m in the Autumn of mine and I dread what comes next!! On that note, If you haven’t already laboriously counted the words s in my previous comment (haha) I will take the official first day of winter 1221 for next FotoFriday please. …. I hope you find a warmer place to spend a few months, but I can definitely see why it will be hard to leave where you are!!
Spring and Fall are fine, it’s winter I struggle with. Pretty sure by next week, I’ll be further south.
Yum, yum – duck! When I was little, my aunt used to make duck for one of the holidays. It was so good. I did get up for the eclipse, and it was fabulous here in the mountains. I didn’t even try to photograph it – I just watched. Several times, I went out on the deck and one of those times a wind came up, and it was quite eerie! Stay warm Gaelyn. We’re having such moderate temperatures and don’t have much snow. Kinda nice, but also strange for high altitude at this time of year. Stay well!
The duck tasted good but was rather tough. Glad you got out for the eclipse, I’ll bet it was breathtaking, yet would have been difficult to photograph.