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        • Antelope Slot Canyon
        • Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
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        • Jerome
        • Kaibab National Forest
        • Lee’s Ferry
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        • Navajo Bridge
        • Oak Creek Canyon
        • Painted Desert
        • Pipe Springs National Monument
        • Prescott
        • Quartzsite
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        • Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument
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        • Wupatki National Monument
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Category: friendship

21 May 2018

Moving, and moving on

Sometimes it takes leaving the familiar, moving, and moving on with life.

My dearest friend, I call her soul sister, she is part of my tribe, chosen family.  I’ve known this amazing womyn for 15 years.  We have mentored each other throughout.  Neither mother, sister, or daughter by blood but all three we have been to each other.  Almost three months since being diagnosed with incurable brain cancer she still gifts us all with her presence.  Yet it becomes more difficult every day.  No pain.  Just sleeping a lot.  Increased difficulty with motor skills and memory when tired.

Last week I had to do one of the hardest things in my life.  We hugged, we cried, and we said goodbye as she boarded the shuttle to the airport.  Yet there was relief and the knowledge that family will spend time together.  We will continue to chat and text.  Her blood family lives in Portland, Oregon.

Sierra cat shed porch Berta's Yarnell ArizonaNow I am owned by a cat.

Berta & Gaelyn Yarnell Arizonalousy selfie with Berta 6-14-17

Even though I have spent 12 winters living in Yarnell, Arizona I never really socialized much.  I do love the landscape, climate, and small sized community.  Yet I really came here because of Berta.  And through her I’ve met just a few special people in town.  A few weeks ago I attended a local talk about the geology of the boulders in Yarnell.  They are granitic plutons that look much like those in Joshua Tree National Park and the Alabama Hills in California.  I went as a stranger, not even thinking anyone would know me yet had to talk to several people about Berta.

The inevitable Southwest spring winds were rocking the camper and fortunately keeping the temperature down to 80°F so I didn’t need the AC to survive.  Mostly I sat at the computer for the last several months brainlessly following social media while labeling over 22,000 photos so far this year.  I’ve actually completed 2017.

Berta looking hot Prescott ArizonaBerta at NOAH’s thrift store Prescott AZ

Berta and I first met at a fleamarket over a beautiful vaz I was trying to sell and I asked her to look it up for me online to determine it’s value.  Turned into a $12 vase.  We’ve liked each other ever since.  There will be more stories.

I returned from the shuttle feeling drained and exhausted.  Sierra (my new cat), sat on my lap keeping me in Berta’s chair for almost two hours.  I needed that.  She might have too.  Berta encouraged me to make her place home.

inside house Yarnell Arizonaone big room, no curve, ~55 x 15 feet with a bathroom added on (crappy phone panorama)

I stayed in my camper that first night then spent most of the next day making the house livable for me.  Although not packing everything Berta I did move a few things to make room for a cardtable-desk where I can see out the door and windows.  Paid for that later with very sore shoulders and back.  I love to look at Berta’s eclectic collection and like every piece even though it is not the way I would decorate.

door view Sierra yard shed sign Yarnell ArizonaPart of me wants a vacation, yet I don’t want to go anywhere at all.  Nor can I really afford to.  But it does sound appealing to catnap Sierra and take a little journey.  Find out if my new owner likes to travel.  She does like to go outside and knows her local neighborhood.

trees boulders sunset Yarnell ArizonaI still don’t have a job but at least I have a place to live (three places really) and food in the fridge.  For a gypsy like me it seems unusual not to be rolling down the highway.  Instead I have to start moving on with life.  Yarnell is a perfect place to be, at least for a while.

shed yard garden house Yarnell ArizonaPardon me, it’s time to feed the birds and water the flowers.

 

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friendship, life BFF, death, life 22 Comments
20 December 2017

Because there is nothing on my list

Making a list, checking it twice….  As most of you know, I’m a list maker.  But right now, there’s nothing on my list.  Not even for Christmas because I don’t need anything.  The gift of giving happens any time of the year.  Besides, my lists usually include where to travel next.

toadstool Rock Factory UtahToadstool at the Rock Factory, Utah

Yet traveling after six months of working was interrupted by getting sick, which was certainly not on my list.  Like the first plan to visit national parks and natural areas in southern Utah.  I may be really sorry to not get to see some of those places if the current Potus and his cronies get their way.

train depot Rhyolite NevadaRhyolite train depot

As fall slipped away I made another list with places near the northern Arizona and New Mexico border.  Why didn’t that happen?  I ran home to Yarnell to continue recovering from diverticulitis.  After a few weeks I  headed to Alabama Hills to meet up with a friend and visited Burro Creek and Kelso Dunes along the way plus Death Valley and the Rhyolite ghost town on the return to Yarnell.

Weaver Mountains sunset Yarnell ArizonaEvening view over the Weaver Mountains Yarnell, Arizona

My dearest friend Berta has been spending time in Portland supporting her daughter who was recently diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer.  She’s going to be alright.  They are both going to be alright.  And so will Berta’s cat Sierra because I’m hanging out in Yarnell kitty sitting.  Not a bad place to be as I’ve mentioned before.

Weaver Mountains morning light Yanell ArizonaMorning light on the Weaver Mountains

It’s all cool because I have plenty to keep me busy and I’m REALLY good at wasting time online, especially Facebook.  Am I the only one?

Gaelyn & Sierra in Berta's house Yarnell ArizonaIt is very fun to have a pet but I’m not looking for a full-timer.  Sierra is a really good kitty.  We’ve bonded.  At first she stayed in her own house overnight and I let her out in the morning and afternoon.  Sometimes she visited me in the camper and some evenings I watched TV in the house with her on my lap getting brushed and petted.  I know she misses Berta, but my part time attention will have to do.  You know how cats are?  Or maybe you don’t know any more about cats than I do.  It’s been decades since a cat owned me.

Sierra in camper Yarnell ArizonaEventually Sierra came to my tiny house and decided not to leave.  So it’s easier to move her stuff—cat pan and food—than all my stuff.  The first two days after she moved in she barely left the bed and didn’t want to go outside.  Then she went out but knew where to return and even knocked on the window between the truck cab and camper to come back in.  Darn smart.

butterfly on flower Yarnell ArizonaI watered flowers and look what showed up

Berta returns home late Christmas Eve, just before Santa.

Weaver Mountains clouds sunrays Yarnell ArizonaI plan to be here, or pretty close by, through the holidays.  I don’t like to travel over holidays anyway.  There’s really nothing on my list until possibly early January and definitely 20-28 in Quartzsite.

Sonoran desert mountains low clouds sunset Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument ArizonaSonoran desert somewhere, Arizona

OK, that is not to say there is absolutely nothing on my list.  The travel list is exceedingly long and always growing, thanks to a lot of you for ideas.  I long to return to South Africa.  Anybody up for that in February or March?

boulders snow Eastern Sierras Alabama Hills BLM Lone Pine CaliforniaMarch

Eastern Sierras Alabama Hills BLM Lone Pine CaliforniaNovember

Plus always on my list is labeling photos.  I’m labeling from a March visit to Alabama Hills and recently wrote about the November visit.  I’d really like to catch up to real time but realistically, I take WAY too many photos and am currently nine months behind.  The fun of that is re-living those experiences.  Plus I share every 100th photo labeled on the Geogypsy Facebook page.

Sierra on bed truck camper Yarnell ArizonaSo whether you’re making a list or not, may you enjoy the holidays!

_________________________________

PS: I still have a few 2018 calendars available for $20 including shipping in the USA.  Just click the calendar picture on the sidebar and let me know how many you want shipped to where.  I can guarantee they won’t arrive before Christmas.

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23 December 2014

Make this the best Christmas

Dung beetle by JoanI struggle with asking for help.  I just want to do everything on my own.  But right now I’m asking help for a friend.  After knowing Joan Young online for several years as the “Bug Lady” in South Africa I took her up on an offer to show me around.  We spent two weeks of my month traveling in 2010 when I fell in love with her amazing country.  Returned in 2013 and ‘14 for longer stays.

Joan photographing Cape Vidal iSimangaliso Wetland Park South AfricaJoan is retired and volunteers at South African National Parks presenting environmental education programs about the biodiversity found in her country.  She is also an excellent photographer and documents this diversity on several of her own websites as well as freely sharing it with others.  She’s recently been building up an Eco-Center along the coast in Ramsgate.

Tuesday morning I woke up to this Facebook post from her:  “Hello Everyone, I have been beaten and robbed at knife point of my laptop, diamond ring, cell phone and a few other things. Because of this, I am unable to contact anyone anymore or do any of my education work. I am using an internet cafe to send this but my pages will not be updated from now on. Due to being on pension, I can never afford a new computer. Thanks for being my friends.”

I immediately contacted a mutual South African friend and was told she’s OK, just sore and in shock.  It’s frustrating being so far away and feeling helpless to help.  So I went out onto social media and asked people to help my friend by making donations.  The outpouring of support has me in tears.

Leopard Kruger National Park South by JYoungIf you’d like to help please make a donation by using the PayPal button below.

The holidays really are about giving.  Help me make this the best Christmas for Joan.  Thank you.

For Joan the Bug Lady of South Africa




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Hi, I’m Gaelyn, the Geogypsy

I retired after 29 summer seasons as a Park Ranger, traveling solo for 40+ years. My passions include travel, connecting to nature, photography, and sharing stories.

I started exploring US National Parks in 1977 and 20 years later became a seasonal Park Ranger.  I’ve lived full-time in a RV for 30 years working summers and playing winters.  I’m still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow old, other than grow up.

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