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Category: Skull Valley

Home again and hunkered into AC

Juniper tree canyon view Grandview Point South Rim Grand Canyon National Park ArizonaAfter a week and a half camped in forest and visiting the Grand Canyon I spent one more night camped in a different area then headed home again to high temps and AC.  Zapped by the heat, frozen by AC, I can’t seem to find a happy medium while waiting for monsoon rain.

Grand Canyon Chocolate Factory Tusyan Arizona

fudgeSunday after lunch with a friend I headed out of the park with the intent to camp not too far south of Tusyan, and no intent to stop in town.  Except, I saw a sign for Chocolate Factory and fudge, a weakness of mine.  Price was pretty good so I bought lots because it freezes well.  I only nibble tiny bits at a time to make it last.

Ponderosa Pines sunset clouds camp4 FR306Q Kaibab National Forest ArizonaI then pulled onto FR302 but didn’t have to go far before realizing it’s directly under the flight pattern for the airport. No thanks!  So I continued south and found a nice camp along FR306 instead.  Not very busy out there which is just fine by me.  I walked around sniffing pines to create a sensory image of that special scent.  I believe the area is used as a hunting camp and will share more of that in a future video.

San Fransisco Peaks stormy sky SR64 South Kaibab National Forest ArizonaEarly to bed and early to rise with a plan to stop for breakfast on the outskirts of Williams before heading home again.

Osprey birds in nest snag SR64 Williams ArizonaI became sidetracked by the sight of a huge nest filling the top of a snag and turned around to check it out.  Sure enough, an Osprey nest with an adult and one large chick visible.

Sadly, the preferred restaurant in Williams is permanently closed.  So I got on I40 West figuring my next stop would be Chino Valley, by then time for lunch somewhere.  I’m very bad about making food to eat on travel days.

Ranch House Cafe Ashfork ArizonaWasn’t far to Ashfork and my exit south on SR89.  At the last minute I went into Ashfork hoping to find a restaurant and ended up at the Ranch House Cafe.  Looks falling apart from the outside but is newly renovated inside. Chatted with a friendly regular at the next table. Food was adequately OK, though I ordered scrambled eggs and got sunny up for $12, plus tip. When I went to pay I didn’t have my wallet and panicked a little when I couldn’t find it in the camper or truck seat, so paid cash. Then remembered where I’d stashed it.

I finally headed south on SR89 and stopped in Chino Valley for fuel, once again $5.53 at Safeway, and bought a few groceries.  By 2:30 I was home again unpacking with the AC on and enjoyed getting sprinkled on.

minder tower stand IIAt 98° the next day, the poor AC struggled to keep it 85° inside so it was a rather lazy day.  Packages arrived while I was gone so felt kind of like Christmas, just not cold enough.  First to be opened, a tower stand for my laptop.  I mostly wanted this to set on a counter and stand at the computer as sitting gets old.  It’s a well made mostly heavy metal product and also works to raise the laptop at my desk so I’m looking more straight on to the monitor.  So far I’m liking it.   (If you want one use this link for me to make a few cents from Amazon at no extra cost to you.)

lilly brush pet hair scraper & 300w inverter & 2 1-2 gal water jugThe rest not very exciting, a 2 1/2 gallon refillable water jug to set on the bumper for solar heating and hand washing when I’m parked is really cheap plastic.  We’ll see how long that lasts.  The lilly brush is rubber edged for scraping pet hair off the carpet and works better than just my fingers.  Even “pet hair” vacuums don’t do the trick.  And the red box is a 300 watt power inverter I’ll use in the truckcamper to charge phone and laptop off my solar charged battery.

Gaelyn & SierraWednesday I had a morning eye appointment in Prescott.  Seems like I just got these glasses a year ago but they’re just not right, especially for close up.  Plus I have a few floaters and some fuzzyness, but still not ready for cataract surgery.  Using my existing frames for the new lenses that won’t be ready for about 1 1/2 weeks.  Thank goodness I had a pair of really old glasses in the camper that got me through the grocery store and home again.  The rest of the day was reflective as it was the fourth year anniversary since my dearest friend Berta died.

reverse sunset Skull Valley ArizonaOMG! Thursday 99°, Friday 100°.  The AC is working overtime and at least keeping it tolerable inside, because it’s not tolerable outside even in the shade.

grass trees boulders storm clouds Skull Valley Arizona

sunset clouds Skull Valley ArizonaOnly 92° Saturday under stormy skies with lots of rumbles but no rain.  Such a tease.

grass trees storm clouds Skull Valley Arizona

water in wash driveway trees Skull Valley ArizonaFinally, Sunday below 90°.  AC off and all windows open for the first time in almost a week. It’s humid but doable, cheaper, and not so noisy.  Later I had to close a bunch of windows because it rained hard and even created puddles.  That made me wonder if water flowed in the wash across my driveway, where it flows to, and if I leave will I be able to get back home again.

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After the major struggle I went through editing the last Rambling Road Trip video I can only say thank you for letting me know about the loud music.  I deleted it completely.  My idea was soft music in the background throughout but also to fill the quiet gaps.  YouTube didn’t get my message.  Hopefully the more recent video about climbing the 80 foot Grandview Tower is better, and of course much shorter.  Super BIG thank you for watching these videos as I’m learning and really appreciate your suggestions and support.  Sadly, my subscriber numbers are not going up like I’d hoped.  Feel free to share them.

Arizona, Places I've been, Skull Valley, United States , , 22 Comments

Summer Monsoon Sunset and wheelestate repairs

grass bush sunset clouds crepuscular rays Skull Valley AZWith summer officially begun, it’s a time to enjoy cotton candy clouds and famous Arizona monsoon sunset.  A perfect time to stay home and watch the skies while RV and truck repairs are going on.

Roadrunner bird Skull Valley AZRoadrunner

Although I still feel a longing to travel I am getting into a pattern staying home.  No I’m not up before the sun to get out and walk.  When the daytime highs get over 96° I usually have the AC on.  Otherwise door and all windows open plus several fans seems to be OK so far.  If I’m working playing on the computer I move from one side of the RV to the other to stay on the shady side.  Otherwise, I frequently go outside to chair hop in the shade and watch the world, with a little bit of reading thrown in.

berm trees mammatus clouds Skull Valley AZThe weekend highs actually cooled down to the low 80s and with plenty of breeze and clouds felt delightful.  Mammatus clouds looked almost heavy enough to release some precious drops but quickly retracted and moved on.  I can almost smell rain.  Only a few drops fell.  I am feeling the alive of summer, all senses receiving. Some visual greens with dancing in the breeze branches send off whiffs of summer and a tickle to the skin and nose.  Achoo! Come on monsoon!

caged yellow headlight bulldozer Skull Valley AZEven a short walk on the ranch can provide interesting objects and sometimes I find just a piece of, say a bulldozer, more intriguing than the whole machine.  Think it would fit on the hood of my truck?

grass bush Brushy Mt clouds sun rays Skull Valley AZCrepuscular rays before monsoon sunset

I actually did some yard work. Moved two Cottonwood stumps for chair hopping tables.  Plus working on placing winter rock collection on the berm below the metate.  (Photo ahead.)

grass bush Brushy Mt sunset clouds crepuscular rays Skull Valley AZMy Saturday night included a pep talk from Bob about making videos for YouTube.  We’re both learning and sharing ideas.  He encourages my “branding” in the funny black hat I wear in my profile picture.  I have lots of hats so may trade them around depending on, my mood.  I remind him to introduce himself at the beginning of his fun videos going kayaking, dirt biking, and 4x4ing.

Gaelyn intro Penguin videoA little warm for this outfit

African Jackass Penguin Boulders Table Mt NP Simon's Town Cape Peninsula South AfricaThe next day I was inspired to make a video about Jackass penguins that I saw in South Africa, and thankfully took video and still shots.  Took all afternoon to figure out each video clip had to be first trimmed and saved removing the background noise, then reopened and add softened wave sounds and saved, and then reopened again to add a recorded narration clip, and saved, before putting all the pieces together.  There’s probably an easier way.  I might have video of lions and elephants for the future.

At one point, I heard the quail fussing and looked out in time to see them chasing a coyote.  Yea!  Funniest thing ever.  I WANT a trail cam!

Raven bird against sunset clouds Skull Valley AZRaven soars

It actually felt cold that night, or at least cool enough to close the windows and sleep under a blanket.

tree hole in camper BLM Stanton Rd Congress AZcamper patch

That didn’t last and I rushed to finish and load the penguin video before the temperature reached 90°, inside.  That afternoon, the ranch handyman, worked on lots of little projects at my place and I hung around to mostly get in the way I’m sure.  He’d already patched the camper where I backed into a tree.  (Don’t ask, just read.)

solar controller repairsmounted Solar controller

12v socket repairsmounted 12v socket

He firmly mounted the solar controller and 12v socket that I jerry-rigged last winter.

door latchAnd replaced a door latch for the 5th-wheel as the old plastic one had broken and wouldn’t hold the door open in a light breeze.  The new one is metal.

trees cliffs Bradshaw Mts clouds Skull Valley AZI had overheated the previous day outside and not drinking enough water or eating so, Happy Solstice, I spent most of the day inside with the AC on.

grass trees clouds Skull Valley AZMornings offer clear blue sky but by afternoon the clouds build and threaten to drop rain, a sure sign of monsoon.

rocks berm grass trees Brushy Mt sunset clouds crepuscular rays Skull Valley AZTwo winters of rock collecting

sunset clouds Skull Valley AZBy late afternoon the windows are open once again and I am outside to enjoy a beautiful Solstice sunset on a perfect summer evening.

whiptail lizard on metate Skull Valley AZWhiptail lizard

The rest of the week’s weather forecast called for 30-40% chance of thunderstorms.  How I wish!

grass trees clouds Skull Valley AZAnother day of cloud building and racing across the sky, but no rain.

old Chevy truck Prescott AZWent to town on Thursday, an almost all day affair.  Rained just a little as I exited the store in Prescott and I danced in the parking lot as it fell.  I’m sure nobody noticed or even cared, I was at a Walmart.

grass trees boulders sunset clouds Skull Valley AZAnother night of monsoon sunset and after dark thunder and lightning followed, but very little rain.

trees mammatus clouds Skull Valley AZThe next morning felt still, and quiet, clouds skirting around the little valley where I live.  I sat outside most of the day watching the ever teasing cloud show.

grass brush Brushy Mt storm clouds Skull Valley AZ

rain drops metate Skull Valley AZJust before sunset a breeze carried the scent of rain and still only a few drops fell.

trees rainbow clouds Skull Valley AZBut to the east there must have been more rain because when the setting sun broke through clouds a rainbow gift occurred.

sunset clouds Skull Valley AZThunder rolled all evening and finally about 9pm it began to rain and kept it up most of the night.  A soft female rain, just like this parched land needs.

grass trees anticrepuscular rays storm clouds Skull Valley AZ

brush trees boulders anticrepuscular rays storm clouds Skull Valley AZIn the morning the ground was damp, not more than 1/4 inch deep and didn’t last very long.  But still.

grass trees storm clouds virga Skull Valley AZAnother day of clouds, sometimes looking as tortured as I felt after word from the Supreme Court.  I don’t want to talk politics.  But I also don’t want to go back in time 50 years.  I shall say no more.

grass trees Brushy Mt sunset clouds virga Skull Valley AZBut along with rain and summer monsoon sunset, I shall shed tears.

Sierra cat through screen door Skull Valley AZWANTED: house/cat sitter, a StayCATion for you, in my 5th-wheel for one week mid-September in Skull Valley AZ only 30 minutes from Prescott.  Mom wants to fly to Chicago for her 50th High School reunion, and says I can’t go.  Meow!

Arizona, monsoon, Places I've been, Skull Valley, solstice, United States , , , 22 Comments

Staying home for June’s moon

tree frames moon Skull Valley AZI’ve been staying home to conserve fuel, work on a non-traveling pattern, and shoot June’s moon.  In my mind that’s my Mom’s moon, named after her birth month and born on the solstice she would have turned 96 years old, Dad a few days later would have been 99.

About two weeks since my last trip off the ranch to Dewey then back with chores along the way and I stocked up with enough food that I haven’t gone anywhere since.  And that was the plan.

Temperatures in the high 90s are mostly keeping me indoors and running the AC.  Sure glad I have big windows to see the beautiful landscape and wildlife.  In fact I put out three more wildlife water-bowls within sight of my desk windows.

trees stormy clouds Skull Valley AZ

trees storm clouds Skull Valley AZPresumably June 15th marks the beginning of monsoon in the Southwest.  I’ll believe it when I see it.  There was hope as dark clouds built up, swirling and wind whipped, but dropped no moisture.

white Prickly Poppy flowers Skull Valley AZOnly the hardiest flowers manage to survive like Prickly Poppy.

grass trees Brush Mt sunset clouds Skull Valley AZThough I try to keep the house comfortable too often running the AC, I also sit outside most afternoons chasing the shade, or as Bob calls it “chair hopping”.  The clouds do make for beautiful sunsets and once the sun goes down I open all the windows overnight.

moon Skull Valley AZCleared enough to give a peek at June’s moon.

Flycatcher bird Skull Valley AZIn the morning one bird I think is a flycatcher found the hanging bowl of water.  Sadly, it seems a lot of ants found a bowl on the ground.  I hope someone escaped to warn the others of drowning.  I moved the bowl in hopes of that not happening again.

grass trees clouds sunrays Skull Valley AZAnother 97° day kept me indoors running the AC until late afternoon when the sunlit clouds drew me out.

moon Skull Valley AZPlus another sight of June’s moon.

trees boulders mt sunset clouds Skull Valley AZ

grass trees sunset clouds crepuscular rays Skull Valley AZAnd another delightful sunset.  One bonus of hot weather is saving on propane to heat water as it comes out of the cold faucet hotter than hot.

selfie stick tripodvideo kit

bluehorn tripod/selfie stick extends 40 inches & BOYA miniature omnidirectional microphone

I guess everybody knows I’m bummed about not traveling so I figured if I shared a video about that I’d feel better.  One of the important things about a YouTube video is the thumbnail, you know that first image that is suppose to catch your attention and make you click and watch.  Being this video was just me sitting inside and kind of ranting a bit I racked my brains for an interesting thumbnail.  Little did I know how much pre-thought goes into making a completed video.  So I took my new toys/tools outside and set up a shot using the tripod/selfie stick and remote.  After the video went out Sue asked what the tools look like, so I took pics and here they are.  In fact I was out early in the morning for this staging as it was predicted to be 99° later.

wearing rubber boots Skull Valley AZ

trees boulders moon Skull Valley AZ

almost full moon Skull Valley AZAnd it was still warm when I went out at 6pm to shoot the almost full June’s moon.  Some may laugh, but because so many plants here have burrs that stick to clothing, I wore my rubber boots while out shooting the moon and scoping out a location for the next night too.

yellow Devils Claw flowers with thorns Skull Valley AZDevils Claw

BTW, I did feel more accepting of the lack of traveling after making that video.

ice bottle in front of fanAwake to 70° at 7am with door and windows open all night but the AC back on in a couple hours then off in a couple more hours when the power went out, thankfully only for another couple hours but enough for the RV to warm up.  Big winds kept the outside 90° doable for a while at 87° inside. I tried ice in front of a fan and wouldn’t want to have to rely on it.

I spent most of the day chasing news about the Pipeline fire northeast of Flagstaff and the flooding in Yellowstone National Park.

unidentified bird on Apache Plume Skull Valley AZUnidentified bird

Finally in the late afternoon I went outside to just sit and enjoy the air.

tree Bradshaw Mts full moon rise Skull Valley AZtree Bradshaw Mts full moon rise Skull Valley AZ

tree Bradshaw Mts full moon rise Skull Valley AZtree Bradshaw Mts full moon rise Skull Valley AZ

Then I donned my rubber boots and walked the electric line trail to a nearby hilltop to shoot June’s moon the night before actual full Strawberry moon.

tree mt bird full moon Skull Valley AZI took lots of photos but the night’s winner was when the Raven flew by.

baby quail birds Skull Valley AZSo many photos of June’s moon and more kept me busy inside processing and managed no AC at 89° outside.  I finally had to get out in the late afternoon but didn’t get much reading done because of the nearby small wildlife watching.  Saw some baby quail starting to grow topknots.  They are just so cute.

Side-blotched lizard Skull Valley AZA side-blotched lizard posed for a while while flexing its muscles.

dragon fly on leaf Skull Valley AZThe biggest surprise was seeing a dragonfly in this dry environment.  I can’t believe my little water bowls are enough to bring them in.

Whiptail lizard on metate Skull Valley AZHowever, the lizards sure like the easy access metate water-bowl.  This whiptail drank, then after its pushups I wondered if it was going to throw the mano like a medicine ball.  Great morning entertainment.

tiny grasshopper on yellow Cowpen Daisy flowers Skull Valley AZI did manage once again to stay inside working playing on the computer much of the day without AC.  Yet by about 3pm it was time to get outside and see what my world had to offer.  Have you ever seen a grasshopper so tiny?

chipmunk on metate Skull Valley AZThe next morning, Chipmunk came by before I filled the waters.  The metate is so shallow it dries up rapidly.

scrub jay bird Skull Valley AZScrub Jay

Yet birds are beginning to find the water also.

RVs clouds crepuscular rays Skull Valley AZ

grass shrubs Brushy Mt clouds crepuscular rays Skull Valley AZAnother day of AC inside until afternoon when clouds danced above and looked like possible rain.

brush boulders rainbow clouds Skull Valley AZI heard drops on the roof, rushed outside, and felt six raindrops. Could almost smell rain in the air.

trees rainbow clouds Skull Valley AZThe westering sun broke through and delivered a lovely rainbow as the clouds slipped to the north.

sunset clouds crepuscular rays Skull Valley AZFollowed by an exquisite sunset.

trees clouds dbl rainbow Skull Valley AZAnd an encore of double rainbows.

Cottontail Skull Valley AZSo once again the next day there were lots of photos to process.  In between taking more photos like when a Cottontail joined me for breakfast.  Then outside in the afternoon sitting on the shady side of the RV.  I only get a little reading done because the world distracts me.

grass bush sunset clouds crepuscular rays Skull Valley AZ

grass bush sunset clouds crepuscular rays Skull Valley AZCloudy sunsets are magnificent, especially with crepuscular rays reaching out.

rope holding door open Skull Valley AZI’m getting into a pattern.  Certainly not my usual pattern.  But it will do for now.  If I stay home I don’t spend money.  Well, that’s not 100% true.  Because there are parts ordered for repairs on the 5th-wheel, camper, and the truck’s AC.  But that’s next week.

Arizona, full moon, Places I've been, Skull Valley, United States, wildlife , , , , 23 Comments

Lijit

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