Description

I own no land, instead I have wheelestate. I’ve been a full time RVer since 1997. Working summers as a Park Ranger takes me to many beautiful places and playing during the winter takes me to many more. This blog is simply the story of my life's adventures.

Moved

Thank you for stopping by. Just to let you know, I'm still blogging but have moved to Geogypsytraveler. Hope you'll follow my adventures. Just click here.

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Maybe twins?


Don and Angie
Friday night Mike discovered another Turtle Dove egg broken and unfertilized. Yet the devoted parents continue to sit on the nest presumably incubating the remaining two eggs.

Just an update.

Friday, January 8, 2010

Pacing the maternity room


Don and Angie are still sharing the parental duties of sitting on their four eggs. Friday marks 16 days from the laying of the first egg followed by an egg a day. Typically eggs take 13 to 19 days to hatch. Yet turtle doves usually lay only 1-2 eggs.

Mike could be a Grandpa soon. ;-)
PS: Just discovered one egg broken with nothing in it and think it was the second egg laid.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

SWF - Arizona skies


Some of you have seen many of my colorful nightly sunsets, but of course no two are alike. My sunset view sets behind the Weaver Mountains, which I’ve recently posted about.

In fact, this was another view of the Weavers on one of my recent walks and I just had to add it too.

To view more skies from around the world, or to share your own, visit Sky Watch Friday by clicking here.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Prickly Pear Cactus


Imagine a plant which can provide you with several year-round foods, as well as a sweetener, medicine, a red dye, flour, a hair conditioner, and still be a drought tolerant burglar fence. Not just found in AZ deserts Prickly Pear cactus grows throughout the United States, across the plains to Nebraska, all over the west, and one species even grows along the Atlantic coast.

Although cacti are about 90 percent water you can’t tap one with a spigot and fill your canteen. But you can eat the pads, seeds, fruit and flowers prepared in a variety of ways. I like the flowers fresh off the plant.

Of course you must be careful of the spines, both large and smaller hair-like spines called glochids can really hurt, but can be knocked off with a stick or burned off. Young shiny pads are best, then peel the skin and eat raw, boiled, or fried. Add onions and eggs for Huevos rancheros con nopalitos or use as a thickener in stews. If you don’t want to go through all the work try looking for a jar of nopalitos (cactus pads) in the grocery store.

Old fruit
The fruit, which ripens during late summer, can also be eaten raw or used to make delicious drinks, pies, jams, candy and syrup. It is loaded with tiny seeds which can just be eaten with the fruit or dried and ground into flour.
As a bonus, the fruit is a rich source of the mineral magnesium and the amino acid taurine, nutrients often cited as important to brain and heart health. It's also rich in flavonoids, antioxidants credited with keeping arteries healthy. Plus a red dye can be made from the juice of the fruit or by squeezing the cochineal beetles that live on the pads.

dying
Current research indicates Prickly Pear cactus might decrease cholesterol levels and help diabetics lower blood glucose by decreasing the absorption of sugar in the stomach and intestine.

decomposing
Cactus pads can also be used as a hair conditioning rinse by agitating pieces of the peeled pads with water then after straining the mucilaginous liquid is massaged into the hair and rinsed resulting in silkier hair. (I know it’s easier to just buy conditioner.)

decomposing
Prickly Pear cactus is an easy to grow food source that is drought resistant but not tolerant of snow, frost or extremely wet conditions. In the right environment it can grow into a natural fence that will deter most animals and people over its 20 plus year lifespan.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Remember Whensday - Dreaming of someplace warmer


Me at the Bahaman Princess
Because I’m cold in the mornings I’ve been dreaming of a warmer place. In December 1974 my boyfriend took me to the Bahamas. Being under 21 I couldn’t go into the Casinos. Our hotel was not on the beach as advertised but a frequent free shuttle got us there in a hurry. We were so young, and so poor we really couldn’t even afford to be there. Ate a free Continental breakfast then over priced hotdogs for lunch and dinner at the International Market. One night we walked a couple miles to town for Burger King and discovered not all Burger Kings are equal in quality or price.

Freeport Bahamas
But we were Warm and enjoyed our days on the beach. Wish that I were there Now!

Sally from The (Mis) Adventures of Karl and Sally has started a meme where the past is remembered through sharing old family photographs and this is #31. I love the idea and hope you will too. So join the fun by clicking here.

Monday, January 4, 2010

MWT - More Weaver Mountains


I guess you’ll be seeing a bit more of the Weaver Mountains because they are in my back yard. (Scroll down two posts for my New Year's Day walk.)

Balancing rock
How wonderful to walk under a clear blue sky in the high desert, about 50F with barely a breeze in the late afternoon.

Lichen on granite
My heart is set free and my mind wanders over the land further than my feet will tread this day.

Vulture Mts about 60 miles in the distance
I could live here enjoying the view over morning coffee.

Cholla
Need to get up there in the morning to see the light. Yet at 25F as the sun rises I don’t think that will happen soon.

Land four sale
I really don’t want to see this land developed but with the current housing crunch I don’t think they’ll be selling soon. These 4-9 acre properties are listed from $65,000 to 175,000. Utilities have been brought in along the access roads.

Some of the many curves of Highway 89, left to Yarnell and right to Congress
If I was building, my house would not be within sight of any roads or neighbors.

To see more of the world, or to share some of your own, visit My World Tuesday by clicking here.

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Coy in Laughlin


Berta and I met in Laughlin, Nevada after my visit to Death Valley the beginning of November. It’s really just an excuse to get out of town and stay at a nice hotel for cheap plus soak in the Jacuzzi.

Neither of us are really gamblers and usually spend about $20 each on the slots. Berta was ahead by a little for a while.

In the moat around the Colorado Belle are these huge coy. I am fascinated by the variety of colors.

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