karne's korner: life in the garden

Sunday, September 6, 2009

Rain is falling all around

on the rooftops, on the ground.
Boy, is it ever raining,
and am I ever glad we decided to redo the roof even though the monsoon was over!

Saturday, September 5, 2009

I stood outside as the storm clouds gathered, as it grew progressively darker, and as rain began to fall. I wanted a picture of the lightning. Not too much luck. Though the lightning did manage to shut down the power. This is Jimena's tail pushing up and around from Baja California. We should have more stormy weather today and tomorrow.

What's with California? Why won't the rain go straight up your way and put out the fires??!

Thursday, August 27, 2009

We May Have Seen the Devil. . .

We drove down Ruby Road the other day to the west, off the pavement and along the border, through canyons and valleys. Beautiful country. We passed the historic ghost town of Ruby, a one time mining community in about 1903. The gate is always closed and locked. But, not this time. We backed up, read the historic sign, which says "Do not enter if gate is closed". The gate was wide open. In we went.

If you ever have the opportunity to tour Ruby, skip it. It is nothing but junk. Nothing restored, nothing worth restoring. The dirt road ends at the mine tailings which spread out like an unusually hard packed white sand beach, right on the side of a lake. The lake is beautiful, blue and clear. No algae grows in it. No water birds wade in the shallows. The only life visible was an old hippy who peered out at us from an old, fallen in house on the edge of the tailings. He had a camper and a picnic table set up on the white "sands."

This seemed too strange. We turned around and headed out. Half way back to the gate we were stopped by a man in a very old pick-up truck. Probably newer than 1903, but apparently exposed at some point to acid rain as all the paint was gone and the metal was rusting away--hard to date the vehicle accurately.

A man jumped out and came over to the car window. He was a skinny, wiry man wearing only a ragged pair of cut-offs. He was the color and texture of hardwood, maybe mahogany, left much too long in the sun. But most impressive were his hair and mustache. He had long, gray rasta hair.

Very very rasta--lots of it going about halfway down his skinny back.

His mustache was huge, also rasta.

I was amazed, mesmerized. The thought that this creature had at one time been someone's round, pink baby boy flitted through my mind, but the long fuzz growing across his shoulders and down his bony spine pushed that thought aside. A modern day Robinson Crusoe shipwrecked on an island of his own making?

I am afraid I stared as he ranted at us about trespassing and ordered us out--OUT and don't ever come back.

I wonder if repeat offenders end up at the bottom of the lake.

Scary thought!

We enjoyed a nice ride home.

Monday, August 17, 2009

The weeks in review

You should really read this blog from bottom to top since that is the way the week ran. Enjoy.
Thursday night we flew down the road to Tempe. Got in late, stayed with Charles and Leslie.
Friday, the 5 young and strong took off for Vegas. We didn't go, no pix, a whole different story. Suffice it to say that we dropped Mo and Seung Hee off at the Tucson airport at 4:45 Sunday morning, and were home in Rio Rico in time for Church, and a Sunday afternoon nap (sorely needed. )

Oh do be careful!! It is the Gorgeous Megan approaching the gorge.

Life is beautiful just north of Flagstaff!!

Then on to Flagstaff, Megan's and Sunset Crater. By now it's Wednesday!

A stop in Tucson for Birthday Pizza, Calzone and Pasta with Steven (also Mini and Justin) Steven's haircut complements of Charlie.

Back in the USA we hurried past Tumacacori National Park, just snapping a picture over the wall!! Nice picture Seung Hee!!

Of course we went snorkeling to view puffer fish, tiger fish, electric blues, star fish, octupi and sea urchins. Ouch!

The ocean was gorgeous, the water was warm, the condo was comfortable, and on the beach!

Friday we picked up Morris and Seung Hee at the Tucson Airport, then left early Saturday morning for San Carlos Mexico.

Wednesday and Thursday we spent at the VA Hospital in Tucson--#1 rated VA hospital in the country. http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www1.va.gov/VISNS/VISN03/virtualmuseum/ARIZONA/TUCSON2.JPG&imgrefurl=http://www1.va.gov/VISNS/VISN03/virtualmuseum/virtualmus/tucson.asp&usg=__wug4lt_m5DXSZlahUAoQb5A0C38=&h=254&w=412&sz=25&hl=en&start=3&um=1&tbnid=qYwqYStaBuivXM:&tbnh=77&tbnw=125&prev=/images%3Fq%3DTucson%2BVA%2BHospital%26hl%3Den%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1

August 4th Elder Matute was leaving for home after nearly 8 months here. We held a little barbecue going away party and birthday party. A fun-for-all. . .