MOBILE LIVING'S GREATEST GIFT

YES, THERE ARE MANY INCLUDING FRUGALITY, FRIENDSHIPS AND ADVENTURES----BUT PERHAPS THE GREATEST IS COMFORTABLE TEMPERATURES.

We've been parked for a month near Cottonwood, Az  and a cold spell  persuaded us to stay put right here for 2 more days.

Cold winds and rain kept us hunkered down.

Meeting when the weather permitted.

Within sight of our camp was this giant figure of the legendary Kokopelli.

If you don't know who Kokopelli was click here.

One night we welcomed this terrific couple from Australia to our camp. They had us laughing into the night.

My new knee is healed as this pict shows,

So completely healed that I am dancing again and Dennis wrote a new poem to celebrate it:

The Fixing of Randy Vining

By Dennis Draheim

(With apologies to Robert Service)

Strange things are done in the desert sun

By the men who dwell in vans;

These wayward males could tell you tales

That would make you clap your hands.

My peeping lights have seen some sights,

But the darnedest they ever did see

Was Randy Vining dancing,

'Cause he's got a brand new knee!

I arrived this day near the end of May

And Randy was there to meet me.

He danced a jig around my rig,

What a glorious way to greet me!

I slapped my thighs and wiped my eyes;

T'was a grand sight to behold.

That limping man is whole again --

Randy, may you never get old!

The day we arrived--the cows arrived---shipped up by truck from the hot ranches of the low country.

(elevation here 6,600 ft above sea level--temp today 70 degrees)

The meadow is sprinkled with this beautiful and interesting flower (fendler's sundrop) that you can watch bloom about sunset each day.  By 10 am next morning it withers and dies. Certain insects immediately pollinate it getting a taste of nectar.  

Our group gathers at 9:30 am and often at sunset to appreciate our good fortune and the color in the sky.

Two of our people appreciate the same hair style.  One of them is a pretty lady.

A morning view from my door.

One day a professional masseuse joined us and gave me the pleasure of a full body healing massage.

Another day a few hundred serious archers came to compare their skills. They amazed us with their accuracy.

Here's what they were shooting at----more than a hundred yards away.  To my amazement they hit a bullseye two shots out of three.  ($1 a shot--winner takes the accumulated money)

I made a sizable bet with Dennis that 5 oclock shadows of these east-west stakes  would point left.

As you can see the shadows point right. (thus the sun does set slightly north of due west)

Whoever lost had to compose a poem and present it to the other while holding his hat humbly in his hand.  Here I am delivering my humility poem to Dennis.

BETTING WITH DENNIS

There are times when the facts

that you know to be true

are challenged by some upstart

not half as smart as you.

It happened today, some Yankee guy

told me that the sun

sets slightly north of West

when its day is done.

But I know better for you see

I've camped for 40 years

I'm older and smarter than he

so I'll bet him and watch his tears.

To seal the bet two sticks were set

perfectly east and west.

As the sun dipped low, shadows would show

whose wisdom was the best.

A shadow left would prove my case.

A shadow right prove his.

At 5 oclock we hurried to see

who'se dummy and who'se whiz.

I'm not gonna die but I eat humble pie,

I pay my debt, hat in hand.

To my astound, there on the ground

was a right hand shadow on the land.

Note to self: Dennis Draheim is a graduate Physicist--don't bet against his physics.