"Every A$$BUTT who ever chanted 'Drill baby drill' should have to report to the Gulf coast today for cleanup duty," - Bill Maher.

Oh my................

There is some white schtuff in our future and soon..............off to find our mittens. And make some comfort food. And yes I'll share pictures.

Bogey has visitors

Bogey was quite fascinated.
They still have their furry coats.
This was taken out of the window so quality not that great

There were at least eight of these little guys.
See those big ears their hearing is quite acute.

April showers

brings snow showers.............HOLY CRAP!!!

Well here we are stuck in the PODUNK town of Indian Springs Nevada.  That's podunk with a capital P.

There is one thing that entertains Mr Doodles..............that would be Creech Air Force Base  which is a part of the very famous Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas.  They test the Predator here as well as train the Thunderbirds.  Those Thunderbirds are out on tour but there are some like planes up there buzzing around.  And Mr has taken a couple a snaps of the (drone)  Predator.

There are snow showers in our future with lows of 32*ish.  Oh and high wind advisory for the next few days.

So we have changed our route totally.  That post I did with the route and then talking about going thru Tonopah, star gazing capital of the world, then on to Winemmucca........not gonna happen friends.  We'll see all those wonderful places in the fall.

I should not complain one bit because the three years we have been on this journey we have been so very lucky with weather conditions..................but
for now we are here.............definitely

Update

one side

the other side

on the walking stick

Think of it as a napkin ring shape...................I really like it.

Good job Mr!!

Taking our time

As sister likes to refer to us as the Gypsy Caravan, we are ready to head North.  Well north as far as Southern Colorado.  Just saw an article that says Colorado and Kansas are having the worst pollen in the country.  Excuse me you mean worse than my friends in the Carolina's?  Worse than last year..........yikes!!

Maybe we'll be taking our time given the yukky pollen situation.  Must show you our long but quite different travels.   Some of the places we have yet to visit.  I know imagine that.  I have been yakking to Mr about seeing what the rave is all about when folks talk about Winnemucca, Nevada.  So that is one of the stops.

you can click on the photo to enlarge

Should be pulling out of here around the 15th of April.  First stop Lake Havasu, AZ, been there and know there is a sweet little English Pub right there on the London Bridge. >>>>>>>>>>>

Taking US highway 95 and no it's not that far, bout 100 miles or so.  However the desert is in bloom and that means photo ops for the passenger, me!!  I'll be saying, pull over Mr , can ya stop please,  every few miles.   Mr is such a patient man.   So we decided that Yuma to Havasu would be long enough.  Plus there are some good lunch stops along the way.

The next day we'll motor on up to Bullhead City, AZ then zip across over to Laughlin, Nevada.  Another 100 mile or so trip.  Heard there was a casino there.

After Laughlin, still traveling on US highway 95 we'll head east, sorta.  Thru Vegas, yep buzz thru Vegas.  Still on Highway 95 we'll be on the edge of Death Valley.  Next stop Indian Springs, Nevada.  We'll be reaching a bit of elevation and with that cooler temps.  Here's hoping for no spring snowfall.

click on me to enlarge

So we all know the Internet is a remarkable tool.  I would never be able to keep up with y'all if I had to do it by notes and phone calls.  But I found something even more remarkable Google has a distance map you can use.  There are some pretty smart folks over at Google.  I hope they know that our lives have been changed by their many programs.  Find it here, Mr says it's right on when it comes to mileage.  Don't ask, he knows things like that.

One more thing, young kitten Bogey has yet to travel any long distances, so here's hoping he will be a good traveler. 

 More to come...............

I am in AWE

Dear Mr Doodles,

It is said that families that bead together
stay together.

You never cease to amaze me.  I've recently taken up beading. I love it, it's creative, relaxing and easy.  I'm not proficient but I'll get there like anything else it takes time.  Now you Mr Doodles are tackling something I have and never will have patience doing.  You have taken up peyote beading. 

It's all because we went to that Pow Wow and you saw the Indian beading on the walking stick.  I had to open my big mouth and say how cool that was and now you think you can do this.

Well it turns out you can and I am damned impressed.  Mr D you have hidden creative talents that I never knew existed.

 Turns out you have a helper.






For the finished product

More about the great week

if ya look real close you can see a tad bit of the Colorado River.

Sister posted on her blog, without photos cause of technical circumstances.  Dontcha hate it when that happens.

So go read her blog here and I'll post a few more pics.  Oh if your interested NO there is not a photo of the 4 ft snake!!!  Ya know we had just finished watching the new Life series on Discovery Channel.  That particular segment had  reptiles and amphibians......eeeewwwwwwwwww!!  And then someone had to tell us about a 4 ft rattler their dog had chased away.  Scuse did ya happen to see which way the damn rattler went??  edited to add...............we never saw the damn snake!!!

Sorry to say Sister had to have a dream about those reptiles. 

A few nites it was nice enough and not too windy to have a fire.

Saw of few of these funny little creatures................warning don't get too close wild burros can give ya a world a hurt in one kick.

cute huh!!

A terrific week

sister, bro-in-law and their sweet pup Buddy

I'm sad but have some wonderful memories of sweet sister and her dearly beloved during their visit.

We did a lot  but not that much where we couldn't hang out play a gome of cards, take a walk or sit around the fire at nite and roast a marshmallow or three.  By the way sweet sister beat the socks off me in the card playing department.  Dang couldn't catch a break!!

We even got some antiquing done one day.  Each purchased a much wanted/sought after 8" Pyrex pie plate.  They don't make those babies any more so we were both cited to make  the purchase.

We traveled to the old silver mine, Castle Dome.

Wandered out to the Colorado River, that's BIL viewing.

Had a great lunch at my favorite joint

Saw a few blooms on the desert.

Went to see the Yuma Jail and the QuarterMaster Depot.  Did ya see the movie 310 to Yuma?  This was the jail they were to deposit Russel Crowe.

We topped off the week with some flying, not by us but by some very talented folks at the Marine Corp Air Station Air Show here in Yuma.

FYI.............a public service message UPDATE

Well it's fixed for me hope everyone else is fixed also!!

If you don't already know this...............blogger has some issues.  Can't post photos with my blog.  Trying to be patient.

http://blogger-status.blogspot.com/2010/03/our-image-backend-is-experiencing.html

Pow Wow

The local Native American tribe in the Yuma area are the Quechan (pronounced kech-an.) We recently attended the Quechan tribal Pow Wow. Many tribal Pow Wows are held in the spring sorta like a big coming out party.

This pow wow was held outside and we did notice the tribe is not nearly as large as most other tribal held pow wows, but the costumes were just as interesting and colorful as any other we have attended.


The bead work done on all of these costumes is phenominal. Many of the beadwork is done by the woman of the family. I had a wonderful conversation with one lady who did the beading on these ensembles/outfits/costumes.  And yes she referred to them as costumes.

All ages are involved in each tribal dance and this small child had his rhythm down perfect!! What a fun day!!

Mines

Not yours or mine but silver and gold mines.  There are hundreds of them where we are right now, with the majority of them being silver mines.  But there are also hundreds of mine shafts in the area, so walking where one is walking is quite precarious.  Only walk or hike on suggested trails.

One in particular that we hiked the other day is the well know Castle Dome Mine.

Travel through rugged parts of the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge. Keep your eyes open for the abundant wildlife, which includes desert bighorn sheep, mule deer, coyote, cottontail, bobcat, fox and golden eagle. You can visit a cave once inhabited by Native Americans. Cross rocky McPherson Pass through the Castle Dome Mountains.  The recent rains did that pass in if they repair it before we leave we'll go back.  Hike to well-preserved cabins at Big Eye Mine.We stopped at the Castle Dome Mines Museum and learn about the area’s extensive mining history.Your trip starts out as an easy washboard gravel road which Mr is not afraid to travel on with the truck.  Anything more than that we walk.

Castle Dome was a small mining settlement which first produced silver and later lead. Since lead is not nearly as valuable as silver, the mine did not last very long.

Mining foundations,  buildings and miscellaneous mining gear remain.  The couple that now own the property have reconstructed many of the old buildings like the bank, the five saloons and of course there's always a brothel.

What I always find when on the desert are saguaro cactus.  This one caught my attention because of it's five arms which means it's quite mature.

Next is a very large lake in the area that we must go search for.

It's only hair

You probably have heard that when you painted a room and you weren't just over the moon with the color.  It's only paint you can just put another color over that brite icky color.............no problem.

Well the very same thing happened to me but with my hair color.  The following is a phone conversation I had with a customer service representative who is a supervisor with a well known hair color products company.

Me...........May I speak to a customer service supervisor.

Customer Service.............right away, please hold.

Customer Service..............Good Morning this is Andrea, how may I assist you?

Me............Andrea good morning, by any chance do you know what the color fuschia looks like?

Andrea............I think I do, yes.

Me............Well picture that color on my hair and my name isn't PINK either!!!

Andrea.................oh my word.........clearing her throat

Me..............Let me tell you a bit of background.

Andrea...............please Ma'm I'm listening.

Me...............I have used your product for years off and on.  Off because I was near a hairdresser that I felt knew what they were doing and I paid to have them color my hair.  To let you know my hair is a mousy brown with a spattering of gray, not enough to let grow and and look good but enough to make me keep on coloring my hair.  I purchase my color at Sally's Beauty Supply because they are everywhere and the bottles are always fresh.

Over the years I have been many colors from blonde to various shades of red.  Sister used to laugh when I came to visit, I would get off the plane and she would wonder what color my hair was........lol

Well Andrea my hair color is now a mixed shade or fuschia with a warm cherry coke color mixed in there.

I have always used two different colors.  I have used these very same colors for several years and suffice to say I have never washed out the color AND come out with FUSCHIA!!  I keep the color numbers in my wallet so no mistakes are made.  I am not on any medications that would affect the color process.

Andrea..................do you still have the bottles?

Me.................yep I do actually both bottles.  I got them outta the trash when I removed the towel from my head in front of the mirror.

Andrea................oh my I am so sorry.  Mrs. W are you laughing?

Me..............yes Andrea I am because there is no reason to cry and get upset with you, it's not your fault.  Something is wrong with some packaging and your production folks should know.  So give me an adress and I will be happy to send you the offending bottles and well as the peroxide bottle.

Andrea....................is your hair despite the color OK, not broken or damaged in any way?

Me................nope it's fine.  Andrea it's just a color I have NEVER EVER had before.  ANd maybe that's not a horrible thing.  You may or may not know that red fades quickly so we'll see what this fades to.

Andrea...................I don't think I would put another color on right away even if it is in good shape.  Wish all our calls were this simple and free of drama.  Thank you for being so kind.

Me.........................your welcome and NO there will be no photos but Ill be happy to send you a hair sample.

Andrea..................Oh great idea...........thank you again, enjoy your day.

Now y'all know me well enough to wonder why I didn't go off on that poor woman.................I certainly thought about it while I was waiting for her to come on the line.  But it's not her fault so why bother.  This is a new one for me that's for sure.

See ya cause I'mm off to Sally' to buy some brown to tone this down some.  Oh you should see it in the SUN!!!  No wait you shouldn't  HA!!  Remember it's only hair!

Let's see

There was Apollo, Ford Mustang, Woodstock, Big Bird and all his buddies that reside on Sesame Street, KFWB, which is a local Southern California radio station, I think Cracker Barrel, Wendy's and her burgers, Charlie Brown and his friends and I'm sure there is just a ton more of things I don't know about.

But none more important than my

Sweet Sister and my very Dear Brother-in-law that are celebrating their

40 years of marriage.

Much love

from the Doodle's & Bogey

Up date of sorts

photo from my favorite cat site

I have been doing a few simple yoga moves, nothing even close to the difficulty that Fluffy is doing. It is eye opening on how flexible I'mNOT!!

Since my 10 in 2010 challenge to myself a couple a weeks ago my intentions were good but the weather has hindered my outside activities = walking. I have lost seven pounds but I'm assuming thats fluids. I have done a good job of drinking water, only two cups of tea in the a.m. and usually four small meals in a day.

So all in all I am not depriving myself, Mr is eating his normal meals so he is not being deprived god forbid.

I like my exercise bands but I bore easily so I must come up with new ways to use them. Repetition to me is just not fun and then I don't accomplish anything.

We have visitors

Well they didn't really come to see us actually, if you want to know the truth we are visitors to them.  This is their land.  These burros have been here for many, many years.

I'm presuming these are the same burros that we saw in Oatman, Arizona last year.  Well not exactly the same ones but ya know what I mean.

I must go do some research on burros in this area. Cause I wonder how old these guys are, how long do they live and what the heck do they eat out here.  All I see is rock, dust, scrub brush and a few lakes.

At a distance they are cute little things but I'm not sure if they'd be that friendly up close and personal.

I bet I know

Where your lettuce came from.

See we are in Yuma Arizona which is just an extension of the Imperial Valley (huge growing area) in California. And about the only area in the country not having frigid temps. And while on that subject pray for those farmers and growers that are being frozen thruout much of the SouthEast.

Farm stands everywhere and a very large abundance of cauliflower has just been picked. Walk out smell cauliflower in the air.

The first photo is of butter lettuce which is one of my favorites to use for many lettuce wraps. Wish they'd get it picked.

Above you'll see that pretty red lettuce that I don't use often............. do you? Only when I make a special salad certainly not an everyday salad. But if I see it at one of the farm stands I'll certainly pick some up. Oh I bet it's good with fresh baby spinach.