I begin this last day of writing a month in a minivan in a state of art-pray, thinking about snakes. As a young girl, I often caught garter snakes to play with for short times. Other than foul-smelling pee, they were harmless. You could find them under hay bales at harvest time, and every old … Continue reading Day 31: Arriving Alive (the final instalment)
Tag: nature
Day 27: Portals
I’ve been fascinated by doorways since I was a child, so finding myself in a placed called “Portal” doesn’t come as any surprise. I was the kid that wanted to fall into Alice in Wonderland’s Rabbit Hole, climb behind the dresser in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and was first in line to … Continue reading Day 27: Portals
Day 25: A Foot.
There are times I’m prepared to pay $52 for the luxury of having 24 hours to take two baths, a hot shower, do three loads of laundry, update my iPad and phone, take a swim, buy water, make important phone calls, clean the inside of the van, wash out my fridge, download music and be … Continue reading Day 25: A Foot.
Day 15: The Places In Between
I’ve never really been a “fan” of tourist attractions, but I can cook up good fun with very few ingredients, and in the absence of other obvious attractions in an area, have probably visited as many as the next person. Today I took a little day-trip along the Apache Trail, with a plan to stop … Continue reading Day 15: The Places In Between
Day 13: Higher Ground
It’s a bit of a paradox; how sinking into something can transport you to a higher place. I spent the afternoon at the Arboretum, with my macro lens. It seemed fitting, given my recent focus on going deeper. Aren’t the patterns incredible? The balance. The contrast. Light and dark. Lines and Circles. Spirals. Being among … Continue reading Day 13: Higher Ground
Day Three: Free Birds
Desert News: The Sonoran Bird Collective is gathering this week near the Peralta Trailhead in Arizona to celebrate the desert bloom with traditional gospels. Performances begin at sunrise and go well into the evening. Everyone is invited. Admission is Free. It’s glorious here. I can’t leave yet. How can I leave half way through a … Continue reading Day Three: Free Birds
The Nomad’s Front Porch
At first glance, I’m challenged to find the obvious tie that binds the 8000 or so souls gathering each year at the Rubber Tramp Rendezvous (RTR) and Womens’ RTR (WRTR) in the Sonoran desert of Arizona. A survey of the parked vehicles suggests membership probably isn’t defined by rig-choice or economics. Large, newer-model, Class A … Continue reading The Nomad’s Front Porch
A Month in a Minivan: Day 22
Anxiety is whipping around me like a strong Arizona wind, of which I now have first-hand knowledge. Instead of running away, I try to lean into it. As if it were a gentle breeze, and I a bird who could float on top of it, without being swept away into the up-current. It’s a strange … Continue reading A Month in a Minivan: Day 22
A Month in a Minivan: Day 21
Quartzsite will always be my first “desert love” because of the RTR and the WRTR, but I have to tell you all - if you draw a 100-mile circle around that quirky little town, there is a whole world to discover in this part of Arizona - all vastly different from Quartzsite, and uniquely beautiful. … Continue reading A Month in a Minivan: Day 21
A Month in a Minivan: Day 4
I woke up at sunrise and made a pot of coffee in slow motion. Sat in the sun and sipped, lazy as a hot desert day. The temperatures here in Quartzite are in the 80’s right now, so it becomes quite hot quickly. I start with two layers on waking and am naked by nine. I … Continue reading A Month in a Minivan: Day 4