29 Nov: Plan is to join Mike & Maria for dinner at the Barking Frog prior to their Saturday departure. We enjoy their new-found love which looks so like ours; we four make a joyful noise. Cynthia has taken a liking to Maria's nickname for Ronnie Ponnie. Maria in turn is Maria Tortilla, a good friend of Ron's since the late 70's. (see June Santa Fe blog photos). Breakfast at Red's and now off to hike for the day at the crack of afternoon. Life is good. Another nice hike, this time including the ramshead trail. One of these days we will have time to add in the Carroll Canyon trail for a long loop.
28 Nov: Happy Thanksgiving. Cynthia has already sent that message via text to her half of the world while I was trimming flowers and hanging laundry late last evening. It is another nippy morning; www.weather.com says 38 degrees at 7AM. Ron has been so good, hiding junk so that we can invite Maria & Mike to see the cottage before they leave Saturday. The plan is to meet them for breakfast at Reds (our treat) and enjoy an easy hike without any falls or mishaps. (Ron was trying to walk and talk yesterday and slid on a steep bit of gravel. We are happy to report no injury therefrom.) The day went as planned: breakfast with Maria & Mike at Reds. We were all a bit surprised that they received none of our 4.5 voice messages until they were already halfway in to town. Apparently Enchantment is not cell phone friendly. We were done with breakfast and out of Reds slightly after the crack of noon and decided to hike our usual hour and a half hike. By 2:45 Mike and Maria declared our "usual" hike to have awesome scenery. After goodbyes, Cynthia and I rushed ready and onto the motorcycle to join Pastors David & Gwen for dinner with Bob and Tod and Jackie, all delightful people and good conversationalists. All in all, another beautiful day to be thankful. And then we made the mistake of opening the bedroom window to cool off. We should have circled the house first, sniffing for Javelina. God Almighty, what a stench! Amazing to think that Javelinas eat prickly pear.
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| Maria Tortilla and Maria's Mike |
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| Ain't Love Grand |
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| Most embarrassing picture I've taken recently |
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| We've Been Framed |
God's Grandeur
27 Nov: Early AM again. No javalinas to be seen. Not quite so brisk as yesterday. High forecast to be 57 degrees. We are looking forward to dinner tomorrow with Pastor David & his delightful wife, Gwen (also Pastor Gwen). After our typical late morning breakfast at Reds and a good hike, Maria and Mike presented us with a HUGE surprise by calling from our driveway. Maria was uncertain that we were still here (amazing to me that people still wonder when WhereIsRon tells all - or almost all), and they've been in Sedona several days before their explorations brought them close to Red Rock Crossing where eagle-eyed Maria spotted the blue BMW motorcycled nestled next to the cottage. We all trouped down to the crossing and spotted a couple of duckies in the water. We had dinner reservations at the Barking Frog where Maria and Mike had just finished filling themselves. We were all much amused by that, and not only did they give us a ride and sit with us, they even forgave our manners as we talked with our mouths full. Cynthia was practically ecstatic to be able to dress up for dinner in something other than motorcycle gear. To cap the night off, I saw a couple of javalinas very clearly, thanks to the porch light. Those wild porkers are surprisingly big.
26 Nov: My goodness, did we skip the whole month? Last time I registered a date it was about November 10th. Time flies when you're having fun. This morning was beautiful and crisp here in Sedona, frost underfoot although not gilding the brush like yesterday. The river (Oak Creek) is an inch lower this morning, and the steam rising in the early morning light was lovely. No sign of the duckies and the great blue heron. It was a surprise to see that the arroyo out back of our Creekside Cottage is filled with water backed up from the creek; normally the arroyo is absolutely DRY. Ron is up early today to work on his voice recorder transcriptions from the Appalachian Trail in 2008. (He is so up-to-date on his projects!) Pause for another trip outdoors to gaze at the faint pink on the horizon. Oh, and there is a balloon in the sky; pretty nippy weather for that. He also replied to the latest genealogy inquiry by encouraging the correspondent to join the Swedish Colonial Society so that he could request a 20-page manuscript Peter Craig wrote about the Nebeker family of New Jersey. Now back to transcriptions. Oh, and smooch to my beloved; betcha you're surprised that Ron updated the blog this once. Breakfast at Reds as usual. Hike along creek, up hill, and back on Ridge Trail mostly as usual (one new excursion through the underbrush on an animal trail). We were home early enough to ride into town to dinner of fish in paper and baked sweet potato fries at the Old Sedona Bar & Grill (recommended). Ron finished mending the worn-out pants torn on a kitchen drawer knob. He actually finished mending the hole that resulted from using a cotton setting on nylon to fix the original patch more securely (a "comedy" of errors there).
25 Nov, Mon: Its a beautiful day in the neighborhood. Hi Dick. Days like today remind me of your upbeat, cheery mantra on those morning marches through Irmo SC. The sun is shining brightly in the blue skies over Sedona, too, after a three day steady rain. Sedona may have exceeded its annual rainfall in only three days. The creek is lower today, although some trails have high water.
Excited to see snow on the ridge, we braved 27 degree temp at 9:00 AM for breakfast at Red's. Gerbing's heated gear kept Cynthia warm while Ron, being a chronic hypothermic, was comfortably cool. Super after breakfast hike took us on the north side of the Ramshead Trail to Old Post Road with a return by road, the total distance about four miles. Techie Ron re-took our Christmas Beatty Funny Family Foto using the timer on the GoPro and his camera with such good results he decked the halls and hung the stocking with care.Santa Claus gift link to sign up for Stash Co. Wednesday deeply discounted Purses/bag: http://stashstudios.typepad.com/stash_studios/texas/
Prepare for Santa by gifting your little ones a chimney with attached house, Google: 13506 Northshore Drive, 77356
The height of mortification is to email a college writing prof while unable to stay awake? Auto Correct is our worst enema.
24 Nov, Sun: Sistah Carol wanted to know if we survived the night on the raft/Ark. Ron explained it worked great until he fell asleep exhausted and Cynthia "redecorated" by moving the outhouse from the middle to a corner. Yes. Need you ask? It did indeed rain last night, and at 6am, color radar showed a wintery mix on the high ground near the high school on the only road into town. Ron managed to crawl back onto the raft to dry out. At 7am the wintery mix had moved on and the temperature was a balmy 39 degrees, but there was a big green blob engulfing the church. At 7:10, he returned to bed to check Cynthia's preferences. Easy call: "I wanna sleep!" We did. 11:30 AM... despite the mist, we paddled into Sedona for a super breakfast at Red's. Exciting turn of events in our search for the original notes of the Rev. Lorenzo Lea, last having seen the light of publication in 1977 in the home of a descendant in Lookout Mountain, TN. Ron googled the name of the descendant and found her grandson with the same unique name. He fired off an e-mail to Oberlin and discovered a very amusing, articulate and charming maybe-cousin whose father has the very family Bible we wish to have examined by a forensic document specialist. Life is good. On our hike this afternoon, we hiked through the fields to avoid mud and water expected near the river and returned via the Ridge Trail, very little mud and delightfully stable footing. A good time was had by all of the survivors.
23, Nov. Sat: Rain Rain, Rain. All night long the rains came stopping long enough to hike and do lunch: with a break in the rain, we jogged out the door for a great hike exploring the high water in Oak Creek. The break held long enough we were able to travel into Sedona for a real meal and stocked our cupboards once again. Google is too funny... what a riot, animated games in the Google Logo brought belly busting laughter for a fun evening.
22. Nov, Fri: Rain, Rain, Rain. The dry arroyo behind the house is full of water. Early AM, Ron saw four duckies, and the Blue Heron. Sitsah Carol sent a remindah to pound the nails firmly into the ark using new 2x2's and 4x4's angled at the corner for speedy construction. Also... Pack plenty of food, mobile hotspot, etc. in plastic. The creek, she is a risin'!!! Good thing we are used to being together 24-7 cuz that ark has close quarters. We managed a fast 45 minute boogie along Oak Creek before the sky started cryin' agin. Twice! Daughter-in-law is released from the hospital and is doing well. We may run out of food by Sunday.
21, Nov. Thursday: Familiar morning topic the past few days, "Guess what I dreamed last night!" "James Lea?" "Yeah, which one?" Interesting life, writing and editing a book. Ron cooked omelets, cleaned house, Cynthia is reading and typing. Two Hikes before 5:30, and the rain threatened. A young woman we met on the upper road hiked down the Ridge Trail; we met again in the park when we took the Creek Trail. Almost five-thirty it was turning dark enough she would have problems going around the mud puddles. We walked her back together, but it became too dark for Cynthia to see very well. Ron, with eyes that see in the dark, finished taking her to the clearing. Chilly.
20 Nov, Wed: Financials examined. Vegetables cut for omelets at home. At eleven AM the water pressure was zero. The neighbors do not have water either. Five hours until the water is restored. Darn. Good time to hike. We made it to the pump and back dry as raindrops began to fall. Three month pregnant daughter-in-law had emergency appendectomy last night which went fine, but she now has peritonitis. Baby is fine. 13 year old Zoe reassured her grandmother she is keeping her expectant parents calm. Zoe thanked her grandmother for understanding what she is going through: happiness and sadness, no longer on only child, stress of mom's very high risk pregnancy and parents who are basket cases.
19 Nov, Tues: Two hikes, chilly day. Early to bed.
18 Nov, Mon: Sleep deprived after a LOONNNNGGGG evening at the computer, we did not awaken until 9 AM! Now, the ms is nearly ready to upload to the publisher once we figure out how that works. We had a productive day, bills paid, scissors and knives sharpened, plural hikes (AM and PM, magnificent views; plus an invite to garden with the super nice neighbors. Another grandchild is on the horizon for late May in a very high risk pregnancy. Time Magazine's special edition, "The Body," is filled with gems. I appreciated the section on the mind-body connection; both of us enjoyed the section on exercise: "Walk the Talk, Just Do It." The article had very few words about diet, but, instead, focused on movement: "How many times are grand plans made and not followed through because of laziness? Our very lives depend on the follow - through - no - matter - what."
17 Nov, Sun: 7:22 AM. Get up??? Aaaauuuughhhhh. So who is going to get out of bed first? OK, together!!! We arose dressing warmly for the trip to Christ Lutheran in 50 degree weather. The sermon was well worth sleep deprivation. Love our congregation! Red's Restaurant provided another super breakfast; Claudia appreciates the "big tipper." Ron loves the hugs. He hardly worked while Cynthia slept the afternoon away until a hike beckoned --- followed by a soup supper at home. Now, out of soup and supplies, Ron warned, "We have to get up at the crack of dawn to get supplies in Sedona." Ron exaggerates :)... Good reading on the IPad: Dr. Charles Krauthammer's book, "Things That Matter." The journalist and political commentator, writes with wisdom stemming from his former occupation as a psychiatrist. The title is suggestive of another one of my favorites, "A Little Compendium on That Which Matters," written by Dutch philosopher Frederick Franck about 1968; it is available on Amazon. Kidnap victim Elizabeth Smart's candid book is an act of courage itself.
16 Nov, Sat: Ron cooked delicious omelets for breakfast before we took off to hike the Ridge Trail all the way to Airport Loop on a chilly day, commenting on our high energy hiking in cool weather. Last night we were up late obsessing about James Lea; Ron discovered a unique search feature for Southern pension records. Cynthia's manuscript is almost ready to combine text and supporting documents. We are waiting for DAR records about a death date plus a response from the owner of the Lea/Rose Bible to hopefully allow forensic studies of a critical page. Our trip to the archives in NC will wind it up for a May publication date using Lulu (probably) this time.
15 Nov, Fri: Red's for breakfast sometime around noon - thirty. Hiked the canyon trail to the upper road. Very cool today. Dinner with our pastor David and his lovely wife Gwen, a Presbyterian pastor plus Joyce and George from church. David was a head chef in his former life before he matriculated into Wartburg Seminary (Cynthia's). The melt-in-your-mouth dinner was extraordinary. So was David's HO Santa Fe train set that occupies a third bedroom. Oh, what fun!!! The downside was traveling home in rain. Ron's pants and shirt front were soaked. Cynthia was warm and dry with heated gear and helmet. She can verify helmets cause accidents because she could not see but Ron could. He misses the glasses he lost at Chimney Rock in CO that would have kept the eyes dry.
14 Nov, Thurs: shop, hike to the Ridge Trail. Cynthia lost her sunglasses. Hero Ron turned around to discover the glasses and a glorious sunset . NOW, get ready for more fun photos:
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| Oak Creek at Red Rock Crossing |
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| West Fork Trail |
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| High Canyon Walls |
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| Yeah! WOW! |
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| Fall Leaves like Shook Gold |
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| Ridge Trail |
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| O Beautiful For Spacious Skies |
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| Editor |
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| Javelinas at Red's |
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| Fall Foliage |
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| Prickly Pear Cactus in Abundance on the Ridge Trail |
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| Ridge Trail View |
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| Another Great View |
13 Nov, Wed: Eat, Zainey's Shop, Maintenance hike because it is too warm.
12 Nov. Tues. Editing, hiking and writing consume our days. Yet, spring and summer plans are falling in place: January is Texas time for medical appointments, plus Ron's side trip to Illinois to sell Dale's games to a collector delighted to buy them so super el cheapo. Maybe... Ron will RIDE thru the frozen tundra to the Archives in NC to meet Smooch Smooch's flight.
April 5, Rachel and Ryan's wedding
April 25th, Cynthia's seminary, honoree for distinguished alumnae of 2014.
April 26, depart to Philadelphia with stops in Louisiana and SC.
May 29 depart Philadelphia on British Airways to Belfast; probably buy a motorcycle there.
July 1 ferry to Scotland, stay near Dumfriesshire to research Ron's genetic connection to the Littles of the Clan Little(Borders Rievers)
July 8, ferry, England to Denmark
July 10, ferry from Copenhagen to Oslo, Norway for 12 days of touring on our own
July 22, train from Oslo to Bergen for the Brekke Historic and Scenic Tour of Norway
August 4, Oslo to pick up the motorcycle
August 5, Oslo to Gothenburg, Sweden by bike
August 8, Gothenburg to Stockholm
August 12, Stockholm to Oslo ... Ship motorcycle to states???
August 14, Flight: Oslo to Philadelphia
11 Nov Mon: Ron arose EARLY to cut veggies for omelets. Plans to hike early were delayed. You know you are still a bride after 2.5 years when (for no reason) I love You is written on the bathroom mirror, Rose petals are strewn on the bed covers, and vases of flowers appear wherever she sits.
10 Nov. Sunday: the Santa Smooches dressed in red to take a Christmas photo after worship. Enjoyed a very lovely breakfast with Dale, Linda and grandson with his beautiful brilliant fiancée from Holland. Mr. Smooch found some cute!!! Cute!!! Decorations for the SleighCycle Beatty Funny Family Foto. Someone is very proud of his Foto Idea.
9 Nov. Sat.: one of us had a long overdue haircut. Cynthia received a funny video of a large lumpy stomach in constant motion of new grand baby Abigayle due In three weeks.
8 Nov. Friday, Auuuggghhh ! We are too busy to remember. We eat hike and write! Hiked the Ridge Trail to the Canyon Pass. Long, great hike.
7 Nov. Cynthia's sermon is now uploaded to Christ Lutheran Sedona, under leadership drop down box, Pastor David, sermons for Nov. 3.
6 Nov, Wed: hiked the Ridge Trail and continued work editing Cynthia's manuscript.
5 Nov. Tues: a Glorious day with super photos of the gorgeous white Sycamore trees in front of the cottage. Short hike, lots of work accomplished including champagne for porch time.
4 Nov. Monday: What to do while Cynthia is sleeping and the computer is busy uploading the video? Cut vegetables for omelets? Oh, boy! Omelets pleased the bride! We were off early to hike the West Fork Trail 10 miles N of Sedona. The moderately rated trail had little elevation gain, but it did have countless ups and downs plus 13 creek crossings. We enjoyed Carmen and Rosa, two very delightful folks we met on the trail where it ended deep in the canyon, unless we wanted to continue the 2.3 miles in thigh high water to the campground. The hike, our longest in three weeks, tired us enough we hit the sack early.
3 Nov. Sunday: Rise and Shine! We did! Cynthia had to be at worship by eight AM in the COLD... She preached both services, and we were off to breakfast at Red's. Go Pro used to video the sermon did not successfully get uploaded to Picasa despite 36 hours of extreme patience. You Tube has a 15 minute limit per video.
1 Nov., Friday: All Saints Day... The days begin to flow into consistency. We eat, have a g
Fun time at Zainey's, drop our mail at the PO, hike and return to computer work. The temperature warmed up for a super hike up the Ridge Trail. The address book is nearly completed.
