Holy Trinity Monastery

The thrill of a bake sale finally got me out of the park for a few hours.  I had been to the monastery in St. David's before and knew that it was a place I wanted to visit again so with the added bonus of fresh baked goods, down the road I went.

You Can't Miss the Big Cross

I love the grounds that are home to this monastery.  It feels so peaceful and serene, a walking meditation.  There are places to stop and reflect and a beautiful church dedicated to the Lady of Guadalupe.  And what do my wandering eyes spy but peacocks!  I did not notice these birds the last time I was here so was quite surprised and enchanted.  I seem to have made a real impression with one of them which stood for quite some time while I told him how beautiful he was and took endless pictures.  If it is the male's job to capture the attention of the female, mission accomplished:).

Lady of Guadalupe Chapel

My New Boyfriend

He's a Looker:)

Sweet Spot to Meditate

After St. David's I drove into Benson to replenish supplies and get gas.  On the way back to the park I thought I would stop and check out Kartchner Caverns State Park but decided against going through the park when I saw an entrance fee of $6.00.  Seriously??  Maybe another time.

It was a perfect day with the sun shining, a full tank of gas and a wide open road.   I wanted to travel for days.  I stopped by Sue and Harold's to gift them cheddar cheese/dill bread from the bake sale and we started discussing our time frames and our next destinations.  I got so excited about my next route that I know I won't be able to stay in Tombstone past the month of February.

The pull of the road is just too strong.

Don't Get Around Much Anymore

I am feeling firmly planted.  The land, sky and moon have captured me and all those places I thought I would go have not been visited.

I did get to the farmer's market last week, one of the best I have been to, but other than that I stay close to home reading, reading, reading.  With each word I read my world changes until nothing I knew before is still relevant.  Sometimes it happens that way, but this one feels to be immense in proportion.

It is all very, very good but it also means I don't get around much anymore.

TTRV

I am back outside of Tombstone, AZ and settled in for a month's stay at Tombstone Territories.  It is just what I wanted, lots of land and sky.  The stars at night are spectacular and I only wish they would make it mandatory to turn off all outdoor lights at night.  Now that would be something!

There are several hiking trails which lead nowhere, in the midst of nowhere.

I am nestled within this bowl that is surrounded by mountains.

Home Sweet Home

Life

I am back to life as I know it.

This Sunday I am finally leaving Mesa and heading to Tombstone, AZ to stay for at least a month.  I am looking forward to those big open spaces, sky and land.  Oh, I have missed it!

I had the carpet cleaned and had a final meal with Priscilla and have begun all the preparations for the next chapter.  Laundry, groceries, packing and cleaning.

While in Eugene I secured a job for the summer on the Oregon coast. I am ever so thankful I will not be back in the mountains and instead will be in Lincoln City at the Premier RV Resort.

So life goes on.

Memories of Sam

Sam is the blond kneeling in front, I am behind him in the plaid shirt

I met him when I was 18 and he was still 17.  He was a small town boy from Nebraska and I was a big city girl from New Orleans.  We met our very first week in Boulder, Colorado during freshman orientation.  Our lives would continue to interweave for the next 42 years.

Sam Without a Shirt

A college friend sent me these pictures.  Sam was my Golden Boy during those years, full of sun and laughter.  By the time I met him he had already experienced the death of both his parents and more painful experiences than most of us will know in our life times.  But in those early years, life was full of possibilities and adventure.  Or, at least, women:).

I was not a particularly easy woman to love. My soul demanded travel and independence and I could not be tied down.  But Sam loved me anyway.  In our early 20s he was devastated to learn that while in Greece I had met and married a Greek dancer.  But Sam loved me anyway and waited out the years until I returned to his life.  During our 23 years of marriage he allowed me more free rein than most men would find possible and all he ever asked is that I return.

Sam was also not an easy man to love.  The pain and the hurt he had accumulated created emotional boundaries that could never be scaled.  He was a sensitive soul and the world was a very harsh place.  The walls became thicker and stronger and he became trapped with his demons.  But I loved him anyway.

I will always love him and carry a piece of him within my heart.  Although that is the last time I will see him in that particular form, I have no doubt we will find each other again.

Back At Aztec

I finally made it back to the Aztec park.  I had a very early flight and only briefly slept the night before but the flights were smooth and easy and I eventually found the shuttle bus that brought me back to the sacred womb of Minnie.

And so I am back, trying to plug back into my former life.

My world feels sadder than it was before.  The residents of this park look older than they did before.  I find myself tuning into a techno music station on Pandora.  I look different when I see myself in the mirror.  I feel young and excited, and old and weary.

The dust is still settling, but I know everything will be just fine.

Not Going Anywhere

Flight was cancelled again. I have a very early flight tomorrow morning which may, or may not, be the one that takes me back to the sunshine.