It's Finally Warm and After All, Tomorrow is Another Day

After ceaseless wind, cold and even rain, today was 80o and clear. The excitement was palpable. We've been back at our favorite hot springs taking the waters and waiting for the weather to clear. Byrdie cut a paw pad on some sharp rocks, I fell into a nasty palm tree and sliced up a few fingers, the poodle whines about everything and Mr. T is the rock holding it all together.

Mr. T is also the one who decided that of course we could drive this 31' RV up Excelsior Mine Road to Horse Thief Springs. In the Jeep, washboard roads, rocks, and sand are no problem. But in the Minnie--it took us 2 hours to go nearly 15 miles. And did we get to our destination? NO WAY!!

Halfway there the road suddenly turned into boulders, washouts and deep ruts.There was no choice but to make a 39 point turn with the Minnie and head back to the RV park. At least we had plenty of time to brace ourselves for the hooting and "told you so's" we knew were coming from the old-timers who run the place. Ah well--it was nice to relax and clean up and enjoy the date milkshakes from China Ranch.

Tomorrow we will tackle the mountain again only this time we will reluctantly drive to the Interstate and go 100 miles around the "problem" and come in the back way. In the meantime, the flowers are fantastic, the views spectacular and the crowds non-existent.

We played on sand dunes last night and now we have an extra night of soaking in the hot spring water. The water is pumped up from a 600' well where the water is 119o. The flow of water into the pools is controlled so the water temp is "only" around 100--105o. The water is so smooth and silky--just don't try and drink it or wash the shampoo out of your hair!

Bakersfield, Barstow, Yermo but no Cucamonga

I don't know what has come over Mr. T. After arriving at the RV park late last night he fired up the Minnie at 7:30 gerund-deleted AM. What is this? No morning coffee brought to me in bed? No checking of email? No casual lolling about and finally getting underway before check-out time at 11:00AM? At least he relented and grabbed me a Vente Latte before we headed down I-5. On the other hand, when the only soap I could find was an old hotel sample of Neutrogena soap that smelled like the nurse's office in grade school, Mr. T was the one who magically produced a tube of Crabree & Evelyn shower gel. What a guy!

Yes, the Congress-created dust bowl still lined both sides of the freeway. Yes, the smelly cattle feed lots still assault the senses. Nothing can make I-5 go by any faster and so we were grateful to listen to Rush Limbaugh and do the "country's goin' to the dawgs" comments. Somehow, it was fitting that we hit Bakersfield at High Noon when KNZR blares out the Star-Spangled Banner and Jaz McKay takes the mike. All seemed right again with the world.

The wildflowers were just beginning to come out in the Tehatchapi Mountains and as we passed into the long stretch of desert, everything was green with solid yellow wildflowers everywhere. It was stunning. I would post a picture but Mr. T was hell-bent on getting to Barstow and when we did stop there wasn't a flower in sight. However, there was this amazing pile of broken glass that was turning blue in the desert sun.

 

I'm very sentimental about Barstow.(Take that, Jay Leno!)  My grandparents came West in the early '20ies when my grandfather worked for the Santa Fe. I spent my first 7 years there--it's in Barstow that the desert imprinted on me. Too bad that now it's such a dump. So we pressed on to Yermo--also a place I lived in my childhood. (In case you think my childhood was deprived, let me assure you I also got to live in Daggett.)

 

Old tires are a desert staple--two examples of creative tire use discovered in the town of Old Boron off Highway 58.

So, here we are in Yermo--close to the old desert haunts that always draw us back. The saddest part is that the monastery has moved and so, for the first time in 10 years, we are on our own with no monks to regale us with desert stories or spiritual encouragement. The desert seems to be a place where dreams come to die.

But Barstow will outlast us all.

It's 7pm but hey! Mojave Here We Come

Local crises notwithstanding, we finally got the Minnie loaded up and the Jeep hooked up to tow. We have truly arrived at Old Gramps and Gran'ma status. Leaving at 7pm only gave us about 3 hours of travel time before our first stop--but those 3 hours of traffic through the East Bay equals about 2 days of normal RVing.

The first half hour I had to watch out the back window of the RV to make sure the Jeep didn't break loose from its moorings and pass us on the freeway. Eventually, I gained enough confidence in the towbar to maintain the proper vehicle order and took my place in the co-pilot's seat. Usually we travel with me driving the Jeep and Mr. T driving the RV while we communicate via CB radios. Now we were in the same truck and he was too busy driving to keep up any patter of chit chat.

So----I began to play with the camera and all the lights from the bazillion cars trying to drive around us, over us and possibly through us. This camera waving at the car lights entertained me for a good 90 minutes and we arrived at Ye Olde Kit Fox RV park just in time to hit the sack. But, some of the photos are of interest so I give you some samples.

The Heritage Foundation--a Public Service Announcement

This is a good group--a think tank that can be relied on to provide informatation about today's erosion of freedom that is happening in our country. I have certainly learned to stop expecting factual reporting from the old days media years ago. So--since I am a member and this is the first thing they ever asked me to do, I will copy and paste the announcement they requested of all bloggers.

 http://www.heritage.org/

Every week brings news of a fresh liberal assault on fiscal responsibility and limited government.

For example, President Obama’s proposed budget would raise taxes by $3 trillion over the next decade, according to a Heritage Foundation analysis. Despite these massive tax hikes, the national debt would still double over that period.

Worse, many in Congress think this out-of-control budget doesn’t provide for enough taxes and spending.
Our country’s 535 Senators and Representatives need to know the facts about their reckless assault on the American taxpayer. That’s why The Heritage Foundation is preparing an all-out campaign to educate lawmakers and candidates about the consequences of runaway spending and ever-rising taxes.

To fund this effort, Heritage is conducting a Tax Day Money Bomb this Thursday, April 15. Our goal is to raise $150,000 by midnight Thursday.

Here are four things you can do today to make Thursday’s money bomb a success:

Forward this e-mail to ten friends and family members. We want to show Washington that there is a real groundswell of support for principled, conservative solutions to our fiscal problems—so the more supporters we can get, the better.

Post about the Tax Day Money Bomb on Twitter to help spread the word. Be sure to use the #heritage415 hashtag.

Blog. Do you have a personal blog? Keep your readers informed about this important effort by writing a blog post about the Tax Day Money Bomb.

Remember, your contribution Thursday—and those of your friends, colleagues and family—will help The Heritage Foundation directly challenge the tax-and-spend status quo.
I appreciate all of your support for conservative ideals, and I thank you for everything you do to advance our cause.

Sincerely,

Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
President

Leaves of Three, Let Them Be!

THE CULPRIT

There is a wonderful swimming hole down at the creek--it's just under the narrow bridge and behind a curve and small waterfall. It's my special place where I can let Byrdie swim and fetch the ball until I get too tired to throw it anymore. It's an idyllic sort of place--right out of a Walt Disney G-rated film.

I've been taking the dogs there almost daily unless it's been raining. It's a wonderful place to feel hidden, take photos over and over just because I can and be out of view of passers-by.

 How could such a wonderful spot harbor the vicious, evil plant known as poison oak? Did I even know what poison oak looked like? NO. Did I know I could pick it up from a dog's coat? NO. Did I know how much pure misery poison oak could cause? NO. Did I know that 10 days from the first nasty blister I would still be breaking out? NO.

This is what poison oak looks like in the spring.

Don't look at the pretty fern--check out the POISON OAK in the left background--and under my feet.

Do you know that the chemical from poison oak, urushiol, is similar to carbolic acid? You have 15 minutes to wash it off your skin before a reaction occurs the binds the oil to your skin cells and then you're in for it.

After using the OTC creams and soaps I decided to see what the homeopaths were suggesting. Here it is:

Many people reported good results from rubbing the rash with banana peel--what a mess! And it didn't do a thing.

Box of the baking soda in very hot bath--that gets an F--made me itch and sweat and run for anything cold--sans clothing. Not a pretty sight.

Cucumbers sounded great but I ate it before I got around to plastering it on the blisters. Sigh.

Oatmeal sounds horrible but I trudged down to Safeway and bought a box of the real Quaker stuff. I'll let you know. I don't think there's anything to like about oatmeal.

Vinegar--now this stuff worked to stop the itching!! I filled a water bottle with it and now carry it around. There's only one drawback--one simply can't dab vinegar all over the body when one is out in public--that stuff stinks! People are not that understanding. But I give an A to the vinegar for itch relief that lasts nearly 2 hours.

So far, all these treatments are enhanced by a healthy dose of actifed and adult beverages.

http://poisonivy.aesir.com/view/kitchen.html

Exultet!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpuQq1BO-Ww&feature=related
Rejoice, heavenly powers!

Sing, choirs of angels!
Exult, all creation around God's throne!

Jesus Christ, our King, is risen!

Sound the trumpet of salvation!

Rejoice, O earth, in shining splendor,
radiant in the brightness of your King!
Christ has conquered! Glory fills you!
Darkness vanishes for ever!

Rejoice, O Mother Church! Exult in glory!

The risen Savior shines upon you!

Let this place resound with joy,

echoing the mighty song of all God's people!

My dearest friends,

standing with me in this holy light,

join me in asking God for mercy,

that he may give his unworthy minister

grace to sing his Easter praises.

It is truly right

that with full hearts and minds and voices

we should praise the unseen God, the all-powerful Father,

and his only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

For Christ has ransomed us with his blood,

and paid for us the price of Adam's sin to our eternal Father!

This is our passover feast,

when Christ, the true Lamb, is slain,

whose blood consecrates the homes of all believers.

This is the night

when first you saved our fathers:

you freed the people of Israel from their slavery

and led them dry-shod through the sea. 

This is the night

when the pillar of fire destroyed the darkness of sin!

This is the night

when Christians everywhere,

washed clean of sin and freed from all defilement,

are restored to grace and grow together in holiness.

This is the night

when Jesus Christ broke the chains of death

and rose triumphant from the grave.

What good would life have been to us,

had Christ not come as our Redeemer?

Father, how wonderful your care for us!

How boundless your merciful love!

To ransom a slave you gave away your Son.

O happy fault,

O necessary sin of Adam,

which gained for us so great a Redeemer!

Most blessed of all nights,

chosen by God to see Christ rising from the dead!

Of this night scripture says:

"The night will be as clear as day:

it will become my light, my joy."

The power of this holy night dispels all evil,

washes guilt away, restores lost innocence,

brings mourners joy;

it casts out hatred, brings us peace,

and humbles earthly pride.

Night truly blessed when heaven is wedded to earth

and man is reconciled with God!

Therefore, heavenly Father,

in the joy of this night,

receive our evening sacrifice of praise,

your Church's solemn offering.

Accept this Easter candle,

a flame divided but undimmed,

a pillar of fire that glows to the honor of God.

(For it is fed by the melting wax,

which the mother bee brought forth

to make this precious candle.)

Let it mingle with the lights of heaven

and continue bravely burning

to dispel the darkness of this night!

May the Morning Star which never sets

find this flame still burning:

Christ, that Morning Star,

who came back from the dead,

and shed his peaceful light on all mankind,

your Son, who lives and reigns for ever and ever.

Amen.