Fonts Point near Borrego Palms, California
John and I have left the Coachella Valley (Palm Springs) for the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park area. Tomorrow we plan on hiking the “Borrego Palm Canyon Nature Trail” and checking out the “Palm Slots.” As the weather has been unseasonably warm (sorry friends in the north) there is a possibility that little critters such as snakes, tarantulas, 9 inch centipedes, etc. etc. will be out sunning themselves.
I couldn’t but help be reminded of a post I wrote during our first winter in the southern US.
Apology #1: This was from Blogspot.com and it won’t let me reformat unless I have oodles of online time which I don’t. I’m camping in the middle of the desert, people.
Apology #2: Sorry to those who have already read this, but trust me not much has changed. Enjoy.
The other morning we decided to spend the day hiking in the desert. But first we had to prepare. My job was to sort out the food. John’s was to get the drinks ready.
However, John felt he had to deal with more important matters first, like looking up information on what to do if “deadly” jackasses or “killer” coyotes or “poisonous” rattle snakes attacked.
“So, honey, what would you do if those “deadly” jackasses attacked us?”
“Easy. Get next to you, yell and wave my arms. They are more afraid of us than we are of them.”
“Do you really believe that, John?”
“I hope we don’t have to find out…. Wait, are you winding me up? ”
“Of course not. After all, safety is no accident. And if the “killer “ coyotes come after us?”
“Don’t make fun, Shelley. I don’t have a good feeling about this. I’m just trying to be prepared. ”
“Ha! Ha! Ha! Sorry. You’re right. Ha! Ha! Ha! Seriously though. What would you do?”
“If you keep this up, I would let them get you.”
“Really? That’s terrible. I would do everything in my power to save you. Everything.”
“That is such BS, Shelley! I distinctly remember skiing in France when I fell and started to slowly slip down the cliff to my certain death. And you, you did nothing because you were laughing too hard. At me.”
“That’s so unfair. At no point were you in danger of dying. The cliff was 5 meters high, tops, and it was snowing. So, if you had fallen, you would have landed in a blanket of fresh snow. Anyway, didn’t you stick your poles in the snow and climb out?”
“That is not the point. You didn’t help me. I would have helped you.”
“Like the time in Tokyo when you were outside the house before the earthquake stopped and I was still in bed?”
“ Jesus Christ Shelley!!! I was opening the door for you!!! ”
“Oh my God. Fine. OK. What if a “poisonous” rattle snake bit me? What would you do?”
“Seriously? You want me to answer that?”
“What would you do? Come on. Be honest. What would you do to help your loving, loyal wife of thirty years?”
“ I would go after that “deadly, killer, poisonous ” son of a bitch and kill it by ripping its head off. I would skin it, eat the meat raw, and hang the rattlers around my neck for a trophy. I would wrap a tourniquet above the bite and suck out all of the poison from your body even though I know that I am not supposed to. I would risk my life to save yours. There. Satisfied?
Now for the love of God, can we go?”
“And if it bit me in the bum?…John?….John??!!?!”
“Then you’re on your own….Honey.”
Day 139, January 13th, 2014
Shelley and John
33.100492
-116.301327
Dear Globe Trotters,
We – still FRed.i.Am(tm and I – are pleased to see that whilst in are America you resisted the temptation to wear socks with your trekking sandals thus keeping your street cred, but wish to advise that the grass needs cutting back at your home.
Have fun and nice post. Shame fear caused rust in the , urm, artifacts.
p.p.
Mr, End (rear)
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Dearest Mr. End(rear),
It is truly amazing what fear can do! This was a drive the truck to the next statue trek. The real one was today. Everything was hiding from us! 😦
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Do you think they hi’death due to you reputation and fear of extinction ? Rusty Things Who Survived the Apocolyse vs. Shelley n John (DC comics)………………well I’d buy the comic.
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Can you contact Stan for us? I don’t want to be too pushy. He’s alive and kicking still, right??
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Watch out for those deadly critters guys, have fun though!!
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The scariest thing was a lady bug. Honestly!! 🙂
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Hey Congratulations! I nominated you for a Sunshine award. Check out my blog here to get it although Im pretty sure you can just have it! http://rushhourrant.wordpress.com/2014/01/13/sunshine-award/
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Whew! Finally, I have accepted your nomination in my latest post. Please don’t be too mad as I have had such limited internet, I did not pay it forward. But, I really do appreciated the time and effort you took to nominate me.
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won’t the string of rattlesnake bones clash w/ the string of garlic to ward off the vampires? John, pls keep in mind fashion tips while on the trip….
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My Dear Astute Friend,
How right you are. Fashion first. Ash would be proud you spotted the clash!
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Sigh… in essence… we are always on our own.. cactus or no cactus
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Oh Linda, that’s so depressing. I’m going to have to move up happy hour today! 🙂
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Oh my goodness! Your photos are great! And your post is hilarious! Sounds like you are having way too much fun!!
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Thanks for all of those compliments. Am blushing as I sip my wine. Sun is going down, apparently the coyotes come out at night! Just like in the Westerns.
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A few more glasses of wine and perhaps you can both howl at the moon! Haha!!
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Just opened the wine. Too light for the coyotes. Did you know that desert coyotes are smaller than non-desert coyotes? Can you tell I visited the information centre today??? 🙂
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I did NOT know that about desert coyotes and non-desert coyotes. Is that due to the fact that desert coyotes only get drunken tourists to munch on?
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Yes the drunken tourists who have been drinking red wine. The high end stuff. Thank God it’s not us as we are on a budget! 🙂
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Watch out for sidewinders! Although it’s fun to watch them slither across the sand!
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WT??? I forgot about them. We played bocci last night and I threw the little ball into a bush. We argued who had to reach in and get it out.:) How was first day back??
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that’s true love!
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What a hubby, that John!! Not sure Mr. brickhouse would even lie about helping me out like that! He’s all about survival of the fittest and all that jazz. I’d be a goner! Ok, my one piece of advice to you is that while you are in or near the desert, ALWAYS check your shoes before slipping your feet right in. My sister lived in Texas and found live scorpions inside her shoe right before sticking her foot in! AY!!!!!!!!!!!! Since then she AND I always check our shoes – even in the winter!!
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At least you know where you stand with your hubby. 🙂 Funny you should say that about our shoes. We left a bunch outside last night. Will definitely do the shake. Wait, will definitely make sure John does the shake. 🙂
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Killer Jackass…really? There is such thing? I think the 9″ millipedes would freak me out the most!
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What can I say? John loves loves loves to worry. We were with a friend of Matt’s in Thailand a few years back and a cenitipede got her in the foot! We watched her leg turn red and swell as we were trying to get her off the island. Her pain was insane! I shook everything out today. Trust me!! 🙂
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Omg! No wonder John worries! Jeez, I’d hole up in Canada and hope no Bob cats sneak into my basement. Did you see that? It freaked out and got stuck in the mini blinds. It beats giant bugs!
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Are you kidding me about the bobcat? Do I have to look it up on youtube? We have cougars on the island. Don’t think we have bobcats. YIKES!!!
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Not kidding! I’ll see if I can find the link.
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Here’s the link
http://m.huffpost.com/ca/entry/4453993/
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Holy crap doodle dogs!!! (In case your boys are reading this!) Nelson is on BC’s mainland. Scary!! Here’s an even scarier thing, last week we did a bike tour of the stars’ homes in Palm Springs. At one point, our friend, Lynn, says that looks like a bobcat and we all laughed. Now, not so funny. Must pass on to her!
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Hahaha, “then you’re on your own…Honey”! I just died laughing 🙂
Seriously, the person that said check your shoes for scorpions….DO that.
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Good to know that John and I have each other’s back, right? Off to Vegas, but first am shaking all of those shoes 🙂
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Haha, I am sure you have each others backs when it really matters, like in Vegas! 🙂
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Exactly!!! 🙂
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Amazing art and landscape.
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THank you. I need to go back and credit the artist. His name is Ricardo Brecada. Here’s a link to his site. http://www.ricardoabreceda.com/
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I found a map online that has the locations of all of the sculptures, so I’ll be going back before it starts snowing out there.
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Nice. Wait. It snows out there? We must have hit it during the right time. Apparently we were very lucky as it usually is a very windy area. Have fun. I don’t think it’s too far from San Diego?
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Oh, yeah, it snows out there in the high desert. Makes for some very beautiful pictures, too. It’s about 80 miles, 1½ drive due to the winding roads.
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Can’t wait to see your photos. They will be amazing!
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Most people go to Lake Cuyamaca and Julian when it snows. They get quite crowded, though, so others go off the beaten track to Borrego Springs and less traveled areas.
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John is looking both of those places up. Although a little reluctant to hit snow. Snowbirds and all that!
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Lake Cuyamaca is very beautiful in the snow.
See http://russelrayphotos2.com/2012/03/03/snow-pictures-from-san-diego-california-part-2/
and
http://russelrayphotos2.com/2012/03/02/snow-pictures-from-san-diego-california/
The red barn in the snow in the first link is the same red barn shown in this post: http://russelrayphotos2.com/2014/09/24/big-red-barn/
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Thanks. Off for a look.
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