TRYING OUT A BIT OF SOLITUDE

I THINK I'M READY---HAVE BEEN HIGHLY SOCIAL FOR SOME WEEKS--- NOW I WILL GO DOWN THE HILL FROM PAYSON TILL THE TEMPERATURE FEELS RIGHT AND SETTLE IN SOMEWHERE. A companion will accompany me for a day or so---then must go meet her family.  I will be left alone with my chattering mind.

Beeline highway--Az 87--is one of the great highways in America.  4 lane expressway through beautiful mountains---with many opportunities to stop, sightsee or boondock camp.

Our first effort to find a campsite came to an unexpected halt--the road to Sunshine is blocked with a huge pile of dirt--for no obvious reason.

Beyond the dirt--a perfectly good road continues.  We are not discouraged--there are many more opportunities.

We pick this side road near mm217--go out a mile or so and settle into a relatively flat pull off.  Can you see us?--(middle slightly right)

Here's a closer shot.  This is a 5 star boondocking spot. 1.scenic 2. free 3. flat enough 4.quiet 5 has cell service.

The view out my door.  

We walk the area left and right---up and down.

She doesn't allow picts of her---so here I am---rockhugger...

And stalk holder of a century plant. Fascinating plant---with a lifespan of 10 to 30 years--during which it quietly stores up energy for a grand finale.  When conditions are right, it spends all the energy it has saved in one glorious blooming stalk raising---sometimes 30 feet or more--then dies. The stalk grows very rapidly.  I fancied that I could feel it growing in my hand. Read about it here.

And then---I'm all alone--fully stocked with essentials---nothing particularly nagging at me to be done.  It felt glorious---unstructured time to fill anyway I choose.  Started reading a novel.

Went for a walk---saw this near my rig---always a sobering discovery.  Can you see what it is?  It's the track of a large rattlesnake crossing the road. I wondered if you could tell which way it was moving from this pattern.  I'm guessing a good snake man would know.

Poppies---my favorite flower--(mainly because that is my nickname). They are everywhere.

As are these magenta cactus flowers

Then--one of these--like a poppy anomaly. 

And then one day a strange creative impulse seized me.  I began to do some long delayed projects--like installing led mood lighting up front. 

And replacing this worn out dry-erase board that will no longer erase.  Guess I've cleaned it once too often with alcohol.

I've had this spare for 2 years---finally put it up---took all of 5 minutes. That's a picture of my mother.

(I reflected on a poem she had me memorize when I was a boy_

As I was walking down the street the other day

I heard a little urchin to his comrade turn and say:

Jimmy let me tell you--I'd be happy as a clam

If I could be the fellow that my mother thinks I am.

She thinks I'm a wonder--she just knows her little lad

could never mix with anything that was ugly, mean or bad.

etc

And then I was on a roll.  Here's a problem that has annoyed me perhaps 20 years:  the thump thump of that vent in variable winds--taking, then releasing its slack.  There must be a million rv vents thump thumping like mine.  Suddenly I saw how to solve it.  Took me 10 minutes to build two of these for my two vents.  Can you see the solution?  A chord attached to the thing and wedged inside..

I fashioned  the wedge from plastic.

And that's not all---I managed to do a long delayed blog entry: (the previous one) It takes me about 3 hours to write an easy one.  The hardest part--ironically is the title)

RANDY PHILOSOPHIZES:  I WAS ALONE FOR 4 DAYS.  THE LONGEST I'VE EVER BEEN ALONE IS 5 DAYS.  I think I need to do more .

THE BIG LESSON IS THAT SOMETHING WOKE UP IN ME.

MY CREATIVITY WAS ACTIVATED.

I BORED MYSELF INTO ACTION.

PERHAPS WERNER ERHARD WAS RIGHT: CREATIVITY SPRINGS FROM NOTHINGNESS

As quickly as I was delighted with solitude---Just as quickly I was done with it.  I was gone in 10 minutes flat. Drove to Mesa--slept in a field beside Mckellips rd. 

Delacroix (famous Fr. artist):  "in solitude ones inner voices become audible"

Kierkegaard: "there's great value in being idle in ones own company".

Bertrand Russell:  "the rewards of fruitful monotony"

Philips: "productive solitude is essential to the healthy psyche"

(thanks Anita for the reference)