HORSEPUZZLES AND OTHER ROAD MOMENTS

I'M PARKED ATOP A HILL MIDWAY BETWEEN COTTONWOOD AND SEDONA, AZ.

Here's my view.  One of my "neighbors," about two miles to the right is Senator John McCain.

Here's a week-long experience that I've not reported on:  This 20,000 plus acre piece of land is a gift to you the American Public and to all the animals that call it home.  It was purchased and protected by the smartest of all environmental organizations: The NATURE CONSERVANCY.  Thats my rig down there, parking free and hiking the trails.  Check them out and be persuaded , as I am, that they are our best hope for saving the planet:  The Nature Conservancy

Meet Curt and Hillary---A match made in heaven, I think:  He is a Jet Blue Captain and she is a horse trainer.  Both love horses.  They stopped here for a few days to ride the trails.  That gigantic rig carries three horses, all their gear and feed as well as comfortable housing for the two of them.

This day they are off for an all day ride.  They offered me the third horse.  I declined.

That facial mask protects the horse's eyes from insects.

And there , dear readers is a HORSEPUZZLE.  a puzzle for a horse---a hay bag made of a net--with tantalizing stems of the good stuff sticking out here and there.  When the horse pulls on a stem, a fair size bite come out of the bag.  They love it!  Will nibble at it for hours.  The puzzle comes in three degrees ---easy---(wide holes) medium--(smaller holes) and hard--(small holes).

I  watched for long minutes and am ready to declare that horsepuzzles are MEANING GENERATORS  for horses. (an equine rubics cube)

A wonderful invention!

Hillary, dressed to ride

Then I dropped in to visit an old friend.

Regular readers will recognize Paul Namkung, a friend  who lives in Tierra Amarillo, NM---owns the three ravens coffee shop and builds  these wonderful drums.  Check out their terrific sound here.

Then off I went to EL Paso, TX headed for Louisiana---but first, I need a root canal--desperately.  So I screwed up my courage, walked into Juarez, Mexico and eventually found this 77 year old dentist who specializes in root canals.  Yes, I laid down in that ancient chair and let him go to work.  Guess what---he did a fine job--problem solved in an hour.  Cost: $180.

Memorabilia from my Louisiana trip--That's me 40 years ago

My daughter Christine at her grandmother's grave.

They never met, but I know they would have loved each other.

Back in Santa Fe--a triumphal moment--persuading this mechanic to refund me $200 for an overcharge. He did so with reasonable good will.

Then back to Cottonwood, Az---a beautiful place for fall.  Balloons overhead almost every morning.

Kat nd I dancing at a Jazz contest.

There you are folks, a real live Arizona Ranger.

Hopefully an historic moment.  That's Kathy Reese on the left, founder of  a new organization:

BOONDOCKERS UNITED  whose mission is to give us boondockers a focused voice in dealing with the Forestry Service and the BLM. Check it out here. That pile of trash is our first project--we pitched in and made it disappear.

Here's the bumper sticker Kathy designed and that members will display.

RANDY PHILOSOPHIZES:  Life comes to us in moments.  I've selected the 17 above because I have picts to illustrate them,    I planned to think about them and come up with some unifying theme or principle to philosophize about. Truthfully, however, my life seems a hodge podge of disjointed events.  I don't seem to be headed anywhere,

THEN I HAD AN IDEA:  I asked my daughter about the hodge podge of moments that make up our lives.  How can we think positively about them?  Here's what she said: Maybe the moments of our life are like a patchwork quilt--separately they seem ragged and insignificant, but perhaps over time we are piecing together a warming blanket of character.   

I almost wept for joy!  My daughter---my lovely daughter--IS A PHILOSOPHER!