We have arrived at Buttercup Ridge Farm....

  

Our Location: 

Buttercup Ridge Farm, Roseneath, Ontario, Canada

The last few days have been busier, colder, wetter and although windy, not windier than the desert. We settled into Valens Conservation Area for 4 nights. It was only supposed to be 3 but with snow/rain mix we opted to just stay put. It is not a park we will ever go back to for a number of reasons but mainly because there are too many trees. I like trees but I like a wide space to make a turn with more than a foot spare on one side and 8 inches on the other. The Igloo kissed a tree and I take responsibility for it, not much damage, knocked a marker cover off, and put little scuffs in a few places. Ah the joys of tight spaces. 

County Road 9, but this isn't the steep hills.

Very little new green out there in the country side.

We visited with daughter Bradey, hubby David and their two sons, Auston and Lincoln. The boys are growing quickly and are full of energy. We visited twice over the days we were in the area and the last day we just stayed home. The weather was not fun and I had no desire to go outside at all. While out and about in the little city of Brantford, Ontario I managed to slip into a TD bank and fix the pin # on my debit card that hasn't worked since Feb. That was a relief. 

We are coming up the drive at Buttercup Ridge.

It's a bumpy ride but the grass is very green.

This morning we hooked up and pulled out before 10 AM, stopped at the dump station and headed out EAST bound toward Toronto. We had a little mix up and had to do a couple of loops to get on to the 401 East and while I would normally drive all the way on the 401, we opted for the pay highway #407 for a couple of reasons and so we rolled along easily on the top of Toronto and by passed all the traffic. It was a smooth ride and we followed the highway to the end where we connected with County Rd 9 which we took all the way to the end of the laneway here at Buttercup Ridge. The far end of CR 9 is not one we enjoyed, too many steep hills and slow downs at the bottom of those hills for our liking. We will remember that next time, we hope. 

I would love to park right there but I don't know if all of the equipment is out of the barn yet.

So instead we parked here, but the ground is soft and we may have to readjust after a day or two.

We arrived here about 12:30 pm, found the place we wanted to set up and started settling in. Judi, Dennis and Janet's niece came out to chat for a while. She and Winnie her dog were off for a walk and not long after her mother Jackie showed up. We haven't chatted with Jackie yet. Judi is living in the house for the next number of months as Dennis and Janet will not be returning home from California this year for health reasons.

The view out the window.

The farm house, Judi and her mom are up there.

Cold is how I would describe the wind here in the rolling hills of Northumberland County. Mostly cloudy skies and temps around 55F/12C but the wind makes it colder. We are settled in for at least 10 days, possibly more, so I won't be blogging every day, we won't be doing anything worthy of writing about. Just a couple of notes to add, Rick (sister's partner) is home again, doing okay and apparently feeling some better. Welcome home Rick. My brother Rick celebrated a birthday on Sunday, and our cousin Daisy celebrated hers the day before on Saturday. Happy Birthday to both folks, we are pretty certain they had a good day!!! An early happy birthday wish goes out to nephew Allan who celebrates on the 21st. Allan is my sister's only son! Happy birthday Allan.

 

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed your visit. 

Until next time...

Take care, stay safe, 

Deb

A very windy day here on Ogilby Road......

 

Our Location: 

North of MM 4, Ogilby Road, Winterhaven, California

 

The wind picked up last night and is still with us today. The weather guessers are saying 25 mph/40 km an hour gusts for most of the morning. And I can tell you it feels as if they may be right on the mark. Our temps are still on the very chilly side sitting at 56F/13C. Yes I know back home in the great white north that would be considered balmy but for here it's down right cold. 

 

A stay inside day and keep warm, some nice homemade soup for comfort food and a good book or a good game or two, what else can one do on a day like this?

 

 

Our condolences go out to Janet and Dennis on the loss of his brother Bobby. The boys came from a large family and grew up in Port Anne. Hockey was a passion for a lot of the boys. Dennis and Janet have a farm not far from Port Anne, in Roseneath, Ontario. We stay at Buttercup Ridge usually twice a year on our journey's to and from the west.  

 

As I'm sure you can tell by now, today's photos were ones that I haven't used but liked. They are from our hike in Calcite Mine Slot Canyon and a couple from our trip to Julian, California as well. 

 

 

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you have had a wonderful day where you may be. 

 

Until next time...

 

Take care, stay safe, 

 

Deb

 

A very quiet day.....

 

Our Location: 

North of MM 4, Ogilby Road, Winterhaven, California

 

A walk this morning, a drive for Riley and I, a couple of visits with Doug and that was our day. A few photos that have been left over from other days, except the first two, this mornings Moon and Sunrise shots. 

 

The moon out one window....

and sunrise out the door on the other side.

I chatted with my Dad last night, he called to see how things were going. He and my brother Rick are busy cutting wood and keeping very busy. Always good to do that, keep busy, it keeps them out of trouble. My sister in law Janet called this morning as we were finishing up our walk and we chatted for a long time, it's good to get caught up. Dennis has even played a little golf with his new hip. Sounds as if it's going very well. We will be slipping farther into California in late January to visit them in Indian Wells.

 

 

I think I see an octopus! Why not I saw a dolphin the other day right? It's an Ocotillo laying on the desert floor.

Trees in the wash as we walk from American Girl Mine Road back home.

The water cuts a certain path as it lessens and leaves a bank.

The water must come at a tremendous speed down there to this curve.

Back at Tumco....These grates cover holes in the ground, the one on top is a mine shaft.

A sage bush is flowering.

I truly like the looks of these mountains.

I have followed that path down on the right but I don't remember where it goes. 

They look easy to climb but they are not.

The colours are so different but the veining is a whitish colour in all of the mountains in the Cargos.

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed the last of these photos. 

 

Until next time..

 

Take care, be safe, 

 

Deb

 

Errand day # 1.....

 

 

Our Location: 

 Near MM 4, Ogilby Road, Winterhaven,  California

 

A warm night and a nice morning with some wind but nothing too much. Of course it comes from the north and so keeps the early morning a bit coolish enough to need a hoodie when you are out in it. Breakfast and a walk started the day off, next I vacuumed the Dogsled to get rid of Yuma's hair. Riley and I had a number of errands to run today and a few more tomorrow too. 

 

We got stopped by the train on our way home. It had 6 engines.

Note the wheels on the trailer on the right.

 

Our first stop was Best Buy, they advertise camera repair, it was a no go. I called Kurt's Camera repair listed as serving the Yuma and Winterhaven area, except it's located in San Diego and I would need to send my camera there.  I asked a few folks but to no avail, there is no where to get my camera looked at here in the Yuma area. Oh well, I'll just keep using my phone for now. 

 

Looking east along the arroyo beside the Igloo.

Looking up at the Igloo from the photo above.

 

Actually Best Buy wasn't our first stop, our first stop was to see Doug & Yuma ( Miss Adventure Travels ) just to kind of make sure everything was good with them. Yuma was happy to see us and wanted some pets and attention. It was good to see Doug settled and enjoying the morning. 

 

Interesting trunk on this tree.

Odd don't ya think?

 

So, second stop was Best Buy, third stop was U-Haul to get propane. For less than $32 USD my big tank was filled to the top, which would work out to be about $50 CAD, about the same as back home on the Island for an exchange. It's the first time I've had someone rip the exchange label off, said he had to check the entire tank for rust or wear spots but put another sticker back on it when he finished. It still has a couple of years and I truly can't figure out why he needed to pull the sticker off. Anyway...

 

Different branch on a different tree.

The Palo Verde's over hang the arroyo.

 

Our next stop was Walmart where we left a sizeable deposit for a very full buggy. We've been running a little low on a few things and needed to stock up, we also managed to find some nice new chairs and of course the Big Dog needs to keep his favourite drink stocked up, Def fluid, or he won't run! We managed to get just about everything on the list too.  

 

The Palo Verde remind me of  Willows in some ways.

 

Our last stop was right in the parking lot at Wally World, it was fill the remainder of our drinking jugs with water. It was an easy thing to do right in the parking lot. Yeah, most of the errands completed. 

 

Lots of debris under here, just like a Willow that sheds large amounts.

 

Back home we put all the groceries away, separated what needed to be separated, and even managed to have some lunch, all before 4 MST. 

 

Lots of waste waiting to fall or be swept away.

 

Yesterday I chatted dad, daughter Bradey, and sister in law Janet. It was a day full of catch up, or at least an evening. Grandson Auston has been battling a cold for a number of weeks, it seems to go away to come back again within a few days. Hopefully some antibiotics will clear everything up. His brother Lincoln hasn't been sick at all, lucky little fella. Bradey and hubby David are doing well too. SIL Janet reports Dennis is doing his therapy (broken hip) and is hopeful to be back on the golf course by shortly after the new year. We do hope he manages to get back into it, he does love it and plays every day out here in California. 

 

I like the skeleton tree, it's not far from our spot.

 

A few more errands tomorrow and so the picture taking has been on hold. Sorry about that but it is what it is. I'll get back to that in a day or two, honest. 

 

Those are the Cargo Muchacho Mountains.

 

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed the visit. 

 

Until next time...

 

Take care, be safe, 

 

Deb

 

We've moved to California....

 

Our Location: 

North of MM 4, Ogilby Road, Winterhaven, California

 

This morning Doug ( Miss Adventure Travels  )  sent me a pic of the very beautiful sunrise over the Igloo. It was a perfect send off for us. Riley and I were ready to go about 8:30 am but we had told Doug between 10 - 10:30 am would be our time to pull out. Riley and I headed off for a walk while Doug finished doing whatever it is he does to get ready to roll. We were back around 9:15- 9:30 am and Doug was ready to start the big diesel engine. It started well, and before long we were all off heading down the road, AZ 95 southbound. 

 

We are ready to pull out, the big diesel engines are both running, Doug's is bigger of course!

Much more desert like here on AZ 95 as we go south. (Sorry the window is tinted and I didn't realize how dark the pic was before I posted it.)

The sand is more noticeable now.

 

Construction had us stopped for between 20-30 minutes just north of the stone cabin but after that it was easy rolling. This is Riley and I's first time coming down this road, we usually come to Quartzsite from California on I-10 East after we visit Janet & Dennis in Indian Wells. However this year we changed things up a bit and so as everyone that travels AZ 95 the first time does, we stopped at the Yuma Proving Grounds for the photos of the big guns at the gate. 

 

 

One of the big guns at the gate to the Yuma Proving Grounds.

Yep, it's a new sign for us to see.

We now have our photo of the proving grounds guns.

 

The WL started right up and we were off once again heading southwest toward the Yuma, Arizona area where we would connect with I-8 West. Doug & Yuma pulled off to put some go go juice in the big rig and Riley & I kept motoring on and found our way to the rest area on I-8 West where we filled up the fresh water tank and left a bag of garbage in the big dumpsters.  

An over pass in Yuma, Arizona. Not sure about the paddle wheel boats but they are there!

I like the edges of the over pass in California.

The Imperial Sand Dunes in  southern California.

We crossed into Pacific Time when we entered California before lunch time. We will however be staying on Arizona time since everything we do here in this area is in Yuma, Arizona. I called my dad after we got set up and chatted with him for a while. He was busy doing something but stopped to chat with me for a while. Always nice to chat with him. 

 

The view out our door.

The arroyo beside us, the Palo Verde trees are in the bottom. 

Looking off toward the Dunes, this view will be out our dining room windows.

 

So that's what's new with us over here at the Igloo. I hope you enjoyed your visit. 

 

A closer shot of the Dunes over there!

A rig or two back there but not too far away.

We've parked close to that black pile and explored that area back there in years previous.

 

Until next time...

 

Our spot for next two weeks.

A bit closer up.

We usually park in the spot where that rig is but he was here first.

 

Take care, be safe, 

 

Our fire pit just outside the door.

 

Deb