So You Thought That Was Snow!

We awoke to this scene yesterday. The trees have a white frosting, some of them so loaded down that they're brushing the top of our neighbor's coach.

This morning the cold had frozen up some of our lines and seriously depleted our propane.

Snow, schmo! I want to go back to the desert!

White Stuff

What is that, you're saying to yourself. Is that snow? Why is there snow around the Benjey coach, those avoid-winter-at-all-costs folks?

It's a long story--we're in Albuquerque to see family. Herb's brother is very ill. We're staying at about 5,000 feet above sea level. Right now the temperature is colder here than it is back in Northern Kentucky; we thought we'd escaped winter when we left!

We'll be here until January 5th, hoping not to be snowed in. We saw a few flurries today, mixed with light rain and sleet. Hopefully, we won't be seeing a lot more!

Magnificent Journey

Reading the second chapter of Luke this morning and thinking about the journey Joseph and Mary made from Nazareth to Bethlehem--it's a distance of around 60 miles. Nearing the end of her pregnancy and traveling on a donkey, Mary wasn't having an easy ride. No paved roads, no rest stops and no comfortable place to rest on arrival. What great faith they both had to break with the morality of their day and to undertake this journey proscribed by the law.

As a believer, I am in awe of their faith and obedience and grateful for both.

Sunrise, Sunset

The sunrise this morning was spectacular. Unfortunately my caffiene level hadn't reached the point where I was able to open both eyes at once, let alone find the camera. We're "boondocking" in the Arizona desert.

On our initial trip west, we were privileged to see this sunset, also in the Arizona desert. The skies are so blue most days--a blue we seldom saw at home. Threatening skies get our attention as they're so infrequently seen.

Some see the desert as a wasteland, unfriendly and barren. But God's magnificent creation is evident here in the sky, in the mountains around us, in the peculiar plants adapted for the climate. I can see a number of saguaro cacti from our window, pointing upwards as if to recognize His majesty.

We've come to prefer the southwestern desert above cities, crowds and commotion.

This Bird Had (almost) Flown

As you may know, we’re traveling with Don Kaiser’s eagle whose name is Barnabas. He’s been a great deal of company along the way, behaving for the most part. He did nip Herb a couple of times—you really shouldn’t tease an eagle. But today was more serious. He said he had a hot date and was taking the car. I think they were planning to meet at the Eagles Lodge. We had to intervene. He has no valid driver’s license. He muttered something about eagle rights, but we ignored him.

For the younger among us, the title is from an old Beatles number called “Norwegian Wood.”

Hello, Roadservice, Can You Send a Sikorsky?

We were in the Arizona desert, cruising around the trails in our Jeep. The particular trail we were traveling led up a 300 foot hill. Herb decided it was just the thing to do. I didn't see much of the trip up, having my eyes tightly closed at the time. Once there, we noticed we were on a narrow spot with a cliff on the other side.

While I was contemplating our future life at the top of this hill, Herb somehow managed to jockey the Jeep around till it was pointing in the direction we had come. I closed my eyes once again and prayed all the way down.

I'm just not sure I'm going to enjoy off roading as much as I once did.