Simple Living and Simple Travel

With all the light-weight trailers out there now, I went back to the November 2006 page, “choosing a rig,” and added my thoughts on these rigs. Might have touched on issues that could be missed. Noah Smith, PHD and economist, stated that economists who study happiness have begun to entertain the notion that perhaps what matters isn’t the degree to which people get what they want but how much they like what they get. Good emotions may be more important than satiation of desires. I like that. I missed staying in the parks last winter, and this winter I was somewhat bummed with the increased numbers of RVers. But it jives with the increase in RV sales. Guano. The last few years I noticed the increase of women RVers. That, at least, is good. This winter I met five whom I enjoyed talking with. Sure beats talking with the scruffy, old fat guys that inhabit the parks. At one spot where I exchanged some paperbacks, I looked through a stack of magazines that were up for grabs. There ...

A view out the back window. I went back to the July 2006 page (Table of Contents) and added some of my favorite photos from this lifestyle. There are so many more. Might be worth a look. When I had the Casita, Onyx stood up at the screen door twice, pulled down the handle and walked out. Not good, if we were in the winter state parks. Up in the mountains, off the grid, it’s generally okay. Wish I thought of this, then. Recently I picked up a sash lock at Lowe’s and instead of using it on a window, I screwed it onto the screen doorframe with 1” sheet metal screws. Didn’t even have to use the other part. A good, quick screendoor lock. If there is a next time for getting a flat on the Nash, I will try something else. The hydraulic jack needed to be put on a stack of wood since it did not have enough range of motion. Not the safest arrangement. Next time I’ll build a ramp with my wheel blocks for the other wheel on that side and drive the good tire up onto it. It should have the ...

I went through images on my Canon and found a useable one of the bobcat peaking out from behind the prickly pear, so you can go back to the November page to see it. I downloaded the NM Wildflower app to my iPod. It’s a treat when I’m out hiking or while out walking Meadow and Mesa. The pace with these two gives me plenty of time to look up plants. I like free, useful free items. This month I have a birthday, and as always, it is my most meaningful day of the year to give thanks for all that the previous year has brought me and for being able to cope with problems that came my way. I plan to go back and read ‘here’s a little story.’ It feels so good to not yet be ashes in an urn. I noticed this one day while at Bottomless Lakes NMSP. Guano. But it gave me an opportunity to use the 2-ton hydraulic jack I’ve been hauling around in case this happened. I tried plugging the hole but did not have the strength to even get the rasp into the hole. Here’s another document ...

The Statue of Liberty was a beacon of feminism right from the get-go. I mean, it is a big woman, out on an island. And as typical mankind would have it, women were banned from the statue’s dedication. If ‘humankind’ were the norm, stuff like this would not occur. On that day, the ladies chartered a boat and held their own ceremony out on the water. They loudly proclaimed the hypocrisy of men “erecting a Statue of Liberty embodied as a woman in a land where no woman has political liberty.” One just has to admire all the women who fought so hard and for so long to get the rights they should have had right from the get-go. How can we still not give women equal rights, across the world, across the board? And men still do not understand why so many women think we’re idiots. When I lived in Lake Placid, NY, some friends and I took a road trip to visit the L.L. Bean store in Freeport, Maine. It is a classic trip for any New England or touring camper. Presently, just behind Acad...

I was not sure if I had dug out the slope enough and extended a backup area to 3-point turn the Nash around so I could get in position to drive down the access road (I didn’t). I decided to hook up the Nash and turn it around a few days before I thought I would be pulling out, just in case there was a problem. There was. I spent a couple hours doing more digging and cutting down four small trees that I really wanted to keep. Guano. Sure glad I didn’t wait until moving day. Meadow and Mesa seem to prefer this orientation. Generally, the view outside the back window looks into the distance. With it all in so close here, M&M spend much more time on the table looking out. One afternoon this doe came in close to the window. Pretty cool. This little spot is a favorite place for both M&M to chill out. Whenever I was going to do some work around the property, I made sure Meadow and Mesa were outside. They followed me around and got familiar with the land. When I’m with them, ...

Another hummingbird flew into the Nash through the cage window. The birds tend to just fly side to side across the back window, making things easy. I open the screens of the two bottom corner windows, put my hands close together and slowly herd the bird down towards the open screen. No throwing a towel over it as I had to do in the past when a regular bird flew in. In one of Janet’s emails, she wrote: “My Dad always signed off, "wake up happy" which is what his mom said to him before bed. I have been working on doing just that, waking up with happy thoughts. I know how easy it is to get discouraged when our bodies aren't at their best. Good luck and health I wish for you.” I’m also working on it. Thanks, Janet. As you can see, the owners accepted my bid. I wouldn’t doubt if I could have gotten the lot for even less. Most lots are tough to sell, but I thought my bid was a fair offer considering what lots actually sell for here. This lot would not hold much interest...

This is a photo taken out of the galley window, of a local family that I see from time to time. Another day, I was in the Nash working on my Mac when I heard turkeys. I looked out the back window, and there was a family. But a parent was watching me when I turned my head to look. Those of you who are familiar with wild turkeys, know that at that point, there was no chance of a photo. These birds are true survivors Timberon is an unincorporated community 32 miles south of Cloudcroft, NM, and 15 miles south of Sunspot, the National Solar Observatory. It sits at an elevation of 7,100’ in the Sacramento Mountains. The road from Cloudcroft to Timberon is paved and full of hills and curves, so it takes 45-50 minutes to drive from Cloudcroft to Timberon. Roughly 400 people reside in the 20 square miles of Timberon. Considering there are over 7,600 lots in the community, ranging from ½ acre to over 18 acres, and some 90-100 ranch acres, one can imagine how sparsely populated the area is...