My Mother's house in the Woods.
My Mother, the alcoholic, lives in the White Mountains. It's beautiful and breath taking up there, even when it's dry. I learned at an early age I could only tolerate her for short periods of time. I was going to stay there and visit for a short time and be on my way. We really just wanted to be there to Sam, Tim's fiancee and one of the people we travelled with, could see the country there, for it is breath taking. Literally, it's about 10,000 feet up in the high thin air. Karl, my mothers husband built the house by hand on a few acres in the cool cool country to escape the heat.
First disappointment: No use of the Suzuki. Karl had sold it and didn't want us ruining it before he turned it over to the new owner. So we had no way of heading up to the meadows of the highest mountian, which Tim really wanted to do. So, he wanted to leave immediately. Which frustrated me. A lot. This is the best way to view my mother because she's taken away from most of the stress of being near the family and tends to be easier to get along with, drunk or not. I really wanted to stay.
So we walked down to Coulter Creek with my Mom's dog and walked the creek bed. It's really best to pack better hiking shoes. Doc's are not good in this setting but great in the city. The creek is moderate little stream of mountian springs running over dark volcanic rock surrounded by thirsty weeds, trees and butterflies flitting from flower to flower. (Pictures will follow soon. I promise as I have to wait for them to get developed). If there was any wildlife to see we missed it as we tromped through the bush with as much noise as a group of three and a Weimaraner dog can muster.
Then home to eat a onion dish surrounded by enchiladas. Oh, and best sweet blueberry fresh from the oven pie I've ever had.
I slept so well! The cool air and my own overtiredness engulfed me to a full nights sleep. In the morning we left to eat at Bear Wallow cafe and decide what we would do. I wanted to go up to Big Lake, that country is rolling and green and there's a place we could rent a boat and watch people. The other option was to try to rent a four wheel drive and go up the Escondilla Mountian which was quickly dashed when we learned that to rent we would have to drive to Sho-Lo. So we stopped at the Ranger Station and checked on the rental of HORSES! Sam was totally turned on to that idea. She really loves riding and I have not done it in quite a while.
So we got instructions on how to get to a ranch and left for Hannagan Meadows, which Karl told us was a vantage point from where we could see all the way to Mexico. The first ranch was closed, or at least the gate to it was. So drove the new car down a rutted Ranger road to a Mormon ranch, Saddlebrook. Sized up and given our horses we went on what I thought was a well worth the time and effort ride. We saw wild turkey, the turkey babies, a Red Wolf, and cows. The crowning touch was a group of Bull Elk running past us, the ground shaking with their heavy feet.
I almost lost my horse, Cottoneye as I watch the Elk. Stupid me had let the reigns go and Cottoneye was eating the grass. If he got tangled in the reigns, we would have a real rodeo, I was told by the ride leader. Great cowboys!
The owner of the Ranch rented out cabins and was a good mormon woman, joking that the Ranch would better be completed with some cars up on blocks out front as we asked about prices for rides surrounded by many Heinz dogs.
A lovely day completed by a meal of bar-b-qued veggies and chicken.
First disappointment: No use of the Suzuki. Karl had sold it and didn't want us ruining it before he turned it over to the new owner. So we had no way of heading up to the meadows of the highest mountian, which Tim really wanted to do. So, he wanted to leave immediately. Which frustrated me. A lot. This is the best way to view my mother because she's taken away from most of the stress of being near the family and tends to be easier to get along with, drunk or not. I really wanted to stay.
So we walked down to Coulter Creek with my Mom's dog and walked the creek bed. It's really best to pack better hiking shoes. Doc's are not good in this setting but great in the city. The creek is moderate little stream of mountian springs running over dark volcanic rock surrounded by thirsty weeds, trees and butterflies flitting from flower to flower. (Pictures will follow soon. I promise as I have to wait for them to get developed). If there was any wildlife to see we missed it as we tromped through the bush with as much noise as a group of three and a Weimaraner dog can muster.
Then home to eat a onion dish surrounded by enchiladas. Oh, and best sweet blueberry fresh from the oven pie I've ever had.
I slept so well! The cool air and my own overtiredness engulfed me to a full nights sleep. In the morning we left to eat at Bear Wallow cafe and decide what we would do. I wanted to go up to Big Lake, that country is rolling and green and there's a place we could rent a boat and watch people. The other option was to try to rent a four wheel drive and go up the Escondilla Mountian which was quickly dashed when we learned that to rent we would have to drive to Sho-Lo. So we stopped at the Ranger Station and checked on the rental of HORSES! Sam was totally turned on to that idea. She really loves riding and I have not done it in quite a while.
So we got instructions on how to get to a ranch and left for Hannagan Meadows, which Karl told us was a vantage point from where we could see all the way to Mexico. The first ranch was closed, or at least the gate to it was. So drove the new car down a rutted Ranger road to a Mormon ranch, Saddlebrook. Sized up and given our horses we went on what I thought was a well worth the time and effort ride. We saw wild turkey, the turkey babies, a Red Wolf, and cows. The crowning touch was a group of Bull Elk running past us, the ground shaking with their heavy feet.
I almost lost my horse, Cottoneye as I watch the Elk. Stupid me had let the reigns go and Cottoneye was eating the grass. If he got tangled in the reigns, we would have a real rodeo, I was told by the ride leader. Great cowboys!
The owner of the Ranch rented out cabins and was a good mormon woman, joking that the Ranch would better be completed with some cars up on blocks out front as we asked about prices for rides surrounded by many Heinz dogs.
A lovely day completed by a meal of bar-b-qued veggies and chicken.