Is it almost mid-February already?

Am posting more pictures on the right.  Writing this is a struggle because our little computer is acting up.  It bugs me that I can't post the pictures right HERE. 

I'll work my way backwards ... today we went to see three houses that are for sale around here.  We really like the area but it is so dang far from "anything".  But I have been thinking ... I have to go at least as far as Linton to shop (20 minutes) and if I want to "really" shop I have to go to Bloomington (40 minutes).  So how would that be any different than Benson or Willcox?  Or going into Tucson would be equal to going into Indy back home.  Just sayin'.  So there is that ...

Besides checking out the area I've been traveling in my mind, too, these past few days.  Fifty years ago I was getting ready for our wedding.  It just doesn't seem possible that all of those years have flown by already!  That sounds trite but there it is.  We had a simple ceremony.  Wendell wouldn't have a big wedding because he didn't want to "stand up in front of all those people" so just our IMMEDIATE families were there.  Plus we had little time to prepare anyway so I let him get away wih it.  (I should have known right away, shouldn't I?)  He was between Alaska and Florida (Air Force).  And we had 30 days to get r' done.  I made my wedding suit -- white wool.  Ordered my little cake from a friend.  Arranged to rent an organ (my big expense; my church only had a piano).  Hired an organist.  Rented ferns because we could not afford lots of flowers for the church altar.  Rounded up a "cast".  Etc,etc,etc.  My parents could not help out financially so we did it on the cheap.  Thank goodness I had a little saved up and Wendell did, too, or we would have had to stand up in front of a judge!  The reception was at my parents home.  My brother Don was our official photographer.  His wife Nancy and my Aunt Glenna were the servers and my friend Vesta was at the gift table (the dining room table).  I know it sounds different from today's multi-thousand dollar weddings, but that's the way it was for us.  And it lasted.  That's what I've been thinking about.  Now we just have to think of some way to celebrate when we get back home...

So, what have I been doing lately?  Well, besides reading a lot we've been checking out more attractions around here.  Also visited my brother Don and wife Nancy in their new digs in Green Valley.  Wow!  They have a wonderful winter home there.  We are so happy for them.  It was also fun taking a quick drive around GV before we headed back 'home'.

One day we went to Ft. Bowie and hiked back to the fort ruins.  It was a pretty strenuous 3 mile round trip hike for us old codgers!  We both felt good at the end of the day about still having the ability to do that hike.  Going in it was all uphill.  Gradual but still uphill.  That last 1/4 mile was pretty much all 'up' and I was huffing and puffing by the time we arrived at the visitor center!  Hiking back to the car was a breeze.  Took some good pix that day.

We spent a day in Bisbee.  The weather was really good that day!  Had a wonderful lunch downtown then walked UP the main street and checked out lots of the neat little shops.  There are several galleries and also lots of antique shops in Bisbee.  Came home through the country on some back roads with awesome views.

One day we went out on what is called Ghost Town Trail.  There are three ghost towns along a 16-mile stretch of dirt road, starting with Pearce which is just south of us, next is Courtland, and then ending at Gleeson.  In Pearce and Gleeson there are still a (very) few people living (says "Population 15" on the Pearce sign) but Courtland is just plain deserted.  There is a lot of open range on that drive and I took some pictures of black Angus on the roadway.  They sure don't run away from vehicles.

One day we went down to Douglas, a border town, and went east of there about 16 miles on a country road to the Slaughter Ranch.  It is an historical landmark and it's right on the border.  Saw LOTS of border patrol on that trip; also two remote BP camera locations.  The border fence was always in view, and now and then you could see vehicles zipping along a highway just inside Mexico!  I loved that ranch tour!  Texas John Slaughter lived there 'in the day' and his house and outbuildings were pretty nice for those days.  He sounded sort of like a Rooster Cogburn character.  Lots of signage to read and we ended up being the last people out of there!  There is a very large pond there which is unusual for the area.  It's fed by an Artisan well.  They had several longhorn bulls along the fence near the barn and I think they fed them there just so the visitors could see how awesomely handsome they are!  (I would love to have a set of those horns for our wine room!)

Yesterday we went to see Les Miserable -- wow; I loved that movie but Russell Crowe was poorly cast.  And he can NOT sing.  Even Wendell enjoyed it.  It was at the Willcox Historical Theatre, an old movie house ran entirely by volunteers struggling to keep it open.

Well, enough of my ramblings.  Hope you're enjoying hearing what we've been up to lately.  God bless you all and I hope you have a good week.