Mt Graham - Near Safford

Perched atop a hill some miles east of Willcox (on I-10) too close to the highway and with a stiff breeze, I was on schedule to arrive Albuquerque to spend a week with Ms. Cook celebrating our 31st anniversary. The forecast was for rain.

But the heartbreak of shingles was too much. Between the fatigue and the pain, I could barely get up to attend to morning bidness...there was no way I was gonna do justice on the dance floor or on the deck of our yacht at the forthcoming Elephant Butte Cup. So, after cancelling the reservations and invoking nomad logic (Ah ain't been thar!), I went north to Safford.

Thatcher and Safford are contiguous like Colorado Springs and Denver...but smaller.

Mt Graham

(from SW of Thatcher)

"Pano" (below) -- $650.00 camera on a $50.00 phone.

Once I realized the deal, I put a lot of effort into returning it.

But Verizon has more caveat's than a car salesman.

The little rain that fell at camp

put a new dusting on the mountain

Sunset

Shootist

I was nearing Willcox, AZ around 3:15pm and decided to wash my hair b4 going into town. I thought I was away from any houses and pulled off onto the south-side shoulder of W Airport Rd.

I had my hair soaped when I heard shots and the sound of a bullet striking metal nearby. There were trees along the road blocking my view but it sounded as if the gun was aimed in my direction. The shooting continued and I could hear ricochets whining away. I finished up and with shots still coming, slowly pulled forward. The shooting stopped as soon as I started moving. 

As I emerged from behind the trees I saw a guy standing next to a blue-gray house wearing a black scarf over the lower portion of his face. I had the window 1/2 down and seeing me he waved an AR-15 above his head; I continued to slowly drive past as he concentrated on walking toward the house entrance. 

I got the address from Google Maps...8487 W Airport Rd, Willcox AZ 85643 in case you wanna stop by and see if you can engender a repeat performance.

2 hours later I contacted the police. They said cuz no witnesses it'd be his word against mine. I said I just wanted to file a report for future reference. But it was nearly 2 a.m. b4 I fell asleep.

Things are getting out of hand when people start shooting at tourists stopped for a few minutes on the roadside.

Pomerene Rd Mailbox

 

A real mo-hunker of a cat-claw behind it

Gallery of Dreams - St David

 Two in one - gallery & cat fixes.

Luckypee Snickerdoodle - Snicker, to his intimates

Sea of Cat Claw

So dense youse gotta do it in the road

Years ago, while researching desert ascetics, I read about a goat farmer near Cascabel. He'd built a platform with shade and invited folks to come there to contemplate. He sold goat milk and meat. 

He's been dead a while, but I've wanted to go see. Cascabel is due north of Benson, AZ.

It was near dark when leaving Benson and threatening rain. Rather than wander into the unknown, I went south, past St. David to a campspot that's so gnarly the only traffic is Border Patrol. 

Now, five days later, I'm still bed-ridden by the pain from the herpes zoster (shingles). Yesterday, with my last dose of oxycodone, I washed dishes, my hair and boiled some eggs, but I'm now down to half a liter of water.

The pain has been worse this morning, as if my thigh has been scalded. Any movement, the slightest touch of fabric, is enough to wrest a cry from even my stoic lips.

They sent a new prescription for oxy to the Walmart in Benson, but I need to get packed and it's a long drive. Fortunately, it's warm enough to go without clothes...until Walmart.

Though not a believer, I suspect my karma was tainted that time I was late with Smith's dinner.

Annah Faulkner's Last Request

Courtesy of EXIT International

Annah Faulkner's adieu 

Ms. Faulkner's novel: The Beloved

Arlington Abstraction

 

Look closely at this image. The gradations in values are amazing. The balance is exquisite.