And So We Depart...

It took a few trips, but we got everything back out to Auntie Violet and put away. Juni had had an early PT appointment and by the time she was back, we were finished. She brought home boxes of Krispy Kreme doughnuts for our final sit down coffee on the back patio.

This is one of the many striped lizards that love the wall around the yard --

This is Izzy, a small bundle of Yorkie energy who will chase and catch balls as long as she can get someone to throw them.She's quickly figured out that with the new grabbers, we can reach the balls that roll under the table.

This is Cassie! She just turned a year old. Orphaned, Juni and Tom fed her every two hours around the clock. She's very spoiled and very charming.

This elegant lady is Tica. She's the matriarch who will occasionally chase a ball, but most times is found sitting demurely on someone's lap.
 

And these are our gracious hosts, Tom and Juni! We came to visit a couple of days with them and ended up spending almost two weeks, partly because of inclement weather, but mostly because we were having such a good time!

Forry and Tom got that tire with the slow unfindable leak aired up; we disconnected the electricity and hooked up Toad II. Finally we were on the road once more. We headed out on I-40, then cut off on Highway 25 to the other side of Albuquerque, then took Highway 550 north. This part of New Mexico has reservations of the Zuni, the Hopi, the Navajo and the Apaches. It's majestically beautiful.

The road climbs to over 7000 feet with an incredible variety of colors along the way --

We climbed high enough to begin to see Pinyon Pines along with the Juniper bushes and trees of the lower elevations.

You can see the effects of the last several years of drought. This whole area was much greener when we came through here two years ago.

White Mesa is not too far from this area. The white coloration becomes more prominent in the surrounding rocks, replacing the reds.

Forry fought a head wind and assorted cross winds most of the trip. As we got closer to Bloomfield where there is farm ground, it began to get pretty dusty. And cooler as well. It's already 48 degrees outside a little after nine pm.

We're settled in here at Desert Rose RV Park in Bloomfield and will most likely stay through Monday so that we can attend church with our friends.