The Sound Of Silence. Simon and Garfunkle (1965?)
There is a lot of the sound of silence out here, 25 miles beyond Gila Bend, and I’m thoroughly enjoying it.
This quiet, peaceful time is allowing me to think over this past year. It’s been excellent in some ways, with Jason and Mandy’s wedding and all the beautiful events surrounding it. On the other hand, it’s been hard with the sudden illness and death of my mom. The wedding and the death happened within a month of each other.
Otherwise, I’ve been free to wander to my hearts content. This time of freedom has been like no other time in my life. There has always been ‘deadlines and commitments’…lots of responsibility…but now I’m free to do nothing but listen to the sound of silence….and whatever interupts it…in the beauty of nature. For me, this is as good as it gets…Joy and Shiloh, health, freedom, natural beauty all around me, a pen and paper. And a glass of wine. ☺️ I am blessed. I don’t know why, but I am grateful.
There were times in my life when things were not so good. I won’t elaborate. They are in the past. I don’t know what the future holds, but I am here now in this moment, and life is good. All we have is this very moment.
The future. 2016. I have some thoughts about that, but I’ll save them for another post.
I have some immediate plans, and I’ll tell you about those. We are still at Painted Rock and it’s been lovely. There have been some cold nights, but my bed and dogs are warm. I’ve paid to stay here through Dec 26 and Then I’ll travel about 30 miles to an RV Park and spend one night there so I can do laundry, take a long hot shower, dump tanks, etc. Monday the 27th I plan to move on to Gilbert Ray Campground in Tucson Mountain Park. I have some things I need to do in Tucson, and then on the 29th I’ll be meeting up with Laura and Joel (Joel being the creator of the Joel Pole)!
Maybe you remember last year (or not, that’s ok), we all spent New Years together at none other than The Salton Sea. I was in an RV park and they were in a tiny motel next door. We had a crazy time, driving around the sea, stopping at the International Banana Museum, seeing Slab City and Salvation Mountain, and later having a lovely simple New Years dinner created by Laura, at their motel room.
This year they are renting an RV! This will be a new and unique experience for these world travelers…one that they are highly anticipating. We will meet at Gilbert Ray Campground on the 29th and visit the Desert Museum on the 30th, which isn’t far from the campground. On the 31st, the thought is to come back here where I am now and spend New Years Eve among the Cresote, Mysquite, and the Suguaro.
I’ll take this time to wish you a peaceful Christmas, or whatever holiday you are celebrating at this time of year. Your inner peace, outer peace, world peace, peace for the animals…I wish for all those kinds of peace and more.
John Lennon said ‘War is over, if you want it.’ ‘Give peace a chance.’
PS I’m sorry there are no pictures. I’m having some technical problems. Joel has offered tech support when they arrive and I sure will take him up on that!
Wandering Spirit 
Wishing you a Merry Christmas!
I’ve been enjoying your updates very much and look forward to reading about your travels in 2016. For now, ZenOnWheels is parked for the winter and riding out El Niño here in San Francisco. It’s rainy here, but I’m very happy for it! Still, I’m looking eagerly forward to spring and getting back out into the wilds!
Happy New Year!
Michael
Hi Michael and Merry Christmas. Good to hear from you. I was wondering if you had future travel plans and it’s good to hear that you do. Once it gets in your blood, I think it stays!
Merry Christmas to you three! I’m really enjoying your posts, and if you’re up for it perhaps I could stop by and say hello while you are in Tucson, since that’s home base for me. I’ll bring the wine!
Safe travels – Roxanne
Merry Christmas! I am so enjoying your blog and wanted to touch base with you since you’ll be in my home town of Tucson in a couple of days. If you are open, I’d love to stop by and say hi! I’ll be here until Jan. 10th at which time I’ll crawl into Mama Cass and hit the road for a couple of months :-).
Roxanne
Merry Christmas! I’m trying to connect through your blog here but can’t seem to get the reply to stick. Perhaps you’d be up for a quick hello while you are in the Tucson area since that is home base for me? I’m really enjoying following your blog!
Roxanne
Hi Roxanne. It might have been me…if someone hasn’t commented before or in a long time, I have to approve the comment and I have to check my email to know that there is something there to approve. Sometimes I only check it once a day, or if I have no connection it can be awhile. Have a good connection here so I have no excuse!
Anyway, Merry Christmas and I hope to see you in Tucson!
Just started following you blog, but I enjoy it very much.
I am new to your blog, but I enjoy it very much. Merry Christmas
Hi Jean, Merry Christmas and welcome! I’m very happy to have you along for the ride. 😀. I’m sorry I was remiss in approving comments…same as with Roxanne above, which is why you didn’t see yours, and commented again I suspect.
Merry Christmas to you, Micky, and hugs to Joy and Shiloh 🎄
Thank you Maureen and Merry Christmas with hugs to you too!
Happy Holidays to you and the pups!
Thanks for sharing your travels with us. I look forward to reading about your adventures in 2016. Every Good Wish !
Hi Caroline, and Happy Holidays to you as well! Gosh, 2016…coming soon. How can it be?
Merry Christmas Micky, Your courage, strength and independence are thrilling for me to read vicariously as I am such a woos! One time I said to Paul, I want to camp in Tualome(sp?) Meadows in Yosemite. He said: If you sleep overnight in our backyard one time, we’ll go! Never happened. We did own a camper that fit over his pick up truck when we had 3 kids (of the 6) still at home. I loved it, he hated it. We sold it when we needed the money for the weddings of 3 of our daughters who were married within a 9 month period of time! So I will continue to enjoy your adventures and am so grateful that I’m on your list. Happy trails, Marie
From: Wandering Spirit To: paularnoldac@yahoo.com Sent: Thursday, December 24, 2015 8:42 AM Subject: [New post] Thoughts And Plans #yiv9590976904 a:hover {color:red;}#yiv9590976904 a {text-decoration:none;color:#0088cc;}#yiv9590976904 a.yiv9590976904primaryactionlink:link, #yiv9590976904 a.yiv9590976904primaryactionlink:visited {background-color:#2585B2;color:#fff;}#yiv9590976904 a.yiv9590976904primaryactionlink:hover, #yiv9590976904 a.yiv9590976904primaryactionlink:active {background-color:#11729E;color:#fff;}#yiv9590976904 WordPress.com | onewanderingspirit posted: “The Sound Of Silence. Simon and Garfunkle (1965?)There is a lot of the sound of silence out here, 25 miles beyond Gila Bend, and I’m thoroughly enjoying it.This quiet, peaceful time is allowing me to think over this past year. It’s been excellent in” | |
Hi Marie, Merry Christmas, and I’m so glad you are here riding along.
Wow, three weddings in nine months, now THAT takes courage! I can’t even imagine.
Well I can tell you I am totally enjoying this lifestyle! I love having wheels and following whims. Well,whims within reason. 😏
Hey Marie, you could still go sleep in the back yard for one night you know. (Not now, wait till it gets warm!😀)
It made me smile that you’re getting together with Laura and Joel! And RVing no less. I’m sure you’ll have a ball!
I hope I wrote you when your mom died, because I kinda don’t remember it, so if I didn’t, I somehow missed that news and I’m oh so sorry. Mine died when she was 62 and it was the hardest thing I’ve ever been thru, but also freeing in a very odd way later.
Best wishes for a great 2016, belated Merry Christmas and all that:-) XO!
I’m so looking forward to Laura and Joel’s arrival. 😀, which will be this afternoon.
Thanks so much, about my mom. She was 90 when she passed away, but my dad was 61. I was at the cemetery yesterday. Yikes. Even that was hard.
Enjoy the Stones…and everything else….in 2016!