The Jeep Saga

I know this isn't entirely about nature, but it definitely affects my plans for the summer!  I haven't written anything for a while because I've been busy and sleepy and looking for a way to work for the past two weeks.  I went to Ken's Lake for a walk--it's one mile around the lake and it's beautiful and relaxing and I watched Canada geese swimming around.  I was on my way home, turning left at an intersection when my Jeep stalled.  I got it started after several tries, long enough to pull out of the intersection, and called a tow truck.  The shop had the Jeep for three days before they called me saying I needed a new engine.  I called the Jeep dealership in Grand Junction.  They said they would do it for $7,000.  I replied that I would not be doing that.  Luckily my brother-in-law is a mechanic and is going to look at it sometime in the future (months probably).

If I'd worked in town it wouldn't have been much of a problem.  I work 35 miles outside of town!  I borrowed a friend's car on Saturday, my old roommate drove me to the park on Sunday morning, my boyfriend picked me up Sunday evening.  Monday and Tuesday I rode to work with a co-worker in the water truck.  A friend of a friend drove me to Price on Wednesday, I met my sister and she drove me to Vernal so I could borrow my mom's car.  I had my mom's car all last week to get to work and back while I was researching and looking online for vehicles.  A friend and I drove to Grand Junction Thursday.  I found a good car--a Toyota Corolla--13,000 miles on it and 2007.  More than I'd planned to spend but I think it will be worth it.  It does get great gas mileage!  Since I drive 70 miles a day for work, it's a good thing.

So I will miss my Jeep, it's served me well and has over 150,00 miles on it.  I'm going to have to remember to be nice to my car and not take it on too many dirt roads!  Most places I'd planned to visit this summer around Moab I can visit by mountain bike or hiking so it's only a slight change of plans!

A Great Reminder

A footprint on a wall in a ruin on Cedar Mesa.

The Canyon we found it in.

I was busy at first aid training today and went for a walk tonight, but not really hiking, just wandering around the neighborhoods in Moab.  Said hello to some old friends and wandered some more.  I wanted to post something, but didn't have anything specific on my mind.  I found these pictures as I was browsing on my computer (Yes, I took these ones!).  Andrew and I found this ruin on Cedar Mesa.  I looked inside one ruin and found this footprint on a wall.  It made me think of a little kid lying on the ground when the mud was fresh and, placing his (or her) foot into the mud, leaving his (or her) mark on the dwelling.  It was another cool reminder that these ruins and rock art were made by people just like us.  There are several rock art depictions of pregnant women, and near Moab there is a panel of a woman giving birth (or that's the interpretation anyway).  Giving birth in the desert, not in a hospital, in the heat or cold, having ceremonies for that baby and taking care of it--babies back then had the same needs as babies do now!  I just think it's fascinating to think about.

I'm hiking tomorrow so maybe I'll have something more interesting to post but I wanted to share this thought.

Immature Bald Eagle

Yesterday as I was headed to Grand Junction to do some shopping, I saw an immature bald eagle circling above the river looking for fish.  I was on a windy, curvy section of the River Road (Highway 128) but no one was coming behind me so I stopped for a second to watch it.  It was huge!  ...and I was so excited I got goosebumps!  I reached for my phone to share it with someone....anyone....but there's no service on that road and I had to get going.

I did not take this picture, it's from a google image search...sorry!

In Grand Junction, Jennie and I went to the botanical gardens and then walked with her kids to the riverbank and took a short break.  Then we shopped for a while and I headed home.

My last really cool bird sighting was a peregrine falcon (2 times now!) out near the park boundary.  It was flying a little low, looking for rodents.

I'm so happy the snow's almost all gone!!!!

Sewing Projects

These are a few of the things I've made since I dusted off my sewing machine a month ago.  I'm working on a set of pajamas, and these are two pincushions I made for other people.  The pink one is mine...one of the first, as you can tell!

This one is mine, stuffed with cotton balls, because that's all I could think of at the time.

This is one I made my step-mom for her birthday.

This I made from fabric harvested from an old state park uniform shirt.  My friend volunteered at the park, cleaning out the very nasty uniform closet.  She threw away bags and bags of un-useable uniforms, kept the nicer ones for the seasonals and cut the rest into cleaning rags.  I made her this to commemorate her time in the uniform closet....by the way, I didn't know how to piece fabric together, so the first two attempts ended up in mangled pieces of fabric I don't want anyone to ever see!

These are my pajamas BEFORE I took them in a few inches.  Cut the pattern out a little too big...but by the time they're finished I should be able to wear them!

I will post pictures soon!

I have pictures of Phoenix but haven't posted them yet.  Hopefully next month I will have more, but this time of wildflowers.  It's still cold and snowy here (no snow in Moab, just a lot on the mesa!) and the campground snowman is halfway melted but still standing.

Phoenix was rainy the first day.  It actually stormed on us but the next few days were great.  We went to White Tanks to hike to the waterfall, and then spent some time poking around the desert exploring cactus.  Norm (stepdad) brushed up against a couple cholla...his arm survived but his shoe was another story.  I wonder if they even got all the spines out.  My stepmom tried to take the spines out, got them stuck in her hand.  I took them out of her hand and threw them on the side of the trail.

Anyway I will hopefully post pictures tonight or tomorrow!

I am thinking of goals for the spring (not getting too far yet!) and here are a few: 

• finish sewing my pajamas
• start the canvas bag pattern I bought (and spent $20 on fabric for)
• make some quilted coasters from a really cool design
• find the articles on potholes I've been looking for
• find my application for substitute teaching
• be prepared for my after school club
• get out a LOT more and see more of Moab!

A few areas I'm ashamed I've not been to yet are: Klondike Bluffs, Salt Valley Road, Murphy Trail and Lathrop Trail (Canyonlands), Druid Arch, Amasa Back, Hurrah Pass, Hell Roaring Canyon and hiking the Slickrock Bike Trail.  I've decided that for my sanity I need to camp more and hike more, and get out here more in general, even if it's hot (don't worry, I drink lots of water!).  There are more areas I need to get to but I'll save those for later!  I'm SO ready for spring, (even though I know winter is important!).