"Merry Christmas & Happy New Year"

Wishing everyone everywhere a very "Merry Christmas" from sunny Arizona!  Lots of sun here in Cottonwood, however northern AZ just received an early Christmas present of a whole lot of snow.  Elevation here in AZ. determines if it will be rain or snow.  Almost all of northern AZ. received snow above 5000'.  Elevation here is 3200'.  Happy to be here.  Be good to each other and God bless.

Red Rock Country

 

Magnificent countryside near Sedona, AZ.  Picture perfect isn't it?!  This road will take us straight to Sedona.  The red rocks of  Sedona were formed  by a layer of sandstone rock known as the Schnebly Hill Formation.  The Red Rocks form a breathtaking back drop for everything from spiritual pursuits to many, many hiking and mountain biking trails.  Can you imagine waking up to this and bright sunshine each and every day?  No wonder we love it here so much!  

Chapel of the Holy Cross

Completed in 1956 this chapel appears to rise 250 degrees out of a thousand foot red rock formation characteristic of Sedona.  The sunset strikes the chapel from the front naturally lighting the chapel in the evening.

Rock Springs, AZ

Stopped here for lunch on our way back from Phoenix.  Quite a popular little spot for a rest, some good food, and to buy something interesting if you like. Take notice of the chili peppers drying on a line in the far left back ground.  Most of the food is cooked with chili peppers in this area.  Cactus jelly as it reads on the sign has quite a unique taste.  Takes a lot of sugar to make it!  

"Arizona"

 

Arizona, New Mexico state line on I 40.  So happy to be here after 6 days of heavy traveling in a 36ft class A motor home with car in tow.  We just wanted so badly to get here from northwest Ohio.  Our daughter has been waiting for us for a long time, old man winter was biting at our heels, and the holidays are right around the corner.  I would not recommend this kind of heavy traveling if you really want to see everything along the route. 

 

The snow covered San Francisco peaks near Flagstaff to...

the desert landscape near Phoenix. 

Only 156 miles apart!  Hard to believe you can ski and swim all in the same day outside!

  We will be wintering here in Arizona and more pictures will be added from time to time.  

New Mexico and west bound I 40

Crossing the Texas/New Mexico border westbound I 40.  Not a whole lot to see in this part of the state for us, however lots of hand made jewelry made by the local Indian tribes of the area were often visible.  Miles and miles of this landscape can give you road hypnosis so we did stop near the Petrified Forest, found an isolated area all to ourselves, started the generator up and made a strong pot of coffee.  That sure did it for us and we were off and on the road again.

Some more from Texas

This picture was taken for all our family and friends back east in Ohio and Pennsylvania.  We stopped along a rest area in northern Texas and sat on some rocks just below this sign.  No concern for us knowing good and well these creatures are deep in their homes in mid November. 

Everything is BIG here in Texas!

 

Everything is big here...

and lots of it!

Some 'Cool' looking vehicles in Sayre, OK

                    Wow!  What a ride!  45' bus with no slide outs...take a guess?
                    We never seen any movement at all, will always be a mystery.

                      This is "The Cannon Lady Vehicle" by the way we understand
                      this 5' woman is shot out from the front cannon at different
                      attraction sites in the US.

Goodnight Oklahoma...

This state may be the 'Heart of the Nation' however it is in no way one of my favorites.  Miles and miles of nothing...you could see your dog after he ran away days ago!  After this picture was taken the landscape got flatter and much more of nothing.

Crossing the mighty Mississippi river on I 40 into Arkansas.  A very wide river it is.  What an awesome sight!  Pictures cannot show the magnitude of it all.

This picture is a cotton field.  I've never seen a cotton field...really different.  Cotton was collecting along the highway as well.   This picture was taken at 60mph so it did turn out a little blurry.  Arkansas has so much to offer, some swamp areas, (trees actually growing in water) flat lands, and beautiful rolling hills of many colors this time of year.

Goodbye Tennessee...Hello Arkansas

Quite an interesting picture I snapped at a rest area along I 40.  It is Nov. 12th and the roses are still blooming!  Such a beautiful area here.

Goodbye Kentucky...Hello Tennessee

 

What a beautiful State!  Lots to see and do here.  Sure wish we had more time to spend here, but old man winter is near and the upcoming holidays are soon among us.  Maybe next year when we return to the area we will spend some time in this beautiful State.

Our first night...on our way to AZ

Found this cozy little rest area along interstate 71.  Not many people out here.  Suits us just fine.  We traveled 290 miles today.  We deserve a break...life is good!

Goodbye Ohio...Hello Kentucky

We are leaving the swampy wet lands of northwest Ohio. The weather has been bone chilling damp lately.  Even though I was born and raised here...I've seen and experienced better places. 

We sure had a time putting our car on that tow dolly.  May have to make a change in the future?!                          

Crossing the Ohio river into Kentucky.

Welcome to Kentucky!  Here come the hills,  just like that!  So nice to have some beautiful landscape to gaze at once again. 

Making Apple Butter

Making apple butter over an open fire at brother Jeff's in northwest Ohio is an annual tradition in early October.  Lots of work goes into this; however all the fun is worth it and we always get to take some home!   Peeling, coring, and chopping is the beginning.  A very large copper kettle was used.  Three and a half bushels of apples and it was only half full!  Lots of sugar, cinnamon, and allspice was added as well.

A home made wooden paddle was used as a stirring stick.  About five hours later we had 88 pint jars of apple butter!  Sister in law Shelly made home made bread and later on we all enjoyed a large pot of hobo stew! 

Back to "Blahh Ohio"

Just crossed the state line from PA. to Ohio and all of that forest and beautiful landscape has seemed to disappeared.  Flat land here we come at least for a little while anyways.

PA to OH...on the road

What an experience traveling in a class A motor home through a tunnel at 55mph on a two lane highway!  Thankfully this was the only tunnel we had to pass through.  At least we know there are no tunnels on our routes heading to the southwest!  This lifestyle sure will keep us young, ha! 

Visit from Uncle Jack and Aunt Betty

Uncle Jack is part of the "Country Blend" country western band that plays a dobro guitar at the "Black Diamond Cafe" (see an older post) Aunt Betty is my husbands moms older sister. The guy in the back is my worse half...ha!  These two 82 and 85 yr olds can get in and out of our motor home just like two young kids?!  Just amazing!

Two more wedding anniversary dinners!

Good ole Aunt Betty took us out to eat at the "New Frontiers" restaurant near Loysburg PA.  Good ole home cooked meals with home made pies as well are served there.  The day after our anniversary sister Nancy took us to a huge chinese buffet in Altoona PA.  Such a thoughtful family my husband has...guess that's why we visit often.  Now it's time for dieting and walking again!? hmm?  No pics. this time...forgot the camera.

Home Made Wine?

 

Took a ride out to Greencastle PA. where brother Nelson (aka Boomy) recently bought a nice home in the beautiful rolling green hills.  He has grape vinyards and has recently been experimenting with making home made wine.  Of course we all had to taste it...a little too dry for me, but everyone else had seconds...ha!  

Anniversary Breakfast?

Celebrating our 31st wedding anniversary a little earlier than usual and also a little early in the morning at a Bob Evans restaurant in Breezewood, PA.  Brother Rodney and girlfriend had to leave to go back to Florida and wanted to take us out to eat before they left.  What a nice gesture on their part!  Had a grand time laughing at jokes throughout the entire breakfast.

As we were leaving the restaurant we noticed this old fashioned cider press (we think) sitting outside the door.  Isn't it amazing how they accomplished things back then and all the work involved in it and now days if we can't get a good signal on our computers or cell phones we just can't handle it?!

At the Black Diamond

High upon a mountain top in a very tiny town is the Black Diamond Cafe.  The name was given in honor of all the past coal mines in the area.  The cafe is only open once a week on Friday evenings.  Round and Square dancing and good ole home cooking comes naturally.  These guys called "The Country Blend" really give us all an evening to remember.  Ironically they all are related to my husband Ken, ha!

Off to the Alleghenys

Heading out to south central PA. to visit family and get some breathtaking mountain  views this beautiful time of year.  Just filled the motor home up with gas $169 at $3.53gal. and it was already half full!  They say you have to pay if you want to play, ha!  We only live once... life is short... the older you get the more it becomes reality.

This photo was taken up in the mountain behind families residence.  Fresh clean mountain air and we drink the water right out of the mountain!

 

"Wander Vision"

A new lifestyle, a motor home, a name, and a new beginning.

We will soon leave behind the buckeye state, taking our first journey to the beautiful Allegheny mountains to visit family.  Then eventually we will head out to the awesome southwest for the winter.  Our daughter and her fiance will be waiting there for us with open arms!  Grand puppy 'Harley' will sing a song as well.

We are a class 'A'  36' pace arrow vision, (where we got our name) large slide washer/dryer combo, side by side double door refrigerator/freezer.  We have tile flooring through out the entire coach which makes it much easier to clean.  The queen bedroom has been decorated in a southwestern theme and the kitchen/living room has a woodlands theme, symbolizing our future journeys from the southwest to the Allegheny Mountains.