Birding in Patagonia….Arizona

Posted on March 3, 2015 by JanetA

Have you ever been to Patagonia??? Arizona??? I just returned from a week in southern Arizona visiting my friend Cat. Remember her…she was biking across the United States with her two dogs. She got as far as east of Tucson and had to change her goals once again.

Cat’s home

Cat’s doctors informed her that the “Bike across America” would need to go on an indefinite hold. She was without a home and wasn’t sure what to do. Cat fell in love with my small Roadtrek RV. Thinking that an RV would give her a home anywhere she wanted to be…she bought a 5th wheel (much bigger than mine) and moved in.

For the foreseeable future Cat is making Patagonia home. I decided that seeing her new RV was worth the drive and the visit. It was a great re-connection. When I arrived Dory the dog, came running out and up to the door of my RV and waited for it to magically open. She really likes me and my home on wheels. You might remember a previous post where I met up with Cat and the pups in Yuma.

What a fun 5 days that was. I have learned that people go to Patagonia to bird watch. I mean these are serious birders, folks. For a 5 day stretch I became a birder too, and, it was fun. There are a lot of birds there, of all kinds. We hiked the Nature Conservancy Reserve with binoculars in hand. We went back to the Paton House, managed by the Audubon Society three times while I was there. For five days my binoculars were around my neck and my camera was close at hand.It was so relaxing and fun.

Violet Crowned Humming Bird

Gambles Quail

Yellow Rumped Warbler

When I was young I was in the 4-H. One of my projects was bird watching. I remember it as a time when I had a close connection to my mom, as she helped me with this project. I have never lost the interest in wild life. I have found that since Jim’s death, I have become interested in birds again. There is something soothing about watching birds. And…they are such pretty colors. Being outside also is another bonus for me. It is a challenge to photograph them.

Cat & Janet at Paton’s

Spending time with Cat was also special. She and I mutually inspire each other. Our friendship is new so we are still learning about each other. I love our conversations. They are so easy and natural. Her sense of adventure exceeds mine, although I could be right behind her. She is an example of taking one day, one hour, one minute at a time and never, ever giving up. This is a reminder to me as I age, gracefully, I hope, to be willing to accept the changes that occur in life and if need be, change course. I don’t need to stop just change course.

Friendships are important. Each one is of such great value to me. I would have been very alone without my friends to support me and helping me to keep looking forward. Mostly I am happy they are more than willing to come along with me and have fun and explore our world. Each trip I take reminds me again of the value of good friends. And…I am thankful.

Cat & Janet

For those of you who are reading my blog you will notice something new. On the left side bar is now a button that says Go Fund Me. This is something new I have started at the suggestion of friends to help raise money for the Jim Fenningham Memorial Scholarship. This is a scholarship honoring my husband’s dedication to education. It is a quick and easy way to donate anything from $1 on up.

A Correction

Posted on February 20, 2015 by JanetA

Hi, just a very brief note. It appears that the link to the article on the post “Who Knew???” was incorrect. I have corrected it and it appears to be working.

Here is the link again: Driving Through Grief

Who Knew???

Posted on February 19, 2015 by JanetA

Approximately two weeks ago I was interviewed by Caitlin Kiernan for Yahoo Travel. At first I was going to be included in a larger article about RV’ing. Then her boss and she decided that my journey in my cute and new little RV that started this blog would be good as a feature article.

She interviewed me and some of the people I met along my travels and soon the article was finished. It appeared in this weeks Yahoo Travel on the web. It was a good article and I felt that she had done a good job. And I thought it was done.

Oh my goodness, the past few days have been amazing. I have recieved e-mails from people commenting on the article and their own personal journeys. Several people are now following this blog.

I am overwhelmed. So what did I do? I left town. When all else fails, run away (sic). I am now in Patagonia, Arizona visiting a friend and taking time out to digest what happened with this article. I am also going bird watching and hiking and generally enjoying my time out.

I started this blog as a way to keep friends and fellow adventureers up to date with where I was as I moved across the country. Very quickly it became something more. All any of us can do is help each other out. I hope that through these posts that maybe just maybe it can touch someone else’s life and help make their struggle just a wee bit easier and if not at least it is a good read. These posts have certainly helped me become clearer about life and my own personal journey.

I have continued to post because people did not want me to stop. My own journey is not over yet. Each time that I go somewhere whether it is for a day or a week or much longer it is part of my own personal journey of healing and wholeness.

So welcome aboard all of you who decided to start following my blog. Welcome to those who have been following this blog since it’s inception. I am honored and grateful for each of your visible or invisible presence in my life. Let the journey continue.

Here is a link to the article in Yahoo travel. Driving Through Grief

Hope Changes Everything

Posted on February 5, 2015 by JanetA

Wow, January has been a busy month. Besides work, hiking, home repairs and improvements I have also had my friends from Chicago and Florida visiting. And it has been fun.

Helen

Helen arrived early in January. It was so good to see her and spend some time with her. Our lives have intertwined for many years. About 3 weeks after Jim died Helen came to town for a week. Friends are amazing in knowing just what you need. At that point her visit was just what I needed. This January, once again, her visit was just what I needed.

HOPE

One of our discussions struck a chord with me and I have been pondering this since her visit.

Hope can be defined as a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen. Or, to want something to happen or be the case.

Hope is something we all need. It is part of our every day lives, even though we don’t specifically address it. Sometimes it helps me get up in the morning. Sometimes it helps me to go to bed at night. Hope is a part of my everyday life. Often it surfaces and I don’t even know it is there.

Helen’s mom is in her late 80’s. MJ is not able to live at home and has not lived there for many years. Until this year they have been able to keep MJ’s home. Early on they would take her to visit and she would travel from room to room and review her treasured collections. That house I believe, represented hope for MJ. It may have given her daughter hope as well. No one knows what the outcome of any single event in our lives will be. Hope lets us know there are options.

Jim on Our Property

Spring on my property

When Jim was diagnosed with the metastasis of his cancer the first thing he said to me was “Let’s sell the land in Colorado” (We have 45 acres of bare land and we were planning to build and move there). I told him no,I did not think we should worry about that and if it became necessary I could take care of it later. I am glad I told him this. I believe that the land symbolized hope for a positive outcome. Although that did not happen, I recognize now how important it was for both of us to hold on to that property and know there was more than one possibility there.

Now hope helps me see the future. Hope I believe is part of the grieving process. When the days are not so shiny and positive hope helps me get through those moments, knowing that the next moment, hour or day may shine a little brighter. My friends and even strangers also help me hold hope in my heart. It is because of the love and support and caring of others that I am able to lift myself back up out of those darker places and move forward with my life and know there are unknown possibilities ahead for me to explore.

My days have been much brighter since about a week or so before Christmas. Hope helps me to see a future with possibilities. It helps me to grow and expand. When I am feeling sad or low hope certainly can help me remember to call someone or take a walk and get myself going again. Hope also helps me see beyond undefined fear that has become more prevalent since Jim’s death. Hope pushes aside fear and I am glad that hope is the stronger of the two emotions.

Hope is always part of my adventure into life. It has been since I was young and it will be until I am too old to move any more. But you know, even then the face of hope just changes. It will be always a part of my life.

How does hope affect you? I would love to have my readers share this with me.

Friendship

Posted on January 7, 2015 by JanetA

Janet & Helen

Oooh, I am so excited. My friend Helen is coming this afternoon. She lives in Chicago but is doing a brief visit to San Diego to see me. One night does not seem very long but I will take what I can get.

Right after Jim died, Helen arrived in town for a week. She moved in and helped divert me from everything that was going on. We walked the beaches, had lunch and breakfast out and we took Jim’s ashes to some of his favorite places in San Diego. This was done subtly, it looked like we were carrying a big cloth bag. It was fun and helped ease the transition, just a little. I don’t know if Jim appreciated it but I certainly did. Helen is a good and forever friend.

Melissa & Janet

Later this month two more of my friends, Melissa and Dan arrive for a long weekend. I am looking forward to seeing them. Melissa, Helen and I used to hike together. We were the threesome. Now we live far apart and yet we still remain good friends and confidants.

In anticipation of these visits I have been thinking about friendship. There are all types of friendships. Some last a short time, maybe even one encounter and others will stand the proverbial test of time. I am thankful for both types of friendships. These intimate encounters support me and help make me more fully human. It has been very helpful over the past two plus years to have people who have willingly supported me unconditionally.

Each of my friends brings something unique to the table; art, scrabble, hikes, walks, movies, dinner and much more. With all this activity there are also moments where we talk in depth. All aspects of friendship help me learn and grow. I also appreciate those who make me stay real.

Some friendships are limited and others expand and each of us grows individually. These two women who are visiting this month are certainly in the later category. I am thankful for each of these friendships. I am thankful for each person that enters my world no matter the length of time they are there.

Today I am thankful for Helen. Anxiously awaiting her arrival. Boy do we have a lot to talk about.

Special Moments of the Holidays

Posted on January 2, 2015 by JanetA

I always tell myself that the holidays are just going to go by. However, it always seems that special moments creep in when I least expect them. It makes me realize that this doesn’t always happen on the holiday yet I tend to notice it more when it happens around the “Season of Giving”. I have to immediately ask what does that mean? Shouldn’t giving always be a part of my life? OK, enough of that back to the subject at hand, the surprise events that made my holidays a bit more special.

Bluebirds

I know most of us have heard of the Bluebird of Happiness. This year I received my bluebird of happiness. I follow several wildlife photographers on facebook. Becca Wood is a wildlife photographer from Montana. She does incredibly beautiful wildlife photography. During the month of December she had a series of contests to win calendars, and prints. I entered everyone and never won a thing. This is quite the norm for me. I commented every time I lost another contest, in light-hearted jest. One morning a few weeks before Christmas I found an envelope sitting against my garage door. When I opened it there was my Bluebirds of Happiness. I was moved close to tears that Becca not only sent it to me but that she understood how much I love this print. A gift from a stranger touched me so deeply. I proudly display this photo on my wall. I also ordered her bluebird calendar which I also love.

If you want to explore Becca’s work more click here>B Wood Photography.

Last Tuesday I had dinner with good friends. Henry and Barbara ran with Jim every Saturday for years. I am very honored and pleased to be friends with them now. They are both very delightful, caring and kind people. For some time now Henry has been holding onto a plaque that he had made in memory of Jim. The original plan was to have it permanently placed at Pacific Beach where they all ran together. You know what happens when you attempt to get the city officials involved with this minor project?, a political mess. They wanted $3000 just to have plans drawn up. What? The runners decided to see if they could find a secluded place at the beach to put this. It was decided, and wisely so, not to do this. It would most likely have been taken. Now I have this lovely plaque and we are still trying to decide what to do with it. Any ideas?

This wonderful act by his friends has touched me deeply. When I saw the plaque on Tuesday all I could do was gently caress it. It wasn’t just because it reminded me of Jim. I felt so overwhelmed with gratitude to these two very special people. It makes me happy deep down inside to know others will always remember him. And what a touching act the making of this plaque was to me, to Jim’s family, to all his friends and to the universe.

Now I want your suggestions. Please don’t hesitate if you can come up with a unique or not so unique idea for this natural plaque.

And…thank you Henry and Barbara for this thought, this act, this kindness. I am so glad we are friends.

There have been other touching moments during this past three weeks. How special these moments are. It reminds me that I want to pay more attention as the new year starts. I have decided that my “Season of Giving” will be all year long. What about yours?

Happy New Year everyone.

Happy New Year.

To the Center of the World and Back Again

Posted on December 24, 2014 by JanetA

Last week my friend, Leslie, from Alaska came to visit. It has been quite some time since I have seen her and we had a great week together. Lots of walking and talking and catching up.

There is a trend happening with my visitors now. They come to visit and the next thing I know we are off in my cute little Roadtrek (RV) and traveling and camping. I bet you guessed it, Leslie and I took a couple of days and headed east of San Diego for a mini-adventure.

Church on the Hill, Felicity

I know that I mentioned the town of Felicity, CA in a previous post. On the north side of interstate 8 approximately 10 miles west of Yuma, AZ sits a small church on a man-made hill. I have noticed this church every time I have driven that section of highway. With Leslie and myself up for adventure we drove the 3 hours to the town of Felicity. It was the beginning of a fun three days in the desert.

Felicity is an unincorporated town with approximately 9 part time residents. Jacques-Andres Instal owns thousands of acres from interstate 8 north to the Chocolate Mountains. He loved this section of barren desert so he decided that he wanted to create a town and make it legally the Center of the World. In 1985 he was able to have the Imperial County set a law that Felicity is the Official Center of the World. To support this claim Instal wrote a children’s book Coe the Magic Dragon. This law was recognized by the Institut Geographic National of the Government of France in 1989. Jacques is also the mayor of his town.

There is a small bronzed plaque that stands within a 21 foot pyramid. I stood inside the pyramid on the bronze plaque and made a wish and was given a certificate declaring I had stood at the Center of the World. Leslie followed so now we can say we have been there and back.

Center of The World

Janet & Leslie at the Center of the World

Standing at the Center of the World

North of the pyramid, when completed, will be over 400 granite walls with history of the world engraved on each side. Some of them are completed now. Because Instal served in the Korean War there is also a Korean War Memorial. Another wall is dedicated to the History of the French Foreign Legion. Yes, you guessed it, Instal was also part of the French Foreign Legion. All of this history is according to the Mayor. Another wall that is not completed yet will supply the names of anyone who wants to pay $300. You too can be immortalized.

Beyond all of this is a man-made, earthquake-proof hill. They moved 150,000 tons of earth to create this hill. No town is complete without a church. On top of the hill stands a non-denominational chapel. It is very mediterranean in design and feel. People come here to get married.

Janet, Leslie and Jacques

All of this was created by Jacques. When we started to ask Felicia, Instal’s wife, questions she told us not to question just believe. At the end of our visit we met the Mayor of Felicity, Jacques Instal. He was a delightful older gentleman, maybe a bit eccentric yet he has created quite a place. And not everyone can say they have been to the Center of the World and back.

If you want to explore Felicity in more depth click on Felicity to go to the official web site. Felicity

After spending the night in a small RV park in Brawley, CA (I mean, really, who camps in Brawley)we moved on north to the Salton Sea. The Salton Sea region was part of the Gulf of California until about 4.4 million years ago. The Colorado River silt eventually blocked off the gulf and separated the region from the Pacific Ocean. The Salton Sea was created between 1905 and 1907 when the Colorado River broke through diversion canals in the irrigation system in Imperial County. It is a dead sea and is dependent on the river and rain. What is really interesting and good for bird watchers are the millions of birds that winter on this lake. Leslie and I found a great spot to watch all the activity. It was a great morning.

Photos of the Salton Sea

Hiking in the Wash

Celebrating Hanukkah

From there we moved on in to the Anza Borrego Desert, one of my favorite deserts. It is so alive. We boondocked at one of my favorite back country campsites. After a day of rain on our first day, the washes were clean and fun to hike. Leslie and I celebrated Hanukkah in my RT in the Desert. I learned a lot this week and I was honored to celebrate this event with Les.

On our last day we drove into Borrego Springs and I was able to show Leslie the Galleta Meadows Sculptures that are scattered around the town.The late Dennis Avery, owner of the Meadows envisioned the idea of adding free-standing art to his property with original steel welded sculptures created by Ricardo Breceda. These sculptures are amazing and fun to look at.

Galletta Meadows

We ended our few days in Descanso visiting friends of Leslie’s. It was a good dinner and great conversation in a beautiful adobe home in the mountains east of San Diego.

You may think that we covered some territory in three days, and we did. The nicest part was that it never felt rushed. I am frequently asked how it is to travel with someone else in my small very cute RT. It has been a good experience every time I have traveled with a friend. Usually when I am traveling with someone we have a conversation before we leave so both of us are aware of the limited space we will live in/ I enjoy other people’s company. It is a time where we can connect and talk and share each other’s lives and enjoy the beauty of nature and the unique places along the way.

Each friend, each person I meet continue to help me find my way into my new life. And…it is often fun. I am very glad that I went to the Center of the World and back.

To view all photos from this trip click below.

Center of the World

Being Kind

Posted on November 28, 2014 by JanetA

Last Sunday in yoga class, Lisa, the teacher, read a quote from a book. To paraphrase it, “Kindness is gratitude in action” I have been pondering this since then. This blog, after all, is titled “Journeys of Thankfulness”.

Not too long ago I was told about an interaction between a reporter and the Dalai Lama. She asked him for a brief reply to what was the most important thing he could tell others. His response was “Be Kind”. That was it. Nothing more, nothing less-just Be Kind.

I have been in “The Valley”, Northridge, for Thanksgiving, spending it with Jim’s family. It was a good holiday. Now I am on my way home on the train. While I was waiting for the train I all of a sudden needed a bathroom, badly. I went in and out of several places and was told no bathroom. Then I went into a laundromat and the bathroom required a quarter which I did not have. The woman who was working gave me a quarter and left. That small act of kindness meant the world to me. She didn’t hesitate, not for second. It has made me ponder Kindness again. One thing I know is that I am so grateful for that small act of kindness when I needed it most.

Does gratefulness generate kindness or does kindness generate gratitude? Hmm…I don’t know the answer to this and as I think about it, it really doesn’t matter. What seems important is the act of Kindness. It doesn’t have to be big or small it just needs to be.

That doesn’t sound so hard to do, right? Ha! I know that for me, when I get caught up in the every dayness of things, sometimes I forget to take the time to “Be Kind”. It takes a little bit of time to be kind, maybe a minute. When I am not in a rush or too wrapped up in whatever I am involved with, I do find that it feels good and right to treat others well and help where I can. Look at the jobs I have had in my life, nurse and tour manager. If I didn’t want to help people I would definitely not be in these kinds of professions. But is helping being kind? I think when it is part of your job, some days it can be hard to do more than just get by. The times I have felt most fulfilled are those day where the interaction with others was heart warming and generous. I know there have been more days where this applied than doing my job by rote.

I do thinking helping is part of the act of kindness. Being mindfully grateful is a part of kindness and that is something I do every day, even when I don’t think about it. I make the choice to spend as many moments as possible noticing what’s good about my day, my surroundings, my life, my family, my friends and myself. In the past 4 years I have been the recipient of much kindness. I am so incredibly grateful for the love and support of friends.

As this season gets started I will hold kindness close and take the time to practice mindfully being kind and mindfully being grateful.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone.

Being Kind

Posted on November 28, 2014 by JanetA

As this season gets started I will hold kindness close and take the time to practice mindfully being kind and mindfully being grateful.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone.

My RT as a Sag Wagon, Mobile Art Studio and More

Posted on November 5, 2014 by JanetA

Sometimes I have to go find adventure and sometimes adventure finds me. I have been traveling since Tuesday, September 28 in my cute little RT. My goal was to spend the weekend at Cane Ranch, owned by the Grand Canyon Trust to study watercolor with Suze Wolff, the artist in residence. Along the way I was planning to visit with friends and reacquaint myself as a solo traveler in the RV.

Felecity, Center of the Universe

First stop was in the small town of Felicity, CA. There is really not much in Felecity, except the Shell Station and a pyramid. Within the pyramid is a plaque declaring Felecity as the “Center of the World”. Hmmm…very interesting. Unfortunately this day I was not able to go there as I was on my way to meet Kat and the dogs, who are bicycle touring across the USA.

Kat & entourage in Felecity

It was hot in the desert, close to 100 degrees. The original plan was to load up the bike, the dogs and Kat and drive to Yuma. After a couple of cold bottles of water plans changed. Kat rode her bike the last 10 miles to the Welcome to Arizona sign. I became the official sag wagon of her touring. With the dogs on board I drove ahead and met her as she rode into Arizona. Yay. I got to spend the next 24 hours helping Kat with errands. It was fun. The RT continued to be the sag wagon for this adventurous friend and her dogs. In the afternoon we drove across the very hot desert together to Gila Bend. Kat continued her journey southeast and I headed north to Flagstaff. I went from the heat of the desert to the 70’s in Flag. It was so nice to be up in the pines and the fresh mountain air.

Sharon & Janet

For those of you who have been following my blog from the beginning, you might remember that the first stop on the Journeys of Thankfulness, July of 2013, was in Flagstaff to visit my friend Sharon. Remember the photo of the IV bags. She became very sick and I ended up helping her and her family in the hospital. Here is a picture of Sharon a little over a year later. Yay!!! Not only is she doing well but she has returned to her feisty self. I love stories with happy endings. I love stories of my friends with happy endings. I love my friends. I am so thankful for her recovery and that I can still hug and love my friend. We spent my one full day exploring Sunset Crater and Wupatki National Monument. Definitely a must see in the desert southwest.

Cane Ranch-owned by the Grand Canyon Trust

The impetus for this trip was a watercolor workshop that was offered by the Grand Canyon Trust at Cane Ranch. Since Jim was diagnosed with metastasis of his cancer I have stopped painting. I am not sure why. I know that this sometimes happens to people who are going through a major life change. At times of change a person’s life and preferences may shift. I did not know if this was the case with me. I decided to go to Cane Ranch to challenge myself and see if I still wanted to paint. If I decided that I did not want to paint I would just enjoy being in beautiful country.

Painting in my RT

My RT became my art studio for the watercolor weekend. I found that I painted better being away from the group of artists that had come to the ranch for the weekend. I painted looking up the canyon and it was fun. I loved being inside my RT and painting. Why was I inside my RV instead of painting outside?-forty mile per hour winds. Painting inspires my soul and that is still true. I love being challenged each time I sit in front of the canvas. Watercolor is a mystery. I never know how my paintings will turn out. That is one of the joys of this medium. It is fun to watch a painting progress to completion. I have found that it is a good teacher for me. I usually do not like my paintings when they are completed. Later I return to them and think, “hey these are not too bad”. It is good in my life to often think before acting. Even a few hours can make all the difference in decisions I make. I review the postings on this blog the same way. I save them in a draft when they are done and review them several times before I post them. I find I edit them many times. Maybe the photos change. Maybe the thoughts change. It is OK to take time in my life to ponder change.

First Painting in Progress

Final Painting Completed, Vermillion Cliffs

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