Tucson to Camp Verde, AZ and back - Visit with Cathy Peterson in paradise 9/15 - 9/21/2020

Sunday and Monday unloaded trailer, rested, and went out for Mexican dinner.  In Tucson, have to eat Mexican food.  Tuesday, up early for 3 1/2 hour drive North to Camp Verde to see my dear friend Cathy and her son, Jake.  Seemed like a long drive, up/down hill, lots of mountain curves so I was glad when I arrived.   Cathy gave me the tour of the homestead.  I loved her home.  It felt so peaceful and every window had a pretty view of her yard.  She and Jake have worked hard planting veggies and fruit trees - making it their Garden of Eden.  Jake created a nice pond with a waterfall that has a nice sound as it runs over the rocks.  Lots of porches and cool areas to hang out.  A real zen feel to the place and I'm glad I got up for a visit.  I feel they found the perfect home for their retreat.

Mango margarita and snacks - a hit.

Structured water, original source from Oak Creek Canyon.  Jake gave 

me a gallon of this good water to take with me.

Jake, in the kitchen, showing the orgonite that he makes.  The one he's 

holding he gave to me to take home.  So pretty and said to help a person's energy.

Living room, lovely views from all rooms.

Feels so peaceful there.

Table out on the patio.  We had chips, guac &

salsa with margaritas when I arrived.  Nice.

Jake made this pond, trickles and is peaceful.

Another patio!!!  Nice here and great shade.

Hot tub, we went in the first night.  Was great.

Grape vines which help to shade all their patios.

Jake working on the water system where he

magnetizes the water with strong magnets.

One of many raised veggie beds.  They are learning

about gardening in AZ which is not easy with

the intense sun.  What needs shade?  What doesn't?

Cathy's room.  The light and view outside is so beautiful.

Cathy's bathroom.  Huge tub.

Vine covered entry.

The original van from when they took off 

for awhile when Cathy first retired.

Cathy made a wonderful dinner of steak, baked potato and stuffed mushroom.  Reminded me of what a great cook she is.  We had a little special treat and then went into her hot tub for a good visit and soak.  For munchie snack later we had huckleberry ice cream that tasted extra good.

Up Wednesday for a trip to Sedona, an inspiring place.  We had breakfast at the Coffee Pot restaurant that is directly under the Coffee Pot rock formation.  My omelet (they offer 101 types) was just what I wanted and it tasted perfect.  After that we were going to take a little one mile hike in Fay Canyon..  Well, a mile and then back in the heat was too much so we turned around at the half way point.  We were going to walk before breakfast when it would have been cooler, but we were too hungry.

Montezuma's Castle.  Well-preserved dwellings located in Camp Verde, Arizona, built and used by

the Sinagua people, a pre-Columbian culture closely related to the Hohokam and other indigenous peoples of the southwestern United States, between approximately 1100 and 1425 AD.

This was SO hard to resist.  A real beauty since

I'm a coffee pot collector (was!!!)

Cathy took me to her favorite nursery.  They had some great plants for the 

region and it was fun.

Nice, nice store  Clothing made from natural

fibers, some cool hats.  Very talented owner.  Not

in my price range or even near it.

We enjoyed the Hippie Emporium.

Several wine tasting rooms in town.  I 

did not pick the right one unfortunately.

We drove around a bit and then went to visit the wonderful store, Silver Son West Gallery  Filled to the brim with fabulous artworks, Mexican and Southwest flavor.  They have the coolest stuff.  I'm doing my best on this trip to not buy "stuff", but looking was fun.  With my home being totally full I am trying hard not to accumulate more and just enjoy looking.  It is not easy, but I do feel proud when I come out of especially great stores empty handed.

Cathy took me to see Montezuma's Castle Monument.  Thursday Cathy took me to the historic area of Cottonwood.  John and I spent two night there several years ago when we visited Sedona.  We stayed there and made day trips into Sedona since it was so expensive to stay there.  We went into some really fun stores.  The Hippie Emporium was great and brought back many memories.  I bought a bumper sticker that said "Peace is Possible".  Then we decided to do a wine tasting flight that we did share since Cathy was driving and those flights can be potent.  Nothing to write home about, but we enjoyed it nonetheless.

Next, met a fun man in his clock store.  He told us if he had $1,000 for every time someone said "I remember our old cuckoo clock and don't know what happened to it" that he would be a rich man.  The three of us were all originally from No. California so we must have talked for a half an hour.  It was a fun visit.

Hungry at this point I treated Cathy to Mexican lunch.  Oh my gosh, we found the best place and I don't think I have had a shredded beef burrito that good in 25 years. 

Tired out, we headed home and Cathy got cleaned up to go for a job interview for private nursing for a baby.  I drove her over there and sat in the car, temperature around 95 degrees, for about two hours waiting for her to finish.  Took a little nap just in the front seat.  A lady pushing a stroller with a baby came by and asked if I was OK.  I said yes, fine, just waiting for my friend.  I was parked in the middle to two house at the curb so as not to be right in front of someone's house.  That same lady walked by a little later and we visited a couple a minutes.  Then the homeowner who lived in the house at the front of my car came home from work I suppose.  She just looked over a minute and then went in the house.  About 20 minutes later her husband drove into the drive way and glanced over - not wanting to seem like he was interested.  So I'm sitting there and I see this Sheriff car come up the hill, pass me and then it pulls in back of me.  One of the officers gets out on the driver's side and cautiously approaches me.  He says, "Hi, are you all right?"  I said, "Yes, I'm fine, I'm waiting for my friend" and explained that Cathy was at that house over there and with HIPPA laws I could not be up there to know anything about any medical care for family.  Then the other officer came over to my right window and said hi.  I could not believe it when he said, "Do you have a place to sleep?"  I wanted to just start cracking up, but I just calmly said yes I do, I'm staying with my friend in Camp Verde, she's up there at that house for a job interview and I'm waiting for her.  He looked in the back of my car (which was a mess and had my curtains and sleeping bag visible).  But I guess I was able to defend my presence and I was very surprised that they did not even ask me for my ID.  I suppose I was a bit suspicious with Florida plates, but they must have known I wasn't a bag lady since I was in a brand new car.  So anyway, it was very funny to me as that's the first time I've ever been stopped by the police.  I guess in a way it was nice because I supposed I could have been a person who did need help in that heat.  Just an interesting, and to me, funny situation. 

Oh no, they're coming to take me away.

(not my photo, I would have been crazy to ask for their picture).

Up Friday for my drive back to Tucson.  Got to Mike and Cheryl's house and we went with lots of folks for Mexican food and then for a memorial birthday celebration at the accident site for Cheryl's son-in-law, Nick, who was killed in a motorcycle accident in  February.  It was a nice way to remember and there was an amazing turn out of friends and family.

Saturday Mike and Cheryl had a small family get together.  Met some fun relatives, Eric and Mysteri, and their adorable son Oliver.   Eric brought some "ugly steaks" an Arizona thing, a copyrighted meat that is marinated, and they were so good when Mike grilled them.  Just fun eating and visiting in the evening.

Sunday.  Cheryl and I had our annual pedicure together.  Very clean and sanitary with everyone wearing masks.  Went to Kohl's and found a good sale.  Needed a bathing suit bottom and bought two little t-shirts that with sale were $2.35 each - what a bargain.  Cheryl and I had lunch and headed home.

On Monday, Cheryl took me out of Tucson to Tubac and other areas.  The State Park for Tubac was closed, but we looked around a little bit.  We will come back.  We then went to Tumacácori and saw a cool, barely restored old abobe church, one also created by Father Kino along the trail.

There were hundred of these pretty butterflies.

Mission San José de Tumacácori

founded 1691

Cemetery

Last burial here was in 1916

Fun shop full of windchimes.  I did buy one, my

first "self gift" so I'm doing pretty good.

I loved this huge steer, so funny and a clever entrance to the restaurant.

Had a lunch here at the Longhorn Grill,

Amado, AZ.  Who could resist.

So many new adventures and having a marvelous time.  Soon we will go see the leaves change up in the mountains and then I think I will head home.  This morning as I write this it is 72 degrees outside.  Oh it felt so good and refreshing.  Hope I don't head home to horrid humidity.

Left bathing suit at Cathy's, but it came in the mail

yesterday.  Got to get in this and float around.

Cool shade of the ramada, BBQ area, so nice.

Having such a wonderful time, restful, fun, fattening.  Lots of laughter.  Blessed with such warm and welcoming friends.  As I always say, I'm beyond blessed.