Hodge Podge

Pearl has always talked about her cowgirl outfit as a child. It was no surprise that she bought a leather cowgirl hat in Quartzite and promptly put her artistic skills with jewelry to work in adding a band for it. Of course when we stayed in Benson AZ one of our trips was to Tombstone, not just to see the old west buildings, the OK Corral, and to ride the stagecoach but to check out the western wear. She headed right for the boots and moccasins. She looked at boots, leather cowgirl skirts, remembered she already had a leather vest and ended up buying a pair of moccasins. She even checked out the stick horses but passed on those also. Probably a gun and holster is next.

We are always on the lookout for animals. I’ve already mentioned that we got to see a bobcat trot by our motorhome in Quartzite. At the Imperial Dam LTVA near Yuma we got to see a wild burro and its foal a short distance from our campsite. Just a couple of days ago coming to Fort Davis TX we had four javelinas cross the road in front of us. I’ve seen a couple of coyotes and we hear them frequently at night.

We’ve seen some desert tortoise holes and kept our eyes open for rattlesnakes but until recently we’ve been told its too early—not warm enough for them to be up and about. I’ve spent lots of time hiking through the desert, rarely on a trail and the only creatures I’ve seen were a garter snake and some small lizards.

Nick Pavlopoulos with me in Tucson AZ

We’ve linked up with a couple more students. We met Nick Pavlopoulos at Chile’s in Tucson. Nick was a student of mine when I was teaching at NorthStar Academy. I spent five years teaching chemistry and physics over the Internet. I have had many fine students during my teaching career. In every way Nick was one of the finest with the student quickly surpassing the knowledge of his teacher. He is currently working towards a PhD in nanochemistry at the University of Arizona in Tucson.. It was fun to see his growing teaching skills as he reversed roles to become the teacher and successfully explained to his teacher turned student the nature of his research. Of course it had to be kept simple for us.

Elmer, Mike Harner, Pearl

Mike Harner had contacted us many weeks ago saying that if we were going to be in the Tombstone area to be sure to look him up. Mike was one of the students at International Christian Academy of Cote d’Ivoire when we were there. He served several years in the U.S. Army and is now a civilian consultant teaching computer skills to military personnel at Fort Hoachuca near Sierra Vista AZ. He and his wife Kylie invited us to their home for a delicious steak dinner. Fun to spend time with them, renewing friendship with Mike and getting to know Kylie (sp?) and their two year old son, Shawn (sp?).

In less than two weeks we will be in Houston TX reconnecting with Jim and Ora Lee Kirkham, staff members with us many years ago at Dalat School in Malaysia. We are expecting that we will be able to see other friends there as well.

Can you ever see too many desert sunsets?