A picture is worth a thousand words… our Logo at ‘The Oasis’, trying to achieve the balance.

This is the first day as I hope of many to come that will see fall and winter go by and soon spring pushing us north again as it does every year, following the good weather. I know, as it always does, so much will happen hoping for some growth within myself for this path taken as often as it has been kind. Actually this is the second day here on ‘The Oasis", and as I was trying to write yesterday the words would just not come out as silent static prevailed throughout my thoughts. I think maybe all is too perfect here and I am trying to find one word which would describe the moment… I don’t think it exists! "Its all good…" as Lance would always say, I think this is what he truly meant, I think all this time this is what he wished for me and as his Birthday is coming up in a few days, as generous and kind he has always been, this has been his Gift, its physical aspect of it as now alone in my latter years all I can give him is my Love and affection through my thoughts and dedicate these words, these ongoing chapters to his Memory.

Our "first" Sunset… and how I stay in touch!

Being here scares me a bit, it is the most unencumbered space I have ever been in these past two years. It is a space where I already feel my mind expanding allowing my thoughts and my feelings float freely with no hold or boundaries, only myself trying to set parameters as to not sink in within this multicolor path. I want to remain within a healthy mind and not let the obscure thoughts and feelings take over the nights and days filled with such beauty, such generous landscape Mother Nature is providing me with.

Even "White Elephant" was glowing… "Tioga" commercial maybe? or "Hughes.net"?

"The road has been a healing place for you and I hope the land will open new areas of your soul and mind. Stillness has a different call than movement, both can reveal and hide what you truly need. Lean into what the stillness offers you." as I quote Louise’s words who so often enlightens my days with her words of wisdom, one reader amongst many that have open up their own spirituality toward me. As I also quote my Friend Kathy from Alpine, who put up with us for a week on her front yard… "The Oasis is already having a positive affect on your life! There will be more inner reflection to come as the noise of "the world" ceases to interfere. It’s always a good feeling to take the "high road." I am surrounded by such incredible people, such true Friends, "true" as it is of no importance if we have met or not.

And the next morning our first "Sunrise" as I quote "Tom Robbins" ‘Like a neon fox tongue lapping up the powdered bones of space chickens, the rising sun licked away at the light snow that had fallen during the night’. It is a "winter quote"… but I like it now! Yes, we will put up with that day in and day out. Also the most amazing time is the night sky as I know I have never seen so many stars blanketing our camp. The Milky Way has been right above us in an indescribable fashion. I finally caught the glimpse of a couple neighbors lights, bright as stars themselves a few miles away, unseen during the day, east and west, they have not interfered with the show given us throughout the night’s total darkness.

"White Elephant" is a 1999 23′ B Tioga RV, the smallest RV they make. It will stay on "The Oasis" as of now, maybe stored in Alpine for the summer, except if I am ever lucky enough to be hired as a Personal Chef, hopefully once a week if possible as in Marfa or other towns around here. It will be then our transportation and motel room for as long as it takes to finish the job. Probably 2 to 3 nights. "B" stands for the kitchen being in the rear in lieux of a bed taking up some valuable space as I sleep over the cab as I did years ago on a bunk in a sailboat. It does have all the comforts one might desire for the winter months, including some solar power which I will elaborate another time, a Honda 2KW and Onan 4KW generators as back up and even a small 600amp power pack that would give me a couple hours or so of power if all else fails. As I decided to cook more often, a "frittata" with tortillas was the morning breakfast yesterday… and lunch! Nothing like mixing Mexican and Italian cuisine.

I don’t watch television so the big screen is used as a laptop monitor or for DVDs which I can now rent since I have an address. The heater is a catalytic heater and does not use any power… having to make sure a window is always open for air. Spirit of course loves it! As long as I don’t disturb him after 9pm and before 9am he seems to be content! Do I like it? Now that is it is here… yes! My preference is and always will be as far as I know traveling with Old Faithful and Spirit, sleeping in a tent… simplicity and the ability to camp anywhere for the night, a narrow back road, behind a large tree… a valley or a peak!

We finally took off for Big Bend Park in the afternoon and again, as it never fails regardless how many times we have set foot on that soil, a calm feeling of time standing still came upon me as a smile and well being emerged to stay and keep me company. The Park is pretty much empty of visitors as it is to begin with the least visited Park in the country. Sotol Look Out being my favorite space in the Park was our first stop.

The skies are light, the haze is very dense, the sun is bright but the temperatures are perfect. I think for a change I planned to be here just the right time of the year. A little harsh on the daytime photos, but there is always a great sunset awaiting us here, I call it the "Texas Sunset" with colors unlike any others.

It was a fine time, a fine ride as we end up at the road closure since the heavy rains. I did not mind at all coming back the same way instead of a loop through Maverick Rd. I’ll take any of those roads anytime. We met up with another traveler, Jessie and her dog Mazie, an artist from Chicago traveling around the country videotaping trench digging as an Art form (?). I will be looking at her web site when she sends it to me as the thoughts on that are still a bit obscure. Are yours? We arrived back in the dark, I love the bread crumb trail on my GPS only for that reason to take me where I started, and the two red reflectors I had just installed in the ground marking the entrance of the Estate!!!

Today we are here… enjoying and living the moment, a bit amazed how the day can escape as suddenly it seems to be time for another Sunset!

Two years of Photography is finally in order on SmugMug… In "Your Favorites", in "States", some labeled "first year" and second year", now also "Texas the third year". Feel free to browse, you can even use the slide show mode and have fun.

Merchandise is also available through SmugMug. If you like to order a print all sizes are available as I store the originals myself considering the huge bandwidth needed to upload on the Gallery.

Help us keep the site alive. Please contribute…

Be well, always. Ara & Spirit

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 1st, 2008 at 3:03 pm and is filed under travel, spirituality, pit bull, sidecar, motorcycle, cooking, photography, riding, homeless. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.