Volunteering and Day Tripping

This amazing sunrise photo was taken from my sister's front yard. The sunlight hitting the cloud swirls makes it odd and interesting.









We were leaving early to volunteer as Master Gardeners at the annual Citrus Clinic held a few miles away. This is our third year volunteering. Last year was supposed to be the last year for the University of Arizona citrus grove, which sits on leased land. However, with the downturn of the economy, plans were changed by developer and the land was leased back to the university. The citrus farm will be around for a while longer!

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Then, last weekend we took our favorite back road to Prescott. We stopped in Yarnell to look in this unique gift shop- full of unusual wood, cactus, gourds, etc...just looking.

Then on to Peeples Valley. The town is 4,800 feet high, and this year round climate is perfect for the cattle and horse ranches, giant cottonwood, pinion pines and black walnut trees that are scattered throughout the area. Population is around 400.

In 1952 my father wanted to move to this area to grow a new experimental grass that the University of Arizona Extension Service was trying out. But, my Mother refused to move, vowing her children were not going to be educated in a one room school house! Instead we stayed in a slightly bigger town (maybe 1000 residents at the time). Tragically, two years later my Mother, a brother and a sister perished in a house fire. I've always wondered, what if ..., but that's an exercise in futility.

I think I would have liked going to that little school!