Thanksgiving Picnic @ Castle Hot Spring

It's a wonderful day today, as what we are planning we are going picnic this Thanksgiving Day. What we've decided is going to Castle Hot Spring for a picnic, exploring in the desert and looking for some nice rocks. We know that there is a possibility for a rain showers and clouds is dark but who cares it's Thanksgiving Day anyway. We are living in Peoria so we started on the Lake Pleasant road and it's been a long time they went to Castle Hot Spring so they forgot how the road feels like. It's seems a little bumpy rocky road and road is on the dried river banks. Just enjoying our day seen couple of rainbows and a lot of stopping's for some very nice views and looking for some nice rocks. All I've observed is that they probably making the river banks as a road cause all year around is mostly dry and might having some waters only whenever it rains but you know Arizona warm all the time and bearly having rain. But if ever the river has high water they used the other road farther more on the way going to Wickenberg. It's like a long drive on a rocky bumpy road and my company keep on saying that they don't think they drove in the river banks before and they been on both ways before. Every time we are in the truck it rains and sunshine comes out everytime we reach on some interesting nice place. It's a beautiful day, a little chilly but we have our jackets with us. God is giving us a wonderful day in this Thanksgiving Day to enjoy our picnic. Castle Hot Spring is a private property now so nobody can go inside, we are just having picnic outside and viewing from outside. These place used to be popular 1800's and up to middle 1900's, very much popular that the hot spring can cure. If you want to know the story about this place check on this site:http://www.ghosttowns.com/states/az/castlehotsprings.html. http://www.myrvadventures.com/SUB/SUB4/CASTLE%20HOT%20SPRINGS.htm. Instead of going back to we're we've started back home we continued going to Morristown. The road is a little better but still in the dirt road and sign says 21 Miles only but seems we are driving for forever. The very nice part is on our way we meet a snow hail storm, within 10-20 minute. ground is covered with ice and feels like somebody's throwing tiny rocks on the roof of the truck. That was my 1st time seeing a snow shower. That was our wonderful Thanksgiving picnic and when we reach Phoenix we stopped by at the Country Buffet for dinner. Well Thanksgiving is also about eating a lot so we starts digging in again.

The Capitol Christmas Tree

This year's Capitol Christmas Tree is came form Skalkaho Montana. We just got a mail from my husband's aunt with a news paper article about the cutting of the Christmas tree for the US Capitol. She said that they didn't make it cause Uncle Bob was not feeling fine.

I been to that place like 2 times, it's very nice place a lot of pines everywhere that's why we liked to go to that place every time we're going to visit to Montana. Smelling some fresh airs and my husband and i are both nature's lover, we both like exploring the wilderness and have a picnic. Skalkaho falls along the road and runs to the the creek, clean fresh water. Very well taking cared and preserved.

This year's Capitol Christmas Tree is a 100 foot subalpine fir and only cut 75 foot just right for the Capitol. The tree well be placed in front of the Capitol were everybody will enjoy it for the coming holiday.

The pictures is around that place, they call that place the gem mountain cause it's abundant with sapphires. Last year we tried to look for our own sapphire i blog about it in here. We didn't stopped and explore around woods and creeks cause there are still some ice around and i can't find the pictures of out first trip were we took around some creeks and took some pictures of some deer also.

Sapphire at the Gem Mountain

On our visit to Montana one of the things we did this time is stopped by at the Gem Mountain looking for some sapphires. We didn't stopped on the 1st trip although we knew about it from aunt Shirley and uncle Bob and they seems not too impress about it but my husband's daughter Jessica been there and loved to go back. On that trip Jessica was with us spending the day, we stopped at Skalkaho falls for some pictures and it's nice cause there are a lot of waters this time and still had snows on the road. The Gem Mountain is more closer to Philipsburg than from the highway of Hamilton so we went to Philipsburg first for some sightseeing and lunch and to Maxville. On the way back, my husband kinda worry to went about Jessica cause she still need to work till midnight and it's almost late afternoon so he wants to be home early and Jessica had enough time to have some rest before work but... she seems to loved to go back in there so we stopped by. I am of course interested too and to try. That was our 1st time so we thought we need to pay for 3 cause we are 3 going to look for some sapphires we don't know that we can either buy 2 or 1 just for us equivalent for a bucket of dirt.That was fun though even it took us almost 3 hours to finish the buckets and my daughter is cooperating cause she's just playing and looking for some rocks around she seems having fun too. At 1st one guy demonstrating us how to do it what the sapphires looks like and wash the dirt into the water to wash the dirt from the gem and the remaining dirt will be sort out in the table. I found one little pinkish purple one but i am bragging about it to my husband so he wanted to see it and took it out from my canister and unfortunately he dropped it. Then one guy attending there saw us looking into the dirt in the ground and helped us put some of those dirt on the pan hoping to find that one my husband lost. well it's gone, couldn't find it but luckily i found a different one and even bigger and that's the biggest we found 3. It's 1.8 carat only but if you are lucky enough you can find bigger more, there are some people and they post it every week on their office and they only post and took pictures of people who found 4 plus carats. They said that there is a woman who come there often and bought 13 buckets all the time and they said that, that woman probably has a store and they heat and re shaped those sapphires and sold. That was one of the nice experience on our visit and maybe on our next visit we stops in there again.

All About My Hubby

My husband was born and raised in Montana... When we went to Montana we go to the places were my husband spend his life while he is still living there and remembering his memories by sharing it with me. We stopped by on his favorite ski park, were he went skiing every winter. Went and stopped on his primary school and high school. They lived around Hamilton and Stevensville before and most of his childhood life he had a lot of memories in Hamilton. They used to have a house in Hamilton near on his grandparents house but they sold it and moved to Stevensville but his grandparents still has it and his aunt owns it now. We drove around to the place were he 1st shoot a deer and 10 minutes after an elk that was when he was 13 yrs old. We drove around were he got his 1st ticket for over speeding. He used to be hot rodding before and he used to own a nice car, i forgot what's the model but he keep on bragging it on me cause now a days that car is expensive and he said that car is unique and hard to find but he just trade it to something cheap. Well those are the days were you don't know about something and his dad gave it to him. His swing is still there on his aunts yard now but that was his swing when he was a kid and it's still hanging in there. He spend his high school life staying on his grandparents cause he went to school near by and his parents house were in Stevensville. We also went to Philsbourg and Maxville were he always went camping and exploring on the woods. I am so glad about him, visiting those places and spending time on his families and relatives and remembering those childhood memories and to cherish it forever.

Our Trip To Montana

We just got back last Wednesday from our trip and i wasn't able to write something about it cause hahaha i am doing a lot of laundry from our trip. Yesterday is a relaxing lazy day in the house and get back to work in the afternoon.

We left Sunday on the 1st about 9:00 am, we are planning on going up on the way to Utah then Idaho then to Montana. There are lots of amazing views, rocky mountains, beautiful valleys, lakes and farm lands on the way up. We missed Grand Canyon again cause it took 30 miles from the road so might be next trip just for Grand Canyon only. We stopped at Lake Powell for some sightseeing and as we crossed the bridge is the beginning of Utah. We spend our 1st night at Nephi Utah cause we've stopped a lot for our daughter to run around for her playtime and stopped for sightseeing and some pictures too. That's not a big of a town and not good to stopped by for us, we are aiming Springville but it's already dark. There are only few choices of hotels around and that was the highest we've paid on the trip. So people if you are planning for a road trip, stopped and spend night on a bigger town were they have choices of hotels and cheaper than in a small town. We reach Salt Lake City and we can't see the lake along the highway. Very nice place and beautiful valley and farm land as we passed the city. We spend our second night on Salmon Idaho, we saw a cave house on the hills were the walls on the outside is made of woods and windows were car windshield and doors. We should drove all the way to Montana cause we are so close but my husband thinking about exploring the town in the morning. On the way we stopped on sky high ski park were my husband used to ski when we was a kid and high school life. We stopped on his aunt's house and spend the night with them. Very nice place a lot of pines around and air so fresh. We didn't went fishing as what we've plan to cause water is so high and fast current, so maybe next time. We got on his mom house Wednesday, went exploring around town. The next day we went to Philsbourg and Maxville were my husband used to go for camping and stopped on a sapphire place to look for your own sapphire. It's very interesting and i found the biggest of us 3 with my husband's daughter Jessica. It's nice spending time with them and a lot of their relatives went on their house for a get together at Saturday. Sunday we start heading down again. It's so fast vacation and hope we can spend longer time next time. Stopped at Boise Idaho to visit our friend Mark, Stephanie and Marcus and spend a night. We drove part of Southern Oregon on our way to Reno Nevada and drove miles of miles of emptiness in Nevada again and weather is getting warm so opposite in Montana. Stay a night in Reno, it's a very nice town. The next day were headed to Laughlin as what we are planning to cause it's closer to Phoenix than Las Vegas. We just passed Las Vegas and stay at Laughlin for a night and gamble a little. That place is packed even on week days... We make a lot of driving but even so we enjoyed our trip and our visit, stopping for exploring and sightseeing.

Road Trip

We're almost there... Very nice road trip we have since Sunday. We left from our house 9 in the morning, a lot of nice views around and we have fun sightseeing and stopping on few places. Way more different from our last visit in Montana, well we used different route this time and it's more greener around and it's town after town. We're not quite there yet and this time we are staying 2 hotels on this trip where it should only take for 2 days and this time we are taking and enjoying aside from stopping for foods and sightseeing we made a lot of stops for our daughter to stretched out and give here time to run around cause she get bored at the back set.I'm going to upload pictures next time.

Off for Vacation

I started packing today for our visit in Montana. I'm off one and half weeks at work and i am so excited about it. We're going to visit my husband's side of the family and most of them are in Montana, we can't go visit my side yet cause their too far away and we need to plan about it and it needs money, but... hopefully soon. Were leaving on the 1st and I'm still checking my activities here in Internet once in a while cause i just bought a laptop last week too. But just once in a while cause i need to focus on our vacation and relax and enjoying the time with my family. It's gonna be a long drive but soo much fun. My husband talked to her mom yesterday and she said their having a family party so hopefully we're gonna be their, it happens all the time every time were going up there and a get together on my husband's aunt and uncles house too. Their sure they're nice people and can't wait to see them again and this is gonna be my and my daughter 2nd time meeting with them.

Wildlife Zoo Adventure

This morning we went to the zoo, honestly this is my 1st time visiting a zoo. We have so much fun even our daughter likes it. She fascinates with the birds anything that's feathery and she's chasing the ducks around. Me i just want to see the giraffe and the zebra cause they fascinates me, even though i only seen those on TV and movies. Arizona is getting warm so it's kinda warm in there, we are thinking about this last winter but just didn't get a chance.

We went for a ride on like a ski ride and i didn't know that my husband is afraid of heights but still fun for me. You can see all of the animals from above and it's only like probably as high as a two story house or less and our Richelle is so behave setting between us. I just loved natures and animals even some of them were wild and harmful but still their part of the world and they have their own kind of life. Just like in the poem, remember?

All Things Bright and Beautiful

All things bright and beautiful,

All creatures great and small,

All things wise and wonderful,

The Lord God made them all.
Each little flower that opens,

Each little bird that sings,

He made their glowing colors,

He made their tiny wings.
The purple-headed mountain,

The river running by,

The sunset, and the morning,

That brightens up the sky;
The cold wind in the winter,

The pleasant summer sun,

The ripe fruits in the garden,

He made them every one.
He gave us eyes to see them,

And lips that we might tell,

How great is God Almighty,

Who has made all things well.

Tour on the Kartchner Cavern

Kartchner cavern is a stunning limestone wet cave in southern AZ boasting with many world class features that have been protected since the cave was discovered in 1974. That is why no pictures allowed on the cave cause on the last years the flashing of cameras ruining the caves surface.Inside the cave we walked along a 1.2 miles on the trail viewing multi-hued stalactites and stalagmites. As we enter on the cave i felt costophobia cause of it's high humidity and i'm afraid i'm gonna pass out cause we enter door by door with limited air and high humidity. You know it's been awhile feeling the high humidity in the Philippines. Our tour begins on an electric tram that runs from the Discovery Center to the entrance of the cave not far from the sinkhole were the discoverer entered the cave in 1974. We entered through a 420 long man made tunnel sealed by series of airtight doors designed to preserved the interior climate, temperatures in high 60's and relative humidity from 97.5% to 100%. The cave is extremely fragile cause exposure to outside air can dry out the cave and terminate it's growth.It's very nice inside and a little cooler than in the entrance area. Everytime we reach a certain place they turn on some lights, they planted electric lights around for the people to see it clearly the beauty inside the cave and they turn it off after we've passed that place cause heat from the light might ruin the original temperature inside the cave. Very nice dainty white helectites, translucent orange they call it a bacon drapes, spectacular soda straw formation, there's a "fried egg" stalagmites and the amazing column they call it Kubla Khan that stands over 58 feet tall.Aside from the amazing discoveries of the cave, they found some evidence of prehistoric life been in the cave including the skeleton of an 80,000 years old Shasta ground Sloth and the cave is also home of about 1,000 female bats.That was a very nice experience and as we went out from the cave i felt some condensation on my body from the humidity that i felt inside to a nice and dry on the outside of the cave.
Well, that was a nice, fun and fascinating weekend get away from a very interesting historical town of Tombstone, our staying a night camping in Benzon KOA camp ground and our amazing tour of the Kartchner Cavern.

The Birdcage Theater

As we walked around the town we stopped by in the Birdcage Theater as my husband knew this on the movie. This is the famous Birdcage Theater and it's over 100yrs. old and the theater is still standing and intact.

In 1880's it was not only a theater, but also served as a saloon, gambling hall and brothel. The New York Times called it "the wildest, roughest, wickedness honky tonk between Basin Street and Barbary Coast", since the Birdcage was the scene for twenty-six deaths during eight years of business.

Today the Birdcage has been converted into a museum, There are alot of bullet holes around that building as the guy attended in there shows it to us. Most of the furniture's, pictures and the things inside the theater were original and it's over 100yrs. old. It's very interesting theater were ladies of the night sold pleasures to cowboys and miners on the old days.

Check the link if you want to know more about the Birdcage Theater.

Birdcage location, description and history.

Birdcage pictures.

Camping and Exploring Benzon and Tombstone AZ

We got back from our camping and exploring last night, decided not to stay for another night in the camper cause i have to work today and i don't wanna get too tired at work. That was fun and fascinating weekend get away. We're camping at Benzon at KOA camp ground stay one night at Aunt Shirley and Uncle Bob RV camper. Explore to Tombstone on the next day as we wait for our tour schedule at Kartchner cavern at 2 o'clock.

Tombstone is one of Arizona's ghost town and they said that it's the town too tough to die. Gangster are leading the town before, if you've watched the movie Tombstone by Kurt Russel the story was based on the town of Tombstone. I've never seen it yet but my husband is relating the movie to me and he said that he's gonna rent it for me. Gosh! if you just knew that those people buried in Boothill Graveyard, most of those people were slaughtered, hanged and killed. It's a rough and tough days on the western time at Tombstone.

In the 1880's Tombstone was a blooming running town, gold and silver was the lure that also became a magnet to thieves, card-sharks,murderers, rustlers, and an abundance of unsavory bad guys. The streets came alive with hundreds of saloons, gambling halls and bawdy houses. Boothill overflowed with those shot during poker games, killed on drunken-endured gunfights and even hung for simply becoming a public nuisance. It's interesting town those old building most marking that we saw were from 1881 and seems most of those building somebody died in there as they put marking info on every old building and just based on what i read. Check this link if wanna more about the town:

TOMBSTONE

Tombstone,AZ- History and discovery.