Life in the Desert

Go Softly

Go Softly, originally uploaded by majamom.

Please say a prayer
send a good thought
to my x sister in law
Marsha
41 yrs old
transitioning back
to her maker
My Gratitude,
majamom

Its begining to feel a bit like Christmas

15 sleeps till Christmas -Happy Monday =), originally uploaded by majamom.

Being here in Oklahoma, with family, my grand daughter bundled up sleeping just a few feet away
fills me with the holiday warmth that comes only at very specific times.
I continue to wish we lived much closer to our families
For now I will hold each moment in my heart
giving thanks
for all the love
that fills my life
Wishing you all the same
warmth and love
Happy Thanksgiving

crossings and thoughts on rebuilding train travel in the United states

crossings, originally uploaded by majamom.

For the first time in or school districts history, the negotiation team finangled a way to give everyone the entire week off for Thanksgiving.!

Hooray shout the teachers!

Hooray shout the students!

Hooray shout the administration!!

Now 2 days safe and sound with our family in Oklahoma, this post was to be of my travel photos; however, I failed to pack my picture up loader, so here is a recent shot of a BIG ENGINE leading a long train across the Mojave desert, at the AMBOY STATION crossing.

I think part of of the interior rebuild of our amazing country should include a return to the railroads for passengers.
Just think of how amazing it would be!
All the jobs that would be created!
I am no expert on the subject; but don't most major countries have extensive passenger railway systems??

The Birthday Girl

The Birthday Girl, originally uploaded by blueintheburgh.

This just in from my wonderful sister who photographs all of Sadies events and send them to me in a flash.
I look at my precious grand daughter and find it hard to believe three years have passed in what feels like a heart beat.

I Love you my Bug

Route 66 Roy's Cafe

Route 66 Roy's Cafe, originally uploaded by majamom.

A man sat, perched on a stool at the dusty countertop.
In the cafe that doesn't serve food.

At the gas station that doesn't pump gas.

At the motel where nobody sleeps.

I asked the man, "How many people live in this town?"

He held up four fingers.

"Wait," said his friend, running his hand through the fur of a sleeping black dog. "What about Larry?"

"Oh yeah. Make that five," the man said.

It was just another quiet, dusty day in Amboy, Calif.


Population: Five.
Amboy is a town where you can count all the buildings on one hand. It takes a magnifying glass to see the tiny blip on the map.

You know how people joke about a place and say, "Blink and you'll miss it?"

That's Amboy.

It wasn't always that way. Once upon a time, Amboy was a bustling stop on Route 66, perfectly situated halfway between Barstow and Needles.

The place boasted Googie "retro-future" architecture, a real draw in 1959.

And it also had Roy's Motel and Cafe, the only gas, food and lodging stop for miles and miles.

Back then both Roy's and the town were owned by Buster Burris, one of the best-known characters you'd ever find on Route 66. He purchased Roy's from his father-in-law, Roy Crowl.

In those days, people were hungry for the open road. And, of course, they also needed a clean bed, fuel and burgers.

Used to be Roy's would get so busy, Burris had to advertise in surrounding states to bring in enough hands.

Then, in the 1970s, Interstate 40 entered the picture.

After the bypass was built, business shrunk to just about nothing.

Folks moved away.

Buildings were destroyed or faded in neglect.

You might recognize this scenario - Amboy was the inspiration for the town of Radiator Springs in Disney's animated movie, "Cars."

After Burris died, Amboy changed hands a couple times.

In 2003, the whole town was offered for sale on eBay at a price of $1.9 million.

The highest offer was $995,000, and the town went unsold.

In February 2005, Amboy was repossessed by Burris' widow, Bessie.

She ended up selling the place to the owner of the Juan Pollo restaurant chain, Albert Okura.

It went for $425,000 and a promise - Okura has to renovate and repopulate Amboy.

When I visited on a Saturday afternoon last month, there were signs of life, though the town still isn't out of the intensive care unit.

The cafe doors were open and a couple folks were sitting inside.

The only thing for sale, though, was bottled water for $1.

There's still some work to do to bring the place up to code. Running water, for example.

Outside, a crew worked on the gas pumps.

They're hopeful they could be selling fuel by the end of this month.

They've got someone to watch over the place, too.

A caretaker, Larry Stevens, lives on site to prevent vandalism.

This is the Larry who makes number five.

There's more

Across the street from the cafe is a church with a lopsided steeple.
Behind it, high-speed freight trains run like a ribbon through the landscape on the Santa Fe Railroad, between Barstow and Kingman, Ariz.

It's a popular spot for railroad photographers, because they can situate themselves close to the tracks with no obstacles.

The trains have also been important for the salt mines, which operate about three miles outside of Amboy.

Dry lake beds filled with chloride stretch for miles, which make the parched desert landscape almost look like it's covered in snow.

This salt is the reason Amboy is here at all.

The town was founded by miners in 1858, and the lake beds are still actively mined.

From the dry lake bed, you can see Amboy Crater, a cinder cone estimated to be more than 6,000 years old.

The crater is surrounded by waves of hardened lava flows, like black stucco on the earth-tone desert floor.

It's difficult hiking, but only for the heat and the uneven footing.

To give you an idea of the terrain, keep this in mind - the crater was the site of research about the Mars Rover.

It's rocky and dry and has an eerie outer-spaceness about it.

But, this is what makes the trip worthwhile.
www.thedesertsun.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artic le?Date=20070415&...


ARTICLE APRIL 2007- The DESER SUN ( link above)
Here you'll find solitude like you've never experienced before.

It's just you and some prehistoric rock - and way out there, out on the horizon, a town that could be something.

Someday.



--------------------------------------

rounding the corner to Roy's

rounding the corner to Roy's, originally uploaded by majamom.

Route 66

desert art, originally uploaded by majamom.

Roys Cafe Amboy California

Roys Cafe Amboy California, originally uploaded by majamom.

A Dear blog friend and her family from France are planning a most adventurous journey across the U.S. on Harley's. The next few images are a peek into the famous Route 66 and the once bustling town of AMBOY California

lonely church

lonely church, originally uploaded by majamom.

Route 66 , Amboy California

Happy Birthday My Heart xoxo love nana

Today you turn Three, originally uploaded by majamom.

Dear Sadie,

I sit here tonight looking at precious you in your Madeline costume, pretending to take momy's picture, as she takes yours. I talked with you today and learned that you like princesses.  I asked

Do you like Ariel-the little mermaid?

"naughty Witch!  bad witch! naughty witch!

I am guessing that big old sea witch bothered you.

Mommy said ,"Sing Nana Ariel"

I listend as you burst forth with

ahahahhhh...

ah ah ahhhhh

(louder)\Ah Ah AHHHHH

AH AH AHHHH !!!!

yep- you are ready for opera!

You are an amazing little lady Miss Sadie

Nana and PaPa wish we could be there with you

But,

Christmas in only 4 weeks away and we will be there then.

I Love yOU tO tHE mOON aND bACK mY hEART

XOX

NANA

I laughed knowing that our long line of strong pipes and musicality, seem to be well expressed in precious You.

Hunters Moonrise over the Mojave

Hunters Moonrise over the Mojave, originally uploaded by majamom.

nourishment

nourishment, originally uploaded by majamom.

the Pomegranate opens in fullness to offer nourishment to the birds.
A special reminder for a dear blog friend
that even when we are down and out
we still have much to offer

homecoming

homecoming, originally uploaded by majamom.

I wonder how long ago a marine or a group of marines coming home from "the war" stopped to create this marker.
I wonder how many men and women in the USMC carried this hand created rock monument in their minds eye as they flew away from the safety of a familiar Mojave Desert toward the dangerous ,harsh desert of Iraq and beyond.
I wonder how many more days until every single one of them are home safely.

Uploaded by majamom on 16 Nov 08, 10.38AM PST.

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Hope moves all Things, originally uploaded by majamom.

the - inbetween time

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hit the ground running!

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Go Obama transition Team!

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bokeh of belief -YES WE CAN

bokeh of belief -YES WE CAN, originally uploaded by majamom.

Yes We Can!

Yes We Can!, originally uploaded by majamom.