Thanksgiving is a time for giving thanks.

 

The Pilgrims came across the sea,

And never thought of you and me;

And yet it's very strange the way

We think of them Thanksgiving day.

.

We tell their story, old and true

Of how they sailed across the blue,

And found a new land to be free

And built their homes quite near the sea.

.

Every child knows well the tale

Of how they bravely turned the sail

And journeyed many a day and night,

To worship God as they thought right.

-Author Unknown

Tombstone : A Town too Tough to Die

Guns blaze and bodies hit the dust in staged gunfights and barroom brawls. We're here in Tombstone Arizona.  And so are all of the bad boys that live by the gun.  Let's see there was Doc Holliday, Wyatt Earp, the McLaury's and the Clantons.  In fact the Clanton had a family reunion here just last week. They came from all over the states, to  relive the actions of their gun slinging relatives.  In tombstone there's a legend where the final arbiter of every dispute was the six-gun.   Wyatt Earp who was something of a  tough character himself paid tribute to Doc Holliday by saying "He was the most skillful gambler and the nerviest, fastest, deadliest man with a six-gun I ever saw," 

 

 And as today's bad boys have women followers or groupies as they are called now, so did the bad boys of yesteryear. They had the gaudy dancehall girls and the happy hookers or street walkers or known to many truckers today as parking lot lizards. Get the point.

 

When we were there two days ago, we ran into that rowdy Calamity Jane, Big Nose Kate and Annie Oakley, with the reputation for daring horsemanship and skill as a rifle shot.  Calamity Jane was in her usual drunken condition, cussing, spitting, smoking, a women who dresses as a man, is a great marksman and horseman.  Calamity was as tough as any man with a few extra attributes. She also was thrown out of many a town for shooting up the saloon.

 

Big Nose Kate was a dance hall girl and prostitute, was attractive, but it is said she had a prominent nose.  She and Doc Holliday had an on again, off again relationship. She is said to have been tough, stubborn and a temper that matched Doc's.  She helped Doc escape from jail one time and he was forever grateful to her.  They traveled  together for years making money, his with his gambling and her using her womanly charms.

 

No visit to Tombstone would not be complete with a visit to Big Nose Kate's Saloon.  The sign on the wall said of Kate, " The gal that loved Doc Holliday - and everyone else too."  We had lunch there, took a few pictures and left before the next gun fight!

Holy Trinity Monastery

Today we visited the Holy Trinity Monastery, called a desert oasis.  We had heard that they were having a Festival of the Arts.  The Monastery is located in St. Davis, a predominantly Mormon community in the middle of the desert.  In 1974 it became home to the Holy Trinity Monastery, a Benedictine spiritual community.   The physical setting of the monastery is 132 acres sitting next to the San Pedro River.  Many call it a 'spiritual refuge' with it's wandering peacocks, a bird sanctuary, and an Oriental garden, and the Stations of the Cross through the woods.

The occupants of this monastery is seven monks and one nun in her late 60's. They share the property with up to 70 lay people, including live-in volunteers who help the monks bake wonderful breads for sale in their bakery, the pecan bread is really good.  They also have a book and gift shop.  I was reading some of October schedule.  The calendar included  Overeaters Anonymous had their annual two day retreat with 54 in attendance, a wedding with 120 guests, Santa Cruz Lutheran Church came for a two day retreat led by their pastor, and a weekend of two different Yoga groups who met at the monastery. One group was led by Guy Atchley and the other group was led by Guru Ravi Khalsa. Interesting.

 

Next month,  associates and RV volunteers will begin the annual pecan harvest by shaking the trees and collecting the nuts that fall on the ground.  Then starts the sorting and washing of the nuts.  The nuts will be sold at the  monastery or bake into yummy bread with cranberries and sold in their bakery.

The weather today was just perfect for attending an out of doors fair.  In total, there had to be about 40 or so craft booths offering everything from jewelry to paintings, hand carved items, homemade candles, stoneware and some beautiful gourd art.   When you got tired and needed some refreshments, these were available too.   Shredded beef, BBQ, pasta dinner, which filled the air with a heavenly garlic smell, sesame chicken  and the usual hamburgs, chili dogs and so much more.  All in all we had a lovely walk around the grounds and enjoyed the afternoon.

 

Thank you Thank you Thank you

WOW

 

Thank you   Thank you    Thank you

 

With the last entry I was of course a little dissapointed that this mistake had been made.  But now, after receiving so many emails and comments I feel uplifted , for I have received an award from each of you.  You guys have made my week.    So out of this unfortunate situation,  and  I'm sitting on top of the pile.  Thanks for your understanding comments.  I just love you guys.       Dawn

 

Currently in Benson, Arizona

Thanks, But no Thanks

Thanks you so much for the comments offering congratulations and the emails.  While I really would have loved to win this, I feel I cannot accept it.  This morning I received this email :

 

Dawn...

 

Due to an error on my part, I inadvertently allowed a 'private' journal into the "Travel" category.  If this person had not won, your journal would have.  So, to be fair, I hope you will first of all accept my apology for this error, and do Chris and I the honor of accepting the award for "Best Travel Journal."  Now, while I am not going to take away the award that was given to the journal "Welcome to my Travels" (as it was  not her fault, but mine), I would hope that you will accept my apology along with the award for "Best Travel Journal" as the true winner of this accolade.  Had the other journal not been in this category you would have been the original winner.

 

Again.. I apologize sincerely for this error.

 

Jackie

 

Please go here: 2006 VIVI AWARD JOURNAL  and read the latest entry.  I have also added your name to the list of winners.

 

 This is a copy of the email I sent to Jackie.

 

Jackie,

 

While I really would have loved to win this, I feel I cannot accept it.

 

After reading Jeannette's, Welcome to my Travels,  journal, which I enjoyed reading, but it is not  by any standard a travel journal and for me to take second place is not a fair  adjustament.   I read the journal back a month and there were four entries on the plane and car museum, two entries on her cat's birthday, a color test, and an entry on her work and Jane and a doctors note.  A travel journal tells of places visited and hopefully of interest to others.

 

I do accept your apology and appreciate all the hard work you have done, but I just can't accept second place to a non travel journal.       Dawn

More of Texas

 

Friday,   November 3, 2006

 

   We are leaving Kerrville TX. this morning and going to Fort Stockton, TX.   There is not really much to see in Fort Stockton, so we will probably on stay over night and continue on to the El Paso area tomorrow. 

 

We are still on I-10, where the speed limit is 80 mph.   The trucks are really hauling out here.  Nothing in sight except the road and the high plains of Texas.  I am writing this as we travel along today, but can't enter it until we stop somewhere tonight.

 

Texas is one big state and will never run out of land to build on.   This I-10 is 884 miles long.  The Texans say "Everything is bigger in Texas," who am I to argue with that?  Can't prove it by me. LOL

As we left today, we are almost half way across the state.

 

Yesterday we spent in Fredricksburg, TX, a town of lakes and hills and more.  A cute tourist town with a history of German immigrants.  They have a nice historic district with many small shops and lots of bakeries and restaurants.  What to do, what to buy?    Oh my!

 

I really love Texas.  Never had we seen so many people have true pride in their state.  The Texas flag is flown everywhere along  with the US flag.  This is a good thing.  They sure talk funny here, but they say the sweetest things.  I could live in Texas.  Although I don't think that I would ever become fanatical about Texas chili or barbecue.   Being from Massachusetts, where we don't serve either.  Seeing that Texas has so much more than the food, I would be willing to try more often.    Have a good week-end.    Dawn