Finishing up at Ironwood - December 2014

This is our last week in California.  I am really going to miss this place.  The desert grows on you believe it or not and the people here at Ironwood Christian Camp are incredibly resourceful and every time we meet someone new it is so good to know that in eternity we will be sharing scenery that everyone will enjoy, might even have a little desert!  I have captured a few pics of things you don't normally see in the desert nor would you anticipate that you would.  They say to come back in the Spring - the flowers are beautiful, hard to imagine but I will do just that one day - I need proof!  On my walk this afternoon I ran across these two in bloom - reminds me of that saying - bloom right where you are.  You don't normally see this in the desert!

We heard that night before last Walt and Betty saw 2 Bobcats in their front yard.  Walt said one of them jumped in a tree in their front yard, clearing easily at least 10 ft. high.  Now I am just a little nervous on my walks.  I clap my hands periodically and sing real loud!  Now if that don't scare them I don't know what would!  They probably think that cat has a weird growl!  I did see a coyote one day on my walk when I rounded a curve.  I scared him as bad as he scared me!  He took off towards the mountain.

 A white picket fence on a cloudy day - you don't normally see this in the desert!  We have had 2 bouts of rain so far and tomorrow we are suppose to get more - very unusual.

Sunrise on a cloudy day in the desert is worth waking up early for - sunsets are gorgeous.

 A stage coach - just arrived, anyone for a ride?

 30+ of these have become my new friends - they now whineeeeee when they see me coming.  They wait for me every afternoon to pick up leftovers that fell over the fence during feeding to put either in their mouth or in their trough!

 Many of the staff here at Ironwood have small children.  You don't see many of these signs in the desert!

 Notice anything unusual at the left back base of this teepee skeleton?  An air conditioner!  In the summer when it is 110+ degrees this skeleton has a covering on it and I would guess it gets quite warm inside so the local indians (aka campers) have elected to have a cool teepee!

 A tennis court in the desert you say?  Yep, this camp even offers tennis to their campers and staff.

 Now this is very unusual.  If you are familiar with what a fooseball table is, this is a human sized one.  Each person mans a spot and hangs from the ceiling with straps.  He can not let go and can only kick the ball as far as his strap will allow him to go.  A Human Fooseball Court!  Each end has a trap that you will want to kick your ball to make points for your team.  The imagination of these westerners is BIG!

 Now this is what I call a BBQ pit.  Notice the grate on the top that is lowered onto the coals in the metal box.  I would imagine you could cook anything from a pig to a mountain lion.  With a little BBQ sauce and slow cooking' all day - OH YEAH!

Last but not least, a tree nursery, yes, a tree nursery!  They start small aspen saplings and when they reach about 4-5 ft. tall they transplant around the camp.  Every tree on this camp was started by the original people who created this camp 40 years ago and ever since then.  It really is amazing what you can do in the desert.

There are only 2 of us couples here this month.  Here we are enjoying hot fudge sundaes at Peggy Sue's one Thursday (Sower Friday) afternoon.  Don't tell our kids but it served the purpose of our dinner that day.  That's how good we've been!

We will leave next week after a trip to Los Angeles this weekend to see the Reagan Library and John McArthur's church for their Christmas Cantata Matinee on Saturday.  Sunday we will pack up the "house" and Monday let her roll back down Hwy. 40 East this time to Camp Verde (half way between Phoenix and Flagstaff.  We are all eagerly awaiting the arrival of little Miss Abigail Grace (Carotenuto).  We are hoping Mama keeps her in the oven till mid-January!

Our son-in-law was offered the lead pastor position at a Nazarene church in Tucson, Sarah is now waiting for an official offer from a veterinary practice in Tucson as well.  They anticipate moving Feb/March of 2015.  I know that they will miss many friends they have made in Flagstaff but it will be fun to watch God work in their lives in Tucson and how He will use them to bring others to Himself there in that area.

Next week I will post pics of our 2 trips to LA - Laguna Beach, Simi Valley and Sun Valley.