December 2-5, 2020 Roper Lake State Park, Arizona

55 and sunny today.

We are camped on this lake, Roper Lake outside of Safford, Ariz. Very lazy day hanging out. Today we went to the Essence of Tranquility hot spring and got a private tub. After that we were too relaxed to do much else. 

I finished this basket last night. It is 6 1/2 c 2 1/2 inches. The center is a piece of dichroic glass I fused. It is made from dyed pine needles and polyester thread. This was it for clouds tonight in sunset. 

I started the latest masterpiece this afternoon. the center is a dichroic lizard I fused. It is 8 x 6 inches so far. We moved to a different campsite in the same campground so we could stay a few more days. 

We got a late start because we had to wait for the people to get out of the campsite we were going to move into. So we just hiked around in the park here. A view of Roper Lake with the campground on this side from the top of the mesa on the mesa trail. Mt Graham rises 7.000 feet around the surrounding desert. It is called a sky island. There are three telescopes on top. 

Three yuccas, reflections on the lake, a dead yucca, a tiny photo of a great egret and  great blue heron, a squawking  coot. The lake from the other side with Mt Graham in the background. 

I am adding beads to the masterpiece. Sunset from our campsite. 

Chase Creek street is the historic downtown of Clifton, Az. We stopped at the upper end of the Gila Box which is a 23 mile long canyon on the Gila river with steep 500 foot walls. It is such a shock to be driving around the hot, stinking, dry desert and come upon this oasis. 

We drove on the Black Hills scenic byway today. It is a 21 mile long dirt road with sweeping views. You see the Gila Box, the Morenci copper mine, the biggest in North America and lots of history along the way. The first stop was the Gila box. John with a HUGE cottonwood tree. 

The put in to paddle the Gila Box. Beautiful spot. The HUGE cottonwood tree. 

Another HUGE cottonwood tree.  A lush mesquite grove. 

The first rapid on the Gila Box. There is not enough water to run it now, you would have to drag your boat through it. Prickly pears and a vista. 

A butte from the Black Hills Scenic Byway. My boat almost slithered off the top of the car along the dirt road. John saved it. 

The Black Hills back country byway, a deformed barrel cactus, a sotol plant, one of my favorite liquers is made from it. A cotton bale. Safford is cotton country. This bale is just the right size to transport on one semi bed. Cholla with hanging fruit and prickly pear, it is taller than I am. Another nice butte with prickly pear and ocotillo.