December 13-16, 2022 Organ Pipe National Monument, Arizona

 55 sunny and a cool breeze.

Cool late afternoon light. The thorns on this cholla are kind of red, they show up really well backlit.

Sunset looking west. Sunset looking east. 

I finished this rose basket. It is made from dyed pine needles, red rose centers, glass and metal beads, and polyester thread. The metal beads are little rose buds, the green leaf beads are jade. . It is 10 x 9 x  2 1/2 inches. No clouds for sunset, but some nice color along the horizon. 

We went to Lukeville on the border to check on our mail at the post office. Not in yet. The first gas station you see as you cross the border. Senita cactus on the  top and organ pipe in the bottom. Both mostly grow in Mexico. Organ Pipe National Monument is the only place in the US that they grow. 

I beaded this beveled polished crescent pendant. The glass is 1 1/2 x 3/4 inches. I am working on some smaller ones. There were lots of cool clouds around sunset, unfortunately they blocked the colors. 

This small bit of sunset peaked through the clouds tonight. Today we walked across the border to Mexico. 

All these nice gentlemen were waiting on the other side of the border with water bottles and rags to wash your windows.  We were on foot, so they offered to call us a taxi. The part of Sonoyta next to the border was pretty grim. Most of the buildings were empty. 

This dentist looked to be about the only reasonable business. Welcome to Sonoyta, a row of very weird statues for sale and $1 bathrooms were big.  Embroidered Felix Navidad tablecloth, tourist information building that really sold Mexican insurance, if it was even open, the flour tortilla place was also not open. 

John entering the Hassle Free vehicle zone. The highway to Puerto Penasco or Rocky Point is supposed to be a hassle free zone, what ever that means. We walked from one end of the main street and back. . 

We missed our change to purchase Christmas decorations. Border ahead- to the USA and also the end of the Hassle Free Zone. . .

The Mexican side of the border. Cars entering the USA and the American side of the border crossing. The big gray square you drive through xrays your car so they can see what you have in it- extra people, what is in your suitcases. They were a little weird at the border. How long were in Mexico? One hour, what did you do? We looked around. You didn't buy anything. No. Why did you go??  to see it. Why?? We went down the Camino De Dos Republicas- road of two nations to eat our lunch on the American side of the border. Smuggling and illegal immigration may be encountered in this area. Do not travel alone or at night. Avoid encounters with suspicious groups and call 911 to report illegal activity. The informational sign says the road from Gachado line camp to Blankenship Well ranch is the only public access along the wall. Be sure on the way back to watch for the turnoff to Gachado Line camp or you will drive to customs and will require a passport to continue. The map shows Organ Pipe National Monument. We are camped by the visitors center. It also show the border crossing and the actual town of Sonoyta is a few miles farther. 

I tried to get a good photo of this hawk, but he flew off. The Gachado Line camp used to part of a ranch before the park.

John at the border wall. He is standing what were supposed to be gates to open during flash floods, but during construction the keys to open them were obtained by the smugglers, so the US just welded them shut. During flooding the debris just pile up against the fence now. Piled up by the fence are black water bottles washed down with the debris the illegals carry when crossing the border to avoid detection by the helicopters flying over. I beaded a bezel for this beveled and polished crescent  of dichroic glass. The glass part of it is only 1 inch long. These little ones are pretty hard to hold on to, I loose a bit of skin and fingernails shaping and polishing them. You really have to see this moving, the colors change with the angles and light.

It was cloudy and hazy most of the day until sunset. Of course the clouds dissipated, but the colors of sunset were lovely.