Just Plain Blessed in Peace and Beauty

2011-12-30

DF had been having a very tough time during her recovery from the surgery. It had been very discouraging and painful. Eating and work had been just one big hassle. She hadn’t been out of the city for a month. I decided to and succeeded, in getting her out into our Tortolita Mountain hills on a perfect day. I wish that I could send you a taste of the air. It was 75 and no wind to an occasional slight breeze that would caress us. In the sun it couldn’t be beat.

We planned to venture just far enough, she tires easily as she is not fully recovered. We bumped into a neighbor who then walked up the hill with us. She told us about how the local evil unscrupulous land developer had bankrupted. Besides the bad economy, this will delay development in the area. We discussed our continuous war to keep our easement access up into the mountains. On the way, we were passed by a four wheel drive and then a family in a quad. These hills seemed to again be lacking elbow room on the holiday weekends and this was a Friday! I finally told my neighbor that we were going to go off of the trail to get some privacy for sunbathing. She got that and continued down the trail/road alone.

We went down a small wash canyon that we had been down before. It didn’t take me but a hundred feet and a bend to strip off the shorts that I wore and get into the natural flow of things. We checked the foot prints in the sand and they had all been down and then returned, except for a deer and javalina. We found a light stream of water trickling down the granite and ponding. It would disappear and then reappear out of the sand.

We went to the remains of an ancient Hohokum farming dam and then turned into the desert to climb a hill to some flat boulders that had been discovered last January. These were granite, typical to the area. They are slowly shearing off in sheets. We noticed that when we knocked on them they looked solid, but would sound hollow. There is a long one, maybe 15 feet, sitting on a very large chunk. It blocks the view from three quick points of view of the road/trail. It is an effective parapet. The bigger surface is wonderful to lie on, not too gritty, with a flow that is pretty level. There is lots of room to lie and catch rays.

We lunched, walked around the area, climbing on the numerous rocks like stepping stones. We got affectionate in the pleasant sensual environment. There were no sounds, but for the occasional buzz or bird call. It was calming and peaceful. It was a healing end to a tough month and a step into a new beginning.

We went down the hill back to the wash’s canyon and stretched the towel across the soft sand. Cushioned, we lay arm in arm, looking up at the incredible blue skies, smelling the different desert scents, as they cascaded past on the breeze. The sun’s beams warmed us wherever its light touched our cooled bodies.

A Turtle Dove (Tortolita) Watches Us

On the way back down, we were nude and carefree, almost to where we had left the car. It was then that DF spotted the neighbor that has more than once nearly discovered us in these hills. He was jogging up the hill. I quipped to DF, “That ‘ol boy spends entirely too much time enjoying these hills!” I pulled off the pack and handed DF her shirt and grabbed my shorts. She thought to just stay that way, but as I looked at her from behind, I warned her that her cheeks were not covered. The jogger was slowed in his ascent, so there was just enough time for her to quickly pull up shorts with me blocking the view. We said our hello to the passing problem. Oh well, not very far to home and naked again.

Just Down the Trail

One of these days, I’ll make a point to mention our nude adventures, to him. Perhaps he has had suspicion, or has seen us from a distance. He climbs, bushwhacking through where no person or trail goes. He seemingly has no concern of rattlesnakes hidden under rocks and vegetation. Consequently, he has often been a surprise. I suspect that he knows, but says nothing as to not make us uncomfortable. Perhaps, he is just like me, unsure how to bring the subject up. Ideally, we could just get a mutual acceptance and greet him naturally. Perhaps the next time.