2017 May

We drove out to the Ironwood National Monument to see the blooms. The ironwood tree has a stunning flowering each year in May. When they flourish they can put the cherry blossoms of Washington DC to shame.

The trees themselves can be many hundreds of years old. There are just two intact ironwood ecosystems left on the planet. A third one is just west of my home, but was bladed to become a golf course with houses beginning in the late 1990’s. It was hard to see trees several hundred years old and venerable saguaros being bulldozed into a mass graves.

Ironwood are commonly found throughout the southwest. They can be found solitary in washes, surrounded by an ocean of creosote, where nothing else can live. Young ironwood is rare to see. They grow extremely slowly in harsh environments. This monument is thick with ironwood, a desert forest. Saguaro, mesquite and palo verde share this place with an amazing diversity of life.

A Saguaro is about to Tap Me on the Shoulder

The Ironwood Monument also preserves a group of Bighorn sheep.

A cooperative democratic plan was drawn up between the ranchers, mining interest and all other parties concerned with the area over years of process to create the monument. Bill Clinton signed it into law at the end of his term. The monument is now being considered to go onto the chopping block by the current administration. Please, write, particularly congress, to continue its existence.

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Spring 2013

Desert Vegetable Gardening has Unique Challenges and Benefits:

World Naked Gardening Day is the first Saturday in May, but here in the desert, our gardens can run year-around. The winter is mild, with only a couple of freezes for a few hours generally. We can plant a wonderful variety in the fall.

Spring’s last frost is usually before Easter. The previous several weeks of potted seeds will give us such fun as tomatoes.

In June, shade netting is required. Plants being stimulated by the 100F plus temperatures, wish to go to seed.

It is time for a garden. We start with the soil. I live in a desert meadow, where the soil has accumulated for centuries on top of a mountain of solid granite. It digs easily and is rich in nutrients, a wonderful sandy loam.  With a few organic addendums, we have healthy plants.

Water is a problem. It is expensive and precious. It rarely falls freely from the skies. Watering in a city can knock the cost of homegrown veggies to having no savings at all. The rains are sparse to drought prone and then they are often a deluge. We set in a drip system that pops on for a half an hour a couple of times each day. The summer heat can dry the soil within hours. Desert plants are crafty. Typical vegetables are not. Shade netting is often essential.

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2013-03-26

On this Tuesday, we have gone down to Nogales, Mexico, to save some money on some dental work and have lunch. We decide to turn off to the west of the Interstate and explore the Ruby Road, up through the town of Arivaca and then out to Amado.

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2014-09-22

The recent heavy rains from the Mexican hurricanes have replaced the monsoon rains that had been missing AND then some. Yep, it’s Arizona and we have had a drought. I knew that Redington Pass would be flowing well and didn’t want to miss the opportunity. Monday would be a day with no threat of more rain and a consequent flashflood.

I made the time, but DF couldn’t do the same. I decided to invite friends who were available for a Monday excursion. I found two.

We left somewhat early. One picked up the other and arrived at DF’s place to meet up and get into my 4×4.

They look at my wraparound and fivefinger shoes attire. She remarks with a curious glance, on how “minimalist” my hiking attire is. These are two friends that DF and I have spent extensive time with nude, but their concept is driving there and then stripping down. Mine is of course…different.

Elaine hadn’t been out hiking in a few years. Buck had yet been to the nude area of the canyon at Redington. It has been many years since he visited and that was before the lower area had been inundated by the textile clad. This begins conversation about nudity laws, free range naturism, and anecdotal stories of the ilk. The discussion lasts all the way out to the pass. She is learning more about a zealot’s attitude about getting around naked and today will become a time of many eye-opening lessons. He on the other hand has been around this for a while.

DF and I had been there a few weeks earlier and it had been barren, with little water. It had been disappointing. Today, as we begin to drive into the area, I am impressed by the green coloring of the hills and mountains. On a Monday, I am also surprised that there are a few cars already there when we arrive. There is no one with these cars, so I immediately stuff my wrap into my bag, just in case I need it, when I return to the parking area. For now, it is the last thing that I care about.

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2011-05-10

Skinny Dipping at La Paloma

La Paloma is a wonderful resort perched up in the Catalina Foothills, an upscale part of Tucson. There are all of the amenities and plenty of golf.

I’ve lifted several photos from their website to illustrate our story. It is actually as nice as the pictures. Their Website: http://www.westinlapalomaresort.com/#2

We met friends at the Westin La Paloma Resort to celebrate DF’s Birthday. We populated the happy hour with several tables of friends after work. We lavished ourselves on cocktails and horduerves as the party conversed. DF opened presents, as well wishes and affection washed over her.

Inside there is Opulence

As things were winding down, about 7:30, DF decided that she would like to take a walk around the grounds. This is a very elegant resort, multilevel with staircases and large windows looking up at the Catalina Mountains north from their foothills. To the south, as the sunlight disappeared, the famous lights of Tucson twinkled below in the valley. We meandered about and then out the doors with their brass bars. We strolled through the outdoor dining and fire pits and into the pool areas.

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2018-02-17

Our three day Valentine’s plans have been dramatically changed, but we have been provided with a perhaps more rich alternative. Here is Part I:

https://thefreerangenaturist.org/2018/02/23/a-valentine-and-eden-2018-trip-report/

New Explorations:

While enjoying a large cup of apple, cinnamon and almonds concoction that DF had made up, we feel the warm intensity of the sun on our nude backs. It is beautiful. I suggest a hike.  We’ll head north into the desert, just head out.

Shoes on, we slide through the rusty barbed wire fence and off the property. A bottle of water and cameras are all that we require.

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2018-02-16

Valentine’s Celebration for two:

We have three days together to relax over a weekend and we have decided to relax at the hot springs for a Valentines.

The weather report was looking good. We have been in a drought for a year. There had been a brief, but a deluge of a monsoon back in July. It rained once in December, last spring was dry. The weather has been warm and skies blue for months. February is usually Arizona Springtime.

We are surprised, when as our plans approach, rain comes. A huge cloud has sat down upon us and stayed. There are three straight days of rain. In my lifetime’s memory, it hasn’t rained three days straight in Tucson. We are not looking at the best of luck.

Record breakers and extremes are everywhere. I keep picturing one of those circus performers in the glittery vests that spin plates on top of broom sticks. If he doesn’t attend to them, they start to wobble, and then more, and then more, as the drama increases. He saves them in just the neck of time, or they fall off. I don’t know what fall off would be, but this planet is sure getting some extreme wobbles.

So the unthinkable has arrived on us and against the odds. We have to change course for Valentine’s. We will wait it out with a day at my place. We start out with cards and fancy dark chocolate, after a home cooked lunch. After a rest, I go out to stoke up the sweat/sauna. The cold wet weather gives me the feel of an authentic Swedish sauna.

The wood pile has managed to get soaked, which is not usually an Arizona problem. I sort out what is okay, and manage to get a relatively dry pile together. As the wood stove heats, we place some wood across the rocks that are on top of the heater box to dry.

The temperature begins to rise. First it is just comfortable and out of the cold, so that we can disrobe. Then, slowly, like lobsters in a pot, we begin to sweat.

We decide to keep the temperature a bit lower than usual, so that we can stay in the cozy box longer. The table bench gets a pad and towels, so that we can lay down on it and trade massage. Valentine’s is a pampering day, filled with pleasant little gifts. The candelabra are lit for ambiance in the rustic free form structure. After another log, a dash of water is spread on the stones, and before we know it, three hours of pleasure have passed.

We have turned around a lousy day. It is even fun and sensual to step outside, cooling off, as the chilly rain places droplets all over our bodies. I soon realize that I have lost the need of clothing. We prefer to wander around outside naked, comfortable in the cold.

We wash up and go out to an Indian Bistro, then return home to gather the remaining tidbits and pack for our trip. The weather might be good at the springs.  If not, we can always taking refuge in the hot water. We cautiously take robes for the two days.

There happens to be a party invitation texted on the smartphone and we can sleep in a warm cozy yurt with a potbelly stove on Saturday night.

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2017-10-02

Pt.1 can be found here:

https://thefreerangenaturist.org/2018/02/08/walker-basin-trail-136-pt-1-a-trip-report/

The Next Leg:

The next leg of the trail isn’t steep. It runs along the edge of the mountainside and is fairly level. Before noon arrives the vegetation changes. We are on the northern slope, now. We are soon involved in what we call tall pine alley and new growth pine alley.

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2017-10-01

After a day babysitting grand-daughter, we are on our way south to the cute little town of Patagonia. We get ice for the cooler at a Tucson convenience store and immediately strip in the parking lot. Tonight, we will get closer to the trailhead for an early morning hike, high into the southern end of the Santa Rita Mountains.

On the way south, I have DF read an article in the latest issue of “N” Magazine about “naking” or naked hiking. We decide that we are not too fond of the contraction, but the attitude fits well. The authors stated that they have been hiking the Appalachian Trail for years, nude. They don’t cover up, they just act as if they are oblivious that they are naked and hundreds of people during encounters, have treated them in that way in the exchanges. I had written out my thinking on the topic and we share that. I have mentioned before, my intention to take this different tactic in my hiking. I then propose that we both take this weekend in that way, stuffing my sarong and her shirt away into the backpack. We’ll greet others in this manner and see how it goes. We can’t liberate others, if we are not liberated ourselves. We also need to explore our feelings during such encounters and recondition our learned behavior. DF concurs.

We are excited, already feeling a sense of adventure, as we drive down the winding two lane road and dusk turns to night.

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