Technical update; I will be making some changes to the site, removing themes not used and changing themes. I’ll try to leave The Road, Talavera and ArtnEllen as I know people who are using those themes. I’m also going to work on making links obvious (a different color from text). Other stuff but it has escaped me.
Yesterday was a day of extremes. We woke to the sound of a leaf blower in the parking lot of Harris Ranch. We were on the road by 9am (early for us) and I anticipated a handful of hours of travel. Jamie was insistant on getting to the Salton Sea and while I don’t know how many miles that would have been, it felt to me enormously long. So while I drove, I mediated fights and disagreements (the kids are still getting used to traveling) and tried to read the map that Jamie would show me so I could pick a route. We’ve got to have a talk about what navigation means. By mid-day, I was pulling off the road (exit) to mediate and Jamie was about to blow a gasket with all the “lost” 
time Not Getting Anywhere. I hate the mode of travel when it is completely about mileage and not about the journey. I’d much prefer taking 7 hours to go 170 miles than 9 hours to go some 400. I wanted to stop so many times and take a picture but I didn’t want to stress Jamie any further as we were already stopping a lot because of the kids. Finally, by the end of the day, he was able to mediate and I could concentrate on driving. I wonder if there were so many fights and disagreements because of the long day in the car (and previous day)? The kids wanted to get as far as possible – they can smell San Felipe.
In contrast, once we got on 46 (we took Hwy 5 to 46 to 58 to 15 to 215 to 10), we were surrounded by cotton fields, vineyards and ocassional flower fields. The cotton was mostly straggly and high wide rectangular stacks of cotton covered with tarps sat field-side. There were some bushy and full plants and I wanted pictures of those. The grape leaves are turning color now; some red, some yellow, some deep green, and some yellow-green. The sun is low on the horizon and the vines are deep. I wanted to get down low and get a picture of the grape leaves, in many colors with sunlight turning low-hanging leaves translucently yellow. Hard to describe but I’ve got it in my mind. Maybe they’ll still be there in 3 weeks. Lastly, we found ocassional fields of flowering plants. These looked like rooted plants to be sold in nurseries; we saw rose “trees” and bushes and many different colors of flower and plant. Quite pretty, especially next to the straggly cotton plants.
Jamie and the kids originally wanted to head for the Salton Sea and a hot springs near Niland, but by sunset I needed a break from driving so we headed to Desert Hot Springs (next to Palm Springs) and here we sit, in a Five Star Resort (we pay 1/2 price) with many many hot mineral pools. Last night the kids and I floated on our backs in warm spring water and looked at the stars. For a Five Star Resort, they keep the lights to a minimum (good thing). This morning I’m going to do yoga (if my complaining muscles can handle it), we’ll take another dip and then leave. We’re headed for El Centro tonight; to boondock somewhere and tomorrow will cross the border. Pictures to come when everyone else wakes.
