Attention: Some images had to be moved around, and additional information needed to be added to these 4-days as when I first blogged about this trip, it wasn’t in my head that exacting placement of details should be very precise as long as we had an idea of what was what. Well, here I am in November 2022 with COVID-19, repairing those bungles because I’ve got nothing better to do.

Last night we were gifted these two goose eggs for our breakfast; Caroline nor I had ever had goose eggs before. No, they don’t taste like chicken; they are like creamier, heavier versions of chicken eggs.

Thanks, ladies, for your contribution to our breakfast.

Being called Lavender Spring Ranch, it seems appropriate that lavender should be just about everywhere.

Bundles of lavender dry until they are threshed to remove their flowers.

Dragonflies, on the other hand, do not require threshing.

It was time to go, as our weekend was quickly coming to an end. Many thanks to Cliff and Bess Crouch of Lavender Spring Ranch for not only hosting us but also for their efforts of turning a decrepit old farm into a great adventure through an incredible amount of work, love, and dedication. That giant bag of lavender in Caroline’s hands was a gift from Bess.

On our way back to Phoenix across New Mexico on a beautiful day.

Beautiful day until we passed through Pie Town, New Mexico, because for the 43rd trillionth time, we were still unable to buy pie. Now dejected and without pie, we arrive back in Arizona to find bad weather.

A dozen miles west of Springerville, the sky opened bright and wide, the sun’s reflection on the wet road blinding us. Behind us, though, we saw the most vibrant, beautiful rainbow either of us had ever seen. I lept from the car with the rain still falling and was instantly wildly invigorated – what a great treat this was, and it was way better than pie. For the next half hour, we spoke in stunned excitement at the luck of the road chosen and being able to see the most incredible rainbow yet seen by the two of us.

I learned something this weekend about sleeping. Nine days ago, I was diagnosed with sleep apnea, and with much pleading, I was able to get my CPAP days ahead of my next doctor’s appointment. Well, seeing I had only used the thing for three nights prior to driving over to New Mexico, I figured it was too much of a hassle to bring the thing, and what the heck, I’d already “slept” for years not using one, what could the weekend be like without it? Horrible was the answer, I can’t believe how quickly I saw a change in my quality of life. This would be the last time I traveled without it.