Where was I? Yes.
We walk around Gila to the river and back. I find a cow skull to give Hildebrand's old friend Betty. It's her birthday we're headed for soon. The skull is at the end of a trail of bones as though the poor cow died gradually dropping its head last.
Javalina prints everywhere. Hairy little animals related to elephants rather than pigs although they look piggy. All tusks and hair and little dainty feet. Looks like they've been holding dances in the dust of the riverside.
I go off Sufi dancing myself, with Susan, and join the circle of friendly people under an old oak tree.
We sing away the night with the great Gurnie Dobbs.
Left Gila, New Mexico in a dust storm and headed towards "the West Texas town of El Paso...." To the North-East we pass cattle feed-lots and I think seriously about going vegetarian again.
Can't see much of the country because of the steady stream of trucks and the thick dust. Now and then a family of tumbleweeds makes a dash across the road. They wait for us. Big ones, small ones some as big as cows.
Gradually we outrun the dust storm and get our first look at the Texas wildflowers. The roadsides are covered with them. Great patches of blue and orange and purple and pink. I remember that I read somewhere that seeds are sown each year to improve the display and Stilly River Sage tells me about this when we finally reach her place by way of an accidental detour through the worst of the peak hour traffic. We spend a lovely evening with her. It's such a thrill to meet the friends I feel so close to but am so far away from.
To be continued. Joy