So, we spent 5 nights up on the Mogollon Rim this past week. It had been two years since we last visited the Rim and during that trip, we spent a week in another cabin, across the highway. I could hear every car and truck that passed by. It was nice because a family of Cooper hawks (mom and two youngsters) claimed that area as their territory and I was able to watch and learn from them. And, there were squirrels there, although the squirrels had to dodge the hawks! NO elk or deer, however. This summer we rented a cabin on the other side of the highway, way back away from it and its noise. This cabin had a large corner lot, but was very quiet and further down the road was a huge expanse of national forest. There were wild sunflowers growing all along the fences here, and cows wandered around the forest. We heard them several evenings and mornings, calling to one another. Our last night, we also heard the howls of a coyote. There were squirrels, but I didn't see any hawks at all. We saw robins, nuthatches, woodpeckers, and a variety of finches and sparrows. I really enjoyed the quietness of this cabin. When we left yesterday morning, our plan was to drive to Phoenix and spend the night, and then drive home. But, when hubby asked, "Would you rather drive to Flagstaff, spend the night there, and then drive home?" , I immediately screamed, "YES!" Another night out of the desert heat. Our daughter said it was 108 at home...sigh...
I'm finding that I cope better in the forest. My COPD seems worse in the heat and I enjoy the cool air of the mountains. I sleep better. I feel better. My body just seems to function better in the mountains than the desert. As hubby and I get older, we can tolerate the heat less and less. Maybe that's why we have to get away during the summers as much as we can? Maybe that's why we so enjoy driving up to Idyllwild? We both realize that we need our "mountain time"!
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