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Heading North: Eye Exams and Gumbo
Although we were looking forward to getting back on the road, we left Quartzsite with good memories—and every intention of returning next winter. We pointed north toward Andover, Minnesota. Nana has her annual eye appointment there in May, and we had nineteen days to get there. We spent a little time around Flagstaff before moving…
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Under the Awning – May 2026
A monthly reflection series I’ve always wanted to be good at everything I try… the first time I try it. If that doesn’t happen, I get frustrated. And more often than I’d like to admit, I give up. I’ve always thought of myself as a jack of all trades. I don’t expect to be an…
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No More Guessing: How I Track My Dog Off-Grid
For those who have never read my stuff, Nana is my service dog. She has been an overwhelmingly positive addition to my life. She’s smart, photogenic, and in so many ways makes my life manageable. She has her kryptonite though. Smells. She can become completely scent-focused, and when we’re traveling, I’ll let her roam when…
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Under the Awning – April 2026
A monthly reflection series Before I started this change in my life, I had things.A lot of things. Every ad that popped up convinced me that this was the item that would make me feel better.It would make me happy.I would finally feel whole again. All I needed was the newest, the latest, the greatest.…
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The Final Days in the Desert
An Update on Nana Nana had to have oral surgery after splitting a back molar. I’m not exactly sure how it happened, but my best guess is she chomped down on a stone stuck to her Benebone chew toy. I try to inspect her teeth weekly and noticed one had turned a darker color. I…
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Running Over My Trail Cam (And the Customer Service That Followed)
Late last summer I bought a trail cam to keep an eye on what was happening around camp. I wanted to capture the life that moves quietly through the background when no one is paying attention. After looking around a bit, I picked up a Garde Pro – E8 Pro. I didn’t know much about…
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Under the Awning – March 2026
A monthly reflection series I’ve been down a long road with more than a few mental health bumps and ruts along the way. Over the past few years, I’ve been reading Stoicism — not as a cure, but as a way to steady myself. This time of year, mornings are still in the 40s and…
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It Was Never About the Adventure
The temperatures are noticeably warmer and the breezes are much appreciated as temperatures near 90 at the end of February. The crickets have begun their chorus of chirping in the evening and even the birds are more abundant. Before the morning sun breaks the ridge I hear Mourning Doves sing their low, all too familiar,…
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Earning the Day
While I was in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, there were mornings that were cold, wet, and windy — the kind that make you question your life choices before your first sip of coffee. And yet, I would sit there watching the sunrise over the lake and think: This is prettier because I earned it. It wasn’t…
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A Birthday Tribute to Nana
Greetings from the land of nomads. Yesterday was Nana’s birthday. I’ve never been one to celebrate pet birthdays, but this year felt different. It felt worth pausing and writing something down. We started the day with me singing “Happy Birthday” while rubbing her belly. Her tail wagged enthusiastically, stirring up the desert dust that had…
Bear Belly Adventures 