An unexpected Day togeather with my husband

My Mr had to take an unexpected additional day off today.
We got the kids off to the bus stop and I did morning chores tending the critters.
We decided to pack a lunch charge a cell phone and go drive to the Northern valley
The Day was a Day of great beauty here in the Desert Land.

I snapped this up above Scottsdale Arizona heading north.

We headed North to a wonderland called "Seven Springs"
There had been a bad burn up here a year or two ago.

There are many washes to ford.
I was rather unesey being an hour away from the kids at school, but Mr U helped me to live dangerously to have some fun.
After hiking up one wash to the burn area we got so cold with a storm moving in that we hiked back and got warm in the rig while I made turkey sandwiches on my lap.
We like to take our foods with us from home.
It is so much better and far more economical.

We were cold and hungry!
After a drive farther into the area we found the first tree.
Burned to death and aged with the seasons.
Daddy man and I were on a mission.
We are Making a miniature tree house for and with the children over the holiday break.
I can tell you now for we have begun the gift.

He is so handsome to me , even after 26+ years of marriage and friendship.
We were not thrilled with the limb and decided to go deeper into the burn area. I was a nervous Nelly in the wash for a storm was moving in swiftly.
It chilled rapidly, we felt a snow temperature in the air.

A majestic old tree that had been burned to death in the fire.
It was magnificent.
There were several hundred in the area so be at peace we wound not desecrate a woodland.

My viral Man cut that very branch for our family.
No easy task.

We were fighting the storm encroaching upon us, and snapped some quick shots. This one looks like I am grabbing him, but we did not want to take any more time.
I really was very concerned.
Flash flooding happens here and it is not to be disrespected either.

I love his humor.
We laughed and really enjoyed our friendship together.
It has been a very long time for us that we have not taken time together.
See we do not practice childcare.

so funny!

This is my I'm freezing and the black sky is moving from 10 o clock in the dome above us to 2 o clock in a count of 14 seconds. I wanted out of the area and onto high ground.
Mind you I am an hour away from the kids.
That is huge for me.
There was a time when homeschooling was partially based in a fear of the world harming them.

I thought it might be cool to make a scenario on the platform. We will put the tree house on a framed platform on casters. So we got some wonderful rocks to adorn the set.

We both marveled in the deeply worn water marks in this large bed rock.
See why I wanted to hurry.
He looked up and agreed and we got out of the area to the other side of the fords so that we would not get caught behind a ford if a flash flood happened.
I have to be able to get to our kids!

It was moving in fast

So we made a stop on the high plateau above the back roads.
This is a Hohokam Indian Ruin.
It is an area rich in Gold and copper mining history.
It was so cold that in the time It took for me to turn around and face the opposite direction the sky above me did this...

The last three shots were taken in about one minute!...
yes, the storm was moving that fast!
Temperatures dropped at least 15 degrees.

That is where we had come out of the "seven springs" area in a hurry.

We drove farther on west toward the Valley and the sky did this in a very short time.

Behind me to the right or south (over my left shoulder)
In that five minutes ...this is where we had been.

This is the view toward the "valley of the sun".
This si a rare sight.

click to enlarge.
It is so magnificent.

This was over my right shoulder
Now that is opulence.
Why?

Weaver needle formation in center image.
The famed "Superstition Mountains"
Many a Gold hunters story about those mountains.

Beloved a native, can count the times he has ever witnessed the whole of the valley clear like this.

center facing West

to the left or North

farther North

to the far right facing South West

When the children got off the bus they found us scrubbing the stump.

We were able to scrub off the burn. It was sticky cooked on sap
all the bark had been burned.
This is a nice heavy ?hard wood.

My darling leveled it off by having me hold it at a balance. He then got on his knees and using a cube with a pencil resting horizontally on it scribed it , then he sawed again. It will stand balanced on its own.
We will however be mounding it on a nice triangular 3/4 inch scrap of wood.

The wire brushes came out at the end and we were able to get a lot more of the soot off of the knot holes. If need be we will shellac just the burned spots.

Cold wet boots.

Charcoal covered cold wet hands.
We both paid a little discomfort for a wonderful great gain.
It has been my children's dream to "one day... when they are all grown up...
built their very own Tree House."
Why postpone a Dream...
In their dream tree house there will be a large room for the homeless children,a room on the low branch for me so I do not have to climb the steps. There will be many wings to the tree house. Dash will be the Mayer of the place. There will be gardens and lots of flowers that I get to plant.

(never mind the counter, today we were more important than the kitchen)
Now that warm cup of Coffee with vyta soy cocoa milk was awesome!
All I have need of My God has provided, Morning by morning new mercies I ssee.

We needed time away to relax, We need fun with each other. We needed to be refreshed by beauty unparalelled.
Our hearts longed to bless our young ones by fofilling a dream.
Walking into a vision that he and I shared togeather.
Unity of purpose in pleasure renewed us both.
Listen to each others dreams.
God gives us the desires that are within our hearts.
Encourage your young ones that anything is possible.