A Week of People

Last week Dick and Jeri Hamel called and invited us to breakfast with them Wednesday at the Apple Farm Restaurant. (You remember Jeri Hamel - she's our emerging artist friend.) Almost immediately, friends Sharon McKay and Don Del Rosario emailed us an invitation to lunch with them at Apple Farm Restaurant for the same day! When we accepted that invitation, they let us know that their friends Mike and Beth Myers would be joining us.

Mike, Beth, Sharon, Don

We had a great time at both meals. Now we have a new set of friends. Mike and Beth have a lot at the SKP Saguaro Park in Benson, not far from our own. They are fulltime RVers also, and spend even more of their time actually on the road than we do.

The next day there was a monthly group luncheon with members of the SKP Chapter 21, most of whom are resident or at least visiting at the park, We are becoming acquainted with more folks at the park, so at least we recognized some of the folks at lunch.

To finish off the week, we invited ourselves to Discovery Ranch. This is a kind of eclectic place. The owner, Sue Thatcher, has a very large home, and rents rooms or apartments on a long- or short-term basis. Some of the renters have kitchen and laundry privileges, and one apartment has its own facilities.

We first came to Discovery Ranch 3½ years ago, when Suzy’s Mom was dying. Our daughters found the ranch through a newspaper ad and we moved in. Sue Thatcher made us feel completely welcome and at home. Discovery Ranch proved to be an excellent place of refuge and solace.

Discovery Ranch sits in the Huachuca Mountains south of Sierra Vista. To get there, you travel south on State 92 until you get to Ramsay Canyon Road. Follow Ramsay Canyon past the sign that says “Dead End,” then turn right at a rickety bunch of mailboxes. You find youself on a rutty dirt road called Brown Canyon Road. Press on, passing several homes or ranches mostly hidden behind the brushy landscape until you get to the end of the road. That’s Discovery Ranch.

Our visit this time was an opportunity to renew friendship. Suzy had offered to cook chicken cacciatore; Sue bought the ingredients, and we brought the seasonings.

Still life in a pot lid

All Ready for the sauce!

There turned out to be eight for dinner. Sue’s mother Florence is staying at the ranch for a while, Sue’s gentleman friend Gene stopped by, and renters Gentry, Ted and Randy all got word about the feast. We had a fine evening.

Ted played his grand piano, which he had brought with him when he moved in.

Gentry played his guitar and demonstrated that he can even squeeze musicfrom a bagpipe.

Gentry’s 19-month old son Jaidon charmed all of us.

Sue Thatcher and her mother "horsing around."