Life at the Ranch

Beach at El Dorado Ranch

When the white dog became tan we figured it was time to take Tessie down to the beach. It is very quiet down here right now. Snowbirds begin arriving from the north after the holidays so we had the entire beach to ourselves. It was high tide so none of the flats were exposed. There is a 20 ft tidal range here and at low tide you have to walk ¼ mile on the flats to reach the water. It is a great time to go clamming but not a great time for kayaking! Fortunately, we have portable kayak wheels for those occasions!

Happy Doggie

Some of the best things about our annual trip to San Felipe is reconnecting with friends and the land that is the Baja. We enjoyed a wonderful dinner party at Sharon and Lynda’s where we met Denise and Susan from Eureka for the first time. We also hooked up with old friends Roni and Dave for dinner and Mexican Train Dominoes at Andre’s, one of our favorite local restaurants. As always, it is wonderful to see Patricia and the Boys and our neighbors/friends Linda and Lisbeth and the dogs.

Sharon and Lynda's Cool Rail

Romeo and Gunner

Lil' Diego

We made a new little friend this week. His new name is Diego, a small Chihuahua rescue from town. Patricia has been fostering him and Linda and Lisbeth will be taking him to the States tomorrow. He had been sleeping outside tied to a tree in this cold competing with a bigger off-leash dog for food. We can see who has been winning. The family who had the dog just had a new human baby and cannot keep the dog so it is best for everyone that Diego is on his way to a new home. What a little doll! Kudos to Patricia and the Boys for opening up their hearts and their home!

We have been here ten days. Sometimes it feels like forever; sometimes it feels like ten days. Getting into Baja-head takes some time. It is so different here, so quiet. The stark landscape of this desert hypnotizes you, drawing you into this Otherworld. You can even hear the soft buzzing inside your own head. When you look out at the desert it seems as though everything you see is outlined by a crisp edge, yet the desert is also a soft blur. That is the blur your mind desires to rest in.

We’ve had incredible light at night with the full moon phase. It feels lunar. It’s a different experience than the coming star-filled pitch-black. We have a nice campfire when the moods strikes and wake early before the sun rises over the Sea of Cortez. It’s so good to be Baja home.

Sierra San Pedro Martir Mountain Range