The Oasis of my Soul...

[beemerchef]

Spirit finally got a job!!!


Dropping South to Utah...

Chaperoning our Book Editor for 12 days is done as we dropped her off at the Portland Airport. We saw Neah Bay, camped on the Hood Canal, backtracked through Portland to the little town of Halfway [Oregon], rode Hell's Canyon with Spirit as she herself shopped around. A good time I must say filled with Life's conversations. An unusual setting for us to have company, a nice one.

Too hot to yet drop to "The Oasis" we stopped in Utah. We are now in and around Moab while we rode up and down, again [!], Potash Road and Shafer Trail. I just cannot get away from that road. We will be moving on to Muley Point and Valley of the Gods, a good time for fall if fall ever arrives as it was 92 in the shade yesterday. Lower 80's today, there is hope for cooler temperatures.

The spaces are now empty as Labor Day has passed on and everyone is back home on their own regular schedules. We have it all to ourselves. Almost.

As every year I am looking forward to arriving at "The Oasis". A shipping container, fire pits, water catchment and continue our conversations with my Mother and Lance. Many locals roads to ride again and from what I have seen from others the sunsets have been incredible.

For those who have purchased our book "Freedom On Both Ends Of The Leash", either through us or Amazon or electronically, I hope you have enjoyed it. For those who have not, I can only hope you do...





Till next time.

Stay well.

Ara and Spirit

www.theoasisofmysoul.com The Journal and Book "Freedom on Both Ends of the Leash"

8th Year, the Stars, living under them…

[beemerchef]

Thank You "Life".

End of summer as I felt fall for the first time with cold hands and finding myself wearing a sweater. All so welcomed. Such freedom I have been thinking while laying on the ground one night, a couple nights ago in Valley of the Gods and watching the stars while seemingly the sky lowering itself and taking me in.

A rare freedom, a luxury. Have we earned it? I found that out when after taking refuge in Bluff for a couple days due to threats of flash flood warnings, while headed back this time to the Gooseneck I suddenly made a U Turn and here we are only a 100 miles from The Oasis, Texas! How can a space where we have already spent five winters call me, pull me so strongly? No arguments on my end, only checking the weather as low eighties will be doable.

The excitement is at its height, if not more than the first time! I know I will be breathing deeper than ever and I cannot help calling it "Home". Home Base is not even a word strong enough anymore.

We are spending a couple nights in Marfa seeing a good Friend of mine. An Author of many books, yet we did not solve anything regarding this fabric of Life we deal with daily. I personally have come to the conclusion that so many questions only have no answers. It is that simple while being "Thankful" towards this path such has put us on, Spirit and I together as one.

I feel as there will be much to do when we arrive and that is not true. There will be right then and there nothing to do, only for the mind to take it all in and conversate with Lance and my Mother who I am sure have been awaiting our return.

How exciting!Can you tell he is still happy?






Till next time.

Stay well.

Ara and Spirit

www.theoasisofmysoul.com The Journal and Book "Freedom on Both Ends of the Leash"

8th Year, the Stars, living under them…

[beemerchef]

Lazy days at "The Oasis", Texas...

What can I say? After taking refuge in Bluff, Utah, due to flash flood warnings [which I take very seriously], on our way West back to the Gooseneck and Valley of the Gods the little voice in me [sometimes not so little!] told me to get back here... as we did. The forecast was a bit on the warm side for afternoons but today is the last of the 90's we will see and feel for a while. Very doable as the mornings have been cool and even colder throughout the nights.

I have been lazy since arriving here. Riding endlessly those roads we missed so much, star gazing after the few days of fuller Moon, playing with my Buddy who always regains his freedom here running in circle like a madman!

The conclusion always, as appealing is being on the road, a Home Base is needed throughout the year. The outside world has its boundaries here. I am only interested in Mother Nature's politics, its beauty and offerings which are so many surrounding us. Glued eyes on a screen is not my preferred pass-time. I will not be running for Mayor anytime soon...

Tomorrow I will force ourselves to get on a bit further. All is just too comfy here and we don't need to be on the lookout for a black truck passing by a few times an hour or a blown up and smoldering met lab which are events happened recently further North. Pretty incredible how even the spaces containing solitude are changing every year.

Reading, [have you read our Book yet?], riding, cooking, playing... That about sums it up for now. More photos on our Journal.


Till next time.

Stay well.

Ara and Spirit

www.theoasisofmysoul.com The Journal and Book "Freedom on Both Ends of the Leash"

8th Year, the Stars, living under them…

[beemerchef]

Timeless Zone in Big Bend, Texas.

A big decision was facing me all summer. Where would we live some day when this body dwindled down as already the rough off roads are slowly being a thing of the past. Mainly for summer times as winter here at "The Oasis" is unequaled. Land up North above 9000 feet to keep us cool escaped me as an option. These 10 acres here, all paid for, has become the solution. We shall built something as a roof, we shall have a little home as a small camper, some more solar, water catchment, a larger generator for those hot summer days when those times arrive. That one day... I have it all written and photographed in a couple entries in our Journal. It is all there... Not finished yet of course but it is all getting there. You will have to go back one entry to see how it is all shaping up.

In the meantime as every Sunday comes by I know exactly how long we have already been here and that fact alone amazes me. Is it time flying away as one gets up in age? Or is it this Big Bend area which has a total disregard towards a calendar? I must say it is pretty amazing.

The "Day of the Dead" celebration has also come and gone where we attended for a couple hours. More photos on the last entry of ours.

A bit of rain finally, cooler weather dropping from the 90's to the 60's and 70's. It is here the definition of perfection.

Enjoy... we are.

Till next time.

Stay well.

Ara and Spirit

www.theoasisofmysoul.com The Journal and Book "Freedom on Both Ends of the Leash"

8th Year, the Stars, living under them…

[beemerchef]

Making a Home in Big Bend... Texas that is.

Where do I begin? as "The Oasis", here, once again works its magic in the center of this Texas Desert.

As the years have gone by on the road, the thought of the ones ahead of us has made its mark. Some day we will need a Home, it is inevitable, as a good Friend of mine wrote me. Where else could it be but here?

Sure, summers are hot [but dry] and the decision to have a roof here has turned into a reality. A 25 x 40 shelter, a little camper right next to a 10 x 14 prefab cabin. Much solar, 4000 gallons of water catchment, a powerful generator, some sort of a basic outdoor kitchen, [meaning just a long table!], better Internet, it is all taking shape all in photos in a couple previous entries in our Journal.

Now is however the time to walk away from it and once again balance out our time between Nature and those components that have been going up. I am realizing that it could be endless as the days here within this space which more than anything else feels as an Island for us. One that can provide all our needs present and future.

Big Bend Park provided its magic the other day. A breather from shoveling dirt or nailing some boards and wiring this and that.

I feel as this winter is going to fly by, lets see how much heat we can handle when Spring returns. Colorado is never too far!

Enjoy the photos. It is Life "off the grid".

Happy "Thanksgiving" day.


Till next time.

Stay well.

Ara and Spirit

www.theoasisofmysoul.com The Journal and Book "Freedom on Both Ends of the Leash"

9th Year, the Stars, living under them…



www.beemerchef.smugmug.com The Photos

[beemerchef]

Coming to terms with the future. Big Bend. TX

I feel as I have traded "Old Faithful" for a skill saw, drill, jigsaw, plywood, shovel, rake, you name it! And I have part time. Undertaking a permanent [a hard word to pronounce!] home for the future is a task I am discovering will take more time than I thought. Especially while doing most of it myself having never done such work before. I have the utmost respect for carpenters lately! That is an art I do not possess or have any experience with.

Yet, we manage to get away within these three million acres which constantly stare at us, call our name while the weather is still perfect meaning a short sleeve T shirt is the norm. The stress of finishing it all is behind me, it will get done when it gets done. The discoveries on those roads traveled dozens of times are still present as even Terlingua offers new sights, new stores and people passing by or moving in. A donut shop open on the weekends! That is big for here... and good!

Spirit continues to roam around freely. This space is also his paradise where there is no leash. We walk the land seeing the changes after the storms, new paths, vegetation dying from the past summer heat and the ones thriving from the recent rains. It is a constant change on this stage we discovered in years past. Who would have ever known this would change from a home base to some day where we will rest when this body gets too tired from roaming around this huge country we live in. I don't have to come to terms with that notion, not yet. I do think however I am doing the right thing.

I am also still working on our Photo Coffee Table Book. Probably will be another couple months until that one is ready, that task also turns out not to be as easy as I thought. In the meantime "Freedom on Both Ends of the Leash" is still available on our Journal, on Amazon and in all electronic formats.

Enjoy and stay well. Happy upcoming Holidays... just in case we do not make it back here before.



Till next time.

Stay well.

Ara and Spirit

www.theoasisofmysoul.com The Journal and Book "Freedom on Both Ends of the Leash"

9th Year, the Stars, living under them…



www.beemerchef.smugmug.com The Photos

[beemerchef]

Intermission in Life. TX

We both have been looking for a break, an intermission of some sort but not one in this fashion. A violent ice storm created the worse black out these three million acres have ever experienced when 30 electric poles went down. No fuel, no propane, no phone service, not even the SAT phone working for some odd reason, and of course no Internet. The lack of power does not phase us as we are on a solar system, the Internet? well, that can wait... right?

Yesterday as some power did come back in Alpine and the perfect weather was back we took the 120 mile round trip, my curiosity towards these pages I guess got the best of me while sitting at the local Library. The world is still spinning, nothing too important has happened. It was a great ride though.

We did manage to get into the Park before the storm hit, riding being a need more than anything else, and we found ourselves present at Panther Junction at the right time while the iced fog combined with winds was sculpting Nature. What a sight! With plenty of fuel as always carrying an extra five gallons reserve it was one of our best days in the Park. A cold one!

Everyone here is slowly getting back on their feet. The Internet addicts are again normally breathing, blood pressure back to normal. Not so lucky here as we depend on a tower and that little red light is still not on. We will probably ride to our neighbors tomorrow to post this as more photos are in our Journal.

And by the way "Happy New Year".



Till next time.

Stay well.

Ara and Spirit

www.theoasisofmysoul.com The Journal and Book "Freedom on Both Ends of the Leash"

www.beemerchef.smugmug.com The Photos

9th Year, the Stars, living under them…

[beemerchef]

Winter this time around seems to be lingering forever or is it this construction while "it" feeling so against the grain of our Journey. Was it the wrong time? Trying to come to terms with it.

We already had "that one day of snow", the one day that transforms this desert into a surreal landscape yet does not last long, about half a day.

A couple visitors as Big Bend is increasingly putting its name on the map arousing the curiosity of many while they themselves discover the beautiful roads which surrounds us mixed in with much hiking. There is even a donut shop now open on Sundays in Terlingua! How about that for progress...

Between painting, trimming and mostly waiting for material to arrive we also continue ourselves enjoying the roads. River Rd was one of them the other day. Many photos and a new video on our Journal.

This intermission is a long one. Are we getting close to explore further? I sure hope so as it seems such aspect is now ingrained within us. It is amazing how one can get so close to Mother Nature no wanting to let her go.

It has been eleven years now since Lance is gone. That day was a rough one even if my tools are honed and sharpened to take on the emotions which never leave me, will never leave me.

Life goes on... It is what it is... Enough rambling.

Till next time.

Stay well.

Ara and Spirit

www.theoasisofmysoul.com The Journal and Book "Freedom on Both Ends of the Leash"

www.beemerchef.smugmug.com The Photos

9th Year, the Stars, living under them…

[beemerchef]

Open up your lens a bit wider... TX

Strange things happen in a Desert while away from it all. It is mainly called thinking! Not as bombs amidst an Urban Jungle, here silence prevails, one needs to be comfortable in their own skin... and mind.

Life moves on here at its own pace as at times I look at the calendar and conclude it is unwinding a bit too fast with not much time to waste especially as age catches up with me.

This intermission while securing a dwelling for future years seems to be a long one. I question myself often. How and why can someone so much likes (love!) living in a tent? The main aspect I figured out is simplicity and a close touch with Mother Nature. Nothing like it.

The weather this winter has almost daily been a gift. Sometimes even a bit too warm to our liking. Good rains at times are providing our water, sunshine equals power. What more can I ask for combined with a solar oven, wood and multi fuel stove to cook with? Nothing...

We are only in February. The Northern roads will have to wait a bit longer!


Till next time.

Stay well.

Ara and Spirit

www.theoasisofmysoul.com The Journal and Book "Freedom on Both Ends of the Leash"

www.beemerchef.smugmug.com The Photos

9th Year, the Stars, living under them…

[beemerchef]

BBNP, how it all came about. TX
March 2nd, 2015

Still in a holding pattern here in Big Bend, Texas, I always wanted to know how these beautiful geological patterns had come about. I felt as one needs to know as such when some day this will be Home. Some day!

I coupled my reading with a beautiful day in the Park. Yesterday was what I call "perfection" including the clouds playing incessantly, very few cars, the perfect breeze and temperature. Even Spirit had a bigger than usual smile on his face. We could not be more fortunate than being here.

How all this came about is a long story which I abbreviated in our Journal mixed in with black and white photos which I felt was appropriate for the occasion. I don't think they had color cameras 450 million years ago!

I feel as once one knows a bit more about the past of a space they frequent occasionally, there is a better appreciation towards the present that faces us. It works for me.

Enjoy...



Till next time.

Stay well.

Ara and Spirit

www.theoasisofmysoul.com The Journal and Book "Freedom on Both Ends of the Leash"


http://www.beemerchef.smugmug.com The Photos

9th Year, the Stars, living under them…