A Desert Oasis

While we were in Quartzsite, we received an email from Tom and Cheryl, friends from BC, Canada. We were delighted to find they were staying at Desert Palms RV Resort in Casa Grande for the month of February, so when we arrived here, we invited them for dinner. We haven’t seen them since last winter in Mazatlan. After hugs, we enjoyed a happy hour with “Border Butternilk” (Larry's special blend of margaritas) and Cheryl’s shrimp. For dinner I made Chicken Fettucine Alfredo, salad, and chocolate pudding.

I had picked up a brochure on St. Anthony’s Greek Orthodox Monastery about 40 miles from Casa Grande near Florence.. Tom and Cheryl seemed interested, too, so we made plans to tour the monastery a few days later.

The monastery brochure mentioned that visitors must be appropriately and modestly dressed. Long pants and long-sleeved shirts for men and long skirts and long-sleeved blouses for women, and a head scarf. No high heels, no sandals without socks.

We arrived about 10:30 (see entrance gate at left) and as directed, went first to the gatehouse where a group was assembling for the first tour of the day. Tom and Larry had proper attire. Neither Cheryl nor I had a skirt or scarf, but the monastery had a limited supply for visitors’ use. After donning our new apparel, we were ready for the tour. Tom and Larry said we looked like a couple Muslims. I think we look kinda cute..

A monk led our group to the main church and described the various appointments and meanings of the some of the symbols; showed us where monks, pilgrims, etc sat during service and described the monks’ daily routine: The monks’ day begins at midnight with personal prayer time and spiritual reading, followed by the cycle of morning prayers and the Divine Liturgy. After a light breakfast and a rest period, the monks begin their work day, attending to prayer and their tasks which include construction, grounds keeping, vine dressing, gardening, woodworking, publishing, food preparation, and offering hospitality.

Then we toured the rest of the grounds and chapels with a self-guided map.. It is hard to describe the beauty of this “oasis in the desert.” It began in 1995 when six Athonite monks were transferred to the Sororan Desert to establish the monastery dedicated to St. Anthony, the father of monasticism.. Upon their arrival they began the construction of the main church, living quarters for the monks (called cells), a dining hall and guest facilities. A vegetable garden, a small vineyard, citrus orchards and an olive grove dot the landscape, which includes gardens, pathways, tall palm trees, flowers and gazebos with Spanish style fountains.

We were all impressed with the architecture and construction of the monastery buildings and with what the monks have accomplished in the short time since they arrived.

Afterwards, we went to Tom and Cheryls for lunch and spent the afternoon in the sun on their deck.

IT'S A BOY!!!!!

Our long-awaited grandson has finally made his appearance. Knuton Riley Sorenson, weighing in at 9 lbs. 9 ½ oz. was born February 16 at Doctors’ Hospital in Dallas, Texas. His mom (Kathy) and Dad (Glen) and big sister Madelyn (19 mos.) are all doing fine. And here he is……..

KOFA National Wildlife Refuge

KOFA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
The Kofa NWR encompasses 664,000 acres of pristine desert environment and is home to the unique desert Bighorn Sheep and the California fan palm, the only native palm in Arizona. Other notable wildlife species found in the area include white-wing dove, desert tortoise, fox, mountain lion, rattlesnakes, iguana and lizards.

Today we explored Palm Canyon, a narrow canyon in the Kofa NWR about 18 miles south of Quartzsite, to find the “grove” of palm trees that have become a major visitor attraction to the area. We turned in at the Palm Canyon sign and followed a washboard dirt road about seven miles to the Palm Canyon trailhead where we parked our car and proceeded up the half mile (each way) foot trail into the canyon. The trail was well-marked but quite rocky with a few steep sections but overall it wasn’t too challenging. At the trail’s end, there was a sign pointing upward and to our left, where we saw the palm trees clustered high in a narrow crevice. (Click on the second photo to enlarge it; you will see the palm trees in the center of the photo.)

In 1986, 42 trees were counted in the main grove. It is believed that they are descendants of palms growing in this region during the last periods of North American glaciation. The palm trees are able to survive in the narrow side canyons where direct sunshine is limited, but some moisture is available.

The vegetation in the area was very green and lush, one would not expect in a desert environment. On our trek we passed several species of desert plants including the Palo Verde tree, mountain barberry and the cholla, ocotillo and saguaro cactus. We saw none of the above mentioned wildlife which was disappointing, but on our way down the trail, a rabbit that scampered across our path and we saw a very tiny lizard sitting on a rock.