02-13-2026 Ogilby Road

The fire pit at our camp on Ogilby Road

I have a bit more to write about our last week in Desert Hot Springs. A few day trips, a few dinners with friends, a bit more to share. But in the dark this morning, the memories that fill my soul are of our time on Ogilby Road.

I need to write it, to feel it, to remember the silence of it.

As I watch the snow in the blue dawn light, I feel that silence too, but in such a different way. With the snow comes all that goes with living in beautiful Oregon. Soft wet white clouds weighing down the tree branches. Little footprints in a wavering line from the lower fence up to Mo’s workshop.

It is skunk season, and they love the dry, warm darkness beneath the oldest wooden building on the property. After calling a “critter gitter,” there are two fewer skunks wandering at night, but the tracks prove there are more out there.

Spring flowers are trying to burst through the snow in spite of the weather. Overgrown perennials, never trimmed last fall, are brown and weighted down along the sidewalk. Roses unpruned in January as usual are still tall and gangly, with rotted buds and brown leaves sagging under snow and rain. It may be silent outside, but the work that needs to be done makes a very loud noise inside my mind.

To do. To do. To do.

It is easy to feel small in the desert

Ogilby Road isn’t scenic in the postcard way. It’s not red rock cathedral or alpine lake. It’s open, spare, almost austere. “Incredibly beautifully nothing” is the only way I know to describe how it feels. Desert pavement. The tiniest flowers in the gravel. Sky that stretches from horizon to horizon.

Ogilby is the kind of horizon that doesn’t ask anything of me.

It offers almost no variables. No decisions. No noise. Just surface and sky and weather doing what it does. It is a forced silence, the quieting of the noisy mind I spent years trying to learn. I don’t find this quiet in the forests and mountains or on the wild, raucous coast.

On Ogilby, an inner stillness happens like nowhere else.
And I return to it on purpose. That’s not accidental. That’s ritual.

The fact that it rained this year felt like a small blessing. We have traveled to Ogilby many times and never before had rain. It was a soft, steady rain, gently tapping on the roof. Quiet.

Some places are scenic. Some places are stimulating. And some places are regulating. Ogilby is regulating for me.

Mattie is always a little bit overwhelmed when we first arrive on Ogilby road.

The visual simplicity of a low horizon, a muted palette, of long distances reduces input. My nervous system doesn’t have to scan for traffic, conversation, social cues, decisions. Even the ground is simple: gravel, wash, sky. Nothing to interpret. Nothing to do.

No mental lists. I am simply here.

Once she adjusts to the open space, Mattie loves the desert too

Mo and I questioned the choice to drive more than 150 miles each way just to experience the silent emptiness of Ogilby this year. We had planned to stay longer, but the predicted storms changed our plans. We knew we had to travel quickly to get home before the snow stopped us. Chains on the MoHo over Mt. Shasta and the Siskiyous are not an option.

It was perfect. We drove only a few miles south of the intersection of Highway 78 and Ogilby Road before finding our place. Perfectly level. A low berm separates us from the pavement. Not a soul in sight for miles.

We found the desert fairy duster in this gentle wash

When the morning rains cleared on our second day, we found Calliandra eriophylla, desert fairy duster. The pink powder-puff “flowers”, actually masses of long stamens, looked like little desert fireworks. Even though it is a fairly common desert plant, I had never seen one before.

Desert Fairy Duster

Walking quietly with the dog in the open landscape, we found tiny treasures.

Blooming in the gravel were several plants of Eremalche rotundifolia, desert five-spot.

Tucked between the rocks we found Phacelia distans, wild heliotrope. The toe of Mo’s boot shows just how small it is.

Another tiny wonder was Monoptilon bellioides, Mojave Desert star.

Desert sunflowers lit up the open spaces with their brilliance

Mo built a fire each evening and we cooked and ate our meal as we watched the sunset.

Sunset was long and slow and filled our time after supper with brilliant color.

I need this place to remember what it is to be quiet when the busyness of everyday life returns.

The light of our fire reflecting on the MoHo

02-05-2026 A Beautiful Week with Friends and Flowers

Early morning view of Mt San Jacinto and Gorgonio Pass from Catalina Spa

Our life at Catalina Spa and RV Resort settles into the kind of routine that we love so much when spending time in the California desert. We wake early almost every morning and are often in the pool by 5:30 AM, but occasionally as late as 6. 

The lower pool before dawn.  We never went to the upper pool

After a long hot shower in the roomy bathrooms we return home by way of the short path between our rig and the pool and shower house.

Mattie loves leash free walks in the open desert

We wake Mattie for her early morning walk. Sometimes I go with Mo and Mattie and sometimes I stay at home and make breakfast in time for their return. I love the desert at this time of day with the early morning shadows on the surrounding mountains and the rosy pink glow of the rising sun on Mt. San Jacinto.

Sometimes there are a few dogs in the open space where we walk on the north side of the park. Most of the time, however, Mattie can run off leash to her heart’s content, running back to Mo quickly at the command, reinforced by the tiny treats she has learned to carry in her pocket when she is out walking.

The park is only half full this year. The biggest reason is that the Canadians aren’t here as they have been in past years. The park is feeling the pinch and there are a few indications that funds are short. There aren’t as many park functions as in past years, but that doesn’t bother us at all. We have never been much for attending social gatherings. 

Music in the pavilion on Friday afternoons 

Our main social life in the park is the Friday afternoon music in the nearby pavilion and our morning conversations with Mike in the pool. Mike and his wife Shannon return every year for about three months from their home in Prince George, BC. Mike is usually our only companion in the pool by 6 AM and he is a kind and gentle conversationalist. Shannon is the main vocal performer that provides the Friday afternoon entertainment.  Dave on the right with the red guitar plays exceptionally well, and you can barely see James on the keyboard on the left who is excellent.

Our friends Nickie and Jimmy from Nevada City, California, arrived at the park on the last day of January and plan to stay for a month. We look forward to spending time with them now and then while we share this desert space. They are easy friends to be around.

Mo's flautas were the best

A few days after they arrived the four of us decided to try out the newish Mexican restaurant in Desert Hot Springs that Jeanne and Alan were so excited about. Mo and I no longer have any need or desire to drive to Palm Springs or anywhere else in the Coachella Valley for superb Mexican food. I think it was one of the better meals we have eaten out on any of our visits. Not only was the food superb, the presentation was lovely and interesting. Each dish had a different type of artistic plate and the sides were done perfectly. I had birria tacos for the first time and I am totally hooked. I hope I can find some as good in Grants Pass.

Sue's birria tacos with fantastic dipping broth

Nickie really was happy with her enchiladas

On another day Mo and I traveled to Cathedral City to enjoy another desert tradition that we love. The Mary Pickford Theater It’s Da Place is movie-going at its best. Giant screens, 12 movies to choose from, great sound, huge recliners with lots of space between seats, and beer, wine, and pizza served in the lobby to enjoy with your movie. 

Lovely theater

We saw "Song Sung Blue" and I was in happy tears throughout the entire movie. The music moved me so much. I had forgotten how much I loved Neil Diamond’s music back in the early 70s. Somehow it just slipped away and the movie brought it all back. It was a wonderful movie.

We mentioned to Nickie and Jimmy that we were planning to do a day trip to Anza-Borrego State Park. They were tickled about the chance to share that time with us and asked if we minded if they went along. Separate cars, of course. Our Tracker is our rolling garage for traveling and they have a Smart Car, so two people per vehicle is all anyone can manage.

Anza Borrego is an easy day trip from Catalina Spa

The trip south to Borrego Springs is easy. Maybe an hour and a half traveling east along the infamous Dillon Road that bisects Desert Hot Springs and then south on Highway 86 along the western shore of the Salton Sea. (I say infamous because no one seems to know who "Dillon" was). The Sea is full of water this year and is lovely from a distance. We had no need to get closer. The beaches are muddy and the smell isn’t great. No matter, we were heading uphill toward the Santa Rosa Mountains to the west and the largest state park in California.

The visitor center is nestled softly into the surrounding landscape

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is the largest state park in California, stretching across more than 600,000 acres of badlands, canyons, palm oases, and desert mountains. Named for Spanish explorer Juan Bautista de Anza and the Spanish word “borrego,” meaning bighorn sheep, the park is best known for its dramatic spring wildflower blooms and the elusive desert bighorn sheep that roam the rocky slopes. In good bloom years the desert floor can erupt into sweeping carpets of color that draw visitors from all over the state.

Standing on the roof of the visitor center

Our first destination was the beautiful visitor center. We have visited here often in the past so didn’t spend much time with the well-done exhibits. We also didn’t walk the lovely interpretive desert paths because it was too warm to leave Mattie in the car and she isn’t allowed on any of the trails in the park. Our main purpose for visiting the center was to ask for information about where the spring blooms are most prolific. The first attendant gave us a map with several locations marked, but the second person came over to tell us that she knew of a place where our dog could run and play in the desert without a leash. Perfect!

Nickie and Jimmy also wanted the chance to see Coyote Canyon, another area well known for amazing blooms along the four-wheel-drive route. The attendant made sure that Nickie and Jimmy knew they couldn’t attempt the Coyote Canyon road in their Smart Car. We decided that with a bit of juggling of our gear into their car, the four of us could fit into the Tracker for the drive up the canyon.

Sue in the dunes at the Big Springs preserve

But first we split up for some separate adventures, the two of them choosing to hike the Palm Canyon Trail while Mo and I took Mattie to her very own desert wildflower heaven. Dogs aren’t allowed on the Palm Canyon Trail because it is disruptive to the wild mountain sheep that live there. I was not about to hike that three-mile round trip of rough rocky ground. Smooth and level is now my style!

Sand verbena and dune primrose 

Up close look at the dune primrose

The Big Springs County Landfill is not far east of Borrego Springs with a nice big parking area and not a soul in sight. Mattie was in heaven and so were we. The desert sand verbena was in full bloom as far as we could see, interspersed by the big clouds of white dune primrose blossoms and punctuated by the bright golden yellow of desert sunflowers. It was thrilling to have the entire area to ourselves.

sand verbena and dune primrose brightened by the desert sunflower

We then drove north toward Henderson Canyon Road where the dune primrose and sand verbena were in bloom for as far as the eye could see on both sides of the road. Cars were parked along the highway on both sides of the road with people kneeling in the sand taking photos of the flowers. It was spectacular.

Not a bad place to wait for Nickie and Jimmy to arrive

Mo and I drove to the entrance to Coyote Canyon and waited a bit for Nickie and Jimmy to arrive after their somewhat hot and rough hike. We emptied the back seat of our car into theirs and the two of them piled in for the trip up the sandy, rutted road that leads into Coyote Canyon.

This was in 2011 when we made it through Second Crossing in the Tracker

There are several creek crossings on the route and when Mo and I traveled this road back in 2011 we made it up to Third Crossing before we had to park the car and get out and walk. This time, Second Crossing stopped us. I got out and attempted to walk across the creek with my sticks to check it out. The water came up to my knees, as long as I was standing on a big boulder, but on either side of the boulders were deep ruts where I never found the bottom.

We weren't so lucky this year with much more water in the creek

We decided that Second Crossing was a “no,” and parked and walked around a bit enjoying the view. It was great fun watching the Jeeps pull up to the crossing, guys getting out to tell the drivers where to go and then watching the Jeeps hit the boulders and the deep gullies under water as they bounced across the creek. Most of the time the water covered the tailpipes and the back bumpers of the Jeeps as the drivers gunned through the water and up the other side.

Lots of blooming brittlebush in Coyote Canyon

We then watched some dirt bikers attempt the crossing and when that didn’t work they went around until one of them got fully and deeply stuck. I was very happy to be an observer and not a driver in any of these situations.

Not sure if and when this guy got out of this spot

I think everyone had fun on our trip into Coyote Canyon, including Mattie

It was a great day for the four of us and I took way too many pictures of the flowers.

02-07-2026 Shared Time

Alan and Jeanne came west in 2013 to visit Mo and me at our Rocky Point home

For some time now I have known that Jeanne and Alan were planning to do some extensive winter traveling in the west. Vermont winters can be brutal. In the past they traveled some in their van, but after five years they were tired of the small quarters, especially when they decided to travel for most of the winter. Alan decided to go big, really big, and their gorgeous new fifth wheel that he pulls with his big black truck is quite something.

Jeanne, Alan, Sue, and Mo at their beautiful home in Vermont in 2022

We were excited when we learned last fall that they planned to spend a couple of weeks with us at Catalina Spa here in Desert Hot Springs. They arrived the same day that we did, but our first few days were taken up with Deborah’s visit. Jeanne and Alan also had a visitor who kept them well entertained with doing all the things that people do during their first few visits, including hiking the Palm Canyons and Tahquitz Canyon and taking the tram to the top of Mt. San Jacinto. Mo and I happily skipped those adventures for a couple of reasons. We have done the tram a few times, and my days hiking steep rocky paths have been replaced with walking on gentle paths with views just as lovely.

Jeanne and Alan at their site in the upper park at Catalina Spa and RV Resort

The day after Deborah left, Jeanne and Alan invited us to dinner at their “home” here in Catalina Spa. With a large rig, they were located in what is called the “upper park.” More space, 50 amp if they want it, and a truly incredible view of Mt. San Jacinto right from their living room windows. I think their windows are longer than our MoHo. Quite lovely to enjoy, but Mo and I are really glad we do not have to drive that big guy. Jeanne and Alan are loving it, especially after five months on the road. Mo and I have never been in our rig for more than three months and that was enough for us, especially with a larger dog and two cats. Those were great days that we will always treasure. But we have both agreed that those long cross country trips are a thing of the past. Local is better. Southern California is almost 800 miles but also a piece of cake because we know the route and the roads so well.

Campfire time  from left, Sara, Mo, Sue, and Jeanne

Alan has a wonderful cooking flat grill, like a chef’s grill, that is hooked up to the propane on his rig. We have enjoyed some of Alan’s cooking in the past, and the chicken that he grilled for us this evening was incredible. He explained how that flat grill can sear the skin better than he has ever managed on a barbecue, and Alan is a barbecue king. So tasty and tender. Jeanne made a delicious salad and cooked farro, something Mo and I had never had before. I loved it and even better, Mo loved it. I will definitely be cooking up a pot of farro now and then when we get back home.

Sunset over Mt San Jacinto from Catalina Spa

Before supper we sat around the lovely campfire, also propane and so legal in the park, and enjoyed the gorgeous sunset. As is often the case in the desert, the minute the sun goes behind the mountain the temperature drops like a rock. We were all happy to go inside to eat and enjoy all the space as darkness fell.

Mo and I have often visited The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens when in this area and were delighted to discover that Jeanne and Alan also wanted to visit. So often I get that “look” from people who think zoos are a bit evil, but this one definitely is not. Jeanne and Alan had no problem looking forward to a zoo visit with us.

Morning coffee at the Bighorn Sheep Enclosure

We left early on Wednesday morning the 28th of January, crossing to the southern side of the Coachella Valley and getting to the park early enough that parking was easy and there was no entry line to deal with.

Jeanne got a kick out of feeding the giraffes

I had told Jeanne about the giraffes and she was excited to see them, so we went immediately to the giraffe savannah to enjoy the morning feeding. If you have never fed a giraffe, it is something not to be missed. Just to see those soft eyes with the huge eyelashes up close is worth paying the ten dollars for lettuce leaves to give to them. Even more fun is watching that long black giraffe tongue reach out for those leaves, wrap around them, and pull them right out of your hand.

Look close and you can see the little one next to the palms to the right of Jeanne

They told us her name, and I promptly forgot it. But I will never forget those eyes

There are two new babies this year, one born in September and the other in December. We only saw one of them, and the big daddy was not on the savannah at the time we were there. It seems that his daughter is approaching breeding age and he is not concerned with the DNA of breeding, so he must be kept away from the young girls. 

Impossible to take too many photos of giraffes

Daughter Melody said this photo worried her.  I really am fine just trying to smile for the camera

The docent explained the complexity of breeding giraffes and making sure that none of the offspring going to other facilities are mistakenly bred back to animals that might carry the same genetic history. It was fascinating to hear how much work and volunteer money and effort goes into breeding animals at The Living Desert.

On our way to the giraffes, we wandered past the strange glass covered burrows that house the naked mole rats. Ugly little pink things with gnawing teeth all piled together in the dark. A docent who seems to spend time at several different areas of the park stopped us to tell us a story about the naked mole rat.

Naked mole rats are strange little critters

It turns out that these odd little creatures are of great interest to medical researchers. Naked mole rats very rarely develop cancer. Scientists have discovered that they produce unusually high levels of a special form of hyaluronic acid that appears to help prevent tumor growth. Their cells also have a very strict way of stopping division before it becomes uncontrolled. Researchers are studying them in hopes that understanding these mechanisms might someday contribute to advances in cancer prevention or treatment in humans. Who would have guessed that those wrinkled pink desert rodents might hold clues to something so important?

Nia (pronounced Ny-ah) is a female African black rhinoceros who came to The Living Desert in the fall of 2021 as part of their conservation and breeding program.

Also on the way to the giraffes was the large enclosure for the pair of black rhinos now at the park with hopes that they will breed. The Living Desert participates in the Species Survival Plan for the eastern black rhinoceros, a critically endangered subspecies. Fewer than 6,000 black rhinos remain in the wild due to poaching and habitat loss. Breeding under managed care is carefully coordinated among accredited zoos to preserve healthy genetic diversity. Every pairing is planned nationally to avoid inbreeding and strengthen the overall population. It is complicated and long term work, and the dedication behind it is impressive.

Impossiby cute warthogs

After the giraffes, the rhinos, and the adorable warthogs are the newly arrived patas monkeys from Africa. They are the first primates to be housed at the zoo, and the enclosure and viewing building and platform are state of the art. The habitat was made possible through the generosity of longtime supporters Jim and Janice Oltmans. The monkeys have room to move and climb, and visitors have a comfortable place to watch them without disturbing their activity.

One lone meerkat keeping watch in the morning sunshine

The rest of the zoo was familiar territory. Mo and I loved showing our favorites to Jeanne and Alan, including the lazy cheetahs, which no longer race across their habitat for their food since they have learned that the food is not going anywhere. Our little favorite buddies, the meerkats, were less than active that morning, with only a couple cuddling on the warm rocks and one lonely meerkat keeping watch.

After meandering through Africa we wandered toward the Americas and settled into the new dining venue at the bighorn sheep habitat.

Desert Bighorn Sheep in the new expanded habitat

The expanded bighorn sheep habitat was completed as part of the park’s recent improvements that opened in phases beginning in 2020 and continuing into 2021. The sheep now have more natural climbing terrain, and the adjacent dining and viewing areas allow visitors to sit comfortably while watching them navigate the rocky cliffs. It is a lovely way to rest and still feel immersed in the landscape.

We bought a coffee and a sweet and sat down to watch the sheep climbing the rocky cliffs from the comfort of our table in the shade next to the viewing area. I love how The Living Desert groups animals by their habitat and creates natural spaces and gardens that reflect those habitats. The Southern California desert is a great climate for creating natural spaces that need warmth and sun to thrive.

The barrel cactus garden has recuperated well from the drought in 2024

After a full day of wandering and enjoying The Living Desert together, as we exited the park toward the parking area, Jeanne said she had something to tell me. I could tell she was nervous, and I had no clue what she might have to say. It seems that she was concerned about telling me that she and Alan had decided that they needed to leave earlier than planned. 

Jeanne on the tortoise, yes it is a sculpture

Whew. Is that all? I totally get it. They have been on the road for months and they have other things they really wanted to check out before they make the journey back to Vermont in time for Jeanne’s birthday on March 1st. Of course we were a bit sad, but not terribly so. Mo and I both understand the need to be flexible when traveling. I was just happy for the chance to share our favorite winter haunt with our good friends who have shared so much of their homes in Vermont with us.

Jeanne loves to swim and most days she swam at what is called here the “upper pool” because it is in the upper park. We are in the lower park, an older part of Catalina with more mature trees and shrubs and smaller sites as a reminder of the days when people did not have such big rigs. Most of the larger motorhomes and fifth wheels fit more easily into the upper park. The upper park also has a pool that is larger than the one in our area, and it is open to the surrounding desert with chain link fencing instead of the adobe walls that surround our lower pool.

I never remember to take of photo of our pool in the dark hours when we swim

The spa tub is almost big enough for swimming but hot

Jeanne wanted to swim with us in the lower park and met us the next morning at 5:30 for another moonlight swim and a chance to watch the sun rise over Mt. San Jacinto.

They would still be around for a couple more days, at least long enough that I could make dinner for them here at our space. I had planned salmon, but then Jeanne wistfully said, “I do love those ribs you make.” Sorry Jeanne, there is no way I can figure out how to do that in the MoHo. I could not imagine boiling several pounds of ribs in pots in pineapple juice for three hours inside our small rig. But the next day I thought, why not? A quick trip to the store and five pounds of ribs and a big can of pineapple juice later, and I had a plan. I cooked the ribs on two burners the day before and had everything ready for their arrival at suppertime, with the two of them thinking they were going to get salmon.

I got a big kick out of Jeanne’s face when I opened up the barbecue and she saw those ribs. It was a fun supper and we thoroughly enjoyed sharing this final meal with them before they departed the next morning.

all four of us squinting into the bright desert sunshine

Jeanne and Alan leaving the park with Roadrunner in tow.

On the morning they left, the two of them stopped to say goodbye and we got a few photos. All of us were appalled that we never managed a rib dinner photo from the previous night. Mo and I walked over to the music pavilion so that we could catch them leaving and wave goodbye, wishing them well on their journey home.

Mattie wants to know where all the fun people went