As most of you know, we've been hanging out at Basecamp during this nasty pandemic.  So, we've been taking advantage of our time at home to get our place tidied up.  Today we started trimming low branches off of a tree on the NE corner of our 10 acres to make it easier to mow around the trees. 

A few days ago we spied a dark mass in one of our biggest trees and checked it out.  The tree had a large ball of honey bees hanging on it way up high.  We thought perhaps it might be a swarm.  When honey bees out grow their shelter, they make a new queen then she and a number of the bees from the overcrowded box 'swarm' away to find a new home.  If you are an astute beekeeper, you can watch for things like this.  If they don't go too far, you can collect them and give them a new home, thereby, increasing your hives naturally.  We kept honey bees for a while and used to do this.  The hobby is fun and the harvest of fresh honey is wonderful, but alas, after having been stung once too often I go into shock and can't breath if a honey bee stings me now.  I can't use any product from the honey bee - not even the honey - or I have an allergic reaction.  So sad, because I really enjoyed the hobby.  I still think honey bees are beautiful!

So wouldn't you know it?  The swarm decided to stay and they have built a beautiful comb in the tree!  This happened to us once before and we were able to don our bee suits and put them into a proper hive.  Then we harvested the wild honey. Yum!  This one is too high in the tree to get to and I can't go near them anyway, so we'll see how long they stay!  I guess we won't be trimming this tree for awhile!

So, here we sit at Basecamp, Florida and will remain here until we get everything ready for our next adventure. You can see the outside of Magic Van has changed, but there are also a few refits going on inside.  I'll keep you posted!

This is a stock GMC Savana cargo van.  We bought her to create a camper similar to our old VW camper.  We spent time building the inside with cupboards to suit our needs and took a couple of shake down trips to see how we all performed.  We decided that in order to really go for the type of camping lifestyle that we wanted we would need to convert her to a 4 wheel drive and add a few "finishing touches" to make her work for us.  So, take a look at what our Magic Carpet Ride, Peace & Love, camper van has become.  She has turned into a radical rock climbing, forest exploring, accident/injury deflecting Super Power!  The only thing missing is the force field, but that's my job and you can bet she'll be 'protected' when I get through with her!

We took a road trip to El Cajon, California in order to deliver Magic to Weldtech Designs, who agreed to take on the challenge regarding the second stage of Magic's conversion from a sleek, but less capable ride, to a radical Warrior Princess of the road!

Jeremy, owner/designer of Weldtech Designs, is a very busy guy!  We were thrilled when he agreed to take Magic on and convert her into this beautiful road warrior.  As I said before, Weldtech Designs is in El Cajon, California, so it was a bit of a ride from our hometown of Fellsmere, Florida.  But being the kind of road trip people that we are, we just packed up, grabbed the GPS, hopped into Magic, and took off!  Onward, Magic, to your date with destiny and your transformation process.  

What do you think?  I'd love to see your comments, so feel free to post them below.

Peace & Love Friends,
​Sharon and Philip

It is with great sadness that I announce our sale of our beautiful sailboat and long time companion, Evergreen.  She was a real friend and lover - taking us to great places and adventures over the Sea and sheltering us from the storms along the way.

​Alas, we have to part with her.  Keeping a boat such as this in retirement requires a higher income than we enjoy.  So, we are selling her to someone who I know will be excited to have her and will hopefully love & enjoy her as much as we did - if that's possible!  

While are very sad to see her go and our greater Sea adventures along with her, I would like to introduce Magic Van! 
(Did you really think we were going to stay home and give up adventuring?  Ha!  Not a chance)!​

Stay tuned for more great adventures with Magic and the Merliers,
​or the Magic Merliers, if you will!

Antelope Canyon is a slot canyon in the American Southwest. It is located on Navajo land east of Page, Arizona. Antelope Canyon includes two separate, scenic slot canyon sections, referred to individually as "Upper Antelope Canyon" or "The Crack"; and "Antelope Canyon" or "The Corkscrew".[2]
The Navajo name for Upper Antelope Canyon is Tsé bighánílíní, which means "the place where water runs through rocks". Lower Antelope Canyon is Hazdistazí (advertised as "Hasdestwazi" by the Navajo Parks and Recreation Department), or "spiral rock arches". Both are located within the LeChee Chapter of the Navajo Nation. (Wikipedia)

If you have never been here. folks, you want to put this on your 'bucket list'.  It is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen!

The sandstone reflects the light according to the temperature of the rock creating the colors.  The warmer temperatures are the yellow, orange and pinks   The cooler rock is lavender, blue, and purple.

Come join me for a stroll through this most remarkable canyon.  Click on the pictures to enlarge them.  I hope you enjoy this as much as I did!  Feel free to leave me a comment.

One of the most beautiful places I have ever been is Bryce Canyon, Utah.  Come walk through the Queen's Garden with me, but remember to bring your imagination!

Did you know that rocks could talk?  They sure can!  They convey all kinds of information both geological and personal.  Take a look at the pictures below to view two types of ancient rock language - petroglyphs and pictographs.  These images are about 10,000 years old!  They have survived the weather and time to give us clues to what the ancient people who made them might have been trying to say.

​The first 6 images are reproductions and not the real thing.  Petroglyphs were produced by etching.  The ancient people who made them used rock tools made out of a harder rock than the sandstone upon which they were etching. The black substance that is on the rock walls upon which they etched is a type of lacquer that leaches from the sandstone during the natural weathering process over time. Pictographs were made from a paint that ancients produced from hematite.  The iron in hematite is what makes the color red.  I think it's amazing that so called 'primitive' people could produce a paint that has lasted for 10,000 years!