Desert Messenger

16 www.DesertMessenger.com February 18, 2015 Local Resident • FREE Estimates Larry - Cell 928-273-3719 DAY NIGHT SHADES REPAIRED GUARANTEED WORK! Factory Parts! Factory Chords! SEE HOTEL PAGE 26 Excerpts from "In the Shadow of Saguaros" by Rosalee Oldham Wheeler "In the Shadow of Saguaros" Vol. I & II are now available exclusively at the Tyson's Well Museum and Reader's Oasis Book Store Voices from The Past in Quartzsite, AZ In January of 1937 the snow in Flag- staff had been steadily coming down for three days. Snow was piled high along the streets and out on Highway 89. For employees of the Coconino National Forest where my husband Charles and father-in-law, affectionately known as "Mr. Oldham" worked, there was little they could do. Mr. Oldham, chief of the Northern Coconino National Forest and Charles, a fi re guard, decided to use the furlough to make a trip down to the desert near La Paz where the family had a placer claim, the Jack of Diamonds. They packed their gear and waited for the blizzard to let up. It didn't so they announced they would leave for Quartzsite early the next morning. Being a bride of three months I wasn't sure how to go about inviting myself on the trip. When I told my father-in-law that I would give anything to not have to shovel a path to the clothesline to hang our wash that would freeze before I could put the clothespins on he said, "Pack light Rosalee, we don't have much room." As we pulled away from the Nob Hill Ranger Station, in the warmth of the pickup, the early morning twilight was actually beautiful. Hanging from the eaves of homes were long shiny icicles. The snow was still coming down, bend- ing the branches of the tall evergreens with a heavy accumulation of sparkling white snow. Out on U.S. 89 the drifts were deep and we stopped to pull sever- al vehicles out of the snow. All the way out to Williams the blowing snow was blinding. Not until we reached Chino Valley did the storm begin to let up. We arrived in Quartzsite as the sun was setting behind the Dome Rock Moun- tains. The pale blue sky was brightly streaked in shades of bright orange, yel- low, and mauve. The soft purple of the Middle Camp Mountains was growing darker by the minute. When we pulled off onto Tom Wells Road, the pickup brushed against a forest of bright green- ish-yellow bushes emitting a pungent fragrance. Charles saw my nose twinge, "Greasewoods," he announced. This city girl had a lot to learn. Stepping out of the pickup onto warm ground, I was in love with the desert. Desert Kangaroo Hotel No frozen fi ngers, no slipping on ice, or vehicles making 180s in the street. Mr. Oldham made a campfi re causing the coyotes to serenade us until the iron- wood coals went dim. The next morn- ing I was awakened by the cackling of a covey of Gambel's quail passing by. Lat- er, when I tried to locate the source of a distinct cooing sound, Charles pointed to a pair of white-winged doves perched in an ironwood tree. Mr. Oldham stoked the coals and added some wood as Charles set out two Dutch ovens; one for bak- ing powder biscuits and the other for bacon, fried potatoes, and scrambled eggs. Charles and his dad left for the diggings and I stayed behind to wash dishes. Later I went to watch Charles dig down to bed- rock and fi ll another bucket with sand and gravel for Mr. Oldham to dump into the dry washer. As my father-in-law furiously turned the crank, I wondered out loud how he was going to spot any gold in that fast-mov- ing dirt. Mr. Oldham simply said, "You just can't take your eyes off the riffl es." When he left to get another bucket, I asked if I could turn the crank with the hope of fi nding a nice little nugget or two. I was curious about the workings of the dry washer and promised to keep my eyes on the riffl es. A couple of days later, Charles dug into the den of a Kangaroo rat all curled up and fast asleep for the winter. When there's no food and the temperature falls below a certain point, Kangaroo rats go into a state of dormancy. This little rat had a large head in comparison to the rest of its compact body. It had tiny ears and big black eyes with long eyelashes. The top of its head and body were a grayish-tan with the area around its eyes, back of its ears and undersides were white. From head to tail, which was mostly tail, this little Kangaroo rat was about 8-inches long. Its long, slender tail gradually darkened towards the end where it puffed out into a fl uffy white brush at the tip. Its hind legs were long and powerful with claws that could be used to defend its den. When sitting on their back legs, if they see something they want, can jump as high as 30 inch- es. Kangaroo rats keep their shorter front legs hidden under their throat un- less reaching for food which is stuffed into fur-lined cheek pouches on each side of its mouth. I took the little critter back to camp and offered it some pinion nuts that Charles and I had picked near our post on Hutch Mountain Lookout in the Coconinos, which it eagerly ate from my hand. I found a large empty tomato can that I stuffed with one of Charles' handkerchiefs and let the little mouse down easy. It curled right up and went back to sleep. When I told Mr. Oldham and Charles about our tomato can house guest, Mr. Oldham just shook his head and raised his very dark eyebrows as a broad grin spread across his face. The next morning after Charles and his dad went back to the diggings I crushed some dry bread and took my little friend out of the tomato can to see if it was in- terested. After fi nishing off the crumbs it proceeded to explore around camp. From time to time it would dart back into the tomato can, then venture out and follow me around as I offered it more things to eat. THRIFT STORE Benefitting the La Paz County Animal Shelter in Parker Supported by your generous donations! 455 E. Main St. Quartzsite Open Tues. thru Sat. 9-3 928-927-4223 Craft Fair 1st Sat. of every month! Daily Activities! QIA 928-927-6325 235 E. Ironwood St., Quartzsite BINGO FRIDAY NIGHT Opens at 5pm. Early Birds 6:30pm. Main7pm Concessions Available

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