I don't know why we thought it would be a good idea to take a sightseeing Tour to show the G-Kids the Historic Vulture Mine on a 115 degree humid Monsoon day in August... but we did... they weren't exactly thrilled... Note less than thrilled expressions... *LOL*
Even whilst meeting the Miner's friendly Burro, Olive...
And witnessing her Wild Kinfolk in the Desert around the Mine...
"We're all gonna die out here!!!", Princess T wails... *Me stifling an evil Gramma Laugh*
"No we're not!" I retort, "Some of us will probably survive..." *Winks*
"Well, maybe not YOU, if you keep whining...", her Brother grins as he spies "The Hanging Tree" and feigns being strung up... *LOL*
"Yep, and you Guys could be #19 and #20 after pocketing those rocks...", we joke as we read the sign to them and explain what Highgrading meant... *Sounds of Found Rocks hitting ground from small pockets! LOL*
They were suitably impressed when we explained how many millions of dollars worth of Gold Ore is still left in the stones of the wall of the Assay Office... it was $700,000 worth when Gold was only $350 an ounce back when we used to take our Kids here... now at $1,700 an ounce, you do the Math!!! *Winks*
Back then we used to be able to tour inside the Assay Office because it was still structurally sound and full of relics... alas, time has taken it's toll & that's no longer possible.
The Owner of the Mine has decided to leave it as it was when it was abandoned & do no restorations, allowing Time to stand still & the ravages of Time to transform it naturally as an authentic Living History Museum...
And even since our 1st visit some 20+ years ago some buildings no longer exist as the adobe melted back into the earth from whence it came...
But many buildings are still suitable to explore... and the relics remain... and it's nice that some things have been "left be" as a Living History Museum... so you can imagine what it must have been like?
Though it's difficult not to want to rescue things like this! *Winks*
And ESPECIALLY THIS!!! *Swooning at the bestest Vintage Commercial Ice-Box EVER!*
It's fun to peek back in Time through the Windows of buildings abandoned for over 70 years... that have much of their interiors undisturbed...
Those hardy Souls in the Wild, Wild West made do with very little in this harsh environment...
Using what they had and being very resourceful and creative... skillfully crafting walls of Adobe Mud Bricks...
And giving us a reminder that no matter how tough we think we have it now... we're far better off in the way of resources & conveniences nowadays...
And perhaps this can inspire us and make us Grateful & Appreciative of our many Blessings now & how good we actually have it???
And perhaps this is why I've always valued the Past & believe that we need to preserve some of it for Future Generations to witness, appreciate, value & learn from...
And even though the G-Kids whined about the heat... and being tired & thirsty... they enjoyed a Living History Lesson this day... and were grateful that their Schools don't look like this anymore... and theirs has air conditioning & modern conveniences we now take for granted...
Even though their Outdoor Tub at Home does still look like this... well, except ours is cleaner! *Winks*
But a lot of Fortunes were made in such places as this... Mining for Gold and other precious Metals...
Which paved the way for Future Generations to enjoy this part of the Country and continue to prosper...
And we owe them our Gratitude for enduring & settling Wild parts of our Great Country...
And I do Hope you've enjoyed coming along on this Grand Adventure to Vulture Mine...
Sitting in the comfort of your air conditioned rooms, while I toiled in the heat of the Arizona Desert with whining G-Kids trailing behind me & a Grandpa being used as a Pack Mule... just to bring you these Polaroid Moments *LOL*...
And no, nobody died out there... we all made it back... in spite of Princess T's concerns & constant lamentations...
And Prince R's morbid curiosity & questions about how many dead bodies were probably buried in the collapsed Mine Shaft, tunnels & surrounding Desert?!?
And how many hours after we began to die out there at Vulture Mine would it take for Vultures to actually start circling?
And do they wait until you're dead or eat you alive?!? *Smiles, ah, ya gotta Love the musings of a Child!*
And we'll probably brave it and go again to bring you back more images of the Wild, Wild West... as seen through the eyes of my lens...
Because it can be a hauntingly Beautiful place to explore...
And I've enjoyed living here & calling it Home for almost 40 years now... well, not HERE in this particular ruin *LOL*... but in the Beautiful Arizona Desert... *Winks*
And Nature reminds us that even in brutal 115-120 degree Desert heat & droughts... you can still bloom and thrive where you're planted... so Bloom and Thrive my Friends... where ever you're planted and whatever comes against you!!!
Blessings from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian... and her sometimes reluctant Posse