The Family Tree

Volume 17, Number 11, February, 2012

A Publication of the SunTree Travel Club
SunTree Travel Club is an affiliate of The American Association for Nude Recreation
(AANR), AANR-West, the International Naturist Federation
and The Naturist Society

Thought for the Month
A hole has been found in the nudist camp wall. The police are looking into it.

The SunTree Traveler

What Happened in January

The SunTree “Happy New Year” Party

To welcome in the new year, the SunTree members celebrated the event by doing their own thing. It was a rousing good time (I guess) but we were rousing at separate, personally selected locations and in our own way.

I have no report from anybody as to what their celebrations were like. I can report that my own New Year’s celebration consisted of my traditional ‘go to bed early’ and enjoy the new morning the following day. I sort of wish that I had traveled to Miami to join in with the South Florida Free Beaches party. Here is a paragraph from their newsletter:

“The 3 day New Years Event went relatively smoothly, with three days of music, entertainment, great food and drink on the beach, as well as tent camping behind the Ocean Palm Hotel. 

Several canopies were set up for the purpose of providing information to the beach visitors and to answer question on naturist opportunities.”

It sounds like a lot of fun. Several organizations including nude-related clubs as well as food and beverage companies kicked in money and labor to provide the entertainment, and a “midway” complete with food booths and nude recreation information.

Maybe next year.

What’s Happening in February?

At this location once again, I want to comment about news of Faywood Hot Springs Their website now says that they expect to open around the end of January. This is a good reason to be optimistic.

(Near) Valentine’s Day in Deming
Eric & Solange have invited the club to their house on 11 February to celebrate a pre-Valentine’s Day at their home near Deming. This is a potluck with a Valentine theme. I would assume that the February weather will not be temperate enough for them to open their wonderful pool, but the weather should be comfortable enough for strolling through their extensive gardens and some outside conversations as long as the sun is out.

Please contact SunTree if you plan on attending. It will help them to anticipate the number of people to expect. Let us know what sort of food you will be bringing for the potluck.

Yet Another Apology
I seem to require an apology of the month each time that I publish a newsletter or an update to the website. 

The apology Du Jure is an update that I have forgotten to include in the ‘Contacting Us’ page of our website.is the change in the area code for the phone number. I think that the area code for the Las Cruces area changed about three years ago, but I still have the old phone number there. The SunTree phone number is 575 522 6284. There is an answering machine there (rarely is there anybody physically there to answer) for you to either leave your message or for you to ask for a call back. That is the number that you need to call if you want to tell us vocally about your plans to participate in the Deming club event.

The incorrect area code was brought to my attention by a prospective member who was frustrated in contacting us. This ‘maybe’ new member lives in Las Cruces near the university (and has a hot tub which might be available to club members). Use that same telephone number to request additional information.

Celestial News for January

Did You Get to See the Aurora Borealis?

That spectacular sunspot sure gave us a wonderful show event for those of us who live north of north Mexico. I wonder if any more of those are on the schedule.

Month’s Summary 
Venus is moving slowly to center stage as she floats higher each day as evening twilight ends. On 9 February, she will sit on the right of beautiful green Uranus. You will be able to see her, but you will need binoculars to see Uranus.

Jupiter is halfway up the southwestern sky at nightfall and remains there for a couple of hours each night.

Through this month, the old warrior, Mars brightens explosively while retrograding (drivers the wrong direction in the dome of the sky). At midmonth, the orange world (some say red) rises about 8 PM, about three hours before Saturn.

The Moon chooses a path over Venus on 25 Feb and just to the right of Jupiter on 26 February.

If you have been planning an equinox or solstice party for one of those evens this year, you might want to watch your schedule carefully because the calendar guys have sneaked in an extra day this month (known to its close friends as 29 February), so the normal homes of the solstices and equinoxes have shifted (be sure to notify the Easter bunny and the Chinese dragon celebrating the lunar new year. In fact, the lunar holidays will be celebrated earlier than any year since 1896.

Events of the day:

9 Feb in the evening, the rising warrior, Mars will rise to the left of the waning gibbous Moon around 8 PM.

9 until the end of the month at about an hour and a half after sunset, you can see the zodiacal light in the west. You may remember that I mentioned this last Fall when it was shinning in the East. It has moved to the west. That tall pyramid of light will be leaning toward the south.

13 at dawn, you can see the moon to the lower left of Saturn this morning.

22 in the west at dusk, you might be able to see the extremely thin crescent Moon looking as though it were drawn with an exceedingly sharp pencil. It might seem like your imagination, but it is really there and to its left, you might be able to see Mercury. Use some binoculars to see it about a half hour after sunset.

At Dusk and into the evening of 25 and 26 February, there will be a wonderful display of the Moon, Venus and Jupiter.

© 2004 SunTree Travel Club - Site updated Winter 2012