Book Launch for Scout Book 04
Please join us on Saturday, October 12th from 2-4 pm at A-Z West for the launch of our 4th edition of the Scout Book Series! This latest book is a collection of true stories from the High Desert’s very own, Annelies Kuiper.
The book launch party is generously being hosted by Andrea at the A-Z West studio. This event is open to the public but please RSVP to info@highdeserttestsites.com for directions and so that we may collect a head count. We’ll have snacks, beers, seltzer and Annelies will be signing books. Since we’ll be at the studio, we’ll also have A-Z West Containers for sale——these are handmade ceramic bowls produced by the studio, sold in select museum gift shops, but bonus: only the studio sells seconds and slightly imperfects at a hefty discount.
Anneliese Kuiper was in residence as our HDTS Scout in 2018-2019.
The HDTS Scout Residency is dedicated to learning more about the people and places that make up our diverse and ever evolving community.
Annelies Kuiper is of Dutch descent, born in Kenya, eight years before Kenya received it’s independence. With no rights to Kenyan citizenship, Annelies made the difficult decision to leave. After travelling extensively, including a 5,000-mile trip through Europe on a 10-speed bicycle, Annelies found work with a large hotel chain, which eventually brought her to ‘romantic’ Palm Springs in 1982. While playing golf and enjoying the resort hotel amenities, Annelies wrote two books. ‘Kenya Cowgirl!’ and ‘Stay Well Kenya Cowgirl’, fictionalized versions of her formative years in Africa.
Eleven years later after a bitter divorce, Annelies wanted to ‘fall off the planet’ and a friend recommended she move to the Mojave. Heartbroken and disillusioned she moved to north Joshua Tree; a place where she could scream as loud as she wanted and no one would call the police. Forced to trust herself and her abilities: chopping wood, hauling water, learning how to live off the grid with unreliable transportation, while protecting herself and her family, Annelies wrote about these experiences along the way.
Purchase a copy of Annelies’ Scout book.
You can keep up with Annelies and the goings on in her ‘little community’ of Copper Mountain Mesa through her weekly newspaper column in Yucca Valley’s Hi-Desert Star newspaper.
Or listen to her telling Dawn Davis the story of her coming to the high desert in the Desert Ladies Diary podcast.
