Pondering….

 

“As a matter of fact, an ordinary desert supports a much greater variety of plants than does either a forest or a prairie.”
Ellsworth Huntington

I’m not quite sure who Ellsworth Huntington is or was, but there is indeed a wide, diverse offering of plant life in a desert.  Although almost all of them have spines or thorns.

 

This is the inside of a saguaro that died.  You can see how it was filled with minute fibers to hold what little precious water the desert had to share.

 

These saguaros can weigh thousands of pounds.  Idiots – did I really say “idiots” – why yes, I did….have been known to destroy them using them for target practice. Occasionally, one has gotten its revenge by falling on said idiot and killing them.

 

I think what appeals to me most about the desert is its stark beauty. The promise of life that hides just out of sight.

 

Then sometimes I just like how it makes me smile.

Really, I’m just here to take pictures…

 

This past weekend I headed out bright and early (and I mean really early) to spend the day in the desert with Annie and Alice.  They are both very interested in rocks…all kinds of rocks, but especially any that might become jewelry.

Luckily the weather man was  wrong again and the rain stayed away.  I really didn’t have any interest is collecting  rocks, but managed to come home with a bucket full.

Annie and Alice are contemplating joining a local group of avid rock hounds, and we were tagging along to see how it all worked.  We did have a lovely day, but I really was more interested in taking pictures and then making our way into Wickenburg to have lunch at Anita’s.

This is Saddleback Mountain.  Annie’s favorite place on the planet.  She loves the desert much more than I do, but I don’t hold that against her.  It does have a unique, desolate beauty.

 

This is the sun setting on our day.  It was a long, tiring day, but we had so much fun together.  Lots of fresh air and exercise…and did I mention lunch at Anita’s?  :)    

A Spot of Yellow….

 

to brighten your Monday!  I hope everyone has a wonderful week.

On Your Mark….

 

This is a big race weekend here in Phoenix for NASCAR fans. I don’t go to the races myself, but love seeing the change that comes over the town when the boys are here.

The restaurants get full and the streets get crowded.  Not something I’m normally a fan of, but the economy really needs the boost.  So I deal with it. :)

 

I don’t know how it always happens, but we seem to have rain on the race weekend.

 

  Glad they keep coming back for more.

The Gurley Street Grill…

 

As you know this is my favorite place to eat when in Prescott. Tracy and I were there on Thursday with my Mom celebrating her birthday.  They have the neatest tee shirts for sale.  Although this is one of the men’s shirts, I like it best.

 

Check out Tracy’s blog to see something else interesting from The Gurley Street Grill.

Celebrating Eighty….

 

Yesterday was my mom’s eightieth birthday and we took a drive up to Prescott to eat at one of our favorite places…

 

The day was lovely and the company the best.  Tracy and Nicole went with us and we had a great day.  It’s a good thing we had a good photographer along to commemorate the occasion.

 

Happy 80th Birthday, Mom!!

Now for the final painting….

 

I told you that Joy had some wonderful stories to share about most all of her paintings.  This story was my favorite. 

It seems she had just completed this painting when someone from town called saying they were having an art show and would she please enter a painting.  Since this was the one she had just finished, she decided to stick it in a frame and enter it.  She worked at a school with one of her very good friends and on Monday after the show, they were visiting in the teacher’s lounge. I’m sorry, but I don’t remember the friend’s name, but it seems she just went on and on about the picture that won the coveted purple ribbon denoting the Grand Prize.  It seems she was just amazed that this picture won when she felt there were so many better than it.  She just didn’t understand why anyone would prefer this painting of an old dead tree over so many others. She finally stopped long enough to catch her breath and ask Joy why she didn’t enter a painting as the friend hadn’t seen one by her. As Joy got up to leave the teacher’s lounge she told the friend that she had entered a painting….of an old dead tree.  :)

 

The photo doesn’t do the painting justice.  It’s a lovely painting with so much movement and depth.

I hope I got the story right.  If  you see any errors Annie, just tell your mom I took poetic license. :)

Baby Blue Eyes….

 

This is Shaelyn with her great grandma.   Shaelyn will turn 9 months old on my Mom’s 80th birthday on  this Thursday.

 

Doesn’t she have the most beautiful blue eyes and eye lashes?

 

Some promised art….

 

I promised to share more of Joy McArthur’s art with you.  I loved talking to her about her paintings. She has wonderful memories of each of them.

 

Annie found the perfect frame for this one that some say bears a strong resemblance to her Uncle Hollis. 

 

This is called Storm Clouds. Joy was outside painting when the storm came up quickly. As the rain began, she ran inside with her paints and returned for the canvas…which she had to chase as it tumbled across the yard! Since the paint wasn’t yet dry, there is still some dirt imbedded in the painting.  

 

Joy, is very talented and has done several paintings over the years.  She tends to enjoy doing desert landscapes, but I enjoy the uniqueness of her seascapes.

 

This is my favorite one of her paintings.  It is called The Broken Gate.  She started painting this piece one day and was consumed. Her son mentioned to her that he was hungry and she just agreed and kept painting. Her mother stopped by to see her and she just kept painting. She finally finished the painting around 9:00 at night.  The muse got a hold of her and wouldn’t let go. That’s how I imagine I would be if I had any talent. 

I have one more to share with you…but for another day. :)

Artie Choke….

 

Some things look beautiful in every stage of their life.

Corn…

 

 

as far as the eye can see.

Happy Halloween….

 

On my trip to the Tonto Basin for the wedding in September, we stopped in a little (and I emphasize – little) town called Punkin Center. I’ve been waiting all that time to share these photos with you.

 

He’s a bit of an evil looking pumpkin, don’t you think?

 

But the place did have it’s priorities in place for parking.

Happy Halloween!  I hope all your little ghosties and gobblins travel safely tonight.  

The Birth of San Xavier del Bac….

 

On my recent photo-taking trip I met up with Annie and headed out to Tonopah.  Tonopah is a small farming community in the far west valley. Some joke you can see the Pacific Ocean from the mountain tops. 

Annie’s mother, Joy McArthur, is a very talented artist.  I so enjoyed stories that she shared with me about some of her paintings and will share some with you in later posts.   This is a piece she is doing for one of her granddaughters, Sara.  It is a painting of San Xavier del Bac in Tucson, Arizona. The mission was founded by Father Eusebio Kino in 1692.  The current structure was started in 1783 and completed in 1797.  Mass is still celebrated at San Xavier. 

Since Sara is Annie’s daughter, I know I’ll be able to enjoy this painting when it’s done.

Just ripe for the pickin’…..

 

Cotton is a big crop for Arizona and some fields are ready to be picked.  Depending on when crops were put out, what kind of cotton it is, and the weather, there will be cotton being picked right into and maybe through December.

I’m hoping to head out tomorrow (by myself) and get some pictures taken.  Haven’t got a clue where I might end up.  Annie has been teaching me to “fly by the seat of my pants” in life, so I’ll be taking her advice.

Happy Weekend!

Guest photographer…

My sister-in-law, Lisa, hails from Vermont.  She recently spent three weeks back there enjoying the beautiful fall weather and her family.

 

I can’t tell you a lot about where all the pictures were taken.   She had a whirlwind couple of days at home before heading off on the fishing trip (that I’m NOT on).   :)  

 

But I do know that wherever they were taken there were lots of happy cows and beautiful fall colors.

 

It’s pretty obvious why they call this milk weed.  

 

It must have been hard to leave all this gorgeous scenery behind and come back to Arizona, but we’re glad she did.

Alas, poor me…..

 

This is what I’m missing this week.

Each spring and fall, my brothers and their families and friends get together for a fishing trip. 

 

Greg and I aren’t going to make it this fall.  Maybe in the spring. I hope they have a good time and that the fishing’s great. 

What’s missing????

 

These are “river” beds….

What’s missing? 

Spine tingling…

 

Tracy and I ventured out this morning to try and get some photos.  We should have started earlier than we did, because it didn’t take long to get too hot to be out walking around.

 

There just wasn’t much out in our little desert area, but lots of spiny things.

 

I’d like to tell you this was a cool, moist layer of morning fog, but you all know differently….smog.

 

I’m ready for a different kind of spine tingling experience.

The skulls have it….

 

At the car show recently, Tracy and I saw lots of unique vehicles. There did seem to be a favorite theme though.

Skulls….

 

More skulls…

 

And even more skulls….

 

And then don’t you know someone has to out do everyone else….

and have the entire skeleton.  :)   

Rust-mobile….

 

At the car show that Tracy and I went to on Sunday, there were all kinds of cars…bright, shiny, beautifully restored cars.

And then there was this gem….

 

I knew it would be right up Kathy’s alley.

 

 

Wish you were here and could go ramblin’ with us, Kathy.