Jimmy Durante came to visit me today….

Check out the beak on this guy!!!  He’s the male that has been hanging out in the yard.  There are two females that seem to be building two nests which must mean…he has a harem!!  This is a Curved Bill Thrasher and he has the biggest curve I’ve ever seen.

 

He’s kinda skittish (who wouldn’t be with two wives?) and I don’t want to scare them off from their nest building, so  my shots aren’t the best.  I’ll keep an eye on them and let you know if there are any little Jimmy’s who show up in the future.

30 Days of Music:  Day 23 - “Unforgettable”  Nat King Cole

Quotes:

“My wife has a slight impediment in her speech. Every now and then she stops to breathe.”  Jimmy Durante

“All of us have schnozzles . . . if not in our faces, then in our character, minds or habits. When we admit our schnozzles, instead of defending them, we begin to laugh, and the world laughs with us.”  Jimmy Durante

Good night,  Mrs. Calabash, wherever you are!”  Jimmy Durante

Got the Blues….

Some days are good days and some days are bad…today was a bad day. 

No real reason…just a build up of small things, I suppose.  This too shall pass and as Scarlett tells us, “Tomorrow is another day”.

30 Days of Music: Day 22 - “Blue Eyes”  Elton John

Not-So-Distant Past and Past Meet….

Here are a few more shots taken on my trip to Congress with my dad.  This gem of the New Age, has a common problem….flat tire.  I’m not really sure how good the suspension is on this tractor or how smooth the ride, but compare it to this jewel.

 

 

 

 

This must have been fine living at it’s best. I didn’t get a shot of the complete carriage because I didn’t want the fence it was behind in the picture. But you can see by the lovely fringe and “bling” that this was for only the cream of the crop.

 

 

 

 

 

 

And there does appear to be some suspension under there….not sure how effective it would have been.  But no flat tires here…maybe broken, but not flat.  I wonder at the craftsmanship that built these coaches at a time when things were done by hand. Man’s ingenuity always amazes and astounds me.  Now if we could just learn to all get along.

30 Days of Music:  Day 21 - “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door”  Eric Clapton

Quotes:

“Ingenuity, plus courage, plus work, equals miracles.”  Bob Richards

“Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity.”  George S. Patton

“A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.”  Douglas Adams

Macro or Cropped….That is the Question…

Now I’m going to show that I’m really a novice photographer.  I have heard conversations in the past and seen postings that lead me to believe that there is some kind of dispute between the superiority of shooting in macro or simply cropping a portion of a photo.  Maybe I’ve misunderstood something, but I’m not sure I get what the debate is all about.  If someone out there knows, please enlighten me.

Here are some shots.  Can you tell me which ones (if any) were shot in macro or which ones are simply cropped from a larger photo?

Photo 1 – Hearts and Flowers

 

Photo 2 – Lady Banks Yellow Rose

Photo 3 – African Daisy

Photo 4 – Nasturtium

Photo 5 – Cactus Flower

Photo 6 – Aloe Vera Blossom

Okay, which ones (if any) are cropped or macro shots….there will be no prizes awarded in the contest.  :)  Except maybe bragging rights.

30 Days of Music:  Day 20 - “Fire and Rain”  James Taylor

Interesting Park…I Mean Art…

While we were on our walkabout on Sunday, the ladies and I passed by this nice little park.  There was some unusual art in the park….didn’t need to say that, but it’s fun.  Come on say it out loud - “art in the park” …..it’s fun, isn’t it? 

It’s rebar and concrete with tiles made to represent a palm tree and several different types of cacti.  I’m seeing a palm tree, a saguaro cactus, an ocotillo, and a very large barrel cactus.

  Come on let’s say it again louder this time, “art in the park”…..

30  Days of Music:  Day 19 - “I Can’t Tell You Why”  Eagles

Quotes:

“Abstract art is a product of the untalented, sold by the unprincipled to the utterly bewildered.”  Al Capp  also credited to Albert Camus

“All art is but imitation of nature.”  Lucius Annaeus Seneca

“A writer should write with his eyes and a painter paint with his ears.”  Gertrude Stein    (Not really what today’s art is about, but I liked the quote. Made me think of  all my new blogging friends who are poets)

Walking With Friends….

Today Tracy and I met with Kathy, a new blogging friend of ours, for the first time. We decided we would go for a walk around the Historic Roosevelt District in downtown Phoenix. In retrospect, we might have wanted to do this a little earlier in the year.  We did get a wonderful couple of hours in before we decided the warm weather was winning and we should head home.  I have never taken this stroll before and was amazed by the truly lovely architecture found in these buildings. Some have been lovingly restored and others are sad with neglect.

Kathy can tell you accurately the name, history,  and owners of so many of the homes in the neighborhood.  I was too caught up in picture taking and drooling to retain much of the information.  There were details that just grabbed my eye.

 

Then, of course, you know there had to be some flowers popping up around the place….

  

 

 

 

 

 

This jasmine smelled like heaven…so sweet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’ll post some more photos tomorrow.  There were just so many things to see.  I so enjoyed my time with Kathy and Tracy.  Be sure and check out her blog…it’s listed in my blog list – Kathy Goes a Ramblin’.   This blogging community I’ve become a part of is a wonderful place filled with special  and talented people.  I’m looking forward to “walking with friends” again soon.

30 Days of Music:  Day 18 - “Hanging by a Moment”  Lifehouse

I’ve Been Long Gone….

or I’ve been gone long…whichever way sounds best. 
Yesterday was a really long day for me.  I was up and around early to pick my Pop up and make our trip to Congress.  It was a sad occasion.  A friend of 48 years had passed away and I took him to her funeral.  It was a celebration of her life and there were so many of her friends and family there.  Pop and I have been working on making the  trip to Congress  for a couple of months, but things (weather, health issues) just seemed to conspire against us.  So on this trip we did a little walking down memory lane also.



Sorry, the lighting wasn’t the best for some of these shots. It was a beautifully sunny day, but there was quite a bit of haze in the air.
As I said before, I love the American flag and will take a picture of it at every opportunity.
I asked the gentleman running this establishment that day if a business had been on the site since 1895…he didn’t know.  I don’t think he was the regular shop keeper and I don’t think he had been in town very long. But he was very friendly.













Pop and I took a run up Yarnell Hill….because we could, and because he had a spot in mind in Yarnell that he wanted to see again.

This shot is from the scenic overlook at the top of the hill.  See all the yellow blossoms….that’s the Brittlebush.  There were so many places on the way down the hill that I wanted to pull over and get a picture.  Pop didn’t think that was too advisable.  Probably was the safest thing to do…but I’m pretty sure if I had been alone….well, you know me.






Down one of the side roads in Yarnell there is the Shrine of St. Joseph. 
It’s a beautifully peaceful place.  If you click on the link above to Yarnell, it will tell you all about several things, including the Shrine.
It is quite a hike and we didn’t take it, but I have in the past.  It’s very interesting.


















This is a picture I took out at the far end of the little town called Stanton.  It’s really a ghost town that’s turned into an RV park.  Years ago, my Pop did a lot of searching around to find the owner of Stanton to inquire about buying it.  At that time, it was owned by a woman in New York City who had won it in a contest in the Saturday Evening Post.  The purchase didn’t  “pan out” (a little gold mining humor there).














My Pop and I had a wonderful day together.  By the time I got him back home, I was due to pickup my grandson so he could stay the night. I got him and got home just in time to get myself freshened up for my girlfriend, Annie, to pick me up and take me to our Bunco night…I didn’t get home until after 10pm!!  I was one tired little puppy, but I slept like a baby. :)

30 Days of Music:  Day 17 - “Sooner Surrender”  Matt Nathanson

On the Run Again….

I’m heading out early this morning to take my Pop to  Congress. It’s a little bit of a drive so I need to get around and on the road.  But I’ll be back with lots of news and hopefully some photos of the trip.

Until then, can you guess what these little gems are going to be someday???

Repeats of yesterday….

Here are yesterday’s shots, but taken in color….which did you prefer?

 

 

   His head is red…..could you tell from yesterday’s shot???

30 Days of Music:  Day 16 - “One Wing in the Fire”  Trent Tomlinson

B&W Again…

                                                             Isn’t he so cute????

 

                                                 Even clouds can look beautiful in black and white….

 

                                                            Can you tell what color his head is?

 

30 Days of Music:  Day 15 - “With Arms Wide Open”   Creed

Glad I Have Choices….

I was out in the yard playing around with the black and white photography again, when I came across this little fellow.

Can you see how sad it would be if we could only take this little jewel’s picture in black and white?

Glad I have choices….and a digital camera that I have at least learned to change this setting on fairly quickly.

30 Days of Music: Day 14 - “In the Living Years”  Mike and the Mechanics 

Hey, You Up There…

…has anybody seen my friend?

My friend has headed back up the mountain to  finish her visit with her father. We had a wonderful time, but a tearful farewell.  She came back earlier than she had expected because we both felt we needed more time together.

Thank you all for your kind words and I know you understand what having a friend like her means. 

30 Days of Music:  Day 13 - “You’ve Got a Friend”  Carole King  (The old 1971 version)

A Farmer “Out Standing” in His Field…

My Pop used to tell me that  joke when I was younger. 

This handsome fellow was out in the newly planted field when I took my walk the other day.  They were irrigating this field.  Not sure if he was looking for fish that were unfortunate enough to make the trip through the irrigation tubes and ditch or what exactly he was “farming”.

30 Day of Music:  Day 12 - “It’s Not My Time”  3 Doors Down

Palest blush….

“Full many a gem of purest ray serene
The dark unfathomed caves of ocean bear:
Full many a flower is born to blush unseen,
And waste its sweetness on the desert air.”

Thomas Gray

30 Days of Music: Day 11 - “Forever Young”  Rod Stewart

Blossoms for remembrance….

I have had the most lovely time with Mary for the last day and a half.  She’s now on her way up to Payson to spend some time with her father.  It will be his birthday on Tuesday. I believe she will be back to see me again on Monday.  She would like to go to the Heard Museum and possibly the Bead Museum.  I’m game and looking forward to seeing her again. 

She has kindly agreed to not corrupt or tell stories of our exploits to my daughter until she is at least 21 years of age!  Whew!  That was a close one.  It’s always comforting to reconnect and share memories with her.  It grounds me and balances me.

My cactus bloomed  just for her and I told her I would post a photo and be sure everyone knew the bloom was especially in honor of her visit.  I hope you all have someone special in your lives like Mary.

30 Days of Music:  Day 10 - “I Hope You Dance”  Lee Ann Womack   

This song is my special song for my daughter, Nicole.

Treasured Friendships….

I grew up in the military…seems a funny way of putting it, but it’s the way I’ve always said it.  My Pop was in the Air Force….I was born on an Air Force Base….I’ve lived in more houses than I can count anymore….went to several different schools – three different schools and two different countries during the third grade alone….and have met people  from all over this world. 

With that come some good things and some bad things.  I not only like change, I thrive on it;  I can talk to anyone comfortably; I make friends easily; I’ve seen life from several different ethnic as well as economic viewpoints; I’m patriotic and love my country and the men and women who serve for our freedoms.  But on the other hand….I have trouble with long term relationships; I’m easily bored; I didn’t get to be in the girl scouts or 4H; I had long-distance relationships with my grandparents; I didn’t form many lasting friendships.

But one friend I made when I was 5 years old is still in my life and I guard our friendship fiercely.  Mary is my oldest and dearest friend.  We have been through so much in each other’s lives.  Stories that would curl your hair or make you laugh or make you cry….we’ve been there for each other through it all.  She lives far away from me in Washington state, but she’s coming to visit me today and I am so excited!!! 

You may or may not hear much from me in the next day or so, but know this – I’m tending a long-term friendship that is dearer to me than words can ever say.

30 Days of Music: Day 9 - “Claire De Lune”  Debussy

Lilacs in Arizona….

Here are a couple of shots of the lilac bush that my sister-in-law has so lovingly coddled over the years.  The Phoenix area is not the best environment for lilacs to thrive in, but hers is doing well.

 

Forgive the photos…they’re not the best.  I hardly ever go anywhere without my camera, but today I went to visit and didn’t take it with me.  I made do with my Nikon Coolpix.   It’s kinda small and I’m not as steady as I used to be…not the best combination.

Quotes:

“Fear is a slinking cat I find beneath the lilacs of my mind.”  Sophie Tunnell

“Ever-returning spring, trinity sure to me you bring,
Lilac blooming perennial and drooping star in the west,
And thought of him I love.”   Walt Whitman

 

30 Days of Music:  Day 8 - “Hands” Jewel

Playing with Black and White….

My brother in Tucson has been playing around with black and white photography lately.  I thought I would give it a try.

Geranium….

 

Spinach….

 

Carrots….

 

Barrel Cactus….

30 Days of Music: Day 7 - “Against the Wind”  Bob Seger