tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83647463715419555522024-03-13T08:52:12.207-06:00cabbagemamaThe Artist Rockshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419987306675590070noreply@blogger.comBlogger205125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8364746371541955552.post-7509457426978681202015-04-15T11:08:00.001-06:002015-04-15T11:18:56.499-06:00Tax Day is SpecialDear Gary,<br />
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I suppose you know everything I'm going to tell you, but you know how I like to write. It makes<br />
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me feel better and maybe think deeper. There's a special reason why I'm writing you today, but that will come at the end.</div>
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I need your advice. I'm trying to sell the house in Elephant Butte...have been for two years. The economy is down; the lake is struggling, as are all lakes out West; and the future of the Space Port is in question. Remember the time we were selling the lease lot property at Lost Canyon? We had it listed with Marlene at Homesteaders and we weren't getting any offers, so we decided to raise the price. Marlene thought we were nuts. She probably didn't know that we had both sold real estate in our crazy employment past. It took the listing from ordinary to something of interest, and she got an offer and sold it that week. I listed our house with Homesteaders even though Marlene has moved to Albuquerque and Cathy Vickers has taken over. La Neer Wrye has her own company Cripple Creek Realty, but she couldn't sell it either. So now I have it on Craig's List. If you get any bright ideas, send me a sign. Write something across the sky.</div>
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The media talks about nothing and everything these days. They manufacture the news: whatever they want to talk about and basically ignore things that are truly happening. And they want to know everyone's opinion on everything. What did you think? How did you feel? There's a lot of looking back, especially over the past 50 years. One of the hot topics is the South in the 60's. I bet you could write a book on that. I'll never forget the day that you explained to me why you left the South and moved out West. Events are being rehashed and you hear remarks like: "How could they treat people that way?"; "I never knew that!". Many books and movies have been done, but they are generally slanted to the author's agenda. Still it should give those kids who hate history a little insight. The government has created laws to try to help the less fortunate. Sometimes they are enforced; sometimes they are ignored. What the government is finding out is that you can't legislate people's feelings.</div>
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Enough about my concerns and ramblings. I posted some pictures to remember your wonderful life: you and your Dad; one of our wedding pictures with us dressed in matching blue; dancing with your Mom at your parents' 50th wedding celebration; crossing the Baja in the <i>Naomi James;</i> and you and your faithful dog Chubs.</div>
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It's time for me to buy you a Corona and I'll have my Dos Equis. To your 72nd birthday Sweetheart! I love you.<br />
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<br />The Artist Rockshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419987306675590070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8364746371541955552.post-31101828401695204392015-02-20T10:06:00.001-07:002015-02-20T10:06:06.288-07:00The Accidental NurseryI know it's a crying shame, as any meteorologist will tell you, that while the East is suffering freezing temperatures, out West we have had a beautiful winter along with an appreciable amount of rain. So my agave have been showing me how happy they are. Much to my surprise, I just noticed these babies two days ago.<br />
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Last evening, I actually had to put down my wine glass and take some pictures of their glorious progress. This is a close up of the fellow below. Well, I don't know whether he's a fellow; don't know how to tell plant sex.<br />
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I've named this lady Tiger for her stripes. If you look closely at the picture below, you can see that she has a baby that is budding directly beneath her. The thin pine needle-looking things in the rocks are from the palo verde tree directly overhead.<br />
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A little closer look at the baby bud.<br />
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This is another different type with sharp looking shiny leaves. She has two babies as well, but they are not showing any flowering.<br />
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The pot to the left has a baby agave in it. It was on my patio, but I decided to bring it down to join its cousins. Hope to show off some flowers when the time is right.<br />
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<br />The Artist Rockshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419987306675590070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8364746371541955552.post-40996105717617723132014-11-11T09:37:00.001-07:002014-11-11T09:37:36.646-07:00Honoring the Veterans in my Life<br />
In my mind Veteran's Day is becoming more important every year as young men and women are called upon to defend our country. Only those who have served know what it's like to be away from home and in harm's way. It's very important that we remind our friends and relatives how much we appreciate their service not only on Veteran's Day, but every day.<br />
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This is my dad home on leave with my mom and me when we lived on Stambaugh Avenue.<br />
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My children's father Fred Gaede (second on the left) serving in Korea. He bought his Canon camera while on R & R in Japan, and he took wonderful pictures that told the story of what it was like in the villages.<br />
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My father-in-law Edson G Loftus served as a Navy pilot and commander during WWII. In retirement, he became a physics professor at the University in Jacksonville, Florida.<br />
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My husband Gary Loftus in his ROTC uniform from Gordon Military Institute. I don't have a picture of him in his Army uniform. This was where he learned how to jump out of airplanes. He claimed in later years that he had a fear of heights; he also learned surveying which turned out to be his chosen career.<br />
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My cousin Teddy Balewski served in the Navy during WWII. Not only did the guys have their formal military pictures, but they loved to show off while they were relaxing during their time off. Some of those are really funny.<br />
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My cousin Bernie Dickun served in Korea. The only thing I remember him saying about the service was the fact that he fell in love with his wife Betty while he was home on leave and couldn't wait to get back home to marry her.</div>
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What I hear most about those who have served is their love and friendship with those who served beside them. My dad had two buddies that he kept in close contact with after he was discharged, and we would visit their families during summer vacation: a good excuse to visit Kentucky and New Hampshire..</div>
The Artist Rockshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419987306675590070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8364746371541955552.post-84803847079931674812014-11-04T19:12:00.001-07:002014-11-04T19:17:38.188-07:00Empire RanchFun trip to Empire Ranch near Sonoita with friends Karen and Dawn! On our lazy way there through Box Canyon, we first visited Florida Canyon which my friend Brock and I had been to last Spring. It's somewhat of a birding place that I wanted Karen to see. I had the ladies pose for a picture, although only one of them is cooperating. Our trip through the Box Canyon had Dawn somewhat puckered, because at the steepest and most picturesque areas, it was one dirt lane. She was thankful to the Almighty that no one met us on a curve.<br />
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The ranch was a beehive of activity. After we got our maps and activity schedules we took off to take pictures (Karen and I); Dawn had already mapped out her agenda.<br />
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This picture is so much a part of my life in western Pennsylvania. It's a Youngstown kitchen. Fifteen miles from my birthplace in Sharon is Youngstown, Ohio, home to steel mills, not that Shenango Valley wasn't. This is what the kitchen that I was raised in on Stambaugh Avenue looked like. Haunting to think that they had something like this in a ranch house in southern Arizona.<br />
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I don't know what room this was but the view outside was so much more interesting. It was a wonderfully cool day with a stiff breeze blowing and lots of clouds racing across the sky. If I hadn't been so intent on the ranch, I would have been concentrating on the atmospheric conditions.<br />
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Another room with a great window. They tell so much about the architecture and time period; it's a story unto itself.<br />
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Same room, little different perspective.<br />
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This ranch house seemed to go on forever. There was more than one bathroom, but this was the one off of the master bedroom. There was a whole genealogy of who had inhabited the bedroom and when documented on the walls. It was all extremely interesting. We had a bath tub exactly like that on Stambaugh Avenue.<br />
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The event was well done and interesting to people of all ages. There were roping, branding, and riding demonstrations. and vendors of all kinds. This was for the kids: decorate your stick pony. This young man named Kevin agreed to pose for me; and "Yes", he had done the decorating.<br />
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This gentleman was allowing photographers to take pictures of his team, but I seemed to get in on the tail end of things as they were pulling away. Very spirited and handsome.<br />
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No event would be complete if there wasn't some reference to my wine-drinking. Karen took these two pictures of blurbs I'd never seen before, but definitely true.<br />
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Here's my new selfie! This is a motorcycle that was in the parking lot as we were leaving.<br />
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We had a great lunch in town at one of our favorite restaurants Overland Trout. Next door is a really great gift shop. Dawn is famous for spending money in gift shops, and she was no slouch here. I must admit that her purchases were awesome. Karen caught us as we were exiting.<br />
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This is another one of Karen's great pictures. I was driving, but stopped and insisted that Karen do what she's famous for. It has something to do with the angle of the sun and ice crystals. She posted this on Face Book with an explanation from one of her friends. Beautiful end to a great day!<br />
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<br />The Artist Rockshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419987306675590070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8364746371541955552.post-5075987163088321322014-11-03T10:01:00.001-07:002014-11-03T10:01:40.882-07:00Finding my way in cyber spaceThis is not one of my normal posts. I'm participating in an exercise to see if I can post to my blog on a daily basis. I keep a written journal everyday of things that I have done whether they be daily mundane tasks, like picking up dog poop, or traveling to a birding site followed by lunch with friends.<br />
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On days that I spend house bound (my own choice) reading, massaging photos, or playing in my garden, I'm have a big hard drive spinning in the back of my mind reliving my life, seven decades worth. I think the hard drive is about seven tera bytes.<br />
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Sometimes I'm reliving my childhood, thinking about my parents, my siblings, and close relatives. What we see as children looks different played through the eyes of a mature adult. Maybe we have a better feel for our parents' emotions when they were unhappy with each other, shouting and yelling, slamming doors and stomping through the house. Maybe we understand how they felt about money, and what effect that had on our lives in a good or bad way.<br />
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I know we all play the "what if" game. What if I hadn't gotten married so young and gone through college in four years like some of my classmates did? What if I had chosen a different career? That wasn't a problem for me: I had five. What if I hadn't had children?<br />
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Sometimes the drive spins thinking about my children: how they were when they were little compared to the grown-ups they've become. Parents worry about doing right by their children and making sure they have every opportunity that they missed. I was never that way, because I was taught to create my own opportunities and be self-sufficient. That's one thing that my children thank me for passing along to them.<br />
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It's funny how the hard drive pulls up a name from the past that you never expected to remember and you wonder how that person is doing or is even still alive. You remind yourself that you need to keep in touch with close friends and family now TODAY, but you wonder if you'll make the effort.<br />
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My hard drive is extremely entertaining, but it's only there to be brought out and enjoyed when I'm not dealing with the here and now: traveling, taking pictures, trying new restaurants or meeting new people.The Artist Rockshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419987306675590070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8364746371541955552.post-77165682617962116002014-10-20T19:48:00.002-06:002014-10-20T19:48:52.884-06:00Looking BackSeventy-five years ago my Mom and Dad, Helen Sulecky and James Snyderwine, were married at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Sharon, PA. It was a simple ceremony after the 5 AM mass. There is no picture of them on that day, but the one of Mom in what looks like a suit and Dad in white shirt and dress pants will have to do. There is no one that I know of that is still alive who could tell me anything more. My parents told me exactly what appears on the marriage certificate. They laughed a lot about getting married at such an ungodly hour. I find it interesting that there is no reference to the Holy Seal of Matrimony. It looks like a certificate that any duly vested person would fill out. Another interesting aside is the fact that my Dad's parents, Mary Kimmet and John Snyderwine, were the first couple to be married at St. Joseph's which was the parish that we ended up at when they moved to Stambaugh Avenue.<br />
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If my parents were still alive, Mom would be 93 and Dad 98. From my observation as the oldest of three children, I feel they had long and happy marriage.<br />
<br />The Artist Rockshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419987306675590070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8364746371541955552.post-26040058300846851452014-08-17T10:22:00.000-06:002014-08-17T10:22:29.525-06:00After the Rain<br />
Our monsoon season has been spectacular this summer. We desperately need rain all over the Southwest and California. Marshall stuck his nose on my pillow about 4 this morning, and directly afterward the bedroom was lit by a bolt of lightening. That dog knows his stuff. Ordinary humans roll over and go back to sleep, but dogs want to run and cower at the same time. I usually get up around 4:30, so this was no big deal. I put the coffee on and puttered, but the storm didn't let up until after 6. I'm usually out walking by 5:15. When it was down to a misty drizzle, I convinced the boys that they could go outside, and I'd go along for reassurance. Naturally, I had to take some pictures. These are raindrops on the mesquite.<br />
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Time to feed my furry friends and convince them that it was okay to be alone while I went for my walk. As you can see the park has minimal drainage, and this is what it generally looks like after a good rain.<br />
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I had been wanting to take these two pictures below for some time. These are cacti growing in a rain gutter. There are two big pine trees nearby and they drop their needles into the gutter and the local birds deposited some seeds and this is what you get.<br />
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Fresh from the cleansing rain, this flower couldn't help but be a beauty. It seems to be a relative of the Ceres, but I'm not sure.<br />
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Maybe I'll take a picture of my weed crop before I get serious and decide to pull them. That's really going to be a job, but we have more rain predicted and it's silly to start before the rain is done. Oh, the trials of living in the Southwest.<br />
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<br />The Artist Rockshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419987306675590070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8364746371541955552.post-50523569083941476632014-06-15T08:20:00.000-06:002014-06-15T08:20:30.430-06:00Happy Father's DayTo the father's I have known:<br />
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This is my Grandfather Sulecky with my dad Jim Snyderwine. My grandfather died when I was about a year old and this is the only picture that I have.<br />
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This is my dad at our house on Stambaugh Avenue in Sharon, PA. The house was completely remodeled in the early 50's. My parents sold it in 1957 and we moved to Sharpsville, PA, a mere three miles away, but it meant that I had to change high schools in my junior year.<br />
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This is my uncle Jack Snyderwine, my dad's oldest brother. He never married and was never a father; however, he had lots of nieces and nephews that thought the world of him. At his funeral, we found out why he never married: evidently, he was engaged when my Grandfather Snyderwine was accidentally killed. Since he was the oldest, he had to become the head of the family of at least ten children. He's standing in front of the apartment and garage that was attached to my Aunt Margarite Porrecca and Uncle Ollie's house where he lived with my grandmother.<br />
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This is my children's father, Fred Gaede, back in his motorcycle days. This long before we met, probably even before he went to Korea.<br />
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This is Fred's dad. His name was also Fred. He worked for the Erie Railroad. That was his corner where he read the newspaper and watched television and monitored the comings and goings of the family.<br />
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This handsome devil is Edson G Loftus, my late husband Gary's dad. He was career Navy and served in WWII. After retirement, he became a physics professor and taught at a college in Jacksonville.<br />
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And, of course, my husband Gary, also Edson G Loftus. He was a wonderful father to my children and to his son Barclay. Here he is sailing the Sea of Cortez.<br />
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<br />The Artist Rockshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419987306675590070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8364746371541955552.post-15012218849071910792014-05-22T21:57:00.001-06:002014-05-22T21:57:20.124-06:00Buenos Aires Wildlife RefugeAnother wild and crazy adventure with my birding friends! It seems that since I am the designated guide and driver, I have the ability to find these places where there is birds and scenery. I don't promise anything, but life is an adventure...don't ya know! This time Ellayne is busy with her East coast friends at the Grand Canyon, so Karen and I are out to discover places unknown (to us). I had seen signs to Buenos Aires, and since it was so close to home, it seemed a crime not to visit. Yesterday morning, Karen and I set off at 6 AM to beat the heat and wind. There were plenty of information posts and trails along the way, but here we are at the visitors' center, which opens at 7:30 and has restrooms. Thank you, Lord! Morning coffee and all. I wanted to identify our location, but there's Karen trying to capture all the swallows flying about. She collects pins for her hat and vest of all the locations we visit. We actually got to meet the young lady who designed the pins and t-shirts for Buenos Aires.<br />
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The visitors' headquarters was actually the ranch house for the area that was turned into the refuge. Below is the skeleton of a rattlesnake. Of course, I don't know how they did it, but I thought it was worthy of a picture.<br />
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Down the road from the center is Aguirre Lake when it rains: it was bone dry. You had to imagine a lake in the indentation of the land. From there, we headed east to Arivaca Creek Trail. We didn't plan to go far since this was just a recon tour for the fall season. Well, don't ya know, we got caught up in a fantastic walk full of birds and more....<br />
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This is a summer tanager with his back to me; the best I could do. If a bird flies in front of me, I'm lucky to get a good picture. I thought I was concentrating on this one.<br />
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My choice is flowers, so this is a white zinnia. You can tell that the wind has started to blow.<br />
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I love dead trees, and in the wild no one is going to take them away, so there they are for me to photograph. This is a cottonwood, but I don't understand why the bark is crackling. That's my only word to describe it. I guess it makes the woodpeckers happy.<br />
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All of a sudden there's a slight path going up the hill. Well, that looks like fun and different. Of course. it was. A burned ranch house with a cattle chute, barn, fencing and a toliet? Oh, that comes later.<br />
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Here, I'm trying to tell Karen that I want to do a picture of her through this window frame, and all she can scream is, "Look at that lizard!" Well there he is in the bottom right-hand corner.<br />
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We encountered four or five ranches along the road, and they all had cattle chutes. Some looked like they were abandoned, and some looked they were being worked. This one was on the burned out property from two different angles. This one obvious.<br />
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This one down the chute!<br />
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Oh! Here's the toilet to nowhere!<br />
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Below is Arivaca Lake. It is suffering some drought, but is still quite a bird paradise. Karen was snapping pictures like crazy.<br />
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Here's Karen. I think I asked to her to pose. I don't usually do that, but I was looking for a particular background, but settled for a nice photo.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aKzkxbUfo-g/U364iAX-W4I/AAAAAAAAEYw/D_7rCVI9ApY/s1600/big+tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aKzkxbUfo-g/U364iAX-W4I/AAAAAAAAEYw/D_7rCVI9ApY/s1600/big+tree.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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Love dead trees! Big old cottonwood with the Santa Rita's and something called "Elephant Head" in the distance to the right. Without a glass of wine, you'd never be able to find it!<br />
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<br />The Artist Rockshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419987306675590070noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8364746371541955552.post-21391881496584205202014-05-18T17:44:00.000-06:002014-05-18T17:44:34.647-06:00Pow WowThe Mission View RV Resort where I live is located on the Tohono O'Odham Indian Reservation as well as Xavier del Bac Mission. In early March they had their annual pow wow. It was a sunny Saturday afternoon with lots of clouds scuttling across the sky. I got there in time to see the performers get their numbers and line up for their entrance to the dancing circle. The emcee announced that pictures were allowed, but no video. I guess that allowed for the honor system, because with today's cameras you can't tell if a person is doing stills or video. All of the outfits are handmade. They are not called costumes, because that would imply that one is pretending to be an Indian, and, of course, all these participants are Indians. This I learned from a lady from Canada who had come south to warm up for a couple weeks.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-omCZCX5OJDs/U3k8IGmg9bI/AAAAAAAAEVs/SkJBOktgyRM/s1600/fringe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-omCZCX5OJDs/U3k8IGmg9bI/AAAAAAAAEVs/SkJBOktgyRM/s1600/fringe.jpg" height="320" width="291" /></a></div>
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The outfits had several categories and fringed dresses was one of them. Pictures were difficult to take, because the person you might be trying to shoot could be blocked by someone walking in front of your camera. So even using telephoto, you never knew what to expect.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X0ggYXpV_oM/U3k8UFG_6cI/AAAAAAAAEV0/oiIgmaKG_WI/s1600/lady+in+red2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X0ggYXpV_oM/U3k8UFG_6cI/AAAAAAAAEV0/oiIgmaKG_WI/s1600/lady+in+red2.jpg" height="320" width="166" /></a></div>
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This young lady was so photogentic and obviously enjoying herself. She had sequins and fringes.<br />
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These entrants are lining up with their numbers. I was blown away by how colorful the outfits were.<br />
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You only have to be able to walk or toddle in some cases and have the appropriate outfit. These two were just darling. The one girl seems to be somewhat shy, and is being led by the other one.<br />
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I took a lot of pictures of this young man. He was totally into it. Some sort of shuffled to the beat, but this guy pounded the dirt and moved his whole body.<br />
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The dance arena is located behind the church, so when I came out to the parking lot, I couldn't help myself. The clouds made the day!<br />
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This food area to the east side of the parking lot always does a good business, but today because of the pow wow, they were exceptionally busy, and the smell was wonderful.<br />
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Clouds automatically make an exceptional sunset. What a perfect ending to an exciting day!</div>
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These are a neighbor's petal cactus that were blooming in March. Everything bloomed early this year because of our mild winter. I'm slowly learning the different cacti and someday will be more specific in identification, especially when it comes to the different petals.</div>
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The Artist Rockshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419987306675590070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8364746371541955552.post-20676575865822904732014-05-17T20:43:00.000-06:002014-05-17T20:43:10.498-06:00March Madness<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Well, I don't have any basketball pictures, even though, I am a huge fan, and New Mexico and Arizona did give us cause to cheer. I was expecting company from out of town and was busy scouting birding areas and other nearby tourist attractions. This particular Saturday I went to Catalina State Park north of Oro Valley. What a really great place for hiking and birding. They also have great areas for RV's. I took the birding path, because my Canadian friend Brock was soon to arrive. These were the pictures that I took on my walk.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eqUsFTL4Vsw/U3gTNqAkM3I/AAAAAAAAEUE/OHTDAxXT_vc/s1600/cacti+in+a+row.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eqUsFTL4Vsw/U3gTNqAkM3I/AAAAAAAAEUE/OHTDAxXT_vc/s1600/cacti+in+a+row.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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You can barely see the moon in the arm of this saguaro to the left.<br />
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Looks like a nice easy path; however, it does change in the next picture. Instead of having you hike up a path, they conveniently constructed some stairs. Also got my shadow while taking the picture.<br />
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This is a view going up the other side. Hard to watch for birds while you're making your way, but the dedicated birders that I know would do just that.<br />
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So this is how insane life in Tucson can be. Of course, it grew without my permission, and right across the street from the State Park is the Oro Valley Market Place which is a really nice shopping mall. They were having a car show and one of my photography groups Shoot It Raw was meeting here to take pictures. There were hundreds of people there snapping away, and I never did find anyone from my group.<br />
I have a fondness for Bugs as many others do judging from the shot.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n7gVbQNZXCs/U3gVBF6cQfI/AAAAAAAAEU8/xLD0euUA7TA/s1600/buick.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n7gVbQNZXCs/U3gVBF6cQfI/AAAAAAAAEU8/xLD0euUA7TA/s1600/buick.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
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My mom and dad had one of these Buicks only it wasn't a convertible.<br />
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Before NASCAR became popular, we always listened to the Indy Race on Memorial Day while doing lawn work in Albuquerque.<br />
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This is what I guess is termed as a "selfie." I don't know if the shadow counts as an added bonus.<br />
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Evidently this guy's wife insisted on having a Bentley. I guess I should have gotten a shot of the whole car, but the price was so staggering that my eyes glazed over...Hundred of Thousands! Yikes, back in 1999 to boot. Oh well, this is what make car shows interesting and taking pictures a bonus.<br />
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<br />The Artist Rockshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419987306675590070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8364746371541955552.post-39250039801721549182014-05-16T20:44:00.001-06:002014-05-16T20:44:26.728-06:00Another Desert Museum DaySince my friend Ed Fenton was nice enough to take care of my flowers while Karen Keating and I went to Antelope Canyon last week, I took him to the Desert Museum, because he had never been. I promote the museum whenever I can, because I'm a member and they give us free guest passes and other perks like free ice coffee and tea when we want to take a break. We had an excellent docent as they all are, and Ed was impressed learning how to use his camera. At some point, I realized I didn't have my cell phone. Thinking I probably left it in the car, I didn't worry too much. After all, you know how seniors are! We left the docent to enjoy our coffees on the patio, and then did the butterflies and humming birds. The butterflies were non-existent, and the hummers were too fast for my mind that had already started to worry about my cell phone. When we got back to the car and searched for my phone by Ed calling my number and establishing that it wasn't there, my blood pressure must have been astronomical. I let the people at the ticket booth know what my problem was, plus the docents who immediately banded together by calling one another and putting the word out. Ed and I re-traced our path, and I really felt that someone would readily see a purple cell phone lying on the ground. The window people gave me a local Verizon number to call from their phone book, and we dejectedly returned to the car and decided to head to a Verizon store. I had a Verizon number to call, but the guy was in New York and hadn't a clue how to help me. My phone book number locally turned out not to be the store that I last visited. As we were headed to town, Ed's phone rang, and miracle of miracles, the phone had been found in the parking lot. The young lady at the entrance window had enough smart sense to call the last missed call, which was the time that Ed called so we could find the phone in the car. After retrieving the phone, we headed to Olive Garden for soup, salad and WINE. However, I did take a few pictures.<br />
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The above is a Western coral bean.<br />
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Same flower...different stage of bloom.<br />
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Can't stop taking pictures of plain old petal cactus.<br />
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<br />The Artist Rockshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419987306675590070noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8364746371541955552.post-74031845345128772782014-05-15T21:39:00.000-06:002014-05-15T21:39:47.803-06:00I'm BackSo, I've been viewing other blogs and everyone knows that there are a lot out there. Originally, my main focus was to let my children know where I was in my travels. Now that I've settled down this past year except for day trips and occasional long trips, I've been very lazy. I've been taking pictures left and right and making new friends without benefit of sharing. Shame on me. I plan to remedy that. By the same token, I plan to speak my mind from day to day about various things and maybe not show any pictures. I love Facebook because I can keep up with family, particularly my sister's family and my late husband's, but everything else is so in your Face. It's the good with the bad, and I know I have the option to modify what I see, but lazy must be my new modus operondi. Other things that are happening are that my motor home and Tracker are up for sale, plus the house in Elephant Butte. Tomorrow I'm taking another friend to the Desert Museum, because he's never been and I have lots of visitor passes. Plus it's a really great place. At this time of the year, you have to go early morning. Our temps are already heading into the triple digits.<br />
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Well, I guess I couldn't post without at least one picture. This is my friend Patrick Moore who recently visited me from Truth or Consequences. This is the top of Kitt Peak, an observatory west of Tucson. I had never been there. The scenery was truly incredible. Unfortunately, the telescopes that were on our tour were not working that day. Great pics and fun anyway.<br />
<br />The Artist Rockshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419987306675590070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8364746371541955552.post-21945238129374237442014-03-01T19:10:00.001-07:002014-03-01T19:12:44.885-07:00Remembering Ginny Nylen<br />
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Virginia Nylen passed away in Tucson, Arizona on December 11, 2013. Ginny was born September 8, 1939 in Trail, BC, Canada to Ralph and Mary Scriven. She went to school in Olds, Alberta and then Swift Current, Saskatchewan. After graduating with her RN degree from Calgary General Hospital in 1960, she worked in Santa Barbara, CA, then moved to Oahu where she and several of her CGH classmates lived together and worked at Queen’s Hospital. She married in 1962, and lived on the Big Island for four years. While raising a family, she obtained her BS in nursing, and then her Masters in Public Health. She also continued to work as a nurse at Castle Hospital, Salvation Army Addiction Treatment Facility (ATF), Drug Addiction Services of Hawaii (DASH), Ask a Nurse, and ultimately at Hawaii State Hospital. In her retirement, she has spent time both in Hawaii and on the mainland, and for the past 8 years, she has kept a motor home on the mainland, travelling throughout the United States and Canada, and making friends along the way. She has also made trips to Asia and Europe and has been on several cruises with family and friends. Ginny gave freely of her time to such worthy causes as the American Red Cross, American Heart Association, and the Presbyterian Church Mission. Predeceased by her parents, Ginny is survived by her children, Reyn, Randy and Heather, and by her grandson Noa, all on Oahu. She leaves behind her brother Morris (Carole) Scriven, and sister Linda (Colin) Sumner, as well as numerous cousins in Canada. Ginny is also survived by a host of friends and acquaintances both in the US and Canada, all of whom will miss her sharp sense of humor, her honesty, her wisdom and her willingness to help people. In accordance with Ginny's wishes. her ashes will be scattered at Chinaman’s Hat in a private family ceremony.</div>
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The above is a copy of the obituary that Ginny's daughter Heather sent me.<br />
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I first met Ginny at Desert Haven, an animal rescue place, where we were both volunteers in New Mexico. After I got my motor home, we would plan to meet at various destinations and always had a wonderful time. She and Colin and Linda are responsible for me being at Mission View here in Tucson. They literally helped me move from New Mexico. I always called Ginny my Guardian Angel; she was always there to help. My blog post for Thanksgiving has, I guess, our last pictures of Ginny.<br />
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This is a scrapbook page that I did for her when she visited me near Yuma in 2011. Her smile says it all.<br />
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Today was the family's memorial at Chinaman's Hat. Rest in Peace, dear friend.<br />
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<br />The Artist Rockshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419987306675590070noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8364746371541955552.post-38155994233181507262014-02-26T19:03:00.002-07:002014-02-26T19:03:49.533-07:00Copper Canyon Trip Friday<br />
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This morning we had another great breakfast and everyone was ecstatic because they were able to connect with the rest of the world from the lobby. Our bus took us to the old Casas Grandes where Paquime the ruins and museum are located. The town site had a square and an old church, but the money was at the museum, so that's where we headed.<br />
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Carlos started giving us a very interesting lecture about the ruins, but we who wanted to take pictures took off and did exactly that. One lady from Australia said, "I can Google this!" <br />
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The pictures above are two views of the same thing. The bird (top right) is in both pictures. I think he liked getting his picture taken. Part of the ruins look like mud with vertical lines; that part is original. Any stone work is done to hold the original stuff together and preserve it. I don't know if they have treated the old stuff to keep it from melting in the elements or not.<br />
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The last picture is a bit of poetic license. I took the shot from inside the museum through a window. The area was a courtyard. My regrets: I didn't take pictures of any pottery, nor did I buy any. What I saw just didn't grab me.</div>
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Back on the bus, we headed for the border and Agua Prieta where we would eat lunch. It was a hair-raising ride through a mountain pass on a two lane road full of semis. Before we entered this stretch, Carlos told us that just six miles away was Flowing Wells, NM. They are building a road that way so traffic would not have to suffer this horrendous bit of highway. Lunch was good, but I tasted the fruit-flavored water and asked immediately for bottled water. I suspect that was my downfall, because Saturday morning I awoke with Montezuma's Revenge or a severe intestinal flu. Back to the trip: crossing the borders, both Mexican and American was relatively easy and we were soon on our way to Tucson via Bisbee and Tombstone. </div>
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Karen picked me up at the hotel, and Marilyn and Maria followed us home so that my two new friends could spend the night, because hotel rooms were scarce. We had fun drinking wine and showing Karen our new treasures. I hadn't seen the pretties that Marilyn and Maria acquired at the museum and was green with envy. The next morning I'd be green for another reason.</div>
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Reflections: it was a great trip meeting new people and seeing the sights that I always wanted to. Need to learn more about tours. Thirty-seven people on one bus is probably seventeen too many. More breaks are necessary if you're going to cover long distances. All in all. I'm glad I did it!</div>
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The Artist Rockshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419987306675590070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8364746371541955552.post-84166185760608423082014-02-26T18:10:00.000-07:002014-02-26T18:10:25.225-07:00Copper Canyon Trip ThursdaySo I got bored with the numbering! Our bus down the mountain took us to Creel where we had time to shop and see the square. I always like to take pictures of churches. Instead of having an historic church on the square, they had this very modern one. The first picture is the front of the church and the second is the back. Notice the fancy confessionals and what I'm assuming is a choir loft. On the left front was a side chapel which could be completely closed off, and I figured was for parents with small children (I don't have a picture). Someone in this town must have money. I'll have to Google it to see what fuels their economy. Should have paid closer attention to Carlos's lecture.<br />
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As you can tell by now, I love to take pictures of ordinary people, and evidently these people were used to tourists. Some even asked for money; some of my fellow travelers volunteered to pay them. I don't know if they had market day every day on the plaza, but it was full of vendors with not just tourist items, but household items.<br />
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In this shop I bought an apron for my friend Karen who loves to cook. It has Indian designs and appliqued Tarahumara Indian dolls on it. Below is our LOSER bus! Not really. The company that Carlos evidently worked for was called A CLOSER LOOK, but the marquee was scrolling and I caught a funny.<br />
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This is a picture of my friends Maria and Marilyn. Maria's husband doesn't like to travel, so he's at home taking care of Maria's two horses; Marilyn is a somewhat recent widow with a successful real estate business who travels extensively any chance she gets. The restaurant where the picture was taken is in a town called Guerrero in the heart of Mormon country. Our food was delicious and since they have miles of apple orchards, we had hot apple pie with homemade ice cream for dessert. I did indulge.<br />
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Our stop for the evening and our farewell dinner was in Casas Grandes Nuevo. The hotel was like an American one; I had just gotten used to the quaintness of our other ones and was rudely brought back to the real world. The closer one gets to the United States the more they want to mimic American culture; I guess they think that's what Americans want. I preferred absorbing their culture. On the bus that afternoon, we were shown a video explaining how the Indians make and fire their pottery. Before we went into the restaurant for dinner, two local artists demonstrated how they fire their beautiful creations. It's rather primitive, more like lighting a bonfire. After dinner, the gentleman with the pony tail which I think you've seen in at least two pictures volunteered to be the auctioneer for several pieces of pottery. My friend Marilyn got the first, and even though Maria tried, she was outbid in her attempt. Not to worry, we'll be able to buy some at the museum tomorrow. Marilyn had the honor of having her picture taken with the artists and the other winners. Back at the hotel, everyone was trying to connect to the Internet. We were supposed to have service on the bus, but it was so slow as to be non-existent. Tomorrow is going to be another long day of riding and not knowing how long it will take us to get across the border at Nacho.<br />
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<br />The Artist Rockshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419987306675590070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8364746371541955552.post-19778720457810742972014-02-26T09:27:00.000-07:002014-02-26T09:27:03.607-07:00Copper Canyon Trip Day Six<br />
Several of us hiked to the edge of the canyon rim to see the sunrise this morning. We were not disappointed. The second picture is of the first hotel ever built at the canyon. It is very beautiful, but does not always have water. The owners of the hotel where we are staying have their own access to water as you will see later.<br />
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This is one of the Indian dwellings down in the canyon. It is very rocky, but they find a little soil to have a garden. The Tarahumara Indians were supposed to give us a basket weaving demonstration after breakfast, but didn't show up. Carlos said that was normal, so he took us to an elementary school in the village. This was so much fun. The students were first through fifth grade and so well-behaved, but you could tell by their eyes that they were holding back their mischief.<br />
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They danced for us probably something similar to our square dancing. One young lady with a wonderful voice sang a solo. Two boys demonstrated how they train for their foot races which the Indians are world famous for. Don't you just love it when I end a sentence with a preposition? The whole group sang the Mexican national anthem. Then Carlos asked us the sing our national anthem. There were only three couples who weren't from the states. I was so proud of our group; we sang our hearts out, and I was misty-eyed at the end.<br />
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We had such a wonderful group of generous caring individuals. They purchased items and donated willingly for any cause suggested. We naturally gave to these children who performed for us and made us so welcome. Each of us also received a personal note with a message and sample of their handwriting and art. We were all so touched.<br />
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Next we went to visit the granddaughter of a seer. She is evidently learning to take her grandmother's place. Four of my companions volunteered to let her tell them what their physical problems were. She was very entertaining. The rest of the family was there to sell. The shawls below were beautifully woven, but that's not why I shot the picture obviously. That little boy was just too cute!<br />
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This is the tram that was supposed to take us to the bottom of the canyon, but it's not completed yet, so they took us to a point somewhat lower and toward the middle. About 15 or 20 of my companions chose to do the zip line and said it was a real blast.<br />
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This fellow is playing the fiddle right there on the very edge. Naturally, there were more vendors.<br />
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Our next stop was a picnic/barbecue lunch next to the spring-fed lake that our hotel owned. It was very pretty and had a rock formation that reminded us of Stonehenge.<br />
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This was how we roughed it for our lunch. Notice the shelter, tablecloths, and large area where they cooked our brisket. Also my two new friends from San Diego, Maria and Marilyn.<br />
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After lunch I elected to go on another guided hike of the rim of the canyon and we met some cave dwellers. You can see that their home is built into the side of the canyon wall. It's not that evident in this picture, but the canyon wall is blackened from their outdoor fires.<br />
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Another cutie who seems to be in charge of selling those rocks. Does his mother know how close he's sitting to the edge?<br />
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Back to the hotel dining room for Happy Hour, a good dinner, and a gent playing the guitar for entertainment. Our last night in the canyon. After breakfast tomorrow, our big bus will meet us at the bottom of the driveway and take us to our next destination.<br />
<br />The Artist Rockshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419987306675590070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8364746371541955552.post-48861451790741223342014-02-25T11:07:00.000-07:002014-02-26T08:14:50.197-07:00Copper Canyon Day FiveTaking pictures on the train was difficult, because of the reflection from the window and the movement of the train. The "observation deck" was the area between two cars where the wind and rocking motion were a thrill a minute. No problem, some of these brave people claimed ownership to the choicest spots. I know Byron's DVD will come through to cover this small inconvenience.<br />
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I did get this shot of one of the vendors as we were pulling into the train station. It was reminiscent of pictures that my children's father took in Korea. The hotel bus met us plus one other van since we were such a large group. The vendors had taken up position in front of the hotel, and I was over-whelmed. The basket group was in seventh heaven. Carlos took us on a nature hike to the rim of the canyon which turned out to be full of more vendors.<br />
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I didn't get any pictures of the vendors, nor was I smart enough to buy what I wanted that first afternoon. I figured it would be the same the following day, but not so; I missed my chance. Luckily, I wasn't a total goof; I got a picture of the canyon.<br />
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These people were so photogenic in their bright colors and expressive eyes. The women start having children when they are eleven and twelve; the mortality rate of their babies is less than fifty per cent. They live all over the canyon in very primitive conditions and they seem happy.<br />
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A parting shot of the canyon before getting ready for dinner. Our food was always good and plentiful. I'm sure all of us have gained weight.<br />
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<br />The Artist Rockshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419987306675590070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8364746371541955552.post-70503472348088130462014-02-25T10:29:00.000-07:002014-02-25T10:29:52.804-07:00Copper Canyon Trip Day Four<br />
After breakfast I took as many pictures as I could, because this was by far the most quaint of our lodgings. This is the front door on the inside of my room. The room was brick and stone throughout. Again, I had a strange and antiquated locking system on my door.<br />
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This is the window with beautiful white curtains held apart with what looks like beaded jewelry ties. The view from the window is the very last picture.<br />
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The blue dresser looks like some I've seen hand-made here in Mexico but with an antiqued kind of finish. All the accents in the room were of that blue color.<br />
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My shower had beautiful stone work handsomely done. My sink is made of some kind of stone, very primitive-looking. Notice in the picture below that the sink is sitting on a Singer sewing machine frame. There were many of those frames used in various ways throughout the complex. The decorator had a grand time from what I can tell.<br />
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As you can see the patio furniture is incredibly comfortable. While we had our evening libation, they played classical guitar music, and I thought I died and went to heaven.<br />
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Columns with nothing to hold up. Great idea for a picture. Below is the view from my room window with yet another idea for using Singer frames.<br />
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I wandered toward the square while waiting for everyone to board the bus. It's a fifteen minute ride to the train station and we have to be sure to take everything we want from the bus, because our driver is going to take it to the other side of Copper Canyon.</div>
The Artist Rockshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419987306675590070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8364746371541955552.post-27349644195297182722014-02-25T09:38:00.000-07:002014-02-25T09:40:46.263-07:00Copper Canyon Day Three<br />
Pictured below is the hotel where I stayed: Casa de los Tresoros. It took three different hotels to house the group. I was lucky, because I thought mine was the best. It was originally a nunnery as you can tell by the cell like rooms with strange doors and locks. I neglected to take a picture of the locks.<br />
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This is a desk with a window opening above. Only one side is open. Below is the door out to the courtyard. It seemed very tropical here in Alamos even though I know we gained in elevation.<br />
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There was no heat in the room. If you got cold, there were logs and a bottle of kerosene to light a fire.<br />
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We had a local tour guide; Carlos had the morning off. The guide did an excellent job showing us around town. Most of the houses have been bought by snow birds and restored. Some are used for commercial purposes and others just maintained as family homes.We visited a local library and the town hall. Above is a view of the church from the street where my hotel was, and below is a view from directly in front.<br />
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The woman on the far right is doing a pottery demonstration, but most of the audience is enthralled with her young daughter. All of the little kids were so cute and animated.<br />
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Above is a sandpaper bush. The flowers were outstanding, but the bushes' curly green leaves feel like sandpaper. After lunch we boarded the bus for a long ride through beautiful farming country before climbing to the town of El Fuerte. It was dusk when we arrived, and the hotel greeted us with a traditional margarita, excellent dinner and music on the patio. Later a troupe of Folklorico Dancers performed for us. Perhaps when I get Byron's DVD I can share some of the color of their costumes.</div>
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The Artist Rockshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419987306675590070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8364746371541955552.post-58415181757036894172014-02-24T17:28:00.000-07:002014-02-24T17:28:01.391-07:00Copper Canyon Day TwoSince I'm an early riser, I took this picture of the marina and the local landmark jutting toward the sky. Almost all mornings we had an early breakfast and planned activities for the day. Yesterday afternoon we were supposed to tour a cactus garden, but since we got in late, I figured that plan had fallen by the wayside. Not so, stay tuned.<br />
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The boat ride off shore was something that I had been looking forward to. These pelicans don't seem to mind their own excrement; in fact, they are busy preening and admiring one another or one-upping each other as the case may be. I don't know what kind of birds are in the picture below, but, they, too, are enjoying their surroundings.<br />
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This was the best part: the dolphins joined us and raced under the boat and with each other. Since I was warned not to bring my good camera for fear of theft, I had to do my photography with my 12 year old Olympus. I'm delighted that Byron will be taking up the slack with his DVD of excellent shots.</div>
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After the boat ride, we got to go to the cactus garden after all. It seemed to be part of some resort that had been abandoned due to the ill fortune of the developer. As you know, I love to take querky pictures, and this looked like some sort of hair growing out of the cactus, like he's having a bad hair day. After lunch, we went to the Pearl Farm. Originally, that was being cancelled, because the owners were in Tucson at the Gem Show. I didn't take any pictures, because I had been there in October. My fellow travelers made the owners' day worth while. They did love to spend money. An aside: our Aussie travelers left their passports and some other valuables at the hotel, and a cab driver hired by the hotel met the bus along the road to deliver them. Great service Trafalgar. Now for our long ride to Alamos which turned out to be one of my favorite stops. We had a great dinner, drinks and entertainment. More about that in Day Three.<br />
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<br />The Artist Rockshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419987306675590070noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8364746371541955552.post-91856739283316524442014-02-24T16:47:00.001-07:002014-02-24T16:47:31.715-07:00Copper Canyon Trip Day One<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
In contemplating a new way to travel I signed on for a bus tour of Copper Canyon in Chihuahua, Mexico. The tour began in Phoenix, but I was picked up at the Airport Marriott less than two miles from where I live. My friend Karen Keating deposited me with my luggage, passport, phone and camera at 8:30 Saturday morning. The bus was late getting in from Phoenix, and all the people in the lobby were more than ready to get started. I met two sisters from snow country who were visiting family in Tucson. They told me that the majority of travelers were basket weavers from California and Oregon. The seat assignments were taped under the overhead compartments above our seats. I had the whole back, three whole seats to myself at first. Then I met Maria who had a brace on her ankle and needed to elevate her foot on our backpacks which we placed on the floor for that purpose. We also counted the number and frequency of the toilet patrons for fun. My only hope was that I didn't get motion sickness that far back. Oh well, I was close to the facilities.</div>
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Our first stop, of all things, was Xavier del Bac Mission, less than two miles from where I live, in the opposite direction. At least we're on the road to Nogales, our border crossing. As you can see from the picture, they are doing more renovating at the Mission.</div>
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On our way down to Nogales, we had to fill out a form for a Mexican visa. I already have one good for six months stamped inside my passport, but Trafalgar wanted me to do another one. The tour guide Carlos collected our forms and our passports and took them to the officials. Meanwhile, we had to get off the bus, retrieve our lugged and put it through the xray machines and then reboard the bus. Next stop was Santa Ana where we had a great lunch served quickly and efficiently. Because of the late start in the morning and the long border crossing, we were naturally running late. We got into Hermosillo, the capitol of the state of Sonora, between four and five. Below is a government building that seemed worthy of a picture. This was on the square which was busy with residents and vendors.<br />
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I liked the way the waning sun caught the bell tower of the church. Below is a picture of Mary's side altar. One of my fellow travelers carried two camera around his neck and took pictures of everyone and everything. He is preparing a DVD for those of us who want one.<br />
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We finally got to San Carlos, our first stop. If you remember my previous postings, I was here last October. It was dark when we got in, so all we had time for was a welcome drink and dinner. The hotel accommodations at MarinaTerra were quite beautiful and right on the marina.<br />
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<br />The Artist Rockshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419987306675590070noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8364746371541955552.post-45170273997352981322013-12-08T19:22:00.002-07:002013-12-08T19:27:49.536-07:00Turkey Day 2013<br />
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This post is a little backwards, but life can be that way sometimes. The above scrapbook page is a composite of pictures taken when my friends were kind enough to join me for dinner. At the top left is Deb Peters and Ginny Nyland's son Rayn. Directly below in Ginny. She's my guardian angel directly responsible for me living at Mission View. She and her sister Linda and brother-in-law Colin helped me move from New Mexico. Great friends! Below that is my neighbor John who I couldn't do without. John can fix or do anything. At the top right is a lunching companion and fellow Pole, another John. Below that is Deb Peters and her mom Betty who came over from New Mexico on Tuesday glad to leave some snow and cold behind. The last picture is of the beautiful centerpiece that my lunching John gifted me with: perfect for our table. We were so thankful to eat outside in 70 degree weather.<br />
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Our weather wasn't all that wonderful, referring back to the arrival of Deb and Betty. I had big plans to show them around Tucson in sunshine and blue skies. Not gonna happen. We settled for a tour of Xavier del Bac Mission. That was really great and the docent couldn't have been better. Then we joined my photographer friend Karen Keating for lunch at Olive Garden. Deb and Karen are my look alike friends. It's scary how closely they resemble one another. Oh, and did I mention: they are both from Connecticut. We had a wonderful lunch, and no one would have guessed that Deb and Karen had just met one another. They chatted like long lost friends.<br />
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The weather was sort of iffy, but I wanted Betty to experience the mountains and the saguaros, so I took them over Gates Pass. We actually stopped at at the information area and Deb hiked up the hill a ways. Then I took them to one of my favorite campgrounds: Ironwood. It's name comes from a huge Ironwood tree at the end of the campground. Can you believe it? I didn't have a camera except my iPhone. These are pictures of Deb being her fun self.<br />
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So after watching the Steelers lose Thanksgiving evening, Deb and Betty packed up and headed back to New Mexico on Friday. What a fun visit!<br />
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So Sunday December 1, the three photographers, and two birders (can you guess which one is not really a birder?) headed for Madera Canyon. Not exactly a primo day for what I take pictures of: landscapes and a bird if he flies right in front of me. Karen and Ellayne got pictures of Mexican jays, white-breasted Nuthatch, gray-headed dark-eyed Juncos, and a Bridled Titmouse.<br />
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Below is a picture I took as we were coming up the creek with no water obviously and poor lighting, so I photo-shopped it. Bad girl!<br />
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But I'll be back this week with another birding friend: Brock. He'll do birds; I'll fumble my way through the picture-taking.<br />
<br />The Artist Rockshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419987306675590070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8364746371541955552.post-3861824326928065202013-11-23T12:58:00.000-07:002013-11-23T13:02:38.571-07:00Ironwood Forest National MonumentLast Saturday, November 17, I drove out to Ironwood Forest National Monument. I had been here a few other times, but today a group of people from the University of Arizona were giving presentations on the flora and fauna found on this section of Bureau of Land Management property. My pictures don't show any Ironwood trees unless they are dead. On this trip, I found the cacti more appealing. On my first trip here, since I didn't see many Ironwood, I joked to my friends that there are more Ironwood trees in Mission View RV Park than here.<br />
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I can't resist dead trees; they seem to be saying something about not giving up.<br />
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Here the speaker has a snake that looks similar to a coral snake, and he explained the differences in detail. I didn't get too close to see if he was correct.<br />
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The Gila Monster here is the only poisonous creature that he had with him. In order for this ugly guy to bite you, you almost have to stick you finger in his mouth; he didn't give any fatality statistics, but said most people recover with a little medical aid. No one volunteered to disprove him.<br />
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Here's a cactus arm that looks like someone's bad hair day. I think he was reaching out to hug someone.<br />
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I'm not even sure that's a dead Ironwood in there with all those cacti. It could be a mesquite; there are several different types in the area.<br />
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I titled this The Scar; an arm was lost for whatever reason, and the site scabbed over.<br />
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Here's Mr. Tortoise. The speaker is trying to make him hurry along. It took quite an effort. Perhaps he should have offered a treat.<br />
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As you can tell, these two shots are identical. I wanted to experiment with making it black and white and perhaps more dramatic. I guess I'll just keep experimenting. I took a class at the Desert Museum for Elements and have been playing with Light Room and Photoshop. Why would someone take on such a daunting challenge at my age? Always looking for trouble, I guess.<br />
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There is so much I haven't shared. Playing with the pictures is too much fun, and fun is what I do best. I explored a little on my own, and found three roads that I want to check out when I have some friends with me. I think we can use flagging to mark our way instead of cookie crumbs.<br />
<br />The Artist Rockshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419987306675590070noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8364746371541955552.post-1197650403842563292013-10-20T20:53:00.001-06:002013-10-20T20:53:28.468-06:00San Carlos 1969After I did the last post, I remembered that I had slides that I had copied to my computer. They're not the best, but better than I dared hope after all this time. We had a 60 something VW bus that my husband had converted to a camper. He did all the carpentry work and secured it in place. Of course, it wasn't self-contained, but it carried the kids and all our gear, and we had a table to eat inside, and we could all sleep inside if the weather was bad.<br />
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This is a picture of the beach, and I have no clue of the direction. We are apparently preparing for an afternoon storm. Below Susie is taking a nap, unusual for her. She was 4, Mike was 6, and Tammy had just turned 10. Those were seat cushions from inside. I have no idea why we were using them outside. We probably didn't have lawn chairs. Can you believe I don't remember some ancient history?<br />
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We didn't do this trip on our own. I worked special events for the University of New Mexico, and Mary Barnes was my boss. She invited us to go down with her family. She had several boys older than my Michael, but he loved to fish, and they somehow caught these sharks (?) plus an octopus.<br />
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Below, a family vacation portrait! Dad is obviously taking the picture. He took the greatest pictures with his Cannon that he bought while on R&R in Japan during the Korean War. I believe the swim suit that Tammy is wearing is the one she wore while on the swim team at the Coronado Club on Kirtland Air Force Base.<br />
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He caught this one on a hook, not in his bare hands!<br />
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Along the roadside, a veritable palace. Most that we encountered on the beach lived in corrugated shacks. Trip over; forward a life time.<br />
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<br />The Artist Rockshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419987306675590070noreply@blogger.com2