Sunday, December 21, 2014

We took a break from our snowbird hibernation and headed into the Superstition Mountains east of Apache Junction, AZ.  There was desert everywhere and all of a sudden a large blue reservoir appeared, complete with a big marina and dozens of boaters on the water.

Canyon Lake was created by the Mormon Flat Dam on the Salt River. I suspect the lake is covered with people in the heat of the Phoenix summers.

I liked the look of the dry grasses mixed with cacti covering the colorful rocky hills!

Except for the parked cars, Tortilla Flat, AZ, could have been right out of the 1880's.  The mannequin hanging from a noose in front of one of the stores did not give it a very inviting feeling and we chose to keep moving.

Joani is always looking for the odd angle or extreme close-up to give her compositions a unique look.  She very often finds things that I probably would have overlooked.

The interior vascular system was all that remained of this large, long dead, decaying cactus...

...spread out on the desert floor.

I think the Saguaro below was feeling lonely and decided to give himself a hug.

The yellow-green tint to the hills was very pronounced and warranted a close-up inspection.  We found the color was due to sun-loving lichen clinging to the rock.  

The low angle of the winter sun lends a dramatic look to the Saguaro, outlining them with light.  The backlit Cholla cacti positively "glow"!

On our return, the Goldfield Ghost Town, just off North Apache Trail (Hwy 88) was more inviting than the town of Tortilla Flat and there was a lively crowd of people milling around, so we decided to spend a little time exploring.  Sam walked with us right into an old west "shoot-out".  All of the gunfire made him pretty skittish, but it only lasted a few minutes and he was back sniffing everything almost as soon as the last bad guy bit the dust.

Opportunities for artsy shots were everywhere . . .

As I was admiring the old rusted typewriter, a young boy approached and asked me what it was.  Boy, did I feel old!

We were all worn out, even though there had been very little hiking - it will take a while to get back into shape for some real hiking next spring.

Sunday, December 14, 2014

While at the laundry, a neighbor told me about another Art Show, this one much closer, in downtown Mesa, AZ.  Late morning turned out to be a perfect time since there was no problem parking close and the crowds were relatively light.  It was a beautiful, clear morning, although it was a bit cool (maybe high 50's).  One vendor commented we couldn't be locals in our short sleeved T-shirts - locals were wearing jeans and coats. 

Joani really liked this artist's technique of photographing cut crystal glassware with different colors behind it.  The setup was pretty easy, while the results were wildly varied with only a slight change in angle.  

"NewAwlins" by Diane Kempton

The three young ladies below, all dressed in silver, walked the art show from end to end in slow motion.  I guess they represented Winter.  They certainly reminded me of cold.  I never found out exactly why they were there, some art forms are meant to be experienced without asking any questions.  Every now and then they attracted a little too much attention like this little girl who kept trying to talk to them.

I think there were three artists who were selling turned wood pieces. They were far more interesting after my neighbor introduced me to pen turning.  We did not take pictures of their work, but with bowls and boxes and plates there clearly are a lot of projects beyond pens.

The art museum was open, so we took a break from the vendors and wandered through a few of the exhibition halls.  One artist worked with colored pencils on Birch panels.  I can't decide if I liked the medium or not, but it was certainly different.

Fascinating, yet creepy - the skull and legs are real bunny bone.

While we were in the museum store, I nearly missed the belly dancers - luckily I caught the show from a window.

Mesa Arts Center hosts a large variety of classes. Offerings include ceramics, drawing, glass, jewelry, metals, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture and more.  Many local artists were in the classrooms working.   They were all eager to answer any questions or just fill you in on what they were doing.  I'm sure facilities like this attract a lot of people to this area.  OK, the weather helps, too. 

Having an open house is brilliant!  It makes you want to sign up for classes.

There was a very active group of spinners and weavers demonstrating a variety of things you can do with wool.  Guild members were spinning wool into yarn, knitting, weaving rugs and "felting" wool.  Yet another multi-faceted hobby that could take many years to thoroughly explore.  

A kind gentleman was willing to explain the felting process.

Time to get back to Sam, so I'll close with a shadow good-bye wave from the Mesa Arts Center water sculpture.

Friday, December 12, 2014

Our neighbors across the street, Lowell and Hania, full time in a new 5th wheel.  They are both very active hobbyists.  Lowell showed me an array of turnings he had created - pens, bottle stoppers, seam rippers - in a huge variety of beautiful and exotic woods.  What I found to be even more amazing was that he traveled with the entire wood turning operation.  Behind his rig was a complete outdoor workshop!  

Lowell donned his Woodcraft apron and walked me through the entire process.  I had heard of pen turning before, but I never thought about how it would all work.  There are a number of steps and each has specialized tools.

Within a few minutes, I was turning wood on the lathe!  There was just something very satisfying about watching those chips fly as a rough block of wood turned into a finished project.

Don't tell Joani she's getting a custom-made Zebrawood seam ripper!

Sunday, December 7, 2014

Our current home park (Mesa Spirit RV) offered a package deal that included a bus ride to a casino (including some gambling money and lunch) followed by shopping in Prescott, Az.  I signed us up.  We had only tried gambling once before and did not really enjoy it, but maybe house money would make a difference.  The bus was scheduled to leave promptly at 7:00 AM.  This crowd was ready to go and we were just about the last to board, so it was the back of the bus for us. 

Cliff Castle Casino was off of I-17 about 2/3 of the distance between Phoenix and Flagstaff (112 miles).  I was surprised to see how many people I recognized.  Some were close to our site in the park and some I had met in the woodworking shop or the laundry room.

Miracle on 34th Street played on the video system helping to pass the time.  Joani napped a little to make up for the early start.

The tour allotted four hours at the casino, which was more than enough time to gamble all of the house money.  We learned a little and even managed to pocket some winnings.  It was enjoyable, but I don't think either of us is even close to hooked.  The high point was a really nice buffet brunch where we ate far too much.  Pictures inside the casino are frowned upon, so I walked back to the entrance for a few mementos of our visit.

The bus stopped at Mortimer's Country Store where we were tempted with an array of jams and jellies, homemade candies and baked goods and ice cream.  This was when our overeating at the buffet paid off - we could barely think about eating anything else!

I really have no idea where we stopped next.  It was in a big hotel, high on a hill with a lobby full of gingerbread creations.  Most went far beyond the traditional gingerbread house with elaborate designs - one included an entire old west street scene. 

Next stop - the square in Prescott.  The county courthouse was surrounded by an expanse of green space.  We saw some kind of exercise class on the lawn that used Hula Hoops in slow motion - very strange looking.  A lot of people were walking their dogs.  Our driver said Prescott was extremely pet-friendly.  Every side of the rather large square was lined with shops and bars and restaurants (still could not think about eating).      

One shop stood out in my mind with some unique and beautiful pieces.  It was called "Van Gogh's Ear".  Of course, there were a lot of nice shops and we could have spent more time there if that bus wasn't in such a hurry (we only had 2 hours to explore the square). 

Joani had a difficult time believing how many beautiful scarves were in this one shop and every scarf was the same price, $12.  She spent a good while narrowing her choice down to a self-imposed limit of one.  I don't think I could have been quite as disciplined if I had found the equivalent choices in, say, a woodworking store.

A quick stop for coffee and some frozen yogurt in one of the small shops - a full meal was still out of the question.  Can you see the train circling on the track near the ceiling?

David was determined to find me caffeine to thwart a withdrawal headache.  It did the trick!

Every tree in the square was decorated with lights that lit up as the sun started to sink in the west.  By the time the bus left, it was dark and the lights gave the whole area a festive feel.

The square was loaded with dogs walking their people.

A bib for a drooling dog is brilliant.  I'm thankful Sam doesn't need one!

The bus driver circled the square one last time for a parting view of the lighting magic.

On the way out of town, the bus toured the Christmas lights on display in one of Prescott's parks.  We barely fit through some of the lighted tunnels.  Joani liked the effect she got as the close lights zipped by her window.

The bus headed for home as they showed "It's a Wonderful Life".  I heard a lot of people comment that they had never seen the movie. That explained why, when the bus returned before the movie ended, they continued to sit there even though it had been 13 and a half hours since we left that morning.  We had seen the movie enough times, so we headed home to see our doggie.  Don't worry about Sam though - our neighbor very graciously walked him and checked in on him several times.  He was happy to see us, but he was not in any distress.

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

I thought I would post some of the random pictures from around Mesa Spirit RV park since we have yet to really explore the area.  Nearly every morning I have seen a beautiful sunrise.  I should try an HDR shot to capture the range of light.  The compromise below really does not do the sky justice.

There was an FMCA Chapter rally in the park.  One of Sam's walking routes took us through the center of their coaches.  I was curious about this guy's choice of toad.  Jeff said he actually only lived a short distance away and just drove the car over.  He had a collection of restored cars and some of the other rally members wanted to see them, so he brought over a different one each day. 

I think his '36 Plymouth was my favorite!

This sign in a coach window caught my attention.  As it turned out, the coach belonged to Sylvia, one of the folks at our Thanksgiving dinner table.

One day we made our way to IKEA for the second time.  The Swedish meatballs were calling to Joani - the Total Wine across the parking lot was enough to justify the trip for me.

The Ikea is only 18 miles from Mesa, in Tempe, AZ (another suburb of Phoenix).

Chuck's lowrider, below, was mostly a '51 Mercury.  The unique look was the result of a lowered suspension and roofline, the addition of '55 Chevy "eyebrows" and a grill from some other model car.  It kind of reminded me of a shark looking for prey.  Like a lot of the folks in the park who drive the more interesting or expensive cars, this one was towed inside an enclosed trailer.

I had to ask Chuck why the car had both side pipes and rear tailpipes.  He said only one set was used, but now I cannot remember which it was.  I will have to pay close attention to the sound the next time he cruises by me.

Happy Birthday, baby brother!  I love you, Ken!